Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. #14 Review

I’m really going to miss this book when it’s gone. Issue #14 is infused with the same strong balance of emotional gravity and comedic whimsy that Matt Kindt, Alberto Ponticelli, and Jeff Lemire have cultivated since the series’ instantiation. Take a trip with Frank on this bittersweet quest to save the world.

I’ve had my eye on Velcoro for some time, and this is his moment to shine. He gets a pretty decent character arc to go with a good deal of jocularity and a powerful watershed event. The banter between Frankenstein and Velcoro drives the issue and allows the book to find higher highs and lower lows.

The quest that he and Frankenstein are on is a bit more difficult to describe, though. The MacGuffin for which the two supernatural agents are looking certainly sounds like a big deal, but, being so separated from the happenings of Animal Man and Swamp Thing, it feels very parenthetical.

The storytelling is quite well done for the most part, with the aforementioned humor and drama spiriting the book onward. There is one noticeable wrinkle during the trip to the island, but it’s more of a minor complaint than anything a potentially derailing problem.

Ponticelli’s illustrations benefit the story a great deal, with the clearly-conveyed scale setting the stage for some jaw-dropping moments. The characters are given substantial detail that enhances the intensity of the fight scenes and keeps the eye busy, even on a second reading.

It’s easy to write off a lame duck title, especially when it’s playing a support role in a larger event; but, it would be a mistake to look past this month’s issue of Frankenstein.

Poet Mase is a regular contributor to IGN who is looking forward to next issue's showdown! Follow Poet on Twitter @PoetMase, or post a message on his IGN profile PoetMase.

Source : ign[dot]com

Avengers Assemble #9 Review

With this issue, Avengers Assemble finally becomes the book that it was always meant to be. If you enjoyed the Marvel movies, particularly The Avengers, then you'll feel right at home here. In fact, this is the perfect book to introduce people who loved the movies to the world of comic books. In a lot of ways, this book feels like it takes place in the Marvel movie universe, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Kelly Sue DeConnick focuses on Iron Man and the Hulk in this issue. Or, more accurately, she focuses on Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. What we get here is opposing world views from two brilliant men. It's an interesting angle and a fun way to look at the characters. The dialogue feels like it was ripped right out of the movie in all the best ways. It's funny and snappy. At times, there might be a bit too much of it, but it's a forgivable offense. Who would have ever thought that an issue that takes place almost entirely in the Avengers' kitchen could be so much fun?

Stefano Caselli absolutely rocks this book. It's incredible looking. The double spread that features Hulk and Iron Man could be a poster. In fact, it should be a poster. Get on that, Marvel. Of course, since the bulk of this issue is heroes talking, Caselli gets lots of opportunity to do some amazing character work. It all looks great. Unfortunately, he doesn't get to cut loose on too much action here, but that seems to be coming in the next issue, which means you should buy the next issue.

Benjamin is known as Hardball in some circles. He belongs to a very exclusive club called The Fraternity of Fighting Men. Follow Benjamin on Twitter @616Earth, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Grand Theft Auto V Details Revealed

The first official details about Grand Theft Auto V have been announced. In the newest digital issue of Game Informer, Rockstar has revealed that the game will have three playable characters -- Michael, Trevor and Franklin. Players will switch between characters “constantly” with a single button press, allowing them to see missions from different perspectives.

Michael is a retired bank robber who is now in the witness protection program, and whose wife has burned through his substantial fortune, causing him to get “back into the game.” His friend Trevor, the second protagonist, is a “drugged out psychopath” who seems prone to violence. The final character, Franklin, is introduced stealing a car. All three come together to perform heists, which are described as “a big theme in the game.”

Game Informer's Cover

Players will experience missions as different combinations of the three, and each will have a different skillset. For example, in one heist mission, Michael rappels down the side of a building while Franklin uses a sniper rifle from afar and Trevor flies in a helicopter above. Players can switch back and forth between Michael grabbing a target inside the building or Franklin trying to snipe enemies inside. Once you escape, everyone meets in the helicopter, and the player can choose to fly it as Trevor, snipe other pilots as Franklin or fire a gun from the back of the vehicle as Michael.

Los Santos will be the biggest open world in Rockstar's history, "bigger than Read Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto IV and San Andreas combined." Players will also be able to explore underwater areas of the city.

Rockstar has also changed driving mechanics, noting that cars “hold to the ground a bit better” and have “a little more physics on them,” making driving feel more like a racing game. Shooting and melee combat have also been improved, as have pedestrian models (some pedestrians have now been mapped using motion capture for more realistic movement). Rockstar also hasn’t employed any celebrities to provide voices for the game.

Heists will be a key element, but players will also experience elements similar to Red Dead Redemption’s dynamic encounters, including stopping to check on broken cars and picking up hitchhikers. Players will also be able to chase and catch muggers or rob cash vans.

Characters can be customized by changing clothes, but height and weight customization isn’t included. The phone will also return for obtaining important info, but now allows players to access the internet, among other things. Some items previously only accessible from the phone in Grand Theft Auto IV will simply be accessible on the map.

Each character will have their own social circle -- Michael has his son (Jimmy), Franklin has a "crazy friend" named Lamar and Trevor has a paranoid conspiracy theorist friend named Ron. Separately from missions, players will be able to switch between characters and see them living their daily lives, including some situations that may be "surprising."

