Posted by Michael Sacco on Mar 11, 2011 in Star Trek
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any adult, but there’s been a candy tie-in for pretty much everything. Spongebob has Krabby Patty gummies nowadays, Nintendo had Game Boy bubble gum when I was growing up, and apparently before that, there were candy bars “based on” the short-lived Star Trek animated series. And not just any candy bars, but cream-flavo(u)red candy bars with sugar crisps! Fans could collect wrappers with each of their favorite Enterprise crew members, including the rather smug-looking Captain Kirk shown above. Big props to Jason Liebig for programming the replicator to spit these out and putting them on his Flickr page. Read more…
Beautiful isn’t it? This deadly insect was crafted by English designer, and steampunk enthusiast Tom Hardwidge. It’s one of many he’s created over the years – an interesting hobby to say the least. The components he uses to craft these wonders are merely used parts from pocket watches, a nut, bolt, or a piece of copper here and there — oh, and old ammunition. I’m sure something could be said for creating art so beautiful from something so deadly.
Every time Mr.Spock peered at that scanner by his station, I always found myself wondering what he was looking at. Well, this fan-edit by BlackMoonCGI lets us get our peek. It never occured to me that he’d spend all his time on Facebook, but that would probably explain the need for the added privacy. After all, it’s always worksafe if nobody else ever gets to look through your scanner. The video seems to be the first of what may become an ongoing series, so let’s hope for more of these hilarious edits in the future.
A remake of the arcade classic, Double Dragon, hit the app store last week. Brizo Interactive teamed up with Aksys Games to revive the license from the grave with fresh graphics, revamped gameplay and a remastered soundtrack. I had a chance to sit down and give it try and while the touch controls can be difficult to master, especially with the newly added move-sets, but otherwise it plays well. Unfortunately, I still find myself asking why they couldn’t just post the title to Xbox Live!, Playstation Network, or Wiiware for that matter. It’s a fantastic remake, but it’d be nice to have an actual controller. The app’s current price of $3.99 is a limited time offer. I can’t imagine them pricing it much higher, though. Still, if you loved the original, you’ll definitely want this app.
Earlier today, Sideshow Collectibles debuted their upcoming G.I.Joe Cobra Commander premium format figure. This fantastic sculpt includes an interchangeable hood/helmet just in case you’re partial to his Marvel comics counterpart. In addition, the cape is also removable — though, I’m sure you’ll agree that any good villain needs a cape. The level of detail on these premium figures is absolutely exquisite, but that comes at a price – $300 with only 500 units being produced. In order to secure you preorder you’ll need to sign up for their newslettter and log in on March 10th to have your shot. It kind of makes you wonder who the real terrorists are. Could Sideshow Collectibles just be a front for Cobra? We’ll never know.
I never thought I’d need a Starfleet-issued bathrobe — that is, until I saw one. Fashioned after their Star Trek original series counterparts, these terrycloth robes come designed with fanboys in mind. For instance, “Command Gold” comes em captain’s rank properly embroidered on the sleeves, along with a command insignia on the left breast. “Sciences Blue” features a commander rank and sciences insignia. For now, those are the only colors available. If you’d rather hold out in hopes of picking up Scotty’s red, those should be available by April. The robes cost a hefty $49.99 via ThinkGeek, but something tells me it’s worth it.
The Bruce Lee classic Fist of Fury – or The Chinese Connection, for those of you who remember – recently received a proper sequel after nearly 4 decades. The 2010 film Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen, starring Donnie Yen as Lee’s replacement, will have its limited theatrical release in North America next month. Some of you might be wondering why Zhen is rocking the Kato costume, but don’t worry, there’s a reason for it aside from giving a nod to Lee who, as you should know, played the Hornet’s masked sidekick on the original TV series.
Shojo titles target audience is the opposite to Shonen Jump’s target audience. Literally translated from Japanese, shojo means little girl, and titles are fashioned for females to appreciate. Themes in shojo titles cover romance, self-discovery, and friendship. For a period of time in the United States, Viz Media did release a sister magazine publication to Shonen Jump in Shojo Beat, however citing financial reasons the magazine ended its print run in 2009. Viz Media though, still uses the imprint of Shojo Beat to sustain its branding for releasing titles toward female fans. Consider this list of shojo recommendations in titles and creators, do you dare to see if you’re interested in this genre? Read more…
For hobby enthusiasts, developing a passion and devotion to an industry takes time, and while it can be visually measured with how much you own (thus bringing in the materialism and consumerism aspect). There is more to the limited examples for what was presented in Tokyopop’s search for the Greatest Otaku. Otaku can be defined as being loving all things Japanese anime, or obsessive introverts, but to be a devoted fan really is have the knowledge and sincere passion for it. Similar to uncovering the layers of an onion are identities and fandoms of this niche cultures that is worth exploring and considering. Before getting to the list, I have to mention that some of the labels I have used is an approximation of how a certain fandom treats aspects of the anime hobby. Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Mar 6, 2011 in Videogames
Okay, technically I don’t know for certain whether it’s actually the world’s smallest, but this laser-cut acrylic Space Invaders cabinet is pretty darn small at five inches tall. There’s even a little in-progress game on it! If you’re keen on making your own out of 3mm acrylic, you can grab the pattern for it, but bear in mind you do need a laser cutter to do it. Though, admittedly, it’s easier to get a laser cutter than it is to get an actual Space Invaders cabinet, use a shrink ray to make it five inches tall, and convert it to acrylic at the molecular level. Ostensibly, anyway. Read more…
