The XCOM Ironman Diaries, Part 1

If there's one thing I don't take any crap from, it's virtual aliens. Come on then, XCOM: Enemy Unknown: let's do this properly. Impossible difficulty. Ironman mode. EARTH DEFENCE FORCE, ASSEMBLE!

Hmm... that didn't go so well. But as any fule kno, Classic difficulty is where it's at in a strategy game like this, and if you ask me the aliens are cheating on Impossible anyway. So let's roll from the top. Over three instalments of this diary, I'm going to take down the alien menace on Classic, in Ironman mode, no messing. I've placed the XCOM main base in Asia, reasoning that we want trooper upgrades as soon as possible – this continent's bonus reduces their cost - and as we'll be losing a lot of operatives, softening the blow is paramount. I'm a realist.

My hardy squad prepare for their first mission – Osaka, Japan. The first trooper's barely taken a step before a group of Sectoids are spotted. They scatter, but our brave forces move in and start picking them off, all thanks to the commander's advanced knowledge of 45% potshots. This is more like it.

The Sectoids fall easily to these special tactics, and now I get to name the IGN squad. Keza's the sniper, bold and true. Daniel Krupa, Alex Simmons and Tom Butler are the next three names on my list, and to make up for a bit of gender-mismatching Simmons and Butler get cool Master Chief helmets. I'm not going to put myself in: I'm the boss.

In this second mission, the IGN crew's debut, it turns out Tom Butler is the hero this earth needs. A close-quarters engagement in Liverpool, six Sectoids are almost immediately flushed from hiding and scarper inside a nearby bar. While the other three distract the aliens by running between cars, Butler sneaks around the outside and pops two while they're mind-merging with their buddies – a cool four kills in two turns, and instant promotion.

Back at base, I get some research cooking to better my gear, and after two missions and no losses things are looking just swell. A UFO makes the mistake of flying too near an XCOM satellite and is downed like it ain't no thang. Off to the crash site we go! 'Classic' difficulty, Firaxis? Pshaw! This is a piece of cake!

Keza, I am so so sorry. XCOM's first loss was a combination of a commander's recklessness, and a dastardly Sectoid mind-merge critical-ing our plucky Scottish sniper to death. We got him next turn. It didn't feel as good as it should have. No more Keza, because this is Ironman. She didn't even get a nickname.

Onwards, brave probably-Christian soldiers! Alex Simmons is doing pretty well, so I decide to reward the brave soul with a snazzy hero turtle look, which I think goes rather well with his newly-acquired nickname of 'Vixen'. As soon as I do this, of course, Simmons decides to run straight into a nest of Sectoids at the start of the next mission.

I'm ready to kiss Vixen goodbye, when in one of those rare strokes of good fortune every single shot from the cranial foes flies by. It could still get ugly, but then the Sectoids bunch within grenade distance and... well, boomshakalaka. Dr Vahlen moans about how we can't recover artefacts from ze bodies, but she wasn't in the mouth of the beast.

The next few missions pass without incident, thanks to some truly awesome commanding – XCOM disarms a bomb, salvages another UFO, and takes out a herd of Sectoids on an abduction mission. No lives lost, and NOW we've got Scopes for better aiming, an Alien Containment facility and the stun gun ('Arc Thrower') to fill it, plus an Officer Training School. The good old USA eventually gets a satellite, because they pay megabucks and are looking a bit panic-stricken and... well, everything's going along smoothly.

It couldn't last. A seemingly routine mission sees the now-legendary 'Vixen' Simmons taken out in a single shot from a Thin Man, while in cover. I mean, god rest his soul, but I don't see how the commander's to blame for that. And on the plus side, we captured a Sectoid.

The Sectoid capture was quickly followed up by another great success: after shooting down another UFO, and stunning a glowy crystal dude, we've found the aliens' base on Earth. I thought things were going a bit too well. In part 2, we're going in.

Rich Stanton is a Terran freelancer who spends most of his free time in Lordran. Check him out on IGN or Twitter for all of your sun-praising and Zerg-smashing needs.

