Flashback Friday: Those Middle Earth Games With the, "Nemesis," System Were Fun

I wrote about the video-game, "Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor," back in--lemme check my notes here--ah, yes, early 2015. Yes, over a decade ago we were introduced to a good game with an amazing concept. I am referring to the Nemesis System. You could run around a chunk of Middle Earth, fighting baddies who would remember you. You'd beat them up and they'd perhaps run away, only to return with some scars and a thirst for vengeance. Maybe you'd lose a fight, but instead of getting struck down they'd laugh and walk away, declaring you weren't worth slicing up. With that first game, there was a whole eheleon of Orc/Uruks/etc. fighting for power, and you could impact it all. A sequel game, "Middle Earth: Shadow of War," was released in 2017, with folks still loving the Nemesis system even if some other elements of the second game were weaker. The joke was that all the other games were going to start ripping off the Nemesis system, but nope.

How come nobody else did the Nemesis system? The reasons were threefold: Technical, financial, and legal. A lot of programming was needed to create a system like that from scratch, with tons of complex artificial intelligence. That would be pricey to create or simply pay for if the publisher at the time, Warner Bros. had decided to license the tech (they did not). Then, in 2021, the Nemesis system itself was patented and can't be copied until 2035 or so. Games can do things a bit like that system, but engage in a design too much like it and you could get sued. A, "Wonder Woman," game was apparently in the works that would've utilized something a lot like the Nemesis System, but it was canceled, and the studio behind the Middle Earth games that had moved on to make that? Well, that was shut down. The Nemesis system wasn't something cheap, easy, or generic enough to copy. It was complex, specialized, and expensive enough that Warner Bros. wanted to lock it off from anyone else. So, now it sits. Game studios tragically being shut down happens often, however, just look at the recent (quite sad) news with Bioware and Mass Effect! Why is all of this fresh in my mind, however? Well, guess what two games recently had some minor tweaks and were re-released for the Switch 2? 

Various foes with assorted feelings about you, mostly quite negative!

Yep, both, "Shadow or Mordor," and, "Shadow of War," can be purchased in the online shop and enjoyed. I picked up the first game for the release-sale price of ten bucks. It was totally worth it to dip my toes back into the Nemesis system and wonder about what could have been for games. I'm not alone, as a modder has been doing his own version for the PC iteration of, "Red Dead Redemption 2," and as he isn't some big studio or making money off this, it is all legal. Could the Nemesis sytem or something quite like return, someday? Just like franchises themselves, a good game mechanic/gimmick never stays dead. At some point the new owner of the combined Paramount, Warner Brothers Discovery AKA Skydance might decide to dust off the system for some other game or license the tech out. That, or in a chunk of years when anyone can do something like the system for a profit, they probably will. Unless humanity wipes itself out due to a nuclear war, biological outbreak, or the robots take over and kill us all, I bet the Nemesis system will return someday. Hell, maybe with the AI advances, those Orcs won't just be simulating a grudge; they'll truly hate the players behind the controller (an equally intriguing and scary thought)!

Flashback/Film Friday: "Iron Man 3," Was Shockingly Realistic in How it Portrayed Anxiety and Panic Attacks

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is not exactly realistic. We have billionaires in our reality, but instead of flying around in high-tech armor saving the day, they usually just tweet ignorant tripe or share their weird opinions on podcasts. We don't have any ancient Gods hanging around (besides claims of such from grifters and/or people suffering from mental illness) with cool superpowers. We haven't been invaded by aliens (as far as we know), and I’d bet anyone who has been exposed to extreme radiation or been bit by experimental spiders has become quite sick and possibly died as opposed to turning into a superhuman. That said, there has always been a vibe that Marvel's comics and movies kind of reflected, "The World outside your window," more than the DC Universe. I know, "Iron Man 3," has divided many a fan's opinion since it came out in 2013 due to its twist about Ben Kingsley's portrayal of the Mandarin. It turns out he is a drug-addled British actor named Trevor who doesn't realize people are actually getting hurt. I'm not discussing that in relation to the movie today, however. No, I want to touch upon how, "Iron Man 3," does a surprisingly good job portraying PTSD, anxiety disorders, and panic attacks, at least to a mainstream audience.

When real people go through horrible events, it sticks with them. A lot of comic-book superheroes have been through Hell (sometimes a literal Hell) and keep trucking along with nary a concern. In, "Iron Man 3," Tony Stark finds himself struggling to come to terms with just how much he has been through. Trauma is a complex thing everyone experiences differently; that said, I have experienced panic attacks before. You feel like you can't breathe, your chest gets tight, and when Tony Stark experiences an extreme sensation of anxiety early in, "Iron Man 3," he's convinced he's dying and someone must have attacked him, poisoned him, or otherwise done something to knock the, "Iron Man," off-kilter. Here's that scene:

Much of, "Iron Man 3," follows Tony as he experiences a bunch of loss, stress, and thanks to his hard work and friends manages to defeat the evil tech businessman behind the faux-terrorist known as The Mandarin (later movies brought in the, "Real," Mandarin, but that is a whole different story). He isn't, "All cured," however. Stark still has challenges he'll face personally and professionally throughout the future flicks and has arguably the best character arc in the MCU all the way from the debut, "Iron Man," to, "Avengers: Endgame." A big message of, "Iron Man 3," is arguably how even in a Cinematic Universe full of folks with superpowers fighting epic battles, we still can have our own personal struggles--ones that feel world-ending to us. 

"Iron Man 3," has fans and detractors due to all the Mandarin business, but I'd think everyone can applaud a big Hollywood flick for at least making some effort to seriously examine and discuss mental health in a manner that doesn't reduce it to a joke or make it villainous/evil. I would think that Robert Downey Junior having gone through so much in his life before he became Iron Man resulted in him relating to the material to a degree as well. I just hope Downey's return in the upcoming, "Avengers: Doomsday," as Doctor Doom isn't too wild an idea to work. We'll see.

