#truckzilla

[locke-esque-monster]

Has anyone considered that John Winchester's truck was abandoned in Lincoln after the events of 1x21? I mean, sure John was kidnapped by demons and then died, and sure, the tires were slashed, but as far as I'm aware the boys never picked it up, at least not in any canon I've seen. There's no mention of it anywhere I see between John finding the slashed tires in 1x21 through his funeral in 2x2.

For two people trying to pick up John's trail of the YED, that seems like a major oversight. (On the other hand they seem to have his notes to give to Ash, so maybe they did pick it up at one point off-screen.)

That said, considering John was worried when the Impala was impounded he didn't want some junkman finding the arsenal in the truck, wouldn't he be somewhat concerned about the truck's arsenal too? This is not a subtle truck that blends in, and even if it was, it'll eventually draw attention if it's abandoned long enough.

I just have this vision the Lincoln chop shop employee/junkman/police officer who found this vehicle in utter bafflement of the amount of weapons and occult items stored in this abandoned truck. And any employee at the site who found the truck treating it like their own urban legend/mystery who could have possibly owned that truck and why it was abandoned with slashed tires, never to return.

[kirathehyrulian]

I have so many spncarfucking comic ideas, it's a blessing and a curse. It's so hilariously easy for one (me) to take spn's original dialogue and scenes and twist it to spncarfucking in one's (my) head, but the real hardship is then one (me) would have to make them. A spncarfucker creator's eternal struggle. One day tho, they will be made.

Early Season Examples: 1x19- Dean trying to convince Sam to fuck a car so he wouldn't be so grumpy and repressed all the time.

1x20- Instead of John criticizing Dean over the non-existent rust on the wheels, it's for not cleaning out her tail pipe properly after use.

1x20- Instead of Sam and John fighting not over walking away from hunting, it's about John not treating the impala right and abandoning her for a younger taller truck.

2x01- John giving Sam a grocery list of things to get so John can carfuck the impala one last time before making the demon deal. Azazel calls him out on it.

4x01- Sam calmly tells Dean that he wasn't douching up the impala with the ipod jack but trying to keep her happy with toys since Dean was gone and couldn't satisfy her.

4x03- Dean discovers Mary and her parents also fucked cars and Mary talked John into trying it for the first time with a VW van, but Dean talks him into the Impala.

4x09- Sam telling Dean about the car roleplay him and Ruby did

4x14- Sam and Dean fighting over the siren, carfucking, and letting Ruby ride shotgun in the impala while Dean was dead.

4x17- Sam's confession towards the end of the ep about his dreams, but the dreams are more about watching his brother carfuck Baby more than the hunting monsters.

4x17- Zach undo's his whammy on Dean. Dean gets pissed that Zach indirectly caused him to cheat on Baby with a Prius.

5x04- Dean pissed at future!Dean for leaving Baby in ruins and not knowing who they are anymore.

5x08- Impala!Sam.

I've got so much more, but like this is long enough. But, one day I'll get to all of them. One day.

[shallowseeker]

SPN Vehicle meta is always welcome

Please tag me if you run across any!

Season 6 truck of the family man

I’m moderately obsessed with Dean driving a "Cas truck" when he lives with Lisa and Ben

The silver or tan truck seems to be the mark of family protector

Which is why John’s truckzilla is fascinating in its own right; it's a funhouse mirror of what a family protector should be

Sam's little blue cars:

Also, I just know in my heart that the season 14 2019 Ford blue fiesta is Sam’s, even though Cas drives it when he is visiting Sergei on behalf of Sam's wishes to save Jack:

Image credit: Mikael 

Consider these lines from vintage SPN 4x21:

[dooniichez]

Truckzilla and Umithra

[mitigatedchaos]

Concept: A horror movie called The Truck, about an indestructible pickup truck that just constantly follows the protagonists everywhere and attempts to ram them to death, smashing through whatever buildings and obstacles get in its way. It seems to be able to - slowly - pull itself out of wreckage.

