Getting Into Comics: Sam Wilson (Falcon/Captain America) Starter Stories

Published on February 17, 2025February 15, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Captain America: Brave New World was released yesterday, so we figured we would compile a list of Sam Wilson (Falcon and Captain America) starter stories if you were interested in getting to know Sam better as a character. Today’s post will feature one story with a single comic book issue. The rest will be story arcs composed of multiple comic books. Enjoy!

Single Issue

Sight Unseen (Avengers #64, written by Geoff Johns/art by Ivan Reis; 2003)

The events of Sight Unseen mostly take place in Avengers #64. Falcon has recently been drafted into the Avengers. Sam Wilson serves as a diversity hire—the rest of the Avengers more or less make him feel this way—so Sam never truly feels like he’s part of the team. Sight Unseen shows Sam finding his voice and cementing himself as a member of the Avengers. He gains a lot of respect, and this becomes a defining moment in his Avengers career. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot, but let’s say that Henry Gyrich and Scarecrow make an appearance.

Story Arcs

The Coming of…The Falcon (Captain America #115-119, written by Stan Lee/art by Gene Colan; 1968)

The Coming of…The Falcon technically starts in Captain America #115, but Falcon doesn’t make his first appearance until #117. Before Falcon steps into the action, there are some Cosmic Cube shenanigans where Captain America and Red Skull have a Freaky Friday situation and swap bodies. Sam Wilson sees beyond the exterior and teams up with the Red Skull body-trapped Captain America. Cap teaches Sam some fighting skills and encourages Sam to take on a hero identity. Sam impresses Captain America enough that he becomes Cap’s new sidekick Falcon.

Falcon Miniseries (written by Jim Owlsey/art by Paul Smith; 1983-1984)

The Falcon Miniseries marks the first time Falcon stepped out of the sidekick role. Sam Wilson returns home. He witnesses a peaceful march resulting in protestors dying. Incensed, Sam shows the world that he is a hero to everyone, even those the government and police refuse to protect. Though written in the 1980s, the Falcon Miniseries remains culturally relevant.

The Burden of Dreams (Captain America #31-36, written by Ed Brubaker/art by Steve Epting; 1990)

Relationships aren’t the only thing that breaks in the wake of Civil War. Despite surrendering, a gunman kills Steve Rodgers before he can stand trial. Afterwards, Sam Wilson registers his identity per the Superhuman Registration Act, but that’s immediately followed by a new Captain America program, and the person tasked to fill this role is Bucky Barnes. But no one knows where Barnes is; Wilson must find him. When he does, he finds the Winter Soldier in the grip of the Red Skull and Doctor Faustus. It’s up to Falcon to rescue Bucky.

American Psycho (Captain America and The Falcon #13-14, written by Christopher Priest/art by Dan Jurgens; 2005)

Sam Wilson usually assumes the role of a hero in Marvel Comics, but in 2005’s American Psycho, his loyalty gets called into question. During much of this series, Sam gets involved in criminal activities when something happens that reverts him back to his pre-hero way of life. As one of Captain America’s greatest allies, Steve tries to stop Sam but can’t. When someone shoots Falcon, he snaps out of his trance. The damage has been done, and Sam begins a redemption arc.

Not My Captain America (Captain America: Sam Wilson #1-6, written by Nick Spencer/art by Paul Renaud; 2010-2011)

Not My Captain America is the first storyline that features Sam Wilson as the new Captain America. Much like the end of Avengers: End Game, Steve Rodgers rapidly ages and can no longer continue as Captain America. Sam Wilson is the obvious choice to replace Steve as Cap. Throughout the story, fewer and fewer people accept Sam, adopting the slogan, “Not My Captain America.” Like many other great Sam Wilson stories, Not My Captain America didn’t flinch when addressing racism in America.

Falcon and Winter Soldier Miniseries (written by Derek Landy/art by Federico Vincenti; 2019)

The Falcon and Winter Soldier Miniseries was released in 2019 to prepare fans for the 2021 Disney+ series of the same name. It serves as a fun buddy cop series. While Falcon and Bucky don’t tend to click as well as Bucky and Hawkeye, the Falcon and Winter Miniseries provides a great look at the odd couple. An assassination attempt on Winter Soldier prompts Bucky to call Sam Wilson for help. The two seek out the new leader of HYDRA before the organization can regroup.

I’m sure I missed a story or two on this list. Let me know which Sam Wilson stories you’d choose instead and make sure you note whether the Sam stories are ones of him as Cap or Falcon. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Captain America Villains

Published on February 15, 2025January 24, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re preparing for the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World with another Top 5 Villains List. Captain America has an interesting group of villains, to say the least.

We’ll have two official honorable mentions, but I’m going to cheat a bit and add a few in this introduction: MODOK, Batroc, and Adolph Hitler. MODOK stands for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing. I’d shorten it to MODOK, too. MODOK is a floating head. Batroc’s full name is Batroc the Leaper. He leaps. And Adolph Hitler needs no introduction. Cap spent most of his early days punching Adolph Hitler in the face. With those villains out of the way, let’s get to our official honorable mentions.

