Posted by
The Dace Man
- Saturday, February 15, 2014
Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Nation!! The time has come!! The Dace Man Show is partnering up with Fanboys Anonymous, Mega Powers Radio, Nerdgenius, and Old Time Wrestling to kick off this 24-hour video game marathon with all proceeds going directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital!
Check out the live feed below as well as the line up of what we have in store for you nerds!! Remember to donate!!
Kicking things off. Join the crew as they take on the world of 8-bit and their childhood! Watch as they battle through The X-Men Arcade Game, Punch Out, the original Donkey Kong, and more. The block will culminate with a Street Fighter 2 tournament to find out who is the best SEGA Genesis fighter.
SPORTS!! 4PM–8 PM
They may not be the most athletic bunch, but they will take on sports games from franchises such as the WWE, MLB, NBA, and NFL. Capping the four-hour block will be a Wii Sports Tourney, most likely tennis.
FREE FOR ALL!! 8PM–MIDNIGHT
These are peak gaming hours for the crew, and it will literally be a free for all, playing anything we want, doing whatever we want, and saying whatever we want. This block will be rounded out with a SUPER SMASH BROS. TOURNAMENT!!!
SHOOT EM UP!! MIDNIGHT–4 AM
All things shooting, ranging from the Call of Duty franchise to GoldenEye. From 3 AM to 4 AM, when all the remaining people are delirious from lack of sleep, we'll run around in Time Splitters with a VIRUS Tournament!!
SKIN-A-MAX!! 4AM–8AM
Like the dirty old men/women we are, we will be playing all things adult humor/situations during the four hours of naughtiness. No tournament this block, just mass perversion and confusion.
SUPERHEROS!! 8AM–NOON
Like all infamous heroes we need a time of redemption. Join the crew as they wrap up the event and finish fighting the good fight. They'll play games such as InJustice, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and anything superhero related!
The Prizes
For every $5 donated to the cause, your name will be entered into a random drawing for awesome prizes brought to you by our sponsors!
$50 Amazon Gift Card
$25 Gift Cards to GameStop
$25 Gift Card to AMC Theaters
$50 Gift Card to Cheesecake Factory
Marvel Event Pack (Secret Invasion, House of M, Civil War, and Avengers vs. X-Men paperback)
In recent news, the French have been busy making a documentary on Marvel's domination of Hollywood and the movie box office. Developed for the French television channel Canal+, Marvel Renaissance: How The Superheroes Have Conquered Hollywood will be a two-part series charting the past fifteen years of the comic brand titan, from its bankruptcy years right up to the present day where they are now producing the most popular comics and movies!
Hairy hand... Hairy Hand... does whatever an X-man can!
In 2013 a French film crew led by directors Philippe Guedj and Philippe Roure began an epic adventure to interview some of Marvel's most influential people, including Jimmy Palmiotti (Ash, Painkiller Jane, Punisher), Mark Waid (Captain America, Fantastic Four) and Mark Millar (Ultimates, Kick Ass).
What resulted was not just a lengthy documentary on how Marvel overcame the bankruptcy incident and how their creative and business strategies from 2006 onward propelled them to never-before-experienced heights of success. What Marvel Renaissance also stands for is how, even after changing so much culturally in their many decades, the company has gone on to overcome adversities in Hollywood and to be accepted as not just a contender but an outright winner.
Marvel Renaissance: How The Superheroes Have Conquered Hollywood will be aired on Canal+ on March 7th, but with such a documentary catching the media's attention, don't be surprised if there's an English version to follow. In fact, you could even drop them a note on Facebook and demand one!
Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure:
Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is serious watching for serious fans of Marvel. Call it heritage if you love your history, but I think everybody should have a chance to see this. What do you think? Comments below, don't forget to "Like" Marvel Renaissance's Facebook page and interact if you want to see this in future, and thanks for reading.
In a bold and courageous move last night, young actress Ellen Page came out as gay at the Human Rights Campaign-sponsored Time To Thrive conference for the LGBT community!
Ellen Page.
The 26-year-old actress, one of the most beloved and respected young women of the movie industry today, with such credits beneath her belt as Juno, Hard Candy, Inception, and X-Men: Days of Future Past, came out to the conference audience during her speech, talking about not only the adversities faced by LGBT community members within the industry, but also the adversities in the personal lives of those people as a result of their unique individuality.
I've been a fan of Ellen Page since she caught my attention with Hard Candy, where she played opposite Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, Insidious) as the vengeful friend of a suicide victim who terrorizes a pedophile within the confines of his own home. With that movie and then Juno, she's proved capable of delivering audiences to the cutting edge of cinema.
