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Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Ten More Things About Dishonored You Should Know
June 12th, 2012Top StoryTen More Things About Dishonored You Should KnowBy Jason Schreier
I don't blame you: in an industry stuffed with marketing schemes and false promises, it's hard to get really excited about a video game until you see it in action. So while Dishonored has been on my radar for a while now, I was never really all that psyched to get my hands on it. Then I played it. And now it's the game I want most this year. You should really, truly, seriously care about Dishonored. Here's why.
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Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello gives us the scoop on Orchid, his dystopian science fiction comic
June 12th, 2012Top StoryRage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello gives us the scoop on Orchid, his dystopian science fiction comicBy Cyriaque Lamar
But for his Dark Horse Comics series Orchid, Morello has traded pyrotechnics on a Fender Bassman for a simple pen. The guitarist told io9 his plans for this post-apocalyptic rebellion tale, which sees a prostitute-warrior named Orchid rising up against the mutants and dictatorial rule of the warlord Tomo Wolfe. Where do readers find Orchid in the upcoming issues? The story from the first issue builds small. The idea was to take it to a very humble place, that is a common teenage prostitute scrambling for a living. She begins to discovers the limits of the society has imposed upon her. The tattoo on her collarbone says "Property" and the brand on her arm says "Know Your Role." You might mistake these for being the same thing, but they end up being very, very different. She discovers that her role is one far greater than the one she was born into.
How are you finding the monthly schedule of penning comics? My esteemed editor Sierra Hahn is constantly cracking the whip for [series artist] Scott Hepburn and I to make deadlines. I love writing Orchid — it's a passion project of mine, and it provides an intellectual outlet as well. For me, it's about exploring a completely different art form. In my rock life, stuff gets done when it gets done. I like the work ethic that Orchid imposes on me. And when we're done talking, I'll march up to my studio to polish the ninth and tenth issues! I immersed myself in comics as a teenager, and it's a welcome return. The fans have been great. What sort of real-world events and political movements inspired the story of Orchid? My favorite fictional characters have their grounding in some historical or fictional precedent. In Orchid, it's the naming of places — the town of Gath is named after the birthplace of Goliath. Fortress Panuel is named after the Biblical spot where Jacob wrestled the angel.
As for a character like Tomo Wolfe, he's a composite of Nietzsche, Goebbels, and George W. Bush. [Laughs] With regards to the politics, the four revolutionary characters — Orchid, Simon, Opal, and Anzio — have their roots in real history. Anzio represents the liberation theologist, someone who has a strong faith and belief in helping the poor and oppressed, but is willing to pick up a sword to do it. Opal is the prototypical idealist freedom fighter. Simon is weak in military background but provides the ideological underpinnings. He's like a Lenin or Trotsky meets C-3PO. Orchid — the Spartacus of Whores — has the drive and bent that you might refer to more as a terrorist than a freedom fighter. It'll be interesting to see how her anger fuels her desire to fight back. You've been recording a soundtrack to accompany the comic. What sort of musical cues are informing these songs? I wanted to be able to create a beautiful, desolate soundscape for this. Two of the inspirations were Peter Gabriel's Passion from The Last Temptation of Christ and Ashes and Snow, a beautiful art show I attended several years ago that combined music and photography. That got me thinking that mediums other than film could have a soundtrack. Orchid #8 hits stands June 27; Orchid #9 hits stores September 12. The first volume of the collected Orchid hits stands July 11; Tom will be on deck that evening at the San Diego Comic-Con for a Q&A and signing. Interior artwork in this article by Scott Hepburn; covers by Massimo Carnevale. |
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Who Is Alex Lloyd And Why Does He Want To Make You Faster?
June 12th, 2012Top StoryWho Is Alex Lloyd And Why Does He Want To Make You Faster?By Alex Lloyd
Hello. My name is Alex. And I am a racecar driver. For years, I have scoured the globe in search of knowledge and wisdom on how to become a faster driver. For me, it was about channeling my experience — and the experience of others — to enable me to win more races. Whether you are a racer in need of the same tips, or some kid who steals his Dad's BMW on a weekend to impress his latest fling, this column should provide you with some valuable tools to achieve your goals. After all, everyone wants to be able to drive faster. When I was eight years old I pestered my father to take me to the local go-kart track. It was a dark and dingy little warehouse in Stockport, England and we used to go every Saturday. I loved it. I adored speed and the following year I began racing karts in all our local events. A few years on, in Y2K, when Will Smith proclaimed it was the new "Willenium," I had won the British Karting Championship and leaped into Formula Ford –- a wingless, open wheel machine that is constantly sliding through each and every bend. At the tender age of 16, I became the youngest ever British racing driver. Over the years I raced around the UK, finishing second in the 2003 British Formula Renault Championship, in a closely fought battle with now Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. That was a hell of a series, with IndyCar's Mike Conway and E.J Viso, as well as F1's Paul DiResta competing, amongst others. That winter I won the Young Driver of the Year award and was named Britain's "New F1 Hope." Which was lovely. The following winter I got my first test in a 950 horsepower McLaren F1 car and, let me tell you, that was even lovelier.
After the high of 2007, I returned to land in an IndyCar and began racing at my dream level. I have now raced four Indy 500's and achieved a best finish of fourth back in 2010. Additionally, I won the Rookie of the Year championship at the end of that same season, and have enjoyed some good success in IndyCar but never received that golden ticket into one of the bigger, more well established teams, to really fight for victory on a regular basis. Are you still awake? Having bored you with my background, I hope you can at least appreciate that I am not some wannabe driver who has never won anything other than a street race against a middle-aged bald bloke, driving a slightly dented 1999 V6 Mustang.
Have you ever raced an autocross and been plagued with understeer, costing you valuable tenths of a second, and wondered how you can rid yourself of this issue? Ever wished you understood more about trail braking, racing lines or the ideal car setup for ultimate speed? Everything above and more will be answered in my weekly column, so please check back. Let's get cracking, turning you into a better, faster and more well-rounded driver, capable of destroying any middle-aged bald bloke that comes your way. Photo Credit: Getty Images/AP |
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