tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33675465864084070552024-03-05T20:41:43.789-06:00a capital wastelandwriting about things no one cares aboutAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.comBlogger267125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-28536139906499027632017-04-02T19:39:00.001-05:002017-04-02T19:40:24.029-05:002017 MLS jersey rankingsIt's been <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/search?q=jersey" target="_blank">a long time</a> since I've done this. After the dark ages of the '90s and early '00s, it seems like sports teams in general are favoring cleaner, more classic looks these days... but are they TOO classy? They're North American soccer teams, after all, not centuries-old vaunted European globetrotting franchises. Some would argue MLS clubs have gone from one extreme (<a href="https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/2015/03/02/mlsunveil.jpg" target="_blank">take a gander at these inaugural 1996 MLS jerseys</a>) to the other, trying too hard to feel like some established cultural pillar that they're not. You gotta keep a LITTLE fun in there, right?<br />
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But I digress. To be fair, even the weakest of these are fairly well designed, so kudos to Major League Soccer for improving over the years. Without further ado, here's my ranking of all 22 MLS primary jerseys for the 2017 season, from worst to best:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcobui7Mur5RwvJSuGkq1FMrYM0zJq_g3fYEacyzTR_rIRslwPeEpkM0xD80fK5Pye_p66bbm64BzQGhyphenhyphentFsAx8No6g02ZKq_F9kV51S42FmOXWsW-NwqF4w8bXA9pIQvLwSduEtXHNZK/s1600/thumb.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIcobui7Mur5RwvJSuGkq1FMrYM0zJq_g3fYEacyzTR_rIRslwPeEpkM0xD80fK5Pye_p66bbm64BzQGhyphenhyphentFsAx8No6g02ZKq_F9kV51S42FmOXWsW-NwqF4w8bXA9pIQvLwSduEtXHNZK/s320/thumb.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>22. New England Revolution</b></div>
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New England is a founding member of MLS, and for its entire 21-year history, it's struggled with an awful brand identity. A terrible team name, an abysmal team logo, a bland color scheme taken straight from the New England Patriots, and a long history of ugly jerseys. The shirt sponsor United Healthcare can't seem to pick a logo either, so they've got THREE brandings on here: The UHC initials, the United Healthcare wordmark, <i>and</i> their logo. Can't they just pick one?</div>
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This season's look is doing the most it can with the cards it's been dealt (and minimizes the amount of gray in the shirt, which was more heavily featured in older uniforms), but I can't help but feel like this team is overdue for a total brand makeover. It's not the '90s anymore! At least the stripe down the middle of the shirt with the chevron in the negative space is unique? Maybe the only good part of this whole thing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYyuQzcQr-XDNCaOsQHVHtXDV6xfyniUF2hTb1b8K9cD2ZOc6BVxHgKidjH2pVqsgElLqzaKsTHHbiVMOFGbMBeY3IJH8Dt4q1hsKU7mCWOQR3vYUOXzWriIBho2Lp4JgohYzosp-JQA2/s1600/thumb.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYyuQzcQr-XDNCaOsQHVHtXDV6xfyniUF2hTb1b8K9cD2ZOc6BVxHgKidjH2pVqsgElLqzaKsTHHbiVMOFGbMBeY3IJH8Dt4q1hsKU7mCWOQR3vYUOXzWriIBho2Lp4JgohYzosp-JQA2/s320/thumb.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>21. FC Dallas</b></div>
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In previous seasons, FC Dallas has worn some really unique <a href="http://c15019356.r56.cf2.rackcdn.com/2012/06/Advocare.jpg" target="_blank">red and white horizontal stripes,</a> but they get a bit muddied up in the new shirt. What are these stripes even trying to do now? And it bothers me that they don't go all the way around the shirt--the side panels and sleeves are blank red.<br />
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The "LH" patch on the shoulder is an homage to the team's late owner Lamar Hunt, which is alright, I guess. I would normally take issue with the cheesy American flag in the bottom corner of the shirt, but it's Texas, so of course they're gonna be hyper-patriotic. I'm okay with it!<br />
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<b>20. Sporting Kansas City</b></div>
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Sporting KC used to have such a good thing going, but they got usurped in the "sky blue jersey" department by New York City FC down below, and they had to add that dumb collar. It's tough to make sky blue work in a jersey, since it's such an understated color--adding those little pale blue pinstripes don't make it look any better. I'm not opposed to the concept of collars on soccer jerseys, but this isn't some Portuguese team founded in the 1800s as much as the team name would like you to think so. And the team crest is such a blahhhhh, this all just looks like a preppy polo shirt.</div>
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I lived in Kansas City for a couple years (the real one in Missouri, not the fake one in Kansas) and went to see them anytime DC United was in town--SKC has passionate fans and their stadium is top-notch... even if it's on the *~Kansas~* side.</div>
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<b>19. San Jose Earthquakes</b></div>
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I <i>almost</i> love this. This shirt isn't dead last because at least it marches to the tune of its own drum. This is <i>almost</i> embracing Major League Soccer's goofy '90s heritage in a way that still looks good... but it doesn't.</div>
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It stands out, but those asymmetrical gradient stripes are uuuugly. Maybe if it were a lighter shade of blue it'd look better? The team has played with shades approaching teal in the past, and those looked great. The whole shirt looks a bit too dark for a team playing in California of all places. Not to mention that in the Year of Our Lord 2017, the San Jose Earthquakes is a terrible team name that 13-year-old kids don't think is cool anymore.</div>
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<b>18. Philadelphia Union</b></div>
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The current Philly uniform sticks pretty closely to the identity they've been rocking as long as they've been in MLS, since 2010. They get points for creativity--this is a Mexican soccer-inspired look through and through, from the team crest <a href="http://media-cdn.incondicionales.com.mx/media/galeria/329/4/4/6/0/n_club_america_jersey_2014_2015-9400644.jpeg" target="_blank">in the center of the shirt</a> rather than on the left breast, to the Bimbo sponsorship. I wish the Bimbo logo had colors that matched the rest of the jersey, but it's kind of charming in its Mexican soccer throwback. I know the Mexican bread brand Bimbo draws jeers in the US, but it's the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grupo_Bimbo" target="_blank">world's largest baking company</a>, so it's whateva.</div>
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My main issue with Philadelphia's look is that their color scheme just doesn't inspire much passion. The team logo with the snake is pretty great, but navy blue is tough to pull off as an interesting primary color--maybe they'd do better to include more of the gold. And the fact that the Adidas logo is also centered on the shirt gives it a bit too much of a traffic light vibe--I wish it were off to the side.</div>
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<b>17. Orlando City</b></div>
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This team has SUCH a great color scheme, but they had to design the least remarkable shirt possible for it. So much wasted potential. The textured look on the solid purple jersey is nice, but I don't have any other positive words for this. Too matchy-matchy. Not enough contrast on the team crest to make it legible. Can you see the lion's head on the badge at this size? Neither can I.</div>
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Why is there an old-fashioned collar on this shirt?! It would work great for some teams, but not a two-year-old team from ORLANDO, FLORIDA. This team should have a fun, vibrant shirt! Not these authoritarian-looking gold Adidas stripes on the shoulders.</div>
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<b>16. Chicago Fire</b></div>
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A plain red jersey. Not bad, not great, but it passes the test. You can see the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Chicago" target="_blank">Chicago flag</a> embossed really faintly in the bottom corner of the shirt--but if you're gonna make it so subtle, why put it there at all?<br />
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The white stripe across the chest of the shirt sets it apart from other MLS jerseys (and they've had it since the league's inception in 1996), but is anyone really dying to wear this shirt? The sponsor, paint company Valspar, is alright but not nearly as fun as their previous shirt sponsor: <a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3YSknzFV_eA/maxresdefault.jpg" target="_blank">oatmeal company Quaker</a>!<br />
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<b>15. Real Salt Lake</b></div>
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Real Salt Lake has a great color scheme--ironic that the colors are taken from Spanish giants <a href="https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2016/04/04/10/lionel-messi.jpg" target="_blank">Barcelona</a>, while their name is taken from Barça's arch-rival Real Madrid--but they don't take advantage of the colors enough with this jersey. They could be incorporating the blue and the gold more, but instead, it's mostly a plain (but pleasant) red jersey.</div>
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The sponsor logo <i>could've</i> worked on this shirt if they made it gold, but the fact that it's white makes this yet another forgettable shirt. I wish the shade of red used for this uniform weren't so bright--in the past they've used darker maroons that feel way more classy. Last of all, what's that American flag doing in the corner? I gave Dallas the pass for this because it's Dallas, but Salt Lake City? Ehhhh...</div>
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<b>14. Colorado Rapids</b></div>
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Going with the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2hMAWMNXLReYtCJxHOgqNFE6F2TRWiFaOqOPlaREihDJOa0kEimQvieK-mlxGE1CR2c7l6g3Gs6X5supJLo6RC2nUhh-kr0BvFZKIrW8SrxQFhyphenhyphenBQpnS_8AthPRtkKMmvWSo_pOo42E/s1600/west-ham-united-16-17-home-kit-1.jpg" target="_blank">West Ham</a> / <a href="http://i3.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/article10803123.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/jord.jpg" target="_blank">Aston Villa</a> style maroon shirt with sky blue sleeves--not that special in the soccer world, but it's popular because it's a great color scheme and it's unique among North American teams. PLUS it matches the colors of Colorado's other sports teams, which is a nice little bonus.<br />
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The Colorado flag on the jock tag (did you know that's what that thing is called on sports jerseys?) is a welcome addition--you know I love flags--but I wish it were incorporated in a more interesting way. This is just a "pretty decent" jersey for a "pretty decent" team.<br />
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<b>13. Toronto FC</b></div>
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This is a well-designed shirt, with the nifty stripes down the sides that continue onto the sleeves and the red-on-red glossy/matte red finish on the main body of the jersey. But dark gray is too innocuous of a secondary color, and why does it have to say "The Reds" on the right sleeve cuff? If you have to proclaim your own nickname, maybe it's not as iconic a nickname as you think it is.</div>
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Not to mention the fact that Toronto's sponsor is the Bank of Montreal, the city of their arch-rivals. Whyyyy?</div>
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<b>12. New York Red Bulls</b></div>
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They nearly ruined a great shirt. I've already moved on from the fact that this team is named after an energy drink--Red Bull sponsors tons of sports teams, including the much bigger <a href="http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/captain-jonatan-soriano-of-salzburg-celebrates-with-his-team-and-the-picture-id474691746" target="_blank">Red Bull Salzburg</a> in Austria. The Red Bull logo is actually a pretty great design element on the shirt, even if it's a bit redundant to have it on the team crest as well as on the chest as a sponsor logo. RBNY has rocked the white with red detailing well lately... until they had to ruin it with this '90s-ass red laser thing on the corner of the shirt this year.<br />
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Maybe it's really an embrace of MLS' heritage as a product of the '90s? Maybe it'll grow on me? My gut reaction is "it's terrible," though.<br />
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I've always had a tough relationship with the <a href="https://mlsgbdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/mls_new-york-red-bulls_nycfc_348_20160724-copy.jpg" target="_blank">"names on the lower back"</a> thing that some sports teams do, but at least it's a bit different.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnayIqs4hW0aPkF1HREkVtBDTkqQb8lOa8VhyIRd9cUyX_b_maPY18bCdmHODGxSSGmkYvJvlocG4wkrWj-uefmHZBICla-1YHK3_Q5KYyLT7gidvgLkDz6aPPpSFzuHtyE5NaZFihwPdq/s1600/thumb.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnayIqs4hW0aPkF1HREkVtBDTkqQb8lOa8VhyIRd9cUyX_b_maPY18bCdmHODGxSSGmkYvJvlocG4wkrWj-uefmHZBICla-1YHK3_Q5KYyLT7gidvgLkDz6aPPpSFzuHtyE5NaZFihwPdq/s320/thumb.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>11. Houston Dynamo</b></div>
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The solid block creamsicle primary color isn't my fave, but at least it's distinctive. The tiny little horizontal stripes do a nice job of breaking up the block of color (although I wish the stripes went all the way around the shirt), and the wide white cuffs on the sleeves help a bit too.</div>
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Somehow the Texas flag on the jock tag here doesn't bother me nearly as much as the Colorado flag on the Rapids jersey--maybe because the rest of the shirt is less busy than the Rapids shirt?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9lavU-L9wNYFW0Kfz_V_ZjYpoINANNyxOKwsAOXyhxbl09DAJRjIQHedRfmXyv2Woqb0DBcE5CsBWi4yqpL9Qny2rllrB0reO6WRnuIBiQE1bpSgB9lGcbE3O2ekDn1P0ttgl0R07UtX/s1600/thumb-3.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9lavU-L9wNYFW0Kfz_V_ZjYpoINANNyxOKwsAOXyhxbl09DAJRjIQHedRfmXyv2Woqb0DBcE5CsBWi4yqpL9Qny2rllrB0reO6WRnuIBiQE1bpSgB9lGcbE3O2ekDn1P0ttgl0R07UtX/s320/thumb-3.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>10. Columbus Crew</b></div>
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This is a classy-ass jersey reminiscent of <a href="http://images.en.yibada.com/data/thumbs/full/133215/685/0/0/0/borussia-dortmund-striker-pierre-emerick-aubameyang.jpg" target="_blank">Borussia Dortmund</a>, but not so much that it feels like a ripoff. Columbus has always toyed with how much black to show on their jerseys vs. the amount of yellow, and I think they hit a good balance here--the thick black cuffs on the sleeves are key. The true highlight of this shirt, though, are those taxicab checkerboards up the sides! Unnnnffff.</div>
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Columbus gets a minus, though, for <a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbusCrewSC/status/843278914936061954/photo/1" target="_blank">wearing yellow shorts</a> with these yellow shirts--way too matchy-matchy, especially for such a gaudy color. They should've gone with black shorts to compliment this great yellow shirt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3YRvaVTMvxy4vJ_2dX2ojoRnkeXUMNOE7QDd_VNOWVEDaJ_VUHW3UEhF7XUIL-mDH33Bhhx94a_bR6JYXMwvfbyOqsew-6X1NwxDgYksGm5uEIDCnHJBn1jGMuzmjeoUntfCatjPT1_h/s1600/thumb.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg3YRvaVTMvxy4vJ_2dX2ojoRnkeXUMNOE7QDd_VNOWVEDaJ_VUHW3UEhF7XUIL-mDH33Bhhx94a_bR6JYXMwvfbyOqsew-6X1NwxDgYksGm5uEIDCnHJBn1jGMuzmjeoUntfCatjPT1_h/s320/thumb.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>9. Atlanta United</b></div>
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One of the two new MLS clubs this year, this is a pretty solid look overall. The red and black with gold echo the NFL's Atlanta Falcons and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks--I always give points for color scheme consistency across a city's sports teams. Atlanta seems to often pick these colors to represent the burning of the city during the Civil War. The simple, circular "A" crest is meant to evoke the city's Olympic history, hosting the Summer Games in 1996.<br />
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The vertical stripes are a good look that's unique in MLS, and the gold Adidas stripes on the shoulders are classy (although a bit too German for my tastes). The sponsor, American Family Insurance, is a bit ehhhh, but at least its logo is gold to match the rest of the shirt. Overall, a well-executed debut jersey, although nothing here really wows me.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQstjBla3-Vu37EffTo8sVLz7YLvGpeoHFNdMOLOFHPkrcLgM48psJ-uCEiG2T7Uo3zkjXCdkd0KJ1-HxNqUMuHeVaUj2_JQlQwWaaCyf2Ac6d1GKky0knvLdbSEK_88dHlUWooDMHvk64/s1600/thumb.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQstjBla3-Vu37EffTo8sVLz7YLvGpeoHFNdMOLOFHPkrcLgM48psJ-uCEiG2T7Uo3zkjXCdkd0KJ1-HxNqUMuHeVaUj2_JQlQwWaaCyf2Ac6d1GKky0knvLdbSEK_88dHlUWooDMHvk64/s320/thumb.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a><b>8. Minnesota United</b></div>
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The second new team in the league this year, Minnesota is trying to stand out a bit. And they get a lot right: the color scheme stands alone not just among MLS clubs, but in sports in general. The crest is well-designed, the diagonal stripe is unique (the only other American team to use it is LA), and the sponsor is pretty perfect--Target is one of the most widely-recognized local Minnesota businesses, even if it makes players look kinda like walking targets.</div>
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There's just something a little off, though. Gray and light blue are great colors, but they're tough to work together. Contrast will always be an issue, and because the team crest doesn't have a black outline around it, it sort of fades into the blue stripe... you can barely even see the North Star above the main body of the logo. And unfortunately, the gray primary color just ends up looking a bit too much like a practice jersey--I'm usually all about minimalism, but maybe this shirt needs a few more details to stand out? The little collar is a nice touch, and I'd like to see more stuff like that. Overall, this look has great potential, and I'm excited to see where Minnesota's jersey designs go from here.</div>
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<b>7. Montreal Impact</b></div>
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This jersey is on the verge of being a classic. I'm all about civic pride and flag incorporation, and Montreal does it right: the blue and white come from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Quebec" target="_blank">provincial flag of Quebec</a>, and the symbols on the jock tag come straight from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Montreal" target="_blank">city flag of Montreal</a>: a Fleur-de-lys for Montreal's French heritage, a rose for its English heritage, a thistle for its Scottish heritage, and a shamrock for its Irish heritage. The local Bank of Montreal sponsor is a plus as well.</div>
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I just want to see this look simplified even more: there's a bit too much extraneous piping, and the shirt has the problem many striped jerseys do, where the stripes only exist on about 60% of the shirt: they're absent from the sleeves or <a href="https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9_aPo1thxePoLKwhFyODMspIRdo=/0x65:2624x1814/1310x873/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49332137/usa-today-9254577.0.jpg" target="_blank">the back where the jersey number goes</a>.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2VaycCVfjQLPF_CqSAV-EQya_yRRw1M9x53Xv-nC6vFt-7xpvUjTbu4SICPt0OfBBvrVsk5lZHNU6A0MAqwvKQ1tVYor_8mQeGsJHON_eCP_Zy7r3e2CDu32D3ylD882Qng4AsG13FaG/s1600/thumb-1.aspx.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2VaycCVfjQLPF_CqSAV-EQya_yRRw1M9x53Xv-nC6vFt-7xpvUjTbu4SICPt0OfBBvrVsk5lZHNU6A0MAqwvKQ1tVYor_8mQeGsJHON_eCP_Zy7r3e2CDu32D3ylD882Qng4AsG13FaG/s320/thumb-1.aspx.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>6. New York City FC</b></div>
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It's difficult to judge this jersey on its own merits, since it borrows almost entirely from its older sibling club Manchester City. It's actually a slightly better uniform than <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLOqdgfEuJIGZG80UDBVQt-4D22CSyV7xFpQr7IAwbwFnrWdIlRh_H_5jp_JXnh2aCWqDVJbna8rKtJ5B5LDQoZclhDtrrp8oxdgQxcMkFB9VJr0guasjZWfuc4qMWTRnGkN3krUrx1I/s1600/manchester-city-16-17-home-kit-1.jpg" target="_blank">Man City's weird speed cycling look</a> this season, but all the design elements are the same. With that said, it's a great design! Classy colors, logo, and minimalist aesthetic.</div>
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Being the Big Apple's second MLS club after the New York Red Bulls, I love how petty NYCFC are by rubbing in your face that they actually play in New York City (the Red Bulls play in New Jersey). The NYC city flag on the jock tag is a nice touch, aside from the fact that no one cares about the NYC city flag--but it's a nifty subtle touch to continue the orange from the flag onto the tiny stripes on the sleeve cuffs.</div>
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<b>5. D.C. United</b></center>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Okay, maybe I'm a little biased here. Like Columbus with their colors, DCU has always played around with how much red to show on their shirt vs. the amount of black, and usually I'm in favor of as much red as possible. But the red showing up mainly on the Adidas stripes on the sides (in addition to in the team crest) is a stroke of genius--it's enough to make me a believer in the black. The thin red/white cuffs on the sleeves and the subtle black-on-black matte/glossy striping round out the A+ look, and I love the "TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION" on </span><a href="https://dc-mp7static.mlsdigital.net/elfinderimages/Page%20Images/2016_Primary_Neck_Tape.jpg" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">the inside of the neck</a><span style="text-align: left;">.</span><br />
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I've only got two complaints: first is the shirt sponsor, Leidos. Replacing our super classy longtime sponsor <a href="https://cdn20.patchcdn.com/users/22268626/20170119/033253/styles/T600x450/public/article_images/morenophoto_-1484857899-2063.jpg" target="_blank">Volkswagen</a>, Leidos is a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leidos" target="_blank">fucking shady defense contractor,</a> and makes me feel like I'm supporting a corporate killing machine.</div>
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My second complaint is the DC map with the DC flag in it on the jock tag. I know what you're saying... "Jake, your city pride is through the roof, you've even got the DC flag tattooed on you! You should love this!" But I think it's a little overkill in this jersey. Hear me out: the DC flag is already represented in the body of the eagle on the team logo, so it's redundant to put the flag on the jock tag as well. And I'm never a fan of <a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41o2D-4jBNL.jpg" target="_blank">"flag in a map"</a> imagery--if the flag is supposed to represent the city, why do we also need a map of the city? Again, it's redundant. If they wanted to do a cool local touch on the bottom of the jersey, they should've just featured Taxation Without Representation more prominently--or maybe a "51" to support statehood as the 51st state?<br />
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<b>4. Los Angeles Galaxy</b></div>
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This is <i>nearly</i> a perfect shirt. The diagonal blue and gold stripes are simple yet distinctive, and stand out among other MLS clubs. The color scheme stands on its own. The blue Adidas stripes are classy. BUT: two small things.</div>
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First, I wish the stripe went all the way up the front of the shirt. The fact that it stops at the seam around the collarbone is real weird.</div>
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Second, and more egregious: that dumb jock tag. Most people are never even going to see it. But "THIS IS LA" feels like your dad trying to be cool. "LA" already appears in big letters on the team crest. Why you gotta ruin it??<br />
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<b>3. Seattle Sounders</b></div>
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Seattle's got some of the most insufferable fans, but they probably encapsulate Major League Soccer better than anyone else. <a href="https://ussoccerplayers.com/images/2014/03/seattle-sounders-fans-centurylink-field-mls-support.jpg" target="_blank">Their games are packed</a>, and they hit the perfect balance of embracing the weird '90s heritage of American soccer while keeping a clean, classy look.</div>
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That neon green that's a bit obnoxious (in a good way) and connects to Seattle's other sports teams; those blue sleeves that keep the shirt from looking boring and the team crest that's pretty close to perfect. And unmatched sponsor integration(?!?!?)--not only is Xbox a local Washington state brand, but its wordmark is simple and to the point, and the colors match perfectly! Baba booey, there's not much else you could ask for.</div>
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<b>2. Portland Timbers</b></div>
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It pains me to rank Portland so high. As long as they've been in the league, they've consistently always worn some of the best jerseys in North America. The pure simplicity is staggering: a minimalist crest that doesn't even feature the team wordmark. A simple sponsor logo that matches the color of the rest of the shirt (even if it's a little strange to see Alaska advertised on a shirt for a team from Oregon). Little flourishes like the buttoned neck, the subtle green-on-green striping, and Portland city flag on the jock tag, that all make the uniform stand out without feeling too gimmicky.</div>
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This jersey is similar in many ways to Orlando's, so what makes this one so much better? I think it's a few things. The sponsor logo is incorporated way better. Orlando has a decent team crest, but it's a bit too busy for the lack of contrast in the colors, so you can't really identify it from afar while Portland's axe is identifiable immediately. Most intangibly, I think this shirt fits the quiet, wooded city of Portland better, while sunny Orlando deserves a brighter look than they get. Context matters!<br />
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<b>1. Vancouver Whitecaps</b></div>
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WHAAAAAA the Pacific Northwest with a 1-2-3 knockout punch here on this list! Everything I said about Seattle mixing '90s weird North American soccer heritage with a refined modern look applies to this shirt times ten. I'm sure some people HATE the <a href="http://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Rocko_by_nightofgrim.png" target="_blank"><i>Rocko's Modern Life</i> triangles </a>on this jersey, but I think they're perf. Without the triangles, this is a clean, classic looking jersey with a good crest, a well-integrated sponsor logo, and a fantastic color scheme that's able to make white work as a primary color.</div>
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WITH the triangles, this is... <a href="https://www.whitecapsfc.com/rainjersey" target="_blank">THE RAIN JERSEY</a>. Seriously, click that link--Vancouver made a whole video on why the triangles on the shirt represent the rain. Not many cities can own rain as a point of pride, but Vancouver makes it work. It's wonderful. The only downside of this entire jersey is that the rain triangles don't continue onto the back of the shirt.</div>
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There you have it. Tell me how 100% correct I am in the comments?!?!?</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-87360719733268461002014-10-30T09:40:00.000-05:002014-10-30T09:40:34.021-05:00Let There Be Fight: A Critical Analysis of Rob Liefeld's Prophet #1<div style="text-align: justify;">
