G4 TV - TheFeed - Comics

Fresh Ink Online: Blair Butler & Brian Compton Review Scalped, Chase, Secret Six

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:07:00 -0800

Host Blair Butler and frequent guest Brian Compton return for graphic novel reviews. This week you get the ins and outs of Scalped, Monster Truck, Chase, and Secret Six.

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-version of Monster Truck from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Walking Dead Game Changer Reviewed!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:58:00 -0800

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Host Blair Butler is joined by comic lovin’ AOTS mercenary Brian Compton for reviews of The Walking Dead, The Flash, Captain America and Bucky, The Bulletproof Coffin, G.I. Joe Cobra: Serpent’s Coil, Infinite Kung Fu, and I, Vampire. Enjoy the madness…

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-version of the new Walking Dead from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Ed Laroche Reviews Daredevil

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:38:00 -0800

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Ed Laroche, creator of The Almighty, joins Fresh Ink Online host Blair Butler for reviews of Daredevil, Thunder Agents, Batman, Catwoman, All-New Spider-Man, Prophet, and Tenjo Tenge. Plus he reveals the title and concept of his new comic, Waveform, and chats about the follow-up to The Almighty!

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-comic version of Prophet from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Last of the Greats’ Joshua Fialkov Reviews Comics

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:05:00 -0800

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Writer Joshua Hale Fialkov is turning heads with his ultra-violent take on superheroes, Last of the Greats, but is calm, cool and collected when he joins Blair Butler on this week’s Fresh Ink Online. The dynamic duo review Batwoman, Secret Avengers, Punisher Max, Sacrifice, Lobster Johnson, Rsal, Foster, Shade, Luther Strode, and 20th Century Boys.

Make sure to check out the bonus interview below, where Joshua gives advice on how to break into comics, talks about his new gig on the Doctor Who comic, and tells us what the hell he is thinking with the awesome Last of the Greats.

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-version of Last of the Greats from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Blair Butler & Tiffany Smith Review Fatale, Penguin, The Cape

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 15:19:00 -0800

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This week, Blair Butler is joined by the lovely and talented Tiffany Smith. You may know her as a correspondent on Attack of the Show, the host of Qore on the Playstation Network, or as the face of the Oxygen Network, but you may not have known what a huge comic book fan she is! Tiffany and Blair cover Fatale, Rachel Rising, The Avengers Annual, Animal Man, X23, DMZ, Penguin, Uncanny X-Force, and The Cape. Enjoy!

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-version of Fatale from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Kevin Eastman Interview

Mon, 2 Jan 2012 12:06:00 -0800

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Join host Blair Butler for this Fresh Ink Online holiday treat: an interview with Kevin Eastman! Yes, the creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the publisher of Heavy Metal magazine, and all around comic icon shows off his special Meltdown Comics workshop/gallery and chats about his latest projects. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, comic-lovers! See ya in 2012!

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-comic from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Blair Butler & Brian Compton Review Invincible, Morning Glories, Retrowood

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:01:00 -0800

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Well, Christmas has passed and it’s time to start thinking about your new year’s resolutions. What better way than to be joined by Blair Butler and Brian Compton for some choice graphic novel picks (perfect to purchase under your 2012 resolution to buy more comics, right?). The Fresh Ink Online crew gives ya reviews of Invincible, Retrowood, Morning Glories, A Glimpse of Crime and Terror, and Moriarty: The Dark Chamber. What a way to end 2011, eh?

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi version of Invincible from Graphicly.com via the link below:

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Blair Butler & Charles Soule Review Walking Dead, Locke & Key, Batwoman

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:57:00 -0800

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Famed 27 writer Charles Soule joins host Blair Butler for this very special Fresh Ink Online. Dig reviews of Uncanny X-Force, The Walking Dead, Locke & Key: Clockworks, Batwoman, Last of the Greats, The Strange Talents of Luther Strode, Spaceman, Severed, Skull Kickers and more.

Plus, enjoy this bonus interview with Charles where he chats about his new comic and how to break into the comic industry.

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi issue of Severed from Graphicly.com via the link below:

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Fresh Ink Online: Top Cow’s Filip Sablik Reviews Luther Strode

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:45:00 -0800

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Fresh Ink Online host Blair Butler is joined by Top Cow Publisher Filip Sablik for a roundup of the week’s top comics, including Planet of the Apes, Defenders, Near Death, Punisher, Luther Strode, Villains For Hire, Last of the Greats, Irredeemable, Penguin and more. Plus, dig the bonus video below with Filip’s advice for how to break into comics.

