Friday, January 31, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: Hasbro My Little Pony Rainbow Power, Rainbow Rocks & More

OK this is going to be light on the info, as these new images were just dumped into my email with names attached and little else...and my pony expert is probably asleep somewhere. See, this is why you should always have a pony expert hotline or some such thing that makes magic wand sounds intermittently when you phone up. For my part, I'm just seeing a field of pastel colors and I try very, very hard to figure out what is new. Be that as it may, for die hard fans, some of this might be old news...and some of this might already be out..but know that I tried my best. Gosh darnit.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Super Bowl Teaser Spot

We go from Captain America at Marvel Studios over to Sony's teeny tiny film about a boy..and a spider...and how their genes made sweet, sweet love and birthed A HIDEOUS MUTANT FREAK WITH 8 ARMS AND COMPOUND EYES!!  No..wait..sorry...that is the Troma version. In the Marvel Comics version, young Peter Parker gets all sweaty and awakens with great power AND great responsibility..and a whole bunch of awesome superhero moves. This Sunday is game day, and with all those butts in the seats..do they really need a reason to make us non sporty geeks watch as well? Yes..yes they do...or..internet...cue trailer...

Captain America Winter Soldier Big Game Tease & Poster Art




Super Bowl Sunday is this weekend and with it comes all manor of wildly creative product placement we'll be talking about for weeks to come, and a trailer or two movie studios will be shelling out big bucks to show. Today, Disney wants to make your your butt is in that seat this Sunday whether you love football or not! We've got a teaser for the new Captain America: Winter Soldier game day trailer and we're going to show it....right.....meow.

Toy Fair 2014: A Grim Future For Hobbit Toys

Last year, around this time, we featured the first images of several new figures from The Hobbit toy line from The Bridge Direct for the second installment, The Desolation of Smaug. On display were all the remaining dwarves not yet produced (Nori, Ori, Dori, Gloin, Oin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur), Radagast the Brown, Azog and his Warg and Bolg (pre-Weta last minute movie make over) for the 3 and 3 quarter inch scale. 6 inch figure additions included Azog and Radagast.

As December rolled around and the film came and went, those action figure release plans didn't exactly come to pass. So what did show up on retailer shelves? A 3 and 3 quarter inch Mirkwood Hero 5 Pack with only 1 new figure (Thranduil), a repackaged 6 inch Legolas and two new 6 inch figures of Azog and Radagast. That's 3 new figures for those keeping score...a little shy of the 19 figures released for the first film. Bolg squeaked by as part of the first film's 2 packs. No dwarves, no smaller scale Azog and absolutely no sign of the Smaug dragon the Bridge crew was encouraging us to shout for in February of 2013.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

300 Returning to Screens with 13 Minutes of "Rise of an Empire"

In celebration of the March 7th release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ “300: Rise of an Empire,” fans in ten cities in North America will have an opportunity to see the movie that started it all, Zack Snyder’s “300,” returning to the big screen exclusively for this event.

Fans attending the event will also be the first to see the first 13 minutes of the much-anticipated “300: Rise of an Empire,” which will be unveiled—complete and uncut in 3D IMAX—prior to the first film’s screening.

The cities in which the events will be held are: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Boston, Dallas, Washington DC, Phoenix, Toronto and Montreal.

A Million Ways to Die In The West Restricted Trailer

From the family friendly folks that brought you Ted, comes A Million Ways to Die In The West! Seth MacFarlane directs, produces, co-writes and plays the role of the cowardly sheep farmer Albert in A Million Ways to Die in the West. After Albert backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test. Hit the jump for the video and we advise you turn down the volume if there are kids around!

Scream Factory's Witchboard and Night of The Demons Blu-rays Coming February 4th

Horror movie enthusiasts and loyal fans are invited to join the magic circle and journey into the world filled with ancient dark rituals, spine-chilling suspense and blood-curdling terror when SCREAM FACTORY™ unleashes two of Director Kevin S. Tenney’s creepy supernatural ‘80s cult hits NIGHT OF THE DEMONS Collector’s Edition and WITCHBOARD on home entertainment shelves everywhere February 4, 2014.  Featuring a generous dose of gore and violence, NIGHT OF THE DEMONS stars William Gallo (Crash), Hal Havins (Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama), Mimi Kinkade (Night of the Demons II & III), Cathy Podewell (Dallas), scream queen Linnea Quigley (Return of the Living Dead) and Jill Terashita (Sleepaway Camp III).  The highly popular ‘80s paranormal thriller WITCHBOARD boasts an all-star cast of Todd Allen (Django Unchained), Tawny Kitaen (Bachelor Party), Stephen Nichols (House), Kathleen Wilhoite (ER), Burke Byrnes (Child’s Play 3) with special appearance by legendary actress Rose Marie.

