VIZ Media's Haikasoru Imprint Announces The Release of Apparitions: The Ghosts Of Old EDO

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VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint is proud to announce the North American release of famed Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe’s chilling collection of ghost stories – APPARITIONS: THE GHOSTS OF OLD EDO. The new release carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN.
 
An eBook edition is also available for $8.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store.
 
Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences, and is the first imprint based in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

In old Edo, the past was never forgotten. It lived alongside the present in dark corners and in the shadows. In these tales, award-winning author Miyuki Miyabe explores the ghosts of early modern Japan and the spaces of the living world – workplaces, families, and the human soul – that they inhabit. Written with a journalistic eye and a fantasist’s heart, APPARITIONS brings the restless dead, and those who encounter them, to life.

“Miyuki Miyabe turns her thorough knowledge of Japan’s rich tradition of horror and genuinely creepy folklore into a unique collection of terrifying stories set amidst the darker shadows of Japan’s old capital in APPARITIONS: THE GHOSTS OF OLD EDO,” says Nick Mamatas, Editor, Haikasoru. “The days draw shorter, the nights longer and more ominous, and it’s a perfect time to take in this remarkable collection of ghost stories set amidst the bustling merchant culture of the classic Edo period!”
 
Author Miyuki Miyabe's first novel was published in 1987, and since then she has become one of Japan's most popular and best-selling authors. In 2007, Miyabe's novel, BRAVE STORY (also published North America by Haikasoru), notably won the Batchelder Award for Best Children's Book in Translation from the American Library Association. Her fantasy novels ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST and BRAVE STORY are also available from VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint. APPARITIONS: THE GHOSTS OF OLD EDO is her newest book to be translated into English.

 

Deadpool Vs. S.H.I.E.L.D First Look At Deadpool #21

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This December, the Merc with a Mouth goes toe-to-toe with the S.H.I.E.L.D. in Deadpool #21 – the first issue in a brand-new story arc from the blockbuster writers Gerry Duggan & Brian Posehn and red-hot artist Mike Hawthorne! And it ain’t gonna be pretty!

It’s been a while since S.H.I.E.L.D. had Deadpool re-kill the reanimated Presidents of the United States – and Agent Gorman of S.H.I.E.L.D. stiffed him on his well-earned pay! After all, he doesn’t do this for free, y’know? Now it’s time to collect what he’s owed – even if he’s gotta take down all of S.H.I.E.L.D. to get paid! But with S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Preston’s consciousness still stuck in his head – how’s she going to feel about all this destruction? And is all this S.H.I.E.L.D. stuff a shameless cash-in because of the TV show? Ask guest-star AGENT COULSON! 




VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PRE-SALE FOR NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BLOOD PRISON

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VIZ Media has announced that presale orders are now being accepted for its latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime feature film. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BLOOD PRISON will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on February 18th, 2014. Presale orders are available at select retailers. The movie will also be released the same day in a Download-to-Own edition; platform information is forthcoming.

The latest domestic home video release of the venerable ninja action property carries a rating of TV-14, a DVD MSRP of $19.98 U.S. / $24.98 CAN and Blu-ray MSRP of $24.98 U.S. / $27.50 CAN. Each version also contains a special full-color variant O-card that will have different artwork than what is featured on the actual Amaray cases.

Bonus material for the DVD and Blu-ray editions includes a special animated short film, Chunin Exam on Fire! Naruto vs. Konohamaru!, as well as a production art gallery and the original Japanese theatrical trailers. The Blu-ray edition additionally features a video message from NARUTO creator Masashi Kishimoto and an interview with Junko Takeuchi, the Japanese voice of Naruto Uzumaki.

In his new adventure, Naruto is convicted of a serious crime he didn’t commit and is sent to the inescapable prison, Hozuki Castle. The warden, Mui, quickly seals away Naruto’s chakra to prevent him from rebelling. Refusing to give up, Naruto plans his escape while also befriending his fellow inmates Ryuzetsu and Maroi. But he can't help but wonder what their ulterior motives are...

