Author Archives: Bizarre Brunette

Arkham Knight *final thoughts*

Posted in Gaming by

Scrolling through the gaming section on my blog, I was shocked to see that I hadn’t written a gaming-themed article since August! Due to a lack of time from working on weekends, to studying Mechanical Kinesiology notes, I haven’t been gaming nearly as much as I used to. I attempt to set aside two hours to just game and not do anything productive. Nonetheless, I game when I can and a couple weekends ago I finally beat Batman Arkham Knight. Here are my initial thoughts about the story.

The Return of Oracle

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Barbara Gordon lives!! YAY 🙂 A couple weeks ago, I posted about Barbara and how her death angered me. Turns out that she didn’t die in the first place, so I had to edit my Barbara blog post.. how embarrassing. Anyway, I was glad she had a major role in the finale at the GCPD. That was probably one of my favorite parts of the game, to be honest. If there is another Batman game, I really want Barbara to have a bigger role.

The Robin Family

Nightwing is probably one of my favorite comic book heroes of all time. Does anyone else have a crush on Dick Grayson? No? Just me?

The Batmobile 

The battle mode in the Batmobile feels like Grand Theft Auto in Gotham and I love it. There is a side quest where you have to take out a bunch of tanks while also safely disarming bombs and it’s so much fun. I’m actually a horrible driver when I play video games so I constantly kept crashing into things.

While I finished the game, I’m that gamer who wants to complete everything in a game! After I fly around Gotham and finish most of the side quests, I will feel like I finally restored Gotham to a place of solace.

October Goals; Podcast Watching & Billie Piper’s Amazing Signature

Posted in Life Lately by

I’m a goal-oriented person. I find goals are an organized way to improve myself or improve my life in some way. Normally, the goals that I set are often personal, but I decided to change that philosophy and share my goals on my blog. Some will definitely be geek-oriented, but others are more particular to my daily life. Here are my goals for the wonderful month of October.

  1. Pass the American College of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer Certification Test 

This is probably the goal I’m most nervous about. The test itself is $300 and retakes are $150. I have been studying every day since the end of August and I feel like I’m understanding the information, but I still have no idea how this will go. If I pass that would be a huge weight lifted off my back. In 2013 when I switched my major to Exercise Science, I was unsure about what my career path would be. Flash forward to now I have found my passion in personal training. Passing this test would bring me a step closer to achieving my dream career.

2. Listen to 3 episodes of 3 different podcasts. 

I have never really gotten into podcasts. I haven’t found any that I really enjoy so if you have recommendations, let me know. I feel like I’m missing out though by not keeping up with podcasts, so that’s going to change next month.

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New podcast to watch! *image is taken from Podcast for Pizza Facebook Page*

3. Turn off my phone while I’m at school/work and only scroll for 5 minutes at one time. 

At first, I was going to type “Use my phone less” but what does that mean? That’s a goal that can’t be measured, so how would I know if I could cross this off my list? So I changed it by making sure my phone is off most of the day and adding a time limit. I waste so much time being bored and scrolling through Instagram when instead I could watch an episode of Grimm or read a chapter in my book. I love Instagram, but I need a break. Starting in October I’m going to consistently try to use my phone less.

4. Hang My CONvergence Art plus Billie Piper’s signature 

I bought amazing pieces from James Powell’s art at CONvergence this summer. Have I hung it in my room somewhere? Nope. I see my art laying perfectly on my end table, but I haven’t done anything with it. I also have a poster of Billie Piper with her signature on it that my boyfriend bought for me as a gift. It’s still sitting up right against my book shelf. Rose is one of my favorite companions and the one who got me into Doctor Who in the first place, so her character means a lot to me.

5. Read Two Complete Books *graphic novels included* 

6. Binge Watch the Luke Cage Series on Netflix. 

Feel free to post podcast recommendations in the comments below, but I’m excited to track my progress with my goals in October.

Amazing Time Traveling Toy Rescue – Comic

Posted in Reading/Books by
Best in Show.jpg

I adore small comic strips. One of my most profound memories from my childhood was stealing my dad’s comic section from the Star Tribune and reading each strip daily. Most comic strips are found in the local paper, and that’s about it. Comic strips aren’t as popular as they used to be. Comic books and graphic novels aren’t something I would consider a strip because it’s full stories on multiple pages. I am promoting a GoFundMe project about a lovable comic strip with plenty of general geekiness in each panel. Best in Show is the strip and the launch can be found here: Best in Show Campaign

I met the author, Phil Juliano at May Comic Con this year in St. Paul. He approached me and was gracious as he learned about Twin Cities Geek, another site I write for. He gave me a free sampling of Best and Show and I wrote a spotlight interview about him.*link will be posted at the end*. Through all of our encounters, I kept a watchful eye on his work. So when I spotted his campaign, I wanted to promote and support his new book.