I've read many stories containing characters created by creative powerhouse Rob Liefeld; however his early creator-owned work is a blind spot of my comic knowledge. Oddly enough the 2012 relaunch of Liefeld's <i>Prophet</i> is my favorite ongoing series. Now I seek to learn the origins of this stellar comic<i> </i>through a continuing series of posts analyzing Rob Liefeld's <i>Prophet</i><i>. </i>Last week Prophet's genesis was examined in <i><a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2014/10/in-bloodginning-critical-analysis-of.html"><span style="color: red;">Youngblood #2</span></a></i>. This week I crack open my second Extreme Studios comic from those halcyon 90's and the first issue of the <i>Prophet </i>solo series. Remember how I promised to be more concise? I lied.</div>
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Despite Rob Liefeld being a monolithic figure it's important to remember that he had collaborators and give them due credit. Rob shares creative duties on this issue as he is only responsible for being the creator, writer, and doing layouts as Dan Panosian (pronounced Pan-Ocean) takes up penciling and inking. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieP48lGvNcKr2Mw2MkYFvjYS-LsFNTXpSnSBaCgbCxsvOGoo-PLmYOUwP4CH1ZjT64Ys_aNCp-yUk8n-hM10JcoBmQbKD6PVX8W01LcoLUBz05JFczGm8QcFu9xQUDlUQg0J0Avfr0OfG3/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieP48lGvNcKr2Mw2MkYFvjYS-LsFNTXpSnSBaCgbCxsvOGoo-PLmYOUwP4CH1ZjT64Ys_aNCp-yUk8n-hM10JcoBmQbKD6PVX8W01LcoLUBz05JFczGm8QcFu9xQUDlUQg0J0Avfr0OfG3/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_001.jpg" height="640" title="I wish I was Prophet, not so much for the muscles but for the hair" width="415" /></a></div>
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A mountain of a man holding twin knives while casting muscle shadows is almost a great cover. On one hand, it's the complete image of a 90's comic hero I expect and want to read about. On the other hand, the lack of context makes it rather boring. A better use of the picture would be before Prophet's showdown with a villain and accompanied with some threatening line about how Prophet is coming for the bad guy. I'm surprised by how so-so the cover is for a brand new series. <i>Youngblood #2</i> is the first comic I've read from Extreme Studios' heyday making it a go to point of reference and measuring stick for all the Prophet comics I've yet to read, and based solely on the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gU2-al7tkk7Gi5PI6i8AS9jVD1NI9VKlNjM3fBYkOftCZPQJGn98LBNmEYryY8CHL1oAXS2ob7cf1hhVoYlacQRVZcB6dQ72-S6G5pW-Dn1vv5Njjvg9UZ1QB_hHaFS9wFFI2G22Br0N/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_001.jpg"><span style="color: red;">cover</span></a> it beats out <i>Prophet #1</i>.</div>
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The initial page is a recap of the past events of <i>Youngblood</i> which chronicles "what has gone before" in Prophet's first adventure. Apparently Prophet's story from <i>Youngblood #2</i> is continued through #5 (but that is a story for another day). The big takeaways from the recap is that Prophet and others fought a bad guy; Prophet lost contact with D.O.C.C. (Direct Orbiting Command Center, the satellite that powers Prophet up); and Kirby (of the Berzerkers) has stuck around to help Prophet out. The recap reads like one meant to relaunch an old property after a big crossover event revived some of the character's popularity. A tepid first page full of text doesn't bode well for <i>Prophet</i>'s viability as a solo-series. The unnecessary last line of the recap saves the whole thing though by dropkicking subtlety right out the window and explaining what could have been a <span style="font-family: inherit;">clich<span style="line-height: 115%;">é</span></span> but interesting metaphor: </div>
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Prophet seeks to re-establish contact not only with the satellite that serves as his life-line, but with an ever-changing world that seems to have passed him by..</div>
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Shrouded in a billowing purple cloak Prophet broods on a cliff at sunset, judging by the yellow sky, as a Bible quote provides narration on the opening page of the story. Robots with swords descend from a floating bulbous silver thing to interrupt Prophet's reflection and he greets them by pulling out 2 insane serrated swords. As to be expected, Prophet begins to kick robutt. Only 3 pages into the issue is when the first two-page vertical spread shows up of Prophet slicing a robot in half as a squad of robots approach him from behind. That's pretty rad, and what's even radder is the way Prophet is standing implies that he sliced that robot by only moving his arm. Just like that vertical spread in <i>Youngblood</i> this spread quickly establishes how effortlessly badass Prophet is. Liefeld and Panosian come out of the gate swinging by kicking off a comic with action and then fleshing the story out from there. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGpkcZcoEVSjFXz_-j7DnhaE1PL3kazDpGpsvdKW71Yp_2UAqkgMMvDISNgDjjzKhRGz4S0efoh3QP3pOcdFzXqPBoEnUSvq3OAPFq6mYSQHeE04N_DOOk7G4NVAnekJsWJ_-QeXAcIcx/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGpkcZcoEVSjFXz_-j7DnhaE1PL3kazDpGpsvdKW71Yp_2UAqkgMMvDISNgDjjzKhRGz4S0efoh3QP3pOcdFzXqPBoEnUSvq3OAPFq6mYSQHeE04N_DOOk7G4NVAnekJsWJ_-QeXAcIcx/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_006.jpg" height="640" title="if more religious text included rad pictures like this then there'd be a lot less atheists" width="414" /></a></div>
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Prophet continues to hack and slash cutting robots in twain, cutting their heads off, throwing them off of cliffs, and the only thing that even hits him during the whole fight is debris from the robots he's just robomurdered. Following a 3rd passage from Psalms is when Prophet's own narration boxes show up and inexplicably change color after one page from Prophet's trademark purple to a light blue gradient. The narration bluntly explains in one page what Prophet is all about. He fights evil, and he does so simply because it's what he believes is right. Stating that these are beliefs that Prophet has held since childhood combined with the line: "My body would be altered and enhanced, but my mind and soul would not" gives the character a driving conviction that is unshakable and his true source of strength. It hints at Liefeld's influences as well as the type of comics he enjoys and wants to create. There is also an assurance that no matter how bad things may get in the end everything is going to be alright. A lot of people probably associate Rob Liefeld with the advent of the 90's anti-hero carrying big guns and operating with extreme prejudice, but these few pages create a truly heroic and optimistic character.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinngCAvIQHuNJUYYTL3K4WOZZ9n7Y4rCPFDg71by8lhaFcDDNaA88uAYntTw3lyypahkKVe2oBKkgktdMppkY0rS-xfUCHDeTlus1RRYtntiAX9tuM_Fp2gDeq6mVDU961ookGzIgYaV1m/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinngCAvIQHuNJUYYTL3K4WOZZ9n7Y4rCPFDg71by8lhaFcDDNaA88uAYntTw3lyypahkKVe2oBKkgktdMppkY0rS-xfUCHDeTlus1RRYtntiAX9tuM_Fp2gDeq6mVDU961ookGzIgYaV1m/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_010.jpg" height="640" title="Watchmen refuted in one page" width="414" /></a></div>
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As this is all being explained Prophet manages to make his way into the airship via rope ladder in a sequence that is notable for how weird it is in both the actions depicted and how the panels are arranged. Once inside the ship, stuff somehow gets even weirder when the 2nd vertical spread of the book hits. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ylDzgl5WIz50Cna1mCCwMxA2ng0vfNlHs6ncGT9DS6UD-2Vsa7cwb5P4O-K5AjdImgRz3u52fJwjiay2Qf2HdL-l0MaSXsJoEyJehP0DQfBk9xEWQt5lzGoZ-PTLXmU2VBxbRvPZCvPW/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ylDzgl5WIz50Cna1mCCwMxA2ng0vfNlHs6ncGT9DS6UD-2Vsa7cwb5P4O-K5AjdImgRz3u52fJwjiay2Qf2HdL-l0MaSXsJoEyJehP0DQfBk9xEWQt5lzGoZ-PTLXmU2VBxbRvPZCvPW/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_012.jpg" height="640" title="lightning, IN SPACE" width="490" /></a></div>
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Who these two characters are is a mystery. Prophet clearly knows the woman, but I've no idea who she is or why she is important to Prophet. Either this is en media res that falls flat or the assumption that the reader is familiar with her character is incorrect. At least the identity of the hooded figure is intentionally nebulous as the big reveal to who this evil grin belongs to is shocking. Or it would be if the panel composition was a bit clearer. Regardless, it was Prophet! The muddled and confusing sequence ends in over-dramatic fashion as Prophet responds with a resounding <a href="http://youtu.be/WWaLxFIVX1s"><span style="color: red;">"NOOOOOO!" </span></a></div>
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Turns out the robot fight and everything that happened on the ship was a dream. Usually revealing that "it was all a dream" is lazy/poor storytelling. In this instance though it is a well pulled off technique due to the strangeness of the sequence both visually (yellow sky, pink lightning, panel borders/layout, suddenly in space) and based on the transition from randomly fighting robots to being confronted with a confusing and frightening image. Prophet awakes from his nightmare to a bizarrely positioned Kirby hovering over him. The exchange between the two reveals that this is a recurring dream of John's. This makes the preceding sequence somewhat more pedestrian for the Prophet and Kirby, but makes it even stranger for the reader. Those 13 pages really captured a dreamlike sensation of attempting to do a simple task but failing, however the conclusion to the sequence is lacking.</div>
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Unfortunately the issue continues to lose steam as it jumps into more exposition by expanding on the origin of Prophet touched upon in <i>Youngblood #2</i>. All that it does is explain why Prophet was sealed in a cryo-tube (so Hitler wouldn't find him) and make Kirby a key member of the staff that helped turn Prophet into a super soldier. Kirby then caps the exposition by reassuring Prophet that his mission to fight evil is just. The only discernible purpose for this story beat is to show that Jack Kirby's influence on Liefeld is such that Jack directly helped to create Prophet. Young Kirby's appearance in the flashback is a bit startling as he has what my buddy Jake described as "big manga eyes." An error occurs here too as Extreme Color or the letterer, Kurt Hathaway, mistakenly color both Prophet's and Kirby's narration boxes green. Prophet will have his boxes colored 4 different ways by the time the issue is over. Expanding on Prophet's origins even more is frustrating as it spends unnecessary time to belabor the easily grasped concept of Prophet being a man out of time, and even worse is that earlier in this same issue Prophet's character was masterfully established without causing a pause in the action.</div>
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The brief exposition interlude concludes as Prophet and Kirby prepare to parachute down to an Alaskan installation that will help Prophet reconnect with D.O.C.C. Kirby displays his manliness by jumping out of a plane into the snow covered landscape with nothing but a harness of pouches to keep his upper body warm. That is undeniably awesome. The best page of the whole plane sequence though is the full page spread of Prophet standing with big ol' knives in each hand as he utters a line full of grim determination.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrv6V5Iv1Rb791JXZdWm-2C8o0GhDx7TCqpJLcDxsmGNm4sf9IzmsYPET0eMlrYxjHS4hno0TtUSzUSL-pTvkZKbv4KUkbbQ8b6cQnnXliYhmv1zdsUGfAUz7jfFwtE0UZpvFL3usGvEx/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrv6V5Iv1Rb791JXZdWm-2C8o0GhDx7TCqpJLcDxsmGNm4sf9IzmsYPET0eMlrYxjHS4hno0TtUSzUSL-pTvkZKbv4KUkbbQ8b6cQnnXliYhmv1zdsUGfAUz7jfFwtE0UZpvFL3usGvEx/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_020.jpg" height="640" title="oh hey, it's the cover but used in a context appropriate way" width="414" /></a></div>
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With action on the horizon another detour is taken to the shadowy interior of the Pentagon. An oft forgotten rule to making good comics is to show not tell, so an off model Washington Monument is drawn to establish the setting. I haven't been, and will continue to avoid, pointing out every anatomical inaccuracy in the series, but it's hard to overlook an illustration of an obelisk that somehow makes it even more phallic. Using the Washington Monument as the establishing panel for a scene in the Pentagon is a weird choice seeing as how the Pentagon has a distinct look that could easily be used to set up a scene. Inside the 5 sided building, a scientist gives a brief in which he talks up how super awesome Prophet is and how they now have the know-how to make a new Prophet. The government is after Prophet for "reasons" and have Bloodstrike and Youngblood teams at the ready. Here it is also revealed that Mary, the buxom blonde in Prophet's dream, is instrumental in the manhunt to bring him in.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmizB1uEpDsPltbm5CjHHMLh93qlhfMH4-msBSNhFeVYig9vNHKQcpWPnwg3sdrSZhlat1XePyPgZJeAxIjmViq_efDRku9o76Nf01LNW_M2giBPVXx7qXjfUEuQKwuHwnQ2veVUAQp_Mm/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmizB1uEpDsPltbm5CjHHMLh93qlhfMH4-msBSNhFeVYig9vNHKQcpWPnwg3sdrSZhlat1XePyPgZJeAxIjmViq_efDRku9o76Nf01LNW_M2giBPVXx7qXjfUEuQKwuHwnQ2veVUAQp_Mm/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_022.jpg" height="640" title="overcompensating phallic imagery" width="414" /></a></div>
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The first issue of <i>Prophet</i> ends the same as <i>Youngblood #2</i> with a two-page vertical spread, bringing the total in this issue to 3 as well. Perhaps Extreme Studios had a quota. Only by reading the next issue of <i>Prophet</i> will I know. At the end is a missive by Liefeld giving props to all those working on the comic and non-religiously advocating for people to read the bible. 2 full page poster style spreads are also included. </div>
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In his closing letter Rob mentions that the character of Prophet is a product of his fascination with the concept of a man out of time that he has had ever since he read the tale of Rib Van Winkle. It's a concept used in a well trod but nevertheless affecting way of showing how isolated Prophet is in this new world. Not only does he not know anyone besides Kirby, but a connection that has to be assumed to be pretty deep (the one with D.O.C.C.) has been severed as well. Battle is the only familiarity Prophet finds in the new world. This sets up a compelling internal struggle as combat provides comfort and helps ease his mind, but the temptation to lose himself in battle creates a darkness within that haunts Prophet's dreams.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkUtThYyt-5OBH4ZtWGP9aP4jlZ-Fqgtj4Vz0drtVkaS9U1bSE3dyHbPSk3aiyyCp8IhS4VmcQwyO6ufETSguQcUNJjfkN3_uZfF3wFBH1FWwoy1fqslzr7CsLCSzMPxtSQ11exyX2LIz/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkUtThYyt-5OBH4ZtWGP9aP4jlZ-Fqgtj4Vz0drtVkaS9U1bSE3dyHbPSk3aiyyCp8IhS4VmcQwyO6ufETSguQcUNJjfkN3_uZfF3wFBH1FWwoy1fqslzr7CsLCSzMPxtSQ11exyX2LIz/s1600/Prophet+001+(1993)%2B(digital)%2B(Cypher-Empire)_013.jpg" height="640" title="aww sonofabitch" width="414" /></a></div>
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What drove me to undertake the task of reading every issue of <i>Prophet</i> is how thoroughly I enjoy the 2012 relaunch of the series by <span style="text-align: justify;">Brandon Graham, Simon Roy, Giannis Milonogiannis, and friends. Finding meaningful connections between modern <i>Prophet </i>and the <i>Prophet </i>of yesteryear will continue to be an objective as I make my way through the classic iteration. Two aspects in particular stuck out in this issue. Right off the bat the story of the two Prophets echo each other as Jonathan Tyler Prophet (of the 90's) and New Father Prophet (of the relaunch) are tasked with connecting to a satellite. In both instances these satellites operate like a higher power giving the Prophets strength and a focal point for their greater missions. Another link between the two comics is Prophet forgoing guns in favor of using knives. Rob Liefeld's penchant for drawing impossibly large guns has reached memetic status, so it is surprising to find a lead character of his that wields nothing but blades. There has been no overt in-universe explanation for why Prophet refrains from using firearms. Maybe Prophet strives to only use weapons that would have been available during Biblical times.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Prophet #1</i> is a rollercoaster of a comic. My first read of it left me a little cold; however the more I thought about it the more I liked it. Finishing up this post though reminds me why I didn't really like it at first. The first half is excellent, and a clinic for how to establish a character. It's a shame that the remainder of the comic quickly loses momentum as soon as the fighting stops. It's not just a matter of there being less fighting robots or robot fighting either. The story and paneling becomes uninventive and by the numbers as if Liefeld and Panosian got bored halfway through the comic. I still enjoyed reading, but ultimately <i>Prophet #1 </i> isn't as fun as the previous issue of <i>Youngblood</i>. Hopefully subsequent issues manage to strike a more consistent balance, because if the whole thing was as good as the first part then it would be so good.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-29921471954364981962014-10-20T15:10:00.000-05:002014-10-20T15:10:36.645-05:00In the Bloodginning: A Critical Analysis of Rob Liefeld's Youngblood #2<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Prophet </i>by Brandon
Graham, Simon Roy, Giannis Milonogiannis, Farel Dalrymple, Joseph Bergin III,
Ed Brisson, Malachi Ward, Matt Sheean, and friends is easily my favorite comic
on the stands. Going into the series I was
aware that it was a relaunch of one of Rob Liefeld’s old Extreme Studios’ property
but lacked any knowledge on <i>Prophet</i>’s
history beyond that. Now, as <i>Prophet</i> prepares to begin a climactic
chapter with Earth War, I find myself curious about the origins of this comic
that I am so fond of. Unfortunately, I
missed the boat on Extreme Studios and all the other early Image comics the
first time around. Fortunately, this
means I can read peak 90’s comics like the entire run of <i>Prophet</i> pre-2012 relaunch with virgin eyes and chronicle such an
experience. My mission statement for
this continuing series of posts on <i>Prophet
</i>is to do close readings and critical analysis of each old issue all the
while trying to construct a map of how these comics from the decade of Extreme
connect to the <i>Prophet</i> of today. More than likely though, this pseudo-academic
exercise will devolve into me just pointing out the raddest parts of the comics.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gU2-al7tkk7Gi5PI6i8AS9jVD1NI9VKlNjM3fBYkOftCZPQJGn98LBNmEYryY8CHL1oAXS2ob7cf1hhVoYlacQRVZcB6dQ72-S6G5pW-Dn1vv5Njjvg9UZ1QB_hHaFS9wFFI2G22Br0N/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6gU2-al7tkk7Gi5PI6i8AS9jVD1NI9VKlNjM3fBYkOftCZPQJGn98LBNmEYryY8CHL1oAXS2ob7cf1hhVoYlacQRVZcB6dQ72-S6G5pW-Dn1vv5Njjvg9UZ1QB_hHaFS9wFFI2G22Br0N/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_001.jpg" height="640" title="one of those weird Gambit head socks made out of the Image logo might be the most 90's thing ever" width="417" /></a></div>
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<a name='more'></a>Now into the breach that is Prophet’s first appearance, <i>Youngblood #2</i> by
creator/writer/penciler/inker Rob Liefeld, and remember I’ve never read an
issue of <i>Youngblood</i> before. First things first, look at that cover. It’s pretty dang neat. Contrasting a fully colored John Prophet with
monotone members of Youngblood and pairing that with the cover blurb of “A
Prophet Cometh” is a great way to introduce a new character. There are two other things of note about the
cover; first Rob used 3 different background effects (Kirby dots, lightning,
and an inexplicable spot of cross-hatching underneath Prophet’s arm. Second, and my favorite part of the whole
cover, is how the Image logo “I” is filled with a character’s face and a tuft of
hair dots the “I.”</div>
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The very first page of the comic is a splash page of
not-X-Force running straight at you as the assumed leader yells out a
surprisingly restrained and natural bit of exposition while 2 other members
quip in a way that lets you know this is a team of badasses. In one page everything is set up and despite
being unfamiliar with who any of these characters are I immediately understand
a great deal about them. Capping the
page off is a respectful dedication to Jack “The King” Kirby. </div>
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A very pressing criticism of the Rob is his tendency to draw
his characters not really interacting with objects and other characters that
they are clearly supposed to be interacting with. Commonly this takes the form of weapons being
not so much held as merely placed on hands.
Unfortunately this failing of Liefeld’s is on display early in this
comic as many panels look like images cut from somewhere else and then placed
in a proximity that would imply interaction.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It seems that the team of hardasses on a mission are called
the Berzerkers, and their individual names are just as metal as their team name
(Wildmane, Battleaxe, Psi-Storm, Cross, and Grey [they can’t all be
winners]). Turns out the mission they
were on was to rescue Jack Kirby as drawn by Rob Liefeld (there is not a more accurate
way to describe the character of Kirby other than that). Kirby has rescued himself however, because
he’s Kirby after all, and he has huge Liefeld guns. Having rendezvoused they can set their sights
on taking down the big bad guy who must live his life in the squat rack. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1siC3UBvzyPoBVTUnTnpFPv6faHfGhGcEE2RKAy6qvfPaYIXcJPWkF7KkRuSidW4ZhaiUl0rvDN-6SUO792IcuIY0waQd8Psrkliuxg2gSxlrlPFJoDI5V3K6XxefXTaLkaShm0CyYgvY/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1siC3UBvzyPoBVTUnTnpFPv6faHfGhGcEE2RKAy6qvfPaYIXcJPWkF7KkRuSidW4ZhaiUl0rvDN-6SUO792IcuIY0waQd8Psrkliuxg2gSxlrlPFJoDI5V3K6XxefXTaLkaShm0CyYgvY/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_004.jpg" height="640" title="in case you were distracted by the bizarre backgrounds Kirby has a "K" on his belt" width="425" /></a></div>
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<br /><!--[endif]--></div>
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It’s not until the 5<sup>th</sup> page that Prophet appears
on what is the title page of the issue, which serves as the warm-up for some exposition,
accompanied by a vertical 2 page splash.
A group of characters pose as they all takes turns helping Professor
Exposition explain how Jonathan Taylor Prophet is at least 80 years old and the
product of a mad scientist’s World War II experiments. Despite the conversations being stilted in
nature for the purpose of moving the plot along it does so rather rapidly with
a relatively low word to page ratio. Oh,
and one character remarks that Prophet has some “funky threads” while an
ostensible alien provides the counterpoint of, “On my homeworld he would be
dressed as a warrior.” One man’s funky
is another race’s battle armor.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The page after the unusually oriented two-page spread undoes
my previous word/page ratio praise as giant pink text boxes and generic test
images crowd the page. However, one box
has an observation of Prophet’s attire that exceeds the greatness of the
previous page’s exchange as the professor acknowledges that Prophet’s creator
outfitted him in “outlandish uniform and equipped him with weapons far beyond
the limits of even today’s science.” I’d
like to believe this is a hint of mocking self-awareness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As if knowing that that necessary evil of using words to
establish things is over, Liefeld really introduces us to Prophet by making him
explode out of his cryogenic animation chamber in a vertical two-page spread
that does a great job of making him seem physically intimidating. In case Prophet’s physique and body language
didn’t already evoke a Terminator vibe he certainly does now as he receives a
robotic readout of “prime directive” and “subject identification” (through an
assumed heads up display) all the while giving just the best scowl. The little I know of this version of Prophet
indicates that he is a good guy, and it would stand to reason that the Younglood(s)
are good guys too, so it is only natural that the standard hero crossover thing
happens where they have to first fight each other before they can team-up. The set-up for this fight is pretty good
though as the members of Youngblood that Prophet is first confronted with are
not human, so Prophet assumes humanity has been destroyed/subjugated and
attacks these assumed evil overlords. In
the world of superheroics that is a surprisingly well thought out catalyst for a
hero vs. hero action scene. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhko-pMfRIFdxxxtwBAmVuCF_dAZIt9USJML4RDRsojD6jDoqJtoF_RI8bACdZTmPgeLc5uqDvmZWr6dy94_79wLhXojgIJRTssmZbCBcJI4_LTntE13zx5rn_0Bxua3glVKttg8QaIt4U/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhko-pMfRIFdxxxtwBAmVuCF_dAZIt9USJML4RDRsojD6jDoqJtoF_RI8bACdZTmPgeLc5uqDvmZWr6dy94_79wLhXojgIJRTssmZbCBcJI4_LTntE13zx5rn_0Bxua3glVKttg8QaIt4U/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_013.jpg" height="640" title="Prophet's mildly perturbed expression in the top right panel indicates just how powerful he is" width="420" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The fight between Prophet and Youngblood is some real fun
stuff too with the momentum of the battle continuously shifting back and forth
as Prophet keeps coming back from everything the Bloods can throw at him. The whole fight is drawn in a way that is
incredibly fun as large kinetic panels of big attack posing are linked with
smaller transition panels. Embellishing
the fight is above average witty quips with all of Prophet’s battle dialogue
being absolutely A+. Also, I don’t care
how screwy the scaling in this comic gets as it’s all in service of getting the
action across, and what it’s getting across here is that this punch is the
biggest goddamn punch ever thrown.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN05du3FpBsZ4PYhnyMdk0-J12TJdUWOQ9_E-vna1t7LrdIoNUctVN9IJpDQOrGeFdt0txERW_k2cdsJjob_1UAXYxAiXG7sZMllAxuHAK2R_g3WAlXYsoZegxU-pS851kN_ECLL1ImLl/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN05du3FpBsZ4PYhnyMdk0-J12TJdUWOQ9_E-vna1t7LrdIoNUctVN9IJpDQOrGeFdt0txERW_k2cdsJjob_1UAXYxAiXG7sZMllAxuHAK2R_g3WAlXYsoZegxU-pS851kN_ECLL1ImLl/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_018.jpg" height="488" title="Japanese commentator: LARIATOOO!" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
It’s a shame that when comic was getting into super rad
territory the real bad guys show up in a fashion whose abruptness is only
surpassed by the baffling spatial positioning of their appearance. As long as things are fun and in motion logic
can take a back seat, but when the explosions stop being actual explosions and
start being explosions of exposition then I am much less forgiving. Thankfully Kirby and his Berzerkers show up
just as abruptly in the issue’s third vertical double page splash to make
things rad again. Too bad that’s how
story ends and my box of <i>Prophet</i>
comics from eBay only included this one issue of Youngblood. Perhaps at a later date once I’ve read all of
<i>Prophet</i> proper I’ll return for the
resolution of “What if Jack Kirby was a Rob Liefeld character and fought
Darkseid?”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Generally I’m against reviews and other scholarly type posts
that veer too far into summary territory, so now I’ve become what I dislike
(hate is a strong word). I apologize for
the summary nature of this post as I got sucked into the infectious joy that
pervades the comic as it traverses from one incredibly comic book moment to
another. Hopefully in future posts I can
contain myself and remain a bit more analytical in my discourse.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Rob Liefeld loves comics and this issue makes that much
clear by being full of action and bombast.
What’s not so great is that it makes a lot of mistakes that many comics
do. These faults are deeply connected
with Youngblood #2’s strengths in that the comic is an exaggeration of
comics. A staple of the medium is dudes
in weird colorful costumes punching each other; however another staple of the
medium is overwrought explanatory dialogue full of nonsense words to create inflated
importance. Both are present within these
pages creating an uneven story with high points of over the top action and low
points of boring transition scenes.
