Obama Comments on GTA IV
By Jay Alan | May 8, 2008
In a recent speech, Barack Obama mentioned GTA IV, in the proper way, reminding parents and others that it is our responsibility to raise our children, not Rockstar Games or the Television:
I was just catching the news this morning about Grand Theft Auto, this video game, which is gonna break all records and make goo-gobs of money for whoever designed it.
Now, this isn’t intended for kids, although I promise you there are kids who are playing it, but these video games are raising our kids…
Across the board, middle-class, upper-class, working-class kids, they’re spending a huge amount of their time not on their studies, but on entertainment.
And so part of our job is going to have to be to inspire the entire country to say, ‘How are we giving our kids a thirst for knowledge?
And turning off the TV set, and getting them to be engaged and interested, like their future really does matter on how well they do in school.
Wha, huh? Wait a minute, a politician just said something about violence in media that actually made sense? Mark this one down folks, this guy actually gets it, and that’s just one of many reasons he has my vote in the fall.
Via: The Stupid Gamer
Topics: Games, News, Politics, Xbox 360 | No Comments »
Tags: grand theft auto iv | gta.
Project Silence Podcast 18: I Just Want to Get My Kids Back
By Jay Alan | May 7, 2008
The Project Silence Podcast is ready to go in a pre-Iron Man, post GTA IV world. We’ve played GTA and discuss along with movie reviews of Juno, The Mist and more. Don’t miss the 3rd episode of Miscast Recast Theater featuring the great(?) Woody Allen in a legendary mobster roll. All this and much, much more on this weeks Podcast.
Topics: Project Silence Podcast | No Comments »
Tags: grand theft auto iv | gta | juno | the mist.
Iron Man: A Quick Review
By Etta | May 3, 2008
Iron Man=Awesome
There, that was pretty quick, right? Well, maybe I should go a little more in depth. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | 3 Comments »
Tags: iron man.
The Ettatorial for the Week of 4-30-08
By Etta | May 3, 2008
A nice bit of releases this week, highlighted with Free Comics Day on 5-02-08. So, even if you’re not in the mood for my picks for this week, hit your local comic shop to take part in Free Comics Day and pick up some excellent books for free (I recommend All Star Superman #1, one of DC’s selections, Atomic Robo #1, an excellent new title from Red 5 comics, and if those don’t strike your fancy, check out some of the other cool titles available). But to get back to my picks from this week, I have two.
The first is Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula. A nice one-shot follow-up to the Daredevil Annual 2007 (a pick of the week selection as well), the book retains the writers of the annual, and even with the loss of Leo Fernandez as penciller, the art by Chris Samnee is more than adequate to fill the void. The story picks up on the Tarantula’s new status as a vigilante hero for an ethnic neighborhood in NYC. A street level vigilante ala Daredevil (appropriate huh) and Batman, the book takes a more grounded approach to his heroics, focusing on the Tarantula’s effect on the neighborhood, the drug trade, and how the loss of a man’s family can be the only thing that really can hurt you. As I stated in my review of the Annual, I really like the character, and the creative team really makes me think there’s a future for him in the Marvel universe. A great read, I can say that those that like Daredevil, Batman, and heroes like them should give this one a look.
The second pick this week is New Avengers #40. One of two Avengers books this week (the other being perennial fav Avengers the Initiative) this one really stands out for a couple of reasons. First, as a Secret Invasion tie-in, the book gives such a rich tapestry to what’s been going on in Marvel’s books for the past few years to it’s distant past, from the Kree/Skrull War to the recent Illuminati mini-series. Secondly, with art by Jimmy Cheung, who’s gorgeous art is always a treat, it’s already better looking than most books released lately. The book really focuses on the Skrulls, and their society’s involvement with the invasion and how that all came to be. Dealing with religion, science, and conquest, the book gives a better look at Skrull culture than any Marvel book has that I can think of. Plus, just to wet anyone’s appetite who’s not sold just yet, it also gives another hint to the Skrulls who have been hiding among Marvel’s characters lately. Definitely a book to keep an eye on, and highly recommended for those keeping up with Secret Invasion.
Well, there you have it, your picks for this week. Stop back next week for more, same time, same channel.
Topics: Comics, The Ettatorial | No Comments »
Tags: daredevil blood of the tarantula | new avengers.
