EVER WONDERED WHAT’S THE SECRET BEHIND WONDERWOMAN’S SLEEK AND STRONG HAIR?
the editor’s desk
Hello! And welcome to this year’s October edition.
CLARK
KENT
At Elysium, we’ve one rule and one rule only - to have fun. Hence, we make sure that we don’t absolutely indulge in anything that might go against our beloved policy. You might find this Fall issue to be a little odd. Generally regarded as the only of and partially-for-&-by superheroes-&-supervillains magazine out there, this month we’ve a human being handling the feature article and in the tête-à-tête, we uncover more about someone who’s been laughed at for being just a man in a super suit. Ready for this? Let’s find out!
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A TALE OF TWO MONSTERS This isn’t a car. It’s a tank. And in case you start feeling too claustrophobic, go for the lovely red switch. Know all about the machines you’ve always wanted to know about.
6 BENEATH THE ARMOUR From war-torn Afghanistan to war-torn New York, Tony Stark has seen it all. Get to know the man, in his more usual attire.
14 PULL-OUT POSTER October’s SuperHero Of The Month is.. IRON MAN! Here’s your chance, splatter him all over your bedroom wall.
C CLASH OF THE TITANS Elysium reviews the latest attempt to effectively capture real-life superheroes. We feel a little injustice has been done!
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contents OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 5
ATALEO MONS
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OFTWO STERS
Guest Feature
James Gordon OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 7
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ot much is known of Batman’s primary land transport vehicle. But then again, not much is known of Batman himself. Painted in all black with similar-coloured tinted windows, the ‘Batmobile’ - as it has been dubbed by the Gotham media, looks more and more like a military-grade tank and less like a commercial four-wheeler. And the fact that it sports six monstrous dirt tires doesn’t aid the mass confusion. Though that is the least of anyone’s problems. Or wishes. Sitting 4.6 metres long, 2.8 metres wide and 1.5 metres tall - the Batmobile is one hell of a machine. Not only does it manage to fit in two forward-firing machine guns, it also packs a rocket launcher designed to take out heavy obstacles or hostiles - the two combined causing property damage to the tune of $ 2.3 million the time Batman chased Joker through the streets of Gotham. Interestingly, the land monster is also capable of deploying explosive mines from the rear of the vehicle that is specifically designed to take out any pursuers. Many would remember one of the Caped Crusaders’ earliest antics as he drove through the Upper West Side warding off 8 / ELYSIUM / OCTOBER 2013
numerous GCPD vehicles by dropping these caltrops and getting away. It was only because of his immense help in not just containing the spread of the virus but also providing the antidote against that night’s biological attack that Mayor Anthony Garcia agreed to drop all criminal charges against him. The Tumbler - as it reads on the information panels inside the cockpit, comes equipped with a 5.0 liter Vauxhall engine capable of dosing out the combined power of five hundred horses. It can go from naught to hundred in 5.6 seconds - a notch lower than double of what it takes the Lamborghini Aventador. But unlike the Sant’Agata Bolognese’s sleek&-streamlined supercar, the Batmobile - under full acceleration can actually rise up on its front suspension while the front wheels stay planted on the ground, thus creating an effect of a giant spider. Adding to its menacing abilities is its top speed of 257 km/h, which can mean the difference between catching that bad guy on the loose, making a quick chemist stop for a condom and rushing home for that hot steamy sex in the swimming pool with your hourglass-shaped girlfriend wearing a skimpy outfit or no sex. Now, you wouldn’t want that, would you?