The movie ends with the remaining protagonists successfully boarding a plane to Japan, which acts as a hook for the movie's sequel, Truckzilla: Japan.

[gertlushgaming]

Truckzilla Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania Video Review (PlayStation 4)

For our Truckzilla Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania Review, where we experience an adrenaline-pumping adventure with our latest game, Truckzilla – Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania! Plunge into a world of high-speed action and mind-blowing stunts as you take control of the most powerful monster trucks. Related Post: Truckzilla Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania Review (PlayStation 4) 

Truckzilla Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania: Official website. Developer: Midnight Works Publisher: Midnight Works Store Links –  PlayStation Read the full article

[trustacu]

Spooky hoofs

The story sort of ends there, although according to the beast’s Wikipedia entry, a few odd sightings followed. Like any other big & tall-store-shopping bigfoot. The creature itself was never found, but it did leave behind some footprints, which, it will not surprise you to learn, were big. Ford’s husband, Bobby, and his brother, Don were returning from a hunting trip and were able to chase it away - but it later came back to attack Bobby. Though sightings (and smellings) had been reported before, the Fouke Monster fever pitch really hit its height in 1971 when the ape overstepped its bounds and reached through a screen door to attack Elizabeth Ford. So bad it’s been lumped in with other Forteana stink monsters under the umbrella of the Skunk Ape. Story: For those who haven’t seen the classic Legend of Boggy Creek (that’s the trailer above), let’s fill you in on some background: The Fouke Monster is a purported hominid cryptid living near the Texas-Arkansas-Oklahoma border (Texarkana) who has red eyes and smells really, really bad. The gist: Being a 7-foot-tall sasquatch who smells really, really, really bad. As with many regional Bigfoot franchises and affiliates, there is a group dedicated to finding the Mogollon Monster - good luck to them! Also, reports of an “eerie silence” often precede encounters. Anyway, Arizona’s particular Bigfoot, just like a bunch of other Bigfeet, is said to smell pretty terrible. Have you ever heard of them?” Congenial but dull. That’s cool, right?” which is kind of like someone saying, “The Beatles are my favorite band. But it seems that when sending a contestant to the America Monster Pageant, many states default to the safe line of “Well, we have a sasquatch here. I find the sasquatch as deathly dull as you do. Story: Okay, so this and the next monster are both Bigfootish, and I apologize in advance for the lack of thrills there. The gist: A seven-foot-tall Bigfoot-like creature with bad B.O. Photo courtesy of Coconino National Forest Service. Now, can your prehistoric bear-dog do that? If a Kushtaka decides to save you it will transform you into one of its own so that you can now, a supernatural otter yourself, swim to safety. The creature can mimic human voices while in otter form and thus, for good or ill, can lull the drowning by imitating the voices of their loved ones. Depending on its mood, a Kushtaka might aid a sailor - or drown him. A supernatural otter! Are you afraid yet? If you’re a sailor in distress you maybe should be. Orrrrrrrrr you can have a person who shapeshifts into an otter. I mean, sure, you can enjoy legend of prehistoric wolf creatures if you wish. Story: While stories of the Waheela - giant wolves that might be descendants of a species of prehistoric “bear-dogs” - persist in the mythos of Alaska, those of us who were bored to within an inch of our life by the Liam Neeson-movie The Grey might let out a slow, steady yawn. As in, a person who transforms into an otter. Oh, and the pig itself may have started out as a farm pig before being sold to a game preserve. a half-ton pig may (or may not!) have been shot in Alabama in 2007, and 2. So to sum up, there are two terrifying things at play here: 1. Not to be outdone, an 11-year-old boy in Alabama is reported to have killed a 1,051-lb. Georgia had the maybe-made-up tale of Hogzilla (no relation to Truckzilla), which weighed in at just over 1,000 lbs. Story: Tales of gigantic wild boars remain a big thing in those parts of the South where wild pigs still roam free. The gist: Weighs upwards of 1,000 pounds, is wild boar. So read on to see what your home state has to offer the world in terms of things that go bump in the night. My credentials: enormous amounts of time spent as a kid in the library, ingesting every book about UFOs, the paranormal, cryptozoology, haunted houses and every other piece of “X-Files” plot fodder I could lay hands on. Some states have an embarrassment of monsters to choose from (and in the case of Florida… well!), but, with a couple exceptions, I tried to confine this guide to just one monster per state. In fact, there be monsters in just about every state, except for Delaware and Kansas (maybe). Because here there be monsters - and over there, too. Here you will find a field-guide to the werewolves, lake monsters, vampires, swamp people, and space brains that populate these 50 states.

