UPDATED with the Youtube embed.

Here it is. If you can stomach the daytime TV around it, this trailer had me pumped.

I’ve got a pretty extensive editorial at the end today, so let’s jump straight in to the news:

Bethesda has announced a title update coming for Brink. It sounds like it’s offering a lot, but it doesn’t answer the most pertinent question. Why? The update brings clans and tournament structure to the online play. Which would be cool if not for a few obviously glaring flaws. One, this game was released in May. If this was something the game needed, is six months later really the best time to release it? Two, this game was released in May. No one plays it online anymore – mostly because it wasn’t that great from the beginning. Third, this was released in May! I actually saw this on a used bargain bin for $5.00 on Tuesday. Maybe that is the right time to release extra content, when you’re no longer making money on the title because it’s selling used for less than the price of a Happy Meal. Sorry, Bethesda, you’ve got better things to be doing.

Speaking of better things Bethesda could be doing, they’re also working on a patch for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. In response to an angry gamer, Pete Hines (PR and Marketing Boss) stated “Patches/updates take a little time. We can’t turn it around quite that fast. It’s been three days. Calm down, we’re working on it. “We are continuing to work on an update for all platforms to address… any bugs and perf[ormance] issues we can.” It appears there are very few players experiencing real game breaking bugs. At least nothing on the scale of what PS3 users suffered on Bethesda’s Fallout titles. The bugs most people seem to have are some texture issues and framerate lag. Which, while annoying, are pretty much par for the course on a game this size. Then again, if it’s something that can be patched smoothly, maybe they should have just hired Splash Damage to fix it pre-launch instead of having them waste time on a patch for Brink.

Oh yeah, I’m back to harping on Splash Damage. I was actually all set to change my tone and be a lot nicer to them because of a rumor about the developer working with Disney on a Marvel-themed title. That game could have been good, but Paul Wedgewood has been quick to squash this rumor. “We’re not working with Disney. We’re not building a pop culture IP. We’re only using BRINK tech for BRINK updates,” Wedgewood said. Kind of a shame. Brink isn’t that great, but if you skinned it with The Avengers it could have been something special.

But, rather than speculate about a Marvel game that may never be, let’s talk facts about DC Universe Online. The game switched to a free to play model on November 1st, and they’re now announcing the next expansion, “Lightning Strikes.” Following the successful introduction of Green Lantern and his powers in “Fight for the Light,” DC now wants to give lightning powers as they introduce The Flash. The expansion, planned for later this year has several additions. You’ll get a Central City map, The Flash Museum Duo (which lets you time travel to see Barry Allen’s origin), electricity powers, new gear inspired by Black Lightning and Professor Zoom, and a slew of new characters (including The Top, The Trickster, and others). If you currently have Legendary subscriber status this will be a free upgrade. Free or premium members will need to pay $9.99 (which will make you premium if you’re not already).

With Assassin’s Creed: Revelations releasing this week to thunderous applause, it’s now time to officially hear about its upcoming DLC. As mentioned last week, the trophy list exposed plans for at least four additional multiplayer characters and some additional maps. While Ubisoft has yet to comment on the maps, the four character DLC pack is planned for December 13th at $3.99.

If you’re more interested in DLC that’s already released, check the PSN Store for Uncharted 3‘s Killzone Pack. This pack includes Helghast Capture Trooper armor and a couple of extra helmets. Not bad for $1.49. Incidentally, if you’ve already opted for the Fortune Hunter’s Club (still available for $24.99) you’ll get this gear for free, despite it not being part of the planned package. In addition, you’ll get the rest of the planned DLC at a 45% discount. My real question is, how do you expect to blend in to these desert environments with such strange gear?

Sanzaru Games has a had a busy year, releasing the Sly Cooper HD Collection and announcing the fourth game in the series, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. Now they’re finally ready to start sharing some details. The fourth game picks up immediately after the events of the third game. Not only will Sly and the gang be traipsing around the timeline, they’ll be doing it alongside Sly’s ancestors. Many of these characters were introduced when Sly learned some of their abilities from the Thievius Raccoonus in the first game. In each episode Sly will meet with one of those venerable ancestors. As a player, not only will you learn more of the family history, you’ll also learn more of their abilities as you are able to play as each ancestor. The only reveal so far is Rioichi Cooper. Sly learned his Spire Jump from this Cooper, but that’s not the only trick he has up his sleeve. Not only did this raccoon invent sushi, he also invented a long distance Spire Jump variant known as the Leaping Dragon Technique. Sanzaru has promised more details in December’s issue of Game Informer. Oh yeah, did I mention this is in 3D?

