Chidi Okonkwo's Blog, page 42
November 30, 2011
THE BEST BATMAN BEYOND COSPLAY COSTUME, PLUS NOSTALGIC EPISODE CLIP
Back to the Future - Revisiting an Archaic Classic that had Futuristic Themes
Back in 1999, Under the direction of Bruce Timm as a series producer / concept artist, WB Animation released a futuristic take on the Dark Knight, tilted Batman Beyond. It ran for 3 seasons [from 1999 - 2001] and had a total of 52 Episodes, along with one spin-off cartoon movie. The original costume of the main protagonist of the series was actually very... bland and flat, void of textures and lacking a host of muscular bulges. Then again, the hero Terry was a teenager with an edgy attitude [who somehow had the genetics of Bruce Wayne in him, although he wasn't Bruce's direct son] and he was void of a muscular frame. Producer Bruce Timm's art-style was the dominant trademark for the series, thus his sharp lines and often angular presentations of the human anatomy resulted in peculiar body frames for the male and female characters. And somehow, it worked very well for the show.
Here is a look at a conceptual sketch made by an artist named Saiful Haque, who resides in Glendale CA, where he is studying in the Art Center College of Design. His cool blog is over HERE. The second image on the right was by an unspecified artist, done in Bruce Timm's style for the classic cartoon.
Those familiar with the new Batman: Arkam City video game will recall that back in August of this year, some retailers seeking game pre-orders offered a host of variant skins / costumes for Batman that can be used by the game players. And the image below shows the line up [which includes a buffed version of Batman Beyond].
Currently, Batman Beyond [aka the teenager Terry McGinnis] was exclude from the New 52 DC Comics relaunch, which occurred a few months ago.
Personally I do not think that the relaunch across the board for every single DC Comics title was necessary. And like dwindling flames, more than half of those 52 released comic books [which were all forcefully reverted back to issue #1s] are not selling in large quantities, as fans are unimpressed with the numerous superficial origin stories. And some origin stories are so old and set in stone that rewriting them is probably a waste of time.
While holding to the pre-established long-running issue numbers, a brand new arc guided by a new writer teamed with a flashy artist would be better for books like Batman, Superman, Flash, Supergirl [her new costume is shown Here], Power Girl & Wonder Woman. And by the way, Power Girl was excluded from the New 52 lineup as well, although I think she's been recently recruited into a new comic book featuring a host of B-Class superheroes. Jim Lee did revamp the Justice League... and the guys at Newsarama.com gave his comic issue #1 a rating of about "9 out of 10 stars", while issue #3 got "3 out of 10 stars".
Holy Crap... If the Legendary Godfather of Modern American Comic-book Art & Wildstorm Comics Jim Lee is getting 3 out of 10 stars, then my fellow artists, GOD HELP US ALL.
Jim is in a league all by himself. I just can't image the entire industry being what it is today without him, since he's worked with Marvel & DC Comics numerous times over the years. You can right-click on this link & check out the Justice League poster by Jim Lee in this aritcle over HERE.
His works commenced at Wildstorm / Image Comics made him a millionaire in the late 1990s and early 2000s, per the licensing of his original characters for the creation of toys and cartoon series. And by the way, Jim's artwork in the New 52 Justice League Comic wasn't the problematic issue that received the intense criticism from the Newsarama.com crew & fans alike. It was the story's painfully sluggish pace and aggravating shallowness that offended the readers.
Perhaps throwing away the legacy of some series that ran for up to 600 [and even up to 900] non-stop sequential issues [records created by comic books like Superman / Action Comics] wasn't such a good idea for DC after all....
Enough about my thoughts on the New 52, here is a classic episode of Batman Beyond for you to watch. In this Episode 13 from Season 3, Terry [the futuristic Batman] reveals his true identity to a young boy, and that act leads to catastrophic results... By the way, you may have to click on the video player below twice, and ignore the Ad that pops up giving you some download options. The vid was borrowed and embedded from another Web site, which I'm not affiliated with.
Artwork of Wonder woman & Batman by Jim Lee, & the DSNG Artist in this blog: HERE
More Art with Batman & Superman by Michael Turner: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
Back in 1999, Under the direction of Bruce Timm as a series producer / concept artist, WB Animation released a futuristic take on the Dark Knight, tilted Batman Beyond. It ran for 3 seasons [from 1999 - 2001] and had a total of 52 Episodes, along with one spin-off cartoon movie. The original costume of the main protagonist of the series was actually very... bland and flat, void of textures and lacking a host of muscular bulges. Then again, the hero Terry was a teenager with an edgy attitude [who somehow had the genetics of Bruce Wayne in him, although he wasn't Bruce's direct son] and he was void of a muscular frame. Producer Bruce Timm's art-style was the dominant trademark for the series, thus his sharp lines and often angular presentations of the human anatomy resulted in peculiar body frames for the male and female characters. And somehow, it worked very well for the show.
Here is a look at a conceptual sketch made by an artist named Saiful Haque, who resides in Glendale CA, where he is studying in the Art Center College of Design. His cool blog is over HERE. The second image on the right was by an unspecified artist, done in Bruce Timm's style for the classic cartoon.
Those familiar with the new Batman: Arkam City video game will recall that back in August of this year, some retailers seeking game pre-orders offered a host of variant skins / costumes for Batman that can be used by the game players. And the image below shows the line up [which includes a buffed version of Batman Beyond].
Currently, Batman Beyond [aka the teenager Terry McGinnis] was exclude from the New 52 DC Comics relaunch, which occurred a few months ago.
Personally I do not think that the relaunch across the board for every single DC Comics title was necessary. And like dwindling flames, more than half of those 52 released comic books [which were all forcefully reverted back to issue #1s] are not selling in large quantities, as fans are unimpressed with the numerous superficial origin stories. And some origin stories are so old and set in stone that rewriting them is probably a waste of time.
While holding to the pre-established long-running issue numbers, a brand new arc guided by a new writer teamed with a flashy artist would be better for books like Batman, Superman, Flash, Supergirl [her new costume is shown Here], Power Girl & Wonder Woman. And by the way, Power Girl was excluded from the New 52 lineup as well, although I think she's been recently recruited into a new comic book featuring a host of B-Class superheroes. Jim Lee did revamp the Justice League... and the guys at Newsarama.com gave his comic issue #1 a rating of about "9 out of 10 stars", while issue #3 got "3 out of 10 stars".
Holy Crap... If the Legendary Godfather of Modern American Comic-book Art & Wildstorm Comics Jim Lee is getting 3 out of 10 stars, then my fellow artists, GOD HELP US ALL.
Jim is in a league all by himself. I just can't image the entire industry being what it is today without him, since he's worked with Marvel & DC Comics numerous times over the years. You can right-click on this link & check out the Justice League poster by Jim Lee in this aritcle over HERE.
His works commenced at Wildstorm / Image Comics made him a millionaire in the late 1990s and early 2000s, per the licensing of his original characters for the creation of toys and cartoon series. And by the way, Jim's artwork in the New 52 Justice League Comic wasn't the problematic issue that received the intense criticism from the Newsarama.com crew & fans alike. It was the story's painfully sluggish pace and aggravating shallowness that offended the readers.
