#Comic #Review: New-Gen Issue #2

#talknerdytomelover's @ashleighmayes @kryptodies

Look back and you'll see that I reviewed New-Gen Issue #1 not too long ago. Thanks to the awesome folks at A.P.N.G. interprises and Marvel, I've got the rest of the issues and I won't let you down, dear readers! Especially when it's a comic so intriguing! If you look back on the last issue, you'll see a battle of one brother versus another, a battle of "good" versus "evil", and one motivation against another. At the end of the issue, Deadalus and his army were clawing their way out of the earth and rocks to begin a world domination. I thought that Issue #1 was good, but Issue #2 totally blew me away! My only complaints with Issue #1 were 1. The plot seemed a little done and 2. there wasn't enough action. Both of those concerns were laid to rest with Issue #2!

In Issue #2, you see Deadalus' army come to the surface of Crete (to the misfortune of those living above!). Much to my viewing pleasure (not prevertedly, you weirdo!), Mini is sent to deal with the chaos and distruction that Deadalus' army leaves. Soon, it's obvious to Gabriel that Mini can't handle the battle alone. He sends a bot to help with the mess and the battle is moved to a cave. Just when he's got Deadalus in his beast-grip, Gabriel interferes with his plans to wipe the man off the face of the Earth. Instead, he choses to, yet again, trap Deadalus underground (REALLY?? Didn't you learn your lesson before??).

Throughout the entire comic, Perseus and his father are determined to make Perseus legendary. They find themselves in a nasty situation simply for the love of the story. In the end, Perseus is telling a "true account" of what has happened.

Enough on plot! You get to be in my head now! :)

Creativity of Writing: 5/5 Like I said before, this issue fixed all of my concerns with Issue #1. There's epic fighting that ties into the main plot and also there's the humorous sub-plot of Perseus and his father. Just when you think you've got it figured out, BAM! Gabriel doesn't let Mini kill Deadalus when he very easily has the chance. I guess if he were to kill him, Issues #3-#8 would be blank pages.... The only thing that really bothers me is the fact that he TRAPS HIM UNDERGROUND. Didn't he learn from his mistake before?? That's just asking for it again! 

Creativity of Art: 4.5/5 I was more impressed with this issue, I think! The art just seemed fitting of the story. It might be all of the action poses that I'm digging, but SOMETHING worked! It looks more detailed. I love the art for this issue! 

Overall Casual Read Rating: 4/5 More, more, more! This issue really sucked me in and satisfied the craving that I had for more action and more battle. Mini is just a BAMF and I LOVE watching him be a badass! There's never a boring moment! I'd love to take this series with me on the way to a convention. Let's face it. Airports just ain't cool. ;)

 Well...that's all for now! Until next time, my darlings! 

If you really miss me, find me on Twitter @ashleighmayes and @kryptodies Be my lover forever and hit up my website! www.kryptodies.com 

#Comic #Review: The Walking Dead Volume 2: Miles Behind Us

#talknerdytomelover's @ashleighmayes @kryptodies

HOOOOLYYYY crap, guys! If you thought the first Volume of "The Walking Dead" was intense, wait until you get the chance to crack open Volume TWO! I wasn't sure what direction it would head in, but I sure as heck didn't expect it to be THIS awesome! If you've been an AWESOME person and have been reading for a while, you'll remember that I reviewed Volume I: "Days Gone Bye". At the end of that Volume, Shane tries to kill Rick (because he wants Rick's wife...) only to be shot by Rick's son. The group is moving on and trying to find somewhere safe. That's where this Volume enters. Everyone is tired of being crammed into one RV. Naturally, tensions rise. Desperate for anything as a safe haven, Rick enters a gated community. After clearing out a few undead, the group determines that it is ok to stay the night. It's a mistake that one of them will have to pay dearly for...with their life. The snow melts and Rick sees a sign that says "All Dead Inside". As the hordes attack, Rick desperately pulls everyone into the RV. After a little while on the road, the group is hungry. Rick, Carl (his son), and a few men head out to hunt. Thinking that the group is a mob of flesh-eating monsters, a wandering survivor makes the mistake of shooting Rick's child son. The group takes Carl to a new home along the way and tensions soon rise over the ethics that accompany killing the undead. This causes the group to lose what seemed to be a permanent home. I'm trying to not give away too much, but the ending is the turning point. Rick's clan finds a prison and it seems to be the perfect place to hide away. There's fences, top-notch security measures, plenty of room, and the prospect of food.

