Free Comic Book Day May 2

My Favorite Local Gaming Store (FLGS), The Core in Cedar Falls, Iowa is a celebrating Free Comic Book Day on May 2 from 9:00 – 6:00.   If I can get the Can Company shut down in time, I’ll be there.  Make it a point to be there early because the best stuff goes fast.

While supplies last, The Core will have free issues of: Green Lantern, Batman, Star Wars, Transformers, Archie, Justice League, Simpsons, Sonic The Hedgehog, Avengers, Disney, and more.  There will be age appropriate comics for all reading levels.

Mike Blanchard, the owner, wants to remind everyone to get there as early as possible for best selection.  Mike also told me that WotC is sponsoring another D&D Day.  This one is to promote the all new Monster Manual more details forthcoming.

Vulcan Stev Family Movie Review: Punisher War Zone

Starring:
Ray Stevenson …  Frank Castle
Dominic West …  Billy Russoti / Jigsaw
Doug Hutchison …  Loony Bin Jim
Colin Salmon …  Special Agent Paul Budiansky
Wayne Knight …  Linus ‘Microchip’ Lieberman
Dash Mihok …  Det. Martin Soap
Julie Benz …  Angela Donatelli
Stephanie Janusauskas …  Grace Donatelli
Mark Camacho …  Pittsy
Romano Orzari …  Nicky Donatelli

Synopsis from IMDb: Infamous vigilante, anti-hero Frank Castle (Ray Stevenson) is six years into his vengeance driven zeal as the Punisher when he brutally assaults a “beat the rap” party for notorious mob boss Gaitano Cesare. During the course of the massacre, he hideously disfigures overeager gangster Billy Russoti (Dominic West) and murders a mafia lackey who turns out to be an undercover FBI agent.

Distraught that he has now become the very evil he swore to battle, Castle is content to hang up his guns and quit the justice business for good. However, plans quickly change once he learns that Jigsaw has not only kidnapped the surviving wife and child of the dead federal agent but now has also freed his commited psychopathic brother, James (Doug Hutchison)…aka…”Loony Bin Jim.”

Reviewers: Vulcan Stev, PIT #1, PIT #2, PIT #3, Mrs. VS sat down to watch the movie with us but backed out after viewing the first scene.

VS – 1.1 pointed ears
Oh, I am so torn.  Kudos to the producers for bringing back Frank Castle’s original backstory and origin.  Kudos for bringing in Microchip.  Kudos for bringing in Jigsaw.  However, major disappointment in the use of language.  The ‘F-bomb’ is used in this movie like punctuation.  To me, that kind of gratuitous use of the word does not mirror society, but rather shows off weak writing skills.

Another problem I had with this flick, the violence was wa-a-ay too graphic.  I understand that the Punisher is a ‘dark’ character.  I understand that he ’solves’ the problem of crime by killing off the criminals.  But I wasn’t expecting a slasher film, I’ve seen less graphic killings in the Friday 13th series.  The producers, went to great lengths to say how proud they were of the realistic details in the gore.  After seeing the over-the-top violence of the Watchmen and then seeing this movie, I’m beginning to wonder if Hollywood is trying to mainstream violence.

PIT #1 – 1.5 pointed ears
This was a very accurate portrayal of the Punisher.  However, the violence is way overboard.  Dad called this a mainstream slasher flick.  I’ve never seen a “slasher” film and asked Dad what he meant.  When Dad described what I slasher flick was, I had to agree with him.  I would not recommend this film for younger viewers.  It earned it’s R rating.  I was also put off by the language.  I don’t need to hear the “f-word” used as punctuation.

PIT #2 – 1.25 pointed ears
This has all the makings of a great action movie.  However the language and violence were way to excessive for my tastes.  The Thomas Jayne Punisher movie was much better in terms of language and violence.  I’ve never read the Punisher comics but I don’t need to see blood flying across the screen.  I don’t need to hear the “f-word” in every single scene of a movie (don’t want to hear it at all but that’s  pipe dream).

PIT #3 – 1 pointed ear.
The action in this film was great.  There was NO kissing which was also nice.  The gore used in the action scenes was too much.  I don’t need to see blood flying all over the screen.  Daddy apologized to me because he didn’t know that the gore was going to be so graphic.  The language was bad.  I think that the writer needs to have his keyboard’s mouth washed out with soap.

4.85 pointed ears out of 8 with an abstain from Mrs. VS

Overall this is a faithful adaptation of the Punisher character.  This is NOT a family film.  Not recommended for family viewing.  Be forewarned the ‘F-bomb’ is liberally sprinkled throughout the picture.

Gaming in the Universe of… Superheroes

Rather than rewrite the intro for Superhero gaming every time the family reviews a superhero movie, I’m posting this article and will update the links accordingly.

Why re-invent the wheel?   There are many good RPGs centering around Superheroes.  TSR’s Marvel Super Hero game is available online as PDF, of course that’s not the Superman Universe, but heck they’re available for free.  Hero Games’ Champions, the grandaddy of all super hero RPGs is still available.  DC Heroes as published by Pulsar Games is a defunct game though the mechanics are used in their Blood of Heroes RPG.  Pinnacle Entertainment’s Necessary Evil, although not a super HERO setting does provide the rules for adding Super Heroes to your Savage Worlds campaign.  The current Super Hero RPG of choice appears to be Mutants and Masterminds, an in depth review of the game can be found at Greywulf’s Lair

The first thing we need to ask are you gaming in a generic super hero universe or one of the copyrighted ones?  I have many fond memories of playing in a Champions campaign from my high school days (no I won’t say when just know that Reagan was President when I graduated).  My GM for those days usually had Marvel and DC heroes pre-genned for folks just wanting to sit in on a game.  Though they were super heroes by the names of Supreme, Arachno-Lad, Night Stalker (a Batman clone) and Amazon (this was long before the Amalgam Universe).  How you play or allow your players to play will vary from hero to hero.

