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Infinity Blade review

Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Games, iPad Apps, Reviews, $5.99,

Infinity Blade was released yesterday, the first true game to run on the new Unreal Engine for iPhone. As such, it's been previewed and hyped a lot in the past months. At a $5.99 price point for the universal app that works on both the iPhone and iPad, was it worth the wait?

First, just like the Unreal demo Epic Citadel was, this game right from the start impresses with it's graphics and sceneries. As you start, the initial cinematic shows you a little bit of back story as to what you'll be fighting for, and the 3D environment seen on the screen is quite impressive. On both the iPhone 4 and iPad, the graphics use the latest tricks, usually reserved to console gaming, to provide a stunning experience. Adding to that is an impressive musical score, playing throughout the game and providing a great gaming experience.

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Appy Entertainment: Trucks & Skulls Wins Again

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Video Games,

Trucks&Skulls2.1As everyone knows, Trucks are good and Skulls are evil. And when they get together…it's smashing. I'd read a comic book called Trucks & Skulls; I'd watch a movie called Trucks & Skulls; and I'd give my kids a bunch of toys called Trucks & Skulls.

What Trucks & Skulls is right now, though, is a game app for the iPhone and the iPad.

It hasn't been out for much longer than a month and already it's racking up the awards, the great reviews and the downloads.

The reason I pimp for this (again!) is that the game comes from Appy Entertainment and its Secret World Headquarters north of San Diego.

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Weekend Reading: Green Lantern, Joss Whedon, Jack Kirby And James Bond

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television, DC Comics,

Green Lantern I spent Thanksgiving outside the US this year so I’m stuffed with stir-fried shrimp and chocolate ice cream, which made for an excellent breakfast of leftovers, because that's just how I roll.

If you’re out and about shopping now for the holidays, here’s the best Holiday Shopping Gift Guide you’re ever going to need for the 2010 credit card season, courtesy of Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter.

Let’s see what else is going on:

Green Lantern: If you’ve been in awe of the new Ryan Reynolds trailer for Green Lantern, there’s at least one person with an alternate view worth reading: Ricky Sprague at Project Child Murdering Robot. “The Green Lantern Corps is their ‘muscle,’ enforcing their rules of righteousness. They take creatures from various parts of the universe and have them fight 'evil.' There are lots of different GLs, made up of different species from different planets. You can see where this is starting to get lame.”

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Green Lantern, Joss Whedon, Jack Kirby And James Bond


Derek Ruiz, Daniel Sampere Adapt Bestselling Novel The Alchemist

Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Reviews,

The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel

Similar to novel-to-film adaptations, comic book conversions become more popular with each bestselling phenomenon (even Lady Gaga and Stephenie Meyer have made their mark in the medium). Not surprisingly, Paulo Coelho's successful allegory The Alchemist quickly found a home in the graphic novel world at Harper Collins.
 
Adapted by Derek Ruiz and inked by Daniel Sampere, The Alchemist: A Graphic Novel does not flow like a history-heavy, action-packed journey drama one needs to re-read several times to fully understand its message. Instead, Ruiz penned Coelho's new take on the classic tale of following one's heart.
 
The story, set against the backdrop of early 20th century Spain and Egypt, follows Santiago, a young man on a quest to fulfill his personal legend -- his destiny. Educated as a boy, Santiago chooses to live the life of a shepherd in hopes of traveling and seeing the world first-hand. A recurrent dream pointing toward hidden treasure soon thwarts his plan, and he then meets an interesting array of folks (what good is a self-discovery trek without those?) along the way.

Click to continue reading Derek Ruiz, Daniel Sampere Adapt Bestselling Novel The Alchemist


British Comics: Scheme Comix #1

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Independent,

Scheme ComixI like anthology comics. I think they can be a great showcase for both a writer and an artist and if you’re in the mood for a short story instead of a long multi-part epic, they can really hit the spot.

That’s what led me to Scheme Comix, a new indy anthology from Happy World Productions and produced in cooporation with Arts Council Scotland. It’s a pocket-sized 32-page black and white collection of “5 tales of Suspense! Shocks! And Romance!” according to the cover blurb.

All of them are illustrated by Kev Harper, with writing from David Walker, Sharon Irvine and Louise C. Gordon.

Regardless of how long corporate comics survive, I like that there’s a vibrant group of DIY-ers driven to do it themselves, either on the internets or, in this case, print.

