tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293055132024-03-07T16:32:01.449-06:00The Roaring BrainMatt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-3747993077216365472010-05-28T01:57:00.002-05:002010-05-28T02:00:19.362-05:00Life drawing sketches<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUH7YOwNhPQcCwla_fp4LACfvNKpKFI5E6zkurceXi6f3PlEIhfHtjOGAuJvo30FGwqNxc4MWqxB6O-qPkJLQM61IpUDIfxB-1djiWniVF8jPIPZd6NM6Zmd5Ti80vQHrlAPd/s1600/Pict0026.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 228px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbUH7YOwNhPQcCwla_fp4LACfvNKpKFI5E6zkurceXi6f3PlEIhfHtjOGAuJvo30FGwqNxc4MWqxB6O-qPkJLQM61IpUDIfxB-1djiWniVF8jPIPZd6NM6Zmd5Ti80vQHrlAPd/s320/Pict0026.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476212118553391970" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL2caVDwNetOoKJdWG2-GJuI1acjP58vAbzQgUY-WqiiEEZDY1dycEMnkWjqAjbchw8dIpdsYlP0I0HhnnLZxCZG6Wax28rXWCcpePWQqRdqGmC4pczfcdg0x5VdCXDPisGx0/s1600/Pict0027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEL2caVDwNetOoKJdWG2-GJuI1acjP58vAbzQgUY-WqiiEEZDY1dycEMnkWjqAjbchw8dIpdsYlP0I0HhnnLZxCZG6Wax28rXWCcpePWQqRdqGmC4pczfcdg0x5VdCXDPisGx0/s320/Pict0027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476211930602099106" /></a><br /><br /><br />I claim this blog in the name of sketches!<br /><br />Attending life-drawing classes so I don't suck so much at people. We'll see ;)Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com106tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-6705938360842829532009-11-13T13:02:00.003-06:002009-11-13T13:24:46.725-06:00Sooooo...not really updating anymore...Yeah, I pretty much realized that there is really no reason to keep updating this blog. It's not that I don't WANT to, it's just that more of my time and energy is better spent at Deviantart.<br /><br />Of course, I'll keep this blog around, since there is a lot of important stuff here, ALSO, in case something "happens" at DA and I need to go somewhere else, this will be waiting for me.<br /><br />So for all art and blog updates, check here:<br /><a href="http://kaijusamurai.deviantart.com">kaijusamurai.deviantart.com</a><br /><br />Also, keep an eye on Mattfrankart.com, there's a major revision in the works.<br /><a href="http://www.mattfrankart.com">Mattfrankart.com</a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-54379396729618002152009-09-04T01:15:00.004-05:002009-09-04T01:22:16.432-05:00IT BURNS WITH CUTE.Want to destroy yourself, along with everything you ever believed it, and love yourself for doing it?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa-lHWbJvlpwt-W2HpZcimanvZchMcHA6_v7k1oK7obgSNWdt2959U54pZTspxVHd3H5IVlyjVLagZQ9s8zNSfPix98UZIMEADl7leZr_s42YKU7yBFZXxoGOoe9fQ6nv9nTg/s1600-h/chiberatsu.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa-lHWbJvlpwt-W2HpZcimanvZchMcHA6_v7k1oK7obgSNWdt2959U54pZTspxVHd3H5IVlyjVLagZQ9s8zNSfPix98UZIMEADl7leZr_s42YKU7yBFZXxoGOoe9fQ6nv9nTg/s320/chiberatsu.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377492087208021250" /></a><br /><br />That, my friends, is "Chibiterasu," lovable little puppy-goddess of Amaterasu, hero of the wildly-praised-and-horrifically-under-appreciated OKAMI, Game of the Year for 2006.<br /><br />For those who know me, Okami is my absolute favorite single game of all time, even moreso than any one Zelda game and thousands of times over all of the crappy Street Fighter ripoffs and the literal armies of brown-and-gray Space Marine games where you are told, time and again, that life is horrible and you should feel bad for breathing.<br /><br />Okami is the antithesis to all of that, taking the core concepts of the borderline-played-out Zelda franchise and dressing it up with a lovely, unique art style, great characters and an epic anime feel to it all. Naturally, because it was daring enough to be different, and GOOD at it, it sold terribly because all gamers want is to beat hookers to death.<br /><br />Yeah, I'm a little bitter.<br /><br />But Amaterasu's brilliant light shines on us again! <span style="font-style:italic;">Okamiden</span>, a sequel built for the DS, is coming sometime in 2010.<br /><br />...Great, now I need to get a DS. Maybe I'll settle for an art book or something because I LOVES ME SOME OKAMI.<br /><br /><a href="http://kotaku.com/5352267/first-okamiden-footage-small-cute">http://kotaku.com/5352267/first-okamiden-footage-small-cute</a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-41184912870922899142009-08-16T16:20:00.011-05:002009-08-18T02:26:30.706-05:00Dear Legendary Pictures...<div style="text-align: center;">OR<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold;">How NOT to Screw Up a New Godzilla Film<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcL5rBqF9UflCH6v9bTH9-lMjH32HRpYOJlSKFU6x_I8EcEKqH4ryHe5_eQzPbYI278fxvhyphenhyphenHk2GjHlCHVQvRvYte20v0FXO5V7rkpy6EeXvumnk919z2LppiSNVVMXh50Y3sc/s1600-h/godzilla-tkom-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 245px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcL5rBqF9UflCH6v9bTH9-lMjH32HRpYOJlSKFU6x_I8EcEKqH4ryHe5_eQzPbYI278fxvhyphenhyphenHk2GjHlCHVQvRvYte20v0FXO5V7rkpy6EeXvumnk919z2LppiSNVVMXh50Y3sc/s320/godzilla-tkom-3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370687866993090418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >The first attempt at an all-American Godzilla as designed by William Stout. It was intended for the stop-motion-centric "Godzilla 3-D" back in 1983. Stout channeled a Tyrannosaurus Rex as a major factor for inspiration.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql0IgPsV23OXexnKxnvIhHD2W7d1CnKVfG18oN_6SZ48kutOnw-YDzT0XLlLYJ2-DYX3kTGOAvW4uNK2zPtubg4oEWGuXFJ0TeB6ilszTjA6H90FSD2ulF0sdgATwuIpJEpnn/s1600-h/delgadogoji2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiql0IgPsV23OXexnKxnvIhHD2W7d1CnKVfG18oN_6SZ48kutOnw-YDzT0XLlLYJ2-DYX3kTGOAvW4uNK2zPtubg4oEWGuXFJ0TeB6ilszTjA6H90FSD2ulF0sdgATwuIpJEpnn/s320/delgadogoji2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370687310835997954" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >The second attempt came in 1993/94 for a script written by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Longtime dinosaur fan Ricardo Delgado gave the Heisei Godzilla design a sleek look.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7irMRFvOnQzKs2Eysz3tOEUSy-M8fwsGQZD8POJRfa04uTdHE1LAB-XAsgf9kNSxGR83dbVm3fsMDob2_NPLDXxj_4fuyov7wiPlk1XuvRBAOeTlLG0VGyZcqtCAfJsrhEcSa/s1600-h/500full.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7irMRFvOnQzKs2Eysz3tOEUSy-M8fwsGQZD8POJRfa04uTdHE1LAB-XAsgf9kNSxGR83dbVm3fsMDob2_NPLDXxj_4fuyov7wiPlk1XuvRBAOeTlLG0VGyZcqtCAfJsrhEcSa/s320/500full.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370687640923334050" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:78%;" >The third attempt was finally made into a film by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich. The new monster was designed by Patrick Tatopoulos, who tried some thing radical and new.</span><br /><br />There is no doubt that Godzilla is an icon of popular culture. With 55 years, 28 films and hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide under his extra-extra-large belt, there's some serious baggage that comes with a name as well-known as Mickey Mouse and Superman.<br />Last week, Bloody-Disgusting.com leaked a news bite that Legendary Pictures, the folks behind a bevvy of recent hits such as <span style="font-style: italic;">The Dark Knight</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Hangover</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">300</span>, are "in early discussions" to possibly produce a new GODZILLA film. Further rumors point out that Weta Workshop, the wunderkids behind the effects for <span style="font-style: italic;">The Lord of the Rings</span>, Peter Jackson's <span style="font-style: italic;">King Kong</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">District 9</span> are front-runners to handle the special effects wizardry.<br /><br />A qualifying statement is in order: this is all just here-say. No official statement has been issued, and Toho is remaining tight-lipped on the project...if there even IS a project. It could very well fall through. Still, once word hit the internet that there was even the POTENTIAL for a new US-made film, the internet practically exploded. People not even known to be fans were posting like crazy about the possibility that Godzilla in all his reptilian fury could be stomping across screens once more. Quite honestly, Toho and Legendary would be complete and utter fools to let this opportunity pass them by.<br /><br />There's no question that there is a huge potential for profit here, and that's what the studios are all for: making money. HOWEVER, that is if, and ONLY if, the proper steps are taken. There's no doubt that a profit is to be made regardless, because the simple fact is, while you can praise and worship <span style="font-style: italic;">Gojira</span> 1954, <span style="font-style: italic;">Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Cloverfield</span> until the eagles choke, people DON'T go to monster movies for plot, script and acting (although those are all factors). They go to see GIANT MONSTERS BREAK STUFF. That's the reason while <span style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla</span> 1998 was still a financial success; American moviegoers loves them some giant monsters.<br /><br />Quick aside: why did I say "American"? Because I DON'T mean Japanese. That's right, the birthplace of the <span style="font-style: italic;">kaiju</span> genre is experiencing a terrible downturn in giant monster interest...at least in films. <span style="font-style: italic;">Ultra Galaxy: Mega Monster Battle</span> is currently one of the most popular children's shows in Japan, and it's all live-action monsters in rubber suits beating the snot out of each other in the tradition of Poke'mon, Digimon and YuGiOh (themselves all inspired by <span style="font-style: italic;">UltraSeven</span>, so it's practically come full-circle). But the Ultra series aside, giant monsters are decidedly NOT on the minds of moviegoers in Japan. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gamera The Brave</span> was a box-office flop, <span style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla: Final Wars</span> performed terribly, <span style="font-style: italic;">King Kong</span> did VERY poorly, and even <span style="font-style: italic;">Cloverfield</span> underperformed in the Japanese box office. While monsters are an undeniable part of Japanese culture, they've turn their backs on the "big budget" monster feature in favor of kiddish TV fare...hey, it's the 70's all over again!<br /><br />But Americans are definitely still in to giant monsters. <span style="font-style: italic;">Monsters vs. Aliens</span>, though decidedly a family-film, was a huge success at the box office, and let's not forget <span style="font-style: italic;">Cloverfield</span>. The excitement generated online over the vague possibility of a new US Godzilla film should be proof enough.<br />Of course, this brings me to a touchy subject that, despite my best attempts, I can't ignore: the 1998 Tristar <span style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla</span>. It's a flick that will inevitably come up when discussing a potential Godzilla reboot, or hell, Godzilla in general. 1998 was a year that will live in infamy as "The Year of Godzilla." Seriously, Big G's name was EVERYWHERE. There was no doubt that it was the hottest film of 1998...well, suffice to say, it wasn't so hot anymore. I could go on for another two or three pages about why this film works and doesn't work, but I'll wrap things up here and move on to the potential new flick. The bottom line is, simply, it wasn't Godzilla, and that felt like a big missed opportunity for the franchise.<br /><br />But 11 years have passed and mayhaps it's time to try again. The Toho series went out with a bang AND a whimper with <span style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla: Final Wars</span>. But, as mentioned before, there's a helluvalotta' baggage that comes with a new, American-made film. What should be done? What shouldn't be done? Should it be done at all?