Fanboys Anonymous

#BB16 - Big Brother 16 Logo

The 16th season of Big Brother is about to begin on June 25, 2014, and the cast has finally been announced.

There are 16 people this time around, and as expected, most of the stereotypes can be checked off. Even though Big Brother tends to cast generic archetypes, each individual person is different from everyone else who has been a part of the show in the past seasons, so you never know what you're in store for.

On top of this, there are more twists to the game itself. So what is going down this summer? Let's take a look!

• The house will be divided into two teams of eight.
• Both teams will have a Head of Household that will nominate two people on their team.
• The four nominees will compete in a new challenge called "Battle of the Block" where the victorious team will be safe from nominations along with their HoH.
• The winning HoH, the two former nominees, and three others selected by random will fight for the Power of Veto.
• Everyone except those three people are eligible for nomination, including the opposing team's HoH.

This seems so complicated and confusing right now, as though CBS is just tossing out extra rules for the sake of boredom. I'm not all too thrilled about the gimmick this time around.


Let's take a look at the people. Keep in mind that my first impressions are based on virtually nothing and usually change throughout the season. Many times, the way these people come off in their interviews and on the first few episodes is nothing like the people they are for the remainder of the game, so don't hold me to these generalizations! For all I know, the people I run down could be the nicest, and the ones I praise could be total assholes.

Amber Borzotra

OCCUPATION: Esthetician / Model

INFO / PREDICTION: Amber is super cute and very likable. She'll make a lot of friends and, in the process, make a lot of enemies. She doesn't seem to have that much of a strategy outside of creating an alliance with the girls, who could easily become jealous of her down the line and backstab her. Not only did she say in her interview that she's afraid she'll be too nice and that she's not that great of a liar, but she also chose that she'd rather be loved and lose than be hated and win. That mentality does not go far in the game. If she truly hates creating enemies like it seems and her only motivational pep talk for herself is the standardized "you might underestimate me by my looks" response, she'll be spending most of her time missing her big family and being upset over the emotional aspects of the game rather than playing to win. Calling yourself strong is not actually being strong, and most of the time, it's overcompensation. Amber risks making the mistake of trying too hard at the beginning to be likable and a competitor, causing people to view her as one of the opening threats and knock her out. Her kindness and inability to lie will kill her game unless she's so horrible at the challenges that people keep her around.

Brittany Martinez

OCCUPATION: Event Coordinator

INFO / PREDICTION: Judging by her picture, I expected her to be the airhead of this season, since she's clearly very attractive. She doesn't quite seem to be that, which is good for her. Brittany is a mother of 3 kids, which will most likely mean that she'll have more patience than others in the house. That, combined with her stamina at 29, should be a challenge to compete against. She also chose that she would rather be hated and win because there are always going to be people that hate you no matter what, which is a winning philosophy in my mind. One big negative is that she's not a fan of Big Brother from past seasons, so she may not be familiar with some typical moves that happen within the game. Not being a fan of Big Brother in the past doesn't necessarily mean that you're guaranteed to be screwed, but it definitely doesn't help at all. Brittany has a chance to make it far if she plays down her strengths and aligns herself with the right people who don't screw her over. She could be someone to watch out for as a finalist, but the pessimistic side of me thinks she'll get knocked out around the 3/4 double eviction point.

Caleb Reynolds

OCCUPATION: Adventure Hunting Guide

INFO / PREDICTION: His strategy is the "Bobber Hook & Sinker Effect," which translates to a plan of manipulating someone who will do the dirty work for him. He's going in with an open mind and no real attachments; he's here for the money and wants to win. I like him. I think he's a little arrogant, which could get in the way down the line with ego problems, but manipulative ones are usually the ones that I root for, and if they play their cards right, they can win. He doesn't seem to have hangups that are going to get in the way, and he seems to be in good shape. His job experience is weird and could be advantageous. I'm expecting him to be a possible winner, which probably means that I'll be disappointed and he'll get eliminated #2 or #3.


Christine Brecht

OCCUPATION: Barista

INFO / PREDICTION: She's a superfan and a dork and silly. Christine is going to be emotional about her husband (and even sounded choked up while saying that). She's trying to play the nice card while also being manipulative and seems a little cocky about her intelligence. She's very, very confident and enthusiastic, which is good, but who knows if that will pay off. I'm expecting her to make it to the midway point before she's removed at a week when someone turns their back on her. The team concept is going to either screw her or save her. She will either be an oddball that they knock out because she's an outcast or she'll be grouped with the right mix that she can play the puppeteer for.




Cody Calafiore

OCCUPATION: Sales Account Executive

INFO / PREDICTION: His salesmanship skills and attractiveness will help him with his social game. However, being too competitive will bite him in the ass and he'll get into arguments because of it, making enemies and turning friends into people willing to turn on him. Cody will be an IMMEDIATE target for his intimidating appearance. He also wants to win the first HOH, which won't help that whatsoever. The girls will want to knock him out because they always target the strong guys, and the other men will want to knock him out because they'll think he's their only threat. Cody can easily be the first person eliminated. If he isn't, I'll be shocked. Out of everyone on this list, he's the one person I would be confident in saying will not have a shot at winning.

Derrick Levasseur

OCCUPATION: Police Officer

INFO / PREDICTION: Cops are 50/50. The good ones are respectable, honorable people. The bad ones are some of the most despicable people on the planet. Derrick knows this and he has said that he's going to keep that from the houseguests. While he claims that he's been undercover (which will GREATLY help in this regard), it almost never seems to work well when people try to keep secrets. They break down after a few weeks. He has a 17-month-old daughter, which can help be a motivator as well as a means for sympathy. His athleticism will help him—and I'd venture a guess that he will be the person who will view Cody as the big threat and knock him out—but athleticism is not the main thing that wins this game. If you want a random prediction for a timeline of his eviction, I'd venture a guess at week 5.