Perhaps throwing away the legacy of some series that ran for up to 600 [and even up to 900] non-stop sequential issues [records created by comic books like Superman / Action Comics] wasn't such a good idea for DC after all....
Enough about my thoughts on the New 52, here is a classic episode of Batman Beyond for you to watch. In this Episode 13 from Season 3, Terry [the futuristic Batman] reveals his true identity to a young boy, and that act leads to catastrophic results... By the way, you may have to click on the video player below twice, and ignore the Ad that pops up giving you some download options. The vid was borrowed and embedded from another Web site, which I'm not affiliated with.
Artwork of Wonder woman & Batman by Jim Lee, & the DSNG Artist in this blog: HERE
More Art with Batman & Superman by Michael Turner: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 29, 2011
TROY VS THE IMMORTALS - TWO EPIC MOVIES, ONE EXPLOSIVE SHOWDOWN
Back in 2004, Brad Pitt stared in a movie that was destined to become a legendary blockbuster production. The name of that flick was Troy and it grossed approximately 500 million dollars world-wide. The movie was based upon the foundation of writings titled as The Iliad, produced by the ancient Greek philosopher named Homer. And Achilles, the focal character in the story, was a soldier of Greece who fought in the Trojan War - an epic conflict caused by one young man's rabid lust after another man's woman.
The Troy movie actually captures the essence of the scripted legend, although the director & writer deviated from the original tale in various segments, just so that the movie would flow more smoothly. You can read up on the legend of Achilles over HERE, in the Wikipedia archive.
My main desire in this article is to compare themes and presentations between the Troy 2004 movie and The Immortals 2011 movie. Both of these action films were Rated R for sexuality and violence. And they have their peculiar similarities.
In Troy, the ideology of valor and personal pride are intertwined. Achilles felt that he was disrespected by the Achaean King Agamemnon. Thus he refused to lead the army of the King into battle against the formidable Trojan soldiers guarded by the walls of the Trojan City. And in The Immortals, the main hero, Theseus, initially refuses to join the Greeks to go into battle against the evil hordes of King Hyperion. Theseus is played by Henry Cavill [the guy who will play Superman in the forthcoming Man of Steel 2013 movie] and he did an excellent job on his part.
Like Achilles, Theseus later undergoes what can best be called an epiphany or a change of heart. And he opts to become a soldier for justice, encouraging his people to fight for their freedom an their immortality. And out of sheer coincidence, in the Troy movie, there is a scene in which Achilles points at the shores of the Trojan landscape from his ship and he encourages his warriors [the legendary Myrmidons] to charge forward, as he tells them that their immortality lies beyond the walls of the city and they must charge forward and "take it; its yours".
It can be debated that the action scenes in The Immortals were far more intense than the battle scenes in Troy. After all, the gods of Olympus in the aforementioned film had super-speed and super-strength, thus they appeared to move more than 10-times quicker than their mortal foes. Without having any of those advanced abilities, the warriors in Troy appeared to battle with all their might, amidst well choreographed clashes that can currently be viewed as sword-fight classics. I will try and upload the outstanding clash between Achilles and Hector [played by Brad Pitt and Eric Bana respectively] in this blog. If it doesn't work, then just search for that clip on YouTube.com and I'm sure you'll find it.
Bear in mind that a strong well-paced plot with properly developed lead characters will always be the driving force that pushes a mighty movie ship to the harbor of abundant success, just as favorable winds in ancient times assisted in accelerating the movements of classic seafaring vessels with giant sails and erect masts. I did see both of the films in this discussion. And although they are both entertaining and they both have good actors, one of them is still better than the other in terms of overall quality.
So far The Immortals has grossed about 134 million dollars world-wide; and that amount will probably increase throughout the holiday season. But I honestly don't think it will surpass Troy's benchmark....
The Blog Article with the review on The Immortals 2011 Movie, including tons of production pics, was posted HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
The Troy movie actually captures the essence of the scripted legend, although the director & writer deviated from the original tale in various segments, just so that the movie would flow more smoothly. You can read up on the legend of Achilles over HERE, in the Wikipedia archive.
My main desire in this article is to compare themes and presentations between the Troy 2004 movie and The Immortals 2011 movie. Both of these action films were Rated R for sexuality and violence. And they have their peculiar similarities.
In Troy, the ideology of valor and personal pride are intertwined. Achilles felt that he was disrespected by the Achaean King Agamemnon. Thus he refused to lead the army of the King into battle against the formidable Trojan soldiers guarded by the walls of the Trojan City. And in The Immortals, the main hero, Theseus, initially refuses to join the Greeks to go into battle against the evil hordes of King Hyperion. Theseus is played by Henry Cavill [the guy who will play Superman in the forthcoming Man of Steel 2013 movie] and he did an excellent job on his part.
Like Achilles, Theseus later undergoes what can best be called an epiphany or a change of heart. And he opts to become a soldier for justice, encouraging his people to fight for their freedom an their immortality. And out of sheer coincidence, in the Troy movie, there is a scene in which Achilles points at the shores of the Trojan landscape from his ship and he encourages his warriors [the legendary Myrmidons] to charge forward, as he tells them that their immortality lies beyond the walls of the city and they must charge forward and "take it; its yours".
It can be debated that the action scenes in The Immortals were far more intense than the battle scenes in Troy. After all, the gods of Olympus in the aforementioned film had super-speed and super-strength, thus they appeared to move more than 10-times quicker than their mortal foes. Without having any of those advanced abilities, the warriors in Troy appeared to battle with all their might, amidst well choreographed clashes that can currently be viewed as sword-fight classics. I will try and upload the outstanding clash between Achilles and Hector [played by Brad Pitt and Eric Bana respectively] in this blog. If it doesn't work, then just search for that clip on YouTube.com and I'm sure you'll find it.
Bear in mind that a strong well-paced plot with properly developed lead characters will always be the driving force that pushes a mighty movie ship to the harbor of abundant success, just as favorable winds in ancient times assisted in accelerating the movements of classic seafaring vessels with giant sails and erect masts. I did see both of the films in this discussion. And although they are both entertaining and they both have good actors, one of them is still better than the other in terms of overall quality.
So far The Immortals has grossed about 134 million dollars world-wide; and that amount will probably increase throughout the holiday season. But I honestly don't think it will surpass Troy's benchmark....
The Blog Article with the review on The Immortals 2011 Movie, including tons of production pics, was posted HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
WHAT / WHO IS ZEBRAMAN?? [PLUS DETAILS ON KIM KARDASHIAN]
Prepare to Laugh your ass off...
[image error] [image error]
All right, while browsing through the Web last night to find something worthy of posting - something more meaningful than talking about what the hell Kim Kardashian was smoking when she thought that bringing a naked black yoga instructor into the home of her white husband would make for a good reality TV segment - seriously folks, I feel sorry for Kris Humphries. Looks like he should have been the one that filed for the divorce after 72 days, rather than Kim, who kept yelling "Why are you so mad? You are so immature!" during that atrocious segment.
As it turns out, married men are not interested in witnessing their wives take HNY [Hot Naked Yoga] classes taught by strange naked men right in their living room. Honestly, how stupid could Kim be to pull off something like that in the name of "entertainment"?
