J.L. Caraballo, Author at GeeksHaveGame

August 5, 2017August 5, 2017

GENERATION GONE / ELSEWHERE / GENERATIONS – BANNER & TOTALLY AWESOME HULK / GHOST STATION ZERO [Reviews}: Cold War on a Hot Summer Day!

Here we are, fellow geeks and geekettes, nearing the end of the summer. But that doesn’t mean we have to give up on our favorite pastime, no? For your viewing and reading pleasure, we’ve got a look at some of the new titles coming this week, including a Generational conflict from the pages of Marvel, and a return to some good ol’ Cold War shenanigans! So let’s settle in for some weekend reading, care of GodHatesGeeks.com!

What is the Millennial Get Rich Quick scheme? The one reoccurring fantasy, where the youth of the 90s was exposed through futuristic themes in media? An idea that seems far fetched to accomplish but still possible? Let me give you a clue: remember that cult classic ’90s movie Hackers? There you go; now you’re with me. We Generation X/ Millennials all dream of the day we become hacking geniuses and cyber Robin Hoods–stealing from the rich to survive and pay bills. In Generation Gone #1 Aleš Kot writes a tale of three hackers — Elena Nick and Baldwin — who practice hacking into government databases to prepare for their big score. What these three do not realize is their actions are being observed by a government sponsored scientist named Mr Akio for his own experiments to advance the human race. Tight.

The day of “the big score”, something goes awry when they realize they’re actually the ones being hacked. Enter the unimaginable, and you’ve got Mr Akio asking himself what the fuck he’s done. The comic is visually displayed by the pencils of André Lima Araújo with a style similar to the anime classic Akira; the style compliments Kot’s storytelling as we get immersed into the lives of Elena, Nick, and Baldwin, and the struggles of surviving in today’s world controlled by corporations and political greed. Reading, you begin relate to them so much, cheering them on getting ready for their “big day” hacking banks. The rest is scarier than a big payday. 4/5 Bibles. – Tony Pattowan

As I first read the story, my mind was.. Elsewhere until Amelia Earhart showed up. Then, my thoughts went from “ugh” to “oh god…why???” With Amelia brought into the mix, this issue lookes to be going downhill–and fast. I was surprisingly wrong. Jay Faerber (Copperhead)’s story takes place in a fantasy world run by a power-driven crazy man (yeah, sound familiar). Throughout the story, we come to find out that this fantasy world is also a world where people who have famously disappeared–and have never been found–end up. Faerber and artist Sumeyye Kesgin create a mostly enjoyable story to the missing people throughout history…as far-fetched as they may seem. Geeks who like a little mystery, as well as a little easy escaspm, will suitably enjoy Elsewhere. 3.5/5 Bibles.

**GENERATIONS: INCREDIBLE HULK & TOTALLY AWESOME HULK** — Marvel Comics

There’s no such that as too much Hulk. The way I see it, the more the merrier. In Generations: The Totally Awesome Hulk, Amadeus Cho meets up with Bruce Banner in death valley and they get into a massive fight. This leads me to the art, which, in regards to the action alone, was phenomenally done and one of the better aspects of this title. There are no better fight scenes than ones that include the Hulk: between destroyed buildings, military interaction and a giant monster, there is no shortage of bad ass fighting scenes and Matteo Buffagni (Amazing Spider-Man, Daredevil) does a beautiful job depicting them, as well as making it clear and easy to follow.

When it comes to the story, I was hooked. Both Hulks fighting the military while trying to figure out how to reverse the “Curse” that they have been dealt, on top of the aforementioned fight between our two giant green giants. The commentary from Amadeus Cho help to progress the story too. Bravo Greg Pak (Weapon X, Iron Man). This one-shot is beautifully scripted and masterfully drawn. 4.5/5 Green Giants Agree.

**GHOST STATION ZERO #1** – Image Comics

“El Sacerdote” J.L. Caraballo Twitter @captzaff007

Ghost Station Zero, by Anthony Johnston (the inspirational scribe behind Atomic Blonde) and Shari Chankhamma, is the sort of spy yarn I tend to enjoy, so this was a pleasant surprise. Less like James Bond, and more like an updated, post-Soviet version of Modesty Blaise (where’s HER film series?!), this series starts off with an almost literal bang. This adventure of Codename Baboushka (how have I only now been introduced to this character?) stats off with her breaking up a white slavery ring, followed by a daring underwater escape, before moving on to some casino-set shenanigans. It seems Ghost Stations — abandoned, walled-up Soviet era silos containing military and intelligence secrets — are being broken into, and their secrets stolen and/or destroyed. It’s up to Baboushka and her intelligence team at EON to find the culprits, stop them, and uncover the remaining Ghost Stations.