Devin Shepherd

OCCUPATION: Motorcycle Sales Manager (former pro baseball player)

INFO / PREDICTION: Like the previous two, his athleticism is a huge benefit and a huge burden. He knows this paints a target on him, though. He's kind of bland, but that's very good for him. Bland people might not be the most exciting to watch, but they stick around a long time. If he doesn't intimidate them too much, he can end up slipping by the opening "vote out all the strong guys" barrage and win the game later on. That's an extremely tough thing to do, however, particularly if you look the way that Devin looks. I know if I were in this game, he'd be the first person that I'd look to make an alliance with and the first person that I would turn on in that alliance when given a chance to boot him out. He's too much of a danger to keep around because he could win it all.


Donny Thompson

OCCUPATION: School Groundskeeper

INFO / PREDICTION: The old man this season isn't really obscenely old, and he seems to be in okay shape. That could end up making him an underestimated threat. He knows he's a stingy person, so he'll have trouble with the games where you need to take risks. He also admits that he is a bad liar who can't look people in the eyes. Donny is odd, and that is either going to rub people the wrong way or will wear down their defenses and they'll keep him around for morale's sake. Donny's lasting a long time…a loooong time. Final three is a definite possibility.






Frankie Grande

OCCUPATION: YouTube Personality

INFO / PREDICTION: As a YouTube personality myself, you'd think that I would root for him to an extent. However, anytime someone is over the top and in my face in this game (as well as on YouTube), I tend to get exhausted and not want to bother with them anymore. He is Ariana Grande's brother. Who cares? I'll tell you who—America. Just being associated with her is going to get him so many votes, which is a shame. I really, really hope that he is playing up the flamboyant and SUPER FUN LOLOLZ gimmick right now and that he calms down on the show itself. Telling the houseguests of his famous sister will likely result in an immediate elimination, but if he can get past that, I'd expect him to last until the 3/4 mark.

Hayden Voss

OCCUPATION: Pedicab Driver

INFO / PREDICTION: So this guy is a rehash of "Crazy James," who I thought was beyond annoying. Duuuude he's like sooooo chillll. He fancies himself someone that everyone will like, but that doesn't always work out that way. As I mentioned above, if you're bland, that can be what saves you in this game. Hayden could easily be the type of guy who is the equivalent of background furniture. He'll be the quintessential floater this season. Because of that, there are two possible ways that this will end up for him. Either he will be the expendable person to eliminate on a week when the plans to awry and nobody wants to pull off any bit power moves, or he'll make it to the final stretch and everyone will be wondering how he did it, because he didn't contribute all that much.


Jocasta Odom

OCCUPATION: Minister

INFO / PREDICTION: The way she acts, I never would have assumed she's a minister. She's got a lot of spunk and she's flashy, rather than the reserved mentality that you normally see from people that are heavily rooted in religion. Jocasta doesn't stand out to me as anything particularly special or different in any way whatsoever, but that's in a good way for her game. She's probably not the best with the athletic side of the competitions, but she appears to be well-rounded with the social game to make up for it. She'll be a mid-season eviction when her team is up on the block and there's not all that much going on, so they just need a sacrificial lamb of sorts.


Joey Van Pelt

OCCUPATION: Hairstyle & Makeup Artist

INFO / PREDICTION: As a general rule of thumb, I hate it when people try to be quirky. Thus, Joey is off to a bad start with me. There are so many things that bother me about this type of a person. Women should not have male names (and vice versa, all you guys out there named Janice or Beth) because it isn't cute, it's needlessly confusing. That outfit and that hair? You're trying way too hard, Joey. All of this is a false sense of empowerment. I can't stand anything that has a goal of standing out and boosting someone's self-confidence just by being different—as if that's a compliment in and of itself. Different and better is good. Just different? Ugh. I can 100% see why she's on this show, though. She's a big personality, has a lot of energy, and there will be a buttload of people who are obsessed with her and love her to death. She'll make it far in the game. While I don't have anything specific to dislike about her right now other than judging the book by its cover, she's someone who will have to win me over as opposed to someone who is going in with a better first impression. Who knows, maybe that will happen, right?

Nicole Franzel

OCCUPATION: Nursing Graduate

INFO / PREDICTION: She says that women tend to dislike her. If that happens here, she's done. You can't win this game if you are a woman that the other women hate. At the very least, I can't remember a situation where that's resulted in a victory. Nicole seems rather young and impressionable. She'll be a fantastic person to add into your alliance for numbers purposes as well as a follower that will do what the majority wants. I can't see her making any big moves on her own and shaking up the system. She'll be the object of the affection for a lot of guys, which will keep her around longer in the game than what she'll accomplish on her own. I also think she'll have a few surprise wins up her sleeve in the physical competitions.


Paola Shea

OCCUPATION: DJ

INFO / PREDICTION: I have absolutely no read on Paola. I can't pinpoint anything about her. Part of me thinks she's going to win the whole thing, and part of me thinks she's the second or third person eliminated. She's definitely the most difficult personality to even attempt to crack. Paola could be an enormous threat on the social side of things by being able to befriend both sides of the house (as far as men and women go). In her interview, she says she has the memory of a goldfish, but earlier in it, she remembers what seasons Jeff appeared on when even he was confused, so maybe she's just selling herself short. Funny girl, infectious attitude, nothing offensive about her (so far)…watch out for her this season, everyone.


Victoria Rafaeli

OCCUPATION: Photographer

INFO / PREDICTION: Victoria is going to be the cause of fights, without a doubt. She seems privileged and entitled. Nothing in her strategy of dazzling everyone with her beauty and how amazing she is compared with everyone who is mean to her and has no reason to hate her sounds like an actual plan. She's there to stir trouble, and she'll do just that. Somehow, those people tend to last until at least the midway point in the game. You can blame it on a conspiracy theory with the producers wanting to keep them on board—and there may or may not be some truth to that, by the way—but one way or another, Victoria is going to be a big focal point and she definitely, without a doubt, will not win this game.