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Best in Show is a strip about a geeky guy named Peej who figures out how to time travel. So where does he go? Back to his childhood because who else misses being a kid? Peej in actuality wants his old Star Wars toys which is why he picked his childhood to revisit. This comic strip frequently exhibits nostalgia about childhood while also examining how entertaining children can be. It’s hilarious, heartwarming, and nostalgic as I think back to my favorite toys as a child.

Spending money on multiple GoFundMe projects can be expensive. Phil’s GoFundMe though is rather cheap. $12 dollars for the book, $15 if you want it signed, and $25 for a print with the book. As a Minnesota native, I like bringing awareness to the talent that started here.

Being a consumer is necessary for backing a project that you want to see. I want to see this book launched so I will be promoting this campaign. Even if you don’t have the funds for this project, sharing my post is equally important. Kids will love this story and adults will fantasize about their most missed beloved childhood toys.

Spot Light Phil Juliano

Grimm; Dabbling into Classic Fairy Tales

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by

Fun fact, I’m not a huge fairy tale person. Sure, I loved the Lion King and The Little Mermaid when I was younger, but I wouldn’t consider Disney a huge fandom of mine. As I finish Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on Netflix, I had some extra time to devote to watching more TV. My friend is currently watching Grimm and she wanted someone else to watch the show. I figured, why not? Though if fairy tales aren’t exactly my thing, would I even like this show to begin with? After finishing season #1 yesterday, I wish that I had given Grimm a viewing earlier.

Grimm is set in Portland, Oregon. I have never been to Portland, but this show makes it seem like this would be a fun place to live. Being able to camp constantly in the serene forest or having a hot cup of coffee at a quirky coffee shop is appealing to me. Portland is on my bucket list of travel destinations all thanks to Grimm. 

I digress. Grimm starts with introducing Nick Burkhardt and his girlfriend Juliette. Mary, Nick’s aunt, arrives in town randomly and describes to Nick that his ancestors were Grimms who fought various monsters. Nick can see monsters phase from humans into their other species which is terrifying. When this ability arises, Nick meets Monroe, a vegetarian blutbad/werewolf. Throughout Nick’s experiences, Nick and Monroe grow closer as Monroe helps Nick understand his heritage. The show’s drama comes from Nick’s split duties as a cop and a Grimm while also hiding this secret from the force and Juliette. Maintaining a friendship with a werewolf is also dramatic.

What I truly love about Grimm is the realistic aspect of storytelling. Fairy Tales are quite dark and I like that Grimm doesn’t skip the gruesome elements. These creatures that exist in Nick’s world are beings that deserve to be feared. In season #1 Nick came across: gargoyles, dragon related fire beings and sadistic spiders. Also just wait until you watch the Cinderella-themed episode. . .

Finally, Nick and Monroe’s bromance is adorable. I love their friendship so much! Monroe is intelligent, patient and the caring person that Nick needs to guide him through all of this lore. Nick also compliments Monroe because he utilizes his help, but also uses his knowledge to protect Monroe from the blutbad’s enemies.

As far as spoilers go, I have only seen season #1 so please do not give me spoilers! 🙂 Give me two weeks though and I should have most of the seasons viewed.

Treasuring My Friendships

Posted in Life Lately by

As I walked 5.2 miles around both lakes in my town, I spent that time calling my friends from home. All of my friends mean the world to me. Every phone conversation I have just reaffirms my belief that the Twin Cities is where I belong. I miss them all deeply, but I’m happy that they exist to brighten my days.

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One of my friends goes to an art school in Minneapolis. I am inspired by how she is chasing her dream of improving her artistic talent. I chatted with her briefly on the phone and she has started developing her portfolio and applying for internships. It makes me so happy that she’s succeeding in something she loves to do. The beauty in life is seeing how this friend has grown as a person and how I’m so proud of her. She’s an amazing soul and she’s still young at heart which is how I want to be.

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My other friend is living in Minneapolis and already has a job out of college. I love her determination and her wit. She’s the person I called when I had a horrible O-Chem lab and I was bawling my eyes out because of the stress. She’s always down for an adventure and being the introvert that I am, I need someone to get me out of the house. She’s my traveling companion and I hope we travel more this summer when I’m out of college.

