Fanboys Anonymous

Android 5.0 Lollipop is officially here—well, technically it's been here since November of last year—and that means phone manufacturers have been clamoring to get the update onto their existing phones. It was eagerly sought after by many Android fans because it was supposed to be better than ever, a big leap from Android 4.4 (KitKat). Like any other operating system (OS), however, Android Lollipop has its positives and its negatives.

So what should Android Samsung Galaxy Phone users like me be expecting?

For one, the OS updates are coming in batch by batch. If you're really knowledgeable about these things, you could push it by force onto your phone or tablet, but if not, it's best wait for the official release for your particular device. So while some of you Android Samsung Galaxy Phone users (S4, Note 3) are waiting for the update, here are a few things you should be expecting to see:

Interface & Design

This is one of the best interfaces I have ever seen. It's not J.A.R.V.I.S., but it's a start. It's cleaner and simpler with some embellishments that are really useful and not just mere add-ons. This goes hand-in-hand with a newly refreshed notification system. Individual notifications are now displayed on cards that adhere to the material design language, and sets of notifications can be lumped together by the app that produced them (this is most important for mobile gamers). A do-not-disturb function has also been added under notifications. With regard to design, everything looks more polished (even if the same grid of icons is used) and is still as customizable as before, so you can arrange it just how you want it.

Project Volta

Because of the big changes in the material UI for Android Lollipop, Project Volta was created to improve battery usage through a series of optimizations. Among its changes is a new battery saver mode, job-scheduling APIs that can restrict certain tasks to only occur over Wi-Fi, and grouping of tasks to reduce the overall amount of time that internal radios are active.

Notifications Everywhere

This is where I'm on the fence. Although I like the new notifications update, which gives me the ability to view detailed notifications on my locked phone, this also seems like a security issue. If you're the type of person who leaves their phone unattended, anyone can have a glance at your notifications even though your device is locked. This issue may get more even aggravating if you use a security pattern, password, or PIN for your device, because you now have to swipe away the initial lock screen with the pesky notification before inputting your code. It's an unavoidable extra step that might annoy some Android Samsung Galaxy Phone users.

App Switcher & Merged Tab Notes

The recent updates with the app switcher makes closing it more of a hassle and a real job, since it shows all of your recent apps in one spot. The same goes with the merged tabs for Chrome. Although it looks nice to see all of your tabs in a stacked way, it can be bothersome to have some of the sites you've searched a couple of days ago still there. In a way, it cuts down on the clutter, but in another way, it contributes to it.

App Crashes

Not all applications have been moved to support the new OS, hence there are some applications I use that close down on me. However, this occurs for maybe 1 out of every 10 applications, so it's more of an annoyance. One that has had a few more glitches than normal is the WInput remote mouse control app, but this isn't a constant.

Are you happy with the changes made with this latest update? What kind of problems and errors have you experienced? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you the latest Marvel news concerning their 2016 film Captain America: Civil War!

Now, just in the name, there was stuff we already assumed. The Civil War storyline in the comics was very basically this: Captain America and Iron Man find themselves on opposing sides after the U.S. government passes a Superhero Registration Act. This Act regulates superhumans and forces them to act as government agents, thus revealing their secret identities, but also allows them to be paid for their skills, so hey, not too bad, right? Iron Man is swayed to the side of the S.R.A. after meeting a grieving mother who lost her son in a hero/villain battle. When Maria Hill tells Cap that he'll have to hunt down anti-Registration heroes and villains alike, however, this doesn't sit well with him, and he goes on the run. This culminates into a final battle between a government-sanctioned Avengers team (led by Iron Man) and a Secret Avengers team (led by Captain America). All I'll say is, people die. It gets extreme.

So based simply on the title, we can assume that the flow of the movie will at least be similar to this. Maybe not identical, but similar.

The official Marvel plot synopsis for Captain America: Civil War is as follows:

Captain America: Civil War picks up where Avengers: Age of Ultron left off, as Steve Rogers leads the new team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. After another international incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability and a governing body to determine when to enlist the services of the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers while they try to protect the world from a new and nefarious villain.

This sounds epic. And pretty damn close to the source material. While the comics dealt with heroes and their secret identities, the film version seems to deal with who the Avengers answer to when things go wrong. After having Stark "birth" Ultron, Hulk destroy an African city, and the devastating final battle in Sokovia in Age of Ultron, as Vanko famously said in Iron Man 2:

If you could make God bleed, people will cease to believe in Him. And there will be blood in the water, and the sharks will come. All I have to do is sit here and watch as the world will consume you.

