TheAngrySpark

Her Universe rocks Cyber Monday goodies

2012-11-20T11:06:00.001-05:00

One of my very favorite places will be rocking the biggest online shopping day of the year with some cool stuff (and freebies!) you're not going to want to miss!

"Cyber Monday has replaced Black Friday for most people and has become one of the most exciting shopping days of the year!" said Ashley Eckstein (owner and founder of Her Universe). "I get overwhelmed by the big crowds on Black Friday and prefer to shop from the comfort of my own home, but I am always looking for a deal. With FREE Shipping and a FREE autographed gift, we've made shopping for yourself, or the fangirl in your life, much easier."

I'll second that thought. It always seems like a fun idea, but in reality hitting the malls any day during the entire three day (or is it four day now?) Black Friday weekend is an exercise in aggravation and frustration more than anything else. The phenomenon that's become Cyber Monday though, that's a whole other story.

Sitting at my desk, flipping through web pages, and clicking 'add to cart' instead of waiting on lines of painful length? Yes please.

This year, you (or that special someone who's buying something for you) will be taking home a really neat gift with your purchase at Her Universe that'll make that already pretty comfy experience all that much better. For the third year in a row, the company will be giving away a Star Wars 'holiday' themed pin. This little guy will have an extremely limited production run and will be (first come first served) free with any purchase!

Joining the R2-D2 and Yoda pins of Christmas' Past is 2012's Chewbacca. Santa Chewy will also come complete with a signed certificate of authenticity that bears the autograph of the voice of Ahsoka Tano herself, Ashley Eckstein.

Just to reiterate, these are super limited in run (only 1,000 will be made). So if you want one, log onto Her Universe early on Cyber Monday and make sure Chewy makes his way to your house for the Holidays! And while we're talking Her Universe here's a taste of some of the cool stuff you'll find for that Geek Girl in your life on the site.

Oh, and did I mention that shipping is totally free on Cyber Monday? No? Well I did now.

Letter from the Editor: Change of pace

2012-11-03T21:45:00.000-04:00

Unless you really (really) haven't been paying attention, there hasn't been a post on TAS in a good long time now. Well, there's a reason- it's called Brutal Gamer.

The Spark has officially merged with BG and we'll be posting all the usual goodness that you'd find here, there. All the video game, comic book, and toy news you've come to expect from us will be there at Brutal Gamer, for your reading pleasure.

But that's not all for this site, not by a long shot. Even now, we're talking about some very cool things that are in the works for the ol'Spark.

Very soon you'll have some brand new things to do here that have never been available before. So stay tuned (and keep us bookmarked!), we hope you like what's coming down the pike!

-Jason

Long Beach Comic Con to welcome Neal Adams

2012-09-26T17:53:00.000-04:00

Comic artist Neal Adams is the latest addition to the stable of industry talent being added to the Long Beach Comic Con roster along with his son Joel and wife Marilyn.

Adams (perhaps best known for his classic work on Batman, X-Men, Superman, and others) will be in attendance, family in tow, for both days of the Con. They'll all be on hand promoting their company Continuity Graphic.

Neal's son Joel is also an artist working on quite a few properties that you probably know, like Bucky O'Hare. He's also worked on several animated shows including The Hulk and King of the Hill.

Said Neal Adams: “Comic Book conventions have become the modern day circus, and in Long Beach November 3rd and 4th, the circus will be coming to town. My son Joel and I, will be honored to be guests of what bodes to be, the most incredible 'comic book' convention on the West Coast.

“I am told, as before, this is going to be a true comic book convention. As you probably know, comic books are taking over the world. The world of entertainment, and the stars of that world are coming to Long Beach.
“Me, I will do my best to entertain, draw for you, and talk to you about the future of comics in the world. You can pre-order sketches, or have them done at the convention, (time allowing).
“There will be costume contests, and any leftover Halloween madness you may have had from Halloween the week before, you can spend with joy at this convention. And when Monday rolls around, and people tell you what they did that weekend, you will be able to tell them that you went to the greatest Comic Book Convention on the West Coast. I’ll see you there.”
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Neal, Joel, and Josh make their first appearance at Long Beach.” says Phil Lawrence, Co-Founder and Sales Director. “This will be a rare treat for all of the attendees. Neal is a living legend, and the show cannot get here fast enough for us! He truly embodies what the show is about – creator-owned, creativity, and the fan experience.”

Personally, I'll always remember Neal Adams best from the time he asked an artist buddy of mine (who was looking for advice on the business) if he knew what a light box was. Good times.

The LBCC will be held at the Long Beach Convention Center (in Long Beach, CA) on November 3rd and 4th, from 10am to 7pm and 10am to 5pm respectively.

The Mortal Instruments debuts as a digital comiXology exclusive

2012-09-26T15:47:00.000-04:00

Starting now, the entire nine issue run of the acclaimed graphic novel will be exclusively available on comiXology's digital comic platform.

I'm not all that familiar with Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments, but the New York Times bestselling (and award winning) graphic novel series looks and sounds like a winner.

New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare and publisher Th3rd World Studios have teamed up to release Clare’s acclaimed urban fantasy trilogyThe Mortal Instruments as a series of graphic novels with today’s exclusive digital release of issue 1 ofThe City of Bones, on comiXology, the revolutionary digital comics platform available across iPhone,iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and the Web.Todays’ release of City of Bones issue #1, marks the first graphic novel adaptation of The Mortal Instruments series. All nine issues will be released digitally by Th3rd World Studios and will initially only be available through comiXology.“The Mortal Instruments is an incredibly successful and engaging series of books; we are very excited to bring this series to a new audience through this collaboration with Cassie and comiXology,” said Th3rd World Co-Publisher, Michael DeVito.Th3rd World Co-Publisher, Jon Conkling, adds, “The Mortal Instruments series has a passionate fan-base who care greatly about this wonderful series, so we have been working hard to remain as faithful to the source material as possible.”The series will be adapted into graphic novels by veteran comics writer Mike Raicht (Dark Shadows, GI Joe, and the acclaimed The Stuff of Legend series.) Art on the series will be handled by talented newcomer, Nicole Virella with colors by Jeremy Mohler, and lettering by Steve Wands.In City of Bones, the handsome Jace introduces fifteen-year-old Clary Fray to the world of the Shadowhunters, a secret cadre of warriors dedicated to driving demons out of our world. She is sure that Valentine, the evil and powerful Shadowhunter, is responsible for her mother’s disappearance, but she’s about to discover much more.

