Starbolts Year in Review 2016

 Hail!

Happy New Year, everyone! Soon this year will be over and another one begins. We all have hopes and fears about the new year. What will happen? I don't know. One thing is certain. I'll be posting comics and doing videos as always. I have a feeling we're going to need all the distractions we can get. So, what do you say we go into the new year with our heads held high and get ready to seize it. What have we got to lose?

I had a good time going back and recapping the storylines of the past year. Sure there was just two, But, it was fun going back and seeing Kyodon rampaging through the city and me spotlighting on Crystal. Next year another character is most likely going to get a spotlight. Not sure who, yet. It won't be a love story or anything like that. No, no. Still....one of the characters in the last panel is gonna be the focus soon.

Right now, though. We need to wrap up Crystal and Dennis's story arc. That will take a while. A lot of things are happening for the 'Bolts and more are coming in the new year!

Aside from comic stuff, I'll be doing videos. This January I'll have my Nova #1 review. I'll also have another review with the ever awesome Harmonica Jay. And of course there'll be cameos. Lots and lots of cameos. I also hope to have my fiftieth episode up in the new year. I have no idea what I will cover. That should be fun!

Well, there is a lot of  things to look forward to in 2017 aside from my stuff. We got a Spidey movie on the horizon, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars (RIP Carrie Fisher.) and more! Sounds exciting, no? I'll leave you all with this message.

The new year may seem dark but it's up to us to find the light.

Starbolts #333: 'Tis the Season

Hail and Happy Holidays!

This year's Christmas comic was fun to do. I wanted to spin off of last week's big reveal of Cobra heading the DMA and have Crystal go solo for a bit. She taught some punks a lesson and learned a thing or two about Christmas.I also wanted to include why she was angry at the criminals so that's why the flashback is there. She never really had much growing up because her parents were seriously abusive. They just didn't care for Dennis or Crystal much.

And poor Dennis. We see him here before his transformation. That has got to be a bit of a feels trip, too. Poor guy. I've tortured him a lot in this storyline and what's coming up is going to be even more harrowing for the big guy. But, that's all in the future. Today, we got a holiday comic I hope makes you smile. Baddies got beaten up. Heroes do their thing. All in all, a good night for our heroes.

Now we go onto the future and what will that bring? Well, who can say. Just know that whatever happens it's up to us to change the world for the better. Take care and I'll see you back here next week!

Starbolts #332: Calming the Titan

Hail!

Hmm. It looks like the Starbolts are in big trouble with the Department of Metahuman Affairs. It doesn't help that Cobra of Soldier Six/the Legion is the head. Now that he's out in the open, it's going to be hard to get him out. What are they going to do? Will they have to operate outside the law to save the day? Looks that way. It's going to be rough for our heroes. Very rough indeed.

Next week, we're going to take a break from the action with a holiday comic starring Crystal and Marcus. The impact of this comic will be felt for Crystal as you can see in one of the panels. I don't think she's going to be taking it laying down. Do you? Nope. No way. She's going to take action and so will Marcus.

Poor Dennis, though. I feel bad about torturing him during this storyline. Wow. Anyway, I will see you all back here next week for the Christmas comic! See ya then!

Starbolts #331: The Witch's Familiar

Hail!

I hate being sick. I'm just going to get that out there. Ever since Thanksgiving, I was feeling really bad. I couldn't sit up for a long time to work on a comic. That's why the comics were delayed for so long.  I intended for this one to go up last Saturday. This Saturday we'd have the rampage Dennis caused. We'll be getting that next week and then a Christmas comic. I'm feeling a LOT better now thanks in part to chicken soup and some good old fashioned Nyquil. Whatever I was hit with is gone and I feel worlds better now. It may have been a mild flu as I am over colds quickly. Who knows? The point is I feel better and it's back to work. I think the next time I travel I'll be wearing an environmental suit. =)

Back to the business at hand. This week we have Zarantha taking over Princess's body and manipulating Dennis into doing some bad stuff. And it looks like every person he sees looks like the Arronfelds. This is not gonna end well. Nope. No, it isn't. Next week we're gonna see some action. It's gonna be tense. And the 'Bolts are gonna be in deep trouble. Of course, it isn't really their fault. It's just that Dennis is kinda off the deep end.

Anyway, I'm back in black and feeling pretty good. Sorry for the delay, everyone! See ya next time!

Oh! I saw the Spider-Man: Homecoming trailer and loved every second of it! Can't wait for that movie!

Starbolts #330: That Old Black Magic

Hail!

That old black magic casts a spell on you! This week we delve a little into the backstory of Agent Smith aka Safeguard. Agent Smith, for those of you who are wondering, is not his real name. His real name will be given soon enough. Still, you have to wonder what he does as "Safeguard". That will be revealed in time, too. We only know that he's a former CIA agent who is a bit of a superhero fan. Kind of like Phil Coulson from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in a way. He's been watching the Starbolts from afar since this comic began in 2008.

I wanted him to have a connection going as far back as the first major storyline I had in this comic. I also took the opportunity to update Demonstorm, Medea and Angela with the sprites I use now when I showed the old storyline.

Fast forward to the end, it looks like Zarantha is planning something with Dennis. That can't be good. That REALLY can't be good. Want to find out what happens? Come back after the Thanksgiving break and find out! Things are going to get crazy around here!

Starbolts #329: Titanic Rage

Hail!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Takashi and Kaori have their hands full with Dennis. Looks like his rage is about to reach a fever pitch. Garazo had to be the one to talk him down. But, is what he said enough? Eh, probably not. I'm thinking he'll REALLY get angry when he goes to Kentucky with the others. Good thing a veritable army is going because they're gonna need to keep a watch on him AND Crystal. Crystal, they can deal with. I'm not sure they're gonna be able to handle Dennis's rage. Especially since something big is coming for him on the horizon. The truth about his origin will be revealed and you can bet he won't be happy with the results.

I also took this time to focus on Takashi and Kaori a little. They're secondary characters, yes. But, they deserve a spotlight every now and then. The next storyline will have more about those two. They have an interesting backstory that ties them to some Japanese legends.  It's pretty cool.

Next week we'll be back with Crystal, Marcus and the mysterious Agent Smith. So, stay tuned for that! See ya then!

Starbolts #328: A Nightmare on Birch Street

BOO!

Happy Halloween, everyone! Yes, I know it's the 29th. Oh, well. Well, here is this year's Halloween comic as promised!  Looking back at it, I gotta ask myself where I come up with things like this. I never really liked horror movies growing up. I guess I just wanted to create a nightmare where Crystal's parents who are monsters in their own way into actual monsters. This got a little creepy. Especially since the parents killed the Whitefoxes. AND then I have dead Andrea and Stan say "We won't accept you." Jesus.....That's messed up. Even for me.

