All posts by Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand

Mega-Music: A Review of History Repeating: Red

May 16, 2014 Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand 3 Comments

History Repeating: Red (Image courtesy of The Megas)

Popular performers have inspired countless cover/tribute bands, so why not classic video game music? What was once an underground movement with names like “Nintendocore” has grown into a subgenre within indie music.

One of the most popular of these bands is The Megas, a California-based quintet who make music about Capcom’s classic MegaMan games. The band has been around for nearly a decade and produced three EPs and four albums. Each is a concept album—a practice rarely done in mainstream music outside bands like Coheed & Cambria—pertaining to a particular MegaMan game. However, the band’s re-imaginings of the games’ simple stories expand on their themes and characterizations. The results range from tongue-in-cheek humor to Isaac Asimov-esque seriousness. The Megas have been slowly going through the entire MegaMan game series since their first EP. With their latest release, History Repeating: Red, they’ve completed an epic five-year project that retells MegaMan 3.

This is the conclusion of a two-part album, another rarely used convention. Part one was their previous album, 2012’s History Repeating: Blue. This makes Red somewhat difficult to review. Should it be evaluated as a stand-alone album or as part of the larger story? I’ve decided to do the former.

The subtitles are references to MegaMan and his “older brother,” ProtoMan. The previous album focused on MegaMan and what others thought of his crusade, but with Red, the focus has shifted to ProtoMan, who was mostly silent in Blue. The Megas present ProtoMan as a cynical and misguided hero, and his voice propels the second half of the story.

The album begins with a new version of “Fly on a Dog,” a song previously released on an EP. It’s both a cover and expansion of MM3’s stage select music. This version is similar to the EP version except it has more synth and re-recorded vocals. It’s a fitting start since MegaMan, who has been questioning the morality of his actions, is steeling himself for the coming battles thanks to his robot dog Rush joining him.

The subsequent four tracks are examples of one of The Megas’ trademarks: covers of each Robot Master’s stage theme that infuses each character with quirky personalities. “Harder Than Steel,” paints Hard Man as an old boxer making a comeback. It oozes ‘80s nostalgia and sounds like it belongs in a Rocky movie’s training montage. This idea came to The Megas because they thought Hard Man’s weapon looked like iron-clad boxing gloves (I just figured he fired his fists at MegaMan, personally). Interestingly, it seems to present Hard Man as the hero.

“GeminEye” begins in an almost Pink Floyd-like manner with the sounds of a coin drop and a rotary phone being dialed. It quickly shifts into a quasi-jazz piece that presents Gemini Man as a private detective hired to track down a client’s would-be killer. Or, more likely, Gemini Man is talking to one of his doubles.

The reason that causes prostate congestion mainly has the cialis generika following several points: First, massage too heavy. So we should follow the implementation of the proper remedy before our unintended cholesterol rise creates a levitra generika conditional disability of sudden cardiac arrest. Don’t store them in the levitra buy generic restroom. But, excessive intake of alcohol is extreme harmful viagra rx of health. The next two songs are variations on the same theme. “The Haystack Principle” says Needle Man is a character programmed to do evil against his will. So, unlike the others, he is a tragic villain. The song climaxes with a dialogue between Needle Man and MegaMan, wherein the hero refuses to believe the Robot Master’s innocence. It borders on vilifying MegaMan, but suits the story. In the rock-heavy “Afraid of the Dark,” Shadow Man is aware of his slow moral corruption, but embracing it. He’s pitiable but despicable. And, unsurprisingly, he’s a ninja.

“The Red Song” is another Megas trademark. It’s a short transitional piece that leads into the next track. It’s more accurate to call it a sound mix than a song, but it does include ProtoMan’s whistle. This leads into “I’m Not the Breakman,” the album’s first single, a cover of MM3’s “Weapon Get” music. Here ProtoMan enters. The lyrics are a gut-wrenching monologue by the rogue robot as he laments MegaMan’s actions. This stems from feelings of abandonment with their creator, Dr. Light.

“Make Your Choice” is difficult to peg musically. It might be a cover of the final Dr. Wily stage music, but if it is, it’s so different the song borders on being original. The synth-heavy piece is another monologue by ProtoMan, but this time he’s addressing MegaMan, telling him to choose between reality or delusional ideals.

MegaMan answers in “I Refuse (to Believe),” a cover of MM3’s boss fight music. This is where everything comes to a head. MegaMan addresses Dr. Light and then ProtoMan and proclaims, “I refuse to believe/I’m nothing more than a machine,” and forges ahead to take down Dr. Wiley. (What’s funny is another line in the chorus, “I will not kill!” has inspired a meme-like joke among Megas fans because it was misheard as, “I will not kale!”)

Finally, after all this intensity, comes the two-part album’s denouement, “Melody from the Past,” a poetic and touching ballad based on MM3’s closing theme. In a final monologue, ProtoMan finds inner peace as he observes the aftermath of MegaMan’s victory. He admits he was wrong and forgives Dr. Light. The song is thematically and emotionally rich. It wraps everything up, but leaves room for future albums.

The Megas are notorious for taking forever to produce new music, but like Blizzard Entertainment, when they do release a new product, it’s beyond good. These young men are gifted musicians who just happen to make music about their favorite video-game hero. They’ve learned much from their first album, Get Equipped, and it shows. While History Repeating: Red starts a bit slow, it builds to an epic crescendo. Their musical styling remains diverse and their lyrics have only gotten better.

When will there be a MegaMan 4 album?

Final Grade: A

Film/Television/Broadcast/Radio, GIGAvision, Movies/TV, Pop Culture

Top 5 ’80s Cartoons

March 4, 2014 Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand 2 Comments

The 1980s was the decade of big hair and even bigger on-screen heroes. While Rambo, Rocky and RoboCop dominated at the box office, there were just as many larger-than-life heroes on the small screen, often in animated form. The ’80s was, for many Gen-Xers and Millennials, the renaissance of cartoons. They were full of colorful characters, exciting adventures and daring creativity. Many of them still hold up today.

So, here are my top five best ’80s cartoons.

#5: DuckTales (1987-1990)

Inspired by the Uncle Scrooge comic books created by the famous Carl Banks, this Disney show had something for everyone. It followed the adventures of Scrooge McDuck, the richest duck in the world, and his grandnephews: Huey, Dewey, and Louie. The supporting cast included characters like Scrooge’s pilot Launchpad McQuack (who later becomes a superhero sidekick in Darkwing Duck) and the inventor Gyro Gearloose. Even Donald Duck would make an occasional guest star appearance.

Every episode was different: time travel, mystery, or treasure hunting. Sometimes all in the same episode. The characters might squabble or let their own faults get them into trouble, but in the end, they pulled together. They would survive using their own wits. Couple that with smart scripts, superb animation and a catchy theme song, and you have a recipe for a classic cartoon.

#4: The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991)

It was inevitable that a cartoon based on the 1984 mega-hit Ghostbusters would manifest. Unlike most cartoons based on movies, this one was a direct sequel to the film (and arguably a better one than 1989’s Ghostbusters 2), showing the continuing adventures of the original ghost hunters. Produced by DiC Enterprises, it retained the humor and oddball horror of the film, often daring to explore concepts that might be considered taboo in children’s television (how many kids’ shows would dabble in Cthulhu mythos?)

What may surprise many is the sheer amount of talent in the show. J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, wrote many of its 147 episodes. The voice cast included Frank Welker as Slimer and Arsenio Hall as Winston. In an ironic twist, Lorenzo Music, who voiced Garfield the cat, played Peter Venkman, the character played by Bill Murray in the film. Years later, Murray voiced Garfield in two movies.

While ghosts like Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man returned, the series featured freaky and imaginative designs for its new creatures. Despite being a comedy, I’m sure these creatures were potent nightmare fuel for many ’80s kids. Regardless, this was what all movie tie-in shows should be.

#3: ThunderCats (1985-1989)

This was a show that sounds stupid on paper (super-powered cat people battling an evil super-mummy?!), but was awesome in execution. Indeed, it was one of the most unique cartoons of the ’80s or any other era. It followed the exploits of a group of humanoid cat people after they crash-land on a new planet to form a new empire, only to be accosted by the nefarious Mutants and the diabolical sorcerer Mumm-Ra.

While created by Tobin “Ted” Wolf and produced by Rankin/Bass (yes, the studio that made all those stop-motion Christmas specials), it was animated by a Japanese studio that went on to form Studio Ghibli. This gave the series a distinct look that was one part western animation and one part anime. The show also blended science fiction and fantasy, featuring magic, robots and spaceships, often in the same episodes. Couple that with an awesome soundtrack (including the most butt-kicking theme song ever), and in no time everyone was shouting, “ThunderCats, ho!”

#2: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1983-1986)
levitra prescription on line These sessions also increases independence amongst these children and he/she feels at power with all other kids. That is the reason; view here now buy cheap cialis Sildenafil citrate will act on the heart and opens the blood vessels. Additionally, its effect last for approximately 4-6 hours, which give plenty of time to a couple to have satisfying intercourse. discount viagra uk What viagra sans prescription is so special about this brand of Freeze Dried Acai also increases energy and is a Healthy diet, exercise along with a little of Mother Nature’s touch.

Hasbro’s G.I. Joe action figures had been around since the 1960s, but for most people it was this show that introduced them to the “real American hero.” This series produced by Sunbow and Marvel Entertainment took that one character and made him into an entire army of special ops soldiers. The concept is simple, as the theme song explains.

It was the penultimate boys’ show, what with being steeped in ’80s action movie tropes and full of corny one-liners. It was action-packed with plenty of explosions, but rarely did anyone ever get hurt—that was part of the show’s charm. Not to mention the villains, who seemed to overshadow the heroes. Everyone remembers the incompetent Cobra Commander, the metal-faced Destro, and Slavic-sounding Baroness. They were as much a threat to each other as they were to the Joes!

The show ended in 1986 after the release of G.I. Joe: The Movie, but a sequel series produced by DiC ran from 1989-1991. Unfortunately, while it arguably had the better theme song, the show itself couldn’t compete with the original. “Yo Joe!”

#1: Transformers (1984-1987)

Why is this show, another Hasbro toy-based series created by Sunbow, at the top of the list? Because it created the most successful franchise of any other ’80s cartoon.

First, it’s based on toys that embody the trifecta of everything boys love (cars, robots, and puzzles). Second, it created an expansive science fiction mythology for why the heroic Autobots and evil Decepticons are constantly warring against each other. Third, it has iconic characters on both sides, not the least of which being the Autobots’ leader, Optimus Prime. For many children of divorce in the ’80s, Prime was a surrogate father. Fourth, incredible voice actors, including Peter Cullen (Prime), Frank Welker (Megatron and others) and Chris Latta (Starscream). Fifth, it was a gutsy show. In the (in)famous Transformers: The Movie, the series revamped itself for its final two seasons, killing characters, introducing new ones, and opting for darker stories. While it would prove to be the show’s downfall, it was still a bold move.

Transformers spawned several sequel series both in Japan and the U.S., most notably The Headmasters and Beast Wars: Transformers, respectively. New series, toys, comics and blockbuster films set in new continuities have been produced constantly for 30 years. Despite all these revamps, the core concept remains the same: the eternal struggle between good and evil—except featuring giant robots.

Honorable Mentions:

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987-1996)

This show, based on one of the quirkiest comics ever, was undeniably the most popular cartoon in the late ’80s. It ran for 10 seasons, making it the longest-running animated series of all time until it was eclipsed by The Simpsons. That, however, is why it didn’t make the list: the majority of its episodes aired in the 1990s. It ended up being more indicative of that decade. Still, the Heroes in a half shell have their place in pop culture.

