Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #5 results

Your votes are in, and against all my best wishes:

Here's the deal folks, in any showdown featuring a Pokemon, I am going to choose the Pokemon over the comic character. In these types of battles, consider me the Pokemon Master. So, you know how much it sucks to lose with an awesome Pokemon like Gyarados. It's hard for the master to admit defeat.

But defeat is mine. Aquaman was immune to Gyarados's water based attacks, and was too fast a swimmer for a recharging attack like Hyper Beam. Gyarados lies fainted before me, as I call him back to his Pokeball and high tail it to the nearest Pokemon Centre.

Make sure you stay tuned for more Comic Vs. Video Game showdown on twitter with @thecomicblog and @tommygamerblog  and on Facebook, and of course, right back here! And don't forget, I need your votes to make this happen, or else it's just me choosing the winner and what fun is that? Also, you can't complain about the outcome if you don't participate. Thanks to everyone who voted, this one got a lot of attention!

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #5

It's time for the showdown to head to the sea. So it's pretty obvious who the comic character is, less obvious who the video game character could be!

That's right! Put all you Aquaman jokes aside for this one, he's up against one serious Pokemon: Gyarados!

Aquaman is actually pretty remarkable. His ability to survive in the deepest of oceans makes him a serious contender. His most notable power is his ability so mind control any marine animal. But beyond that he can also withstand machine gun fire. He can swim as amazing speeds, and has super human strength and durability. He's tough, and although he could summon a massive army of sharks to eat Gyarados, let's keep it within reason.

Gyarados is one Pokemon I think everyone still remembers. He's a badass angry sea serpent. That fact may seem like a disadvantage, that Aquaman could just mind control Gyarados. But let's be honest, a Pokemon can only obey his owner! For the sake of this fight let's assume Gyarados knows the following moves: Hyper Beam, Surf, Dragon Rage, Hydro Cannon. Beyond his moves, he is also an avid swimmer, able to create whirlpools. He is a fast swimmer and a vicious fighter.

So, remember, YOU decide the outcome here, not me! I have no control over who wins! So, who will it be? Reply in the comments below, or to the hashtag #ComicVsVideoGameShowdown under @thecomicblog and @tommygamerblog and of course, Facebook! (Remember to click LIKE while you're there)

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #4 Results

Apparently these two entities are not very popular. I had assumed that fact alone, when pitted against each other, would draw some attention. Three votes in total, with a vote of two to one:

It seems that Galactus' need to feast on planets had its drawbacks again. Since the Reapers had taken over the galaxy, they sort of just...over took the big guy when he was too weak to fight. No one said the Reapers were fair.

I was really stoked for this one. I'm getting ready for the next one as soon as the results here are posted. Please take the 5 seconds to vote, in the comments below, on twitter by replying to @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog or on facebook. Get pumped for the next Showdown!

Comic vs. Video Game Showdown #4

An epic universe destroying battle between Mass Effect's Reapers and Marvel's Galactus!

The Reapers from the Mass Effect Universe are a sentient race that purges the galaxy of all life every 50,000 years. They have a massive army of ships capable of destroying entire planets with enough focus. They also posses the technology to take living creatures and turn them into husks with heightened powers who will obey any command. I won;t go into detail about how Commander Shepard takes care of the reapers, but I can so it's not something Galactus can just do.

Galactus is known as a world eater. He must feed to stay alive, but he can transport anything, anywhere. He can change the molecular structure of anything. There is really not much else to say other than that he is the second most powerful being in the Marvel Universe.

So, who will win? Do the reapers have enough numbers to overpower Galactus before he can use his power? Or could Galactus just teleport them galaxies away? You decide! Vote in the comments below, on twitter with @thecomicblog or on facebook!

Comic Review Off! Archer and Armstrong #1

When Valiant comics relaunched in May with X-O Manowar #1, the entire comic world turned to watch. When Valiant relaunched Harbinger #1, the same effect took action. Bloodshot #1, same effect yet again. And each time one new relaunch was getting close I told to myself I wouldn't read it. Harbinger first, my reluctance didn't last. Bloodshot next, speculation: hitching a ride in the desert. I was adamant since I first caught wind of this "Archer and Armstrong", the 4th relaunch in the "Summer of Valiant", that this one I was NOT going to read. Now if that were true, I wouldn't even be writing this right now. So was I wrong about Valiant again? Yes, and at least I'm man enough to admit it.

First thing's first, what is Archer and Armstrong? As much as I hate spoiling comics in reviews, I'm going to walk a very fine line with you here.  The story starts off in ancient Mesopotamia, right in the middle of a dilemma. A powerful artifact is about to be deployed without knowing what it does. The brother of the man trying to use this artifact tries to stop him. A short battle takes place, one thing leads to another, and BOOM, world cataclysm.

Fast forward 10,000 years, we meet Archer, a young man highly trained in all forms of martial arts. His parents have convinced him it's time to pursue his destiny and go on a holy quest to rid the world of ultimate evil. He says farewell to his many sibling, departs his secluded home, wanders the streets of New York, taking note of all of the "sin" that is strewn about on display. He is directed to a bar, where he picks a fight, and receives a helping hand from a drunk bouncer named Armstrong. But Armstrong isn't just any boozing, muscle bound bar bouncer. And Archer soon finds out his Holy mission might not be all he thought it was.

