Review: Ultimate Spider-Man "Revealed"

Before I discuss this episode’s merits, let me get the usual criticisms out of the way.

A reliance on “tell, don’t show.”

Spider-sense is useless.

Jarring cutaway gags that distract from the story.

Got that? Good. Now I can talk about why this is one of the best episodes in Season 1.

Recap: Ultimate Spider-Man "Revealed"

It all comes to a head.

Questions will be answered.

Will Doctor Octopus ever get his revenge on Norman Osborn?

Will Norman Osborn finally create that unstoppable army?

And did Agent Coulson ever get past first base with Aunt May?

…

Okay, yeah, that last one doesn’t need to be answered.

We all know Aunt May’s waiting for Tony Stark.

Sketchbook: Teen Titans Go! Couch Spirit

Last week, I posted a Recap/Review on the premiere episode for Teen Titans Go!'s Couch Spirit.

Today, I thought I'd take you all behind the scenes for a look at my spoopier version of the fluffy white personification of laziness.

Review: Ultimate Spider-Man "The Iron Octopus"

I will always give you my honest opinion. Otherwise… what the heck am I doing here? Why would I ever spend this much time running a blog full of opinions I don’t actually hold? I have no agenda, other than to analyze, examine, and entertain.

…

Okay, look. This Review is a week late, so I’ll just cut the rest of my little speech here and get down to brass tacks.

This was a great episode. No one was more surprised than me.

Review: Teen Titans Go! "Dude Relax"

So, when watching this episode, did anyone else find the Couch Spirit a little… disturbing? Beast Boy and Robin getting sucked into some kind of alternate dimension, the cultish repetition of “be one with the couch”… it could have gone to a creepy place.

This is what the episode gave us.

This is what a small part of me expected.

Actually, that probably would have made the episode awesome. Robin having to fight against an eldritch couch from beyond space and time? I'd watch the heck out of that.

Recap: Teen Titans Go! "Dude Relax"

Today, Teen Titans Go! takes us to another stop on the long railroad that is Robin’s various psychoses. Last time, we saw Robin’s obsession with Starfire manifest itself. And now, we’ll get to see the origin of the stick firmly rammed up his rear end. Not to be confused with the later Robin-centric episode that actually revolves around sticks.

…I can’t believe I have to make that distinction.

Why Things Are a Little Hectic Around Here

Though I've been trying, and occasionally succeeding, to do these blog posts in advance, things caught up with me this past week, both good and bad.

First of all, my little cousin has been recuperating from surgery. (Don't worry, he's absolutely fine.) He was in-and-out in a couple days, but I had to make myself available in case his parents had to go somewhere without him. And one evening, that was exactly the case.

As for my other cousin, his brother, the fair opened this week and I went to see him show his pigs off. Yes, I live in the country.

On top of that, my sister came up from Texas to visit for a week. As did my great aunt on my mother's side, for a family reunion. And so did my aunts on my dad's side. For a DIFFERENT family reunion.

And on top of all THAT, the Olympics have made it a bit difficult for me to use the DVR.

"Stop watching Michael Phelps win the gold, everybody! I need to talk about a Spider-Man cartoon on the internet!"

Yeah, no.

I'm REALLY sorry that I didn't get things prepared for this, and I'm also sorry for the lack of warning, but everything kind of came to a head all at once.

I'll have the Iron Octopus review up somethime this week, and posts from then on will be pushed back a week. Again, sorry for the lack of communication.

Sketchbook: Rumble Pak Preliminary Artwork

A while back, I posted a link to the SoundCloud page for Vest and Tyler, who I did a piece of album art for. You can check that album art out here. And if you're interested in seeing him at the Midwest Gaming Classic in Brookfield, Wisconsin, you can help him out here.

Today, I've decided to share a couple preliminary bits of artwork with you all. Take you through a little bit of the creative process.

Recap: Ultimate Spider-Man "The Iron Octopus"

Tony Stark and Doctor Octopus return!

So if you saw the title and were hoping for a crossover between Ultimate Spider-Man and Brute Force, you're sadly out of luck.

Try the Deadpool comics if you need your fix of everyone's favorite cyborg animals this side of We3.

View Log: Ghostbusters (2016)

The original 1987 Ghostbusters is a bit of a sacred cow. So much so that every attempt at a third film would die a slow, painful, languishing death.

Someday, I'll go over the full history of this reboot, from its proto-origins in a Dan Aykroyd-written sequel to several abandoned soft reboots attempting to show the team's Next Generation, as it were. But with the original stars declining to return, and the unfortunate death of Harold Ramis, it was only inevitable that Sony would say "Screw it, just reboot it." And as if this wouldn't raise enough hackles, the decision was made to make the protagonists female. Which was immediately controversial, to say the least.

I've done something a bit different this time, though. After discussing this film with family and friends, I've decided that this View Log needs other opinions than my own. And since, like so many other reviewers, I've found myself carrying on conversations with fictional characters, I've decided to invite one character from each of the Marvel Animation Universe shows I've covered thus far. 

Representing Avengers Assemble will be Hawkeye.

"Hey."

Representing Ultimate Spider-Man will be Squirrel Girl.

"And Tippy Toe and Monkey Joe!"

If those squirrels cause any more trouble, I'm replacing you with White Tiger.

"You two just had to eat his Fruity Pebbles, didn't you?"

And representing Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. is She-Hulk.

"Thanks for having me."

And the four of us will be moderated by the Living Tribunal. Are we ready?

"Yes."

Then let's begin.

Review: Avengers Assemble "Ghosts of the Past"

Yep. This episode had missiles. Whether it be the Red Skull keeping the Avengers busy or Grim Reaper trying to destroy Avengers Tower, this show sure likes to whip out missiles when a non-specific threat is needed.

Recap: Avengers Assemble "Ghosts of the Past"

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe goes on, the Marvel Animated Universe does its best to take inspiration from the latest MCU films. At the very least, this can be seen in the character designs for Ant-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and other characters.

Today, we’ll see how Avengers Assemble takes inspiration from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, one of the grittier entries in the MCU with a politically-charged plot.

Ten bucks says the writers resort to missiles. That seems to be Avengers Assemble’s go-to generic threat.