Fanboys Anonymous

Amazon's Acquisition of Comixology and Its Potential Effects on Indie Comics

Posted by Marc Anthony Gonzalez - Friday, April 11, 2014

ComiXology announced its acquisition by Amazon today. Many have speculated how Amazon's procurement of the leading digital comics platform will affect digital comic distribution and readership, but a more profound uncertainty, esoteric to independent comic creators, has arisen: "Will ComiXology remain a viable means of digital self-publishing?"

free comics iphone app android kindle owned money
That's all folks!

Since its inception, ComiXology has enjoyed an exponential rise in users, exceeding 200 million users last September and establishing itself as a proof of concept for the digital comics market. Comic giants such as Brian K. Vaugh and Mark Waid were some of the first major contributors, licensing Private Eye and Insufferable, respectively. DC, Image, and Marvel have also jumped onboard the digital-comics revolution by contributing rights to their popular titles.

I asked CTO John Roberts at the SXSW 2014 Gaming Expo about the details of its exclusive licenses with the major publishers, and given his curt reference to his NDA, I strongly inferred that the heavy-weights believed in the company and probably traded licenses for equity.

Independent comic book creators rejoiced at the chance to have their works shared via digital shelves with legendary titles. At their panel at SXSW 2014, ComiXology staff mentioned that almost all works were accepted so long as they met their formatting and resolution requirements. They did not mention their impending acquisition by Amazon.

Will indie comic makers have the same opportunities as they did before the acquisition? A mental list of pros and cons immediately populates itself considering the reputation of the digital publishing giant, Amazon. Given the businesses' similarities, it is easy to envision a synergy between the two, unlike some corporate takeovers. *Cough, Facebook* *Cough, Oculus*

Amazon's massive infrastructure presents itself with opportunities not previously available: their excellent data management, mass marketing capabilities, and print-on-demand services. Imagine readers have just purchased an issue of Detective Comics and are pointed to your independent comic by Amazon's suggestions page. Similarly, strong independent titles are more likely to appear in popular searches by genre. Additionally, the option to purchase a hard copy becomes an equally viable option given the existing print-on-demand infrastructure. Perhaps this option may not even cost independent publishers!

Some fears do arise when contemplating the acquisition: the possibility of Amazon "starving" ComiXology, the potential for more stringent publishing standards, and the potential exclusiveness for the Kindle and its reader application. It is not uncommon for corporations to buy competing businesses and shelve them to kill competition, such as Google's acquisition of Dodgeball or Apple's acquisition of Lala. It should be known that Amazon had already lost market-share when it could only produce licenses to Game of Thrones comics before the acquisition. Amazon could also potentially decide that independent publishers must provide proof of already existing reader markets, presenting a paradoxical challenge. Lastly, Amazon could begin making the comics exclusive to Kindle products, ousting millions of iOS-based readers. Each of the above has the potential to stunt aspiring creators.

This aspiring comic creator remains positive that ComiXology lies in good hands. Amazon has said that ComiXology shall be left untouched and remain nearly autonomous. Although, PR teams often release this cliche to the press in an effort to retain existing markets. Still, Amazon stands to gain more by leading the reins of digital comics rather than hindering it. Should that happen, perhaps Mark Waid's Thrillbent shall resurrect its efforts. Nonetheless, the future looks bright for digital comics and independent comic creators.

What do you think of the acquisition of ComiXology? Are you an independent comic creator? Do you foresee more good or more bad? Let us know in the comments! Perhaps we can unionize!

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Sage Escape: Mars Gambit #2 Comic Review

Posted by Fellonius Munch - Thursday, April 10, 2014

So, it's been almost two months since Fanboys got to interview filmmaker-turned-comic book creator Damian S. Simankowicz and review his debut issue of Sage Escape. We've been following the marketing campaign via the Facebook page, all the while waiting for news of the second part of the miniseries, and here it is: The second issue of the three-part arc Sage Escape: Mars Gambit!

SAGE: Escape comic miniseries by film director Damian S. Simankowicz

In the debut issue, we met amnesiac bionic girl Sage and bounty hunter Raamon on Cray City, an artificial city-moon orbiting Mars. We also met the Salesmen—those genocidal corporate assassins tasked with taking back all the land Friendly Corp had sold off—and some unfortunate victims caught in between. Some of them escaped with their lives, minus a limb or two.

The new issue of Mars Gambit carries on right where the first left off, with Raamon having captured Sage and the both of them heading to Earth—more specifically, to Sage's former home city of Natura (which I believe is set in Australia)—where they become stranded. The Salesmen have massacred the entire population, and Raamon and Sage find themselves in the midst of a grisly clean-up operation.

With the bounty hunter clearly in over his head, he lets his payday off the leash. The two find that Natura is crawling with Salesmen. They also discover that many of the city's children have been rescued and hidden away by an unknown stranger, who has a spaceship they can use to escape. But this won't happen before we see a lot of blood, explosions, and carnage.

Sci-fi comic miniseries Sage: Escape's violent and explosive action
"Wait! That's no frisbee... AAAAARGGGHHH!!!"
We learn that the Salesmen are pretty much the same sort of entity that Sage was designed to be, but they share a hive mind. The idea's quite brilliant for the reader, but not so much for our lead characters, who are now being hunted down by every cybernetic killing machine in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the story builds around Sage's plight, providing further glimpses into the lives of related factions on Cray City.