Comedy Central's Workaholics Audition for Game of Thrones

You're Welcome.


LEGO Announce Ghostbusters ECTO-1 & Crew Cuusoo Set

Oh Man. They made LEGO Minecraft, and even though I don't play the game, I was tempted. They created The DeLorean from Back to the Future and I very nearly clicked BUY. Now, LEGO is about to release the Ghostbusters set you've secretly (or not so secretly) wished for your ENTIRE LIFE...and I'm throwing money at the screen. Just...just take it. I need LEGO mini Ghostbusters. Here's the announcement...


"We’re thrilled to take the ECTO-1 and minifigure characters from BrentWaller’s Ghostbusters 30th Anniversary project and release them as the next LEGO CUUSOO set. This is an amazing model, and the set will be a fantastic representation of the cult classic film. Supporters know that Brent put a lot of love into this, and the final model, which we can’t reveal quite yet, will be largely based on his original car design. The final design, pricing and availability are still being worked out, and the set will be released later this year, so stay tuned!"

Sam Kieth & Chris Ryall Team Up For Mars Attacks

There have been many stories told in the Mars Attacks universe, but possibly never one quite like this. Beginning in May, Chris Ryall and Sam Kieth, the team behind The Hollows, join forces once again to tell the story of Mars Attacks: First Born.

First Born, a four-issue series written by Ryall from a story co-plotted by Ryall and Kieth, and featuring art and covers by Kieth, tells a deceptively quiet story of the aftereffects of the Martian invasion: in a devastated neighborhood, a few survivors try to rebuild their lives. One of those survivors is an infant Martian, left behind in the attacks. But was she left behind on accident, or as part of a more nefarious plan? Does nature versus nurture apply to horrible invaders from Mars? These are some of the themes being explored in this series. Also: giant bugs.

Toy Fair 2014: NEW LEGO Legends of Chima Legend Beasts, Speedorz and More

 PREPARE TO BATTLE WITH 
LEGO® CHIMA™!

A NEW THREAT HAS COME TO THE KINGDOM OF CHIMA™, BUILD THE HEROES AND VILLAINS FOR A FIERCE BATTLE!

The battle begins as the tribes fight for control over the land of CHIMA™. Build your defenses and guard the CHI with new and exciting weapons that attack from land and air. Releasing January 2014.

Protect the Eagle tribe CHI from air raids by 70128 Braptor’s Wing Striker (RRP: £12.99)!
Braptor is soaring high above the Eagle tribe’s territory on his giant Wing Striker, a super bat-like flying machine. He needs CHI to power the Wing Striker, so help Eris hide it and prepare for battle with her Halor staff. At any moment, Braptor can fire the Wing Striker’s Sonorr gun and swoop down to snatch Eris in its giant bat wings, so use all your skills to protect her and the CHI. Includes two minifigures with weapons: Braptor and Eris in her new armor.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Prepare for Pans Labyrinth, The MUSICAL

After years of me suggesting to, just about any Hollywood or producer type that would listen, that Phantom of the Paradise would be a sleeper off Broadway hit, it seems the universe is meeting me half way. Last night at the Grammys, singer/songwriter Paul Williams let the news slip that he was working with Guillermo del Toro (another Phantom of the Paradise devotee) on a Pans Labyrinth musical!

Loki Goes All American in Thor: The Dark World Deleted Clip



Tom Hiddleston picks up Captain America's shield for his impersonation of the First Avenger in a deleted scene from Marvel's "Thor: The Dark World"! Catch all the deleted scenes along with behind-the-scenes featurettes and more when "Thor: The Dark World" (click to pre-order!) hits Digital 3D and Digital HD February 4 and 3D Combo Pack, Blu-ray and DVD February 25!

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: More Hasbro Releases! Falcon from Winter Soldier, Transformers and More


Was that massive news drop we launched last night enough to quench your thirst for new toy news from Hasbro??!! Yea..we didn't think so. Today we've got a few more bits to show off that you should see up for pre-order very soon. Let's dive right in.

