#( visuals // Superior Octopus )

[please-attend-carefully]

Terror of the Autons, Book Review

Terror of the Autons (Novelisation) by Terrance Dicks, 1975

Terror of the Autons is the novelisation of the 1971 Serial with the same name. It is the introduction to The Doctor’s new companion, Jo Grant, and also rival Time Lord, The Master. 

This book builds on the already strong premise of the Television serial, expanding it in a way that is both faithful and interesting. Conversations are extended, characters given more depth to motivations and actions in ways that would slow down the snappy pace of a 25 minute episode. Scenes are connected together, and re-written to allow for a flowing narrative on the page, rather than cutting back and forth between multiple scenes like you would see in the visual medium of Television.  The written form allows expanded scenes where characters challenge one another, and don’t just have to accept the orders given to them for the sake of pacing. Characters are able to act in ways that may have been restricted by the physical capabilities of the actors on screen. My favourite example of this is the Master’s introduction. 

Both the Protagonists and Villains of the story are given more rounded characterisation, and have their own internal conflicts amongst themselves. The friction is not restricted to just good vs. evil. Jo and Yates put up a fight when they are ordered to remain on base while the Doctor and Brigadier go out to investigate Farrell’s plastic factory, which feels more natural for the two of them wanting to accompany their superiors instead of sitting around UNIT headquarters drinking hot chocolate together. In the TV serial Jo is seen flirting with a member of the science department to acquire equipment for the Doctor, which the novel brilliantly informs us that she is doing this intentionally to butter up the man on the end of the line, and is not in fact just flirty with her colleagues. For her introductory story, her internal dialogue is key to learning about her intentions and actions, rather than accepting the watered down plight of a woman in a male dominated workplace. Additions like this create a more rounded version of the characters and adds to them rather than just imitating their on screen counterparts. 

Dicks is able to show UNIT in a far more capable light, with their military operations not limited by a pre-watershed time slot and BBC budget restrictions. Their weapons are effective, and they patrol around in appropriate military Jeeps instead of the blue sedan seen on TV. Their anti-tank missiles make quick work of the plastic Autons, with the line “Firearms won’t work on them!” cut completely. The lack of budget limitations extends to the plastics factory and the Autons, with more sinister visuals of bubbling chemicals and churning production lines bringing the villain's base of operations to life. This imagery creates a greater sense of danger, and shows that the Master is producing a large scale army ready for invasion. The climax of the story even gets an overhaul, with a giant octopus crab monster being drawn through the radio tower signal, rather than just the flashing lights seen in the original broadcast (the recent blu rays have since added the monster in) Again, this helps to give UNIT more to do, bigger and more numerous threats equals more need for heavy artillery and UNIT presence. Illustrations throughout the novel help to highlight some of the creative changes, including an updated version of the Master’s killer plastic doll.

Dicks corrects slight continuity areas, and adds in details that at the time were unavailable to them. The Sontarans wouldn't be on our screens for another two years after Terror of the Autons, but with their creation, Dicks can add details of their weapons into the text of the novel, arming the Master with Sontaran Grenades. This gives a wonderful expanded identity to the Master’s arsenal, bringing together lore from the Universe around him and connecting ideas together that the TV Serial wasn’t able to at the time. 

Ending the novel, Dicks expands the Doctor's thoughts on the Master returning, giving us more than "Actually, I'm rather looking forward to it!". His sentiment in the book mimics the Master's line from The Five Doctors, "The cosmos without the Doctor scarcely bears thinking about.” A line that Dick's won't write for another 7ish years. It shows how the Master and the Doctor clearly share the same thoughts about one another, despite being so different. They define their relationship in the same poetic way, and given that the same author wrote both lines, it's clearly intentional.

Terror of the Autons is a strong adaptation, and the standard I will be measuring other novelisations against. It has everything that you would look for in an adaption; character’s interactions and choices explained and expanded, imagination and visualisation unhindered by lack of budget, and additions of lore that connect it to the wider universe of Doctor Who. I couldn’t recommend this enough if you are looking for more Doctor Who content to consume.  

[yo-sostenible]

Un estudio del Institut de Ciències del Mar y el Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas ha revelado las pautas alimenticias de estos moluscos y su posible rol en la regulación de animales alóctonos en el Mediterráneo. Conocer su forma de alimentarse es clave para entender su posición en la cadena trófica y la estructura de sus poblaciones explotadas. El pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) es una de las especies pesqueras más valoradas en el mercado. / Wikipedia | Diego Delso Un nuevo estudio liderado por el Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) ha revelado por primera vez la dieta de los juveniles de pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) y su papel en la ecología del Mediterráneo. La investigación, publicada en la revista Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, ofrece resultados que ayudan a identificar los requerimientos alimenticios de estos cefalópodos durante la fase más desconocida de su ciclo vital. Los autores del trabajo subrayan la importancia de entender de qué se alimentan los pulpos recién asentados en el lecho marino tras la etapa planctónica de su vida en la columna de agua. Estos moluscos se tratan de una de las especies pesqueras más valoradas en el mercado. Por ello, que conocer su dieta durante cada fase de su vida es clave para entender su posición en la cadena trófica y la estructura de sus poblaciones explotadas. “Gracias a esta investigación, realizada en colaboración constante con el sector pesquero, hemos podido desvelar por primera vez la dieta en el medio natural de los pulpos recién asentados y juveniles, lo que podría ser de gran utilidad para la gestión de especies invasoras en el Mediterráneo”, comenta Oscar Escolar del ICM-CSIC y autor principal del trabajo En este sentido, los resultados del estudio desvelan que los juveniles de Octopus vulgaris son especialistas en el consumo de un grupo de pequeños crustáceos denominados anfípodos. Dentro de ellos, está la especie invasora Jassa slatteryi, por la que los pulpos tienen predilección. Esto sugiere que podrían desempeñar un importante papel como reguladores de esta especie foránea que ha colonizado el Mediterráneo.  “El 90 % de los estómagos analizados contenían restos de Jassa slatteryi, lo que indica que los pequeños pulpos podrían llevar a cabo una función reguladora de esta especie invasora”, expone Fernando Á. Fernández-Álvarez del ICM-CSIC y coautor del trabajo. La exactitud de los métodos moleculares Según el artículo, a medida que los pulpos juveniles crecen y sus brazos incrementan su tamaño relativo y fortaleza muscular, su dieta se diversifica. Incluyen una mayor variedad de especies de crustáceos y bivalvos. Este grado de detalle ha sido posible gracias al uso de técnicas moleculares, que han permitido detectar, además, que los hidrozoos son el segundo grupo más frecuente en la dieta de los pulpos juveniles. “Esta información difícilmente la hubiéramos obtenido usando técnicas visuales de identificación de presas basadas en la morfología de los contenidos estomacales, ya que los hidrozoos están compuestos por un 90 % de agua, y dado que los tiempos de digestión son extremadamente rápidos, es difícil identificar restos de estas presas”, apunta Roger Villanueva del ICM-CSIC y coordinador de la investigación. Nuevo modelo de utilidad Los ejemplares utilizados para la elaboración del estudio fueron capturados usando un innovador colector de pulpos juveniles registrado en la Oficina Española de Patentes y Marcas como modelo de utilidad. El dispositivo ya ha despertado el interés de grupos de investigación de otros países, lo que según el equipo científico “podría llevar a una replicación y validación de estos experimentos en diversas áreas”. En concreto, para el desarrollo de la investigación se realizó un muestreo quincenal durante tres años consecutivos en el área de pesca de pulpo de Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona). Esto permite determinar por primera vez las pautas de asentami...

[brokencupoftranquilbutterflies]

Key Features:

GPD-Like Attachment:

A compact and ergonomic attachment that seamlessly integrates with gaming consoles and PCs.

Provides additional controls, customizable buttons, and enhanced connectivity options for a superior gaming experience.

Octopus-Inspired Skin:

A flexible and adaptive skin inspired by the octopus, offering a tactile and responsive interface.

Enhances grip and comfort, while also providing haptic feedback for a more immersive experience.

LED Base:

A dynamic LED base that changes colors and patterns based on in-game events and AI interactions.

Creates a visually engaging environment, enhancing the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the gaming setup.

Dual Inner Displays:

Two inner displays that provide additional information, such as real-time stats, maps, and AI-generated tips.

Allows for multitasking and a more comprehensive view of the game, without interrupting the main screen.

Advanced AI Capabilities:

Personalized assistance tailored to the player’s preferences and gaming style.

Real-time analytics, strategy suggestions, and adaptive learning to improve gameplay and provide a competitive edge.

Vision: Our vision is to revolutionize the gaming industry by integrating AI personal assistants that not only enhance gameplay but also create a more interactive and engaging experience. By combining innovative design elements with advanced AI technology, we aim to deliver a device that redefines the future of gaming.

Call to Action: We invite developers, designers, and tech enthusiasts to collaborate on this ambitious project. Together, we can pioneer a new era of gaming that leverages the power of AI to create unforgettable experiences and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

What do you think? Does this capture the essence of your vision for integrating AI into gaming?

[octopusmedical]

Refurbished Surgical Microscope Manufacturer & Supplier in India: Octopus Medical 

In the ever-evolving landscape of medical technology, surgical microscopes play a crucial role in enhancing the precision and efficacy of complex surgical procedures. Recognizing the need for high-quality yet cost-effective solutions, Octopus Medical has emerged as a leading manufacturer and supplier of refurbished surgical microscopes in India. With a strong commitment to quality and innovation, Octopus Medical offers a range of advanced surgical microscopes, including the renowned Zeiss OPMI series. 

Why Choose Refurbished Surgical Microscopes? 

Refurbished surgical microscopes are an excellent option for healthcare facilities looking to upgrade their equipment without incurring the high costs associated with brand-new models. These microscopes are meticulously restored to meet the original manufacturer's specifications, ensuring they deliver the same level of performance and reliability as new ones. By choosing refurbished, medical institutions can access top-tier technology while adhering to budget constraints, thereby improving patient care and operational efficiency. 

Octopus Medical: Commitment to Quality and Innovation 

At Octopus Medical, the refurbishment process is undertaken with utmost precision and care. Each microscope undergoes a comprehensive inspection and reconditioning process, which includes the replacement of worn-out parts, calibration, and rigorous testing. This ensures that every product leaving the Octopus Medical facility is of the highest standard, ready to support intricate surgical procedures. 

Key Products: Zeiss OPMI Series 

Zeiss OPMI 6 on 1880 Stand: The Zeiss OPMI 6, mounted on the versatile 1880 stand, is renowned for its exceptional optics and ergonomic design. This microscope is ideal for various surgical disciplines, providing surgeons with unparalleled clarity and precision. The 1880 stand offers stability and flexibility, allowing easy positioning during surgeries. 

