Category: Features

Amish Otaku, Convention Coverage, Features

Convention Coverage: Otakon 2007

Guest Post

As mentioned in the July edition of Villain’s Exposition, Otakon’s premiere anime pickings were somewhat different than initially expected. While some of it was things we’d never seen before, the rest of the “premieres” would have been more accurately labeled “spotlights,” as they sought to draw attention to shows that the big four had already released.

That said, however much fun people had with the other shows at Otakon, it was the industry news – and the series/movies/OVAs that were part of it – that was on everybody’s mind. Continue reading “Convention Coverage: Otakon 2007”

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Amish Otaku, Features, Video Games, Villain's Exposition

Villian’s Exposition: Command and Conquer, Act on Instinct

Very few people today will deny that the original C&C was an amazing game. In addition to a fairly realistic physics engine, an intriguing plot that actually bordered on the believable and an interface that streamlined play, Command & Conquer was also one of the first games to standardize the use of live-action cut scenes – usually for mission briefings. Prior to C&C, the third installment of the Wing Commander series was the only successful game to incorporate what, at the time, seemed like a minor point, even if it did make the games that much more awesome.

Today, the mission briefings for C&C seem a bit hammed-up, and certainly nothing to write home about. With the exception of Kane’s murder of Seth in one of the later Brotherhood missions, about the only “action” in them is when the screen would cut to CGI explosions. For the most part, you had an actor either standing in the open or sitting at a desk. Continue reading “Villian’s Exposition: Command and Conquer, Act on Instinct”

Andrew Yager
Amish Otaku, Features, The Haven

The Haven: Now We’re Getting Somewhere

By Andrew Goletz

There is a ton of Reilly stuff to get to this week so my usual ramblings will be quite sparse. I’m sure you’ll all be hoping for big Reilly news from here on out for just that reason.

I was one of those to partake in the Harry Potter midnight release extravaganza. I’m no stranger to geek culture. I’ve camped out for Springsteen tickets. I’ve wasted a day in line to be the first to see the newest Star Wars film and did several of the midnight runs on the Star Wars toys. I’ve seen grown adults toss children out of the way to get to the toys of their choice. I’ve seen 50-year-old men brought to tears of joy over seeing the latest plastic incarnation of Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’ve seen people give a standing ovation to the 20th Century Fox logo. Continue reading “The Haven: Now We’re Getting Somewhere”

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Amish Otaku, Features, The Haven

The Haven: Pilgrim’s Progress

By Andrew Goletz

This column should be on time again barring any technical difficulties on the site. Dan is on the road for a special event that he’ll be writing about soon, but it may cause the delays of this column along with several others. The boss needs to get his ass out there and do some legwork, too, you know?

Well, if I ever learn how to do proper HTML and coding, I could help the poor bastard out and post new stuff myself, but then who would I get to blame???

I only have a handful of comments this week since most of my time was spent on all of the wonderful Life of Reilly details. (Big, big week for that little project.) Continue reading “The Haven: Pilgrim’s Progress”

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Amish Otaku, Comics, DC, Features

Caught My Eye: Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special

First of all, let me start out by saying that all I know about the Green Lantern is what can be seen on the Justice League cartoons. I’m not a huge fan of space-related comics simply because they’re so fantastical and far removed from reality that I have a hard time getting emotionally involved in the plot. I can count on one hand the number of space comics that I enjoyed and didn’t feel like I was being punished by reading them.

Sinestro Corps was an interesting venture for me because I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into. The $4.99 price tag certainly was a gamble, but I’ve been craving something by Ethan Van Sciver so I decided to take the plunge.

The art was the most enjoyable aspect of the comic. Every page was filled with huge visuals that remind me of the summer blockbusters that I love. I felt like a kid looking at the coveted Toys“R”Us big book of toys that comes out at Christmastime every year. It really was that good. Ethan Van Sciver took his time with this comic and it shows. Continue reading “Caught My Eye: Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special”

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Amish Otaku, Features, Kosher Kuts, Manga, Viz

Kosher Kuts: D. Gray-man

D. Gray-man is essentially a gothic version of the X-Men. The idea has some initial originality. A dark undertone to a classic idea can provide new ground to explore in the action superhero genre. However, the foundation of the team and the plot must be strong to keep the series from sinking into banality. These sentiments are the deciding factors when you read through D. Gray-man.

The aforementioned plot of D. Gray-man has a Zoroastrian bent to it. There are people around the world who possess a super-human power called “Innocence.” An organization called the Black Order is trying to find these people and recruit them to become exorcists. Exorcists are supposed to defend humans from an elf-like creature called the Earl of the Millenium, which is attempting to destroy all humans who utilize Innocence (and thus to bring about the end of the world). He has his own group of human followers and manufactures beasts called Akuma with the souls of dead people whose loved ones want them to live again. In doing so, the Earl fulfills the wishes of humans, but damns the souls of the dead. The exorcists use their powers to save the Akuma from damnation and to protect Innocence. Continue reading “Kosher Kuts: D. Gray-man”

Joshua Goldberg
Amish Otaku, Features, The Haven

The Haven: Rumors and Reilly

By Andrew Goletz

Two weeks in a row that the column is on time… Sadly, this is a new personal record.

The fallout from Wizard World Philly continues. I’m so bogged down with work right now. I made a lot of great contacts and confirmed set interview dates with the first two creators, but finding the time is going to be quite the task. This is where one’s organizational skills can make or break you. If I don’t have some new interviews and reviews up by the end of the month, I’m going to feel like a colossal failure. Continue reading “The Haven: Rumors and Reilly”

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Amish Otaku, Comics, DC, Features

Caught My Eye: Flash, The Fastest Man Alive #13

Looks pretty bad, huh? Well, this is only the third page
DC Comics

Where do I start? Yeah, I’m looking at you, DC Comics, and your wonderful editorial direction! You’d better run and take cover, because I’m coming… and hell’s coming with me, you hear???

It is going to be very difficult for me to discuss this comic without spoiling it for the few of you who stuck with this title post–Infinite Crisis, but I’ll do my best to keep this review spoiler-free.

This issue marks the last in this volume’s thirteen-issue run. I started reading this title with the conclusion to the huge DC Comics blockbuster from last summer, Infinite Crisis. The One Year Later storyline was a gimmick where all of the in-continuity titles advanced a year. It promised to be a radically different gimmick than what we were used to. I for one was really interested in what was going on in the world of DC. Flash was a character I had wanted to check out for some time, since he was one of my favorites in the Justice League animated show on Cartoon Network. Continue reading “Caught My Eye: Flash, The Fastest Man Alive #13”

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