Graphic Novel Review: Ronin

This review is going to be about Frank Miller's Ronin. The cover of this book might be a tad deceiving, although there are some samurai style parts in the graphic novel, it is mostly a sci-fi story. The art of the graphic novel is a little different, very heavy on the pen and ink sometimes, but is easy to get used to. The beginning of the story takes place a very long time ago, and starts off with a samurai student's master being killed by an evil demon. The samurai takes an oath to avenge his death, but while trying to kill the demon, the demon uses his power to send the samurai and himself inside the samurai's powerful sword. Many years later, the world is in a whole different place, the setting is sort of post-apocalyptic Escape From New York style, everything has gone to whack except for a large corporation which has invented a super computer with artificial intelligence and biotechnology which can reproduce and grow more intelligent. Some how, the powerful sword is found and tested on which released the demon and Ronin. The book is basically a sci-fi realistic/imaginary battle between Ronin and the demon with many twist and turns throughout the entire book with a major twist at the end. All and all, it was a decent read, not one of Frank Miller's best, but worth reading if you are into the sci-fi genre and want to see a different side of the award winning author. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Graphic Novel Review: 300

This graphic novel has been on my list to read for a long time now. Frank Miller is one of my favorite graphic novel authors and I knew I couldn't go wrong. 300 is by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley, it's about a somewhat impossible battle between the Spartans and Persians. Most negative reviews on this book are about the historical inaccuracies, but remember, this is a fictional story and it's meant to entertain you, but in history, Spartans were badass warriors who trained from childhood how to battle. If you are hoping that this is like the movie directed Zack Snyder (the man who destroyed Watchmen), well it's almost the same except the political drama that takes place while the 300 Spartans are fighting doesn't happen in the book, actually the queen of Sparta is only shown like once and that happens in the first couple pages. The story was very intriguing and I read the whole graphic novel in one sitting (it's about a 1-2 hour read if you're a slow reader like me). It actually went by really quick and in my opinion could of done more, because I just wanted to keep reading. The artwork was pretty good throughout the book and really emphasized the action. In my opinion this was a good read and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the movie or any graphic novel fan. You shouldn't be let down because Frank Miller tries his best for that not to happen. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Review of Batman: Cacophony

This is my first review on this site and I choose to review Batman: Cacophony by Kevin Smith. I picked this up being a huge fan of Batman and Kevin Smith hoping this would be a match made in Batman heaven. Sadly I was a little disappointing by Kevin Smiths first Batman graphic novel. The first thing I noticed about the book is that both Batman and the Joker were both a little off; Batman wasn't his usual cold, calculated self but seemed a little weak. Joker was still pretty ridiculous but his jokes were a little stale and towards the end of the book how Joker was actually acting like a normal person (this part was actually cool).  The other negative part of the book was the art, which at points looked almost lifeless and lazy.

Negatives aside, I really enjoyed "Onomatopoeia", the main bad guy in this comic.  I don't want to ruin it but he is out for Batman's blood and uses creative ways in order to take him down, he also speaks only with an onomatopoeia (boom, pow, blam) which gives him some extra "villainous".  This novel also has a sprinkle of Kevin Smith "charm". If you've seen a Kevin Smith movie (Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma) you'll know exactly what I'm talking about, if not WATCH THEM (or watch at least one of them)! 

All in all being a new Batman comic novel fan I've only read a few but the few I've read were amazing (Year one, Killing Joke, Dark Knight Returns), so Cacophony would have to be the worst Batman comic I've read (but that is not necessarily a bad thing). I'm giving it a 3/5 but still check it out if your a Kevin Smith and a Batman fan because you'll still enjoy it!

-Andrew

Image from amazon.com

Graphic Novel Review: Bulletproof Monk

So while looking through a vendors graphic novel section at Motor City Comic Con (Michigan's Comic Con), I came across Bulletproof Monk written by Brett Lewis and R.A. Jones. I had no idea that there was a graphic novel that came before the movie, so I had to pick it up. Just so you know, I don't know why, but I really enjoy the Bulletproof Monk movie, it's just a fun movie with some good moral value (as dumb as that sounds), and it also features Chow Yun-Fat, which I'm a fan of. So after picking up the graphic novel and expecting it to be like the movie, or maybe somewhat like the movie, it isn't, maybe a sliver of it is and the main character has the same name, but that's it. The story starts off with Kar (the main character), who was brought to America while his family stayed back in China because of government issues, and his mother gave him an amulet that has been handed down for centuries. According to the story, the amulet was given to one of his ancestors in Tibet when the Nazis took it over, but the bulletproof monk came and saved everyone's life and gave out amulets to the people so they knew where to find him. So Kar is on a mission to find where this bulletproof monk is. On his journey, he joins a gang, works for a gang, gets set up by the gang, and figures out that he was all along the bulletproof monk. yeah... This was the most confusing story with no background on anything, it's as if the author wanted you to read his mind in order to figure out what was going on. There's like three different stories that go on simultaneously throughout the book and all they do is just stumble together and try to make sense at the end, which it really didn't. The artwork in the graphic novel is okay, but in some parts, it'll just show an image of whatever and then that image would be stretch out at another spot somewhere else, to me it just seemed like it was a filler. I'm not recommending this to anyone, yeah maybe it's okay if you are a fan of the movie and you just want to show that you own the graphic novel, but that about it, and the forward by John Woo. I know its been a long time coming, but here's my first negative review. Thanks for reading and follow the blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Movie Review: For a Few Dollars More

So like I said when I reviewed A Fistful of Dollars, I'm going to review each of the "man with no name" trilogy. First off, For a Few Dollars More stars Clint Eastwood and is directed by Sergio Leone, and is the second movie in the trilogy. Just a reminder, if you are not a fan of dubbed movies, or gets annoyed with it, this movie was all shot silently, and in post-production the voices were later added. So with out trying to spoil anything, the movie is about two bounty hunters in the west trying to make a living by killing dangerous men. As the story unfolds, both bounty hunters (Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef) cross paths and decide to team up to take down a gang led by a psychotic boss with a bounty on their heads large enough to retire on. Like in A Fistful of Dollars, Leone brings back Ennio Morricone to do the film's score. Ennio Morricone compositions really make this film and add that extra depth that is needed. So I would have to say that I enjoyed this film all and all. The beginning was intriguing because it gave insight to each of the bounty hunters and it also showed them in action catching different men while doing classic Eastwood trick revolver shooting. The middle of the movie was some what boring, but you have to expect that in most westerns because the story is building up and the action is beginning to start. The ending was decent, there were some good gun fights and an intense stand-off. So if your interested in westerns or you like action/shooting films, I'd recommend seeing this one, it's a great timeless classic with one of the most celebrated actors in our time. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Graphic Novel Review: Swamp Thing, book 1

Okay, well as a kid I used to watch the Swamp Thing television show all the time. I've always had an interest in it and really enjoyed the premise. Being a fan of Alan Moore, I had to pick up Saga of the Swamp Thing, after being on my book shelf for some time now, I picked it up and gave it a read. I never read the original comic Len Wein and Berni Wrightson, so I really didn't know too much about the real story, luckily though this graphic novel comes with a forward and intro that will pick you right up, so I suggest you read it if you haven't read any of the original story, but no matter what you should always read everything. So to start, the artwork in this graphic novel is stunning, this is one of the most beautiful artworks I have seen even though it's set in such a grim setting, it's just amazing. Well, I guess the only bad part about the book is the first chapter, but it's really not that bad. The first chapter is kinda slow and only picks up at like the last page of it. But it's all about telling you the background and such so you really need to read it. The book is kind of set up into two different stories, each with their own enemy. After the first chapter, I just cruised through the book, it was tough stopping because it was so clever and good, and lets not forget about the writing. Alan Moore is one of the best comic writer's out there in my opinion and you can tell this from this graphic novel. Some sentences in the graphic novel remind me of excellent poetry that can run chills down your neck. A little dark, but for example: "The frozen tableau, crystallized in time, hangs poised, like spilled blood yet to reach the ground," or the first words in chapter one: "It's raining in Washington tonight. Plump, warm rain that covers the sidewalks with leopard spots. Downtown, elderly ladies carry their houseplants out to set them on the fire escapes, as if they were infirm relatives or boy kings," I find it crazy that one man can come up with these perfect phrases, but that's Alan Moore. So all and all, I totally recommend anyone to pick this up, it's a superb graphic novel and you can't go wrong with something written by Alan Moore. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Image is from amazon.com
Text exerts are from Saga of the Swamp Thing, from Vertigo and by: Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben

HUMBLE BUNDLE!

Just a little side news, the humble bundle is back with 5 new games. It is going on for two weeks so go check it out and get some games. If you don't know what the humble bundle is all about, a brief description is that it's a little bundle of 5 indie games and you pick the price. The price you pick goes towards charity, developers, and the site itself. Check the site out for more info and help the cause! visit http://www.humblebundle.com/
Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Video Game Review: NBA Jam

I'm going to be reviewing the semi new NBA Jam from EA Sports. Let me just say that as a kid, I played the hell out of NBA Jam for the Sega console. I loved the game so much and probably played it for hours every day. When I found out that this new one was coming out, I got super excited. After purchasing it, me and my one roommate played it for hours, this game literally took me back to the fun and enjoyment I had when playing as a kid. The game feels fresh yet nostalgic, they still have the crazy announcer and the corny animations and the sweet ally oops and dunks and you can even be on fire! There's a bunch of modes like boss battles to tournaments and much more. You can unlock many different old pros and even a president. I totally recommend this game if you are into sports, arcade games, and looking for something fun to do by yourself or with a group of people. Go to your local game store or the internet and try it for yourself. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Hello World.

Hey internets! Whats up! I'm doing great, thanks for asking.

Introduction?
My first post will be an intro of what I will be selling. I will be writing video game reviews, eventually I'll throw in a few movie reviews just for shits.

A little about me:
I have been playing games since I was 5 starting with the white brick gameboy, first game being The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (I didn't beat it till I was nine, go figure).  In my years of playing games I have played through some of the best video games known to man (Ocarina of Time) to some of the shittiest (Hellgate: London) so I think I know my way around a good game or not.

The Future:
I will be going through the many games I own (and that my friends own) to give my take on them (and friend's takes as well, more to come on that) and give you the best review I can offer, because hey; all I can promise is my best.

Thanks,
Andrew

P.S. I love you.

Video Game Review: Stranglehold

Alright, I just wanted review one of the craziest hilarious out of control game's I own. I'm talking about John Woo Presents: Stranglehold, the game that takes place after John Woo's Hard Boiled movie featuring Chow Yun-fat. Chow Yun-fat plays the role as the main character in the game and he portrays a hard boiled cop who will not let anything stand in his way in the line of duty even if it means puting his badge down on his journey to take down the Chinese mob. The action in this game is so fun and insane. Chow Yun-fat's character is able to use different props in the game to use to his advantage or become surrounded by multiple enemies but taking them out in a bullet time shoot out. Another example is that Chow Yun-fat's character can slide on anything with guns blazing or even slide down a stair railing on his feet while destroying all the enemies. This game never really got the credit it deserves and I just want to say that if your in the mood for just a fun enjoyable game that you really don't have to get too deep into, I suggest you try Stranglehold out, there's even a video of how to make a paper crane in the game too. Thanks for reading and please follow my blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Video Game Review: Red Dead Redemption

What a great game, anyone who is a fan of shooters, adventure games, Leone films, and the classic wild American west, then this is a game for you. I never picked up the first game but this one just hooked me in and that's good because I really didn't want to play the first one. The synopsis of the game is about the main character seeking out "friends" from a past gang but along the way the story unravels and ends with a surprise ending that you wont see coming from a mile away. Throughout the game, you do many wild west things like ranching, gun duels, horse back riding, gambling, bounty hunting, and much more. I personally enjoyed the game, I really like the bullet-time feature that you acquire further in the game and just exploring the open world and doing optional quests and treasures. Some of the ranching portions can be a little boring or sometimes you have to follow someone which can also be a little tedious, but those are really my only complaints. I really enjoyed playing this game and recommend it to anyone because it has a little bit of everything. When purchasing a Rockstar game, you know you can't go wrong, so try it for yourself. Thanks for reading and please follow my blog.

Picture is from amazon.com

Game Review: Skate 3

Alright, well, although Skate 3 by EA is around a year old, there hasn't been anything released lately so I'm going to talk about one of my favorite games. First off, I recommend playing both Skate and Skate 2 first, but it's fine if you don't. When the first Skate came out, I probably racked up weeks of game-play hours because it was the best skateboarding game I have ever played. I grew up with the Tony hawk franchise and loved them all the way up till they started the Underground series which was horrible. When Skate came along, it took skateboarding games to a whole new level with refined controls, realistic maneuvers, and much more. Skate 2 improved everything about the original game and then Skate 3 came along and even stepped it up more. Skate 3 added difficulty options like the "realistic" (I think that's what it's called) which added a whole new caliber of game play and also more create-a-park features. Although the game was very good, in my opinion they made it very easy to gain money and progress through the game and also the game was very heavily spent on the create-a-park feature and created parks which I'm not really a fan of, I don't want to spend countless hours making a unrealistic crazy park, I'd rather have more realistic parks or maybe real-life parks like they did with the Maloof Money Cup parks. But, besides that the game is great, the DLC content was awesome, and the replay value is the best because like in real life, you can always skate and Skate 3 does this perfectly. Hopefully EA will make another and keep this amazing franchise alive. I would recommend this game to anyone! Thanks for reading and please follow my blog.

Image is from amazon.com

Graphic Novel Review: Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth

The graphic novel that I'm going to review is titled: Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth, by: Chris Ware. By far, this is one of the most unique comics I have ever read. This comic has won many awards and is on most top graphic novel/comic reviews. After reading many reviews I decided to purchase this 380 page paperback. Most reviews say to take your time with this novel, and those reviews are right, this novel needs to be treating with respect and time. There's many different stories and imaginations going on throughout the novel, but all come together and it might not set in right away, but everything comes together and makes total sense. This comic is about the life of a introverted somewhat depressed single man on life's journey, while trying to live his life, he receives a letter from his long lost father and decides to visit him, and while on his visit he learns much about his dad's life and his grandfather's life. Even though the story moved around a lot and was somewhat melancholy at points, it all comes together with one of the most memorable endings that will put a smile on your face. I recommend this comic to anyone interested in the graphic novel genre and wants to experience something a little outside the box from intense action and violence. Pick this comic up and add it to your collection, you wont regret it. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Image is from Amazon.com

Movie Review: Captain America (2011)

Alright, just got back from seeing the new Captain America, The First Avenger (2011) movie starring Chris Evans and directed by Joe Johnston. At first glance, it was a good movie with great special effects and computer generated imagery, especially with the lead star Chris Evans during the first quarter/half of the movie because he was portrayed as a very scrawny slim guy, then later he is shown as his real self, much more brawn and tall. The first half of the movie was fairly story based with some action, but it wasn't lacking or anything, while the second half had a good ratio of action and story which flowed very well. They did a good job in tying in the S.H.I.E.L.D portion and did a good job using the Stark brand and giving more background to that. All and all, this was a good movie, not the best, but enjoyable. I recommend seeing this one. Thanks for reading and please follow the blog.

Movie poster image is from IMDB

Graphic Novel Review: Bone

I consider my self a big fan of graphic novels because its an easier read than a regular book and also has pictures, which always is a plus! After hearing all sorts of amazing reviews and awards that went to the Bone series by: Jeff Smith, I had to check it out. Around a year ago, I received the entire Bone complete edition that spans 1300 pages. I'm one of the slowest readers I know, so when looking at this array of pages, it was tough to get started, but what else does one have to do on a 16 hour train ride then read. After that period, I read half the comic, all I can say is WOW, every review you read is true, it totally grabbed me in like a book has never done before, there is everything in this comic collection from action to drama to adventure and a little brotherly love (more like constant bashing from one another). Well like I said, I only got half way through during the train trip, I would have kept going but pneumonia really wasn't fun. After about a year had past, I picked the comic collection back up and it was like riding a bike. There was even more story, action, adventure, drama, and so much more. The more I read, the more intense the comic got and I was loving every minute of it. When I finished reading, it was bittersweet, but felt right. I will always own this book in my collection and will always recommend it. Bone is an easy read and excellent for the beginner to the advanced in graphic novels and comics. Take a look for yourself and pick up a copy of Bone! Thanks for reading the review, and keep checking back for more reviews!

Picture is from Amazon.com

Move: "A Fistful of Dollars"

The movie that I'm going to review is one of Clint Eastwood's early films, A Fistful of Dollars, directed by the amazing Sergio Leone and part of the "Man With No Name" trilogy. First off, I just have to say that I am fairly new to the spaghetti western genre, but I do have some background knowledge and have watched and own Yojimbo, so I know the original. Alright, so to the review, after watching Yojimbo a week before watching this movie, I could hardly believe it, A Fistful of Dollars is an almost exact remake from Yojimbo with some minor adjustments. Although it's like watching the same exact movie, this flowed a lot better and also was a little more exciting. All and all, was a great watch and was only 100 minutes long, if you are wanting to get into the western genre, I would recommend this because its always good to get some history of the genre and also watch some classic Eastwood, although this is not as exciting as others, check it out for yourself. I know this isn't a film critic review, but it's just a start, check out my blog later for a review of the next two films in this trilogy, thanks!

Movie poster is from amazon.com

Alright, first post!

Thanks for viewing my blog, I will have a review up shortly!