Plot/Storyline

Deranged Midget

Rather than taking a direct approach and following up on 2010's Iron Man 2, Director and writer Shane Black decides to instead make Iron Man 3 more of a follow up on last years The Avengers. Having said that, don't expect much of anything from the latter to be mentioned throughout the film, this is still very much Tony's story and more about the repercussions of his actions throughout the Iron Man trilogy and what he experienced during the battle with the Chitauri.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

I have to say that out of all the different plots in the Iron Man movies, this was my favorite. Although the twist intended for this movie isn't that hard to find out (at least for me it wasn't), they do have a nice twist regarding to the whole Mandarin ordeal. Now, I won't go into detail for spoilers sake, but it will be a nice twist if you're not a die-hard Mandarin fan. If you are a huge Mandarin fan, chances are you won't like the representation of him in this film. Anyways, like I was saying, Tony has the best character in this film, and it does link to The Avengers in a way, as Stark has to deal with the shock he had obtained from the final battle in The Avengers regarding the giant black hole. However, it's not all dark, and has lots of humor packed in it. Its not a very complicated plot, but interesting and intriguing nonetheless.

Plot/Storyline gets a...

Casting

Deranged Midget

Despite the entrance of a new director, the cast remains entirely the same save for some new additions to the film. Some of the more notable additions though are Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, Sir Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin and Rebecca Hall as Maya Hansen. Even previous series director Jon Favreau makes a triumphant but brief return as Tony's ex-bodyguard Happy Hogan. There's even a nice little nod towards Extremis writer Warren Ellis as the fictional President of Iron Man 3's (and supposedly the MCU) is named after him. As expected, the main cast delivers a spot-on performance as usual but it's the newcomers who deliver a little extra flair and creativity to the film, as this is especially directed towards Kingsley and Pearce.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

The cast in this film isn't that different from the other two regarding the main cast, but there are some nice additions for the antagonists, major supporting characters, and other nice new characters such as Aldrick Killian (displayed by Guy Pearce), The Mandarin (Sir Ben Kingsley), Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), and others. Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley especially bring a whole new chemistry to the entire film, and a whole different atmosphere. All of the actors do a great job of portraying their specific role, but Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley really shined in this film (other than Robert Downey Jr. of course).

Casting gets a...

Character Development

Deranged Midget

It's more than obvious that most of the character development, or any at all, would be centered around Tony himself. His character has radically changed from the beginning of the first film and has continually been given the chance to adapt and grow to his surroundings. Ever since the event in New York, Tony and Pepper had progressed their relationship to the point where she's moved in. Unfortunately for Tony, things have never been the same and it's been a test of his humility and persistence as he tries to cope with what happened and how he tries to go back to his life knowing how insufficient he really is to the Universe at large.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Iron Man 3 really brings a new perspective to Tony Stark in this film. Sure, at the end of The Avengers, Tony looked like he was fine after the near-death experience, but in Iron Man 3 we quickly find out that is extremely untrue. Tony, the Iron Man is now coping with shock from the battle with the Chitauri, and although he still has the outer shell of his personality, his inside, more dormant spirit is weakened, fragile, and maybe even a bit broken. Not only that, but now he has to protect his wife from The Mandarin and Killian. You'll really be rooting for Iron Man in this film, unlike other people who usually brush him off as a "selfish douchebag".

Character Development gets a...

Special Effects

Deranged Midget

There are no shortage of flattering special effects in Iron Man 3 and some of the films more intricate and CGI focused scenes leave you breathless. Having said that, Iron Man 3 spends more time out of the armour rather than in so it's safe to say that Iron Man 3 utilizes a smaller amount of CGI compared to it's predecessor's but they are no less impressive.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Following the major success of The Avengers, Iron Man 3 had the highest budget out of all the Iron Man movies (Iron Man 3 had a budget of 200 million dollars, while Iron Man and Iron Man 2 had around 150-170 million dollars). There are countless times where your eyes will explode as you watch the spectacular Iron Man suits in action...and man are there a LOT of different Iron Man armors. This movie easily has the most variety when it comes to that suit. However, you may have to wait for the eye-candy, as Tony is out of armor a majority of the film (especially in the middle). The Extremis bits will definitely keep the build-up in the Special Effects department though.

Special Effects gets a...

