#skybound thrust

[tiny-tf-faces]

[arceespinkgun]

Some of my favorite pages from Skybound’s Transformers #17

[saxandviolins77]

Transformers Skybound #17 and #18 spoilers below cut

FINALLY, things are starting to move in this damn comic.

ISSUE #17

BLADES FROM THE PROTECTOBOTS??????

MOTORMASTER TRANSFORMERS MENTION???

Oooooh, this Bluestreak content is so fucking good, keep it coming, DWJ.

I really enjoy how Blue is like the voice of reason when Elita-1 starts giving it into despair. Don't think I haven't noticed that little crumble of backstory for him... Lost whom, hm???

THE STAKES!! THE STAKES!! REMEMBER. THE DANGER. THE THING YOU OUGHTA CARE ABOUT. HUMANS AND UHH, LIFE, FREEDOM TOO... UH, BUY COMIC.

THRUST!!! MY GUY THRUST! AND HE'S ACCURATE????

(also Ratbat, I see you.)

Nice Cybetronian Alt-mode.

I won't say this isn't innovative.

Middle school bickering type of shit be so fr rn LMAO.

(What part of Devy is that, btw???)

Nice fakeout, DWJ. Really clever.

How big is the car?

Wow, they look so ugly! I love it!

THIS is the non-binary character people were talking about? Guys... Do you think DWJ intended it to be rep, or is it because they're some sort of hivemind made out of a bunch of sparks?

This issue was FINE. As you have seen, I was much more interested in the sequences occurring on Cybertron.

ISSUE #18

I don't know if I'm too tired, but this new Skybound issue was funny as fuck, I'm so fr rn bro.

Am I crazy, or is Bluestreak genuinely afraid of creating someone so powerful and having some traumatic flashbacks?

All that while Eli is like, "Finally, we can kill those fascist fucks."

Side notes:

>Shredhead is badass.

>Nice use of obscure characters for fodder (no irony, I like the gruesome deaths.)

Things went to shit after this, but holy fuck... This is so sweet.

I love humans in Transformers. THERE I said it, smite me.

So cutes...

THIS BITCH EMPTY. YEET.

I dgaf about the Combaticons, but WHY is Bruticus so complaisant?? like, this HAS to be a plot point, or else it is just a weird writing decision.

"Why bad things happen to me? I'm a based blackpilled seeker entrepreneur. I need a glass of wine..."

SCREAMING, CRYING, CUMMING, THROWING UP, FAINTING, DYING, BOUNCING OFF THE WALLS.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GIDDY I WAS TO SEE MY CHUD SON BEING SO AWESOME!! HE EVEN GOT A SPREAD PAGE OF HIM KICKING BRUH-TICUS' ASS!!!! YEAAAH!!!

(I am... Extremely easy to please...)

I actually really like Soundstar.

Bruh moment.

FINALLY BRO. SOUNDWAVE CAN STOP CARRYING RAVAGE LIKE A PROP.

(It would be so cool if Ravage was actually relevant and was a fucking person.)

THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING COOL!!! HE'S ITALIAN!!

[decepti-thots]

☕️ rodimus just, like, in general

I'm gonna take 'in general' to mean across the franchise here.

The interesting problem modern TF media has to grapple with when it comes to Rodimus is that he's simultaneously a very, very iconic G1 character, and also a character who exists to solve a problem Hasbro has done their damndest to wipe out of existence. That is: Rodimus exists to be an explicit replacement for Optimus Prime, who is no longer allowed to die like, ever. Not permanently! His whole personality is designed in direct opposition to Optimus. Where OP is a fairly mature, seasoned leader (even in early G1 cartoon stuff, where he's envisioned as being a lot chiller and even a bit younger than later stuff), Rodimus is a young inexperienced new-to-this guy. Where Optimus is a real 'father to his men' type, Rodimus is very much the kid. And so on. Whereas other for-the-movie characters like Arcee and Ultra Magnus can be characters independent of anyone they are replacing, Rodimus can't, but also, Optimus getting replaced is no longer on the table. It's a conundrum!

IDW1, specifically in MTMTE, really ran with that 'what is he even here for?' concept in a self-referential way. In MTMTE, at the outset, the joke is that Rodimus is a second-stringer trying to manufacture his own narrative that allows him to take on this role that has juuuust passed him by. And then it uses that to explore what, exactly, someone who is in that position is, post-war. What does it mean to force yourself into that role? What does it require you do? How do you not just appear to fill it, but actually fulfil the requirements to be that person(/character)? It's why I love that take so much; it faces the inherent contradiction dead on. And I think the way it answers it works extremely well. (That this is also a continuity where he is not young, but the war continued long enough without the status quo shift that he remained that kind of unfulfilled potential the whole time, is also interesting. That one is on Autocracy though.)

Cyberverse also had a neat little workaround. They got Optimus out of the way without killing him so Hot Rod could have that arc, with the Quintesson stuff. It was only ever going to be temporary, but they made that work with the concept, the idea Hot Rod was never 'supposed' to be in that position at this point but got thrust into it as a kind of emergency measure and proved himself.

But it does mean you can't really engage with him as a completely straightforward character, I think. Even if you killed off OP, everyone knows it won't be forever now. You could only do that convincingly one time, really. It's basically impossible now to write a Rodimus who is divorced from the metatext of what the purpose of that character was and how that is no longer why he exists. I'm curious to see where Skybound tries to take this, assuming he's planned to show up in the main comic at some point. That's such a Sunbow-influenced canon, down to its foundations. I suspect they might find it tricky to balance that, if he becomes a regular at any point!

[melishade]

What do you think about the episode Triple Takeover from G1 Transformers?

Also I felt bad for Astrotrain after Thrust insulted him for leading his Astroforce by calling him out by saying he can't lead rats to a garbage can.

Okay full disclosure...I've...never watched G1 in full.