<br /><br />First and foremost, the topic on everyone's mind is what to do with the special effects? Many are rallying for a grassroots approach, rubber suits and all, while others are accepting that CGI may be the necessity in order to attract a modern, dumber audience that wants everything brighter and shinier. There's no argument that the rubber suit will cause a lot of confusion and ultimately turn a lot of people off from the project...THEN AGAIN, it is entirely possible to make rubber suits convincingly gigantic. Shinji Higuchi comes to mind (Google him, we don't have time to get into that here), but it's a foregone conclusion that CGI will be heavily utilized in SOME way. If the rumors are true and Weta does jump on board (and they'd be happy to do it) there's no doubt that there will be plenty of miniature sets. But the monsters themselves are the real issue...<br />One possible solution is the recent trend of "practical CGI," as I hath dubbed it, in which a physical object, often an elaborate suit ala <span style="font-style:italic;">Where the Wild Things Are</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Land of the Lost</span> is mapped over with a number of additional digital effects, be it for facial expressions, overall movement or what have you.<br /><br />Know what I'D like to see? A suit actor, maybe Kitagawa, in a half-practical suit, the legs marked with digital reference dots to be made into convincing digitigrades later, and that long tail and a fiercely expressionate face ala KONG.<br /><br />It goes without saying that this film also needs a really fun plot, and what's the easiest and most lucrative solution? MONSTERS, as in PLURAL. I'll put it simply for the business majors out there: more monsters means more toys. But on a more insightful note, putting more than one monster (and no, I DON'T mean a bunch of velociraptors hatched out of xenomorph eggs) will make the film infinitely more interesting than Godzilla having to carry it on his own. That only worked for ONE film, and even in <span style="font-style:italic;">Godzilla 1985</span> he had an enemy in the form of the Super X! We all know who Godzilla is, we don't need an entire film to re-acquaint us with the monster all on his lonesome.<br />Did I mention toys?<br /><br />Speaking of toys-er, other monsters, what should be used? You'd be surprised at the thematic elements of storytelling that broil about when discussing this topic. I'm sure that many fans and even mainstream moviegoers will be dieing to see classic Toho beasties like Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah fight Godzilla in his comeback flick...but it ain't gonna' happen, at least not likely. Word has it that Tristar, back in the day, payed literally millions of dollars for Godzilla alone...and I don't see Legendary shelling out the scratch for Gigan or Megalon. Chances are we'll have a non-Toho monster.<br /><br />But what will we get? Storytelling aesthetic demands that the monster <span style="font-style:italic;">compliment</span> Godzilla and be something of an antithesis. In the 1994 script, Godzilla was pit against "The Gryphon," a creature not unlike <span style="font-style:italic;">The Thing</span>, specifically John Carpenter's version, in which it absorbs victims and gains their characteristics until it becomes a giant cougar-monster with bat wings, a mouth full of snakes and human-level intelligence. It's a nice enemy monster since it differs in origin, appearance, powers and personality, but, according to the script, Godzilla's destiny is to fight the thing, neatly tying things together.<br />A similar plot would be utilized for the proposed sequel to the 1998 film where "Zilla" would go up against a horde of mutated insects that have taken over an island, with the big boss being the "Queen Bitch," a sort of giant termite queen that, thanks to a quirk of evolution, Zilla is intended by nature to destroy. It'd be hella cool to see some new giant insect that isn't Mothra, Kamacuras or Megaguirus.<br /><br />Basically, what I'm saying, is that we need an enemy monster, and preferably one that maybe turns Godzilla from a misunderstood villain into an anti-hero in one flick, that way the audience gets behind the Big G from the get-go...that's my opinion, anyway.<br /><br />Another issue that I feel doesn't get addressed nearly enough is the human story YES BY GOD THERE ARE HUMANS IN GODZILLA FILMS WHAAAAT???<br />Anywho, I feel that the '94 script did something that more Godzilla films need: something for the humans to do. <span style="font-style:italic;">Final Wars</span> did manage to make the human scenes entertaining, but they would up horning in on the kaiju screentime and ultimately stealing the plot itself. In the '94 script, as well as in <span style="font-style:italic;">Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah; Giant Monsters All Out Attack</span>, not to mention a good chunk of the Showa films, the humans are given plenty to do without distracting from the crisis at hand. In the '94 script, they take an active role in the final battle by (spoilers) actually saving Godzilla so he can defeat the Gryphon.<br />Like it or not, the human characters in Godzilla films are there to carry the story. While films like <span style="font-style:italic;">Godzilla 2000</span> badly fall short of this, alternatives like <span style="font-style:italic;">Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster</span> keep the humans relevant and interesting.<br /><br />A final thought: perhaps the most important aspects, especially for myself and the Godzilla fans out there, is that Godzilla's spirit and character must remain in-tact. Sure, his origin changes, his role changes, and his look changes, but Godzilla's FIGHTING SPIRIT must remain in-tact. In other words, the Big G is a bona-fide BAD ASS. He does not run from fights. He is a role model for young boys in that he don't take no guff from no one. He's GODZILLA, dammit.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />- a fan who likes to think he knows what he's talking about.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-52556370977183628802009-07-29T13:26:00.003-05:002009-07-29T13:48:41.237-05:00Big Man Japan...?Oi.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTWgr0mPb1EX0i-U0n76xyLdJz4062BkZapzvLgyFXs5PcfHZ2om-D72vd0pK8g9TqIQW5XjvXZSJJbuhJHtQ4k44zhNyvcSTG1M2yn6IFOhdGrPVQYeFw5YOpJ-8INWjBAXR/s1600-h/Big-Man-Japan-04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 193px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYTWgr0mPb1EX0i-U0n76xyLdJz4062BkZapzvLgyFXs5PcfHZ2om-D72vd0pK8g9TqIQW5XjvXZSJJbuhJHtQ4k44zhNyvcSTG1M2yn6IFOhdGrPVQYeFw5YOpJ-8INWjBAXR/s320/Big-Man-Japan-04.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363950394136530274" /></a><br /><br />For the last several months, whenever I'd bring up Ultraman or Godzilla in mixed company, and particularly amongst the trendy hipster weirdos of my fellow Austinites, they'd ask me "Have you seen Big Man Japan?"<br /><br />"No," I replied.<br /><br />"You have to. It's crazy and hilarious and (insert more shallow praise here)!"<br /><br />So I finally rented it last night.<br /><br />I'll keep it short.<br /><br />BIG MAN JAPAN is probably the most boring "crazy film" I've ever seen. There's no question that the film is smart, and it's making plenty of observations on modern Japanese society (particularly the slow decay of its culture), and there are a handful of moments where we found ourselves laughing, but generally it was remarkable that a film could be so filled with...well, NOTHINGNESS to the point that it's over an hour and a half.<br /><br />And it's not that I didn't "get" the film. As a fan of the kaiju genre, not to mention Japanese film in general, I actually understood the film completely. Nothing seemed truly confusing to me, even the "blowdart ending" as one friend dubbed it, so I was never lost or weirded out (not TOO much, anyway). But I think that the humor of watching this aging monster-fighter who's not appreciated for his work sit for minutes upon minutes talking about the minutia of whether or not he should go on vacation is lost on me because, simply, <span style="font-style:italic;">I'm not Japanese.</span><br /><br />Japanese humor is admittedly hard to get for a lot of Americans. Their slapstick comedy and situational humor is funny for the most part, but their puns and social commentary is pretty much lost to us. So maybe the humor of BIG MAN JAPAN is truly cultural, as much as I understood it all.<br /><br />Another thing is that there's no "redemption" in the film. It's just wave after wave of depression and emotional punches to the gut, and then an ending that supposedly solves the conflict of the film...but offers nothing for the hero and gives him nothing to develop from or grow. It's all just more awkward situations.<br /><br />Oh yes, and you won't get the ending unless you know who and what ULTRAMAN is. Y'know, ULTRAMAN? More culturally relevant to Japan than almost every anime ever produced?<br /><br />Anywho, I honestly can't recommend the film, simply because it's just so damn boring. As a social commentary, it's interesting and it's quirky, so I can only recommend it for that.<br /><br />but in the meantime, here's a better kaiju parody: GEHARA<br /><br /><a href="http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/30677/update-two-clips-from-long-haired-giant-monster-gehara">http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/30677/update-two-clips-from-long-haired-giant-monster-gehara</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpBIv_-aKcD1a9TAoOl8sZjL44pxDavVMKptrlhyyw-bfrSaUBTYiGiic8Ixvot1iGbqXBdDZQz-bRGHv-C2fI3xc046WcXKbfSzxtA3L_8XN2FV5Tb2cdwejLG218FXa71mR/s1600-h/gehara01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpBIv_-aKcD1a9TAoOl8sZjL44pxDavVMKptrlhyyw-bfrSaUBTYiGiic8Ixvot1iGbqXBdDZQz-bRGHv-C2fI3xc046WcXKbfSzxtA3L_8XN2FV5Tb2cdwejLG218FXa71mR/s320/gehara01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363955853699063490" /></a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-49382642891201743182009-07-21T00:18:00.004-05:002009-07-21T00:57:09.001-05:00The Chinese Ultraman - Metal Kaiser?!A couple of years ago, Tsuburaya Productions started work in that most elusive of foreign markets, the mighty and intimidating China, to create, you guessed it, a giant superhero series.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTicTqmf3SsRfpw-SqSbgAEgqc8QQGYeODmYmogIQ2c-WfY-WHGH4HvFBRbXqWd_7GqXyt3mc-gyA1tjAVNZu35PhsAlExFpMxBNPE3hXeHnTqgfrIObBnAoL9b7Bv1b3w0b4a/s1600-h/wulong113nb.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTicTqmf3SsRfpw-SqSbgAEgqc8QQGYeODmYmogIQ2c-WfY-WHGH4HvFBRbXqWd_7GqXyt3mc-gyA1tjAVNZu35PhsAlExFpMxBNPE3hXeHnTqgfrIObBnAoL9b7Bv1b3w0b4a/s320/wulong113nb.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360787598783766402" /></a><br /><br />Now we know what Tsuburaya was doing while the budget series of ULTRASEVEN X and ULTRA GALAXY were running!<br /><br />METAL KAISER is a really colorful, nifty looking series that features lots of nuances of the Ultraman franchise while mixing in distinctly Chinese visual cues and story elements.<br />Here's the story, according to <a href="http://www.clubtokyo.org/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=14895">http://www.clubtokyo.org/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=14895<br /></a><br /><br />In the year 2052, a legendary sorcerer gives a mystical bracelet to a member of SAM (Science Analyze Mission) to allow him to transform into a giant super-warrior, armed with a laser sword and mad kung-fu skillz.<br />Okay, so it honestly sounds really, really unoriginal, but the visual style is very nifty, and apparently it was going to be divided into 4 seasons, each with a new giant hero.<br /><br />Check out the awesome trailer here!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2PbhZ7SwA&feature=related">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2PbhZ7SwA&feature=related</a><br /><br />Yet another here!