Today is Shark Awareness Day. Geekly’s celebrating by listing the top five sharks that originated in video games. Things are about to get fishy.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. With today’s list, we won’t include all sharks in video games. These are the sharks that originated in video games. So, we won’t include King Shark, Jeff the Land Shark, or Jaws, because they started in comic books or in the movies and then made their way over into video games. We’re talking straight video game sharks.
Honorable Mention) Sharks from Hungry Shark World
None of the sharks in Hungry Shark World have names, but this game may be one of the highest-rated games where gamers play as sharks. The game features numerous fun maps and 30 species of sharks that players can customize into their own cuddly predator. Hungry Shark World just misses our list because there isn’t one specific shark to feature. Instead, Hungry Shark World pits gamers’ shark creations against unique enemies.
5) Gran Bruce (Viewtiful Joe)
Gran Bruce is one of the many bosses Viewtiful Joe faces. This shark enemy pays homage to the world’s most famous movie shark, Jaws. Steven Spielberg’s crew gave the prop sharks on the set of Jaws the nickname Bruce. Players can even trigger an explosion in Gran Bruce’s mouth, which was how Jaws was defeated at the end of the first film. Gran Bruce may be little more than a dim-witted boss for Joe to slap down in the first game, but he also had a role in the Viewtiful Joe anime, which makes him one of the few gaming sharks to crossover into other media.
4) Megalodon (Battlefield)
What started as a joke in the Battlefield series became a random appearance of a Megalodon shark in the game. The Megalodon is one of the largest creatures to ever prowl the seas, so of course, this ancient beast lurked in one of Battlefield’s maps. It didn’t help that gamers photoshopped a large shark in some of the gameplay. The gag became reality when Battlefield 1 included a Megalodon in its mission “They Shall Not Pass.” The rest is history. Or prehistory.
3) Lurker Shark (Jak and Daxter)
Many video games during the early 2000s would prevent heroes from swimming beyond the limits of the game world with an invisible wall. Jak and Daxter decided to ward off would-be cross-game-world swimmers by having a shark eat them alive. While the Lurker Shark made its biggest impact in the first game of the Jak and Daxter series, it would return in Daxter in a variety of shapes and sizes. It even has a brief cameo in Jak 2.
2) Snacker the Shark (Banjo-Kazooie)
Snacker the Shark serves the same purpose as Lurker Shark in Jak and Daxter. Snacker is a clever way to keep Banjo and Kazooie within the limits of their game world. Snacker makes two appearances in the original Banjo-Kazooie, but he made his debut in the Treasure Trove stage, spouting one-liners and taunting players before he eats them. Like Gran Bruce, Snacker also pays homage to Jaws with his Jaws-inspired theme song. He’s cute even while he devours you.
1) Tiny (Batman: Arkham City)
While investigating the Penguin’s lair, Batman runs into a great white shark ironically named Tiny. This encounter is one of the most blood-pumping moments in Batman: Arkham City. Batman must carefully cross a body of water without being eaten alive by Tiny. Looks like Bats forgot the shark repellent. Never leave home without it. Despite a brief appearance in Batman: Arkham City, Tiny made an impact. The series brought him back with a jump-scare sequence in Batman: Arkham Knight.
I may have listened to the Jaws theme song while putting together this list. Which video game shark is your favorite? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. Superman was released this week. As you’re reading this, we haven’t yet watched Superman, but we may be in the process of watching the film and will have a review by this Friday. We’ll kickoff this Geek News round-up with some preliminary Superman box office numbers.
Superman Expected to Exceed $120 Million Opening Weekend
Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ Superman soars with $56.5 million across Friday and preview screenings in 4,135 theaters. This is the second-biggest figure for the calendar year, just behind A Minecraft Movie ($57.11 million), which is another Warner Bros. film. Warner Bros. is on a hot streak this year.
Note: Superman earned additional revenue with early-access screenings on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) for Amazon Prime members.
Written and directed by the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy’s James Gunn, Superman had projections of $100 million for its debut, while optimistic outlets forecast upwards of $140 million. The truth may lie in the middle, with Superman earning closer to $120 million. This is a fantastic opening weekend for the film and DCU franchise. Superman also gets a boost from luxury ticket prices for IMAX and other premium large format auditoriums.
On a personal note, Superman (2025) is the first Superman movie we’ve been excited about since the Christopher Reeve era.
Even with a stellar opening weekend, Superman will need to maintain its momentum as other major film releases approach. Not only does Superman relaunch the Man of Steel, but it also relaunches DC Comics’ cinematic universe. If Superman does well, the DCU could have years of superhero movies in its future.
Midnight Sons Crossover Event “Damnation” in the Works?
Okay. The Blade MCU movie may not be cancelled. Yes. We may have jumped the gun on that news a few months ago. Marvel continues to build up toward a major Midnight Sons crossover event. We know for sure the MCU intends to release a Midnight Sons movie. Mahershala Ali is attached to play Blade in Midnight Sons, and Ali has stated that he’ll only do a Midnight Sons movie as Blade if the MCU releases a Blade film. So long as Mahershala Ali is attached to play Blade in Midnight Sons, a Blade movie isn’t yet canceled. Perhaps just postponed indefinitely.
Geekly also has an idea which story (from the comic books) the Midnight Sons crossover event will use: Damnation. In Damnation, Doctor Strange assembles a team (of Midnight Sons) to help him defeat Mephisto. The characters rumored to be involved in Midnight Sons include Werewolf by Night, Elsa Bloodstone, Moon Knight, Blade, and Ghost Rider. Yep! Ghost Rider may be headed to the MCU, joining Blade. And Blade could set up the events of Midnight Sons. Mephisto’s position in the underworld (hinted at in Ironheart) is threatened by other demons/devils. Lilith, who was believed to be Blade’s antagonist, may be one of the rival demons fighting Mephisto. We’ll have to see how this shakes out. The dark corner’s of the MCU has the most room for growth.