Fanboys Anonymous wishes Ellen a smooth ride back into Hollywood after her brave move last night, because, typically, that's bound to make some noise.
Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! What do you make of Ellen Page's statement? Do people really have that much growing up to do? I know the mainstream media does, but then they are paid to be ignorant. Comments below and thanks for reading.
Posted by
Fellonius Munch
- Friday, February 14, 2014
I've been a fan of the new Thunderbolts series since day one. Not everybody is; it has a little more than a cult following, but so much could be improved on. However, writer Charles Soule, who took over from Daniel Way after volume one, has been improving on the series, and so I keep reading. Today, Thunderbolts Infinity arrived in the mail, released only a few days back!
There's always time for a slice.
The overall Thunderbolts series is a great little mix of action, espionage, paranoia, and surreal comedy that has the potential to be huge. It's the only comic book I've ever read where the heroes are definitely supposed to be heroes, only they all act like villains, and they all hate each other. It's the most sick and twisted comic version of The A-Team, only with a more terse character dynamic that could lead to betrayal at any turn. It already has, at almost every turn. That General Ross sure knows how to pick 'em.
Before I get into Thunderbolts Infinity, I want to make it clear why the series hasn't already become as successful as it could be. For a start, Way's establishment of the dynamic of the group was full of clichés and sometimes took liberties with the intelligence of readers. His Deadpool was great, but he was already accustomed to the character. Punisher, Red Hulk, Venom and Elektra were so flawed and inconsistent. However, for a debut, I found it enjoyable.
Also, in the beginning, Steve Dillon's artwork really seemed lazy and sometimes tacky. He can be great with the right people working on the colors and shades (read Garth Ennis's Marvel Knights Punisher volume, "Welcome Back, Frank"), but Thunderbolts looked like a kid's book when it should have looked more like an R-rated version of X-Force.
Like this!
Right through this series we've been treated to brilliant cover art by Julian Totino Tedesco, while the artwork inside has been either average or lackluster (with the exception of panel artist Phil Noto). Infinity proves to be an equally mixed bag, in that respect.
In the opening scenes, we finally learn of Mercy's true nature and why Ross even has an entity on his team whose gag consists of immediately killing everybody in close proximity who wishes to die. The answer? He doesn't know how to kill her—it might not be possible—and he has nowhere secure enough to keep her locked away. As a result, he keeps her around as a final solution, despite understanding the severity of the consequences.
Venom confronts him about Mercy, prompting a flashback piece to as far back as when Ross was yet to become the Red Hulk. This sets an epic event in motion, answering questions and leading to even bigger questions. Are the Thunderbolts here to help Ross save the world from the bad guys, or to clean up the mess? I think both!
After the success of the Thunderbolts' previous mission, Ross also decides to cut the gang some slack. Since the beginning, he's been a total bastard, which eventually led to the Thunderbolts planning a coup against him. Although it failed, he is now trying to establish a greater sense of trust and respect, so he offers each member the chance to use the whole Thunderbolts team and all of the resources they have at their disposal to get a job done that they wouldn't be able to do alone outside of the team.
Click on picture for large view.
First up is Punisher's mission: there's a New York mafia family he's never been able to get his hands on. Humorously, everybody is the extreme opposite of surprised. They roll on into New York City, where their mission awaits them. At this point, artist Jefte Palo takes over from Noto, and the Thunderbolts are suddenly reduced to virtually infantile stick-man drawings. Err…wait, this Jefte Palo?
Can't say I see a resemblance.
If you can draw like this for Taskmaster, Palo, what exactly is your malfunction? Fans don't have the privilege of paying you what your work is genuinely worth. We all have to pay the same prices to read these comics, so suck it up, buttercup. This isn't a dummy run.
Moving swiftly on, what's hilarious is how easily the Thunderbolts find out where Frank's elusive mafia bosses are hiding, and that's where the fun in Soule's writing really comes out. Meanwhile, the Avengers seem to have left Earth in a hurry. What the Thunderbolts don't know, unlike us, is that a full-scale invasion of Manhattan is on the cards, courtesy of Thanos's army. Will they help the people of Manhattan and battle the invaders? Hahaha, no!
Instead, Punisher has stolen a bunker buster missile from when he last worked with Nick Fury, and is planning on blowing holes in things more relevant to his anti-mafia mission. He reminds me so much of Firefly's Jayne Cobb under Soule, only more well-spoken and intelligent. I approve; it suits the tone of the series, like when he strapped a landmine to his chest and threw himself at Madman. Even Deadpool thought that was a bit overkill.