On a very related note, Sanzaru Games President Glen Egan has also announced the Sly Cooper HD Collection is coming to PSN. The retail version is already available, and has been for some time. But if you’d rather just load these games up on your hard drive, you can do it on November 29th. The full collection will be $29.99, but you’ll also now have the option to purchase each game individually for $9.99 each. All three games will be in HD, 3D, and 60 frames per second with full trophy support.

As a die hard fan, I picked up the Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition when it launched back in October 2010. That special edition came with a 48 page graphic novel, All Roads, introducing a few of the game’s key characters and served as a kind of prequel to the story. I’ve read better graphic novels, but that one wasn’t bad. Finally, more than a year later, this graphic novel is seeing a wider release. Dark Horse has released it digitally ($2.99 from their online store and iTunes) which will preserve the value of the limited run of print versions. If you’ve wanted to read the novel, or if you’d like a teaser as you hold out on the game to await the Ultimate Edition with all of the DLC to be released on February 7th, this is a good time to pick it up. Three bucks is pretty good for a 48 page comic written by Chris Avellone (the game’s creative director) with art by Jean Diaz and Wellington Alves.

If the online passes popping up everywhere have been bugging you, or preventing you from playing as Catwoman, take a look at the way THQ has done it mostly right. If you use that online pass that came with your PS3 version of Saints’ Row: The Third, you’ll get a free copy of Saints’ Row II. Why do I say this is doing it right? First, they aren’t charging you $10 for something that actually changes the narrative of the game (Batman: Arkham City). Second, they aren’t actually taking anything away from you at all just because you bought it used. Instead, they want to give you a gift worth about $20 just for buying their game new. The real beauty of this is that it might actually make your used copy more valuable if you decide to sell it. If you don’t want or need the bonus game, don’t activate your code. If you sell it to a third party before February, you might get a little extra incentive from them if they know the code is still good. Why only until February? That’s why I said “mostly right.” Much like the bonus digital copy of films you get when buying on blu-ray, the code is only good for a limited time. It also loses points for only being available in North America. I realize there’s a whole different set of laws to contend with around the world, but Europeans have as much option to choose new or used as I do, and this incentive should be there for them as well.

If you love 2D fighting, Capcom has a happy announcement for you. The PlayStation One version of a Capcom’s arcade classic is making its way to PSN. Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors is tentatively scheduled for November 29th. This is one of the greats from the mid-1990s, right alongside Super Street Fighter II Turbo. I have a lot of love for these characters, but mainly from their inclusion in Super Puzzle Fighter. The only better news we could get about this franchise is that a new one is coming in HD. Maybe if this re-release sells well….

Namco Bandai has announced four more characters for Soul Calibur V. Cervantes, Lizard Man, and Yoshimitsu are all returning favorites. New to the series is Xiba, a 16 year old with a white tiger tail. While he is a new addition, he certainly appears to be filling Kilik’s role.

In addition to the free, pre-order costume packs mentioned on Tuesday, there’s a whole pile of new skins coming for Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Each pack will run $3.99, but you can score them all on March 6th with a $20 value pack. There are some great additions for Marvel nerds, including the Scarlet Spider and Planet Hulk. The Mega Man skin for Zero shown in the strategy guide is also included. I’ve got pictures of all of them, but I’m going to skip the three I already posted on Tuesday for the sake of brevity.

Rising Dead Pack (11/22/11)

Evil Twin Pack (12/6/11)

Ancient Warriors Pack (12/20/11)

Brawler Pack (1/10/12)

Femme Fatales, Villains, and New Age of Heroes Packs (1/17/12)
Animal Pack (1/24/12)

Weapon Expert Pack (2/7/12)

Viewtiful Strange Pack (2/21/12)

That’s the end of the week’s news, but allow me to editorialize a moment.