Flashback Friday: "Supreme Power: Nighthawk," Was Great and the 2016, "Nighthawk," Deserved More Love

I recently wrote about how I was pleased that Daniel Way is happy now, even if that meant he basically quit making comics. I mentioned how my favorite thing he did was, "Supreme Power: Nighthawk," and it made me a bit nostalgic for the 2007-ish Marvel MAX (the mature readers line) mini-series. It spun out of the main, "Supreme Power," series which was one of the better things J. Michael Straczynski ever wrote, even if his characterization of Kyle Rayne/Nighthawk was extremely two-dimensional and tone deaf. "A black hero kind of like Batman who is mainly mad at white people and doesn't help them as much as black people!" was kind of how JMS portrayed the Supreme Power Nighthawk, with David Brothers long ago discussing how questionable of a characterization it was. As he observes in that piece, however, the spin-off focused on Nighthawk was a hoot. Written by Daniel Way and featuring art by Steve Dillon (may he rest in peace) as being kind of like Batman, if he were even more pissed-off and brutal. 

When we're reading, "Supreme Power: Nighthawk," we witness a smart, methodical, and brutal tactician. He helps all races, but also recognizes that people of color face a lot more systemic racism/oppression/etc. Race, class, and the, "Wrong," element of society being ignored, such as those with substance abuse issues, are all subjects touched upon when Nighthawk has to go up against an escaped serial killer that often dresses like a clown, has poisoned much of the city's illegal drug supply, and goes by, "Whiteface." You can see some clever little allusions to Batman in all of that, with much of the, "Joke," being that even if Whiteface talks about a hero and villain in some kind of complex battle of wills, Nighthawk just wants to take down a deranged killer.

When Marvel did their 2015, "Secret Wars," event, they basically destroyed the Supreme Power universe and left all of its unresolved plot threads dangling and ignored. However, Kyle/Nighthawk was one of the handful of characters from other Universes to survive and find his way into the, "Main," Marvel continuity (along with Miles Morales from the Ultimate Universe, and some other random folks). He got his own series, which was superb, barely got any readership, and was canceled with the sixth issue. It was one of my favorite (cancelled) comics of 2016. After it and a, "Squadron Supreme," series set in the 616 ended, they killed off the Supreme Power Nighthawk via the horrendous, "Secret Empire," event in a tie-in comic--so that's a bummer. Will we ever get some kind of revitalization of the, "Supreme Power," universe and its characters? Considering that ever since Disney took over Marvel and moved away from the MAX line (occasional Garth Ennis-written Punisher or Nick Fury story aside), I kind of doubt it. Sorry to end on a dour note, but for every breakout character who becomes incredibly popular, there are countless fascinating characters (at least with the writers that do a good job) who just didn't. So it goes.

Flashback Friday: Sympathy for Generation Z, They Will Never Experience Disney's Pleasure Island

Disney is proudly family-friendly. It doesn't do, "Adult," all that much. However, there was a period of time from 1989 through 2008 when one could visit, "Pleasure Island," in Florida. Despite the name, it wasn't particularly explicit in its pleasure. It was simply geared towards grown-ups with nice restaurants, dance clubs, a comedy club, a cigar bar, and the like. I visited Pleasure Island two nights, back in July of 2007 when I was a young rapscallion all of 19. I'd concluded my Freshman year of college, and I had gone to Florida with my mother, who was down there for a convention relating to audiology/speechpathology or such. It was on the Disney property, and family of attendees could visit the park while everyone else did convention sessions. She was at that much of the day and spent time with her family who lived in Florida in the evenings. I tagged along so that during my day I could visit all the parks, ride a bunch of rides, get autographs from the various mascots for kicks (it is humorous watching a gigantic Winnie the Pooh hand try to scrawl in a little autograph book), and on the Friday and Saturday nights we stayed at Disney, I took the bus from the hotel (The Pop Century one was cool!) to Pleasure Island. I know people say nostalgia gives us rose-tinted glasses and some things people think were great actually sucked. That said, ya'll, Pleasure Island was an awesome place.

Again, I know when we see those thinkpieces/memes/whatever by Boomers (and some GenX) about how great it was to flip through a phonebook or deal with a VCR eating a VHS tape and making a mess, we roll our eyes at how they can't appreciate the cool new stuff of today. Pleasure Island has been gone nearly 18 years, having shut down the aspects that made it, "Pleasure Island," on September 27th of 2008 (it is now The Landing and host to various all-ages-friendly shopping and food establishments). It is a bummer, as this was a really cool place in the past! Picture a city block or so worth of land, with people moving between various themed businesses, all having a fun time. Thanks to how this was still a Disney property, anyone rude/beligerent was escorted off the, "Island," and that didn't even seem to be much of an issue with most folks there being on vacation; the vibe was like one big party. 

As I was merely 19, certain clubs generally only allowed those 18-20 in on certain days. Yes, the comedy club and cigar bar were always available (I enjoyed a comedy show, but I've never been a fan of any kind of tobacco), but sometimes you want to dance! That said, on Saturday, I was admitted into the BET Soundstage club even though, that night, it was advertised for those 21 or older. I honestly think the doorman was so impressed with our five-minute or so conversation about the Wu Tang Clan and how Ol' Dirty Bastard was underrated as a lyricist that he figured I couldn't be too young. So there I was, in a two-story club with massive dancefloors for an hour or so before the club closed. It was so fun to dance, take in the atmosphere, and just marvel at how cool Pleasure Island was, with the snazzy places within it. You may agree this sounds exciting or be shrugging in disinterest; either way, you just had to be there.

I never made it to any of the other Disney Clubs, even though I would have loved to visit 8TRAX and its 70's and 80's vibe. I suppose I could've planned to return and check all the places out with ease any night I wanted once I turned 21. That said, when I turned 21 in 2009...well, Pleasure Island was no more. That isn't to say my 21st birthday lacked fun, however. I went bar-hopping with friends around Cortland and only had the slightest hangover the next day thanks to being in my youth (and nowadays I have a drink maybe every two years). Pleasure Island was a happening place back when I was able to check it out, though. Pieces of what it once was remain at, "The Landing," but much was retooled or simply demolished. As a Millennial, I was barely old enough to enjoy Pleasure Island. Now, in 2026, there are plenty of people in their 20s who can go to a club, but back then were still in diapers! Woe be to my Gen Z friends who don't realize what fun they missed!