Dice Commandos Announced on GameFound
We’ve covered most of the games Solo Game of the Month has released on GameFound. The company offers great single-player board game options, and Dice Commandos appears to be no different. We know little about Dice Commandos, but what we do know about the game has us intrigued.
Dice Commandos is a tactical dice puzzle game where you control a team of elite operatives completing objectives through stealth, combat, and special abilities. Again, we know little about this game, but it looks as though the game has various difficulty settings for multiple missions. Each mission functions as a new tactical puzzle. Players can customize their squad (with each squad member having unique abilities). I love how Dice Commandos has stealth options in addition to combat. I will try to finish a mission with stealth. Tee hee!
Run a fledgling board game publishing company packed with quirky employees, fun prototypes, and ruthless competition in Tabletop Inc.. I have yet to play Tabletop Inc., but it looks outstanding. It pokes fun at the board game industry with goofy spoofs of classic modern board games like Wingspan and Cthulhu: Death May Die. Tabletop Inc. uses a fast-paced worker placement. My interest is piqued. Typically, worker placement tends to be slow. I’m all for a fast-paced worker placement game.
And look at those game pieces (pictured above). They look outstanding. I have yet to play Tabletop Inc., but it looks fun, engaging, and packed with interesting choices. Tabletop Inc. is a love letter to the board game community, and I’m all for it. Tabletop Inc. launches early next week; you can follow the project here. Pledge information has yet to be released, so we don’t have pricing for Tabletop Inc.. Even though this project will be for the Tabletop Inc. expansion, gamers will be able to purchase the base game.
Kittens in Space Blasts Off on KickStarter
Cute kittens and space? I’m in. Kittens in Space is a card-shedding game like Uno. Players battle each other to save the adorable kittens in their hand (and load them onto a spaceship) before their opponents.
Board gamers find the same game mechanisms in many games. We covered the topic of common board game mechanisms a couple of months ago and last month we addressed some underused board game mechanisms. Here are links to those previous posts (10 Common Board Game Mechanisms and 5 Underused Board Game Mechanisms). Once again, we’re headed to Board Game Geek.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. I checked the hundreds—and I mean hundreds with a capital H—of game mechanisms listed on Board Game Geek and ran quick searches to see how many games are listed on the site with each mechanism. I won’t rehash the search criteria. If you’re interested, you can check out the previous Common Board Game Mechanisms post. Even though the previous list had ten mechanisms, it had some notable omissions. I also promised to cover the worker placement mechanism in the last list, so I included it in this set of mechanisms. Let’s see which five mechanisms made the second list.
Cooperative Games
Description
Players work together in a cooperative game to achieve a common win condition or win conditions. Players all win or lose the game together.
Thoughts
More than just a mechanism, cooperative board games may be more of a game classification. Cooperative games took off in popularity with Pandemic. Some cooperative games existed before then, but there were significantly fewer. Cooperative games have exploded in the past two decades or so. I tend to teach a lot of board games, and cooperative board games tend to be easier to teach than competitive board games because all players have a common goal. I feel as if I need to overexplain a competitive game because I don’t want someone to think that I’m trying to gain a competitive advantage by omitting information. I stand to gain nothing from withholding information while teaching a cooperative board game. I also find that the table starts playing a cooperative board game sooner. It’s more acceptable to learn as we go.
Easier and faster rules explanation aside, cooperative board games can sometimes feel like players are trying to solve a complex puzzle. If puzzles don’t appeal to you, you might not care for cooperative games. Another common issue with cooperative board games is that they can lead to a dominant player. One player could become the self-appointed leader and everyone else follows along. But a lead player token that players pass each round can combat this tendency. I’ve found other variations on this idea, and they can work.
Games that use this mechanism
Pandemic, Spirit Island, Kingdom Death: Monster, Marvel United, and Sleeping Gods
Modular Board
Description
Games with modular boards don’t have a typical board. These games compose their boards with multiple pieces, often tiles or cards. These pieces can be randomized or reconfigured to form different scenarios (which is another popular game mechanism or classification). The malleability of the “board” can lead to different strategies, exploration, and other possibilities. Some games that use modular boards will have multiple pieces that aren’t used simultaneously, which preserves table space. Unused pieces remain out of play until they’re needed.
Thoughts
I love the variability of a modular board. As the description mentioned, these games can also use scenarios or missions that can tell a story. Or you may be able to shuffle the pieces (tiles, cards, or whatever) and form hundreds of board variations. Despite playing a game hundreds, if not thousands of times, modular boards can make the same board game feel new.
Like cooperative games, there is a downside to this mechanism. Some games that use modular boards may have specific layouts with a labeling system. This can slow down the gameplay or increase setup time while players sift through the pieces necessary to build the board. But this is a nitpick. When executed well, modular boards can add extra spice.
Games that use this mechanism
Catan, Mansions of Madness: Second Edition, Betrayal at House on the Hill,Memoir ‘44, and Gaia Project
Simultaneous Action Selection
Description
Games that use simultaneous action selection have players plan their turn secretly and simultaneously. Then, the players reveal their plans at the same time.
Thoughts
Put simply, simultaneous action selection speeds up gameplay. It may not be the first game mechanism I look for in a board game, but it’s one that I’m glad exists. Simultaneous action selection eliminates a board game’s “turns.” Everyone has a turn at the same time or at least everyone chooses what they’re going to do at the same time.
That last distinction can’t be overstated. Gloomhaven has players select their actions and a player’s initiative for the round simultaneously, but each player has a designated turn. Even with this wrinkle, it’s a player’s planning for a turn that takes the most time, so I still say that a game like Gloomhaven speeds up player turns even if players don’t execute their turns simultaneously. For the games that do allow for the simultaneous execution of turns, they can be lightning-fast.
Games that use this mechanism
Heat: Pedal to the Metal, Orleans, Gloomhaven, The Quacks of Quedlinburg, and Sushi Go!
