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Silent Hill Revelations (film) – 3 GPPs

SeanPWallace
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Silent Hill Revelations (film) – 3 GPPs

 

Straight to the Point: In theory, then, this ought to make me the target audience for Silent Hill: Revelation. It is a sequel to a video game film and such films, should they exist, tend to do so for the fans. Yet I must say that I did not enjoy SH:R overall. It was not a good film.

Review For a start, it makes the initial mistake of trying to adapt the story of Silent Hill 3, arguably the worst game in the opening 4 and potentially even the worst overall plot-wise; this is a game where the opening 5 hours are spent with the main character going home from the mall and it requires a major character murder to get Heather Mason to even go to Silent Hill. In making such a decision, I feel they hobbled themselves.

This faithfulness to the game opens with ‘Heather Mason’ – Sharon from the first film – having a dream about being in the Toluca Lake Amusement Park exactly as per the beginning of Silent Hill 3. And, just like the game, it is a little creepy but lacks any punch by virtue of ‘the horrifying dream followed by bolting awake’ trope being more overused than Pyramid Head (more on him later). Douglas Cartland, a major character in SH3, then appears in his new guise of walking exposition and a weirdly tangential murder victim, and Vincent is her classmate having gone from a genuinely unsettling embezzler to a foppy love interest portrayed by Jon Snow (Winter is coming).

A series of disconnected intrusions by the darkness mean Lord Stark as ‘Harry Mason’ – Chris Da Silva from the first film – is kidnapped for… some reason… and Heather gets to hang about in the back of a mall (just like in Silent Hill 3) but not before we see a flashback of how Sharon was handed back to Sean Bean, a scene which had the disconcerting air of having been directed by someone who won a competition to do so. Before Harry is whisked away, the kidnappers have time to write ‘Come to Silent Hill’ in blood as well as draw a version of the famous Silent Hill seal.

Heather is brought home by Jon Snow, who finds her at them mall, to find the bloody message. She digs out half of the Seal of Metatron that she appeared with all those years ago and some notebooks from Harry which repeatedly warn her not to go to Silent Hill.

And so she goes to Silent Hill. Without any motivation to really do so beyond ‘Saving Dad’.

This marks the first point at which the film starts to wobble. In SH3, Heather is driven to Silent Hill to enact revenge against Claudia Wolf, which marks a real moment of growth in what had been a very ditzy and weird Heather up until that point. However, SH:R misses this opportunity because they didn’t want to kill Sean Bean.

Heather and Jon Snow then hole up in a hotel room and Jon reveals that he is actually working with the Order who have been hunting Heather because she was the good part of Alessa, the catch-all demon of this Silent Hill. Alessa is still tormenting some parts of the Order who tried to kill Sharon in the first film and they want to get rid of her by making Heather the vessel for ‘their God’. This despite the Order having all died in the first film. So yeah…

Jon Snow is then captured by the ‘spirits’ of the Order and Heather has only the reformation of the Seal of Metatron to go on to move the film along. As in SH3, the other half of the Seal of Metatron is held by Leonard Wolf, hammed up by Malcolm McDowell in SH:R. It’s actually a quite good performance of a somewhat hammy character as he taunts and teases Heather.

But first Heather has to get to the Asylum he’s held at, which she does via meeting Dahlia Gillespie and a very long piece of exposition in which we learn Pyramid Head is Alessa’s champion, guardian and all-round favourite guy.

On her way to the Asylum we’re treated to a rather creepy section with a Silent Hill: Homecoming-inspired mannequin monster that represents one of the few genuinely disturbing parts of the film as its joy in transforming young women into dolls is very well executed.

Heather escapes and gets to the Asylum.There, Malcolm McDowell steals the Seal of Metatron from her and combines it with the other half in his own body to become Generic Flesh Hulk. Generic Flesh Hulk knocks Heather over, picks her up and carries her for… some reason… which allows her the opportunity to reach into his body and pull the Seal back out, thus killing him. This also gives us one of the most redundant lines in the film “The two halves are connected,” or something, which is a metaphor for obviousness as it turns out.

Heather is then alone in the Asylum, whose inmates all decide to appear and be a bit grabby. Being unhappy with this, Heather decides to call on Alessa to help her, who sends Pyramid Head to chop off those wandering hands and helpfully punctuating the true descent into madness that SH:R takes from this point. What a guy.

Being not completely dopey, Heather runs away from old PH and finds Jon Snow. Who, I realise I’ve neglected to mention as the scene was memorable only in its awfulness, was condemned to the Asylum by his talcum-addicted mother (another odd change) Claudia Wolf, a no-note villainess who still wants to bring about the birth of a new God as per SH3.

In what is perhaps the second-most perplexing scene in the film, a hotly-contested category, Jon Snow is wheeled into a room full of Nurses by members of the Order… for some reason. The Nurses, hating all things living and with a face, naturally quickly kill the members of the Order and then start approaching Jon whenever he moves. Then Heather appears literally from nowhere, rising like an unpleasant bubble from bathwater, and starts to release him from the gurney he’s tied to. There’s some minimal attempt at suspense before they escape but the main thing I had to ask was WHY DID THE ORDER PUT HIM IN A DEADLY ROOM THEY HAD NO HOPE OF ESCAPING?!

