All posts by Jason Nichols

Jason enjoys blogging, conservation, hiking, fundraising, reading comics, watching anime, gaming and of course creating terrific content. On a side note, hobbies he loves but just plain terrible at include building Gunpla.

Movies/TV, News

Netflix’s Sea Beast is a Tier One Animated Sea Tale

July 24, 2022 Jason Nichols Leave a comment

Netflix has been on a downward trend since just about everything else in the economy started. On June 23rd, Netflix announced a layoff of 300 employees as part of a total 70 million dollar severance expense. The cuts came shortly after the previous quarter’s loss of nearly 1 million subscribers. But who is honestly surprised with viewers having more original content options as streaming competitors ramp up. Original shows and movies set streaming brands apart. The Sea Beast is an original and witty take on sea life and our relationship with it. Audiences have firmly nestled it in Netflix’s top ten virtually since its release on July 1st and has a shocking 94% Rotten Tomato score.

“Live a great life, and die a great death” is part of the hunter’s code, a code that all sailors brave enough to battle the monstrous beast of the deep sail. For hundreds of years, people trapped in tradition by a Monarch have unquestionably hunted enormous creatures in a never-ending war. The truth is more complicated, and The Sea Beast tale is no different. Should we follow and pass down tradition regardless of our experiences? Avoiding using a children’s movie as a political platform is the best decision creators can make. People hear enough of that in the news and media.

The voice acting is jam-packed with talent: Karl Urban (Jacob Holland), (Maisie Brumble), Zares-Angel Hator, and Jared Harris (Captain Crow), to name a few. The Sea Beast director Chris Williams has again created an animated ocean world that may be more inviting than the real thing. Prev projects Big Hero 6 and Moana have undoubtedly prepared the director for his most fantastic animated film yet. While the visuals are stunning, the story set’s it apart from flops like Buzz Light Year that try too hard to hit every check box in the audience.

Palpable for the whole family, there will be moments you question whether this story tries to answer the question about human and animal hunting issues. I assure you it’s not. Even with a distinct animation style, The Sea Beast feels like a well-done Pixar film that joyless executives haven’t audited for maximum profit raking. With rival animation projects like The Rise of Gru earning $500 million at the box office, this will not be the last A-list animation endeavor we see from Netflix.

Even if you quickly grow tired of The Sea Beast’s jaunty sea shanty music, your children are sure to make it one of their new endless re-watchable favorites. Have you had the chance to watch or watched it so much you’re sick of it already? Let us know in the comments if you gave it a chance and what you thought.

Anime

Saitama Has Finally Had Enough

June 28, 2022 Jason Nichols Leave a comment

Fans of the One Punch Man animated series have been waiting for years to see Saitama pushed past his limits. It’s been a recurring joke against the Shonen anime style (he finishes his opponent in one punch), but have the writers made the shift into a full on Shonen series? In season 1’s I’m the Strongest, the Molemen dream encounter is the only time Saitama goes all out. Beware of potential spoilers ahead.

In the most recent manga chapter 164, artist Yusuke Murata has created an opponent that is terrifying. Garou now pulsates with cosmic godlike energies. The mutated villain can mimic an opponent’s fighting style, including Saitama’s Serious Punch. Blast shrouded in mystery and ranked as the strong S class hero could do nothing to stop Garous assault. With a galaxy-level threat in front of him, the one-punch man held back again, hoping that Garou would choose his humanity over conquest.

A recurring theme in the series is that despite his insane strength Saitama is always too late in his endeavors. Murata uses this truth to obliterate one of the show’s most beloved characters. Attempting to goad Saitama into releasing his true power, Garou rips out Geno’s core killing him. With the blood of his closest friend soaked in his uniform manga readers can see the transformation. Someone that takes the hero business light hearted is in an intolerable situation.

