Geek Asylum Weekend Round-Up

Welcome to the Geek Asylum weekend round-up. We have so much good stuff to share that we wanted to give you a look at some of the things you may have missed this week on the site. We've rounded up some posts and videos that you may have missed throughout the week. So sit back, relax, and take in the awesome

Comics-- Joe talks Marvel's X-Sanction Miniseries and Avengers VS X-men 

Comics--Our new staff member Chris discusses The Decline of the Sunday Funnies

Gaming--Eric G. talks Bioshock Infinites Fourth Heavy Hitter: The Siren, very awesome stuff.

Gaming-- Joe discusses what he would like to see change on the 3DS in The Nintendo 3DS Turns One post. 

Gaming--Watch it...[VIDEO] Max Payne 3 multiplayer trailer

Movies--we openly mock Twilight while giving Rifftax their props in... [VIDEO] ZOMG! Breaking Dawn Part 2 teaser

Movies--Take a trip back to the 80's in our new series...Retrofix: Die Hard

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WWE Wrestlemania 28 Predictions

So here we are, just under a week away from Wrestlemania 28 in sunny Miami.  It's time to take a look at the card for the biggest wrestling show of the year and start making predictions.  As a preface, I will be predicting who I believe will be booked to win - not necessarily who I would like to win.  The order of matches is also up in the air, and we'll see how close I get to predicting that as well!

Steve's Predictions

Match 1 -  Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship

Sheamus has been on one of the strongest win streaks in the WWE in a long time.  From the Royal Rumble until now he has been a devastating force in the ring and has held his own on the mic with everyone placed in front of him.  If I had my choice, I'd like to see Bryan win, perhaps with AJ turning heel and leading to a heel power couple, but I absolutely expect Sheamus to take this and for it to be the opener.  I do sincerely hope that if Bryan loses the title here, he isn't dropped off the face of the Earth like so many former champs.  I hope for a chase back or even for AJ to nab the Divas title and end up the champ half of the underdog couple, more than likely leading to some great television.
  
Match 2 - Team Teddy Long vs Team John Lauranaitis - Winning team determines General Manager of Raw and Smackdown

I expect this to be nothing shy of a clusterfuck, with Dolph Ziggler stealing the show and Santino pleasing the crowd.  As of now, this has not been announced to be an elimination match, so everyone will likely cycle in and out, exchanging signature spots and finishers.  With Drew McIntyre replacing Christian on the team and Miz added, I'm willing to bet one or both of them takes a flurry of finishers at one point.  Again, not quite my choice, but I see Team Johnny taking this one, perhaps with Captain Otunga finishing up Captain Santino.

Match 3 - Kane vs Randy Orton

This really seems to amount to nothing more than "We wanted Orton on the show, but had nothing for him".  If this program is coming to a close, I'd expect Orton to win.  If it will continue, I'd say Kane.  Out of sheer desire to not see this feud continue, let's say Randy Orton.  I'd really like to say more on this but given the 'build' to the match and the feud that ensued, there really isn't much left.

Match 4 - Big Show vs Cody Rhodes (c) for the Intercontinental Championship

This is where match order starts to get a bit tough.  By all rights, the Intercontinental title shouldn't get higher billing than either of the 'major' titles, but a hot start to the show with a title change is a pretty safe bet.  So the IC title plays in the middle of the show.  As I've said for weeks, I cannot fathom WWE putting the Intercontinental title on Big Show in 2012, so one of my most steadfast predictions this year is Cody Rhodes, possibly via nefarious means.  He was shown able to topple Khali on his own, and I hope that's a sign of things to come.

Match 5 - Beth Phoenix/Eve vs Kelly Kelly/Maria Menounos

This match is basically filler.  It's a shame that divas matches all amount to time killing, bathroom breaks and time to get a pretzel or t-shirt at the arena, but that's what they've become.  If Kharma will be making any kind of impact, it should be in this match, attacking Phoenix and declaring that she'll run wild all over the divas division for the title.  This of course puts a damper on the slightly-rumored push that AJ might get toward the Divas title, but any kind of shake up would be welcome.  I hope to see Phoenix get some retribution this year, but with WWE being the company it is, the easy money is on Kelly Kelly and Maria Menounos.  That said, I'd love to be surprised by Phoenix dropping Maria with the Glam Slam to make up for her loss at Wrestlemania 27.

Match 6 - HHH vs Undertaker (Special referee: Shawn Michaels) in Hell in a Cell

This might be, in spite of "the streak" being the most important 'title' in WWE right now, the hardest to call.  There are so many possibly outcomes that make sense and lead into a year of build, on top of so many rumors floating around that it's kind of a coin flip.  HHH has a propensity for going over in matches like this, but Undertaker has the streak.  Shawn Michaels is a huge wildcard in this, as one of the biggest egos in WWE history - does he stop the streak to avenge himself or does he stop HHH from doing what he himself couldn't?  If HBK screws either one of them in any way, it all but sets up a program leading out of Wrestlemania this year or even leading to Wrestlemania next year.  'Taker has focused on verbiage of the match remaining 'pure' for weeks now; I don't think anyone actually expects it to be.  Tough to call, but I believe in the streak (and more importantly, I believe WWE believes in it) so I give this one to The Undertaker.

Match 7 - Chris Jericho vs CM Punk (c) for the WWE Championship

There's a small bit of self-serving I've done with putting this match here in the line up.  For far too long, the major titles of WWE have essentially meant nothing.  Bryan and Punk have both held the titles for a relatively long time which is a welcome change, but not a paradigm shift.  If Jericho takes this, it will lead to a chase from Punk to recapture the title, and if Punk pulls it out, it's a bit of a torch passing.  As a fan of both men, I don't hate the idea of either one carrying the WWE title, but I would like to see a continued strong reign from Punk.  CM Punk winning this could also lead to a Jericho chase to desperately prove he is the best in the world, culminating in a big blowoff match at a later PPV, like Extreme Rules.  CM Punk needs a Wrestlemania moment far more than Chris Jericho does.  Above all else, I predict this will be an excellent match, and that prediction I'm confident in.  One negative aspect of this placement (should I be right) - This match will be considered a 'wind down' match between the two "billed" main events of HHH/Undertaker and Rock/Cena.  Normally this is where a divas match would go, but I refuse to consider the divas match would go second to last at Wrestlemania.

