Chidi Okonkwo's Blog, page 39

DC COMICS CATWOMAN POSTERS ART GALLERY!

Created back in 1940 by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Catwoman [aka Selina Kyle] made her first appearance in Batman #1, and back then, she simply went by the moniker "The Cat". She was designed to be a smooth villain who had a love-hate relationship with Batman, while her signature weapon has always been a whip. There have been several costumes and identities that she's been adorned with over the years. And today we'll take a look at a few posters / wallpapers of Catwoman, including some new and classic images. 

Selena has always been a "bad girl", who utilized her cunning and acrobatic abilities to dominate her male counterparts. Back in the mid-90s, she was also featured as a recurring character in the Barman Animated Series. And her sex appeal has always been a tool that the writers and artists at DC Comics utilized as a magnet to attract fanboys to buy her books. The DSNG Artist did the pic on the left, while Adam Hughes did the beautiful pinup art on the right.

Below are a host of works that I've found around the Web, which showcase Catwoman over the years. And some of these images date back to 1999 [watch for a really classic "DC" logo on some of the pics].



[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this lengthy blog article!]


       



DC Comics Pinup art by Jim Balent, Scott Kolins and Paolo Pantalena.



      



Adam Hughes did all of the Catwoman comic covers above.



   



[Above: To pics by Jim Lee, the middle one is by Adam Hughes, and the last pic on the right is by Paul Gulacy. The pic below to the left is by a guy called Ceaser]



One of the most memorable Catwoman artists was Jim Balent, who did work for DC comics and he drew her from 1993 to 1999 [his work is in one of the first rows above]. And back then, Selina wore a purple costume, which really wasn't comprised from latex. Artist Paul Gulacy did the art for the sultry cat vixen from 2004 - 2005. Adam Hughes also did a lot of cover art for Catwoman, from 2005 to 2008. And the current artist for Catwoman is Guillem March, who started last year in 2011. Guillem is spearheading the New 52 relaunch of the famous cat burglar and some of his sexy art is showcased over HERE. 



Guillem also worked with writer Paul Dini in 2009 - 2011, on the Gotham City Sirens comic book. And it featured Catwoman, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. The book was focused on the exploits of the three ladies as bad guys, scamming, robbing and doing whatever they wanted, while often yielding a helping hand when it fitted into their grander schemes. 



 









Guillem did the first two pics in the first row, while Ed Benes did the pic of the "Batman Santa" and the DC vigilante ladies tagged as the Birds of Prey. And the last three pics above were done by Dustin Nguyen, Knytcrawlr, and Paulo Sequeira.



You can check out the previous article featuring sexy Catwoman cosplay HERE and Supergirl cosplay is over HERE 

And the previous blog article featuring a gallery of Marvel's Black Cat is HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

DC COMICS CATWOMAN COSPLAY!

Today we'll take a look at sexy cosplays featuring Catwoman, the sultry vixen from DC Comics. In the New 52 relaunch, artist Guillem March has taken up the sequential panel-drafting duties. And he certainly does an outstanding job - some samples of his work will be shown below. I've gathered some of the most alluring pictures of Catwoman from the Web and I've enhanced a few of them, to bring up their quality / appeal. The latex models shown are Bianca Beauchamp and Yaya Han [two young ladies that have been featured in this blog previously], along with Sophie Monk and Halle Berry [who starred in the Catwoman 2004 movie]. Also there are a few other models that will have to remain nameless for now - their cosplay pics had no name linked to them, when I discovered them.



  



     



[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this lengthy blog article!]




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And here is Catwoman comic art by Guillem March:

 

  

 

Those following the New 52 storyline of Catwoman [aka Selina Kyle] are probably aware of the engrafted sexual content scripted by writer Judd Winick into the storyline. It seems to be a fully sanctioned part of the story, receiving the green-light from the DC Comics publishers who want to create something that generates a buzz amongst fanboys on the Web. I really have no comment on that issue at this point - and honestly I have not read a single issue of the new Catwoman, because it didn't appeal to me that much. When the current story arc is complete, I'll take a closer look at the graphic novel and give you a more comprehensive overview.





Anne Hathaway, the new Catwoman actress is shown here, in a candid behind-the-scenes look at the Dark Knight Rises 2012 movie, while she rides the "bat-cycle"; her latex costume certainly doesn't look as flashy/shiny as the costumes worn by the ladies shown above. I assume that issue is of no consequence, as long as she does a damn good job in her acting role. When she showed up at the Spike Video Game Awards last year, she looked rather fit, having squared shoulders. No doubt she certainly had to put on some extra weight and body mass for the female heroine role. The details on her classic love-hate relationship with Batman are still quite classified. But every question will be answered later this year when the new Batman movie is released, on the 20th of July, 2012.