Anyway, Heather and Jon then go to the Toluca Lake Amusement Park where the Order have hidden themselves as Lord Stark is there. Jon sacrifices himself after kissing Heather to distract members of the Order who are half-heartedly searching for them and we are then treated to pretty-much a carbon copy of the opening dream. Which I’d say was lazy film-making if this wasn’t exactly what happens in SH3, so we can’t hold that against them too much.

Where the confrontation between Alessa and Heather differs from SH3 is that instead of being the hardest and creepiest boss-fight in the game, Alessa and Heather angrily hug. Yeah…

With her newfound hugging powers, Heather ventures into the heart of the Order and meets Claudia Wolf in a cavalcade of awful acting. She transforms Claudia using the Seal of Metatron into one of the Silent Hill 3 monsters and then calls Pyramid Head to fight as her champion. Being a stand-up guy and no longer the representation of a fabulously neurotic man who feels like he should be punished, PH steps in and a very weird few minutes of two inhuman monsters oddly fighting follows. It felt, in hindsight, like seeing Freddy vs. Jason minus even the flimsy plot that film had.

But ‘good’ triumphs and Claudia is defeated. PH pimps away, job done, presumably to hug a kitten. Lord Stark is then freed and he, Heather and Jon Snow leave the Order’s den. Except Lord Stark then decides that he needs to find Rose Da Silva from the first film, who we know is stuck in Silent Hill, primarily to give us a weird hook for a third film. He happily hands off his daughter that he has protected for more than a decade to a young man who belonged to the Order that he protected her from and turns into fog, leaving Heather and Jon to walk out of Silent Hill.

It was pretty bad but there was some genuine effort put in by the filmmakers to be respectful to the source material in places; the use of Samael as a statue was appreciated, as were the final references to Silent Hill Origins and Silent Hill Downpour. There were many other little hints and faithful touches that I picked up on because I was a massive geek.
However when it came to the ultimate aim of telling a creepy and interesting story the filmmakers lamentably failed. Whether it was the development hell the film was stuck in for years or the over-exuberance of a creative team who loved Silent Hill and 70s B-movies and decided to combine the two whilst discarding any semblance of logic, who knows.

To summarise, only watch Silent Hill: Revelations if it’s free or you fancy making a drinking game by taking a shot everytime Sean Bean’s accent is weird or the plot makes your brainmeats hurt.

Halo 4 – (Xbox only) 9GPPs

Matt Geary
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Halo 4 – (Xbox only) 9GPPs

Straight to the point – The chief is back! Greatly anticipated and he didn’t let me down. Campaign could have been a bit more varied, feeling like I was just playing through old missions from previous releases at times, but the story kept me hooked and the Multiplayer will keep me happy  for a long time to come. … BUY BUY BUY!

 

What we like

Welcome back chief! – I’m an unashamed  Halo fan boy and as much as I really enjoyed the story behind Noble team in Halo Reach, I missed Master Chief and Cortana…. a lot.  The idea of them floating around in space, with no rescue in sight, broke my little heart.  Now he’s back and I couldn’t be happier; the saga continues and I’m front row centre for the ride!

Nice graphics -Brilliant CG cut scenes, beautiful landscapes and despite the elites looking a bit “thinner” the new  look of the game, after some getting used to, is really nice, textured and more realistic.

Forward unto Dawn – Who ever came up with the idea to have an Epic, mini-series that linked in with the game , deserves a medal!. Not only was the series amazing to watch; really getting my hopes up for a movie or, at least,  another web series, but it also added depth to the Halo universe and the gameplay itself.

Seeing Lasky made my day and I actually said out loud, “THATS LASKY! ” whenever he came on screen; to which my girlfriend just gave me a strange look.  The idea of linking film and game together was a master stroke and hopefully portents for more similar endeavours in the future.   

Halo of Duty 1 – One of the main changes that 343 have made to the entrenched Halo franchise was altering the Multiplayer slightly, to mimic games  like the COD series. A bold (and blatant) move but one that I think has given the old War horse a new lease of life and will definitely pull in the CODers.  Players no long spend most of their time fighting FFA, with that really annoying kid who plays 24/7, winning all the time and mocking you for it in his little girls voice. No it all seems to be about points and team play; I like it! 

You get points for assists, points for defending bases and flags, for assaulting bases and flags, for destroying gun turrets and defenses in the awesome Dominion game; for different types of kills, be it melee,  hand guns , vehicles etc. It just feels that bit more rewarding. You can be at the bottom of the table and still feel like you have achieved something because you helped defend a base or had a lot of assists; and as long as you are on the winning team you get a win bonus, no matter where you are on the table.

Other areas to follow suit with COD are the Perks you can unlock  (better sensors, more ammo, etc.) and the new section that replaced fire-fight; Spartan Ops. Pretty much a mini campaign that you can play with your mates to earn XP and unlock armour / weapons.  The latter also has a story behind it  (and more awesome CG videos) with 5 episodes to start; 343 will be adding more as time goes on.

