Cobweb and Stripes Review with James Paradie: Chapter 1 - Something wicked this way comes

With Beetlejuice 2 apparently happening and you guys knowing I'm a Beetlejuice super fan, I have decided to do a review of Cobwebs and Stripes, a Beetlejuice fan comic.

 

With Hollywood so remake crazy, it's odd we've never heard even a whisper of a Beetlejuice remake. Yes, a sequel is planned to start shooting at the end of 2015, and damn it, I'm fine with that! Sick of remakes and reboots of classic movies. Although Cobwebs and Stripes isn't a licensed Warner Brothers property, it could be, because it is actually that good. 

Cobwebs and Stripes, or C'n'S for short, takes place two years after the movie. The cool thing is it seems like a combination of both the movie and the cartoon. The author does it great. Keeping respect for the movie and slowly transitioning to the cartoon canon. Although, as of right now, I'm on page 156 and they haven't even reached the cartoon stuff yet, aside from a cameo two characters much earlier in the story.  

This comic also answers the question that the cartoon never did, how did Beetlejuice and Lydia re-met and how did they become friends? The cartoon NEVER explained this or the fact that a 600 year old dead guy tried to marry a fourteen year old and just pretended that never happened. The solution to this bugging question is pretty cool. Instead of explaining it, I'll show you the strip.

Yep. As punishment for Beetlejuice's misdeeds in the afterlife, he is shackled to Lydia, who does not want a damn thing to do with the dead guy who forcibly tried to marry her a couple years prior. If he get's too far, he is yanked back. Lydia realizes this is going to be hell for her. Maybe?

Pros:

The first chapter definitely acquired my interest with a new outlook of how Beetlejuice and Lydia met back up. Like I said, this seems like a retelling of the cartoon, blending it in with the movie in a nice and equal fashion. This becomes more apparent as you bump into characters from the cartoon in the next few chapters.

The story feels new and fresh. Too many Beetlejuice fan fictions dive into Beetlejuice/Lydia romance storyline. A storyline to which irritates me beyond anything, because it's been done TOO MANY TIMES. Can't they just be friends? Truth be told, however, I haven't read one in probably ten years now, but the last I checked, too many started singing the same tune. If the author goes down that route, then fine, it is her story, but for right now, her's is the most original. The only one that I think comes close to this is another Beetlejuice fan comic, The Ghost with the Most (but even that writer is teasing a romance plot between Beetlejuice and Lydia ... and Lydia' daughter ... yep.)

It's interesting, I like some of the quotes, but there's not really that much to talk about as there is only ten pages in the first chapter. The handcuff thing is interesting and makes me want to read more to see how this is going to turn out.

Middle Ground:

(Middle Ground, for those who are new to my reviews, is a section where it's not a pro, but it's also not a con. It's middle ground.)

The look of the first chapter is the worst, but that doesn't mean it's terrible. It's just the author must have been finding her niche. Currently she is on Chapter 15 and I love the look there. I think it's the best look out of the entire series. Going back to the first chapter though, it's like night and day. A big contrast. Still though, some of the designs are unique, but some, such as character designs, ... well, not so much. But these improve as the pages turn.

Language barrier - The author's first language is not English, so sometimes when it translates, her translator tends to pick a word or wording that doesn't translate well into those who's first language is English. I'm not sure if the translator's first language is English, but I'd say probably not. For the most part, it's fine. You can fill in the blanks. It's at least readable, but I would suggest maybe even having two people proofread it to get it down to a science. For example, let me translate the translator, haha :D I'll do it just for the experience! But in all fairness, it's okay. It's not her first language, so it's no biggie. Maybe consider having someone who's first language is English take a gander at it though after the translator does? Wouldn't hurt.

YAY! No Cons!

Final Verdict: 

Finding Cobwebs and Stripes was terrific. Especially finding it when it's still circulating and coming out with new material, because it's like I'm there, experiencing the story as it unfolds. That, to me, is awesome. Who would think that almost thirty years later, Beetlejuice is inspiring people to make comics? I wouldn't, but just five years ago, I didn't know there were huge Beetlejuice fans like me. The power of Google, man. It's not just a saying, it's a truth!

I definitely recommend this comic to fans of Beetlejuice or even comic fans in general. The story holds up, the language translation may seem rough in a few places, but for the most part, it's pretty damn flawless.

