Fanboys Anonymous

Neill Blomkamp's Alien Movie Sidesteps Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection?

Posted by Unknown - Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Okay, breathe deep. The director behind District 9, Elysium, and the upcoming Chappie isn't remaking Ridley Scott's landmark sci-fi film, Alien. Nor is he remaking James Cameron's sequel, Aliens. He is, however, using those two movies as a jumping off point for a brand-new installment in the Alien franchise—starring Sigourney Weaver, Ellen Ripley herself, no less.

ellen ripley alien neill blomkamp aliens james cameron ridley scott sigourney weaver chappie district 9

Let's track the Alien franchise real quick.

Ridley Scott's 1979 Alien film introduced Ellen Ripley as a part of a commercial starship crew that investigates a mysterious planet, eventually encountering the titular alien. Though it kills the rest of the crew, Ripley bests the creature and puts herself in stasis in an escape pod for the journey home.

James Cameron's 1986 sequel Aliens picks up after Ripley is recovered, having been in stasis for almost 60 years. No one believes her horrifying story, and even worse, she finds out that the planet on which her ship initially encountered the alien is now home to a terraforming colony. When communication is lost with the colony, she accompanies a platoon of marines to the planet. The team suffers great losses when they find a whole host of aliens has taken over the facility, but again, she and a few survivors escape and settle in for the deep sleep home.

Twentieth Century Fox, loath to let the franchise sit, released Alien 3 in 1992. This was a troubled production, although it marked the big-budget debut of a young filmmaker named David Fincher. Ripley's ship experiences a malfunction and crashes into a penal planet, home to innumerable violent offenders. Soon, Ripley and the prisoners realize an alien came to the planet aboard Ripley's ship and that the rescue vessel sent for Ripley is really on its way to collect an alien specimen to turn into biological weaponry. While the prisoners and Ripley combat the alien, she discovers that she's carrying an alien embryo inside of her, which will grow into a queen. Ripley kills herself instead of letting her former company have the alien…and that should be it, right?

terminator geniuses mad max fury road pan star wars the force awakens avengers age of ultra jurassic world arnold schwartzenegger hugh jackman chris pratt robert downey jr chris evans chris hemsworth tom hardy jj abrams harrison ford
Characters die. Trademarks live forever as long as they make money.
Nah. In 1996, Fox brought Ripley back again in Alien: Resurrection, scripted by none other than Joss Whedon (who has gone on record effectively saying he hates what the film became from his screenplay). Two hundred years after the events of Alien 3, a group of military scientists have cloned Ripley and harvested DNA from the embryo she once carried. Additionally, these scientists have cloned and grown additional aliens for study. Sure enough, the aliens get out, and the emergency prompts the space vessel on which all this takes place to set course for Earth, endangering all of humanity.

There are other spinoffs of the franchise, like the ill-fated and ill-advised Alien vs. Predator movies, and Ridley Scott's kinda-sorta prequel Prometheus (which will get its own sequel sometime in the years to come), but these movies make up the core of the Alien franchise.

Enter Neill Blomkamp.

neill blomkamp alien district 9 elysium chappie sigourney weaver michael biehnSigourney Weaver is in Blomkamp's latest film, Chappie, which drops next week. Prior to that working relationship, Blomkamp had developed some ideas for a story set in the Alien universe. He produced concept art, he fleshed out the story, and during some down time in production on Chappie, he got to talking with Weaver about Ellen Ripley and Alien. This got him thinking further, and it turned out that Fox loved his ideas. Although he was unsure about franchise filmmaking, he acquiesced, and this project will be his next film.

The kicker is that this movie will be "connected to," to use the director's own words, the events of Alien and Aliens, perhaps at the expense of Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. It would be like how Bryan Singer's Superman Returns ignored everything that came after Richard Donner's Lester's Superman II. In one piece of Blomkamp's art, Michael Biehn's Aliens character Hicks is seen alongside Ripley, even though he died in the opening of Alien 3. In another, the "Space Jockey" ship from the original Alien and from Prometheus makes an appearance, in a warehouse-type setting. It seems as though Blomkamp has an idea to join disparate parts of the franchise with something fresh he has created.

neill blomkamp alien concept art instagram twitter space jockey engineer prometheusWeaver herself is keen on the idea of revisiting Ripley, despite having had a large amount of control over the character's direction for the latter two films. The second half of the Alien quartet was never as well received as the first two installments. Fox's hope is that this revitalizes the franchise.

While initially it was reported that this movie would "ignore" the third and fourth installments of the core Alien franchise, Blomkamp has distanced himself from that idea, saying that because his favorites are those first two movies, that is the material he wanted his idea to connect with. He says he doesn't want to "undo" Alien 3 or Alien: Resurrection. It remains to be seen how to make a "middle sequel" without undoing everything that supposedly comes after.

Whether or not this will tie into other Alien properties, like Prometheus, is unclear but (I would hazard) also unlikely. If this is a continuation of the story begun in Alien(s), it would take place years and years after the events depicted in Prometheus, which was again touted as a sorta-kinda prequel to the franchise.

I suppose, if this is well received and Prometheus 2 does well, AND they don't want to delete Alien 3 and Resurrection from canon, they could attempt to dovetail the stories with some kind of time-travel plot with multiple Ripleys, and then Michael Fassbender's android David can develop some kind of, oh I don't know, "red matter" that artificially creates black holes and an alternate timeline…

Are you excited for more Alien? Anyone else happy that Neill Blomkamp is still hard at work on exciting sci-fi ideas? (Go see Chappie!) All communications are open in the comments below.

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Drew Goddard to Write/Direct 'The Spectacular Spider-Man'?

Posted by Saliv - Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Hello there, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, giving you the latest news/rumors concerning the Marvel/Sony Spider-Man deal!

According to a report from Latino-Review, the powers that be have chosen Drew Goddard to write and direct the new Spider-Man franchise! It's important to keep in mind that this is a rumor and has not been confirmed by either Sony or Marvel. Here's a rundown of what we're hearing:

  • "There is talk about calling the new series The Spectacular Spider-Man."
  • Ike Pearlmutter (Kevin Feige's boss) insisted on Avi Arad's removal from the Spider-Man franchise, which allowed Feige to step in. Arad will still receive an executive producer credit on the film, but his attention will be redirected to the Ghost in the Shell series.
  • The Sony "Spider-Verse" is dead. This means that although they had decided to move forward with the Sinister Six film, they have now scrapped all intended spinoffs, which includes The Sinister Six, a female-led Spider-Man film, Venom/Carnage, and yes, even the highly anticipated Aunt May film. Although there is still an idea to include the Sinister Six and possibly have a spinoff in the future, there are no longer any immediate plans.
  • Drew Goddard, who was previously attached to The Sinister Six, has been moved to the new Spider-Man reboot as writer and director. Goddard's credits include creating the Netflix Daredevil series (starring Charlie Cox), writing Cloverfield, The Cabin in the Woods, World War Z, and The Martian, and directing The Cabin in the Woods.
  • We're hearing again that there will be no origin story, and Peter (yes, Peter. Not Miles) will have his powers at the start of the film. Not surprising, since the character will appear in an MCU film before his solo run.
  • Because the two studios want to cast young and use this actor for multiple pictures, fan favorite Dylan O'Brien (who is currently 23) is too old for the role. Not to mention that he's already tied up in a big Hollywood franchise at the moment. They may go with an unknown actor, so that he can grow into the role, much like Daniel Radcliffe did in the Harry Potter series.
  • The first Spectacular Spider-Man film will most likely involve the Sinister Six forming to take down Spider-Man.
  • A major part of the first film will involve Spider-Man fighting Iron Man as an audition to become a member of the Avengers.

Wait…I think I mistyped that. It almost sounded like Robert Downey Jr. will appear in the first solo Spider-Man film, and that the two heroes will battle it out to test Peter's abilities to see if he's Avengers material.

Spider-Man as the Iron Spider fights Iron Man in the Marvel Civil War storyline.

Now, on the surface, this all sounds a little overwhelming, so let's break it down a little:
  1. The Spectacular Spider-Man? Cool title, I approve!
  2. For the love of all that is good in the universe, get Avi Arad as far away from the Spider-Man reboot as you can.
  3. The very fact that the Aunt May movie was a serious thing makes me happy that the Spider-Verse is dead. The Sinister Six just didn't need to happen. You hear me, Sony? Stop trying to make Sinister Six happen. (Mean Girls reference, sue me.)
  4. To me, Drew Goddard sounds okay. Daredevil hasn't been released yet, but I liked The Cabin in the Woods. I wasn't a huge fan of World War Z, but I know a lot of people were, so I can't see too much against him, but also not a whole lot in his favor. For now, I'm neutral.
  5. No origin story? Good, we don't need one. Although Latino-Review didn't say "no Miles," the original announcement from Marvel said "Peter Parker" by name, so that settles it. Will he be black, white, or something else? That's still a topic of discussion.
  6. If Dylan O'Brien at 23 is too old, that also eliminates Logan Lerman (23), Donald Glover (31), and possibly even my pick, Asa Butterfield (17) from Ender's Game. I eliminate Butterfield not for his age but because he's a relatively known actor, and the studios seem to want an unknown. Don't be surprised if the actor ends up being 15 or 16 years old. It would make sense, since the report says they'd want this actor for perhaps multiple trilogies.
  7. I wouldn't object to the Sinister Six being in the MCU, but the first film? This isn't The Amazing Spider-Man 3, so stop trying to make it The Amazing Spider-Man 3.
All right, time for an unpopular opinion, so instead of making this #8, I'm going to take a paragraph on this. My favorite MCU film for the longest time was Iron Man from 2008. Even when Marvel's The Avengers came out, I still loved the two films equally. However, after Iron Man 2, Iron Man Three (or Iron Man 3, as it should have been), and reports that he sort of muscled his way into Captain America: Civil War before they decided to go the Civil War route, I'm getting a little tired of RDJ. Is he still just as charming? Certainly. He is the living embodiment of Tony Stark, but this is Spider-Man's movie. If Chris Evans was going to appear in the film, I'd think "Cool, I'd love to see Cap and Spider-Man fight side-by-side," but RDJ? I can't help but feel think he'd want a huge part. I want to see Spider-Man fight his villains and save the day, not have Stark there the whole time hogging the limelight (which you know he'll do). Also, it would be really cool if Iron Man made a cameo in the film and the two auditioned Spidey to be an Avenger, but the report is saying that this would be a major part of the first film. Leave that shit for Captain America: Civil War.

This also doesn't seem to make a lot of sense for what we're seeing as far as the films go. Although I'm sure the film won't paint Iron Man as the "villain," it seems as though the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron will set Iron Man and Cap on opposite sides of their arguments, culminating in the third Captain America film. So are we to believe that after Peter sees Iron Man and Cap duke it out in Civil War, that he'd audition with Stark? This almost sounds like after Civil War, Cap and Stark will be friends again. Unless, Stark and Cap are recruiting for their own separate Avengers teams. But then why would Peter want to be on Stark's team? He does side with Iron Man in the comics at first, but after he has a change of heart, he joins Captain America's Secret Avengers. So…what the hell. If these rumors are true, they certainly seem confusing at face value. Hopefully when Sony and/or Marvel makes the formal announcement, things will be a lot clearer.

So what do you think of these rumors? Is Drew Goddard a good choice to write/direct the first film? Do you like the title The Spectacular Spider-Man? Would you approve or disapprove if Iron Man played a major part in the first solo movie against the Sinister Six? Let us know in the comments section! Thanks for reading everyone. My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!

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Review: Marvel's Amazing X-Men #17 by Yost, Fornes, and Rosenberg

Posted by Sean Hamilton

The Once and Future Juggernaut returns
Amazing X-Men #17 cover by Fornes and Rosenberg
"The Once and Future Juggernaut" (Part 3 of 4)

We have reached the pivotal action point around which this arc has been revolving: the return of the Juggernaut.

Under the guidance of writer Chris Yost, the previous two issues have seen all the potential candidates to become the new Juggernaut set off to heed the call of the ruby crystal of Cyttorak. The Amazing X-Men have also been alerted to this menace and arrived on a remote island in Thailand, at the temple dedicated to the same dark demon of destruction.

The first skirmishes have happened and a little blood drawn. So far this story arc has been a fun read, with some quick moments of comic timing and plenty of action. Amazing X-Men #17 is much of the same.

The issue feels like one good fight scene after another. Plenty of hits and snappy one-liners from the usual suspects of Storm, North Star, Iceman, and Rockslide. If you are expecting in-depth character development, your hopes will be dashed, because this issue focuses on the task at handkeeping up the intrigue about who will reach the ruby first and become the next Juggernaut.

Cyttorak and his Avatar draw near to the X-Men
Cyttorak's is pleased, his time has come.
With two former wielders of this awesome power along for the ride, Colossus turning up thanks to a Pixie and Cain Marko bursting on the scene in the last issue, the issue feels fast paced. Yost does well to play up the strengths of this conflict while keeping the possibility open for others to prevail and claim the prize.

The stalemate is over for the X-Men
Nightcrawler bampfs into action
Keeping pace with Yost's story, artist Jorge Fornes continues a solid run in this arc. There is some feeling of middle-issue syndrome, where the dip occurs, hopefully to rise back in the next issue. Fornes' use of expression emotion in the characters' faces is a delight, and he is a good artist for this type of action-packed story. As I re-read all the issues so far on this arc, the individual issues come together smoothly and would do well in a collected trade paperback.

In other aspects Fornes' art is a little patchy in its storytelling in this issue; stylistically the art is consistent with the previous two issues, but here we see some big jumps in action, with some distinct lack of linking elements between panels. This only happens less than a handful of times, but it is enough to distract the reader and pull him or her out of the story.

Old and New Juggernauts in Amazing X-Men
Cain Marko - the former Juggernaut.
Rachelle Rosenberg's colors are bright and vivid, but in comparison with the earlier arcs of this series, they have changed to suit the style and tone of Fornes. Rosenberg appears to enhance a lot of the character movement, as directed by Fornes' layouts, but the overall feel comes across a little static. There is some exaggerated impact in the fight scenes; bringing home a well-laid punch, for instance, feels as though it were intended to knock over a character, but the fluidity of motion doesn't carry consistently throughout the issue.

The panel arrangement that was engaging in the previous issue is toned down in issue #17. While they read well and clearly guide the story, due to the content of this issue I think that more could have been done to use the fighting to step outside the box a little more.

Cain Marko lays down the law
The X-Men fight on all sides
Given the proximity to "Secret Wars" and the lack of solicitation for Amazing X-Men in May this year, we could be among the final issues in this run. With one more part left to this story arc, it will be interesting to see what fate befalls the team and who becomes the new Juggernaut in the final issue.

As always, we want to hear what you thought about this issue. Make sure you leave a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter and come back next time for the final issue of the "Once and Future Juggernaut."

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Review of Men of Wrath #5 by Aaron and Garney

Posted by Sean Hamilton

It started with some sheep and wont end until someone is dead
Men of Wrath #5 cover
by Garney and Milla
"Wrath's End"

The concluding issue of Jason Aaron's and Ron Garney's creator-owned work Men of Wrath lives up to the blood-saturated issues we have seen so far.

Succinctly summed up by Aaron on the final page, Men of Wrath is about a family curse passed from father to son for four generations. Ultimately, a whole lot of people get killed. The cold hard close that wraps up this issue mirrors the dramatic opening from issue #1. Death abounds in all those pages.

Given the setup from the preceding issue, I had hoped to see Reuben last a little longer, but I don't feel put out by the twist Aaron has in the opening pages of issue #5. It is consistent with the tone and feel of the series. The story achieves satisfactory closure in this issue, and that satisfaction is compounded by the well-balanced pace of the issue, which tips explosive action against familial drama.

Aaron plays up the dramatic use of completely blank and black pages in this issue. The cutaways these provide not only denote a lapse in time during the course of the events but also build a sense of suspense for the reader. Couple this with a lift in the narrated voice of Ira Rath throughout the issue, not just at the beginning or end as in previous issues, and it is a fitting way to close the series.
The Polk gang out for vegenace
No good can come from this...
Because of the quick action and pace produced in this issue, Garney uses a relatively smaller number of panels per page. This focuses the action, speeding it up, forcing each page to give up the most it can from an artistic point of view. Garney's heavy ink work continues to bring an air of gravitas to the pages. Men fighting seem harder, more edgy and gritty as a result. When these images are colored by Matt Milla, the outcome is solid and hefty artwork that feels right at home with the story.

Among all the killing brilliantly brought to life by Garney and Milla, Aaron is telling a story with some poignancy to it. Ira Rath is trying to find some small sense of redemption, along with a healthy dose of retribution. There is some paternal caring, which we could have suspected from Ira's actions in the previous issue; this is really highlighted by Ira's relief and interaction with Lizzie in the final few pages.
Trouble follows Ira Rath like a bad smell
Ira Rath's in a world of trouble
Aaron's ability to inspire unique voices for each character elicits a meaningful response from readers of Men of Wrath. A sense of belonging and familiarity echoes from the page, and the real-life connection that Aaron has to this story illustrates why a tale that began with some mangy sheep could be spun to equate with a murder-filled family that seems on death's doorstep.

Ultimately, though, as the solicitation line for this issue reads, someone must die. It is the Rath way. All good things must come to an end, and Men of Wrath goes out on a high. As a very limited series, this was a good, mature read. It wasn't bogged down intellectually but delivered on the premise on which it was established. Aaron and Garney pull off a suburb comic experience that will only become better as a collected edition.
The explosive end to Men of Wrath
Bloody to the bitter end
I thoroughly enjoyed this series; it will leave a gaping whole in my monthly pull-list. We want to hear what you think. Did you enjoy this issue of Men of Wrath? Or the whole series? What do you think about it now compared to the first issue? What do you think of Garney and Milla's artwork? Make sure you leave a comment below or on the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter.

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CES 2015 Delivers the Perfect Marriage of Tech and Motoring

Posted by Fanboys Anonymous

The CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2015, which took place this January in Las Vegas, has been universally promoted as marking the year that cars truly got smart. Historically, CES has had little to do with motoring and everything to do with more traditional aspects of the tech world. These have included digital media, communications and robotics among other things. But 2015 saw the focus shift for the first time to the long overdue consummation of the marriage between tech and the motor industry.

by Moto@Club4AG

Car-tech

In previous years the emphasis of CES, driven ultimately by consumer demand, has been entertainment in one form or another. Motoring has been left out in the Los Angeles car lot. But this year the talk has been of how the motoring fraternity has finally made it into the building. In the process, the story has become not just of how the motors have entered the building, it has become one of how the technology that sustains the digital leisure industry is making its way into the driverless cars of the near future. The hot topic is now intelligent, self-driving vehicles crammed with sensors and software that leave everyone on board free to play as never before. Enjoying life in the fast lane has just taken on a whole new meaning.

by Moto@Club4AG

Practical delivery

CES 2015 lifted the lid on the now blossoming relationships between the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz and tech powerhouses such as Sony, LG and Samsung. The days when tech in a car meant an iPod dock and a satnav are long gone - a mere spec in the rear view mirror. At last, the gears are meshing. Here are just a few of the eye catching ideas that we were treated to:
  • Mercedes Benz F 015 self-driving 'de luxe room on wheels'
  • BMW's automated walkaway parking system
  • Lazer guided lighting systems that can 'see' round corners
  • Universal smartphone plug ins
  • An Audi branded tablet computer (with added crash safety features)
  • VW Golf's fully digital touch screen cabin controls system

A whole new experience

Ford were the first to pioneer the presence of motors at CES eight years ago and it has, in truth, taken a while for the two worlds to work their way to their happy state of embrace. But like all the best romances, there is no going back from where we are right now. The level of on-board assistance demonstrated by Mercedes and Audi in particular means that - in a strange rewriting of history - we will soon be able to travel in our cars without having to focus on the tedious business of actually driving them. It means we'll be able to max out at our favourite online casino or even enjoy a spin on GTA even as we make our way around the streets of Vegas.

