Hero Inc.

where heroes are an everyday occurrence

Archive for the ‘Heroes’ Category

Jun-12-2011

This and That

Huh….

So this is what my website looks like? I’ve been away from it for so long that I actually forgot about it. That can’t be good for whatever readership I might have had or have.

Anyway, let’s see what’s been going on since my last post dated May 2, 2011.

Welcome to the summer of superheroes. Throughout the summer a new or returning set of characters will be filling the silver screen. Yes, I plan on seeing them all and so far I’ve been doing good with Thor and X-Men: First Class already checked off. Next up is my eagerly anticipated Green Lantern. I know others aren’t that hyped but I am. I’m not 100% excited by the look, but certain pieces of the recent trailers really lead me to believe this one is going to be fun and good. Now I just need to find a 3D IMAX near me as this is the first film that I believe 3D will actually help its plot. Then I’m off to Captain America, Cars 2, and Harry Potter. I’ll be broke by the end of it all.

It’s Wedding Season! Yep, most of my time….wait that’s not right. Most of my fiance’s time has been spent planning the upcoming wedding. I’m just trying to keep up and help where I can. I took over the Honeymoon planning. Sounds like fun but not really. I’m super excited about our end location (can’t state here until she finds out later) but trying to book hotels and make sure flight schedules work out can be hectic. I can’t even imagine what the true crux of wedding planning is like. My head would probably explode. Regardless, it will be a very special time for the two of us and I’m really looking forward to it.

I wasn’t that excited after the NFL Draft because of what my Falcons had to give up to get Julio Jones, but I’m getting more excited each day. I need the season to start and start now. The lockout must end so I can see free agency. I then need to hear about practices and see some of preseason competition to learn more about the new players. Then I need a season where I get to see this Madden style offense where we just score and score often. Let’s go FALCONS!!!

This week on Tuesday, Duke Nukem Forever is going to be released. I was a fan of Duke Nukem 3D back in the day so I’m really looking forward to this one. I really just need a funny, pointless video game and Duke Nukem Forever seems to fit the bill. If you’ve never played, just think of a more “mature” version of Doom or Wolfenstein. I’ve been hoarding some gift cards since Christmas so what better time to drop them. I’m also taking 2 days off from work (had to get rid of some available vacation days before the end of the year) so I’ll be holed up in my room playing video games for a 4 game weekend. Man that sounds relaxing. Just wish that IGN hadn’t released this review. 🙁

This past week was E3 and Nintendo’s presenation. I was extremely excited about this one as I knew it would show the new gaming system. Well, I was not left disappointed by the Wii U. I was sold on the name at first as it is a play on Wii 2 as well as “unique” and a wii for you. Then they showed the video of what the Wii U can do and I was blown away again. I don’t know why I’m shocked when Nintendo innovates but sometimes I’m shocked at how creative they can be to achieve it. Sure, all of the “hardcore” gamers will complain for about a year until Microsoft and Sony due the same thing. It’s happened with every console since the N64. Nintendo innovates and others copy. See analog stick, rumble pack, motion controls, etc. for examples. Overall on the Wii U, the graphics look great. The gameplay is creative and fun. The launch titles are diverse. My bank account is already preparing for this one next year.

And I guess that’s it. Let’s see how long it is now until my next posting.

Posted under Games, Heroes, Movies, Other, Sports
Nov-20-2010

Green Lantern Trailer

Ok, we all knew this was coming. You honestly think that I wouldn’t breakdown the trailer and provide my thoughts around my favorite superhero’s movie set to be released next year? Neither did I.

Go to official trailer site if this youtube video gets pulled.

Stop here if you don’t want to see the breakdown of the trailer. There could be things here you don’t want to know prior to the movie.

Ok, here we go.

