Video game poetry

Hey everyone,

This post is a little off topic, but I wanted to share none-the-less. As some of you know, I started my writing career with poetry. Some serious while others are lighthearted and funny. As this blog focuses more on video games and comics, I decided to share a couple video game inspired poems. Here they are.

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Bouncer

A giggle

A laugh

No innocence

A shot 

A hit

Time to move

First calm

Then red

The color of anger

It lunges

It destroys

Life fades away

Was red

Now yellow

Time to continue on

 

 

Silence

 Blades glisten

Though covered in shadow

Birds chirp in the distance

Voices heard

a dull roar

Take to the roof

Breathing heavy

Must keep moving

Building to building

Target found

Too many people

Stalk and wait

Night falls

Mist rolls in

Darkness provides cover

Seconds pass

Target reacquired

Slip in quietly

Death approaches

Hold him down

Screams are muffled

Blades release

Life slips away

Requiescat in Pace

 

The Strain: Book One review.

"Bloody, disgusting, sickening fun..."

Dark Horse's comic adaption of Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan's trilogy, The Strain, is a dark thing of beauty. It takes the best viral outbreak stories and blends it with a dash of vampires and a hint of zombies. While any one of those options alone would be an over played and worn to death story, The Strain marries the three perfectly. Recently, the novel series was picked up by FX and was just renewed for a second season. In light of all of the positive press, I decided to give the graphic novel version a go.

The Strain follows Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his team after the Center for Disease Control (CDC) brings them in to investigate a potential terrorist attack at JFK International Airport. What the team finds inside the grounded and seemingly lifeless Boeing 777 threatens to destroy not just New York City, but the World.  With the help of an elderly, and seemingly crazy, gentleman, Goodweather sets out to stop the spread of whatever was contained inside the airplane; something that is spreading faster than anyone can imagine.

The first thing you will notice upon diving into this book is the breathtaking and brutal artwork by Mike Huddleston. Each page, let alone each panel, is heavy with atmosphere and emotion. Even without speech bubbles or though boxes, the reader is lead throught this dark story. Complimenting Huddleston's pencils are colors by Dan Jackson. Jackson's use of dull and/or muted tones add a touch of realism that is to often lost in a lot of modern comics. Even DC's New 52 Batman, while dark and brooding, uses a brighter color pallet to emphasize the shadows and darkness. 

As I have not seen the television show, nor read the novels, I came into this graphic novel with an open mind.  I found the script, which was written by David Lapham, moved the story along at a brisk, yet sometimes confusing, pace. Only in a few spots throughout the graphic novel's 250 pages did I feel the book stumbled a little in its execution. There is one scene in particular where a single use, UV light "grenade", is used that felt a tad forced. While not a major issue, I did feel as though it tripped up the flow, if only for a few pages.

As believable as Goodweather's character is (this was really shown in some of the opening pages prior to all hell breaking loose), some of the supporting characters don't stand up as well. Abraham Setrakian, in particular, felt very forced. Early on, it felt as though Del Toro, Hogan and subsequently Lapham were really pushing for the "crazy old man" vibe. That quickly fell away when everyone began to believe him. Next thing I knew he was being presented as the old and wise mentor to Goodweather, his team and some survivors. The stark difference in the presentation was something that stuck out to me during the last quarter of the graphic novel.

By the end, I found that the story devolved into less about the horror and focused more on action. This might be slightly jarring to some as the story grabs you, starts running and doesn't let go. As with my previous complaints, it isn't major, just a small bump. It isn't often that you find a book, much less a graphic novel, that can really instill fear like the opening chapters of The Strain. I just wish that the sense of fear created in the opening pages held through until the end. 

I read The Strain cover to cover in one sitting. While I have minor qualms with the pacing and ending, I found the story to be a gripping, bloody and fun adventure. I look forward to reading not just the next book, but also the novels as well as checking out the series on FX. If you are a fan of zombies, vampires and/or outbreak stories then I would recommend picking up this trade from Dark Horse. 

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Originally written for Comic Book Therapy. Posted here with their permission

Gamefly: A great service which overwhelms me monthly.