CES 2016 will take place in Vegas from Jan 6 to 9 - set your coordinates now.

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New Blade Runner Sequel Updates - Director and More Announced

Posted by Unknown - Monday, March 2, 2015

Blade Runner, released in 1982, is unarguably one of the most influential sci-fi movies to this day. Its realistic depiction of a decayed future has inspired various movies, comics, video games, and even music. Now, over 30 years since its release, Blade Runner's sequel is finally on its way to becoming a reality, with its principal photography scheduled to start in the summer of 2016.

Blade Runner Poster Movie Art Cyberpunk Future Neo Noir
1982 Poster.

The sequel's initial screenplay draft was co-developed by Ridley Scott and the original film's writer, Hampton Fancher, before Michael Green (Green Lantern) was reportedly hired to revise it. Scott will not be directing the sequel (Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve is in talks with Alcon Entertainment to lead the project), but he promises to remain fully involved with its progress. In an interview with Collider.com, Scott gave a short description of a scene:

"There'll be a vast farmland where there are no hedges or anything in sight, and it's flat like the plains of [Kansas] (...) On the horizon, [we see] a combine harvester, which is futuristic with klieg lights, [because] it's dawn. The harvester is as big as six houses. In the foreground is a small white clapboard hut with a porch as if it was from Grapes of Wrath. From the right comes a car, coming in about six feet off the ground being chased by a dog. And that's the end of it, I'm not gonna tell you anything else."




Aside from this scene description, only a few plot details have been revealed. Rumor has it the film will center around a female protagonist, and it will take place several decades after the original. Harrison Ford has confirmed he will reprise his role as Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter (a.k.a. Blade Runner) who hunts down rogue replicants.

Blade Runner Harrison Ford Deckard Cop Police Detective Hot Sexy
Ford's Deckard.
In an interview with Variety, Scott offered a bit more insight on the narrative:

"We talked at length about what it could be, and came up with a pretty strong three-act storyline, and it all makes sense in terms of how it relates to the first one. Harrison is very much part of this one, but really it's about finding him; he comes in in the third act."

With so many horrendous sequels, prequels, and remakes flooding the silver screen, is Blade Runner 2 even a good idea? Personally, I still have not forgiven Scott for Prometheus. Harrison Ford, however, seems to believe this movie in particular will do great justice to the original. According to Scott: "I sent [Harrison the script] and he said it's the best thing he's ever read. It's very relevant to what happened in the first one."

Time will tell. Hopefully this movie won't be like all those other sequels, "lost in time…like tears in rain."

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Review of IMAGE ODY-C #3 by Fraction and Ward

Posted by Sean Hamilton

Odyssia versus the Cyclops
ODY-C #3 cover by Christian Ward
Beware the one-eyed monster.

For a reader there can be some heavy work involved in a series like ODY-C. As a uniquely original take on a classic tale (Homer's Odyssey), you can pick up any issue and be mesmerized by the beautiful art and dynamic storytelling. But, and it is a big BUT, you can also go deeper and see some truly outstanding and nuanced meaning beneath the surface.

I am beginning to enjoy so much more about ODY-C as the series progresses. Issue #3 is a great place to hold your nose and take the plunge and really see what is under all the hyperbole about this series. Let yourself be mesmerized, let the strangeness overcome any sense of foreignness, and simply enjoy the mind-bending experience.

More can be read into ODY-C #3 from a pseudosexual, antiphallic, symbolic angle than really needs to be, but the inversion of the gender roles and the sexuality of the main characters in this issue invites conjecture on some of the portrayal of monsters such as the cyclops. In a universe that could be construed as male-adverse, this macho-filled female version is a refreshing take on an ancient, well-established trope. The roles of sex and gender have never seemed as compelling as a storytelling convention than under the direction of Matt Fraction.

Then again, the battering ram used by the wayward crew of the ODY-C to break down the cyclops' massive door in this issue is shaped very much like the male organ, which seems to be forced into the cyclops' cavity. The violent nature of this action could be seen as representative of male violence against women, but it is orchestrated by the masculine Odyssia, the female/male-like star of this drama. Given this, Fraction could just be having fun with his audience.
Immortals amongst mortals in ODY-C
Women's power of men in child birth
This story is engrossing. My high school classical studies classes could have been so much more if Homer's Odyssey had been delivered with this much flair, style, and creativity. As should seem apparent now, writer Matt Fraction is providing a master class of stepping outside the box, engaging readers on a different level, and having them rethink comics in a fundamental way.

This issue of ODY-C feels more narrated than the last, primarily due to the godly characters taking a backseat to Odyssia and her crew this time around. The drawn out encounter with the cyclops is justifiably a conflict that takes center stage. This passage highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the crew from the ODY-C, showcasing the flaws that made up the heroic warriors of Homer's poem.

The narration feels genuine, in a manner; the Homeric saga should be told in a grandiose way, not simply read as characters speaking to each other. So many current comics rely on this form of communication to push the story forward and there isn't anything wrong with this, but to stand out from the masses of publications each month requires a new way of being. Reading ODY-C is like having the story told to you from the page. It is fitting and refreshing.

Humans can not behold gods in ODY-C
The true image of a god is explosive
ODY-C #3 is also fast paced; we quickly move through time and space because Fraction needs to get us to some set pieces where the story can develop. In doing so we are introduced to new characters such as Dionysus and Apollo who, it seems, may come back to play greater roles later in the series. There is a great explanation from Fraction in the back pages of the issue about the introduction of these characters resulting from Homer's intention to clarify important missing plot points.

The first two issues of the series felt like they belonged to artist Christian Ward more than they did Fraction. The art was so stunning and different that it dominated each page. In this third issue Ward, while still providing amazing art that contributes so much to reading experience, does give way to Fraction a little.
The schemes of the gods in ODY-C
Apollo, Hera, and Dionysus
Ward's layouts and panel arrangements and how they guide the reading experience are paramount to the flow of the story. They take some getting used to, and multiple readings of this issue or specific pages may be required to grasp all the detail involved, which may be an obstacle to new readers; in fact, the creative team specifically included some fan mail addressing the difficulty of following the stories in the first two issues. However perseverance is the key, as this is a rewarding read for those so inclined.

