The Raw Exposé: The Happy Rawlloween Edition (10-31-2016)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to the Halloween Edition of The Raw Exposé. Tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw emanated from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Last night’s Hell in a Cell PPV made history as Sasha Banks and Charlotte main evented the show. It was a match that left fans with mixed emotions because it ended on a very flat note. Charlotte became a three-time Raw Women’s Champion while Banks has lost the title at two non-consecutive PPVs in less than three months.

Also, Kevin Owens successfully defended his WWE Universal Championship against Seth Rollins thanks to a huge assist from Chris Jericho. How did Owens celebrate his victory? Did Rollins get revenge on the Canadian Brothers from another mother?

Finally, Goldberg makes his second appearance on Raw as he responds to Paul Heyman’s hot mess of a promo from last week. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        Paul Heyman made up for last week’s performance by trolling Goldberg and the fans into thinking that Brock Lesnar was coming down to the ring for a fight.

·        Goldberg was about to destroy Heyman when Rusev came out to question Goldberg’s in-ring stamina.

·        Rusev sucker punched Goldberg only for him to get taken out with a series of knees followed by the Jackhammer. The takedown wasn’t smooth, but the finishing sequence was clean for the most part.

·        Goldberg nailed Heyman with a Spear which will probably piss off Brock Lesnar to the nth degree. Goldberg posed on the turnbuckle as the opening segment came to an end.

·        This was a hot way to start the show. The crowd loved Goldberg while Heyman and Rusev did a nice getting under his skin to get easy cheap heat. Goldberg held his own from a physicality standpoint minus his minor hiccup when it came to kneeing Rusev in the gut.

·        This is not a true reflection of what Goldberg can do in an actual match. He was sweating like Shane McMahon saying a prayer at the top of Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania. Let’s hope his conditioning is up to par come Survivor Series because Brock Lesnar holds nothing back when it comes to working stiff.

·        Quick Side Note: Goldberg’s son didn’t look too sad when Heyman said that his father was going to be conquered by The Beast. I guess wrestling is not real to Mini Goldberg. Oh well…

·        The Trick or Street Fight featuring Enzo Amore and Luke Gallows was an entertaining match that can’t be judged on technicality or style points. No pumpkin was spared as they were smashed throughout the bout.

·        During the closing moments of the match, Enzo pied Karl Anderson in the face with a Pumpkin Pie. Big Cass decided to get involved by nailing Anderson with a Big Boot which caused Anderson to crash into the Halloween Table at ringside.

·        Cass proceeded to place a pumpkin over Gallows’ head, but the pumpkin was being less than cooperative. Nonetheless, Enzo dropped Gallows with the DD-G to pick up the win. It was harmless fun that popped the crowd. Anderson and Gallows have no business looking like a couple of idiots, but they have been down this road too many times for me to get upset anymore. It is what it is. Sad, but true.

·        Brian Kendrick finally got some on-air mic time as he told TJ Perkins that nice guys always finish last. Kendrick played Perkins like a fiddle as he feigned a knee injury which allowed him to win the Cruiserweight Championship last night at Hell in a Cell. Kendrick needed to firmly establish himself as a heel because the backstage segments can only do so much to make fans hate him during his matches.

·        Kendrick vs. Perkins for the Cruiserweight Title was fine while lasted. The key story of the match was Kendrick taking the easy way out by refusing to get in the ring before the count of ten. This sent TJP into a tizzy as he attacked Kendrick after the match was over. He put Kendrick in the Kneebar which was immediately broken up by WWE officials.

·        TJP showed good fire as the pissed off former champion who was suckered in by his former friend. He needed an edge to his character which should breathe life into the Cruiserweight Division. It will give fans a reason to care about the wrestlers on an emotional level. This was a positive step in the right direction.

·        Roman Reigns had a nice moment on the microphone as he called Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho SpongeBob Squarepants and Patrick. Jericho standing like Patrick was great as Reigns delivered another great zinger when he said that he wanted to dress like a stupid idiot for Halloween, but he couldn’t find any Jericho costumes. The humor was spot on which is rare when it comes to WWE comedy.

·        Jericho called out Reigns and challenged him to a match for the United States Championship despite hating the United States and living in Canada. He reneged on his challenge by claiming that Reigns was still banged up from his match against Rusev inside Hell in a Cell. Reigns admitted that he wasn’t at 100%, but would take great pleasure in shutting Jericho up.

·        Mick Foley made the match official for later tonight as Jericho sold a look of concern on his face as he jotted something down on his List.

·        The segment featuring Foley, Owens, Jericho, and Reigns was good. Owens did a nice job reveling in his title victory from last night as he proclaimed that his HIAC match against Rollins was the true main event.

·        Foley admonished Owens for taking the easy way out and borrowed Triple H’s shovel for a millisecond by saying that no one would remember Owens’ cell match twenty years from now on the WWE Network. That was a burn.