Like I've heard all the memes and what not and I've even seen the G1 movie, which was a trip, by the way. But I have never watched the whole series. Ever. I've seen Beast Wars and Transformers Prime in full. I've seen...a good portion of Transformers Animated and Cyberverse. I've seen RID2015. It wasn't good. Never watched Armada. All I've really seen was the Starscream death scene and Megatron getting depressed over Optimus dying. Never read the IDW comics, but I just don't have access to them. And I'm currently reading the Skybound comics.

I should really add Transformers G1 to the long list of things that I really need to watch. Jesus.

[gilbertgoosey]

1- Transformers Bayverse and Transformers Armada

2 - Cyberverse, Transformers Armada, More than Meets the Eye (IDW), and the ongoing Skybound comics

3 - I didn't remember much about the Bayverse movies at the time, but I have always had a core memory of that scene with Starscream saying "Sometimes cowards do survive." and one day decided to look at some edits. Was hooked, watched TFO and quickly became obsessed.

4 - I CANT CHOOSE UGSHHS... hotshot, beachcomber, windblade, elita-1 (my wife), grimlock (does he count?), and whirl specifically in cyberverse,

5 - starscream, shockwave, slipstream, astrotrain, clobber, thundercracker, rumble, and ravage

6 - tfp arachnid, thundercracker in idw

7 - hotshot x starscream, astrotrain x blitzwing, oplita, dpax, cygate, skids x nautica, and kobd ( ˘ ³˘)♥︎

8 - transformers cybertron and tfa theme

9 - i choose not to answer this one because if i keep thinking about it i might just cry

10 - megatron in more than meets the eye. IM SO SICK OF THE UNDESERVED REDEMPTION ARCS.

11 - jetfire/skyfire (on the hand), thrust in tf armada (non existent mouth), jawbreaker in earthspark (on the head platonically cuz hes a lil baby), and idw elita (mouth with tounge hands on waist)

12 - elita one. i need you.

13 - nightshade, earthspark tarantulas, thundercracker (just like me fr), and regrettably maybe tarn.

14 - EVERYONE EXCEPT FOR MEGATRON AND GETAWAY❤️

15 - the voice actor for unicron in the g1 movies was an obese and depressed old man who used to have a lot of money from a famous book he wrote but later got into debt, wrote a biography, and died a week later.

TRANSFORMERS ASK GAME

📽- What was your first TF series?

🥇- Favorite TF series

🤖- What got you into TF?

❤️- Fav Autobot?

💜- Fav Decepticon?

🤍- Fav Neutral or Obscure Character?

💞- Any Ships? Who's your current fav?

🎶- Best Theme song?

🥲- Saddest Anime Betrayal?

🔪- Character you would Kill if you could.

😘- Character you'd give a lil kiss to~

🥴- Do you simp for any robots?

🍳- Character that you would go to Brunch with

🍻- Character that deserves a year of free drinks at Maccadams

💬- Favorite Obscure TF fact!

[multi-fandomocs]

My OC for the Transformers Skybound comics: Stacy Pax AKA Cyber-Woman

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 17-18

Girlfriend: Carly(17-18 my AU)

Friends: Spike, Sparkplug(Dead), Optimus Prime(Adoptive Dad), Cliffjumper, Ratchet(Dead), Arcee. The rest of the Autobots are more acquaintances than Friends.

Enemies: Starscream(Dead), Soundwave(Rival), the Seekers,The Constructacons, Shockwave(Dead), Megatron.

Primus Choose Stacy as a protector of earth knowing that she and the Autobots would cross paths.

Powers: Super Strength, Super Speed, Durability, Techno-organic Shape-shifting, Flight, and a Healing Factor.

Formally went by Cyber-girl starting at age 12 and retired that persona at age 15.

Kills Seekers: Dirge, Thrust, and Ramjet after they bomb a town.(My AU)

"You know, thanks to Teletran-1 I got to study on different versions of the cybertronian afterlife and after what I've read, well Seekers I'll say this. GIVE MY REGARDS TO THE INFERNO!!!(Proceeds to Vaporize them with a Giant Arm Cannon)

[destinygoldenstar]

Ooooohhh I was scared of saying this...

Skybound is okay. And just okay.

I’ve recently seen a some people try to explain why THIS season is Ninjago is an underrated top tier season. Therefore I should say that as well...

I’m glad that’s what you all think...

But yeah... this season just doesn’t work for me all that well. Even on my most recent viewing of the season for some essay posts, I still feel that way. I don’t hate it as much as I used to, but I still can’t get fully into it no matter how hard I try to. Even as a kid, Skybound was, overall, my LEAST favorite season of the 7 OG seasons. Obviously, it is NO LONGER my least favorite season overall now, (That prize goes to Secrets Of The Forbidden Spinjitsu), as a matter of fact, it’s actually a whole tier higher now than I initially had it, because after March Of The Oni and until Seabound would come, Ninjago was kind of on a losing streak (Master Of The Mountain was okay, but didn’t exactly change my mind) So Skybound honestly feels REFRESHING. 

But though it’s probably bordering Hands Of Time and I kind of flip flop between them, Skybound is STILL my least favorite of the OG seasons.

I will say, there is ONE aspect of this season I found truly exceptional, and that’s Jay’s character arc.

I wasn’t a fan of it as a kid because of the fact he lied to Nya at his own free will, but WOW have I warmed up to Jay now, especially thanks to this season fleshing him out to be more than just ‘the genki guy.’ Say what you will about how much derailment certain ninja characters suffer nowadays, ALL the ninja are still fleshed out in so many ways and very much feel like people, especially in the OG seasons, where they’re allowed to be flawed and even selfish at times. It makes them feel like authentic people.

