Here’s what was in today’s batch:
DC Universe #0 – The whole issue is basically a set up for the Final Crisis, and the storylines leading into it. Someone’s omnipotently narrating over scenes of JLA (and former JLA) members going about their business. So Superman’s in the future with the Legion fighting some grand evil, Batman’s visiting the Joker in Arkham talking about about someone hunting Bruce, Wonder Woman’s fighting a minotaur and the cast of 300 are pissed off, etc. The whole thing is a glorified ad, really, but it’s pretty interesting (especially for 50¢), and hints very strongly that a once-dead hero has returned, which should get plenty of geek tongues wagging.
New Avengers #40 - We know now why the Skrulls can’t be detected, and what they’ve been up to. We also know that their king is a little to the right of crazyville, but he’s gone now, so it’s okay. We also know that they’re able to replicate pretty much anyone that want to, and have cracked our genetic code. We also know that the Skrulls are on a religious crusade to take their prophesied new homeworld. Three guesses which world that is? Oh, there’s also a big dun dun DUN at the end. Light on action, but heavy on exposition.
Black Summer #6 - Everything’s gone to shit, and I can’t even remember who half the characters are anymore because it feels like forever since the last one came out. Note to self: buy Ellis’ weird indy stuff in trades ‘cos it’s easier to follow. Overall, stuff happens, lots of carnage, and I’m glad it’s ending next issue.
Iron Fist #14 - The end comes finally, and it’s not what I expected. Sure, there’s fighting galore, and mayhem, and carnage, and Danny exploding-punches a damn train, but there’s a few surprises left, and maybe there’s hope for this series after the current team leaves. Why do I say this? Two things: Xao’s last words and the Immortal Weapons. We’ll see what happens next, I guess, but these two arcs will be hard acts to follow.
Sure, nothing really new about a paper reviewing a videogame, but what’s this? The hallowed New York Times ARTS SECTION has reviewed GTA IV. This ain’t some penny-ante, tech critic here. This is the Arts Section of the Times, folks.
Is the media starting to take videogames seriously?
Grand Theft Auto Takes On New York
I was rolling through the neon deluge of a place very like Times Square the other night in my Landstalker sport utility vehicle, listening to David Bowie’s “Fascination†on the radio. The glittery urban landscape was almost enough to make me forget about the warehouse of cocaine dealers I was headed uptown to rip off.
Soon I would get bored, though, and carjack a luxury sedan. I’d meet my Rasta buddy Little Jacob, then check out a late show by Ricky Gervais at a comedy club around the corner. Afterward I’d head north to confront the dealers, at least if I could elude the cops. I heard their sirens before I saw them and peeled out, tires squealing.
It was just another night on the streets of Liberty City, the exhilarating, lusciously dystopian rendition of New York City in 2008 that propels Grand Theft Auto IV, the ambitious new video game to be released on Tuesday for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems.
(more@link)
I’m getting excited. I’ll admit it. I’m not planning on going out to one of the midnight launches around here, but I’m damn sure going to try and get the game tomorrow. So far it looks like this is close to the best damn game ever.
Here’s a sampling of the reviews (courtesy of Gamerankings.com) thusfar:
- IGN 10 out of 10
- Game Informer 10 out of 10
- Official Xbox Magazine UK 10 out of 10
- VideoGamer 10 out of 10
- 1UP A+
- TeamXbox 10 out of 10
- Eurogamer 10 out of 10
- GameSpy 5 out of 5
- GamePro 5 out of 5
- TotalVideoGames 10 out of 10
- Gametrailers 9.8 out of 10
- Xbox World Mag UK 98 out of 100
- Computer & Video Games UK 9.5 out of 10
I’ll see you all online…
I added a Twitter app to my sidebar so that I may keep you all informed with up-to-the-second updates about how I’m feeling. Currently, I’m feeling semi-shitty, as I have a massive neckache that may or may not be related to swollen lymph nodes in the back of my skull.
Awesome.
Also, I discovered a YouTube show (do you call them shows?) called The Guild. Quite funny with great production values.
I may or may not be the last person on the internets to find out about it, as it apparently has won some awards. Go me!
Well, I’m a day late, but so be it. Here’s this week in comics.)
Mighty Avengers #12 – No more thought bubbles!! Great issue. Great art. The book gives a nice look into what Fury’s been doing, and who he’s recruited to help him keep tabs on things. I missed the subtle touch with Fury’s hair showing the passage of time the first read through.
Keep that photo wall double-page spread to refer back to in the next few months!
Questions:
Was that Hulk or Hulkling in the centre?
Is Patriot on there twice? (Top right, bottom middle?)
(Okay, turns out I was wrong about the hair. It was just a disguise. Way to put me in my place, Maleev!)
Batman #675 – Kind of disappointing. I hope this chick isn’t the reason Bruce stops being Batman. “Jezebel Jet”? Seriously? Nothing really happens.
It’s basically filler until next month where Batman RIP starts, and I decided whether or not Grant Morrison must die.
JLA #20 – Apparently Flash has been slacking off and not JLAing enough, so Wonder Woman comes to give him a lecture. I haven’t honestly noticed he wasn’t around and wasn’t even aware that he’d become a member again. Is that my fault, or the writers’? I don’t know.
Anyway, Diana and Wally go fight the Queen Bee and the stuff on the cover never happens and Wally uses being crazy-fast to wrap the whole thing up in a neat little bow.
Interesting note: apparently, Wonder Woman can fly at least 1800mph. That seems awfully fast, but what do I know?
Tune in again next week!
Yes, another website update. Thanks to WordPress, I’ve managed to wrangle my page into an easily-updated, database-driven format. Now I can post to my heart’s content and not have to manually update everything.
Fantastic.
On top of that, comments should be enabled, so you can all share your thoughts with me! All three of you! (Hi, mum!)
Woo hoo!
I was happy and honoured to be chosen as the Artist of the Month in the City of Heroes City Scoop!
They kindly asked to feature me (I accepted, of course!) and they’ve posted some of my work and a short interview.
Click on the link below to check it out!
The City Scoop! – April edition
My DeviantArt account has hit 10 000 hits! It took a while, due no doubt to my long absences and posting hiatuses (hiati?), but I finally did it. As is a tradition, I commemorated the occasion by doing up a 10k hits drawing. Presenting, Maiden Light in: 10 000! 
Click the pic to check out the fullsize version!