More Steampunk cosplaypics of Yaya Han: HERE



More sexy Supergirl cosplay pics of Bianca Beauchamp: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

WHITNEY HOUSTON PASSES AWAY AT AGE 48...

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY AND CLASSIC PICS OF AN INTERNATIONAL POP MUSIC ICON.



According to confirmed reports in Los Angeles, CA, Whitney Elizabeth Houston died on Saturday the 11th of February 2012 in the Beverly Hilton Hotel, while a Grammy party at that facility organized by the famous record producer Clive Davis was still in its prepping stages. She was 48 years old when she passed and her body was found at about 3:55pm in the afternoon, in her room. Destined for greatness due to her voice and natural charisma, Whitney was a pop music / R&B icon and a motivation to her generation.



She was born in East Orange, New Jersey, on August 9th 1963. Over her career, she had a lengthy list of accolades that literally broke world records. Whitney Houston's list of awards includes 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and those are amongst a grand total of 415 career awards as of 2010.



[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this blog article!]




She was married to R&B bad boy Bobby Brown in 1992 after a 3-year-courtship - and their relationship caused many critics to say that "opposites really do attract". And they had a daughter in 1993 named Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. Her latter life was plagued with alcohol and drug addiction, which led her to repeated tenures at rehab facilities. Autopsy results by medical examiners in the Beverly Hills area are yet to confirm the true cause of her death at this point. Whitney will best be remembered for encouraging people to pursue their dreams, and her classic songs like "I'm every woman" and "I will always love you" will never be forgotten.



To conclude this article, I'll present a few classic images from the Web that showcase Whitney in her prime. And you'll notice that one of the most interesting pictures of her is a People Magazine cover from 1986, showing a beloved princess from the UK [Diana] and a crazy dictator from Libya [Gaddafi]....







And Check out these other cool DSNG Blog articles!



JEREMY RENNER TAKES UP THE LEAD ROLE IN THE NEXT JASON BOURNE MOVIE: HERE



THE MASS EFFECT 3 VIDEO GAME GALLERY HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH COOL SCI FI POSTERS AND SCREENSHOTS: HERE



CONCEPT ART FROM THE NEW TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTON GAME:  HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

MASS EFFECT 3 GALLERY, NEW CLIPS AND SCI FI WALLPAPERS!

 



Next month, one of the most highly anticipated games of the year will be launched on the major consoles [Xbox 360, PS3 and PC]. And Mass Effect 3 [ME3] was already generating a stir on the Web amongst sci fi and gaming fans before the clip that debuted last year during the Spike TV Video Game Awards Show. Commander Shephard returns in this final ME3 adventure on the 6th of March 2012, and he [or she, depending upon the character sprite you created in game #1 released back in 2007] will be joined by familiar cast members like Miranda, Jack, Samara, Liara, Joker, Tali [a Shadow Broker], Legion, Grunt, Urdnot, Mordin, Ashley [a Spectre], Garrus [an Assassin] and several others - but remember that anyone of your squad members who died in the previous game, ME2, will not be in ME3.



  







Miranda [shown on the left] and Kasumi, a DLC character [shown above] were both featured in the previous game, ME2 - and it's from that pool of digital data that I sourced their cool posters. With each Mass Effect title, the sci fi world kept growing, giving fans more of an in-depth gaming experience. And one of the intriguing things about this game is the "transferable relationships".

 

In my opinion, this Mass Effect 3 video game is a cross between the Cyberbunk and Space Military Sci Fi genres. Take a look at these wallpapers and posters and you'll see what I mean.



[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this lengthy blog article!]


    





 



  



Starting back in 2007 as a breakthrough sci fi game produced by the Canadian firm Bioware, the Mass Effect franchise has gotten better and better with each interpretation. And the third installment of the adventures of Commander Shepherd and his band of merry men [and feisty alien women] looks like it is tinkering on the verge of a global catastrophe, as the insidious Reaper Aliens are attempting to devour the earth and destroy its inhabitants via their mechanical monstrosities. Observe the cool sci fi concept art on the left, showing the 3D views of a female N7 operative with gothic / cyberpunk themes [And an image of a Reaper mecha unit with spider legs was shown in the gallery above].