At least we sort of have a happy ending. Crystal climbs into Marcus's bed. I was going to have an aerial shot of them in bed but it just didn't look right.

Poor Crystal, though. Monstrous versions of her parents plague her and it's no thanks to Zarantha. Will her plan work? Time will tell. Crystal doesn't seem unhinged at the moment. Just wigged out. Here's hoping she gets enough resolve when she meets her real parents soon.

This nightmare is in continuity with the current story. So, chances are it's gonna bug her for a while. Poor Crystal. Why must I torture my characters so?

Because without drama stories would be boring. See ya next time!

Starbolts #327: Race to the White House

Hail!

This week's comic was a lot of fun to do. First off, I had to try and duplicate the White House's Rose Garden. Not easy since all of the images I found had it at strange angles. I did the best I could and I think it turned out great. Secondly, it looks like the Starbolts and Agents of S.T.A.R. have severed ties with the DMA. At least for now. They're gonna go after the DMA next since it has been compromised and who knows what will happen next.

We'll have to wait and see what the repercussions are since we have that Halloween comic coming up next week. That will be a lot of fun. Like last year's Halloween comic, it will tie into the current storyline.

As far as this week's comic goes, we have Nautilus once again losing to the Aquans he claims to hate. I'm thinking he should lose to Shrall some day. Just so all three Aquan Starbolts can have a crack at him. Poor guys doesn't know what he got himself into. We also learn a bit about Princess. Yes, she is a snob alright. Eh, not much can be done about that.

Anyway, stay tuned for the special Halloween comic! Should be good. AND SCARY!

Starbolts #326: Secret Meetings

Hail!

That nameless aide never saw it coming did he? Now he's swimmin' with the fishes. This is why it's important to knock when you see a closed door. You never know who might be having a meeting with his minions. Oh, well.  Chances are Nautilus killed him right in the office BEFORE dumping the body and meeting Mateo and Aquita in the park.

I picked Mateo and Aquita for the DC mission as we haven't seen Mateo much.  Plus, Mateo is Marcus's best friend so I figured he should be on hand to help his buddy and his new girlfriend out.

In other news, I have several comics ready to go. Here are the "solits" as it were:

Starbolts #327: Race to the White House:

Can the Starbolts reach the White House before the Legion does?

Starbolts #328:

Special Halloween comic! Like last year, this one ties into the current storyline!

The next few comics are going to be action packed! What does Legion's new status mean for our heroes? Stay tuned!

Starbolts #325: America's Most Wanted

Hail!

It's just Marcus and Crystal's luck that their first date had to end so quickly.  Had it continued, who knows what would have happened. Well, I do. In another draft of the comic, I had Crystal explain how she was unsure about a relationship. Marcus would have said that was her mom talking. It's very CW as Smith here put it. I wasn't sure how to end it from that front. So, I decided to mix it up and give us this comic. She will be talking to Marcus about those feelings the next comic, I'm sure. Plans are in place for that one.

Crystal's still unsure given her past and everything. She may be flirtatious on outside. But, she's still scared on the inside. Her real parents messed her up pretty bad. Someone'll have to put her back together again. And that someone is wearing a Red Sox cap, blue shirt and black pants.  I tried to make the cap like a Red Sox cap. I think I did okay.

Then there's Agent Smith. What can I say? Is he on the up and up? Yeah, he is. I didn't want to make him a baddie. No one wants to have that trope. We will be finding out more about him soon. I like to think of Smith as the "Agent Coulson" of the Starbolts universe. He'll be really excited to see the two once they get back. He's just all business in the field.

I'm not sure where Crystal got those glasses from. I wonder if the shuttle had a glove compartment. It could be possible. You never know. Anyway, we'll be learning more about Smith next week and possibly what the others have been up to. They're investigating the new head of the DMA and I don't think they're gonna like what they find. Especially Jack.

See you next time!

Comic Showcase #45: Iron Man Spotlight

Starbolts #324: Live Free or Die

Hail!

Before I get to this week's comic, I wanted to apologize for not having a video up. I ran into some technical issues. They should be resolved now and I should get a video up sooner or later. What happened was my scanner decided to have a mini meltdown. I have a wireless scanner that beams stuff to my computer. Last month, it didn't work right and the last time I used it was for the Captain America review I did. So, I had no idea what happened. We did manage to get it fixed and I was able to scan Tales of Suspense #39. I have it in a trade and it was for the Iron Man spotlight. The spotlight is still coming soon. Don't worry! Just gonna take some time.

Luckily, I had this and the following comic all scripted. Now, what do we have here? Crystal and Marcus seem to be getting a little cozy. The relationship is still on trial status. I'm thinking about where it could go.  Next comic, we're going to see more of their dynamic. We also will have whatever Mr. Johnson's planning. It isn't anything nefarious. Marcus knows about "Operation: Safeguard". But, he doesn't know the guy they'll be meeting soon. Very soon.

In the mean time, it looks like our heroes are going to be on the run for a while. You can bet the Starbolts will make sure it doesn't last long. But, what of Dennis? Oh, I have plans for him. Big plans! Stay tuned!

Starbolts #323: Dangerous Liaisons

 

Hail!

This week has Marcus and Crystal go on the run! Where are they going to go? Well, they can't go to Aquarius on one engine as planned. It would take too long to travel the thirty some light-years to Aquarius.  So, Earth seems to be the best bet. Where could they go? Everyone on Earth'll be looking for them. And if the Manhunters are any indication, they'd be out for blood. Yeah, I decided to give the purple armored guys the name of "Manhunters". It's a sort of reference to Marvel's Mandroids who helped guard several prisons in the Marvel Universe.

At least she's not in trouble with the Agents. She's just in trouble with the now corrupt DMA. The 'Bolts will find out who is in charge soon! And after next week we will find out where our friends are going. Next week is gonna be a video! It will be another character spotlight. I'm not sure who just yet. But, rest assured it will be awesome. Then we'll be back with the 'Bolts for more exciting fun!

I do have a question, though. What do you all think of the Marcus/Crystal relationship? Been testing the waters here and I am curious as to what you think. I have two main ones and the third has kinda fallen to the wayside. I was just curious because next comic may see some changes happen. We shall see. In the mean time, enjoy the comic! See you next time!

Starbolts #322: Strike of the Cobra

Hail!

Drama happening on two fronts this week! First we have a mysterious man visiting H.P. Gladstone, the former head of the Department of Metahuman Affairs. Who is he? Readers will know. He showed up at the end of the last comic. Now that he is back and has inserted himself into the department, who know what he will do next. MWAHAHA! Whatever it is, the 'Bolts are not going to be happy with this turn of events.

They have their own issues to deal with now that we finally know what Umbra's been up to. He's been trying to dig up dirt on the team! That is not going to sit well with anyone. Least of all Crystal. Poor lady. She ruined a perfectly good punching bag! Well, they can be replaced and they have at least two other ones. What will Marcus do? Chances are he's gonna have a little talk with Crazy Steve. Just a little chat.

