Saturday, November 20, 2010

Marvel Super Hero Squad and the modern charm of Thanos

via Hero Complex - Los Angeles Times

The new game Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet has just hit store shelves, and I watched the trailer with a bit of fascination. The reason? I continue to be surprised by the ability of Marvel and DC to create versions of their characters that are wildly different in tone. When I was a young comics fan in the early 1980s, Thanos was a murderous butcher on a cosmic scale, a guy who actually romanced death and kissed her right on the lips — or would have if, you know, death’s femine aspect actually had lips. Now Thanos is part of a video game for tykes, a sort of lightweight Skeletor who sound like he needs a cough drop.

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super mega punch-out!! cross-stitch: 80,000 stitches of retro awesomeness

via technabob

It took crafter Sewsew-a-Gogo almost two years to create this Punch-Out!! art, and it looks like it was well worth the wait.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles take on Predator in Russian Children's Book

via GeekTyrant

Now here's an excellent movie idea! The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles vs. the Predator! The turtles end up fighting the predator, but of course in the end they sit down with him to have a nice pizza dinner. Or you could always have the mutant turtles team up with Batman!

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Disney Princesses get their Star Wars Darth on

via The Inquisitr

So what do you get when you combine the world of Star Wars and princess characters that abound in the Disney world of animation?

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Before Tron: Legacy, there was Betrayal

The graphic novel Tron: Betrayal should be required reading for die-hard Tron fans, as its a great story in the Tron universe. What's more, it's a critical bridge between the two films, and sets the stage for understanding what's taken place in the two worlds of Kevin Flynn since 1983. 

It's been an eventful few decades, to say the least, and Betrayal tells the tale.

Written by Jai Nitz and Starlight Entertainment, with art by Andie Tong (with an introduction illustrated by comics/gaming giant Jeff Matsuda and cover art by Jock), the comic does exactly what a book like this is supposed to do: it reminds you of everything you loved about Tron, tells a compelling story bridging the gap between the original film and Legacy, and sets the stage for the new movie.

I picked up the book as an eager Tron fan already excited about the release of Legacy, and put it down looking forward to the movie more than ever.

Its also approachable enough on its own merits that a newcomer to the Tron mini-franchise could pick it up, get an immediate feel for the dual worlds of Tron and their many inhabitants, and get become a fan rather quickly. 

The original Tron was not a blockbuster, but it was a spectacular, monumentally influential film, one that told a story about the real world and our virtual worlds that we create and inhabit, and Betrayal follows in those footsteps.  It tells a tale that spans generations, it touches on facts of life which we all deal with, and imbues artificial intelligence with complex, human, relatable traits, and has both action and tragedy, as well as - well, betrayal.  In between all those light cycle races things fall apart, and feelings of confusion and abandonment lead to nihilism.

This comic kicks ass. I'm twice as excited for Tron: Legacy after reading it.

That's my take. 

Here's the official description from Marvel:

Kevin Flynn is now in charge of the world's largest video game company, Encom. The break-through game developer has built the Grid, a digital world filled with living programs except now the new virtual world is about to develop a life of its own and, in order to control it, Flynn's going to need the help of an old friend...named Tron.

Tron: Betrayal is available now from Disney Press for $9.99.

Tron: Legacy hits theaters on December 17.

Natalie Portman says ‘Thor’ role hammers away at ‘cute’ stereotypes

via Hero Complex - Los Angeles Times

Next summer, Marvel Studios will deliver its first truly cosmic film with “Thor” but to connect with a wide movie-going audience the film will also need a human heart within its tales of Asgard. That’s why director Kenneth Branagh and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige brought in actress Natalie Portman to add new layers to the character of Jane Foster, who since her creation in 1963 has been far less memorable than comic-book counterparts such as Lois Lane or Mary-Jane Watson.

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Friday, November 19, 2010

Manifest Destiny on a new Stargate Universe

Look who's back - it's Robert Caine in Destiny's shuttle. How'd he return from another galaxy?  Damned if he knows. 