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance and/or score a free digi version of Luther Strode #3 from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Jim McCann Reviews Daredevil, Archie Meets Kiss, Ultimates

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 13:58:00 -0800

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Fresh Ink Online host Blair Butler is joined by Eisner Award winning writer Jim McCann for a wrap-up of this week’s comics and a few extra goodies for good measure. Dig reviews of Cobra, Davedevil, Infinite Horizon, FF, Ultimates, Locke & Key, Richard Stark's Parker: The Martini Edition, and The Art of Tim Burton.

Plus, enjoy the bonus video below, a cool interview with Jim about the sequel to Return of the Dapper Men, his upcoming Image comic, and other exciting projects on the horizon.

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And for more comic goodness, don't forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-comic from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Punisher, Batman, Jack Kirby!

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:10:00 -0800

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Blair Butler is joined by her AOTS comic-lovin’ co-worker Brian Compton to review graphic novels, including Batman, Punisher Max, Queen and Country, Who Is Jake Ellis?, and Jack Kirby’s classic Kamandi collection. You should have had plenty of time to rise out of your Thanksgiving food coma, so come on and read some comics!

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or get your free digi-comic from Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Special Guest Ed Brubaker

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:19:00 -0800

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Today we bring out the proverbial big guns in the form of Eisner Award-winning Ed Brubaker (Batman, Daredevil, Captain America, Catwoman, Uncanny X-Men, Criminal, The Authority). Host Blair Butler and Ed run through their favorite comics and graphic novels, including Batwoman, Betrayal of the Planet of the Apes, Birds of Prey, Who is Jake Ellis?, Scalped, Legion of Monsters, Penguin, All-New Spider-Man, and Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island. Ed even gives us the scoop on his two latest projects, the upcoming horror series Fatale and Captain America spin-off The Winter Soldier.

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For more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or score a free digi-version of Ed's Criminal from our pals at Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: Mike Costa Reviews Graphic Novels!

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:45:00 -0800

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This week host Blair Butler is joined by comic great Mike Costa (G.I. Joe Cobra, Resistance, Blackhawk) for a roundup of their favorite graphic novels, including Death of Groo, Blue Estate Vol. 1, Elektra Lives Again, The Originals, Deathray, Domu: A Child’s Dream, Guys, and Twenty-Seven. This is one Fresh Ink Online you do not want to miss!

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For more comic goodness visit our friends at Comic Alliance. Also, get your free digi copy of the new Immortals at Graphicly.com via the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online: True Blood’s Michael McMillian Reviews Swamp Thing, Planet of the Apes, X-Men!

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:10:00 -0800

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Returning champion Michael McMillian (True Blood actor, acclaimed comic writer) re-teams with host Blair Butler for an action packed Fresh Ink Online. Reviews include Swamp Thing, Betrayal of The Planet of the Apes, Uncanny X-Men, Superman: Action Comics, Batman: Detective Comics, Usagi Yojimbo, Stormwatch, Sweet Tooth, The Strange Talent of Luther Strobe, and Last of the Greats.

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Don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or go score a free digi-version of Feeding Ground via the Graphicly.com link below.

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Long Beach Comic-Con With Robot Chicken

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 09:19:00 -0700

Armed with only a Flipcam and the will to survive, G4tv.com producer Frank Meyer headed to Long Beach Comic-Con on Halloween weekend, where he rolled with his brother, Breckin Meyer, as well as Seth Green and their Robot Chicken posse. Along the way, they ran into gushing Robot Chicken fan Thomas Jane (The Punisher, The Mist, Hung), the Team Unicorn gals, and a cavalcade of costumed comic super fans. Enjoy.

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Fresh Ink Online: Blair Butler & Marc Andreyko Review Halloween Comics!!!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:18:00 -0700

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Fresh Ink Online gets terrifying this week when host Blair Butler is joined by writer Marc Andreyko (Torso, Manhunter) for a Halloween roundup of horrifying comics. Recoil in terror as they cover Black Hole, The Walking Dead, From Hell, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Tomb of Dracula, Batman: The Killing Joke, Uzumaki, Blood of the Innocent, and Swamp Thing. Yes, kiddies, Alan Moore is apparently very scary. Go figure.

Happy Halloween!

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Don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance or score your free digi-comic at Graphicly.com (see below!).

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Blair Butler & Jay Faerber Review Batman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl Comics

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:50:00 -0700

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Host Blair Butler is joined by comic and TV scribe Jay Faerber (Noble Causes, Dynamo 5, Near Death, CW’s Ringer) for a rundown of all that is great this week at the comic book store. You get reviews of Batman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Wolverine, Cold War, Birds of Prey, Fear Itself, and Key of Z.

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For up-to-date comic news go to Comic Alliance, or for a free digi version of Near Death #2 cruise to Graphicly.com or the link below.