Lasting Appeal

Deranged Midget

Out of the entire trilogy, Iron Man 3 easily boasts the most content and leaves some more than desirable questions to be answered near the end of the film. Regardless, this is one insane roller coaster ride and thus far, I've seen the film three times and still have a craving for more. Sure, there might be some who are bothered by the "huge twist" in the film but it shouldn't do much to deter you from the experience at hand. This is an action packed thriller of a film with glorious amounts of humour that will leave you craving for more Iron Man.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Iron Man 3 is one of the most "comic" comic-book films, rivaling even the first in the trilogy. It has a bunch of different Iron Man suits that would leave an impact as the film with the most wide array of Tony Stark inventions. This is also the Iron Man film with the most hype, so I could say it would leave a huge impact on the movie industry for at least a couple years, and even a decade or so in the Marvel Studio films.

Lasting Appeal gets a...

The Verdict

Deranged Midget

Iron Man 3 is easily my favourite film of the trilogy and might as well be one of my all time favourite Marvel films to date. There may be some complaints had but given what it's worth, Iron Man 3 is well worth your money and with top notch performances, a creative new premise and an enjoyable villain, it's a guaranteed good time.

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

This is by far my favorite Iron Man movie for me, and my second favorite Marvel Studios film, being right behind The Avengers itself. The entire movie packs a lot of action, humor, and enough serious and tense moments (as well as epic) to tie in the plot and assure a really fun time at the theatre. This is a much watch for Iron Man fans and Marvel fans in general, unless you really don't like Iron Man.

The Verdict is...

"Excellent"

Have any other review suggestions? Comments? Post below!

Many fans were extremely disappointed with the first installment of this series G.I. Joe : Rise of the Cobra., while a select few were fans of the movie. Being 2013, will the newest film in the modern G.I. Joe trilogy be a smash hit, or a clear miss?

If you were one of the many who disliked G.I. Joe : Rise of the Cobra sorely because of the story and how it was executed, viewers will not have a vastly differed opinion about this installment. Without spoiling anything major, the main plot revolves around the G.I. Joe survivors of an attack on their base from Zartan (who is assisting Cobra Commander, alongside Firefly) seeking revenge for their fallen comrades. Cobra Commander tricks many countries including Israel, The United Kingdom, North & South Korea, Japan, and more into eradicating their nuclear warfare supply. Predictably, nukes fly awry and the cliche of "nuclear disaster in [insert number] minutes will initiate unless [insert device] is deactivated" type of movie. However, there are a few interesting differences that the film tries to do to curve away from the massive cliche, such as Cobra Commander's manipulation of the world's superpowers, Zartan's secret with the Arashikage Clan, and other fun concepts, but it doesn't stray enough to break away from the heavily generic action movie category. Also, I'm a fan of RZA, but his voice was just really corny and completely ruined the atmosphere the film was driving for (at least for me). That being said, this is a popcorn flick, so it shouldn't be viewed upon for its story anyways. I mean, you don't see Transformers having a mind-bending story but it is still enjoyable for its fun action scenes and occasional humor. The same can be said for this film, and it certainly succeeds more as a popcorn flick that its predecessor.

Plot/Storyline gets a...

Featuring A-Listers such as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Channing Tatum (who doesn't play as huge of a role in this film as the first one), Bruce Willis, as well as some other talented actors/actresses such as Adrianne Palicki, Lee Byung-hun, Ray Park, and Ray Stevenson, the film has its fair share of stardom in the casting department. Nearly everyone fulfilled the needed requirement of acting level to get the movie going, and for their character to fit into the movie, making it an all-enjoyable film. Sure, some didn't have explosive acting skills, but they didn't do more than temporarily distract me from having a pretty fun experience. I also have to say the fight scenes the actor/actresses performed (as well as their stunt doubles) were very impressive and well choreographed. I mean, it can't get better than Snake Eyes battling ninjas while juggling an unconscious Storm Shadow on the side of a cliff. Bruce Willis also did a fine job with his humorous, old general act. His acting, paired with the funny scenario of his home being loaded with weaponry had me laughing near uncontrollably.

Casting gets a...

