Mortal Kombat Legacy Season 2 – Review
If you have not yet seen MK Legacy season 2, then read no further after this paragraph. This will be filled with Spoilery material, and while I won’t aim to spoil the plot, I plan on a character breakdown that will detail some things in the show. I’ll give my review up front. I give it 6 out of 10 sCrypt logos (that’s my new rating system 🙂 ) The only reason I didn’t give it the extra two was because I am left wanting much more, and now have to wait for season 3 (which is probably another year away). Keep in mind that a 6 is still good. This was very enjoyable to watch, and well done. I just had a few problems that may be nitpicking. Okay. Begin spoilers.
Kurtis Stryker (Played by Eric Jacobus): Stryker was underused I thought. He was played well but my question is “Why was he there?” Why was HE chosen by Raiden for the tournament? There is no back story, and even with his small role in season 1, the explanation is vague. It was nice to see his short fight, but his skills were no match for Liu Kang’s.
Johnny Cage (played by Casper Van Dien): He was Johnny Cage. Cockiness and campiness about, Casper did great in the role. There was reason for his presence at the tournament, which I found interesting. I’m not sure the campiness worked though. Sure some people are that way, but his seemed a little over the top. As one of my least favorite characters in the mk universe, I was glad to see Mileena kick his tail after his cowardice. He did redeem some respect however by fighting against Liu Kang despite the former’s injury from his battle with Mileena. I’m assuming that he is not dead as the word “fatality” was not spoken by Shang Tsung’s ever present voice.
Kitana (played by Samantha Tjhia): I’m glad they retouched on her season 1 role. Here we see her turn away from Shao Kahn just as in the games. Her fight with Mileena was one of the best of the season, and the fatality of cutting her half sister’s head in half was gruesomely inviting. She held herself like the beautiful warrior princess she is supposed to be. I’m guessing that she will now seek out Johnny Cage to help him as he did her.
Mileena (Played by Michelle Lee): The makeup and CGI for her teeth and half tarkattan traits was spot on. I wondered though why they chose to give her human teeth in some scenes. That, I did not like. I thought she should have the fangs all along. Still, she was evil and served Shao Kahn well. She kicked Johnny Cage and Kitana’s butts all over the forest, but failed to complete her mission in the end. Definitely ended as a FATALITY
Raiden (Played by David Lee McInnis): I don’t know what to say here. I think the acting was done well, and the visual lightning bolt effects, but something didn’t scream God of thunder to me. Wait, he did stop time too in a very cool visual scene, so maybe… oh I just don’t know what to think.
Scorpion aka Hanzo Hasashi (Played by Ian Anthony Dale): His performance was done very well, and for the first time I could see the world from his eyes. His origin was done well enough where you initially do see him and Bi Han as equals. His battle with Kuai Liang was never shown. I’m assuming that the latter was left for dead and somehow survived. My predictions are that Kuai Liang came out of the fight barely alive and has a scar on his eye. When he finds out that his older brother is killed, I’ll bet that is when he takes on the mantle of the second Sub Zero in season 3. As Scorpion, I loved the fight with Bi Han. The spine rip fatality at the end was a twist on the original game where sub zero did it to him. Seeing it in live action was pretty cool too. My only negative comment is that Scorpion’s mask bothers me to no end. I think it looks horrible, and would much prefer the more traditional Scorp garb.
Sub-Zero aka Bi Han (played by Eric Steinberg): meh. I thought the acting was done fine, and the ice effects worked well. His costume looked dumb, though I do get the intent with the insulated look. However I still think… okay if he is able to channel ice, then why in the world would he need an insulated costume. I also thought Bi Han was supposed to be the badguy. Here he seemed nice, while his younger brother Kuai Liang was opposite. The roles were sort of reversed, but like I said, I’m sure this will change with Season 3 and a new Sub Zero emerging. Predictions for Bi Han? He had his entire spine and head ripped out. He will come back guaranteed as Noob Saibot.