Players won't be able to own real-estate, but there will be an economy for players to spend their money. GTA V has non canonical connection to the PS2-era Grand Theft Auto games, so don't expect to encounter C.J. or Tommy.

Grand Theft Auto V was originally announced in October 2011, followed by the first trailer in November. The idea of multiple playable characters was actually rumored early on, first suggested the day after the original announcement.

Rockstar will release the second trailer for Grand Theft Auto V on November 14th. For all the details in the trailer, check out our live Rewind Theater of the trailer that day, plus a ton of additional info throughout next week.

Source: Game Informer

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #15 Review

Tom Waltz and Kevin Eastman have been dragging more and more classic TMNT characters and elements into the new series in recent months. Issue #15 throws Leatherhead into the mix. Though the book hardly needs another villain at the moment, Leatherhead nonetheless enjoys a solid introduction into this new continuity.

The writers briefly establish Leatherhead's origin as another of Baxter Stockman's out-of-control experiments before shifting back to the present. The Turtles are currently searching for a new base of operations, which seems like another unnecessary addition considering how recently they moved into April's antique shop. In any case, issue #15 winds up offering a fun little blend of intrigue, horror, and levity. In the case of the latter quality, Splinter is given the opportunity to stop being so dour all the time and bond with Casey Jones. As far as horror goes, the creators offer up a cool sequence that sees Leatherhead stalk the Turtles in the shadows.

That fight sequence is expertly rendered by Andy Kuhn. While Kuhn's facial work is a bit bland compared to Dan Duncan's, his work is packed with kinetic energy and enough light and shadow to really pop off the page. The series continuously sets a higher visual standard for IDW's licensed comics.

One downside to this issue is a familiar complaint with the series -- it more or less requires readers to have read the April O'Neil micro-series one-shot to fully appreciate the events within. I understand that IDW is paying homage to the classic Mirage series by resurrecting the micro-series format, but in many cases these stories would have been better served by being integrated with the main book. After eight one-shots, maybe it's time to give it a rest and focus squarely on this series.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Ghosts #1 Review

Ghosts is Vertigo's latest seasonally appropriate anthology issue. As the simple title suggests, the various stories in this book explore the concept of ghosts from a variety of angles, some much more literal than others. While every Vertigo anthology has at least some worthwhile material, they also ask a lot of readers with the $8 cover price. Luckily, in terms of both the creative talent involved and the quality of the stories, Ghosts is one of Vertigo's better efforts.

The obvious headliner of this issue is Ghost for Hire, a joint effort between Geoff Johns and Jeff Lemire and one that makes a strong case for why Johns should venture outside of the DC Universe more often. It's a fun, charming tale that could just as easily be placed in an all-ages anthology. The other highly significant entry in the issue is Joe Kubert's The Boy and the Old Man. While visually rough since Kubert wasn't able to do more than layout the story before his death, the story is a very heartfelt and engaging look at an elderly, terminally ill man fighting to protect his grandson. It's difficult not to read a deeper significance to the story given Kubert's unfortunate passing.

Plenty of other strong material rounds out the issue. Paul Pope and David Lapham team for a sci-fi pirate epic called Treasue Lost. Here the ghost theme is at its most tenuous, but who cares when it allows Pope to do more of the surreal, creative storytelling he excels at. Gilbert Hernandez's The Dark Lady is an initially somber read that takes a fun turn towards the end. Al Ewing and Rufus Dayglo's The Night After I Took the Data Entry Job I was Visited By My Own Ghost may be obnoxiously titled, but it offers a fun twist on the "Ghost of Christmas Future" formula.

There are a few missteps here, to be sure. The Dead Boy Detectives in 'Run Ragged is enjoyable and visually diverse, but it ends abruptly and encourages readers to wait for the next Vertigo anthology for a continuation of the story. Amy Reeder's art is a highlight in Wallflower, but the idea of two lovers becoming metaphorical ghosts to each other sort of fizzles out by the end. The only story I actively disliked, though, was Bride. Though it too boasts some strong visuals, the storytelling was pointlessly obtuse and the main characters thoroughly unlikable.

Yes, $8 is lot to ask for any comic, but Ghosts offers a wealth of content, and quality content at that.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Comic Book Reviews for 10/17/12

Just as they did around the same time last year, Marvel unleashed a big, fat, high-priced Point One issue that teases many of its most anticipated releases for the coming year. More importantly though, they released the next issues of some of our favorite titles -- Daredevil, Hawkeye, Captain Marvel, and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

Over at DC, Batwoman continues its rise to glory, Justice League introduces Cheetah to the New 52, Before Watchmen trucks on, and Wonder Woman starts to build its next storyline.