With the rumor mill flying, and several studios being named as working on dev kits, it’s really starting to look like the next generation of video game consoles will be announced very soon. Ubisoft and EA have basically confirmed that they are working with the next generation of XBox (be that 720, Project Ten, or something else entirely). Avalanche Studios recently announced a game they’re calling Project Mamba to be released in 2014 and is widely believed to be next gen. So, when can we expect them? We know the WiiU is hitting next year. PS Vita is coming in February. The industry prediction is that Microsoft’s next console will be released in 2012. Seeing as no official announcement has been made, I’d expect that to be near the end of the year, likely in the prime holiday shopping season. But what about PlayStation 4? Sony has been very tight-lipped, but the announcement of Gran Turismo 6 is a pretty big tell. After recently acquiring Sucker Punch, formalizing their already exclusive relationship, I would expect they’ve got something big up their sleeve with them. After all, Sly and inFAMOUS were both huge successes for the last two generations. Should we expect Sony to release in 2012 as well? Coming out a bit later seemed to hurt their early success this generation. But maybe Microsoft is seeing the PS3 install base growing and they’re now trying to head that off by releasing their new console before they had planned. Either way, we’ve hit the five year mark, the traditional life span of a console. Sony had planned a ten year life cycle for PS3, but no one seriously expected it to be the flagship device for that long. We’re also seeing enough advancements in PC gaming that a new console will be needed to keep pace sooner rather than later. This is definitely a story for us to watch. I foresee an announcement coming from Microsoft soon after Christmas, probably early January. I have lots of speculation, but I’m keeping it to myself for now. Feel free to ask me in person and I’ll probably share. I just don’t want to document anything yet.

See you next week.

Disney and Pixar released the trailer for their next original film, Brave, today.

It’s a gorgeous looking film, but I get the sneaking suspicion that there’s far more to this than they’re letting on. Their stories are always complicated and rich and I expect this will be no exception.

Here’s the synopsis from IMDB:

Set in Scotland in a rugged and mythical time, “Brave” features Merida, an aspiring archer and impetuous daughter of royalty. Merida makes a reckless choice that unleashes unintended peril and forces her to spring into action to set things right.

The film features the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane and Emma Thompson.

Comment below with your first impressions.

Some of you may have missed this little gem when it came out in mid-July. It’s newly out on Blu-ray and it has lost none of its charm.

I reviewed it back when it came out, and here’s the gist of what the film is about and what I liked from that review:

The story is very, very straight forward. Eeyore (played here quite capably by Bud Luckey, from “Boundin’” fame) has lost his tail and there’s a contest to find him a new one. The prize? A pot of honey that Pooh just needs because he can’t even remember the last time he’s eaten. Owl (played hilariously by Craig Ferguson) steals every scene he’s in, at one point attaching a chalkboard to Eeyore’s backside as a replacement for his tail and then illustrating an entire story on it, still attached to Eeyore. The animation delves into the chalk and
provides a great sequence in the old mold of “Heffalumps and Woozels” or “Pink Elephants on Parade.” It worked stupendously.

More than anything, this film is fun and funny for people of all ages. I saw it with my 8 and 9 year old and we three were all laughing hysterically throughout. They came up with a perfect mix of humour and charm that appealed to everyone in rapid fire succession.

Again, the animation was gorgeous, the film was funny and beautifully rendered, the voices were top notch, and it was just a great, easy way to spend an hour and a half in the theatre.

And the film has only grown in its fun. There’s something to be said about seeing this film on home video instead of the theatre, going a long way to recreate much more of the nostalgia I had with Winnie the Pooh in my youth. The weekend the Blu-ray came in, I curled up on the couch on a Saturday morning, huddled under a blanket with my kids, and we watched it all over again. We laughed even harder and being at home somehow made it even more charming.

On Blu-ray, it looks better than Winnie the Pooh ever has before and makes me want to revisit the classic feature as well.

If you have kids, you owe it to yourself to pick this movie up. If you don’t, and you’re just a fan of Winnie the Pooh who was wary about this new version, I assure you, there is nothing to worry about.