The often rudimentary drawn character is all business chiseled resolve etched into black and white, structured with a new intimidating aura. Shortly after the murder of Genos Saitama uses a move that demonstrates how much power is locked away (Killer Serious Punch). Blast mentions that the level of energy exerted by the two could shatter the planet down to its core. Maybe even foreshadowing a change of scenery, Blast could send Saitama and Garou to an alternate dimension for an unrestricted bout.

Are you following the Magna religiously, maybe you caught a spoiler, be sure to leave a comment if you think Saitama could finally be in real trouble?

Movies/TV, News

Blade Fans Could See a Rated (R) Movie

June 13, 2022 Jason Nichols Leave a comment

In 2019 Disney and Marvel teased fans, confirming that Mahershala Ali would be reprising the role of Blade in an upcoming movie. Supporters of the original Blade trilogy held their breaths for a Wesley Snipes return, but since the Comicon news, any information has been scarce at best.

Piggybacking off of a more established Marvel project, Deadpool 3 was recently reconfirmed as a rated (R) picture, coupled with a creator’s promise that it would not be “Disneyfied.” For once it seems the upper brass is letting writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick do their thing. Shortly after this confirmation by Variety: Productionlist.com updated their site, listing a Blade shoot date/location for July 4th in Atlanta and New Orleans. Putting all your hopes in one basket is never a good idea, but with the coincidental timing for updates on Blade and Deadpool 3, fans have to ask will Blade be Rated (R)?

The answer is it’s possible. Marvel’s original Blade was rated R and garnered significant success financially. Since other popular Marvel film adaptions like Logan and Deadpool have followed a similar design, satisfying an audience niche that appreciates dismemberment.

Given the comic lore for Blade, writer Stacy Osei-Kuffour may find it challenging to keep the material under the rated (R) guidelines. But to be honest, would that be such a bad thing? Let us know if you’re a pro horror blood and guts blade or looking for something tamer that the kiddos can watch. Leave your comments, love, and hate below.

Gaming, News

The Evil Dead Game: Proof the Industry Can Still Release a Complete Game

May 31, 2022 Jason Nichols Leave a comment

Evil Dead The Game was released on May 13th and has received a generally welcoming reception across the gaming community. In an industry where multi-million dollar franchises become complete flops, a smooth launch is a breath of fresh air for even the staunchest of critics.

Best described as a 4v1 survivor horror game, four players try and survive the onslaught of an ancient Kandarian Demon. Human and demon characters have access to a detailed skill tree, upgrading and improving stats after matches, and a rudimentary temporary leveling system available during gameplay. Survivors have several primary and secondary objectives to complete, but a demon’s only focus is to eliminate all the humans. Players can use dozens of tiered melee and ranged weapons found throughout the map, drive cars, and even visit familiar areas like the Knowby Cabin. The general game design might not be original; it works very well with lore that doesn’t try and take itself too seriously.

All of this was made possible by STARZ and all three studios (Renaissance Pictures, StudioCanal, and MGM) that own the franchise coming together to create a single product. This collaboration is almost guaranteed to ensnare fans from the original cult classic films like “Evil Dead”, “Evil Dead 2”, “Army of Darkness” and audiences introduced to the universe by the Ash vs Evil Dead series. Meticulous detailing gives the player a genuine feeling of being in the Evil Dead universe. Everything feels accurate and holds to what fans have already seen on screen. Bruce Campbell and even the less well-known characters display an almost uncanny design accuracy. Even if the game had been a flop, the horror and comical atmosphere created would almost certainly cement it as a Halloween seasonal favorite for fans that just can’t get enough boomstick.

But Evil Dead: the game is anything but a flop; over 500,000 copies sold, and platforms like Xbox, Sony, and PC are still running store weeks after launch. We can assume sales are steady. An initial rocky early release nearly ruined developers’ hopes for a successful launch. Even after a twelve-hour delay, and some slightly salty Twitter backlash for the said delay, the game has continued to surprise fans.

With more human survivors, weapons, levels, and Kandarian Demons undoubtedly on the way, Evil Dead lobbies seem jam-packed even without the future details. With all the hype building around the game, we are excited to see what Saber Interactive has in store for the coming holiday season. What did you love about the game, what did you hate, or are you still on the fence about buying? Leave your comments below!