Whereas I feel that this sudden amping up of action and pace is just what this comic needs, I'm also very happy to see new characters. The criminal gang that Sage tore apart in the first issue is back, and it has a new friend—a big blue brick shithouse of an alien that likes to do very graphic things to people with his tentacles...

Sage: Escape digital and ashcan print comic is reminiscent of Farscape and Luc Besson film Fifth Element
Jeez, buy him a drink first.
We also meet a cyborg grim reaper that can teleport between worlds (I shit you not), who seems to be something of a mentor to Sage. This is my kind of mental! I remember Damian saying that he was a fan of Death's Head II, and when I made the connection, I got even more excited for how twisted this comic has the potential to be. Who is this "Grim?" Is he a true ally, or is Sage headed for some seriously hard lessons in life?

On top of this, we get some lovely interspecies girl-on-girl action between one of the Crays and yet another blue alien. It isn't inappropriate (like you'd care if it was), but it really paints a picture of what's going on behind closed doors in this fictional universe. It's not all "brown chicken, brown cow." There's a deep plot being dug out here, and I'm left intrigued, which is what this comic wants.

Sci-fi fantasy comic Sage: Escape features interracial lesbian sex between humans and aliens
Hey, Avatar, you snooze, you lose!
Without spoiling anything here, this second issue of Sage Escape is such a vast improvement over the first that if every issue were to double that, Damian will have something very special on his hands. No surprise that he's already been picked up by Comixology!

There is much more monologue and dialogue happening here, which lends life and soul to Sage Escape's characters. Bearing in mind that Damian is himself an Aussie, I assume that most of his lead characters so far are intended to be Australian. You can distinguish them by his clever, subtle use of dialect. I found myself laughing a couple of times, because I internally read in different accents. This took me back to the eras of Mad Max and Farscape.

On a final note, if Dave Gibbons were doing the art for this series, it could easily pass for classic 2000AD. Damian's own art is coming along nicely, being a vast improvement on his first attempt. Bravo to him for writing this thing and providing his own art. To do that and release it within the space of two months is quite a feat of talent and hard work. But in its own way, the atypical style provides the unapologetic kiddish charm that makes this series so much fun to read. It's like I'm back in the '90s reading old school comic strips. I should probably slap myself for expecting every comic I read to be drawn by the likes of John Romita Jr. Am I truly spoiled?

Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! If you haven't yet read yourself some Sage Escape, get on over to the Facebook page or visit the website. If you've read up on Damian's comic, drop a comment below and tell us what you think.

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Rose Colored Let's Play: Yoshi's Cookie (feat. Courtney)

Posted by Travis Goss

Welcome to another episode of Rose Colored Reviews. In this episode, the classic SNES puzzle game Yoshi's Cookie gets the Let's Play treatment. The footage was originally recorded during Valentine's week, but due to technical problems on my end, there was a delay in getting the footage up on YouTube. I apologize for the delay and I thank you for your patience.

Come join your hosts, Travis Goss and Dame Courtney, as they play co-op in this under-appreciated game. We talk about how we met, and about how it ticks me off that some Walmart employees try their hardest to insult my intelligence when I'm purchasing a video game.

YouTube walkthrough Yoshi's Cookie playthrough
Thumbnail created by Zack Latour
Special thanks to Zack Latour for making the thumbnail for this video. Go check out his YouTube channel and subscribe.


What did you think of this video? Did you like what you see? Sound off in the comments down below!

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Stephen Colbert to Take Over CBS's Late Show in 2015

Posted by The Dace Man

David Letterman retires from The Late Show in 2015Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular ones! The Dace Man here, bringing you some breaking news that will change the landscape of late night as we know it!

Comedy Central suffers a huge blow by losing one of their top talents to CBS. According to CBS, Stephen Colbert has been given a five-year deal to be the new host of The Late Show. Still stationed in New York City, Colbert will move up the street and out of his Comedy Central domain to be Jimmy Fallon's competition in the Late Night Wars. After a decade of hosting The Colbert Report, he will lay down the role of crazy conservative to take a more casual hosting gig.

Many names have been rumored for who would take the seat after Letterman vacates in 2015. The extensive speculation has finally come to a close, a day after we debated the matter on The Dace Man Show. So much for Neil Patrick Harris taking the gig!

Best of luck to Stephen and his new gig over at CBS. I hope he still refers to us as the Colbert Nation.

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 a rare gun!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #1 is Dangerously Melancholy

Posted by Unknown - Wednesday, April 9, 2014

There's a certain rhythm that's been established in the world of super hero entertainment; a random character's various trade paperbacks will be rereleased in a deluxe hardcover, followed by a movie or television show announcement, followed by a new series to make sure there's plenty of character X on the shelf by the time the adaptation rolls around. While this business model makes me wary of such new titles, I am happy to see it has warranted a new ongoing series for the Immortal Weapon, Danny Rand, entitled Iron Fist: The Living Weapon. The Ed Brubaker/Matt Fraction run has gone on to become a modern classic, leaving Iron Fist: The Living Weapon with large green shoes to fill.

Cover for All New Marvel Now Iron First Living Weapon issue one

Danny sleeps with Brenda in Iron First the Living Weapon 1The issue opens with Danny telling Brenda, a journalist, an exposition heavily retracing of the tragic family expedition to K'un Lun that led to the death of his parents. Following the interview and the origin story, Danny invites Debra home, giving us the first real look at his current mindset which is done best without any dialogue at all.

