Your First Look at AXIS: HOBGOBLIN #1!

                              Image Source: Marvel Comics


Got a Problem? Call Hobgoblin! Your First Look at AXIS: HOBGOBLIN #1!

This October, suit up with the one and only original Hobgoblin as he flies straight into the biggest event of the year in AXIS: HOBGOBLIN #1! That’s right, Roderick Kingsley, the one and only original Hobgoblin is back and fan-favorite creators Kevin Shinick (Superior Spider-Man Team-Up) and Javier Rodriguez (Daredevil) are taking him for a spin that’ll paint New York City orange! Only, Phil Urich, the city’s newly self-proclaimed Goblin King might have a thing or two to say about that! Yet as the threat of Inversion looms, prepare for a Hobgoblin book unlike any you’ve ever seen before. It all begins this October in AXIS: HOBGOBLIN #1!

 

 

AXIS: HOBGOBLIN #1 (of 3) (AUG140735)

Written by KEVIN SHINICK

Art & Cover by JAVIER RODRIGUEZ

FOC 09/29/14, On-Sale 10/22/14

 

 

 

 

A Voice In The Dark: Get Your Gun #1 Review

With Zoey and several of her roommates possible suspects in the murder of Mandy Jenkins, Uncle Zeke is taken off the case to avoid a conflict of interest. Meanwhile, Zoey meets her ‘fan' for the first time without masks. A Voice In The Dark: Get Your Gun #1 is written and illustrated by Larime Taylor.

A Voice In The Dark: Get Your Gun #1 starts off with punch. The tone is set in the first appearance of our protagonist Zoey. She is tied up in a chair with her friend being interrogated by the police for answers of recent murders. Zoey is a very interesting character when we are introduced to her. She seems like a normal girl with goals of finishing school, but has a urge that she can't seem to overcome. She has the urge to kill and now she can't stop doing it. She has already killed three people and now tries to suppress her urge with a radio show. Little does she know that someone has witnessed her crimes and is now stalking her. What are the motives of the stalker? What do they want with Zoey? I won't go into detail here. 

However I will say the story is really well written. The story is told through a series of diary entries from Zoey detailing her emotions, day to day activity, and how she interacts with people. I found this brand of storytelling refreshing and more realistic. Writer Larime Taylor wants you to really see the mind of a serial killer. While Zoey might not be as ruthless as others, it's her calm demeanor that makes her interesting. I want to know what sets her off, what drives her to commit these crimes, and hopefully in later issues it will be revealed. Overall this one story that has me wanting more. The characters are compelling and interesting, Zoey is a great protagonist which makes you wonder how she turned up like that. If you like dark stories with a little touch of first person perspective check this one out.

Final Grade 8.5/10

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time Vol 1 - 4 Review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles In Time, takes our favorite heroes on the half shell into four different timezones. The turtles journey into the prehistoric period, feudal Japan, the golden age of pirates and the future. This is a short four part story arc written by Paul Allor and Erik Burnham. Is this a story arc worth the time jump? Or should you stay in the present times?

One thing I love about TMNT: Turtles In Time is that each volume focuses on one particular turtle. Making each one of the turtles the main focal point really help me as the reader connect more to them individually. In volume 1 the turtles arrived in the prehistoric era, all thanks to their time traveling friend Renet. After dodging an stampede of dinosaurs Raphael is capture by aliens of Krang's race. It's up to the remaining turtles to find out how to get Raphael back and how can they get home. I will say out of all the four volumes this one was the most lighthearted one. Raphael is the main focal point in this volume. It was fun to see Raphael vulnerable and having to rely on the help of others. Fans actually will get to see a sweeter side of Raphael as he befriends a baby dinosaur he calls pepperoni. This was a fun issue and it captures the spirit of the turtles for the younger readers. There is enough action for older fans and in this issue Mikey steals the show. I won't give it away all I will say is turtles can fly. 

In volume 2 the turtles travel to feudal Japan. This volume had the most emotional depth and hits the turtles hard. The main focal point in this volume is Leonardo. When the turtles arrive a fellow ninja is being attack by a group of other ninjas. The turtles decide to intervene and stop the attackers, they later find out the person they help was Hamato Yoshi. Hamato Yoshi sees the turtles as demons but invites them back to his home as he is grateful for their assistance. I won't go into any more details since it enters spoiler land. I will say this was a pretty intense volume for Leonardo, because he is tempted to change certain events in the past. Leo is in a really dark place in this volume and it was great to see him be conflicted with his moral code. To see the leader filled with hate, rage and willing to end something makes the reader ask would I have these same feelings.

The dark tone shifts to another lighthearted tone as volume three is all Mikey. The turtles travel to the golden age of pirates. The pirates are in trouble with the Kraken and are about to lose hope. Enters Mikey who decides to take upon himself to be the voice of inspiration. Mikey shows a rare serious tone as he gives a great dialogue of never giving up and the importance of pushing forward. Inspire by his words the pirates make Mikey the captain of the ship. This ensues a bunch of humorous moments with Mikey and his brothers. This volume is pack with humor and a feel good story for Mikey.