Shang Tsung (played by Cary-Hiroyuki Takagwa): They explained why he looks different than season 1, and referenced the last tournament where Liu Kang won. So in a sense this tournament is somewhere mixed between the first two games. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that the real Shang is back. I was excited to see Cary reprise his role since the first MK movie. Even though this is a reboot, he still can pull off the menacing and manipulative act. I wanted to see him do more, and hope for his return in season 3. To hear him say “It has begun” gave me fanboy chills.
Liu Kang (played by Brian Tee): Excellent actor, excellent fight scenes, and motivation was all there. The twist with him turning against White Lotus, despite wanting to protect earthrealm was perfectly executed. From his foul mouth and bar fight scene, to his borderline psychotic personality, all the way to his turn to the dark side was very convincing and well done. Good to see Liu use his fireball too, but I wish they would have explained how these powers derive in Outworld. There was only a quick reference, and it didn’t explain anything.
Kung Lao (played by Mark Dacascos): Again, another great performance all the way down to his teleportation method and the signature hat twist. Is it strange that I just keep seeing the Iron Chef chairman as Kung Lao? Effects near the teleporting scene were a little off as the levitating objects looked like they were on strings. My complaint is the build up for the whole season between him and Liu Kang facing each other in the tournament ended with the fight just about to begin. I wanted to see this battle so badly, and now I’m forced to wait til next season. I’m upset a great deal by this as another few episodes would have been able to expand on it all.
Ermac (played by Kim Do Nguyen): There was not much to portray acting wise here, but Ermac finally had a good presence in the show. He is a demon that is a compilation of souls. Even in death, he doesn’t truly die, so his fatality will mean nothing other than his absence for some time. The redesign of the character was far from what I’d expect, but welcomed. To add to it all, the effects of his abilities looked nice too. He always was one of my favorite ninjas, and I’d like to see him back at some point in a redder colored garb. That was the only thing that seemed wrong. he should have had red clothing or something red.
Kenshi (played by Daniel Southworth): Of all of the characters, he was in my top two for pure story and performance. At first I’m not sure I was convinced, but the more I saw of him the more I wanted on screen. Down sides? well, we don’t actually see how he kills off Ermac during their first battle or how Ermac rips out Kenshi’s eyes. And when Kenshi discovers his force like abilities in outworld, he is shocked at first, and then is suddenly a master of them? And to think it took Luke Skywalker all that time. Now that he used the soul sword on Ermac during the second battle and killed him again, I’m interested in seeing who his next opponent will be. Oh, and the costume was identical to the games. 🙂
SUMMARY – – – – – – A few plot holes, not enough episodes, much more is needed. Despite its flaws, this was the first time I felt I had seen Mortal Kombat on screen. I hope a third season is on its way soon. Chime in with your thoughts below.
Poll: Demons
It’s time for another comic book crossover battle, and for this installment, we will travel (once again) to the very bowels of hell and back. In a prior match up, we saw the devil himself fighting for each comic book company, but today we will take demon spawns and pit them in the arena. By demons spawns of course, I mean that they are part demon and part human, or at least residing in the human world alongside us. DC comics presents Etrigan, Marvel comics sends Ghost Rider, sCrypt Comics has Satan, Image is well known for Spawn, Dante springs to action for Capcom, Hellboy is presented by Darkhorse Comics, Scorpion teleports in for Midway, and IDW’s Ghostbusters series shows us Zuul. Check out the contestants’ brief bios and vote in our poll below. If you feel there is another good choice, then please 
add them to the list in the comments section and vote “other”.
Etrigan is a demon bound to the knight, Jason Blood. Once the incantation is recited, then gone is the form of man, replaced by the demon Etrigan’s form. The demon is forced to speak in rhyme and is under the will of Jason Blood, therefore working as a force for good. Blood is a trained combatant, with an extraordinary sword wielding skill. The Demon has enhanced strength and healing, is an expert in sorcery and mystic bolts, and has some telepathy in his arsenal of abilities. Etrigan first appeared in DC Comics’ The Demon #1 in 1972.