He's a complicated mix of cynical and melancholy, perfectly depicted with three panels showing him alone, in bed with Brenda, and in the bathroom after their intimacy all with the same, flat expression.

Unable to sleep, Danny gets out of bed for a late night workout that illustrates, again, Marvel's strength for inventive visual art that reflects the story. The scene flips in an instant, however, when Danny leaps out his window, into the open air where dozens of ninja assailants repel from helicopters to attack him. In a fast, heavily narrated series of action pages, Danny uses his Iron Fist powers to light the helicopters on fire, burning the ninjas who are still attached to them by ropes. This ends up playing a lot like the infamous laser scene in Iron Man 2 when Tony Stark destroys an army of drones in one shot. It's anticlimactic and underwhelming.

Iron Fist battles ninjas in Iron Fist the Living Weapon 1Once the ninjas are dispelled, Danny returns inside to find Brenda under attack from a robotic, zombie ninja. Danny moves to attack the warrior, but his powers mysteriously misfire, opening him up to a hard hit from his foe. Fortunately, Danny is trained in all forms of martial arts and defeats the assailant without his powers. Just as he thinks the danger is over, a little girl emerges from the shadows and instructs him to return to K'un Lun before succumbing to the arrows in her back and falling, dead.

The first issues are a difficult read. You have to establish a character and a world for them to play in while simultaneously establishing a story for them to work through. Iron Fist did all these things, though in a generic way. Iron Fist: The Living Weapon establishes Danny as a disenfranchised hero who has lost a lot and doesn't know what he wants for himself. His villains are generic ninja warriors who he dispels so quickly that you really could have inserted any other hero into this issue and had it work. The power misfire at the end is also a tired tactic to create intrigue. The worst part, however, was the heavy narration. It was completely counterintuitive to the loose, free flowing combat the book hopes to depict.

Over all, this book, at $3.99, will have to start delivering more unique story fast if it hopes to establish itself as much more than white noise.

What did you think of Iron Fist: The Living Weapon? Are you excited for issue two, or did issue one leave too much to be desired? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Week in Geek: April 9th, 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

Captain 'Merica 2

My take: Okay, it was worth the wait. I really enjoyed the movie, the action was dynamic, and the "spy stuff" was easy to follow. Now I can't wait for parts 3-12(?).

MCU Planned Out to 2028?

My take: Holy crap, these guys aren't kidding around. Though, movie-wise, 2028 is just around the corner, and the fact that they're thinking of these films in the terms of comic book storytelling makes me really excited. Imagine a year long story in a comic taking 12 months to tell. It would certainly take longer to tell in a film series with a "one every three years" schedule. I think one obvious arc seems to be letting the "Bucky Cap" story play out. Seems to be in the works already.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Reviews

My take: The reviews are rolling in and they, sadly, are exactly what you would expect. "Too long," "good chemistry," "bullet time." This movie sounds very much like a vehicle for toys and Sony printing their own money. Where the Marvel films have character, story and heart, I fear this new, expanded plan they have for Spidey is going to ruin the character's box office cred.

Chewbacca Returns

My take: Peter Mayhew will return and it has me thinking about that lucky guy out there who's job it is to decide what books, comics, movies, and episodes are official Star Wars canon. At one point, as do all living things, Chewbacca is killed. It literally took an entire planet to kill him, but I wonder if he won't go the way of Agent Coulson to have something to avenge in the next series.

Battlestar Galactica Movie?

My take: This will be a third take on the story as it won't be tied to the original series or the 2003 reboot. Interest level nominal, depending on how awesome the Cylons look. I wasn't a huge fan of the "infiltration" plot of the reboot, but otherwise enjoyed it.

TELEVISION

The Big Bang Theory / Star Wars to Crossover

My take: As a big fan of the show who is growing more disappointed in the lack of effort they seem to be putting in, I'm excited for this. I don't want this show to go the way of Drew Carey and start breaking the fourth wall, but any time there is a crossover with Star Wars, we say "it's a good thing Bart did that!"

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D Ratings

My take: The show I never wanted is turning into the show nobody needs. A great opportunity to flesh out storylines, the series is floundering despite huge box office numbers for the MCU films. I'm down for a new movie a couple times a year but don't need the universe in my life 24/7. I have only seen the pilot so I'm partly talking out of my ass here. It didn't grab my interest and had almost every element I hoped it wouldn't (attractive conspiracy theorist who lives in a van? check). With no second season confirmed yet, it's either going to go away or this is all part of a bigger plan? Marvel is pretty sneaky and I wouldn't put it past them.

Robot Chicken DC Comics Special II

My take: I've always been a fan of parody until all the Scary Movies and their ilk ruined them. Robot Chicken, South Park, and even Family Guy have made the genre enjoyable and I love "crossovers" like this.

COMIC BOOKS

Death of Archie Andrews

My take: Archie Andrews will die in an upcoming storyline in the comic book ironically titled Life with Archie. It has Archie and comic books in every news outlet's online feed so, you know what? Bring it on.

Bring Back Damian Wayne?

My take: Is this still being discussed? My vote is no. He was an interesting character that came at a horrible time. He makes no sense and shouldn't be brought back from the dead. If anything, it's a Robin. Have a phone poll, it's easier than ever nowadays, DC. I'll support whatever the fans decide, even if they make the incorrect decision. DC already has characters like Harper Row and now Anna Aguila, do we really need the Robin pot stirred any more than it already is?