Honorable Mention 2: Winter Soldier

Spoiler Alert for one of the MCU’s best films Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Steve Rodgers’ old friend Bucky Barnes is the Winter Soldier. He didn’t make the top villains list properly because even though he was the title villain in one of the greatest Captain America stories and recontextualized Captain America’s past, he became a hero. And he’s stayed a hero for the most part. The Winter Soldier even became Captain America in the comics for a time.

Honorable Mention 1: Serpent Society

The Serpent Society is a supervillain group rather than one villain, but they deserve a mention, especially since they’ll receive their MCU introduction in Captain America: Brave New World. Several factions exist within the Serpent Society. That’s to be expected since the group consists of dozens of snake-themed villains. Sidewinder, Princess Python, Anaconda, Constrictor, Fer de Lance, Puff Adder, Death Adder, Bushmaster, Asp, Cottonmouth, Rattler, and many, many more are part of the Serpent Society. We’ll have to see what the Serpent Society’s plot will be in the upcoming movie, but I wager it won’t be poisoning Washington DC’s water supply to turn everyone into Snake-People. That happened in the comics once. It took Diamondback rebelling against Madame Hydra’s rule to put an end to the plot.

5: Crossbones

Crossbones is often viewed as a Red Skull henchman—another spoiler, Red Skull will make the list—and he often gets attributed as a Sharon Carter villain. But Crossbones instigated Captain America’s assassination in the comics. Crossbones takes pleasure in murder. He even laughs when the Winter Soldier and Falcon take him down following Cap’s death. In the MCU, Crossbones (Brock Rumlow) was the one who hinted that HYDRA may have infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. Near the beginning of Captain America: Civil War, he laughs about the torture he put Bucky through when Captain America apprehends him. Crossbones wears a suicide vest, and Scarlet Witch hurls him toward a building filled with Wakandan relief workers, which causes a rift within the Avengers. Crossbones is more than your average henchman.

4: Arnim Zola

Originally a HYDRA scientist, Arnim Zola conducted numerous biochemical experiments. He messed around with the genes of human subjects and even brought back Adolph Hitler. Zola has a mean streak. He doesn’t care who he teams up with so long as he can continue his experiments. Most of what Zola does is in service of these experiments. He even uploaded his mind into a robot body, granting himself a type of immortality. Don’t let Zola’s goofy appearance of a giant TV screen with arms and legs fool you. Zola is one the deadliest villains in comic book history.

3: Baron Strucker

It was Baron Strucker all along. Baron Wolfgang von Strucker founded Hydra in the 1800s. He fought for Germany during World War I and brought the Red Skull into the fold during World War II. It was Strucker who recruited Arnim Zola. Following the end of World War II, Strucker became near-immortal by obtaining the Satan Claw, a strength-enhancing gauntlet. Strucker infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. with HYDRA agents. For years S.H.I.E.L.D. fell under HYDRA’s corruption, feeding the villainous group all its information. Decade after decade, Baron von Strucker earned his place as one of the greatest criminal masterminds in comics.

2: Baron Zemo

Two characters have taken the name Baron Zemo, a father-son tandem of Heinrich (father) and Helmut (son). I’m cheating—a little—by combining the two characters for this entry. Father Heinrich Zemo was one of the most despicable figures of the Third Reich. He, like Zola earlier on this list, loved testing inventions like ray cannons and disintegration guns on innocent people. He founded the Master of Evil, a thorn in the side of the early Avengers, and eventually killed—or at least we believed he killed—Steve Rodgers’ best friend Bucky Barnes. Following Bucky’s “death,” Captain America kills Heinrich Zemo. Heinrich’s son Helmut Zemo swears vengeance on Captain America. Where Captain America wants to make the world better for everyone, Zemo strives to ruin it because of his vendetta against one man. Helmut Zemo formed the original Thunderbolts, which were villains masquerading as heroes.

1: Red Skull

Red Skull appeared in the first-ever Captain America comic book. No other villain has come close to capturing the menace and imagination as Johann Schmidt, the Red Skull. The Red Skull is the antithesis of Captain America. He’s the super soldier experiment gone wrong. His imagery of a bloody skull dressed in a black coat contrasts the symbology of Captain America’s outfit. While Captain America represents the American ideal, the Red Skull did the same for Nazi Germany. Post World War II, the Red Skull has joined forces with HYDRA, a Nazi stand-in, and he continues to clash with one of the oldest comic book characters. No Captain America villain has ever reached the Red Skull’s status and malice.

Who is your favorite Captain America villain? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Harley Quinn: “Big Pasta Dinner” Review

Published on February 14, 2025February 13, 2025 by SeasonLeave a comment

Season’s Thoughts

Not going to lie. I have no idea where to start with “Big Pasta Dinner.” There were so many good moments and an even balance among the characters featured in this episode.

