The rarest Japanese item in my Wonder Eggs collection...

Hello friends, I hope that you are well. It’s been a few months since my birthday, but I wanted to share something that I got at the end of 2025. As you may remember I was the co-host on the Pink Monorail Podcast. My wife Shelly was a theme park historian, and teacher. On the show we did a deep dive on the parks, technology, and the people that shaped the industry. Her favorite park was E.P.C.O.T. which was Walt Disney’s secret project before he passed away in 1966. It took all of his remaining team members in order to complete it in 1982. Shelly has a collection of rare E.P.C.O.T. items from Walt Disney World over her workspace. She used to have a much larger, and much rarer collection of animation, and theme park items from all around the world. Unfortunately they were stolen by a family member, and sold for drug money. The few things that remained she was very proud of.

By comparison I was a huge fan of Wonder Eggs which was the first video game theme park. I did a multi-part series on it, the links are below. I had a much smaller collection of Wonder Eggs items which I had been slowly acquiring over the past decade. I could literally put everything I collected in a shoebox. One of the things I got for my bday was an old issue of Namco’s magazine NOURS which covered the opening of Tamago Teikoku aka the Egg Empire. This was the sister park built next door to Wonder Eggs.

I can often find Nours magazines from 1998 and later, but issues from 1993-1995 rarely come up on the Japanese auction sites. I got the fifth issue which was from Autumn of 1994. It was filled with photos, and a complete write up of the Egg Empire. It also covered what changes happened with the Wonder Eggs attractions. I was fascinated with how much had changed in the few years since its opening. It was a time capsule of one of the most important eras in theme park history, and sadly not a lot of historians were even aware that it existed.

The most important thing that I was able to score for my birthday was an actual employee badge from Wonder Eggs. It belonged to a person whose name was "Suzuki." Up until that point the only items I had acquired were from visitors. Or could be purchased in the gift shop. Things like plush mascots, tickets, pins, flyers, and even the official park soundtrack on CD. Getting something that was from an employee was astounding. I had never seen one for sale previously, and even when searching through previous auctions none had never come up. I just so happened to be at the right place, at the right time when it appeared.

The name tag wasn’t cheap, however given its rarity it was worth the price to me. It looked great in my collection. There were very few items left on my wish list, but I don’t think I’ll get anything cooler. If you collect anything unique tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Future is in Good Hands, the Brian Stupski Interview... A 1UP Classic from Apr 10, 2009

Brian Stupski is an impeccable artist. He is the last interview featured in my car series but far from being the least important. He is the designer behind Problem Child Kustoms (clever name!) a studio that has amassed a solid showing over the years. I first noticed his renderings in Rod and Custom. I didn't remember the name but I remembered the cars. Over time I would see the familiar style in different magazines, like all the great artists, a fingerprint that was unique in the world of auto art. I finally committed the name to memory and tracked down his website and blog. Thanks Google!

Brian has an eye for shapes and designs that perfectly compliment each of the project cars he's asked to render. As with all the great designers he lets enough of the original design cues through while adding subtle layers of changes to the car. Making the ride instantly recognizable but different in a way, more brutal and stylish. Studying his art makes me want to be a better illustrator. Brian is also one of the youngest designers I had the pleasure of speaking with for this series. Like the rest from my generation he still finds the time to play video games even though he's supposed to be focused on his career. He likes his sports, especially hockey and loved his cars. If Brian represents the future of custom design then all I can add is that the future is in good hands.

Noe V. Brian, thank you for the interview. We'll begin with the question I'm asking all my special guests. When did you first get bit by the car bug?

Brian Stupski: I was born into a "car crazy" family, so I suppose that I really never stood a chance of NOT being bit! My father was a mechanic, and my mother really enjoyed cars, to the point of being extremely involved in their car club, and even running the annual show a few times. I was even brought home from the hospital in a muscle car, a '66 Charger.

Noe: What were your favorite cars growing up, any favorites that the parents or family drove?

Brian: A '55 Chevy (my parents were big Tri-Five fans). I had a big thing for Chevelles, '68-'72 and first generation Camaros.

Noe: Did you have any heroes from racing or car culture?

Brian: My hero from racing is Tom (the Mongoose) McEwen. My other heroes would be Ed Roth, Charlie Smith, Thom Taylor, Steve Stanford and Gene Winfield.

Noe: What is your daily driver and what would be your dream ride? Brian:

My daily driver is a Buick Regal GS... My dream ride would be a '69 COPO Chevelle.

 

Noe: The Big 3 US auto makers are not doing very well right now. How do you feel about their situation?

Brian: In some ways, I can't but feel they brought this upon themselves by giving unions too much power. On the flip side, with people buying foreign-made products and the government backing foreign companies I feel they've been given an unfair shake.

Noe: Some argue that the car companies were hopelessly out of touch with the public, the designs of legacy cars bland and uninspired. If you could redesign a model or bring back a classic which would you choose and why?

Brian: I would bring back Oldsmobile. In doing so, I would concentrate on the premise of that make, which originally was technology and performance. Considering today's emphasis on technology and leaps in engineering performance, I think that it would enormously successful in the present.

Noe: How would the closing or the failure of the Big 3 effect future generations of designers and artists?

Brian: Beyond crashing what remains of our economy, it would require American designers to adopt the aesthetics and techniques currently utilized by foreign carmakers. Obviously, it would change the face of American car design which has always been a unique art form.

Noe: We can't focus on the negative only. Is this a chance for the auto makers to unleash new technology, legacy designs and green fuel to regain their status?