Throughout the movie I liked the performances of the characters, especially Roadblock and his crew's vengeance plan, and Storm Shadow's unexpected twist (well for most non-G.I. Joe readers that is). There, again, isn't anything exceptional about the character development in this film, but it gets the job done and is interesting to see it play out throughout the film. However, there are some major flaws in this department that may ruin a huge bit of the enjoyable sitting for many watchers. For one, the sloppily done execution at times was just really off-putting, and ruined the atmosphere. A few examples are RZA's weird, corny voice that sounded like he was narrating a 1980's martial arts film, the sudden Zartan/Storm Shadow twist (don't get me wrong, it was a good twist, but it was out of the blue), Jinx, and Flint. Jinx and Flint were portrayed well with what the actors had, but overall, their involvement in this movie was mediocre. Jinx barely did anything, and was just a random female supporting character that had no relation to anything. She was sloppily introduced by RZA's cheesy narrating, which is even worse. Flint is kind of a generic soldier, who has the "this guy saved my life, so I have to stick to this group, get revenge, and redeem myself" archetype, and could have been executed well, but fell flat in the end. Why? Well he did near nothing other then some general support to the group, and didn't really do anything independently to stand out, whereas Roadblock has his own rivalry with Firefly, Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes had trouble with Zartan, and more. Even Lady Jaye was better in this movie, as she had her own scenes and had at least an independent scene where she had gone recon into the President's White House. This isn't necessarily something that entirely taints the film, it just makes you have such an indifference towards the characters that you will barely notice them there. You'll find yourself saying "oh yeah, they're in the movie too" countless times when they appear.

Character Development gets a...

Being a popcorn flick, this movie will certainly deliver when it comes to Michael Bay-like explosions, semi-science fiction gadgets (and a huge satellite that shoots an explosive projectile), and plenty of tanks and other military vehicles. While it won't be as eye-mazing as say The Avengers or Transformers, it will probably rank among the most awesome special effects, being behind Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, and Star Trek : Into Darkness. I could see G.I. Joe : Retaliation being up a notch from The Wolverine's special effects though, so if you're looking for something similar in the titles listed above (minus an excellent plot), then you'll thoroughly love the eye-candy this film packs.

Special Effects gets a...

Personally, I don't see this movie being any mark in the film industry any time soon. It's not bad enough to really be ridiculed for decades to come, and not exceptional enough to be ranked among the likes of Breaking Bad, The Shawshank Redemption, and other critically acclaimed "modern classics". However, I could see the large majority of G.I. Joe fans being attracted to this film, as they won't be ashamed to like this film of their favorite characters and settings like Rise of the Cobra did while isolating their fanbase. Overall, it may leave a small baby step in the film industry as that cool"G.I. Joe" movie.

Lasting Appeal gets a...

While G.I. Joe : Retaliation might not have the best story or character development, it is still a good "summer"/"popcorn" flick that will be overall enjoyable for most G.I. Joe fans, and even newcomers to the franchise. With awesome special effects, exciting fight scenes with geek-tastic grudge matches, and explosions galore, it will easily overshadow the flaws of the film for the audience who are looking for a quick film that will be tons of fun. Those looking for some serious drama or anything with magnificently crafted characters and plotlines, go look for something else.

The Verdict is....

"Good"

Want more reviews? Post suggestions on what film, video game, or other things you want me to do a review on. Comments on the film or my review? Go ahead and post those too

Before I start, yes, I know this was already an article (http://www.comicvine.com/news/off-their-minds-should-batman-be-allowed-to-have-another-robin/146180/), and I'm a bit late, but I still want to establish my opinion (better late than never right?).

Should Batman Have another Robin?

As many have known, in Batman, Incorporated #8, Damian Wayne was killed by his genetically engineered clone of himself, The Heretic. Following his death many have asked "Should Batman have a new Robin?" Well in my opinion, I firmly state no. Why? Well for one I see that it is far too soon for a new person to have the mantle of Robin. However, at least we do know that Batman will not have one for a minimum of 5 months, as Bruce has to go through the many stages of grief, including :

• Denial
• Anger
• Bargaining
• Depression
• Acceptance

Now, I'm not sure if Morrison is going to follow the exact same stages, but it will be similar nonetheless. Obviously, in my opinion, if a new Robin (for example, speculation says Harper Row may be the next "Boy Wonder", or rather "Girl Wonder") will be introduced, it will have to be after acceptance. But really, even after that, would Bruce be able to put another child in danger after two (technically a false one including Stephanie Brown, so that would be three) grisly Robin deaths? If it took years for Batman to cope with Jason's death, how would he cope with another Robin and his own biological son's death? Need I remind you Jason's death was not very pleasant.