TTFN…

Disney is finally bringing us the official English Dub of Miyazaki’s “The Secret World of Arrietty.” The new trailer launched Tuesday on Youtube and iTunes, and sets the North American release date at February 17th, 2012.

“The Secret World of Arrietty” is Miyazaki’s faithful adaptation of the classic book “The Borrowers,” a 1952 children’s novel by Mary Norton. It follows the adventures of the Clock family, who believe they are the last of their kind and must live in a world surrounded by giants. Dangers and the unknown are ever present, and make for a fantastic tale!

Not only is Miyazaki’s adaptation much closer than that of the prior Borrower’s film and miniseries –  it also breathes that very special magic and whimsy that so many Studio Ghibli films possess.

Starring Will Arnett, Luke Allen-Gale, Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, and Saoirse Ronan – this film is definitely another must-see from Miyazaki and his talented crew. I have always been extremely impressed with Disney’s English dub-work, and they have done a fantastic job marketing and distributing Studio Ghibli’s films in the U.S. – “The Secret World of Arrietty” is sure to be another hit.

Multiplatform:
Back to the Future – The Game (PS3, Wii)
Battlefield 3 (360, PS3)
Champion Jockey: G1 Jockey and Gallop Racer (PS3 Move, Wii)
The Cursed Crusade (360, PS3)
Disney Universe (360, PS3, Wii)
Dragonball Z Ultimate Tenkaichi (360, PS3)
Grease Dance (Kinect 360, PS3 Move)
Heavy Fire: Afghanistan (360, 3DS, PS3, Wii)
Just Dance Kids 2 (Kinect 360, PS3 Move, Wii)
Puss in Boots (DS, Kinect 360, PS3 Move, Wii)

Microsfot:
Dance Central 2 (Kinect)
Kinect Sports Season Two (Kinect)

Nintendo:
Active Life Magical Carnival (Wii)
Captain America: Super Soldier (3DS, already available on other platforms)
Centipede: Infestation (3DS, Wii)
Country Dance 2 (Wii)
Harvest Moon (3DS)
Kirby’s Return to Dreamland (Wii)
Monster High – Ghoul Spirit (DS, Wii)
Nikoli’s Pencil Puzzle (3DS)
PhotoWorld (DSi)
Pokemon Rumble Blast (3DS)
Squinkies 2: Adventure Mall Surprize (DS)
Zoo Resort (3DS)

Sony:
House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut (PS3 Move)
InviZimals: Shadow Zone (PSP)

You know the holiday shopping season is shaping up when you see a release list this long. It doesn’t matter that most of them crap shovelware. All those ridiculous dancing games are what Grandma is buying for the little ones. When what she really should be buying is Disney Universe. The gameplay for this looks a lot like they’re skinning Little Big Planet or one of the LEGO games with Disney characters. But that’s not a bad thing. I love both of those franchises – and I’m a grown man with no children.

Of course, most of the adult male gaming community (as well as some females and non-adults) will be skipping the Disney fun to play the first of two major FPS games set to fight each other on the sales floor this season. Battlefield 3 gets a leg up on its competition, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 by releasing two weeks earlier. Since I have no dog in this fight, my opinion on which will be better or sell more is basically irrelevant – but also more fairly balanced, so I’ll give it anyway. Ultimately I think DICE and Battlefield have shown they are the more robust, and dare I say better, game. Call of Duty has the name recognition amongst fratties and sweet bros everywhere (as well as a better framerate that makes a little difference). If I were to pick one for myself, I’d skip the sweet bro community and go with the one my military friends prefer, Battlefield. But, considering the disposable income in frat houses, Call of Duty (and Activision’s undeniable but evil short-term financial savvy) will be the monetary winner this year.

In what could be one of the weirdest cross-overs ever, Prep & Landing from Walt Disney Animation Studios will be entering the world of Marvel’s Avengers in a new comic book adventure.

From the press release:

Certainly Santa doesn’t just visit the ordinary citizens of the world – even super heroes should have a shot at making it onto the “nice” list.  Join Wayne and Lanny, members of an elite unit of elves who prepare homes for Santa’s arrival on Christmas Eve, in their not-so-ordinary task of preparing the Avengers Headquarters for the “Big Guy’s” arrival.  The significance of readying the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for a visit from Santa is lost on his stealthiest elves – for them, it’s just another night on the greatest job ever.

Prep & Landing first aired on television in 2009 as a half hour special and won four Emmy awards.  The DVD is currently available for pre-order and will be released November 22.

John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, says, “I love Prep & Landing. I love the whole concept of Santa having these high-tech, stealth, elf squadrons that help him get each house prepared for Christmas,” He also adds, “It’s already so much fun combining this super secret spy world mixed in with the North Pole, and then to add the Avengers into the mix – spies, Christmas and comics – three of my favorite things!”

And here I was, thinking it was raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.  (Not that those are my favorite things, either.  Just seemed an appropriate place for a movie reference).

So, if you like your comic book superheroes with a holiday twist, the new Prep & Landing story will be available exclusively in the following November comics:

• Avengers #19
• Super-Heroes #20
• Spider-Man #20

Also, be sure to watch Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, a full-length special premiering on ABC this Christmas.  Wayne and Lenny must recover classified technology that has fallen into the hands of a computer hacker.

AVENGERS #19 (SEP110506)
Written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
Pencils & Cover by DANIEL ACUÑA
Rated T …$3.99
On-Sale—11/16/11

SUPER HEROES #20 (SEP110572)
Written by JEFF PARKER
Penciled by MANUEL GARCIA
All Ages …$2.99
On-Sale—11/16/11

SPIDER-MAN #20 (SEP110571)
Written by PAUL TOBIN
Penciled by MATTEO LOLLI & ROB DiSALVO
Cover by ALE GARZA
All Ages …$2.99
On-Sale—11/23/11

I didn’t realize that if you ask most animators to pick a film that is the pinnacle of your art, the most frequent response would be Dumbo.

I haven’t seen this film in twenty or more years and I couldn’t even fathom why it could be their favorite animated film of all time, especially with movies like Alice in Wonderland, Lady and the Tramp, and Sleeping Beauty to pick from.

The Blu-ray of Dumbo arrived and I was dying of curiosity to watch it and see what the film could offer and I was shocked.

Dumbo is a fine film and the animation is fantastic, sure, but I was shocked by the economy and efficiency of storytelling. Dumbo came out in 1941 when animated features (and even color and sound movies) were in their infancy. Learning to tell a story with these new tools wasn’t easy for some, but for Disney it seemed to come naturally.

But this film clocks in at 65 minutes and is so straightforward, touching, funny, and surreal that it’s amazing so much was packed into to so little time. Though, on its surface, Dumbo might seem as a mish-mash of musical numbers and comedy bits to string the narrative together, it’s a brilliant bit of storytelling. You all generally know the story, right? Dumbo is born, he’s different, he has no talents, but he learns that, with the aid of a magic feather, he can fly because of his big ears. He has to learn to believe in himself and fly on his own when he loses the feather. To communicate that story in a manner as efficient as they did is really a marvel.

But all of the things I remembered about the film that haunted me from my childhood, particularly the Dali-esque ‘Pink Elephants on Parade’ sequence, all fit so neatly into the movie in a way I didn’t quite understand as a child but as a writer today it blew my mind. There are so many visual flourishes that help tie the story and the longing and the motion together that it’s just…staggering… As you’re watching it, think about all that goes into something as simple as Dumbo holding Timothy’s tail with his trunk… It’s… it means sooooo much in the context of the film and… wow. This film really blew me away all over again.

And the fact that the film, like all of my favorite films, can blend humour, drama, tears, joy, laughter, and surrealism in a way that isn’t distracting or lopsided is impressive.

It’s a lesson storytellers would do well to learn.

As far as the Blu-ray itself, like all Disney Blu-rays, it looks absolutely gorgeous and has special features that document the making of the film and the appreciation that’s grown out of it.

I would have never guessed that Dumbo was a must-own Disney film, but now, with my adult eyes, I can see it for the brilliance that it is. Get it. It’s worth revisiting.

With the incredible success of The Lion King 3D, The Walt Disney Studios has announced that it will bring back four of its classic films for the first time in 3D.  First released in 1994, The Lion King has already made more than $80 million at the domestic box office, making it the 10^th highest grossing domestic movie of all time.

The next movies to include the 3D treatment are:

·         Beauty and the Beast – January 13, 2012

·         Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo – September 14, 2012

·         Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. – January 18, 2013 (Monsters University, a prequel to the original film, arrives in theaters in Disney Digital 3D on June 21, 2013)

·         The Little Mermaid – September 13, 2013

First released in 1991, Beauty and the Beast follows the adventures of bookish Belle, a young woman searching for someone who understands her.  Fate takes her to a castle hidden in the forest where an enchanted Beast and his servants long for the day when true love will break the spell.  It was the first animated feature ever nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture, and it has grossed $380.4 million worldwide.

Beauty and the Beast has also just been re-released on Blu-Ray with a 3D version, but seeing it on the big screen is always better.  I know I’ll go see it in 2012.

Next is Disney•Pixar’s Finding Nemo. It was the second-highest grossing film of 2003 and won an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature.  This watery tale follows a clownfish named Marlin who must swim the vastness of the ocean to look for his missing son Nemo.

Disney•Pixar’s Monsters, Inc won an Academy Award® for Best Song and has grossed $526.9 million worldwide.  Released in 2001, this film tells the story of Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski.  Their job is to scare kids, but a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, and they find themselves helping to get her back home.

And finally, The Little Mermaid.  Teenaged mermaid Ariel finds herself in love with a human, and she rebels against her father when he forbids her to swim to the surface.  She longs to be part of his world and will do anything to accomplish that goal, even if it means bargaining with the villainous sea witch Ursula.  The Little Mermaid won two Academy Awards® and has grossed $228.9 million worldwide.  It also began what is often referred to as Disney animation’s second Golden Age, bringing back the feel of classic Disney films that spoke to movie-goers of every age.

The Muppets are on a mission with their new Fan-a-Thon: to get “a bazillion” (or even “gazillion”) likes on Facebook.

I’m fully on board with this mission, because if there is one thing I really and truly want it’s for there to be more awesome Muppet movies in my future. Admittedly, the Muppets hit a bit of a slump at the end of the 90’s, but I’m confident that this new movie will bring them back to us in exceptional fashion. Jason Segel and a fantastic creative team have taken up the mighty task of bringing the Muppets back, and I can’t help but root for them every step of the way. Mostly because I feel that the Muppets have become so much more than the characters themselves- in many ways they are symbols of hope, inspiring creativity, and friendship that deserve to be remembered and, in my opinion, carried on into the future.

“My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I got here.” – Jim Henson

Jim Henson’s 75th birthday would have been September 24th, 2011 – and the Muppet Mindset Blog posted a lot of great articles for the occasion. One article in particular, “Jim Henson’s 75th Birthday: The Effect on the World,” is especially heartfelt and a must-read. The following quote from the post really spoke to me as someone who has adored the Muppets my whole life:

“James V. Carrol (Muppet Fan Artist):  At five years old, my parents took me to see the theatrical debut of The Muppet Movie and it greatly impacted my life. I remember everything about that day. The illusion was so real that I actually believed the Swedish Chef broke the projector in the middle of the movie. Most people mistake becoming rich and famous as the goal of the film, but it’s about sharing your journey with other likeminded individuals who may be very different in every other aspect of their lives. That kind of positivity, no matter what the challenge, is how I always think of Jim Henson and is only a fraction of what his work continues to mean in my life.”

Head over to their site and give the article a read.

Passing the Muppets on to another generation is a huge deal, and it’s even bigger if this movie is as much the achievement I hope it will be. If you haven’t seen the latest trailer, “The Pig With the Froggy Tattoo,” watch it here and then head over to facebook to give the Muppets as many “likes” as you can.

And if you love Muppets music, check out the new “Green Album” featuring covers by OK GO, The Fray, Andrew Bird, Rachael Yamagata, Weezer and Hayley Williams, My Morning Jacket, Alkaline Trio and more. You can preview some of the tracks from the Album here.

Finally, the ultimate question to you, the readers. Who is your favorite Muppet and why? My favorite Muppet has always been Kermit – for his ability to bring the “whole gang” together, every time, no matter what the obstacles may be.