Thankfully there is a lot more punching/shooting/slashing than standing
around.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Continuing the thread of craft, there are a surprising
amount of vertical two-page spreads. The
use of vertical spreads in comics at large is minimal, so to see 3 in one issue
is shocking. The vertical spread after
Prophet explodes out of the tube is probably my favorite page of the issue as
it quickly establishes how powerful the new character of Prophet is before he
even throws a punch. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsAznskD_TPQDpL4r37cUOsr01dEZB_MBm-_9wIPnpTNFi-UrKdYwxkTdCyIXcqVbWA4Cd4vjsoOQSE09Kz1vc0XADtfUCucQe3LYrYsQSXXlRxhpN-zWsVnc9iD8Z1CRHYD7CXNFS89T/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsAznskD_TPQDpL4r37cUOsr01dEZB_MBm-_9wIPnpTNFi-UrKdYwxkTdCyIXcqVbWA4Cd4vjsoOQSE09Kz1vc0XADtfUCucQe3LYrYsQSXXlRxhpN-zWsVnc9iD8Z1CRHYD7CXNFS89T/s1600/Youngblood+v1+%2302_012.jpg" height="640" title="my new favorite page in all of comics" width="484" /></a></div>
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<br /><!--[endif]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Seeing as how I read this comic because it is the first
appearance of Prophet I enjoyed the prominence the character was given, however
I still know next to nothing about Youngblood besides a general grasp of their standard
powers and that one of their dudes is an alien and the other a beastman. It is as if Liefeld got so excited about his
new toys that he forgot about his old ones, and in the second issue of a new
series that is a major concern. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As I begin my journey through these old Extreme Studios
comics one thing that I am looking for is how connected they are to the modern
day version of Prophet. Superficial
changes are to be expected, but there should be something tying the two
incarnations together. One issue into
this quest and certain continuous aspects have already appeared. The easiest to pick up on is Prophet being a
man out of time. Much like the New
Father discovering an alien Earth in the <i>Prophet</i>
relaunch, the original Prophet awakes in the 90’s which is much different than
the 30’s-40’s that he was seemingly created in and is first greeted by two
alien individuals. Including an actual
alien element in the reawakening is a physical manifestation of temporal
displacement, which takes Prophet’s obvious Captain America influence to an
extreme. Prophet being a thrall to a
built in set of directives is another bit of continuity carried forward by
Brandon Graham and friends. It will be
interesting to see in the solo series if this conflict will remain internal or given
a form like the Earth Empire in current <i>Prophet</i>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
All in all <i>Youngblood
#2</i> was a damn fun comic and makes me even more excited to dig into <i>Prophet</i> proper. Future posts will be kept shorter and more
focused, but no promises. Next time I’ll
take a look at the first issue of Prophet’s solo series in hopes of discovering
more influences on my favorite comic book and just general radness.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-70724143640595732992014-05-05T18:08:00.002-05:002014-05-05T18:09:20.331-05:00Ranking every James Bond film<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RK27XlEO9KUQgmv5P670yqCZRVJRLvr8FZAdtuMxRSRkyWAXuvzl6jqDK571VQ9TyZMPYXbAmAA6qRdr2TNCZWpHGqtIIVhMAw9j-bMSpzkR1-YiCnKcQt38mJGdXfiqQ_7F754_Me4/s1600/drnoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5RK27XlEO9KUQgmv5P670yqCZRVJRLvr8FZAdtuMxRSRkyWAXuvzl6jqDK571VQ9TyZMPYXbAmAA6qRdr2TNCZWpHGqtIIVhMAw9j-bMSpzkR1-YiCnKcQt38mJGdXfiqQ_7F754_Me4/s1600/drnoa.jpg" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
I feel like a spy. It’s ten to five in the morning, I am sitting in the desolate departure lounge of Glasgow Airport, and I am wearing my navy blue<a href="http://thesuitsofjamesbond.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Moonraker-Tweed-3.jpg" target="_blank"> herringbone coat</a>--a stereotypically British knee length spy coat. I am waiting for my flight that will take me soaring into the arms of my loving girlfriend in Belfast Airport, and from there we’ll drive to her family home, where I have been cordially invited for Christmas… The butterflies in my stomach are erupting with excitement, and my mind is whizzing round and round. I feel like a child again, but instead of running around pointing my fingers at random people whilst singing the Bond theme, I try to sit like Bond, Palmer, or Smily would have, looking cool, calm, and collected, and decide that a real spy would get on with his mission…<br />
<br />
The problem is, am I safe to begin here? Are the fat elderly couple next to me really an old fat couple, or are they KGB? CIA maybe? Who knows, but after a look around I decide I can begin. I really couldn’t be a spy, though, as I can't wipe the huge ear to ear smile from my face.</div>
<div>
I slowly and quietly pull out my laptop, opening it with an attempted cool flick that ends terribly. I open up the word processor, look around both of my shoulders, and then begin my mission. I have been asked by my senior officer… okay my editor, Jake, to write a best Bond films list. This mission is going to be tough, but then again, I have a cup of tea and the Guardian newspaper next to me; I am doing this for Queen and Country. </div>
<div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8ppW6iD-VGPfB3hxFPzMOZYh9Uo6GJoTZVVSAny1fjiWcBOCmUDitMvNO8Ga3kLDwst-DkJ_9l3dz6KTkOxqqJXZoKigf_UUN9bv8C58TsYj4Qs1oNewD2MFsKL7qG5_PbCxB0OE_44m/s1600/moonraker-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig8ppW6iD-VGPfB3hxFPzMOZYh9Uo6GJoTZVVSAny1fjiWcBOCmUDitMvNO8Ga3kLDwst-DkJ_9l3dz6KTkOxqqJXZoKigf_UUN9bv8C58TsYj4Qs1oNewD2MFsKL7qG5_PbCxB0OE_44m/s1600/moonraker-poster.jpg" height="320" width="205" /></a></div>
I am going to start with the worst Bond film, (leaving out the two spin off films, <i>Never Say Never</i>, and the original <i>Casino Royale</i>) that way I can build up the suspense, like a proper spy film does, as I draw closer to the best Bond film.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>23. <i>Moonraker</i></b></div>
<div>
<i>Moonraker</i> is by far the worst Bond film ever made, but then again, all of the Roger Moore era films are. This motion picture, however, quite frankly just takes the biscuit. Not only was Moore too old, too nice, and just in every way shape and form too wrong to play Bond by the time the film was made; he lumbers along like an unfit, posh neanderthal most of the time. The storyline was just completely absurd! By this point, if you have watched the films chronologically, SPECTRE (SPecial Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge, and Extortion) has been destroyed.<br />
<br />
They funded all of Bond’s previous enemies, and yet somehow, it appears that a random evil mastermind has made a ton of cash and funded his own space program… UNNOTICED! For goodness sake, he has a bloody space station soaring around up there in space, did no body else see that!? I guess that's American Intelligence for you. The film is full of quirky, childish gadgets, and the attempted double entendres by Moore were just out of character, out of place, and completely cringe worthy. If I were you, I wouldn’t waste the precious time we all have here on earth and skip this, and all of Moore’s Bond films for that matter.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>22. <i>A View to a Kill</i></b></div>
<div>
WHY!!!!???!?!? Just why!? Moore’s final performance as Bond sees him battling yet another crazy American Capitalist, Max Zorin (played by Christopher Walken). Bond's mission in this film was to take out the psychotic microchip manufacturer before he could wipe out all of Silicon Valley… Basically, Bond has to destroy a shite venture capitalist who’s jealous of Silicon Valley’s success. I ask again… WHY!!?!?!?! It was bollocks, complete and utter bollocks, however I will leave you with this: good bye Roger Moore.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FKDvSVmirFJ7rax9oNCk5YpymMAwYIggDKlcoCWl-0WNwUJeU3Pb1xEy0JwzK9nC_kB4fYddlck6gzNxKrXWQhgErI5qxz8JKyCjBvmCyxERh7Ybd-1yjSgTcEt6-XMEGOVOOjQ1G8c/s1600/SNN02BOND13-682_1055738a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5FKDvSVmirFJ7rax9oNCk5YpymMAwYIggDKlcoCWl-0WNwUJeU3Pb1xEy0JwzK9nC_kB4fYddlck6gzNxKrXWQhgErI5qxz8JKyCjBvmCyxERh7Ybd-1yjSgTcEt6-XMEGOVOOjQ1G8c/s1600/SNN02BOND13-682_1055738a.jpg" height="187" width="320" /></a><b>21. <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i></b></div>
<div>
Never has a Bond film managed to get the essence of Bond so incredibly wrong. Let's face it, Bond has had many staple features throughout the series, from cars to gadgets to double entendres and British pride, with the Bond Girl topping it all off. <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> singlehandedly managed to reduce Bond to a smouldering piece of bad acting, ugly cars, and ridiculous gadgets within the space of two hours. Bond, played by Roger Moore yet again, is sent out to destroy a complete maniac, and by maniac I actually mean the absurd and brainless villain Karl Stromberg.<br />
<br />
Stromberg plans to start WWIII, have West nuke East, and East nuke West, therefore leaving the planet uninhabitable for thousands of years. That’s a fantastic plan, but where would this genius mastermind live? Well, he plans to build an underwater civilisation and create a utopia, a wonderful dictatorship styled utopia… Hell’s Bells. Again I will advise you to skip this film, that way you won’t have to witness a crap Lotus, a Bond Girl who can’t act for toffee, and more importantly, a storyline that was clearly taken from a sample of one of the screenwriters loo roll scraps.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>20. <i>Octopussy</i></b></div>
</div>
<div>
No… Just no. Roger Moore go away, and Albert R. Broccoli bring us a better Bond another day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxmbxR7R_MDKC7ACPDbtnHDdhDviZ6HSPvHyfaOS0abs02EfZYnqNBHitieSJeF8ibUgYtX4c6vdfcRKXolXcTiYFpbE8rFbQu4wgwDF0bTxW4hF6KDi0_ajMTslvcBcY4GhqRXzT_O9s/s1600/Octopussy_-_UK_cinema_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnxmbxR7R_MDKC7ACPDbtnHDdhDviZ6HSPvHyfaOS0abs02EfZYnqNBHitieSJeF8ibUgYtX4c6vdfcRKXolXcTiYFpbE8rFbQu4wgwDF0bTxW4hF6KDi0_ajMTslvcBcY4GhqRXzT_O9s/s1600/Octopussy_-_UK_cinema_poster.jpg" height="242" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>19. <i>Die Another Day</i></b></div>
</div>
<div>
<i>Die Another Day</i> was made to celebrate forty years of agent 007, James Bond on screen, and what an abysmal job it did too represent such a brilliant British creation. The best parts of this film were the reintroduction of the Aston Martin as Bond's signature car and Pierce Brosnan’s final performance as Bond. Again Bond had been cast appallingly, Brosnan’s portrayal of 007 was too mature, too nice, and too healthy. He was too suave and too gentle and just didn’t have the roguish behaviour that Bond in the books was all too keen to display at every opportune moment. Luckily for Bond diehards, this was his last film, but Hell’s Horses, why was it the 40th anniversary!?<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Die Another Day</i> depicts Bond trying to stop the rebellious son of a North Korean general, Tan-Sun Moon (played by Toby Stephens) from dealing in dirty diamonds… because we all know that the worst thing North Korea are doing is dealing dirty diamonds. As the beginning sequence ends it appears Bond has killed Moon; he hasn’t! And gets captured in the process and imprisoned by the North Koreans. Long story short, he is released, goes on a vengeance mission, and finally comes to the realisation that that Tan-Sun Moon has had his DNA altered to a white man's; enter Toby Stephens as a Korean man, and under his new disguise has built a giant laser to wipe out the demilitarised zone, and unite Korea by force… where is my cyanide pill? We all know the outcome obviously, it’s James Bond, he wins and stops this lunatic's plans for world… well, Korean domination really, and gets the girl. Did I mention the Bond girl was Halle Berry? Oh yes, adding a touch of pure acting class to this otherwise poor film.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>18. <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i></b></div>
</div>
<div>
A trained assassin who goes by the name of Francisco Scaramanga (played by Christopher Lee) uses a golden gun to “remove” people who are a problem. However, he charges a million a shot and therefore is minted. Bond is sent to kill Scaramanger as he has built an incredibly large solar plant that he’ll sell to the highest bidder. This scares the West, as it contains the power to control the Sun's rays that could be used to burn the powerhouses of the Western world to the ground. So off Bond goes to collect another kill. Havoc ensues, Bond kills Scaramanga, and he locks a midget in a suitcase which he then throws overboard. Hilarious but also quite cruel. Moore's second Bond film was just daft because of the sidekick midget and the unimpressive storyline. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQk-Znb6gtsU9849aGvlRQBiRBWrDNIDqYfGeVmlc-TUtPAWNjObaSAqm99OScESA548-mYYJWpzeHy7wS0bmvnonYltZNXDc5zmsO-2FBIxBPvNdsFyhmDySzRks1wrvcrsuglvCLmWo/s1600/Daniel-as-James-Bond-in-Skyfall-daniel-craig-30452974-575-387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQk-Znb6gtsU9849aGvlRQBiRBWrDNIDqYfGeVmlc-TUtPAWNjObaSAqm99OScESA548-mYYJWpzeHy7wS0bmvnonYltZNXDc5zmsO-2FBIxBPvNdsFyhmDySzRks1wrvcrsuglvCLmWo/s1600/Daniel-as-James-Bond-in-Skyfall-daniel-craig-30452974-575-387.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a><b>17. <i>The World Is Not Enough </i></b></div>
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Brosnan’s second to last film celebrated the turn of the Millennium, it showed off new technologies, a hairdresser's BMW, and a lacklustre performance… again. I will admit though, the story is pretty bloody good. Bond is sent to protect a heiress’ oil pipeline that is under attack from an ex-KGB agent turned terrorist, Renard (played by Robert Carlyle) While in the process of completing his mission, Bond discovers that he is protecting a morally bankrupt daddy's girl who is in league with Renard. Together they have planed to destroy Istanbul and the competing Russian pipeline with a nuclear bomb leaving her pipeline as the only one in Europe, therefore making her filthy rich. Bond manages to kill both villains and saves the day. There you have it, a cool storyline, especially for the new Millennium, but still Brosnan and the Bond Girl, Christmas Jones (played by Denise Richards) let it down.<br />
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<b>16. <i>Live and Let Die</i></b></div>
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This was Roger Moore's debut… THIS!? <i>Live and Let Die</i> is simply Bond killing a group of black drug dealers who believe in Voodoo… yes, this is what James Bond turned into in the '70s.</div>
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<b>15. <i>For Your Eyes Only</i></b></div>
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In Roger Moore's fifth Bond film, Bond is tasked with retrieving a British submarine's automatic targeting attack communicator, as this important piece of equipment allows the Ministry of Defence to communicate with British subs and control the launch of British ballistic missiles. The Russians hear of Bond's mission and decide to attempt a retrieval themselves. Now as a premise, this is fantastic in all honesty, but as it was a Moore era Bond film, his shabby acting and face-palming one liners just kill it. Not only is it Moore’s fifth poor performance in a row that lets the film down, it is also the diabolical side story that involves Greek mobsters that are linked to the Bond Girl. I will admit though, for a Moore era film, the storyline is at least more believable and therefore I can bear watching it on Boxing Day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hDfYmpAWChamVxT4I4quRGrWwQ2WbhqZtPhSYiZIyv7Pq4ZV8keQ3kaXFgTjgWikch07Cg1WJUhxNTv-us8liUvRRHr3_p4nvxwZs7s81y-klW_oqgcjaGhOZqOotYvUAVITnav5JIqL/s1600/TDalton_GQ_25Oct12_rex_b_262x393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hDfYmpAWChamVxT4I4quRGrWwQ2WbhqZtPhSYiZIyv7Pq4ZV8keQ3kaXFgTjgWikch07Cg1WJUhxNTv-us8liUvRRHr3_p4nvxwZs7s81y-klW_oqgcjaGhOZqOotYvUAVITnav5JIqL/s1600/TDalton_GQ_25Oct12_rex_b_262x393.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>14. <i>Tomorrow Never Dies</i></b></div>
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Considering this was the second appearance of Bond for most of my generation, all I can say about it is it’s an appalling example of the character and culture of Bond. Pierce Brosnan’s watered down version of Bond is lazy, boring, and too straight edge, finding pleasure in, well, nothing at all. Brosnan’s Bond has gone Banker Wanker, and he doesn’t attempt to give his character an edge, especially when he drives the worst cars that have ever appeared in a set of Bond films: a BMW.<br />
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<i>Tomorrow Never Dies</i> just annoys me because it follows in the same vein as Moore’s films: bland, boring, full of ridiculous gadgets, and poor acting. Though it features all of this rubbish, I do however love the villain and the storyline of the film. Elliot Carver (Jonathan Price) owns a media company and makes all his money from journalism, so to expand his readership he decides to start a war between the UK and China, and plans to be the first to report on all the stories; this is because he is secretly stirring the pot by making attacks on both sides. It is slightly genius and Price is a fantastic villain. It’s watchable just for that.</div>
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<b>13 - <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i></b></div>
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Worst Sean Connery film! Diamond Laser Beam Death Ray and world domination. I won’t waste your time or my brain power on this fine Sunday afternoon. The one thing I will say is I am sad Connery finished on such a low.</div>
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<b>12. <i>GoldenEye</i></b></div>
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The best part about this film is Sean Bean, but the worst part about this film is the lack of Sean Bean’s natural Yorkshire accent. Okay, I will admit there is one other very cool part about this film, the reference to the famous British/Soviet spy Kim Philby. Philby was part of the Cambridge Spy ring, a group of young communists hailing from Cambridge University who decided to fight fascism during the early thirties, when the establishment simply appeased it. This led him to side with the Soviets and therefore spy against his own United Kingdom, but in Philby’s mind this was for the greater good of the UK.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpLqmpEwwfKX7U700DTS6k0UxzjKa8FGY_rXuUQrzkmPBCPmD6ioj3C2HCie9Yh7G6rSZvsOK8upbU5-hDVkNZKG0rnbBqNPsbyGnm3mnF7DSU13Y-JYEtLWp4OG9MC6Ranh_h9UHnmo/s1600/ga006-walther-ppk-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpLqmpEwwfKX7U700DTS6k0UxzjKa8FGY_rXuUQrzkmPBCPmD6ioj3C2HCie9Yh7G6rSZvsOK8upbU5-hDVkNZKG0rnbBqNPsbyGnm3mnF7DSU13Y-JYEtLWp4OG9MC6Ranh_h9UHnmo/s1600/ga006-walther-ppk-collage.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a>Have you found the reference yet? Yes, Sean Bean’s character (Alex Trevelyan) was a British spy who decided that Britain had lost its way, and therefore defected to Russia. As an underlying storyline it’s fantastic, in fact if it had just been a hunt for the spy who went into the cold, it would have been brilliant. Sadly though, there is the added satellite and laser beam of death story arc, which to me is like pouring liquid shite all over your ice-cream and strawberries instead of chocolate sauce. Oh well, it was only a Brosnan film.<br />
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<b>11. <i>License to Kill</i></b></div>
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The only Bond film to receive a 15 rating, or R rating in America. Timothy Dalton’s second film playing 007 is a gritty, dirty, harsh, and ruthless masterpiece that shows Bond on a bloodthirsty rampage. The film begins with James Bond and Felix Leiter (Bond's CIA mate) nabbing a Colombian drug lord, Franz Sanchez (Robert Davi) and sending him off to be prosecuted by the DEA. It’s a good day at the office, and it’s only going to get better. The bust has been made, Bond and Felix are heroes, and now awaiting them is Leiter’s Wedding Day. The wedding is full of merriment, drink, and love; crackin’ wedding.<br />
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When Bond leaves the happy couple at the end of the day, everything takes a turn for the worse. Firstly Felix and his wife are captured by the escaped Sanchez, and second, Felix is fed to a shark and his wife is raped and killed. Bond finds them both the next day. At least Felix is alive, but he’s missing a leg. Bond then spends the rest of the film unleashing a hellish rampage on anyone and everyone associated with Sanchez; by the way, at this point in the film Bond has been removed from service by M, and is now doing this Ronin style... Bad Bond.<br />
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Finally, after putting a young Benicio del Toro through a cocaine mincing machine and chasing Sanchez’s drug convoy in a lorry, Bond finally douses Sanchez in petrol and burns him alive. Now this is how roguish Bond was meant to be! And this is why Dalton was incredible as Bond! He was cold, ruthless, egotistic, and full of an adolescent devil may care attitude. He was nice, yes, and he spied for Queen and Country, yes, but that doesn’t mean he was an angel; he simply fought for their side. License to Kill was the third Bond film I was sat down in front of, and at the ripe old age of seven, I loved it. Though it’s one of my favourites, it does have a very ordinary story line that just reminds me, ever so slightly, of a brainless, American Hollywood action film. Still, it’s a good’n.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOwlhJqfLIu_dVgj3pUrfOOxdJwS3Fwgj7zP76YUsMv3cY0iexnXnrCYdIpmik9DpXqo8rfiM4RV7enJDfiMVEpxqSRwV_8LWADkQ_0u26b8Hz3wlqNjfODHVn_Jtxfj2EA4YVBvFruyi/s1600/movies-60-years-of-bond-gallery-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrOwlhJqfLIu_dVgj3pUrfOOxdJwS3Fwgj7zP76YUsMv3cY0iexnXnrCYdIpmik9DpXqo8rfiM4RV7enJDfiMVEpxqSRwV_8LWADkQ_0u26b8Hz3wlqNjfODHVn_Jtxfj2EA4YVBvFruyi/s1600/movies-60-years-of-bond-gallery-16.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a><b>10. <i>You Only Live Twice</i></b></div>
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Bond dies! Don’t worry, it isn’t a spoiler, it happens in the first scene and it’s planned. Bond dies so that he may live! He fakes his death so he can bring down the evil SPECTRE and finally kill their leader, Blofeld. Set in Japan, Bond learns that Blofeld and SPECTRE hold a base inside a volcano, they’ve captured both American and Russian spacecraft in order to flare up the tensions between the two nations, and plan to cause a full scale war, thus wiping out the two nations and leaving them to rule the world. Bond’s job, then, is to destroy the volcano base, the two spacecraft, and kill Blofeld. He manages to blow up the rockets, destroy the volcano, but fails to kill Blofeld. However he does get the girl, so it wasn’t a total loss, and there is always next time to nab the bad guy. Not a bad idea, and the film is very classic Bond. The storyline is cool, but then again, this is the first film where the gadgets started to get out of hand and become idiotic, so for me that takes away from the film.</div>
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<b>9. <i>The Living Daylights</i></b></div>
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My first Bond film, Timothy Dalton's first appearance as 007, and a Bond theme composed by A-ha… I still have a soft spot for this fantastic film. <i>The Living Daylights</i> deals with the Afghan-Soviet War and the Eastern block of the 1980s. Bond is sent to Austria to pick up a defecting KGB agent, General Georgi Koskov (Jeroen Krabbe) and bring him to the UK for questioning. The mission goes well, but once home in Blighty, Koskov is captured and taken back to the Eastern Block, leaving 007 with no choice but to chase him. After a chase across Eastern Europe, the destruction of a beautiful Aston Martin, and the shooting of a cello, 007 learns that Koskov wasn’t captured, but simply gave himself up so he could feed false information to the West. With the West distracted, Koskov planned to fund the Soviet army using opium trading so he could lead a Soviet victory in the Afghan War. As a Bond film, the story line is incredible, as is the acting, and the cultural references of the times; Bond helps the Mujahideen... oh the irony. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1K8Df-EMoTA2ii38a5HW3X7XopsimP2VUyIjrUwVWAIjuSn5DsfXtDm-xCltuaEFRZgfymWYhLsOaPHx7ORzI56FQ5UrP2nD36cYwzva1cxQfSE8v5tGm1FVcjFuC9KH4ux1KCpFWOob2/s1600/268652-JamesBondWide_620x350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1K8Df-EMoTA2ii38a5HW3X7XopsimP2VUyIjrUwVWAIjuSn5DsfXtDm-xCltuaEFRZgfymWYhLsOaPHx7ORzI56FQ5UrP2nD36cYwzva1cxQfSE8v5tGm1FVcjFuC9KH4ux1KCpFWOob2/s1600/268652-JamesBondWide_620x350.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>8. <i>Thunderball</i></b></div>
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I love this film, not just because Connery was portraying 007, not just because the fashion of the early '60s was classy, but because this film features one of the UK’s most famous jet aircraft, and one of my favourite planes, the Avro Vulcan. Bond has to retrieve a NATO nuclear warhead that is stowed upon an RAF Vulcan that crashes suspiciously in the Caribbean. Upon his arrival, Bond learns that the aircraft has been downed by SPECTRE, and their agent Emilio Largo has the plane under his protection at the crash site. Bond soon locates the crash site underwater and leads a U.S. Coast Guard team in a battle against the SPECTRE agents, where Bond kills Largo and retrieves the warhead… oh, and of course steals Largo’s mistress in the process. I love this Bond film because it was the first Bond book I read, so it will always have a soft spot in my heart. It is Connery's fifth film, and he is still as brilliant as he was when he first said, “Bond, James Bond.” The storyline is brilliant, the gadgets are minimal, and the acting is classic. Plus is features an Avro Vulcan and the good old Aston Martin DB5. Did I also mention you see an Avro Vulcan in this film?</div>
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<b>7. <i>Quantum of Solace</i></b></div>
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Daniel Craig’s incredible portrayal of agent 007 James Bond is flawless, and in his second appearance as the British secret agent, he staples his name to the part and will forever be remembered for it. I personally liked <i>Quantum of Solace</i> because it continues the story started in <i>Casino Royale</i>, and yes it’s action packed, but it’s not the first Bond film to do that. The Bond series has always followed a pattern of one thriller-esque, spy film, followed by an explosion filled, gun battling flick where Bond destroys everything in his sights. Granted, the films may not always follow one another in that pattern, but there is always a variation on it. I loved <i>Quantum</i> anyway, not only because Craig nailed the character of Bond, but because the film itself was just pure and utter mayhem, which isn’t bad. Every and now and again it’s always nice to just get lost in complete and utter revenge, and watch Bond dishing out good old fashioned beatings and bullets to the heads of his enemies, it makes a Saturday night telly fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3flaj9HqgJ2VXYOH-gsRRjJXyecVejoXQ7btnnkXuni5C5ifDufCUFYEHZq8WEYeCGAJ75AdBryMwI9W3ki3g1RvXsWb1j4jVBUt6vFG2ZXGWx97B76EbqpL0edHDcCRR-7VC0DLU20/s1600/goldfinger.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3flaj9HqgJ2VXYOH-gsRRjJXyecVejoXQ7btnnkXuni5C5ifDufCUFYEHZq8WEYeCGAJ75AdBryMwI9W3ki3g1RvXsWb1j4jVBUt6vFG2ZXGWx97B76EbqpL0edHDcCRR-7VC0DLU20/s1600/goldfinger.png" height="240" width="320" /></a><b>6. <i>Goldfinger</i></b></div>
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Connery, what can you say about Connery? Well he was the first Bond, and the best until Craig came along, but Connery, well he is just the classic Bond and for that you just cat go wrong, especially when it comes to <i>Goldfinger</i>. The third Bond film ever made, <i>Goldfinger</i> set the bar in everything! You had the best suits, the introduction of the Aston Martin DB5 (the best car), the best Bond girls, both in terms of looks but also in terms of spirit and personality, and you had a great villain… Auric Goldfinger, oh and of course the introduction of the first Bond innuendo… Pussy Galore. The plot was fantastic, consisting of Goldfinger trying to fund SPECTRE with a marvellous money grabbing scheme: “Hey let's break into Fort Knox, irradiate the gold, deeming it useless of course, which in turn will send the price of our gold soaring.” Genius! But Bond stops him for Queen and Country using only a radio, a gun, and a beautiful, classic Aston Martin. Now that is a formula for a classic Bond film.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8T1XTYTOBeQhLTDWDvn8etonyvEedwLzxXlj2WwMWNzmRMEabXK_-PONNmo6VmcD5z31iC75eY4WgYdIjEgJOxlr7GqnYvlyGlv_CALh4PPmgfR05kS8RB8CDPAU3_E3xor0wZ_w90o/s1600/from-russia-with-love-james-bond-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8T1XTYTOBeQhLTDWDvn8etonyvEedwLzxXlj2WwMWNzmRMEabXK_-PONNmo6VmcD5z31iC75eY4WgYdIjEgJOxlr7GqnYvlyGlv_CALh4PPmgfR05kS8RB8CDPAU3_E3xor0wZ_w90o/s1600/from-russia-with-love-james-bond-movie-poster.jpg" height="320" width="222" /></a><b>5. <i>From Russia with Love</i></b></div>
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This is a proper spy film, no flare, no gimmicks, just intelligence through and through. <i>From Russia with Love</i>’s plot is quite simple, yet so classic that I adore it. You have a double agent working for the USSR and SPECTRE, they want Bond dead, not only because he poses a threat to Soviet agents, but more importantly, because he’s stumbled upon SPECTRE and their plans. The agent, Rosa Klebb, decides to give away Soviet intelligence through agent, Tatiana Romanova, leading Bond into a trap where he can be assassinated, but also leading the West into having stolen Soviet intelligence, which would end in war between East and West.<br />
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Obviously there are a few gadgets in this film, but they were real spy gadgets that were used during the Second World War, so for instance you had a briefcase that carried ammunition, a folding sniper rife, money, a knife, and a special tear gas canister that exploded if you opened it incorrectly. <i>From Russia with Love</i> is a spy nerd's dream, because it wasn’t full of big explosions and action. Instead it was a thriller, where a movement in the shadows was more extravagant than a crashing helicopter; the film does feature a crashing helicopter, but it’s used as a grand finale. <i>From Russia with Love</i> also had little nods to the book, so it featured Bond’s car from the books, a Bentley, and Connery was just superb in this film, only his second time playing 007 and he had it down to a tee.</div>
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<b>4. <i>On Her Majesty’s Secret Service</i></b></div>
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The only Bond film that will make you sob uncontrollably every time. I am not giving anything away for this film, so just watch it, trust me, just watch it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3gg8UXr1O56mNCfkLL33PO-gxBZwBzcNB-fKWGCdFHpOV6NX-hXHfieZiwYOkwdwuzHydMWXk5WyPn-HOm_wsyVt-PQ-4S9aNybQMFKI_6EqiCLvB8g5NYdqHJthWWHa2hpM_g1SPTk/s1600/skyfall-james-bond-trailer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3gg8UXr1O56mNCfkLL33PO-gxBZwBzcNB-fKWGCdFHpOV6NX-hXHfieZiwYOkwdwuzHydMWXk5WyPn-HOm_wsyVt-PQ-4S9aNybQMFKI_6EqiCLvB8g5NYdqHJthWWHa2hpM_g1SPTk/s1600/skyfall-james-bond-trailer.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></a><b>3. <i>Casino Royale</i></b></div>
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This film was the best regeneration of Bond to date. Craig has, by far, mastered the portrayal of 007 and does a brilliant job of bringing the Bond from the books to life. He takes Bond back to how he should be: cruel, cold, and spoiled, with an adolescent touch thrown in there too--he truly is Bond. However, what in god’s name were they thinking making 007 blonde? It is clearly stated in <i>Casino Royale </i>(the book of course) that Bond looks like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoagy_Carmichael" target="_blank">Hoagy Carmichael</a>: "Bond reminds me rather of Hoagy Carmichael, but there is something cold and ruthless.” Still, though it pains me to say it, I can overlook this foolish inaccuracy because Craig can act so well, though Craig isn’t the only incredible addition to the reboot. Vesper Lynd, played by Eva Green, was a perfect choice for the film's Bond Girl; she was what a good Bond girl should be--strong-willed, confident, and sexy, but still classy and ladylike. The villain Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen, was your classic Bond Villain; smart, cruel, and egotistic, this character was spot on and you hated him. Does anyone remember the torture scene?<br />
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<i>Casino Royale</i> has been the only Bond film to follow its book almost perfectly, the plot was almost identical and all the characters were there with no idiotic additions; I’ll admit it had the occasional modernisation in there too, just to date it and make it relatable for modern audiences, but you can’t hold that against the writers. All in all the film was superb; there wasn’t anything I really hated about it. It was true to the book, and so I was happy. The one criticism I really have, and it was taking the piss a bit, was the famous gun barrel sequence. I’ll be honest and say the new one is “cool”, but still, bugger that, I wanted the classic gun barrel sequence, there was no need to alter that.<br />
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<b>2. <i>Skyfall</i></b></div>
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This film was just awe inspiring. It was a homage to every classic moment of the 007 series, and it made ever person in the UK, even if just for a second, think “Oh yes, we’re that good.” I don’t need to say anything more, other than, Bond. James Bond is going back to being classic again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibF5gejw6LqYgW3NoFfIS6O-GSw6gSO6I6vLjFYyRUet5tk2UwGTIVAodSenOIbALHwzhavZTkPMTfNW1pVhlkOyD-pPZ-Y6Y35cjdNH6Dr_kNdC62g3U-PEexDPxMc4z2fPIEsy0XJsI/s1600/dr+no.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibF5gejw6LqYgW3NoFfIS6O-GSw6gSO6I6vLjFYyRUet5tk2UwGTIVAodSenOIbALHwzhavZTkPMTfNW1pVhlkOyD-pPZ-Y6Y35cjdNH6Dr_kNdC62g3U-PEexDPxMc4z2fPIEsy0XJsI/s1600/dr+no.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a><b>1. <i>Dr. No</i></b></div>
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Duh, duh, duhduh, duhduh, duuuuuuuh! Bond. James Bond. The first time the world saw agent 007, James Bond, on screen was just sublime… Wait, no, it was in fact, cool. <i>Dr. No</i> brought Bond to life and we got to witness one of the UK’s best exports, incredible cinema, and a hard bastard leading the way. This film was all spy thriller and no explosive killer, having only one action scene at the climax of the film, and even then it’s tame for a Bond film. This film was what started it all and Connery set the bar so high for Bond that it took four actors in between Craig and the original himself, to finally find someone as good, or better, as I’d say. The film features no gadgets, it features no cheap thrills, no outdated and childish pens that go boom, but instead simply uses brains and Britishness to defeat the villain… oh, and Bond’s Walther PPK of course.<br />
<br />
Behind the explosive pens, the beautiful women, the incredible cars, and the spying, Bond is the UK, he is an integral part of our island and will forever represent our style. Bond is the representation of Boxing Day, classic cars, Saturday nights in watching the telly with the family, and playing pretend spies in the street with your mates on those long Summer days. The UK is Bond and the UK is he, we raised the super spy, we produced his creator, Ian Fleming, and forged him through our bravery and steadfastness during the Second World War. Agent 007, James Bond, will always be there on those long winter nights, foiling SPECTRE and racing through country roads in his beautiful Aston. Every boy longs to be him, and everyone gets in a tiff about who the next Bond should be, and who was the best. Bond is every moment in the UK's history and so everyone in the isles is Bond, James Bond. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-51919806505544189392014-04-04T11:58:00.002-05:002014-04-04T12:00:15.275-05:00A Primer on American Vampire Second Cycle<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><img class="irc_mut" src="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog_post_349_width/2014/03/american_vampire_second_cycle.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="133" />
</span>Oh my God, you guys, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i>, oh my God.<br />
<a 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" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Ahem... so, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American
Vampire</i> is a Vertigo comic series written by Scott Snyder and dawn by Rafael Albuquerque that was originally
published in March 2010 and until recently had been on a hiatus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To that end, I had originally
intended to do a review of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American
Vampire: Second Cycle #1</i> but it quickly became apparent that I had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">way</i> too much to discuss before I even
got to talking about the newest issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So while I intend to do a monthly analytical critique of each issue, I’ve
decided to use this space as a primer to give some background on the series and
explain why it’s so great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it
really is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so</i> great. </div>
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="qnv7MOWbg8A2EM:" 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" style="height: 198px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -5px; width: 130px;" /> </span><i>American Vampire</i> tells the