And neither was Damian's.

Gallery

Batman certainly can't ignore those numbers right? It would be kind of dumb for Bruce, which such a high intellect, to have another Robin just months, or maybe more if there is a timelapse. This is Batman's own son! Personally, I wouldn't want to see another Robin for another 10 years or until Damian inevitably returns (hopefully will also be at least 10 years). I mean Jason Todd's death is shown to be one of Batman's largest failures, carrying on a decade and strong as a painful memory of how he should be more careful with his own Bat-Family. Apply that same logic to Damian Wayne, plus the fact that its his own son, and we have at least 2x the emotional sting.

How could you replace this?

And so, I firmly rest my case (or rather, opinion), that Batman should not have another Robin for at least 10 years.

Oh, and on another note did anyone else think Knight's death was pretty much overlooked? I mean nobody even cared and they were just like "oh yeah..he died...SO MOVING ON TO DAMIAN WAYNE AGAIN!!!"

Hey guys and welcome to my blog that I do sometimes when I'm not extremely lazy. This blog focuses on interviewing new Comic Vine users who have recently joined, and just generally get to know them better and interact with the community more.

Our guest today is someone from yesterday!

Captain_Yesterday

Let's get started!

Question 1

JediXMan

Answer 1 :

Captain_Yesterday

"I've always heard such great things about The Savage Dragon, but I have never read a single issue despite some curiosity to.

I've also been interested in the title Wasteland by Oni Press, mostly cause I'm a fan of Fallout and other post apocalyptic stuff, so it looks interesting. But, I've never known anyone who's read it so I've be hesitant to try it, especially with so many other titles to choose from."

Question 2

Samimista

Answer 2 :

Captain_Yesterday

"It's a pretty cool all in one comic stop. The pages are a great place to expand your knowledge and read about events and anything else you want to know. And the forums are a fun place not just to talk comics, but all sorts of other various and interesting things as well. I also like all the different games and tournaments on the Off-Topic board. They're fun."

Question 3

BumpyBoo

Answer 3 :

Captain_Yesterday

"I'd reboot The Punisher in his own universe, kinda like he was in the MAX series. Make him an Afgan/Iraq vet and start it off from the beginning. A lot of fans will argue Vietnam is a big part of his character but I think just living through the hells of war, any war, and then having what happens to his family is enough to make him who he is.

Two reasons I want this. One, the dude is O L D, he's in his sixties and still running around like he's Captain American for pete's sake. I know Rucka kinda retconned him already but that series didn't take off and now The Punisher is in Thunderbolts hell, so all the more reason.

I just don't want to see the character keep going because of the Infinity Formula or some other comic book thing. Which is my second reason, I always thought Frank worked best out of the 616 universe. He's had some good stories in it, like Confederacy of Dunces, but it just seemed silly to me with people like Iron Man and Spider-Man flying around fighting Supervillains all day why would the Punisher even be around? It makes the mob and some of his other adversaries seem to be the least of the public's concern. Plus, the police might not care that much but why haven't all the Superheros stopped him with how uptight they are about not killing? He's should be as big of a problem as anyone in their eyes. That's my take on it at least."

Question 4

Decoy Elite

Answer 4 :

Captain_Yesterday

"Nope, haven't looked into them that much to give them a shot, to be honest. Tell me some good ones!"

Question 5

Nelomaxwell

Answer 5 :

Captain_Yesterday

"I like both but I'd have to say non superhero comics more. I've always liked X-Men, mostly due to my influence from the TV show, and I've enjoyed Spider-Man and Iron Man here and there but overall a lot of the big powerful Superheros bore me, like Thor and Superman.

I also not that big of a fan of Superhero teams like the Avengers and Justice League either, I prefer more self contained superhero stories. I guess I just like the thought of one Superhero running around trying to save the world more then one superhero and 45 others with 70 Supervillains. I guess you could say I'm not a big fan of universes and the need to try and tie everything together to sell more books.

Even with some non Superheros like Batman and Punisher, I prefer the stories with less superhero-like stuff in them, if that makes sense. I just usually find books with non superheros have more interesting characters and stories."

Question 6

FalconPuuunch

Answer 6 :

Captain_Yesterday

"I wanted to come up with something that was kinda Superhero related, but not really. For one, I didn't want to have to go with something like Batman867548_ChittyChittyBangBang just to get a username that was somehow related. I'm also a novice at best when it comes to comic book knowledge so I didn't want it to come off like I had a vast understanding or fanboy admiration for one particular subject.