Much like Fraction and Ward, we want to hear what you think about ODY-C #3. Does this retelling of a classic story continue to grab you? What do you think about Ward's composition and storytelling abilities in the art? Do you like the narrative effect of the story and any of the symbolism? Leave a comment below or on the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter, and come back next time for issue #4 of ODY-C.

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Review of Clear: A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica Park

Posted by Unknown - Sunday, March 1, 2015

paranormal romance novels Clear Jessica Park Death TrippersClear: A Death Trippers Novel is a  Paranormal Romance released on February 17, 2015 by New York Times bestselling author Jessica Park. This long awaited standalone book is boasts a beautiful cover designed by Matt of The Cover Lure.


Stella Ford's grasp on reality is already loosening, and it's about to come undone. When the college junior flees Chicago and leaves her toxic family behind, she heads for coastal Maine to find the one person who brought her peace years ago: Sam Bishop. But the Sam she once knew now has painful secrets, and Stella becomes determined to heal them both. Healing, however, is a challenge when the walls of her everyday existence collapse; when Sam's best friend is his worst enemy; when the line between life and death blurs; when an end is just a beginning; and when lust and rage rule. Yet during extraordinary chaos, there also can be extraordinary love—even if that love comes with a twist.

Welcome to death tripping.

A thriller, a paranormal tale, and a passionate romance, Clear crosses genres and breaks boundaries.

My Review: 5 STARS!

book Clear A Death Trippers Novel by Jessica ParkI went into this book not knowing what exactly the book was about. I don't even think I thought about it. I skimmed through the synopsis, drooled over the cover, and salivated over the teasers. From all of Park's social media posts. I knew it was different; it crossed genres, and it was more in lined with the genre of  Left Drowning.

The book began with a bang. In the first few chapters you are thrown into an amazing love story. As in any good Park book, the family dynamics are marvelous. I don't want to give away any plot details because this is a book best served cold. Clear is unique; I've read hundreds of novels and have never stumbled upon a plot such as this; it's also hot and sexy. The death trippers are so awesome that I almost wish I were one of them! I'm still in book hangover mode a few weeks later, and I hope Park writes another Death Trippers novel soon—well, that is, after she writes something about Sabin from Left Drowning (just kidding!).

I'd love to see more of these characters. Have you read Clear or any other books by Jessica Park? Please let me know what you think of the book or excerpt in the comments.

Excerpt from Clear

Old dock boards creak beneath my shoes, but Sam doesn't turn back. He won't even look at me when I sit down next to him and hang my feet over the lapping water. He holds a half-empty bottle of whiskey in one hand. My worry only increases when I touch his arm, and he pulls away.

"You know, don't you?" he says flatly. "Kelly told you."

I shake my head. "I know something happened, something happened to you."

Sam takes a too-long drink and then corrects me, "I made something happen."

I touch his arm again, and this time, he lets me.

"I'm going to tell you because you'll find out anyway. That's inevitable even though I pretended it wasn't. Then, you're going to hate me, the way most people in this town do."

"Sam, I could never hate you."

Now, he angles his face, and I can see how pained his expression is.
"For about ten minutes, I got to feel good again, good with you, and that's going to end. Of course. And I can't fucking stand that, Stella, because you are a relief in this fucking insane world. I felt it the second I saw you, and it scared the hell out of me. But it was there, as clear as day."

His eyes are red, and I'm not convinced it's from the booze.

"For reasons I can't begin to understand, I am whole again with you. After everything, I get to feel whole. And now, it's all going to blow up. Another bomb detonating in my life." He laughs, but it's filled with anguish. "My fucking life."

writer Flat-Out Love Jessica Park pics
About the Author: Jessica is the author of Left Drowning, the New York Times bestselling Flat-out Love (and the companion piece Flat-out Matt), and Relatively Famous.

She lives in New Hampshire where she spends an obscene amount time thinking about rocker boys and their guitars, complex caffeinated beverages, and tropical vacations.

On the rare occasions that she is able to focus on other things, she writes.

Please visit her at jessicapark.me and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/authorjessicapark and Twitter @JessicaPark24

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The Dace Man Show Presents: 2nd Annual Dacetacular Gaming for a Cause [LIVE FEED]

Posted by The Dace Man - Saturday, February 28, 2015

Hey, Hey, Hey Dacetacular Nation!! The time has come!! The Dace Man Show is partnering up with Fanboys Anonymous, Mega Powers Radio, Old Time Wrestling and Say Yes, Think No to kick off this 24-hour video game marathon with all proceeds going directly to Young Audiences New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania!

Charity Events heldto raise Money for less fortunate

Check out the live feed below as well as the line up of what we have in store for you nerds!! Remember to donate!!
Watch live video from DaceManShow on www.twitch.tv

Fundraising Websites - Crowdrise

The Lineup

  • February 28th Kick off at Noon - Twisted Metal 2! Last year we started with it and we decided to keep it a tradition!
  • Noon - 4 Retro Games! - Nothing screams nerd like trying to play Super Mario Bros by blowing the cartridge! Join us as we play anything and everything that originated on a system from when we were kids. The original Sonic, The Original Mario Bros, hell Gibby may play Metroid.
  • 4PM - 8PM SPORTS! - It's the most athletic we get during the winter time! Also, we promise not to let Gibby play the Bigs and lose 15-2 again....we know it was painful for us as well!
  • 8PM SUPER SMASH BROS TOURNAMENT - It's time to crown a true champion and we actually have a trophy. We will have one or two (depending on the amount of entries) 8 man mayhem matches to determine seating on the tournament. From there, we will engage in one-on-one battles to determine the Super Smash Champion! To enter the tournament, please reach out to Chris Dace on Facebook or shoot an email to thedacemanshow@gmail.com with the subject SMASH BROS. TOURNAMENT
  • Immediately Following the Tournament -  Singstar and Just Dance gotta get the blood pumping heading into the over night hours!
  • Twilight Limbo After Hours- Who honestly knows what's going to happen?
  • John Calls It - 9 AM To Finish  - My nephew John—who will be wide awake and ready to go—will close us out on the 24 hour gameathon, picking games and playing while the rest of us try to stay awake.