<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAsp2assnh8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAsp2assnh8</a><br /><br />Looks cool, right? Sure, it's really similar to Ultraman...but hey, Tsuburaya made it! So it's like GRIDMAN, a.k.a. SUPERHUMAN SAMURAI SYBER SQUAD...only...Chinese! It was an honest-to-goodness attempt to bring the coolness of Ultraman to China while bringing the massive nation's cultural pride to fore.<br /><br />Unfortunately, it was not to be.<br /><br /><a href="http://justiceace.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/hail-to-the-metal-kaiser/">http://justiceace.wordpress.com/2007/12/01/hail-to-the-metal-kaiser/</a><br />According to some internet snooping, the Guan Zhou Broadcasting Company banned the show before it could even air, wasting thousands of dollars and all of Tsuburaya's hard work, and denying Chinese children a chance at seeing a culturally relevant take on Japan's most popular superhero.<br />Of course, this is another chapter in the saga of Chinese censorship. It's a bad, BAD deal. The Guan Zhou, or whatever they're called, have not released a statement as to WHY the show was banned, but it likely had something to do with the strict regulations of violence on Chinese televisions (which fluctuates frequently) as well as probably negative connotations against a Japanese studio producing a Chinese program, something that entails a lot of hot-button issues for the Chinese.<br /><br />Still, there's a glimmer of hope; Ryuji Honda, son of the legendary Ishiro Honda, has been strongly pushing the series, and hopefully it'll receive a release in Japan once the legal crap with China is all wrapped up.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-22654320696782201412009-07-08T17:29:00.002-05:002009-07-08T17:33:33.995-05:00Punish the Innocent<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4300383">http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4300383</a><br /><br />I don't usually post stories like this but I felt it necessary to at least spread the word about a man who was imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit (i.e. "Here we go again!)<br /><br />Eric in the link above was convicted of rape, despite there being no evidence whatsoever that he committed the act, the only evidence being a massive dumptruck's worth on some white guy who admits to being a "jealous boyfriend," so what's the logical thing to do? Throw the innocent guy in jail. THAT makes sense.<br /><br />Spread the word, get this guy some help.<br /><br />- From the Army of Common Sense (informed by Phillip DeFranco)Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-92002971152759097652009-06-26T15:49:00.003-05:002009-06-26T16:38:08.768-05:00G-Fest XVI right around the corner!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlBTTtfwFbyC8PwXaARk4St5IiOTROxbXydARisNxX1SioAAwX9sXHr7RhKo02WAleTTsc8Z3TeEpxElLgTOt7jRsfLXRXC5hMBGCCq7aAFTGgOSS1mDXUkJBmpt8VMY5RGrM/s1600-h/gfest.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 154px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlBTTtfwFbyC8PwXaARk4St5IiOTROxbXydARisNxX1SioAAwX9sXHr7RhKo02WAleTTsc8Z3TeEpxElLgTOt7jRsfLXRXC5hMBGCCq7aAFTGgOSS1mDXUkJBmpt8VMY5RGrM/s320/gfest.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351745084194585586" /></a><br /><br />Well, consider this "official" ;)<br /><br />I'll be attending G-FEST XVI, the 16th annual Godzilla, Kaiju and Tokusatsu fan convention in Rosemont, just outside of Chicago, Illinois.<br />Myself as well as a plethora of kaiju artists will be set up in the Haneda Room at the Crown Plaza Chicago O'Hare.<br /><br />Schedule:<br />I'll be at my table from about 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM or so starting Friday, July 3rd through Sunday, July 5th.<br /><br />What I'll be selling:<br /><br />Posters/Prints - $10 each<br />The Screaming Brain! 2008 Sketchbook - $5 each (comes with a free sketch!)<br />Drawing Monsters (and hoping they don't kill me) 2009 Sketchbook - $5 each (comes with a free sketch!)<br />Sketch cards - $3 each<br />WRATH OF THE TITANS: CYCLOPS comics - $4 each (autographed...probably the last ones that will ever be available ever)<br />G-Fan #87 (featuring a cover and Gfantis comic insert by Matt Frank) - $6 each<br />Original art - $ varies (make me an offer!)<br /><br />Private commission sketches:<br />Pencils: $10<br />Inked: $15<br /><br />G-FEST is the Mecca of Daikaiju fans every year. Check out the website at:<br /><a href="www.g-fan.com">www.g-fan.com</a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-85302373494636273962009-06-07T20:04:00.005-05:002009-06-07T20:32:26.549-05:00Livin' in the Laaaaand of the LOOOOOOSSSSST.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6y-gOqs3ZJEQ7K1N93u-tnNT-aO9ibLdF4yMAV4hnJPttGo18VcMn9tZiOqlzDD8vTr91UkifOz2Oth0FtBJI2JV6TMR4tcZAMsI0SIV9Qwsn_NOZENYrpbqfmA-uGHTG2DN/s1600-h/sleestak+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV6y-gOqs3ZJEQ7K1N93u-tnNT-aO9ibLdF4yMAV4hnJPttGo18VcMn9tZiOqlzDD8vTr91UkifOz2Oth0FtBJI2JV6TMR4tcZAMsI0SIV9Qwsn_NOZENYrpbqfmA-uGHTG2DN/s320/sleestak+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344763399519896306" /></a><br /><br /><br />Well, the title is more of a reference to the 1991 remake Land of the Lost series, but you get the idea.<br />My girlfriend, my bud and I decided to check out LAND OF THE LOST this past Friday at the Drafthouse. We unfortunately arrived a half-hour early, which, for the Drafthouse, is like getting there 5 minutes after the trailers have started. Still, we sat down in the very front row. He ordered a cheeseburger, she ordered potato skins, and I ordered fried alligator! I'd normally be against something like that, but given the prolific numbers of the American Alligator, I was convinced to give it a try. Tough and chewy, but with a nice flavor.<br /><br />Oh right, LAND OF THE LOST.<br /><br />It's not for everyone.<br /><br />That above statement can best be illustrated by the three of us: us guys loved it, my girlfriend hated it. It has a bizarre, admittedly Will Ferrell brand of humor that reminds one of Adult Swim or Family Guy; a lot of rambling nonsense and gross-out shock humor, which, as I mentioned, I and my dry-humor oriented friend loved. However, because this type of comedy is so weird and offbeat, it's going to throw people off. And also, there was a good chunk that was genuinely not funny. The overall plot was also pretty weak, lifting story aspects from the original, well-written-but-badly-executed TV series and throwing it all together into a weird, big-budget Saturday Night Live-styled adventure.<br /><br />Of course, we got a kick out of quite a bit of it; first and foremost, the flick is damn cool to look at. There are some wildly awesome set pieces and some really neat, retro-styled sets that are specific throw backs to the original series. And then there were the dinosaurs, not to mention all of the other creatures and critters. It was nice to see a well-animated Allosaurus, as well as a big, crazy, funny crab monster. And holy crap, the sound effects, music and editing? Excellent across the board. I especially liked the crab monster's sound FX. But beyond all the CGI whozamawhatzit were the practical effects, i.e. THE SLEESTAKS. Good stuff.<br /><br />The human characters ranged from boring to weird to compellingly funny. Will Ferrel played Will Ferrel. Chaka was also a little weirdo. The bits with Matt Lauer were also a laugh-riot.<br /><br />But hands-down, the coolest part of the whole flick? GRUMPY THE T-REX. Go see it for him if nothing else.<br /><br />Like I said, not for everyone, but it may be worth at least checking out on DVD...or at the Drafthouse. We loved it, but we're weirdos.<br /><br />Pointlessly Awesome Trivia Time!<br />The original series was written by a lot of old Star Trek writers. Leonard Nimoy plays "The Varn" in the new movie. Captain Kirk's Nipples!Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-71583877775223719242009-05-05T14:46:00.004-05:002009-05-05T14:53:31.151-05:00A new blog, a new projectFYI, for my friends and watchers, my new buddy Jeff P. and I are working on a pretty AWESOME project. A kaiju comic with plenty of teenage comedy and angst to go with it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc7zFJZSbqGSoS6p0vMCWRRfwOV6yhMIx6rqv7JEuSo8SrvSXqUO5kbTNI04sFLkwPWa5lHPHUrKrO2arCIvw_m_tSRQA7PTEI979fmHUS1JxHHJ-JeNPWfUOaznvtzR_BNCa/s1600-h/krongDA.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitc7zFJZSbqGSoS6p0vMCWRRfwOV6yhMIx6rqv7JEuSo8SrvSXqUO5kbTNI04sFLkwPWa5lHPHUrKrO2arCIvw_m_tSRQA7PTEI979fmHUS1JxHHJ-JeNPWfUOaznvtzR_BNCa/s320/krongDA.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332430141125360594" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">One of the lovely beasties of Zak Goji :D</span><br /><br /><a href=" http://zakgojicomic.blogspot.com/"><br />http://zakgojicomic.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />Keep an eye on that blog for all details!Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-47957397433872656102009-04-26T16:53:00.011-05:002009-04-26T17:08:38.378-05:00The day I met Tommy...This was a few months back, but yes, I met Jason David Frank, world renowned martial artist and best known as Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger! ...Then the White Ranger, then the Red Ranger, then the Black Ranger. You get the idea ;)<br /><br />He was the special guest at IKKICON 2009, and I gots pictures! I took my precious Dragon Dagger, which I've had since I was but a boy, for him to sign the box.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98xQSI6Gkb9wllCjCew_6qKs91humOn1b26zrXunzdau4ls4KTWKQX5-rHKSN2tqvYAaq8bYplDpBcBrC10b1tUjGcRRJnrSy7xLVjL1XRydEJ14ABz8KM-4XP3ccCgADL0G6/s1600-h/Picture+016.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj98xQSI6Gkb9wllCjCew_6qKs91humOn1b26zrXunzdau4ls4KTWKQX5-rHKSN2tqvYAaq8bYplDpBcBrC10b1tUjGcRRJnrSy7xLVjL1XRydEJ14ABz8KM-4XP3ccCgADL0G6/s320/Picture+016.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329125220618400514" /></a><br />A crappy picture of my childhood hero. Yes, that's a White Ranger helmet there!<br />JDF stated that he would prefer if Power Rangers were more like the Japanese version; just a little more violent ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUxcwDcOrJqh-H7SZPUofZfwG2kMQtkiN0BYrjoU7SqS-FNImeytjTX3genBkOr3DFqwaEvZ6zeh2pgp5XAfnYNuOWBl8ag0Eq287IgG6DX3j0lCk5fUM_Ralpqsruuiw1A-9/s1600-h/Picture+006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUxcwDcOrJqh-H7SZPUofZfwG2kMQtkiN0BYrjoU7SqS-FNImeytjTX3genBkOr3DFqwaEvZ6zeh2pgp5XAfnYNuOWBl8ag0Eq287IgG6DX3j0lCk5fUM_Ralpqsruuiw1A-9/s320/Picture+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329123399942723890" /></a><br />A fellow fan in an EXCELLENT Green Ranger/Dragonranger outfit. Yes, that's my Dragon Dagger he's brandishing!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqOSD0F3VzX0Ni3z7-4eB4qXayaZorBLfCLnQiBkEEB5uFyGvW2Tyk3QEH_Hqd_2M2cZtTZ7kfjrGv_EPf-Dn05dvEn53ZJoRroCmAov9NBmODbyDPRFwm1JHdKuxXl0p12G5/s1600-h/Picture+007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqOSD0F3VzX0Ni3z7-4eB4qXayaZorBLfCLnQiBkEEB5uFyGvW2Tyk3QEH_Hqd_2M2cZtTZ7kfjrGv_EPf-Dn05dvEn53ZJoRroCmAov9NBmODbyDPRFwm1JHdKuxXl0p12G5/s320/Picture+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329123685945989666" /></a><br />Sha-wing!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpuZc15M9HcgW6oFB2a9W_rPdL9EY1El_AAljEBcESSb_3KHl-iBRvFXNiKcf3W0ND4S1PEPc9oh6B7mQgIcwIlO0xD6Qa5tMbvB6uprXDbKCFSEQb0I7a9UZkXRxe0Axcvau/s1600-h/Picture+004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpuZc15M9HcgW6oFB2a9W_rPdL9EY1El_AAljEBcESSb_3KHl-iBRvFXNiKcf3W0ND4S1PEPc9oh6B7mQgIcwIlO0xD6Qa5tMbvB6uprXDbKCFSEQb0I7a9UZkXRxe0Axcvau/s320/Picture+004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329123907608988322" /></a><br />A few more Tokusatsu fans in attendance. Kamen Rider HENSHIN!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5Hk1VpI1jKeljETvkhg-ADs1s1BGJQ5hs4s9EPmzsxnFCE_MEqIYvtuF3XMIggUu2sbivLuFmGXW1wQQjG4WrYvt8tbG9QwKGwyPMz5xnQpAR0KxCSiq3Nc3kuCMbQQrQtWk/s1600-h/Picture+009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5Hk1VpI1jKeljETvkhg-ADs1s1BGJQ5hs4s9EPmzsxnFCE_MEqIYvtuF3XMIggUu2sbivLuFmGXW1wQQjG4WrYvt8tbG9QwKGwyPMz5xnQpAR0KxCSiq3Nc3kuCMbQQrQtWk/s320/Picture+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329124223859071986" /></a><br />Another fellow fan, thankfully headache-free.