Fanboys Anonymous

Based on a story by Stephen King, Haven is an odd show. Unlike most dramas that deal with the supernatural, it's homely rather than unnerving, comfortable rather than scary. The first episode of Season 4 has just premiered here in the UK, but before we go into the new season, let's remind ourselves how we got to where we are now.

Haven. But not a safe one. Don't be fooled by the name!

Season 1 began with the arrival of FBI agent Audrey Parker in a small town in Maine - the Haven of the title. Back then, she was on the trail of a murderer, but she soon found herself embroiled in a far greater mystery. See, the inhabitants of Haven are "troubled"; not troubled as in worried or psychologically disturbed, but rather, they are afflicted by curses that might, for example, cause their moods to affect the local weather or make people spontaneously combust. Small town life apparently can affect you that way!

These curses are usually latent, but every few decades the "troubles" return to Haven, and the inhabitants' afflictions begin to manifest. In each cycle there is one person who cannot be harmed by the residents' "troubles" and is destined to help the poor townsfolk deal with them, and that person has a different identity every time. In this current cycle she is, of course, Audrey Parker.

Audrey Parker—torn between two lovers. Just as well she gets more than one life to sort it out.

Packing Up Your Troubles

By the end of Season 3, we had learned that the troubles would end if Audrey stepped into a mysterious, mystical barn and disappeared forever. Not an appealing prospect, you might think, but for reasons that needn't concern us here, she did just that - leaving behind the other two sides of her romantic triangle, the town's police chief, Nathan Wuornos, and the local rogue-with-a-heart-of-gold Duke Crocker.

So far so good,  right? Well, apparently not. The troubles obviously didn't end or we wouldn't now be discussing the start of Season 4, would we?

The Audrey 2

As the first episode of Season 4 opens, it's six months later, and the residents of Haven are not happy. Their afflictions continue unabated, and they feel betrayed by those who had promised the troubles would end with Audrey's sacrifice. Nathan is no longer chief of police, Duke (who tried to follow Audrey into the barn) has rematerialized in a seal tank (no, not a sealed tank, a tank full of seals!), and Audrey herself has been resurrected in another new identity. This time she's a bartender named Lexi DeWitt. So it seems Season 4 is set to deliver more of the same: another round of freak-of the-week adventures, a lead character who has reverted to having no idea who she really is, and an unresolved eternal triangle.

Haven. You don't have to be troubled to live here. But it helps.

To Every Season There Is a Thing

Of course, delivering more of the same may not be enough. Haven (the show) now faces a new trouble of its own, one faced by many a long-running series. In its first season, a new show can win viewers with an original and intriguing premise, which Haven did. To retain those viewers, the second season needs only to up the ante, throwing in bigger special effects, more complicated relationships, and the suggestion of an over-arching plot line. Haven managed to do all of that as well. By the third season, viewers want to see all of the messy plot threads of the previous seasons resolved, which, by introducing the barn, Haven delivered.

For a show to continue being successful into its fourth season, however, is as difficult as a rock band's third album. Fans will feel betrayed if the new season strays too far from the original premise, but with everything already resolved, that premise can only be maintained if the third season's resolution is unravelled. Obviously this creates an unsatisfactory base from which to start, and the show's creators therefore have to distract viewers with a little sleight of hand - paradoxically, they have to inject something new but make it look old. They have to con their own fans.

Are We Still Haven Fun?

This deception often takes the form of new characters coupled with a new plot line and, in far too many cases, increasingly frequent guest appearances by actors made famous in other shows. It's a difficult act to get right, and few shows manage to still look fresh after four seasons. Haven is staying true to the fourth-season formula. In the first episode we are introduced to two characters who, it seems, are going to be joining the regular cast. The first is Jennifer Mason, played by former Power Ranger Emma Lahana. Jennifer is a young woman who, for reasons not yet fully explained, can hear the conversations that took place in the mysterious barn before it imploded. On the celebrity front, Eureka's Colin Ferguson also joins the cast as William, an ex-cop who claims to know the secret of Lexi DeWitt's true identity. Two out of three boxes ticked then. How about that new over-arching plot?

Colin Ferguson may have discovered  the answer to Haven's troubles. Eureka!

With the barn gone and the townsfolk still troubled, it transpires that Audrey/Lexi can still put an end to the troubles. All she needs to do this time around is kill the man she loves. There's no particular explanation given as to why that should work, but it does put her romantic triangle with Duke and Nathan front and centre by begging the question: which man is her true love? Perhaps now that Audrey is Lexi, her true love will turn out to be neither of them.

Unlike the Doctor, Audrey can regenerate without changing her appearance. Which won't harm Emily Rose's job prospects!

Brevity: The Soul of DeWitt?

It's not an entirely satisfactory setup, but this storyline may just be enough to keep existing fans entertained for another season. Emma Lahana seems bound to be popular as a quirky sidekick, which should help slow the loss of viewers who are starting to find the show's premise a little tired. Four seasons in, however, some viewers will inevitably be lost, and the question now is whether that number will be offset by new fans who follow Ferguson here all the way from Eureka.