Take That
Description
Take That are competitive maneuvers that directly target one opponent’s progress toward victory but don’t directly eliminate any characters or components representing the opponent. Take That mechanisms can include stealing, nullifying, or force-discarding of one opponent’s resources, actions, or abilities. Take That maneuvers can lead to dramatic changes in a player’s position of power over a short period.
Thoughts
Not going to lie. As a rule, Take That is my least favorite game mechanism on this list, but I may be in the minority. Numerous games include Take That as one of their mechanisms. It got me thinking what does Take That mean? Any maneuver that can weaken one of your opponents can be considered Take That. Thousands of games include mechanisms like that. Most games with a combat element would have Take That because anything that weakens your opponent for a moment would qualify and that happens a lot in that game type.
So, I should clarify. I don’t care for games centered around the Take That game mechanism. But again, many of these games, like Munchkin or Uno, are wildly popular. But since the definition of Take That can encompass a lot of design space, Take That may have the most room to grow. Is it possible for a game focused on the Take That mechanism to not feel like people taking turns backstabbing each other? Perhaps it’s the length of a predominantly Take That game that matters. Part of why I don’t care for Munchkin is because the game can drag. After all, players are incentivized to tear down the leader, artificially extending the game’s length. I’m torn. Share your thoughts about the Take That mechanism in the comments.
Games that use this mechanism
Munchkin, Uno, Scythe, Blood Rage, and Love Letter
Worker Placement
Description
Worker Placement is a stylized form of Action Drafting where players place tokens (typically the person-shaped “meeple”) to trigger an action from a set of actions available to all players, generally one-at-a-time and in turn order. Some games achieve the same effect in reverse: the turn begins with action spaces filled by markers, which are claimed by players for some cost. Each player usually has a limited number of tokens with which to participate in the process, although these may increase as the game progresses.
There is usually * a limit on the number of times a single action may be taken. Once that limit for an action is reached, it typically either becomes more expensive to take again or can no longer be taken for the remainder of the round. As such, not all action can be taken by all players in a given round, and “action blocking” occurs. If the game is structured in rounds, then all actions are usually refreshed at the start or end of each round so that they become available again.
Thoughts
The Worker Placement mechanism had the longest and most complicated description of the bunch. I mostly used Board Game Geek’s definition. I always check BGG for mechanism definitions and put them in my own words, but I couldn’t describe Worker Placement. It’s a great mechanism but a difficult one to put into words. And where I placed the asterisk (*) is a point of contention. The use of the word “usually” in this context can be controversial. Many players will claim that a worker placement game doesn’t need to place limits on the number of times an action can be taken during a round and dislike the inclusion of “action blocking” in the definition. Others swear that “action blocking” is a defining element of worker placement.
And that might be one downside to the Worker Placement mechanism: hate drafting. Some players will choose an action, not because it helps them, but so they can block an action for an opponent. This is why the inclusion of “action blocking” is controversial.
Typically, I enjoy games that include the Worker Placement mechanism. I was surprised that this mechanism fell short of the original list. Worker Placement games are popular but not as prevalent as one might expect. There’s a tactile joy about managing your workers. Tension builds whenever the board fills up and worrying if you’ll be able to choose the action you want for a round. That would be a positive mark for “limits to the number of times a single action may be taken.”
The Worker Placement mechanism may be the most difficult mechanism to convey than any other game mechanism on this list, but the idea of managing your resources, workers, and time makes games that use this mechanism special, especially when the mechanism is used well. In short, bring on more Worker Placement.
Games that use this mechanism
Everdell, A Feast for Odin, Dune: Imperium, Lords of Waterdeep, and Stone Age
Closing Thoughts
This mechanism grouping had more of a mixed bag. I may need to challenge my ideas on Take That. I enjoyed using a wider lens to look at board games. I hope you found something useful in the post. Feel free to share your thoughts on any of these game mechanisms and let us know which game mechanisms you’d like for us to discuss in a future post. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Wednesday, Geekly Gang! For this week’s Whatcha series, our writers will share which books they’ve been reading over the past month. Yes. It’s Whatcha Reading, Geekly? for July 2025. Wait. I checked with Season and Skye, and they don’t have any selections for this month. Uh oh! Looks like I’m flying solo this week. I’m sure our other writers will have plenty to share in August. Let’s get to our list.
Kyra’s Non-Fiction Books
Beyond the Gender Binary is a reread for me this past month, but I’m still counting it as a book I read. I attended Alok Vaid-Menon’s Omaha show (June 24, 2025) during their Hairy Situation Tour, and they signed my well-worn copy of Beyond the Gender Binary. Yay! This book is a short read, like a really short read, at about 50 pages. Beyond the Gender Binary is small enough to fit inside your pocket; this is the hook of every book within the Pocket Change Collective.
Alok fills the pages of this book with a new perspective on the gender binary and what lies beyond it. Beyond the Gender Binary is a hug for anyone questioning their gender identity. Their personal stories speak to me. I’ve loaned my copy of Beyond the Gender Binary to many people who wanted to learn more about individuals who identify as non-binary, gender queer, and/or gender fluid. I may need to purchase a second copy after Alok signed my current copy of Beyond the Gender Binary. No book–no matter how big or small–can capture every aspect of gender non-conforming people, but despite its small size, Beyond the Gender Binary serves as a fantastic introduction.
I love the Pocket Change Collective. I’ve read at least half of the books pictured above, and I may have to hunt for the ones I have yet to read. I highly recommend this book series. It’s easy to read in one sitting, and each one in the series may broaden your perspective.
Speaking of broadening one’s perspective, I’ve been reading The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures, making note of mythical creatures that interest me and ones I’d like to research further. I like the magical creatures that haven’t been done to death (in fantasy stories), and love the ones from cultures I know less about. What started as research on fantasy creatures has morphed into a cultural study. What’s not to love?