Match 8 - John Cena vs The Rock

If this ends up not being the main event, I would be flabbergasted.  There's rumors all around, talking about a rematch for next year, Cena heel turns, Miz interference and so on.  The only way I see Miz interference in this match is if he just gets laid out by both men and has no legitimate impact on the outcome of the match.  And now that Miz is in the GM 12 man tag, it's far less likely.  A Cena heel turn is about as likely as this not being the main event.  My gut instinct is John Cena taking this.  With no continued program, there's absolutely no reason for Rock to beat Cena.  This match just begs of a 'torch passing' and it will more that likely be bestowed upon Cena with a victory.  I'm not especially interested in another year long build to Rock/Cena II, so I hope for some kind of closure here.  What I would like to see is a strong, aggressive, almost vicious streak out of Cena in this match, and to continue that intensity on past Wrestlemania.

Extras:
With eight matches announced, the only unannounced match I can imagine is a Brodus Clay squash of somebody.  He was brought back just in time for 'Mania, so it would be a bit odd to not include him in some fashion.  Of course, there will be a few vignettes, celebrity appearances and so on.  These time wasters will detract from matches getting more time, so the only prediction I have as far as they go is they'll piss me off. 


Eric's Predictions

It's that time of the year again. the time where all of WWE's frustrating shorelines come to a head at the showcase of the immortals WRESTLEMANIA. So lets begin the as per usual predictions that make the event so much more enjoyable.

Sheamus v Daniel Bryan for the Heavyweight Title

I'm enjoying the face push that Sheamus is getting now. I dunno, something about a large happy go lucky Irishman just makes me want to root for the fella. But I feel like we've only seen the tip of the iceberg with Daniel Bryan. but alas this all isn't up to me and I can only assume how Vincent K McMahon will toy with my emotions. I'm going with D Bryan FTW! YES! YES! YES!

Chris Jericho vs CM Punk for the WWE Title

Been waiting for this match since Y2J came back. Come now. With the push CM Punk has been getting for the oats year you really think that he's gonna lose Sunday? Puhleeze! It's certain to be a fantastic match. With Punk winning and retaining.

HHH vs Undertaker Hell in a Cell w/ HBK as guest referee

I honestly never know how these 'Taker 'Mania matches will go. But I can see Taker walking away with the win, the streak and away from the WWE. Along with HHH.

Beth Phoenix/Eve vs Kelly Kelly/ Maria Menounos

Why? Just why? Guest celebrity wrestlers always win somehow. It's a Divas match ergo I don't care, I'll be taking a dump at that time or getting another slice of pizza. Kelly Kelly wins. My sexual frustration loses.

Team Teddy vs Team Lauranaitis

I hate both of these GM's. I wonder if they can both lose. Whatever, I get to see the cobra strike at Wreslemania so I'm satisfied. Bitches love Big Johnny.

Kane vs Randy Orton

A filler match. Gives Randy a reason not to pout backstage for not getting screentime since he's as fragile as Samuel L. Jackson in Unbreakable. Kane wins this though because he can.

Big Show vs Cody Rhodes

After Big Show had the title for about three minutes this year I'd say he's due for some happiness. And since Cody is a douche, I say justice will be served. 

John Cena vs The Rock

I'm of the opinion that the Rocks gimmick is old. It's nothing I haven't heard before and it's only working because he's bringing Attitude Era/ real world language to the PG WWE. I respect Cena. As a person and as a performer. He has taken more crap from the fans than a lot of the guys in the locker room. Do i think he needs a heel turn? Hell yeah! will he get one? no. Because it's about money. Punk got his push because he became too popular to overlook. His t shirts were selling out as much as Cenas where. Cena makes too much money for the WWE as a face than a heel.

There just aren't enough of us cynical bastards out there to make them change him. Anywho, that being said its hard to tell whats gonna happen. Rock is gonna be at next years Mania but we don't know in what capacity. Rock v Cena 2? Who's asking for the rematch? I say Miz interferes and gives Rock the victory and Cena spends the next year telling Rock he didn't prove shit and gets him to fight one last time. One last time…seems like another cliche WWE tag line. Perfect. Rock with the unclean win.

Let us know what you think in the comments - title changes, "extra" predictions, match order.  We want to hear it!

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Marvel Comics: Avenging Spider-Man 5

The Avenging Spider-man is a fairly new series that has only just started, and so far I must say I enjoy it. By no means does that mean I like it, as there is no need to have more than one comic do the exact same thing as another. We already have The Amazing Spider-man, we really don't need an Avenging one. It's not like when you have a series like Ultimate Spider-man, where the universe is completely different.

This time it's really just the same Spider-man we know teaming up with various avengers. We get that normally though, so to me it's just putting talent into a wasted effort. If you want to put Spider-man with any given Avenger, then write The Avengers, The New Avengers, or even The Amazing Spider-man that much better.Well that's not happening, so let's take a look at this particular issue, because I liked this one.

[SPOILER ALERT] 

This book tells a good story. That's rare. I mean, when you pick up a comic nowadays, you will more than likely pick up a piece of a story. Comics do "arcs" in their story lines, which basically divide one large story over several issues. So normally, like issues 1 through 3 of this series, you have to get a certain number of issues before you have a complete story. This issue doesn't follow that trend, and surprisingly enough, the story is written very well.

The book opens up with the Avengers and Spider-man basically hanging out poking fun at a comic strip. Why poke fun? It's Steve Roger's comic he wrote and drew as a kid, before Captain America was even a thought. The reason they're even being brought up is because they are being auctioned as memorabilia. So in the midst of all the poking, Steve Rogers walks in, and Spider-man is left a little embarrassed, having to have stopped mid-sentence.

So as the team leaves for a mission, Spider-man has a revelation. Peter and Steve- they're nerds at heart. Peter is a scientist, Steve is an artist and/or writer, I guess that counts. Feeling as though they have this bond, Spider-man goes so far as to pair up with Cap on the mission, interrupting whenever possible to get little jabs of interest in towards Cap's childhood hobbies. Cap dismisses all of them.

Back at the Avengers mansion, Spider-man reveals that he bought all of Cap's comics from the auction. This is the part of the story you should pay attention to. Here's how the opinions basically draw down to:

Captain America/Steve Rogers: These represent a time when he had no skill, no talent, and is reminded of his weaknesses. Compared to what he can do now, these are obsolete.

Spider-man/Peter Parker: These represent the inner child, where no matter what happens to you over time, you are still the same person. They hold a lot of memory and represent ambition.

Steve makes a remark about how Peter must break out the old Chemistry set from time to time, which Peter admits to. Later in the mansion, as Peter is about to throw out the Chemistry set, Steve approaches him and the two begin to look at Steve's new drawings, having been reminded of what he enjoys doing once again.