·        Jericho provided comedic relief by saying that people should lock in on the Key of Jericho as Foley tried his best not to laugh. Overall, this segment did a nice job putting over the Raw vs. SmackDown singles match at Survivor as Foley planted a small seed of doubt between Owens and Jericho when he revealed that Stephanie McMahon didn’t want Y2J on the team. That might play into their breakup down the road, but it was downplayed for the most part. It was subtle but effective. Nice mic work from everyone involved.

·        Braun Strowman is now a part of Team Raw at Survivor Series as he eliminated Sami Zayn during the battle royal. The match was okay, but it was hampered by commercials. Things got better down the stretch as Zayn tried to pull off the miracle, but he fell a bit short.

·        It’s a damn shame that Zayn is sitting on the bench for another PPV. This is getting ridiculous. Can he get traded to SmackDown? Pretty please!

·        The Three Faces of The Godfather. The New Day are geniuses.

·        Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado, and Rich Swann vs. Drew Gulak, Ariya Daivari, and Tony Nese was solid. The crowd was very quiet minus the hot spots. However, Swann is developing a cult following as he was the most over person in the match. Swann picked up the win for his team when he nailed Nese with a wicked kick to the face. WWE has taken small steps to establish the wrestlers’ personalities, but more work needs to be done because the crowd will only cheer for high spots instead of investing in the action from bell to bell. An emotional connection needs to be forged between the wrestlers and fans. Until that happens, the lukewarm response will continue which is a shame because the guys are working really hard to put on a show.

·        I have to give props to Charlotte for having complete command of her character. She is a heel that is fully fleshed out and knows how to turn a “What?” chant in her favor. If this was six months ago, The Queen would have been rattled. Charlotte is brimming with confidence and I thought she did a great job being the arrogant heel champion as she talked down to Bayley.

·        It appears that Sasha Banks is selling her injuries from Hell in a Cell. After losing the championship twice in three months, one has to assume that The Boss is turning heel sooner or later. She can’t win the Raw Women’s Championship for the third time only to cough it up three weeks later. When she wins the gold next time, it has to stick for a least a few months.

·        Nia Jax destroyed Bayley in a decent match. Bayley slamming Jax’s head into the top turnbuckle was a little sloppy as Jax was using her forearm to protect her head. Outside of that, Bayley did a nice job trying to wear Jax down. However, it was to no avail as Jax laid her out with a Samoan Drop to pick up the win.

·        Sheamus and Cesaro defeated The Shining Stars when Cesaro nailed Primo with a European Uppercut in midair as Sheamus made Epico tape out to the Cloverleaf. This was a maintenance match as the Swiss-Irish Connection tried to regroup after losing to The New Day via DQ at Hell in a Cell.  Simple, but effective.

·        Roman Reigns retained the United States Championship against Chris Jericho, but it wasn’t a clear-cut victory. Reigns and Jericho had a very good match as they traded big spots and near falls throughout the bout. Kevin Owens interfered on several occasions as he slammed Reigns’ head into the ring post. However, Reigns regained his composure and got back on the attack.

·        The biggest near fall of the night came when Reigns dropped Jericho with a powerbomb only for Y2J to kick out at two and three-quarters. Reigns got back on offense and nailed Jericho with the Spear. He had the match well in hand until Owens broke up the pin. The referee called for the bell and disqualified Jericho due to Owens’ interference.

·        Jericho and Owens attacked Reigns as they laid him out with the Popup Codebreaker. Before they could do any more damage, Rollins made the save.

·        Rollins took out Owens with a pair of suicide dives through the ropes and onto the floor. Rollins got his hands on Jericho and tried to nail him with a Pedigree, but Owens pulled his best friend out of the ring as they scurried backstage. Raw went off the air with Rollins and Reigns staring each other down in a show of respect as the fans clamored for a mini-Shield reunion.

·        This moment would’ve meant more if Rollins didn’t save Reigns last month during his steel cage match against Owens. Rollins laid out Owens with a cross body from the top of the cage and the announcer didn’t bother to mention that Rollins saved Reigns from certain doom.

·        It appears that Reigns and Rollins are going to join forces to fight the greater good. I don’t expect them to become best friends like Jericho and Owens, but it will be nice to see Reigns and Rollins team up with the fans solidly behind the Samoan Badass for a change. If this is WWE’s latest attempt to get Reigns over, it’s not a sucky idea. If the company is going to die on the hill pushing Reigns, at least they are going out in a blaze of glory.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of Raw was inoffensive. The company embraced the Halloween spirit by not going overboard for the most part. The R-Truth-Goldust segment was a complete waste of time, but the rest of the show didn’t devolve into campiness. However, all the news isn’t good on the red brand front. The broadcast felt like a slog to get through at times. A lot of the matches felt inconsequential and the crowd was dead at certain points as well. The Trick or Street Fight was the highlight of the show from an in-ring standpoint until the main event. That’s not exactly a compliment, but the fans ate it up.