interconnected stories of Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones, an outlaw from the
American West and an actress from 1920s Hollywood, respectively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The characters are the first and second
members of the newly minted species of American vampire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, vampires in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AV</i> are…different, to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like any other species on the plant, they are prone to bouts of genetic
drift and mutation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, while
European vampires, otherwise known as the Carpathians are the most traditional
version of the monster, there are dozens of different variants on the
formula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The American breed for example
is completely immune to sunlight, a trait unique even in the realm of the
franchise though some species have apparently developed incredibly thick
epidermises that make the sun more or less a moot point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, instead of having a lethally
allergic reaction to wood (to justify the ‘stake through the heart’ part of the
mythos), American vampires react poorly to gold and are at their most vulnerable
on moonless nights.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="147" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRlylVaONv9FksvcmajouLgJKIAEPyHNefvsIbOaYNXoh_dzKddsW5LIFQZ" style="height: 179px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: -2px; width: 243px;" width="200" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The man himself.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </span>But that’s
only the top layer of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you go deeper, it becomes apparent that AV
is one of the most literary comics on store shelves these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The primary theme of the series is
reflections, which isn’t a new thing when it comes to vampire literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vampires have more or less <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">always</i> been reflections of their
times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dracula, without a doubt the most
famous undead bloodsucker, has largely been read as a metaphor of the sexual
politics of the Victorian Era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, the
scene that got the original book banned from a ton of high schools is one
wherein a woman receives a blood transfusion from multiple men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was read by some people as a threesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i> though, takes it one
further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vampires, and the character of
Skinner Sweet in particular, are a monstrous reflection of American
culture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img class="irc_mut" src="http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/099/4/4/The_Red_Menace_Is_REAL_by_Hartter.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="156" /> </span>Skinner’s tale begins near the tail end of the American West, with him as a
notorious outlaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His capture by the
heroic Pinkerton Jim Book establishes the theme early on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one hand we have the heroic marshal, and
on the other a villainous outlaw who are foils to each other in many ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both fall under the “cowboy” archetype, but
they’re opposite sides of the same coin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later on, we have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Blacklist</i>,
a story arc that takes place in the late 1950s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This arc sees Pearl and Skinner hunting down
the remnants of the same vampire coven that caused them no small amount of
trouble in the 1920’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vampires have
become a lot more scared of the pair in the last thirty years, and a lot
craftier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To that end, they’ve started
hiding in the homes of non-vampire associates throughout Los Angeles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story sees our heroes going
house-to-house interrogating Hollywood bigwigs and seeing if they have anything
to hide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> T</span>he entire arc draws a parallel with the Red Scare, and in particular the
hunt for communists in the entertainment industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The series is full of references
like this and it’s a large part of what makes the story so engaging.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSln39YD0fGm6ugEZfiWVhPQpi-Dl4NF-Ps4DFYLqANn66XDEORGA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="rg_i" data-src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSln39YD0fGm6ugEZfiWVhPQpi-Dl4NF-Ps4DFYLqANn66XDEORGA" data-sz="f" name="cUaTtVt75mhe4M:" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSln39YD0fGm6ugEZfiWVhPQpi-Dl4NF-Ps4DFYLqANn66XDEORGA" style="height: 167px; margin-top: 0px; width: 301px;" /></a>But this is
a comic book and a series can only survive on its intellect for so long in this
medium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
rest assured, this series is awesome; full stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It features among other things: Nazi vampire
supremacists versus a “sun gun,” a ragtag organization of vampires who are all
the last of their kinds, the happiest Renfield in literature, and greasers who
are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> good at killing
vampires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then there’s Skinner
Sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not since the Joker has there
been a character who is so…gleefully evil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And make no mistake, Skinner isn’t evil because of his vampirism, he is
a despicable sociopath to the core and he is having an absolute blast doing
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See when we watch a character like
the Joker having fun doing something evil, our immediate reaction is: “man that
guy is messed up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when you see
Skinner massacring a Buffalo Bill-style traveling western show on a whim you
can’t help but think: “hah, that’s hilarious.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s dark and depraved, but Snyder deserves major props for making
the character so damned likeable even when he’s just as likely to throw a
wrench in the plans of the heroes as he is to screw with the villains of any
given story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Skinner isn’t
alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Characters like Felicia Book,
Cash McCogan, Henry Preston, and Calvin Poole help make the world of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i> feel so fully realized.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://killjoimomi.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/the_vampires_head_west_in_x22american_vampire_second_cyclex22_m5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="irc_mut" src="http://killjoimomi.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/the_vampires_head_west_in_x22american_vampire_second_cyclex22_m5.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="128" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
</span>No
mention of a comic is complete without a critique of the artwork. Rafael Albuquerque’s style is full of jagged lines and smoothed corners, a statement that sounds
contradictory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of particular note are his characters, who are always immensely expressive even when they turn into monstrous
abominations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gives every species of vampire little flourishes ranging from the jagged-toothed smiles of the
Carpathians to the rattlesnake-like Americans. Colorist Dave McCraig also gives it his all, infusing life into
sun-drenched West Coast vistas and deserts while emphasizing the dread that
comes naturally from such locales as a cramped cargo ship in the Black Sea or a
gothic estate in the German Alps.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i> is just damned
cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On March 19, Snyder
and company released <i>Second Cycle</i> #1, a continuation of the first 34-issue
run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Second
Cycle </i>#1 is a decent place to start if you want to jump right in, but if
you’re unsure of where or how to begin, I suggest <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire: Long Road to Hell</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a 64-page standalone that provides a
perfect taste of the world and is an excellent short story in its own
right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want a more complete look
into the mythology of the universe then I recommend the five-issue miniseries <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Survival of the Fittest</i>, which is quite
honestly my favorite arc in the franchise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the one about killing Nazi vampires.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from those bits, I highly recommend you
start at the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rough Cut</i> one of the better arcs, the
backup story, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bad Blood</i>, tells the
origin story of Skinner Sweet and is written by none other than Stephen King.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Vampire</i> is a series that
deserves to be discussed in the same breath as some of the greats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s by far the best horror comic I’ve ever
read and it’s probably the best thing DC is putting out these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But whenever I bring it up with my comic-reading
friends, I only ever get blank stares or shrugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hopefully this primer has convinced you to go out and read it for
yourself and has given you a good idea of where to start if you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time we’ll get back to that whole analytical critique thing I promised earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Until then! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-78367774765349014902014-03-20T12:05:00.000-05:002014-03-25T14:58:04.078-05:00What the Heck is this Noah Thing Anyway?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I’m going
to go out on a limb and assume at least some of you watched the Super Bowl
a while back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The game itself was…boring
for the best reason (go Hawks), but that’s neither here nor there. The
thing that really keeps people in their seats these days is the Super Bowl
commercials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These ads, which are
important because they are aired during the single most watched event of the
television year, have become an institution in and of themselves and the occasional
movie trailer is no exception.
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This year, a
lot of Hollywood’s big players played their hand with their Superbowl
trailers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had a trailers for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Transformers 4: Age of Extinction</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lego Movie</i> among others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, quick side bar: the aforementioned <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lego Movie</i> really is as good as you’ve
heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should go see it. Now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll wait.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://pathmegazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/noah-movie-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" class="irc_mut" src="http://pathmegazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/noah-movie-poster.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh man...my shoes are going to get so wet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </span>Anyway, despite the big name trailers throughout the game, like me you may have been
attracted to a short <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xztehAJKq0" target="_blank">30 second spot</a> at the beginning of the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The movie in question looks like some sort of
High Fantasy apocalypse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s got
Russell Crowe who is generally decent, Emma Watson who is generally hot, and
it’s directed by Darrin Arronofsky who doesn’t really make bad movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s also got some cool shots in the trailer
like celestial beings falling to Earth and a guy with a fire sword (which is a
statement that I wish could be attributed to more movies in general).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then the title appears and the film’s
name is revealed: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Noah</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Where was all of this stuff in Sunday school?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly would’ve made things a whole lot
interesting right?</div>
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</div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" src="http://gardenofpraise.com/images/noah6.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 22px;" width="168" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Actually he was a drunk. No really.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span>To
understand why a film about Noah’s Ark can look this…unbiblical,you need to
understand a bit about the mythology behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The basic premise is simple and straightforward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The foundation of the tale is found in
Genesis, the first book of the Christian Old Testament and the Torah, the
Jewish holy texts attributed to Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The story itself is fairly basic: It’s been seven generations or so
since the whole mishap in the Garden of Eden and God is fed up because the
“world is full of wickedness.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
decides to wipe out the Earth with a massive flood but also to save the one
decent man from the devastation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
man is Noah, who, along with his family, is instructed to build a massive ark in
which to ride out the flood accompanied by two of every animal in the
world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noah does as he’s told and he
survives the waterlogged end of days. In
the end, God presents Noah and his family with a rainbow as a sign that he
loves mankind and will never do something that genocidal again.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" src="http://s2.hubimg.com/u/3835015_f248.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 41px;" width="158" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giglamesh (right) pictured here with his bro Enkidu.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </span>The story is
a simple morality fable but it’s got a few more layers to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Specifically, it’s one of those rare Bible stories that may have a basis in fact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If other religions from the Fertile Crescent,
the region between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers (located in modern day Iraq),
are any indication then the Flood Myth is fairly ubiquitous across the
board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saga of Gilgamesh</i>, a Sumerian epic and quite possibly the first of
its kind features a tale where the protagonist encounters a survivor of “The
Great Deluge.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between that universality
and some geological evidence it’s quite possible that the Fertile Crescent
really was beset by a massive flood at some point in the distant past. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But that
still doesn’t explain the stuff with the angels and the fire sword and the
like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that wackiness we need to turn
to Deuterocanon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deuterocanon refers to
the various collections of writings by Hebrew and Christian authors that are
considered to be non-canonical to official teachings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps the most well-known instance of
Deuterocanon is the Book of Enoch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Book of Enoch is a collection of writings associated, aptly enough with Enoch,
the grandfather of Noah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book
retells a number of tales from Genesis including the Flood Myth, but it goes
into much greater detail about the world surrounding them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author details such events as the Fall of
the Watchers, the creation of the Nephilim and other decidedly more fantastical
stories about Earth before it started raining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As luck would have it, it seems as though Darrin Arronofsky is drawing
from the Book of Enoch as a source of inspiration. Let’s dive right in, shall
we?</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Giants_and_Freia.jpg" height="200" id="irc_mi" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="157" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very like a Nephilim but not quite. Still cool though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</span>Let’s start
with that scene of angels plummeting to Earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is most likely a reference to the Fall of the Watchers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Watchers themselves were angels who took
a decidedly more active role in serving as God’s sentries on Earth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is to say they actually roamed the Earth
among humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The problem is that apparently the Watchers had a thing for human women
and began to lust after those over whom they were charged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their desire eventually resulted in beings
often called the Nephilim, who were the offspring of “sons of God,” and “the
daughters of man.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Nephilim are
often characterized as giants who possessed tremendous strength and power not
unlike the Norse Jötunn or the Greek Titans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enoch goes on to say that the Nephilim were at least partially to blame
for God sending the flood to cleanse the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That said, recent modern interpretation is that the Nephilim may have
been the sons and daughters of local lords who were given to abusing their
powers, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for something so mundane to appear in this
adaptation.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" height="200" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px;" width="187" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: Tubal-cain. Not pictured: the flaming sword</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </span>But if the
movie’s IMDb page is anything to go on, the angels themselves aren’t going
to be the primary threat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s looking
like that role falls to Ray Winstone (known for his role in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beowulf</i>) who will be portraying a figure
named Tubal-cain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smart money says he's the guy with the fire sword in the teaser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tubal-cain is actually referenced at one
point in Genesis during one of those long-winded genealogies that Moses was so
fond of writing and that God was apparently fond of imparting upon his charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rashi, a well-regarded medieval French rabbi,
interpreted Tubal-cain’s name to mean “he who spices the craft of Cain.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cain, of course, was one of the two sons of
Adam and Eve who killed his brother Abel in a fit of jealousy, thus committing
the first murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rashi and other
medieval theologians have interpreted Tubal’s name to mean that he was a
blacksmith or maybe even a metallurgist due to references about his work with
copper and iron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="irc_mut" height="200" src="data:image/jpeg;base64,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" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 84px;" width="197" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made with the expressed purpose of hurting you.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span>For this
reason, and given his role in a brief passage called the Song of the Sword,
Tubal-cain is often believed to be the inventor of the sword, the world’s first
true weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the sword,
every ancient weapon from the axe to the bow and arrow were adapted from a
tool used for another purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sword, though, was made for killing other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because of his creation, Tubal-cain is often considered to have added
the next layer (or spice if you will) to the craft that Cain created, which is…say
it with me: murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combine this ominous
legacy of violence with the film’s more fantastical approach to the adaptation
and it’s easy to see why Aronofsky chose Tubal-cain to be his antagonist.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So why does
all of this matter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, because in my
opinion, <i>Noah</i> has a real good shot at being a great movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s got a good pedigree of actors, a
director with a reputation for creative ideas and presentation, and it’s drawing
from some fascinating source material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And that source material is worth knowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not because it’s an integral part of the
Abrahamic faiths, but because it’s a fascinating mythology, at least on the level
of anything the Greeks or Norse came up with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That it’s tangentially related to faiths that are still being practiced
is just icing on the cake, for me at least. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, join me next time as we talk about
words and genres and stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Soucres:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterocanonical_books</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubal-cain</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_myth</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephalim</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-29109640194697848522014-02-24T07:54:00.001-06:002014-02-24T07:54:27.880-06:00Console Review: PlayStation 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ps4-hd-wallpaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gamingbolt.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ps4-hd-wallpaper.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday, February 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2014, the PlayStation 4
finally came out in Japan, and I waited anxiously by the door for the delivery
man to appear with my deceptively heavy package and extra fire-red controller
so that I could begin setup of my new toy. But it didn’t come on Saturday. In
fact, it only shipped on Saturday, it wouldn’t arrive until the next day at the
earliest, and, assuming bad weather or Godzilla related turbulence, Tuesday at
the latest. Luckily, it arrived on Sunday morning, because Japan does not
believe in weekends for their UPS equivalent, much to my heartfelt joy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE SYSTEM</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://todops4.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://todops4.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/1109.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>It’s tiny – much, much tinier than I initially thought it
would be – and solid. It feels like a good piece of hardware and the
strange-but-interesting parallelogram shape of the case looks nice, even though
the shape is such that, unless you already have your standing systems on the
left side of your TV/media center (which I do not), it will look rather awkward
with the rest of them. After a few minutes deliberation, I decided to
re-organize so that I could lie it down on its side. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also discovered that one unfortunate aspect is that there
are no rear USB ports, meaning that if you’re like me and bought a cradle for
your two controllers, unless you have them hooked up to a different USB source,
you’re going to have a cable coming out of the front of your PS4 at all times.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After making room for it and getting it hooked up, I turned
it on and went through the initialization (choosing a language – which the <i>Japanese</i> Wii
U absolutely does <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">not</b> allow – and
internet connection, etc.) and got to the home screen before turning it off,
unplugging it, and setting it on my work table to begin replacing the HDD. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it was so easy. It was a breeze snapping off the
case, unscrewing 5 screws, changing drives, re-screwing 5 screws, and
re-snapping on the case. It took 5 minutes. Of course, with a new HDD, you have
to have a thumbdrive with the latest firmware ready to re-install, but that’s
no problem, either. From there, it took maybe 20 minutes to get through that,
back through initialization, and to the home screen for the second time. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>THE CONTROLLER</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/files/2013/08/DS4_RED_05_PERS_1376998742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.officialplaystationmagazine.co.uk/files/2013/08/DS4_RED_05_PERS_1376998742.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All the while, I was admiring the new DualShock 4. I’ve been
a fan of all of the DualShocks (even though the original controller was a little too small,
if still comfortable, and the SixAxis was too light, if similarly shaped), but
this one is by far my favorite. It might even be my favorite controller, ever. I
don’t have particularly big or small hands, and had no problems whatsoever with
the DualShock 3, but this one feels good. The buttons are crisp and springy,
the triggers are improved, and the reintroduction of the dimpled analog sticks
make this the best incarnation thus far. The handles are more rounded than the
previous versions which do make it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">look</i>
a lot bigger, but, in fact, it has the exact same footprint as the DualShock 3.
At least, eyeballing it, they do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will say, among all that, it is jarring not to have a
Start button, anymore. This is my first controller ever without one. That’s 25
years, or more, of gaming with a Start button in, generally, the same place
(the original XBOX and XBOX S controllers notwithstanding). I keep wanting to
reach over to pause <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resogun</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Outlast</i> and accidentally brush the new
little touchpad, instead. But, really, that’s okay. I’ll get used to it. The
functions of the Start button have simply been moved to the new Options button
in the shortstop position between the Triangle and Square buttons.<br />
<br />
One other interesting thing is the big bright light on the back of the controller. It is there to show whose controller is whose, assuming you have a bunch of same-color controllers, and to work with the PlayStation Eye, but, mainly, it's there to be <i>bright</i>. While playing <i>Outlast</i> with the lights off near 11 pm, every now and then I'd notice a little light toward the bottom-left of the TV that I initially thought was in the game, a collectible item or something, that I finally discovered was that light. It's so bright that it reflects off the screen in the dark, unfortunately distractingly so. It's not a huge problem, but being able to turn it down or off is something that will hopefully be addressed in a future update. The controller also has, like the original Wii Remotes, a surprisingly clear speaker in it that sometimes shouts instructions at you or adds ambient noises at odd times. I'm withholding judgment as to whether it's necessary or not, but I'm willing to give it the opportunity to wow me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>PS VITA CONNECTIVITY</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/254748-rp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://cdn.destructoid.com//ul/254748-rp.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a>I’m including this because the Vita is essentially my 3<sup>rd</sup>
controller now. Of course, I’d never choose the Vita over the classic
DualShock as a plain controller, but the Remote Play and 2<sup>nd</sup> Screen
functionality are so… <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">awesome</i>, that I
have to seriously consider it. Remote Play is flawless, quick, and I was able
to fail spectacularly at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resogun</i> on a
high difficulty just as I would have with the DualShock on the TV screen
(although the L2/R2 really need physical buttons to be perfect). I haven’t been able to test the 2<sup>nd</sup> screen, yet,
but it’s on my list of things I want to try.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Vita is finally going to become useful for more than my
PS One classics, and for that I’m very excited. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>OTHER</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not going to cover any games in this, but I will say of
the ones I’ve played (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resogun</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knack</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Outlast</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Contrast</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Don’t Starve</i>) that they are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">gorgeous</i>. But, I have to say that I
don’t believe these are experiences I couldn’t have had on the PS3, with the
exception of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knack</i> – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knack</i> is quite technically impressive.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://support.us.playstation.com/euf/assets/KCimages/kbid_5105/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://support.us.playstation.com/euf/assets/KCimages/kbid_5105/8.jpg" width="320" /></a>The automatic shut-off also appears to actually work on the
PS4, as having fallen asleep with it on last night and waking up to find it in
standby mode will attest. Too many times, I would leave the PS3 on, hoping that
it would finish its download, install, and then turn itself off only to find
that it’s been on all day or all weekend, wasting my expensive Japanese
electricity (and believe me, that’s no pittance). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The PSN looks good, even though it’s currently bare, and
it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">drastically</i> quicker to get to
the store from the home screen, which is amazing. I used to have to wait up to
2 or 3 minutes for the store to open on the PS3, but now it’s practically
instantaneous. I even accidentally went into the store once or twice and didn’t
realize I’d done it, but it was so quick it was of no consequence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://support.us.playstation.com/euf/assets/KCimages/kbid_5105/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://support.us.playstation.com/euf/assets/KCimages/kbid_5105/2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, that is one thing that is both good and bad: the
PS4 home screen and the PSN are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">identical</i>.
It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish exactly where you are because,
even outside of the store, some of the advertised games have price tags. For
example, I got a free copy of the Japanese <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knack</i>
with my PS4 and, after going into the Japanese PSN to get it downloading,
logged into my other American account to look around and saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knack</i>’s download progress on the screen,
but it also had a BUY NOW $59.99 underneath it, which, at first, was rather
confusing. But as soon as the game finished downloading (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">35 GBs</i>, good lord), the price tag, even in the American account,
disappeared.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
However, the PS4 is a classy, high quality addition to any
media center. Now we need some console-defining game experiences to
arrive. I can’t wait.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-32139693867464896382014-02-22T16:24:00.000-06:002014-02-22T16:24:55.879-06:00Super Smash Bros: Nintendo's Undercover PR MachineYou love <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> I love <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> Even people who don't like video games love <i>Super Smash Bros</i>! Everyone loves seeing their favorite Italian plumber and pointy-eared adventurer duke it out. But it's not just the big names like Mario and Link in <i>SSB</i>. The first time many of us played the game, we had no idea who Ness or Captain Falcon were. Heck, some first-time <i>SSB</i> players back when the original was released in 1999 didn't even know Samus was a chick. But those characters have earned a place in our hearts, and their games have gone on to become popular in their own right.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PqqbuqojBA1TJKf3YYuVmNzhuL_FKr1gvFYlESqecTd6YqTATnicZIa0RQUKRRXxs2hPrw7RWLIiMLKZ9ZKrbLIOxJYhczMVaBRxSuTbADozVp5K0Ns2Pyn11JbuB9d8pDTNsTsNaYoR/s1600/ss_ness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PqqbuqojBA1TJKf3YYuVmNzhuL_FKr1gvFYlESqecTd6YqTATnicZIa0RQUKRRXxs2hPrw7RWLIiMLKZ9ZKrbLIOxJYhczMVaBRxSuTbADozVp5K0Ns2Pyn11JbuB9d8pDTNsTsNaYoR/s1600/ss_ness.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
When <i>EarthBound</i> was finally released on the Wii U Virtual Console last year, it was a huge deal. Some of it was due to the game's cult status, but most people rejoicing had never touched the game before. Most players' familiarity with the game and its characters comes from <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> Nintendo, master of nostalgia, has this sneaky way of using <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> to make us nostalgic for games we never even played.<br />
<br />
<i>Super Smash Bros.</i> hooks us in with its big-name characters, but it uses the game to introduce the company's more obscure and dormant series. <i>Fire Emblem</i> had never seen a Western release before Marth and Roy showed up in <i>Super Smash Bros. Melee</i>, but once the characters found a devoted fanbase in <i>Melee</i>, suddenly we got a whole slew of <i>Fire Emblem</i> titles released outside Japan. There hadn't been a new <i>Kid Icarus</i> game in over two decades, but once its protagonist Pit appeared in <i>Super Smash Bros. Brawl</i>, his popularity prompted Nintendo to create <i>Kid Icarus: Uprising</i> for the 3DS in 2012.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhOmdklP4bR0nEO85HDRoj6QkYRnFWUhsuXyhSzgTQclkQrwyKqb3D3z5kt6ceBajx42iOPiVAcugzQD-d_L8nCUW0qOzFgGS1sxZQsg1Zf-AqdRhWO_PucD6BxjrtceX_hyphenhyphenk_V_scoas/s1600/screen-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhOmdklP4bR0nEO85HDRoj6QkYRnFWUhsuXyhSzgTQclkQrwyKqb3D3z5kt6ceBajx42iOPiVAcugzQD-d_L8nCUW0qOzFgGS1sxZQsg1Zf-AqdRhWO_PucD6BxjrtceX_hyphenhyphenk_V_scoas/s1600/screen-6.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Super Smash Bros.</i> is, along with <i>Mario Kart</i>, by far the most commercially successful crossover Nintendo franchise. It appeals to both hardcore gamers and the casual crowd. It's a love letter to Nintendo games, with its trophies and extras effectively serving as a Nintendo encyclopedia. But in many ways, <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> is simply a marketing vehicle for Nintendo's B- and C-list franchises. That's not a bad thing. Tons of creative new games have come to fruition due to characters' popularity garnered in <i>SSB</i>.<br />
<br />
We're all dying to learn which characters will join the lineup of the upcoming <i>Super Smash Bros.</i> for 3DS and Wii U. I'm excited for the game itself, but I'm even more excited about what the new <i>SSB</i> lineup means for Nintendo's lesser-known series. Little Mac from <i>Punch-Out!!</i> has <a href="http://www.smashbros.com/" target="_blank">already been revealed</a>; what other characters from less famous series would you like to see in the new <i>Super Smash Bros</i>?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-52933126600402732002014-02-16T19:28:00.000-06:002014-02-16T19:28:45.904-06:00The Collapse of Civilization<div class="MsoNormal">
Jimmy Carr may or may not be your cup of tea, but on an
episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">QI</i> he once told a joke
about wondering why Germans were so fastidious, so he googled “German anal.”
