The Circle Is Now Complete!

As of this moment, between the issues I've collected and the back issues and trade paperbacks I've purchased, I now have every "Knights Of The Dinner Table" comic in the series! Hoody Freakin' Hoo!

I know I've mentioned it before, but if you play paper and pencil RPGs, you owe it to yourself to check this comic/magazine out. Some times it's funny and other times it just makes you feel like you're part of a larger world of gamers.

Ooh! Speaking of which, a new issue may be coming out today! I'd better go see!

Later!

The Wrath Of God Has Been Neutered

Relativism strikes another blow to pop culture in "Countdown To Mystery" from DC comics.

I love the Spectre. One of my favorite character concepts. The Wrath of God bonded to a human soul. John Onstrander's run with Tom Mandrake doing artwork was a critical success, but since they stepped down, the character has gone downhill. First with the J.M. Dematteis "Spectre the Friendly Ghost" series, where the character suddenly became the "Spirit of Redemption", going on all sorts of touchy feely journeys with people who "really aren't so bad after all."

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all about redemption. I know my own heart, and I'm certainly deserving of some wrath. But there are people in this world who are completely given over to evil and they will never seek redemption.

Granted, we don't want to be judgmental and pretend we know who those people are, but history has demonstrated that plenty of people go their graves cursing everyone around them and having no remorse for the horrific evils they've committed. They may not be in the majority, but they definitely exist.

And what's more, if you're writing a work of fiction, you objectively know what your character's "spiritual condition" is. So the Spectre is the perfect opportunity to write stories that remind us that there really is such a thing as evil and there really is such a thing as justice. There was a time when ANY superhero book could be looked at for clear examples of good, evil and justice. But as American pop-spirituality infects entertainment media, we run increasingly short on stories that handle these ethical realities with clear definition or distinction.

In Countdown to Mystery, a book partially showcasing the Spectre, we see a cruel, remorseless murderer kill someone in cold blood with a smile on his face. The Spectre shows up and kills the murderer. But instead of going to hell or facing ANY real form of punishment other than the brief discomfort of death, he just hangs around. Why? Because he's an athiest, and so he has "nowhere to go".

Okay, fine. But the grounding of the Spectre, as a character, is based on the absolute, monotheistic concepts of the Bible, or at least the Old Testament. The Spectre is supposed to be unstoppable. But now, some sick jerk who has no value for human life can look at the Spectre and essentially pout, "I don't believe in you. Go away!" and get off the hook?

Why even bother writing stories about the Spectre anyway if it's that easy to avoid justice?

Anyway, I'm a DC fan, a Spectre fan and so far the rest of the story and art are compelling enough to continue reading. However I can't avoid a sigh every now and then...

The Reliance, #10

DC HEROES RPG

Fire and Ice, Part 4

Entering the aline craft buried in the ice, Surge, Iron Hand and Phanuel discover 6 stasis chambers, each holding a humanoid alive life form, alive but unmoving.
Jinx, the evil sorceress of the Fearsome Five, stands in front of a large monitor displaying a map of North and South America.

"Y'know," she says with a sneer,"If it weren't for what I can do, we'd just be called 'The Five'."
The room comes alive as a control console in the craft animates and tries to sandwich Iron Hand, with no effect. The Reliance responds with equal force, but Surge's lightinging and Iron Hand's energy blasts pass through Jinx without effect. Even stranger, Phanuels magical blast swerves completely away from Jinx, instead striking one of the aliens in stasis.

A moment later, the door to the craft closes, triggering Phanuel's cluastrophobia. She has little time to be concerned, however, as the wind picks up in the chamber and pulls all oxegyn from the half-angel's lungs, immediately rendering her unconscious.

Through strength ogf will or possibly an act of God, Phanuel quickly recovers and is back on her feet. COntinued bolasts from Iron Hand and Surge produce no helpful results, but suddenly all three heroes become aware that they have been fooled by an illusion! Jinx threw one of the aline bodies out of its stasis chamber and placed an illusion of herself over it, while she took refuge in the stasis chamber, attacking the Reliance from safety. At least from physical threats. The "stray magic blast" had apparantly founds its mark. Phanuel summoned nearly all of her power to inflict divine fear on an obviously powerful mystic. Although it only made Jinx pause for a moment, one moment was enough for Surge to aim his next bolt of lightining between the evil magic user's eyes.