Here's a sneak peek:

 

The new episode of Stargate Universe, titled "Visitation", airs Tuesday (November 23) at 9:00 p.m./8:00 p.m. Central on SyFy.

LOTR: Middle-Earth Defense Released, Available In App Store Now

via App Advice

Lord of the Rings: Middle-earth Defense has recently been released in the App Store, and is available now to download in an iPhone/iPod touch version ($6.99), and an HD iPad version ($9.99).

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First Image of Karl Urban as 'Dredd' Hits Online

via Cinematical

The first image of Karl Urban as Judge Dredd in the Pete Travis-directed remake/readaptation of the sci-fi comic series (itled simply 'Dredd') has found its way online. It seems to have been made public by Jock, the comic book artist who is also working on the film as one of its concept artists, and is, according to 2000adOnline.com, a shot taken from rehearsals.

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Got $35 Million? True Blood's vampire mansion can be yours

via Blastr

The house that Evan Rachel Wood's luxe vampire calls home in True Blood is up for sale. All you need is enough loot to finance a small war and you could live like an undead queen.

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Kevin Eastman Sells ALL His Turtle Stuff

via Bleeding Cool

Kevin Eastman is co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the worldwide brand based on his self-publishing comic book with Peter Laird back in the day.

But now it appears that he’s getting rid of everything associated with it. In one big lot on eBay.

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Temporarily Deceased Superheroes Give Birth to ‘Death Fatigue’

via Underwire

Indie webcomics cooperative CO2 Comics is fighting back against mainstream publishers’ repeated slayings of A-list superheroes with a T-shirt line entitled “Death Fatigue.”

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Thursday, November 18, 2010

Family Guy: It's A Trap! recreates old-school Return of the Jedi trailer

Instead of a highlight gag reel, the creators of Family Guy are promoting the final installment of their Star Wars parody trilogy, Family Guy: It's A Trap!, with a shot-by-shot remake of the original trailer for Return of the Jedi!

Bask in the awesome.

(OK, so they snuck one little gag in there.)

Family Guy: It's a Trap! will be released on DVD, Blu-ray and digital download (no details as of this writing, but presumably iTunes and Amazon) on December 21.

[via hollywoodreporter.com]

Photographer Turns his 91-Year Old Grandma into a Superhero to Cheer Her Up

via GeekTyrant

A few years ago photographer Sacha Goldberger found his 91-year-old Hungarian grandmother Frederika feeling lonely and depressed, so to cheer her up, and put a spark back into her life he turned her into a superhero! He took a series of awesome photographs of her wearing costumes in unusual superhero type posses. "Grandma reluctantly agreed, but once they got rolling, she couldn't stop smiling."Read More >>

Someone's making a movie called Steampunk Samurai Biker Chick? We're in! [Cult Movies]

via io9

Right now, in Los Angeles, casting is taking place for a low-budget action movie called Steampunk Samurai Biker Chick. And it sounds like Mad Max crossed with Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!. When can we see this movie?

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Bloomberg's Disney-fication of New York no longer even a little metaphorical

Behold and cringe as NYC Mayor and media mogul, eighth-richest-American Michael Bloomberg reads super-cheesy marketing copy and fails to properly pronounce Forest Hills. Fear for the souls of comics and New York, and get douche chills on behalf of the poor intern in the Spidey suit, who looks profoundly embarrassed to be there. And is that guy's first name really Thor?

Can I please have Mephisto wipe this incident from my mind? Or better yet remove it from having ever existed? Ah, sweet sweet retcon.

Joss Whedon's dream Wonder Woman was Angelina Jolie

via Blastr

Back when the Buffy mastermind was writing the now-abandoned feature film about the Amazonian princess, he had a certain Oscar-winning actress in mind.

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may the fonts be with you

via technabob

I love these simple posters of epic Star Wars characters that were simply made by through the clever use of typography.