"Feeding my addiction..."

Gamefly. Every gamer knows of it, most have used it at one point or another. For me, it is a blessing and a curse. It feeds my gaming addiction, but also stresses me out. I have a weird quirk; I hate borrowing things. When someone loans me a movie, book or game it never gets watched, read or played. Prior to the launch of PS4 I was loaned The Last of Us by a friend. I had read so many amazing reviews and was generally excited to dive in. But when I got home, it got stuck next to my console and there it stayed until I gave it back three weeks later. I didn't forget about it mind you, I just had no urge to play it. 

Anywho, back to Gamefly. Their service is great, add  a tons of games you want to play, pay a small monthly amount and play to your hearts content. I love the idea, the concept and the execution. Every time I get that familiar square, orange and white, envelope, I get excited. Yet the games (almost) never get played. When I got my Playstation 4, it was a lifesaver. I couldn't afford to play the newest games and their services allowed me to experience the next generation of gaming. But as my personal collection grew, my hesitation to complete my rented games came back. Even now I have Lego: Marvel Superheroes and Wolfenstein: The New Order sitting directly next to my PS4. The discs have been inserted, updates downloaded yet neither game has been played for more than ten minutes. 

After thinking long and hard about the cause of this, I think I may have found an answer. There is too much to play. Too many trophies to achieve, too many hours to spend and yet so little time. Work mixed with writing and my married life mean little time for gaming. While normally I would enjoy one game at a time, Gamefly provides so much good (sometimes mediocre) content that I get overwhelmed. As of this time of writing, I am playing Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition, The Last of Us Remastered and Rogue Legacy.

Another issue that I have is more personal. I am terrified of breaking or damaging the game (or item if it relates to something borrowed). There have been a few times lent out a game only to receive back a scratched to hell disc that resembles a coaster more than a game. I hated when it happened to me and I wouldn't want to have that happen to an item where I will have to pay more if it breaks. 

Finally, I find that my luck with Gamefly is meh at best. I know a lot of the good games are limited and I will need to wait. However, I sometimes go a few weeks waiting for a new arrival only to get one when I finally get into a game from PSN or on my PC. As previously mentioned, I have limited time. I then need to choose, do I play the game I am invested in or try out the new one. Being of a singular mindset, I can only play one game at a time. I usually will sideline the rented game(s) for the one I own.

Should I cancel my Gamefly account? Part of me loves the service and all my choices. Another part feels like I am drowning in options. I guess I will continue the service, if only for something to play in between Destiny and all the other stuff.

Digital Pre-ordering and Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition first impressions

"Collect all the loots..."

Diablo 3 by Blizzard Entertainment is something I am very well versed in. I own it for my PC (both the core game and the expansion, Reaper of Souls), Xbox 360 and now for my Playstation 4 with the Ultimate Evil Edition. This marks the first time I have purchase a full retail game as a digital version on its release (Games with Gold and PS+ monthly games not included). I was a little hesitant in purchasing a game that I cannot loan to a friend, nor trade in. Thankfully, it is a game I know I love and will not be getting rid of. 

Pre-ordering a game digitally on the Playstation Network is a breeze. I just needed to locate the game on the PSN store (the hardest part) and buy it. From there you will see a timer counting down to release. A few days prior to the games street date and you will see it loaded onto your console. This makes it ready to be played at exactly 12:01 a.m. local time. While playing The Last of Us: Remastered I received a notification telling me Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition (D3) was ready to be played. This whole process was a simple and elegant way to purchase one of my favorite games. Now to ignore the clock while Destiny downloads. 

Initial loading screen for D3:UEE

Upon booting up D3 I was asked to link my Battle.net account so that I could receive a legendary item from the start. Seeing that D3 is all about gearing up, I linked it right away. From there I skipped all opening movies (I have played this games for countless hours) and was greeted with the family character creation screen. As this isn't a review, and the game has been out for a while, I won't bore you with the details of the classes. Once my wizard was made, I dove in to re-conquer the campaign. As I no longer have the 360 version, I wasn't able to import my previous characters. Oh well. 