DC COMICS

Batwoman #13

Written by J.H. Williams III & Haden Blackman | Art by J.H. Williams III

"Oh my dear lord, I love this title right now. Listen, I know there are a lot of stellar books in today’s pantheon of top comics. Marvel, Image, Archaia -- they’re all putting out books worth following monthly and in trade. Batwoman tops them all. When was the last time you saw this much ambiance in a comic book? Maybe never. You can’t help but wince as Bette relives the sensations of being eviscerated. The foul smells of murder and squalor try to wriggle their way into your nose. The oppressive weight of being buried alive shortens your tidal breathing." -Poet

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.8

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4

Written by Darwyn Cooke | Art by Darwyn Cooke

"Minutemen was always the Before Watchmen book with the most potential for interesting character development. Luckily, Darwyn Cooke has been able to realize that potential. Though issue #4 is fairly scatterbrained in its focus, Cooke manages to deliver some memorable moments featuring just about every player in this troubled group." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.8

Birds of Prey #13

Written by Duane Swierczynski | Art by Romano Molenaar

"With his Birds of Prey run, Duane Swierczynski has developed this annoying habit of dropping plot threads without fully resolving them and diving right into new stories. That trait continues as his latest arc kicks off in issue #13. The conflict with Poison Ivy has been all but abandoned from where it ended in issue #12. Instead, we're informed that Batman randomly showed up to assist the BoP gals with their poisoning and they're now all on the mend and craving munchies. It's as if there was a Birds of Prey #12.5 that got lost at the printer and Swierczynski is relying on exposition to make up for its absence." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

5.2

Catwoman #13

Written by Ann Nocenti | Art by Rafa Sandoval

"Ann Nocenti began her run on Catwoman with last month's #0 issue. Among that issue's many problems were a pointlessly fractured narrative and an inexplicable attempt to marry nearly every version of Selina Kyle's origins into one bloated whole. Issue #13 at least isn't saddled with all that origin nonsense, but Nocenti once again burdens the book with a jumbled and generally unsatisfying script." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.0

DC Universe Presents #13

Written by Marc Andreyko | Art by Robson Rocha

"It’s within the pages of DCU Presents #13 that we get our first look at the New 52 incarnations of Black Lightning and Blue Devil. An odd pairing to be sure, but writer Marc Andreyko takes the simple (or perhaps convenient) approach of giving overlapping investigations to the pair, though their motivations for working those cases in the first place are unclear. Ultimately though, this first chapter amounts to little more than plot setup without much character stuff, though Andreyko certainly plants the seeds at defining the 'origins' of sorts for these two heroes." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.0

Green Lantern: The New Guardians #13

Written by Tony Bedard | Art by Andrei Bressan & Amilcar Pinna

"Tony Bedard has done this series a favor by utilizing a smaller cast to better focus on Kyle Rayner. The artsy Green Lantern has the ability to use any color of the emotional spectrum and must master each one in order to call on those different powers. That concept has the potential to show all the different facets of Kyle’s character, but Bedard delivers a story that -- while certainly visually stimulating -- could have been a lot more creative." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.3

Justice League #13

Written by Geoff Johns & Jeff Lemire | Art by Tony Daniel & Brad Walker

"This issue of Justice League focuses heavily on Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor, and I don’t have a problem with that. Superman, Flash, and Cyborg have a few nice moments, while Batman and Aquaman are purely background characters. Again, I don’t mind this because for the first time since this series began, I feel I have a stake in the main characters and I am genuinely intrigued by the conflict. Who would have thought Cheetah would be a more interesting villain than Darkseid?" -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.4

Nightwing #13

Written by Tom DeFalco | Art by Andres Guinald

"Though Nightwing #13 doesn't have one of those creepy, die-cut Joker covers, it has about as much to do with Death of the Family as any other ancillary Batman title released this month. That is to say -- expect plenty of pointless references to Joker's return that have no real bearing on the story at hand. Most glaring is a short sequence where Batgirl pops up out of nowhere to complain about not being prepared for a battle with Joker before disappearing just as quickly. I'm starting to think that the best course of action may be to avoid these books entirely for the next few months if this is what we can expect from Death of the Family tie-ins." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

5.8

Red Hood and the Outlaws #13

Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by Timothy Green

"Who knows if I would have kept up with this series so far if it weren't for Kenneth Rocafort? The writing quality has tended to vary between mediocre and above average, so it's really Rocafort's contribution that has lent a sense of stability and vitality to the book. Sadly, with Rocafort joining Scott Lobdell on Superman now, the Outlaws have to make do with a different penciler. Timothy Green's work is decent enough in issue #13, but it suffers from the attempt to replicate the look and feel of Rocafort's style. Green did excellent work in the Rocket Raccoon/Groot features in Marvel's Annihilators mini-series, and it's disappointing that we don't see a similar approach here considering the alien setting." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.9

Supergirl #13

Written by Mike Johnson | Art by Sami Basri

"Supergirl #13 picks up where we left off before the zero issue, with Kara confronted by Simon Tycho in her new Fortress of Solitude-esque home on the ocean floor, fittingly dubbed Sanctuary. Writer Mike Johnson delivers another satisfying chapter of the best Super-family book, though my interest didn’t really pique until after Tycho was taken out of the picture. Like many villains that have shown face in this series thus far, he came off as two-dimensional and rather typical, with a pretty absurd visual design to boot. However, that might be for the best, as his relatively throw-away presence in this series results in Kara’s strongest character moment in quite a while when she unceremoniously leaves him trapped inside of Sanctuary without remorse." -Joey

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.2

Sword of Sorcery #1

Written by Christy Marx & Tony Bedard | Art by Aaron Lopresti & Jesus Saiz

"DC has no real business labeling this issue as Sword of Sorcery #1, as it picks up directly where last month's #0 issue left off and would serve as a poor entry point by itself. Ahh, the delightful magic of comic book numbering. On the other hand, kudos to DC for trying to cover all the major genres with the New 52 rather than simply churning out endless superhero books. Sword of Sorcery goes a step or two further than Demon Knights in terms of exploring the fantasy-oriented side of the DCU. Christy Marx has all the ingredients for a worthy fantasy epic here -- the ordinary girl who discovers her grand destiny, a strange realm full of magical powers and warring clans, and a twisted family dynamic driving the conflict. Unfortunately, the end result feels surprisingly by-the-numbers. " -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.2