Brian: Most definitely, but you have to wonder how committed they would be to this change when it was brought about my force. I sincerely hope this is the turning of a new leaf and that the new designs in technology will create cars that can hopefully inspire future generations of hot rodders and car designers.

Noe: Let's (pardon the pun) switch gears and talk about your design background. How did you discover your talent for art?

Brian: I always drew as a kid. As soon as I could hold a pencil that's all I would do and it was almost always exclusively cars.

 

Noe: How did your family or teachers help encourage your talent?

Brian: My family was always very encouraging by giving me drawing supplies and asking me to draw. My art teachers encouraged me by exposing me to artists and designers with whom I shared a similar style. However, math and science teachers were not so receptive. I often heard that, "You'll never make a living drawing cars".

Noe: I've had the good fortune of interviewing legends and personal favorites Thom Taylor, Tom Daniel and George Trosley for this series. Growing up did you have any inspirations from the world of car design?

Brian: Guys like Tom Daniel, Larry Wood, Dave "Big" Deal, Dave Bell and Steve Austin were huge influences. I more or less knew I wanted to design custom cars the first time I saw a Harry Bradley drawing. Add to this my infatuation with CARtoons Magazine and Mort Drucker's incredible character art in MAD Magazine and my future was inevitable.

Noe: Which school(s) did you go to? How important was a formal education to your art and career?

Brian: I studied fine art at a small private college prior to moving on to Buffalo State college. My education and training in drawing, painting and print making gave me an understanding of classical techniques. I think that formal art training is tremendously important, especially with the availability of digital means. I had attended the Art Institute of Phoenix and studied animation and motion graphics prior to completing my formal education at Collins College, where I learned Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. While I utilize digital techniques in most of my works, I feel that my fine art training adds an extra dimension to my work.

Noe: How did you get work creating renderings for the car magazines? Did you have a portfolio that you shopped around or did you make friends at conventions?

Brian: I started out creating art for local shop projects, as well as my employers. Eventually, I would send samples of my work to editors of magazines hoping for exposure. My first break came at the hands of Damon Lee, who at the time was the editor of Custom Rodder Magazine. From there, I was fortunate to build a reputation for quality work and built a portfolio based on referrals from prior clients.

Noe: Explain to us the relationship between a designer, builder, fabricator and client.

Brian: First and foremost, there needs to be open and honest communication at all phases of the project. It's very important to have all members of the team get along, both personally and professionally. The key is to be able to read your client's desires and tastes and be able to translate this into a design that not only coveys this vision, but can also be accomplished by your builder and fabricators.

Noe: Your work compliments traditional hot rod designs while also giving a nod to modern racers. We see the familiar big engine blower on some designs but incorporated on a car that's closer to the ground with larger wheels, big brakes and a profile more familiar to a street racer than a 1/4 mile monster. How do you bring the classic and modern worlds together?

Brian: I've always been a fan of artwork that features high contrast or some form of juxtaposed elements. Throughout my fine art training, I was often inspired by the Surrealists and Futurists (Dali, Braque et al,) and try to incorporate combinations of objects or situations that at first glance may seem unnatural but when viewed together make perfect visual sense. It's fun to blur the lines of traditional and modern and in doing so, forget any rules and just create a cool car. I think that if you carefully toe the line, you find ways to stretch the envelope, and can, more or less, drag in a traditional style to a big, modern wheel and so-on. The trick is to balance the two themes, and have respect for each.

 

Noe: Your company has been building a name for a few years. What are the things you look for when redesigning a classic car? What do you hope to accomplish? Is a television show or Hollywood wedding in your future?

Brian: When redesigning a car, especially a popular classic, I try to compliment the original design but still make a unique statement. Every change needs to serve a purpose. The fun is in making changes that may not be immediately recognizable. I especially enjoy it when a design inspires a double-take or when the changes flow well enough that they go unnoticed. I would love to pursue my other dream of writing comedy for film and television...but my wife may frown on me having a Hollywood wedding! I'm a fairly private person, but might really enjoy a stab at hosting a TV show about cars, design, and the lifestyle in general.

Noe: Who were some of your favorite clients or which were your favorite projects?

Brian: When the check clears, I love everyone equally. While I've been fortunate to work with some of the biggest names in the industry (Rad Rides By Troy, Recovery Room, ProRides, Chrome Shop Mafia) it's often the low-buck or personal projects of private clients that can prove both challenging and incredibly rewarding. I just finished an 1952 Buick project that will debut at the 2009 Grand National Roadster Show, which blurred the line between private builder and well-known shop, and was as close to "dream clients" as I've ever been. That will always remain a highlight of my career, as the team of owners, builder and myself as designer meshed throughout the process.

 

Noe: The mind-scrambling A-Tona is my favorite of your designs, which of your cars would you most like to see made into reality?

Brian: Thanks! Either the A-Tona because it's such an over-the-top cartoony hot rod or the Mahi-Mah-Tee, my personal take on the 1960's era show rod. While I'm commonly known for my more subtle designs, both of these vehicles represent my wilder side, and have a definite "in-your-face" nastiness and fun quality... They're really a metaphor for what this whole industry is about.

Noe: If you could pick a designer to work with, past or present, who would it be and why?

Brian: Larry Erickson or Harley Earl. Both are legendary...imagine working with both in one room. Between Harley's iconic designs in the '50's that defined GM to Larry's modern day reinterpretation of design at both GM and Ford. It would be design without bounds... of course, having coffee with legendary French coach builders like Figoni et Falashi wouldn't make for a bad morning, either!

Noe: Being a good artist does not a professional designer make. How important is it to know your history and cars before making a career out of design?