[papasmithcustom]

Nissan GT-R "Truckzilla" Pickup Rendering Is a Practical Skyline - autoevolution https://www.autoevolution.com/news/nissan-gt-r-truckzilla-pickup-rendering-is-a-practical-skyline-145002.html #nissanrender #carender #carrendering #carrenderings #truckzilla #nissangtr #nissanskyline #nissanr35 #nissanr35gtr #nissangtrr35 #r35life #trucklife #r35lifestyle #trucklifestyle #pickup #pickuptruck #pickuptrucks (at Papa Smith Custom) https://www.instagram.com/p/CC33MhMnSLc/?igshid=mqbk9vo12nz1

[uncleshits]

omgcp au where the group's only mode of transportation around campus is a Tandem bike with several add-on-bike attachments

[crzcorgi]

I want to go back in time to buy it! 😳😍😵

[keldae]

Update on the chaos that is my life:

The parental units have decided that if I’m going to be picking fights with road signs in a vehicle, I should at least be picking said fights in my own vehicle. The Camry is about three weeks out from being repaired, and once she’s fixed, she’ll be coming home with me, now that Mom’s got her eye on a new-to-her car for herself. Dad and I are going over the paperwork tomorrow, and I’m setting up a payment plan with them to pay both for the car (which I’d been planning to buy from Mom anyway) and for the repairs.

(I’m pretty sure my insurance rates are going to skyrocket. Ow.)

In other news, it’s been brought to my attention that my family (which has an established tradition for naming our vehicles) hasn’t given the Camry a name in the years that we’ve owned her. This is a travesty that clearly must be amended, especially since Mom’s already named her new car and doesn’t even have it yet. Now taking suggestions for names for a 2007 silver Toyota Camry. (Current ideas Mom and I have brainstormed: Cammie, Shadowfax, the Millennium Falcon, Elbereth, Serenity, Gravedrog. My last car was a blue ‘02 Sebring named Arwen, so...)

[vessellisms]

got tagged by @wolfhaste on my main to post 9 images saved on my phone that describe me 😳 limiting this to strictly shitposts so I dont try and make an aesthetic board or smth

gonna do my tags up here since Im TW some of the memes and wanna make sure ppl who are tagged dont have to scroll and see those memes if they dont wanna @bestfriendsamdean @tintentrinkerin @decadent-prince @sinaesthete @ghost-go-roasty-mctoasty uuuh Ill tag some of my newer mutuals too! hi! @motelcoresam @truckzilla @soulmateswinchesters @itsabookishblog no pressure to do the meme to anyone ofc!

TW NONCON MENT for the last two memes!! scroll with caution. also flashing warning one of the images is a gif

the intrusive thoughts and Sam getting nonconned ones are my edits and the new type of abuse and Lil Nas X tweet are my screenshots pls use them Id be honored. we let minecraft do this to us is also a text from my irl who dragged me into dsmp 😔😔😔

[kirathehyrulian]

But seriously every time Baby'd see John in season 1 it was exactly like the "welcome home cheater meme."