Wonder Woman #13

Written by Brian Azzarello | Art by Tony Akins

"Brian Azzarello continues to build his Wonder Woman mythology here. As it has been from the beginning, this is a story about the children of Zeus. Diana is out to find others and, we assume, once again build a team that is capable of battling her half-brothers and sisters as well as finding Zola's missing baby. The majority of the issue just features people sitting around talking and plotting. The dialogue is sharp as ever, the story deep and involving. The issue moves a bit slow, but a dude also gets the top of his head bitten off. So there's that." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.2

Source : ign[dot]com

Before Watchmen: Minutemen #4 Review

Minutemen was always the Before Watchmen book with the most potential for interesting character development. Luckily, Darwyn Cooke has been able to realize that potential. Though issue #4 is fairly scatterbrained in its focus, Cooke manages to deliver some memorable moments featuring just about every player in this troubled group.

Though Hollis Mason's flash-forwards still serve as a framing device, this issue hops all about the lives of the Minutemen during the post-WWII era. The tragic death of The Silhouette provides a loose sort of link between the other conflicts. But the general theme of this chapter is disillusionment. We see everyone from Nite Owl to Silk Spectre to Comedian weighed down by the harsh realities of life in the world of Watchmen. Tonally, this issue is very much a bridge between he more optimistic adventures of earlier chapters and the world as we see it in Alan Moore's story. Surprisingly, Silk Spectre enjoys the strongest scenes of all the characters. Cooke is able to showcase a very different and more genuine side of her character than readers are accustomed to.

Unsurprisingly, the art is a maor selling point once again. Cooke captures all the vibrant energy of this supposed Golden Age of super-heroism without ignoring the seedier visual elements. Cooke is able to capture many of the hallmarks of the original series, from it's rigid grid structure to its many visual gags and games, without remaining bound to those hallmarks or failing to exercise his own unique talents.

If not as focused as it could be, Minutemen #4 is nonetheless proof that there are interesting stories to explore in the shadow of Watchmen, as well as creators talented enough to bring them to life.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Wolverine and the X-Men #18 Review

Wolverine and the X-Men #18 is heart breaking. Sure, Avengers vs. X-Men had a death that everyone was talking about, but this issue features one that ripped my soul out. It's not done poorly or played for some sort of cash grab gimmick; it's sincere and sad and brutal. Maybe it's not how it looks; maybe the character isn't dead and this is all Jason Aaron playing with us. Either way, this is a character's death in superhero comics done right. This is just a damn good comic book.

Aaron delivers in all the best ways here. He manages to tie-in the ending of the major Marvel event without having it disrupt the story. It feels natural, like the characters populate the same world. Everything just clicks. The dialogue, the pacing, the humor, all of it. You can feel the weight of AvX in these pages and yet the events of Wolverine and the X-Men feel just as important. More so, actually.

The writing kicks major butt in this issue, but so does the art. Jorge Molina nails it. His crispy, clean style showcases the heart and emotion of this story perfectly. That's right: perfectly. There are glimpses of action throughout the book, but the best bits take place at a school dance. A school dance that Lockheed deejays. It's amazing stuff. When you see a little character's heart break, Molina makes sure your heart breaks along with him. If you like comic books, you owe it to yourself to check out Wolverine and the X-Men.

Benjamin Bailey has been crying all day. Follow Benjamin on Twitter @616Earth, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Flash #0 Review

I’ll say this much: you won’t find a poorly drawn issue of The Flash. Francis Manapul never ceases to deliver impressive layouts to tell his and Brian Buccellato’s story. The page showing how Flash designed his costume looks incredible with the way the panels seem to spring from his costume-springing ring. It looks great, but the lack of a compelling narrative that matches the quality of the art continues to leave this series in the dust.

An origin story in every sense of the word, The Flash #0 details how Barry Allen got his powers and his motivation for becoming a hero. While the tender subject of Barry’s relationship to his parents and the life-changing impact of his mother’s murder attempts to form the heart of this story, the superhero aspect gets glazed over. The result winds up being a story that fails to connect on a deeper emotional level or infuse the reader with the same inspiration that Barry supposedly felt that made him put on the red and yellow duds.

The dialogue sounds generic, the character motivations are cookie cutter, and the mystery feels more confusing than compelling. The narrative structure features a lot of flashbacks put in at add points here and there, but they never amount to anything worth the effort it takes to read them in such a way. If you want a kick ass story told in fragmented flashbacks, then check out Matt Fraction and David Aja’s outstanding new Hawkeye series.

Joshua is a writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter or IGN, but only if you are prepared to hear more about Darth Maul, Green Lantern, and Doop than you would ever care to know.

Source : ign[dot]com

Wii U Will Be Region-Locked

Though it comes as little surprise, it appears as though Nintendo's Wii U console will be region locked. The latest issue of Famitsu reports that Nintendo plans to prevent its new console from playing software outside of specified territories. A direct quote as translated on Twitter: "What can be played on the Wii U is restricted by a region-lock feature; software not sold in the same region cannot be played."

