Ania Solo and her pal Sauk learn that they are in way, way over their heads with that salvaged lightsaber in this week’s Star Wars comic: Legacy #2. (more…)

This review will contain spoilers, anything going beyond the scope of the episode will be done in white text and will be preceded by *Spoiler*, episode spoilers will not be prefaced.

Last episode ended huge. Jaime Kingslayer Lannister getting his hand cut off was amazing. That scene was intense, the knife digging into Jaime’s eye and then so quickly moving to cut through his wrist. Last week is going to be a tough act to follow but we also will be seeing the results of Jamie losing his hand, Dany selling a dragon for a slave army, Theon getting rescued again, Arya’s journey, and what’s going on north of the wall.

The Good

• Jamie…seven hells man know when you are beaten. Watching him just get it worse and worse is rough. He has fallen so far from the first episode of this show.
• The origin of Varys The Spider and his revenge. I really did not expect the crate to contain a person, I figured some scrolls or something to give him a leg up in the game.
• Nice to know that Ros is trying to do good, and is pretty damn smart. Which means she’ll probably die or have more awful things happen to her.
• Wow, the Sept of Baelor is a pretty amazing set piece. Also the continued creepiness of Joffrey and the “interest” of Margaery.
• “The Boy” has one creepy ass smile, Iwan Rheon really is good at being a creep.
• Twyin tells it how it is. Hard to hate the guy.
• Shit, imagine if Twyin and Olenna Tyrell teamed up? Un-fucking-stoppable.
• “You are a bastard, a daughter fucking, wilding bastard.”
• LORD BERIC DONDARRION!
• Oh look Dany speaks Valyrian.
• That look from Missandei!
• Dracarys… Muahaha you know she was never really going to give up her dragon. Ever.

The “Bad”

• Theon seems to have recovered shockingly well from being tortured.
• Not a fitting end for the Old Bear.
• Beric doesn’t look much like I imagined him, no purple, no lightning. Still a bad ass.
• Valyrian sounds like whatever language Leeloo speaks in Fifth Element.

So I think the ending of this episode may overshadow the rest of it. Dany showing that she knew what the asshole slaver was saying all along and then melting his face is going to stick strongly in everyone’s minds. With that said, the mayhem at Craster’s was a pretty damn big deal. Lord Commander Mormont is dead and The Watch has lost so many men. Also Theon never really being rescued is incredibly fucked up. The boy who brought him back just played with him the entire time and knew enough about his past to do it well. Next week is going to very interesting as well, Sandor has his trial and we will see more of Jon and Robb.

Hiring an assassin to kill Darth Vader: it’s probably better to pay AFTER the job is done. Vader’s the target in this new series, kicking off this week. (more…)

We have a guest post from what we hope will be a new robot around here, Gax-Bot. And he’d like to review what he calls his favorite comic for you. So, without further ado, take it away, Gax-bot:

About the same time that the new Dredd movie hit theatres, IDW lunched the new Judge Dredd comic line. Newcomers to the franchise may be a bit surprised to find that the source material has comedic and goofy roots as well as the dark and serious ones portrayed in the movie.

Mega City One has always been a grim monument to the mistakes of mankind but has also been home to “Umpty candy” a brand of candy that tastes good it’s even more addictive then hard drugs, a robot rebellion that was lead by a robot named “Call-Me-Kenneth” and Judge Fish, a gold fish that was appointed second in command after the chief judge had lost his mind.

The new movie is a fantastic adaptation but does tend to leave out the tongue and cheek humor that was a staple in the comic. The joke of the Judge Dredd universe tends to be putting the citizens of Mega City One in situations that are so grim and strange that you can’t help but laugh.

To this day 2000 A.D.’s Judge Dredd is one of the few comics that can make me laugh, get me invested in the action and be able to throw it’s characters into more serious situation…like being charged with war crimes or having to deal with mass murder.

So how does IDW’s Judge Dredd hold up to the long standing comic and successful movie?

