by A.J. Focht



Who needs an army when you have a Hulk on your side? The newest trailer for The Avengers aired this weekend as part of the Super Bowl ad lineup. The Avengers will be released this May and each trailer just makes it looks better and better.



Amazing Spider-Man also released its second trailer this last week. After the CGI wreck they released first time around, this second one was a pleasant surprise. A new trailer wasn’t the only thing to come forth from the Amazing Spider-Man camp, more photos and characters bios were released on the official website. Spider-man is looking up, but I still don’t know if it will be able to stand against The Avengers or The Dark Knight Rises.

It’s starting to look like Hollywood is going to be packed with superheroes in the summer of 2013 as well. The Wolverine has a July 26, 2013 release date, joining The Man of Steel, Iron Man 3, and Thor 2 for the 2013 summer superhero season. Now, I love my superhero movies, but if Hollywood keeps putting them out at this frequency they are going to burn us all out. I personally have tired of the old X-Men series since the third movie bombed.

The big event happening over at Marvel Comics this year is Avengers vs. X-Men, but there is one other major happening -- Spider-Men. Not much was known about this till the last week when Marvel released a graphic of two Spider-Man logos meshed together. It is clear the logos are that of Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Most are complaining, assuming they are bringing back Peter Parker in the Ultimates universe that Miles Morales now acts as Spider-Man in. I would like to raise a new theory however, they are introducing Miles Morales into the main Marvel line, or Earth-616. As the Ultimates universe is a variation of their main verse (the one Amazing Spider-Man takes place in), I argue that Miles Morales could exist in that world to. If he became a Spider-Man there, we would then have three Spider-Men, including the new Scarlet Spider. That puts Marvel half way to creating some Spider-Man knockoff of Batman Incorporated.

Marvel’s Spider-Men logo was small news compared to DC officially announcement of Before Watchmen. The series will star the Watchmen heroes in events that happen before the graphic novel Watchmen. There will be seven books total: Rorschach, Minutemen, Comedian, Dr. Manhatten, Nite Owl, Ozymandias, and Silk Spectre. Each issue will also feature a two page back up story of Curse of the Crimson Corsair. There has been a lot of talk about the whether or not DC should publish these comics. Allen Moore, the creator of Watchmen, had a falling out with DC and does not want them to use his properties. However, from a legal standpoint DC have retained the rights.

After losing their first choice for the female lead, the Evil Dead remake has cast Jane Levy (pictured in our header) to fill the role. Levy will be playing Mia, the equivalent of Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams. Hopefully this casting sticks as they only have about a year left since the film releases on April 12, 2013.

Despite the a low domestic gross total, Robert Rodriguez intends to make good on his promise to make two more Machete films. That dream is coming even closer as he has teamed up with producer Alexander Rodnyansky to begin work on the second film in the trilogy. Despite its low gross totals, the first film was a cult success and it almost doubled its cheap budget.

by A.J. Focht



Many a rumor about the upcoming The Avengers film has been laid to rest. On January 31, the official Avengers Twitter had a chat with fans answering the most pressing questions. For a portion of the chat, Joss Whedon was on hand and the ‘For JW’ tag started trending. One of the rumors squashed was talk of an Amazing Spider-Man cameo. Whedon personally put this rumor down.

More information has come out about Arrow, the Green Arrow pilot in production by the CW. Instead of tying the show back to Smallville and trying to capture that audience, they have really reworked the Green Arrow's story. Oliver Queen’s mother is still alive and he will have a little sister that seems to be a catalyst for most of the trouble he has to stop. Some DC characters will show up, such as Black Canary, but they will not play their superhero roles, at least not as of yet. The part of Oliver Queen aka the Green Arrow has been given to Stephen Amell.

Marvel’s major comic event this year, Avengers VS. X-Men will be starting this March. Marvel has released a sneak preview of the Avengers VS. X-Men #0 where all the problems will start. This first issue sets up the crucial roles of Scarlet Witch and Hope Summers. The two most powerful ladies in the Marvel universe will be going head-to-head, each with a super powered team to back them.

Speaking of new comics, IDW Publishing, will be starting a Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms comic series. D&D fans have a chance to have their characters featured in the comics. You can find all the rules for the character creation contest here.

One of the biggest names in comics, Stan Lee, is launching his own website. You can sign up for updates from the site and a chance to win autographed merchandise right now, but the full site won’t launch till February 8. On top of contests and games, the sites main function will be behind-the-scenes looks into Stan’s new projects.

Zoe Saldana talked Star Trek 2 in a recent interview. While she couldn’t say much, she all but told us that there is more to come between Spock and Uhura. Star Trek writer Robert Orci also came out with a few comments, these ones directed at fans. In a fan driven industry like Star Trek, the fans are the best and worst part of it, and Orci has had enough of them second guessing him. In short, Orci pointed out that they did well with the first remake and that success has earned them a lot of leeway with the studio. He doesn’t promise the movie will be good, but he does promise it will be exactly what they want it to be.

On a final note, you can stop holding your breath waiting for Blizz Con 2012 to be announced, it’s not happening. Blizzard Entertainment would rather focus on releasing Diablo 3, Heart of the Swarm and Mists of Pandaria than wasting their time organizing another convention. This doesn’t mean they don’t love their fans and the convention will be back in 2013. As someone who has personally attended multiple Blizz Cons, they should take a break. Doing it yearly means they never have enough new news to justify bringing out thousands of fans from around the world. Hopefully, this way they will have something substantial to show us next time.

by A.J. Focht



As we get closer to the release of The Dark Knight Rises, we’re finally establishing the truth behind many of the numerous past rumors that have surrounded the project throughout production. Liam Neeson has put another one to rest when he confirmed he will reprise his role as Ra’s al Ghul in the film. Neeson couldn’t say much more about the project, because apparently his part is so small that he didn’t get much access. The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters July 20, and a line of figurines are already being prepped to hit the market. These twelve inch models do an amazing job of capturing the outfits from the upcoming film and will be on sale in June.

The Deadpool movie is going into production this year. The ‘merc with a mouth’ will be getting his own film, and Rob Liefeld has seen eight minutes of the test footage. Ryan Reynolds is returning as Deadpool. Now we can only hope the film does the character more justice than Wolverine Origins did.

New high resolution images of The Avengers have been released. We’ve seen similar shots before, but we do get decent ones of each main character -- sorry Hawk Eye didn’t make the cut. The only big thing of note here is we get some of the first clear shots of the Hulk.

Some lucky little fan got to take a photo with Superman and the picture has made its way online. The shot from the set of Man of Steel gives a clear look at the new Superman suit. Not to mention it really makes Henry Cavill look the part of Superman.

Last week, DC Comics logo change made its way around the web. Everyone, including myself, criticized the look of the new logo. DC has since revealed how they plan to use the logo. In a rather interesting twist, the logo was designed so it could be customized. Each logo keeps the same basic style, but changes its color and look depending on the comic it appears on. Despite my comments last week, I have to say this is pretty cool.