The fun fact about Mass Effect is that with each new game, you can import previously saved files that will literally transfer the past decisions you made in the past games, bringing them into the new game. And this affects your game sprite's reality in a radical way. That is why I said earlier that anyone of your squad members who died in the previous game, ME2, will not be in ME3, if you choose to upload your former game data.



The clip below summarizes part of the objectives in the new game:









More classic screenshots from past Mass Effect games, showing the sultry Miranda and the sexy Samara:



     



Bioware has also confirmed that any weapons Shepard acquired in Mass Effect 2 will carry over to Mass Effect 3; and this includes weapons added by the Firepower pack DLC.  In previous Mass Effect games there have been a few categories of weapons to choose from. The type of weapon you are able to use depends upon the sprite class you choose to play as, or the unlocks that you choose in the story. The main sci fi weapons used by Shepard and his crew include heavy pistols, assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, grenades, heavy weapons, and sub-machine guns. Each weapon is chosen from the selection "weapon wheel". But you can only switch between the weapons that you have unlocked and equipped.



The poster below on the left shows the former set of sci fi weapons and laser guns that the players could select in ME2. And in the ME3 game, the first two special weapons that can be acquired when the game is pre-ordered online are shown on the right [a raider shotgun and an assault rifle]:



  





THE OMNI BLADE TOOL / FANCY ENERGY WEAPON TOOL



Additionally, there is a new weapon in the game that already has several forum discussion boards buzzing and debating about its authenticity: enter the Omni-blade, the holographic energy weapon that is protracted from the hi-tech gauntlet of Commander Shephard.



The Mass Effect Codex Staff have said this about the weapon, shown below on the right:

________________________________________________________________ 



Omni-tools are handheld devices that combine a computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and minifacturing fabricator. Versatile and reliable, an Omni-tool can be used to analyze and adjust the functionality of most standard equipment, including weapons and armor, from a distance.



The fabrication module can rapidly assemble small three-dimensional objects from common, reusable industrial plastics, ceramics, and light alloys. This allows for field repairs and modifications to most standard items, as well as the reuse of salvaged equipment. Omni-tools are standard issue for soldiers and first-in colonists.

________________________________________________________________ 



Umm.... yeah, it sounds more like an indirect way to say: "We really don't know what it is, but you can use it in the game..."



And here are what some fans have said in the forums, regarding the tool:

________________________________________________________________



It's probably a upgrade to the Omni-tool technology - one issued specifically to soldiers and special ops personnel.

The Omni-Blade seems consistent to me as we already know that Mass Effect has the technology to create solid holograms capable of inflicting injuries or even killing you. The simulators on Pinnacle Station in ME1 did it all the time - especially if the safety protocols were deactivated.

As for how the blade works I guess it probably involves a combination of holographics and kinetic barriers to create a hard, cutting surface. I have to wonder though will there be different variants of the Omni-Blade for different clases e.g a Biotic could have a Omni-Blade that uses dark energy harnessed from his or her body by the tool and formed into a cutting blade.

________________________________________________________________ 



I think the hardcore Mass Effect game players seem to know more about the weapon's operational details than the game creators....

Mass Effect 3 hits stores on March 6th 2012 and it concludes the game trilogy.



And Check out the past articles on Sci Fi Futuristic Costume Designs: PART1 and PART 2!- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

NEW TRAILER FOR THE BOURNE LEGACY MOVIE, STARING JEREMY RENNER!

Movie preview and the new Action Trailer! [Plus Link to Wrath of the Titans Wallpapers!]



[image error] Jeremy received critical acclaim after his performance in The Hurt Locker in 2009. And now, the roles of 'Hawkeye' in The Avengers 2012 movie , 'Agent William Brandt' in the Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol movie [which was released last year in December 2011] and 'Hansel' in the cinematic comedy/action film tagged as Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters [slated for 2013] are three of the roles that have positioned Jeremy Renner as a modern action star. But over the past two years people have been buzzing about the performance he is destined to present in the role of Aaron Cross, a "borderline rogue / outcome agent" from the BlackBriar Training Program, who was trained like Jason Bourne - that character was classically played by Matt Damon in three hit movies linked to the character created by the late writer, Robert Ludlum.