If nothing else, it's nice to know that the book was made in memory to Joe Simon, who passed away this past December 2011 at the age of 98. Simon is responsible for co-creating Captain America.

It's a very heart-warming book that gives us, as readers, the know-how that despite what super heroes go through, they are still human beings. Would I go buy this book if you're not already getting the series? Probably not. But if you see it on a shelf, take the 5-10 minutes to read it, you might get something out of it.

The Geek Asylum Says: Worthwhile, But Not a Priority

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It's Here! Avengers VS X-Men!

This week, "Avengers VS X-men" Unofficially kicks off!

I say unofficially because it's issue #0, the starting point but not quite where we need to be to start the actual epic event. This issue brings you behind the scenes at what is going on with two of the major characters in the brawl, the Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers.

When you pick up this issue (And you will) you'll notice you get a 2-fer. That's right, and I don't mean the free Digital Copy(What, is everything going digital!?). You get one story about the Scarlet Witch, and then a completely different story about Hope Summers. So I'll take a look at each, as well as give you a quick backstory on why these characters are back.

[SPOILER ALERT]





The first half of the book is all about the Scarlet Witch. With one sentence, the Scarlet Witch wiped out the majority of the Mutant Race, leaving them powerless. She has been missing since, until recently where she resurfaced in the Children's Crusade miniseries. She is back to her former self, but is having trouble getting back to the present and adjusting.

The story is very quick, in fact I can tell it to you in one paragraph. It starts by having the Scarlet Witch (Wanda) fending off some of MODOK's troops, as well as MODOK himself. After a bit of trouble, Ms Marvel and Spider-woman show up and help her out. Under Ms Marvel's consideration, she asks Wanda to come back to Avenger's Mansion and say hello. When they get there, the Vision answers the door, and rudely tells her she is not welcome there, with Ms Marvel flying her off as she cries. That's it. Nothing more, at least not important. We just know that there is tension between Scarlet Witch and the Avengers.

The second half of the book is all about Hope Summers, the fabled "mutant messiah" and the highly speculated host of the Phoenix force. This story takes the role of Hope having gone through all of her training with Cable and yet being held captive as a child on the mutant Utopia.

This story is also very quick, but much more intense. It starts by an argument between Hope and Cyclops, which is about Hope leaving the island for some heroics. She ends up getting to the point of borrowing Cyclops powers and blasting him, then flying off. She flies to the city, and intercepts the Serpent Society in a robbery, and stops all of them by herself. She displays a number of her skills, not just in stealth, but also that she can copy any mutant's powers within a certain range. Cyclops and Emma appear at the tail end of it, stopping Hope's bloody hand from hitting a member one more time. This half ends with Hope sitting by the beach, while the Phoenix force makes it's way towards Earth.

As I said, this issue doesn't give you anything towards the Avengers Vs X-men directly, but rather sets up what will most likely be important points for it. If you plan on reading Avengers VS X-men, start here. The series officially kicks off NEXT WEEK, so keep a look out!*

*Most comic stores are running promotional Avengers VS Xmen events, including taking a side. Find your local X-men store or Avengers Store and participate on the action.

The Geek Asylum Says: BUY IT.

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[VIDEO] Max Payne 3 multiplayer trailer

I can't wait for Max Payne 3, seeing as its been nealry 10 years since we've had the pleasure of showering enemies with a hail of bullets. Rockstar has released the first trialer showcasing the mutiplayer aspect of the game. I'm sure you're asking yourself, "multiplayer?" If you haven't learned by now, any shooter title will have the requisite multiplayer mode attached to it.

The trailer does also reveal some of the different gameplay modes that players can expect, such as Gang Wars and Payne Killer. Based on what I'm seeing the multiplayer action does look fun. Now watch dudes roll around on the ground, jump in slo-mo, and blow stuff. It's a lot cooler than it sounds.




Via:Machinima

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The Codename Heard Around the World

We want to keep backing Sony into a corner about their new PlayStation console, but they haven't budged. However, unconfirmed sources are leading us to believe that we pressed Sony so hard that they couldn't breathe, so we have a couple of answers. Those answers, however, are definitely not exactly the ones we wanna hear.

Codename: Orbis. It's expected arrival date is Holiday 2013, around the same time that Xbox (with its codename: Durango) is supposed to come around. It's going to be a ridiculous holiday season, that's for sure, but there are some awesome upsides for those who nerdgasm at gorgeous graphics and fps, and some really serious downsides for anyone who cares.

Kotaku has recently recieved this information from an anonymous source, but has shared correct information before, however due to policies, that person isn't allowed to really share much of anything. Bah humbug.

The rumor mill is saying that the new consoles won't let you play pre-owned games which would really kick retailers like GameStop, Best Buy, Play-n-Trade and other stores in the balls since they make a huge profit margin off of their pre-owned inventory. Saying to your friend "Hey! I just bought this new game and beat it! Wanna borrow it?" Noooooope. What might just happen is the in-between - you can play a pre-owned game on your console, but you'll be limited as to what you can do.

Players will have to possibly pay a fee and register the game to access its full features. I'm seriously hoping it's not true, but all one can do at this point is just hope. On the other hand, rumors also say that you won't be able to play used games PERIOD. None. Zip. Nada. No way, Jose. If that happens, GameStop and all of its affiliate stores would go under, and so would privately owned franchise game stores.

The really cute thing about its codename is that the recently released Vita in Latin means life. Orbis means circle, or ring.. anyting synonymous to that. Sooo... put them together, and you have Orbis Vita (or strict Latin of Orbis Vitae) which would translate to Circle of Life. I can't help but think of Lion King, but seriously, maybe the Vita is a strong harbinger to what the alleged Orbis will hold for us.

Ok, so enough with the depressing news and the Latin lesson. Let's move on to the goodies!

First off, the PS3 can only handle 3D gaming at 720p, but the Orbis will let you play in full 1080p. Um, what? We're also looking at a resolution capability of 4096x2160, or 4K to make it easier on the tongue and brain. That's way ahead of what current HDTVs are set at right now.

So ok, great graphics, but basically what's happening with these new consoles is that it'll be just like buying a PC game - you buy it, register it, and now it's yours. While you might be able to trade in your Orbis games, the lack of capability as to what you can do with it is going to piss off way too many consumers to even buy it. It'll be like buying a demo of a game.

