Articles by karl-cramer
Fri May 16, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'Hellboy: The Science of Evil' Gameplay Footage Released
Konami releases the first official gameplay footage for the original Hellboy game
What, you didn't get to play the Hellboy: The Science of Evil demo at New York Comic Con? I'm so sorry. Your tears taste so sweet.
*Ahem* Sorry...
Well if you're curious how the game looks in motion, Konami has released the first official gameplay footage. Hellboy faces off against goblins, werewolves, Japanese demons and weird stuff that could only be imagined by Mike Mignola. As you can see for yourself it takes cues from God of War and Ninja Gaiden type games: crazy, over the top beat 'em ups with big boss battles.
Opening up the videogame console war debate once again, there were slight differences in the game from system to system. The graphics on the PlayStation 3 version were crisper, while the Xbox 360 version played smoother. The PSP version was less detailed, but the difference was barely noticeable on the portable's smaller screen. All three versions played the same graveyard level where Hellboy fought a host of goblins. The lock-on system was not easy or natural, but I did enjoy ripping a goblin's head off to use as a grenade.
Continue reading 'Hellboy: The Science of Evil' Gameplay Footage Released ›
Tue May 13, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'DC Universe Online' Needs Senior Artist
Craigslist shows a Sony Online Entertainment job ad for the DC MMO
Comic book and videogame fans' cyberspace dreams were crushed when Microsoft confirmed that the Marvel Universe Online videogame was canceled last year. The superhero-themed massively multiplayer online game, playable between computers and Xbox 360 consoles, could've been a serious contender to World of Warcraft. However, the developer is carrying on with that effort, sans Marvel license.
But don't give up hope yet, fanboys. Evidence shows that Sony is still going forward with their planned DC Comics Universe Online MMO. This week, Rich Johnston noticed in his Lying in the Gutters column a Craigslist ad from Sony Online Entertainment looking for Senior Levels Artists to work on the game. Before you start assembling your resume so that you can work with game consultant Jim Lee, be aware that the position has some steep requirements:
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent development experience.
• 5+ years experience in game development using Maya and the Unreal Engine.
• Must have shipped at least two titles with heavy 3D content as a senior Artist with management responsibilities.
DC Comics Universe Online has been long in development with very few details released. It was announced for computers and the PlayStation 3 but it's unknown if cross-platform play will be allowed. It's not likely to come out any time soon, either, since no mention of the game was made at Sony's recent 2008 media event in London last week.
Tue May 13, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'The Incredible Hulk' Smashes Other Movie Standees
This life-like Hulk movie promo literally dwarfs the competition
Theater lobbies littered with cardboard standees promoting Indiana Jones, Dark Knight, Hellboy II and other movies may be a familiar sight these days, but to paraphrase the Hulk, they're just "puny banners!"
Selected theaters across the country recently received life-size maquettes to promote the release of The Incredible Hulk on June 13. And when we say "life-size," we mean it!
Measuring over 8-feet tall and as wide as a truck, simply standing next to one of the maquettes is enough to understand why that anonymous soldier in the classic Stan Lee/Jack Kirby origin issue called him a "hulking monster."
You have to wonder which movie theater employee gets to take this home.
Sun May 11, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'Star Wars: The Clone Wars' Trailer Now Online
The first trailer for the Star Wars CGI movie debuts
I don't know what's more weird: Seeing the Warner Bros. "WB" shield instead of the 20th Century Fox spotlight logo on a Star Wars film or seeing a Star Wars movie done in the style of the TMNT movie from last year. But the fact remains, the Star Wars: The Clone Wars is real and it's coming this summer, August 15, 2008!
We all knew that the Star Wars animated movie would take take place between Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and continues with many of the characters and settings from Cartoon Network's Star Wars: Clone Wars cartoons. But the trailer dropped some new details on us. Renegades have kidnapped Jabba the Hutt's son. Obi-Wan had dealings with Jabba. Anakin returned to Tattooine. Anakin seems to have himself a young apprentice. Episode III isn't the first time Anakin caught up to Count Dooku. And Yoda is really, really cute when done in CGI animation.
To see the trailer for yourself, go on over to Yahoo's exclusive preview.