“In this exciting new film release, the world’s most popular ninja is falsely sent to a notorious prison for attempting to assassinate the Raikage, the leader of the Hidden Cloud Village, and fans are invited to secure their copies now during this preorder period,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “Someone is out to end Naruto’s life and he will have to stay alive long enough to prove his innocence and uncover the truth before time runs out for him and his friends!”



VIZ MEDIA's SUBLIME IMPRINT DEBUTS SPIRITUAL POLICE YAOI MANGA SERIES

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Youka Nitta’s latest release – SPIRITUAL POLICE. The new manga series launches today, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, and carries an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. 

 Rookie police officer Nagatsuma doesn’t believe in superstitious mumbo-jumbo, so he’s skeptical the first time he visits a masseur known as the “Spiritual Doctor.” But he soon learns that the blind, beautiful Aoi is more than just a physical therapist—when he lays his hands on his patients, he can see into their fates and souls. But is Aoi the saintly healer he seems to be? And when the two men give in to the desire for a more-than-clinical relationship, can Nagatsuma separate his new feelings from his job on the force? 

 “Youka Nitta’s latest SuBLime release turns on the drama as Aoi and Nagatsuma find themselves falling for each other and also snared in a complex web tying them both to a mysterious cult leader,” says Jennifer LeBlanc, Editor, SuBLime, “The passion also becomes palpable as cute rookie cop Nagatsuma discovers Aoi has senses and special skills that were heightened when he lost his sight. Readers and fans of Youka Nitta especially will not want to miss this sexy new series from one of the biggest names in the yaoi genre!” Youka Nitta made her publishing debut with GROUPIE in 1995, and since then has become one of the most prolific and popular yaoi manga creators worldwide. Her most well-known series, EMBRACING LOVE (published in North America as a 2-in-1 edition by SuBLime), has been adapted into both a drama CD as well as an anime series. Another of Nitta’s popular manga series, STARTING WITH A KISS, is also published in North America by SuBLime. More information about Youka Nitta is available on her English-language website at: http://nittayouka.com.

Lenni Reviews: The Walking Dead: Fall of the Governor Part One

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Like many, I tuned in for the premier of this season of The Walking Dead and as is very unlike me, I was physically in the room for the commercials. If you noticed in the title of this review, the trilogy has suddenly been transformed into NOT a trilogy. I noticed this in the commercial for the book and promptly lost my shit. Like many who pre-ordered this book (I had it on reserve since my last review) my first thought upon seeing "part one" was "Gee, thanks for the shameless money-grab." It's the most blatant act of bait and switch I've ever seen and as a fan, I am straight up insulted. This is precisely why I take full advantage of my dayjob as a librarian: I can screen a series to see if it's worth my money to own them. Sometimes it is, sometimes it's not.

This is a case of not.

That being said, once I got over the "sticker shock" and got the book in my hot little hands; I remembered what a very wise teacher of mine said in high school about going into something with your mind made up beforehand. I opened to page one with an open mind.

No, seriously. I left my extreme anger and sarcasm for the first two books behind. And that was really hard, believe you me. This book comes in at a mere 245 pages; which leaves little room for a realistic transformation of Lilly Caul.

Fall of the Governor picks up not long after Road to Woodbury. Lilly still hates the Governor, he still doesn't trust her, and Woodbury is still lead by a creepy bastard who keeps zombie heads in fish tanks and a zombie girl on a leash in his house. Lilly goes on a couple raids and she seems to have he right attitude of it not being play time and you need to watch your ass. But her switch from "this guy is out of hand" to "gee, I think he has the right idea because the world is harsh and cruel" is so sudden, it is beyond belief. If the character straight out says "I think it's Stockholm Syndrome" (I'm paraphrasing here but Lilly used the term), the transition was too abrupt. It was forced to comply with the assault on the prison we all know is gonna happen.