The Prizes

For every $5 donated to the cause your name will be entered into a random drawing for awesome prizes brought to you by our sponsors!
Super Smash Brothers tips and tricks
  • $50 Amazon Gift Card
  • Guardians of The Galaxy Poster
  • Captain America: Winter Soldier Poster
  • 2 Three Month Subscriptions to Loot Crate
  • 2 Opening Day Tickets to The Philadelphia Phillies vs. The Boston Red Sox 3:05PM Game April 6th (Section 229 Row 9 Seats 13 & 14)
  • Marvel Infinity Gauntlet Omnibus
  • 8 Various Tee Turtle Shirts



Fundraising Websites - Crowdrise

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Leonard Nimoy Passes Away at 83

Posted by Unknown - Friday, February 27, 2015

A cultural icon has died.

Leonard Nimoy, known to millions through his role as Spock on the original Star Trek series and film franchise, died today at age 83 after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

leonard nimoy spock star trek gene roddenberry jj abrams paramount nbc desilu

While there is no doubt the half-Vulcan/half-human science officer accounted for his best-known work, he also was a prolific artist. In addition to appearing on television throughout most of his career, even prior to Star Trek, Mr. Nimoy wrote poetry, performed spoken word pieces, acted on stage, recorded music, pursued photography, and taught acting at his own studio.

He was also a director, helming two installments of the original Star Trek film series, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the beloved Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, serving also as a writer on those films and on that cast's final movie, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Improbably, he also directed the smash hit comedy Three Men and a Baby, perhaps his most accessible non-Trek work.

Mr. Nimoy had a deep relationship with the character he made iconic, even titling two of his books, both autobiographies, after him: 1977's I Am Not Spock and 1995's I Am Spock. His influence on the character, and on the franchise as a whole, cannot be denied.

leonard nimoy star trek 2009 zachary quinto chris pine zoe saldana jj abrams paramount
Leonard Nimoy reprised his role as Spock in JJ Abrams 2009 reboot,
 pictured here alongside Zachary Quinto as the newest iteration of the character.
The story goes that although NBC turned down Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's first pilot episode for the sci-fi show, they asked for a second—an unheard-of request by a studio. The request came with caveats, however. The studio particularly disliked two characters Roddenberry had included in the ship's crew: one, a cold, unemotional female first officer played by Majel Barrett, and the other, an alien with pointed ears whom they deemed too "satanic" for viewers. Roddenberry kept Nimoy on as Spock. (Barrett was reintroduced to the show later as Nurse Christine Chapel.)

Nimoy himself invented many of Spock's trademarks. During the filming of the episode "The Enemy Within," Spock must subdue an evil double of Captain Kirk. The script called for Spock to hit him with the butt of his phaser, which Nimoy found too violent for the character. Instead, he showed the director something he worked up with William Shatner: he placed his hand on Shatner's shoulder and neck and pinched. Shatner stiffened and crumpled in a heap. Thus, the Vulcan neck pinch was born. Similarly, Nimoy derived the famous "live long and prosper" V-shaped Vulcan hand salute from his Jewish heritage.

There is no question that Spock made Star Trek hugely popular. Without him, Star Trek may never have become the venerable franchise it is today. Issac Asimov wrote an essay about the character's mysterious appeal, even over that of the red-blooded American boy Captain James T. Kirk. "I Grok Spock" buttons were everywhere to be found for a time after the show. When Paramount rebooted the franchise in 2009, director J.J. Abrams made sure that the actor reprised his role to provide some linkage and credibility to the new series. Nimoy was even given a degree of casting approval over who would next become Spock.

Over a career that spanned decades and mediums, Nimoy never stopped creating and entertaining. He took what other actors might have seen as an impenetrable or unrelatable character and turned Spock into something unique, someone beloved. Leonard Nimoy played the character over the course of 79 original episodes, 2 Next Generation episodes, and 8 films including the Abrams series.

leonard nimoy spock star trek amok time live long and prosper peace and long live gene roddenberry nbc

I have watched Star Trek since I was 4 years old. For all the souls I have encountered in my travels, few characters—few actors—were as wise and dependable, as constant, calm, and logically reassuring. Leonard Nimoy created a quietly titanic force in Spock. I thought it only fitting to quote some of that wisdom to mark his passing. It's not from a movie or TV series, it's a bit of dialogue from the short-lived Star Trek animated series. Leonard Nimoy lent his vocal talents to the show on the sole condition that the entirety of the original cast, many of whom the studio was considering dropping or recasting, be brought back to reprise their roles as well.

In the episode "Yesteryear," Spock travels back in time to save his younger self from an accident. When their pet, an enormous mammal called a sehlat, is killed by a monster that otherwise would have killed Spock, the younger Vulcan looks to his older self for comfort.

"A Vulcan would face such a loss without tears," he tells the child.

"How?" he replies.

"By understanding every life comes to an end, when time demands it. Loss of life is to be mourned, but only if the life was wasted."

Leonard Nimoy's was not.

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A Casino Movie to Suit Your Mood

Posted by Fanboys Anonymous - Tuesday, February 24, 2015

There are so many movies that have featured casino scenes and stories over the years. Perhaps part of the reason that movie producers and directors featured the casino so much is that it’s one of those places that not everyone got to experience for themselves on a regular basis – it was a way of bringing a slice of life to an audience who might never have gone to a casino themselves.

Today, though, no matter where you are, it’s possible for anyone to play casino games online, through one of the many online casinos such as bgo, Genting casino and Gala casino. You can play casino classics like roulette, blackjack and poker in the comfort of your own living room as well as a huge selection of different slots. One of the biggest appeals of playing online casino is that you can play for as little as a few minutes at a time if that’s what you want to do.

And when you want a bit more of the ambience of a land-based casino, you can always watch one of the best casino movies. Five great casino movie scenes were recently featured in a great blog post by bgo and it’s always possible to find the right kind of casino movie for the mood you happen to be in.

For example, if you feel like watching a comedy, then the Hangover is a great place to start. One of the scenes is featured in the bgo list – where Alan, the nerdy one of the four friends in Vegas on a bachelor party weekend, wins more than $80,000 counting cards while playing blackjack. The film is a riot of strange happenings and crazy situations, where the groom’s three mates have to locate him and get him to his wedding on time. Though the odds seem impossibly stacked against them achieving this, they eventually pull it off.

However, if you’re interested in seeing inside the head of a gambling addict, then few films do this better than Owning Mahowny, which stars the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. The story is based on the true-life tale of a Canadian bank employee who defrauded the bank’s customers of millions in order to fund his gambling weekends in Atlantic City. Treated by a VIP by the casino manager in Atlantic City, Hoffman’s character is totally wrapped up in his world of gambling and betting, to the detriment of him and of those close to him. This film is not about the glitz and glamour of casino; it’s a character study on a man totally consumed by gambling.

And for an action-packed heist movie, any of the Ocean’s Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen movies make for great viewing. Ocean’s Eleven was released in 2001 and was a remake of the classic Ratpack movie of the same name. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and a host of other A-lister celebs star in this slick and sophisticated story which involves a casino heist, a love story and plenty of comedic moments. Filmed in three actual casinos in Las Vegas, the cinematography is excellent.

These are just three examples of casino movies that spring to mind – each of which has a different flavor and take on casino life. Stream a couple to watch and see which casino movie is your favorite!

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Reviewpoint Ep 8 - 2015 Oscars Review of 87th Academy Awards

Posted by Anthony Mango

On episode 8 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast is a review of the 2015 Oscars ceremony and a breakdown of the winners from the 87th Academy Awards.

Hosted by Tony Mango

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!


Review of Oscars winners 87th Academy Awards results podcast

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87th Academy Awards: 2015 Oscar Results List & Predictions

Posted by Anthony Mango - Sunday, February 22, 2015

The 87th Academy Awards will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris and take place on February 22, 2015 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, as well as broadcast by ABC.

Full winners list of Oscars 2015 results Academy Awards 87th Annual

Event Schedule

November 8, 2014: The Governors Awards
December 3, 2014: Screen credits and music submissions due
December 29, 2014: Nominations voting begins 8:00 am PST
January 8, 2015: Nominations voting ends 5:00 pm PST
January 15, 2015: Nominations announced
February 2, 2015: Nominees luncheon
February 6, 2015: Final voting begins at 8:00 am PST
February 7, 2015: Scientific and Technical Awards
February 17, 2015: Final voting ends 5:00 pm PST
February 22, 2015: Ceremony begins 4:00 pm PST

This post will be updated with the full list of results of the winners. In the meantime, please tell us your predictions and let us know which movies you're hoping will walk away with an Oscar.

BEST PICTURE

NOMINEES: American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, Whiplash

PREDICTION: Birdman
- I had expected Gone Girl to be on this list and since that isn't the case, Birdman is the one film that I keep hearing more buzz about than anything else, by far. It has far too many nominations to ignore, too. Boyhood is mostly here for its effort, while The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything felt like they were such obvious Oscar bait that I hope they get ignored. The same probably applies to Selma, but the fact that it isn't nominated for much else means that the academy can't possibly love it so much to give it this award. The Grand Budapest Hotel was nominated for the same amount of awards as Birdman, but it is also weird in a way that could alienate itself. I've yet to see American Sniper, Selma or Whiplash, but all of these other films just didn't scream amazing to me and I doubt those three will, either. This is a very, very weak list for Best Picture.

RESULT: Birdman

BEST ACTOR

NOMINEES: Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)

PREDICTION: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
- The only redeeming quality of The Theory of Everything in my mind is Eddie Redmayne's performance. He kills it, and even though I'm a fan of Michael Keaton, his performance just doesn't match up in comparison. Cumberbatch I feel is just a safe nominee, as is Bradley Cooper, and Steve Carell is nominated for going against the grain. Keaton's got the "old actor back in the limelight" buzz, but Redmayne should get the Oscar.

RESULT: Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)

BEST ACTRESS

NOMINEES: Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night), Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl), Reese Witherspoon (Wild)

PREDICTION: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
- Rosamund Pike seems like too obvious of a choice in a way, but I'd be a fool to guess her after Julianne Moore has more buzz. After watching her performance, I'd be fond of Pike winning, though. Felicity Jones definitely doesn't deserve it and I didn't bother watching the other three movies.

RESULT: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

NOMINEES: Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Edward Norton (Birdman), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

PREDICTION: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
- I've heard nothing but uproarious praise for Simmons. Hawke was nothing special and Norton didn't stand out to me.

RESULT: J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

NOMINEES: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Laura Dern (Wild), Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)

PREDICTION: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
- Streep being nominated is no surprise, considering her record. Knightley happened to be the only woman in an Oscar bait film, so that's no surprise, either. Stone gets the "young person who will eventually win this in the future, but not now, although we want to show how confident we are in her abilities" nomination. I know nothing of Laura Dern's performance and haven't heard any buzz about it, so by default, this goes to Arquette.

RESULT: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)

BEST DIRECTOR

NOMINEES: Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)

PREDICTION: Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman)
- After watching them, I no longer think Richard Linklater has this in the bag. Was it a daunting task? Sure. However, Alejandro González Iñárritu had a much more complicated method of directing his film.

RESULT: Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

NOMINEES: Birdman, Boyhood, Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Nightcrawler

PREDICTION: Birdman
- If not Birdman, I could see The Grand Budapest Hotel or Nightcrawler stealing this.

RESULT: Birdman

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

NOMINEES: American Sniper, The Imitation Game, Inherent Vice, The Theory of Everything, Whiplash

PREDICTION: The Imitation Game
- No real reason. It really is a shame that Captain America: The Winter Soldier wasn't nominated. Stigmas like that need to go away.

RESULT: The Imitation Game

BEST FILM EDITING

NOMINEES: American Sniper, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Whiplash

PREDICTION: Boyhood
- This film was made over 12 years. There's no way it shouldn't win, really. 

RESULT: Whiplash

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

NOMINEES: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, X-Men: Days of Future Past

PREDICTION: Interstellar
- Very surprised that The Hobbit wasn't nominated. While Dawn of the Planet of the Apes potentially could take this, I think it is Interstellar's to lose.

RESULT: Interstellar

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

NOMINEES: Birdman, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Ida, Mr. Turner, Unbroken

PREDICTION: The Grand Budapest Hotel
- If not this, then Birdman. This is a tough one. Do they go with the bigger, colorful movie or do they go with the smaller, darker movie?

RESULT: Birdman

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

NOMINEES: The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Interstellar, Into the Woods, Mr. Turner

PREDICTION: The Grand Budapest Hotel
- I'm fairly confident in this prediction, but that doesn't mean it's a guarantee.

RESULT: The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

NOMINEES: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Inherent Vice, Into the Woods, Maleficent, Mr. Turner

PREDICTION: The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Since there is a variety of costumes in the film, I'd have to go with the movie that has the most nominations as standing out and probably getting the win more for popularity than credibility. However, Into the Woods could pull the win out.

RESULT: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Milena Canonero)

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

NOMINEES: Foxcatcher, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Guardians of the Galaxy

PREDICTION: The Grand Budapest Hotel
- This is almost makeup versus hairstyling. Foxcatcher would be winning for the makeup job on Steve Carell and The Grand Budapest Hotel would be winning on a tad of Tilda Swinton makeup, but primarily facial hair. Guardians of the Galaxy sadly has no real shot in my mind, but was just nominated because of the volume of aliens.