We ran a HUGE article on all the fantastic Captain America: Winter Soldier toys, but there were certain characters kept under wraps for whatever reason. One of them was Falcon! Today we get a nice look at him in a format other than a kid's costume with sewn in abs.

Toy Fair 2014: LEGO Star Wars Rebels Reveals

Nuremberg Toy Fair 2014 is underway and LEGO kicked things off with a reveal of their Star Wars Rebels line and the introduction of the little droid who is now flooding the geek news streams, Chopper! Our buddy Stu from Atamaii was on the scene and snapped some excellent pics along with a fun video report.

But FIRST...let's meet Chopper!

In Star Wars, droids are always eager to help out their human masters, drop whatever it is they’re doing when called upon, and sometimes even sacrifice themselves to save others. Right?

Not quite. Introducing Chopper, a lazy, cranky (if ultimately goodhearted) astromech droid, and the latest character revealed from the highly anticipated Star Wars Rebels animated series. "If Artoo is the family dog,” said Dave Filoni, executive producer of the show, “Chopper is the cat." Chopper is an essential crew member of the Ghost, tasked with keeping the starship running and operable for its band of heroes. In reality, thanks to his many “unique” upgrades and customizations, no other alien, human, or droid could handle the job.

Toy Fair 2014: A Hefty Sampling of Hasbro's Lineup

2014 is set to be a show stopping year for Hasbro with the introduction of a number of game-changing products as well as updates to brand favorites, classic toys and gaming- in addition to innovative toy ranges that support the major film releases for Transformers and the Marvel franchises.

It's an action-packed year with Transformers celebrating its 30th anniversary in style with the start of the second movie trilogy installment, Transformers: Age of Extinction, launching in summer. To accompany this highly anticipated movie, Hasbro has developed one of the most innovative toy ranges ever. Prepare to be amazed! This is not the only huge movie release in 2014 though...To accompany the release of Amazing Spider-Man 2 in April, there is a brand new Spidey range to support the movie sequel.

Monday, January 27, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: Titan Merchandise Doctor Who, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, The Beatles & More

In the states, Funko have mastered the "down sizing" of popular, pop culture characters into ridiculously adorable Pop! Vinyl figures...that sometimes have bobble heads. In the UK, Titan Merchandise is doing some chibi-ing...some super deforming...some smushing down of features themselves! The line, simply called Titans (which is all sorts of ironic seeing as how they are 3 inch figures..oh those Brits..) and currently includes a horde of tiny Doctor Who characters, but will soon be joined by Battlestar Galactica, The Beatles Yellow Submarine, Alien (!!!), Alien vs Predator and Buffy the Vampire Slayer characters.

Toy Fair 2014: JAKKS Pacific's Giant Size Star Wars Army

This year, some companies went small with new 3 and 3 quarter inch action figures, and some went big with 18 inch action figures...but JAKKS Pacific seemed to have found their niche in 31 inch tall figures that look like they can devour the bulk of your collection! THIRTY ONE INCHES TALL!! That's the size of a small child. This year, they are kicking production on these monstrous action buddies into high gear with a heap of new additions to their lineup.

Today, we explore the Star Wars Giant Size figures JAKKS Pacific has put up for pre-order for 2014. Not much more to say about them other than their names. The figures will include the same basic articulation and excellent detail we've come to expect from the series. If the Luke Skywalker below is any indication of their sculpting talents at work, they are going to be raking in the cash.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: NECA's Divergent Giftware

We know NECA make excellent 7 inch action figures, and have continuously chosen properties we felt were, for the most part, not given the range of products they deserved. They've played with scale, and in the last year, even bumped up their figure size to 18 inches, providing us with a little high end (but still affordable) awesome. Amid all the prop replicas and latex masks and bobble heads, there is one category that has always left me impressed. Giftware. In a world where companies do battle over who might get the latest and greatest licenses up for grabs, squabbling over scale monopolies and sculptural dominance, NECA had the vision to say "WE'LL TAKE EVERYTHING ELSE!" Key chains, mugs, necklaces, magnets, head phones, clothing, journals, pins, bracelets, knee socks (KNEE SOCKS!!), water bottles, mini figures..the list goes on and on. If it makes sense, NECA will put it out there. The giftware wall at Toy Fair, for whatever the latest movie sensation might be that year, is always a sight to see.