Zeiss OPMI CS on NC-2 Stand: The Zeiss OPMI CS, paired with the NC-2 stand, combines high-performance optics with advanced illumination systems. This model is particularly favored in neurosurgery and ENT procedures. The NC-2 stand's robust construction and smooth maneuverability enhance the surgeon's ability to perform delicate operations with confidence. 

Zeiss OPMI Vario 700: The Zeiss OPMI Vario 700 stands out for its versatility and advanced features, such as integrated video recording and fluorescence imaging. This microscope is designed to meet the demands of complex surgical interventions, providing surgeons with real-time visualization and comprehensive imaging capabilities. Its ergonomic design reduces fatigue during lengthy procedures. 

Zeiss OPMI Vario S88: The Zeiss OPMI Vario S88 is a premium surgical microscope known for its superior optics and extensive customization options. This model caters to a wide range of surgical specialties, from ophthalmology to plastic surgery. Its modular design allows for seamless integration with various surgical workflows, enhancing both efficiency and outcomes. 

Why Choose Octopus Medical? 

1. Expertise and Experience: Octopus Medical boasts years of experience in refurbishing surgical microscopes, ensuring each unit meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. 

2. Cost-Effective Solutions: By offering refurbished microscopes, Octopus Medical provides a cost-effective alternative to new equipment, enabling healthcare facilities to optimize their budgets without compromising on quality. 

3. Comprehensive Support: Octopus Medical provides comprehensive after-sales support, including maintenance services and technical assistance, ensuring that your surgical microscopes remain in optimal condition. 

4. Commitment to Innovation: Octopus Medical continuously invests in research and development to stay at the forefront of medical technology, ensuring that their products incorporate the latest advancements in the field. 

Conclusion 

Octopus Medical stands as a trusted name in the field of refurbished surgical microscopes in India. With a range of high-quality products like the Zeiss OPMI series, they are committed to enhancing surgical precision and patient outcomes. By choosing Octopus Medical, healthcare providers can access top-tier technology at a fraction of the cost, making advanced surgical solutions more accessible and affordable. 

[topknotstrunk]

Review Everything 44 - The Little Mermaid 2023:

I don't think I have anything substantial to contribute to this conversation that hasn't already been said. More black Disney characters? Yay! Making live action mockeries of incredible animated films when they could just be making more incredible animated movies? Boo!

If you're looking for a TL:DR, that's it.

However, the point of RE isn't to contribute necessarily, it's for me to have fun and reflect on movies I'm watching. So here's my thoughts.

The thing that really shocked me was just how dark the movie was. Like, I heard people complaining about it but I wasn't prepared for just how bad it was going to be. Multiple times in the underwater scenes the screen was so dark that I literally couldn't tell what was happening, which caused me to zone out. Which really sucks because in the animated movie the under water parts of the movie are the only parts I really like.

I get that they want to make the movie look realistic... so that's why they made a movie about a mermaid full of talking fish with an octopus witch which they chose not to film underwater even though that's the environment half the movie takes place in because doing so would be "too challenging"... And that underwater, particularly deep on the ocean, is dark. But like, come on. I can tell from the way that many of these scenes are shot that they wanted to go for a sort of animal documentary feel, and those guys use big ass spotlights so the audience [and camera crew] can see what's happening.

And it's not just the underwater scenes, it's also many of the scenes on Prince Erik's ship.

The thing people say on the internet about dark scenes like this is to hide bad cg? Is it because many of the backgrounds in the original movie were dark? Cause the reason they're dark in the animated movie is because the characters are all brightly colored without shading, which makes them pop because of the contrast. I'd be curious to know what the creators of the movie had to say about why they actually chose this for the look of the movie.

So at first I thought the movie had elected to skip Under the Sea, thinking maybe the dancing be too silly for the gritty live action remake with the photo-realistic fish. So I paused the movie and went to check the original to see where it was and no we just weren't there yet. Boy was that a mistake, watching the clearly superior visuals of the animated right before the live action version. This was the best looking scene of all the ones underwater and it still looks flat, boring, and lacking color compared to the original version. I will say though, if the whole under water part of the movie had looked like this scene does I think I would have had an overall positive view of the first half of the movie instead of a negative one. Even the dark scene with the jellyfish is lit well, colorful, and visually interesting. And short! Shown in contrast to the light that most of the scene has. Scuttlebutt is a cute addition. I don't get the hate for Awkwafina.

I was particularly peeved at the "Everything's clearer and brighter and hotter" line in Ariel's new song and the room is dark. Why is the land dark?

I think I'm done complaining about the lighting.

I think making Erik more of a character and less of just some guy is a cool idea. I think giving him a song about how he's so trapped when he is very clearly not is a choice. I think Evermore was one of the best parts of the live action Beauty and the Beast. Whatever this song was called left no impression on me though. But this song, Evermore, and the one from the Aladin remake... three makes a pattern so I suppose we'll be hearing more of these. Adding an extra song for Aerial when she can't speak is also a choice that was made. I get that people have a reason not to look kindly on a female character who cannot speak for herself, but this was, to me, an odd way of addressing that. Just have her use Sign Language or something.

Melissa McCarthy as Ursula was fine. She preforms her songs well. I would have strongly preferred to see a drag queen in the roll though, to honor Divine, who Ursula's look was based on.

What I will say the movie has in its favor is that Halle Bailey can SING. She's incredibly talented. When I could see what was happening and she was singing, those parts of the movie were pretty good. I also really like that the Merfolk are like the stewards of the sea, tending to the underwater nature. There was an element of that in the cartoon that I enjoyed seeing here. I also really appreciate that there was zero sexualizing of Bailey, which cannot be said of the animated version.

In Summary: I still don't understand what the point of these movies are. They don't change enough to make them their own things, and the changes they do make are usually not the ones at least I would like to see.

Overall: 5/10

[gcorvetti]

Si può fare!

Ho speso quasi tutta la settimana a modellare e stampare il box del gioco Pipes, risultati : 1. Il box originale ridotto non si chiude e quando è aperto il piano di gioco risulta inclinato; 2. Box a cassetto superiore, le facce del cassetto superiore sono troppo fine e si rompono; 3. Box a scatola di sigari perni della rotazione troppo piccoli e quando è aperto il coperchio occupa la parte della board quindi poca visibilità; tutti e 3 i box sono fallimentari. Ieri sera ho pensato di fare un box a cassetto in 3 parti il cassetto con la board, le pareti con la base inferiore da stampare in verticale in modo da sprecare meno tempo ed evitare i supporti, il top separato con la scritta da incollare alle pareti con appositi incassi, idea che mi è venuta ripensando al box della litofania; dovrebbe funzionare, in caso all'appuntamento con la tipa per la consulenza porto una delle due che almeno si chiude dicendole che sono in fase di sviluppo di un box che sia pratico.

Sta cosa mi ha portato via parecchio tempo, ma nel mezzo ho fatto il compleanno e mi sono regalato 2g di erba, che mi servivano. Vorrei tanto suonare anche perché oramai il dito sembra andare bene ma continuo gli esercizi anche perché mi fanno bene e mi mantengono i muscoli in forze. Vorrei tanto fare qualcosa nel senso di un live o una performance, avrei tante idee ma sviluppare quella giusta è un enigma non indifferente; one man band, Velvet Octopus che include tanta roba diversa, una finta band garage, un finto duo rock and roll o garage, composizioni moderne percussive e chitarristiche estreme, queste le idee principali, poi ci sarebbe l'idea di fare dei brani di chitarra tipo ambient o quello che è, ma questa è un pò così come idea. Escludendo le idee un pò così potrei lanciare un bandcamp e usarlo come recipiente di musica varia, quella che viene, come avevo già previsto per Velvet Octopus Project. Quello che in realtà mi serve è il tempo, va bè ora sto facendo questa cosa del gioco stampato in 3D che dovrebbe in teoria essere una soluzione commerciale per sbarcare il lunario, questo sempre se il fondo di disoccupazione mi da i soldi, se non dovessero vedrò di farlo per i fatti miei anche se il fattore di acquisto di un'altra stampante sarebbe un pò un rischio di investimento, si posso sempre rivenderle e chiudere con sta cosa che tanto non mi sta portando da nessuna parte, penso ancora ai tappeti che se avessi iniziato a giugno già sarei a buon punto, ma lasciamo perdere che mi girano le palle che lei non vuole perché si crea casino e a me girano i coglioni perché mai una volta che mi supporta per una cosa. Si sono un pò demoralizzato, ieri ho mandato il CV ad uno dei soliti che cerca un cuoco, panini, visto che mettono l'annuncio spesso prima o poi mi chiameranno, ma è stata una cosa così.

Riguardo l'arte visiva sono un attimo fermo, anche per quanto riguarda il disegno ma rimedierò, più che altro per via di alcune idee sono un pò bislacche perché sarebbero troppo forti per il pubblico, certo dovrei fregarmene e farle lo stesso ma a che pro per farmi insultare online? No grazie. Dovrei realizzare le maschere Pirandelliane e il trittico di Nietzsche, lo farò prossimamente, pensavo anche di aprire un Instagram così per metterci i pezzi e lanciarmi come artista, tanto oramai tutti si appellano a quello che vogliono perché non posso io? Quanti si innalzano a songwriter/producer/composer/musicista quando in realtà sanno fare 4 accordi o musica copiata col computer, allora io sono un artista visuale.

Detto questo oltre all'appuntamento di consulenza ho anche l'appuntamento col dentista questa settimana, dolori già solo a pensarci, passerà. Devo anche fare la caponata per il milanese, già mi sono preso l'impegno e quindi domani gli mando i dettagli delle cose che servono e così mi guadagno sti soldini che non sono molti ed è una tantum ma che mi possono aiutare. Ok, è ora di tornare a modellare e stampare che ho solo oggi e domani, ed è anche finito il mese.

[draceempressa]

TW chapters before, have always been social and psychological, but chapter 5 in particular is a huge middle finger to stereotype-and common beliefs/views of stereotypes. 

Many assumes Vil’s backstory involved him being poor, but Kalim already proves just because you’re rich doesn’t mean your life have no problem. And before the chapter starts, many people antagonize Vil for he is harsh towards Epel, and he’s the prettily elegant one, “the mean girl”, in haters’ words, when Leona and Idia, who are objectively bigger jerks, who are understandably more disliked in-universe, get passed in the fandom for they are relatable/more masculine/boyish. Yes, ugly people have their own problem. That doesn’t mean pretty people don’t have their problem, ranging from being harassed, prejudiced as superficial or being bitch, etc.

Media and culture, for years, have been painting masculinity as strength and femininity as weakness, lawful is bad and chaotic is good, the beautiful/elegant people is wrong and the cute ones are innocent/on the right side. 

