Dark Thunder

The members’ area holds the same images and basic layout as the tour so there are no nasty surprises when you get inside. Actually there are only nice surprises, with a welcome message and plenty of things that you can now access and join in with, as we’ll see.

Dashing straight to the video area I found a good supply of viewing options. Let’s do the technical stuff first for a change: you can stream in two kinds of players and at four speeds. If you’re on dial up the there’s a tiny 38k screen for you to squint at and if you are on broadband there is a 700k version which is much bigger. For some reason I couldn't right click and find the window sizes for you, but I’d go with the largest you can manage if I were you; these screens weren’t huge – but with the Flash version you can go full screen. There is also a full length download in WMV format that you can take. (DRM protected though.) The transfer rate was around 80kbps and the files around the 100 to 200 Mbs mark. So, good viewing options with quick downloading and streaming.

Perhaps you’re not sure where to start? In this case the home page will show you the latest movie to hit the site and the previous updates too. You'll also see the members’ top rated episodes and you too can rate each piece of content. Or you could use the model index to browse the 143 guys by their looks. Choosing one will lead you to a page from where you can click to access his vids or galleries. It’s a simple model index with little information. Actually the movies don’t have much info with them either, just a standard, short description.

The guys themselves are great. You have some very dark black dudes here and there is a spectrum of skin tones leading right the way along to light coloured Latino boys. There is some interracial action in here too so hunt around for it and you'll be well rewarded. I have to say that the video quality was fine, as was the standard of images in the galleries. The photos enlarged to 900 x 600 in size which was just right for my screen and there were slideshow options available in six speeds. You’re well looked after in the gallery department and the images are clear, well taken and easy to access.

Having said all that I didn’t find anything thunderously special about Dark Thunder; well, apart from some of the sexy guys, Thugzilla making an appearance and the quality of some of the moves – I guess that’s enough ‘special’ though! I did find everything easy to use and follow with clear links and good navigation, and I did enjoy the 33 feed sites, though only two were specifically black and/or interracially themed. Don’t get me wrong, this is a rewarding site and, being fairly new, is set to grow. But there was something ‘standard’ about it all.