[image error] Referring to Kim & Kris, one fan made a post in a blog article at hollywoodreporter.com that said: "She is a - xxxx -. She was just using him for the Kardashian publicity machine."
I think that Kim actually deserves a blatant bitch-slap for making a mockery of her husband. That flagship episode proves that she doesn't have a life worthy of following about with a camera. Truthfully, there is nothing worth observing in her new reality TV show [titled "Kourtney & Kim take New York - Season 2"] that airs on the E! Cable Channel. I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes of that garbage; in fact the show could have been called "I have no life in New York" and it would have been a more accurate description of the whole thing. Take my word for it: the only honest/candid people worthy of watching on that show are Mason [the 1-year old baby son of Kourtney], and Kris, the ex-husband of Kim. I would write an article giving a thorough review of their new reality show, but it would be a waste of time. The previous article I wrote about Kim and Kris and their divorce is over HERE.
Now let's move on to more important issues.
As I stated in the header, Who is Zebraman? He is a Japanese superhero, created to entertain fans of the comedy / action genre. He is not to be confused with the DC Comics superhero Zebra-Man [who is really not worth mentioning in this blog, I assure you].
Well, it turns out that in 2004, someone decided to skip making an animation series that would give a solid foundation to this Japanese superhero, Zebraman. Instead, they dived right into making a live-action movie for Zebraman 1. Horror & drama director Takashi Mike took the helm of the project. The plot is based on a school teacher, who makes a Halloween err I mean Superhero costume, just to boost his own self-esteem. And soon, he is called to a life of crime-fighting, in order to right the numerous wrongs in the city - wrongs brought about by a peculiar alien invasion. And about 6 years later in 2010, a movie sequel was made. Thus you can check out this trailer clip... from Zebraman 2:
..... OK, I'm just as confused as you are. I could have sworn that this was supposed to be a superhero movie; instead, its got a wannabe pop-diva trying to be some sort of villainous Lady Gaga... and there's an old man in a white costume who just doesn't want to die; maybe he is an immortal, who can take more hits and bullets than his foes realize. I'm going to take a stab in the dark: and I will state that there is probably NO PLOT in this live-action blunder.
And WHAT are Zebraman's powers?? I have absolutely no idea. I never said this post would be meaningful or deeply inspiring. I just wanted to make you laugh...
If that first clip of Zebraman didn't amuse you, then this one will. It features Zebraman's inspiring theme song, played in the Power Rangers fashion whenever he shows up to save the day.
Yes, I too did not bother to watch the whole clip. This is worst than karaoke. This song alone is more than enough to ward off evildoers and force them to never ponder a life of crime again, if the Zebra-mobile shows up every night while blasting this theme song through its super speakers. My apologies if you feel that I wasted 3 minutes of your life, which you will never get back. But it wasn't my fault. Together, let us blame the one and only Zzzeb-buuu-raaa-Mannn!
Blog article with sexy anime pics [from the Bleach and Naruto series]: HERE
Blog home page: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
[image error] [image error]
All right, while browsing through the Web last night to find something worthy of posting - something more meaningful than talking about what the hell Kim Kardashian was smoking when she thought that bringing a naked black yoga instructor into the home of her white husband would make for a good reality TV segment - seriously folks, I feel sorry for Kris Humphries. Looks like he should have been the one that filed for the divorce after 72 days, rather than Kim, who kept yelling "Why are you so mad? You are so immature!" during that atrocious segment.
As it turns out, married men are not interested in witnessing their wives take HNY [Hot Naked Yoga] classes taught by strange naked men right in their living room. Honestly, how stupid could Kim be to pull off something like that in the name of "entertainment"?
[image error] Referring to Kim & Kris, one fan made a post in a blog article at hollywoodreporter.com that said: "She is a - xxxx -. She was just using him for the Kardashian publicity machine."
I think that Kim actually deserves a blatant bitch-slap for making a mockery of her husband. That flagship episode proves that she doesn't have a life worthy of following about with a camera. Truthfully, there is nothing worth observing in her new reality TV show [titled "Kourtney & Kim take New York - Season 2"] that airs on the E! Cable Channel. I couldn't get past the first 20 minutes of that garbage; in fact the show could have been called "I have no life in New York" and it would have been a more accurate description of the whole thing. Take my word for it: the only honest/candid people worthy of watching on that show are Mason [the 1-year old baby son of Kourtney], and Kris, the ex-husband of Kim. I would write an article giving a thorough review of their new reality show, but it would be a waste of time. The previous article I wrote about Kim and Kris and their divorce is over HERE.
Now let's move on to more important issues.
As I stated in the header, Who is Zebraman? He is a Japanese superhero, created to entertain fans of the comedy / action genre. He is not to be confused with the DC Comics superhero Zebra-Man [who is really not worth mentioning in this blog, I assure you].
Well, it turns out that in 2004, someone decided to skip making an animation series that would give a solid foundation to this Japanese superhero, Zebraman. Instead, they dived right into making a live-action movie for Zebraman 1. Horror & drama director Takashi Mike took the helm of the project. The plot is based on a school teacher, who makes a Halloween err I mean Superhero costume, just to boost his own self-esteem. And soon, he is called to a life of crime-fighting, in order to right the numerous wrongs in the city - wrongs brought about by a peculiar alien invasion. And about 6 years later in 2010, a movie sequel was made. Thus you can check out this trailer clip... from Zebraman 2:
..... OK, I'm just as confused as you are. I could have sworn that this was supposed to be a superhero movie; instead, its got a wannabe pop-diva trying to be some sort of villainous Lady Gaga... and there's an old man in a white costume who just doesn't want to die; maybe he is an immortal, who can take more hits and bullets than his foes realize. I'm going to take a stab in the dark: and I will state that there is probably NO PLOT in this live-action blunder.
And WHAT are Zebraman's powers?? I have absolutely no idea. I never said this post would be meaningful or deeply inspiring. I just wanted to make you laugh...
If that first clip of Zebraman didn't amuse you, then this one will. It features Zebraman's inspiring theme song, played in the Power Rangers fashion whenever he shows up to save the day.
Yes, I too did not bother to watch the whole clip. This is worst than karaoke. This song alone is more than enough to ward off evildoers and force them to never ponder a life of crime again, if the Zebra-mobile shows up every night while blasting this theme song through its super speakers. My apologies if you feel that I wasted 3 minutes of your life, which you will never get back. But it wasn't my fault. Together, let us blame the one and only Zzzeb-buuu-raaa-Mannn!
Blog article with sexy anime pics [from the Bleach and Naruto series]: HERE
Blog home page: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 25, 2011
SEXY SUPERGIRL COSPLAY AND FAN ART POSTERS
Some Super-blondes do have all the fun...
