Monday, October 3, 2011

Silent Hill: Paint it Black



Silence will fall... but not today, since this is another Silent Hill comic where nobody shuts up.




And don't forget to check out the Pollo Redesign Contest!

118 comments:

sean dillon said...

just to point out for a future review you will do but Scott ripped of Stephen King in what your doing on the 17th

Mountain King said...

And so it begins…

Sorry for the B5 quote but I think it's deserved and you kinda gave me the ammo. As you pointed out the real fun with this review is the storyline. Oh boy this is fun.

Still the review was good fun. I think your opining summed up the whole thing quite well. A good horror doesn't need exposition, in fact exposition often damages the over all effect. A horror should both makes sense (in and out of context) and scare the reader. Not confuse them to the point where they have to read something else. Wheatley is the perfect example of this problem. If you want to write a Lovecraft horror then write one! Don't try to crossover two mutually exclusive backgrounds. Silent Hill and Lovecraft are two separate things (Silent Hill is stooped in Freudian metaphor and despite Cthulhu I don't think Lovecraft followed those theories)

This isn't supposed to be Fan Fiction. You can't just mash the two diverse and complex histories together (creatively "forgetting" the differences) and pretend it works. The writer, Scott, here just used Silent Hill as a framing device for his own personal story.

I wouldn't mind, if that story made sense or was likely, you know, sane. It doesn't any franking sense. At all. This story is the best way to give people aneurisms. I mean that. I was driven to drink half way though this review and the result is I'm not sure what week it is! My god, that hurt!

Thomas

Anonymous said...

This string of comics really comes off as though someone was throwing the poor writer a bone. He clearly has no idea of the source material, he clearly can't write a thought provoking mental romp, No causing your brain to trainwreck does not count. It just screams, "Hey, Scott, I got a job for you, You know anything about Silent Hill?"

Scott: *clearly lying* Of Course I do! I'm an expert!.

and at this Rate We'll never get to Warrior #4, Whose next?

<.<
>.>

YOUR NEXT!

*Static fade out!*

Alex Stritar said...

Spoony! Nnoooooo!

Anyway, great review, Linkara. I can't believe this exists. I mean, seriously, what's up with Scott Ceisnen? Why would anyone think this would work? I just hope whatever Silent Hill comic is relieced this year is better, if they are still making them that is.

Chewy said...

Wait til you get to Sinners Reward and Past Life...they're actually very good...and canon! (also written by Downpour's writer, Tom Waltz.)

Kaibaman41 said...

"Silence will fall but not today" Oh hey look a Dr.Who reference.

But wow...does this comic SUCKS its filled with...WTF and I have to agree that atleast Dead Alive tried to give a damn! This was just...lazy the "Hero" Pulling Powers out of his ass is just...wow,it could have been real easy to say THE MONSTERS GAVE HIM THE POWERS! BUT NO IT DOESN'T!

But something I'd like to talk about it Marvel for a bit for some stupidity, their is a new event to where Odin Might Destroy The Earth because of a being known as Serphant that is a God of Fear and from what I can tell this creature has the Power to turn people into warriors for him litterally LIKE THOR but with a difference of that person UNABLE TO CONTROL THEIR ACTIONS..

Also before I end I read a big portion of Spider-Island Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand BOY IS IT STUPID...IT NOT ONLY BRINGS UP THE CLONE SAGA AGAIN BUT IT LITERALLY HAS JACKAL AS A MAIN VILLAIN! And lastly their is a new Comic for Spidey coming out in November called Avenging Spiderman...where Spider-Man teams up with Heroes and guessing with this new event story also Villains as well...but I have a bad theory the main thing with a title such as Avenging Spider-Man is that The Peter Parker in the Main Stream Universe get's Killed too but that's just a theory of mine...which I hope it just stays a theory.

rdfox said...

(posted during title sequence)
...wait a second, what's with the EMH's mobile emitter?

Jarkes said...

NOO! NOT SPOONY!

Also... I noticed that you said on your Twitter that the side story for this set of Silent Hill comics will be more "subtle and fun like the first year rather than scary." ...That doesn't mean it won't be scary at all, does it? Because I think you could get a LOT of mileage out of the Entity's scariness with this Silent Hill storyline.

...Holy crap... I JUST FIGURED IT OUT! THE ENTITY HAS CONTROL OVER SILENT HILL, AND THAT'S WHERE IT TAKES ITS VICTIMS!

TimeTravelerJessica said...

Wow that was dreadful. Ike is incredibly unlikeable in this - he was actually bearable in Dead/Alive, but maybe that was only in comparison to the other characters. This started out with such promise too - the artwork seemed a little better, I could actually tell what was going on, and like you said the potential for using art for the horror was awesome, and very much wasted.

Also ....

Spoony no!!!!

Nick Coy said...

HAHA, GLAD YOU LIKE YOUR PRESENT LINKARA

Anonymous said...

Awesome review! :D and NOOOO not Spoony.

ilikeluigi/kaptainkhaos said...

Good one Linkara! Can't wait for Symbiote Planet!

Jay Kidd said...