If I had to pick a focal point of this episode, I’d say Harley took the stage most of the time, but only by a small margin. The bat family definitely had more of the heartwarming moments. The Bruce Wayne/Joker heart-to-heart in the sauna was the most surprising. Definitely not something I’d expect in any other DC show. We got to experience Bruce grow as a person in real time. Well, save for his taste in girlfriends.

Shaun the Shark being featured in “Big Pasta Dinner” was a treat for me. Even though we’ve had a lack of King Shark in Season 5, Shaun’s shenanigans this episode helped lighten the heaviness of the bat family.

Speaking of shenanigans, Alfred turning on the bat family was a fun twist. It wasn’t out of left field for a show like Harley Quinn, but it also wasn’t something I was necessarily expecting, either. It was a bit off to me that Dick forgave Harley for killing him after she saved his life one time. Other than that, I enjoyed this episode.

Kyra’s Take

Agreed. Alfred exacting revenge on the bat family, and Bruce Wayne in particular, may seem odd in any other show based on DC Comics besides Harley Quinn. Bruce had it coming. This version of Bruce doesn’t even know Alfred’s surname. He calls him Alfred Butler. Butler? Try Pennyworth. It’s sad when Harley knows Alfred’s surname and Bruce doesn’t.

Like I said at the beginning of this season, the original Harley Quinn creative team has taken back the reigns in Season 5. They pivoted hard from the Gotham Sirens and let the Dick Grayson revenge thread slide for half a season. Dick returns in “Big Pasta Dinner,” and the show gives another nod to DC Comics history. Dick dons the Red X disguise, which is an alternate outfit he wore to get close to Deathstroke during a Teen Titans comics storyline. An excellent way to resolve the story that this creative team didn’t start in Season 4 and an amazing reference.

I agree with Season. We can use as much Shaun the Shark as possible; he is a treat. But Shaun became more than comic relief for the episode’s heavier moments. I also like how Harley Quinn worked Shaun’s penchant for destruction in her favor. This did a lot to merge the two disparate story threads.

I loved the Joker and Bruce as middle-aged dads thread. Season mentioned their heart-to-heart in the sauna. I have to agree that it was surprising. Joker giving Bruce parenting advice with his clown makeup running was hilarious and endearing. And Bruce’s son and Joker’s stepdaughter dating by the end of the episode set the show for more parental shenanigans.

Thank you for reading. Wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man 03

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: “Tangled Web” Review

Published on February 13, 2025February 12, 2025 by SkyeLeave a comment

Skye’s Thoughts

It’s safe to say: I’m hooked on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. After the previous episode, “Scorpion Rising,” “Tangled Web” complements it perfectly. Considering how heavy and action-packed the previous episode was, this episode is more introspective and patient. As a result, some of the most emotional moments of the series so far came out of this episode.

Peter doubts his abilities as Spider-Man after being put out of commission by Scorpion. It feels genuine and heartbreaking when Peter breaks down in front of Aunt May. That was the closest I’ve come to tearing up in this series so far. I imagine I’ll be bawling when Lonnie passes the point of no return.

Speaking of Lonnie, his progression from lovable meat-head genius to cruel and hardened gang member, has been done believably. Getting him into the 110 in the first place was kinda forced, but now that he’s in it, he’s started embracing the violence. In a way, it reminds me of Walter White’s progression from Breaking Bad. Only much faster. He starts committing criminal acts to protect his family only to eventually realize he loves it and fully surrenders to crime. There are many opportunities for dramatic moments here, and they start with Pearl breaking up with Lonnie. 😦

Norman’s development is the most interesting. In a surprise twist, the creators make us think he’s going to coin a famous Spider-Man phrase, but he spins it. In the process, he reveals his true personality. Instead of saying “With great power comes great responsibility,” he says “With great power comes great respect.” Norman thinks Peter needs to use his powers to make these criminals submit to him, and I’m getting excited about the Green Goblin’s introduction. We already saw the Goblin Glider in the last episode.

I could talk about Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man for pages on end; I love it that much. Also, never once have I skipped the intro. And I never will. There’s a lot that went down in this episode, and plenty I didn’t discuss. Season, what are your thoughts?

Season’s Take

I also liked Norman changing the famous “responsibility” to “respect.” He makes the phrase his own. This is very telling for his character. It’s a very “Norman” thing to say.

Harry played quite the role in “Tangled Web,” acting as Peter’s confidant when he didn’t think he could talk to anyone else. It’s a little on point when Aunt May said she wanted Peter to have a person he could confide in like Uncle Ben. However, I’m digging the exploration of Harry’s character.

Nico takes a back seat in this episode, and that’s warranted. I don’t think there was much they could have done with her in this episode. Pearl and Lonnie breaking up makes me wonder if this will be the catalyst for Pearl becoming Wave in the coming episodes. I kind of hope it’ll happen before the end of Season 1.

We saw him in “Unicorn Unleashed!” as Dmitri Smerdyakov. Today, we saw him as “Chameleon,” dealing as an information broker. I never thought a plain white mask would be so iconic.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to dive deeper into Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, follow this link for episodes 6, 7, and 8’s Secrets (Easter Eggs).