My wizard, Zohw

For anyone who has played Diablo 3, and more so on consoles, you will find the game to play exactly the same. The only readily apparent difference is the fact that it is nice looking and runs at 1080p and 60 FPS. The more major changes are in its social aspect (on the PS4 only). On my second time logging in, I found I had some mail waiting for me (the mailbox is new). To my delight I had not one, but two legendary items waiting for me from some of my PSN friends. This happened because there is a small chance that when you get a legendary, you will also loot an item for a friend too. It was a nice surprise. 

I literally ran into the second social feature later in Act I. I was just walking along, killing everything in sight when a portal opened up and out jumped a huge creature. It had a different name plate from the other rare and elite creatures I had fought previously. Not only that, but beneath his name was the PSN ID of one of my friends. This was a creature that had kill him, gotten stronger, selected me from his friends list and them jumped into my game. After a longer than average fight, I bested him and got all sorts of items (some of said loot went to my friend who died). 

Super death beams of death!

In my short time with Diablo 3; Ultimate Evil Edition I have fallen back in love with the grind and loot gathering. Buying it digitally was extremely easy and got me playing immediately. All in all, this was a great experience. Now, it you will excuse me, I need to beat Act II. 

PS: Add me on PSN if you want to play. XRequiemOfChaosX

Burn the Orphanage: Reign of Terror #4 Review

“Mega Kill-All Bots”

Issue four of Burn the Orphanage by Sina Grace and Daniel Freedman picks up directly where issue three left off. Rock, Lex and the rest of the ragtag, 1980’s inspired, freedom fighters are off to infiltrate Mann Jr’s compound. Teaming up with a group of topless stripper ninjas and armed with roller skates, the mission begins.

As with the previous three issues, Sina Grace’s pencils nail the 1980’s / 90’s feel. Each character, from the lovable tank named Bear to our hero, Rock, feels as though they were ripped right out of a Nintendo game. With each turn of the page I swore I could hear 8-bit music playing in the background. While the characters, and story, may resemble that of the Nintendo era; Grace’s art style screams that of the golden age of comics (late 1930’s to mid 1950’s). It is an odd amalgam of generations that just melds beautifully.

As I mentioned previously, issue four takes place immediately after three. However, this issue triples on the outlandish and stylized fight scenes. Each scene tossed in one crazy element after another. Yet, the story is never lost within all the brightly colored (by the talented Renee Keyes) panels. This is something I must commend Grace and Freedman for. In just three short issues, I came to care about the core cast of misfits. Each with their own wise-ass comments and silly puns. Seeing them all in this penultimate issue, facing bloody and brutal deaths, is captivating and refreshing. To often are comic readers given characters who are boring, cookie cutter and stale.

With everything coming to a head next issue, I am very excited to see how it ends. Will Rock save Jess from the superpowered, and brightly colored, Elyse? Can Lex and the rest of the team take down Mann Jr. and save the city? I have no idea, but I am honestly stoked to read the final issue.

Rating: 9 / 10

Originally written for Comic Book Therapy. Posted here with their permission

My time in Azeroth. My Love / Hate relationship with the MMORPG

World of Warcraft's fifth expansion, Warlords of Draenor

"GG WoW, GG"

Azeroth - more importantly my guild, <LIGHTS> - holds a special place in my heart. I have spent countless hours dancing, raiding, pvp-ing, and grinding in the MMO phenominon developed by Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft (WoW). After reading that the newest expansion, Warlords of Draenor (box art seen above), is launching this November, I felt the urge to jump back in. Almost immediately I questioned that thought process. Since then, I have been pondering the urge to come back as well as the reasons to not resubscribe. 

The universe that Blizzard has built holds a lot of memories. Some good, others not so much. When I was injured and couldn't go out on a past 4th of July, I instead watched the fireworks from Booty Bay Harbor. When I was overwhelmed with life, my friends and guild mates in <LIGHTS> made me laugh and felt like I belonged somewhere. Some of the best time spent was just exploring the the massive continents in WoW. Something about flying through Crystalsong Forest, listening to its background music, helped to relieve stress.

