Well, if you watched last week’s exciting episode, you learned two things. First, this incarnation of Captain America is way different from just about any other. Second, flying in the face of movie serial tropes, you know who the mysterious Scarab is right off the bat! As for the cliffhanger? Let me tell you, that is definitely the most realistic building collapse a 1940’s serial budget could buy! That is to say, well, not terribly convincing. How do you think Captain America will get out of this one? If it were Steve Rogers, I’d bet he’d just shrug off a building, using his shield as a brace. For District Attorney Grant Gardner though? I dunno, maybe he’ll shoot it or something. At any rate, we’ll find out in chapter 2: Mechanical Executioner!
Hope you all liked that! As a bonus, here is the one-sheet poster for this very chapter!
I have a dirty little secret: I liked the first two Transformers movies.
I know, I know, “Michael Bay sucks! All his movies are just explosions!”, “The plots are dumb!”, “Transformers 2 was horrible!”, and so on and so forth. Maybe I’m the minority here, maybe it’s because I went into these movies wanting and expecting little more that giant robots beating the living shit out of each other, or possibly you may just think I have a horrible taste in movies. Frankly, I don’t care. I enjoyed the hell out of the first two Transformers films (despite the presence of some really dumb humor in the second one) and I have been looking forward to the third one, and this new trailer just released over at michaelbay.com makes me even more excited.
I think I may be the only bot here at BSR! who likes these movies as much as I do, but even I have slacked on posting much on this upcoming third installment. Mostly because all of the news that has hit has been pretty much the same as the last two films: a couple images of a handful of transformers, some movie banners here and there, nothing terribly exciting. But this! I think this trailer is absolutely badass. The stakes have been raised, there actually seems to be a sense that the whole world is in peril, massive amounts of distruction, and most importantly Optimus Prime jetting in and skidding down a freeway cutting down bad guys! Think what you want, but watching the trailer (a few times actually) I couldn’t help but think, “Hell yes!” The human race is essentially boned in a big way and it’s up to Bumblebee and Optimus Prime and company step up and kick some Decepticon ass.
This may not be as high on my anticipation list as Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger, but I will still be at my local cinema opening weekend for this one, most likely enjoying the hell out of it.
The Autobots do battle for the final time (at least for a long while) when Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens on July 1, 2011!
I have been waiting for this book ever since it was announced at New York Comic-Con. Today, not only did the standard first look come out, but there is also a really cool motion comic-style trailer. The art and coloring on these are amazing! It looks like the official character art by Capcom in comic form! I’ll admit that I am not a fan of the writer/artist team on this book, not being a fan of the Sonic books. I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt though, and you should too. If you’ve ever played a Mega Man game, you may already know the story, but even so, the obvious care taken in this book is infectious! If you want to get in on the ground floor, Archie is offering a subscription on their site. For now, enjoy the Super Fighting Robot goodness!
MEGA MAN #1
“Let the Games Begin!” Part One: The future looks bright when brilliant and benevolent Dr. Light unveils his latest creations: the Robot Masters! But when the nefarious Dr. Wily steals them for his own sinister purposes, there is no one left to stop him. No one – except Mega Man! Don’t miss the first issue of this brand new ongoing series!
SCRIPT: IAN FLYNN
ARTIST: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE, JOHN WORKMAN, MATT HERMS
COVER: PATRICK “SPAZ” SPAZIANTE
1 IN 5 SKETCH VARIANT COVER: CHAD THOMAS
Shipping Date: 4/27/2011
On Sale at Comic Shops: 5/4/2011
Newsstands: Week of 5/17
Comic, 32 pages, 40 lb. glossy stock, Full-Color
$2.99 US
It’s no secret that just about everyone here at BSR is a fan of pinball. Sadly, we can’t get to a local arcade (or even find one), when we want to knock around silver balls. Thankfully, companies like Zen Studios know the score and make incredible, amazing and uncanny pinball tables for home use. Their next endeavor is well, fantastic!
Coming next month for download on both Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network (if it ever goes back up), is the first DLC for Marvel Pinball: Fantastic Four! Personally, I’m really excited about this. When the original Marvel tables came out, I was pretty disappointed that the FF weren’t there already. Marvel’s first family definitely deserves to be represented in pinball form. Judging by the trailer, I’d say that the wait is definitely going to be worth it, take a look for yourself, and then I’ll gush some more.
Just awesome. I love love love the way that each member of the FF is integrated into the table mechanics themselves. You could probably replicate The Thing manipulating the ball, and have transparent ball saves like the Invisible Woman’s on a physical table, but there is just no way that Mr. Fantastic could do his thing on anything but a video table. And that vortex mid-playfield? forget about it! I can hardly wait for May 17th when it releases! I’m hoping that with Dr. Doom, the Mole Man and freaking Galactus showing up means the boss battles will be epic, but Zen’s track record is pretty good, so I’m pretty hyped. Here’s some nice high-res screenshots to further whet your appetite.
Big Shiny Robot is excited to bring you this interview with voice actor extraordinaire Steve Blum! For those of you who aren’t familiar with his work, Mr. Blum is probably most well known as Spike in Cowboy Beebop, Mugen in Samurai Champloo, Wolverine in Wolverine and the X Men, and currently as the voice of Starscream on Transformers Prime on the Hub network.
For me personally, it was an absolute honor to interview Mr. Blum. I have been a huge fan since the 1990’s and have enjoyed his voice acting work in countless series and video games (most recently as Wolverine in Wolverine and the X Men and as Zaka in the Playstation 3 game Valkyria Chronicles).
Check out our interview in which Mr. Blum talks about getting started as a voice actor, working with legends like Frank Welker and fellow anime talent Crispin Freeman, some of his favorite characters, his current projects, and more!
You can hear Mr. Blum at work as the ultra-cool bounty hunter Spike Spiegel in this great trailer for Cowboy Beebop the Movie:
and as Wolverine in this fantastic trailer for Wolverine and the X Men:
To check out more from Steve Blum, what he’s working on, where he’ll be appearing this year, and some really cool interactive audio clips, head over to his site at www.steveblumvoices.com
There seems to be a foofaraw boiling over Superman and his recent decision in Wednesdays Action Comics #900 to renounce his American citizenship.
Fox News went straight for the controversy, though I think anyone with even half a level head is going to be okay with this.
Written by “The Dark Knight” screenwriter David Goyer, Superman finds himself standing in solidarity with the people of Iran when they stage a peaceful protest against their government. In a very clear headed scenario, Goyer has Iran threaten the United States with retaliation, explaining that Superman’s actions in inspiring the people of Iran were an act of war perpetrated by the United States.
Not wanting to deal with these sort of petty politics, Superman tells a state department official that he’ll be renouncing his citizenship in front of the United Nations. “I’m tired of having my actions construed as American policy. ‘Truth, justice, and the American way ‘– It’s not enough anymore.”
And it makes perfect sense.
Superman is supposed to be the best of us. Our ideals. And he should be above the petty and, frankly un-American, concern over borders and citizenship. People are people no matter where they’re from and they all deserve to be represented by the best of us. If the “American way” wants to survive, it needs to globalize and raise itself to a higher level. Hopefully, Superman can help lead us there.
But there are those not so happy about it.
Fox News quoted a GOP Activist (Angie Meyer) as saying, “Besides being riddled with a blatant lack of patriotism, and respect for our country, Superman’s current creators are belittling the United States as a whole. By denouncing his citizenship, Superman becomes an eerie metaphor for the current economic and power status the country holds worldwide.”
Comics superstar and conservative firebrand Ethan Van Sciver suggested on his facebook page that this is completely out of character for Superman and has asked for people to start a letter writing campaign to DC Comics to reverse this.
Personally, I disagree with these reactions. I don’t see what’s un-American about Superman wanting to stand up for the rights and lives of the down-trodden the world over, regardless of what country they’re from. And if Superman becoming a citizen of the world to prevent the endless saber-rattling of leaders like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, then I would say more power to him. To be honest, I think this IS the American way.
And I would like to remind people upset about this that renouncing America is substantially different than renouncing American citizenship. Especially if it spares the United States the position of having to be responsible for Superman’s actions.
Why would it be so bad for Superman to adopt the whole world instead of just the United States?
Besides, Clark Kent is still as American as apple pie.
UPDATE: Shaz-Bot pointed out that in the Silver Age the United Nations declared Superman a citizen of the world, so he assumed this news has been broken for decades and is a complete non-issue.
Things get added to Netflix’s Instant Watch service all the time. Normally we don’t deem it newsworthy unless it’s a significant add, like the recent CBS deal. This is one of those times. Marvel has announced that they’re bringing nearly their entire catalog of animated shows, spanning nearly 50 years, to Netflix Instant watch! Starting tomorrow, April 29th, you can relive someone the greatest adventures ever put to thousands of frames of celluloid! Here’s the list of launch day shows and what’s coming later. Check back with me afterward, and I’ll tell you what’s missing.
Streaming April 29th:
The Incredible Hulk (1996-97)
Spider-Man Unlimited (1999-2001)
Iron Man: Extremis (2010)
Astonishing X-Men: Gifted (2010)
Spider-Woman: Agent of the S.W.O.R.D. (2010)
Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes (2006)
Silver Surfer (1998)
Black Panther (2010)
Iron Man: Armored Adventures Season 1 (2009)
Coming Later This Summer:
Marvel Action Hour: Iron Man (1994-1996)
The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes! Season 1 (2010)
X-Men: Evolution (2000-03)
X-Men (1992-97)
Spider-Man (1967-68)
Spider-Man (1981-82)
Spider-Man (1994-98)
Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends (1981)
Coming This Fall:
Iron Man (1966)
Thor (1966)
Captain America (1966)
Hulk (1966)
Sub-Mariner (1966)
That my friends, is a mighty impressive lineup. Some of these shows are more obscure than others, and I’m not personally a fan of the motion comics. The fact that they are adding shows like Silver Surfer and Spider-Man Unlimited are simply astounding (in the good way)! I am a bit sad that there are a couple shows missing from this list though. Notably, The Incredible Hulk (1981-82), Marvel Action Hour: Fantastic Four (1994-1996). Those two were pretty great. Also missing is Avengers: United They Stand (1999-2000), but well, that’s ok by me.
Let us know what you think, is Marvel missing anything else? Are you excited?
I found this hilarious post over about an alternate Harry Potter universe over at the Failbook… (and in case you hate clicking links)
I quickly posted it to my facebook and almost immediately Bizarrobot jumped in and gave her two cents, eventually, what started as a funny thought about a gun toting boy wizard, turned into a semi-serious discussion about how the world of H.P. could be humanized and darkened (it also showed just how nerdy I can be… a lot):Just before she left to procure some pastry- Bizarro had this to say:
So- my question to you is: How would you make Harry Potter more gritty and muggle-esque? If simple human inventions were thrown into the mix of wizardry- how would things have been different? Discuss!
PRODUCT REVIEW: Sumo ‘Sway Couple’ Bean Bag Chair!
I am a guy that likes his comfort. That being said, I am extremely picky when it comes to my lounge furniture. I’ve tried various “gaming chairs”, bean bag chairs, and other similar products over the years, and I’ve found them all lacking in various areas. Things like no arm rests, the inability to retain a comfortable shape, or just general uncomfortable-ness are deal breakers. When I got to opportunity to try out Sumo’s Sway Couple, I was a bit skeptical, but now, I’m a believer. This truly is the chair to end all chairs. The kingdom of my geekiness now has a throne, and what a throne it is!
Before I get into the review proper, here are the technical specs so you can get a general idea of how large this puppy is.
Weight of 50 lbs makes transport a snap compared to say, a couch.
The chair measures 51″ W X 44″ L X 33″ H
Guaranteed to retain its shape and never go flat
Convenient storage pocket for holding various items
Available in microsuede or corduroy
7 color choices over both materials
The model I received was the corduroy version’s ‘Raspberry Red’. It’s not as vivid a red as the other Sumo products, but it’s a nice mix of practical and stylish. The corduroy doesn’t make the wispy sound you get from cord pants or anything, which was a welcome surprise.
The chair definitely passes the 'kid tested' part of the equation.
With that out of the way, let me give you a rundown of the rigors I put the chair through. As soon as it came out of the package, the whole family wanted a crack at it. My niece is the kind of young lady who hasn’t yet gotten to the age where ‘handle with care’ is even a consideration. As soon as I got the chair out of the box and set up in the living room, she literally took a flying leap into the chair. We were all kind of freaking out, because we thought she was going to slide across the floor, possibly damage her head and take this review in a very bad direction. Thankfully, the chair barely moved! I found out this was due to the way the chair is constructed.
The bottom conceals the zipper cover as well as prevents slippage!
I’m not exactly sure what the material that makes up the bottom of the chair is, but the fact that it’s not corduroy, make a big difference over other lounge chairs. You can shift in the chair to find your ideal position without having to worry about slipping and sliding all over the floor. Speaking of comfort, the filling of the Sway Couple doesn’t seem to be completely filled with ‘beans’ The back and the seat, are much fluffier than you’d expect. The base feel more like a traditional beanbag filling, though. I personally think this is an ingenious way to go. The base can still be shaped a bit like a bean bag chair, but the actual part you’ll be sitting on kind of contours around your body as you sit. It was really difficult to find a position I didn’t find comfortable.
Animal fur, the bane of furniture, is largely negated by the Sway Couple
As you can see above, everyone in the family wanted a try on the chair. Our dog, Duchess had a field day. I guess you could use the Sway Couple as a glorified doggie bed, but this led to the one complaint I had about the chair, albeit a temporary one. It’s getting warmer, and when that happens, animals shed. After her excursion on the chair, it was covered in hair. Corduroy is an unfortunate attractor of hair, crumbs what have you. Unlike many other chairs though, you can easily turn the Sway over, unzip the cover and wash it if necessary. In this case though, a lint brush was enough.
Comics or video games? The eternal question.
One feature that was welcome on the Sway Couple is the pocket on the right side. It’s perfect for your game controllers, remotes, or whatever you like. Once you’re sitting down, you’re going to be so comfortable, you’re not going to want to get up, which is where the pocket is useful. My first night with the chair was spent reading comics and watching movies. It was a pretty great experience, and the fact I could store sundry items made it all the better. I wouldn’t recommend trying to use it as a cup holder though. The pocket doesn’t have a lot of give, so your favorite beverage could be secure, but it could also get squished easily.
One thing I consider a bit of a misnomer about the Sway Couple is the name. I guess you could sit on it as a duo, but it’d be really cozy. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but your mileage may vary. I can sit on it with my niece and be quite comfy, but with two adults, maybe not. The only other complaint I have about the Sway Couple is again, something that isn’t really a strike against it. I have an incredibly low heat tolerance, and I’ve found in non-air conditioned environments, I experience a bit of the dreaded back sweating. That’s pretty true of any piece of furniture though, so I can count it against the chair itself.
After the family got their fill of the chair, I decided that since it’s mine, it’s going in my man cave. transport of the Sway Couple, was pretty easy. It weighs about 50 pounds, so I could lift it myself. The doorways in my house are pretty narrow, so I did have to compress the chair a bit to get it through, but to its credit, it popped right back into shape afterward. Set up was as simple as putting in back on the floor, and I’m happy to say it is now my de facto, go-to piece of furniture. I’d even sleep on it if it were a tiny bit larger!
Me checking twitter before writing this very article!
All in all, I have to give the Sway Couple a pretty big thumbs up. It’s comfortable, I feel like I get enough back support, and it’s simply cool to be sitting an a bean bag chair designed for adults. While the price ($279 for microsuede and $299 for Corduroy) may be a bit daunting, the quality of the chair and the fact that it’s more like a ‘real’ piece of furniture makes it something you should definitely consider.
Sumo can be contacted at sumolounge.com for their line of chairs, and at http://www.sumoapartments.com/ for their quite interesting take on vacation lodging! The chair was sent to me by Sumo for review purposes.
TRAILER: Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2
Today seems to be trailer day, but this one takes the cake.
I’m not really sure I care what anyone says, this movie looks incredible and bloody epic. I got teary eyed. My son has been obsessed with Harry Potter, so it’s all I hear about and all he’s been watching, so it’s all been soaking in a lot lately. And Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows was tremendous in my book. (Not as good as Prisoner of Azkaban, mind you, but very excellent.)
This is… wow…
This series has grown up in a way I would never have guessed. I wonder what franchise Warner Brothers is going to get going next. Just from the the few scenes shown here, Daniel Radcliffe has taken his game to the next level and is standing toe-to-toe with Ralph Fiennes. And there’s not going to be a dry eye in the house when this is all said and done.
Just before she left to procure some pastry- Bizarro had this to say:
