Jake & Leon #628> Egosnobberitis

There’s a reason the culture war is a minor discussion topic on this storytelling discussion site.

There are people convinced in early 2025 that they’re seeing proof “woke media” is changing gears because the business owners don’t care and just see the money they’ve lost. I’m not so sure for a host of reasons I won’t get into here, and if you read this near the end of the year or beyond you know if they went underground or pushed back harder. I don’t think it’s going away, but BW Media Spotlight isn’t a culture site, it’s a review site. Even though the activists are a new problem, I’m focused on how they got in so that they don’t get back. Bad adaptations, people being the wrong choice for a project but got the job because they did this other thing successfully, creators with “better” ideas or want to attack this thing they didn’t like, and people who game the system to get their story out by fooling the right people (even fans who thought they were getting something they wanted) have been issues and these need to be addressed as well. It’s just the activists have highlighted the problems, but if all you see is “woke” you’re missing the larger problem.

Over at The Clutter Reports this week, I started one of those longer projects by organizing my personal files. This is already planned to be a multi-day project, but I was able to get far enough for this week’s report. Starting this and being a bit tired is why I forgot to do a Saturday Night Showcase this week. Sorry.

As I write this on Saturday night there is no new episode of DC Heroes United. Are they having trouble getting this out? At any rate this means even if I need a second day, we’re finishing the Star Trek writer’s guide’s Q&A section and finishing the entire guide. If they get one out by Tuesday’s post time, I think we’re still finishing the guide. There isn’t much left to the Q&A. There’s also the Chapter By Chapter review of Tom Clancy’s Op-Center: Mirror Image, which will probably take all winter at least. Plus whatever else I can find to discuss, the continuing comic reviews, and so on.

Have a great week, everyone!

BW’s Saturday Article Link> How Is James Bond Like Starbuck

That title is me taking a different perspective than the article writer. I’ve not watched a lot of 007 in action, but I have watched a lot of classic Battlestar Galactica, and really enjoy it. So while writer A.H. Lloyd wrote a commentary for Bleeding Fool about how changing James Bond too much alters the character, like gender swaps, he uses the namesake Battlestar Galactica as his example of how a character is changed in that way. Note for some of you out there that he takes issue with Ellen/Elliot Page’s transition, so if that bothers you just skip that paragraph and read the rest because it does make a good case. If that doesn’t bother you, ignore the last sentence.

 

Suicide Squad Un-Kills The Justice League?

It’s amazing watching beloved video game studios and publishers throwing away their years long reputation. I remember when Activision and Electronic Arts (now just EA) were symbols of quality to gamers, and now they’re sources of rage from those same gamers. Rocksteady Studios managed to ruin a whole sub-IP with one game, by setting Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League in the same universe as their Arkham games and producing a subpar gameplay experience with a frustrating storyline (powered by activist consultant firm Sweet Baby Inc, a name that is becoming the mark of death for a video game) where you play as the worst scum of the DC universe no matter how badly DC Entertainment is trying to push Harley Quinn between their comics and movie/streaming offerings, as they kill off childhood heroes and cultural icons with no respect shown by the creators of the game. I expect that from the villains, not the writers…or wouldn’t if I wasn’t a comic fan in the 2020s or a DC fan in the 2000s. (I remind you, DiDio’s Darker DC is still in effect.)

In a blatant attempt to save face, Rocksteady has dropped what is essentially an epilogue to their game, but not one you can play, or with a proper cutscene, or even anything that doesn’t come off as a retcon inspired by attempts to defend this game by brand loyalists who refuse to think anything under the DC umbrella is bad. As Rocksteady and WB Games prepare to end support and servers for Kill The Justice League, they dropped a last bit of lore that they thought would make everyone happy. Maybe if they dropped it sooner, presented it better, and put it in a more fun game to play, but none of that happened. Just look at this thing.

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“Yesterday’s” Comic> Amazing Man Comics #7

A man appears to be attacking a soldier with a bug sprayer while another soldier looks on.

“You’re close enough to help me!” “Sorry, I’m on my coffee break.”