Brian: Tremendously important. If you don't know your history, how do you know where you're going? If you don't understand the logic behind the original design, improving upon it is almost impossible. Like anything, the more information you have the better decision you can make. Anyone can change something for the sake of changing it but someone in-tune with the raw materials before them can create a true work of art. My professional background is in the auto industry, and centered around parts and service... That hands-on training and experience has proven invaluable when designing a project, and affords me insight that someone trained in only drawing cars doesn't have. I can supply part numbers, references, and even estimate build times for components or modifications... It's proven to be a great added value for my clients.

Noe: How important is a solid foundation in art for developing the right techniques?

Brian: Knowing the traditional tools, how to use them and being trained in classical techniques gives you a better opportunity to express your vision. Once you master these, the world is wide open to break the rules and develop your own style. I've found that my education in painting and life drawing have had a profound influence on the way I apply my skills to the digital tools (using them more like traditional paintbrushes and pencils, versus pixels and vector shapes). Understanding the basics gives you a solid foundation to grow on, and really leaves a wide open path to find a unique style.

Noe: What advice would you give budding artists that are thinking about a career in professional design?

Brian: Study Dentistry instead - much more lucrative... Seriously, though, have fun with it, and accept that it won't always be fun, but know when to recognize when opportunities arise that ALLOW for that fun, and make the most of them.

Noe: What about learning the basics?

Brian: Devour all you can. Take life drawing classes, painting, any fine art classes. There's no substitute for formal training and practice... Draw every chance you get... Simply relying on the technology to draw for you is a waste of potential, and to become truly good at anything requires dedication and hard work.

Noe: What about building a portfolio?

Brian: Be as diverse as possible. Include works from all media. The broader your appeal, the more creative work you will attract, and the more influences and inspiration you can bring to the table with every piece you create.

Noe: How about schools?

Brian: Look for a school with a balanced program, of both traditional techniques as well as classes in modern technologies. Seek instructors who have varied interests and backgrounds so that you may incorporate their experiences into your own work, and above all when in school make it your number one priority.

Noe: Last but not least, what about originality?

Brian: Goes without saying, having an original style or technique will give you a distinct advantage. Simply copying someone else's style will subject you to a career filled with statements like, "Oh your work looks just like So and So's". Be prepared to improve your style and push it to evolve as others will very often copy your style.

Noe: I have to tie this interview in with videogames or my friends and readers might have a fit. Do you play videogames? What consoles?

Brian: PS2, Wii and my all-time favorite 3DO (does anyone else still love this thing?). I have a fascination for the more "old school" fighting games like Street Fighter, Way of the Warrior (reason alone to buy an old 3D0!), and sports games like Madden Football, and the NHL-sries from EA Sports... man, I love me some Hockey!

 

Noe: Do you have any favorite games, systems or gaming stories from growing up?

Brian: I love Super Mario Brothers and being a big hockey fan I really enjoy the EA Sports NHL franchise. Growing up we'd play the Atari 2600 almost non-stop, and bike rides to the local arcade strengthened my wrists for countless hours of drawing cars.

Noe: Would you like to design cars for a videogame some day?

Brian: Most definitely. I think the world is ready for a REAL hot rod inspired game, and I think it would be a blast to be a part of a project like that!

Noe: Are there any titles you look forward to playing, or any projects you would like to be involved in?

Brian: I would love to be involved in a "Top Gear" based game. Or more realistically, the Need for Speed series... As far as new games, I'm looking forward to playing Resident Evil 5, Mass Effect 2, Street Fighter IV, and God of War III.

Noe: A few of the artists I've interviewed had hobbies outside of gaming, they built models, R/C cars and racing carts. Are there any hobbies that you've never outgrown?

Brian: Model car building has always been a focus in my life, painting, building custom surf boards and model railroading. As well as playing with my thee boys and two dogs. Also, making obscene gestures at people in traffic is a fun diversion... To some, it's a simple gesture, to me, it can be art. Am I allowed to say that?

Noe: You are one of the youngest artists I am interviewing for this series. Your legacy in the car community is still being built. At the same time you represent the future of the culture. What lessons have you learned from the legends?

Brian: Having really good hair seems to be a common trait amongst the greats. I mean, man... Foose has inhuman hair, and Thom's is hair you immediately picture when you think of hot rod design... Seriously, developing a unique style and consistently presenting the work with a reverence to history is extremely important. Add to this, an ability to promote yourself and have your work sell itself, especially in today's web-centric society is a key to success and offers opportunity that our predecessors did not have... the key is to market your talents properly, and not under-sell... If you price your work too low at the start, you'll only make that hill harder to climb later.

Noe: Where do you see the future of hot rod and custom culture headed?

Brian: With the economy so shaky and people getting back-to-basics I see a return to the more traditional do-it-yourself style of hotrodding with an emphasis on superior quality. The popularity of hot rod-themed television shows, and the accessibility to top named builders will help to inspire this new level of quality.

Noe: What are the short term and long term goals for your studio?

Brian: Short term - to feed my family and keep a roof over our heads while creating top-notch work for our clients. For the future I'd like to expand the studio to encompass lifestyle-related products as well as a full line of hot rod and custom parts and accessories, perhaps one day expanding to many locations via franchise opportunities.

 

Noe: Do you want to give any shout outs or props to your co-workers or sponsors?