Jay isn’t any exception to this, as even though I’m not a big fan of X’ing the other ninja out of the story, in some ways, it benefits from that to make Jay be developed in a position where he has to be more than just a joke. We see every step in that process. We see him accidentally hurt people’s feelings with his ‘perfect world’ mindset, we see him try to venture out of his real life, we see how that pains him, we see what the idea of obtaining the girl and the money can do to his head, we see him actually talk to Nya and start to respect her boundaries, we see him be pressured into a lot of things and yet still keep his gut knowing that his selfish wishes are going to screw everyone over. This season really does feel like it’s directly CALLING OUT Jay’s flaws up until this point, where while he was definitely still likeable, caring, and yes funny, he actively tried to push away the life he was raised in from complete embarrassment, he became paranoid about not getting his way, and does actively lie to people about his worth, even before Skybound. Needless to say, Jay is a person with some selfish desires, and this season actively tests that and what Jay actually needs in order to obtain his wishes. And it’s honestly way more beautiful than I originally gave credit for.

His relationship with Nya is also a high point in the season. I find it annoying that in this season, THE MOST, they thrust Nya into the ‘overcoming the damsel stereotype’ and the ‘feminist’ allegory, and whenever that’s on the nose, it’s obnoxious. But to be fair, Nya’s arc here isn’t COMPLETELY about that. She’s just trying to fit into her team and recognizing her own lack of skill in some areas that sometimes she just can’t control. That it’s okay to rely on your friends and you shouldn’t be scared to show your feelings. She’s not always right, and goes too far in some places, but her interactions with Jay feel way more real than I gave credit for. Like, oh my god, two people ACTUALLY TALK TO EACH OTHER. It’s one aspect of Jaya that makes me truly accept it, (even if I don’t gush over it 24/7 for personal reasons) the fact that Jay and Nya not only actually have conversations, but we actually get to see them in an ACTUAL relationship FROM THE START. This is a down point in their relationship, and even removing the love triangle bs that caused their falling out, they still want what’s best for each other even if they don’t fully understand what the other wants. They both need to put down what THEY want and listen to each other.

Jay wants to do everything for her, and Nya wants to feel as though she deserves it.

So these two characters and their relationship is GREAT this season...

Everything else about Skybound is mediocre at best.

Oh boy! The other ninja on this team seem to have relationships with the word ‘wish.’ I like now the season does NOT use the other ninja AT ALL or explores that AT ALL and forces them into being trapped into a magic sword for half of the season. (I mean, I guess Cole had some crisis with learning how to vanish, but like, who cares?) You could argue it’s a Jay centric season, so therefore the other ninja don’t NEED to be given anything to do, but in the other seasons, when it was focused on one ninja, the others STILL had stuff going on! They still had plotlines! Possession was a Morro focused story, but it still gave Nya an awakening arc, it still gave Kai a crisis, it still gave Cole a crisis, the other ninja were given stuff to do. Rebooted? Even if the love triangle was a bad sub plot, it GAVE the people involved stuff to do. Even season 2, a Lloyd coming of age story, even if it was filler the first half, STILL put in time to have one Zane focused episode. So Skybound has no excuse.

This is like The Tournament of Elements, only the characters who were eliminated from the games, were NOT heard from again, just trapped inside the magic staff until the last episode where they’re freed to fight in the climax. It’d be as if though once Cole was eliminated, he’s NOT heard from again UNTIL the penultimate episode of the season. What made Tournament of Elements a fan favorite was... for a lot of reasons, but one of them is that ALL the ninja had stuff to do and contributed to the story. To the point where it’s really hard to say who is the main character of the season, because the season takes so much time on everyone, that it makes it feel like this is a team of mcs, rather than a one man band. Which was also a theme of that season. We don’t usually get that anymore.

Obviously, having one ninja be the focus of a season is NOT a bad thing. It has worked before, like the recent Seabound. But in Skybound, it just feels like the other ninja don’t even exist, and that’s sad, especially when they introduce interesting plotlines for them at the very last minute before they’re X’d from the script. Zane losing Pixal, Lloyd’s wisdom issue, Kai wanting to see his father again, (though to be fair, the latter would be a focus in Hands Of Time) these could be interesting plotlines on ALL the ninja’s relationship with wishes, not just Jay. It would make Jay blatantly explaining the theme of ‘make your wishes happen, don’t just sit around and wish’ far more impactful.

But the season just doesn’t do that.

Nadakahn is also an inconsistent villain. The start of the season actually sets up a really compelling and even sympathetic antagonist with this Djinn. A pirate captain who abandoned his home and family to pursue a life of plunder, only to never be able to return home until year later to find your home and your father destroyed, thus wanting to avenge it all, is such a compelling story for him. It could potentially lead to a great contrast with Jay, as neither of them truly value what Nya needs until Jay learns to do so for her, it’d also be a great contrast that calls out Jay while also makes Nadakhan seem like a warning sign-

Oh wait, he’s just a selfish, greedy, ruthless bad guy who wants to be a genie king. 

He even kills his own crew, THE ONLY FAMILY HE HAS LEFT, for no reason other than they were getting in the way of him being king. Like, even if you’ve gone crazy or been corrupted by the power in your weapon, a Djinn this broken from his losses would NOT want to discard the few people keeping him sane. It’s just SUCH an assassination to what they set up for this villain, and it destroys any intrigue I have for him in the latter half of the season. 

Honestly, he just feels like a first draft of Harumi now that I think about it. They both had their lives destroyed by the ninja (passively) and were left with twisted morals and beliefs that they’re doing the right thing for Ninjago. It worked for Harumi, because it was built up to, fleshed out, and wasn’t assassinating her character in the process. It doesn’t work for Nadakhan.

The storyboarding and pacing of this season is just so jarring. It has worse storyboarding than Rebooted, which had less episodes to work with! Skybound feels like a completely different season halfway through.