I look forward to continually reviewing this comic and hope to do so until its last page, which I hope is not for a very long time. I want to thank the author for giving me her blessing to review her amazing comic and I hope she enjoyed reading this herself.

---> Chapter 2 Review 

Where to find Cobwebs and Stripes:

Deviantart

Facebook

Opinion with James Paradie: Why Atheism is a Dirty Word

As stated in my Book Review for Beyond the Veil by Chad Stambaugh, if you were to put me in a category, I would be considered an atheist. I don't consider myself an atheist. I'm here to talk about why atheism is such a dirty word. Why some people, like myself, cringe every time I hear/see it. 

First off, it's not the idea of atheism that makes me cringe. I'm fine with that, because I'm not a believer of God myself. Plus, when they’re mature about it, when they’re stating facts rather than being dicks, I agree with them. It's the way the majority of them act. It's like that way of thought has given them license to be dickheads every time the subject of religion comes up. And, yes, because someone is religious, it doesn't give them the right to be over-zealous with non-believers either. That annoys me as equally as the immature atheists do. 

Almost half my day is spent on the internet. It comes with the territory. Either it's creating new content for this blog, working on my book, what have you. Doing my actual job, which again, takes place here on the 'net. But I constantly have Facebook up and I'm a fan of these sites who post funny pictures, antidotes, what have you. Every so often, one of these sites will post something on God or Jesus, whatever. When people see this, both religious and atheists, it gives them this license to defend their views. Not that I have a problem with defending yourself, you should. You shouldn't let people bully your way of life. But the big problem with these open discussions is the majority of the people on both sides are bullies. The majority of them feel like, "Hey, I'm going to be the biggest asshole I can be! That will get my point across." Their immaturity astounds me. 

I come from the unpopular mind frame that if you can't be mature, you shouldn't debate. As well as not have access to the internet. But unfortunately, the vast majority of people (especially on the internet) do not believe in that mind frame. They think that insulting people who do not agree with their views is the best option to get the best results. Foolish fools. You want more people to join your side? Be civil. Be mature. That's why atheism and atheists is such a bad word, because when you go to internet forums or social media, they're not civil. They're downright nasty. Assholes is the proper term. And again, religious people can be the same. Although, most of the time they play up the wounded victim. Though I can understand that when the majority of these people in the discussions are atheist. It's never fun being the minority. I should know. 

Question: If you don't like religion, why did you get so offended by it? I ignore it. If I don't like it, I don't pay no attention to it. Why? Because no matter what there will always be religious people. It's their life choice, just like it's your life choice to be a non-believer. It's my life choice not to believe in God. There's no reason to get angry, because your anger is not going to make them disappear. They have every right to their opinion just as you do. You can't dictate peoples opinions and beliefs, that only causes even more strain on people choosing sides. 

This goes to both atheists and religious zealots: And another thing, the gloating is unnecessary. You're acting like Gods yourselves; putting yourself on pedestals and having a holier than thou attitude because you think you're better than everyone. You're not Gods. You're someone with an opinion. That doesn't make you a higher power. Sorry to break it to you. But that is probably the BIGGEST reason why I would never consider myself an atheist or religious, because of all the gloating. It's okay to be proud of your opinions and beliefs, but to think you're better because of it? Nah. Snake eyes on that philosophy. 

But no matter what, atheists and religious people will always be enemies. There will always be those who gloat about their God or that there is no God. It will be a never ending battle between the two. All I can do is sit on the sidelines and laugh at their irrational way of handling each others opinions. 

Annoying Things About the Paranormal: Circle Crazies

For the record, I don't mean any malicious intent with this little article. It's not meant to offend those who do these annoying little habits. Your opinions are your opinions. As you know with opinions, not everyone is going to agree with them. It's not like I go behind your back and say, "Teehee! He/she's a freaking idiot!" No. I'm not like that. 

If you have any objections or anything to add, feel free to comment below. 

Hilarious photo created by: www.weirdlectures.com (Sorry about the mishap, John. It was like that when I found it. We cool?) 

Okay. First of all, know that you have people in your life that love you. Very dearly, I'm sure. So, you have that going for you. But just because you circle a photo with a supposed ghost in it, doesn't mean I'm going to see it any better. 

