Adventures in Advent: Advent 2024, Day 10

It appears that Advent Calendars have entered this digital age. Designed by mindscape, the Games Advent Calendar 2024 is available for the PS5. With this video game Advent calendar, you board a train set for 25 stops. With each daily stop, you enter a cottage and unlock a unique new game to play for the day. 

From what I can tell, and there isn't much is that with this one, you're a snowman in a Sonic the Hedgehog style adventure game. In another, you ski down an obstacle course. In a third, you participate in a holiday themed shooting range event. It's a grab bag as to what the other 22 games detail.

Players get to choose between 8 festive characters to play as. All games allow up to 2 players. However, each game is designed for use of only 1 controller. Thus, you'll have to switch back and forth between turns.

Rated E for Everyone, this game sells for $19.99 (MSRP). It's available on Amazon, Best Buy and GameStop. A Nintendo Switch compatible version is also available.

Minecraft/Incredibles 2 Free Comic Book Day 2019 #1

That day where I was stuck in my car with no phone and nothing good on the radio netted 2 comics that somehow fell out of my bag of books to share with the students at my school. This one is a double feature starring the world of the popular video game, Minecraft and Disney's Incredibles. 

I've never played Minecraft. I don't really know that much about the game. There's this green thing called a Creeper. Kids get really good designing stuff on the game. That's about it. 

I learned a little bit more about the game from this short story. There's players who like to destroy people's property called Griefers. The destruction is done with impunity and the poor victims have to start all over again just for the whole process to repeat itself. If that's how the game is, I sure don't want to play it. However, I did enjoy this game set ghost story. While I might not want to play Minecraft, I wouldn't mind reading another story or two about the comings and goings of the franchise.

Story #2 involves the super powered Parr family from Disney and Pixar's Incredibles franchise. During a seemingly fun day at a parade, robotic drones attack the giant balloons. Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl and the kids save the day. However, the big baddie gets away. 

The event leaves mom and dad really drained. Thinking some alone time is what they need, Violet and Dash arrange to babysit baby Jack-Jack while the folks go to a movie. To ensure that date night isn't ruined by calamity, the kids go on patrol, only wind up face to face with the villain from the parade and squad of his souped up drones!

It was interesting to see these two separate franchises in the same book. Sure, this is a Free Comic Book Day promotional item in which both properties were released by Dark Horse. All that makes sense to me. Only I thought Disney was so anti-cross promotional, that I didn't think it was possible here. From what I know about modern Disney, I would expect the Incredibles to be solo stars of their own FCBD release or be teamed with another Pixar franchise. 

Go figure. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars. 

Sonic the Hedgehog: Winter Jam (Family Comic Friday)

When you're not expecting anything holiday related and there's little bits of pieces of yule tide charm sprinkled throughout the story, in my opinion, it's considered a Christmas Miracle!

When Dr. Eggman's latest plan to destroy Sonic and friends results in the villain becoming obsessed with reality TV, his android henchmen Cubot and Orbot decide to take matters into their own han-, er, claws. By kidnapping Sonic, Tails and his pals from their sunny digs at Green Hill, the robots place them into a frosty arena for the Winter Jam games. With the promise of a Chaos Emerald for the winner, 4 teams are made, competing in events such as holiday decorating and snowball fighting to some rather disastrous effects. Oh the things robot lackeys will go to in order to get their boss back into fighting shape.

Other than the original 1980s Sonic the Hedgehog video game, my knowledge on the franchise is rather small. Sure, I've read a couple of Free Comic Book Day offerings and a Halloween special since then. Due to my passing knowledge on the subject, I don't know enough to really enjoy them. I felt a tiny bit better on this book thanks to recognizing Tails and Dr. Eggman. But that was about it. Still enough, there was a goodly amount of things in this book to enjoy. 

It helped that writer Isamin Omar Ata wrote this story in a way that you don't have to know a ton about the world of Sonic the Hedgehog to enjoy this book. As long as you know that Dr. Eggman has a passion for making things rough for Sonic and pals, you should be fine. Though I'd really like to know more about some of those supporting characters like Froggy, Big the Cat and others. That being said, this book could make a good introductory offering into the world of Sonic the Hedgehog without having to spend a ton of cash on a video game to find out if the youngster in your life is a fan or not. $4.99 is a wiser investment and it promotes reading!

This Winter special was rather wacky instead of violent. I've seen Looney Tunes more dangerous than this book. I know from some of those past issues about Sonic that there can be a lot of fighting, usually involving robots and bombs. Well, there's plenty of robots in this book but no explosives. A flamethrower used for non-violent acts doesn't count, does it?