Toy Fair 2014 News List

Book mark THIS PAGE for an easy-to-follow list of all our Toy Fair 2014 coverage!

Notes for the non-toy freaks: Toy Fair is a series of global events for toy retailers, manufacturers, industry professionals and the press. These events are closed to the public. Most of what you see here will be new items releasing now, coming soon or awaiting a distributor to import it to your area. I'd say a good 80% of what you'll see can be ordered at your local comic shop through the Previews catalog or from your favorite toy retailer online.

Toy Fair 2014: Hex Bug Battles, Climbs the Walls & Gets Zombified

It's often hard to tell which direction the toy industry will go. Last year saw the "dumbing down" of several action figure lines in favor of a marginally lower price point and a company most known for robotics trying their hand at princess dolls. Amid all these shifts, our universal constant will always be Hex Bug! This crew seems to sit around all day thinking of new ways you can play with micro-robotics on a level that won't decimate a parent's budget. Here's this year's UK Toy Fair showing...

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: K'NEX Plants Vs Zombies

K’NEX Brands is pleased to announce the launch of an exciting range of Plants vs. Zombies™ construction toys which will really capture the unique appeal of this globally successful license.

K’NEX Brands and PopCap Games (a division of Electronic Arts) have forged an agreement that will see the development of a range of exciting construction sets combining the unique properties of the K’NEX building system with best-loved characters and themes from the video gaming phenomenon. Fans of Plants vs. Zombies will be able to translate the fun from their digital screen to constructing Plants vs. Zombies neighbourhoods in their own homes.

Toy Fair 2014: NECA's Pacific Rim Series 3

Annnd we're back! After sifting through our mound of UK Toy Fair images and heaps of info matching distributors with U.S. companies and playing rousing games of "What the hell is that on the far right and is there a clearer picture of it??!!" ...we now have a respectable amount of news to share! First up, we'll take a look at NECA's Pacific Rim series 3.

These days you have to be quick when it comes to NECA. If you find something up for pre-order on a retailer website, chances are the company has already shown it off in great detail on Necaonline.com. If you find some new figure out in the wilds of a toy industry show..well...you'd best post it right quick. Case in point..in the time it took us to dig out these images, NECA posted complete turn-arounds of the Cherno Alpha paint master on Twitter!!!

So..before they steal back all their news, here's the lot...

Friday, January 24, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: Sixth Annual Best New Toys Revealed

The sixth annual Toy Fair Best New Toy Awards winners were announced this morning predicting some of the top new toys for 2014. Winners range from household names such as LEGO Friends Stephanie’s Beach House (LEGO) and Nerf N-Strike Zombie Crossbow (Hasbro) to innovative new IPs such as My Friend Cayla (Vivid) and Cupets (Flair). The thirteen categories - which produced 39 winning toys from 26 different toy companies - were unveiled by Toy Fair organizers the British Toy & Hobby Association on the first day of the show this morning. Toy Fair is the UK’s only dedicated toy, game and hobby trade exhibition, playing host to more than 280 exhibitors launching thousands of new products.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: Transformers 4 Optimus Prime Arrives



Our team has two mandates on the floor of any convention, but especially at trade shows. 1 is to look for excellent, new toys from our favorite lines. The second is to pour over every booth for imagery from new movies we are anticipating. With this marching order in mind, our crew sent over scattered images of the new Transformers logo and packaging, and occasionally got us a glimpse of character designs from Transformers: Age of Extinction!

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Arnold Schwarzenegger Is "Howard" At Gold’s Gym

The next time you hit the gym, look for an older, pumped up fellow with ill fitting hair and a wonky mustache. HE JUST MIGHT BE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER! Let's watch...


Toy Fair 2014: Doctor Who, Star Wars, Super Mario & B.A.S.T.A.R.D. at Together+

Sometimes you walk the isles at Toy Fair for 10 minutes and see a lot of excellent people pitching excellent new products, but as a full fledged geek, there isn't much to make your eyes light up. Then you hit that one stand filled with characters from all time periods of your life, presented in new and exciting ways that make you want to just empty your wallet over their heads. Sadly, Toy Fair is not a show for taking home new plastic buddies (for the most part), but we CAN take heaps of pictures so you can share our longing. It's a special torture..among friends.

