First Impressions: God of War

When it was announced that Santa Monica Studios would be dipping into the world of God Of War for a fourth entry, I, like many, just assumed we’d be getting the same game as the previous entries in the franchise, but in a new mythological setting. But when I started up the fourth entry in the series, simply titled God of War, I wasn’t prepared for what I was going to get. Gone is the intense, action packed uber violent combat. In its place is an over the shoulder, tightly focused evasive style of fighting, albeit one that is still violent. The main character, Kratos, isn’t even interested in hunting down the gods of the new Nordic realm that he’s made a life in. In fact, the main crux of the story of this new entry is his quest to bring his wife’s ashes to the highest peak in the realm. Alongside his son, Atreus, Kratos makes the long journey to the peak, all while new enemies try to prevent him from reaching his goal.

Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War!

MOVIE REVIEW!

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Anthony Mackie

Directed By: Joe and Anthony Russo

SPOILER FREE

Ten years. Ten years of movies, characters, box office records, and building a world unlike anything that has even been seen in Hollywood has finally come to this: Avengers: Infinity War. The hype surrounding this film is certainly palpable, to the point where you wouldn’t be out of line to make the claim that there’s no way this movie could possibly live up to the hype.

But in a lot of ways it does.

Comic Reviews: Hunt for Wolverine and X-Files: Case Files

COMIC REVIEWS!!

Hunt for Wolverine #1 (Marvel Comics)

Like all dead Marvel characters, it’s time for the original Wolverine to make his grand return to the comic racks. As the start of five (yup, FIVE) mini-series, The Hunt For Wolverine‘s one-shot special sets the stage well for the return of the feral mutant, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, as it’s written and drawn by Charles Soule and David Marquez, two of Marvel’s best creators. That leads to a pretty solid stand alone issue that has a surprising amount of emotion behind it.

Comic Reviews: Wasted Space and Her Infernal Descent!

COMIC REVIEWS!

Wasted Space #1 (Vault Comics)

Sci-fi comics are a dime a dozen these days, so it’s hard for one to hit the stands these days and really stand out. Luckily though, Vault Comics’ Wasted Space is just one of those comics, as it takes the futuristic setting of Blade Runner (and a little bit of Alien), but focuses on something that’s often overlooked in science fiction: religion. That difference makes the Michael Moreci and Hayden Sherman debut issue really stand out.

1,000 Issues of Truth, Justice, and The American Way

The Man of Steel has been a part of my life for nearly the entire time I’ve been on this planet. From the Superman doll my parents bought me at the Warner Bros store (RIP), to watching Dean Cain weekly on Lois & Clark, Superman was one of the first comic book characters I remember really enjoying as a kid. While he doesn’t have quite as big a space in my heart as Spider-Man or Batman, Superman is still a character that I hold in pretty high regard, and, surprisingly to me, he becomes more appealing the older I get. While the fact that he was pretty much synonymous with the term “superhero” was enough to get me hooked as a kid, as I’ve grown up I’ve started to realize that the real strength in Superman isn’t his power set, it’s who he is as a symbol.

Comic Reviews: Brothers Dracul and Crude!

COMIC REVIEWS!!

Brothers Dracul #1 (Aftershock Comics)

I’m naturally interested in anything that has to do with the legend of Dracula, so Aftershock Comics’ new series Brothers Dracul piqued my interest. While many comics about the infamous Son of the Dragon focus on his vampiric mythology, the Cullen Bunn and Mirko Colak series instead focuses on the actual historical figure Vlad Dracul, and his life as a young boy with his brother and father.

Movie Review: A Quiet Place

MOVIE REVIEW!

A Quiet Place (2018)

Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds

Directed By: John Krasinski

The past few years have seen some of the strongest genre pictures in recent memory make instant and long lasting impacts on pop culture. Films like It, The Witch, Get Out, and It Follows have all become new instant classics, and folks, you can safely add A Quiet Place to that list. The John Krasinski directed film, in which he stars alongside his wife Emily Blunt, is one of the most original and tense horror films I’ve ever seen, and, despite the “don’t make a sound” gimmick, deserves to be seen in a theater with the speakers at full blast.

Comic Reviews: Deathstroke and Curse of Brimstone!

COMIC REVIEWS!

Deathstroke #30

Batman and Deathstroke have always had a pretty strong rivalry, but DC’s never played it up like they are with Deathstroke #30. As the start of the “Batman vs. Deathstroke” storyline, the Christopher Priest and Carlos Pagulayan issue is being marketed as a good launching on point for the series, and after reading it, I have to admit, it’s really awesome.

Marvel’s First Family Returns!

This August, the Fantastic Four finally returns to the Marvel Universe. After an absence that felt longer than it actually was, we’re finally getting Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny back on the comic racks. It’s pretty damn exciting, and really has me excited in a way I haven’t been in a long time when it comes to the FF. But maybe that was Marvel’s plan all along….