Speak of the devil: since they got into Manhattan, Deadpool has had it with Frank's attitude and has gone on a personal journey to find pizza. Cue many trademark Deadpool revelations and mishaps as he gets lost inside his own head. This is Deadpool, through and through. He's not at his most funny, but he hits the mark at all the right moments. More to the point, this is videogame Deadpool, not animated movie Deadpool.
The tube. Quicker than calling a Quinjet!
And, Boom! The invasion begins.While Red Hulk, Leader and Mercy hang back in the submarine, they are attacked by Supergiant and her forces, and Supergiant wants Leader's knowledge. Everything goes to hell. Red Hulk goes on a smash-a-thon, Leader is captured, Mercy goes berserk wiping out humans and aliens alike, and it is here that Red Hulk becomes desperate to find a solution to her. How does he kill her? How can he? Leader comes up with a clever little plan that even gets Ross smiling. I smiled too!
Jefte Palo; can draw a full-scale alien invasion, but not Thunderbolts!
I haven't read Marvel's Infinity main event, yet. I don't know how it pans out and who helps to save the world from Thanos, but all I can tell you is that Red Hulk practically dominated the skies here while Mercy made Sentry's attack on Asgard in Siege look like child's play. If even they'd had Olivier Coipel on the artwork, this might have been as good as Siege. It's a moment that seems downplayed, as is Punisher, Elektra and Venom's massacre of almost every New York mafia family cornered inside their heavily fortified secret bunker.
There's some nice comic relief approaching the end of the war, which reminds me of that "shawarma scene" at the end of The Avengers. The team regroups and finds Deadpool, who found his pizza, and once again got under Punisher's skin without even trying. Our heartless heroes then move out of New York in Punisher's war wagon. Mercy is on the loose again and has to be stopped.
There's also a sort of bonus scene at the end, which gives us a glimpse into Leader's mind. But I won't spoil that little gem for you. The artwork changes again and Gabriel Hernandez Walta is quite a welcome end to Thunderbolts Infinity.
Overall, the writing was so much better in this volume, but as a fellow reader also pointed out, Venom is still so badly out of place and under-utilized at points that it begs the question, what is he doing here? He's supposed to be the moral center, but this group doesn't have the need or the patience for a moral center. They're doing the dirty work nobody else does. Just like Punisher himself, the group's moral lessons come at the cost of failures, not by being told the difference between right and wrong.
Or knowing how to find Disneyland without GPS.
I also hope the artwork improves fast, because great stories aren't being made to look great. The art generally sucked, even more since Palo clearly used the project as a paid holiday. Like I said, it's not just distracting, it makes an epic story look abysmal in some instances. If it wasn't for Soule's epic New York battle, Deadpool's personal journey into the dark heart of pizza purgatory, and Punisher and Elektra's on-off horny-killer-couple relationship with all the funny little dilemmas thrown in, Palo would have ruined it.
I'd call this recommended reading, but not recommended viewing. Sound off if you've already read Thunderbolts Infinity and tell me what you thought in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.
It's a very special edition of Geek Speak, as we welcome guest Ciji Thornton onto the show. She joins us to discuss her time competing in various video game tournaments including Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Street Fighter. We learn about her roles as a star on series such as WCG: Ultimate Gamer, The Tester, and Robot Combat League. We also ask about her role in breaking gender boundaries in gaming, her tattoos, and how much she likes cats. Check it out in this packed episode of Geek Speak!
Episode 62 of the I Got Gameplay radio show is now live! In this episode, hosts Michael Burhan, Zack Latour, Xander Skullion, and John Latimer talk Leisure Suit Larry with game designer and comedy genius Al Lowe!
You can check out the episode by clicking on the following links:
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 appropriate link below!
The t-shirt comes in eight different colors and six different sizes, including Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL, and 3XL. Shirts are £16.50 UK and $19.90 US. Grab yours today!
More than two years have passed since Thor fell to Earth and captured the heart of Jane Foster, and a great deal has happened in the Marvel universe in that time (see Iron Man 3 and The Avengers). In October 2013, the epic story finally continued with Thor: The Dark World, which is now set for release on DVD and Blu-Ray on February 25, 2014.
The first movie was quite enjoyable, especially with all the visual effects. The sequel was somewhat better in terms of plot structure and more action-packed sequences. Most of the original cast returned, including (of course) Chris Hemsworth as Thor as well as Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, and Rene Russo. This time much of the action occurs on Asgard rather than on Earth, as Jane (Portman) is taken over by a mysterious red energy known as the Aether that is sought after by a Dark Elf who wants to use it to bring on eternal night. IMDB gave it a 7.5 out of 10, which isn't bad, and Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 66%.