Brian: I've been fortunate to become friends with some of my heroes, one of these being Charlie Smith who has become not only a good friend but a mentor. I'm fortunate to have support of clients who not only share my vision but inspire me to push harder. It's incredible to work with skilled builders like Zane Cullen and Tim Strange who can take an idea from paper to reality and absolutely nail the design. I've been very fortunate to make friends who design hot rods for a living, such as my good friend Jimmy Smith. Also, the talented Dwayne Vance who recently bestowed the honor upon me or including me in a book which features many of my heroes... Working with manufacturers like Billet Specialties (hey, Scott!) has opened countless doors, and the always helpful Tim Bernsau and Kevin Lee at Rod and Custom Magazine have been tremendously influential in helping to get my work into the public eye.

Noe: That just about does it for questions, any words of wisdom for the people visiting on 1UP?

Brian: In the modern day, and considering our future economy, networking and partnering with those in your industry is a necessity for survival, now more than ever. Gone are the days of cut-throat competition. If you're fortunate to do something you love for a living show it by creating the highest quality work you're capable of and use your networking and partnering connections to push your work even further. I believe that those who choose to go it alone, or pick fights in the new economy will be left behind, and that partnering with other professionals to compliment your own skill set and work will pay off in huge ways. Above all, have fun with it.

Do you have any artists or designers that you admire? Tell me about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: All entries

I had a lot of fun revisiting my idea for an Incredible Hulk game. I did have a series written for a sequel, and I had even plotted out the third game, but never posted it on 1UP. I doubt that I will share those on this blog. But you never know. For those that missed the entries, or just want to read it beginning to end below is the entire series.

The Big Game Idea Preamble

The Big Game Idea: Fighting Engine

The Big Game Idea: Skyscrapers 

The Big Game Idea: All About Healthy Rage 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 (middle) 

The Big Game Idea: Level 1 (end) 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Cinema 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 2 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Cinema 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 3 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 4 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 5 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 6 End 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 Beginning 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 Middle 

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 End 

The Big Game Idea: Final Cinema

If you could make a game based on your favorite comic book then who would you choose, and what type of game would it be? Tell me about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Final Cinema - A 1UP classic from Nov 06, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Hello everybody, I hope you had a good weekend. I saw Borat, that movie was nuts... that's all I'm going to say about it. Today we write the final(?) chapter in the big game idea. I plan on dropping a link to Marvel Editor in Chief Joe Quesada and posting this over at Vivendi's site so the people at Radical Ent. can also see what I wrote. It's an uphill battle for a fan of the comics and games to be heard in a sea of comments and feedback but maybe, just maybe they will take some time to read the project through. Here's to hoping!

CINEMA: The Devil Hulk and Ravage are locked in combat. The two titans savagely punch each other. Their strikes causing earthquakes and tremors for miles and and miles. The Fantastic Four and Avengers are watching the images on a giant monitor.

"I am afraid we have only one option that can contain damage at this scale." Says Reed Richards. Tony Stark looks over to Reed and back at Thor, who is shaking his head.

"Franklin is too young." Sue Richards holds Franklin closely.

"You would send a child to fight a monster than not even a god could defeat?" Asks Thor.

"We are running out of options here! One of these creatures will win and I fear the consequences of his victory." Reed says.

"These monsters have caused several magnitude seven earthquakes in the four corners. With aftershocks reaching as far as California and Louisiana" Says Nick Fury on a separate monitor, "We cannot allow this fight to continue."

"Franklin is young, but I believe he is capable." Says Professor Charles Xavier on another monitor. "I agree with Reed."

"I can do it dad." Chimes in Franklin. He pulls away from his mother.

"You can't kid. The Hulk is too much to handle." Ben Grimm goes over and puts his hand on Franklin's shoulders.

"I'm scared of the Hulk... but I'm more scared of what he will do to my family." He puts his hands on Ben's and then vanishes.

"No!" Yells Sue.

"Forgive me." Reed drops his head.

Franklin appears high above the battle and closes his eyes. He holds his hands out and yells "Stop!" A semi-visible shockwave goes towards the monsters and they slow down a little but they will not stop fighting. He concentrates "Dr. Banner, please stop!" We notice that the aircraft flying nearby have frozen in time but the monsters will not stop trading blows. "Dr. Banner where are you? I need you to STOP!"

Suddenly Franklin finds himself inside the mind of Banner.

"I'm sorry Franklin." A young voice can be heard but not seen. From behind a mirror a little kid steps out, a few years younger than Franklin. It is Bruce Banner when he was a child. "Don't you see he won."

"Who won?" Asks Franklin.

"My father." Banner sighs. "I did my best but he took everything I had... everything I had left."

Franklin, who is 12-years-old looks at the child who is no more than six. "Dr. Banner?" he wonders.

"My name is Bruce, you can call me Bruce..." He goes over to Franklin. "Franklin we're a lot like. I mean you don't know it but we are. That's why you can't stop what's happening."

"I don't understand." Says Franklin

"We were both born with unlimited potential." Banner explains. "You have a mother that loves you and you have a father who is a scientist." Visions of Reed and Sue Richards appear and vanish. "I had a mom that loved me and my dad was a scientist." Visions of Brian and Rebecca Banner appear and vanish as well. "You were born special, your parents knew that."

Franklin nods. In the mirrors he can see images of Sue and Reed in the hospital. Johnny Storm is holding the baby Franklin. Ben Grimm is making faces at the delighted child.

"They all wanted to help you because you were special." Banner continues. Reed and Sue visit Professor Xavier when Franklin is just a toddler. "You felt special didn't you?" We see Franklin flying in the air as a young member of the Power Pack, then a little older as a New Mutant.

"I was taught never to fear who I was or be ashamed just because I was different." Says Franklin.