Now the important question: Who is confirmed for this movie? Well, the lineup is pretty extreme, so let's hammer it out:

• Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America
  —Obvious.
• Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man
  —Again, obvious.
• Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow
  —Was anyone shocked?
• Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier
  —We knew it, but it's awesome to have it confirmed.
• Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon
  —And now with red in his suit!
• Paul Bettany as The Vision
  —Yes! This one should have been obvious, but I don't care. Vision rocks.
• Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye
  —Never thought I'd be excited to see Hawkeye back, but I am!
• Don Cheadle as Jim Rhodes/War Machine
  —Jim? Yeah, that's how Marvel announced it. Just sounds wrong.
• Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch
  —She sold me in Age of Ultron. I want to see how she furthers the character.
• Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man
  —YES! The movie isn't even out yet, but I'm happy to see him included in this.
• Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther
  —We knew this already, but I'm still glad to see Black Panther appear.
• Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter/Agent 13
  —They only called her "Sharon" in Winter Soldier, so I'm glad to see them owning it, even though everyone already knew this. Cap deserves a lady.
• Daniel Brühl in an undisclosed role.
  —Everyone is saying he confirmed he'll be Baron Helmut Zemo (the WWII Baron Zemo's son), but Marvel didn't confirm it. Here's the original source interview though.
• Frank Grillo as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones
  —Grillo has been teasing the hell out of this on his social media outlets. It's being heavily hinted that he'll even wear a version of the mask from the comics!
• William Hurt as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross
  —Cue us fanboys LOSING OUR COLLECTIVE MINDS!!
• Martin Freeman in an undisclosed role.
  —We have our own speculation on who he might be playing.

Although it is officially being declared the third Captain America film, the upcoming Captain America: Civil War is definitely feeling more like a third Avengers due to how many people are involved.

So far, we know that Robert Downey Jr. will return to the series as Tony Stark, which by itself is huge enough news to be excited about, but he's not alone. We will see characters such as Falcon, Sharon Carter, Crossbones, and Winter Soldier, picking back up after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. We also will see some of the Avengers themselves, including Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye, and Black Widow, with newcomers Black Panther and even Spider-Man joining the fray.

You can now add two more names to that list as William Hurt will be reprising his role as General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross from The Incredible Hulk and Martin Freeman has joined the cast in an as-yet unspecified role.

At the moment, a lot of fans are speculating that Freeman's character is Everett K. Ross—an American ambassador to Wakanda, the African nation referenced several times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Is Martin Freeman playing Everett Ross in Captain America: Civil War?

There's definitely going to be a presence of Wakanda in the film, considering Black Panther's involvement, which ties directly to his homeland. You can't have T'Challa without Wakanda, and if Andy Serkis returns for another round of portraying Ulysses Klaue, he'll undoubtedly be tied to the region as well. The guy needs a new hand, and we all know where he'll get the Vibranium to make it.

While I believe there isn't a definitive connection between General Ross and Everett Ross in the comics, the films haven't shied away from changing things up. Maybe Freeman's character is the son of General Ross, and that's given him the political connections to attain such an important position. There must be a particular reason to include General Ross in the movie to begin with; we haven't seen him for several films now despite his initially being approached about The Avengers Initiative. Ross could be there to oversee what Everett is doing or could just be brought on board to start an alternative team to The Avengers: The Thunderbolts. Hell, both could end up happening.

Keep in mind that this is all pure speculation at this point; for all we know, Marvel has cast Martin Freeman as someone far more exciting. Still, as good as Freeman is, I can't imagine him being the choice actor for the leader of the Serpent Squad or taking on the U.S. Agent role, can you?

What character do you think Freeman is going to be? How does General Ross come into play for the film? Tell us your predictions and theories in the comments below!

Another member of the original USS Enterprise crew has passed away. Grace Lee Whitney, who played Yeoman Janice Rand on the original Star Trek series, died of natural causes on May 1 at age 85.

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Whitney first garnered attention in her teens as a singer on Detroit radio. After a few years, she began appearing onstage, opening in nightclubs and on Broadway, and shortly thereafter on film and television. From the early '50s through to the '70s, she landed guest roles on shows like Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Bewitched, Batman, and The Outer Limits. Billy Wilder featured her in Some Like it Hot and Irma la Douce. It was her limited run on Star Trek, however, in 1966, by which fans tend to remember her.

For eight episodes of the original series' first season, Whitney appeared as Yeoman Janice Rand, an assistant to Captain Kirk. While much of her role consisted of handing pre-iPad computer briefings to the captain, episodes like "The Enemy Within" and "Charlie X" folded her in as part of the main action. Despite this, she was summarily released from her contract after the first half of the season.

Whitney's relationship with Star Trek was initially tumultuous. Trek was always staring down budget constraints, and in an interview with The Sun Whitney stated she felt her contract was released for two reasons: one, that her evolving and increasingly romantic relationship with Captain Kirk was limiting and two, because the bridge was getting a little crowded.

"They wanted Captain Kirk to have romances in each episode with a different person," she said, referring to the show's producers. She claimed to have been written out of the show because they believed audiences didn't want to see a settled-down captain. Additionally, Majel Barrett, who would later become Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, was cast as Nurse Christine Chapel, and as Whitney put it, "One of the blondes had to go." Whitney also alleged she was sexually assaulted during this time by an executive at Desilu, the production company responsible for Star Trek. She refused to name him in her biography, claiming that it was "her story, not his."