Grab part one of The Mortal Instruments City of Bones today on comiXology's iOS, Android, Windows, and web based platforms.

Halloween Horror Nights now spooking it up in Orlando

2012-09-26T01:23:00.001-04:00

If you're in Orlando, FL and looking for a good scare, you might want to head over to Universal Studios- Halloween Horror Nights 22 is now accepting ~~victims~~ guests!

This is far and away one of the coolest haunted attractions I've ever heard of. Universal has entire attractions based on The Walking Dead and Silent Hill- that's great enough, but then add Bill and Ted (yes, that Bill and Ted) and you've got a winner of epic proportions. Excellent!

HAUNTED HOUSES
AMC’s “The Walking Dead”There is strength in numbers, and you must band together to make it through many of the iconic settings made famous by the critically-acclaimed AMC television series, “The Walking Dead.” As the city is crawling with hordes of walkers, the issue of your becoming one of them is not a question of if, but when.

Silent HillIn the eerie and desolate town of Silent Hill, ash falls from the sky and the physical laws of nature no longer apply. If you dare to venture into this alternate dimension, there is only one law of nature with which you must concern yourself: survival.

Penn & Teller New(kd) Las VegasWorld-renowned magicians Penn & Teller have accidentally nuked Las Vegas, but don’t worry, it’s nothing a fresh coat of paint and a truckload of BS can’t fix. Come on down to New Vegas, where all that glitters isn’t gold, and in fact probably has fatal levels of radioactivity.

Alice Cooper – Welcome To My NightmareJourney into the legendary rocker Alice Cooper’s twisted mind and witness the natural melding of horror and Cooper’s four decades-long career. Here you will follow Steven, the iconic character from many of Cooper’s works, as you come face-to-face with a myriad of tormentors who threaten an already-decaying sense of sanity.

House of HorrorsThis is no remake. No sequel. No re-imagining. These are Universal’s classic monsters of fear, who have terrified audiences from the Silver Screen. They have been waiting within silver celluloid to be resurrected. The flash of a lightning strike cuts the darkness that surrounds, and terror’s true faces take back what is theirs…

Dead EndIf enough people believe in something, perception can become reality. In Carey, Ohio, the perception was that countless horrific acts had occurred in the old Hartford Mansion. The reality was that the curse which befell the house was far worse than any story ever told.
GothicThe Catedral de Caementum Animus is, by day, undergoing a building-wide architectural refurbishment. By night, the many stone gargoyles that keep watchful eye over the sanctuary come to life with the mission of protecting this sacred place against intrusion.
NEW – REINVENTED STREET EXPERIENCE
Legions of HorrorWith a ripping, clawing and tearing through the concrete beneath Universal Studios come ancient cemetery structures, spilling blood-raged,
vampiric hordes that span the eras of time, barbaric warriors with a need to carve flesh from bone and an all-female, chainsaw-wielding prison
gang. These and more nightmarish hellions inhabit every dark corner, foggy recess and shadowed path within the park. Unlike in years past,
there are no boundaries. No safezones. No one escapes.

The force of horror starts with The Iniquitus. Rooted in evil, these are the patrons of death and are the ones who rose from the cemetery.
The Iniquitus are those who summoned the Dark Legions to come and feast here.

The dark legions of horror that await are: Vampires – the blood-thirsty from all eras of time, Beasts – the legendary animal-like figures who
prey on the unsuspecting, Warriors – a gang killed in a deadly war that has returned to seek revenge,Prisoners – these deceased chainsaw
wielding female inmates killed in a women’s prison fire are back… and angry, and Traditionals – the ghosts and goblins of Halloween past
come together to feast.

LIVE SHOWS Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween AdventureParty on as those two most excellent dudes return to skewer the biggest names in entertainment and pop culture.

20 Penny CircusThe 20 Penny Circus brings its “Magic For People With Questionable Taste” to an unsuspecting Halloween Horror Nights audience.

Halloween Horror Nights 22 runs 'select nights' now through October 31st (natch). If you're going to be in the neighborhood and want to pick up some tickets for yourself, click here. You might want to hurry though, as Universal says they usually sell out fast- and with attractions like this, I believe them.

The Essential Supernatural to creep out bookshelves soon

2012-09-24T21:21:00.000-04:00

The Essential Supernatural is the new Ultimate Visual Guide to the long running Warner Bros TV show, and it'll be on shelves just in time for the show's eighth season.

It's hard to believe that Supernatural has been around that long personally; I still think of it as a 'new' show, but it's forged a deep backstory and has featured more monsters than you can shake a stake at. And with all that history to keep track of, you're gonna need a visual guide to handle it all.

The Essential Supernatural: On the Road with Sam and Dean Winchester from Insight Editions, under license with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, gives unparalleled access to Warner Bros. Television's enthralling hit television series. This stunning 192-page visual companion prepares fans for this beloved show's eighth thrilling season, which debuts October 3 on a new night, airing Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

Haunted by the death of their parents in a mysterious supernatural conspiracy,brothers Sam and Dean Winchester (played by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles)hunt down demons, monsters, and otherworldly creatures lurking in darkness. This stunningly comprehensive coffee-table book dissects all seven seasons of the thrilling show and looks ahead to season eight - with deep insights from extensive cast and crew interviews, beginning with a revealing foreword written by the show's creator, Eric Kripke. The book is visually breathtaking, with candid behind-the-scenes photos, revelatory production art, and collectible pullout elements, such as postcards, stickers, photos, and a map that details the cross-country adventures of Sam and Dean.