Source : ign[dot]com

The 13 Most Shameless Super Mario Rip-Offs on iPhone

He's the most iconic cartoon character on earth - a video game legend and the star of nearly three decades worth of incredible platforming games, go-karting games, freelance gynecologic work and whatever the hell he was doing in that game alleyway. Yet aside from a few trips and stumbles, Nintendo always makes sure that every entry in the Super Mario franchise has fantastic quality control.

Sadly though, Nintendo doesn't make any of these terrible Super Mario rip-offs on the iPhone. Most of these have since been altered or removed entirely from the App store since their initial slips past Apple security, but here we have preserved them as they originally appeared in all of their awful, awful glory.

Editor's Note: Every single one of the titles below are (or at least were) real, actual games that hit the iOS App Store.

3D Cartoon Land Safari

You see, the way copyright law works is that if you change only one detail of a product you've completely stolen, nobody can ever sue you. Right?

A Kaizo World

"AVOID DON'T BUY DODGE THIS GAME TO SAVING A DOLLAR"

Barrels!

Donkey Wrong.

Cloud Run

DELETE ->

Game Guy

Remember when classic retro handheld systems had the phrase "Classic Retro Handheld System" on them?

Mole Kart

Instead of a blue shell, why not throw your credit card?

Monino

How many "lifes" have been wasted playing this shameless rip-off?

Otaku Dash

Yes, that's a pile of sh*t. On top of the pile of sh*t that is this game. So basically this game has pile of sh*t inside a pile of sh*t. Sh*t.

Super Daddio

This game runs at more frames per second than Mario 64, hence it's better so therefore checkmate.

Super Jump World

At least this one manages to ditch the anti-European stereotypes inherent in the actual Mario games. Oh wait, this one is just racist against the Irish.

Super World Adventures

Why play as Mario when there's a farmer who just realized how high he was?

Tommy's World

Oh no! Watch out, Tommy!

Wait, who the f*ck is Tommy?!?

Ultra Dario

When there's no more Mega Barrio, Duper Marlo and Superb Sargento in hell, the Ultra Dario will walk the earth.

Brian Altano and Mike Drucker are hopefully much more fun and original than any of these terrible clones when they write IGN's premier comedy news show, Up At Noon. Follow them on Twitter at @agentbizzle and @MikeDrucker.

Source : ign[dot]com

Earth Defense Force Vita Coming to North America

During Tokyo Game Show, news of Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable hit, but there was no confirmation that the once Xbox 360 title would be coming to PlayStation Vitas in North America. Today, there is.

Over on the Earth Defense Force Twitter, the North American news was confirmed, and then, some details were shares. Earth Defense Force 2017 Portable supports online multiplayer for four players and packs new missions.

Look for it in "winter 2013."

Greg is the executive editor of IGN PlayStation, cohost of Podcast Beyond and host of Up at Noon. Follow IGN on Twitter, and keep track of Greg's shenanigans on IGN and Twitter. Beyond!

Source : ign[dot]com

Warner Bros. Announces The Hobbit Games

Warner Bros. has partnered with Kabam to create two free-to-play games inspired by The Hobbit for the web and mobile devices.

Both The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth for mobile devices and The Hobbit: Armies of the Third Age for web browsers will be multiplayer strategy games, due out in Autumn 2012.

The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth will task players with building and managing their own kingdom in Middle-earth, including joining with other players to engage in war, while The Hobbit:  Armies of the Third Age will offer gamers strategic combat, whilst controlling iconic characters including Bilbo and Gandalf at the head of an army of Elves, Dwarves or Orcs.

Warner Bros. senior VP of Digital Games Greg Ballard said, "We are very pleased to work with Kabam in creating immersive free-to-play online games on massive scales across multiple platforms. Kabam’s Armies of the Third Age and Kingdoms of Middle-earth will be an excellent way for The Hobbit film fans around the world to delve more into the iconic story and interact with the characters in the universe."