I had to re-read a couple of sections to make sure I understood the full story. But I pretty much understood the overall plot. A cold weather read that will delight readers aged 8-13; both for fans of the video game and the uninitiated. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Bryson Fars: The Millionaire Creator/Jewel: The Magical Chef (Family Comic Friday)

I'm diverting a little bit on today's Family Comic Friday post. Instead of family friendly comics and graphic novels, I want to highlight a couple of books made for kids BY KIDS!

Last weekend, my bride and I went to the Geek & Grub Market at Fred Fletcher Park in Raleigh, NC. Geek & Grub is held monthly in Raleigh (with other locations like Durham, NC, Charlotte, NC and in Virginia occasionally).  There were food trucks, bakeries, toys, comics, and games. A costume contest! Prizes! Lots of fun for all ages! This month's theme was super heroes and despite the rain, there managed to be a fairly decent sized crowd. 

It was in the vendors area that I met the creators of the 2 books I am featuring, Elijah B. and Jewel L. They're siblings. Elijah was around age 10 or 11. Jewel was younger. I think she said she was 8. It's a family effort as their Dad, Ron L. is the illustrator of their books. 

Elijah B.'s book was titled Bryson Fars: The Millionaire Game Creator. It's an origin story of how Bryson Fars and his older brother and sister worked together to create a video game that combined race cars with football. Bryson is invited to showcase his new creation which gains the interest of a famous video game designer named Sizzle McDougall, who wishes to turn it into his studios' next big online offering. However, things are not all as they seem as suddenly Bryson's program seems to have a virus and cannot operate just as Sizzle is unveiling his new game, one based on Bryson's idea!

Bryson Lars is a chapter book. So I think it's something kids, especially those interested in video games and computer coding & design, will enjoy. I'm thinking those in grades 3-5 is the target audience, as some of the coding concepts can be a bit advanced. But as always, if you have a 2nd grader who can whip up a web page better than you can, then most definitely, buy them this book!

Jewel L,'s book is called Jewel: The Magical Chef. It's a fanciful book written in rhyme about a chef with magical animal friends and amazing cooking skills. One day, a wicked witch cooks up some dastardly treats in hopes of turning the children of the kingdom into goat-creatures. Can Jewel cook up an antidote to save her friends? With the delicious recipe at the back of the book, there's a very good chance that she can!

Jewel: The Magical Chef is a book that younger readers can enjoy. K-5 to 2nd is the age range I put this book. However, if you have a 3rd or 4th grader who is interested in cooking, sharing the fruit salad recipe at the end of this book would be a great way to show aspiring cooks and chefs to craft their own recipes. I'm going to share this recipe with my Culinary students next semester and they're in high school!

Plus, there's several black & white sketch pages in the back that I think you could color. So, consider Jewel: The Magical Chef to be a sort of activity book that's full of fun and perfect for a rainy summer day. By the way- I hear that Jewel L. is working on a recipe coloring book. I'll be sure to snag several copies of that for my students and other aspiring culinarians when it drops!

Both Bryson Fars: The Millionaire Creator and Jewel: The Magical Chef are available for sale on Amazon! These two children can't even drive a car and they've got a pair of books on the biggest online market platform in the world! As American Ninja Warrior's Matt Iseman says 'What's your excuse?"

Elijah B's book will help inspire children to learn about creating their own video games and computer programs (and hopefully they'll stay away from making computer viruses). Jewel L's book will inspire youngsters to cook and create their own recipes. Together, these young writers might inspire the young reader in your life to become writers as well! 

The road to becoming a writer isn't hard. It just starts with 1 sentence on a blank page!

Best of luck to all future dreamers!

Mega Man #20 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The character of Mega Man was created by the Japanese video game company Capcom. Known as 'Rock Man' in his native Japan, the character debuted in the self-titled Mega Man video game in 1987. While the first Mega Man video game was produced for the NES, Nintendo Entertainment Center, the franchise has released over 3 dozen sequels and numerous spin-offs for various gaming systems over the years

Now here's a fact that most don't know about the character. Mega Man is the name of not just one character; but a whole series of robots created by Dr. Thomas Light. Mega Man robots are not just protagonists. They are villains too. The deranged Dr. Wily developed the Mega Man model robot with Dr. Light and eventually Wily showed his true colors, producing his own line of evil Mega Men androids in many attempts to conquer the world. 

Since the inception of Mega Man, a number of manga works have been produced involving the vast cast of franchise characters. Though Udon Entertainment and Viz Media have released a few of those works to American audiences, a large number of Mega Man manga have never been imported from Japan. 

In 2011, Archie Comics obtained the license of the Mega Man franchise. Instead of re-releasing English translated manga works, the publisher went the route of producing a series of all-new art and stories. 2012 marked the 25th anniversary of the very first Mega Man video game and Archie Comics pulled out all the stops. Along with a Sonic the Hedgehog/Mega Man team-up that due to shipping delays, didn't hit shelves until the following year, Archie Comics sought to create 12 months worth of stories that celebrated the extensive history of the Capcom property.