After Trek, Whitney struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction, a recovery from which shaped the bulk of her post-Trek work. Her family has stated that she would prefer to be remembered as a "successful survivor of addiction." Whitney credited late castmate Leonard Nimoy as her sole advocate during her most difficult times and the one who brought her back into the Trek fold for minor roles in some of the original cast's Star Trek films. She also reprised her role as Rand in a guest appearance on Star Trek: Voyager and in a few fan films.

Mary Ann Chase was named Grace Lee Whitney by her adoptive family, and if names have meaning, there is some to be found in hers. Whitney turned her struggle with substance abuse into something positive, working locally as an advocate for others after 35 years of sobriety. Though she was part of one of the biggest cultural phenomenons of our time, her family says it is her work with drug addiction she would want as her legacy.

Still... we are a geek website. Think Star Trek would have been different had she remained on the show? Share your thoughts about her life, or leave condolences, in the comments below.

Director David Ayer has released the first official look at the cast for the upcoming Suicide Squad film by tweeting out the following picture:

The cast of Suicide Squad's Task Force X

My first reaction is a mixed bag sort of deal. Yes, it could be worse, but it could also be so much better. Harley Quinn alone has gone through so many different versions for her attire, and this is the best they could come up with? It seems more like a half-assed cosplay than something worthy of a film that has commandeered so much attention from Warner Bros. Our other lead, Deadshot, is missing his headgear, and if they eliminate that element just to keep Will Smith's face on screen the entire film, I'll be disappointed.

While I'm very glad they're going with the more humanoid version of Killer Croc with the skin ailment rather than the literal giant crocodile creature, he looks incredibly fake. Immediately after noticing him in the picture, I had flashbacks to the two incarnations of The Thing from the Fantastic Four movies.

As far as the rest go? Katana is awesome and as perfect as she can be. Slipknot, Enchantress, and El Diablo are utterly pointless and there to be killed, so I couldn't care less about them. Rick Flagg looks more badass than I had expected, but I'm down with Joel Kinnaman bringing him to life. Captain Boomerang is perfectly okay, and I have more reservations about Jai Courtney's acting than the look of Digger Harkness.

Not featured in the picture are Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, and Jared Leto as The Joker (hopefully without tattoos and false teeth). It has also been revealed that Ben Affleck will appear as Batman in at least some form of cameo, but it makes perfect sense why he's missing from this cast photo. Scott Eastwood, Common, Ike Barinholtz, Jim Parrack, and Raymond Olubawale are among the actors also cast as yet-unconfirmed characters, but rumors abound that Deathstroke, Plastique, Hugo Strange, King Shark, and Steve Trevor could be in the film.

It seems as though this movie is really hitting hard on DC's and Warner Bros.' mentality that things need to be as dark, gritty, and as separate as possible from their comic book roots—the opposite viewpoint from how Marvel operates. Avengers: Age of Ultron is making incredible bank in theaters right now, and Marvel's films are universally recognized as awesome, whereas Man of Steel has more than its fair share of critics. Is DC making the right judgmental call by doing something different so as to not look like they are copying Marvel's formula, or is that a mistake, considering Marvel's success? Is this strategy going to pay off, or does it just bring back too many memories of the superhero films of the 2000s that strayed too far from the source material and didn't quite resonate with audiences?

What do you think of Task Force X? Do they look impressive, cool, and interesting? Do they look underwhelming and kind of ridiculous? Tell us what you're thinking in the comments below!

A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency.

Episode 10 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast reviews the latest film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise: Avengers: Age of Ultron.

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

On episode 13 of the 4 Reel Movie Club podcast, Fanboys Anonymous members give their thoughts on the four films that compose Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leading up to Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.

The next report card is for the newest installment of Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and sequel to one of the most successful films in box office history, entitled Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Avengers: Age of Ultron—directed by Joss Whedon; written by Joss Whedon (written by), Stan Lee (comic book) and Jack Kirby (comic book); starring Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers / Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner / Hulk), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton / Hawkeye), James Spader (Ultron), Don Cheadle (James Rhodes / War Machine), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver), Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch), Paul Bettany (Jarvis / Vision), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury).

CHARACTERS: A+

Not much needs to be explained for the majority of the characters we've been experiencing for several films. Every single one is just as entertaining as they previously were and true to themselves, whether it be their viewpoint on the world, fighting styles, or dialogue. They've hit the nail on the head with these characters time and time again, and that doesn't waver here whatsoever.