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: “Scorpion Rising” Review

Published on February 13, 2025February 12, 2025 by SkyeLeave a comment

Skye’s Thoughts

So…things are looking pretty bleak right for the Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man gang. Nico and Peter’s relationship is on the rocks. Pearl just found out Lonnie’s secret. Norman’s second identity is starting to appear. And, to top it all off, Scorpion nearly killed Spider-Man. Despite the huge moment at the end of the episode, I still found myself caring a lot about Peter’s and Lonnie’s social life.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man balances genuine character moments with harsh comic-book action well. I was worried in the last episode that the show wouldn’t be able to deliver on the plot threads it set up. Thankfully, the show is proving me wrong. Now that we’ve had ample time to get to know these characters, their personalities, choices, and struggles are falling into place. Considering this is a superhero story, the social drama is surprisingly fun to watch. In my opinion, because it subtly reveals a lot about Peter’s friends’ backstories.

With Nico, we’ve seen her win an impromptu street race with the help of Harry’s rich car, and her crystal necklace. As someone who’s into crystals and tarot, this speaks to me. Not only that but the way she and Harry have been interacting shows who they are. Harry has a shaky relationship with his father. After learning Norman called Harry to talk for Peter and not his own son, Harry deflates. Nico has a difficult family life too, and the show implies she and Harry would make good friends.

With Lonnie, it’s not looking good. Both he and Pearl got caught up in the Scorpion’s attack on the 110, and this makes me even more excited for what’s to come. I will say, the way Pearl found out Lonnie’s secret was a bit forced. Dre texts her because he somehow knows Pearl’s phone number. I don’t know.

I want to keep talking about this show because it ignites the imagination. If you’d like to discuss the show with us, leave a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. I don’t want to take too long though, so let’s let Season have a turn.

Season’s Take

I agree with Skye that Pearl showing up at 110 did feel a bit forced in the sense of the timing. I think she would have shown up regardless due to her worry for Lonnie and Dre’s being upset with Lonnie for taking “his thing.” She just happened to show up at a violent moment in the show because drama.

I like that Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man has, so far, not been as centered on Spider-Man himself as opposed to Spider-Man stories in other mediums. Don’t get me wrong. We see a lot of Spidey. I’m just enjoying the time we get to spend with not just the other characters, but how other characters in the show interpret Spider-Man/Peter Parker. There are moments sprinkled throughout the show of people speaking for Peter when he’s not around (mostly Nico and Harry).

Speaking of Nico and Harry, I thought it was cute watching them become friends naturally. The scene with Nico racing in Harry’s car to stand up for him was one of this episode’s highlights.

I thought Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was more of a kids’ show at first glance. After watching “Scorpion Rising” through to the end, I’ve changed my tune. I don’t think many kids’ shows have stabbings in them. The Easter egg of Norman Osborn’s Goblin Glider swooping in to save Spidey at the end served as a nice precursor for what’s to come.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to dive deeper into Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, follow this link for episodes 6, 7, and 8’s Secrets (Easter Eggs).

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: “Duel With the Devil” Review

Published on February 13, 2025February 12, 2025 by SkyeLeave a comment

Skye’s Thoughts

Ah, another Wednesday. Time for more Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man! In my opinion, this episode laid out interesting future story threads. While I was intrigued by the ideas in the previous episodes, I mentioned that it didn’t feel like they were progressing. Now, everything is falling into place.

In fact, so much happened in this episode that it’s difficult to cover in one post. Just a heads-up: Spoilers. Lonnie’s connection with the 110 Gang catches up with his everyday life. School is getting difficult for Peter, Pearl, and Nico. Especially after Nico found out Peter’s secret. Thanks, Harry. There’s more to Norman than what’s on the surface after Spider-Man’s encounter with Daredevil (hence the episode title). And Mac Gargan’s Gang has tracked down the 110’s hideout while getting outfitted with Octavius tech. Yeah. That’s a lot.

If I had to nitpick anything, the show’s feeling overcrowded. Sure, each of these developments makes me want to keep watching, but there are a lot of them for one episode. I can see why these episodes are 30 minutes. Despite longer episodes, will it be possible to give each of these story threads the attention they need?

I mentioned in the past that it felt like the show was looking for excuses to keep audiences watching. By throwing in major developments at the end of episodes, it seemed like the show was desperate for viewers. What I like about these new developments is that, after the buildup of the previous plot threads, it feels like they’re starting to amount to something. That’s where I give leeway.

Of course, there’s still time for this show to either wow me or disappoint me (I hope it’s the former), but let’s throw it over to Season before I start rambling.

Season’s Take

For me, “Duel with the Devil” didn’t feel overcrowded so much as expecting to have a long run with the dozens of characters. I mean, it’s Spider-Man. They’re likely going to get several seasons out of this show. Spider-Man also has a large rogues gallery. If this show is taking notes from Harley Quinn, they’re going to explore many of Spidey’s rogues.