Just a minute now - hold your horses, young Padawan. Because the vehicle is full of an array of weapons and gadgets and the fact that the front of the car is heavily armored lending two vital functions - one, the ability to use the Batmobile as a battering ram to make an offensive charge and two, providing protection for the driver while in “Attack” mode; it weighs a solid 2.3 tonnes. Wait, what? Yes, the black tank incorporates a special feature called the “Attack” mode wherein the driver’s seat moves to the center of the car, and the driver is repositioned to lie face-down with his head in the center section between the front wheels. This serves two main purposes: first, it provides more substantial protection with the driver shielded by the multiple layers of armor plating. Second, the lowdown, centralised driving position makes extreme precision manoeuvres easier to perform, while lying prone reduces the risk of injury a driver faces when making these manoeuvres. And as the only Gotham citizen, yet (until such day the Batman’s identity is
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Guest Feature
proven otherwise) to have driven this vehicle - I can vouch for the labelling of this function to be well and truly justified. If that wasn’t enough for you, the Tumbler also comes fitted with a vector-controlled jet engine for quick boosts and those always-desirable rampless jumps - an extremely good feature if you’re 10 / ELYSIUM / OCTOBER 2013
stuck in traffic and your favourite football club’s match is about to begin in the next three minutes. And obviously, when all hell breaks loose, there is the Batmobile’s escape mechanism - a well-crafted feature that ejects both the front wheels to convert it
into the Batpod. Those looking to make a glorious exit can also opt for rest-self-destruction, an option that blows up the rest of the vehicle after you ride off on two wheels and whose memories have been etched deep into the minds of some Lower Fifth-residents who have accurately testified to the awesomeness of this transition. Armed with dual front-mounted cannons, machine guns and grappling hooks, the Batpod affords its rider greater mobility at the cost of some protection. The front and rear tires are both a monstrously huge 50.8 centimeters, and the engines are in the hubs of each wheel. Steering isn’t by hand but by shoulder, since there aren’t handlebars. Instead, there are shields that fit each arm like sleeves and have the ability to rotate around the bike’s frame. The two foot pegs are set 3.5 feet apart on either side of the tank, which the rider lies on, belly down. The bike is powered by a high-performance, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine - geared toward the lower end for faster acceleration and with no exhaust pipes. The exhaust is routed through the hollow magnesium tubing used for the frame of the bike. The Batpod’s chassis also has the capability to elongate - allowing the rider to pass under low-hanging obstacles. It should be noted though that the vehicle is already over a dozen feet in length in its normal posture. But then there’s everyone’s favourite manoeuvre - the Batpod’s wheels rolling sideways. If you could somehow master the perpendicular turn of the tires against their normal axes, then you probably wouldn’t be getting into too many tight spots. That, and no trust issues. Unless you’re Batman.
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PERFECT LUMINOUS THE CHOICE OF EVERY AGENT
A genius engineer, philanthropist, playboy and superhero - Anthony Edward Stark is everything a man wants to be. Elysium brings you an exclusive interview with the not-so-malleable Iron Man. You have decided to add another ten floors to the Stark Tower. Do you think the government will allow such an impromptu extension? Oh, the permission and paperwork is just a formality. Phil (Senator Johnson) and I have discussed it all and let’s face it – it is going to make Manhattan a much better looking place.
You are often described as “narcissism personified”. What do you have to say about that? I love myself too much. I don’t see what’s wrong with that. Not everybody can build a metal suit of their own.
You are also often compared to Galileo. Any thoughts? That is absolutely ridiculous. I’m far better looking.
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IN-DEPTH OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 15
superhero of the month
ELoctober YSIUM 2013
Tell us something about your friendship with Dr. Bruce Banner.
How was it being a part of the Avengers Initiative?
Bruce is an absolute delight, especially when he’s green. I offered to pay for his anger management sessions, but he refused. He’s an ungrateful friend. He has the most incredible biceps. Is it weird of me to say that? We ocassionally workout together, it’s an interesting sight. All the body heat makes me red while he’s green with fury. He’s one charming Hulk.
It was pretty boring. They did not even have a shawarma counter at S.H.I.E.L.D.
But yeah, on a serious note he is a brilliant scientist and nobody knows gamma radiation the way he does.
I’d say something if I knew who Green Lantern was. Wait a minute, isn’t he the guy who wears that awful glow-in-the-dark ring?
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Green Lantern openly criticised you for not using recyclable metal for the Iron Man suit. What do you have to say about that?
extremely powerful, but not as powerful as the Hulk.
You openly criticised Captain America for his suit. Is that true? I didn’t say anything wrong. The old man needs a new wardrobe.
“I have successfully privatised world peace.”
Recently at Bruce Wayne’s Super Sunday party, Hawkeye’s arrow accidentally scratched your Iron Man briefcase. What exactly happened? It’s not that big a deal. He had a little too much to drink, and he accidentally launched an arrow at the briefcase. It was a narrow miss. But that’s alright. I enjoyed the apology.
Initially, you were asked to hand the Iron Man suit to the People of America. Like I’ve said, the Iron-Man suit was created by me. I own it. The People are ignoring the fact that I have successfully privatised world peace.
The current Avengers mansion was owned by your father. How do you feel about sharing that space? We’re not exactly sharing space. I grew up in that mansion. I have a lot of memories with that place. But as of now, I’m living in the Stark Tower.
Bruce Banner and you are coming up with a gamma radiation-infused ironsuit. When does the public get to see it? Well, the people will get to see it when the world is on the verge of destruction. So I hope they don’t get to see it ever. It is OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 19
We heard rumours about an engagement. Is it true that Miss Potts is now going to be Mrs. Stark? Now that is as ridiculous as Thor wearing his mother’s robes.
