Category: Q & A

Questions, and Answers, from the man himself

Deano’s answer to: “Are the Black Panther and Storm the right match for one another?”

Posted on by Deano in Q & A

In a word? No.

(Image courtesy of http://thatsmyskull.blogspot.com…)

While I wouldn’t consider the storyline to smack of racism directly, the “Bachelor-style” run up to the nuptials, combined with the “two African ‘mutant royals’ are a natural fit” logic is just a little too unbelievable to think that this would’ve happened in the real world… At least not without a great many more references to their mutual attraction throughout their respective Marvel timelines. It just seems like they said “Ororo is a black woman, which black dude should we hook her up with?”

(Sorry dude, maybe next time? Image ‘courtesy’ of http://splashpage.mtv.com/tag/de…)

For a counterexample for how a good, realistic, and touching retcon-romance is done, check out Brian Michael Bendis’ amazing Alias miniseries, which seeded the spark of what would be an eventual pregnancy and shotgun marriage between Luke Cage (Power Man) and Jessica Jones (formerly Jewel).

(The beginnings of the best Marvel couple ever! Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/ist…)

As a presumptive “black person” who feels more “ethnically geek” than anything else, I really dislike the appearance in entertainment media that reinforces the idea that people of a given race are happier “with one of their own”… Both because it closes them off to a huge percentage of the general population of potential (better?) matches, but also it just seems… Well… lazy.

“Lazy + Superhero King of Wakanda” just does not compute for me. The fact that it was all just a misguided push to attract black women to comics[*] just makes it sadder, in my opinion.

As for good options for each, I suggest the following candidates:

T’Challa:

  • Sue Storm – scientific genius, similar interests and relationship issues
  • Pepper Potts – she can put up with Tony, she can put up with T’Challa
  • Black Cat – Same feline theme, and if he has to marry a “black” girl… 
  • Goliath – I think it’s insulting that no one considered he might be gay
  • Misty Knight – Great detectives = Sunday morning crossword champs?

Storm:

  • Forge – Come on, put ’em back together!
  • The Falcon – She’s the wind, he’s the bird. Nuff said!
  • Blade – What can I say, sometimes love bites! 
  • Doctor Strange – Her ancestors were witches, they could share clothes
  • Yukio – Punk Mohawk Ororo plus Insane Ninja Hottie = Yes, please!

[* Digging through the Wayback Machine, we find the dirt here: http://web.archive.org/web/20061… ]

This answer originally appeared on Quora: Are the Black Panther and Storm the right match for one another?

Deano’s answer to: “What video game displays the best example of storytelling?”

Posted on by Deano in Q & A

Far and away the best example of storytelling in a videogame is:

(Okay boys, now show me… Blue Steel! Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/brn…)

Why MGS IV? It’s simple, really… But in order to fully understand, we need to head to our Magic Dictionary[*], and look up the definition of “storytelling”:

Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment.

So, basically, storytelling is the act of… Er… Telling Stories.

Show me another videogame that has a 1604 word plot synopsis on Wikipedia.

Or how about one that includes 9 hours of CGI cut scenes, or roughly an hour or two longer than the time required to play the game? Finish that last boss off? Nothing like kicking back for… a 90 minute cut scene! Hope you went to the bathroom during the gameplay mode.

(How’d I get the name ‘Liquid Ocelot’? Now That’s a story… Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/326…)

In short, because Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots tells, rather than shows or has the player play through that much of the story, it is necessarily the best example of storytelling in a videogame.

Now, if you meant the exact opposite – which video game is best at revealing the story through gameplay, then I’d have to go with the still-unsurpassed Out of This World, aka Another World:


(The re-release has updated graphics, too! Image courtesy http://www.anotherworld.fr)

This game has no dialogue, and no real instructions. Cut scenes are brief, and mostly act as thematic transitions from one level to the next. Learn by doing/experiencing the world itself, and experimenting with different solutions, not all of which work as expected in this utterly alien environment. What could be better? How about a Javascript port of one of the game levels? Okay, here you go: http://www.megidish.net/awjs/

[* Hey Wikipedia, I will sell this name to you for $10,000, and I guarantee it’ll make you rich like bankers! ]

This answer originally appeared on Quora: What video game displays the best example of storytelling?

Deano’s answer to: “What are the chances of a Hawkeye feature film?”

Posted on by Deano in Q & A

From the original question – Hawkeye has an incredible background and seems like the perfect candidate for a grittier darker film. Thoughts?

Hawkeye - Can he handle a movie?
Ready, Aim, Wait - you brought a bow and arrow for the HULK?!?

You know who else had a nice dark, gritty, incredible background?

  • Daredevil
  • Ghost Rider
  • The Punisher
  • Man-Thing (no, really!)
  • Wolverine

Uh-oh(*).

Historically, Marvel’s “dark knights”, if you will, have had a problem: how do you make money on the movie?