Anyway, I'm a big fan of the show Futurama and in one episode the gang becomes Superheros and Fry dons the name Captain Yesterday. I felt like fit perfect. It was kinda about Superheros but not really and doesn't take itself too seriously. So. it suits me."

Question 7

Mr_Ingenuity

Answer 7 :

Captain_Yesterday

"I'm still lurking on the Battle Boards, that place is.... interesting at times. But, I started posting in the Off Topic forums right away trying to get to know the community. I figured it was the best place to find out about new things I hadn't tried before. For example, I picked up Shadowman #4 after I heard about it on here and liked it.

Once in a while I'll post in the General Discussion boards if the topic is something I actually know about and I've posted on The Punisher board a few times because he's the character I know the most about."

Aaaand, that's a wrap for my second addition of my "Interview with a Newbie" blog. If you have any questions that could be potentially used in then next blog addition, add them here :

Interview with a Newbie Question Thread

Special thanks for @Captain_Yesterday for participating!

Icarusflies is one of my favorite Viners on this website, and my favorite moderator in this entire website (k4tzm4n is now Staff).

Seeing as all of these Respect Threads going on, why not add to the seemingly endless pile?

I also feel as if she would be a great Staff. She obviously has an impressive comic book collection, has lots of comic knowledge, extremely versatile and involved in all the forum boards/communities, and is fighting migraines like a boss.

So, all respect the master of guinea pigs!

(she also made my avatar for me, which was very nice of her)

Ever played Grand Theft Auto? Red Dead Redemption? Well take all your memories of that game and throw them at Square Enix/United Front Games to create this masterpiece! The game takes place in Hong Kong, and a cop has to go undercover as a gang member to gather intel. However, as he takes part in their crimes, he learns that they are more than just mindless thieves and killers, and borders the line between his police force or the honor of being in the gang. The other element(s) that make the story succeed the most is the environment (a very crowded Hong Kong) that you can interact with, whether you are parkouring or smashing a guy's face into a giant fan, and the great game mechanics that allow you to kung-fu fight various enemies. This is truly a great, but underrated video game of 2012 that I strongly encourage gamers to buy.

I give this video game a...

10.

Dishonored was a video game that I surprisingly enjoyed. After the major success of Skyrim, Bethesda decided to publish another awesome video game, so Arkane Studios went right on the job! From the trailers I thought this was just going to be another first-person Skyrim/Assassin's Creed game that was going to be generic, but once I started playing it, I really started to enjoy the stealthy gameplay and Corvo's character, personality, and most of all : his uber powers. I mean, killing guys and then turning them into ashes? Check! Possessing almost any animal (including monster rats) you want to achieve level goals? Check! Slowing down time as we know it to murder-stomp and humiliate guards? Uh...double check!

I also liked the atmosphere and setting of this game, as well as the slick graphics that associated with it. Another redeeming feature of the game however, is the deep emotions that this game delivers as well as memorable gameplay and character development. The theme is revenge, and Corvo is certainly carrying out that demand! With his new powers, he decides to go back and harm all those who have wronged him, and there are a lot of twists and turns in this rollercoaster!

9.

Ever since Michael Bay made Bayforme-I mean Transformers, fans have been turned down from the franchise, with rare opportunities such as Transformers Prime to truly enjoy the series as a whole. Fall of Cybertron by High Moon Studios develops another mega blockbuster addition to their Transformers video game franchise. If you thought this game's opening cinematic trailer was epic, wait until you see the wonderful display of graphics laid upon the destructive, chaotic planet that was once the beautiful Cybertron. The story is also extremely emotional as it follows Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and the conflict/war of the Autobots and Decepticons, led by Megatron. The controls are near perfect, and the different blasters attached to Optimus/Bumblebee's arms' emit grand laser sounds. I also love the humanoid and vehicle transition (glad they didn't make Optimus turn into a truck because that wouldn't make any sense if he hadn't encountered Earth yet).

As for Multiplayer, it's sheer awesomeness. Again, the humanoid/vehicle transition opens a door of vast opportunities in Multiplayer, as you race to face your opponent team, then turn into a vehicle at the last second to do an epic trickshot mid-air while morphing back into a humanoid. There's also an awesome customization feature that lets you choose between the Autobot or Decepticon alliance, as well as colors and your own in-game voice. I believe this game brings the Transformers series justice it deserves.