Riddle already have it bad for he is lawful, but Vil has it worse for he is not only lawful, but also being feminine and pretty. Not to say we have to be unreasonably lawful like Riddle or super strict like Vil, what’s I’m trying to say is, the mindset of law and femininity is purely bad and chaos and masculinity is purely good is wrong-though,  generally “pure” mindset is wrong. 

Related to this, TW actually run on gray morality, not black and white. You’re too black and you get hated (like Leona and Idia) , but if you’re too white you get laughed (like Deuce, Jack, Kalim) And it’s fine. Everyone can be both wrong and right in different times , and that’s how it is in real life too. Nobody is pure evil nor they are pure good . Purity  (in concept and principle)is never good actually.

Many people are rooting for Epel for the points above, for he is both chaotic and want to be masculine, and antagonize the pretty, lawful and feminine Vil, but overtime fandom are proven to be wrong. Pome chapter is huge callout for  the stereotyping mindset, as well, the previous points. What Epel wants isn’t “for people to look past his looks”, it’s “to be as masculine as possible in both looks and personality” . He is not fighting prejudice, he is simply giving in to the idea of toxic masculinity. He doesn’t want people to think he’s a badass despite his look, he want to be beefy so ppl can tell he’s a badass in first glance.  His idea of masculinity is to talk shit to people , be beefy as possible, to pick fights and only fight with fists. He is projecting the idea of masculinity to Jack, like how he says he wants to be beefy as Jack. It’s like when girls using a model, or basically someone else, to be her base of ideal beauty, which is equally unhealthy. It’s not fine even if it’s boys who do it, as it’s still not accepting who you actually are. 

Speaking about Jack, he too is a victim of prejudice. In his robe story, Ace is surprised he’s from Pyroxene and not the Savannah., implying the prejudice beastmen only come from the savannah (and gladly Riddle immediately calls Ace out for it),  in his voice lines, he is offended by  Ruggie’s disbelief reaction when he says he never got red mark in exams, and he is also offended when MC is shocked he says he want to go to the library, implying the prejudice “beefy men must be brainless muscle”. Jack, is still proud of his beastmen heritage and is sporty and active, but he is also fighting prejudice of beefy men are dumbasses by studying as hard as he does his physical exercises. 

We are also fed by culture and media that the word “ugly” and “beautiful” is limited to just visual things, when Pomefiore, Rook and Vil makes it clear “beauty” is everything that can be your advantage/power or your every good trait (like being unyielding, having bond and understanding others, and having special code of conduct). Which it means, the opposite also applies-that the word “ugly”  Vil mentioned to himself before his overblot is more referring to his other traits. That he finally cheats, that he is weak and gives in to his stress-if he thinks strength is beautiful then he must thought weakness is ugly. 

Not to say looks doesn’t matter, because it is, as we humans are visual creatures, and if visuals don’t matter, we don’t only wouldn’t have fashion or beauty care products, or visual arts, but even visual informations like newspapers, books, or even socmed pages, and fashion can be a form of self expression. The problem is when people don’t use their brain and see past through someone’s looks. Looks is part of one’s identity, but it’s not all there is to them.

Riddle paints himself as the judge and executioner, not only establishing law of the Queen of Hearts but also punishes people who crossed her rules on the place with his UM and decapitating them from their magic. Vil, meanwhile, paints himself as a tutor. He’s strict, but he’s not lawful for the sake of law. He seeks to help people grow, to taught people things, but being strict teacher he is, he refuses to teach in first go, letting you try your own method first (Deuce’s lab coat story),or that  when he agrees to help, he will teach you how to do it instead of doing it and gives you the final result (Jamil’s dorm uniform) . He is explicitly nicer to people who are willing to learn (his own Halloween card) Alternatively, he can be pestered to help (Halloween, Malleus pretty much pestering him with the whole western dragon vs eastern dragon difference for one hour ), or,despite all his complaints, he will help anyway (Ghost Marriage, Vil mentions Idia often asks for his help) . He also congratulates ppl who did grow well, even if they did beat him. (fairy gala ending, Epel when finally admitting cuteness is advantage too, Deuce right after he beats him) ,  he is fine with people hating him as long they actually develop themselves-that he thinks his responsibility is to help ppl grow, not to make ppl simply adore him (his own dorm uniform)And he also breaks the pattern of great seven incarnate harassing MC and gets gradually more hostile about it. He can also appreciate other’s kindness (his own robe story), as well strong point (PE voice line, he openly admits Epel’s strong point in flying), and can even show some sympathy (not empathy ) (Ortho’s ceremony gear)

Leona insults others to feed his superiority inferiority complex and knows where it hurt (like calling Riddle Red Midget or bastard octopus to Azul-note, that was the insult Azul used on himself on his self deprecating moment after his overblot) , Vil insults other as the ones he deems unworthy yet to call with name, but potatoes, French for potatoes is “earth’s apple”, also back in the day ppl are scared to eat potatoes bc they are still related to nightshade/belladonna and said to be devil’s plant , only after they get past the prejudice they eat potatoes. So yeah if he call you by name , it means he already acknowledge you to certain degree, and if he still uses vegetables he’s still deems you unworthy-no romantic hc blogs it’s not what he will call his s/o

Fandom complained, “save Epel, he doesn’t fit in Pomefiore, and he’s stuck” but is he? He did , in fact, have a choice, mentioned in Jade’s dorm uniform by Vil “You know how to change dorms, right Epel?” It’s by his  own admission he stays in Pomefiore bc his pride to prove Vil wrong that “cute isn’t a strength on its own”  Besides, Pome isn’t just about being yourself (despite being art neurodivergent and defying gender norms), it’s also not about picking your fight-instead, it’s about picking the method.

Again, we are fed to the idea femininity is weak by other media and culture. In TW,yes,  Vil is obectively the most feminine of TW cast, but weak? Definitely not.He can beat the beefy guys physically (PE uniform voice line), easily, and magically, he is strong enough to be able to make barrier than can protect people from MALLEUS (Cater halloween) , and when he’s overblot, he is the only one so far you failed to beat until Deuce used the counterattack using his own magic. Kalim isn’t joking or is in the clouds when he says Vil is one of the strongest mage of the school.

Yes, Yana says fuck patterns and stereotypes, but it’s not like she pulls plot twists randomly out of her ass.She always put foreshadowings first. Vil being bullying victim already mentioned as early as his robe story,, that the overblot cause is always something that is already problem to them even BEFORE NRC-Epel was able to curb people before NRC and get away with being a jerk, it wasn’t until Vil beat him in opening day that he started to be stressed about the whole manner thing.  that he doesn’t like things that doesn’t last from his school uniform, and the previous mentions of Vil’s tutor traits above that he’s not as malicious , not just the mean girl fandom make him to be. Chapter titles always refer to the local great seven incarnate, not specifically the prefect. “Desert’s Tactician” is clearly Jamil, not Kalim.Being a strategist is certainly not Kalim’s trait. Chapter title not referring to him, he wasn’t stressed before NRC, and the blot dripping scene happes without him, why the surprise it’s not Epel who overblot ? the build up is all there.

[loopy777]

whats your thoughts on Venom, the green goblin and doctor octopus, the three characters who are generally held up as spidermans archenemies? which one do you think has the best potential as spidermans definite enemy if they were written perfectly, and which series do you think had the best portrayal of each of them respectively?

If I had to crown THE Spider-Man Archnemesis, I would have to give it to Green Goblin. Doc Ock is the oldest, and the first to both defeat Spider-Man and make him consider quitting, but ultimately Norman has taken more from Spidey, gotten more personal in their conflict, and created more of a legacy for the mythos. Sorry, Otto.

That said, I don’t really like designating a single archnemesis for Spidey because Norman hasn’t completely dominated the field. Ock runs the Sinister Six, Spidey’s big Villain Team and one of the best Villain Teams in all of superhero comics. (And let’s face it, the Legion of Doom is bigger only because DC characters got more media exposure for a long time and Superman’s villains are so good that Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and Bizarro lift up the likes of Solomon Grundy and Cheetah when they’re all on a team together.) Venom has the whole Evil Knockoff thing going and a unique and terrifying ‘stalker’ gimmick that puts him in a special class, not to mention how he directly overpowers or counters all Spidey’s abilities.

And, honestly, the whole ‘Goblin’ gimmick is kind of arbitrary and has nothing to do with spiders. Clowns and bats don’t have a direct relation, but at least they’re opposites in terms of color and purpose, so Batman and Joker kind of seem like twisted rivals. Goblins and spiders are only linked in that they’re both kind of Halloweeny, but Spider-Man has little to do with Halloween or spooky stuff, anyway. But I better cut this line of thought off before I start explaining how Spider-Man shouldn’t be Spider-Man at all and him being Frog-Man would make just as much sense and then we wouldn’t have to deal with pictures of icky spiders in all Spider-Man media.

But yeah, Norman Osborne is still indisputably a cut above the others.

Ock is really just a typical mad scientist with a robot-arm gimmick that allows him to directly fight with Spider-man. He’s well-written and constructed, granted, and I love how his arrogance contrasts with Peter’s humility, how they’re such opposites in terms of empathy, and how different their paths become after science-based accidents that granted them unusual powers. Bendis’s “Ultimate Spider-Man” comics nicely honed in on this theme, and I also appreciate how both Stan Lee’s prose story in the unrelated “Ultimate Spider-Man” short story collection (...it’s a title Marvel loves to reuse for some reason) and John Byrne’s attempted origin revision linked the irradiated spider to the explosion that created Ock. All great villains should be dark reflections of their heroes, but while Ock has gotten some great stories that make him a top-tier villain, he still offers little storytelling potential beyond his mad scientist archetype. Now, I know what comics-readers are thinking at this point: Yes, I did read the original “Superior Spider-Man” run and I think there’s some real potential there, but honestly I feel like it was under-served by Dan Slott’s pacing and foibles. And I haven’t seen an adaptation of it yet that I think really fulfills the possibilities. But the idea is great, so maybe Otto will get his chance to level up his rivalry with Spider-Man.

Venom’s problem is that he’s a little too focused on his revenge on Spider-Man. The stories where he stalks Spidey, wandering into Peter’s life to fold laundry with Aunt May, popping up to have a surprise tussle with Spidey just to throw him off-balance, etc- Those are great and make Venom seem super-scary, especially since Spidey can’t beat Venom in a fight without some kind of edge or gimmick. But all Venom wants is revenge on Spidey, so after he’s failed a few times to get it, what do you do with the character? He’s not scary if he keeps failing. The original idea was to have the symbiote pass on from Eddie Brock and take on other hosts, and that might have opened the door for some new kinds of stories. I know this was eventually implemented 20 years later, with the original Scorpion getting to be Venom for a while, and symbiotes becoming a whole Thing with a bunch in various colors, but I didn’t read any of those stories and they don’t seem to have left much impression on the general Spider-Man fandom. Ultimately, it was chosen to ‘redeem’ Eddie Brock and make Venom into an “anti-hero” (for a definition of the term that means “protagonist who kills people but doesn’t have to worry about that whole ‘consistently laid low by their fatal flaw’ thing”) which did sell a bunch of comics in the 90′s and set up some tension-filled team-ups with Spidey. Nice idea, if implemented in a really shaggy way, but -- again -- what do you do after that? Venom/Eddie isn’t really a compelling lead who you can keep telling stories about. (Yes, I saw the Venom movie. It has like two minutes of amusing material and two hours of boring dreck, and none of it is memorable.) And making him evil again runs into the same problem as having left him evil in the first place. Venom was a good idea whose time came and went, and perhaps someone will find a way to make him fresh again. But until then, I think he gets by more on his visuals than anything.