Defenders of the Earth (1986-1987)

Before Bruce Timm’s Justice League series, there was this show. Several lesser-known but iconic superheroes—Flash Gordon, the Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician—join forces to battle the machinations of Ming the Merciless. Their team included Mandrake’s assistant, Lothar, and the team members’ kids. What most people don’t know is comic book legend Stan Lee served as the show’s story editor and wrote the lyrics to its catchy theme song. It’s well-worth tracking down on DVD.

Did your favorite show make my list? Which shows do you think should be included?

Film/Television/Broadcast/Radio, Movies/TV

Your Move, Kinnaman!: A Review of RoboCop

February 18, 2014 Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand

Reboots and remakes are Hollywood’s bread and butter these days, and now a classic ‘80s sci-fi/action film has just been given a modern makeover; however, is the new RoboCop an upgrade or a pile of junk? That depends on what you’re looking for.

Detroit police officer Alex Murphy is killed in the line of duty, but is resurrected by a robotics corporation as a crime-fighting cyborg. Who is truly in control: him or his handlers?

I’m a fan of the original movie, though it’s been several years since I’ve watched it. The 1987 film starring Peter Weller is a quirky, violent, yet strangely cerebral action film. Twenty-seven years later, I think the movie holds up. It’s the classic tale of man versus machine, except this time it is a man who becomes a machine and then struggles to regain his humanity. Director Paul Verhoeven imbued the film with a satirical edge that took jabs at politics, media, and crony capitalism. It also almost seems prophetic in presenting Detroit as a dystopia.

In that regard, fans may be disappointed. The remake takes itself a bit more seriously and lacks Verhoeven’s trademark ultra-violence. The satire, while good, is less frequent and mostly limited to “The Novak Element,” a political talk show hosted by Pat Novak (Samuel L. Jackson) that interjects throughout the film. It’s also, for lack of a better term, more politically correct in its presentation of Detroit. Gone is the gentrified division between opulent New Detroit and crime-ridden Old Detroit. Here, it’s presented as a generic metropolis that needs help battling crime.

The remake excels with its relevance and supporting characters. The film’s idea of introducing crime-fighting machines onto American streets is tied to last year’s controversy surrounding the domestic use of drones on American citizens. In the film, OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellers (Michael Keaton) is frequently at odds with an aged U.S. senator over legislation banning the use of peacekeeping robots on domestic soil. This is ironic given that the machines are used overseas to frighten local populations into submission. By using the current political scene as a backdrop, the film presents its story as a terrifying possibility, which could actually happen given the advancements in robotics technology.
Special Needs children are those children who are viagra india prices http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/03/02/first-national-bank-of-williamson-agrees-to-forfeit-1-36-million/ born with or develop disabilities, whether physical, cognitive or psychiatric. Now you have Kamagra, it’s a cost effective medicine which is very effective medicine in enhancing erection in male. sildenafil generic india This remedy is often helpful to men who are troubled with their sexual life due cialis sale to erectile dysfunction. Q: Does Menopause also strike men? A: Menopause is a term that defines psychology of an individual. levitra properien
The supporting cast, as mentioned, is remarkable. Alex Murphy’s family plays a larger role in the new film: His wife approves the use of OminCorp’s technology to save her husband; during his recovery, Murphy speaks with his wife via a futuristic version of Skype; and he visits home once after he returns to Detroit. Giving Murphy’s family a larger role in the film helps to make the story more character-driven and emotionally gripping. Michael Keaton gives a good performance as the villain, playing him with a subtler touch of evil as opposed to the almost over-the-top bad guy of the original. Gary Oldman is by far the best, playing a well-meaning scientist who is slowly corrupted as he works on RoboCop. His character has the most depth and development, but that shouldn’t be a surprise coming from a veteran actor like him.