"From demons to angels (and even the Apocalypse), Sam and Dean Winchester have faced it all," relates Sonia Borris, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Operations, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Marketing. "After seven seasons, the world of Supernatural is so rich in its mythology, creatures and characterization that a companion guide like this is indispensable. Going into season eight, this is a must-have for fans old and new alike."

Returning for its eighth season this fall on The CW, Supernatural stars Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles as Sam and Dean Winchester. Created by Eric Kripke and executive produced by Robert Singer, Jeremy Carver, Phil Sgriccia, McG and Adam Glass, the series is produced by Wonderland Sound and Vision in association with Warner Bros. Television and distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

"With unparalleled scope, The Essential Supernatural offers fans amazing insights, keepsakes, and insider-knowledge from the world of their favorite show," said Maryellen Zarakas, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and TV & Studio Licensing, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. "This thoughtfully curated companion book will engage Supernatural's many fans and build excitement for the upcoming eighth season."

Get ready to drive full-speed into the hidden world of Sam and Dean Winchester, hunters of demons, ghouls, vampires, and all things ... supernatural!

Nicholas Knight has more than 300 writing credits, spanning action, adventure, comedy, romance, science fiction, and young-adult fiction. He has written Supernaturalepisode guides for every season and is a regular interviewer for the Official Supernatural Magazine.

Eric Kripke is an award-winning writer, director and producer who's latest adventure series, Revolution, debuts September 17 and airs Mondays at 10/9c on NBC. For his work on Supernatural, Television Week named Kripke one of television's "Masters of Horror" in 2008.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

SUPERNATURAL and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(s12)

I can't say I'm all that familiar with Supernatural; but I can absolutely tell you that if you are, then a Visual Guide might make a very nice little addition to your own personal library of the arcane. I have a bunch of VG's from all kinds of entertainment properties (from comic books to video games) on my shelves and I can't get enough of them.

If you love the show, you'll probably enjoy the book. But don't take my second-hand word for it, find out for yourself when all 192 pages of The Essential Supernatural: On The Road With Sam And Dean Winchester arrives on store shelves next month for $50.00 USD.

The Art of Rise of the Guardians Announced

2012-09-24T20:18:00.002-04:00

Team up a bunch of classic Holiday fantasy characters and set 'em against a meanie out to wreck children's sense of wonder and what do you get? A pretty awesome looking animated movie from Dreamworks, a cool art book, and Alec Baldwin.

I don't exactly know who Baldwin plays in the forthcoming CG film (he provides the forward for the book), but I'm sure he's painfully witty. In any event, the flick sounds like it might be a very cool ride through the myths and legends of childhood. There's probably plenty in it to fill up this 150+ page art book from Insight Editions too.

In Rise of the Guardians, North, Bunny, Tooth, and Sandy recruit the mysterious Jack Frost to help them stop Pitch from putting an end to childhood belief and sending the world into eternal darkness. Based on the children's book series by William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians is both an exciting adventure and a poignant exploration of the hopes and dreams of youth.

Rise of the Guardians is one of DreamWorks Animation's most ambitious films to date. Its mythic premise allowed the artists at the studio to let their imaginations loose, producing a truly unique take on the imaginary figures of childhood, the worlds they inhabit, and the innocence and joy they represent.

With more than four hundred pieces of meticulously reproduced art, including storyboards, character designs, visual development art, and effects concepts, The Art of Rise of the Guardians is an insider's tour of DreamWorks Animation's dynamic development process. Included is exclusive commentary from the director, producers, production designer, and crew that paints a fascinating picture of the way these filmmakers collaborated to create a stunning CG movie.

Ramin Zahed is the editor-in-chief of Animation Magazine and the author of The Art of Puss In Boots. A journalist who has covered the film and television industries for over twenty years, he has written for PBS, the Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Variety, and Movieline. He lives in Los Angeles.

Alec Baldwin is a veteran actor with over forty film credits who stars in the award-winning television show 30 Rock. He lives in New York City.

A true luminary and creative spirit, William Joyce, who has written and illustrated over fifty children's books, has put his personal stamp on children's media in every direction. He lives in Shreveport, LA, and is the founder of Moonbot Studios.

Look for The Art of Rise of the Guardians to make you a believer when it hits bookshelves next month.

Iron Sky invades DVD and Blu in October

2012-09-24T19:25:00.002-04:00

The sci-fi comedy about invading Nazi's from the moon heads to home video early next month.

In the last moments of World War II, a secret Nazi space program evaded destruction by fleeing to the Dark Side of the Moon. In the intervening 70 years, the Nazis constructed a gigantic space fortress with a massive armada of flying saucers. Their plan: travel back to Earth and re-colonize the planet. Now, mankind's greatest enemy is no longer history as the Reich strikes back in this eagerly-anticipated worldwide box office phenomenon which has enjoyed a U.S. theatrical release - demanded in over 70 markets. When American astronaut James Washington (Christopher Kirby) puts down his Lunar Lander a bit too close to the secret Nazi base, the Moon Führer (Udo Kier) decides the Fourth Reich must act, so two Nazi officers, ruthless Klaus Adler (Götz Otto) and idealistic Renate Richter (Julia Dietze), travel to Earth to prepare the invasion. In the end, when the Moon Nazi UFO armada darkens the skies, ready to strike at the unprepared Earth, every man, woman and nation alike, must unite to save humanity!

Look for Iron Sky to storm retail shelves on October 2nd.

Street Fighter x Tekken Round 2- Mini-Fight!