I think that Linkara may be a hologram... I think that's a mobile emitter on his arm.. Hmmm

Arcane Flame said...

Really enjoyed that episode and Hey a Mobile Emitter. So does that mean the 'real' Linkara was taken already and an Emergency Comic Reviewer Hologram program was initiated?

Toby said...

BURTON! NOOO~!

Oh, and Spoony too, I guess. Entity, just don't take 8-Bit Mickey. GOD HELP YOU IF YOU TAKE 8-BIT MICKEY!

Also, you forgot to credit the Film Crew.

Jack said...

Does this mean that the ultimate warrior review is finally being released? or is it implying more delays? I dont care so long as when the review does come out it is awesome.

rdfox said...

...and now that I've seen the ending, all I have to say is this:

LEWIS, YOU EVIL BASTARD!

That was the most vicious tease *ever*.

(BTW, if you ever need additional audio clips of the sirens that'll be consistent with the movie and games, look for recordings of the Federal Signal STL-10, since that's apparently the particular model they used.)

Malken said...

Wow, this comic has to be one of the most pointless, and failed attempt at storytelling that I've ever seen. Nothing about it is remotely compelling, just a combination of random scenes that don't lead to anything.

Nice to see you came prepared for the town's bull**** this time around!

Ted said...

Oooo! I know why Ike can travel through paintings! Have you ever played Super Mario 64?

Spindash54 said...

Allright Lewis, you got me pulled in with the last 15 seconds alone. I care more for your plot than that of any comic's.

P.S. What's that clip thing on your left arm?

Anonymous said...

The Beast He Comes! Praise Him!

Ross said...

Slight Spoilers
Fuck! Now we're never going to get Warrior #4! *Skronks with anger*
Also, I was waiting for "Paint it Black" to play. Nice. :)

Kitland54 said...

Heh, never was a fan of Silent Hill, but these comics don't seem to capture the horror of those games from what I can tell. Or maybe it's just the fact that no-one that stays for long is likeable.

Also, WHAT?! WHAT?! SPOONY TOO?! WHAT?!

The Exiled One said...

"Paint It Black"?

You can't use that for the ending credits, it's the most depressing song ever made. Too depressing for the show. You need something more pubeat and cheerful...something that makes people happpy...and also something that people immediately associate with horror-related TGWTG reviews...wait, I got it!

"Look at what's happened to me,
I can't believe it myself;
Suddenly I'm up on top of the world,
Should've been somebody else.

Believe it or not,
I'm walkin' on air,
I never thought I could feel so free;
Flyin' away on a wing and a pray'r,
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it's just me.

Just like the light of new day,
It hit me from out of the blue;
Breakin' me out of the spell I was in,
Makin' all of my wishes come true.

Believe it or not,
I'm walkin' on air,
I never thought I could feel so free;
Flyin' away on a wing and a pray'r,
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it's just me.

This is too good to be true,
Look at me
Falling for you.

Believe it or not,
Believe it or not,
Believe it or not,
Believe it or not.

Believe it or not,
I'm walkin' on air,
I never thought I could feel so free;
Flyin' away on a wing and a pray'r,
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it's just me.

Believe it or not,
I'm walkin' on air,
I never thought I could feel so free;
Flyin' away on a wing and a pray'r,
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it's just me"

There, much better!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna sit next to my "Caligula" poster to watch some Pierre Kirby movies while I drink my Crystal Pepsi.

areoborg said...

That is nice of the monsters to keep the abandon town's stores full of food and guns. And to pay to keep the power on too. Does a small town supermarket have enough food on hand and preserved enough to keep one guy alive for a year?

Oh, I hope those twins really are demons and they kill all of the cheerleaders, because once they broke into the guy's place, redecorated, and locked him in the closet for complaining, I was rooting for the monsters.

SPOONY! NOOOO!!!!! Now we'll never get to see the next Warrior review. DAMN YOU ENTITY! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!

PS... I spy with my little eye a mobile emitter. I think Linkara is actually in a room somewhere watching over the dog's shoulder as its working all of the levers and switches. :D

SmashBro99 said...

Oh god, it got Spoony! Now Warrior #4 is even further away!

SynjoDeonecros said...

One question: why are you wearing the EMH's mobile emitter on your shoulder? Are you supposed to be implying that the Linkara we saw in this episode is a hologram meant to take the brunt of the Silent Hill badness and the Entity's wrath?

GundamRX_b1 said...

Well. . .Now I know why it takes Spoony so long to post. He's got run ins with interdiemnsional beings. Probably owes them 20 dollars.

Great review Linkara, you know as a fan of Silent Hill; I can feel myself with each review Dying Inside. THANK YOU GOOD NIGHT!!
Seriously though, this is a bigger horrendous cobblepot of fail more so than Street Fighter. . . .and every elsewordls review you've done. Oh and about the entity, go kicks it's exsistance right in the baby maker.

Anonymous said...

Wow. You would think that someone who's writing a Silent hill comic would research the source material a bit more. But then again, if he took the monsters from the games, then he DID research it...

Nooooo!!! Not Spoony! And Burton! What does The Entity have against blue robots?!?!