This is hardly the first time Nintendo has applied this policy. Wii and the 3DS were locked, as were some models of the Nintendo DS. Earlier Nintendo hardware featured physical differences in carts as a means for region locking.

So... anyone planning to import a Japanese Wii U now? If Nintendo of America's strange localization timetables continue, we're not sure how long we'll be able to resist. Stay tuned to IGN for the latest details on Wii U as the system's launch approaches.

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com and the leader of IGN's Nintendo team. He also watches over all things WWE, Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed and much more. Follow him on Twitter, if you dare!

Source : ign[dot]com

Legion Lost #0 Review

Legion Lost #0 is a pretty standard origin story for the most interesting character in the title, supplying enough action and drama for the title to transition smoothly into its next issue. Timber Wolf receives a solid retelling of his backstory and motivation for his career as a vigilante/Legion member. In the end, Tom DeFalco’s story is enough to justify this issue’s existence, but it’s unlikely to be your favorite book this week.

Pete Woods is strong this month, driving the book’s action with some great perspectives and motion. The old pro effortlessly conveys the fury and tragedy of DeFalco’s story, as the plot swirls between past and present. In fact, the work is so good that it can almost tell the story without any text at all.

When so many #0 titles are falling short of spectacular, Legion Lost #0 actually gives readers a reason to tune in. The story’s skeleton is a bit familiar, but the Woods’ execution is worth the price of admission.

Poet is a freelance writer, mid-core gamer, and frequent IGN contributor. Follow Poet on Twitter, or post a message on his IGN profile.

Source : ign[dot]com

Remender Confirms Exit from Uncanny X-Force, Secret Avengers

Though it's been suspected since the announcement of Uncanny Avengers, Rick Remender confirmed today via Twitter that he'll be leaving Uncanny X-Force and Secret Avengers. Remender's final issue of X-Force will be the conclusion to Final Execution in issue #35 -- which will also serve as the series finale.

As for Secret Avengers, he'll be wrapping his run with issue #37, but seemed to give no indication that the series itself was ending. Presumably a new team will be revealed soon.

Remender tweeted:

Yes, unfortunately my time on UXF is coming to an end. It's like a friend told me, "Know when to get off the stage."

— Rick Remender (@Remender) September 10, 2012

Lots of the UXF story threads I set up are moving to Uncanny Avengers. And the people involved in the series moving forward are ACES.

— Rick Remender (@Remender) September 10, 2012

Yes, my SECRET AVENGERS ends at issue 37. But we still have the best to come in the finales of SA and UXF. We're going out loudly on both.

— Rick Remender (@Remender) September 10, 2012

The writer also told CBR in an interview, "Hopefully, I'll be able to stick a nice landing with Final Execution and people will really enjoy it, so the series will never have that part where it tapered and stopped being as good. That's the upshot. You do your best work -- and we all have -- and then you wrap things up and walk away from it."

But hey, it's nice knowing that a lot of the threads will be continuing on into Uncanny Avengers. Until then, strap in for the ride of your life on the road to Uncanny X-Force's end.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. He loves superhero pets so hard.

Source : ign[dot]com

Two New Nintendo Land Attractions Revealed

Early details from the latest issue of Game Informer are starting to come in. According to early details coming through NeoGAF, two new Nintendo Land attractions are revealed in the Wii U-themed magazine - Metroid Blast and Balloon Fight Breeze.

Metroid Blast is very much like the 'Battle Mii' Wii U demo first shown at E3 2011, albeit one that is more themed to Metroid, including classic music from the series, a Norfair level and a mechanical replica of Kraid that can be interacted with. Up to five players can play at one time, with one player always taking the role of Samus's iconic ship through the Wii U GamePad. (The other four use Wii MotionPlus controllers with nunchuks.) Free-for-All, Team and Horde modes seem to be present, and the attraction features several maps.

Balloon Fight Breeze is a side-scrolling challenge, which controls through the GamePad's touch screen and the stylus. Players must navigate their characters through a variety of obstacles, by directing gusts of wind with the stylus, getting as far as they can in the aerial obstacle courses. The Pad itself shows a close up view of the player's Mii while the TV gives a wide perspective of the level.

No doubt more information will emerge from Game Informer's latest issues as it reaches more subscribers. Plus there's always that Wii U Preview Event next week...

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com and the leader of IGN's Nintendo team. He also watches over all things WWE, Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed and much more. Follow him on Twitter, if you dare!

Source : ign[dot]com

G.I. Combat #0 Review

G.I. Combat is one of those books that makes you wonder, "Does this really need a dedicated origin issue?" And the answer proves to be, "No, not really." Certainly, there's no real need to showcase what happened before the soldiers in The War That Time Forgot started stabbing and shooting dinosaurs. Acknowledging that, issue #0 shifts the content in favor Palmiotti and Justin Gray's Unknown Soldier story. Luckily, as much as I've been ambivalent about that revamp so far, the writers make good use of the format as far as fleshing out thier new character and the Unknown Soldier mythology.

Rather than turn back the clock to an earlier point in the main character's life, the segment explores the general legacy of the Unknown Soldier in the DCU. Palmiotti and Gray add an Assassin's Creed-style genetic memory element to the character, allowing him to experience the exploits of Unknown Soldiers who fought in Vietnam, the Revolutionary War, and even ancient Rome. It's an interesting wrinkle to the formula that dredges up a healthy slate of new questions about the character. Unfortunately, the script falls apart at the end as the writers steer haphazardly into a new conflict and resulting cliffhanger rather than simply ending this interlude on a more satisfying note.