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Fresh Ink Online Reviews Green Lantern, Spider-Man, Punisher, Batwoman, More!

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:07:00 -0700

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While Fresh Ink Online host Blair Butler was away at New York Comic-Con, cohorts Brian Compton (AOTS Associate Producer) and Courtney Kraft (2.0 Segment Producer) took the helm for reviews of Green Lantern, Batwoman, All-New Spider-Man, The Punisher, Spike, Mystic, and get all Manga with Bloody Monday and Codename Sailor V.

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And for more comic goodness, don’t forget to visit our friends at Comic Alliance and grab your free digi-comic of Near Death below via our buddies at Graphicly.com.

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New York Comic-Con 2011 Collectibles Roundup -- Arkham City, GTA 3, Final Fantasy, And More

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:30:00 -0700

New York Comic-Con 2011 has come and gone, but we’ll never forget the good times we had, the games we saw, the outfits that still haunt our dreams, and of course the collectibles we drooled over. G4 correspondent Harold Goldberg was on site and did a little collectible recon on some of the standout offerings from this year’s Con.

What: Batman: Arkham City characters
Manufacturer: DC Direct
Price: Not yet priced
Release Date: November, 2012

All of these characters will probably set you back a hundred bucks or more. But to re-imagine the play from the game, money is no object. Right?

What: Batman: Arkham Asylum -- Titan Joker
Manufacturer: DC Direct
Price: Not yet priced
Release date: November, 2012

It’s big. It’s ugly. It’s Titan Joker from Arkham Asylum, something of a mashup between Godzilla and the sick-faced criminal from the game itself. You can make a Titan Joker, but you need some of Bane’s venom. Sounds like a trouble recipe. Better wait until this monster is released.

What: Animatronic monkey from The Hangover Part II
Manufacturer: Legendary Pictures
Price: Not for Sale

It’s the ultimate toy. But this computer controlled simian is not for sale. This thing looks so real, you’d think it’ll steal your peanuts.

What: Megaman X Full Armor
Manufacturer: Bandai D-Arts
Price: $41.99
Release date: Out this month

Bam! Looks like a MegaMan X Buster Cannon blast. It’s also one of the most detailed Megaman figures ever made. Bet that blast looks good as Christmas tree ornament, too.

What: Grand Theft Auto III Anniversary Claude Figure
Manufacturer: Rockstar Games
Price: $149.99
Release date: Available now in the Rockstar Warehouse

It’s scary how life-like face of the silent Claude looks. And man, does he have weapons up the wazoo. And you really want a life-size version of his jacket. (But maybe not the blue sneakers.)

What: Transformers: Dark of the Moon -- Ultimate Optimus Prime
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Price: $79.99
Release date: Available now

Glowing lights. A huge Ultimate Super Cannon. And look at the impressive size of those wings. Converts to Omega Combat Armor to destroy those pesky Decepticons.

What: Avengers Figures (Just debuted at NY Comic-Con)
Manufacturer: Hasbro
Release date: Not yet priced or released

Avengers assemble! They’re small, but they’re well-designed and rife with facial detail. And they’re ready for battle. Could Loki be in a nearby display case?

What: Hawkgirl Figure
Manufacturer: DC Direct
Price/Release date: Not yet priced or released

The non-chalance. The intricate wings. Those lips! Those thigh-high boots. Truly, this is the sexiest action figure of the bunch, certainly the sexiest Hawkgirl we’ve ever seen.

What: Final Fantasy XIII-2 -- Serah Ferron figure
Manufacturer: Square Enix/Play Arts
Price/Release date: Not yet priced or released

Serah is cool, but remember, she’s a teacher in the game. Maybe when you buy this figure, you can get her to let loose and teach you a thing or two.

The Thing: From Movie To Video Game And Back Again

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:00:00 -0700

The Thing opens in theaters this weekend, but it's also been around for a long time in one form or another. It's been a book, a movie, a remake, a video game, and another remake that's more prequel that anything else, although it hits the same notes as the other two movies. So if you're into ice-cold terror in the Antarctic, one of these forms of entertainment is definintely for you.

Although the name has been co-opted by Volkswagen, a roadside attraction, and Marvel Comics, just keep in mind that only one of the original adaptations of the book has Kurt Russell in it, and by default that's usually the best one. But does that hold true here? You'll have to check and see. Check out the many different forms of The Thing.

Who Goes There?

In 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. penned the story Who Goes There? for Astounding Stories, spinning a tale about a group of scientists in Antarctica who accidentally discover a spaceship buried in the ice and accidentally thaw out and awake the alien pilot of the vessel. The alien is a shapeshifter that is able to absorb the appearance and memories of both humans and animals, and soon terror breaks out at the research station as the group realizes that any one of them could be the Thing.