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Wait til you get to Sinners Reward and Past Life...they're actually very good...and canon! (also written by Downpour's writer, Tom Waltz.)"

Check last year - I showered praise on Sinner's Reward. ^_~

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Also... I noticed that you said on your Twitter that the side story for this set of Silent Hill comics will be more "subtle and fun like the first year rather than scary." ...That doesn't mean it won't be scary at all, does it? Because I think you could get a LOT of mileage out of the Entity's scariness with this Silent Hill storyline."

Oh, while the Entity's storyline is tied into this year's Silent Hill stuff, the Silent Hill stuff is still its own separate thing.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Also, you forgot to credit the Film Crew."

Gah, you're right! Damn it. XD

Anonymous said...

Well, well the begining of the final Silent Hill comics has begun. I think I speak for everyone when i say no one will miss them.

P.S Linkara, if you don't get the Entity, I will. No one gets in the way of Warrior #4 and gets away with it!

The Last Otori said...

yeah rdfox I noticed the mobile emitter near the end.

Sophie said...

You know, it's complete wastes of space like this that give me inspiration.

Plot I made up off the top of my head while watching this...

Female psychologist, age 38, Divorced. Dead 7 year old son. She's been having therapy sessions with a teenager who escaped the cult in Silent Hill. Despite all her efforts, the boy commits suicide.

She wants to know why, to make sense of things, and to escape her own inner demons. She has a strict belief that Silent hill holds no supernatural power over things or people, a person who does not believe in the spiritual though she has a drive to try and uncover the truth.

She becomes obsessed with the teen's case, and shuts out everything else in her life (really because it's too painful for her to face her own faults and failings) and so she visits Silent Hill to do a case study on the teen.

While she discovers things about the boy she starts seeing similarities between him and her own son and being drawn into the mystery and devilry of the town, freaked out at the things she has no explanation for.

In the end, she will have to face all her fears to leave Silent Hill alive....

So who would rather be reading that story than Paint it Black?

FugueforFrog said...

I just wonder though: with Silent Hill taking over again, could this be the beginning of the end of the Entity...or just a distraction before the final battle?

And...oh yeah, the comic. What the heck were cheerleaders doing in Silent Hill anyway? And why would Ike really be stupid enough to go there? And why don't people give cheerleaders more respect? Sure I see them as fanservice in some ways, but they do a lot of hard work in order to entertain and sort of inspire the fans to support the team. They're sort of for me like how clowns are for you: misunderstood.

Anonymous said...

H͟͞͝a̛͜v͟in͘͟g ҉f͘͞u͘͞͞n̴̛?̀͢

Lord You Know Who said...

Really?

You are NOT shoe-horning the Entity storyline into your traditional Silent Hill reviews?

You know, like you did last year, shoe-horning that ever-present Lord Vyce storyline in them?

And I still can't get over the whole "the magic gun is powered by a lame rip-off of Sadako/Samara from 'The Ring'" Cerebus Retcon. Was it really necessary to ruin one of the few things from your show that, until that point, remained just a traditional TGWTG goofy quirk? You don't see serious "explanations" for Spoony's robot partner or Phelou's immortality, so why did that needed to be explained? Haven't you ever heard of Rule of Funny?

Anonymous said...

Wow. That comic was bad! I mean, hilariously bad. A bunch of cheerleaders, making Silent Hill looking cheerful and pink, and then going all commando? That honestly sounds like an Animaniacs sketch. I can totally picture the Warners doing all that stuff.

But random cheerleaders? In a story that's supposed to be taken at face value!? What!?

Also, SPOONY! NOOOOO!

Jack said...

Wait i figured it out the entity is actually the gatekeeper and he is sending everyone to the blackhole thats why he went after spoony.

Anonymous said...

So the part of your theme that says,"What's that on his arm?" was that refering to something before this episode, or did you plan that all along?

Also the Entity is really starting to annoy me. First Linksano, then Harvey, Pollo and now Spoony?!? Do me a favor, show no mercy. The Lost Beast may have found a home, but Linkara is on his way. Better start packing.

Anonymous said...

In reply to the Exiled One
1: Your not Brad!
2: ummm Random much?
3: Screw you it's the Rolling stones!


Just a horrible mess of a comic this literally screams, churned out to meet a deadline.

Is there anything... Decent by this guy? He owes you that much Lewis

on the Entity
I really want to see the rest of the Warrior reviews, but... Spoony and his bitter angry fanboy schit has run thin on my nerves.

Could you save Spoony just long enough to do the review and then throw him back?

Just a suggestion >.>

Anonymous said...

H͟͞͝a̛͜v͟in͘͟g ҉f͘͞u͘͞͞n̴̛?

"Having Fun?"

Not as much as you are apparently.

lilmaibe said...

Seriously, WHY do these SH comics all feel like they took the stories from the worst of the worst things they could find on ff.net? (Or worse yet, fanfiction posted on LJ)...

And, enti, you should perhabs STOP assimilating people whose personalities/knowledge can cause a celebral overload/logic bombing by themself/in connection with each other...It's not healthy.

Anonymous said...

Really?

