Fanboys Anonymous

Mark Hamill is Coming to Disney World's Star Wars Weekend in June

Posted by Anonymous - Friday, March 21, 2014

Disney World Star Wars Weekend with Mark HamillActor Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the legendary geek movie Star Wars, has announced that he will make his first appearance at Disney World's Star Wars Weekend.

Hamill will be there during Weekend IV, which will take place June 6–8, 2014. Fans will get to see him face-to-face "during the 'Legends of the Force' Star Wars-themed motorcade and in a featured talk show" (Source: WESH). The motorcade will take place each day so there will be enough time for fans to see Hamill.

For more information about the event you can also visit starwars.com or disneytheforce.com.

Let the force be with you, Fanboys and Fangirls, and don't forget to write comments below!

Luke Skywalker's blue lightsaber in Dagobah from Star Wars



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Fantastic Four and Wolverine Sequels Announced Through 2018

Posted by Jeff Penner

The wake of success from the Marvel Cinematic Universe is rippling the waters not only at Warner Bros./DC Comics, but also now at Fox; the company now set a release date schedule for more Fantastic Four and Wolverine films, plus one more mystery project through 2018.

Fox Movie Schedule The Wolverine and Fantastic Four

Fox's sequel to the relatively well-received The Wolverine will come out March 3, 2017. Director James Mangold will return, as well as Hugh Jackman as Logan. The upcoming Fantastic Four reboot also has a sequel slated for July 2017, despite the fact that production on the first film hasn't even started yet. The project was also rumored last week to have been halted altogether, even possibly starting from scratch with a new script, director, and cast.

The final announcement was a Marvel properties project to come out July 13, 2018, the same summer as The Avengers 3. It looks like we have a wet, hot Marvel characters summer that year! The mystery project coming a year after these two Fox announcements could potentially be a crossover of these properties (Fantastic Four and X-Men). As long as films are being produced, many of the existing property rights contracts remain active, meaning these characters will be in the hands of Fox for years to come. Unless Fox, Sony, and Disney work out some kind of amazing, uncanny, and fantastic deal, any chance of seeing all of our heroes together could be decades away.

Thoughts? Do we have enough confidence in the Fantastic Four reboot that it not only deserves a sequel but potentially a crossover as well?

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Batman, Locke & Key, and Star Lord Decorate February's Diamond Numbers

Posted by Unknown

It's a busy time for the comic book industry, with more content being adapted across more mediums than ever before. Publishers continue to roll out different initiatives blanketing the comic sphere with a near-constant wave of news and speculation. At the end of every month, however, we get to step away from the headlines and casting announcements to take an inside look at the brass tacks of the comic business via Diamond's publishing numbers. Although these numbers allow us to take an educated look at the sales for a month, they do come with some limitations. The numbers below represent only Diamond's sales and do not reflect changes based on returns. That said, they are still a fun way to see where your favorite heroes stand in the endless battle for market share and shelf space.

February's Diamond Numbers for Comics shipped by publisher

In terms of market share, the number of books sold compared with all books sold, Marvel continued its dominance over DC. More interesting, last month saw Dark Horse climb over IDW for fourth while Image Comics retained third place. In terms of volume, DC out-shipped Marvel, although Marvel has rolled out another round of first issues this month that will make this number one to watch as March comes to a close.

Diamond numbers for top ten single issues february 2014

While the battle of the Big Two is fun, the top 10 books of the month tend to offer a bit more insight as to industry trends. February saw Scott Snyder's Batman top the charts once again for the most sold issue. The issue jumped forward, offering a look at the events of Batman: Eternal as well as glimpses of Batman's new sidekick Blue Bird and the New 52 debut of fan favorite Stephanie Brown. The top issues also saw Robert Kirkman's creator-owned Image Comics series The Walking Dead take both the eighth and ninth slots overall. This serves as a real testament to the show's contribution to the industry and certainly indicates that it has brought new eyes to comic stands.

February 2014 top selling graphic novels and trade paperbacks from Diamond

While the Caped Crusader's back-to-back wins is certainly impressive, the graphic novel ranks offer a look at the changing creative landscape. Seven of the top 10 graphic novels were published outside the top 2 publishers. IDW continues to showcase the power of its licensed series with Adventure Time and My Little Pony both taking a spot on this list, but the real winner is Image Comics, who took four spots. It will be interesting to see how the rise of creator-owned content continues, especially with the public creative difficulties that continue to stem from the Big 2. Other noteworthy points include the final volume of Joe Hill's critically and fan-praised series, Locke & Key, which trumped all the comic worlds, seizing the top graphic number slot of the month, and Marvel's capitalization on Guardians of the Galaxy buzz, with the reissue of Annihilation: Conquest - Star Lord taking the sixth slot.

Which do you prefer, Marvel or DC? Choose who you'd like, but the numbers don't lie. What book are you surprised to see miss the cut? Let us know in the comments below and check back to fanboysanonymous.com in April to see how March shakes out.

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Third Ghostbusters Set to Begin Production in 2015

Posted by Unknown - Thursday, March 20, 2014

With a rocky start, Sony is starting production of Ghostbusters 3. Bill Murray is apparently uncooperative, and unfortunately Ivan Reitman, the original director, will only be producing. After Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler) died, Ivan Reitman felt it was best not to direct the next one.