Now, I haven't read much of the original Valiant series. Furthermore, none of the original series I read were an Archer and Armstrong issue. Now that that's out of the way, I can tell you what I really think of the writing. Fred Van Lente has a real grasp on where he thinks the series should be going. Religious deception, intense fight scenes, international conspiracy that goes back 10,000 years. And all of it done with bold enthusiasm. Both of the main characters are very likable, their history is smothered in intrigue. Half of the anticipation for the next issue is wanting to find out more about what really happened decades prior, and who Archer's parents really are.

If there's one thing Valiant has proven lately is that the artwork standards on their titles are very high. Clayton Henry shows just how up for it he really is. Some action scenes in comics are a tad hard to follow, but those in A&A are stunning and realistic. Besides the high level of detail involved  in every panel, every facial expression, the colors by Matt Milla are perfect. Especially the facial expressions. It all fits in with the feel of the story, and shares hints of the ongoing "theme" of the art style in all of the new Valiant titles.

Archer and Armstrong is another perfect addition to the Summer of Valiant line-up. So fresh and delicious, the story and the art are flawless in my opinion. I tried really hard to find something I didn't like about this comic, and there's really only one thing to mention. A lot of the comic felt a bit rushed and incomplete. I had to make a double take, and not the good double take, the one where you're just not sure exactly what's going on. There was also quite a lot of ground covered in such a short space. We are introduced to so many characters and so many places and things that some of the details get left behind. The comic was a bit rushed, but I'm sure that was simply to get us involved in the story and interested enough to read the next issue. Hopefully the rushed feeling will be alleviated further down the road. And yes when I say further down the road, I really mean I'm with this series for the long run.

Story: 8.5/10
Art: 9.5/10

Comic Review Off! Thun'da #1

If there's one thing that can win over my undivided attention without question, it's dinosaurs in a comic book. It stirs something inside me that goes back to being a kid playing with dinosaur toys. Or watching Jurassic Park for the first time, or the second, third, fourth time. Well, my friends, if you feel the same nostalgia for dinos, Thun'da might just have the right amount of prehistoric creatures for you.

I love being dropped right into action in comics. Maybe you do to, but if you don't then don't buy Thun'da #1 from Dynamite Entertainment. The story starts out with a helicopter going down in flames, and our protagonist radioing a distress call. Helicopter crashes into water, and our guy is the only survivor. But when he awakens he can't remember his name. Luckily for him, and us as viewers of his unfortunate disaster, he still remembers all of his combat training. Which will come in handy, because he just crash landed in the land before time.

Suspense ensues, action and adventure, and very little reading compared to some comics. It really was a quick read, simply because there was so little actual reading to do. But even so, the little narrative all takes place inside the protagonist's head. And the lovely thing about following a character who can't remember who he is, is that we don't know who he is either. We are automatically on the journey with him, and apparently we are going to find out about who he is, but more importantly, who he will become.

Robert Place Napton does a great job scripting Thun'da. But honestly how can you go wrong? Like I said there was very little reading to do. And even though I enjoy the concept of it, I can't shake the feeling that the story has been done before. And no, not because this Thun'da is actually a remake, the original of which is actually printed at the back of this issue. I don't know enough about Turok, so feel free to correct me here, but it has a very Turok like feel to it. Man vs. Dinosaur in a mysterious land. I suppose that also bears a slight resemblance to Jurassic Park 3. It may not be the most original idea, but all in all the story is compelling, and I will probably keep reading it for that part.

The art by Cliff Richards though, is the real selling point of Thun'da. It is so appealing that even without much to go on for story, it grabbed my attention right from the start. Like I said, you can't go wrong with dinosaurs in a comic. But you really can't lose when those dinosaurs are exceptionally drawn. There's a page that involves a baby sabre tooth tiger that made me just stop and study the art work. Great attention to detail by the artist.

All in all this book was a fun read. The writer does do a great job attracting you to the character, and after reading the original Thun'da at the back of this one, he is doing a much better job than Gardner Fox did at that. I really did appreciate that the old-school Thun'da #1 was printed for my viewing pleasure. Although it begs the question, are relaunches in comics a fad now? There seem to be so many, but so many that are an improvement on the original. This one is no exception to that, but how many relaunched titles will the public gobble up? I really liked this comic, it's not much like anything I'm currently reading. It's new a fresh, and has dinosaurs. 'Nuff said! 
Story: 7/10
Art: 9/10

Comic Review Off! Gambit #1

Marvel is making it apparent that it's time to hit the reset button on some well deserving characters. They've also made it obvious that they don't want to reset these characters so much it will shoo away long time fans. Hawkeye #1 was the first example of the new direction Marvel NOW is taking, and hopefully how easy it will all be to digest. Gambit #1 is no exception.