I like the variety of stories here: a private eye, space babes, and what looks like the beginning of a wild road trip. That’s right on the money as far as I’m concerned. And artist Kev Harper is definitely someone to watch.

Click to continue reading British Comics: Scheme Comix #1


Rage: Mutant Bash TV review

Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Games, iPad Apps, Reviews, $0.99, $1.99,

After a high hype and anticipation level, iD Software's Rage game called Mutant Bash TV finally hit the App Store this week. The creators of the original Doom and Quake games showcased the full Rage for consoles many times in the past, and promised to provide a graphically rich companion for the iPhone. Now that the game is out, is it worthy of all that wait?

First, the game is available in two different versions. Yet, unlike most apps, they aren't limited to iPhone and iPad. Both apps are universal, with the difference being the quality of textures. Rage, at $0.99, has regular graphics, while Rage HD, at $1.99, has high definition graphics, and is aimed at iPhone 4 and the iPad. This is a fairly large app, weighing in at over 700 MB, so it may take a while to download.

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Weekend Reading: Bill Finger, Mighty Samson, The Shadow & Valerian

Mighty SamsonThank you internets, you’ve been great this week. So let’s share that bounty with others:

Mighty Samson: Writer J.C. Vaughn has a preview of Mighty Samson #1 at his blog. Shooter’s involved, Patrick Olliffe is the artist. Dark Horse is the publisher. I’m in!

Here’s a little more about the series at Comic Attack.

Shadow: Novelist James Reasoner has a Forgotten Book that’s a must have for fans of Maxwell Grant’s The Shadow: Gangland's Doom: The Shadow of the Pulps, by Frank Eisgruber Jr.

British Comics: Matthew Murray at Comics Beat goes all out for the new Dandy and breaks down its contents.

Peanuts: Zach Weiner finally lets Charlie Brown kick that football.

Peppers: Mark Evanier lives the sitcom life.

3-D: Ricky Sprague at Project Child Murdering Robot tells how Marvel Comics (in 3-D!) turned him into an atheist. Bonus: 3-D artwork on the internets!

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Bill Finger, Mighty Samson, The Shadow & Valerian


Trucks & Skulls For Your iPad!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Video Games,

Trucks & SkullsDo you like Monster Trucks and Laughing Skulls? And stuff that blows up real good?

Then you’ll want to play iPad’s Game of the Week: Trucks & Skulls!

It was created by the gang at Appy Entertainment, which is run by a couple of friends of mine (Chris Ulm and Paul O’Connor) who are both comic book industry veterans. Ulm is the guy who came up with the idea for the Ultraverse, and O’Connor wrote several dozen comics back in the go-go 1980s.

Click to continue reading Trucks & Skulls For Your iPad!


Forgotten Comics: Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,

Shadow1"He's back…and God help the guilty."

My favorite thing to hit at the San Diego Comic Con is the back issue bins – the so-called quarter boxes (usually greatly reduced in price by Sunday) of oddball and overstock comics from the 1980s – now.

At this year's con, there was one dealer in particular who had over a dozen long boxes of comics in nearly alphabetical order, and I and many other well-mannered scavengers thumbed through them all. One of my treasures was the complete 4-issue run of Howard Chaykin's The Shadow from DC Comics (1986).

Coming on the heels of his award-winning run at First Comics with his own American Flagg! Chaykin went over to DC for a revamp of the old 1930s pulp character created by Walter Gibson (aka Maxwell Grant). DC's previous attempt with the character back in the 1970s stayed true to its pulp origins and was unsuccessful despite the involvement of Denny O'Neil, Mike Kaluta and Bernie Wrightson.

By bringing in Chaykin a decade later, it was clear that some things were going to be shaken up and this was not going to be a standard pulp revival. You don't turn to Howard if you want the same old, same old.

Click to continue reading Forgotten Comics: Howard Chaykin’s The Shadow


iHome iB969 Charging Station review

iHome iB969 charging station review

The iHome iB969G Charging Station professes to be your one-stop shop for charging your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, BlackBerry, and even ebook readers like the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, and Nook.

It can charge up to four devices at once, while syncing one of the four with iTunes. The expandable rest area comfortably holds a BlackBerry (charging it over USB) or ebook reader, and the integrated cable management keep things looking tidy. The iPad gets its own stand on the device, which will hold it horizontally or vertically, whatever your preference.

Click to continue reading iHome iB969 Charging Station review


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