RESULT: The Grand Budapest Hotel (Mark Coulier and Frances Hannon)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

NOMINEES: Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game), Hans Zimmer (Interstellar), Gary Yershon (Mr. Turner), Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything)

PREDICTION: Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything)
- I've heard more buzz about this than anything else. None of these strike me as memorable except for one song from Interstellar which was more predominantly featured in the trailers rather than the movie. That song is amazing, but is it good enough to win the Oscar? Out of the others, I haven't seen Mr. Turner, but I probably paid the most attention to The Grand Budapest Hotel, but I can't remember much about it.

RESULT: Alexandre Desplat (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

NOMINEES: "Everything is Awesome" from The Lego Movie, "Glory" from Selma, "Grateful" from Beyond the Lights, "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, "Lost Stars" from Begin Again

PREDICTION: "Glory" from Selma
- Considering how Selma isn't nominated for much else, this stands out to me as something that must have been noteworthy to the academy. This will be an unpopular opinion, but I think "Everything is Awesome" was incredibly annoying in the movie after having seen it so many times in the commercials, and it isn't even a great song, so I hope it doesn't win.

RESULT: "Glory" from Selma

BEST SOUND EDITING

NOMINEES: American Sniper, Birdman, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Interstellar, Unbroken

PREDICTION: American Sniper
- It damn sure better not be Interstellar, that's for sure. I couldn't even hear some dialogue during the movie.

RESULT: American Sniper (Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman)

BEST SOUND MIXING

NOMINEES: American Sniper, Birdman, Interstellar, Unbroken, Whiplash

PREDICTION: Whiplash
- It's a music film. Duh.

RESULT: Whiplash (Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley)

BEST ANIMATED (FEATURE)

NOMINEES: Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

PREDICTION: Big Hero 6
- The only movie out of this bunch that I've seen was How to Train Your Dragon 2, and I was disappointed in it. The Boxtrolls looked really, really stupid to me, and the animation was gross as well. While Big Hero 6 should have been something that I was interested in, the trailers failed to intrigue me, but I've heard good things.

RESULT: Big Hero 6

BEST ANIMATED (SHORT)

NOMINEES: The Bigger Picture, The Dam Keeper, Feast, Me and My Moulton, A Single Life

PREDICTION: The Dam Keeper
- I never know anything about these films, so I usually just pick the title that sounds the most pretentious or weird.

RESULT: Feast

BEST DOCUMENTARY (FEATURE)

NOMINEES: Citizenfour, Finding Vivian Maier, Last Days in Vietnam, The Salt of the Earth, Virunga

  PREDICTION: Virunga
- I never know anything about these films, so I usually just pick the title that sounds the most pretentious or weird.

RESULT: Citizenfour

BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)

NOMINEES: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Joanna, Our Curse, The Reaper (La Parka), White Earth

PREDICTION: Our Curse
- I never know anything about these films, so I usually just pick the title that sounds the most pretentious or weird.

RESULT: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

NOMINEES: Ida, Leviathan, Tangerines, Timbuktu, Wild Tales

PREDICTION: Ida
- I never know anything about these films, so I usually just pick the title that sounds the most pretentious or weird. However, in this case, Ida is nominated elsewhere, so it would be the clear favorite to win in my eyes.

RESULT: Ida

BEST SHORT FILM

NOMINEES: Aya, Boogaloo and Graham, Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak), Parvaneh, The Phone Call

PREDICTION: Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)
- I never know anything about these films, so I usually just pick the title that sounds the most pretentious or weird.

RESULT: The Phone Call

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WIN? TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

2015 Oscar Winners for Best Picture Academy Awards 87th Results

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Review: Marvel's Storm #8 by Pak, Barrionuevo, Palmer, and Redmond

Posted by Sean Hamilton

Storm lights up the issue
Storm #8 cover by Stephanie Hans
The longer this series goes, the better it is getting.

This is a strong issue and a satisfying way to see Storm close out this chapter of her series.

Greg Pak is writing an incredibly strong character and has found a voice for Storm that lets him own the story to a degree only glimpsed at earlier in the series. With the maturity of the character, the art provides some flourishes of imaginative creativity.

First and foremost, the cover by Stephanie Hans is electric. Since she came onto the series as the cover artist, it has been a joyous experience to pick this comic up each month from my local comic book store and pause for a moment to take in the cover. I am sucked into each issue by its cover, which always portrays a sense of the story within and draws me into it.

There is a lot of action in this issue, which helps drive a conclusion to the arc and bring resolution to the main character. The story, although centered on Storm, must also deal with some background characters such as other X-Men and the requisite bad guy before we can move on. Despite this, we see some powerful use of Storm's mutant abilities to manipulate the elements, and the grandiose nature of these abilities is captured by stunning art from Al Barrionuevo, Tim Palmer, and Ruth Redmond.

Storm is really one of the good guys
Protestors demand action to help Storm
Barrionuevo and Palmer continue to match the form seen in previous issues. I did notice a couple of instances where Storm's facial expressions or those of background characters did not really match up with their spoken words in the same panel. This is a minor issue, however; in general, the art got stronger the further into the issue you read. Redmond's colors and textures were certainly an example of this, as the final few pages of Storm's battle to save the Golden Gate Bridge and the bystanders on it depicted some great work. The changing nature of the weather and the colors to illustrate the severity of the situation and Storm's ability to control the outcome of the elemental power at play here was impressive.
Fear the might of Storm, the weather witch
No-one can stop Storm
This is a solid solo X-Men series about Storm, and in this issue, it doesn't pretend to do anything other than speak for this character. Pak is channeling the voice of the character and leaving the support cast and story to mold around Storm. In doing this, Pak achieves an important distinction between this series and other X-Men books, which are so concerned with the group dynamics.
Storm battles the elements in San Fransico
Storm must dig deep to safe the day
There is no plainer way to say it: Storm #8 is an excellent story to wrap up this arc of the series. We know from current solicits that the series will continue at least up to the beginning of Secret Wars, but I wonder if there is room for this series much longer than that. The character and stories can be stretched, but are there enough sales numbers? With Marvel's focus on female-driven series in other parts of their universe, Storm could fall the way of She-Hulk. That would be a shame, but that's the comics industry, where consumers get the ultimate say on the state of the play for all ongoing series.

As always, we want to hear what you thought of this issue and the close of this arc, so make sure to leave a comment below. What do you think of the cover? Did this close out the arc in a satisfying way? Hit us up with your thoughts, or head over to Twitter or Facebook and leave your mark there.

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