Before, or after, watching Thor: The Dark World, I would recommend also watching the "Honest Trailer" on Cinema Blend, which I think summarizes the film pretty well. "Honest Trailers" are a series of clips produced by the YouTube channel Screen Junkies as trailer parodies for various Hollywood releases. Along with the traditional summary of the movie, these videos clips include video commentaries that are witty and fun to watch because of their bluntness about the characters, plot, and movie scenes. This way you can know what to look for when watching or just laugh out loud about the movie.
Don't take my word for it, though! If you want an "honest" review of the movie, check out Screen Junkies.
Don't forget to tell us what you think about the "Honest Trailer" and Thor: The Dark World in the comment section below.
YouTube just doesn't ever seem to be happy with what it has and feels the need to tinker around with its layout every couple of months. Thus it should come as no surprise that in February 2014, Google has launched yet another change. Although the new look keeps many of the same elements of the One Layout concept that was implemented before, there are some changes that will affect everyone who wants to have a balanced cover photo.
While everyone is scrambling to redo their graphics, we here at Fanboys Anonymous figured we would give you the heads up and do the heavy lifting for you. We present to you a Photoshop template that you can use to make sure you get the right measurements the first time around instead of playing with it and readjusting it a million times.
If you would like to download the PSD template seen below, go to MediaFire here.
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Thursday, February 13, 2014
The Internet certainly has its set of stars that are world-renown. Of those stars, we've seen a rise of talented, witty, and beautiful women who have taken the Internet by storm. Join me, Chris "The Dace Man" Dace over the course of the next few weeks as we crown the 2014 Internet Goddess. This time around we take a look at Round One of the tournament and highlight the contestants. In Bracket 3, we see the vlogger from down under Natalie Tran take on Angie Griffin, and Anna Brisbin tangoing with Jenna Smith. You have until February 28th to vote for Round 1!
With 335 videos on her YouTube, Natalie has taken the world of vlogging by storm. She debuted on the popular internet site in September of 2006, and is one of the originals with 1.46 million subscribers…yeah, let that number sink in. She has been recognized several times for her creativity and writing ability. One of the most popular individuals in Australia, Tran has been an interview corespondent for many programs as well as tapped for the official launch of YouTube Australia less than a year after her original YouTube video. Natalie Tran has definitely earned her way into the 2014 Internet Goddess Tournament.
Angie Griffin (YouTube Personality)
Yours truly was first introduced to Angie in the Screen Team musical parody involving Sesame Street and Katy Perry. Angie has been actively involved with shooting YouTube videos and cosplaying outfits because of the topics they cover. Taking vlogging and parody to a hot nerdy level, Angie Griffin makes her way into the 2014 Internet Goddess Tournament.
So my fellow nerds, who's taking this victory? Australian Vlogger Tran or Nerd Princess Griffin?
Brizzy your average New York girl, but is better known to the world as BrizzyVoices. This beautiful young YouTuber has over 360,000 subscribers and well over 25 million views for her videos. Her videos span from impressions of The Simpsons to South Park, and to my personal favorite, Pokémon. On top of her fantastic impressions, she has a quirky vlog where she expresses her opinions and shows off some of the neat stuff she owns and does in her spare time. She also goes live every Monday and interacts with her fans, answering questions and occasionally taking voice request from those that watch. There is no doubt in anyone's mind here at Fanboys Anonymous that BrizzyVoices has made her way into the 2014 Internet Goddess Award!
Jeana Smith (YouTube Personality)
Imagine having a significant other where all you did with that person was pull pranks on them and place them on the internet. Jeana Smith gets to live that life. She is the female half of the infamous PrankvsPrank videos that took YouTube by storm. PvP debuted in 2007, and since then Smith and her boyfriend have scored 610,555,000 video views and 4,538,000 subscribers by pranking and embarrassing the hell out of each other in public. The Queen of Pranks has landed herself into the 2014 Internet Goddess Tournament!
So Geeks who's advancing? Will the Voice Actress from NY, or will the OG Prankster?
Check back for more brackets and, as always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn) as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and ,of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case an Internet browser—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
In a galaxy (no so) far, far away…Star Wars: The Clone Wars will finally be streamed on Netflix. Disney/ABC Television Group, Lucasfilm, and Netflix announced the highly anticipated debut of the animated series exclusively to Netflix members in the U.S. and Canada.