That’s mostly because the actual plot doesn’t FEEL like it’s getting started until episode 4. Because we spend the first three episodes with a whole subplot where the Ninja are framed and become public enemies, which is ALREADY a stupid concept on paper that even in execution disregards any and ALL logic and common sense. Like, you expect me to believe that after these ninja have saved this city MULTIPLE TIMES, done all sorts of selfless deeds for the citizens, and have proven to be good and trustworthy saviors, would suddenly turn into criminals who steal from museums, and ALL of the citizens, LITERALLY ALL OF THE CITIZENS, would BELIEVE THAT INSTANTLY?!! I always hate this sort of plotline for it removing any common sense in ANYBODY! 

On top of that, this framing plotline is NOT even connected to the rest of Skybound! (I mean, except for the fact that they found out about the venom through Soto, but like, you could EASILY write it so that they cross paths with Soto in a different way) Nadakhan apparently can disguise himself as other people. But he’s not seen doing this again afterwards. On top of that, they literally say he cannot wish for himself! How did he even do this? Did someone on the streets randomly say “Oh I hate the ninja! I wish they would be locked up somewhere!”

Does the pacing get any better after that plotline is over with-?

No, not really actually.

It’s not as bad, but it’s still not good. We spend so little time on the Tiger Widow island that it’s crazy. And that place clearly has some creatures that could lead to hijinks, but once Jay gets kidnapped just half an episode after arriving, the others just rest on the beach trying to get out, with only ONE animal hijink. Honestly, I think the ‘My Dinner With Nadakhan’ episode would benefit BEAUTIFULLY if it was an episode with ONLY Jay. NO cuts to the other ninja, JUST JAY being a prisoner on the ship. The title of the episode already implies that this is a first person from Jay’s perspective, why not use that to it’s advantage and have this be an episode with only Jay and Nadakhan, to flesh out them both and their dynamic? And then the next episode we could have the other ninja take up three quarters of that episode in the process of getting off the island and saving Jay. It would honestly make Episode 6 of this season feel way more memorable in my opinion, and a lot more experimental. The Jay stuff is really compelling this season! Watching ninja talk about him while making a raft on a beach is just boring!

And then the climax just feels so rushed, and therefore clumsily put together. Episode 8 of season 6 is easily the best episode of this season, but then we only have two episodes left to actually stop Nadakhan and stop hiding. And by that point, all the ninja except for Jay are captured, so we have to have a whole rescue operation with outsider characters, who have done next to NOTHING all season to earn this moment, save the other ninja (just so they can do nothing) stop a wedding between Nya and Nadakhan, have two of his crewmates turn good suddenly (assuming because they don’t want to die) and actually fight off Nadakhan. ALL of which happens in just TWO EPISODES. There’s no room to breathe, and next to none of this stuff was actually built up to, or necessary in the long run. If we didn’t waste time with that framing plotline, this stuff could actually be built up to, especially for the ending, which...

Yeah. I can see why it’s controversial. Honestly, Nya’s ‘death’ is actually pretty sad, not gonna lie, but it also forces Jay to wish to undo the entire season. Thus, because of this ONE slip up, the entire season NEVER HAPPENED. Which basically means you don’t even have to watch this season AT ALL, and you don’t miss anything. I mean, I guess the one thing that makes Skybound relevant is that Jay and Nya make up and get back together, but really, you could easily let them have a single conversation in either season 5 or 7 where they apologize for the love triangle junk and kiss and make up. In fact, Hands of Time actually kinda does that for one scene.

Overall, For Jay or Jaya fans, I can see why you guys love this season so much and why you want it to be recognized and appreciated better. I just can’t relate.

I really wish I could!

I wish everything about the season was on the same level of brilliance as Jay’s character arc and his relationship with Nya. I wish the other ninja weren’t X’d out out of the plot and actually had stuff to do that correlates with the season’s theme about wishes. I wish Nadakhan remained a sympathetic antagonist who is an intriguing foil to Jay. I wish the framing plotline didn’t exist. I wish the pacing wasn’t terrible. I wish the ending actually made the season feel like an impactful story point on the franchise and not just a filler fever dream. 

But as is, Skybound is just an okay season.

But hey, it’s still better than season 11.

[rockislandadultreads]

Sci-Fi/Fantasy Picks: Book Recs

Tower of Mud and Straw by Yaroslav Barsukov

THE QUEEN RUINED HIS LIFE. HE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO RECLAIM IT... OR SO HE THOUGHT. Minister Shea Ashcroft refuses the queen's order to gas a crowd of protesters. After riots cripple the capital, he's banished to the border to oversee the construction of the biggest anti-airship tower in history. The use of otherworldly technology makes the tower volatile and dangerous; Shea has to fight the local hierarchy to ensure the construction succeeds—and to reclaim his own life. He must survive an assassination attempt, find love, confront the place in his memory he'd rather erase, encounter an ancient legend, travel to the origin of a species—and through it all, stay true to his own principles. Climbing back to the top is a slippery slope, and somewhere along the way, one is bound to fall.

Elemental by Whitney Hill

Enter an urban fantasy world where elves, vampires, weres, djinn, and others maintain a precarious balance of power in North Carolina. Welcome to Otherside. Private investigator and sylph Arden Finch is determined to come out of the shadows and practice her forbidden magic. There's just one problem: the elves have a bounty on elementals like her. When an elf hires Arden without realizing what she is, she seizes the chance to gain leverage in the dangerous world of Otherside⁠-even if it means risking exposure. But as the case grows more perilous, Arden draws the attention of the region's deadliest power players.

Skybound by Lou Iovino

What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning? Half the world would become trapped in endless night, the other half in relentless day. Global communications would be crippled. The oceans would migrate to the Earth’s magnetic poles, and global tremors would threaten the stability of the entire planet. In other words, things would be bad. Very bad. That’s what happens in SKYBOUND. And the clock is ticking. The world is in chaos. Theories about the impossible phenomenon run the gamut from broken physics to little green men to the dawning of the end times. But everyone agrees on one thing: The massive metallic object that suddenly appeared in the sky is to blame. In his debut novel, Lou Iovino weaves a modern-day fable that traces the path of two small-town siblings who find themselves thrust into events that will reshape humanity, and grappling with the question that has plagued mankind for eons. What’s up there?

Hourglass by Daniel James

Clyde Williams just wanted to draw comic books. Life and death have other plans. Brooklyn-born artist Clyde Williams has spent his life obsessing over comic books and chasing his big dream to one day break into the industry as a hot new artist. But chasing the dream isn’t easy. It’s tiring, dispiriting work. And that was before the ghost of his recently murdered best friend and roommate, Kev Carpenter, showed up at their apartment. Shocked and confused, the pair have been trying to establish some sense of their old status quo, of normality, but normality left town and isn’t coming back. Instead, they get a knock at their front door. Rose Hadfield, agent of Hourglass, has some understanding of what it’s like to commune with the dead, living with the ghosts of her former military unit, and offers them the choice to educate themselves and train their abilities, or remain under Hourglass’ scrutiny in the name of public safety. Clyde’s long-held distrust of all things military and federal, has him prepared to decline Rose’s offer. Kev, however, has other ideas. Being restless and detached from the world, he sees this as his only real option. A purpose. Wracked with sympathy for his best friend’s plight, Clyde accepts Rose’s offer on one condition: upon completion of his training, he will remain a civilian. A fair compromise. Unbeknownst to Clyde and Kev, their acceptance of Rose’s offer has catapulted them on a collision course with an ex-KGB officer turned necromantic monk, and the ancient, wealthy, and morally dubious Cairnwood Society. Clyde and Kev will soon learn that death is only the beginning.

[lobocomicsandtoys]

SUMMONERS WAR LEGACY #1

Published by IMAGE COMICS Written by Justin Jordan Art by Luca Claretti, Giovanna Niro

Skybound dives into the wondrous world of Summoners War, the popular mobile game where magical monsters are summoned in a never-ending battle of good vs. evil! Rai knows there's only one way out of her nothing town-to become a summoner! But when she's recruited by Abuus Dein as an apprentice, she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime and is thrust into a war for the fate of the world. Journey to Alea alongside JUSTIN JORDAN (THE STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE, REAVER) and newcomer LUCA CLARETTI for an action-packed fantasy like none other!

Available at Lobo Comics & Toys this coming Wednesday, 04/28/2021

visit us on facebook, google+, blogspot, our eBay store, and our website

[kyndaris]

Beating Up the Competition

With the closure of Telltale Games not all that far ago, the GoG platform thought to gift me the second season of its Batman series. I might never know what algorithms bequeathed it to me, although it was on my wish list, but I was eager enough to delve into Batman: The Enemy Within even if I would not be seeing The Wolf Among Us 2 or a continuation to House Forrester’s shaky navigation of Westeros politics.

The Enemy Within thrusts players back into the shoes of one Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy and CEO of Wayne Enterprises. He is also the secret identity of the Batman, the Dark Knight of Gotham. While there are numerous references to the first season, with several key choices carrying over, this sophomore season of Telltale’s interpretation is a fairly insular adventure. There are quite a few key characters that first-time players might scratch their heads at but the codex is great at filling in many of the gaps.

The game begins with Bruce Wayne keeping tabs on Rumi Mori, a wealthy casino owner that uses his position as a front for selling black market weapons. All too soon, the night out at the casino is interrupted by a familiar green-themed villain: The Riddler. His deadly game of riddles and cerebral conundrums quickly sets the tone for the adventure ahead and before I knew it, I was already at game’s end, trying my best to strengthen my own ideological notion of what it means to be a hero as Bruce Wayne and John Doe (Telltale’s version of the Joker) fight for a better Gotham.

Viewed as whole, The Enemy Within takes players on a thrilling undercover journey as they infiltrate a group of dastardly villains including Harley Quinn, Bane and Mr. Freeze, to name but a few, as they attempt to uncover a greater mystery. All of the plot points manage to congeal into an exciting whole as Bruce Wayne steps from the background to play a more active role in protecting the good people of Gotham. Taken individually, however, each episode is a little lacking as it tries to keep players engaged with twists and turns. While Bruce Wayne has its moments, I know many that would prefer to don the cowl of the Dark Knight instead.

Despite its stumbles, The Enemy Within always left tantalising threads that had me playing the next episode right as I finished. 

The controls are serviceable. Anyone that has played a Telltale game before would be able to instantly pick it up. As a visual adventure game, the action pieces are few and far between. Instead, the focus remains firmly on dialogue and the choices players make during critical moments - whether that is siding with Amanda Waller or Jim Gordon in public security affairs, or telling the truth to Lucius Fox’s daughter.

What’s important, though, is how each and every single one feeds into the ending. The Enemy Within is still trying to tell a cohesive narrative. While minor choices in each episode might give certain flavour to the dialogue with the various characters, how people interact with John Doe has a significant impact on his relationship with Bruce Wayne.

And though the game left plenty of plot hooks for another sequel, it’s very doubtful that any will come to fruition now that the developer has closed its doors. Even the final season of the Walking Dead was halted mid-production before being picked up by Skybound. 

Here’s hoping that many of the employees have managed to land on their feet and found jobs elsewhere. With talents like theirs, it would be a shame to it snuffed out due to poor decisions at the top. This blogger, at least, wants to thank many of them for their efforts over the years to bring such excellent story telling to the gaming medium.

[arceespinkgun]

Skybound #17 thoughts! I really enjoyed this issue.

The themes that are coming... I can feel them....

Elita-1 continues to be written really well, it pains me reading such chilling lines from her. But as dark as it is, this loss of hope in war is one of my absolute favorite themes in this franchise, and I hope to see her build herself back up from this terrible pit of despair and violence.

Blades has his G1 personality! See, it's not difficult to give characters who are parts of combiners personalities even in a few lines of dialogue. This is all I wanted.

Thrust and Ratbat are coworkers on Cybertron like in the G1 comics! Makes sense, interesting to see that here I guess they probably worked for Shockwave, not Straxus. Also, I feel as if in just this one issue, Ratbat was shown a lot more justice than a lot of the cassettes who have been in this comic for ages now lol

^SHE IS SO DAMN COOL!!!!