There have been many Ghost Rider’s throughout history, and all have exhibited mostly the same abilities. The demon Zarathos bonds himself to the soul of the next chosen rider. The fallen angel is then willed by the soul of the new rider. Once the chosen soul becomes ghost rider, their appearance changes into that of a flaming skeleton. Using chains embued with hellfire, and the ability to manipulate hellfire, these are only his first line of defense. The Penance stare is his deadliest ability which makes the victim of the stare feel the pain and sin that they’ve caused others. The rider tends to ride a flaming motorcycle, but has elected other vehicles as well. A Hellfire shotgun has been used as 
well, especially in the Johnny Blaze version. In Dan Ketch’s role as the rider, he has the will to change whenever needed, but initially only came when innocent blood was spilled. Ghost Rider first appeared in Marvel Comics’ Marvel Spotlight #5 in 1972.
Satan is thought by many to be THE devil, but he is only a general in his army. He represents the demon of anger and hatred. In his true form, he is very much the way people have perceived, but his secondary form is that of a human guise. As this false human, he owns a tattoo parlor where his many piercings, filed teeth, and tattoos are intimidating to any normal passerby. When Taylor Bryant, an ex-con with a violent past, gives in to his anger, he and Satan merge. Now in the form of a large, African American man, Satan joins his brother and sister demons in order to pave way for the arrival of the true face of darkness. Satan first appears in the 2013 novel, “Devil’s Dessert” by Rick Pipito.
Because of his life as an assassin for the U.S. government, Al Simmons was sent to hell upon his death. He made a deal with Malebogia (the devil) to come back and see his wife one last time. The deal was not exactly what he expected. Now a hell spawn, Simmons vows to destroy the legions of hell with all his might. His body is made of necroplasm, which enables him enhanced abilities, strength and healing. His cape, spikes and chains act as extensions of his body, and must replenish his dark energies by feeding on the dark energy of evil. He frequently uses military grade weaponry so that he doesn’t drain his necroplasm too quickly. There have been many Spawns through history, but none as prominent as Simmons. Spawn first appeared in Image comics’ Malibu Sun #13 in 1992.
Dante was raised by his human mother after his demon father’s death. Once his mother was killed, Dante vowed to hunt demons for the rest of his life. His physical abilities far exceed that of a normal man’s, including flight, and he uses these enhanced traits alongside his 
“Ebony and Ivory” dual pistols that never need to be reloaded, as well other blades and firearms forged by his father. Dante first appeared in Capcom’s Devil May Cry in 2001.
The offspring of a demon and a witch, Hellboy was raised by the United States Army and has lived as a force of good amongst humans since the second World War. He works as an agent for a special group within the Bureau, and investigates paranormal activities. Aside from superhuman strength, healing and endurance, he carries a utility belt of sorts with military weaponry, as well as his deformed, right hand of doom. Hellboy first appeared in Dark Horse’s San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 in 1993.
Ninja, Hanzo Hasashi, was murdered at the hands of his bitter rival, and brought back from the Netherrealm as one of the dead’s demons. This revenant covers his skull face in his yellow ninja garb, and has not only kept his highly trained combat technique, but has also 
gained the ability to conjure fire. From the palm of his hand he can also project a sentient spear to pierce an enemy and drawn them to him. Even death cannot keep Scorpion at bay. He first appeared in Midway’s Mortal Kombat in 1992.
Zuul is a demon demigod known as the Gatekeeper to Gozer. The demon takes control of Dana Barrett in an attempt to bring about the Destructor. She has the ability to hover in midair, and once 
transformed into the Hell Hound form, she has horns, claws and fangs, as well as other unknown abilities. Zuul represents IDW comics, but first appeared in Ghostbusters the movie in 1984.
Cast your vote below (click on the link) for your favorite “demon among us”, and feel free to add your own. Results coming in a few weeks.
The Most Shocking: Poll Results
It’s been two weeks since our post on Electrical powered comic book characters, and other than DC’s Black Lightning, everyone else was neck and neck. We can say that there is a victor from the battle. According to all of your votes, the king of electricity is Raiden from Midway Comics. Even giving up his godly immortality to make it an even match, proved to be uninhibiting.
So there you have it! Thanks again for your votes. The poll will remain open if anyone would like to turn the tables or further concrete the winner. Stay tuned for our next poll coming soon.