Anyone wishing to register for the upcoming beta for Armies of the Third Age can do so now at the game's website.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Code Red" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

This week's episode of Earth's Mightiest Heroes was nothing if not ambitious. "Code Red" was a loose adaptation of the comic book storyline of the same name (penned by Geoff Johns in a rare foray into the Marvel Universe). But it also brought Red Hulk back into the forefront as well as exploring the mystery of Winter Soldier and his connection to Captain America. Needless to say, the script bit off a bit more than it could feasibly chew in the span of 22 minutes, but "Code Red" was entertaining nonetheless.

The episode got off to a strong, slightly creepy start as Red Skull's virus spread and morphed all it touched into sickly, red-skinned, almost zombie-like creatures. This was some unusually creepy imagery for an animated superhero series, and it lent a nice darker edge to the episode. Unfortunately, the scope of Red Skull's attack was very limited compared to the original story. Rather than being a global pandemic, the Code Red virus only impacted the Avengers and the Manhattan civilians in the immediate vicinity. Ideally, this conflict could have been spread across multiple episodes, with one devoted to the Avengers battling against and ultimately succumbing to the virus, and the second shifting focus to Secretary of State Dell Rusk and his gang of superhuman enforcers.

It was strange seeing Doc Samson, Red Hulk, and Falcon relegated to what essentially qualified as hired muscle. The writers seemed inspired by Jeph Loeb's Hulk work in both the brawl between Red Hulk and Thor and the fact that Red Hulk was a member of a team comprised solely of characters who wear red costumes. Luckily, all three contributed to some memorable action scenes. The highlight was easily the Red Hulk/Thor battle, which was fierce enough to literally rock the Statue of Liberty on its foundations. Falcon showed his bad-ass side as well in the fight with Hawkeye, which should help win him some new fans in advance of his starring role in the upcoming Avengers Assemble series. Lance Reddick's vocal work certainly didn't hurt. Reddick, Fred Tatasciore (Red Hulk), and Steve Blum (Red Skull) all delivered memorable performances this week.

But again, the script was juggling more material than it could really handle, and the final minutes were really weighed down by the rush to the finish line. Winter Soldier's transition from loyal minion to Cap's savior was abrupt, to say the least. There wasn't even much indication as to what turned him against Skull. Red Hulk quietly vanished, while Samson's recent misdeeds were quickly explained away as a product of brainwashing. In the final moments, the Avengers discuss the downfall of Dell Rusk's political career and the resulting swell of public support for the Avengers, but this is all material that might have worked better if it were shown rather than told to viewers. Ultimately, Code Red either required more running time or a more narrow focus on Cap, Winter Soldier, and Red Skull.

Luckily, this isn't the end for these particular plot threads. Next week's episode will delve deeper into the Winter Soldier mystery, while the following installment (whenever Disney XD chooses to actually air it) will finally bring Hulk back into the fold and reveal Red Hulk's secrets. We're entering the final stretch for this series, and it looks to be an eventful time for Avengers fans.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following Jesse on Twitter, or on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Emperor Stark" Review

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

After sitting out several episodes of Earth's Mightiest Heroes following his conversion in "Ultron Unlimited," Vision came back in a big way with "Emperor Stark." The episode kicked off with a great premise, as Vision awoke after a 30-day repair process to discover that Tony Stark had inexplicably chosen to take over the world. If superhero movies have taught us anything, it's that any device promising free, unlimited energy will eventually be harnessed for nefarious purposes.

The episode was certainly a strong showing for Vision, whose inorganic mind suddenly became a major asset in a world where Purple Man ruled all. His interaction with his new teammates was very enjoyable, particularly when Hawkeye scolded Vision for calling the battle "easy." Hawkeye had his own solid moments throughout. It was amusing to see Cap trick him out of being brainwashed by reminding Hawkeye that he doesn't like to do what other people tell him to. Hawkeye's trick shot in space also stood out as a memorable moment. Buit nothing topped the brawl between Thor and Vision. Seeing the latter take on 500 tons of mass and dive-bomb Thor from orbit had to be one of the top moments in the show's two-year history.