And when he finally emerged, no doubt caked in a crusty filth, it had been a
week. He’d lost a week! And that’s how I feel about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civilization V</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2014/02/Humble-Sid-Meier-Bundle-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2014/02/Humble-Sid-Meier-Bundle-2.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is going to take so. Much. TIME.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently available via the glorious <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sid Meier Humble Bundle</i>, I went ahead and paid my $15 (I always go
between $15 and $25 on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Humbles</i>) and
added <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civilization V</i> (and its
subsequent DLCs, as well as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civilization
IV</i>) to the purgatory of my Steam account, not expecting to get around to it
any time especially soon. However, due to unforeseen severe boredom and the
fresh memory of having just purchased it, I installed it and gave it a try.
That was at noon last Wednesday, and from then to the same time the next day,
I’d logged 15 hours of play.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/Gran_turismo_5_prologue_mypage_december_2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/Gran_turismo_5_prologue_mypage_december_2007.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, baby, you know I ain't goin' nowhere.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, there were times as a teenager where I literally didn’t
leave my bedroom but for bathroom breaks or to make a bowl of cereal because I
was engrossed in something - in those days (and for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> long) I was probably playing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Xenogears</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Final Fantasy
Tactics</i>, or even possibly one of those ludicrous 12-hour <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gran Turismo</i> races that forever soured me on realistic car racing
(I fell asleep somewhere near the last 5 to 10 laps of one of those races and was
much too discouraged to bother trying, again) - but that was a time of life
where I actually had that much free time to spend as worthlessly. Since
then, possibly with the exception of a few group, all-night, alcohol-fueled gaming sessions of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Guitar Hero</i>/<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rockband</i>, either in one sitting or one general period of time, I simply
haven’t sat and played a single game for so long. Until now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civ V</i> is
ridiculous. I’m not much of a board gamer – this kind, anyway – and I think
that’s where this caught me off guard. If this were a normal board game,
everyone would quickly lose interest: it moves too slowly, it would require an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">insane</i> amount of attention to keep track
of all of the moves (not to mention attention <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">span</i>), and any war would be fought likely both on the board and in
real life. But in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Civ V</i>… <b>it’s always
your turn</b>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s seductive. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoD-YuzWjLUUMf82QpJ2kyd6Gcz1KM0zT6jyCPrVwp6EIGjkpX8Nj5DzPY7Q99eyVjJMVyyyaCrdvQHttmrVlFG3-sO9LEp-wcAlGOQvMuRALxF34_LXwS6-KxWr_SOkrHca4VEv0tk5z/s1600/Civilization-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoD-YuzWjLUUMf82QpJ2kyd6Gcz1KM0zT6jyCPrVwp6EIGjkpX8Nj5DzPY7Q99eyVjJMVyyyaCrdvQHttmrVlFG3-sO9LEp-wcAlGOQvMuRALxF34_LXwS6-KxWr_SOkrHca4VEv0tk5z/s1600/Civilization-5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You should have accepted my trade proposal, <i>baby</i>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh, I can just get a
few more roads built! I can wait two more turns for that Seaport to finish! I
just want to conquer France before I go to bed!</i> And before you know it,
it’s 4 am. I can’t think of another game off the top of my head
that is as much of a time sink that isn’t an MMORPG (I never played <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">World of Warcraft</i> in any of its
iterations, but I know that one falls into the same category). I began my
civilization on Wednesday afternoon, and I completed my first game on Sunday
evening, and I did practically nothing else (besides work and eat) in the time between.
It’s easily the quickest I’ve ever put 40 hours into a game and while I had a
great amount of fun with it, I’m glad the game’s over. Having been an adult
these last ten years or so, playing these long-ass games is fun, but taxing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m going to go read <i>1Q84</i> for a while. Or go buy a
bookshelf to put together. Or take a drive. I just need to get off the
computer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Hmm, actually, maybe just one more turn...</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-56729041167103113182014-02-12T11:56:00.000-06:002014-02-12T11:56:56.872-06:00I want to love Blade Runner, but the rape scene ruins it for me.<i>Trigger warning. And spoiler warning, since this is the internet and people will get upset about spoiling the plot of a 32-year-old movie.</i><br />
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I've watched Ridley Scott's landmark sci-fi dystopian noir <i>Blade Runner</i> a handful of times over the years. I watched it in high school and didn't really "get it." I watched it for two different classes in college, where I finally gained an appreciation for it. And I've watched the movie two or three times since then. I've considered <i>Blade Runner</i> one of the best films ever made, and up there with <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i> as one of the all-time most important works of science fiction.<br />
<br />
But the past couple times I watched, one scene in particular stood out like a sore thumb. The sex scene between the main character, Deckard, and the female lead, Rachael, that occurs about two-thirds of the way through the film. Take a look for yourself (don't worry, there's no actual nudity):<br />
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The real questionable stuff starts around the 3:15 mark of the video. Deckard (played by Harrison Ford) and Rachael (played by Sean Young) share a tender moment, but Rachael becomes flustered and tries to leave the apartment. Deckard slams the door shut to prevent her from getting away, then throws her against a wall, corners her, commands her to tell him to kiss her, and has her way with her. She's crying as it happens.<br />
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Maybe I'm interpreting this all incorrectly. A quick google search for <a href="https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=blade+runner+sex+scene&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" target="_blank">"blade runner sex scene"</a> shows that most people on the internet are as confused and conflicted as I am.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn-uyCu5Qj3iVR403PVS_nV1IQBYJXQv_-YcwKm5eGMUYc9c6eRC_AujlvbBLli_EnYPUFh81hzMbArNuUml_qbY6iDyiQR587CzYoxOTJkT3EhT0hRIKMl9vKSetZD5Adux-xhuGF_5a/s1600/blade_runner_xlg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn-uyCu5Qj3iVR403PVS_nV1IQBYJXQv_-YcwKm5eGMUYc9c6eRC_AujlvbBLli_EnYPUFh81hzMbArNuUml_qbY6iDyiQR587CzYoxOTJkT3EhT0hRIKMl9vKSetZD5Adux-xhuGF_5a/s1600/blade_runner_xlg.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a>Some people defend the scene by saying "Rachael is a replicant, so it's not rape." Considering the entire plot of <i>Blade Runner</i> revolves around replicants having the same emotions that humans do, I don't buy this excuse at all.<br />
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Others say it just goes to show that Deckard is an imperfect character. I think that's probably what Ridley Scott and Harrison Ford were going for. Everyone appreciates a flawed protagonist; it humanizes them. But there's a difference between "protagonist is kind of a jerk who just wants to do the right thing" and "<b>protagonist is a rapist</b> who just wants to do the right thing."<br />
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It reminds me of all the controversy surrounding Woody Allen right now. He might be a child molester, but he's such a witty guy! People want to ignore sexual abuse charges because he's made so many good movies. Does <i>Blade Runner</i> get the same pass? He might've raped the female lead, but the movie is such a cultural touchstone that everyone sort of forgets about it.<br />
<br />
Apparently Harrison Ford and Sean Young never clicked during production of the film, and the scene was incredibly rough to shoot. Sean Young said she had to take a few weeks off after shooting the scene because she had so many bruises.<br />
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But <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4rEhukgkic" target="_blank">in a recent interview</a> about sex in movies, Young seems to have a more positive view on <i>Blade Runner</i>. She says a sex scene in a movie is good when the woman looks happy, and that's why it worked for her in <i>No Way Out</i> and in <i>Blade Runner</i>. Huh? I've re-watched the sex scene a few times now, and her character seems to be closer to sobbing than to smiling.<br />
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If the actress who was actually involved in the scene in question has no problem with it now, are my complaints unwarranted? I still want to fast-forward through it every time I watch <i>Blade Runner</i>. What do you think?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-59286642331519681082014-02-10T10:49:00.001-06:002014-02-10T10:49:33.093-06:00Debating the definition of Metroidvania<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<b>"What is a Metroidvania? A miserable little pile of secrets."</b></div>
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<b>JOHN:</b> Hey, Jake, I was thinking for our next blog post that we should do a “Best
of” for Metroidvania games where we give each other a list of games the other
hasn’t played, do our best to play them, and then do an overall ranking. I’d be
interested to see how different our lists end up being. I don't think <i>Super Metroid</i> would be in my top 5, but <i>Castlevania: Symphony of the Night</i> probably would be. What do you think?</div>
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<b>JAKE: </b>That would be a pretty limited list, wouldn't it? Aside from the <i>Metroid </i>and <i>Castlevania</i> games, there'd only be a handful of others. <i>Guacamelee!</i> and <i>Shadow Complex</i>. Maybe <i>Cave Story</i>. But none of those come anywhere close to making my personal top 5. Also: <i>Super Metroid</i> doesn't even crack a Metroidvania top 5 for you? The game that defined the entire genre?! Are you insane?<br />
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<b>JOHN:</b> Limited list? Are you nuts? I can think of three classic (one modern classic) series right now that fit into the Metroidvania mold. <i>Mega Man Legends 1</i> and <i>2</i> (and incidentally <i>Mega Man 64</i>)<i>,</i> <i>Demon's Souls</i> and <i>Dark Souls,</i> and <i>Resident Evil</i> (well, 1, anyway). Those are <i>exactly</i> Metroidvania-type games and are all much better than all of the rest of the proper <i>Metroid</i> or <i>Castlevania</i> games, except perhaps the aforementioned <i>Super Metroid</i> and <i>Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. </i><br />
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<b>JAKE:</b> The exploration elements of the games you mentioned are similar to the genre, but it's not enough for me to call <i>Demon's Souls</i> or <i>Resident Evil </i>a Metroidvania. The original <i>Metroid</i> was envisioned by Nintendo as a cross between the exploration of <i>The Legend of Zelda</i> and the platforming of <i>Super Mario Bros</i>. The games you mentioned have the exploration part, but platforming is just as integral to the Metroidvania formula. Every single mainline <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Castlevania</i> game emphasizes platforming. Without the platforming, Metroidvania is almost just <i>Zelda</i>. <i>Demon's Souls</i> has much more in common with <i>Zelda</i> than it does with <i>Metroid.</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.relyonhorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MAP.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.relyonhorror.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/MAP.png" height="193" width="320" /></a><b>JOHN:</b> But it's more than jumping that makes Metroidvania games what they are, though. In every "classic" Metroidvania, there is a fixed map to explore and items to collect that make new areas of said map newly accessible, and lots of enemies to fight. "Jumping" makes the 2D Metroidvania possible, but it doesn't change a 3D one into <i>The Legend of Zelda</i> if you remove it. It doesn't need literal platforming to be the same type of game. <i>Dark Souls</i> is exactly this: it's a fixed (though <i>much</i> larger) map that you explore and open up as you progress with lots of enemies to fight and weapons to collect and upgrade. But there's no jumping. There's a limited amount of dropping, though, I suppose.<br />
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<i>Resident Evil</i> is exactly the same. It's a fixed map (hell, it's even a haunted house, just like Dracula's castle or Zebes) that opens up with the more keys you collect, with lots of zombies to fight and upgradeable weapons (well, gun > shotgun > grenade launcher > magnum > rocket launcher, anyway). The exterior is different, but it comes from the same stock as any Metroidvania. Much more so than <i>Zelda</i>.<br />
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<b>JAKE: </b>So then what's the difference between <i>Zelda</i> and Metroidvania to you? Does that make <i>Zelda</i> a Metroidvania? That would be pretty strange, considering <i>Zelda</i> predates both <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Castlevania</i>. But <i>Zelda </i>also has a world you explore by yourself, acquiring new items to access new areas, full of creepy dungeons just like <i>Metroid</i>'s creepy alien caverns. <i>Zelda</i>'s lack of platforming is the biggest thing that sets it apart from Metroidvania.<br />
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<b>JOHN:</b> The biggest difference to me is the world, itself. In the 3D <i>Zelda</i>s, Hyrule is an entire (teeny) country with separate, distinct areas to explore, joined by a common area, i.e. the field or, in <i>The Wind Waker</i>, the sea. Just like <i>Demon's Souls</i>... Hmm. Okay, maybe I'll concede that one to you. It doesn't use a single map: it's several distinct areas joined together by the central Nexus. And it has levels! 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and 1-4 in the first area, alone. In that sense, it's actually more like the classic <i>Castlevania</i> than <i>Zelda</i>. But not like <i>Metroid</i>.<br />
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But the "haunted house" aspect of <i>Dark Souls</i>, <i>Resident Evil</i>, <i>Super Metroid</i>, and <i>Symphony of the Night</i> is the biggest difference. Are you really saying that, without jumping, <i>Metroid</i> is <i>Zelda</i>? I can't agree with that. <i>Zelda</i>'s too light-hearted, too inconsequential. Opening up new doors (and, thus, new areas) in the big 4 are important events while in <i>Zelda</i>, outside of dungeons, it largely doesn't matter. Now, if an entire <i>Zelda</i> took place in a dungeon, say a massive Hyrule Castle, then I might agree with you.<br />
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And here's another thing about <i>Zelda - </i>the 3D ones, anyway - as soon as you get the hookshot, it effectively allows Link to platform. He's not "jumping," but he's ascending from level to level to kick ass and take names. Just like Samus. But I still wouldn't say that <i>Zelda</i> is <i>Metroid</i>, would you?<br />
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<b>JAKE: </b>"Enclosed gameworld" isn't a requirement of the genre. All the <i>Metroid</i> games span entire (small) planets, with Samus entering various caverns connected by many open areas--the original <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Metroid II</i> are the only ones to take place entirely underground. And many <i>Castlevania </i>titles, including all the more recent entries, feature areas to explore outside the castle.<br />
<br />
The dark tone is an integral part of the individual <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Castlevania</i> series, but I don't think it's necessary to the Metroidvania formula. <i>Guacamelee!</i> has a lighthearted comedic tone, yet neither of us question its Metroidvania credentials. You know a big part of what keeps it true to the genre? PLATFORMING!<br />
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<b>JOHN:</b> You're talking "requirements" and I'm talking "aspects" of what makes a Metroidvania a Metroidvania. I'm essentially saying this: if it looks, feels, and sounds like a Metroidvania, then it's a duck. I think there's enough evidence to suggest that <i>Mega Man Legends</i>, <i>Dark Souls</i>, and <i>Resident Evil</i>, proper platforming present or not, offer experiences <i>much</i> closer to classic Metroidvanias than they do to <i>Zelda</i>. I can understand if you don't want to classify them as pure Metroidvanias, though, so maybe a new sub-category should be created for them, like "Bubblevania" or "Semi-troid," where they're maybe not <i>quite</i> Metroidvania, but not close enough to the Princess, either. But in terms of <i>game-type</i>, they should absolutely be considered alongside Metroidvanias in any list ranking them.<br />
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<b>JAKE:</b> I can get on board with <i>Mega Man Legends</i> being called Metroidvania since the <i>Mega Man</i> series is partially based on, ya know... platforming. Not so much the others. Maybe I'm a traditionalist, but we'll have to agree to disagree on the definition of the genre. If I were to make a top 10 list of Metroidvania games, it would pretty much all be <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Castlevania </i>games. With your slightly more liberal definition of the genre, what games would you put on the list?<br />
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<b>JOHN:</b> I'll be honest: I wanted to open up the definition in the first place because, outside of the few obvious classics, I wasn't sure I could come up with a top 10. I'm not the <i>Metroid</i> fanatic you are, but I do love Metroidvanias. After some consideration, here's my list, in no particular order:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<a href="http://files.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/167000_S/Comic-Book-Author-Peter-David-Wrote-Script-For-Shadow-Complex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://files.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/167000_S/Comic-Book-Author-Peter-David-Wrote-Script-For-Shadow-Complex.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a>
<li><i>Castlevania: Symphony of the Night</i> (PS)</li>
<li><i>Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow</i> (DS)</li>
<li><i>Mega Man Legends</i> (PS)</li>
<li><i>Mega Man Legends 2</i> (PS)</li>
<li><i>Dark Souls</i> (PS3)</li>
<li><i>Shadow Complex</i> (XBL)</li>
<li><i>Resident Evil</i> (GC)</li>
<li><i>Super Metroid</i> (SNES)</li>
<li><i>Guacamelee!</i> (PSN/PC)</li>
<li><i>Metroid Prime</i> (GC)</li>
</ul>
I just <i>barely</i> made it to 10, and I couldn't come up with any other titles that I'd played for more than 10 or 15 minutes (such as <i>Metroid Prime 3: Corruption</i>), for various reasons. Perhaps you can enlighten me to a treasure trove of hitherto unknown (to me) Metroidvania treasures. Or perhaps just one: if you had to recommend a single Metroidvania not already on my list, any platform, what would it be?<br />
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<b>JAKE:</b> I touched on this in <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2013/08/ranking-metroid-series.html" target="_blank">my ranking of <i>Metroid</i> games</a> last year, but <i>Metroid Prime 2: Echoes</i> is by far the most underrated Metroidvania. In that article, I described it as "a <i>Metroid </i>connoisseur's <i>Metroid</i>." People are turned off by <i>Echoes</i>' dark color palette and its extreme difficulty. The first <i>Prime</i> is more easily enjoyable, but <i>Echoes</i> builds on its predecessor's ideas and features even deeper and more cerebral puzzles and worlds to explore.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Devious Spider Ball puzzles in Sanctuary Fortress</td></tr>
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While the first <i>Prime</i> stuck to a more traditional approach and standard videogame "fire world/ice world/forest area/etc" tropes, <i>Echoes</i> explores more unique places like the futuristic Sanctuary Fortress, perhaps my favorite location in any <i>Metroid</i> game. <i>Echoes</i> was so tough that when it was re-released as part of <i>Metroid Prime Trilogy</i> on Wii, they dialed back the difficulty. But it's the <i>Crime and Punishment</i> of <i>Metroid</i>: dense and hard to get through, but super meaty when you put in the effort.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-46889493252599284412014-02-07T10:44:00.000-06:002014-02-07T10:44:29.336-06:00Top 10 classic games that have never been re-released on modern platformsIf you want to read a centuries-old classic novel, you can find a recent edition of <i>Beowulf </i>or <i>Canterbury Tales</i> on Amazon. If you want to watch a classic movie from the '20s or '30s, you can easily get them on DVD or even Blu-ray. Why is it, then, that so many classic videogames have still never been re-released on modern platforms?<br />
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If you want to play the <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2014/02/playing-shenmue-wrong-way.html" target="_blank">seminal adventure game <i>Shenmue</i></a>, for example, you'll have to track down a used copy and an old Sega Dreamcast on eBay. In our tech-savvy modern world, why isn't there an easier way for newcomers to play <i>Shenmue</i>? Many classic games risk becoming lost to the annals of time except among hardcore collectors. To the general public, <i>Shenmue </i>may as well not exist in 2014.<br />
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Here's my personal list of ten iconic games that have never been released on a modern platform. What's yours?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4PHeSI-AlVdIM7pdMl5gUKv_Z2f2lhEiqRFYSc6HYPXohoOwzUEkm0icrvXWCAmTZZPmvpen-R64Bpq44ipMUm3uxl-dQ_JIdHMQ3FMzFdDGQ1d2SMqqMu3pX6VW62GOe7aAz3x7KWmi/s1600/starfox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4PHeSI-AlVdIM7pdMl5gUKv_Z2f2lhEiqRFYSc6HYPXohoOwzUEkm0icrvXWCAmTZZPmvpen-R64Bpq44ipMUm3uxl-dQ_JIdHMQ3FMzFdDGQ1d2SMqqMu3pX6VW62GOe7aAz3x7KWmi/s1600/starfox.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Star Fox</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details:</b> Developed & published by Nintendo, 1993</div>
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<b>Available platform:</b> Super Nintendo</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> The first Nintendo game ever to use 3D polygon graphics.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> Now that <i>EarthBound </i>is finally available on the Wii U Virtual Console, <i>Star Fox</i> is perhaps the highest-profile Nintendo game never to be re-released. It's not quite as famous as <i>Star Fox 64</i>, but it's still a landmark in the company's history. Apparently the lack of a Virtual Console presence has something to do with the Super FX coprocessor chip used in <i>Star Fox</i> that would be difficult to emulate on modern hardware.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoInJIVyIRWiHCWUmQs_3wWVeBbwl8gSkjeYXrrY3opAP67m6qmZGFGKPewHCHarsDplDusdJvMp-_oOz8B1abtISo-GgVa1mHWBpB616xb_lXC8ptmvmCpsbnSB7FF2h_qA88ZMAyTGyb/s1600/NHL_'94_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoInJIVyIRWiHCWUmQs_3wWVeBbwl8gSkjeYXrrY3opAP67m6qmZGFGKPewHCHarsDplDusdJvMp-_oOz8B1abtISo-GgVa1mHWBpB616xb_lXC8ptmvmCpsbnSB7FF2h_qA88ZMAyTGyb/s1600/NHL_'94_Cover.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
<b><i>NHL '94</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed & published by Electronic Arts, 1993</div>
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<b>Available platforms: </b>Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Sega CD, DOS</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> Arguably the <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/lighter_side/greatest_sports_videogame/" target="_blank">best sports video game ever made</a></div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> This is likely a licensing issue. Sports video games get the rights to use athletes' names by striking a deal with the Players' Association, but since virtually every player who appeared in <i>NHL '94</i> is now retired, EA would probably have to go out and ask each player individually for the rights to their name if they wanted to re-release the game.</div>
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<i>NHL '94</i> was included in the PlayStation 2 version of <i>NHL 06</i>, but without the player names. The names are important to <i>NHL '94</i>'s legacy, but if namelessness is the only way to get the game re-released in 2014, I'll take it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM1CD57wYuoOaPvtHleaZZvDVH_s1p1bEYjUJHORqPQoiJhCRTYCLg3YgAgv4E47tBaki0wKxdKXFB915xvkxHFforg1_IwZT5d-sF5V-bXt3WQQwEP2jaz8p0o9fwg0nxs7f2mW0uc92/s1600/pokemon_red_cover_art_by_comunello76-d4xmi7e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM1CD57wYuoOaPvtHleaZZvDVH_s1p1bEYjUJHORqPQoiJhCRTYCLg3YgAgv4E47tBaki0wKxdKXFB915xvkxHFforg1_IwZT5d-sF5V-bXt3WQQwEP2jaz8p0o9fwg0nxs7f2mW0uc92/s1600/pokemon_red_cover_art_by_comunello76-d4xmi7e.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Pokémon Red</i> <i>Version </i>& <i>Blue </i></b><span style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Version</i></b></span></div>
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<b>Release details:</b> Developed & published by Nintendo, 1996 (Japan) / 1998 (worldwide)</div>
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<b>Available platform:</b> Nintendo Game Boy</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> It's the first <i>Pokémon</i> game. It started a revolution. Duh.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> There were a couple remakes in 2004 on the Game Boy Advance, <i>FireRed</i> and <i>LeafGreen</i>, but it's not the same as playing the original game. I have no idea why Nintendo has been holding <i>Pokémon</i> back (any version, not just the originals!) from the 3DS Virtual Console.<br />
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<b><i>Mega Man Legends</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed & published by Capcom, 1997 (Japan) / 1998 (worldwide)</div>
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<b>Available platforms:</b> Sony PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Windows</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> The first major change to the <i>Mega Man </i>formula, a cult favorite lingering in obscurity while the mainline <i>Mega Man</i> and <i>Mega Man X</i> series continue to get sequels.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> It was re-released on the original PSP in 2005... but only in Japan. Capcom can't re-release <i>Mega Man Legends</i> because somehow <a href="http://www.siliconera.com/2011/05/20/mega-man-legends-will-not-be-showing-up-on-the-playstation-network/" target="_blank">they don't have the rights to the voiceover work</a>. The only way they could re-release the game is if they <a href="http://www.destructoid.com/there-is-hope-for-a-mega-man-legends-re-release-after-all-242472.phtml" target="_blank">re-recorded all the dialogue</a> in the game, which doesn't look to be happening any time soon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUAaR40GAs5CaZKY6Y7ffKknnSTO6mQOhgMU6xqdUY9KIhSFzRfa2zHmFsi_YIUj_4VsS0uwgHTbLvghVstxxdeZLTCAOjKZ3Pa0s8w92etxFBkRPzCd-bhUs_Pge_HX8W_EfWJcK2Cyq/s1600/198258_42680_front.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUAaR40GAs5CaZKY6Y7ffKknnSTO6mQOhgMU6xqdUY9KIhSFzRfa2zHmFsi_YIUj_4VsS0uwgHTbLvghVstxxdeZLTCAOjKZ3Pa0s8w92etxFBkRPzCd-bhUs_Pge_HX8W_EfWJcK2Cyq/s1600/198258_42680_front.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Panzer Dragoon Saga</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed & published by Sega, 1998</div>
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<b>Available platform: </b>Sega Saturn</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> Unquestionably the best game on the Saturn. One of the only relevant games on the system.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> If you want to play <i>Panzer Dragoon Saga</i> in 2014, you'll have to track down a used Saturn copy which <a href="http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.Xpanzer+dragoon+saga&_nkw=panzer+dragoon+saga&_sacat=0&_from=R40" target="_blank">goes for almost $400 on eBay</a>. The best game on the Saturn is also one of the rarest. Why Sega couldn't release it as a digital download on a modern platform is beyond me. The Saturn's architecture is apparently hard to emulate, but come on, it's 2014! We live in the Future! Why can't we figure this out?</div>
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<b><i>Grim Fandango</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed & published by LucasArts, 1998</div>
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<b>Available platform:</b> Windows</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> The pinnacle of Tim Schafer's career, and the swan song of LucasArts graphic adventure games</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> LucasArts stopped making non-<i>Star Wars</i> games a long time ago, and <a href="http://kotaku.com/disney-shuts-down-lucasarts-468473749" target="_blank">now they don't even exist anymore</a>. They released updated versions of a few of their games like <i>The Secret of Monkey Island</i> back in 2009, but who knows what'll happen now that Disney owns the rights to <i>Grim Fandango</i>?</div>
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Hopefully they'll realize what a treasure trove of classic '90s adventure games they've got, and eventually release them for modern operating systems. It's sad that Steam and GOG don't have <i>Grim Fandango</i> in any form.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyP3zNxlNBFa9OYTBQLVgHcstgySDBCKbTAyxBVqAY5SjoY3MB0HgJ3wTT9y2BwVCJxJxY5ePZYSFLXrCTOvymaEdQX8UKBgUwbBhPDrBHbiwvBhGxGf4NFn2iJc5I6Pn_aqTtWN-P6OzN/s1600/ShenmueDCbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyP3zNxlNBFa9OYTBQLVgHcstgySDBCKbTAyxBVqAY5SjoY3MB0HgJ3wTT9y2BwVCJxJxY5ePZYSFLXrCTOvymaEdQX8UKBgUwbBhPDrBHbiwvBhGxGf4NFn2iJc5I6Pn_aqTtWN-P6OzN/s1600/ShenmueDCbox.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Shenmue</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed & published by Sega, 1999 (Japan) / 2000 (worldwide)</div>
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<b>Available platform: </b>Sega Dreamcast</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> The grandfather of open-world 3D adventure games</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> If Sega hadn't stopped making consoles after the Dreamcast, we'd probably see it released somewhere today. Its sequel, <i>Shenmue II</i>, was released on both the Dreamcast and the original Xbox, but the original never left the Sega console. This could be released as a digital download for any of the three current home consoles.</div>
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<b><i>Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed by Silicon Knights, published by Nintendo, 2002</div>
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<b>Available platform:</b> Nintendo GameCube</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> One of the few Mature-rated games ever published by Nintendo. A psychological horror game that redefined the genre with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSXcajQnasc" target="_blank">fourth-wall-shattering scares</a>.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> I always assumed the chances of this one getting a re-release were slim, since developer Silicon Knights <a href="http://www.edge-online.com/news/silicon-knights-shuts-down-its-office-sells-physical-assets/" target="_blank">fell apart</a>, and founder Denis Dyack is <a href="http://kotaku.com/denis-dyack-finally-sounds-off-on-our-article-about-sil-508948428" target="_blank">a polarizing figure</a> to say the least. But apparently the game's creators and Nintendo still get along with each other well enough that a Virtual Console release of <i>Eternal Darkness</i> <a href="http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/05/eternal_darkness_will_definitely_be_discussed_for_the_wii_u_say_precursor_games" target="_blank">is a very real possibility</a>... if Nintendo ever gets around to releasing GameCube games on the Virtual Console.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9IH0SvcV42espjUKG2C04Mhf_eqsjBSvm-LnyhWGy2Zbm-A-Rc34p5k5vtR8s-RtlOuvYzYUQBgu2ILQV8Kw8UaAoapjxz8G-2d-HYzO0LkvpUG9P3xt6qBaWcyUMzaipbZsN4gLwQzR/s1600/46407-184669-MetroidFusionjpg-620x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9IH0SvcV42espjUKG2C04Mhf_eqsjBSvm-LnyhWGy2Zbm-A-Rc34p5k5vtR8s-RtlOuvYzYUQBgu2ILQV8Kw8UaAoapjxz8G-2d-HYzO0LkvpUG9P3xt6qBaWcyUMzaipbZsN4gLwQzR/s1600/46407-184669-MetroidFusionjpg-620x.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b><i>Metroid Fusion</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details:</b> Developed & published by Nintendo, 2002</div>
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<b>Available platform:</b> Game Boy Advance</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> Do you <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2012/10/rebooting-samus-relationship-between.html" target="_blank">ever</a> get the <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2013/08/ranking-metroid-series.html" target="_blank">impression</a> I enjoy <i><a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2014/01/revisiting-legacy-of-metroid-ii-return.html" target="_blank">Metroid</a></i>? Because I do.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> This was re-released, in a way. It was released as a downloadable title on the 3DS Virtual Console in 2011, but only for "3DS Ambassadors," meaning people who bought a 3DS before a certain date. So for all of us trying to buy <i>Metroid Fusion</i> (or any Game Boy Advance game) on the Virtual Console today, we're out of luck. Obviously Nintendo has the capability to do it, since they did it before. So why aren't they opening the Game Boy Advance gates to the rest of us?</div>