The story was a science fiction mainstay for nearly 40 years, and was later published as a standalone novella. In 1973 the story was voted as one of the finest novellas ever written by the Science Fiction Writers of America. In 1976 it was adapted into a comic book as part of the four issue Starstream series put out by Whitman, and in 2002 it was adapted into a radio drama for the BBC.

The Thing From Another World

Hollywood has never been able to ignore a good story, and in 1951 Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby worked on a loose adaptation of Who Goes There? entitled The Thing From Another World. In this version of the story, the revived creature thrives on human and animal blood, but doesn't shapeshift into human form. There's also a romantic subplot between an Air Force captain and one of the scientist's secretaries, in true 50s movie fashion.

While the film was not very faithful to the source material, it became a hit in 1951, outgrossing other science fiction hits like The Day The Earth Stood Still and When Worlds Collide. It has since become one of the most iconic sci-fi hits of the 50s, and it went on to inspire things like Doctor Who episodes and the title of a planned Close Encounters of the Third Kind sequel that was to be called Watch The Skies, the final line of Thing From Another World.

The Thing

Probably one of John Carpenter's more iconic films, and the beginning of what he calls his "Apocalypse Trilogy," with the other two films being Prince of Darkness and In The Mouth of Madness. The movie paired him again with Kurt Russell, who had worked with Carpenter on the television movie Elvis, and in Escape From New York. He would then go on to work with him on Big Trouble in Little China and Escape from L.A.

Ironically, Carpenter's book-faithful adaptation wasn't beloved when it came out. It was trounced at the box office, being beaten by both E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Blade Runner. Carpenter himself told Time Out: "The movie was hated. Even by science-fiction fans. They thought that I had betrayed some kind of trust, and the piling on was insane. Even the original movie’s director, Christian Nyby, was dissing me."

But, the movie eventually came into its own and is now considered to be one of the scariest films of the 1980s. It's had an impact on filmmakers ranging from John Sayles to Edgar Wright, and several attempts were made to try and produce a sequel or sequels to The Thing. Carpenter himself wanted to make a The Thing II as recently as 2004. In the early 1990s, Dark Horse Comics produced several comic book sequels ranging from The Thing From Another World, The Thing From Another World: Climate of Fear, The Thing From Another World: Eternal Vows, to The Thing From Another World: Questionable Research. In fact, you can download the newest The Thing comic from Dark Horse right now, entitled The Thing: The Northman Nightmare, where the creature infects a group of Norsemen.

The Thing: The Video Game

This true prequel to the Carpenter film was developed by Computer Artworks and published by Vivendi Universal Games in 2002, in some cases coming with a DVD copy of The Thing if you preordered it. The game takes place after the events of the film, with a team sent in to investigate the destruction of the American base in Antarctica. As you play through, you encounter some of the characters from the film, while being terrorized with new breeds of Thing creatures.

The game also featured a unique fear and trust system that let the AI characters in the game suspect that you'd been turned if you did something in front of them, like killing a teammate, or they would be on your side if you were protecting them. However, this means that it is easy for a turned character to get close to you and attack you. As in most cases with mechanics like this, you usually just end up distrusting everyone.

The game was a critical success, and a sequel was planned until Computer Artworks shut down in 2004.

The Thing: 2011 Edition

Since Hollywood obviously can't leave well enough alone, a new version of Carpenter's film is out in theaters now. It stays fairly close to the events of The Thing, with different characters, and a lot more CGI. One of the things that made Carpenter's version so endearing and scary was all of the practical, on-set effects, but this new version is heavy on the computer imagery. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing.

However, this film is meant to serve as a prequel to Carpenter's movie, taking place just before the events of that film. Just in case you miss that point in the opening graphic that roots it in 1982, Mary Elizabeth Winstead is blasting Men At Work's "Who Can It Be Now?" through her headphones in her first scene. If you stay through the beginning of the credits you'll see that this movie is meant to dovetail with Carpenter's film exactly.

While hardcore fans of The Thing will blanch at this prequel/remake, it's actually a fairly entertaining movie. Even moreso if you've never seen the Carpenter version. Although ultimately, why this film chose to tread such familiar territory and not expand the concept into something more original is beyond me. However, the film is well-acter (Winstead does a terrific job, as does Joel Edgerton as Braxton Carter, a sort of rough-around-the-edges fill-in for Kurt Russell's MacReady. While it doesn't do anything new, it's a good popcorn flick with several moments that will evacuate your bladder.

What's your favorite version of The Thing?

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