Looking at a glance, the Orbis isn't isn't worth the goose crap on the bottom of my flipflops. I'm really disappointed in you, Sony. I feel like I just got sold out. You're gunna have to do a lot better than this to grab PlayStation fans' attention.

Again guys, even Kotaku said this - these aren't absolutely confirmed, just super likely, but take everything you're going to hear with a grain of salt until Sony gives their announcement (and no, it won't be at this year's E3 either, so don't hold your breath).

Read it yourself here

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WWE Raw Wrapup 3/26/2012

Monday Night Raw – March 26^th, 2012

It’s the final week.  The Wrestlemania train has one last chance to pick up steam heading into the station on Sunday.  This Friday doesn’t quite count, as the focus of the show will be on the Axxess weekend show, with a couple of matches sprinkled in.  Tonight, The Rock and John Cena will stand face to face in the middle of the ring for one final promo – The last attempt to sell people who are on the fence.  But the show starts with Randy Orton’s theme music.

Match 1 – Randy Orton and Sheamus vs Kane and Daniel Bryan (World Heavyweight Champion)

Two matches’ worth of combatants in the opener of the go-home Raw.  All four men have put hands on one another for weeks, so they’re not exactly giving away anything here.  Orton and Bryan start, but not until after Bryan gets his now-customary good luck kiss from AJ.  Orton grabs a headlock and shoulder blocks Bryan down, which Bryan answers with kicks.  Off the ropes, Orton throws him with a back body drop and signature Orton stomps.  Orton whiffs the after-stomp knee drop and Bryan goes into his backflip routine off the turnbuckle, but runs into a clothesline.  This resets us, as both men tag out.  Kane and Sheamus tie up and Kane comes out on top after a throat thrust.  Sheamus lands a chopblock and a knee on Kane in return and lands big right hands.  Kane elbows Sheamus off the ropes and lands a low dropkick for two.  Sheamus boots Kane out of the corner and climbs up top for his diving shoulder.  Kane ends up throwing Sheamus outside and Bryan tags him with a jumping knee off the apron, leading to a commercial.  Back from break, Sheamus is fighting out of a Bryan headlock and Bryan ends up missing an attempted corner dropkick.  Orton tags in and lands signature clotheslines and a powerslam.  He brings Bryan onto the apron and lands the second rope DDT and coils on the mat.  Kane grabs Bryan’s foot and drags him out of harm’s way.  Orton gives chase and attacks Kane, but this affords Bryan the opportunity to land a baseball slide.  They put Orton back in the ring and Kane tags in.  Kane lands strikes and a corner clothesline for two.  Kane settles into a chinlock, but Orton fights out, only to walk into a side slam from Kane for two.  Kane goes up top for his diving clothesline and lands it, then signals for the chokeslam.

Orton snaps off a quick dropkick to put a stop to the attempt and both men tag.  Sheamus lands axe handles on Bryan and clubs him in the corner, followed by the Irish Curse.  Orton and Sheamus double team clothesline Kane to the outside and Orton follows.  Kane throws Orton into the ring post while AJ gets between Sheamus and Bryan.  Sheamus attempts a Brough kick but gets caught in the ropes, which allows Kane to chokeslam him while standing on the apron for Bryan to pin and win.

Winners: Kane and Daniel Bryan via pinfall

The heels are really setting themselves up for a fall at ‘Mania.  AJ surprised me here; after weeks of verbal abuse from Bryan, she seems happy to get in harm’s way to help him.  Here’s hoping for a real heel turn from her.  Perhaps a power couple that kicks and taps their opponents?  Strong open to the go-home Raw with all 4 guys really on point.  Booker T called Bryan the “ultimate opportunist” a few times in this match; Edge hasn’t even been inducted yet and Booker is using his moniker.  You’ve got the entire English language – pick a couple different words.

Rock vs Cena vignette: Rock lands Rock Bottom on Cena at WM27.

Michael Cole is in the ring, in the middle of putting on a Team Johnny t-shirt.  He is the official commentator for Team Johnny; does that mean he won’t speak when Team Teddy guys are on offense in the match?  Vickie is apparently the official flag bearer and comes out with Johnny and David Otunga.  Booker T hops up on the announce table to introduce Teddy Long, to introduce Santino.  Splendid.

Match 2 – David Otunga vs Santino Marella (United States Champion), non-title

So for the second match in a row, we’re giving away Wrestlemania action.  Otunga runs Santino over with shoulder blocks.  Santino answers with a drop toe hold and a chancery.  Santino misses a corner attack and gets clubbed by Otunga.  Otunga wants the Team Johnny flag in the ring, which draws Hornswoggle in with the Team Teddy flag.  Otunga takes the flag from Hornswoggle and goes to hit him, but misses and catches the top rope, popping it back into his own face, which leads to him turning around into The Cobra.

Winner: Santino Marella via pinfall

The GM’s argue and Teddy ends up shoving Ace over Santino on hands and knees.  Santino readies The Cobra for Johnny, but Miz rushes the ring and delivers the Skull Crushing Finale on Santino.  Johnny welcomes him to his team, but manages to say “Team Teddy”.  Worst possible time to flub, but he corrected himself.  So after all the clamoring, Miz just walks onto Team Johnny and Wrestlemania.  If he doesn’t make a real impact in this match, he’s wasted a lot of our time.

Rock vs Cena vignette: The challenge issued the night after WM27

A video plays of Wrestlemania moments and general PPV moments for HHH and Undertaker.

Match 3 – Eve Torres vs Kelly Kelly

That’s three for three on ‘Mania matchups given away for free.  Kelly starts a “Hoeski” chant mid ring.  She takes Eve down with a jackknife cover for two.  Eve delivers kicks after kicking out and lifts Kelly up by her neck in the corner.  She drops her down and covers for a two count.  Eve stretches out Kelly, but Kelly escapes and lands her signature (ridiculous) 1080 headscissors.  Eve strikes back and attempts her top rope moonsault, but Kelly rolls out of the way and rolls through on an Oklahoma roll for three.

Winner: Kelly Kelly via pinfall

That accomplished pretty much nothing.  I’d love to say more, but there’s not much to play off of here.

Rock vs Cena vignette: Rock lands Rock Bottom after their tag match at Survivor Series

Match 4 – Christian vs CM Punk (WWE Champion), non-title

Jericho appears on the Titantron and breaks to the world that Punk’s mother is a very nice lady, but her wedding date was after Punk’s birthdate.  So Punk is a bastard.  That doesn’t seem anywhere near as devastating as the alcoholic father bit.