Improved AI – It could just be me but the AI, especially on harder levels like Heroic and Legendary, seem to be a lot smarter and definitely a lot more aggressive.  Nothing strikes the fear of  the Gods into you more than an angry elite charging you with a Energy Sword!

Mechs – That’s right we have mechs now and they are quality.. slow moving but really good fun to pound people with, though sniper rifles seem to be very good at knocking them out.

Being able to shoot a hand gun while carrying a flag – Remember when you were playing CTF and you had the flag? Unless you had some good support you were pretty much dead right? Well now they have given you the chance to wield your handgun as well as the flag. A great idea  that makes you feel like you have half a chance of actually defending  it while in your possession… Why have they not done this sooner!

The relationship between Cortana and the Chief (SPOILER ALERT) – In Halo 4 Cortana is losing her mind due to age; AI only having a life span of 7 years before they degrade and “Rampancy” sets in. As she is facing her on mortality the dynamic between her and Master Chief becomes a lot more, emotionally driven;  especially for Cortana who, facing death, seems to become a bit more flirtatious and prone to emotional outbursts, which get worse as the game goes on and it dawns on her that she might not be able to be with Master Chief much longer. These outbursts obviously have an effect on the usually stoic Chief who seems to lose patience with her at times and at the end is extremely troubled by her loss.

The relationship between John and AMANDA is a complex one but it is integral  to the success of the halo story and one of the main reasons I really enjoy it. They both make each other more human and without one another they cease to be; she is just a computer and he is just a lab experiment. Together they have something more.. love maybe, who knows but it is really touching and really pulls at your heart strings.

[quote]“In that case, you won’t mind…” Cortana appears behind the Didact.
at all of the Cortanas emerging from the Bridge
“Compassion for mankind is misplaced.” – Didact
“I’m not doing this for mankind.” Chief then charges thet Didact[/quote]

 

Niggles

Malnourished Elites – As I said the elites seem.. well thinner?  Not a major niggle but something did distract me slightly, Master Chief and the Spartans are huge, why have the elites been on a diet all of a sudden? 

Des ja vu – Campaign could have been better. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy it but it seemed like 343 were rehashing old missions, from previous games, and just adding a new skin on top. For example: the mission in Reach where you have to fly the falcon from tower to tower, taking out bad guys and blowing up beacons; well you pretty much have to do that mission again in halo 4. Yes the story and enemies are slightly different but for all intents and purposes it’s the same.

I Know  there is a fine line between keeping fans happy and finding a winning formula but I felt like I had played a lot of these missions before and it would have been nice to see a bit more variety. Didn’t ruin it for me but I would hope in the preceding games, that more thought is put into this.

Lots of weapons.. or are there? – There are now 3 races worth of weapons to choose from but they all seem to pretty much work the same way. Eg, The scatter gun and shotgun are the same;  the suppressor, assault rifle and storm rifle are the same; and the DMR, Carbine and light rifle are the same.  So pretty much, apart from a few new weapons; like the sticky grenade launcher,  the rail gun and the Sar.. there isn’t much choice and people tend to stick with the DMR or the battle rifle in the open and the shot guns in enclosed areas.

No forge world? – I had a tinker around with the forge and it seems you can’t build maps from scratch anymore and I really loved that in Reach.


Wish List

  • More weapon variety and that actually do different things or at least differ in power from race to race.
  • Bring back the forge world, I want to make epic maps, to own my friends on.
  • If you are going to copy the COD / BF Style games then why not have actual specialisations like; medic, heavy support etc, instead of just fancy looking armour.

Conclusion

Was there ever any doubt? I loved it, I enjoyed the story and I’m already anticipating the next instalment. I am glad they changed the game play, in multiplayer at least, it kept it fresh while not destroying the already proven formula. Yes it is very similar to the COD games but I think it  has merged the two concepts of old and new together really well to give an all round, superior product and a launching board for the future. 

Next Skyrim DLC Announced; Titled Dragonborn

Matt_Walklate
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Next Skyrim DLC Announced; Titled Dragonborn

Bethesda Softworks have released a trailer, revealing their next portion of downloadable content for The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. It has been dated for Dec 4th for Xbox Live; but no mention has been made for PC or PS3 users.

Titled “Dragonborn”, the trailer’s narration tells the story of the first ever Dragonborn;

 

[quote]

“He was once one of them. A Dragon Priest, who ruled here in their name, on Solstheim. But he did not serve the Dragons. He devoured them. And like them, he seeks to return.”

“You didn’t think you were the only one? He was the first…Dragonborn.”

[/quote]

 

The trailer shows much of the new land of Solstheim, last seen in TES: Morrowind. Located east of Skyrim and northwest of Vvardenfell,  this island very similar to Skyrim itself, however there were a few snippets of the iconic organic “mushroom houses” of Morrowind as well. The trailer shows what seems to be many new locations, suggesting that the DLC is quite substantial. Certainly a wide shot of the whole island from the sea shows it to be quite large, with multiple towns and villages to be seen.