In the aftermath, the team uses the location displayed on the large screen to find the possible destination of Dr. Svoboda. They call Hal Langsford, place Gizmo in the craft with Jinx (Shimmer had mysteriously vanished) and soon depart for the Canadian Klondike Mountains.

When they arrive, they meet another pilot for STAR Labs who explains that he brought Dr. Svoboda here. The helpful pilot uses a tracking device to send the team on a course following the strange doctor. In just a few minutes, they arrive at another aline craft. This one looks much smaller, woth no visible means of propulsion.
Just inside the open hatch, Irton Hand is scanned by an alien device, which then tranlsates an large warning sign inside the door to English. "Prisoner Transport. Do Not Enter."

Despite warnings and concern expressed by Phanuel and Surge, Iron Hand's need to explore the unknown has predetermined his course of action. He braves the small corridors of the craft, weaving back and forth. Security lasers and electrified doors pose not problem for the metal man and he soon finds the innermost chamber. Inside are a large pod with wires and conduits of all sorts connected to it. Above it, a transparent cube swirling with unknown energies.

Iron Hand regroups and reports his findings to the team. While Surge leaves his communicator with Phanuel, the mysterious winged girl opts to remain outside in the open air until her presence is required in the cramped environment of the space craft.

With Iron Hand in the lead, he and Surge systematically explore the rest of the craft, destroying various traps along the way. Eventually, they come across Dr. Svoboda. The eccentric doctor tries to reason with the two heroes, asking them to destroy the creature that, by the sound of things, has just broken free from the pod in the center of the craft.

Tired of being fooled with, the Reliance takes a stand, with Phanuel now on the scene, against the strange STAR employee. But before they can force any actions or words, from Svoboda, his demeanor changes, along with his appearance, morphing into what must be his true form: Psi-mon, master of the mind!
Casually, the leader of the Fearsome Five takes control of Phanuel, turning her divine fear upon her team-mates. Terrified, both men begin to panic and look for a way out.

They recover soon enough, as Psimon releases his hold on Phanuel. And not a moment too soon. The alien prisoner being transported in the vessel come lumbering onto the scene, looking ready for a fight. The Reliance doesn't make him wait.

Magic blasts, lightning bolts and fists of steel spin through the air. The creature and Surge seems to share a moment of mutual defiance regarding each opther's attacks. But in the end, the creature is pummeled into the wall behind him, rendering him unconscious and neutralize any threat he posed to earth.

Relaxed applause intrudes on the suddenly quiet aftermath and the voice of Psi-mon rings in everyone's mind.
"Bravo. I had hoped that one of you would wear the other out, making my job easier. But I can see you're more formidabl;e than I thought, and this endeavor has sudden;y become much less profitable." After these words, Psi-mon is gone. Even a search for life by Phanuel reveals nothing.

The team can't help but feel frustrated that only two of the Fearsome Five have been captured to face justice. Yet they know the battle they fight is a never ending one. And another day will provide new opportunities.

Psi-mon's abandoned journal reveals that he had discovered both crafts some time ago. The ship under the ARC facility contained 6 alien policemen inside. Their job was to escort their prisoner to a containment facility. During an emergency crash landing, the prisoner transport was ejected from the main craft. Psi-mon, as Svoboda, found the polic ship and, discover the officers in stasis, took advantage of the situation, experimenting on them. He discovered that their genetic make-up could create a catalyst for the human meta-gene effect. However, the results were unstable, leading him to seek out the other craft, in hopes that the other aline life form might contain something useful that would solve Psi-mon's problem.

What Psi-mon's endgame was, the Reliance can't know. But he seemed content to abandon his efforts... for now.

EPILOGUE

Back at HQ, the front door has been repaired with a "Thank You" note from the Coast City Star Labs.

While the team was gone, Coast City suffered a major attack from off-world. Clearly cosmic level in nature. They see the details reported all over the news. Something about a "Sinestro Corps". An antithesis to the Green Lantern Corps. The GL's defended Coast City and all of the planet and the citizens did their parts to rally around them. The citizens' tangible support in a time of terror is like nothing seen in any city across the world.

Overnight, Coast City has been nick-named "The City Without Fear". Suddenly, everyone wants to live here and real estate business is booming. In just a few days, an endless caravan of cars will no doubt begin streaming into the city as it is re-populated with unprecidented speed. The University is also being re-launched mid-semester due to poular demand with a modified credit system until the rest of the semester is complete.

The HQ phone is overloaded with messages from local and national news stations in Coast City wanting interviews with Phanuel("or 'Candice' if she prefers") and the rest of The Reliance. Also there is a message on Iron Hand's personal line. His WayneTech team reports that the prototype armor models are finished and ready for demonstration to Amanda Waller of the Belle Reve Metahuman Incarceration facility. She'd like to see a demo before the end of this week.

The Reliance has an opportunity now to catch their breath, train and develop their abilities, and prepare for whatever fate brings tomorrow.

Next... "The Doomsday Program, Part 1!"

The Reliance, #9

Sorry it's taken me so long to put this together. And a BIG thanks to Danielle for helping me remember a few important bits. So, with my apologies for any continuity errors that result from my bad memory, I give you...

Fire and Ice, Part 3

As the investigation continues, The Reliance is able to uncover some valuable information. First, Phanuel attempts to learn more by leaving her communicator in the ARC dome's conference room. It isn't until later that they discover her device crushed. Iron Hand burns through the ice covering the "Eskimo" bodies, revealing that they are in fact white males with blotchy skin and dark swollen areas around injection marks in their right arms.

This would seem to indicate that Dr. Motrel has been performing more experiments with the strange biological samples referenced by other STAR labs employees.

Dr. Motrel appears and offers to give Iron Hand some information if he will speak to him in private. However moments later the good Doctor vanishes and a living cyclone appears and attacks! After a brief skirmish, the cyclone is gone and the reliance regroups inside.

After a few moments in their guest room, a female doctor appears and says with a sneer, "You ask too many questions..." Throwing off her lab coat, she revealse her true nature. Shimmer uses her transmutation powers to turn the air in Surge's lungs into concentrated acid. Phanuel responds with a massive mystical assault that leaves Shimmer unconscious for the remainder of the fight. Meanwhile, Mammoth, the powerful giant, enraged at Shimmer's fate, runs on a collision course toward Phanuel, only to be slammed through the wall and into the connected room by the mech-powered might of Iron Hand.

Gizmo also wastes no time by targeting Phanuel with his high tech weaponry, but as Candice uses her healing powers to revive Surge from a near death experience, the tormented teenager unleashes a storm of electric fury that silences both gizmo and his squad of robotic canines.

In the aftermath, Mammoth manages to escape into the blinding snow, possibly rejoining Dr. Svoboda in some other location.

The Reliance, unfettered now by ARC staff, give the laboratories a much more thorough examination. In one of the labs, documents are discovered that make reference to an alien space craft under the facility. The papers also reveal that Motrel has been using bilogical samples from aliens in the discovered craft to trigger reactions of the meta-gene in human beings. This would explain the various thugs with powers the Reliance fought at the STAR lab location in Coast City. It doesn't take long for the heroes to travel down the tunnel of ice and find what they are looking for.

A scan for life in the space-craft by Phanuel reveals 7 life forms, one of which is moving. Reliance members steel themselves as they prepare to make their next move.

Terry Goodkind (The Sword Of Truth Series)

If you like fantasy that's dark and gripping, but is more than just a hack-fest of blood and gore, I'd highly recommend investigating Terry Goodkind.

A few years ago, I picked up a cheap promotionally priced copy of "Wizard's First Rule", the first book in this epic series. It wasn't blazing with wonder and fantasy from the first page, but there was something about the writing style that interested me. After a few chapters in, I was very interested, and by the end of the first book, I was hooked.

The series revolves around two main characters: Richard and Kahlan. Richard is a man from a quiet "medieval-type" town devoid of magic or wonder, who discovers another world full of danger and plenty of the mystical. Kahlan is the last living "Confessor", women with the power to turn anyone into a mindless babbling fool that will forever-more think only of pleasing her.

Over the course of the series, Richard learns more about his heritage and power in this new world he has come to call home. His love for Kahlan develops and matures, making their epic romance a centerpiece of the series.