Fri May 9, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'Trick My Truck' Customizes Iron Man Rig
CMT's 'Trick My Truck' makes one trucker's Iron Man dreams come true
If Stark Industies made tractor trailers, they might look something like this. Country Music Television's Trick My Truck is the country version of MTV's Pimp My Ride. Professional truck customizers give a deserving trucker's rig a makeover so that he can ride with pride on the open road. Now if that good buddy is a comic book fan and known for being an "Iron Man" when it comes to grueling hauls, it's no surprise what superhero they chose to surprise him with. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing "Iron Truck":
Fri May 9, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Red Hulk in 'The Incredible Hulk' Game a GameStop Exclusive
A retail exclusive character is announced for 'The Incredible Hulk' movie game
At the New York Comicon, Sega's BJ Enriquez was elusive when asked about downloadable characters for the upcoming videogame based on The Incredible Hulk movie. Now we know why. Retailer Gamestop announced that Red Hulk, the mysterious enemy seen in current Hulk comics, would be a exclusive, playable character for customers who pre-order the Xbox 360 version from them.
According to GameStop:
Players who buy this version will be able to play with the Red Huk character immediately, something that other players will not be able to experience, as he does not exist in any other version of the game!
There are no indications if this is an exclusive scenario or if other retailers could have their own unique playable characters. Perhaps, "World War Hulk" for PlayStation 3 at Best Buy or "Maestro Hulk" for the Wii at Target? All we know for sure is which version Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness will buy.
Thu May 8, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Marvel Super Hero Squad Game Announced
Game to be published based on Marvel super-cute action figure line
Gamers, get your insulin shots ready. THQ has signed a deal to make videogames based on the too-cute Marvel Super Hero Squad toy line. You know the ones we're talking about: The two-inch, superdeformed action figures where even the grimiest anti-hero and baddest bad guy look incredibly happy. Even the Punisher is smiling.
Like the toys themselves, the game is aimed at a younger audience, but should prove popular with adult comic book fans. The first game is scheduled to come out in 2009 for multiple systems. Will one of the missions include turning Doctor Doom's frown upside down? we'll see.
Also noted in the press release linked above was that Marvel will be launching a multimedia campaign for the Marvel Super Hero Squad toy line in 2009 with a dedicated animated series and comic books to come.
Oh, and you heard it here first: I predict a crossover in 2010 with Disney, where characters from the two properties will fight, but then realize that the real enemy was cavities. Okay, maybe not... but you never know.
Thu May 8, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Gotham's Most Wanted: Dark Knight Joker Action Figure
Heath Ledger's Joker action figure sells out everywhere
It isn't often that mainstream media picks up on toy collector news, but various news sources couldn't help notice a mania for Dark Knight action figures based on Heath Ledger's Joker.
The New York Post reported that people lined up the day they went on sale. Within minutes, the stock was sold out. The craze for the figure isn't isolated to this side of the pond, either, with similar reports coming in from the U.K.
Collectors are believed to be buying up stock, convinced the figure is a collector's item, since Ledger passed away before the film was released. The $9.99 toy is ranging from $15-50 on eBay now. As hype builds up for the movie and the buzz builds, it's anybody's guess as to how the value of the figure will be affected.
Wed May 7, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
And the MTV Movie Award for Comic Books Goes To...
Which comics are represented in the 2008 MTV Movie Awards?
The annual MTV Movie Awards are pretty much the exact opposite of the Academy Awards. They're funny and irreverant, the music's decent and the voters are the public instead of an exclusive club of insiders. The categories change from year to year, and most importantly, comic book films actually manage to win on occasion.
So, when MTV announced the nominees for this year, I scanned the list for our four-color friends and called them out here. Some of the entries, though, were a bit surprising. After reading the nominees, be sure to go to the official site and cast your vote.
BEST FIGHT:
Alien vs Predator (Alien vs Predator: Requiem). Comic fans can claim this one since the two characters first crossed over in comics. I was impressed with Predator's stirring emotional performance but it felt like Alien was playing it for the Academy.
Tobey Maguire vs James Franco (Spider-Man 3). I was so rooting for the Peter Parker vs. Mary Jane dance-off getting nominated, but Parker's fight with Harry Osborn/New Goblin was pretty cool, too.