Review: Injustice Gods Among Us #1
Review by Rick Pipito
Since the first Mortal Kombat game came out in arcades in the early 1990s, I’ve been a huge fan. The series had its bad moments, but in my opinion has redeemed itself and more with its last installment “Mortal Kombat (9)”. Though I enjoyed Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe a few years ago, I found it lacking that true darkness that this particular fighting franchise has had. Needless to say, when they announced the upcoming Injustice Gods Among Us game, I was ecstatic.
I did have questions however. What was going to make hero characters such as Superman become downright violent and in some cases evil? Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait until the April release of the game to discover this partially. DC comics and Midway teamed up and released a prequel comic, that had me grinning like a true fan of both DC comics and Mortal Kombatverse.
I am going to review the comic here, and it will have SPOILERS. Regardless of whether you actually read the spoilers or not, I recommend picking up the issue just for the fact that the cover art is downright amazing. I also won’t touch on some minor details in the issue, which are worth seeing. That being said, let’s begin.
The first page begins in Gotham City. Batman is watching this now crimeless town, but not how he had wanted it to be. This city is villain free because it is ruled by a regime created by Superman. To explain this better, the scene cuts to five years ago, where our issue truly begins. Clark and Lois discover that she is pregnant with his super child. There is some classic Lois and Clark banter here, which makes it feel “right.”
Parting ways, Lois goes to investigate a story, while Superman finds Batman in Metropolis. As the two meet on the rooftop, Batman being the world’s greatest detective figures out that Lois is pregnant. Superman also asks Batman something from the bottom of his heart that makes even the Dark Knight smile. This interaction was done perfectly. It truly showed the human sides of these characters, and that although they disagree at times, they are truly friends.
Switch scenes to where Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are following a supposed contact. The contact turns out to be the Joker (along with Harley Quinn). Joker pulls a gun out and literally puts a bullet in Jimmy Olsen’s head. Yes, that’s right. In this alternate universe, Joker kills Jimmy, and when Superman arrives, he is distraught. The blood and Jimmy’s body are enough to make him upset, but finding out that Lois has been kidnapped by the clown prince of crime and his sociopath girlfriend drives him into a panic. He begs Batman to help him find Lois.
Bats, realizing that this is not a situation checks out Star Labs, and discovers that a small trace of Kryptonite has been stolen. He then calls in the Justice League: Green Arrow, Cyborg, Wonderwoman, Green Lantern and Flash. Flash finds the body of Jonathan Crane (aka Scarecrow) with Joker’s grin on his face.
Superman and Wonderwoman find a submarine where Joker and Harley are holding Lois. As Superman enters, her sees that Doomsday is there as well. As he begins to struggle with the massive monster, Joker and Harley escape to the docks. The League stops the nefarious couple, and while Superman is in epic battle with Doomsday, Joker explains to Batman. He operated on Lois, and the nuclear warhead from the sub is now linked to her heartbeat. Oh, he also grins and says, “Did you know she was pregnant?” Batman punches him in the face and realizes the horror of what he said.
The fear serum from Scarecrow and Kryptonite combined could…. Yes, that’s right, Superman thinks he is fighting Doomsday. As he flies the creature in to outer space, Doomsday’s heart stops, and a nuke goes off. In that final second, Superman realizes he was beating Lois, and that Doomsday was never there. The issue ends with Joker smiling, the league distraught, Superman emotionally and mentally scarred for life, and a nuclear explosion.
End SPOILERS. My thoughts on this issue. 1) the artwork, though lacking in many areas is acceptable because of the redesigned characters. 2) dialogue and script for the pages are probably the best that they could be, and this is a good thing. 3) we now know why there would be a fighting game based on this story, and why superman would be a threat in the future. 4) It set the tone for the game, and though there are unanswered questions, I am now anticipating the game even more.
Sure, this is a different story altogether from the comics that we know, but that is what makes it interesting. No one is coming back from the dead here. People die and stay dead, so the stakes are raised. I give the comic 8 out of 10 stars. The only reason that I don’t give it 10 is because of the artwork. It isn’t bad art, but for some reason it screams too cartoony for me for such a dark issue. Call me “sold.”