Crystalsong Forest

Not all of my time in game has been positive however. I have been called some of the worst things by people with whom I have never met. People, who didn't any older than twelve, have told me they are going to skull f*ck me because they lost a game of capture the flag. CAPTURE THE F*CKING FLAG! I am going to let that sink in a minute... 

I have been kicked out of groups and made fun of for not having a certain level of armor. There were even times I wasn't invited to a group because I didn't have the right achievement. While these times were few and far between, it lessened my love of the game. Mind you, the content was a lot of fun. It was some of the people who made the experience less than fun. I am sure you are asking why I stayed as long as I did (over seven years). It was a mix of guild loyalty, the strive for better gear, and the fact that I had the time payed for already. 

Massively multiplayer online roleplaying games were an addiction of mine. The allure of exploring an always online, persistent word was fascinating. Slashing my way through countless enemies for that next piece of loot was hard to deny. Hell, even the social aspect really drew me in. There was so much content and things to do for a small monthly fee (except in the case of Guild Wars 1 and 2). It was that monthly fee mixed with life that truly pulled me away.

Map of Azeroth (Not including Outlands)

Minutes turned to hours then to days and finally weeks; still I played. I almost lost friends in real life. Relationships came and went. Yet, every day I logged into WoW. I would run what felt like a hundred dungeons, enter a raid and then stand around in the city. It wasn't just WoW. I was also playing Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Something, after years of playing almost solely MMORPGs, was changing. 

The allure of endlessly logging in and grinding for something was fading. Soon I found that the only reason for me to log in was to see my friends in <LIGHTS>. As for the other games, I didn't have a guild. They were the first ones I bowed out from. I just wasn't ready to give up World of Warcraft. That day finally came when I was sitting down to look at my finances and to plan my future with my wife. It was then that I saw how much I had spend on WoW alone. $1,500 was spend just on time for WoW. That hit me like a ton of bricks. It was that moment that I decided I needed to step back and take a break. 

I miss my guildmates and the sense of wonder. But, at the same time, I am not sure if I am ready to spend that kind of money on a game again. I guess we will see how I do come November with the release of the next expansion. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Review (Spoiler Free)

"Turtle Power..."

I am an 80's and 90's kid. I grew up yelling "Cowabunga" and having pretend fights with the Foot Clan. My love of pizza was only furthered because of my love of Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael. I even joined the Burger King Kids Club just so I could get my hands on the exclusive Ninja Turtles VHS tapes. So when the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles came to the big screen in 1990, I was ready to be dazzled. At the ripe ol' age of five, my every dream came alive on the silver screen.

Fast forward to 2014 and I am now pushing 30 years of age and getting just as excited to see the new Michael Bay produced, Jonathan Liebesman directed, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). Launching after a wave of bad press due to them being changed to aliens (then back), issues with the turtle's look and most recently the upset surrounding their Australian poster; I was holding my expectations pretty low. I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.

By no means is this the evolution of cinema as we know it. It won't win any awards for the best acting (by the human components) nor will it go down as the best film ever created. You know what? I am okay with that. In the end I went into the movie expecting to be disappointed and came out pretty happy. I found the 101 minute film to be full of nods to the previous films and television shows. Even the into is a throwback to the original comic series. I was filled with equal parts adrenaline, excitement and nostalgia throughout the movie.

The first thing I noticed while watching the movie was how the turtles were kept hidden for roughly the first 15 minutes or so. While some movies *cough GODZILLA cough* can take over an hour to finally allow viewers to see the namesake character(s); TMNT holds out just long enough. Once finally unveiled, the movies kicks into overdrive. The turtles are bigger than any previous incarnation and look to stand well over six feet. The size alone isn't the only change. Now each turtle is given personality in their unique look. For example, Michelangelo embraces his surfer inspiration by wearing sea shell necklace. Leonardo on the other hand rocks some make-shift armor that is adorned with a New York City button. It is the little touches like this that I enjoyed. Also, I appreciate that each brother had their own body type. From the tank-like Raphael to the slim and meek Donatello, each of the four were easily distinguished.

Size comparison. Megan Fox is 5' 4". Raph is a giant.