Project Silence Podcast 17: Mutt Williams
By Jay Alan | April 30, 2008
It’s the biggest week of game releases the spring has probably ever seen, with Mario Kart Wii and Grand Theft Auto IV coming out within days of each other. Jay Alan & Jason Walter will share their first impressions of these games, along with the usual Movie and Geek Culture talk this week on the Project Silence Podcast. Also Recast Miscast Theater returns for a second week, with even more funny voices for you to enjoy, all this and much, much more!
Topics: Project Silence Podcast | No Comments »
Tags: | Cloverfield | grand theft auto iv | gta | indiana jones iv | iron man | mario kart wii | the orpanage.
The Ettatorial for the Week of 4-23-08
By Etta | April 26, 2008
A very good week of releases this week, even with the fact that I couldn’t get two books. Diamond apparently thinks that when it ships books to stores that what a store orders is more like a suggestion than an order (hence why Batman isn’t going to have the chance to make book of the week status), and Godland sold out at my store. But even with all that, we had a very good week, highlighted by no less than 3 books-two of them by DC!
The first pick this week is Checkmate #25. The last part of “Castleling” and it definitely goes out the right way. While the story has been a three-parter, part three by itself is really what the whole story needed to be, with the Rooks taking the stage. An almost action packed story, there still is plenty of character moments, especially for the Rooks, letting us into the heads of these obscure character now under the employ of Checkmate. Not only that, we’re also treated by an appearance of Batman (yes, the rest of DC heroes have been here for the rest of the story) at the right moment for a nice bit with between him and Sasha. Since this is the last issue of Checkmate by writer Greg Rucka, I probably won’t be purchasing the book anymore, as I don’t feel incoming writer Bruce Jones can continue the superb work and tone that sets this series apart. So it’s nice to see the creative team go out on a high note, showcasing why Checkmate is such a unique and important part of DC’s universe, and giving such an intelligent and entertaining read.
The second pick for this week is Justice League of America #20. Finally, a full issue told by regular writer Dwayne McDuffie, and it pays off. Feeling like an episode of the award-winning and vastly undervalued JLU animated series (which McDuffie wrote and directed for) in all the right ways, this issue finally was the Justice League style story this book has desperately needed in the last 5 months or so. A done-in-one story (a strength of the animated series, natch) focusing on just the recently returned Flash and Wonder Woman, it gives some nice moments all around. And to make it even better, this issue’s pencils are from Ethan Van Sciver (of Green Lantern Rebirth and the Sinestro Corp War fame) who does an incredible job on the art. This is exactly how the Justice League book should be, with a focus on it’s characters and their interactions and some creative action pieces, all done with beautiful art. I’d recommend this book to just about any fan of the superhero genre as an example of how enjoyable they can be.
The final pick for this week is Mighty Avengers #12. Don’t let the title fool you however, the title should actually be Nick Fury: Agent of Shield. While certain Avengers do make small appearances, the focus here is totally on the long missing Fury and where and what he’s been up to. It’s also a tie-in to Secret Invasion, broadening the tapestry of the cross-over without seeming forced. I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a good spy story, and Nick Fury when done properly can always fulfill that role. The art is done by Alex Maleev, collaborating here again with Bendis. His art here is probably the best I’ve seen from him, and his Spider-Woman depiction within is truly inspired. As a side note, this could possibly be a precursor to Bendis and Maleev’s long talked about Spider-Woman series, and in that case, I’m totally sold on the duo doing the book. So while I think that Mighty Avengers may have been the wrong title to place this story in (I think honestly either a special one shot or barring that, even New Avengers may have been more appropriate), the story and art were excellent, and the issue truly was very good.
Well, there you have it. Three books this week is a pretty good indicator of how excellent this week’s releases were. We’ll see you back here next week for more.
Topics: Comics, The Ettatorial | No Comments »
Tags: checkmate | justice league of america | mighty avengers.
Happy Birthday Silence
By Etta | April 25, 2008
This is Silence’s Birthday everyone! Let’s all leave him some warm birthday messages.
(what, not every post has to be full of geek stuff and snark)
Topics: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Tags: birthday.
Project Silence Podcast 16: Miscast Recast Theater
By Jay Alan | April 23, 2008
This is one for the ages, the very first appearance of Miscast Recast Theater, if you only listen to one Podcast this year, this is the one. In addition, Jay & Jason discuss giant Millenium Falcons, the new season of 24, Earthquakes in Iowa, the usual gaming and movie news and much, much more!