Tell us about your relationship with Thor. There is no relationship. I’m not into demigods.
Miss Virginia Potts is now the VicePresident of Stark Industries. How does she plan to handle such a vast empire? I thought this interview was about me.
Mr. Stark, last and final question. What can you tell us about the Tessaract? It’s a pretty little cube which gives out blue light.
Thank you for your time, Mr. Stark. It’s always a pleasure, Ms. Lane. Pictures © Peter Parker
IN-DEPTH
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In November’s
ELYSIUM
we look at The Owl Ship, an exclusive featurette with none other than Loki and an informal discussion on Magneto’s formal interrogation by the FBI.
c
Annual package of 12 issues available for 2760. Subscrine now at www.elysium.com to avail a random discount. c
This offer is applicable to superheroes only.
B
atman’s long forgotten sidekick is back in the limelight. But err… for all the wrong reasons. Robin was invited to conduct a guest lecture at the prestigious, yet controversial School of Superpowers (SOS). This school has always been a hot topic of debate amongst superheroes. While some believe superheroes are made, others believe they are born. This school has been in and out of controversies and a recent incident only added to the unwanted publicity. Robin was called to conduct a lecture for the sophomores. Within a minute of him speaking, a stu-
P
ssst… guess who was spotted leaving a highprofile salon after a having a very expensive looking manicure? No it wasn’t Wonderwoman, or Catwoman or Black Widow for that matter. Running out of names? Well it was none other than 22 / ELYSIUM / OCTOBER 2013
dent commented- “I thought this school is for superheroes. Why is the sidekick here?” On hearing this, Robin instantly launched himself at the sophomore and kicked him in the abdomen. Following this, he was immediately asked to leave the school premises. A faculty member, who requested to remain anonymous, said- “With his highly inappropriate behaviour, Robin has proved that he is not fit to be a part of this world. Children make mistakes. A true superhero would never have reacted the way he did.”
Wolverine. Surprised? So are we. Wolverine left the salon with neatly manicured claws. We assume it must have taken a while to file all that Adamantium. What’s next? Perhaps, a shampoo and conditioner for all that fur.
T
he latest addition to the very impressive Stark weaponry lineage is the KrypTon 5000 (named after Tony Stark and the weapon’s main element – Kryptonite). Sources reveal that the weapon, based on the principles of a nuclear reactor, is not to be taken lightly. So what is it that sets this nuclear weapon apart from the regular atomic bombs and reactors? The KrypTon 5000 draws its energy from Kryptonite, a very rare element whose only source so far is the planet Krypton. Of course, considering that it is a Tony Stark-endeavour, it cannot in the least be ridiculed for the exorbitant amount that was spent on importing the raw material. Kryptonite is a rare
S
piderman’s least favourite reptile The Lizard has been admitted to the Wayne Hospital. A reliable source has revealed that The Lizard has been secretly working with Bane on some mutagenic chemicals to create a state-of-the-art weapon to tame the Avengers. It is believed that scientists from Spain, England and Persia are also involved. Bane is an expert in all three languages. A meeting was held and due to his intense dislike for sunlight, Lizard decid-
but powerful element. If harnessed properly, it can give out with one nuclear reaction the kind of energy equivalent to that of a hundred standard atomic bombs. Ironically, Kryptonite is also the only known element in the universe which can be used to fatally harm Superman. Now Elysium cannot say why Stark Industries chose Kryptonite for this special, superpowered piece of work. Also, any tie-ups with companies or warhead manufacturers and dealers for the creation of the KrypTon5000 are currently unknown. We can’t help but wonder if Superman has something to worry about!
ed to use the sewers to make his way out. Little did he know that the sewers had recently been sprayed with insecticides to keep reptiles and pests at bay. The strong chemicals have had a massive impact on his agility and his cold blood is under increased pressure. Doctors have revealed that his condition is stable yet critical. So far, only Doctor Doom and Venom have paid him a visit. Seems like The Lizard is unpopular among both superheroes and supervillians. OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 23
RELIVE GLORY
We can't bring back the golden ages but we can certainly deliver the lost charm.
Homes for the future, with an eye on the past.
We take a look at NetherRealm’s Injustice: Gods Among Us – the latest attempt by mortal beings to capture the essence of real-life superheroes.