The final volume is my favorite because like volume 2 it has emotional depth. The final stop is a future that is ruled by the Shredder. The place is called Shredder Island which was formerly known as Manhattan. Humans and mutants live in a coexisting world. However all is not what it seems as Shredder rules with an iron fist. The main focal point of the story is Donny. Like Leo, Donny sees something he wants to change in the future in order to save it. He is at great conflict with himself and we see a vulnerability to the turtle who always has the answers. There is a moment where future self and past self meet and it is the highlight of this volume. Seeing my favorite turtle carry so much shame, regret and sorrow was great to read.

Overall I enjoyed this story arc it has everything you look for in the turtles. The book has humor, two great emotional depth stories and the artwork is spot on. If you love the turtles this a fun but an emotional story arc to check out. Each turtle has a lesson to learn and it furthers their characters more. 

Final Grade 8.5/10

Slender: The Arrival Now Available On Consoles

The wait is over. HE is here. 

Slender: The Arrival, launches today on PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system. Tomorrow, Xbox fans will have their chance to experience The Arrival on Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft; both are priced at $9.99. Slender Man takes to the big screen with his first foray into the world of console gaming, promising big thrills and chills for a whole new audience.

Developed by Toronto indie team Blue Isle Studios and the only official Slender Man game, The Arrival puts you at the heart of a mystery surrounding the enigmatic Internet persona that has captivated and terrorized millions. Experience lives touched by Slender Man and follow the trail to connect them all to this unstoppable force of evil. Slender: The Arrival wraps players in a dark, foreboding atmosphere and a story fraught with terror, paranoia and other-worldly forces lurking behind every turn.

Written by the creative team behind Marble Hornets, this latest iteration in the Slender Man universe expands the canon established by the original web-series, with some new twists and extended content. Building on the successful Steam launch last Halloween, Slender: The Arrival comes to consoles with brand new story elements and features extended levels that continue to unfold the Slender Man mythos. Players are enveloped in a world of sensory deprivation filled with haunting visions and audio cues that create an ominous backdrop perfect for fostering a healthy dose of tension and paranoia. Follow the clues and unravel the mystery. That is, if you can survive.

The new content will be offered to Steam and PC players who already own Slender: The Arrival at no additional charge as free DLC. More information about this offering will be announced in the coming weeks.

Square Enix Products Brings Deathstroke to New York City

For its 2014 New York Comic Con exclusive, Square Enix recreated the nimbleness of Deathstroke to the utmost by incorporating flexible material in his shoulders and ankles to enable a wide range of motion. The paintwork features realistic weathering and chips on his armor, to imply the countless battles he has fought as an assassin. This stunning metallic color variant, a 2014 New York Comic Con Exclusive, brings a touch of noir to the classic Deathstroke design. The gold and black paint application on this figure makes for a stunning contrast and a must-have collectible for any fan of this deadly assassin.

Befitting an expert on weapons and explosives, the Deathstroke figure comes equipped with an arsenal of weapons, including a hand gun, a club, a sword, and a rifle along with corresponding interchangeable hands. The figure also includes a display stand.

500 of these limited edition figures will be available for purchase at the Square Enix booth (# 1813). An additional 500 will be available online at https://exclusives.na.square-enix.com/.

Product Details

BATMAN: Arkham Origins
PLAY ARTS -KAI- DEATHSTROKE Limited Color Version
(NYCC 2014 EXCLUSIVE)
Release: October 2014, Limited Distribution
MSRP: $99.99

Check the gallery below. Click on the pictures for better view.

Source: Square Enix

The Legend of Korra (XBOX One Impressions)

I had the great pleasure of attending this year's Nickelodeon Holiday presentation which you will read about later. While there I got my first hands on look for the new Legend of Korra game coming to all consoles. I played the XBOX One version and I must say fans of Korra can rest easy the game is awesome. Those familiar with the style of action beat em ups such as Bayonetta will be familiar with the flow of the game. Players will be able to use all the four air bending elements with a press of the button. Depending on enemies it will best to use certain elements. Some elements will work on certain enemies and some will not. One of my favorite parts of the gameplay was switching air bending elements while still fighting. For example I hit an opponent with fire and quickly switch to air which build up my combo hit more. Finding different combinations and styles kept me fully immerse in the game.


Wield The Air Bending Elements

Fans will also be happy to know that the graphics look amazing on next gen consoles. The environment, sound, and look of the show you love is all entact. Everything from the mannerism, attacks and location look beautiful on the XBOX One. So far the game looks to nail the feel of the show and the gameplay is truly action pack. We will have a full review when the game is released. You can check out some more stills below.

Pokemon BW: Adventures In Unova DVD Set On September 23rd

Hey Poke fans we have some news from VIZ Media. Check it out below.

Pokémon fans will embark on an exciting adventure through the Unova region where they will meet their favorite Pokémon when the home media release of POKÉMON BW: ADVENTURES IN UNOVA DVD SET 1 launches on September 23rd. In BW: ADVENTURES IN UNOVA, Ash and his friends Iris and Cilan have foiled Team Rocket's latest evil plan, and a new danger lurks on the horizon! But first, with eight Gym badges in hand, Ash is ready to take on the region's ultimate challenge: the Unova League, where he'll face familiar rivals and new opponents in his ongoing quest to become a Pokémon Master! Meanwhile, Iris has been having some trouble connecting with her powerful and stubborn Dragonite – can a visit home to the Village of Dragons help sort things out for the aspiring Dragon Master? And what exciting new adventures await our heroes beyond the Unova League? The answers will come as the journey continues!

Comic Preview: The Field From Image Comics

A man wakes up in a field, wearing only his underwear, with no memory, no identity, and no idea what to do. A cell phone beside him buzzes with a message. A single word: “Run.” A deadly cat-and-mouse story ensues in THE FIELD, a graphic novel by Ed Brisson (SHELTERED, COMEBACK) and Simon Roy (PROPHET), out from Image Comics this October. The man falls into the grips of a Bible salesman on a meth-fueled murder spree in a small town where the rules of civilization seem not to apply. Pursued by a biker gang bent on revenge and a group of cosplayers out to save the world, the man begins to wonder — Is Christian the Bible salesman really his only hope for survival? THE FIELD will be in comic book stores on October 15 and bookstores on October 28 and is available for pre-order now.

 

Cartoon Network's Anything Panel Coming To New York Comic Con

New York Comic Con is closing in and Cartoon Network has announced some of their events. You can check out below.

 

Saturday, OCTOBER 11

SCREENINGS

Halloween Screening Partaay

Time: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location: 1A24

Cartoon Network will also be hosting a Halloween Screening Partaay and Costume Contest. Come watch special Halloween episodes of your favorite Cartoon Network shows before they air on TV! Bring your A-game and participate in the costume contest with surprise guests judges and prizes for the top winners. Tickets for the autograph signing will be available for pickup at the screening (limited number of tickets available).

AUTOGRAPH SIGNINGS

Time: 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Location: 1E05

Come meet some of the amazing Cartoon Network talent following the Halloween Screening Partaay and Costume Contest. Make sure to pick up your tickets to the signing at the screening.

Sunday, OCTOBER 12

PANELS

CN ANYTHING Panel

12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.

Location: The Empire Stage, Hall 1E

Talent:Adventure Time’s Kent Osborne (head of story), Jeremy Shada (voice of Finn), Jessica DiCicco (voice of Flame Princess), and Tom Kenny (voice of Ice King); Over the Garden Wall’s Patrick McHale (creator),Melanie Lynskey (voice of Beatrice) and Collin Dean (voice of Greg);Regular Show’s Sam Marin (voice of Pops) and Paula Spence (supervising art director );Uncle Grandpa’s Pete Browngardt (creator and voice of Uncle Grandpa) and Adam Devine (voice of Pizza Steve); Steven Universe’s Rebecca Sugar (creator),Zach Callison (voice of Steven) and Estelle (voice of Garnet); and Clarence’s Spencer Rothbell (head of story and voice of Clarence).

Imagine a super panel where ANYONE from your favorite Cartoon Network series could show up and ANYTHING could happen! Imagine exclusive content and insider info from show creators! Imagine impromptu performances and revelations from the talented cast and crews! Imagine a kitten tickling a pig! Well, imagine no more, friends! For the first time ever, Cartoon Network presents: CN ANYTHING, a panel moderated by comedian Adam Devine (voice of Pizza Steve, Uncle Grandpa) and featuring tons of special guests and never-before-seen content from your favorite animated comedies plus a sneak peek with the cast and creator of the upcoming mini-seriesOver the Garden Wall! 

 

 

 

Spawn: The Recall an amazing fan made film

Hey Otakus and Geeks fans, today we are taking a look at an amazing fan made film by French writer / director, Michael Paris. Spawn The Recall, really raises the bar for those wanting to create a fan film. It captures the look and feel of the comic series even better than the Spawn feature film starring Michael Jai White. The film took only 2 days to film but since the director was also the editor and effects artist, post production lasted 2 years. Could this spark a Spawn Remake? Hopefully this film reaches Spawn creator Todd Mcfarlane and he considers it. 

Check out the film:


Source: aggressivecomix.com

The New Kpop Girl Groups of 2014

This year has been an amazing year for many female Kpop groups that just started off for the first time in 2014. Even though the year is not over, I can definitely say that these groups have a good chance of becoming rather large and popular in the future; 1PS, Bob Girls, Red Velvet, Four Ladies, and Lip Service.


1PS (원피스, pronounced as One Piece Score) is made up of four members and is managed by 1theK, formerly known as LOEN Entertainment. They debuted their first album, The First Score, on March 3, 2014, with the song "Because I'm Your Girl". Made up of the members Yena (예나) the leader, Yoon Seo (윤서), Ji Eun (지은), and Sae Ha (새하), these girls in 1PS are all trained dancers; mostly in ballet. Their song "Because I'm Your Girl" reflects this ability, with one of the members constantly being shown to be doing ballet throughout the quiet, ballad like song. It's a peaceful piece of music, where the voices are balanced and bring about a warm feeling in you. While I'm personally not used to ballad like songs, I believe that 1PS will use their talent with not only singing but with dance, to make their mark.

