Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 8

The thrilling finale, in which we fight a robotic Statue of Tyranny AND the mutated Super Shredder! And as an extra added bonus, we replay the first level with a super secret character you don't unlock until you beat the game once!

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 7

In which we continue on into Dimension X and a not-so-final confrontation with Krang and the Shredder!

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 6

Did you like our trip through the ruins of the Technodrome last time? I hope so... because we're about to replay that level twice trying to get the achievements we missed out on the first time!

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 5

In which we take on the factory making all the Mousers, before taking a jump into Dimension X and the ruins of the Technodrome!

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 4

In which we take the fight with the Foot Clan to Coney Island , continuing to let April vent some long restrained frustration on the idiots who have been taking her hostage for all these years.

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 3

Damsel in distress? Ha!

The shoe is on the other foot in this chapter, as we tackle Level 6 as April O'Neil and then slip on the robe of Master Splinter for Level 7. We then give April a chance to take to the air on a flying skateboard for Level 8.

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 2

In which we show off how to play as Donatello and Raphael, as we chase Bebop and Rocksteady only for the two to get captured by a different gang of disagreeable mutants right before the inevitable sewer level. (Yes, I know the turtles live in a sewer, but even then all video games have to have at least one sewer level!)

Starman Plays TMNT: Shredder's Revenge - Part 1

In which we hit the mean streets of New York City (and hundreds of Foot Clan robots) as we play through the first two levels as Leonardo and Michelangelo.

A-Kon 25 Cosplay Pictures - Part Three

Two characters from Monster High.


The Geeky Seamstress as Bombshell Wonder Woman


Caitlin Glass as Black Canary.


Daenerys Targaryen.


Mia Moore as Taiga from Toradora!


The Shredder and April O'Neil from the classic TMNT cartoon.


Rude & Esper Terra from Final Fantasy 7 & Final Fantasy 6 respectively.


Deathstroke vs. Two Green Arrows.  This is unfair to someone, but I'm not sure who...


Oracle a.k.a. Barbara Gordon


Bombshell Batgirl


Black Canary


An unnamed original character.  Nice outfit, isn't it?


Daria and Jane, looking less than excited about being here.


Suzeaux Ryette of Airship Isabella.


She Hulk

All-Con 2013: Day Two - Part Three

The early evening allowed me a chance to meet up with some more old friends before my final panel of the day - Start of Darkness: The Bronze Age of Comics.  I had a decent enough turnout considering I was competing with the costume contest.  After that, my evening was spent taking a few more pictures while I waited for the annual All-Con Burlesque Show before Amber Does Dallas presented the annual Repo The Genetic Opera performance.

This is my friend Yvonna - proprietor of the Charisma +2 modeling firm and editor of Charisma + 2 Magazine.  She's cosplaying Black Cat and was a good sport when my sleep-deprived brain committed the faux pas of addressing her as Catwoman.  

This is Perky - one of Charisma +2's newest models.  She's cosplaying the Vocaloid Hatsune Miku.

Here's another familiar face - CAJ Cosplay (who you might remember as both The Dark Phoenix and Madelyne Pryor from Dallas Sci-Fi Expo 2013) as The Scarlet Witch.

The Riddler & Stephanie Brown Batgirl.

Catman from Secret Six.

The Shredder from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Amy Pond from Doctor Who.

I think this couple was on the way to the All-Con formal prom.  

Well, I suppose Ms. Frost's outfit is formal by the standards of the Hellfire Club.  

The sleep deprivation was really taking it's toll at this point in the evening, as I was waiting in line for the Burlesque show.  I completely failed to recognize this fine lady - The Time Lady Romanadvoratrelundar.  Or is that Fred?  No, it's definitely Romana.  Not Romana Flowers.  Or Ramona Quimby.  Just Romana.

This was my first time attending All-Con's Burlesque Show, organized this year by La Divina Burlesque.  In previous years it either sold out before I could get tickets or it was scheduled at the same time as another event I was involved in.  But this year, I made it a point to attend because a friend of was performing - the lovely Amber DeVille.  Sadly, it was at this point in the evening.  I discovered that the Night Photography mode on my camera was not reliable without a flash.  So I only have this one rather blurry picture of Amber's routine, dressed as Babydoll from Suckerpunch and nothing of her Catwoman routine. 

This is Bazuka Joe - the sole Boylesque performer of the evening.  You have to admire anyone who has the courage to perform in this kind of production but as a comedian I have to tip my hat to this guy for his obvious sense of comedy as a performer.  It takes a certain kind of humor to dress like Lion-O from Thundercats and strip down to the Stray Cat Strut.  To say nothing of his final routine of the night, where he performed as Speed Racer to Greased Lighting from the musical Grease.

Diamond Jim himself snapped this picture of me with performer Ruby Joule, who performed a spectacular routine as Jessica Rabbit.  She usually performs down in Austin with her troupe, The Jigglewatts.  Methinks I'll have to make a field trip to Austin one of these weekends to see them.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, vol. 1-3 - A No Flying, No Tights Review

SOURCE: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, vol. 1-3




Is there any franchise that has undergone so many adaptations in so short a time as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? If there is, I am hard pressed to think of it.

