Monday, January 30, 2012
Transformers (G1) Episode 73- Dark Awakening
I got Transformers Season 2 Part 2 and Season 3/4 for Christmas and I've been slowly trudging thru season 2 part 2 since.
Transformers is a show I love. In part it gives me warm fuzzy memories of my childhood. Other times episodes tend to be fun and on very rare occasions it is actually good.
The show was mostly carried by some strong characters like Optimus Prime, Megatron and Starscream. Like any good show the character dynamics are clearly established and the main characters react to each other in unique ways. This dynamic carries the show through some bad episodes.
Well I get to season 3 finally and it is like a brand new show. The show is dealing with fall out from the movie.
Now I don't think I need to go into detail about Transformers The Movie. Its a classic from our childhood. Optimus Prime died and upset us all. Why my nephew Dylan was sobbing after Prime died.
Well honestly I did not see the movie as a kid. It would of took an act of Congress to get my parents to take me to a movie and hell I'm not sure the movie existed.
When I finally did see it, I was more put off by how casually the rest of the cast was butchered. Like Prowl, Ratchet and Huffer. At least Iron Hide went out like a pro.
This brings me to the Season 3 episode Dark Awakening. This is an episode I remember vividly as it scared the hell out of me when I was six.
So the Autobots are on the run from the Decepticons. Eventually they end up at the tomb where they put all the dead Autobots including Optimus Prime. Daniel (the son of Spike) ends up wandering around and sees Prime. But not as we remember, now he is all broken and damaged.
The vision haunted me for days in 1987. I did not even know Prime was dead. Imagine a beloved relative died and you find out when you see their decayed zombie lumbering around. That is what I was dealing with.
So the Rodimus and Ultra Magnus open Prime's tomb and its empty. Prime is back and saves them from a Decepticon ambush. Galvatron is all "A Ggggggghhhooost!!!" and leaves.
One thing about Rodimus Prime is, he does not want to be in charge. He got the Matrix of Leadership in a Kyle Rayner esque fluke and hates it. But he has begrudgingly did his best to lead the Autobots. Even if Ultra Magnus should be leader.
So Rodimus is thrilled Prime is back and against all objections (including from Prime) gives the Matrix back. Now he is plain old Hot Rod and can get back to his life of racing and pounding circuits.
But Prime is not right. He attacks the Autobots take their ship and sets the tomb on a collision course with the sun.
Turns out Prime was revived by the Quintessons. The creators of the Transformers, and new bad guys for this season. You have a bit of a rock, paper scissor dynamic on the show now.
Anyway they revived Prime and put in programming for him to lead the Autobots into an ambush. The programming is so sinister, even Prime does not know.
So Hot Rod and the others escape the tomb before it hits the sun. The tomb is destroyed and now Iron Hide and the others are dead DEAD.
Prime is leading the Autobots and looking at Blur and Wheelie wondering what happened to this once proud organization.
Hot Rod and Prime have a one on one battle and despite falling apart Prime wins. But he finally knows this is wrong, the Matrix told him or something.
He shoves the Matrix back into Hot Rod and sends the Autobot fleet away and dies in an explosion.
This is a really good episode and I totally get why six year old me was upset by it. Watching zombie Prime struggle as he sacrificed what little life he had left. Most likely worried what the Autobots would do with that fuck up Rodimus at the helm.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Franchise's that deserve expanded universes
Now if you are a Star Wars,Buffy or Star Trek fan. You know that getting invested in expanded universe properties like novels, comics or even video games is a perilous task. Sometimes they are flat out bad. You tread halfway through a book and realize it is terrible and will not get any better. Then are relieved it cannot be official canon.
Then you find a great book. Something that fits the series tone perfectly. You hope and hope it will not be directly contradicted. Then suddenly the creator makes a return and undoes it.
But you also find those gems. Those works that are so perfect you don't care if it doesn't "count". Why it might fall between the cracks so perfectly that it can't be undone.