Spirit photography has never been one of my strongest suits. I can look at it and eventually I will see something. We ALL do that. It's like looking at a wall made out of wood. If you stand there, keep staring at it, you will see a face or whatever. We all do it. But just because you see a face, it doesn't mean its there. It's because your mind looks for patterns and it's putting these patterns together. Eventually it will make a recognizable figure. It's like looking at photos of random people and eventually you'll be like, "It looks like so and so" and someone will say, "No it don't." And you say, "Yeah-huh, you knob!" It's not YOUR fault, it's your brain's fault. Blame the brain. Drunks and stupid people do it all the time. 

But this is an annoying habit that I wish would stop. Look. If you want your evidence to be concrete, without a shout of a doubt that your evidence is valued, then don't tell anyone a damn thing. Let them find it themselves. Don't put 30 circles in a single photo (I have seen this before), because then you're pointing it out and eventually someone will believe it. Because the brain and eyes have a conversation. It goes like this:

Brain: Hey, eyes. See that picture? You're suppose to see something in those circles.

Eyes: Really? I don't see anything. Are you sure?

Brain: To tell you the truth, the poor bastard who draws those circles always says there's something there when there really isn't. Sad. 

Eyes: I think I see something!

Brain: No, no. Eyes, that's a screwed up thing I do. Eventually I will find patterns of something in pictures and you will see a face or eyes, whatever. You know what? Never mind. Hey hands!

Hands: Yes? 

Brain: Just tell this poor soul that you see something, alright?

Hands: We don't see anything.

Brain: Do it or I'll make righty do "the yanking."

Righty: Nooooooooooooooo! 

Okay, okay. So there you go. Here's what I suggest: instead of telling people where these supposed spirits are, don't say anything. Because if they see what you see, then what's to argue? You have more people on your side and your evidence is looking better. It's like EVPs. I wouldn't tell anyone what I think it says until after. If they heard what I heard, doesn't that make the evidence that much more real? I would think so. 

I'm sure this is what a good portion of people think every time they see these freaking things. Some day you're just going to have to admit that there is not a damn thing there and get over it. 

I have decided to make this a new segment here on Scared Sheetless. Hope you enjoyed! 

Ghostbusters 2 ... Was It Really That Bad?

No. It wasn't that bad or at least I don't think it was. Ghostbusters II is plagued by those who like to ostracize the movie and pretend it doesn't exist.

The problem with sequels is that people tend to compare it to the original, I'm not saying I don't, because I do. But the thing you need to remember is that Zuul is not in this movie, neither is Gozer, or Stay Puft, it's a totally new adventure and should be treated as such. I will agree on a few arguments that have been raised over the past 20 years.

- Pink slime? Really? I have no idea why they chose the pink over the green slime. There's some deleted content that has floated around the internet for years that shows the slime that is under the city was suppose to be green. Not like snot nose green, but dark green. It looked Ghostbusterish and looked like it fit. But alas, for reasons that may have made sense at the time, they decided on the pink slime.

-The end battle with Vigo ... sucked. I thought Vigo could have kicked some serious ass as a movie villain, but nope. Let's just slime him and be done with it. I would have liked to see Vigo suck the Ghostbusters into a ghost world like dimension and them battle it out there. But what we got was a lazy finish in my opinion.

-The baby had more screen time than the boys. Sure, baby Oscar is cute, but at times it almost seemed like he was the main star rather than the Ghostbusters themselves. And I know that the storyline had to have him, because Vigo needed a vessel for him to be alive. Speaking of ...

-He ended up coming out of the painting anyway ... even without the baby. Mind you, I suppose since he's all powerful, he can get away with that.

-Slimer. No, I have no problem with Slimer or anything about him. He just looked ... bigger in this movie. Like in one he was pretty small, but in this one, it was like he was the size of a person. Just more of a production issue than a problem. 

-From Zeroes to Heroes to Zeroes Again. As you saw in the first movie, they were unknown paranormal investigators at the beginning of the film. They became heroes after defeating Gozer and became heroes. I don't have that big of a problem with their problems in the second film; it's just if you really think about it: it doesn't make sense. They saved the world at the first movie, I think they'd get a pass for all the damages they caused! But like I said, I'm okay with it.