·        Next week’s show will be live to tape from Glasgow. With one more live broadcast to hype Survivor Series, WWE must make the best of their television time next week by hyping the November Classic to the hilt. I expect a heavy reliance on video packages to promote Goldberg vs. Lesnar because their only face-to-face confrontation will take place on the go-home show on November 14^th. Therefore, the company is no position to be pussyfooting around. If they want the 30^th Anniversary of Survivor Series to mean something, WWE needs to get their act together. Fast.

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The Raw Exposé. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back tomorrow night with a brand new installment of The SmackDown Files. See you later, boys and girls! 

Geektified's WWE Hell In A Cell Review 10.31.16

Geektified's WWE Hell In A Cell Review 10.31.16

By Anton Ware

Official Results

Kickoff Match: Cedric Alexander, Lince Dorado and Sin Cara vs. Tony Nese, Drew Gulak and Ariya Daivari: Cruiserweight action to start us off. This was basically all flash with everyone getting to showcase some of their talents. Highlights included a Shooting Star Press from Dorado and a triple dive from Alexander, Dorado, and SIn Cara. It would eventually come down to Alexander and Gulak where Alexander would hit Gulak with the devastating Lumbar Check for the win.

Pre-Show Thought: When I first heard Ariya Daivari was in this match, I thought it was the Daivari from The Muhammed Hassan Days in 2005.

-Hell In A Cell is LIVE from Boston, Massachusetts.

-Michael Cole, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves are your hosts this evening.

United States Title Match: Roman Reigns © vs. Rusev: At the Clash of Champions PPV, Reigns defeated Rusev to become the United States Champion. The following night on RAW, Rusev invoked his rematch clause and competed against Reigns in a title rematch which ended in a double countout. A week later, Lana challenged Reigns on Rusev’s behalf to another match only for Reigns to be attacked by Rusev. Reigns would get the upper hand and he would not only grant Rusev another shot at the title, but make the match a Hell in a Cell contest. This was a simple big man brawl style matchup. At times, Rusev would gain the advantage by using the steel steps and a kendo stick. At one point, he tied Reigns up in the ropes and repeatedly assaulted Reigns’ midsection (Even though Reigns is wearing a vest). Finish came when Rusev locked in The Accolade submission on Reigns on the steel steps only for Reigns to power out and hit a step-assisted Spear for the win. Reigns is now 2-0 in Hell in a Cell matches.

-Announce Team offer a quick recap covering the Owens-Rollins feud.

-Tom Phillips interviews Kevin Owens. He gloats about his apron powerbomb on Rollins from this past Monday. He promises to beat Rollins to a pulp and leave Boston THE MAN.

Bayley vs. Dana Brooke: Right before the Banks vs. Charlotte RAW Women’s Title Match, Bayley attacked Dana Brooke to make the title a fair contest. Two weeks later, Dana Brooke defeated Bayley in a singles match and attacked her in an arm wrestling contest the following week. This was a standard women's match to get Bayley on the card. Brooke would take advantage of Bayley’s injury throughout the match. Bayley overcame Brooke’s attack and hit her Bayley-to-Belly finisher for the win.

-A KFC commercial appears.

-WWE 2K17 promo video appears.

-Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon put over tonight’s Hell in a Cell PPV and next month’s Survivor Series PPV as Y2J comes in to put his name in the hat for the RAW Survivor Series team. He also tells Foley to watch “IT” and puts him on The List.

Enzo Amore and Big Cass vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson: This match is the result of The Club wanting to climb their way back to the tag team division #1 contendership at the expense of Enzo and Cass. Anderson and Gallows attacked the fan favorites during an episode of RAW and in retaliation, Big Cass scored a win over Karl Anderson in a singles match. A quick tag team match with the crowd solidly behind Enzo and Cass. Enzo and Cass controlled the action early with Cass throwing Enzo around like a missile. The Club got control by hitting Enzo with a clothesline to the outside. The Club hit their Magic Killer finisher for the win to get back on track in the RAW Tag Title hunt.

-A breast cancer awareness promo video appears.

-A Lesnar vs. Goldberg Survivor Series promo video appears.

Universal Title Match: Kevin Owens(c) vs. Seth Rollins: At Clash of Champions, Kevin Owens defeated Seth Rollins with help from Chris Jericho. Within weeks, Rollins was granted another chance at the Universal Title and the RAW hierarchy of Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley would make it a Hell in a Cell match to prevent outside interference. This was a great contest between the two current leaders of the RAW brand. Rollins was the resilient, wildcat hero while Owens was the cowardly villain who would do anything to win. During the match, Owens “accidentally” sprayed the ref with a fire extinguisher. While the outside referee attended to blinded referee, he leaves the door open (literally) for Chris Jericho to come in. Jericho would get involved only to receive a Pedigree for his troubles. Rollins regrouped and focused on Owens. The “OMG” moment of the night took place when Rollins gave a running powerbomb to Owens and put him through two tables on the outside. Rollins’ advantage wouldn’t last long as Y2J got involved which allowed Owens to attack Rollins mercilessly with a pair of steel chairs. Multiple chair shots, a DDT on a chair, and a powerbomb through two chairs finally put The Architect away for the win. The Kevin Owens Show continues. After the match, Jericho hit Rollins with a Codebreaker for good measure.