That said, I do like the time the show takes to pull in smaller Spider-Man villains as part of the main cast. As someone more familiar with the prolific Spider-Man villains, it’s nice to see something different. The show progressed naturally with this episode having a lot of rising action regarding relationships between the characters and themselves. We saw a bit of doubt in previous episodes, but “Duel With the Devil” brought that doubt to the forefront.

The way it is now, the show is somewhat predictable. We know Norman Osborn is going to be the Green Goblin at some point and we already saw Lonnie get his nickname as Tombstone. Nico will likely become Sister Grimm or The Gloom. I really hope they go with the latter. Harry’s a bit of a wild card. I’m curious to see who he chooses once the inevitable Green Goblin/Spider-Man showdown occurs. If I’m wrong about my predictions in future episodes, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Thank you for reading. If you’d like to dive deeper into Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, follow this link for episodes 6, 7, and 8’s Secrets (Easter Eggs).

Five Video Games for Couples

Published on February 10, 2025February 10, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Valentine’s Day is a couple of days away, so I figured we would talk about video games for couples. Technically, any multiplayer game could work as a video game for couples. Plenty of shooters would work here. I even thought about adding Mario Kart; it just missed my list. And it also seems odd to rank any of these games, so I decided not to number them this time.

Cat Quest 2 (iOS, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

I want to include a game that doesn’t get as much attention, so I added Cat Quest 2. I hear that Cat Quest 3 has been released; I’m sure it’s good too, but I haven’t had the chance to play it yet. Cat Quest 2 is an adorable open-world action RPG. Couples join forces as royalty of the cat and dog kingdoms to save Felingard from evil forces. The premise screams lots of heart-pounding action and high fantasy, but Cat Quest 2 has the feel of a cozy game. Cat Quest 2 has plenty of battles and puzzles to appeal to several different players.

Snipperclips (Nintendo Switch)

We needed at least one straight-up puzzle game for this list, and Snipperclips is that selection. Snipperclips is a physics game. Players must work together in creative and unique ways. You play as paper characters Snip and Clip and cut each other up to solve wacky puzzles by forming shapes out of each other. Snipperclips has a short runtime, the shortest of this list at about 4 hours, but it’s a fun diversion and can build communication skills in a goofy way.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo Switch)

You’ll need two Switches to turn Animal Crossing: New Horizons into a multiplayer game but it’s ideal for long-distance couples. Heck. You don’t even need to be a couple. My family celebrated New Year’s Eve and other holidays on Animal Crossing: New Horizons while my oldest daughter was in Japan. I’ve even heard of some people getting married in the game during the pandemic. Animal Crossing: New Horizons has a relaxing pace, and its creative elements make it a great way to unwind and bond.

I could’ve added so many other cozy games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Stardew Valley just missed the list. If you want more romantic options, Sims 4 could work.

Overcooked 1 & 2 (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)

Ah! Who doesn’t love a little cooking chaos? Overcooked will test every couple’s ability to handle stressful situations, while wrapping it in the goofiest virtual kitchen imaginable. Overcooked includes levels where players must hop between two food trucks on the move, bake pizzas in a haunted house, and grill burgers in a fast-food joint ripped apart by an earthquake. Overcooked’s scenarios can become stressful but the over-the-top nature prevents anyone from taking it too seriously.

This is another game type where I struggled to keep the number of games to just one. I’ll mention the Moving Out series here; it’s filled with similar cheeky humor and puns and challenges players to help a family move out of a home.

It Takes Two (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch)

I couldn’t omit the only game that tends to make its way to the top of every list of this type: It Takes Two. There’s a good reason for It Takes Two taking most lists like this top spot. The game’s central conflict is with a couple whose relationship is on the rocks and they need to communicate better.

Players take on the roles of wife May and husband Cody. The pair are on the verge of divorce and a little bit of magic (that I won’t spoil here) turns the family upside down at the beginning of It Takes Two. May and Cody shrink to a few inches tall. They’re made of clay, yarn, and other crafting supplies. Both characters have differing abilities so even if you make it through the challenging obstacles once, there’s a reason to play It Takes Two twice. It Takes Two was specifically designed for two players and it shows.

Those are the five games we have for this list, but there are plenty more video games that can be great for couples. I almost added Lover in a Dangerous Spacetime to the list too. Which video games do you play with your significant other? Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: February 9, 2025, Fantastic Four: First Steps Trailer

Published on February 9, 2025February 8, 2025 by KyraLeave a comment

We didn’t release a news post last week. We’re still figuring out how we’re going to cover Geekly News. This week, we’ll try a headliner story with other stories. Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re back with some Geekly News. Hopefully, I make some sense; I’ve been under the weather this past week.

Fantastic Four: First Steps Trailer Dropped

The official teaser trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps was released on February 5th. The trailer left me equally excited and nervous about the upcoming film. The new movie appears to be the most faithful adaptation of Marvel’s first family. The Thing looks comic book accurate; I watched the trailer multiple times to hear the click of his lips and clack of his fingers. And H.E.R.B.I.E.’s inclusion made me smile. Sure, the special effects look on-point, especially when we get our first glimpse of Galactus, but the teaser’s best feature is how the Fantastic Four interacted. This team has been doing the superhero shtick for a while. They behave like a family and not just because Sue uses the word family. The scene between H.E.R.B.I.E. and The Thing shows us the team’s family dynamic.