The story moves at quite a pace, very much par-for-course for this sort of genre, and was reminiscent much more of Mission: Impossible moreso than James Bond (the inclusion of a behind-the-scenes team primarily), and is full of a lightness of foot that was refreshing. This is a series that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet doesn’t shy away from sex or violence either. Despite not being too familiar with this character or her universe, Johnston’s script throws in enough information to quickly get caught up to date, and the story isn’t needlessly complicated either (if there were any crossover characters from other titles, I had no idea about it, thankfully), and stayed laser-focused on the plot. That’s not to say there wasn’t plenty of character development either, and the character of Baboushka herself is fascinating. The art, as well, was well-rendered: slightly reminiscent of the art-deco stylings of the Batman: Animated Series: lots of sharp, hard angles, and great sense of pacing as well. The action scenes were well-designed and drawn as well: there are clear spatial relations! We have actual spatial relations where it’s capable to understand where characters are in relation to one another! Who’d have thought that THAT would help readers understand an action scene? 4/5 Underwater Escape Plans!

July 24, 2017July 24, 2017

SDCC 2017 [Panel Review]: Dark Horse Comics!

DARK HORSE: ARTISTS WHO WRITE – THE ART AND CRAFT OF COMICS (Friday – 23ABC) – Immediately following Image Comics’ artist panel, Dark Horse hosted a panel discussion with artist/creators Joelle Jones (Lady Killer), Larry Marder (Beanworld), and Adam Warren (Empowered). As with the Image panel, this panel highlighted the current works and techniques of these great creators.

Joelle’s testimony was among the most interesting, as she recalled finding herself stuck in a creative rut. “It was the same kind of jobs over and over and over. I realized I’m going to write the job and works I want to do.” She also found herself surprised by the positive response and reception to Lady Killer, a story about a 1950s housewife who is also a, you guessed it, serial killer.

It was a treat listening to Warren and Marder recall their time (just barely years apart) at the Kubert School, back when the cost of going to art school was more manageable. Ultimately, while discussing the modern comic storytelling paradigm, stated, “Screw your world building; just get it on the page and get the story out.” It’s about the important things first and foremost for this group.

Finally, each in turn spoke fondly of their time working for Dark Horse, one of the medium’s more respectful titles in relation to their creators. To finish off with the words of Warren, paraphrashing Dark Horse CEO Mike Richards; “It’s your work, your thing; we’re not going to do anything with it until you’re happy.”

This free-form, train-of-thought panel was interesting for someone like me, but often stalled and strayed from its rather ambiguous purpose; thus, this felt more suited for fellow creators or those interested in the history of the industry. 3/5 Beanworld Panels.

-J.l. Caraballo

July 23, 2017July 23, 2017

SDCC 2017 [Panel Review]: Image Comics!

IMAGE COMICS: EXCELLENCE IN STORYTELLING (Friday – 23ABC) – Another day, another panel, care of GodHatesGeeks. While all the cool kids were getting the latest sneak peeks and previews, I settled in to listen to some creators. The panel “Image Comics: Excellence in Storytelling” featured Greg Hinkle (Black Cloud, Airboy), Marc Bardim (Genius), Amy Reeder (Rocket Girl), the great Dustin Nguyen (Descender), Nick Dragotta, and Marjorie Liu (Monsters), discussing their craft and techniques, and previewing some of their latest great works. As creators, each discussed the freedom involved in developing their own titles and books, and shows how that freedom made them better artists.

As Nguyen said, “I like drawing Batman, but it felt like I was doing Batman fan art after a while.” Image Comics, they agreed at one point or another, was an ideal title for artists. “No one at Image tells me I’m consistent, which is awesome [as an artist]” Nguyen added later. They discussed such topics as establishing spatial relations between characters, and how to visualize motion and action on a page (which led into an amusing anecdote where Reeder discussed the difficulty in finding a pair of handcuffs…only to find them easily in the seedier stores of the Village). They then opened the floor to answer fan questions, and kept their discussion light, breezy, and very insightful.

Dragotta: “Colors help orient the palette, which sets the mood and tone and dictates the story.”

Panels such as these, while quieter and low-key, are great for artists and creators to understand the process of creating, and are one of the draws for someone like me going to San Diego Comic-Con. 3.75/5 Bibles.

July 21, 2017July 21, 2017

SDCC 2017 [Panel Review]: GHOSTED Premiere.

GHOSTED (Friday – 6BCF) – My second panel (and nearing being awake for 30 hours…thank you, jet lag!) focused on the upcoming Fox TV comedy series, Ghosted. The massive, packed hall erupted into an enthusiastic applause as stars Adam Scott, and Craig Robinson entered onstage, gave the briefest introduction, and ran off as the lights dimmed and the premiere episode of Ghosted played. It moved at a tight, fasr pace, and Robinson and Scott were great as a policeman-turned-security-guard, and digraced-scientist-turned-bookseller, respectively, both named by a top paranormal scientist who has been attacked by a mysterious presence.

Despite my fatigue, the premiere was light and fun and energetic and funny. Executive producers Kevin Eaton and Tom McCormick joined the two stars, as well as costar Ally Walker, who plays the duo’s unamused boss. They spoke about the tone of the show, as well as the pacing. Robinson in particular is well cast, bringing his deadpan delivery to genre tropes, and there were a few unexpected jump scares as well. They were going for a “This Is The End” vibe, and, seeing as that is one of this geek’s favorite modern comedies, I’m glad I was repeatedly reminded of that movie throughout the screening. 4/5 Bibles.

