Bear

So, there's already a manga thread here, but I haven't seen any thread about graphic novels and comic books yet. Talk about all things comics and graphic novels here. Comics and graphic novels are more or less the same thing, to many, but I tend to use them a bit different. A graphic novel, to me, is something a bit heavier, deeper and more complex than a comic, maybe a bit more for a grown up crowd. Though, not all think of it as I, so it doesn't really matter.
 
 
Here's a few recommendations to get you started, unless you're already familiar with graphic novels and comics. I'll take the obvious ones to begin with:
 
 

Scalped
I'll just jump straight to it, because Scalped is a graphic novel in 10 issues that just can't get enough praise. This is by far the most impressive thing I have ever read, or seen. Because as far as character development and storytelling goes, this is just as good as The Sopranos, The Wire and True Detective. It's that good. Scalped is a series where we follow Dash Bad Horse, a reluctantly undercover FBI agent who's to infiltrate an orginasation run by Lincoln Red Crow, the leader of an Indian reservation. It's a bad soup of lies, money, drugs, violence and murder, melted together with a fantastic gallery of characters, and superb stories. Jason Aaron, the creator, has never lived in an Indian reservation, but when you read this you'd think he's lived in one for 60+ years. It's impressive. It'll need and issue to two to get going, but it is worth it. Also, the colourisation is a bit weird at first, but it gets better. Dark, gritty and fantastic crime noir.
 
 

From Hell
Another ten issue graphic novel by legends Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. From Hell is a dark, gritty, gripping and hallucinatory piece of crime noir fiction about Jack the Ripper. It's a masterpiece, like much of what Alan Moore made in his early days.
There's an film called From Hell which is loosely based off this, but it's no match for this, and it is quite different. So if you didn't like the film you should still check this out.
 

The Dark Knight Returs
This four issue graphic novel by Frank Miller is probably the most important Batman-piece since the first issues of Batman ever. This is often considered the best Batman story of all time, together with Miller's Batman: Year One. The Dark Knight Returns took Batman to new heights as Frank Miller created a dark, gritty version of a character that had become synonymous with camp. It stars a 55 year old Bruce Wayne, and that itself is amazing. It keeps all the important elements of Batman imtact, but just takes it to a whole new level of brilliance.
 

Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files
For thirty years, one man has dominated the British comic scene. He is judge, jury and executioner, a merciless far-future lawman delivering justice with an iron fist on the mean streets of Mega-City One.
He is Judge Dredd. He is the law. He is the biggest British comics character of all time!
Discover (or re-discover) the roots of this legendary character in this vast, thrill-packed graphic novel collecting together all of Dredd's early adventures in chronological order - complete and uncut!
 

Watchmen
This Alan Moore classic is known to most people, so this is kinda useless. Anyway, if you haven't read it, you should. Watchmen is one of the best and most important graphic novels of all time. Complex, dark and gritty, with Watchmen Moore re-defined what superheroes could be. It's so well-written, and everything's so well-executed. Ultra-detailed drawings that just draws you in.
 
 
That's some of the MUST-READS for all of ya. Should've mentioned V for Vendetta, Batman: Year One, Batman: Arkham Asylum, 300, Hellboy, Swamp Thing, Preacher, Hellblazer, The Punisher, X-Men and a lot more. Though, I'm not too familiar with all of these, though. Still working on it.
 
 
 
But c'mon, talk graphic novels and comic books, folks!

Tsūzetsu, Zekū, the two EPs and Hōmura Uta in that order. You'll find some decent stuff on Kuchiki no Tō, Hōyoku and Gokusai as well, but I find them all to be very uneven, so as full albums they're not recommended IMO.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Cool hearing you're enjoying it so far. You should check out the Pre-Electric Wizard 1989-1994 split sooner or later too. It's a threeway split of the band's three pre-Electric Wizard bands. Different from the Electric Wizard stuff, but very good.

A recommendation for all of you who loves old school gaming:
 
Shovel Knight
I played this at my brother this week. It's a retro action game wich, due to different reasons, brings video games like Super Mario Bros 3, Megaman, Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Duck Tales to mind, without being a copycat in any way. It takes element from all these games and makes it into something new, fresh and unique, and despite it being modern (as in the creaters doing things that wasn't possible in older games), it gives you the feeling of playing, looking and listening to an old game. The gameplay, story, humour, visuals and soundtrack is all top notch.
 
I haven't played through it yet, but I've gotten pretty far and it is nothing short of genius. 10/10 wihout any doubt whatsoever.
 

It depends on what you're looking for.
 
Their debut, Electric Wizard, is a straight forward trad. doom album in the vein of the classics.
 
Come My Fanatics... is slower, heavier and borrows a lot from sludge and stoner as well.
 
Dopethrone is often considered the band's best album. It's even slower and heavier than Come My Fanatics... and sounds way more massive and psychedelic.
 
Let Us Prey is a more experimental album, and their most experimental to date. Not saying much, though.
 
