Moving on with it

So, if you haven't noticed, I've been a bit quiet lately. Mostly, I blame Facebook, where I try to post a status update every day. Did you know that status updates drink from the same creativity well as blog posts? It's true!

So, if you need more vitamin Feil in your diet, befriend me on Facebook.

More news: I am going to a new comic store starting next week. My current store, which is my all-time favorite, was once pretty accessible to me when I worked in Bothell. Since then, I've moved farther and farther away, and now Lynnwood is beyond my grasp. So, starting Wednesday, I'll be going to the Redmond store. Wish me luck.

Finally, in other comic news, I picked up the new "War of Kings: Ascension" because it looked interesting, and because it was a light week for me. After reading it, my question is: "A Darkhawk retcon? Darkhawk needed a retcon?" I mean, really, who felt that needed to be done?

Finally, something is being done about Global Warming

World piracy doubles in first quarter 2009 due to Somalia

Don't get it? Look here...

Nice

Thanks, Brett, for pointing this one out...


Are violent video games adequately preparing our children for the upcoming post-apocalyptic world?

L.E.G.I.O.N. becomes R.E.B.E.L.S.

Remember these guys?



I do! That's why I picked up R.E.B.E.L.S. #1 this week. Vril Dox is in fine form as he runs from a L.E.G.I.O.N. that has turned against him. Definitely the best comic of the week, though Incognito tried very hard.

Check it out!

Liberal Socialist Foreigners Think Games Good For Kids!!

I put some political spin in the title. Did you see it?

Anyway, the "European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection: (or EPCIMCP) (or EP-CHIMP, maybe) found video games are not harmful to kids and they are not linked to violent behavior. Of course, what do they know?

Yes, I'm being sarcastic. It's nice to see a governmental organization not using games as a method to induce terror into the populace.

Minimovie review: Igor

Just stretching my reviewing skills here! Maybe someone will invite me to cover a convention or something.

Igor just came out on DVD this past week, and it's a mixed bag. You know how Pixar and Dreamworks 3D animated features have a sense of humor that appeals to both kids and adults? Well, Igor has that, too, except that it switches between the two, instead of blending them seamlessly. There's lots of black humor here, lots of little stuff that you wince at when your 6-year old is watching it. A good example is Steve Buscemi's character, Scamper the Immortal Rabbit, who tries to commit suicide at every turn throughout the first third of the film. One shot has a prank card blow a hole in his head: the camera zooms in to watch the brain and skull reform inside his damaged cranium.

So, possibly not so good for kids.

However, the plot is simplistic and obviously aimed for the young crowd, so it's not so good for adults, either.

The voice acting is uneven: it sounds like they went cheap on the audio guys. A lot of stuff falls flat mostly because the voices don't seem rich or dynamic enough. Steve Buscemi steals the show, while headliner John Cusack, who is my hero, is not meant for voice work, as his voice comes off so everyman that I had to constantly remind myself that it was John Cusack that was behind the mic.

Overall, there are some laugh-out-loud spots, and, once you remove the kids from the room you can feel comfortable about laughing at a rabbit who eats off his own legs to escape a trap, so the film is a minor win. The art style is very stylistic, with lots of subtle animal themes, and the commentary is mostly about the art direction, which is interesting. Overall, I'd say to rent this movie if it appeals to you.

Best Comic

This week the best comic was "Dr. Doom and the Masters of Evil". This was a "Marvel Adventures" book, but it fell in the "X-Men First Class" realm of humanizing the various members of the Masters of Evil with a humorous touch. Mysterio disguising the group as a punk band or as Stark workers on a coffee break was awesome, as were smaller touches like Chameleon asking to borrow a car.

Highly recommended, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Well, if I'm not going to be posting that often...

I might as well say "Good Luck" to our new president.

Tetris Alleviates Post-Traumatic Stress

It's like a healing potion...for your mind! Apparently, playing Tetris immediately after a stressful situation will reduce flashbacks.

I nominate Alexy Pajnitov for Sainthood.