At the booth named Together Plus, we found a treasure trove of items you'll want to claim as your own, starting with some peculiar little monsters that seemed more suited for the art toy isles in a line called B.A.S.T.A.R.D. (which stands for Bootleg Army Stuck Together and Randomly Designed). From our photos, it is hard to tell if all these pieces belong under that masthead, but we thought they kicked mighty ass, and so we show them to you.

Toy Fair 2014: The Tiniest Transformers, Doodle Jump & Pac-Man at Paladone

We are now neck deep in UK Toy Fair coverage with reports coming from all points, and since the UK booths are often by distributor and NOT by company of production, it becomes difficult to state ownership to anything we can't pinpoint! Last night, one such cluster of photos came across my desk, showing chibi-like Transformer characters in styles ranging from classic G1 cartoon, to movie designs and finally the modern animated series. Not a HUGE deal at a show as massive as Toy Fair but for Transformers fans, still very drool worthy! Hit the jump to check them out...

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: New Doctor Who

Our friends over at Action Figures Facebook are getting in on the new toy fun with a nice stack of Doctor Who reveals! Fresh off a giant anniversary and a brand new Doctor to celebrate with plenty of plastic dopplegangers, we were sure there would be plenty to see. Let's dive right in...

"This is a post regeneration 12th Doctor still wearing the 11th Doc's clothes. This will not be his official outfit. I wish they had developed a few more new figure molds but I think it's smart of them to focus more on army builder figures. The Zygon is cool but it would've been nice to see a Sontaran and Silurian too. I like the clawed and special weapon Daleks too. This is all 50th Anniversary and Xmas special stuff so maybe they're working on another new wave after this for series 8 at the end of the year. I hear the 2 unreleased time zone sets are supposed to come out."

Toy Fair 2014: Sneak Peek at NECA's Planet of the Apes Action Figures




Toy Fair 2014 is off and running! NECA wanted to get a jump on the U.S. festivities and posted a sneak preview of their Dawn of the Planet of the Apes action figures today. He is the orchestrator of the ape uprising and now leader of a powerful army as the human race faces viral extinction. ALL HAIL CAESAR!

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier.  They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth’s dominant species.

The Venture Bros. Season Five on Blu-ray and DVD & Blu-ray 3/4/14

Fans of The Venture Bros., the wait is over. Adult Swim announced today the highly-anticipated release of The Venture Bros. Season Five on both Blu-ray™ and DVD has been set for March 4, 2014. It’s back to the Venture compound for an epic fifth outing of the popular animated series starring the Venture family. Featuring all eight episodes from its fifth season PLUS two popular bonus episodes – “A Very Venture Halloween” and “From the Ladle to the Grave: The Shallow Gravy Story.” Both the Blu-ray™ and DVD will include deleted scenes and episode commentaries from series creator Jackson Publick and fellow writer, director and executive producer Doc Hammer. The Venture Bros. Season Five (click to pre-order) will be available for the suggested retail price of $31.97 on
Blu-ray and $24.98 on two-disc DVD set, with a retailer pre-order date of January 28.

Gentle Giant Bring Home Darth Vader, Son and Little Princess

"Gentle Giant Ltd. and Chronicle Books are proud to bring these adorable, smart and funny comics to life! The artisans at Gentle Giant Studios have captured this sweet moment between Darth Vader, little Luke and young Leia. Traditionally sculpted by the Artisans at Gentle Giant Studios, no detail has been overlooked. Based on Jeffrey Brown’s Darth Vader’s Little Princess and Darth Vader and Son books; these hand-numbered cold-cast Polystone collectibles have a bottom stamp with a matching certificate of authenticity.

The Raid 2: Berandal Full Trailer

He thought it was over. After fighting his way out of a building filled with gangsters and madmen – a fight that left the bodies of police and gangsters alike piled in the halls – rookie Jakarta cop Rama thought it was done and he could resume a normal life. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

    Formidable though they may have been, Rama’s opponents in that fateful building were nothing more than small fish swimming in a pond much larger than he ever dreamed possible. And his triumph over the small fry has attracted the attention of the predators farther up the food chain. His family at risk, Rama has only one choice to protect his infant son and wife: He must go undercover to enter the criminal underworld himself and climb through the hierarchy of competing forces until it leads him to the corrupt politicians and police pulling the strings at the top of the heap.