Personally, I don't think that will happen. Ferguson is eminently likable, but I suspect there is already a considerable overlap between the two shows' fanbases, and those viewers are already regular visitors to Maine.

Overall, Haven is doing everything that the TV playbook suggests for a show looking to retain its audience as it moves into its fourth season. More than likely it will be enjoyable; the characters are still amiable after all, and I'm sure we can expect a few impressive special effects sequences. However, the very measures taken to reinvigorate the show suggest that Haven may be approaching the end of its natural life, and I doubt there will be another season left in it after this one. It would be nice to think that the producers will recognize this and take the opportunity to make Season 4 the final season, allowing Lexi DeWitt to go out on a high.

But that's just me. Do you think it's time to end Haven's troubles once and for all? Or do you believe that, like Audrey herself, it can keep coming back for decades to come?

Most gamers are already multiple missions deep into the new GTA V. But for those individuals still sitting on the fence on whether to buy the game or not, here are five reasons you should.

1. Massive World

Gamers are introduced to a new city: Los Santos, a fictional representation of Los Angeles. I say city, but what Rockstar has given us is a whole new region. Los Santos and Blaine County (the surrounding rural area) make up one of the biggest RPG maps I've ever played on a console. It's amazing. Gamers are not limited to causing chaos in the city; they can also wreak havoc in the mountains, oceans, deserts, and the sky surrounding the city.


When I play open-world games, I like finding the end of the map, the place where gamers cannot go any farther—drive no farther on the road, climb that rock wall no higher, or just simply desynchronize (Assassin's Creed franchise I'm looking at you). In the case of GTA V, not only haven't I found that place yet, the game is so big it feels as though there is no end to its world.



If looks can kill, GTA V is murdering everything in its path. Los Santos is extremely detailed and downright gorgeous. Streets in the city are disgusting, mountains are beautiful up close and afar, water looks delicious or foul (depending on where the gamer is located), and everything has a layer of realism to it. No stone was left unturned when Rockstar tackled graphics.



GTA V pushes the PS3 graphics to their limit, and I'm curious to see how this game will look on the PS4, because it already looks fantastic. I find myself driving better because of the graphics—I just can't destroy the beauty that is this car.


2. Three Playable Characters

Upon initially learning of GTA V's three character system, I was worried that the game would be crowded or that I would spend most my time loving one character and despising the other two. Once September 17th hit and I played the game, however, I instantly loved all three characters. Patience is definitely a virtue.


Michael is an overweight white male in his 40s, a retired criminal, rich, and dealing with a mid-life crisis. He has a cheating wife, a daughter who's clueless to life (she reminds me of a non-famous version Miley Cyrus), and a heavy-set son who plays video games all day thinking he's a thug. Watching this family fall apart makes for some of the funniest moments in the game.

Franklin, a young African-American male, becomes a young protégée of Michael and aspires to make as much money as possible. He is a stereotypical gang-banger in the 'hood, fighting other rival gang members with his homeboy Lamar. One of my favorite segments with Franklin involve his missions using a tow truck with local crackhead Tonya…hilarious.

Trevor, a white male the same age as Michael, can be described in just one word: INSANE. He is a career criminal who enjoys killing for sport, and gamers will enjoy his outrageousness. From the moment you meet him, you do nothing but cringe: over the mess he calls his trailer home, his random yelling, or the way he treats his rural American associates. Be prepared for a wild ride.


The transition from character to character is smooth, and puts the game into a Google Earth view of the city, a neat visual that hides a load screen. Missions are unique to each character and addicting. Character animation is some of the best I've seen and is complemented by top-notch voice acting. Ned Luke (Michael), Shawn Fonteno (Franklin), and Steven Ogg (Trevor) deliver great performances that highlight three fundamentally different characters with identical realism.


3. Side Missions and Games

Gamers still have the basic elements that make GTA a GTA—hijacking cars, punching people in the face, and just good ol' fashioned running people over on the sidewalk in your vehicle. Yet a lot has been added and/or improved in the side missions and games, such as

Playing a game of tennis...


...or a round of golf.


Game mechanics for both tennis and golf are some of the best I've seen in a GTA game.

Hitting up the local strip club.


I kid you not; I spent an actual shameless hour at the strip club and saved so much REAL money in the process.

Robbing the local convenience store.


A good friend (also living vicariously through GTA V) told me, "Be careful robbing the same convenience store twice. The clerk will have a gun ready and waiting for you!!"

Skydiving.


Scuba diving.


There is still so much more! I could keep going, but go and get the game for yourself and explore!


4. Online Gameplay

By the time this article comes out, online gameplay should be in full swing. October 1st, 2013 is the release date. Features include

Open-World: The online feature will have the same open-world concept as the single player game. Online play includes a fully functioning world that grows and takes shape over time. Gamers and their online buddies will be able to catch a movie, go dirt bike riding, and rob convenience stores.