-Titanic. If you know how much I post on the Titanic on here, then you know I'm a Titanic nerd. I do really like the Titanic scene in the movie, though short, it's pretty funny ... even in a macabre way. "Well, better late than never," you hear Cheech Marlin say. Although I like the part, I also can't stand how they made the Titanic look. If it was a fictional ship, it would be pretty cool, but since they're now playing with history, they should at least make it true. My beef with it, is for example, the picture above. Titanic doesn't have a big, gaping hole, like her sister ship, Britannic (wrong spot, but whatever). The Titanic wreck was discovered in 1985, long before filming began for GB2. They should have done their homework. Oh well. Maybe I'm over thinking this and being a nerd. Actually this is more of the smaller problems, but I still managed to talk about this more than the other problems!

Okay, I'm sure there's more things I can nit-pick at, but let's talk about why Ghostbusters II is worth the time.

-It's funny. Is it Ghostbusters one funny? Well, that's up to you. I remember when Harold Ramis died, I played both Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II and found myself laughing more at the second one. But comedy is up to the person and doesn't speak volumes for the film at hand.

-Louis Tully. I loved seeing more of Rick Moranis' character in this. To me, he made the movie more fun and funnier. From his interactions with Slimer, to his more intimidate interactions with Janine; he was just a fun character to watch. I especially liked him during the court room scene.

-A lot more special effects. This is where I compare the first one to the sequel. The first one had some pretty impressive special effects for 1984, but when the second one came out, being five years later, effects can improve quite substantially. I guess what I'm saying is that I liked it because it had more special effects and really showcased what we could see if we had more Ghostbusters movies.

 -The Ghostbusters II soundtrack is probably my favorite movie soundtrack out there. There was a time not too long ago when movies got these bands or artists together to make original music just for the movie. Now it's much different, but back then, it was all about making the movie special and it's own identity. Now, I'm not that big of a hip-hop fan, but I can honestly listen to these tracks over and over again. From Doug E Fresh's "Spirit" to "On Our Own" by Bobby Brown, it's music that get's you into the Ghostbusting spirit.

-It FEELS like a sequel. Great sequels are few and far between. I can only count a few, but that's another rant for another day. Ghostbusters II isn't my most favorite sequel, but it had the essentials to make an ideal sequel. A sequel should be a new adventure for the characters with new villains and new characters and we got that. A sequel with the same characters, but same antagonist(s) is a continuance of the first. GB2 follows GB1, but doesn't involve the same antagonist.

-It goes without saying, but Janine was pretty damn hot in this movie. Or maybe I just have a thing for chicks in glasses. 

---

In Closing: The more I think about Ghostbusters 2 the more I love it.

Scary Game Review (Spectator's POV) with James Paradie: Silent Hill Downpour

 

What's the Game: 

 Staying true to the franchise's original roots, this eighth installment of the Silent Hill franchise returns with an all new thought-provoking horror storyline. Players will once again find themselves face to face with their deepest sins and fears in the strange world of Silent Hill.

The survival horror experience begins after a prison transport vehicle careens off the road, leaving lone inmate Murphy Pendleton stranded in Silent Hill. Gamers will encounter mind-bending puzzles, as well as horrific creatures and other world terrors using everyday objects from wooden chairs to glass bottles to fend off their enemies. The natural response, fight or flight is left to the player as they unravel a dark, thought-provoking storyline which will appeal to fans of the early, classic Silent Hill series, as well as anyone who enjoys a deep, psychological horror experience. In addition to the main storyline, players will also be presented with variable side quests along the way that can change depending on their play style, revealing unknown evils within the town. 

Review (From a Watcher's Perspective): 

Hey guys and gals, what's up? If you are not familiar with most of my reviews, I do it from a spectators point of view, rather than a player (unless I played the game.) Horror games I generally don't play, because I'd rather just watch. So, remember, this is from a spectators point of view and I'm only grading it on story. 

Silent Hill is one of my favorite franchises. I have yet to see all of them, but I've watched two, three, and Downpour. Downpour I actually watched probably last year sometime and I enjoyed it. You know a game does something to you when you don't feel good about yourself for watching some f'd up crap and Downpour had some of that. Although SH3 is my favorite, Downpour definitely has its story perks that kept me interested. Between the cops hatred for the protagonist and why. And where the main character is a prisoner, but seems like a decent guy. The thing about Silent Hill is it's all about foreshadowing and given you only tiny tidbits of just what in the hell is going on and why is this person, or sometimes persons, in Silent Hill.

The thing that I also like about Silent Hill is the fact that they don't really rely on jump scares. Jump scares, to me, are just cheap. Unless they make absolute sense, I don't see the point of them. Okay and I admit it, I also partly hate them, because nobody likes to pee a little in their pants when it happens. That's a given. But Silent Hill is more about messing with the player's mind and to expect the unexpected.

I've also found Silent Hill games to start slow and then gradually speed it up. It's a lot of exploring, solving problems, and defending yourself against monsters, with some story here and there. Now, where the earlier versions of SH are regarded as the best, the latter versions, such as Downpour, are plagued with bugs and freeze rate issues. Watching the walkthrough, you can see that, and some of it is pretty bad. That and if you're wanting some story in Downpour, but you're only watching it on Youtube, you'll find yourself bored with a lot of the player's exploring and just battling random enemies (even though Downpour doesn't have that many).

The plus side is that I think the graphics are really good and the cut scenes are that of movie quality, or so I think at least. My favorite part was at the beginning of the game when the player has to ride this mine cart ride at a place called Devil's Pit. They made it so it's like you're right there with him. I posted the video below of that. Don't worry, no real jump scares are in this.

I'm not going to give away too much more, but I think if you enjoy a good storyline, you'll really like watching this. You'll find yourself getting impatient, or maybe, I don't know, and skipping to later parts to see more of the storyline evolve and reveal more details of the plot.

SSS(Scared Sheetless Grade): Good. Worth the rewatch, I think, as I did rewatched it to be prepared for this review. There's some really cool things in this. I was going to say one of the reasons why it got a good rating, rather than a great, was because it dragged forever, but that's for the player. Which is fine, so I excused that. But I enjoyed it for it's ability to keep my attention.

Anyways, in closing, check out this video below, provided by theRadBrad.

A Letter to RMS Titanic, Inc. (Now Premier Expeditions, Inc.): Leave it Alone by James Paradie

For the past few months, I've been doing these Titanic Facts on Facebook and my friends seem to really love them. I've posted them on my website and the response seems to be really good as well. On one of my facts, I said that RMS Titanic, Inc. owns the Titanic and that they auction off items they've brought up from the wreckage. I said, it was a form of grave robbing and that I'd get back to that later. Today is later.

Now, I have no doubt in my mind that the higher ups or even the lower downs of this company will never see this letter or even bother to read it. That's fine. But as a huge supporter of the reservation and well-being of the world's most famous shipwreck, I do think it merits me to voice my opinion. So, let's begin shall we ...

April 14th can be viewed as anything. It could be a friend or relatives birthday, an anniversary, or the date of a big event. To a select few though, it is a time of remembrance and sorrow. It is another year gone by of the tragic sinking of the Titanic.

Some people will say, "Who cares?" And you'll be surprised by the answer, a lot do. It's like 9/11  - yes, it happened in 2001, and that was almost thirteen years ago, but still ... we show our respects on the anniversary. Why should the Titanic tragedy be any different? Just like 9/11: you had heroes, you had victims, you had loss, you had hope, cowards, con artists, and conspiracies. Titanic had all these too and though it doesn't serve as the all time highest death-rate in maritime history, it is the story behind it that gives it it's larger than life presence. Some people are not ignorant and say, "Well, it happened a long time ago, so let it go." History is what made us, so we should preserve it, honor it, and learn from it.

Some people are pulled in from different points of view on the Titanic. It could be because its apart of history; it can be because they have a love of ships; or it can be because of the controversies and myths that go behind the Titanic. It could be anything. With me, it's a mixture of all those, but I think it's also because of my interest in the paranormal. And with the paranormal, a lot of cases that you take on, tragedy is always the back drop of the story. Titanic was a tragedy and speaking from a paranormal investigator point of view, the Titanic could have a lot of lost souls who have been left behind. It's sad. That and I believe I've always viewed abandoned properties as a beautiful thing, because again, it has to do with history. With the Titanic, you look at the Promenade Decks or WHERE the Grand Staircase used to be and you just think, "What would it be like to rewind the clocks and be there?" What emotions would go through your mind if you were, say, on the stern of the ship when the band was playing, just moments before the ship went down? Or finding the Titanic's architect, Thomas Andrews, in the smoking room, just staring at a painting, knowing that his ship of dreams is doomed. What if you could rewind that clock and tell people like Andrews that in today's world, he isn't viewed as a failure, but a hero. Unfortunately, time travel is just not in the foreseeable future and nobody has invented a real-life Flux Capacitor yet. But if you love the Titanic and want it to be around for future generations to enjoy, then please hear me out.