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Mark Ruffalo on Joining The Avengers (and the ‘Carbon-Footprint Rape’ That Got Him There)

via Vulture

"For me, the most exciting thing is putting one foot on a banana peel and the other foot in the grave," Mark Ruffalo said earlier today as he dug his spoon into a small dish of butterscotch pudding. He was at an intimate luncheon in Los Angeles to promote Lisa Cholodenko's awards-season contender The Kids Are All Right (where his six days of winning work produced a performance likely to land him a Best Supporting Actor nomination), and though he was referring to that film's blend of comedy and pathos, the image of Ruffalo straddling two very different worlds couldn't be more apt as the indie-minded actor prepares for his biggest role yet: playing the Hulk in Joss Whedon's Marvel mash-up The Avengers. "I'm not used to that kind of [attention]," he confessed. "I run a small operation."

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Gowalla gets a boost from new Disney Parks partnership

via The Inquisitr

Disney fans with smartphones are in luck today with news they can collect some sweet virtual Disneyabilia.

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HULK SMASH MEXICANS

via Boing Boing

GNRRRRGGGGH! LOU FERRIGNO, ACTOR PLAY HULK IN POPULAR '70S TV SERIES, JOIN ARIZONA SHERIFF POSSE TARGETING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA.

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The Force Unleashed 2 Remembers a Simpler Time When All We Wanted to Kill Were Ewoks

via Topless Robot

Remember the good old days of Star Wars fandom? Say, 1983-1996, when the worst part about the Star Wars universe were the Ewoks, and how upset we all were that teddy bears could overthrow the Empire? Ah, how naive we were.

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Denis Leary To Play Gwen Stacy’s Dad in Spider-Man Reboot

via Screen Rant

Denis Leary is in negotiations to play Gwen Stacy's father, George, in the 'Spider-Man' reboot. Will his character follow the mainstream or Ultimate Marvel Comics storyline?

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"A Wretched Hive," Star Wars-themed print from Martin Ansin for Alamo Drafthouse/Mondo

via Boing Boing

The fine folks at Alamo Drafthouse today send Boing Boing an exclusive sneak peek at the wonderful poster above, "A Wretched Hive," by Martin Ansin. Comes in a regular (Copper) edition of 360, shown above, and a variant (Metallic Silver) edition of 150. Dimensions: 24"x36". Will go on sale November 18, follow @MondoNews for the "on sale now" announcement.

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The Washing Dead

The Gutters reminds us of the Walking Dead that might have been. I think it's fair to say that we, as viewers, dodged a bullet.

“Angry Birds” Dethroned: “Smurfs’ Village” Now Top-Grossing Game on iPhone

via Mashable!

Capcom’s Smurfs’ Village has officially topped Angry Birds as the iPhone’s top-grossing game. Its rise to the top hasn’t been without some controversy, though.

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Iron Man/War Machine Cosplay, British Edition

via Geekologie

Two British blokes decided to don their highly impressive Iron Man/War Machine costumes and take a jaunt around jolly ol' London. No word if they had fish & chips.

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Harry Potter about to dethrone Star Wars as biggest film franchise

via Blastr

By the time Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 runs its course, and makes its forecasted boatload of cash, the boy wizard saga will surpass the boy Jedi saga.

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Official: Ultimate Spider-Man is going to die in February

via The Beat

…or at least have a storyline named after him. Teasers of Spidey’s death have been revealed to be the ULTIMATE Spider-Man, not 616 Spidey. Brian Bendis and Mark Millar will do the deed, aided and abetted by Sara Pichelli, David Lafuente and Leinil Yu.

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Wolves at the gate on a new Sanctuary

It's interrogation, Sanctuary-style.  Henry plays it calm and cool, until he's asked: "are you now, or have you ever been - a werewolf??"

OK, it's a little more subtle than that.  Here's a clip:

 

The new episode of Sanctuary, titled "Animus", airs Friday (November 19) at 10:00 p.m./9:00 p.m. Central on SyFy.