8.

Sniper Elite V2 (produced by Rebellion Developments) is easily my favorite sniping game ever. Remember those awesome X-Ray moves in Mortal Kombat? Ever wanted to manipulate them to the area you wanted, with guns? Well if you do, you better pick up this game fast! This 2012 video game has amazing graphics and gameplay mechanics beyond any other sniping experience I've seen in any other game (yes, even better than no-scoping in Call of Duty). From headshots to nutshots, this gore-fest will definitely quench your thirst for slow-motion bullet-time kills.

While Story Mode/Campaign that follows Karl Fairburne's trek lacks in terms of character development and originality, there are infinite options to assassinate (or even run in with your Thompson and spray) your foes in the countless fun environments and engaging, fast and slow paced Multiplayer. You can even further your stealth options by firing your sniper at the time a bell rings, speaker is used, or huge explosions occur to mask the crack of the sniper shot. There's also a Welrod pistol that's silent to take down close enemies. It's magnificent to see an enemy AI oblivious to his coming demise!

7.

Speaking of Call of Duty quick-scoping, this future shooter made by Treyarch takes place in 2025, and follows the adventure of an elderly Frank Woods, Alex Mason, and Menendez. While the Campaign isn't anything particularly groundbreaking in terms of emotions or storytelling, it still has the redeeming factor of huge explosions, extremely enjoyable gameplay, and epic slow-mo cutscenes. The ending is also very cool, as there isn't only one ending, much like the 2012 Third-Person Shooter : Spec Ops : The Line.

That being said, the Call of Duty franchise was never known or famous for its Campaign (other than Modern Warfare 2) but rather its innovative and highly addictive Multiplayer. Now, normally I would say that Call of Duty usually dishes out the same game all the time, much like Modern Warfare 3 which didn't differentiate/improve from its predecessor very much, but the new 2025 semi-future setting really puts a spin on everything we love about Black Ops and Call of Duty in general. From new and creative technology that puts new perks, guns, attachments, and more in the Multiplayer, to new settings and awesome TranZit mode in Zombies (albeit the annoying lava pits in this game mode can prove to be a nuisance), this is a must-buy in the Call of Duty franchise.

6.

Shepard is back, and he's not coming back onto the video game bowl without some extra side dishes! Mass Effect 3 brought a major new installment to the series, and its Campaign rocked the Mass Effect world whether you liked it or not. Fortunately, it was a brand new, shiny, positive upbringing and enjoyable experience...that is...until the dreaded Ending. However, to be honest, I personally believe there are far too many pros that overshadow the major con this game contains, and shouldn't be looked down upon for that one major flaw. The gameplay is fluent and lively, the emotions this game packs more power than a fist in your face, and the customization is grand!

Now most Mass Effect fans also had another pro about this game : The Multiplayer! Now you can experience the expanded Mass Effect Universe by challenging friends and buddies in various gametypes such as "Galaxy At War". Also, the different classes are splendid, and include, the Asari, Krogans, Turians, Humans, Vorcha, and more!

5.

This island, open world First-Person Shooter delivers the awe to the some! The graphics in this video game are breathtaking, as you leap across mountains, encounter pirates in dimly lighted camps, or glide as your scrape across the sky searching for rivals to defeat. There are also lots of interactive features in the island, such as the animals. The Story is magnificent, and Jason Brody is a believable character, first a partying guy slowly turns into a menacing, more aggressive killer as he searches for his friends. Vaas is also one of the best and craziest antagonists I've ever played with/against and experienced. Co-Op is also a very fun option in this game.

Multiplayer is fun too, and although it has a hint of generic shooter in it, it, altogether, is an enjoyable gaming experience. What else to furfill your Far Cry 3 needs but a Multiplayer to pit yourself against other players to see how you rank against the world?

4.

The newest installment to the blockbuster, time-jumping stealth based Assassin's Creed series is Assassin's Creed III, and boy does this game shine from the others! The setting has drastically changed to the Revolutionary War, and you're (or rather Connor Ketway) pit against the entire British army! The new environment allows for even better parkour, and improved, sleeker combat systems, graphics, and weather changes. What's more epic than facing off against a ton of British soldiers while raining? Not a lot of things!!! I really liked Connor, and although he isn't my favorite (Altair is), I still enjoyed his character a lot. Also, seeing him try and resolve problems with the Templar peacefully was a good twist.