You are NOT shoe-horning the Entity storyline into your traditional Silent Hill reviews?

You know, like you did last year, shoe-horning that ever-present Lord Vyce storyline in them?

And I still can't get over the whole "the magic gun is powered by a lame rip-off of Sadako/Samara from 'The Ring'" Cerebus Retcon. Was it really necessary to ruin one of the few things from your show that, until that point, remained just a traditional TGWTG goofy quirk? You don't see serious "explanations" for Spoony's robot partner or Phelou's immortality, so why did that needed to be explained? Haven't you ever heard of Rule of Funny?


Yes... Shame on Lewis for trying different things. His got alot of nerve to put time and effort into something just to entertain you. Shame on him.

Austin said...

Oh my god they killed Spoony

You bastards

awwww finally warrior#4 and now it's delayed again lol.

Radar said...

So, you're hologram now?

Mcfidget said...

(Possible Spoiler?) I see the ECRH(Emergency Comic Reviewing Hologram) is working very well while you are back on the ship(maybe?). Great review can't wait for the next one shot.

BooRat said...

GOD TAT COMIC SOUNDED PAINFULLY STUPID!
Good rreview though!
The funny thing to me was it was funnier to me when you bleeped out the cursing isted of saying it! I don't know why but to me it's just funnier to hear a bleeping insted of the actual word!
On Asses and Elbows I've heard football coaches say it when they want players running as in all he wants to see is the back of the players as the run away from him... and that'd be asses and elbowes! Cheerleading wise I have no damn clue what their terms are!
The character here were just so unlikable I'd actually liked the comic beter if I got to see them all die painfully!
Spooney!!! NOOO!!! Oh well! *weesleing*

God, I hope th writer of this got fired!

BooRat said...

Aslo, as an artistic type myslef I liked his 1st painting in the book... it was actually the only art in the book I like besides the Doctor demon he was pretty cool! Reminded me a lot of H.R. Giger!

James said...

So if this is the last year for Silent Hill comics, does this mean that next October you'll do Resident Evil comics?

Drunken Lemur said...

Okay, since I know you read all your comments, let me use this time to tell you about the "And Philosophy" series of books. Ranging in topics from House to South Park, from Green Lantern to Watchmen, it takes a look at the philosophies inherent in pop culture. Please help by visiting AndPhilosophy.com and voting for future topics and submitting some of your own. I personally plan on picking up the rest of the comic series as well as the Daily Show and Philosophy.

Yellow13 said...

Slight problem here, Lewis. I checked your blip account frequently before I saw this (from noonish until 6, periodically refreshing) and it didn't show up there.

Anonymous said...

Okay, by taking the Warrior #4 the Entity crossed the line. Kick its ass.

Also, did you ever shoot and publish a scene where you go to that Vyce guy and ask him for help with fighting the Entity? Because if not, I might have dreamed about your show, and that would be kinda weird.

The Blue And The Gold said...

Linkara (may I call you Lewis? Feels kinda weird to be directing comments at a persona XD), I commented on your Podcast/Contest video with a theory about Pollo... yeah, just forget that one, you don't have to approve it. Stupid theory, anyway. Should have seen this video before commenting...

Also, most pleased with the extended Red Dwarf reference. So, tiny question (or two): have you seen Back To Earth and are you looking forward to the new series being filmed and expected to be released next year?

Bossman103 said...

Good video. I hate these silent hill comics. They are bland, insulting and just bad,. I think ike issiacs may be the worst silent hill protagonist evr. I men hes not even a character we can sympathise or hate because of what he did. He just is bad as a character. At least with the games the charactrers had depth. POlus if this in cannon where is christabella shi know shes bad but if she is supposed to speak for the town in this universe would you not have her,.or even beter wheres lauren

Anonymous said...

I THINK THE ENTITY IS EITHER THE SLENDER MAN OR CHRISTABELLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
lol, sorry for the obnoxious post :3

Caren said...

Nooo!! Not Spoony!! Dangit! I've been looking forward to Warrior 4! Grrr! *shakes fists*

TheDarkEricDraven said...

Spoony! Curse you Entity! Curse you!

That said, I hope some of the other gang gets in on this. Crisis Crossover!...Well, maybe more like a Red Skies Crossover, but whatever.

Come on NC! All you have to say at the start of your next review is "Hello, I'm the Nostalgia Critic, I remember it so you don't have to! Geez, billions of people are missing. Today we look at..."

Wesley Muench said...

Spoony?

Spoony!

SPOOOOOOOOOOOONYYYYY!!!!!!!

Jeremy A. Patterson said...

CHRISSY AND MISSY ARE KIND OF CUTE!

Jeremy.

Anonymous said...

You made me aware of this comic series. All I see I conquer. All I conquer becomes part of me.

You are doomed.

Jarkes said...

"Seriously, WHY do these SH comics all feel like they took the stories from the worst of the worst things they could find on ff.net? (Or worse yet, fanfiction posted on LJ)..."

You know... it honestly wouldn't surprise me if that's exactly what the guy did... which would be really sad.

Anonymous said...

You know what? I no longer care when people bad mouth Silent Hill 4. That game captured the spirit and horror of Silent Hill MUCH better then any of these damn comics.

Seriously! WTF Scott?! You never played a Silent Hill game in your life, Did you?

And you know what? I seriously wished all those cheerleaders died. And died horribly. I mean absolutely pain inducingly bloody horrible.

So yeah, eff you Scott. Eff you right up the ass with Pyramid Head's giant knife.

Spiderdude said...

No! Not spoony! Damn you entity! Kick it's ass Linkara!

Jesse said...

NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! NOT SPOONY! I want to see more "Spooning with Spoony"!

Entity took Burtrom too. Now its gone TOO FAR!

Anonymous said...

Actually, I don't think it was Entity that got Spoony. It was Gabe Newell, who ate him in order to delay the Warriors #4 review just like he delays Half-Life 2 Episode 3.

Anonymous said...

Everyone you listed in "people who live in Silent Hill" all died. I think "no one lives there anymore." is a good assessment. Most of the people who are there, are people who come from outside. And then they die.

Anonymous said...

It took me a minute, but I finally recognized the mobile emitter on your jacket--Emergency Reviewer Hologram, perhaps?

Also: Hi Spoony! Bye Spoony! I don't suppose he still has his comm badge so you could get a lock on him...

Awesome as ever, Linkara! I was expecting more plot and less review, but I had fun watching this regardless!

JLH said...

Why hasn't the Entity captured Mechakara? Is it afraid of the gauntlet?

Anonymous said...

Any idea if Scott Ciencin's OTHER non "Silent Hill" things are just as bad?

frice2000 said...

Fun review. Like it when you have at least a couple things that you like about a story. Still, think it'd be funnier if you reviewed stuff more often that you're a little more on the fence about, similar to MST3K/Rifftrax where the 'better' movies make for better laughs.

Also...EMH-mobile emitter wearing Linkara here? What?

Tyler said...

You just know this comic would have been 5 times better if Joe and Bear the Dog were the main characters.

Kanbabrif said...

Haven't watched the review yet, but just read the comic itself. And, Lewis, when you said in your twitter account that you actually missed Dead Alive, boy, you weren't kidding. At least THAT had some kind of narrative structure, flimsy as it may have been. This is just random. Random story, random (and dreary as hell) artwork, random characterization (Cheryl.... urgh, just saying that name fills me with rage... seriously, making random references to Silent Hill monsters is bad, but THIS is just offensive.... locks Ike in a closet then frees him and gets all friendly then leaves him to die in the end). Also, I read the first issue of Sinner's Reward. While not a good Silent Hill comic (the narration and murky artwork reminded me more of Max Payne than Silent Hill, and... dead Jimmy provoking Jack? This isn't Blackest Night, dammit!), it's still a good COMIC. Y'know, with setting, plot, likeable characters, rising action, falling action.

I'll be sure to watch the actual episode tomorrow.

Jarkes said...

Oh, by the way, I hear that there's going to be another Power Morphicon this year. Were you invited again?

Anonymous said...

I like how you voiced Joe with, well, pretty much your own normal voice. He's certainly a character you can sympathize with.

Anonymous said...

B-but... He just got a puppy! Damn you, Entity!

buddha90 said...

Sorry but seeing the "Silence will fall" line made me think The Doctor would show up in your show.

The MOD said...

Hey a mobile emitter, how in the hell did you get a 29th century piece of tech did you steal/borrow the Doctor's T.A.R.D.I.S.

Anonymous said...

The Comic: Stupid story aside, I did like the artwork in this one... For the most part anyway. The painting that Ike didn't like, for example.

Your Arc: I know how you're going to catch the Entity and I'm not telling... hehehe. (hint to other viewers: The doohickey on his shoulder. Not saying what it is since that will give away what I'm thinking.)

Fiery Little One

Anonymous said...

I remember picking this up once in a shop- It was the first time I had ever tried to read a Silent Hill comic and I naively assumed it would be as good as the games.

Then I flipped to a random page and saw all the women in military gear. My reaction can best be summed up as "wut."

Crayons said...

I always have pillow fights when I'm totally stressed about the Hellish town I'm stranded in.

Bellarius said...

It's unfortunate but expected to see just how much this one sucked. Tv Tropes actually made part of it sound somewhat good:
"•A Silent Hill graphic novel puts a horror twist on this. A bum artist who went from friend to friend mooching this way sees a report on Silent Hill, an abandoned town that still has water and electricity and fully stocked markets. Never questioning his luck for a second, he moves there and starts painting... and seeing ungodly abominations who are always polite to him and pose for his portraits. He paints them, sends the portraits to his manager, becomes famous and rich... and realizes he's in a Closed Circle. The town is punishing his impoliteness. He tries to escape with the help of a bus full of cheerleaders, but that ends badly."

Okay, promising until that last line. Still, it made great fodder for your show.