Activities/Sports: Gamers will be able to play tennis or a round of golf together. You'll be able to compete in races for money and increase your reputation.

Online Missions: There will be plenty of missions and jobs to undertake either alone or with your crew. Can you imagine? Pulling off a heist with friends…sounds like a good time to me!


For more and up-to-date information on online gameplay check out Rockstar.


5. Main Missions

Get ready to stay on your feet; GTA missions bring the punch. I could go on and on talking about them, but I think it's better to show rather than tell. Here is one of my favorite missions, "The Heist" by the RadBrad (a favorite YouTube subscription of mine):


There you go! Five reasons to go out and buy GTA V! Go out and buy it now. What's your excuse not to?

Check out Episode 15 of The Dace Man Show with regulars Gibby, Nikki Mills, and Michael Burhan! As well as call-in guest Jeff Croop!!

Join The Dace Man this week as he breaks down the following:

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Army/Navy Game is in jeopardy of being cancelled.
• NHL is back!!
• NFL Week 4 is in the books.
• What is going on in the MLB Post Season?

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Lots of dick jokes.

::CELEB NEWS::

• Beiber gets carried up the Wall Of China…now please chuck him.
• AEG found not guilty in the murder of Michael Jackson...that's "ignent."
• Legend Tom Clancy passes away…so no more games? Er, I mean, books?
• Paris Hilton samples her latest single…yikes.
• Weird Al is back in the studio!?!?!
• Breaking Bad Season Finale
• And more!!

Also The DaceMan's High Five: Top 5 Weird Al Songs and the Douchebag of the Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show!

Step onto the crazy train with Chris "The Dace Man" Dace this week on The Dace Man Show…cue the Final Countdown!!!

Follow The Dace Man on Twitter: @TheDaceMan

Catch The Dace Man Show every Wednesday at 8pm EST on Mega Powers Radio.

www.MegaPowersRadio.com
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/MegaPowersRadio
www.Facebook.com/MegaPowersRadio
www.Twitter.com/MegaPowersRadio

Episode 44 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael Burhan, Mike Paden, Travis Goss, Miguel Leon, Lee Garasich, with special guests Xander Skullion and Happy Console Gamers Rob Man discuss Mega Man and Mighty No 9.

Rob Man also answers questions from the fans and speaks on his own experiences talking about the first time he held a game pad, Rob's wife Tam also discusses her own experiences as a female gamer.

You can check out the episode by clicking on the following links:

Lybsin: http://smarkoutmoment.libsyn.com/rss

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/igotgameplay/id570120518

Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/nerdgenious/igotgameplay?amp;refid=stpr

You can subscribe to the podcast's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/IGotGameplay

Blog Talk Radio:


You can join the discussion by going to our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/igotgameplay

Join the IGG army in style by purchasing an I Got Gameplay T Shirt from our store:

To order yours just click on the link below!

(UK and EU) http://nerdgenious.spreadshirt.co.uk/i-got-gameplay-retro-t-A25715613/customize/color/348

(US) http://nerdgenioususa.spreadshirt.com/

Standard Setting Policy + Good personality and interaction with the policy = Great Book

Fellow sci-fi enthusiasts, 2013 isn't quite over, but it is close. Clearly a list of explosive titles that will be flooding onto shelves early next year is in order, but before announcing early 2014 book release dates, I thought I'd mention one from 2013 that I'm waiting on. Ben Bova's Mars, Inc.: The Billionaire's Club stands by itself in the world. This hard sci-fi book has no previous installations to drag it down. What's more, rather than being a politically fueled action explosion, it's a politically fueled right-wing world rescue.

One of the most commonly employed tactics for grounding the characters in our favorite sci-fi books is the development of the government and policies and how the people interact with them in their everyday lives. It sets the standard and helps to develop the strong main character that we need to stand out in a story. In fact, it holds a great number of our favorite sci-fi books together. As I'm speaking strictly from a Democratic standpoint, you might wonder about my interest in such a piece. It's just this: The wide array of ice cream flavors in the world should not go untasted. No matter our preferences, our politics, or our principles, our lives are full of people we don't agree with. To not read something that sounds so delightfully interesting simply because it takes a tone that opposes my view on politics would likely cause me to miss out on good reads. It's important to immerse ourselves in the lives and minds tucked between the sentences of a book or two that oppose us. I think you'll find that it's often rewarding to do so, but you don't have to look much farther than the summary to see why this book will be amazing. Set to release in December of this year, I think Mars Inc. might have what it takes to blow us away.

How do you get to the Red Planet? Not via a benighted government program trapped in red tape and bound by budget constrictions, that’s for sure. No, what it will take is a helping of adventure, science, corporate powerplays, a generous dollop of seduction—both in and out of the boardroom—and money, money, money!

Art Thrasher knows this. He is a man with a driving vision: send humans to Mars. The government has utterly failed, but Thrasher has got the plan to accomplish such a feat: form a “club” or billionaires to chip in one billion a year until the dream is accomplished. But these are men and women who are tough cookies, addicted to a profitable bottom-line, and disdainful of pie-in-the-sky dreamers who want to use their cash to make somebody else’s dreams come true.