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGpaVsnQwziyeyadfArSUVMopTDzwu958hfMQTMLj8g9Cpr1pRi_paWiGjbllGp-KAnEAhFNL7MD6pwKNFwSZwIDNIH44QKq_nVJHq3VNBUjWGo8Rtp5d1n1Cj42Xj4-gr7v8/s1600-h/Picture+013.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieGpaVsnQwziyeyadfArSUVMopTDzwu958hfMQTMLj8g9Cpr1pRi_paWiGjbllGp-KAnEAhFNL7MD6pwKNFwSZwIDNIH44QKq_nVJHq3VNBUjWGo8Rtp5d1n1Cj42Xj4-gr7v8/s320/Picture+013.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329124458125707506" /></a><br />While waiting in line, nothing less than Won Tiger aka the White Tiger Zord was entertaining the crowd. MAN what some fans are capable of!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V3oFYS3bnEbN2qTf8rR0fwVlU00uZfcytDHFBMmiWkYlMFZi2mut3376D0lo6QXTX-PP8TYOz1-Ufy3FSC0boc6YXyVjjO0PqYk66piEshQml5kh9du13HfFOmKu2W0fjT7e/s1600-h/Pict0006+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3V3oFYS3bnEbN2qTf8rR0fwVlU00uZfcytDHFBMmiWkYlMFZi2mut3376D0lo6QXTX-PP8TYOz1-Ufy3FSC0boc6YXyVjjO0PqYk66piEshQml5kh9du13HfFOmKu2W0fjT7e/s320/Pict0006+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329122975378921826" /></a><br />A gift for Mr. Frank, from another Mr. Frank ;) He got a kick out of it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSU3aWGQ_YauPRI5cX8bBjyHG4JtogouxgFSx172YaBUPKVF5pOXSls4nprP4ciV4odQGC6ndwC03HslDlzdA2HyF4OpbuLfnYDTY4F1CSOzrO-Ay6X67FgX5sgUI-Ozvq242/s1600-h/Pict0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSU3aWGQ_YauPRI5cX8bBjyHG4JtogouxgFSx172YaBUPKVF5pOXSls4nprP4ciV4odQGC6ndwC03HslDlzdA2HyF4OpbuLfnYDTY4F1CSOzrO-Ay6X67FgX5sgUI-Ozvq242/s320/Pict0014.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329124825757154898" /></a><br />And the fruits of my labor that day. Signed by Tommy himself!Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-52443222686657525322009-04-15T15:31:00.013-05:002009-04-15T16:21:22.757-05:00Been there, done that.Or "Exactly what's starting to bore me about Transformers."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-w7bZXueptpqMLat5b-xYwSBL1s8SZF7z2ndr4_qYE5wXRALq3XfZpvZSKG7mXo4qje82fER1S-wBTzP1pZy2QP3s9tJblHAUQ1i_P7hx3-6MXCwqSQ4HyqgTSz09VumCp-K7/s1600-h/Megatronshatteredglassprofile.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 259px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-w7bZXueptpqMLat5b-xYwSBL1s8SZF7z2ndr4_qYE5wXRALq3XfZpvZSKG7mXo4qje82fER1S-wBTzP1pZy2QP3s9tJblHAUQ1i_P7hx3-6MXCwqSQ4HyqgTSz09VumCp-K7/s320/Megatronshatteredglassprofile.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325031208054447714" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">A heroic Megatron...exactly what this franchise needs.</span><br /><br />Brace yourselves.<br /><br />There's no question that Transformers is a juggernaut of popular culture. It's probably never been more popular or widely recognized, and there is more merchandise for fans to dump money into that could even be thought possible (TF was in fact created to sell toys, so it makes sense). Still, in the flurry of new material and fiction in the wake of the "Transformers Revival" (even though it never went away), I've come to a realization that inevitably befalls all epic, gigantic points of fiction that have been around for so long; we're retreading old ground.<br /><br />Tell me you haven't seen a pattern here. Optimus Prime and his Autobots battle the evil forces of Megatron and his Decepticons. The battle is inevitably taken to Earth. Bumblebee does silly things. Starscream betrays Megatron. And then again. And then again. All of this is repeated over and over and over and over.<br />I'm keenly aware that Prime and Megs are the big moneymakers, the defining characters of this franchise, but for the love of Primus, can we catch a break?<br /><br />Allow me to enter these examples into the mix:<br /><br />G1 - Optimus Prime vs. Megatron. It was cool, it was fresh, it had the classic flair of good and evil and established the characters we all came to love. Not a great show but still extremely entertaining.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR024M5XtWX7V6TyZ1TIwE8_QELebZY-Yh8C9D6xkex5Pfy5_iBul1ZzxtImXKdB9CUFe0Ctd39JvDVxS4lddCMz9D1iZQckNmQGy-O8VoYixZfQZBg_0p0lezsdzr6mXmyGcT/s1600-h/optimus_prime.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 237px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR024M5XtWX7V6TyZ1TIwE8_QELebZY-Yh8C9D6xkex5Pfy5_iBul1ZzxtImXKdB9CUFe0Ctd39JvDVxS4lddCMz9D1iZQckNmQGy-O8VoYixZfQZBg_0p0lezsdzr6mXmyGcT/s320/optimus_prime.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325021713269574898" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">Ah, back when it was fresh.</span><br /><br />The Movie - Optimus dies, Megatron gets reformatted into Galvatron. Rodimus Prime takes up the mantle (badly) but it shifted things around and made it all interesting again. Then Optimus came back. Okay then.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6F2yWYEDMBBHxVjQwDjnoB5mQ06WMTwuRiR_GmwaamanAsRdnZkonDSQwyK1Tyaj0MEtHll7UpsOp-XF2dYydLXDIbqRrUCuUEjAPzzdYQWDHpbxssXQffRYoTq0sL2ziHht/s1600-h/Rodimus_Prime_full_version_by_Makot.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6F2yWYEDMBBHxVjQwDjnoB5mQ06WMTwuRiR_GmwaamanAsRdnZkonDSQwyK1Tyaj0MEtHll7UpsOp-XF2dYydLXDIbqRrUCuUEjAPzzdYQWDHpbxssXQffRYoTq0sL2ziHht/s320/Rodimus_Prime_full_version_by_Makot.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325022456258438082" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">You suck. But at least you were interesting.</span><br /><br />Thennnnn....the Japanese took over. Now let's not forget that, if it weren't for Takara's toy designs, there would be no Transformers. BUT let us also not forget that the Japanese don't have a great track record when it comes to the fiction (see: really effed-up story elements and WAY too much "comedy"). However, they still gave us a handful of switch-ups. For example, no more Convoy (Optimus) or Galvatron/Megatron/WHATEVER he was supposed to be on a given day of the week. In the new series such as <span style="font-style:italic;">Victory</span>, <span style="font-style:italic;">Battlestars</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Masterforce</span> we were given characters like the serious-but caring Star Saber and his vicious-but-caring (?) nemesis Deathsaurus (?!) and a plethora of other Autobot Supreme Commanders and Decepticon Emperors of Destruction.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVBTaP1WxSQwSbMivzRmr3TPneRm943idDyCSYj0Q1T1rUiEQUJaQZeLkT405lsqqcz9oDC-vXW75WFLkOaZ9PXxG8x_J-iV-HeMElLxbEL_7KDZgbTMlHUZETUugQRVInru4s/s1600-h/star_saber.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 236px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVBTaP1WxSQwSbMivzRmr3TPneRm943idDyCSYj0Q1T1rUiEQUJaQZeLkT405lsqqcz9oDC-vXW75WFLkOaZ9PXxG8x_J-iV-HeMElLxbEL_7KDZgbTMlHUZETUugQRVInru4s/s320/star_saber.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325024306424971522" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">Brutally slaughtering Decepticons and raising a human child. All in a day's work.</span><br /><br />Things were...well, not "good," but varied and crazy. If it's one thing the Japanese are good at, it's repainting an old product. Still, Optimus and Megatron returned, like they do, as Star Convoy and Super Megatron for one final, massive battle...in storybooks and whatnot, but hey, at least it was "epic"! Seriously, something like this wasn't so bad; having these legendary characters return to settle things once and for all at the tail end of G1 (and show all these upstarts how it's done) was probably the way to go.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHT9HSqjzYzTqzWtQZYtMf9IiKD8tWf7_g4u0cqFRYDZD8b0_PPbocOJRD8nNc5ZswHtG96L443cZlb3LBJQWgLRtZcmNe-AhY6aDRPYJIGJIaVd49dEP5KX76MlwmJ-D8q5U1/s1600-h/Starconvoy_magami.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHT9HSqjzYzTqzWtQZYtMf9IiKD8tWf7_g4u0cqFRYDZD8b0_PPbocOJRD8nNc5ZswHtG96L443cZlb3LBJQWgLRtZcmNe-AhY6aDRPYJIGJIaVd49dEP5KX76MlwmJ-D8q5U1/s320/Starconvoy_magami.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325025440744327330" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">Yes, he is, in fact, FULL OF STARS.</span><br /><br />And no we get to <span style="font-style:italic;">Beast Wars</span>, and by GOD is everything right in the world. G1 references are made and G1 character appear, but we now have a new, fresh cast of characters in a new era with new grievances. True, the main actors are still "Optimus" and "Megatron," but the two only resemble their namesakes in spirit and...name *cough* BW was so damn awesome and so well written (by Season 2 at least) that it brought a new generation into Transformers (myself included) and helped push the entire mythos into a new and better direction.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMw9FI48JnGXaq3_XURWMNtPTagABJDFBz5MwXQ3mXcIi3zW636fF1540xYNmojYsLnHgceXphCfVIxPxZUMMWQI8-aINbT6YOUeZn_2tM9-nJdN5oLGykjuM85rcL-RRI-Dl/s1600-h/OptimusPrimal(Ape).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 235px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggMw9FI48JnGXaq3_XURWMNtPTagABJDFBz5MwXQ3mXcIi3zW636fF1540xYNmojYsLnHgceXphCfVIxPxZUMMWQI8-aINbT6YOUeZn_2tM9-nJdN5oLGykjuM85rcL-RRI-Dl/s320/OptimusPrimal(Ape).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325026364372771234" /></a><br /> <span style="font-style:italic;">Primal...you complete me.</span><br /><br />And THEN Beast Machines happened. We had officially gone off-track. True, it's not a bad show, but it really stretched the definition of a Transformer, and got way too far up its own exhaust port. So what happened? Well, it was time for "back to basics," so to speak.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbRC6WvSG9qvKiKzHhRn-EnjT5q8FZJUh5Vp4T0jU14usiFVxyrpE9ZF0eYpr84aAkauE8uaxzukGk5s5NwzZt6FkTrf-gQSJrBdArXj3jc8-SHYdUok1152vHxtZEVOZKKrh/s1600-h/RIDPrime02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbRC6WvSG9qvKiKzHhRn-EnjT5q8FZJUh5Vp4T0jU14usiFVxyrpE9ZF0eYpr84aAkauE8uaxzukGk5s5NwzZt6FkTrf-gQSJrBdArXj3jc8-SHYdUok1152vHxtZEVOZKKrh/s320/RIDPrime02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325027230008211586" /></a><br /><br />The only problem was...it didn't really get things <span style="font-style:italic;">quite</span> right. So they tried again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCDI-YSBJbwBeYafu1bKNlazNgbQDESWAAf1uNKd9FquLxTh7MwHOCCJcySC08vPZgruEJXPbs7qCII7phyphenhyphenAuVUbQ6XWUpt_h3JwtqK76MJXCa9vKYX6vNoSo18UEF0dEZ0E3/s1600-h/589px-ArmadaOptimusPrime_dvd.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQCDI-YSBJbwBeYafu1bKNlazNgbQDESWAAf1uNKd9FquLxTh7MwHOCCJcySC08vPZgruEJXPbs7qCII7phyphenhyphenAuVUbQ6XWUpt_h3JwtqK76MJXCa9vKYX6vNoSo18UEF0dEZ0E3/s320/589px-ArmadaOptimusPrime_dvd.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325027903011440722" /></a><br /><br />...Nothing less than THREE DAMN TIMES. And the Unicron Trilogy was AWFUL.<br /><br />So, Hasbro has pulled out all the stops, and now we have nothing less than three current continuities, ALL with Optimus Prime vs. Megatron, i.e. G1 rehashing.<br /><br />The Movies.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU1PKXdKOj4B6UOkCe1LVWJ2vRTcwQiKZd0VfwbnFu_u8K0jxblbq3dFizodE4Of1Ru0LqrNPiq-3G0q39KRSIC7t4DGTQe-jDQ7sMRajhDzak18-DG6ikGfkI7XncCj4k0F8/s1600-h/optimusprime.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU1PKXdKOj4B6UOkCe1LVWJ2vRTcwQiKZd0VfwbnFu_u8K0jxblbq3dFizodE4Of1Ru0LqrNPiq-3G0q39KRSIC7t4DGTQe-jDQ7sMRajhDzak18-DG6ikGfkI7XncCj4k0F8/s320/optimusprime.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325028325151210610" /></a><br /><br />The Comics.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB48edm9biyDdpw85Zk4agdqL6yCIolHnk9BGBf68k0r_FWgAss-8BBr8nle68mu-cm_aQT5R0BTywwzIpJtCc60ABaQILr3jB1ulqxp3ns0YJgqD8f-1VTjajemqr_zdvujba/s1600-h/IDWOptimus.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB48edm9biyDdpw85Zk4agdqL6yCIolHnk9BGBf68k0r_FWgAss-8BBr8nle68mu-cm_aQT5R0BTywwzIpJtCc60ABaQILr3jB1ulqxp3ns0YJgqD8f-1VTjajemqr_zdvujba/s320/IDWOptimus.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325028893868070290" /></a><br /><br />And "Animated" (as though that's something new).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviR7br0ylSwaAUBGfUmA-GxswRrB0Se26UprONKtzw0rFzt0LGuznVBO4JFpfUa6_ERMQt_KPAOv1v6aY1Y1SyQxb3Ktpu2U7l5jfOGFApeacHIfOJYkA6JQWVJOhOepzz6hM/s1600-h/300px-OptimusPrimeAnimated.