Meanwhile, I need to come up with names for the space station. I'll most likely think on it this week.  I'm also planning the next arc and the next video. The next video might be a spotlight on the X-Men since I haven't talked about them in a long time. We'll see. =D

In the mean time, enjoy the comic! More drama next week. Who wants to bet Crystal cut Umbra up good? And....what is Gladstone hiding?

Starbolts #321: The Wonders of Mad Science

Hail!

This week I had intended to test out a new format for the comic with four panels across and a bunch of rows. Sadly, it didn't work and I had a bit of an overlap. If you saw the comic before I deleted it, I apologize. Things seem to be better now. We're back with this formatting for the time being. I initially planned to do a comic with 40 panels like that for a special occasion. It was a neat test but it didn't work. Ah well. I know I can change the width on blogspot but I don't think it'll look right. Still, I'll keep the template around for future comics if I ever figure out how to work with what I have here.

Speaking of mad science, it looks like Cobra is alive again! I don't think Jack is gonna like this. Speaking of the Starbolts, look for more action with them next week. They are most likely dealing with Umbra and his overall craziness. At least now we know where the Legion's base is and who took it. Zarantha's back and man is she trouble.

More action next week! Will there be more mad science? Stay tuned! 

Comic Showcase #44: Spider-Man Spotlight

Starbolts #320: Dr. Marshall, I Presume

Hail!

This week's comic gives us the secret origin of Valentine! Valentina Ferraro comes from a wealthy Lawrence, Massachusetts family. This family has ties to Terra Nova dating back to the turn of the century as mentioned in the comic. Her parents made her join and sent Marshall to seal the deal. Of course, he had a bit of help from the young Tornado. This proves Tommy was always a bit of a jerk, huh? Yeah, I'd say so.

If we go by a timeline, the flashback takes place just after the Starbolts were formed by the Whitefoxes. Valentina's team had fought the Starbolts since those early days. And it seems she has been a bit reluctant since day one.

Here's a question. Do you think she can be redeemed? She and Simon have both been kind of on the fence regarding the whole villain thing since about the beginning. It's safe to say that Simon has been blackmailed, too. It's also safe to say Terra Nova had Valentina's parents killed anyway. So, she may not have any reason to stick around. Where would she go? I don't think she'd be welcome with the Starbolts. Especially Crystal. She already doesn't like her. There are parallels between the two characters backstories. But, as one became a hero the other went down a decidedly different path.

Another question. I wonder what D.I.S.C.O.R.D. wants with Dr. Marshall. Whatever it is, it can't be good. Stay tuned and find out!

Starbolts #319: In Umbra's Shadow

Hail!

This week we finally figure out what Umbra's deal is. The guy is suspicious of the Starbolts after what happened to Iron Eagle and I bet he's for the regulation of metahumans and metahuman activities. Who wants to bet that he's secretly working for Gladstone? It is possible. This is only part of his deal. Why is he so concerned about Dennis's file? How did he find out about it? We'll find out soon enough.

I wanted to again show Norad's powers. The android's got some talent. That and I wanted to show Angela and Mateo. Haven't seen them in a while. Pretty sure they're gonna have bone to pick with Umbra over what happened to Rich.

Next time we're going to see what the baddies are up to! So, stay tuned!

Starbolts #318: Beginnings and Endings

Hail!

Looking back, I maybe should have named this comic "All My Starbolts" because of the soap opera level drama we have here. Dennis is mad at his adoptive parents and rightfully so. Crystal is trying to be the voice of reason and has her own plans for dealing with the Arronfelds. I can't wait to do that scene as I already have a rough draft of that done. Should be pretty damn good. And cathartic in a way.

Next we have Raven leaving Umbra. Now who didn't see that one coming? I love how in the last panel Carra is happy. Rich is shocked. Umbra is stoic. He'll show some emotion next week. Not much. But, some.

I'm also trying new things with the comic. You might've noticed me zooming in on some things last week and this week. It's interesting. I thought I'd try it since it may give more sense of drama. I've done it before. But, not to this extent.

Anyway, we'll see how Umbra reacts to this news next week and in the future we'll see a final confrontation between Crystal and her parents. What last name will she choose? A hint is in this week's comic. =)

See you next time!

Comic Showcase #43: Superman Rebirth #1

Movie Thoughts: Star Trek Beyond

Hail!

I just got back from seeing Star Trek Beyond and honestly? I loved the film. It has a lot of action and when I first saw the trailer, I thought that's what it was going to end up being. Endless action and no substance like the other two Abrams movies. Later, Simon Pegg had said that the movie's trailer wasn't indicative of the movie. Far from it in fact. This piqued my curiosity and I had to see for myself what was going on. I saw early reviews of the movie and people seemed to enjoy it. I thought maybe I should see it and judge it for myself.

I did and had a great time! I enjoyed the subtle references to the past series. It wasn't being us over the head with it or anything. It was just a genuinely good movie since there was something else I enjoyed that wasn't hammered in constantly. This of course was the message of Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek.

Perhaps it's fate that this movie came out in Star Trek's 50th year because I can't think of a better anniversary special than this. Well, maybe I can. A movie with ALL the captains would have been cool. I digress. I don't want to spoil anything. I will say that the message of Star Trek is in this movie. There is an underlining theme of unification despite differences. Our differences make us stronger. We can do great things if we're united toward a common goal.

In essence, that is the core meaning of Star Trek. It's not just about exploring strange new worlds. It's about ourselves and what we could do if we work together and create a fantastic future for ourselves once we look past our differences.

The characters were all great. Karl Urban nails McCoy very well. Everyone seems to understand the characters they are playing and it's good to see Star Trek on the screen again. It would be better of course to have a series on television. We have to wait for 2017's Star Trek: Discovery for that.

This movie shows that Star Trek is still around and is more than capable of still inspiring us to do great things. I give this movie a solid A.

The only things I didn't like were maybe the loud effects but that's really a personal thing for me. I didn't see the movie in 3D. I imagine it would give people a bit of a headache.

How does it compare to the other Abrams movies? Well, to be honest I like this a LOT more than Into Darkness. This seems like it should have been the Star Trek reboot movie we should have gotten in 2009. While that reboot was okay. It's this one that finally makes it seem like the original crew was on screen acting like the original crew.

I watched the movie with my dad and he remembers the original series. I could tell he loved the movie and it says a lot since he wasn't a fan of Into Darkness. Perhaps to him the movie felt like Star Trek. And you know what? I think it does, too.

Good movie. Definitely check it out! Live long and prosper.

Starbolts #317: Code Blue

Hail!