We Live is less experimental, and more back to basis. My second favourite just after Witchcult Today.
 
Witchcult Today  are my favourite ElWiz album. It is recorded with vintage audio equipment from the 1970s, and it is very easy to hear that because production-wise it's 100% 70's.
 
Black Masses is a continuation of Witchcult Today. A bit more mellow maybe?
 
Anyway, I'd rate 'em like this:
 
1. Witchcult Today
2. We Live
3. Black Masses
4. Dopethrone
5. Come My Fanatics...

Guys who whine about being friendzoned are just butthurt, because they got rejected by a girl and instead of dealing with it, they keep complaining and feeling superior for no reason. No one is entitled to date another person. No matter if they're male, or female.

omg this was awesome! Agreed, it's very well put-together, doesn't feel acted at all. I like how it gradually gets creepier as it goes on, and that it doesn't utilize any jump scares and stuff like that but it still manages to unsettle. Great one!

Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle - A mini-series consisting of three hour-long episodes covering everything from the begining og the superheroes and the creators influences, until today and all the films based off superheroes. Obviously, they're trying to cover 75 years in thee hour, so there's a lot missing. But if you are like me, someone who loves superheroes, but doesn't know too much about the origins, then this should entertain you. It contains interviews with creators and artists, historians, film directors and even a couple of actors that has played superheroes (Batman and Wonder Woman) and much more. This was really good!
 
Europa Report - Deent found footage-sci-fi that's decent, but nothing more. I hate a lot of the camera effects in the film. It just gets too try-hard to be honest.
 
Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain - Great fantasy-adventure that's got a lot in common with Big Trouble in Little China aka the best film ever made, but that shouldn't be surprising as Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain was the main influence on Carpenter when he made Big Trouble in Little China. No Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountan = no BigTrouble in Little China. It's very over the top, especially on the special effects, and while some will tell you that it hasn't stood the test of time, I will have to politley disagree as the special effects are the best thing about this film together with the main actors. Crazy film, and that's in a good way.
 
The Conspiracy - Found footage-thriller/horror that actually feels original, and is very well done. Lots of cliches, but that actually helps this film a lot IMO, and it never feels as if I am watching a film with actos. It feels like a documentary, and it gets creepy as fuck. It really did put me off. Effective stuff.

Playing Shovel Knight and Final Fantasy Type-0 Still.

castlevania influence is really strong in there. gonna try it someday for sure!

Perturbator - Dangerous Days (splatter)
 
I got home a few days so I finally got to open the package that had been lying around my house waiting for me to get home. The album is great and the whole thing is just really well done. It's so fucking sexy. I miss a booklet, innlay or something like that, but everything else is top notch as always from Blood Music. Quality label. Sooooo sexy!
 

 
 
I've also bought some tapes:
 
Sigh - Scorn Defeat (single tape version, I already own the 2xtape version)
Orcustus ‎– Anthology  (2xtape)
Obtained Enslavement Centuries of Sorrow (2xtape)
 
Great releases.

A recommendation for all of you who loves old school gaming:
 
Shovel Knight
I played this at my brother this week. It's a retro action game wich, due to different reasons, brings video games like Super Mario Bros 3, Megaman, Castlevania, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Duck Tales to mind, without being a copycat in any way. It takes element from all these games and makes it into something new, fresh and unique, and despite it being modern (as in the creaters doing things that wasn't possible in older games), it gives you the feeling of playing, looking and listening to an old game. The gameplay, story, humour, visuals and soundtrack is all top notch.
 
I haven't played through it yet, but I've gotten pretty far and it is nothing short of genius. 10/10 wihout any doubt whatsoever.
 

I'm way late to the party, but a few recommendations that I personally enjoy a lot. No idea if any of these are what you're looking for, though. I'm not into much wanky prog music so that's not what you'll find here.
 
 
Devil Doll - Devil Doll was a symphonic progressive rock band that mixes prog rock, prog metal, avant-garde, goth rock, metal and more. One of the most unique and original bands ever. Very theatrical and dramtic music topped by Mr. Doctor's amazing sprechgesang. Brilliant band. Long, long songs. Shortest song are 20 minutes long, so we're talking about a band with long compositions. One of my all-time favourite bands.
 
 
Goblin - Legendary Italian progressive rock band which are famous for their soundtracks to classic horror films such as Dawn of the Dead, Suspiria and Deep Red among others, as well as other non-soundtrack albums. Another brilliant band. Seeing Claudio Simonetti's Goblin in some weeks. I'm really looking forward to that.
 
 
Arcturus - These guys started off as a symphonic/atmospheric black metal band but got more progressive with each release. The second album, La Masquerade Infernale, is a tivoli-like avant-garde album, but it gots lots of grim vocals so I guess that's not your cup of tea. The third album however is almost free of black metal and has more of a "outer space"-influenced sound. Their fourth, and so far last album, is a lot less metalesque and moe dreamy. I love all the albums. Fantastic live band too. And they seem to be comming with a new album in 2014.
 