The kids these days will never know how cool Pleasure Island was! That's a mini-tragedy almost equal to how only Millennials will ever understand the secret methods used to, "Burn," a CD. I mean, would Gen Z think Paradise Island is, "Outdated?" Younger people in their 20s are drinking a lot less, and back then, the reason many went to a club was to have a drink (or socialize/dance, but a chunk of people were mostly after some liquor). If I could magically teleport some 24-year-olds back to those Friday and Saturday nights in July of 2007, would they be into the scene or declare it, "Cringe," within moments?  It's hard to know for sure, but I only went to Pleasure Island a couple of times and thought it was great, so I imagine there are plenty of others with a great fondness for it as well! Does it make sense or is it cringe? I don't know, but as, "Futurama," put it once, "Time makes fools of us all." Still, we burned CDs, ya'll; that was wild!

Flashback Friday: Seven Years Ago the Saint Louis Blues Won the Stanley Cup

This week in 2026 has a lot of sports events occurring. The NBA Finals are ongoing with the Knicks having completed an astonishing comeback in the most recent game. The World Cup has kicked off, and the Stanley Cup Finals are five games in, with the Hurricanes one win from clinching it and the Knights needing to push things to a Game seven if they want the cup. Funny enough, with so much going on now, my mind on this day specifically wanders back to seven years ago. You see, on this day in 2019, the Saint Louis Blues went from starting January of that year dead last in the NHL standings to winning the Stanley Cup in game six. Things have changed quite a lot since then, with Saint Louis having had some solid seasons and some stinkers. That game, though, it was an event.

I've been forthright on this blog about how the only sport I follow much is hockey, and that was such a wild thing to witness when Saint Louis hoisted the Cup. Afterwards, I remember the parade here in STL (which I watched on television because I wasn't about to brave traffic to get over there) and just how happy everyone was--and drunk, a lot of people were quite gleefully drunk. I do not have a strong preference regarding whether the Carolina Hurricanes or the Vegas Knights win. It would be pretty exciting if there were a game seven as an excuse for one more opportunity to watch the NHL this season. Of course, it isn't as exciting as back when the region I happened to live in managed to win it all, but one can always imagine that day coming again. Hopefully, not too many years from now.

Flashback Friday: When Episodic Gaming Seemed Like the Next Big Thing

In the early 2000's and some of the 2010's everyone was excited about episodic gaming. The big release of "Half-Life 2," was a huge hit. Then we started getting the episodes with 1, 2, and then...nothing. That VR-exclusive spin-off, "Alyx," is apparently a hoot and moves the story of, "Half-Life," forward a bit, but we're still waiting for a third episode, game, or anything else. Episodic gaming was hyped up as this big thing that would change games...and then fell flat on its face. The, "Half-Life," series wasn't alone, of course. Another example would be the sequel to the first-person shooter, "SiN," that was the promising-but-flawed  "SiN Episodes. " Another big promise of games-as-episodes that stalled out.

Episodic gaming did not utterly fail. Telltale did a solid job with its adventure games before it folded, and how each one would release in episodes. They did that with, "The Walking Dead," and their, "Fables," game, Batman game, and so forth. A bunch of people who used to be at Telltale and are now with AdHoc Studio dropped episodes of, "Dispatch," quite recently, so releasing your game in episodes can work, for a certain style of game, perhaps. Still, the reboot of, "SiN," was kind of cool even if it only dropped a single-of-a-planned-nine entries. It was a fun two to four hours, by all accounts (I vaguely recall maybe playing it way back in 2006/2007 or so without it making much of an impact in my mind), but just ran out of steam, money, etc.

"Half-Life," and its third episode/game/whatever has no official announcement all these years later, but there actually is a new, "SiN," game of sorts in the form of, "SiN Reloaded," which take the original games and updates it for modern audiences with the studio behind it eager to possibly finish, "SiN Episodes," all these years later in some fashion. Never say die, I suppose. I do wonder if the sequel was revisted and completed, if it would just be an entire game or done in little releases? Imagine if 20-something years after the (mostly) failure of episodic gaming outside of some adventure games that the format made a big comeback. At least, that way we wouldn't be waiting decades for some big-name games if little chunks came out now and then at an affordable price--emphasis on affordable. Strange things are always happening in the World of gaming.

Flashback Friday: Thinking About the Wild Colors of Heinz EZ Squirt

In the early 2000's, Heinz did a weird promotion to make ketchup more appealing to kids. Children and adults already generally love ketchup, so why mess with a good thing? Nobody knows what they were thinking, but the desire to make ketchup fun and colorful gave us Heinz EZ Squirt. If you've ever wished your ketchup could be an even brighter red or green, you're a little strange, but you were in luck. It gets weirder, however, with the blue and purple colors as well as the, "Mystery," option that might squirt out teal, pink, or orange.

Kids were (mostly) down with it (even though the novelty quickly wore off), parents were disgusted, and even advertising how it was fortified with healthy ingredients made it hard for some people to overlook the vibe off a dollop of blue paste-looking strangeness on a burger. Heinz EZ Squirt landed with a (colorful) splash, but quickly ran out of steam. It was discontinued in 2006 and remains a bizarre footnote in food history.

Flashback/Film Friday: "Collateral," is Michael Mann's Best Movie

Michael Mann is a fantastic director/producer. From television's huge, "Miami Vice," to movies like, "Heat," and the modern-day, "Miami Vice," plus, "The Insider,"and more. For my money, his best creation ever is, without a doubt, "Collateral." It is basically the only movie in Tom Cruise's entire career he plays a total and without question villain ("Magnolia," and, "Tropic Thunder," have him as jerks but not true baddies). and it has the insanely talented Jamie Foxx in it as a kind of anti-buddy comedy where Foxx's cab-driving Maxx finds himself hostage of contact killer Cruise's Vincent, driving him to various assassinations whilst trying to stop the violence and/or escape.