 This week's comic seems like a hour long hospital show doesn't it? I ran through several possible titles in my head and I couldn't think of one that fit really well. Here are some examples:

1. ER: Earth Orbit
2. Doctor Arlandero MD
3. Trauma Center: Life in the ER

None of those really fit so I went with the codes hospitals use for when patients come in suffering a puncture wound or poisoning.  I have a few friends who are nurses and they said the other codes won't fit, either. Some of the others get kinda gross. Won't repeat 'em here.

Next week I plan on doing a review of one of the Superman Rebirth comics! After that? Well, I was going to do a retrospective on Spidey. But, then something cool happened. Richard Rider is returning to Nova so I plan on covering that. The Spidey retrospective would have overlapped it since he's coming back in the fall. So, I might have to see what else I can review in the interim because I really want to cover Rich's return.

Until then, we got Superman Rebirth to talk about and of course the further adventures of the Starbolts. Somehow I think the Arronfelds won't know what hit 'em. And I doubt we have seen the last of Nautilus.

Starbolts #316: Night of the Nautilus

 Hail!

Never lead an Aquan to the one place he or she rules supreme: The ocean. It doesn't matter what planet they are on. They are masters of the sea. And next week, our buddy Nautilus is gonna learn first-hand what happens when you fight an Aquan in water. 

I also learned an important lesson this week. I did three comic scripts over the week. The muse was with me and a friend of mine said to always listen to the muse. That is true. I did some great comics setting up stuff for future comics. I usually do script a comic ahead of the week I do one. But, this time the muse was really with me so I did three. Not counting this one. A lot of stuff is coming up. A break up, a joining, plans being put into motion, defeating Nautilus and more. I won't reveal it all. Let's just say we will definitely be seeing Nautilus again. He isn't going anywhere!

So much stuff is going on. Will of course be tossing a video in the mix. Deciding what to do on that front. It depends on whether or not the store has it in stock. After that I plan on doing a retrospective of Spider-Man through the decades. I'll be avoiding OMD. This is my tentative list:

Amazing Fantasy #16
The Death of Gwen Stacy
The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man
Amazing Spider-Man #400
Spider-Man/Human Torch
Amazing Spider-Man #1 (2015)

These may change. We'll see! In the meantime, enjoy what's gonna happen in the comics. The fun has just started!

Starbolts #315: The Pirate of the Deep

Hail!

Oh, dear. Someone has a grudge. He doesn't have a codename, yet. He will sooner or later. Since he hates M'anta, I am thinking of something manta rays hate. Perhaps something involving sharks. That seems like a good bet. At least now we know Benton's backstory. Dude was an army guy who wants revenge for the death of his family. Don't feel too sympathetic to him. He just ruined a reunion between Crystal and Marcus. Guy's a jerk. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, I had fun drawing that rock in Townsville. I scoured the real life city on Google Earth and saw that the city has a nice park in it with a mountain in the background. It's kind of cool and adds a sort of character to the place. Whenever I draw a real world location, I try to make the sprite version as close as I can to the real work equivalent. It was also fun making a Powerpuff Girls reference with it. Next week's comic may continue the theme.

A lot of stuff has been going on in comics lately. Captain America has been revealed to have Kobik and Red Skull messing with his head and memories. That didn't take long. The story of him getting his mind back together should be a good one. I hope.  So many things happening in comics that I am wondering what to review. I'm leaning toward DC Rebirth: Superman. But, we'll see. I got time to decide.

In the mean time, enjoy the comic. Don't worry. Crystal and Marcus will have a proper reunion soon. ;-)

Starbolts #314: Way Under Down Under

 Hail!

This week has a lot of things happening in it, huh? First we have Zack Benton, the greatest merc this side of the great barrier reef revealed to be Crystal's savior. I don't think he has positive intentions for her do you? Nah. I don't think he does. This guy's a crook. What kind of grudge does he have against Aquans? We'll find that out next time. I certainly don't think he is to be trusted. Crystal better get out of there when she can. If she can. She's kinda woozy, still. And I don't think it has anything to do with his medical care.....

Second we have Raven longing to be a Starbolt. It's a quick blip but it gets inside Kenji's head a bit. He doesn't like being in the shadows and away from the rest of the superhero community. Umbra, I'm sure has his reasons. The guy's mysterious too and his motivation for doing all of this will be made clear soon.

Anyway, enjoy this week's comic! More action is coming soon!

Starbolts #313: The Great Escape

Hail!

What's this? Two blog entries in a single week?! Yeah, it's weird of me to do that. I know. I was working on the video and working on this comic at the same time. So, I figured I'd get both up in the span of a week. Not a bad deal. I wanted to resolve a couple things and I think I did a decent job.

This week, we find out what happened to Crystal when she sent the message. Now she's somewhere near Townsville, Australia with this guy who is a mercenary. We'll learn more about him in the next comic.

I also resolved a bit of the Tornado arc for now. He's not going to give up on Crystal that easy now is he? I don't think so. The guy's a jerk and he got what he deserved. Well, at least now all files related to the Starbolts have been purged from the Legon's computer system, Raven's back home and Crystal kind of is, too. Just on the wrong continent.

The story isn't over, yet, though. We've still got more. MUCH more coming! Stay tuned!

Comic Showcase #42: Steve Rogers: Captain America #1

Starbolts #312: For the Starbolts' Eyes Only

Hail!


This week, the Starbolts find out what was in the message Crystal sent and what it means for both her and Dennis. Dennis, as you can see, isn't taking things very well. He's obviously angry! Rightfully, so! I purposely had Andrea be the one to console him and talk to him about everything because like I said earlier Andrea has basically been Crystal and Dennis's mom. I suppose it might be because when the two joined, Jack was on ice and so she took in the two as surrogate children. Perhaps one day it'll be more. Perhaps....(Foreshadowing.)

I also wanted to show a scene with him because I wanted to show that there is a connection between the Arronfeld kids and the Whitefoxes. These scenes will become important later in the story.

Then there's Umbra. What could he be up to? Do you think he could be trusted? Maybe cautiously trusted? Implicitly? Maybe. I don't think anyone's gonna be buddy-buddy with him any time soon. Least of all Marcus. We KNOW he doesn't trust that caped nut.  He may not have a reason to trust him. But, if Crystal doesn't trust him, he isn't going to. Besides, do you want some stranger poking around a file that concerns her and her brother? That's best left to friends she can trust. This has become an internal Starbolts matter and Umbra doesn't need to know everything. Still, you have to wonder what he wants with Dennis. Marcus is right. The dude is a creep.

Still, M'anta is sensing something from him. What could it be? Umbra is hiding something and M'anta can't quite figure it out. Yet. I'm thinking Umbra has mental defenses and they are gradually being broken down. Since M'anta is a telepath, he'll figure it out. So will Aquita. Dude picked the wrong team to hang out with this week.