Other than that, I have to admit, this book is MUCH improved over the previous installments. If you've read my reviews of those, that's not saying much but the fact remains. The writing in the beginning is "take this guy's thesaurus away" drab again but when the novel meets the comic, it picked up in quality. The cynic in me believes it's because the world was already built; you just hadda transcribe the events in the comic. But you can still screw up that part and Bonansinga didn't. Kudos to you, sir.

Even the new angle of the story coming from the other side of the coin, as it were, isn't enough to separate the novel from the comic. You've read the comic, you know what happens. The side story with Lilly and her new boyfriend(?) Austin is forgettable. Glen and Maggie are a better couple to watch, in my opinion. Besides, who wants to hear them muse about their relationship when you get to read the prose version of the Governor and Michonne meeting face to face. That was the best writing I have seen in this series so far. Keep it at that caliber, and I may not hate the next one from first glance.

As I finished the book, I did check out some other reviews and to sum up, I agree with them; it's a cheat. It's not fair to split up the conclusion this way and these books do NOT live up to the promise of the comic books or the show. They are forgettable at best and cringe-worthingly bad at worst. I am only looking forward to the last book to say I finished the series. Because, let's face it: We all read this story already. And it was better the first time they told it.

Can't get enough of Lenni's writing? See more here.

The Legend of Korra Avatar Line Available On Xbox Live

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Nickelodeon announced the launch of TheLegend of Korra avatar line for Xbox Live Marketplace. Fans and gamers everywhere can customize their avatars with costumes, apparel and character props inspired by the hit animated series, including Korra’s signature outfit from the show; character bending powers and t-shirts. Developed by The Legend of Korra series creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, the avatars are available now in the Xbox Live Marketplace, the line features 10 downloadable items, ranging from $1.00 - $4.99. Additionally, the collection will be available on Xbox One, next month.

"We are thrilled to release The Legend of Korra Avatar line for Xbox Live Marketplace," said Sherice Torres, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Products, Nickelodeon Consumer Products. "These avatars give fans yet another way to interact with one of their favorite properties."

The Legend of Korra Avatar Line features:Costumes: Korra, Mako and Bolin
Props: Air-bending, water-bending, fire-bending and earth-bending
Apparel: Women and Men t-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps





MARVEL COMICS TO LAUNCH THE ALL-NEW MS. MARVEL!

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Ms. Marvel debuting as part of the Company’s popular All-New Marvel NOW! initiative. The All-New Marvel NOW! Launch provides readers and fans with accessible stories of their favorite characters, and in the case of Ms. Marvel, stunning new characters to delve into and explore. The All-New Ms. Marvel will be introduced in January in a special All-New Marvel NOW! Point One Comic Book in advance of the Marvel NOW!Ms. Marvel dedicated series in February 2014.
 
Ms. Marvel will center on 16-year-old Kamala Khan, a Muslim-American teenager living in Jersey City, New Jersey. Like any teenager, all of her opportunities are in front her and she is full of potential, but her parents’ high expectations come with tons of pressure and has led Kamala to carve out a future that she has little interest in.
 
"At her core, Kamala is just a 16-year-old girl, exploring the many facets of her identity when she is suddenly bestowed with super-human powers that send her on the adventure of a lifetime,” says Marvel Comics Editor In Chief Axel Alonso.
 
 
Series editor, Sana Amanat, states, “The inspiration for the newMs. Marvel series stemmed out of a desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective and yet, this story isn’t about what it means to be a Muslim, Pakistani or American. Those are just cultural touchstones that reflect the ever changing world we live in today. This is ultimately a tale about what it means to be young, lost amidst the expectations bestowed upon you, and what happens when you get to choose.”
 