Topics: Project Silence Podcast | No Comments »
Tags: 24 | alien vs predator 2 | american gangster | battlestar galactica | Halo 3 | mi-5 | sopranos | star wars | sweeny todd.
Netflix Continues to Step Backwards and Forwards at the Same Time
By Jay Alan | April 23, 2008
I don’t know what it is about Netflix. They’re a company I love and hate at the same time. I won’t get into it to much here (Jason and I have talked plenty about it on the Podcast), but they seem to do so many things right and at the same time screw up just enough to give me fits.
Now, they are raising prices for those of you who want Blu-ray discs, a “premium” HD fee they call it, because the discs cost them more. I understand that the discs do cost more, but that can be made up for in other ways. When Netflix is done renting most of their discs, they sell them anyway, we know they will charge more for a used Blu-ray then they will for a used DVD, won’t that make up the difference for them? Also, by charging this premium, does it mean they will actually start to get enough of titles? It’s now almost 6 months after the fact and Blade Runner: The Final Cut is still very long wait, no matter what format you try and get it in. Maybe this is a legitimate concern for Netflix, but it just feels like price gouging to me.
At the same time this is all going on, they seem to be running full steam ahead with their streaming service (or as I like to call it, “The Future”). Originally they only announced a partnership with LG to put Netflix streaming into an upcoming Blu-ray, but now they have deals with other major manufactures (who they won’t name), to include Netflix in their devices. A good call, choice is always good, and I really didn’t want to buy an LG player to get my Netflix functionality, being pretty picky on my electronics manufactures, LG just isn’t a name that gets to the top of my list, no offense to them. The rumors that Netflix will appear in the PS3 and Xbox 360 would be great, as most people already own these devices (although I don’t see this happening on the Xbox, Netflix Streaming is a direct competitor to Microsoft’s Movie Marketplace, but Sony doesn’t have this kind of infrastructure set up, nor does it seem interested in getting one set up, but they need to and Netflix can get them where they need to be faster. Then again maybe they won’t be interested either, as it could be seen as competition for Blu-ray).
Topics: Movies, News, Television | 3 Comments »
Tags: blu-ray | microsoft | netflix | sony.
The Ettatorial for the Week of 4-16-08
By Etta | April 19, 2008
A very good week of releases this week, making my choices for book(s) of the week difficult. I had as many as four picked, with others barely not making those, but seeing as I like to try to narrow down the picks, I managed to get the final number down to two. While it may seem to be a repeat, these books really deserve it.
The first pick for this week is Avengers: The Initiative #11. I can’t stand not seeing this book atop the sales charts, as I truly feel it’s the most “marvel-like” book that Marvel is publishing today. While some others, such as Captain America (out this week as well, almost making it for a spot as a book of the week), Nova (spectacular reviews every issue, but I haven’t managed to pick out a copy to verify just yet), and Thunderbolts (awesome book) seem to come very close to getting that feeling down, Avengers: The Initiative is what Marvel is all about. While it’s a team book, every one of the huge cast of characters is given ample time, and is put to use. Not to mention the obscurity factor on some of the characters, with Slott and Gage managing to make even Slapstick awesome and important. I have a hard time coming up with more reasons every month to give why this book is so great, so just go out and buy it already.
The other pick this week is Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag #8. While I know it’s hard to give a recommendation for the last issue of a mini-series, I hope that those of you reading this give thought to buying the trade paperback of the book that will (hopefully quickly) be inevitably released. I say that, because while this is a mini-series, it’s also on the short list of the best things currently being published by DC today. Like I’ve said in the past, this book is full of great action, intrigue, superb characterization, and solid comics that people need to support. The concept of the Suicide Squad alone is classic (villains being put into conscription by the government-think the Dirty Dozen) along with it’s mix of politics and the military and having it utilized within the DC universe of today by the man who made the book work even way back in the 80’s is a stroke of genius. So while I think this issue is worth it for this week, I’d also strongly recommend looking out for the trade in the future to truly enjoy this series. As a side note, I’ll miss getting this book monthly, so DC, bring Suicide Squad back as a monthly title with this creative team, and I promise I’ll pick it up.
So there you go folks, your picks for this week. Go forth and enjoy, and we’ll see you back here next week.
Topics: Comics, The Ettatorial | No Comments »
Tags: avengers the initiative | suicide squad.