Zach Rance

OCCUPATION: Economics Graduate

INFO / PREDICTION: "I will lie, cheat, steal, and KILL for a chance at that money." Good. He's unemployed, which will make people think he's rich. That's bad. He considers himself a con artist and keeps talking himself up. He's easily the most arrogant person in the house, and that cockiness is problematic because it causes tension all the time. This guy plays up the camera more than anyone else, and he'll be fun as hell to watch for someone like me. His favorite player is Mike Boogie, who is in my top five (the other four being Will Kirby, Dan Gheesling, Eric Stein, and Evel Dick Donato).






The first episode hasn't even aired yet and personalities change throughout the entire season, so it's always difficult to know what's going to happen. Still, speculation is fun, and right now, I think this could end up being better than last year. If that's the case, you'll see more posts from me here about it, but at the very least, you can hit me up on Twitter @ToeKneeManGo to get my thoughts on Big Brother 16.

As of right now, I would say my personal favorites are Amber, Caleb, Devin, Paola, and Zach (in alphabetical order); my least favorites are Frankie, Hayden, Joey, and Victoria. The rest I'm indifferent to. When it comes to who I think will win, I could see the final three being Caleb, Paola, and Donny, with the victory going to Paola.

Universal Studios has finally released the opening date for the highly anticipated Diagon Alley expansion for Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Harry Potter stars James and Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) excitedly made the announcement alongside creative director Theirry Coup and Universal President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Davis on Wednesday.

Muggles and magical folk alike will be able to pass through the brick archway into the narrow streets of Diagon Alley on July 8, just as Harry, Ron, and Hermione did each year to stock up on all their magical equipment and Hogwarts apparel in the best selling Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling.

It's been a long and exciting wait as the Orlando theme park kept its summer 2014 opening date unannounced to the muggle world (including park employees) well into the vacation season. The anticipation skyrocketed as Universal released teasers for their new ground-breaking ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, which reunited Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint to reprise their roles for special 3D scenes.

Although Universal's opening date may come as a disappointment to the fans who had hoped for an earlier opening, the park moved cautiously to ensure the new technology was up to speed for its debut to avoid a repeat of Wizarding World's tech issues at its 2010 opening.

The new 20-acre expansion of the original Wizarding World - Hogsmeade—which opened four years ago—is expected to be extremely overcrowded. The wait time for Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Hogsmeade was around 9 hours during its opening weeks, according to a park employee at Hogsmeade, and lines for the park stretched out into CityWalk.

Hop aboard The Hogwarts Express train that connects Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for a one-day park-to-park ticket that costs $136 per adult. The ride will take guests from Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross station, passing by replicated scenes of London and the British countryside. (You must buy a park-to-park ticket in order to ride the Hogwarts Express and enjoy both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.)

Diagon Alley will include fully replicated Gringotts bank, Ollivander's, the Leaky Cauldron restaurant, Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment, and more—but that's not the only magical part about the attraction. Grab your wand a find special medallions on the ground that each include a different spell to unlock a whole exciting adventure as you practice your magic!


Both Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure are a collaboration between Warner Bros., which owns the rights to the Harry Potter film franchise, and Universal, which operates the theme parks.

An exclusive Harry Potter vacation package will allow guests to visit Diagon Alley starting June 29. Starting at $109 per night, the package includes 4-night accommodations, 3-day park-to-park tickets, breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron, and 1-hour early park admission.

Don't forget to stop at Ollivander's and find out which wand chooses you, see what fun Fred and George Weasley have come up with at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and enjoy a nice glass of butterbeer!

Fanboys, ready your wands! Let us know how excited you are in the comment section below!

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

X-Men: Apocalypse Set in 1983.

My take: Makes perfect sense to me, considering the last two films were a decade apart. However, what the hell is going on with the X-franchise? Seriously, who am I following? Modern day? The originals? I just don't know what they're up to. Do they have a plan? Please someone tell me.

Solo Hulk Movie In Consideration.

My take: The Hulk was the breakout star of The Avengers and good for Whedon to pull it off! However, if the movie will be about Banner/Hulk running from a government trying to destroy or capture him, dear god do not make that movie. I am so sick and tired of that angle. Show Banner at least using the Hulk for good, as a weapon, point and shoot.

Jason Mamoa Possibly Aquaman?

My take: Sure, why not? Aquaman works best when he's a fish out of water but a badass when the time comes. I think Mamoa can pull this off. Although I'm confident DC/WB are going to screw this up, they might get some of the characters right, if we ignore the potentially horrible stories.

TMNT Shredder Revealed.

My take: I don't know…but is a movie about (literally) teenaged, mutated, ninja-trained, 5-foot-tall turtles REALLY a bad place to put an over-the-top villain like this? Not really. Is the suit practical? Hell no. Does it certainly have dramatic flair? It certainly does. I think this is clearly a "leave your brain at the door" interpretation of TMNT, and you know what? Okay. I'll play along. I know one day someone great will get their hands on this franchise and we'll see something truly amazing, but for this summer? I'll buy popcorn, let the 10-year-old me out, and just shut up and enjoy. What's done is done.

Harrison Ford Injured by Millennium Falcon.

My take: Oh, the irony. They probably had to hold a blaster to his side to get him to make this movie in the first place. Now he's injured on his first week? I'm a big Ford fan, so I won't knock him, but this has got to be an omen of some kind, doesn't it?

Lex Luthor to Have Hair in Dawn of Justice.

My take: Wow, how different! How not what anyone wants! This movie is going to suck!

Warner Bros. Rebooting Scooby-Doo.

My take: I'm on the short list of people who actually enjoyed the original movie. I know it went against a lot of the canon but I did have a good time and I own it on DVD. The second one, Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, on the other hand, was a pile of horse crap. Anyway, does this series need a reboot? Nope. Am I excited to see what they come up with? Nope.

TELEVISION

Spider-Verse Breaks Into Ultimate Spider-Man.

