Sorry about the state of the audio in this episode, folks. Lots of scheduling complications (and a shorting out hands-free set) led to what you hear.
In this episode, we look forward to 2011, speculating about what’ll be good, what’ll be bad, and what we hope to see more of.
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Camelot 3000 written by Mike W. Barr, art by Brian Bolland, inked by Bruce D Patterson & Terry Austin, letters by John Constanza and colors by Tatjana Wood
Under the hill lies England’s greatest king. Not dead, but sleeping. Waiting for his land’s darkest hour to return. And in the year 3000 Earth is under constant attack by a race of seemingly unstoppable aliens. Which sends young Tom seeking a hiding place at the Glastonbury archeological site where he works. There he’s rescued by the awakened Arthur. And the pair go and bring back Merlin. Who awakens seven of the Knights of the Round Table from their reincarnated lives to aid Arthur against the alien foe. Guinevere, Lancelot, Kay, Percival, Gawain, Galahad and Tristan. Of course Percival is trapped in the gigantic, mute body of a Neo-Man slave. And Tristan has been reborn as a woman. But together the new Round Table will try to unite the Earth against the alien threat…
In the late 80s Camelot3k was a fairly ground-breaking comic for the Big Two. Sex, death, lesbians. Tame and commonplace now of course. But twenty years ago it was a trend setter…
It’s still Wednesday in Hawaii! Here, though, it’s late, and I’m tired, and I don’t wanna write show notes. I think the show ends up speaking for itself, really.
This week, after a ridiculous detour into reality television, Alex talks about Wet and Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising.
After that, we get in the holiday spirit by wallowing in regret and discussing all the games we wish we’d had the chance to play in 2010.
Finally, Sam hosts this round’s final session of Name That Game! It doesn’t end well for one of the hosts.
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B.P.R.D. Hollow Earth & Other Stories created by Mike Mignola, story and art by various
The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is the secret U.S. agency that Hellboy is part of. TheB.P.R.D. spin-off follows the agency members who aren’t Hellboy on missions. The main portion of this first volume is the story Hollow Earth co-written by Mignola, Christopher Golden & Tom Sniefoski, drawn by Ryan Sook, inked by Sook and Curtis Arnold, colors by Dave Stewart and letters by Clem Robins. In it pyrokinetic Liz is kidnapped from the remote monastery where she had secluded herself by subterranean proto-men. So B.P.R.D. sends her friends Abe Sapien, Roger the Homunculus and new recruit ectoplasmic entity & medium Johann Kraus…
The rest of the volume is rounded out with a Lobster Johsnon story, The Killer in My Skull (written by Mignola, pencils by Matt Smith, ink by Ryan Sook, colors by Dave Stewart, letters by Pat Brosseau) about a series of locked room murders. Then Abe Sapien Versus Science (same creative team) with Abe contemplating his past while watching the B.P.R.D. scientists study the currently inert Roger the Homunculus. And lastly Drums of the Dead (written by Brian McDonald, art by Derek Thompson, colors by James Sinclair, letters by Pat Brosseau) a ghost story set at sea involving the history of the slave trade. With Abe and B.P.R.D. medium Garrett Omatta…
Sam brings the disturbing in the opening of the show. He brings nothing else but a wrong opinion of Red Dead Redemption. (Here’s the right opinion.)
Alex is depressed and boring. He’s got Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising but hasn’t opened it, and he’s played a lot more Marvel Pinball, but we already know his opinion on that one. Also, Battle Dex.
Jonathan wonders why it takes so long to get to the “Brotherhood” portion of Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood. You’d think the title feature would show up sooner. Gran Turismo 5 is mentioned briefly. Really! Also, Infinity Blade: the best-looking iPhone game ever.
In this episode’s topic, we talk about a news story that was cut from Episode 49, thanks to lack of time. A survey reveals why gamers buy games new when they choose to buy new. So, the question becomes, which mode do each of the hosts prefer? New or used? Why? What if it’s a gift? The answers may surprise you. Or not.