1PS(원피스) - Because I'm your girl(여자이니까)

Bob Girls (단발머리) is also made up of four members, although they are the second girl's group managed by Chrome Entertainment. They debuted their first album, No Way, on June 10, 2014 with the song "No Way". This group is made up of Dahye (다혜), Yujeong (유정), Jina (지나), and Danbi (단비). What is so interesting with this group is, unlike most other girl groups, the singers all have short hair, going back to the name of their group, "Bob Girls", like the haircut called the bob. In fact, one representative from Chrome Entertainment made this statement about the group and their hair, "When a girl cuts her hair short, she doesn’t only go through a change in looks but people normally think of it as a change of her heart. Bobbed hair doesn’t just signify a hairstyle but it represents ‘woman’s transformation and change.’ Expressing its unique color through various transformations and change is Bob Girls’ identity." This being said, there is a certainly different experience when watching Bob Girls, shown in "No Way". Here, the dancing is sensual, and the music certainly reflects the feeling of sensuality as well. Listening to the lyrics, I definitely get the feeling of a certain romance behind it all, which is rather interesting, since the song also focuses on how you can say no in relationships. I would definitely like to see more music, which is already in the works.

[Bob Girls] 단발머리 - 노웨이(No way)

Red Velvet (레드벨벳) is certainly not cake (though that would be wonderful right now, would it not?) but instead are a four member group managed by S.M. Entertainment. They debuted their first album, Happiness, on August 1, 2014 with the song "Happiness". Made up of Irene (아이린) with pink hair, Seul-Gi (슬기) with yellow hair, Wendy (웬디) with blue hair, and is from Canada, and finally Joy (조이) with green hair. This group is mainly marketed as somewhat "hippie" type of music, which certainly the music video reflects by the blatant psychedelic background, kaleidoscope scene, and overall happiness (after all, that is the name of the song!) that one feels while watching the video. They also feature a cute sort of jelly bear sort of creature in the music video that seems to also be their mascot, seen many times in "Happiness". Definitely a very cute song, and a very cute group that I will hope to see more of.

Red Velvet 레드벨벳 - 행복(Happiness)

Four Ladies (포엘) is probably the most surprising out of the groups that I have seen as of yet. Managed by Jade Contents Media, this four member group debuted their first album Move on August 1, 2014 with the song "Move". There is Chany (차니), Yeseul (예슬), J-na (제이나), and Jayoung (자영), and three of the four are former members of MoA. What makes this song so interesting, is the raw sexual nature of it compared to most Kpop I have seen. In fact, it was said by their managing company, " Our strategy is to show raw sexiness. The teasers are just the tip of the iceberg." It's funny they say that though, considering the video shows a lesbian couple multiple times throughout the video. However, to perform in Manila for the October 5th Knation Music Showcase, they have had to change their image. So, concerning what we've seen so far, and the fact that they've had to change to perform, it shows promise in some interesting development for Four Ladies.

포엘(four ladies 4L) - Move(무브)

Lip Service (립서비스) I happened to save last for a reason. First off, I heard this for the first time at Otakon, and it officially was my friends' and my official Otakon 2014 theme song for some unknown reason. Well, except for how catchy it was! While being managed by Now Entertainment, this three member group debuted their first album Yum Yum Yum on February 4, 2014 with the song "Yum Yum Yum" with the leader BiPa (비파) who is Korean-American, Cora (코라), and Anna (애나). What is so impressive is how they could make such a catchy song about food and eating! While they only really featured two of the three for the most part, the dancing and outfits were fun and amusing, while the rapping was absolutely amazing. A plus for how well Lip Service did for their first song!

립서비스 Lipservice - 냠냠냠 Yum Yum Yum

I would say that definitely overall that I have been super excited with all these groups! I can certainly see all these ladies of these groups; 1PS, Bob Girls, Red Velvet, Four Ladies, and Lip Service all have shown promise in creating super good music that I think any Kpop fan would love. Let's hope and wish them luck in their musical endeavors and that they continue to be successful!

The New Kpop Boy Groups of 2014

Of course, the year is not over yet, but certainly there has been an introduction to many new groups and many new songs, by both male and female Kpop groups. Some of the new upcoming groups that have formed that are boy groups are Legend, K-Much, GOT7, JJCC, and LU:KUS.

Legend (전설) is a five man group that is under JK Space's management. They debuted their first album, The Legend on July 8, 2014, with the song "Left Out". Their group is made up of Listen (리슨), who is their main vocalist, Roi (로이) from China, Ryu Jae Hyuk (유제혁), Lito (리토), the rapper, and Lee Changsun (이창선). These five, in their song "Left Out", have a wonderful dance that I think is very snazzy, much like the dance for "Lucifer" by SHINee. I probably make those ties due to the fact that both have tutting in them. The music as well reminds me very much of the typical boy band sound, and a sound reminiscent to Big Bang. I would certainly say this is a group to watch out for good music in the future if it can give off the image of famous Kpop groups already with a newly formed group.