In this issue, Dr. Wily has unlocked the formula for time travel. Just as the scientist and his army of evil robots are about to conquer the future, Rock, the original Mega Man robot arrives on the scene... and is immediately swept through time! Going through various time periods, including his immediate past, the far flung future and even all the way back to prehistoric times, Rock experiences aspects from the first Mega Man game to 2011's Mega Man 10! 

If the reader of this issue is not the biggest of Mega Man fans, the story, while epic, is very overwhelming. If writer Ian Flynn or the editing team could have included an appendix that pointed out which video games were reference during Rock's various jumps through time, not only would this story have read a lot more clearer, but it could have invited new and emerging Mega Man fans into the franchise. Without it, this issue feels very unwelcoming to newcomers. 

Art by Gary Martin.

Cover by Mike Norton. 

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #20 (Based on a Video Game) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The 25 Baubles of Pop Culture! Advent 2022 Day 6

 

You'll need change for a dollar when it comes to today's advent. We're looking at ornaments based on video games. So here's 4 quarters worth of ornaments that will make any gamer get in the holiday spirit.

My first experience with video games was probably just like a whole lot of others born between 1960-1980- Pac-Man! I found a pair of adorable hand blown glass ornaments that add a touch of Christmas to a Pac-Man stand unit. Both designs seem to have the same Christmas tree maze on the screen. But the design on the side appears different. While one has what looks like authentic 1980s Pac-Man and the ghosts in holiday colors and a Santa hat, the all-blue paneled version looks much more cleaner. I couldn't choose which one I like, so I went with both!

This type of stand units were referred to as cabinets. Not sure why as I don't recall any of them having closing doors. However, I wanted to include the next ornament as it represents my wife's very favorite game of all-time, Galaga. A Magic ornament from Hallmark, this 2009 piece would light up and play the theme song when the coin slot panel is pressed. Unlike other Magic ornaments that I am aware of, you don't have to plug this one in. Instead it took 3 batteries to power.

After Atari, the video game system most families had was the Nintendo Entertainment System. To represent the NES I selected this part of rubber ornaments sold by Game Stop. Its pixel accurate representations of the Mario Bros. I dunno why but I always like Luigi better...

In middle school and high school, I was introduced to Street Fighter II. My best friend Jonathan had the game and we'd have massively long tournaments when I spent the weekend over at his house. 

I choose this ornament representation mostly for its name: 'Bauble Heads'. HA! I love it! Plus it proves that the word baubles is really just another way of saying Christmas Ornament. #vindicated.

After the NES, there was the Gameboy. Who didn't get a copy of Tetris with their hand-held video game system? While I preferred the full-colored NES version of the game, I spent many an hour on my Gameboy making those blocks fall. And then when I went to sleep, those suckers would keep on fallin'!

Here's a lovely blown glass representation of the Gameboy COLOR system with Tetris game already in play. Manufactured and sold by Old World Glass. 

Do you have a lot of video games and you just don't know what to do with them? Why not go for the DIY approach! Take an old video game, hot glue a decorative bead with a hook attached and create those Christmas memories as you hang that now useless and devalued cartridge on the tree like with this Atari 2600 Indiana Jones game from the 1980s!

Lastly, I want to pay tribute to what I believe is the grandfather to the video game- the pinball machine. Every video arcade in the world had a row of pinball machines. Eventually, as the technology got better, some pinball machines turned into video games.

This ornament is from Hallmark. Titled 'Pinball Wonder', it's a magic ornament depicting Santa playing a holiday themed pinball game revolving around snowballs. Apparently this ornament not only had sounds and light, but Santa's arm would also move pulling the plunger back.

My Video Game Ate My Homework (Family Comic Friday)

Dewey Jenkins is a brilliant kid. He's great with electronics and gadgets. But because he is dyslexic, Dewey struggles in school. If he can't ace it in his science fair project, Dewey will spend his vacation in summer school. 

One of Dewey's best friends, Ferg, is the principal's son. While in his dad's office, Dewey's buddy accidentally breaks the science fair grand prize, an experimental new video game system. Since Dewey is such a tech wizard, he'll probably be able to fix it. But when the video game eats Dewey's science fair project, he'll need all the help he can get.

Along with his twin sister, her best friend and Ferg the butterfingers, Dewey must enter the video game to save his project. Or it's summer school for sure!

This is an interesting entry in the DC kids graphic novels. Works like The Secret Spiral of the Swamp Kid and We Found A Monster star characters that aren't DC Universe regulars but there are some official guest stars floating around. Not in this work. I don't even think super heroes exist in Dewey's world. Instead, the kids wear tees with Wonder Woman on them and discuss their favorite characters on Teen Titans Go! 