One other big story coming from DC Entertainment, the company announced a multi-million dollar campaign to raise money to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa. The campaign is called We Can Be Heroes. Using the Justice League of America as mascots, DC hopes to inspire the hero in everyone to end this crisis.

A few weeks back, Lily Collins was announced as the main character in the upcoming Evil Dead remake. However, due to scheduling conflicts, she has had to give up the part. There is still no news on who is going to take over the role, but time is running out as the film is scheduled in theaters April 12, 2013.



The first trailer for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock videogame has been released. It’s set to release on the PS3, PS Vita, and PC later this year.

Speaking of Doctor Who…the show’s producer and chief screenwriter Russel T. Davies (who was also responsible for spin-off show Torchwood), has created a new series for BBC Wales. Aliens vs. Wizards is a 26-part series aimed at a younger audience. It’s about a young wizard, Tom Clarke, and his struggle against the aggressive aliens, the Nekross. While the show is being made for children, that doesn’t mean Doctor Who fans shouldn’t give it a shot.



On a final note, Cryptic Studios has made Star Trek Online free to play. The game is now free through the silver membership, which gives full game access but limited community access. There is still a gold membership with full access for $15 a month.

by A.J. Focht


[Bob and Kemper in Droids You’re Looking For]

Superheroes are taking back Saturday mornings. A few weeks ago, Cartoon Network announced they were doing a new block of programing called DC Nation that would feature the DC heroes. Now its Marvel’s turn for the kind of cartoon resurgence we’ve been waiting for ever since Disney bought them out. The mouse-eared company will be starting their own superhero programming block called Marvel Universe. It will provide exclusive Marvel content including series of The Avengers, Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor. They will also be doing a Spider-Man series based on the Ultimate Spider-Man line, but it will feature Peter Parker, not the new Miles Morales.

Thor 2 has seen a lot of trouble pre-production, but they’ve finally settled on a writer. Robert Rodat, whose previous credits include Saving Private Ryan, will be penning the sequel to the Marvel blockbuster. The script needs to be completed pretty soon as they plan to start filming this summer.

The live action Star Wars television series is not just a myth, and now it has a name. In a recent interview with IGN, Rick McCallum, producer and right-hand man of George Lucas himself, announced the working title for the series is Star Wars: Underworld. There is no sure date when it will launch; they are apparently waiting until they can economically produce it for $5 million an episode.

Star Trek 2 has added a new cast member in the form of Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch. While his exact role has not been named, it is widely considered he will be a new villain in the J.J. Abrams sequel.

There is a new face to Ash William from the Evil Dead series, and she looks nothing like Bruce Campbell. Lily Collins (The Blind Side) is the first official member to join the cast of the new incarnation, taking the lead role. Now, to be fair, she will not be Ash, her name will be Mia. She will however being playing a part very similar to that played by Campbell in the 1981 original. I hope her name is actually Michael or something of the like just as a throwback to Ashley (Ash) Williams.

While were thinking about zombies, is this a good time to mention that World War Z will be a trilogy. After a chorus of complaints about the first one taking place during the actual Zombie War and not after like the book does, this may be Paramount Pictures way of making up for that, or more likely just a way to capitalize on the fad. Either way, we can hope the second and third movie will do the book some justice where it looks like the first will fail.

AMC is on a roll with innovative programming like Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, and now they are bringing a mafia classic back to life. The company is producing a cable series based on the Martin Scorsese 1990 mobster classic, Goodfellas. To make the news even better, Nicholas Pileggi, writer of the movie and the original non-fiction book it was based on, Wiseguy, is set to co-write the series.

We have another classic being brought back to life, albeit in a different medium. After twenty-five years as a cult favorite, The Labyrinth will be getting a prequel in the form of a graphic novel. The long rumored project will explore the story of how Jareth, the guy played by David Bowie, comes to the Labyrinth for the first time.

Finally, just a friendly reminder to everyone wanting to attend San Diego Comic-Con 2012, they have changed their registration system. If you would like to register for a ticket to go, you first have to preregister for a Member ID. You can start this process now via the Comic-Con website. Just don’t get stuck being unable to snag a ticket the day they go on sale because you didn’t preregister.

by A.J. Focht



The New Year is off to a good start as nerd rage scores one over the film industry. After the massive amount of complaints surrounding Bane’s voice in The Dark Knight Rises, Warner Bros. has cracked and made it easier to understand in the audio mix. While Christopher Nolan had no intentions of changing the voice, the studio’s fear of the fan outrage won out.

That wasn’t the only news from The Dark Knight Rises to break last week. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Anne Hathaway released some previously unknown details about scenes in the film. As if that wasn’t enough, the forty second montage from the prologue was leaked last week, and promptly removed.

Marvel Studios has released a new movie poster for The Avengers. The poster taps into the recent fad for classic looking movie posters. While the art style rather interesting, the poster is just about what you would have expected.

After five years of legal wrangling, the courts have made a decision as to the proper owners of Ghost Rider. No shocker, but Marvel will retain the rights. The case was brought to the court by Gary Friedrich, the modern re-creator of Ghost Rider. Marvel commissioned him to update their original Ghost Rider, a cowboy, and he delivered with the well-known skeleton motorcycle rider. Unfortunately for Mr. Friedrich, he signed over all rights of his character to Marvel, twice. It was on this grounds that the court decided that Marvel would keep all rights, and Friedrich, whose complaint stemmed from being cut out of the profits from the first movie, won’t be seeing profits from the upcoming sequel either. Just a good reminder to all artists to make sure they keep track of their intellectual rights.

Some more legal bullshitting coming out of Marvel; their lawyers are now proposing the case that the X-Men are not human. While the Mutant versus Human status has long been an issue in the comics, this time it’s being used in the real world for capitalistic gain. Certain countries tax less on figures that are not human, and thus, Marvel must insist that the X-Men are not humans. Perhaps these countries should change the wording to ‘humanoid’ to avoid confusion.

The largest scale model of Serenity has been found in the depths of the Universal Archives. The replica builders at Quantum Mechanix came across the model used in the Firefly series and had a chance to take several photos. Someone really should consider rescuing this piece and putting it some sort of science fiction museum, lest it disappears again into the depths, never to be seen again.

One last bit of news, Netflix has released a three minute trailer for their first original series Lilyhammer. It follows the story of an ex-mobster who enters the witness protection program. Sopranos veteran Steven Van Zandt plays the role of the protagonist, Frank ‘The Fixer’ Tagliano. This is the debut original series to come from Netflix, but they have several others in the works, including the final season of Arrested Development.

by A.J. Focht



Another batch of photos from the Amazing Spider-Man have been released. Unlike the previous photos that have focused on Andrew Garfield and the Spider-Man suit, these photos include shots of Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy as well.