John R. Music said...

there are SOME and I repeat SOME good concepts here

silent hill was a resort town

you could re-iterate the characters and concepts here to create a good silent hill game with a new twist and gameplay dynamic

let me lay it out

Young struggling artist goes to silent hill for inspiration and relaxation but finds himself painting only horrific things

he is slowly pulled into the otherworld, and finds his paintings brought to life in horrific scenes

he faces his inner demons whilst being tormented by "The Surgeon" based off that monster design. It would be his version of pyramid head or the butcher

The new gameplay dynamic added to this world would be the use of painting for puzzle solving and getting around obstacles.

And better yet, the painting dynamic could be used to invoke horror and torment onto the player by forcing them to paint things they wouldnt be comfortable painting in order to get around obstacles.

It could be an AMAZING SILENT HILL GAME

just . . . .not a comic dammit

I bet someone could salvage these comics into games, and then write a story about a crazed psychic who sees those events as the comics portray them

heck that huge retcon itself could be an awesome game . . . Madman in an instituition seeing stuff trying to cent it in maddening ways. Turning his doctor (Dr. Whatley) into his own personal boogieman, blaming him for the events streaming into his mind that he cant make sense of! Sure the game would be a clip show of shorts but it would make a good spinoff for the wii to help prime people on the series


GRAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH (TOSSESS VASE AGAINST THE WALL)

VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY Y U NO LET ME OR LEWIS WRITE GAMES FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Simmer Sammie said...

SPOOONY NO!!!!

I am surprised we haven't seen the entity alter the opening themesong yet.

Really? The increasingly combat savvy chearleader who knows 7 schools of martial arts, and not a single Kim Possible joke?

Damienx247 said...

Well... at least Spoony has a month to resolve his own Highlander/Guardian/ Warrior #4 storylines.

Anonymous said...

The Entity ate Spoony? [deadpan]NOOOOOOOO![/deadpan]

I know I've said this before, probably via Twitter, but there's not exactly an adaption of a Konami game into comics that can be considered "Good". Silent Hill, Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid...

As for comments...well, I've got two. First, as I commented on Twitter, I think the Rolling Stones was definitely the better song choice here. In its own way, the dissonance makes it a little creepier.

Also: Alessa was also implied to have been living in Silent Hill as well, only leaving after the first game. That's my fan nitpicking done for the day.

Also looking forward to seeing where you take the end of the Entity storyline.

Marcone Antelius said...

A bunch of cheerleaders show up in an abandoned town with a lone guy and he runs away. What a moron. Every other sane guy would jump at that chance. Missed opportunities....

Anonymous said...

Yay! The Entity got Spoony!

Much rejoicing!

Erik Johnson Illustrator said...

The "Asses and Elbows" line is taken from Sgt Apone shouting at the Colonial Marines in the movie "Aliens". Just add it next to Red Dwarf and Evil Dead that this comic has stolen quotes from.

Anonymous said...

I have a question where is the best character in dead/alive? The dog is missing I mean Ike couldn't leave and I doubt the town (this isn't silent hill so I won't call it that) would take a dog so where did it come from? Great more plot holes hopefully next weekwon't be so headachingly bad and good luck to you if that fog is back

Volvagia said...

One thing I would suggest for next Halloween: Both of the Canon Fodder stories. The concept is The Priesthood has become The Cops. And all the criminals are some kind of undead. Allows you to touch on Fleetway (which you haven't done yet), and Mark Millar (haven't done a direct review yet, though I hope one's coming sometime next year). The mythology sounds absolutely screwy (with Sherlock Holmes as well as with The Bible) and fun to joke with, as well. Or you could just do The Unfunnies. (Which opens with a cartoon crow arrested for possessing child porn given to him by someone from the real world and just gets increasingly and nonsensically graphic from there.) Or, possibly, both...if there are no other Clone Saga stories to do. (Canon Fodder is two stories told in pieces, each across 6 2000 AD issues (progs). The Unfunnies is a 4 issue series.)

Zachary said...

My money's on the end of the entity arc will be Warrior #4. Also Doctor Who FTW

Jarkes said...

So... which is worse? These comics, or Silent Hill 4?

By the way, have you played Silent Hill: Shattered Memories? If you have, what did you think of it?

Anonymous said...

I just got caught up on this show, and I gotta say, I never expected a no-budget show to pull off such interesting plot arcs so well.

Anonymous said...

what's with the pin on the jacket? I don't remember that being there before.

Niceguy64 said...

I find this comic to be more sexist in tone and content than anything you've done before. I mean say what you will about Brodsky but at least he presented the blatant sexism up front, here we have a comic marketed as a horror comic based on a successful video game series. I do not think that anyone who picked up this comic based on the silent hill tittle would agree with his transparent hateful opinion. Sure comics have almost always oversexualized women, but this is so far beyond that, that I'm pining for Liefeld's footless broken spined x-women.

D. Logan said...

I have to say I am a little surprised that Silent Hill: Hunger is not on the list of comics since this is the last year you were doing these apparently. Is it just the UMD nature of the comic that kept it off of the list?

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"I have to say I am a little surprised that Silent Hill: Hunger is not on the list of comics since this is the last year you were doing these apparently. Is it just the UMD nature of the comic that kept it off of the list?"

Pretty much, yeah. I prefer to go for stuff directly published (for the most part) and Hunger's not really commercially available as far as I know.

Ming said...

