Direct Geek Weekly

Doctor Who or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and See Ethnocentrism

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 05:16:17 +0000

A show about an alien whipping through time and space in a blue police box from 1960′s London seems like the kind of thing created only to entertain children. And it does entertain children, and many adults, very well. But as a 20-something adult female, I’ve also learned some valuable things from Doctor Who. Here

Disney Buys Lucasfilms for $4.05 Billion; Episode 7 Scheduled for 2015 Release

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 21:04:51 +0000

You heard that right, the Mouse now owns the Force. Disney has purchased Lucasfilms for $4.05 billion in cash and stock and announced that a new Star Wars movie will be released in 2015. George Lucas issued a statement after the announcement, “For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed

Book Review: ‘Year Zero: A Novel’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:16:59 +0000

It’s been a long time since we’ve had a book that made me think of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as much as Robert Reid’s Year Zero did. For as strange and absurd as the Hitchhiker’s story is, it’s a very hard story to write. Not only does it have to be imaginative and ‘out there’, but it

New Batgirl Web-Series Ready to Showcase Stephanie Brown and a Host of Bat-Villians

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:24:17 +0000

With DC’s ‘New 52′ Barbra Gordon has slipped into the role of Batgirl again, but from 2009 to 2011 Stephanie Brown wore the female cowl. And even though after the events of Flashpoint, Stephanie Brown is no longer an active member of the DC Universe (for now), a group of web creators want to tell

Joss Whedon Officially Signs On for ‘The Avengers 2′; Working on Marvel TV Show

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:31:10 +0000

In the course of just a few months, Joss Whedon has gone from geek icon to main stream darling. The writer and director of The Avengers has become a household name thanks to the monster success of the Marvel superhero team up film, and he’s officially coming back for more. On a conference call early Tuesday morning,

Microsoft References ‘New Xbox’ for the First Time – UPDATE: No They Didn’t…

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 18:55:32 +0000

While my Xbox 360 has mainly been used as a Netflix & Hulu Plus machine ever since I built my ‘Battlestation’ PC, the next generation of home consoles is just around the corner. Microsoft has been a bit cagey with information about the ‘next Xbox’, but now we at least know that their is a ‘next

NASA’s Curiosity Rover to go through ’7 Minutes of Terror’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:40:31 +0000

This Monday, at approxametly 1:31 AM (est), the NASA Curiosity rover will touchdown on the Mars surface. Curisosity’s landing will conclude one of the most ambitious projects in the history of science, and that’s not hyperbole. By now you know about Curiosity. You know that it’s cost NASA somewhere in the nerigborhood of $2.5 billion.

‘Zelda’ Music Medley Used by Olympic Gymnast

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 02:09:46 +0000

You know what’s the talk of the town right now? The 2012 Summer Olympics. It’s impossible to turn on the TV or go to nearly any website without hearing about it. Now, Direct Geek is no different. There’s good news and bad news about this post. The good news is that Mexican gymnast Elsa Garcia

‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ to return on YouTube

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 02:25:06 +0000

If you grew up in the mid-90s odds are you learned about science from two places. The first was from your teachers at school, the second was from one of two (or possibly both) TV shows. Beakman’s World, starring Paul Zaloom as the eccentric scientist Dr. Beakman was one of the shows. The second was Bill Nye the

Geek Artist Team Up for the First ‘Humble Music Bundle’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:46:31 +0000

Gamers are more than likely fimilar with The Humble Bundle. HumbleBundle.com organizes bundles of ‘digital stuff’ and offers them to the public in a pay-what-you-want format. For as little as $0.01 you can get a bundle of digital goods from independent content creators. The site allows you to distribute your payment in any way you see

Could this be the Power Ranger Fan Film We’ve All Wanted?

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:37:17 +0000

There are thousands of fans films living on the web, but I don’t often see Power Ranger fans films. I grew up with the Power Rangers, they were one of my biggest obsessions when I was younger, so when I saw this short Power Rangers the nostalgia washed right over me. It’s in the ‘Gritty, Christopher Nolan’

Heavy Hitters at Valve and Blizzard Publicly Voice Concern Over Windows 8

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 17:38:02 +0000

While Windows 7 was a revelation for many Windows users after the lackluster Windows Vista, Windows 8 has gotten off to a rocky start. Drastic changes to the user interface and file hierarchy are causing people to be highly skeptical of the upcoming release. You can now put two major figures in the video Game

Google Announces ‘Google Fiber’ Details…and It’s Pretty Awesome.