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviR7br0ylSwaAUBGfUmA-GxswRrB0Se26UprONKtzw0rFzt0LGuznVBO4JFpfUa6_ERMQt_KPAOv1v6aY1Y1SyQxb3Ktpu2U7l5jfOGFApeacHIfOJYkA6JQWVJOhOepzz6hM/s320/300px-OptimusPrimeAnimated.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325029064919475266" /></a><br /><br />Okay, I can cut <span style="font-style:italic;">Transformers: Animated</span> some slack. It's still Optimus Prime vs. Megatron, but the characters all have a wider range of motivations and there's new and cool influences taken from various sources, and, thank Primus, IT'S A NEW ART STYLE. But the series is already barreling head-first towards its finale. So what then? Will we have to sit through another reboot? Will we get to see Starscream backstab Megatron AGAIN? Will we get to see Optimus use the Matrix (or Allspark) to eliminate evil (see: Unicron) AGAIN?<br /><br />In my opinion, it's time for a new direction. Once the movie franchise cools off, I say we start up with some new characters and a new direction. Not Optimus and Megatron (or at least not DIRECTLY those characters), but something cool and new. Hell, why not <span style="font-style:italic;">Transtech</span>, the ill-fated sequel to <span style="font-style:italic;">Beast Machines</span>?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61geRfMhWgUMXkyufv4NMGvl3N0AXuyyHflfXBx3dsoP6B6XwwUXSRwOa8hrx2Bw0kH1BwWjwHOGMb8NTPsB8TagvYJERdXZr2zib9EpBh5bE0HHzw5RP-Z25EnIPD_awxXXF/s1600-h/Cheetor01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg61geRfMhWgUMXkyufv4NMGvl3N0AXuyyHflfXBx3dsoP6B6XwwUXSRwOa8hrx2Bw0kH1BwWjwHOGMb8NTPsB8TagvYJERdXZr2zib9EpBh5bE0HHzw5RP-Z25EnIPD_awxXXF/s320/Cheetor01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325030338761407602" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I'd watch this. ESPECIALLY if it wasn't about Optimus and Megatron...although it originally was...gah.</span><br /><br />Dammit, Janet, I love Transformers. I'm loving the comics and digging the new movies and love the hell out of Animated, but I'd love even more for another <span style="font-style:italic;">Beast Wars</span> with a dash of <span style="font-style:italic;">Victory</span>. In other words...let's stop walking in circles and point ourselves in a new direction.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-60125548741761621982009-04-13T23:30:00.003-05:002009-04-13T23:37:33.799-05:00"That was Not over 9,000"“That was not over 9,000...” or Fail CGI Monkey is Made of Fail.<br /><br />Let’s not kid ourselves; this was going to be bad from the day we heard internet rumors screaming “They’re making a Dragonball Z movie ” back in...what was it? 2001? Anyway, while I didn’t foresee EVERY steaming, badly rendered CGI monkey turd that was dropped, it all evened out to about what I expected.<br /><br />At first, things are actually somewhat entertaining. There are some genuinely funny moments that are surprisingly Toriyama-esque, if you can believe it. Things even begin to descend into self-parody, making the first 10-15 minutes MUCH more entertaining than the rest of the flick. White Kid, or “Goku” as he’s called in some universe, has a hilarious daydream about ChiChi. There’s a fight where White Kid doesn’t even throw a punch, forcing his enemies to do all the damage (again, very Toriyama). But it’s when the film starts taking itself seriously that things get even more sloppy and just downright badly executed.<br /><br />There were a handful of things that I genuinely liked...y’know, aside from ChiChi’s...chichi’s (look it up in your Spanish dictionary). Okay, that’s a lie: Chow Yun Fat’s portrayal of Muten Roshi was the ONLY element that I felt had any quality to it. Like Jack Black’s version of Carl Denham, CYF takes an established character and, while noting the original, takes his version in a refreshing direction that still fills the proper role.<br /><br />Another problem is that the film really has no clue what it wants to be: does it want to be Dragonball? A Dragonball parody? A cheap kung-fu action scifi film catering to mass audiences? It seems to be trying to please Dragonball fans while trying WAY too hard to cater to what’s “hip” and “cool.” It tries both, fails at both and offends both.<br /><br />Trust me, just about everything in this movie is bad: the acting, the script, the plot, the special effects (though the Chi, or “Ki” effects are kind of cool), but I was actually kind of enjoying myself. Having a handful of friends along for the ride was a HUGE help through this piss-filled swamp of a film. One thing that was also very disappointing was one of the reasons I used to be excited; Piccolo. He carries no screen presence, has no motivation (other than “You locked me away ...for trying to destroy your world BUT STILL ”) and is just...BLEH.<br /><br />Here’s the kicker: at the climax of the film, Oozaru shows up. Then goes away. And thank God, because that was probably the worst CGI I have ever, EVER seen in a major motion picture. It was just as bad as the CGI in one of those direct-to-dvd ripoffs like KING OF THE LOST WORLD (don’t see it, believe me). What really pissed me off, though, was that there was a really interesting rubber-suited version of Oozaru that popped up online a few months back. It wasn’t really a monkey-monster, but it was a hell of a lot cooler that the poorly animated, badly edited, OUT OF FOCUS monkey monster in the final version. Seriously, what is it with movies like these? Are they so scared of the FACT that it’s a rubber suit (and a fairly decent one at that) that they’d rather put inexcusably bad CGI in place of it?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgriDNTPRakX7LNHKyLV0-em0KEZd720__Q48HEWIupNrLYJFOP9q5AnfZGvAh0z5H3VmPq2sjqMJFpTrmFUipF5Gz7hXT7pYNI-mg8dgZnoWT-8Q8K1AFBtqmRh4I33M5ry-Rf/s1600-h/goku_oozaru.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgriDNTPRakX7LNHKyLV0-em0KEZd720__Q48HEWIupNrLYJFOP9q5AnfZGvAh0z5H3VmPq2sjqMJFpTrmFUipF5Gz7hXT7pYNI-mg8dgZnoWT-8Q8K1AFBtqmRh4I33M5ry-Rf/s320/goku_oozaru.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324401430284239330" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Trust me, this was much better than what we got.</span><br /><br />I guess I shouldn’t get so worked up about it. There was a total of about 20 or so people in the theater...on opening night, no less One of my compatriots noted that “this film will be out of theaters in a week.” Probably.<br /><br />The thing is, this COULD have been a much more interesting film...if an entirely different approach was taken, and certainly if Fox didn’t make it. Fox is notorious for taking franchises, spitting out a quick, crappy movie, getting a little bit of money, then trying it again. Still, when I think about it, one of the graces of the movie (being mercifully short) was also an overall detriment; in order to do a halfway decent Dragonball film, it would need to be more than an hour and a half (it was probably even less). The final film was so crammed and rushed that it was inevitable that we wouldn’t care about any of the characters or even what was going on. In fact, it would be rather easy to make a good Dragonball film, if the elements of trying to appeal to a “mass audience” were simply removed (the high school angle, for a painfully glaring example) and try to make it more of a fantasy.<br /><br />But I digress (I love saying that), what’s done is done and nobody will ever try this again, and we have Dragonball Kai to look forward to (the newly edited, SHORTENED version of Dragonball Z).<br /><br />Oh yeah, and Shenron doesn’t talk...or even take up the whole sky like he should...or even be anywhere near as cool as the Celestial Dragon from Dragon Wars.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-37780635508444463572009-02-23T11:35:00.005-06:002009-03-28T18:54:40.797-05:00Deadly Creatures - Yes, it is good.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4_0BelF5YGni-uDHSvdFe9oXPvl8skF9N5a7CfHs_cI-Y4MBw5aYRMTqCE-stWAvhyphenhyphen0-HHijcsjm_cOWQyVysZYDo-_e60p8faIY7mvWkyJTnw0EzgUaPH80vh48B1pT8Lm7/s1600-h/blackWhite_1600x1200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4_0BelF5YGni-uDHSvdFe9oXPvl8skF9N5a7CfHs_cI-Y4MBw5aYRMTqCE-stWAvhyphenhyphen0-HHijcsjm_cOWQyVysZYDo-_e60p8faIY7mvWkyJTnw0EzgUaPH80vh48B1pT8Lm7/s320/blackWhite_1600x1200.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318389130160250914" /></a><br /><br /><br />"A game about bugs. Woo-hoo."<br /><br />- Some jerk on Gametrailers.com<br /><br />True, there's no Chun-Li, no Samus, no Pikachu and none of the other characters that have had the same games put out year after year that gamers throw millions of dollars at, but <span style="font-style:italic;">Deadly Creatures</span>, without a doubt, rounds out the best Wii games to date. Granted, there's not much competition, but this epic saga of critters underfoot is right up there with <span style="font-style:italic;">Metroid Prime 3, Smash Brothers Brawl</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Mario Galaxy</span> of quality Wii-exclusive titles.<br /><br />The premise is a strange and unique one: a pair of arachnids, a scorpion and a tarantula, meet and square off. Before the two can kill each other, they are interrupted by a pair of enormous <span style="font-style:italic;">homo sapiens</span> searching the desert for something...or someone. The player takes control of the tarantulas, and later the scorpion, while they fight their way across the desert, establishing territory while stalking one-another. Meanwhile, a strange tale unfolds where the humans prove to be more than just background noise.<br /><br />The premise is an exciting one, though some have complained that the main characters "lack motivation"...but what motivation should they have? Did someone run over their respective puppies? They're arthropods for God's sake. They hunt, fight, kill, and establish territory, all while just trying to survive. The fact that they run into humans is just bad luck. The real story is all about the two Southerners who are searching for gold buried out in the desert. Ala <span style="font-style:italic;">Cloverfield</span>, the main characters' actions rarely have anything to do with the humans, but the two stories cross over only in critical moments. My only complaint is that I wish that I could hear more of the human story in more instances, but I suppose in this case that less is likely more.<br /><br />That said, let's talk gameplay; it's well-mapped and reasonable, with lots of cool moves for both arachnids. It's not terribly intuitive, however, thanks to the Wii's already cumbersome control layout. Still, once you get the hang of it, it plays just fine. Waggling motions are also not terribly necessary with the exception of critical boss fights, and most attacks can be preformed with simply button mashing (though waggling makes it a lot more fun). It's important to note, though, because one problem with a lot of Wii games (I'm looking at you, <span style="font-style:italic;">Unleashed</span>) is that because waggling is essential to movement, then the motions get confused VERY easily. This is generally not the case in <span style="font-style:italic;">Deadly Creatures</span>, as the basic movement controls aren't mapped to movement. It makes for a cleaner gaming experience.<br /><br />The graphics are impressive as well, ranging from fairly decent to near realism (a few particular underground tunnels are evident of this). Beyond that, the character animations are all extremely well researched and programmed, especially the smaller lizards that one finds themselves fighting in the desert. The set pieces are awesome too, with plenty of tense, cinematic moments (the black widows descending on your trapped form, the assault of the raptor-like-lizard, the epic boss battles against the rattlesnake...). The only place where the graphics truly falter are on some of the human character animations (which appear too cartoony at times) and the final cutscene, which is badly pixelated and poorly edited.