"I wasn't taught that." Says Banner. All of the light colors in Banners mind become dark and muddy. "When I was born my parents noticed that I was learning quickly. Not just recognizing shapes and colors, I was learning numbers and words as a baby." We see Banner lying face up in a crib looking the world around him. "My father worked for the army, he feared that I might be a mutant. The result of his exposure to radiation. That's when he began drinking." A golden door opens up in Banner's memory. We see Brian sitting at a table holding a bottle and looking out at the children. The door closes as Brian stands up. Banner pulls up his shirt. His tiny frame is covered with welts and bruises. "That's when he began hitting me."

"I, I didn't know." Says Franklin.

"I didn't cry, I tried not to show any emotion. No matter how much he hit me." Banner drops his shirt. "I was never taught to feel special. I was never taught to feel anything... anything but anger." The Hulk begins to appear in a mirror but then vanishes before he comes into focus. "I was told that I was a freak, that I was a monster." Banner says. In the various mirrors inside of Banner's mind we see him in school, the teacher is scolding him. He is sitting on a swing at the playground, the kids are laughing at him. At home he is alone.

"We tried to run away." The childhood home of Bruce becomes visible, Franklin and Bruce are standing on the driveway. This was the same home that we saw previously in his mind. We see Rebecca running to a car in the driveway while carrying a suitcase.

"That's when dad killed mom." We see Brian chase after Rebecca, he grabs her by the hair and pulls her to the ground. Her head hits the cement. Bruce kneels down and caresses her face. The police quickly arrive, they approach Brian, whose face changes to the Devil Hulk. When they place him in handcuffs we see the Devil Hulk in shackles. Franklin steps back. The Devil Hulk turns back into Brian again, they all fade away.

"I didn't have any regular friends after that. Even less after the accident." A golden door opens and we see Banner caught in the gamma blast. "The only people that could be friends with a monster were outsiders." They appear in the mirrors and fade away as he says their names. "there was Rick, Jim was a runaway, a hobo named Crackerjack, Michael was a mob boss and Marlo was his showgirl friend..."

The house, the driveway and Rebecca vanish. Banner stands up and looks at Franklin. "Betty was the only one that ever loved me from the beginning. Betty was the only one I loved back."

We see Betty walking, looking lost in the background. "But he came back. My father came back, he told me I was just like him, he showed me that I was a monster and took her too." The Devil Hulk reaches out from a mirror and takes Betty away. "So now I have nothing. I don't even have my anger any more." The Hulk appears trapped in a mirror. "I am waiting here for the end. I am waiting for my father to finish hurting the world... the way he hurt me."

"If he wins he will destroy everything and everybody. There will be nothing left! Not Betty! Not Rick, not Marlo none of your friends... nothing." Franklin pleads. "You have to stop this! I don't want to lose my mom!" He grabs Banner and shakes him "Not the way... not the way you lost yours!" He stops shaking Banner and begins crying. "Please change this Bruce. Please stop him."

"There is nothing left for me, not without Betty." Banner sighs. After a long pause he looks at Franklin "You shouldn't have to pay for the sins of my father... for my sins." Little Bruce begins to grow, he changes into the adult Banner. "We are a lot alike, you and I. You should be given another chance... I should never have become like him... to deny you of a normal, loving life. Close your eyes and concentrate." Banner gets on one knee. "I'll take it back, all of it. I'm sorry Franklin." He gives Franklin a hug.

The battle between Ravage and the Devil Hulk freezes, the Fantastic Four and the Avengers freeze where they are. The world seems to reverse. We see Giant-Man, we see the Maestro. We see Spider-Man and Luke Cage. We see Namor talking with Reed on a monitor. The Juggernaut and Absorbing Man fade in the distance.

Franklin Richards opens his eyes, he is sitting on the sofa holding his mother. His father is seated next to him. Reed Richards is concentrating on a video. Johnny Storm has his head in his hands. Ben Grimm is standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. He is looking away from the monitor. The Fantastic Four are watching something on the S.H.I.E.L.D. security channel. It looks like a missile test.

Everything fades to black.

We hear the roar of a rocket.

"My name is Bruce Banner." We see Banner unconscious, inside of the Orion Missile. It shakes violently as it enters orbit. "This is a nightmare I am not supposed to wake up from." We can clearly see the stars in space. A few moments later it explodes with a bright green flash.

FADE OUT.

THE END.

Bonus Ending 1: After the Credits.

We see General Thunderbolt Ross pacing back and forth in his war room. This was the room filled with computers and monitors that Ravage had visited earlier in the game. This time the room is lit and there are soldiers sitting at the computers. They are watching the Orion missile explosion on the monitors. Ross crosses his arms and frowns.

"General we have a condition." One of the soldiers says. "It is your daughter. Her vitals are failing."

Ross runs out of the war room and heads for the bunker. He enters the chamber and sees a doctor looking over her vital signs. "I don't know what's causing this General. Her vitals are dropping... she might be in her final stages."

"No Betty, don't leave me now. Please fight girl, you are a general's daughter... this is an order." His face is flush and he is out of breath. He places a hand on her glass enclosure and covers his eyes with the other, he shakes with anger, frustration and finally sadness. The doctor stands back.

The room becomes dark and Yagan appears from the shadows. He is invisible to both the doctor and Thunderbolt. In his arms he is cradling a small glowing light. He steps over to the glass chamber and places the light into it. Yagan walks away and vanishes. The lights come back on in the room.

"General, her vitals are improving. I think she is stabilizing." The doctor pours over the information on the computer.

"Oh, thank God." The general almost collapses. He wipes the tears from his eyes and looks down into the glass case. He takes his hand away.