Despite all the drama surrounding Patty Jenkins' departure from Thor 2, Marvel studios is pushing forward and has announced that Game of Thrones director Helmer Alan Taylor will now be directing the film. Assuming there are no other delays, the film should be set to meet the previously scheduled November 15, 2013 release date.

Walt Disney, parent company of Marvel, is getting their greedy hands into the comic giant’s upcoming projects. Despite all of the calls not to, Disney will be releasing The Avengers in 3D. The film was not shot in 3D, and the 3D will all be added in postproduction. The good news is Joss Whedon has come out and said that the film will not be “obnoxiously 3D.”

Speaking of Disney messing with the Marvel movies, they have also announced that an unnamed Marvel project has been bumped up from June 2014 to April 2014. With one other unnamed project scheduled for May 2014, there are rumors that it is because the films will be related in some way. As the two movies are still unannounced though, speculation is rife as to what they might be.

There is confirmation that Watchmen 2 is underway. Bleeding Cool published the cover art to Watchemen 2, but was then contacted by DC and asked to remove it. Most of the reposts have also been taken down, but we can tell you they featured Nite Owl by Andy Kubert and Joe Kubert.

The cast of Ender’s Game has just gained some true star power. Harrison Ford has officially signed on to play Colonel Hyram Graff. And in case Ford doesn’t provide enough box office oomph, they have also landed Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) to portray Petra Arkanian. This cast of the film is really giving me high hopes that it will end up a sci-fi classic rather than a dud.

On the day the Prometheus trailer was to release, it was leaked. Just hours after, the official trailer was “debuted” by the studio. It finally sheds some light on what the movie is about. Simply put: as humans search for their beginning, they may find their end.



More news from Middle-earth; To help celebrate the holidays, Peter Jackson posted his fifth production blog. This video focused on the location of the shooting, and includes some reasoning for filming in New Zealand.

It’s always fun to see the power of the internet in action. It’s even more fun to see the power of fanboys and fangirls – especially when they’re angry that their favorite sci-fi show has been cancelled unduly early. A few months ago, University of Wisconsin-Stout theater professor James Miller, who was also such a fanboy, posted an infamous Firefly quote outside his office to protest against the show's untimely demise at the hands of Fox.

The campus police failed to appreciate the geeky reference, or the irony – that the quote isn’t about killing but about playing fair – and removed the “offending” quotation. But it didn’t end there. The school authorities threatened Miller with criminal charges, and fearing for his job, he contacted the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) to defend his right to free speech. After the school refused to back down, the case was taken to the internet jury. This video explains how the online massive – and Neil Gaiman – helped Miller defeat the close-minded educational institution.



A final cheerful clip to brighten the last of the holidays, for those who didn’t catch it, Stan Lee had an amazing cameo in Chuck’s holiday special.

by A.J. Focht



Attached to the Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol IMAX screenings is a new six minute prologue for Dark Knight Rises. Many bootlegged copies were spread around online after its release, but Warner Bros. has done a good job of shutting them all down. For those not able to visit an IMAX theater and see the prologue, the first official trailer has been released. While Christian Bale’s voice in The Dark Knight was a running joke, it looks like Bane’s voice may be worse. Even though Warner Bros. is nervous about the fan response to the voice, Nolan refuses to change it.

Reports that Patty Jenkins left her position directing Thor 2 of her own accord may have been fabricated. Recently, sources reveal that she may have been terminated without any proper cause. Natalie Portman is said to be very upset over these changes, as she signed onto the film specifically because Jenkins was supposed to be directing it. While it’s unclear which story is correct, there is clearly drama brewing among the cast that could affect the movie’s deadline.

No more waiting for bits and pieces of information on the Amazing Spider-Man. Sony has launched the official website for the film. The site includes photos, trailers, information and more goodies. Any information on the movie that you’ve been wanting will likely be found there.



Following the release of a batch of posters last week, the producers of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance have released a new official trailer. It definitely captures the dark tone that the new film was going for while keeping the black humor that fans expect.

That’s it for the superhero movies, but there is one other big superhero project on the horizon. Marvel Comics will be making a novel adaptation of their classic Civil War storyline. Civil War was one of the most groundbreaking events in comics, and the novel, to be written by Stuart Moore, is set to hit shelves in June 2012.



Ridley Scott released a series of posters for his upcoming project Prometheus earlier this week, and has followed them up with teaser trailer footage. The first official full trailer will release this Thursday. While the project is not related to the Aliens universe, the posters and footage give it a very similar feeling.

First he’s in Oz, then he’s not, and now he is again. The roller coaster that is Bruce Campbell’s role in the upcoming http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/debbiedowner/news/?a=51593 " target="_blank">Oz: The Great and Powerful has kept the rumor mill turning. Most recently, we hear he’s back in and they have shot footage. While we still don’t know exactly what role he is playing, he did mention he will have a confrontation with Oz (played by James Franco).



For the manga lovers out there, there is some great news regarding Rurouni Kenshin. The first trailer of the live action movie has hit the internet. The film looks extremely well done, and the character casting appears to be spot on. It’s currently slated to hit Japanese theaters on August 25, 2012.



A full synopsis of The Hobbit has been released. No real surprises here, but a good chance to familiarize yourself with the story and what you can expect from the movie, if you don’t know already that is. To go along with that, the official trailer has been released. It’s looking to be just as epic as any of the Lord of the Rings movies.



Who is the best vampire slayer of all-time? If you answered Blade or Buffy, you’re wrong. The correct answer is, Abraham Lincoln. New posters for Tim Burton’s imagining of the Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter book have been released. The official plot synopsis tells us that the film will explore the secret life of our greatest president, an untold story that shaped our nation. Amongst the wave of Twilight-inspired vampire trash, it will be nice to have a quality, dark, and likely humorous vampire story told in a way that only Tim Burton can.



On a final note, Doctor Who: Worlds In Time will preview this week. The new game based on the popular BBC sci-fi series is a free-to-play, browser based MMO game. Players choose their avatars and interact in a game environment with a traditional ‘Flash-based’ art style. While it’s not a big budget MMO, it should be a nice treat for those whole like to spend quality time with Time Lords.

by A.J. Focht



The first official teaser posters for The Dark Knight Rises have been released. The posters feature Batman’s shattered helmet and Bane walking away. This would be a good time to remember that Bane is known as ‘the man who broke the bat,’ however, Bane supposedly isn’t the only villain at play in the film...

The first teaser poster for The Amazing Spider-Man has also been released. The film will be released on July 3, 2012, and the poster more than hints that it will tell ‘the untold story.’ With Gwen Stacy cast in the film, I really hope that this film sets up for the famous “Death of the Stacy’s” storyline.



Upping the movie posters ante, the producers of Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance released several posters to promote their film which will hit screens in February 2012. Designs vary from the artistic to the simplistic, with one notable one being based on the classic cult movie poster.