As far as our new introductions go, they follow the same pattern. Ultron is beyond damaged when it comes to his outlook on the human race and is as threatening as they come. Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are minor, but their stories are simplistic enough in this incarnation (thankfully, because they are far too confusing in the comics) that the film is able to get away with it. Even without a ton of backstory, they are able to be stretched rather far and serve as worthwhile characters. Even Helen Cho—who is admittedly a bit shoehorned in here—still functions in some fashion so she isn't completely useless. One of the best things about this film in general is the use of characters because it is jam-packed and every single one of them escapes being superfluous. We see War Machine and Hawkeye's family andeveryonedoes nothing but enhance the film, provide a wider scope, strengthen the bond of the characters, and drive home themes that the movie deals with. This is a world inhabited by interesting people and you get to truly see that come to life.

ACTING: A

Of course, the acting and the characters go hand in hand. As often mentioned during this section of these segments, acting is graded based on whether they are believable more so than if they will be given awards for their performances. There is no doubt in my mind that not a single soul will be nominated for an Oscar, but that's okay. Everyone hits it out of the park. I still am not the biggest fan of Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner, but that's the weakest part of the whole acting side of things.

VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): A

Every character has upgraded as far as their appearances go, so that's an obvious top score. Everything looks believable as well in terms of CGI and practical effects. My only problem with the film's look is that it is quite repetitive. Virtually every set is identical because the locations are all so similar. Essentially, there are only two types of sets you see: the cold, blue, metallic industrial setting (such as the party room in Avengers Tower and the laboratories) or the dusty, dirty, grungy yellows and browns of Wakanda and Sokovia. The opening scene has snow, and then it's pretty much the dust storm city for the rest of the film. That, of course, doesn't hurt this rating all too much, but it's what prevents it from being an A+.

MUSIC & SOUND: A+

I was nervous that Alan Silvestri's main theme from the previous film would be scrapped, as Marvel has done that before and nowadays it's almost more likely for a sequel to ignore the score before it than to build upon it. For instance, just look at the sharp contrast between the first and secondAmazing Spider-Manmovies. [Side note: the main theme from the second is significantly better, despite how it's accompanied by the crazy dubstep that is justifiably hated.]

The main theme fromThe Avengerswas such a smash hit, though, that it justhadto come back, and with Brian Tyler and Danny Elfman working on it instead of Silvestri, I was worried. Thankfully, there was more than a fair share of that theme, but there were also moments where other recurring themes shined, too. It was very cool to hear the theme fromIron Man 3and the one fromThor: The Dark Worldact as little stamps for the characters during action sequences featuring them. That's one of the benefits of the James Bond films when that main theme accents a scene and that's exactly what they were right in doing here.

As far as sound goes, I doubt anybody will have any complaints, right?

TONE (ACTION, ROMANCE, COMEDY): A+

This movie was such a great balance among every category below.

ACTION: Joss Whedon has said numerous times while working on this film that he wasn't intending to just "go bigger" with the action as a sort of mandate, but he was still able to accomplish that. From the onset, this squadron shows that they are a well-oiled machine and have all become seasoned enough at what they do that bigger challenges can be faced. As stated in the first film, this does in fact show that humans are ready for "a higher form of war" and will kick ass in the process.

COMEDY: Sometimes, Marvel can go a little overboard with the comedy and it can get in the way of a scene, but coming out of the theater I don't remember a single humorous line that rubbed me the wrong way. I at least chuckled and smirked at every one of them, if I didn't actually laugh out loud. It's hard not to have fun watching this movie, even though it is darker in a lot of ways than its predecessor.

ROMANCE: At first, the romantic subplot between Bruce and Natasha wasn't exactly banging on all cylinders for me, but that changed drastically with the revelation that Natasha is sterile, and in retrospect I think this was an interesting exercise in the study of those two. I don't want to see it return in the future, though, as Betty is the one for Bruce to me. Since Jane Foster and Pepper Potts were absent, it was cute to have that exchange between Thor and Tony where they were basically in a dick-measuring contest based on who has the better significant other. Lastly, if you had told me that Hawkeye would have a family in this beforehand, I would have gone into the film assuming that was a mistake, but I genuinely liked Linda Cardellini and I think that the addition of the family element to Clint Barton's character is an upgrade because it makes him stand out from the other team members.

FINAL GRADE: A+

I absolutely loved this film, and I don't understand why there are quite a few critics out there who say it falls short of what it could have been. This was damn near perfect as far as what I was hoping it would be. Yes, I can think of some tweaks that I would have liked them to do in retrospect to make it even better, such as not killing off two particular characters, but that would be nitpicking. I've been having an incredibly stressful week and this was the absolute perfect escapism and fanboy satiation that I needed. SO. F'IN. GOOD.

Recent reports have been surfacing on Reddit and Twitter that the Apple Watch has been malfunctioning for those with tattoos, leaving inked users unable to receive notifications, place calls, and use Apple Pay and other apps.

The issue, now dubbed "Tattoogate," stems from the interference of the ink pigmentation with the sensor's ability to read your heart rate. The high-end watch needs this sensor to assess if the user is wearing the watch; according to Apple, the Watch's green and infrared light is either absorbed or reflected through your skin, allowing it to read your heart rate.

"So I thought my shiny new 42mm SS watch had a bad wrist detector sensor," wrote Reddit user guinne55fan on Tuesday, receiving over 700 upvotes and 300 comments. "The watch would lock up every time the screen went dark and prompted me for my password. I wouldn't receive notifications. I couldn't figure out why especially since the watch was definitely not losing contact with my skin."

With a full sleeve tattoo on his left arm, he tried holding the Watch against his hand and it began to work. However, once he put it back on the area that is tattooed with black ink, the watch automatically locked.

YouTube user Michael Lovell also experienced similar issues, which he demonstrated on both his tattooed and non-tattooed arms.


The Apple blog iMore followed up with a report confirming the issue, and after conducting their own series of tests, they found that dark, solid colors are responsible for the most heart rate misreadings (196 BPM before failing to read entirely). Lighter tattoo colors produced slightly elevated heart rate misreads but did not appear to interfere with the Watch's ability to register skin contact.

For those with issues with the Watch's sensors, you can turn off the Wrist Detection on the Apple Watch app to avoid auto-locking, although this will also disable Apple Pay.

It is important to note that the Apple Watch works fine with dark-colored skin and scars, and Apple offers a 14-day return policy.

Amazing X-Men #19 cover by Jorge Fornes and Rachelle Rosenberg

"The Once and Future Juggernaut" (Epilogue)

Cain Marko is once more the Unstoppable Juggernaut. It is time to test the mettle of the X-Men again, as Juggernaut lines up a showdown with Colossus while holding the rest of the X-Men responsible for the death of his brother, Charles Xavier.

This is a great final issue for the series. We get some humor, some fighting, and nice character-entered writing to cap the arc off. To match this, the art brings a feeling of completeness.

Jorge Forne's art in the opening pages is a brilliant and succinct summary of the sordid story of the Juggernaut. In just a few pages, it helps to bring new or long-time readers up to speed with what has happened between the X-Men and this nemesis over the past few decades. The page detail here and the layout work are worth particular note, as they intertwine four different story points of view at the beginning into one by the summary page's end.

The stylized layout is also very effective at making the pages stand out from the rest of the issue. Following the outcome from the previous issue, we see a great transition in the final page of this opening; we see a page ripped to shreds and are brought back into the present struggle between the Juggernaut and Colossus.

The art from Fornes has matured so much in the course of this story arc. While it is was a definitive contrast from the issues prior to his run, it has really sat well in the pages of Amazing X-Men. Fornes has provided a playful edge to his character depictions, using a not-so-subtle range of facial expressions to bring the story out of the characters. I wasn't familiar with Fornes's work prior to this series but will keep an eye out for it in the future. This has been a good platform for him to flex his artistic talent.

And so the story begins...	Meet the main players.

Rachelle Rosenberg's colors have been consistent and thorough from the first issue to the last. During the colorist's time with this series, a dazzling sense of adventure has permeated each issue. Rosenberg has also adapted well to the different artists who have worked on the series and brought an emotional weight to the various stories presented each month.

Rosenberg's talent was extremely apparent in her work with Ed McGuinnes and Jason Aaron on the return of Nightcrawler. Her colors on the scenes of the afterlife were brilliant. This was again evident on the Anole-focused issue #13, which was one of the series' best standalone stories. I dare to say that if not for Rosenberg's colors the series would not have been as much fun and would have lost a good sense of artistic representation.

Death and destruction follow the Ruby of Cyttorak.	Fornes' great art brings readers up to speed on Juggernaut's story.

Christopher Yost brings the "Once and Future Juggernaut" story arc to a pleasant close in this issue. With much of the action and suspense unleashed in the previous issue, Yost takes his time bringing the series to an end. We get some nice resolution for Colossus in this issue; he offers sentiments in the closing pages concerning the X-Men's plight of always facing certain evil and a tide neverending bad guys that can be translated in a wider sense to Marvel's mutant lineup. Rather than lose hope, Colossus comes to realize that he must make the best of the situation and just keep going.

Over the two arcs that Yost has been involved with, we have seen a distinct change in style in the series. This has helped fill a lack of cross-audience appeal that may have been an issue in some of the other X-Men titles. There was a good deal of fun and silliness that was always a welcome experience each month, and hopefully this can be retained in some of the upcoming books slated for the upcoming "Secret Wars" titles involving the X-Men.

The Juggernaut is back for revenge on the X-Men

This is the last of the Amazing X-Men as "Secret Wars" makes its presence felt throughout the Marvel publishing line. The series started strong with a top-tier creative team and has continued in very capable hands. The experience has been mostly smooth from start to finish, and the series fulfilled its mission statement. These were amazing stories that didn't fit into any other X-Men franchise books; we have seen characters not normally attributed much of the limelight come to the fore and get to have some fun along the way, and we were certainly entertained in the process!