Finally, my neighbor is leaving for New Zealand in a month! I get to see her in October before she leaves, but it’s wild to me that she will be halfway around the world by Halloween. I’m proud of her that she’s putting herself in a new situation and not crumbling under the pressure of homesickness *believe me I would!*. I will be so sad to see her go, but that means a trip to New Zealand in the future. . . right?

I’m thankful for the friends who have been by my side all of these years. I love you all.

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Barbara Gordon; My Favorite Superhero.

Posted in Gaming, Reading/Books by

Barbara Gordon is one of my all time favorite comic book characters. She’s young at heart, she’s extremely intelligent and I admire that she’s a computer hacker. She cares immensely for Bruce and she was a great role model for disabled characters in comics. I’m enraged at how Barbara’s story is being told in multiple movies and games. I’m writing this post as a disappointed fan who knows Barbara deserves better.

I consciously thought about writing this post after I finished playing Arkham Knight on a Saturday night. As I play the game, I watch vividly as Barbara is kidnapped. I cruise through Gotham trying to find her because I’m sad she was kidnapped in the first place. After punching, kicking, and running Scarecrow’s men over in the Batmobile, I find Barbara. She seemingly “kills herself” after being exposed to Scarecrow’s gas, but she ends up being alive. Too bad she is only in the game for maybe an hour. I will say though that there is a fun part where Barbara will hack certain objects to help Batman in the finale, which was really epic!!

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The Killing Joke is another story that really throws Barbara’s character in the trash. I understand it’s based off the Alan Moore comic and Barbara is paralyzed and stripped nude by the joker. It wasn’t necessary however, to add more footage of Barbara and Batman having sex. Like what? Batman has always been a guardian to Barbara and it was way too weird to throw this random sex scene in. Barbara is sexualized for no reason at all.

I hope in the future, Barbara Gordon gets a good film or TV series as I think she deserves it.

The Killing Joke is an abysmal portrayal of Barbara. I will say Arkham Knight did get better with how Barbara ended up helping out Batman. Hopefully, DC comics can see the hatred they have caused in the community and are willing to give me a decent Barbara Gordon story. It will be worth every penny.

Documenting Sexism in Miss Representation

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by
Miss Representation

Film making is a powerful tool to send a message. Netflix has a vast selection of documentaries to choose from. I had a couple hours of down time while I was sitting on campus when I scrolled to Miss Representation. As I watched, I interpreted how there is so much sexism in the way in which women are portrayed in the media. I wanted to discuss what I learned and why this is so important to me.

Most importantly, Miss Representation highlights the sexuality of women in the media. As I’m bombarded by advertisements, I see women are dressed scantily and are wearing a crap ton of makeup. Victoria’s Secret is a prime example of highlighting women’s sexuality. What bothers me about this is that it demonstrates to women that we are successful if we are “beautiful” (according to the media). I can be successful by being intelligent, or working hard in my classes. My success is not determined by beauty. Another toxic idea is that women can’t be sexual unless it’s for advertising. Kim Kardashian posts semi-nude selfies all the time. She takes ownership of her body, and she’s slammed for it. It’s okay to sexualize a woman’s body by selling a product, but no way in hell can a woman take control of her body. How aggravating.

This documentary reaffirms sexism in the media and the way women are treated. It’s important to me that I find awesome role models who defy these standards or who stand up against them. It’s also why when I read comic books, I like reading books that don’t sexualize female characters. Anyway, if you’re a feminist, I highly recommend this. It will anger you, but make you reaffirm why you’re a feminist in the first place. I’m a feminist and I want to see a change in how the media portrays women.

Sailor Moon in Comic Book Form; Zodiac Starforce

Posted in Reading/Books by

My beautiful wood bookshelf is filled with various comic books. I went on a shopping spree in the summer when I bought four titles at a time. Now I have major catching up to do and I’m not complaining about it. Comics are still so fascinating to me because the artwork on each page is something I admire since I’m not artistic whatsoever. Recently, I finished Zodiac Starforce, and let me tell you, it’s probably my favorite graphic novel I have read this year.

Zodiac Starforce

*Moderate spoilers*

Zodiac Starforce centers around four girls who are united to stop evil, defend the earth, and complete high school without angering the mean clique. They’re given magical powers by Astra and they use these powers for good. Emma the leader, is infected by a monster from another dimension. Molly, Kim, and Savannah unite together to help the befallen Emma and cure her infection. While also saving the world of course.