BEST SUMMER MOVIE SO FAR:
Iron Man. This is an interesting category since most of the entries haven't come out yet. But if we're going to be true to the "so far" part, then yes, Iron Man wins. It's a no-brainer at this point, really.
BEST VILLAIN:
Topher Grace (Spider-Man 3). This just makes me sad that the movie didn't feature Spider-Man nemesis Venom a bit more instead of forcing him to share the spotlight with Sandman, a bad guy whose big exit involved crying and floating away.
Fri May 2, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
'Smallville' Says Goodbye to Lex, Hello to Doomsday
Clark gets surprising replacement villains for Season Eight
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Fans of The CW's television series Smallville knew that this season was going to be the final one for actor Michael Rosenbaum, who plays Lex Luthor in the popular reinterpretation of Superman's angsty youth. His portrayal of Lex's descent into evil has been as fascinating to viewers as Tom Welling's portrayal of Clark Kent learning what it means to be a hero.
IGN broke the news recently that the next season will introduce two new villains. One they can't talk about yet, but the other is Doomsday (pictured at right in his original comic appearance).
Doomsday is best known for his fight to the death with the Man of Steel in Superman #75. The monster gained notoriety doing what no other villain had managed to do: kill Superman. Fans later learned that Doomsday was a prehistoric Kryptonian experiment that resurrects and adapts to whatever manages to kill it. Doomsday was last seen in DC's big Infinite Crisis event, and was defeated by Superman and pre-Crisis Superman.
The IGN story also stated that there would be a new female villain that would be familiar to comic book fans. Her story, according to executive producers:
Intelligent, brilliantly manipulative, and dangerously sinister, our gorgeous new villain has one more weapon in her arsenal: Her mutual attraction with Clark may prove to be as deadly as kryptonite for him.
Hmmm. Who could that be?
Thu May 1, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Iron Mug: 7-Eleven's 'Iron Man' Slurpee Cup
'Iron Man' drink holders... how appropriate!
7-Eleven convenience store chains have a long history of releasing character-licensed Slurpee cups based on Marvel and DC properties, so it wasn't a big surprise when I heard that Iron Man was next in line to help reacquaint thirsty customers with the effects of brain freeze. On the eve of the Iron Man movie release, I ventured into a local shop and had a look around at the Iron Man merch.
While there are regular, movie-based lenticular cups with little figures on the straw, it's the Iron Man helmet and replica mug that brought a smile to my face. Sure, adults groan about merchandising, but the kids inside of us love it. Yes, comic book fans across America, you now have a new pen holder... or whiskey mug, if that's your thing.
Here's the official word on the promotion:
A collectible, refillable mug features the red and gold helmet of Iron Man’s Mark III suit of armor. The 28-ounce mug retails for $3.29 and includes a Slurpee fill up. Additionally, 7-Eleven will offer three different Iron Man Slurpee spoon-straws with detachable Iron Man and Iron Monger figurines for a price of $1.49 each.
Check out the photos posted after the jump to see how cool this is...
Continue reading Iron Mug: 7-Eleven's 'Iron Man' Slurpee Cup ›
Wed Apr 30, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Simon Bisley and the Business of 'Splatterhouse'
What has the popular '2000 AD' artist been up to? Reviving a classic videogame, apparently...
In the latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, there was an interesting bit of information in a sidebar for their feature about the revived Splatterhouse videogame. According to EGM, Publisher Namco Bandai has brought comic book artist Simon Bisley on board to do artwork for the game. His art will possibly be used for covers and marketing, but they've also teamed him up with his former 2000 A.D. writer Gordon Rennie to "flesh out Splatterhouse's basic plot, breathe life into the characters, and add his own understanding of the supernatural to the script."
For those unfamiliar with the game, Splatterhouse was a classic arcade game where regular guy Rick Taylor's girlfriend was abducted by monsters. Making a deal with a demonic hockey mask, Rick transformed into an unstoppable Jason Voorhees lookalike. For kids thrilled with the Friday the 13th movies, it was a chance to be the psycho and the hero at the same time. The game was regarded at the time as highly controversial, due to its graphic (by 1980s standards, at least) violence. It was the first game to ever receive a parental advisory disclaimer, even beating out Mortal Kombat for that honor. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of the game's release, hence the revival for today's PlayStation and Xbox 360 systems.