You know, I don't know which is worse than Dying Inside, Dead/Alive or Paint it Black. All I know is this: Scott Ciencin's Silent Hill comics at IDW all suck. If the other Two Bloody Tales are as terrible as Paint It Black, I think we're all screwed.

PS: OMG, Spoony and Burton's gone! Who's going to be next? Nostalgia Critic and Rob? Nostalgia Chick, Elisa, and Nella? Iron Liz? I think the entire TGWTG.com line-up is in big trouble!

D. Logan said...

"Pretty much, yeah. I prefer to go for stuff directly published (for the most part) and Hunger's not really commercially available as far as I know."

I know it can be found on Youtube in several spots such as http://www.youtube.com/user/MrscoffeyTv, but I do understand the preference for directly published work.

Anonymous said...

Hope you mean it when you say your not gonna do silent hill next October, these are the worst and most boring reviews to me

Volvagia said...

To those saying it's Warrior #4: It's going to be an official video (or two) and Lewis has mentioned that crossovers are not going to count as official episodes. My previous guess was the Bloodstone limited series.

Joshua Ford said...

Are there any good Silent Hill books, comics,etc? Love the review as usual Linkara and it especially helps that you are a Silent Hill fan as well.

Brotherhood of χάος said...

(translated from the Codex of the Brotherhood of χάος )
The Green Knight:
As χάος and it's spawn slowly spread their influence they eventually attacked the home of a powerful being known as Vyce. Vyce survived and swore to destroy that which destroyed his home to protect other worlds from suffering the same fate. The green knight tried to warn many worlds but was ignored at every turn. Eventually Vyce decided that he could protect the multiverse better as a king than a knight.

Anonymous said...

Wait! WHAT ABOUT SPOONY'S UNNAMED DOG (that should be named 'Blob')?

TheDarkEricDraven said...

*Sigh* Listen, Lewis, I really hope these Brotherhood messages are fake. That is SO cliche. Yeah yeah yeah, big alien eldritch being worshiped by a secret order. I mean, please don't get me wrong, I'm trying to flame or troll, but the Entity can have so much more of an intresting backstory. *Fingers crossed*

Anonymous said...

Honestly, if we completely separate this comic from the Silent Hill universe, and the rest of the author's horrible comics, I think it kind of works as a black comedy based completely around inverting tropes.

Instead of a well-meaning protagonist with some sort of emotional torment, we have this asshole who goes for purely physical reasons. And instead of the town seeking him, he just walks into Silent Hill himself.

So now he's trapped in a town full of horrific monsters, with no escape, as he's forced to paint unspeakable paintings. But he actually enjoys it! Then a bus full of cheerleaders crashes, the typical mindless fodder you'd see in a bad horror movie, and that's the thing that sends him over the edge. The "victims" are the real monsters.

Then they start replacing all the actually scary stuff with "normal" things, and it's all incredibly stereotypically "girly" things to make it even more absurd, and this is played as if they're suddenly corrupting everything.

Now normally if a bunch of "innocents" arrived and helped the hero, this is the part where he'd help them band together and fight back. But since this is all about screwing with conventions, they already know everything, and fight the monsters completely without him, with him wandering around in the background of his own story.

Eventually it just goes completely nuts with the inversions, turning the organic and emotional monsters of Silent Hill into technological and emotionless robots, giving the voiceless horrors a voice, and turning the horror story into a pure action movie. But to top all of this off, they end with a huge cliche, the girls were monsters the whole time! A twist that's not even a twist because this was explicitly stated in page 25, only halfway through the 48 page comic. It really is laughable.

The best part about this theory is is not only does it make the story more enjoyable, but it actually makes more sense than the "real" plot. Horrible protagonist? More like antithesis to the typical hero archetype. Mood whiplash? Merely an attempt to further intensify the inverted nature of this story. Illogical progression? Well of course, it's SUPPOSED to go in the opposite direction of what you'd expect! Unintentional comedy? I fail to see how it's unintentional.

Brevek said...

Hey, Linkara, given the focus on art in the comic and what you said about art in the games, I'm surprised you never mentioned that some of the monsters in the games actually were directly and indirectly influenced by surrealist photographer Hans Bellmer

Anonymous said...

"*Sigh* Listen, Lewis, I really hope these Brotherhood messages are fake. That is SO cliche. Yeah yeah yeah, big alien eldritch being worshiped by a secret order. I mean, please don't get me wrong, I'm trying to flame or troll, but the Entity can have so much more of an intresting backstory. *Fingers crossed*"

Y'know, I have the feeling that no matter what backstory the Entity has, it will be a letdown. I mean, the biggest thing about this arc's plot is that it's barely there. It's one big mystery, as opposed to the other arcs. We wrote our theories and expectations on the story but we've come to the point where things have to be explained and and then we'll be all like "ah, so THIS is what the Entity is all about" and move on.

But I do agree that the whole cult thing has been done to death and, unless you really twist it around like you did with Vyce, it'll be a tad dull. And speaking of Vyce, please please don't make your battle with the Entity/its minions a curb-stomp one like before. I want to watch you squirm and suffer, Linkara! XD

Anonymous said...