Amazing Man Comics #7

Comic Corporation Of America (November, 1939)

I do these comic reviews at latest the night before in the hopes of getting them up on time. If I can do them sooner, I try to. This week wouldn’t give me the chance and as I write this on a Thursday night it’s after not getting much sleep Wednesday night, having to get up early to do something, and being really tired all day long as a result. Forgive any typos spellcheck doesn’t catch and good luck discerning my insanity from the Golden Age, but that’s why I link to the comics to read. Even in my weird dreams I don’t know if I can come up with this level of crazy.

[Read along with me here]

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BW’s Daily Video> First Look At Transformers: Cyberworld

Catch more from Comodin Cam on YouTube

Here’s the official Transformers YouTube channel, and for safety, the Transformers Junior channel. I’m going to also assume the official all-Transformers streaming channel on various freestream options will also carry the show along with the other Transformers series (except for the Japanese-only shows and first Robots In Disguise due to rights issues–would be nice if they worked that out with Takara Tomy and Toei animation). Here’s an article I did recently on what I would like to see in Cyberworld. Going to YouTube after how poorly Cartoon Network and Paramount/Nickelodeon handled things, and whatever happened with Netflix and Go90/Machinima in the past, seems to be a smart move, with their old Discovery partners in an odd state at the moment. At least they’d have full control on how you’ll get to see it.

As for the character models, I’ll have to see them in action, but this image looks okay.

Using A Positive Skybound Transformers Review To Explain Why I’m Not Into It

Jetfire in a parody of Grover from Sesame Street and "The Monster At The End Of This Book".

There’s a misunderstanding these days when it comes to reviews. Most of those “misunderstandings” is on purpose, mind you. Directors and celebs will lash out at a negative review, as will some game developers upset that the review will ruin them. A false review will, but so will a false positive review. They see a review that was gimmicked to give a false description and they might get something thinking it was great only to find out it was terrible, and there are more of those out there thanks to “shills” in media, social activists, and brand loyalists who forgot why they became a fan in the first place than there are those who will gimmick a review to the negative just for hate clicks.

However, nobody says you have to agree with the reviewer’s opinion. In fact, I’ve had reviews that gave me the opposite opinion of what I ended up having. For example, watch Optibotimus’ review of the Mini-Con Assault Team, and then compare it to my written review of the same toy. As he reviewed the trio on his video and showcased what he didn’t like about it, I was actually getting MORE interested because I didn’t see things the way he did. So I managed to find it on clearance and it’s one of my favorite Combiner Mini-Con teams. And if you read my other site, you know I love me some Mini-Cons. They’re like Micromasters you can use to arm the larger Transformers. Too bad they aren’t compatible in any form with modern Transformers. But I can put translucent explosions all over them if I want. 😛

However, we aren’t here to talk about Transformers toys, but Transformers comics. Skybound has been killing it with their Transformers comic run, as part of a shared “Energon Universe” alongside G.I. Joe (of course) and an original series called Void Rivals for some reason. The Jetfire cover there is actually a variant cover from that series’ first issue. The adult Transformers fan community, or at least people I follow who are either all-in on Transformer discussion or as a side discussion for media and culture, love this series after a disappointing IDW run. At least the late run for some if not the rebooted universe to maintain the license after they couldn’t tell any more stories in their existing continuity. Other fans, like myself, weren’t happy with the direction the first continuity went, and I had issues throughout that I ignored for…I admit it…brand loyalty. I admitted them but like the first Bay film I wanted it to be better than it was. Dreamwave’s short-lived run remains my favorite, though the pre-Furman US comics will always hit my nostalgia.

However, what I’ve seen of the Skybound comics doesn’t interest me. Oh, the art is impressive and the writers seem to care about what they’re doing, but what I saw wasn’t clicking with me. And then I saw Linkara’s review of it on Atop The Fourth Wall and confirmed just why I’m not into it, while Lewis Lovhaug himself had mostly praise for it among his usual snarky comedy bits. Allow me to show you his review, which I remind you is positive, and explain why when it was done, it ends up being a reverse of the Mini-Con Assault Team. The video runs 30:01, so have a seat.

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“Yesterday’s” Comic> The Henchman #1

Why is your Superman stand-in dressing like your Aquaman stand-in?

The Henchman #1

Underling Entertainment (2020)

WRITER/CREATOR: Greg Smith

ARTIST: Sal Donaire

COLORIST: Maksim “Keeper” Strelkov

LETTERER: Olga Timofeeva

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