But Thrasher is different from the other dreamers in an important regard: he’s a billionaire himself, and the president of a successful company. But it’s going to take all his wiles as a captain of industry and master manipulator of business and capital to overcome setbacks and sabotage—and get a rocket full of scientist, engineers, visionaries, and dreamers on their way to the Red Planet.

The man for the job has arrived. Art Thrasher is prepared to do whatever it takes to humans on Mars—or die trying!

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller - Constellation Vol. 2 is a space opera/hard sci-fi book omnibus/compilation of short stories set to release in January 2014.

David Weber - Like A Mighty Army is a hard sci-fi book, the seventh in the Safehold series and the sequel of Midst Toil and Tribulation. It is set to release in February 2014.
Get the summary and pricing here!

Ann Vandermeer - Time Traveler's Almanac is a hard sci-fi book set to release in March 2014.
Get the summary and pricing here!

Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson - Mentats of Dune is hard sci-fi and the most recent in the wide array of Dune books in the series. It is also the sequel to Sisterhood of Dune. It's set to release in March 2014.
Get the pricing here!

David, Eric, and Flint Webber - Cauldron of Ghosts is a hard sci-fi book and number three in the Crown of Slaves series. It is the sequel to Torch of Freedom and Crown of Slaves, and is scheduled for release in April 2014.
Get the summary and pricing here!

C. J. Cherryh - Peacemaker is a hard sci-fi book and no. 15 in the Foreigner series. It's the sequel to Protector and should be released in April 2014.
Get the summary and pricing here!

Larry Benford and Larry Niven - Shipstar is a hard sci-fi book and the sequel to Bowl of Heaven. It is hoped that it will be released in April 2014.

The Sea Without a Shore is supposed to be fairly action packed, I suppose we shall see, but David Drake has my bet.

Taylor Anderson - Deadly Shores is the ninth book in the Destroyermen series and sequel of Storm Surge. It's an alternate history/hard sci-fi book set to release in May 2014.

David Drake - The Sea Without a Shore is a hard sci-fi work and book ten in the Leary & Mundy/RCN series. Sequel to Road of Danger, Sea Without a Shore will be released in May 2014.

Although I haven't purchased and read all of the previous volumes in these series, the RCN series is one that I did, and I must say, it's one I'll remember. The story is space opera-ish, taking place during a time of near-faltering peace, which hangs by a thread. Like most cracked treaties, this one is subject to revolt by a faction headed by someone who can only be described as a ghost who may not even be real. The main character, Lt. Daniel Leary is charged with reestablishing peace, and his partner is the brains of the operation and a cyber-skilled tech beast. Did I mention she's female? It's a fun and classic read and one that I recommend. In my opinion, it warrants the reading of The Sea Without A Shore.
Get the summary and pricing here!

Jack Campbell - Steadfast is the new sequel to Guardian, of the Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series. It's a military hard sci-fi book set to be released in May 2014.

Orson Scott Card - Earth Awakens is the second book in the First Formic War series and sequel to Earth Afire. This hard sci-fi book will be released in June 2014.

With such a line up, it's sure to be a great year!

Waves of villainous titles continue to pummel the stands as DC's Forever Evil event marches on. With so many colorfully criminal covers barraging me at the shop, I didn't know where to go next. Following my revelation from Green Lantern 23.3, I decided to try a villain I knew nothing about. My search led me to the nefarious Ocean Master, bane of boats and boogie boarders everywhere who's highlighted in Aquaman 23.2.

This title is immediately set apart from its predecessors by the title page. Ocean Master boasts the creative team of the Aquaman ongoing series as well as story help from Tony Bedard. Ocean Master is somewhat disappointing, however, as it starts just moments before Forever Evil 1. When the story opens, Ocean Master sits in prison with his lawyer, preparing for the trial to come. This is a tactful choice on John's part because it's a great way to play catch up in a natural way that doesn't bog down the story or TAKE THE WHOLE ISSUE. (cough Sinestro) It also allows for a nice little plant in which a security guard shows Orm some love and brings him a glass of water. (Atlanteans are easy to shop for.)

Just as the lawyer finishes making a case for Ocean Master's need to make a case, the Society of Evil takes over the world as per Forever Evil 1 and everything falls apart. In the ensuing chaos, Belle Reve Penitentiary is blown wide open, and Ocean Master is given a nice character moment when he stumbles across the guard we'll refer to as The Water Boy, lying beaten and crippled. The best villains are fully functional characters, not just angry guys with hammers who smash things. Here you get to enjoy the mentality of Ocean Master as he repays the kindness shown to him in his own way: by putting the guard out of his misery. It's fast, its ruthless, and it's a nice fake-out. Character development is certainly imminent. Following The Water Boy's death, Ocean Master pulls a Forrest Gump and goes for a walk, slowly but surely making his way to the sea. His journey brings him to a diner, where he turns his brutality on some fellow recently liberated villains. One quick costume change later and he marches on, leaving behind a woman he has rescued by slaying the other inmates. (Whether this was intentional or not I'll leave up to you.)