And don't let that word "romance" turn you off. If you want intense, life-or-death storytelling, you'll find it here in spades. Goodkind really likes to put his characters through the wringer. Emotionally and without a doubt, physically. Pain and torture are commonplace. And while not gratuitous (in my opinion), you'll no doubt be squirming from time to time.

The good news is that all of this pain makes victory so much sweeter. The series has a high regard for the concepts of truth and justice, although if you're not interested in processing some of those and other philosophical themes, a few passages here and there may not hold as much interest for you.

You'll also notice repeated spelling errors in all of the books. Frustrating at first, they've either decreased in number, or I've gotten more used to them. The errors may be a result of the author's dyslexia, but a good editor should know to do more than just run "spell-check".

You may also notice two of the books near the middle of the series have very little to do with Richard and Kahlan. This frustrated me because I didn't know that would be the casein advance, but looking back, they were still excellent reads and certainly had impact on the over-all series.

Aside from those minor issues, if you're looking for an epic fantasy series with a hefty page count to sink your teeth into. Give this one a try!

"Confessor" marks the 11th and (reportedly) final book in the series.

I Got Nothin', Folks

Okay, so what's red, furry, bubbling and scratches at the window?

A puppy in the microwave.

Yep. Pretty sick, I know. Unfortunately, that's all I've got for ya today.

I've got brain cells on death row and a video game picked out to do the honors.

Later!

Marvel/DC Videos

If you haven't seen these, you're missing out!

Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight (Movie Review)

Although it's been awhile since I last played a game of Dungeons and Dragons, I've enjoyed the "Dragonlance" series of books written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I also feel a real lack of modern options in both film and animation when it comes to the fantasy genre. So it was with some anticipation that I waited for this animated movie to be released on DVD.

With names like Keifer Sutherland, Lucy Lawless, Michael Rosenbaum and Phill Lamarr attached, it held a fair amount of promise. And although a somewhat unimpressive trailer was released online a few months ago, I still had a few hopes left for a decent movie experience. Unfortunately, I found myself disappointed.

The biggest flaw in this film is the cell animation. Choppy and uninteresting, it reminds me of something typical of a Saturday morning cartoon from 10 or even 15 years ago. Maybe the creators felt that mixing in some computer animation would make up for the corners they cut with their cell animation, but nothing could really hide the lack of quality here. I would expect this level of work if it were aimed at kids and made for a weekly tv show, but the amount of violence and even a printed warning on the box make it clear this isn't made for kids. Despite this fact, it seems to be edited ideally for television. Every 5-10 minutes I saw a "fade to black with silence" transition, followed by the continuation of another scene. It reminded me of what it's like to watch a tv series on DVD with the commercial's removed. So unless it's been broadcast already, this seems like a very strange editing device.

Based on the numerous bloody combat scenes, you might expect this movie to scratch the old "hack 'n slash" itch, but due to the poor animation, the combat scenes that SHOULD be the bread and butter of this movie, fall flat on their faces. In the absence of visual interest, you might then look for characters or a story you can care about. You won't find either here. It seems as though the actors, talented as they are, were given little or no direction as they delivered their lines. The phrase "phoning it in" comes to mind. Of particular disappointment is Keifer Sutherland as Rastlin Majere. Although the novels describe the language of magic with some mystery and a sense of awe, Sutherland delivered his spell-casting dialogue with a lumbering American accent that removed any potential cultural flare or sense of the ancient. I don't fault the actors for this. I'm pointing my finger squarely at the director.

In terms of meaningful subject matter, you might find it interesting to compare the spiritual relativism of our culture to the polytheistic culture of this story. "Faith" seems to jump out as an important theme in the movie, more so than I remember it doing in the books. However, like the attitude common today, the subject of that faith seems unimportant. Faith in "the gods", faith in yourself. Whatever floats your boat. Both our culture and this movie seem to promote the individual as the source of ultimate power. In fact, Paladine (one of the "gods of light") doesn't really seem to be effective until near the end, when a key character displays faith in him. The implication is that whatever "god" the characters believe in is ultimately given power by their worshippers. It's easy to draw comparisons to a similar sentiment (if not a spelled out dogma) in American "pop-spirituality". However, as interesting as that conversation might be at Starbucks, this movie isn't interesting enough to stimulate that kind of thinking.

