Some years ago, when I first heard of Weta’s original Dr. Grordbort’s line of “infallible aether oscillators,” I immediately thought there was obviously a movie tie-in. After all, who had the stones to roll out a range of vintage sci fi / steampunk rayguns without there being a feature film behind it? Luckily for fans, when Weta designer Greg Broadmore brought his idea for the rayguns to geek czar Richard Taylor, he saw not only the potential of the concept, but freedom from having to pay someone else for licensing.

So, what exactly are Dr. Grordbort’s creations? Think 1900’s, pith helmets and ray guns that atomize Venusians. It is classic sci fi from an age before Cylons could look like humans or even before Queen rocked Flash Gordon as he skewered Ming the Merciless. It is pure fun with a touch of whimsy and perhaps the most innovative thing to hit the collectibles market in some time.  The latest addition to the Dr. Grordbort’s catalog is the Righteous Bison and it packs a surprise or two.

Sculpt

When closely examining the Righteous Bison I am reminded that, first and foremost, Weta is known for making movie magic. You can see the legacy of attention to detail that went into creating arms and armor for Lord of the Rings carried through in this piece. There is a flow and symmetry to the overall design. You can trace the Bison’s brass tubing, examine the ambidextrous thumb selector, ponder the red zone of the gauges and through it all you can imagine how it would all work.

The combination of these elements give the impression that the raygun could possibly be real, but the true test of my movie magic metaphor comes from simply picking up the Bison for the first time. I knew that the previous offerings were heavier pieces, crafted from metal and glass. An early addition to the line, the Manmelter 3600ZX Sub-atomic Disintegrator Pistol, weighed in at 7.5 pounds. As I loosed the Righteous Bison from it’s packaging I nearly threw it through the ceiling. For the first time, this 2.6 pound ray gun is made from “imitation metal,” a substance that has a remarkable similarity to plastic. I challenge anyone to tell me that this collectible is not cast in conventional metal upon first glance.

Another aspect of the sculpt worthy of mention is how Weta has crafted the piece to look worn. As you look over the gun you will see not only the detail of the rivets, you will also see nicks, cuts and scratches. These are details that make the piece as both realistic and perfectly aged.

Paint and Color

The application of the paints and the chosen colors are the other elements that contribute to the illusion of the Bison being crafted from true gunmetal. These colors, especially on the main body, give the raygun the feel of rust-flecked metal. There are even areas where you can’t tell if the “metal” is pitted until you run your finger over it.  Overall, the paint makes this piece completely believable. From the hue of the tubing to the gold of the top fin, it is this subtle coloration that gives the impression that the raygun is made of a variety of strange and foreign metals.

Packaging

The packaging is the second departure from previous Dr. Grordbort’s rayguns. Previous pieces in the line all included a custom case. The Righteous Bison comes in what Weta refers to as “light weight materials,” or what modern man might call “cardboard.” While this is not a cushioned form-fitting leather satchel, it isn’t Wal-Mart packaging either. The box is well outfitted with artwork and designed to protect the raygun within. It comes with a top opening flap where other rayguns from the line are displayed and a clear plastic cut out to reveal the Bison.

While I suppose it would make a decent display for those possessing the strength of will to resist the desire to open and hold the gun, I would rather digest the materials on the case and cast it out with the recycling. While there is nothing at all wrong with the packaging, there this is not an item to purchase on the strength of its box.

Overall Impressions

I am an unabashed fan of the Dr. Grordbort’s line and I truly enjoy the Righteous Bison. With a retail price of $99 (US), this is easily the most accessible full-sized raygun Weta has released to date.  The change in material and packaging allows for them to be able to sell this piece for about $600 less then it’s predecessors. With this raygun in on stand and displayed on a shelf, no one would know that is was plastic until they picked it up.

The only hesitation I have in giving my complete stamp of approval is that I don’t want the metal Dr. Grordbort’s original rayguns to go away and the $100 versions to become the norm. Sure, there is no way my marriage would survive the purchase of $700 raygun, but there needs to be something to strive for.

Overall, the Righteous Bison is indeed a worthy addition to the collection of both the discriminating gentleman and indiscriminate rouge alike. Get yours today, impress your friends and smash the particles of your enemies.

Enjoy more of Robert Alpi’s wordsmithing at his blog, Legends Ink.

And, coming soon… The Adventures of Captain Redgoat & Commodore del Negro in the 19th&1/2 Century! Arr, there be Martians!