At the rate Hollywood is producing superhero movies, it’s very likely there could be a Black Widow movie on the way. Especially in light of the fact that Scarlett Johansson has come out saying she would be interested in signing on for a movie primarily featuring the heroine. There is nothing in the works at the moment, but Johansson has made it clear she’s up for a return to the roll.

Plans to move forward with Thor 2 are progressing swiftly. The Hollywood Reporter has released the names of two potential directors looking to fill the void left by Patty Jenkins. Alan Taylor and Daniel Minahan are both being considered for the position. Marvel has also shortened the list of potential script writers; the new list includes Robert Rodat and Roger Avary.

If you thought the Transformers series was over, you thought wrong. For better or worse, Michael Bay is back at it and in final negotiations to direct a fourth film in the series. Bay has been assembling a cast for the project and it looks like formal details will be announced shortly.

Following the Men in Black 3 teaser poster which was released last week, a trailer has also hit the YouTubes. Seems, in order to fight the alien menace this time, Agent J is going to have to go to back to the past and enlist K’s help.



Despite all of the talk about Khan appearing in Star Trek 2, Simon Pegg has gone on record as saying he has heard no talk of Khan in the film. As far as Scotty is concerned, there is no Khan in the movie, and he even thinks it might be a little tacky for them to do Khan as he has been done in previous films.

Spike TV held the 2011 Video Game Awards (VGA) this last week. Amongst a flurry of trailers for upcoming games and comic award presenters, twenty-five awards were given for to the best games of 2011. Batman: Arkham City took four of the awards including Best Xbox 360 Game and Character of the Year for the Joker. The big winner of Game of the Year was The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. Their studio, Bethesda Games, also took Studio of the Year. Blizzard also used the VGAs to premiere the opening cinematic for the much anticipated Diablo 3.



Finally, George Takei, better known as Sulu, has a message for everyone re. the current Star Trek vs. Star Wars war. To recap, the recent battle was started by William Shatner, who proclaimed that Star Trek was superior to Star Wars in a video that did the rounds on YouTube. Carry Fisher then posted a few rebuttals in response. Now Takei is calling for an alliance. Instead of focusing our frustrations at our other ‘star-brothers,’ he asks that we work together to defeat the evil that is Twilight.

by A.J. Focht



The first official character bios for the Avengers movie have been released. No big surprises here, just most of what is already known about the movie’s all-star superhero cast. Regardless, it’s a great way to familiarize yourself with any characters you might not be completely sure about, like Hawkeye.

Continuing the trend of rebooting superhero movies, David Slade has given an update on his upcoming Daredevil flick. Slade announced that Brad Caleb Kane has finished the first draft of the script and that more news would come in the new year. The original Daredevil film was better than some superhero movies, but it was by no means up to standards that superhero movies try to uphold these days. Hopefully the reboot will fix that.

While DC comics are still successfully pushing their New 52, Marvel has plans to move forward with another one of their giant world events. Raising the stakes — which is difficult since comic book events normally are quite apocalyptic — Marvel is waging an all-out war between the Avengers and the X-Men. After Phoenix Force return to Earth to seek a new host, Hope Summer (Cyclops and Jean Grey’s daughter), the Avengers want to quarantine her, and the X-Men refuse to let them without a fight - gripping stuff!



While there is no word on the upcoming Metropolis project, it looks like there will be more Smallville, kind of. Bryan Q Miller is writing a new novel that tells the story of what happens to the cast afterwards. While there is no official word on this, it seems an awful lot like this novel could be the means of transitioning into the upcoming Metropolis project.



Lots of news coming from the starship Enterprise. First off, rumors of Benicio Del Toro playing Khan have been put to rest. But in light of this news, it's been revealed that Peter Weller (RoboCop) has officially joined the cast of Star Trek 2. His role is currently unknown, but this sci-fi legend is a welcome addition to the cast. That’s not it either. Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League & Entourage) has also joined the cast, and will play a new character in the canon. Despite all the news about Star Trek 2, producers are apparently going to great lengths to keep details of the production secret, with prominent cast members such as Chekov and Sulu, being denied access to the script.

On to the Ender’s Game movie. Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) is in negotiations for the female lead. This is the second major cast announcement in as many weeks. It’s fair to assume there will be plenty more where those came from as Ender’s Game is set to release on March 15, 2013.

Iron Man screenwriters Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby have completed the script for the next Tomb Raider film. The original portrayal of Lara Croft by Angelina Jolie is being tossed aside. "For me it's re-inventing the wheel a bit, it's a reboot. We're going back before she was Lara Croft," said producer Graham King, talking to Digital Spy about the nature of the origins-style screenplay.

Anyone else getting sick of the reboots yet? ‘Cause another prominent sci-fi classic, Starship Troopers is also getting a reboot – just 15 years out from the original!

The iconic Jaws ride at Universal Studios is being removed and replaced with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The attraction will be build along the same lines as the original in Orlando, which has proved to be so successful that Universal Studios and Warner Bros. have decided that it will be augmented with a large expansion.

Finally, 2012 looks like it'll be a big year for Joss Whedon. With the release of the Avengers already on the books, Whedon recently revealed he has completed another project, Much Ado About Nothing. Now there’s a third movie in the lineup. A poster for a Whedon project called Cabin in the Woods has just surfaced, and was followed up by the release of an official trailer. The film is looking like it could be a fantastic sci-fi/horror movie, and will premiere on April 13, 2012.

by Tarion Suicide

A column which highlights Suicide Girls and their fave groups.


[Tarion Suicide in Kiss the Machine]

This week, in preparation for the coming apocalypse, Tarion Suicide gives us the 411 on SG's Zombie Hunters Group.

Members: 2,824 / Comments: 20,073

• WHY DO YOU LOVE IT?: This group has threads covering everything you need to know about zombies and the impending apocalypse. It ensures that every member has a "zombie plan" and the best possible chance of survival. Members discuss everything from the best choice of weapons to the most effective safe house. If you're into zombies you will find info on the best books, games, movies, and TV shows right here!


• DISCUSSION TIP: This is a fun group, so don't be too serious.


• BEST RANDOM QUOTE: “Do not set zombies on fire! They will run around and catch everything else on fire!”


• MOST HEATED DISCUSSION THREAD: The Walking Dead! Official TV Thread - everyone has an opinion on this show!


• WHO’S WELCOME TO JOIN?: All those who want to survive the zombie apocalypse.

***
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SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Tarion on Atheists
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Rambo on Photography
SuicideGirls' Group Therapy - Thistle on Vamos Gigantes

by A.J. Focht

Possible SPOILERS from the Dark Knight Rises have hit the web. The spoilers revolve around the films prologue. If they are correct, there may be some major changes to Bane’s background story. The leak is unconfirmed and, therefore, it’s best to file this one under rumors.