Where the film stumbles is with its presentation of RoboCop himself, played by Joel Kinnaman. Unlike in the original, Murphy still has his humanity after waking up from the surgery. Seeing the implants causes him to react in shock to what’s happened. This allows him to bond with his family and create more emotional links to his past. It also allows for the erosion of his humanity to be a gradual process. While Murphy adjusts to his new body—including an unnerving scene where a scientist reveals what little is left of his original body—and tries to reconnect with his family, OmniCorp is frustrated that he isn’t performing with robotic efficiency. They install a chip that creates the illusion of free will. Later, they drain his dopamine, making him placid. At this point, he becomes classic RoboCop. The problem is it only lasts for about 10-15 minutes. Peter Weller’s RoboCop spent most of the original film slowly fighting his programming until he regained his humanity. There was potential to make the contrast between Murphy and RoboCop more potent by allowing for more build-up, but it goes underdeveloped.

Though less violent and less frequent, the action scenes are exciting and well-done. While the original RoboCop was a walking tank, the new model is sleeker, faster, and more streamlined. He can run fast and leap over walls. The ED-209 returns for the climax, although this time RoboCop fights three or four of them instead of one. The film utilizes extensive CGI, though not overly so, but I still missed the quirky stop-motion animation from the original film (which may have been one of the last uses of that technique in a mainstream movie).

The new RoboCop succeeds at being a solid, yet different film from the 1987 classic. It proves once again that if your crime-fighting robot isn’t broke, don’t fix it, but at least the new model is a good one.

Final Grade: B

Geeklings, Movies/TV

No Sonic Screwdrivers Allowed?

December 3, 2013 Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand

Whovians around the world were buzzing about the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, “The Day of the Doctor.” The simulcast on November 23 was a huge success, then fans got a chance to re-watch it (or see it for the first time) in theaters on November 25, thanks to Fathom Events; it was even shown in 3-D.

Nerdy events like this are not complete without cosplay, a fact Fathom acknowledged on the event’s website with added restrictions:

“Doctor Who Fans: We want you to have a fun on 11/25 – but safety is paramount. Please note that attending the event in costume is fine; however, masks, elaborate or face-concealing make up, fake weapons, tools, accessories (like sonic screwdrivers), and other related memorabilia as well as any costumes that conceal what you are carrying, your natural body shape, or face are strictly prohibited.”

So, Daleks, Cybermen, and other aliens are not allowed. If you dressed as a Doctor who (no pun intended) carried a sonic screwdriver—which was all but four of them—you had to go without the most important tool; that’s like dressing as Captain Kirk without a communicator. A few people on Fathom’s Facebook page understood why sonic screwdrivers should be put away during the screening: it’s the same courtesy as shutting off a cell phone in a theater. However, several of the Doctors wear long coats (most notably David Tennant as the 10th Doctor), but cosplayers were kept from zipping it up because concealed their “natural body shape.”

Undoubtedly, it is the Aurora, Colorado, theater shooting last year that inspired these rules. Precautions are always warranted, but these rules are absolutely Draconian. The “no masks” rule at least seems reasonable, and perhaps even the clothing rule, but how could someone make a sonic screwdriver into a weapon?

What Fathom has forgotten is the shooter at Aurora wasn’t one of the moviegoers. He snuck in through the back door. That doesn’t mean a would-be assailant couldn’t be a moviegoer, though. Still, such drastic prohibitions seem extreme when such occurrences are rare. It’s yet another case of good people suffering because of the actions of a few evil idiots.

The biggest problem is where should people of authority draw the line? Say, God forbid, another shooting happens at an event like this, and it was perpetrated by someone in costume. Does that mean cosplay should be banned? For many fans, that’s half the fun. This becomes a catch-22 for theaters and studios: While they must be sensitive to safety, such strict regulations may make fans forego events like this, causing venues to lose money.

What do you think?