<br /><br />Music and sound for this game are both top notch. Really excellent work has been put into allowing the creatures to have a much more menacing, monstrous scale. And speaking of scale, it's very entertaining to see how much the developers played with this; I recall the first time I wandered into the dump, and saw a house in the distance, looming over all of the garbage. I thought that perhaps that would be the final level, but believe it or not, it was a damn doll house. VERY cool.<br />There was a nice Godzilla reference too that will slap a firm smirk on your face.<br /><br />To wrap this up, <span style="font-style:italic;">Deadly Creatures</span> is easily one of my new favorite games. It's a little too short, and it would have been nice to see more content besides a handful of concept galleries and interviews (a fighting game perhaps?) but its innovation makes it something that Wii owners should look into, even though it doesn't have Diddy Kong in it.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-83032007613943654292009-01-16T04:31:00.003-06:002009-01-16T04:53:23.870-06:00Kamen Rider Dragon Knight is....good?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqSBjFFtuP126NsqC0PAimdwmdg03oz5-j7zu2eLqmDkDWI-QnfA6lngQyuVTd68iU1pHu_9sbG0PjwSbHdvu7-zIz1RyXNKN71zJATsdOkpTkHwuviLZL3kyrtamWjyQ10Vd/s1600-h/KAMEN_RIDER_sbj+(68).jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqSBjFFtuP126NsqC0PAimdwmdg03oz5-j7zu2eLqmDkDWI-QnfA6lngQyuVTd68iU1pHu_9sbG0PjwSbHdvu7-zIz1RyXNKN71zJATsdOkpTkHwuviLZL3kyrtamWjyQ10Vd/s320/KAMEN_RIDER_sbj+(68).jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291842486451319490" /></a><br />Heads-up, the total 4 people that check this blog!<br /><br />For those unawares, Kamen Rider is a vintage Japanese property owned by Toei, which, way-back-when in the ages of "The 90's" was given the "Power Ranger Treatment," though, much to fans' dismay and heartache, didn't receive the same amount of credibility, exposure or even respect in its US adaptation. Needless to say, it went the Ultraman route of "perfectly good Japanese programs with crappy reception in the US." That said, one of the more recent Rider series, <span style="font-style:italic;">Kamen Rider Ryuki</span> has received a new adaptation by Adness Entertainment into <span style="font-style:italic;">Kamen Rider Dragon Knight</span> (which, interestingly, is more or less a direct translation of the Japanese title).<br /><br />Kamen Rider (literally "Masked Rider") has always interested me, though not on the same level as sentai (Power Rangers) or Ultraman. Still, it's a fascinating series; originally it was a series about a lone hero, altered by an evil organization into a fighting machine, rebels against his would-be-masters and, each week, fights another one of their crazed mutant or cyborg henchmen. Sort of a one-man Power Ranger team, if you will. However, things have gotten a little more...varied, I suppose you could say, with the more recent series. Kamen Rider Ryuki started a fairly new trend of there being a great many riders in each new series, not all of them on the good side of karma, and adding new levels of artistic stylization, writing and cinematography. While not always successful, it's nice to see a Japanese series that prides itself on innovation (the upcoming series is Kamen Rider Decade, which will focus on riders from the last 10 years teaming up with this new Rider).<br /><br />Anywho, what of Kamen Rider Dragon Knight?<br /><br />Actually, it's pretty good.<br /><br />Initial fears that it would be another attempt to capture the Power Rangers phenomenon all over again are squelched when the series opens with some rather brooding subject matter (kidnappings, a not-so-truthful government, foster care, etc.) while dovetailing into some cool martial-arts action and monsters and all sorts of goodness!<br />The acting ranges from surprisingly fun to decent to so-so, but never gut-wrenching, like in some Power Rangers episodes, and the writing is about the same. It's clear that this isn't a show for the Power Ranger crowd, i.e. toddlers, but more focused on a pre-teen/early teenager audience, which is a nice surprise.<br /><br />So, check out the site and clips here<br />http://www.4kids.tv/shows/kamen-rider<br /><br />I hope I find some time soon, because I'd love to draw up some Kamen Rider fanart :DMatt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-79821961400266854412008-12-13T10:26:00.004-06:002008-12-13T11:02:47.188-06:00Jurassic Park IV? Not likely<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg936VzKuiX9vpOdqWadqQ48QN_Px6XqvtQdxFXKU8AcDmVfrZihIi9eFGuSdnaz9rXPcWYA4KOodRgeXlTwX0mXAJvQ0hN2vuq-jKgAPDDsTcWwUvOKW0XLC7nVQDKpYFhsosX/s1600-h/Warpath_Jurassic_Park_ntsc-front.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg936VzKuiX9vpOdqWadqQ48QN_Px6XqvtQdxFXKU8AcDmVfrZihIi9eFGuSdnaz9rXPcWYA4KOodRgeXlTwX0mXAJvQ0hN2vuq-jKgAPDDsTcWwUvOKW0XLC7nVQDKpYFhsosX/s320/Warpath_Jurassic_Park_ntsc-front.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279312869809214514" /></a><br /><br />The above image, DUH, is from an old Playstation game (WHICH I OWN, BITCH) and is essentially a less-than-stellar fighting game. Still, it's dinosaurs, and dinosaurs make everything better. Only Communists and really ugly people dislike dinosaurs.<br /><br />That said, ever wonder what happened to JURASSIC PARK IV? Rumors had been tossed around for years now, from Lex (Ariana Richards) returning as the main character to plot devices involving <span style="font-style:italic;">Deinonychus</span> mercenaries (seriously) to something about dinosaurs invading the mainland and a state-of-emergency declared for the US...I mean, really, it all sounded incredibly overblown and "jump the shark" (or "nuke the fridge," however your pop culture references roll) but it looks like the project has ultimately been shit-canned.<br /><br />With Michael Crichton's untimely death, Kathleen Kennedy, one of the film's producers, stated that the flick is pretty much done for. They're still attached to it, but it's likely that the project's been pushed way, way, way down into the seventh level of development hell, never to be seen again.<br /><br />While I postulate that the first <span style="font-style:italic;">Jurassic Park</span> is one of the best adventure films in cinema history, I do feel that the franchise ran out of fresh ideas about halfway through <span style="font-style:italic;">The Lost World: Jurassic Park</span>. The two sequels, including JP3, were still entertaining and exciting in their own right, as "hardcore" dinosaur films go, but the franchise definitely lost something when Jack Horner (whom I have some choice things to say about) decided to stomp <span style="font-style:italic;">T. Rex</span>, the undisputed Tyrant Lizard King, into the ground in favor of the fish-eating <span style="font-style:italic;">Spinosaurus</span>. Anyone who knows me will anticipate my shrieking rants on this subject, so let's move on.<br /><br />Honestly? I'd have been the first in line for JPIV, ESPECIALLY with the plot I'd read online. Check this out, from Aint It Cool News' "Moriarty":<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The script starts at a Little League game somewhere in America, an idyllic scene that quickly goes bad when pterosaurs attack the kids and their parents. It’s a cool scene, and I couldn’t help but immediately anticipate what might lay ahead. Dinosaurs in America. All-out warfare on home soil. This should be fun. In a series of television clips, we learn that this is the first attack on North American ground following months of this sort of thing in Central America and Mexico. The UN has created a task force to exterminate the dinosaurs. Awesome, I thought. A bad-ass heavily-armed United Nations task force versus the dinosaurs. Bring it on! But then the script throws its first major curve ball, introducing Nick Harris, an unemployed soldier of fortune. Nick’s the lead in the movie. Not Alan Grant. Not Ian Malcolm. Despite all the rumors to the contrary, those characters are not back for this film. Instead, we meet Nick as he watches those same reports on TV that we are. He’s approached by an ex-commander of his and offered a meeting about a job. He’s warned that the guy he’d be working for is a little bit strange...<br /><br />... which brings us to John Hammond. It’s a great cameo role for Richard Attenborough, and he’s said several times that he is looking forward to it. In the script’s single wittiest scene, we catch up with the eccentric ex-billionaire who is now the most-sued man in history according to the Guiness Book Of World Records. He’s been declared incompetent by his heirs and his company has been taken over by other corporations. Technically, Jurassic Park isn’t even his problem anymore, but he still feels responsible for the dinosaurs and the damage they do. Hammond’s got a big idea: breed some new dinosaurs that can’t reproduce and introduce them into the wild population. A Judas strain that will kill off the dinosaurs within one generation. Easy enough, except the UN has outlawed any breeding of new dinosaurs by anyone and they’ve prohibited the sale, mining, or possession of amber worldwide. Hammond’s got scientists ready and waiting to go, but he needs genetic material to work with. As soon as Hammond mentions where that material might come from, I thought for sure that I was ahead of the script again. Oh, of course! The shaving cream can that Nedry stole. He’s going to hire this guy to put together a team of mercenaries, and they’re going to spend the whole film on Isla Nublar getting picked off one-by-one while trying to find the samples.<br /><br />After all, the first three films are all pretty much carbon copies of each other, excuses to turn people loose on the island. I almost set the script down at that point, disappointed that they’d do something so predictable again after all this talk about how they were going to turn things upside down. Page sixteen, and I was sure I knew the rest of the script without even reading it.<br /><br />But I was wrong... again.<br /><br />Nick Harris does indeed got to Isla Nublar, but he goes alone. He does indeed track down the shaving cream can that Nedry stole, but that’s a mere five pages later. And as soon as he finds it, he’s attacked not only by excavaraptors (think trapdoor spiders), but also by security rangers who work for Grendel Corporation, the mysterious Swiss holding company that took over Jurassic Park from Hammond. Seems they want those genetic samples for their own purposes... whatever those may be. Nick has to get off the island, evading his pursuers, human or otherwise. He manages to make it back to the mainland just long enough to hide the shaving cream can before the security team catches up with him and gasses him into unconsciousness.<br /><br />All of that happens by page 39, at which point I realized I had no idea where this thing was going, and I quit trying to guess. It kept confounding my expectations. It certainly didn’t feel like it was just another rehash of the same formula. When Nick wakes up, he’s in the tower of a medieval castle in the Alps. Seriously. That’s the precise moment when the entire enterprise goes so over-the-top loony that you’ll either go along with it for the entire insane ride or reject it roundly as a big bag of ludicrous. Nick is introduced to Adrien Joyce, the major domo henchman of Baron von Drax, CEO of the Grendel Corporation. Joyce isn’t a moustache-twirling bad guy bent on torturing Nick into revealing where he hid the shaving cream can. Instead, he offers Nick a job, and in order to explain the job to him, he has to take him on a tour of the entire castle, which turns out to be a fairly sophisticated genetics lab where Grendel Corporation has been breeding some dinosaurs of their own design, cross-breeds that never existed in any era of nature with all sorts of custom modifications.