In an exclusive licensing agreement between Lucasfilm/Disney and Netflix, the sixth and final 13-episode season of the animated Star Wars series, titled The Lost Missions, will be available on Netflix for the first time on March 7, along with its previous five seasons and feature film.
The multi-year agreement makes Netflix the only streaming server of the Emmy Award-winning animated Star Wars saga. The deal follows the announcement from Netflix and Disney to stream original Marvel live action series in 2015.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars premiered on Cartoon Network in 2008 and is set between the Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith films. Though the series was canceled after its fifth season, the new episodes are part of original Netflix programming being developed by Disney after it bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012. "While the studio is no longer producing new episodes for Cartoon Network, we're continuing production on new Clone Wars story arcs," the official Star Wars website said.
According to Newsarama, the final season will feature an arc between Anakin and Padme that "tests their relationship to the limits," and an arc that centers on Master Yoda who is visited by the Force-ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Are you excited to finally watch Star Wars: The Clone Wars on Netflix? Let us know in the comments section below.
Invader Zim creator Jhonen Vasquez announced he is in the works on an animated short based on his Squee! comics with Titmouse, Inc., the animation studio that has been involved in several Adult Swim productions, including Metalocalypse, SuperJail!, The Venture Bros.,and Black Dynamite.
Vasquez announced via his Tumblr that there is more movement on his upcoming Squee! animated short with Titmouse Animation and hinted towards other unnamed projects:
I partnered up with Titmouse Animation a while back to do a short animated [Squee!] movie. Since announcing it, we both got caught up on other projects, one of them also with Titmouse.
Right after we announced the [Squee!] thing, I, along with Titmouse, developed a series idea for a company Titmouse was dealing with, lots of writing, character and story stuff. While that was going on, I was, and still am, developing a pitch and now pilot for another animated thing of my own.
It's a little quieter now, and though the pilot is still going, I have a little breather from being intensely involved until some of the other team do their part, so there's a bit more movement on [Squee!] again as of maybe two weeks back.
Earlier this week he teased on Twitter that he had a storyboard meeting with J.R. Goldstein and former Invader Zim storyboard master, Chris Graham.
Squee! comic
The raunchy and crude-humored comic the short is based on was released through Slave Labor Graphics as a spin-off of his Johnny the Homicidal Maniac comics and features the same dark style of his previous work.
Squee is the neglected and always-frightened neighbor of Johnny C. (a.k.a. Nny) who regularly breaks into his room at night. With his decrepit teddy bear, Shmee, in hand, the comic chronicles Squee's encounters with aliens, Satan's son, Pepito, and then Satan himself.
Vasquez recently teamed up with Cartoon Hangover to write an episode of Bravest Warriors, in which the team of intergalactic heroes land on a yellow planet and run into a crazed and lonely moon-squid. The six-minute episode, titled The Puppetyville Horror, aired on Cartoon Hangover's YouTube channel on January 23.
Other past works from Vasquez include the collaboration with other artists in issues two and three of Marvel's Strange Tales #2 (2009) for a story about M.O.D.O.K., and Strange Tales II #1 (2010) with a story about Wolverine. He also did the artwork for Mindless Self Indulgence's If album and directed and produced the music videos for MSI's Shut Me Up and The Left Rights' White.
Vasquez's excessively violent and gore-filled humor has generated a massive fan base that has long been hoping for a continuation of his Johnny the Homicidal Maniac and Squee! comics. Unfortunately, there is no set date on when the animated Squee! short will be released, though Vasquez sarcastically stated on his Tumblr that it will be released "the day right after you die. HURRY UP!"
Are you looking forward to Squee! and the other projects Jhonen Vasquez has up his sleeves? Let us know in the comments section below.
Tonight the first Nintendo Direct presentation of 2014 kicked off in a big way by revealing the latest newcomer to Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U—none other than the highly requested Punch-Out! boxer: Little Mac.
In what was a completely unique and epic reveal trailer, Little Mac is shown training with Doc Louis for his next big fight which, in the end, turns out to be Smash. He takes out Samus before hitting the boxing ring stage and showcasing some more of his diverse fighting skills, taking the fight to the various names already announced for the game, such as Mario, Mega Man, Donkey Kong, and more.
He was shown to have an odd Final Smash where he turns into a giant mutant boxer and takes out people, which was quite humorous; but in all seriousness, he fights exactly how you would expect him to. Every move is some kind of boxing swing or punch, and that's how we all wanted Little Mac to play out. With Little Mac's addition, this game comes closer to having the best roster in Smash Bros. history.
In the end, this shows that the developers are paying close attention to who the most requested characters for the game are. Mega Man's reveal back at E3, and now this, confirm this. As a fan, I say we have plenty more to look forward to as we inch closer to this game's launch, which is set to take place at the very latest by the end of this calendar year.
To hear more of my thoughts and opinions on this recent character inclusion and, even more importantly, my excitement of getting my most requested newcomer confirmed for the roster, please feel free to watch the following video below:
The LEGO Movie released to critical acclaim across the board, with an opening weekend profit of $69 million. Today, the movie just keeps on giving.
This official blooper reel is packed with both original dialogue that didn't make the final cut and "between take" conversations among the voice actors.
The attitude and vibe of this entire project lends itself to many types of parody. The blooper reel is similar in humor to the way Pixar uses their Toy Story figures "in and out of character," and is a fun way to break the fourth wall.
This look like a definite DVD/Blu-ray add-on. What else do you want to see from these characters?
Welcome, fanboys, to another slice of Marvel movie development goodness filled with all the fun facts, intrigue, and Dan Ashley-brand silliness you could possibly want. So, only last night was I scrolling through Tumblr for something to catch my interest (or was I tumbling, hmmm?) when I came across this beautiful little/huge argument about why Black Widow should/should not have her own movie. Naturally, I joined in. Then this morning, I read something else. What's that, Dan? Developments on the possibility of an actual Black Widow movie? Something like that, yes!
"All this alien invasion business…I could murder a SodaStream!"
Despite ex-Russian killer spy lady Natasha Romanoff having appeared in the majority of Marvel Studios' superhero movies since Iron Man, this particular set of developments has only been brought to light since the production of Captain America: The Winter Soldier began. Black Widow has had plenty of opportunities to shine, but fans are still waiting for her to take a big bite out of the Marvel cinematic universe for all it has to offer. It seems that Marvel has been listening.
You see, in The Avengers, she had her moments, but how could her skills as a spy compare to the presence and brute strength of the mighty Thor or the tortured genius and epic rage-quitting tantrums of Dr. Banner/Hulk? Well, we kind of accepted that The Avengers was not her time to shine, and with Joss Whedon's flair for confidently taking his sweet-ass time getting a job done right, we knew that it would only be a matter of time before Black Widow would indeed bite.
We'd have thought that time would be during the events of The Winter Soldier, because that is one sweet couple right there…
Next: Gunsmoke by Dolce & Gabbana
Then again, we haven't even seen the movie yet; and then Cap himself, Mr. Chris Evans, goes and publicly says something like, "Black Widow's whole arc in The Winter Soldier is coming to terms with her history—that she's been a spy, and that spies aren't necessarily trustworthy." Oooh, Cap, you tease!
Well Marvel Studios' production boss, Kevin Feige, went on to say more about when Johansson will really get the opportunity to define her character, and it turns out that our flame-haired Avenger is gradually building towards a big part in Avengers: Age of Ultron. This is what Feige had to say:
We start filming the next Avengers film at the end of March. Widow's part in that is very big. We learn more about her past and more about where she came from and how she became in that film.
Then, throwing the whole damn loaf out there as opposed to just feeding us pond dwellers a few crumbs at a time, Feige said relating to a Black Widow movie:
The notion of exploring that even further in her own film would be great, and we have some development work with that…
Relating to The Winter Soldier also, while on the subject, Feige pointed out that they wanted to change the dynamic of Marvel's cinematic universe with that one film. As I've pointed out before, The Winter Soldier's goal seems to be exchanging some of the past campiness and simplicity of the superhero genre for a darker, more political sort of thriller, which would allow greater space for dramatic growth and character building. Think about how Thor 2 also ended. It's becoming like a sort of Empire Strikes Back phase for Marvel. That makes me wonder what drastic end Age of Ultron will come to.
However, Black Widow isn't Obi Wan (Fury), or Luke Skywalker (Cap). She definitely isn't Solo (Thor), let alone the Wookie (Hulk), and she most certainly is no Leia (short straw, sorry Stark). So where does that leave her? Black Widow could, in truth, have more longevity than any of the other existing Avengers. How?
"Coulson, quick question, do penises ever have elbows?"
One thing that is certain of all current Avengers, they have a stronger bond than that one main-event movie might suggest. Their individual dynamics make each of them a linchpin for the whole group. If one were to leave, it wouldn't destroy the Avengers (maybe more so than in-fighting); however, the overall dynamic would be irreplaceable. When you separate them, though, which characters are bound to intrigue you the most?