Just like that, we are all done with what has been a neat story in Amazing X-Men #19, but we would like to hear what you thought about this issue and arc or the series as a whole. Make sure you leave a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter and come back to Fanboys for more comic reviews and news.

All-New X-Men #40 cover by Sorrentino and Beredo

With the recent announcement of Marvel's lead X-Men writer leaving the titles around the time that "Secret Wars" hits the shelves, it seems Brian Michael Bendis is going to go out in style and leave a lasting impression.

With issue #40 of All-New X-Men, we get to see the team of time-displaced original X-Men back to together on Earth. They are curious about what has happened while they have been away, but that is not a focus of this issue. It is nice to see Cyclops back among the team, and this issue aims to quickly move forward the development of the main characters.

The story came across has heartfelt, with endearing moments throughout. Any criticism of Bendis regarding the outing of Bobby Drake, a.k.a Iceman, is ridiculous. As far as fictional characters go that was a tender moment, well executed and sure to have lasting consequences. This mirrored the pages dealing with Angel and his newfound lease on life. The honesty from the story as the young time-displaced X-Men feel the need to assert not only control but also meaning over their lives has a genuineness that is rare to feel in comics.

The issue is full of twists and turns. It was a great read start to finish. The usual humor, with little quips among the team coming in a free-flowing manner, was ever present. Although Bendis brings the characters' usual voices to the piece, controversy has arisen as some fans feel that Iceman is being forced to come out. Despite this, the ultimate judge of character rests on one individual: you, dear reader. If you don't like something, don't buy it.

Surely this is a good idea...

The best thing to do is check it out for yourself and let your opinion be formed by what you see with your own two eyes. This review or any other on the Internet's various forms of social media cannot tell you what to like or how to react, only you can decide what you feel. Bendis has been striving to get this message across throughout his narrative in the All-New X-Men—that we are responsible for our own actions and behavior.

Moving to the end of the issue, we begin to see a group of mutants still residing on the former island refuge of Utopia. They quickly dispatch any potential threat to their home and safety, though it is clear as we end the issue that there is much more story to be told about this group. Reflecting on the cover, the art by Andrea Sorrentino and Rain Beredo is wonderful. The color is dazzling, making the whole image feel special.

The Utopians mean business.

Internally, the art is just as on point. Mahmud Asrar continues to show why he was chosen one of Marvel's "Young Guns" last year. Asrar's depiction of the world of the All-New X- Men has a great sense of cohesiveness with the artists who worked on the title prior to him but also exhibits a distinction all its own. It was great to see the tender moments mentioned above play out so well under Asrar's hand. The depth of storytelling penned by Bendis is given emotional life in the panels from Asrar.

The gang are back together!

With the end of the series imminent, there is a sense of sadness about it, but this issue brings so a dynamic approach that it also feels like an exciting time to be reading the series. There is a good deal of continuity necessary to help readers understand what is happening around this issue, but it is a great read to see just how characterization can take place in comics.

As we near the end of the series, we want to know what you think about All-New X-Men #40 or the series at large. Did you like Bendis's approach to Iceman and Angel in this issue? What do you hope to see in the final issues? What are your thoughts about the Utopians? Tell us below or head over to the Fanboys Anonymous Facebook or Twitter and leave a comment.

On episode 18 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about Mortal Kombat.

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Shaun Walker, Calen Ferris, Ronnie Brown, and Will Molinar.

Some topics we address:

• Favorite characters
• Best video games
• Motion pictures and future film adaptations
• Mortal Kombat: Legacy
• Addition of characters from DC Universe, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Freddy Krueger, and more
• Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter vs. Tekken
• WMAC Masters 
• and more!

You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!

Avengers: Age of Ultron is the much-anticipated sequel to 2012's billion-dollar smash The Avengers. The movie brings back our favorite cast, consisting of Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man, Chris Evans's Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye, Colbie Smulders as Maria Hill, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. It also introduces Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro/Quicksilver, Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda/Scarlet Witch, Paul Bettany as The Vision, and James Spader as the villainous robot Ultron. The plot revolves around the rise of the titular robot as he tears apart The Avengers and wreaks havoc across the world. The Avengers, along with new members, must team up to save the day.

The time has come!

Joss Whedon and company give us fast-paced superhero action that will immediately bring a smile to any comic book geek's face. Audiences will get sucked in as The Avengers face off against remaining HYDRA forces still active in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a recurring antagonist seen in Captain America: The Winter Soldier as well as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. The playful banter and quotable, laugh-out-loud lines between the cast members, particularly Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) show how these beloved heroes have now effectively transitioned into a well-oiled machine that routinely performs the take-down raids on HYDRA. Personally I would like to see this kind of team dynamic in more films in this genre, like, say, the future Power Rangers movie? Pretty please?

Now that's a team!