Just down the road, Orm comes across the house of the waitress who, with super speed, has arrived to her home ahead of Ocean Master and is setting a new record for the number of times a single person can be a damsel in less than an hour. As the world is turned upside down, will Orm save the woman? Can the rule of thirds be fulfilled? The answer is yes and no. The comic comes to an open ending with Ocean Master returning to his namesake, only to emerge moments later and race back to the woman's house.

This issue is conflicting. Outside of Batman 23.2 we haven't really seen much of what villains are up to following the events of Forever Evil 1. This issue occurred maybe 10 minutes into this wonderland for villains and wrong-doers. Sure, we saw Orm walk around and race off to do something exciting, with the final panel promising this is "not the end," but I expect that whatever comes after that final panel will be what all of these issues are about. Still, I have to say I enjoyed this comic the most of the Villains Month titles I have tried so far; it was a fun way to meet a villain and have some character moments.

Did you get to check out Aquaman 23.2? What did you think? There's something to these less-established villains. Stay tuned to our Villains Month Spotlight to see who we explore next.

Sonic is no stranger to the world of children's entertainment. First  adapted to an animated series in the early 1990s in the form of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic sped his way out of your Mega Drive console to your living room TV every weekday morning. This incarnation of Sonic is famously known for generating the famous "Touching People is No Good" YouTube clips that went on to create the infamous Pingas meme.

That's one buffed Knuckles.

Following this series was the darker toned Sonic the Hedgehog, or Sonic SatAM. This series first introduced the world to the freedom fighters and the world of Mobius currently used in the Archie series.

After Sonic SatAM came Sonic Underground. Most people prefer to forget about this series, but it did provide the first cartoon appearance of Knuckles and the chaos emeralds.

Finally, there was Sonic X. This series was loosely adapted from the post Adventure series games.

For those purists, Sonic did have one more animated appearance in the form of two ovas. Released outside of Japan as Sonic the Movie, this set of ovas introduces a storyline and setting separate from the games as well as other previously released material.

Joining these previous animated outings will soon be a CGI series. Coming in fall 2014, Sonic, Amy, Tails, and Knuckles will grace your TV in a series of 11-minute episodes.

Press release as follows:

Sonic Boom is a character-driven comedy that leaves a trail of robot wreckage in its smoldering wake. The series centers on Sonic, his best friend and sidekick, Tails, their never-ending search for adventure, and their battles with Sonic's arch-nemesis, Dr. Eggman. Rounding out the ensemble are fan favorites Knuckles and Amy Rose, plus a rogue's gallery of enemies—some familiar to Sonic fans and some brand-new.

Evan Baily, Donna Friedman Meir, and Jane McGregor, Executive Producers for SEGA, packaged the series, bringing together SEGA, Cartoon Network, and Genao Productions. Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog, Executive Producers for Genao, assembled a world-class lineup of partners in France, including broadcasters GULLI and CANAL J, Lagardere Entertainment Rights, and Lagardère Active TV Licensing & New Business. Baily, Meir, and Nguyen developed the series, and Hertzog and McGregor structured the financing and negotiated all the deals. Baily (formerly EVP of Production and Creative Affairs for Classic Media) and Co-Executive Producer Bill Freiberger (The Simpsons, Drawn Together) are showrunners. Takashi Iizuka, the head of Sonic Team and driving creative force behind the Sonic games, is overseeing the series to ensure that it's true to the Sonic characters and universe.

"Sonic is the star of the SEGA universe and the stage is now set for him to shine like never before. By teaming up with world-class partners in television animation like Cartoon Network, Genao Productions and GULLI, we're ensuring that the Sonic legacy will be introduced to a new generation of children across the globe," said Hiroyuki Miyazaki, SEGA's Chief Content Officer for Sonic.

"We wanted to strengthen our TV channels' editorial content with strong brands. This is our new objective. Sonic is an enormously popular and unique character with all the qualities of an animation series' great hero—humor, bravery, loyalty, inventiveness. We are extremely proud to welcome him across our kids and family channels at Lagardère Active and will activate across these channels to raise awareness and excitement for the new series," said Caroline Cochaux, Head of Programs, Kids & Family Channels, Lagardère Active.

"Genao is thrilled to collaborate with SEGA on this amazing project and embark on new adventures with the fastest hedgehog in the world. It is so exciting to work on such a world-class brand," said Sandrine Nguyen, Managing Director of Genao.

Emmanuelle Bouilhaguet, Managing Director of Lagardere Entertainment Rights added "It is an amazing experience to be associated to such a powerful property with professional partners. International broadcasters are seeking for strong comedy and franchise based series and Sonic Boom is the perfect fit!"