If Baby could talk she'd be passively aggressively drilling John on what that truck could do that she couldn't. John over their panicking and explaining that he had to leave his boys with a car that he trusted. Which is the excuse Baby could buy and understand. She had a preference for the boys anyways that John couldn't help but be a little jelly and bitter about, but he understands it was for the best in the end anyways.

Another thought for a comic. 2x09-2x10 Dean tells Sam that John told him something about Sam and Baby. Sam's like "What?" And Dean says something about Dad's secrets to carfucking and then slaps on/rushes out at the end about having to kill Sam too.

[shallowseeker]

Today, am a little obsessed with the concept of Cas + cars

The "pimpmobile" as the mark of immaturity & unsettled identity:

Ah, yes. THE Lincoln V. Very "Tom Selleck." (Magnum PI)

When he steals the Continental "pimpmobile," Cas is symbolically the young buck who hasn't settled down. Indeed, in seasons 9 & 10, Cas is wandering the world in search of penance, inevitably finding himself drawn into another guerilla-angel war. (The new flock with Hannah has all the markings of modern warfare, from the tracking to the maps on the wall. They're just trying to get home, but it's still war.)

In groups, Cas does not drive the car. (Driving is still pretty boring thing to him, and he misses his wings.) So, then, the Continental isn't perfect fit...he just likes it. It's a "searching" car. Cas is trying to find his preferred path.

1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V. (Image by Mikael.)

///

But perhaps Cas grows into the retro meaning of the Continental

The 1978 Lincoln Continental V was modeled after the Thunderbird and sold as a luxury item. Popular in its own right, colors like the one Cas drove were referred to as "understated like a diamond solitaire." It's aimed at the idea that "'real' men command quiet power and don't need to throw it around for show."

(Images by Mikael.)

When Cas is with Hannah, he starts embodying the retro meaning of the car: "Good guy you got there," says the trucker after seeing him interact with her child. Slowly, throughout season 10, the idea of Cas + parenthood is being planted and watered.

At this junction, Cas makes a bold switch to try to appear more human than angel, and among this is doing penance to Claire Novak. Cas learns that being a father fills him with...something. It's a feeling that appeals to him and gives his life a new kind of meaning. He's starting to create a life-framework he prefers.

Yes, the Continental is a "searching" kind of car. Cas drives it primarily when he's without his own grace. (Who ARE you now? Who are you, without "all the bells and whistles?")

When Metatron steals the Continental, thus begins his own dark night of the soul, and we see him struggling with soul-searching up until season 11. Indeed, Metatron has also lost his grace, and he loses his faith in everything, from his father to the very idea of the novel and stories.

When Cas gets the car back, something has changed in him, and it no longer fits. He's got his own grace back, for starters. He also starts staying in the bunker more permanently, the choosing of the human struggle over heaven's war. He's feeling out his human family and finding where he wants to fit within it. ///

The brown truck as mark of family!protectorhood

And post-Continental, it turns out Cas is toootally a truck guy. A few things about trucks:

they sit higher on the road, so the driving experience is totally different than a sedan, or even a muscle car

in terms of handling, you can generally be much rougher with them

that is, they're less responsive to steering, so you can grip and turn considerably less delicately, which might be really nice for someone like Cas

they're less responsive to braking inputs due to their suspension and weight, so if Cas is a lead-foot, this would also be very nice for him

they can carry heavier loads than cars and for greater distances

they're also very reliable and they're less likely to break down

when they do break down, they're easier to work on

Cas's 1987 Ford F-Series from season 12

In season 12, when Cas steals the workerman's truck, he takes on family protector more overtly (or the "father" role, as Cas conceptualizes it in season 15's Gimme Shelter). The protector!truck is a SPN mode reflected all the way from John's truckzilla to the tan Ford truck (same model, nearly same year) that Dean drives when he's "dad" to Lisa & Ben's family unit. Though perhaps unlike Dean, Cas thrives in this role. It's comfortable to him.