Today I want to talk about franchises that deserve to have more of an expanded universe. Video games, TV or movies. Now some of these series might be tragically short lived and deserve to live in some form or another.
Or they might be series that lasted an incredibly long time. But oddly never got outside of their niche. Lets check out what I consider universes worthy of exploring.
1. Dragonball
Now you might think that giving an expanded universe to a franchise that has over five hundred TV episodes, 20 movies and 42 volumes of comics silly.
Well you go to hell!!!!
But really you don't know Dragonball. Akira Toriyama is an incredible creator. In his time working on Dragonball, every volume was loaded with awesome concepts that were barely explored, before he introduced things that were even cooler.
Whether it be a series following the Frieza Clan. Looking at the various conflicts of the Ginyu Force or the Saiyan trio of Vegeta, Nappa and Radditz.
Or looking at the life and times of the gods of gods the Kaioshins.
Looking at the history of the planet Namek.
The early life of Master Roshi and Crane Hermit. Or their Master Mutaito. Maybe look a little later at Roshi's first students Ox King and Goku's Grampa Gohan.
Actually a twenty minute animated short (based on a comic) following a alternate universe Bardock came out. In it he fought a Ancestor of Frieza and even hinted at a cool concept involving the Legendary Super Saiyan. So maybe some day.
2. Power Rangers
Power Rangers has been on a long time. Starting in 1999 they started doing completely new series each year. Some of these series are good, some are okay and some are terrible.
But they usually drop a few bits of history expanding the series. For as popular as the series was at one time, it never had a successful comic series. Which I found odd but I have theories for why they did not work.
There were early Sholastic paperbacks for youngsters. Pfft what do they think we are, little kids?
And there have been exactly four not terrible Power Rangers games. two on the SNES and two on the Genesis. MMPR the Movie on Genesis sorta kicks ass actually.
But not a single good game in a year with a 0 in it. Power Rangers:Super Legends should have been at least decent, but it was awful. I took it to Gamestop and got my money back even though I downloaded it.
But it would be fun seeing comics exploring how the various Evil Overlords interact or the different hells in the PR universe.
Or maybe I want to see the Dragonzord fight a fucking Q-Rex or Goldar tangling with Magna Defender.
3. Dallas
Dallas was an awesome TV show that ran for nearly fourteen years. There were a few books based on TV episodes. But nothing on the epic scale that Dallas deserved.
Dammit I want comics and books based on the pre season one years. With JR finally running Ewing Oil and a young Cliff Barnes establishing himself as a consumer advocate.
Hell go into the post TV movie years and show Christopher and John Ross joining the family business.
Maybe I'll get my wish once the revived series premieres on TNT and it is a mega hit.
4. Rocky
No no not stories about Rocky. His story was told perfectly in six movies.
But I would love to hear the stories of what happened to the characters he encountered over the course of those six films.
I mean watching Rocky 3 you can see Clubber Lang's story was not over. This was a guy on a bad path and his brief moment of glory probably destroyed him.
Ivan Drago embarrassed Mother Russia in front of the world. What happened to him?
What ended up happening to Tommy Gunn? Which no matter what, Rocky V was a good movie. I don't care what Stallone says.
Hell I would love to see a book starring Thunderlips:The Ultimate Male.
Anybody reading this, what are universes you wish were given more attention in books, comics or vidya games?
Then you find a great book. Something that fits the series tone perfectly. You hope and hope it will not be directly contradicted. Then suddenly the creator makes a return and undoes it.
But you also find those gems. Those works that are so perfect you don't care if it doesn't "count". Why it might fall between the cracks so perfectly that it can't be undone.
Today I want to talk about franchises that deserve to have more of an expanded universe. Video games, TV or movies. Now some of these series might be tragically short lived and deserve to live in some form or another.
Or they might be series that lasted an incredibly long time. But oddly never got outside of their niche. Lets check out what I consider universes worthy of exploring.