Just in case you missed the Fantastic Four: First Steps teaser trailer, here’s the official teaser:

Let’s cover some details from the trailer.

Prior to the trailer’s release, if you happened to log into the live feed, you would’ve seen a countdown sponsored by the Future Foundation. In the comics, the Future Foundation was created by Reed to better serve humanity’s future, and the Fantastic Four’s space suits resemble their Future Foundation super suits. Most likely, the group works for the Future Foundation.

The movie is set in the 1960s and showcases a retro-futuristic look. The Fantastic Four are headquartered in the Baxter Building, just like in the comics. The Baxter Building may or may not replace Avengers/Stark Tower in this alternate reality. Director Matt Shakman manipulates the aspect ratio (when the scene shifts to our first view of the Baxter Building) much like he did in WandaVision.

While The Thing does cook in the comics every once and a while, it’s fun to see the connection between Ebon Moss-Bachrach and his role in The Bear.

If you pause the scene where Reed works on an equation, you may notice a bridge to observe parallel worlds. This could explain how the Fantastic Four cross over into MCU’s reality.

The rocket the Fantastic Four takes in the trailer is known as Marvel-1. The Fantastic Four are indeed Marvel’s First Family. The company wasn’t even known as Marvel until after the group took to the skies in the Marvel-1. Fantastic Four: First Steps recreates the look of the original rocket.

The Thing Halloween masks the three kids wear resemble a rare Thing face mask available in 1967.

The blue car that flies through the streets is most likely the Fantasticar. One can almost make out the name at the front of the car. The flying Fantasticar is the primary mode of transportation for the Fantastic Four.

John Malkovich’s character makes a brief appearance and while the movie hasn’t announced who he’s playing, he’s most likely portraying Ivan Kragoff/Red Ghost. I was relieved. I just finished the Fantastic Four Color Palette Quiz for July and debated if I should include Red Ghost. I thought, nah, no one will know who he is and there’s no way he’ll make an appearance in Fantastic Four: First Steps. Looks like I may have been wrong.

We have a Galactus sighting. Yay! He looks comic book accurate, unlike the cloud in Rise of the Silver Surfer.

Finally, we come to the stage the Fantastic Four stand on during what appears to be a television appearance. I say television appearance because the stage looks like the famous stage that The Beatles performed on during their first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

Like I said, the trailer has me hyped and a little worried. Please. Let this movie be good. It must be good.

PlayStation Network Outage

This is a developing issue and the latest addition to this geekly news break. Sony confirmed a Playstation Network (PSN) outage started on Friday, February 7^th at 1900 EST. I’m writing this update on Saturday, February 8^th, and the network is still down. Even if the outage returns before this post goes live, PSN would be down for over 24 hours.

The PlayStation Network outage impacts game sales, subscription sign-ups, and microtransactions across the PlayStation Store. Players can’t play live service games. This doesn’t just affect Sony. All third-party partners can’t sell games or content or run their live service games until the PlayStation Network returns.

Sony gave a clipped and terse response on February 7^th at 2043 EST. “We are aware some users might be currently experiencing issues with PSN.” The company didn’t give any updates or an estimate to when the servers will be restored. The company didn’t even announce that the outage was global. “Some users?” Try all users. If you’re still experiencing issues with PSN while reading this, be sure to check the PlayStation Network status page with this link.

This PSN outage of at least 24 hours marks the longest PSN outage since the infamous 2011 PlayStation Network outage. Back then, the PSN had been out for 24 consecutive days because the system got hacked. Hopefully, this outage doesn’t last as long as the 2011 outage or have as many repercussions.

Azur Promilia Misses Its Release Date

This news is a bit late, but Azur Promilia, one of my most anticipated video games of 2025 (and my most anticipated Gacha video game of 2025) missed its release date of January 25^th. You may be asking, “Azur Promilia. What’s that?” Let’s discuss what the game is and what this delay could mean.

What is Azur Promilia?

Azur Promilia is an upcoming Gacha game by Chinese publisher Manjuu. Players recruit characters and form teams like Genshin Impact, sprinkle in some light farm simulation like Harvest Moon, and each character receives boosts from pets you can raise like Pokémon. You can breed these creatures that help you in combat. We don’t know if these critters inherit stats from their parents. If that’s the case, it could reduce the amount of grinding needed in a Gacha. Fingers crossed.

What we do know is there will be mounts, even flying mounts, to traverse a vast open world. The translation (into multiple languages to include English) is complete. The game will have a simultaneous launch (every region will get the game on the same day). It uses a free-to-play Gacha model. And pre-registration is open. You can pre-register for Azur Promilia on the game’s home page. Follow this link.