Arguably the most compelling new feature for players will be the ability to actually ride dragons. The trailer shows the player character climb on the back of a docile dragon, before soaring through the skies. There was no footage of subduing the dragon beforehand, so perhaps the dragon will be more of a companion or pet. Additionally, in one scene High Hrothgar can be seen in the background; so perhaps dragons will be rideable across the whole terrain, not just limited to Solstheim?

In addition to riding dragons, the trailer showcases a few new enemies, including mounted enemies, and adversaries wielding spears, also suggesting there will be a new weapons class in the game. There will also be at least two new sets of armor as well.

Although first impressions seem impressive at a glance; with a still buggy Dawnguard, and very mediocre and disappointing Hearthfire as Skyrim’s back catalogue,  the real test of longevity and quality will be when the content goes live.

Plus with PS3 players still awaiting the slightest bit of news about any upcoming DLC even five months down the line, players on certain platforms are beginning to get more and more disillusioned with Bethesda Softworks and their business practices.

See the new trailer below;

Skyrim Dragonborn Trailer

Rooster Teeth release teaser video for newest Project – RWBY

Matt Geary
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1
Rooster Teeth release teaser video for newest Project – RWBY

From the guys who brought you Red Vs Blue, Rooster Teeth have realsed this teaser trailer for a new projected to be released in 2013. 

What do you think? 

The first look at Rooster Teeth’s newest project, RWBY! A brand new series helmed by RvB lead animator, Monty Oum. Coming 2013!

GameOverCast Eps. 117 (mature language)

Matt Geary
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GameOverCast Eps. 117 (mature language)

Sorry for the delay on this but Halo 4 and my continuing lurgy has put me behind slightly.

You can listen to the new Gameovercast Podcast by pressing the picture below, you can also subscribe on I-tunes.. on this weeks episode, I pose a question to the GOC guys (at the end) and a challenge is issued!

This week the show is brought to you by Radarhead, Gibson, Nijinsky and Nijinsky’s twin brother Nijinsky (honest)!!!!!The show opens wiith Nij and Nij describing their game related week, Radarhead reveals his house is running silent and dark, in vein hopes of fooling trick or treaters the house is empty, and then it all goes down hill from there….In Games we talk Halo Reach, Xcom multiplayer, Nexus, Fifa 12 and James Bond 007 Legends (erghhhh).Imminent releases has us scoffing at Medal of honour, and making ourselves moist at the imminence of Halo 4!In N N N News we reveal how successful the Halo series has been thus far, breath a sigh of relief that xcom has been a commercial hit, and Gibson makes up some news about some game that doesn’t really exist being delayed on the PS3. Sad Gibson, real sad 😉;).We have a traunch of awesome emails this week, igniting some interresting discussions of times gone by, and the accents go out of control as the guys attempt to talk red indian style.

Geek Pride vid of the Play Expo 2012

Matt Geary
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Geek Pride vid of the Play Expo 2012

While at the play expo I messed around with some video.. sadly my camera was too heavy for the steadi cam I had, so it is not nice and smooth like the awesome vids from the guys at Sneaky Zebra. 🙁

Anyway, I hope you enjoy; more vids, from more events coming soon!

If you like the music, that my band playing

www.facebook.com/skinthepig and www.skinthepig.com

The Comic Book Roundup 31/10/12

Laura Maier
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The Comic Book Roundup 31/10/12


It’s a short week for DC, mostly consisting of annuals and miniseries. Fortunately, DC annuals are chances to throw in some pretty epic team-ups. The absolute best among these is, of course, Batgirl Annual #1. Not only does Admira Wijaya supply some absolutely sensational art, but Gail Simone writes such a beautiful Batgirl/Catwoman team-up that it makes me want to write letters to DC demanding she write the Catwoman comic. Batgirl is her usual do-gooder self, and Catwoman is written with an abrasive personality and bawdy humour, but with bravery, a hidden heroic streak, and a surprisingly big heart that marks the first time since the reboot I’ve seen a glimpse of my old favourite character.  

The other annuals this week are no slouches in the team-up department either: Action Comics Annual #1 gives us Superman fighting kryptonite-irradiated wife-beating villain K-Man (fun fact: the K stands for Kryptonite!) with some help from good-hearted cyborg Steel. This issue also runs with the subtle theme DC likes to bring up occasionally  about how one can be a hero and do good by offering aid to poorer countries, and investing in more ecologically responsible technology. It’s a good message, and one that DC does like to mention a fair bit, but it always impresses me how they never make it sound preachy.  

Meanwhile, in Justice League Dark Annual #1, a mega team-up of all the mystical beings in the DCU is in progress. It’s like the Ocean’s Thirteen of magic:  Constantine, Black Orchid and Deadman crash their house in the desert and happen to bump into Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (who for some reason I can never just refer to as Frankenstein) and Madame Xanadu, who is dragging with her the reluctant boy wizard Timothy Hunter. But six magicians aren’t enough for Constantine, so he summons Amethyst of the new Sword and Sorcery series and Andrew Bennett from I, Vampire. Then, naturally, they all burst in on the bad guy to rescue Zatanna and pick up the Books of Magic. As for what exactly the Books of Magic do… well, let’s just say Arthur C Clarke would be proud and leave it at that.

Swamp Thing Annual #1, sadly, doesn’t quite live up to the expectations set by the others. Sure, it has a few truly creepy moments that we’ve come to expect of the quasi-Vertigo title, but the love story between Alec and Abby, whilst sweet, is so by-the-book Hollywood that it feels ridiculous. If it turns out some bizarre magic was afoot, I will be happy, because that is pretty much the only way this makes sense. There’s a team-up of sorts, with Poison Ivy and other allies of the Green, but mostly they just stand around looking respectful while the representatives of the Green talk. Not the most stunning team-up ever.

In the c-c-c-combo breaker of this weeks annuals and minis theme, Aquaman #13 reminds us why Aquaman is amazing, despite what that moronic teenager in the comic shop said last Saturday.  Arthur hangs up the Aquaman costume -spending most of the issue covered in water and shirtless (eep!)- but then his buxom red-haired wife drapes herself over his arm and reminds him he’s amazing so he goes “Fuck that, I’m Aquaman” and stabs that dumbass helmet right off of Manta’s stupid head. AQUAMAN!

Not pictured: lamesness and suck

As for the miniseries, Phantom Lady and Doll Man #3 gives us, just in time for Halloween, an undead villainess with the power to turn innocent bystanders into zombies. Doll Man, a lot cooler than his name and previous incarnations would have us believe, immediately launches into scientific explanations, battle, and musings on whether or not Romero rules apply- in that order. Once this mini-series is over, I’m sure John Constantine will let them join the JLD. It’s not like he’s ever turned anyone down.  

But the prize for most terrifying read of the year has got to go to Lot 13 #1, a new miniseries covering the mysterious haunting of an average suburban family. Following a horrific prologue, a typical family prepares to move house in a scene which could work as a sitcom pilot. The hauntings, in accordance with the first rule of good horror, don’t go for the full scare straight away; all the weirdness is easily explained, and the reader is the only one freaking out. And boy, will you freak out.

 

Following in the footsteps of AvX Versus comes A+X #1, which is exactly like AvX Versus but with team-ups instead of in-fighting, but at least the opening Q&A page has humour enough to recognise this. This first issue shows a 40s-camp Cap and Bucky beating Nazi sentinels with the help of indeterminate-apocalyptic-future-most-definitely-not-camp-at-all Cable. Cable doesn’t really get to do much, but it’s just funny to see these two surprisingly similar super-soldiers in the same place. The second feature also mucks about with time and space, with Wolverine and Hulk putting aside their debate over who gets the last slice of cake to fight… future Wolverine and Hulk? So that would make it, I guess, A+XvA+X? My head hurts.

Anyways, in AvX Consequences #4, the long-standing tradition of having a different cast member each issue telling Cyclops how much he sucks, stopping just short of throwing the burly guy in the cell across the way a tub of vaseline and a packet of Viagra, this issue instead has various characters offering help, sympathy and inspirational pep talks. So you know something awful is gonna happen to poor old Cyke. Sadly, even I couldn’t find it in myself to feel glee at this.

X-Men Legacy #275 and New Mutants #50 are final issues in preparation for Marvel NOW! Legacy is due to reboot next month, but New Mutants is not. All I’ll say with regards to that is that if Cypher and Warlock don’t get moved to another X-title pretty soon, I am gonna be one mad panda. Anyway, Legacy ends with Rogue and Mimic fighting a rebellion at a superpowered prison, in a plot which can best be described as “Steal ALL THE POWERS!” New Mutants ends in a house party with X-Men, Avengers and Mephisto (he brings flowers) beer, BBQ and Cypher saving Warlock’s friend from being taken over by his evil parent unit. Standard. Meanwhile, in not-being-cancelled-thank-the-Phoenix Wolverine and the X-Men #19, Broo fights for his life after being attacked by the Hellfire Kids Club, whose tactics have gotten disturbing, even for them. On a lighter note, Kitty interviews potential teachers, resulting in a familiar face rejoining the regular cast. Sadly, it’s not Deadpool.

But he has skills! He can teach… being mental…

Where DC’s annuals were all about the team-ups, Avenging Spider-Man Annual #1 goes in a different direction. A piece of alien tech heightens everyone’s aggression in New York City, leading to Spidey facing off against the Future Foundation. It’s not all doom and gloom, though, as Spidey shares a smooch with another popular Marvel character (SPOILER ALERT: It’s the Thing) The Mighty Thor #22 presents courtroom drama, Asgardia-style, with Amora the Enchantress prosecuting Thor for bringing conflict upon the Asgardian people. Seriously, who lets this psychotic bitch into any position where she can influence others? Oh, right, it was Odin. Go to Hel, Odin. In other news, Captain Marvel #6 resolves Carol’s wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey shenanigans to (I hope) get on with some non-timefuck storylines; and Winter Soldier #12 plunges on with its tale of how Black Widow’s been brainwashed into working for Russia again and only Bucky Barnes can save her- possibly the biggest step backwards for feminism in Marvel since Jessica Jones.