1. Dragonball
Now you might think that giving an expanded universe to a franchise that has over five hundred TV episodes, 20 movies and 42 volumes of comics silly.
Well you go to hell!!!!
But really you don't know Dragonball. Akira Toriyama is an incredible creator. In his time working on Dragonball, every volume was loaded with awesome concepts that were barely explored, before he introduced things that were even cooler.
Whether it be a series following the Frieza Clan. Looking at the various conflicts of the Ginyu Force or the Saiyan trio of Vegeta, Nappa and Radditz.
Or looking at the life and times of the gods of gods the Kaioshins.
Looking at the history of the planet Namek.
The early life of Master Roshi and Crane Hermit. Or their Master Mutaito. Maybe look a little later at Roshi's first students Ox King and Goku's Grampa Gohan.
Actually a twenty minute animated short (based on a comic) following a alternate universe Bardock came out. In it he fought a Ancestor of Frieza and even hinted at a cool concept involving the Legendary Super Saiyan. So maybe some day.
2. Power Rangers
Power Rangers has been on a long time. Starting in 1999 they started doing completely new series each year. Some of these series are good, some are okay and some are terrible.
But they usually drop a few bits of history expanding the series. For as popular as the series was at one time, it never had a successful comic series. Which I found odd but I have theories for why they did not work.
There were early Sholastic paperbacks for youngsters. Pfft what do they think we are, little kids?
And there have been exactly four not terrible Power Rangers games. two on the SNES and two on the Genesis. MMPR the Movie on Genesis sorta kicks ass actually.
But not a single good game in a year with a 0 in it. Power Rangers:Super Legends should have been at least decent, but it was awful. I took it to Gamestop and got my money back even though I downloaded it.
But it would be fun seeing comics exploring how the various Evil Overlords interact or the different hells in the PR universe.
Or maybe I want to see the Dragonzord fight a fucking Q-Rex or Goldar tangling with Magna Defender.
3. Dallas
Dallas was an awesome TV show that ran for nearly fourteen years. There were a few books based on TV episodes. But nothing on the epic scale that Dallas deserved.
Dammit I want comics and books based on the pre season one years. With JR finally running Ewing Oil and a young Cliff Barnes establishing himself as a consumer advocate.
Hell go into the post TV movie years and show Christopher and John Ross joining the family business.
Maybe I'll get my wish once the revived series premieres on TNT and it is a mega hit.
4. Rocky
No no not stories about Rocky. His story was told perfectly in six movies.
But I would love to hear the stories of what happened to the characters he encountered over the course of those six films.
I mean watching Rocky 3 you can see Clubber Lang's story was not over. This was a guy on a bad path and his brief moment of glory probably destroyed him.
Ivan Drago embarrassed Mother Russia in front of the world. What happened to him?
What ended up happening to Tommy Gunn? Which no matter what, Rocky V was a good movie. I don't care what Stallone says.
Hell I would love to see a book starring Thunderlips:The Ultimate Male.
Anybody reading this, what are universes you wish were given more attention in books, comics or vidya games?
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Zelda 2
For the last few weeks I have been on a Zelda kick. First I beat the Super Nintendo game The Legend of Zelda:A Link To The Past. I last played it in the year of our lord nineteen hundred and ninety eight. I remember my baby sister at the time whining that I had traded in a Mickey Mouse game and Cool Spot. I still rub this in to this day.
It is still a great game, even though I was playing it wrong. See after I beat Link to the Past, I played the original Zelda for the NES. Honestly I had never completed the original Zelda. I made a few false starts over the years. I remember playing it over a weekend in 1999 when my sister was in the Birmingham Hospital. I got to the fifth dungeon and gave up for some reason.
So I started the original Zelda right after I beat Link to The Past. Searching for the second dungeon I had a revelation. I had been playing Zelda games wrong. I was playing Zelda like it was Mario or Megaman or Ninja Gaiden. Zelda is more about the journey than the actual boss.