Next time I delve into Captain America #1: The controversial comic. That should be fun. I have a theory as to how the story will play out. Stay tuned! And after that we'll learn Crystal's fate at the hands of the Legion!

Starbolts #311: Secret Messages

Hail!

There's a lot to cover this week since I've referenced a few past issues in this comic alone. The first one is Starbolts #125. That comic had a flashback to when Cobra killed Scarlett, a member of Soldier Six. The baddie just doesn't seem to like gingers. Notice everyone in that panel's mouths dropped? I bet they were thinking "Oh, snap!"  I just needed to have Crystal twist the knife in there just a little bit. She knows all about Scarlett and what Cobra did to her. Expect her to reference it a wee bit more in the coming comics. She may be stuck on D.I.S.C.O.R.D. Island for a while. But, she is NOT going to make it easy for the Legion.

The next reference comes a lot later in Starbolts #273. That was when Dreadwing restored Spectra's speaking ability to her. Of course batboy is going to twist the knife in Crystal since Doctor Harris, an Agent of S.T.A.R., could not heal her. There's a lot of twisting and turning of knives to be had this week, huh?

Next week promises to have a bit more drama as Marcus reads the file Crystal sent and plays keep-away with Umbra. I have a few possible names for next week's comic. I'm thinking "For the Starbolts' eyes only". But, first we're going to see Crystal take on Princess. Pretty sure this cat has still got her claws.

Speaking of cats, I have changed Crystal's codename on the hero's profile page. Soon she will be known as Wildcat. The circumstances surrounding the name change should be good. So stay tuned. The Wildcat is on the prowl!

Comic Showcase #41: A+A: Archer and Armstrong #1

Starbolts #310: When the World Comes Crashing Down

Hail!

Earlier this week, I mentioned on Twitter that I was going to drop a train on Crystal. Not a literal one of course. This one was full of drama. First off, her adopted brother, Dennis, is an alien. That's a shocker! It also explains why he didn't change like Jenna and Adam when Jade Skull converted them a while back. Poor Crystal.

Now we find out the exact circumstances of her parents trying to sell her to Terra Nova. Crystal is going to bonk some heads when she gets back to Earth from wherever this is. I really dig the "Kirby Krackle" I made on the background. The floating island is of course D.I.S.C.O.R.D. island. How did it get there? We'll find out soon.

There's a lot going on this week that's for sure. I may even have the writer of that file, Clive Marshall, show up. He's a character from the prose Starbolts stories and he's a right nasty piece of work, let me tell you. From the file, you can tell he is cold. He has a connection with certain members of the Legion, too. We'll find out more about that soon enough, too.

Oh and Crystal has diamond hard claws now. They are like cat claws in that they retract but they aren't as indestructible as Wolverine's. They are diamond-like and come out of her fingers. She's going to wonder how she got them and there is an answer for it. Right now she's running on pure adrenaline and fighting the urge to crumble into a heap and cry.

She almost did and Tornado sneaked up behind her. Luckily she took care of it and got him good. ;-)

Video next week with Harmonica Jay on drums!

Starbolts #309: So Many Twists and Turns

Hail!

What a tangled web we've weaved here in Legion headquarters. Raven is working for Umbra. Poor kid, by the way. He accidentally allowed Cobra to be reborn. Ouch.  Crystal is working for the Starbolts. Is anyone working for the Legion? Eh, maybe anyone who isn't a double agent.  Everything is not how it seems! Hell, maybe Valentine really likes Crystal! Yeah, right. Let's not go crazy, here. She doesn't like her. AT ALL.

Initially, I was going to make the computer lab look like that Cerebro computer area you see in the X-Men movies and in the Incredibles. That being a round room with a central computer terminal. It's cool. Too cool for the bad guys. The Starbolts will probably get one like that at some point. This room is enough as we got that interactive map of the world in the background. Not bad for the baddies, huh?

So, what did Crystal see in the file? We'll find out next week. It's a little shocking and connects well with Dennis's file. Oh, my yes. Still, what does Terra Nova want with the Wilson farm? I doubt they have a recipe for decent grits.

Either way, something has shocked her to her very core. She doesn't even care Valentine's behind her right now. She's too busy reading and having her heart be ripped to shreds. Not a good day for Crystal, I think. I hope someone speedy can pick up the pieces.

Stay tuned next week for Crystal's reaction.

Starbolts #308: Unexpected Arrivals

Hail!

I'm still riding the buzz from seeing Captain America: Civil War yesterday. The movie was awesome and yes everyone should go see it. I see no reason not to. I liked it because it was dark but not TOO dark. There was comedy. There was action. It was very much like reading a comic. Characters were well-balanced and I don't want to repeat myself from the blog post yesterday but yea go see it. You won't be disappointed!

Anyway, we seem to be in trouble in this week's comic. What's the old saying? Out of the frying pan and into the fire? I think that sums this week's comic up. If you remember the Halloween special from a few months ago, you might recall how Cobra was visited by the ghosts of Soldier Six. They told him that his hold on his body is rapidly fading. Sooner or later he would have to lose it completely.

Now, what does this have to do with the missing Raven, you might ask? Well, I will explain that in due time. Right now all I can tell you is that it's all connected somehow.

I also made some slight alterations to Crystal's sprite. Just made the hair a little better. This arc is really going to be a good one for her and I hope you all enjoy it! She is going to have a huge rivalry with Valentine as you can see. She's also going to have to deal with Tornado and eventually find out something that will shock her. Things will look bleak for a bit, but, they will pick up.

See you next time!

Captain America: Civil War review

How do I start this text review? I don't even know where to begin! I enjoyed the movie as much as I thought I would. The trailers got me all hyped. Talking to people who have seen the movie only got me MORE hyped than I ever thought possible! They didn't even spoil me! That was...fair. Sort of. =) So, this morning at around 10:30 me and two other people went to see Captain America Civil War. From start to finish I loved the movie! This, in my opinion, was the accumulation of everything that had been built up on in Winter Soldier, which I also enjoyed immensely. I think what I am going to do is give my thoughts on each of the characters in the movie as a way to sum up my thoughts. It seems fair because to be honest there was a lot going on and I don't want to leave anything out. Here I go. No spoilers.

Captain America/Bucky : Oh, Steve. They put you through the ringer this time didn't you? I'm not going to spoil anything. But, I think it was a good idea to have Cap be the primary focus of this movie. Sure a LOT of Avengers were in it and they all had a development of some sort. In the end, this was Cap's tale and as one chapter ends, another opens. We won't be seeing the last of him. And you can tell he really put a lot on the line to save his friend, Bucky.

Bucky went through a lot in this movie, too. The programming by Soviet forces took its toll on him and he had to deal with the consequences. He was an unwilling pawn in a dangerous game and perhaps audiences felt sorry for him. I mean, here was this guy who was frozen, like Cap, and instead of doing good he is sent out there to destroy. This is grounds for severe PTSD. The Winter Soldier program took away his life and what this movie ends up being about is Cap trying to save his friend and trying to get him back.