  • Because it’s a licensed film, you can’t go too low budget, or you’ll hurt the overall brand.
  • If you aim too wide, especially in terms of movie ratings, a lot of the grit/pathos that makes the character interesting is lost.
  • Related, if you focus too much on star power, what ends up on the screen is Ben Affleck in red leather, rather than Matt Murdock, Daredevil.
  • Of course, stars are bad for other reasons… It might be easier to get a fan of the title to sign on, but then they may use their leverage to screw up the script or direction because they “know better” – looking at you, Nic Cage!
  • Sometimes Hollywood gets lost in the origin issue – how can you tell fun new stories about the Punisher without first doing a “set up” piece about how he became a deranged homicidal maniac?
  • If you ignore the origin and just tell the story, “won’t all the non-fans get lost/turned off?” – this is not entirely unfounded… A lot of Marvel characters, especially, depend on their origin and background in the larger universe to be interesting. The Punisher by any other name… Is a dude with guns killing bad guys. That becomes a “red ocean” problem, where you suddenly ALSO need to just make a kick-ass vigilante action movie to compete with the rest of that genre, on top of everything else.

For these and other reasons, comic book movies tend to have a lot working against them from the very outset… And if the comic title in question isn’t a “household name”, well, for most producers and studios, it’s just too risky to do as a tentpole/blockbuster.

On the brighter side – this is, in large part, why Marvel pulled out of its production deal with Sony in order to found their own studio – use your own cash, make your own rules. And now that they are “free”, their execution has been much better… They will have released the entire “Avengers Core Team” as solo films by the end of 2011 – Hulk, Thor, Cap, and the Tin Can. With the exception of Captain America (not yet released), performance globally has been from decent to astounding.

The next step is to bring them all together in an eye-exploding orgy of hopefully-not-suck called The Avengers, in 2012. That movie should also see an expanded list of tier-two ‘masks’ like Hawkeye getting a bit of screen time… If done right, that might tip such heroes into the household name category, enabling them to star in their own films, gritty or otherwise.

To say the least, there are a lot of “what if’s” involved, and only time will tell. But it’s certainly fair to say that Marvel has learned an important lesson about fully-outsourcing its product to Hollywood, and that while there are likely to be continued misses down the road (Ghost Rider II, whaaaa?!?), the batting averages for the next 20 years are almost going to be better than the last 20.

(* Daniel Shi, like some kind of mothafucka trying to ice skate uphill, pointed out that I left Blade off my list, but I had good reason: the titular hero, while dark and gritty as the rest, had a pretty good “daywalk” at the box office for a movie series of its time – $415,098,928 grossed in theaters across 3 films, with additional revenues from domestic and international licensing, digital, and DVD sales. For more details on the Blade trilogy, check in with my good buddy Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bla… )

This answer originally appeared on Quora: What are the chances of a Hawkeye feature film?

Deano’s answer to: “What are some tips for a 15 day trip to Japan?”

Posted on by Deano in Q & A

If you have 15 days in Japan, I would highly recommend mixing in a few “overly tourist trappy” destinations – in Japan, these tend to have such an overpowering atmosphere of being genuine that it achieves its own level of cute (beyond kawaii!):

  • Ninja – Restaurant with a Ninja theme… If you lived in Tokyo, you’d never allow yourself to go (expat or native), so as the visitor, asking a local friend/host to go there is a rare chance for both of you. 😉 – http://www.ninjaakasaka.com/

  • Absolut Icebar – Er, a vodka bar constructed wholly from ice. By appointment only, but excellent for setting (or breaking) the mood on a night out in Ginza – http://www.icebartokyo.com/en_in…

  • Tokyo Tower – world’s tallest iron structure, very impressive views of Tokyo (and even the surrounding region on a clear day/evening). In a quiet central part of the city, filled with quite expensive, interesting restaurants for every taste. Makes a good pre/post dining stop, especially on a date. I’m still shocked at how few Tokyo residents I’ve met have been to the top. Help them experience their own city in a whole new light – http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/engl…

  • Kakegawa Kacho-en – this one is a true oddity, a “hands-on exotic bird sanctuary” in the countryside between Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan. If you’re headed to the latter city, make this a “must stop” if you have time… Being shrouded in conures, head-pecked by toucans, or given high-five by a penguin(!) has never been more fun. Oh yeah, and a pretty decent array of flowers and plant species, to boot. Follow-up with a huge chicken-based meal when you get to Nagoya (one of their specialties) for fullest effect – http://www.kamoltd.co.jp/kke/eng…

  • Yunessun Hot Springs Resort – In Hakone, Japan… Beyond your traditional hot spring, with all manner of novelty baths that are the “real deal” – steaming milk and coffee pools, even a red wine bath! Family friendly, including a small waterslide/park for the kids while mom and dad take in the iodine “float pool”, or perhaps the “Roman Bath” – where huge schools of tiny fish eat the dead skin off your feet. Tickles. Unfortunately, currently marked as closed, post-quake… But keep an eye on this one, and help revitalize the region if they reopen during your trip! Hakone, in general, is pretty great as a “quick trip” destination from Tokyo – even day trips are possible, and there are a ton of hokey-but-interesting attractions, including gondola and pirate ship rides – http://www.yunessun.com/english/