From SPN 1x21, John's black 1981 GMC Sierra Grande truckzilla, and from SPN 6x21, Dean's tan 1988 Ford F250. Far right is the The Ford of the kind man who offered him water and a sandwich after The Great Fall in SPN 9x01.

The tan truck is a positive sign of a healthy father!protector, whereas John's truck represents a crumbling of strength and brokenness, with only the outward signs of being a stable father. The tan truck also has a positive motif of kindness, since it bears a striking resemblance to the truck of the guy who showed Cas compassion when he fell (offering him food and drink).

Cas's taking of this vehicle as he rushes to rescue a kidnapped Sam represents a resolution to offer support as a father figure to Sam, post-Dean's "death." Certainly, Cas is Sam's friend; it's not as simple as Cas being solely his angelic protector figure. But there is an element of "parental" support in how he interacts with Sam, especially in later seasons (Gadreel + grace extraction, loss of the AU hunters + subsequent mentorship).

///

Stealing the vehicles, though!

Nevertheless, there's something a little dark in Cas stealing the vehicles, subtly reflecting the horror of the taking of Jimmy's vessel in season 4.

However, since his body was restored to Cas directly a la "organ donation" from God, this late-seasons vehicle choice can also reflect a choosing of roles and identity.

Of note, in his later vehicles, Cas usually drives them, even in groups. They are more fully his.

///

The tan truck + Jack n' Kelly

But oh, back to the tan Ford truck. This little farm truck is cute. It is probably in this truck that Cas first listens to the mixtape.

Cas continues his parenthood journey in it when he spirits Kelly n' Jack away. When Cas is agonizing over whether or not to kill Kelly, his little tan truck breaks down. It reflects his uncertainty to take on this new mantle of mature fatherhood, almost like Jack is pausing the narrative as he considers if Cas will be a good choice of Father. And after this, in the hotel room, Jack indeed chooses Cas.

In doing so, Jack's also choosing the Winchester human family of which Cas is a part. We see this when Jack literally steals Baby, and Kelly waxes poetic about how Cas has been chosen as she drives it. (And Baby does NOT break down. She complies, like she's agreeing that Jack should be born and Cas is indeed the Father.)

(Images WinchesterFamilyBusiness)

Alas, it ends in tragedy. There's something so achingly sad when we see the abandoned truck in front of this dilapidated lakehouse in the valley. It's a desolate image next to the dusty, dull impala. And unlike with the Continental, which represented a Cas trying to fill a graceless, human role by reflecting Dean, the truck showcases a more integrated Cas with new familial role: spouse. Which is why the widower arc feels like that.

Visually, Cas (the truck) and the house (the family unit) are dead. The war has killed them and left only an orphaned child in its wake. And Dean and Sam are in the valley. (Indeed, when Cas returns, in the script, he's described as long-lost father, returning home from War.)

(Lakehouses have so much spooky symbolism with regards to the interconnectivity of space and time, but that's another tale for another day.)

///

The Dodge SRT-10, AKA The Family Truck: renewed faith + fatherhood + retaking of Angelicity

Ah, the Dodge.

So, I love that Cas has this truck in particular. This truck is legendary, kinda controversial and it's just SO ridiculously overpowered and goes SO fast for a truck, hahaha. It's definitely a family support vehicle.

Originally, it is ALSO the vehicle, throughout multiple versions of the script, that was supposed to have the broken tapedeck. (Which means, since it's a 2000s-era truck, that someone probably had to put in a CD-tape combo. Ahem. Anyway, I prefer these original scripts, because this broken tapedeck mirrors Cas's empty deal wonderfully.)

So, the Dodge. With 500 horsepower and 525 lb-ft of torque, it is the fastest truck available, doing 0-60 in a reported 5.2 seconds. It's just so overkill for a quad family truck. ("Nobody else was making a four-door truck with 510 horsepower, so the Dodge people took it upon themselves to fill the void.")