Christian attacks Punk from behind in the ring and tosses Punk outside.  Punk answers with a big kick and proceeds to bash Christian’s head into the announce table repeatedly.  He continues with another kick to the head and then stretches Christian on the floor, landing repeated Bryan Danielson-style elbows to the chest.  Punk sets up the steps and delivers a GTS, with Christian’s head bouncing off the steel instead of Punk’s knee.  He then locks in the Anaconda Vice and yells “This is you, Jericho!”.  The refs break it up, but Punk jumps over the stairs and locks it in again.  Took them four matches, but this was at least not an actual ‘Mania match up.  It actually wasn’t a match at all, as no bell rang

Winner: No contest

Match 5 – Brodus Clay vs Curt Hawkins

As usual, Clay’s opponent doesn’t get an entrance.  Hawkins opens the match by running into a clothesline from Brodus.  He chopblocks Brodus and lands rights, then a low bulldog for a one count.  Brodus may finally be showing a bit of weakness – no, wait.  Headbutt to chest, knee to gut, t-bone suplex and big splash.  Scratch that ‘weakness’ bit.

Winner: Brodus Clay via pinfall

Clay is still my call for ‘unannounced match’ at Wrestlemania.  A quick 1 minute squash of somebody to pop the crowd.  Again, nothing is particularly accomplished with this, except to show that Brodus isn’t entirely invulnerable.

Rock vs Cena vignette: the war of words and the promos cut back and forth, with verbiage of Rock ‘leaving’ WWE after coming back.

Match 6 – Big Show vs Primo Colon (Half of the Tag Team Champions)

Show opens with strikes and a frying pan chop in the corner.  He biels Primo across the ring then lands more strikes.  Primo jumps off the second rope at him, but gets swatted out of the air.  Show chokeslams him for three

Winner: Big Show via pinfall

Epico comes into the ring and gets a chokeslam for himself.  Cody Rhodes comes out and talks about Big Show’s repeated WM failures.  He’s going to make “Big Show” a verb, using it in examples replacing various words such as “fail” and “shit”.  This was a good, serious promo with jokes sprinkled in.  Very good, and I hope Cody continues down this path.  Of note: During this match, Christian was declared medically unfit for Wrestlemania and Drew McIntyre has replaced him on Team Johnny.

A new Lord Tensai ad runs, but continues to explain nothing.

The Bellas are in the back arguing over which GM to support and Zack Ryder comes in to strike out with them.  Eve invites Zack to stay with her in Miami during ‘Mania weekend.  Could she be a double agent for Johnny?

Punk is interviewed.  “How do I feel?  Ask Christian.”  Punk says he’s no bastard; he’s the best wrestler in the world.

Match 7 – Mark Henry vs Great Khali

Each man enters with his respective GM.  Khali attacks Henry from behind and lands a back elbow and big chop.  Henry hits the ropes and runs into a Brain Chop.  Henry lands the World’s Strongest Slam out of nowhere for three.

Winner: Mark Henry via pinfall

Teddy, you sure can pick a team.  Johnny throws Long into the ring, to be face to face with Henry.  Team Johnny storms the ring to block Team Teddy from saving him.  Santino and Ryder come out anyway and get beaten down.  R-Truth runs down, but gets beaten as well.  Kofi jumps off someone’s back onto the apron, then springboards at Henry, but gets caught for the World’s Strongest Slam.  Long is lifted for one of his own, but Booker T hits the ring and lays out Henry with a Scissors Kick.  Booker is invited to be the sixth man on Team Teddy and agrees.  This speaks for a thin roster with few guys that management has faith in if Booker needs to be in this match.

Rock vs Cena vignette: One upping one another, with Rock following Cena’s Attitude Adjustment on Mark Henry with a Rock Bottom last week.

With about ten minutes left before the top of the hour, The Rock enters.  He waits out a Rocky chant and a Boots To Asses chant and talks about WM20 which many thought would be his last ‘Mania match.  He makes pie jokes and Betty White jokes (actually the same joke, but who’s counting?).  He discusses the Rock Bottom heard ‘round the world last year.  The Millions want to see him against Cena, and right on cue, he makes his entrance.  Cena tells us he knows he’ll be booed at Wrestlemania.  That’s not new to him, nor is Rock being the best trash talker.  Cena says he’s always happy to be in a WWE ring and has been longer than Rock.  In the ten year gap that Rock was gone, Cena has been the guy people use to make points.  Everyone talks trash.  Cena does what his t-shirt says: Rise Above the Hate.  Cena makes a penis joke to complement the previous pie joke.  He’s going to win.  People may hate it, but he’ll win.  Cena says “people may not like my character” which is a poor choice of words and kind of pulls you out of the moment, but the energy here is so strong, that it’s easily ignored.  Cena will be damned if Rock takes this from him – Nobody remembers second place.  Rock says he’s no visitor; he helped build this house.  Rock says he beat Hogan at Wrestlemania, he beat Austin at Wrestlemania and all that’s left is to beat Cena at Wrestlemania.  From a business perspective, he needs to beat Cena to be the best of all time.  From a personal perspective, he just doesn’t like Cena, and is going to give him the ass kicking of a lifetime.

Lot of words here.  Both men ‘need’ to beat the other one.  Rock’s now introduced “being the best of all time” into this match, which invalidates the claims made by Punk and Jericho, so that was a pretty poor choice of words.  The energy shown by these two in this promo actually made me want to see a match I hadn’t really cared about for 51 weeks.

So that’s your final Raw before Wrestlemania.  From a wrestling action perspective, it just kind of chugged along.  As far as the promos go it was full steam ahead: Rhodes, Punk, and Rock/Cena all worked very hard to draw people into their matches.  For the final show, that’s critical, and you’ll rarely see me say that the verbiage is more important than the action on any of these shows.

Our predictions will be up soon for folks to comment on – keep an eye on @thegeekasylum and @sbfantom for when they go live.

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The Nintendo 3DS Turns One

"Not another one!" is what everyone I know said. Everyone.

For what it's worth, Nintendo is the expert on releasing systems. The "Gameboy" was one of the first handhelds back in it's day, and has had the largest evolution of gaming since...well, pretty much ever.