Coupled with amazing single-player is the improved Multiplayer. My most favorite feature is when you are either the Hunter (which tries to find the other player) or the Prey (who attempts to disguise themselves in the huge crowd). It really is a delight to succeed as a Prey though. Oh yeah, and TOMAHAWK CHOP!!!

3.

Okay, before we start reviewing this game, I have to declare a major con I have with this game (perhaps my only negative critic of it) : CLAP TRAP; CHARACTER OF THE YEAR??? Really??? C'mon! I mean, Clap Trap is funny and all, but does he really deserve the #1 Character slot? I don't think so.. There are numerous other characters that deserved it, such as Vaas, Connor, Master Chief, etc.

Alright, now that we have that cleared, we can focus on the pros, which isn't hard to find once you play this masterpiece of a video game. Borderlands 2 takes everything the original Borderlands had, improved it tenfold! The cartoony/wacky graphics in this game really bring out the personality it contains and mixes in all the successful elements of an RPG and FPS game alike, such as countless special guns and shield systems. Who doesn't want to play as a gun-toting Hispanic midget, or an alien armed with stealth and awesome armor? However, the most distinctive factor Borderlands 2 carries is its amazing tributes/easter eggs, which include Batman (Rakkman), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Minecraft, and various (not to mention hilarious) jabs at Mad Moxxi's relationship between Handsome Jack, Axton the Commando, and Marcus. And what better to have up to 3 friends team up to explore Pandora with you for better loot (although the enemies get really stronger, which isn't good against The Warrior).

2.

The Walking Dead is possibly the best adventure zombie game I've ever played in my entire life. Where it lacks in the area of having no Multiplayer, I don't mind a single bit since it has its deep, emotional, and engaging 5 episodic campaign with master storytelling. Lee and Clementine are one of my favorite Walking Dead characters as of now, and Lee being my #1 favorite (yes, even more so than Rick Grimes). While your decisions effecting the story at all can be questionable at times, you barely notice as you hitch on for a ride on this train (no pun intended) of awesome zombie action.

Infamous for killing off their characters relentlessly, The Walking Dead : The Game doesn't disappoint when it comes to that certain hype/curse. I won't tell you who, when, why, or where, but each death is emotional and will make you want to replay past Episodes just to experience their presence in the game..not that I did that...ever...

1.

Did you seriously expect some other game as Numero Uno? Did you? Well you shouldn't have if you knew who I am. Halo 4, easily the most anticipated video game of 2012, if not the past few years after Halo 3. What makes this game deserve the #1 Spot in my 2012 Video Games list? Well for a start there's the breathtaking graphics Halo 4 surprisingly delivered. Sure, Halo : Reach had decent graphics, but it wasn't anything like Battlefield 3 or Crysis 2. Halo 3 was vastly impressive for a 2007 game, and holds its own in terms of graphics even today, but it isn't enough to make Halo recognizable for its graphics. 343 had enough of that and really improved the Halo franchise graphic-wise with this installment. From beautiful, alien Forerunner landscapes and detailed weapons, to the hulking MJOLNIR IV armor customization options and armor abilities, Halo 4 doesn't let down its fans in regards to eye-candy.

As for the Campaign, Halo 4 yet again brings to the table another achievement to boast about, and marks a major event in the entire Halo Universe with the death of a major character, and the return of another entire race : The Forerunners. Another gripping theme of this Halo game is exploring more about Master Chief/John's humanity, and Cortana's, which can be viewed as a metaphor of the UNSC's struggle against a foe greater than the Covenant itself. You won't want to miss this game at all if you're a Halo, or even Sci-Fi fan.

Multiplayer is flawless as always, and Halo 4 brings a new array of wonderfully crafted maps, such as a re-imagined Valhalla : Ragnorak, the brightly illuminated close-combat designed Haven, and others such as the open battlefield Exile. These maps are coupled with even more impressive gametypes, such as the original Slayer, Oddball, CTF, and King of the Hill. However, the other gametypes such as Flood, Grifball, and SWAT are also extremely fun to play. If you're looking for a good Multiplayer game to play online, look no further but to the Custom Games Halo 4 possesses. With Forge (which is on-par with Minecraft itself), you can make almost anything your imagination brings up, with any gametype you want (you can even make your own gametype!). I had hours entertaining myself on Harms Way, bashing with my friends in my Warthog to control my hill. This is definitely one of the must-buy video games of the decade.

