Posted by
Saliv
- Thursday, June 5, 2014
So there's been a lot of buzz in the past few days about Marvel Comics canceling their Fantastic Four line of comics and not allowing any toys to be made for X-Men: Days of Future Past in order to win back the X-Men from Fox. There has even been talk of Marvel negotiating with Sony, due to the lukewarm reception of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, about Peter Parker swinging his way into Avengers 3. Whether this makes Marvel sound like a jealous ex-boyfriend or not, the idea of Spider-Man FINALLY joining the Avengers and maybe even a future Iron Man vs. Wolverine scenario that Hugh Jackman himself wants to see should make even the sweatiest Fanboy jump up and down and cheer from the rooftops, am I right?
 |
| You bet your ass I'm right, bub. |
Well, not so fast. Who among the gods of the industry dropped this news bombshell on the world? Rob Liefeld. Yeah, I'm going to guess some people don't know who this guy is, but the short answer is, in the comics world, he's a bit of a dick, so let's first just understand that he's the source of this rumor. Is he a man on the inside? Yeah, kind of. I mean, I don't believe he has much association with Marvel itself anymore, but I wouldn't take his word as gospel.
Also, let's just take a step back for a second and look at some numbers. The last time I checked on Box Office Mojo (current as of June 2nd), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has made a little over $690 million worldwide. The reviews may have been mixed, but that's not a flop by any measure, even when you take into account that they spent as much on marketing as they did on the movie. This movie made money. X-Men: Days of Future Past comes in at about $510 million worldwide. Let's also remember that both of these films are still in theaters and DOFP is KILLING it. This film has received the most praise of any X-Men film to date and has become the highest-grossing X-Men film ever made. Yet we're supposed to believe that some executives at Marvel were like, "Hm, we need X-Men back, but how? The box office returns are phenomenal! WAIT! I've got it! We won't allow any toy sales! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!" This makes no sense, considering three details:
- Toy lines are decided well in advance of a movie's release. Between getting the green light to do it, finding a manufacturer to make them, designing each figure, making prototypes, contacting distributors and making agreements with them, setting prices, and knowing how many you'll make, production isn't something you do on the fly. Do you really think Marvel decided at the last second to try to hurt Fox by not making toys? Nothing is last second.
- Toys means kids. Sure, some of us sweatier nerds have action figures still. Shit, I'm 24 years old, and if I see an Iron Man figure I like, you know I'll buy it. Realistically, however, toys means children. Even more importantly, toys means parents taking their children to the movie and then buying said toys. Did you even see the movie? I wouldn't call it a film for little kids. Sure, some parents are cool and would take their kids, but the numbers don't add up. Spider-Man? Huge cash cow for children. Marvel Studios has done a remarkable job making their cinematic universe gritty enough for older audiences but still child-friendly enough that you can take your 8-year-old to see Iron Man 2 or, more importantly, The Avengers. That film made kids excited about films that didn't have much attention otherwise, like Captain America, Thor, and Hulk. I mean, Iron Man was already a success with kids, and the fact that his suits always change? Money in the bank when you have a ton of different Iron Man toys, and kids collecting them all. Does 5-year-old Johnny want to play with Wolverine in '70s clothes? Considering, you know, he's the most popular character in that franchise, he's a no-brainer to make a toy for. There were toys back in the day. I remember the first film or two having toys (I even had a few), but Mommy is going to have to choose which toy she buys her son, the Wolverine from the disco era or the naked Wolverine from when he first goes to the past. I know which one Mommy would buy for herself, but her son? Yeah, a toy line probably wouldn't do too well anyway.
- Movies like these do not hinder toy sales. Did you see those numbers? Don't be spoiled by all the billion-dollar talk from the past few years with Avengers, Iron Man 3, etc. Grossing that much money is insanely good. Sony can listen to the criticism about ASM 2 and improve the third film, Sinister Six, Venom, the fourth film, yadda yadda yadda. There's no way that sort of box office return means Sony needs Marvel Studios to help them. They're fine. And Fox? Highest. Grossing. X-Men. Film. Ever. Toys are not going to do a damn thing. Won't even phase them. The Fantastic Four? Look, not as many people buy comics anymore. If a million people bought FF comics, and each one of them (which isn't realistic) went to the film, at what, $10 a ticket on average? That's $10 million. If they brought a friend? $20 million. Even if they brought a friend and went twice, that's $40 million. This new Fantastic Four reboot is coming off of Rise of the Silver Surfer for god's sake, canceling a comic book line means nothing for the film. The film has a history to go to. I don't even think a million people bought FF comics anyway; the last figure I heard was something like less than 50,000. You think continuing that series means anything for Fox's studio? No.
Do I want to see Spider-Man web-swing into Thanos? Yes. Do I want to see Wolverine take a stab at Cap's shield? Hell yes. Is it going to happen? No. Fox's properties are returning money like it grows on trees, and Sony has such big plans for their Spider-Man universe that even if the next film completely flops, I still don't think Sony would share the character with Marvel Studios, and if they did, do we want a half-assed Spidey? They can't even say Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are mutants and Magneto's kids in Avengers: Age of Ultron. I want to see Spider-Man as he should be done, and right now, Sony is the only studio who could give it to us. The same goes for the X-Men.
Don't believe the rumors, folks. Until something concrete comes out and disproves me 100%, I'm not going to put stock into the stories. Make sure to leave a comment to tell us your opinion on the matter, and thanks for reading! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!
Posted by
SpoodBeest
- Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Hello all fanboys and fangirls! It looks to be that time of year again where the future of gaming is revealed. Yes, it is none other than the week of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). I'm just going to share with you a little preview of sorts highlighting the games that are set to be showcased as well as some potential surprises.
Let's start off with Day 0, which takes place on June 9th. While technically a day before E3 officially begins, this is when a number of major game companies hold their official press conferences. Sony, Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Electronic Arts have all stated that their conferences will take place during different intervals thoughout the day. The same thing occurred at last year's event and I'm sure it's probably to open up some free room for actual gaming during the actual dates of the event.
For this day, I'm mainly looking forward to what Sony has to show for itself. Microsoft has its set of games previously announced for display. The usual crowd-pleasers like Halo 5: Guardians, Fable Legends, and Killer Instinct: Season 2 just to name a few. Ubisoft and Electronic Arts are practically doing the same thing. For example Ubisoft will be displaying such games as: Assassin's Creed: Unity and Farycry 4. And EA will be showcasing all their core sport titles like NHL, UFC, and FIFA as well as other major games like Battlefield Hardline and Star Wars: Battlefront for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Sony, though, has very few games listed, and the only one really worth bringing up is Uncharted 4. On the other hand, what is also worth bringing up is Sony's consistent and subliminal mentioning of Crash Bandicoot. You seen that sign with him in the PlayStation 4 launch trailer and the company have brought him up a couple times since then over social media. Whether or not it means anything is unknown at this point, but if all this does lead to them giving the series a resurgence on the PlayStation 4, then all I can say is I'm all for it.
That leads us into June 10th, which just so happens to be Nintendo's day of the event. They will apparently be hosting their first ever "Digital Event" on this day. What they plan to use this time for is anybody's guess. However, one of the few things that we know for sure is that on the game's floor, Nintendo will be hosting a "Super Smash Bros. Invitational", which is a major tournament set to showcase the upcoming fighting game for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
The games Nintendo has formally announced that they have on their agenda on this day (other than Smash) are as follows: Bayonetta 2, Hyrule Warriors, a new RPG game called X, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, and last but certainly not least the official unveiling of The Legend of Zelda for the Wii U. With no other details than that, I'm sure it's going to be a must see event. I hope we actually get a brand new and innovative IP from Nintendo for their Wii U console. I think that console would greatly benefit from getting something new like that for it.
As for the rest of the companies, they will be showcasing their games throughout the 11th and 12th of June. These are the days we are going to hear from such names in the gaming industry as: Sega, Namco Bandai, Atlus, Bethesda, Square Enix, etc. Sega will provide some updates on Sonic Boom for sure. Atlus is going to show off Persona 5, Bethesda have The Evil Within to showcase as well. A lot of these third party developers have at least one game pre-announced for E3.
Square Enix is no different, as they have two major titles set to be displayed. Those, of course, are Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts III. Personally, I am very much looking forward to any updates regarding Kingdom Heart's second sequel. Considering it will have a year of development behind it come next week, I'd love to see the worlds, bosses, characters, and so on that we will potentially be able to interact with. I'm really holding out for a Toy Story-themed world in the third game, but anything Pixar would suffice just as easily. As long as there is some representation you know?
What are you looking forward to the most at E3? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
Posted by
The Dace Man
- Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Hey, hey, hey Dacetacular Nation! Chris Dace bringing you some breaking video game news. The much anticipated Batman: Arkham Knight has had its fall 2014 release pushed back to 2015. Guy Perkins of Rocksteady has noted to news sources that the game has been "super ambitious" and it took "more time" than they expected. As a huge fan of all the recent Batman games, this is currently the only game I've had on reserve for the PS4. huge bummer that we now have to wait at the very least 4 months until the next installment of Batman hits our systems. In a quote released by Guy Perkins, he had this to say about the game:
"We just want to make the best experience we possibly can and we need more time to do that. I think what we've shown so far is a super ambitious project and we just want to make sure we are giving Batman fans and gamers the best Batman experience that we can possibly deliver and that just takes time." (Source: gamereactor.eu)
Go ahead Rocksteady and take your time, but this game better kick ass. To hold you over until we get more news about the next installment in the franchise, here is the trailer that got us all amped up at its announcement.
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 your Batmobile—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime
Posted by
Eddie Siqueira
- Monday, June 2, 2014
A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which inevitably centered around Nirvana. Now I'm glad to say you can see it online, courtesy of Random Person; why the Hall of Fame wouldn't put it up for streaming remains to be understood. Royalties perhaps?
I wonder if we'll ever see the bootleg of the after show secret concert, a whopping 20-song circa treat for the nostalgic.
Without further ado, here it is! What was your favorite song of the set? Comment!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
I don't usually go off-topic when it comes to what I write about here on Fanboys Anonymous. Those of you who've been following me probably know me as that Venom/Moon Knight dude, and I like that reputation, but I don't limit myself to what I love the most. I've been having a bit of a comic book renaissance of my own as of late in which I've been openly exploring other avenues and genres outside of my comfort zone. I happen to love Star Wars—maybe not as rabidly as my fellow geeks when I visit local conventions, but the franchise holds a special place in my upbringing. I've heard stories through word-of-mouth about the radically different initial draft George Lucas had written for Episode IV, so naturally, when I heard about Dark Horse Comics' plans to publish a limited series based on the rough draft, my interest was piqued.
Titled
The Star Wars, the series neither disappointed the long-time fan in me, nor spoiled the memory of the original trilogy. The final issue of the 8-part series just published on May 28, 2014, and let me tell you: it was a wondrous ride, to say the least. J.W. Rinzler (RINZ-LER!) held the distinct and intense honor of adapting Lucas' rough draft to the comic book script, while Nick Runge provided the classic, posteresque cover art and Mike Mayhew and Rain Beredo drew and painted the equally beautiful interior artwork for every issue. Unlike any other
Star Wars comics teams, this team had the heaviest burden to bear of all on this project: recapturing that particular sense of wonder and innocence most
Star Wars fans across the generations experienced when they first watched
A New Hope. This was perhaps the creative team's most notable accomplishment in their astounding adaptation.
From the very first page, you'll see that this isn't the Star Wars you grew up with. So much is different about this story, from which characters play which roles to the vast changes in the franchise's staple characters. Luke Skywalker isn't some punk kid living with his Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru (both of whom don't even show up until much later in the story); he's a seasoned General of Aquilae—this story's version of Tatooine and Naboo wrapped into one planet—and one of the last survivors of the ill-fated Jedi-Bendu Rebellion against the New Empire. Anakin Skywalker isn't Luke's father nor Darth Vader; in The Star Wars, he is known as Annikin Starkiller, the son of the cyborg Jedi Kane Starkiller, Luke's padawan, and this story's stand-in for the original trilogy's Luke. Han Solo is a green-skinned alien, Darth Vader is merely a general under the command of Governor Hoedaak and the (non-Sith Lord) Emperor, and R2-D2 can actually talk. So yeah, prepare for a culture shock when you pick this series up.
The Star Wars takes the original trilogy and combines it into one seamless, truncated version of the original plot. There are plenty of familiar, yet altered sights throughout the series, and some new concepts that never came into fruition in the final drafts of the films. The story is pretty much the same, though: the New Empire overthrew the old galactic regime (known simply as the Empire) after a fateful war against the Jedi-Bendu with the help of the Knights of the Sith, a rival clan of Force-disciplined warriors. The galaxy is about to fall under the complete control of the New Empire but for Aquilae, the final conquest and home of the Aquilean royal family, which includes Princess Leia and her younger brothers, Briggs and Windy. Luke, Annikin, and their associates are tasked with the protection of Leia and her brothers while fostering a Rebellion against the Empire and its seemingly invincible space fortress (what would go on to become the Death Star).
Perhaps this was the fault of the comic writer or it was directly taken from the original rough draft, but one of the largest detractors in this series for me were the moments of simplistic and borderline unnecessary dialogue—not unnecessary as in crude, but as in the dialogue was confusing and unneeded for the scene. Granted, one of the greatest elements of the original Star Wars film trilogy was its accessibility to the masses through simplicity and veiled macroeconomics, so maybe this is just a nit-pick from a guy who's used to more complex forms of dialogue and story.
The artwork really propelled this series into stardom, though. The artists were carefully chosen to emulate the vision of the original and new trilogies while giving us a taste of something new and different. The art is very cinematic and contains elements of both science fiction and fantasy. As with the original trilogy, the Force of Others—as it's called in the books, with the altered catchphrase, "May the Force of Others be with you"—is a spiritual, unseen energy used by the Jedi and Prince Valorum, the Emperor's Sith Knight and Jedi hunter. The artists use no special effects to illustrate the Force of Others, which adds to the mysticism of the mysterious energy.
Does The Star Wars live up to the legend of Star Wars? Absolutely. This series is perhaps analogous to a very successful Marvel What If…? story, which retains the same atmosphere and command of the original trilogy while providing a mirror into an alternate reality. The films may not have achieved the same level of fame and success had Lucas produced them with his rough draft, but this comic book adaptation proves the existence of the same spark that enthralled audiences on A New Hope's opening day.
The Star Wars #1–8 receives 4.5 stars out of 5 for the wondrous, yet simplistic writing and 5 stars out of 5 for the stunning artwork. This is definitely a must-buy for any hardcore or interested Star Wars fan. I suggest waiting for the series to come out in a collected trade paperback book later in July 2014, or the special hardcover edition that includes issue #0—which contains conceptual artwork and notes from the creative team.
If you picked up the books as they came out, what did you think of the series? Are you excited for the teased "Saga of the Ophuchi" sequel? Who was your favorite alternate-reality character? Let us know in the comments section below, check out Tony Mango's "10 Reasons Star Wars: Episode VII May Be Doomed From the Start," and follow Fanboys Anonymous for more Star Wars news and reviews!
Posted by
Anonymous
- Sunday, June 1, 2014
Readers, the great thing about graphic novels, especially indie graphic novels, is that there is no end to the story possibilities. No matter where you take your readers, as long as the art works, you should be able to find some reader somewhere who can relate. If that wasn't true, we wouldn't get Sunday newspaper comics in every weekend newspaper with which to pack our knickknacks.
The other day, I took a few hours to read Honkies From Outer Space, a cartoon-style adult graphic novel written, drawn, and hand lettered by Wm. J. Krupinski. As sort of a warning, some parts of the storyline and scenarios are more mature than the art itself, but it all seems to come together in a neat and tidy, well-drawn, decently written, silly masterpiece. It seems to draw an interesting parallel with several historical events involving the invasion unto a people by another, specifically the invasions upon the African and Native American peoples. In fact, the title, Honkies from Outer Space, leaves little to wonder about the population represented by the alien invader (if you catch my drift). Like the cover says, "they are so rude and crude they must be from another planet." The honkies don't care for preservation, they don't care who they might hurt, and they don't care what happens when they eat up all the resources.
This graphic novel begins with a few young troglodytes from an underdeveloped world. Having witnessed the invasion of a people from far away, they set out to free their kind from the honking destruction of the capitalist invaders. Little do they know that there is an incidental traitor among them who is drawn into an odd relationship with royalty from The Honkies. It will spell danger for people of the planet but may also save them.
I found this story unique and funny. At some points the humor might have fallen a little short, specifically in the form of a pun, or perhaps it might have been over my head, but when Krupinski hits the honky on the head, sometimes you can't help but kracker up. Krupinski gets a definite 4 out of 5 me and I would definitely read his work again. Tell me what you think downstairs! Indie?