"We start filming the next Avengers film at the end of March," said Feige in the latest issue of Total Film mag'. "[Black]
Widow's part in that is very big. We learn more about her past and
learn more about where she came from and how she became in that film.
The notion of exploring that even further in her own film would be
great, and we have some development work with that."
Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=94458#usEzOB6ZhbMdS8rT.99
"We start filming the next Avengers film at the end of March," said Feige in the latest issue of Total Film mag'. "[Black]
Widow's part in that is very big. We learn more about her past and
learn more about where she came from and how she became in that film.
The notion of exploring that even further in her own film would be
great, and we have some development work with that."
Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/MarvelFreshman/news/?a=94458#usEzOB6ZhbMdS8rT.9
From what we know (from movies and comic books) Black Widow has more guilt and anger to hide than Hawkeye, and even Banner. As a relative sidekick to either Fury or Cap, she endangers herself more without having a shield to protect her, or superpowers to boost her, and she gets a lot more actual work done. Without her, S.H.I.E.L.D. would probably implode and Steve Rogers would be training up to work at McDonald's. More significantly, as the show's leading lady—and a highly determined one at that—she has yet to break emotionally, or prove just how cold-blooded she really can be, or both.
So what would be the pros of a solo outing for Natasha? For a start, you might want to catch up with Nathan Edmondson's latest comic book take on the character. Black Widow is enjoying some mighty fine success lately, and she deserves it. When she's not following the orders of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America, she stands alone very well.
She's one of few Marvel characters proving that you don't need a healing factor or the ability to shoot fire out of your butt hole to stay on top. In fact, Widow's story is best protrayed as a conflict between light and dark; one where redemption may not be attainable, but where to die trying is sadly the next best thing. Superheroes always get to win in the end and they rarely give up hope, because a guy with superpowers who gives up is a total gimp. Human characters prone to darkness and suffering, though, are capable of greater glory. Put that in your solo movie, if you're really going to make one. An espionage thriller in a world of superheroes and supervillains may be the way forward in a few years' time. The lead of that movie deserves to be a woman and a familiar one at that.
What are the cons of a Black Widow movie after Age of Ultron (or maybe even Avengers 3)? It seems that a lot of Marvel fans want to see other female characters of the Marvel Universe get a chance, while Widow is already set up for life with all her eggs in one basket. I can relate, but Marvel and Disney have plenty room for both. If she does get a solo movie, that's not going to immediately stop there being a Valkyrie, Spider-Girl, or Silver Sable movie, for instance. Some characters are better off in a team effort, and maybe even Black Widow might make that happen, leading to a team-up with Misty Knight in a Heroes for Hire movie!
Yet, mentioning that we have to see her relationship develop with Bucky Barnes (to the point where they were an inseparable duo after Marvel's Fear Itself), if we don't get to see that—and the fact that Winter Soldier was a huge step in her journey towards redemption—the character could have been a huge waste of time altogether. This leads me to the question: will Black Widow also appear in a Winter Soldier movie?
Questions, questions, questions! Sound off, fanboys, and tell me if you'd want to see a standalone Black Widow movie. I personally think Johansson deserves the opportunity for her loyalty over the years. I also think they owe it to Black Widow herself. Comment below and thanks for reading.
Facebook has announced that it will now offer a customizable gender option to appeal to its transgender members, adding about 50 different terms people can use to identify as.
Transgender members amongst Facebook's 159 million monthly users in the United Sates will now be able to choose how they are represented on the social network. International users will soon share the option.
Facebook said in a post on its Diversity page:
When you come to Facebook to connect with the people, causes, and organizations you care about, we want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self. An important part of this is the expression of gender, especially when it extends beyond the definitions of just "male" or "female." So today, we're proud to offer a new custom gender option to help you better express your own identity on Facebook.
Facebook collaborated with a group of leading LGBTQ advocacy organizations to come up with the new gender categories, CNN reported.
Among the new gender options are: Trans Female, Trans Male, Trans Person, Transsexual, MTF or FTM, Bigender, Androgynous, Cis-gender, Cis-Female, Cis-Male, Gender Nonconforming, Genderqueer, Pangender, Gender Variant, and Gender Questioning.
The new feature also allows users to select a custom pronoun that will represent them across the website, such as "her," "him," or "them."
Users will also have the option to control who can view their custom gender.
"This new feature is a step forward in recognizing transgender people and allows them to tell their authentic story in their own words," GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis—whose LBGT rights organization worked with Facebook on the new feature—said in a statement, NBC reported. "Once again, Facebook is on the forefront of ensuring that the platform is safe and accessible to all of its LGBT users."
"There's going to be a lot of people for whom this is going to mean nothing, but for the few it does impact, it means the world," said Facebook software engineer, Brielle Harrison, to LGBTQ Nation.
In a major step by Facebook for its 1.23 billion users around the world, they are the first of the social media giants that offers a custom gender option. While Google+ offers male, female, and "other" as choices, the more specific terms will set Facebook apart from its competitors.
However, Facebook's advertising targets users according to "male" or "female," so for those who opt. to use the custom gender, ads will be targeted based on the pronoun they select. Advertisers will not be able target to the transgender community—at least not yet, anyways. Additionally, changing of your gender is not perceived as a "life event" and will not post publicly on your timeline.
With Facebook and other social media outlets becoming a person's online identity, the basic addition plays a significant role in the nation's growing transgender rights movement, allowing users to comfortably and accurately represent themselves.
To further support the LGBT community, Facebook added the options of "In a Civil Union" and "In a Domestic Partnership" in 2011, and in 2012, gay marriage timeline icons were added.
Transgender activists have long been pushing for a gender-neutral option. LGBT rights network, All Out, started an online petition demanding the change, gaining 38,566 signatures as of today.
According to The Human Rights Campaign, roughly three-quarters (73 percent) of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths it surveyed in 2013 say they are more honest about themselves online than in the real world. The survey reported that 56 percent of LGBT youth have said they came out to their immediate family, with only a quarter coming out to their extended family.
With LGBT youth being two times as likely to be verbally harassed at school—identifying at a younger and younger age—Facebook addresses the need to be comfortable with who you are and how you are represented on the Internet.
This is a crucial milestone to the overall acceptance of the LGBT community on the Internet, and hopefully other social networks follow suit. Let us know how you feel about the changes in the comments section below.
Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Nation! Check out Episode 34 of The Dace Man Show with regulars Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward! Also joining the show is special guest Nikki Mills and call-in guest Dane Quinn!!
Join The Dace Man and crew this week as they break down the following:
::SPORTS NEWS:
Current NHL Leaders…the only sport currently happening [sigh]
Phillies lose Cole Hammels for opening day but sign AJ Burnett
Sochi Winter Olympics are under way and it's snowing in NJ…coincidence?
Barbie graces the cover of Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition
Set to release on February 25, 2014, Square Enix's game Thief has been highly anticipated since its unveiling on May 11, 2009. Set in what is widely known as a Steampunk era, "The City" is a dilapidated center of trade as well as corruption. You are Garrett, a master thief stuck between the mutinous cries of the city's plague-infected denizens and the greed of the aristocratic class. Using the chaotic nature of the city to your advantage, your number one objective is stealing everything worth selling. Your second objective is to avoid being caught, and as a strategic game play bonus, killing or stunning your opponents is up to you.
As far as tools go, your bow and arrows are your most effective and versatile, and you carry a blackjack for close encounters. Your bow and arrows may be used for any number of things, such as direct killing, environmental killing, or changing the environment to suit your needs, while your blackjack is a small melee device used for knocking out opponents for nonlethal take downs.
Possibly one of the most exciting segments of this game is the ability to buy upgrades for your arrows. There are many different attachments to fit any need, such as an arrow with a water-filled head for extinguishing fire, an attached rope for climbing, and a gas-emitting tip for quick escapes.
Water-tipped bow to extinguish flame
Thief looks like a great game for any combination of players, from the stealthy shadow to the killing machine. I really can't wait to play this game! Tell me what you think! Is Thief the next hot game for stealth lovers?
John Wesley Shipp joins the cast of The Flash for the second time in his career. Many who watched the Flash TV series from the '90s thought the former soap star did a great job on the show. The short-lived series saw the "Scarlet Speedster" fight clichéd television-level villains—plus the memorable Trickster (played by Mark Hamill), which eventually gave us the animated version of the Joker.
"Here we go again!"
The character Shipp will play is a mystery for now. (What kind of forensic scientist doesn't like a good one of those?). However, in the vein of Michael Douglas being cast in Ant-Man, one speculation is that he will play Barry Allen's father or possibly Jay Garrick, which would be pretty cool. I assume, of course, the Golden Age version, pre-New 52.
This casting is hot on the heels of another '90s favorite of mine. Tom Cavanagh (or as I know him, "Ed") joined the show last week.
I know I'm getting more excited for these DC projects as they continue to make good decisions. Every casting choice Marvel makes gets my drool factor going, and it seems DC has finally caught on.
What do you think of this news? Are they trying to re-hash some kind of "star power" for the sake of nostalgia, or is it just an overall good move?