2012-09-24T10:43:00.004-04:00

The first series of DST's Street Fighter x Tekken Minimates are almost here (in stores this week) but series two is being worked on as we speak- set for launch just after the Holiday season.

Arriving at comic book stores and Toys r Us' in January 2013, series two of the little guys has a pretty blockbuster lineup featuring many of the staple characters from both fighting game series'.

And of course, if we're talking Minimates then we're talking retailer exclusives here's who you'll find in both Toys R Us shops as well as specialty stores.

Toys R Us (seen above)

Ryu vs. Yoshimitsu
Abel vs. Kazuya
Hugo vs. Heihachi (exclusive)
Rolento vs. Kuma (exclusive)

Comic and specialty stores

Ryu vs. Yoshimitsu
Abel vs. Kazuya
Rufus vs. Julia (exclusive)
Chun Li vs. Hwoarang (exclusive)

So, what do you think? Who has the better assortment? Both cases have Ryu and Kazuya; but for Chun-Li, Kuma and others you're gonna have to make a few trips.

Japan Foundation to hold events at NYCC

2012-09-20T14:37:00.000-04:00

The Japan Foundation was formed to foster a better understanding of Eastern culture here in the West. This year, the group will be participating in the New York Comic Con to bring a little Eastern flavor to the show.

"We're very, very excited to see the Japan Foundation expand its participation in New York Comic Con," notes Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for ReedPOP and Show Manager for NYCC. "For three years now, the Japan Foundation has brought a little bit of Tokyo to New York City, and each year, attendees have only wanted more. We know fans will be very pleased to meet Ms. Asakawa, Mr. Choo and the staff at Crypton, and we hope that the Japan Foundation's panels will inspire our attendees to read more about Japan, learn its language, and ultimately visit the land that's given the world Hatsune Miku and so much more."

Get ready for some very cool guests and a fun dose of Japanese culture!

Ms. Yu Asakawa is a popular seiyuu (voice actress) and singer from Tokyo. Her list of credits includes Love Hina (Motoko Aoyama), School Rumble (Itoko Osakabe), Vandread (Jura Basil Elden), Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 (Priss S. Asagiri), Azumanga Daioh (Sakaki), Gravion (Mizuki Tachibana), Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (Shalua) and Final Fantasy XIII (Lebreau). She also provided the voice of Crypton Future Media's Vocaloid virtual singer Megurine Luka, and she will be speaking at New York Comic Con on Friday about her career, becoming the voice of a Vocaloid and singing as Luka in both Japanese and English. For more on Ms. Asakawa, follow her on Twitter at @Julia320, where she tweets in English to her international fans.
Mr. Danny Choo resides in Tokyo and runs a media production company where he produces Culture Japan, a portal including a website, television show and products that focus on spreading information on Japan around the world. Danny speaks at conferences and universities worldwide on Japanese pop culture and consumer generated media and his activities are regularly featured in web, print and media outlets worldwide such as CNN, BBC, NHK and G4TV. Danny has also been known to dance around Tokyo dressed as a Stormtrooper. Danny will be speaking at NYCC on Saturday about discovering Japanese culture, moving to Tokyo and spreading Japanese pop culture to the world. Danny will also share his tips for studying Japanese for those wishing to follow his path.
On Sunday at NYCC, Crypton Future Media, the creators of Vocaloid singers Hatsune Miku and Megurine Luka, will speak about the Vocaloid software's success and bringing the Vocaloids to the USA. This panel will feature the behind-the-scenes story of virtual singer Hatsune Miku with Kanae Muraki, Director of Global Development for Crypton Future Media, and Tara Knight, producer of Mikumentary -- an upcoming series of short documentaries focusing on the Hatsune Miku phenomenon. Crypton will make a special announcement as part of this panel.

The New York Comic Con will be held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center (as always) and will run from October 11th through the 14th. It's a great show (we're there every year) and in many ways has started to get right up there with the San Diego event in it's magnitude and sheer amount of things to do- don't miss it!

Syfy brings Flavor Monsters to horrifying life

2012-09-19T12:32:00.001-04:00

I'm not really too familiar with the Flavor Monsters game on mobiles (which was produced in conjunction with the truth anti-smoking campaign), but I'll tell you one thing- this is easily the most terrifying strawberry I've ever seen.

Yeah, that's just... yeah.

Anyway, the whole freakish-berry-man-thing was a part of the Syfy channel's Face Off show. If you're not familiar, the reality competition sets makeup artists against one another in a battle for special effects supremacy.

This... thing that you see being worked on was once truth tour rider and manager Edwin Contreras. Doing the makeup honors is season three contestant and current show consultant Rod Maxwell. From the looks of his work, Rod's a pretty talented guy. Twisted... but talented.

So what about those Flavor Monsters and the truth campaign? Here's the straight dope:

The Flavor Monsters game transports users into a not-too-distant future where "Flavor Monsters" are attacking Earth. The "Flavor Monsters" are creatures that represent the added flavorings in tobacco. Players work to defeat these monsters, thereby stopping the monster invasion. The game will feature multiple skill levels, each of which will feature a different series of colorful, flavored monsters to be defeated. An accompanying field manual contains data on all the monsters, along with relevant tobacco-related facts, and details on the tools that can be used to defeat the monsters.

To round out the user experience, truth embarked on its first ever gaming tour this August. At each stop, truth's crew of young adult "tour riders" speak directly with teens and young adults - educating them about the marketing tactics of the tobacco industry and the health effects, addictiveness and social consequences of tobacco. At gaming conventions, an interactive booth called "45 Flavors" allows attendees to play the game onsite, get their picture taken with a Flavor Monster, both sample and buy truth-related gear and products, and take part in a special video virtual simulation that will give attendees the experience of being part of the actual Flavor Monsters game. All of the activities around the booth experience are geared toward 'recruiting' future monster hunters, and educating people about flavor monsters, as a way to reinforce messaging about the tobacco industry's use of flavorings in tobacco products.

