Saturday, October 31, 2015

Review: Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. "The Strongest One There Is"

After making that joke about Xemnu showing up trying to find and challenge Hulk Hogan in the Recap, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Xemnu did find him and got the 24-inch pythons unleashed on him.

I said "inch," not "meter." Take her away before I have to start putting money in the jar again!

Recap: Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. "The Strongest One There Is"

In 2014, a S.H.I.E.L.D. auxiliary team was framed for the destruction of Vista Verde. These....

Nah, I'm halting the A-Team running gag.

The Agents of S.M.A.S.H. aren't exactly going around righting wrongs. As we'll see in this episode, they seem to be causing more problems than anything else. And their goal isn't so much "helping others" as it is "proving their innocence."

So on this All Hallow's Eve, let's finish Hulkoween right with a tale of monsters, aliens, mutations... and wrestling.

One of these things is not like the others....

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Review: Avengers: EMH "Gamma World"

Well, if an evil scheme's worth trying once, it's worth trying twice. Although I think the Leader has found himself firmly inside "Fool me twice, shame on me" territory.

Recap: Avengers: EMH "Gamma World, Part 2"

Hulkoween continues, and so does "Gamma World"!

When we last left our heroes, they had defeated the evil villain's plot, only for it to be revealed that the villain had a larger goal in mind that he was closer to accomplishing.

Of course, I've also just summed up the plot of pretty much every episode of Young Justice....

Monday, October 26, 2015

Recap: Avengers: EMH "Gamma World, Part 1"

Happy Hulkoween, everybody! Let's start the season off right by looking at a tale of horror, monsters, and people wearing costumes. Of course, that description could easily apply to The Rocky Horror Picture Show....

I hope I haven't disappointed anyone who apparently didn't read the title of this post and thought I was doing something for the 40th Anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I'm sorry.

Here's Harley Quinn doing the Time Warp. I hope this makes amends.
Anyway, let's get Hulkoween started with a couple episodes that use most of the leftovers from when this was going to be a Hulk cartoon.

No, really. A Hulk cartoon. Look it up.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Sketchbook: D&D Character: Rend the Steadfast

I've previously mentioned the first character I played in my last D&D campaign, an Assassin who was oblivious to the idea of temperature. Now let's talk about the second.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Review: "Back to the Future Part II"

Actually, you know what would be funny? If after this, we still have "Today is the day Marty McFly arrives in the future!" hoaxes. Either that, or we'll have to move on to something else. Like, "Today is the day SkyNet sends back the T-800 to kill Sarah Connor!" or something.

So expect those until we finally get to the year 2029.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future Part II" Part 3: Thunderstruck

It's the day after Marty McFly arrived. No matter how you slice it, we're living in the future.

But alas, as our revelries come to an end, I've still got to finish up Back to the Future Part II.

So let's continue.

Setting my calendar to go off February 14th, 2016....

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Welcome, Marty McFly!

Ladies and gentlemen, it is now 4:29 PM (in California) on Wednesday, October 21st, 2015.

Marty McFly has just arrived.

And yes, I am currently watching Back to the Future Part 2, synced up so that I can see what Marty is doing this very second.

The question is: Why aren't you?

Recap: "Back to the Future Part II" Part 2: A Present for the Past

Boy, that's not an unwieldy post title at all. The...

Wait.

Wait a minute. What did that say?

My God....
It's Back to the Future Day!

Marty McFly arrives in eleven hours!

You can't hear it, but I am squee-ing really loudly right now.

So while I try to regain my composure, let's continue looking at Back to the Future Part II.

Why, yes, I will be watching this film synced up to real time tonight.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future Part II" Part 1: Future Imperfect

Sequels are tricky. You have to figure out which parts from the first film worked and which didn't. Then you have to put the magic pieces together again while also trying to make something new and different. Otherwise people complain that it's too much like the first one.

So. Back to the Future Part II.

Are we looking at a true companion to the original story, as in The Godfather Part II?

Or a rehash along the lines of Ghostbusters 2?

Let's find out.

One thing I think we can all agree on, though. Thank God this wasn't direct-to-video.

Monday, October 19, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future Part II" Intro

Soon enough, we won't even need these cheat sheets anymore.

2 more days!
And pretty soon, we won't have to put up with any more of those lame Back to the Future Part 2 hoaxes.

Seriously, people, it's not hard to fact-check these.
So I guess the next big date to wait for is February 14th, 2016, which is when a psychic lady from Ghostbusters 2 said the world was going to end.

"Valentine's Day. Bummer."
Speaking of sequels, we've got a Back to the Future one to recap. But first of all, we have to talk about why they ended up going back to Back to the Future.

So lets go back to the past.

Or what used to be the present, because to them, this is the future... oh, never mind.

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Recap/Review: Gotham Girls "Cat -n- Mouse -n- Cat -n- Mouse -n-"

So, remember what I said at the beginning of "Hold That Tiger"? That Gotham Girls was finally taken off the Warner Bros. site this year? Well, after a nice commenter pointed out that the Wikipedia links still worked, I double checked. As it turns out, someone decided to archive Gotham Girls for posterity.