I can't really remember where I got this pic from; its been sitting in a folder on my desktop for a while. Anyway, this young lady presents a tempting image for lascivious minds, as she displays her blue and red spandex Supergirl costume. Some time ago, I posted an article that features the new Supergirl costume for the DC Comics New 52 lineup. This one shown above is the classic costume, and it still stands out. There is a different costume that Supergirl often adorns when she is featured in the Justice League Cartoon Series. And in that design, she wears a white cropped t-shirt [it exposes her navel] and a tight blue miniskirt, along with some boots and the classic short cape. I don't really like that version of Kara, since it makes her look like a teenager. Beolw is a picture I did almost 2 years ago, showing a more mature version of Supergirl [those who follow this DSNG Blog via facebook should be familiar with it]:
All right, I can see the twinkle in your eyes, buddy. Let me just clarify a few things. Remember that this is Cheesecake art . Big boobs do NOT make a woman, and neither do they say anything about her innate character. This art style is designed to tease and entertain; and frankly, it sells merchandise quite well. Always bear in mind that ample breasts are nothing more than well-distributed reserves of body fat. And such features can also be bought for a price in our modern society. On the other hand, good character is a priceless gem; and it takes time to develop that trait.
###
Article with Supergirl's new costume: HERE
And another version of Supergirl [yes, I gave her big boobs on purpose in this one]: HERE
Superman & Supergirl poster: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
I can't really remember where I got this pic from; its been sitting in a folder on my desktop for a while. Anyway, this young lady presents a tempting image for lascivious minds, as she displays her blue and red spandex Supergirl costume. Some time ago, I posted an article that features the new Supergirl costume for the DC Comics New 52 lineup. This one shown above is the classic costume, and it still stands out. There is a different costume that Supergirl often adorns when she is featured in the Justice League Cartoon Series. And in that design, she wears a white cropped t-shirt [it exposes her navel] and a tight blue miniskirt, along with some boots and the classic short cape. I don't really like that version of Kara, since it makes her look like a teenager. Beolw is a picture I did almost 2 years ago, showing a more mature version of Supergirl [those who follow this DSNG Blog via facebook should be familiar with it]:
All right, I can see the twinkle in your eyes, buddy. Let me just clarify a few things. Remember that this is Cheesecake art . Big boobs do NOT make a woman, and neither do they say anything about her innate character. This art style is designed to tease and entertain; and frankly, it sells merchandise quite well. Always bear in mind that ample breasts are nothing more than well-distributed reserves of body fat. And such features can also be bought for a price in our modern society. On the other hand, good character is a priceless gem; and it takes time to develop that trait.
###
Article with Supergirl's new costume: HERE
And another version of Supergirl [yes, I gave her big boobs on purpose in this one]: HERE
Superman & Supergirl poster: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 21, 2011
SKETCHES FROM THE DRAWING BOARD - LAURA DORE, SPIDER-MAN & A MIGHTY DINATOUR...
Today I'll just showcase some artwork, tied to past and forthcoming articles. The first sketch was done almost 2 years ago, and it features a versatile Hip Hop model named Laura Dore. The reference pic on the left is from an article about her in Smooth Magazine. And beside the mag, the image of Laura on the right that I drew was later colored and posted in the popular blog article about the Cheesecake art style, over HERE.
Next to Laura, we have a pic of one of the alien species from the DSNG sci fi series. This thundering brute is a fierce Dinatour; and he is charging like an unstoppable behemoth.
He looks like a hybrid between a bull and man. And my character design was based upon the classic creature from Greek Mythologies called the Minotaur. Those who watched the new Immortals 2011 Movie saw another interpretation of this creature, presented as a huge human warrior wearing the helmet of a bull. The lengthy article tied to that movie review is over HERE.
So far, the only Dinatour I've drawn and colored is Ellystra, the strong personal assistant of Empress Havita. I'll be posting more on the Dinatour alien race, later this week.
And lastly, we have a pencil drawing of Spider-man, done by my art mentor, Pro-artist Terry Dodson.
This is from the excellent Graphic Novel [a collection of 12 comic books] titled Marvel Knights Spider-Man. In that storyline written by Mark Millar, Spidey's dear aunt May gets kidnapped. Thus the web-slinger goes on a vigilante-styled desperate crusade, in order to find her. Through out the plot, he is literally kicking ass & taking names. And the sexy Black Cat joins him on the explosive adventures, which force him to clash with the Avengers, Electro, the Vulture, Dr. Octopus, Venom, the Green Goblin, and other classic villains. The story was so good that legendary comic icon Stan Lee [who wrote the forward to it] called it a movie, as opposed to just a comic book.
You can probably find it at Amazon.com or in a comic store. The images below are a size comparison, showing the sketch that I recently did, beside the large-sized graphic novel by Terry.
Those who enjoy pencil art can check out the pic of the Black Cat that I did some time ago, over HERE
More excellent art by Terry Dodson, featuring Emma Frost from the X-men: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
Next to Laura, we have a pic of one of the alien species from the DSNG sci fi series. This thundering brute is a fierce Dinatour; and he is charging like an unstoppable behemoth.
He looks like a hybrid between a bull and man. And my character design was based upon the classic creature from Greek Mythologies called the Minotaur. Those who watched the new Immortals 2011 Movie saw another interpretation of this creature, presented as a huge human warrior wearing the helmet of a bull. The lengthy article tied to that movie review is over HERE.
So far, the only Dinatour I've drawn and colored is Ellystra, the strong personal assistant of Empress Havita. I'll be posting more on the Dinatour alien race, later this week.
And lastly, we have a pencil drawing of Spider-man, done by my art mentor, Pro-artist Terry Dodson.
This is from the excellent Graphic Novel [a collection of 12 comic books] titled Marvel Knights Spider-Man. In that storyline written by Mark Millar, Spidey's dear aunt May gets kidnapped. Thus the web-slinger goes on a vigilante-styled desperate crusade, in order to find her. Through out the plot, he is literally kicking ass & taking names. And the sexy Black Cat joins him on the explosive adventures, which force him to clash with the Avengers, Electro, the Vulture, Dr. Octopus, Venom, the Green Goblin, and other classic villains. The story was so good that legendary comic icon Stan Lee [who wrote the forward to it] called it a movie, as opposed to just a comic book.
You can probably find it at Amazon.com or in a comic store. The images below are a size comparison, showing the sketch that I recently did, beside the large-sized graphic novel by Terry.
Those who enjoy pencil art can check out the pic of the Black Cat that I did some time ago, over HERE
More excellent art by Terry Dodson, featuring Emma Frost from the X-men: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 18, 2011
THE ALFA ROMEO PANDION - FUTURISTIC CONCEPT CAR
I've been thinking of doing this article for a while, tied to an impressive concept car designed by a foreign company. There's an auto firm called Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. and it is based out of Italy [the same nation that produces the Ferrari sports cars]. And Alfa Romeo was founded back in 1910 in Milan and the company name was originally ALFA. Currently they are a division of Fiat Auto Group and they mostly sell vehicles within Europe.Alfa Romeo have a reputation for building expensive sports cars. And their Pandion Concept Car that debuted back in 2010 left spectators in Geneva gawking at the fluent design and styling. If you recall the 2002 Tom Cruise movie, Minority Report - which was set in the future - then I'm sure you'll agree that the Pandion would have fit perfectly into the streets of that ultra-modern cityscape per its visual appeal. I'm still not sure what to call the doors on this one; looks like they're some sort of reversed flip-styled butterfly doors. And the rear of the Pandion has styling like no other car in the industry today...
