So I just watched the preview of the next Transformers video game:Fall of Cybertron, sequel to War for Cybertron. I was lucky enough to receive War For Cybertron for Christmas this last year and it's quite good. I'm of the age that Transformers was a big part of my childhood. Back in those days I liked Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, like most kids, but now I have become an enormous Megatron fan. I love the complexity of the character and I love the show and all but Megatron in the comic books and other media is more of a thinker and a brutal "Rule by and iron hand" sort of leader. Seeing these characters brought to a video game system near you is nice, they were very respectful of the material with the first game unlike the folks in charge of the films, another topic entirely. I have to admit that I am not that big of a gamer, not like I used to be. For me to buy a video game now it has to be something special, especially in lue of prices. That said being able to play as my favorite Transformer and blast away those who I wished to enforce my rule on was invigorating. The story, unlike most games, was extremely deep and well thought out. I hear you: "What? A shooter with a deep story? Bull!" Oh yes, quite deep. It wasn't about destroying everything in sight but winning the war and standing firm on your side, which brings me to the best part of the game. You MUST play as both sides to get the entire tale. Unlike most games which one can pick a side where you get the same story you're just someone else, each side ties together for the full story. Awesome! I don't know where I'm going with this, my blog turned into a video game review but if you are a fan, you fine few followers, give it a shot. You may be surprised.

Haven't blogged in a very long time and figured why not, no one cares either way. Something that's been on my mind lately is the portrayal of women in comics. I was part of a discussion on this topic on someone`s forum post. I'm a guy and I love the female of the species and I agree that women tend to be portrayed as scantily as possible because, well, sex sells. Well, I should clarify, that's not the only reason. I draw a lot, not that well but I try and being a man when I draw a woman I tend to have the urge to exaggerate things but I try and fight that urge. Maybe the artists feel the same urge and don't fight it so much. The portrayal in not only comics but all media of every woman being this thin, large breasted sexual creature is just unfair to me. Personally I find a really thin woman unattractive anyway, I like meat. To me the sexiest woman in comics is Black Canary, the way Neil Adams drew her. Her bust size was average in those but to give her that "umph" of sex appeal he gave her these full hips so she had this fantastic figure that, for a non-existent piece of art, was very sexy.

I wish more artists would try that. She is still a bit skinny but it helps to imply that curves can be damn hot. I hate the every figure of a woman being large breasted, skinny as hell, long legged and whatever else they can think of. Maybe I read into it too much, and yeah I'm sure a lot of the artists probably don't intentionally do this. Guess I just felt like saying my piece in a place where no one would give me too much crap. *Eyeballs his tiny amount of followers."

Gene Colan was an artist that I stumbled on way too late. The first book by him I saw was Captain America 601, which the cover said perfectly: "A Very Special Issue." His art in the book was simply gorgeous. Since then I've delved into his work and simply fell in love. His mastery of shading, his own version of anatomy that looks like the characters are moving so fast they're warping. Every piece simply gorgeous. I've been drawing since I was 10 or 11 and looking at his work makes me want to throw in the towel and give up. A master of the craft. With his death we truly lost a giant in the world of art, not just comics. I wish I had written this the day he died but the loss of such a skilled artisan is still hurting me. Ah well.

So being the Cap fan I am, I'm all sorts of tore up over the Avengers film. One problem, Cap's costume is ridiculous. It's great the stripes are there but it is the biggest mess of zippers, straps and buckles I have ever seen. I am so disappointed that my hero is finally gonna be up there on the silver screen and he looks like he's been poured into a tight flightsuit. The mask...I don't even need to say it because it's a nightmare. I have vented now. Thank you.

I have been playing DCU for about a month now with a buddy of mine. We maxed out on levels and now we are doing end-game missions and I gotta say, it's still a lot of fun. DC is complicated in that, yeah, you can basically make a copy of any hero you want buuuuuuut not quite. Now, if you want Batman, they have a great set-up for a Bats/Nightwing/Robin style character but say you want Superman? It gets iffy there. Eye beams, though damaging are pointless to the role of the Supes archetype as well as cold breath and some of the others. But alas, it is still pretty awesome. Leaning more towards characters without powers or weaker powers, I made a Green Arrow clone and focused on my bow skills which is awesome, I do good damage, but...well when someone gets in my face I'm hosed. Luckily my buddy is a Supes clone and therefore bails me out when it comes to melee. I really am Green Arrow, aren't I? Regardless, check the game out and enjoy it. The free version is fun for casual play but if you get sucked in, might wanna go premium or legendary. Those cost monies.