"Collateral," is a tightly-plotted crime thriller with some cool twists. If I may spoil one element, the law enforcement agents who've been after Vincent actually suspect Maxx is actually the killer they've been trying to track down, and you think the one person who believes Maxx is innocent will be able to help save him..before that guy ends up dead. Plus, for those who love little easter eggs, this is confirmed as being in the same universe as the, "Transporter" movies, as Jason Statham has a blink-and-you 'll-miss-it cameo as the unnamed person who drops a suitcase full of weaponry off to Vincent early in the flick. Foxx is awesome as a cab driver who is at first terrified but gains the nerve to show some agency and save the day. Cruise is utterly chilling as a sociopath who can be smiling and chatting with someone one minute and emotionlessly shooting them the next. I've discussed on the blog before about not liking Tom Cruise much as a person, but I will always admit the man can act to a wild degree.

"Collateral," came out in 2004, and I did not realize it was that long ago. It remains a classic and is, in the opinion of myself and some other folks online, the best flick Mann's ever directed (there are still disagreements as he's made a lot of great stuff). Give it a watch if you've never seen it and be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat for two hours!

Flashback Friday: "Small Favors," Remains the Cutest and Silliest Smut You'll Ever Read

Colleen Coover is an insanely talented comic creator who has worked on superhero stuff like the Power Pack and X-Men to doing her own stuff like, "Banana Sunday." One of my favorite creations by her, however, remains the cult hit queer erotica series, "Small Favors." Usually you don't see the words, "Cute," and, "Silly," used to describe titillating comics, but, "Small Favors," is surreally fun, sex-positive, and an oh-so-raunchy piece of Sapphic-focused porn.

The general, "Plot," involves a young woman named Annie who is extremely aroused all the time and engages in self-pleasure so much a manifestation of her conscience named Nibbil has been assigned to monitor Annie and ensure she no longer engages in touching herself, as she's used up her maximum amount of times she's allowed to ever do such a thing again (the universe apparently sets a limit). Thankfully, Nibbil is as horned-up as Annie and capable of shrinking to be basically pocket-sized or make herself normal-sized. This results in a wide range of hilarious and sexy scenarios as Annie, Nibbil, and various friends they make along the way get into mischief and get each other off in the meantime.

I've interviewed Ms. Coover before about, "Small Favors," and her other works, and spotlighted it some time ago in a post as well. The hardcover collection of, "Small Favors," has gone out of print, but there is good news in that a brand-new softcover edition has been published this year, full of all eight original issues and tons of extra artwork. It truly is--as the subheading says--"The Definitive Girly Porno Collection," of an erotic masterpiece. If you love comics that are happy, sexy, and don't mind things getting really spicy, I'd encourage you to acquire the latest printing of, "Small Favors." Just, maybe, read it at home lest you offend any overly-sensitive passerby who peeks over your shoulder!

Flashback Friday: "Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic," is an Example of How to Revisit the Past With Modern Updates

If you've been reading my blog for quite a long time, you may recall how, back in 2011, I wrote about my fondness for, "Rollercoaster Tycoon." All these years later, I still love the series, and I was intrigued to learn about, "Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic." Playable on a computer or iOS back in 2017 and on the Nintendo Switch (and now Switch 2) as of 2024, it combines a variety of elements from, "Rollercoaster Tycoon," and, "Rollercoaster Tycoon 2," to make something that counts as new but is totally familiar and fun.

When I started playing a copy of, "Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic," I got from the library, I found doing certain things came back to me almost like muscle memory despite the many years since I've actually played one of these games. I guess I spent so many hours as a kiddo crafting the perfect rollercoaster routes or best decor for my little self-made food court that some stuff is just ingrained deep in my brain. I still suck at keeping my park's budget balanced (I'm sorry, but a park that can't afford my epic wooden coaster that takes up half the space and costs thousands a month to keep functioning is a park I refuse to associate with), but I love making wild little setups of food kiosks, decorations, rides, and so forth. Even if my monthly income calls for more red ink than black, at least my guests are pleased with how I set up my footpaths and the free restrooms (I've never had the heart to charge folks even ten cents just to pee).

Whether you're an older gamer who remembers the OG, "Rollercoaster Tycoon," or a young'un eager to build a fun park in a retro-ish (and quite fun) game, "Rollercoaster Tycoon Classic," does an expert job of updating things for the present but keeping 100% of the vintage charm. 

Flashback/Film Friday: Discussing the Forgotten, "Friday the 13th," Reboot/Remake

It is Friday the 13th. As I don't find the number 13 unlucky or anything, this day doesn't feel scary to me, but it does remind me of the fun and scary franchise, "Friday the 13th." I have talked about the best and worst of those movies on multiple occasions, but what about the mostly ignored/forgotten/overlooked remake?

In 2009, a remake/reboot of, "Friday the 13th," hit theaters. It was wholly unremarkable. Outside of an absurdly silly scene where Jason murders someone in a sleeping bag, it has little of note beyond, "Hey, we have a hockey mask a guy named Jason killing teens!" It just lacks...something. There is no spark. Some of the, "Friday the 13th," flicks were a bit snarky and funny. Some were serious and scary, some were hilariously awful. This remake commits the ultimate sin of just being boring. So little sticks out in viewers' minds that is awesome or terrible that I've mentioned the remake to people before who then go, "Oh, I totally forgot that even happened," and we're talking horror-movie afficinados saying this!

Unless you're a huge fan of Jared Padalecki (this movie came out early-ish in the run of, "Supernatural," and would've honestly been better if his character of Sam Winchester fought Jason), or a, "Friday the 13th," completionist, there is little reason to watch the 2009 iteration of, "Friday the 13th." It just comes across as a drab attempt at a slasher film with nothing to say that the over ten or so films featuring Jason in some capacity had said before (it makes the time he fought Freddy Kruger look award-worthy, and that movie was just passably silly). I do hope that upcoming, "Crystal Lake," show which has had development issues but does appear to actually be happening, does the legacy of Jason and, "Friday the 13th," right. Have it be amazing, have it be a wretched, but just, please, don't have it be dull.