On a more technical level, the motion capture and CGI for the brothers (and Splinter) is amazing. The level of detail found on their skin and fur to be extremely well done. While I am on the topic of Splinter, I found him to be a tad to rat like. Yes, that is an odd thing to say since Splinter IS a rat, yet I found those features to stand out. As for the design choices regarding the turtles, I honestly didn't mind. Give them lips and a nose; didn't bother me. What mattered to me was their personality; something each turtle had in droves. Each of the four retained their signature style and that was something that pleased me greatly.

While the look and technical specs of the movie made pleased me, the story and human element left something to be desired. The plot of the movie, which I will not spoil here, is something we have seen a million times over. Heck, I even called the resolution about midway through the film. But again, I stress, don't expect an Academy Award winner here. Megan Fox's April O'neil and Will Arnett's Vernon Fenwick are alright. Not the best acting I have ever seen, but certainly not the worst. To be fair, I was actually surprised at how much I like Fox's version of April.

With every hero story, you need an equally great villain. TMNT had two, neither of which I thought were any good. William Fichtner's character, Eric Sacks, is a one dimensional and stereotypical bad guy. He kind of reminds me of Bill Gates if Gates had decided to go insane and take over New York. Shredder, the turtle's longstanding nemesis, is a one trick pony. What you see in the third trailer is almost all he does. He is a like a Samurai Swiss Army knife. By the third time he pulled out ALL his blades I was thinking "Oh come on now, we have already seen this."

Splinter meets the Swiss Army version of Shredder. Does he come with a toothpick too?

When all was said and I came out and was happy that I had seen the film. Was it original? Not really, no. Was it the best movie I have seen this year? Nope (that honor goes to Guardians of the Galaxy so far). Did I have a good time? Yes, yes I did. It is by no means perfect, but it is one hell of a fun ride.

SIDE NOTE: Don't see it in 3D. It isn't worth the upcharge and the fight scenes are almost unwatchable due to the quick cuts.

Rating: 7 / 10

The Star Wars review (Minor Spoilers)

The Star Wars published by Dark Horse.

"May the force of others be with you..."

I am not going to beat around the bush with this review. Stay as far away from this series as possible. Think galaxies far, far away. There is almost no part of The Star Wars that resembles the space opera many of us know and love. Based off the original rough-draft script from George Lucas, The Star Wars should have been left on the cutting room floor.

I like to fancy myself a true lover of science fiction. Whether it be Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek or the novel The Martian by Andy Weir, I love it all. So when I had the chance to see where Star Wars came from, I jumped at the chance. Never before have I been so utterly disappointed. 

While the photo-realistic artwork by Mike Mayhew draws you in, the translated story written by Jonathan Rinzler is a disjointed mess. The story you were introduced in A New Hope and which continued through The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi is nowhere to be found here. Yes, the characters Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, C3PO, Han Solo and Princess Leia are here; just not in the way you know them. You are also assaulted with so many new characters that you have trouble keeping track of everyone. Not only can you barely keep their names straight, but no emotional bond is formed. When a man  gives up his life to save two children, it hit the same emotional cord as when my Big Mac doesn't look like the McDonalds commercial; "Meh" and then I move on.

Tiny Star Destroyers, oy.

The book follows Annikin Starkiller, a young man who is pawned off on General Luke Skywalker (who looks to be 60 years of age) by his father Kane. In this version of the iconic story, Obi-wan Kenobi is not a character. That role is filled by Luke when he agrees to take Annikin as his Padawan. From there the two set out to save Princess Leia and her two siblings from Vader and the New Empire. The differences don't end there. The legendary warriors are known as the Jedi-Bendu and follow the way of the Bendu; a religion that is given no background or explanation. As the lead in shows, they also use the phrase "May the force of others be with you." Not a major change, but jarring enough to take me out of the story.

Some other differences include Alderaan not being destroyed, Darth Vader being a General and not Sith; nor does he wear the mask, Han Solo being a green alien, R2D2 actually speaking and no part of the story takes place on Tatooine. These are but a small snippet of things that didn't follow the story I know and love.