The Next DC Animated Film: Son of Batman


Based on the Batman story arc a lot of you have told me you didn't much care for, especially considering the thunderous applause heard across the internet when they killed off the lil Bat-brat, Warner Brothers Home Video premiered their first trailer for Son of Batman today. Voice actors include Jason O'Mara as Batman/Bruce Wayne; Stuart Allan as Damian; Morena Baccarin as Talia, Damian's mother; Giancarlo Esposito as Ra's Al Ghul; David McCallum as Alfred Pennyworth; Xander Berkeley as Kirk Langstrom (Man-Bat); and Thomas Gibson as Deathstroke.

Ok...I'm intrigued...but only just. Hit the jump for the trailer...

Monday, January 20, 2014

Toy Fair 2014: Transformers Transformations Transforming

As we head into Toy Fair season, all the major companies are gearing up to present their best plastics for the year to come. Today, Hasbro gave the hot new geek blog "The New York Times" a sneak peek at their upcoming Transformers: Age of Extinction toy line, but more specifically, words on some some massive changes in the design of our favorite robot buddies.

"We can't transform these darned things!" screamed no one... And Hasbro answered!!

Meleficent Trailer #2



The first trailer for Meleficent set up a foreboding, creepy fairy tale of an innocent girl coming face to face with a dark and powerful force in the guise of a bewitching woman (pun intended). Now, a new trailer surfaces, utilizing music that speaks more of wonder than horrors and imagery that mirrors classic Disney over..say..Hansel and Gretyl: Witch Hunters. It's a HUGE shift in tone I don't think anyone saw coming, but maybe this new trailer says more about the film than the previous trailer hinted at? An interesting turn of events, to say the least. Hit the jump and watch...

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Marvel Select's The Amazing Spider-Man 2



There's plenty of Amazing Spider-Man 2 merchandise already in major retail stores across the planet, well in advance of the film's May 2nd release date, but it wouldn't be a complete Marvel Comics movie toy line without Marvel Select pitching in! While Hasbro does a fine job of packing in articulation and style, Diamond Select excels in minute details as well as delivering a fun product adult and kid collectors can't pass up!

The Amazing Spider-Man is back in an all-new big-screen adventure this summer, and he's also back in the hit Marvel Select line! This 7-inch-scale figure depicts Spidey in his brand-new costume, and features 16 points of articulation as well as interchangeable parts and accessories. Comes packaged in display-ready Select packaging with spine reference artwork. Designed and sculpted by Gentle Giant, due out this summer!

Best In Geek 2013: Emi Gets Random


By Emilie Noetzel

Much like Andrew, most of the readers of Idle Hands know only that I go to a growing number of conventions and festivals where I do photography and nerd out. To better let you all know me, or maybe be more confused about my randomness, here is my Best of Geek in 2013.

Best books:

(These are books I read in 2013, not necessarily books that came out in 2013. I do read a ton of books per year and do tend to forget the “not so amazing” ones.)
Abarat: Absolute Midnight by Clive Barker
Clive Barker is a master at weaving tales of horror, terror, and magic. Yes, tales of magic, like this one, the third book in his YA series Abarat. Like the two books that came before, Abarat follows the adventures of Candy Quakenbush through the land of the Abarat. It may be a book aimed at young adults or teens, but it is not too childish or too immature for a full grown up (like this 33 year old) to enjoy. The paintings found in the book add a lot to the story, further fleshing out the characters and land as well as giving the reader a better idea of what the author had envisioned for the story.

How Kids Play Wrestling These Days

We used to say we fear the future our children will inherit. These days, I fear the future I walk into where kids with slouchy pants and unintelligible english run things. Today, I was pointed to a video simply titled "Action Figures Have Sex". Not having any idea of what I might be in for and my curiosity piqued sufficiently, I had to click. What I found within brought about a series of reactions ranging from extremely uncomfortable to hysterical laughter. Two small children playing with WWE wrestler figures with half the dialogue plucked from horrible, semi-adult TV and half, I can only assume, mirroring things the wrestlers would actually say. The result is slightly unsettling at times with moments I was nearly falling out of my chair. Hit the jump and see for yourself...