Writer, G. Willow Wilson, “I wanted Ms. Marvel to be true-to-life, something real people could relate to, particularly young women. High school was a very vivid time in my life, so I drew heavily on those experiences--impending adulthood, dealing with school, emotionally charged friendships that are such a huge part of being a teenager.” Willow continues, “It's for all the geek girls out there, and everybody else who's ever looked at life from the fringe.”

Concept Art
 
 
 

Kickstarter Spotlight: #1: Hana Doki Kira: A Shojo Anthology

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I will be be doing a new section on the site that I think many readers will like called "Kickstarter of The Week." This will showcase a project that myself or the team finds interesting that we think you Otakus & Geeks readers would want to check out. This week's project comes from a group of artist with one passion in mine Shojo. Read the details below.

 Hana Doki Kira is a comics and Illustration Anthology on Kickstarter featuring 26 unique and talented artists inspired by the subgenre of Japanese comics called Shōjo. The anthology was created and put together by members of the Year 85 group, six female artists brought together by a shared passion. 26 artists with diverse skills and styles, with experience ranging from the fine arts to game design, were asked to consider what Shōjo personally meant to them, and to create art based on their interpretations. Known for its distinctive use of flowery imagery, magical plot devices, and romantic themes, Hana Doki Kira takes its title from the same three key elements of the Shōjo world– ‘Hana’ meaning flower, ‘Doki’ echoing the sound of a pounding heart, and ‘Kira’the impression of sparkling beauty.

 Hana Doki Kira
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1191994790/hana-doki-kira

 Sample Art








The Simpsons salutes Marcia Wallace with poignant farewell from Bart

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The Simpsons" paid Marcia Wallace, who died last week, the show's ultimate compliment at the opening of Sunday night's episode.

"We'll really miss you Mrs. K," scrawled Bart on the chalkboard in the sequence that begins each episode of the long-running FOX animated hit.
It was a reference to Edna Krabappel, Bart's oft-tormented teacher who was voiced for years by Wallace.
In addition, FOX aired a 1992 episode of the show for which Wallace won an Emmy as the lead-in to Sunday's new show. In the classic episode "Bart the Lover," after Edna (Wallace) gives Bart a month of detention, he gets his revenge on her by responding to her newspaper singles ad.
Wallace, also known for her work on "The Bob Newhart Show," died at age 70 from breast cancer last week.

                                                                              Marcia Wallace
                                                    


                                                                    Voiced: Edna Krabappel




Source: MSN: Todd Cunningham




Youtube Highlights: Darth Vader With Bane's Voice

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I was browsing through Youtube watching some cool voice dubs and mash up of voices when I came across this video. The video is Darth Vader with Bane's voice from "The Dark Knight Rises." What happens when Gotham's criminal meets the dark lord of the sith. You get a pretty believable detail video. Check it out below.



Lenni Reviews: Abyss Deep: Star Corpsman Book 2

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(Image Source)

When Navy Corpsman Elliot "Doc" Carlyle is sent on a mission to diffuse a hostage situation and saves the life of a very influential alien species, he is "rewarded" by being sent on a mission to a planet that is half hellish storms and half unforgiving ice. Aptly named Abyss World, the mission is to find out why communications from a research facility have suddenly stopped. They are being hunted by a species called cuttlewhales -native to the planet - and the Grkr - not native but a major threat.

To be succinct, this book is Call of Duty meets Star Trek and I loved every geek fueled minute of it. Sometimes the long biological, geological, sociological, or technological explanations take you out of the story but for me (a HUGE science geek) I found them all fascinating. It does interrupt the story and it's a little jarring to suddenly leap back into the story after several pages of an advanced chemistry lecture but it was really easy to jump right back into the narrative since the mission is just so damn interesting. The marines and the scientists accompanying them are trying to learn about the cuttlewhales and not get killed by them while also trying to learn about the Grkr... And not get killed by them. Neither species seems very good at communication.