Hopefully they will learn from their mistakes and make some improvements, should there be a follow-up. However, unless die-hard D&D/Dragonlance fans come to the rescue, I think word of mouth may kill sales on this DVD, along with the chances for another one to be made. If you're one of the faithful few, you'll likely check this one out. Do yourself a favor and rent before you buy. Otherwise, if you want some non-anime sword and sorcery animation, save your money for the long-awaited "He-man and the Masters of the Universe" being released on DVD this February. It was made just a few years ago (so no, I'm not talking about the 80's cartoon) and on a weekly basis delivered everything that this movie should have.

Final Score-

Quality: 6.0

Veracity: 6.0

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Pilot and 2nd Ep. Review)

After the mediocre offering provided by "Terminator: Rise Of The Machines", I wondered what the future held for this franchise. Luckily, the future seems potentially bright.


The series stars Lena Headey ("300") as Sarah Connor, Thomas Dekker (Claire's friend from season 1 of "Heroes") as John Connor and Summer Glau ("Firefly", "The 4400") as the Terminator programmed to protect John and Sarah.


It's clear almost immediately that "Terminator 3" has gone the way of "Highlander 2", "Highlander 3" and... well, various parts of the first Highlander movie. In other words, it's being ignored and considered no longer a part of continuity. I almost thought that maybe the timeline of "Terminator 3" was changed by the presence of Glau's Terminator, but the Pilot starts out in 1999, while Sarah Connor's grave in "Terminator 3" clearly indicates that she died in 1997. Oh well. That movie is still okay for a so-so action fix, but I'm guessing most fans are willing to put it behind them if this tv show provides a good story. And I think it will, based on what we've seen so far.


First off, a story is only as good as its characters and a character is only as good as the actor portraying it. Lena Headey does much more than hide her natural british accent. She provides a hardened characterization that seems appropriately mellowed after putting several years between herself and the events of Terminator 2. But although not as extreme as Linda Hamilton's version, Headey has taken the character into a natural "next phase". No longer a border-line psychotic, this Sarah Connor is a centered, focused woman who feels powerful enough to lead the cast and bear the show's title on her shoulders.


Thomas Dekker is a more grown up John Connor than we saw in "Terminator 2", and while not as juvenile he still has a healthy amount of rebellion with an added dose of brooding that makes his character flawed and interesting. His performance is well-suited to the character, and while he doesn't have any unusual quirks like Sarah or Glau's Terminator, he provides the anchor for audience members to relate to on what will probably be a wild journey.


Summer Glau portrays a Terminator that shares traits with her three predecessors, but certainly has its own personality. Her model's capabilities are nowhere near fleshed out (no pun intended), although she seems to be somewhere between Schwarzenegger's T-101 and T2's T-1000. It would seem that one ability she has is to heal her flesh more rapidly than a human. Not "Wolverine" levels or anything close. But enough that a quarter sized hole in her skin heals over in about three days with no remaining scar tissue. That or we've seen the show's first continuity error.


Glau brings a little humanity to the character, almost to the point of emotion once or twice. Hopefully they will go the route of having her SIMULATE emotions and never actually DEVELOP them. We've "been there and done that" with Data on Star Trek and we certainly don't need a killing machine to "soften up" and get all weepy on us. Glau's performance covers the appropriate ranges and she seems suited to the subtle humor that this kind of character requires. I also have a funny feeling that she will play an unusual role in John's life at some point. I'm not sure what, but after the flirtatious beginning between her and John, you can use your imagination on the possibilites that may come around season 3 or 4.


It's clear the producers want to link this series to "Terminator 2", given the references to and appearances of several T2 characters in the Pilot and second episode. But this series doesn't look to be simply a watered down "poor-man's" version of the film franchise. Terminator 3 reminded us that big explosions and cool special effects do not equal the best Terminator story. With elements like a time-lost romance, adjusting to an eight year technological leap, helping a Terminator blend into society long-term, hunting down the origins of Skynet and avoiding various threats from the future, this series has alot to draw from to tell great stories.