Sounds pretty cool, even better is that the first five levels of the game are free to play right now on iOS and Android, with more promised soon.

As for the Syfy Channel's Face Off, that airs every Tuesday at 9pm Eastern and Pacific.

Her Universe hits the Star Wars Celebration

2012-09-19T01:12:00.000-04:00

Ashley Eckstein's fangirl clothier was in full effect at the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, Florida last month. Now the company has released a video diary to give you a guided tour of the show.

The bits and pieces of the diary were originally posted to StarWars.com as they were filmed, but after the con Ashley edited the whole thing together into one gigantic video look at all things Star Wars. And even if you were watching as they all went live, you still haven't seen everything as the new vi-doc has an added 20 minutes of footage not previously aired.

Ashley decided to tape herself giving the tour of the event instead of simply blogging it, but it had nothing to do with just being comfortable on camera. The Star Wars: The Clone Wars star says it was mainly the heavy influence that social media has that made her choice of coverage an easy one.

"I've never been good at keeping a written diary and I wanted to capture the events and memories of Celebration VI for myself and the fans in a different way," said Eckstein. "With social media being the way it is today, a video diary seemed like the best way to cover CVI."

Ashley Eckstein appears on The Clone Wars 5th season premiere red carpet with Clone Wars co-star Sam Witwer during Celebration VI.
Photo Credit: Amy Ratcliffe

And as for the final film itself, it's actually got a pretty fantastic pedigree.

The video diary, directed by Jason Surrell, a screenwriter and Senior Show Writer for Walt Disney Imagineering and edited by Studio Say So, an Orlando-based video production company, is a collaborative effort with Eckstein. "I was absolutely thrilled when Ashley asked me to direct her video diary at Star Wars Celebration VI," said Surrell. "After directing Ashley and her fellow Clone Wars cast members in Behind the Force at Disney's Star Wars Weekends for so many years, I knew that there's a whole other world out there that people typically don't get to see. So I'm hoping that our series of video diaries will truly give Star Wars fans a peek behind the curtain at all the fascinating and truly funny things that happen when these people get together. I've never been happier to be a fly on the wall. We're going to take you onstage, backstage and everywhere in between."

You can check out the full movie here.

Gentle Giant releases giant list of September offerings

2012-09-18T21:51:00.000-04:00

The list of stuff that Gentle Giant has on tap forrrrrrohmygod is that a giant Boba Fett!?!

Yes indeedy, that be one massive Boba- and he's not alone. A jumbo size Gamorrean Guard is also on tap as is that cool Cantina retro-playset we showed you a while back.

Not into Star Wars? That's cool, because there's a load of stuff from Lord of the Rings, Marvel Comics and The Walking Dead ready for your pre-ordering dollars too. I think that should cover just... about... everyone.

Well? What are you waiting for? These toys aren't gonna buy themselves you know.

Star Wars Jumbo Vintage Kenner –

-       Jumbo Vintage Kenner Rocket Firing Boba Fett - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80283.htm

-       Jumbo Vintage Kenner Cantina Playset - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80303.htm
-       Jumbo Vintage Kenner ROTJ Gamorrean Guard - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80302.htm

Star Wars –
- Star Wars Droopy McCool Mini Bust - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80207.htm

The Hobbit –
- The Hobbit Gollum Mini Bust - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80262.htm

Marvel –
- Marvel Avengers Iron Man Deluxe Mini Bust - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/Iron_Man_Avengers_Deluxe_Mini_Bust_p/80281.htm
- Marvel Venom Mini Bust - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80284.htm

The Walking Dead –
- The Walking Dead Sheriff Grimes Mini Bust (with bonus Sheriff's hat!) - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80298.htm
- The Walking Dead Well Walker Mini Bust - http://www.gentlegiantltd.com/product_p/80291.htm

Ultron annihilates DST's offerings for the week

2012-09-18T19:45:00.000-04:00

The Avengers and Fantastic Four villain makes his Marvel Select debut in style along side the continuing Battle Beasts comic- and the Silver Surfer cracks open a cold one. (wait... what?)

It's always a good comic book day when there's a new Marvel Select figure on shelves and this week's a real good one.

Ultron has been one of my favorite Marvel baddies for years and is far and away one of the biggest villains in the Avengers (and about a dozen others) rogues gallery. I'm pretty pumped to get a version that's as classically 'Ultron' as you can get.

Marvel Select Ultron
Watch out, Avengers -- Ultron has arrived! Designed and sculpted by Gentle Giant this 7-inch figure depicts the classic Avengers villain in all his robotic glory. Ultron was built with 16 points of articulation, so he can strike menacing and/or victorious poses over the fallen forms of Ant-Man and the Wasp on his display base. He comes packaged in our deluxe Select packaging, suitable for in-package display and with keen side art for shelf storage.

Battle Beasts is also on the docket this week as the third issue of the limited edition of the series makes it's way to shelves. And then there's the Silver Surfer bottle opener. I love this thing. I'm not even gonna say anything about it- just have a gander and enjoy.

Silver Surfer Metal Bottle Opener
Galactus may hunger, but he'll need a tall beverage to wash down that planet he just ate! Luckily, there's this handy-dandy Silver Surfer bottle opener to pop open the top of his grape Nehi! Standing nearly 6 inches tall, this metal opener depicting Norrin Radd, surfer of the spaceways, has the same chrome finish as Galactus' most famous herald. Simply holding it in your hand makes you feel like a devourer of worlds!

Battle Beasts #3 (IDW Publishing)
Based on the upcoming toy line from DST, it's Battle Beasts #3 from IDW! The epic invasion of Earth by the Beasts has turned San Francisco into a war zone, and the army has been called in to deal with the situation. Vorin, Merk and Gruntos take their human charges underground, and we catch a glimpse of how their band of brothers was formed. The last chapter before the whisker-rattling finale! Regular cover by Valerio Schiti; 1 in 10 cover (part two of a triptych) by Jeff Zornow.

New Star Trek ships docking on retail shelves soon

2012-09-17T23:46:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since we've seen a new release in the series, but DST finally has a fresh batch of Star Trek ships on the way from Art Asylum.

Get ready to boldly go with the first Starfleet ship in the line to not carry name Enterprise and a very cool looking Klingon Bird of Prey.

One of the most fan-requested Star Trek ships, the Excelsior-class U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-B starship is finally on its way! Based on the ship's sole appearance, in Star Trek: Generations, the Enterprise-B features authentic sounds and dialogue from the film, as well as light-up weapons and engines. The ship measures 16 inches long and comes with a Starfleet-insignia display stand.

The Klingon Bird of Prey, as seen in multiple feature films, is their first non-Enterprise ship in the line. This version is based on the unnamed ship commanded by Admiral Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, which could fire while cloaked, and it features authentic sounds and dialogue from the film, as well as working lights. With its massive wingspan, the Bird of Prey measures 12.5 inches long by 19 inches wide, and the wings can move up for a landing approach or down for attack mode! Comes with a Klingon symbol display stand.

Both ships will be available by the end of the year and, even better if you missed a few of these, the rest of the line is being reissued right along side them. Expect to see the older craft releases staggered from now through the Spring of next year.

Michael Bay's Black Sails gets it's Captain Flint

2012-09-17T22:21:00.000-04:00

Actor Toby Stevens will take the helm of the good ship Walrus on the upcoming Starz series that takes place 20 years before the classic book- Treasure Island.

Stephens takes on the role of “Flint,” the most brilliant and feared captain of all the Golden Age pirates and commander of the pirate ship, Walrus. Threatened with extinction on all sides, he and his crew fight for the survival of New Providence Island, the most notorious criminal haven of its day – a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers, a place defined by both its enlightened ideals and its stunning brutality. Flint adds a young stranger to his crew who goes by the name John Silver and sets forth on a plan that could alter the course of history forever.

Stevens has been in quite a few big time films and is a regular feature on both Broadway and London's west end theater district. It should be interesting to see the usually big budget, explosion happy Bay's take on not only pirates, but some literary classic pirates.

The prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island will kick off it's inaugural season in 2014 with an 8 episode stretch on Starz.

Lineup announced for the 2012 SDFF

2012-09-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

The full selection of Headline and Premier films has just been announced for the 2012 San Diego Film Festival. The 11th year of the festival might just be the most impressive yet.

All in all there'll be some 200 movies showing at the event. The Festival ha just been infused with a heaping helping of new leadership (and capital- don't forget that) and is poised for one heck of a showing.

There were over 1300 entries from 55 different countries (!) in total and the final 200 represent the best of the best as chosen by the SDFF. Of those 200, the following movies represent the 'headliners'- the big boys that'll be showing for the first time (or just the first time on the West Coast).

It's a pretty impressive list to be honest. Lots of big stars and a few very interesting films that weren't on my radar before I saw the release.

Highlights of the Headline Films for the 2012 San Diego Film Festival include:

● The Sapphires – Opening Night Premiere, The Gaslamp
Director: Wayne Blair
Cast: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell
Synopsis: It's 1968, and four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship and war when theirall-girl group, The Sapphires, entertain the US troops in Vietnam.
7:00pm Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Reading Theater
● The Oranges – Spotlight at La Jolla
Director: Julian Farino
Cast: Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, Catherine Keener, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, Adam Brody, Alia Shawkat
Synopsis: THE ORANGES is a comedy about two families, who have been lifelong friends, and the hilaritythat ensues when a rebellious daughter returns home for the holidays and causes a scandal that forces everyone to re-examine what happiness really means tothem.
6:30pm Saturday September 29 at Reading Theater
● Quartet – Closing Night, La Jolla
Director: Dustin Hoffman
Cast: Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly
Synopsis: Cecily, Reggie and Wilfred are in a home for retired opera singers. Every year, on October 10, there is a concert tocelebrate Verdi's birthday and they take part. Jean, who used to be married to Reggie, arrives at the home and disrupts their equilibrium. She still acts like a diva, but she refuses to sing. Still, the show must go on... and it does.
7:30 pm Saturday, Sept. 29th at Museum of Contemporary Art LaJolla
● Seven Psychopaths – Horror Fest at Gaslamp
Director: Martin McDonagh
Cast: Colin Farrell, Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell
Synopsis: Written and Directed by Oscar®-winner Martin McDonagh, the comedy Seven Psychopaths follows a struggling screenwriter (Colin Farrell) who inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends (Christopher Walken and Sam Rockwell) kidnap a gangster’s (Woody Harrelson) beloved Shih Tzu. Co-starring Abbie Cornish, Tom Waits, Olga Kurylenko and Zeljko Ivanek.
9:00 pm Saturday, Sept. 29th at Reading Theater
● Grassroots – Closing Night, Gaslamp
Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal
Cast: Cobie Smulders,Lauren Ambrose, Jason Biggs, Joel David Moore, Christopher McDonald, Tom Arnold
Synopsis: After losing his job, a journalist reluctantly agrees to help his oddball friend with his bid to earn a seat on the Seattle City Council.
7:00pm Sunday, Sept. 30th at Reading Theater

Highlights of the Premiere Films for the 2012 San Diego Film Festival include:
Red Line – World Premiere
Director: Robert Kirbyson
Cast: Nicole Gale Anderson, John Billingsle, Kunal Sharma
Synopsis: Moments after departing from the Hollywood & Highland Metro Station, commuters on L.A.’s subway system experience a sudden explosion. Most passengers die on impact as the train is violently derailed and sent smashing into the tunnel’s walls.
6:00 PM, Saturday, Sept. 29th at Gaslamp
5:30 pm Sunday, Sept. 30h at Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla
The Story of Luke – World Premiere
Director: Alonso Mayo
Cast: Lou Taylor Pucci, Seth Green, Kristin Bauer, Cary Elwes
Synopsis: Luke’s world is turned upside down when his grandmother dies and he is forced to live with his dysfunctional relatives who have no patience for him or his senile grandfather, who they quickly force into a nursing home. Luke is left with his grandfather’s final semi-coherent words: “Get a job. Find a girl. Live your own life. Be a man!” For the first time in his life, Luke has a mission. He is about to embark on a quest.
7:00 PM, Saturday, September 29th at Gaslamp
Man Inside – US Premiere
Director: Dan Turner
Cast: Ashley Thomas, Peter Mullan, Michelle Ryan
Synopsis: Clayton Murdoch carries a terrible darkness inside him. As a boy he was exposed, by his father, to murder and gang culture,
With his father now in prison, Clayton struggles to overcome what he was groomed to become, in a city where every day there is a constant threat of violence and death.
8:30 PM, Thursday, Sept 27th at Gaslamp
3,2,1...Frankie Go Boom – West Coast Premiere
Director: Jordan Roberts
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O'Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth, Whitney Cummings, Nora Dunn, Sam Anderson
Synopsis: A comedy about two brothers a girl with a broken heart, a sex tape, an angel and a pig.
7:00 PM, Friday Sept 28th at Gaslamp and Sat, September 29th at 8:00 PM Coast Room La Jolla

Things kick off on Wednesday the 26th and run through the 30th. Here's your full list of deets:

The San Diego Film Festival is scheduled for Wednesday, September 26, 2012 – Sunday, September 30, 2012. For the first time, the Festival will be held at two venues: the Reading Theater in the Gaslamp Quarter (701 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, 92101), and the Museum of Contemporary Art La Jolla, Sherwood Auditorium (700 Prospect Street, La Jolla, 92037). Tickets start at $14 for pre-sale/$16 at the door, and go up to $75 for a one day pass, and range up to $500 for a Festival VIP Pass to all screenings, premieres, events, and panels on all days. A dramatic expansion this year, Festival organizers anticipate hosting over 100 film screenings.

Universal brings Halloween Horror home

2012-09-17T12:59:00.001-04:00

One of the biggest Halloween events in the nation just got even bigger- how'd you like a phone call from the Legions of Evil?

Halloween Horror Nights is a very big deal at Universal Orlando. Like, BIG. It's one of the major draws for the park and is far and away in the top visited Halloween attractions in the country.

Now the studio is letting even those who can't make the trip experience a little bit of their own personal Halloween Horror with Halloween Horror Nights Phone Scares. The best part? There's no need to sign up for anything as long as you have a Facebook account and are a friend of the official Halloween Horror page.

Fans of the official Halloween Horror Nights Orlando page can send terrifying phone calls to friends to fully immerse them in this year’s event. Phone scares feature the bone-chilling haunted houses and street experiences that can only be found at Universal Orlando’s Hallowee Horror Nights, including options such as “Flesh-Eating Zombies,” “Inescapable Monsters” and “Legions of Evil.”

Ready to spread the fright? The official 'application' for the Phone Scares can be found right here.

Metal Gear Rex comes home

2012-09-15T12:34:00.001-04:00

Model and collectable maker Kotobukiya just announced that the classic standing tank, as seen in Konami's Metal Gear Solid (on the PSOne), will be coming home in the form of a super detailed (and freakin' awesome) model kit.

A KOTOBUKIYA Japanese import! The first Metal Gear Solid game was released on PlayStation in 1998 and featured stealth action as directed by Hideo Kojima. A massive commercial success, “MGS” has gone on to include sequels and stories told through several other media. Some of the coolest things about the series are the Metal Gears themselves, walking tanks equipped with nuclear weapons. Now Kotobukiya proudly presents a new model kit of the ultimate Gear from MGS, METAL GEAR REX! Designed by Yoji Shinkawa, REX stands on massively armored legs and wields a huge railgun in addition to gatling guns, missiles, and a laser. The aerodynamic main body has a forward pointing cockpit and a radome to send the pilot additional data. The REX model kit stands nearly 9 inches tall (1/100 scale) and has multiple points of articulation including legs that fold up allowing the cockpit to rest on the ground. The Gear is comprised of 600 pre-colored pieces and is recommended for experienced model builders. Also included are four 1/100^th scale figures of game characters, allowing for the recreation of scenes from the game!

Look for Metal Gear Rex at stores this January for $79.99 USD- and worth every penny if you're a big time MGS fan. Fantastic looking kit.

The new Skylanders Giants spot is loaded with 'new' everything

2012-09-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

Check out a bunch of the Giant-sized features and characters that the forthcoming Skylanders sequel will be bringing to consoles and PC next month.

Skylanders Giants builds upon the breakthrough fundamentals of the Skylanders Spyro's Adventure™-- merging the physical and virtual realms with an innovative line of cross-platform toys with "brains," which players everywhere can magically bring to life in the world of Skylands. Using the mystical Portal of Power®, players once again lead a team of heroic Skylanders in a new adventure to save their world. Portal Masters will journey through new areas of Skylands, encountering new enemies, solving fun puzzles, overcoming different hazards and obstacles, and finding a variety of collectable rewards and treasure. Skylanders Giants introduces sixteen new characters to build on the magic of Skylanders Spyro's Adventures, including super-sized giants with powers to match, as well as the new LightCore™ Skylanders that light-up in the game and in the real-world as players transport them to Skylands using the Portal of Power. Additionally, the game features new Hero Challenges, more Battle Mode gameplay, and advanced integration across console, handheld, mobile and Skylanders Universe. Skylanders Giants is in development by Toys for Bob for Wii™, Nintendo 3DS™, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 system, Windows PC and mobile devices and will hit retail shelves on October 21st.