"On the New Business & Licensing Side, we are proud and excited to handle the representation of Sonic, which counts among the leading characters loved by kids. Thanks to our 360° platform which includes Digital Activities, Magazines, Indoor Parks, Grass Root events, we will push Sonic and the Consumer Products to a new level," said Benoit Roque, Head of Lagardere Active TV Licensing & New Business.

SEGA is actively seeking partners in support of the new series launch across a range of industries including broadcast and licensing. In terms of television and digital distribution, Lagardere Entertainment Rights holds worldwide rights excluding the U.S. and Asia (but including Japan); SEGA Corporation will manage Asia (excluding Japan); Baily, Meir, and McGregor will manage the U.S. through McGregor's company Jane McGregor, Inc. Licensing support will be spearheaded by Lagardère Active TV Licensing & New Business in France and SEGA in all other territories.

Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared as a video game character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers. Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to video game consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 140 million video games sold or downloaded worldwide across consoles, PC's, mobile phones and tablets. SEGA's iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation. This year SEGA announced an exciting three-title exclusive partnership with Nintendo for the Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise. The highly anticipated Sonic Lost World™ will be the first title to launch under this agreement and will be available in stores later this year for Wii U™ and Nintendo 3DS™ platforms.

Source -Sonic Boom (Working Title) – A New Animated Series Coming Fall 2014

This Job For Hire episode 2 is now live. In this episode:

In his search for employment, Michael attempts to bypass his agent Brandon entirely and go a different route, interviewing for a teaching position. It's time for Michael to learn a new lesson: perhaps Brandon is the one with the true hook-up.

You can view the episode using the following link:


 

You can also check out the previous episode here:

Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.

MOVIES

A raccoon named Oreo will serve as the model for Rocket Raccoon in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

My take: This is a much better choice than just going with Bradley Cooper ;) Joking aside, Oreo's a cute little guy and I still have my reservations about this movie.

Here's a trailer for the Need for Speed movie starring Aaron Paul.


My take: I won't be seeing it.

Artist Daniel James Cox has posted on his website concept art of Galactus as a humanoid in the Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer film that we never got to see.

My take: It's much better than the cloud, even though that was by far not the worst mistake the movie made and isn't the only reason why it was so poorly received.

Is Michael B. Jordan playing Will Smith's son in Independence Day 2? Some sources indicate that this is a possibility.

My take: Makes sense to me. Jordan's a good actor and he's about the right age to take on a big role as Smith's son in it.

A new Tarzan reboot is coming our way and some casting rumors are going around. Christoph Waltz may be Captain Rom, a Belgian soldier who wants to capture Tarzan in exchange for diamonds. Emma Stone or Margot Robbie may end up being Jane.

My take: There's a new Tarzan every couple of years. Meh.

VIDEO GAMES

Here is a trailer showing the Deathstroke gameplay for Batman: Arkham Origins. Enjoy!


My take: Looks cool.

Speculation that Beenox/Activision will announce a new Spider-Man game at New York Comic-Con.

My take: More on this to come, but if indeed there is a new game, I'm sure it'll be making a lot of fans happy.

Since the Wii U version of Batman: Arkham Origins will not have multiplayer, the cost has been decreased $10.

My take: That's how business should be done. Having less content means it isn't worth as much, so they should have decreased the price. Good job! Thank you, on behalf of every reasonable person out there.

We're getting a Kick-Ass 2 inspired game.

My take: Cool.

TELEVISION

Marvel's Agents of SHIELD was the biggest network debut in more than a year, earning a 4.6/14 with 11.9 million total viewers according to The Wrap.

My take: Always nice to see geek culture taking charge!

Another comic book character from DC will be showing up on this season of Arrow, as Dylan Neal will be playing Dr. Anthony Ivo, aka Professor Ivo, the creator of the Amazo android.

My take: The more references, the better!

Constantine may be another DC Comics entity that is coming to television screens, joining the Flash and Gotham (as well as Arrow of course).

My take: I'm not a big fan of the Constantine series, so I might actually not be checking this out. The Justice League Dark idea sounded interesting to me but flawed, so if this kills it, I'm not particularly hurt.

COMIC BOOKS

Artist Neal Adams lost 30 years worth of some of his artwork in a NYC taxi recently.

My take: I can only imagine the frustration.

There’s a lot of buzz around comic shops these days. Various events and publishing initiatives from the big two are constantly lining the shelves with waves of new titles. This coupled with the work being done by Image and other companies to stand out from the pack has led to quite a bit of comic discussion. Some books I try, and others I don’t, but every now and again I pick up a book to cut through the hullabaloo to see what all the fuss is about. This week I took Greg Rucka’s Lazarus for a spin.

Lazarus is quite clearly the beginning of something big. It tactfully uses the usually empty page behind the cover to quickly set up the world. While this makes for a few short, exposition heavy paragraphs, it does allow the book to get off to a quick start. We are in a world that’s divided not by governments, but families in a style reminiscent of Game of Thrones’ Westeros. People are lumped into three categories that resemble the cast system used during the dark ages; the royalty is consolidated into a single family, while serfs remain the worker bees and a group called the “waste” sit as a collective of everyone else. Each family chooses a member to become its Lazarus, or guardian. The very first time we see Forever “Eve” Carlyle, Lazarus of the Carlyle family and our leading lady, she’s dead, well, almost.