You'll have to bear in mind I have not read the first book so I cannot speak to how the story flows from that book to this one but as a stand alone, it shines just fine. You get just enough back story on Elliot and the surrounding characters to understand them and their roles in his life. So, if you like more space marines in your first contact stories, Lenni recommends this book.

Can't get enough of Lenni's writing? See more here.

VIZ Media Releases Zetman Anime On DVD & Blu-Ray

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ZETMAN on November 5th. The 13-episode series is rated ‘TV-MA’ for Mature Audiences and will be offered Uncut in DVD and Blu-ray editions. The DVD MSRP is $44.82 U.S. / $43.24 CAN and Blu-ray MSRP is $54.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN.
ZETMAN is based on a popular manga (graphic novel) series by Masakazu Katsura, who also created VIDEO GIRL AI and I”S (both published in North America by VIZ Media) and was the character designer for the hit anime series, TIGER & BUNNY (also available on Blu-ray and DVD at North American retailers).
Features for the Blu-ray and DVD editions include English dubbed or original Japanese audio selections (with English Subtitles), clean opening and ending segments, the original Japanese broadcast trailer, marathon play option, and an exclusive interview with ZETMAN manga series creator Masakazu Katsura taken during his recent appearance at New York Comic Con.
Jin and Kouga may come from very different walks of life, but both boys are searching for the real meaning of justice and what it means to be a hero! Jin may be poor, but he lives a happy life with his grandfather, until the day tragedy strikes and changes his life forever. Kouga, born into a wealthy family, is in line to inherit his family’s power and fortune. But what is true strength? What does it really mean to be human? Jin and Kouga’s fates intertwine in their struggle to harness the power that lies within each of them!
 
 

Anime's You Need To Watch This Halloween

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With Halloween tomorrow we thought the best way to celebrate the day of thrills, chills and spills the best way we know how and that is of course ANIME!!! So if you're not going out to one of the amazing Halloween attraction, going to a club or house party and just decide to celebrate Halloween otaku style. We have a complied a list of anime's that you should check out this Halloween.

Perfect Blue














A retired pop singer turned actress' sense of reality is shaken when she is talked by an obsessed fan and seemingly a ghost of her past. Mima leaves the idol group CHAM, in order to pursue her dream as an actress. Mima climbs up the rocky road to success by performing as rape victims and posing nude for magazines, but is haunted by her reflections of the past.

 Perfect Blue Trailer
Highschool of the Dead
Takashi Komuro is a normal high school boy, until an infection breaks out that turns people into zombie-like creatures. Along with his friends & the school nurse, they fight their way out and continue their journey to find out what exactly has happened to the world.

 Highschool of The Dead Trailer
When They Cry - Higurasi

 On one hot summer day in 1983, a transfer student named Maebara Keiichi comes to a peaceful rural village in Hinamizawa. There, he befriends his classmates Rena, Mion, Rika, and Satoko. Accepted as a full-fledged member of the "club," Keiichi and the gang plays all sorts of activities ranging from card and board games to hide-and-seek. But just as Keiichi was beginning to be assimilated in simple rural life, he stumbles upon the dark history of Hinamizawa. As Keiichi dives deeper into the mystery, he finds that his new found friends may not be all what they claim to be.

 When They Cry Trailer
Another

 When Kōichi Sasakibara transfers to his new school, he can sense something frightening in the atmosphere of his new class, a secret none of them will talk about. At the center is the beautiful girl Mei Misaki. Kōichi is immediately drawn to her mysterious aura, but then he begins to realize that no one else in the class is aware of her presence.

 Another Trailer

Blood: The Last Vampire

 Teropterids are evil beasts which pose as humans and live only to drink human blood. Fortunately for the human world there are groups dedicated to destroying them. A brooding and mysterious girl named Saya is the best teropterid slayer there is, and now, in 1960's Japan, she is sent to a U. S. army base which may be infested...