So far, the list of characters released in game for Injustice Gods Among us includes: Aquaman, Bane, Batman, Catwoman, Cyborg, Deathstroke, Doomsday, Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Harley Quinn, Lex Luthor, Joker, Nightwing, Shazam, Solomon Grundy, Superman, and Wonderwoman. There will also be more characters released as it comes closer, as well as 3 already announced DLC packs that will give new outfits and extra missions.
What are your thoughts on this franchise? I’d love to hear your input.
Poll: The Most Shocking
The next round of our comic book battles is upon us. Black Lightning zaps in for DC Comics, Electro shocks the Marvel Comic world, Herakles brings his Zeus bolt in the sCrypt Comics universe, The god Raiden thunders into the battle for Midway, and Elle Bishop stuns the Heroes universe of webcomics.
If you are new to our battles, it is simple. All you have to do is check out the info provided for each character (we encourage you to look further into each one as well) and then cast your vote at the poll below for who you believe will win this fight. If you believe that another character should be included, we put an “other” vote in there. You can check that and add a comment to let us know who you think should be in there. Here we go:
Jefferson Pierce is a key player in the DC universe. He was born with electrical abilities that (once he reached teenage years) enabled him to generate force fields, fly, and emit powerful electrical currents. Coupled with his skilled martial arts abilities, he fights for the side of good as “Black Lightning.” His first appearance was in Black Lightning #1 in 1977
Maxwell Dillon was repairing a power line when a freak accident mutated his dna. Suddenly, he was able to fly, control, and emit electricity. As the villain Electro, Dillon has proved to be a threat time and again in the Marvel Universe. His first appearance was in The Amazing Spiderman #9 in 1964.
Before the Greeks took pride in their Mythology, a man named Herakles (no picture available) was considered the strongest willed of the land. His bravery and natural ability to overcome normal human limitations made him a force with which to be reckoned. When his father, Zeus, presented him with a special rod, Herakles used the Zeus bolt to capture lightning from the sky and char his dark brother’s abominations. Herakles and his Zeus Bolt first appeared in “Bones At Breakfast” the novel in 2011. 
As the protector of Earthrealm, the god of thunder, Raiden even gave up his immortality to become a contender in the Mortal Kombat Tournament. His abilities enable him to summon lightning, use the loud effects of thunder, and teleport in the form of electricity. His first appearance was in Mortal Kombat the video game in 1992, and later appeared in Midway comics.
Elle Bishop made her way into webcomics after debuting in the show, Heroes. She has the ability to generate electricity and use it down to a molecular level. Often giving in to her emotions, Elle is not someone to be taken lightly. Her first appearance was in the show Heroes in 2007.
So there you have it. Who do you believe would come out victorious in this struggle?
Poll Results: Master of the Dirt
Most of this battle was at dead heat. With Marvel’s Sandman not even standing a chance, and DC’s Clayface barely making his mark, Midway and sCrypt came out as victors. Tremor, from the Mortal Kombat series and our own Barbas were too powerful for the heavy hitters, but could not overcome each other. Therefore I’ve announced a tie, with both having near 40% of the vote. Stay tuned for our next battle, and thanks for voting.
Poll: Master of The Dirt
For our first comic book battle poll of 2013, I figured we’d be a little more down to earth (see what I did there?). Like all of our battles, we encourage you to vote at the bottom. The results of the vote will determine our victor. If you feel there is some other character that would fit in this fight, then by all means, click “other” and mention who your vote is for.
Now to get to it. For Marvel Comics, Sandman steps forward. DC has Clayface in their corner. sCrypt Comics brings Barbas to the fight. And Midway makes Tremor step forth. This battle will determine which comic book company has the superior king of the earth.
William Baker, aka Flint Marko, was exposed to irradiated sand in a nuclear testing facility as he escaped from prison. The result gave him a body that fused with sand. This gave him the ability 
to change shape, control the sand around him, Manipulate his mass and density and enhanced his strength and endurance. Sandman first appeared in The Amazing Spiderman #4 in 1963.