Honorable Mentions

Anyways, enough of my talking! What are your thoughts on my list? Your own list? Any other lists you want to see me make? Post below to share your thoughts!

Hey guys and welcome to my (other) new weekly blog where I interview new Comic Vine users who have recently joined, and just generally get to know them better and interact with the community more.

Let's start!

Question 1 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 1 :

Clark_EL

"My favorite is Thor, my least favorite is Bucky. Thor is the most powerful and I don't know always been my favorite. Bucky sucks don't have an explanation."

Question 2 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 2 :

Clark_EL

"My favorite is superman and least favorite is Aqualad. ( don't get me wrong I like Aquaman) I like superman because he is the ultimate hero, he might have tied with batman but I can only choose one. Aqualad=second-rate Aquaman that nobody knows."

Question 3 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 3 :

Clark_EL

"Probably Thor vs Superman, I like to see fans go all out for their favorite hero."

Question 4 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 4 :

Clark_EL

"Need more time"

Question 5 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 5 :

Clark_EL

" I have been following the site on for a while looking at forums, but I decided to get an account anyways."

Question 6 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 6 :

Clark_EL

"I like the old DC animated shows like batman tas superman tas and justice league. I like arrow, Smallville if we are talking about super heroes. I also like The Big Bang Theory."

Question 7 :

YourNeighborhoodComicGeek

Answer 7 :

Clark_EL

"Batman Arkham asylum, and surprisingly the new Lego batman games. I also like star wars battlefront."

And that about wraps the first addition to my new blog. Questions for the next (and next) Interview with a Newbie will be from other users. Just post questions below and you may have it selected to be used in the next Interview with a Newbie!

Also thanks to @Clark_EL for participating!

Tom Hank's 2004 Christmas film based on the 1985 Chris Van Allsburg is a train of its own! The movie is very excellently paced, and gorgeous. The special effects are just magnificent, and really capture the atmosphere of the film.

The story focuses on a boy who doesn't believe in Christmas or Santa. Out of nowhere, a huge freight train (the Polar Express) arrives, and at first the kid is reluctant to enter the Express, but he eventually hitches on. Later on you see other kids such as the African American Girl and the shy, socially awkward 8 year old that has the voice of a professional singer, who are also both key elements to the story. There are some minor plot-holes such as the Hero Boy in the future mentioning that the girl couldn't hear Santa's Bells (hehe) anymore since you can only hear them if you believe in Santa, even though she was there when they actually SAW SANTA. I mean, that's like saying you don't believe in a murder when you were a witness. It just doesn't make sense! Although I have to say the Ghost Hobo was hilarious!

Now that the story is established, we can move on to the special effects. Now, for a 2004 movie, this film certainly surprised and impressed me. The facial movements were excellent, and were motion-captured if I remember correctly. They're on-par with LA : Noire facial expressions, which for an early 2000's movie is something to brag about. The scenery only adds on the the infinite opportunities of mind-blowing effects, such as the Polar Lights, Santa's North Pole city and the elves, and the Christmas factory. It truly is a delight to see the film progress, and it truly never fails to surprise (especially the scene with the Golden Ticket flying through the forest with the wolves, eagle, etc.)

As for the voice acting, 99% of it is by Tom Hanks. I mean, future Hero Boy, The Conductor, the Ghost Hobo, Santa, and I think even the Elves were voice acted by Tom Hanks, but you can barely tell (minus future Hero Boy). The Conductor's voice is by far the favorite, followed by the Ghost Hobo. However, Santa didn't sound anything like Tom Hanks. I never knew Hanks was such a talented voice actor, but he really pulled it off in this film. He really gives each character their own personality and differentiates from the others. Different tone, pitch, attitude, and even the jolliness and gruffness. I have to admit, this may be the best voice acting I've heard in a while.

I give this film a...

8/10

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrNineThousandOne?feature=mhee

I will be releasing lots of random stuff on this channel, such as reviews and more (and comic battles occasionally).

I literally just made it, so there are no videos. I'll try and make one a week, but no promises (exams and such).

If you guys could subscribe and jumpstart my account that'd be great.