My take: I love the idea of immediately seeing these characters animated, to coincide with the comic book story. It's a great piece of marketing to have the popular animated series do what the books are doing. It might pay off. I'm personally a fan of the cancelled-too-soon Spectacular Spider-Man, but I do find Ultimate entertaining from time to time.

Hasbro Owns the Term "Bronies"?

My take: This is nowhere near as insane as Paris Hilton owning the phrase "That's hot" (seriously, that's real). Apparently "Brony" can no longer be used on anything monetized (anything you make money on). It's a brave new world, everypony!

Powerpuff Girls Return!

My take: I'm excited to see this show back on the air. Now that I have two daughters, it's tough to find something fun and "geek" themed for them to watch. This is a clever show that I hope returns with the same bang it had before.

COMIC BOOKS

Marvel's Ultimate Line Dwindling.

My take: With the cancellation of Ultimate FF, the Ultimate line is left with just two books. I owned a comic book store when the Ultimate line launched, and it was huge. Sales quickly dropped, however, as storylines began to repeat. As far as I'm concerned, these books need to go. I know Miles Morales has a lot of supporters, but the last thing the 616 needs is another spider hero.

Marvel Solicitations Reveal Star-Lord Sin?

My take: The Abnett and Lanning run from Guardians of the Galaxy is the reason I'm pumped for the movie. Now, we're going to find out what happened to Richard Rider (Nova) after the cliffhanger ending of The Thanos Imperative. I couldn't be more excited. I'm glad it's been left hanging, and I bet it's going to be juicy!

GAMES

Angry Birds: Transformers Announced.

My take: Do I like this? I don't know. I actually do like the Angry Birds: Star Wars, but it involves the original trilogy characters for the most part. This new game looks to take some cues from the movie series, which I just can't support.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! It has been an entire year since we first kicked off The Dace Man Show from a hotel in Oklahoma City! Tonight we celebrate that year the most Dacetacular way we know how: a party in the Dace-ment!! So come prepared with a bunch of your favorite moments of the past year, and we'll bring ours. Join hosts from past, present, and future as we kick off another year of Dacetacular podcasting. Master of ceremonies Chris Dace will be live in the Dace-ment with his partner in crime Gibby kicking off the festivities live at 7:30 p.m. EST here on Fanboys Anonymous with a live pre-show. At 8 p.m. Chris and Gibby will be joined live on Mega Powers Radio by Frank Ward and the Iowa Gang as they begin the historic 52nd Episode of The Dace Man Show!! After the show goes off air, stick around here on Fanboys Anonymous as they continue the party celebrating 1 full year!!

Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

While the list of actors who have played heroes like James Bond, Superman, and Batman is miles long, there's a much shorter list for actress who have had the chance to play heroines. Male heroes are more prevalent in movies, television shows, and comic books, but the rarity of a revamped heroine just makes them all the more exciting.

One of our personal favorite female characters, Catwoman, has been played by some of the most talented actresses at the peak of their careers. And recently, there's been a new addition. Fourteen-year-old Camren Bicondova will be taking on the role of Selina Kyle in Fox's new series, Gotham. In honor of the newest member to the Catwoman family, we thought we'd take a look back at some of our favorite portrayers throughout the years—and see who wore the kitten ears best.

Michelle Pfeiffer

Many critics think that Tim Burton's Catwoman, played by Pfeiffer in 1992's Batman Returns, was the most accurate portrayal in a live action film. Pfeiffer's version focused on manipulating men with her sexuality, rather than being a master criminal or fighter. An AMCtv.com poll revealed that she has a strong lead as the fan favorite, too, taking 43% of the votes.

Halle Berry

Unfortunately, Berry's role in the 2004 stand-alone Catwoman film has been dubbed the worst film to feature the heroine. While Berry's look made her an excellent choice for the character, the plot was executed poorly and earned only a 9% from RottenTomatoes.com critics.

Maggie Baird

Baird played Catwoman during the flashback sequences on Birds of Prey, a short-lived television series that ran only one season from 2002 to 2003. Baird also played a main character on the show, but it was easy to use her for both characters. The Catwoman character didn't have any speaking lines, and her face was hidden by the costume's mask.

Lee Meriwether

Meriwether stared as Catwoman in 1966's Batman, the first full-length theatrical adaptation of the Batman character. Winner of the 1955 Miss America pageant and a San Francisco City College graduate, Meriwether's beauty, grace, and wit made her a perfect choice for the sleek Selina.

Julie Newmar

Newmar starred as Catwoman for the first two season of the 1960s Batman series, but left before the third because of scheduling conflicts while filming for the movie, Mackenna's Gold. Newmar's costume was modified to have the belt at the hips, rather than the waist, in order to accentuate her hourglass figure. The costume now hangs in the Smithsonian.

Eartha Kitt

Eartha Kitt took over for Julie Newmar during the third season of the 1960s Batman series. Unfortunately, after making some anti-war remarks at a White House luncheon with then president LBJ, Kitt was ostracized from the Hollywood community. This made her portrayal of Catwoman even more memorable, as it was one of her last performances for nearly two decades.

Julia Rose

Rose actually played Newmar (and therefore Catwoman) in Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt, a made-for-TV movie in 2003 that reunited the original cast of the 1960s series. She did an awesome job portraying both Newmar and the Catwoman character, although as IMDb.com points out, reviews for the special were somewhat mixed.

Aurora Snow

Snow played Catwoman in the adult parody Batgirl XXX.

Although she and her other cast members received several good reviews for their performance, we think Catwoman is a little better when she leaves her costume on... and when she isn't getting into certain situations with Batman and other Gotham characters.

Anne Hathaway

The most recent actress to play Catwoman on the big screen, Hathaway starred in the final installment of Christopher Nolan's turn at the Batman franchise, the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises. Hathaway's character was a lot more focused on crime and citizen uprising rather than her sexual prowess like Pfeiffer's character. She was an intelligent, ass-kicking gal to be reckoned with, rather than a seductress.