The Green Goblin, in contrast, has a lot going for him in terms of storytelling potential. He’s a mad scientist, a wanna-be crime boss, a dark shadow of his civilian identity looking for revenge and/or illicit thrills, and personally has that ongoing personal hatred/rivalry for Spider-Man. That offers a whole bunch of storytelling paths, all of which have been taken and proven fruitful over the years. And that’s without getting into how Norman Osborne is the father of Peter’s best friend Harry, a flawed father figure to Peter in his own right, a ruthless millionaire industrialist before Lex Luthor gave it a try, and another dark reflection of the paths Peter could have taken in both aspects of his life. Even when Norman is dead, his legacy continued to be felt for 20-odd years with how Harry fell from grace. You can even link Norman to his spin-off the Hobgoblin; just Norman’s equipment getting passed on created another enduring villain. And, again, that’s without even looking at Norman’s murder of the one-time romantic lead Gwen Stacy being the event that ended the Silver Age of comics. Norman Osborne is just plain a truly great, versatile villainous character who has managed, despite being almost 60 years old, to still maintain an “Oh, no!” impact among Spidey fans when he shows up. Sure, there have been bad stories about him, and some over-exposure at times, but that hasn’t diminished his impact or ongoing potential.

As for portrayals, I’m overall a fan of the 90′s animated series and their takes. That show really petered out after a few seasons, but it introduced Ock with a bang and got a lot of mileage out of him. Venom got to do the whole scary stalker thing, and then the show put him on a shelf until his ‘redeeming’ death to avoid over-exposure, so that worked out fairly well. And while it’s odd how Kingpin and Hobgoblin took over most of the Green Goblin’s role in Spider-Man’s stories, what we did get of Norman was good, and the performance that went into the Green Goblin really sold the weird psychology of the character. Those three villains definitely got a chance to shine in this series, even if Green Goblin was under-used.

I also think the Sam Raimi movies overall did a good job. Green Goblin was perfect- aside from the costume. Willem Dafoe utterly nailed every aspect of the character, right down to the body language, and the movie did a good job condensing his rivalry with Spider-Man into a single movie. As for Doctor Octopus, I’m of two minds about how he got a sympathetic backstory and characterization. On the one hand, it made him a more compelling character and Alfred Molina danced nicely between the human side and the villainous side. On the other hand, though, Ock has classically never really been sympathetic; he’s an utter monster in behavior, and the insertions of bullying in his backstory have never changed that. Venom is the only one I think didn’t really get a chance in these movies; I like this version of Eddie Brock (really!), but he barely got an opportunity to be Venom and you can tell no aspect of the character really inspired the storytellers.

Spectacular Spider-Man, naturally, did a good job. I think this version of Green Goblin is the best of them all; I even got my DVD set signed by Steve Blum! Ock was also done well, getting to be the Master Planner as well as leader of the Sinister Six, although I don’t think I quite buy the timidity they gave the character before the accident. Similarly, I didn’t buy Eddie’s fall from grace as Peter’s best friend; one episode he’s upset because Peter’s blowing him off for hanging out, and the next episode he’s nearly killing Mary Jane just to mess with Peter. You might as well just start with Eddie being a monster, like the Raimi movie did.

I also think Bendis’s Ultimate comics did well by all three characters. I’m not really a fan of Goblin-Hulk, but Norman’s impact was fully in effect (even if we had yet another toothless homage to Gwen Stacey’s death with Mary Jane getting thrown off a bridge and surviving), and they fit him well into the Super-Soldier Arms Race aspect of the setting. Ock got some really great use, including an arc of character development and ‘redemption’ that still managed to allow him to be an arrogant monster to the end. Venom was under-used, but this might be the best ever interpretation of Eddie Brock and obviously inspired the Raimi version, and I love the origin of the symbiote here and how it tied to Peter’s father. My only complaint is that after that first great story, Bendis didn’t seem to quite know what to do with Venom; the video game and its comic adaptation seemed to be setting him up for more, but that didn’t come to anything.

So, those are my thoughts. As a Spider-Man fan, I think I’m spoiled for choice in picking an achnemesis. Despite the little flaws that keep Ock and Venom from topping the Green Goblin, they’re still heavy-hitters as comic book villains and could run the game in the rogues gallery of most other superheroes. But Spidey has one of the best sets of villains in the business, so that’s not surprising.

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of Marvel: Week of August 28th, 2019

Best of this Week: Spider-Man Life Story #6: The ‘10s - Chip Zdarsky, Mark Bagley, Drew Hennessy, Frank D’Armata and Travis Lanham

All good things must come to an end. That’s the main theme of this final issue of Chip Zdarsky and Mark Bagley’s phenomenal Life Story miniseries as it recounts the last adventure that Spider-Man goes on as he leaves the world free and safe in the capable hands of the new generation of superheroes.

Comic books are cyclical. For some heroes, you get a short run, 6-12 issues and then they disappear for years until they’re needed again for some big event. For the bigger heroes, there are ongoing series that last years upon years with some BIG changes that inevitably get reversed for the sake of reestablishing the status quo. It’s understandable, recognizable names draw big money, but there’s only so many times you can see a hero fight a particular villain before it becomes trite and meaningless.

The same goes for their daily lives as well. Peter Parker has been stuck as a meandering young adult for the better part of a decade since the events of One More Day and he hasn’t been allowed to grow past his immaturity, save for the few times when the situations have become desperate and dire. Spider-Man: Renew Your Vows tried to posit a family man Peter Parker in an alternate universe, but for the most part he came off as just regular Peter with a kid to banter off of. Nick Spencer and Tom Taylor are doing their best in their respective Spider-Man series to get Spider-Man back to a position where things actively change for him, but Chip Zdarsky has gone the extra mile.

The Spider-Man Life Story miniseries goes through Peter’s life if he actually aged with the decades that all of his comics took place in. He goes through the struggles of being an American citizen straddling the fence during Vietnam, the aftermath boiling to a superhuman civil war, a better Clone Saga of the 90s, Aunt May’s death, the start of the information age and finally having children and watching them grow up. Peter Parker is allowed to grow old, change with the times. He sees old friends die, new heroes emerge, give his take on current events of the time and it’s all been amazing.

I know I mentioned that fighting the same villains over and over can seem trite and meaningless, but that’s only when they’re done for the sake of being done. In this fantastic take on the Superior Spider-Man story, Peter and Otto have their absolute final confrontation with one another over the body and soul of the young Miles Morales. Peter and Miles are shot into space to stop some sort of satellite created by Doctor Doom that allowed him to fill the power vacuum left by Captain America and Iron Man’s Civil War. As the two explore, Peter is attacked by Kraven wearing the Venom symbiote, but he dispatches the villain easily and it’s revealed that the suit was just piloting a are skeleton.

Miles questions how it was possible and Peter replies that all of his old enemies are dead and rightfully accuses Miles of being Otto Octavius, Doctor Octopus. Otto reveals his scheme, but instead of fighting Pete physically, he chooses instead to go into the mindscape and have a battle of the intellect as they were always destined to do. 

Bagey pulls out all of his stops as he draws Spider-Man costumes from the various decades as well as beautifully illustrates some of the best of Spider-Man’s rogues gallery as they battle for supremacy. Set against a white background, the characters shine with their vibrant colors, dynamic posing and Bagley’s ever amazing facial expressions. I have never seen Otto look so menacingly mad and subsequently, once Peter defeats him, absolutely crushed. 

Using the only person that Peter knew Otto cared about, Aunt May, she’s able to convince Otto to let go of his hatred and rage. She tells him to let Miles live his life, to move on. I really felt this and inside, it feels like Zdarsky is also telling us that sometimes we have to let the status quo go. Spider-Man has been around for longer than some of us have been alive and will be long after most of us are gone. Do we really want him to be the same mid-20s to early 30s hero that we knew, or do we want to spend our time with someone new? Miles Morales is a little more than ten years old, he’s fairly young as a character and I wholeheartedly believe that he can carry on the Spider-Man name on his own.

As the satellite starts to collapse and there’s only one escape pod left, Peter chooses to save Miles and sacrifice himself so that the future can flourish in peace due to his heroism. It’s a true heroes death and something that we almost never see (and likely never will), but if this were a true moment of closure, then I would be happy with it. Peter Parker is known for having more guilt than a Catholic who hasn’t been to Mass for a month (or Daredevil) and as he finally closes his eyes for the final time, he has a nice conversation with Mary Jane and recounts his recurring dream of the day he truly learned about power and responsibility. The last panel is his guilt finally being washed away.

If there is one series I would recommend anyone read, hands down, without a doubt it would be this one. Chip Zdarsky has a strange yet beautiful understanding of how to tell a story with characters that some of us know better than our own family members. Mark Bagley has the art skills to make us care about them immensely as well. Putting these two together as well as their amazing inker in Andrew Hennessy and colorist in Frank D’Armata, they sell you on each decade presented and how Peter changes throughout. 

Spider-Man isn’t the same plucky youth we met in the 1960s. By the end of his story, he’s led a full life full of adventure and his time has been well spent making sure that it was a future worth living in. Isn’t that something that we all can only dream of?

---------------------------------------------------

God is Here.

Runner Up: Absolute Carnage #2 - Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, JP Mayer, Frank Martin and Clayton Cowles

After the events of the last issue there aren’t enough words to describe just how hopeless things are looking for anyone who has ever worn a symbiote.

Spider-Man and venom have been backed into a corner by Carnage and his horde of infected inmates at the Ravencroft Asylum. With no other options Eddie decides it best to break out and punches a hole through the wall for a tactical retreat. Eddie is typically known for his ability to brute force his way through any problem, but Carnage is a new monster altogether and as he sees Spider-Man running out of energy, he gives into the fear that they might die.

In the past, the combined might of Spider-Man and Venom has been more than enough to combat Cletus Kasady. Even when Cletus had help, he still couldn't hold a candle to the heroes, but now, they're almost low tier by comparison.