Iron Man: Stark, Stark, Stark. It's hard to get behind him. I know a lot of people like him and he might have the right point of view. But, at lunch someone brought up a good point. Who would keep the checkers in check? If the team is in check, what's to stop the checkers from getting to powerful. There is the old saying "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely". Stark spends the movie clearly wrestling with the ideology and it leads me to believe that there is no right or wrong side in this conflict, a conflict by the way makes a LOT more sense than the comic by the same name. The conflict made a lot more sense this time around because it wasn't just one thing that set things in motion. (Re: The Stamford incident from the comics)

This was building up for a long time and didn't seem forced our heroes. Stark was feeling guilty (Mainly over Solkovia) and felt he needed to be the devil's advocate. The problem arises is what if the devil becomes more of a threat than you know. That is Cap's whole position.

 Black Panther: Without giving anything away, Black Panther and another guy I'll be discussing in a bit stole the show. Things have been set up for his solo movie pretty well. I enjoyed how they introduced him without him feeling like he was shoe-horned in. He blended in well with the rest of Earth's mightiest and I want to see more from him in the future. Chadwick Boseman played the character as I've always thought he should be: Regal, bit of an edge and let's face it. He is Marvel's Batman. Sorry, Moon Knight.

T'Challa was portrayed brilliant here and given just enough screentime for us to really sink our teeth into what's to come in the future of the MCU. And speaking of the future....

Spider-Man: I think everyone who reads my comic and watches my videos know how much of a Spider-Man fanboy I am. I grew up reading the wallcrawler and watched every live action iteration of the character. I can safely say that this version as played by Tom Holland is pretty damn good. His Peter Parker is dorky and clumsy and we've come to expect that of Peter. If you're a long time reader, you'd know just how geeky and relatable he can be. This is the Peter Parker as created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko all those years ago. While the Raimi and Webb movies were close, the MCU version hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned.

As far as Spidey goes, he was amazing! He joked a lot and I understand it would get on peoples' nerves. But, the thing is this is who Spidey was when he first showed up in the '60s. Spidey was a kid who never shut up. He'd make jokes. And what people need to understand is that he makes the jokes because he's scared to death. The jokes were something I missed in the Raimi films and even the Webb ones. Sure some were there but they were far and few between. It was like the movies took small parts of Spidey's character and focused on that. Here? Here we have the whole package in just a half an hour's worth of screentime. Spidey's back in the MCU, true believers and I for one am glad. Welcome home, Spidey!

All of the other characters stood out for me too. Everyone had something to do and a bit of their character arcs were expanded on. There was a bit of Vision/Scarlet Witch I liked and of course Ant-Man was amazing. I won't spoil what happens but every review I've seen of the movie stated that the airport fight scene was one of the highlights of the movie. And what Ant-Man does in it is pretty incredible.  Widow, Rhodes and Falcon even had decent character moments. I was impressed with how the Russos balanced everyone. It'll be interesting to see how they take care of the future Avengers movies and whatever films they work on.

Now we come to the villain of the piece, Baron Zemo. Yeah, I know he's not called Baron Zemo in the movie. I'm still going to call him that. He is every bit the manipulative jerk he is in the comic. He doesn't fight hand to hand. That isn't his style. Some might say he's underused, but, he did enough damage indirectly. He isn't a guy who will fight someone head on like I said. He's a background player and I think having him in the movie will set up a future role. As for what that might be, well, I suggest you remember something from an old comic I reviewed....

Justice, like lightning.

Overall, I'd say I enjoyed Captain America: Civil War. It was hard for me to find anything I DISLIKED. You can call me a Marvel fanboy if you want. I just am glad we got to see an introduction to Spidey and Panther that were smoothly transitioned into the fold, a Civil War that actually made SENSE and a great moral dilemma to talk about. You don't get a lot of those in comic book movies and I even asked everyone I was with....Whose side would you be on?

Well, once the dust settled, Earth's mightiest will have to reassemble once the big bad comes and in my opinion, I think the Russo brothers will be more than up to the task. We live in an age where our heroes are coming to life on the big screen and it's gratifying to see them done justice.  It's a great movie. Great action, drama and just enough darkness to see that there is some light at the end as we see dark moments that were meant to be dark. Go see this movie when you can! The movie satisfies me as a comic fan and as someone who likes to see good movies! (Including ones with our heroes). We will see where the MCU goes from here and so far it looks good!

P.S. I should mention that there are two credits scenes and my audience stayed for both. It was actually shocking to see people stayed for that.

Starbolts #307: Lady Liberty v Wraith

Hail!

There's plenty of action this week as Lady Liberty and Wraith go head to head in order to draw out the Legion. I spent a bit of time designing new backgrounds for the park and a plaza in the city. The park bit is a bit where people can jog and the plaza has a nice place called "Piro's" in it. Hmm. I wonder what kind of goodies they sell there. Chances are it's a bakery. =D Bakeries are awesome.

I'm getting off track. Haha. Crystal held her own against the Legion using her feminine wiles. That should make Valentine jealous. Very jealous. Mostly because Valentine uses pheromones and Crystal doesn't. This story is going to be a nice, long one and I'm going to be revealing some things about her and her brother soon enough. Let's just say that there's going to be more twists and turns than a lonely New England back road.

With Crystal in the hands of the Legion, she's going to have to also try to avoid Tornado. I don't think he's the type to take no for an answer. I'm not worried about her. Be more worried about that jerk. I never feel comfortable writing pigs like him. I think I've said something before about how Robkas is a pig of a different sort. He's a regal pig. Tornado here is a more obvious and less sophisticated pig. Thankfully, other members of the Legion aren't as lowbrow. And yes that includes Granite.

I can't wait to write the interactions between the group members and her. Should be fun. But, she has a mission to complete and during this mission secrets will be revealed that will shake the redhead to her core.  She has no idea what's coming and all you can do is wait for the next comic! MWAHAHA!

Wow, that was ominous. See you next week!

Starbolts #306: Brothers and Sisters

Hail!

Yikes. I have a feeling Crystal is going to dismantle the Legion from the inside out because of what they did to Dennis. Remember, the Jade Skull? He was the guy who transformed Dennis from a super strong almost Superman-like guy to this hulk we see before us. Sadly, he hasn't been able to change back like Jenna has. She went through the same process and was turned into a human torch for a bit. Dennis wasn't so lucky and now he's got a lot to deal with. His change was only recent and now he's got to rebuild his former self. Hopefully, the 'Bolts can help him.

Dennis has been protective of Crystal in the prose Starbolts stories I did. I wanted to bring that here since I wanted to develop the two. But, now Crystal has grown and as we'll see she's got her own fire and will make the Legion pay dearly for what happened.