We then finally see the on-screen debut of the Maximoff twins, Pietro and Wanda. First created in the comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1960s, they were initially presented as mutants and the children of famed X-men villain Magneto. Here, their backgrounds have been vastly reimagined for the MCU's take on things. Just like in the comics, they were presented as villains who wanted revenge on The Avengers for their past actions; later on they learn what is the right thing to do and become heroes. Their character arcs in the movie took interesting turns, and some would say that what they've done with the Maximoffs is a way of conveying to the audience that Marvel can be a little serious when it comes to the super-heroic deeds of its characters.

The new kids on the block

James Spader as the titular villain Ultron brings to the table a psychotic and mentally unstable robot and essentially challenged my own preconceived notion about the character. Initially I believed that Ultron is an autonomous being much in the same vein as Skynet from The Terminator franchise, except with a body to walk around in. This was seen in some adaptations of the character, such as the short-lived beloved animated series The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Whedon's Ultron was a bit different, though. Spader shows a character that is both funny and merciless at times. Loki's arc was built up across two films and is still continuing today, and sadly we did not get that kind of buildup in Phase 2. However, I have a strong feeling that Ultron's actions among our heroes will create strong consequences leading into Captain America: Civil War and beyond, particularly considering that Ultron was Tony Stark's creation.

There are no strings on me!

Another new introduction to The Avengers is none other than Paul Bettany's android superhero The Vision. It was rather interesting watching the scenes between JARVIS, The Vision, and Ultron play out. It gave some commentary on what an outsider would see in humanity and whether or not we are making the right decisions. I wonder if The Vision will have these same thoughts when it's time to pick a side much later on. Audiences will also enjoy his scenes when he brings his own humor to the table as his fair share of action.

Hulk & Widow?!

The sudden relationship between Black Widow and the Hulk was an interesting highlight. Scarlett Johansson has such a natural chemistry with most of the Avengers cast, usually with folks like Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man 2 and Chris Evans in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. A Hulk/Widow relationship isn't that unusual; Ruffalo and Johansson can pull it off and sell it to the audience, and it'll be worth watching to know what happens next here.

In the last movie, Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye played by Jeremy Renner, was unfairly shafted when Loki made him his servant for a good majority of the film. Awhile back it was said that Joss Whedon wanted to do something new with Hawkeye and flesh his character out. This was achieved in the film as we actually delve into Hawkeye's background and character. It was rather similar to how he was portrayed in the Marvel Comics reimagining of The Avengers in the book The Ultimates by Mark Millar. Audiences will walk away with respect for Barton and his character's motivations and will be entertained by his interactions with the Maximoff twins.

Hawkeye in action at last!

Like most of Phase 2 so far, the film is rather self-contained in nature. The beginning, middle, and end are clear cut, and events are wrapped up. However, in the back of my mind I know this is not the case, unlike Iron Man 3 or Thor: The Dark World. As I watched the final scenes with Tony and Steve, two characters who have clearly built up a great friendship, I can't help but wonder if this is the last happy moment that these characters will have before we have to pick a side for Civil War. Just like with the last film, the mid-credits scene (there's only one, really, there's absolutely nothing after) makes me wonder how everything will tie together.

The Big 3!

Overall, The Avengers: Age of Ultron is a marvelous sequel that builds upon the events of the MCU with great action scenes and dialogue. Interesting turns were taken as moments transpired. The seeds were clearly planted for a civil war much later. Enjoy the peace while it lasts.

Grade: A+

So were you lucky enough to see this marvelous sequel? Let us know your thoughts below!

It's a good time to be a Marvel fan. Daredevil premiered on Netflix and was as awesome as anyone could've hoped it would be, Avengers: Age of Ultron will be released in the United States next week, and there has been a ton of Marvel-related news lately. Yet this is probably the most unexpected announcement: Telltale Games will be teaming up with Marvel Entertainment to release a new game series in 2017.

Probably the last partnership I would've expected.

That's right. Telltale Games, arguably the best developer of adapting established franchises into video game series, is taking on one of the biggest properties around. Sadly that is literally all that has been revealed though. There has been absolutely no hint of a story, possible characters involved, or how many episodes will be released. At least we know the game will be released in 2017!

Personally I loved both seasons of The Walking Dead, and the first season of Game of Thrones has been pretty excellent so far, but I'm really hoping that the Marvel game is not another point-and-click game. That style and the focus on great storytelling worked so well for the other franchises, but I can't see how it would work in a Marvel game. Obviously I hope the storytelling is great, but I'd love to see a lot more controllable action than we usually get in one of these games. The possibilities are endless, and it would be awesome to see Telltale go out of its comfort zone a little bit to create something truly special. However, despite any changes Telltale may or may not make to its usual game style, I do hope the cel shaded comic book look continues in this game. It would lend itself perfectly to a Marvel adaptation.

What do you guys think? Are you excited by this partnership, or do you think it's a bad idea? What would you like to see in a Marvel game from Telltale? Let us know in the comments!

Chrononauts #2 cover by Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth

"Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly have become the world's first time travelers—but not all goes according to plan when the two go rogue in their own era-hopping adventure! With the world watching, the buddies get mixed up in an eon's worth of sticky situations while some of history's scariest villains—and their bosses back in the present day—are determined to track them down."