We wrap up with Name That Game 3.2, wherein Jonathan attempts to make Alex pay for his Genesis inclusions in NTG 3.1.
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Letters To An Absent Father by Mare Odomo and Girl Spy by John Allison
This week is a pair of short webcomic related minicomics. The first, Letters To An Absent Father is just a brief six-pages. Including a bonus page sketch by the author. The rest is a dozen strips featuring Ash of the Pokemon cartoon series writing brief letters to the father never seen or mentioned in the show. The strips have a sadness and poignancy to them adding an unexpected depth to the character.The original online strips…
The second minicomic is Girl Spy, an original story related to John Allison’s ended Scary-go-round. Its 24 half-sized pages about Fallon, his sexy super-spy character. Of course Fallon is pretty incompetent, kept in Her Majesty’s Special Services because of her ability to fill out a cat-suit. But when the Crime Pope threatens to steal Buckingham Palace and every other agent is on vacation to take advantage of low air fares Fallon is called into action. John Allison’s webcomic is quirky and funny and sometimes oddly supernatural. His world is one of spies and robots and aliens and magical creatures and thieves who can steal very large buildings using only a crowbar…
It’s 2 A.M. The episode is taking forever to upload. These notes will be short.
Sam’s has issues with Red Dead, and is enjoying Braid.
Jonathan has issues with Gran Turismo 5, and is enjoying World of Warcraft.
Alex has issues with Tropico 3, and is enjoying his new Kinect.
All three have issues with Webkinz.
Matthew Crippen has issues with the government, and is enjoying his new-found freedom from prosecution.
In Name That Game, Sam and Jonathan have issues with identifying Genesis games, and Alex is enjoying tormenting his co-hosts with games they’ve never heard of.
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What is it that makes a great pinball table? All pinball tables have common features. Ramps, targets, spinners, bumpers and ball locks are standard. The layout of those features varies wildly from game to game, but as long as they’re placed in a somewhat intelligent matter, one pinball game will play pretty much the same as any other. It’s all a matter of hitting whatever targets you need to hit when you need to hit them in order to get a high score.
So what is it that makes a precious few tables go straight to the pleasure centers of a player’s brain, urging them to pump quarter after quarter into them, while others aren’t deemed worth the time? It’s because all modern pinball tables have a theme. It’s that little extra something that makes a table more than just a collection of obstacles arranged in a downward angle. Marvel Pinball provides four tables inspired by Marvel superheroes. I’ve fallen in love with these tables, not only as a dedicated acolyte of pinball, but as a fan of comic books.
Marvel Pinball has been released on Xbox Live Arcade as part of the free Pinball FX 2 game for 800 Microsoft points. It will soon be available as its own Zen Pinball game on the Playstation Network for $10. As I mentioned in my previous review, the four tables are based on Spider-Man, Wolverine, Blade and Iron Man. All are unique, and all are excellent; there’s not a stinker in the bunch.
Empowered volumes 5 & 6 by Adam Warren
Why yes we’re covering Empowered again. Why? Because its one of the best damned capes comics available. Its got sexiness and action and humor and pathos and sexiness and thrills and ninjas!
These latest two volumes mainly deal with returning super-villains. The nightmare fuel inducing pyro Wiley Pete in volume five. And the undead enslaving Deathmonger in volume six. Volume five also has one of the more soul-crushingly sad endings I’ve come across in awhile. In addition to the regular quotient of damsel in distress-ness humor and super-”hero” douchery, has an extra helping of the God-Damned Maid-Man being extra bad-ass. AND a somewhat new twist on the zombie cape concept…
No Alex this week! The curse of Black Friday strikes home this week.
Jonathan and Sam take this time to discuss what else? Games!
Jonathan:
Sam:
Also, GameFaqs’ “Game of the Decade” tournament is used as a starting point for discussing our own picks for the winner. What’s yours?
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