Italy is a home for various ingenious independent auto designers. And Alfa Romeo actually got some assistance in the design of the Pandion from a fellow Italian firm called Bertone. Gruppo Bertone is an automobile company that specializes in car styling, coachbuilding and manufacturing. The Bertone styling is distinctive, with most cars having a strong "family resemblance" even if badged by different manufacturers. Bertone has styled cars for Alfa Romeo, Citroën, Ferrari, Fiat, Lamborghini, Mercedes Benz, Opel and Volvo Cars among others.
Additionally, Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sports-car racing, touring car racing and rallies. Their first racing car was made in 1913, three years after the foundation of the company, and Alfa Romeo won the inaugural world championship for the Grand Prix cars in 1925.From those humble beginnings, the company gained a good name in motorsport, which gave a sporty image to the whole marque. Enzo Ferrari founded the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929 as an Alfa Romeo racing team, before becoming independent in 1939. And their designs have evolved steadily since then.
The Pandion may look like a sports car fit for the pages of a sci fi comic book, but it is definitely real. Engine and performance specs are yet to be released for it. But I hope that Alfa adopts this vehicle's exterior and interior design themes as serious contenders for the styling of their future models.
A previous blog article with more "Real" concept cars was placed here [tied to the Frankfurt 2011 Auto Show]: HERE
And the comprehensive archive showing futuristic sci fi vehicles within this blog is HERE
Blog Home Page: http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com/- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 12, 2011
SCI FI FANTASY WALLPAPERS PLUS STREET FIGHTER TRIBUTE POSTERS
I found these four images while browsing across the Web. The first one was done by an artist at DA called chrisnfy85 [his gallery page is here] and I belief it was for an online fantasy role-playing game. And the second image, showing a sexy female warrior elf, was by someone else - not sure who did it. Anyway, these are two fantasy wallpapers that I found rather appealing.
And the last two pics are Street Fighter wallpapers.
Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Cammy, Sagat, Sakura and a host of other Super Street Fighter game characters are shown in the wallpaper / poster on the left [also by digital artist chrisnfy85]. While the SF poster on the right showcases the sexy wrestler Rainbow Mika and Sakura, Ryu's protegee [it was cover art done for a comic published years ago by Udon & Capcom].
There was a lengthy blog article posted about a month ago that showcased Steampunk costumes and other Sci Fi costumes for stealth operative and hi-tech soldiers, along with a variety of exo-suits for the Starcarft 2 video game [amongst others]. Check out that aritcle over HERE.
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE
Blog Home Page: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
And the last two pics are Street Fighter wallpapers.
Ryu, Ken, Chun Li, Cammy, Sagat, Sakura and a host of other Super Street Fighter game characters are shown in the wallpaper / poster on the left [also by digital artist chrisnfy85]. While the SF poster on the right showcases the sexy wrestler Rainbow Mika and Sakura, Ryu's protegee [it was cover art done for a comic published years ago by Udon & Capcom].
There was a lengthy blog article posted about a month ago that showcased Steampunk costumes and other Sci Fi costumes for stealth operative and hi-tech soldiers, along with a variety of exo-suits for the Starcarft 2 video game [amongst others]. Check out that aritcle over HERE.
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE
Blog Home Page: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
REVIEW OF THE IMMORTALS 2011 MOVIE, PLUS OFFICIAL MOVIE PRODUCTION POSTERS
**SPOILERS INCLUDED! IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SPOILERS, THEN MOVE OVER TO THIS OTHER ARTICLE AND ENJOY SOME BEAUTIFUL ART BY DSNG ARTIST!**
All right, this movie has been getting a lot of buzz over the Web, and I finally got a chance to sit down and watch it. I'll start by saying that this is an action movie, meaning that if you're seeking a story with a strong twisting plot then it might not be your cup of tea.
But the premise is an interesting one, as the gods of Olympus have chosen a mortal man named Theseus [played by Henry Cavil, aka the new Man of Steel actor] to stand in the gap against the evil King Hyperion [played by Mickey Rourke]. Theseus is a poor peasant boy who grows up with his single mother in a mountainous village in the land of Acropolis. And he is mentored by an old man, who teaches him how to fight and acts as a father figure. But little does Theseus know that his mentor is actually a god in disguise; Zeus himself [played by Luke Evans].
This action movie is a unique interpretation of Greek Mythology. Thus it has classic and modern themes interwoven into it, hence creating a more fluent ancient tale that is told with a new flare. For instance, the classic renditions of Zeus, in art and cartoons, always depicts him as an old guy with a thick white beard and broad shoulders, who shoots lightning bolts. Now THIS is Zeus in the Immortals movie, on the left side:
And Zeus doesn't shoot one single freakin' bolt of lightning [and that's his daughter, Athena]. In fact, he looks just like a regular half-naked guy that could pass for a gladiator-in-training, or some extra on the set for the Spartacus Series on Showtime Cable Channel.
And perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the gods in this action movie is their color schemes and their outfits. They appear to wear gold accents and they look shinny / endowed with light whenever they show up on the scene. And they live on some sort of mystical mountain that no one sees or can climb, way up in the clouds and above the stratosphere.
Now back to the story plot:
Since he has decided to conquer the known world, starting with the Greeks, the evil King Hyperion seeks a magical weapon: a bow that projects chiseled energy blasts. And he plans to use the bow to unleash the evil Titans [fallen god-like beings] from their square-shaped tomb hidden in the heart of a mountain called Tartarus, linked to a great wall and a Greek stronghold.
[Mickey Rourke aka the evil King Hyperion on the left and the gods of Olympus on the right]
Thus Hyperion searches for the Epirus Bow and his quest leads him to temples and shrines where visionary seers and priestesses reside. He wants a priestess to see a vision that will highlight the location of the Epirus Bow and that quest leads him to hunt down the virgin Phaedra [played by the beautiful Freida Pinto. She is Indian by birth, but you'd never know just by gazing at her face and listening to her]. Thus the evil king tracks down Phaedra and her three priestess sisters - yet he doesn't know that only Phaedra bears the gift of foresight.
Soon there is a Greek traitor who leaves the good guys and goes to King Hyperion, telling him secret passageways to get to the village belonging to Theseus [this concept reminds me of 300]. That defector guy actually has to endure a rite-of-passage; thus the evil King castrates him by sentencing him to get pounded with a huge sledgehammer... in tha nuts...
[The beautiful Freida Pinto, shown above with Henry Cavil - Theseus]
Later, Theseus' village is invaded and his mother is killed by Hyperion. He fights valiantly but gets outnumbered and beaten; and he is taken captive with other thieves and thugs. However, the prison tower where he is taken is also the place were Phaedra and her 3 female associates are being held. That night, Phaedra escapes with some prisoners, including Thesesus, and their quest to overthrow Hyperion begins.
[Once again, I give you the gorgeous Freida Pinto. She has one of those faces that can make a guy stare endlessly...]