She describes with a cold demeanor the location of every bullet that impacts her then finally shuts her eyes for a little while. Earning her title, she recovers from several fatale blows moments later and easily kills her would be assassins who turn out to be hungry Waste seeking sustenance. This sends a conflicted Forever to the doctor for examination. This scene worked nicely and was a tactful way to navigate an information dump.

A check up later and Forever is clear for duty, though, its clear through ominous dialogue that the doctor is in some how cahoots with others to regulate her moods and thought processes. All of this passes by the highly trained warrior, however, which sends Eve heading home. There she reconvenes with her brother, Jonah, to discuss the attempt on her life. Jonah pushes Forever to believe the assault was done by the rival Morray family, although more heavily ominous dialogue leads us to see it very well could be the early workings of an inner family feud.(Sadly this kind doesn't have Drew Carrey)

The facility in which Forever was attacked was only accessible by certain individuals who were all round up and interrogated. Jonah quickly reminds Forever of their family’s gruesome policy and vehemently pushes her to kill them all unless the traitor does not reveal his or her self. Upon hearing this, one elderly man sacrifices himself. Although the book to this point was slow, there is a fine piece character moment here. Lazarus 1 finally comes to a close with Forever back at the doctor, getting yet another check up after the “unpleasantness”. Despite his prods she insists she’s fine.


Lazarus ends there on a bit of a whimper. The story went fast and I can’t say it felt like much happened although it’s clear that this is a world with lots of moving parts in which much can happen. My one real frustration came with the narration panels. There were no distinguishing marks on any of them. You could tell who was speaking after a moment, but I think that momentary pause breaks the suspension of disbelief and for that the story suffers. If this is a sign of things to come, I may throw Lazarus on my trade wait list. Wait did you think of Lazarus? The new story by Greg Rucka continues tomorrow when issue five hits the stands along with volume one collecting the first four issues.

Why do we love gaming? It's a medium wholly dependent upon our input. This gives games the power to impact us in completely unique ways. As a result of that, games become memorable to us for reasons completely different than the written word, or movies and television. This is dedicated to the most memorable moments in gaming.

When I was seven, for my birthday I received a Sega Genesis. Sega's landmark was a little franchise called Sonic the Hedgehog. But this isn't about the first game. This is about what would become a series staple, debuted in the sequel. Going Super Sonic. One of video game's MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS!

Super Sonic was something special when it was first introduced. But what made Super Sonic special wasn't the fact that it was just a powerup. Everything that went into Super Sonic made it feel special. You needed to earn seven mystical gems called the Chaos Emeralds. Once you had all seven, and at least fifty rings, jumping into the air caused the blue hedgehog to turn golden. Super Sonic was like Mario's Starman blended with hookers and blow. While Starman had a time limit, Super Sonic lasted as long as Sonic had rings. It made the already speedy Sonic even faster, not to mention impervious.


Super Sonic was special because you had to EARN it. Well. Or cheat your balls off. But when Sonic 2 was new, cheats were much harder to come by. The internet wasn't really a thing. And while we're being honest, the minigames that you had to go through to collect the Chaos Emeralds in Sonic 2? Impossible. But the fact that it was so difficult to unlock just added to the mystique. Sega would eventually tone down the difficulty slightly by changing the minigame in Sonic 3, but gathering all the emeralds still felt like a special accomplishment.

The Chaos Emeralds were always a part of Sonic the Hedgehog, but were utilized best from Sonic 2 - Sonic & Knuckles. These games implemented the emeralds perfectly. In Sonic 1, the emeralds were still in the game, but their impact was incredibly minimal. The next three titles would introduce and sustain their use as a prerequisite for Super Sonic. Sonic Adventure would go on to add the Chaos Emeralds as a plot device. Making the gems part of the story took away some of the allure.

Back when they were useless there were only six.

The emeralds were the ultimate in game collectible at the time. You could play through any of the Sega Genesis era 2D Sonic games and not know they were there. We all DID know, of course. Even before the internet. We had to, sometimes literally, jump through hoops to obtain them. They were exclusive. They were illusive. Once you've had the taste of Super Sonic power, there is no going back. You always WILL jump through those hoops. And that's why Super Sonic is one of video game's most memorable moments.

Rose Colored Reviews is back with another episode!


Original artwork courtesy of Amber Kerkove

In this episode, I discuss one of the most memorable British sitcoms since "Monty Python's Flying Circus" and "The Young Ones." I will also give you the backstory of the entire series and give you my fond memories of this wonderful show.

Welcome back to your Monday morning pick-me-up, the Fanboys Anonymous Wipeout of the Week. You can now officially expect to see a gif of someone or something falling, slipping, tripping, flipping, or getting hit in the nuts to help make that Monday grind go by a little easier.