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:36:59 +0000

Do you remember a few years ago when cities across the country were trying to convince Google to use them as a test city for ‘Google Fiber’? There were huge campaigns, viral videos, and mayors saying that they’d change the name of their city to Google if it meant they would be selected. Eventually a

ScienceDebate.Org wants a Presidential Debate focused on Scientific Policy

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 23:51:21 +0000

It’s an election year in the United States, as i’m sure many people know. With that comes the typical attack ads, campaign phone calls, mail fliers and televised debates. Most of those debates have a central theme; some focus on foriegn or domestic policy, some key in on the economy, others talk only about defense and

Sally Ride, the First American Woman in Space, Dies at 61

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 00:12:50 +0000

After a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer the first American woman in space has died at the age of 61. Dr. Sally Ride served as a mission specialist on STS-7 aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983. She would go up into space once more aboard the Challenger for mission STS-41-G. She had planned to

‘Man of Steel’ Teaser Officially Released Online

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:47:12 +0000

While ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is in theaters now, ready for everyone to enjoy, those who enjoy their superheroes dressed in red and white have another year to wait. Luckily, Superman fans have something to tide them over. Originally shown at Comic-Con in Hall H, the official Man of Steel teaser trailer has hit the Internet. Directed

Direct Geek Weekly #020 – That One Where I spent a Bagillion Dollars on The Avengers

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 12 May 2012 16:06:12 +0000

That’s right we’re back! After about a month’s hiatus, Direct Geek Weekly is back on the internet ‘air’ waves! We’ve taken a break to recharge and talk a bit about the future of the website and the podcast and i’m happy to say we’re ready to get back to it with a renewed vigor. Not

Book Review: ‘The Titanic: Disaster of the Century’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 23:34:18 +0000

In the prologue to The Titanic: Disaster of the Century, famous wreck diver John Chatterton mentions Wyn Craig Wade’s book had been out of print for 30 years and Chatterton assumed that was a result of the quality of the writing and story told within its pages. As Chatterton and I both learned, this is

“On The Road” Adaptation Has a Trailer

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 02:30:49 +0000

“There are times where I think that Sal Paradise was right… boys and girls in America have such a sad time together…” -The Hold Steady ‘Stuck Between Stations’ Jack Kerouac’s classic novel, On The Road, has inspired more road trips and more art than almost every other book from the beat generations, yet, somehow, despite

Direct Geek Weekly #019 – That One With the Summer Movie Auction, Part 2

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 14:54:02 +0000

Here’s part 2 of our annual Summer Movie Auction! Check it out and follow along with us all summer. If you haven’t listened to part 1 yet, head over here and listen to that part first. Don’t forget you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or with your favorite podcatcher, and make sure to rate the where ever

Direct Geek Weekly #019 – That One With the Summer Movie Auction, Part 1

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 14:53:19 +0000

It’s that time of the year, time for our annual summer movie auction! We’ve done this for a few years now (and yes we stole this from Brian Brushwood. Big fans Brian!) and it’s always a fun time. For those that aren’t familiar with the auction, everybody on the panel starts with $100 ‘Direct Geek Dollars’.

Direct Geek Weekly #018 – That One Where Jurassic Park Should Be in 4D

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:04:33 +0000

You know the drill, it’s another episode of Direct Geek Weekly, served up hot and fresh! This week it’s Zak, Gabby, and Dan recapping some of the biggest stories in the world of geek from the past week. On this week’s show: Community has returned to the airwaves! John Carter was a big ol’ flop Jurassic Park is

Graphic Novel Review: My Friend Dahmer

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 02:39:51 +0000

When rock bands come to Milwaukee, they inevitably mention three things during their on-stage banter; beer, the pronunciation of the city’s name made famous in Wayne’s World (Mee-lay-wau-kay) and Jeffery Dahmer. These references always seemed like a misstep to me; as if you could boil down the essence of a large metropolitan area to three

Marvel Unveils Huge New Digital Initiative “ReEvolution”

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:56:37 +0000

This weekend at the South By Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Marvel made some exciting announcements detailing their plans for their digital comics line going forward. Announced under the name “Marvel ReEvolution”, there are a few key components that make up this new initiative. The first, Marvel Infinite Comics, showcases a new way of using