Adding on to the series of disastrous events to befall The Wolverine, the film is being delayed again, and this time there is no speculation to when it may release. Maybe this should be a sign to scrap the project and let the series rest for a while.

Some big news for Ender’s Game fans, Asa Butterfield, star of the new box office hit Hugo, confirmed via Twitter that he will be playing the role of Ender. There had been reports he was offered the role, and he is very excited to take it. The movie is being directed by Wolverine Origins director Gavin Hood, and is scheduled to release in March of 2013.

Men in Black III is officially a go. The first teaser posters for the film have been released. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have returned as Agents ‘J’ and ‘K’. The posters don’t tell us much more than the fact the project has hit the marketing stage.

Star Trek 2 has received a new release date for May 2013. But that’s not all. Oscar winning composer, Michael Giacchino, is back on for the second film. And finally, it is confirmed the film will be shooting in 3D.

One last note about the movies, if you didn’t already think Twilight is hazardous to your health, it’s now been confirmed. Cases have been reported of viewers going into epileptic seizures during the birthing scene. Anyone susceptible to seizures should therefore avoid seeing Breaking Dawn.

Some great news for Bluntman & Chronic, Neil Gaiman has confirmed he's agreed to voice Alfred in the cartoon via Twitter. The news of a cartoon is exciting enough, but to know that Neil Gaiman is on the project is just fantastic.

MTV Geek has released their Top 10 Comic Book Writers of 2011. It’s no surprise that many of the DC New 52 writers have made the list as well as a handful of independent comics. Deservingly, Animal Man writer Jeff Lemire has taken the top spot.

Before you go, enjoy David Tennant reading a bedtime story with penguins on CBeebies, courtesy of Geek Mom.

by A.J. Focht

Man of Steel is set to hit theatres on June 14, 2012, but the studio is already looking forward to the next film. A short list of writers has been drawn up. While some big names have made the list, Man of Steel writer David S. Goyer is not on it, indicating that the next Superman movie will be in fresh hands.

The cast and crew of The Amazing Spider-Man returned to New York to shoot a few additional scenes. Dozens of photos and a movie clip from the shoot have surfaced online. The Amazing Spider-Man is currently set to release in theatres on July 3, 2012.

J.J. Abrams has started location scouting for Star Trek 2. Most recently, he has been checking out Hawaii to serve as a jungle planet. Filming is currently set to start on January 15, 2012 with an expected 2013 release.

Writer of Juno and the upcoming Evil Dead, Diablo Cody, has spoken up about working on the Evil Dead project. She started off hesitant about taking the job until she realized Raimi and Campbell were behind it. Now she assures everyone that it will be scary and true to the original. It’s good to hear that the writer has many of the same concerns as the longtime fans.




In no surprising move, PBS will once again be airing BBC’s Sherlock. The first three mini-movie episodes were critically acclaimed, and brought PBS a ton of ratings. The next three mini-movie episodes will be airing, starting on May 6 at 9 PM.

Possibly the biggest news of the week is that Arrested Development has found a home for its final season. The good news is it won’t be on FOX. The better news? The rights to the show were bought by Netflix, making it the third series to air directly to the streaming service. This means you will need a Netflix account to watch Arrested Development’s last season, but you can always get a month for free.

Is there any idea worse than the Spider-Man musical? What about a Rocky musical? Well it may be happening. Sylvester Stallone is teaming up with world champion boxing brothers Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko to produce Rocky: The Musical. All I can think of is a final seen with an opera singer version of Rocky screaming, ‘ADRIAN!”




Darth Vader has landed and is looking to dock in the Ukrain. A Ukraine citizen showed up to the mayor’s office in full Star War regalia to collect his 1,000 square meters of land that all citizens are granted. He claimed he needed the sea side land to park his space cruiser.

As 2011 starts coming to a close, there are going to be hundreds of ‘Best of 2011’ posts. A few of the geek ones have already started including several from MTV Geek. There are a few you might want to check out: Best Geek Moments of 2011, Best Comic Book Artists of 2011, and finally, the Best Video Games of 2011. This is one of the first best of video game posts, and I’ve calling the top two contenders for the last few weeks.

by A.J. Focht



The internet exploded early Monday morning when Variety announced that David Yates, director of the final four Harry Potter films, was “teaming up with the BBC to turn its iconic sci-fi series Doctor Who into a bigscreen franchise.” The only problem with this was the BBC didn’t even know about it. A tweet from the BBC’s official Doctor Who Magazine said:

So for those of you who were hoping that the Doctor would finally make it to the big screen, it looks like you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Still, Yates seemed rather adamant; maybe something will come of it.

Thor director Keneth Branagh has revealed his reasoning for not returning to Thor 2. Turns out it was simply an issue of timing. Branagh didn’t have time to get back into the project quickly like Marvel needed. He also generously noted that he, along with many others, is excited about the new director Patty Jenkins.

The first previews from Middle Earth will likely hit this December. According to Andy Serkis (Gollum), the first trailers for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey should be in theatres this holiday season.

In a recent interview with TV Guide, Bruce Campbell talked about the decision to cut the role of Ash from the new Evil Dead. Campbell said that while the decision pissed many off, ultimately, they decided it was best not to run a direct parallel to the character, even though this is a remake. Campbell also notes that he wouldn’t have wanted to put any actor in that position, and I don’t blame him. Following in the footsteps of Campbell in his most famous roll would be rather daunting.



DC heroes aren’t just storming the comic stores, Cartoon Network is adding a block program called DC Nation that will feature several DC cartoons. During the sneak peek to the new Green Lantern animated series, Cartoon Network aired a teaser for the block program. It looks like many of the classic heroes, as well as some new ones, will be featured in the segment.

Geek news has been a bit lacking this past week. It might be because everyone has been stuck inside playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The newest game in the COD franchise broke its own record selling more than 6.5 million units in less than 24 hours. While the game might have been the best seller, it wasn’t the only major game released this week; it was also competing with The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and Assassins Creed Revelations.

Modern Warfare 3 is getting the sales, but it is one of lowest ranked games of the month generally pulling 8/10 and ‘B’ ratings. Batman: Arkham City, Skyrim, and Assassins Creed have been pulling in higher 9/10 and ‘A’ ratings. All of these games are likely to land one Game of the Year prize or another, although Skyrim and Arkham City have managed the highest reviews.

The Xbox 360 is the oldest system of the current generation on the market. After six years on the shelf, everyone is wondering when it will get a replaced for real and not just upgraded with accessories like the Kinect. That time might be closer than you think. New rumors report the next Xbox will be called the Loop. Those who claim to have the inside scoop say the system is smaller and cheaper than the current Xbox system, yet more powerful and next generation. We’ll just have to wait and see what comes of these rumors.