Although Remy Lebeau has been appearing in X-men: Legacy, he has given up a lot of the spotlight lately. Needless to say, he needed a bit of attention, a little insight into his deep thoughts and dreams. Now, I've been a big fan of Gambit for many years, but have only recently truly learned who he really was. And one thing that can be hard for writers to accomplish is capturing the essence of a long beloved character. James Asmus, in my humble opinion, has done a exceptional job doing this.

Gambit #1 starts out with Remy in the shower. Settle down ladies, this is a pg rated comic. Yes, Remy is in the shower, but he's also spilling his guts to you, the reader. Telling us how he needed some time away from all the hustle and bustle of the X-men to rediscover his roots. Those specific of his many roots are the thieving roots he's so famous for. He admits he is a bit rusty when it comes to breaking in to peoples treasures, but the action that ensues really shows how skillful he still is. Along with his famous thievery skills, he also gets a chance to flaunt his lady-killing skills. We all know he's a lady charmer, and why should he stop now? There's something subtle the ladies love about Mr. Lebeau, and the art style really captures that side of him

The artwork is just great. Slick and clean, professional and beautiful, Clay Mann does an excellent job penciling in this book. From the action sequences to the facial expressions, all of the artists involved know how to communicate the feel of the story.

The only problem I had was with the main action scene in the comic, the one where Gambit is trying to do some robbing. Some of the panels, although well drawn, are a bit hard to follow from on to the next. I like to use my imagination a lot, but there were just some panels I wasn't sure exactly what was happening. But really, there wasn't a whole lot of those moments. And when they come right before the astounding cliff hanger of the final page, one quickly forgets the small flaws of the previous pages.

A really well done comic that stays true to the character, and shows just how much weight he has to hold down his own series. The cliffhanger at the end of every comic is an essential element to keep the readers coming back. The final panel that Asmus leaves us with is, in fact, exactly what the final cliffhanger should be. I will be returning to Gambit! 
Story: 8.5/10
Art 8/10

Comic Vs. Video Game Showdown #3 Results!

On Sunday I left you with a great match up between two strong lead female characters, Final Fantasy XIII's Lightning versus the amazing Wonder Woman. They went head to head, but alas:

It would seem that Wonder Woman's strength along with her bulletproof bracelets proved too much for Lightning. She may have been fast, but here gun proved useless against WW's bracelets, and the sword was not much of an improvement. Lightning couldn't gain enough of an upper hand to call her faithful steed to aid here, and Wonder Woman ultimately brought Lightning down with the lasso of truth.

Once again, I wish I could animate these battles, but use your imagination, I know you've got one. Thank you all for voting, this week I received the most votes so far! Let's keep the trend going, tell you friends, retweet on twitter and share on facebook! The next Showdown will be announced tomorrow, Sunday August 12th!

Comic vs. Video Game Showdown #3

I'm having a ton of fun coming up with these matchups and plotting out the fight in my head. I hope you're all with me on this one. This weeks showdown is between two powerful female lead characters:

Final Fantasy XIII's leading lady Lightning vs. the Amazonian Wonder Woman!

Lightning posses many unique abilities and weaponry. In her regular state she carries Blaze Edge, a gun that doubles as a sword. Neither component of which is just a regular weapon. She also wears an amulet that allows her superhuman strength and speed. She has a wide variety of ranged and melee attacks. In her special gestalt mode, she can summon Odin, who carries dual blades. She can command him to transform into a horse, in which case he hands his large blades off to her. She is a cold, hard beauty with amazing talents.

Wonder Woman also comes fully equipped with unique weapons, most of which having to do with Greek mythology. She wears bulletproof bracelets which she can smash together to put out a shock wave. She also uses the Lasso of Truth, which she uses makes it's captives tell the truth. It may sound lame, but it can be used to tie down her foes. She is a master strategist, acrobat, and highly trained in martial arts. She has super strength and wisdom, and is really not of this world.



So, who is going to win? The powerful lead lady, or the powerful lead lady? You decide! Vote in the comments below, on twitter @tommygamerblog and @thecomicblog or on facebook. Results will be posted on saturday, and the next showdown announced in a weeks time. Remember, these showdowns rely on your votes to decide the winner!

CVSVGSD #2 Results

On Sunday, July 29th I pitted The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's main character, Dovahkiin, or Dragonborn against the demi-god from Asgard and Avenger, Thor. The votes are in, and it would seem that Skyrim is a very popular game, indeed:

I wish I could animate these battles but here's a summary. Dragonborn wore heavy armor and swung the heaviest warhammer available in the game. He called a thunderstorm and became invulnerable to Thor's lighting. He called a dragon to keep Thor grounded, threw him around with Unrelenting Force, froze him solid with frost breath and took him down with the Daedric Warhammer. Watch out Avengers, Dovahkiin is a force not easily reckoned with!

The next Comic vs. Video Game Showdown will be announced tomorrow. I've got a ton of these, and I really want everyone to get involved. Please take the 5 seconds it will take to cast your vote in the comments here, on twitter with @tommygamerblog and @thecomic blog or on facebook. Thanks!