Flashback Friday: "The Life and Times of Savior 28," Predicted a Lot about the World as We Know it Now

Superheroes and their garish costumes as distractions from the real problems of the World. It is a, "Postmodern," idea being explored more and more, but by J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Cavallaro were talking about this back in 2009 with the comic, "The Life and Times of Savior 28," and they absolutely were fantastic on this five-issue mini-series. The whole thing came from an idea DeMatteis had for Captain America way back in the 1980s, but Marvel rejected it. Their loss was IDW's gain, however, as with this comic, we get the story of a man who has lived for decades, realizes the endless fighting and pontificating are getting nowhere, so he pledges to stop. Just stop.

Drawing from a mix of real-world events and lots of fictionalizations, "The Life and Times of Savior 28," touched on the horrors of WWII, 9/11, and how a being who is supposed to protect our planet would react to such things--generally, quite badly. Savior 28 decides to preach peace and nonviolence. It keeps failing, however. Whether he ends up, "Reverting to type," when faced with old foes who want to brawl or confronted by former friends in disbelief at his shift in personality, things keep getting worse up to 28's eventual assassination (not a spoiler, you know he's been killed against all odds at the start of the first issue).

Much of the comic examines what it would be like if someone expected to fly around, fight, and distract the populace from the real problems of the World went against the grain--and how violently those in power would react who benefit from the heroes, villains, and their dramatic events keeping the populace's attention. There is by no means some grand conspiracy in, "The Life and Times of Savior 28," just a World that wants the heroes providing escapist entertainment while they handle the, "Real," business of economics, wars, and so forth. Again, there is a clever metaphor in there about the idea of the superhero as a distraction from the fascist powers who want an entertained and complacent citizenry. 

This wasn't the only comic touching on this subject of, "Heroes as a distraction," in the earlier 2000's as, "The Boys," was making quite a splash around the same time," but I'd argue with almost every hero within "The Boys," being a secret asshole that comic is a lot more cynical than, "The Life and Times of Savior 28." In this book, the protagonist is the opposite of a nihilist and truly has hope for humankind, even if the World has turned its back on him; at least, up until his death. Then, he's suddenly revered again, as often happens when people with iffy histories pass and then randomly get a heroic remembrance.

Even Savior 28's friends can't believe his new ideology.

J.M. DeMatteis is a fantastic writer who has been at the craft of comics for decades, so he knows how to give us a damn good story. Mike Cavallaro does a superb job as well, and actually went on to collaborate on more projects with DeMatteis in the future, in addition to creating a popular comic geared towards younger readers, "Nico Bravo." I feel like you don't see a ton of discussion about, "The Life and Times of Savior 28," and that perturbs me, as this is one stellar comic. Go find yourself a copy of the collected issues in a graphic novel or pick up the individual issues; it has somehow become even more relevant in this World where more and more things now exist to keep us from fighting against injustice and trying to make a change. There is much tragedy within, "The Life and Times of Savior 28," but it does end on a bit of a hopeful note. Looking at how things are these days in 2025, I can only wish that our real World will someday live up to Savior 28's optimistic view of a more peaceful future. One can dream.

Flashback Friday: Alan Moore Wrote Some Fun, "Spawn,"-Related comics Back in the Day

Alan Moore was essentially betrayed by the comic industry multiple times. It is understandable if he'd rather write his (admittedly good and well-reviewed) novels he now does, but the man was a skilled comic-crafter without a doubt. Not everything he wrote was an epic that people talk about with reverence, either. Sometimes he just wrote some zany and fun stuff. I'm especially fond of when Alan Moore did some zany Spawn-related stuff back in the day.

As d. emerson eddy discussed in a recent article on Comicsbeat, Alan Moore wrote a three-issue mini-series for Spawn's foe, "Violator," back in the 1990s. It is absurd, violent, and quite hilarious. Bart Sears contributes art for the first two issues, with a then-less-known Greg Capullo doing the finale. The plot basically involves everyone from the mafia to other demons wanting to kill Violator, and the effort he goes to in order to not end up dead and back in Hell. It's nothing earth-shattering, but it is a hoot and relatively easy to find for dirt cheap as individual issues or in a trade paperback. It wasn't only a baddie Moore wrote either, he was involved in, "Spawn," #8, #32, and the, "Blood Feud," mini-series. My favorite piece of Spawn-by-Moore is a crossover, however.

Back in the late 90's Alan Moore was invited by Jim Lee to write, "WildC.A.T.s." and he did a solid job. For my money, the four-issue crossover he did of, "Spawn/WildC.A.T.s" is the most fun Spawn-by-Moore even if (one should emphasize) none of this is anywhere near his best work--that said, many agree how, "Even Moore's 'not very good' can be interesting when looked at critically." Yes, "Spawn/WildC.A.T.s" is very 90's, very silly, and Moore's writing is underserved by art (sorry, Scott Clark) that seems busier making the female characters look as svelte and sexy as possible than doing anything else, but it is a crazy little read. Spawn is quite evil in the story, which is set in the far-future time of 2015 (I mean, the future for when it came out) and full of epic fighting, monologuing, and general wackiness. I'm not alone in liking it despite its obvious flaws. Lots of folks hate it and say it isn't even, "Canon," to Spawn or WildC.A.T.s, although when it comes to anything, "Spawn," continuity is a loose concept at best. 

The art admittedly leans heavily into the 1990s, "Cheesecake," aesthetic.

For my money, in the same way that almost any random, "Punisher," comic by Garth Ennis is better than 99% of other (newer) Punisher comics, a silly crossover of little consequence by Alan Moore is still a good deal more pleasurable to read than a lot of Image stuff in the 90s (this was before Jim Lee took his Image characters over to DC). We've got the WildC.A.T.s. fighting a demon-possessed Spawn and Alan Moore is having fun and telling an engaging story. Not everything has to be, "Watchmen," or, "From Hell," with Moore, so just chill out, random internet haters.

