Spockulations; The Wrath of Robocop?
Today, Vulture published a report stating that Benicio Del Toro will not be appearing in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Trek sequel after negotiations between the actor and studio broke down last Wednesday. Read more…
The Funky Animation of Mike Scott
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 6, 2011 in Animation
By pure chance I came across this amazing music video by a band called Goldfish — and while the music is pretty nice what really blew me away was the animation which feels like a cross between Gary Baseman and Keith Haring. The animator/artist behind the video is Mike Scott and his work is wondeful: Read more…
This Xbox is More Than Meets the Eye
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 6, 2011 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames
Here’s a look at Major League Mods‘ latest project — a special Transformers-themed Xbox 360 slim. Modeled after Bumblebee’s appearance in the live-action films, the unit comes packed in a remote control 1977 Camero, complete with its very own built-in 8″ LCD display. Read more…
Apple Barks; Samsung Doesn’t Flinch
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 5, 2011 in Tech
Those of you planning on purchasing Samsung’s latest line of Galaxy products can stop holding your breath. Read more…
Robocop to Star in Star Trek II
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 5, 2011 in Star Trek
The details are starting to come into place on the new rebooted Star Trek II film — according to Variety Peter Weller of Robocop fame will be a co-star. Who he’ll be playing is still under wraps, but we’ll have to see how things shape out.
A Tardis Bookshelf Worthy of a Time Lord’s DVD Collection
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 5, 2011 in Dr. Who, Hobbies and Collections
This well crafted Tardis bookshelf was crafted by msmuse101 and his or her dad over the course of several months in Derby, UK: Read more…
Stuff Your Stockings With the Doctor Who Advent Calender
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 5, 2011 in Dr. Who
BBC recently launched a Doctor Who advent calender for the month of December. Each day, the official site will be updated with fresh content related to the series, with everything from exclusive clips and interviews, to free wallpapers, cards and more leading up to the premiere of Christmas special, The Doctor, The Widow, and the Wardrobe. We’re only four days into the month, and they’ve already given us a small clip of Matt Smith discussing the upcoming special, along with a few promotional images to be used as cards for friends and family. The special airs stateside December 25th at 9/8 PM central on BBC America. Read more…
A Vintage 70s Handheld Video Viewing Gadget
So what did fanboys do to collect their favorite shows before the advent of videotape? Believe it or not collecting actual films was a passion of a select few fans back in the day — the hardcore fans would actually purchase 16mm prints, however you could buy on the market a wide range of 8mm film prints which featured clips from many of the popular TV shows of the day. By the 70s this faded, however in 1978 this very cute Pocket Flix viewer from Ideal toys shows the very last gasp of that era. This toy was aimed at kids and one could buy a variety of “easy to snap-in movie cassettes” to recapture a few precious seconds of a show like Star Trek or the Hardy Boys: Read more…
It’s Dangerous to go Alone, Take This Hyrulean Book of Biology
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 4, 2011 in Videogames
Being the Legend of Zelda fan that I am, I’d be remiss to not bring your attention to a quirky and cute print by Andrew Kolb, The Hyrulean Book of Biology. Throughout all the many Zelda games one of the highlights has been all the cool, silly, and creative creatures you come across in your adventures. And in case you were wondering: yes, this colorful print is of course also a reference to Charley Harper’s cover for The Giant Golden Book of Biology. The only thing that could make this print better is if it really were a complete book – but that’s asking a bit much, I suppose. For now though, this poster will do nicely. If you’re like me and are thinking about picking one up for yourself, check out Andrew’s site for the Hyrulean Book of Biology and other posters.
