The $40 Pull List – October 2007
If this is your first time reading the $40 Pull List, I invite you to see how it works by checking out some of the previous month’s editions (listed below). Those will give you a good idea of how the column works, and what you can expect month after month. If you are interested in the “rules” for the Pull-List, check out the very first column, the 01/07 edition. It isn’t too complicated, though, so just dive right in if you don’t feel like reading back issues! In addition, this column contains Spoilers, so if you are waiting for the trade, read at your own risk!
01/07 – 02/07 – 03/07 – 04/07 – 05/07 – 06/07 – 07/07 – 08/07 – 09/07
September was a really good month. With a few exceptions, just about every issue on the pull-list this month was outstanding. Nine months into this experiment, we seem to have achieved a good balance of books. In fact, for the second month in a row, no titles were dropped based on quality – the only real issue we are having is a couple books that just won’t come out. More on that later. On to this month’s reads!
Superman #667, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 09/12/07. ON TIME
This issue was a real step up from the previous one, but there was still some things to find fault in. For starters – Zatanna. Just what was that costume? And since when did she become a DD juggernaut? Zatanna always dressed sexy, but not like a ****. It was a fine distinction that seems to be lost these days.
In the end – it was a passable, average Superman story. Usual moral choices – us or them, with the answer being that he really is one of us after all, and the choice is plain. Wasn’t blown away, but outside the horrid portrayal of Zatanna once again, it was a passable issue. Next issue’s climax should be worth reading.
Status: SAFE
The Exterminators #21, $2.99, Vertigo/DC Comics. Due out 09/05/07. ON TIME
The more I read this issue, the more enjoyable it is. Which is good – but we are several issues into it, and there are times when I still have no idea what is going on. That isn’t a good thing. Vertigo titles often tend to be difficult to get into, but it is still hard to remember which characters are who. That isn’t going to be good if it takes much longer to really get to know the main characters. Checking out the trades is a way to get familiar, but the reader on a budget doesn’t have that luxury.
It is still easy to enjoy this book on a basic level though. The “camps” are pretty well established, and you can gloss over the characters and still get a lot out of the story. That fact is really the title’s saving grace at this point.
Status: SAFE
Hellblazer #236, $2.99, DC Comics/Vertigo. Due out 09/19/07. ON TIME
Oiy – much much better. If you ask me, Diggle really has a handle on what Constantine is about. I was worried after this arc got off to a slow start, but it turned out to be a lot of needed set-up. The plot progressed, questions were answered, and there is a promise of more to come. This title really has become one I look forward to month after month. Can’t wait to see where this story goes next month.
Status: SAFE
Jonah Hex #23, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 09/05/07. ON TIME
After what amounted to a pretty serious stumble last month, this title came bouncing right back with another outstanding issue. Just when the formula was starting to get tired, Palmiotti and Gray changed things up, and told the story from a different perspective all together. Hex was Hex, we didn’t see the usual bounty with an unexpected twist at the end, and gone were the tired plot devices like flashbacks and out-of-order storytelling. A marked improvement.
I suppose every title has to have an off issue. Looks like #22 was it for this book. Everything is back to normal. In other words, outstanding.
Status: SAFE
Nova #6, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 09/12/07. ON TIME
In the first of our Annihilation: Conquest tie-ins, we find the “Selected” Nova and Gamora having to throw down with the Nova Corps’ newest deputy, Ko-Rel, or Nova 0001.
This was a really fast read, as most action-oriented issues tend to be. We get a glimpse of Nova and Gamora hunting down Drax the Destroyer before Ko-Rel comes in to make her play. In the end – is she dead? Just severely hurt? Impossible to say. It does feel like a lot of what we are reading now isn’t going to be resolved until the Annihilation: Conquest mini hits, which is perfectly fine in this case. This series has been exciting from the beginning, and as good as Annihilation as an event has been, I am perfectly fine waiting for that tie-in to run its course before getting into more Nova-specific stuff.
Status: SAFE
World War Hulk #4, $3.99, Marvel Comics. 09/19/07. ON TIME
The luster of this event is really starting to wear off.
The art is terrible, there is no other way to put it. It seems obvious that Pak is putting a lot of trust in Romita Jr. to carry this story, and he just isn’t up for the job. Battle sequences are muddy and confusing. Characters – who 
would normally already be a scribbled mess under Romita’s pen, are even more-so when powered up or in the midst of battle. There is a decent, if predictable story going on here, but one that really needs artistic oomph to push it from passable to outstanding. And Romita’s work pushes it in the opposite direction.
If there weren’t just one issue left in this, I would give serious thought to dropping it. There was a chance to do something great with this event, but instead of building on “The Hulk comes back and starts smashing,” it starts and ends there. Really disappointing.