Mayor Bloomberg And Spider-Man Team Up For Propaganda

via Bleeding Cool

Okay this feels slightly sickening. An unemployed Peter Parker bumping into New York Mayor Bloomberg who, watch out for the sick feeling in your mouth “who tells him about the free job training and placement services available through the city’s Workforce1 Career Centers, helps to put him on the right track”.

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Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Full Green Lantern Theatrical Trailer!

If you love it, put a ring on it. And photoshop a CGI costume onto it. And cast Ryan Reynolds in it. For realsies, here is the full-on theatrical trailer for the upcoming Green Lantern movie, in which we see Hector Hammond, Carol Ferris, the menace of Parallax and of course the stalwart members of the Green Lantern Corps!

 

Hammer Films' Marcus Hearn on Horror History and Iconic Movie Posters

via Cinematical

With Matt Reeves' recently released 'Let Me In,' the gothic horror tale 'The Woman in Black' currently lensing, and Hilary Swank's 'The Resident' on the way, Hammer Films is revamping its image with a new wave of horror titles. This makes it the perfect time for a gorgeous and ghoulish book about the biggest and best of Hammer's memorable posters to hit the shelves. Titan Books has been working with Hammer rights and archive consultant, author Marcus Hearn, on three of the film company's official books (with another on the way next year) -- including the recently released 'The Art of Hammer.'

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Giant Star Wars Minifig Alarm Clocks = Holiday Shopping, Done [Lego]

via Gizmodo

That's it. I'm done. No more holiday gift thinking for me—Gigantastic 8-inch tall Star Wars stormtrooper Lego minifigs for everyone!

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Colleen Thomas, YouTube Sensation, Thinks We're Going to be Eaten by Lizard People

via Urlesque

Here is a 50-year-old woman who has a good explanation for the ICBM that was fired over California last week. It was shot down by aliens (Pleiadeans, to be exact) who are trying to prevent a war on earth instigated by lizard and dragon people who live underground and secretly control the powers that be. Apparently this is a widespread conspiracy. Lizard people.

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Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Spreads the Love In February [Release Date]

via Kotaku

Nothing says "I love you" like taking your significant other to a midnight launch event for Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, coming to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on February 15.

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Nerds in Love -- Couple Document Married Life As Stormtroopers

via Asylum

If you don't believe Red and Jonny when they describe themselves as "Star Wars geeks," take a look at their Flickr stream, where the couple photographs themselves wearing Stormtrooper helmets in a slew of situations from the banal to outlandish.

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A console Diablo 3? Blizzard hiring talent, looking at possibility

via Ars Technica

The original Diablo made its way to the PlayStation back in 1998, and it looks like the upcoming Diablo III may be doing the same. At least, that's what a trio of job listings on Blizzard's website suggest.

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‘Green Lantern’ — let the costume controversy begin

via Hero Complex - Los Angeles Times

The hardest part of bringing a superhero to the screen is getting the costume just right — the same skin-tight fashions that look great on the illustrated page turn totally ridiculous when worn by living, breathing actors.  The filmmakers behind “Green Lantern,” due next summer from Warner Bros., approached that challenge digitally; star Ryan Reynolds will appear in a costume that was essentially “drawn” on him via CG effects and there has been considerable curiosity to see how the final product would look.

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Guillermo Del Toro Working on Marvel’s INCREDIBLE HULK Series at ABC with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Producer David Eick

via Collider

Back in October, we got wind of a new TV adaptation of The Incredible Hulk at ABC, and while the prospect itself was somewhat intriguing, the names behind this new series will have you ripping through your purple shorts with excitement.  It seems that the brilliant Guillermo del Toro and Battlestar Galactica executive producer David Eick are in the process of finalizing a deal to bring Hulk to the flickering box.

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World of Warcraft Quest Makes Players Conduct TSA Patdowns

via Urlesque

There's a growing internet backlash against the TSA's new groping policy security procedures, and it looks as if even the makers of World of Warcraft have jumped on board. The game now has its own little jab at security theatre, where two cities have started searching their citizens for "cultist documents."

