Posted by
The Dace Man
- Saturday, June 14, 2014
Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Dace Man here, with the fourth edition of The Dace Man Plays!! Going forward, yours truly will play a game here and there, usually for about 10 to 20 minutes because, frankly, anything longer and you all would lose interest. Hear my commentary as I take on some of the classics and some of the New Age stuff I don't quite understand!
In the fourth installment of The Dace Man Plays, I take on Disney's celebration of the Power Rangers franchise with the PlayStation 2's Power Rangers Super Legends (15th Anniversary). Let's see how the Dace Man fares playing as the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy in the third level of this PlayStation 2 classic.
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 Lost Galaxy Morpher—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!
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Posted by
Unknown
- Friday, June 13, 2014
It's the one week to rule them all - and New York plans on doing just that. Thinking far outside the box, New York Comic Con planners will be taking the eight-year-old annual pop culture event and expanding it beyond the Javits Center's walls for a week-long super extravaganza. (Anything San Diego Comic Con can do, NYCC can do it better!)
ReedPOP, the world's largest producer of pop culture events, has announced they will be taking over New York City in an action-packed festival, rightfully dubbed New York Super Week.
"New York Super Week is an immersive and inclusive experience that aims to bring the energy, passion, and color of the entire universe of popular culture to every corner of all five boroughs of New York City," the press release stated.
The 10-day long inaugural festival will turn the city into a super hero playground, full of pop culture-themed events from concerts, comedy shows, gaming events, lectures, podcasts, food tastings, and more.
Events will include StarTalk Live! hosted by Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, Slate's Hang Up & Listen podcast, Running Late with Scott Rogowsky featuring co-creators of Dr. Katz, SLIMED! Presents a Nickelodeon Nostalgia Nite, Rock Star Karaoke, Doctor Who Trivia and Costume Contest, Sci-Fi Explosion, Nerd Nite, Story ColliderThe Big Quiz Thing, Sex Nerd Sandra Workshop, and eSports competitions.
Priority seating at various Super Week events will be given to those who have purchased a New York Super Week Card. Though the card itself does not include admission to events or NYCC, it comes with its own perks such as drink specials and discounts.
Lance Fensterman, Global Senior Vice President of ReedPOP, said in the press release that:
"We envision New York Super Week taking over NYC, bringing diverse content from all corners of the pop culture galaxy to all the corners of the five boroughs of the greatest city in the world. New York Super Week will follow the spirit of popular events like South by Southwest, by introduce it with a distinct New York sensibility and flair and faulty rooted in the world of popular culture. With New York Comic Con becoming so popular amongst fans, media, and sponsors it was natural to broaden the scope of content and tear it out of the Javits Center and into the city at large allowing new fans and more fans to experience a whole week of content leading to the show."
Over 130,000 fans gather at the Javits Center each year for a sold-out Comic Con, generating tens of millions of dollars for New York's economy. The extended events will not only further boost the economy, it will bring out the geek in all of us throughout the city.
A list of participating venues for New York Super Week include:
- Hammerstein Ballroom
- Barcade
- 92nd Street Y
- Barnes and Noble
- Rock Bar
- The Housing Works Bookstore
- IFC Center
- The Bell House
- Galapagos Art Space
- Union Hall
- Brooklyn Winery
- Videology
- Museum of Morbid Anatomy
- The Way Station
- Madame Tussauds
- Ripley's Believe it or Not
- Madame X
- Dave and Buster's
- South Street Seaport.
ReedPOP will partner with Clear Channel Spectacolor as the Official Media Partner of New York Super Week and New York Comic Con, co-producing several events through out the week. Additional partners and details on tickets for each event will be announced throughout the summer.
New York Comic Con will take place October 9-12 at the Jacob Javits Center. Tickets go on sale June 18 at noon for $65 for a three-day pass and $95 for four days. For more information and full ticket prices, click here.
If you aren't excited enough, here's a promo video:
In the meantime, head over to Discovery Times Square and become a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent!
Fanboys assemble! Let us know how excited you are for a week long event in the comment section below!
Posted by
Anonymous
- Thursday, June 12, 2014
Readers: I don't know about the rest of you, but I've been a fan of mystery/detective comics since I first read the wild pages of my first comic ever, Dick Tracy. Clearly, it's a comic that sets itself apart from most detective comics by employing certain dark fantasy aspects, but it's still the one that drew me in. Twenty some odd years later, and I still like to pick up a detective comic from time to time. The stories are all different, but the nostalgia always feels the same.
I recently received two comics from an expert indie comic writer Chuck Amadori: Tether, a comic I've already reviewed; and an Isle Squared Comics and Cruel Production collaboration, Empress, a mystery/detective comic which opens up with a know-it-all detective that's seen his share of "business." Both comics seem pretty unique and the art is great. Touched up with Amadori's talent for writing, the Island Square comic team really seems to be onto something.
Empress begins something like this: a young actress who is credited with being the first and foremost to take part in a new movie-making technology has gone missing. The company responsible for her next movie cannot find her as she is quite whimsical and free. As a last resort, they hire a young detective that has seen his share of work. The problem? He's not the only detective to have gone searching for the young actress—and none of the others have returned.
Our young gumshoe seems to have a soft spot for young women and can't seem to see the big picture in the presence of a beauty. While this comic doesn't seem to come out with it right away, I suspect that either his luck or his talent will create problems with a young mole who is put on his tracks to ruin the investigation. It seems almost like it may be a device by which to employ a little comic relief. The story is quick, the plot doesn't take long to thicken, and the characters are fun. This comic is definitely worth a look. Scope Empress and tell me what you think downstairs! Indie?
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.
MOVIES
Sonic the Hedgehog, the movie star?
My take: SEGA and Sony have created a deal that will bring Sonic to the big screen Roger Rabbit-style (live action/animated hybrid). I sense the movie will be Speed Racer (the movie) on LSD.
Peyton Reed is Ant Man director.
My take: *sigh* Sure, whatever, just make the movie. I'm sure we'll hear all about the drama just before the film is released. Edgar Wright will probably have a project of his own coming out that same month and everybody wins the marketing game.
Dumb and Dumber To Trailer.
My take: I'm a huge fan of the first movie. I love it. "Big Gulps, huh, all right"? Come on, that movie's amazing. I have to admit, I am not a fan of gross-out humor, and this seemed to highlight it. Hopefully they aren't using scenes like the one with the old lady as their base for the comedy range.
TELEVISION
Constantine easter egg.
My take: *spoiler* I guess? If you care about the DC television universe, skip this paragraph…okay…here we go…so, apparently Dr. Fate will be a part of the story. The good news about that is that the show may not just be about Constantine, but more of a Justice League Dark show. Now that would be interesting if they raised the stakes like that.
Vincent D'Onofrio cast as Kingpin for Daredevil.
My take: I've said before and I'll say it again: Marvel knows casting. Every casting announcement I hear from them is like the puzzle piece I've been looking for suddenly locking into place. D'Onofrio is an engaging actor and will definitely bring the layers the Kingpin requires. However, I'll admit I'm not huge on the casting of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, but I'm sure I'll come around.
COMIC BOOKS
Original Sin ups the game.
My take: How the Internet didn't explode last week is beyond me. I read #3 a little bit late, so maybe I missed something. I was looking forward to this crossover changing the status quo again, and it's delivering like crazy. There are several side stories that Marvel could have played out on their own, but tying them all into this series makes it a great one-stop shop. Maybe I'm just happy for anything after the demi-god-awful Fear Itself. I get the trades of all Marvel crossovers, but I'm skipping that one.
Batman #31, Nightwing #30, Batman Eternal…
My take: DC, you're killing me slowly and softly. I didn't think I would see a Batman book come out and feel "forced" to pick it up. Just get this over with. Changing Dick Grayson's role in the DCU just after re-booting to attract new fans to your heroes and legacy? Finally, why release a sub-par book to come out weekly? You're scrambling to make money off of the bat-ears, and your fans aren't digging it anymore. If anyone is loving the bat-books, please comment below! I need an argument in the "win" column on these books, please. Convince me!
Aquaman / Swamp Thing Crossover.
My take: For all the slamming I do on DC, the idea of Aquaman battling Swamp Thing is awesome, and I love the cover to #31 with Aquaman tied in swamp roots. The fight between them also plays out as a standalone battle, so I don't have to commit to more if I just want to see these two knock each other around!
GAMES
Star Wars Battlefront 3 "trailer" at E3.
My take: No footage is frustrating but hearing that Battlefront is going to be done slowly but correctly is encouraging. The designer's insistence at how meticulous they're being with creating this game is going to leave little room for error. They better be ready for the Internet commentators if the game isn't absolutely amazing.
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!
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Tuesday, June 10, 2014
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a pretty great track record with casting decisions, and today's announcement has continued that trend. Vincent D'Onofrio has been cast as the Kingpin of crime himself, Wilson Fisk, in the new Daredevil series!
You may recognize D'Onofrio from Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Men in Black. He also has a role in the upcoming Jurassic World film.
This is absolutely perfect casting in my mind. Too many people, in their fan casts for the role, just go with someone who is overweight, which is not actually central to Kingpin's character. Honestly, could you really see John Goodman playing the role? Goodman is awesome, but he couldn't pull off the physicality of it. D'Onofrio can make for quite an intimidating presence, and you can't deny the resemblance in the picture above.
It blows my mind that I never thought of this before, as it seems like such an obvious decision. Kudos, Marvel!
What do you think of Vincent D'Onofrio playing Kingpin?
Leave your comments below!
Posted by
Ronnie Brown
- Monday, June 9, 2014
There's no way around it: last year Sony's E3 press conference destroyed Microsoft's. The final nail in the coffin was when Sony took Microsoft's ridiculous Xbox One policies and shot them down point by point. Now a year has passed, and both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are out. Microsoft started things off at E3 2014 with a solid press conference; they focused on the games, and some cool announcements came out of it (Halo: The Master Chief Collection stands out for me). Then came Sony's turn. After their amazing year in 2013, the bar was set pretty high, and anticipation was building.
Did Sony match last year's awesomeness? Well…not quite. It was another solid press conference, but not much was truly groundbreaking and exciting. There was still some good stuff though, so without further ado, here are my five favorite things from Sony's E3 press conference!
1. LittleBigPlanet 3 Reveal
LittleBigPlanet is such an adorably awesome series that has done so well for Sony that it was only a matter of time before a PS4 entry was revealed. Sure enough, the trailer showed off the adorableness and sense of fun we've come to expect from the series by revealing some of Sackboy's new friends. This one will definitely be on my radar come November when it's released.
2. Far Cry 4 Gameplay Trailer
I absolutely loved Far Cry 3. It's one of my favorite games from the last generation, so I've been pumped for Far Cry 4 ever since I first heard about it. To finally see some gameplay footage was amazing; the game looks stunning, and we have what will hopefully be a great villain, so it's looking good. Finding out there will be some co-op elements and that PS4 players can invite their friends to join them even if their friends don't have the game is just icing on the cake.
3. Mortal Kombat X gameplay
After that excellent reveal trailer last week, it was pretty sweet to see actual gameplay from Mortal Kombat X. It looked awesome and even more brutal running on PS4. I mean it's Mortal Kombat. How can you NOT be excited?
4. Batman: Arkham Knight Gameplay Footage
This is another one that looks absolutely gorgeous. I love Rocksteady's Batman games, and this looks like it'll be one hell of an ending to the series. We got to see the goddamn Batmobile in action! That alone puts this one on my list. It was also nice for PS4 owners to know they'll get some exclusive Scarecrow missions. Those are always fun.
5. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Trailer
I'm so glad Sony saved this one for last. Seeing Naughty Dog's logo excited me more than anything else in the press conference did. Even though we still know nothing about the game other than that new "A Thief's End" subtitle and a release year of 2015, I'm still so pumped for it. Uncharted is one of my favorite PlayStation exclusive series, and I can't wait to experience it on the PS4.
I'd also like to give a shout out to the Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain trailer. I've never actually played a Metal Gear Solid game all the way through, but I still appreciate the series and that trailer was excellent.
So there you have it. I think it's telling that only two of the five things on my list were PlayStation exclusives, but oh well. I still enjoyed that press conference overall. What do you guys think? Did you enjoy the press conference or did you think it was boring? What would you put on your list? Sound off in the comments!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
Hey, peeps! I'm back to review yet another comic book series that has nothing to do with Venom or Moon Knight. Shocker, right? (Wrong; it's not about the Shocker, either.) About a year ago when I started branching out beyond my comfort zone with comics, my eyes were set on Image with its rise in power against the Big Two of the industry (Marvel and DC). I picked up a few interesting titles here and there from Image, including Revival and Saga—both of which are beyond-amazing books that you should be reading. I wanted to stay within my superhero comfort zone as well, though, so I decided to subscribe to The Bounce at the beginning of the series, and I have stuck with it to the end of its 12-issue run.
Written by Joe Casey and with art by David Messina, Giovanna Niro, Sonia Harris, Gaetano Carlucci, and Claudia Scarlet Gothica (there are a ton of art credits throughout the series, so I apologize to anyone I haven't listed), the series' selling point was that it's about a slacker, stoner superhero called the Bounce whose superpower was literally just that—he bounces like a superball. What the series eventually transformed into, however, was something much larger than another superhero story.
The book follows Jasper Jenkins, your run-of-the-mill nobody who has no career ambitions; a tough-as-nails older brother, Jeremiah, who's also an Assistant District Attorney for New York City; a cross-dressing roommate, Terry; and a secret life as, seemingly, the only superhero in a world that just doesn't feel right. That's the ultimate main point of the story: he's actually one of a handful of new super-powered individuals popping up in New York, and none of them feels like he or she has a place in a truly screwed-over world. War, famine, and misery reek in Earth's atmosphere, and nobody has any time or patience for the Bounce and his villains' bull. That is, nobody but the mysterious Darling and his secret, US military-run organization.
Both the Darling and the seductive Silver, a fortune teller who professes to live in two worlds simultaneously, have their own plans for Jasper as he's thrown into an interdimensional fantasy adventure and expected to play a part he has no idea he was assigned. Who knew some loser with one of the lamest superpowers would become the epicenter of a cosmic revolution?
Casey developed this complex story and universe in such a fluid way that the reader follows along with Jasper, thinking "what the heck is going—OH!" What really sold the book for me, however, was the tantalizing artwork. The Bounce utilizes every color of the psychedelic rainbow to deliver a visually stunning series, especially in the final book, which explodes in color along with the story.
There were a few instances in which the panel layout confused the order in which the panels were supposed to be read across a double-page spread, and the dialogue cues that could've dictated the flow of the narrative were nearly nonexistent, so I sometimes would have to reread a two-page spread in alternate orders to find the right directional flow. Another detractor from the story is the point at which Casey lets us in on the Darling's background, which also suffered from the double-page panel layout issue. I got the gist of how his back story relates to the present events, but there were several elements that just didn't seem to fit with the overall narrative. And don't get me started on the apparent deus ex machina ending, which left me scratching my head a bit and wondering, is that really how he's going to end it?
The Bounce was really a fun, mind-bending read with superb art. It has its flaws, but what book doesn't? It gets 3.5 stars out of 5 for the writing, and 4.5 stars out of 5 for the art. Definitely pick the book up if it sounds interesting, but I'd wait for the trade paperback release if I were you.
Read the book? What do you think of the series? How about those superhero designs from the Sauterne? Seemed familiar, eh? Tell me about it in the comments section below!
Posted by
Michelle Quillen
This is the first time in 4 years that I won't be able to attend E3. The times I have attended certainly proved to be memorable; I wasn't there to work, so my exploration of its technical playground abounded. If an E3 noob were to ask me something about the event they wouldn't have guessed, chances are, my answer would entail a personal experience. I've never left an E3 without a story to tell.
After all, it's where I had the pleasure of sharing drinks with PodCRASH host and former G4 personality Chris Gore. In 2012, I was able to meet writers for the gaming site I then wrote for, just long enough to become friendly yet briefly enough to avoid the inevitable awkwardness of meeting Internet strangers. At E3 2013, I met Jeromy "Doc" Adams, the founder of Extra Life (an annual gaming charity event I've participated in since 2010). Being recognized by Razer's CEO, Min Liang Tan, as someone he followed on Twitter was also pretty cool.
Yet there are other things about E3 to which I'm sure most of its attendees don't pay any mind—more unusual facts that could only be brought to us via this month's issue of the Entertainment Software Association's newsletter. Unlike the sights and sounds available to everyone on the exhibit floor, the ESA has provided us the following 10 behind-the-scenes, IMDb trivia-esque facts about just how much goes into the production of this annual southern California convention:
1. The Ethernet cables used at E3 could stretch from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, from New York City to Chicago, from Denver to Dallas, or from Madrid to Paris. In total, these cables weigh more than two tons.
2. E3 features more than 35,000 video monitors and more than 6,000 pieces of furniture.
3. The meeting rooms and exhibit spaces at E3 could fill nearly 8 U.S. football fields, approximately 34 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or more than 7 White Houses.
4. Truss and hoists at E3—used to suspend lighting and hanging decorations—weigh the equivalent of 26 African elephants, 54 mid-sized SUVs, or more than 7 F-18 fighter jets.
5. The amount of bandwidth required for 3 days at E3 is more than most U.S. cities require in a year.
6. E3 employs more than 3,000 people during the course of producing the show, including an army of 45 network engineers who work to complete the on-site Internet/Ethernet installation in the 3 weeks leading up to the big event.
7. If the total quantity of data moved over the Internet at E3 was printed on size 8.5 x 11 paper and stacked vertically, it would be taller than the Empire State Building.
8. More than 55 miles of fiber optic cable is used at E3, enough to reach the mesopause—the coldest part of Earth's upper atmosphere.
9. The LACC's electricians use nearly 10 miles of extension cords at E3 and nearly 5 miles of duct tape to secure cords to the floor. The show also installs approximately 5 miles of carpet throughout the LACC.
10. For the first time, millions of gamers from around the world will be able to experience E3 by tuning in to Twitch.TV's live stream of the expo floor. Viewers can also watch press conferences, original interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage of the event.
Will you be heading to Los Angeles this week to go to the electronic software industry's global premiere trade show? Tell us in the comments what you're looking forward to, and even if you can't be there, head over to http://www.e3insider.com starting Monday at 9:30 AM PST to catch live coverage of this year's press conferences.
Source: ESA
Photo credits: Michelle Quillen
Posted by
Anthony Mango
- Sunday, June 8, 2014
On episode 2 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about the retelling of Disney's Sleeping Beauty, entitled Maleficent, and breaks down not only what worked in the film (Hit) as well as what didn't (Miss).
Hosted by Tony Mango along with Tom Jackson & Caitlin Dooley.
You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!
Posted by
Unknown
- Saturday, June 7, 2014
After weeks of fan casting and a whole colony of potential candidates, Marvel has announced today that Peyton Reed will replace Edgar Wright as the director of Ant-Man. The news didn't stop there, however, as they also announced that Adam McKay, of Anchorman fame, will tune up the script for Reed.
Reed is an interesting choice whose resume certainly fits the comedic tone Ant-Man seems to be going for, although he hasn't done much high concept work. His previous credits are a smorgasbord that include everything from episodes of the popular New Girl to the original Bring It On film. McKay has directed two legendary combat sequences in the Anchorman franchise, so the two in tandem could make for interesting cinema.
What do you think of the selection of Reed? Will he be able to fill the void left by Wright? Let us know in the comments section below!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
- Friday, June 6, 2014
Hey-hey! It's your favorite Symbiote/Moon Knight Fanboy again, here to give you another glimmering review of the next chapter in the Moon Knight saga by Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire. I also have some bittersweet news to report after the review of Moon Knight #4 concerning the future of the book, so stay tuned.
Our powerhouse creative team continues to steam this wow-train along its weird tracks with the latest installation in the Lunar Crusader's one-shot adventures, this time called "Sleep." The one thing I've loved about this series so far is Ellis' attentiveness to Moon Knight's rich history, and in this issue he touches upon another classic story: the strange tale of Robert Markham, a.k.a. Morpheus, a mutated victim of eternal waking.
The issue explores a mysterious string of sleep-related attacks, for which Mr. Knight (Marc Spector's suit, tie, and masked persona) is contracted to investigate because of his experiences with Morpheus. It's also nice to see the late Dr. Peter Alraune's name mentioned—the older brother of Marc's once-long-time love interest, Marlene, and the man who accidentally created and tragically perished at the hands of Morpheus. Alraune is the second familiar name from Marc's supporting cast to show up in this new series, too, after Detective Flint.
The story takes a bizarre and colorful turn for the psychedelic as Mr. Knight explores the cause of the sleep-related attacks, and both Shalvey and Bellaire really get a chance to flex their artistic muscles. Up until this issue, their art has been very gritty and street-level, which works very well for a Moon Knight book. This time, though, Moon Knight is cast into a very strange fungal wonderland, and the pair comfortably stretch the limits of his supernatural pedigree, especially on a full-page spread that is bound to make you go "WTF? It's pretty, but…WTF?"
Perhaps the only criticism I have for this issue is another of Ellis' trademark abrupt endings. He did the same thing back in issues #1 and #2, and once again I felt like there was more to the story that just didn't make the cut. Admittedly, every issue always feels too truncated—even with issue #3, whose ending wrapped up quite serenely—but that's what you get with these one-off stories that have to fit within a 21-page limit.
 |
| THE BACON! |
Despite the abruptness and a lack of movement on Marc's overarching story, this was a solid issue for the entire creative team. Moon Knight #4 receives 4.5 stars out of 5 for the writing and 5 stars out of 5 for the art, meaning Shalvey and Bellaire's track record remains solid as they knock each issue out of the park.
 |
| Just another day at the office. |
Now, as for that bittersweet news I have to report: for a few weeks now, the fate of the book's creative team seemed uncertain, yet inevitable, but as of Wednesday when issue #4 released, Marvel and Newsarama broke the news that, yes, issue #6 would be the final one with the current creative team. Bellaire will remain to carry the torch with writer Brian Wood (Demo, DV8, X-Men) and artist Greg Smallwood (The Dream Thief) respectfully replacing Ellis and Shalvey.
It will definitely be a sad departure; Ellis and Shalvey have done an outstanding job at shining the much-needed spotlight onto Moon Knight, and the book has seen some new readership because of the all-star creative team and the truly epic books. Wood and Smallwood ensure readers, though, that their Moon Knight will bear many resemblances to Ellis and Shalvey's Moon Knight in style and format with Bellaire being the unifying element.
Check out Newsarama's interview with the new names for the full details, then head over to CBR to read Ellis and Shalvey's reasons for leaving the book. You can darn well expect to see more Moon Knight reviews from yours truly as the issues come out, regardless of creative change-ups. Don't forget to leave a comment below telling Fanboys Anonymous about your favorite moments in the book and your hopes and fears for the future of Moon Knight!
In the fourth installment of The Dace Man Plays, I take on Disney's celebration of the Power Rangers franchise with the PlayStation 2's Power Rangers Super Legends (15th Anniversary). Let's see how the Dace Man fares playing as the Red Ranger from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy in the third level of this PlayStation 2 classic.