We see a close-up of Betty's face. Her radiation burns and skin lesions begin healing. Her eyelids stir and they begin to open.

THE END.

Bonus Ending 2: After beating the game on Hard Difficulty.

We are in a forest with a grassy field. There are many pine trees around. We see a house in the distance. As we get close to it some aborigines appear from behind the trees. There is a man with a beard in the window, we can't see the details of his face. He turns away and pulls a pot of coffee off of the stove. He pours himself a cup, we zoom in on his hand, he is wearing a wedding ring. A female hand appears and gives him a pair of glasses, she also has a wedding ring. They embrace and look down. She is wearing a robe and looks to be a few months pregnant.

"We should start thinking of a name." She says. "If it's a boy how about David?"

"Why not something more Hollywood?... How about David Orion Banner?" Wonders Bruce as he puts on his glasses.

THE END.

What about bonus stuff? If you beat the game on easy you don't get any extras, no Robot Hulk, no alternate skins and no true Maestro. On normal mode you can unlock all of those extras. Beat the game on normal mode and you are also rewarded with the Bruce Timm model Savage Hulk and the Tim Sale Gray Hulk. Beat the game on Hard and you unlock the Todd McFarlane Gray Hulk and the Hulk in his brown "space uniform" shorts as drawn by Bryan Hitch. This space uniform is the Level 1 costume for the sequel to be announced...

So there you have it peeps. About four months in the preparation and a month and a half in the telling I am finished. I hope you enjoyed the big game idea. Please feel free to tell me if you like the idea or not. I'd also like to hear what your thoughts are on the level progression, cinemas, character design, fighting engine and destructible environments. If you are into comics or not and did I actually sell you on the idea of an epic Marvel game. If this game were made what are the chances that you would buy it?

It might be a long while before I get to the second game in the series, let alone the final game in the trilogy. The progression for the sequel is a straightforward translation of Peace in Our Time / Planet Hulk from the current comic series. I'm actually penning the level progression and cinemas for the third game now but it's still a ways off from being ready for 1UP.

My challenge to those that liked the blogs is to hear what your dream game project would be. If you had the power of a Cliffy B or a David Jaffe what would you be working on? Be it a licensed character or an original idea, I'd sure like to hear what you would create. Why? Because 1UP needs more than the same old blogs, same old reviews and same old gripes. You are the gamer, you are the critic, you are the designer. So lets hear what you got!

Did you enjoy this game write up? Is this a title you would like to play? What could make it better? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 End - A 1UP classic Nov 02, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Peeps, this is it! After many weeks of writing and illustrating, we are down to the final level of the big game idea. Tell me what you think!

CINEMA: The Hulk has the Abomination in a choke hold. The Abomination is kicking and rolling on the ground but the Hulk will not release him. The Abomination passes out and the Hulk finally lets him go. In the distance the Hulk can see a missile approaching. Two figures are also falling from the sky. The Hulk squints and can see it is the Maestro and the Hulkbuster. Before they hit the ground the missile catches them and explodes a few hundred feet from where the Hulk is standing. The explosion and resulting shockwave seems to disintegrate the Hulkbuster, Maestro, Hulk and Abomination.

We are lost in the middle of a sandstorm. We can see the Abomination is still out. As the camera moves around we can see the Hulk changing back to Banner. The Maestro is walking around in a daze.

In a dream sequence we hear the Devil Hulk talking to Bruce. "Why was there blood on your hands my darling Bruce?" We see Banner walking out of the Bunker with blood on his hands before he changes to the Hulk.

"I - I don't know." Says Banner he sits up in the sandstorm and looks at his hands. They are dry, when he blinks they are covered in blood.

"You killed Betty..." In flashback we see the Devil Hulk fighting to take control of Banner's mind inside the bunker. When Banner beats him for control he is disoriented and stumbling about the bunker. He looks to the side of the room and can see the glass chamber where Betty was, it has been destroyed. There is blood all over the glass and a hand sticking out of the chamber.

"No, that wasn't me, that was a lie." Says Banner. You are lying again. In his mind Banner sees the glass chamber as untouched. "I still have Betty's soul with me, it's right here..." He looks around but the soul is nowhere to be seen.

"You had to kill Betty so that she would finally move on. General Ross was greedy, he kept her alive and suffering. She suffered for too long. You had to kill Betty so that I would live." The Devil Hulk says, the chamber becomes broken once more in his dream. Banner stumbles out of the bunker and sees the Abomination. "Release me..."

In the sandstorm Banner opens his eyes, the memory of the Abomination fades and he becomes the Maestro. "You did this. All of this... Betty is dead because of you... argh!!!" Banner yells out. He falls to his knees. In dream sequence Banner is holding Betty in his arms. The Hulk is standing behind him.

"That's right my boy. He did all of this, now release me so that you may have your revenge..." Says the Devil Hulk, we see he is shackled in Banner's mind. The shackles fall, he stands and leaves Banner and the Hulk behind, trapped in a mirror. The Guilt Hulk rises out of the ground and joins him.

The Maestro is standing over Banner in the sandstorm. His clothes are shredded, his helmet gone. Banner blinks and realizes that it is not the Maestro at all, but rather Ravage in disguise. Banner stands up "It was all a lie?"

"Of course it was. Do you like this?" Ravage shows off the clothes. "I put it together with rags from a small shop. A bit overdone... Not that what I wore mattered... it was to prove to you, once and for all, that the world hates you. They hate you as much as they hate the Hulk. They would never forgive you for unleashing the Maestro... They fear absolute power but who are they to try and stop you? Rather, who are they to stop me? After all Bruce I am the inevitable, I am the future. Your teacher, your Maestro!" Ravage laughs out loud. "But I am much more than that now! I feel the power coursing through my veins. Limitless power to show my true self to the world. Limitless power to crush the Hulk and humanity as well!" He places his hand on Banner and begins pushing him down. "You will die."