<br /><br />I want to tread lightly on what happens over the course of the rest of the film on the off chance that Mary Parent or someone at Universal is seriously going to make this thing. There’s the eight-year-old-boy side of me that thinks that a DIRTY DOZEN-style mercenary team of hyper-smart dinosaurs in body armor killing drug dealers and rescuing kidnapped children will be impossible to resist. And then there’s the side of me that says... WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! Nick is put in charge of training these five dinosaurs, X1 through X5, and the first thing he does is name them. “Any soldier worth his pay has a name to answer to, not a number,” he says. So we are introduced to Achilles, Hector, Perseus, Orestes, and Spartacus, each of them a specially created deinonychus, which is sort of like a miniature T-rex. They have super-sensitive smell and hearing, incredible strength and speed and pack-hunting instincts, and they have modified forelegs, lengthened and topped with more dextrous fingers, as well as dog DNA for increased obedience and human DNA so they can solve problems well. All of this is topped off with a drug-regulating implant that can dose them with adrenaline or serotonin as the situation demands.<br /></span><br /><br />And yes, there's more to it, but Moriarty was tight-lipped beyond that.<br /><br />I wanted to paste that here for posterity, because it's a crazy-as-hell plot and I'd loved to have seen that, regardless of the shark-jumpage. There just aren't enough dinosaur movies these days. The last one was <span style="font-style:italic;">King Kong</span> in '05, and next year <span style="font-style:italic;">Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs</span> brings them into a CGI-animated fare, but beyond that, we can only hope that, in a few years, someone will bust out with an awesome, lavishly animated movie version of Ricardo Delgado's <span style="font-style:italic;">Age of Reptiles</span> graphic novels.<br /><br /><br />Until then, we've still got <span style="font-style:italic;">Dinosaur King</span> :D<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kipL8NAXYhc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kipL8NAXYhc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-8074467693489840802008-11-17T16:13:00.003-06:002008-11-17T16:17:49.171-06:00My CYCLOPS comic is ready for pre-orders!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgmAdexF2ngHgFzMxHN9QYiZnTatBdvkVDHW0j-ysPXxmx4Mfvp66cpk3y4xofSR9gJeeuGfPg0dTTUuuUXLdQJEfaW8Hfw4_EpKbtT5eEJXWRge1Ozk3N96DYrYGEOH0hGWd/s1600-h/CYCLOPSCOVER.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWgmAdexF2ngHgFzMxHN9QYiZnTatBdvkVDHW0j-ysPXxmx4Mfvp66cpk3y4xofSR9gJeeuGfPg0dTTUuuUXLdQJEfaW8Hfw4_EpKbtT5eEJXWRge1Ozk3N96DYrYGEOH0hGWd/s320/CYCLOPSCOVER.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269754194238080962" /></a><br />The press has started for my first comic, WRATH OF THE TITANS: CYCLOPS, by BlueWater Productions. With less than two months before it's release, you had best pre-order now!<br /><br />The official site of the company:<br /><a href="www.bluewaterprod.com">www.bluewaterprod.com</a><br /><br />A MONSTER ISLAND NEWS article:<br /><a href="http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/11/work-of-ray-harryhausen-comes-to-comics.html">http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/11/work-of-ray-harryhausen-comes-to-comics.html</a><br /><br />Check these links to preorder!<br /><a href="http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/11/work-of-ray-harryhausen-comes-to-comics.html">http://heavyink.com/title/4188-Wrath-Of-The-Titans-Cyclops-One-Shot</a><br /><a href="http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/11/work-of-ray-harryhausen-comes-to-comics.html">https://www.mailordercomics.com/prodDetail.asp?PID=296412</a><br /><a href="http://robojapan.blogspot.com/2008/11/work-of-ray-harryhausen-comes-to-comics.html">https://www.scifigenre.com/subs/browseTitleDetail.aspx?sid=G&bViewAll=N&nTitleID=6098</a><br /><br />Here's an online interview on the book by Jazma:<br /><a href="http://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2008.asp?intID=229">http://www.jazmaonline.com/interviews/interviews2008.asp?intID=229</a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-86484690765696758442008-10-30T12:00:00.002-05:002008-10-30T12:05:00.941-05:00The Day The Earth Stood Still new trailer and impressionsYeah....<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aintitcool.com/node/38924"></a><br /><br /> <div><object width="512" height="322"><param name="movie" value="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.30" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="AllowScriptAccess" VALUE="always" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="flashVars" value="id=10430112&vid=3810106&lang=en-au&intl=au&thumbUrl=http%3A//us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/i/bcst/channel7/5757/74185221.jpg&embed=1&defaultBandwidth=300" /><embed src="http://d.yimg.com/static.video.yahoo.com/yep/YV_YEP.swf?ver=2.2.30" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="512" height="322" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" flashVars="id=10430112&vid=3810106&lang=en-au&intl=au&thumbUrl=http%3A//us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/i/bcst/channel7/5757/74185221.jpg&embed=1&defaultBandwidth=300" ></embed></object><br /><a href="http://au.video.yahoo.com/watch/3810106/10430112">'The Day the Earth Stood Still' 5 Minute Trailer</a> @ <a href="http://au.video.yahoo.com" >Yahoo!7 Video</a></div><br /><br />While I, like Harry at Aint It Cool, believe that a DTESS remake is COMPLETELY unnecessary (since the original was such a somber masterpiece of science fiction), this new film which bears the same title, but obviously is not the same film, still may be interesting enough for me to actually consider seeing. There are some really cool concepts at work here, which may just be that interesting considering how the re-makers are trying to create something from almost nothing, and it was that "nothing" that made the original so unique. It's a "less is more" approach. Still, it looks flashy and dramatic, so I'll still see it, just like the inevitably awful DRAGONBALL film.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-3754665539855202652008-10-26T18:04:00.004-05:002008-10-26T18:12:09.756-05:00Dennis Hopper and Billy Bob Thorton in Deadly Creatures!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPf4yzwFNHWxxrhFz9rAgk6vVR_W3x25amaMRRcD8L9BRKZ1RIxxrhJRLBxXDuxnYaHjUE3GUD_3cSY2EKPphMn_uXGewuPGLUToPcLFnoOwSvfXzMy7-5BBgWU7748Wtgf23/s1600-h/rattlesnake_1024x768.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPf4yzwFNHWxxrhFz9rAgk6vVR_W3x25amaMRRcD8L9BRKZ1RIxxrhJRLBxXDuxnYaHjUE3GUD_3cSY2EKPphMn_uXGewuPGLUToPcLFnoOwSvfXzMy7-5BBgWU7748Wtgf23/s320/rattlesnake_1024x768.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261603495342086626" /></a><br /><br />How the hell did they manage that?!?<br /><br />http://wii.ign.com/dor/objects/14235413/deadly-creatures/videos/deadlycreatures_horror_tsr_l.html<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRGdmrSvvw_jvonj0lycDqFm2pd0nU-pDK1ofj9LyVzv6i8oHtNOM7Al9SunAdFdQxqjBLD6F9OJu75Z7cJkOWbWoGy97jR7MPToVnmHngGq8-DHSHAAAu-7U2lnX4zI99-l6/s1600-h/196217268_734155987_2ae6ea10beecab468d1d20a9d93c48b40fac88de.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFRGdmrSvvw_jvonj0lycDqFm2pd0nU-pDK1ofj9LyVzv6i8oHtNOM7Al9SunAdFdQxqjBLD6F9OJu75Z7cJkOWbWoGy97jR7MPToVnmHngGq8-DHSHAAAu-7U2lnX4zI99-l6/s320/196217268_734155987_2ae6ea10beecab468d1d20a9d93c48b40fac88de.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261603938834376098" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4DdPFzADCuR-Gp4oLjuRDzK_zwgj2DZdNkaR27Ju0hz3fzvPCclLfYvVdAbSqEMLvShdk20NmOkVsKsfY4ODUydT23nyj7tGPzj346-ueA_y0SPZaGwZ4NgdWNfKgJb5ZP2t/s1600-h/billy-bob-thornton-01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 253px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx4DdPFzADCuR-Gp4oLjuRDzK_zwgj2DZdNkaR27Ju0hz3fzvPCclLfYvVdAbSqEMLvShdk20NmOkVsKsfY4ODUydT23nyj7tGPzj346-ueA_y0SPZaGwZ4NgdWNfKgJb5ZP2t/s320/billy-bob-thornton-01.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261604206505919458" /></a><br /><br />Seriously, I am so freaking excited for this game.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-45256526753962194832008-10-09T00:21:00.004-05:002008-10-09T00:47:49.482-05:00God Bless 2-D Animation<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdg78PWPwLiYmOwBsRODWgfJB0c6p6ny7GPH94i7sYR1N_sFC3dAsBCUEn8J0aKtlTZ0BQnDpz_0pQAUEi7hvvrJQhbNDhxfKib0vKIB-SXuM9wTBjkirhKF3BA3Rl7URFvRL/s1600-h/girls1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGdg78PWPwLiYmOwBsRODWgfJB0c6p6ny7GPH94i7sYR1N_sFC3dAsBCUEn8J0aKtlTZ0BQnDpz_0pQAUEi7hvvrJQhbNDhxfKib0vKIB-SXuM9wTBjkirhKF3BA3Rl7URFvRL/s320/girls1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255021187202061330" /></a><br /><br />It's not often that I post nude models, but I suppose it's a proper lead-in to the topic of 2d animation...<br />What dickweed decided that 3D should completely annihilate good 2D goodness?...oh yeah, it was Jeffrey Katzenberg.<br /><br />Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas performed miserably at the box office, and as a result, Katz there decided that 2D animation was a plague to be avoided (despite Sinbad being a perfectly decent 2D-flick, it did come out in the wake of "OMG CGI MOVIES ARE TEH WINZORS"). Not only that, and I need to check some resources on this, but it's been noted that Michael Eisner intentionally made sure that Disney's last 2D flicks like "Home On the Range" were extremely sub-par so that he could push the studio to dissolve the 2D department (in exchange for equally sub-par 3D animated flicks in Disney's desperate attempts to match the power of Pixar).<br /><br />That said, please direct your attention to Michel Gagne's masterpiece, "Prelude to Eden":<br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="gtembed" width="480" height="392"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /> <param name="movie" value="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?umid=29009"/> <param name="quality" value="high" /> <embed src="http://www.gametrailers.com/remote_wrap.php?umid=29009" swLiveConnect="true" name="gtembed" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" allowFullScreen="true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="392"></embed> </object><br /><br />You can also see his other beautiful work on his main site:<br /><a href="http://www.gagneint.com/ "></a><br /><br />Make SURE you check out his Insanely Twisted section. Good Halloweenie stuff.<br /><br />After that, my bud Patrick pointed out Pearl Jam's Evolution video, directed by Scott Mother-effing McFarlane.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoNmNmXExZ8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoNmNmXExZ8</a><br />(I cant embed the stupid thing...dammit, but be warned, it's a pretty harsh vid, but real purdy).<br /><br />*sigh* I love 2D animation, and I love 3D animation, but only if either is done WELL. WALL-E is a good example of an excellent 3D flick (and I recently enjoyed the sumptuous feast of MONSTER HOUSE), and as a bit of an extension, CGI itself is a good tool for cinema. But it's nice to see that audiences are getting overloaded by CGI. Case in point, the Hellboy films, and this:<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Frog">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Princess_and_the_Frog</a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-20855246136403761712008-10-02T23:56:00.003-05:002008-10-03T00:17:18.476-05:00Palin says "Daina-sores and Hoomans ran around together!"Not in those exact words, obviously.<br /><br />Man, I gotta' make a cartoon of this. I just find this crap hilarious.<br />Seriously; how do these idiots even GET this far in life? Then again, it raises the question of just how legitimate this all is. Everyone sure seems out for Palin's life fluids, so there must be SOME reason.<br /><br />Anywho, here's a quote ala NewsBlaze.com<br /><br />"Which brings us to today's topic: Sarah Palin's belief that people and dinosaurs coexisted. When Palin was the mayor of Wasilla she wasn't reticent about sharing even the most bizarre aspects of her faith.<br /><br />But now that Palin is John McCain's vice-presidential running mate, she won't even admit that she's a Pentecostal. Palin has been sequestered, far away from the press and pundits. In public appearances she sticks to her talking points, and they don't include babbling such nonsense about cavemen cavorting with dinosaurs. "<br /><br />Here's another one from LA Times:<br /><br />"Soon after Sarah Palin was elected mayor of the foothill town of Wasilla, Alaska, she startled a local music teacher by insisting in casual conversation that men and dinosaurs coexisted on an Earth created 6,000 years ago -- about 65 million years after scientists say most dinosaurs became extinct -- the teacher said...