RMS Titanic, Inc. thinks its okay to go down to the wreck, pick up items from it, bring it back up, and sell it for their own profit. Why? They can say its about bringing history to the masses or whatever, but, and to put it bluntly, you're actually raping history.

It's like those who go to a temple, dig up a sarcophagus, display it a museum, and say, "Oh, look, a mummy!" No. Mummies are fictional characters in movies. What you have on display was once a living human being. What you have is someone who did NOT give you permission to rob their final resting place and exploit them for the whole world to see.

"We're doing it for science!"

"We're doing it for history!"

You're doing it for your own greedy notoriety.

I have no problem with people going to the pyramids and paying their respects by putting flowers at the grave or what-have-you, but a grave robber is a grave robber. And RMS Titanic, Inc. is no different. I'm not saying they're an evil corporation or anything like that. I'm sure in their minds they think their intentions are good. But, and I'm sure in the eyes of many, their intentions are not as noble as they might think. Check out this video below.



In the video, you can see some differences from when the ship was discovered in 1985 and recently. The best way I can describe it is how Robert Ballard did, if there is no means of security at the Titanic, they will keep on stripping all of the jewels off the ship until there is nothing left. That's just sad. What attracted me was all these human items still there, as if frozen in time, as if the occupant just stepped out and will be back in short time. As you saw in the video, in 1985 the crows nest was still there, now its gone. Probably due to someones disrespectful nature. All these light red areas are due to submarines landing there. It exposes a new area, thus rusting the ship even more.

Titanic does need security. Whether it may be cameras covering all corners of the debris field, the bow and stern section. You can't have boats on site due to the Atlantic's hectic weather conditions. What do they do? It is tough, but someone needs to think of something.

The camera thing could work. But what about subs landing on the ship itself? That needs to stop. You're only causing even more damage to the ship. I have nothing against people going down there and viewing the ship in person, because I'd love to do that if I ever have the money ($60,000 for those who wanted to know.) But submarines shouldn't be allowed on the ship. What about some form of scaffolding? Make it so it's close enough to the ship, but not actually on the ship. Make them high enough to see the top of the ship and there you go. Course, you'd need a pretty strong scaffold, because the subs they use are very heavy; nor to mention that over time it would rust and be liable to break once pressure is applied. Just an idea.

I'm also not saying that RMS Titanic, Inc. has to get all the items back and send it back down to the bottom of the ocean. But to now cease before any more damage can be done.

I've enjoyed watching documentaries on this ship, reading countless books, and just earning even more knowledge on the most famous shipwreck. I'd love to see future generations enjoy the same things I did and to see the ship the way I first saw it. Intact and not degraded.  

Video Game Review with James Paradie: Batman - Arkham Asylum

 

Back in August of 2009, a game would come out that would mark the beginning of one of the greatest game franchises ever. That game is Batman Arkham Asylum.

You play as the World's Greatest Detective himself, Batman. You've just picked up notorious, arch-nemesis, the Joker, and bring him to Arkham Asylum. This is the place where Gotham's most heinous, grotesque, sociopath psychopaths are incarcerated for their crimes against the innocent. Batman thinks something is odd about how Joker was simply too easy to capture, so he decides to escort him to his cell. It doesn't happen. Joker ends up killing one of the guards by straggling the life out of him, while Batman can't do anything, but watch. Finally, after breaking through the bullet proof glass, he is too late. Someone has hacked into the security system and the Joker escapes. Who was this that helped him? 

 

It is, of course, the very sexy Harley Quinn, Joker's female equal of madness. But she just has to help her Mr. J! Her puddin'! And kids, if you don't know what that means, look up Batman: The Animated Series and you will throw your Spongebob collection out the window and realize us 90's kids had it way too good. Gloating aside, Batman must save the day. It is what he does. He is Gotham's protector. But even he admits that this time he doesn't think he can stop the Joker. There could be a couple of reasons for that. 

1. 

 

BANE! Before Christopher Nolan gave him the ... oh, hell, even I have to admit it ... the sexy, Sean Connery like voice in the Dark Knight Rises, he was a Latino with a massive build due to a drug known as Venom. But Batman eats guys like Bane for breakfast and asks for seconds! Why ... he's the goddamn Batman that's why! 