Some of my favorite elements included the gun inside the Terminator's leg, (It's been done before in a Terminator comic, but it was still cool.) and a headless Terminator reclaiming his skull and covering up with winter clothes to hunt down John and Sarah. I was afraid they might go with a "Terminator of the week" formula, but it would appear that on this show, one Terminator will still be enough to last a long time. As it SHOULD be. The show will do well if they continue to surprise us with how much damage these things can take and still keep coming.
I can't list many flaws. My only grudge is a small one. In the second epsiode, Glau's Terminator was hit by a car because she didn't do something as simple as look both ways before crossing the street. Sure, it was a cool action beat, but it didn't make sense that it happened.


I'm also not ready to weigh in on the show's Veracity score. Some shows, like Battlestar Galactica, will develop meaningful themes over time. This show has the opportunity for that, but I don't have a sense of what they want to say yet, so I'll hold off on that rating for another time.


For now, the show looks great. From the characters to the music, it seems to be making every effort to "feel" like a Terminator story. So far so good!


Quality: 9.0/10


Veracity: To Be Determined

X-3's Second Chance

Recently, I bought X-Men 3 on DVD. I found it for less than 6 bucks (and that INCLUDED shipping) online and figured, "Okay, I'm willing to pay 6 bucks for this movie."

You may assume correctly that I wasn't very impressed with the film when I saw it in theatres.

But time has made me a more relaxed viewer and on this second viewing, a year and a half later, I'm able to forgive a few of the film's shortcomings. Just a few mind you, but my feelings about the film have certainly improved.

It still lacks the time and attention needed for certain characters. For example, Rogue's turmoil over the cure should have had more screentime and nobody seemed to care much that Scott was killed. I also would have liked more time spent developing Angel and Beast.

However, despite having more characters than it was ready to give time for, this movie did deliver a few more exciting and even emotional moments than I remembered. Xavier's death, The Phoenix wiping people out by the dozen, Wolverine's final moment with Jean. While each could have been improved on, they were still fairly well done. Enough to make this movie a pretty decent action experience.

Who knows, I might have even been happy paying 7 bucks for it...

Way Behind, But Lovin' It!!

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not on the "cutting edge" of gaming and technology. Especially pc games, since you have to shell out megabucks over and over again if you want to keep upgraded enough to play newer games. (Consoles ROCK!!)

However, about a year ago I picked up the complete set of "Diablo" games, including the expansion for Diablo 2, and have been REALLY digging it! Diablo was a lot of fun, but the second installment is even better. I'm not even sure I could tell you why.

I'm only a few quests in and I'm wondering when "Diablo 3" will be coming out.

Not that I'll be able to play it on my computer...

Rain!

It's raining today! YeeeHaaaw! I've been living in Arizona for most of my life and quickly learned to love the rain. For most, rain feels depressing or dreary. But for me, a rainy day is a party day!

Rain makes every problem a little smaller for me. If I'm a little bummed, all it takes is rain to make me feel a little better. I couldn't even tell you exactly why I think rain is so great. It just is. Especially when you get it as little as we do.

Maybe I'll take a little break from work and run around in my back yard for a bit.

See ya!

No! My Precious Low Frequencies!!

Our home theatre's Subwoofer has woofed its last woof. Yesterday while watching a DVD at very low levels, our subwoofer suddenly popped twice and went silent. After a complete investigation, the time of death was recorded and a few brief words were spoken over the wonderful grey box that had brought joy to our home and buzzing to our butts.

Although we obviously plan to replace it (with a little upgrade while we're at it) it may be a few weeks or (shudder) even longer before we can save up the money to do so.

Until then, I'm plagued with a desire to watch all the cool DVDs I got for Christmas, while knowing that I cannot, lest the experience be spoiled by inferior sound quality.

Alas, I am now going through my DVDs and watching all the special features and documentaries (since you don't really need to "feel" Richard Donner's voice as he talks about directing Superman) that I have. This will only last so long however, and I fear that my need for a "fix" may cause me to despair.

Hmm. My SISTER just had a new home theatre installed. Maybe it's time for a visit...

Comic Book Explosion!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------After being out of town for a week, I've only now just picked up last week's comics. It was a big week for me, too! (9 different comics to buy)

In just two more days I'll be going back to pick up THIS week's comics!

Add to that the fact that I effectively received 4 Knights Of The Dinner Table trade paperbacks and I've got a stack of books to read that will keep me busy all weekend! So much geekiness and so little time!!