Sometimes being a girly girl geek has its bonuses. Well, all the time it does, because that’s awesome, but sometimes it has bonuses that you get to share with everyone.
Picture it: It’s a gloomy Saturday morning, and your trolling your favorite private shopping sites for discounted McQ and instead you stumble on this.
I’m sorry, did the site that usually offers me Urban Decay and ridiculously expensive baby clothes just show me some Marvel art? Yes. Yes they did, and they are selling an amazing lot of art for up to 80% off. Here is a fraction of what is up for grabs:
I Am An Avenger #5 framed and signed? Don’t mind if I do!
Last Man Standing holy crap that’s awesome.
Defenders: Strange Heroes. COME ON, they have Defenders art!!
And lastly, if anyone wants to buy this for me, I’m just sayin’, it has pretty much all my favorite characters and just… Wow.
The cons? You do have to be a site member to make purchases. But the pros? I don’t think you have to be invited anymore, and also I’m sorry did you see that art? It’s amazing. Just pop over to Gilt to start adding to your collection.
PORN CORNER WITH KMC1138: You Know What, Just Trust Me and Read the Article.
I guess “porn corner” is slightly misleading in this case. I’m not talking about anything hardcore, but “Mature Items Corner” just doesn’t have swag.
Anyway. I’m not even remotely sorry that my only recent contributions to the site have been about Supernatural and porn. Let’s be fair – what else is there? Well, there’s also Doctor Who, Star Wars, video games, Game of Thrones… And now, thanks to Etsy seller Geek Kink you can combine all your BDSM needs with your favorite nerd fandom.
Geekologie originally brought this store to our attention, thank the Seven, because I have gone far too long without a light saber fanny whipper thingy. OK, full disclosure here – I am so vanilla I didn’t even know what most of this stuff is. But that’s not going to stop me from talking about it. And since this is the internet, I should probably state that just because I don’t practice or even “get” the BDSM lifestyle, I in no way shape or form judge it. Y’all can go to town, but I will take my bottom unspanked, a-thank you.
Geek Kink’s prices are presumably fair (I did not price an unadorned fanny whipper thingy, sadly), and the seller takes all kinds of custom orders. Just FYI. The items range from the clever…
To the beautifully crafted…
To the “well that’s just cool!”…
To the “Eheheheh theeeeeere it is”…
To the… Um… well that’s actually kind of interesting I mean I’m just saying…
Also included are confusing items (the Bacon Toy Bag springs to mind) and giggleworthy items (I’m sorry the MLP/Doctor Who crossover sent me into fits of laughter and tears).
Geek Kink accepts Etsy gift cards as well as credit cards, ships items for free in the US (say whaaaa? That’s awesome!), and is currently running a deal through May 1st – buy any TARDIS crop and get a TARDIS paddle or cane for free!! Is the cane to help you walk if you are sore the next day? Yeah?
COMICS: Marvel to Relaunch Graphic Novel Line in 2013
Marvel announced today that they will be releasing graphic novels once again, starting with a Warren Ellis penned/Mike McKone pencilled Avengers epic this October.
“Avengers: Endless Wartime” features a team consisting of Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye… And Wolverine and Captain Marvel. When asked what prompted the feature of this particular team in Marvel’s return to the format, EiC Axel Alonso replied “a little movie called ‘Marvel’s The Avengers.'”
Ellis did most of the casting himself, all the while keeping in mind which Avengers are hottest in the public eye right now (and which ones have major motion picture releases in the next 12 months). Alonso said that Thor and Cap were “must-haves,” but everyone else was Ellis’s choice. I appreciate Marvel’s honesty in the marketing department, but also appreciate that they know that Thor is an Avengers staple; Alonso says “Thor is one of—if not the—most powerful beings in the Marvel Universe. He’s a bedrock member of the Avengers. For long-term fans—and casual cineplex fans—he’s the guy who brings the thunder. Literally.” The team will face an as yet undisclosed “force of pure evil,” and Alonso and Senior VP Tom Brevoort assure Ellis fans that the darkness at which he is so skilled will be a prominent presence in the GN.
It’s a smart move for the publisher, and one that addresses many cross-walks the industry can utilize to bridge reader gaps – the format allows film fans/new readers as well as fans of Ellis to get involved with an Avengers story without the commitment to a monthly book (and you know what, I think it’s OK to not want to commit to a monthly book and still consider yourself a comics fan). I myself am happy to see some energy spent on OGN content, even if it means taking some focus from huge seasonal crossover events.
The creative team will be working with colorist Jason Keith, and McKone will be doing his own inking on the project.
For more images from “Avengers: Wartime,” be sure to check out Marvel’s tumblr, and click here for the full interview with Alonso and Brevoort.
Over the last week Marvel has released a bunch of teases that have had people speculating some out there theories. Talk of rebooting the Marvel Universe a la Flashpoint style seemed to be the most popular. Well on Sunday Marvel had their panel at SXSW and explained what those teases actually are. They have to do with a lot of things Marvel will be doing digitally. The first tease that came out last week was this:
And with that we get the announcement that Marvel is, for a limited time, offering 700 #1 issues and one shots for free on their digital site and app. This promotion will run until 11pm eastern time on Tuesday March 12th. This even includes the first issues of the recent Marvel Now titles. So if you’ve been wanting to check out some of the new series, but weren’t too sure, the first issues are all available. You may be waiting a bit though because comixology’s website crashed shortly after this announcement was made. I hope they have it fixed soon since this promotion is only running for 2 more days.
Let’s move on to the next tease:
The running joke on the internet was that this was going to be “The Now 52.” What could the 52 hashmarks be? Well there are 52 weeks in a year, and with that we’ll be getting 52 weekly digital infinite comics. We will see four seperate series with each one being 13 parts. The first is “Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted” written by Jason Aaron and Jason Latour and drawn by Paco Diaz. “What we’re doing with Infinite Comics is developing a new language for telling comic book stories” said Axel Alonso, Marvel’s Editor in Chief. The first issue comes out July 9th and is available for pre order right now on Marvel’s digital store.
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If you want a free taste of how the Infinte Comics work, Marvel released a free issue earlier this week spotlighting Drax the Destroyer from Guardians of the Galaxy written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Michael Avon Oeming. For more preview pages check the gallery at the end of the article.
The last tease Marvel had posted was about somthing called Project Gamma:
Project Gamma actually sounds pretty cool to me, but won’t be launching until later this year. Project Gamma is an initiative to add music and sound effects to your digital comics. This is being worked on by the same companies that composed and produced music for the Looper, Drive, The King’s Speech, and the Harry Potter films.
Marvel also announced that they are launching another weekly web series hosted by Blair Butler called “Marvel’s Earths Mightiest Show.” It will bring you news from Marvel, in addition to interviews and behind the scenes looks at their films.
As reported on by Screen Crush Joss Whedon has clarified his involvement in the upcoming S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot for ABC and what he will do if it becomes an actual series. Joss has become a big name since doing The Avengers but many of his loyal fans know him from his days doing television and they long for the day that he comes back to a full series. But with The Avengers 2 and the Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog series on the horizon how involved can he be in a TV series?
Whedon spoke to Entertainment Weekly stating he would be a part of the pilot which is co-written with Maurissa Tanchareon and his brother Jed Whedon. Besides the pilot however he would leave it in the capable hands of his brother, Tanchareon and Jeffrey Bell (executive producer on Angel and Alias) and come into the series, “as my schedule allows.” But he also says he doesn’t want to be in and out:
I have to maintain a fine balance between not hurting The Avengers, which is my number one priority right now, and not be the guy who shows up once a month and undoes everything that’s been done by everyone else.
In case you don’t know Joss’ brother Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tanchareon co-wrote Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog with Joss and wrote most of the episodes of Dollhouse. So this show looks to be in very capable hands. S.H.I.E.L.D. will star Clark Gregg reprising his role as Agent Coulson, Ming-Na Wen (E.R., Eureka) will play the part of Melinda May, Elizabeth Henstridge will play Gemma Simmons, Iain De Caestecker (The Fades) will be Leo Fitz and Brett Dalton will play Grant Ward. Samuel L. Jackson has confirmed that he will also show up from time to time.
Yes, I’m that person who didn’t like “Pulp Fiction.”
I watched it very recently for the first time, and although there was some great writing and a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, I was pretty disappointed. Of course, this drew the wrath of many a Facebook friend when I posted about it, and one of them pointed out something.
My expectations were too high.
This movie is supposed to be Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece, the quintessential 90s gangster film….I recognized the iconic scenes and lines…realized this is what resparked the careers of Travolta and Jackson. But alas, I was disappointed.
I’m also that person who will passionately organize a movie outing with a few dozen people. I did so for several movies, such as “Superman Returns.”
With “Spider-Man 3”, I inhaled everything there was to know about the movie, including actor roles, all trailers, possible plots. I blogged on MySpace about it several times up to the premiere and, like many fans, was disappointed by the outcome.
Now that I’m older, a lot of these traditions have become tiresome and, in a way, seem to go against my inner movie geek. Here are a few unusual things to try in preparation for a either a movie outing. A few of these tips can apply to movie nights in, too.
1) Never, ever, ever see a movie on opening weekend. The reasons why are pretty obvious. Yes, I have attended midnight premieres of movies and enjoyed myself. The last one I did was for “Harry Potter” with my niece, and it was an incredible experience. But more so because it was the end of a tradition I had been doing with my niece for a decade and I caught some friends there.
I also braved the crowds even though I was recovering from mono and went to the midnight premiere of “Star Wars Episode Three.” My then boyfriend at the time sewed his own Jedi costume, so it felt pretty important for me to be there. (No, I wasn’t contagious and yes, he sewed a costume, cut and died his hair and grew a beard for Halloween and opening night. I ended up marrying a *Con gamer, so there you go.)
But then there are those ultra-crappy experiences. There’s the time I planned an outing for the opening of “Spider-Man 2” and we had to endure second row seats and a set of chair-thumping rugrats behind us. Once we finally said something, we got lip from their mom. It was a terribly unpleasant moviegoing experience, considering how epically awesome that movie turned out.
I only enjoy movies now when there are smaller (and less rowdy) crowds. I tend to go on second or third weeks of big premieres. Sure, I miss the costumes, the greeting from movie employees and the thunderous applause at the end of the last scene.
But now I feel like my inner geek is much more content.
2) Don’t read or watch reviews until after I’ve seen the movie. This is a toughie for me, because I’m a film critic at heart and (seriously!) take the reviews of critics to heart. Of course, there have been plenty of times where I’ve disagreed with them.
Okay, okay. If you haven’t already written me off about “Pulp Fiction,” I will tell you that I cried watching “The Postman.” In a good way. Because I liked it!
It’s very, very easy for me to have certain ideas in the back of my head while watching a movie that shape the way I look at it. Usually, if a movie gets poor reviews, I end up walking into the theater already disapproving a bit, and how can that be an enjoyable experience?
It just can’t. And, of course, like “Pulp Fiction”, “The Departed” or other critically acclaimed movies, it can backfire. I go in thinking it will be amazing and then I’m extraordinarily disappointed.
3) Don’t watch movie trailers anymore. Period. Sure, I’ll catch them at the movies, because it’s an inconvenience to show up late or walk out, but other than that, I’ve stopped. Here’s the problem. The quality of most trailers has decreased dramatically. Particularly after a movie’s release, they reveal more and more information. The “camel straw” for me was when my husband informed me that a key scene in a movie trailer ended up being the actual ending of the movie.
Really?
Sure, people want the familiarity of saying, “Hey, I remember that. I saw that in the trailer!” But there’s the problem. Often times you’ll notice random little things about trailers that *weren’t* included. Or there will be entire scenes that don’t show up. Or you expect a certain song to be in the soundtrack, and it never happens.
Teaser or viral trailers are few and far between nowadays, and I hate that. I hate going into a movie knowing every single plot element, every important scene, every funny line.
Here’s an interesting example: I’m a *huge* superhero movie fan. I absolutely loved watching all of the different Avengers trailers. I tried to do some research on characters, since I haven’t followed the comics. So I dissected this trailer with a fine-toothed comb. At about 2 minutes in, there’s that great scene where all of the Avengers are gathered in a circle, prepping for battle. When Black Widow loads her handgun, her wrists light up in blue.
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I posted it on Facebook when the trailer came out, and the best answer I got was that I’m sure they would talk about what that was all about. Unfortunately, at no point did I ever get a real indication of what actually happens with her wrists. I think there was one scene where she punches through something, but I’m not sure if that was it. I’ve had to actually go back and Google this now to figure out why they were used.
Honestly, her character was a smidge disappointing in the final battle, but after watching and re-watching that trailer, it really did influence my opinion of the movie in a negative way. I won’t do that ever again.
I still have yet to see a full trailer of “The Hobbit,” and I could not be more excited!
What are you passionate about that you take extraordinary measures to have the best experience possible? What do you think of doing all of this to watch a good flick? Sound off in the comments!
Marvel is pleased to present your first look at Avengers #1, kicking off the all-new ongoing series from the blockbuster creative team of writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Jerome Opena and colorist Dean White! The greatest heroes in comics together on one unbeatable team! Now shipping twice a month, the Avengers “go large,” expanding their roster and their sphere of influence to a global and even interplanetary level. When Captain America puts out his call – who will answer? Big threats, big ideas, big idealism – these are the Avengers NOW!
An all-new direction! All-new threats! This is Avengers NOW!
This December, Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena redefine what it means to be Earth’s Mightiest in Avengers #1!
AVENGERS #1 (SEP120526)
Written by JONATHAN HICKMAN
Art by JEROME OPENA
Colors by DEAN WHITE
Cover by DUSTIN WEAVER
ON SALE DECEMBER 5th!
Known mostly for his loud mouth and ability to back it up there is one thing you may not know about the WWE Champion CM Punk. He is a huge comic geek. The self proclaimed “Best in the World” will now have his words read instead of heard. He will be writing the introduction for the Avengers vs X-Men hardcover collection which will be released next week.
As excited as this wrestling fan is for that I’m curious what the sales numbers on the the AvX hardcover will be. First being released in a limited hardcover it includes all 12 issues of AvX, all 6 of the AvX Vs series, and the previously digital only infinite comics. Also a code to redeem a digital copy of the book will be available. And all you trade waiters can get this for a mere $75. That’s not a typo, I said $75. For what was Marvel’s biggest event of the year I would figure they’d want to sell as many copies of the collection as soon as they can, but with it being so pricey I don’t see it flying off the shelves.
For Immediate Release
WWE® CHAMPION CM PUNK® PENS INTRODUCTION TO THE LIMITED EDITION AVENGERS VS. X-MEN HARDCOVER
The Hottest Comic Of The Year Is Now The Most Anticipated Collection of 2012
New York, New York, October 24, 2012 – The best-selling comic event of the year, hits store shelves in a limited-edition, oversized collection with the Avengers vs. X-Men Hardcover featuring an introduction from WWE Superstar and Champion, CM Punk! Worlds collide as one of the top performers in WWE provides insight into the new landscape of the Marvel Universe in this one-of-a-kind introduction! Experience the pop culture event like never before as your favorite heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto and more go head-to-head with the entire Marvel Universe at stake!
“To say I’m flattered to write the intro for the biggest comic book crossover EVER would be…well it wouldn’t be me,” said WWE Champion CM Punk. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s super cool, but it also makes sense. Best superheroes in the world? Check. Best writers in the world (plus Ed Brubaker)? Check. Best artists in the world? Yup, them too. Best wrestler in the world. That’s me! So it’s the best team of all time! We are all the best! Now you will read the best!”
The Avengers vs. X-Men Hardcover features the top talent of the industry including top-selling authors: Brian Michael Bendis (Avengers, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man); Jason Aaron (Wolverine & The X-Men, Wolverine); Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four, Ultimate Comics Ultimates); Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Winter Soldier); Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man, The Mighty Thor) and even more! This unprecedented assembly of acclaimed writers is joined by a cavalcade of the industry’s superstar artists including John Romita Jr (Avengers); Olivier Coipel (The Mighty Thor); Adam Kubert (X-Men: Schism) and others.
“There is no better person who understands the theatrical nuances of a good rivalry than WWE Champion, CM Punk,” said Marvel Editor In Chief, Axel Alonso. “We couldn’t be happier to have him to share his praise of our biggest event yet with his fans, and ours.”
With a limited print run, the Avengers vs. X-Men Hardcover includes a number of bonus features that enahnce the Avengers vs. X-Men experience even further including:
Exclusive (to the collection) behind the scenes extras utilizing special augmented reality technology with the Marvel AR app powered by Aurasma.
Avengers vs. X-Men Infinite comics in print for the very first time!
A code for a free digital copy available exclusively through the Marvel Comics app & Marvel Digital Comics Shop!
The Avengers and X-Men have learned that the all-powerful embodiment of both death and rebirth known as the Phoenix Force is on a crash course for Earth…and it needs a new host to unleash its immeasurable power. But what is the shocking decision tied to the Phoenix’s return that will pit the Avengers against the X-Men? And when good friends become bitter enemies, what does this mean for the future of the Marvel Universe?
You’ve heard It’s Coming—and this November witness every punch thrown, every shield slung and every blast blown out in the Avengers vs. X-Men Hardcover!
All your favorite super heroes enter the fight—and only one team will emerge victorious!
The Avengers fought the X-Men, but that was then, this is now. Marvel Now to be exact. What is Marvel Now you might be wondering? Marvel Now is the initiative right now at Marvel where they are shaking up creative teams on all the books and starting most of their series over with new #1 issues. It’s not a reboot, everything that happened before still happened. One such shakeup is the departure of Brian Michael Bendis from the Avengers line. After eight years and countless issues BMB is moving over to the X-men, but the question is who could fill his shoes on the Avengers? Jonathan Hickman, that’s who! Jonathan Hickman has made a name for himself over the last few years with his Nick Fury spy epic (Secret Warriors) and his much acclaimed run on the Fantastic Four/FF titles. He is a man with big out there ideas, but not so big and out there that you feel dumb cause you can’t understand them. Joining Hickman will be Jerome Opena on pencils. Opena has made a name for himself over the years working with Rick Remender on Uncanny X-Force, Punisher, and Fear Agent. The preview pages below the press release make me excited to see what kinds of cool things these two have in store for us.
Marvel NOW! – AVENGERS #1 First Look!
Marvel is pleased to present your first look atAvengers #1, kicking offthe all-new ongoing series from the blockbuster creative team of writer Jonathan Hickman, artist Jerome Opena and colorist Dean White! The greatest heroes in comics together on one unbeatable team! Now shipping twice a month, the Avengers “go large,” expanding their roster and their sphere of influence to a global and even interplanetary level. When Captain America puts out his call – who will answer? Big threats, big ideas, big idealism – these are the Avengers NOW!
As part ofMarvel NOW!, Avengers joins a number of titles that will take the Marvel Universe in an exciting all-new direction, as the industry’s top creators join the top Super Heroes to deliver all-new ongoing series, great for new and lapsed readers alike!
Each issue ofAvengers includes a code for a free digital copy on the Marvel Comics app (for iPhone®, iPad®, iPad Touch® & Android devices). Additionally, each issue ofAvengers features special augmented reality content available exclusive through theMarvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.
An all-new direction! All-new threats! This isAvengers NOW!
ThisDecember, Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena redefine what it means to be Earth’s Mightiest inAvengers #1!
This is a Blu-ray set that’s really review proof. We’ve all bought this film and there’s really not much I can say that will convince you to buy it or to not buy it.
On Blu-ray the film looks as good or better than it did on the big screen. Seriously, it was so sharp that the green screen shots were popping out at me much worse than on film or blown up digitally. I just bought a new TV, too, so maybe that had something to do with it.
As for bonus features on the version I got, we had deleted scenes and a gag reel, both excellent. I love watching deleted scenes. It makes me respect the filmmakers even more. The scenes would not have worked to make a better movie in any way, but they were good. Seeing them sacrifice good scenes and whole subplots for the good of the movie is the mark of a great film editor. The Agent Hill subplot might have been interesting, but starting the movie in a wraparound sequence of her interrogation by the shadow council would have been absolute clown shoes.
And I loved all the stuff of Steve Rogers adapting to his time, but it simply didn’t fit with the pacing. We should be getting plenty of that in The Winter Soldier.
The gag reel was a bit of nonsensical fun. The commentary was fantastic…
The biggest feature, perhaps, is the Marvel short film Item 47. It looks at a couple who finds some discarded Chitauri weaponry and start robbing banks with it. It’s fun, has high production value, and is a great side-story in the Marvel Universe. I hope they keep up making the shorts for the DVDs, it’s nice to get extra movie-like content in the universe that doesn’t have to get stuck inside the movie. My biggest complaint is that it didn’t involve any actual Marvel characters. I’d love to see these shorts as a way to showcase the heroes who don’t have movies yet.
But too bad if you have just a DVD player. Pretty much all of the special features are Blu-ray only, which sucks for those who haven’t made the leap. Maybe it’s smart on the part of the technology companies that want us all to have the latest and greatest technology, but it sucks when you buy a film that has a Blu-ray and DVD version and your DVD is next to worthless.
It really doesn’t matter, though. My guess is you’ve all already watched your copy about a hundred times. I know I’ve watched the film at least three times since I’ve had it. It stands up. There’s nothing bad about this movie.