What was interesting about Christopher Yost's script for "Emperor Stark" is that it showed a bit less less direct influence from the Avengers comics than usual. Technically this episode could be said to be inspired by the Emperor Doom graphic novel, but the cast of characters, their motivations, and Purple Man's role in the story were heavily modified. Purple Man is known for committing some heinous acts against Marvel's heroes. And while his misdeeds in this episode certainly didn't outclass those in Brian Michael Bendis' Alias comic, he still managed to hit Tony closer to home than any other villain in the series. The fact that it was all merely revenge for being made to look foolish in public was a nice extra touch. Star Trek: The Next Generation's Brent Spiner made a welcome guest appearance as the voice of Purple Man. Spiner seemed poorly suited for the Joker on Young Justice, but here Purple Man had just the right blend of shrillness and subtle malice.

My only complaint with "Emperor Stark" was that it could have been drawn out longer. The ending in particular could have used a bit more attention. Stark noted his own culpability in Purple Man's world domination scheme, but Cap seemed content to brush away his concerns and deliver a typically heart-warming, sappy speech. The extended brawl between the two brought to mind the conflict in Mark Millar's Civil War comic. For a time it seemed as though the series was moving towards a full-on adaptation of that conflict, but with EMH ending in a few months, clearly that won't be the case. Even so, it would have been nice to see the episode end on a slightly more ambiguous note in terms of the Cap/Iron Man dynamic.

That aside, this was easily one of the better installments of Earth's Mightiest Heroes this season. Next week brings the long-awaited return of Hulk and the resolution of the Red Hulk mystery.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Assault on 42" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

We've been seeing Earth's Mightiest Heroes transition towards a slightly more standalone format lately, rather than the episodic approach of the first half of Season 2. But if "Assault on 42" proved anything, it's that this done-in-one storytelling can yield impressive results. "Assault on 42" saw Cap lead a truncated band of Avengers into the Negative Zone to visit Prison 42. S.H.IE.L.D. is convinced that the Negative Zone is an empty realm devoid of any life, but naturally, that isn't the case at all. The showdown between the prison's residents and the savage, almost mindless bugs of the Negative Zone was inevitable.

Last week I noted how "Behold... the Vision!" seemed to be paying homage to Predator during the jungle hunt sequence. The EMH writers must have '80s sci-fi classics on the brains, because this episode gave off a clear Aliens vibe throughout. Early on, our heroes were hounded in dark corridors by an unseen enemy. Later, as the battle intensified, the creeping sense of horror exploded into all-out war between man and bug. For what is largely an all-ages show, this episode did a nice job of maintaining a grim, foreboding tone. The fact that the Avengers and their temporary allies were battling mindless bugs also allowed the episode to be more straightforward in its depiction of violence.

Speaking of temporary allies, the decision to include a number of past Avengers rogues in the battle lent a but of fun to the otherwise dark series of events. Some of these villains, like Leader and Abomination, haven't really been seen since the early episodes. Cap's decision to exclude Baron Zemo from the festivities was a nice touch. We saw Skurge the Executioner take a major step from simple villain to heroic warrior as he silently acknowledged Thor as a comrade and embraced his new mission. I was beginning to think the writers were going to borrow from the classic comic The Mighty Thor #362 and depict Skurge's iconic moment of sacrifice in slightly different surroundings. However, Thor's reference to Enchantress' current plight may suggest that big moment is coming down the pipeline.

On the other side of the battle, Annihilus had a memorable debut as this episode's central villain. The series is 2 for 2 so far when it comes to borrowing major Fantastic Four foes. The writers offered a cool take on Annihilus by rendering him entirely mute and only conveying his rage and motivations through the Leader's psychic probing. It helped emphasize Annihilus' inhuman, otherworldly qualities. I do wish there had been a bit more variety in Annihilus' drones. If anything, the bugs looked more like the Brood aliens from the X-Men franchise than the usual Negative Zone creatures on display in the comics. But given how much the Brood resemble the Xenomorphs from the Alien movies in form and function, that may have been an intentional design choice.