Old man Skywalker

After reading the trade paperback I went and watched the original Star Wars trilogy then read the book again. I had to separate my love of Star Wars and ask myself if I would enjoy this just as a sci-fi story. Nope, not at all. The pacing is terrible. Once moment two characters are bickering, the next they are in love. The sense of time is nonexistent. The 180+ pages could have taken place over two days or two weeks and I wouldn't have known any better.

Overall I found myself bored, frustrated and most of all disappointed. I am glad this was not the Star Wars that was presented to the world in 1977. Do yourself a favor and enjoy the movies.

Rating: 2 / 10

Dragonball Z: Battle of Gods review

"Cha-la, head cha-la..."

Everyone who grew up loving Dragonball (and the subsequent "Z" and "GT" series) has their favorite moments. Whether is be the Goku vs Piccalo fight in the original series or the Cell games from DBZ, everyone has a moment they can instantly recall. Personally, I have so many that instantly come to mind. When I heard that the 2013 Japanese release of Dragonball Z: Battle of Gods was dubbed with the English voices and was set to hit theaters, I felt like I was 12 years old again.

Nostalgia aside, Battle of Gods, is a lot of fun with a few points that drag it down from true greatness. On a technical standpoint, the movie is a thing of beauty. Seeing Goku and all the Z-fighters in HD clarity is something to behold. The action which used to be full of shaky lines and repeated animations is gone thanks to new animation technology and CGI. On top of that, most - not all - of the English voice cast returned for the movie. From beginning to end, your eyes and ears will be treated to the best looking Dragonball Z film to date.

Lord Beerus

Story wise, it is a solid "good". From the beginning we are warned that a certain god of destruction, Lord Beerus, has awoken. He is a legendary warrior who destroys whole galaxies because they annoyed him. Once we are actually introduced to the character, the first thing you will notice is his feline qualities. Appearance aside, his motions and actions resemble that of a cat; down to licking his "paws" to clean himself after waking up. Normally this would take me out of the movie, but this is Dragonball Z. An anime that is filled with talking pigs, little green guardians of Earth and men who get so angry they go blonde. A cat man is nothing to bat a lash at. The reason for Lord Beerus to visit Earth on the other hand is a little silly.

The long and short of it is that Lord Beerus had a dream (or premonition) that he would battle a Super Saiyan God; a legendary form whose power exceeds even that of Super Saiyan 3 (SSJ3). He is surprised at this because it was by his direction that Planet Vegeta (home of the Saiyans) be destroyed by Freeza. Learning that there were Saiyan survivors, Beerus heads out to find said Super Saiyan God. After a quick stop to visit King Kai (which leads to Goku getting his backside handed to him), Beerus makes his way to Earth. This is where the movie falters.

Bingo for Dragonballs!

After being warned by King Kai, Vegeta is tasked with keeping Beerus calm and ushering him off Earth since Goku was quickly defeated. He must do this while trying to entertain all the Z-fighters for Bulma's birthday. The entire middle section of the movie felt like a filler episode. You know, the ones where Goku spent the episode screaming to power up and the other characters were tasked with finding the Dragonballs. That is how the middle 30 odd minutes went. Yes, there was plenty of humorous moments (including one hilarious dancing segment), but most of the events felt like something to stretch the run time.

Even when Lord Beerus arrived, instead of jumping into battle, he dives into the food and makes himself at home. Even his decision to destroy Earth is fueled by greed and pudding. Yes, pudding. I won't go into spoilers, but this whole middle section of the movie could have gone in so many more action packed ways. The filler mentality didn't subside until Goku recovered and arrived to save the plant. Once there, however, the tone of the movie went full force.

While we got to see the Z-fighters each do their thing, I would have liked to see more of their signature moves. There is something special about hearing Piccalo yell "Special Beam Cannon!" Alas, all the flashy moves were saved for Goku. On a side note, my showing of the movie was completely sold out. Every seat was filled. Every person came together to say "Ka-me-ha-me-HA!" with Goku. That moment gave me chills. Any who, back to the topic at hand.