This week we return to the daring youths that choose skateboards as their preferred mode of transport. While the initial spill may not seem like much, just wait for it... wait for it...

BAM!

Poor guy. Just as he thought he didn't embarrass himself on camera too bad, he gets smacked right in the face with a heavy reminder of his mistake. Moral of the story: Never drop your guard down. Wow, a lesson here on the Wipeout of the Week.

Thanks to fellow FBA contributor Travis Goss for suggesting this weeks Wipeout of the Week.

After two failed attempts through Kickstarter to help fund the spiritual successor to the 2002 Nintendo Gamecube cult classic, "Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem," Precursor Games has made the official announcement in which "Shadow of the Eternals" is being put on hold as the team sets out to create other projects.

Courtesy of Precursor Games

According a forum post by the Precursor Team, this is what they have said:

It is with a heavy heart that we have decided to put the Shadow of the Eternals project on hold. We are very happy with what we have accomplished both as a group and with the community. The community has blown us away and was the one thing that kept us going through it all - we cannot thank you enough.

Many of us will be taking a break. For those who are not aware, we all worked on this project as a labor of love and self financed 100% of everything for a over a year to try to make Shadow of the Eternals a reality. Although we did not succeed on doing this, we succeeded in making many friends and starting something that we hope provided value for those involved. We have no regrets.

Denis, Phil and Aaron have decided to continue to run the forums for those who wish to stay hang out and talk. Denis, Phil and Aaron will also be taking a break but will be around posting and talking with everyone when they can. Others from Precursor will also be popping in from time to time.

Is the project dead? No, but we feel it needs a rest too. We have all agreed as a group that when and if the time is right we will get together and start it up again.

Keep your head high everyone and remember what we have accomplished together.

While this is a major setback for those who were wanting for this game to be completed, it is no surprise it failed to reach its goal. I do not believe this will be the last we will have heard of this game. As for now, it is a bummer.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, directed by Cody Cameron & Kris Pearn, written by Judi Barrett, Ron Barett, John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Erica Rivinoja. Starring Bill Hader (Flint Lockwood), Anna Faris (Sam Sparks), James Caan (Tim Lockwood), Will Forte (Chester V), Andy Samberg (Brent McHale), Benjamin Bratt (Manny), Neil Patrick Harris (Steve), Terry Crews (Earl Deveraux) and Kristen Schaal (Barb).

What is the forecast for Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2? TL;DR = it's not as good as the first one and if you removed the puns, it would kind of suck. But let's go a little deeper into things and examine why this is the case. It's time for another REVIEWPOINT as we break down the film's hits and misses.


As always, let's start with the bad news first.


1. OVERLY SIMPLE PLOT

As this is a children's film, it naturally isn't going to be as complex as something like The Godfather or as intricate in detail as Inception, but that doesn't mean it needs to be stripped down to just a few bullet points on an outline. The entire film is basically just "remind us of the previous film, Flint has a hero who is like an evil Steve Jobs, they go to the island and it turns out the evil dude is evil and you shouldn't kill the living creatures, so they don't" and really nothing more.

2. LACK OF CHARACTER GROWTH

Mostly all of the characters have essentially nothing to do. In the first film, Flint's dad grew to be proud of his son and understand him, Brent went from being a jerk to being his friend, Sam and Flint fell in love, etc. However, they're just simply friends in this and the only characters that actually go anywhere are Barb and Flint.


1. THE PUNS

Easily the best parts of the movie are the puns. Here is a list of some of the Foodimals in the movie that aren't "just a tomato":

Barry the Strawberry (one of the stars of the movie)
Susheep (sushi/sheep)
Wild Scallions (wild stallion - look like giraffe / brontosaurus animals)
Peanut butter and jellyfish
Applie pie-thon
Bananostrich (weird execution on that one; they sound and look more like dolphins with legs)
Cantalope
Cucumbird
Meatbalrus (meatball walrus)
Double Bacon Cheesespider (which acted like a bit of a dog/spider hybrid)
Flamango (I was not compensated for my work on this film)
Fruit Cockatiel (I thought these were pineapple owl combos before I looked this up, so I naturally thought they were pineappowls)
Hippotato (nice touch having the potato/hippopotamus foodimals with chives for teeth)
Sasquash
Shrimpanzee
Tacodile Supreme (with habanero peppers for legs)
Watermelophant (watermelon elephants)
Wildabeet (wildebeest vs beets)

My favorite pun? The leek in the boat:


2. THE MARSHMALLOWS

These things were so cute that I had to give them their own section. Just look at them! In particular, the one that wanted Flint to pet it. Adorable.



Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs falls short of being as good as the first one (or better). It's still fun to sit through if you're a fan of puns, but once you've heard all the puns, it doesn't have much substance outside of that.

Would I recommend it? Don't watch it in theatres. Just check it out in a cheaper method if you're up for something light.

If you want to check out some more recent Reviewpoint articles: White House Down | The Lone Ranger | Man of Steel | Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox | The Wolverine | Turbo | Kick-Ass 2