"Assault on 42" was necessarily that important in terms of advancing the currently open conflicts of the series. It was, however, a very well executed chapter that managed to go a little darker and more violent than the series usually strives for. Hopefully this level of quality is a sign of what we can expect as the series moves through the second half of Season 2.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Total Recall Review

You can forget about getting your ass to Mars because this version of Total Recall is set solely on Earth, a dystopian and post-chemical warfare future where there are only two areas of the world left inhabited by humans (a renamed Britain and Australia, but strangely a Britain where only Kate Beckinsale’s character has an English accent).

Based on both the Philip K. Dick short story and the 1990 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Paul Verhoeven, this retelling of Total Recall follows everyman Doug Quaid (Colin Farrell) whose excursion to  memory implant agency Rekall unleashes hell on him.

Quaid learns he is really Hauser, a double agent whose espionage mission against the resistance (led by Bill Nighy, sadly without a mutant baby torso) has apparently led him to switch sides from serving the nefarious chancellor Cohaagen (Bryan Cranston). Hunted by his “wife” Lori (Beckinsale, who is also the wife of the film’s director, Len Wiseman), Quaid/Hauser gets help from resistance member and former flame Melina (Jessica Biel).

While it has a few nods to the 1990 film, this Total Recall brings nothing new to the table, no clever spin or unique take on the story's premise. Love it or hate it, the original movie at least had personality thanks to its absurd sense of humor. It was a truly excessive movie – not the least of all in its violence – but this Total Recall is like a declawed animal. Anything that could have made this version distinct simply isn’t present.

That’s a shame, too, given the vulnerability and much-needed humanity Farrell brings to the proceedings. He’s the best thing in the film besides the practical sets that keep it from being yet another genre film with an entirely CG environment. Beckinsale appears to be enjoying herself as the film’s villainess -- a role that essentially combines the Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside characters from the original film -- but she’s just mere eye candy and a cipher. Also lacking in dimension but blessed with beauty is Biel's Melina, while Cranston's Cohaagen doesn't possess the malevolent glee that made Ronny Cox’s villain fun.

Although executed with technical proficiency, this remake of Total Recall is, ironically given its narrative, without any true identity of its own. It’s a completely serviceable, by-the-numbers action thriller to watch on a plane or while trying to fall asleep with the TV on, but it’s all rather joyless despite its incessant action set-pieces. It’s like a cover song by a decent, but forgettable tribute band. Their rendition hits all the proper notes, but lacks soul.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Behold... the Vision!" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

If last week's Earth's Mightiest Heroes featured Cap trying to rebuild the public's trust in himself and the Avengers, this week's installment turned inward as Cap tried to heal the broken bonds among his teammates. The efforts to repair his shattered shield served as a not-so-subtle metaphor for that healing process. Alongside this interpersonal conflict, the Vision finally made his EMH debut as the latest villain to threaten the team.

The battle scenes with the vision were easily the highlight of the episode. This is a character who is practically a Superman-level powerhouse, but writers rarely seem to reflect that fact except when Vision serves as an antagonist. "Behold... the Vision" took its cues from the character's original appearance in Avengers #57 by presenting him as an agent of Ultron designed to pick apart the team with his impressive density-altering powers. As such, the Ultron reveal at the end was entirely predictable, but it's still nice to know we'll get another major storyline involving that villain before this series wraps.

The various character dynamics were generally well handled in this episode. Thor wasn't much more than ineffectual muscle, but the hostility between Hawkeye and Black Panther was very entertaining. We also got to see Cap step up and prove that he, more than any character, is best qualified to lead this ragtag band of heroes and spies. Seeing characters like panther and Iron Man get called out for essentially abandoning the team during the Secret Invasion storyline was a nice touch. The sometimes hostile and abrasive team dynamic is often what sets the Avengers apart from other superhero teams like the Justice League.