-Kickoff Show panel with Renee Young, Booker T, Jerry Lawler, and Lita talking about events that took place earlier tonight.

Cruiserweight Championship Match: TJ Perkins (c) vs. Brian Kendrick: At Clash of Champions, T.J. Perkins defeated Brian Kendrick to retain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship only for Kendrick to attack Perkins after the match. Two weeks later on RAW, Kendrick would defeat Perkins via submission in a non-title match. Due to Kendrick’s win, he was granted another shot at the Cruiserweight Title. Similar to the six-man tag on the pre-show, this had a lot of flash in a short amount of time. Perkins would use his hybrid style throughout while Kendrick would show frustration and doubts that he couldn’t beat his protégé in a big time matchup. Finish came with Kendrick faking a knee injury to sucker Perkins into the Captain's Hook submission for the win and the title.

Random Thought: Line of the night goes to a fan shouting at Kendrick: “Get a f****** haircut hippie!” WWE’s seven second delay didn’t catch that one.

-WWE network promo video appears.

Commentary promotes NXT Takeover (Headlined by Joe vs. Nakamura II) and Survivor Series which takes place next month.

-Backstage with Sheamus and Cesaro where they first get along then start bickering about who will lead the team for their title match.

RAW Tag Team Title Match: The New Day © vs. Cesaro and Sheamus: At Clash of Champions, the conclusion of Sheamus and Cesaro’s Best of 7 Series ended in a double countout. Since there was no clear winner, RAW General Manager Mick Foley felt that the competitors deserved some sort of reward for their performances throughout the series. Therefore, he granted them a shot at the RAW Tag Team Titles…Only if they joined forces. In the weeks that followed, they would have difficulty getting on the same page, but would eventually do so with a win over the tag champions on the October 24th edition of RAW. Decent match between the two teams. Xavier and Big E represented The New Day in this contest. Cesaro and Sheamus would take control of Xavier throughout and when Xavier finally makes the hot tag, Big E comes in for some Belly-to Belly Suplex action. Things started to break down which led to Sheamus accidently hitting Cesaro with a Brogue Kick. You’d think that would cause a rift between the Swiss-Irish Connection, but they managed to stay in the match. The ending saw Kofi Kingston hit Sheamus with Trouble in Paradise (In retaliation of Sheamus hitting a dive on The New Day and for assaulting Big E with Francesca #2) BEFORE Xavier Woods tapped out to Cesaro’s Sharpshooter in the ring. The ref only saw Kofi’s wrongdoing and DQ’d The New Day. Cesaro and Sheamus win the match, but The New Day are still the champions.

-Goldberg returns to RAW THIS MONDAY!

-Banks vs. Charlotte hype video appears.

RAW Women’s Title Match: Sasha Banks(c) vs. Charlotte: On the October 3rd edition of RAW, Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte to win her second RAW Women’s Title. A week later, Charlotte challenged Banks to a rematch only for Banks to accept and raise the stakes to make it a Hell in a Cell match. This is the first time in WWE history that the women are competing in a Hell in a Cell match AND main eventing a main roster PPV. This is kind of a big deal. Super entrances and main event announcing for the ladies tonight. Right before the cell fully came down, Charlotte attacked Banks and they ended up outside near the announce tables and eventually into the crowd. They make their way back to ringside and teased climbing up to the top of the cell only for Charlotte to powerbomb Banks through an announce table. Banks (With her history of back problems) gets hurt and receives medical attention from WWE staff. She gets carried out on a stretcher and just when the referee is about to award Charlotte the title due to forfeit, Banks willed herself off of the stretcher to officially start the match. The story throughout was Banks overcoming her back injury while Charlotte was trying to inflict more damage. She would do so by throwing Banks over the ropes and onto the apron back first, monkey flipping her into the cell, and sidewalk slamming Banks onto a chair. Banks overcame Charlotte’s offense with moments such as a Charlotte-assisted spider jump onto the cell into the double knees, the Three Amigo Suplexes, and a Frogsplash to pay homage to her idol Eddie Guerrero. The ending saw Sasha going for a running powerbomb into a table only for her back to give out. Charlotte would take advantage by throwing her into the table twice followed by Natural Selection for the 3 and the title. Charlotte continues her PPV winning streak. The fans are not happy. End Scene.

PPV Thoughts: I thought this was another fine outing by the RAW brand. Not as strong as Clash of Champions, but still an enjoyable show. Basically, the viewer received three Hell in a Cell matches which carried the bulk of the show. Outside of those matches and Kendrick winning the Cruiserweight Title, there was nothing else that stood out on the PPV. As for the cell matches, each match had a different story to tell which was necessary and appreciated. Reigns vs. Rusev was the Battle of The Brutes, Rollins vs. Owens was Rollins trying to overcome the odds due to Jericho’s interference, and Banks vs. Charlotte was Banks (The hometown girl) attempting to overcome a reinjured back to defeat her longtime nemesis. Even though three cell matches can be a bit much, WWE handled it the best way possible and it’ll be interesting to see what transpires from this event in the coming weeks.