Kyra’s Poetry
A writer’s history shouldn’t factor into their work, but Arthur Rimbaud may be one of the few exceptions. He rose to prominence quickly. Illuminations, Rimbaud’s poetry collection I read this past month, was his last major poetic work, written when he was twenty years old. After he finished–or rather abandoned–this poetry collection, Rimbaud traveled the world, taking odd jobs, and never wrote again. Over the years, Rimbaud deserted his Dutch military post in Java (Indonesia) and sneaked back to France, ultimately spending the majority of his remaining days in Ethiopia. He died at 37 of bone cancer. Illuminations was published in 1886 without Rimbaud’s knowledge. The publishers referred to him as the late, great Rimbaud, even though he hadn’t yet died.
Illuminations has inspired many artists (Jim Morrison of The Doors, Bob Dylan, and Patty Smith, to name a few) as well as artistic movements like Dadaism and Surrealism. We don’t know which order these dozens of prose poems are supposed to have gone in because Rimbaud had abandoned the project before their publication. The poems range in topic. They’re a window into Rimbaud’s struggles to find steady employment in the United Kingdom and later Germany, while living with Paul Verlaine. The couple often fought. Their breakup may have prompted Rimbaud to travel the world.
As a result of these influences, Illuminations mingles gorgeous images with dread and the unknown. Check out this paragraph from “Mystical”: The flowery sweetness of stars and sky and the rest descends opposite the embankment, like a basket, against our face, and creates the flowering and blue abyss down there.
Illuminations will follow up an awe-inspiring pastoral scene with a garotte around your neck. It’s a mind-bending, singular work of poetry deserving of its cult-like following. Illuminations is one of those poetry collections you could read and reread dozens of times and find something new and exciting. I read the John Ashbery translation (pictured above this segment). It stays faithful to the original text and even provides the original French beside its English translation.
Kyra’s Fiction Books
Eric Raglin is yet another queer author to make my reading list this past month. It’s like June was Pride month or something. Kidding aside, I had to include a local (Nebraska) writer in this month’s mix. Raglin’s Nightmare Yearnings is a phenomenal horror short story collection with only a few hints of queerness thrown in for good measure, and I love the variety in this collection. While each story is bizarre and tackles some darker truth of the human condition, the stories serve as a horror anthology like The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror.
I love how “Under the Roof, Upon the Horns” explores toxic masculinity. This story boils down to a son attempting to please his father and shows how men are the only ones who care how masculine other men behave. Masculinity is a trap. Resist! Nightmare Yearnings also includes goofy stories like “Top 5 Ghosts Caught on Camera” to prevent it from getting too preachy. But one of my favorite stories in this collection is “My Better Half.” It’s a body horror short story where a woman splits her bisexual man lover into two halves: the gay and the straight side. The gay half ends up in the closet. Ugh! This is such a good story, and it speaks to me as someone who’s pansexual. I could discuss more of Nightmare Yearnings’ offerings–there are plenty of fantastic stories in this collection–but I’ll leave the rest for you to discover.
Nightmare Yearnings includes author notes. These notes provide a little insight into what Eric Raglin was thinking while writing each short story. This is also a great way to pick and choose stories. It’s a preview of what to expect or a little peek behind the veil after you’ve read a story. I wish more short story collections included author notes by the author.
That’s all I have for this month’s Whatcha Reading. What did you read this past month? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
The DCU launches later this week with James Gunn’s Superman. We’re getting prepared by ranking all the Superman movies up to this point. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here, Geekly Gang. As you’ll find out, I haven’t watched some of these movies in years, if not decades.
Many of these Superman movies are “products of their time.” That happens when a film was released in the ’70s and you’re watching it almost half a century later. We’ll have some exclusions on this list. We won’t include 1997’s Steel or 1984’s Supergirl because those were offshoots, not mainline Superman movies. We also won’t include team-up movies like 2016’s Batman v Superman or 2021’s Justice League; we’ll just cover the solo Superman films. Besides, Jim and I discussed our thoughts on Batman v Superman when it first released. Wow! That was a long time ago.
Let’s rank all the Superman movies, starting with sixth place and counting down to number one.
6) Man of Steel (2013)
From a technical standpoint, Man of Steel may be the most polished Superman movie (Superman Returns may have something to say about that), but that’s expected from the most recent Superman solo movie. And a sound Superman movie from a technical standpoint doesn’t necessarily make a great or even good Superman movie. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk about the good elements within Man of Steel.
Man of Steel puts much time and effort into building up Krypton. Perhaps this is why we received a Krypton television series that no one wanted and few watched. Zod is fleshed out in this version of Superman more than he will be in our next entry, Superman II. Man of Steel gives more of a reason why Krypton has fallen into disrepair. That’s good.
In principle, I also like the idea of Superman needing to hone his skills and Ma Kent giving him the guidance he needs. I even like how the fight scenes incorporate the ground more than most recent superhero films. More on this point in Superman II. Can you tell I’m running out of steam for nice things to say? I could be missing a point or two, but let’s rip off the band-aid.
Man of Steel is the most disappointing Superman movie. It easily takes our sixth spot because it’s not a Superman movie. To be clear, I don’t blame Henry Cavill or any other cast member for this assessment. They did what they could with the material. Man of Steel has problems at the story and direction level.
Man of Steel hammered home Superman’s trauma. They do so at the narrative structure. Non-linear stories are the hallmark of a trauma story (like the Sweet Here After), so much so that writers will refer to non-linear storytelling as the trauma storytelling method. Superman seldom lends himself to trauma. Sure, he has issues he must overcome, but the level Man of Steel stoops to is worthy of Batman. Not every superhero is Batman. Superman is nothing like Batman. Supes has issues, yes. He doesn’t necessarily have trauma. Certainly not the deep-seated trauma Man of Steel presents. I half expected Superman to turn into Martian Manhunter. That person has trauma.
Man of Steel also ushered in the reluctant and darker version of heroes in the DCEU. The DCEU did this so much that the reluctant hero went from being a trope to a cliche. There isn’t much difference between a trope and a cliche, except that tropes can often be done well and cliches usually can’t. Man of Steel set the DCEU on a collision course with failure. Superman isn’t a reluctant hero. Wonder Woman usually isn’t a reluctant hero. Batman going over the edge–actually makes sense–but from a character standpoint, little else in the DCEU made sense.