What didn't work so well was the B-plot involving Wasp and Jane Foster. The writers didn't focus on the characters nearly enough to justify their inclusion. The two shared a brief girl's night as Jane pined over Thor, and that segued into a brief battle with Vision. I was expecting there to be more drama with Wasp's injuries, but she merely woke up and seemed to shrug off the effects of being squeezed half to death by a homicidal android.

On the plus side, the writers seemed to have some fun with homages in this episode. Early on, we saw a cameo of Professor Thorton and the Weapon X facility as Vision kicked off his rampage. Later, the episode offered homages both to the Dracula movies (in the case of Vision's attack on Wasp and Jane) and the first Predator (when Vision stalked the Wakandan soldiers in the jungle). In the case of the latter, however, the animation wasn't quite up to the task. The rigid, unchanging layer of shadows in the jungle proved a bit distracting and surreal. I've mentioned this before, but there are times when the gulf in visual quality between this series and a show like Young Justice is depressing.

In any case, "Behold... the Vision" was a fun episode that set up a new, larger conflict and helped ease the Avengers back into working order. Now we just need Hank Pym back in action for this Ultron conflict to really kick off.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

What We Want Next in DC's Earth One Graphic Novels

In 2010, DC introduced a new line of graphic novels under the Earth One imprint. These books aim to offer standalone, accessible, and contemporary takes on popular DC heroes, not unlike Marvel's Ultimate line. And despite the fact that only two Earth One books have been released so far, their sales success is proof that fans are responding well to these new takes on Batman and Superman.

Despite this popularity, many speculated that DC would shelve the Earth One line in the wake of the New 52 relaunch. However, the second volume of Superman: Earth One is hitting stores this fall, and Geoff Johns has confirmed that a follow-up to Batman: Earth One is coming. It seems Earth One is here to stay.

Read Our Review of Batman: Earth One!

The question is where DC should take the line from here. Surely there's room for more than just Batman and Superman in this new, barely charted universe? We selected a handful of DC heroes (and villains) we feel are ripe for the Earth One treatment. Be warned, there are some spoilers for the Batman: Earth One and Superman: Earth One in this article.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is an oddity among DC's big heroes. She's considered to be one of the “Trinity” of the DCU alongside Batman and Superman, and yet her own comics tend to be far less popular. Many writers struggle to grapple with the conflicting mythological and superhero elements of the franchise. Conveying Diana as both a powerful warrior and a relatable hero has been more of a challenge than it really should be.

Though Brian Azzarello has successfully reworked the character in the New 52, the Earth One line can go even further in terms of breaking down the character to the essentials and streamlining her story. Much as George Perez did following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wonder Woman continuity needs to be treated like a Gordian Knot – cut straight through the problem and start from scratch.

This doesn't mean the ties to Greek mythology necessarily need to be removed. Though the Earth One universe is a comparatively realistic and grounded place, Superman is still an alien from a doomed world who crash-landed on Earth. The goal is merely to streamline, simplify, and focus on fleshing out Diana.

Interestingly, DC may have several unused Wonder Woman stories that could fit the bill. Grant Morrison has revealed he's been working on a Wonder Woman graphic novel that deconstructs the feminist and fetishistic roots of the character. We wouldn't be entirely surprised if this project turns out to be Wonder Woman: Earth One. Adam Hughes has been slowly developing a Wonder Woman series for the now-defunct All-Star imprint, and was apparently still working on it right up until Before Watchmen: Dr. Manhattan took precedent. And not unlike how Dynamite Entertainment converted Kevin Smith's unused Green Hornet movie script into a comic series, perhaps Joss Whedon's Wonder Woman script could be re-purposed into a graphic novel.

Green Lantern

The Green Lantern comics are in a pretty good state right now, as evidenced by the fact that DC left Hal Jordan and the gang relatively untouched in the New 52 relaunch. Geoff Johns is continuing the run he began way back in 2004 with Green Lantern: Rebirth, and at this point he still isn't showing any signs of slowing down.

