Merry Christmas!

Season's greetings from The Crusader's Realm! It's a time for cheer and to huddle around those you love and cherish in life. Time to put the breaks on adventure and fun, and share some food, gifts, blessings, and memories with everyone! We're at the tail end of 2011, and I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy and Merriful Christmas wherever you are! No doubt the year has had its ups and downs, but be thankful for your blessings, pick yourselves up, and put a smile on your faces!

And as for the Batman, I found this somewhat sad and poetic message on the web that conveys a strong message...

Yes indeed, be thankful for your blessings! Have a grand Merry Christmas wherever you are!

Spike VGA 2011 results: Big winners and announcements rocked the show!

As with all Video Game related events, the Spike Video Game Awards 2011 went big and fast. In addition to the nominations and awardees of the most epic and absolute video games out this year, gamers got a taste of things to come with announcements, trailers, and the like! Read some highlights I found awesome from the event after the jump!

Happy Halloween Special: Halloween themed posters!

All Hallow's Eve has finally arrived, and with that said, I honor this day of horrors, monsters, costumes and the undead by showcasing some of my photoshop creations to commemorate the occasion! First up is a shot of me dressed as my favorite comic book character and superhero - THE BATMAN, recreated in a way which pays tribute to the dark roots of the heroic DC Comics character!

Lastly, here's something I made up from yesterday's  Zombiethon 2011 zombie walk organized by Dead Zone, with me playing the part of Rick Grimes, police officer and protagonist of AMC's The Walking Dead...

With that, I leave you all to your scary tales and trick or treat moments. Happy Halloween, everybody!

Tokyo Game Show '11: Sony reveals Playstation Vita release date and news

After giving a Press Conference presentation yesterday in anticipation for this week's Tokyo Game Show, Sony has laid out new details for their upcoming new portable console and successor to their tried and true Playstation Portable, The Playstation Vita. What was formerly known as the NGP or "Next Generation Portable", has now been given the Holiday Season release date of December 17.

Details about the console have been spread out all over in articles posted in Kotaku after the Press Con, and while the specs have been outlined and featured in Wikipedia, what we do know is that there'll be two versions consumers can pick up in the market upon release; one with Wifi and the other supporting 3G. Pricing of course differs as a result, and while it has yet to get an official release date and price in the west, it stacks up to about $249 for Wifi only and $299 for 3G. Not bad, but still pricey nonetheless. There'll also be different peripherals and various memory cards sold for the device, as well as multiple colored PS Vitas for everyone to choose from, raging from Sky Blue, to Red, and even Gold! Heck, we even a glimpse at how the PS Vita box is going to look like. With HD rereleases of classic game franchises like Metal Gear Solid, Zone of the Enders, and Final Fantasy X confirmed, plus ports of Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken, Sony has a lot of people watching and waiting for this baby to come out. There'll be be more announcements for sure since we have a few months left until the Japan release, so stay tuned for more news to be reported as they come.

IGN has uploaded a video in YouTube that pretty much shows what fans can expect of the new portable device's interface once it goes on sale in December. Do check it out and see for yourselves how the touch screen works and what's in store for those who are anxious to get their hands on this little but powerful portable console.



Playstation Vita Interface Demo

Once again, the PS Vita will be released in Japan first this December 17. Look forward to US and European release date announcements very soon!

Capcom breaks things down with new Street Fighter X Tekken trailers!

It's Tokyo Game Show week, and just when you think that Capcom has revealed enough for their upcoming crossover brawler with Namco Bandai, Street Fighter X Tekken, both companies beg to differ and spice things up with some juicy new trailers!


SF X Tekken Pandora Trailer
The newest updates to hit this week features not only the announcement of new characters (namely Heihachi, Lili, Rufus, and Rolento), but also a new and important trailer that spotlights new gameplay features for the game, specifically Pandora (a sort of "sacrifice your teammate for more power" desperation move), Briefing (sparring mode with an online opponent), and Scramble (a mode that allows four players to go at it all at once!)! Check out the trailer above, which offers insight into the crossover's storyline as well!

SF X Tekken TGS 2011 Trailer

This hilarious trailer shows just how big a doofus Rufus can be when he mistakes Tekken's Bob for a certain Shoryuken fighter, lol!



SF X Tekken Comic-Con 2011 Trailer

This is an oldie from the Comic-Con a few months back, but it's worth showing this cinematic trailer, which pits one famous tag team duo against another!

For more info and updates, visit Capcom-Unity!

Street Fighter X Tekken arrives for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Playstation Vita on March 2, 2012!

Movie Reviews: Final Destination 5 and Conan The Barbarian

It can be said that some people go to movies for cheap thrills, spills, and yes even kills. If you're  looking into those categories, then I guess these two movies I've seen over the past week and so will contribute nicely to your list to catch in the big screen. They've already been shown over at the US and selected areas for the past few weeks now, but international territories finally have their chance this week. SPOILER WARNING of course for those who avoid reviews. Thanks again goes to the sponsors for giving me a chance to see the first film below, Final Destination 5. As for Conan, I caught that during my spare time, so here are my thoughts on the two features!

Love or hate it, the latest entry in the Final Destination series has something to offer, whether it be scares, paranoia, or amusement over the crazy death scenes happening everywhere in this film. As someone who's barely seen the past films, I went into this one with only bare minimum knowledge of what transpired in the timeline (though each is a separate suspense horror adventure on its own that doesn't owe too much to a previous installment save for the deaths and premonitions). Totted as the film that takes things "back to basics", Final Destination 5 may be seen as the final (pun yes) entry in the series, but it can also be perceived as a springboard for newer installments. It's pretty much the same tale as previous movies - a young kid has a premonition that warns him of impending disaster, and he and his group of friends manage to survive and get away with their lives intact. Unfortunately, cheating death comes with a heavy price, as one by one their borrowed time comes to a sinister and grisly end.


Final Destination 5 Trailer

With a plot like that, it really isn't for the faint of heart. However, those who've been faithful and followed the movies since the first though will be pleased to know they're in for some treats come the climax of this film. Either way, it's a popcorn flick that'll please, and with the moderate reception it has garnered in the box office, it could be the fright fest one is looking for to tease their nerves and test with 3D theaters in mind. Oh yeah, legendary horror movie face Tony Todd is back too, so he'll be sure to creep you out, haha. Rating - 3/5

As the newest iteration of the film starring a heroic barbarian hero who was once played by legendary action star Arnold Schwarzenegger (which was also his first acting breakthrough to note), this new version of Conan the Barbarian has big shoes to fill in terms of legacy and garnering a new fanbase for today's generation of moviegoers. While the concept feels kind of cliche and dated thanks to several medieval fantasy movies and stories that have gone through the decades, I honestly felt content with what I saw despite the mixed to negative reviews this movie has gotten worldwide (essentially making it a flop of sorts in the box office). Starring Jason Momoa (who played Khal Drogo in HBO's excellent TV series adaptation of Game of Thrones) in the lead, the 2011 version of Conan the Barbarian proves to be your typical and straightforward adventure full of swordfighting, magic, sex, and evil. The movie kicks off with an origin tale that shows the titular character's birth, training, and the eventual massacre of his village by evil forces. This tragic experience molds Conan into a powerful but arrogant warrior on a quest for vengeance. Unfortunately, destiny forces him to rise above this narrow-minded calling as he crosses paths with a young maiden (Rachel Nichols), who holds a power inside of her that his adversaries seek to unlock and use for sinister purposes. With something else to fight for other than revenge against his enemies.


Conan The Barbarian 2011 Trailer

Pretty much like I said, this is a popcorn flick for those not looking for serious plots and just empty action to watch and enjoy brainlessly. I could say that there were some "interesting PG-13" moments in this film that could have been done more interestingly, but you can't have them all I guess. Rachel Nichols playing the heroine here was kinda a letdown considering her time as Scarlett in G.I.Joe: The Rise of Cobra. She faired better in that movie, and her talents here looked wasted, especially in the climax. Rose McGowan on the other hand played a nice and creepy villainess, and the way she looked kinda reminded me of Kerrigan from Starcraft. Oh, and Ron Perlman played the father of Conan, plus Morgan Freeman did the narration for the beginning. There isn't any redeeming qualities save for the action really, so that's really what kept me from being disappointed and I just wholeheartedly enjoyed it for that aspect. Khal Drogo FTW! Rating - 3/5

The Avengers appear on Disney's D-23 Expo!

Over at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, the stars and people behind Disney and Marvel Studios' upcoming epic 2012 superhero team movie "The Avengers" assembled at the Walt Disney D23 2011 Expo to talk about the movie and present some awesome footage for lucky attendees over there to see. Highlighting the cast present there of course was Robert Downey Jr., aka Tony Stark and the Invincible Iron Man, as well as Jeremy Renner/ Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson/ Black Widow, Cobie Smulders/ Maria Hill, Tom Hiddleston/ Loki, and Chris Hemsworth, the mighty Thor himself! Lead by Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige and joined by Walt Disney Chairman Rich Ross, the team screened a special reel of what is approximated to be about 4 minutes worth of exclusive footage from the Joss Whedon directed Avengers, comprised of scenes that highlight the Hulk, Nick Fury, Loki, and the rest of the Avengers team! A transcript of the scenes' details can be found via a post at Superherohype, but be warned it's a SPOILER of course if you plan to read it!

For More info and pics on this story, as well as what's going down on D23, head over to Marvel.com!

The Avengers assemble and take on the foes no one hero can face on May 4, 2012!

Frank Darabont steps down as showrunner for The Walking Dead

Via Deadline, Slash Film, and Enewsi, Frank Darabont, the executive producer, director, and creator of AMC's TV Adaptation of Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead", is stepping down and giving up his position as showrunner of the series. Having just appeared at the show's panel presentation at this past weekend's San Diego Comic-Con, this comes as big and surprising news to fans, since Darabont was the lead figure responsible for tackling and directing creative duties in the first season. With the second season slated to debut on October 16, his departure will not affect the schedule, but it may promote his number 2 man, Glen Mazzara of "The Shield" fame, to the top man position. How this will affect the future of the show remains to be seen, but it's sad to see a well known creative face taking a back seat at the cusp of what is already considered a great TV series. For more info on the story, visit the source post at Enewsi, Slash Film, or Deadline!

The Walking Dead Season 2 premieres on October 16 on AMC!

SDCC '11: First look photos from Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance

Via Slash Film, Empire magazine now has some photos in their latest issue of the new Ghost Rider sequel entitled "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" (scans courtesy of The Film Stage). Once again starring starring Nicholas Cage in the titular role and as Johnny Blaze, the sequel takes place in Eastern Europe, where Blaze has relocated to in order to repress his curse. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to return to action when a sect recruits him to take on the devil, who wants to take over his son's body on the kid's own birthday. That pretty much sums up the plot of the next movie, and so far fans are actually warming up to the idea of this film seeing a release. The bike and other props were shown off in the recently concluded San Diego Comic-Con, so feedback has been positive so far. For more updates and photos on the story, visit the source post at Slash Film!

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, directed by Neveldine/ Taylor, blazes into theaters on February 17 next year!

SDCC '11: Funny trailers and shorts!

Seen and premiering at the San Diego Comic Con, it's probably best to leave the explanation behind and just get straight to the viewing at hand.XD


Knights of Badassdom Comic Con Trailer


Cowboys vs FreddieW (ft. Jon Favreau)

Both of these spell AWESOMENESS and GEEKGASM all over. Thank you, Peter Dinklage and co. for a Badass movie I want to see and Freddie Wong and Jon Favreau for an EPIC spoof video like no other.XD

SDCC '11: Batman: The Dark Knight Returns confirmed as a DC Animated film!

Fans of DC's ever growing animated film line up may get the surprise of their lives next year, as Warner Bros. and DC pretty much confirmed during the San Diego Comic Con that one of the most beloved Batman stories would be getting the toon treatment... As a two-parter even!

That's right, Frank Miller and Klaus Janson's The Dark Knight Returns is being adapted! The EPIC tale of an aged Bruce Wayne coming out of retirement and returning as Batman in a distant future is going to be made into DC's next animated film sometime in 2012. The Dark Knight Returns will most likely be released after the two animated movies slated for launch within the year, which are Justice League: Doom and Superman Vs. The Elite. Not much details were given on who will be voicing who, but good rumor and word is that legendary Batman: The Animated Series actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are being considered for Batman and Joker again, and if that's true, things will be so much more AWESOME going for this movie.

Coincidentally, this will be Frank Miller's second Batman work adapted into an animated film, as Batman: Year One already saw its premiere held at the Comic Con and will see home video release later this October! For more details on the store, visit the source post over at Bleeding Cool!

SDCC '11: Cable will return in "Cable Reborn"

In the world of comic books, nobody ever stays dead permanently. Look who's made the resurrection list.

That's right. Nathan Christopher Charles Summers, aka Cable, who gave his life to save his adopted daughter Hope for the sake of Mutantkind, is making a comeback. Penned by Jeph Loeb and pencilled by Ed McGuinness, the X-Man from the future will return in a five issue miniseries called "Cable Reborn", which was announced and teased as a mystery initially during Marvel Comics' own panel at the San Diego Comic Con. A lot of guesses were thrown out and one of the candidates suggested by fans was the recently killed Bucky Barnes (who died as the new Captain America in the pages of Fear Itself #3). Now that it's confirmed that Cable is coming back, we'll just have to wait and see how Marvel will bring Cyclops' son back into the fold. For more info, visit the source post at Newsarama!

Cable Reborn debuts its five issue run on December!

SDCC '11: Some highlight videos from Friday's Comic Con!

I was mighty impressed with some video moments I saw online coming straight from the San Diego Comic Con. Caught from some panel discussions during the event on Friday, these videos steadily made their way to You Tube and are now viewable for the world to see. Check out some I found pretty awesome!

Here's one where the legendary Star Trek actor, William Shatner, leads a group of fans in shouting out his infamous line from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: KHHHHHHAAAAAANNNN!!!!




Then, here's a surprise that needs to be seen from Marvel's "The Amazing Spider-Man" panel!

SDCC '11: X-Men Panel reveals "Dead" for 2012?

Revealed during Marvel's X-Men panel discussion at the SDCC, here's your first look at a teaser for... The Death of Deadpool?! No other info was given, but a prior panel discussion had the peeps of Marvel joking that "there was nobody else to kill off" in the industry. Guess they were kidding alright. For more info, check out Newsarama or Bleeding Cool for the story and other details for what is being called "The Year of the X-Men"!

SDCC '11: The Walking Dead Season 2 Trailer

Finally making its way online after being shown at AMC's official Walking Dead panel at the San Diego Comic Con, here's the four minute plus trailer to the hotly anticipated second season of Frank Darabont's TV Series adaptation of Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead"! If you're a fan of the show, it picks up right after the finale of the last season, showing Rick Grimes and his fellow group of survivors back on the road and desperately trying to survive day-by-day from the living dead. SPOILERS are evidently present if you have no idea what this series is about, so I recommend not viewing this primer to Season 2 if you haven't watched or read anything Walking Dead related. Otherwise, go on and click on the player below to get a taste of what's going to happen when the new season premieres this fall!


The Walking Dead Season 2 Trailer
Just like what you see, Rick, Shane, Lori, Glenn, Dale, and the rest of the survivors return. Dissension, desperation, and survival are certainly the main themes going on here, and just when the stakes are getting high for the group, they meet up with a new group of survivors living on an isolated farm. Fans of the comic book series will definitely know who I'm referring to, so for more info, visit the official AMC Walking Dead website! Here's the official poster again below if you didn't see it the first time, as designed by Punisher and Blade comic book artist Tim Bradstreet!

Finally getting an official show date, The Walking Dead Season 2 premieres on AMC this October 16

SDCC '11: Sneak peek of the new Beavis and Butthead series!

Via Enewsi, MTV has released this sneak peek video for the upcoming revival and new series of Mike Judge's "Beavis and Butt-Head"! This 4 minute plus clip taken from the episode "Holy Cornholio" sees the two imbeciles up to their usual shenanigans, and you can chaos and mayhem to ensue because of it, hehe. Check it out via the embedded player below!

Get More: Beavis and Butt-Head, MTV Shows

Ahuhuhuhuh... Classic. For more info, visit the source post at Enewsi!

The new series of Beavis and Butt-Head debuts sometime this summer!

SDCC '11: Transformers Prime S2 teaser: "He Is Coming..."

Via IGN and a post from TFormers.com, a new teaser for the upcoming second season of Transformers Prime has made its way online, showing a showdown between Optimus Prime and Megatron, which ends in bright flash of light and never shows the outcome of that battle. The scene then jumps into the cosmos, where Prime's voice can be heard talking about a prophecy Primus foretold about a great evil awakening when the time is right... Check out the teaser below and see for yourselves.


Transformers Prime Season 2 teaser: "He is Coming..."

That's pretty much it, so the guessing game starts now. Could it be Unicron? We won't know for sure til a clearer revelation comes, so stay tuned for more updates, and visit the source post at TFormers.com and IGN for more info.

Transformers Prime Season 2 premieres on November 28!

SDCC '11: New Street Fighter X Tekken trailer shows off Poison!

Next to Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3 and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Online Edition, Capcom has premiered a new trailer for their next upcoming crossover fighter, Street Fighter X Tekken. It's pretty much self explanatory also. If you know Final Fight, you know who Poison is, (and what she REALLY is). You Tube and Kotaku deliver the trailer goods, and there's also Dhalsim, Steve Fox, and Yoshimitsu joining the SFXTekken slugfest.

SF X Tekken unleashes itself on March 2012!

SDCC '11: Man of Steel pushed back to 2013

Why am I not surprised by this piece of news?

In a sudden turn of events and via a post at Comic Book Movie and tweet at Variety, Warner Bros. has officially announced that Zack Snyder's reboot of Superman, Man of Steel, will be delayed and not meet its 2012 release. The Christopher Nolan produced movie, which has Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/ Superman and Amy Adams as Lois Lane, has been pushed back from December 2012 to June 14, 2013. How and why hasn't been exactly explained yet, but this was tweeted and announced at the middle of the San Diego Comic-Con, so explanations and updates will be coming shortly.

Honestly, I much prefer the delay since it will give the filmmakers enough time to make a damn good Superman movie and just not rush into it. If rewrites and delays in production are the reason, so be it. At least we get The Dark Knight Rises, Spider-Man, and The Avengers next year! For more info on the story, visit the source post at Comic Book Movie!

Man of Steel will now see the Last Son of Krypton fly into theaters on June, 2013!

SDCC '11: Frank Miller's Holy Terror

If you know who Frank Miller is, then you're probably well aware that many of his works in the world of comics like Daredevil, Batman, 300, and Sin City, with the latter two eve made into blockbuster movies. His contributions to both film and literature are diverse and well known to fans of popculture, but arguably he is best known for bringing Batman back to his dark roots with his work on Batman: Year One and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. Those titles became legendary in status, and helped set the pace for future tales of the Caped Crusader to be told in a much more grittier and realistic fashion. Recent years have seen Miller return to writing sequels to his "Dark Knight universe" with The Dark Knight Strikes Again and All-Star Batman and Robin, but those books weren't as highly acclaimed as his previous two storylines (with the exception of coining the phrase "The Goddamn Batman" with his exceptional dialogue writing and script).

Originally pitched as a Batman story in 2006 but was eventually cancelled by DC, Miller is now working on a new graphic novel called "Holy Terror", in which a masked vigilante garbed and styled like the Dark Knight wages a one man war against the Al-Qaeda and Terrorism. A trailer has been released and can be seen below just to show just how graphic and serious this story is going to be, and it leans on the political aspect of the concept being used here. Check it out below for your reference and, if necessary, your amusement on what Mr. Miller has in store for his readers next.


Holy Terror trailer

Well, there you have it. For more info and details on the book, visit the source post at Bleeding Cool.

Holy Terror is scheduled to be released on September 2011, to coincide with the 10th Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.