First, I am proud to be the first official guest on the glorious resurrection of the Cort and Fatboy Show - Now with 100% less Nickleback and that crap-ass champagne / cocaine song. Today, at 2pm I get my comic book rant on with the one and only Cort and Fatboy Show. Listen live at ErrorFm.com or download later at www.cortandfatboy.com.

Then, this week, another stunning reunion as GeekintheCity Radio brings Portland’s hottest rawk babes together again! That’s right suckas. This week on GeekintheCity Radio, Lisa Wood and Sarah X Dylan bring back the glory of The Punk Show! Plus, learn about getting some fat meat in your mouth. Meat. Mouth. Get it!

Finally, pop on over to my four-color buds at Things From Another World. They have a great and exclusive interview with Andi Ewington, the mind behind the much anticipated 45. Get insights into the comic that Wizard lists as #17 on the list of “Top 50 Things You Need To Buy.” And hey, when Wizard lists a book that high and it isn’t a Marvel book? Damn! Plus, you chance at a signed copy of 45. Watch it at www.tfaw.com/blog

Till next time, may all your rolls be natural 20s!

(Oh, why the Enterprise image on the main page? Why not? It is the friggen Enterprise)!

It should be noted this review is based on the stand-alone Xbox 360 disc, released on October 29, and not the downloadable versions of the game. And, while I’m spewing total honesty, I should also come clean with something. I haven’t sat down and actively played any Grand Theft Auto game since San Andreas. Not that I had anything against the series, it just didn’t seem to offer me anything new. After playing Episodes From Liberty City, I may need to go back and contemplate my previous belief.

The Lost and the Damned – You are the Vice-President of the notorious biker gang “The Lost”, the hard-riding Jonathan “Johnny” Klebitz. You been running the show while your older brother, and true leader of The Lost, Billy gets released from rehab. You did a pretty good job running the crew, but the rival bastards in Angels of Death see the potential for biker gang supremacy. As such, the moment you give the reigns back to your bro, all frakking hell brakes loose in Liberty City. At first, I was horrified at the idea of a GTA game based on motorcycle play. As many a gamer knows, bikes ain’t the most reliable form of transportation in the game. Hell, bumping your bike onto the curb while attempting to park often generates the same result as a Chevy Corsair crashing into a Kenworth in a Michael Bay movie. Rockstar clearly understands that issue and did some serious tweaking with motorcycle control. A good thing when you consider some of the best moments in The Lost and the Damned involve drop down bad ass shoot out battles on your hog!

While still a sandbox box, The Lost and the Damned is decidedly more linear that GTA 4. In a way, I prefer this story format. The previous Grand Theft Auto games almost felt too big, too open. Many times I found myself wondering just what the hell I was doing. I mean, I like jacking’ old ladies cars and smacking around bar owners as much as the next guy. Still, I need me some direction. Vying for top dog status, The Lost and the Damned allows for total turf warfare battles between The Lost and those bastards, The Angels of Death. Another great addition to both games is the inclusion of “mid-mission” checkpoints. No longer do you need worry about getting to the final 10% of a mission, take a wrong turn, and have to start all over again. Note to Rockstar, please keep this addition in any and all follow-up games. Please. For all that is holy, keep the mid-mission checkpoints.

Unlike the original Grand Theft Auto 4, The Lost and the Damned doesn’t offer too much in the replay department. No, the optional bike racing events don’t count, they get boring rather fast. Still, with 23 ultra violent and action packed missions, The Lost and the Damned is good for a solid 15-20 hours of game play.

The Ballad of Gay Tony – Rockstar really should have named this one Liberty City – Lord of Studio 54! The house music is bumpin’ and thumpin’. Bands paid in blow and hookers. The cash ain’t flowing’ like it used to, so ‘ol Gay Tony gotta’ deal with the less than glamorous elements of Liberty City. But, that don’t mean you ain’t gonna’ have a fabulous time. Taking the part of Luis Lopez, Gay Tony’s top bouncer and confidant, you’re there to make sure the boss stays neck high in boys and booze. The Ballad of Gay Tony, while no great leaps in game play, feels like a completely different world. Gone is all the grim and grit of Grand Theft Auto 4; and we are leaps and bounds away from the ugly (but awesome) world of The Lost and the Damned.