What is on line levitra find this? levitra is first sildenafil citrate medicine especially designed for men feel difficulty while achieving erections. This, in turn, might levitra samples check that storefront lead to the development of complications such as leg ulcers, varicose veins rupture with consecutive bleeding and thrombophlebitis. Others have exhausted potential means of treating the source of cialis tadalafil canada trouble expeditiously. free viagra canada The dosage is 100mg which are packed in sachets.

GIGA: Play

Game of the Year Editions: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

November 3, 2013 Nathan Joseph Sitton Marchand

Being that I love fighting games and comic books, I bought the deluxe edition of NetherRealm’s Injustice: Gods Among Us at a midnight release, complete with free DLC and a statue. I’ve also purchased most of the DLC that has been released. I even downloaded the mobile game in order to unlock some special content. Then a few weeks ago WB Games announced Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition, which will include all of the DLC that have been released and the original game for only $60. This, of course, annoyed me.

Honestly, this was something I hoped wouldn’t happen, which is ironic because I own several “game of the year” (GOTY) edition games, all of which I got at bargain prices. I was grateful for that since I’m not made of money. However, like when I bought Marvel vs. Capcom 3, I wish I had known this would happen, so I could decide if I’d rather spend more money upfront or wait and pay less later.

There are benefits to GOTY editions, both for developers and gamers. There are some annoying downsides to them, too. Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly:

The Good: For developers, this is great marketing. Some players may not have the awareness or ability to purchase DLC. Some may wait to see if the game is worth playing, and seeing that the game has won awards will tell them is worth purchasing. In some ways, it’s like the seemingly “old-fashioned” price drop that would happen with game titles six to twelve months after its release. This has been true of games like Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, and the Batman: Arkham titles.

Some games have issues with their net code or gameplay mechanics, which have to be fixed via updates. GOTY’s come with those patches.

The Bad: Unfortunately, some GOTY editions do not offer bonus content. They’re simply re-packaged versions of the original game with a reduced price. Then there are those oddities like Mortal Kombat (2011 version), which get later editions that aren’t labeled “game of the year.” They’re popular and may have won awards, but these new versions seem to be made strictly for marketing purposes.

One benefit of buying early is getting more practice on the online multiplayer. Players who wait might find themselves getting trounced or disrespected by “veteran” players who have had the game since day one. This steepens their learning curve a bit.

Another downside is it dramatically decreases the resale value of the original version. A game that once would have had a $30 trade-in value at GameStop will drop to a $10 trade-in value.

The Ugly: The catch-22, however, is these editions of games aren’t made unless the original does well. A game usually must win multiple awards from recognized publications or websites and sell well to warrant a GOTY. Hence why such versions aren’t announced until about six to eight weeks prior to release. By then, months have passed and most players have purchased all the DLC, in some cases, doubling the amount of money they have invested in the game.

Gamers must face a dilemma: pay more day one or spend less later. Strapped for cash? The answer is obvious, but for those who can afford games day one, what should they do? This anemic economy has made everyone more money-conscious. Some gamers feel cheated to have purchased a game and its DLC only to see it re-packaged with DLC at a lower price. It not only saved people money, but it also saved them hard drive space.

Conclusion: I’ve been on both sides of the issue. As I mentioned, I bought Injustice day one, but I bought GOTY editions of Mortal Kombat (the 2011 version) and the Arkham games; I even bought them when they were on sale for twenty dollars! For a penny-pincher like myself, it was great.

Ultimately, players must decide which option is best for them or the one they would prefer. That may be the best thing about the GOTY concept: it opens up more possibilities for gamers.

viagra online It is used to cure erectile dysfunction in male. It takes about 60 minutes Discover More cialis 10 mg for the blood to flow properly to the penis of the man. Take it after meals.* Avoid the temptation to check out what occurs in case anatomy or physiology becomes view that web-site cialis canada generic erroneous resulting in disease (pathology). Therefore to help the sufferer from the following issues, the capsules can be the cialis 100mg pills best remedy.