May 23, 2019

Internet Spotlight: Gaijin Goombah’s Yokai Watchers

Sometimes when I need a quick feature post I’ll grab an episode of one of Gaijin Goombah’s shows, especially my favorite, Which Ninja. So I thought I would take the opportunity to promote his newest YouTube series, Yokai Watchers. Sometimes on his other shows he brings up the topic of yokai, a special group of spirits in Japanese folklore. Maybe you’ve even seen that Yokai Watch show on TV or the merchandise attached to it and wonder what it’s about. I’ve also seen yokai popping up in other media, both from and outside of Japanese anime and manga. Tonight you’re going to find out what they are.

In this first episode Gaijin Goombah and his counterpart Little G go over just what yokai are and their place in folklore, plus why they’re so popular today. May you find something interesting.

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Posted by on May 23, 2019 in Internet Spotlight and tagged , , .

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May 23, 2019

“Yesterday’s” Comic> Robotech #3 (Antarctic Press)

What is he doing, protecting the battlefield from intruders?

Robotech #3

Antarctic Press (July, 1997)

“Megastorm” finale

WRITER: Fred Perry

ARTIST: Ben Dunn

COLORIST: ARNie

LETTERER: Joe Dunn

Prototype 001: “Tigercat” part three

WRITER/ARTIST: Ted Nomura

COLORISTS/LETTERERS: Joe & Ben Dunn

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Posted by on May 23, 2019 in Animation Spotlight, Television Spotlight, Yesterday's Comics and tagged , , , .

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May 23, 2019

BW’s Morning Article Link: Images From The Dark Crystal Series

While Jim Henson Productions sold off the Sesame Street Muppets to the Sesame Workshop and the Muppet Show Muppets to Disney (I don’t know why) they still own the rest of the Muppets empire. This includes The Dark Crystal and we fans have wanted to see more from this world (which I only learned a few years ago has a name, Thra). While we have gotten two really good prequel stories in the comics (and I think another series I have yet to see) we’re now getting a prequel series on Netflix. Here are the early images, which will be using puppetry to I assume tell the story of the Dark Crystal’s shattering (although I think the comics covered that) and what happened to the Gelflings, plus how Jen and Kira survived and got a hold of the Crystal shard.

I wish I had Netflix. For every poor She-Ra re-imagining we get stuff like this.

Posted by on May 23, 2019 in Movie Spotlight, Streaming Spotlight and tagged , , .

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May 22, 2019

Free Comic Inside: In The Transformers

This edition of Free Comic Inside was intended to be a return to the Dreamwave-produced Transformers Energon minicomics, the last one they made before Dreamwave shut down. However, a recent episode of Transformers: The Basics discussed Transformers media around the world, which sent me searching for some of that media. One item I came across was a giveaway minicomic produced by Milton Bradley in 1985, who distributed Transformers toys in areas that didn’t have a Hasbro or Takara presence in that part of Europe. Specifically there were versions in Dutch, German, and Spanish.

One of the Spanish versions was translated for the All-Spark Transformers forums by Miguelator 3, provided to the All-Spark forums by IvanSpeedy, translated by Spark, and had new lettering and touch-up art by David “Walky” Willis. You can read them through here but the image links to go Photobucket pages that I had to reload the page a time or two to get the image to come up right and this video came coming up about Oprah doing something with Renee Zellweger or something. I’ve put together a PDF for myself but I don’t know what the rights issues involved are and I don’t want to risk my site when the entertainment industry is already targeting the independent critic community. I have no creator credits to bring you but I can still show you the cover.

Robotech did crossover with Voltron, so a Transformers crossover isn’t completely unlikely. I’m just not sure if I’m interested.

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Posted by on May 22, 2019 in Free Comic Inside and tagged , , , , , , .

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May 22, 2019

“Yesterday’s” Comic> Star Trek: Early Voyages #17

“Spock, what does Pike mean by ‘hentai’?” “I would rather not speculate.”

Star Trek: Early Voyages #17

FINAL ISSUE

Marvel/Paramount Comics (June, 1998)

“Nemesis”

WRITERS: Ian Edginton & Dan Abnett

PENCILER: Javier Pulido

INKER: Steve Moncuse

COLORIST: Marie Javins

LETTERER: Janice Chiang

EDITOR: Bobbie Chase

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Posted by on May 22, 2019 in Television Spotlight, Yesterday's Comics and tagged , , , , , , , .

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May 22, 2019

BW’s Morning Article Link: In Defense Of Robert Pattinson Batman

I really haven’t seen Robert Pattinson in anything. I know he’s mostly known for the Twilight movies, but it’s Twilight. You’re the dummies who went to see it and you only have yourselves to blame. However, that’s not the only movie on his resume and Bam! Smack! Pow! contributor Mark Lynch makes the case for actually seeing what he can do as Batman before jumping on his case, seeing as he hasn’t even been confirmed for the role yet. You’ve been proven wrong before. Maybe somebody can recommend some movies that actually given an idea how well he could portray Batman or Bruce Wayne?

Keaton did surprisingly well in the role, and at the time he wasn’t really known for dramatic performances as most of his work had been in comedy. Val Kilmer was handed a bad script written and directed by someone who didn’t understand Batman. George Clooney…yeah, that didn’t work at all. Christian Bale had that weird gravely Batman voice but people speak highly of his performance beyond that. Adam West has his supporters, as does Ben Affleck (also handed a bad script by someone who didn’t understand Batman). I want a sample of what he would bring to the role and more importantly what the story is going to be before I start getting concerned.

Posted by on May 22, 2019 in DC Spotlight, Movie Spotlight and tagged , , .

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May 21, 2019

YouTube VFX Masters React To Hollywood VFX

Visual effects nowadays are amazingly easier. Anyone with a computer and the right software, from high-end programs like Adobe After Effects to free programs like Blender, can do it. Doing it GOOD however is something even big screen movie budgets don’t always get right. It takes a high level of skill to get everything right to properly trigger our suspension of disbelief, and as the process improves more is required of the CG artists. Even on YouTube, where you know they’re on a smaller budget and will open your mental eye up a bit more (or possibly squint more, depending on how you approach that metaphor) because of it, making it look good enough is still important.

The team at Corridor Digital have made an art out of comedic action skits using computer effects, since they don’t have the budget for practical effects. Frankly it’s a process less and less directors seem to want to put the time and budget into because so much of it goes to this or that celebrity. In these two video three members of the team go over various trailers and movies to see how they approached computer effects and why some work while others make us cringe.

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Posted by on May 21, 2019 in Animation Spotlight, Movie Spotlight, Television Spotlight and tagged , , , , , , .

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