Must Have Comic Book IOS Games

Games:

1. The Walking Dead

Whether or not you are a fan of The Walking Dead comic book series, the AMC television show or just a fan of great story telling, this is definitely the game for you.

This is arguably the best IOS game that I have ever played. It is extremely interactive and it has great graphics. However, it is the story that truly separates itself from the rest of the games out there.

Unlike other games, for IOS that rely heavily on tapping or tilting of the device, this game is all about quick thinking and decision making in tough situations.

It may be a bit on the pricey side when you start downloading the episodes, but you are pretty much playing a video game and watching an extension of The Walking Dead series, so I say buy it!

2. Injustice Gods Among Us

This is definitely one of the more popular IOS games at the moment. While it is nothing like the console version where you can actually maneuver the characters making them jump, side step or even rush forward, this game does still have a few gems that make it so addictive.

First of all, there is great variety in this game. What it lacks in the storyline (which is not present at all), it makes up for in graphics and character selection. There are over 40 super hero characters you can choose from including some lesser known outside of the comic book community like Lobo, Nightwing, Cyborg, Solomon Grundy and even Doomsday.

It is a free game, so you have nothing to lose. Try it out. It may get a bit repetitive, but it is worth just to try out all of the different characters and see their special moves.

3.Batman Arkham City Lockdown

Like Injustice: Gods Among Us, there is simply no comparison to the console version vs. the IOS version, but for those without a console this is one of the best action IOS games out there. You can play with different batman skins from the Batman: Year One suit to the Batman Beyond suit.

While playing this game you have the opportunity of battling villains like The Joker, an extremely juiced up Solomon Grundy and Deathstroke (above) which happens to be one of my favorites. The special moves can be modified to your preference and there is a pretty good selection. This has one of the things that Injustice lacks: a decent story line and direction. For that reason and flexibility in fighting I would say this game is better than Injustice.

4. Ultimate Spider-Man: Total Mayhem

This one is an oldie. It was probably the first Super Hero game I downloaded on my IOS device. As you may expect from a Spider-Man game, there is not as much of a serious tone as you would see in a game like Batman. That does not mean that this game is not tons of fun, because it certainly is.

Some of the villains in the game include Doctor Octopus, Venom and Rhino. I like the game because there seems to be an entire world created for Spider-Man. It definitely gives you a lot of variety and makes the game that much more interesting. One of the best perks of this game is having the ability to play as Symbiote Suit Spider-Man. :-)

5. X-Men

This is definitely a throwback, but it in my opinion it is always great to see a classic come to a modern media (even if nothing was actually changed).

If you enjoyed this 8-bit X-Men game back in the day, you will enjoy it now. It is pretty easy maneuver. It has your basic directional pad, punch/kick button, jump button and a special attack which varies from character to character. If you are a big X-Men fan and would like to reminisce, I say buy it. It's just 99 cents!

Top 5 Comic Book Romances

In honor of my recent engagement I have decided to give a list of the best super hero romances. For the record, I think mine is the best, but let's go on to more familiar stories.

1. Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson

Spider-Man and Mary Jane Watson

One of the best and most popular comic book relationships (mainly because of past movies) is that of Spider-Man and Mary Jane. These two personalities definitely compliment each other. Peter Parker has his mind all over the place and is always messing up with Mary Jane. Mary Jane is very assertive, knows what she wants and knows how to get it.

She does have a hard time dealing with Peter's lack of commitment, but once she finds out that he is Spider-Man she is extremely supportive and understanding. Every super-hero needs a supporting partner. "Go get 'em, tiger" - Mary Jane Watson.

2. Superman and Lois Lane

Courtesy DC comics

While Spider-Man and MJ may be very popular, the most popular couple is definitely Superman and Lois Lane. Another relationship that is at many times on the brink of destruction because of secret identities and secrets in general.

In the above photo, Superman creates a potion that temporarily gives Lois his superpowers for one day. He even custom designs her own superhero outfit. They fly through the skies and he opens up to Lois in ways he could not before. Now that's love.

3. Batman and Talia al Ghul

courtsey DC Comics

Okay, let's face it, Batman's a bit of a man-whore: Batman and Catwoman, Batman and Wonder Woman, Batman and Vicky Vale, Batman and Poison Ivy... you get the idea.

However, in my opinion these are all flirtatious relationships, not real love. He really seems to fall for Talia al Ghul, Ra's al Ghul's daughter (one of his greatest enemies). There is a love-hate relationship between the two, but deep down they really care about each other immensely. Oh and by the way, they have a son together - Damian Wayne.

4. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl

Courtesy Justice League

John Stewart the Green Lantern and Shiera Sanders - Hawkgirl. This one is a complicated relationship. Despite that, they were pre-destined to be together, literally (in their past lives they were also lovers). They are both stubborn as mules which makes this relationship harder at times, but their love is undeniable.