In Ultimate Spider-Man #16.1, a pain-in-the-ass journalist who will stop at nothing to get a sparse collection of dubious facts she finds interesting published on the front page gets brutally murdered by Venom. I’d spoiler-alert that, but the only reason anyone would read this comic is purely to see this bitch die, and I’d hate for you to miss that. Elsewhere in the Ultimate Universe, Kitty Pryde negotiates with President Captain America over rights for mutants in Ultimate X-Men #18. It’s not thrilling, but you do get to see Kitty with a massive gun and more of Rogue and Quire making out, so if you’re into that…

 

Cosplay Interview #5 – Victoria Schmidt AKA Scruffy Rebel

Matt Geary
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0
Cosplay Interview #5 – Victoria Schmidt AKA Scruffy Rebel

In our 5th installment of this Cosplay interview series, I talked to the Scruffy Rebel that is Victoria Schmidt. An English Lit student from Californey town, Victoria really puts 110% into everything she does; be it her studies, her cosplay; and, it seems, even writing a most epic reply to my interview questions! When I received them, I felt like I wanted to stand up and start a golf clap they were that good. We applaud you Miss Rebel…. bravo.

I therefore will not subject you anymore to my inferior linguistic skills and present to you: Victoria Schmidt … enjoy!

www.scruffyrebel.com
www.facebook.com/scruffyrebelcosplay 

[nggallery id=19 template=dop-thumbnail-gallery]
Any issues with this gallery then refresh the page.. if that doesnt work, use google Chrome ;o)

The Person Behind the Costume

So who is Victoria Schmidt when she isn’t dressing up in costumes and looking good in front of a camera? Where are you from, Do you have a Job, go to Uni, have any pets? What does a good night for you consist of etc?

I’m a born and raised Southern California girl, and come from a really wonderful and caring family. I have 4-year old twin nieces that I dote on whenever I can. I have a Master’s in English Literature, and share my Mom’s daydream of wanting to be a perpetual student. If only!

Sadly I was laid off last November and continue to live in unemployment limbo, which has a lot of pros and cons, such as having all the time in the world to do everything I’ve ever dreamed, but with no way to afford it. It’s been an interesting year, to say the least.

A good night for me consists of the purest laziness – lounging on the couch watching TV with the boyfriend and my beloved Bengal cat. We also have a white rabbit that I’m determined to use in a Zatanna cosplay someday!

You mentioned in your email you have a lot of 501st friends over here in the UK, Ever visited Her Majesty’s Great Isles before?  And are you a member of the 501st yourself?

I adore England. While there are places I’d love to visit, like Japan and Italy, I would want to go back to London again and again and again if given the chance. I’m enamoured with the culture, history, landscape, and of course, the literature of England. I’ve visited twice, once with my Mom and Sister, and then again for Celebration Europe with my boyfriend. CE was hands down one of the most amazing and special trips of my life. The UK 501st and Rebel Legions members are nothing short of spectacular and some of the best people in the Star Wars community.

Surprisingly, I am actually NOT a 501st member! Even after all these years of doing 501st/Rebel Legion events, I still haven’t put together a costume that would qualify for the 501st. I really need to sit down and just put together an Imperial outfit already, geesh!

It says in your Bio: “I’m a 20 something geek who loves, well, a lot of stuff! Movies, cartoons, TV, books, comics, etc.” If you had to choose one of these as being your main Geekism, what would it be, why and what would be your top 5 be in that area (ie. Top 5 films.)

Shoot, that’s a really tough question! I’m pretty ADD when it comes to my fandoms, I’m always jumping from one to another, or multitasking a bunch at once. I’ve always considered myself a jack of all trades, master of nothing. I’d probably lose to most people in a contest covering just one topic because I’ve devoted myself to so many that I’m not an expert in any one of them. If I picked cartoons as my main Geekism, the only thing on the list would probably be Batman: The Animated Series. So, let’s go with Films as my main Geekism so I can actually give you a Top 5! My Top 5 films, in no particular order: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Star Wars: A New Hope, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Ghostbusters, and White Christmas. I honestly couldn’t explain to you those choices, so don’t bother asking!

 You don’t mention gaming in your list, you not a gaming gal?

Nope! I’m not a gamer whatsoever. Once video games went beyond Pac Man, Mario and Duck Hunt, I was lost. I tried really hard to get into gaming in high school because so many of my friends played video games heavily. But if there’s a natural talent to be a gamer, I’ve got the anti-talent. I just suck at video games, plain and simple. I enjoy them, I enjoy watching people play them, and I love the storylines and costumes, but I’m just not a gamer. I also don’t have the time to devote to gaming, even casually. I’d rather devote all my time to costuming and reading comics and books, and watching TV and movies.