Ravage struggles to push Banner down. He releases Banner and begins pulsing with energy. His eyes go white and he begins mutating. He becomes taller, his limbs extend and deform. His ribs separate from his body and curve unnaturally. His forearms split and bend, his fingernails become thick claws. He staggers back and reveals his true form. He now stands about 70 feet tall, the only familiar aspect that Ravage retains between Professor Crawford and the Maestro is his beard and a semblance of a human face.

"You are not the only one that has changed." Banner begins mutating as well. Instead of turning into the Hulk he grows enormous and takes on reptilian features. He is the Devil and Guilt Hulk combined and stands about 45 feet tall. Although not as tall as Ravage he is wider in girth.

Level 7 End
Location: Gamma Base.
Objective: Defeat Ravage.
Learn: All of the Devil Hulk's moves.
Unlock: True Maestro for game + mode.
Level Design: Remember the gamma base? It's all still here, the same hangars, tanks and airplanes except you are now seven times the size of the Hulk. The level looks and feels like a fraction of it's former self. You can kick the largest vehicles and planes over with ease now. You can also walk through buildings and watch them crumble without even lifting a finger. You can pick up and throw objects at each other or use a section of a plane like clubs. Each step leaves a crater and any soldiers foolish enough to rise out of the bunkers fall from the aftershocks.

All of the button moves are the same for the Devil Hulk as they are for the Hulk. The Devil Hulk cannot target lock and jump nearly as far as the Hulk, however he can still cross one end of the level to the other in about three good jumps. The entire time you battle on this level bomber jets and strike fighters attack you from high above. Both Ravage and the Devil Hulk can jump into the air and swat the planes out of the sky. Even though the characters are massive, they only move about 15% slower than the Hulk regularly does.

Ravage fights with a strength and wild ferocity that beguiles his "hollow" frame. He slides and moves with the speed of Giant-Man. He is strong enough to lift the Devil Hulk into the air and slam him into the ground. He has a very long reach and can slash the Devil Hulk open with his long, thick nails. My brother asked if this fight was akin to Wolverine versus Sabertooth. I said it was similar considering the height and reach advantage belongs to Ravage. Both creatures can throw vicious combos that would flatten anything that dares get in the way.

There is no healing factor, no mega attacks and no rage meter to build up. Both the Devil Hulk and Ravage have an x-amount of health that the player can keep track of. The winner is the last monster standing.

The Ravage mutation is based on the unfinished story that Glenn Greenberg had started in the short-lived Rampaging Hulk series. These are his words from an interview.

"Had the series continued, Ravage would have started to mutate and would have eventually evolved into the hideous, frightening monster that I originally envisioned. The character of Ravage kind of got away from me after I turned the plot in for that story, and he became something I had never intended. He didn't look the way I wanted him to, and there was really no time in the schedule to make the art changes I felt were needed, so I had to play the cards I was dealt and hope I'd get a chance to fix things in his second appearance. Had I been able to bring Ravage back, I would have tried to get him back to my original concept. I planned to have him eventually escape from Gamma Base and have another encounter with the Hulk, but in his new, mutated form."

There was a subtext that Ravage could also have been the Maestro, he was as smart as Banner and as strong as the Hulk. I ran a few levels with that idea but near the end I returned to Glenn's concept. Ravage is Ravage, not the Maestro. What would this new, fully-mutated Ravage look like? He was supposed to be hideous and frightening. I did my best to channel Dale Keown and figure out the shape and look. Rather than just be very strong or freaky-looking I combined the two. Instead of representing strength with muscles I did so with height. Then I deformed the skeleton, elongated the arms and gave him thick fingernails instead of sharp claws (else it would have just been another Pitt bad guy). I hope the final look is close to Glenn's idea of the type of monster Ravage would have become.

Players of God of War and Shadow of the Colossus know exactly where I drew the inspiration for the final level. Jaffe and Ueda both knew that they had to give players something unique the final level. They had to literally flip the script. In both games the characters became larger-than-life, they allowed players to see what it's like to play a game as a titan. Rather than pit the Hulk as David vs Goliath against the giant Ravage, which has already been done with the Giganto and Giant-Man, I decided to even the scale and let the Devil out. To make the other characters in the Marvel universe almost feel futile compared to an evolved Ravage and a Devil Hulk. It should make us wish that the Maestro was the only thing the Hulk could become...

The characters that can be unlocked here are the Professor, the shorter Joe Fixit and the true Maestro. You can tell the true Maestro doesn't look like Ravage in a costume and starts off far stronger than the Hulk in game + mode.

So what happens in the ending cinema? You'll have to wait until next week to find out!!! Until then why not visit a comic book store and pick up a copy of the Incredible Hulk #100. You will not be disappointed.

Did I fool you? Did you really think the Maestro had returned, or did you figure out it was Ravage all along? Do you think the pacing works for a video game? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

The Big Game Idea: Level 7 Middle - A 1UP classic from Nov 01, 2006

Below is a series that I originally ran on 1UP in 2006. In it I proposed an original video game based on the Incredible Hulk. I called it "The Big Game Idea." Over a few weeks I described the graphics, game play, visuals, and plot from beginning to end, including bonus features. I made a few minor edits, but it is more or less exactly the same as it was almost 20 years ago. I hope you enjoy it.