Superhero movie reviews currently in the database:
Batman Begins
Daredevil
The Dark Knight
The Incredible Hulk
Superman IV

Gaming notes for:
Batman
Superman

Vulcan Stev’s LCARS database DVD review…. Daredevil

Originally posted at the Dire Cafe January 18, 2009

Starring:
Ben Affleck … Matt Murdock / Daredevil
Jennifer Garner … Elektra Natchios
Colin Farrell … Bullseye
Michael Clarke Duncan … Wilson Fisk / The Kingpin
Jon Favreau … Franklin ‘Foggy’ Nelson

Synopsis from IMDb: Blinded by toxic waster when he was a young boy, Matt Murdock (Affleck) has gained enhancements in the remaining senses. With his father murdered, he sees this as a perfect opportunity to fight crime and help the New York City. He becomes Daredevil, and every night risks life to stop those escaping prison. One person who is still free is the biggest crime lord in New York, the Kingpin (Duncan). Whilst working as a lawyer, Matt becomes the masked hero to track down the Kingpin before anyone else he loves is taken out.

Reviewers VS, Mrs. VS, PITs 1,2, & 3

VS 1.75 pointed ears
My only complaint with this movie was the changes made by the studio. Ben Urich works for the Daily Bugle, not the New York Post. The costumes are different. The Kingpin is not black. I can forgive the last one as Micheal Clarke Duncan played the Kingpin to perfection.

The other cheif complaint I had is that 20th Century Fox never made a sequel. The whole storyline in the comics of Matt Murdock being outed as Daredevil and every crook he put behind bars is released would’ve been a wonderfully fresh take on the superhero movie.

The special features offer some wonderful insight into the Daredevil universe.

Mrs. VS .5 pointed ears.
This is typical hubby movie. The scene where Elektra gets killed is gonna give me nightmares.

PIT #1 2 pointed ears
I’ve never read a Daredevil comic book. But it rocks. Elektra would’ve been a MUCH better movie if they’d kept the Daredevil cameo. I loved the mustard/coffee scene.

PIT #2 2 pointed ears
This a good superhero movie. It did a good job of introducing the character. Elektra did NOT count as a sequel to this movie. 20th Century Fox really needs to make a sequel or turn the motion picture rights back over to Marvel

PIT #3 1.95 pointed ears
They didn’t need the kissing/sex scene. I want a collapsible billy club/nunchuk/walking stick.

8.2 pointed ears out of 10. We do not own the Special Director’s edition. If you have a chance to see the Special Director’s edition I’d recommend it. According to the deleted scenes and director’s commentary there was a lot of good stuff cut out to make the time constraints laid out by the studio.

Buyable

Vulcan Stev’s Month-Late Movie Review… “The Incredible Hulk”

Originally posted at the Dire CafeJuly 8, 2008. I’m re-posting it here because it gives the reasons behind the title of the column. My format has changed somewhat since then.

In his ongoing effort to see movies before they come out on DVD, our pointed eared friend must wait for the local theater to show what you all saw last month. Since most of the discussion surrounding current Hollywood fare show up on these boards weeks before our theater even thinks of getting the movie in, I refrain from discussing the movie until I’ve seen it.

I’m surprised that we hadn’t been talking more about this flick, but The Incredible Hulk came to the dollar theater this week.

I will admit to going with mixed feelings. Hulk (2003) was a weak story supported by a good cast. It also had some very “innovative” montage effects that tried to make you feel like you were watching a comic book come to life. Over all though Ang Lee’s Hulk was not what a Hulk movie needed to be.

My first thought when I learned that The Incredible Hulk was in production, I wondered why they were making a sequel. When I discovered that it was not a sequel I wondered why we only needed to wait five years for the comic book to become a film again. I mean how long did we wait for Superman to return to the big screen? Batman?

I took the kids, mainly because it was a buck and my children all appreciate Action/Adventure movies. I wasn’t expecting much out of the movie except two hours in the air conditioning. I was pleasantly surprised.

The story follows a combination of both Marvel’s classic and Ultimate origin stories for the Hulk. There are nods to the TV series, Stan Lee, Lou Ferrigno and Bill Bixby all make cameos. Everything that I liked about the Hulk was in this movie

William Hurt played Gen Ross as well as Sam Elliot. Liv Tyler wouldn’t have been my first choice for Betty Ross but she played the maternally protective girlfriend to a “T”. Ed Norton got Bruce Banner right equal parts brilliant scientist and fugitive.

I get what Marvel studios wants to do. They want the Marvel Universe to exist not only in the pages of their monthly comic books but they want to have it on the big screen as well. Spider-Man was supposed to cameo in one of the X-Men movies. Columbia Pictures (or 20th Century Fox) threw a hissy about having a “Non-studio character” appear in the movie.

Marvel has gone to producing their own movies and having the studios release them. I’m not spoilering anything here when I say that Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark cameos in TIH. Marvel got what it wanted. Whether or not they can pull it off remains to be seen.

I will say that after watching TIH, I am eagerly awaiting the upcoming Thor, Captain America movie and Avengers in 2011. Marvel has partial screen control over their universe and currently seem to making the most of it.

If Warner Brothers had any sense they would attempt to do the same for DC.

Vulcan Stev(and clan)’s rating 3.5 pointed ears (out of four). The youngest thought there was too much kissing and not enough smashing. If you didn’t see this movie because of the bad taste in your mouth left by Ang Lee’s Hulk, please go see it. This movie was done right.