Gah! Another Silent Hill review.

I hate 'em. You keep playing this creepy music during 'em, which sends shivers down my spine, then I have to go out and try to buy it. Have to!

Well, this time I've got you beat. I just finished uploading my Silent Hill Sounds Box onto iTunes today, and...
What? Paint It, Black? But... I've had Hot Rocks and Aftermath (U.S. edition) for ages.

Anonymous said...

What was that comic trying to do? O_o It certainly wasn't scary (or coherent) and it... it kind of made me think of Frank Miller's post shark-jump work. It's the Goddamn Cheerleaders.

The ongoing entity storyline is far more interesting. And creepy.

Anonymous said...

Hmm. This brotherhood thing doesn't seem legitimate... The word they use for the being, χάος, is chaos.... and the opposing being is Αἰθήρ... which is aether. It also seems cheesy and too Lovecraftian. But that may just be me. Though there was a post of the Entity being pissy about "foolish amateurs trying to spread my word", which could refer to that brotherhood stuff.

RBYDark said...

Catching up now. While I enjoy seeing you tear Scotty a new one, I can agree - time to move on. Anyhow - I can't believe he can screw up something so SIMPLE as a horror artist story - that's like screwing up a 'It came from the woods' story! It's basic horror that would fit well in Silent Hill! Then again, you called his stories last year 'Lovecraftian horror' when, really, it's nothing of the sort, so I can actually see how he'd do that.

NO! NOT SPOONY! HE'S YOUR BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER! THIS IS UNFORGIVABLE!

The DMaster said...

"Sophie said...

You know, it's complete wastes of space like this that give me inspiration.

Plot I made up off the top of my head while watching this...

Female psychologist, age 38, Divorced. Dead 7 year old son. She's been having therapy sessions with a teenager who escaped the cult in Silent Hill. Despite all her efforts, the boy commits suicide.

She wants to know why, to make sense of things, and to escape her own inner demons. She has a strict belief that Silent hill holds no supernatural power over things or people, a person who does not believe in the spiritual though she has a drive to try and uncover the truth.

She becomes obsessed with the teen's case, and shuts out everything else in her life (really because it's too painful for her to face her own faults and failings) and so she visits Silent Hill to do a case study on the teen.

While she discovers things about the boy she starts seeing similarities between him and her own son and being drawn into the mystery and devilry of the town, freaked out at the things she has no explanation for.

In the end, she will have to face all her fears to leave Silent Hill alive....

So who would rather be reading that story than Paint it Black?"

I know I would. Nice job; be sure to post a link at some point if you ever elaborate.

“Anonymous said…

Y'know, I have the feeling that no matter what backstory the Entity has, it will be a letdown. I mean, the biggest thing about this arc's plot is that it's barely there. It's one big mystery, as opposed to the other arcs. We wrote our theories and expectations on the story but we've come to the point where things have to be explained and and then we'll be all like "ah, so THIS is what the Entity is all about" and move on.

But I do agree that the whole cult thing has been done to death and, unless you really twist it around like you did with Vyce, it'll be a tad dull. And speaking of Vyce, please please don't make your battle with the Entity/its minions a curb-stomp one like before. I want to watch you squirm and suffer, Linkara! XD”

…really? Because, as I recall, that was part of the appeal with Mechakara too, and HIS reveal certainly wasn’t a let-down. The mystery was compelling, we saw little of him, especially as time went on, there were Wild Mass Guesses and Epileptic Trees and everything from the fans, then the reveal came, and…everyone was blown away. I think you’re worrying far too much about this.

As for the curb-stomp battle part…it really depends on what form the Entity will take when we finally see it. I don’t expect a straightforward fight scene to be the climax here; even if we get a fight scene, it’ll be a lot more complicated then simply “Beat up the enemy to win.”

Aurabolt said...

Wait...so how is he the best guy of the comic when he throws his friend out and calls him on his bullshit? I mean, yeah, he totally deserved it...BUT it also means that its okay for a character to just be aggressive and infuriating and look down on his friends, calling off shit.

Lewis Lovhaug said...

"Wait...so how is he the best guy of the comic when he throws his friend out and calls him on his bullshit? I mean, yeah, he totally deserved it...BUT it also means that its okay for a character to just be aggressive and infuriating and look down on his friends, calling off shit."

Ike took advantage of Joe's hospitality for MONTHS, eating his food, not cleaning up, and not trying to look for a job. Instead, he spent all his time critiquing his own work and just acting as a leech. When confronted on this, does Ike realize his wrongdoing or attempt to make amends? No, he just looks at Joe confusedly and asks what he wants him to do.

Frankly, keeping Ike as long as he did showed a considerable amount of patience given what we see of him and his personality. Ike is not Joe's friend, nor should we sympathize with him just because he's homeless. This is not the case of someone who has hit on bad times or just through plain bad luck - this is the stereotypical homeless person that that's not supposed to exist - someone who is LAZY and just doesn't WANT to work. Joe is the best character for having the most sense.

Felix Brunschede said...

"Cheerleader Commando Raid". Now I want a comic with that premise. o.o