Ghosted premieres on October 1st on FOX.

July 21, 2017

SDCC 2017 [Panel Review]: Rocko’s Modern Life – Return to Earth!

ROCKO’S MODERN LIFE: RETURN TO LIFE! (Thursday – 6A) – Well, well, well, fellow geeks and geekettes. Look who made it out to the great state of California, and the biggest marketing/advertising/pop culture event on the planet. Yep. This guy. “El Sacerdote”. I came out to this years’ San Diego Comic Con in hopes of enjoying some pop culture paraphernalia and celebration, drink a lot, and meet/ get an autograph from R.L. Stine, not necessariily in that order. Well, since I apparently need tickets cor autographs of any type, and they can’t just be bought, I sought solace visiting my first panel.

In 2018, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling — a 44-minute long special — airs. It picks up right where the previous series ended: with the titular characters returning from their rocket, it having blasted them into space. Original cast members Carlos Alazraqui (Rocko, and coincidentally celebrating his birthday today); Tom Kenny (Heffer); Doug Lawrence (Filburt); and Charlie Adler (the Bigheads) joined director Cosmo Segurson and show creator Joe Murray on stage. The new special examines and satirizes our modern culture, specifically our obsession with nostalgia and instant gratification; specifically, Rocko returns from space to discover his favorite show “The Fatheads” has been cancelled, and endeavors to get it back on the air. Sound familiar?

With the banter, it was clear the actors very clearly love each other’s company and they have a great rapport. They kept the panel fast and loose, joking around and often slipping into their character’s voices, and stating over and over how the special wouldn’t have happened if no one thought there would be nothing new to do with the characters. About 3-minutes of the new show (specifically the opening credits) then played, and it looks and feels exactly like the old model, only with the addition of drones, oPhones, and Buzzbucks coffee. They answered fan questions, asked a trivia question, and gave away a signed original animation cell as a prize. It was a light, breezy way to start a hectic day. 4/5 Bibles.

Let’s see what the rest of the week may bring.

July 17, 2017

GAME OF THRONES [Season 7, Episode 1 Review]: Dragonstone

The wait is over, both for the characters and their immense fanbase: winter has finally come. Season Seven of Game of Thrones opens quietly, after a cold, vengeful opening that sees us revisiting Walder Frey, and giving a bit of a twist. From there, we revisit nearly every major player: Jon and Sansa debate their options for defending the Wall (and, as a result, all of Westeros) from the impending arrival of the White Walkers and the Night King. Meanwhile, Arya makes her way down to King’s Landing, while Bran finally makes it to the Wall, having grown used to his status as the Three-Eyed Raven. Cersei makes an unlikely –and, truth be told, untrustworthy — ally in Euron Greyjoy as she knows enemies come from the North and the East (in the Starks and Targaryen).

The focus, however, seemed most decidedly on Samwell Tarley (helping oversee the great library and archives of Oldtown), and the Hound, Sandor Clegane, coming to terms with his past, alongside Beric Dondarrion. These two storylines seemed the most developed, as well as the most deliberately paced (Sam’s especially, as the boredom, monotony, and gross living conditions are expertly expressed through a tightly edited montage, which was a bit unusual–yet welcome–in this series).

It’s also refreshing to see him front and center, as he seems to be one of the only genuinely decent people populating this world (although that doesn’t bode well for him!). His bit of character development and exposition (he uncovers a secret that could help Jon’s chances against the White Walkers) also seem to come naturally to his character; although, to be fair, it is Gilly who actually uncovers it. It’s always great to see this lesser character fleshed out and given something to do to push the plot.

Sandor, on the other hand, has a bit of character work all his own. Having been saved by, and travelling with, the repeatedly resurrected Beric, he and their group seek shelter in a seemingly abandoned house as the snows move in. There, they discover two characters who’d appeared several seasons earlier– and were promptly forgotten. This little bit almost passed me by, but it seemed apt to show the Hound‘s reaction. His is a slow (SLOW) laborious redemptive (or, at the least, less shitty) arc, and this episode shows his facing his past in a way we’d not seen before. There is a little apology he gives, acknowledging how his selfish, misanthropic actions cascade and affect those who had done him no wrong. It’s a tender moment in a show and character that often lacks those, and helps show that his character is capable of changing (and of being faithful. He himself has a vision much as Beric and his companions have…it is possible the Hound may become a follower of the Light before his character’s arc is complete).

This episode sets up all of our characters neatly, and gives all them quiet moments in which the actors can savor their setting, particularly Daenerys and Tyrion: they literally have one line between the both of them. But the image of Daenerys touching the sands of Dragonstone, having returned to the West, is a powerful one! As always, the cinematography and visual effects are on par with the latest blockbuster films, and the score (when it was used) enhanced rather than bombarded or overwhelmed the action on-screen. This episode might not have started with the same sort of bang with which the prior season ended, but this smaller, slower type of storytelling helped reorient and reintroduce us to this world.

While it isn’t one of the all-time-best episodes, for what it is and for the character work alone, it is hard to miss. 4/5 Emptied Bedpans. – J.L. Caraballo