This graphic novel was written and illustrated by Dustin Hansen, a real video game expert. Hansen also has dyslexia. You know how they say writers should write what they know? Well, Dustin Hansen really does know his stuff! And he does an amazing job showing this Madman what dyslexia looks like from a suffer's eyes.

My Video Game Ate My Homework was extremely clever and creative. I didn't really understand the whole thing about the number of lives that a character has in the video game. But that's always been one of my weaknesses when playing video games. Dusten Hansen does what video game developers do very well; he creates a whole world. 

Now for my criticism that isn't really a criticism. I liked Hansen's artwork. The monsters in the game and the settings are awesome. The one thing that is a bit unusual for a DC Comic is that everybody look like the human Muppets from Sesame Street. The round noses that are different colors from the rest of the body. The round eyes the size of billiard balls. The lanky arms and legs. I'm wondering if Hansen graduated from the Jim Henson school of art!

A really great graphic novel for 8-12 year old readers with a message. Perfect for those with learning disorders, fans of video games and of course, those who love comics and graphic novels. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman/Fortnite: Zero Point

Prior to reading this book, the amount of information I know about the video game Fortnite probably couldn't fill a thimble. It's a multi-player video. Players dressed in a array of crazy costumes are dropped onto an island. Last person standing wins and the victory nets big awards like customizable skins, power ups and weapons!

The amount of information I know about Batman could fill a web page. Like this one!

When a mysterious storm hits Gotham City, Batman is called to investigate. Sucked into the storm, Batman finds himself trapped on a seemingly deserted island. That is until some madman with a funky looking axe attacks him!

Unable to speak and without a memory as to who he is, Batman must rely on his ingrained instincts in order to survive. But every 22 minutes, time resets and the Dark Knight finds himself back at square one. Being stuck in a time loop is a challenge in on itself. Sometimes Batman explores the island. Sometimes, he fights for his life in a battle royale. 

Hmmm... That female warrior in the catsuit with the whip looks oddly familiar. If only the Batman could forge an alliance with her.

Wow. Just, wow! I've never played Fortnite before. But I wanna! Thanks to the special code included in this book, I might have a great start if I do become a player! But, I also want to know the rest of the story. 

I'm not going to spoil how this story ends. But a whole DC Comics/Fortnite series of comics is set up with this 6-issue series. Plus, there just might be some superstars from other franchises that show up on the island. You'll just have to read for yourself. 

I've seen that Spider-Man has just become a playable Fortnite character. Comics fans have been clamoring for a new Marvel/DC crossover. Could Zero Point be laying the foundation to that much desired reunion of the Big Two publishers? 

We'll see!

A fantastic mystery story by Christos Gage (Netflix's Daredevil). It's quintessential Batman. Yet it is also a Fortnite story that is perfect for the uninitiated. Epics Games made the wise decision to partner with DC Comics and Batman in order to reach out to those of use who otherwise might have looked the other way with a third-person shooter game.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Archie & Friends: Geeks and Games #1 (Family Comic Friday)

Explore the world of technology through the eyes of Archie and the Gang in this week's Family Comic Friday!

Archie & Friends: Geeks and Games #1
Written by: Francis Bonnet
Art by: Pat and Tim Kennedy
Published by Archie Comics
Retail: $2.99

Need a Summer time pick-me-up? Check out Archie & Friends: Geeks and Games #1. In this hi-tech one-shot, the kids from Riverdale explore the impact technology has had on all out lives in a trio of tales.

First up, Archie and Jughead have developed a fever to the new video game Forknite! As a result, Archie has been ignoring Veronica. Out of spite or revenge (or both), Veronica decides to learn just what this new game is all about. Will Archie and Jughead have meet their match? Knowing the lengths Veronica will go to in order to be the best, the guys probably have.

Then Archie brings home his latest tech project: a robotic dog. But during the test run, things don't go as smoothly as Archie thought it would. Turns out android dogs are as much of a hassle as the real McCoy.

Lastly, Archie has an important report due. But will miss Grundy believe him when the redhead's real dog, Vegas, eats his flash drive homework?

This was a very fun but fast read. The artwork by Archie vets, Pat and Tim Kennedy was spot-on classic style Archie. It might have been a little too classic as I thought Veronica looked a lot like her 1940s counterpart, Veronica Lake. I almost thought I was reading a reprint from the Golden Age of Comics. Then I remembered that they didn't have video games in the post-World War II era!

I really enjoyed the stories by Suburban Fairy Tales author, Francis Bonnet. All three stories were creative and helped me forget about how awful 2020 has been. With Archie being a 75 year old plus property, it's easy for the stories to get repetitive. But all 3 tales felt really fresh. Even the homework story seemed new despite the telegraphed punchline ending.