Although I've said a lot, there's SO much more in the Volume that you should READ to find out (there's a surprise pregnancy!)!  On to the ratings! 


Of COURSE this book's going to get top-notch ratings! This girl's a sucker for the undead and the idea of a world with no rules and all survival!

Creativity of Writing: 5/5 Kirkman does an excellent job of developing the characters as the plot progresses. As a direct result of each incident, we can see how the characters react and grow. Emotions aren't often easy to depict in a two dimensional form, but "The Walking Dead" does an EXCELLENT job of showing the pain, agony, confusion, fear, and uncertainty that each person faces through loss and suffering. For someone to put their mind into the mindset of all of this ACTUALLY happening and to do it so accurately is AMAZING to me. There's nothing unchanging about this series. The story is weaved so delicately that it seems like a movie playing in the reader's mind. You get sucked in and YOUR emotions get caught up in the mess.

Creativity of Art: 4/5 The art is pretty good. I would love to see it in color, but hey...the story is far enough to catch my attention. The details are good and the people's expressions are accurately portrayed to match their feelings. The scenery is beautifully done and overall, the comic is a very easy one to look at.

Overall Casual Read Rating: 5/5 I'm in love with this series! It always sucks me in and won't let go. It takes you to a different world and different time. It captures your imagination and entertains your mind. It's what all comics should aspire to be.

Note to the Creator(s): Rock freaking on! I would marry you if I could. It's still my dream to meet you guys! I'm such a huge fan and want to THANK YOU for giving us such an amazing work of genius! 

Thanks for reading, Nerdlings! Check out my website for crazy often updates: www.kryptodies.com! Follow me on Twitter @ashleighmayes and @kryptodies! And also, PLEASE drop @RobertKirkman a line telling him how awesome I am and how he should totally do a Skype or in-person interview with me! I'd Nerdgasm  EVERYWHERE! 

@tobyturner will make you #laugh your @$$ off!

#talknerdytomelover's @ashleighmayes @kryptodies

Ever see commercials or trailers and think "WHOA! That's EPIC?"? Yeah...me too. But what if someone

DIDN'T see it that way? What if someone saw everything exactly as it is? This past weekend, I was introduced to "Literal Trailers". I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long, LONG time. It takes everything that I'm interested in already (mostly video games) and puts a new spin on it. The first one that I saw was the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood trailer. After that, I was hooked. What gets me about these videos is the fact that the songs feel like my thoughts when I was a kid...it's...very LITERAL. In the Cataclysm trailer, the very beginning is the Blizzard logo. What does Toby interpret that as in song? "Blizzard has a solid gold logo cause they're loaded". HAHAHAAHAHA.

I don't want to say too much. You just can't read about this. You have to EXPERIENCE it.

If you want to follow him on Twitter, he's @tobyturner. His website and Youtube Channel are legit. Hit 'em up!

By the way, Toby. If I'm ever in the area, I wanna pick your brain! ;)

Remember to show my website some love, guys! I'm updating (mostly) daily!

www.kryptodies.com

@AsheighMayes Not #Dating For a Year?

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @ashleighmayes

Guys...I'm in trouble. Big trouble. Like...realizing that it wasn't such a good idea to pick up the baby Kangaroo, having it scream, and then having the big ass male Kangaroo chase you down because you messed with its baby (Yeah...true story. Kangaroos are effing FAST!). A month or so ago I posted about how my breakup with boyfriend of over a year was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me. Little did I know, I was wrong. Turns out, it's been the BEST thing that could have happened to me. One night I just decided to be happy. It was as simple as that. Things weren't going to change and my ex already found a new girl. Plus...I didn't want to go back to the relationship because I knew it'd just bring more heartache. Since then, I've been socializing like a mofo, working on my art like there's no tomorrow, and just enjoying every little aspect of my life. Maybe that's why I'm in the boat I'm in now...