Whether it was the main, "Spawn," comic, the spin-off series, or crossovers, Alan Moore wrote a lot of Spawn, even though his takes on other heroes get a lot more, "Ink," written about them, be they Batman in, "The Killing Joke," or other popular characters in various books he barely touched. A lot of Moore's stuff with heroes could be more dour/serious like his time with, "Swamp Thing," but the man knew how to have a good time too, as any of his comics involving Spawn make clear. Moore is clearly happier now not doing comics, but at least we have these four-color memories of his work to enjoy for years to come.

Flashback Friday: Thinking Back to Times When the Trailer is Better Than the Final Product

I was thinking the other day about certain movies, games, and other stuff I would get excited for thanks to enticing trailers, only to end up a bit dismayed with the final product not at all nearly living up to what I expected. I understand a trailer/ad/etc. is supposed to build hype/interest, but it can paradoxically harm the result when it is little like what was initially promised. 

One big example of this would be, "Watch Dogs." That surprise first trailer years ago was insane. Moody, gorgeous graphics, and just cool. It piqued everyone's interest, and the resulting game was fun but not Earth-shattering. Many fans were annoyed the graphics didn't match the trailers in quality (even on PC) and the gameplay had more busy-work and mini-games than badass hacking. Sometimes, a trailer totally misrepresents the tone of something. The movie, "Home Sweet Hell," was advertised as an over-the-top comedy with Katherine Heigl and Patrick Wilson. It ain't that at all, instead being pitch-black in tone with some twisted humor, but you're laughing more because you're uncomfortable with how gruesome the story gets as opposed to having your funny bone tickled. The flick was ravaged by critics and seen by few.

Lots of people compared and contrasted the, "Watch Dogs," trailer versus the game.

I imagine anyone reading this article has had an example pop into their head of a trailer that was much better and/or different from the final product. I don't begrudge anyone for trying to make an awesome trailer--you want to sell your product, whether it's a movie, game, television show, or anything else! Just be aware that when you give people the wrong impression about what they're getting or truly show, "All the good parts," in your trailer with nothing left to surprise the consumer, you might have a problem on your hands.

Flashback Friday: The Underdog of, "Saints Row," Winning My Heart and Then Letting Me Down

I've blogged at points about the, "Saints Row," franchise. Not too long ago I wrote an essay of sorts about it. I submitted it to a couple of writing journals (to no response, it may be a bit niche), but have decided I'd just post it on my good ol' website for you all to enjoy! Now then...

I have a strange soft spot for the, “Saints Row,” Series of video-games. The franchise started out a bit like a clone/rip-off/imitator of the, “Grand Theft Auto,” series, albeit one loaded with personality. Then, it morphed over time into something quite special and outlandish…before ending with a big, “Thud,” of a reboot. Even as early as the first game, however, there were seeds of creativity and ingenuity that the later games would expand upon. I know all the gamers love, “Grand Theft Auto,” and wait with bated breath for the sixth entry to release at some point this 2026 (unless it is further delayed), but as much as I adore the GTA franchise, “Saints Row,” and its games will always have a special piece of my heart.

“Saints Row,” was released on the Xbox 360 back in 2006. It featured a nameless gangster you designed (often referred to as, “Playa,” by the Keith David-voiced Julius–the head of your gang) who goes and joins a group of gangsters–the 3rd Street Saints. Your character almost never talks (a bit like GTA III), and much of the plot has you choosing which of three different gangs to fight in any order you like to become the sole big gang and rise up to be in charge of the city of Stilwater. Eventually, you accomplish this, and everyone in the gang looks up to you with awe. Then the credits roll before you return to the open-world game to explore. Sounds like the usual, eh? Well, this is where that little sparkle of something special comes in–you’re not actually done.

Your cell phone rings after the supposedly happy ending. Julius has been kidnapped, and you end up taking out a corrupt police chief and mayoral candidate in order to free your boss in some intense missions. Then, the game has you go to the last remaining candidate’s yacht, Richard Hughes. Before you board the yacht, you’re warned that the game is at a point of no return. This activates a cinema scene that lays out how a lot of the game hasn’t been as it seems. One major character is an undercover cop, Julius is watching you on the yacht whilst nervously checking his watch, and Richard Hughes says you’ve helped him cinch the election on his anti-crime policy, and he plans to kill you. Then, without warning, the boat explodes. The second set of credits roll, and that’s it, the game closes to the main screen. It’s a shocking downer of a denouement that leaves a lot of questions unanswered. Thankfully, players only had to wait until 2008 for, “Saints Row 2.”

“Saints Row 2,” is a game where the series finds its voice–further illustrated by how now your main character can talk, and you choose the voice. You awake from a five-year coma to find new gangs have moved in and a big company called Ultror runs the city as well (fun fact: Ultron was the enemy in the futuristic, “Red Faction,” games developed by the same company, Volition). Much of the game is spent doing missions against other gangs, but the tone is much more wacky. After you’ve defeated your opponents, another rug-pull occurs–Ultor wanted this. 

The head of Ultor is Dane Vogel (deliciously voiced by Jay Mohr), and he wanted the gangs to wipe each other out so Ultor could move in and remodel, then rent out the city. The final boss in, “Saints Row 2,” isn’t another gang, it's gentrification. There is something hilariously twisted about a game where you play a group of troublemaking gangsters featuring an incisive critique of modern capitalism. Scenes with Vogel laying out the whole plan sound uncomfortably like a concept Bezos or Musk would have for a, “Perfect,” city. Your gang does come out on top via some wild stunts (you literally fly up a jet to Vogel’s office and jump into his office window to put a stop to him), but for a bit it does look like the capitalists could take down your ragtag group.

“Saints Row: The Third,” released in 2011 and shifted the game to a new city called Steelport. The third entry boasts a deliciously self-aware tone, opening with the Saints struggling to rob a bank as they’ve become huge celebrities. Everything goes wrong, and a lot of main characters die (for this entry at least). The third game is essentially about your character rebuilding their legacy after losing everything. The gangs you face are even crazier (wrestlers, cyber-space hackers, etc.), and eventually you have a, “Happy,” and, “Sad,” ending that you can play through both of. The third game in the series was fun but sticks out in my mind a lot less than the first two and the eventually, utterly insanely magnificent fourth game.