Spider-Man notes that he's almost out of web fluid, so there's no way that they're swinging out of there, so Eddie and the Symbiote utilize one of their badass upgrades, spreads his wings and flies out of Ravencroft with Peter screaming frantically "WHATISGOINGONRIGHTNOWIHATEALLOFIT!" They then land on a roof in the city, defeated and horrified that they may not be able to stop Carnage this time.

Spider-Man says that he'll try to get a hold of Wolverine and Captain America and Eddie says that he'll go find any of the lowlifes that have been Symbiotes and the two split to complete their missions. Carnage chooses not to follow after them, instead he waits and plots. This issue then turns into a bit of a catch up game for the other tie in issues while Carnage gloats to Norman that everything is running smoothly and that the world will be painted red soon enough.

Ryan Stegman absolutely smashes the art in this issue with absolutely killer detail, expressions of fear and disgusting visuals, especially in Carnage's underground lair - The sprawling mass of symbiotic flesh that covers New York's sewage system, packed full of infected humans is a dreadful sight. In the beginning of the issue, Stegman drew a splash page of Carnage with other panels overlaid, showing one of his eyes of madness and the decayed flesh that's absolutely under the symbiote. It's an absolutely terrifying sight that set the tone of this horror show.

Not only were these shots great, but Stegman kills one of the moments that happens in the Miles Morales tie-in where Miles and Scorpion (Mac Gargan) fight off the infected hordes trying to take Gargan's spine. In the tie-in, the art is more subdued and less violent, but here, Stegman turns it into something to get squeamish over. Gargan tries to abandon Miles to fight the infected alone, but is thrown back into the fight by Venom.

Unfortunately, Carnage is there waiting to pounce. He plunges a tendril into Mac's back and DIGS around to get that spine. There's no need to leave anything to the imagination as the blood spurts out, Gargan screams in agony and Kasady looks like he's having the goddamned time of his life. Mayer and Martin's colors and inks really sell just how violent all of this is. It's almost gross just how close they get the color right and how dark the scene is. Miles swoops in to save him, but… no good deed goes unpunished.

Absolute Carnage absolutely does what it set out to do. I have never been more afraid for the Marvel Universe than I am right now. Of course, there have been universal threats, but with how close and personal this feels and the looming feeling of dread knowing that Knull is THIS close to returning is mortifying. Normally a villain will just kill a hero or destroy them and whatnot, but Carnage wants nothing but massacre. If there's not torture and blood then what is it all worth?

Everything that Cates and Stegman have been building to has lead us here. To say that it's beginning to lay off would be an understatement. The dividends of fear are fore more exponential than anyone could have anticipated and this will likely go down as one of the greatest Venom/Carnage stories ever written. Absolute High Recommend.

[mikehawthorne]

I started this sketchbook when I agreed to sign onto the Superior Spider-man series (beginning with Superior Octopus). The plan was for the sketchbook to serve as a visual bible for the series. Just about finished the sketchbook, and I’m thinking of making it a PDF collection for my Gumroad site. Any interest from you folks? #SuperiorSpiderman #Spiderman #SuperiorOctopus #Marvel #comics #marvelcomics #comicart #sketchbook #sketch #sketchart #artcollection #Gumroad #instaartist #instaart #pencildrawing #pencil #pencilsketch https://www.instagram.com/p/BxsTivNDEyS/?igshid=1xjvkc3es72xx

[hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger]

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (semi-stream of consciousness) Thoughts Part 2: A Superior Spider-Miles

Lets talk about how this movie handled its primary protagonist, Miles Morales. SPOILERS ahead.

Look I could just go on for ages listing off specific examples of how this movie is hilarious, action packed, emotional and so on, but I think you can take that as a given. It’s all round great okay, so let’s maybe talk in more specifics.

Miles Morales is of course the primary character in this movie.

As I began to get at in the last part of my thoughts on this film, there is a distinction to be made between the primary protagonist and the sole or main protagonist.

In Spider-Man movies of the past there has been one main character, one protagonist, one lead character, Peter Parker of course.

This movie doesn’t simply switch that focus to Miles because that would mean the other characters who get play are supporting players in Miles’ story and that is not the case.

This is an ensemble/team story with Miles as the central focus of that team.

I suppose the most apt comparison would be that in Lord of the Rings Frodo might be the primary character but Sam, Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf and Gimli are more than merely supporting players in the story, they are vital and integral protagonists along with Frodo, even if the story belongs more to Frodo than to them.

So Miles in this movie = Frodo, even right down to having his mentor die and his uncle be semi-nasty.

As such most of the characters featured in the movie are filtered through the lens of serving the story wherein Miles is the heart and soul of the piece.

We will discuss the other characters a bit more in a future instalment, but broadly speaking their roles in relation to Miles is to serve as a barometer of how far he has to come to truly become a Spider-Hero among their ranks. This is after all his origin story and unlike the Maguire or Garfield Spider-Men he lacks the benefit of a montage sequence or time skip to herald in his experience.

The film follows his origin very linearly across the space of what at best is a few weeks thus we truly see Miles clear progression from unable to control even his wall-crawling to fully fledged Spider-Hero. Albeit one who still has much to learn and stumbles from time to time.

It is a beautifully executed arc that allows Miles to far more earnestly earn the mantle of Spider-Man compared to his comic book counterpart.

Indeed this version of Miles and his origin is for the most part grossly superior to how Bendis did it in the Ultimate Universe.

The singular drawback of the film’s take on Miles’ origin is that it is comparatively less grounded than Miles’ in the comics due to the presence of parallel universes, global/universal stakes and things of that nature.

However the film perfectly justifies this as a more faithful rendition of Miles origin simply would never have worked.

I’ve said countless times before in defiance of those foolishly insisting that Miles Morales should have been the Spider-Man of the MCU that this was utterly impractical.

And one the biggest reasons for this is the fact that Miles simply doesn’t have enough source material upon which to base a trilogy of movies.

This is owed to his being created as recently as 2011, his adventures being frequently derailed by crossovers and tie-ins with other characters (thus defeating the purpose of stories focussed upon him) and his stories playing out under the ‘written for the trade’ format. This means that whilst there were around 24 stories about Peter Parker in the first 28 issues of ASM’s publication (excluding annuals, but including his entire high school career) there was in truth just 7 in Miles’ first 28 issues. And not all 7 of those would have been useable in a film adaptation.

In fact if we consider just the first two (and most critically acclaimed) live action Spider-Man movies we can see that they combined elements from across Spider-Man’s then 40+ year history.

Spider-Man one combined elements of Spider-Man’s origin, the retelling of said origin from Ultimate Spider-Man, The Death of Gwen Stacy, ASM Annual #39, ASM Annual #9 and multiple other smaller elements from Spider-Man’s wider history, such as his job at the Bugle, his relationship with Mary Jane, etc.

Spider-Man 2, whilst chiefly based upon Spider-Man No More (ASM #50), also combined elements from ASM Annual #1, the broader concept of Doctor Octopus from his decades of history, ASM volume 2 #38 and other things I’m sure I am forgetting.

Again, not every Spider-Man story unto itself was particularly friendly towards being adapted into film but such a rich history made cherry picking workable elements to form a movie possible.

Miles possessing a shorter, more linear and decompressed history makes this much harder. Compounding the problem was that in order to introduce Miles to wider audiences necessitated doing an origin movie for him.

In 2018 superhero origin movies are something of a touchy subject in the wake of in excess of two decades worth of them, and for there to have been a less that 20 years a THIRD film presenting a story about a scientifically gifted NYC dwelling teenager to be bitten by a spider, gain super powers that he does not immediately use altruistically, thus generating guilt that propels him to wear web spandex and become a hero was never ever going to fly.

Unfortunately Miles’ origin is one of his relatively few reliably ‘filmic’ storylines. In fact this movie combines his origin story with elements from the second Miles story arc featuring his uncle the Prowler as well as the Spider-Men mini-series and the crossover between him and Spider-Gwen.

Oh and the Spider-Verse crossover (though in truth I think the movie owes more to the grand finale of the 1994 Spidey cartoon).

Oh and technically elements from every individual Spider-Hero they adapt into the movie, so Spider-Man: Noir, Spider-Gwen’s SP//dr’s origins from Edge of Spider-Verse (which were both anthology one shots) and Marvel Tails (Spider-Ham’s origin). And let’s not forget tiny elements from Peter’s history, including his marriage to Mary Jane, the Death of Spider-Man arc from Ultimate, etc.

There is after all a reason this movie isn’t called ‘Spider-Man: Miles Morales’ or something like that and rather ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’.

Sony Animation wisely realized they had to /out of necessity had to overlay Miles’ origin with a whole other story and then emebellish both by cherry picking from the wider Spider-Man franchise.

Because Miles on his own, especially if you just did his origin, wasn’t going to be enough.

What is to be praised though is how organically the film makers weave (no pun intended) the different storylines together and improve upon the source material.

Much like Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man PS4 before them, they recognized certain weaknesses in said source material (Miles’ origin and the Spider-Verse crossover) and turned the subpar lemons they got into delicious lemonade.

In this movie Miles has only recently begun attending the Brooklyn Visions Academy and the film first and foremost focuses upon his home life and as a consequence this mitigates Miles attendance to a school the likes of which most teens do not attend, making him more relatable.

Also appreciated is the de-emphasis upon his being ‘just a good kid’ and science skills.

In the comics these are aspects that respectively undermine the idea of him as a flawed hero and make him too similar to Peter Parker.

Peter Parker was founded upon the basis of being both a hero with problems and an imperfect person. When Miles uses his powers to risk his life and save people from a burning building within a few days of getting them, it makes him come across as a good, nice and admirable person for sure. But that’s not exactly the right philosophical approach to Spider-Man. Peter Parker was selfish and irresponsible with his abilities and nursed pent up frustration when he got his powers. He was a good person but far from immediately altruistic.

Miles in this movie has an artistic side and employs that to make stylized stickers he slaps around the city and at times engaging in graffiti. He also finds studying an incredible burden and purposefully tries to fail his classes in order to get kicked out of the school he feels is elitist and doesn’t fit in at.

Miles is a million miles away from a criminal or a vandal of course, but these minor bits of misbehaviour do much to sell the idea of Miles as more well rounded and flawed like Peter was, but in a very different way. Similarly his artistic side gives him a unique interest distinct from Peter’s passion for science, whilst the movie still sells him as intelligent (but not the science whiz Peter is). His artistic side is also used beautifully in the third act of the movie where he uses spray cans to customize one of Spider-Man’s classic red and blue costumes and turn it into his black and red comic book costume, or at least a version close enough to it.

As far as making Miles a legacy character is concerned this is perhaps an absolute stroke of genius.

The symbolism of it is just delicious isn’t it?

Miles the inheritor of Peter’s legacy literally wears Peter’s suit then uses his own special skills to make it his own. He does however leave the fingers of the gloves unchanged thus the costume incorporates a clear visual signifier that beneath it lies the original costume, thus the original Spider-Man will always be beneath Miles helping to be the basis of who he is as a hero.