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<b><i>Killer7</i></b></div>
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<b>Release details: </b>Developed by Grasshopper Manufacture, published by Capcom, 2005</div>
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<b>Available platforms:</b> GameCube, PlayStation 2</div>
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<b>Why it's relevant:</b> <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2012/01/killer7-is-why-i-play-video-games.html" target="_blank">I've made no secret</a> of my love for <i>Killer7</i>. It's the seminal work of auteur Goichi Suda.</div>
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<b>Why hasn't it been re-released?</b> This one is complicated by the fact that the developer and publisher haven't worked with each other since the release of the game nine years ago. But can't they put aside their differences in the name of <i>Killer7</i>? This cult classic, with its stylized cel-shaded look, is just begging for an HD remaster on the Wii U or PlayStation 4. It would be gorgeous.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-81496495656489381802014-02-05T00:28:00.002-06:002014-02-05T00:29:08.861-06:00Playing Shenmue the Wrong Way<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Shenmue-Graphics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Shenmue-Graphics.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My name is Shenmue. No, wait, Ryo. Ryo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Over the past week, in a fit of madness, excessive
boredom, or perhaps simple fandom, I decided to hunker down in my free time and
watch YouTube video longplays of <i>Shenmue</i>
and <i>Shenmue II</i>. Long have these two
been favorites of mine and, given that I am still not yet fluent in Japanese
(though I’m improving), I have not been able to play either of these games in
years due to my physical distance away from the American versions. I enjoyed my
time watching and definitely re-ignited my passion and desire for the third
game to, if not get made, perhaps get novelized so that I can finish the story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tankraider.com/userup/1275381277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.tankraider.com/userup/1275381277.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It is going to take for-goddamn-ever to find the cat food.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s where I made a slightly unsettling discovery: I
actually had more fun watching these games get played by someone else than I
would have actually replaying them. That’s weird, isn’t it? After thinking
about it a while, I chalked it up to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i>
itself, actually. The game is utterly pedantic. You have to search every drawer
in every room in every house. You have to scour the shelves at the convenience
stores. You have to talk to literally <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i>
to get the least important bit of data. Of course, the game goes quickly if you
know where to look and to whom to speak, but that first time through is long
and daunting. I really enjoyed playing these games when I was younger (barely
pre-college), but I had the time to sink into them, then. I was able to learn
the ins and outs of the city and everyone’s names. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Originally when I had the urge to play through them again,
I conceived a scheme to somehow get my Dreamcast (with all of its appropriate
peripherals and games) sent to me, but the cost and difficulty of doing so was disproportionate to my desire to play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i>.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So what would I do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also recently, entirely by coincidence, I happened across a
few longplays of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Final Fantasy VII</i>
where someone had applied HD mods to the PC version of the game, and figured
that someone somewhere must have done longplays with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i>. And I was right.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But while watching, a few questions came to mind:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1) Why are all of the people in the game so generally
useless?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2) Would I actually have continued to want to play this game
if a longplay video <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hadn’t</i> been
available?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/shenmue3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.segabits.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/shenmue3.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sh-should I really be listening to you?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first question can be explained away as a typical video
game convention to get you to explore as much of the available world as
possible, as unbelievable as it is that one of the premier martial artists in
town would only know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> of the four Wu-du
necessary for you to learn, and then, after that, to not have any idea who else
in town could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">possibly</i> know kung-fu to
help you with the next one. It’s ridiculous, but whatever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second question, though, seems more far-reaching in its
implications. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Would</i> I have pursued
playing it? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Would</i> I have bought a
Japanese copy, or gone the distance to get my Dreamcast shipped to me? I’m not
so sure. And I’m not sure if it’s because of the inconvenience of obtaining a
usable copy of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i> (which is the
reason people usually pirate games in the first place – look at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mother 3</i>), or if it’s because of the
convenience of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not playing</i> the game.
As I said earlier, the game is kind of a chore to play if you’re not an expert
at it, and as I also said earlier, I think I actually had more fun watching the game
than I would have had playing it. Of course, I didn’t pirate the game (and own it –
own both of them, actually) - hell, I didn't really even <i>play</i> the game - so I don’t feel bad about it, but I do wonder if that means there's a problem with me as a gamer. Have I actually, or am I now starting to outgrow games?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/08/Dark-Souls-2-Bonfire-prayer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/08/Dark-Souls-2-Bonfire-prayer.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, right.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Never mind.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-70674589696648732712014-01-30T18:46:00.000-06:002014-01-30T18:46:20.254-06:00New Classic Gaming: the Fatal Frame series.<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.blogo.it/fliperamablog/large_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://static.blogo.it/fliperamablog/large_01.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm happy with my haunted house-fit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A modern classic series I’d always been interested in, but for
whatever reason never taken the plunge and played through, is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatal Frame</i>. I finally decided to this past week. I ended up playing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatal
Frame</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatal Frame 2: Crimson
Butterfly</i> via PlayStation Network, and 零: 眞紅の蝶 (<i>ZERO: Deep Crimson Butterfly</i>)<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial;">, </span><span style="background: white; mso-fareast-language: JA;">the Japan-only Wii remake of the second game. I own <i>Fatal Frame 3: The Tormented</i>, but I have yet to set up
my PS2 and take it for a spin.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Horror games, like horror movies, walk a fine line between
scary and ridiculous. Ultimately the situations are stupid and unrealistic, so
the game has to elevate itself to such a level that it either transcends the
inherent mediocrity, or owns up to the silliness of the whole thing to make it
an enjoyable experience. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatal Frame</i>
does the former.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://trynext.com/review/images/b0000cgaez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://trynext.com/review/images/b0000cgaez.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This girl <i>does not</i> do escorts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It takes a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silent Hill</i>
approach in that its strength is in its atmosphere. You might argue the
narrative is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SH</i>’s real strength, and
I don’t disagree (certainly in regard to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SH2</i>),
but no other game has used atmosphere as well as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SH</i> has, except perhaps <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FF</i>.
The first game is a haunted house and the second takes place in a haunted
village.<br />
<br />
The house is everything you’d expect with a dimly lit, decrepit looking
why-the-hell-would-anyone-ever-decorate-a-room-this-way aesthetic with many
inexplicably locked doors (though, as a rare exception to the rule, every
single door <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> eventually open in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FF1</i>, unlike the forever closedness of
much of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">SH</i>), each of which require a
ridiculous, themed key. So judging by the precedent set by <i>Resident Evil</i>, standard fare.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The town in the second game is as quiet as it is creepy, and
its small size lends a claustrophobic air to everything. In fact, I think it
feels more claustrophobic in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fatal Frame
2</i> than in the haunted house of the first game. The town
is traditional Japanese, which means you have houses very close
together with little space in between to travel, which makes it feel as if
you’re just in a wide hallway when you walk outside. And it’s here that you
find yourself armed with only a camera, cornered by ghosts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.singlebuttonjoystick.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2448775aaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.singlebuttonjoystick.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/2448775aaa.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small hallway, weird controls, creepy-ass twins... check.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Battles are frequently tense due to the small space you have
to use while your camera for nearly the entire game is much too weak for the
circumstances. Like <i>Final Fantasy
XIII</i>, normal and even weak ghost fights take two or three times as long to
finish than they should, and due to your character being a mid-teens girl, you
don’t have much resistance or speed against these attacks. You frequently get
hit and sometimes even these normal ghosts can take half of your health
with one hit. Sure, it adds to the overall sense of desperation and forces you to evolve your strategy to account for chronic low health, but goddamn is
it infuriating sometimes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that brings me to my next point: appalling
controls. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sometimes</i>. The first game
is bad. Nigh unplayable at times, actually. In battle, I mean. Moving and item
collection/usage is standard across the games, even if the purpose of the spirit
stones is absolutely impossible to discern in the first game. But besides
collecting all those damn things and not understanding exactly why, the biggest
problem is with the first person perspective camera controls. As soon as you bring
out the camera and begin aiming, the left stick controls the view, and the
right stick <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">moves</i> your character.
That’s right: for some idiot reason, the designers thought it made sense to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">reverse</i> the analog sticks when you go
into battle mode, where reflexes and memorized controls exist to keep you from
doing these kind of mental gymnastics and allow you to succeed. During the many boss battles, the controls become a serious handicap as your
natural sense of moving with the left stick and looking with the right stick,
as in every other game ever, is forcibly curtailed into this totally
unintuitive scheme. And as such, the game becomes very difficult, and you exhaust your health, and film, supplies and become very frustrated.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.capsulecomputers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/fatal-frame-screenshot-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.capsulecomputers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/fatal-frame-screenshot-01.jpg" height="276" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recent selfie.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">FF2</i> on PS2 addresses and fixes that
problem and keeps a uniform scheme no matter what view you’re employing, but the Wii remake adds all new control issues. Thankfully, it's not so much a matter of intuition as it is just a completely different experience. As it uses the Wiimote, it expects you to be a good soldier and constantly hold the controller at ready position, which keeps your flashlight level and your character steady. But if you let your hand move slightly or drop for a rest against your leg, depending on what you're doing, it can spell total disaster. In ghost encounters, you control your movement and your left-to-right looking with the nunchuck, but you control your camera and your up-and-down movement with the Wiimote, so you're <i>kinda</i> back to the original weird problem from <i>FF1</i> where your controls, which had been controlled all on one hand, are now split across both hands, and it's not incredibly intuitive as to which hand does what. My real problem, however, is the inability to delegate the controls manually. I hate that I am <i>forced</i> to use broken controls. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I said, however, the PS2 control scheme was fixed for <i>FF2</i>, but now it’s other things that make the game difficult to play, like an unnecessary
pause between coming out of picture mode and being able to move, and no chance
of strafing when some of these ridiculously fast ghosts come at you. But that’s
game design, not controls, anymore. Really, the rest of the problems I have
with this series as a whole come down to nit-picky frustrations when I’ve made
a mistake or not properly conserved film and am down to the least powerful
film, which is about as effective as a Q-Tip against a meteor.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://onegamersthoughts.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/fatalframe05.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://onegamersthoughts.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/fatalframe05.gif" height="220" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Q-tip and a meteor?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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But it’s excellent. It’s creepy, and beautiful, and interesting.
And it is absolutely the franchise I want to come out next for Wii U. If ever
the Wii U’s controller was perfect for any game, where your weapon is
an exorcismal point and click camera, this one is it.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-59035856692616575822014-01-30T12:12:00.004-06:002014-01-30T12:12:59.924-06:00An analysis of title screens: Metroid, Mario, and... Spec Ops: The Line<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvatG2xpXhbQefTMlU6KKYsGiy-LzNBCuoEbHy4AUKDR4f3RT7ieEfEIu5AQwdD9dZPVPveXzDUIUYbuzpPlnIlhyphenhyphenfFHtpY4rl4I-_cc-bg5Zqs72E0P372i9dDK0UHMhJu_mIn0hyphenhyphenvJ6/s1600/Super-Metroid-Title-Screen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkvatG2xpXhbQefTMlU6KKYsGiy-LzNBCuoEbHy4AUKDR4f3RT7ieEfEIu5AQwdD9dZPVPveXzDUIUYbuzpPlnIlhyphenhyphenfFHtpY4rl4I-_cc-bg5Zqs72E0P372i9dDK0UHMhJu_mIn0hyphenhyphenvJ6/s1600/Super-Metroid-Title-Screen.jpg" height="267" width="320" /></a></div>
Title screens are obsolete in today's gaming industry. They're a holdover from the days of arcades, when the screen had to show something even when no one was playing it. Today, games could easily cut straight to the main menu. But in reverence to their roots, virtually every modern video game still has the classic title screen, with the game logo in big letters and "PRESS START" beneath it, replacing the "INSERT COIN" of yore.<br />
<br />
And it's kind of beautiful. Why do we need title screens in 2014? They serve no practical purpose. I guess they just look cool. They're gaming's equivalent of the title page at the beginning of a novel--unnecessary, but a time-honored tradition.<br />
<br />
When you think of your favorite games, even ones you haven't played in years, you can likely conjure up the image of the title screen in your head. They usually play with iconic, mood-setting music in the background, and when they sit idle for a few seconds often go to "demo mode" or "attract mode," where they show video of gameplay or a cutscene introducing you to the storyline.<br />
<br />
As games have progressed, they do new and wonderful things with their title screens. Let's take a gander at title screens over the years, beginning with my favorite series.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Metroid</i></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/ArQ_n2Hthao/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/ArQ_n2Hthao&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/ArQ_n2Hthao&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<br />
The title screen for the original 1986 <i>Metroid</i> is most notable for its music. In an era when game soundtracks were all about upbeat, hummable melodies, <i>Metroid</i> was the first to go for dissonance. It sets a foreboding tone for the whole game, particularly interesting considering it was made by Nintendo, best known for family-friendly fun. If you wait long enough, though, the dissonant music evolves into a memorable tune. <i>Metroid</i>'s title screen also gives you the only story information you ever get, aside from the game's instruction manual.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/chh6RAjGohw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<i>Super Metroid</i>'s title screen is a work of art. It begins with an intro. "1994" flashes across the screen, proudly displaying the year the game was made. Not many games do that. "NINTENDO"... "PRESENTS"... "METROID 3"... and then the main title screen with the huge SUPER METROID logo finally appears. The ominous music coalesces into a revised version of the creepy piano tune from the original <i>Metroid</i> title screen. How great is that! I enjoy that "METROID 3" appears before the title screen; <i>Super Metroid</i> is never referred to as "<i>Metroid 3</i>" apart from this little intro sequence. Something about it makes the intro more cinematic and epic to me.<br />
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And then there's the actual content of the title screen. We see what looks like a laboratory, with an infant Metroid encased in glass. It's the baby Metroid that Samus saved at the end of <i><a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2014/01/revisiting-legacy-of-metroid-ii-return.html" target="_blank">Metroid II</a></i>! It's so tiny and harmless! But... there are dead bodies strewn across the lab floor. What happened here?! Like a great opening line in a novel, this title screen hooks you in to the story.<br />
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It gets even better. In the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuC0sS_6sYw" target="_blank">opening level of the game</a>, you walk through the very room depicted in the title screen... but now the glass is shattered and the Metroid is nowhere to be seen. STORY SYNERGY!<br />
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<b><i>Mario</i></b></div>
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Nintendo's sliiightly more popular franchise, <i>Mario</i>, also has an interesting history with title screens. From early on in the series, the title screens have presented the games as theatrical productions. Here's the opening of <i>Super Mario Bros. 3</i>:</div>
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This changes the dynamic of the entire franchise, implying that everything happening onscreen is actually a staged show for an audience. I guess that explains why Mario and Bowser are arch-nemises but then they go golfing and go-karting together the next day. The <i>Paper Mario</i> spinoff series would take the theater concept a step further and actually show <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdYo0IZTeX4" target="_blank">the audience watching your gameplay</a>.</div>
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When Nintendo finally took the leap to 3D with the Nintendo 64, it launched with the seminal <i>Super Mario 64</i>. The game didn't hesitate to introduce players to the third dimension immediately: the title screen consists of a giant three-dimensional Mario head that you could poke and prod to your heart's content, showcasing the new console's graphical capabilities.</div>
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This was mind-blowing in 1996.</div>
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<b><i>Spec Ops: The Line</i></b></div>
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Fast forward to the twenty-first century. Modern games do all sorts of nifty things with their title screens. My favorite in recent memory is Yager Development's <i>Spec Ops: The Line</i>.</div>
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At first glance, <i>Spec Ops</i> is a generic dudebro military shooter like <i>Call of Duty</i> and <i>Army of Two</i>. But as <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2013/03/dubai-jimi-hendrix-and-late-to-spec-ops.html" target="_blank">I've written about here</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjaBsuXWJJ8" target="_blank">people have talked about elsewhere</a>, it's much, much more than that. The title screen captures it perfectly. On the surface it seems like a standard war-torn Middle Eastern background. But huh? The American flag is upside down! The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEPNisyfjnY" target="_blank">title screen changes</a> depending on how far into the story you are, and the music... is Jimi Hendrix's famous <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-ZYUaRKQkk" target="_blank">live performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner."</a> In the late '60s it sparked huge controversy, seen as a twisted version of patriotism and a commentary on the Vietnam War. <i>Spec Ops</i> is in many ways a modern-day adaptation of the iconic Vietnam War film <i>Apocalypse Now</i>, so the song fits the game on multiple levels.</div>
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Do we need title screens in 2014? No. Do we want them? I couldn't live without their logo-filled goodness. What do you think is the role of the title screen in modern gaming? What title screens are particularly memorable to you?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-58878737538731319992014-01-28T15:32:00.000-06:002014-01-30T10:21:59.108-06:00Revisiting the legacy of Metroid II: Return of SamusI've already <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2012/10/rebooting-samus-relationship-between.html" target="_blank">written extensively about <i>Metroid</i>, Nintendo's black sheep</a>. <i>Metroid II: Return of Samus</i>, released in 1991 on the Game Boy, is the black sheep of the black sheep series. Even among <i>Metroid </i>fans it's often overlooked, as most Game Boy games are. But <i>Metroid II </i>is as pivotal in shaping the series as the original <i>Metroid</i> and the opus <i>Super Metroid</i>. This oft-forgotten sequel is fascinating to explore as a statement of design philosophy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhst2IckEkoDnZKf0rwy8tVX8v1I-ECNJTPsP8m1FDb5RNSNk5q3Iq8y-ltb115h5D-e6e6LsUSkhTkJLUxsJ34DAmY7mao52qwa0tcmB0mF4sl6P4ogE-QS1j_M6hnIfh9FwSZXnYNr_zt/s1600/636086-metroid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhst2IckEkoDnZKf0rwy8tVX8v1I-ECNJTPsP8m1FDb5RNSNk5q3Iq8y-ltb115h5D-e6e6LsUSkhTkJLUxsJ34DAmY7mao52qwa0tcmB0mF4sl6P4ogE-QS1j_M6hnIfh9FwSZXnYNr_zt/s1600/636086-metroid2.jpg" height="400" width="396" /></a></div>
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Let's begin with the title. <i>Metroid II</i>. Most handheld iterations of major series are marketed as spinoffs, rather than true sequels. The <i>Mario</i> games on the Game Boy were called <i>Super Mario Land</i> to differentiate them as inferior to the larger <i>Super Mario WORLD</i> on the big-boy Super Nintendo. The portable version of <i>Assassin's Creed III</i> was given the "<i>Liberation</i>" subtitle to make sure people knew it wasn't the REAL <i>Assassin's Creed III</i>, which could only be found on home consoles.<br />
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But <i>Metroid</i> on the Game Boy was simply called <i>Metroid II</i>. It's no coincidence <i>Metroid</i> creator Gunpei Yokoi was also the creator of the Game Boy. <i>Metroid II</i> was proof you could make "real" games on handheld systems, not just spinoffs and puzzle games.<br />
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It's not a masterpiece. Due to the limitations of the hardware, <i>Metroid II</i> features bland level design and recycled art assets. Many of the environments look almost identical to one another, which is all the more frustrating since there's no in-game map. And the music, while continuing the atmospheric dissonance pioneered in the original <i>Metroid</i>, is terribly subpar by the series' standards.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WHpahzLoraziDindIdTo5bu7n9pHTURYbTFLik0FryzpF4BGhGIxnud4BWAC-V7i6ze47fakd_sCoWPJkHnui8UdOGAyGWsSJk7-Qo4jBOghCZKffIRAq4FGhyphenhyphenWNjgmIv-hw-y_FYtMP/s1600/classic_game_room_metroid_ii_return_of_samus_for_game_boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9WHpahzLoraziDindIdTo5bu7n9pHTURYbTFLik0FryzpF4BGhGIxnud4BWAC-V7i6ze47fakd_sCoWPJkHnui8UdOGAyGWsSJk7-Qo4jBOghCZKffIRAq4FGhyphenhyphenWNjgmIv-hw-y_FYtMP/s1600/classic_game_room_metroid_ii_return_of_samus_for_game_boy.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not a cartridge, it's a Game Pak!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There's so much to digest, though. <i>Metroid II</i> introduced tons of concepts and gameplay mechanics that would go on to become staples of the series, from save stations and Samus' spaceship to items like the Spider Ball and Plasma Beam. The game has an interesting structure, in that there are no conventional boss battles aside from the Queen Metroid at the end.<br />
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The series is known for its minimalist storytelling (well, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqFm1ei6mjo" target="_blank">until recently...</a>). For an overlooked Game Boy game, it's strange that <i>Metroid II </i>includes perhaps the most important plot point in the entire series.<br />
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The set-up of <i>Metroid II</i>'s storyline is questionable. Samus is on a mission to kill every single Metroid on planet SR388. They're not invading or terrorizing anyone else; SR388 is their home planet. Samus is the alien invader, out to commit genocide. There's even a counter at the bottom of the screen telling you at all times how many Metroids are left alive. But at the end of the game, after Samus has killed the last Metroid, she finds a Metroid egg that hatches in front of her. The newborn Metroid imprints onto her and believes Samus is its mother. So she spares the infant and takes it with her at the end of the game.<br />
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This has massive implications for the rest of the series. It immediately sets up the story of <i>Super Metroid</i>, where the Space Pirates steal the baby Metroid, and the dramatic ending where the baby Metroid sacrifices its own life to save Samus. It also evolves Samus' relationship with Metroids from a simple antagonistic one to a more ambiguous symbiotic connection, which would be further explored in <i>Metroid Fusion</i>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFPpLUAMYUb-umM9LwsO4JD9LM1cTPlKy1Dwa3m53fFRLym5wGKEoxoluznjQ-bD5lUdnLxh6smlLsYxdJjltPcg7ThsAUhScRZD12tXADsdMlyNPriFIsgtniFlQM0IcysUNoantgbKi/s1600/metroid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQFPpLUAMYUb-umM9LwsO4JD9LM1cTPlKy1Dwa3m53fFRLym5wGKEoxoluznjQ-bD5lUdnLxh6smlLsYxdJjltPcg7ThsAUhScRZD12tXADsdMlyNPriFIsgtniFlQM0IcysUNoantgbKi/s1600/metroid2.jpg" height="360" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Mother Factor is particularly interesting. Not only was Samus the first major female protagonist in video games (Ms. Pac-Man doesn't really count--she's Pac-Man with a pink bow, not a human), but the main villains in <i>Metroid</i> and <i>Metroid II </i>are both female as well: Mother Brain and the Queen Metroid, respectively. Mother Brain would make a reappearance as the antagonist of <i>Super Metroid</i>.<br />
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How many other video games feature both a female protagonist and antagonist? And neither of them are objectified or sexualized for the Male Gaze, either? It's really just <i>Metroid</i>… and <i><a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2011/11/portal-is-metroid.html" target="_blank">Portal</a></i>.<br />
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<i>Metroid II </i>was originally planned to get a colorized remake for the Game Boy Color like <i>The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening</i> got with <i>Link's Awakening DX</i>. But <i>Metroid</i> is not the same cash cow for Nintendo that <i>Zelda</i> is, so it never happened. <i>Metroid Prime</i> developers Retro Studios talked about doing a remake of the game like the original <i>Metroid</i> got with <i>Metroid: Zero Mission</i>, but that never panned out either. <i>Metroid II</i> was not re-released in any form until 2011, when it was released on the 3DS Virtual Console.</div>
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It's a shame there hasn't been a handheld <i>Metroid</i> game in eight years, or a traditional <i>Metroid</i> sidescroller in ten years. I wouldn't recommend <i>Metroid II</i> to anyone in 2014 aside from diehard <i>Metroid</i> fans, but it's one of the most important, overlooked games Nintendo has ever made.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-71926353388676554222014-01-27T18:06:00.000-06:002014-01-27T18:06:37.098-06:00Ender's Game: a critique.<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ender’s Game</i> was
never going to live up to its source material. I understood that going in and
attempted to temper my expectations, but my preparation was woefully
inadequate. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop: hammer time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now, honestly, a lot of the main movie conventions that they
were forced to apply didn’t bother me that much: Ender wasn’t 6 years old;
Petra was American; Ender’s father <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wasn’t</i>
American; Bean was at Battle School as long as Ender was; North Carolina is apparently located in Scandanavia; Valentine was a pixelated sister more than a real one; Major Andersen
was a woman; the whole of Ender’s time at Battle School took place over about a
month and a half; et cetera. They were eye-rolly, sure, but that’s about it.</div>
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But what was unbearable, as a fan of the novel, was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unbearable</i>. The point of the whole story
is that [28 year old spoilers] he doesn’t realize what he’s done until after
everything is finished. As far as everything goes, the first fight with the
unnamed Stilson was alright. He didn’t drop him with a single kick to the
breast bone, but he did at least keep kicking him while he was down, though
never in the face like the f’real Ender would’ve. He kills Stilson in that
fight, but the movie never acknowledges it. It’s the first instance of
Ender’s ruthlessness, and he is ruthless. He plays to win, and he won that
fight, forever… in the book. In the movie, Stilson just rolls around on the
ground in pain like the pussy he is. </div>
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Now, that’s not a big thing to complain about, and that’s
exactly my point: it’s such a small but affective moment that they could have
included it without edit. Stilson should’ve died.</div>
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And the fight with Bonzo (Oh, Bonzo, lol, I’m getting to
you, too) was the same. In the book, Ender is truly desperate. He’s surrounded
by the 3 year older Bonzo and his (harder, better, faster, stronger) friends,
and Bonzo is aiming to kill. He’s forgone all reason and wants Ender dead and
the steps Ender takes to win the fight are necessary and even reasonable. The
fight in the movie was laughable. He got pushed and hit his head, for Christ’s
sake. Not to say that isn’t dangerous and potentially deadly, it’s just noir-ly pathetic. In the book, Bonzo dies (gets destroyed, more like) because he gets
cocky, loses sight of Ender in the steam of the showers, and then gets popped in the nuts,
repeatedly, even after he’s fallen to the ground underneath a boiling hot
shower stream. But in the movie, he doesn’t die, and there’s no way the real
Ender would stand for that. Ender doesn’t play games.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.fandango.com/r90.9.1/ImageRenderer/375/375/nox.jpg/0/images/masterrepository/other/bonzo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images.fandango.com/r90.9.1/ImageRenderer/375/375/nox.jpg/0/images/masterrepository/other/bonzo.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would it be weird if we kissed?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And speaking about the fight with Bonzo (correctly pronounced bone-so,
btw) is Bonzo himself. The actor cast to play Bonzo couldn’t have been much
more inappropriate unless he was a leprechaun who spoke Hungarian.
