"Rise Up" To The Astonishing X-men Motion Comic!

I liked Astonishing X-men. It redefined the merry mutant superheroes in a new way. Besides bringing Scott and the gang back to their superhero roots and spandex made outfits, it was the story that gave rise to new conflicts and issues within the mutant community, especially between Charles Xavier and his students. Also, Colossus returned, and was reunited with his old sweetheart Kitty Pryde, only to have their roles reversed with Kitty seemingly giving her life to save the world from destruction. Written by Buffy scribe Josh Whedon and illustrated by the talented John Cassaday, Astonishing was truly a signature series worth the price of admission, and if you're an X-men fan, you definitely have to take time and read this baby. In fact, a new opportunity has presented itself, and those tech savvy may want check this out.

For those who haven't heard, Whedon and Cassaday's seminal work will be making waves again via a rebirth in Motion Comics, which you can buy and download in iTunes! Just like Spider-Woman before it, the classic mutant storyline gets the new technology treatment, and Marvel.com has the full scoop on the story. Everyone who remembers the "Gifted" storyline may want to check out Cyclops, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and the gang kick it up a notch again, as they are reintroduced via juicy and remastered animated comic panels! Also, as part of the new release's promotion, Marvel presents a music video with some animated sequences from the new Motion Comic, and it's called "Rise Up". Check out the video by clicking the link below!

Astonishing X-men "Rise Up" Music Video
Astonished? Then go and check out the new "Astonishing X-men: Gifted" Motion Comic from Marvel.com now!

Doom Cover Artist Don Ivan Punchatz Passes Away...

Sad news was posted in gaming site Kotaku, as Don Ivan Punchatz, the man responsible for drawing the legendary cover art to the first Doom game, passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 73. Anyone who's associated themselves with games all their life can't deny that it's one of those iconic images that moved people to play the game in the 90's, as well as and help bring the gaming industry to where it is today. Besides contributing to id Software, Punchatz also did artwork for several other successful brands such as TIME Magazine and Playboy. The full story surrounding his death can be read at the link above. Another legend has passed, and we will truly miss him.

The Future Begins On November!

It's the start of November, and while everyone's still reeling from the Trick or Treating, there's some time to give to pay our respects to the patron saints and our dearly departed. At the same time, it's a new month to look forward to, with so much coming up and only a few weeks more til Christmas arrives! Well, for those who happen to be in the market for some blockbuster movie goodness, Xmas just came early, and now two of 2009's blockbuster films are available in official record and video stores - namely Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen and JJ Abrams epic relaunch film of the Trek franchise, Star Trek! Having dropped by the mall today, I went to check out these eye candy treats at the shelves. As expected, the usual one disc and two disc sets were available, but something else REALLY caught my eye that totally made the Trekkie fanboy in me jump like crazy! What is it? Take a look at this!

Hoozah! A Star Trek Limited Ed Enterprise DVD set! No regular versions were available, and instead this pretty little box set was there, and it happened to be the last piece too. There's a good reason why it's limited... namely because the DVD case is a 6" replica of the latest movie incarnation of the Starship Enterprise! As brilliant way to make things presentable, the guys who made this limited edition release designed the hull of the ship ro house the discs, thereby making the infamous vessel more than just a toy to display. It's got it's own stand too, and after assembling this baby, you'll feel pretty proud of yourself like an officer of Starfleet would. Truly, it's the perfect way to own the movie, especially if you're a Trekkie and enjoyed the wonderfully done movie by JJ Abrams. It's too early to review this baby, but I tested it out, and so far I'm liking the design and presentation Paramount Pictures and co. have done to give the fans the ultimate Trek experience. So far I've seen the gag reel and 'New Vision' special features, and their pretty awesome segments that will make you realize how exhilarating and intriguing the whole movie making process was for the entire cast and filmmaking crew involved. I'm glad I got this set, and it's a good way to usher in November. To use one of Captain James T. Kirk's infamous quotations - "It's time for Warp Speed, Mr. Sulu!". Engage!

Halloween Costume: New Captain America!

It was All Hallow's Eve, and in celebration of it, I decided to cosplay as one of my favorite characters from comic books - CAPTAIN AMERICA! However, I didn't go as the original Super-Soldier everyone knows and loves, Steve Rogers. Instead, I went as the man who succeeded him after his "death" and tried to carry the mantle of Cap as best as he could - Bucky Barnes!

Being Cap's sidekick and close confidante during World War II, Bucky became the new Captain America after Rogers was seemingly assassinated by the actions of the Red Skull. Carrying the infamous Shield and wielding conventional weapons to protect himself, this new Cap may not have the same strength and agility as the original, but he makes up for it with experience and determination to carry on his mentor's mission of protecting the innocent and living the dream for freedom and peace.

Along with my friends G and Mia, who played characters from the game Persona 3 and the anime Last Exile, respectively, we went around and trick or treated, grabbing some yummy candy and enjoying our time presenting ourselves in our hard worked costumes. All the effort seemed to pay off, and I managed to get some pics with other costume ghouls and gals on the road. Indeed, fun and epic is all I can say about this experience!

Just like that, Captain America Invades Halloween! Freedom Prevails!

Comic Review: Blackest Night # 4

Just in time for Halloween is more Black Lantern reading!XD

As readers hit the halfway mark to what is already proving to be a classic blockbuster series, Blackest Night has grown exponentially, to the point that several other titles outside of the Green Lantern books will be affected and cast under the shadow of death itself. Besides the superb story and writing of course, anyone digging for some payoffs will be wise to take note that DC has come up with a solution to the extra expenses. Those who were there to pick up Black Lantern Rings during the release of Blackest Night #1 will be happy to know that the rest of the rainbow colors are coming next month, scattered amongst the numerous titles and tie-ins that are scheduled for release then. However, that's still for November. Right now, things are really intensifying in the playing field, especially on planet Earth, where the bulk of the problem began and is about to become much worse.



Blackest Night #4
Written By: Geoff Johns
Illustrated By: Ivan Reis

After Hal Jordan is whisked away by the mysterious Indigo Lanterns, Barry Allen, aka The Flash, is left to hold down the growing forces of the Black Lantern Corps, with only Ray Palmer/ The Atom and Mera standing by his side. Things took a turn for the worse when the new Firestorm, Jason Rusch, was absorbed by the Black Lantern Firestorm, forcing the heroes to regroup elsewhere and look for back up. Knowing their enemy's weakness but lacking the presence of a Green Lantern, the trio notify their friends of the situation and search for the next best substitute - Alan Scott/ Sentinel. Scrambling, Mera and Atom eventually find Scott and the JSA, but their troubles follow shortly thereafter. As Black Hand and his forces reach 100% power level capacity, the true force behind the Blackest Night emerges, with Barry Allen witnessing what could be the beginning of the end for every living soul in the universe.

Another solid issue is at hand. Geoff Johns has gotten past the point of no return, and the Blackest Night's raw might has finally emerged, and nobody is safe from its wrath. Even as I wait month after month for the next issue to arrive, I'm in solid comic book heaven reading this book, with so much action and dialogue happening that it harmoniously connects events together in perfect fashion. As I've said before, John's strength is his ability to write stories that not only make sense, but also deliver a punch that readers will go gaga over. His feats in the Green Lantern Mythos are already accounted for, and right now he's beginning to shed light on another Silver Age hero, namely the newly resurrected Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen, who is, not surprisingly, the man taking center stage in Blackest Night #4. I'll admit, I've always been more familiar with his protege, Wally West, but Barry also strikes me as a unique heroic force to be reckoned with. He's got the smarts and the speed to make him a remarkable figure in the DC Universe, and unlike Wally, his optimism and courage to do the right thing has brought him at odds with death several times. He died in Crisis Of Infinite Earths, and he was resurrected in Final Crisis. Now, as a key player in Blackest Night, Barry will come face to face with death incarnate itself, and as we read along, we'll probably find out the reasons why heroes like him come back from the dead, earning a second chance among the living.

While Barry may be the flag holder of this issue, I can't neglect the other key players who are strangely becoming focal points of the Blackest Night saga on their own. Ray Palmer is obviously another man who'll be getting some attention, since death and tragedy have lingered around his life and caused him more agony any mortal man could ever bare. Like Barry, he has the will to continue on with the heroics, but this may be tested later on with the arrival of a person he never thought he'd see again. On the other hand, Mera, the wife of Aquaman, is taking things pretty well, and while she wasn't much of a presence in the hero community, she's coming on to her own now that her husband and Tempest are among the Black Lantern Corps. I like the dialogue Johns inserted between her, Flash, and Atom, showing that while these three are technically second stringers and outsiders, they come into their own and step up when the situation calls for it. As for the villains, let's just say that there are eye popping cameos you'd like to take note of. Several new Black Lanterns make their appearance here too, including the ring leader, who many of you should know already know as Nekron, as revealed cover pic to issue #5 DC released a few months back. He's a menacing figure who clearly means business, and we'll probably see what kind of game he wants to play with the DCU come next issue.

I can't deny the fact that I've enjoyed Ivan Reis' art for the entire run of this series so far. Although Ethan Van Schiver has a style nobody can help but admire, Reis is a class A talent himself, and has drawn some of the most intense scenes that compliment a dramatic comic book tale such as Blackest Night. There are moments in the book that will make you feel every bit of emotion known to the spectrum - will, rage, fear, hope, love, avarice, and compassion, and it's timed well with the scenes that encourage optimism, or wrack a reader with despair as they see an important figure they've come to relate to get consumed by the power of death.Issue #4 is a highlight for Reis when it comes to the middle ground. There's no GL on sight, but that doesn't stop the other heroes (and undead lanterns) from shining forward and looking like gold. Oh, and the supplementary material known as "The Book Of Black" returns, and narrates a well conceived but twisted tale from the mind of Black Hand that deals with the concept of Willpower. What other thoughts burned into his deceased head will be interesting to read about as the series progresses. Here's me holding my breath and hoping for more superb writing and art from Johns and Reis.

So there goes another issue for the books. We're in the middle point of Blackest Night now, and it seems like death is having its way with everyone and transforming the universe, and most especially earth, into its own flying zombie Halloween Party. This issue could not have come at a better time, especially when the frights are in the air and all the ghoulies at home are expecting their trick or treats to get their grubby hand onto. I can't blame them, so if you're in the mood for some excellent comic book reading, I once again proclaim Blackest Night as the one and only choice. It's a must read event, and if you're celebrating All Hallow's Eve, it's the definite way to go.

Score - 10/10

Halloween Top 10 Horror Movie Franchises...

Well what do you know? It's almost Halloween folks! If you've got plans to trick or treat or party the night away with some fancy and scary costumes, this is the night to remember and look forward to. Over the years, there have been several ways to celebrate "All Hallow's Eve", and it's quite possibly the best time to scare yourselves over with some frightening forms of media and entertainment. When it comes down to it, I can't think of anything better than popping in a movie or video game that has horror written all over it, and there's a plethora of titles to choose from that have scared humanity for generations to come. I'll keep things simple and go down to my top 10 list of horror movie franchises that I love, each giving me some horrific memory to worry about. Without further delay, here are some treats to consider watching, with some poster links via Wiki.

Halloween Top 10 Horror Movie Franchises:

10.) Howling - I've been a fan of werewolves since I was a kid, even more so than Vampires. Back in the 80's, werewolf movies were becoming the trend, and seeing a person change into a howling beast of madness was the in thing, especially when John Landis unleashed "An American Werewolf In London" to the movie going public. That was instrumental in making Werewolves known to everyone, but so were a few other films like the Howling series. I guess the most memorable installment I can remember was "Howling: The Rebirth", which had closer ties to the novel and portrayed this horror mystery where a group of people gather in an ancient castle to combat and kill a Lycanthrope, who happens to be among their ranks. I never really followed the series afterwards, but the effects of changing from man/ woman to wolf still remain memorable to me until this day. It was pretty surreal... and intensely awesome.