The amount of similarity to Sailor Moon is unquestionable. I started getting into the Sailor Moon fandom after I cosplayed Sailor Saturn. What makes Sailor Moon and Zodiac Starforce so appealing are that all of the characters are female and they’re kicking ass and saving the planet. The cast of the Starforce goes into battle in realistic outfits that are also surprisingly cute. Molly is probably my favorite out of the bunch because I’m envious of her high ponytail. Unfortunately, though, Zodiac Starforce doesn’t contain talking cats.

My favorite part about this story is that there is a healthy lesbian relationship. How cool is that!? Representation is crucial because not every comic book character has to be white, cis, and straight. So seeing those two just made my heart skip a beat; they’re adorable together.

Besides being completely entranced with this story, there’s a sneak peek at the end. It introduces potential new members one representing Leo which is my sign. I’m hoping that the next issue will also discuss in detail Astra and how the girls were given the powers in the first place.

Zodiac Star Force is a great story filled with plenty of bright pink pages and kick ass battles. I wish I had Savannah’s bright blue spear, but alas I was not granted with magical powers. Darn. I guess I’ll have to settle with reading about it and impatiently waiting for the next issue to come out.

Shadow Hunters; Hunted or Be Hunted

Posted in Gaming by

This post marks my return to tabletop gaming. Two weeks ago, my brother & I drove to my uncle’s house for a Magic the Gathering draft and game night. Besides the amazing sweet corn and grilled chicken I ate, we played Shadow Hunters. This was my first time playing because I had never heard of this game prior to my brother pulling it out of his briefcase. The game itself is easy to learn, and fast-paced with excellent character art on each of the cards.

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Shadow Hunters are all about the skill of negotiation and guesswork. Players are assigned one character out of three classes: Shadows, Hunters, and Neutrals. Shadows are supernatural creatures on the prowl in the evening. Hunters are humans trained to kill the Shadows. Neutrals are just humans in the town who have their own agenda. Nobody knows which class you’re in which is all a part of the fun. For shadows to win the game, they have to kill the hunters. Hunters, therefore, have to kill the shadows. The neutrals though are interesting. My uncle had a character that was neutral that would only win the game if he died first. So just because you know someone is neutral, doesn’t mean you know what’s going on.

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This game is definitely a party game. I wish we had more than 4 people playing, best case scenario would be 8. It’s harder to deduce who everyone is so it makes the game go on longer. At one point I thought my brother was a shadow so I attacked him. Turns out I was wrong and he was on my side the entire time. . . oops.

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Can we just take a second and admire the art on this card? Two games in a row I got dealt, Ellen. She looks so sweet and innocent, yet I’m sure she can deal serious damage. The art itself takes inspiration from Japanese culture and manga which is something I have started to dabble in lately.

Shadow Hunters is a game I want to own for myself in the future. It’s perfect for any anime or manga fan or for a general tabletop gamer.

Sex Criminals, Zodiac Star Force + More *haul*

Posted in Reading/Books by

Since working a lot this summer, I have had some disposable income. I tend to use that more on graphic novels and books than anything else. I decided to stock up for the school year because I don’t know how many hours I will be working. Plus I have to pay for rent, food, and more adult things that are super boring. I wanted to share my haul on my blog and I’ll eventually post reviews when I finish everything.

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Zodiac StarForce 

I wanted to read this for a variety of reasons: diversity in the characters including body type and how much it reminded me of Sailor Moon. I’m currently reading this and I love the storyline and the characters. I also love the bright colors on each page. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for something like Sailor Moon.

Sex Criminals Volume 2

I read the first volume of Sex Criminals and my discussion can be found here. I liked the first volume aside from some sex-shaming incidents. I was told that it gets better so I decided to read the other volume. I found this one for only $8 at a book store so I figured it was worth the price.

Rat Queens Volume 1 

I have heard so many good things about Rat Queens. I feel like I’m missing out on not reading this. I found it for only $5 *what a score!!!!* I can’t wait to read this one too.

DC Rebirth: Suicide Squad 

I usually don’t buy individual comics. However, DC’s Rebirth just came out so I’m starting at the very beginning. This seems to take the characters from the Suicide Squad movie and give them more purpose. I just finished it yesterday and I really liked it. I’m hoping to keep up on this series.

I was also disappointed because I wanted to see if my comic book store had the first edition of Snot Girl and they didn’t! I may go back next week to see if they have any more in stock.