전설 Legend - 미.남. (미련이 남아서) Left Out

Snakehead (가물치), known better as K-Much internationally, is another new group run by Chrome Entertainment. They debuted their album Beyond the Ocean on January 7, 2014, with the songs "What Should I do", "I'm Sorry", and a single "Good to Go". Their group is made up of Kiu (큐) their main vocalist, BornUs (보너스), Loki (로키), G.LOW (지로우) their rapper, and and Ato (아토). Their song "Good to Go" is super funny in my opinion, as they're dressed up in swat gear, and dancing around all synchronized, trying to act cool. The best part of the video, however, is the beginning of the video, where the group is walking home from school and stop to dance with golden helmets in a field. They are then attacked by a sea monster (the digital editing is so-so, making the video even more funny) and are lightning zapped to some building where they are lightning zapped again by a woman who seems to be the queen of the land, pulling them up off the ground. Overall the video is rather funny, and the music is incredibly catchy; once again making it a band to remain interested in.

K-Much (가물치) - Good To Go (뭣 모르고)

GOT7 (갓세븐) is...well exactly what is sounds like—it has seven members in their group. They are currently managed by JYP Entertainment, and debuted their album Got It? on January 15, 2014 with their song, "Girls Girls Girls". Led by leader JB (제이비), there is also Mark (마크) who is Chinese but from Los Angeles, California, Jackson (잭슨) from Hong Kong, Jr. (주니어), Youngjae (영재), BamBam (뱀뱀) from Thailand, and Yugyeom (유겸). Their video "Girls Girls Girls" definitely gives off that vibe of a group of bad boys, especially considering they're hanging out in an underground club in some random shop that some poor girl trying to do the right thing stumbles into. However the actual tune of the song is superb in also providing that vibe, and their acrobatic tricks are wonderful in adding to the bad boy image. Certainly keep your eyes out for more by this group!

GOT7- Girls Girls Girls

JJCC (더블제이씨 and pronounced as Double-JC) is definitely interesting, if partly because of their managing group. Managed by Jackie Chan Group Korea, this is the only group out their under the wing of Jackie Chan, a long time fan of Kpop, where the official name of the group comes from; Jackie Chan's Joint Culture. They debuted their first song March 24, 2014 with the album At First with the song "At First". Made up of the members SimBa (심바), E.Co ( 이코/ formerly Hajun), Eddy (에디) from Los Angeles, California, San Cheong (산청), and Prince Mak (프린스 맥) from Sydney, Australia, and is Chinese-Australian. They were taught to be fluent in English, Korean, and Chinese. Being a group trained by such a famous person certainly has its perks; they had instant publicity as soon as they churned out their first song, which is certainly a song that seems to pull at the heart strings. The tune sounds like one that is serenading you and trying to win you back into their lives as if you've left. I feel that this group has a definite chance at becoming a powerhouse of Kpop.

JJCC (더블제이씨) - At First (첨엔 다 그래)

LU:KUS (루커스) is one cool group managed by Box Media. Although originally four of the members were part of another band run by another company, they left said group and joined with the fifth member for for LU:KUS, which is short for "Look at Us". Debuting So Into U on July 4, 2014 with "So Into U", the band members offered a super catchy song to listen to. Leader J.One (제이원), Donghyun (동현), Kyungjin (경진), Choi (석훈), and Jinwan (진완) offer a song that is upbeat and one that will definitely get you dancing along. Not only is the scenery interesting and the costumes rather an interesting mix of fashion meets matrix style, the music and lyrics flow to become a catchy tune that will keep you interested. Definitely a band I look forward to listening to in the future.

LU:KUS(루커스) - So Into U(기가막혀)

Overall, with what I have seen so far come out in the ways of new bands formed in the Kpop genre, I certainly hold onto hope that it will become even better than it already is. These bands; Legend, K-Much, GOT7, JJCC and LU:KUS, all have unique sounds and interesting enough back stories in their songs to keep anyone entertained for days. Let us hope that they continue to produce more music!

 

Comic News: First Look: AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #2 INVERSION Variant cover

                              image credit: Marvel Comics



Here is a look at the Avengers & X-Men Axis # 2 Variant Cover. Featuring Cyclops and Magneto.



AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #2 (OF 9) RICK REMENDER (W) • ADAM KUBERT (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
YOUNG GUNS VARIANT COVER BY MAHMUD ASRAR
INVERSION VARIANT COVER BY KRIS ANKS
ACT I: THE RED SUPREMACY
• The heroes of the Marvel Universe storm the beaches of Red Skull’s Genoshian Reeducation camps. What they discover within will lead to a bleak new era.
• The revelation of Tony Stark’s dark secret promises to shatter the fragile alliance between A and X.
• The all-new Captain America pays a terrible price.
• Nova’s attempt at solving the crisis leads to disaster.
• Magneto betrays his alliance to join an army of evil.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

Featured Figure "Captain Harlock"

From the animated adaptation film that premiered in 2013, SPACE PIRATE CAPTAIN HARLOCK. Sideshow Collectibles brings you the figure of the titular Captain “CAPTAIN HARLOCK”.

Harlock is the archetypal romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien. In his own words, he "fight[s] for no one's sake, only for something deep in [his] heart"

Sideshow Collectibles Product Summary

Space Pirate Captain Harlock was a classic manga comic series created by the legendary Leiji Matsumoto in the 1970s. The story follows Harlock, an outcast, who has turned into a Space Pirate and leads a crew aboard his starship Arcadia to rebel against Earth's oppressors. Its popularity has led to the creation of an animation series in the 1980s, and this year an epic CG film hit theaters in Japan.