Me, begging: please please please...

In the other plotlines like the Decepticon civil war, Optimus's group, and a new amalgam character created from Cliffjumper's clan, not enough has happened yet for me to really have any opinions, but I'm excited for more seeing this!

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 21 August 2017

As I write this, the gulf coast of Texas is being battered by hurricane Henry. I can only hope that everyone was able to evacuate and that those who couldn’t, or were and are caught in unexpected turns of the storm, are able to stay safe and sound. My thoughts go out to everyone effected by this disaster.

My two favourite books of the week were Hi-Fi Fight Club #1 by Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva & Irene Flores and War Mother #1 by Fred Van Lente & Stephen Segovia. Published by BOOM!/Boom! Box and Valiant Comics respectively.

Hi-Fi Fight Club is essentially Empire Records or Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity recast with an all-female staff. And, well, the staff also has a secret, but it’s not revealed until the end of the issue really, so I’ll leave that out for you to figure out.

The first issue is from the point of view of Chris, Vinyl Mayhem’s newest and youngest employee, as she struggles with her identity and finding her place in the world/at work. Carly Usdin does a good job of presenting the setting and characters through Chris’ eyes.

One of the main draws, though, is the art. The art team of Nina Vakueva & Irene Flores with colours by Rebecca Nalty are a joy. Vakueva has a style that reminds me a lot of Veronica Fish mixed with a bit of Terry Moore, leading to some fairly expressive faces and overall some very pleasant art to convey the story.

I’m really looking forward to how this series deepens.

And then there’s the return of War Mother.

I’ve been waiting for a follow-up to the War Mother one-shot that was part of the 4001 AD crossover from last year by Fred Van Lente and Tomás Giorello, and this doesn’t disappoint. Van Lente is back for this new mini while he’s joined by Stephen Segovia for the artwork.

Van Lente does a good job of getting the reader up to speed on what occurred in the previous one-shot, while giving a concrete introduction (or re-introduction depending on if you’re a new reader or not) to the characters. I’d have liked a little more about the time’s overall current state, but I’m sure that will be addressed whenever Valiant gets back to a new Rai series, and isn’t really necessary to enjoy this issue. 

War Mother (Ana) and her people’s biome, The Grove, is failing and she’s searching for something new before they run out of food completely. In doing so, she investigates a broadcast of a safe haven and goes to check out its source and the viability of the building claiming protection. This leads her to a confrontation with a couple other factions fighting to survive in this world, and a revelation that perhaps not everything is as it seems. It’s fairly compelling to find out what happens next.

Stephen Segovia also is a great addition to the book, giving the futuristic world a distinct lived-in feel. His depiction of the Urbanites is a suitably creepy addition to the world.

Quick Bits:

Archie #23 is kind of an “after the big event” episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, focusing more on character ramifications and fallout of the horrible accident in the previous issue. It’s rather morose, but Mark Waid tries to alleviate that a bit through some of Archie’s natural clumsiness.

| Published by Archie Comics

Black Hammer #12 reminds me that David Rubín really deserves to be a household name. His panel transitions and page layouts are gorgeous. His art just flows. It also helps that Jeff Lemire’s story is quite compelling as well.

| Published by Dark Horse

Doctor Strange #24 concludes the Secret Empire tie-in story-arc from Dennis Hopeless and Niko Henrichon. Overall, the arc was decent, even if the victory is less than satisfying. I would have liked to have seen more from Hopeless & Henrichon, because they seem to have a good grasp on Doctor Strange himself and his magical world, but I’ve liked what they’ve given to us. Henrichon’s art is joyful in itself.

| Published by Marvel

Edge of Venomverse #5 closes out the prequel mini-series of mostly one-shots before the Venomverse event can start proper. Every issue of this series has been incredibly well done and this issue is no exception. 

This may be the best, not necessarily due to the story of Deadpool working to stop an alien worm parasite from invading Earth--although Clay McLeod Chapman’s altered “Sound of Silence” lyrics are fairly humorous--but because of the truly incredible artwork of James Stokoe. I think there’s probably nothing that Stokoe can’t elevate with his art.

| Published by Marvel

Generation Gone #2 still feels like a new take on Akira to me. I don’t know if it will shape up to have nearly as much impact as that, but it’s very good so far. Aleš Kot and André Lima Araújo are doing something interesting here.

| Published by Image

Generations: The Thunder #1 is another that reminds me that they’ve never quite lain out what Generations actually is, how or why the modern heroes are being thrust wherever or whatever this “Vanishing Point” is in what’s mostly been various pasts, but still manages to deliver a decent story. Mostly winding up feeling like annuals or possibly an extended version of those old fifth-week events where every one-shot special followed a specific theme; like everyone was turned into an ape or all of the heroes rocked ‘80s mullets and big hair. Okay, maybe that last one didn’t happen, but you get my point.

The other three (Hulks, Jean Greys, & Wolverines) haven’t been bad, by any means, but they do feel kind of inconsequential with character points that have either already popped up in their source series or look to be brought more to the fore in upcoming issues. Jason Aaron’s work here with the Thors feels a little bit more like another important wrinkle in his ongoing Thor saga, as well as laying some groundwork for the upcoming Marvel: Legacy #1.

It also has some great art from Mahmud Asrar and Jordie Bellaire.

| Published by Marvel

The Hard Place #1 is a solid first issue, very nearly rising to one of my favourites of the week. Doug Wagner pens a fairly standard man-out-of-prison story that you see in film and television, complete with the temptation to get back into crime, but he does a great job of making AJ Gurney feel like a fully realised character.

Nic Rummel’s art is also compelling. He has a style similar to Shawn Martinbrough’s with angular features and heavy use of thick lines and solid black shading. The muted colour scheme from Charlie Kirchoff adds greatly to the feel and atmosphere of the issue.