Firstly, Bonzo is older than Ender and quite a bit taller and stronger, hence
one reason Ender was so desperate in their altercation. Secondly, he’s
described as tall, dark, and handsome. I have no intention of poking fun at the
actor in question’s attractiveness, but he is not tall, dark, nor handsome. In
fact, I wonder if they weren’t trying to explain away Bonzo’s unreasonable
temper by giving him small man syndrome instead of “an advanced case of Spanish
honor.” But it’s still ridiculous. Bonzo was able to command his army because
he was someone they wanted to follow. This kid playing Bonzo would in no way be
able to inspire that kind of respect. It was a joke, and an unappreciated one
at that. Thinking about it later, I think the casting director was perhaps
attempting to combine two characters in one: Bonzo Madrid and Rose de Nose,
Ender’s second commander in the original story. Rose was a shorter, though
still older, Jewish kid with a big nose (not making any stereotype jokes!),
whom the actor playing Bonzo much more closely resembles. But still, they
absolutely fucked up the perception Bonzo should’ve put forth.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://screencrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/enders-game-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://screencrave.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/enders-game-1.jpg" height="185" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the fuck is this?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The relationships between Ender and the supporting
cast were totally opposite what they were in the novel. Bernard, the chunky kid
who started out with all the friends, never came around. In fact, he was one of
Bonzo’s buddies in the bathroom fight where Bonzo gets his comeuppance in the
book. There’s little to no chance Ender forgives him, or vice versa, so that
they can work together in the final battle. Or ever again, anywhere. Petra was
never Ender’s seeming girlfriend (she was Dink’s girlfriend, actually), Dink
and Ender were very close (not mere acquaintances), and Bean was definitely Ender’s closest
(and combatiest) peer. In the movie, Bean is just a pissant, mouthy kid who’s
tinier than Ender (but everyone in this damn movie is tinier than Ender), not a
brilliantly imaginative soldier who challenges Ender into becoming the savior
of humanity. The movie’s not very long, really. I think they could’ve spent a
couple of two minute scenes developing the relationships between him and his
subordinates.</div>
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There are plenty of other problems, but the biggest is the
reveal of “the game.” And not just the game itself, but the whole story of
Battle School. In the book, it’s after the final battle that he learns about
the Bugger world, the deaths of Stilson, Bonzo, and all of the soldiers he was
unwittingly using in the war. It should have happened this way in the movie.
Save all of it for the end, then perhaps the audience, realizing that all of
this is landing on Ender all at once, can sympathize with his situation. In the
movie, he takes it in stride. Stilson’s in the hospital, but fine, regardless of the beating he took. No worry, no
mention of him ever again (not to mention, it strikes a different chord when
you realize that one 6 year old kid just beat to death another 6 year
old – it’s definitely more acceptable if they're a little older, isn’t it?). All Ender knew was that Bonzo got sent back to Earth from Battle School, beaten but not broken in the movie. But in the book, Ender watches the video of his unsuccessful
resuscitation after Ender is escorted from the bathroom by Dink. Think about
how much more powerful a scene that would’ve been. First Stilson, then Bonzo. Then
the soldiers. Then the Buggers. Ender’s just eradicated billions, so he decides to step out of the airlock…</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJO2KWeSYBU93rPCPP1qL5NPTQhLzI4BX1j0nNFBBnRO4RU9qQb1nXg0I9iopOjWkuZK4VaUoGdavtmK_Sis7oUXvw_g464Ee202IHjW5lWLsYECkwhOO87Flp5IVZ_1OGQqAiJ3z5nGd/s1600/enders5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJO2KWeSYBU93rPCPP1qL5NPTQhLzI4BX1j0nNFBBnRO4RU9qQb1nXg0I9iopOjWkuZK4VaUoGdavtmK_Sis7oUXvw_g464Ee202IHjW5lWLsYECkwhOO87Flp5IVZ_1OGQqAiJ3z5nGd/s1600/enders5.png" height="215" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And into <i>Final Fantasy.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<br />
And <i>doesn’t</i> kill himself? Seems rather implausible to me.
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Of course, he doesn’t in the book, either, (he also doesn't take a trip <i>outside</i>) but if you’re
attempting to make a great movie, I think that’s the direction you go. That, or
insanity, because ain’t no one going to shoulder that load successfully.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-43716777357814034802014-01-23T15:25:00.000-06:002014-01-23T15:55:34.426-06:00Console review: Wii U<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br>
The "next generation" of game consoles is in full swing now, but while I wait for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to gain decent libraries, I've just purchased Nintendo's Wii U. It's been called<a href="http://kotaku.com/nintendo-doesnt-think-the-wii-us-selling-that-great-1503268740" target="_blank"> a commercial failure</a>.<br>
<br>
But with an affordable price point much lower than the competition and a growing library of great games like <i>Pikmin 3</i>, <i>The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD</i>, and <i>Super Mario 3D World</i> (along with Virtual Console classics like <i>EarthBound</i>), the Wii U has become a must-have.<br>
<br>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The box</b></div>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
One of Nintendo's biggest issues selling the Wii U to mainstream audiences is making people realize it's actually a new console, not just an accessory for the Wii. Part of that is due to the look of the console itself. It's so sleek and compact, it's almost <i>too</i> sleek and compact for its own good. The Wii U GamePad is front and center in all Nintendo's marketing, and the console itself gets lost in the shuffle. To the casual observer it could just look like a fancy external hard drive or wireless router.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's a beautiful, minimalist design, in stark contrast to Sony and Microsoft's hulking goliaths of gaming boxes. It's about the same size as the original Wii, but with a more rounded, less angular design. Considering how compact it is, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Wii U still has four USB ports, along with the SD card port. And it runs more quietly than any other disc-based console I've ever played.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The GamePad</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKgDzjhPIYZgyilj0OYT4gBbKRLyi6EmuM3lTdqIc5LHN4K5tnjeed9WmYiieypbH00hz4XcG4-7a19V3vft-rr_aiqsrbDWrifpDXwgVVIdfiZBxZdkoMm1BzhCBKgPHPm7b_8fVVN94/s1600/Wii-U-GamePad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKgDzjhPIYZgyilj0OYT4gBbKRLyi6EmuM3lTdqIc5LHN4K5tnjeed9WmYiieypbH00hz4XcG4-7a19V3vft-rr_aiqsrbDWrifpDXwgVVIdfiZBxZdkoMm1BzhCBKgPHPm7b_8fVVN94/s1600/Wii-U-GamePad.jpg" height="211" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
It looks wonky at first glance. How are you supposed to play regular games on this controller? But then you lay your hands on it. The dual analog sticks are silky smooth, less oversized and cumbersome than PlayStation sticks and better made than cheap rubbery Xbox sticks. I was worried the buttons would be clicky like the 3DS', but they're like knives through creamy butter. The D-pad is perhaps my favorite D-pad of all time.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The PlayStation features analog sticks that both sit below the face buttons. The Xbox features an asymmetrical design, with the right analog stick below the face buttons and the left analog stick above them. Nintendo completes the cycle, with a controller featuring both analog sticks above the face buttons. I was worried it'd be awkward to press the face buttons with this layout, but it works perfectly. With your thumbs on the analog sticks, the middles of your thumbs rest comfortably near the buttons.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTcnSUtFMHPzVHizsBIuAF1KzP3CKJ34xgbZ4kyL0vnKvSMdofaU75pyh5OreKaacxYFxmpsWabgzIJwNyIrV68lKjoG-tcd13qJoz8uoGqCjZN0EXkAZ9URP4KO8O81KnieKUrAha8Rz/s1600/wii-u-gamepad-back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjTcnSUtFMHPzVHizsBIuAF1KzP3CKJ34xgbZ4kyL0vnKvSMdofaU75pyh5OreKaacxYFxmpsWabgzIJwNyIrV68lKjoG-tcd13qJoz8uoGqCjZN0EXkAZ9URP4KO8O81KnieKUrAha8Rz/s1600/wii-u-gamepad-back.jpg" height="216" width="400"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
A major reason the GamePad avoids being awkward for conventional gaming is the back of the controller, which is ergonomically contoured to feel like any other traditional game controller. And despite its size, the GamePad is surprisingly lightweight.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Speaking of traditional controllers, Nintendo also sells the "pro" controller for multiplayer and for people who want a more standard experience. It's the exact same button layout as the GamePad, minus the screen.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The pro controller's shape is similar to an Xbox controller, although it's slightly wider and more lightweight.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But the GamePad is really the star of the show. Its touch screen is used for secondary game functions, like the touch screen on the DS and 3DS. Showing your map, inventory, and menus while the TV screen shows the real gameplay. You can even use the GamePad to control your TV and your cable box.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Off-TV play</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Nintendo hasn't done a very good job of marketing the Wii U GamePad's greatest function, though: off-TV play. You can turn off your TV and play games through the GamePad alone. This works great if you want to play in bed or in the kitchen or anywhere else in your house outside the living room. Or if someone else wants to watch TV and you still want to play games. The GamePad even features its own speaker, volume adjuster, and headphone jack. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8lsyILD-Q5Vh-0Me0XEsUJdZGebGKi8Lv6iCIJlsu9Qtxrmr4EDW4NgVNBwL6_1imvaTKpXBGMD6bWRu7cu1iLu8JUahYGki4Z2ZHXA9-nbwUoBXDbzwqyXm2CcPkEjGkYaubWQTL-yY/s1600/wiiu5_610x343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8lsyILD-Q5Vh-0Me0XEsUJdZGebGKi8Lv6iCIJlsu9Qtxrmr4EDW4NgVNBwL6_1imvaTKpXBGMD6bWRu7cu1iLu8JUahYGki4Z2ZHXA9-nbwUoBXDbzwqyXm2CcPkEjGkYaubWQTL-yY/s1600/wiiu5_610x343.jpg" height="179" width="320"></a>Many people have complained this comes at the expense of the GamePad's battery life, which only lasts five hours. I haven't yet played for five straight hours without charging, though, so it hasn't come up as an issue for me.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Besides, you can play the GamePad while it's charging, and since it uses its own AC adapter separate from the Wii U console, if you really want to you can charge the GamePad in your bedroom and play while the console remains in your living room. It's a non-issue.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Pro Controller simply charges using a standard USB cable, like the PlayStation controller. It has an 80-hour battery life.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The only downside</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Everything about the Wii U design is perfect, except for one thing: the controller's trigger names. The triggers themselves are great. But while the shoulder buttons are called L and R, the triggers are called... ZL and ZR. What sort of button names are those?!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Nintendo has a strange history with triggers.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVXSvcgTF8pKW3gHLqpLHWla5xAITQGwVag3F376RJHwgpXSDrxHDAfZj3pq_kIqH-SSjRFmjXAZTMV1oZ8CCgYsJIjhy9xIBHxk0Jase7wCGO15p08Bip-ubMzIj_TMgWN4s5VF3Wffg/s1600/N64-Controller-Gray-Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyVXSvcgTF8pKW3gHLqpLHWla5xAITQGwVag3F376RJHwgpXSDrxHDAfZj3pq_kIqH-SSjRFmjXAZTMV1oZ8CCgYsJIjhy9xIBHxk0Jase7wCGO15p08Bip-ubMzIj_TMgWN4s5VF3Wffg/s1600/N64-Controller-Gray-Back.jpg" height="254" width="320"></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The legendary Nintendo 64 trigger was the Z button.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The GameCube featured the buttery smooth analog/digital L and R triggers, and an awkwardly-placed Z button.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The Wii remote's trigger was the B button, which was hard to get used to. The Nunchuk's trigger was the Z button, and its shoulder button was the C button. Unusual naming convention.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
And now with Wii U, we have L and R for the shoulder buttons, and ZL and ZR for the triggers. When the button is displayed onscreen in a game, I feel like I'm meant to press two buttons.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Why couldn't Nintendo have just taken a page from the competition's book on this? PlayStation controllers have L1/R1/L2/R2, and Xbox controllers have L/R/LB/RB. These both make much more sense than L/R/ZL/ZR.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But aside from that: the Wii U design is perfect.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-69578424708408807982014-01-21T20:58:00.001-06:002014-01-21T20:58:32.360-06:00A Historical Primer for 300: Rise of an Empire<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;">
<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJ3EADzhp5ExRrhIiM_8PP3VMO_xyE0pC5y-9DbyMJrhlt5uYZrr7DTsbe" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRJ3EADzhp5ExRrhIiM_8PP3VMO_xyE0pC5y-9DbyMJrhlt5uYZrr7DTsbe" style="height: 168px; margin-top: 0px; width: 299px;" width="200" /></a>So <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">300</i> is getting a sequel called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">300: Rise of an Empire</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s weird to me on a few different levels,
but I’m also surprisingly excited to
see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t a huge fan of the
original movie, but I appreciate it as a modern progression of the
swords-and-sandals epics of old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of you may be asking what this movie will actually be about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>300</i> ends with a fairly concise
conclusion, because they all died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where can the movie go from there?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Judging
from the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pi_Ugm4sV8" target="_blank">trailers</a>, the vast majority of the movie will be centered on a naval
conflict between the Athenians and the Persians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main hero is an Athenian commander played
by relative unknown Sullivan Stapleton and his main opponent seems to be Eva
Green as one of the main villains for the piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What does any of this mean?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get started with who our main
characters are and go from there.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<a name='more'></a><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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" 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" style="height: 201px; margin-top: 0px; width: 136px;" /></a><a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQKFMAx4lNblgaWUxMQ3DQ3fwqHgi3JtYfbderf82bKnzkKFuoXOzg92Fa" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQKFMAx4lNblgaWUxMQ3DQ3fwqHgi3JtYfbderf82bKnzkKFuoXOzg92Fa" style="height: 178px; margin-top: 0px; width: 128px;" /></a>According to
casting information, Green will be playing Artemisia I, who was the queen of the
Satrap of Caria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Satraps were more or
less the provinces of the First Persian Empire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s worth remembering from history class that one
of the things that made the Persian Empire so effective was that when they
conquered a region, they would generally leave the local hierarchies intact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The region was still under Persian rule and
benefited from the resources of the Empire like a massive network of paved roads, but apart from paying taxes and contributing troops to war efforts, kingdoms
were more or less autonomous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, who knows how to run a region better than the people who were already running
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, Xerxes really wasn’t
kidding when he told Leonidas he would make him a king in the last movie. That was his best administrative tactic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="NXHUuXX5zipbGM:" 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" style="height: 172px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 169px;" />
</span>Anyway, Artemisia
was the effective queen of Caria, a region in western Anatolia (modern day
Turkey).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his histories of the region, Herodotus
noted the amount of influence she had on King Xerxes, providing him with counsel
and insight during his reign. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yeah,
there’s your femme fatale for the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Artemisia ascended to the throne following the death of her husband and
despite being of Grecian descent herself (her mother was from the Greek isle of Crete), she allied herself with Xerxes during the Second Greco-Persian
War.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her most well-known contribution to
the war effort was serving as one of two Persian commanders at the Battle of Artemisium,
opposite the Athenian general Themistocles. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<a 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" 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" style="height: 172px; margin-top: 0px; width: 102px;" /></a>Themistocles
was an Athenian politician of whom we know very little prior to his rise to
prominence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have only vague
descriptions of his father as a “not very conspicuous man,” and we know even
less of his mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
grew up during a mercurial period of transition for Athens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The failings of the current ruling class and
a costly war with Sparta had decimated the Athenian government system and the
city’s people had decided to implement a new form of government known as democracy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having risen from the gentry, Themistocles
proved himself a natural born politician who danced rhetorical circles around
his old guard opponents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily he was
also a populist, and used his power to give the common man a voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using these talents, Themistocles was able to
ride a steady wave of successes until he was promoted to archon (full title
Eponymous Archon) or effective ruler of Athens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He also fought in the first "phase" of the Second Greco-Persian War, possibly even as a
general at the decisive Battle of Marathon.</div>
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<a 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" 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style="height: 199px; margin-top: 0px; width: 202px;" /></a>In 481 BC,
the Greeks learned that the Persian Empire had once again turned its eye their
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roughly 30 city-states allied
themselves to organize a defense against any Persian incursions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two city-states to lead this alliance were
Athens and Sparta, both of whom were sworn enemies of Persia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Spartans almost immediately laid their
claim to command of the land battle, and nobody was really keen to stop them
since it was effectively impossible for the other city-states to beat Sparta on
land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once this was decided, 10,000
hoplites under the joint command of the Spartan polemarch Euenetus and
Themistocles marched to the Vale of Tempe to await the Persians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in a surprising turn of events,
Alexander I of Macedon informed the allied states that it was possible (and
indeed more tactically sound) to enter Greece through other, more discrete
routes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon after, the alliance received
even more dire news: Xerxes and his forces had crossed the Hellespont, a strait
that connects Turkey to Greece.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Battle_of_Thermopylae_and_movements_to_Salamis%2C_480_BC.gif/450px-Battle_of_Thermopylae_and_movements_to_Salamis%2C_480_BC.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="thumbimage" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Battle_of_Thermopylae_and_movements_to_Salamis%2C_480_BC.gif/450px-Battle_of_Thermopylae_and_movements_to_Salamis%2C_480_BC.gif" height="225" width="300" /></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </span>As the
combined forced raced back to the city-states to defend their land, it was
clear the Alliance was on the verge of breaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was here Themistocles took center
stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Themistocles had developed a
second strategy to defend the peninsula.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He pointed out that Xerxes’ land force needed to pass through the narrow
pass at Thermopylae and argued that a small force of hoplites could defend the
pass while the massive Athenian navy, which Themistocles had assembled for just
such an occasion, could meet the Persian navy off the coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the Spartan king Leonidas took a force
of Spartan hoplites, Helots, and a number of other support forces from across
the Alliance to the pass, Themistocles and two other Athenian generals took to
the seas to meet the Persians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
resulted in two naval engagements: the Battle of Artemisium, which was a loss
for the Greeks after three days of brutal fighting, and the Battle of Salamis,
which turned the tide of the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
that’s probably what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rise of an Empire</i>
will be about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On one hand,
I’d wager the film will feature the Battle at Salamis exclusively because the
narration in one of the trailers indicates that the events of the story are
taking place after the Battle of Thermopylae much like Salamis did (Artemisum
was concurrent with the Battle at Thermopylae).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, what makes Salamis interesting as a battle hinges on
the eventual defeat at Artemsium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either
way, this is why I’m excited for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">300:
Rise of an Empire</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Part of what made
the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">300</i> such a slog for me
was that you could tell just how artificial the fights were. Ground wars
in ancient Greece usually weren’t that…dynamic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In contrast, ancient naval engagements were brutal, drawn-out and very
violent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
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" style="height: 189px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: -3px; width: 239px;" />
</span>The weapon
of choice for any ancient navy was the trireme, a long ship with a pair of
triangular sails supported by three decks of men rowing with long handled oars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Triremes were fast and maneuverable by the
standards of the time but they lacked a key element that is necessary for naval
combat, namely on-board ranged weaponry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, the primary tactic of the time was to ram and board the enemy
vessel, which triremes were very good at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The prow of a trireme was designed to be a massive battering ram, and if
anything else had been sacrificed to make the ship faster, then it would have
compromised the ship’s integrity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore,
each trireme was staffed by a contingent of marines who would jump between
vessels and engage the crews of other ships as soon as their ship plowed into
another, assuming the other one hadn’t been smashed into splinters already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So apart from the visual saturation and
Snyder’s signature hyper-violence, you can bet what you see in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">300: Rise of an Empire</i> is more or less
what actual naval warfare was like in 482 BC.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it should be awesome. Despite all my hesitancy about the movie, that's what will make it all worth it, at least to me.</div>
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<br />
Sources:<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemisia_I<br />
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Themistocles </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-57774071090109889422014-01-21T19:06:00.001-06:002014-01-21T19:06:09.370-06:00Curse Words at the Oscars<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a love-hate relationship with curse words. First,
they’re pretty fuckin’ fun to use, but I feel like they cast a shadow of lower
class crassness over me that is specifically distasteful. Further, I feel
that when other bitches misuse curse words, either due to the improper
situation or actually, literally, misusing a curse word (“You shitting head!”
or “Your ass is tits!” or any of a number of amazing ones I’ve heard come from
foreign speakers’ mouths), I feel the same shadow creep up, and I hate it.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/2013/08/her.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/2013/08/her.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Man, look at that beautiful fuckin' sky."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Curse words have become too acceptable in media. There was a
point in time when using one meant that shit had truly gone DOWN, and that
someone was about to get fucked up. They were still strong and sturdy phrases
to use when the circumstances were right. But now, any old piece of shit can
say them for a laugh, but they’re usually not funny. The infixes are still
pretty un-fucking-believably funny, but that’s about it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s about all. See all of those I just used? With the
exception of my infix, do any of those truly add to the experience? Does it
make me sound clever? Am I edgy? I don’t know. I don’t think so, but that’s my
opinion. Your mileage may vary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33200000/Meryl-Streep-meryl-streep-33271070-2000-3008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33200000/Meryl-Streep-meryl-streep-33271070-2000-3008.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basically my mom.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I’ve recently managed to see many of the 2014 Oscar Best
Picture nominations, and I was appalled at how violently expletive most of them
were, even when the subject matter didn’t call for it. I was not able to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nebraska</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain Phillips</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dallas
Buyers Club</i>, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Philomena</i>, but I
did see the rest of them. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">American Hustle</i>
(long and boring) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wolf of Wall
Street</i> (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">long</i> and hilarious) I
expected to be curse heavy, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Her</i>
(long and interesting) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">August: Osage
County</i> (long and depends on your mood – good performances, though)
genuinely surprised me in their usage. I’m not entirely sure why, but whenever
Meryl Streep curses, I cringe. Actually, I know exactly why: my mother is her
doppelgänger, and my mother doesn’t curse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was raised not to curse, not because they’re <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad words</i>, but because they can make you
look like a fool, or like someone not worth speaking to. Others’ perceptions of
you change when you curse (outside of the correct situation, anyway). Obviously,
I curse. My brother curses. So do my friends. Just about everybody curses. But
I only curse for effect, or in a fit of anger or passion, never casually. Not
since college, anyway.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But my point is that I would have enjoyed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Her</i> more if there had been no cursing,
or less of it. It’s kind of a cute love story (that exactly parallels the
primary subplot of Orson Scott Card's <i>Speaker for the Dead</i>, <i>Xenocide</i>, and <i>Children
of the Mind</i>, perhaps accidentally on purpose) with cute, somewhat naïve
characters, but there was so much casual swearing in it that I couldn’t
appreciate much of the dialogue, especially when the main character is lauded for
being so excellent and tender with words, but sounds like an idiot when he
curses for no reason. Cursing demeaned the movie. It lowered my opinion of it. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
But there were times when cursing would have helped, too.
The primary conflict and the ultimate conflict ended up being entirely different,
but it would have felt more natural if, during the climaxes of those few scenes,
there was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i> cursing. Whereas in
the other, lighter scenes, it comes out of the blue and personally makes me go,
“huh, that was dumb.” It made me like the character who said them much less.
And it made me like Joaquin Phoenix's character a lot less, just for his having anything to do with people like that. It all really comes down to poor writing, poor direction, or poor ideas. Which is too bad. But it won't win the Oscar, anyway. And that's good.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjr8Zm0I_wILBx4Tsk5lup_ZPR01Cw57exLye1WA4lXU48l_lbAUQxLs0fvSCX-QtJWIZkFynrKCwcwukNwlM72al9z8yLSMCi9klIhKVvo-q1oTGAvl1uM27InLvPs8OfwDq2gX5HDXK/s1600/laser-tits-e1268503489654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMjr8Zm0I_wILBx4Tsk5lup_ZPR01Cw57exLye1WA4lXU48l_lbAUQxLs0fvSCX-QtJWIZkFynrKCwcwukNwlM72al9z8yLSMCi9klIhKVvo-q1oTGAvl1uM27InLvPs8OfwDq2gX5HDXK/s1600/laser-tits-e1268503489654.jpg" height="320" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't not use this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-29710609085479238832014-01-19T18:05:00.002-06:002014-01-19T18:05:43.627-06:00Nintendo's Future, Re-opinioned<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the things I kept coming back to in <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-make-wii-u-succeed-and-future-of.html" target="_blank">Jake’s and my argument about the future of videogames</a> is that I just don’t see the future being too terribly different from
the present. In other words, I don’t think that the technological singularity
is going to happen as quickly as Jake is afraid it’s going to. I do think it
will happen, but not soon. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In our “discussion,” I referenced the incomparable Mr.