So you have a boyfriend (many geeks will be gutted about this I’m sure) does he Cosplay as well? How did you guys meet? AND how much does he LOVE your Slave Leia costume?

Yep, he is a cosplayer as well, and was already one before I met him. I met him via a very dear friend of mine, Shea Standefer. She and I had met online and were crazy in love with one another because we both love Jaina Solo. We were meeting for the first time at Anime Expo, and he was there. She introduced him to me, but I honestly don’t remember that, I was too busy being excited over meeting her! That was 7 years ago, and we’ve been together for the last 6.

I’m pretty sure he could take or leave the bikini. I’m sure he appreciates how I look in it, but my being in that costume gives him plenty of grief! I get nutters about my body and how I look when I wear it. I gripe about girls wearing it wrong, and he has to carry all my stuff, keep an eye on me to make sure I’m not flashing someone my butt, and has to watch out for anyone trying to sneak a naughty up-skirt shot because I’m always distracted and oblivious to that sort of thing.

You do some non – Sci-fi style modelling, like the pinup stuff with Britt Dietz. Are you into this era of history or was it just another job?

I’m a complete hobbyist, and I don’t get paid for anything I do costuming-wise. Anything I do is because I love it, it means something to me, and I want to be a part of it.

Britt Dietz is an incredibly talented photographer who I’m very lucky to call a friend! I don’t think there’s anyone, anywhere, who loves and appreciates the WWI/WWII era more than he does. He has such a passion for that period, and has a stunning collection of authentic pieces from the era that he uses in his shoots. He adores pin-up, as do I, and he loves to take pin-up shots of any lovely ladies that are interested! Pin-up is an amazing form of art and photography and it was wonderful to experience. It’s such a different type of posing than what most girls would be used it, and it’s pretty addicting! I’m sure there will be more Pin-Up in my future.

 

What’s you’re goal in life, as in are you focusing on modelling, cosplaying or have you other things you want to do and achieve?

Cosplay is a passion, but also a hobby, not a career. I’ll always be cosplaying, there’s no doubt about that, but I would really like to get established in terms of a career. For some people a job is just a job that pays the bills, nothing more. I’m not interested in that, and would slowly wither and die in an environment like that. I’m after a career, something that challenges me, that’s fuels and focuses one of my passions, and that I can make my mark in! Don’t know what it is yet, but I’d like to find it soon so that I can get established and be in some amazing position 5-10 years from now.

You say you are an “Artsy/creative type” Is this based on your costume making or do you paint, draw, design, etc. as well?

That’s based on my costume making, and just my generally creative nature. I was raised by a mother that always pulled out all the stops when decorating the house for the holidays, was into toll-painting and crafts. That kind of general artistic interest is definitely in me and my older sister. I enjoyed drawing when I was younger, but I never pursued it, and even then all I did was free-hand existing images. One thing I really enjoy doing is setting up displays – the boyfriend is not allowed to touch or alter any of the display cases in our apartment, those are my babies! I love to make themed displays and decorate a room with a specific theme.

Dust and Sand – Chapter 17 – By Sean P. Wallace

SeanPWallace
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Dust and Sand – Chapter 17 – By Sean P. Wallace

Chapter 17

Dust felt rude for entering the house of a God he was sure didn’t exist, like he’d broken in. Especially after someone who had dedicated their life to ‘Him’ had invited him in. But this chapel was different to others. Impressively so. With so many spells and wards carved into the walls, some of which he’d never felt before, he soon felt at ease; they were strong, had been set by a man of sincere power, and that strength reminded him of being in the Solution. They also confirmed the rumours that members of the Church were learning magic, which heartened Dust even more; it was about damn time the Vatican brought their power to bear.

Comforting as they were, the wards wouldn’t be enough to hold off concerted attacks from harriers. If the town were in as much trouble as the Father said, there must be something else keeping the danger at bay. Dust scrutinised the chapel and felt channelling and amplifying spells around the pulpit; if he guessed right, the Father was fortifying the chapel with his soul, a very dangerous magic.

The Father stepped in front of Dust. “This way,” he said.

Dust cast another glance at the pulpit then followed. He was led into a hovel at the back of the church, a glorified cupboard with a small bed, a swollen bookshelf and little else. Light struggled into the room as the small window set into the wall was boarded up, like every other pane of glass in the chapel. A faint, warm breeze from the broken window hit Dust the moment the door was opened for him.

Dust went in first. Father Kilkenny squeezed in after him. There wasn’t enough room for the two of them to stand comfortably so the Father sat on his bed. Not that priests bedroom needed room for more than one.

Uneven joints closed the door. Then Father Kilkenny’s face gained a decade; fatigue soaked into dark pools beneath his eyes, eroding deep wrinkles down his cheeks and causing his face to slacken. He couldn’t hold himself together now he didn’t have to. If he had been fortifying the chapel with his soul then it was understandable; he’d been almost killing himself night after night.

“Tell me about the harriers, Father,” Dust said kindly.