This one comes highly recommended if you like crime dramas.

| Published by Image / 12 Gauge

Incidentals #1 is the first of the Catalyst Prime series that I’ve read since picking up the Free Comic Book Day issue back in May. I gravitated toward this one solely because Larry Stroman’s name was attached and I was in no way disappointed by his work here with Rob Stull inking his pencils and Snakebite Cortez providing the colours.

I’m not as sold on the story. The concept is fine, one of a team being gathered out of those transformed by “The Event”, but Joe Casey’s execution leaves a little to be desired. He’s got several plates spinning in following the different characters, but he provides very little in terms of exposition and narrative context. It leaves you wondering a bit as to who some of these people are and in some cases what exactly is going on. I normally tend to like Casey’s work, so I’ll give it a chance to grow on me, but I can’t say that I was won over by the story in this first issue.

| Published by Lion Forge / Catalyst Prime

Redneck #5 gives us the revelation of what really happened in the first issue and, well, all I can really say is “Ah, hell.” Donny Cates and Lisandro Estherren can really do no wrong here. 

| Published by Image / Skybound

ROM vs. Transformers: Shining Armor #2 is every bit as dense as the first issue, even as we focus more on the initial battle between the Autobots, Decepticons, Space Knights, and Dire Wraiths. We also get to see what happens when a Cybertronian is taken over by a Dire Wraith, depicted in all its terrifying glory by Alex Milne.

| Published by IDW

X-O Manowar #6 closes out the “General” story-arc, but, like “Soldier” before it, it’s less a hard story break, and more of an end of an act. There’s some nice forward momentum in regards to the monoliths causing havoc on the planet Gorin, who’s behind them or at least allied with them, that looks like it’s going to come to a head in the next arc.

This issue also has some very beautiful shots of the landscape and the monoliths from Doug Braithwaite that break up the pace of the action and intrigue.

| Published by Valiant

Other Highlights: Conan: The Slayer #12, Daredevil #25, Dept. H #17, The Dying & The Dead #5, Eternal Empire #4, First Strike #2, I Am Groot #4, Lazarus: X+66 #2, Letter 44 #35, Lumberjanes #41, Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers #18, Plastic #5, The Punisher #15, Red Sonja #8, Renato Jones: Season Two #3, Shipwreck #5, Shirtless Bear Fighter #3, Sisters of Sorrow #2, TMNT: Dimension X #4, Underwinter #6

Recommended Collections: The Beauty - Vol. 3, The Few, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mother Entropy, Sif: Journey Into Mystery Complete Collection, & Snowfall

d. emerson eddy is really, really bad at Quake Champions. Like “your grandma is probably better at this” level of bad.

[creepykingdom]

Delusion: The Blue Blade - Director’s Cut Coming This Spring

Coming off one of the most successful runs of its shows ever, Delusion, the vanguard of interactive theater, has announced that the spring 2019 extension of its new, original play Delusion: The Blue Blade, will be a “Director’s Cut” and will bring with it a number of exciting changes that are sure to captivate current fans of the Delusion Universe and newcomers alike. Highlights of the spring show include new plot twists, new audience challenges, new artifacts, new actors, and more. To tease the new show, Delusion has also released a brand new trailer. Individual and group tickets are now available at www.enterdelusion.com. 

From visionary creator Jon Braver and The Great Company comes Delusion: The Blue Blade, an Indiana Jones meets Blade Runner-style adventure that invites guests in groups of eight to a world left erratic since the disappearance of the rare artifact, The Blue Blade. Once held by The Safeguard Society, an elite group of historians, the sacred blade was stolen by Professor Evelyn Lowell… one of their own. The fate of time and space hang in the balance as Evelyn and the blade slip further away. As a sign of desperation, The Safeguard Society looks to you and your friends — their most promising initiates — to track down Evelyn and The Blue Blade. Rumored to be underground and protected by a strange cult, Evelyn’s disappearance had created more questions than answers. Now it’s time to play your part (#playyourpart) in the most transformative theatrical production of its kind.

“We’re really excited about the extension of this sixth story in the Delusion Universe,” said Jon Braver, creator of Delusion. “This is the first time we’ve extended a show beyond the fall season. We’re confident this show in particular can transcend any one season. Plus, changes are afoot, as Prof Evelyn Lowell has manipulated time in ways she could never have imagined, which means the show will offer something new and exciting for those who have seen it before as well as brand new Delusionals.”

Heralded by NPR as the “hottest ticket in town”, Delusion has captivated sold-out audiences since its first play opened in 2011, transforming them into characters inside a living, breathing, dark world of epic interactive storytelling.Delusion: The Blue Blade marks the first show for which there will be corporate pricing, group discounts, and a VIP package that includes a behind-the-scenes tour. There is now also a Wait List for fans who want to show up on a given night and fill in for no-shows. All of these additions bring the production to an even broader audience, including those who have never experienced Delusion or interactive theater before.Tickets start at $95. Past seasons have sold out quickly, so we are urging guests to book tickets while they are still available.

ABOUT DELUSION

In a new era of storytelling, Delusion (#playyourpart) remains one of the most popular interactive events with an absolute commitment to quality and originality. Delusion began in 2011 as a passion project for creator Jon Braver and for six seasons has captivated sold-out audiences, thrusting them into an otherworldly adventure where they must play their parts in order to move the story forward. Live actors, creature effects, stunts, elaborate set design, and an original score weave together a tale unlike any other. And now, with its new partners at Skybound Entertainment and The Great Company in Los Angeles, the Delusion Universe of stories has expanded into other mediums; the first being a cinematic VR adaptation of the 2014 play Delusion: Lies Within, which was co-created by Witty Acronym and launched in December 2018 on Samsung VR.