The transformation is made all the more compelling when we consider that there is a clear visual progression for Miles throughout the movie.

In the first third or so of the movie he is simply in his regular clothes. Then in the second third when he adopts a cheap high street Spider-Man costume. Then in the last act he adopts his comic book suit covered up by street clothes as the posters for the movie make clear, before shedding the clothes and unveiling the finished costume.

Its one of those things you just feel frustrated wasn’t in the original comics version of the story

Miles goes from a normal person, to someone trying and failing to be Spider-Man, to being someone ready to take the leap and become Spider-Man (symbolized by his wearing his costume under normal clothes, in other words infusing Spider-Man as part of his normal life) to finally BEING his own Spider-Man.

This new approach to the costume isn’t just superior to how the comics handled it, it highlights part of the problem with how Miles adopted his suit in the comics. There Miles was simply handed his costume courtesy of Nick Fury. This again undermined Miles as a successor Spider-Man because it meant Miles, unlike Peter didn’t make his own suit (or at least stylize it himself, like Ultimate Peter did) and thus undermined his sense of independence.

In this version of the story Miles might not have literally sewn together his costume but he also wasn’t just handed the suit. He actively seeks it out and is permitted to have it by Aunt May before taking it and literally making it his own. This accentuates the idea of Miles as his own man as much as it does him being a legacy to Peter.

Speaking of which the movie also alters Miles relation to Peter’s death. In the original story Miles saves a family from a burning building then resolves to never use his powers again. Awhile after he learns Spider-Man has been shot as part of his final battle with the Green Goblin and heads over to the battlefield just in time to witness Peter’s death. He blames himself for not using his abilities thinking that if he had this would have led to him befriending Peter and being in the loop, allowing him to help him when the time came. His BFF Ganke dissuades him of this notion. Whilst Miles can still be interpreted to hold guilt over Peter’s death his role in it is far more tenuous than Peter’s role in Uncle Ben’s death and the personal pain Miles feels is somewhat questionable.

But in the movie, Miles is present for the final battle as it happens, he interacts with Spider-Man. First by him saving Miles, then promising to train him and finally imploring him to destroy the Kingpin’s machine to ensure the city’s safety. Miles considers helping Spider-Man but is too scared to do so, he witnesses Kingpin murdering him and fails to destroy the machine as he promised. Then he goes home somewhat traumatized and very clearly deeply upset by Spider-Man’s death.

This makes Peter’s death cut much, much deeper for Miles than in the comics, adds a layer of guilt to him and drive to become Spider-Man and truly save the city so he can live up to the promise he made to a dying hero. So again, like a perfect legacy character, the movie renders Miles similar yet different to the original hero.

Other improvements made to Miles himself includes the way the movie handled his powers. Rather than having Miles easily have access to all his abilities the film unveils them gradually and doesn’t give him particular control over them.

Whilst by the end of the movie Miles is mostly fighting and web-swinging like a pro, he spends most of the movie bumbling around. Usually I hate this in Spider-Man media but here it works. Unlike in Homecoming where we are expected to believe Spider-Man after nearly a year is still a jackass, Miles has literally only had his powers for maybe a few weeks at the absolute most has had little chance to practice or refine them (even comic book Peter did a little bit via his show business career). Moreover whilst most versions of Peter make him relatively competent very quickly (presumably a biproduct of his scientific acumen) having Miles NOT be like that again works for his character.

Having Miles be less competent than Peter was off the bat again makes him more distinct than Peter and frankly is a better way to handle most legacy characters. When a legacy character is actively removed so as to allow for a replacement to fill their role one of the worst things you can do is have the replacement measure up to the skill of their predecessor particularly quickly. You want them to earn that role and begin with a major skill gap that they gradually improve upon. Case in point in the excellent Batman Beyond TV show, Terry McGinnis did not in his first season have anywhere near the competency of Bruce Wayne in his prime. He had talent but it grew over time.

In the comics whilst one could argue Miles either wasn’t truly as skilled as Peter was in the same amount of time (or if he was then it was sufficiently justified) a lot of that went out the window when you factor in his invisibility and venom blast powers.

These particular abilities opened up two problems with Miles character. They both over powered him or alternatively made him look foolish.

With the Venom Blast alone Miles could deliver extremely potent finishing moves to various opponents, even electrically powered ones with there being for the most part little limit on the effectiveness of the power. Similarly his invisibility doesn’t seem in my experience to be a power with many drawbacks meaning that between those two abilities alone (let alone his other powers) Miles could simply sneak up on and zap any opponent into submission, even immensely powerful foes like Blackheart.

This creates a Superman problem for Miles where there is either no drama because he could easily end most conflicts or else there is false drama because the stories must wilfully ignore his ability to easily end most conflicts.

The movie side steps these problems by simply making Miles incapable of using these abilities (or his wall crawling) on command until the third act climax, thus Miles isn’t over powered and his mastery of these abilities exists in tandem with his acceptance and transformation into Spider-Man. This is beautifully illustrated by him taking a literal leap of faith from atop a high building and demonstrating he is now fully capable of engaging his wall crawling powers (perhaps Spidey’s most iconic ability) at will.

Whether his invisibility and venom blast powers will be problematic going forward remains to be seen but within the context of this self contained movie, relegating mastery of them to the climax mitigates the problem of potential false drama.

The last bit of improvement this movie made was in his relationship with his ‘Uncle Ben analogues’.

Of course Peter Parker is to Miles what Uncle Ben was to Peter. But Miles also has a literal uncle, Aaron Davis a.k.a. the Prowler.

I already spoke of how the movie greatly improves Miles relationship to Peter’s death, but the movie’s nature as being about parallel universes allows it to have it’s cake and eat it.

Because of course there is another Peter Parker who can function as Miles’ mentor. It is by the way very, very telling that the most acclaimed and beloved versions of Miles (both of whom have come out in 2018) both have Peter Parker as a mentor baked into their origin stories, as the PS4 game did the same thing in a very different way.

Whilst PS4 Peter and Miles are akin to an older and younger brother, movie Peter and Miles are more like father and son or uncle and nephew or perhaps yet more appropriately Peter is the Mr Miyagi/Phil from Disney’s Hercules to Miles’ Daniel LaRusso/Hercules.

Pretty much EVERY Miles fan and a large number of Peter fans love this dynamic. They LOVE seeing Peter as a mentor and Miles as his student.

Even those, like me, who feel that comic book Miles should exist in his own universe independent of Peter Parker, acknowledge there is fertile ground from that dynamic that should be cultivated.

And yet frustratingly in spite of crossovers when they lived in different dimensions and guest appearances when they lived in the same one, this well of potential has remained untapped. As much as the comics pay lip service to Peter as Miles’ mentor the truth is it is simply not a thing in the comic books, Peter Parker has never truly trained Miles.

This movie gives us some training scenes but more poignantly interpersonal bonding scenes where both characters grow and improve via their relationship with one another.

Then you get to Uncle Aaron. In the Ultimate comics Aaron was a super villain thief who sought to use his nephew for his own gain, was willing to kill him and then presumably died. Then crazy shit happened because of Secret Wars but that isn’t important.

In the movie though, Uncle Aaron starts off as the cool uncle and rogue to Miles as in the comics, and is changed from merely a thief to also hired (and very deadly) muscle. However unlike the comic he never uses Miles and his attempts to kill him only occur when he does not know who he is. Arguably the most dramatic and engaging scene in the movie is when he finally learns who Miles is and we see him make a fateful choice...to protect his nephew. And immediately die at the hands of Kingpin for it.

Instantly Aaron is transformed into a more compelling, nuanced and realistic character. Frankly the vast majority of uncles really WOULD protect their nieces or nephews rather than harm them, and this juxtaposed with his role in Spider-Man’s death makes Aaron a more grey and sympathetic character than his comic counterpart.

His death is arguably overly derivative of Miles but this is offset by the presence of Miles’ still very much alive parents. After all there is a critical difference between being motivated by a fallen hero and/or your uncle vs. your father figure as Uncle Ben was to Peter. The scene is then touchingly used as a springboard to showcase how each of the Spider-Heroes has lost someone and been driven by this and for the arguably OTHER most compelling scene in the movie. Jefferson and Miles’ conversation through the door, which then leads into Miles final transformation into Spider-Man.

Finally the conceit of the parallel universe idea allows for the movie to once again have it’s cake and eat it in regards to Miles’ role as Spider-Man within his universe.

Miles gets to transform into Spider-Man due to the direct involvement of Spider-Man, but he also gets to be the Spider-Man who picked up a fallen hero’s mantle and become THE Spider-Man of his world, meaning he isn’t over shadowed by the presence of another Spider-Man simultaneously. Plus he has access to all of Peter’s villains most of whom are unique to their more mainstream counter parts, with special attention going to Olivia Octopus.

However you slice it, Sony punched up Miles’ source material and just leaves me abjectly miffed that this version of Miles  isn’t the one we got in the comics.

[octopusmedical]

Octopus Medical's Role as a Leading Surgical Microscope Manufacturer, Exporter, and Supplier in India 

In the realm of modern medicine, precision is paramount. Surgical procedures, especially those involving delicate areas like the brain, eyes, and ears, demand unparalleled accuracy and clarity. This is where surgical microscopes emerge as indispensable tools, enabling surgeons to perform intricate procedures with enhanced visibility and precision. Among the pioneering names in this field stands Octopus Medical, a renowned manufacturer, exporter, and supplier of surgical microscopes in India. 

Octopus Medical prides itself on delivering cutting-edge solutions tailored to the diverse needs of medical professionals across specialties. With a commitment to quality, innovation, and affordability, the company has established itself as a trusted partner in the healthcare industry. Let's delve into the world of Octopus Medical and explore their impressive range of surgical microscopes. 

Unveiling Excellence: Octopus Medical's Product Line 

At the heart of Octopus Medical's offerings lies a spectrum of surgical microscopes designed to meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare. Among their flagship products are the renowned Zeiss OPMI series, renowned for their exceptional optical clarity and ergonomic design. 

Zeiss OPMI 6 on 1880 Stand: Combining advanced optics with ergonomic engineering, the Zeiss OPMI 6 on 1880 Stand redefines precision in surgical microscopy. With its versatile features and superior image quality, this microscope is a preferred choice for neurosurgical procedures, offering unparalleled clarity and depth perception. 

Zeiss OPMI CS on NC-2 Stand: Engineered to deliver optimal performance in ENT surgeries, the Zeiss OPMI CS on NC-2 Stand sets a new standard for precision and versatility. Equipped with intuitive controls and customizable settings, this microscope empowers surgeons to navigate intricate anatomical structures with ease and confidence. 