A few weeks ago, I told myself I wouldn't date for a year. I'm still single, but I'm not sure how long that's going to last. I'm so facinated by all the guys around me. I want to know more. I'm thirsting to get to know them...they make socializing fun. Part of my socializing has involved talking to a LOT of males. I've just always been that way. Guys are just into the same things that I am and not many girls are. I've grown up seeing how mean and nasty girls can be to each other. Don't get me wrong...guys aren't perfect either, but they don't hold a grudge about a stolen glittery pen five years later...

I've been talking to guys and hanging out and I admit, I've got my eye on a few. That sounds really, really, bad...but I promise, it's not my intention to be a whore or anything. I've been just talking and hanging out. It's not something that I'm extremely proud of, but it's not something I feel bad about either. It just is what it is. See...I don't want to get attached to anyone in Arkansas. I want to finish out school here and put my ass on a plane to New York City. I'm planning on going to grad school at NYU for Art Therapy. Every. Single. Day. I think about New York City. Everything I do is driven by the fact that my heart is still there.

At this point, I feel like a relationship would mean giving up my dreams. Call me selfish, but I know what I want and I WILL get it.

So...back to my mess. I feel like I've got too many guys falling for me too quickly. Let's break things down. 

Guy #1: I really, really, really liked this guy. I've been best friends with him for a while, but that didn't mean anything, apparently. He hung out with me one night...we played video games. In the end, we ended up making out. He suddenly has to leave and I'm really confused and upset. Guess what? Dream guy has a girlfriend and I'm CRUSHED. If anyone knows how much pain I'm in...it's him. What does he do? Show me a COMPLETELY different side of him that I didn't know existed. Me and his girlfriend just happen to be close friends. What do we do? We set him up. In the end, she had his phone, put me on speaker, and MADE him tell the truth to BOTH of us. Bad thing was...I was still stuck on him and willing to give him another chance. He just wanted to use me and I wasn't having that. I miss him....like...really bad. But what can you do?

Guy #2: SOOO amazing!! He's GORGEOUS and totally into EVERYTHING I am. One thing, though...he's like...seven hours away. We get along so well and he's incredibly sweet. I know we'd be perfect together. He says he doesn't want a long-distance thing again and I don't blame him one bit. At first, I was the one who wanted it and he didn't...but now I'm feeling like he's falling more and more and I'm getting more hesitant because I'm falling more and more. I actually thought about changing my plans for this guy. He's crazy about me and it makes me feel AMAZING. I'm actually pretty crazy about him, too. He can make my day better in an instant and I can't imagine not talking to him.

Guy #3: I crushed HARD on this guy a few years ago in Photography I class. I was always with somebody, so I never had the chance to explore it. Now, years later, we've started talking again. He's really sweet and extremely funny. I'm facinated by his knowledge of the theater and lighting and stagecraft. It's mindblowing. As an artist, I guess I can appreciate anything that a LOT of work is put into for the enjoyment of an audience. But he's so dedicated! He's got big goals....and he graduates next semester. I still have at least two semesters left...  And then it's NYU. He's interested in Yale for grad school and I honestly believe he'll get there. I've been staying with him for the past couple of nights. The more that I talk to him...the more facinated I am. The more he tells me...the more I want to know.

Guy #4: Ohhhh Guy #4. We go way back, don't we? Guy #4 just came back into my life yesterday. There I was...sick in bed with the flu when I get a text from an odd number. I dated Guy #4 for more than three years but less than four. I literally grew up with him. I dated him through all of high school and my first year of college (I graduated high school a year early). Everyone just knew he and I would be married. In fact, we were engaged. Everything was PERFECT in our relationship except one thing...he had some habits I just couldn't accept at the time. I had a lot of hang-ups that I just didn't know how to get over. Since then, I've lived a little and I've realized that they weren't all that uncommon. I've also realized that maybe I was a little harsh and quick to judge. He seems to have made a change, but I'm not sure. He wants to meet up with me sometime.

Guy #5: He's really sweet and fun to hang out with. He was my first real date. He texts me every day, but somehow, I'm feeling a little smothered. We were set up by family and friends and went on a date. It went well enough, but he's really shy and I am somewhat. I don't feel like we had enough in common, but I think he's a rare breed. He wasn't pushy or perverted and was very genuine. Back to the smothered thing....every Facebook status has been about me....and he sends me mushy texts all the time. We went on one date for a few hours. I don't feel like I really know him. At the same time, though, I don't want to hurt him. It's stressful....