Finally, the final episode of Dragon Age Redemption starring Felicia Day is now live. For those who haven’t been following, it is an excellent web series based in the Dragon Age universe. If you haven’t tuned in, now is your chance to watch all of the episodes without the week wait in-between.

by ExAddict



Late last summer, a controversy erupted in National Hockey League circles after three prominent on-ice enforcers passed away during the off-season. Wade Belak, Rick Rypien and Derek Boogaard died of a tragic combination of mental illness and addictions. The three were so called 'tough guys' - called on by other players to keep the action rough, and let goal-scorers do their jobs.

Much of the media-driven controversy of course was centered around the amped-up Don Cherry, a highly-charged broadcaster who labeled three other former league bruisers as 'pukes' for stepping outside of the shadows and linking NHL fighting to substance abuse and depression.

In typical NHL fashion, sports fans’ tongues went wagging and opinions varied from demands for a crackdown against unfair hits to protect players from concussions (the current enemy #1 in pro-hockey) to banning fighting outright.

So that's what's happening in hockey, a so-called 'real sport'. We can expect that because it is one of the big four pro-sports leagues, the issues surrounding mental health and drug abuse will be addressed both by the player's association (NHLPA) and NHL league executives.

That's all well and good to save lives and protect athletes on the ice. But there might be another sport that needs the attention of media....

Unfortunately for fans of sports-entertainment, or 'pro-wrestling' as it once was called, voices calling for an increased examination of the cause and effects of mental illness, tragedy and death in this highly-athletic profession are few and far between.

With respect to the squared circle, there is a much more horrific tale lurking beneath the surface excitement of the storylines and dramatics put on by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Impact Wrestling (TNA) and the hundreds of other smaller grappling organizations that operate worldwide.

Every week, for the past eighteen years, WWE and Monday Night Raw has been entertaining millions of fans who clamor to follow and cheer on names like John Cena, CM Punk, and The Undertaker as they do battle with evil-doers like R-Truth, The Miz, and Mark Henry.

Yet beyond the spotlight, there is a tough road of dues-paying and hardship for up-and-coming wrestlers as well as a path of serious discontent for names from the past. Even the biggest name in wrestling history – the immortal Hulk Hogan – now toils for the #2 wrestling organization, hobbled by numerous surgeries to repair a body damaged by nearly thirty-five years of competitive action. On average, an NHL player can expect to play five to six seasons.

For wrestlers, there is no off-season or players' union. If it was any other sport, there would be a Congressional investigation concerning the numbers of athletes dying before age fifty.

For once-famous grapplers who fall through the cracks, hanging on to the spotlight can be mentally devastating.

Scott Hall, a former champion in WWE, is the latest tragedy to garner attention. An ESPN feature that compared the journeyman wrestler to the fictional character portrayed by Mickey Rourke in the film The Wrestler was completed in mid-October but this did little to address the susceptibility of once-popular celebrities to mental illness and substance-abuse problems.

Earlier this summer, former Impact Wrestling and WWE superstar Matt Hardy ran into his fair share of legal trouble after crashing his car and getting arrested for possession of illegal substances. His brother, the equally-as-famous Jeff Hardy, encountered similar difficulties.

So what happens after the spotlight fades and wrestlers are left fighting for fame and the few dollars that past glory affords? Hopefully, a change is afoot. Perhaps gone are the days when wrestlers used to performing in front of tens of thousands in packed arenas are left toiling in front of a few dozen fans in high school gymnasiums, left alone and isolated as they slowly descend into mental illness.

In response, WWE has instituted a tough Wellness Policy for current superstars and pays for substance abuse rehabilitation of former “independent contractors.” The Wellness Policy serves as a “three-strikes-you're-out” safety net meant to protect current and former wrestlers from life on the road. WWE has even gone as far as to ban infamous chair-shots to the head and remove blood from broadcasts – an effort to maintain a PG friendly atmosphere and to protect the long term health of employees.

Christopher Nowinski, a Harvard graduate and former WWE Alumni himself has much to say about sports-related injuries in his book Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis and in 2007 became the founder of the Sports Legacy Institute, dedicated to researching brain trauma in professional and amateur sports. That same year, former WWE World Champion Chris Benoit killed his wife and son in a brutal double murder suicide.

An examination of Benoit's brain revealed that extensive injuries and concussions suffered by the Canadian could have caused dementia. Since that time, the stigma of mental illness has meant he’s all but been erased from the record books. Benoit's name is never mentioned on WWE broadcasts and his reign as champion is scrubbed from history.

For pro-wrestling a.k.a. sports-entertainment to truly address the demons of mental health and addictions, gone must be the notion that those addicted to drugs or the spotlight are criminals or unrepentant. It's time that all professional sports addressed the 1-in-5 statistic of mental illness that effects all North Americans. If more wrestlers are willing to speak out about mental illness in sports, it may very well set a precedent for other athletes in other sports to address these issues in a very public way.

For WWE, it's time to take the bull by the horns and end the stigma of mental illness in sports. Lives are on the line. To save just one, I'd pay top dollar.

Images: Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler

by A.J. Focht

Even the prequels are getting sequels. British actor Jason Flemyng who played Azazel in X-Men: First Class has said that a follow-up could soon be in the works. First Class was a surprisingly good addition to the franchise; hopefully tacking another one in won’t kill the series on a bad note.

Iron Man 3 is being shot in Wilmington, North Carolina. If you want to make the trip out there (or are lucky enough to live nearby), you can register to try and be one of thousands of extras needed for the shooting.

Over the last few weeks, dozens of set pictures and several videos from the shooting of The Dark Knight Rises have been leaked - see roundup here. A couple of major spoiler could be contained, including a characters death scene.



Not everyone is convinced that the Metropolis project is happening. For those of us still holding out hope, the Metropolis IMDb page now lists Joe Davola and Alfred Gough as the executive producers; Gough being one of the original creators of Smallville.

On the comic front, DC Comics continues to dominate. The New 52 has really paid off as DC pulled in over 50% of all comic sales last month.


J.J. Abrams reportedly is after Benicio Del Toro to play the roll of the villain in the up coming Star Trek 2. No one is quite sure who the main villain will be. Theories range from the return of Khan to the Klingon’s and everything in between. The last movie created an entire new timeline so the possibilities are endless.

We’ve known that there were plans to another Blade Runner film; Ridley Scott says the project is likely to be a direct sequel. Scott also said that the project is quite a ways along, and they are close to finding a writer.

Reports from Middle Earth have been scarce lately. Last week, Peter Jackson and the crew released the new video blog. The video covers the finer points of shooting The Hobit in 3D, with several on set shots. The first part of The Hobbit is set for release holiday 2012.

Do you want to forever immortalize yourself in the Whedon-verse? Well, if you’ll settle for a walk on role, this could be your chance. A walk on role in Whedon’s next project, In Your Eyes, is being auctioned on eBay. At the time of this writing, the bidding is up to $2,550. So how bad do you want it? Oh, and did I mention the proceeds go to The Adrienne Shelly Foundation.