Comics

5 Crazy Comic Variants of Loki: We Could See in Disney+’s “Loki”

August 11, 2021 Jason Nichols Leave a comment

Loki’s finale has the MCU audience lauding the story so far and ready for the next season. Kang the Conqueror (He Who Remains) set the expectation for a wide variety of possible character variants across the multiverse. Of course, one of the most anticipated character variants is the Lord of Lies himself, Loki.

While show writer Michael Waldron and director Kate Herron undoubtedly have ideas and variant versions in mind, the fan-favorite comic Loki portrayed in the show by Richard E Grant proved that comic screen appearances work.

Loki God of Stories

Young adult Loki from Agents of Asgard # 13 isn’t above a bit of mischief but also a night and day comparison from what you might expect from the master of manipulation. Here fans see the conscious moral decisions of a Loki that fought to turn away from a truly terrible future. Working as an agent of the Mothers of Asgard, Loki rejected Those Who Sit Above in Shadow—later resisting the manipulations from his future self and becoming a God of Stories rather than God of lies. With newfound purpose, the God of Stories was essential to ending the War of Realms event and later creating a wave of peace between Asgardians and the Frost Giants. Ascending the throne of the Frost Giants following the slaying of his father, Laufey.

Necro God Loki

Undoubtedly one of the most potent and terrifying versions is the self-proclaimed Loki the All Butcher in Jason Aarrons Thor #5 (2018). After centuries of whispering lies and madness to Ego, the former wielder of the Necro Sword All-Black. Loki had finally acquired a weapon capable of bringing all of the cosmos to heel; driven by the overflowing malice of the Necro Sword, set upon a path to kill everything. Disemboweling his brother Thor atop an erupting star before meeting a nearly identical fate by the resurrected Gorr the God Butcherer.

Loki God of Heroism and Truth

After the Scarlet Witch switches the morality’s of the heroes and villain’s in yet another reality-warping series called AXIS. Here Marvel gives us probably the most accurate “good” version of Loki, honor-driven, and worthy of wielding Mjolnir becoming the God of Heroism and Truth. After gaining newfound powers, Loki selflessly endeavored to make things right, to stop Thor and help the Scarlet Witch restore reality. It’s a great look at Loki’s most nuanced and noble version; such a character could undoubtedly inspire some of the show’s more sinister iterations.

Sorcerer Supreme Loki

Preferring to torment enemies with daggers and knives, Loki wields a set of formidable magic powers; seeing writers couple Asgardian magic with a Sorcerer Supreme boost and you start to imagine a universe without Dr. Strange. Appointed by the Vishanti, Loki proved to be a worthy replacement until he decided to seek out the Exile of Singhshoon, a spell that would transfer all the world’s magic to him. Loki would be defeated by a returned Dr. Strange wielding power from Asgard’s Tree of Knowledge.

King Loki

Arguably the most successful version of Loki comes from Loki: Agent of Asgard; fans practically open the page to the climactic height of King Loki seizing the throne, triumphing as the unquestionable king of Asgard and defeating Thor. With absolute power King Loki began working with the All Mothers Asgardia to corrupt his younger self, further ensuring this twisted future came to pass. In the end, King Loki is foiled and even sparred by a younger version of himself; this younger version empathizes and pities King Loki choosing a different future to become the new God of Stories.

There are undoubtedly dozens of other versions/variants of the trickster that deserve an honorable mention like Unicorn Loki, Loki 2099, Loki Dark Reign, Lady Loki and Ikol to name a few. Loki is a long standing pillar for gender and character fluidity in Marvel Comics, whatever alternate versions Disney+ has in store they’re certain to be entertaining and befitting the shows unique comic verse MCU meshing.

Did you have a Loki variant, version or reincarnation in mind that should of been mentioned, put it in the comic section below and dont forget to like, lie and stay mischievous.