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Call of Duty: Ghosts Onslaught

Four unique Multiplayer Maps
An all-new dual purpose Assault Rifle/Sniper Rifle
The first installment in Extinction's four-part episodic narrative

Available January 28th for Xbox Live

Fog
Classified
This small to medium-sized map drops you into a dark and eerie campsite set alongside a fog-shrouded lake. You'll fight through twisting caves, tall grass, and seemingly abandoned structures each providing different gameplay engagements for all types of players. Inspired by classic horror films and terrifying encounters, Fog also harbors a dark secret...

Lobster Johnson: Get the Lobster Preview



Where else can a man called Lobster Johnson get respect? In the Mignolaverse!!!! Mike Mignola's Hellboy landscape is populated by droves of colorful characters mirroring the best attributes of film history from pulp noir to Hammer Horror. Now, the hero that helped form the core morals of Hellboy gets a brand new adventure in Lobster Johnson: GET THE LOBSTER!

A Manhattan sporting event goes terribly wrong as the ref is killed in front of a live audience by two crazed—and seemingly bulletproof—wrestlers. Who is behind this new reign of terror?

Gotham to be FOX's Smallville

(Picture this in a cool, gritty, voice over voice) GOTHAM CITY. These streets are plagued with violence, crime and human suffering on a level few can imagine. These streets are crying out for a hero who is not yet ready to be their savior. Now, one detective hopes to infiltrate a corrupt system and change it for the better. ONE MAN will unite all that is good in Gotham and become a force against the evil choking its citizens. This...is GOTHAM.

Annnnd that was just a dream.

A Second Godzilla 2014 Toy Arises

The first was a plush toy that showed...well..next to nothing but the shape of the massive creature's look for the 2014 film. Now, from Toy Fairs or meeting rooms or retailer meetings unknown, we have the first, full on, head to toe look at our new, Americanized Godzilla!

So far, we know Bandai will be handling the bulk of the Godzilla 2014 toy production, with NECA taking on nicknacks and "one big item", which we can take to mean a new addition to their quarter scale figure line. Since this sucker seems fairly well sculpted and quite possibly enormous, it could very well be the NECA Godzilla in the flesh...so to speak. In the plastic would be more accurate. Still, Bandai has announced a Deluxe Attack and Roar figure in their toy line, but this seems a bit smaller than that possibly 12 inch piece. It COULD be a larger model just for display..or it could be JAKKS Pacific's 24 inch figure! If you measure the likely height of the "Pending Licensor Approval" sign (at about 5 inches high from my Toy Fair experience), you'll come to nearly (over or under) 24 inches.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Michael Douglas is Ant-Man

Now some of you are confused that an older gentleman would be cast in the starring roll of a major Marvel Studios film (not that there are minor ones). First, let's get the announcement out of the way and then if they haven't addressed it, we will.

The two-time Academy Award-winning actor will join director Edgar Wright and Paul Rudd in Marvel's "Ant-Man," hitting theaters July 31, 2015.

Image Expo's Announcements: The Condensed Version

Image Expo took San Fransisco geeks by storm this past weekend, leaving some to say the comic book company deserves to be listed along the top 3 publishers in America...and some to criticize their creative hiring practices (of mostly white males) may be just as bad as the big two. All crit aside, this was Image's weekend, and they had plenty of exciting projects to announce.

Ed Brubaker (Batman, Captain America, FATALE, CRIMINAL) and Sean Phillips (INCOGNITO and SLEEPER) and Image Comics have signed a five year deal to do anything they want with total freedom, total control, and total ownership over their projects. The first project on this new deal for the award-winning creators is THE FADE OUT, debuting this summer, following the conclusion of FATALE with issue #24.

Public Outrage as Muppets Most Wanted Gets No Awards



OUTRAGE! The internet is all about it. Your favorite TV show includes a twist you don't agree with? Flip a table over. Your favorite comic book company resets their entire universe, effectively deleting the best parts of your childhood? Burn down the city. Today, the citizens are about to riot over Muppets Most Wanted not getting one award nomination. NOT ONE. Sure, the film doesn't come out til March 21st, but logic won't stop a good, ole fashioned riot. It's cleansing. Here are your favorite floppy armed friends responding to the deafening public outcry...sort of.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Game of Thrones Season 4 Trailer 1

Ladies and Gentlemen, commence your nerdly squealing.



Game of Thrones Season 4 premieres April 6 at 9PM, only on HBO.