2013 marked the release of, “Saints Row IV.” It took the franchise as far away from its GTA-clone roots as it could while also weirdly staying focused on its continuity. The game opens with you becoming President of the United States before aliens blow up Earth—after they abduct a bunch of humans and put them in a simulation of Steelport. From your spaceship, you then beam into the city (a game within a game, basically) and develop superpowers to the point that, “Saints Row IV,” is almost more of a superhero game than anything else. It is utterly off-the-wall and gleefully silly. We’ve gone from fighting gangsters, to dueling with capitalism, to zapping space aliens, all in the span of four games. It would’ve been a great way to end the series, but we have to conclude on a dour note.

Picture this: It’s June of 2022, and a new, “Saint’s Row,” game is coming out titled simply, “Saint’s Row,” just like that original game so many years ago. It is a total reboot of the series. The original cities aren’t in it. The original characters are gone. It is a brand-new game that supposedly has the, “Vibe,” of the old series while being fresh. It isn’t good. Someone playing this new title would get the sensation that this is a game trying to act like it is, “Hip,” but failing at it. The snark, the attitude, and so forth seem like what people who are 40 or 50 think a 20-year-old would sound like. It feels like a paper-thin satire in a franchise that used to have some teeth. Nobody seems to like this new, “Saints Row,” that much, and it is a shame.

The 2022, “Saint’s Row,” did not do nearly as well in sales as the previous games had. The developer of the game–Volition–was shut down after 30 years of existence by a parent company that had acquired it in previous mergers. Perhaps the fact, “Saints Row,” didn’t grow up with those of us who loved it and wanted to appeal to a new generation, which, by all accounts of reviews and general public reception, still found it dated despite its desperate attempt to say, “Hello fellow youth!” imparts a lesson. You’ve got to grow as a person or your attempts to stay stuck in the past will only make you seem further out of touch. The underdog had earned respect and recognition after four amazing games (let’s ignore a so-so spin-off featuring Johnny Gat in Hell), but then chose to turn staid, stale, and dull.

Google's AI summary offers little hope for more Saints Row.

It is 2025, and with, “Saints Row,” seeming to permanently dead and, “GTA VI,” due to debut sooner than later I would wager the underdog franchise will move further out of everyone’s memory. As soon as, “Grant Theft Auto VI,” brings about the second coming or whatever lofty ideals we all have about it few will care about, “Saints Row,” anymore. “It was always in GTA’s shadow,” some may state, while ignoring just how crazy and outlandish a franchise it could be. Still, the fact that it was the underdog of a series for so long is probably what allowed it to take so many storytelling, gameplay, and creative risks. I’m sure, “GTA VI,” will be amazing, but I sincerely doubt it will ever get as weird as the, “Saints Row,” franchise was willing to be.

Flashback Friday: "Captain Atom: Armageddon," Was a Random Little Fun Comic

I like Captain Atom when he is written well. He most recently had a big role in the Black Label, "Jenny Sparks," comic where he was portrayed as a psychotic villain. I didn't like how he was written per se but did like that series. For a fun Captain Atom comic that isn't too old, however, you can always read, "Captain Atom: Armageddon." Originally published in 2005-2006 with writing by Will Pfeifer and pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli, it is random, but enjoyable.

The gist of the comic is that even though Captain Atom thought he died saving Earth from a kryptonite meteor in, "Superman/Batman," he wakes up on Earth..but not his Earth! That's right, it is a fun alternate-universe yarn where Captain Atom finds himself in the Wildstorm Universe...you know, back when it still existed as a separate-ish entity from the main DCU. Captain Atom sees how things are done quite differently in the Wildstorm Universe, gets in some fights, has some fun adventruing, and eventually ends up back in the regular DC Universe just in time for, "Infinite Crisis," and then the, "Countdown to Final Crisis," comics that kinda-sorta led into, "Final Crisis," even though it (confusingly enough) disregarded parts of those series--comics, they're a gas!

Captain Atom attempts to get help from the President and fails.

When I went browsing around the internet, I found some old posts by other folks who really enjoyed, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," with one from 2007 and another from 2012. The series wasn't exactly consequential to either the then-"Regular," DC Universe or the Wildstorm one--although it did lead to a minor reset and some new series as a part of a, "Worldstorm," event. Then, Wildstorm itself would not last too much longer before a series of mini-series that led to its Earth literally being destroyed in 2008, some series following the ruined Earth, and then it got folded into the DC Universe in general with the, "New 52," in 2011. So yeah, "Captain Atom: Armageddon," is a minor footnote in the publishing history of DC/Wildstorm, but it is also a good time with nine issues that a review from 2017 (the most recent I can find) concludes makes it a bit overlong, but they still liked it too. You can probably find a paperback collection of it dirt cheap. Go give it a read, and have some universe-traveling adventures!

Flashback/Film Friday: I Admit It! I find the First, "Friday the 13th," Relatively Boring

Today is a Friday and the 13th, so I always think of the movies. I have written about the, "Friday the 13th," films on multiple occasions. I've talked about how the flicks vary heavily in tone, touched on which ones are the best for newbies to the franchise, and even asked if Part V deserves some recognition as being a good movie if it didn't have that awful final twist. One thing I should admit, however, is that while some entries are universally agreed upon as being pretty bad (Part VII, the ninth entry of Jason going to Hell, we already touched upon V), I have to confess that the first movie is ostentibly good, but it bores me.

Yes, this is my controversial opinion about how the debut, "Friday the 13th," is a decent enough movie...but boring. I'm not just saying this because Jason is barely in the movie (his mother, Pamela, is the baddie), the flick just meanders a lot between some decent kills and the eventual reveal of Pamela. Part II is a superior movie in every way, and III is mediocre but at least introduces the infamous hockey mask (I already linked to my discussion of adoring Parts IV and VI as well). You can say I'm not a, "Real," fan for this view, and I am not saying I dislike Part I...it just is really slow going. 