It all started with the Gameboy, a huge clunky system that you brought with you to play your favorite games. Then they produced the Gameboy Pocket, a smaller, slimmer Gameboy that well, can fit in your pocket. They upgraded that to the Gameboy Color, which while previous models had two-tone screens, the Gameboy Color provided a variety of color to the specific Gameboy Color Games. Next we saw the Gameboy Advance, a larger screen and trigger buttons were added, and new cartridge styles were added. A Gameboy Advance could play Gameboy and Gameboy Color games, but had it's own Advance titles as well. Next we got the Gameboy Advance SP, a fold-able gameboy advance, stocked with it's own backlight and rechargable battery. An often overlooked model, the Gameboy Micro, was also revealed with it's tiny screen, but did not do much for the evolution of the gaming system. Building on the foldability, Nintendo produced the Nintendo DS, which incorporated a new card-style game cartridge reader, but still could play Gameboy and Gameboy advance cartridges. The new features included a touch-screen display, as well as a second screen, and a small operating system. Next came the DS Lite, which added a few menu options to the operating system, while slimming down the Nintendo DS. There was the DSi, which improved on the DS Lite, but discarded the Gameboy and Gameboy Advance cartridge slot. Also added was a full operating system, downloadable content, and a small camera to the front of the DS. Next we had the DSiXL, which as it sounds is just a fairly large DSi. Finally, we are where we are today, with our Nintendo 3DS.

When you look back at where Nintendo has gone with these handheld systems, I can only give them two huge big thumbs up. They've really done a great job, and I personally haven't had any disappointments in any system, even in their pricing. When you get down to the math of it all, that money is well spent. At bare minimum, if you spend 10 hours playing a game (Some people play more!), and you spent $200 on a single system with any one game, you come down to $20 an hour. $20 for unlimited continues, saves, restarts, free internet, and anywhere you want. $20 goes quickly in any given arcade, so I'd say you make a good investment! And if you spent $20 on the next game ($240), with 10 MORE hours on that one, you're now paying $12 an hour. Get another? $9! Now ask yourself- would you spend $9 to enjoy yourself for one hour?

First thing first- I will not review any of the games that are previously released on any other handheld system, or are from the NES or SNES consoles. This is because you really don't get the effects of the system from these games, you only really get portability and nostalgia. Don't get me wrong- I LOVE playing Punchout everywhere. But that's not something the 3DS specifically did for me that the DSi, in time, couldn't. So let's answer all of those questions right now- if you enjoyed them on a different console, you will enjoy them just as equally on a 3DS.

But on the same subject, let me talk about the launch- when the 3DS came out, you had REMAKES. Lots, and lots, of remakes. Why would you go and buy this new system? To get The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time? To get ANOTHER Street Fighter game? To get a new system to re-play your Pokemon games one more time? I don't think so. The 3DS had a rough start, with it's only real selling point being a 3D screen. Granted, you can get wireless access, an internet browser, a few videos....But in the age of Smartphones, these are all near expected in anything electronically handheld.

For the record, my gauntlet of games includes The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64 3D, Super Mario 3DLand, Mariokart 7, Sonic Generations, and Kid Icarus Uprising. Overall, I am very pleased, and that the money spent on the system and games has been cost-effective to the amount of time I've spent using it.


It's been one year since the 3DS was released (my 3DS promptly reminded me so with spotpass goodies!), so what made me get it? I have an iPhone, so a lot of the bonuses I listed I already had. Well let me list a few of the key things that got me to the store and buying it.

1) Price Drop. You had a system that was $250 originally, and that was before any games. Now while the games aren't essential, you could still play your regular DS games, that's exactly what most people, myself included, thought- Why spend $250 for little to no improvement? So I waited, and in August 2011 the price of the 3DS dropped by $80. It went from a whopping $250 to $170! That's HUGE. If you knew games you wanted, and for me it was Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time and Starfox 64 3D, you essentially had the option now of getting the 3DS with 2 games for the original price. And so I did, and might I say $210 up front for a system plus Zelda, and then a month later to spend that other $40 really was a saver.

2) The Titles. I knew Zelda and Starfox were remakes, but let's be honest- when has a new system been released where only a few games were made only to go back to an old system? Never. So I knew that down the road all new DS games would be 3D. Maybe not something like Pokemon, which was revealed to be a DS game with 3DS features, but most new games would require a 3DS. We're looking at the 3DS gems, such as SuperMario 3DLand, Mariokart 7, and Kid Icarus Uprising. If you want to play those, you're going to have to get the 3DS. With good expectations, the 3DS was a good investment for me.

3) Backwards Compatibility. Let's be honest here- if you want to play a Gameboy or Gameboy Advance game, you know damn well you will pull out your trusty Gameboy Advance SP and enjoy yourself for the ten minutes of nostalgia you will have. So to me, losing that slot again (The DSi didn't have it either) isn't a big loss. But since I, like most DS owners, could still play Pokemon Black and Pokemon White (among other titles) on the 3DS we don't cry too much. If nothing else, and a game was REALLY GOOD on the Gameboy system, they may have it available for download on the Nintendo store. I got Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening this way, $5 well spent of course.

4) The Apps. In addition to the downloadable games, the 3DS came with a few system-specific games that are quite fun. For starters, Streetpass Mii Plaza- the Miis are back and as you pass other systems, your Miis say hello (So good job Nintendo, you've given me more inscentive to travel with my portable system!) They join you in a small little quest titled "Find Mii", and can generate panels to puzzles that when completed give you a neat 3D image of a popular title. You can also purchase random pieces of the puzzle or hire helpers using the play coins you get with the system, earned by simply walking with your 3DS. Every 100 steps, up to 10 coins per day, calculated on a pedometer in the system. Pretty neat, huh? There are other Apps that provide mild entertainment, such as Faceraiders, AR Games, and your standard Mii Maker. There's your 3DS camera, activity log, and Nintendo store for things you may not use as often (in my case anyway), and then you have the downloadable stuff too. From Nintendo you can get, for free, a Pokedex 3D, Swapnotes, Nintendo Zone, and a few others. Overall, these apps are a little fun, may catch your attention for an hour or so each, but that's about it. Nothing you'd turn your system on for, at least. I enjoy having that little "extra" to my games, so for me this is a gift.

5. The 3D Effect. Come on- it's the newest technological advancement, who doesn't want one?? I did, or at least try it out. Most people I heard it gives headaches to, and me personally I could do without the 3D. I rarely turn it on. So take my word for it- this is not the selling point now, but it was...

That just about does it though, as every player will have  their own likes dislikes. If you like Handheld Gaming, and you want to improve your Nintendo collection, get one. There will be many more titles, some iconic ones you won't want to miss (I'm looking forward to the Kingdom Hearts 3D!), and many more features that are just waiting to be added.