Whomever the person is who reached back in time and archived them, I thank you.

"You're quite welcome."
And so, my coverage of Gotham Girls can at last resume. So instead of having this the last episode I'd be covering, I can finish up the last six webisodes of Season 2, starting with today’s repetitively-titled webisode. Also misleadingly-titled. There are no mice to be found.

0/10 WORST EPISODE!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man "Damage"

You know, I can kind of see why the title "Out of Damage Control" wasn't chosen for this episode. I mean, Spidey spends almost the whole thing in Damage Control.

Recap: Ultimate Spider-Man "Damage"

Today, it's yet another episode with more than one title.


Today, it's "Damage," aka "Out of Damage Control."

It's like the guy who was paid to come up with titles got lazy and they threatened to fire him if he didn't provide them with alternatives to the one-word crap he'd been coming up with.

I mean, make a pun, for Odin's sake.

Monday, October 12, 2015

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man "Beetle Mania"

I'm not exactly a religious man, but I'd like to read from the Book of Parker, if I may.

And lo, in this episode, Mary Jane didst look upon the suffering of the Man of Spiders by J. Jonah, Son of James. Yea, didst she hear his words with barbs more pointed than the sharpest thistle, and lies as vast as the sea.

And so, approached the television's plug, she did. And with but a tug, deprived the device of electricity, so that the lies of J. Jonah, Son of James, would not be heard by the ears of the Man of Spiders or his disciples of the Sandwich.

Okay, I just wanted an excuse to use this picture out of context.
But in all honesty... this is the episode that should have shown us what makes her tick beyond "I want to be a journalist."

They wanted to add a new angle to Mary Jane's character, This episode, above all others, should have taken advantage of that by showing us why this goal drives her and how this meeting with JJJ affects her.

Instead, we are locked out of her head the whole time and we leave this episode with no more understanding of her character below the surface... possibly because Man of Action haven't put anything below the surface.

By now, the term "Mary Sue" gets thrown around so much that it loses all meaning and has simply started to mean "Female Character I Don't Like."

But... seriously, though, I think this version of Mary Jane might need to change the second part of her name. I'll explain why.

Recap: Ultimate Spider-Man "Beetle Mania"

The sequel to "Exclusive" that no one was asking for!

And the villain the show doesn't deserve... but the kind it definitely needs.

If only this show had heroes to match.

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Sketchbook: D&D Character: Azryal

Another chracter from the last D&D game I was in. Let's take a look at the resident troublemaker's character, Azryal, the Assassin/Necromancer. Useful combination.

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future" Part 3: Present Perfect

You now, here's a thought. If they remade Back to the Future this very year, Marty McFly would see his parents meet in 1985.

Kind of makes a remake pointless.

Like most remakes.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future" Part 2: Thunderstruck

So, when I made that "Twin Pines" joke in Part 1, a thought struck me.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I can't be the only person who's had this thought.
If the reference was intentional, then kudos to Alex Hirsch. Very subtle.

More subtle than the titular characters of Rick and Morty, at any rate.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future" Part 1: Tense Present

I said I was disappointed by Age of Ultron.

I said I enjoyed Hulk.

And now, I'm taking a look at one of the sacred cows of science fiction and nerd culture.

No pressure.

It's not like the internet takes people's opinions on movies personally, or anything....

Monday, October 5, 2015

Recap: "Back to the Future" Intro

First and foremost, NewtCave readers, thank you all very much for giving me as many views in two years as Markiplier gets in an hour. And I truly do mean that; every single page view means the world to me. You guys are the reason I do this. And today, "this" refers to taking a trip back into the past to look at a story about... taking a trip back into the past.

And to those of you who are wondering why I'm covering this movie in particular when I'm supposed to be writing a comic superhero blog (allegedly)....

Hey, it's October of 2015. I'm basically obligated by internet law to talk about it. And the 150,000 View Anniversary gives me a great excuse to shake things up.

Great Scott!

Saturday, October 3, 2015

How to Begin Watching Doctor Who

Doctor Who is a wonderfully fun, spooky, ridiculous show. But it is legendarily hard to get into.

Except… it really shouldn't be. It’s actually really easy if you know how to begin. And I do. And I'm here to teach you.

You're welcome.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Site News: October 2015

Okay. So.

This month, as much as I'd like to do another 13 Days of Batman, I simply don't have the time or energy to post 13 Recaps and Reviews daily.

Sorry.

However, I'll be covering two movies this month, one of those being the Recap celebrating 150,000 views. But since I spend a week covering each movie I review, that doesn't leave much time for regular TV Recaps and Reviews.

Solution: Three Recaps during the last week of October. I call it... Hulkoween. Three guesses as to the theme.

So don't worry, dear reader, there's plenty planned for the month. And after this Saturday's post on how to begin watching Doctor Who, Monday will bring us the first part of my 150,000 View Celebration Recap of... well, you'll just have to find out.

See you then!