What does Azur Promilia’s Missed Release Date Mean?

In short, we don’t know. Chinese video game companies apply for a release date a year in advance. Manjuu applied for Azur Promilia’s license on January 25^th, 2024, which means the company needed to release the game on or before January 25^th, 2025. The cost to apply for a video game release is hefty. There is a chance that Manjuu applied for an extension for their current license, or they may have to reapply. Either way, there has been little word from Manjuu since Azur Promilia missed its release date.

Here comes some speculation. You’ve been warned. Since Manjuu has gone radio silent and China is in the middle of a holiday season, Azur Promilia will be released in April 2025 at the earliest. There is a chance that the game could be released next month (March 2025), but Manjuu will need to ramp up its promotion for Azur Promilia in advance of the game’s release. I wouldn’t mind streaming the game if Manjuu would like to send Geekly a key. Just saying.

If we hear something from Manjuu about a new release date in the next week, great. There’s a chance for a March release. If we don’t, I’d expect an April 2025 release date or later. I’ve been waiting for Azur Promilia for months. It looks fantastic. I can’t wait to get lost in another stunning world. Plus, dragons. I want my dragon mount already.

Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual Releases

The 2024 version of Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual will be officially released on February 18^th, 2025, but many local gaming stores have had hard copies since February 5^th, 2025. I know that the previous sentence doesn’t make sense. The 2024 version of D&D’s Monster Manual releases in 2025. All I can do is shrug. Publisher Wizards of the Coast has an odd release schedule for the 2024, 50^th Anniversary Dungeon & Dragons core set.

The 50^th Anniversary Dungeons & Dragons edition makes some changes to D&D 5^th Edition. Think of it as 5.5 Edition. It caters to new players and streamlines certain aspects of 5^th Edition. If you pre-ordered the book, you can pick up your copy. If you didn’t pre-order your copy of the Monster Manual, most local gaming stores will have additional copies. And if you haven’t picked up the rest of the core set (Players Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide), you should be able to pick up the 50^th Anniversary Dungeons & Dragons core set in its entirety. Happy gaming!

And that’s all I have for you this week for Geekly News. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1988-1989

Published on February 8, 2025March 23, 2025 by Kyra15 Comments

Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Back with another Top 5 Tabletop Games. 1988 and 1989 may not have as many top-notch games as our previous list, but there are plenty of culturally relevant games from these two years. We’ll talk about board games soon, but first, if you’ve forgotten our criteria for the Top 5 Tabletop Games, let’s reiterate the ground rules before we start.

1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.

2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.

3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.

**5: Merchant of Venus (1988)**

Merchant of Venus is a pun on the Shakespeare play Merchant of Venice. Despite the name, the planet Venus doesn’t appear in the game. Merchant of Venus is set in an unexplored part of the galaxy. Players take on the roles of galactic traders. They move around the board, buying and selling goods. The game begins with players discovering the identity of the cultures in fourteen solar systems available for trade. They often find valuable artifacts from an earlier period of civilization. Once the board has been revealed, the game focuses on moving goods from cultures that build to other races that demand goods.

Merchant of Venus’s turn from exploration to commerce can be a satisfying volta. It reminds me of other games like 2004’s Betrayal on House on the Hill and 2007’s Galaxy Trucker. Both games might also make their year’s respective lists. While it can run a little long (2 to 6 hours), Merchant of Venus can be a lot of fun.

**4: Taboo (1989)**

Taboo works a lot like a team-based version of the Ten Thousand Dollar Pyramid game show. It’s played by two even-numbered teams from four to ten. Players sit in alternating teams, forming a circle. One player takes the role of “giver,” who gives their teammates clue words. The “giver” attempts to get their teammates to guess the word printed on the card, but there are “taboo” words. These are words the “giver” can’t say.

While the “giver” can’t say those taboo words, their teammates can make as many guesses as they want with no penalties for wrong guesses. Once the team correctly guesses the word exactly as written on the card, the “giver” moves on to the next word. Teams try to get as many words on a card before time runs out. The playing team gets one point for each correct guess and loses a point each time the “giver” says a “taboo” word. I never liked the buzzer for Taboo. The other team hovers over the “giver” with the buzzer in hand and the obnoxious buzzer they wielded gives me nightmares. Nightmares!

**3: Mall Madness (1988)**

Mall Madness has a simple but fun concept: finish your shopping spree before anyone else. It doesn’t hurt that the game has a 3D board, and the original (back in 1988) had a computer that would dole out player movement and could even keep track of money. The 80s game even came with four different credit cards in addition to traditional paper money.

Players didn’t have to move by exact count to enter each shop, and once you bought something from a shop, you couldn’t reenter the same shop. Mark off the items on our list using plastic pegs in a punch board, and as soon as you’ve bought your six items, race to your parking space. I didn’t play too much of Mall Madness when it was first released. My parents didn’t care for the premise (they didn’t want us kids learning too soon about credit cards), but Mall Madness has left an indelible mark on the board game industry. It’s been in print steadily since its release and has had plenty of themed variants like Hannah Montana and Littlest Pet Shop.

**2: TriBond (1989)**

We have a second word game for this list, TriBond. But TriBond does something a little different. The game’s main feature is the TriBond “Threezer,” an invented word by the producer to describe the three-word clues players must analyze and determine what all three clues have in common. So, you may get a set of three clues like “Olive, Forest, and Kelly.” They’re all shades of green. Or you may get another set of clues like “Tootsie, Hook, and Rain Man.” All Dustin Hoffman movies.

TriBond adds a little bit of lateral thinking to the classic word game. While I think the word “Threezer” is a bit much, the concept is a great one. And I like the idea that a player can “challenge” another player ahead of them in one of the board’s three tracks. TriBond uses dice, one to determine how far you’ll move on one of three tracks and another to determine your questions category (Entertainment, Sports and Recreation, Academics, and Miscellaneous). The “challenge” allows players to take some of the random luck out of the classic rolls, spin, and move.

**1: HeroQuest (1989)**

I have so many fond memories of HeroQuest. HeroQuest plays like a stripped-down version of Dungeons & Dragons. One player assumes the role of the evil wizard Zargon/Morcar. They use the map taken from the game’s quest book to run the game. The remaining players select their character from the four available.

I was a tween when HeroQuest was first released, and since I read the rules, I ran the game as Zargon. That was my first taste of being a dungeon master and D&D. Even though I have great memories of HeroQuest, it is a game for newcomers. Its adventures are pre-programmed and lack the creative impulses of a D&D game, but HeroQuest has a massive toy factor and does an amazing job of distilling the essence of D&D into a digestible, approachable game for younger players. HeroQuest serves as a great gateway into tabletop role-playing games. Fortunately, it’s received a received a reprint.

Did we get the list right, for the most part? Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Check out the other lists in this series:
Top 5 Tabletop Games Prior to the 1930s
Top 5 Tabletop Games of the 1930s
Top 5 Tabletop Games of the 1940s-50s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Early 1960s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Late 1960s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Early 1970s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1980-1981
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1982-1983
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1984-1985
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1986-1987
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1990-1991

Harley Quinn: “Breaking Brainiac” Review

Published on February 7, 2025February 6, 2025 by SeasonLeave a comment

Season’s Thoughts

Brainiac has been hinted at for the past few episodes. Now, it’s his time to shine. And boy, do we get a lot of Brainiac this episode.

I’m going to be honest. I wasn’t expecting the first half of “Breaking Brainiac” to include Brainiac’s backstory. I suppose I should have expected it since we saw the creation of Floronic Man in “Back to School.” It was emotionally charging for me, but it wasn’t as dark as Ivy’s backstory in previous episodes. Since “Breaking Brainiac” didn’t have as dramatic shifts in tone, the inclusion of jokes throughout Brainiac’s backstory softened the blow for his family’s demise.

Lena Luthor flips a switch in this episode. Well, I guess she was going to do whatever she felt was best for her. I wasn’t sure which way they’d decide to go with her. Who knows? She may help out Harley and Ivy in the future. I think she’ll come out the other end of the Brainiac saga relatively unscathed.

I liked the lack of Harley and Ivy in “Breaking Brainiac.” We had two heavy Ivy episodes in a row. The way things were set up by the end of “Floronic Man,” it looked like we’d have another heavy Harley/Ivy episode. They haven’t had a chance at being side characters for a bit.

Kyra’s Take

I agree that Harley Quinn does well when it takes a break from the title character, and “Breaking Brainiac” was a welcome break from Harley and Ivy. We’ve gotten a lot of heavy Harley/Ivy episodes lately.

Despite Harley Quinn weaving in Floronic Man’s backstory into present events during “Back to School,” Brainiac’s flashback in “Breaking Brainiac” dominated this week’s episode. It may have taken up more than half of the episode. I don’t know how Harley Quinn could have done this differently. Even though this was a major shift, the audience needs to know who this version of Brainiac is, and following the episode where Harley and Ivy get kidnapped by Brainiac is a good excuse to hit rewind and explore this new character.

Harley Quinn stays true to classic DC Comics characters while taking these characters in a different direction. “Breaking Brainiac” is no exception. I squeed when Brainiac’s son shrank a city filled with people and waited for Harley Quinn to show us Kandor. Harley Quinn delivered on that promise. It also delivered with a heart-felt Brainiac story. I’ll echo Season’s sentiment, jokes soften the blow of Brainiac’s family’s demise. These jokes come in the form of an android suffering through domestic bliss.

When we catch up with Harley and Ivy and the now, we see Brainiac struggling with the loss of his family. However misguided, he wants to achieve perfection so no one has to suffer the fate his family did. Ironically, he views Harley as Metropolis’s biggest imperfection, which makes me wonder why Lena Luthor, who is revealed to be working with Brainiac, invited Harley to Metropolis and why she insists on Harley staying. My tension sense is tingling.

“Breaking Brainiac” lays down a great foundation. I can’t wait to see where this season goes. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.