I had a grand old time exploring southern Hyrule and discovering all of its secrets. Eventually it was time to enter the final level to battle GANON. Let me tell you something, Ganon does not want to be found.
That is one of the hardest levels, I have ever encountered on a video game. I can think of one or two stages more difficult, but not by a large margin. So I killed Ganon and started on Zelda 2:The Adventure of Link.
Zelda 2 is a game I rented once or twice as a boy and could make no headway in the game. I never beat the first dungeon until I was seventeen. I had this beat up copy of it. It so beat up the front of the cart was broken off. But I abandoned Zelda 2 again quickly enough.
I finally beat it in the year of our lord two thousand and seven. It was on my wonderful NES emulator disc for my old Dreamcast. But to get thru the game, I admit to a shameful amount of cheating to get past Death Mountain.
My past as a cheater haunted me and Zelda 2 sat on my Wii shaming me by its mere presence. But I started on it and completed the first palace quickly enough.
I encountered some problems in the second palace. Mainly getting thru the swamp it was located in with my three lives in tact. But after some training in the field, I skipped ahead to Death Mountain, got the hammer and whipped some ass.
After that I got through the game fairly uneventfully. The thing with Zelda 2 is it stands alone. Nintendo never used the engine again and half assed research tells me they deemed it a failure creatively. But through out the game I kept thinking of how much potential the Zelda 2 engine had. If they had added more weapons, made the long range attacks more effective. In ways it feels like the best Sega Master System game.
From a dramatic stand point, I think Ganon should have been resurrected somehow so Link could kill him again.
In the end it is a very fun game once you gain more experience and attacks. It just leaves you wanting more.
It is still a great game, even though I was playing it wrong. See after I beat Link to the Past, I played the original Zelda for the NES. Honestly I had never completed the original Zelda. I made a few false starts over the years. I remember playing it over a weekend in 1999 when my sister was in the Birmingham Hospital. I got to the fifth dungeon and gave up for some reason.
So I started the original Zelda right after I beat Link to The Past. Searching for the second dungeon I had a revelation. I had been playing Zelda games wrong. I was playing Zelda like it was Mario or Megaman or Ninja Gaiden. Zelda is more about the journey than the actual boss.
I had a grand old time exploring southern Hyrule and discovering all of its secrets. Eventually it was time to enter the final level to battle GANON. Let me tell you something, Ganon does not want to be found.
That is one of the hardest levels, I have ever encountered on a video game. I can think of one or two stages more difficult, but not by a large margin. So I killed Ganon and started on Zelda 2:The Adventure of Link.
Zelda 2 is a game I rented once or twice as a boy and could make no headway in the game. I never beat the first dungeon until I was seventeen. I had this beat up copy of it. It so beat up the front of the cart was broken off. But I abandoned Zelda 2 again quickly enough.
I finally beat it in the year of our lord two thousand and seven. It was on my wonderful NES emulator disc for my old Dreamcast. But to get thru the game, I admit to a shameful amount of cheating to get past Death Mountain.
My past as a cheater haunted me and Zelda 2 sat on my Wii shaming me by its mere presence. But I started on it and completed the first palace quickly enough.
I encountered some problems in the second palace. Mainly getting thru the swamp it was located in with my three lives in tact. But after some training in the field, I skipped ahead to Death Mountain, got the hammer and whipped some ass.
After that I got through the game fairly uneventfully. The thing with Zelda 2 is it stands alone. Nintendo never used the engine again and half assed research tells me they deemed it a failure creatively. But through out the game I kept thinking of how much potential the Zelda 2 engine had. If they had added more weapons, made the long range attacks more effective. In ways it feels like the best Sega Master System game.
From a dramatic stand point, I think Ganon should have been resurrected somehow so Link could kill him again.
In the end it is a very fun game once you gain more experience and attacks. It just leaves you wanting more.
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