Eventually, Theseus finds the magical Epirus Bow in a burial chamber and he is confronted with the mystical beast known as the Minotaur. But in the movie, the Minotaur is merely a huge muscular brute that could pass for a super heavyweight MMA fighter; and he wears a hood of chain-links above his bull-styled helmet [See the image above, in this article]. The fight is cool - as are all the fights in this movie - and the hero prevails. And that night, Theseus gets busy with the virgin priestess, Phaedra. Yes, they had sex. But in my opinion, the Conan 2010 Movie love-scene was far more passionate/fervent.
Later the team of heroes are almost killed, but two of the gods [Athena and Ares, the guy with the spiky helmet] intervene. Then Zeus shows up, and kills one of the gods in anger - he strikes Ares, who is actually his son, for intervening in the affairs of mortal men. One cool thing about the Immortals [which makes it reminiscent of the hit movie 300] is that the gods are super-fast and super-strong; thus when they show up and fight, the battles are in slow motion... yet they are moving so much faster than regular mortals that they can strike an opponent three more times before that foe actually hits the ground due to the fist punch.
After King Hyperion [shown on the left] steals the magic bow from the hero, he and his vast army invade the Greek stronghold. And while the evil king goes to free the Titans from the hidden chamber inside Mount Tartarus, his forces bombard the Greek stronghold linked to that mountain. Thus some [not all] of the Olympian gods show up and kick some ass, battling the Titans inside the mountain. Then Theseus and King Hyperion have a final showdown.....
Also, some so-called gods from Olympus do DIE in this movie, during their final battle against the unleashed Titans. And I sat back and said:
"Wait a minute... AREN'T THEY SUPPOSED TO BE GODS?? SO WHY THE HELL ARE THEY BLEEDING LIKE WOUNDED WOLVES AND DYING LIKE LITTLE LAMBS?"
Alas, this is another mystery of Hollywood, and that embedded mortal trait of the so-called divine beings from Olympus was probably just added simply to enhance the story - lest we sit in the theater all day watching people fight who can't die.
It seems highly unlikely that this movie is going to have a sequel, and unlike the writer of the 2010 movie Clash of The Titans, the two Parlapanides brothers [who wrote the script for the Immortals] probably were not thinking of writing a story that would be continuous, for at least 2 or 3 live-action sagas. If they were planning on creating an Immortals Sequel or an Immortals Trilogy, they probably would have ended the movie differently.
So you may ask, "All right Mr. DSNG, what exactly happens in the very end?"
And I'll have this to say: GO AND SEE THE SHIRTLESS SUPERMAN ACTOR IN ACTION BEFORE HE PUTS ON HIS CAPE AND TIGHT BLUE SPANDEX :)
More Sci Fi movie reviews & articles: HERE
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
All right, this movie has been getting a lot of buzz over the Web, and I finally got a chance to sit down and watch it. I'll start by saying that this is an action movie, meaning that if you're seeking a story with a strong twisting plot then it might not be your cup of tea.
But the premise is an interesting one, as the gods of Olympus have chosen a mortal man named Theseus [played by Henry Cavil, aka the new Man of Steel actor] to stand in the gap against the evil King Hyperion [played by Mickey Rourke]. Theseus is a poor peasant boy who grows up with his single mother in a mountainous village in the land of Acropolis. And he is mentored by an old man, who teaches him how to fight and acts as a father figure. But little does Theseus know that his mentor is actually a god in disguise; Zeus himself [played by Luke Evans].
This action movie is a unique interpretation of Greek Mythology. Thus it has classic and modern themes interwoven into it, hence creating a more fluent ancient tale that is told with a new flare. For instance, the classic renditions of Zeus, in art and cartoons, always depicts him as an old guy with a thick white beard and broad shoulders, who shoots lightning bolts. Now THIS is Zeus in the Immortals movie, on the left side:
And Zeus doesn't shoot one single freakin' bolt of lightning [and that's his daughter, Athena]. In fact, he looks just like a regular half-naked guy that could pass for a gladiator-in-training, or some extra on the set for the Spartacus Series on Showtime Cable Channel.
And perhaps the most distinguishing feature of the gods in this action movie is their color schemes and their outfits. They appear to wear gold accents and they look shinny / endowed with light whenever they show up on the scene. And they live on some sort of mystical mountain that no one sees or can climb, way up in the clouds and above the stratosphere.
Now back to the story plot:
Since he has decided to conquer the known world, starting with the Greeks, the evil King Hyperion seeks a magical weapon: a bow that projects chiseled energy blasts. And he plans to use the bow to unleash the evil Titans [fallen god-like beings] from their square-shaped tomb hidden in the heart of a mountain called Tartarus, linked to a great wall and a Greek stronghold.
[Mickey Rourke aka the evil King Hyperion on the left and the gods of Olympus on the right]
Thus Hyperion searches for the Epirus Bow and his quest leads him to temples and shrines where visionary seers and priestesses reside. He wants a priestess to see a vision that will highlight the location of the Epirus Bow and that quest leads him to hunt down the virgin Phaedra [played by the beautiful Freida Pinto. She is Indian by birth, but you'd never know just by gazing at her face and listening to her]. Thus the evil king tracks down Phaedra and her three priestess sisters - yet he doesn't know that only Phaedra bears the gift of foresight.
Soon there is a Greek traitor who leaves the good guys and goes to King Hyperion, telling him secret passageways to get to the village belonging to Theseus [this concept reminds me of 300]. That defector guy actually has to endure a rite-of-passage; thus the evil King castrates him by sentencing him to get pounded with a huge sledgehammer... in tha nuts...
[The beautiful Freida Pinto, shown above with Henry Cavil - Theseus]
Later, Theseus' village is invaded and his mother is killed by Hyperion. He fights valiantly but gets outnumbered and beaten; and he is taken captive with other thieves and thugs. However, the prison tower where he is taken is also the place were Phaedra and her 3 female associates are being held. That night, Phaedra escapes with some prisoners, including Thesesus, and their quest to overthrow Hyperion begins.
[Once again, I give you the gorgeous Freida Pinto. She has one of those faces that can make a guy stare endlessly...]
Eventually, Theseus finds the magical Epirus Bow in a burial chamber and he is confronted with the mystical beast known as the Minotaur. But in the movie, the Minotaur is merely a huge muscular brute that could pass for a super heavyweight MMA fighter; and he wears a hood of chain-links above his bull-styled helmet [See the image above, in this article]. The fight is cool - as are all the fights in this movie - and the hero prevails. And that night, Theseus gets busy with the virgin priestess, Phaedra. Yes, they had sex. But in my opinion, the Conan 2010 Movie love-scene was far more passionate/fervent.
Later the team of heroes are almost killed, but two of the gods [Athena and Ares, the guy with the spiky helmet] intervene. Then Zeus shows up, and kills one of the gods in anger - he strikes Ares, who is actually his son, for intervening in the affairs of mortal men. One cool thing about the Immortals [which makes it reminiscent of the hit movie 300] is that the gods are super-fast and super-strong; thus when they show up and fight, the battles are in slow motion... yet they are moving so much faster than regular mortals that they can strike an opponent three more times before that foe actually hits the ground due to the fist punch.
