Fanboys Anonymous

Many people visiting the Winter MCM Expo this past October had great reason to scream and swoon like schoolgirls. Two reasons, in fact. Misters Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet—who have been close friends and business partners ever since the making of the 2004 Jonathan Hensleigh-directed movie The Punisher—were in attendance (amongst many other special guests) to screen the awesome Punisher short Dirty Laundry, take Q&A, sign books and take photos with their fans!

"I won't answer another question until I find out who stole my sandwich!"

And what an army that showed up in support of Tim & Tom! As I’ve said many a time, there are no fans quite like Punisher fans. And when I say that, I mean it most sincerely. They are a dedicated people that love nothing better than to wander around in public, dressed to kill and waving shotguns and machine guns around so innocently/intently. BB gun manufacturers, sports departments, army surplus stores and leather shops must seriously make a killing off these people. (Oh look, a pun... whoa... a pun in a pun?)

"What? I'm cold, I just wanted a hug..."

But when it comes down to your lifers—the true diehard fans—cosplay goes above and beyond the love of all things spandex. Stewart Loud from Stoke-on-Trent could tell you that, but then we could just show you. And then he might have to kill you!

"I'd leave that bathroom to air out for a minute..."

Stewart has been doing the cosplay gig since Comic-Cons began in England back in 2011, but that’s only a fraction of the amount of his life dedicated to all things Punisher. He owns in excess of 700 comics, all Punisher series or Punisher-related. And to look at him in full battle gear with a cigarette in one hand and a Heckler & Koch MP5 in the other, you wouldn’t really be surprised to know that he plays with chainsaws for a living, as much of a geezer as he is. Stew is one of the true cosplayers that has no problem putting his own slant on the Punisher look, classic or obscure. With so many other cosplayers dressing the same, it’s good that he puts some extra thought into his craft to stand out from the crowd.

Visiting Tom Jane and Tim Bradstreet at the London MCM Expo, Stew brought out the heavy ordnance in the form of his Captain Punisher outfit. This was a tribute costume dedicated to two different Punisher appearances. The first is the battle suit wore by Frank Castle during the "Goin’ Out West" arc of Matt Fraction’s Punisher War Journal run, after his idol, Captain America, was seemingly assassinated after his own trial following Civil War. The second is the suit worn by Frank during Mark Millar’s Secret Avengers when he was drafted to do the dirty work that Steve Rogers refused to.

"Don't look now, Frank, but there's a gun-toting dwarf climbing your head!"

Stew never fails to make an impression, and neither does his girlfriend—Neyna Anne Scorer, aka KittehKatCosplay, accompanying Stew as Domino, her own favourite character of choice. But at the Winter Comic-Con in London, it would have been ignorant only to notice the impression Stew made on Punisher actor Tom Jane. Stew has never grinned so much, or lost his nerve, like he admitted he did that weekend. But then, Tom should remember him. Stew was the first Punisher cosplay tribute posted by the man himself!

"I don't smile much. Don't smile ever. But if I did, this would be one!"

How the other half lives, eh?! Funny I mention that. Karen Bailey from Burton-upon-Trent has been doing the cosplay scene since first attending Kapow In May 2012. Donning the title of Lady Punisher, she made quite an impression. So much of an impression in fact that she was asked to join the UK Predators in March this year and does a badass Huntress cosplay gig too!

If Predators were in Game of Thrones, though!

Yes, she’s a woman, she can multitask unlike the rest of us, and she went on to prove that by tackling both Tom and Tim at the Comic-Con...

"On two, Tim... One, Two... EAT HER!"

And Mr Jane might not know this, but Karen has a huge crush on him. It’s not because of his award winning man-ho show Hung, it’s not even because of his latest Jonah Hex sort of look. Hell, it’s not even because Stew was right behind her (and because they’re no longer seeing each other, or on talking terms, for that matter). Hey buddy, you charge for a photo, a lady’s going to cop a feel!

"Lady, you smell like Death!"

A true testament to character, from the horse’s mouth, Tom Jane and Tim Bradstreet are two of the coolest and most welcoming people you could meet. It’s hard to believe they’re “Hollywood!”

"NOT leaving. Without my SANDWICH!"

Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet run Raw Studios/Raw Entertainment, a talented company dedicated to bringing you outrageously fun and original comic books, such as Bad Planet and Alien Pig Farm.

They’ve also spanned out into film production, marking Tom Jane’s directorial debut, the adaptation of his own graphic novel Dark Country, not to mention the aforementioned... the Punisher short Dirty Laundry.

Raw will return to film in 2014 in a joint production with Tayrona Films, with the Tom Jane written, directed, and acted action western A Magnificent Death from a Shattered Hand, also starring the Hulk’s dad, Nick Nolte!

So, did any of our Fanboys head to this October's London MCM Expo Comic-Con? Get any cool photos and stuff? Did you get to meet Tom and Tim? Comments below, and thanks for reading!

Episode 49 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. In this episode, Michael Burhan, Xander Skullion, Zack Latour, Chris Locs, and Miguel Leon take a look at the biggest and baddest horror games of them all. Want to know what goes bump in the night?

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

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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

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Fan of classic rock music? Have a few hundred thousand dollars lying around to spend on former belongings of members of Led Zeppelin and Van Halen? Hold on to those last hairs, Beardo, because Profiles in History is bringing its Rock 'n' Roll Auction to Los Angeles on December 18.

Maybe your current display of collectibles is closer to a pair of antlers gathering dust on the mantle of your apartment, which you claim to have once procured from Ted Nugent. During a trip to Michigan in 1970. When you weren't even born yet. (But the guitar pick next to it is from Lollapalooza!) Well, thanks to Joe Maddalena, who hails from an East coast family of antique dealers, you can merely admire the latest authentic items upon Profiles in History's auction block as others cough up the coin to top off their collections. This week, the world's largest auctioneer of Hollywood memorabilia announced a series of awe-inspiring offerings.

During his final months over 40 years ago, famed singer Jim Morrison of The Doors kept a handwritten notebook that was never published. It contains over 100 pages of poems and musings, such as "The impressions are seeing me. Are there images that I need to complete my own reality?"

The hardcover marble notebook comes to us from the collection of Graham Nash, who wrote the following inscription within its full leather clamshell case: "Handwritten book by Jim Morrison – given to me by Bill Siddons in the 80's Graham Nash. P.S. Bill Siddons was the man who picked up Jim's body in Paris. He was also my manager." The abandoned book is looking for a new home to the tune of $200,000 to $300,000.

The next item has been lucky enough to stand the test of time, being hidden away in a case for 30 years and once belonging to the incomparable Eddie Van Halen.

Probably one of the most recognizable axes in the industry, the 1982 Kramer Frankenstrat was one of eight hand-crafted and painted guitars. Did you see Van Halen on tour for Diver Down from '82–83? This is specifically what you heard Eddie playing. Or, if you grew up hearing "Panama," "Hot for Teacher," or "Jump" on the radio, this guitar was also featured on that career highlight of an album "1984." Not only does a portion of its sale benefit guitarist Jason Becker and the Jason Becker Special Needs Trust for his treatment for Lou Gehrig's Disease, but at $100,000–$150,000, it will be the most expensive instrument in your music room that your cats will knock over and chip.

Known also for his passion for historical documents, Profiles in History founder Joe Maddalena has gotten his hands on a series of authentic pages of songs with handwritten lyrics, including "Stairway to Heaven" by Robert Plant (estimated to sell for $2,000–$3,000), Roger Waters' words to "The Wall" (estimated to sell for $1,000–$1,500), "Riders on the Storm" penned by Jim Morrison (estimated to sell for $20,000–$30,000), and Bob Dylan-scribed "I Want You" (estimated to sell for $30,000–$50,000). Winning bidders are wisely advised to invest about $20.00 in protective Lucite sheeting so that the ink doesn't meet the cup-condensation fate met by my 8th grade art project after I spent what felt like 20,000 years on it.

Potential bidders can stake their claim on desired items by going to ProfilesinHistory.com and filling out a registration form with their proposed amount. You can also join their mailing list on the site to get news about upcoming auctions, watch videos, and keep up on the company's blog.

What piece of rock and roll history would you place your bid on if money weren't an object? Leave a Comment below to let us know and why.

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

More speculation on casting for Star Wars Episode VII points to Chiwetel Ejiofor in a role, possibly.

My take: We've heard damn near everyone in Hollywood in some kind of rumor. Take it with a grain of salt.

If Bryan Singer were to make The Usual Suspects today, who would he cast? Apparently Edward James Olmos as Agent Kujan, Chris Hemsworth as Keaton, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Fenster, Dane DeHaan as McManus, Jonah Hill as Hockney, Benedict Cumberbatch as Verbal Kint, Michael Fassbender as Kobayashi, and Jennifer Lawrence as Edie Finneran.

My take: The Usual Suspects is one of my favorite movies of all time and despite how I'm a fan of a lot of these actors, they couldn't do it justice.

James Mangold and Hugh Jackman look like they'll be reteaming for a sequel to The Wolverine.

My take: As long as they've got a good story and can execute it well, I'm up for it. I think the Wolverine was overall solid.

Were you wondering how the kids got their powers in Chronicle? Well apparently, Max Landis had intended for the sequels to explain that the crystals were Massive Organic Geoelectric Objects, "a race of crystalline organisms that communicate and propel themselves through radio waves, and turn higher life forms into telekinetic drones."

My take: ... uh... what? Maybe I'm glad Chronicle 2 is going in a different direction.


TELEVISION

The Avenger and Hourman are two superheroes that may be getting television series soon.

My take: I don't know much about Hourman and I know NOTHING about The Avenger. Worth a shot? I'd potentially check them out... maybe.

COMIC BOOKS

With Carol Danvers moving on from the Ms. Marvel name and becoming Captain Marvel, Marvel has decided to make up a NEW Ms. Marvel—Kamala Khan.

My take: I said Marvel a lot in that sentence, didn't I? People are making a big deal out of this because the character is a Muslim teenager from New Jersey. That doesn't matter to me. It bothers me that they can't keep a solid name on Danvers, though, and that they have to keep creating new versions of characters that don't necessarily work better than the others. Did we need Ryan Choi as The Atom? Do we need Super versions of monkeys and cats, when Superboy and Supergirl are already kind of pointless (I'm pissing off a huge section of Fanboys by saying that, I'm sure)? Do we need Miles Morales? If it's not broke, don't fix it. But hey, who knows, maybe this will be one of the few instances where it catches on. So long as they find a good balance and a purpose for her, I'm fine with another Ms. Marvel, and totally fine with her being whatever race they want her to be. I just don't want another pointless character, just the same as we don't need 50 X-Men characters that are psychics when Jean Grey's absent.

Geek Speak LIVE! is a weekly radio show with an explosion of nerd conversation. Join hosts Craig Kellerman & Travis Goss as they rant on movies, TV, video games, comics, cartoons, technology, and whatever else is sparking our attention.


It's a godly edition of Geek Speak as this weeks theme is Thor! To celebrate the release of the sequel this weekend we review the original film. We also talk about the latest Marvel games and current television shows. Featured this week:

Thor (2011) - The powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Thor: Tales of Asguard - The young Norse god Thor embarks on a quest with his brother Loki to find and recover a legendary sword.

Thor & Loki: Blood Brothers - Loki's insatiable lust for power, his conflicted sentiments toward Sif, his antipathy toward Balder, and the deep-seated feelings of longing and resentment toward his older brother, Thor, and uncaring father, Odin, take on new meaning.

Hollywood trends are inherently volatile, and all too often subject to seemingly spontaneous change. This should be particularly obvious to us, the weary survivors of the recent onslaught of vampire works. With the blood- and sanity-sucking genre safely locked back in its casket, superhero films seem to be the logical choice for the latest fad gripping the industry. This then begs the question: Are these films, too, doomed to lose audience interest? With the core of Marvel’s Phase Two coming up in the next few months, beginning with Thor: The Dark World out tomorrow night and Captain America: The Winter Soldier in April, I believe now is the time to test the strength and longevity of the genre. Unfortunately, DC hasn’t made enough long-term feature film plans to consider them much of an asset in the coming years, so I’ll focus primarily on Marvel’s slate. What’s my opinion across the board? Devout DC fan or Marvel maniac, if you love comics, you should be cheering these films on every step of the way.

WHY THESE FILMS ARE DIFFERENT:

The relationship between superheroes and the cinema goes back quite some ways. I believe the current crop of films, however, differ from their spandex- and occasionally Bat Nipple-clad predecessors in two distinct ways: variety and scope. There have been plenty of Batman and Superman films, and I'm certain there will be plenty more. (Heck, they're even putting them together.) Those two heroes are particularly ingrained in our pop culture mythos, however, because they have been so publicized already. What’s special about Marvel’s current slate is the attempt to build franchises on less-tested heroes like Thor and Captain America. This is even truer for the likes of the Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man, who will both be headlining films in this phase. The resurgence of these characters on the big screen, and subsequently the comics, highlights not only the difference in this generation of film, but the first reason we should be pulling for them: the intrigue they are creating.

Marvel's The Avengers managed quite the feat for Marvel. Aside from making an enormous amount of money, it cemented their characters—even the more obscure ones—in the public sphere. Go back just three years and tell me how many people were calling Hawkeye their favorite character. Perhaps no character proves this more than Iron Man himself. Although a large part of this can, and certainly should, be contributed to Robert Downey, Jr’s performance, the fact remains that this character went from fairly popular in the comics to a massive franchise leader.

The simple fact is that comic sales are on the decline. While I have speculated that this can be attributed to the nature and behavior of comic stores, it can also be attributed to a lack of customer awareness. It's amazing how shocked people are to learn that new comics are still being shipped weekly. This new crop of films is taking comics and putting them at the forefront of the entertainment industry in a way the print medium needs. It’s also being done in a respectable way. While you can debate the merits of taking the likes of Agent Coulson and sticking him in comics to make them more “Cinematic Universe-friendly,” it's much harder to protest the adaptation of acclaimed materials like Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Marvel’s played many things right in this sense. They’ve selected a much-enjoyed book and adapted it to reach a wider audience.

So superhero movies aren’t all that new, but new superhero films have been doing well. What’s next?

WHY THIS POINT IS CRUCIAL: 

After the enormous success of Iron Man, it was clear there would be subsequent films. We are now half a decade out, however, and RDJ is off the Marvel slate for at least the next two years. We’re also getting into sequel territory for two less successful films about two less popular characters. I believe Marvel’s next two films will truly test these depictions of Thor and Cap, as well as the longevity of the superhero genre as a whole. The long-term success of the superhero genre may rely on these films being able to launch franchises of their own instead of serving, like the infamous Iron Man 2 did, as platforms to get us to the next Avengers movie. Fortunately, these films are uniquely poised to promote growth.

There’s no doubt that superhero films have become the toast of the town. However, between new launches and reboots, it feels like every six months I’m watching a likable character discover they have some sort of power and learn to use it. Let’s face it; origin films have become more tiresome than origin issues. Fortunately, Thor and Cap are each on their second installment, but their third adventure. They’ve now settled into who they are and can move on to exploring their individual worlds.

Movies are often broken down into three acts, with the second often being the best, as it's where the adventures and ensuing character development occur. It’s one reason The Dark Knight was so great. At that point, Batman was Batman and could get his Batman on without having to worry about helping the audience keep up. In a similar vain, Cap and Thor are now fully established heroes in their own right and ready to build franchises based on their adventures. Fortunately, these films also have the advantage of heightened production values that’s made obvious in their respective trailers. These films are many things, but a Green Lantern-class film certainly isn’t one.

WHY CAN WE HOPE: 

Iron Man 3 continued Marvel Studios’ enormous success in the box office and became the second of its films to rank among the top five highest grossing films of all time. Although some of this could be attributed to it being the film to follow up Marvel’s The Avengers, I also believe it did well simply due to the world RDJ and Marvel created. If that’s the case, I think that if the new Thor and Cap movies establish a strong world, superhero movies will persevere for at least another five years more. The universe Marvel is creating is something unlike anything that’s been attempted in film. They will soon be beyond the six films managed by Star Wars, and they're using their massive character library to plan even more, all the while employing comic writers and respected directors to tell their truly epic tales. I believe this means the films have the mettle to survive the shifting, yet invaluable, interest of the public and will continue carrying our genre to new heights.

DC's The New 52 line-wide reboot has been met with a volatile mix of support—ranging from excitement to passionate rage—since its announcement. Today, just over two years after the bold publishing initiative, DC unveiled a sneak peek at plans that could mean big changes for the young New DCU.

Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you my review of Cartoon Network's latest series, Steven Universe!

Logo for Cartoon Network's Steven Universe by Rebecca Sugar

Steven Universe centers around a group of seemingly alien heroines called the "Crystal Gems." They're composed of Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Steven. Seem like "Steven" is a strange name to throw in with all of the crystal-related names? Well, much like the dark back story of Adventure Time involving the Ice King, there were hints dropped throughout the first two episodes that Steven is some kind of Crystal Gem/Human hybrid, and that his mother, Rose, was the fourth member of the Crystal Gems, but she sacrificed herself to give birth to Steven. Right away, that's dark. Not to mention that he apparently doesn't associate with his dad very often, so the kid's being raised by the remaining three Crystal Gems.

I've added a promotional poster for the series to give you an idea of what the show is. You've got Pearl (far left with the sword/staff weapon), Amethyst (top left with the whip, obviously the battle-ready one), Garnet (the leader with the fro and the boxing gloves), and the titular character, Steven Universe (yes, his last name is "Universe").

Pearl has the more science-minded battle strategy and life outlook, comparing her powers to understanding the science of the world. With Amethyst, her attitude is very laid back; she's always seen munching on something and can usually be seen breaking shit or trying to hit something. Garnet, well, she doesn't really talk much. She seems to be a calm, cool leader who is strong and believes that power is drawn from the energy of the universe, but she still cares for Steven like a big sister. Then there's Steven himself. He's goofy, extremely laid back, and honestly, kind of an idiot. He means well, though, and he tries his best to control his gem, which is located on his belly button.

The whole belly button gem confused people before the show premiered, but after watching it, I think it adds to that sad, dark back story I mentioned. His mother Rose fell in love with Greg Universe, your typical living-in-his-van-and-used-to-be-in-a-band, washed-up kinda guy. Greg even admits in the premiere that he doesn't know what a powerful Crystal Gem saw in a guy like him (cue sad music). Because Rose gave up her physical form to have Steven, the gem in his belly button—revealed to be the same gem his mother had—is kind of like his umbilical cord, if that makes sense. It sets up this tragic story that future episodes can choose either to address directly or give us pieces over time from the set-up that was presented to us.

The creatures the team battles to protect humanity all seem to have gems in them or to be made of crystal, which tells us that there may be some crystal race of beings, and the Crystal Gems are our protectors from the evil ones. The silly nature of the series reflects the series creator's work on Cartoon Network's very popular series Adventure Time, as well as giving us her own style of animation, character development, and humor. I enjoyed the premiere, and I would advise anyone who loves Adventure Time or Regular Show to give Steven Universe a chance to prove itself. Unlike other shows Cartoon Network has flopped with, such as Uncle Grandpa, Steven Universe has a place on my Monday night lineup.

So what did you think of the premiere? Love it? Hate it? Tell us why in the comments section! Thanks for reading! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!

I've previously mentioned my fondness for Kevin Smith's Fatman on Batman podcast when Grant Morrison regaled us all with his interpretation of Alan Moore's The Killing Joke. Well, ladies and gents, I'm here to rain praise upon it once more.

On this most recent episode of the podcast, Kevin Smith sits down with legendary Batman scribe Paul Dini to discuss, amongst other things, the television spot used for Batman: Arkham Origins. For those that have not seen it, check it out:


It is a very somber ad, showcasing that despite growing up into adulthood, Bruce Wayne still carries the same frustration and guilt and sadness throughout his entire life which started the moment his parents were murdered in front of him. "It's all still with me," as the song states, is all that needs to be said. You can see it in the eyes of the character, growing up but never getting over those tragic events.

As expected, Smith's passionate thoughts on the ad are a great listen for anyone like myself who is a huge fan of Batman. But as if that wasn't enough, Smith and Dini are inspired to branch off from this and talk about how they would love to see a Smallville-esque version of this story being told—a young Bruce Wayne in prep school.

What follows is essentially a buffet of ideas that break down what could happen season by season for a television series with this concept in mind. The school could be the Bludhaven Academy just outside of Gotham. Harvey Dent could be Bruce's roommate and Thomas Elliot could be amongst the student body. The Court of Owls could be a retelling of Yale University's Skull & Bones Society, which could be an adversary along with Alberto Falcone. And so on and so forth.

This show, which they tentatively titled Shadow of the Bat, would build the foundations of what Bruce Wayne eventually becomes, written by legitimate fans of the subject material and having fun with what we all know and love.

For someone like myself, that has notes on his idea of "superhero blueprints" to encompass as much about a character as possible, I find this to be BEYOND incredibly intriguing. As Smith says in the podcast, just take my money already and produce it, as I would watch the hell out of it, religiously.

Do yourself a favor. Listen to the podcast and show your support for Smith and Dini by subscribing on iTunes. Whether or not this could become a true series is one thing, but at the very least, their idea is so perfectly sound and so entertaining to listen to just in outline format that they should be praised nonetheless.

Please pitch this idea to WB, guys! Fanboys Anonymous has your back!

Also, if you're a fan of this kind of material, please subscribe to the new YouTube channel for Fanboys Anonymous to help us with our relaunch of our own podcasts and roundtable discussions.

Civilization slipped into its second dark age on an unsurprising track of blood, but with a speed that could not have been foreseen by even the most pessimistic futurist. It was as if it had been waiting to go. On October 1st, God was in His heaven, the stock market stood at 10,140, and most of the planes were on time (except for those landing and taking off in Chicago, and that was to be expected). Two weeks later the skies belonged to the birds again and the stock market was a memory. By Halloween, every major city from New York to Moscow stank to the empty heavens and the world as it had been was a memory.
—Stephen King, Cell

Mmmm... Mochalattebloodynokiaccino!

Samuel L Jackson has officially joined the cast of Cell—the latest adaptation of a Stephen King novel for the big screen—joining lead star John Cusack (Con Air, Being John Malkovich) who has been making a bit of a comeback with The Raven and The Frozen Ground. Both actors already shared the screen under the King banner in 2007's haunted hotel horror 1408, one year after King released Cell on unsuspecting audiences everywhere.

Cusack and Jackson at the 2007 premier of 1408

King's novel, a tribute to Richard Matheson and his classic I Am Legend, and also to the movies of George Romero (who, decades ago, attributed Night of the Living Dead to that very same author and novel), is an apocalyptic survival tale that takes a surprisingly fresh and disturbing slant on cyber terrorism.

Artist Clay Riddell (Cusack) is trapped in downtown Boston when "the Pulse" sends everybody that answers their phone murderously insane. With only a neurotic gay office worker (Jackson) and the traumatised young Alice (yet to be announced) for company/protection, he begins a terrifying and heartbreaking journey by night from Boston to Maine to see whether or not his estranged wife and his son picked up their phones. But just when it seems the madness is coming to an end, the flocks of "phone crazies" begin to change, proving that the Pulse was only the beginning of a greater horror!

Scriptwriter Adam Alleca

Cell has been written for the screen by Stephen King and by Adam Alleca, who wrote the screenplay for the remake of Last House on the Left. It will also be directed by Tod "Kip" Williams, who was responsible for Paranormal Activity 2. 

Cell director Tod "Kip" Williams

So regardless of Alleca's experience, we should be guaranteed a faithful story, maybe with a few twists thrown in by King himself. And also, despite Williams only having directed four feature films, he has the experience as a director, writer and producer of horror, drama and comedy to make Cell all that its fans deserve. That beats the previously suggested direction of Eli Roth, right?

This seems like some pretty positive news. King's novels and shorts (stories, not pants) have been getting a lot better over the last two decades, with the likes of The Green Mile, "1408," and The Mist. His stories deserve great films, but because they're usually so big, they end up in TV miniseries format, like The Stand, Desperation and Under the Dome.

With Cell's film adaptation being relatively old news by now, I'm sure King and co. have enough tricks up their sleeves to meet and even exceed expectations. I can hardly wait. Stay posted, Fanboys!

Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, presenting some set photos and opinions on Michael Bay's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, coming next year!

Now, the first image I'd like to show you gives us an impression of the relative size of the turtles. Let's check it out:

First off, if this image is to be taken as truth, can I just say that the TURTLES ARE FUCKING HUGE! Granted, Megan Fox is about 5'4'', so you can gauge how tall that turtle should be, but look how wide he is. I know, the shell is a contributing factor, but just based on this image alone, the turtle (presumed to be Raphael) just doesn't look nimble enough to be a, well, ninja.

Now, there are two things I appreciate about the above image. The first one is April O'Neil. Notice anything about her? Well, she's wearing a yellow jacket! I see what you did there, Michael Bay. I appreciate this nod to the original 80s/90s cartoon. It would have been pretty silly if Megan Fox was dressed in exactly that outfit, but the jacket? As a TMNT fanboy, I love it, especially when, at one point, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles weren't teenagers, weren't mutants, weren't ninjas, and biologically speaking, weren't turtles. The whole kung-fu alien thing? No, bad Michael Bay! Bad!

Now, the second thing I like about this image is the nod to the 1990 movie. Too young to know what I'm talking about? Well, learn ya something!

Raphael looking like a BAMF in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990).

Now, although I do love the nod, you'll notice some differences. First, look how small the 1990 Raphael looks compared to the 2014 Raphael (well, again, what I'm assuming is Raphael). All right, so there isn't someone in the 1990 picture for a size comparison, but look at how wide they are compared with each other. 1990 Raph looks like he could be nimble, as a ninja warrior should be. 2014 Raph? Eh, I mean, it's just one still image, so I guess I can't judge too harshly, but I just don't see a ninja. I see a sumo wrestler.

The trench coat nod is awesome, and I like one more aspect about it: 2014 Raph, although he looks ridiculous and if you passed him on the street you'd stare like "Who the fuck is that?", you can't see anything. He's totally hidden underneath those glasses, the scarf, the hat, the coat, etc.

Last, but not least, some plot info! This last image gives us some details on the direction of the movie, as well as the Foot. Let's check it out!

Well, that's… disappointing. Is that supposed to be the Foot Clan? Eh, I liked the old costumes better. Maybe it's nostalgia setting in, or maybe the old costume makes more sense to me as an underground group of ninja thieves, but these guys don't seem very, what's the word… discreet? Not a fan of the change. My second point is, the Turtles are captured! Say whaaaat?? This tells me one thing about the movie: The Turtles pulled a Man of Steel and turned themselves in. I can't see all four Turtles fighting the Foot and losing. I guess it could happen, but I see the more likely cause of this image is that the Shredder kidnapped Splinter/April/someone, and the Turtles are sacrificing themselves. That could play out pretty interestingly for the film.

There has been some pretty dangerous news about the film, ranging from the original title, which was simply "Ninja Turtles," to the whole alien angle, and for me, the missing prosthetic costumes that made the Turtles seem more real. But based on the images I've displayed, I'd like to know what you guys think. Does this make you feel better about the film at all? Are you MORE afraid of what's to come, or are you pretty indifferent so far? Let us know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading, guys! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!

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Lord of the Silver Hand is for 11- to 13-year-old fantasy lovers. I was a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed it, because it was quite far out of my age group. My son and I read it together, however, and much of the time I had to tell him we simply couldn't read on. There is homework, housework, and dinner to be done, after all, but in the minds of children, such priorities should not always be the priority.

No words could be truer, especially in the minds of our child heroes, Caleb and Blossom. The story begins when they sneak out to see a cosmic event in the middle of the night, only to stumble upon an eccentric "man" of unknown origin—or is he a man? Either way, he has unique powers, and neither of the children can decide whether or not they should be frightened by Jack Frost.

Once Caleb takes the first leap toward trust, this book unfolds into a bit of a rabbit-hole tale about a queen and king who despise one another and how their fighting has halted the changing of the seasons. The children will soon discover that their new fantasy reality exists on an odd parallel to the world they know, and the book itself draws an interesting metaphor for the current global warming crisis the Earth is currently undergoing.

My favorite thing about this read was that it was just like the fables and short stories I remember reading in class when I was younger, albeit a bit longer. The nostalgia it brought with it—memories of reading at an age when everything wasn't bound by logic—and the fun I shared with my son as he imagined the possibilities of a world that wasn't quite so scientific, were the definite bonuses of reading a great book by a fantastic children/adult fantasy author. I strongly suggest reading this with your 11- to 13-year-old young ones. It will certainly keep your attention. The Author Exposure Campaign

Don't forget to let me know what you think below.

Batman: Arkham Origins is one of the best actions game of this console-PC generation. Origins is a flawed game riddled with glitches, odd level design choices, and a lackluster multiplayer mode, but it is still a really good game that should be played by everyone. However, some game critics strongly disagree with this opinion. Dissenting opinions are certainly not a bad thing, but it appears that the criticisms directed at this game are completely ignored when other critically acclaimed games have the exact same problems. Flaws in a game are ignored for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the best cologne for flaws in a video game is immersion.

This is what happened when Batman invited all of the game reviewers to one room.

Long ago, I came across a quote from a video game designer who discussed how to use immersion to keep video games from becoming boring. After all, every video game is about pressing the same buttons and performing similar actions over and over again. Immersion is important because it sustains a player’s interest in the world through motivations such as creating mystery (Metal Gear Solid series), environment (BioShock series), badassery (God of War series), fear (Resident Evil series), music (VVVVVV), new attacks and tactics (every role playing game in existence), and other variables that capture the attention of the audience. I was unable to find the exact quote that brought this to my attention, but I did find a forum post by Yut Put of Byond Forums that shares this sentiment:

Most game designers, especially the ones in the industry, know that the more hours you get out of your game the better it will sell. Games like Skyrim are made to pull players in for hours and hours without the players getting bored of the game…

There are many ways to make your repetition work. One way is to consistently introduce new game mechanics encouraging new game-play styles up until the very end of the game. For example, in Batman: Arkham City the player will be seeing new enemy types and new game-play challenges right up until the final level. The game never stops throwing new elements of game-play at you, and the player almost feels as if they are always learning something new about the game. For example, on the very last level the player is introduced to stun baton wielding enemies that must be defeated a certain way which only appear on the main quest 1-2 times. On top of that, the Riddler Challenges constantly encourage the player to try new and unique things. I could go on for a while about Arkham City's excellent use of repetition, but I'll save you the tl;dr.

In terms of gameplay, Grand Theft Auto V is a jack of all trades and a master of none. Rockstar has put together a technical and production marvel with their latest installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, but the weakest suit, as always, is the gameplay. The aiming system is still awkward, the combat is cumbersome, so on and so forth. The Grand Theft Auto series is and always has been about immersion—drawing players into the experience and making it feel satirically authentic to real life. For example, players are excited that NPCs in cars flick you off when they are upset about your reckless driving. That’s not a gameplay feature. It is an additional detail that immerses players further into the world of GTA. So let’s forget that Grand Theft Auto Online, the biggest new feature to the game, has a long list of bugs like deleting all player progress, poor connectivity, and freezing. Game reviewers are so immersed that they almost exclusively handed out ten out of ten reviews even with average gameplay mechanics and an unplayable online mode.


I would argue that Batman: Arkham Origins is not as good as its predecessors, but the criticisms of Origins are far too harsh. The biggest failing of Origins is that the pace of the game is not as fluid as the older titles, which has a negative effect on immersion. The world has become twice as large as before but it does not serve a purpose. It is also harder to navigate the world by gliding with the cape because the number of elevated areas that players are allowed to access via grapple has been lowered without reason. For some strange reason, you start with more Bat gadgets in this game (in your first two years as Batman) than at the start of Arkham Asylum (much later in Batman’s crime-fighting career). A few new gadgets are added, but they function like previous gadgets, which makes them feel like the same tools with a different skin. These and other tiny issues hamper the immersion that gamers feel, which makes them complain that the game is not adding anything new despite previously acknowledging new additions such as the larger map and changes to the battle system. They are not accurately depicting their frustrations with the lack of immersion.

There is a lot to love about Batman: Arkham Origins. The boss battles are well executed. The story is hit or miss, but engaging throughout. The gameplay is solid as always. Also, there is enough content to keep perfectionists busy for tens of hours. A lot of game reviewers punished Origins on their final scores because it’s not better than Arkham Asylum or Arkham City. It’s a still a really good game, without the masterful immersion that masks the flaws the series has always had.


Please feel free to voice your opinions in the comments so we can get your thoughts on how Batman: Arkham Origins has been received. Are the reviews fair or unfair?

Grand Theft Auto Online has been plagued with glitches. Some are good, some are bad, while others can just make the game flat-out unplayable. Well, with a little searching, I was able to find a glitch that can make any low-level street rat a millionaire within minutes.

Enclosed is a tutorial guide on how to utilize this glitch for your own nefarious means!

1. Use your phone and call Gerald for a job.

2. Have your friend bring down a high-level car. I used the Benefactor Schwartzer Sports.

3. Accept the job from Gerald with both of you sitting in the car.

4. Play the job alone. Do not invite anyone!

5. Instead of doing the job, place the car in your garage. Once that's done, kill yourself and go to free mode.

6. Take the car to San Andreas Customs and sell it. The second after you sell it, click on start at the same time.

7. Go to swap character.

8. You will now have the car and 100k in your garage.

9. Rinse and repeat.


If you're interested in checking out some of my playthroughs of GTA, check out TheNerdGenious on YouTube.

Fear of the dark is something everyone has experienced at least once before. The implied danger associated with being unable to see can be particularly frightening, and without visual stimulation, our fears can manifest with less distraction.

In Somethin’ Else’s new iOS horror game Papa Sangre II, you have no choice but to face the dark and the creatures it conceals. Guided by the voice of Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones star Sean Bean, you must journey through a pitch-black underworld and collect fragments of memories in hopes of returning to the land of the living.

The game doesn’t have graphics—at least not in the traditional sense. Once you begin, you are instructed to put on headphones, informed that you’re dead (sorry!), and presented with this screen:

Get used to seeing this.

The message to use headphones is not just friendly advice—you need them to find your way through the game. Papa Sangre II uses a binaural audio engine to project sounds in three dimensions around you. As Bean educates you on how to navigate the realm of the dead, you hear the crunch of his feet on gravel and his voice fade out of one ear and into the other as he paces back and forth around you. If you close your eyes (as is suggested) the effect is truly convincing.

On the default control setting, you are encouraged to stand and physically turn to face the direction you wish to move in, while the iDevice accelerometer translates this into your bearing in game. This can be changed to a more conventional swipe-to-turn option, but the default setting is far more immersive. You move forward by alternating taps on each of the foot icons at the bottom of the screen. Tap faster to run, but go too fast and you risk tripping and attracting unwanted attention.

Bean's voice acting is superb throughout.

Everything in Papa Sangre II has an associated sound effect. Some of them are rather pleasant. As you approach a creek, you hear the gurgle of running water and the splash underneath your feet as you wade through. Some of them are not. The buzz of insects fills your head as they swarm around you, and in a particularly impressive sequence, the roar of a burning building had me certain that I could feel the heat of fire on my face and the burn of smoke in my lungs.

Papa Sangre II is not a conventional game. To get the most out of it, you must accept the fact that when your girlfriend walks into your room and you’re wearing nothing but headphones and pajama pants as you spin slowly in a circle with your eyes closed, you’re going to look a little bit silly (I sure did). If you can stomach the peculiarity of it all, you will find an engaging horror experience that is unlike anything else available on the market.


Papa Sangre II is available now on the App Store for a discounted launch price of $3.99. It will return to its full price of $5.99 at the end of the week. For more on Papa Sangre II, be sure to keep your eye on Fanboys Anonymous and watch for my full written review.

So what do you guys think of quirky game mechanics and design like this? Is it too bizarre for your taste or a breath of fresh air? Let me know in the comments below!

Perhaps in an effort to embrace its trope, Ender's Game is a linear rocket ship ride through the training of Ender Wiggins (Asa Butterfield). In an effort for full disclosure, I must admit I have not read the Orson Scott Card novel, and I am writing this review with little knowledge of the literary world it is attempting to depict. Regardless of this, the sad fact still remains that if you've seen a trailer for the film, then you've seen most of what Ender's Game has to offer.

The film wastes little time building the world and introducing us to its history. In a visually impressive opening sequence, Ender narrates the massive battle between humanity and the aliens known as "Formics" that threatened the existence of our race. Although we staved off one attack, we were certain the invaders would return. As such, a rigorous military school system was set in place to cultivate a generation of tactical geniuses to lead the next war. While this intro was visually pleasing and provided tactful storytelling, it ultimately became a slave to the film's budget constraints insofar as it's subsequently played numerous times throughout the film. By the end, I was actually exhausted by the sequence and disappointed that it was one of the only real battles depicted.

Following the intro, we meet two International Fleet leaders—Major Anderson (Viola Davis) and Colonel Graff (the sensational Harrison Ford)—who are meant to be Ender's good cop/bad cop mentors. Unfortunately, the two ultimately serve as little more than a plot device to try and assist the crammed storytelling. The plot isn't necessarily bad; the real issue is that the movie attempts to cover a lot of ground in a short time. Imagine a Harry Potter film that tried to cover several years of schooling in a single installment. It's just a ton of material. We quickly follow Ender as he works his way through the various levels of the academy without facing much trouble.

Where characters in other works must often try and try again to overcome obstacles, Ender faces most things once and is promptly promoted, while the two officers proclaim what genius it took for Ender to perform the feats he made look pretty easy. Perhaps it's a political stab at the United States' schooling system. Allegorical schemes aside, at this point it only seems fair to call the film's tone into question. Ender's Game garnered a PG-13 rating but was clearly meant for children. After seeing that the majority of his "challenges" would be zero gravity laser tag, I decided it was best to change the lens I viewed the film through. Still, this was not enough to prepare me for the ending.

While I won't entirely spoil the ending, it's best to say that the reveal makes what seems like another schooling scene completely anticlimactic. The film then continues for another long ten minutes or so in an effort to open the world up for possible sequels. The little character evolution that started earlier in the film is somewhat pursued as the victorious Ender must decide if he finds himself to be a hero or villain. On the surface, the entire emotional arc—is he the mean brother or overly soft sister—was a fine idea, and one rarely pursued when constructing a hero. Unfortunately, it came off heavy-handed, as it was mostly just discussed with words instead of visuals.

At the end of the day, Ender's Game advertised the battle between humanity and aliens, but it only really offered a young man's battle to find himself in a chaotic world. The film is, however, bookended by some sci-fi action that may be more palatable than the stuffed second act. Ultimately I'd say it was a fun film, but certainly not enough to merit attendance over the spree of films slated for the coming holiday season. As a franchise, Ender's Game fails to launch.

What's up, fanboys? Tonight I decided to take a look at Sprint's latest campaign, which features acting legends James Earl Jones and Malcolm McDowell. The campaign is entitled Everything's Important, and the commercials have been airing in an effort to attract customers. Now, I know you're probably saying: "Chris, these are commercials, not YouTube videos. What are they doing on YouTube Spotlight?"

Well non-believers, they're on YouTube. So there. It counts.

The interaction between the two is fantastic, and they keep hooking me in every time they release a new video. For your viewing pleasure, I've attached my favorite one so far. Hopefully, they will continue this campaign and keep rolling out new ones.

Enjoy, kiddies!


As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, it's not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Until then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case, a Sprint Contract or not, I'm not plugging shit here—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!