Hot Toys and Sideshow Collectibles are excited to present the new Captain Harlock Sixth Scale Collectible Figure from the Space Pirate Captain Harlock CG movie. The movie-accurate collectible is meticulously crafted featuring a newly developed head sculpt, stylish costume, weapons, and Captain Harlock's avian friend - Mr. Bird.

Product Details

License                          Captain Harlock

Scale                              Sixth Scale Figure

Manufacturer                 Hot Toys

Product Size                  12" H (304.8mm)*

Dimensional Weight      4 lbs*

Int'l Dim. Weight            7 lbs*

Artists:

Head sculpt by K.A. Kim

Head painted by JC. Hong

Head art directed by Kojun

Head over to Sideshow Collectibles now where the figure is available to order. In the meantime, check the gallery below of  the beautifully crafted figure.

Gallery image source SIDESHOWTOY.COM

The Maze Runner Review

Story - Thomas wakes up in an elevator, remembering nothing but his own name. He emerges into a world of about 60 teen boys who have learned to survive in a completely enclosed environment, subsisting on their own agriculture and supplies. A new boy arrives every 30 days. The original group has been in "The Glade" for two years, trying to find a way to escape through the Maze that surrounds their living space. They have begun to give up hope. Then a comatose girl arrives with a strange note, and their world begins to change. There are some great, fast-paced action scenes, particularly those involving the nightmarish Grievers who plague the boys.

I will admit when I first saw the trailer of "The Maze Runner" I thought this will be your average film. However leaving the theater I wanted to see it again. This film is living proof of don't judge a film by it's trailer. I had a very entertaining time watching the film. The story is not perfect and it does have a few cliches, but for the most part I found myself truly immerse in this world and the characters plight. What kept me intrigued is the mystery behind the maze. Why were these kids put in this place? Why and how did they lose their memory? Who put them there in the first place and why? These questions are raised in the film and thankfully answer through great detail. The story has done a great job of pacing, making sure that almost every scene has a point or enriches the main protagonist Thomas character arc. Each character that does get enough backstory or screen-time I found myself relating to them in someway. Thomas (played by Dylan O'Brien) is the type of guy who wants to escape from The Glade. He is the idealist who believes that somehow through sheer will they will be able to find the answers their looking for. His character brings hope and faith to a group that has lost all sense of it due to the three year time period they spent there. Each character has their own set of views and ideals, and it's nice to see how Thomas reacts to it with his own sets of ideals. While I enjoy the characterization and the pacing, I found the chemistry between the actors to be great l across the board as well. Will Poulter who plays Gally was very interesting character, because his character has lost all hope and he has become accustomed to ways of The Glades that he conflicts with Thomas ideals of leaving. Seeing Thomas and Gally conflict enriches the story and when it's time to choose sides of who to follow is when the story really hits it's strive.

While I did enjoy the story a lot, it does suffer from some plotholes and deaths towards the end that took me out of it. For the sake of spoilers I won't get into detail of deaths and one plothole that bothered me. However I will say how did Gally get there when he said he will stay? It's never explained in the film and that made his character arc seem expendable. There were certain deaths at the end that I felt was unnecessary and it felt like the film was going for a tear jerker moment. Other than that the film is pretty good. It has some good acting, great music, the visuals aren't the best but the design of the maze is pretty good. It's not perfect but it keeps you entertained. 

Fairy Fencer F Is Released In The USA

Hey Otakus the a new RPG is out and I will have the review later this month but check out the details below.

Long ago, a dreadful war was fought between the Goddess and the Vile God. Because they were equally matched, they both created a vast number of special weapons imbued with their godly energy, each containing the life force of a fairy. Armed with these weapons, the deities continued their conflict until they finally sealed each other away into the great unknown. A long time has passed since this ancient conflict, and the weapons created by the Goddess and the Vile God have since been scattered across the world. These weapons—now known as “Furies”—are highly sought after by warriors who call themselves “Fencers”. It is said that whoever collects a Fury will be granted one wish. When a young man named Fang decides to rashly pull a Fury from a stone, he inadvertently becomes a Fencer himself, forever altering the course of his destiny.
 
Key Features:
Robust Combat System – Witness the next evolution of Hyperdimension Neptunia's battle engine! Move your characters in a fully 3-D environment as you link combos in thrilling turn-based combat! Exploit enemy weaknesses to trigger Avalanche Attacks and watch your party gang up on opponents! Send your enemies sky high with Launch Attacks, then follow up with an Air Attack to send them crashing back to Earth! And if fights get really tense, simply transform into your upgraded Fury Form and really bring the pain!
Untold Levels of Customization – Use the Furies you collect to give your characters powerful abilities, or use them to customize dungeons to your exact specifications! Need a little more "oomph!" in your swing? We've got a Shaping Effect for that! Want some extra experience points after battle? We've got a Shaping Effect for that too! But what if you're a masochist who wants everyone—allies and enemy alike—to deal DOUBLE damage? Oh, you best believe we've got a Shaping Effect for that!

Artistic Pedigree – Enjoy the dulcet tones of renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu, the composer for many of the Final Fantasy titles. With character designs by Tsunako (Hyperdimension Neptunia) and Yoshitaka Amano (Final Fantasy I-VI), the line between cute and menacing has never been more blurred!