This looks like a shopped-for truck. You're not just gonna happen across a truck like this. "Less than 10,000 of these were ever produced and with a fire breathing V10 under the hood, they were quite possibly one of the coolest trucks ever made." So, we can guess that yes, Cas does appear to genuinely like trucks, and he definitely seems to have chosen this sledgehammer of a vehicle.

The Dodge Ram 1500 SRT-10 pickup truck (specifically for work/hunting and family support). It's a stupid lot of power stuffed into a truck, like how Cas is an angel is stuffed into a human.

Also, this hints that Cas likes rapid acceleration and driving fast. This makes sense to me, as he complained about the Impala being slow, and he told Hannah in season 10 that he would take the curves FASTER "to help her nausea." (Oh, Cas...)

For the later seasons, this truck is visually very "Cas," and in scenes and drafts, he's exclusively the one driving it, and he's usually driving it when other family members are feeling vulnerable; ergo, support. (See original draft versions of The Spear.) Like the specter of the double diamonds in 15x09, The Trap, Cas is utilitarian and pragmatic, a divergent-convergent thinker.

In season 14, Cas also drives:

The blue Ford Fiesta

But I'm 99% confident this is Sam's car

Because vintage SPN underlines that blue, nondescript cars are actually Sam's preferred car make and look

It's fuel efficient, so Cas takes it to the shaman

Also, Cas's acting on behalf of Sam's wishes when he goes to see Sergei

Ford LTD Crown Victoria (the bird poop car)

Presumably, he drives the bird poop car in Peace of Mind to be a little more incognito than the big, imposing truck

It also reflects Sam's low state of mind

Sam drives it in Moriah, too, a direct parallel to Sam versus Chuck and Sam versus Mayor Harrington from Charming Acres

The super sexy 1968 Mercury M100

Another truck Cas drives in late season 15 with Jack is this open-bed teal classic. The incredibly collectible 1968 Mercury M100.

And this M100 is delicious.

It's also, like the SRT-10, highly sought after and not a truck you're going to just happen across. It's another shopped-for truck. (I find it unlikely that it was one of the classics sitting in the MoL bunker, since they were slaughtered by Abaddon in 1958 and this one's make is 1968.)

So, either Cas has gotten into rare trucks (a real possibility since this one is even more challenging to drive), or Dean shopped this one with him, too. It's probably a mix of both, considering that in 13x22's Exodus script, Cas is shown helping with basic mechanics and repair. It's very possible that Cas has developed an interest alongside his newfound interest in human language and metaphors.

ANYWAY, these M100's are as classy as fuck and are actually workhorse trucks, too.

It's got a legendary straight six engine, and again, there weren't many of these vehicles built or sold. (Straight six is a trusty little pump of power, especially for the time. It's also easier to work on than most; would be great for someone who's only so-so at maintenance.)

This truck, unless it's been upgraded, is a little bit hard to handle, too. It takes a firm grip and a heavy foot, because it's a manual through and through. Manual gear shifting and no power steering. It's a two-hander just to go around curves.

In terms of its style, it's a little more laidback than the Dodge, which is probably why Cas is taking it on the murder investigation (i.e. not hunting). It's got an open bed, which means it's probably a little more fun for Jack, too. (Indeed we see Jack enjoying sitting in the truck bed. The green/teal is a symbol of renewal & growth, visually keying into Jack's return and the slow healing of the family unit.)

CASTIEL: My name is, um well, my name's not important. I do know what blind faith is. I used to just follow orders without question, and I did some pretty terrible things. I would never look beyond the plan. And then, of course, when it all came crashing down, I found myself lost. I didn't know what my purpose was anymore. And then one day, something changed, something amazing. I... I guess I found a family, and I became a father. And in that, I rediscovered my faith. I rediscovered who I am.

This is Castiel's preferred answer to season 15's question of nihilism.