  • Kyoto – Beautiful, epic, and a combination of tourist trap and national shrine… But forget all that for the moment, and focus on getting yourself a rickshaw ride through the old city and temples! Waaaaay overpriced, but beyond worth every dime! Bond with your ‘driver’, be treated like royalty by all you pass by, and see more amazing sites in an hour (recommended length) than most people get to in a day’s wandering. Especially recommended for “reluctant walkers”, but anyone will enjoy it immensely – http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/~tr…


As for more general tips, try the following for best effect:

  • Pick a good guidebook – I tend to favor Lonely Planet Japan, but being able to read up in advance, do followup googling, and pick out a few spots to check out “on your own” will make your a smarter, more confident traveller. Also, lessens the chances of being confused by the “simpler stuff” – changing money, western/japanese toilets, getting to/from the airport, etc.
  • Shop for clothing in Shibuya – hilarity will ensue!
  • Eat a Japanese pizza – makes you appreciate the stuff back home!
  • Eat at McDonalds, at least once – be amazed by “the way it’s supposed to taste”, when created by workers who actually care about doing a good job!
  • Stay in a capsule hotel – I’ve yet to find a comparable experience anywhere in the world…
  • Onsen, Onsen, Onsen – must do at least one, if possible as part of an overnight stay in a traditional hotel.
  • Eat at a traditional Izakaya – let the small plates and big bottles stack to the ceiling. Yohhhhhhhhsh!
  • Take pictures in Akihabara – Giant robots, costumed cuties, more electronic goods per square inch than a Borg Vessel, and, of course, Maid Cafés. These are the pictures that won’t put your friends to sleep when you get home. Do try to get both yourself and whatever it is you’re snapping in the shot, for fullest effect.
  • Eat a meal purchased entirely from a convenience store – great way to buy food for a longer train ride, even the final one out to the airport. Japanese conbini are just such a different experience, give it a shot!
  • Drink something hot from a vending machine – Hot cocoa, coffee, or even a nice can of Cheese Soup! Makes you wish we didn’t have so many damned lawyers in the US, I tell ya… These bad boys exist every ten feet or so throughout the country – just press the red buttons, instead of the blue ones, and you’re good to go!
  • Watch the commercials – Japanese TV may at times be an acquired taste, even if you understand the language… But the commercials tend to be far more interesting than what an American would be used to. Case in point: http://dogatch.jp/mameshibaworld… – Mameshiba are little “bean dogs”… And I’m fairly certain they aren’t really advertising anything other than their own awesomeness. 😉

Hopefully that’s enough to get you started! And just remember to treat everyone with respect, but to feel free to make obvious first-timer/foreigner mistakes without shame… You’ll usually remember whatever lesson you learn, or tip you receive far better than if you had held back on the act/question… Don’t be shy!

This answer originally appeared on Quora: What are some tips for a 15 day trip to Japan?

Deano’s answer to: “How practical are underground homes?”

Posted on by Deano in Q & A

Practical can mean a lot of different things… Let me give this a whack, though…

Benefits of an Underground Home

(Photo courtesy of http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo…)

Underground homes (earth shelters) have several advantages:

  • Less affected by/vulnerable to extreme external temperatures, and sudden temperature changes;
  • The stability of temperature within the interior makes rooms feel more comfortable;
  • Lower heating and cooling costs;
  • Less exterior maintenance (painting, gutter repair and cleaning, etc);
  • Naturally soundproofed (varies by design, but still much quieter than surface dwellings);
  • Much better protected against storms, high winds, hail, etc.;
  • Because of temperature, weather protection and maintenance benefits, well-designed subterranean homes in geostable locations are cheaper to insure.

Issues with Underground Homes

(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/viz…)

On the downside:

  • Such homes are generally more expensive to build – requiring additional expenses for earth removal, higher load bearing walls, moisture control, venting and drainage construction, etc;
  • Any newly constructed underground home will have a somewhat harder time getting a mortgage from a lender inexperienced with the home type and builder;
  • From an architectural perspective, there are additional design challenges to provide sunlight to the interior, creating large open interior spaces (depending on budget and materials), or making the home appear “beautiful” in the more conventional sense – though these issues are not unique to earth shelters, and may not affect overall “practicality”.


(Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/wol…)

In conclusion, an underground home can be extremely practical if you fit at least a few of the following categories:

  • Can afford the additional (~20-30%) premium on initial construction and/or do not require a mortgage
  • Love the look of a house blended into the surrounding landscape as much as possible[*]
  • Do not enjoy housepainting
  • Do not require extraordinary or constant exposure to the sun[*]
  • Are keen on reducing your ongoing utility bills/lowering your carbon footprint
  • Live in a tornado, wind storm, or other non-flood-related susceptible area
  • Desire to be less visible to satellite surveillance[*]

[* Actually, these factors are related to very specific but common design choices – your mileage may vary]

This answer originally appeared on Quora: How practical are underground homes?