Though much shorter than usual, J.T. Krul's The War That Tim Forgot portion still offers up a healthy dose of dinosaur carnage. In this case, readers learn more about the veteran dino-slayer who revealed himself in the previous issue. It's a fun read, though Ariel Olivetti's surreal, unnatural backgrounds really work against the story. At this point it would almost be preferable to have soldiers and dinosaurs grappling against blank backgrounds.

It isn't enough for DC to offer traditional war-themed comics. The lackluster sales on this series and its predecessor are proof enough of that. The tales in G.I. Combat need to showcase war as it exists in the DC Universe, reflecting all the colorful characters and concepts that dwell within. Issue #0 does a better job than any issue previous of satisfying that need.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Captain Marvel #3 Post-Game with Kelly Sue DeConnick

Welcome back to the Captain Marvel post-game, a feature where we'll be taking a deeper look at each issue of the hit new Marvel series by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy. This time around, DeConnick talks influences, legacy, and the glory of the Captain Marvel covers.

Tread carefully, there be spoilers for Captain Marvel #3 ahead.

Read our review of Captain Marvel #3!

The Cover

Kelly Sue DeConnick: It's funny, sometimes they ask you “Oh, we need a cover concept for issue 8” or whatever. They usually ask for a number so far down the line that you don't even know what's going to be in the book yet, which is awesome and magical.

But, [Steve] Wacker had just set up these first three and they were surprises to me. They are amazing. This one might be my favorite, I love that our names are on the bombs. I kinda want to make it my avatar, but there's a negative connotation out of context. You know, it's a bomb and it's heading downwards.

The Pitch

DeConnick: The Pursuit of Flight was kinda a placeholder title, but I forgot to change it, so now that's the name. My pitch document was called Pilot which I think was probably a better name for our opening arc. So, time travel was in the pitch right from the beginning. And then, seriously, like after I turned in the script for issue 5, Wacker was like “Yeah, I don't know if this time travel thing was a good idea.” But, I'm having fun, so it's good.

Carol Danvers, World War II Super Soldier

DeConnick: I really wanted to deal with this idea of legacy. I wanted to give her shoulders to stand on. Dexter [Soy] excels at this kind. Fight scenes are exactly the thing that he is really, really good at, so you should give him something that he is really, really good at.

I so fell in love with the lady Howling Commandos. The next issue opens with a big battle.

That Bad Ass Moment

DeConnick: There's a certain amount of strategy here on her part. You'll see in  #4, but there is an element of shock and awe here. The Banshees are barely out of childhood. Now, these women are made of gristle and guts, but there is a certain amount of bravado to it. A certain amount of selling it. It's like Tracy saying “maybe if you accomplish this, you're the best pilot of your generation.” Carol knows she's the best pilot of her generation. She's not the best girl pilot, she's the best pilot.

Influences

DeConnick: A lot of the early cartoonists were Jewish and they couldn't get mainstream illustration work in the ad houses often because they were discriminated against because of their religion. So, there's a little nod to that in the character of Rivka. It's very subtle, but it's a nod to that. The idea was that Rivka's father was a cartoonist, and she's teaching the other girls to draw. In their down time, they are scared to death, hiding out in this cave and one of the things they do to keep it together is Rivka is teaching them about comic books.

All of these girls are outcasts. They don't fit in. The women who made up the WASP program largely came from families of means. In order to have the pilot hours, the hours they needed in a plane that they needed in order to qualify for the program, they needed to have money. It's very expensive to learn to fly. Now, that's not across the board, some learned to fly because Dad was a crop duster or whatever. Some saved their money because that was their dream, but a lot of them came from money. So what we have here is a group of misfits, of outcasts, which is kinda a Marvel Universe thing. We love underdogs.

Optimus Prowler

DeConnick: The idea was like, proto japanese, Gundam style and then, of course, Dexter designed this amazing eyeball octopus thing that I love. All I gave him was that the Prowlers are alien tech and make it so a way so that they can assemble later. They need to fit together, even with one piece missing.

When I saw the first Prowler, I was like “I don't know how those are going to fit together, but okay.” But when you see it, it absolutely works. It also makes sense that they don't need all of them. We'll see in the next issue what it is about this circular structure that makes it especially difficult for Captain Marvel to battle it.

Captain Marvelous

DeConnick: We wanted to do a lot more stuff like this. In the first arc we didn't get in everything I wanted because, frankly, I'm new and I have loftier aspirations than I am able to deliver. But, you will continue to see artifacts and reverberations from the Butterfly Protocols being ignored. You won't get as much in the first six issues, but just because our time travel arc ends doesn't mean everything will be back where she left it. There is a price to pay for all of this. There are good repercussions and there are bad repercussions. And that is coming.

Karl Kesel just knocked it out of the park. Everything about it is just super awesome.

The Interlude

Deconnick: You are going to see more of this. This is not a backup, it's a cut away. This is not bonus material, this is a cut. There is nothing in what you are seeing here that is extra. It's important. The woman in the white jacket with the black bow is Helen Cobb.