This is what Castiel has chosen, and his later-seasons vehicles reflect this desire and this chosen identity. He even walks away from it in 15x06 to meditate on his path, and when he steps away, he sees Chuck for what he is. He chooses to come back specifically to fight Chuck's machinations and protect his family from them. To help them find their way post-existential crises, the way they helped him find his way re:Heaven. For better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish...till death do us part.

//

Some other Cas + cars fun stuff

The broken tapedeck in the script

The Fiesta is totally Sam's car

[justinhubbell]

In a previous post you said "dont get me started on godzilla" as well as something about orcs.

Consider this me getting you started on Godzilla!

Also, orcs? Why orcs?

Oh no. What have you done?

Let’s skip past my (embarrassing) encyclopedic knowledge and focus on how it all began. “Dinsoaurs!” with Fred Savage. Specifically 8 minutes 33 seconds in.

Picture if you will a young Trans Nonbinary of six years, gazing at a television and witnessing a prehistoric monster mentioned by name and name only.

This was my introduction.

This half-second reference to one of the most famous pop-culture icons of all time. Honesty at that time? I thought the black-and-white photo was a photo of an actual living breathing phenomenon, though perhaps deceased. For many Moons I stayed ignorant, living with the mystery of who or what this “Godzilla” was. Eventually I approached my parents, and was astonished to find that—indeed—even they had heard the name “Godzilla.”

Godzilla. An American bungling of “Gojira” and yet so appropriate.

This was more than just a man in a 220 lb suit. This was God. And for decades after, Godzilla would become my God.

At this point I can’t help but share the short film “Coming Out” by the one the only Cressa Maeve Beer.

I was a neglected, bullied child. Invisible, hurting, ignored.

When at last I saw (eyeroll) the Americanized “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” with Raymond Burr (gay, btw) there was no going back,

Godzilla was something you couldn’t hurt. Godzilla was someone impossible to ignore.

I think I was seven or eight when I finally saw this movie. And to my amazement, there was more. So much more. No matter how bad things got, there was always Godzilla. I took to the libraries, the blockbusters, the “Hollywood Videos” (anyone? anyone?) anything everything Godzilla I wanted to consume.

You have to know this was exceedingly difficult. There was no internet in my house until late 2000.

Furthermore my love of Godzilla was consistently mocked by my Dad (a Trekkie.) While on the surface he valued peace and nonviolence, my interests in the chaos and destruction of giant monsters were decidedly uncouth. Still, there was no getting past it. I was a child, obsessed.

Image from my personal private collection (1/2)

Regardless of how you feel. Godzilla is the most successful movie franchise in the history of film. What other movie can you think of with 31 sequels? Godzilla is the third most recognized character in the world next to 1. Jesus and 2. Santa Claus. Even the term “Zilla” is an adjective meaning “bigger and angrier than necessary” (such as: Bridezilla or Truckzilla)

To this day, the original 1954 roar of this monster sends shivers of delight down my spine. Nothing else comes close. And who’d have thought? Simply a leather glove running down the strings of a standup bass.

Eventually, even Alex would be forced to reckon with my intense love.

Read the entire comic HERE

For years and years my love of King Kong (1933) ran neck and neck with my love of Godzilla. They were my G.O.A.T.s...

...but finally after a decade of hand-wringing it would be the original 1954 “Gojira” that would finally claim the title “Favorite Movie of All Time.” First of all it wasn’t racist, and secondly the true hero of the film is Emiko Yamane (a woman! gasp!). This, and the decidedly anti-nuclear message of the film puts it above “King Kong” in my book (though it’s impossible to mention one without the other!)

Alex would go on to not only make my favorite ever hand-made stuffed Godzilla toy -- but make a COSTUME based on said toy -- AND purchase my most prized Godzilla collectible for me (in a true Sugar Mama move)

What can I say? I love Godzilla.

I will not and can not die before I visit Japan and see for myself Toho Studios where it all began. And you have to know I had collaborative gallery show in Tokyo planned for 2020 before all hell broke loose and I’m still grieving (as greedy as this sounds) I do not regularly get to speak of Godzilla with any enthusiasts, especially these days. But it is a subject I am prepared to discuss for many, many hours.