Samurai Star Wars Prints Are Both Clever and Classy
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 4, 2011 in Star Wars
Have you ever wanted some art to spiff up your geek abode? Finding excellent art prints of your favorite movie or book isn’t hard these days, but every once in a while you catch a glimpse of something truly special. Case in point: Steve Bialik’s delightful Samurai Star Wars prints. These six 11″ x 27″ prints feature several popular Star Wars characters reinterpreted in the style of traditional Japanese art. It’s quite an interesting circle, given the inspiration Star Wars took from Japanese history (something that was probably the basis for these prints). One thing I must note is the fantastic use of color in these – I particularly like the “Emperor” and “Jabba the Hutt” prints, they’re really eye-catching. These would make great pieces for any fan’s home, so if you’re interested in any of these, be sure to check out Steve’s site where he has them available for purchase. Read more…
Nintendo Relents: Fan-Favorite Xenoblade Chronicles Coming to US
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 3, 2011 in Videogames
Perhaps all the clamoring and petitioning from fans earlier this year was worth it: after Nintendo stated earlier this year that they had no plans to release the fan-favorite and critically-acclaimed Wii RPG Xenoblade Chronicles in the US, gamers rallied to support it. Sadly, Nintendo declined to indulge their enthusiasm and remained silent. Until now, that is. The game now has a general release date of April 2012, but will not be getting a wide release. Instead, the only places you’ll be able to purchase the game will be either Gamestop or Nintendo themselves, via their website. Still, that’s better than no release at all. Read more…
New Images from Ridley Scott’s Prometheus Show Alien “DNA”
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 3, 2011 in Cinema
When news first broke of Ridley Scott creating a prequel to Alien, many people were rightfully excited. While that specific project broke down, it turned into something equally interesting: Prometheus. Now, I’m not using Alien “DNA” in the literal sense. Instead, I’m referring to Ridley Scott’s original comments about the film, in that it will share many “strands of Alien’s DNA” and have similar underlying themes. That fact is incredibly apparent with these new images released to tide us over until the inevitable trailer release. Read more…
Aperture Laboratories Shower Curtains (Probably) Won’t Kill You
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 2, 2011 in Videogames
Portal 2 was one of my favorite games this year and probably the funniest, too. While I’m sure many of you are sick of all the cake and space jokes, these shower curtains from ThinkGeek featuring Aperture Laboratories now-iconic logo and some fine print are a much more subtle brand of humor. ThinkGeek has been on a roll recently with tons of Portal 2-branded merchandise, and while some of it is kind of silly, items like these shower curtains can add a little bit of geek cred to your bathroom without being completely ridiculous. Read more…
TrekNation Hits Cable: DVR Worthy
Posted by Ben Huber on Dec 2, 2011 in Star Trek
How incredible would it be to have had a father who had been the creator of Star Trek? There’s no doubting that Star Trek has influenced peoples’ lives throughout the years. Perhaps the person who can speak best about this fact is Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s son Rod, who is the narrator and guide in the Science Channel’s recent documentary, Trek Nation: Read more…
Star Trek 2 Spockulations
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 1, 2011 in Star Trek
See what I did there? There’s been a few developments relating to the upcoming Star Trek sequel, so I thought it might be a fun time to speculate a bit. It was recently announced that Alice Eve would be joining the cast in what’s reported to be a “major role.” They’re also saying that Benicio Del Toro is extremely close to signing on to play a villain that fans of the original series would be familiar with — and no, they don’t mean Khan. Finally, there’s now a rumor that one other major role has yet to be cast and is described as being “someone slightly older but related to Del Toro’s character,” or something along those lines. So who could these characters be? I have a few guesses.
GamePro Throws in the Towel
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Dec 1, 2011 in Videogames
Earlier this evening, GamePro announced that their website would officially close its doors on December 5th. The move marks a sad, but inevitable end for the long-standing magazine as we know it. According to reports, some of the staff will be let go, while some editors may end up writing for PCWorld. The magazine published its final issue last October.
Never Let Mom Throw Out Your Comic Books: Superman Debut Sells for Over $2 Million
Posted by Michael Pinto on Dec 1, 2011 in Comic Books
In 1938 a comic book fanboy would have paid a mere ten cents for a copy of Action Comics No 1 which featured a new guy called Superman: Today that comic book was sold at auction for $2.16 million dollars. The new owner of this gem has not been disclosed, however speculation has it that it may be Nicolas Cage.