TECHNOLOGY

Comcast "the worst" as Time Warner Merger Filed

My take: If there is a good litmus test for America, it's when the worst company in the country can merge with one of the most important (entertainment-wise) and everyone just shrugs and says "what can ya do." The potential for this merger to make home entertainment less entertaining is way too huge., but money talks and this is happening whether you like it or not. Time for Amazon, Google Fiber, and the rest to take the stage and knock Com-TWC on their ass.

CELEBRITIES

WWE's Ultimate Warrior Passes Away

My take: What? Holy crap. Just days after re-appearing on RAW and being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame? It's like he was waiting for a proper farewell. He got a little crazy the last decade but I always appreciate those that made my childhood fun, and he was definitely on the list.

Mickey Rooney Passes Away

My take: I'll be honest, I was never his biggest fan, partly due to him simply "appearing" in films like The Muppets as a Stan Lee-like button. However, as I mentioned above, anyone who makes childhood magical gets an approving nod.

Wil Wheaton Touches Hearts

My take: For a guy pretty much hated by his fan base years ago, Wheaton has made the slow-burn comeback of the century. This week a video response at a 2013 convention about nerd-dom to bring us all closer together. Damn him. He's so damn cool now.

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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Your 2014 Internet Goddess Tournament Winner: Catie Wayne aka Boxxy

Posted by The Dace Man

photos Catie Wayne pictures Boxxy imagesHey, hey, hey Dacetacular Nation! Chris "The Dace Man Dace" here after a month of madness! The fans took to the internet and voted in one of the biggest tournaments in Fanboys Anonymous history!

After 32 contestants, eight weeks, five brackets and thousands upon thousands of votes, an Internet Goddess was crowned for 2014! The internet sensation, Boxxy, dominated the brackets, and after a close race in the final round she etched her name in Internet history.

Surviving all five rounds, Catie soared passed the competition and won the whole enchilada. Check out her impressive stats from this years Internet Goddess tournament!

Lara De Wit, Taylor Davis, Jena Marbles, Boxxy, Brizzy Voices

Round 1: 97% of the votes beating Chet Seigel
Heavenly Sixteen: 83% of the votes beating Lindsey Stirling
Elegant Eight: 65% of the votes beating Taylor Davis
Fabulous Four: 59% of the votes beating Colleen Ballinger
Finals: 66% of the votes beating Lara de Wit

The passion and support from her fan base launched Catie into the finals and the ultimate throne. Through the entire tournament, fans took to the Internet in support of their fearless and energetic leader to assure her the crown. Take a look at the response from the Boxxy Army below.

4chan Boxxy Memes
Fans React to Catie's Win

In late 2008, Catie Wayne burst onto the Internet scene with an energetic vlog under the character of Boxxy. With high energy and talking about everyday life, Boxxy took the Internet by storm, including the infamous site 4chan. Her character was so unique it hooked the attention of the Internet audience, and was one of the original Internet phenomenons that generated a lot of attention both positive and negative. These days you can find the legendary Boxxy on her YouTube channel, ANewHopeee, posting videos on a weekly basis, though she's currently on hiatus. Until she's able to get back to making fans more videos, you can catch her over at Animalist on YouTube with her series, Weird Gross Beautiful.


Congratulations goes out to Catie Wayne on being Fanboys Anonymous' inaugural Internet Goddess! Also on behalf of myself Chris "The Dace Man" Dace and the entire staff here at Fanboys Anonymous, we'd like to thank you the fans for participating in the first ever Internet Goddess Award Tournament. Today begins the road to the 2015 Internet Goddess Tournament, so let the beautiful and creative ladies of the Internet continue to make it awesome!!

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. Follow me on Twitter @TheDaceMan. 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 tiara—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Bat Kid Returns: The Legend of Miles Scott Continues

Posted by The Dace Man

BatKid Miles Scott throws first pitch at San Francisco Giants Game
He's the hero San Francisco deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So, we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. Bat Kid.

Nearly six months ago, the world was introduced to the hero of San Francisco through social media and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. A five year old kindergartner, who was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia - a cancer of the white blood cells characterized by excess lymphoblasts - at 18 months old and has been in remission now for the past few years.

One wish that young Miles had was to be the sidekick to Batman, a wish that was granted by the city of San Francisco in 2013 as he paraded around town fighting alongside Batman against some of his greatest rivals.

Well, the City of San Francisco and The San Francisco Giants have called upon the help of the watchful protector once more. Opening Day 2014 at Giants stadium, Batkid threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Matt Cain, reminding the world and San Francisco their hero is still on duty.


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 your trusty sidekick!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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New Borderlands: The Prequel Video Game Announced

Posted by The Dace Man

girl's ass Borderlands hot chick video gameHey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation!! It's been a while but The Dace Man is back, and boy does he have some video game news for you!

Have you been eagerly awaiting a new Borderlands game? Do you painstakingly wait each day for the announcement of Borderlands 3? Well that announcement still hasn't been made....but, we will be receiving a new Borderlands game to hold us over for the much anticipated Borderlands 3!

Announced today by 2K, fans will be given a prequel featuring Claptrap (which will be playable), four new hero characters, and a bunch of familiar faces. Keeping in tune with fellow franchises such as the Batman Arkham series and Metal Gear series, they are cashing in on this cash cow to give us as much, or little, content as they possibly can.

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 a rare gun!—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!