The only real problem with this comic is the length. At only 24 pages, Geeks and Games is just way too darn short! But the $2.99 cover price is rather nice. It's something the whole family will enjoy!

Archie & Friends: Geeks and Games #1 debuted in print and digital formats on Wednesday June 24th, 2020!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Classic Toys from a Madman's Youth: Advent 2019 Day 8

If you have been keeping track of this year's advent, then you'll know that I don't have very good luck picking great toys for my Christmas wish lists. Today's featured toy is proof that I tend to put my support behind the wrong franchises as we look at the Sega Master System.

In 1986-87, my uncle got married. With the new aunt came a couple of new cousins. At this time, I became introduced to the Nintendo. My cousins had one and I played it some. I also had a friend in my neighborhood name Alex who had a Nintendo. Again, I would play Zelda and Super Mario Bros. But I just wasn't impressed with it. 

So in 1988, when it came time to make my Christmas wish list, I decided to ask for a completely different gaming system. One of which I had no prior experience with. But I wanted to be different from everyone else. So I asked Santa for a Sega!

When Christmas 1988 rolled around, I got my Sega. I was thrilled. I got several games and compared to the Nintendo- the graphics were amazing. But Sega's games had some serious bugs. 

For example, the game I looked forward to the most was Ghostbusters. The game stated with a map in which you had to drive the Ecto-1 through a map of New York to bust a ghost. However, I never could get past the map! My dad tried! My mom tried! We even bought a magazine that offered tips! We just never could get past that stupid map!

And then were the numerous times that you'd get near the end of an important level and the damn game would freeze. Or the entire gaming platform would reset itself. There were some major glitches in the first Sega systems. 

By 1990. the Sega Master System was defeated by the Nintendo Entertainment System. The Sega company stopped making new games in exchange for the much improved Sega Genesis. But by that point, I had moved on to the NES- which was now considerably cheaper than the Genesis system. 

This sort of process would be the first of many interactions with new technology as I am the guy who waits until prices drop steeply before I jump on board. What can I say? I've got bad instincts with this stuff and I'm old school. 

So for today's Advent, I wanted to present you with just how bad the Ghostbusters video game was. If you remember the horror that was Atari's E.T. video game, you'll experience flashbacks here. The video is about 20 minutes long but I wouldn't blame you for giving up on this after about the 90 second mark.

Enjoy!

Cosmic Commandos (Family Comic Friday)

Life is so very hard for Justin. His parents make him do his homework instead of playing video games. His teacher wants him to do his best in school. And his twin brother, Jeremy, not only looks just like him but loves him and wants to spend quality time with him as well. But all of that's going to change when Justin finds a magic ring in his box of cereal.

The ring will grant any wish. Since Justin wants to play video games all the time, the ring obliges. Now Justin is living out his favorite game, Cosmic Commandos, in real-life. As giant aliens, flying robots, and living balls of snot attack his city, Justin finds himself unable to get past the boss levels. As his energy drains, Justin becomes weaker and unable to complete his missions. Thankfully, Jeremy has been reading up on the game manual. But can he help his twin brother before Justin's energy level reaches zero?

Cosmic Commandos was a fun read by Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius' Christopher Eliopoulos. This 2017 all-ages graphic novel by Dial Books is his first independent title. Young Readers will instantly recognize Eliopoulos' style from his illustrations of Brad Meltzer's Ordinary People Change the World Series. But parents might recognize other comic influences on this book in the form of Charles Schulz and Bill Watterson. 

First of all, the children all look like characters from Peanuts. But it's not a straight rip-off. Justin is not drawn to look like Charlie Brown nor is Jeremy Linus. But when Jeremy gets said at his brother rejecting him, you can see Charles Schulz's influence on Eliopoulos's art. Why even the school is named after Schulz- another subtle tribute that only the adults will catch. 

When it comes to the imaginative plot, there's a lot of Calvin and Hobbes at play. The legendary comic strip by Bill Watterson had day dreamer Calvin wishing he was space explorer Spaceman Spiff instead of being stuck in class. Justin is very much Calvin, to the point he's a bit of a brat- a very annoying brat. Also, in Peanuts, you don't see grown-ups, but you do here and they look very much like Calvin's mom and dad. 

By the end of the book, I was very much wanting it not to end. I'm very glad it ended on a high note because for the first couple of chapters, I really didn't like Justin. So much that I was ready to throw the book across. But I stuck with the book and was duly rewarded with the ending. 

Speaking of endings, I would be very happy if this book stopped where it did. Yet I would also be open to a sequel. Regardless, I hope to see more entertaining all-age adventures from Christopher Eliopoulos in the very near future. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.
    

Fruit Ninja #1

Written by Nate Cosby

Art by Scott Brown & Ruairi Coleman
Cover by Scott Brown & Omi Remalante
Produced by Dynamite Entertainment

Fruit Follies

It’s rare these days to find an all-ages comic book that can appeal to readers of all ages. But the good folks at Dynamite Entertainment have managed to do just that with their newest title Fruit Ninja.

Though Fruit Ninja originally was based on the very popular video game series, this comic follows the characters of the Youtube Red animated series. In both the book and cartoon, the main characters are Seb, Niya, Peng, and Ralph. All four are young students learning the ancient art of Juice Jitsu. Unlike their ancestors thousands of years ago, this group isn’t quite so disciplined. But their skills are unmatched as they battle with the disgraced Fruit Ninja Durian Grey and his army of fruit salad zombies.

The stories aren’t as scary as it sounds. In fact, the battle between good and bad Fruit Ninjas is actually done in the form of a dance-off. How terrifying is that? Well, Ralph’s dance moves need some major work… Plus the fruit salad monsters look more like silly scarecrows than menacing ghouls.

Wedged between an ancient Fruit Ninjas tale and the modern story is an adventure starring Barry Steakfries. Steakfries is the main character in the video game Jetpack Joyride. In this story, Barry seeks to steal a new jetpack from his archenemies, the scientists at Legitimate Industries. The heist looks to be smooth as the buttercream that powers the jetpack. That is until Barry is chased by a team of rocket powered hippos!

Want Steakfries With That?

Though this comic is titled Fruit Ninja, my favorite story was the Barry Steakfries adventure. Throughout the story, the editor interjects his hilarious commentary to the reader about the dangerous of stealing jet packs. This type of silly analysis is similar to techniques used by Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. I only wish that the editorials were in a font just a little less strenuous on the eyes.

First issues tend to not be all that great. Like a TV pilot, there’s kinks to work out. But I think based on how much I enjoyed this, Fruit Ninja can only get better. It’s very funny, very smart, and something that I would read on a monthly basis. Good job Dynamite! Keep it up and you’ll have a loyal reader in me.

Fruit Ninja debuts in stores Sept 6th.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Review originally published August 30, 2017 on outrightgeekery.com.

Tetris: The Games People Play

Tetris: The Games People Play isn't just the story of the beloved Russian video game. Covering prehistoric excavations, the Egyptian game of senet, and the creation of the Nintendo Playing Card Company, this non-fiction graphic novel is a complete history of gaming. Written and illustrated by Andre the Giant: Life and Legend’s Box Brown, this was an enjoyable read. But it's not without some difficult sections to cull through.

  The main story takes place during the waning days of the 1980s Cold War. Anytime one tries to craft a capitalist business venture with a Communist nation, there's going to be red tape. Several companies thought that they had the rights to distribute Tetris including Atari and Nintendo. Of course, the Soviet Union wasn't about to let their claim to the puzzle game go without milking the contract to their advantage.

    Thankfully Brown gives introductions to all of the players that entered into the dealings. But there was a lot of characters involved with turning Tetris into the cultural icon it became. So I had to go back from time to time to refresh myself over who was who.

   I promised to pass this book to a little fella after I read it. But I'm not sure if he's going to be able to enjoy it. There's no cussing or sex in this book. Some mild discussion of violence towards the end of the book however. But I think that the lengthy discussion of international trade law might just be too much for fan of Tetris under the age of 14. (The boy who saw my with this book at the library couldn't have been older than 7!)

    I'm really digging Box Brown's style. Pop culture and geek history seems to be Brown's genre of choice. He's a very good story teller of nonfiction, much like Rich Geary or Marjane Satrapi. Being that this volume on games doesn't really cover role playing (RPGs) that much, maybe that could be a companion piece to Tetris.

   Worth Consuming.

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 65

    For Today's A Madman Turns 40, I thought I would share with you a valuable but unexpected resource that's been helping me with my journey through 1977. 

    I play this game on my phone and Facebook called Song Pop 2. The idea with the game is that you are given a clip from a song and 4 choices. It might be the name of the artist or the name of the song. Your score is derived from how fast you answer. If you answer in exactly 1 second correctly, you get 3277 points. Answer quicker, get more points. Take more time and you get lesser points.

   You get 5 songs and then your round is put up against a competitor. Person with the most points wins. After the game, you then get to pick a new category.

   I've been playing a category called Top Hits 1977. It's been very helpful seeking out songs and music from my birth year. There's been some that I knew were from my favorite year- like Queen's 'We Are the Champions. There's also been some surprises like ABBA's Dancing Queen. I love that song. Didn't know it was from '77.

A sample of the dozens of songs from the Top Hits 1977 category.

    Anyways, Song Pop is an awesome game that's been helping me get geared up towards turning 40. Check it out. (By the way, almost every year from 1950 to the present is represented with a category of their own, so feel free to explore your birth year!)

   Until tomorrow...



    

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 40

Today in A Madman Turns 40 history, Atari releases the My First Computer keyboard. The idea was that Atari could release educational games that required a 'QWERTY' keyboard. While the toy lasts on shelves for a few years- the idea is a colossal bust (and yet not as bad as a failure as the ET game released in 1981.)

    At $90 bucks, the device, if plugged into an Atari 2600 hundred could also turned your TV into a computer. It could hold anywhere between 8-32K of RAM. Cheaper than most computers on the market, ( in today's dollars, it would cost about $250) but alas, kids wanted games that were fun and if people were going to buy a computer, they were going to get the uber-trendy Apple which had just hit store shelves a month prior. 

     Proof that in 40 years of computer and video game upgrades people want to be entertained instead of educated! But let's face it folks, the video games that are the most fun are the ones that can do both!!!

   Until Tomorrow...

Scribblenauts Unmasked: A Crisis of Imagination (Family Comics Friday)

Cover to the last chapter of A Crisis of Imagination #18.

 Maxwell and Lily are siblings from an alternate earth. Maxwell has a magic pen and pad that can conjuror anything he can imagine. Lily has a globe that when powered up can transport you to anywhere in the known universe. Together this brother and sister superhero team are the Scribblenauts.

   Created in 2009, Scribblenauts is a puzzle adventure video game that has developed a sort of cult following. After several years success, the franchise branched out into the DC Universe with Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure in 2013. Featuring over 2,000 characters from the DC Universe, the game spawned a number of action figures, t-shirts, and in 2014, a webseries and eventual print comic book series.

   In this series, Maxwell and Lily return to the DCU after the events of the video game to discover that their beloved friends in the Justice League are being menaced by their former allies. When Maxwell discovers that these supposed friends are being possessed by Shadow Demons, the Phantom Stranger arrives to warn that a crisis looms threatening the very fabric of the multiverse. The key player behind this threat- the Anti-Monitor.

     The book begins like a sugary kids book. I'm not knocking it. But the first two issues weren't really my cup of tea. But once the books started to delve into the rich history of the multiverse and include characters from Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew, Earth 2, and Batman Beyond, I really took a shine to this book. It was like reading an amped up all-ages version of Crisis of Infinite Earths.

   Like any good kids multimedia project does, Scribblenauts includes a story that children will enjoy along with little nuggets that bring back a wave of nostalgia to adults. The art, while cartoony, still evoked over 75 years of DC History. By the end of this book, I wasn't wanting it to end.

   There is a bonus story that while too entertaining, it negates some of the stories in this plot. It was never published prior to this collection. I am thinking that is that case as it wipes out one baddies transformation into one of the good guys in the main series.  Honestly, I am not even sure why they included it. 

    One thing that some properties, like Disney, do is push the envelope, often with a bit of innuendo. That doesn't happen here. Nor is there any bad language. Lots of cool lines from classic films like Ghostbusters and Back to the Future abound in this series and they gave me a chuckle. There are some mild violence and a little bit of sorcery but otherwise, like the Scribblenauts video games, this miniseries is considered quite family friendly.

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Skylanders (Family Comic Friday 2015 Halloween ComicFest Edition)

   My last pick for Halloween ComicFest 2015 is Skylanders. This free mini comic is based on the video game of the same name. Skylanders came out in 2011 and was huge around its first holiday season on store shelves. The game has interactive action figures so that players can have fun even with the power is out. I remember when the first Skylanders game (Spyro's Adventure) came out as people were scooping these toys up by the dozens and selling them on eBay for crazy prices. While I am not sure how popular this game series is now, Skylanders is the grandfather of interactive Near Field Communication (NFC) games, greatly inspiring Disney's Infinity line. 

    There are 3 stories in this comic. The first has an evil chile pepper named Chef Pepper Jack (LOVE THE NAME!!!),  terrorizing a village of teddy bears. He's challenged by a forgotten Skylander element called Knight Light and it's a battle between good and evil that was visually thrilling and not very hard to follow for someone not familiar with the franchise.

    In the second adventure, a five-legged frog named Doctor Krankcase looks to interrupt the Annual Mabu Meander. It's a sort of junior marathon that the villain has found a loophole allowing him to participate and probably win by cheating. That is unless the hero centaur Knight Mare has anything to say about it. Again, another fun tale that isn't hard for the uninitiated to enjoy.

   Lastly, two foes find themselves drugged and placed in a deadly trap. The only way out is for these two enemies to join forces if they want to live to fight another day. I really enjoy those type of stories that force mortal enemies to team-up. Usually, these adventures end with a double cross, so it's refreshing to see real teamwork for once.