Benjamin is handsome. Like, super handsome. Follow Benjamin on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Assassin's Creed III Dev: "Triple-A Games Dying Out"

Assassin's Creed III creative director Alex Hutchinson has described the game as being one of the last of the big triple-A "dinosaurs".

In the latest issue of Edge (via CVG), Hutchinson claims that massive production teams the likes of which made Assassin's Creed III are becoming a thing of the past.

“

We're the last of the dinosaurs. We're still the monster triple-A game with very large teams [and] multiple studios helping out on different bits. There are fewer and fewer of these games being made.

"We're the last of the dinosaurs. We're still the monster triple-A game with very large teams [and] multiple studios helping out on different bits. There are fewer and fewer of these games being made, especially as the middle has fallen out," he said.

"We really felt like this was a rare opportunity. We had an experienced team, who had worked on the franchise for a while; we had the full backing of Ubisoft to make something huge; we had almost three years to do it, which is a rarity these days; the tech and the hardware platforms were both mature, which allowed us to start running instead of building base features; and the installed user base for all platforms is massive.

"Many of these factors are about to change, by choice of circumstance," Hutchinson concluded, "so a lot of us truly believed this was a once in a career opportunity."

His concerns have been echoed by others in the industry like Cliff Bleszinski who feels that the cost of developing on the next generation of hardware will stymie development. But others, such as Eidos president Ian Livingstone, have come out equally strongly saying we'll always want triple-A single-player games, and the industry must find ways to accommodate this.

What do you think? Should escalating costs mean Assassin's Creed III may be the last of its kind, or do you feel it's a worthwhile investment for companies to employ larger teams?

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Invincible Iron Man #523 Review

It can be draining to review Invincible Iron Man on an issue-by-issue basis, both because the series never varies tremendously in quality and because it's the sort of book that requires the reader to take the long view when making an analysis. Some chapters are just slower and less eventful than others, and issue #523 happens to be one of the slower ones.

The same running threads continue in this chapter, with most of the focus directed at Tony's attempts to undermine Mandarin's empire and Pepper's efforts to deduce the identity of the new Iron Man. At the moment the former is proving more interesting than the latter. There's too little indication as to what exactly Rhodey is up to with his antics. Is the whole thing an elaborate ruse to get Pepper looped in on Tony's plans? Surely there has to be a more direct way of accomplishing that.

In Mandarin Land, Fraction delivers some fun interaction between Tony and his rogues as he works to enlist them in his plans. The balance of power is slowly shifting as Tony and Zeke become more proactive and Mandarin shows the strain of his lofty position. There are even hints that Mandarin himself isn't the end-all, be-all villain of this storyline. It's interesting to see how many new seeds are blossoming even this late into Fraction's run.

Little has changed regarding the art, which has been the case for years at this point. Unfortunately, Salvador Larroca doesn't have the opportunity to break out his altered flashback style as he did in issue #522. Still, the issue offers a nice mix of simple character interaction, high-octane, armored action, and sci-fi imagery. Oddly, the one visual element of the book that has changed is the cover design. It's a positive change, but it seems weird to suddenly make the change in the middle of an arc and the tail end of a four-year saga.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Captain America and Namor #635.1 Review

Captain America and Namor #635.1 is a hard issue to accurately peg. It has moments that are pretty good and then it has some really strange scenes. More than anything, it doesn't feel like a comic book that really needs to exist. It doesn't add much to either character, which would be okay if it didn't take itself so damn seriously. There is a guy in here named Murderous Lion and he doesn't do anything; he is instead a setup for things to come. Come on, if you show us Murderous Lion, then you need to show us something fun. Unfortunately, fun is something sorely lacking in this issue.

Cullen Bunn is a great writer. He is not, however, a very good Captain America writer. You know that scene where Captain America talks to a bunch of troops right before they parachute out of an airplane? That scene that has happened in a ton of different books starring Captain America? Well, it happens in this issue and it is awkward and completely uninspiring. It borders on bad. There are a lot of moments like that in this issue. However, there are also some solid story points and cool characters. The scenes that don't have Cap in them are actually pretty good.

Despite the clunky story, the issue really shines in the art department. Will Conrad has a clean, smooth style that makes this comic really easy on the eyes. While the scenes with Cap may not be written very well, they sure do look awesome. It's a pity that the story is such a miss, because Conrad really hits the mark. Hell, he even makes Namor look cool, and that is no easy feat.

Benjamin is a writer and storyteller. He owns many leather-bound books and his office smells of rich mahogany. Follow Benjamin on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Getting Rid of Leveling in Firefall

Red 5 Studios noticed a pretty major issue while beta testing its shooter MMO Firefall. Previously, Red 5 had a traditional MMO leveling curve, with initially fast leveling that gradually slowed down. As it turns out, toward the higher levels, it slowed down far too much.

“What that did, is it really disincentivized people from playing the game,” said lead designer Scott Youngblood, “because the rewards were so far out that they just gave up. So one of the things I was looking at doing was increasing the rate of reward, giving players more tangible goals to achieve in-between levels. But then it dawned on me, well if we did that, what’s the point of having levels at all?”

So Red 5 redesigned the system without levels, trading a typical approach to MMO design for a tier system for all the game’s Battleframes. Battleframes are superpowered suits of armor in Firefall that alter your ability set, functioning essentially like classes. You’re not limited to one, so it’s possible to power up a variety of different Battleframes and then switch between them at specific in-game locations.