After King Hyperion [shown on the left] steals the magic bow from the hero, he and his vast army invade the Greek stronghold. And while the evil king goes to free the Titans from the hidden chamber inside Mount Tartarus, his forces bombard the Greek stronghold linked to that mountain. Thus some [not all] of the Olympian gods show up and kick some ass, battling the Titans inside the mountain. Then Theseus and King Hyperion have a final showdown.....Also, some so-called gods from Olympus do DIE in this movie, during their final battle against the unleashed Titans. And I sat back and said:
"Wait a minute... AREN'T THEY SUPPOSED TO BE GODS?? SO WHY THE HELL ARE THEY BLEEDING LIKE WOUNDED WOLVES AND DYING LIKE LITTLE LAMBS?"
Alas, this is another mystery of Hollywood, and that embedded mortal trait of the so-called divine beings from Olympus was probably just added simply to enhance the story - lest we sit in the theater all day watching people fight who can't die.
It seems highly unlikely that this movie is going to have a sequel, and unlike the writer of the 2010 movie Clash of The Titans, the two Parlapanides brothers [who wrote the script for the Immortals] probably were not thinking of writing a story that would be continuous, for at least 2 or 3 live-action sagas. If they were planning on creating an Immortals Sequel or an Immortals Trilogy, they probably would have ended the movie differently.
So you may ask, "All right Mr. DSNG, what exactly happens in the very end?"
And I'll have this to say: GO AND SEE THE SHIRTLESS SUPERMAN ACTOR IN ACTION BEFORE HE PUTS ON HIS CAPE AND TIGHT BLUE SPANDEX :)
More Sci Fi movie reviews & articles: HERE
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 10, 2011
REVIEW OF AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 - NEW ART BY JOE MADUREIRA [JOE MAD!]
Avenging Spiderman #1 Written by Zeb Wells, Art by Joe Mad!
This new comic book was released in stores yesterday. Along with the hard copy, fans were privileged to receive a code that allows them to get a free digital download of the book via comiXology.com. And this was one of those comic books that are completly centered upon outstanding artwork.
I previously did an article that showcased the artwork of Joe Madureira and his work on Red Monika, from the creator-owned series he started back in the late 90s called Battle Chasers. And now that he takes a brake from video game designing, diehard fans are priviledged with beholding more of his phenomenal art. I've gathered a series of penciled and colored pages, which were part of the free set of comic art released by Marvel to promote the new comic book.
Joe Mad! has a very dynamic art style; he makes you stare longer and harder at his pages, in order to soak in the panoramic view of the action that he creates flawlessly. And the writer of the current issue #1 appears to have centered the script around his entertaining style.
Take a look at the double-page spread below, showing the original pencils and the colored version.
In Avenging Spiderman #1, a few basics are established amidst the introductory tale. It appears that Spiderman is set to commence a series of Marvel Team-ups with the most popular heroes from the vast library of characters in the Marvel universe, in a tag-team style. Thus, perhaps every 2 or 3 issues, there will be a change of co-stars, so that Spidey will be able to interact with another popular heroes like Wolverine or Ironman. Thus the title of this new series is basically a fusion between "the Avengers & Spiderman".
In this premier issue, there appears to be a marathon taking place in New York City and it is being officiated by the loud-mouthed manager of the Daily Bugle, Mr. J. Jonah Jameson. But alas, shortly after the race commences, some sort of alien invasion takes place upon the Brooklyn bridge [I called it an invasion because there is a double-page spread that features a host of tiny green men swarming upon the runners]. These tiny green dwarfs are called Moloids.
Elsewhere in another city, after defeating a giant robot with the Avengers, Spidey seems to petition them for help in returning back to NYC, in order to combat the alien invasion; yet all of the heroes appear to practically "chicken out", without specifying exactly what else they have to do on this very day, besides combating the bad guys. And one of their strongest members eventually takes up the challenge, to become Spidey's tag-team partner - The Red Hulk. And you will note that the story shifts into fifth gear from that point, as the two heroes attempt to confront the horde of tiny alien men, while not knowing who is the mastermind behind their invasion plot.
There really isn't a whole lot of depth to this issue #1. In the beginning, Spiderman initially sounds like he was conflicted, since he's struggling between balancing a job, a girlfriend, and being part of two Avenger superhero teams. But all of that anxiety is put in the rear seat as things heat up in NYC. Yet it is clear that the art, and not the story, is being used as the magnetizing element to draw fans to the book. There are some scenarios in this comic which I've tagged as "Classic Joe Mad Scenes" because there are some action sequences that no other artist in the whole comic industry can pull off as effortlessly as Joe Mad! can. And I'm saying this from an artist's perspective, as I too have drawn posters and commissioned works of Spiderman, posted Here in this blog.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 Stars, because of the strong aesthetic & classic entertainment value, and not truly for the story content.
Will there be any substance or even a deep twisting plot to the new Avenging Spider-man set of comic books? Honestly, I dunno.... and I'm more concerned about the notorious book delays that have plagued the titles that Joe Mad! has handled over the years, dating back to his Battle Chasers series [fans had to once wait 9 months between two published comic books, in order to see what happened in the storyline]. Let's hope that Joe Madureira and his team stay on top of this one, so that we can tag this as a story worth following on a MONTHLY BASIS.
Article written by the DSNG Artist, author of the 6 Ebooks in the DSNG Chronicles, a Sci Fi Series.
Blog Homepage: HERE
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
This new comic book was released in stores yesterday. Along with the hard copy, fans were privileged to receive a code that allows them to get a free digital download of the book via comiXology.com. And this was one of those comic books that are completly centered upon outstanding artwork.I previously did an article that showcased the artwork of Joe Madureira and his work on Red Monika, from the creator-owned series he started back in the late 90s called Battle Chasers. And now that he takes a brake from video game designing, diehard fans are priviledged with beholding more of his phenomenal art. I've gathered a series of penciled and colored pages, which were part of the free set of comic art released by Marvel to promote the new comic book.
Joe Mad! has a very dynamic art style; he makes you stare longer and harder at his pages, in order to soak in the panoramic view of the action that he creates flawlessly. And the writer of the current issue #1 appears to have centered the script around his entertaining style.
Take a look at the double-page spread below, showing the original pencils and the colored version.
In Avenging Spiderman #1, a few basics are established amidst the introductory tale. It appears that Spiderman is set to commence a series of Marvel Team-ups with the most popular heroes from the vast library of characters in the Marvel universe, in a tag-team style. Thus, perhaps every 2 or 3 issues, there will be a change of co-stars, so that Spidey will be able to interact with another popular heroes like Wolverine or Ironman. Thus the title of this new series is basically a fusion between "the Avengers & Spiderman".
In this premier issue, there appears to be a marathon taking place in New York City and it is being officiated by the loud-mouthed manager of the Daily Bugle, Mr. J. Jonah Jameson. But alas, shortly after the race commences, some sort of alien invasion takes place upon the Brooklyn bridge [I called it an invasion because there is a double-page spread that features a host of tiny green men swarming upon the runners]. These tiny green dwarfs are called Moloids.Elsewhere in another city, after defeating a giant robot with the Avengers, Spidey seems to petition them for help in returning back to NYC, in order to combat the alien invasion; yet all of the heroes appear to practically "chicken out", without specifying exactly what else they have to do on this very day, besides combating the bad guys. And one of their strongest members eventually takes up the challenge, to become Spidey's tag-team partner - The Red Hulk. And you will note that the story shifts into fifth gear from that point, as the two heroes attempt to confront the horde of tiny alien men, while not knowing who is the mastermind behind their invasion plot.