Zeiss OPMI Vario 700: Designed for versatility and adaptability, the Zeiss OPMI Vario 700 offers unparalleled flexibility in surgical microscopy. Whether in ophthalmic, neuro, or ENT procedures, this microscope delivers superior visualization and ergonomic comfort, enhancing surgical outcomes across specialties. 

Zeiss OPMI Vario/S88: The Zeiss OPMI Vario/S88 stands as a testament to innovation and excellence in surgical microscopy. With its state-of-the-art optics and seamless functionality, this microscope caters to the diverse needs of modern surgical practice, ensuring precision and reliability in every procedure. 

Empowering Healthcare: Octopus Medical's Commitment 

As a leading manufacturer, exporter, and supplier of surgical microscopes in India, Octopus Medical is dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals with advanced tools and technologies. Their collaboration with renowned brands like Zeiss underscores a commitment to quality and innovation, ensuring that surgeons have access to the finest equipment for optimal patient care. 

Navigating the Competitive Landscape: Octopus Medical's Differentiators 

In a market flooded with options, Octopus Medical stands out for several reasons: 

Quality Assurance: Octopus Medical adheres to stringent quality standards, ensuring that every microscope meets the highest benchmarks of performance and reliability. 

Affordability: Despite offering cutting-edge technology, Octopus Medical strives to keep its products accessible, making precision surgery attainable for healthcare facilities of all sizes. 

Customer-centric Approach: Octopus Medical places a premium on customer satisfaction, offering comprehensive support and assistance to healthcare providers at every stage, from procurement to after-sales service. 

Conclusion: Elevating Surgical Precision with Octopus Medical 

In the fast-paced world of modern medicine, precision is non-negotiable. Surgical microscopes serve as invaluable tools, enabling surgeons to navigate intricate procedures with enhanced clarity and accuracy. Octopus Medical emerges as a beacon of excellence in this domain, offering a diverse range of surgical microscopes tailored to the unique needs of healthcare professionals across specialties. 

With a steadfast commitment to quality, innovation, and affordability, Octopus Medical continues to redefine the standards of surgical microscopy in India and beyond. As the healthcare landscape evolves, Octopus Medical remains poised to empower surgeons with the tools they need to achieve optimal patient outcomes, one precise incision at a time. 

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Aquaman

My first film of 2019 and oh boy is it a doozy. Here’s the thing - I know it's gonna be bad when people keep telling me, "I can't wait for your review for this one." That does not inspire confidence in quality filmmaking because, I think we can all agree, the reviews are most beloved when I am being a petty bitch. So it’s time for 2018′s last big tentpole superhero adventure, DC’s solo Aquaman movie, starring Human Sex God Jason Momoa and Amber Heard doing shockingly bad Little Mermaid cosplay. See, Momoa plays Arthur Curry, the son of the queen of Atlantis and a mere mortal lighthouse keeper, so he has the heritage and the birthright to take the throne of Atlantis from his scheming brother (Patrick Wilson) and unite the land and the sea, if he wants to that is (he doesn’t.) There’s a lot going on here that could be wildly entertaining if handled right, so the real question is does this movie, ahem, sink or swim? Well...

It’s a tangled mess of yes and no, but honestly the problems DC has making a movie of the caliber we KNOW superhero movies are capable of sinks this whole ship. Call the Heartbreakers, cause I’m about to get Tom Petty up in this bitch.

Our story begins with a voiceover about the hero’s parents because that’s always a good sign. The Queen of Atlantis, Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) washes up on shore and enjoys some light Stockholm Syndrome with Tom, a lighthouse keeper in Maine (Temuera Morrison), leading to the birth of Arthur Curry, aka our main Aqua type Dude (Jason Momoa). Some Atlantisians - Atlantians? That just sounds like they’re from Atlanta. Some sea people come to forcibly take Nicole Kidman home after at least 2 years, like wow are these people bad at tracking their queen, but then suddenly they just know where she is? And she’s like “I have to go back, they will always find me” um well not for at least 2 years they won’t, ma’am. Anyway so she heads back into the sea and Tom is left to raise baby Arthur alone until he’s probably 8 or 9 and then the sea people’s vizier (Willem Defoe) comes to land and starts training Arthur how to do sea people stuff because he’s heir to the throne. But it’s pretty clear Nicole Kidman is no longer in Atlantis and he’s not allowed to see her...and everyone’s really mad at her for having a “half-breed” son with a land-dweller. So why is Willem Defoe here training him like a half-melted wax figurine of Mr. Miyagi? HANDWAVEY DISTRACTION so anyway, now Arthur’s all grown up doing Aquaman shit but like on the DL, cause he doesn’t want to be all obvious about it. His forced love interest Mera (Amber Heard) comes to Maine to tell him that his half-brother King Orm is planning a huge war against the land-dwellers in order to become Ocean Master and the only way to stop him is to find this Sacred Trident and take his rightful place as king. Honestly a bunch of other shit happens too but if you’re as hung up as I am on the Ocean Master thing, I think we can all agree we have enough info to proceed. 

Some thoughts and also questions because this movie demands questions:

As I’m sure you can guess, the script is just....it’s just so bad. Within the first 15 minutes, we got to hear the following exchange - Nicole Kidman, crying and marveling at the wetness on her face: "Our tears are always taken by the sea." Tom: "Not here. Here we feel them." This is meant to be a scene in which a woman is leaving the love of her life and her infant child, presumably forever. And we got sea tears. 

The gravity with which the phrases "ocean master" and "sacred trident" are spoken is just something I was not emotionally prepared to deal with. This makes it sound like I can’t handle Maguffins in comic book movies which I absolutely can! But it helps if they at least sound otherworldly or mysterious. Ocean Master sounds like a game of I Spy you made up at SeaWorld to get your little nephew Caydlen to stop trying to crawl into the touch tank.

Every location is SOMEWHERE IN THE ____ SEA. I understand that the ocean is vast and contains multitudes. But you can’t be any more specific than that? You can’t be any more specific than that ten times?

I like how, at one point, there is scientist on cable news talking about the existence of Atlantis, and he is being depicted as SO crazy that the audience is meant to think he's ridiculous when we literally know he's telling the truth. The conspiracy theories he’s touting are the exact thing that is going on in the movie, but he comes across as a fool because...we’re....meant to feel foolish? For believing in Atlantis? Does no one work in marketing at DC or Warner Brothers? I’m legitimately asking whose choice this was.

This is all coming across as very negative, so let’s focus on some good. 1) Jason Momoa. The man is basically a human god, so the casting is excellent - he’s funny, he’s disarming, he’s cool, he’s the bad boy you wanna take home to mom. He plays the part excellently and even manages to make some of the world’s clunkiest dialogue sound kind of ok. 

2) Some sequences really, really work - the trench sequence was a particular fave, and I think speaks mostly to director James Wan’s horror movie street cred. It was visually rich, atmospheric, and terrifying. 

That’s pretty much it for the positives.

Why the fuck is Dolph Lundgren here?

I don’t think I mentioned this above, but more movies need to have viziers. 

There’s a literal octopus playing the drums during a fight to the death like the filmmakers expected us NOT to immediately mentally sing “Under the Sea”?? During the first climactic battle between our hero and his main nemesis??? Like what tone is this even going for? Is it supposed to be silly? It takes itself too seriously. Is it supposed to be a 60s era Saturday morning cartoon? There’s too much “the land-dwellers are poisoning our oceans and killing our people so we need to start a holy war” for that. Is it supposed to be a wayward manchild finds his raison d’etre origin story? Did you read the thing about the octopus. 

And what the fuck is going on with this soundtrack. The crunchy NUH-NUH-NUHHH guitar chord every time Momoa tosses off a horrible one-liner in his first scene. The techno-battle music that’s aping the far superior Daft Punk soundtrack to Tron: Legacy during a high-speed foot chase in fucking SICILY. And then Pitbull shows up to perform the audio equivalent of a used condom found in the back of a 2003 Hummer, a bafflingly ill-conceived cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Do you know how bad a song has to be for it to be the worst cover of “Africa” in a year where WEEZER covered “Africa”???

I literally don’t even have time to get into the out-of-nowhere secondary villain, Black Manta, who could have had potential if he weren’t playing his scenes like he’s in a 1988 Steven Seagal movie. I’m all for “this is kinda stupid but I’m still having fun” movies. I genuinely enjoyed last year’s The Predator and The Hurricane Heist! But the only person who seems to be having any fun here is Momoa, and even then it’s amidst a bloated, overstuffed mess of a script. I’m not going to say I had a bad time watching this movie, but I certainly don’t think it’s for the reasons any of the filmmakers were intending.

[spdicaskids]

Beatles para Crianças 2... A Bagunça Continua 🤘🎸 É isso mesmo! A bagunça continua! Um repertório com canções como “Can’t Buy Me Love”, ”She loves you”, Obladi Oblada”, ”Octopus Garden” e muitas outras. Tudo isso recheado com histórias novas e uma produção visual criada especialmente para o show. Vídeos e animações operadas ao vivo deixam o espetáculo ainda mais atraente. É recomendado se preparar para uma bagunça musical inesquecível e divertida junto com a galera do BPC – Beatles Para Crianças. 🗓Dia 29 e 30 de Outubro ⏰️Sábado e Domingo às 15h00 👶Livre 🎟Ingressos entre R$32,00 e R$80,00 @teatromorumbishopping @morumbishopping 📌 Av. Roque Petroni Jr., 1089 Piso Superior - Morumbi - SP https://www.instagram.com/p/Ciy4V9RsK3z/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sswarehouse-blog1]

Superior Spider-Man: The Complete Collection Vol. 1

Along side new comics I’ve been catching up on key events in the big wide world of comics. So if you are like me and don’t like waiting a month to read the new issue, I’ve got some trade reviews coming your way! This week is focusing on Superior Spider-Man Vol 1! 

This collection consists of issues: Amazing Spider-Man 698-700 Spider Dreams Date Night Superior Spider-Man 1-16 It’s a pretty thick paperback, and I’m not really the biggest Spider-Fan, but I think it’s well worth the effort! To give a bit of context, this series follows after Doctor Octopus, Otto Octavius, viciously attacks Peter’s mind using an octobot. You see, Octavius is dying in a high security prison trapped in an iron lung, unable to move. His last ditch effort is to use his mental connection with his robots to match brain frequencies with Peter in order to transfer their minds. Spoiler Alert. He succeeds. The Superior Spider-Man is none other than Otto Octavius, now inhabiting the body of the man he left to die in his place.

As always, spoilers and reviews under the cut! See you space cowboys...

Story & Visuals As I’ve stated before, I’ve never been a huge fan of Spider-Man, so my knowledge comes mostly from the cartoons as a kid. BUT. I have always thought those cartoon villains were some of the best! Kraven, Morbius, Lizard/Dr Connors... those guys always stuck out to me as great characters because they were multidimensional. They lived by some sort of code, constantly reflecting on their actions and redirecting their goals. At the time, Doc Oct was none of that. He was a joke, someone who’s ego drove him mad and who never failed to be a failure. This book changed my view on him as a character. Do I still think he is a dingus-bat creep-a-zoid with greasy hair and a sleaze face? Absolutely.