I feel like there's TOO MANY GUYS!!! Haha. I'll tell you one thing, though...it sure has helped my confidence. I didn't think that anyone would be interested in me...now I'm having to think of the top five. Any advice, anyone?

By the way, the picture above? It's a line from a song by one of my FAVORITE boys EVER. I <3 You, Christofer Drew Ingle! If you were around, there would BE NO list! *sigh*

#Comic #Review! "Beasts of Burden/Hellboy" One-Shot!

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @ashleighmayes @kryptodies

The issue opens with Hellboy defeating an evil...thing. After his work is done and the children are safe, he turns to notice a dog tugging on the back of his jacket. He follows the fleeing dog into the forrest where he encounters the pack we've all come to know and love- the dogs (and cats!) of Burden Hill! The animals are troubled by three feline bodies that seem to have been sacrificed. Snooping around, of course they find trouble. They wander into what seems to be a train segment. After worming their way into the depth of it, the gang encounters skull golems that steal Whitey away. Not to fear, dear readers! It's not the end of adorable little Whitey. Like true dogs/friends, the gang is loyal and doesn't give up until they find the stolen pup. Unfortunately, a witch plans to use Whitey's blood as part of a sacrifice/ritual to bring back the "stupid zombie-warlock guy" that they'd killed twice already. Before murder can be committed (she does get some of Whitey's blood though...), Hellboy murders the witch. As a result, billions and billions of rats flood the group. Luckily, Hellboy is freaking bad@$$ and blasts them all to smithereens. They escape, but it's not the end of their problems. "stupid zombie-warlock guy" is back and HUGE. Hellboy, once again, takes care of the problem. Why was the reanimated villain so weak? Because Pugs peed on the skull that the witch was using as part of the sacrifice! What's a dog to do when a stationary skull is mouthing off?? Yup! Show 'im who's boss!

Let me get on to the ratings before I write away all I've got planned!

Creativity of Writing: 5/5 This One-Shot really hit a home-run! As far as comedy, it had TONS of it! From Pugs peeing on the ritual skull to Whitey showing Hellboy the hair that he burned off of his butt...it's HILARIOUS! As always, the writing didn't come close to disappointing! There was TONS of action, a plethora of paranormal activity, and a few heart-tugging/suspenseful moments. Extremely well written in that the dialogue is easy to follow and the action is, too. I LOVE the development of Pugs, especially. He's gone from being a whiney, shy little guy to a beast that steals spell books from evil witches/warlocks/demonic forces and pees on ritual/possessed items...that talk! Crazy! I'm so happy to see that the characters aren't static. That really is a selling point for me. If the characters don't seem to grow and mature, then what's the point? They're BORING! The animals DEFINITELY aren't boring! I was happy to see that, for the most part, Hellboy was exactly the same as I remember. Evan Dorkin, you are amazing!

     
    

Creativity of Art: 5/5 Anyone who reads this website or knows me even a little knows that I LOVE Madam Jill Thompson. She's not only one of my two favorite comic artists (the other being Skottie Young!) ever, she's one of my favorite artists ever. Period. Her watercolor style is extremely tight and her details are impressive. When I see most watercolor, it's done in blotches. Not Ms. Jill's! Her backgrounds are stunning, too. Whether it's a landscape or a dreary underground dungeon, she's got it covered EXCELLENTLY. My favorite panel is when Pugs is explaining how the ritual blood became tainted. The animals are in COMPLETE disbelief and the expressions on their faces are PRICELESS!

Overall Casual Read Rating: 5/5 You've done it once again, guys! An awesome comic that never disappoints! This one-shot was so full of action that you've never got time to be bored and you're always on the edge of your seat!

Note to the Creator(s): Jill Thompson, Evan Dorkin, and Mike Mignola...you are an amazing team. I would LOVE to see more Hellboy/Beasts of Burden. In fact, get started on a nice, hardcover volume. :)

Read more awesome comic reviews at: www.kryptodies.com

Until next time, Nerdlings!

XOXO Ashleigh