Super Saiyan God Goku

The ending fight was an adrenaline fueled extravaganza filled with power moves and lots of signature Dragonball Z yelling. What I didn't expect was the lackluster ending. The last 15 minutes or so set up for another movie that may or may not get made.

When all was said and done, I found the movie to be worth the price of admission. The nostalgia alone is worth the $10. What could have been a great movie was bogged down with too much filler. However, if you love the Dragonball universe, you will find plenty to enjoy here.

Rating: 7.5 / 10

Conventions: The Good | The Bad | The Smelly

My bud, Alex, helping at my booth at Phoenix Comicon 2014.

Conventions (cons) are the some of the biggest things to happen during the year for most nerds. There is a convention (or Expo in the case of video games) for all types of people. Everything from comics to anime have their own event. Some gatherings are geared to one singular franchise. (Minecraft, Star Trek and Image Comics to name a few.) If you have yet to attend a convention, especially ones the scale of San Diego Comic Con (SDCC), it can be extremely overwhelming. Having attended various conventions myself as a guest, professional or exhibitor, I feel inclined to share my thoughts on the whole idea.

After five years, and twelve conventions, I have grown to have a love/hate relationship with the convention scene. Now, most of my cons have been of the comic variety, but I have also been to a few video game expos in my day as well. Namely, I have been to the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2005 and 2006 as well as the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX East) in 2011.

Let us dive into the good, the bad and smelly side of conventions

GOOD

- Conventions are a great place to be enveloped in the things you love and relate to. I remember walking into my first comic convention and seeing a life-size Spawn statue. I was so excited because at the time, Spawn was my favorite (anti) hero. Not only can you find vendors that will have just what you are looking for, a convention is a great place to discover new things to dive into.

- There is something special about walking around a convention with your friends. It brings you back to the days when you would walk around the mall endlessly as a teenager, but now your favorite store is the size of a mall. A convention is a great place to go to with a group of friends. You can even meet some really cool people there. Some of my best friends now, I have met at conventions.

- One trend that I am seeing more and more is little kids being exposed to this growing community.  Now, more than ever, is this nerd/geek culture accessible thanks to numerous movies, television shows, video games and other media. Some of my favorite cosplays I saw recently at Phoenix Comicon 2014 were when whole family had a theme.

- Do you want an original 1996 Power Rangers Megazord? How about a replica lightsaber? Well, you are in luck! Most conventions have these in spades. Not only that, but for a premium you can get all the retro or limited edition stuff to add to your collection. Personally, I am a collector of Gundam models and anime conventions are a great place to find said items. If you can't find a certain issue, toy, game or item at your local comic shop, chances are you will find them here.

- Conventions are a great place to meet you favorite artists and writers as well as the various celebrity. While I am not completely sold that the latter should be there (more on that later), I think the former two are a great thing. I know, from an invited guest's perspective, meeting fans of my work is my personal favorite aspect. It allows me to get feedback and meet the people who allow my work to grow and flourish. This is something I will always be thankful of.

BAD

- Money. Why is money bad? Because EVERYTHING about a convention (minus smaller city ones) is expensive. Ticket to the event: $80 - $200, hotel for the weekend: $600 -$800, food while at the convention center: $9.50 for a hotdog, autograph with your favorite celeb: $35 - $100, spending money for prints/comics/toys/art: $200+. As you can see, this is a weekend that some families will spend more on than Christmas.

- Be prepared to hurry up and wait. If you do go to a convention that is large enough to have celebrities (or popular artists.writers) visit, and that is something you want to experience, you will be waiting a lot. Want to go to their panel? Get in line. Photo op? Get in line. Autograph? Get in line. Hell, even trying to buy merchandise of their to sign can take a while. Now don't get me wrong, the staff of the convention do their best to make it go smoothly. But 600 people in line can only go so fast.