ABOUT GREATCO

The Great Company (GreatCo) is a Los Angeles-based experiential studio that collaborates with IP rights holders, global brands, and cultural institutions to produce interactive installations and immersive experiences that connect audiences in meaningful ways and transform the perception of time and reality. GreatCo’s work includes collaborations with Marvel Studios, PepsiCo, and The Smithsonian Institution.

ABOUT JON BRAVER

A film and theatre director, action coordinator, and Disney Imagineering consultant, Jon Braver’s extensive career has run an exciting path. His love for the fantastical and experience working with some of the top directors in the business has helped to shape his unusual range of talent and keen ability to deliver a unique vision. He began work on his Delusion Universe in 2010 and continues to shepherd the property as it expands to new audiences and formats.

[vrheadsets]

RYOT’s Virtual Reality Short Dinner Party Heads To Sundance

Virtual reality’s (VR’s) role, or should that be potential role, in the film world has always been a topic of conversation ever since the first modern commercial line of VR head mounted displays were announced. How would it change film? How would film shape VR? What parts of the creative process would evolve and what new previously unthought of ways could directors and producers find themselves telling stories.

Whilst VR was certainly a topic during 2014 and 2015 it was in 2016 that we first saw things begin to take off and VR became not just a talking point but became a feature of film festivals. Now in 2017 discussion about VR is common place and having it at said festivals is an expected part of its make-up. Be it Raindance, Sundance, the Vancouver International Film Festival or the Venice Film Festival.

VR film has also had notable success in 2017, with Legendary Entertainment’s VR installation winning an honourary Oscar for Carne Y Arena. 

Today however it is RYOT who have an announcement. The Verizon owned creators of VR and other film media revealing that this year’s Sundance Film Festival is set to feature two world premieres from the studio – one of which will be in VR. Appearing as part of the VR Showcase, Dinner Party follows the tale of Betty and Barney Hill and their experience in 1961 which led to the first reported UFO abduction. After a mysterious event occurs the Hills are left with gaps in their memories and at a subsequent dinner party are placed under hypnosis to find the truth. But what is revealed no one could have expected.

Made by RYOT in conjunction with both Skybound Entertainment and Telexist, Dinner Party also acts for the pilot for a new series of VR shorts called The Incident, which charts true to life stories of strange occurrences and paranormal events.

  The other non-VR film is On Her Shoulders, which follows the story of Nadia Murad, who was thrust onto the world’s stage after escaping the genocide being perpetrated by ISIS in her country.

Co-Founder of RYOT Bryn Mooser was particularly pleased about having not one but two items attending the festival. “We couldn’t be more excited to plant our flag at Sundance, with our feature documentary On Her Shoulders and our VR short Dinner Party. Between the two projects, you get a glimpse into the future of RYOT – working with top talent and technology to tell stories that move the world.”

“It’s an honor to premiere On Her Shoulders in competition.” Added Producer Hayley Pappas, “A proud and humbling moment to see this film come to life alongside a world-class roster of documentaries.”

VRFocus will be bringing you more news, features and interviews on the various film festivals throughout 2018.

from VRFocus http://ift.tt/2BYQwju

[comicsbeat]

A horrific event has taken 300,000 people from Philadelphia and thrust them into a savage dimension where they are hunted by unimaginable monsters. Some have been rescued by people from the regular world, but it’s a difficult, dangerous process. 10 years later, most people back on Earth have moved one, but one man, Nathan Cole, can’t. He’s obsessed with going back to Oblivion and bringing people back, risking his own life and opening a deeper mystery.

That’s the premise of Oblivion Song, a new monthly comic co created by Robert Kirkman, and Italian artist Lorenzo de Felici, with colors by Annalisa Leoni. The ongoing series debuts in March.

As you might guess from this synopsis, Oblivion Song deals with survival and danger, themes you might know from Kirkman’s other book, The Walking Dead. But the new book is the OTHER side of tragedy –what happens when people forget and move on.

“No matter how horrific something is that happens, it doesn’t take too many years to just go back to normal and forget about it,” said Kirkman at a press conference on Wednesday morning prior to New York Comic-Con. “The main character is the only one very invested in it and still trying to rescue people. Others are like, can’t we just forget that crater in the middle of the town? Inside the dimension of Oblivion we are going to meet more and more people who have been living there for a while and find out how they survived.” While there will be lots of monsters, the one thing Kirkman is avoiding is Zombies. “I want to avoid things I did in Walking Dead, but hopefully there will be the same cool story dynamics.”

De Felici is an Italian artist Kirkman discovered via a suggestion from Cory Walker. When contacted by Kirkman to work on a book, de Felici thought someone was pulling a prank on him, but he’s ramped up to monthly speed. He and Leoni has worked hard to create a very alien world for Oblivion Song, including a very striking approach to color that everyone who has seen the book has noted. We hope to have more on the duo’s approach to that in a process piece here at the Beat because it’s fascinating.

Of the book’s origin, Kirkman said he had the idea rumbling around in his head for 10 years. “I was reflecting on the fact that Kirby had never done a run on Batman. How weird would it be? What would Jack Kirby do with Batman. Ad then over the course of 10 years it evolved into other dimensions and this guy with a cape. The idea is so strange, and so completely unlike what we have come up with before.”

Kirkman, de Felici, and Leoni appeared at a press conference with Skybound editor Sean Mackiewicz and Image publisher Eric Stephenson. It was a fairly elaborate affair to announce a new comic book, but an effective one, although not too many creators besides Kirkman could pull it off. (However Image is having more press conferences throughout NYCC, so it could be a trend.) Stephenson noted that Kirkman liked to try new things and this was a different approach than just a panel and a press release.

The book has a trailer which you can watch above (narrated by Phil Lamarr) and a big preview which you can see below. It’s quite a striking project – with, Kirkman promises, many twists and turns – and given his following it should find a ready audience.

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  Robert Kirkman’s new series, ‘Oblivion Song’ is a different take on survival A horrific event has taken 300,000 people from Philadelphia and thrust them into a savage dimension where they are hunted by unimaginable monsters.