Regardless of the quality of these books, it can't hurt to offer new readers a completely fresh and standalone entry point to the Green Lantern concept. The Earth One line can only expand so far before a hero as significant as Green Lantern makes his debut anyway. But rather than showcase Hal Jordan as Johns' book has been doing, we'd like to see John Stewart or Kyle Rayner take center stage. A universe that aims to be more modern needs a little added diversity.

One of the hallmarks of the Earth One line is that it presents more flawed versions of DC's heroes. Earth One Batman is more prone to failure, while Superman is less sure of his place in the world. The same treatment can easily be applied to John or Kyle. For instance, the book could present John as a recently discharged military veteran still struggling with the horrors of war. That internal struggle would play into his quest to overcome fear and harness the power of the ring. Kyle, meanwhile, has always been the least confident and most self-doubting among Earth's Lanterns, so he's already well-poised to make the jump to Earth One.

With the Green Lantern movie disappointing last year, an Earth One graphic novel could serve as a template for how to streamline and contemporize the character for casual audiences.

Batgirl

The final pages of Batman: Earth One teased a number of plot points and characters fans can expect from the sequel. Among these teases was a shot of Barbara Gordon sketching a Batgirl costume. It's safe to say Batgirl will be making her Earth One debut within the next few years.

We ask, why relegate her to a supporting role? Why not grant Babs her own OGN? Gail Simone's current series is renewing interest in this version of the character, and we'd love a book that focused squarely on the early months of her career. Whereas Bruce Wayne had Alfred to guide him in his path to becoming Batman, Barbara is on her own in this universe. That can't make for an easy path.

Gotham City is a crowded place. One Batman graphic novel every few years means that a lot of heroes and villains are bound to get glossed over or ignored completely. Expanding this branch of the Earth One universe may be the best way to ensure characters like Batgirl get their due. Along with Babs herself, the spinoff can tackle villains like Catwoman or even Joker that don't appear to be in Geoff Johns' immediate game plan.

Aquaman

You'd think a guy strong enough to withstand the crushing pressures of the deep ocean and able to control marine life would garner plenty of respect among comic fans, but respect rarely seems to be in the cards for Aquaman. He's often seen as the joke of the superhero world by comic readers and non-readers alike. Even Geoff Johns' current Aquaman series has used this chronic misconception of the hero as a plot point.

While Johns' book is also doing its part to counter the notion that Aquaman is lame, we'd like to see an Earth One graphic novel that fully attacks the idea. We want something that proves without a doubt how cool and competent the king of Atlantis can be. While shows like Justice League Unlimited and comics like Flashpoint have amped up Aquaman's badass factor, at some point that approach puts him too close to Namor territory. There has to be a more even-handed balance between coolness and vulnerability.

Not to mention, we haven't really seen a proper, full-fledged retelling of Aquaman's origin story in a while. Aquaman: Earth One could offer a new look at a young man very literally in over his head as he grapples with strange powers and an unexpected destiny. The book can continue the trend started by Johns' Aquaman and work Black Manta's origins into Arthur's own story in a more tangible and significant way. And because the Earth One books strive to be more contemporary and relevant in their conflicts, Aquaman's role in defending the oceans from exploitation and pollution would have to be a major element as well.

And when all is said and done, DC will have the perfect foundation with which to build an Aquaman movie.

Lex Luthor

The two Earth One books released so far have made a point of working entirely new villains into the respective characters' mythologies. But while Batman: Earth One still featured Penguin alongside new baddie Birthday Boy, Superman: Earth One focused entirely on the alien warlord Tyrell. For once, Superman's origin story didn't include Lex Luthor. Somehow, we think Mr. Luthor would find that omission inexcusable. He is the greatest mind humanity has to offer and all that.

From what J. Michael Straczynski has revealed about his second Superman OGN, Parasite will emerge as the main villain. If Luthor does appear, don't expect his role to be a major one. Perhaps the best approach is to give Luthor his own graphic novel. While he won't be appearing in next year's Man of Steel, we can't imagine Luthor will sit out WB's rebooted franchise for long. A new Luthor-centric graphic novel could be the best way to get prospective comic readers up to speed on Superman's greatest villain.

The difference between a potential Lex Luthor: Earth One and Brian Azzarello's Luthor is in terms of focus, the latter explores Luthor's hatred of Superman after both have become well-established in Metropolis. Earth One could follow the example set by previous books and explore Luthor's rise to power from troubled childhood to titan of Metropolis. It would be important that readers understand his motivations and his rivalry with Superman, even if they don't necessarily support his actions.

The aforementioned Luthor graphic novel and Paul Cornell's recent Action Comics run both suggest there's plenty of room for comics starring the villain rather than Superman himself. Lex Luthor: Earth One would merely provide him with an even larger platform to enthrall readers.

Who would you like to see get the Earth One treatment? Sound off below!

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and various other IGN channels. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes - "Along Came a Spider" Review

Warning: full episode spoilers follow.

This season of Earth's Mightiest Heroes has opened the floodgates as far as Marvel cameos go. It was only a matter of time until Spider-Man joined in on the fun. Spidey made his EMH debut in a fairly low-key episode that effectively explored the fallout of Captain America's public disgrace during the Secret Invasion storyline.

The Cap/Spidey pairing isn't necessarily one that crops up a lot in the comics, if only because Cap can be fairly immune to humor and sarcasm. But the angle this episode took worked. Cap was facing the wrath of every New Yorker (most of whom were being egged on by a vindictive J. Jonah Jameson), and who better understands what it's like to be hated and feared by those you protect than Spider-Man? Well, besides the X-Men...

After some early setup and tension between Tony Stark and JJJ, the episode narrowed its focus to Cap and Spidey as they escorted a group of survivors through the underground tunnels of Manhattan. In more ways than one, this episode reminded me of the classic Amazing Spider-Man #33, with Spidey trapped underground and forced to summon every last ounce of willpower to escape a mountain of debris. If a little heavy-handed at times, this episode really drove home the idea that Cap and Spidey are heroes because of their actions and not because of the whims of a fickle public. It helped that Spidey's portrayal was more toned down than I expected. Though ostensibly the same version as the one seen in Ultimate Spider-Man (sort of - see below), Spidey ditched the cutaway gags and fourth-wall breaking for more traditional snark.

The Serpent Society returned to serve as villains. For a brief moment the episode gave off a strong Dark Knight vibe as Clay Quartermain led a S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy through the deserted streets of Manhattan while eerie music played. But about the time the first half-man/half-snake super-villain popped up, that grim tone evaporated a bit. The conflict might have worked better if the writers had chosen a less ostentatious and more creepy set of villains and fully maintained that tone. Also a bit disappointing was the lack of any real depth to the Cap/Viper relationship. Those two took an interesting turn in "Prisoner of War," and it would have been nice to see Viper show more conflicted feelings about resuming her feud.

The voice acting in this episode deserves special attention. In case you missed Eric Goldman's original article, this episode has attracted a bit of fan notoriety because the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes producers originally cast Spectacular Spider-Man's Josh Keaton but Marvel later chose to re-dub Keaton's lines using Ultimate Spider-Man's Drake Bell instead. Bell did a perfectly fine job, but it would have been nice to hear Keaton one more time to help ease the pain of Spectacular's untimely demise.

On the plus side, J.K. Simmons was on board as J. Jonah Jameson, and that's always a treat. The downside with JJJ was that Simmons practically ran circles around Eric Loomis' Iron Man. I've never been a huge fan of Loomis' portrayal in the first place. The producers seemed more intent on casting an actor who sounded like Robert Downey Jr. than one who truly embodies the charisma and humor of Downey's performance. A JJJ/Stark squabble could have been comedy gold, but the end result was disappointingly tame.

Though it seemed to miss its full potential in a few key areas, "Along Came a Spider" was still a fun team-up episode and a proper coda to the recent Skrull conflict. I suppose it's too much to hope that Ultimate Spider-Man could adopt a similar "less is more" approach to depicting Spidey?

Source : ign[dot]com