- Celebrities. There, I said it. Why do I say that celebrities are a bad thing for conventions? Well they aren't and yet they are. Depends on the convention really. When you go to SDCC, you expect three things; to spend a lot of money, wait in lines and see celebrities. At this point it is a given. The reason this is a negative is because it makes the conventions that used to be focused on comics and their medium, less about said medium. Now don't get me wrong, I don't care if a celebrity goes to a convention. I just don't like it when a person comes to a convention and charges $80+ for a 3 second photo. THREE SECONDS! THREE! Ok, woo, I am calm. While this frustrates me, I will admit that I am a bit of a hypocrite. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Stephen Amell from Arrow as well as John Barrowman from Dr. Who (and Arrow). I was starstruck and they were awesome. But, if that hadn't of happened, my con wouldn't have been worse off. I guess I just prefer my comic conventions to be about comics. Speaking of which...

John Barrowman and I

- It is hard to find comics at comic conventions (again, depends on the con). While comic stores will have their set up. Most places sell toys, clothing, prints, posters, props, movies and other stuff. If can be hard to find actual comics. Harder still is to find independent or local books. You will find a metric shit-ton of talented artists, just very few books. I have a lot of respect for people who publish their own books. If you ever need suggestions on some awesome work from Arizona, I have tons to recommend.

SMELLY

- Be prepared for a lot of various smells. Some good, some hunger inducing, and the polar opposite of the previous two choices. While you may be overwhelmed with what you see, you other big sense will be overwhelmed too. Let me also clear any misconception, MOST nerds are not smelly. Some, however, are. Please do not be the later. I recommend throwing some deodorant and cologne/perfume (or at least body spray) into your bag for those times you don't feel so fresh. There is a good chance you don't smell so fresh. I will be the first too admit that cons, when at full attendance, get very hot and muggy inside. 

EXTRA

There is one thing that I feel needed it's own dedicated section. Cosplay. I respect the people who take hours to make costumes for their favorite franchise/character. What I don't respect, and will report (or interfere if necessary) is disrespect towards those people. I don't care if that gorgeous woman is dressed in a revealing outfit. Do not... let me say it again... DO NOT touch her unless you ask for permission. If that permission is granted, be respectful. Cosplay is not consent for you to be handsy. This also applies to male cosplayers as well. Being an ass is not limited to touching. Be mindful of how you talk to cosplayers. You may not like their work, but they put hours, sometimes dozens, into their work. No need to be a jerk about it. If you don't like it, don't take a picture. If you don't like it, just keep moving and go to the stuff you do like. There is never a need to be a douche bag about it.  

So there you have it. My thoughts and tips regarding conventions. Even with the negative points, I find the comradery and atmosphere to be to much to give up. So, if you decide to attend your local convention, I hope you have a good time!

Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #1 Review

Note: I am new to the world of Armor Hunters which is published by Valiant Comics. Now that that is out in the open, let us continue.

Armor Hunters: Bloodshot #1 has me torn. While Joe Harris pens an exciting story that is complimented by Trevor Hairsine's artwork, I found that I kept looking to see how many pages were remaining. When I sit down to read, whether it be novels, magazines or comics, I try to envelope myself in the pages. I can easily get lost within the visuals provided or that which I create within my own imagination. That did not happen here.

While the story presented is fun and full of action, it feels like something I have read before. It is a new story, yet I had the nagging feeling that I'd read something very similar from Marvel, DC or Image. Bloodshot himself is an interesting character as he is all powerful (due to nanites flowing throughout his body) and knows it.  He is, by and large, a superhero swiss army knife. Hacking - check, super strength - got it, fast healing - yep. Yet the flashback scenes scattered throughout the issue hint at his underlying humanity. Capshaw I found to be a more standard, military based character. She is wary of Bloodshot and his allegiance - a song and dance we have seen a million times. 

Visually I found the book to be more appealing. The design on Bloodshot is reminiscent of Marvel's Mr. Sinister mixed with some Captain Atom from DC. The color shift from the flashback scenes in Colombia to the current date at M.E.R.O add a nice touch. Hairsine's clean lines and detailed work is perfectly matched with the colors provided by David Baron. Panel to panel, my eyes always had something fresh to look at. Speaking of panels, the flow of the book - while simple - was easy to follow and nicely laid out. 

As I am new to the character and ongoing story, I found this issue to be formulaic and reminiscent of stories I have previously read. However, it is intriguing and visually different enough to have piqued my interest in the next issue. 

Final score. 3.5 / 5