  • 0:00 to 0:29 – Meet Hal Jordan, the test pilot who just doesn’t know responsibility. Ryan Reynolds is the superhero here. I originally wasn’t big on the casting here as he wasn’t my number one choice. I think Jon Hamm is more of a Hal Jordan but I’m certain the casting came down to youth in hopes of making several GL movies. I’ll leave further judgement to the full movie. The same will go for Blake Lively as Carol Ferris.
  • 0:30 – 0:44 – I’m hoping these test pilot scenes are as good as Iron Man’s fighter plane scenes as it is central to Hal’s character.
  • 0:59 – Abin Sur looks perfect. This scene will help to build the rest of the story. It is an origin.
  • 1:19 – Here’s the first shot of the Green Lantern ring. I originally wasn’t a fan of the shots I had seen of it previously but it is starting to grow on me. The ring is born out of alien technology so it makes sense to make it look alien as well.
  • 1:30 – Welcome to Oa and it looks as though Tomar Re is showing Hal the grounds as this will be where he is trained to become a member of the Green Lantern Corp. The suits are very interesting here as each has its own look and feel much like you find in the comics, yet we can easily tell that they are alien instead of the human style that the comics often portray them as looking.
  • 1:31 – Sinestro, one of the greatest Green Lanterns and easily one of my favorite villains in all of comics. Played by Mark Strong, we should be in for a treat. This image couldn’t be any more perfect for the look of Sinestro.
  • 1:38 – Here we find Hal’s power battery which will be used to charge his ring. I’m also interested in learning about his friend in this scene and a few others. Is this the stereotypical lackey that helps the hero along his way. I’m not really sure Green Lantern needs this.
  • 1:44 – 1:46 – Here is Hal’s first construct of the trailer, a fist. The ring allows the wearer to create any object as long as his will is strong enough to support it.
  • 1:48 – Peter Sarsgaard as Hector Hammond is another brilliant casting move. The subsequent images of him add even more to the appeal.
  • 1:52 – Meet Kilowog, the trainer of the Green Lanterns and a fan favorite. My only concern is that he might be entirely CGI. Too much CGI is never a good thing and this film might lean on it too much at times. Why not just make him as a man in a suit?
  • 2:08 – 2:22 – The suit seems to becoming beneath Hal’s skin. Very interesting view. I like everything about the alien look here except for one thing, the mask. It just looks too fake. Almost painted on as a Halloween costume gone wrong. Again, what’s wrong with a physical mask? I do miss Geoff Johns addition to the Lantern universe of the symbol on the uniform being more of a beacon or “siren” for the uniform than a physical part of it.
  • 2:23 – 2:30 – “In Brightest Day. In Blackest Night.” These are the first words of the Green Lantern oath. Bring on the rest! But what’s with the TDK style ending with the flaming logo?

Overall, the trailer is a teaser of sorts. I’m not super pumped but that was kind of expected for this film. Its not going to be The Dark Knight nor should it. TDK works because Batman is based on reality. Green Lantern is not. It is a fantasy, space epic. I want it to be Star Trek (2009) with superheroes. Will I get that? Too early to say, but I can guarantee this is a midnight showing (if not earlier if I can help it) for me. As of right now, my summer is packed and the only real question is what superhero will be standing tallest in the end: Captain America, Thor, or Green Lantern.

Posted under Heroes, Movies | Tagged as , , ,
Nov-19-2010

My Android Apps

I keep getting asked what apps do I enjoy on my HTC Droid Eris. Well, I guess the best way to do that is just use AppBrain.

Anyone have some other cool suggestions of apps to download?

Note: For those interested, do not buy the HTC Droid Eris if you are looking at getting an Android phone. I honestly love it, but HTC and Verizon do not so it has stopped receiving the latest Android updates and is discontinued by Big Red. If you are looking to get an Android, go after one of the flagship phones so that you can be certain to receive the latest updates for at least a year.

Posted under Games, Heroes, Internet, Linux, Movies, Music, Sports | Tagged as , , ,
Nov-13-2010

Recount of GDGT

Last night I was fortunate to finally attend one of San Francisco’s tech events. This one happened to be a GDGT show which is just another way for saying let’s show off some really cool gadgets to a bunch of nerds. Ooo! Ooo! Pick me!

Therefore, I met up with two friends and all of our significant others (they were super excited too…) and headed to the free show. I’ll get to the SWAG in a bit, but first what we all came to see: TOYS.

Phones
GDGT was no different than the rest of the electronics world as phones seemed to be king. We began with a viewing of the history of phones and AT&T, which of course included such hits as the Palm Treo, Blackjack, a briefcase phone and THE ZACK MORRIS phone (yeah that’s what it was called). The person managing the booth even offered Zack’s phone to us to call Slater or Screech if needed. We passed.

From the phones of the past, we cast our eyes on the phones of the here, now, and future. T-Mobile’s booth was showing off the latest in Android, Windows Phone 7, and the 4G network. Let’s start with the last one first. When I thought 4G previously, I thought of it more as just another marketing campaign. Well, with a room full of cell phone users, this phone was still able to pull in a 3MB speed test. We were informed it even did at least 7MB before the room really started filling in. That’s freakin’ fast for a phone in my eyes.

I really enjoyed the look and feel of the G2 as well as its more vanilla flavor of Android. Its processor and running Froyo really helped with the speed and reaction time of the OS. This is now on my possible list for new work phones even with its big drawback of weight. After seeing Android’s offerings, we moved on to the Windows Phone 7 phones which seemed to be very popular at the event as there was also a separate booth for just these phones. I have to say that if Microsoft had arrived at the Phone party (iPhone vs. Android) it could have made it a legitimate 3 way fight. However, they just might be too late to make it count. That really is a shame though as I really liked what I saw in terms of the interface and usability. Windows Phone 7 will be my second option in the future but it will probably take a lot to get me to move away from it.

Enough with that Windows Phone 7 (too long to type) stuff. Let’s get back to Android. I saw several phones from HTC and Samsung, but Samsung really won me over thanks to their AMOLED screens. These things were beautiful and probably the closest you might find to the iPhone’s screens. It was also great that they were able to have such a gorgeous screen but keep the weight and width of the phone to be so small.

Entertainment Boxes
Next on the horizon is the battle for the living room. From TiVo, Revue by Logitech, Sony Google TV, Roku, Slingbox, and Boxee. Thoughts? Well…

Box Review
TiVO The new HD interface looks really good and very well done. The TiVO team seems to be trying really hard, but with most cable providers providing boxes that perform similar activities, I’m not sure there’s as powerful of a future here. The plus is that it will aggregate media from your network and provide it during search on the box.
Revue How can I give a review when all they would really show here is Twitter? I can tweet from my TV? That’s great. Not a game changer. What? I can also use for video chat? Still not a game changer. When I watch TV, I want to watch TV.
Sony Google TV Due to some jerk not really allowing others to talk to the rep, I’d say I’m still not impressed by this one. I was happy to see that the remote was not as bad in person as I thought it would be. It would of course still scare most users away.
Roku Out of all boxes, this is probably my winner in terms of price and features. It doesn’t have the big name of a Google or Apple which could hinder it in terms of deals with studios and companies for delivery on the box. Of course, they already have MLB, NHL, and Hulu Plus lined up so there is a future here. Interface could still use some modifications and a rep that wasn’t a little too intoxicated would have been another plus.
Boxee A box designed to look sleek and awkward enough to not really fit well with your other living room entertainment boxes. However, Boxee ranks high along with Roku for what I was able to see. The part that really grabbed my attention was its remote because it seemed that their team was able to conquer the complexity of an internet TV device by merging the remote with a keyboard. Well played Boxee. You’ve created a remote/keyboard that will not bring the general mass TV audience to running due to its complexities. I salute you.
Slingbox Now slingbox may not belong in the same way that the other devices here do, but I really wanted to point out this device for its streaming capabilities to iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone 7. Its this last one that I really want to point out because of the clarity that it provided in terms of over the air streaming. Both the iPhone and Android were streaming to a decent resolution but it was the WP7 that really knocked your socks off as it displayed a live basketball game with no buffering and HD resolution. I was really impressed with this one.

Laptops and Keyboards
Why does 3D seem to be the next big thing? I really don’t think it adds much if anything to the medium it is presenting. I think possibly that sports could change my mind here, but I’m going to remain skeptical. I saw several 3D laptops and they all left me going “well that’s nice but what else do you have?”

Logitech did have a keyboard that was solar powered that raised an eyebrow or two. It could be charged with solar or internal lighting and could last several months without needing a new charge (so we were told). It was also sleek and thin. Total cost around $90 seemed reasonable to those who might be interested.

Celebrities
So celebrity might be a relative term as it is highly dependent on who you ask. For me, it came in the form of Ron Richards, who is a podcaster for iFanboy and revision3’s AppJudgement (remember this post?). No, I didn’t go talk to him because I didn’t want to be one of those people but I was tipped off it really was him when I walked by and he was wearing a Green Lantern pin.

One of my other buddies met his celebrity in the form of Bre Pettis. I had never heard of him but Brett was super excited and had to get several pictures. I was too busy learning about the machine standing behind him from his company, Makerbot. Wouldn’t you be interested to if you saw this machine trying to make a Green Lantern ring? Nicely done.

Overall, a great show and I’m really glad I was able to make it out. I leave you with this picture taken from my Android phone (HTC Droid Eris, don’t buy as it is discontinued now). Now this is how one should be playing online video games.

Kid with 3 Monitors for online gaming
Now that’s how you should play an online game.

Posted under Heroes, Internet, Other | Tagged as , , , ,
May-13-2010

Avengers Assumptions!

With Iron Man 2 out of the way, Thor and Captain America on the way, it is time to begin with eager anticipation for AVENGERS ASSEMBLE…or to the regular people The Avengers movie.

The Avengers

The move is roughly two years away and currently only has a director and many rumors. After seeing Iron Man 2, I wanted to discuss the subtle hints that the film provided that could (or could not) lead into The Avengers movie. For those that don’t know and didn’t click on any of my links above, The Avengers is a superhero team in the same way that the Justice League is for DC. The Avengers have been formed with many different heroes, but which group will be selected for the feature film? Well my assumptions are going to be based off small rumors and everything I saw in Iron Man 2. Therefore, STOP NOW if you want to avoid even the mildest of SPOILERS.

Ok, now that we have those that don’t want to know out of the way, we can continue. In Iron Man 2, Nick Fury and Tony Stark are discussing his review for possible team involvement thanks to the Black Widow’s report. The report states that Iron Man is in, but Tony is out. Interesting, but my real focus of the scene was the monitor behind them with several points being tracked around the world. I was only able to remember the following subset of locations.

  • New York
  • New Mexico
  • Los Angeles
  • Atlantic Ocean
  • Africa
  • South Atlantic Ocean / Antartica
  • Central Europe

Well, if I’m doing what most other fanboys are doing out there in fandom, I’m matching a location to a member of the Avengers.

  • New York – Most might jump to Spider-Man here. I certainly did. However, the Spider-Man franchise is not currently in Marvel’s possession. However, the Hulk is and he just happened to star in a recent reboot of the franchise and it took place in…yes…say it…New York. I’m all for The Hulk as a member of the Avengers but I like him even more as the villain. A hero that can’t control his powers, I believe, might provide more drama and story than some alien beings being sent to destroy/take over the earth. Apparently Iron Man 2 is already helping out in continuity because in the background of the scene between Tony and Nick, a news report is being given of the attack at the university that appeared in The Incredible Hulk.
  • New Mexico – If you stayed through the credits of Iron Man 2, you already know the answer to this one. The scene showed that S.H.I.E.L.D. had found Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Thor, a norse god, is one, if not, the strongest heroes on earth. If Thor isn’t happy, no one is happy. I’m pumped for this one as Thor is a very intriguing character and his movie is lining up to be something special as well.
  • Los Angeles – Easy one, Iron Man. I mean, the man lives in Malibu. Let’s just take Nick’s comments as more of a way to push Tony forward as a hero and not the fact that Marvel can’t pay for all of these heroes together.
  • Atlantic Ocean – This must be the one and only “first avenger,” Captain America. Iron Man 2 gave us his first shield as well as the possibility of Iron Man creating the element for creating his new shield. In the comics, Cap’s frozen body was found somewhere in the North Pole or northern Atlantic ocean. Marvel’s ultimate goal was to do Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor and then The Avengers. Therefore, we have to have Cap to lead the team. Time to see what a real boy scout can do.
  • Africa – Another no brainer of sorts. We will stay away from Storm or the X-Men due to a separate franchise and Marvel wanting to build on their “less known” characters. This choice also gives us a more diverse group with the inclusion of Black Panther. Many in Hollywood (Tyrese Gibson and Wesley Snipes) have been trying to get a Black Panther film off the ground for years. I’ll support the inclusion here.
  • South Atlantic Ocean / Antartica – Here’s the stretch because I gaurantee most people don’t know who he is and when I describe him, I’ll get the usual response of “That’s just an Aquaman rip off.” We are talking about the prince of Atlantis, Namor. Namor is one of the first mutants/heroes from Marvel. He is often depicted as a villain as he chooses his people of Atlantis over those on land every day of the week if he can. Just think of him as good cop/bad cop, but the good cop always calls in sick.
  • Central Europe – For this one I had to turn to the internet. Some are pointing to the Red Skull, but I’m not thrilled with that idea. Why spend a whole Captain America move on Red Skull only to bring him back so quickly to face the Avengers? No. This one needs to be something new. A female? We have the Black Widow, but her background is Russia not Central Europe and why would S.H.I.E.L.D. need to track her? Then again, I listed Iron Man on this list and they are tracking him. Then I guess I have to go after my final long shot with two “originals,” Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Both can be linked back to Central Europe in some form or fashion so they will have to do.

Well that’s it. Not the best team I could pick but then again I don’t have to do the picking. I’d really like to see a team of maybe 5 (Iron Man, Thor, Cap, Hawkeye, Black Widow) so that each can be built in his/her own right. I don’t want characters lost and thrown in just for the purpose of being there, but I would really love to see Hawkeye being portrayed by Jeremy Renner.

Posted under Heroes, Movies | Tagged as , , ,
Jan-31-2010

Podcasting The Commute

Now that I have settled into my new city and been placed on a new project at work, it is time to deal with the commute.  Please understand that this commute is by no means terrible even if it is about an hour and forty minutes each way (morning and afternoon).  The trip is a straight shot based on the MUNI (if it is running correctly that day) and BART.  I am able to have a internet connection for about 90-95% of the trip so if I need to do work I have that option.  Some may say the BART is terrible, but I am provided an easy laugh twice a day as I read the “Committed to Excellence” Oakland Raiders sign that rests on the stadium.

However, there are those days where I don’t need to do any work and I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Now my sister will tell me that I should pick up a book to read.  Well I have picked up a book, which is just a book I started while at the beach this summer but never finished.  It’s just that I can’t force myself to read along this trip because I’m very picky about my reading spots.  That and I’m of the generation who doesn’t know what reading is.  We won’t laugh about that in the future, but we can laugh now.

Anyway, I decided to get back into listening to podcasts on my Creative Zen Vision W, or the Betamax player as it is known on my project team.  I have been away from podcasting in general for several years so I wasn’t sure what was still out there or what new good ones were available.  Here’s a quick list of the ones I have found that I have enjoyed so far.

Podcast Name Description
DiggNation DiggNation is pretty much where my world of podcasting started out. DiggNation, hosted by Kevin Rose and Alex Albrecht, discusses the week’s top stories from the social news site, Digg.com. I truly enjoy the way the two hosts play off of each other and the topics can range from tech, news, sports, etc. It is usually a random assortment of “news” selected by those that post to Digg. I have listened to this podcast since it was first started as just audio. Now with video, so much more is added to the experience.
NPR 7AM News I’m not a huge fan of the news, mainly because it is usually so depressing and only certain stories are stressed in the political realm. NPR’s 7AM news report provides me a fast and effective update for the day’s news stories. The report is offered in the audio clarity that only NPR can offer and usually is not much longer than 5 minutes in length. Perfect for a quick update.
PTI Pardon The Interruption has become my true DVR pleasure. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser are always entertaining and provide a quick shot of all the latest sports news. I love watching this show daily but I ran into an issue recently where I didn’t have time to watch the show each day. Thanks to the podcast, I don’t miss a beat. The audio only version of the show is not as good as the real thing but it is as close as you are going to get if you just don’t have the time to sit in front of a TV to enjoy. This one is not a push (Wilbon’s trademark).
If DiggNation was my first podcast, then This Week In Tech is my tied first. A weekly discussion of the week’s tech stories is hosted by Leo Laporte. This is truely a geek’s show but I still find my chance ot laugh and enjoy another dose of tech talk.
This Week In Google Provided by the same group that produces This Week In Tech and Security Now, TWIG (as it is known) follows the top stories related to Google or cloud computing. I’ve only had a chance to enjoy a single episode, but I did find it interesting enough to give it another shot. I’m just wondering if too much Leo Laporte in one week is good for me.
Security Now! Not long after I was listening to TWIT and DiggNation while in college, Security Now! began. I gave it a listen a few times in order to find out more within the security industry (might need this for work), but I just haven’t been able to consistently enjoy it. That basically means I’ll drop it soon, but for those that are concerned with their computer security, then give the show a chance. The show does find itself able to explain even the high level security issues so that normal users can understand them and how they could be affected.
AppJudgement DiggNation was the first of many shows to come for the Revision3 online network. For those familiar with the days of TechTV, you’ll notice many old faces. AppJudgement provides a simple review of applications or “apps” for smartphones. These reviews are for both iPhone and Android phones. Since I’m close to purchasing a smartphone (NOT AN IPHONE), I thought it’d be a great idea to begin finding some apps that I’d find useful. The show runs between 5-10 minutes so it is easy to get in, learn, and get out.
The Totally Rad Show With my enjoyment of Alex Albrecht from DiggNation (that’s too many plugs for that show), I thought I would try his second Revision3 show, The Totally Rad Show. TRS discusses movies, video games, and comic books. I tried a single episode and enjoyed it but not sure if I will continue thanks to a few of the other shows below.
CO-OP Need a review of current and future video games? Well, CO-OP is a well produced show that does just that. My introduction to the show was an older episode that discussed Uncharted 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wii since I had just played both of them recently. My time to spend playing games is not what it used to be but I might follow this show every now and then if I’m looking to find a new game to try.
InstMsgs InstMsgs had the most interesting concept in that they dramatize all things web. From instant messages to craigslist ads, they do it all. I first heard of this show from the first podcast listed above (I can’t name it again or I might have to start paying fees) and thought “Why not?” Well I jumped on for episode 8(Mad Men?) and that’s about as far as I’m going to get. The show was good and interesting but I don’t know if it is enough for me to keep going with it. Those who find lolcats funny might want to try episode 10.
iFanboy A podcast about comics? I’m so there! The discussion is sporadic in the episode (I’m only one in as of posting), but that’s the only way to describe comic book stories. Finding new comics, diving deeper into stories, or providing interviews, this is a great stop to keep up or find out more about the world of comics.
The Linux Outlaws Since moving to Linux, I wanted a chance to learn more on a more consistent basis. When I found Linux Outlaws, I thought that a podcast could be the perfect place if it was done correctly. Well I’m only one show in (Simple Doesn’t Equal Shit) and I have a few thoughts. First, I will not continue with this one if the running time is around 2 hours for each show. I need shows that are an hour or under to truly enjoy a show during the commute. Two hours is just way too much for me. Second, the content is there in this one. They discuss different flavors/distros, new application updates, and news within the Linux world. As long as the time is shortened for future episodes, I’ll continue listening along.

Anyone have any others I should try? I am interested in checking out others that are not only tech based but I do like what I like.

Posted under Games, Heroes, Internet, Linux, Movies, Sports | Tagged as , ,
Oct-31-2009

Cowabunga!

After years of wishing and hoping, I was finally able to dress as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. I may not have been my favorite, but a turtle is a turtle.

The party was great and the costumes were even better. I was unable to defend my Best Costume 2008 award, but the Democrat deserved the award for staying in character all night. I am jealous for not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize since he was handing them out to everyone.

Overall, I believe the Double Dare couple was the best. I mean, it was so simple yet so perfect. I wanted to throw my drink at them any time I was nearby so that I could win the physical challenge.

I was also shocked at how many people could tell that my shell was a papasan chair. I did receive several compliments and that was without being noticed as the guy that also brought the pizza to the party.

The party was great and the costumes keep getting better every year.

Posted under Heroes, Other
Jul-13-2009

Green Lantern’s Light

For quite some time I’ve wanted to write about something dealing with Green Lantern. He (or they) is (are) a superhero within the DC universe and is easily my favorite of all the superheroes.  Well, it now seems that I can post some interesting news thanks  to a wonderful week of many new notes concerning the Emerald Knight(s).

Movies
We all know that superhero movies are in high demand thanks to the wonderful successes over the years of X-Men, Spider-Man, Batman, and many more that are in development.  The movie industry has been trying for a number of years to put together a Green Lantern movie.  Originally slated as a comedy with Jack Black (worst idea ever), the execs finally decided to take a serious approach.  A director was quickly named (Martin Campbell of Casino Royale and Goldeneye fame) and the search for the lead began.  Several names were thrown out (Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, and Justin Timberlake (on second thought, this is the worst idea ever)), but in the end, the role went to………..Ryan Reynolds.

I can’t say I’m completely thrilled over the casting, but Ryan Reynolds brings a name to the screen and that might bring in the money to finance the movie and make a big sci-fi blockbuster. Ryan’s also a comic book fan and usually makes it known that he wants to stay real to the literature that is already out there. Hopefully this will be more evidence of that. Now that we have our hero, we need our future villain in Sinestro. My possible choices (if they have the money) are Alan Cumming, Hugo Weaving, or James Marsters.

Based on this fan made trailer, I’m hoping for something along the lines of the new Star Trek movie for sci-fi action.

Music
I know you are already questioning this section because you are scared of what a green lantern can offer in terms of music. Well, thanks to a Green Lantern Message board (yes, I am that much of a dork) I stumbled across a band (Kirby Krackle) that centers around video games, pop culture, and comic books. It’s indie/rock/comedy but the lyrics are well thought out in my eyes. Basically it’s Weird Al but with a band.


KIRBY%20KRACKLE
Quantcast

The GL factor is from their summer release titled, “Ring Capacity.” I’m in love with this song. It’s my new favorite even if that tells too much about me. However, “Up Down Up Down” and “Back to the Beginning (Mark Kart Song)” are growing on me quickly as well. For those that play Mario Kart, you just can’t beat lyrics such as:

There’s nothing better than a Blue Shell,
Send it off yeah and send the leader straight to hell
Somebody help me, I’m trying to get back to the beginning!

or

I’ve got a princess in my rear view mirror,
I’ve got Italians on either side,
I’ve got a feeling things aren’t gonna get better,
so I ride!

Comics
Now I can’t get out of here without mentioning the art of comic books. I’m not going to get into storylines or anything like that. I want to stick to the art itself. I’m a sucker for good cover art, evident by my recent purchase of the Green Lantern #43 variant by Rodolfo Migliari below (click for a larger version).

Green Lantern 43

The week prior I was also given a great cover for Captain America Reborn 1 by Alex Ross. Ross is one of my favorites thanks to his realistic depictions of the superheroes. While I’m here, I figure I can share some of my other favorite covers. Most of them are quite recent and are based on what covers I can remember that stood out or I could find.


Ultimates 2
#11

Captain America
#25

Dark Knight Returns
GN

Action Comics
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Posted under Heroes, Movies, Music
May-25-2009

Terminator Salvation

Terminator Salvation

I’m not going to hide from the fact that I was never really a fan of the other films. Sure, T2 was a marvel of modern technology at the time, but that was about it for me. Something about this film seemed interesting to me and that was just enough to get me to shell out the money to see Batman beat up some machines.

Salvation is set in the year 2018 where the war against the machines has begun (but not in a Matrix sort of way).  John Connor (Christian Bale) is not the leader of the resistance, but he certainly leads his own team.  Over the course of the war, the Resistance has found a signal that will act as an off switch for the machines and allow the humans to win the war.  However, things change when a new man is saved and is discovered to be one of the machines.  Marcus Wright believes he is human but slowly learns that he is nothing more than a project for a woman after he was put to death for past crimes.

Salvation is simply another post apocalyptic movie of the future where both Sony and Seven 11 are still around.  Remind me to invest in both soon rather than later.  The graphics are simply amazing throughout.  The Terminator movies always excelled in this category and this movie doesn’t disappoint.  I’d say the highlight of the film is known to some and others of us are kept in the dark about a special appearance.  Take a shot in the dark and you will get it.  Let’s just say what they can do with graphics today is shocking.  It’s just too bad that X-Men and Wolverine just made it look weird.

Overall I was pleased with this movie more than the others (minus T2), but it’s not great.  McG plus some horrible out of nowhere love story makes the movie fall short.  That and a post apocalyptic world that has a gas station sign set at 1.89 just doesn’t make me believe it is going to end like that.  Someone call Mad Max and maybe John Connor can fight it out for the new world.

In a non Terminator comment, go ahead and get used to Sam Worthington and Common.  Say hello to Hal Jordan and John Stewart respectively.

[Rating: 3/5]

Posted under Heroes, Movies
Mar-17-2009

Help Send David Away…

…To Zambia.

As the press release states, my good buddy David is leaving the country. I’m not truly sure why since it is in such perfect shape now, but that’s a different story for a different day on a different site.

In order to aid in the extradition transfer of this wonderful American and great guy, he is calling on the help of as many people his voice, his brother’s voice, and any one else’s voice can reach. You could even get a cool t-shirt out of the whole deal.

If you have the time, if you have the funds, if you have anything you can do to help, take the time and effort to help however you can. Please use the information contained on the press release for donations or best wishes.

Feel free to join the Facebook group as well.

Thanks in advance and did I mention the press release that you should read?

Posted under Heroes, Internet, Other