 

Top 5 Joker Performances

Recently due to the new Fox show Gotham, a television show about the origins of Batman villains, and the upcoming release of DC movies through 2020 it's only a matter of time before they bring back Batman's greatest nemesis. So in honor of those brave talented performers who have mastered this maniacal and mischievous  madman, here is my list of the top 5 portrayals of The Joker.

5. Richard Epcar

Best known for the 2013 Video Game Injustice Epcar's Joker is Ruthless and unforgiving. His high pitch laughing reverberates though out the levels as he pummels and beats you with knives, or anything he can get his hands on while never losing the jovial sense of fun that is a trademark of this callous clown.

4. Jack Nicholson

Who could the forget the permanent smile plastered on Nicholson's face after he is transformed from Jack Napier to  the psychotic Joker? His actions are erratic and destructive as he terrorizes Gotham with his  "Smilex" chemical. He also truly  emotes the madness with through his bulging eyes. The reason he is not higher on this list is because there is more playful characterization rather then the bone chilling  danger portrayed but other actors.

3. Troy Baker

Most recently Troy Baker voiced the Joker in Batman: Assault on Arkham, an animated feature derived from the Suicide Squad plot line. His Joker has an immensely broad depth to him. While part of it is written in to script, Baker find his own way to justify the Joker beyond pure insanity or a destructive nature. For example, Harley Quinn comes to Arkham and when he sees her he immediately begins taunting and berating her, standard joker behavior. When he finds out she has got a new man you can see/hear the anguish and surprise. Baker also has a distinct way of making the joker truly sound like a dangerous killer while maintaining the clown like sense of fun. Last who could forget his performance of The Killing Joke monologue and New York Comic Con last year?

2. Heath Ledger

There is only one performance in the history of  the Joker that is as creative as that of Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. He found a way to take the personality we know and love and meld it into  this lord of ingenious chaos with no real goals or end game other than to destroy the Batman, even if that means Gotham goes up in flames as a direct result. He also creates a voice that is plainly inspired by those who came before him but unique to his manic , bipolar Joker. He has absolutely no empathy and would turn on his mother if given the opportunity. He did such an amazing job DC is taking as long as possible to introduce a new live action Joker because honestly who could top Ledger?

1. Mark Hamill

If you haven't seen the original Batman: The Animated Series stop reading this get Amazon Prime and start! Mark Hammill is the originator of the Joker we love today down to the iconic Joker laugh. It is his work in other shows like Justice League and Birds of Prey; and video games like Arkham Asylum and Batman: Vengence;  that have inspired all the Jokers who came after him. The sense of fun and frivolity that exudes from his chosen voice is as close to perfection as anyone has ever gotten and maybe ever will. Joker fans have come accustom to the iconic Joker laugh that will endure as along as he continues to terrorize Batman and the citizens of Gotham. For that Batman fans everywhere are grateful!

iPhone 6/ 6 Plus VS Galaxy Note 4 /Edge

These two companies have the best smartphones in the market right now. They’re going toe to toe, coming out with the best technology and the best looking phone.

This fall, Apple and Samsung are launching their two latest toys; well four to be exact. Apple is coming out with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and Samsung is coming out with Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge.

The question everyone is asking is which one they will buy? We have people saying iPhone is the best because it has all the coolest specs, then we have people saying Galaxy is the best because they have the latest specs, but how do really decide on which one you will buy?

I will say 90% of the people purchasing smartphones don’t have a clue on what the specs are and which are really the best for them. They just buy the one they think it’s cool. To be honest I think they just buy to just fit in.

Below you will see all the specs for both smartphones and I’m sure most of you will say ‘Who cares?’ and have already made a decision on which will buy.

All I am going to say is buy what’s good for you, buy the phone you are used to, buy the one you will use all the time, and use all its features. PLEASE don’t buy a phone to just fit in.

The reasons I say this is because both companies are generating so much hype to buy the latest gear and the best tech but not thinking about  if the money we are spending will actually give us something we need. Be smart and don’t let the smartphone be smarter than you.

 iPhone 6/ 6 Plus

General

2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA), A1524

CDMA 800 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1522 (CDMA), A1524
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA), A1524
CDMA2000 1xEV-DO - A1522 (CDMA), A1524
TD-SCDMA 1900 / 2000 - A1524
4G Network LTE 700/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 (1/2/3/4/5/7/8/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29) - A1522 (GSM), A1522 (CDMA)
LTE 700/800/850/900/1800/1900/2100/2600
TD-LTE 1900/2300/2500/2600
(1/2/3/4/5/7/8/13/17/18/19/20/25/26/28/29/38/39/40/41) - A1524
SIM Nano-SIM
Announced 2014, September

Body

Dimensions 158.1 x 77.8 x 7.1 mm (6.22 x 3.06 x 0.28 in)
Weight 172 g (6.07 oz)
- Fingerprint sensor (Touch ID)
- Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)

Display
Type LED-backlit IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.5 inches (~401 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
Protection Shatter proof glass, oleophobic coating
- Display Zoom