It took a while but I think I finally figured out what the problem with comics is. Seeing this latest "Spider-Men" teaser, which surprises no one that Marvel is doing ANOTHER spider-book, the pieces fell into place. Comics, like film, are a creative business field. Like film, the companies are starting to see what sells, though it may be brainless dribble, and flooding the market with material that is below par. Why is it below par? Because now a writer doesn't just come up with a story to fill his books, Marvel walks in and says: "Hey! I need a Spider-man book, Spider-man books sell so make one and make it snappy!" Then comes the rush to create material. Now, a good writer can do that, but when he's asked to do this for 3 or even 4 books, it can get kind of redundant. All I'm saying, because my way of talking is jumbled and confusing, is that we need to go back to basics in comics. Let the writers do their books and don't make them write EVERY single panel, the freedom the artist once had to plan and create each individual panel is gone now. It's all written for them, they just draw. Just like most artists now go for a very realistic style instead of one more stylized and different. Comics are up in sales and it scares me what that means for us diehards who have seen the best comics and are watching them go downhill. Yes there are some bright stars amid the darkness, some books well-written and thought out, but always the corporate giant is there to pressure. Here's to the future.

If there is one character who rivals my love for Cap it's Green Arrow. When I was a kid one of the few movies allowed in the house was the Adventures of Robin Hood, starring Errol Flynn. I would run around in the yard screaming gibberish with a stick slinging pretend arrows at everything that moved. To this days it's still my favorite film. My love for the legend of Robin Hood is a vast thing now and I enjoy reading on it, I've always noticed Green Arrow but I must admit that until this past Christmas, aside from gifts from confused family members, all I ever got was Marvel comics. In my adult life, now the ripe age of 27, I finally started to consider DC and it's rich history of comics and so asked for the DC Showcase of GA as a gift. Now I'm hooked. I've been reading this guy like crazy and loving every minute. I love his cause, that want for those who are in need. His prime directive that the little guy needs help too is such a heart-warming thing. I don't like where the book is today, since the relaunch, I prefer the humbled Oliver Queen not this new-fangled GA. He's become Connor Hawke and I don't like that. Anyway, my jerk thoughts aside, I really do love this character. His costume is amazing and in the end the fact that he IS a modern Robin Hood draws me in like a moth to flame. I hope they fix his New 52 representation. Maybe take away this Q-Core crap by having his millions vanish and lead into a long story of him trying to get by and become hardened just like Dennis O'Neil in Justice League. Only time will tell but until then, I'll stick to the old and love this character for the awesome that is Green Arrow.

I occasionally step away from the comics and get into some video games. One of my favorite franchise is the Legacy of Kain:Blood Omen series. Kain is one bad dude. Now I love me some Dracula, whether it be Bram Stoker's, Bela Lugosi or, of course, Marvel's. Yes I consider Dracula to be the top of the vampire kingdom and he will always be in that position, but my favorite is Kain. He has such an interesting mentality. He can be both supremely sophisticated or horrifyingly savage. He can be just and he can be unrelenting. It's what I love about his character. He's a walking metaphor for the duality of man and how we are to a point in society where barbarism is a thing off in the jungles while we sit in our comfy homes and cities and shops but the instant we're pushed, all that evolutionary progress fades away and we become brutish apes ready to fight. Nothing wrong with it, so long as it's a matter of two men duking it out to settle the score mano e mano and not to the death. Kain is a perfect example of this. He has that knightly, suave to him but when pushed to wrath, boom! He strikes hard, swift and terrible. Most vampires are portrayed as ancient civilized creatures almost in ruling roles in each presentation, but Kain is a fighter just as much as a ruler. He can run his kingdom and when it's time, he can fight just as good if not better than anyone. He doesn't fear the need to take up arms, in fact he relishes in it. There is an honor to his savagery, much like Conan, the original short-stories not the movies. Conan was quick to laugh, lust and fight but he was also honorable in that he never really harmed anyone who didn't deserve it. Kain has all those features although being a vampire he does prey on the innocent to feast. Still, with his own form of honor, sophistication and way of battle I consider him the greatest of his lot.

So with income tax time and all, I used some of mine to synch in more comics for my Captain America run. I'm a long, long way off but I am getting closer. Some of the early 100s and of course the Tales of Suspense issues are a bit...pricey. One day I will have it all and I'll look at it as a great achievement in nerdism. The order I got was 79 comics and you would think, man thats a big dent, nope. Still, much further than I was. All in due time I guess. Anyone working on a complete run of their own out there?

Today was a big day, at least to me anyway. My nephew, one of them anyway, has taken a liking to the Justice League Unlimited cartoon and has discovered the Flash. He absolutely LOVES Flash all of a sudden. Normally he talks during the show even though he is watching at the same time but when Flash is onscreen you could hear a pin drop. I picked him up from school today and had to stop at my comic dealer to get the latest TMNT so I made a deal that if he was quiet, behaved and didn't beg me to buy him anything, we would get him a comic. His first comic. He picked Flash number 1 of the new 52. None of my family are interested in this hobby so he may drop the subject of superheroes after he spends some time with his parents but I'm hoping that a seed might have been planted. Next to teaching him the Bible and what it means to us as Christians, teaching him the beauty of comics is the most precious gift I can give him, personally. I hope this is a sign of things to come. Parents need to show these kids the awesome force that is the paneled page. Only the future can tell so parents, get to work!