The Geek Asylum Says:  BUY IT

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Retrofix: Die Hard

What is there to say about Die Hard that hasn't already been said? It has woven itself into pop culture, and is one of those iconic pieces of American cinema. I mean who doesn't know "Yippie kai yay mother fucker"? My mom knows the term for crying out loud, but she has no clue that hardboiled cop John McClane was the character behind the renowned line.

Die Hard is a prime example of 80's excess, and that's what makes it so damn beautiful. It's the creme de la creme of the action genre, the standard if you will. Everything in this movie embodies what film making was like in the 80's, especially in regards to action films: Hardcore pyrotechnics, tits, in-camera action, tits, 30 minute firefights, gratuitous violence, tits, and one-liners---the god damn American dream. Did I miss anything?

Action movies today are laughable when compared to the golden age of action cinema. Think about an action flick within the last 10 years that comes even remotely close to the greatness of Die Hard. You can't do it, can you? Let's get something straight right now, the world was a different place in 1988. Recession? $4.00 a gallon gas prices? Fuck that noise, the economy was thriving, people had jobs, and more importantly, people were spending money.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the brilliance of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (what is wrong with you?), they sang a little jingle for one of their flicks "It's the 80's, let's do a lot of coke and vote for Ronald Reagan". Well that jingle could be applied to every facet of American culture in the 1980's, we were the shit, and we wanted the world to know about it.


What makes Die Hard so amazing is that it had the perfect formula for an action film. You have an incredibly marketable actor in Bruce Willis (who was fresh off his TV stint on Moonlighting, so at the time he was a relative unknown), you have a phenomenal director in John McTtiernan, one of the best villains in actor Alan Rickman (where are you hiding cowboy!), and a powerful score by the one and only Michael Kamen (RIP dude).

The funny thing is that regardless of what may have been a successful formula, 20th Century Fox had little or no faith in the film. I'm going to provide some interesting facts regarding the films production, since I'm apparently a vat of useless knowledge. The studio expected it to bomb, and their expectations were warranted seeing as Bruce Willis was really not as big as he is today. McTiernan only had two films to his name at the time and they were banking on the success of other action films, namely Lethal Weapon.

Despite the studios lack of faith in the film, it went on to be arguably the greatest action film ever made. Not to mention that the movie made bank in the box office. Of an estimated budget of $28 million, the movie ended up raking in $83 million domestic. This isn't including the international scene at all. Not bad for a movie that was supposed to be a flop.



Lets talk about director John McTiernan for a moment shall we? While his resume isn't filled with academy award winning films, at least half of it is filled with timeless genre-defining action films (Predator, Die Hard 1&3, The Hunt for Red October, and Last Action Hero). McTiernan only has 11 films to his name, and the latter portion of his career is lackluster to say the least, however, his name will always be associated with some of the most memorable films of recent memory.

Die Hard really is such a joy to watch. I can watch it over and over, and never get sick of it. I just fell in love with the character of John McClane. Unlike other action heroes at the time, the guy wasn't invincible. He was just an insane cop who just wouldn't quit. The man picks off an elite squad of European terrorists one by one. In the process, this is what John Mcclane does:

• he breaks his ribs


• gets shot in the shoulder twice


• runs bare foot through shards of glass on an entire floor


• has a flash grenade thrown at him


• takes assault rifle fire for seven minutes in cover


• Fist fights a man twice his size and wins


• takes sniper fire from friendlys


• jumps off of a bulding with a fire hose and nearly falls 80 stories to his death


• yells "HANS!" and puts a bullet in a henchmans head, shoots Hans with the last two bullets in his gun effectively killing him


• Saves his wife from plummeting to her death

What a bad ass. Die Hard epitomizes the Summer blockbuster with its balls to the wall action. Screw Michael Bay, this was the OG blockbuster. I ask that you revisit Die Hard to have your memory refreshed---yippie kai yay mother fucker.

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A Month With the PlayStation Vita

I purchased the PlayStation Vita on a whim a little over a month ago. It’s given me some time to use it and try out some of the features and really get into it. It also gave me time to get over the “wow” factor of such a new device to give more of an honest and realistic opinion of the newest portable system to enter the market.

Design

The PlayStation Vita design is a direct descendant of the PSP, a natural progression because not much needed to be changed. There were some great enhancements to make it a bit friendlier to modern game play. One notable enhancement is the fact that it now has dual analog sticks. This feature really opens the Vitas capability. Now you can play first and third person shooters with the same ease that you can on a PS3. It’s not just limited to shooters; sports games also receive a huge boost having that extra analog stick.

Touchscreen

           

The addition of a front touch screen makes plenty of sense. Now that all portable devices such as cell phones and tablets have added this feature it would be foolish not to. It does add some unique controls to games, but most of the games I have tried don’t actually require you to use the screen yet, they still give you alternate analog control options.

Rear Touchpad

The rear touchpad is one new element to the hardware that I found to be really cool. This is one feature that will only be as good as the game publishers decide to make it. For example in Uncharted: Golden Abyss, the rear touchpad can be used in a few situations. It can feel forced or unnecessary at some points such as rope climbing. You can choose to just use the analog sticks pushing up or down to climb in either direct. Or you can use the rear touchpad in an alternate swiping motion to climb. It’s superfluous, if you’re going to give the option of the analog keys 9 times out of 10 I will use them because it’s just plain easier.

One example where the touch pad is used right is FIFA Soccer. As you plays you can imagine the rear touch pad as the goal. Wherever you lay your finger on the touchpad corresponds to the goal. So if you put your finger on the top left that’s where your shot will go, and power just depends on how long you hold your finger there. It’s really an ingenious use of the touchpad and I hope to see more of it. But once again it is a feature that will only be as good as developers choose to make it.

Cross Play

Cross plays is another cool feature with a lot of potential. It’s a simple enough idea, if you own the same game on your PS3 and Vita you can begin the game on one and if need be continue it on the other. It’s got some substantial promise. I haven’t had the opportunity to try this out myself. There are only two games with cross play availability and most notably it’s MLB: The Show. Being a huge baseball fan I hope to get to try it very soon and provide some more insight. But once again the developer and which games will come out for both systems simultaneously limit it. I have a feeling it will most likely be found in sports games such as the Madden franchise and so on.

Screen

One feature that truly impressed me was the 5 inch OLED display. The games really pop off the screen. Sony claims it can produce 16 million colors and it’s easy to believe that statement. The colors are sharp and vivid from the brightest yellow to the deepest black.