Next up is Clayface. Though there have been various clayfaces throughout the comics, for this battle we are going to use the Matt Hagen version. Hagen was a treasure hunter who stumbled upon a pool of protoplasm, which gave him temporary abilities. Later replicating the process to be more permanent. This has given him a body composed of living mud with the ability to change shape, manipulate and divide his body, and shift his voice. The original (Karlo) Clayface first appeared in Detective Comics #40 in 1940, while Hagen’s version came later in Detective Comics #298 in 1961.
Barbas is a being from a time before mankind, when angels and demons ruled the planet. As the demon of Pestilence, Barbas has the ability to raise the dead from the earth, and replace lost body parts with those of others. The demon can command the earth to shape at will, and uses its minerals to help mend any lost or damage body. Barbas first appeared in “Flesh And Leftovers” (The novel) in 2010, while in graphic novel form first appeared in “Flesh And Leftovers: Zombie Incidents” in 2010.
Tremor may not be well known outside of the Mortal Kombat universe of comics and games, but he is a heavy contender as well. As a member of the Black Dragon Clan, this ninja has a muscle mass that many believe is because of his hardened abilities. He can create earthquakes, channel rocks through him as a projectile, and even summon magma to emit fireballs. Tremor first appeared in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces in 2000.
Well, there you have it. The masters of earth control have spoken. Which is your favorite in this battle? Which do you belive would win? Cast your vote below, and stay tuned for the results in a couple of weeks.
SDCC 2012: And the rest of it
There was a lot of other great news at San Diego Comic Con this past week, and here are a few of the highlights that grabbed my interest.
Mortal Kombat: As a fan of the games and live action interpretations, as well as the comics, I was excited to learn that the genius behind last year’s web series Mortal Kombat Legacy, has announced a season 2 to debut this fall. Apparently they listened to fans and their critiques and this season will center around the first tournament. It will include over a dozen fan favorite characters, and is said to be more action oriented and true to the games. The reboot movie is also still in development and announcements on casting etc will come soon.
Hellboy director, Guillermo Del Toro, and his lead actor, Ron Perlman were on a panel together and announced that work on a hellboy 3 is their next goal. Hellboy himself said that “It wouldn’t make sense to end it where we left off. To make it work, we need to finish the story.” Del Toro also went on to say that the story is there, it just needs to be written and greenlit.
The Hobbit had footage shown as well as a few Q and A panels. Peter Jackson claims that there is so much material that they might have to cut out, that he is working with the studio to make the films into a trilogy instead of just 2. At the very least, he promises that if that doesn’t happen, then the extended dvd cuts will contain tons of extra seens.
Elysium is looking to be a rising hit. Footage was shown of the Matt Damon flick. I still have yet to see said footage, but am hearing nothing but great things.
Karl Urban was out promoting Dredd and so far fan reaction is mixed to the footage. I watched the trailer and liked what I saw, but couldn’t draw any conclusions by the little amount. Only time will tell I guess. While he was there, Urban also played 10 seconds of a scene from Star Trek 12. Jaws dropped and the crowd roared upon seeing it, telling us that this is looking to be just as good as the last Abram’s directed Trek film if not better.
Finally, there was the Twilight panel. I’m sorry ladies, but I’m not sure why this was at comic con again. As a horror writer I just shake my head and think of how they twinkle so pretty in the sunlight. Anyway, a lot of die hard fans of this series seem to be super excited for the final film coming soon.
Master Combatant Poll Results
A few weeks ago, we opened the next chapter in our comic book battles wondering who would be the best hand to hand combatant in the following match up… DC Comic’s has Batman, Marvel has the Taskmaster, sCrypt Comics brought Kristoff the Wiser, and a voter added Shujinko from the Mortal Kombat series… So what were the results?
Marvel tanked in this round, with the Taskmaster being beaten with no votes. Shujinko was then quickly beaten down by sCrypt’s Kristoff the Wiser. Kristoff and The Dark Knight went head to head for some time, but in the end, even Kristoff’s vampiric skills couldn’t outmatch the Batman.
We will see Batman take to the screen this Friday in another great battle, but until the Dark Knight Rises debuts in theaters, I hope you all were satisfied with these results. (I personally was hoping for Kristoff, but I’m a little biased.) lol.
Thanks for voting, and stay tuned for our next epic match up.
sCrypt Publishing 