I know I said that Zod and Krypton were fleshed out well in Man of Steel. That’s both a good and bad thing. Man of Steel relies too much on Krypton and builds it up so much that it neglects Kal-El’s relationship with Earth. Outside of Martha Kent, Superman has no connection with Earthlings. This was the worst possible move. I blame writer David S. Goyer. He turns everyone, including Leonardo da Vinci (Da Vinci’s Demons, which I don’t suggest watching), into Batman. Again, Superman is nothing like Batman.
I’ll end with Man of Steel’s wanton destruction. Many people have mentioned this before, but I’ll add my two cents. Superman doesn’t even attempt to draw Zod and the others to an unpopulated location. Superman does exactly that during his fight with Zod in Superman II. Why didn’t you do your homework, Davey? While it’s true Zod may have taken the battle back to a city or town, Superman should’ve attempted to draw fire away from humans. But this is a Superman who has no connection with Earth or humans. Man of Steel’s Superman isn’t really Superman.
Man of Steel would’ve claimed our fourth spot because it’s the fourth best movie of this bunch, but it’s not a Superman movie. They never call him Superman. Perhaps this is a movie about Skibidiman.
5) Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
I’ll try to stay positive at first while discussing every Superman movie, but Superman IV: The Quest for Peace makes that difficult. But not impossible. With an hour and a half runtime, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is the shortest Superman film by at least thirty minutes. If another movie is eighty percent as bad as Superman IV: The Quest for Peace and runs thirty minutes to an hour longer, does that make the other movie worse? That’s a real debate for the next film on this list. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is self-aware enough to know it should waste as little of a viewer’s time as it can, and I’ll say the movie’s pacing is good. Not great, but good.
There’s even a hint at a good story in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. The Kryptonian judges, whom Superman asks for advice about ridding the world of all its nuclear weapons, warn him against Earth putting all their faith in one man, even if that man is Kal-El. Lex Luthor espouses this logic numerous times in the comics. I wonder if a version of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’s script includes Lex worrying that Superman is too powerful. Instead, Superman IV leans heavily into “the threat of nuclear war is good for business.” While that’s a good motivation for Lex, he’d most likely spin that underlying desire as Superman is overreaching by ridding the world of its most dangerous weapons. But that’s Lex saying the quiet part out loud, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace’s creatives had some naked political agendas.
The script and direction aren’t subtle with their politics. Even the tertiary story gets in on the action. A greedy businessman, Warfield (again, subtle), takes over the Daily Planet. He commodifies the news, and in the end, he gets his comeuppance. While I agree with Lacy Warfield’s (the man’s daughter) sentiment that a newspaper’s business should be journalism, not money, the message is ham-fisted at best. This exact scenario has played out in modern reporting, but that doesn’t mean the message wasn’t cranked to the highest volume and the nob yanked.
Any scene with the kid asking Superman to rid the world of nuclear weapons gives a bad name to saccharine. It’s beyond the term. The entire nuclear weapon storyline is a product of the Eighties. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace would look a lot different in today’s climate. And that brings us back to capitalism needing the threat of war to survive. Lex Luthor becomes a stand-in for capitalism, not caring where the money comes from so long as the money flows. In short, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is over the top with its messaging.
Before I get into the horrid action sequences, let’s discuss that awkward double-date scene with Superman, Lois, Clark Kent, and Lacy Warfield. It’s the definition of cringe. Fortunately, the scene doesn’t last long, but leads to some eye-rolling situational comedy.
Yep. Superman IV: The Quest for Peace has some of the worst special effects in superhero cinema. What’s worse is that some of the head-scratching superpowers introduced in Superman II (more on that film later) return in Superman IV. Amnesiac kisses? Check. Telekinetic vision? Double check; Superman and Nuclearman use this ability. And Superman IV adds poisonous fingernails, which age Superman for some reason, for Nuclearman. What’s worse is that Superman IV reuses old footage. Many of the fight scenes repeat, and Lex even uses his dog whistle trick from the original Superman. Yikes!
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace takes the fifth spot for all these reasons, but it’s still a Superman movie. And because of Superman IV’s brevity and pacing, I watched this movie in fewer sittings than the next film on this list.
4) Superman III (1983)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace may be the worst movie in the Superman franchise (I don’t include Man of Steel as a Superman movie), but Superman III is disappointing. If it wasn’t for the existence of Man of Steel, Superman III would be the most disappointing Superman movie. I’ll try to say some nice things about Superman III before I list the numerous ways the movie failed.
An internal Superman struggle is a good direction for a story. Superman III introduces a synthetic Kryptonite, and the synthetic Kryptonite turns Superman evil. Not bad. It’s a little hokey that Clark Kent physically walks away from the Nega-Superman to fight himself, but this scene may have inspired Black Kryptonite (Smallville “Crusade” in 2004 and eventually the comics), which does just that. An exposed Kryptonian splits into two identities, one good and one evil. An internal Superman struggle is a solid foundation. Unfortunately, Superman II also had a hint of internal struggle, so the series was already getting repetitive.
I also liked Clark’s return to Smallville. Superman is a small-town kid at heart, and he often returns to Smallville in the comics. Heck. One of the most recent Superman stories features Lois and Clark moving to Smallville and starting a family. The Lana Lang love story felt forced, but I can see why the Superman film series wanted to shake things up from the status quo of Lois and Clark. And Lana is canonically one of Superman’s love interests, one of the few outside of Lois Lane.
Oh, what could’ve been. Here comes the disappointment. Early drafts of Superman III’s script included Bizarro and Brainiac. While watching the final fight sequences, you can see Bizarro and Brainiac’s influence. Superman III’s second conflict centers around Richard Pryor’s character, who can somehow speak to computers (a stand-in for Brainiac), asking a billionaire to construct a killer computer (a second stand-in for Brainiac), and this supercomputer transforms a woman (Vera) into a Bizarro-like monstrosity. And the fight I mentioned prior between Superman and himself is yet another Bizarro stand-in. Just use Brainiac and Bizarro.