The priest took a minute, gathered his thoughts. “It started only recently and without warning. Jesus but we were unprepared. Crucifix doesn’t get attacked, you see; the Lord’s power has kept us in the Badlands but not of them, if you catch my meaning. The hills help as they’re filled with iron, the Lord’s metal.”

That was a common superstition. In Dust’s experience, iron was just as good as steel. “How did the harriers attack?”

“They command demons. That first night, their monsters descended onto Crucifix like a plague. They came in the guise of children; a host of them walked into Jimmy’s tavern, scaring the Hell out of the locals even before foul wings burst from their bodies. Then they started to… to feed, to eat.” Hot anger gave him energy enough to hiss, “They ate my flock.”

“The first thing I knew of it was when people started pounding on the chapel door. I was able to get most of the town in before the demons could get to them and fended off the damned things with prayer.” Shining tears formed in the corners of his wrinkled eyes. “We lost six people that day. For a town like Crucifix, that was a massacre.”

So the Father thought prayer was fending the demons off. Dust saw no need to dispel that notion either. Besides he shouldn’t waste time, regardless of what he’d said to Naismith. “Go on.”

The priest’s tears fell through the deep grooves in the Father’s face like tumbling corpses. He idly wiped them away and continued. “The next day, I put wards up and promised people that they would be safe. So they slept in here. And the demons came again. I didn’t see what guise they wore that time but I didn’t need to; they were violent and sickening, twisted and determined as they battered my walls. The Lord’s protection barely held but it did hold; the demons left at sunrise without tasting blood.

Dust didn’t want to sit through Father Kilkenny’s whole life story. But the thought of hurrying him along caused his tattoo to warm; he had to listen to this.

Father Kilkenny sighed. The sun must have disappeared behind a cloud because the room darkened further. “Then, on the third night, the harriers came along with their demons. They sounded human – angry, arrogant, cruel – and brought big irons like the one you carry.” The priest pointed to Dust’s normal gun. “They shot the bejesus out of the chapel as those demons attacked. Two more people died. Good people. People I knew…”

Dust put a hand on the priest’s shoulder to soothe him. But his mind was elsewhere. Why would harriers only attack at night? Why not constantly hammer the chapel with their ‘demons’? But then, if Dust were pulling at loose threads, how could mercenaries even control the Father’s ‘demons’ in the first place? They had to be cultists rather than harriers to do so. Except, again, cultists would have battered the church until their skin was raw and their bones broken, would kill themselves to earn the favour of their Gods. Cultists would never allow the town a whole day to recover.

Dust decided to yank that thread. “And they didn’t ask for anything?”

Father Kilkenny looked up. Though he was framed in shadow, Dust saw his eyes were filled with pain, his face pale. The hands that had held his head quivered. It seemed the priest was about to let go of something that had been gnawing at him. “They did. That night they asked for something, demanded it, and they’ve been after it all this time. Thankfully no-one else understood the demands but this whole town has been pummelled for it. The people I tend have died for it. It was only that third night that they worked out I have it and they’ve tried to get at it, and me, ever since. I think that’s the only reason more people haven’t died…”

“What’re they after?” Dust asked, curiosity rising as the same rate as his dread.

“A Word. Perhaps the most powerful Word ever taken.”

All thoughts of Penelope left Dust. He had to quell a strange sense of excitement. “How’d you get a Word?”

The Father took a deep breath. “A woman snuck into Crucifix and came straight to the church to claim sanctuary. Margaret, her name was. It was the Lord’s will that she came to me. She was covered in a large black cloak, a pale face staring out from dark velvet. As soon as I closed the door behind her, she dropped the cloak. Dust, I’ve never seen anything like it; she was covered in fresh scars and patterns, forms that I know to be sinful and ungodly. She was bleeding from her groin. And something… bulbous and demonic had been grafted onto her shoulders, something that shook and writhed as she fell to her knees and screamed for forgiveness.”

Dust knew what the self-mutilation meant. “She was a cultist of That Which Sins.”

To his surprise, Father Kilkenny shook his head violently. “No, this was much bigger than that. Have you ever heard of the ‘Vessels of the Gods’?”

“No.” It didn’t sound good though.

Father Kilkenny gave him a small nod. “I’m hardly surprised. I doubt that… Never mind,” he said. Dust wanted to press him but his tattoo warned him not to. “The ‘Vessels of the Gods’ are people invested with the essence of the archdemons of the Triangle; they are the opposite of Saints, who know the Lord. Through painful ritual, long-term prayer or some horrible sacrifice, a cultist or a priest or whoever can become a Vessel.”

Dust turned his head to one side. “Why?”

Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Eps 5 (FINAL EPISODE!)

Matt Geary
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Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn Eps 5 (FINAL EPISODE!)

Well ladies and gents, it’s the last episode before the game comes out and I’m not ashamed to say I shed a tear. The whole 5 episodes were a joy to watch and have really got me excited about the game. Here’s hoping they put some more thought into a movie, as after this series the time is NOW to push it!

 

oh and here’s an interview with Master Chief… or the guy who played him anyway (Daniel Cudmore )

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