 Blood: The Last Vampire Trailer

 Vampire Hunter D

 In the year 12,090 A.D technology and the supernatural have overtaken the world. But thanks to the overzealous ambitions of man, the world remains desolate and despotic. What's left of the human race is divided into various towns and cities living in fear of vampires who compose and exist as the Nobility, fending off the monsters and mutants as a result of their existence. On a night five days after the Count Magnus Lee had harmlessly tasted the blood of Doris Lang and chosen her to be his next wife, she hires a vampire hunter by the name of 'D' to rid her of such an ill-gotten fate. As a dhampir (half human, half vampire), there exists a distinct resentment between the hunter and his prey. But as the Count finds out, there is also a peculiar secret behind the past of the Vampire Hunter D.

 Vampire Hunter D Trailer

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

 Continuing his quest to rid the world of the Nobility, the Vampire Hunter D, a dhampir (half human, half vampire), is summoned by the Elbourne family to rescue their daughter Charlotte from the captivity of Meier Link. The race against time not only involves saving the girl, but also the additional hiring of the Markus Brothers; a volatile and infamous group of Hunters known for their tendency to rid themselves of the competition by any means neccessary. To make matters more complicated, when Charlotte is found she is more than reluctant to leave the side of her new love...

 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Trailer
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette (OAV)
Eiri works at his uncle's antique shop, and one day stumbles across a glass. Upon touching the glass, he receives visions from what he finds out to be a girl, Cossette, haunting the glass. She's been searching for over 250 years for someone who could see her, and now she needs his help.

 Le Portrait de Petite Cossette Trailer

Monster
Kenzou Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon in Germany, had it all: incredible skill at his work, a rich and beautiful fiancee, and a promising career at his hospital. However, after becoming disenchanted by hospital politics, he chose to save the life of a young boy who got shot in the head over the life of the mayor. As a result he lost the support of the hospital director, as well as his position in the hospital and his fiance. A short time later, the hospital director and the doctors that replaced him were murdered, and once again he was catapulted back onto the top. But as the chief suspect of the murders, Tenma did not get a easy life. As a matter of fact, it seems that the boy he saved was much more than he had appeared to be... Now to clear his name and to correct his past mistake, Tenma must get to the bottom of these and other murders, and investigate the truth of the Monster who is behind all of this.

 Monster Trailer
　
Pet Shop Of Horrors
The established trio of Count D, Taizuu and Chin travel to a small town where a picket-line battle is raging between officials and townspeople over the construction of a new dam. Of more interest to Count D is a pet left behind by his Grandfather yet instead the group finds a Sleeping Beauty who's deep sleep soon begins to spread. When Christmas comes, the young prince Femuto wishes to offer a special gift this year by bringing a dinosaur egg into Count D's magical dragon-hunting game. It doesn't take long for sightings of a dinosaur in the city to capture everyone's attention. Soon after, the eyes of the media falls to the story of an unlikely con artist driving single men to suicide.
　
Pet Shop Of Horrors Trailer

 　

　


The Walking Dead Game: Season Two - Reveal Trailer

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Today Telltale Games released the teaser trailer of The Walking Dead Game: Season Two. The Walking Dead Game: Season Two – A Telltale Games Series will continue the story of Clementine, a young girl orphaned at the outset of the undead apocalypse, now left to her own devices to seek safety and survive in a world gone mad. Now assuming the role of an ordinary child, players will struggle to outwit both the dead and the living in situations that will test their morals and control the flow of the story through their decisions and actions.



X-men: Days Of Future Past Trailer

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 Here is a look at the X-men: Days Of Future Past Trailer that was release today. The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods. The beloved characters from the original "X-Men" film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from "X-Men: First Class," in an epic battle that must change the past -- to save our future. The movie opens in theaters on May 23 2014.