    That story ends with a cliffhanger. Normally, those type of adventures is a pet peeve of mine. But in this case, the story ends in such a way that if you don't go on to purchase the companion piece to this caper that you don't miss anything. But with 3 great stories, I have a feeling that this freebie will encourage some young readers to want to know what happens next.

    Skylanders isn't my cup of tea. I don't see myself rushing out to buy a starter kit for the video game tomorrow. But if I had the chance to read another free comic at next year's Halloween ComicFest, I wouldn't turn it down. 

   Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars. 

Batman: Arkham Unhinged, Volume 4

 The closing chapter to the digital comic series based on the hit game Batman: Arkham City. In this volume, the Mayor of Gotham has rounded up the worst Gotham has to offer but that's still not enough. Thus, he's finding every way possible to incarcerate anyone who doesn't agree with his agenda. The hired police of the Arkham City project are rounding up the city's poor, political protestors, even city councilmen. Thinking they've a right to life, liberty, and freedom of speech, these new 'felons' find that they've now become Arkham City's newest batch of prisoners. Angered by this abuse of power in the corrupt corridors of City Hall, a new villain named the Bookbinder arises, quoting John Bunyan and punishing the morally bankrupt of Gotham. Now Batman must hunt down a serial do-gooder while getting to the hidden truth behind the Arkham project.

    I've really enjoyed this series and the final volume doesn't nothing to dissuade me of any previous praise I've given it. The art was fantastic, but the real star of this book is the fantastic prose of novelist Karen Travvis. She does a masterful job crafting a tale that not only challenges the wisdom of the Bat, but the reader as well, with Bookbinder's riddles. This is even a tale in which the non-superhero aspects are just as good if not better than the scenes starring the Dark Knight and Catwoman.

    I only wish that this series ended with a finalized completion. I guess since this digital comic is based on a video game, it's now up to the reader to become the player and to finish all the loose ends themselves through the virtual avatar of Batman. Regardless of how that plays out, I hope that this isn't the end of the Bookbinder and that he'll show up in the pages of the New 52! He's perhaps the freshest villain to challenge the Caped Crusader in years and DC would be insane if they didn't keep him around to plague Gotham City for years to come.

  

  Lastly, I want to explore the overall theme of the abuse of power. It's really scary how much this book is reflecting the current societal issue of race and class discrimination and the militarization of our police forces. In this story, peaceful protesters are being rounded up for practicing their constitutional right to protest. The police are ordered by the Mayor to ramp up charges to get the protestors off the street because he considers them to be the dregs of society. 

   My wife and I recently watched a documentary about privatized prisons and how they look at prisoners as a commodity. That's how Mayor and the prison guards view the inhabitants of Arkham City. 

  

  It's funny that the average video gamer is playing a game thinking it's just that: something to escape from the troubles of the day. Yet secretly there's a hidden message with a moral in between leveling up! Remember that the next time someone says video games have no moral compass or benefit to society.

   Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Angry Birds Comics (2014 Halloween ComicFest Exclusive Mini-Comic) (Family Comic Friday Extra)

I didn’t even know that the Angry Birds had a comic book! But the stars of video games, action figures, clothes, candy, and more do and this Halloween, they might end up as one of your Halloween treats.

  I know that this is the second Halloween ComicFest 2014 offering in a row of a comic based on a comic. But I promise you, not every book this year is like that. This just happened to be the luck of the draw.  In this exclusive mini-comic, one of the leaders of the pigs tells of a scheme to get at the Angry Birds’ nest by creating a Franken-pig out of dead swine. However, these pigs have no self-control and go absolutely bonkers. There are also 3 one-page length short stories that star various birds and pigs.

Despite the fact I’ve played Angry Birds a couple of times, I don’t know the red bird from the black one and until I read this, I didn’t even know that the pigs wanted to steal the birds’ eggs, much less that they had a king! So, if this book is as entertaining or fun as the video games, I don’t know.

Now, what I read, I liked. Also, I thought the art was spot on to what the characters look like in the video game. The stories weren’t so bad. It was a little more suited for older kids than Plants Vs. Zombies. Would I search this series out for more Angry Bird Hi-jinx? Probably not. But if I received this book as a treat for trick-or-treating this year, I would be very excited and not feel like I would’ve wanted candy instead.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

 

 

Dark Sector, Issue Zero

 I’m not really a video game person anymore and normally, I wouldn’t have bought this book. But, it came out of a grab bag and I gave it a shot!

   Boy, was that some good shootin’!

   This is a prequel tale, explaining why there is a hybrid zombie-animal attack in a fictitious central European City and why the main character of Dark Sector has been asked to infiltrate the quarantined site.

   The story was very good and the art was fantastic. I think Top Cow was on to something here and it is a crying shame they never made a series. I think that could have been something special.

   Worth Consuming.

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.