Back to the game at hand. We are one level shy of the end!

CINEMA: Bruce Banner stumbles out of the bunker where Betty Ross Banner was held. He keeps staring at his hands and shaking his head. He notices a shadow on the horizon. The Abomination is walking toward him.

"Did you finally make peace with your wife? I hope you also made peace with your maker." Says the Abomination as he laughs and begins running at Banner.

Level 7 Middle
Location: Gamma Base.
Objective: Defeat Emil Blonsky, the Abomination.
Learn: Final mega attack, the earthquake.
Unlock: Alternate Hulk colors for game + mode.
Level Design: You are fighting in the middle of Gamma Base, it is a top-secret base with various military vehicles and automated weapons. This level is wide-open with plenty of room for the Hulk and Abomination to throw down. If a player looks carefully they can find the broken gate and minivan that Crawford first used when he first got into the base. Both monsters can make weapons out of the various military vehicles or at the very least throw tanks at each other. Fighter jets and bombers circle the airfield, the Hulk and Abomination can both jump to the larger planes and fight on their wings or take them apart. The large hangars surrounding the airfield can be broken down. Inside the hangars are different types of vehicles. Some have jeeps and tanks, others have helicopters and jets. The largest hangars have massive cargo jets and bombers. Yes, the Hulk and Abomination can lift and throw these at each other. One hangar is tucked away on the far side of the base and can be missed if the player doesn't explore the entire area. The walls of this hangar are thicker than most and harder to break down. Housed inside is a UFO.

Even though the Hulk has been to Hell and back (literally!) and his strength has gone up over the course of the game, he is evenly matched with the Abomination at this point. The Abomination is an excellent hand-to-hand fighter and grappler. He can use weapons but is also a very dirty fighter. The Abomination has always started off stronger than the Hulk in the comics, however the Hulk grows stronger with his anger, has a healing factor and eventually passes up the Abomination. I wanted to give players a sense to the awesome power of the Abomination, who is stronger than any other opponent the Hulk has faced so far, including the Juggernaut and Absorbing Man. When players see him throw cargo jets at the Hulk I want them to be filled with dread.

The final mega attack the Hulk has is the earthquake. The Hulk punches the ground with enough force to cause the entire level to shake for almost 30 seconds. Nearby buildings collapse and opponents fall during the tremor. The Hulk can still run and fight like normal. If he jumps and catches a plane he can actually see the ground shaking and dust being kicked up.

In the comics the Hulk has had a rivalry with a couple of gamma-powered monsters including Sam Sterns aka the Leader and his brother Philip Sterns aka the Madman, however none as epic as his rivalry with Emil Blonsky, the Abomination. The Abomination has always been the evil shadow of the Hulk, the "what if?" character that Banner could have very well become. Emil Blonsky was a genius in radiation like Banner, however he also abused his ex-wives and had issues with control and power. Gamma mutations are represented by subconscious desires and self-image. Those that survive the exposure to gamma rays and have had a normal life mutate with stability like Leonard "Doc" Sampson and Jen Walters, the She-Hulk. Those that are tortured souls become tortured monsters, like Banner and Blonsky. Let's face it, without the Hulk chances are no force on Earth could stop the Abomination. He's always started off stronger than the Hulk and far more crafty. The Abomination has been imprisoned and even exiled to outer space, like the Absorbing Man. Sooner or later they find a way to return to Earth and cause more havoc.

Emil's hatred for Banner was so great that he poisoned Betty Ross Banner with his radioactive blood. Her slow and painful death was lamented all over the Marvel universe. General Ross and Bruce were put at odds and finally reconciled when the truth was revealed. The Hulk and Abomination have fought a couple of times after the truth was exposed. The Hulk bringing himself to within an inch of killing the Abomination, but knowing that if he crossed the line he would become the next Abomination. Banner told Blonsky that if he gave in and both fought as hard as they could, to the death, it would knock the Earth off it's axis... it's not far from the truth!

The UFO in the level is an homage to the classic Marvel stories where the Hulk battled aliens, some of which sided with the Abomination and doubled his strength. If players are foolish enough to throw the UFO at the Abomination then it will make the fight harder. There is also the subtext that the military was trying to crack the secret to alien technology, which seems to be based on gamma radiation. Banner was hired to help bring the military closer to a bomb but also to that cosmic power source. Thankfully no one else in the Marvel universe knows as much about gamma radiation as Banner or has been able to crack his secrets since.

The earthquake part of the mega attack was inspired by the earthquake that players could activate in the Baytown level in War of the Monsters. The camera shook and the rumble went off in the controller as the earthquake was happening. The ground gave way in some parts, exposing pipes and changing the entire landscape. This game is not as detailed but some fissures that the earthquake creates remain for the rest of the level. If and when a character decides to play the game all over again in the game + mode then they can keep all of the moves they have unlocked, including the earthquake. Doing the earthquake in other levels creates interesting results. Atlantis can collapse if the Hulk does an underwater quake. If the player activates a tremor on Nightmare Island then the volcano will erupt and shoot fireballs into the night sky (also inspired by War of the Monsters). What other effects does the earthquake have on other levels? Re-read your favorite levels and use your imagination!

This level marks the second bonus characters players can unlock. In this case it allows players to choose one type of Hulk to play the entire game through with, these are the classic purple-pants Savage Hulk, the underwater blue-skinned Hulk and the bald aboriginal Hulk with snake tattoo pattern. The bald Hulk during the regular play through does not have a tattoo.

Did you have a feeling the Hulk would eventually face off against the Abomination? Tell me in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!