Wi-Fi or 3G

Something to mention is the availability of a Wi-Fi model and a Wi-Fi/3G model. The 3G Vita runs on the AT&T network and requires a minimum of $14.99 data plan. I have the 3G Vita and at this point and time I don’t see much use for it. You cannot download large files and the connection is still relatively slow so multiplayer gaming might not be practical over 3G. I would save the extra $50 and buy an extra game.

Battery

“So how’s the battery life?” That’s the question you’ll hear anytime a new portable device comes out. I’ve heard some gripes about the battery life of the Vita. I simply do not agree with these complaints. I can charge my Vita and play a solid four to five hours of any game and still have some juice left over. The standby time for me has been anywhere from five days to a week. Some people wanted a bigger battery but I think Sony got this right. The bigger the battery the heavier the device and there is reduced portability. If you think about it, holding a device in your hands for several hours does take a bit of a toll and can get a bit tiring on your dainty lady-like wrists. Or is that just me?

Software

The operating system on the Vita is relatively smooth and well put together. It’s flows nicely and anyone can figure out how to use it rather quickly. Everything is laid out in rounded tiles and you can easily swipe between pages as you gain more items on your screen. Pretty much if you can use a smartphone you can navigate a Vita. One nice feature is that when you pause a game you can actually multitask and the game will remain paused in the background as you browse the web or visit the PlayStation store and it doesn’t seem to impact performance. All and all the software was about what I expected. I imagine over time and with updates the dashboard will really come together.

Graphics

The graphics are actually quite stunning and I feel it may just be the tip of the iceberg. It clearly has room to grow and developers will find ways to really squeeze out all the power they can to achieve even more impressive graphics. Best graphics I’ve seen so far on the Vita goes to Uncharted: Golden Abyss. You can really compare it to the full-fledged versions on the PS3 and not be too far off from overall quality. There are some upcoming titles that may rival this as well. 

Launch Titles

There’s not too much to be said about the launch titles with the Vita, some are lacking and many don’t truly use its power. Once again Uncharted: Golden Abyss really shines as a launch title. It’s a full on adventure with Nathan Drake and the story is every bit as compelling as it’s PS3 counterparts. They took no shortcuts with the game and it shows. FIFA soccer is a fun sports game albeit quite challenging. The unique controls with the use of the touchscreen and especially the rear touchpad add another element to the game that makes it a bit more memorable. Mod Nation racing as also just a fun Mario Cart style racer that doesn’t really take advantage of the Vitas abilities but is enjoyable nonetheless. There are plenty more titles that I have not had the pleasure of trying so my scope is a bit limited.

Upcoming titles

There are definitely some titles to look forward to this year on the Vita. Little Big Planet is going to make its debut in just a couple of months. A new Silent Hill game will soon be released as well. I’m particularly looking forward to Resistance: Burning Skies I think it will be graphically stunning and some serious all around gaming from what I have seen so far. I imagine we’ll see some other great PlayStation exclusives such as the God of War series get the Vita treatment as well.

Wrap Up

Typically when I purchase a handheld system I will sell it or trade it just a couple of months later. I don’t think that will be that case this time. The Vita simply has too much going for it. With some exciting new hardware enhancements and the room it has to grow I feel it’s worth hanging on to. It may not be a device you need to run out and get right now, but in the near future as more titles are released and the hardware is pushed to its limits I think it will be a must have for any gamer.

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Marvel's X-Sanction Miniseries and Avengers VS X-men

This past week Marvel released issue 4 of 4 in it's miniseries "X-Sanction". For those of you who don't already know, X-Sanction is the transitional miniseries supposed to tie the current Marvel Universe with the upcoming storyline, "Avengers VS X-men". Issue 4 was just released this past week, and we're all dying to know- what's going to happen next!?

[SPOILERS BELOW]

Let me just get right into it. The cover is misleading. Most covers are, but for a miniseries and such a huge one at that, I was personally disappointed to see the cover-art NOT have the costumes shown. It was so cool to see Wolverine in his X-force suit, and Spider-man in his Black/Symbiote suit, but alas- no such luck for the actual story. The entire issue is in their classic costumes, which isn't so bad considering they arrived on the scene the previous issue in those costumes and there'd be no real reason for them to change. Oh well.

So what's in this issue? Fighting. Lots and lots and lots of fighting. That's practically all they do. The issue opens with Wolverine figuring out that Cap, Falcon, and Iron man are missing, and that Red Hulk has been gone some time too. After leaving the scene he was at to Luke Cage and the New Avengers, he and Spider-man take to the trail of the missing heroes. This of course was just a small flashback, and since we knew they were already there from the previous issue, I'm not sure why they wanted to include this.

There's two parts to this fight. The first part, is that Cable gets beaten. He gets beaten straight through to submission, left on the ground pretty much about to die. The other part of the fight is that Hope thinks to herself all that she has learned from Cable, and begins to deactivate the prisons for the Avengers. Eventually she succeeds, which is the overall reason Cable gets beaten. Additionally, we see the Red Hulk burning out the Techno Organic Virus given to him last issue. As he says, it's like fighting a disease with a fever!

Which leads into the next part of the issue, Hope touches the dying Cable on the arm, and absorbs the Techno-Organic virus! Now how does this tie in to the Red Hulk's situation? Well as any comic-reader knows, the next "Avengers VS X-men" has to do with the arrival of the Phoenix Force, and Hope uses her own inner flames to burn out the virus. We can only assume Hope is the Phoenix, as noone but the writers are 100% certain, but look at the image at the top of the page for reassurance. Mind you, everyone in the room witnessed this transformation, so this is not some little secret. That aside, Cable was left in his human form, no evidence of the virus, and everyone goes their separate ways.

Then we reach the last few pages of the issue. This is where we get the confirmation- Cable contacts Cyclops telepathically, and lets him know that Hope is the Phoenix, that her existence pretty much invalidated the future he foresaw, and that things are going to get tough for everyone.

Overall I give the issue a meager 5/10. The fights were expected, the outcomes were "meh" at best, and let's face it- do you know why Avengers VS X-men is coming? I don't, at least not directly. These events only confirm that the Phoenix is here, but if you've kept up with comics you knew this already. The biggest outcome we can get from this is that Cable no longer has the virus, which depending on the development of the character can turn Cable into one of the most powerful mutants...

If you see it in the store, finish off your 4-book set of X-Sanction, but otherwise don't bother. Aside from Cable being back in our time without the virus, there's nothing you don't already know. Until then, get ready for Avengers Vs X-men!

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