Pamela Vorhees (as portrayed by Betsy Palmer)

I am okay with a horror movie being a slow burn, but when a supposedly brisk 90-ish minutes feels like it slogs along at many points...well, there is a bit of an issue. I am not alone in stating this, but few posts or websites share my opinion or go too far and say the whole franchise sucks (some of the flicks are certified bangers). There you go, that's my hot take on the, "Friday the 13th," franchise. I just hope the upcoming, "Crystal Lake," prequel show is exciting!

Flashback Friday: "American Carnage," Remains Disturbingly Topical

White nationalism running amock. Politicians stoking racial fires with hateful ideology. Government agents struggling to do their job amid everything falling apart. This was all in a comic from 2019? Yep, "American Carnage," was one of the last great Vertigo books (before the brand assumably returns from the dead soon) and I think of it often. d. emerson eddy over at Comicsbeat thinks it was great too, having recently spotlit the 9-issue series in their, "Classic Comic Compendium." It is quite unfortunate something that could be considered older/a classic is only now even more topical, but so is life.

The plot of, "American Carnage," follows an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates a white supremacist group with disturbingly close ties to a charismatic businessman running for congress. I loved the series so much I considered it one of the best comics of 2019 and discussed it a great deal in an interview with the writer, and friend of the blog, Bryan Edward Hill. Between Hill's writing and Leandro Fernandez stellar artwork, "American Carnage," is a pointed shot of noir that hits you like an ice-cold glass of your favorite adult beverage (if you drink)--burning on the way down and sitting in the pit of your stomach with sharp intensity as you take it in.

What's scary is how many people believe such things...

It upsets me to no end that, "American Carnage," remains as topical as ever in 2025 as it was in 2019. It also makes it all the more of a good reason to read the series if you haven't. Besides being a stellar story full of gorgeous artwork, it serves as a stark warning of where our nation is and could still be heading.

Flashback Friday: The, "Mass Effect," Games Handled Morality in a Clever Way

A lot of video-games with, "Choices," like to brag about how you can be good or evil. The thing is, being good means you're the nicest, sweetest person ever who only hurts villains. Then, being evil means you are over-the-top hilariously mean for no reason. It's like when a game shows you a puppy and you can adopt it and love it forever or kick it as hard as possible; the so-called choices are just two extremes. Plus, a lot of data shows, that if players can choose to be evil or nice, most just select to be pleasant. Being a baddie can cause folks to feel guilt--it isn't a real puppy they kicked, but we've still got that darn empathy. That is why when I think of a game that handled morality in a clever fashion I often think of the, "Mass Effect," series.

In the, "Mass Effect," trilogy you play Commander Shepard (there was a later game with a new cast but nobody liked it and it removed the morality system). Shepard can be male or female and have a variety of backgrounds you select, and there are plenty of choices in the game, but they aren't good versus evil! In a clever twist, you can be a renegade or a paragon. No matter how you play, "Mass Effect," you are the commander of a ship who wants to save the Universe. The question is if you'll do it while behaving like a gun-ho renegade who throws rules out the window because the ends justify the means or as a by-the-books and ethical paragon who sees the best in even in the worst people. Throughout the, "Mass Effect," series you always are the, "Good guy," but whether you're kind of a dick or pleasant to interact with is up to the player. You would think this theoretically constrains player agency, but it works extremely well.

If players will rarely choose to be evil, why not have a game where they're objectively good but can go about saving the Universe by means they deem required (guns a-blazing) or while trying to use calm reasoning and dialogue when it is at least an option? It results in the, "Mass Effect," games having extremely different possible plots (a lot of characters can live or die along the way/be romanced/etc.) but the end result is that you're going to try to save the Universe from whatever is threatening everybody in each game. I'd argue the renegade and paragon system is a rare example of a morality system done extremely well with more nuance than we normally see. It is something other games could learn from.

Flashback Friday: Remember That Zany Occasion Where Beast and Dark Beast Teamed Up?

"X-Men: Endangered Species," could have been a mostly forgettable series of backup strips that explained a chunk of plot holes before a big X-Men event, but it managed to be pretty darn cool. It kicked off with a one-shot before being a series of strips in the back of X-titles. The comic followed Beast of the X-Men as he tried to explore any avenue he could to undo how Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch) had turned most mutants into humans at the end of, "House of M." 

This all led to what was called, "M-Day," and various comics that spun out of the event. "Endangered Species," essentially set up, the "Messiah Complex," event which slowly began reintroducing mutants to the Marvel Universe and a thankless task of answering why the X-Men hadn't undone Wanda's spell. The series followed Beast stopping by various old hangouts of mutants only to find nobody could help him with science, magic, or anything else. Old mutant blood samples had turned human, even most dead mutants had reverted to human, and so forth. Then, right as Beast is about to give up he discovers how someone else has been working trying to figure everything out--him, sorta.

Dark Beast was an evil version of Henry McCoy from the, "Apocalypse," Universe. He ended up in the main Marvel Universe and was in some series off and on but hadn't been heard from for a bit, until, "Endangered Species," which midway through turns into a twisted and dark buddy-comedy with the two beasts trying various avenues to figure out what can be done. Eventually, the evil McCoy's more extreme methods result in them going their separate ways and we reach a conclusion-of-sorts where Beast sees he's out of options (right before, "Messiah Complex," begins and changes the so-called, "Rules," of everything). Still, for the period of time Beast and Dark Beast are together it is a hoot witnessing the little metaphorical devil on Beast's shoulder (who is literally a twisted version of him) suggesting how extreme they could be to save mutants.

After, "Messiah Complex," Beast kept getting increasingly questionable in his actions. During the whole, "Krakoan," era of X-Men we essentially saw Henry become enough of a villain that towards the end of the arc a bunch of messy plot trickery was done to erase how much of a baddie he'd become (clones were involved) As for Dark Beast, he died, came back, and died again, with Mister Sinister preserving his head because that's how that zany character rolls. 

The most recent years have been pretty rough for fans of any version of Beast with him being so dishonorable in any reality, but at least back in 2007 the, "Main," Beast wasn't yet too morally corrupt and it was fun to see him struggle with right-and-wrong alongside a more mischievous form. I also am glad the, "Endangered Species," one-shot and back-up strips were all collected as well so that the other handful of fans of this comic can read it without having to track down various assorted comics.