This is the second big videogame effort for Bisley after his contribution to the Halo graphic novel. Let's hope, for the sake of the ratings board, he doesn't hide any naughty bits in the game.
Tue Apr 29, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe: Super or Silly?
ComicMix weighs the merits of the comic book/videogame crossover and suggests some monumental match-ups...
It's been over a week since Midway announced that the rumored Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe game was in fact real. The reaction from both comic and gaming communities has been a collective, "Huh?"
At first it seems like an odd couple, but it isn't without precedent. In the past, Capcom combined their 2D Marvel fighting games with their Street Fighter franchise to create X-Men vs. Street Fighter, the first of many successful Marvel vs. Capcom games. Look at it this way: people know Mortal Kombat and they also know the Justice League. So, from a sales point of view, this looks like a mainstream winner.
But from a fanboy perspective, does this work? Sure, we hear the cries of "Superman would just rip the head off of Sub-Zero," but it just might be more interesting than you think. If this Superman is reigned in to a reasonable level, he could be a boss-level character -- but not invincible. Think less Silver Age or post-Infinite Crisis and more Superman: The Animated Series or John Byrne's Man of Steel. And remember, Superman's as vulnerable to magic as anyone else, so the Mortal Kombat warriors' special abilities could be a hassle for Mr. Faster Than A Speeding Bullet. And when you think about it like that, Sub-Zero's freezing power doesn't seem so, well... powerless.
Continue reading Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe: Super or Silly? ›
Fri Apr 25, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
ItsJustSomeRandomGuy and 'Hi, I'm a Marvel... and I'm a DC' at NYCC
YouTube filmmaker meets fans, debuts second season at New York Comic Con
It started out so innocently. Michael Agrusso made a silly video for his girlfriend. He thought it was too funny not to share, so he created a YouTube account with the username ItsJustSomeRandomGuy -- just in case someone decided to sue. So began the Internet sensation "Hi, I'm a Marvel... And I'm a DC."
Fast-forward a bit and not only has he not been sued, but some of the companies he's lampooned have featured him on their official sites. Next thing you know, he's got his own panel at the New York Comic Con.
Agrusso began the Saturday panel with a confession: He forgot to buy his girlfriend and co-producer of the videos, ItsJustSomeRandomGal, an airline ticket. His girlfriend was kind enough to send her regards via YouTube, however.
The video side of Agrusso's presentation continued with a DC-centric promotional film the New York Comic Con had commissioned that was created but not released on the Internet at the request of DC. Let's just say Wonder Woman got hit on at the convention a lot.
The filmmaker then he announced that the series that grew out of his initial efforts, Marvel/DC Happy Hour, wll be launching its second season -- with actual sets, special effects and bigger storylines. Same silly jokes, though. The first two-part episode of Season Two is posted after the jump:
Continue reading ItsJustSomeRandomGuy and 'Hi, I'm a Marvel... and I'm a DC' at NYCC ›
Fri Apr 25, 2008 — by Karl Cramer
Podcast Feud: iFanboy Vs CAGcast?
Popular videogame podcaster snubbed at NYCC... and the shortest feud in podcast history erupts
It's happened to all of us at some point. As a comic book fan you attend a convention with hopes of making a personal connection with a creator or personality you admire. Then reality shatters your expectations when you find that he or she's, well... sort of a jerk.
Wombat, the co-host of the popular Cheap Ass Gamer podcast (aka CAGcast), is a well-known comic book fan and has gone off-topic on his show many times to talk about comics. It's no surprise that the New York CIty native was planning to attend the New York Comic Con. In past episodes of the show, he's mentioned that he enjoyed the iFanboy video podcast. So what happens when he spotted them on the convention floor?
According to Wombat, after introducing himself to the iFanboy crew, they promptly gave him the cold shoulder. CheapyD, the other CAGcast co-host, made the segment into a wickedly funny Internet video.
At the end, Wombat reports that Josh from iFanboy apologized and no hard feelings are held on either side.
Wombat, ComicMix Radio promises to never slight you -- because now we've seen what happens!
