Infinite Wars: Hsu Hao vs Kenshi

HSU HAO versus KENSHI

Blood Ties: Prelude (DC)
Where: Mortal Kombat X #1 When: March 2015
Why: Shawn Kittelsen How: Dexter Soy

The Story So Far...
While under deep cover with the Red Dragon clan, Special Forces agent Kenshi learned of the existence of a son living in Thailand. Abandoning his post, and the search for cultist Daegon, he raced to Lampang, where he arrived to find a bloodbath and the boy's dead mother: Suchin.

Finding his son in the next town, Kenshi must take the boy on the run as the Red Dragon pursue the double agent across Asia. The chase takes them to the wilderness of The Himalaya, where Hsu Hao leads a search right on his tail! With arrows soaring above, the fight is on!

Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2020/04/hsu-hao-versus-kenshi.html

Trailer365: Mortal Kombat

Day 103: Mortal Kombat (1995) [Original Post]

Songbook: Immortal

Adema - Immortal (2002) [Original Post (Day 326)]

MKO: Mortal Spotlight: Jeri Ryan on the Set of Mortal Kombat!

Jeri Ryan has been one busy actress... With a career in film and television spanning twenty years; Ryan has acted in starring roles in many successful primetime dramas, including Dark Skies, Boston Public, Shark, The OC, and Law & Order: SVU. For some, she will be best remembered as the cult sci-fi heroine of more than one hundred episodes -- Seven of Nine, from TV's Star Trek: Voyager. An impressive body of work by any measure, but for fans of a certain conccurently running twenty-year video game franchise, about to pale in comparison to a ten episode, digitally distributed series!

Ryan's association with Mortal Kombat began in June, with the online leak of a high-quality production demo called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth [full story]. The eight minute clip, directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Fame, DanceLife), presented a stark reinterpretation of the MK mythos, with a bent toward over-the-top, gritty urban adaptation. Acting opposite action favourite, Michael Jai White (Spawn, Black Dynamite), during interrogation scenes led by his Jax ; Ryan completed the Special Forces duo as a file wielding, business suited Sonya Blade. For fans concerned the former Miss Illinois will be a paper pushing wallflower version of the fighting Lieutenant, Jeri Ryan has provided pictorial documentation of her action packed role! Via Twitter, the actress promises "ass is being kicked," showing off battle scars from her kombat experience, which includes kicking the occasional door on the Vancouver location shoot, as well! Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1362

MKO: Liu Kang Biography Vignette Released!

Gamespot have exclusively revealed the first-look at number four in a series of character vignettes, each designed to spotlight the backstory of classic fighters in the lead up to entering Mortal Kombat!


Liu Kang is featured this time, lamenting on his training as a child with Shaolin Monk, to his special mastery under the Outworld-born master, Bo' Rai Cho (introduced to the canon in Deadly Alliance). Referencing his relationship with Raiden, the vignette appears to retain the expectation of Liu Kang as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and eventual champion.

As a young orphan, Liu Kang was trained by monks, ultimately becoming a Shaolin expert under Master Bo' Rai Cho. Assisted by the God of Thunder; Liu Kang is Earthrealm's best hope for freedom -- and survival! Liu Kang is destined to reach the final challenge and become the champion of Mortal Kombat!

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1360

MKO: Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors

It was in 1993, on the back of the success of the original Mortal Kombat, that two Belgian electronica artists set about creating a dance anthem inspired by the game. Techno Syndrome, in it's varied mixes, has gone on to be one of the most memorable novelty songs of it's time, popularized through use in the 1995 Mortal Kombat feature film [coming to BluRay in April], as well as television marketing for home console release of the games prior to the movie, and pop culture references following. It was even included as bonus material in Sega CD releases of the game.

Oliver Adams and Maurice Engelen (Praga Khan) -- who were well known at the time for their work as part of the Industrial Techno collective, Lords of Acid -- were tapped by Virgin Records America to produce a complete concept album as soundtrack to the game as The Immortals.

Mortal Kombat: The Album was released subsequently in 1994, featuring ten original tracks inspired by the game and it's seven playable characters. Shang Tsung was notably the only character to go without a song; the rest of the cast, (including famous sub-boss, Goro), benefitting from high energy dance tracks, with descriptive titles and lyrics based on characters' biographies. Original tracks, Techno Syndrome and Hypnotic House, even boast soundbytes from the Sega version of the game, said to have been provided for the album.

In 2011, Warner Brothers' WaterTower Music will team with Teenage Riot Records to continue this MK musical tradition, producing a soundtrack for a new generation and a new game -- Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors!

Executive produced by Teenage Riot co-founder, JFK (of MSTRKRFT); the album is set to provide a contemporary take on the soundtrack concept, providing a more subtle source of inspiration in the mix, drawing from various styles to deliver an album of tracks "Inspired by the Warriors".

A complete tracklisting is yet to be made available, but music from the album has already been featured in character vignettes for Mileena, and most recently, Liu Kang. These singles, performed by Tokimonsta and Congorock, have been made avaialble for pre-release download on Amazon ($0.99) and iTunes ($1.29), along with Sub-Zero's theme.

• Mileena's Theme by Tokimonsta (3:28) [Amazon/iTunes]


• Sub-Zero's Theme (Helado) by Harvard Bass (7:21) [Amazon/iTunes]
  
• Liu Kang's Theme by Congorock (3:42) [Amazon/iTunes

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1361

MKO: Russian Website Releases Sindel Screenshots!

It was another scoop from our friends in Russia, this time a collection of screenshots previously exclusive to print domains. 1C.ru have six previously embargoed in-game screen grabs showcasing the lush background environments from the new game, as well as some of it's classic characters in not-yet seen classic poses!

These screenshots mark the first widely available viewing of Queen Sindel -- the Edenian royal who became Shao Kahn's bride and took her own life. Given the new games retro setting, we can be sure Sindel will be right in the heart of the action as the game revisits storylines leading up to and including Mortal Kombat 3!

Sindel's Banshee Scream is on display in the shots, along with classic special moves belonging to Sonya, Jax, Scorpion, and perhaps Ermac -- who is another of the returning characters yet to be showcased extensively.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1359

MKO: Mortal Kombat on Blu-Ray - with Bonus DLC!

In 1995, Mortal Kombat was released to theatres worldwide, grossing a respectable $23 million dollars in it's opening weekend in the United States. An American launching pad for British director, Paul Anderson (Resident Evil, Event Horizon), the film was also a watershed moment for the licensing of video game properties in Hollywood, which to that point, had resulted in critical and financial failure in the box office.

The movie was the culmination of a licensing agreement between major players of the time, then MK-owners Midway Games, and production studio, Threshold Entertainment. The deal would go on to produce a film sequel; animated series, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm; live-action television show, Mortal Kombat: Conquest; and interactive live-action web series, Federation of Martial Arts.

In 2011, the original Mortal Kombat movie remains among the most popular and successful films to be based on video games. With the aquisition of the brand by Warner Brothers, both the original movie and it's 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, will get a new lease on life in the Blu-Ray format with a re-release targetted for April 19.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1346

MKO: Mortal Kombat Action Figures Coming Soon

Since assuming ownership of Midway's intellectual properties in July of 2010 [full story], Warner Brothers have shown clear intent to capitalize on the Mortal Kombat brand in all of it's potential licensing and merchandising mediums.

To accompany the release of the upcoming game in April, a series of licensing deals have already been formed by WB and it's subsidiaries, to produce: an Official Strategy Guide with Prima Games; a custom game stick by PDP [Performance Designed Products]; an as yet untitled digitally released live-action series; and a concept music album with Teenage Riot Records, Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors.

In Spring, their massive merchandising line-up will be joined by a series of new action figures released by Jazwares. The deal is a return of the MK license to the toy manufacturer, who created three series of action figures inspired by Mortal Kombat: Deception and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, from 2005 to 2007.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1345

MKO: Liu Kang Confirmed by Official Website!

He made a surprise appearance in yesterday's IGN Inside the X-Ray behind-the-scenes featurette [full story], but today, it's official: Liu Kang is back!

Described on the Official Mortal Kombat website as "The Returning Champion" -- MK's iconic four-time big hero is a surprisingly late entrant into the new game. He's looking much healthier, though, after suffering a lethal broken neck in the opening scene from Deadly Alliance, before being resurrected as a zombie for Deception and Armageddon.

The time travel premise of Mortal Kombat means Liu Kang is, theoretically, in his element, enjoying the success that comes from entering and winning the Mortal Kombat tournament. There can be no guarantees, however, that Liu is still the chosen champion to represent the Shaolin order and all of humanity. A recently revealed blurb from the Official Mortal Kombat Strategy Guide gave us a strong indication that the existing canon could possibly expect some lasting changes.

Fortunately, much like his spinal column, Liu Kang's history remains in tact. The Official website offers a brief blurb alluding to his extensive training as a Shaolin fighting monk, including recognition from Raiden and his special training with Bo' Rai Cho.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1344

MKO: IGN: Inside the X-Ray Special Feature!

IGN have launched a special featurette taking players inside the practical and stylistic development of Mortal Kombat's exciting new special feature, X-Ray attacks!

The featurette includes sitdown talking heads from inside NetherRealm Studios, with first-hand discussion about the inspiration and intent behind the new attacks from Lead Designer, John Edwards; Director of Art, Steve Beran; and Art Designer, Carlos Pesina. They take us inside the development process, from conceptual stages, to the practicalities of CG model building, motion capture, animation, and the finished product.

Amongst the bone breaking, internal organ bursting mayhem are glimpses of various characters confirmed, but yet to be seen: CG resources reveal skeletal components for Baraka and Goro, the latter seen administering his X-Ray special along with previous confirmation, Ermac, in a previously unseen stage. Also seen for the first time in 2011 form, Mortal Kombat's traditional champion, Liu Kang. Appearing as a victim in some sequences, MK3 alumnist, Stryker. Also glimpsed by eagle-eyed viewers, Jade!

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1343

MKO: Official UK Xbox Magazine Preview and Pictures

January 26, 2011 -- The Official UK Xbox Magazine has a brand new Mortal Kombat preview online, featuring six unseen screenshots that show-off both fighters' dynamic move stances, as well as the material repercussions delt to their state of dress!

The preview, free to read at OXM.co.uk, makes cultural note of some of the proportionate peculiarities of of MK's fighting femme fatales, but is mostly generous in it's assessment of the series' latest installment. Of particular interest, the specials bar that controls players' access to upgraded special moves, combo breakers, and the already trademark X-Ray attacks, which show more complexity than a mere brute force body blow.

More interesting is what happens at the second stage. Hit the trigger at that point while you're being wailed on and you'll be able to stop any offensive combination dead. Given that the combo system is more accessible and flexible than it was in previous games, this is likely to come in handy.

Finally, once it's topped up, you get access to those miniature fatalities that are the X-Ray moves. While they won't finish your opponent off, they're satisfying, showstopper attacks that look like they cause genuine, medically accurate harm.

They're by no means an instant win button, though. X-Ray moves come in different flavours. Some must be pulled off while in close proximity to your opponent while others, such as Sektor's rocket attack, are projectiles that can connect from a distance.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1342

MKO: Official Mortal Kombat Strategy Guide Pre-Order Details

As reported in a previous story; gaming retailer GameStop have updated their listings to include the upcoming April 1st release of the Official Mortal Kombat Strategy Guide.

Available in two editions, the guide is published by Prima Games, a division of Random House known for the quality of their work on thousands of well known strategy books, including guides for many of the majority of previous MK titles.

You can currently pre-order standard and collector's editions of the guide through GameStop's online store, at a price of $19.99 and $29.99, respectively. Details about the contents of the guide, and what separates the two versions, remains largely unspecified. Descriptions for the game, however, do make interesting references to the nature of Mortal Kombat and it's plot, implying the canon of the games may be in store for some changes.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1340

MKO: Mortal Kombat Digital Series Officially Announced

Warner Premiere has today issued an official press release to announce their upcoming ten episode, live-action digital series based on Mortal Kombat. A formality to confirm what was already widely reported January 15th; the release reiterates Kevin Tancharoen's role as director of the shorts, with filming set to start in Vancouver this February.

In reference to Tancharoen's work on the well known Mortal Kombat: Rebirth viral video [full story], the press release makes deliberate note of it's status as an "unofficial fan short." The ten episodes are also described as revealing unseen history regarding the characters fans "know and love", suggesting the digital series may have much closer ties to the video game canon than the urbanized versions seen in Rebirth.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1338

MKO: Mileena Gameplay Trailer

NetherRealm Studios have released the next in their line of official character gameplay montages, this time featuring the malicious moves of man-eater, Mileena!


To download the videos yourself, you can use these links:

• Mileena Trailer: Looking for a Playmate? (HD) ( - 75.81 MB)
• Mileena Trailer: Looking for a Playmate? (SD) ( - 56.83 MB)

Mileena's trademark sai weapons play a prominent role as a classic projectile, along with other favourite moves from previous appearances, her telerport kick, rolling thunder, and a smoothly integrated leaping bite, among the highlights. The video shows off the improved fluidity of Mortal Kombat's new fighting engine, boasting seamless tag team assists, as well as bone crushing X-Ray specials!

Also included: dialogue between Mileena and an unseen character, whose voice was previously attributed to MK3 alumnist, Stryker, in a series of leaked audio files. It remains unclear if this is part of a seemingly interactive pre-fight intro sequence, or a brief snippet of the games confirmed story mode, which will operate similarly to the mode seen in 2008's Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.

More intriguing, perhaps, is the appearance of a new background character. Over the course of previews, Shao Kahn's Coliseum has played host to a small handful of chained women in reference to the Mortal Kombat II appearance of Sonya and Kano.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1336

MKO: Mortal Kombat Reborn as Ten Episode Web Series!

June last year, seven minutes and forty-nine seconds of video had the entire gaming internet and MK fan kommunity buzzing [full story]. Mortal Kombat: Rebirth was ultimately the work of Kevin Tancharoen: a director looking to develop a radical reimagining of the Mortal Kombat universe and its characters. To accompany this twisted new vision, noteworthy actors Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight, Black Dynamite, Spawn), Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager, Boston Public, Shark), and Ian Anthoy Dale (The Event, Tekken) lent their time and talents to a modest cast of extras, in what was otherwise a very well produced, high budget demo reel for online consumption. Or so it seemed...


Bloody-Disgusting.com is reporting that the video, witnessed by millions upon its release online, has earned Tancharoen the opportunity to produce an official series of ten short webisodes for Warner Brothers; current proprietors of the Mortal Kombat license and trademarks.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1334

MKO: Kitana and Mileena Renders and Music!

Introduced as pallette swaps in Mortal Kombat II, they've gone on to remain two of the most enduring female figures in the MK canon. Hot on the heels of the release of a character vignette and feature artwork, NetherRealm Studios have delivered yet another special treat for fans keen to get a closer look at Shao Kahn's sibling assassins, Mileena and Kitana!

The images, previously exclusive to magazine publications, reveal the new designs for each character in intimate detail. They reference earlier generations of the basic swimsuit, redesigned for this retelling of the story with a greater reflection of individuality in both. Fashionably fitting, given the fierce rivalry the two are famously known to have.

Kitana and Mileena will also have to fight over their dead pool playlist when WaterTower Music and Teenage Riot Records team-up to release, Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors!

Executive produced by JFK of MSTRKRFT; the album will feature tracks inspired by the characters of Mortal Kombat, including the theme performed by Tokimonsta in Mileena's vignette. The album is officially released in April around the same time as the game, but you can get an early taste of the action by visiting iTunes or Amazon to purchase Mileena's theme.

Mortal Kombat is the first release for NetherRealm Studios since the sale of Midway, and will be available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in standard and special editions.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1332

MKO: A Very Frosty Kristmas in 2010!

It's been six months since an eight minute showreel called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth sent speculative shockwaves throughout the online gaming community and MK fanbase [full story].

Reinventing the successful fighting franchise without authorized association; [MK: Rebirth] was actually one of many examples of independent productions borrowing from well known intellectual properties -- a practice used commonly to demonstrate, or practice, skills and techniques within familiar creative parameters. Just in time for the silly season, a new player has entered the demo arena to offer a decidedly lighter take on the MK property, a loving parody presented as a festive mock commercial.



Frosty Kristmas was directed by Manny Nickpour for his Netherlands based company, Hadoken Productions. The scene, filmed in a single night, was inspired by behind-the-scenes peeks at sequences from the 1997 platformer, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, as well as staple techniques of 1970s genre cinema. Nickpour is no stranger to filming Mortal Kombat, either.
A longtime fan of the series, he created a stir in 2008 with the release of two fake teaser trailers designed to recapture the mystique of the series ahead of what would eventually be announced as Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1323

MKO: Official MK Website Launches Feedback Feature!

Since it's countdown launch back in October [full story], the Official Mortal Kombat website has had fans anticipating the opportunity to register to discuss and reveal new details about some of their favourite characters. Today, the wait has ended!


The new official message board offers a range of standard discussion forums about the games and web content, as well as special categories dedicated to Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Mileena, Shao Kahn, and Raiden. These categories are attached to a rankings system, which will allow fans to unlock new materials on each characters' dedicated bio page through forum discussion. The preview bars will also see existing materials, such as the Scorpion and Sub-Zero vignettes already released, be made accessible from the site.

The update also brought with it revised editions of biography text supplied for each of the feature characters. Details alluding to the increasingly elaborate mythologies of each character included backstory accumulated from recent releases, as well as brand new revelations about favourites like Sub-Zero, previously known in-fiction as Tundra, and the very tournament itself, which is said to have been influenced in it's creation by Raiden.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1303

MKO: Mortal Kombat at the Brazil Game Show!

November 20th saw the launch of the third annual two-day Brazil Game Show; an expo designed to bring developers from around the world to the South American city of Rio de Janeiro.

In preparation for the release of their latest installment in the long running Mortal Kombat series, producer Hector Sanchez of the NetherRealm Studios team was there to offer a playable demo of the game and interact with fans from the region. The presence of the fighting franchise; which was acquired by Warner Brothers in 2009 from Midway Games; helped spur the event onto a massive new attendance record of an estimated thirty-thousand people on the floor.

Mortal Kombat is expected to be released in the early part of 2011 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. The game boasts classic returning characters featured in the BGS demo, such as; Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kitana, Johnny Cage, and others. No new characters were featured at the show, with recent announcements, Jax and Sonya, absent from this build.

NetherRealm Studios has released pictures from their trip to Brazil Game Show!
Find them attached above, or in the gallery of the official Facebook for the game.

Full Article: http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/News/read.cds?article=1301