2. 

 

Then there's this mother-f*cker! Sorry, hey, at least I bleeped it. No, I shouldn't have bleeped it. This guy pisses me off. His boss fight isn't hard ... he just scares the shit out of me. There! I admitted it! That and you just don't know where he is coming from. You'll have to play the game to find out or Youtube his boss fight. But Killer Croc is an admiral foe, though not used in the comics as much as Bane, Joker, or hell even the Mad Hatter. His presence is due to a form of atavism which gives him a reptilian look. Could Bruce Wayne use pair of crocodile skin boots?  

3. 

"At the end of fear ... oblivion!" I have this game to thank for my love of Scarecrow. I did really like him in Batman Begins, but this game sealed the deal.  Scarecrow, formerly known as Dr. Johnathan Crane, was a former psychiatrist turned psychopath who uses fear to his advantage. His boss battle(s) in this game are now gaming legend. You face him three times in a horrifying game of hide and seek. Scarecrow will be back later in this review. 

These are just three of the boss battles in this game. There are more. 

My Review: 

As you can see even by me describing the game, I love this game. It started a gaming series that I hold near and dear to my heart. The Arkham series wouldn't come to tuition without this game. Though not better than it's successor Arkham City, this game is still very fun to play and seems to never get old. The voice acting is terrific and spot on for what you should expect in Batman. Mark Hamill, as Joker, is fantastic. Us Batman fans miss him terribly as the Joker. One more game! One more game! One more game!

Anyways, this game is actually very atmospheric. Not as scary as say Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but it is far darker and grittier than Arkham City, in my opinion. My favorite moment has to be ... you guessed it ... anything to do with Scarecrow. Like I said, his boss battles are now legend amongst gamers, which is probably why fans beg game developers like Rocksteady and WB Montreal to bring the fear back to the Arkham series. Our pleas have gone unanswered, but they did leave an Easter Egg in Arkham City depicting that Scarecrow could be back in Arkham 3 (rumored to be titled Arkham Knight.) If you need to know what I mean by his boss battles, I have you covered, just watch this. 

I love how there is a big assemble of Batman bad guys too. You not only have the main cast, such as Joker, Harley, Croc, Bane, Scarecrow, etc. But you have others too, like Poison Ivy and the Riddler (though he doesn't make a visual appearance). It makes for a great gaming experience. The free flow combat system is a plus too. Just imagine if you had to focus on an enemy before you can attack them. I would've have thrown my PS3 controller at my TV if that was the case. This is also where I found my love for stealth games. I could spend hours just screwing with the dumb bad guys and they have no idea where I am. It's awesome!

Rating: 

Masterpiece

Yes, it is true that Asylum is not as great as Arkham City, but still, you need to thank the stepping stone of this incredible gaming experience. Without Asylum, we wouldn't get City and to a lesser extent Arkham Origins (don't get me wrong, I loved it, but ... nevermind, I'll do a review on that later). Even with its sequels with new gadgets and mechanics, I still can't find any flaws in this game, so that's why it gets that rating. Pick it up and enjoy!

Social Meda is Great for Investigators by James Paradie

Some of us despise social media, even though we still use it on a day-to-day basis. That includes me on that bracket, but the reason why it’s great for a high assortment of people is due to the high volume of free advertising. Of course, for a fee you can actually advertise on Facebook, but not if you have over a thousand friends. That’s a thousand eyes looking at your work, plus if they share what you wrote or what you’re posting to the world, then that’s even more eyes. It adds up.

When I made my Scared Sheetless friend account, to separate it from my personal, I’ve seen a large increase in traffic flow to this website. Plus, adding some cool new features is a good thing too. But a large majority has to do with Facebook. I’m sure if I got a Twitter account, I could add some more, and maybe someday I will. But since I made this account and started having other paranormal investigators add me, I’ve went from about 150 views a day to 300-350 a day. Of course, depending on the season it varies. Like right now, my views have gone down to about 200, but that’s because its summer and some people are not going to sit in front of a computer while its nice outside – present writer of this article not included in that crowd.

But not only is social media great for writers such as myself, but it’s a great tool for investigators as well. You can collaborate with a team anywhere from Texas to Australia. The limits are endless. The stories and evidence is endless as well. You could find new, potentially great minds to join your group.

