Rogues Portal Staff Picks – Week of May 27th, 2016
It has been a busy week for us at Rogues Portal, but it is the end of the week, which means it is time once again time for our Staff Picks! Each week we will share with you what has been keeping our staff entertained.
Amelia’s Pick of the Week: My pick of the week is Afterlife with Archie #9. I’m not a fan of zombies, but I’m a fan of this! There’s horror, drama, amazing artwork and some fantastic character development happening. I didn’t think it was possible with characters that have been around since 1939 but new things are coming to light and adding layer after layer of intrigue to this unusual Archie tale. The only thing wrong with this series is the massive delay between each issue. Between #8 and #9 was a whole year! With #9 ending the way it did, my fingers are crossed it’s not going to be another years wait before I get to continue this awesome story with #10! Patience is key with Afterlife with Archie.
Stephanie Pouliotte’s Pick of the Week: My pick this week is Overwatch. Released thisTuesday to a community of eager fans, who’ve been going a bit stir crazy since the open beta ended two weeks ago (check out my thoughts on the open beta! Overwatch Open Beta: Final Impressions), this is Blizzard’s first crack at an FPS and, after only 48 hours, the game is definitely a resounding hit! Its lighthearted, cartoonish style may be reminiscent of TF2, but Overwatch has more polish and features really engaging team dynamics. If you’re a gamer who tends to avoid FPSs due to toxic, hardcore players who, frankly, suck all the fun out of playing with their obsession over positive KDRs, you should definitely pick up this title! They’ve axed the scoreboard and done away with upgradable gear/abilities, focusing more on team synergy and completing objectives in an effort to open up the game to all kinds of players. Overwatch is a refreshing take on the team FPS that injects fun and creativity into every match while still remaining a challenging, skill-based game.
Hafsa’s Pick of the Week: My staff pick is Pride of Baghdad by Brian K Vaughan and Niko Henrichon. Ever wonder how different people with different awareness react to war? More specifically those who are being bombed? War is an ugly event that destroys countries and strip away their financial stability. This graphic novel reflects the experience of the Iraq war through the lens of a lion pride escaped from the Baghdad zoo. As an Iraqi who had to see the war through the television set, it was an abstract idea until I talked to family who had to live through it. Experience the trauma and the perspective of the Iraqi people without actually being traumatized. Hear what the usually repressed voices want to say and express. This may not be completely accurate but it hits very close to home.
John’s Pick of the Week: My staff pick of the week is The Flash Season Two Finale, “The Race of His Life”. The Flash has been freaking excellent this season, going all-in on some of the more insane comic book aspects (Earth 2, the Multiverse, and KING SHARK), and this finale continues that trend wholeheartedly. I still can’t believe I’m watching a mainstream TV show where characters are actively talking about “saving the multiverse.” It’s insane. The episode also does a great job at showcasing how useful Flash’s supporting characters can be (even if their plan to defeat Zoom had its flaws) and why they’re an integral part of the show. And the end of the episode is the mother of all cliffhangers, which is going to make for an interesting season three. The Flash season two finale was easily the most exciting television I watched this week.
Nicole’s Pick of the Week: Binge watching Dexter on Netflix. I’m eight seasons and ten years late to the party, but my pick for the week is Dexter, which I finally started binge watching after the number of recommendations became impossible to ignore. It’s no spoiler that the show is about a serial killer who kills serial killers, and that alone would be enough for me, but it’s so much more! Not an episode goes by where I don’t laugh, get my heart racing, and end up contemplating the meaning of life, and the nature of good and evil. It’s a very eclectic series. I’m still ruminating upon the nature of sin and if it’s it’s absolute or relative, but I’m pretty sure the series finale won’t answer all my existential questions so I’ll just have to fend for myself. If you have never watched Dexter, I highly suggest you give it a shot. I’m starting season three, but was
hooked from episode one. It’s thought provoking, with the perfect amount of blood and gore to make it
legit, and is currently the cause of my exponentially compounding sleep deprivation. But worth it.
David’s Pick of the Week: My pick of the week is the movie Deadpool. It was released on Blu-ray and DVD a couple of weeks ago and I was excited to bring home my pretty Steelbook copy (I am a Steelbook junkie) and watch the movie again without the audience’s laughter so I could hear what I missed in the theater. I did enjoy watching it more the second time based on that reason alone. The disc contains a bunch of extras on it. The deleted/extended scenes are fun to watch and I think a couple should have been added back into the film. You also get a gag reel, galleries, audio commentary, as well as Deadpool’s Fun Sack. This is probably my favorite feature because it contains a lot of the marketing used to promote Deadpool. Even you don’t like the guy, you can’t knock the great marketing for this film. So if you haven’t seen it, why not? If you have seen it, check it out again! See why it has become the world’s highest grossing R-rated film ever!
Until next week’s staff picks, make sure you follow us on Instragram: roguesportal, Twitter: @RoguesPortal and find us on Facebook! Don’t forget to check out our podcasts as well: Comicsbound, The Misfits, and Scooby Dos or Scooby Don’ts!