 

And the forthcoming 2012 action movie, The Bourne Legacy, appears to feature the evolution and launching platform of Aaron Cross, Jeremy Renner's character. Honestly, this movie is a bit of a conceptual spin off, since I'm uncertain about how the infamous Operation Treadstone, a mainstay of the original movies, comes into play in this particular plot. I've read a few of the Bourne books and there is no operative called Aaron, who was just as much of a bad-ass as Jason Bourne. But there have always been other assassins and trained killers that have battled Jason relentlessly, creating a dynamic maelstrom that is commonly resolved amidst the last chapters of the books.



[image error] However, the creative team behind the forthcoming Bourne Legacy movie have decided to initiate a catchy tag line that says "There was never only one", implying that Aaron was one of the many trained operatives from the Blackbriar Training Program like Jason, who were assigned to other missions around the globe simultaneously. And the other statement "Jason Bourne was just the tip of the iceberg" appears to be another tag designed to lure fans into an expanded universe for the movie franchise.

The movie director Tony Gilroy [who acted as screenwriter in the first three Bourne movies] has brought back various cast members like Albert Finney, Ward Abbott and Joan Allen [who played CIA Department Director Pamela Landy, shown in the wallpaper below]  from the 2004 Bourne Supremacy movie, in order to create a memorable scenario that will yield nostalgic vibes in the minds of the fans. The colloquial terms "sidequel" and "full-spin-off" have been linked to this new Bourne movie amongst fans on the Web. But from the trailer below it looks like this flick is going to be tagged as "blockbuster" as well, before the year is over.



[image error] According to Web sources that talk about the synopsis, in the beginning of the new movie a man Kenneth Gitson comes to the CIA and willfully submits himself to the Blackbriar Program in order to serve his country. And after some years of training, he becomes Agent Aaron Cross, a guy who plays by his own rules - therefore they tag him as an "Outcome Agent", a guy who is NOT suffering from amnesia, so he knows exactly who he is and what he wants to do for his own personal agenda. I'll update this article when there are more details on the plot of the movie, but you can check out the trailer below that showcases snapshots of the action:







The Bourne Legacy is slated to be released in August towards the end of the summer, on 08/03/2012.



The Latest Article on beautiful female aliens is HERE 

And the article featuring New movie posters for the the 2012 action flick Wrath of the Titans staring "the man on the ledge", Sam Worthington, is over HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

THE FUTURISTIC AUDI R10 SUPER SPORTS CAR!

Back in 2008 when the first Ironman movie from Marvel Studios was released, a lot of fans were intrigued to see the sports car that Tony Stark drove around the city in. It was an Audi R8, which was a flashy concept car at that time [it was showcased in the Paris Auto Show in 2006, and the vehicle's creators were contacted by Marvel execs in the developmental stages of the superhero flick]. And the vehicle seemed to be the perfect fit for the suave, rich, eccentric character played perfectly by Robert Downey Jr.. The LED Headlamps of the R8 are sleek and cool, while it is equipped with a standard 4.2 liter V8 engine - which can be upgraded to a V10. This racer has a top speed of approximately 200 mph. The body of the sports car is made from a light hi-tech aluminum structure tagged as the Audi Space Frame. And it is available as a 2-door coupe, the GT model, or the convertible Spyder.



[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this blog article!]


Based on the Audi Le Mans quattro that debuted in 2003, the Audi R8 is a street legal racer that yields a sense of power and refinement.



Jon Favreau, the director of the 2008 and 2010 Ironman movies had this to say during post-production: "...The R8 is the perfect car for Tony Stark... it is a technical masterpiece ... and it's the ultimate eye-catcher.

 

This vehicle definitely has a sci fi feel to it. And these screenshots below from the movie will give flashbacks of the R8, showing its silver, chrome and black accents that stand out in the daytime and at night.



    



But a year after that superhero movie was released, a concept artist named Marouane Bembli from Sweden did some design studies to create a next generation model of the R8 - enter the R10. The three images below are the only images on the Web tied to this particular R10 Super Sports Car, since officially Audi is yet to unveil even the R9 concept car. According to the artist, the Audi R10 features a mid-mounted V10 engine and its estimated price is probably about $300,000 - that's pocket change for a billionaire, yet it appears that Robert Downey Jr. will be driving another concept car by Acura [Honda Motor Company] in the forthcoming The Avengers 2012 movie - and a pic of that ride is in this Other Article. 



   



So what do you think? The best of the best, or just a futuristic Autobot dream car? All right, now I'll help you make up your mind. Imagine sitting in the driver's seat of that ruby-red R10 Super car... and you've been granted access to the Autobahn in Germany - one of the most popular expressways in the world with absolutely no speed limit - and now, imagine you've got a full tank of gas and the voice-activated CD player comes on and plays this for you:

 





Assuming you survive the high-speed race across Europe while listening to that classic track, I'm sure you'll agree that the R10 is a concept design that the engineers at Audi ought to take very seriously...