However, as Yahoo.com points out, Hathaway's fan base has been dwindling over the years. While she did a great job as Catwoman, many people still wish Nolan would have casted someone different to play the part, stating, "She doesn't have the sly, seductive subtlety that Catwoman should have."

Emily Blunt

Okay so this one might still be just rumors, but the story is currently running on every major new/entertainment site around. We can only assume this means that there's some truth behind all the talk about her playing Catwoman in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman.

Personally I think Blunt would make an amazing Catwoman. She was already up for a role in a Marvel Comics movie as Black Widow for Iron Man 2 and the role for Peggy Carter in Captain America, but she turned the roles down. She definitely has that 'it' factor needed to play a superhero, though.

As far as my personal favorite over the years, I'm going to have to wait until Blunt (fingers crossed) has her chance to play Selina before I make my choice.

Who's your favorite actress to don the cat costume?

I want to discuss both pieces of info, but let's get the easy part out of the way first. Along with Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jason Momoa will play Aquaman. Momoa is best known for his role as Khal Drogo on Game of Thrones, but perhaps also for Stargate Atlantis and the rebooted Conan the Barbarian. His casting tells us a few things, but let's discuss the lineup first, because in combination with the casting announcement, it brings up ideas I want to talk about.

May 2016 – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
July 2016 – Shazam
Christmas 2016 – Sandman
May 2017 – Justice League
July 2017 – Wonder Woman
Christmas 2017 – Flash/Green Lantern
May 2018 – Man of Steel 2

Wow. Okay. Let's break this down a bit.

First, the distinction between Batman v Superman and Man of Steel 2—while Batman v Superman has been touted as the sequel to 2013's Man of Steel, clearly that's no longer the case. The Dawn of Justice subtitle seems like the final nail in that coffin. Essentially, the Batman v Superman film will be the first in the core Justice League franchise. It'll probably serve as a spiritual successor to Man of Steel, but it's more and more of a Justice League film as Warners keeps adding heroes.

In addition to the titular heroes (Batman and Superman), Dawn of Justice will feature Wonder Woman, Cyborg, and Aquaman, if not more. And this is worth noting also—see the lack of a new Batman franchise on the schedule? Superman himself barely makes the cut, bringing up the rear in 2018, but we'll only see the Dark Knight in Dawn of Justice and Justice League. This seems odd for DC's most popular character, who's as close to a sure thing as Warners has in terms of a hit. It's possible they're waiting to see the reception Ben Affleck gets as the Caped Crusader in Dawn of Justice. If he flops, audiences will only have to put up with him in the Justice League series. If he's great, watch them pull out plans for a new Batman trilogy to squeeze into June dates in between the others listed above.

Regardless, our next DC film will be a Justice League prologue, not a Superman sequel. That gets delayed until 2018, five years after the first installment, though with at least two films involving the Man of Steel in between. After Dawn of Justice, we get another Justice Leaguer in Shazam. This one is tricky. Not only have studios been unsuccessfully trying to get this movie off the ground for years, the character himself brings some baggage. The basic gist: young Billy Batson, orphan, is met by a mysterious man on the street and taken to a secret subway tunnel. There sits a futuristic train car which whisks the pair to a mysterious hidden chamber, wherein lies the ancient wizard Shazam. He gives Billy his power to "call the lightning." All he has to do is say the magic word "Shazam," and a lightning strike transforms into the hero Captain Marvel.

Boom.

In recent years, DC has been reworking many of its core characters in an attempt to make them more accessible. Billy Batson is one such victim. Geoff Johns, tasked with revamping the hero, decided to straight-up call the character Shazam instead of Captain Marvel, for obvious reasons. Captain Marvel was originally DC's acquisition from Fawcett Comics, another casualty in DC's many early lawsuits prosecuting companies they felt infringed on their Superman trademark. (While the editor of Fawcett Comics did ask his writers and artists for "a new Superman," the two characters aren't much alike, save perhaps in basic appearance.) In addition, DC's chief rival Marvel has their own hero named Captain Marvel, which makes a lot more sense. Johns felt that most people knew DC's hero as Shazam anyway, so he went ahead with it.

Incidentally, the magic word and the hero's name is an acronym. S-H-A-Z-A-M is imbued with the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. Billy Batson is now a fifteen-year-old foster kid who shares his power with his foster brothers and sisters, creating a "Shazam family" of heroes. That's July 2016 done. We'll see how that one goes. He's not the easiest adaptation, but he has a lot to do with magic in the DC Universe, and that's an important aspect of our fictional comic universes. Marvel is going to be doing the same thing in a few years with their Dr. Strange film, and they've touched upon it in the Thor franchise.

Christmas 2016: Sandman. This one is interesting, because I have little to no doubt it's going to be set outside the continuity of the traditional Justice League films and spinoffs. While there is a hero known as Sandman in the DCU, that's not who this film will be about. Neil Gaiman's landmark series, Sandman—published through DC's erstwhile mature-readers imprint Vertigo—will serve as the basis for this film. The Sandman is Morpheus, one of the seven Endless beings that preside over various aspects of life. In addition to Morpheus, known also as Dream, these include his brothers and sisters Destiny, Desire, Despair, Delirium, Destruction, and Death. Each one reigns over their namesake to varying degrees.

The Sandman saga is about as far from traditional superhero storytelling as you can get. It's more comparable to mythology: tales of bickering and jealous gods, beings who live, learn, and love like us, but on a grander scale. These are beings who step between realities on a whim and play games with each other that leave lives and worlds in the balance. The Endless aren't human, but they aren't gods, either; they're more than that, though they can live and die and change like people.

Unlike other items on this list, this one has some development news already. David Goyer is producing the film with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who may also direct and/or star. No one knows at this point. Jack Thorne, a BAFTA-winning screenwriter best known for his TV work, will write the script, likely with input from both other parties. Sandman is a property near and dear to many hearts, including Goyer's and Levitt's, so one hopes the movie will honor its source material. There are numerous potential storylines to adapt within Sandman's 75-issue run, but I think that the ones grand enough for film would require the audience to know more about the character than a single movie would provide. Goyer and Levitt both have cited the opening story arc, in which Morpheus escapes an almost century-long mystical imprisonment and must rebuild his realm while he reclaims some important artifacts, as a potential starting point.