Sound

Alert types Vibration, proprietary ringtones

Loudspeaker Yes

3.5mm jack Yes

Memory

Card slot No

Internal 16/64/128 GB, 2 GB RAM

Data

GPRS Yes

EDGE Yes

Speed DC-HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; EV-DO Rev. A, up to 3.1 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 150 Mbps DL, 50 Mbps UL

WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi hotspot

Bluetooth v4.0, A2DP, LE

NFC Yes (Apple Pay only)

USB v2.0

Camera

Primary 8 MP, 3264 x 2448 pixels, optical image stabilization, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash

Features 1/3'' sensor size, 1.5µm pixel size, geo-tagging, simultaneous HD video and image recording, touch focus, face/smile/blink detection, panorama, HDR panorama, HDR photo

Video 1080p@60fps, 720p@240fps, optical image stabilization

Secondary 1.2 MP, 720p@30fps, face detection, FaceTime over Wi-Fi or Cellular

Features

OS iOS 8

Chipset Apple A8

CPU Dual-core 1.4 GHz Cyclone (ARM v8-based)

GPU PowerVR GX6650 (hexa-core graphics)

Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Messaging iMessage, SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email

Browser HTML5 (Safari)
Radio No

GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS

Java No

Colors Space Gray, Silver, Gold

- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

- AirDrop file sharing
- Siri natural language commands and dictation
- iCloud cloud service
- iCloud Keychain
- Twitter and Facebook integration
- TV-out
- Maps
- iBooks PDF reader
- Audio/video player/editor
- Organizer
- Document viewer/editor
- Photo viewer/editor
- Voice memo/dial/command
- Predictive text input

Battery

Non-removable Li-Ion battery

Stand-by (2G) / Up to 384 h (3G)

Talk time (2G) / Up to 24 h (3G)

Music play Up to 80 h

Galaxy Note 4/ Edge

General
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 
4G Network LTE 800 / 850 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600 
SIM Micro-SIM
Announced 2014, September

Body

Dimensions 151.3 x 82.4 x 8.3 mm (5.96 x 3.24 x 0.33 in)

Weight 174 g (6.14 oz)

  - S Pen stylus

 - Fingerprint sensor

Display
Type Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size 1600 x 2560 pixels, 5.6 inches (~524 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch Yes
Protection Corning Gorilla Glass 3 
  - curved edge screen

Sound

Alert types Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones

Loudspeaker Yes

3.5mm jack Yes

Memory
Card slot microSD, up to 128 GB
Internal 32/64 GB, 3 GB RAM

Data

GPRS Yes

EDGE Yes

Speed HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA; LTE, Cat4 (Exnos), Cat6 (N910S), 50 Mbps UL, 300 Mbps (N910S), 150 Mbps (Snapdragon) DL

WLAN Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot

Bluetooth v4.1, A2DP, EDR, LE

NFC Yes

Infrared port Yes

USB microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3), USB Host

Camera

Primary 16 MP, 3456 x 4608 pixels, optical image stabilization, autofocus, LED flash

Features Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, panorama, HDR

Video 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, optical stabilization, dual-video rec.
Secondary 3.7 MP, 1080p@30fps

Features

OS Android OS, v4.4.4 (KitKat)

Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 805

CPU Quad-core 2.7 GHz Krait 450

GPU Adreno 420

Sensors Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, UV, heart rate, SpO2

Messaging SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM

Browser HTML5

Radio TBC

GPS Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou

Java Yes, via Java MIDP emulator

Colors Black, White

  - ANT+ support

 - S-Voice natural language commands and dictation

 - Air gestures

 - Dropbox (50 GB cloud storage)

 - SNS integration

 - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

 - TV-out (via MHL 3 A/V link)

 - MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player

 - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3/FLAC player

 - Organizer

 - Photo/video editor

 - Document viewer(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)

 - Google Search, Maps, G

 via http://www.gsmarena.com/

Scooby-Doo Meets Famous Horror Icons

If you don't know by now I' am huge horror nut! I love all forms of horror from videogames, music etc. One of my favorite horror sites ShockTillYouDrop.com had a very interesting post. Artist Travis Falligant has created some very cool illustrations featuring Scooby-Doo and horror icons. Check out some of his work below and support his Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/IBTravIllo.

TV News: Netflix-Marvel Cast DAREDEVIL's STICK

    Image Credit: Marvel Studios

SCOTT GLENN Joins DAREDEVIL As STICK
Marvel and Netflix announced Monday that veteran character actor Scott Glenn has joined Marvel's Daredevil, next year's 13-episode series, as Stick, Daredevil's martial arts mentor.
Glenn joins Charlie Cox (Matt Murdock/DD), Deborah Ann Woll (Karen Page), Elden Henson (Foggy Nelson), Rosario Dawson, and Vincent D'Onofrio (Wilson Fisk) in the cast.

Stick is one of the most important figures in Matt Murdock's life and Scott Glenn embodies all the qualities of someone so integral to this hero's journey," said Jeph Loeb, Marvel's Head of Television in the announcement. "There are few actors who could bring such the authenticity, gravitas and charisma to such a key role in Matt's journey to become the super hero we call Daredevil."
Stick was of course created by Frank Miller during his seminal Daredevil run and was introduced on 1981's Daredevil #176.




source: Newsarama.com