Sad news from the land of Oz. Bruce Campbell’s cameo scene has been cut. Bruce tweeted that such things happen in epic flicks, and that there were no hard feelings toward Sam Raimi.

http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/11/08/marvel-comics-on-the-barnes-and-noble-nook-tablet/ " target="_blank">Barnes & Noble has revealed their tablet, complete with Marvel comics. As if almost in response to the Kindle Fire’s deal with DC, Barnes & Noble has released their own tablet featuring several of Marvels comics. The tablet is starting at $249 and is available on November 18.

by A.J. Focht



After a few weeks with no new updates, The Dark Knight Rises released several updates this last week. The first photos of Joseph Gordon-Levitt on set have spread across the internet. A full synopsis of the film has been leaked, but it doesn’t reveal much more than what we’ve already known. Finally, the movie’s second official trailer will release with Sherlock Holmes:Game of Shadows on Dec 16.

That’s not the end of the Batman news either. WB Interactive has announced Batman: Arkham City has shipped 4.6 million copies for PS3/Xbox360. Despite some tough competition, Arkham City is looking more and more like Game of the Year.

Iron Man 3 is taking a change in scenery. After shooting the past two films in California, the next installment in the franchise is filming in North Carolina. The change in location is likely the first in a wave of updates bound to come now that The Avengers has wrapped.

Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel will use the infamous villain General Zod, but unfortunately, the character is not likely to use the immortal line, “Kneel before Zod.” It’s sad to see such a famous line being excluded; it would be like not having The Terminator say, “I’ll be back.” Even Smallville used the line when they introduced General Zod.

Speaking of Smallville, it looks like the show isn’t as dead as we may have thought. A new IMDB has been created for a show titled, Metropolis. Currently, Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Aaron Ashmore, and Michael McKean are listed in the credits. Is it possible the show is getting a reboot/remake?

While we’re on the note of remakes, that’s apparently exactly what the new Evil Dead project is, minus Ash. A synopsis has been released for the film that sounds exactly like Evil Dead with different characters.

Evil Dead isn’t the only undead movie making a return, reports confirm that Michael Keaton is returning to his role in the Beetlejuice sequel. I’m not sure how I feel about a sequel, but it sounds like they’re at least trying to do it right.

One last thing, I present you the best video game based movie to date, and it’s based on Duck Hunt. This new ten minute short film is by far one of the best video game to film adaptations I’ve ever seen.

Video Games - E3 2012

by A.J. Focht

Joss Whedon is no mere mortal in need of rest and relaxation. After wrapping up The Avengers, Whedon used his month long vacation to do a secret shooting of an adaptation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece Much Ado About Nothing

Starring several members of the Whedonverse, the cast includes: Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof (Angel), and Fran Kranz (Dollhouse), amongst others. Shooting the film in only twelve days, the entire cast managed to keep the project secret until it was announced via a press release.

Whedon isn’t the only one moving past The Avengers in a hurry. Marvel has announced several superhero sequels for 2013. All the usual suspects are present: Iron Man 3, Thor 2, Captain America 2, and the long rumored Ant-Man is still on the list.

With three exceedingly mediocre movies based on The Punisher, it’s surprising to hear that he’s getting another chance, this time on TV. If anything could make this situation more shaky, Fox has purchased the rights to the series. Odds are it will either be fantastic and immediately get cancelled, or it’s going to be another agonizing hour of prime time that they’ll keep around for years to come.



Mark Hamill tweeted his goodbye to voice acting as the Joker after Arkham City was released. The goodbyes weren’t so final as he quickly reneged on his statement when asked about an adaption of the graphic novel The Killing Joke. After his confirmation he’d come back for such a project, a fan movement started to get the project in motion.

Zombies survive another year. After only two episodes this season, The Walking Dead has been renewed for a third season by AMC.

With so many other interesting TV series popping up, is it surprising to learn that Stephen King’s The Dark Tower has gone from film to television? Producer Brian Gazer reports that the series has been picked up by HBO. There is still the possibility of a movie, but they intend to ‘do it right.’

For those Star Wars fans not heart broken by the series being rereleased in 3D, the trailer for Episode I has made it online (though it was subsequently pulled from YouTube by Fox).

Moving onto more exciting sci-fi movies, Ender’s Game the movie has received an official release date of March 15, 2013. The film is still over a year out, but after a long rollercoaster ride of the project being off and on, it’s great to see a solid date.



First they released the sneakers from the Back to the Future movies, then they announced the rerelease of the DeLorean. As if in an attempt to make Back to the Future’s timeline absolutely correct, development of a real hoverboard is underway. The board currently needs a rail to guide it, but they have two years to fix that.

Pulling one straight from the Disney playbook, Warner Bros. will pull all Harry Potter DVD titles off the shelves on December 29, 2011; this includes the soon to be released Deathly Hallow Part 2. If you haven’t finished your collection, now is your chance. Who knows when Warner Bros. will release the films back into circulation? I’m betting no less than ten years.

Not the most shocking news, but Rockstar has officially announced Grand Theft Auto V. The preview will be released on November 2. I’m hoping they change things up a bit, perhaps a female protagonist?

On a final note, massive video game convention Blizzcon 2011 has come and passed. Several major announcements were made for World of Warcraft, including the introduction of the first neutral race, Pandaren. Most impressively, it looks like Blizzard plans on releasing three games next year, the expansions for World of Warcraft , Starcraft, and Diablo III.

by A.J. Focht

Last weekend New York Comic Con was the focus of most of the geek world. This was a chance for DC Comics to address questions concerning the New 52, especially concerns surrounding Batman continuity. But the most anticipated panel of all was The Avengers panel. Several of the actors were in attendance, and the audience got to see exclusive footage including some which featured the Hulk.

Speaking of the Hulk, there are new updates with regards to the upcoming The Incredible Hulk TV series. Directors Guilermo del Toro and David Eick will be attempting to keep the television Hulk as close to the Hulk from The Avengers as possible. Just another example of Marvel solidifying their continuity, and trying to make us forget Edward Norton in the process.

Out of all the superhero news this last week, none was as exciting as the prospects of Batman joining #OccupyWallStreet. Shooting is about to move to New York City, and the cast members have been told scenes could include shots of the protests. I’m not sure what plan Christopher Nolan has for capturing the #OWS action in the film, but I’m excited by the possibilities.



One last note on the caped crusader, Batman: Arkham City was released days ago, and it’s receiving some of the highest reviews of the year. I therefore wouldn’t be surprised to see Game Of The Year come down to Arkham City and Gears of War 3.

Even the real life superheroes made news this last week. Phoenix Jones, leader of the Rain City Superhero Movement, was publicly unmasked after facing assault charges. It looks like our real life superhero is going through some classic comic story lines, but that won’t stop him from making his patrols.

Some terrible things are happening in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars 3D posters have been released. The poster lists Episode I 3D as premiering February 10, 2012. As an amusing twist, George Lucas showed up at the 2011 Scream Awards as Darth Vader was giving him a little roast.