When I came back from Harold's funeral, it was really moving and it made me think about a lot of things. I'd just finished directing Draft Day, which I'm really happy with and proud of. Working on a film that is smaller and more dramatic was so much fun and satisfying. I just finally met with Amy and Doug Belgrad when I got back. I said I'd been thinking about it for weeks, that I'd rather just produce this Ghostbusters. I told them I thought I could help but let's find a really good director and make it with him. So that's what we've agreed will happen. I didn't want all kinds of speculation about what happened with me, that is the real story.
Source: nerdist.com

Sony Ghostbusters 3 2015 sequel
Without the full cooperation of Bill Murray and the original director, the movie might seem like an imminent disaster—but fear not! This sequel will be less like a continuation of the story and more like a continuation of the brand. So a new spin on the old idea—which could be bad or good. Let's hope for the latter! Let's also hope that Sony is going to treat the legacy the way it deserves and not just think of it as income. How good of a job can Sony do to keep the franchise's good name? And, more importantly, how much can we trust them to make a good movie that follows in the footsteps of the original Ghostbusters?

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Imitation Arrives in Image Comics "Sovereign 1"

Posted by Unknown

It's easy to see the impact a single significant work can have on an industry. Just look at the horde of vampire content that emerged after the initial success of Twilight. The modern entertainment machine constantly "chases the dragon," or seeks to replicate a sudden significant success, and the comic book world is no exception. Because of this, it's only a matter of time before knockoffs and derivatives of HBO's hit series Game of Thrones, based on the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin, invaded the comic book stands. A book that fits this category most obviously is the new series Sovereign by Chris Roberson. The comic, much like the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, is split, telling stories from different perspectives within the same world. Unfortunately, the similarities hardly stop there.

Cover for Image comics Sovereign one by James Roberson

The first installment, entitled Leaving Silence, follows three individuals of the religious order The Luminari, a group tasked with disposing of the dead via rituals, as they come across a destroyed village in the lowlands. Their leader, Brother Swift, is what you'd get if you crossed the Night's Watch from Game of Thrones with Batman. He and his assistant Sister Wren must protect Father Griffon as he attempts to disperse the spirits of the departed, aided by a magic power known as The Sight. As Father Griffon performs the ritual, demons possess the dead bodies, essentially turning them into zombies (although they look pretty similar to white walkers). The mini story ends with Swift and Wren being overwhelmed by the demons as they attempt to fend them off with swords.

The Luminari battles daemons in Image Comics' Sovereign oneThe next story, Blade and Bow, jumps us to the world of the Horse Lords (I'm not even going to comment on the similarity here), where the young, strong, and cocky Janramir is on a pretty typical testosterone-infused hunting trip with his fellow Horse Lords. This story is a disappointing 5 pages long and amounts to little more than 3 big plot points; Janramir goes hunting with his friends, they eat the large, nondescript beast they kill, and they return home to find Janramir's father, the head honcho of the Horse Lords, is dead.

Brother Swift suits up in Sovereign one by James RobersonThe final story, From the Depths, follows an afternoon aboard a ship on its way to a place called Khend. I can see how having a map of this world could be deemed a waste of story space, or too much of a calling card of A Game of Thrones, but at this point the need for context between these stories is starting to become crucial. By now we've met a whole host of characters with very alien names who have had little or no significant moments to internalize them as people. We're once again just in the middle of some exploit for a purpose we don't know in a land we've never heard of. I don't know if they've been sailing for a while, the conditions of the trip, or how I'm suppose to feel. I just know they're on a boat (with a significant lack of flippie floppies). The boat eventually comes across a massive creature in the sea that's believed to be a dragon. I may invent a drinking game for Game of Thrones knockoff stories: a drink for every dragon. Unfortunately, the creature turns out not to be a dragon but the corpse of a finback that's been miraculously reanimated. This may have been a more compelling plot point if we hadn't already learned in the first story that creatures can come back from the dead in this world, but I suppose the effect here is to tie it all together.

Sovereign ultimately sets out to do quite a bit in a short amount of time. It attempts to establish in a single issue what a book like Game of Thrones would have done over the course of dozens, if not hundreds of pages. It's an intriguing literary experiment, but I think it fails. It's hard to get a bearing on characters in a new world in such a small amount of time, especially when you are splitting pages among various stories. Coming out of this, I felt that I hadn't really gotten to meet anyone. Furthermore, the last few pages of the book are prose unaccompanied by any art. While I'm not opposed to this method when done right, here it simply speaks of things that would have been nice to know before I read the issue or that would have been fun to see visually depicted. I know there isn't much space in the modern comic, but it's a visual medium. I assume that's why this story is in a comic and not in a book. I could go further into the blatant Game of Thrones references, but instead of nitpicking, I think it's easier to say it fails because it wears the influence so blatantly. There are ways to emulate a story in style and structure without such jarringly similar plot points.

All in all, Sovereign 1 was an ambitious story that is probably better consumed in a collected volume than a single issue. What did you think of Sovereign? Do you agree with the Game of Thrones comparison? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Stan Lee Promotes FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2014

Posted by Jeff Penner

This year, Free Comic Book Day is taking place on Saturday May 3 at participating comic book shops across the country and worldwide! There are 60 FREE comics that are available to choose from for both kids and adults. Titles of comics include Guardians of the Galaxy, Spongebob, DC’s The New 52: Futures End, Teen Titans Go, Transformers vs. GI Joe, Power Rangers, Hello Kitty, and more!

Free Comic Book Day

For more information about Free Comic Book Day, go to www.freecomicbookday.com. Also you can use the store locator at http://bit.ly/FCBDStoreLocator, to find participating comic shop in your area.

Here is a message from Stan the Man himself:


Do you take part every year? Does this event help get kids involved?

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Week in Geek: March 14th, 2014

Posted by Jeff Penner

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.

Nerdy current events in geek culture for this week


MOVIES

Pixar goes on a sequel bender!

My take: The Incredibles 2 is actually happening, and the part I can't get over is Brad Bird is signed on. Hopefully to direct! I trust Pixar, but I trust Brad Bird even more. Also, Cars 3 could be the best of the trilogy. I think Pixar learned a lot from part 2 about what people do and do not want from the series.

Star Wars VII timeline revealed.

My take: 30 years after the Battle of Endor, the destruction of the Death Star II, the death of Darth Vader…a lot happened in Return of the Jedi! I hope the original cast are not simply regulated to being the "advisors" to the new cast and that Luke, Han, Chewie, and Leia get into some action, despite their age(s).

Fantastic Four nonsense.

My take: If you read this weekly editorial regularly, you know I hate how the Internet cannot just spoil movies but completely derail them. I'm all for hearing news and getting sneak peeks and even spoilers, those I can control in some way to limit what I see. Yet when the whole story is about how a production is in chaos when it isn't? Or maybe it is? Just leave it be! It wouldn't be the first movie to go through a casting change or a script rewrite. No need to throw the entire production under the bus.

FINAL Amazing Spider-Man 2 Trailer.

My take: Thank god. They released the FINAL trailer before the film's premiere next month, but they've already shown so much footage, it has no effect. Most fans will watch this muttering "seen it, seen it, seen it, seen it." From teasers to featurettes, they showed way too much footage way too early. I'm not a marketing major, but I know when a movie will already be a blockbuster to not play all my cards so soon.

TELEVISION

The Big Bang Theory renewed for 3 seasons.

My take: Although I am a fan of the show, I think the show has gotten lazy for the last several seasons. Whereas seasons 1–3 were pretty solid, as soon as the show became must-see-TV, they dropped the ball, using formulaic laughs and constantly using Sheldon's personality as a crutch. If the show is to remain on top, it needs to go back to its roots.

Veronica Mars movie download issues gets simple solution.

My take: This is TV, right? Movies? Whatever. Anyway, kickstarters who pledged $35+ to the Veronica Mars movie were promised a digital download through WB's Flixter that glitched on release day. The director, Rob Thomas, offered to reimburse fans the cost to download the movie on ANY platform. That, I say, is customer service.

Louie back on TV!

My take: I know this isn't "Fanboy" or nerdy stuff but Louie is a fantastic show. It comes back May 4th. Louie CK deserves every bit of attention he gets (I saw him live years ago, at a nice, small theater here in Vancouver, Canada, before he could sell out stadiums). He's taken a back seat to film and it's been nice, to be honest. He's not a megastar and should keep a low profile.

COMIC BOOKS

DC's Forever Evil #7 and Nightwing #30 pushed to end of May?

My take: What? What the hell, DC? I know monthly waits aren't new in the industry, but you have a lot riding on the outcome of these books. Your sales almost depend on them! The patience of your aging fan base must be waning as you depend more and more on "events" and multiverse-dependent stories.

Damian Wayne back from the dead?

My take: What? What the hell, DC? Make up your minds. I can't believe they would go back on such a decision. His existence alone raised enough questions about their "5 year rule," and now this is going to confuse the issue even further.

Palmiotti insists Harley Quinn is not Deadpool.

My take: Really, we all know it is. I like Palmiotti, but let's face it, his take on Harley Quinn is DC's answer to Marvel's Deadpool. I'm all for it, I'm just saying that denying it is silly.

Daredevil #1.

My take: I'm excited to see Daredevil take on San Francisco, so much brooding in Hell's Kitchen over the years has given him a hard frame to break out of. Waid's version leaves room for camp, humor, action, and good old-fashioned comic book "surprises." Comics can be fun! Daredevil is like Marvel's Spider-Man, not DC's Batman. Bendis and Brubaker had a great run, but I'm loving Waid's take.

Watch out for this segment each and every Wednesday. We'll see you next week!


Did we miss something? What are your thoughts on these topics? Leave us a comment below!

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Actor to Reprise Role in Jurassic World

Posted by The Dace Man

Will Jeff Goldblum return for Jurassic World?Hey, Hey, Hey Fanboys and Fangirls, Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is here to bring you some breaking Hollywood news involving a major June 2015 release! Jurassic World, the fourth release in the Jurassic Park franchise, starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Irrfan Khan, had an announcement this morning from its director about a character who would be returning from the original Jurassic Park. This is what Colin Trevorrow had to say an interview with IGN about the potential return of cast members.

"I know a lot of fans want to see the original characters back. They’re iconic. But I respect those actors too much to shoehorn them into this story for my own sentimental reasons. Jurassic Park isn’t about the bad luck of three people who keep getting thrown into the same situation. The only reason they’d go back to that island is if the screenwriters contrived a reason for them to go. But there is a character from the first film who makes sense in our world. This hasn’t been announced yet, but BD Wong will be returning as Dr. Henry Wu. He had a much larger role in the original novel, he was the engineer of this breakthrough in de-extinction. He spent two decades living in Hammond’s shadow, underappreciated. We think there’s more to his story."
So it looks like Law and Order:Special Victims Unit's B.D. Wong has been tapped to reprise his role of Dr. Henry Wu and give more back story to a character who relatively went unnoticed in the original. Sorry boys and girls, I know you had your fingers crossed for Dr. Ian Malcom to return…I'm still holding out for it.

Jurassic World Dr. Henry Wu from Jurassic Park 1

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 then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and, in this case, a Mosquito stuck in tree sap—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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New Facebook Fan Page Cover Photo Template for 2014

Posted by Mike Paden - Wednesday, March 19, 2014

How to make a new Facebook Cover Photo 2014 Tutorial Guide
If you are the admin of a fan page on Facebook, you may have noticed the recent warnings that an update is coming soon. Beginning today, the new timeline-inspired design has hit those who opted into it early. Although you can put it off as long as you want, Facebook will make up your mind for you on June 5 when all pages will switch to the new design.

Luckily, cover photos remain mostly unchanged. Your custom design made to fit the dimensions of 851x315 should still fit snugly into place. However, the thumbnail for the designated profile picture is now significantly larger, therefore overlapping more of the cover photo.

Easily redesign your new cover photo by downloading this PSD template and using the tutorial video below.


WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE NEW LAYOUT?
TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

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Is Wolverine's Number Up this June?

Posted by The Dace Man

death of Wolverine killed off
Wolverine after a gruesome battle.

Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Ones! Chris Dace back with some comic book news involving Marvel's upcoming story arc starting in the month of June.

The big question surrounding Marvel Comics these days is: "Are they going to off Wolverine?" Now, we all know no one in the world of comics truly stays dead unless they're Uncle Ben. Thus killing off one of Marvel's most successful characters, one who is engrossed into almost every Marvel Team ever assembled, can't possibly be a permanent move. This does however strike up several conversations: How will it be done? Who will finally get the best of Logan? Will he also be at peace when it does occur? When will he be back?

The man has been through almost every gruesome, terrifying, and deadly scenario writers and artists could think of since his debut in 1974. Wolverine has even been sent to the pits of hell and climbed his way back out on one occasion. So will the Wolverine actually die? Editor-in-chief Axel Alonso and X-Men senior editor Mike Marts over at Marvel surely want the fans to bite. Starting June 3, 2014, Marvel Now: Wolverine will launch into a story arc entitled "3 Months to Live." I have to ask—What's in store for one of Marvel's biggest, if not the biggest, hero on paper? I for one am excited for this story arc, and you can bet your bottom dollar you will find the review here at Fanboys Anonymous the moment I turn the last page for Wolverine.

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 then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and, in this case, your e-reader—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Group Meeting Ep 4 - Film's Influence on Technology and Movie Tech We Like

Posted by Anthony Mango

Cool movie technology examples from filmsOn episode 4 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about how the film industry has influenced the progression of technology in the real world.

We also talk about movie tech that hasn't been made yet but that we would like to see come out in the future, and discuss the ramifications and whether that will actually come to pass.

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Chris Dace, Travis Goss, Sam Lascio, Mike Paden, and Shaun Walker.

Some topics we address:

  • Q branch gadgets from the James Bond series
  • Hoverboards, flying bikes, Green Goblin glider, spaceships, and the Iron Man suit
  • Cyborgs like RoboCop
  • Artificial Intelligence like HAL 9000, Skynet, and Johnny Cab from Total Recall
  • Star Trek communicators and video phones becoming a reality with cell phone technology
  • Lightsabers, blasters, and other Star Wars technology
  • Time machines
  • Holographic interfaces
  • Cloning techniques such as Jurassic Park
  • and more!
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!








logo Stitcher Radio icon transparent logo iTunes icon transparent

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NEW Images of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man, Oh My!

Posted by Jeff Penner - Tuesday, March 18, 2014

ABC aired a documentary called Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe and spent a lot of time discussing the films from Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and forward while fans drooled with anticipation.

Why so excited?

Avengers: Age of Ultron Hulk Iron Man Hulk Buster Armor
Need I say more?

**** SPOILERS below! ****

We got some goodies tonight, Fanboys and Girls! The documentary shows some quick clips of the the upcoming blockbusters Guardians of the Galaxy, Age of Ultron, and Edgar Wright's Ant-Man. Marvel has now released the below images. Perhaps they were forced to under the Freedom of Information Act? Give us more! Most of these images are concept art but give us a good idea of what to expect.

Time to stop reading and start looking!

Let us begin with Avengers: Age of Ultron:

Ultron Hulk Hawkeye Captain America movie
Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch Marvel Comics
Who are Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch?

Now some awesome designs from Guardians of the Galaxy, showing Star-Lord in full gear with Rocket Raccoon and Groot!
Marvel Studios Chris Pratt Star-Lord
Guardians of the Galaxy Rocket and Groot Scott Young

The Ant-Man test footage shown at San Diego Comic-Con back in 2012 has been highly sought after. Here are some screen grabs from it!
San Diego Comic-Con footage Ant-Man Marvel
Paul Rudd Ant-Man San Diego Comic Con
Ant-Man trailer footage

So? Great night for Marvel fans, am I right?
What do we think of the designs (Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, Star-Lord, Hulk Buster Armor)?

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The Incredibles 2 and Cars 3 in Development

Posted by Jeff Penner

Remember that little kid on the tricycle who was just waiting for "Something amazing…I guess?" He just got his wish (again), because this news is "totally wicked!!" Disney CEO Bob Iger has been on an announcement roll this week. First we learn some plot details about the new Star Wars movie, and now we get some amazing Pixar news!

Disney and Pixar sequels for The Incredibles and Cars

First up, Cars 3 is in the works, to the delight of small boys everywhere—especially those uninterested in the spinoff film Planes from 2013.

Second, and much more exciting, we have word of The Incredibles 2! I considered this to be newsworthy on its own, even before I found out that Brad Bird is involved. Please be the director, please be the director!

The studio has not officially confirmed whether The Incredibles 2 will be a sequel or a prequel, but it is certainly easy to imagine either scenario working well. A prequel could take place during the earlier "heroic age" and flesh out the story of how superheroes lost public favor. A sequel could take place immediately following the original movie, having the family battle The Underminer. It would be great to see Jack-Jack in action with the team.

Pixar has hit nothing but home runs for all ages. Their next offerings on the table are Finding Dory (yep, a Finding Nemo sequel), Inside Out, and The Good Dinosaur.

Does this news have you wearing a cape and running around the house yet? It should! Especially that "Brad Bird" name up there!

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The Walking Dead "The Grove" Review & Synopsis

Posted by The Dace Man

The Walking Dead season 4 spoilers Grove episode
It's that time of week again! Yours truly, Chris "The Dace Man" Dace, is back with another review and synopsis of AMC's horror drama The Walking Dead!

Last week in the episode "Alone" we were left with some major cliffhangers. Beth is missing, Daryl has met a new group, and Glen is now on the path to Terminus. "Alone" was a huge marker for where the series is going; point all of our subgroups to one destination to become whole again while simultaneously taking each character and emphasizing their independent drives. At this point we're a few episodes removed from Rick's group and several episodes removed from Carol and Tyrese's group. Judging by the teasers we were given last week, this episode will focus largely on Carol and the kids. Is this the episode where the twisted sisters finally bite the dust? Also the clip Hardwick gave us during Talking Dead last week really left us bewildered. I recall sitting in my seat saying, "What the hell? Is this still the same show?" Regardless of how the clip incorporates itself into episode fourteen, we can bet our zombie lovin' asses that with three episodes left, Kirkman and AMC are most likely building us up for a "holy shit" finale that will have us eagerly awaiting October. So sit back relax and enjoy the next installment of season 4: "The Grove"

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 4, EPISODE 14: "THE GROVE"

Remember that clip Hardwick showed us last week? Well, its creepiness kicked off this week's episode and rolled right into the credits. What the hell? Anybody else get emotional when they showed clips of the prison in the opening theme? Just me, I figure. Back to the details. We see Carol and Lizzy discussing the events at the prison where she made the fatal headshot. Lizzy pries a bit into Carol's personal life, asking about Sophia, and is a complete dick. Lizzy asks Carol if her daughter's not there because she was soft. I really hate this little girl. Carol then observes Tyrese having a nightmare before we cut to daybreak. Carol is tending to Ty's wound, and they keep discussing the children. Lizzy's sister outs her while walking with Carol about how Lizzy isn't afraid of dead rabbits. This is a reference to what Rick, Ty, and Daryl saw in the prison moments before the Governor's attack. Carol had commented that Lizzy is tough but doesn't understand the walkers, whereas Mika is worse off due to her not having a mean bone in her body. Carol goes off to investigate a fire smell in the distance. While she's gone, Ty and Lizzy spot a walker and Lizzy pleads with Ty to let it live. In the woods we see Carol walking with Mika; they're discussing the events of the prison and how Mika needs to become tougher and more logical about her surroundings. Mika retorts that she understands what the walkers are and that despite the attack on the prison she could never bring herself to murder a live human. After a heated debate back and forth between the two, Mika is still a beacon of hope and humanity in a world that is severely lacking it.

images from Walking Dead episode The Grove season 4 episode 14
Back from commercial and the group approaches a house and sees smoke in the distance, most likely the shack Daryl and Beth burned down. While investigating the house, they leave Mika and Lizzy outside. While the girls talk, a walker makes it way outside and off the porch at them. Mika saves the day and kills the walker. Lizzy breaks down in tears as Carol and Tyrese look on. Mika calms down Lizzy, and we cut to the next scene. After a night scene inside the house, we see Mika fine and Lizzy shaken up. Cut back the opening we saw at the top of the incident; Lizzy is leading a walker around and has seemingly justified in her mind that walkers are living people. She's outside playing with it and giggling, drawing the attention of Carol who rushes out and immediately stabs it in the head. Lizzy begins yelling at Carol it was her friend and Carol murdered it. This solidifies my judgment that Lizzy is off her walker and will ultimately get someone killed. I like Mika and want her to be Carl's new squeeze if that mathematically works out.

Mika and Carol take us into the next segment, walking through the woods talking again. Mika seems to be a smart child and needs to protect Lizzy because she's clearly not all there. Carol and Mika approach a deer but Mika can't pull the trigger to kill it. The two turn and head back to the house. The next scene sees Ty justifying to Carol that they could live there and he can trust them all. Back to the psycho child, Lizzy who has made her way back to the walker stuck in the tracks. Lizzy decides she wants to be like them and extends her hand to the mouth of the walker. Mika is begging her sister to return to the house with her when a horde of burned zombies appears. Lizzy takes her good old time getting her crazy ass up and running. The two lead 'em back to camp, where they form a firing squad with Carol and Tyrese to mow the walkers down. Carol glances over at Lizzy during the showdown, and to me it looks like a face of concern. I also question if Lizzy actually hits any of them. At least Mika did, nothing kill-worthy but she still hit them. With that exchange we head into yet another commercial.

Did I mention I really hate this girl Lizzy? We open back up with her face staring off into the distance. We go through the whole schtick about the girls needing to be tough and find the gray area between right and wrong and be able to do it. They then have a few minutes of normalcy before we cut over to the next day. At this point Carol has bought into Ty's idea of staying. Ty brings up Karen to Carol, which is obviously a tender topic. The look of "Oh shit" on Carol's face is priceless as Ty starts to break down a bit. I'm getting the sense that Carol might get offed as Ty talks about his feelings and dreams. This emotional scene between the two raises so much tension. As a fan, I'm yelling at the screen "She either killed Karen or knows the kids did!" The two are seen walking back to the house, and there stands Lizzy with a knife and baby Judith to her right. Behind her is Mika, dead. Lizzy then draws a gun on Carol, saying they need to wait for Mika to turn. Carol in tears gets the gun from Mika and tells Ty, Judith, and Lizzy to go back to the house. Carol completely breaks down as the other three exit. I think it's safe to say that Lizzy has just become the new Lori, and I eagerly await this character's death. [Side note: a terrible Hooters commercial came on, and I feel dumber for having watched it.]

The Walking Dead Season 4 Episode 14 The Grove pictures
Decision-making time! Ty cleaned out Lizzy's room so she wouldn't have any weapons. He and Carol begin weighing options about what should happen with Lizzy. The obvious decision is to feed her to walkers, right? Or am I just messed up? The next scene has Carol walking off with Lizzy as Tyrese watches. As Carol starts to break down, Lizzy panics and starts apologizing for pointing a gun at her, completely missing the whole murdering-her-sister thing. Lizzy begs Carol not to be mad. Carol tells her to calm down and "Look at the flowers Lizzy." With Lizzy distracted by the flowers, Carol slowly draws her gun and pulls the trigger. Damn. Later that evening, Carol slides the gun to Tyrese and confesses that she murdered Karen and David to prevent an outbreak. He asks her about Karen's final moments and then slowly grips the gun. Seeing this, Carol says, "Do what you have to do." Tyreese slowly releases the gun and forgives Carol, telling her he will never forget. After probably the darkest and most emotional episode of The Walking Dead, Tyrese and Carol head back to the tracks and head toward Terminus.

That's it! See ya next week, walkers! 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 then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and, in this case, lots of tissues—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Star Wars Episode VII Set 30 Years After Episode VI

Posted by Jeff Penner

Although no official announcements have been made regarding cast members (aside from R2-D2), Star Wars: Episode VII begins filming in May, according to Disney CEO Bob Iger. Moreover, one little detail was dropped as well: the story takes place 30 years after the Battle of Endor.

new Star Wars casting news reboot rumors

During a company earnings call, Iger dropped those tidbits that will surely set the Star Wars craze back in motion. An official press release states, "Disney and Lucasfilm are excited to announce that principal photography on Star Wars: Episode VII, directed by J.J. Abrams, will commence May 2014 and will be based at London’s historic Pinewood Studios."

Production starting so soon may sound rushed, and perhaps it is. With very little known about casting and characters, it leaves fans to wonder what they'll be filming exactly. Only a slew of press releases in the next month and a half can answer that (and probably will).

I'm excited to see where this film is heading; originally this was going to be very "Luke-, Han-, and Leia- centric" and hand the reigns over to a new cast. However, it may have them in supporting roles only.

Where do you sit on this fence? Leave Star Wars alone or "bring it on"?

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Angus T. Jones: Where is the Half in the Two and A Half Men?

Posted by The Dace Man

Where is Angus T Jones from 2 and a Half Men young kidHey, hey, hey, Dacetacular Nation! Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is back once again here to give you, the loyal Fanboys and Fangirls, the latest Hollywood buzz.

Now when it comes to Hollywood, it's rare to find celebrities that walk the straight line and never have a public meltdown. I wouldn't necessarily say this next young actor had a major meltdown, but he has made some questionable moves as of late. Angus T. Jones, the former child star of Two and A Half Men, has followed in the footsteps of the show's previous leading man, Charlie Sheen, and effectively ended his relationship with Chuck Lorre and the megahit program.

November 2012 was the last time we saw Jones' character Jake on the CBS sitcom after he "departed for the military." The 20-year-old actor had run his course on the show—which has itself run its course for the most part—and now claims to answer to a higher power. Angus now spends his days in the state of Colorado studying and working with the World Harvest Outreach Church in Houston. He regrets the way he departed the sitcom and how in an interview he called the product "filth," but he doesn't disagree with the points he made.

While he was on the sitcom he raked in $300,000 per episode, but judging by his full-grown Amish beard, he's no longer all that invested in material goods. In his interview, Angus hinted that he is not interested in returning to acting on a large scale and is at peace with his new path. "I really want to be able to come into the light because I know that's where genuine healing is, and I've just seen God do amazing things," he said.

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 then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and, in this case, a gossip magazine!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Peanuts Movie to Hit the Big Screen in 2015

Posted by The Dace Man

Charlie Brown and Snoopy Movie rumors and news
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular Nation! The Dacetacular One here to give you the latest in Hollywood and movies, and boy, do I have a big one for you comic strip fans!

Mark your calendar for Nov. 6, 2015, because Charlie Brown and his faithful companion Snoopy are taking another crack at the big screen! It's been over 34 years since the Peanuts gang took on the Hollywood box office with 1980's Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!). Craig Schulz, son of the late great Charles Schulz, has been actively protecting his father's estate since Charles' passing in 2000 after a 50-year run of comic strips in your newspapers. Now, I know newspapers are pretty archaic for you younger Fanboys and Fangirls out there, but I remember reading the multipanel strip whenever I had the opportunity to access a paper.

Peanuts' return to the big screen has been delayed due to Charles' death in 2000, but now Craig feels the timing is right. His son Brian, Charles' grandson, has taken the helm, writing the screenplay with Cornelius Uliano for this new 3D animated film due out in the fall of 2015. This project has also picked up Horton Hears a Who! director Steve Martino, letting us fans know that the project is in good hands.

With the plot under super-secret protection, all we know is that all our favorites will be gracing the big screen in 3D format. It has also been mentioned that Charlie Brown's 80-year crush will finally be unveiled, and we will dive deeper into the fabulous imagination of Snoopy! I, for one, am excited to see where this project heads.

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 then, for the few, the proud, and of course the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and, in this case, a Sunday newspaper!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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New Transformers Cartoon Set for 2015

Posted by Jeff Penner

The popular Transformers Prime animated series will return to air in 2015 under a different title and a different Autobot leader.

Bumblebee Leader of Autobots and Cybertron 2015

Loosely following a story in the IDW comic book Transformers: Robots in Disguise, the series will begin with Bumblebee as not only the Autobot leader, but head of all of Cybertron. The story takes place years after the end of Prime.

Much of the production will seamlessly follow that of the previous series. Will Friedle (who also played Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond) will reprise his role as Bumblebee. The production company and producing team will also remain the same. No confirmation yet on the return of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker.

Executive producer Roberto Orci describes the new series as a continuation and not a reboot.

"It's not really a reboot, it's sort of a continuation of it (Transformers Prime) in a tonally different form," Orci said. "We want to make sure we're servicing the right audiences. We got to do a very adult version of Transformers that you just saw in this cartoon, a very sophisticated one, and we also want to make sure we don't leave other kids behind, who love Transformers too and don't want to be as scared as Transformers Prime could make you, that kind of thing. So we're going to have a good parallel series that is connected, but it's a little more friendly to the family."

He continued, "I'd love to have as much continuity as possible, and that's part of what's been fun about being a part of the Transformers universe since we jumped on the movies. It's trying to take all the research and all the things that they have—giant bibles and binders of Transformers iterations. So we always tried to thread the needle as best we could of taking their best, favorite stories and kind of putting them in some order that was consistent. That's always our goal."

The Hub Autobots Bumblebee
Here is the full press release for the new series:

The Hub Network, champions of family fun and the only network dedicated to providing kids and their families entertainment they can watch together, announced today that a new animated series is currently in production for the globally renowned TRANSFORMERS brand. Set to debut in early 2015, the new action-packed series is being produced by Hasbro Studios, the production and distribution division of Hasbro, Inc., and is executive produced by Jeff Kline ("Transformers Prime," "G.I. Joe Renegades").

Taking place years after the battle between Autobots and Decepticons in "Transformers Prime," this all new series centers around our hero Bumblebee stepping up to lead a brand new team of Autobots. The show features an all-star cast with Will Friedle ("Boy Meets World") returning as Bumblebee, along with Darren Criss ("Glee"), Constance Zimmer ("House of Cards") and Ted McGinley ("Married with Children"). Blending 3D characters with hand-painted environments, the series mixes action-packed adventure with lots of comedy, making it a rip-roaring experience for kids and families to enjoy together.

This is a big year as the TRANSFORMERS brand celebrates its 30th anniversary. The Hub Network will also be celebrating the success of the franchise with special events to be announced later this year.