In the above picture, Hawkgirl greets an injured Green Lantern, her friend at the time. She admits to him how afraid she is of losing him after the most recent scare and consequently John confesses what he feels for her. For the first time, he removes her mask to see the woman beneath the fierce exterior...and they share their first real moment of true love. Like I always tell my lady, even comic books can be romantic.

5. Wolverine and Mariko Yashida

Wolverine and Mariko (http://wolverinediaries.blogspot.com/2013/06/wolverine-and-mariko-pictures.html#.UhplCZK1GSo

Only true love could tame a beast like Wolverine. This has always been one of the most classic yet lesser known love stories in comic books - Wolverine and Mariko Yashida. We see a small glimpse of this romance in the most recent Marvel movie, The Wolverine.

Bound by honor Mariko is forced to marry the Silver Samurai, but truly loves Logan (Wolverine). Wolverine willing to fight to the death for this woman, but is secretly poisoned. He extracts his claws to attack and thus dishonorably loses the battle and Mariko. As luck would have it, Wolverrine is always separated from her no matter how hard he tries to make it work (the above image does a great job at portraying this aspect of the relationship).

So what is your favorite comic book romance? Share it in the comments even if it's not on this list.

The Blue Beetle Es El Hombre: The Evolution of The Blue Beetle

The Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) courtesy DC Comics

The Blue Beetle has been around since 1939 and was wildly popular back in the late 30's and 40's. This character was introduced during the Golden Age of Comics along with other heroes like Superman and Batman. Through the decades the hero has endured a massive amount of change.

One of the biggest contributing factors to this change has been ownership rights to the super hero over years. So far there have been three completely different characters taking on the mantle as The Blue Beetle.

Dan Garret - Blue Beetle: courtesy Comic Vine

Dan Garret was the original Blue Beetle and the one all of his predecessors would look up to. The origin story has been often recreated throughout the years mainly because the rights to the Blue Beetle have been owned by many different Comic Books before landing on DC for good.

In the original story Dan's father (a police officer) is murdered by a mob boss. He then becomes a police officer himself while taking on the identity as The Blue Beetle to take down his father's murderer and bring all gangs to justice. In this story line Dan has no powers but later takes a secret concoction -Vitamin 2X to attain super strength and invulnerability.

Later stories describe him as an archaeologist which discovers a Blue Beetle scarab in Egypt. This scarab of an unknown origin becomes the source of his power.

Ted Kord - Blue Beetle: courtesy DC Comics

Ted Kord was the second Blue Beetle. Before passing away, Dan Garret passed on the scarab to Ted. He uses his wit, skill and technology to fight crime (similar to Batman). Although he never learned how to use the scarab and never had any powers he is one of the most respected heroes in the DC universe.

Haunted by the memory of the past Blue Beetle and always trying to live up to his standards, Tim always feels like he has something to prove. This was one of the factors that led him to infiltrate a secret government agency, Checkmate, whose sole purpose was to destroy all meta-humans.

Refusing to join them in the fight for the ultimate destruction of super heroes and super villains alike, the leader of Checkmate, Maxwell Lord savagely murders Kord.

Jaime Reyes is the third and most recent Blue Beetle. For many reasons he happens to be my favorite. First of all, name at least one other Hispanic American super hero...exactly, not many huh? It's just nice to see. After all, real life heroes come in all shapes, sizes and backgrounds.

This version of The Blue Beetle is much more complex than the past two which is what makes him the most interesting. A teenager (whose favorite super hero happens to be Batman) discovers a blue scarab in the shape of a beetle and it attaches itself to his body.

This scarab becomes the source of Jaime's power granting him flight, super strength, shape shifting and blasting abilities. The scarab is also linked to Jaime's thoughts. They are in constant conflict since the scarab's only concern is to selfishly protect itself and Jaime.

We later learn the source of the scarab. It is alien technology sent over by a conquering race, The Reach to learn about the planet, earn the trust of the people and eventually take over it. It is meant to take over the host body, but somehow both the scarab and Jaime break free of the Reach's control in order to save the planet.

This story does a good job of linking the past Blue Beetles and the present one in a clear way, drawing a line where there was none. As mentioned earlier, different versions of the Blue Beetle and different ownership rights to the character scattered the identity of the hero.

The TV show Young Justice (which I highly recommend) does a great job at telling this story. He is a very underrated super hero and I am glad he got the exposure that he did in this television series.

So which Blue Beetle is your favorite? Where did you first hear about the Blue Beetle? Share in your comments below!

Omar Sy as Bishop In X-Men: Days of Future Past

I have got to admit, I did not even know who Omar Sy was up until a few weeks ago. When pictures of him as Bishop from X-Men: Days of Future Past surfaced I still did not know who he was and I am sure many American movie-goers do not know him either.

It was not until I saw a French film on Netflix, The Intouchables  that I was introduced to this actor. In this movie (based on a true story) Omar Sy's character is an ex-con that forms an unbreakable relationship with a wealthy paraplegic man when hired as his caregiver.

I know this role is completely different from what he will be playing in the upcoming X-Men movie, but as an actor he demonstrated a wide variety of range and emotion. It was a great overall performance.I am now even more excited for this film than I was before and you should be too.