<br />Palin told him that "dinosaurs and humans walked the Earth at the same time," Munger said. When he asked her about prehistoric fossils and tracks dating back millions of years, Palin said "she had seen pictures of human footprints inside the tracks," recalled Munger, who teaches music at the University of Alaska in Anchorage and has regularly criticized Palin in recent years on his liberal political blog, called Progressive Alaska...<br />Palin has attended a number of prayer sessions with pastors and has quietly sought their guidance, but she is often mum on matters of faith in high-profile public forums.<br /><br />Her aides say Palin's caution at the intersection of religion and governance is a studied effort to share her beliefs without forcing them on Alaska.<br /><br />'She's obviously an intensively religious person,' said Bill McAllister, Palin's chief spokesman as governor. "She understands that she's the governor and not preacher in chief. Religion informs her decisions, but she is not out to impose her views on Alaska.'"<br /><br />Seems like Palin at least knows when crazy shit is crazy shit.<br /><br />It's still funny shit though.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-36836073115341927832008-09-28T02:32:00.002-05:002008-09-28T02:37:43.317-05:00Crap Matt's Excited About: Deadly Mutha'-Effin' CreaturesTime for some free advertising. They should be paying me for this nonsense.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ef0qF8Hgk8DS-8ZRIqxec3-5b8TfM9JTlydrPv8dBpHC2pJ39-k0LZBGHm1ffiZxDSWN4e3qUWj5NXhdUjv-8SN5f54zHEinET6gMj-V7pv2yYwG_njoe4OVkw6_6PW7m1_V/s1600-h/creatures.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Ef0qF8Hgk8DS-8ZRIqxec3-5b8TfM9JTlydrPv8dBpHC2pJ39-k0LZBGHm1ffiZxDSWN4e3qUWj5NXhdUjv-8SN5f54zHEinET6gMj-V7pv2yYwG_njoe4OVkw6_6PW7m1_V/s320/creatures.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250972092464614642" /></a><br /><br />Deadly Creatures is a new Wii game (yeah, that's right, Mr. Family Sunshine System) which stars a scorpion and a tarantula and you fight through horrible environments of beauty and savagery while witnessing a rather unsavory plot by a bunch of giant monsters called "hoo-manz." You get the jist ;)<br /><br />www.deadlycreaturesgame.com<br /><br />That pic at the top is the basis of some fanart I'd like to do. That and I would absolutely kill to make a comic of this game.Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-57190115992015403742008-09-25T02:59:00.005-05:002008-09-25T03:06:20.658-05:00New name and artsies<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9n9Y7feg9DLSqo97XI_YSwq16puGmQPzJbyPYjATaFi2bLLK39iM-Qp8v2Yn15rs6hG3C2sVCJyrDYAOH2MDuF0HtYiyrBBCKZhwe3HuyY2Hy-QfFg65OrunDHQf4JYLoVx3/s1600-h/rex2+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ9n9Y7feg9DLSqo97XI_YSwq16puGmQPzJbyPYjATaFi2bLLK39iM-Qp8v2Yn15rs6hG3C2sVCJyrDYAOH2MDuF0HtYiyrBBCKZhwe3HuyY2Hy-QfFg65OrunDHQf4JYLoVx3/s320/rex2+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249866874365612274" /></a><br /><br />After feeling somewhat shaken by the knowledge that some random flick stole the title of my blog, I thought I'd try out The Roaring Brain and see how that goes over.<br />Expect a banner soon!<br /><br />Note the oil painting ;)Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-63798218261746507372008-09-24T14:05:00.004-05:002008-09-24T14:17:58.767-05:00A birthday fit for a fighting robotI figured I'd best upload this. It's my recent JET JAGUAR art that was commissioned as a birthday present for a fan's son.<br /><br />Here's the original:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLfMPbLxSOI8OVBXVRnqtF4IQXlNzgReb8Pv17ULSezk48py-DBXbMdE9uzZOkvE-qb92GPlg2UK5asirFo-VfMvBaawkGzSmWdfTo2cmXfRWbpub2wkvWGrGcYT4FbNmtWd5/s1600-h/jj1+copy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrLfMPbLxSOI8OVBXVRnqtF4IQXlNzgReb8Pv17ULSezk48py-DBXbMdE9uzZOkvE-qb92GPlg2UK5asirFo-VfMvBaawkGzSmWdfTo2cmXfRWbpub2wkvWGrGcYT4FbNmtWd5/s320/jj1+copy.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249667893194253874" /></a><br /><br />And here's the lucky recipient:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4V5X5goD_WfgRBeYgppkE5oEJzkze1OKu2dm_w1NsIreDHUGkQgPRVtDxudBSkKndHmJuS-_MpRTOZrlyRIzPbqKzQNiydW0dSwOhoDO2zDH7mV6_9G4mQJQdhO62WayLY7B/s1600-h/birthday.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4V5X5goD_WfgRBeYgppkE5oEJzkze1OKu2dm_w1NsIreDHUGkQgPRVtDxudBSkKndHmJuS-_MpRTOZrlyRIzPbqKzQNiydW0dSwOhoDO2zDH7mV6_9G4mQJQdhO62WayLY7B/s320/birthday.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249668648433957778" /></a>Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29305513.post-26054121786212382792008-09-19T16:26:00.006-05:002008-09-24T17:05:30.622-05:00Matt's G-Fest Adventure!FINALLY! After replacing my USB cable, I am able to show the world my G-Fest pictures! It's a preview of the video that will premiere on Tohokingdom.com "Captain Gordon and the Quest for Kongzilla."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYIJ-zn8W4ny0FnHm0zYNT-DauftQU_s_i8n-eXqHN6_ctuvHrSqMJVzcbBeDLJjhk_WkTvFb3wWz4fLpUXWACRgkue799gqBO557LR4lxax9UeE6hnsdkYfoxAb9cKMj5ttA/s1600-h/000_0342.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYIJ-zn8W4ny0FnHm0zYNT-DauftQU_s_i8n-eXqHN6_ctuvHrSqMJVzcbBeDLJjhk_WkTvFb3wWz4fLpUXWACRgkue799gqBO557LR4lxax9UeE6hnsdkYfoxAb9cKMj5ttA/s320/000_0342.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247875236953444562" /></a><br />Me and Godzilla himself, Haruo Nakajima; I stepped out of the taxi and somehow this happened. What a freaking welcome to my first G-Fest!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimv4uHObky1g71ORW41EZRg5jV_T3O8eWjysHFe60JG7b-qLIIGYmxDjbcr0Jm9OJS-VhN8dxixfSwneW5eC2sREw3Ae40GLJfP-Gtq2wDQLtJY6HWhYRkn9tzLG7WQz4R0P9i/s1600-h/000_0344.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimv4uHObky1g71ORW41EZRg5jV_T3O8eWjysHFe60JG7b-qLIIGYmxDjbcr0Jm9OJS-VhN8dxixfSwneW5eC2sREw3Ae40GLJfP-Gtq2wDQLtJY6HWhYRkn9tzLG7WQz4R0P9i/s320/000_0344.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247852029607319346" /></a><br />Now THAT'S interesting, isn't it?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DXGxpnD0f7qENLogcuulRtFzTmENRcTWeA7sh2MFdFIdlUb3X55vNeGtp2RgW6geybscEOjQbhGKEdsPJx4l_deWRCVL9FDdAw6SfepOJukn8VnJm81YVvfmzGg7yyg-xtVb/s1600-h/000_0347.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2DXGxpnD0f7qENLogcuulRtFzTmENRcTWeA7sh2MFdFIdlUb3X55vNeGtp2RgW6geybscEOjQbhGKEdsPJx4l_deWRCVL9FDdAw6SfepOJukn8VnJm81YVvfmzGg7yyg-xtVb/s320/000_0347.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247853360771202418" /></a><br />Myself and a reporter from a Japanese magazine. She was very perplexed by the kaiju phenomenon, to say the least, but she was very polite and we gots a picture! This was taken right after I won that Rodan figure in a trivia contest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tdk2e2KBFK5KrqL-Hr2urtD2I58MC0cvS_w2hsKJkEUELuR4s9PgXxTYTbhgYbhNSQNjH87j8p7t48F0pGkhYlv0JBhYUuLmqs1gV310kw9EFgh5esdHxzKkmPsIwyhXKaf4/s1600-h/000_0349.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Tdk2e2KBFK5KrqL-Hr2urtD2I58MC0cvS_w2hsKJkEUELuR4s9PgXxTYTbhgYbhNSQNjH87j8p7t48F0pGkhYlv0JBhYUuLmqs1gV310kw9EFgh5esdHxzKkmPsIwyhXKaf4/s320/000_0349.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247853548929541650" /></a><br />I stole this for a short time from another fan ;)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp991c0jxAegLklutIe5x6XnfWxPCpNm0qISWFQBVc38PhEQd9lOdsOFgaf_SHZMDkHQKTGZOEtY6LujRdZNoWAJeYSr_GJYm86HVBxv06OKGDhj3S4lshDH5PCXCAiYQJ5MQq/s1600-h/000_0354.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp991c0jxAegLklutIe5x6XnfWxPCpNm0qISWFQBVc38PhEQd9lOdsOFgaf_SHZMDkHQKTGZOEtY6LujRdZNoWAJeYSr_GJYm86HVBxv06OKGDhj3S4lshDH5PCXCAiYQJ5MQq/s320/000_0354.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247853786192126786" /></a><br />Welcome to G-Fest! We have sex and lots of it! Wait...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ts4uGUCDlEhlfI3CkARu529RDvx78Uep9mM4833phWTi6laHtHXVlU6hzjNabNNKKVW21VRSrNphzsCYdqvNMCGa0EopylV0GrsMa1PD-u5aH8E-3m5jC9wPtBxK0qw4_new/s1600-h/000_0356.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ts4uGUCDlEhlfI3CkARu529RDvx78Uep9mM4833phWTi6laHtHXVlU6hzjNabNNKKVW21VRSrNphzsCYdqvNMCGa0EopylV0GrsMa1PD-u5aH8E-3m5jC9wPtBxK0qw4_new/s320/000_0356.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247854016881956034" /></a><br />One of my new friends and I pose for some Ultraman badassitude.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXO_lOAVn4wld5YgHPIulz4Tf7UCkWDcvPmIKf7Jti2y3bylTRaos6Dl3aTJeNKxI5VY6YfhlQhu9e4RKMOaEqUI131JKIMoixrZazbrqu9HLaFLo4ONIUwnJ6EZ3ZQ2oQYZ9/s1600-h/000_0357.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPXO_lOAVn4wld5YgHPIulz4Tf7UCkWDcvPmIKf7Jti2y3bylTRaos6Dl3aTJeNKxI5VY6YfhlQhu9e4RKMOaEqUI131JKIMoixrZazbrqu9HLaFLo4ONIUwnJ6EZ3ZQ2oQYZ9/s320/000_0357.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247854307575815394" /></a><br />A cavalcade of new friends and allies!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyax3mooOXCZeoEgjRiqt_LvP67fno3JFz9YjZ82sCQl813U-kt1ctn0VZ7wICalmaTj559e2XYuBXqg5XXPaidys7vvezPqz_wlOG02dyoBpmlxWeYJ3gzcc5A5XxvmkxDpu/s1600-h/000_0358.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGyax3mooOXCZeoEgjRiqt_LvP67fno3JFz9YjZ82sCQl813U-kt1ctn0VZ7wICalmaTj559e2XYuBXqg5XXPaidys7vvezPqz_wlOG02dyoBpmlxWeYJ3gzcc5A5XxvmkxDpu/s320/000_0358.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247854520833263618" /></a><br />Now this was fun; a group of G-Fans, after the airing of Godzilla X MechaGodzilla, got together in the lobby to film an evacuation sequence for my bud Jared's new ULTRAMAN SORTA' movie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjaqZfoz3NeoOPo1Py1eLF3GiREu-c6hB_ObNhAPslYmKrbOROYTru8L98vs7ArixI6Ph6qqJIBkLfDt6ahKt4QPmthfVpzkVbMTv6_DgFUrK1RBxqyRIEObTNv2dOJbQsPjc/s1600-h/000_0362.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjaqZfoz3NeoOPo1Py1eLF3GiREu-c6hB_ObNhAPslYmKrbOROYTru8L98vs7ArixI6Ph6qqJIBkLfDt6ahKt4QPmthfVpzkVbMTv6_DgFUrK1RBxqyRIEObTNv2dOJbQsPjc/s320/000_0362.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247854765442097618" /></a><br />That's Jared there in the bottom-left, with his stars getting ready for the next scene.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37CPkQT2393HObc7hUlkqq1jrGztw3k-oiPhfm1W99Tyz-F2dRC35CGbJBRSVyvuOvd8CfF5Svtgmfcgy97BKYcr-VJIp4jolHpiQjtg6ef4rf8V6VqLvCJTuOIuPOnc21wN3/s1600-h/000_0363.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37CPkQT2393HObc7hUlkqq1jrGztw3k-oiPhfm1W99Tyz-F2dRC35CGbJBRSVyvuOvd8CfF5Svtgmfcgy97BKYcr-VJIp4jolHpiQjtg6ef4rf8V6VqLvCJTuOIuPOnc21wN3/s320/000_0363.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247854923257391810" /></a><br />Collectively, that's a sampling of "the Old Guard," some of our G-fan elders and their elixers of wisdom.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R2SXqt1pWQbiljs00bqILgoxg_h7DdHfSSO0fPDLIfM0t0_3UUZxs3ShUZ2EsLf2WEc5RN0KYmR6ZF3xKosCIrhUYwbZC-ykcHFXIAOxqg_2WzJWmsy-VDyp81RrwEI6I7jP/s1600-h/000_0365.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5R2SXqt1pWQbiljs00bqILgoxg_h7DdHfSSO0fPDLIfM0t0_3UUZxs3ShUZ2EsLf2WEc5RN0KYmR6ZF3xKosCIrhUYwbZC-ykcHFXIAOxqg_2WzJWmsy-VDyp81RrwEI6I7jP/s320/000_0365.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247855241083885922" /></a><br />The last day, with another pair of new friends at my artist's table. The feller on the left bought my sign!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ABIBBnk20HncVQs6ppOg9OUL60iSjXX1ac157OEDCZ56WDnBO_lhEC2uczs4SFzpp-17IrmS-HbYNrmzgRYGlhCKubWTPdK-P6OwDzwyG0x0X2so9w6NS9NoNuwCMpKTD8OP/s1600-h/000_0353.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ABIBBnk20HncVQs6ppOg9OUL60iSjXX1ac157OEDCZ56WDnBO_lhEC2uczs4SFzpp-17IrmS-HbYNrmzgRYGlhCKubWTPdK-P6OwDzwyG0x0X2so9w6NS9NoNuwCMpKTD8OP/s320/000_0353.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247855661424206402" /></a><br />Yes. That is, in fact, Don Frye, and yes, he has me in a headlock. BFF's!Matt Frankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11363236242015804319noreply@blogger.com4