9.) Halloween - I didn't really get into the whole Michael Myers thing. As a kid, I always thought the concept looked kinda bland, and the only thing giving me the chills was the theme music popping up whenever ol' Mike appeared to kill an unsuspecting fellow. The original was directed by the legendary John Carpenter, and the only thing I found amusingly "scary" was the mask of Mr. Myers, which happened to be created from a mold taken from William Shatner! As the years rolled on, my experience with the series came to a head with the release of Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers. B-Movie was written all over it, but it did the trick in making me dread the man who would also be known as "The Shape". The Halloween series also made Jamie Lee Curtis and the late great Donald Pleasance household names for their portrayals of Laurie Strode and Dr. Samuel Loomis, each an integral part of Michael's life. The remake by Rob Zombie was a good reimagination, but I have yet to watch the sequel. Anyone looking for a mad serial killer flick should definitely check this series out.

8.) A Nightmare On Elm Street - I'll be frank, Freddy Krueger knows how to make you NOT SLEEP at night. I never followed the Nightmare On Elm Street series religiously like other horror flicks, but I did watch the movies as a kid, and it was enough to scare the shit out of me sometimes. Freddy's iconic visage alone is enough to tell you the guy wants you to suffer agonizing dreams, and what he has delivered in the films thus far is a testament to his insanity and madness. He can be defeated by being brought into the real world, yes, but the dream world is his nightmarish kingdom to exploit, and he'll carve up some scars and dismember his victims with those trademark blades he has from his glove. When director Wes Craven made Nightmare and Freddy, he didn't know he unleashed a beast from the underworld. With that said, it made actor Robert Englund the kind of star that nightmares are made of.

7.) Friday The 13th - Somehow, I knew we were going to revisit Jason Vorhees in this list. He's the first B-movie character that scared the shit out of me, especially AFTER he resurrected from the dead. I always constituted the Friday series as a mix of teenagers, sex, and a deranged guy who wanted to kill, pure and simple. The backstory behind Jason's methods stem deeper than anyone could ever imagine, from drowning as a young boy in Camp Crystal Lake to harnessing his powers from Hell itself, managing to live again and again through demonic possession and such. That's how I remember this series, for the iconic giant serial killer who always wore a Hockey Mask and relentlessly paved a path of destruction until desperate means put a stop to him... temporarily at least. Actor Kane Hodder was the guy I remember well for playing that menacing role, and to this day, I still hear the "ch-ch-ch... cha-cha-cha" echo in my mind, signaling that Jason's presence is not far behind.

6.) Evil Dead - Sam Raimi made his name here before the Spider-Man films, and there's a pretty good reason why I love the Evil Dead films. Aside from it being horrifying and twisted, it's funny and awesome, and it's all thanks to the machinations of one man - Bruce Campbell, the actor who played the main protagonist, Ash. With his "charming looks and clean personality", Ash is the kind of hero who doesn't take shit and tries to laugh in the face of danger despite his stubborn and narrow-minded demeanor. This is a guy who calls his shotgun a boomstick and replaces his own severed hand with a chainsaw... so how can you not call that AWESOME? This series is simply a must watch for any horror freak, especially Army Of Darkness, where the real fun starts and ends. Oh, before anything else, always remember those damn words before you get your hands on the Necronomicon.XD

5.) George Romero's Dead Movies - George Romero introduced me to Zombies, and way before it became popular today, it was THE GENRE that had to make my list before I saw anything else. My first actual exposure was the 1990 remake of Night Of The Living Dead. Directed by his special effects guy and make up legend Tom Savini, this film brought gore and infection into my zombie vocabulary, and showed how utterly futile and stupid arguing amongst one another was when you got legions of the undead surrounding you and making your imminent death a slow but painful one. Soon, I started seeing the classics, and the original Dawn Of The Dead became my favorite among the original Dead Trilogy, especially because it was set in a shopping mall, a place that became a haven and a prison for the survivors trapped inside of it. Indeed, social commentary always worked with Romero's films, and served as a warning to anyone who underestimated certain situations and took for granted the world as we know it. The Zombie boom is here now thanks to games like RE and Left 4 Dead and movies like Zack Snyder's Dawn Of The Dead and 28 Days Later, but I'll still consider Romero the granddaddy who brought us the brain munching fun we all love. I'm really looking forward to his new movie, Survival Of The Dead.

4.) Saw - "Live Or Die... Make Your Choice". Those words echo and resonate throughout this entire Saw series. Dubbed as "Torture Porn" to the viewing public, there's a pretty good reason why it is called that way. The first movie showed just how effective mind games can be when a person is put to the ultimate test - will you lose a life or a limb in order to save your life or someone else's? Tobin Bell became a horror icon for his portrayal of the legendary mastermind Jigsaw, and even with other new characters now basking in the spotlight, I believe no Saw experience is complete without his involvement. Since 2004, the series has branched out into six films, each with its own unique victims to test and exploit, and while I find the story confusing sometimes, it's definitely the traps in each film that keep fans coming back for more. It's the signature stuff that makes the series interesting everytime, and in the case of those being tested, it's a torture experience that'll either change them or leave them resting... in pieces.

3.) The Ring/ Ringu - When you hear the name Sadako, you know that it's taboo to watch a mysterious video tape and leave the TV on. Back in the early 2000's, the Ring freaked me out, to the point that I literally had a hard time sleeping at night and watching a channel full of nothing but static. This was the first Japanese film that made me realize how gruesome curses can be, especially if you become complacent and confident that you broke the curse, only to realize you're still screwed in the end. The character of Sadako herself is a tragic one if you even bother to watch the rest of the series, and her misshapen and horrific visage was only born because of the evil and abuse she suffered years prior to the setting of the first film. A remake was made for Hollywood audiences, but it wasn't as good as the original Japanse version. Anyone with a faint heart should take care NOT to watch this movie, lest you have a desire to renounce watching TV forever.

2.) The Grudge/ Ju-On - Another Japanese Horror movie that gave the chills about curses, Ju-On succeeds in many more levels than its predecessor by incorporating more horrific feats and stories that were more deadlier than watching a videotape and seeing a woman with long hair crawl out of it. Ju-On shows that curses can be born out of a deep hatred or grudge, and it all started with the murder of a housewife and her son at the hands of her husband inside their own home. Soon, anyone who came to live inside that house was doomed to become a victim of death, as the curse infects anyone inside and spreads from person to person. This is depicted throughout the entire series, and essentially caused the end of humanity itself. Spider-Man and Evil Dead director Sam Raimi dipped his hand into this series, the result of which was a remake and two sequels that did pretty good to scare the people in Hollywood. Creepy stuff, I tell you, so be careful in watching this alone kiddies.

1.) The Exorcist - I won't lie. There's a good reason why I still consider The Exorcist the scare among all scares. It's the movie that brought demonic possession into mainstream media, and the haunting scenes of a girl possessed and doing twisted things are definitely not for the faint of heart. Words alone cannot describe the experience of watching this the first time, and if you ever consider doing so, I would suggest bringing a companion or two along with you.

Well, there you have it. Care to try watching any of these this Halloween?XD

The Marvels Project Gets A Cool Cap Variant Cover!

I caught this image over at Newsarama... and it's mighty awesome!


I don't collect The Marvels Project Miniseries, but I have to give props to veteran Marvel artist Steve McNiven for this talented piece of cover artwork. For issue #5, collectors will be graced with the choice of grabbing an alternate variant cover by Steve, and he's drawing none other than his namesake, Steve Rogers, the one and only original Captain America! It's great to see the moment captured where Cap dons the first iteration of his costume for the very first time to become a living symbol for America during World War II, and drawn by the guy who did Civil War and Old Man logan no less! This would make a great poster/ wallpaper for Cap fans... and we're all expecting a grand comeback for the Star Spangled Avenger in the next few months!