Stephen Fry and his BBC radio show “<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lv1k1" target="_blank">Fry’s English Delight</a>,” specifically the
episode about the future of the English language as compared to today. I
brought up one particular point made by one of the guests on the show about
how, obviously, it is impossible to predict the future (hell, the singularity
could happen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tomorrow</i>, or next month,
or next year), but you can make predictions based upon precedent, specifically,
how things have happened in the past. In the show, Fry posited the question
about whether in, say, 200 years, the English language would be, to
contemporary speakers and readers, completely indecipherable or not. The answer
was a definitive “no.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.englishclub.com/images-esl/english-what-chaucer.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.englishclub.com/images-esl/english-what-chaucer.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the f...?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And here’s why: the only thing we have to go on is history,
and, looking back at the history of the English language, we can go back much
farther than only 200 years, in fact. We can go all the way to Shakespeare or
Chaucer and still understand their English, albeit with some difficulty,
especially with archaic words and word spellings and meanings. If we can
understand them, it’s likely that we will be able to understand our future
language, albeit with difficulty. There’s more to it, but that’s the relevant
idea. We should be able to understand and get along. And I think that is
directly applicable to the future of video game <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">consoles.</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Again, it’s my opinion that the technological black hole will
happen, I’d be shocked if it didn’t, but I don’t think it will be as quick as
it’s feared. And the reason why is both the past, and people.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People don’t change much, all considered. Look at the older
generation: how many of them play video games? Very few, I’d wager. Is it
because they just don’t understand all these new-fangled gadgets, or is it
because they don’t understand why kids these days can’t just go outside and
play, or is it because they’d rather just read a book, or keep a garden, or any
other number of excuses they give? Well, yes, exactly. It’s not because they
think games are inherently stupid (well, they might, but they’re wrong), it’s
because it’s not what they grew up doing. It’s not what they're used to. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://seekingnewearth.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/old-person-computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://seekingnewearth.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/old-person-computer.jpg" height="320" width="230" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I've been googling 'Jenna' all day, but only<br />
one of them was my granddaughter."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And we’re all like that. I remember looking at the original
Wii, thinking, “man, I just don’t want to be forced to wave my arms to play a
game.” And, to a degree, I still feel that way. And, apparently, so does
everyone else. Of course, the action games like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wii Sports</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wii Fit</i>
that make you flail like a 5 year old <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still
exist</i>, but the casual game that anybody can pick up and play is, more or
less, a gimmick. Most gamers, the so-called hardcore crowd, are used to using
old-school control schemes, and are thus more comfortable with that kind of
setup. The Wii U is a response to that (even if a slightly cumbersome one), and
the overall de-focus on wand-waving is evidence as well. Wand-waving is around,
but it will never replace classic controls… Until the kids today grow up and
become video game company leaders who only want to play games where flailing is
a necessity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, I’d say, where this is really important, the whole
“used-to” factor I mean, is with the Game Boy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Portable gaming has come a long way. A long, long way.
Portable gaming is everywhere from Apple and Android devices to popular
Nintendo and Sony handhelds to little 3<sup>rd</sup> party screens that play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pong</i> and other older games, usually sidescrollers
like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Contra</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">1942</i>. Jake thinks – fears – that portable gaming will be taken over
completely by the iDevices and that the Game Boy (and DS, and 3DS) as we know it will cease to
exist. This is where we completely disagree.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/gameboy-girl-pin-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.ufunk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/gameboy-girl-pin-up.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't <i>look</i> 30.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did you know that the Game Boy has been around nearly 30
years? Good god, that’s a long time for a gadget to live. Granted, they’re not
all the same, we’re talking Game Boys, GB Colors, GB Advances, DSes, and now
3DSes, but the fact remains that, despite the upgrades, it’s the same device
that serves the same purpose: portable video games. The demand for which has
not only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> decreased, but has
remained so outstandingly popular that every kid everywhere ever wants or has
at one point wanted one, especially in 2013 (<a href="http://kotaku.com/nintendo-3ds-was-top-selling-system-of-2013-because-it-1503082139" target="_blank">supported by factual basis</a>). Kids, known for being
fickle bastards, have remained loyal to Nintendo for all these years, and
Nintendo kids like Jake grew up and continue to be loyal even as adults.
Regardless of how amazing and powerful new cell phones and tablets will
continue to become (and what emulators they employ), they simply don’t replace
holding a proper Game Boy and booting up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tetris</i>
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pokémon</i> in the car on a family
trip or on the train going to work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here’s where it gets tricky: languages are living,
breathing entities that change as people change; technology is dictated by the
speed of progress, and isn’t dependent on rate of spread. There could very well
be a new tech in the next few years that will entirely replace the need for a
Game Boy in any sense (a perfect, and I mean <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">perfect</i>
cell phone virtual control pad, for instance). But that’s impossible to
predict. It might happen, it might not. You could argue cell phones and iPods
already have replaced Game Boys, and there’s valid argument, but, as Jake argued
and with which I agree, Nintendo’s catalog of games is not to be trifled with,
and I don’t see Nintendo giving up its exclusive publishing rights to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mario</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pokémon</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Metroid</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Donkey Kong</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zelda</i>, etc. If for some reason they ever decide to give up in the
proper console war, they’ll be able to focus solely on building their own
proprietary Game Boy hardware (and software) and still succeed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But if they want to win this console war (which they don’t
appear too troubled about, honestly), they’ve <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">got</i> to utilize the Virtual Console intelligently. Why is the Wii U
cupboard so bare? Why did it take years and years for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">EarthBound</i> to come to any VC, and then only to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">one</i> VC? Why in the world are they treating each specific system’s
VC as separate and individual? If Nintendo is smart, they’ll take a page out of
the PSN manual and merge the VCs together, actually get their shit together in
regard to back catalog game releases, and use every single resource at their
disposal, namely the Gamecube, N64, and Dreamcast licenses they no doubt have
access to. Jake’s mention of getting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i>
on the VC? That came from me, yo. I would gladly pay for the ability to play <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shenmue</i> on a console I still currently
own and use (my Dreamcast in my fluent language is across the sea), but I don’t
appear to have anywhere to throw my money to make that happen. Why the fuck
not, Nintendo?!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shenmue3.com/img/shenmue1ue7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.shenmue3.com/img/shenmue1ue7.jpg" height="400" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Or Sony. Or Microsoft. I’m not pressed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-58079046863632294862014-01-19T17:32:00.000-06:002014-01-19T17:32:58.201-06:00Previewing Bravely Default: A New Classic<i>This is the first post by new contributor Danny Westendorff! -Jake</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
If you play video games these days and have at least half a pulse, you've probably heard of the <i>Final Fantasy</i> series, the JRPG series that put Square-Enix (formerly Squaresoft) on the map and quickly became the face of JRPGs as a whole.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFqihLyEybyptDc1MQRtbKw2bZh5XBX7er4oTUw0JJnU_5VY__tJpN2zboEjClhpdnW18Z33M4AnbjLfHNoVJ5tmUXCIlg5ikPJVaCiHRv_VNB1zoy2wMByP3FQ48b8wYiJ85XlJXt_8/s1600/ffvi_atma_weapon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFqihLyEybyptDc1MQRtbKw2bZh5XBX7er4oTUw0JJnU_5VY__tJpN2zboEjClhpdnW18Z33M4AnbjLfHNoVJ5tmUXCIlg5ikPJVaCiHRv_VNB1zoy2wMByP3FQ48b8wYiJ85XlJXt_8/s1600/ffvi_atma_weapon1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
These games typically feature turn-based combat where players control a party of 3-5 characters with varying abilities based on their "class". i.e.- Knights can block hits for their allies, Mages cast magic, Thieves can steal items, et cetera, using strategic combinations of spells and skills to fight monsters, crawl dungeons, and (typically) ultimately save the world from some sort of catastrophe. I, personally, have always loved these games for their story and have loved them since I first met <i>Final Fantasy IV</i> in 1994 (or so).<br />
<br />
Well, the illustrious developing company does more than just churn out a new <i>Final Fantasy</i> every two or so years, and it is on this subject that I would like to speak. As it turns out, Square-Enix is producing a new game that is coming stateside on February 7th, <i>Bravely Default</i>. I played the free demo and thought I'd speak my piece on it.<br />
,<br />
But first, I have a short tale I'd like to spin.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
I'd like to start this post with a little trip down memory lane, back to 1997 when <i>Final Fantasy VII</i> was released, the game that launched a thousand cosplayers (but this isn't about that). <i>Final Fantasy VII</i> changed the way players could customize the roles played by each of their characters through the use of Materia. You could give your characters nothing but magic, all commands (steal, throw, etc.), summons out the yin-yang, or a sensible combination. It was cool, innovative, and a fun break from the "Ninjas-have-throw, Thieves-have-steal" formula from the past.<br />
<br />
Time marches on, and 1999 rolls around, bringing with it the release of <i>Final Fantasy VIII</i> and its Junctioning system, where characters gain different stats, abilities, and skills based on which Guardian Forces (summons) they have linked with them. Again, it was a clever way to change up the system, allowing you to customize your character. Maybe you'll give your main bruiser the "mug" ability, letting you attack and steal simultaneously, you get the idea.<br />
<br />
But then <i>Final Fantasy IX</i> comes out in 2000 (the last to be released on the PSX), with a refreshing return to the class-based <i>Final Fantasy</i> that we all fell in love with. Your Thief came preloaded with the steal command, and so on. In fact, the Black Mage character was modeled after the original design and there's even a bit in the beginning where your White Mage/Summoner disguises herself in the traditional White Mage robe.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPX0Z5asAA28yznUEOHR21uWa6QDANzgqynE3r927xsVjc3EPzoSwDghWFNGGpaBY313yjQJzZTcb9RbNtceqMZzST0R5FtiVcbHgdqQ5gbYNt9VavbiClQ_XoDAxI5hH5iJ5muXDSNs/s1600/Garnet_White_Mage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPX0Z5asAA28yznUEOHR21uWa6QDANzgqynE3r927xsVjc3EPzoSwDghWFNGGpaBY313yjQJzZTcb9RbNtceqMZzST0R5FtiVcbHgdqQ5gbYNt9VavbiClQ_XoDAxI5hH5iJ5muXDSNs/s1600/Garnet_White_Mage.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3QIBB843-iPPUqtqOwy6cSXPC-hxJLFSaffDULUMb5pzmWYC0JHUlyn5N3NBWDvWO-3_PTJRhK1F4B4xr2y7XlqlraTiXbnWkJyXTIV44VDX9HQo5ZegjIbrxvAd4DZCm39RHxEGIM8/s1600/vivi_second_stage_by_john_lozano-d38bqs5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ3QIBB843-iPPUqtqOwy6cSXPC-hxJLFSaffDULUMb5pzmWYC0JHUlyn5N3NBWDvWO-3_PTJRhK1F4B4xr2y7XlqlraTiXbnWkJyXTIV44VDX9HQo5ZegjIbrxvAd4DZCm39RHxEGIM8/s1600/vivi_second_stage_by_john_lozano-d38bqs5.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See what I mean?</td></tr>
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I'm sure right about now you're wondering what the point is, and I apologize for the digression. The point, dear readers, is that while innovation is great, sometimes what we want--what we really <i>need</i> is a brief return to normality. I sincerely believe <i>Final Fantasy IX</i> was what we needed, when we needed it.<br />
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Flash forward to 2012, and we're up to <i>Final Fantasy XIII-2 </i>(actually <i>XIV</i>, but I don't count the MMOs, so sue me). We've seen the Sphere-grid, braved the License Board, and harrowed the Paradigm System, each one more complex and innovative than the last. Some people are holding their breath for <i>Final Fantasy Versus XIII</i>, and some are waiting for <i>Type-0</i> to make its journey to the west. So what's next for Square-Enix?</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta-da</td></tr>
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In October of 2012 Square-Enix released <i>Bravely Default: Flying Fairy</i> in Japan, a role-playing-game about God-knows-what (I'm not spoiling the plot for myself). It's 2014 and <i>Bravely Default</i> is finally coming Stateside in February, with a 3DS release that's actually an updated version called <i>Bravely Default: For the Sequel</i> in Japan (who continue to come up with strange subtitles >___>).<br />
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Now, I've played the free demo and I am pleased to say that, so far as I can tell, the game is a new-classic <i>Final Fantasy</i> in everything except name, with turn-based combat (not seen since <i>Final Fantasy X</i>), an overwold (gone since <i>IX</i>), and a return to the job-change system from <i>Final Fantasy V</i> (one of my personal favorites).</div>
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That is not to say that there's nothing new to see in this game. The touch-of-spice added to the tried-and-true turn-based combat involves a system wherein players can forego actions in favor of throwing down multiple later on to devastating effect. This is called "Defaulting" and "Braving" respectively.</div>
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They have also engineered a... really quite fun mini-game type subplot employing the use of the 3DS' "streetpass" system. This mini-game involves rebuilding a city that has been destroyed. For each person you streetpass (when your 3DS gets near another and both have wi-fi on) who has the game, that's another person in your village. You use these villagers to clear away ancient boulders, build and upgrade shops, et cetera, which are quite literally a matter of time. However, a job that would take ten hours with one villager takes only five hours with two, and so on. This all goes on in the background while you spelunk dungeons and do general world-saving.</div>
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You can also use the "Abilink" system, linking one of your characters with one of your friends with whom you've streetpassed, giving that character a boost of job-levels correlating to the levels gained by that friend. Kind of like being their spirit-guide...or something.</div>
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The look of the gameplay, I have to say, differs greatly from its frankly breathtaking concept art, hearkening more towards the style used in the DS port of <i>Final Fantasy III</i>, three-dimensional versions of the sprites from previous generations.</div>
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The game is coming out on February 7th. You can also preorder the collector's edition, which includes the game, art book, character AR cards, and soundtrack (I would get it just for the art book, to be honest...but I have a weakness for art books). So, to all those out there who love <i>Final Fantasy</i> old and new, and would love to go back to the roots for a bit, make sure to pick up <i>Bravely Default</i> next month, I know I am.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-79088354693083102302014-01-18T12:37:00.003-06:002014-01-18T12:37:36.802-06:00Austin's Fave Five Films of 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(yes it's a clip from a different movie, but I never pass up an opportunity to post the best song)</span></div>
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<b>5. <i>G.I. Joe: Retaliation</i></b><br />
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The future of entertainment with worldwide appeal that Tim talks about is fine and good, but sometimes an inclusive nature changes things for the worse. That sometimes has a name, and its name is <i>G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra</i>, the first live action G.I. Joe movie. It was atrocious. 2013's sequel, <i>G.I. Joe: Retaliation</i> was not atrocious. While that might not be the high praise you'd expect on a top 5 list, it is enough in my eyes. I've been a fan of the real American Heroes for longer than any other fictional characters and the somewhat redemptive nature of the movie delighted me to no end. There's a number of other highlights including impeccable casting of the Rock as Roadblock, distinct lack of Channing Tatum, and Snake Eyes getting to actually be a badass ninja that fights other ninja on the side of a mountain instead of a mute with molded lips. The link between the Arashikage and Wu-Tang was further strengthened with RZA's unexpected appearance as a blind ninja master. I know it's just a passable movie, but it's a passable movie I liked dammit.<br />
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<b>4. <i>The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug</i></b><br />
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It's <i>The Hobbit </i>and it's a goddamn fun as hell adventure. People that have a problem with the movie are probably saying two things: 1) "a bloo bloo bloo, they took liberties with the book" 2) "where's the rest of the story?" "Stay patient, nerd" is the only appropriate response. The changes and additions made to the story for the movie sake are fine and add to the story in an organic enough way. Seriously though, it's an adventure story that feels like an exciting adventure. Then again, my judgment could've been clouded by viewing the audiovisual dumbassery that is <i>Rebuild of Evangelion 3</i> earlier that same day which made <i>tH:DoS</i> seem like the best movie ever if not for 3 specific reasons (hint: they're one, two, and three on my list).</div>
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<b>3. <i>Bad Grandpa</i></b><br />
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As a <i>Jackass</i> aficionado every new release by Johnny Knoxville and company I tend to meet with unbridled glee. <i>Bad Grandpa</i> is no exception. Forgoing the outrageous/dangerous physical stunts part of the equation this time Johnny Knoxville remains entirely in heavily prosthesis as an old troublesome man. The strangest part of the movie comes with the introduction of an overriding narrative. Crafting a narrative to link the gags is an odd choice made even more bizarre as the link between Knoxville's bad grandpa and his young grandson is touching in a way no one would have probably thought. Perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise considering Spike Jonze's talent and heavy involvement in the series. That said the physical and candid camera gags are still the draw. If you don't think an old man crapping his pants so bad that he inadvertently paints the walls of an eating establishment brown is funny then how do you even enjoy life?</div>
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2.<i>Escape Plan</i></div>
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There is a certain audience for this movie about Arnold and Stallone escaping from an inescapable prison, and that audience is me. Old action heroes, prison fights, sneaky plots, exploding barrels, twists, and TWISTS, <i>Escape Plan </i>has it all. This clearly isn't for everyone, and it's only natural for some people to roll their eyes at it. Too bad it's still the second best movie of the year. I like what I like and I apologize for nothing. </div>
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<b>1. <i>Pacific Rim</i></b><br />
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My fascination with mecha is <a href="https://twitter.com/_AustinLucas/status/368938865735643136">well</a><span id="goog_810157434"></span><span id="goog_810157435"></span> <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2013/07/giant-robot-week-day-5.html">documented</a>, so it shouldn't come as any surprise that <i>Pacific Rim </i>is my top pick for 2013. There's not much left to say about it that <a href="http://acapitalwasteland.blogspot.com/2013/07/dueling-review-pacific-rim.html">Jake and I didn't already cover in our dialogue about it</a>. Tastes are subjective, but what's not subjective is how objectively awesome the action scenes where. How rad was that Hong Kong battle? Super rad, amirite? Let me reiterate then, it's a giant robot movie that reminded me why I love giant robots, so I think it can stir some feelings in even the hardest of hearts.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-75541754650040315422014-01-17T08:47:00.001-06:002014-01-17T09:41:06.517-06:00How to make the Wii U succeed, and the future of Nintendo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i>John and I got into heated debate over this topic, and it led to this blog post.</i></div>
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We're heading towards electronic device singularity. Smartphones are growing, laptops are shrinking, tablets are available in ten different sizes. "Smart TVs" are the future, as televisions and computers eventually become indistinguishable from one another--the only question is how big you want your screen to be. Standalone game consoles will soon be a thing of the past. They're the doomed arcades of this generation.<br />
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Sony already makes TVs, along with tons of other electronics. I could easily see twenty years from now, instead of buying a PlayStation to play games, you can just play them on your Sony television.<br />
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Microsoft is already integrating Xbox into its regular computers. Their newest operating system, Windows 8, uses the Xbox brand for its multimedia functions.<br />
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The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are already evolving from game consoles into entertainment centers, preparing for the inevitable electronics singularity.<br />
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Where does this leave Nintendo? They're the only game hardware manufacturer left that doesn't make any non-gaming stuff. And the Wii U is floundering for any sort of cultural relevance.<br />
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The Wii U is a well-designed console with great potential. But Nintendo can't seem to figure out how to market it. The huge casual fanbase that bought the Wii isn't sticking around for the Wii U. And "hardcore" gamers flock towards the PS4 and Xbox.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEice1V50e5QcLrbNjdFBtKoCUGm5CQwLbW7jAjMNfYXrzA0rwDnggTsV_BxMDLUs6RYGCKbm-Hjz4MLKbf7kn0vkmWND60fRa1EvcNw_VbsKTYILApBPWGP39IkVwVyb0YeuutVyQ_D_T_H/s1600/Wii-U-Virtual-Console.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEice1V50e5QcLrbNjdFBtKoCUGm5CQwLbW7jAjMNfYXrzA0rwDnggTsV_BxMDLUs6RYGCKbm-Hjz4MLKbf7kn0vkmWND60fRa1EvcNw_VbsKTYILApBPWGP39IkVwVyb0YeuutVyQ_D_T_H/s1600/Wii-U-Virtual-Console.jpg" height="169" width="320" /></a></div>
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The ace up Nintendo's sleeve that Sony and Microsoft will never have is an <b>epic back catalogue</b>. They've got 30 years' worth of classic games dating back to the Nintendo Entertainment System. And as the average age of gamers goes up, this nostalgia factor becomes increasingly important. There are more and more gamers who don't just want the newest releases, but want the old games that reconnect them with their childhood.<br />
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The original Wii boasted a huge Virtual Console library that featured not only old Nintendo consoles, but Sega consoles, as well as more obscure systems like the TurboGrafx, Neo Geo, Commodore 64, and even a few arcade releases.<br />
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This is all untapped potential on the Wii U. Its Virtual Console currently features only NES and Super NES games, and even its NES/SNES library is shockingly incomplete. The fact that many major first-party classics like <i>Super Mario Bros. 3</i> and <i>The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past</i> are still unavailable on the Wii U VC is downright embarrassing. Nintendo should be ashamed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3wEZ0Gkw56xmjwm1sENfUeQokkUB6qgQ7new7pwUvVSVx0mUSoQWkb9DY_5fd2PP_dob0uTVttNNBTqxtXfBtZHKaw1-Zta3hJ5VWeckOi2BEEEm4VBQI_IcCJacpQvA75dcD6vhc-5z/s1600/Dreamcast-Console-Set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL3wEZ0Gkw56xmjwm1sENfUeQokkUB6qgQ7new7pwUvVSVx0mUSoQWkb9DY_5fd2PP_dob0uTVttNNBTqxtXfBtZHKaw1-Zta3hJ5VWeckOi2BEEEm4VBQI_IcCJacpQvA75dcD6vhc-5z/s1600/Dreamcast-Console-Set.jpg" height="155" width="320" /></a>Even if Wii U's new releases are lacking and its third-party support is close to zero, it could compete with Sony and Microsoft if its scant Virtual Console library were expanded. To start, we need what the original Wii had. Nintendo 64 games, and hopefully all the third-party consoles as well.<br />
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And what about more recent consoles? What if the Wii U VC sold GameCube games? What about Sega Dreamcast games? I salivate at the thought of <i>Metroid Prime</i> and <i>Shenmue</i> on my Wii U.<br />
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Nintendo president Satoru Iwata acknowledged <a href="http://wiiudaily.com/2013/11/wii-u-virtual-console-lineup/" target="_blank">back in November</a> that they need to step up their Virtual Console offerings. I hope he carries through on this promise.<br />
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I was skeptical of Nintendo's newest portable console, the 3DS, when it first came out as well. Like the Wii U, it seemed gimmicky and lacking a real library of games. And in our smartphone-filled world, are portable consoles already obsolete?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2xNCEnJI2PpUO7NMACVT2UDaNAdzauQ2CIbMMGOTjiuP4GFlz68MFWIILm4c2TYL7qrs4cTKH2QsDsawCJu2zcFz-enUNs1PEoDjtufryiXL4gDthnmh04O9qXRQuVZXiOmfosRi6sQD/s1600/3DS-XL-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2xNCEnJI2PpUO7NMACVT2UDaNAdzauQ2CIbMMGOTjiuP4GFlz68MFWIILm4c2TYL7qrs4cTKH2QsDsawCJu2zcFz-enUNs1PEoDjtufryiXL4gDthnmh04O9qXRQuVZXiOmfosRi6sQD/s1600/3DS-XL-006.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a>But the 3DS proved me wrong. It eventually stood up on its own two (figurative) feet and now boasts an impressive catalogue of titles. And it's sold dozens of millions of units worldwide.<br />
<br />
The Wii U could do the same thing. Despite all Nintendo's shortcomings, they have a core fanbase of Nintendo fans who continue to support them through thick and thin.<br />
<br />
No matter what Nintendo does with their hardware, fans know there'll always be a good <i>Mario</i> game, a good <i>Zelda</i> game, <i>Super Smash Bros.</i>, <i>Mario Kart</i>, and hopefully a good <i>Metroid</i> game. This commitment to consistent first-party releases is what's keeping the company alive, even as third-party publishers abandon the Wii U.<br />
<br />
But this is the same thing that happened a decade ago to Sega, another gaming-only hardware/software manufacturer. Will the Wii U be Nintendo's Dreamcast? Ten years from now, will Nintendo simply make software for Sony and Microsoft consoles?<br />
<br />
Maybe I'm short-sighted, but I can't see it happening. I'm optimistic Nintendo will eventually capitalize on its Virtual Console, and along with a steady stream of quality first-party releases, they'll weather the storm and continue to find their own niche in the gaming landscape. As Sony and Microsoft move away from the game console concept, Nintendo will continue to chug along as a gaming hardware/software manufacturer like it has for the last 30 years. I hope.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610362516643225493noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3367546586408407055.post-22276735206942142962014-01-17T00:35:00.000-06:002014-01-17T00:35:07.485-06:00I Am Tired of All These Motherfuckin' Clichés in This Motherfuckin' Industry!<div class="MsoNormal">
Motivation is difficult to pin down. Do you act in
self-interest or in altruism? Do you hate yourself? Or others? Do you love
yourself? Or others? Or something?</div>
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The reason I ask is that it seems like in nearly every game,
movie, novel, etc. I’ve experienced recently has used the all-too-familiar last
minute betrayal as its ultimate story device. </div>
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<a href="http://mopies.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/portal-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://mopies.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/portal-cake.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Man, am I tired of that shit.</div>
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Does absolutely no one have a solid character? Does
absolutely no one have any principles? All of these characters go through the
entirety of the time we spend with them as one set of thoughts, feelings, and
desires, but then, in the blink of an eye, all of the goodwill built up
disappears entirely. If done well, there are clues along the way that someone
is going to betray you, like Cypher in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Matrix</i> or Wesker in the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Resident
Evil</i>, but it seems like nearly every game, book, and movie thinks it needs to have
some sort of twist to make it more interesting to its audience.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://gamechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FFT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://gamechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/FFT.jpg" height="226" width="400" /></a></div>
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Perhaps this is simply a sign of poor writing or poor choice
on the viewer’s part. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Final Fantasy
Tactics</i>, the original one for the PSX, is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Game of Thrones</i> through and through, and it’s just as complicated
and ridiculous. Some of the betrayals in that game are unexpected and
surprising, but to the benefit of the overall story. They’re caught up in an
epic power struggle that none of them can escape of their own volition. Except
Ramza.</div>
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[SPOILERS]</div>
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But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Legend of
Zelda: A Link Between Worlds</i>’ betrayal is pointless. At the end of the
game, the alternate Princess Hilda for whom you’ve been working to bring peace
back to Lorule, decides that she’s actually pretty stupid and tries to kill you
and your entire kingdom of Hyrule. She, Hilda that is, knows just as well as
Zelda that acquiring the Triforce means that you can make any wish you like to
any effect, practically without consequence, and yet she decides that she has to destroy Link and Zelda's planet
to save hers. Perhaps it can be put up to temporary insanity, but it felt to me
like the classic clichéd “oops, time to kill you because no reason” ending. And I
was quite disappointed that it took that turn.</div>
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But it didn’t tarnish the game. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds</i> is the finest <i>Zelda</i> game
I’ve played since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ocarina of Time</i>.
Thank god for that.<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3dsrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Legend-of-Zelda-A-Link-Between-Worlds-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3dsrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/The-Legend-of-Zelda-A-Link-Between-Worlds-10.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You got lucky <i>this</i> time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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