Thoughts on Marvel 1602 Trade Paperback

When Neil Gaiman came up with the idea of Marvel 1602, it was shortly after the events on 9/11. Gaiman did not want to make a story that involved guns or war, he figured there would be enough of that already. Instead he made a comic that takes place in a different time. I think he felt this would take people out of that takes that mindset. Marvel 1602 has the benefit of being one of the most engaging retellings of heroes I have ever read. The idea of Daredevil, Nick Fury, and Spider-Man in the 1600's is a fascinating premise. I honestly could not put the book down.

Cover art is amazing by the way

I don't want to give any of the story away, but it does have a great plot. Doom is involved, so you know the world is probably ending which is pretty usual for a Marvel short series. however, there will be many inferences and interpretations making it stand out. There will be many twists which keep the story fresh, but the real strength is the writing. Neil Gaiman is best known for his work on The Sandman, but he has helped to write many essential stories for Marvel and DC. There are a lot of provocative ideas like having mutants be branded as "witch breed" and being burned by the Inquisition. Thor comes into the story which this brings up a question of too about the strength of the Catholic Church. Instead of being planted in our time and our problems, it deals with issues of the time. The message, however, is something to take away. All the characters in the story have to sacrifice a lot to save the world. There are many things that will happen that are plan awful. While this is true, it shows that even the most noble of efforts are the hardest to attain.

The use of the Marvel characters is profound. I love seeing them in the 1602's interpretation. Daredevil is a blind bard who is also a very skilled agent of Fury's. The Fantastic Four were a group of explorers headed to the new world when they were hit with a mystical force making them the embodiments of earth, air, water, and fire. The X-Men are "witch breed' and like their future counterparts, they are shunned for their appearance and abilities. It's nice to see how everything translates. There will be many times you find a name you recognize and smile when you make the connection. This is why multiverse books are so great. As a reader, you get the same characters you love; they just get a new perspective.

Marvel 1602 is a rich and imaginative universe to read about. While Neil Gaiman only wrote this series, there are plenty of other spin-offs like Marvel 1602: The New World and Marvel 1602 Witch Hunter Angela. The universe is ripe with intrigue and even though Gaiman leaves many new things unfinished on that last panel, hopefully a spin-off series will give more answers to those questions. With that said, this book is an amazing read if you love comics and you appreciate history. Check out Marvel 1602, it will be worth the afternoon you read it in. I give it eight ships headed to the new world out of ten.

Good review, now I won't have to kill the writer

Marvel Puzzlequest Review

I'm not one for mobile games. I thought they were wastes of time and not much effort should be put into them. That is until I started playing Marvel Puzzle Quest. My girlfriend laughs because she thinks I'm playing Candy Crush with a Marvel filter over it. Yes, the game has the fundamentals of Candy Crush by matching at least 3 colors in a row. However, you choose 3 characters to be part of your team and matching certain colors yields you certain abilities. I would equate it to Puzzle Fighter more than I would Candy Crush. Regardless, I find this game super enjoyable and worth at least a try.

Questing has really gone down hill

The game has several different modes of play. One is the main story mode which hasn't changed in many years. The story is based off of the Dark Reign story line (that's how long ago this game was made). This means instead of fighting random thugs, players will have to fight  Daken, Venom, Moonstone, etc. The only character from Dark Reign you can't fight or be is Norman Osborn as Iron Patriot. This mode will allow players to get a feel for the game and understand tactics. Player can also get more experience points and characters by playing and replaying the modes. Once you beat the story line however, that's it for those missions.

Luckily, There are other story mode missions that last for a limited time. These modes put you into a ranking system based on how many points you score in the allotted time. These missions are usually best for when players have a better feel for the game and have higher leveled and more powerful characters. These modes are fun but if you really want a good character you have to put a lot of time into the game. However, you're efforts will be rewarded.

The last mode is a "pvp" in which you have a limited time to fight other players teams. you'll start off playing teams that are very low in level except for the one character each team is required to play with (this character is usually given one of their abilities and a higher level). Over time and depending how strong your team is you'll be given much stronger foes to face. You have the option of skipping over them but you'll lose some bonus experience. Again this mode is best left for stronger players and the more effort put into it the better your reward. Luckily, for the story modes and pvp some characters are boosted in strength when others are not making even weaker characters an advantage.

only the prettiest colors

Now, with any free to play game there is always an option to use real life money to benefit yourself. Now personally, I only spend $25 a month on the game which helps me open up more slots for characters. However, I can see where spending so much money can help you get better characters and boost your abilities for a high price. Luckily a good majority are people who just want to pass the time and have fun. Even if you pay to play, characters are always at random so you and other players can't just buy the best characters. This usually means effort has to be put into other game modes to build stronger teams.

Buy gold not iso

You can also be part of an alliance in the game which can gain you prizes in events if your team does well. Some teams are very low key and meant for casual gamers like the team of three I'm on that consists of my friend, his girlfriend, and me. Other teams are very cut throat and require a lot of effort to be put to get the best prizes. Sometimes there are events where you and your team fight an opponent and the group effort will help to defeat the enemy. So far the only time this happens is when you fight Ultron.

The characters are very fun and unique. Each has three abilities which you can get by getting multiples of that character. Obviously some characters are easier to get than others, but the harder to get characters usually have the stronger abilities.  However, just because someone has a better character doesn't mean the weaker ones don't stand a chance. A maxed out common character is stronger than a weaker rarer character everytime. So even if you don't spend an dime and ever get a rare character, you can still do very well.

unibeam? inibeam? wenibeam?