When you first begin playing Firefall, you select a frame, which starts at tier 1 with very limited capabilities. You go out into the world and kill stuff, blasting insects and other hostile computer-controlled creatures, accumulate experience, and then spend it in your frame’s branching certification tree. Each certification in the tree represents an ability or some kind of bonus, and you’ll be able to unlock the first few very soon after starting out.

Each branch of the tree represents a different specialization. One might be more about dealing damage, one about movement, and one a blend of the two. Movement is especially important to a game like Firefall, because in addition to running and jumping it’s possible to take advantage of jetpacks, meaning like Tribes, there’s a lot more to consider in terms of positioning when heading into a fight, particularly in PvP.

Picking one path of the tree doesn’t lock out the others, so it’s possible to earn enough experience to purchase every single commendation. Or instead, you could focus on unlocking commendations along a single branch from beginning to end in order to unlock the next Battleframe tier. “This is an important distinction than previously,” said Youngblood, “where if you created an Assault, you played that Assault all the way up to level fifteen.” In this new system, the higher tier of Battleframe is an entirely different thing from the previous tier. “All experience that you earned in the first tier isn’t applicable to the second tier. It’s kind of analogous to a car racing game, where you buy that first car, you soup it all up, you win, you get access to another race, and then you get a new car that you drive in another race.”

The path you follow through each Battleframe’s commendation tree also affects the type of Battleframe unlocked at the next tier. If you unlock all the damage-focused commendations, for instance, the next Battleframe tier you unlock will be better at dealing damage. If you’d picked up movement-enhancing commendations instead, you would have unlocked at a different frame. “That provides a lot of customization options for players to really tune the Battleframes for the ways they want to play.”

The current plan is to include five total Battleframe tiers, where each higher tier isn’t only more powerful, but also allows access to unique mechanics. “You go from tier one, which has no crafting options right now, and tech up your frame to tier two, you immediately start being able to craft options for your gear. Tier three offers a different type of way to upgrade your characters called passive bonuses. Those are really cheap but scattered all around the tech tree. Even if you log on and only play for two or three matches, or one match, you could probably afford to buy one of those passives. But you want to get them all because they stack up to a pretty decent bonus. Each additional tier that we go up has more horizontal progression options as well as more mechanics that feed into this system.”

This tiered system is another way Red 5 gets around balance issues with its PvP matchmaking system for arena battles. “When you go to matchmake for PvP it’s going to look at the frame you’re currently wearing and match you for that tier. That creates some interesting scenarios. Let’s say I have a tier two BioTech, but I have a tier five Assault. When I queue for that tier two BioTech and I get into a match, my tier five Assault will no longer be accessible to switch to during combat. So that’s the way we keep the power consistent.”

Eventually you’ll unlock a large number of combat options to equip on your frame, from different ammunition types to movement boosters, but not all can be active at a time. Everything you equip consumes resource points, so you need to make decisions about which powerful items you want equipped at any one time to stay under the resource point cap.

This ties into Red 5’s recent changes to the crafting system, which according to Youngblood was modeled on what he liked about crafting in Star Wars Galaxies. By visiting crafting terminals you’re able to match up blueprints and materials you’ve collected to construct useable items. To build better weapons, you need to use rarer materials than what the weapons were originally built with, and you additionally need to pay close attention to the statistics the materials are influencing. If you want to boost a sniper rifle’s damage output for instance, not just any resource will do. Even a super rare resource type might not be the most effective way to boost damage, so there’s a lot of room to explore, collect and experiment with putting together the best components and arrive at the desired results.

In addition to adjusting the progression and crafting mechanics, Red 5 has made sweeping changes to the actual function of the classes. The Medic, which used to be a dedicated healing class, was completely scrapped and replaced with the BioTech. The BioTech has a number of new abilities and its healing is more skill-based, letting healers take a more active role in a fight. The Engineer frame, which can deploy turrets, can also now stick turrets to walls and ceilings, allowing those using the frame to set up more varied defensive perimeters.

Firefall has been in closed beta testing for some time now, and Red 5 would ideally like to officially launch the game soon. “We’re getting close,” said Youngblood. “For the previous milestones, we were focused on the character progression and the leveling, and we feel like we’ve gotten that going mostly in the right direction. We’ve still got a lot of balance work to do there. I feel a hell of a lot better about this system than I did our previous leveling system. The other thing is that we’ve really been focusing on is increasing the skill ceiling in the game. We want this to be a viable esports product. But in order for it to be an esports product, we need it to have that high skill tier.”

If you’re interested in trying out Firefall while it’s still in testing, you can sign up over on the official site. Otherwise, it doesn’t sound like it’ll be an especially long wait until Red 5’s promising free-to-play game is opened up to everyone.

Source : ign[dot]com

Nintendo Power's Best Covers

Today the video game industry was hit with some sad news. It was announced that Nintendo's official magazine, Nintendo Power, will be closing its doors. The magazine published its first issue in 1988 - and long before most people even knew what "online" was, it was providing gamers with unforgettable memories and tasty game news.

Later today we'll be running a feature looking back at some of our favorite things about Nintendo Power magazine, and gathering together all of our favorite memories. In the meantime, take a look at the covers below, which represent some of the best from the publication's 24 year run. We're sorry to see you go, Nintendo Power - thanks for the cool covers and great memories.

Did we miss your favorite cover? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!

Source : ign[dot]com