The IMAGE preview caption above is certainly a nice summary of the second issue of this series from Mark Millar and Sean Murphy. This covers the breadth of the issue well enough that I came didn't feel surprised by the issue once read. There is some emotional resonance from the characters that comes to light, but this wasn't a revealing issue. Chrononauts picks up following the previous issue where the time-traveling central characters became seemingly stuck in the past. We were left wondering what the battle on the final page was about: Where were Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly in time? It was an okay way to end the first issue.

However, Chrononauts #2 was not at the same high point when compared with the first issue. The premise was set up well, the hook baited, and we laid in wait for issue #2 to roll around. However, we are presented with what is basically a couple of young men on a pubescent filled romp through time. There is so much more that could have been explored, yet Mark Millar has descended to a baser level of entertainment. I do hope this can pick up next issue. I will keep reading to see, hoping this is a real mini-series, rather than a maxi-series, as I may not be able to stretch that far if the quality of plot doesn't lift.

Back into the fray!	All the action is in the past

The story ultimately feels flat by the issue's end. The characters, who had such potential, have been revealed to be young men with a flaming ego or libido (probably both). There is certainly a lot of confidence coming through from Millar, but it may reflect more on the creator than it should on the story itself. There are interesting aspects to the story, for example, by examining what happens when someone abuses the possibility of time travel; however, considering this same theme is running through Marvel's All-New X-Men story at the moment, maybe the timing of this series is unfortunate.

One lingering question remains though. If the time-traversing scientists Quinn and Reilly are stuck in the past but have the ability to travel forward in time, why not go into the future also? There could be a good rationale for this, but it isn't addressed. Time travel is a difficult concept to pull of well. Pop-culture, in a modern sense has a lot of reference points and stories exploring this already, so for a writer to approach, it would seem obvious to consider the wider implications of the story dynamics.

Here comes the cavalry...	Back to the past and forward to the future!

The artwork continues in the same vein as the first issue. It has a scratchy, earthy quality to it that gives a sense of compatibility with the story. The collaboration between the creators is very apparent, but the artistic team of Sean Murphy on pencils and Matt Hollingsworth of colors is great to see. There were a couple of patchy pages, where the art seemed a little blurry or smudged, probably a printer issue but still a shame from an IMAGE publication, which has such a good track record lately.

Murphy's inking is great. The tone it provides is a real plus to the feel in the story. We get to see a nice showcase of period pieces as the story takes readers back and forth over the time-stream. Murphy, for the most part, adapts well to what is called for from the script when producing authentic-looking scenes and characters. The colors from Hollingsworth only serve to enhance this feeling.
The art has a quality to it that makes it very easy to read. This is a positive and may match an intention from the creators to have this not be a drudging heavy read, but more a light and relatively lively experience that is supposed to be fun. This can explain the mixed feeling I had about this issue and certainly would keep things going a little longer.

The capitol of Samarkand.	The victors return triumphant.

There are undoubtedly voices among the readership of this comic who may disagree with the thoughts above, but for anyone paying out their hard-earned cash to any comic, the ultimate say lies with you. If you love the issue and series so far, great, keep enjoying it. If you're on the other side of the equation, well, time will tell if there are bigger plans to be unveiled to get this series back on track

Despite my thoughts about it, what did you think of this issue of Chrononauts? Did you expect the tale to turn this way? Tell us what you thought of the book by leaving a comment below or on our Facebook or Twitter and head on back for the next issue of Chrononauts.

Greetings, Fanboys and Fangirls! This is Sam Lascio, bringing you the news we've all been waiting to hear: Marvel's Daredevil has been renewed for a second season on Netflix!

Marvel hasn't announced too many details at this time, but there are a few things we know for sure. Season 2 will premiere on Netflix in 2016 with Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez serving as the showrunners. Petrie and Ramirez worked closely with executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Drew Goddard on season 1, and DeKnight stated:

While previous commitments unfortunately prevent me from continuing on with Daredevil into its second season, I could not be happier that Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez are carrying the torch. They were invaluable collaborators during our first season, and I for one can't wait to see what they do with the show moving forward.

Petrie, Ramirez, Goddard, and Marvel's Jeph Loeb will serve as executive producers. Marvel's next Netflix series, A.K.A. Jessica Jones, will premiere later this year, with Luke Cage coming in 2016. Marvel also has Iron Fist and The Defenders coming to Netflix, with no word on if season 2 of Daredevil will come after The Defenders or sometime before it. Also, although not explicitly stated in the announcement, it's a safe bet that Charlie Cox and the other stars of Daredevil will return for the second season, hopefully along with some new faces.

What do you think of Marvel's announcement? Are you excited for Daredevil's second season? Are you upset that it won't be here until 2016? What villains do you hope to see in season 2? Let us know in the comments section! Thanks for reading, everyone! My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy!