The Failed Darkwinging Of Thundarr

Thundarr The Barbarian is one of my favorite Saturday Morning Shows, and my friend’s favorite as I’m sure Sean will tell you in the comments. At the very least it’s his current nostalgic obsession besides Robotech. I don’t know if it was actually a failed Kamandi adaptation (the internet is not always what you’d call reliable) but the idea of a post-apocalyptic society that embraced magic was a lot more enjoyable than the majority of story in the post-apocalypse sub-genre because it didn’t focus on the doom and gloom. It wasn’t afraid to have a little fun with the idea even though the focus was on the serious action and adventure.

I also love Darkwing Duck. Created by Tad Stones and a group of his friends and colleagues, it’s a superhero parody done right. It’s still a crimefighting story where the superhero battles villains, but takes loving shots at superhero tropes and the idea of superheroes and supervillains. It’s a great parody but it’s a great superhero show first. So what happens when the man behind Darkwing Duck takes on Thundarr The Barbarian?

Not what I would have hoped, but maybe what I should have expected. I read the whole four-page pitch over at Tad Stone’s blog, The only reason I don’t think this would have been as bad as something like Thundercats Roar is that I know Stones is a great creator and knows how to balance action and comedy, which I’m not seeing from that other show. (We still don’t have a final release date for that, do we?) That doesn’t mean that this would be a good idea mind you. Look how it starts.

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“Yesterday’s” Comic> Star Trek: Early Voyages #14

Pike’s tired of being left out of the “best Enterprise Captain” debate.

Star Trek: Early Voyages #14

Marvel/Paramount Comics (March, 1998)

“Futures”

WRITERS: Ian Edginton & Dan Abnett

PENCILER: Patrick Zircher

INKER: Steve Moncuse

COLORIST: Marie Javins

LETTERING: Janice Chiang

EDITOR: Bobbie Chase

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BW’s Morning Article Link: And Another Kids’ Comic Store

On the heels of yesterday’s post on a family-focused comic shop, here’s one store that created an entire sub-store just for kids. The aptly-named Sidekicks in Chicago is a store connected to Challengers. While kids aren’t being given superheroes anymore (which frustrates me to no end as someone who came to superheroes as a kid) at least they’re still being given a love of comics. If only the larger companies would remember that.

Hard Mode Is A Lie [Game Theory]

I am not very good at video games. That’s not why I haven’t started that let’s play show, those are the fault of technical issues that continue to plague me. I love video games, but I’m not very good at them. My hand/eye coordination isn’t very good and I distract easy at times, plus I don’t get to play all the time since I’m working on other projects or before that actually working at a paying job (which I haven’t been able to do since 2013 for various reasons). However, they are fun to play…on easy mode, which is where the problem begins for some games. It’s one thing to put something behind the “hard mode” barrier to encourage improvement, it’s another to mock someone for only being able to play and get anywhere on an easier mode. I hate when games do that just to show how tough they are. If you didn’t want me to play on easy mode THEN WHY THE #@#$$ DID YOU INCLUDE IT, MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That said, is hard mode really as hard as you think? The addition of an easy mode for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice has caused a controversy on the internet, and if that surprises you this is the internet. There are controversies over cake frosting! (I’ll even bet that’s true.) While most of us would say “if you don’t like easy mode, don’t play it”, could the real comment be “there is no hard mode”? In a recent video MatPat of Game Theory makes the case that maybe it isn’t. Listen to his reasoning and see if you agree. Or at least just get off of my case if I don’t use “brutal nightmare” mode.

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“Yesterday’s” Comic> Iron Man volume 3 #32

If you can't see this consider yourself lucky.

My apologies to anyone eating right now.

Iron Man volume 3 #32

Marvel Comics (September, 2000)

“The Sons Of Yinsen” part 2: “Gods & Monsters”

PLOT: Joe Quesada & Frank Tieri

SCRIPT: Frank Tieri

PENCILER: Althia Martinez

INKER: Rob Hunter

COLORIST: Steve Oliff

LETTERING: Comicraft

EDITOR: Bobbie Chase

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BW’s Morning Article Link: Proof Kids Love Comics

To you comic companies and even indie creators who don’t think comics for kids or all-ages readerships do well, here’s an article about a family-focused comic store that has three stores in a time when comic stores are closing. I don’t know if they carry monthly periodicals or just stuff from companies like Scholastic that basically makes graphic novels only. Still, it’s getting kids into comics and teaching them to read, with stuff for mom and dad as well. That’s always good to see.

Chapter By Chapter: Tom Clancy’s Op-Center chapters 71-73

Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.

If the rest of the book had been as interesting as this last quarter has been I might have been really enjoying the book by now. Things are happening, the main characters matter, and…there’s still the odd chapter system but two out of three and all. Gregory’s after Eyepatch, Op-Center finally has their act together, and hopefully that will help end this book on a high note. Goodness knows it hasn’t been for most of it.

  • Chapter 71: Wednesday, 7:48 AM, the Diamond Mountains: 4 pages
  • Chapter 72: Wednesday, 7:50 AM, the DMZ: 4 pages
  • Chapter 73: Wednesday, 7:53 AM, Seoul: 3 1/2 pages

Let’s see what the real heroes of this book are up to.

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