Let’s start with visuals. Being a collection, the artists change quite a bit, but it’s not distracting and is consistent enough that when you are absorbed into the book, you hardly notice the shift.I wasn’t so sure how I felt about the art style when I began reading as everything was so dramatic with hard, harsh shadows and the regular use of black as the color margins between panels. But then, I realized how well it fit with the narration. Parker’s mind has been taken over, he is losing control of his life, and Otto Octavius is the drudged up slime pit that is doing it. It makes sense! Otto is an edgelord drama kween!

The writing gives Octavius brief moments of brilliance, these flashpoints where he is happy, where he is doing something good for someone, and then at just the moment where you want to congratulate Otto for his deeds he takes it a step further. As the reader I can’t do anything to rectify the situation and I can just feel this disgusting sinking feeling in my gut because I know what happens next, and it’s not good. At some point Octavius, as Spider-Man, creates an army od Spider-Bots to keep watch over the city and allows him time for personal affairs, such as visiting Aunt May during a physical therapy session. Except it goes big-brother level and soon he has infested the city with a crawling swarm of spy cams... Gross.

My favorite issue in the collection is Joking Hazard, which I believe is issue 6 of Superior Spider-Man. There are a lot of quick, short bits of personal development that fit perfectly into the pacing of the issue, but I’m going to focus on Jester and Screwball. These two are essentially internet pranksters who get their entertainment from humiliating prominent public figures (they hit Jameson with a pie in the face and depants him in the first 3 pages). Octavius, a man of pride, can not handle the humiliation. It breaks him. This is the most aggressive, most fearsome depiction of Spider-Man in the whole book. He loses his humanity, and you can see the instant that it happens. It’s a great lead in to the next half of the collection because you know it’s over. It’s all down hill from here and we are just along for the ride.

Thanks for reading! Let’s wrap this up before we get too tangled in the webssssss, haha get it?

Ratings: Overall 9.5/10 - As much as I hated watching Peter’s life fall apart, I have to admit that it was an interesting read and a good narrative. Butts 2/10 - I guess old Otto is a pretty conservative guy and doesn’t often point his butt towards the camera... The cheek shots you do get are WEAK! Creep Factor 154315431/10 - Bruh. Chances of Picking Up the Next Volume: I’m gonna do it. I’m really going to read another Spider-Man book...  

[aion-rsa]

20 Best Animal Crossing Villagers Ever

https://ift.tt/3tcfFyF

The legendary Animal Crossing franchise is deserving of its iconic status for many reasons, but it’s hard to deny that part of the series’ longevity can be traced back to the memorable personalities of its villagers.

In a franchise seemingly devoid of many traditional gameplay hooks, the thrill of inviting that one villager you’ve been looking for to your Animal Crossing home regularly ranks high among the best moments in gaming. Anyone who has spent any time with these games will waste no time telling you about their favorite villagers and the way they’ll always remember the time they spent with them.

There’s no way you’ll be able to convince those fans that anyone but their favorite villagers are the best villagers in Animal Crossing, we humbly suggest these 20 icons rank high among the greatest neighbors in franchise history.

20. Ribbot

While often described as one of the few “non-animal” creatures in this series, this longtime Animal Crossing villager challenges society’s expectations by blurring the arbitrary line between frog and robot. 

You may be worried by Ribbot’s decision to never carry an umbrella when it rains much like his frog companions, but the character’s rally cry of “Never rest, never rust” tells you what you need to know about his resiliency. When robots take over our world, we can only hope they have the heart and grace of Ribbot.

19. Mira

With her “big sister” personality, futuristic vibes, and recent insistence on calling everyone “cottontail,” the mysterious Mira has been stealing our hearts since she arrived in Animal Crossing: New Leaf.

Much like Cotton Eye Joe, nobody really knows where Mira comes from or where she’ll go. However, her thought bubble cry of “I want a futuristic space full of futuristic furniture!” will echo through eternity.

18. Lobo

Somewhere between Ernest Hemmingway and the grouchy old guy you lived next to growing up is Lobo: the outdoor-loving wolf with a heart of…well, certainly not gold

I don’t know what it is about this cranky purple wolf that speaks so loudly to my soul, but since Animal Crossing’s earliest days, he’s one of the wolves that I want in my village and by my side.

17. Knox

Maybe it’s because I suffer from a rare case of chicken blindness, but when I look at Knox, I don’t see a chicken; I see a noble knight. 

This “Man of La Mancha’s” adventuring days may be behind him, but Knox’s ability to get medieval on the Animal Crossing series has been appreciated ever since he made his debut in Animal Crossing: City Folk

16. Lionel

Lionel’s passing resemblance to Colonel Sanders of KFC fame earns him some bonus points (as does his gentlemanly demeanor), but when I think of Lionel, I think of class.

After all, Lionel upgraded his tasteful Victorian home in Animal Crossing: New Leaf to a skyscraper penthouse in New Horizons. He’s a lion that isn’t afraid to keep up with the times, and for that, he is our cultural superior in every conceivable way.

15. Chief

With his famous saying “Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better” and his rally cry of “harrumph,” it’s easy to assume that Chief is just the jerk that his cranky personality seems to suggest he is. 

Yet, Chief’s thrift store decor in New Horizons suggests that Chief is actually an ‘80s dance movie protagonist with the fire of the streets in his soul just waiting to burn down the stuffy world he was born into. 

14. Marina

Some Octopuses use their eight tentacles to take eight times more than they’ll ever need and squeeze the world. Others use them to warm society with a slightly tight and surprisingly squishy embrace. 

Marina is an example of the latter. This ode to joy has been brightening up Animal Crossing village since their debut in New Leaf, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

13. Beau

Beau is an enigma. He’s a lazy villager whose famous sayings include the line “You snooze, you lose.” Is this a defeated deer on the verge of a breakdown over the paths not walked?

No, as it turns out, Beau is just a naturalist whose charming personality and looks have made it easy for him to embrace a simpler lifestyle. He also owns some truly fantastic sweaters.

12. Lucha

Coming off the top rope like the Macho Man on a vengeance quest against the dastardly Hulk Hogan is Lucha: the mysterious masked wrestler who has graced many a lucky Animal Crossing players’ villages.

We don’t know much about the bird behind the mask, but Lucha’s warm personality suggests that wrestling is just his work and he does it for pay. When it’s over, he’d just as soon go on his way.

11. Raymond

It’s tempting to hate Raymond after his explosion in popularity in New Horizons, but since I suspect that Raymond is fuelled by the cries of “haters,” I’ll counter his strategy by welcoming him into the ranks of Animal Crossing’s best villagers.

Somewhere between a business cat and a fashion cat, Raymond would devour Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko in the same way that so many cats before him have devoured so many geckos before them.

10. Zucker

As a fan of the Japanese snack “Takoyaki” from which Zucker’s original Japanese name (Takoya) and elements of the character’s look are derived, I suppose you could say that I’m a bit biased in my admiration for one of Animal Crossing’s few octopus villagers.

However, it’s really the way that Zucker’s entire demeanor flies in the face of the fact that takoyaki consists of fried dough balls stuffed with minced octopus meat that leaves me no choice to respect this king of villagers.

9. Whitney

Whitney may come across as a snooty villager with a better than you attitude, but maybe you should consider the possibility that your real problem with Whitney is that she’s a class act with style to burn.

Read more

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Unreleased Animal Crossing Villager Leaked

By Matthew Byrd

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As a wolf firmly against the idea of crying wolf, it’s clear that Whitney doesn’t play and very likely dropped out of school because of recess. 

8. Fauna

Look, I’m not saying Fauna ranks this high on this list because she’s a deer who calls everyone “dearie,” but I’m also not going to insult your intelligence by sitting here and pretending that didn’t factor into this decision.

Mostly, though, it’s Fauna’s warm vibes, retro decor, and undeniably cute design that helps her stand out from some truly considerable competition.

7. Beardo

While we’re all more than a little tired of people who base their personalities on their facial hair, we’d probably all be a little more willing to put up with it if their facial hair was nearly as excellent as Beardo’s.

This ladies’ man bear doesn’t actually have a proper beard, but his mutton chops, mustache, and tweed jacket strike a figure that makes it easier than ever to overlook his smug personality and lack of namesake facial hair and just appreciate everything he is.

6. Chevre

In case you couldn’t tell from her bright big eyes that have caused lifelong enemies to end their conflicts, Chevre is a dreamer in the body of a goat.

Chevre is the kind of villager you’d do anything for. While she’d probably never ask you to do anything more than live your best life, I’d have no problem answering a 3 a.m. call from Chevre to meet her in Manhattan and help her steal some diamonds as easily as she stole our hearts. 

5. Merengue

Lots of villagers make it to this prestigious list (some would say the most prestigious list) for lots of reasons, but in the case of Merengue, the reasons are almost all based on her iconic looks.

As the best “food” villager in Animal Crossing history, Merengue embraces her looks by baking up a storm whenever you visit her cafe-themed home. She’s the friend we all want in our lives if for no other reason than she’s always got a sweet roll to spare. 

4. Stitches

Do I have questions about how Stitches (an apparently stuffed animal who regularly takes residency in Animal Crossing’s villages) actually came to life and gained sentience? No, I don’t, because I don’t question the good things in my life.

Stitches is one of the most visually iconic characters in Animal Crossing history as well as one of the characters that still has an element of mystery to them despite the fact that they’ve been in every AC game.

3. Marshal

This squirrel without a cause has long been one of the most desirable villagers in Animal Crossing history. Somewhere behind those “I don’t care eyes” is the insistence of millions of players everywhere who scream into the night their assurances that he does care because they care.

Marshal is one of the coolest characters in AC history as well as one of the characters that made players realize there are certain villagers they want more than any other.

2. Bob

A popular theory suggests that Bob was actually the first Animal Crossing villager the series’ developers ever created. If that is the case, then I have to commend them for having the courage to continue to create despite achieving near perfection.

Bob has long been one of the internet’s favorite Animal Crossing villagers, and the fact that so many elements of his personality seem to cater to the internet’s love for memes hardly makes his iconic status a surprise. He’s a legend that’s legacy has surpassed even his in-game attributes.

1. Lucky

If the best Animal Crossing villagers are defined by the ways they let their personality shine through relatively simple mechanics, then Lucky has to be considered one of the very best Animal Crossing villagers ever at the very least.

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This decidedly unlikely dog who is presumably covered in bandages due to various injuries embraced his new look by adopting a horror theme that makes him a favorite among genre fans everywhere. Any island would be lucky to count this legendary dog among its residents. 

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