Usually we are turned off when there is an actor that we have never heard of playing a role in a movie that we are really pumped for. For anyone with any doubts, I promise you that Sy will do a great job in this role (don't let me down, Omar!).

Now on to Bishop. When I was first introduced to Bishop it was in the X-Men animated series. I am talking about the BEST X-Men animated series out there...the 90's version. He was a big brawny guy...with a mullet (I guess the 90's had an influence on him too despite him being from the future).

He often clashed with Wolverine and was not afraid to speak his mind against him. Anyone who is man enough to go toe to toe with Wolverine is a bad ass in my book. So far, Omar Sy fits the mold. For starters he is 6'4, he was styled with some dreads and aside from the physical he has great on-screen presence and can certainly pull off the bad ass attitude (as seen in the Intouchables).

Without giving too much away, Bishop should play a large role in Days of Future Past. With a great cast to go along with him and a great story this calls for a great Marvel movie. Let's just hope this is half as good as X-Men First Class.

So what do you guys think about Bishop or the upcoming X-Men film. Let us know in the comments section!

The Wolverine Review

Silver Samurai vs. Wolverine - Courtesy Marvel Comics

As always, Hugh Jackman did an amazing job as Wolverine. In fact, this is probably his best performance as the X-Men character yet. If you are not willing to give the movie a try, at least do it for the guy's performance.

Pain, regret and the question of mortality are all central themes in the plot to the story. Something that was clear and evident even in the trailers.

This film had something X-Men Origins: Wolverine lacked, focus and a clear plot rather than trying to cram a bunch of characters down your throat without letting them develop first. It was successful at really developing the character we have seen so many times before.

See it or skip it?
Before I get into details of the film here is my verdict: I say definitely see it. Though the film is not a perfect reflection of the stories in the comics (as expected) it is not so far from the original story that it takes away from Wolverine and the plot of this particular film. Comic fans and non-comic fans will both like it.

If you have liked any of the films where Wolverine had a large role, this one will be your favorite. Great acting for the most part, great plot and very well executed.

Now to the nitty gritty. [SPOILER ALERT]
James Mangold does a terrific job of setting up the story for us in the beginning of The Wolverine. Just minutes before the bombing of Nagasaki we see a man (one of the allies) so dangerous that Japanese have him locked up, isolated in a deep ditch with a heavy metal lid.

Clearly, this is not a man to be messed with. However, in this same scene we see his selfless attributes as he puts himself in harm's way to protect those that imprisoned him. This glimpse of Wolverine's past was one of my favorite scenes in the movie. We learned so much about the character in about a 5 minute time frame and very little dialogue.

After this we are fast forwarded to present day. This is where the storyline gets a little rocky. Wolverine is still bitter and depressed over Jean Grey's death (mainly because he was the one that killed her in X-Men: The Last Stand). While I completely get the significance of this in the story, I think it was a bit overplayed. I admittedly grew tired of seeing the character after her second or third appearance. She seemed very out of place at times.

Let me just throw this out, Wolverine losing it and nearly breaking his promise to Jean of never hurt anyone...over a bear was a bit out there, don't you think? I mean he was pretty much going to kill a group of drunk hunters for injuring a bear. But anyway, let's get back on track. Just a side note, despite my bashing, I did feel bad for the bear.

Once Wolverine makes it to Japan the story starts to pick up a little more. He is tantalized with the offer of mortality (or threatened), the good he has done comes back to haunt him in the form of Mr. Yashida (the man he saved in Nagasaki) and he meets Mariko Yashida (his true love).

Another great acting performance to note was that of Hiroyuki Sanada which plays Shingen, Mariko's father. The characters he has played in the past are very honorable and respectful as seen in The Last Samurai. It was interesting to see him step out of his shell and embrace the role of the clever and evil Japanese crime lord.

Speaking of Samurais, I did take some issue with The Silver Samurai in this film (part of the reason is the comic geek in me). First of all, he is suppose to be a skilled samurai warrior (Yashida's illegitimate grandson) not a dying old man in a robotic suit. Secondly, he was pretty much a robot in this film with no mutant abilities. Lastly, his mutant abilities allow him to cut anything with his sword EXCEPT adamantium. In this movie he easily cuts through Wolverine's adamantium claws. All I'm saying is, you better bring those claws back somehow in the next movie!

Other than that I really did enjoy The Wolverine. It was no X-Men First Class, but it was much, much better than X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Redemption at its finest.

If you stayed until the end credits (you should look into this NOW if you have not) you will see a little glimpse to X-Men: Days of Future Past. Once you watch that take a look at this link from Trask Industries which includes an even bigger sneak peak to the upcoming X-Men film. It is like entering the world of the X-Men.

So with that awesome link I will leave you. If you saw the movie, let me know what you liked or did not like in the comments section. If you did not, let me know what you are excited about.What do you expect from the next X-Men movie? Share your thoughts.

Until next time Metta-X'ers!

The Sentinels - Courtesy Marvel Comics