First published in 1984 as an outrageous parody of the grim-and-gritty works of Dave Sim and Frank Miller, creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird were quick to expand their general concept for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (hereafter referred to as TMNT) into a series of equally outrageous action figures. This, in turn, led to a number of live-action films, cartoons, video games, and television programs. All of these varying incarnations had their own separate continuities and not all of them were entirely kid-friendly.

This led to a lot of confusion as parents struggled to figure out what TMNT swag was meant for their kids and fans struggled to figure out which stories fit whatever they considered to be “the real Turtles”. Is April O’Neil a reporter in this one? Is Baxter Stockman a white guy who becomes a mutant fly-man or an African-American mad scientist? Was Splinter a pet rat who learned martial arts by watching his owner before evolving into a rat-man or was he a human martial artist who mutated into a half-man/half-rat being?

Thankfully, the new TMNT series by IDW Publishing offers Turtle fans of all stripes a fresh start. Drawing evenly from a variety of prior adaptations, this series offers up plenty of surprises for even the long-time TMNT fans. Additionally, it provides a much-needed jumping-on point for newbies.

The series’ first volume, appropriately subtitled Change Is Constant, quickly establishes all of the series regular characters and the status quo of this reality. Most of the action centers upon the search for Raphael, who was separated from his brothers at the moment of their mutation. We learn the origins of The Turtles and their mentor Splinter as test animals in the labs owned by mad-scientist Baxter Stockman and learn how they were given their Renaissance-themed named by April O’Neil – an arts student working at the lab as an assistant. We also meet Casey Jones, a college athlete turned hockey-mask wearing vigilante whom the lonely Raphael befriends.

Enemies Old, Enemies New – the series’ second volume – opens with our favorite reptile ronin being rewarded with bandanas in their respective favorite colors. We learn of Splinter’s belief that he and The Turtles are the reincarnations of a long-dead ninja clan leader and his four young sons. While the science-minded Donatello is reluctant to accept this, the brothers cannot deny that the mysterious ninja they find stalking the rooftops of New York do seem to resemble the assassins in their master’s stories. And as the Turtles investigate this new menace, the twisted Baxter Stockman unleashes a new breed of remote-controlled robots to hunt down his escaped test subjects.

The third volume – Shadows of the Past – focuses upon the abduction of Splinter and the conflict between two warring factions. On one side stands Stockman and the minions of his benefactor, General Krang. On the other side stands the legendary criminal syndicate known as The Foot Clan and their leader, The Shredder. In order to save their mentor, The Turtles and their friends must walk a twisted trail and face numerous perils before saving the day.

This series benefits from some excellent scripting. Written by Tom Waltz, who also co-plotted these volumes with TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman, the scripts are well paced and full of an even mix of action, humor and drama. The Turtles are each well-defined characters, largely resembling their incarnations from the original animated series though some of the conflict from the original comics is added in. Donatello and Leonardo, for instance, butt heads constantly as to who is better fit to lead the team.

Dan Duncan’s artwork builds upon Kevin Eastman’s layouts, creating something that looks somewhat like the original comic series but not quite so roughly-hewn. Duncan excels as a visual storyteller and the action is well-paced and well-illustrated throughout. Those who dislike books with a sketchy appearance and limited inks will probably not enjoy Duncan’s art but I feel it captures the essence of the TMNT universe perfectly. Duncan also sneaks in several visual gags, such as a brief flashback where April is seen wearing the infamous yellow jumpsuit.

Ultimately, IDW’s TMNT succeeds as both an introduction to and revitalization of one of the most unusual ideas in comics history and as a bit of nostalgia for those of us who grew up with the original comics and cartoons. I’d rate it as a must-read series, suitable for teenagers – mutant or otherwise.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, vol. 1-3
by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
Art by Kevin Eastman, Dan Duncan
Volume 1: Change is Constant, ISBN: 9781613771396
Volume 2: Enemies Old, Enemies New, ISBN: 9781613772881
Volume 3: Shadows of the Past, ISBN: 9781613774052
IDW, 2012

Dallas Fan Days - Day Three - Part Three

I call this set of pictures, Old Friends & New.

 Taffeta Darling (Two Face above) and some friends formed a group of cross-played Batman villains. 

 Jeremy and I met the day before in the line for Felicia Day autographs.  Then, he was dressed as Buddy Christ from Dogma.  Today, he was Casey Jones from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  He took most of the pictures you see below that I am in.

 I ran into Krystal here when Jeremy spotted her from afar in the middle of a crowd.  Naturally, we had to pose a bit together for the teaming masses.  Turned out we had some mutual friends in the local costuming community yet somehow didn't know each other.  Small world, eh?.

"Look, Ollie!  I'm just like you now!"

 Artemis: Do you want the mustache on or off?

Green Arrow: Uh.. off, please.
Artemis: Too bad!

 Me and Alan Tudyk, who voices Green Arrow on Young Justice.

  I kept my promise to Felicia Day and let her see both costumes.  She still preferred Hobo Ollie Queen.