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Game of Thrones Renewed for Seasons 5 and 6

Posted by Unknown - Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Winter is coming... at least for another two more seasons of Game of Thrones. After the Season 4 premiere brought in record views, there's no shortage of beheadings in sight. The series has been officially renewed for Seasons 5 and 6, IGN reported.

HBO renewed Game of Thrones for two more seasons

Game of Thrones is the most-watched HBO series since the finale of The Sopranos in 2007. The fourth season premiered on April 6 to an average of 6.6 million viewers, HBO noted. Days later, the network committed to a fifth and sixth season.

The next two seasons will bring showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss closer to adapting the entirety of George R.R. Martin's ongoing seven-book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, on which Game of Thrones is based.

Season 4 follows the events of second half of A Storm of Swords, the third book in the series. The show is rapidly catching up with the novels, of which only five of the seven planned volumes have been published to date. Martin reportedly sat down with the show's co-creators to discuss how the books will end, just in case the TV series outruns the novels, Benioff said in the April issue of Vanity Fair. "We just sat down with him and literally went through every character," Benioff said.

The series' renewal doesn't come as much of a surprise, as Benioff and Weiss revealed to Entertainment Weekly last month that they planned on taking Game of Thrones to seven seasons. "Seven gods, seven kingdoms, seven seasons," Benioff told EW. "It feels right to us."

But after seven seasons, our time in Westeros is likely to come to an end. "We know there's an end somewhere in the seven- or eight-season zone," Weiss told Vanity Fair. "I think the desire to milk more out of it is what would eventually kill it, if we gave in to that."

Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Are you excited for a couple more seasons in Westeros? Let us know in the comment section below.

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Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller Drop Out of Ghostbusters III

Posted by Anthony Mango

Recent speculation and scuttlebutt pointed at Phil Lord and Chris Miller, directors of The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as the frontrunners to replace Ivan Reitman at the helm for Ghostbusters 3.

HD wallpaper Ghostbusters III poster

According to Jeff Sneider of TheWrap, that is no longer the case.


If this is true, it looks like this is yet another setback for this film, which has seen everything from countless delays to three missing cast members (Bill Murray, Rick Moranis and sadly, Harold Ramis). At this point, fans of the series might be better off wishing that the film doesn't happen, as opposed to getting a lackluster and rushed product that is inadequate for the job.

Who would you like to see direct Ghostbusters III? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

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She-Hulk #1-3 Review All New Marvel NOW!

Posted by Unknown

Charles Soule and Javier Pulido have teamed up to bring us a refreshing new look at Marvel's She-Hulk. With issue #1 out since February, we have had a chance to get a feel for this series and get reintroduced to Jennifer Walters.

She-Hulk Cover Doctor Doom Marvel Comic

Walters, of course, has a long history in the Marvel universe. She was shy lawyer in New York who found herself in a life or death situation after getting gunned down by a crime boss. An emergency blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, resulted in some interesting side effects. With green skin and super strength, her powers increase with fear and anger much like Banner. Her control over her transformation helps Walters in becoming a world renowned hero, a member of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four.

"No one is only one thing." - She-Hulk

In her new series, Walters realized that the law firm she works for, only care about the publicity and fame she brings in as a super hero and not her skills as a lawyer. The first issue deals with her striking out on her own and setting up her own firm. Biting off almost more than she can chew, she now struggles with the day-to-day of running a business, an odd paralegal, and a growing list of villains who now have it out for her. Joined by her friend and employee Patsy Walker (Hellcat), She-Hulk is taking down the villains of New York in her own unique way.

She-Hulk Panel Image Marvel ComicWith a character that has been written less-than-favorably in the past, Soule deals with the character remarkably well. Walters is a well-developed character who stays true to her morals without sacrificing any part of herself. The focus has shifted away from her physique and to her smarts. We get to see She-Hulk figure things out without use of force. While the fighting that does occur is off panel for the most part, it is not missed in the context of the story.

The art is semi-realistic and yet also capable of bordering on cartoony. Pulido has brought out the characters through use of bright colors, and clever design. The team has also made use of two-page spreads in an interesting way.

She-Hulk Spread Panels Doombots Marvel Doctor Doom Comic Book

The two-page spreads showcase the action differently than they would have in the more traditional format with longer images, and longer sets of panels that affect the pacing.  Some of these spreads have also broken out of panels and show the action as movement across a setting, such as Walters' tour of her new office building.

The two-page spreads are a lot of fun in print, but digitally they are bit of a nuisance. Depending on your app, the double spread could cause a lot of problems including having to tilt your screen, zooming and scrolling, or just plain cutting them in half. In a time where the majority of comics have moved to the digital format, this decision might hurt the series more than help.

So far, with three issues out, I give the series my approval, but with the caveat that you buy a print copy over the a digital one. So far we have seen three self-contained stories, leaving this reader hoping that an overarching plot for this volume will be present soon. The recent appearance of Doctor Doom gives a lot of hope in regards to the plot, and would be an interesting direction to take. However, I put my faith in the creative team to see where they will take us in the next few issues.

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Marvel NOW! Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey Review

Posted by Orion Petitclerc - Monday, April 7, 2014

Welcome to another Guardians of the Galaxy review! I reviewed both the first volume, "Cosmic Avengers," and the second volume, "Angela," as collected trades of the comic book series. Now that I've got myself a subscription to the series—allowing me to read entire story arcs before they're collected—I'll be reviewing the third and subsequent volumes ahead of their publication as trades. Today, I'll be reviewing a special crossover volume collecting Guardians of the Galaxy #11.NOW–13 and All-New X-Men #22.NOW–24, featuring a story called "The Trial of Jean Grey." So let's roll!