 
Morte Macabre - Progressive rock band that covers songs from well-known horror films, and they're characterised by excessive use of mellotron and synthesizers. With members from the Swedish prog masters Anekdoten. Lovely band, especially for a horror freak such as meself.
 
 
Nicklas Barker - This is the solo roject of Nicklas Barker of Anekdoten and Morte Macabre. He's only released one album as far as I knowand that is El Último Fin De Semana, a soundtrack to a film with the same title. Horror prog rock. The way I like it.
 

Laraine all the way. Their 90's stuff were pretty good as far as I remember. Versailles have never made a single second with good music. I can't decribe with words how much I dislike Versailles and their awful brand of power metal.

Laraine all the way. Their 90's stuff were pretty good as far as I remember. Versailles have never made a single second with good music. I can't decribe with words how much I dislike Versailles and their awful brand of power metal.

Cool! I really liked Rise of the Planet of the Apes, so I am really looking forward to Dawn... Should be good.
 
The Hands of Orlac - Had a reunin with this masteriece the other day. Fantastic film. Atmospheric, moody and mad. It's way more easy watching than Robert Wiene's über classic The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, both visually and story wise. Especially visually. It's not as dream-like and colourful as Dr. Caligari. It's a very staight forward film like that. But it's a great film, and well worth watching for horror maniacs who likes old horror.
 
The Big Doll House - Another reunion, this time with cult classic The Big Doll House. Pam Grier, Sid Haig and other awesome actors. It's not a very good film, but it's still a great film. Very standard WiP (women in prison) with lots of skin and titties, eroticism and some violence. Great stuff! Jack Hill, man. Love that guy. Made some fantastic films.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - Despite the ridiculously long title, much like its predecessor, this one is another fine installment in the Apes franchise reboot. Action-packed, intriguing and touching at points, it's a really nice and entertaining flick, especially if you're into the whole topic/storyline. Again, the apes look and act in a superb way, so props to the special effects department and Andy Serkis too of course (and all the others). A bit too sentimentally drawn-out towards the end but that was my only gripe. Good one!

You don't have to take me seriously, or believe me when I say it is power metal, but anyone with a slight knowledge of the genre will hear that it is power metal. Simple as that really.

lol I watched this with dorasuteika the other day. I don't usually care for horror/zombie movies, but I thought it was pretty good. I think there was more of an attempt to make this movie "human" and more an effort to shed light on the broader issues that would surround a zombie apocalypse than I've seen in other movies, so I appreciated that. The constant suspense was also entertaining and I thought it was cool that the setting shifted so much.

Sunset Boulevard - Nice little oldie. Reminded me a lot of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, the theme was similar. Nice dramatic music too!

I have't watched this myself, but my girlfriend is watching so I end up watching an episode now and then. My impression is that this is Oz made into a soap opera aimed at girls. Don't take that the wrong way though. Soap opera doesn't equal bad, even if a lot of idiots who doesn't know shit about TV seems to think so. Some of the characters comes off as very likeable, their development seems to be good and it seems a solid show overall to be honest. It's not my cup of tea, though.

Some of my favourites:
 
Isshi (Kagrra)
While not close to being a fantastic vocalist, or a very good singer n a technical level, but I just love the soothing softness and tenderness in his voice. And what he lacked in quality, he gained with the emotion in his voice. And he did fit the band perfectly. Never over the top, never the talking point of the band, but always delicious, with some very smooth vocal lines.
 
Gara (Merry)
I always loved his dramatic vocals. I have no problem seeing why so many find him to be a bit annoying, but I love him. A bit ove the top at times, but I don't mind that at all.
 
Satsuki (Rentrer en Soi)
He's not the best screamer in the world, but he's got a beautiful voice.
 
Tatsurou (1999-2003/4) (Mucc)
Very over the top, dramatic and theatrical vocals. To be honest he sounds pretty fucked up and shitty during these years, but it certianly did fit the music. It's a shame he started to suck so very, very much after these years.

Yeah, I found a couple of good pictures after some more searching. That's so fucking badass! I love how these fucking rockstars love horror. Kirk Hammet are also running around playing on badass guitars with artworks from Universal Monsters flicks such as The Mummy, The Bride of Frankenstein and so on. It's just too badass.

I thought Seven Psychopaths was fantastic. Not as good as In Bruges by the same man, Martin McDonagh, but very good. Both Martin, and his brother, John Michael, are two of the more promising directors out there in 2014.
 
Really looking forward to John Michael's Calvary which comes this year, and he's got several projects running as well, and I am really hoping for The Bonnot Gang to be his next thing. He once described it as a a cross between The Wild Bunch and Le Samourai. Jesus, that sounds good. But I wouldn't mind War on Everyone either, a crime film I think. These two men, man. Argh, yes!

I don't have much time to comment right now, but I really enjoy this scene. Here's an album I just listened to and thought it was really nice http://timecop1983.bandcamp.com/album/journeys-2