Saturday, July 31, 2010

Another New Costume For Spider-Man?


Apparently so as you can see from the picture above via Newsarama, and looks like Spidey's going to go "flavor of the month" around once or twice depending on the circustances during his new bi-weekly routine this November when "Brand New Day" ends and "Big Time" happens. At this year's SDCC, Dan Slott was announced as the sole writer for Amazing Spider-Man post BND, and joining him will be three artists rotating - namely Humberto Ramos, Stefano Caselli and Marcos Martin. The artpiece above is by Humberto Ramos, and in addtion to giving Peter Parker a black costume with neo green lights, it looks like he redesigned the Hobgoblin as well. Purists can breath a sigh of relief to know that Spider-Man will still be donning his traditional garb, but I guess those wacky costume variant action figures we see from toy lines will finally see the light of day... or not.

For more info, check out Newsarama's interview with Dan Slott on ASM.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Thor Update: The Trailer From SDCC!

Last week's San Diego Comic Con had tons and tons of comic related stuff, especially news concerning upcoming film adaptations of superhero characters we all know and love from those books! DC was priming fans up with next year's Green Lantern flick, while Marvel had a lot to say about 2011's Thor and Captain America, as well as the following year's super team-up movie - The Avengers! That being said, exclusive footage was aired to those in attendance at the con, and from what I've heard, Thor and Cap were pretty amazing! It's exciting to imagine what these movies will be like as their release dates inch closer, but it's still about a year away before we see any trailers pop in.

However, the internet never sleeps with things like these, and by some miracle or coincidence, the 5 minute Thor trailer everyone has been talking about in the SDCC found it's way online! The news broke out in several websites like Screen Rant, and it was only a matter of time before it was put up and eventually taken off in You Tube. Screen Rant's post however has a link where you can view the leaked trailer, and it's exciting stuff that fleshes out the story of the God Of Thunder, whose carelessness and greed has him cast down to Earth by none other than his own father, Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins). Thor (Chris Hemsworth), now powerless, finds himself in a road of retribution, learning humility and struggling to get back his power and to Asgard so that he can defend it from the evil forces secretly at work to invade it before they put an end to his kingdom once and for all.

Excited already? You should be, and everything about this trailer spells SPOILER and tie ins to Iron Man, so better view at your own risk! You can check out the trailer here (if it's still up)!

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Update: The Full Roster Revealed?


Via a post in Newsarama, there's word out that a reader from PS3 French fan site "PS3Gen" may have cracked the list by viewing the source code from Capcom's Japanese site to see the complete roster of the upcoming 2011 crossover game, Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate Of Two Worlds! Now, this is still speculation, and no confirmation has been established about who's appearing other than the characters already revealed like Ryu, Thor, and Chris Redfield, but this is the list that appeared in the article. Take it with a grain of salt and see it for yourself:

Marvel Side:

Spider-Man, Hulk, Wolverine, Mr. Fantastic, Captain America, Iron Man, War Machine, Elektra, Thor, X-23, Magneto, Dr. Doom, Shuma-Gorath, Emma Frost, Deadpool, Super Skrull, Taskmaster, Juggernaut, She Hulk.

Capcom Side:


Ryu, Mike Haggar, Frank West, Chuck, Spencer (Bionic Commando), Dante, Chris Redfield, Morrigan, Arthur, Amaterasu, Albert Wesker, Zero, Chun-Li, Viewtiful Joe, Trish, Tron Bonne, Hsien-Ko, Akuma, Felicia.

Hmmm, quite a list, but the Newsarama article also has an update stating that the SDCC confirmed no Fantastic Four members would be present in the game, indicating this list could be interpreted as "fake". It's nice to imagine that the ones mentioned above could be appearing in the game, but still, where are the other fan favorite characters like Venom and Strider Hiryu? Definitely must be a fake!

For more details, check out the source article at Newsarama.com.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Comics and Games Collide!

Two of THE BEST in stealth and combat side by side. This image practically made my day!

As seen in a link in Kotaku, The Examiner has posted up four images of comic book heroes and video game characters together, as illustrated by artist David Stonecipher. They're nicely done pieces, and my favorite happens to be the one you see above - Solid Snake and Batman prowling the night and looking to beat trouble senseless. Comic vs Video Game personalities isn't exactly a new trend, and it's making a comeback with the return of the Marvel Vs Capcom series next year, but it's fun to imagine who else can tussle and team up together from those two different worlds. You can check out more mix ups at this link, or just enjoy imagining who wins the Hulk Vs Donkey Kong battle here:

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

SDCC 2010: New Green Lantern Posters and The Infinity Gauntlet from Thor!

This year's San Diego Comic Con continues to bring in the comic related goodies, as more exciting material from Green Lantern and Thor popped up, giving fans a lot to talk about!

First up, Warner Bros. has released four new character promo posters for the GL Movie, featuring the mugshots of Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Mark Strong, and Peter Sarsgaard. They form two pairs to complete the image of the Green Lantern Symbol, and my, does it look epic already! Check out the one of Mr. Reynolds here, who plays the role of none other than Earth's first GL, Hal Jordan!

Looking pretty good there WB and DC! Green Lantern still opens on fall next year, so in the meantime, check out the other character posters over at Superhero hype!

Next up, Marvel Studios have released a final tease for their Thor movie after the confirmation and revelation of The Destroyer. Words simply cannot describe the surprise I felt when I saw the image of this artifact, and maybe it's best that you take a look and judge how this fits in the God Of Thunder's movie...

There it is - THE INFINITY GAUNTLET, as shown in Marvel.com. Yes, the same infinity gauntlet that holds the six powerful Infinity Gems, namely Power, Time, Reality, Soul, Space, and Mind. If any of you are familiar with the space villain known as Thanos, he's the guy who used the power of the gauntlet to try and dominate the universe in the classic comic book saga known as "The Infinity War". That story was also the theme used in Capcom's Marvel Superheroes, with Thanos as the final boss, using the Gauntlet to beat the living crap out of players. How this fits into Thor is beyond me, but one thing is for sure, it's going to be epic!

Thor premieres on May 6, 2011! For more info on the movie and the gauntlet, visit Marvel.com!

Monday, July 26, 2010

SDCC 2010: Some More Comic Con Highlights!

A lot of stuff went down during the Comic-Con, and with the Avengers assembling and Ryan Reynolds donning an power ring soon in their own film adaptations, what's not there to be crazy about!? In fact, the two big publishing companies have released some videos that show certain highlights from the show floor that fans may want to take a look at!

Here's one video from Warner Bros. during the Green Lantern Panel Discussion, with some video highlights that include Ryan Reynolds reciting the Green Lantern oath!

Exclusive WB Green Lantern Video From Comic-Con!

Here's another from Marvel.com, showing some signings on the SDCC related to upcoming 2011 films Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor!

Marvel.com Exclusive Captain America and Thor Signings Video

That's just a taste of the goodness to come next year! Cap, Thor, and Green Lantern will be getting their films released on 2011!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

SDCC 2010: The Avengers Madness!

The San Diego Comic Con is the biggest comic book related event of the year... and it only just got bigger with so much Avengers related news!

First off, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are going to get the new animated series treatment, in a new series that's fittingly called "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes"! Set for a Fall 2010 release, the animation looks impressive, and every character you've come to know in Avengers history make their debut! Check out the trailer courtesy of IGN!

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Debut Trailer

Meanwhile, on this weekend's schedule of the SDCC, Marvel Studios held their panel discussion, and a lot of big announcements, footage, and sneak peeks were in on the show floor. First off were the big teases and clips for next year's big superhero films, namely Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger! In one footage described in SHH, Chris Evans was shown all decked out in Cap gear and throwing the shield via exclusive footage, and Chris Hemsworth was fighting some S.H.I.E.L.D Agents interrogating him in the "Thor" flick! Also related to the Avengers film, Jeremy Renner was cast as Hawkeye/ Clint Barton, while Mark Ruffalo is the new guy playing Bruce Banner! So much exciting news, and I only wish I could have viewed the footage there as well! Here's Samuel L. Jackson introducing the cast!

Avengers Cast SDCC Intro By Samuel L. Jackson

Here's the shot of the entire cast of "The Avengers", with the entire cast of the above mentioned movies joining the Iron Man team, namely Robert "Tony Stark/ Iron Man" Downey Jr., Samuel "Nick Fury" Jackson, and Scarlett "Black Widow" Johansson, along with their officially announced director alongside all of them, Joss Whedon!

For more info on what transpired on the showfloor, visit Superherohype! Avengers Assemble!

SDCC 2010: Street Fighter Vs Tekken Officially Confirmed, And Tekken Vs SF Is On The Way!

I knew it was going to happen! Long rumored and speculated to be the true "Namco Vs Capcom" at first, two of the fighting game genre's biggest franchises are making history!

Yoshinori Ono, the producer of Street Fighter IV and its sequel, Super Street Fighter IV, announced in the San Diego Comic Con's "Street Fighter Mania" panel that big new "fighting game" he and his team were secretly working on - STREET FIGHTER VS TEKKEN! That's right... Bandai Namco Games has joined forces with Capcom to bring together two well known brawlers and let them mix it up in this new VS series project! Now, if you've played both of these games, you'd know Tekken and Street Fighter handle very differently in terms of fighting game physics and play. SF is a 2D brawler that utilizes special moves and a 6 button control scheme configuration, while Tekken prides itself as a 3D fighting game that's purely technical and combo saavy, having a four button control layout that corresponds to each limb of the body. How these two brands managed to get together is beyond me, but it is something that ALL fighters have been dreaming of for a long time, and it has now become a reality! Check out the debut trailer!

Street Fighter Vs Tekken Debut Trailer

Very good, noh? As observed in the trailer, the graphics and engine are very much that of Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV, with the game focusing on a 2D style of gameplay! Check out the gameplay trailer here as well!

Street Fighter Vs Tekken Gameplay Trailer

Now, this is just Capcom's take on the new "crossover of the century" battle. Bandai Namco's also working on their own "Tekken Vs Street Fighter" game, and it's quite reminiscent of the old Capcom Vs SNK/ SNK Vs Capcom days, where both companies made their own VS games based on their proprietary game engines and art style. One has to wonder how Namco's will look like, but I bet it will in the same style, if not an improved version of the Tekken 6 engine.

Street Fighter Vs Tekken is making its way to the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in a date TBA. Yoshinori Ono san was right... I will buy this at day one! Watch out for it!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

SDCC 2010: New MvC 3 Trailers and Capcom's SDCC Booth!

Marvel and Capcom have unleashed their newest Marvel Vs Capcom 3 San Diego Comic Con related trailers that officially reveals and confirms two of the new fighters making their debut in the much anticipated crossover fighting game = Amaterasu and Thor! I've talked about this in a previous post before, but we never got to see them in action... until now! Take a look!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Thor Debut Video


Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Amaterasu Debut Video

Want some more? Head over to Kotaku to check out the rest! And here's another extra from Capcom Unity - Capcom Booths at the SDCC! Awesome!

Capcom SDCC Booth Tour Video 1


Capcom SDCC 2010 Booth Tour Video 2

Friday, July 23, 2010

SDCC 2010: Brad Pitt Confirmed For World War Z Film!


World War Z was simply an amazing book.

Chronicling the individual accounts of several witnesses that have experienced the zombie apocalypse first hand, this 2006 Max Brooks penned novel remains one of my favorite literary fiction works, and has achieved recognition and praise from fans of the zombie genre, mostly notably for its use of social commentary on humanity's flaws and issues over one another amidst the zombie epidemic, not unlike that of George A. Romero's Living Dead films, which the novel takes great inspiration from. As a fan of zombies movies myself, I really enjoyed reading this piece, as well as the other books Mr. Brooks has chugged out for the undead hungry, such as The Zombie Survival Guide.

With good material like this selling like hotcakes, a film adaptation is never far behind, and sure enough, it's on the works now. World War Z will be receiving the big screen treatment courtesy of Paramount Pictures, with Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment securing the rights to the film. To be directed by Marc Forster, World War Z is slated for a summer 2012 release, with the screenplay also co-written by popculture author J. Michael Straczynski, who's known for his works in Television shows like Babylon 5, and comics like the Amazing Spider-Man and, most recently, Superman.

Speaking of Brad Pitt and his production company, Paramount has just announced in the San Diego Comic-Con that the actor will star in the film as well! Now imagine that... Brad Pitt fighting and trying to survive in a post apocalyptic zombie world! This I got to see!

For more info, check out Enewsi! World War Z opens sometime on Summer 2012!

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Update: The T-Shirt Tells The Tale!

Looks like more surprises are in store for the Marvel s Capcom needy crowd, and for those attending the San Diego Comic-Con, they get the surprise stamped in the form of a T-Shirt!

By way of Kotaku, this T-shirt design by Steel Angel artist Jim Rugg reveals two more fighters yet to be confirmed in the game! Obviously, that's Viewtiful Joe, fighting Marvel's evil flame headed demon sorcerer, Dormammu! Their silhouettes have appeared in the early trailers of MvC 3, so all that's left is just to wait for official word and announcements. This comes close for now though, so stay tuned!

Here's the other side to the T-Shirt featuring the other confirmed fighters for those curious. For more, check Kotaku!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Update: Two More New Fighters!

At the start of the epic convention that is the San Diego Comic-COn, four new fighters were revealed in the much anticipated Marvel Vs Capcom 3; namely Dr. Doom, Super Skrull, Devil May Cry's Trish, and Street Fighter's Chun-Li. That was certainly big news, but they aren't going to be the last fighters showing up in Capcom's upcoming crossover battle slated for a 2011 release.
Surprise surprise, Kotaku and Marvel.com have just scooped up some images and promotional pics of what appears to be Thor and Amaterasu!
We all know the former being Marvel's God OF Thunder and one third of the Big Three in the Avengers, but what of latter?

Amaterasu is the lead in Capcom's paint brush style PS2 adventure Okami, and he's making his fighting game debut in MvC 3!

No trailers have appeared pending official word, but images certainly have come up c/o Marvel, so take a look and imagine the epic battles to come!

Batman 3 Update: Rumor Mill Amidst The SDCC!

Rumors are swirling abound as to what the next direction Christopher Nolan's 3rd Batman film will take? Will it have something to do with a riddle perhaps?



Heh, nice mock up poster, but this isn't official.

Enewsi just posted two interesting news bits that involve Warner Bros. and their "rumored" plans for the sequel to The Dark Knight. One goes with a domain purchase of "wheresbrucewayne.com", indicating plans are afoot to create another big viral marketing campaign to promote the movie like the previous film. The second rumor involves the villain to be for Batman 3, and hints strongly suggest that Edward Nygma will take on Bruce Wayne's alter ego, assuming his iconic and unstable persona as The Riddler. Having just starred in Chris Nolan's mind boggling sci-fi action flick Inception, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is rumored to be on the top of the list to play The Riddler. Right now, these repots are all unconfirmed and speculations at best. Let's pray some official news comes for the new bat-flick soon, hopefully even a tease at this week's San Diego Comic-Con!

SDCC 2010: Meet Marvel Vs Capcom 3's Newest Fighters!

The San Diego Comic Con is underway, and now Capcom starts off things with a bang by revealing c/o Newsarama 4 new fighters to the next big battle crossover fighting game of the century, Marvel Vs Capcom 3! Take a look who's making it back and new to the roster in this geekgasmic trailer!


Alright! Dr. Doom and Chun-Li return and make it to the official list of fighters for MvC 3, while Devil May Cry's Trish and the shapeshifting Super Skrull make their debut! Check out the pics and see these combatants pose up!



Ah Trish... you never fail to be such a hot chick with guns. Along with Dante, she's one mean foxy lady that demons and badguys better watch out for!

Super Skrull has all of the powers of the Fantastic Four by his side, but can he mimic other fighters' abilities in MvC 3? Let's see.

The Fantastic Four's greatest nemesis and lord of Latveria, Victor Von Doom, is back! Beware the might of Doom!

Fans of the strongest woman in the world rejoice! Chun-Li is back, and she's ready to kick ass with those legs of hers!

With four new fighters revealed, that brings the revealed roster count to 14. Who else will be joining the match of the century next year? Stay tuned for updates from Marvel, Capcom, and the SDCC!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Thor and Captain America Movie Update: New Mini One Sheet Goodness!

In anticipation for this week's convention madness that is the San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel.com has posted up some amazing new artworks for the Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger movies in the form of mini one sheets! Yes, you see the God of Thunder and the Star Spangled Avenger, doing what they do best - Kick Ass!

The first one sheet focuses on Thor, doing battle with none other than his evil step-brother, Loki, the God of Mischief! What already looks like an epic battle in the making sure gets my hopes up for the Kenneth Branagh directed film, and it's still due on May 6, 2011! One has to wonder though... where is Thor's winged helmet?!

The final one sheet piece is a scene many Marvel fans are all familiar with: Captain America leading the US Army charge against the Nazis in World War II! This is probably my most anticipated superhero film for 2010, and hopefully director Joe Johnston graces us with the spirit of Cap's charisma and heroism in this flick, with Chris Evans taking up the mask and shield July 22 next year!

Both one sheets are looking good thus far! With the SDCC coming up, there's sure to be more stuff about these movies, so stay tuned for more updates as they come from the House of Ideas and Marvel.com!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Brightest Day Tease!

Since Brightest Day began, more mysteries have shown up rather than answers to this storyline that follows after the events of Blackest Night, and so far the ride has been an impressive one at that. Green Lanterns are now back to what they do best, resurrected heroes have a new lease on life, and the universe is safe from the blackness of death. Trouble, unfortunately, has a way of rearing its ugly head again and again, and for those heroes who got a second chance, they still have some "kinks" in their system that remain a mystery until now. Also, nothing is going to be peachy for the foreseeable future, as seeds of another great evil begin to bear fruit and show themselves to the DC Universe. What I'm saying now may sound like confusing if you don't follow Brightest Day, but that's hardly something to scratch heads on, as DC releases this nifty and crazy looking poster, spotlighting some of the unique personalities and "secrets" that may or may not show up during the course of the series!



"Sometimes The Light Reveals The Darkest Secrets..."

Ah yes. Shades of Countdown and Final Crisis come back for the new DC Main Event! What will happen? Too soon to tell, but stay tuned for updates!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Get Ready For The New Spider-Girl!

Last week's Amazing Spider-Man story arc "The Grim Hunt" ended with several revelations, returns, and changes to the Spider-Man universe. I won't go in-depth as to what went down in that story, but what I can tell you is that there's a new Spider-Girl, and she made her official debut within those pages. Wanna know how she looks like? Well, next month's PREVIEWS highlights the new webgirl, swinging side by side with our friendly neighborhood wallcrawler, as drawn by talented artist J. Sctt Campbell! Check it out!

As seen in the preview in Newsarama, There she is. The new Spider-Girl... aka Arana! She now wears the costume that belonged to Arachne, aka Julia Carpenter/ Spider-Woman II. What happened to get the costume on the young girl is something you guys should find out by reading Amazing Spider-Man #637. Preparing to debut on her own solo adventures this year, the new Spider-Girl will start her own series this November! Watch out for it!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Comic Book Review: Batman #701

The return of the comic book reviews! It has been a while, hasn't it? So much to read and so little time to review can be frustrating at times, but it goes without saying that I'll be here to deliver the bits and pieces of popculture reading whenever I can. Since the last month, the only comic book I was able to review was the mega spectacular Batman #700, and we all know how that turned out if you've been following the trail of The Dark Knight's adventures. It's not so much a milestone as it is a refresher, rather a tribute to all the men who have worn the cowl past, present, future. Regardless of the lineage, we all know there's only one man who is the TRUE Batman, and that's none other than Bruce Wayne, who's tenacity, determination, AND trauma can't be replicated by any of his successors. That being said, Wayne's eventually going to resume his role as The Caped Crusader after he finishes his journey through time. However, Grant Morrison still has a story to tell that involves the original Batman prior to his fate at the hands of Darkseid in Final Crisis.

Batman #701
Written By: Grant Morrison

Illustrated By: Tony Daniels

How fitting, I'm reviewing the following issue of Batman, and it's the return of the creative duo that brought us the tale that changed the Dark Knight's life almost two years ago - "Batman R.I.P"! Yes, Grant Morrison has paired up once again with artist Tony Daniel, to tell a two-part tale set in between R.I.P and Final Crisis, filling in the gaps and addressing some inconsistency issues fans may have had surrounding Batman's appearance/ disappearance in these stories.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

FOCUS On The Fight At Hand!

If there's anything about fighting games that I can relate with other people, it's the road one takes to prepare and train themselves for the fight ahead. I just came from a tournament myself this weekend, and I can certainly tell you that moments like these sure take a lot out from you, even before the real fight begins. However, if someone is dedicated to what they like and what they play, that passion carries them over, and fuels them with the energy and concentration necessary to see them through to whatever result lies in the end.

Such is the case with Mike Ross, one of the world's top Street Fighter 4 players. Having won 4th place at this year's EVO Championship Tournament, Mike has proven time and again that he is dedicated to his art and craft... but what exactly does he do to prepare himself prior to the competition itself? That is question that filmmaker Steve Hwang answers as he puts together a documentary that covers Mike's journey down the road - from preparation in the summer to competing in the EVO 2010 Tournament itself. Check out the trailer to FOCUS:

Focus: A Documentary Trailer

Looking mighty interesting alright. I enjoy watching stuff like this, and it gives insight to what dedicated players go through when they play for passion and join a contest. I can't wait to see the whole documentary when it gets released this fall!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Green Lantern Movie Update: The Full Costume and Press Release Synopsis!

Via Newsarama, Entertainment Weekly's official website has just revealed the latest issue of the magazine that features the full look and costume Ryan Reynolds wears when he dons the emerald ring and assumes the role of DC's cosmic hero, Green Lantern! Check it out and be amazed by GL's light!

Pretty Amazing! It's obviously enhanced with CG effects, but the look is too cool and feels just right for the film adaptation! Now I'm really looking forward to footage from this sure to be 2011 comic book blockbuster, and maybe the upcoming San Diego Comic Con will have a tease! Let's just wait and see. For now, here's the film's official synopsis from the official press release, as seen in Wikipedia:

"In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds).

Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax…he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all."


Now THAT sounds like a Green Lantern premise! With Geoff Johns overlooking the project, and James Bond movie director Martin Campbell helmingthe project, Green Lantern is surely in good hands! Catch the movie when it comes out June 17, 2011!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Plug Device: Playground Reborn

The local gaming magazine that I have known quite well since the start has entered another stage in its history!

Playground Magazine has just launched their brand new official website! It's still in its soft opening stages, but it's a start and a taste of things to come in the future for anything and everything gaming and beyond! You can check it out here, or simply click on the direct link in the blog list section! Enjoy the preview!

DC Comics Makes Trails In The Coming Months Ahead!

The San Diego Comic Con is almost upon us in a few weeks time, and a lot of comic related news is already leaking in the windmill. From the events happening inside the pages of the books we love reading to film related news on movie adaptations on characters we know and love, there's a lot to expect and hype about SDCC 2010. Fortunately, some of the early birds in the comic industry decided to pop up some unique bits of news these past few days, and among them is none other than the publishers of the World's Finest and the Justice League - DC Comics!

Celebrating their 75th anniversary this month, DC is going strong with their events held in an epic scale. With Blackest Night concluding just a few months ago and Brightest Day shining a bright light down the road, there's a whole lot of content to expect well into the next year, especially with a certain Dark Knight returning from his journey throughout time. I'm sure we'll find out more about these stories in the coming months eventually, but first, here's a bit of teasers and announcements made in DC's blog The Source that I wanted to share to the comic crowd!


Journey Into The Mind Early With Inception: The Cobol Job.

If you viewed my recent and spoiler free movie review post about Christopher Nolan's latest flick Inception, then you know how much I enjoyed the film and its presentation from start to finish. Suffice to say, I'll be going on multiple screenings soon since the movie will be launching in theaters officially in a few hours, but for those who need a sample, a taste, or some kind of resolution if you were fortunate to see the premiere of the movie too - you are in luck. Apparently, there is a "Prequel Comic" to the film that has gone online in Yahoo, and I got this little tidbit from an article at Ain't It Cool News!

Titled Inception: The Cobol Job, it's an online prequel comic book that deals with events that happen just before the opening of the film. I'm sure it's required reading for those intrigued with the Inception universe, but I would advise those who haven't caught the movie yet to watch it first before diving into this one. Otherwise, you can read it by clicking on the picture above. Go on and journey into the mind early... if you dare!

Thor Update: The Gods Of Asgard Appear!

It's been a while since we've seen or heard anything about the upcoming film adaptation of Marvel's Norse God superhero Thor, but here's a juicy that just popped up in several comic book movie and film websites like Slash Film, and it shows not one, but three main characters that are the literally the pillars and cornerstones of this movie! Check it out!

That's right, what you're seeing here is the first official image of Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, and Tom Hiddleston as Thor, Odin, and Loki respectively! The All Father and his two sons are together in this scene that is presumably within the kingdom of Asgard, and Odin must be giving his kids some kind of inspiring lecture! How and what that is, we'll just have to wait when the film makes its debut on May 6 next year, but the article accompanying this pic from Slash Film also talks about Marvel confirming that the Thor movie and The First Avenger: Captain America film are getting the 3D Treatment. It will be done post-prod similar to movies like Clash Of The Titans, but how this will translate to the audience when both films do arrive in theaters remains to be seen. Personally, I don't really need the 3D... I just want some superhero awesomeness!

Again, Thor opens on May 6, 2011, to be followed by The First Avenger: Captain America on July 22, 2011!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Movie Review: Inception

"Your Mind Is The Scene Of The Crime..."

That tagline echoed deep within the recesses of my own head whenever I thought of Inception – Christopher Nolan’s next film project after his epic Batman movie sequel that was “The Dark Knight”. In all fairness, I’ll be the first to admit that the ideas that the British director presents to the Hollywood table sound totally wild and daring, but he has a certain kind of air about him that makes you, the viewer, believe that he can make the impossible possible, and since my introduction to his directing style and work with the film “Memento”, I’ve been a big Chris Nolan believer and fan through and through. My faith in the man only increased when he was commissioned by Warner Bros. to do the Batman reboot, and we all know how that turned out. Pretty much the rest was history after his stint there, and Chris has been on a role lately. With Inception officially launching in theaters by the end of this week, there’s no doubt in my mind people are going to be talking about this movie left and right. How do I know this? I’ve seen it of course!

Movie: Inception

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine

Directed By: Christopher Nolan


That’s right. Last night, in the midst of a wild and unpredictable storm, I traveled all the way to my local IMAX theater to catch the hotly anticipated premiere of Inception. It was truly a privilege and an exciting experience to be among the first to get the opportunity to see Chris Nolan’s latest flick, and as I mentioned earlier, you will not be disappointed once you see this in conventional theaters in a few days time as of this posting. This will be a none spoiler review, and I’ll just be talking in a general manner about what you can expect about this film… a film I and many of my peers consider to be a top contender for an Academy Award nomination in the next Oscars.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Road Home For Bruce Wayne...

It's a known fact that Bruce Wayne will return to the present time and resume his place as the Dark Knight. However, given the numerous changes and adjustments made in his absence, will the former Batman return to a Gotham City that still needs him?

That's where this new chapter in the Bat Universe comes in.

Via DC Comics The Source, a new story arc will be commissioned by the publisher of the Caped Crusader's adventures that will chronicle just how Gotham and its denizens react to Bruce's return. Entitled "Bruce Wayne: The Road Home", this series of eight one-shot books will see Mr. Wayne as he tries to touch base with those he left behind while he was lost in time, namely his proteges Dick Grayson, Tim Drake Wayne, Damian Wayne, Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Gordon, Selina Kyle, and a whole lot more. To be written by some of the comic industry's brightest stars, including Adam Beechan, Fabian Nicieza, and Ramon Bachs, The Road Home will be the stepping stone Bruce must take before he can reclaim the mantle of the Bat. Artist Shane Davis will also be present to draw the eight covers for the eight pater, which will connect into one mega cover.

For more info, visit DC Comics.com and The Source. Bruce Wayne: The Road Home hits this October!

Monday, July 12, 2010

And the EVO 2010 SSFIV Champion is...

Daigo Umehara, who else!?

As detailed in Kotaku's post, The EVO 2009 Street Fighter IV champ has retained his status as top player of all things Street Fighter, winning the EVO 2010 Super Street Fighter IV Finals to become champion again, and he deserves a well round of applause! Kudos to you, Daigo! I still can't get over the Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike "Parry Comeback" you did in EVO 2004!

The Daigo Parry Video!

Again... The man makes the impossible POSSIBLE! Kudo on the win, Daigo!

John Foo, aka Jin Kazama, Is Coming To The RP!

This bit of exciting video game/ movie related news came a few days ago when I chanced upon the Entertainment section of the PhilStar, and since it's related to one of the fighting games I enjoy playing from time to time, I just needed to share it!

Actor John Foo, who will be playing lead character Jin Kazama in the Dwight H. Little directed live action movie adaptation of Tekken, will be coming the shores of the Philippines to grace the movie's premiere on July 24! An English actor and a practitioner of Wushu , John was recently seen as Ryu in the popular short film based on the Street Fighter series, Street Fighter Legacy. He also starred in several other action films, namely alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme as one of the first gen soldiers in Universal Soldier: Regeneration, and with Christian Bale as an uncredited League of Shadows warrior in Batman Begins! He also demonstrated his Wushu skills in the Tony Jaa starring action flick Tom-Yum-Goong, credited on his full name as Jonathan Patrick Foo. With a resume built up like that, John is clearly on an action movie roll here, and his role as Ryu in SF: Legacy remains one of my favorites, which you've got to check out here if you haven't yet. Take a look:

Street Fighter: Legacy Short Film

Now, check out the trailer to his next major picture - Tekken!

Tekken: The Movie Trailer

With his new movie set to appear on theaters this August 3, catch John when he fights the battle of the Iron Fist in Tekken! For more info on the actor, check out the newslink via PhilStar!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Death Comes Back... In Action Comics?

Surprise, surprise! Looks like one of the favorites from Neil Gaiman's Sandman series is making an appearance at mainstream DC Continuity!

Death, sister to Dream and one of the Endless, will be making an appearance in Action Comics #894, now home to the on-going adventures of Superman's archrival, Lex Luthor. Now this may seem very exciting news and all, but these two come from two very different comic worlds! For those not in the loop, the current storyline of Action, written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Pete Woods, sees Luthor on a quest for power - ring power that is, after his stint as an Orange Lantern in the pages of Blackest Night gave him a taste of "cosmic augmentation". This October, as Lex continues his journey, he'll be bumping into the cute and sexy manifestation of Death. How will things work out? Only time will tell for sure.

For more info, check out DC's website and The Source!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

EVO 2010 Begins!

Each year it comes... and now it has arrived!


One of the most popular fighting game tournaments in the world has begun: EVO 2010 IS HERE! The best fighters from around the world compete in the best fighting game franchises ever to grace consoles and arcades, and today marks the first day of the battle for survival and supremacy! For this year, the tourney takes place at Caesar's Palace over at grand Las Vegas, and having seen the place myself years ago, I can say it's a suitable location that's big enough to hold players from all corners ready to make mince meat of each other in the fighting world! You got all kinds of individuals gathered together with their controllers and fight sticks, to an event so big that it's actually sponsored by the big video game companies like Capcom and Bandai Namco! With that in mind, you can expect the big new fighting games like Super Street Fighter IV, Tatsunoko Vs Capcom, and Tekken 6 to appear, as well as classic fighting titles like Marvel Vs Capcom 2 and Melty Blood! Later on in the next few days, there'll be plenty more brawls... and a sneak peek of the much anticipated Marvel Vs Capcom 3!

Anyone unfamiliar with the championship series should know that this tournament has gone on for a long time, and it's been the home to some of the best and notorious combo machine players out there, including the beast himself, Daigo Umehara! Check out this video trailer of the 2004 EVO tournament DVD to get a feel of things:

Evo 2004 DVD Trailer

Now, check out why it can get awesome at some moments. Here's footage of Daigo performing one of the most AWESOME comebacks in fighting game history, and as a fighter, I gotta tell you... it is just INSANE!

The Daigo Parry Video!

The Tournament takes place this weekend from July 9- 11! If you want to catch the action, check out the live stream over at the official site!

Friday, July 9, 2010

They call him 'Machete'..

Machete Grindhouse Trailer

Back when I saw Grindhouse in 2007, this little faux trailer packed along with the first feature, Planet Terror, completely boggled my mind and had me excited for something that was made not to exist as a film. However, due to the fans reactions and praise, the fake trailer got the green light to be made into a feature film, and it's going to premiere later this year!


Yes folks, legendary Mexican actor Danny Trejo, who just recently appeared in Predators, is back, taking the spotlight and reprising his role as the blade wielding renegade known as "Machete". Check out the trailer to see why you don't want to mess with this dude.

Machete New Trailer


To sum things up for those who don't know the score, Machete is the story of a former "Mexican Federale" who is setup and double-crossed by a local businessman who hired him to do a hit on a U.S Senator who is deporting hundreds of illegal immigrants. Shot and left for dead, Machete is nevertheless able to evade the law hunting his back, and makes preparations to get back at the men responsible for putting him in a bad light. They just @#$%%3 with the wrong Mexican.

Opening in theaters this September 3 and directed by Robert Rodriguez, Machete stars Danny Trejo, and co-stars Cheech Marini, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Don Johnson, Rose McGowan, and Steven Seagal.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Beavis and Butt-Head are Coming Back!

The idiots are back... and I mean that in a good way!

Via Enewsi, News is out that famed animator, director, and voice actor Mike Judge will return to the series that he created and is arguably best known for - Beavis and Butt-Head! Yes, those two imbeciles who starred in the classic animated show of the same name that originally aired on MTV will be returning at some point, as Judge has pointed out that he is developing 30 brand new episodes for television. Which network and what date has not be set, but the series will remain the same as before, in classic 2D animation that portrays how idiotic the duo can be. Need something to refresh your memory of these two? Here ya go with the classic intro:

Beavis and Butt-Head Intro

A-huh-huh-huh-huh... that brings back memories... and to this day, it doesn't contribute anything to make me smarter... like this episode here from You Tube, lol.

For more info, check out Enewsi's post
!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Predators: They Hunt, They Adapt...

Back when I was a lad, I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I saw the film Predator for the first time. In my eyes, all I saw was another gung-ho flick starring the cool "Austrian Oak" action star known as Arnold Schwarzenegger, leading a military elite team on a rescue mission in Guatemala, with the typical action bravado I enjoyed back in the 80's. However, that bold adventurous scenario quickly turned grim and menacing when something evidently "out-of-this-world" starts hunting and taking down Arnold's team quickly and efficiently, learning to adapt and systematically taking out the whole force, eventually leaving the guy the sole survivor to take on the "Predator" on his own. In the end, the future Governator did the deed and killed the alien hunter, escaping with his life intact but leaving us, the audience, with the knowledge that humanity has a powerful adversary from the stars... the Predator.

After the first film's success, the Predator license grew into a legendary popculture franchise that continues to harbor interest from fans of the alien species to this day. From toys to comics, the legacy of the nasty mandible faced hunters endured, and even a follow up to the 1987 seminal film was made in 1990, Predator 2, with Lethal Weapon's Danny Glover cast in the lead.

Predator 2, however, didn't exactly measure up to its predecessor in terms of blockbuster potential, but it did expand the mythology in a way that warranted interest for the series' future, including an easter egg located near the climax of the film that begged a crossover flick with another extraterrestrial species from another classic Sci-Fi Horror flick franchise: Aliens.

Eventually, that "intergalactic dream match" happened in two movies; 2004's Alien Vs Predator and it's follow-up, 2007's Alien Vs Predator: Requiem. While it truly channeled the interest and nostalgia appeal from its fanbase, the two films were largely given negative reviews by critics, and as a crossover, the only appealing thing audiences were after were the clashes and battles between the two species, regardless of the story's impact or significance to the mythos of each franchise.

Fast forward to today, and it's been 23 years since those heat-sensing, disc throwing, ugly looking creatures made their debut on the big screen. With a following so large and demanding that it only makes sense to nurture that market, legendary action film director Robert Rodriguez stepped up to ensure that the Predator name lived on. Together with director Nimrod Antal, Rodriguez produced and released the aptly titled "Predators", a direct sequel and follow-up to the first two Predator films. Featuring Adrian Brody in the lead, the story is a reverse of the theme constant in the previous flicks: In an ironic twist, the prey are known as the most dangerous predators on earth... and now they're being hunted. Also, instead of the Predators coming to Earth and hunting prey, they bring their prey, the humans, to an environment that's off-planet and selected just for their game. If that sounds so kick ass and awesome of a concept, it is. I got to see the premiere last night with some friends, and believe me, Antal and Rodriguez have successfully reintroduced "Fear" to the 21st century as far as the Predator legacy is concerned. I'll be doing a proper review of this film soon, and as far as first impressions go, it lives up to the name it derives itself from. Also starring Toper "Eddie Brock" Grace, Danny "Machete" Trejo, and Laurence "Morpheus" Fishburne, Predators is the film that brings the alien hunter species back to their roots. Watch out for it in theaters starting this July 8!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Watch Out For The High School Of The Dead!

I'm a fan of the zombie genre, and it's been picking so much steam over the last few years that I couldn't be more excited of the things to expect in the coming months ahead. With Robert Kirkman's seminal graphic novel series "The Walking Dead" getting the TV Series treatment and Capcom's Dead Rising 2 shuffling closer and closer, zombies are still the ever the "in thing" as far as monsters and survival horror stories are concerned. However, there's new blood that I recently learned about from a friend that I want to explore, and it involves the anime series adaptation of a long running and currently published manga that deals with Japanese High School students banding together to fight the zombie apocalypse that threatens their very lives. Guess what the title of this is:




Yes. With a title like that, I'm game and it'll work for me!

The premise sounds awfully like your typical zombie story, laced with love, action, and social commentary. This time, however, it's done in wonderful Japanese animation, as a anime series, I'm all eyes and ears as I enjoy that genre very much as well. Written by Daisuke Sato, HSOTD follows a 17 year old kid named Takashi Komuro, who notices the initial signs of the outbreak and does what he can to avoid it and survive. However, he has to band together with several other people from his high school, including his childhood friend and love interest Rei Miyamoto, in order to increase their chances for survival. Throw in their 26 year old school nurse, and you got one heck of a survival horror team that shades of the game Left 4 Dead and even comedic zombie flick Shaun Of The Dead! Hey, anything can happen when it comes to anime, and you'd best check out the opening of this one!

High School Of The Dead Anime Opening

Now, for the PV!

High School Of The Dead Anime PV

Animated by Madhouse (Trigun), High School Of The Dead premiered in Japan last July 5 and is scheduled for 12 episodes.

Gear Yourself Up With MGS Peace Walker!


Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is a video game masterpiece, no doubt about that, and anyone who owns a Playstation Portable owes it to themselves to purchase the game if they're after some action and adventure on the go. For the past month since the game's release, I haven't had the luxury of rest when it comes to pacing on this game. There's just so much else to do even after finishing the proper story and extended scenarios of the game, and while that may be a good thing in terms of replay value, the amount of time invested on games like this will suck you dry and leave you mesmerized guaranteed. As I chronicled in my personal review of the game, this is a definite must have, and Hideo Kojima has redefined the way Naked Snake/ Big Boss and his army of mercenaries handle themselves when it comes to cooperation and teamwork in handling various missions.

Now with that said, what else can a MGS fan do to make his allegiance known? Why, grab something like this of course!

Yes my friends, that right there is Hori's accessory set for MGS: Peace Walker, and I gotta tell you, it literally works wonders! I picked it up yesterday with my friend Mark, and the package is literally a box containing everything for the definite MGS fan! Packed in this pricey but sweet deal is a custmized Peace Walker Pouch; A green Face Cover with the MSF Logo in it; A Cleaner Strap to wipe the Screen with; and 3 Decorative Stickers that can be placed at the back of the PSP. These accessories are pretty neat, but nothing top of the line if you have those extras packed with your regular PSP already. They're just supplemental stuff that will heighten the fandom one already has over another one of Hideo Kojima's excellent games, and that's probably the reason why I got this baby. What's more, there's a character code voucher included that will give players access to a soldier they can use in the game, but how it fares in my end remains to be seen.

So overall, if you enjoy Peace Walker as much as I have and want to give your PSP some "color", this is a decent package to consider. Like MGS? Snake in and grab this official product!