McFarlane Walking Dead Comic Series Figures Wave 3

Seems McFarlane is stepping up their output of Walking Dead merchandise! Are they fearing a slowing in popularity rise, or worse, a decline? From a collector's perspective, this is the first time in..well..ever..that you could walk into a store and scoop up ANY walking dead action figures. Pegs seem to be retaining Andrea, The Governor and the Riot Zombies from the last TV wave and The Governor and Penny from the last comic wave, at the moment. So does this mean McFarlane are finally meeting demand and shipping enough, are the retailers finally on board and ordering the correct amounts for the rabid, zombie loving public, or are the scalpers finally backing off as the figures hit more stores in greater numbers? My bet is a little bit of all three. Whatever the situation, Comic Series 3 is on the way!

Friday, January 10, 2014

Winter Is Here..and Game of Thrones Isn't Far Behind

It seemed like Season 3 went by so quickly I suffered whiplash trying to keep up. There was the slow, agonizing approach...the premiere...then poof it was over. I'd say the experience was far worse than the lead up and anticipation of any major Marvel movie. WHY DOES IT HURT SO GOOD??!! HBO are a bunch of witches.

Season 4 is fast approaching with a premiere date of April 6th chiseled in stone...which is still a lifetime away. ~cue geeks wailing at the sky~ Funko is looking to enhance your anticipation with the final reveal of their long awaited Game of Thrones Mystery Minis! The lineup includes Arya Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, Jaime Lannister, Jon Snow, Khal Drogo, King Joffrey, Ned Stark, Robb Stark, Tyrion Lannister, a White Walker in regular and glow in the dark paints, Dragons Viserion, Rhaegal and Drogon and Direwolves Ghost and Shaggydog.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Stan Lee Stars In Hub Network's "Mighty 7"

The Hub Network, a destination for kids and their families, is ushering in the New Year, with the world premiere of the Hub Network Original Family Movie, “Stan Lee’s Mighty 7,” on Saturday, February 1 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The animated movie, the first as part of a trilogy from Stan Lee Comics, features an all-star cast with Sean Astin (“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy), Jim Belushi (“The Defenders”), Mayim Bialik (“The Big Bang Theory”), Darren Criss (“Glee”), Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Armie Hammer (“The Lone Ranger”), Teri Hatcher (“Desperate Housewives”), Michael Ironside (“Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising”) and Christian Slater (“Breaking In”). This is also the first time Stan Lee stars in a leading role. Created by Stan Lee, “Stan Lee’s Mighty 7” is produced by Stan Lee Comics, a joint venture among Genius Brands International, Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment and Archie Comics. The Hub Network has the worldwide premiere of all three movies.

Anaria Rocks "I See Fire"


For the Peter Jackson faithful, the J.R.R.Tolkien lovers, the Lord of the Rings fanatics and my fondest friends who have already seen Desolation of Smaug 3 times, we present Anaria covering "I See Fire" from the end credits of Desolation. You may know Anaria as the band fronted by Jessica Jackson AKA the awesome cosplayer Mercy Roulette, so even more reason to love this song!

From Clay to Clayface with DC Collectibles


As DC Collectibles prepares to release their most ridiculously massive action figure to date (first reported on HERE), namely Batman: Arkham City Clayface, the crew thought you might want to see what goes into the creation of such a ridiculously massive hunk-o-plastic!

What goes into creating a new action figure from DC Collectibles? DC Entertainment's Jim Fletcher and sculptor Phil Ramirez take you through the sculpting process from beginning to end in this three-part video series. Join us as we go from clay...to Clayface!

Frank Castle Returns in Punisher #1

The only thing Marvel Comics loves more than a #1 issue right now is...umm....honestly there's nothing Marvel Comics loves more than a #1 issue. #1 ISSUES FOREVER!!

This February, Frank Castle’s one-man-war on crime continues in an all-new THE PUNISHER #1 – from the explosive creative team of Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerads! For years, the Punisher has called New York City his home – keeping a watchful eye on the city through the sight of a gun. But when a lead on a major source of drugs, weapons, and more leads Frank out west – he sets his sights on Los Angeles. And the City of Angels isn’t ready for a devil like the Punisher! But not everything is as it appears, and Frank will soon find himself toe-to-toe with a highly trained military strike force known only as the 131! Who are the mysterious 131? And why are they out for the Punisher’s head? Find out when the high-octane new series kicks off this February in THE PUNISHER #1!