Again, I think it is extremely unlikely this film will link to the mainstream DCU films. Maybe it'll reference them, as the Sandman comic occasionally did (as Gaiman put it: "to remind people that this universe is still that universe"), but there is no reason to have them cross over, and Morpheus' power is such that he could take care of literally any danger the Justice League faces in about sixty seconds. We'll see how it develops.

He can wait. (And again I stress how much I want Benedict Cumberbatch in this role.)

Summer 2017, May and July, are pretty straightforward: Justice League, followed by Wonder Woman in her first-ever solo feature film. Christmas 2017 is more interesting: a Flash/Green Lantern team-up film. This is something of a curveball, and I think it's an interesting tactic to put two lesser-known heroes together in one film, and perhaps one franchise. (The Brave and the Bold, anyone?) There are a few ways this could go. Historically, the best-known Flash and Green Lantern are the Silver Age's Barry Allen and Hal Jordan. They were very good friends and often fought threats together. We've seen Hal Jordan before in 2011's ill-fated Green Lantern, which starred Ryan Reynolds in the role as Earth's first Green Lantern. Though in my opinion Reynolds wasn't the problem with that film, he won't be returning as Hal Jordan. But he's not the only Green Lantern Earth has to offer. In fact, there are six.

In the DC Universe, the Green Lantern Corps is a cosmic police force. Two inhabitants of each space sector, of which there are 3600, are chosen to protect their home sector. They wield power rings that enable them to conjure anything they imagine through sheer willpower. The first published Green Lantern was Alan Scott, the Golden Age Green Lantern, but he has nothing to do with the “new” GL mythology. His powers come from magic, and he's an unlikely candidate. Then there's Hal Jordan, who WB/DC may use based on recognizability alone, and who would be recast for this film. There's Guy Gardner, a Baltimore cop who was chosen to be Jordan's successor should he ever prove unable to fulfill his duties. He later became a Green Lantern in his own right. There's John Stewart, a former Marine and architect from Detroit who was selected as Jordan's backup after Gardner was severely injured. He too became a full-fledged GL. There's Kyle Rayner, who for a time was the only Green Lantern in the universe, chosen after Hal Jordan went mad with grief and destroyed most of the Green Lantern Corps. Finally and most recently, there's Simon Baz, also of Detroit, who was unjustly blamed and held for an explosion that destroyed an abandoned auto factory. He received a Green Lantern ring when Hal Jordan was trapped in another dimension. Aren't comics fun?

Of course they are. It's in the title.

There are also a number of different Flashes. The first, Golden Age Flash Jay Garrick, inhaled fumes from heavy water and gained superspeed as a result. Like Alan Scott, this selection is unlikely. Second was Barry Allen, the Silver Age Flash, who will also be featured on CW's The Flash TV show. His speed was the result of an accident in which a lightning bolt blasted him into a shelf full of volatile chemicals. There's Barry's sidekick and eventual successor, Wally West, who served in the role almost as long as Barry Allen did. Finally, there's Bart Allen, Barry's great-grandson from the future, who served a short stint as the Flash.

This one is less tricky to call than the Green Lanterns—Barry Allen is almost certainly going to the be choice, despite the fact that a different Barry Allen will be featured on television. Warner Bros. will either be happy about the visibility and awareness boost for the character, or simply won't care that they'll have two versions of the same speedster. It's possible they'll choose Wally West, but depending on what storylines they plan to adapt, Barry Allen makes the most sense. If that's the case, it's likely they'll choose Hal Jordan again as Green Lantern, given his friendship with Barry and the fact his reckless, devil-may-care nature makes an effective foil for the more serious characters in the Justice League. (In the comics, he and Batman have come close to blows several times.)

That said, the choice of Green Lantern could further DC's interesting new advantage over Marvel. Two among the six potential GLs are minorities: John Stewart and Simon Baz. Either of them, powerful characters in their own right, would be worthy additions to the Justice League pantheon. Think about the Avengers for a second: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Hawkeye, and Black Widow. Five white dudes and a white woman. (Yeah, yeah, Hulk is green, bear with me.) The individual films have done slightly better with this—although with Idris Elba's Heimdall, Terrence Howard/Don Cheadle's War Machine, and Anthony Mackie's Falcon, the African-American co-hero is becoming almost cliché in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—and we'll see a Black Panther movie sometime soon, in addition to the Luke Cage miniseries on Netflix. But the fact remains that DC has the option to create a multicultural Justice League before Marvel's Avengers can summon an adequate response. They already have Israeli-born Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and Ray Fisher as Cyborg, a hero DC has made great strides in promoting in recent years. And this is in addition to Jason Momoa, of Hawaiian descent, as Aquaman.

Aquaman, seen here getting annoyed by machine-gun fire.

His casting reveals a lot about how WB and DC plan to treat the character. Aquaman is something of a pop culture joke now, his abilities perceived as limited and foolish compared to those of someone like Superman or Wonder Woman. But DC has taken pains to make the character relevant and worthy again, which they began by handing the character over to Geoff Johns, the aforementioned Shazam writer to whom DC turns when they need a character to be cool again. (To be fair, Johns is excellent.) I think this is borne out by casting Momoa.