Status: SAFE
Fear Agent #3, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 08/22/07. RELEASED 09/12/07
Hrm. Looks like the switch from Image to Dark Horse didn’t do a whole lot to fix this title’s shipping problems. Hopefully this was just a one-time hiccup. Monthly means monthly!
That aside – awesome read. This is really turning out to be a good month on the whole. The Last Goodbye really has the feel of an old war comic, which is only adding to its appeal. Most prequels pad a barely passable story with little tidbits of origin knowledge to keep you exited. This story sneaks in the origin bits, because they really aren’t needed to maintain interest. Once again this is a solid read – hopefully the next issue comes out on time!
Status: SAFE
Annihilation: Conquest – Star-Lord #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 09/26/07. ON TIME
Yes – I knew Groot would make it! Even if in such a miniscule state.
This has been a thrilling read. While the big-guns are at play in the other Annihilation minis, Star-Lord’s rag-tag group is providing excitement all its own in this issue. While the story does seem to be following a fairly predictable pattern, the ride is still exciting.
With World War Hulk starting to wane, pretty well everything Aniihilation-related has secured a spot at the top of the quality heap at Marvel. A great read.
Status: SAFE
The Order #3, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 09/19/07. RELEASED 9/26/07.
One step forward – two steps back. Where the heck is Matt Fraction taking this? Instead of picking up where things left off (character-wise) in issue #2, we go back to issue #1 and revisit those characters, and have some totally random infighting. What about the Becky Ryan story? They started something major with that last month, and this month it is completely forgotten – not even one mention of it.
This title is in some dire need of focus. Fraction is trying to do too much at the same time, and it is making me lose interest. This title is going to be put on watch – if next month doesn’t really deliver, it is getting the axe.
Status: SAFE
The Green Arrow/Black Canary Wedding Special, $3.99, DC Comics. Due Out 09/19/07. ON TIME
Did I call it, or did I call it? Well, I know I called Green Arrow’s apparent death, but I had no idea it would be at Dinah’s hands! Of course, something is afoot, and this issue left us by saying we would have to check out next month’s Green Arrow/Black Canary #1 to find out what. Have to say, they made a really good pitch. It does feel like this death isn’t a permanent one – that was either not Ollie, or he will somehow make it in the end. But once again – have to check out the other series to see what happens.
This was a wedding issue done right. Frivolity, the usual fight scene we see at every comic wedding handled with great humor, and a twist at the end to mark the occasion. I am glad I picked this one up.
Status: ONE SHOT
Teen Titans #51, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 09/26/07. ON TIME
Getting better. Issue #50 was something of a let-down, but this one bounced back a bit. It still isn’t as explosive as a reunion with the Titans Tomorrow could be, but it really feels like McKeever is starting to tie-up some lose ends before moving on to some more interesting things. A few innocent tidbits about what might come were scattered in this issue – we will see in future months whether I am as observant as I think I am, or if I was just imagining things.
Status: SAFE
Marvel Comics Presents #1, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 09/19/07. ON TIME
Man – I have been waiting for this issue for years now. The anthology has been the one major thing missing from both the major comic publishers for years now, it is so nice to finally see a real one return. It remains to be seen if Marvel will keep to the formula, or botch things up by trying something new.
This issue treated us to five stories – some better than others, of course. The Hellcat one was just plain – weird. Vanguard was interesting, but as a short part one, it is tough to tell whether I will like it or not until the next issue. The Guardian story got off to an interesting start, and Ben Grimm story was just sweet. The Spider-Man story was silly, which is fine, but in an Anthology, it is really important that the marquee story be somewhat huge. Big names telling memorable stories. In the first issue, this could probably pass, but in future, the Wolverine or FF or Hulk stories need to be heavily promoted and prominently featured. The marquee story sells the book – and keeps people interested in the less-marketable offerings you are giving them. The solid storytelling keeps people interested, but the big-names draw the readers. Anthologies are hard to maintain, but there is a winning formula here, if Marvel will stick to it.
A decent first issue – definitely looking forward to more.
Status: SAFE
LATE AND UNRELEASED ISSUES
Wyrms #6, $2.99, Marvel/Dabel Brothers. Due out 08/15/07. DELAYED UNTIL 11/28/07
Bomb Queen IV #2 (of 4), $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 11/28/07. DELAYED UNTIL 10/03/07
Rex Libris #9, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due out 08/07. DELAYED UNTIL 11/07
Bomb Queen #2 looks like it is going to be released on October 3rd – so not too-too late, especially for an Image book. Wyrms #6 is another matter entirely though. It has been pushed back another months, which puts it well beyond the 2 month cancellation point. Normally this would mean automatic cancellation, and for now it will be dropped from the list. A shame, seeing as that was the final issue. And though that cancellation was likely the fault of the schism between Dabel and Marvel, those are the breaks. At least, unless you say otherwise. The poll attached to this column will determine whether Wyrms #6 will make its way back to the list in November. So whether or not that final issue gets an exception is entirely up to you. So please vote!