There isn't a lot I don't like about this game. I think it's very fair and more importantly very fun. I have a few friends that play with me and they can send me gifts and vice versa. The time put into the game is worth it and if you just want to play for fun, you certainly can and it's enjoyable. The characters are cool and there is a weakness and strength for every choice. There are other games out there to play with the Marvel name like Contest of Champions or Mighty Heroes. However, Puzzle Quest is the most interesting and addictive of all the games. If you don't already play it, then please give it a try. It's free to play and worth your time. I give Marvel Puzzle Quest eight superheroes out of ten. A must play for any Marvel fan or game enthusiast.

Everytime I buy a googleplay card

Venom Trade Paperback Thoughts *spoilers*

I really try to be a great comic collector, but I always miss an issue here or there. When I was getting back into collecting, I picked up the first four issues of Venom (2011). My friend, Dave, was a huge fan of Venom and we decided to start collecting them together. Unfortunately, money and inconvenience got the best of us and we only ever got the first couple issues (Dave literally bought every variant he could). It's been years since I've read anything on the adventures of Flash Thompson as Agent Venom. Luckily, I was at River City Comics (my comic store of choice) and found a used trade of Venom (Issue 1-5). I picked it up and I recently had some time to give it a read. At no point in reading this was I not entertained or smiling. The age of good writing in comics is not dead.

For anyone who doesn't know, Flash Thompson lost his legs in the Iraqi war. Being a war hero the government felt Flash could handle a new sort of job that reflected his skills. Thompson is given the Venom symbiote and is tasked with saving the world often. I've seen him on the cover of Guardians of the Galaxy, he's been in Secret Avengers, and he's still got his own running series. Agent Venom is even in a spin off of the Ultimate Spider-Man show. Flash has been a busy boy.

'Merica

Each issue has a point where the government official in charge reminds Flash of something. Flash can only wear the suit for 48 hours at max. The government worries about the symbiote taking over and becoming a whole new problem. This gives Flash certain deadlines to watch during missions otherwise the government will blow up the suit with him inside. Flash has to regain his composure often to keep the suit in check. Getting angry or scared allows the symbiote to take over. It's a great plot device because the suit has amazing power, but it comes at a cost. Flash is constantly in a war zone making sure people are safe. This makes him stress and he worries about the deadline. Thomspon can get scared or angry. However, he is able to keep the symbiote in check. Venom gives Flash physical strength and his ability to walk, but Thompson has the stronger will.

I love how the writers keep the idea of Venom fresh. They put a soldier in the suit who has training with firearms and weaponry. The suit is more than capable of dealing with any situation just using its powers. However, Flash's training has him using guns and grenades. His objectives and battlefield composure keep his mind clear. The symbiote can be worn by any schmo, but Flash has the mastery needed to use it well. Even with Flash's military prowess and new found strength, the suit still has weaknesses. Not only is there the constant serenity Thompson needs uphold, but sonic waves still affect symbiote. There are many times where Flash notices bats or bells and has to change his strategy mid fight. Venom's suit will still freak out and leave Flash vulnerable and legless. I'm a fan of a hero being extremely strong but having some huge weaknesses. These devices make the readers feel like there is actual conflicts and therefore more engaging.

cause bullets!

The villains so far are very awesome and unexpected. Venom's nemesis so far has been Jack 'o Lantern, a violent psychopath with Halloween themed gadgets. Jack's weapons are childish but deadly like acid candy or paper ghosts that entrap his enemies. Jack has a vendetta against Flash because as Venom he destroyed his face with a grenade. The bad blood makes Jack more threatening and personal. He has even taken Betty Brant hostage to spite Flash. Kraven shows up in the Savage Land hunting down Flash treating him as quarry. Kraven does a great job at making Venom's mission hellish. Most importantly, Flash has to fight his childhood hero, Spider-Man. Since high school, Flash and Peter have become great friends. So the fights between them are so frustrating. When Betty is kidnapped, Spider-Man and Venom are both trying to save her. When they see each other, Spider-
Man assumes that Venom is responsible. Flash knows there is a time limit on Betty's life so he acts like the villain. He just tells Spider-Man where she is in hopes that the fight will stop and one of them can save her. The symbiote also hates Spider-Man which makes all this very taxing. I just think its a great part of the story. He's trying to be the hero but having the stigma of previously being known as the villain. He can't work with his role model because he symbolizes so many years of bad blood.

 

he puts Silver Shamrock to shame (Halloween 3)

Venom is a powerful hero, but outside the suit Venom deals with other weaknesses. In the suit, Flash can run and jump like he used to. It's hard for him to remember being the football star and hero, but then going back to being legless. His life isn't terrible as a handicapped person. He has a girlfriend who loves him, but even that's a struggle. Flash is gone for days at a time. He can't tell Betty that he is out doing government work. Betty just assumes he's lying to her like previous love interests. Flash also deals with being a recovering alcoholic. His father drank and beat on Flash, so when he grew up so did he. He is sober now, but it's tough. He makes a point to show a bar with a wheel chair ramp, but a church with an AA meeting that only had stairs. The loss of control isn't just with the symbiote, it's with his real life as well. So many flaws makes Agent Venom an excellent hero and read. People have real problems in life and it's comforting to know heroes face real life issues.

From my personal experience, I've found Flash Thompsens run as Venom syntilating. The first five issues really give you a feel for his struggles in and out of the suit. The action is rather instense though a bit violent for younger readers. I loved the art by Tony Moore and Tom Fowler. I love The Walking Dead so that's probably why I love the art (Flash looks a bit like Rick Grimes). A very big round of applause for Rick Remender who has come up with not only a great story, but a great use of symbolism and conflict. I would recommend this to anyone looking for action packed comics that are gritty and violent. If anyone is a fan of Venom or Spider-Man then absolutely give Venom a read if you haven't already. Flash has been around since the first issue of Spider-Man. Glad to see he is no longer on the sidelines and is getting into the fray.

Just like my man; Spider-Man