Seriously, Google a picture of the guy. He's a big dude, a massive brawler-type. He's not gonna get pushed around by punks who think he talks to goldfish. At the start of Johns' Aquaman run, he reminded audiences of what the character brings to the table. For one thing, he's stronger than you think. In the deepest parts of the ocean, where Aquaman makes his home, the pressure is equivalent to one person trying to support fifty jumbo jets. It doesn't bother him. He's a telepath: there are some excellent panels in the comics where Aquaman calls massive sharks to tear into his enemies. Because light is practically nonexistent at great depths, and sound travels differently under water, he has enhanced senses. He's not weakened by staying out of the water, since he was raised on land before discovering his heritage. Oh, and that's the other thing: he rules over two-thirds of the Earth's surface. Arthur Curry—Aquaman—is a king. He's royalty in the same way that Wonder Woman is royalty, a princess of the Amazons of Themyscira. I don't know how much of Khal Drogo we'll see in this version of Aquaman, so to speak, but I'm all for a grizzled and regal leader of an undersea race. If WB/DC's intent was to find a tough Aquaman you'd think twice about making fun of, I think they've taken an admirable first step. I sincerely hope they won't make Momoa cut his hair and dye it blonde.

Think on this, too: If this is what WB/DC does with Aquaman, what other changes to our heroes are coming? What other heroes are even going to be in the League? Right now there's Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. That's exactly the lineup of DC's rebooted "New 52" Justice League, all seen on the cover of the first issue. With the exception of Cyborg, that's a pretty traditional roster. I'm not sure they're done, though. Seven characters is a lot, but it's likely that when all is said and done, we'll have another name or two on that list. I'm pulling for Black Canary, an expert martial artist with a sonic scream, or longtime Justice Leaguer Martian Manhunter, an alien like Superman and the last living Martian. Or maybe Red Tornado, to match Marvel's upcoming Vision.

Phew. There's a lot of info here to digest, I realize. Chew on it awhile and let us know what you think! How does this lineup of films strike you? Do you like Jason Momoa as Aquaman? Should Aquaman not even be on the team in the first place? Is DC still screwing up, or are they starting to get it right? Leave all thoughts, opinions and snarky remarks about Aquaman in the comments below.

Cartoon Network announced on Monday that their beloved original series The Powerpuff Girls will be returning to television in 2016, over a decade after their last appearance on the air.

"Remember us?"

"The original Powerpuff Girls was a franchise phenomenon for Cartoon Network, paving the way for a new generation of innovative storytellers and enthusiastic fans worldwide," said Rob Sorcher, chief content officer of Cartoon Network, during an announcement at the 2014 Licensing Expo in Las Vegas. "We are calling these girls back into action based upon an overwhelming demand for sugar, spice, and Chemical X."

The adorable super-powered kindergarteners saved the day from the dastardly schemes of their nemesis Mojo Jojo in a 78-episode run spanning six seasons from 1998 to 2005, winning two Emmy Awards and releasing a full-length feature film in the process. The brand is one of Cartoon Network's highest grossing ever, with over $2.5 billion in retail sales.

"As the original ambassador of 'girl power,' The Powerpuff Girls brand continues to resonate with people of all ages and there is tremendous excitement around introducing Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup to a new generation," Pete Yoder, Cartoon Network's vice president of North American consumer products, stated in a press release. "With proven success and great content plans in place, there's so much potential that we're looking forward to explore with our licensing partners in the coming weeks."

The network has not stated whether original series creator Craig McCracken is attached to the project. McCracken's clever writing was a large part of what made the show such a huge success, and it would be downright evil if the new reboot didn't continue the original's unique brand of humor.

An open secret in the world of video game enthusiasts is that PCs are the best platform on which to play video games. PCs take the cake, even as current consoles tout better features and performance than ever before. Some of the reasons are obvious, while others require more intimate knowledge of the gaming community. The debate has been moot for a decade; I'm just here to explain why. Welcome to the dark side.

What are some of the reasons to buy a next-gen console? Every article discussing the pros of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One listed the same items: smoother dashboards (otherwise known as operating systems), cable TV integration, tablet functionality, additional social media sharing options, motion controls, faster mandatory installations (all PS4 and Xbox One games require installation to be played), and an improved online experience. Basically, consoles are becoming PCs. The needle has been moving this direction for a long time. Previous console generations saw this to a limited degree, but they lacked the hardware to imitate the capabilities of PCs.

Nintendo's approach to console development has centered around unique controllers instead of powerful hardware. This sets it apart, but not always in a good way.


The controllers for Nintendo consoles are great for their first party games, but provide a horrible experience for anything else. Imagine playing Madden, Call of Duty, or Street Fighter with a WiiU GamePad or a Wii Nunchuk. Pointless, right? Nintendo finally caved in this generation and offered the Wii U Pro controller, something that finally resembles a usable gaming instrument. Nintendo deserves credit for actually attempting to be innovative, but they alienated many gamers along the way.

Many people have shied away from PC gaming in the past because the only way to play was with a keyboard/mouse setup, or with a poorly made USB controller. Those days are over. There are now many options to play games on PC that only require plugging the chosen option into the open USB slot, including console controllers. How's that for simple?


I recall trying to play Unreal Tournament in 1999 on a Compaq desktop. I hadn't known what minimum system requirements were, but I learned that day. I could play UT99 as long as I turned the resolution way down and turned all graphical settings to low. Internet play was an option, but trying to keep up with the online warriors on a dial-up connection was frustrating.


Technology has improved greatly since then. Embarrassing photos reach the people you don't want to see them at lighting speeds, and many desktops only need a cheap upgrade to the power supply and graphics card to run games as well as a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. Recommended system requirements (the hardware required for a game to be visually impressive while still running smoothly) for AAA titles are not stiff for the average Joe or Jane. Quad core processors and 4 GB of RAM are standard in most desktops sold today. It's not expensive or difficult to put together a desktop that gives great performance. Let's compare the set-up costs for a PlayStation 4 and for a desktop found on Tiger Direct with a quad-core processor, 6 GB RAM, and a 1 TB hard drive.

PlayStation 4 costs

• Console: $400
• Extra controller: $60
• Online: $50 for one year of PlayStation Plus
• Number of games purchased for $100: Maybe 3 if each are bought used
• Total: $610

Desktop costs (including video card and power supply)

• HP Pro 405 A4-5000: $450
• GeForce GTX 750 video card: $120
• Ultra LSP Series V2 450-Watt Power Supply: $30
• 360 USB Controller: $30
• Online: Free
• Number of games purchased for $100: See Reason #5
• Total: $730

I left out display options for the PS4 so that its costs didn't skyrocket. In addition, a PC with similar hardware can be built for less money without purchasing a prebuilt PC from companies such as Dell or HP, but it was important to show the potential costs for a person who would not be comfortable building a PC with individual parts. The price of games will determine which chosen platform is the most expensive in the long run.

Performance-wise, the desktop above would be capable of running nearly any title with all graphic settings maxed out at a 1920x1200 resolution at around 30 frames per second. That's much better than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and not far below the PS4 and Xbox One. An experienced PC builder with a $700 budget could build a desktop that exceeds the performance of the PS4 and Xbox One.

Also, 1080p resolution is laughable on PC, yet PS4 and Xbox One struggle to reach this resolution even for AAA titles, including an inability to sustain even 30 frames per second. To demonstrate why this is silly, here's a screenshot of my benchmark results from my 5-year-old PC with a low-level video card with all graphical settings maxed out on the latest edition of Street Fighter 4.


Bragging about the number of frames per second is deceptive. FPS is just a number that notes how smoothly the hardware runs the graphics engine. The fact that console developers are aiming for 30 frames-per-second is telling. Next-gen games have to look demonstrably better than PS3 or 360 games or else consumers will question the merit of purchasing a next-gen console. The problem is that Sony and Microsoft are adding more weight than the console hardware can carry until developers get more experience programming for the specific hardware. For consumers, the inconsistent visual performance of next-gen consoles is a legitimate concern, one that shows a nasty consequence of Sony and Microsoft rushing their products to the market.


Online play is free —I guess that's always the first thing to mention. There are games in the MMORPG genre that require a subscription to play online, such as World of Warcraft. Other kinds of PC games that require additional money to play online after purchasing the game are hard to come across. Exceptions exists in the vast depths of the internet, but it's a rare occurrence. Also, online connections always work best for PC gaming. Explaining why would bore you to death, so just trust me or Google the indisputable facts on this one.

Playing games online for PC has been a thing since the mid-'90s, so those multiplayer communities had a chance to flourish long before console developers acknowledged the potential of the internet. That's why it was weird to watch Nintendo fanboys get so excited about the announcement of Mario Maker for Wii U when PC mods have been around for many popular games for the past 20 years. (Per usual business operations, Nintendo is going to wait to allow gamers to use Mario Maker on Super Mario World, Super Mario 64, etc., so they can milk gamers for more money down the road.)

Warning: The following video is very entertaining, but contains NSFW language.


Not all mods are meant to send you into a rage-induced coma, but it's a fun twist that allows gamers to experience Super Mario World in an entirely new way. Mods come in all shapes and sizes, such as alternate skins, new campaigns, and entirely new gameplay. If you can imagine something, it either exists or is a few months from becoming a reality. So sayeth the internet!

Until recently, most console video game publishers have tried to shut down any alteration of their intellectual properties. PC companies have been open to the mod community since the beginning, even providing the source code to the public with mods. For example, Valve's official page for Source SDK reads as follows: "Valve is dedicated to providing the best tools and resources for the modding community. The Source engine and SDK give you all the tools you need to produce brilliant game creations." This is a world that console gamers do not even know exists, despite the fact that no one is hiding the information.

Yes, Gangnam Style in Skyrim. Long live mods!

It's also worth nothing that while the PC community has an older, more mature base of gamers, there are plenty of bad apples to ruin the experience. Overall, it is a better experience for people over the age of 16, but there's no running away from the jerks who want to ruin the fun for everyone. Playing video games online is a mixed bag no matter which way you play.


Halo: The Master Chief Collection was announced during this year's E3. The collection contains Halo 1-4 with shiny new graphics (Microsoft is promising 60 frames per second...) and other bells and whistles that someone, somewhere, is excited about. In other words, buy this game that you already own but can't play on our new console because we don't allow backward compatibility. Sony is doing the same thing. Nintendo has been re-releasing games since Snoop Dogg was still cool. (Keep in mind, that's a partial list which doesn't include every instance where the same game is repackaged multiple times.) Re-releasing games is not evil, but selling them for the same price as a standard new title is ridiculous.


Back in the dark ages known as the 1990s, PCs did have legitimate compatibility problems across different operating systems and hardware, but digital distribution models have eliminated this problem.


The open secret that PC gamers have tried to share with the world is now at hand: Games are way, way, way cheaper on PC, by way of several incredible discounts such as Steam Holiday Sales and Humble Bundles.

Like art, the glory of Steam Holiday Sales is hard to explain. You have to experience the moment to understand its allure. Here's a short list of some of the deals I took advantage of:









I also pre-ordered Sonic Generations for $29.99 on a week without a Steam sale. Earlier, we allotted ourselves a budget of $100 to buy video games. If we tallied up all of my purchases listed here from Steam, we're still left with $25.78. What should we do with the remaining funds? How about checking out the latest Humble Bundle?

Humble Bundles are deals that allow gamers to purchase a bunch of DRM-free games (Steam keys are often available) at whatever price they choose. The money used to purchase the bundle is split between the game developers, a chosen charity for the bundle, and a Humble Tip that's given to the great people who make these bundles possible. The minimum payment for a Humble Bundle is $1. The maximum is up to the buyer. If the buyer purchases the games for a price above the median, they are allowed access to additional games that are revealed at a later date, and occasionally soundtracks are thrown in for good measure. The median never goes above $8. Is this gamer heaven? Yes, yes it is.


In short, you are looking at purchasing no less than 15 games with the remaining $25.78. Assuming we spend $8 on three Humble Bundles, the $100 budget purchases 23 PC games. The same budget bought three used PlayStation 4 games. Gamers save way more money in the long run by spending a little more money upfront on a PC, because the games are far more affordable. No further elaboration is necessary.

Is this assessment of PC gaming versus console gaming fair? Please give your thoughts in the comments, and let Fanboys Anonymous know who you side with!

As always, thanks for reading.