There really isn't a whole lot of depth to this issue #1. In the beginning, Spiderman initially sounds like he was conflicted, since he's struggling between balancing a job, a girlfriend, and being part of two Avenger superhero teams. But all of that anxiety is put in the rear seat as things heat up in NYC. Yet it is clear that the art, and not the story, is being used as the magnetizing element to draw fans to the book. There are some scenarios in this comic which I've tagged as "Classic Joe Mad Scenes" because there are some action sequences that no other artist in the whole comic industry can pull off as effortlessly as Joe Mad! can. And I'm saying this from an artist's perspective, as I too have drawn posters and commissioned works of Spiderman, posted Here in this blog.
Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 Stars, because of the strong aesthetic & classic entertainment value, and not truly for the story content.
Will there be any substance or even a deep twisting plot to the new Avenging Spider-man set of comic books? Honestly, I dunno.... and I'm more concerned about the notorious book delays that have plagued the titles that Joe Mad! has handled over the years, dating back to his Battle Chasers series [fans had to once wait 9 months between two published comic books, in order to see what happened in the storyline]. Let's hope that Joe Madureira and his team stay on top of this one, so that we can tag this as a story worth following on a MONTHLY BASIS.Article written by the DSNG Artist, author of the 6 Ebooks in the DSNG Chronicles, a Sci Fi Series.
Blog Homepage: HERE
Explore the DSNG Sci Fi Series: HERE- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
November 9, 2011
FRENCH ARMED ROBBERS STEAL BATCHES OF THE MODERN WARFARE 3 VIDEO GAME FROM CONVOY
It turns out that an unidentified mob or perhaps a new breed of the French mafia consisting of violent game fanatics have struck with a vengeance... they ambushed and robbed a convoy bearing fresh copies of the Modern Warfare 3 video game released exclusively for Microsoft's Xbox gaming system over the past weekend, while the delivery trucks were on their way to distribution centers.
This exert was taken from an article posted at http://www.escapistmagazine.com:
_____________________________________________
- Written by Logan Westbrook on November 7th, 2011 -
[image error] Gangs of armed robbers have hijacked two trucks this weekend, and made off with thousands of copies of the latest Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 3 . The attacks took place near Paris and the stolen goods have a total value of more than three quarters of a million euros [over 250,000 dollars].
In the first attack the thieves used a car to block the road the truck was taking, causing it to crash. The drivers then apparently got out to "make a report," at which point they were attacked with tear gas. While the drivers were incapacitated, the masked men stole the truck, which was thought to contain around 6,000 copies of the game. A second truck, bound for a store in the Yvelines district was attacked by a trio of thieves, who threatened the drivers with weapons, and again made off with the vehicle.
It's not known what happened to the copies of the game, although it's not hard to imagine them being sold on to hordes of excitable Call of Duty fans eager to get their hands on the game a few days early. After all, someone already paid over $1700 for an early copy of the game, and it wouldn't surprise me if there were plenty more where he or she came from.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 comes out for PC, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on November 8th.
_____________________________________________
It's hard to believe that young men are willing to put on ski-masks and grab automatic weapons, in order to rob a truck containing extremely precious... video games.... and those games will probably be sold on the black-market. Some gaming critics [like the IGN.com news team] have said it is all probably a huge publicity stunt / a marketing scam cleverly contrived by the managers of Activision's European branch, as it falls in line with chaos and the utilization of strategic planning, ambushing and the employing of Special Weapons And Tactics - which are all part of the ideologies employed in the new game. And despite the violent attacks, no one was killed...
I'm not really a big game fanatic, but I do admire the conceptual design & character design processes tied to the first-person-shooters, RPG and MMORPGs games presented here in the 21st century. The cut-scenes for some of these 7th Generation video games [and even their interactive interludes between missions] have taken gaming cinematography to a whole new level. Perhaps one of the most advanced and impressive gaming creation engines I've seen in recent times is the CryEngine 3 software program [used for designing the environments for the visually stunning Crysis 2 action video game that was published by EA back in March 2011].
And here is the YouTube demo trailer showing CryEngine 3, created by Crytek GMBH. They are offering game designing services and even cinema-styled Special FX for TV / movie productions:
Their 3D environments and the lighting look extremely realistic. It almost reminds me of the sort of realism showcased in the blockbuster Avatar movie.
Blog Homepage: http://www.dsngsfm.blogspot.com- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
This exert was taken from an article posted at http://www.escapistmagazine.com:
_____________________________________________
- Written by Logan Westbrook on November 7th, 2011 -
[image error] Gangs of armed robbers have hijacked two trucks this weekend, and made off with thousands of copies of the latest Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 3 . The attacks took place near Paris and the stolen goods have a total value of more than three quarters of a million euros [over 250,000 dollars].
In the first attack the thieves used a car to block the road the truck was taking, causing it to crash. The drivers then apparently got out to "make a report," at which point they were attacked with tear gas. While the drivers were incapacitated, the masked men stole the truck, which was thought to contain around 6,000 copies of the game. A second truck, bound for a store in the Yvelines district was attacked by a trio of thieves, who threatened the drivers with weapons, and again made off with the vehicle.
It's not known what happened to the copies of the game, although it's not hard to imagine them being sold on to hordes of excitable Call of Duty fans eager to get their hands on the game a few days early. After all, someone already paid over $1700 for an early copy of the game, and it wouldn't surprise me if there were plenty more where he or she came from.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 comes out for PC, PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 on November 8th.
_____________________________________________
It's hard to believe that young men are willing to put on ski-masks and grab automatic weapons, in order to rob a truck containing extremely precious... video games.... and those games will probably be sold on the black-market. Some gaming critics [like the IGN.com news team] have said it is all probably a huge publicity stunt / a marketing scam cleverly contrived by the managers of Activision's European branch, as it falls in line with chaos and the utilization of strategic planning, ambushing and the employing of Special Weapons And Tactics - which are all part of the ideologies employed in the new game. And despite the violent attacks, no one was killed...
I'm not really a big game fanatic, but I do admire the conceptual design & character design processes tied to the first-person-shooters, RPG and MMORPGs games presented here in the 21st century. The cut-scenes for some of these 7th Generation video games [and even their interactive interludes between missions] have taken gaming cinematography to a whole new level. Perhaps one of the most advanced and impressive gaming creation engines I've seen in recent times is the CryEngine 3 software program [used for designing the environments for the visually stunning Crysis 2 action video game that was published by EA back in March 2011].
And here is the YouTube demo trailer showing CryEngine 3, created by Crytek GMBH. They are offering game designing services and even cinema-styled Special FX for TV / movie productions:
Their 3D environments and the lighting look extremely realistic. It almost reminds me of the sort of realism showcased in the blockbuster Avatar movie.
Blog Homepage: http://www.dsngsfm.blogspot.com- Article written by the artist & author of the DSNG Sci Fi Series
[http://dsngsfm.blogspot.com]
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