More concept cars are in the blog archives: HERE  



And visit the DSNG Blog Homepage to view other new articles: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

SEXY ANIME CARTOON WALLPAPERS - PART 3

Some time ago I did a stunning article on Pawg and Whooty; and that post was created as a joke, following a trend that I had seen in another guy's blog.... yet that infamous post featuring voluptuous vixens and Hip Hop models became one of the most popular articles in this blog. Today, I continue to appeal to the predominantly male audience that browse through this site. And I've found some more anime posters / sexy wallpapers from the Web to present here.



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[You may need to Click on the "Read More" link to view the rest of this blog article!]


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The posters above are by various digital artists, linked to cartoons and video games. The Anime style of drawing and painting busty female characters with small heads and big eyes originates in Japan. And it is possible to endlessly speculate as to why the Manga comic artists from the East keep drawing voluptuous girls in small bikinis and tight dresses.... no need to focus on that issue, as I've talked about it before...



Part 2 of this article is over HERE  and Part 1 of this article is HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

EXPLORING DSNG - PART 17: BEAUTIFUL FEMALE ALIENS v2

Another filthy rich young lady...



Today we continue on the overview articles for the DSNG Sci Fi Series. And we take a candid look at Velint Veraguddon. Her first name is pronounced as "Vel-lean" and she is a four-armed Scalatan with alluring pink skin. Velint made her debut back in DSNG Book 2, having a minor role in the storyline of that ebook. And in the forthcoming DSNG Chronicles Book 7, she has a major role. The classic article on her alien race is over HERE and it includes some data about her elder sister, Voxxy.



All right, despite the fact that she's got an hourglass shape and a big booty, do not think that she was inspired by Pinky.... the urban PrOn star. In fact, Velint was designed years before I knew that Pinky even existed. But perhaps she has a resemblance to Nicki Minaj as well.... I wrote an article on that gifted & eccentric female rapper HERE.

 

Although she has the stout horns of a demon upon her head, Velint is a pop-diva with an angelic voice. She also has various intriguing tentacles on her body, and she is completely bald. Velint is the last of eight kids. Her famous father, an adamant polygamist, had five sons and three daughters; and one of her elder brothers is dead, having perished under questionable circumstances.

As the precious baby of the family, Velint is used to practically getting anything she wants at any time; after all, she is daddy's little girl, and her clandestine dad is one of the most affluent businessmen in the four sectors of the Makuran Galaxy. She has a powerful guardian named Gildat [her name is pronounced as "Gill-dah", since the the last alphabet in her name, "t" , is a silent consonant in the Scalatan language]. Gildat used to be a lawyer and she was an avid bodybuilder for many years. Yet these days she happily plays the role of chaperone and personal adisor for the young pop-diva.... and the fact that Velint's father pays her millions annually for the job is probably one of her major incentives.



There is another pink-skinned young lady that accompanies Velint as she travels from place to place performing live shows to support her H-DVD album sales: her name is Bleekat, and she is a professional maid. Thus she gets paid to literally clean up after Velint, taking care of her laundry and cooking anything she desires with the skill of a gourmet chef. But Bleekat is more than a sensual french maid with a sexy latex outfit and a satin underbust lace corset. She is a highly skilled martial artist, who commonly steps up to defend the honor of the witty pop-diva, who has a sharp mouth that often invites calamity. Bleekat and Gildat have short hair, and they both have voluptuous bosoms; yet they both do not carry themselves in flirtatious flimsy manners. They are both strong-willed and disciplined and one of them is gifted with telepathic powers...



The sci fi wallpaper / poster below showcases the three sexy female aliens, showing [from left to right] Bleekat, Velint and Gildat.







Click on the "Read More" link to see more information from this article...


...In the wallpaper, Bleekat is shown with two customized Katana blades and two sci fi semiautomatic handguns. And Gildat is shown with a custom broad sword along with a laser handgun. All of their weapons are created by a firm called VWS - Vector Weapons Systems - and that is one of the nine mega-corporations owned by Velint's father, Lord Vikktor Veraguddon. You could consider Lord Veraguddon as a sadistic villain, but that would be a great underestimation of his intellect and influential scope. He is separate from the Gorilla Rebel Militia, the main bad guys in the DSNG Sci Fi Series - and the only article that talks a bit about that diabolical group is over HERE. Hopefully I'll produce more articles about the DSNG Villains soon.



There are other cool articles in this blog that showcase pinups and wallpapers of beautiful female aliens, like the one HERE.



This post is Part 17 out of 17 articles. You can catch up on the other articles in this series Overview, by following the sequential links below. And stay tuned for DSNG Chronicles Book 7 coming hopefully at the end of February 2012!



Part 1: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/01/exploring-dsng-series-part-1.html

Part 2: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/01/exploring-dsng-series-part-2.html

Part 3: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/01/exploring-dsng-part-3.html

Part 4: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/01/exploring-dsng-part-4-elena-eden.html

Part 5: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/02/exploring-dsng-part-5-alpha-senturi.html

Part 6: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/02/exploring-dsng-part-6-yatalia.html

Part 7: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/03/exploring-dsng-part-7-kinera.html

Part 8: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/03/exploring-dsng-part-8-scalatans.html

Part 9: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/04/exploring-dsng-part-9-scalatans-v2.html

Part 10: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/05/exploring-dsng-part-10-katarans.html

Part 11: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/06/exploring-dsng-part-11-usual-unusual.html

Part 12: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/07/exploring-dsng-part-12-beautiful-female.html Part 13: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/07/exploring-dsng-part-13-fire-and-ice.html Part 14: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/08/exploring-dsng-part-14-planet-entrados.html 

Part 15: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/10/exploring-dsng-part-15-elena-vs-shelly.html 

Part 16: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/2011/12/exploring-dsng-part-16-dinatour-alien.html  



Blog Home Page: HERE - Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

HISTORICAL REVIEW OF A FALLING GAME GIANT: NINTENDO [PLUS SEXY PICS OF MORRIGAN - DARKSTALKERS]

Company history of the Japanese gaming giant, along with an incisive analysis on business strategies.



I was going over some news articles this week and they sparked my curiosity quite a bit. I'm sure most of you reading this blog are aware of a certain computer console called the Nintendo, which was birthed in the mind of a man named by Fusajiro Yamauchi, back in the year 1889. They've tried a variety of business ventures, ranging from classic playing cards to a "love hotel" [yes, they built a hotel specifically designed for passionate & kinky rendezvouses for couples in Japan]. And eventually, they started making video game systems from what can be viewed as compressed / portable arcade modules - after receiving inspiration from the Atari firm. The first in-home gaming console that Nintendo made with a single game was called the Magnavox Odyssey back in 1974. And in 1981 they made the arcade game called Donkey Kong, which became a smash hit; and it was the birthing place of a certain Italian plumber named Mario, who would later elevate the company to the status of a global mega-corporation.



In 1983, they launched the legendary NES - the Nintendo Entertainment System / Famicom. That console was the gateway for classics such as Mario Bros, Zelda, Mega Man and Castlevania to come forth into the world. And 8 years later in 1991 they launched the SNES - aka the Super Nintendo. The SNES's best selling game was Super Mario World, selling over 20 million copies world wide. And the Street Fighter II legendary game line was also starting to emerge at this time, translating from an arcade phenomenon to a highly addictive SNES home game in 1992.



The exciting Nintendo 64 and the Game Cube consoles followed in 1996 and 2001 respectively. And between those two time periods, one of their most notorious rivals, the Play Station 2, was already breaking into the scene [as of 1999]. And in the handheld category, the Gameboy [with its strange blue-green-and-white screen] came out in 1990. And its two successors, the Gameboy Color and the Gameboy Advance followed in 1998 and 2001 respectively.

BTW, this article is quite lengthy... So you'll have to click "Read More" to see the rest of the pics....




Now lets fast-forward the clock about a decade and arrive at the year 2010. By this time, the revolutionary Nintendo Wii has already been produced, a system that caused a lot of people to get off the couch and "shake their butts" in front of a flat screen. And the Nintendo DS was already about 5 years old at this time.

Yet in 2010, using the month of March as a benchmark, Nintendo had a profit of about 2.45 billion US Dollars. And in 2011, Nintendos net profits dropped about 66% [that's more than half] and they had a profit of 946 million US dollars. They've already started dropping the price of their Nintendo 3DS machines back in August of 2011 and that doesn't seem to be helping them at all.  In fact as of January 2012, Nintendo 3DS has a new official warning released by the Japanese firm, stating that kids below 6 years of age should NOT play with their handheld platform, while adults are advised to take "periodic breaks" so that their eyes will not suffer stressful harm. The external Web article that talks about that issue is over HERE. And retail market forecasts are pointing out that Nintendo is destined to have more losses in the near future, despite their forthcoming home entertainment system called the Nintendo Wii U that will debut in December 2012.





I decided to take a look at the other side of the coin and noted that buyers and fans are often the best critics. And amidst the comments listed below one of the articles that I researched, someone said he had an 11-year-old son who had no interest in Nintendo games... and as a father who played their original NES and SNES, neither did he. He stated that the game manufacturer ought to remember that their original hardcore fans have all grown up... and thus the myriad of childish games that have been the focus of the Nintendo design teams are truly a wasted effort. In fact, this guy claimed that when he plugged his son's Nintendo DS into a big screen, the magnified graphics looked like garbage, and even the games from the SNES looked better in his opinion. Yet he echoed the fact that the childish games were still one of his greatest turn-offs from the modern Nintendo products.



That is a rather interesting confession; because the other big boys on the block, Sony's PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's XBOX 360, are producing a lot of mature games like Modern Warfare, and Mass Effect. From www.IGN.com, the Top-3 games of 2011 for the XBOX 360 were: Gears of War 3, Dead Space 2 and LA Noir. And for the PS3, the Top-3 games of 2011 were: Batman Arkam City, Rage, and The Last Guardian.



Clearly from the short lists above, the level of the video game maturity is obvious. And the top selling games from both consoles involve violence and intense action.

 

I will not say that all of Nintendo's financial problems will disappear overnight if they start producing more violent video games.... but what the hell happened to addictive games starring Zelda and Mega Man? What about an F-Zero game that is actually worth playing, per graphics and game dynamics? [Back in 2011, Need For Speed: The Run, Forza Motorsport 4 and Driver: San Fransisco showed gamers what racing games should actually look and feel like]. It seems like Nintendo fell into a comfort zone over the years, and the danger of that mentality is that the company will inadvertently turn into a dinosaur, one who is too lazy and reluctant to evolve with changing times. Mega Man X with his complete armor upgrades is on the left, while the classic blue-bomber who ruled the NES console is on the right side.



And here is the link to the trailer for a futuristic racer game called Wipeout2048, which looks better than any of the F-Zero games ever created --> HERE



BTW, as of 2011, Mega Man has been cancelled; Capcom has no more plans to utilize the character in creating any new games, leaving Mega Man in the gaming graveyard that holds Ms. Morrigan Aensland and the Darkstalkers. And for those who don't know who Morigan is, I've assembled a few sexy pinups and cosplay pics of her from around the Web:



         





  





In the Darkstalkers game / anime series, Morrigan is a succubus designed with large breasts, sexy hips and long legs; thus she is actually a female demon. According to folklore, succubus demons tend to appear in dreams as sexy women, who seduce men and have sex with them while they are asleep. Moriggan does often make cameos in the Marvel Vs. Capcom gaming series, but there are no plans by Capcom to give her a solo game any time soon.





Now lets get back to the topic of the toppling corporate giants that refuse to evolve with changing times and market trends. Another example of this lack of evolution can be seen in the financial and production records of KODAK. That company is about 131 years old and they are now filling for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, as of January 2012. I'm sure that while you were growing up in the 80s [and even in the mid-90s] you once bought a "disposable camera with Kodak film inside it", which you joyfully utilized to capture your Spring Break / Disney World / Mardi Gras / Bachelor Party / Freaknik Escapades [ATL in the house] / and Hot Date memories.



But are you aware that Kodak was the firm that created the digital camera?? And now they're broke?? Well, in 2011 the company realized that no magical event was going to redeem them from their maelstrom of dismay, which was apparently drawing them into a deep whirlpool of debt. Last year, Kodak listed $5.1 billion in assets and $6.75 billion in debt. So clearly the books aren't balancing. But how does a firm that holds a host of ingenious patents go broke? And how is it that they created the digital camera technology that we use today, and yet the #1 selling digi-cameras in the world are not from the Kodak brand? [BTW, Game footage from Gears Of  War 3 is shown on the left. And the blog article with the cool real-life GOW3 Trike is over HERE]



It seems rather obvious that when a company becomes too complacent then it will face immense financial woes in the future. I read another article that talked about the company called Research In Motion (RIM), the firm that created the BlackBerry phones; and the report on Yahoo! news indicated that they'd lost over 50 billion US Dollars in revenue over the past 3 years - due to another company called Apple, who created smartphones with addictive touchscreens. RIM later decided to compete with the Apple iPad by making the smaller Blackberry Playbook, with a touchscreen. Bad move; Apple crushed them easily and now the two co-founders of RIM are stepping down, handing the firm's control over to another guy, a much younger operator. Back in the summer of 2008, the Blackberry Thunder with its touchscreen was released at some tech-expos, in order to compete withe the IPhone; but that concept appears to have never taken root in the hearts of consumers. It was followed by the Blackberry Storm in 2009, and that also didn't blow away the competition.



 



[Shown above from left to right: The Blackberry Bold 9650, the Pearl 3G, The Thunder, The Storm and the futuristic Empathy - which may be launched in 2012 / 2013]

In business, evolution is nothing to be afraid of. And keeping an eye upon the audience and their growing tastes is something that large firms need to always consider. There used to be a Japanese firm back in the 80s and 90s that made typewriters and sewing machines. They are called Brother Industries. And that firm is still doing profitable business today, making all-in-one printers and other large machines for office use. Perhaps the guys at Nintendo need to evolve as well, and make games that will attract not just kids, but the mature gamers as well, who are now focused on playing warfare games on the XBOX Live and Playstation Network virtual fields.



Check out more cool Capcom VS Marvel 3 posters over HERE



And more posters / artwork from the DSNG Sci fi Series is over HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]

GAME PREVIEW AND OFFICIAL CONCEPT ART FOR DARKSIDERS 2

     



Created by pro artist Joe Madureira, the Darksiders II video game sequel [also abbreviated as DS-II] will be debuting sometime in the summer of 2012, later this year. Joe is the creator of the Battle Chasers comic from the 90s, and back in 2007 he co-founded Virgil Games [later purchased by THQ]. And in 2010 he released the fantasy game Darksiders-I for the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles - and true fans were overjoyed that the games did not ship late to retail outlets :) Yes, I just had to go there.



Founded perhaps in an alternate reality, Darksiders-I features War, one of the  Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse - he is shown on the left. And it follows his quest to find out who prematurely triggered the apocalypse and caused the destruction of mankind on Earth. Taking loose facts from the Bible while blatantly following the classic quest/puzzle/battle game-style of Legend of Zelda, this game received mixed reviews mostly in the mid-80% range; but it was still very entertaining and it featured warrior angels, dark angels, demons and a host of larger-than-life villains and scenery designed by Joe Mad. Uriel, a female warrior angel shown above, also had a big role in DS-I, along with Abaddon, the guy who turned out to be a traitor. BTW, The first image at the top of this article was done by the DSNG Artist, while the other two were done by Joe Mad. I've also tweaked the lighting and added some highlights to the weapon held by Mr. Death in the third image.



And this year, the THQ sponsored game, Darksiders II, is set to feature another one of the 4-Horsemen: Death. He is like an elder brother to War and his weapon of choice is a special pair of large sickles, often regarded to as giant scythe blades. According to interviews with the game's creative directors, Death [the brother of War] will not see his blood-brother be victim to false accusations; and he is going to go to battle against angels, demons and the "undead" too to prove his brothers innocence - thus he is destined to travel to a city of angels, a city of demons and a city of the undead. He will have a horse and he will have the ability to pick up other weapon such as giant hammers, maces and handguns. And he is designed to have a more darker personality than his brother [but honestly they do NOT look like siblings at all].



I've collected a host of images from the Web,...




 





  



And these other pencil drawings, pinups and concept art pics are from the original Darksiders-I video game:



    



     



The last four images above were concept art pinups released back in 2010 by Joe Mad, showing his vision for the Four Horsemen [which includes one woman] and hopefully he wants to create a Video Game Tetralogy Franchise. After the colored poster of War, you have Death, Strife and Ms. Fury. Of course, their final designs and weapons are subject to change by Joe and his creative art team.





The first Darksiders fantasy game definitely had a lot of humongous characters, as displayed by the screenshot above, which features War [on the right] confronting Ulthane. Just image the sort of impact that the guy on the left will have with a sledgehammer attack against the shorter guy taunting him on the right....



 



Released on the Web last week, this Youtube video below shows a preview clip of Darksiders II - Death Rises and it features game footage and interviews. And hopefully this game will have a solid plot intertwined into the quest storyline....









More artwork from Joe Mad linked to the recent Avenging Spider-man Comic series can be found HERE



And the artwork linked to Battlechasers Comic showing the sexy heroine Red Monika is located HERE



And you can return to the Blog Homepage to see more articles!- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]