Direct Geek Weekly #017 – That One Where Jack Sparrow is on Johnny Depp’s Head

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:38:10 +0000

Here it is, the newest episode of Direct Geek Weekly. This is officially the first episode of DGW that was recorded, edited and published in the ‘Post PC World’, so Tim Cook should be happy. This week it’s Zak, TJ, Nick and Dan running down some of the biggest stories of the week. It’s impossible

‘Chronicle’ Director Rumored to Helm ‘Venom’ Project

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:00:22 +0000

You can take this with a huge grain of salt, but rumors are starting to swirl that Chronicle director Josh Trank is Sony’s choice to direct their big budget Venom project. The LA Times is reporting that the movie studio is trying to convince Trank to take on the project. With the Spider-Man reboot (starring Andrew Garfield)

Thoughts from Today’s Apple Announcement

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:38:02 +0000

Every few months Apple does what it does best. Every few months Apple creates a huge amount of buzz leading up to their the announcment of whatever product they’re announcing, today was no different. Apple announced the new iPad (yep that’s the name…) earlier today. And while it included many things we were expecting, here are some

iPad 3: Wishes & Guarantees

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:28:07 +0000

Here we are, just two days from the iPad 3 announcement from Apple, and the rumors and speculation is at an all time high. As the owner of a 64gb iPad 2 it’s a bitter sweet time for me. On one hand i’m excited to see what new technology Apple will be bringing to the

Direct Geek Weekly #016 – That One Where Robo is Adorable

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 05:03:48 +0000

This week’s edition of Direct Geek Weekly is ready for your consumption! This week on the show we’ve got a full house as Zak, Gabby, Dan & Nick get together to talk about a bunch of the geek stories that were important to us…including: A wrap up of the Oscars (a preview…they were kind of

2nd Official ‘Avengers’ Trailer now Online

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:32:41 +0000

We could surround this post with a few paragraphs about the upcoming Avengers movie. We could say how it’s slowly getting closer to release (May 4th) and more and more details are being revealed each day. But for right now, just sit back and watch the newest official trailer which was released earlier today. Let us

Hollywood Trash Heap: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:15:46 +0000

My childhood conversations with God mostly amounted to me asking Him, in my head, to move something if He was real. Surely nothing ever moved, but that didn’t stop my continued instance that He reveal Himself to me though some willfully telling act. I guess this seemed pretty simple then. The younger you are, the

Vin Diesel Pushing for ‘R’ rated ‘Riddick’ Movie

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:23:16 +0000

Production has already started on the next ‘Riddick’ movie, and if Vin Diesel has his way it’s going to be an ‘R’ rated movie. This would mark the second film with Riddick as the main focus (after being introduced in the criminally underrated Pitch Dark), the first having been released in 2004. While the 2004

Direct Geek Weekly #015 – That One Where Batman is Afraid of Owls

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:28:25 +0000

This week on DGW Zak and Dan discuss some of the biggest stories in the geek world…such as: The revolation that McG had a Superman movie in the works in the late 90s that had Robert Downey Jr. cast as Lex Luther. Some of the biggest comics that have come out over the past months

Hollywood Trash Heap: Cocktail (1988)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:00:42 +0000

While all the other high-schoolers were drinking like fish, young Nick Honeck was “sober since ’82.” It isn’t just that I’d never been drunk, I’d never even willingly took a drink of alcohol until I was late into my 20th year. If you read that last sentence carefully, you may have noticed the pointed inclusion

Book Review: ’11/22/63′

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:05:29 +0000

Despite being a avid reader, I’d made it a rule to avoid Stephen King for some reason. I mistakenly believed I should have been reading King when I was in my teens and missed him. Now, in my late 20′s, he didn’t really speak to someone with the intellectual tastes that I fancied as my

Direct Geek Weekly #014 – That One Where Michael Bay is Rebooting TMNT

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:03:34 +0000

Another week, another episode of Direct Geek Weekly. On this week’s show Zak and Gabby dive in to a good amount of the latest geek news. George Lucas now says that Greedo always shot first, you just didn’t notice it IDW is releasing a Star Trek/Doctor Who crossover comic titled ‘Assimilation²’ The first images of Darwyne

Photoshop CS6 is coming including New ‘Content-Aware’ Tools

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:55:51 +0000

Everybody knows what Photoshop is and the best photo editing software for nearly any system is getting ready for a new version to be released to the public. Photoshop CS6 is being created right now and should be available for upgrade or purchase in the near future. Even though it’s considered the top pick for

Is This The Future of Content Distribution?

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:09:24 +0000

Online content hubs Hulu and Netflix have long been championed as the future of consuming content. The problem was that both of the services still relied on the traditional content creators to…well…create content. Hulu and Netflix still needed television networks and movie studios to make and them provide then with content to offer to their

Black Widow: The Perfume

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:44:36 +0000

From the people who brought you an Avengers line of colognes comes one for the people who would rather wear perfume: Black Widow perfume. It even has its own motto: fallaces sunt rerum species. Latin, of course, for “appearances are deceptive”. (Thanks, Magistra!) Interestingly, this is the only scent out of all the Avengers line that features

Book Review: ‘Killing Lincoln’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:31:55 +0000

Several years ago, James Frey brought the literary world to the forefront of the national conversation (a rare feat, indeed) thanks to a culmination of factors including A Million Little Pieces being part of Oprah’s Book Club and then fact checkers dispelling the notion that the book was a true account of Frey’s time in

‘Comic Book Men’ Series Premiere – Review

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:51:42 +0000

Everyone knows that AMC’s The Walking Dead had its mid-season premiere this past Sunday night; The ‘walker’-filled show’s return is sure to be atop the night’s rating war. AMC premiered another show Sunday night though, directly after The Walking Dead, that the network hopes will capitalize on its new found comic book friendly audience. Comic Book Men follows

Hollywood Trash Heap: Leonard Part 6 (1987)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:15:34 +0000

I met one of my best friends, Matt, in a writing class. This wasn’t a college class, it was a class we both elected to take as professional in our free time. He was working on a movie while I was working on a bunch of different short fiction projects. Several people would read their

Direct Geek Weekly #013 – That One Where Dan Gets Angry…Really Angry

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:31:16 +0000

We’re back with another new episode of Direct Geek Weekly! This week we go through some of the biggest stories in the world of geek…like we do every week. This week’s topics include: The Avengers Superbowl Spot The first full length trailer for The Amazing Spiderman Nick breaks down the nine Best Picture Nominees Dan

Comic Review: ‘Atomic Robo: Ghost Station X #5′

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:59:31 +0000

If you haven’t been reading Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener’s Atomic Robo, then you’re an idiot. Okay, okay, fine, you’ve been “missing out”. Published by Red 5 Comics, Atomic Robo is one of the most consistently exciting, entertaining, and surprisingly dynamic books out there. It delivers thoughtful, emotional science fiction in action-packed plots– something that’s hard to

The ‘Death’ and Return of Superman

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:56:28 +0000

Those who have followed the site for a while, or those who follow me in the social media world, know that I’m a Superman fan. Maybe it has to do with my over evaluation of pop culture’s importance, or possibly because he was the first superhero, I don’t know…but i’m a fan. The elephant in

Analyzing 2011′s Best Picture Nominees

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:27:54 +0000

Clearly, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is still trying to find a way to ensure that the right number of Best Picture nominees are selected. In 2008, five films were nominated for Best Picture, none of them were The Dark Knight, The Wrestler, WALL-E (maybe the best Pixar film of all-time!), Doubt

Direct Geek Weekly #012 – That One Where Digital is the Future

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:00:49 +0000

It’s another episode of Direct Geek Weekly, because we know you love them so much. In this edition Gabby Nick and Zak tackle the issue of Digital vs. Physical media. In just the past few years, the switch to digital consumption of media has become close to the norm. The big question that this bring

App Review: Where’s My Water?

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:15:46 +0000

Tired of Angry Birds? Have I got a dirty alligator for you! During my periodic scroll-throughs of the App Store, I continually noticed that a game by Disney featuring a crocodile and titled Where’s My Water? was continually in the top two or three paid Apps. I was certain that this game was being downloaded

DC Announces Controversial ‘Watchmen’ Prequel Mini-series

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:03:03 +0000

This morning, DC Comics announced seven different interconnected mini-series under the banner Before Watchmen, each one telling the story of each of the central characters (Including the Minutemen) from the acclaimed 12 issue Watchmen series by original creators Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. A new Watchmen project has been rumored to be in the works

First Look at Fringe’s Upcoming Astrid-Centric Episode

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:41:46 +0000

Something’s about to happen that I’ve been waiting for since Fringe began: an episode that focuses entirely on Astrid Farnsworth. From background lab workhorse to a more nuanced, integrated team member, Astrid has been a great part of the ensemble. In this Friday’s (2/3) episode, Astrid meets her alternate universe counterpart, in what actress Jasika Nicole

Hollywood Trash Heap: Under the Cherry Moon (1986)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:37:52 +0000

In the summer of 2010, I performed my first wedding services as an officiant. I got ordained online by the Universal Life Church. People always ask me what I had to do, I just had to provide my name, address and credit card number. Despite the seeming flimsiness of my ordination, I took my role

Direct Geek Weekly #011 – That One Where Zak and Dan are Dragonborn

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:33:47 +0000

DGW #011 takes us all across the geek world. Dan, Gabby, Nick and Zak talk about some of the biggest stories of the past week, including (get ready for the bullet points): A wrap up of The Hunger Games trilogy as Gabby read all three books over the weekend Check out some awesome Hunger Games fan films

Movie Review: ‘The Artist’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:09:01 +0000

Gimmick? Lost art form? Both? Neither? The Artist is a black and white, mostly silent film that was released in 2011. It is not for everyone. The film tells of the opposite career trajectories of an actor and an actress in late-1920s and early-1930s Hollywood. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent film star at

Avengers: The Cologne – Smell Like a Superhero

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:03:14 +0000

Marvel Comics has brought the comic book buying public exciting stories of super-heroism for decades. Now, through a partnership with fragrance producer JADS International, they’re bringing fans what they’ve wanted all this time, without even realizing it. Superhero themed colognes and perfumes. The line kicks off with four scents for each of the four core

Movie Review: ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:25:58 +0000

I remember talking with friends shortly after 9/11, wondering how long it would be before Hollywood started dealing with the biggest tragedy in American history. I thought it would be about 10 years, which, if I had been correct, would have made Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close the first film about 9/11. But I was

‘Star Wars: Uncut’ Project Completed and Released

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:41:11 +0000

In 2009 the site StarWarsUncut.com started a project that was unlike anything that had been done before. It looked to put the fans in control of one of the most ambitious fan films in history. Star Wars fans would sign up for a specific 15 second section of the original Star Wars: A New Hope,

New DC Logos to Launch in March

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:10:12 +0000

First it was the ‘New 52′ and now DC comics is set to debut another major change to the company’s image. DC Comics will launch a new logo design in March across all of its distribution platforms. The new logo, according to DC, will ‘adapt to fit the distinctive brands, characters and objects to which

Hollywood Trash Heap: Howard the Duck (1986)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:34:33 +0000

The first trip I ever took as a professional was to a conference in Bloomington, Minn. My hotel was just a sprawling parking lot away from the Mall of America. I’d been to the Mall before, but that was years ago, so I was excited to be there. I walked the three floors quickly, not

Direct Geek Weekly #010 – That One Where Sci-Fi Hits the Glass Ceiling

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:36:36 +0000

Back at it again with another exciting episode of Direct Geek Weekly! This week Gabby, Dan and Zak get geek with a plethora of topics (yep…word of the day calendar): Microsoft announces an official release of the Kinect for PCs, including an SDK Golden Globes recap (Great if you love Game of Thrones, not great if

‘Mass Effect 3′ Demo to launch on Feb. 14th

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:10:14 +0000

Significant others across the country will be out of luck this Valintine’s Day, because on February 14th Bioware will release the first demo of the much anticipated Mass Effect 3. Bioware promises that the demo will allow players to experience the opening attack on Earth from the game’s ‘big bad’, the Reapers. They also announced

Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom” Trailer Released

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 04:00:36 +0000

Either you love Wes Anderson or you hate him. One thing is for sure, he is the best out there at making those stylistic, arty movies that stars have flocked to, some again and again (I’m looking at you, Bill Murray), since he started making them. His new one, Moonrise Kindgom, centers on a pair

TV Review: “Hell on Wheels,” Season 1

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 04:28:49 +0000

AMC could make a show about nearly anything at this point and I’d watch it. Truly, I didn’t know what Hell on Wheels was even about when I suggested to my fiance that we give it a shot. Through the 10-episode season, we are introduced to Cullen Bohannon, a Confederate soldier seeking to avenge the

Discontent: Not a review of Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:21:50 +0000

A couple notes: I’m talking about Guy Ritchie’s latest Sherlock Holmes film. Things I don’t care about in the world include the recent BBC Sherlock, and anything else Stephen Moffat does with his life. I am aware of this little debacle, but am in this piece speaking in the hypothetical rather than the legal. You

Build your own PC, Part 3: Put It Together

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:04:23 +0000

To recap, at this point you’ve decided to build your own PC and you’ve ordered the parts that fit your build. You’ve already gone past the ‘point of no return’, you’ve put your credit card down so now all you have to do is put all the pieces together. This is the part that intimidates

Hollywood Trash Heap: Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:26:57 +0000

I’ve always told people I like cats more than dogs. This probably isn’t true. What I mean is that I think cats are more interesting than dogs. For the most part, the motives of the majority of dogs are pretty uncomplicated. Dogs try to please their masters to secure (presumably) delicious meat-flavored treats and drink

DC New 52 Restructuring: Cancellations and Additions

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:40:05 +0000

With DC Comic’s New 52 initiative coming up on the six month mark, the publisher has announced their plans for the line going forward, including which titles are going to be ending and what new titles we have to look forward to in the months ahead. From the initial New 52 line that began this

Direct Geek Weekly #009 – That One Where Mighty Ducks 3 was Crap

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:59:26 +0000

Oh boy, this was a crazy one…you were warned.. On this week’s show we welcome back everyone’s favorite Star Trek geek as Gabby is back from the other side of the world. She joins Zak, TJ and Nick as we talk about everything that we’ve missed out on over the past few weeks. We previews some

Shigeru Miyamoto Working on a New Original Property

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:58:06 +0000

We’ve known that Shigeru Miyamoto was something of a work-a-holic. Late last year rumors started swirling that the Nintendo game design legend was planning to retire (this based on some comments he made in an interview), since then Miyamoto has strongly denied the notion saying that he’s, “Not old enough to retire yet.” He’s definitively got enough

Build your own PC, Part 2: Picking Your Parts

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:05:08 +0000

(Be sure to read Part 1: The Inception, before reading this) So you’ve decided to build your own PC, that’s awesome. Now comes the hard part…what parts do you want and what parts do you need? The first question you’ve got to ask yourself is what are you going to be using the PC for?

Direct Geek Weekly #008 – That One Where PC Gaming is Alive and Well

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:53:45 +0000

New episode of Direct Geek Weekly, ready for you to enjoy! This week Zak and Dan play catch-up on some comic news and notes, they also tackle the age old gaming debate of PC vs. Consoles, and Zak gives an update on his PC build. Don’t forget you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or with

So You Want To Watch Star Trek: DS9? – Season 4

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 12:53:34 +0000

A Triumphant Return! Oh, Internet, I can’t begin to tell you of the horrors I’ve navigated in order to return to you. Well I can, but I’d rather not. I can summarize: they were horrible. A death in the family (my beloved cat), followed by a pair of vile diseases (both mine). I dug a hole

Book Review: ‘The Postmortal’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 19:34:30 +0000

When you’re a child, mortality is a thoroughly confusing prospect. For one thing, you don’t learn much about sickness when you are young. In a sense, your sheltered from mortality, only vaguely aware of death. In some sense, it is not really all that much different than the childish illusion of Santa Claus. As we

Build your own PC, Part 1: The Inception

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:31:32 +0000

One of those things that every computer ‘geek’ should do at some point is build their own PC, it’s a rite of passage. Yes, you can go to a custom build place or even build a PC on a gamer-centric site like CyberPowerPC.com, but where’s the fun in that? There’s a sense of pride, that

Direct Geek Weekly #007 – That One Where We Look To The Future

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:55:54 +0000

Hope you’re ready for your weekly serving of Direct Geek Weekly, because here it is! This week Zak, Nick and ‘new to the program’ T.J. discuss the things they’re looking forward to most this coming year. The trio also makes some bold predictions for the year and shares what they’re ‘geeking out’ over this week.

Book Review: ‘Summer of Shadows’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 03:40:42 +0000

Before Cleveland was ‘The Mistake by the Lake,’ the once proud city was ‘The Best Location in the Nation.’ For several generations, the city of Cleveland has been known nationally as a place of failure, of industrial rot. Jonathan Knight’s new book, Summer of Shadows: A Murder, A Pennant Race, and the Twilight of the

Hollywood Trash Heap: Bolero (1984)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 19:59:14 +0000

In the handful of relationships I’ve had, I’ve always shied away from public displays of affection (PDA). To me, there was something so indulgent about PDA, so impossibly assured yet so nakedly yearning and savage. By my estimation though, these couples who engage in hardcore PDA never really seem to last. Maybe passion like that

Book Review: ‘Ready Player One’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:58:13 +0000

In the early 1990s, you couldn’t go to a major mall without seeing a virtual reality ‘arcade’. To today’s youth, these VR machines would look like ENIAC; they were bulky, uncomfortable and to top it off they weren’t that good. The graphics of the ‘games’ were monochromatic with non-existent textures. The real draw of virtual

Direct Geek Weekly #006 – That One Where We Loved 2011

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:34:54 +0000

Happy Holidays! That’s right it’s ‘a very special episode’ of Direct Geek Weekly. Dan and Zak recap their top 5 from the past year. Notice that we didn’t say top 5 movies or TV or comics…nope this is our top 5 of everything! Give it a listen and let us know if you agree or

First Trailer for ‘The Hobbit’

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 03:40:18 +0000

We know that we’ve been posting a lot of trailers recently, but there’s been an ‘embarresment of riches’ when it comes to movie trailers as of late. The most recent of which is the newest from New Line Cinema and Peter Jackson. That’s right…the first Hobbit trailer has been released! The Hobbit tells the early story of

Marvel to Publish ‘Civil War’ Novel Adaptation

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:48:27 +0000

Beginning in June 2012, Marvel Comics will be publishing some of their most well known story arcs as novels. No, I did not forget to type “graphic” in that last sentence, these are some of Marvel’s most popular comic book stories adapted as traditional prose novels. The first book to be released is an adaptation

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Trailer Released Online

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:12:31 +0000

The first official trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has finally been released online for everyone to enjoy. The trailer ran in front of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows this weekend. Not a lot of Batman in the trailer, but some awesome shots. Personally the shot of the football field crumbling behind the wide reciever

Weekend Box Office Report: Dec. 16-18, 2011

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:14:35 +0000

It was a big weekend for the Christmas movie openings. Many studios release big titles this weekend, trying to capitalize on the fact that families are together and going to the movies provides the escape that we all crave at Christmas. That being said, it was not a great weekend box office wise. The two

Hollywood Trash Heap: The Lonely Lady (1983)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:30:14 +0000

When I was young, I tried to be cool. I’d guess most of us did. Some of the things that I thought would make me cool were a Starter jacket, 2Pac’s discography, bleach blonde highlights, et. al. Not to debase the merits of these particular pop culture artifacts, in fact, they all are pretty cool

Direct Geek Weekly #005 – That One Where We Get Blacklisted

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:05:33 +0000

Direct Geek Weekly #005 is out and ready to go. This week all four of the regulars are back to discuss some of the biggest stories in the world of geek this week. This week the group breaks down two new trailers that hit the web this week. Trailers for both Men in Black III

My Favorite Books of 2011

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:33:04 +0000

As an avid reader, I am always looking for the next thing to catch my interest, but with a stack of books in my bedroom two feet high, and a infinitely taller list in my head, it is sometimes hard to remember to keep looking for brand new stuff that people will be talking about.

Top 5: Holiday Movies

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:12:17 +0000

It’s that time of the year again. The weather has turned cold, lights are going up on houses, retail stores are advertising their ‘Best Sales of the Year!’ and the Hallmark Channel is running made for TV holiday movies on an endless loop. Yes, it’s the holiday season. One of the best parts of the

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Trailer Aims for your Pleasure Centers

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:29:51 +0000

And hot damn, it hits them. You know that dream you had as a kid? The one about being the baddest badass to ever scale a sheer mountainside while sword fighting with ninjas? This is what that dream looks like brought to life. Director Jon M. Chu is the guy who brought us every equally-dreamlike

First Trailer for ‘Men in Black III’ Released

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:51:58 +0000

You may have thought you’d seen the last of Agents J & K, but you would be wrong. It’s been a long road to get Men in Black III on to the big screen, but this summer Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will reprise their roles in the sci-fi/action franchise. When I heard about the

Avoid the Trapdoor, Become an Archetype: Zooey Deschanel & Television

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 04:45:34 +0000

“Maybe there’s a trapdoor under my chair, and I’ll just disappear.” -Franny Glass in J.D. Salinger’s chronically under appreciated Franny and Zooey Zooey Claire Deschanel was born on January 17, 1980. Her parents named her after the male character in the book Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger. This is the perfect anecdote, actually, for

Robert Downey Jr: “Iron Man 3 is the best script I’ve read in five years”

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:21:23 +0000

Iron Man 3 is set to begin principle photography next year with a release date of May 2013. The first Iron Man was one of the best comic movies in history, but Iron Man 2 couldn’t capture the same feel as the first one. But now the franchises’ star, Robert Downey Jr., says that the third film

Direct Geek Weekly #004 – That One Where Gabby Is a Meme

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 19:56:29 +0000

Direct Geek Weekly #004 has arrived, I know you’re excited! This week we changed up our format a bit, to try and find the perfect way to deliver all that is awesome in the world to you. Tell us if you like it! This week We tell you how Gabby became a meme, Why Kepler

‘Batman Arkham City’ Skins Pack DLC Now Available

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:52:25 +0000

Batman Arkham City is stating to get all of the Game of the Year nods we knew it would, so what better time to make the game a bit more awesome? This week the ‘Skins Pack’ DLC went on sale on Xbox Live, PSN and Games for Windows. The DLC packs together all of the previous

Paul Jenkins taking over Stormwatch

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 04:52:21 +0000

It was announced Wednesday morning that Paul Jenkins would be taking the reins of the DC New 52 title Stormwatch, starting with issue #7. Jenkins will be taking over for Paul Cornell, who confirmed that he will be staying involved in the New 52 universe with his other title, the “sword and sorcery” fantasy title,

Thoughts on ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 2 Part 1

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:59:25 +0000

Whenever I recommend The Walking Dead as a much watch television program to someone, I give them the same line. It’s like Mad Men, but with zombies. Allow me to repeat that. IT’S LIKE MAD MEN, BUT WITH ZOMBIES. So pretty much the best show on television? Yep. Pretty much. However, this didn’t just happen

New MLG Stats Boast Huge Viewership Numbers

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:59:48 +0000

eSports are a bit of a hot button issue in the gaming community. There are those that love watching people competing at the highest level in games like Call of Duty 4, Starcraft and Halo. And then there are those that subscribe to the, “why would I want to watch someone play a video game?” argument. A few

Patty Jenkins won’t be directing “Thor 2″

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:25:58 +0000

Jenkins (dir. Monster, Entourage, The Killing) has left Thor 2 due to “creative differences”. Deadline is hopeful that she’s still on friendly terms with the studio, and may yet pick up the directorship of another Marvel film, although likely not a sequel. I’ve suddenly got visions of a Black Widow movie dancing behind my eyes, but I’m

Hollywood Trash Heap: Inchon (1982)

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:18:58 +0000

When I was in college, it was determined that I’d need two of my wisdom teeth removed. This is not an uncommon thing to happen. I remember being really anxious as the date drew nearer. Sitting in the chair, I could hear the dentist ripping the teeth out, but thanks to the modern miracle of

‘Avatar: The Legend of Korra’ Opening Sequence Leaked

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:40:24 +0000

The very, very, very highly anticipated continuation of Avatar: The Last Airbender is due out next fall. That’s a still a long wait, but here’s something to hold you over: the first 120 seconds of The Legend of Korra. Taking place 70 years after the end of the first series, Korra will follow the new Avatar as

My Star Wars Saga: Blu-ray Harvest

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:17:17 +0000

I recently had to ask myself a serious question. It took some deep, thoughtful soul searching, but I think I finally found the answer. That question was “Why should I put the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray boxed set on my Christmas list?” I wish that I could answer that question with a simple

Steven Moffat Shoots Down ‘Doctor Who’ Movie News

Direct Geek contact@directgeek.com (Direct Geek) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:20:59 +0000

Last month, Whovians were thrown for a loop when news came out that Harry Potter direct David Yates was in the very early stages of bringing a Doctor Who movie to the big screen. At first look, Who fans were all about it! Yates directed arguably the best of the Harry Potter films and getting The Doctor on the big