On the Star Trek frontier, a new attempt to get Star Trek back on TV is in the works, but not by who you’d think. Seth MacFarlane, creator of Family Guy, is ready to leave the Griffin family fold and pick up his phaser. After seven years of Family Guy, MacFarlane wants to move on and thinks a Star Trek reboot could be his next step.

Thor 2 officially has signed new director, Patty Jenkins. The big players from the original cast will also be back, including Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, and Anthony Hopkins.



We’re going back to the future, or at least we’ll have the potential to in the new DeLoreans coming in 2013. The DeLorean Motor Company and electric car company Epic EV are rereleasing Back to the Future's classic vehicle as a fully electric car, flux capacitors not included.

Finally, the zombies just keep invading. The Walking Dead killed the competition and topped ratings on Sunday with 7.3 million viewers. So it would make sense that another zombie themed TV show will soon be taking a bite out of prime time. Zombieland creators are working on a zombie sitcom. Unfortunately, they are looking to air on FOX, which instantly makes me hesitant.

by A.J. Focht



The official Avengers trailer was finally released this week. Attached to the previews of Real Steal, it offers everything we wanted and more. All of the Avengers are showcased in the preview, providing the perfect teaser for the upcoming movie.

The Wolverine may end up with two separate cuts. In a recent interview with Hugh Jackman, he discussed the interest in making an R-rated Wolverine movie. A possible compromise that is being floated is the idea of releasing a PG-13 version of film, so as to not exclude the younger fans, in addition to the R-rated cut we all want to see.



Queen of the webisode, Felicia Day’s most recent project, Dragon Age: Redemption, is now live. It’s a brilliant webseries placed in the Dragon Age RPG universe. Felicia Day’s character, Tallis, is an elven assassin hired to capture an apostate mage. Along with the release of the webseries, a new DLC was released for Dragon Age 2 also featuring Tallis.

TV streaming is coming this fall to Xbox Live. Microsoft Corp. has gathered over forty world leaders in TV and entertainment, including HBO, Syfy, and BBC, and will commence service this holiday season. They have also struck deals with companies like Xfinity to offer their services via the Xbox live platform.

Hungarian SWAT teams proved they are ready for the coming zombie apocalypse this last week, when a real world SWAT team busted in on the set of World War Z. The Budapest authorities learned that live firearms were being used on set so a team was dispatched to confiscate them. All the firearms were taken, but the studio is working with authorities to sort the mess out.

Netflix has had a rough couple of months, but now that they struck a deal to bring The Walking Dead to instant streaming, they are perhaps on the path towards redemption. The series is just one of several new marquee shows that are new to the queue. Netflix has also backed out of their proposal to split the company in two, Netflix and Qwikster. After customer and stockholder outrage over the move, Netflix is taking a step back and considering other directions.

Things aren’t looking good for The Simpsons. Fox executives say they only want Homer, Marge, Bart & Co. for one more season, and even then, only if they can pay a considerable amount less for it. In the short term, despite earning ridiculous amounts of money, the vocal talent is being asked to take a pay cut, and ultimately it looks like America’s favorite dysfunctional family will get the ax in the not so distant future.

When one series dies, another will always take its place. In this case, Fox is optioning for a pilot for a series based on Lev Grossman’s The Magicians. The series looks to be in good hands also as Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stenz (The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Thor, and X-Men First Class) will be doing the adaptation for the script. Now if only a better network than Fox was considering it.

One last update concerning the fallout surrounding the Kindle Fire; last week I told you about the exclusive deal DC Comics signed to place certain graphic novels on the device. Because of this deal, Barnes & Noble is pulling DC titles off their shelves in response. Apparently, the high street book store was upset that DC chose the Kindle Fire after they had previously tried to get the titles for the Nook. With Barnes & Noble facing dire straits in the face of the electronic market as is, it’s hard to think they can afford to pull any titles over such petty discrepancies.

by A.J. Focht



The entire line of DC’s New 52 has hit stores. The fan response to the reboot has been phenomenal, though all of the comics have received very diverse reviews. Almost every comic in the New 52 has been both praised and bashed. Most have gained a following, and a couple have already gained infamy, while very few have slipped under the radar altogether.

Several of the more obscure comics however pulled in great reviews, such as All-Star Western and I, Vampire. All-Star Western explores Gotham City during its founding through the eyes of Jonah Hex, while I, Vampire introduced a new vampire threat to the DC universe. One of the biggest surprises was Justice League Dark which already has built a strong following. Even more shocking were the positive responses to the sexy stripper-adorned title Voodoo -- from the many of the same people who bashed the overt raunch of Catwoman and Starfire.



Several new photos have hit the internet from Marvel’s Avengers' set. And from landing the cover of Entertainment Weekly, to releasing the first official production photos, the Avengers are popping up everywhere. Their next stop will be New York Comic-Con where several of the Avengers will be assembling including Captain America and Loki.



It looks like The Wolverine is finally settling on a script. We hear the re-write by Mark Bomback will be very similar to the original by Darren Aronofsky. All told, the script is supposed to be fairly good, which means they should be able to move forward with the project.

One last superhero update, new photos of Russel Crowe as Jor-El in the Man of Steel have been released.

For trekkies out there awaiting new information on Star Trek 2, look no farther than the new comic series. Robert Orci, one of the film’s screenwriters, is also the creative director on the new set of comics. He has announced that the comics, set in the Star Trek (2009) universe, will directly tie into the next movie.

Zack Snyder is looking to spice up the zombie horror genre. How exactly? Zombie rape. That’s right, in his forthcoming project, Army of the Dead, male zombies will rape human females leading to a zombie-human hybrid offspring. It seems like a twisted new take on zombies, but at least it’s not something I’ve seen done before.

The one show everyone thought was safe from FOX’s idiotic wrath may be getting cancelled. The Simpsons is facing the axe over contract issues. FOX wants to cut the voice actors salary by 45%. If the negotiations go south, the longest-running primetime series will be no more.



Speaking of shows FOX has tried to kill, Arrested Development is coming back for a ten episode fourth season before it gets a movie. This outstanding news was broke at the “The Bluth Family Reunion” Panel at The New Yorker Festival. Mitch Hurwitz made the announcement, telling the audience he is halfway through the film script.

One last thing to note, the Amazon Kindle Fire has completely changed the market in the last week. Amazon Kindle Fire is an e-reader-cum-tablet being released at a price point of only $200. It can do everything a normal tablet can, and only falls short in its lack of 3G. Tablet manufacturers and retailers have made drastic cuts in response to the news. This impressive move is also affecting the e-reader and book market in general; Barnes & Noble may go the way of Borders thanks to the Kindle Fire. On the bright side for us geeks, DC Comics is releasing several graphic novels exclusively on the Kindle Fire, including Watchmen.