#FourComics is trending on Twitter. The hashtag involves you posting covers to four comics that hooked you on the medium. I posted mine, but I wanted to expand on each of them a little. So here we go.
For Christmas this past year, I got a new gaming PC. It’s been…magical. For years, I’ve only used laptops and netbooks. Handy for writing or school work; not so much for gaming. They ran most indie games, but even then, some games wouldn’t run smoothly on high settings. Rather than get a new, disappointing console, I returned to PC. Transitioning back to a big ‘ol tower PC is like night and day. I recently played Half-Life 2 and its follow-up episodes, comparing what they look like on maximum settings – something I hadn’t been able to do before. It was amazing. 
One reason why I enjoyed having a desktop was playing the one MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) game that hooked me: City of Heroes. As I’ve mentioned on here, I’m a big superhero fan. I’m not a big fantasy fan. Most MMOs, like World of Warcraft, never gelled with me. But I poured hours into CoH. I pre-ordered it and played the pre-launch beta, sinking way too much time into it. I’d tinkered with power sets to see how they’d work and what ones I enjoyed. Like wrestling games, my favourite thing was the character creation. Even today, I’d argue CoH had the best character customization. It was that freedom, and perchance for silliness and creativity, that I created DOUG THE TROLL. Continue reading
Well, it’s not like this isn’t making the rounds with everyone else. I’ll try to keep this brief:
I’ve noticed an increase in “IT’S MERRY CHRISTMAS, NOT HAPPY HOLIDAYS!” postings on Facebook by various friends. And I need to get something off my chest.
Are these guys actually in the wrong universes?
I had a discussion with a friend of mine recently regarding DC vs. Marvel. They felt that DC was more reality-based than Marvel. In regards to the movies, that’s unquestionably true. Especially in the case of Batman. Christopher Nolan’s take on the character is incredibly grounded, showing The Dark Knight in realistic armour rather than hard plastic or spandex. Nolan and Zach Snyder’s take on Superman in Man of Steel was trying to come to bring as much reality as they could to a man who shoots beams of heat out of his eyes.
Yet, I realized something during this: if anything, Marvel is more grounded in reality than DC. In fact, it always has been. What’s more interesting is that I realized neither Batman or Thor really fit in with their respective universes. Let me explain.
With Marvel’s announcement today, rolling out their plans for Phase 3 of their cinematic superhero universe, we now know what both Marvel/Disney and DC/WB plan for the next few years. Interestingly enough, both feature solos movies for key minority characters (Black Panther and Cyborg) AND female characters (Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel). Both have major plans for a two-part “event” movie, mixing many solo characters together in one movie.
It’s very clear that DC has been desperate to follow in Marvel’s footsteps. The first Avengers movie made over $1 billion, making the year’s biggest money maker and rivalling the most successful Hollywood movies.
And yet, I can’t help but feel a little sad. Let me explain.
Recently, I contacted an artist friend to about drawing an artist profile of Dill. It’s to get the right look and details for a plushie designer my girlfriend contacted for a Christmas gift for me.
Honestly, this was an interesting little writing exercise for me. I’d never really written out Dill’s full description in such pinpoint detail. Obviously, he never describes himself in the books because who takes the time to describe themselves in full detail like that, right?
So, for any artists interested in drawing Dill, here is a detailed description of him. I’ve included a some references, as well.
Continue readingThis was undoubtedly many people’s favourite scene in The Day of the Doctor, the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Doctor Who:
I like to think this actually was The Fourth Doctor…except it’s post regeneration. In fact, here, he’s completely human but still retains some bits and pieces of his life as The Doctor. He’s able to grow old at the rate of a normal human being.
Headlocked Vol. 1: A Single Step
Headlocked Vol. 2: The Last Territory
Publisher: Visionary Comics
Writer: Michael Kingston
Artists: Randy Valiente, Michael Mulipola
Throughout my life, there are two hobbies that have remained my most passionate ones: comics and pro-wrestling. It’s really no surprise, as both mediums have commonalities. Both have bigger than life, boisterous, outlandish characters. Both have an almost juvenile way of settling differences through violence. Both have had their share of embarrassing moments that make fans question why they’re still reading or watching. But both wrestling and comics have those unforgettable moments that remind you why you’re a fan and give you reason to keep going. Most times, when comics and pro-wrestling meet, it’s horribly written disasters. Most wrestling comics in the past have been pretty terrible, from the short strips in WWF Magazine to the badly written comics from the now defunct Chaos Comics. Or especially the Ultimate Warrior comics.
In the last few years, though, things have changed a little. Back in June, I reviewed Box Brown’s fantastic Andre the Giant biography. In it, I also recommended Jarrett Williams’ Super Pro K.O. I’ve also recently discovered the hilarious web comic, Botched Spot.
Headlocked, I’m happy to say, joins that list of great examples of the marriage between wrestling and comics.
I’m a newer fan of Doctor Who. I started watching the show with its return to television in 2005 with Christopher Eccelston as the titular Ninth Doctor. I’m not alone. Many new fans were created with Eccelston. Even more first jumped on with David Tennant’s Tenth Doctor. And even more – like my niece – became new fans with Matt Smith’s Eleventh Doctor. If there’s one thing that all three of them shared, it was an inherent goofiness. Even Eccelston’s darker, post-war persona had a “daft face,” big ears, and a goofy grin. And to be fair, Tennant and Smith both had their share of dark moments. But as a whole, they were funny, goofy, Doctors. They were young, hip, sexy. Many fangirls swoon over David Tennant. That’s all well and good. I have no problem with that. Heck, Matt Smith was definitely my favourite Doctor largely because of his nature as a giant kid at heart.
But with the emergence of Peter Capaldi as the Doctor #12, we’re seeing a very different Doctor. One that I think will be jarring for many new fans such as myself.
The City of Smoke & Mirrors
The Dame was a Tad Polish
Nick Piers 