I don’t often get a chance to write about music, but I thought it might be cool to mention that Genki Rockets has finally released their latest album Genki Rockets II ~ No Border Between Us via iTunes here in the US. The group is marketed as sort of a hybrid-band with multiple artists contributing musical tracks to the project, all of which are voiced by a fictional idol named Lumi. Not much is known about the actual work that goes into crafting each album, however two producers are known to be attached to it, namely Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Kenji Tamai. As some of you may already know, Mizuguchi is heavily involved with creating rhythm-based games like Lumines and the recently released Children of Eden with both games featuring music by the band. I have yet to really sit down and listen to the new album, but I’m sure I’ll love every minute of it. If you’d like to hear some of their previous work, you should definitely check out the video for Heavenly Star — it’s rather stunning.
Nobody should be surprised, but it looks as though Warner Brothers is currently considering a reboot Tim Burton’s comedy cult-classic, Beetlejuice — it’s like they’re not even trying anymore. The studio recently signed a two-year deal with the KatzSmith production house and may be floating the film their way. Should that happen, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter author and screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith would likely end up penning the script. I still can’t imagine why they would want to reboot the franchise instead of writing a sequel, or even a prequel — it’s not as if the original wasn’t any good. Besides, it just wouldn’t be the same without Michael Keaton. The man did an amazing job selling the character and delivering a truly memorable performance. We already took Batman from him, do we really need to take Beetlejuice too?
I’m truly astounded by the number of changes that George Lucas has made to his films over the years. I understand that he believes the changes are in our best interests, but I’ve yet to see a positive reaction as a result. So, in an effort to block out the negativity surrounding the upcoming Blu-ray release, I’ve decided to pick up a book instead — namely, the special 20th anniversary hardcover edition of Timothy Zhan’s Star Wars: Heir to the Empire. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the book, it’s the first in a trilogy, and picks up the story five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. With the New Republic in place, the remnants of the Empire reform under the banner of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a brilliant tactician with almost Machiavellian qualities. It’s a fantastic follow-up and would make great source material should someone ever decide to adapt them to film. The special edition comes with annotations by the author providing in-depth details about the plot and characters. No word on if it’ll see a digital release for Apple’s iBooks, but you’ll be able to get it for your Kindle.
These are a bit of an acquired taste, but if you’re huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, collect action figures, or grew up with those classic Mego figures from the 70s, you’re in luck. Next year marks the 25th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation! To celebrate, Diamond Toys will be releasing a special line of Mego-inspired figures from the series. They won’t hit the market until winter 2012, but Trek.com has given us our first look. So far, all they’ve shown off Captain Picard and what looks like a random Borg drone, but I imagine there will be plenty more down the line. Each of these 8″ figures will come with real cloth costumes and should retail for $20 a piece. I don’t believe they’ll be a limited run, so you should be able to come across them at your local comic shops or through online retailers after they launch next year.
It’s crazy. Just last week I wrote about the upcoming Dragon Quest Collection for the Nintendo Wii, noting that that it might come with a teaser for Dragon Quest X. All of a sudden, Square Enix has decided to launch the official Dragon Quest X website, and followed it up with a special press conference where they discussed some of the game’s upcoming features. While it appears that the game may feature several hours of offline play at the start of the adventure, the majority of the game will take place online and require an internet connection to play. A screenshot revealed what appeared a MMO-esque environment, featuring multiple characters on screen with their unique usernames above their avatars. Despite that, it seems the game can be completely on your own and won’t require you to socialize with others despite having the option to do so.