Despite having a lukewarm reaction to the first two issues I really look forward to picking up the book each month. The world and characters are written extremely faithfully to the original, so much so that they are even building up to the first big story line that was published in the early day’s of the comic.

Each issue has one story about Dredd and one story about a supporting character or the citizens of Mega City One. The side stories are there to feed you information about the world that will come into play latter or build on the lore of the City.

Penciled by Nalon Daniel with a Tank Girl-like style, the world is depicted as a very flashy but an unspent place to live.I particularly love his robots and his flabby or ugly looking bystanders. The second story of each book is normally picked up by a guest artist that can very in quality but is normally up to par with the level of the first story’s art standard.

One thing to note is the books excellent use of color. They use a lot of dark colors in the background that give it a dingy moody feel that contrasts with the neon signs and the bright colors of the Judge’s uniforms. Each page pops out and grabs my attention. It’s one of the big things that stand out to me as I read this back to back with other comics I pick up.

Final verdict – IDW’s Judge Dredd is a faithful adaptation of the original that is a great jumping on point for anyone looking to get into the series.

High recommendation to new and old fans alike.

Judge Dredd is available physically through retail outlets and by digital download with comixology.com.

It is not available on IDW’s website for reasons that confound me and that are probably stupid.

You have been judged.

-Gax

This review will contain spoilers, anything going beyond the scope of the episode will be done in white text and will be preceded by *Spoiler*, episode spoilers will not be prefaced.

Right off the bat we were treated to a new piece on the opening map, Riverrun. I always love seeing the new spots on the map and how they are treated. I’ve been worried before about the changes from the books but this episode is doing amazing things. The Brotherhood Without Banners and the Jamie and Brienne road trip are extremely entertaining. We are only 3 episodes in and things are shaping up for a really incredible season. As we know this show peaks around episode 9, and I think it’s going to be better than the last 2 seasons.

The Good

• Strong opening with the Funeral of Hoster Tully and finally meeting Catelyn’s family, Edmure and Brynden The Blackfish. The Blackfish is already a huge bad ass.
• Robb is very kingly this episode. Not taking any shit from his uncle.
• The most awkward small council meeting ever.
• THE BEAR AND THE MAIDEN FAIR!! Not how I thought it’d sound but not bad at all. Also I seriously love the Jamie and Brienne road trip. They’ve taken some of the best dialogue from the books and changed things to make them work wonderfully on the screen.
• Mance and Tormund are going to war!
• “There is a beast in every man and it stirs when you put a sword in his hand.”
• “Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly. And Rhaegar died.”
• Podrick deserves all his awesomeness.
• The fuck?! What is going on with Theon? *Spoiler* They found away to spring the Bastard of Bolton on us. 
• Holy. Shit. I knew Jaime would lose his hand but not like that. Holy shit they did an amazing job with that. They have managed to keep this material fresh for book readers in so many ways.

The Bad

• I may have to rename this The Not Perfect, because nothing has really been bad.  Just different or waiting to be explained.
• White Walker art?
• *Spoiler* Why hasn’t Sam become Sam the Slayer yet? I figure it has to happen soon enough.
• Personal thing: I always hate birth scenes. Always.
• Pervy Stannis.

This episode was pretty incredible. I was surprised on a few things and I think they writers are doing a wonderful job keeping book readers guessing as well as providing a solid show for people who haven’t read the books. I was very impressed tonight.

The Empire strikes all over the galaxy – Can Han Solo find a place to hide on Coruscant? Can Leia and her wingmates survive an Imperial ambush? The action heats up in Star Wars #4 by Brian Wood, this week’s sole Star Wars comic release. (more…)

I’ll be honest, I’m always wary of speakers and I’m always wary small plastic ones. I’ve never had good luck with them and they always start to sound like crap for me after like a week. Perhaps it’s because I play them too loud. Perhaps they’re just cheap.

When I received in the mail for review a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles portable speaker, I was not expecting to be impressed.

How could I be?

I’ve held off writing this review because I wanted to prove myself right. “The speaker’s going to blow and this adorable little Ninja Turtle is going to sit on my shelf for the rest of his life collecting dust.”

I was wrong.

The sound out of these speakers is surprisingly rich and can get to a good volume, and I haven’t blown the speaker yet after 2 weeks of use. I’ve hooked it up to my computer, my phone, and my laptop with the intention of putting it through its paces and all it’s done is provide me excellent sound quality and look great on my desk.

And since it’s a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (mine is Raphael), it satisfies all of my needs to be geeky.

They’re available now at Toys ‘R’ Us and Amazon. If you’re in the market for a portable speaker, this would be perfect for boosting your signal at a party or at a small gathering where you need some music in the background.

This review will contain spoilers, anything going beyond the scope of the episode will be done in white text and will be preceded by *Spoiler*, episode spoilers will not be prefaced.

• Robb lying to his mother about the fate of “Bran” and “Rickon” with the immediate cut to Theon on something that looks very much like Lord Bolton’s flayed man sigil. That scene made me cringe.
• The return of Jamie and Brienne! “It’s a shame the throne isn’t made out of cocks, they’d of never got him off it” *Spoiler* Super excited for the way this goes and the bear and maiden fair*
• The Tyrell girls making Sansa not hate her life, particularly Lady Olena. She’s not taking any bullshit. They’ve taken a lot of her dialogue straight from the books.
• Cat telling Talisa about how bad she feels about how she treated Jon Snow was pretty great. *Spoiler*
• The Warg, Orell. 
• Dolorous Edd.
• Pretty much everything in the North.
• Lots of love for the direwolf this episode.
• *Spoiler* Jojen motherfuckin Reed waltzing up without a fear in the world. Today is not the day he dies.
• Arya and The Brotherhood Without Banners! Walking up singing Rains of Castamere. 
• *Spoiler* Hello Ramsay.
• Jojen explaining Warging and other weird stuff to Bran and us.
• Return of The Hound!
• Jamie and Brienne fighting.

As a gaming pop, I’m a big proponent of highlighting kids games that go above and beyond – even if they’re a few months old.

Let’s face it, quasi-educational titles don’t get a whole lot of love and a lot of parents have no idea how to discern a good kids title from a piece of shovel-ware.

And so I present for your approval a somewhat overlooked game that hit the Wii U a few months back. Scribblenauts Unlimited certainly wasn’t high on the must-have pre-Christmas wish lists of a lot of youngsters, but the fact is this is a title that is both entertaining and educational thanks to a unique gameplay approach that taps into the player’s creativity.

The idea is that thanks to a magical notebook (which you access as the Wii U’s tablet controller), the main character, Max, can make anything he writes on said pad appear in his world.

Max is confronted by a series of problems to solve. His ability to conjure tools and find creative solutions to the various dilemmas put in his path is what drives the action. And the fact that you can get ridiculously creative is what makes this game so much fun and gives it definitely replay value.

(And parents, don’t mention the fact your child will have to spell the words correctly in order to make the items appear is, in fact, educational. In a world where spelling seems increasingly devalued in favour of text shorthand, abbreviations and ever-lenient teaching methods that put creativity ahead of accuracy – as if the two can’t co-exist – it’s nice to see a developer and publisher reward smarts.)

The game unfolds as a series of missions in a quasi-sandbox environment. Quasi in that you have to unlock various areas as you progress. However, you’re not limited to just one area or mission. They string together, so there is a degree of choice and open world gaming here. Grand Theft Scribblenauts it is not, however.

The puzzles get increasingly complex, requiring the player to string together several solutions in order to advance the story.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting and where good game parenting can come into play. While many of the puzzles can be solved with mundane approaches – there’s a fire in your way, so you can conjure a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher – you can also get creative. Make a dragon cry tears. Set up a sprinkler. Create a rainstorm.

And by sitting with your child from time to time and encouraging them to get uber-creative, you will fire their imagination.

Reward them by having them come to show you the cool, out-of-the-ordinary solutions they come up with while they’re playing on their own.

The more thought and effort they put into the game – and the more you reward them for doing that and making it an added experience – the better they will be for it. And you can rest assured that your kids are learning something while entertaining themselves.

As well, there’s an object editor system that can be accessed, allowing players to create just about anything they can imagine. This can be tools for the game, or it can even be simply an outlet for artistic kids who want to create virtual items or artwork. It’s an outstanding tool and addition that adds an entirely different dimension to the software package.

You can also share these creations online, or check out the work of others, drawing inspiration that could send you off in your own creative direction.

And in case you fear that your tot will be tying up the TV for hours at a time, that’s where the beauty of the Wii U’s tablet controller comes in. Thanks to what Nintendo has dubbed Off-TV play, the entire adventure can be experienced entirely on the gamepad.

There haven’t been a whole lot of games for the Wii U that I’d describe as must-play experiences so far, especially titles that hold appeal for both young and … more experienced gamers. Scribblenauts Unlimited is one. The game is rated E-10+ for kids ages 10 and older, although younger players can certainly tackle it with some occasional parental guidance. It’s worth the effort.

* Wayne Chamberlain has covered the gaming industry since 2003. Follow him on Twitter @ChamberlainW. He is also co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast, available on iTunes.

Even in my 40s, I’m a sucker for a good kids movie or video game. I remain a kid at heart and unabashedly shed a tear every time I watch Finding Nemo and get my Force geek on whenever I fire up an episode of The Clone Wars with my own monkeys.

And when reviewing them, I try to bring a kids wants and needs into the equation, as well as a parent’s view. Adults who review children’s games as if they’re reviewing Spartacus are, in my opinion, well, out of touch.

It’s always a pleasure as a reviewer and a parent to find a game that will entertain the younglings while satisfying the adult need to know that your child is doing something besides killing hours with a title that offers little in terms of redeeming value beyond sheer entertainment.

Developer Level-5’s Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is one of those no-brainer titles for game-savvy parents. This 3DS release offers more brain-teasing, puzzle-solving goodness – the hallmark of this franchise.

Layton and his apprentice, Luke, as well as his assistant Emmy, embark on a mysterious journey to a desert world in search of an old friend. They discover the locals being threatened by the Masked Gentleman, a baddie who wears the Mask of Chaos, a device that can turn people into stone.

You are tasked with solving the mystery of Mask of Chaos (which involves playable flashback sequences) and saving the town and citizens from the masked fiend.

You do this by solving some seriously difficult puzzles that will test the creativity and brain power of anyone who picks up this one up. Yes, it can occasionally get frustrating, but they are not so onerous that you will quit the game in exasperation. And there are hints that you can use to solve them if you truly get stuck.

Miracle Mask makes excellent use of the 3DS platform, creating a more engaging storytelling and puzzle-solving experience thanks to the added visual dimension the handheld offers.

The cel-shaded visuals are crisp and gorgeous and this fifth iteration of the Layton franchise (but first on the 3DS) offers more of an actual gaming experience than previous outings. In short, this doesn’t feel like some kind of virtual interactive puzzle book.

Looking for clues in the 3D environments is more interactive than the tap-everything-till-you-find-the-clue approach of the four previous DS adventures.

Kids should find this game quite entertaining and the story and gameplay lends itself to short bursts rather than hour after hour of puzzle grinding.

Adults will also enjoy some of the brain teasers here. Writing this game off as a kid’s title doesn’t do it justice. Given how some brain training ‘games’ have become quite popular, think of Miracle Mask as the Pixar equivalent of a children’s movie. It’s much more nuanced than your typical kiddie title.

* Wayne Chamberlain has covered the gaming industry since 2003. Follow him on Twitter @ChamberlainW. He is also co-host of the Star Wars Book Report podcast, available on iTunes.