Facebook could also be used as a tool to bring this paranormal unity everyone is so high about to a reality. Investigators can watch each other’s backs and call upon each other for help. Because most of us have the same goal with doing this and that is to not only find evidence of an afterlife, but to also help those in need. Why bicker to each other about a photo of an orb? And yes, I do know that I pick on orb pictures a lot, but I’m simply teasing and mean no ill-will. But you get the point.

Going back to the matter at hand, it’s so easy to use any social media as a tool to get your observations across, to meet new minds, better thinkers, revolutionaries of this world of thought we’re all in. Let’s not let it go to waste and use it to your advantage. Enlighten people with your views on the paranormal. Educate people on new techniques you and your team have brought to the field. Do something.  

Facebook can be here for greater purposes for all us than just sending annoying game requests. Use it!

The Difference Between Poltergeist and Ghost and Some Observations

The Difference Between Poltergeist and Ghost and Some Observations
Plus: The Sandwich Shop Poltergeist in Manchester, New Hampshire

Many people may believe that poltergeist and ghost are one of the same when some say they are actually different. Usually when a ghost is in a house that is considered a "haunting". When a poltergeist is in a residence it is considered a "disturbance." Another idea of what the two might be is that you can "see" ghosts, you can't "see" poltergeists. A better explanation would be that ghosts are defined as spirits of deceased persons would refuse or can't leave the land of the living. Where a poltergeist, as some experts put it, are forms of energy that are unknowing being controlled by the living.

Strange? Yes, but there are as many theories of where these poltergeists come from as there is of ghosts. Another observation may be that these forms are a negative energy left behind by say some gruesome death, murder, suicide and that energy has been left behind. A ghost can give off such energies as for example, you could walk into some random room and all of the sudden you feel extremely angry or sad, this may be because this is what the spirit wants you to feel. There's been some cases, even in the investigation I've been in, where there's been intense anger or depression. Maybe the spirit that is being encountered is angry, sad, or depressed.

Maybe the last extreme feeling in that room has been left behind for everyone to relive, like a residual haunting. Even though you don't know what happened, for some odd reason you get the same emotions no matter if you know what happened there or not.

Also, ghosts are confined to usually where the departed or where they spent most of their time. Poltergeists, however, are not confined to one specific area, but no one knows for sure who or what these are. Usually a ghost can be sent away to the correct realm by a priest while the correct way to send away a disturbance by a poltergeist has yet be to determined, because no one knows for sure what they are exactly.

Where does this happen around here? There's a Sandwich Shop in Manchester, New Hampshire that has quite the poltergeist. Thing is though, there's some debate whether it's actually a ghost or a poltergeist, but the owners say that they don't mind their "friend" one bit and have actually embraced it as one of their own. Some strange activities that happen at the shop that can be defined as poltergeist activity is that items fly off the shelf at random times and that there is no explanation (such as a window open) to make things fly off the shelves. A meat thermometer has been witnessed by an entire staff to fly out of a cup and land three feet away. One worker got a scare when he was cutting meat one day and stacking it neatly beside him. When he looked over, all his hard work was being thrown around the room!

Even though some are confused at whether this is a ghost haunting or a poltergeist disturbance, the entity, whatever it may be, has friends and has spoken before on EVPs, saying that it's name is Mike and that he may have been shot. Maybe the alleged shooting left some negative energy behind and has transpired into these events, but one thing is for sure: ghosts and poltergeist may have differences and similarities, but one thing is for sure is that we may never know what they are. Maybe they are different, maybe they are the same, maybe it's our minds playing tricks on us, but we all know one thing, when this happens to us it scares us sheetless.

Hope all of you had a great Fourth of July. I know I for one enjoyed the fireworks in Woodsville. Great job! If you want more scares, enter my website if you dare at scaredsheetlessncn.blogspot.com where you can get more articles, photos, videos. Thank you for reading and happy haunting!

Resources:

http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-ghost-and-poltergeist/

Info for the Sandwich Shop story came from Thomas D'Agostino's "Haunted New Hampshire."

James Paradie is a paranormal columnist as well as a paranormal investigator who has been seen in such newspapers as the Northcountry News, Littleton Record, the White Mountain Shopper, and the Trendy Times. His stories can also been seen on paranormalnews.com and mostlyghosts.com where he is a regular contributor.