As for me, I may do a vid next week or a comic. I haven't really decided yet. I am hyped for Captain America: Civil War. Been watching the Cap movies and I hope the movie is good! See you all next time!

Starbolts #305: Speeding Hearts

Hail!

This comic, I admit, does read like an episode of a show on the CW. Well, that was unavoidable. Crystal and Marcus had to hash out their feelings and figure out if they were really real or if it was just puppy love. There were other ways of doing it of course. But, with Crystal being Crystal she decided to go for the more umm....direct approach. After all she's about to go on a dangerous mission by herself. There's no backup once she infiltrates the Legion. She only has her wits and her will to get the job done. She just couldn't go without knowing how she really felt.

I thought it was a neat idea to toss in the Mary Jane line for her. It isn't just because both are redheads. There's more to it than that. MJ and Crystal have both had hard lives and have tried to cover up their pain by being extroverts. With Marcus, she may finally be herself. Though, Dennis may have something to say about all this. I don't think that was big brother being overprotective. Overprotective people don't get people in a choke hold with BOTH lands. Jesus, dude. We'll find out next comic what his deal is. He's probably still reeling from the effects of that thing that changed him from normal size superstrong guy to Hulk-size strong guy.

I also had to include Andrea aka Lady Liberty II in this comic. She is basically the Starbolts' mother and coach all in one. She cares for everyone. Not just her blood kid, Jack. Well, the team has two issues at hand. Dennis is still messed up and Crystal's off to find Umbra's partner.

Like the sands of a hourglass, so are the days of our lives.

See ya next time!

Starbolts #304: Crystal's Tale

Hail!

This week I delve into the backstories of Crystal and Dennis. Dennis isn't in this comic, sure. But, he is Crystal's adopted brother and he was most likely in the farmhouse. I'll give you all the lowdown of what happened next.  Dennis was upstairs watching the argument take place. After Marcus ran off to get Crystal, he busted out of the house in his armored form like the Kool-Aid Man. It was just enough of a distraction for Mateo to fly to the back and nab Dennis.

Marcus and Mateo met up and heard a Terra Nova helicopter in the distance. More on them in a sec. They got to their jet and headed back to HQ. Hmm. If those parents could see Dennis now, I bet he'd reduce the farmhouse to rubble. It should be noted that Dennis and Crystal haven't seen their parents since that day.

As far as Terra Nova goes, before D.I.S.C.O.R.D. came back, they were pretty much the major terrorist group. D.I.S.C.O.R.D. returned and absorbed TN into them. Terra Nova did train some metahumans and some are in the Legion. Once Crystal infiltrates them, it'd be an interesting look at the life she might have had had the Starbolts not intervened.

Now I am going to give a couple shout-outs! First to Brad Nephillum for his epic review of my comic! Thanks, man. Check out the review here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9fvuDLQc6Q

The second shout-out goes to JesuOtaku for helping me figure out what the terrain of Bowling Green Kentucky is like. Little hilly and the farmland's flat. Thanks, J!

Anyway, I was told by my editor that the comic has "maximum feels". Looking back, it does kind of read like a show on the CW. Imagine that. See ya next time!

Comic Showcase #40: Star Trek: Flesh and Stone

Starbolts #303: When it Rains

 Hail! I know I said I was going to do a video this week, but, I was sick and my throat was feeling kind of meh. Now, I am feeling better and can probably do voice work and video work. The script for the next video is all set. For those wondering, I am reviewing Star Trek: Flesh and Stone, a comic by IDW. It'll be my way to celebrate the franchise's 50th anniversary. I can't tell you how much I love Star Trek. I grew up with it. I'm getting ahead of myself. The video will explain everything in detail, I am sure.

As far as this week's comic goes, if you look closely at the panel where most of my heroes are gathered, you'll notice a few changes. If you can't see,  I'll list them:

1. Dennis is wearing pants and is still stuck in that monstrous form Jade Skull turned him into. There's no way he can be normal Dennis again.

2. Tanis is back! He's just there for a visit.

3. Jack is talking to his mother and if you notice he doesn't have a cybernetic hand. That you can see. I'll explain what happened to him later.

4. Apollo and Velocity are present. But, where's Iron Eagle? He survived the Guardians' death! Well, I would think he still feels partially to blame for what happened to Dennis, Jenna and Adam.

5. Crystal's codename has been changed to Wraith. I made the change on the hero's profiles page. I changed it because she can turn invisible and use force fields and force blasts. Not very Chrysalis-like. So, there we are. Besides, I like the name now and Crystal will be seen more often.
 
Quite a group of assembled heroes and what is two more, right? We have Umbra and Raven! Umbra's look is inspired by the Bruce Timm Batman: TAS Batman look and Raven is inspired in part by the pokemon, Gligar. I might change his look because I think he needs something on his chest. I'm not sure what.

Meanwhile Crystal  and Marcus are getting closer and closer. I'm wondering if I will have the two have a relationship. We'll see. It's getting a little likely.  Crystal wants to change her ways. I'll explain what those ways were next comic. Right now she has a challenge ahead of her in the form of Lady Liberty. How is she going to fight her?!

Starbolts #302: Southern Charms

 Hail!

This week I thought I would have a little bit of closure for Marcus. Remember how just before Jaro caused a problem on Aquarius our speedy friend here was going after everything with a pulse. This also led to Gee-Nome conducting an experiment and well upset our speedy friend a little bit. That's okay. He's got a southern belle who wants to make him feel all right. I'm not sure if this will go anywhere. Call this testing the waters as it were. Not everyone has to be in a relationship of course. But, we shall see what happens. I'll think on it.

Crystal, like Norad, is a minor character. She's been around since the start. But, I haven't developed her much. Perhaps it is time to change that. Gonna update the minors a bit. Her story will be told. As will others. Should be an interesting ride! 

In other news, I will probably have a vid for next week. What will I be reviewing? It's a surprise! Stay tuned!

Starbolts #301: A New Beginning

Hail!

First off, I did see the new Captain Amercia Civil War trailer and I loved it! I really liked the design for Spidey's new costume. Sure it is clearly Stark made, but, I can definitely see that the design drew inspiration from how Spidey looked when Ditko and other artists drew the wallcrawler. It's sleek and will more than likely change by the time Spidey gets his solo film in 2017. It's a good time to be a comic fan, yes? Yes, I think so. =)

Secondly, here's this week's comic! After losing the embassy and going to Aquarius to fight a big bad, the Starbolts finally have a new home! This may be temporary, but, we'll see. I'll probably be making new backgrounds for it and everything. That stuff can wait. For now, a new era for our heroes is about to begin! Let's make it a good one!

See you next time!

Starbolts #300: Night of Judgement

Hail!