NYCC: Justice League War Panel

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Hey Otakus and Geeks fans, New York Comic Con 2013 had some great panels this year, so we started our day two coverage with the DC Panel. DC unveiled a first look for its upcoming animated featured Justice League War. The panel included producer James Tucker, director Jay Oliva, legendary dialogue director Andrea Romano and Batman voice actor Jason O'Mara.

 The DC animated universe is headed into The New 52 territory with ‘Justice League: War’ which adapts the opening storyline from the current ‘Justice League’ comic book series, which gathered the world’s greatest heroes to oppose the ultimate evil, Darkseid. Superman will be voiced by (Firefly) Alan Tudyk.  He will be joined by Jason O’Mara as Batman, Michelle Monaghan as Wonder Woman, Christopher Gorham as The Flash, Justin Kirk as Green Lantern, Shemar Moore as Cyborg, Sean Astin as Shazam, and Steve Blum as Darkseid. Here are some images released by DC for the upcoming animated feature.

 Batman, Superman, Green Lantern



Shazam


Green Lantern



Darkseid


Some of you may be asking why the new movie isn't featuring some of the iconic voices that we have come to love like, Tim daly (Superman TAS, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse) Kevin Conroy (Batman TAS, The Iconic Voice we love). The panel informed us that they are going in the same direction of the New 52, which means new voices and stories that follow the comics.

The panel was asked to summarize Justice League War, Tucker said the feature was “everything you ever wanted” in a Justice League movie. Oliva called it a “loose adaptation” of the Geoff Johns “Justice League: Origin” storyline and will feature the origin of Cyborg. Romano said the character of Cyborg goes through plenty of distress but comes out “shining.

Oliva confirmed that footage from the forthcoming Batman: Assault on Arkham animated movie, based in the “Arkham” videogame universe, is coming back from overseas animation studios and it looks “badass.” Miereanu noted O’Mara is excited for fans to see Batman: Assault on Arkham.


Fan Q&A

Some fans asked why Shazam was added to the story and Aquaman was taken out? "That was a suggestion made by Geoff Johns, actually," Tucker said. "He brings a lot of lightness to the proceedings - it's a very dark, intense story. It was also revealed that Aquaman would be getting his own animated movie.

 Another question was bought up by Green Lantern fans, one I have long wanted to ask and has been asked at the last two DC panels....... When are they going to do a Blackest Night animated feature. This is one of the greatest stories in DC history and should be made into a movie. Tucker admitted a possible Green Lantern: Blackest Night animated feature was “discussed,” as was Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War.

One fan asked if they would ever consider doing an animated movie on curse of the Robins, a movie that would follow all of the Robins and explore how partnering with Batman ruined their lives, which got a loud applause from the fans at the panel. The panelists seemed intrigued by the idea and appeared to consider it.

There were also questions if DC was considering bringing back Teen Titan and Young Justice. This was something I myself hoped would spark interest. Fans of Young Justice hoped there is something being planned because the show was left on a cliff hanger.  Tucker said that while he did not work on either, he is very interested in Teen Titans. "So… maybe."


They closed the panel with a final clip, featuring Green Lantern, Batman and Superman fighting off a horde of Parademons. Justice League: War doesn’t currently have a release date, but it is expected to premiere in early 2014.  




By Sean Tucker

8 Cartoon Voices You Didn't Know That Are Famous From Other Shows

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1. Bobby Hill (King of the Hill) = Spinelli (Recess)


 In 1997, two new animated shows hit the air: Recess and King of the Hill. One featured tomboyish tough girl, the other featured a doughy, sensitive boy who "just ain't right." Both were voiced by Pamela Adlon, who you may also recognize as "Pamela," from Louie.


2. Cogsworth (Beauty and the Beast) = Ratcliffe (Pocahontas) = Wiggins (Pocahontas) = Major Charles Winchester (M*A*S*H) = Jumba (Lilo and Stitch)

 

 
  If you need a stuffy asshole, look no further than David Ogden Stiers, who has been playing stuffy assholes since at least the '70s. In retrospect, it shouldn't be much of a surprise that the same man who played the uptight surgeon with a good heart in M*A*S*H also voiced the uptight clock with a good heart in Beauty and the Beast, but how did we miss that Ratcliffe and Wiggins were voiced by the same guy?