Preorder Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey on Amazon
This will also be the cover for the trade.
The story begins in the pages of All-New X-Men #22.NOW. There, X-23 and Kitty Pryde are helping younger versions of the original X-Men (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel)—who had previously been brought through time to the present day to show the current Cyclops and his X-Men the error of their villainous ways—to cope with their time displacement. Both young Cyclops and Jean had previously been shown their futures, including Jean's deaths as the host of the world-destroying Phoenix Force and Cyclops' spiral into depression and rage over her death.

This obviously throws a monkey wrench into the teenage lovers' relationship, but before they can cope with it, a covert Shi'ar strike force attacks the X-Men and whisks Jean away. The Guardians show up soon after the kidnapping, in response to the alien force messing with Earth affairs.


Read All-New X-Men #1 by Brian Michael Bendis in a special four-comic Teen Heroes pack on the Marvel Comics app.
Uncanny timing, guys.
Guardians of the Galaxy #11.NOW constitutes part two of "The Trial of Jean Grey," as the story jumps from one title to the next in true Marvel crossover fashion. Picking up after the events of the second trade, the issue reiterates the Guardians' rocky relationship with the Spartax Empire before diving into another meeting of the council of galactic empires (no relation to the Galactic Council). Gladiator, leader of the Shi'ar Empire announces his intentions to capture young Jean and bring her to trial for her future crimes against the universe as the Phoenix. The different rulers' mixed feelings sets a moralistic tone for the rest of the story arc, asking the question: "Is it right to punish someone for something they haven't done yet?"

The issue also marks the departure of Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) from the story line, as he sends the Guardians a message from Earth thanking them for allowing him to be a part of the team. Thus, Brian Michael Bendis ties up what could have been a confusing loose end.

The Guardians are alarmed and move to action when an alien ship enters Earth's atmosphere, and from there their story ties into the X-Men's. They team up to track down Jean and her kidnappers, during which they meet up with the Starjammers—a group of space pirates led by Cyclops' long lost father. You can imagine the interaction between young Cylcops and his father, who had already reconnected with his son years before.

Read the Starjammers' first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #107 on Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

While the three teams are on their quest, Jean is made ready for her tribunal, but the tribunal is interrupted by King J'son of Spartax when he tries to reason with Gladiator about the trial's absurdity. The X-Men, Guardians, and Starjammers eventually make it to the Shi'ar throne world where Jean is being held, and a huge battle erupts between the heroes and the Shi'ar Royal Guards. Young Jean discovers and uses a new power—one never exhibited by the deceased Jean—to bring the battle to a stalemate. She ends up leaving with her friends after Cyclops threatens to bring the Earth's entire population of superpowered beings down on Gladiator and the Shi'ar if they ever come to Earth again. The teams part ways at the end of the story arc, with Cyclops joining his father and the Starjammers, and Kitty hooking up with Peter Quill for a long-distance relationship.

The biggest hurdle this story presented for me was making me care about an X-Men story. I'm not a huge X-Men fan; I've never read a single X-Men title, and I've never cared about any of the characters. I know the gist of the Dark Phoenix Saga, however—you kind of pick up on these things as a comic book geek—and I've watched every X-Men film Fox has produced, so I'm not completely unaware of these characters. Once again, though, Bendis successfully pulled me into a property I had very little interest in, albeit temporarily and for this story arc only.

Follow the Death of Jean Grey in X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga
Holy crap, that's a lot of characters.
I'll admit that I enjoyed this largely X-Men-centric story despite my reservations. Bendis continues to shine when it comes to characterization, even with a cast of twenty or more characters. (This story had a lot of unique characters.) Every major participant—including all of the X-Men, most of the Guardians (except Drax, really), one or two of the Starjammers, and one or two of the Shi'ar Royal Guards—had their moments in the spotlight.

As strong as Jean and Cyclops' in-your-face young romance was, it was Angela and Gamora's developing, quasi-romantic warrior's relationship that really took the cake for me. (Sorry, Peter and Kitty.) Drax suffered the most in this crossover, in my opinion, as his development took a back seat to that of the characters at the center of the story. He may have had one moment with X-23, but it wasn't enough for me to regard him as an integral member of the Guardians.

Read Angela's first appearance in the Marvel Universe in The Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2: Angela
If Deadpool gets to marry someone, why can't Angela and Gamora marry, too?
Stuart Immomen and company supply the art for All-New X-Men, which seamlessly complements Sarah Pichelli and company's Guardians of the Galaxy art. This gives the entire story a coherent, overarching visual style that doesn't impede the constant back-and-forth of switching from one title to the other. With the addition of Bendis' writing both titles and grandmastering the whole crossover, "The Trial of Jean Grey" makes for a fluent, stunning, and enjoyable read.

Guardians of the Galaxy/All-New X-Men: The Trial of Jean Grey gets 5 stars out of 5 for both the story and the art, making this the second Guardians of the Galaxy volume to receive a perfect rating from yours truly, despite all odds. Seriously, if you plan on reading Guardians of the Galaxy from trade to trade, don't pass up on this one just because of the crossover stigma most geeks suffer from. Pick this book up!