Sticking with the time-tested format of “mission – accept – perform – cash” of all the previous GTA games, The Ballad of Gay Tony adds new and optional side missions to break the monotony. Nothing better than parachuting from a helicopter into your bosses’ dope ass club and laying down the law! Between cage fights, bouncin’ fake playas from the club, and making sure your boss stays atop the night life in Liberty City; the Ballad of Gay Tony is a damn fine way to spend your gaming days. With one of the strongest narratives and voice acting than any of the GTA, The Ballad of Gay Tony is worth the purchase price alone.

While the graphics engine is starting to show it’s age, you’ll still be hard pressed to find a prettier sandbox game on the Xbox 360. If you never bought Grand Theft Auto 4, or owned the game but avoided both games as downloadable content, you should pick Episodes From Liberty City. For a mere $39.99, Episodes From Liberty City provides solid game play and entertainment bang for your bucks.

Pop in the disc, turn down the lights, crank up the sound, and enjoy one more trip to Liberty City. You’ll may never want to leave.

This weeks musical breaks are:

No One Likes Superman Anymore - I Fight Dragons

Marvelous Girls - Kirby Krackle

Download HERE

The Groovy!

It Is Pretty - Valve really stepped it up in the graphics department. Location details are crisper than the original Left 4 Dead and the characters (survivors and undead) definitely benefit from greater expressions. Unlike the previous Left 4 Dead, we have more the 5 or 6 “standard” zombies. In the two-stage demo I counted at least 8 different “standard” undead. Playing the first two levels of The Parish, I had to put down one of the new “Half-Special” zombies. A SWAT cop in full combat armor. Gonna’ take more than a shot to put that rottin’ fuzz down! What of the Special Infected? Our good friends the Boomer, Hunter, Smoker, Witch (that now roam in “daylight” levels), and Tank are back to cause us survivors grief. But this time they’re joined by the wholly nasty Charger, Spitter, Jockey, and trap-setting Director. The Charger didn’t do much in terms of the “oh crap” factor, but both the Spitter and Jockey can cause all kinds of death and chaos. (Spitter drawing inspiration from the original Resident Evil game, leaving acid pooling on the ground. While the Jockey can pull a character away from the group and into waiting death). Each of these characters come to life in gory delight!

Sounds Dope - Not a lot of changes in this department. Valve created a fantastic aural world in the first Left 4 Dead, and Left 4 Dead 2 is no different. The music works for the levels the demo provided. Voice acting is strong and each character interacts with the environment and other characters in a realistic manner. Weapons, groans, and various effects all fit seamlessly into the game. And, there is something wonderful about the sound of a frying pan bashing in the brains of a zombie.

Bring It - The long-awaited ability to put down the Zeds with melee weapons. A fun addition to the game, it does add an extra visceral enjoyment to the game. I mean, who doesn’t love to watch undead body parts fly at your hands?! I do wonder how many people will go for the bragging right of “game beaten with melee only”. (Hell, I’m already assuming that’s gonna’ be an XBox Achievement).

The Ah Man!

Wave Your Arms - Control doesn’t feel as tight as the first Left 4 Dead. More than a few times I had the flesh-eaters (un)dead in my sights; only to miss them and face their unholy bashing! This goes doubly so with the melee weapons. It feels like the game has a sweet spot and unless your attack falls within the sweet spot, you are gonna’ miss. I will freely admit my lack of FPS playing in the past month doesn’t help in the control department.

That Seems to Work, Ow - The addition of a melee weapon is very fun. Strike that. Extremely fun. But, I wish I could drop the melee weapon in favor of my pistol. While I am glad Left 4 Dead 2 doesn’t allow for machete in the left and pistol in the right, it would be nice to say “frak this police baton, gimme ma’ Smokewagon”.

You Mean That Was It? - Granted this was the demo, but these first two levels within Pariah felt extremely short when compared to the levels in Left 4 Dead. Then again, the action came fast and furious, so I could chalk up that short feel with “Damn, do they ever let up”?!

Still, those gripes are small change when held against the pure thrill that comes from playing Left 4 Dead 2. Valve seems to have a winner here and November 17 can’t come fast enough.

November 3, 2009 - 7:45pm - Invincible Shaolin - Thrill as Dan and the demented folks with Portland Grindhouse bring you glorious kung-fu as only the Shaw Brothers can at the historic Hollywood Theatre! I could try and tell you how life-changing this viewing will provide, but humanity has no such language. Instead, I’ll let Dan himself drop the knowledge: The Venom Mob star as a group of fighters who are pitted against each other in a North Shaolin vs. South Shaolin kung fu showdown! Three South Shaolin students start intensive (and extremely strange) training to master various fighting styles and martial arts weapons. Funky style and huge sideburns reign supreme, colliding with director Chang Cheh’s trademark violence and  homo-eroticism. This movie also features some of the best training sequences in martial arts movie history. Buy advance tickets HERE.

Wednesday and Thursday give you just enough time for your eyes and ears to recover before Friday…

November 6, 2009 - 11:00pm (get there at 9pm, at the latest) - Bagdad Theater - The Cort & Fatboy Midnight Movie: Raising Arizona - Bask in the glory as hundreds of your fellow Portland Geeks celebrate The Coen Brother’s seminal classic and quite possibly Nicholas Cage’s greatest performance! Even better than beer, tots, & Coen? Our assembled masses will show the mouth-breathers at Alpha Broadcasting just what a “bunch of nerd kids” can do… All without misplacing our balls! As always, it is 21 and over, tickets are just $3 and from what you I hear at www.cortandfatboy.com, some solid mediocrity is coming. Don’t miss out!

Okay, let me help you out if you don’t have any ideas. First, my favorite Haunted Attractions…

7pm till… - The 13th Door - 8805 SW Canyon Road - They put on one hell of a fright show, and with a burger joint connected, you can’t go wrong!

7pm till… - Fright Town - Rose Quarter / Memorial Colloseum - The Baron and his band of merry marauders will show you frightfully fantastic time!

Don’t want the frights, but still want to enjoy some sights?

6pm - 9pm - 5th Annual Tour of Untimely Departures - Lone Fir Cemetery - SE 26th Street and SE Stark - Historial tours and great atmosphere.

Still too late for you early sleepers? Okay, then sit back and take in a film. The oldest of old school:

1pm - Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney and live Organ Music with Australian organist David Johnston - Hollywood Theatre - 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard

What, you want to get some treats but still want some culture tonight? Fine, GeekintheCity.com got you covered…

10pm - 11:30pm - Nosferatu - Shoe Box Theater - You loved Atomic Arts when they brought you Trek in the Park. Thrill as they bring the horror of the 1922 classic vampire film!

That’s it. Now go have some fun! If you happen to see a chunky MexiCan flying off the high ropes sporting a Red Lantern Ring, you better run, for you just been tagged by the fiend of Rose City…. El LuchaGore

Enjoy. Share. Mock. Comment. Forward.

This weeks musical breaks are:

Terror at the Red Wolf Inn - Aaron Omen

In the Graveyard - Church For Sinners

Remember, if you are in a band or know of one that you’d like to hear on GeekintheCity Radio - Drop Aaron an email here.

Download the new issue HERE

Told you. That is a grip of movie music. But is it any good? As a rule, yes, the 4 discs are very good. By definition, none of the tracks in the collection would make it were they not classics (or someday classics, as the collection goes from 1922 to 2009). Some of the later choices, like Edward at Her Bed from Twilight don’t seem to fit. However, I will freely admit to my own personal bias when it comes to that track. Some of the tracks selected just barely fall into what I would consider a “Horror Movie Music”. Would I classify The Mummy Returns, Pan’s Labyrinth, Ghostbusters, or Predator horror movies? No, but I’m still glad they were included. Even the few television themes that found a way into the collection work.

How do their performances stand up to the musical composition? That one is a little tricky. As with all the City of Prague Philharmonic Presents [insert movie theme here], there are some stylistic choices that don’t ring true. Tempos that feel just a little off. The choice to run with synthesizers instead of the original instrument on some tracks. And, the flat out horrible guitar riff within their version of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While I am certain everything is above the board, I sometimes wonder if a few copyright laws are bent just a little when they make these recordings. As a collection though, this 4 CD set works. There are a couple of rare tracks, particularly on disc 3 and 4, that make this collection a solid buy. I mean, it isn’t easy trying to track down an original version of The Devil Rides Out or Dracula, Prince of Darkness. This 4 CD set has you covered.

Some movie score purists may scoff at this collection, but those folks aren’t the intended audience.  If you’re looking for some good background music for your pending Halloween party or are a gamer that wants generic music for your characters. The Definitive Horror Music Collection will save you time and money. Check it out.

##

Now, if you want to win a copy care of GeekintheCity.com, then answer this simple question:
Whom did Producer Carl Laemmle, Jr. originally wish to see play Count Dracula in the 1931 Universal film, Dracula? Send your answers to me HERE

I will randomly pick one winner from all the correct answers I receive and announce the winner on Halloween. Good luck! Stay scared!

Support Geek in the City... Please!