 

3. Henri (An American Tail) = Charles Muntz (Up) = Christopher Plummer

 At an age when most of us were watching An American Tail (also known as Fievel to idiot children everywhere) we didn't care at all who the actors behind these characters were. Even if those actors are god damn theatrical treasures like Christopher Plummer. Yes, Captain Von Trapp himself is also a friendly french pigeon living in the Statue of Liberty. And he's still popping up in surprising places: as the villainous explorer Charles Muntz in Pixar's Up and as the greybeard Arngeir in Skyrim.

 

 4.  Ariel (The Little Mermaid) = All the Barbies (Toy Story trilogy)

 


 


If you've ever wondered what Ariel (Jodi Benson) has been up to these days, you might be excited to learn that she's still available if you need to voice a character with an impossibly thin waist. 


5. Chef Louis (The Little Mermaid) = Mannfred (Archer) = Odo (Deep Space Nine)

 
 

 And while we're on the topic of The Little Mermaid, you may be wondering whatever happened to Chef Louis, if you're the kind of person to care about minor, inconsequential characters. That same voice actor also apears in the first season of Archer as the German spy Mannfred. And that voice actor? Rene Auberjonois, perhaps best known for playing Odo in Stark Trek: Deep Space Nine.

 

 6. Shredder (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) = Uncle Phil (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

 

 

  Teenagers, right? Seems like they're always getting into getting into trouble. Whether it's "one little fight" in West Philadelphia or a never-ending series of battles against mutants. Regardless of the specifics, you can count James Avery to get them in line as the voice of both Shredder and Uncle Phil. "But wait," you might say, "It's a pretty big stretch to say that Shredder helped the turtles in any way." And you're right. Lucky for you Avery ALSO voiced Splinter.

7. Mulan (Mulan) = Finn's Mom (Adventure Time) = Melinda May (Marvel's Agenst of S.H.I.E.L.D)

 

 Mulan, arguable the kick-assiest Disney princess, is also voiced by a pretty kick-ass actress, who seems to be everywhere nerds are. Ming-Na Wen has one foot in comic book world, playing Melinda May in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, and a foot in the video game world starring in in Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and in Street Fighter (as Ol' "Hey Stop Kicking So Much" Chun-Li). But, hey, maybe you're one of those people who don't really like video game movies (also known as "normal people"), you might still be pleased to realize that she also voiced Finn's mom (or, at least alternate reality mom) on Adventure Time.

 

 8. Gadget (Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers) = Dot (The Animaniacs) = Agnes Skinner, Dolph, and Jimbo (The Simpsons)

 

 

Tress MacNeill's voice is so ubiquitous it tends to pass by unnoticed. A mainstay on The Simpsons, voicing Agnes Skinner, Dolph, Jimbo Jones, and many others. She's voiced dozens of characters in Futurama, Dot in The Animaniacs, Gadget AND Chip in Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers, Angelica's mom on Rugrats, Babs Bunny on Tiny Toon Adventures, and a million other things. You can probably hear her voice in your head more clearly than you can your best friend's.


Honorable Mentions 

  Clancy Brown.
Voiced:  Mr Krabb ( Sponge Bob )
Lex Luthor ( Superman TAS )



 Cree Summer
From the series A Different World ( nbc 80's show )
Voiced:   Foxxy Brown ( Drawn together )
     Penny ( Inspector gadget )
Elmyra Duff ( Tiny Toons )
 Abigail 'Numbuh 5' Lincoln ( Codename Kids Next Door )
Dr. Penelope Young ( Batman Arkham Asylum )
 Mary West ( Young Justice )

 


Source: College Humor