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First Look at DCUO: Legends, a Comic Based on DC Universe Online

via Underwire

MMORPG DC Universe Online doesn’t arrive until February, but new art from upcoming comic book series DCUO: Legends serves up a glimpse of the planet-crushing action that will drive the game.

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Monday, November 15, 2010

5 Gamer Phrases to Replace "It's On Like Donkey Kong"

111110_tf_donkeykong.jpg

In light of Nintendo's move to trademark "It's on like Donkey Kong" - not to mention its a bit passé ever since Scott Pilgrim - Unplggd has some excellent suggestions for new game-inspired catchphrases.

Don’t Make Me Horny. You Wouldn’t Like Me When I’m Horny

via Bleeding Cool

Looks like the Vivid Super Hero XXX Parody line continues to mine the public’s most prominent image of a superhero character. From sixties TV Batman to seventies Donner Superman, now to eighties TV Hulk.

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Rumor of the Day: Joker to return in live-action Batman TV series

via Blastr

After Christopher Nolan is done with The Dark Knight Rises—most likely his last Bat-film—Warner Brothers wants to keep the franchise alive with a new TV series. And the Caped Crusader's Big Bad will be none other than the Joker.

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Man Auctions Copy of First Batman Comic Ever, Which He Bought for 10¢ in 1939

via Geekosystem

At the age of thirteen, Robert Irwin bought Detective Comics #27 from a newstand for ten cents.  And though he and his brother collected and discarded hundreds of comics, that one issue was the only one he kept.

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Iranian general declares Spider-Man a menace

via Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources

Taking a cue from J. Jonah Jameson, the commander of Iran’s 400,000-member volunteer militia has blasted Spider-Man as a “false” cartoon character that may be part of a “soft war” against the Islamic republic.

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Spider-Man Musical: deadly but beautiful

via The Beat

The Spider-Man musical is becoming more of a legend by the day. If it wasn’t epic cost overruns and cast changes, it was a stage set-up so ambitious and dangerous that people were breaking bones.

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'Night of the Living Dead' Re-Cut to Become a Choose Your Own Adventure

via Cinematical

If you've ever wished the flesh eaters would have devoured the screechy Barbra sooner than later in Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead,' you're in for a treat.

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15 Walking Dead Moments We Can't Believe We'll See on TV

via Topless Robot

AMC has surprised us with some of the things they've shown on the first few episodes of their version of The Walking Dead. From killing zombie kids and the horse smorgasbord in the first episode to some of the more colorful language Michael Rooker's ultra redneck Merle Dixon spouted off in the second, it doesn't seem like Frank Darabont and company are worried about crossing too many lines with the series. But, the show hasn't even covered the ground of the first six issues of the comic yet and things get a whole helluva lot worse, with more graphic zombie attacks and some of the most disturbing human interactions ever put on the page.

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Sunday, November 14, 2010

HALOween Awesomeness that took 3 years to complete

via The Inquisitr

It must take a special kind of madness to be willing to got to the lengths that these awesome people did just to create the best HALO Halloween you could imagine. However this is exactly what Shawn Thorsson and his friends did over the space of three years.

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The Event to Return in January and Hope for a Second Season

via Vulture

The Event, NBC's high-concept, supposedly Lost-like new drama, hasn't done well in ratings. Still, last month, NBC ordered a full season of the show.

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iPhone Apps That Sound Like Marvel Characters

via Comix 411

Can you imagine if iPhone apps were named after characters from the Marvel Comics Universe? I can...and here they are:

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Jerry Robinson auctions iconic comic art

via Comics - Digital Spy - News

Comics industry veteran Jerry Robinson has revealed that he will auction off two pieces of iconic Golden Age artwork.

The original art for the covers of Superman #14 and Detective Comics #69 are to sold by the 88-year-old on ComicConnect.com.

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Happy Steampunk Sunday!

Pic comes courtesy of Geeks Are Sexy, where you'll find a whole gallery of goggled girls reliving the industrial age, only with guns and magic and stuff. Anyone else think that if Arcanum were released today, it would be the best selling game ever?