Insane 50-Note Final Fantasy VII Music Box
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 30, 2011 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames
I’ve always had a fascination with music boxes. They may have gone the way of vinyl and become a novelty for collectors, but there’s always a certain level of care and craftsmanship involved in creating one. That’s something I can respect, not only as a musician but as an artist. That’s why I freaked out the moment I saw this — a limited edition 50 note music box featuring Aerith’s theme from Final Fantasy VII. Supposedly, only a thousand of these boxes were ever produced, and they’re highly sought after. Finding one for sale is next to impossible, but anyone willing to part with it can usually ask for over a thousand dollars to start. To see it in action, click here.
Bizarre Men in Black 3 Posters
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 30, 2011 in Cinema
Here’s the official teaser posters for Men in Black 3, featuring what appears to be Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones or Josh Brolin, with letter art. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m not exactly a Men in Black fan, so maybe I’m a bit biased, but I’m not really sure why they decided to go with these images. It doesn’t help that I can’t even tell which Agent K is being depicted — previous drafts of the script had Agent J going back in time to team up with a young Agent K played by Brolin. Since they decided to start production on the film without a completed script, there have been numerous re-writes, and although Brolin and Jones are set to make an appearance, nobody is really sure how the plot will play out. Maybe it’s a good thing that I’ve found the image so ambiguous.
This Pac-Man Ghost Lamp Will Have You Reaching for Your Pills
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 29, 2011 in Hobbies and Collections, Videogames
As those of us who spend our evenings glued to our laptops can tell you, nothing’s worse than accidentally knocking over your coffee in the dark. I’ve made the mistake more than once, so I’ve been looking for a solution that doesn’t involve leaving the lights on, and I think I might have just found it. Check out these awesome little Pac-Man Ghost lamps. Not only are the conveniently small, just four inches tall and just bright enough to light up my desk, but they speak to the retro-gamer — those of us who grew up on rolls of quarters and joysticks. Best yet, I can take it anywhere I take my laptop. The Ghost is powered via USB, so all I have to do it is find a port to plug it and I’m good to go. It’s also incredibly cheap, ThinkGeek currently has them on sale for just $10. Read more…
Western Devs Making Waves in Japan
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 29, 2011 in Videogames
When it comes to Western games, Japan has always seemed a bit stand-offish. I never really understood why, but every time the question was posed, Japanese developers would often cite everything from cultural differences and attention to detail, to their love for story-driven narratives. For as long as I can remember, Japanese gamers would echo those sentiments, often avoiding foreign games like the plague. That was, until recently.
An Edible Gingerbread AT-AT
Posted by Michael Pinto on Nov 28, 2011 in Hobbies and Collections, Star Wars
Oh sure anybody can make a plain old gingerbread house for the holidays! However fangurl supreme Rachel Klemek created this yummy AT-AT which can feed several hungry rebels. Rachel is based out of Irvine, California and you can find her cool website here.
A Return to the Mirror Universe
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 28, 2011 in Star Trek
I admit, Simon &Schuster’s Trek novels are one my many guilty pleasures. They’re not quite as terrible as my obsession with Koei’s Dynasty Warriors, or Japanese television dramas, but I wouldn’t strike up a conversation on the topic. Still, there are those of us who crave all things Star Trek, and with the next film over a year away, we’ll need something to ease that pain. Enter Rise Like Lions, the latest novel by seasoned-Trek author David Mack. This latest novel takes place in the infamous Mirror Universe.
Move Over Johnny-5; Here’s Romo
Posted by Tim Sheehy on Nov 28, 2011 in Tech
I’m sure at some point you’ve all thought about having your very own robot — I know I have. The closest I ever came was helping a friend build a remote-controlled “battlebot,” only to see it laid to waste by some other kid’s metal monstrosity. It’s been well over a decade since then, and technology has certainly progressed. Designers Peter Seid and Phu Nguyen sought to take advantage of these advancements by developing a unique interface that transforms our everyday smartphones into robots capable of learning, growing, and expanding their functionality through a series of apps. They call it Romo, the smartphone robot.