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review
OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 27
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lack Adam streaks towards Earth, wreathed in golden-hued lighting. He touches down on the streets of downtown Metropolis with a simple proclamation: “I have returned.” Cut to its guardian, the son of Jor-El, tearing his suit off to reveal the iconic “S” beneath it. After being slammed through a skyscraper, Black Adam rears up and shouts, “SHAZAM!” rending Superman with a massive thunderbolt. Supes responds by punching Black Adam into the atmosphere, flying up past him, and sending him crashing back down to Earth with a towering overhead smash. It’s exactly the kind of glorious fight you expect from the universe’s mightiest, and Injustice: Gods Among Us makes it almost as fun and rewarding to watch as it is to play. NetherRealm’s follow-up to Mortal Kombat is both a very good brawler and a big old sloppy love letter to fans. And while it buckles just a bit under the weight of all it tries to do, Injustice definitely earns its spot on the shelf of fighting aficionados, whether they dig comics or not. For its first trick, Injustice does something that few fighting games ever even attempt to do: tell an interesting story. What if Superman lost faith in humanity and, with his near-infinite power, decided it was time to stop protecting and start ruling? Without ruining anything, you’ve rarely seen Supes quite like this before. We’ve seen him “retire” in Kingdom Come, and watched him wreck shop whilst being mind controlled a few billion times, but this is a far darker spin than all that. This isn’t about a mopey alien who just wants somewhere to belong, its about a 28 / ELYSIUM / OCTOBER 2013
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review
god who’s decided his subjects no longer deserve free will. As heavy as it sounds, Injustice still finds time for the same kind of action, adventure, and humor that made the Justice League animated series such a treat. The story mode’s primary fault is that its reach exceeds Injustice’s graphical grasp. Closeups on main characters look good, but when the in-engine cutscenes attempt to depict clashing armies or sweeping cityscapes, bland textures and shoddily modeled buildings erode the visual impact a bit. It’s only because the in-fight graphics usually have such a sheen to them that this dip in visual quality seems so stark. During battle, Injustice makes the unreal look simultaneously believable and unhinged, a great combination for capturing their godlike abilities. The cast is varied, interesting, and thankfully devoid of ninja lookalikes – more than I can say for Mortal Kombat 9 at its launch. NetherRealm took 24 characters, many of whom have never been seen in a video game, and translated their abilities and personas over beautifully. Even more so than the impressive whiz-bang effects, this is Injustice’s greatest feat. There’s reverence for the universe in each menu 30 / ELYSIUM / OCTOBER 2013
screen and every matchup-specific line of dialogue. As for the over-the-top stage changes, I have mixed feelings. Sure, it’s badass when Doomsday backhands Superman clean through a pair of skyscrapers in downtown Metropolis... but when mere mortal heroes like Batman or Green Arrow do the same exact thing, it just looks plain silly. I’m not trying to go nerd police here, but such moments undermine all the effort that clearly went into making these characters move and play like you’d imagine they should. Between that, and animations that look great one moment and jerky the next, the illusion of two superheroes clashing can crumble at times. It never keeps the fighting from being fun, but Injustice is so effective when it maintains that spell that I hate to see it broken. Two other new systems help further differentiate Injustice from its ancestor. The subtler of the two is the character-power system. Each fighter possesses a unique mechanic based on their super-power that truly makes their style distinct. Solomon Grundy, for instance, gets a series of chain throws, each of which buffs a different attribute of his for the remainder of the match. The Flash, on the other hand, can call
upon the Speed Force to effectively slow opponents to a crawl. NetherRealm got pretty creative with these, and learning how to leverage them properly adds another level of technical nuance and variety.
stages, and that’s potentially gamebreaking for highlevel players. NetherRealm appears to be concerned about them as well, since it’s included the option to turn them off. Regardless, I’d rather not have to.
Also new, but potentially more troublesome, are the interactive environments. Each setting is jampacked with heavy objects to pick up and throw, or bounce your opponent off of, and landing certain at-
Given the success NetherRealm had with Mortal Kombat, it would have been easy to clone it and swap in new characters... and yet it didn’t. Instead, it kept what worked and built upon it to make Injustice:
tacks at the right spots triggers a stage change, sending your enemy careening spectacularly through a series of obstacles. Now, I’d be lying if I said all the wanton destruction wasn’t great fun, because it totally is. Environmental attacks are completely unblockable, and either shear off sizable chunks of life or leave you open to eat a full combo - and sometimes both. I’ve already seen people execute 100% combos on certain
Gods Among Us an exciting, unique-feeling fighter at the beginner level, and a deeper, more interesting one at the advanced level. Story mode is a pleasant surprise, but the real reason to play is the thrill of harnessing the god-like powers of some of the most overwhelming figures in the comic realm. The jury’s still out on whether or not it presents a fair fight, but it’s definitely an enjoyable one. OCTOBER 2013 / ELYSIUM / 31