What happens when a Korean cell phone company needs to advertise their new WARP feature? They use Darth Vader, of course! And a perfect allegory for data flowing through the intertubes is… Stormtroopers waiting in line for the restroom. Ok, we’ll go with it. Sure, maybe Vader should have his own personal restroom, but then we wouldn’t get to see his little “I need to use the bathroom” dance. Which is, frankly, the only reason you’re watching this anyway, am I right? Read more…
Wow, it’s been good recently for anime fans. Not only did Kunihiko Ikuhara recently complete a new anime, we’re also getting a new Leiji Matsumoto show as well. And on top of all that? News came out today that Shinichiro Watanabe, director of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, will be returning to the director’s chair to lead a new noitaminA show called Sakamichi no Apollo. It’s about three students who come together over jazz music. Given the focus on music, you may wonder who is handling it for the show, and the answer is none other than Yoko Kanno. Yup, you’re officially allowed to get excited now. A trailer is included after the break. Read more…
It’s been nearly two years since I first wrote about Star Wars Uncut, the full-length feature consisting entirely of 15 second homemade clips in an attempt to recreate Episode IV: A New Hope as it was meant to be told, complete with campy acting and low-budget special effects. Personally I found the film to be equally hilarious, and painful to watch, but the very concept remains brilliant. Recently, director Casey Pugh made a special directors cut available to stream online in its entirety. Funny, you’d think a film touting itself as being “uncut,” would, by definition, be the directors cut — I wonder how that works. You can watch it here, but for more information on the project, check out their official site here. Read more…
If you happen to be living in New Zealand, and want a chance to be an extra in Peter Jackson’s upcoming live-action adaptation of The Hobbit, then you’re in luck. The production recently placed an ad on Trademe.co.nz, looking for extras for a variety of roles. Large men, & women with “character faces,” and by that, I assume they mean “leathery,” or men & women under 5′4″ & 5′, respectively. I imagine they’ll be cast as hobbits. They’re also looking for people with slim builds between 5′5″ & 6′4″ to play elves. Finally, they’ll take any men with large biceps of any height. Again, it’s just work as an extra, but you have to admit that of all the films to be cast in, you could do worse. If its something you just have to do, keep in mind that you’ll have to be a resident of New Zealand, or obtain a valid work permit before they’ll even consider you for a part. For more info, check out the job listing here.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 25, 2012 in Comic Books
I’ve never been fond of collage work myself, mostly because I associate it with stalkers and psychopaths. That said, if I were going to make a collage, it’d have to be of something awesome — like my favorite comics. I imagine some of you can probably get past the whole stalker thing, but wouldn’t know where to find one of these awesome collages. Well, you’re in luck. Meet Mike Alcantara, an artist who spends his free time crafting these awesome comic-themed collages. His canvas pieces range in size from 12″ x 12″ to 24″ x 36″ and vary in price between $100 to $400 each. That said, they’re all one-of-a-kind. Currently he only has one piece, featuring Green Latern, valued at $250, but plans on crafting more pieces for sale in the near future. To purchase the piece or keep up with his future releases, be sure to check out Mike’s Etsy store, as he plans to keep it updated.
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Jan 25, 2012 in Videogames
Last Monday, GameStop surprised many of their European customers by closing their shops throughout Northern Ireland and Portugal. Reports state that employees were only given a days notice, and were subsequently required to sign non-disclosure agreements until the retailer made an official statement. It wasn’t long before a spokesperson commented on the closures, stating that the move was part of an existing plan “to exit the UK market from a brick and mortar perspective…” Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 24, 2012 in Animation
If you grew up with Star Blazers, Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999 the new Leiji Matsumoto series Ozma will bring a smile to your face! This new show will have a science fiction theme (of course!) and will start airing in Japan on March 16th this year. Below is a look at some of the character designs which remind me a great deal of Captain Harlock: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Jan 23, 2012 in Comic Books
What were fanboys and fangurls reading fifty years ago? Well here’s a selection of over fifty comic books from January 1962. The first thing that’s interested about this selection is the variety of genres — superheroes only represent a percentage of the titles that were on newsstands: In 1962 you could find comic books that took place in the old wild west, World War II, outer space and there were also romance comic books for the ladies and quite a few cartoony kid friendly titles as well. Read more…
Here’s a few more awesome game-related prints for your perusal: David Anthony Wood recently posted 3 prints featuring some cool NES-inspired work, but with a little more dimension added to them. I’m sure something like this has been done before, but David did it simply and well. Boiling it down to the most iconic elements – I can appreciate that. You can find them on his Society6 page for order if you’re interested. Read more…