Personal Enjoyment: The RAW Women’s Title Match. The match itself was fine. It was the historical aspect of the moment that made the contest so intriguing to watch. It’s amazing to see how far women’s wrestling has changed over the last three years on WWE programming. This can be attributed to the success of NXT which allowed the women to be presented as equals to the men. No one could have imagined that two women would be chosen over the RAW World Title to close out a PPV, but here we are and what a moment it was. WWE should be commended for taking a chance and trying something different (which is rare in the current landscape of the company). Sasha Banks and Charlotte should also be applauded for their effort as well. The match wasn’t a five star effort by any means, but the ladies brought a main event feel to the match and kept you intrigued throughout. They kept a nice pace and put together a match that blended right in with their male counterparts from earlier tonight. The big question is, How does WWE feel about this match? Do they believe it was enough of a success to do another women’s PPV main event or should they let the boys have the final spot on the card from now on? That remains to be seen, but we should be thankful that we saw something historic that can potentially change the direction of not only WWE, but professional wrestling in general. What a year this has been and we still have two more months to go!

-So what did you guys think about the show? Hit or miss? Thumbs up or thumbs down? Let me know in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

-Anton

Comic Book Review: Detective Comics #943

By: Jerry Montgomery
October 27, 2016

Detective Comics #943
“The Victim Syndicate”
“Pt. 1, I Saw the Devil”

Written by: James Tynion IV
Pencils by: Alvaro Martinez

A new story arc begins in Detective Comics #943 with “The Victim Syndicate, Pt. 1, I Saw the Devil”(Not to be confused with the 2010 disturbing Korean horror/action flick of the same name. I mean it! It has some cringe-worthy moments!) which takes place after the multiple title crossover story, Night of the Monster Men. Batman and Co are reeling after saving the city and the apparent (Remember,  I said apparent.) death of one of their own, Red Robin, aka Tim Drake. The city and its people are rebuilding and picking up the pieces of their city and their lives.

The story opens at the front of Wayne Enterprises as Batwoman and Renee look upon the defaced ediface of the building with the cyptic message, “No More” written over a red colored bat symbol. Is this a clue meant for Batwoman? The red bat symbol does adorn her costume after all. Three police officers are dead. Security cam footage and a few eyewitnesses, including one Lucius Fox, allow the two women  to at least ascertain, that there is no shortage of scary and dangerous individuals in Gotham City. Especially those who despise the Batman.

In this issue, each member of the Batman team seems to be isolated from the others , dealing with the aftermath of all the death and destruction and the terrible grief felt over Robin. Batman throws himself further into his work…alone. Spoiler is wracked with guilt and self-doubt. Orphan and Clayface train. Batwoman grieves but seems to be the only member able to move past it and continue on as before. Included also are appearances by Harper Row, aka Bluebird and Jean-Paul Valley, one of the three incarnations of Azrael.

With the death of Tim Drake,  there is no one to complete let alone understand the tech of the Belfry, hence, Bruce Wayne’s wish to recruit one Lucas Fox, son of Lucius (Who also had the alter-ego,  Batwing). He’s a technological genius whom Bruce believes could operate and maintain the Belfry and seeks him out at a party that Lucas is throwing to showcase a line of new police equipment he has developed. Before he can speak to Lucas, an explosion rocks the party and the Victim Syndicate reveals themselves, vowing revenge on Batman and anyone else who also helped him.

The Verdict: If you could only read one of the current Batman titles available, Detective should be the one. The artwork is top notch and the writing is great. “The Victim Syndicate” would be a great starting point for new fans and old ones who are looking to get back on board. These new villains look interesting and a worthy addition to Batman’s rogue’s gallery.

Upcoming Games To Get Geektified About

1. Final Fantasy XV

Probably one of the most anticipated and long awaited games coming soon to our shelves, FFXV looks to be something spectacular, changing the FF formula of gameplay but keeping the traditional tone. Not to mention it's about a bunch of dudes on a road trip. What can go wrong?

2. Resident Evil 7 

A lot of mystery remains in the air about RE7, but from what we've seen it looks exciting. Capcom taking a chance on the formula of the long running RE franchise can go either way in terms of quality, but it looks interesting. How will this more subtle piece fit into the RE universe as a whole? We’ll find out in January.

3. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare 

It seems that the COD franchise has been building up to the moment that we can have space battles. If you're not much for the multiplayer world of gaming, the campaign looks to be promising as well, which COD hasn't been weak as of late.

4. Red Dead Redemption 2 

We have a little while for this one, but the wait will be well worth it if it's anything like the first Redemption game. There's much speculation on who the protagonist could be and what the story will revolve around, but we’re all in either way. If you haven't played the first Red Dead Redemption, just know this is a free roam western that pretty much let's you do cool cowboy stuff whenever/wherever you'd like.

5. For Honor 

When this title was first announced, it drew much attention, and justifiably too. The game has been designed to have realistic sword combat, making the player use skill and strategy rather than just a hack-and-slash method. The class types also have their pros and cons. For instance, Samurai's swords are heavier and take longer swings, but the damage is more devastating. This one's said to have a pretty extensive multiplayer and single player options, so count us in.

6. Mass Effect: Andromeda 

Another title that's more ambiguous in it's marketing, but from what's been shown we can expect a fairly classic Mass Effect experience in terms of gameplay.
But what's got us counting down the minutes to its release is a Mass Effect game made solely for this generation of consoles.

7. Horizon Zero Dawn 

This one really catches our eye in terms of design. It's set in a post-apocalyptic universe where robotic creatures rule the land, putting humanity into a tribal state. So where technology advances, humanity devolves a bit. It's an interesting aesthetic that makes our inner geek hungry for something new and fresh.

8. God of War 4 

With a new sleek look to the graphics, characters, and level design, God of War 4 looks to be a powerhouse in current-gen gaming. Not only in aesthetic, but even in character beats that are exciting and equally emotional. If you haven't played a God of War game, check out the E3 demo that gives you a taste of what this one will be like.

9. Days Gone 

Zombies. Lots of zombies. I mean, LOTS of them. Days Gone appears to be a good mix of Sons of Anarchy, World War Z, and really any post-apocalyptic game to date, but the mechanics of combat are what really sell it for us. Take a look at the gameplay trailer and see how intense mowing down a multitude of zombies. Not just a horde. A multitude.

10. Death Stranding 

Hmmm...what to say about this one. All we can say is that, well, Kojima's back! And with Norman Reedus in what we can only assume from the E3 trailer is a Sci-Fi title. The trailer's fairly ambiguous, but it makes us want more. Is the imagery in the trailer more literal or metaphorical? Either way, knowing Kojima's track record, it's safe to say he's putting a lot into this project. If you're tired of seeing games with less narrative and more explosive multiplayer, then this one looks promising for all of us thirsty for something with a little more artistic value.


That's our base list, but of course there are plenty of other titles to get excited about. What are some games coming out that you can't wait for?



By David White

The Geekcap Roundup

Supergirl "Welcome to Earth"

The man throws Kara off and quickly escapes the DEO. While the DEO quickly begins investigating the escapee, Kara prepares to meet with the President of the United States in National City as she prepares to sign an alien amnesty act. Just as the president arrives, however, an alien threat appears to try and attack her. As Alex and J’onn begin to investigate, Alex meets with local officer Maggie Sawyer who seems to have her own knowledge and experience with alien beings. Despite the attack, the president is more forceful in implemented her act, just as Lena Luthor plans to unveil her latest device for detecting aliens in plain sight. Unfortunately, with the blasts at the attack matching a Kryptonian laser beam, Kara fears the mysterious man may be responsible for the attack.

Maggie later introduces Alex to a secret alien bar, where aliens unveil their true selves without fear of judgement. In the meantime, Winn locates the man trying to contact his actual home world of Daxam, a sister planet to Krypton that shares a rough history together. Kara apprehends the alien named Mon-El who emphasizes that he did not attack the president and only wanted to contact his home, which Kara later admits was destroyed from Krypton’s decimation. The alien responsible once again attacks the president, taking Sawyer hostage. Recognizing the alien from the bar, Alex returns and gathers intel from the bartender regarding her location. Together, Alex and Kara rescue Sawyer and stop the rogue alien. Things begin to return to normal, though the president appears to shift forms in private. J’onn himself tests out the bar only to shock the bartender who reveals herself to be M’Gann Morzz, the last daughter of Mars.

Notes

• When Supergirl is covered in flames, she does a twirl to put out the fire that’s not unlike the famous twirl conducted by Wonder Woman Lynda Carter who appears in this episode.
• The president refers to her “other jet” when remarking on Air Force One. Could this be a reference to Wonder Woman’s invisible jet?
• Maggie Sawyer is also one of the first characters in both Marvel and DC to come out as homosexual, and she seems to have her eyes on Alex.

Photo Credit: DC/CW

The Flash "The New Rogues"

Three years ago, Sam Scudder and his girlfriend Rosalyn met up with Leonard Snart to go over a deal which ending once the particle accelerator exploded, leaving Scudder trapped in a mirror. He remerges once again searching for Snart, causing chaos with his powers for anyone in his way. Meanwhile, Barry continues to train Jesse who is excelling at her speed but having trouble navigating her surroundings. As the team begins their search for Scudder, Harry also assists Caitlin and Cisco in searching the multiverse for a replacement Harrison Wells. In the meantime, Iris and Barry struggle to keep up their new relationship while Barry continues to live with Joe. Eventually, Barry and Jesse find Scudder, now dubbed the Mirror Master, after he springs Rosalyn, dubbed Top, from prison, but their confrontation is cut short when Scudder tosses Barry into a mirror.

Caitlin secretly uses her new powers to free Barry from the mirror, allowing him and Jesse to face off once again against Mirror Master and the Top. As Jesse takes care of Top, Barry successfully traps Scudder in a mirror loop, allowing the CCPD to take him into custody. After their victory, Harry and Jesse take their leave back home to Earth-2 (after Jesse and Wally share a brief kiss) as Caitlin and Cisco successfully discover a replacement Wells: a more fun-loving genius from Earth-19 known as HR. Along with these changes, Barry also decides to move out of the West House to allow him a separate space to be with Iris, and a local CCPD officer named Cecile shows her own interest in Joe. Unknown to the others, however, Caitlin struggles with her new powers after freezing a shower head and displaying white hair like Killer Frost.

Notes

• In the comics, Rosalyn Dillon was originally Roscoe Dillon, also known as the Top.
• The building where Mirror Master gets his powers is labelled Broome Industial, named after John Broome who created the character.

Photo Credit: DW/CW

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Lockup"

After Lucy contacts Joseph, Coulson learns from Joseph that she is searching for the Darkhold at the same place they found it. Once he dies, however, Coulson and Mack are forced to break Morrow out of prison to continue their search. For the mission, they recruit May and Daisy who sports a new pair of gauntlets to help stabilize her powers, but Robbie insists on joining to find his uncle. Though the team doubts him with his shaky grasp on the Ghost Rider, Daisy defends him as he is the only one who can harm the ghosts. Meanwhile, Simmons is forced to undergo her latest lie detector test after discovering Daisy and Fitz’s secrets, but she is later excused after the Director requests her help to take part in a news debate against Senator Nadeer over the recent Inhuman developments. Unfortunately, Lucy infiltrates the jail searching for Morrow herself, driving the officers insane and setting the prisoners free.

Robbie tries to retrieve his uncle after Mack is infected, but he is then distracted after encountering the gang leader of the group who shot at his brother. Although the man states someone else ordered the hit, Robbie turns into Ghost Rider to take his vengeance. In his absence, however, Lucy kidnaps Morrow and forces him to interpret the Darkhold. The team returns to the base where Daisy reminds May that she is only staying until she completes an operation for her arms. After that, she will leave again. Simmons successfully navigates through the Director’s debate until he then chooses to reveal to the world that he is an Inhuman. While he gains in approval, Simmons reveals that she noticed a shift in his behavior when talking about his heroics in Vienna. Though he lets Simmons slide through her lie detector tests with that information, the senator herself admits her knowledge of the truth as well as SHIELD’s relationship with Quake and Ghost Rider. With that leverage, she asks the Director for a favor. 

Notes

• If you look in the basement where Lucy and Joseph find the Darkhold, you can spot a flyer for the Quentin Carnival, the same place former Ghost Rider Johnny Blaze got his start.
• Director Jeffery Mace apparently became a popular face after rescuing victims during the U.N. explosion Captain America: Civil War. Or did he?

Photo Credit: Marvel/ABC

Arrow "Penance"

After another blown operation, Oliver forces the team to take a break, though Rory announces his leave upon discovering Felicity’s involvement in Havenrock’s destruction. In this time, Oliver plans with Lyla to help break Diggle out of prison with the help of a stolen anti-molecular compound. Though neither Felicity nor Diggle agree with the plan, Oliver and Lyla work together to sneak out Diggle as the team works with Lance and Chase to take down Church’s latest plan. After investigating Church’s men, they soon discover that he is now targeting the Anti-Crime Unit in Star City. Despite her reservations, Felicity attempts to mend the rift with Rory. Meanwhile, five years ago, Anatoly helps Oliver interrogate one of Kovar’s men in a Russian prison. After collecting an IP address, Oliver kills the man inside the prison, earning him a place in the Bratva.

Church and his gang then attack the ACU after Chase captures one of his men. Felicity is hesitant to send to team to rescue him, but Rory returns, inspired by her reaching out, and convinces the others to fight back against Church. Together, the team rescues Chase and the police until Curtis is stabbed. Ramirez stays behind to fight off the crowd to let the group escape. Although the others want to rescue him, Felicity orders them to retreat with Lance in an escape van. Oliver and Lyla successfully retrieve Diggle from the prison and smuggle him into a warehouse as he hides out being an escaped fugitive. Although Oliver understands the hard choice to leave Ramirez behind, he maintains that he and the team will help retrieve their friend. 

Notes

• Adrian Chase makes some curious statements about vigilantes. Could this be hinting at his own Vigilante destiny?
• Curtis and Evelyn are officially referred to as Mr. Terrific and Artemis respectively.

Photo Credit: DC/CW

Legends of Tomorrow "Shogun"

Vixen, also known as Amaya, sneaks onto the Waverider, intent on finding the “time traveler” responsible for Rex Tyler’s death. She’s only stopped by a reawakening Heywood who discovers his body to form a steel-like substance because of Ray’s formula. With these new abilities, he trains with Ray to control them as Sara tries to calm Amaya down from attacking them. However, while training, Heywood is tossed out of the ship with Ray following him landing somewhere in the time stream. Sara, Amaya, and Rory then search for the Legends as Jax and Stein fix the ship as it lands in feudal Japan. There, Ray is captured by Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu’s men as the Shogun desires Ray’s suit for himself. Meanwhile, Heywood is tended to by a woman named Masako and her father and soon learns that Masako is engaged to the murderous figure. Heywood attempts to fight for her freedom but finds his powers have abandoned him.

Fortunately, Sara, Amaya, and Rory track down Ray through the ATOM suit but are forced to fight the Shogun and his men as their leader has stolen the suit. They rescue Ray, but their only solution to rescue the village is to destroy his own suit. Masako’s father gives Ray his son’s armor to take on the Shogun himself in a final battle. While the fight seems impossible, Ray, Masako, and a newly powered Heywood succeed in defeating the Shogun and destroying the suit. Sara, Amaya, and Rory defeat the army of ninjas, and Amaya agrees to stay with the team to search for Rex’s killer. Meanwhile, as Jax and Stein repair the ship, they discover a secret compartment once monitored by Rip. After looking inside, they find a recorded message from Barry Allen who warns Rip not to disclose the message to the rest of the team. In light of this knowledge, they hide the message from the others.

Notes

• Heywood inadvertently refers to his own name when describing himself as "Citizen Steel."
• Masako is revealed to be of the Yamashiro clan, the same clan of Arrow's Tatsu Yamashiro and her husband Maseo the former who eventually becomes Katana.  

Photo Credit: DC/CW

Mini-Review: FFXIV All Saints’ Wake Event

The All Saint’s Wake Festival is here, and this year Square-Enix has gone above and beyond! Head over to the Mih Khetto's Amphitheater in Old Gridania to join the Continental Circus. The circus is planning a haunted manor for this All Saints’ Wake, but the Adventurer’s Guild Investigator senses something is amiss. He asks you to volunteer to help with the event in hopes that you’ll be able to observe the circus performers more closely and report back any mischief. For your first task, travel to each city-state to gather a particular material needed for the haunted manor. Tasks like this are pretty standard for any FFXIV event, and while it sometimes can feel tedious to have to teleport around to so many locations, the quirky cutscenes at each definitely make up for it.

Where this event differs from previous seasonal events is that there is actually an instance within the event! Once you gather all the necessary materials, you actually get to go inside the haunted manor! This part of the event is initiated the same way you would a dungeon. Talk to the harlequin guide in either the amphitheater or the Acorn Orchard to queue for the instance. You’ll have a standard light party and there are no class or level requirements in order to join.

When your party enters, you’ll be given a set of tasks to perform, each requiring you to locate certain items within the manor. There are enemies wandering around who will aggro you, but being spotted does not initiate a fight. Instead, you’ll find yourself magically transformed into a pumpkin for a few seconds if you cross an enemy’s path. This will lower your party’s sanity meter, which replaces the hp in a sense. Upon completion of the instance, you’ll receive a special seasonal clothing item, but there are other rewards such as a minion that you can find as well. 

All in all, the instance is a lot of fun and definitely worth participating in. The addition of an instance to a seasonal event was definitely a welcome surprise, and I can’t wait to see what Square thinks up for the next event!

Geektified Score: 9/10 

By: Katlyn Ashe

“The Smartest There Is” Starts NOW! Your First Look at MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #13!

New York, NY—October 28^th, 2016 —  Her brain is the only super power she’ll ever need! But having a 30-foot tall dinosaur by your side never hurts. Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first look at MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #13 – the first chapter of “The Smartest There Is”! Fan-fave creators Amy Reeder, Brandon Montclare and Natacha Bustos bring Lunella Lafayette and her prehistoric pal into Marvel NOW! with a brand-new story arc and a startling revelation. Moon Girl is the smartest person in the Marvel Universe?! That’s right – Amadeus Cho, Victor Von Doom, T’Challa and Reed Richards all have one thing in common: they aren’t smarter than a 4^th grader! But now it’s time to put that intellect to the test against a horde of subterranean monsters! Thankfully the Hulk and her buddy Devil Dinosaur are backing her up. Plus – what is the secret of…MOON WOMAN?! Find out when the exciting new story arc “The Smartest There Is” kicks off in MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #13 – on sale November 23^rd!

MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR #13 (SEP160979)

Written by AMY REEDER & BRANDON MONTCLARE
Art by NATACHA BUSTOS
Cover by AMY REEDER
Variant Covers by SANFORD GREENE (SEP160980), PASQUAL FERRY (SEP160981)
and LARRY STROMAN (SEP160982)

Story Thus Far Variant by NATACHA BUSTOS (SEP160983)

Steam Variant Cover by JOYCE CHIN (SEP160984)

FOC – 10/31/16, On-Sale – 11/23/16

To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.