Are you excited about this? I checked out Transformers Prime and really enjoyed the animation and characters. It was fast-paced, and I almost wished the live action films were more like it overall. Thoughts?

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Action Figure Gives First Clear Look at Godzilla 2014

Posted by Jeff Penner

Bryan Cranston Godzilla summer movies 2014We have had a few glimpses of Godzilla from this summer's upcoming blockbuster of the same name. Now, JAKKS Pacific gives us our best look yet with their upcoming Giant Size Godzilla action figure.

The figure shows us pretty much what we've been promised: a design close to the original "man in a costume" version that we all picture when we think of the green behemoth. Check these pictures out!

Jakks Pacific Godzilla Action Figure Design First Look for Jakks Pacific Godzilla Action Figure

Jakks Pacific Godzilla Action Figure 2014 Action figure for Godzilla reboot movie 2014

The action figure's features seem pretty basic, such as a mouth that opens—and closes!—and something called "Tail Swinging Action." The main prize is the toy's height. Standing 3 feet tall, he will be as big as many of the kids playing with him.

The figure is set to hit stores as early as this week, with a (surprisingly reasonable) retail price of $44.99. Images courtesy of MTVNews.

The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, and David Strathairn. Godzilla opens in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D on May 16.

What are your thoughts? Great design? Does it meet your expectations, or did you prefer the "Matthew Broderick version"?

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Titanfall Review for Xbox One

Posted by Shaun

video game Titanfall graphicsHello, my loyal readers! Like the title says, this is my review of Titanfall, EA's new and highly anticipated IP available exclusively on the Xbox One and PC. Today I will be reviewing the Xbox One version with a score between one to five. So let's get on with the pros and cons, shall we? But before I do, let me give you a quick rundown of the game modes that are included in this game.

Attrition: If you have never played classic Titanfall before, this is the place to start. Kill anything on the enemy team to earn points towards victory!

Last Titan Standing: Everyone starts in a Titan. Eliminate all of the enemy team's Titans to win. But be careful, there is no respawning!

Hardpoint: Capture and hold the map's three hardpoints for your team to earn points. The more hardpoints you hold, the faster you win.

Capture the Flag: Steal the enemy flag and return it to your base, while stopping the enemy team from grabbing your flag!

Pilot Hunter: Hunt or be hunted! Kill the enemy team's pilots to reach the score limit and win.

Variety Pack: A mix of all game modes.

Now then, lets get on with the pros and cons.

PROS OF THE GAME:

Titans: This is kinda obvious. The game is called Titanfall for a reason! There are three types of Titans, and they are ...

Titanfall Review on the Atlas

Atlas: This Titan is the bog standard one of the bunch, and is the most balanced out of the three.

Titanfall Review on the Ogre Titan

Ogre: The Ogre is the tank of the Titan classes, with the strongest armour out of the three. But this comes with a downside: it lacks speed and maneuverability. But it's worth it for that extra bit of punch.

Titanfall Review on the Styder Titan

Stryder: Last and not least, this is the most agile of the Titan classes. It has a downside: Due to the extra speed, this Titan had to shed some weight, meaning it has hardly any armor and is the easiest to take down out of the three.

My favorite Titan out of the bunch is the Ogre because it suits my style of play—running in like a madman and try to take everyone down.

Pace of Gameplay: This is probably my favorite thing about the game—the fast pace and fluidity of gameplay. There's always action around the corner, whether it's the AI, a human player, or a great big Titan to shit you up.

Class Options: This is how you create a class option! From customizing my Titans to giving my pilot abilities like cloaking or fast healing/sprinting, the level of customization available is amazing! I love how this makes my Ogre different from everyone else's. There are just too many options to list here.

Burn Cards: These are a lot like added aids to help you out every time you spawn. You only get to take three into battle, and you may only use one burn card per life. These cards can vary from double XP for killing a pilot to permanent invisibility.

Balance: This was a surprise to me. The game is very balanced, and EA should pat themselves on the back for how the guns and mechs are balanced. Even if you aren't in a Titan, you still have a fighting chance of taking down that Titan.


CONS OF THE GAME:

Long Waiting Times: Between matches they give you 90 or so seconds, which is way too long. Hopefully they will patch this down to about 60 seconds, which should give you plenty of time to set burn cards and edit classes and such.

Campaign: If you are looking for an in-depth campaign, you won't find it here. The "campaign" results in random online matches from the Attrition and Hardpoint game modes, with a voiceover of the campaign's story during the loading times.

Lobby System: I don't know why games these days don't pit players against similar leveled opponents. During the random campaign, me and my crew, who were level 20 and above, were pitted randomly against players of level 5 or less.

Stupid AI: This is a laughable offense. In one game, I stood there looking at an AI grunt for two minutes or so, and the AI did nothing but stand there until I kicked the grunt.

So this has been my review. I hope you find this helpful. If you have any questions about the game or the Xbox One in general, please leave a comment below.

I give Titanfall a score out 3.5 out of 5, due to the fact the campaign is lacking and the AI grunts are worse then a stormtrooper trying to have a piss. Thanks for reading, guys, and remember—stay frosty.

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