If you're both an X-Men and a Guardians fan, what did you think of this volume? Let me know in the comments section below. I'm definitely looking forward to writing my next Guardians of the Galaxy review in a few months, because that's when Captain Marvel and Agent Venom join the team! Yay!

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Marvel's Ingenious Avengers: Age of Ultron Plot-Leak Policy

Posted by Fellonius Munch

For many big-budget movie producers, keeping the more secret details of your movie under wraps until its release can be a nightmare. It's all very well having your cast and crew sign the appropriate contracts and releasing the occasional teaser to keep the masses relatively well-behaved, but what do you do when the media is practically interrogating your employees?

Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron plot leaks prevented live on Arsenio TV talk show

On last week's Arsenio, actor Don Cheadle humored the possibilities of what lengths Marvel Studios might go to in order to silence their actors. Cheadle—the star of the Oceans trilogy and Hotel Rwanda—is currently best known as Colonel James Rhodes (aka War Machine) from the last two Iron Man movies and the upcoming main event Avengers: Age of Ultron. He was asked by host Arsenio Hall what will happen in the Avengers sequel. This is what happened...


Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! Any hidden messages in there? Feel free to leave a comment below, and stick around for regular updates on Avengers: Age of Ultron from Fanboys Anonymous. Thanks for reading.

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I Got Gameplay Ep 70 - Microsoft Xbox Retrospective

Posted by Unknown - Sunday, April 6, 2014

Episode 70 of the I Got Gameplay radio show is now live! On this episode, the gang discuss the history of Microsoft in a retrospective discussion about the number-two biggest company in gaming history and their console, the Xbox.

History of the Microsoft Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One

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

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

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

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

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

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

Retro Video Game T-Shirts on Sale for I Got Gameplay
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!

Video game show I Got Gameplay podcast free wallpaper download

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All-New Marvel NOW! Moon Knight #2 Review

Posted by Orion Petitclerc

Welcome to another comic book review by yours truly. (These are fun. We should do these more often.) Most of my reviews are about either Marvel's symbiotes or Moon Knight. You can probably already tell this one's about the latter. Last month I reviewed the first issue of Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire's astonishing Moon Knight series, which won me over for its nostalgia and its new storytelling format. Today I'll be reviewing Moon Knight #2, so let's get to it!

Read Moon Knight #2 on Comixology on your mobile device

As Ellis had suggested, this issue is its own self-contained story, following a storytelling format akin to what you'd see in a serial crime drama (like any show in the CSI franchise). Just as the previous issue's title, "Slasher," indicated what kind of criminal Moon Knight faced in that story, this issue's title, "Sniper," pretty much summed its story up.

Watch full seasons of CSI on Netflix
The first eight pages are all similar in layout. Each has eight equally-sized panels arranged in two columns and four rows, with each panel depicting seemingly disconnected workers clocking out for the day. As the story progresses, the number of panels with any art content begins to dwindle as each target is expertly assassinated from a distance with a single sniper shot. Very little is revealed about the reason why these people are getting picked off, but the omniscient narration from the first issue returns to tell a tale featuring elements strikingly similar to Marc Spector's own origin story.

Through these eight pages, the color white becomes ever more dominant as the panels begin to disappear with their victims. The creative team's goal was to make the color white as striking against other colors as it is in Moon Knight's costume. It's also a clever tactic on their part because it also conveys the idea of the "light at the end of the tunnel" that people are said to experience when they die. See? I can be deep, too.
Read old Moon Knight comic books on your mobile device with Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited

After the last victim falls, Shalvey and Bellaire treat the readers to a beautiful New York City nightscape before they and Ellis plunge us into the action. It's a fight between the mystery sniper—boasting a very high-tech, high-caliber rifle—and Moon Knight, who dives from a unique Moon Copter and glides in sporting his new superhero suit. From there it's a quick battle, and then the entire situation is explained to our hero in the end.

Purchase the Moon Knight hero pack on Marvel Heroes for a bonus Secret Avengers costume
Another strong one liner, Ellis.
The one thing this issue lacked is a continuation of Marc's story, which made the book feel shorter in comparison to issue #1. The buildup to the battle was slow and steady, and when the action did happen it was short lived. Now, that doesn't mean this was a bad issue in any sense. It's exactly what Ellis planned on delivering: a digestible episode of self-contained crime drama. It's a tasty grab bag of popcorn—light, entertaining, and sticks to your teeth for a short while. However, if this is the kind of format we're going to get for the rest of the series, I wish Marvel would make this a bimonthly publication as opposed to a monthly one, so we needn't wait as long for the overarching story to progress.

Find all of your superhero costumes and accessories on the Spirit Halloween online store
Luckily, the story in this issue didn't finish as cryptically as the last one. Instead, issue #2 ended with a classic moral you'd find in most crime dramas of this sort.

Shalvey and Bellaire continue to kill it in the art department, making this issue as visually entertaining and meaningful as the last. Moon Knight #2 gets 4.5 stars out of 5 for the narrative—half a star deducted for the absence of Marc's story—and 5 stars out of 5 for the perfect art.

Are you still enjoying this new take on the Lunar Legionnaire? What was your favorite moment from this issue? I want to know, so let me hear about it in the comments section below. Here's hoping you'll look forward to the next review!

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Group Meeting Ep 5 - Captain America: The Winter Soldier Movie Review

Posted by Anthony Mango

Watch Captain America: Winter Soldier Movie Download Torrent OnlineOn episode 5 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

We dissect what we liked and didn't like about the movie, mostly praising how well they were able to structure things and how happy we were with the finished product. We also give our thoughts on the future of the Marvel film franchise.

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Sam Lascio, Nikki Mills and Tom Jackson.

Some topics we address:

  • Comparison to Captain America: The First Avenger
  • Action sequences
  • Political plotline
  • Breakdown of characters
  • Cameos and references
  • What's the next step in Phase 2 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!




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First Trailer for Luc Besson's Lucy Starring Scarlett Johansson

Posted by Fellonius Munch - Saturday, April 5, 2014

Yet more news this week in regard to the current crop of superhero hero movies. Writer, director, and producer Luc Besson's phenomenal comeback kick starts in 2014 with the first trailer to his latest action thriller Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman!

Avengers Black Widow actress Scarlett Johansson unlocks the full powers of her brain in sci-fi action thriller Lucy

The movie follows the titular character (Johansson) as she's dragged into a smuggling operation as a drug mule. A package of some unknown substance is sewn into her stomach for shipment. But the job goes wrong and the substance enters her bloodstream. You might expect her to overdose and die, but this is clearly no black tar heroin. Whatever it is, it triggers the development of superhuman abilities and mental evolution, making her unstoppable—as her captors are about to find out.

From what we can see in the trailer, this movie looks to be everything we've been waiting to see in the latest Marvel movie releases. Johansson's fans and Avengers fans alike have been pushing to see her really get to grips with the character of Black Widow. Well, not only will Johansson get to prove her mettle as a superhuman butt-kicker with Lucy, but anyone looking for an original thriller that delivers much more than it promises may find that Lucy delivers more than most of the recent big spenders.


The movie delves deep into the concept of what humans could achieve by using more than 10 percent of their brains. That is where Morgan Freeman's Professor Norman—a man studying this concept—comes into it. Lucy comes looking for his help after her predicament unleashes the full capacity of her rapidly evolving mind, demonstrating that our wildest dreams, such as psychokinesis, may only be the tip of the iceberg. The visual effects of Besson's latest film are stunning (though currently more than 10 percent of that is thanks to the captivating Johansson), and the action looks frankly gut-busting.

Luc Besson and Jean Reno behind the scenes of hitman thriller Leon aka The Professional

Luc Besson, a brilliant director who broke out in the nineties with La Femme Nikita and Leon (aka The Professional), has brought international film fans joy for over thirty years. He's one of few foreign filmmakers to truly thrive and endure in the US film industry. Aside from Taxi and The Fifth Element, he has also written and produced such gems as Taken, The Transporter, and most recently one of the late Paul Walker's final features, Brick Mansions (yet to be released).

Personally, I cannot wait for this movie. Sound off, fanboys! Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and tell us this doesn't look amazing. Thanks for reading.

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Microsoft's Xbox One Hacked by a Five-Year-Old Boy

Posted by Fellonius Munch

Meet five-year-old Kristoffer Von Hassel, the youngest security researcher ever credited with working for Microsoft. He's just been paid off with $50, four free video games, and a free year of Xbox Live Gold membership for reporting a major security flaw in the Xbox One's log in security system!

Contact Xbox Support for any bugs or errors for a chance to win free games and subscriptions

Kristoffer recently managed to access his dad's gamer profile apparently by entering the wrong credentials and then filling the password entry box with spaces. As is with most innocent kids, the young boy's glee was replaced with anxiety, and the possibility of getting in trouble and having his games taken away got to him. With that, he owned up to his dad and they chose to report the flaw to Microsoft, resulting in a cache of goodies that Kristoffer's dad probably ran away with whilst laughing maniacally….

Sound off, Fanboys! Any of you just lose out on a second Christmas there? Comment below and thanks for reading.

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Exclusive Expendables 3 Teaser Trailer

Posted by Fellonius Munch

Finally, the first teaser trailer to Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables 3 is here, and it looks awesome!

The Expendables 3 Full Movie Stream HD Free

This old-school action movie franchise has been charging headlong and gathering momentum since its 2010 debut, bringing classic action movie legends together to make corny, high-octane, high-impact features. Even if you're not a fan, you can't deny that they do what they set out to do.


The Expendables 3 Full Theatrical Release Download BlurayIn the last installment, Sly and the Family Stallone went up against villains Jean-Claude Van Damme and Scott Adkins for the murder of Thor's younger brother (Liam Hemsworth). Along the way, they got Arnie back and joined forces with Chuck Norris. That was a lot of fun, but just as Expendables 2 did a lot to improve on the first outing, developments over the last year suggest that Stallone has been doing a lot to improve on the franchise's prior lack of acting weight.

Well, he's only gone and done that by adding Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Kelsey Grammer, Robert Davi, Antonio Banderas, and Wesley Snipes!

Now, we all know Han Solo, Blade, Mad Max, El Mariachi, and Frasier, but I was particularly delighted to hear that a somewhat less famous actor, Robert Davi, had joined the cast. Some of you know him as the opera-loving Fratelli brother from The Goonies, but there's a hidden link here. He's been good friends with Schwarzenegger since a viewing of Die Hard, where Davi played FBI Special Agent Johnson. And so the family grows...

While we're waiting for more updates on EX3, why not take a look at our predictions for what Expendables 4 could look like!

Expendables 4 Casting Info Wiki IMDB

Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! Are we looking forward to a ridiculous amount of explosions and hilariously bad one-liners, or what? Comments below, and thanks for reading.

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