Night of judgement, huh? More like a night of character development! But, that would be a very boring title. It just doesn't have the right ring to it. Anyway, welcome to the 300th comic! It's been a long road and I thank each and every one of you for reading the adventure so far. We've had laughs, we've had tragedy and we've also had heroics the likes of which the world has probably seen if they read a comic book.

For this comic, I wanted to develop the Aquan trio a bit since M'anta still has lingering issues about his parents, Aquita's got Robkas causing problems and Shrall has big shoes to fill. All three of them manages to face their fears and it was the only way to truly defeat the dark avatars. Oh, they'll be back. Don't get me wrong. You can't keep a good baddie down. Plus, we have that new fiery avatar! The next time you see her, she'll be in a new suit, I am sure. It'll be a suit more befitting of an avatar than a firefighter uniform.

Speaking of Xelia, she really freaked out at the start of the comic and calmed down by the end. I'm sure the gods calmed her down. People don't like being snatched up and suddenly yelled at by a guy in an orange tunic. Hmm. That sounds like the last time I went to the gym. Weird.

Thanks again for reading the comic and sticking with me all these years! If you're new, there are plenty of comics to catch up on. Good luck and here's to more adventures! The adventures ,as always, will continue! See you next time!

Starbolts #299: Divine Intervention

Hail!

Robkas, buddy. You can't just take a cyborg's arm and run around with it. You're not a raccoon! This is not how you get redeemed! This is probably the opposite of getting redeemed. This is making things so much worse! The only way you can get redeemed now is to save a planet full of puppies from a star going supernova! And now that you don't have any powers, I don't see that happening!

Ah, I love talking to my characters. =) This comic brings us one week closer to Starbolts #300 and the final part of this story. Where did the eight avatars go? Well, we'll find out soon enough in our sixty panel extravaganza. So many comics and it's still fun to do these stories. That's the important thing.

On the video side of things, I still plan on doing one soon. It'll most likely be about the Miles Morales Spider-Man or another comic. Possibly Iron Man since Doom shows up there and it's a follow-up to what I talked about in Secret Wars #9's review. I got time to decide. =)

Enjoy the comic! I'll see ya next time!

Starbolts #298: Soldiers and Aristocrats

Hail!

I thought I'd try something a little different this week. On the left column we have Aquita's perspective on her relationship with Robkas. And on the right we have Robkas. I wanted to alternate between the two people to show how they really feel about each other. Sadly, Robkas doesn't really mention how he truly feels about Aquita. It's especially telling since all he talks about is his royal status. Trust me had Jack not stopped him, he'd be talking about her physical features eventually.

So, if there was any doubt that Robkas is an aristocratic chauvinist pig before, look no further. The guy's got a long way to go before he can be redeemed. Aquita sees nobility different from how he sees it. The two are like opposing forces. She did like him for a time, but, gradually she realized just how much of a jerk he was.

It'll come to a head next time, to be sure.  Looking back, I like Jack's non reaction. You can imagine all the eye rolling he was doing under that helmet. I was going to have it off. But, nah. He's gotta be battle ready in case the avatars get inside the base.

Still, what is their plan? There's more to it than just charging at them like in the last panel. What will happen? Stay tuned as Starbolts #300 is just a few weeks away!

Starbolts #297: The Road to Redemption

 Hail!

For Robkas, the road to redemption is going to be a long, long one. You can't expect Aquita to automatically forgive him for what he has done in the past and he has done a LOT of bad things since his return to Aquita's life. It's been one bad choice after another since he backed the wrong horse. I don't think he's gonna get anywhere with her anyway. Mateo's still in the picture and even then Aquita would never go for someone like Robkas again. It's a case of "Fool me once, shame on you."

It remains to be seen if he can be redeemed. I doubt it, personally. Then again, I am the one writing this story. It's up to you, the reader, to determine if this character can truly be redeemed despite the horrible things he has done.

And now it looks like the dark avatars have arrived at the base! There's only one thing to say right now.

LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMBLE!

Comic Showcase #39: Secret Wars #9 (2016)

Starbolts #296: Gods and Monsters

 Hail!

I can think of a few things running through the minds of a few people in this comic.

The Praetorians?

"WOOOT! He's gone! PARTY!!!!!!!!!!"

Shrall and Manta?

"Gods, why do we have to be stuck with this guy again?

Well, Robkas is back and I have some big plans for him. Will he really be redeemed? You'll have to read and find out. Redemption's not going to come easy and he's done some irredeemable things in his day. The Starbolts have a long memory so I don't think they'll be keen on trusting him. He isn't joining them or anything. It's more that he is going to be around. A lot. Since he is powerless now, he shouldn't be a problem.

Or will he? MWAHAHAHA!

Tune in next time to find out and look for a new video soon!

Starbolts #295: Monsters and Mayhem

 Hail!

Jaro, the first rule of super-villain team ups is to not insult the guys you're working with! At least not right away! You insult them and they'll be less inclined to help you with your goals. Well, War'll teach ya that soon enough. The other two dark avatars are also held at this facility. I feel really bad for the gold shirts that were killed. Hopefully, their deaths will be avenged. 

As for Xelia, I gave her new fire wings to replace the old ones. I'm still iffy on how to best show them. But, it's a start. They may change again. Third time might be the charm. I'm trying to go for a Moltres from Pokemon look with her. None of the sprites I found were a good guide to help me figure a good look for her. I may figure something out.

So now Jaro has access to the three dark avatars. Who knows who else will show up. Who knows indeed. =)

In other news, I am planning a vid for the end of the month as always. It will most likely be Secret Wars #9 as that finally came out! Is it good? Is it bad? We'll see. There are plenty of ads in the comic. That's for sure. At least it'll scan easier.

Anyway, enjoy the comic! See ya next time!

Starbolts #294: The Fire Within

Hail!

It's the first official comic of the year and we start with the avatar of Heliosa, the goddess of fire. As you can see she has fiery wings. I may edit them a little bit. We'll see. My creative consultant, Mark and I wanted to give her a different colored fire than the one Jenna normally uses. She has regular fire and Xelia here uses hot blue fire. Blue fire is hotter than regular fire. Yikes.

When she gets a costume (And you know she will), Xelia will probably get some kind of toga or something.  I can't see her wearing spandex or anything. Still, she's gonna melt somebody in the next comic and it ain't gonna be the Starbolts. It's good to be back to continue this storyline. Sucks that Mateo and Marcus are hurt. Angela is, too. We just don't see her on panel at the moment.

This is a tough battle. But, I know the 'Bolts will win the day! But, I think they'll be happy to have help from Xelia. She needs a codename, by the way. I need to think of one. By the way, that yellow building is a temple for Heliosa and it's a giant solar energy conductor. Aquarius has a lot of buildings that we think would be contradictions. For example, a temple that doubles as a place where science happens.

Enjoy the comic and I'll see ya next time!