Not gonna lie, Robot Vera gave me nightmares as a kid. But here’s where we get into the not-so-nice points. Richard Pryor was shoehorned into this movie. Superman II leaned into slapstick and camp (more on that movie in a little while), so Superman III felt it had to market itself as a comedy. Pryor is a big name. Let’s squeeze him into Brainiac’s shoes. That’s not speculation. The studio has admitted they felt as if they “had to market Superman III” as a comedy. To his credit, Pryor wasn’t as annoying as I remembered. He can be annoying, but the script gave him little to work with, and the skiing sequence was stupid.
In general, the script stank. One could almost see what Superman III tried to do with its story (Brainiac and Bizarro) and changed course to match what they believed audiences wanted. And everything was about computers. Superman has powers, but we have computers. What powers the world? Computers. What can defeat Superman? Brainiac…I mean, computers. I cringed every time Robert Vaughn spoke about technology. He came off like Grandpa trying to explain the interwebs to the youngins, who, you know, grew up with computers. And don’t get me started on some of the graphics. I may have played the missile scene (a pixelated Superman dodges heat-seeking missiles) in an ’80s video game or two. Superman III wasn’t entirely bad, but it disappointed.
3) Superman II (1980)
I went into this rewatch of Superman movies thinking I’d put Superman II at number one, but the remaining movies on this list narrowly edge out Superman II. I’ll discuss those two movies in a moment. Before I go into Superman II’s shortcomings, let’s discuss what it gets right. Superman II does one thing modern superhero movies should adopt: gravity.
Literal gravity. Because Superman II had technical limitations, the movie’s four flying characters (Superman, General Zod, Ursa, and Nan) must occasionally land. This roots the viewer in what’s up and what’s down. It grants each blow more impact. The one I think of specifically is when Ursa mockingly calls for Superman, he turns to face her, and she throws a manhole cover into Supe’s midsection. Superman flies backwards, and while this is a dated (and comical) action sequence, it looks like it hurts. Black Panther is overall a better movie than Superman II, but the battle where Black Panther and Killmonger tumble in what looks like weightlessness doesn’t have the same impact.
I’ll add another bright spot for Superman II before listing some nits. I liked the character’s origin (and a few highlights from the previous movie) being recapped during the opening credits. I forgot Superman II did this. The MCU would be easier to keep up with if it did something similar. This wouldn’t work all the time, but I wouldn’t mind a refresher to cut down on MCU homework, and studios can stop force-feeding us character origins. Consider sliding an origin story into the movie’s opening credits.
Okay. We’ve reached the nitpicks. While Superman: The Movie has hints of comedy, Superman II includes actual slapstick comedy moments (Otis during the prison break). It isn’t too distracting, but these moments show what the movie franchise would become. Superman II leans more into camp. Again, the movie is still good, but this also shows the franchise’s direction. And then there are the powers. What is going on with these odd one-off superpowers? Superman: The Movie had Kal-El reverse the Earth’s rotation to turn back time. This is odd, but it makes Bizarro-World sense. Superman II says, Hold my beer.
Odd powers include: Saran wrap Superman logo, General Zod (and company) using telekinesis vision, a pod (ray) that turns Kryptonians into humans (which got switched off-camera into shielding a Kryptonian), and Superman having amnesic kisses. Most of these powers are very convenient for the plot, which is rather thin.
At its core, Superman II is a love story between Lois and Clark. I like this idea. Unfortunately, Superman II’s execution of this story was as clumsy as a Clark aw, shucks moment. Pair this with some other baffling choices (like why did Clark have to walk back to the Fortress of Solitude instead of bumming a ride from Lois? I didn’t understand this when I was a child and still don’t), and Superman II doesn’t shine quite as bright as our next two entries.
2) Superman Returns (2006)
I wasn’t expecting Superman Returns to be this watchable. I had to get over the cringe of seeing Kevin Spacey’s name (and watching him on-screen), but the man does a brilliant job as Lex Luthor. His performance is close enough to Gene Hackman’s while deviating until he made the character his own. The remaining cast followed suit, except for Frank Langella’s Perry White. Langella blends a hard-nosed, hard-working journalist with an editor who wants to sell numerous copies of the Daily Planet. Langella’s performance is a perfect marriage of Warfield (who took over the Planet in Superman IV) and the original Perry White. I’m impressed with Superman Returns’ acting and direction.
Even though Superman Returns’ runtime is the longest of all six movies ranked, it has good pacing. Were there a few moments that dragged a hair too long? Sure. But every Superman movie has those moments; Superman Returns may have the fewest of these moments. But many of the movie’s cool moments or story beats look and feel familiar. That’s because we’ve seen them in Superman: The Movie. This is why Superman Returns doesn’t take the top spot. Unlike Star Wars: The Force Awakens did with Star Wars: A New Hope, Superman Returns doesn’t lift all of Superman: The Movie’s story threads. The movie makes enough alterations.
But here are the similarities I found. Lex wants beachfront property and will murder millions of Americans to get it; he just switches coasts and the means. Lex’s woman accomplice grows a conscience and foils his plans at the last moment. Lex uses Kryptonite again, which didn’t happen as much as one might think in previous Superman movies, but it did in Superman: The Movie. These are major story beats and almost all of them came from the original, but Superman Returns, like the movie’s actors and their portrayals, it does take enough liberties to make the movie feel fresh.
I’ve waited long enough to mention the one plot point most people hated in Superman Returns: Lois and Clark’s son. The passage of time has softened my response to this storyline, but this doesn’t bother me. I can’t remember if Lois and Clark’s child bothered me in 2006. Recently, the two had a child in the comics. I mentioned this series in the Superman III write-up above, but I’ll reiterate it here. The story where Lois and Clark have a child and set roots in Smallville is one of the better Superman runs of the past decade to decade and a half. Had Superman Returns been released after this comic book run, more fans could’ve bought into Superman having a biological son with Lois. Regardless, I didn’t mind this story. It wasn’t handled the best–I would’ve tweaked a few things like Clark knowing he had a son–but it wasn’t a deal breaker.