Yuruppy is a word that may sound strange, but in the context of a toy, perhaps not so strange. If you know what Tamagochi then learning about another new word is not problem. Yuruppy is a virtual pet toy for the people who are allergic to real animals, but want to experience what it is like of taking care of a feline or furry companion. Unlike Tamagochi though, your Yuruppy friend won’t die, when you are away from it for hours. Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Sep 4, 2011 in Comic Books
Of the 52 initial titles in DC’s enormous brand-wide reboot/relaunch, only Justice League #1 has actually been released yet, but several other titles are already sold out through Diamond, DC’s distributor. Action Comics, Batgirl, Hawk & Dove, Justice League International, and Batman & Robin, along with Justice League #1, have all sold completely out of their first printing, well on their way to second printing each. This is great news for DC, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is that these are copies sold to stores, not to individuals. The second is that all 52 titles are fully returnable, making what might otherwise be a sizeable and difficult investment for a small store a little less of a risk. Some stores could be ordering more copies than they normally would to anticipate demand, or there could just be such a massive interest in DC books because of the relaunch. Either way, the next few weeks will see whether DC’s gamble paid off. Just wake me up when Demon Knights #1 ships. Read more…
It’s been a good weekend for Neat Futurama Stuff. Via io9, we learned about these totally cool and completely bizarre Futurama character busts with a real-life twist by DeviantArt user Artanis One. I actually really like this Dr. Zoidberg; he looks like he’d be right at home in a Mass Effect game in this particular iteration. Honestly, I don’t think Professor Farnsworth even looks that out-of-place as a a real person; he’s already so old that there’s only so much exaggeration you can even do. As for Leela, well, I think it’s a little weirder to see a cyclops with a realistic human head than it is to see one with the Groeningian Overbite. Read more…
Posted by Michael Sacco on Sep 2, 2011 in Comic Books
You may know George R. R. Martin from his blockbuster fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, and its current television adaptation as A Game of Thrones, but his written work from before that series is actually quite good, I think. In fact, if you look back to his teenage years, you can find what may be his best work — this letter to Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee. In it (click above for a bigger version), he praises Avengers #9 as a masterpiece, recommends some other villains for reappearances in the comics, and has some harsh words about villains like Diablo and the Moleman. It’s pretty adorable. And it doesn’t even have any sex or violence in it. Or page-long descriptions of food, for that matter. Who knew? Read more…
According to the much-loved cartoon Futurama, a lot has changed in the year 3000, but at least one thing remains the same: greed is still alive and well! And you can take 80s Guy’s financial advice to heart when you pick up the Futurama edition of Monopoly, which comes out in November. Everything has been given a Futurama makeover, including the railroads (now modes of travel like the Travel Tube and Robot Santa’s Sleigh) and locations (own New New York and Robot Hell, among others). Even the player pieces are now show staples like Leela’s Boot, the Planet Express Ship, and Fry’s Dog (nooooo!). Just don’t be surprised when invaders from Omicron Persei VI invade your board and enslave you. I don’t think that’s actually part of the game, but then again, this is Futurama. Read more…
Wow, I don’t even know where to start with this one. Here are some photos from the set of Zack Synder’s upcoming Superman reboot, Man of Steel. I know it must be incredibly difficult to make Superman look good on screen, but come on. Did they mean for it to look like a giant blue wetsuit? Will Clarke Kent double as Aquaman throughout the film? I just can’t imagine what possessed them to think that this looks good. I’m still wrapping my mind around the oddly placed belt buckle — you’ll note, it isn’t attached to an actual belt of any kind. Maybe they just decided to ask Joel Schumacher for his input on the costume design. Who knows, maybe it’ll look better on film than it does in these photos, but right now, I’m just not convinced. Anyone else having second thoughts?
With all the amazing games on the market, I occasionally find myself craving a classic like Dragon Quest. There’s just something I find nostalgic about having to open a sub-menu just to climb stairs or unlock chests. Then, there’s being able to relax while I take turns wailing on monsters who are unlucky enough to cross my path. The whole experience really brings you back. Well, Japanese gamers are in for a treat when Square Enix releases the Dragon Quest Collection for the Nintendo Wii this September. To celebrate the series’ 25th anniversary, they went ahead and included the original Famicom versions of Dragon Quest I, II and III, as well as the Super Famicom remakes.
I’ve been wanting my own sonic screwdriver for awhile but I’ve been having trouble deciding on which model to go with. While I love slick silver design of Eccleston and Tennant’s model, it lacks the nifty little claw grip. On the other hand, Smith’s has a bit too much bronze for me. I suppose I could have just bought the interchangeable model that Michael mentioned the other month, but then it dawned it on me — what good is a sonic screwdriver if it doesn’t actually work? It won’t stop a Christmas tree from spinning out of control, or open a locked door at the touch of a button, but this sonic screwdriver screwdriver might do the trick! In addition to being a perfect replica of the Eleventh Doctor’s screwdriver, it comes with an interchangeable phillips and flat-head attachments, allowing you to actually use it to fix things. Brilliant, right? The best part, is that it only retails for $30, that’s only $5 more than the standard replica. Better yet, it still lights up and buzzes. Head over to ThinkGeek to order yours today.
Next month will mark the official release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray. Like many of you, I’ve spent the last several years anticipating this release and was a little disappointed to hear that the discs wouldn’t include the original theatrical releases, but rather the updated “special editions” of the original trilogy. A shame, considering that many of those cosmetic changes did little to improve the original films and most of the new content seemed out of place and even distracting times. To add insult to injury, Lucas has once again taken to editing his films for their upcoming Blu-ray release. Read more…
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Aug 30, 2011 in Videogames
At last week’s Penny Arcade Expo, Square Enix debuted the latest trailer for Final Fantasy XIII-2 in English. Shortly afterwards, they uploaded the same trailer to YouTube with the original Japanese voice acting. Naturally, this has led to a small debate amongst fans as to which version’s superior with the majority — not-so-surprisingly mind you — siding with Japanese. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really have a preference either way, so long as I don’t have to listen to Vanille or Hope make irritating noises throughout each battle. If you haven’t had a chance to see either trailer yet, I’ve posted them both for your viewing pleasure. Again, the visuals are pretty fantastic, just don’t expect to be blown away by the script. If you’re hoping to get your hands on a copy of the game that comes with both Japanese voice acting and English subtitles, you may want to save up for a Chinese copy, as that was the only version of Final Fantasy XIII that had both. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with one or the other, and unless you speak and read Japanese, you might be forced to deal with the English.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area you may be in luck. Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema has announced that they’ll start hosting a monthly midnight screenings of Edgar Wright’s modern cult-classic, Scott Pilgrim vs the World. It feels so weird calling it a classic, but the film’s cult status can’t be denied. At least some of you might actually get to see it in theaters for the first time. and judging by its ticket sales, that’s probably everyone you know. The first screening will take place on Friday, September 23rd and attendees are encouraged to come dressed in costume. For more info regarding future screenings, check out the New Beverly Cinema’s official site for a full calendar of upcoming events. It’s a shame that its only happening in Los Angeles, but I still hope to attend at least one of those screenings at some point.
Great news for those of of us who love manga pirates and cartoon cats: Sanrio and Toei Animation are planning a merchandising plan for ONE PIECE × HELLO KITTY for a wide range of products which will come out in November. Goodies will include clothing, stationery, cosmetics and even fashion accessories. The branding will feature Kitty dressed up as Chopper, and hopper will sport a kitty hat (which make sense given how much Tony Chopper enjoys all things pink). Read more…
So, I absolutely adore when great artists and writers take very adult subject matter and turn it into a children’s book. This particular children’s book, designed by Andrew Kolb, takes David Bowie’s classic tune “Space Oddity” and gives it a whimsical makeover, with Kolb providing fantastic art to go along with Bowie’s lyrics. However, Kolb doesn’t change the lyrics or content, making it unusually grim for a children’s book. Then again, I suppose that’s probably the point. There’s nothing you can do, after all. Read more…
Marvel is just about to wrap up filming for The Avengers, so that means that soon we’ll be in the middle of an advertising blitz that can only accompany the biggest blockbuster in recent memory. Teasers, stills, TV spots. And, of course, tie-ins! In this case, we’re talking about a comic that sheds some more light on the Avengers team members, for which Disney and Marvel released this promotional image of the team (mostly) assembled. Maria Hill and Agent Coulson unfortunately don’t make an appearance here, but we do get a pretty good look at the Hulk, minus the strangely bushy eyebrows that plagued his Comic-Com poster appearance. Is it just me, or does Black Widow look really surprised to be in this shot? Read more…
The CW has the record for longest-running superhero TV show in Smallville, but now that Superman’s formative years are up, they want to bring another DC Comics property to television. This time, it’s Deadman, the body-jumping ghost hero. And who better to bring him to life on TV than former Supernatural showrunner Eric Kripke? Nobody, that’s who, and CW execs agree. Details are scarce, but the series is definitely being developed, and may indeed be only one of several DC properties the CW is pursuing for an adaptation. Read more…
