Fanboys Anonymous

Nova Special #1 Cover by Gary Choo

The end is in sight!

The concluding issue of the No End in Sight arc for Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man, and Nova is upon us. Sean Ryan has pulled together three big titles for Marvel to deliver this story.

It is great to finally see the threads of this little jaunt come together. My last review of Iron Man Special 1 was a little mixed. While the story was developing fine, the art was pulling back the narrative a little. Can this be redeemed, as hoped for?

The crossover with Nova seems to make more sense than the Iron Man issue. The linking of teen characters, who face similar challenges such as superpowers at a young age, makes this more homogenous.

But also, the story just flows better here. However, as far as the story goes, what does it achieve?

Well not to be outdone by his younger self, the current version of Cyclops has also ended up in space, albeit not by choice. As his students and Nova now connect to save the day, it is great to see the next generation of characters take a driving seat in the story. This seems to match the faith Marvel has in expanding the exposure of writer Ryan for this crossover arc. Ryan has done well to craft a believable story spanning different titles. The pitch and volume are unique to this writer and so we shouldn't expect that same outcome as the regular series writers.

As far as concluding the story, everything is tidied up nicely. In fact it is great to see some experimentation with the writer and artist, John Timms, when they approach the paneling in a different manner in Nova Special 1. The pace is quickened by their multiple use of close up, small square panels to get the view of the various characters during this issue. This is balanced by some wide angle, full page layouts on other pages.

The visual style utilised in Nova lends well to supporting the story and is an improvement. It is also nice to see some further character development.

In Nova, we see the title character continue his journey of discovery which is a hallmark of the regular series. The final few pages show this particularly well with the use of silent observation for Nova. We are also treated to see Triage from the Uncanny X-Men questions his place (and the new wave of mutants in general) amongst the previous generation. There is a tender moment of response from Magic to Triage which adds depth to the story.

There is one moment that is questionable however in Nova Special 1. A panel of the Uncanny X-Men teens, just after they have show up to save Cyclops, shows Tempus exclaiming she has 'read her mind', when speaking of another opposing character. However, as far as I am aware (correct me in the comments if need be) I didn't think telepathy was part of her power set. It would seem either this is something new of the comment and speech bubble should have been coming from Mindee, the Stepford Cuckoo, on the other end of the same panel. Is this an oversight on the artists part or the building of the story for Tempus in the upcoming Uncanny X-Men Annual later this year.

As far as the art on show in Nova Special 1, John Timms (pencils), Roberto Poggi (inks), and Ruth Redmond (colors) combine in a most adequate way. Of all three issues in the No End in Sight arc this has to be the most pleasing visually. There is a gelling of artists here which caps of the story in a fine fashion. The art and colors seem to do here what was needed from the outset, so it is great to see this achieved.

Overall, I would say the No End in Sight story is a worthwhile read. It is nice to see the variety of talent Marvel has to produce comics. It is a journey to see them develop over time, as much as it is to enjoy these regular characters.

Let me know, did you enjoy these special issues? What was your favourite part of No End in Sight? As always leave your comments below.

Back to School for Nightcrawler

"And just like that, my new adventure beings," Nightcrawler exclaims.

School is in for the fuzzy elf. We have arrived back to 'normality' at the Jean Grey campus, the swashbuckling is toned down, so what next then?

Its felt a little flat for a while now but that is in comparison with other X-Men titles that have a different approach and purpose behind the,. The first arc for Chris Claremont certainly built with each issue, but it didn't smack me in the face and shout look at me from the outset. However, that isn't Claremont's intention with Nightcrawler.

Claremont wants to provide a meaningful experience to the reader. Developing a narrative that focuses on fitting in, but asserting individuality, the title character provides ample opportunity for the writer to explore how this can be possible.

As he has in the past, Claremont uses the characters at his disposal to develop a meaningful dialogue with his audience. In doing so, Claremont can explore broader subtext expositions, such as in this issue with the identification of one's own station in life and finding fit with this.

Never one to lose an opportunity for the subversive, it is great to see Claremont also poke fun at himself and give a quick little wink to the reader during Nightcrawler 5.

Towards the end of the issue, Nightcrawler takes Rico, one of the mutant students, for a ride in the X-Men's Blackbird jet. Nightcrawler has been gifted the old team plane as a thank you and the pair tune it up before embarking on a little adventure.

Bampf Baseball anyone?

During the flight, Claremont takes the opportunity to apparently sneak in what would appear to be a poke at himself as the conversation flows, Rico stating. "Flies great -- for such an old design...did I say something wrong?" Nightcrawler responds, "Appearances, youngster can be deceiving." The passage fits well in the context of the scene, but nods to the undercurrent of the issue about finding your place and owning it. Perhaps this dialogue also resonates with the writer-artist relationship.

It must be said, I like the art by Todd Nauck and colors by Rochelle Rosenberg—they fit in visually with the other X-Men series such as Amazing X-Men, X-Men, and All New X-Men.  It is nice to be able to jump from one series to the other and not feel jarred visually when doing so.

The visual elements of the art have been a consistent pull for this series, and it is now nice to see the development of new characters and enemies in Nightcrawler 5 by which all the collaborators can start to stretch some artistic muscles.

As the Nightcrawler series enters its next phase, the adventure is beginning to be set. New powerful mutants seem on the horizon and our key characters are coming back to life and developing their own purpose, much like this book. I look forward to the next issue to see what unfurls.

Let me know if you are to and what you think about Nightcrawler 5 below.

It seems insane to even consider, but there is a small possibility that comic giants DC and Marvel could merge together to form…MegaGiantColossal Comics? That's what I would call it, anyway. Seems to fit the idea of these two titans forming a single company, or at least operating under the same banner. Keep in mind this is merely speculation on the part of the Hollywood Reporter, but it could happen.

What this means for the world of comics is unclear. What we do know now is that after withdrawal of an $80 billion dollar bid from Rupert Murdoch to buy Time Warner (same Time Warner that owns DC comics properties, also known as Warner Bros.), Disney may be one of the suitors in line to snatch up the cable company when all is said and done. That's right, the same Disney that owns Marvel could own DC. Wow.

This move could give Disney the potential to have more control in cable markets, which they now lack, so that sweetens the pot even more for them. They also have a great deal of cash floating around, I mean, it's Disney after all, so this mega-corporate giant could be doing whatever they want. This doesn't mean they will combine the two properties, but how cool would it be if they did? I think it would be awesome to see a mash-up down the road between these two universes; they did it in the comics.

Marvel and DC are already expanding their universes with crossover franchises using the Avengers and Justice League, so why not go all the way? I'm still waiting for the day Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, and X-Men go back to where they belong at Marvel, so this could help rush that along. With Marvel, they look to be building to The Infinity Gauntlet storyline where there was a galaxy-shattering epic crossover battle between many factions in their comics, so this DC/Marvel mash-up wouldn't be too far off the rails.

What do people think? Is it too much; should Disney (if they even get control) keep the two comic giant separate forever? Sound off below.

Good news, Star Wars nerds! Harrison Ford is up on his feet already, and shooting is set to resume later this month for Star Wars: Episode VII. After a pretty short bout of rehab, Ford has gotten back into action much quicker than was originally thought. Some rumors stated the veteran actor's injury would sideline him for months and delay Episode VII by as much as 6 months.

Ford's too old for this stuff, right? Bollocks, I say. You can't keep Indiana Jones down. Or Han Solo. Much has been made of his age over the last several years and you can hate on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull all you want, but Ford looks amazing in the film. He's got some arms on him that could crush men half his age. Yeah, I'll defend him until I die (or he does, which I hope is never).

At the premiere of The Expendables 3 he was seen walking the red carpet with no sign of injury whatsoever, so take that, haters. A broken leg on the set of Star Wars? Pffft. That ain't nothing, folks. Hanging with the best action stars of the '80s and '90s in the latest Expendables film? Bring it on, fellas, Harry can take it. Ford still has plenty of step left in his legs, so why not enjoy him for the next few years while we can? He looks fit and strong; in fact, amazing for a 72 year old. Make no mistake, Han Solo can still kick your ass.

What do people think? Does Ford's Solo have some more great stuff to contribute to the Star Wars universe? Will filming commence without further issues? Sound off below.

A hurricane of revamped retro games has appeared in the past several years. Sooner or later, Gabriel Knight would have to make a return. Indeed! At this year's Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, Sins of the Fathers will be showcased.

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers' creator Jane Jensen is on the helm for this complete remake from her Pinkerton Road Studio. At first notice, it looks fantastic and yet nostalgic, as every screenshot is instantly recognizable to those who savored the original back in 1993.

Now the greatest question is: will the new voice actors be as legendary as the original cast comprised of Tim Curry, Mark Hamill, Michael Dorn, and Leah Remini? Will the game play exactly as the original?


Well, those were two questions, but others arise as well. Will the game be set in 1990's New Orleans? Or is it a @twitter world? Judging by the generic 386 Desktop PC on Mosley's desk, it's probably a period piece. Will there be new puzzles? Will it be as difficult?

I played and overplayed the original and still revisit some gameplay videos from time to time. This revamp seems so faithful to the first one, it doesn't even look new - in a good way.

I'm only vaguely concerned about the vocal talent, though judging by the video, there seems to be nothing to worry about.


Gabriel Knight had three installments back in the 1990's, Sins of the Fathers (1993), The Beast Within (1995), and Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned (1999). One of the finest series of adventure games, perhaps ever, Gabriel Knight has became a cult hero for supernatural yet perfectly believable mysteries set in New Orleans, Germany, and France. I shan't spoil anything (oh, how I want to) but rest assured: the storytelling in this franchise is unparalleled. It's so simple, involving, imaginative, and down to earth, you'll wish you were in the French Quarter, visiting the voodoo museum.


The best part is that you absorb so much from the cultural backgrounds of the location. I've never played a game where I learned so much history and insight about a place - and I'd been to New Orleans, previously!

Have you played the original? Looking forward to this revamp? Comment!

Guardians of the Galaxy has been one of the most surprising hits of the year, grossing over $300 million at the box office. A movie packed with colorful personalities, vast alien worlds, and gorgeous special effects captured the inner child for nearly every viewer.

One scene in particular seems to have stuck with people, the final one before the credits roll that features a young sapling version of Groot shaking what Mother Nature gave him to the beat of Jackson Five's "I Want You Back." Fans have demanded a home version of a dancing Groot to greet them on their shelves, desks, or car dashboards. Unfortunately, we're still waiting for a fully functional version. Marvel has heard our affections and wants to give us something to bite on for now: the full scene in HD for us to view whenever we want! And, of course, make GIFs from!

The scene was actually originally intended to be the after-credits sequence to Guardians of the Galaxy, but after director James Gunn fell in love with it he bumped it up to being a part of the main feature. "It worked so well I wanted to put it at the actual end of the film so none of the audience would miss it," says Gunn in an interview with Yahoo! Movies.

Fun fact: while Vin Diesel provided the voice for the character, it's certainly not his dance moves we see during this scene. These belong to none other than James Gunn himself! “I was too embarrassed for anyone to be there, so I made everyone leave the room and I set up a camera and I videotaped myself dancing. Then I sent the video to the animators and had them animate over that. I begged them not to leak the video! Two of my closest friends came to an early screening and said ‘Hey, I recognize those moves! That’s you dancing isn’t it?!’”

Is this not the best scene in the movie? How much would you pay for a dancing Groot? Tell us below in the comments. Oh, and about that GIF…

Earlier today Blizzard Entertainment held a live-stream event to reveal new information about its upcoming expansion to World of Warcraft titled Warlords of Draenor. The fifth expansion to the popular MMORPG was announced with a September 13, 2014 release.

Warlords of Draenor will be the players' first chance to venture into the perilous world of Draenor, the origin home of the Draenai and Orcs. There they will battle the Iron Horde, the merciless army of Garrosh Hellscream.


"Players will encounter an epic cast of legendary characters and a huge amount of content to explore in Warlords of Draenor," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "The countdown to the arrival of one of the greatest threats in Warcraft history has begun. We can't wait to send everyone through the Dark Portal this November."

Blizzard also premiered the first episode of Lords of War, a new animated miniseries that will introduce the players to all of the important characters in the upcoming expansion. The series begins with the twisted tale of Kargath Bladefist, legendary leader of the Shattered Hand orc clan.


In addition to the two videos, game designers were on hand to reveal other new features that will be introduced in Warlords of Draenor, one of which involves building and managing your own customizable fortress that grows with your experience. A new dynamic PvP zone called Ashran will be waiting for players to battle for control over using a variety of personal and cooperative objectives. And of course, lots of new dungeons and raids.

Watch the full live-steam event on Battle.net's official blog.

Warlords of Draenor is available for pre-order now at Warlords.com. The Digital Standard Edition is $49.99, while $69.99 will get you the Digital Deluxe Edition allowing you to be able to immediately boost one character to level 90. There will of course also be a retail-exclusive Collectors Edition for $89.99 which will include a full-color hardcover art book, a behind-the-scenes two-disc Blu-ray/DVD set, a CD soundtrack, and a Warlords of Draenor mouse pad.

The biggest question that remains to be answered will be if this will be enough to draw back World of Warcraft's dwindling player base. As a former player from years ago, I can say that I'm only mildly intrigued and it will likely wither away before November. But what do you guys think? Especially you current or former players, sound off in the comments below about today's news and reveals.

After revealing 36 unique characters, creating a over a dozen videos, hosting multiple tournaments, and building anticipation for Super Smash Bros, Nintendo isn't done yet. Today there was yet another veteran character revealed. It is none other than the captain of the Battleship Halberd, the sinister yet oddly adorable, Meta Knight.

An Epic Rivalry - Image from SmashBros.com

Pitt Choosing a Path - Image from SmashBros.com

This isn't all Nintendo has released on the SmashBros.com website. In addition, they've added a little tutorial in the "How to Play" section and introduced two solo modes for the 3DS: classic and stadium. Classic mode is your arcade mode where you fight readily waiting NPCs. It's very similar to the original and Super Smash Brothers: Melee games. However, in this iteration, there are branching paths so you can choose who you fight. These aren't always simple 1 vs 1 matches. Occasionally, you'll run into the 1 vs 3,  2 vs 2 (with an NPC on your side), 1 vs group, and special battles that were also in the original and Melee. Winning these battles grants you gold, trophies, and custom parts. Custom parts can be equipped on your character to alter their stats. You can use gold to increase or decrease the difficulty of this mode, however, higher intensity earns you better drops.

Stadium mode is similar to the Melee version where you have different mini-games to play. The mini-games include Multi-Man Smash, Target Blast, and Home-Run Contest. The site goes into detail about the new mode, Target Blast. You start on a platform with a ticking time bomb. Your goal is to launch this bomb, with correct timing, into an area laden with targets. However, there are several obstacles, so getting your angling will be key. There are also exploding boxes which can be detonated by your bomb to maximize the area of effect.

Destroying Targets - Image from SmashBros.com

The final part of the reveal was a selection of stages. The 3DS and WiiU versions will share stages, but they will also have stages exclusive to each platform. In this reveal, 5 3DS exclusive stages were revealed along with 3 exclusive stages from WiiU and 3 shared stages. The stage reveal pages is also titled "Stages 1," so I'm thinking it's safe to assume that more will revealed as the release date approaches.

3DS Exclusive - Image from SmashBros.com

Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 7 returns to haunt me. Watch out for the karts. They'll add some hefty damage or send you flying.

WiiU Exclusive - Image from SmashBros.com

The Mario Galaxy stage has a tight environmental gravity. Jumping and the arc whose attacks send you flying will be impacted.


The Boxing Ring from Punch Out, which was featured in the WiiU Smash Tournament, sets the tone for the brutality that is bound to occur.

I'm looking forward to more Nintendo reveals, but mostly I just want it to come out already! The new stages look fun and the modes seem pretty interesting. Are there any stages from previous Smash Bros titles you wish to return? What about new stages based on Nintendo games? I'm personally hoping for something from Bayonetta 2.

Faction 1 - New Zealand Comics Anthology

Question: What is Faction Comics?

Answer: An anthology of New Zealand comics.

Why does this matter? Faction aims to bring together New Zealand comic talent to showcase the talent available and provide a more mainstream and professional outlet in which to examine the artistic ability of Aotearoa (Maori for New Zealand).

Local and alternative comic publishing outlets are an important part of the industry. They occupy a role necessary to challenge and explore the capability of artists and push the boundaries of mainstream acceptance. While they may not be commercially significant in the grand scheme of comic publishing, they are, nonetheless, a crucible for development of comics in general.

The publishing team behind Faction recognizes the limited media available for local New Zealand comic creators to present their work. Given the markets geographic distance to major outlets and the smaller population desire for regular printed comic serials, the logical solution was to bring together industry know-how for those wanting to get noticed. The crowd funded project was established in 2012 and has now produced three volumes of comics.

The aim of Faction is summarized on their website:

"At Faction we aim to show off the diverse range of comic talent that exists in New Zealand and celebrate the extraordinary new direction that comics have been taking in the past years, as they develop into a broader and more mature art-form."

The samples through each issue, so far, vary widely in the styles for both writers and artists. You cant pick up Faction 1 and expect to see the same characters and drawing in Faction 2 or 3. Its like a comic buffet, eat what you want, try this or that, just to see what its like. This is great if you aren't a picky eater (or reader).

Faction claims that "our main focus is on great art and great storytelling - and on making Faction a comic that people can’t put down". This is achieved in a remarkable way. Each issue has comics that can draw you in and leave you wanting more, it is a little sad that due to the nature of the anthology that more can't fit between the covers. The printed versions are of a high quality and it shows that care has been taken to edit and produce the finished product.

While the aim is clearly stated Faction delivers on this. It is great to see an outlet like this for those passionate about comics that may be trying to get recognized for their talent. Importantly the focus helps develop local level talent and build a foundation for a comics industry that is ever maturing.

Thought provoking, whimsical, serious, funny and introspective, Faction covers such a broad range of topic material and is delivered in a variety of artistic expressions, yet it is a taste of New Zealand comics with a flavor all its own.

This is a worthwhile read for something different, as another take on what comics can be all about. The stories are universal, but the talent is local and prove it's time to stand up a little taller and show what New Zealand comic artists can do.

Have you read Faction? What are your thoughts about it so far? Let me know and leave a comment below.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 60 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward. This week they are joined by very special guest Britt Briscoe from the game Default Dan!

Join the Dace Man and crew this week as they break down the following:

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Current MLB standings
• NFL Pre-season Week 1 is in the books!
• Plus More

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY:: 

• What's weird around the world?
  

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Name! This! Race!

::CELEB NEWS::

• Celeb birthdays from August 7th to August 13th
• Robin Williams Passed Away form suicide. 
• Jason Momoa is AquaMan
• Norman Reedus to star in the upcoming Silent Hill Game

Plus two songs up on Gibby Sings! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.




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

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is kicking ass and taking names at the box office with hit after hit coming out every time they release a film. The latest, Guardians of the Galaxy, smashed August box office records and scored an impressive 92% on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes. The public and critics loved it.

This massive success in both fields was a bit of a surprise to me and many others. This film was a big gamble for Marvel that has paid off handsomely. Now the studio plans to do the same with another lesser known team of superheroes called "the Inhumans. I'd never heard of them until Marvel announced that writer Joe Robert Cole is working on a script.

Remember those creatures attacking the team of Avengers in the film? They are called Chitauri but are really based on the alien Kree originally and have a lot of similarities with the Skrull. The differences and back story for all three is a convoluted mess that is hard to explain and boring., so I won't get into it. Regardless, the Inhumans were created during the Kree-Skrull war to help the Kree defeat their foes.The Inhumans have popped in on other comic titles, too. 

The Inhumans were also made from early homo sapiens to enhance the Kree's dwindling gene pool and fight in wars for them. Whoa, slow down there, partner. We have themes of scientific experimentation, genetics, subservient servitude, and galactic war. Heady stuff, but that's not the point. The point is, these Inhumans are ultimately a third tier comic book team and very weird. Having a group of oddballs working together to save the galaxy worked for Guardians of the Galaxy, so why not for the Inhumans?

Many questions remain. Will this next big gamble work out for Marvel? Who would be a good director for this group of oddball, lesser known comic characters? Sound off below.

We at Fanboys Anonymous are still stunned by the recent news of Robin Williams' death by apparent suicide. I don't wish to focus on the details but rather celebrate the man's incredible career that spanned five decades, ranging from his humble beginnings on the stand-up circuit to the breakout role he enjoyed as Mork to an Oscar winning turn in Good Will Hunting. I'll start off here with what will be a group effort from us.

Williams could do it all. Comedy acting, performing stand-up, drama, he was as adept at pushing the "creepy" buttons in films like One Hour Photo and Insomnia as he was pushing those goofy buttons in comedy vehicles like Mrs. Doubtfire. He was fantastic at both portraying the everyman and the eccentric weirdo who is so likable you forgive the excessive behavior.

Mork & Mindy, that strange, odd, over the top gonzo TV series from the late '70s/early '80s, was the perfect showcase for Robin Williams' early career; that manic, energetic, wild craziness that he was able to hone into a weapon of comedic power that catapulted him into super stardom. He later segued into leading roles like Good Morning, Vietnam, for which he received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. I can't think of the film without hearing his voice screaming the title. Good Morning, Vietnam demonstrated his ability to do drama as well and he segued this skill into his next role, Dead Poets Society.


Dead Poets Society is my Robin Williams' film and my favorite performance of his. Perhaps because this speaks more to my generation, perhaps because I was an English major in college, or perhaps because I adhere to the idea of "carpe diem" his Mr. Keating espoused during the film that I treasure this movie so much. The same with The Fisher King, where Williams gave a performance etched with such incredible sadness it's a wonder he was able to make it through the film without breaking down completely. It's deep and powerful yet filled with his manic comedic talents.

Who could forget Aladdin and his wonderful work as the Genie? It's Williams at his best, blasting through with improvisations that would leave most comics on their backsides laughing their asses off and choking on dust. This role was made for him and his touching moments (telling Aladdin to believe himself, saying how much he wishes to be free of the lamp) are as memorable as the funny bits. I can never get enough of this film and Robin made everything better because of his talent and ability.


I was first exposed to Robin Williams in the Disney classic Aladdin. The movie immediately became my all-time favorite Disney movie, which still rings true today, and Genie is by far one of my favorite animated characters of all time. Throughout my childhood, and even throughout my adulthood, I gravitated to Robin Williams films such as Hook, Patch Adams, and Good Morning Vietnam among many others. During my high school years I became involved in the acting program and really was set on the comedic roles more so than the dramatic roles. The first role I was ever cast in was an ill banker in Neil Simon's "The Good Doctor." There was a lot of physicality when it came to the role and humor derived by the energy and movements of myself and my counterpart. I remember watching Jim Carrey and Robin Williams to see how their energy and the smallest movements could cause an entire theater to erupt into laughter.

That trait I would carry through my run as a live theater actor and is something I currently reflect upon to produce the wild man character I portray as a wrestler. Whenever I find myself writing for a character who is high in energy but needs the ability to have those serious heartfelt moments, I often find myself reflecting on movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire and Jumanji. It is my hope that when a viewer or reader views my work they can sense the inspiration of many comedians and actors I pull from. Although not all of what I do and write is directly derived from the legendary Robin Williams, a huge portion of who I am as a comedic writer was inspired by the early antics I was exposed to on multiple occasions.

The key thing about Robin Williams and the work he has left behind for us is the rewatch value and the everlasting comedy that resonates across multiple generations. The fun kid-like exterior we have had the pleasure to know over the past few decades is a true diamond in the rough and without a doubt leaves a very large hole in the world of comedy. However large the hole may be in the comedic world, though, it is just a small portion of the larger hole in the world left behind by the man that Robin Williams was. He was a man who was not only generous but truly caring and inspirational to many people across the world. It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow I say goodbye to a legend and thank him for all that he has left behind in his absence. Heaven now has one of the most ultimate comedy show line-ups featuring some of the greats taken from us too soon like John Candy, Phil Hartman, John Belushi, Chris Farley, John Ritter, and now headlining the icon Robin Williams.


Patch Adams is the movie that convinced me once and for all that fighting for the greater good is something we possess from day 1. It germinates inside of us and we must nourish it. Shine brightly in whatever field you wish to with honesty and love, it will irradiate and spread onto others. Happiness wins over all. I don't think any other lead actor could have pulled off the sincerity of the film.


When writing the breaking story for Fanboys Anonymous on Robin Williams' passing I was struck with a lot of hurdles. From the start, I had a hard time believing that it was even possible to be true. But after searching for backing sources it became undeniable. So I wrote perhaps the toughest article I have ever written in my experience as a journalist.

The next obstacle was something that every actor could only dream about when one writes their obituary. I couldn't decide what movies to choose as a representation of his career because there was just so many memorable ones! They span across genres from fantasy, thriller, animated, comedy, drama, and every type of combination there in. I could've had paragraphs just listing the titles of Williams' most beloved roles.

I'll always remember him most for a role that actually didn't involve his physical presence: The Genie. The comical wish-granter from Disney's Aladdin was easily my favorite character from the series and perhaps even from the entire Disney family. His delivery; the way he'd bombastically stumble and pop between different personalities—it was a fantastic display of energy and screen presence.

He was a natural at his craft. It's a shame that we never will see what could have been with a longer career. It's an even bigger shame that someone who brought so many smiles to people's faces spent the last of his days in so much pain. I hope this event will cause people to mature to the existence of mental illness and the necessity to improve our treatment of it. Robin Williams will always be remembered in the world of comedy and film. A legend that will be passed from parent to child, sibling to sibling, friend to friend for generations to come. "No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change this world." -Dead Poets Society

This is Will Molinar again, signing off. We're sad, we're crushed, we are devastated. O Captain, My Captain, you will forever be in our hearts. Carpe diem, gather ye rosebuds, seize the day! And share with us some of your favorite films of Robin Williams.

Say what you want about Mel Gibson and his behavior over the last few years, the guy is a talented actor/director and has played some iconic roles during his career. The first movie he made famous and was most responsible for busting him out of Australia during the late 70's and early 80's was Mad Max. He was the bad-ass biker from a post apocalyptic war torn future where gas is as valuable as water.

Like many other franchises, Mad Max is being rebooted/remade for today's 21st Century audiences. The new film in the franchise, the fourth, is entitled Mad Max: Fury Road and is scheduled to appear in May of 2015. Whether this film is a reboot/remake or a loose sequel is unclear at this point as there are very few details known about the plot. What is known is that Gibson shall not be playing Max and that's a shame.

The character is a great one and Gibson defined the role. He's simple and straightforward on the surface, but, as with many iconic characters on film, there are subtleties I hope Tom Hardy, the new Max, will be able to channel. Max is a survivor. He's a fighter also, but mostly a survivor. He only gets involved with situations begrudgingly and, even then, only if it helps him make it to the next day.

Examine The Road Warrior, the second film. Max simply wants to carry on with his life and not get involved with these people and the marauders commanded by The Humungus. Sorry, but Max doesn't give a damn. Just give him his car back and some gas and he's out. However, Max also has compassion and, unlike many people of this post-apocalyptic world, some strong measure of his humanity intact. Many scenes in Beyond Thunderdome demonstrate this. For example, when he spares Master a cruel death when he realizes the beast is a simpleton . Also, when he tries to help the feral kids in the wasteland. Mad Max has incredible skills people need and is often used for others' purposes, much to the detriment of his own goals.

This is important for director George Miller if he has any chance of recapturing the magic Gibson and he were able to conjure for the first trilogy. What I've read about the new run of films, beginning with Fury Road, doesn't fill me with hope. Miller says it's a long chase that lasts three days and there's little dialogue and, while there is nothing wrong with streamlining and going back to basics, we can't forget the character of Max and what makes him complex.

Hardy may have a new interpretation to the character and that's fine, but if they stray too far from what makes Mad Max Mad Max, what's the point of calling this Mad Max: Fury Road? It will be nothing but a parody of the original. Obviously, they want brand recognition so adding a name audiences are familiar with is a smart marketing choice.

So what does everyone think of having a new Max at the helm of one of the best action franchises ever? Will Tom Hardy fill Mel Gibson's bucket seat or fall off the rails? Sound off below.

The Land of the Giants is an episodic sci-fi thriller set in the future year of 1983 which charts the trials and tribulations of the ill-fated passengers and crew of The Spindrift. The Spindift is a sub-orbital passenger-liner which took off from Los Angeles bound for London using the then (and now) fictitious concept of parabolic trajectory whereby the ship was supposed to fly just above the ozone layer. Unfortunately, the ship enters a space storm and crash-lands on an inhabited planet which parallels earth in all but two ways – the people living on the planet are perhaps one to two decades behind humans in terms of contemporaneous technological development, oh and, err, they are about 72 feet tall!

When the ship lands on the planet, the crew don't immediately realise that they are on a land inhabited by giants. Instead, given the vegetation that they have landed in (which, like every other thing on the planet is gigantic in size), they incorrectly assume that they have landed in some sort of forest or on a tropical island. Needless to say, it is not long before they encounter a giant; whilst attempting a failed take-off from the planet, a particularly unpleasant looking bespectacled specimen attempts to grab the ship and stares into the cockpit.

The special effects aren't great but they aren't bad either.

This sets the scene for the premise of the rest of the two series' action – our heroes, the crew and passengers of the Spindrift, through a process of exploration and conjecture manage to work out that they have indeed crash-landed on a giant planet. They also realize the 'jungle' they have landed in is actually just some undeveloped scrubland at the edge of the giants' city. From here-on-in, they scavenge for parts to repair their ship, attempting but always failing to leave the planet. All the while trying to evade capture by the giants who are aware of their presence on the planet and sets traps to catch them (it becomes clear as the action of the show progresses that numerous "little people" have arrived on the giant planet thereby suggesting that the giant world is in some sort of parallel universe). The reasons that the giants wish to catch them are many and varied: The scientific community want to carry out experiments on them or  force them to divulge information about their superior "earth technology". Also, spoiled brattish children want to keep them as pets or toys and travelling circuses want to put them in their stage acts.

Naturally, not only are the giants a problem on this planet, so too are the disproportionately large dogs, cats, spiders and all manner of other hazards. Of course, just traversing such a massive landscape causes issues. Tables, chairs, curb-stones, and telephones (objects that we consider as utilities or labor-saving devices) are an absolute nightmare for the "little people" who have to fashion tools to climb up or use them. This includes the ingeniously crafted cotton and safety pin grappling hook rope and razor blade axe, made from scavenged materials discarded by the giant society. Even empty bean cans etc provide an invaluable source of sheet metal for our heroes!

So, what makes this now rather old sci-fi show so good? Despite its age, The Land of the Giants is fantastic, not least because of the set design and "stunts" carried out by the actual main-cast of characters. Yes, some of the ginormous creatures such as cats and bugs look obviously green screened or added-in. That said,  the program has aged very well. The edge-of-seat action coupled with the feeling of apprehension as the audience thinks about "will they or won't they get caught?" is still as fresh now as it was back then. The show owes its greatness to the somewhat capricious nature of its director Irwin Allen. Despite fading into obscurity now, in the '60's through the '80's, he was famous for producing such episodic programs as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; Lost in Space; The Time Tunnel; The Swiss Family Robinson and Code Red along with such films as The Poseidon Adventure and The Swarm which gained him the moniker The Master of Disaster. However, as alluded to previously, it could be argued that he was also the master of irrational decisions, often refusing to work to smaller budgets than the massive (for the period) ones agreed –if Wikipedia is to be believed, $250,000 per episode!

The first edition DVD case, designed to look like one of infamous traps set by the giants to catch the "little people".

In summary, whilst given the square-cube law that the premise of this show is total nonsense, there is never a dull-moment in the world of The Land of the Giants. It is definitely worth a look either if it's your first time around, or if you watched it in your youth and fancy a revisit.

It is on general release on DVD and the first edition is particularly good as the outer case is fashioned to look like one of the traps used by the giants to capture the "little people".

Do you have the box set? Were you a fan? Let us know in the comments below.

Yesterday AMC uploaded a frustratingly short teaser for Better Call Saul, the highly anticipated Breaking Bad spin-off, on YouTube.

As you can see, that teaser revealed pretty much nothing about the show, but seeing Saul in action again is enough to start building the anticipation even more. I'm really hoping we can see a proper in-depth trailer or two as the February 2015 premiere date approaches, but I'll take what I can get for now.

Since I adore Breaking Bad and the spin-off is a prequel created by Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, and Peter Gould, the writer of Saul's debut Breaking Bad episode and essentially creator of the character, Better Call Saul is definitely one of my most anticipated new shows, but what do you guys think? Let us know in the comments!

February 2015 can't come soon enough.

During its press briefing at Gamescom in Germany this morning, Microsoft made several announcements. One of the biggest being that Rise of the Tomb Raider will be released exclusively on Xbox One.

I can't help feeling like the game will actually turn out to be a timed exclusive and it will find its way to PS4 eventually, but this is still a huge victory for Microsoft. The Tomb Raider reboot was one of the best reviewed games of 2013, so making the sequel exclusive to Xbox One, even temporarily, could really help boost Microsoft's sales when the game is released in 2015. Between that announcement, the official confirmation of the Sunset Overdrive bundle containing a white console, and the announcement of a Call of Duty bundle featuring a special edition console with a 1 TB hard drive, Microsoft is clearly pushing hard to boost its less than stellar sales numbers.

What do you guys think? If you have an Xbox One, are you excited about this? Do you wish Rise of the Tomb Raider would come to PS4 on day one as well? Sound off in the comments!

WARNING! Heavy SPOILERS to follow as I will be discussing detailed plotting about The LEGO Movie so do not read any further if you have not seen the film.

This warning is very important. The ending twist for this film is fantastic, and was a big surprise for me because the marketing did a great job of  hiding it. A little background on me for a second so you can understand where I'm coming from: I love to build things. I had some LEGOs when I was a kid, but they were simple blocks and not this fancy crap they have today. I used my imagination and built things with no instruction booklet, or any pictures to follow.

Kids these days get some LEGO set and there is a set of instructions on the box that you have to follow to make it look like the picture. I'm sorry, but that's too damn easy. Whenever we go to a toy store with our son, I'm always bitching about this—ask my wife—because it drains the potential for creativity. Imagine my immense joy when the twist at the start of the last act of The LEGO Movie deals with this very thing—since the entire time, the story within the film was actually the imagination of a real life child!

Then we have Will Ferrell playing his overbearing father, whose goal is to Crazy Glue every single LEGO on their gigantic table together so it's all "perfect". According to him, making a LEGO construction that is outside of the so-called rules of the instruction booklet is not to be tolerated. His goal is to make them all the way they are supposed to be. His son wants to be free to make what he wants, outside of these restrictions, and goes on a quest to make a lowly LEGO construction worker the hero of this story. If successful, this will also stop the father from gluing the pieces together and free the child's imagination.

I freaking love this! It spoke to me so strongly I found myself floored by the revelation. Before this happened I was enjoying myself; the film is fun, light, and has a lot of pep and energy. But I wasn't that impressed by it until this reveal happened. Then it jumped up in my estimation and became something truly special.The message is clear: imagination and following your heart is more important than following the rules.

Was anyone else surprised/impressed/blown away by the twist or am I being weird? Was anyone annoyed and felt like the father character was right in building the LEGOs the "right" way? Sound off below.

I love watching movies, and then talking about them. Watching and listening to other people talk about them is fun, too. There are a slew of review shows to watch on YouTube, but the problem is, most of the reviewers simply don't get it; they are either spazoids, yelling and gesticulating annoyingly with their hands (seriously, why can't some of these freaks just calm down for a second?), or they have no idea what they are talking about.

Watch some. They just say, "Yeah, it was cool! Subscribe to our channel, dude!" I'm not exaggerating. The reviews are so shallow and asinine it beggars belief that people watch these videos. One of my least favorites—I won't be a hater and mention names—routinely has hundreds of thousands of views per review. These reviews are usually less than five minutes long, and the guy just spouts off superficial bits about the film that everyone already knows from the trailer. I doubt he even watches the actual movie.

How are these shows being supported? Who is watching them so much? What's wrong with you people? Stop it.

One movie review show that does not do this and actually has some in-depth insight to each film reviewed is called Half in the Bag, brought to you by Red Letter Media, the same guys that did the famous 70 minute Phantom Menace review that got tens of millions of views a while back. That one was brilliant. Look it up, watch, and be blown away. Not only is there entertainment value in the humor, but what Mr. Plinkett says about what's wrong with the Star Wars prequels is spot on.

Their regular review show called Half in the Bag is no different. God forbid that they talk about the movie! Wow. And they know what they are talking about. Mike and Jay have knowledge of filmmaking techniques, and know what storytelling is all about. Shocking, I know. See, when you watch a film, there is more to it than simply how you feel about it. True film fanatics take in more of what is onscreen and judge cinema by its artistic merits. That sounds snobby, I know, but we need to raise our standards as far as what is acceptable for our films.

When we as audience members begin to look deeper into what makes a film of high quality, then perhaps the movies themselves will begin to improve; filmmakers will simply be forced to "up their game" and make better films. If the vast majority of movie reviewers simply spout off talking points (yeah, that was cool and stuff and that was gnarly, dude!) rather than discuss the merits of pacing, characterization, cinematography, thematic uses of literary devices, etc., than we are all doomed to mediocrity. Half in the Bag dissects and discusses these intricacies like few others.

My hat is off to Mike and Jay, the hosts of Half in the Bag, and their friend Rich who comes in occasionally to add his expertise on certain genres, for adding depth to the discussion of film. This is a topic I love dearly and it's nice to see a review show that is not so superficial. They don't scream at people to subscribe or comment. They also call filmmakers out on the bullshit they try to peddle. Their insight and comedic timing is much appreciated, so check them out.

Any Red Letter Media fans out there? Anyone watch Half in the Bag or Best of the Worst, another of their shows? Sound off below.

Academy Award winning actor & comedian Robin Williams died this morning. He was 63 years old. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed, though Marin County Coronor's office suspects it to have been suicide via asphyxiation. The following statement was issued by his publicist:

Robin Williams passed away this morning. He has been battling severe depression of late. This is a tragic and sudden loss. The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.

Williams rose in popularity as a stand-up comedian and with his role on popular television series Mork & Mindy. As an actor he is known for parts in Dead Poet's Society, Aladdin, Hook, Jack, and Jumanji; but he took home an Oscar for his performance as Dr. Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting.

He will be reprising his role as Theodore Roosevelt in the third installment of the Night at the Museum franchise due out this December. Fox released a statement of "There really are no words to describe the loss of Robin Williams. He was immensely talented, a cherished member of our community, and part of the Fox family. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and fans. He will be deeply missed."

It was recently announced that he'd also be reprising his role as Mrs. Doubtfire in a sequel directed by Chris Columbus. The status of that film is now unknown.

What are some of your favorite Robin Williams memories? Leave them in the comments below. Goodbye o captain, my captain!

Starship Troopers' Clancy Brown has landed a villainous role in CW's Arrow spin-off The Flash…
The veteran actor will be playing General Wade Eiling, often known as simply The General in the DC comic book world.

In the show, Eiling will be heading up a black ops army team who are in pursuit of Kelly Frye's Plastique in the hope of using her as a human weapon.

Clancy Brown has played various army and authoritarian roles in the past, playing Captain Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption and Sargent Zim in Starship Troopers as well as noteworthy villains like The Kurgan in Highlander and Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's Carnivàle (a personal favorite of mine).

Brown is also no stranger to comic book roles, having played Red Hulk, Lex Luthor, Odin and Taskmaster in a long string of voice-acting roles.

The Flash airs in the US on October 7, details for the UK are unknown at this time.

What are your thoughts on The Flash casting so far? Why not let us know in the comments below.