But I do have a gripe that almost was a deal breaker. When is Superman Returns supposed to be set? Superman Returns takes place between ten and fifteen years after Superman II, so that would make the movie’s timeframe 1990 to 1995. Why does everyone have cellphones? Didn’t that happen in the early 2000s? Cellphones and other advanced technology may be the biggest head-scratchers, but Superman Returns holds a lot of anachronisms. The movie doesn’t know when it wants to be set. Still, Superman Returns is a good watch. Just turn off the switch in your brain that asks what time this is and allow the shock of Lois and Clark having a kid together to wane. Years later, Superman Returns is a surprisingly watchable movie.
1) Superman: The Movie (1978)
Yes! We have the original Superman (1978). I haven’t watched Superman: The Movie in years, decades perhaps. I forgot how the movie opens. A kid leafing through an issue of the Daily Planet is quaint. It made me smile. I got the vibe of a storybook mixed with the iconic newspaper where Clark and Lois work. The same can be said of the opening theme.
John Williams’ soundtracks always put me in a great mood. And then we’re treated to Jor-El (Superman’s birth father, portrayed by Marlon Brando) sentencing General Zod and his cronies to the Phantom Zone. Surprisingly, Superman: The Movie had the foresight to introduce the potential villain of its sequel. That didn’t happen often before the 2000s. In that sense, Superman: The Movie was ahead of its time.
Unlike Pa Kent’s death scene in Man of Steel, John Kent’s death of a heart attack in Superman: The Movie makes sense. Despite all Superman’s powers, he can’t save everyone, not even the ones closest to him. Pa Kent’s death scene in Superman: The Movie humanizes Clark Kent; it reminds him of the fragility of human life. I also like that Pa Kent’s death doesn’t serve to set up Kal-El as a reluctant hero like it did in Man of Steel. I hope 2025’s Superman abandons the reluctant superhero cliche.
I won’t go into a blow-by-blow for the remainder of Superman: The Movie. I was just shocked by how little I remembered from the movie’s opening and how groundbreaking some of these scenes were. Superman: The Movie may have flaws and be a product of its time, but it legitimized superhero movies. Oddly, it took over a decade for another major superhero film (Batman 1989) other than a Superman movie to grace the silver screen. No. I don’t count 1984’s Supergirl; unfortunately, it was a cash grab on the Superman movie franchise. I’m looking forward to a better Supergirl film.
Superman: The Movie takes a while to get going. Most of its early runtime revolves around Superman’s origin, but the movie does a great job telling this story. Movies like Superman 1978 do such a great job of showing a superhero’s origin that including an origin for well-known characters in modern superhero movies is a turnoff. I may like Superman II’s action more, but it does venture more into camp, and Superman Returns borrows more than a little of Superman: The Movie’s sugar to claim this top spot. Sometimes the original is the best.
That’s our list. How would you rate the previous Superman movies before this year’s film releases? Let us know in the comments. I can’t wait for Superman to release later this week. Except for Man of Steel, I had fun rewatching these movies. Yes. I even enjoyed rewatching Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. RIP, Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, and Margot Kidder. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of geek news. This week is a little quiet due to the United States Holiday, the Fourth of July, and the upcoming DCU and MCU movies: Superman and Fantastic Four: First Steps, respectively. So, we don’t have any major news to report. Instead, let’s discuss some board game releases for the upcoming week.
Mafia Blitz Launches on KickStarter
Honestly, I’ve never cared for social deduction games, but fast-paced social deduction games that don’t include player elimination (like One Night: Ultimate Werewolf), I can get behind. That is the premise of Mafia Blitz. Mafia pioneered the social deduction game. Mafia Blitz, designed by frequent Meeple Mountain contributor Mark Iradian, aims to do the same for quick social deduction games. Each role has unique win conditions, with many roles having overlapping win conditions. There are even some roles that include end-game triggers.
I like Mafia Blitz’s approach of having one price point: $20. Too often, crowdfunding projects include multiple add-ons, which can lead to a different gaming experience from one copy of the same game to the next. Mafia Blitz doesn’t have that issue. If you’re interested in Mafia Blitz, check out their KickStarter page.
Paradise: A Wastepunk Boardgame Launches on GameFound
Paradise: A Wastepunk Boardgame is another board game type I don’t typically care for (a skirmisher combat game), but it’s another one that has me intrigued. Its setup reminds me of a Memoir ’44 that has character abilities. Coincidentally, Memoir ’44 is one of the few skirmisher games I enjoy.
Throw in some quick dice combat, what appears to be gear cards, and detailed terrain pieces, and Paradise: A Wastepunk Boardgame has my attention. I also love the colorful palette Mindwork Games uses. Paradise: A Wastepunk Boardgame is Italian board game design studio Mindwork Games’ first design. They give me strong early CMON vibes. Both companies began as purveyors of awesome miniatures. That fact should let you know the level of detail this game’s miniatures will have. I wonder what the quality difference is between the PVC and resin miniatures. The resin minis are more expensive, and resin minis tend to break more easily than PVC minis. It’s something to consider.
Far Far Out looks fantastic. The Netherlands-based game design group Studio Inifinitus offers multiple ways to win in this Civilization-like board game. The system tiles look amazing. These system tiles interlock and contain planets.
Players then place planets on top of the system tiles. I’m unsure if the planets always spawn on specific systems or if it differs each game. My guess is that players can change up which systems a planet can be placed. Far Far Out is stunning.
The game lists three ways to win. Far Far Out’s inclusion of 64 battle dice–64!–suggests that one method for victory is military/combat, but Far Far Out insists these battle dice serve multiple purposes. Far Far Out features a lot of exploration. I like that in a game set in outer space. We don’t know too much about the game’s mechanisms, but they have us intrigued.