-=OCTOBER PULL LIST=-
Titles Carrying Over
Superman #668, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 10/10/07.
Superman #669, $2.99, DC Comics. Due out 10/24/07.
The Exterminators #22, $2.99, Vertigo/DC Comics. Due out 10/10/07.
Hellblazer #237, $2.99, DC Comics/Vertigo. Due out 10/24/07.
Jonah Hex #24, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 10/03/07.
Nova #7, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 10/10/07.
World War Hulk #5, $3.99, Marvel Comics. 10/31/07.
Fear Agent #4, $2.99, Dark Horse. Due Out 10/17/07.
Annihilation: Conquest – Star-Lord #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 11/07/07.
The Order #4, $2.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 10/17/07.
Rex Libris #9, $2.95, Slave Labor. Due out 08/07. DELAYED UNTIL 11/07
Bomb Queen IV #2 (of 4), $3.50, Image Comics. Due Out 10/03/07.
Teen Titans #52, $2.99, DC Comics. Due Out 10/24/07.
Marvel Comics Presents #2, $3.99, Marvel Comics. Due Out 10/17/07.
New Titles
Green Arrow/Black Canary #1, $3.50, DC Comics. Due Out 10/10/07.
Really very little choice here. The way the wedding special ended, seeing how this one continues is a must. Winick’s run on the Green Arrow title was nothing short of stellar – I have no doubt he will continue to deliver on this new book.
TOTAL: $41.89
Budget = $40.00 + $6.99 (LATE August issues) + $1.13 (Bank) = 48.12
$48.12 (Budget) – $41.89 (September issues) – $3.25 (tax) = $2.98 banked for October
Here is this month’s Pull-List to print out and bring with you to the store: Here you go! Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the file, as always.If you don’t have it, you can download the latest version for free at Adobe.com.
Post your comments in the Forum!
September 26, 2007
SOTS Game Review – Metroid Prime 3: Echoes
 |
| PLATFORM |
| Nintendo Wii |
| DEVELOPER |
| Retro Studios |
| PUBLISHER |
| Nintendo |
| GENRE |
| First Person Shooter |
| # OF PLAYERS |
| 1 |
| Rating |
| T |
| U.S. RELEASE DATE |
| August 27th, 2007 |
| MSRP |
| $49.99 |
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption
OVERVIEW
After Dark Samus the Space Pirates launch a massive attack on the Federation, Samus must prevent Phazon from corrupting several planets and help restore the Federation’s Aurora Unit Network so the Federation can strike back.
REVIEW
This is the third installment of the Metroid Prime series, and the first for the Nintendo Wii. As highly anticipated as this release was, I must admit that I was skeptical. After enjoying the first Metroid Prime game on the Gamecube, the second installment, Echoes, left me cold. The game was so boring that I never bothered to finish it. I was very much afraid that Corruption would leave me equally cold.
Thankfully, Retro shook things up with this release. One of the most annoying features of every Metroid game in the past has been the inevitable “Samus loses everything” sequence, where all of her standard gear is predictably removed, forcing her to find these via upgrades throughout the game. In this installment, this scene never comes. She is still fairly stripped down as the game begins, but standard gear like the Morph Ball, Bombs and Space Jump are with you from the beginning of the game, with the Missile Launcher coming almost right away. You still start with only one Energy Tank, but you never lose any of the core equipment. This was refreshing, and made the game a lot more playable off the bat.
The second improvement was the voice acting and characters. The addition of NPCs really added depth to the setting. Instead of simply receiving text instructions, Samus received audio transmissions and actually interacts with various allies and opponents. These various characters add a real sense of urgency to Samus’s mission – because there are finally other visible allies, her mission seems less random than it has in the past. In true Nintendo fashion, Samus herself remains voiceless, which was the right move.
The addition of the bounty hunters was a nice tweak as well. It makes sense that Samus wouldn’t be the only bounty hunter in the universe, and from the moment you saw each of them, you knew you were going to have to fight them all. Serving as bosses throughout the game, each of the bounty hunters brought something new to the table, giving Samus something different to fight against which spiced things up. In the past, Metroid has relied a lot on the same-old bosses, and the variety made things a little more challenging. Some of the standards like Metroids, Space Pirates, a Mother Brain analog, and Ridley are present, but the new additions fit right in and don’t disrupt the flow of the game at all.
The most notable and most talked about improvement to the game is the control scheme. For the longest time, the wii-mote/nunchuck combination has been hailed as the heir-apparent to the FPS control scheme throne currently occupied by the PC’s keyboard/mouse combo. Using the Advanced setting (an absolute must – I am not even sure why they included other options), the thumbstick on the nunchuck controls your motion, while aiming the wii-mote on the screen directs your weapon and controls the direction you are facing.
Instantly, the movement was far more natural and way more precise than the standard console dual-analog control scheme. I was able to jump, turn, and fire with a degree of accuracy I have never experienced in a console game. In fact, it almost made the game too easy. The intelligence and numbers of the opponents you face seemed to be designed with dual-analog limitations in mind – a couple of the bosses really stretched the limits of the control scheme, but most seemed like they were supposed to be harder than they ended up being.
Corruption made some use of the motion controls as well – with mixed result. Whipping the nunchuck out to use the grapple was a nice, intuitive twist, as was the Morph Ball jump. In Morph Ball mode, you jumped by flipping up the Wii-mote. You still had use of the old-standard bomb-jump technique, but the regular jump made things much quicker in standard situations. Occasionally you would have to shake both controllers to break free of the grip of an opponent. All of these were well conceived ideas, and ultimately seemed very intuitive.
Retro took things a step farther and added a few fairly pointless motion controls that slowed the game down a bit. Energy Cells had to be twisted and pulled out using the wii-mote, and several levers had to be pulled and twisted in various ways. The ultimately ended up being far too gimmicky, and disrupted the flow of the game. While it made sense in a single situation (a handle you had to look at with your X-Ray visor to see where to line-up some tabs), the mechanism was awkward and clunky. The controls rarely picked up the motion perfectly, and I had to repeat motions over and over again to get the game to pick up on it. The motion controls are great on the Wii for broad, forceful motions, but asking for this kind of detail for tasks that don’t get input from the sensor bar is never going to work right. The Wii’s motion control is revolutionary, and in many ways made this game phenomenal, but it does have limits, and using it for tasks like this are definitely beyond them at this time. Thankfully none of these tasks needed to be completed under fire, nor were they overly complicated. If it had been so, it would have been a real detriment to this game. As it was – the actions would have been far better served with a simple press of the A button – fighting with the motion controls to perform a meaningless task just ended up being a superfluous distraction that disrupted the flow of the game.
The graphics were more than adequate. The cut scenes featured some very vibrant planetscapes. I am sure that it is probably doesn’t look as good as it might have on another more technically powerful console, but we really have reached a point where the graphic quality is less important than how well the forms function in the game environment. On that count, Corruption excels. I can’t recall seeing a single instance of clipping. Sometimes in puzzle rooms, the solution was difficult to find, but diligent use of the various visors always revealed where you needed to start. The rooms were well designed. Each were very unique in appearance, and featured various combat or navigation challenges. From falling bridges to wide chasms, there were an abundance of challenging rooms you had to get through while combating a difficult opponent. The different planets themselves had unique themes and challenges to match – through and through the environment of Corruption was exceptionally well designed.
The audio was another important element to Corruption’s overall package. The music was rich and vibrant, and the various game play effects added a great deal to the package. Beam-fire mixed very well with the music, adding to the ambiance in major fight sequences. Each planet had its own general theme which meshed very well with the graphics, and the more quiet, peaceful music was seamlessly replaced with like-themed combat music when enemies appeared. I was forced to recall the creepy feel the music and graphics of the original Halo imparted in those early confrontations with the zombie-like Flood when I first encountered a Metroid. Like in previous games, the first time you see the Metroids, they were behind shields, but you knew you were going to have to fight them eventually. Once the sound of those shields shattering was heard, and that music started up, I knew I was in for it. Corruption makes excellent use of music to enhance the game play.
One of the biggest disappointments about Corruption was the lack of online multiplayer. Between the various Space Pirate types, the bounty hunters, Space Marines, and Samus herself, there was a wealth of potential player types for an online free-for-all. But, it was totally absent. The only way Corruption makes use of the internet is through the trading of Friend Tokens, which you can use to unlock various special features. While fun, the unlockables prove to be fairly mundane, and processing the trades through the cumbersome Friend Console system might be more trouble than it is worth. The Wii’s online function for browsing the web, shopping, and looking at the News and Weather channels is outstanding, but when it comes to communicating with other consoles, it is outright abysmal. This was reflected in the paltry online capability of this game. While this doesn’t really downgrade the game as a whole, it definitely limits the game’s replay-ability. It takes about 20 hours to beat the campaign. After that, some people might attempt to replay at the hardest setting, or to get a 100% completion, but after that, the game will gather dust.
BOTTOM LINE
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is possibly the best Wii game yet, though its shortcomings really highlight the issues Nintendo needs to address if they are going to make the Wii a long-term success. Specifically the over reliance on motion control for mundane tasks and the total lack of online functionality really keep this game from being a true console-seller. If these items weren’t an issue, this game would go from a must-have Wii game to a game that made the console itself a must-have for everyone who hadn’t yet bought one. A minor distinction, perhaps, but in a brutal console war, an important one.
A very strong outing for the still-young Wii, but Nintendo shouldn’t rest on these laurels. There is a lot of room for improvement, and as much as Metroid Prime 3: Corruption showcases the Wii’s strengths, it does bring out those areas that need improvement.
As to the FPS control style? In the end, it blows dual-analog control out of the water. But as far as knocking the mouse and keyboard off its throne – it makes a good case, but the jury is still out.
Rating(out of 5): 
Post your comments in the Forum!
On The Shelf This Week – 09.26.07
ON THE SHELF THIS WEEK
by Craig Reade
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
Order any of the below titles by clicking here!
ANNIHILATION CONQUEST STAR LORD #3 (OF 4), $2.99 , 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Keith Giffen, Art by Timothy Green III, Victor Olazaba, and Nathan Fairbairn
Man, already at issue #3? This series is moving right along. Little more to report other than what you probably heard before – the latest Annihilation is proving to be at least as entertaining as the previous. This series in particular is good fun. Though what is up with the deaths in issue #2? That is some serious carnage already! Hopefully Groot made it though – he was too good a character to have gone out so fast.
This has been an exciting series so far. If you still aren’t reading it, it really is worth digging up the first two issues and getting on board. The series probably won?t be released as a trade prior to the release of Annihilation Conquest #1, and it might be good to get all of this series prior to that.
CABLE DEADPOOL #45, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Fabian Nicieza, Art by Reilly Brown, Jeremy Freeman, and Gotham
You know, it just doesn’t seem right. Deadpool carries this title for 45 issues, and he is getting booted off of it before it even hits 50. That is no kind of justice! It would be one thing if Marvel announced Deadpool had his own solo book, but so far – no word.
Oh well, best to enjoy Deadpool while we still have the chance, just in case he is about to go on another hiatus. This issue is another time travel one for old ‘pool – this time with Bob back to WWII and a team-up with Bucky and Captain America. Anyone who remembers the now-classic Deadpool #11 knows just how entertaining it can be when Deadpool interacts with a classic hero in the past.
Bob? Bob is awesome. He is the first real solid addition to the Deadpool line-up that Nicieza has made this go around that I hope sticks around in the future. He really has made good use of old supporting cast members (still was hoping for more Al, and a Deuce appearance or two), and Bob just clicks. Can’t wait to see how he meshes with Captain America in this issue.
The clock is so far ticking… so maybe we need to start a Save Cable & Deadpool! movement? Might not be a terrible idea.
COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE #2 (OF 8), $3.99, 48 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Adam Beechen and Justin Gray; Art by Eddy Barrows, Fabrizio Fiorentino and Julio Ferreira; Cover by Ivan Reis and Oclair Albert
It looks like Countdown to Adventure is off to a pretty good start, which is nothing but good news. The Anima Man, Adam Strange, and Starfire subplot was really one of the better written in 52 (if a bit disconnected from the rest of the story), and it is nice to see that the three aren’t done with their story. The Forerunner back-up story got off to a slow start, but even that looks to be going a good direction. Any excuse to explore the multiverse is a good one, and this issue will give us a glimpse of Earth-10.
Plus, this series (and Countdown to Mystery) are almost anthologies… hopefully they will lead to a proper DC anthology to balance Marvel Comics Presents. That would be an outstanding development.
THE ORDER #3, $2.99, 32 Pages, Marvel Comics
Written by Matt Fraction, Art by Barry Kitson, Mark Morales, and Dean White
Issue #2 was a significant improvement over the first issue, but there are still some hurdles for this book to overcome. By introducing the team and then dumping half of them off the bat had the effect of giving a “anyone can go at any time!” feel. But if you lean too hard in that direction, readers are forced to wonder if they should care about any of these characters at all. Why get invested in a character emotionally if they might get dropped the next issue? A line that is going to have to be tread very carefully if this title is going to make it in the long run.
Getting better – and still loads of potential to go. Worth checking out at this point.
TEEN TITANS #51, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Sean McKeever; Art by Alé Garza and Marlo Alquiza; Cover by Alé Garza and Scott Willia
Okay, admittedly, Teen Titans #50 wasn’t as good as it could have been. To be fair though, there were a lot of plot threads to wrap up from the previous run, and a lot of them were bad. While McKeever seems most excited in interviews about what is to come, this could be the start of the really good stuff. Titans Tomorrow was one of the more popular arcs of the previous 50 issues, and to see their return, especially in light of the fact that they shouldn’t really exist anymore – should make for a good story. The Teen Titans’ very own Crime Syndicate.
There may have been some of you who picked up the last issue hoping that McKeever would turn things right around. Even the best writers need an issue or two sometimes – this is no different. Expect a marked improvement this issue.
WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #1, $3.99, 48 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Allan Heinberg; Art by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson and Gary Frank and Jonathan Sibal; Cover by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson
As predicted long ago, the finale to the Allan Heinberg Wonder Woman story has arrived, and as an annual. Seems a bit too little, too late, but as his run was so highly anticipated, it does make sense to give a little closure to those readers who waited, and waited, and waited for the story to keep going. Yeah – it was a bit of a jolt to shift creative teams, but as you can see – Wonder Woman is already doing just fine, and probably about to enter a wildly popular run. It just goes to show that the title must go on – and it pays to move on without a late creator, no matter how acclaimed they are. Readers like their comics monthly, after all!
In any case, kudos to DC for handling this properly. Heinberg readers get their ending, and Wonder Woman fans get their book on time every month. Win/win!
SPOTLIGHT PICK OF THE WEEK
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #13, $2.99, 32 Pages, DC Comics
Written by Dwayne McDuffie; Art by Joe Benitez and Victor Llamas; Cover by Ian Churchill
This is something of a minority opinion, but the creative change on Justice League is probably a good thing at this point. The initial launch of this title had a lot of potential, but in the end it just dragged on too slowly. In the wake of the team shake-up, and some of the recent DCU developments, perhaps it is time for things to get mixed up.
McDuffie’s run actually started in the recent JLA Wedding Special. It didn’t really have much to do with the Black Canary and Green Arrow wedding, it instead focused on the formation of the Injustice League (Who, of course, will play a part in the actual Wedding Special). If that issue is any indication, this arc is going to be really exciting. The little “Tribute” in that issue to the formation of the current league (the photo sequence) was a nice touch. This should be the start of a great run.
DC COMICS
52 AFTERMATH THE FOUR HORSEMEN #2 (OF 6), $2.99 Now: $2.69
ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #7, $2.99 Now: $2.69
BATMAN #669, $2.99 Now: $2.69
BLUE BEETLE #19, $2.99 Now: $2.69
COUNTDOWN 31, $2.99 Now: $2.69
COUNTDOWN TO ADVENTURE #2 (OF 8), $3.99 Now: $3.19
DEATHBLOW #7, $2.99 Now: $2.69
GREEN ARROW YEAR ONE #5 (OF 6), $2.99 Now: $2.79
JLA CLASSIFIED #43, $2.99 Now: $2.79
JSA CLASSIFIED #30, $2.99 Now: $2.69
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #13, $2.99 Now: $2.69
SPIRIT #10, $2.99 Now: $2.69
SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #34, $2.99 Now: $2.69
SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #6, $2.99 Now: $2.69
TEEN TITANS #51, $2.99 Now: $2.69
TEEN TITANS GO #47, $2.25 Now: $1.99
TEEN TITANS VOL 7 TITANS EAST TP, $14.99 Now: $12.99
UNCLE SAM AND THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS #1 (OF 8), $2.99 Now: $2.39
WETWORKS #13, $2.99 Now: $2.69
WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #1, $3.99 Now: $3.49
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLANDER #11, $2.99 Now: $2.69
TERMINATOR 2 INFINITY #3, $3.50 Now: $2.99
MARVEL COMICS
ANNIHILATION CONQUEST STAR LORD #3 (OF 4), $2.99 Now: $2.69
AVENGERS INITIATIVE #6, $2.99 Now: $2.69
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CRIMINAL #9 (MR), $2.99 Now: $2.59
DAREDEVIL DEVIL HELL TO PAY VOL 1 TP, $14.99 Now: $13.999
HALO UPRISING 2ND PTG SKETCH VAR #1 (OF 4), $3.99 Now: $3.19
IMMORTAL IRON FIST #9, $2.99 Now: $2.79
IMMORTAL IRON FIST ANNUAL #1, $3.99 Now: $3.59
IRON MAN #22, $2.99 Now: $2.69
MARVEL ADVENTURES IRON MAN #5, $2.99 Now: $2.69
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WHITE TIGER HEROES COMPULSION TP, $14.99 Now: $12.99
X-MEN #203, $2.99 Now: $2.89
SHAZAM!
So Kunkel is doing a Shazam! book huh? Well, for starters, this will be an excellent addition to the Johnny DC line. For a while now Johnny DC has been little more than cartoon adaptations. Marvel has been ahead of the game with their Marvel Adventures line, it still seemed a little generic. Kunkel brings a lot of cartoon-saavy to the table, and he might just bring all-ages comics to a new level. That is – if the book is timely. Herobear and the Kid was an amazing story, but we have been waiting for the promised sequel for years now!
In any case – Kunkel is perfect for Captain Marvel. As magical as Herobear was, there really isn’t that big a leap from Herobear to Captain Marvel, especially since this title will follow the mold of Jeff Smith’s Monster Society of Evil series, and feature a very young Billy Batson.
This series is going to be a lot of fun. A lot of comic readers will turn their nose up at this because of the Johnny DC label, but keep in mind that means it is “all-ages,” and not for kids. This will be a great title for the young readers, but Kunkel will make this appeal to an older audience. The potential timeliness issue is the one and only potential problem this book will have.
Keep an eye out for Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! It is due out early next year. You can expect mention of it in this newsletter if not everywhere else.
NOTE: Opinions here may not reflect those of X-World Comics LLC or it’s staff and are solely the opinions of the writer.Want to comment on this week’s newsletter? Give your feedback here!
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September 10, 2007
The Gamer’s Quagmire #50: Massively Unrepresented Taxation
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
In a bold attempt at making sure that I would get back into the habit of writing something interesting on a weekly basis, focusing on the big number 50 was a good start. There is nothing quite like an arbitrary number that in reality means nothing but somehow serves as great significance for something. Perhaps churning out 50 articles over the past year and a little more is worthy of some special attention. That is, other than “Hey, why did you skip all those weeks anyway?”
So in preparation for my 50th article, which closely is coinciding with my 30th birthday which will net me several victories on a 20 dollar bet and my repeated forays in getting another character in World of Warcraft to level 70 (the numbers 40 and 60 are currently wanted for questioning for their absence in this previous attempt at being clever), I decided it might be nice to come up with some positive news in celebration of this event.
Then, I thought, why write about such unfamiliar concepts? Why write something cheery when I could just as easily find some irritating news in the gaming universe? Two pieces of news had flown past my eyes recently, one related to gaming and one not. Both have been so shocking that I have seriously started to question what poisons the otherwise cheery world of video games is safe from.
Forgive me for a moment as I dive into baseball. The person, who managed to get their hands on the Barry Bonds all-time HR baseball, as a good baseball fan should, decided to keep the baseball and enjoy it. A safe deposit box would probably be the best choice for not attracting a ton of attention at home, by the by. Anyhow, those plans were pretty quickly quashed. Using some obscurities in the law, which by now has turned my stomach at least 20 times (which has forced me to consider going into business as a pretzel vendor), our country has managed to legally place a market value on the baseball and tax this lucky owner based on the perceived price he could sell the ball for.
Luckily that $25,000 piece of chewing gum I sold last week was a private auction and any evidence has since been destroyed/digested.
Imagine having to pay thousands of dollars in taxes on an item you have no intention of selling and never even had to pay to obtain in the first place. Fine, okay, the price of the ticket to get into the stadium was the cost. How anyone can legally put a price on something that has never been for sale in any known galaxy or dimension is beyond my comprehension. It is in this one weird circumstance where I would welcome national media attention. Taxes would be daftly averted as I pondered taking a quick trip to Canada to film the ensuing destruction of the ball and its sinking into the St. Lawrence Seaway. I am no expert appraiser of water-logged baseballs torn into multiple unrecognizable pieces, but I am guessing the ball would be worth approximately $0.
I may even have to send a note of apology to fans of baseball everywhere and MLB itself for feelings of guilt on the matter.
You see, being taxed on something that has yet to cost anything bothers me. Living in a state with some disturbingly high taxes has perhaps jaded me, but as a baseball fan and a common sense fan this news really got under my skin. Imagine my frustration then upon seeing the news that Congress is currently mulling a bill that would make objects obtained and traded in online games to be considered viable for taxing.
Say what???
Maybe this is one of those headlines that is supposed to annoy me and the bill does not actually hold any real weight, but after seeing this written in multiple places I decided that my time in the online community may have to be cut drastically short. Vegas probably would have good odds on a large number of people playing these games to make a similar move.
Video games are starting to become trendy. You see them advertised on TV during prime time. You see trailers for new games along with movie trailers in a movie theater. These strides are big, but overall people still see gaming as either some strange subculture that is far too scary to understand or the next big taxable cash cow (something smokers everywhere may thank us for someday). The IRS already flagged down online purchases for taxes (where would our society be without arbitrary additional fees?), so going after another untapped well was really the logical next move.
Okay – it was a logical move from a very selective point of view.
What does hold amusement for me in this, hopefully fruitless, endeavor is how the IRS could possibly go about enforcing these taxes on the hundreds of online games that are currently in existence. Do developers have to create an IRS guild that can monitor everything in these online worlds? Do you need to approve transactions every time you kill an NPC mob? Are developers going to be forced to hand over tons of documentation on all of the looted items? Looking at World of Warcraft alone, is the IRS really going to go over 8+ million accounts, cross reference values of items, and charge people? Could they ever prove that they still have certain sellable items?
I am not going to get into the big question here, which is should these items be taxable? I refuse to look deeply into this question, because if I ever even remotely consider the answer as yes, then gaming is no longer an escape from reality. The last thing I need to deal with in gaming is making something that is entirely centered around fun and an escape from reality to be a line item on my income tax return.
It would be very easy to dive into painstaking detail on this, but it is much easier, and much more me, to simply state: the more you tighten your grip Tarkin (i.e. the IRS), the more star systems (i.e. realms of video gamers) will slip through your fingers.
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September 4, 2007
The Gamer’s Quagmire #49: Improving Your Golf Game
Everything you wanted to know about gaming, and less.
by Jamison DeLorenzo
In the realm of sports gaming, this is the time of year where Madden turns its head as the gaming phenomenon that it is. There are yearly tournaments with cash prizes. Shooters and war simulations are the typical kingpins of the gaming tournaments. It was only natural that the most popular (like Windows is popular) video football game in a country where football is by far and away the most popular sport got a national gaming tournament. ESPN devotes broadcasting hours to it. This is not just because of the strangely consistent Madden cover curse, but because NFL players play the game too.Far be it for me to whine about gaming becoming too popular (you can never have enough gaming), but I am not here to complain about the socio-economic problems that are derived from a monopolistic franchise in a neo-capitalist society. Instead, my focus is to mention my yearly sports exodus that I have embarked on every year since 1999. This is the trip of going through the latest incarnation of the latest Tiger Woods PGA Tour game.
If you needed more evidence that I am a massive geek this should work quite nicely for you. As I have already written lines upon lines of (in)coherent drivel on football and baseball video games here, it was high time that my favorite type of sports game got some attention. My days of playing the PGA Tour series date back to 1992, before EA stapled Tiger onto the franchise. EA has many negative traits, but this move did inject enough attention to the golf game where the game has improved leaps and bounds over the years.
As with a lot of games recently, the franchise is still working hard on improving graphically. If you do not enjoy golf this is hard to defend, but as someone who plays golf recreationally seeing so much detail on a course does bring me closer to a state of euphoria. As I will probably never be willing to shell out the money required to play a round at Pebble Beach or Carnoustie (or display my well-documented inferior skills on world-renowned courses), feeling like I am actually at the course as my character goes through it is a fantastic feeling.
The reason I look forward to the new PGA Tour game every year is because creating a character and raising their skills all the way up is a riveting experience. I feel I need to share this with you not because I expect you to be able to enjoy this vicariously or to convince you that everyone who loves golf should do this, but because anyone who has ever had the thrill of working to level a powerful character in an RPG or put in tons of work to create a powerful team in franchise mode needs to know that this can also happen in a game as slow-paced as golf.
I suppose it is impossible to explain how much fun it is to create a character in a golf game that looks like a digital replica of yourself and make them the most powerful golfer possible, but I do this every year and it never gets old. Part of the idea is that I feel the need to prove myself to the rest of the world that video game golf is one of my strong suits. The skill is not as useful as I would like it to be, such as picking up girls at a bar useful, but playing a quick 18 holes in a life-like world will always have its uses.
On a related note, if you are an avid female golfer and enjoy talking about Tiger Woods PGA Tour, I highly encourage you post in our forums requesting contact information.
Looking at the game from a basic review perspective, it is hard to pinpoint flaws with the game that are anything other than subjective. Being that the only problem that I have seen is a framerate issue that pops from intermittently the game is rock solid. I am not here to write a boring review, however. My goal is to provide everyone who loves golfing games an alternative form of gameplay.
While there are plenty of courses and game modes to keep one occupied for a very long time, the following is a suggestion for a friendly golf game for those people that are of drinking age. If you are unfamiliar with my setup it is quite simple: a Waterfall penalty is finishing your drink, and a Cascade (derivation of a Cascade waterfall which is approximately 5 feet high) penalty means taking a sip. As with all games of this nature, please be responsible.
For your golfing, gaming, and drinking pleasure:
Cascade penalty:
- Bogey a hole
- Missing a putt < 5 feet
- Missing the green on a par 3
- Hitting a shot Out of Bounds
- Not going for the green in 2 on a par 5
- (Skins) Losing a skin
Waterfall penalty:
- +2 or more on a hole
- +1 or more on a par 5
- Multiple Out of Bounds on a hole
- Shot Limit Exceeded
- Highest score after 9 or 18 holes
- (Skins) Losing 3 skins or more on a hole
Enjoy this version of golf, where it is, in fact, okay to drive (the golf ball) drunk.
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