In fact - I conducted a lecture concerning the history and sociopoltical importance of Godzilla back in my Art School days. I submitted an unpromted essay for extra credit for my History of Film class on “Gojira” because I thought my professor could use some supplementary material with regards to American-Japanese cinema following WW2.

I would literally keep going but the leftovers have been heated up so it’s time for dinner.

As for the Orcs? Start here and circle back when you’re ready.

[gertlushgaming]

Enshrouded Demo Preview (Steam Early Access)

 For this Enshrouded Demo Preview, we play a game of survival, crafting, and Action RPG combat, set within a sprawling voxel-based continent. As you journey across the mountains and deserts of an open world, you are free to choose your path and shape your destiny. Ignite the Ancient power of the Flame, and piece together the fragments of a story that unfolds below the surface.

Enshrouded Demo Preview Pros:

- Decent graphics. - 29.53GB Download size. - Full controller support. - Graphics settings - display mode, resolution, v-sync, field of view slider, and graphics preset. - Controller settings - three controllers presets including custom. Invert axis and sensitivity sliders. - Can rebind controls for both the keyboard and the mouse. Mouse sensitivity and camera smoothing. - Character creator - male and female preset models. Change - hair, hair color, beard, beard color, voice, and name. - Three ways to play - private, host an online game, and join an online game. - Can name your save/world. - The demo has an 8-hour time limit. - 3rd person view. - A full 3D world with 360-degree camera control. - Earn and learn new recipes. - Massive skill tree. - The compass at the top of the screen shows objectives. - Stamina system for running, blocking, and swimming. - The game runs at a smooth speed. - Stunning locations. - Cooking is like in Monster Hunter where you time how long to cook it for. - Full crafting system and you have basics you can craft in the menu with bigger more complex builds being done at a crafting table. - The flame acts as a respawn point, you need it for your house and you can upgrade it to expand the base size and to gain global effects. - Hack and slash combat with melee ranged, and magic options. - Quick easy looting and gathering resources system, just press a button, and no animations. - Full base building, lay down an altar to start your own house with all the parts and shapes put into groups for quick access. - Day and night cycle. - Handy lock-on for hunting and fighting. - Stealth is a must from crouching to be quiet or hiding in the bushes to lose line of sight. - Loot chests everywhere and you get a loot all button. - The shrouded is foggy areas that appear on the map and house the worst of the worst but also great loot and enemies with rarer crafting resources. - A hot bar means you can have a load of items and weapons on a quick-access radial menu. - The game world is massive. - Drag and drop inventory system. - Many enemy types. - A lot of secret and alternate routes and rooms. - When entering a dwelling you get a pop-up showing comfort level, warmth, and if it is sheltered. - Rewards you for your exploration. - Earn exp from everything and get skill points to put into the skill tree. - Weapons and tools degrade over time but they can be repaired. - The map uncovers as you explore and fills in points of interest and mission markers. - Fast travel to your last altar visited. - Tutorial text pops up in the menus as you unlock new things and it can be replayed. Enshrouded Demo Preview Cons: - Performance hits in places, usually with high enemy numbers or when blowing up walls, etc. - A lot to take in. - The time limit is annoying. - It is a demo so of course but it has no achievements. - The way they get you moving along is not as tight as it could be. - So much menu surfing. - The inventory management for many items and tools/weapons is less than ideal and a good fix would be a way to have multiple hotbars. - Combat is up and down in terms of difficulty. - Couldn't see any Ai party members for us solo players. - Using the bow against animals is not great. - Had a few cold transitions between day and night. Related Post: Truckzilla Monster Truck Mega Ramp Mania Review (PlayStation 4) Enshrouded Demo: Official website. Developer: Keen Games Publisher: Keen Games Store Links - Steam Read the full article