Far Far Out’s more expensive pledge (around $175) includes intricate miniatures, while its less expensive pledge (around $117) includes detailed standees. The only difference I’ve found between the two versions is the unpainted miniatures (pictured above), but Far Far Out leaves the description of its more expensive pledge as “all deluxe content.” The campaign could add more deluxe content, so keep an eye out. The price tag is a bit high because Far Far Out includes a lot of bits. This is a premium game with a premium price. If you’re interested in Far Far Out, zoom to its GameFound page.
Rest in Peace, Jim Shooter
Former Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief and comic book visionary Jim Shooter passed away on June 30, 2025. Shooter has a complicated comic book history. On one hand, he “rescued” the comic book industry. By the mid-1970s to early 1980s, comic books had gone stale. A 13-year-old Shooter would get his start with DC Comics and proceed to pull comic books out of its slump. During his time as Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief, Shooter orchestrated the massive crossover event, Secret Wars, which is the major event the MCU is currently building toward. But Shooter wasn’t without his share of controversy.
Shooter’s Marvel Comics was openly homophobic, refusing to feature queer stories. Writer/artist John Byrne was forced to conceal Northstar’s sexual orientation for years before the character became the first openly gay comic book character. Instead of letting Northstar out of the closet, Shooter penned the first comic book that featured a queer storyline: two gay men attempt to r*pe Bruce Banner and this caused Banner to transform into The Hulk. Shooter had a “Don’t Say Gay” Policy with Marvel Comics. This restriction prevented positive queer representation in Marvel Comics for over a decade.
Still, Jim Shooter (during his teen years) wrote the first race between Superman and The Flash. This race between titans has become a tradition for DC Comics, and he solidified much of the Legion of Super-Heroes lore during his early tenure. Shooter even created one of my favorite Superman villains, Parasite. And Shooter’s jump to Marvel Comics ended the revolving door of editors after Stan Lee had transitioned to Marvel Films. Shooter was the editor who oversaw the growth of Chris Claremont and John Byrne’s classic run of The Uncanny X-Men, which led to the team becoming a global phenomenon. The Uncanny X-Men also saw the inclusion of many BIPOC stories.
Shooter has an impressive comic book history and a checkered past with queer inclusion. His contributions to comic books, and especially Marvel Comics, will not be forgotten. As a member of the LGBT community, I wish Shooter had done more for LGBT inclusion in Marvel comics. Even so, my thoughts go out to Shooter’s family. Rest in Peace.
That’s all the geek news we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! The United States of America celebrated its Independence Day yesterday, so we’re celebrating belatedly by listing our picks of the top 5 video game characters that use a red, white, and blue color palette.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re doing something a little different with today’s Top 5. It’s no longer the United States’ Independence Day, but who are we kidding? Someone will be lighting fireworks tonight. We can set off a few of our own with these top 5 red, white, and blue video game characters.
5) King Dedede
Video game designers may have ulterior motives when selecting their characters’ color palettes. Nintendo certainly did with King Dedede when they introduced him to the Kirby franchise. Visually, he combines Santa Claus’s outfit, a bald eagle’s beak, and John Henry’s hammer. Personality-wise, King Dedede is a glutton, selfish, and hostile toward the color pink. In short, he’s all American.
Take that, you pesky amoeba. King Dedede won’t be the only video game villain who wears red, white, and blue. ‘Murica!
4) Blinky (a.k.a. Shadow)
Blinky (from 1980’s Pac-Man) may not be the first character you think of when discussing red, white, and blue video game characters, but he is classic. Shadow is the leader of the team of ghosts (they’re actually monsters) who chase Pac-Man. While Pinky (Pink) and Inky (Cyan) attempt to ambush Pac-Man by taking routes the player doesn’t choose, Blinky chases our protagonist and applies pressure.
Shadow is the most aggressive of all the ghosts (monsters) and the most dangerous. When players get caught, they’re usually caught by Blinky. He has true American vigor. He races to chop down Pac-Man like George Washington chopped down a cherry tree.
3) Dr. Wily
Wow! Are there any video game heroes who use a red, white, and blue color scheme? Yes. They’re next on our list, but we have one final video game villain before we reach them: Mega Man’s Dr. Wily. Before Dark Souls, Dr. Wily pushed gamers to “get gud.” I don’t know how many times I attempted a Mega Man level, only to leave my palms sweaty after countless hours. Thank you for making me a better gamer, Dr. Wily. I salute you.
Dr. Wily also happens to have an advanced degree, adding to a long line of PhDs with nefarious plans. You’d think universities would weed out these bad eggs before they graduate. Oh well. If Wily’s university had expelled him, we may not have gotten a killer robot dragon in Mega Man II.
2) Sonic
Sonic is Sega’s mascot. Ever since the speedy hedgehog raced onto game consoles in 1991, he’s worn red and white shoes, white gloves, and he has blue fur. Very patriotic of you, Sonic. Sonic is ubiquitous with Sega. He’s the first character–and possibly only character–one would think of with Sega Games.
It also doesn’t hurt that Americans are an impatient bunch. Sonic’s speed gets you those rings now. Not later. Now! Hot dogs, muscle cars, and Sonic the Hedgehog. Is there anything more American?
1) Mario
Yeah. We couldn’t go with any other video game character than Mario. You probably read this list and already knew the fictional plumber would top this list. Mario has always featured red and blue. Even in his short stint as “Jumpman” in his Donkey Kong debut (1981), he was always pictured on the video game cabinet to be wearing white gloves, even if the hardware at the time couldn’t effectively render those pixels.
You know you’re a big deal if people know you mononymously. If you utter Mario, most people will picture a plump plumber, wearing a red shirt and hat with blue overalls. Since Mario wears red, white, and blue, he tops this list. It also doesn’t hurt that Mario is often seen with stars. Talk about a Star Spangled hero.
Did we get the list right? Which red, white, and blue color palette video game characters should make this list? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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