Activision's Skylanders was a massive hit for the company (that may be an understatement) and still is going strong. So there's really no doubt that Giants will just as big of a smash. Personally, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do with the new integration between the mobile game and the home version.

Well... that and restarting my collection of, uh, 'gaming accessories'.

How about a tour of the Spartacus set?

2012-09-12T17:27:00.000-04:00

Take a virtual tour of the set of Starz' epic sword and sandals series, Spartacus, on the eve of the third and final season.

Before the epic saga of Spartacus comes to an end, get an insider’s view of how key locations became the incredible skylines, backgrounds, rooms and cities you will see throughout the upcoming season. Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Dan Feuerriegel, production designer Iain Aitken and executive visual effects supervisor Charlie McClellan also offer their thoughts and expert views.

“Spartacus: War of the Damned,” currently in production in New Zealand, takes place following the defeat of Roman commander Gaius Claudius Glaber. Spartacus and his men have amassed major victories against the Romans after the Battle of Vesuvius. These victories have not only forged the legend of Spartacus, but have greatly increased the ranks of the rebellion slaves to more than 30,000. Rome is indeed beginning to tremble at the threat Spartacus now represents.

“Spartacus: War of the Damned” sees the return on Liam McIntyre (Spartacus), Manu Bennett (Crixus), Dustin Clare (Gannicus), Dan Feuerriegel (Agron), Cynthia Addai-Robinson (Naevia) and Ellen Hollman (Saxa). This year, Todd Lasance joins the cast as Gaius Julius Caesar, along with Simon Merrells, who will be playing Marcus Crassus and Anna Hutchison as Laeta.

Interview with the Sculptor: Marvel Select Venom's Jean St. Jean

2012-09-12T16:29:00.000-04:00

The toy collecting community was thrown for a loop recently when Diamond Select Toys unveiled their upcoming Marvel Select figure of popular Spider-Man foe Venom. Instead of a decorative display base -- a common accessory to most standard-sized Select figures -- the early 2013 figure will come with a variety of interchangeable parts to re-create several of the anti-hero's more popular looks over the years.

With 72 different display configurations, it's the most versatile Select action figure ever made, and each combination of parts is a masterpiece in its own right. The sculptor behind the figure is frequent DST collaborator Jean St. Jean, and he took some time out of his busy sculpting schedule to talk to us about the method behind the Madness.

Where did you get the idea of sculpting multiple looks for Venom, instead of making a diorama-style base?JSJ: Chuck (Terceira, director of DST) suggested the idea while were talking about what to do for a base, since we had done the debris base with the exploding symbiote for Anti-Venom. I like breaking outside the established format once in a while just to keep things fresh.

What was the most challenging aspect of this kind of figure?JSJ: The tough part was deciding what iterations would all work off one body. The best solution was to do the classic body type, which was the really big wrestler-type body, really more of a style-guide Venom, if you compare him to Spidey as originally conceived. Then, as I always do, I make sure he relates to other MS figures and also fits with the range of MS figures Ive done in terms of scale. So, again I refer to the books and see how he should look next to Anti-Venom. So I came up with two sets of normal hands (open and fists), huge transformed claws, the Lethal Protector head version with removable tongue, transforming Eddie Brock head, the Todd McFarlane-style head, and the attachable back enhancement for the Madness version with all the extra arms and heads.

Do you have your own library of Marvel reference at home, or do you rely primarily on the web?
JSJ: I have a ton of stuff. The irony is its easier to go to the comic shop and wipe out a section of trades and graphic novels than sift through my collection for reference, and the internet isnt always the most comprehensive resource. Plus I like to re-read a lot of the old stuff to get my head into the character again while Im working on it, so that theres a logic to my decisions that is directly drawn from canon material.

Which one of the Venom looks do you like the best?
JSJ: Im really happy with the diversity and the way they all turned out, but for some reason I think my favorite is the simplest: the Todd McFarlane one. The bulbous head with the huge creepy grin really grabs me, and I dont think its ever been rendered accurately.

Which was the hardest to interpret?
JSJ: The trickiest was how to make the Madness version work as an articulated accessory piece that was removable. It needed to look good on its own and not affect the other versions of the body when not assembled. Plus, I wanted it to be very functional.

You've brought your own aesthetic to a lot of the figures you've done -- do you enjoy the challenge of interpreting a specific artist's style, like McFarlane?
JSJ: As a lot of people know, I worked for Todd for almost seven years, most of that as his head sculptor, so Ive had pretty extensive experience interpreting his aesthetic. In general though, a comic drawing, as good as it may be, has to be interpreted to make it work as a 3-D sculpt. Also there are areas that, in my opinion, need to be enhanced to make the sculpture more interesting and thats where I fill in the blanks with my own touches. Specifically on the symbiote clan, Ive done Carnage as a statue and Anti-Venom as a figure, and I wanted to differentiate between all their textures when approaching the Eddie Brock Venom.

How do you decide what types of joints to include in a figure? Do you prefer joints that will preserve the integrity of the sculpt, or do you think about poses you want him to hit?
JSJ: Articulation is always a case-by-case basis, but lately Ive been squeezing in as much movement as possible. In this guy we actually switched gears a little, in that no one was really thrilled with the usual MS hip ball joint look, so we decided on the compound hinge which we had used extensively in our Battlestar Galactica figures and was recently used on the Avengers Movie Hulk by Gentle Giant.

Is there another character you'd like to interpret in this format? Mr. Fantastic, Sandman, Iceman, Carnage, etc.?
JSJ: Obviously, Carnage would be awesome to round out the symbiotes in action figure form with my spin on it, but Id LOVE to do Iceman, we could do something really sick with him.

Miles Davis honored with joint US/French issue stamp

2012-09-12T12:45:00.002-04:00

Officially unveiled at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago this week, the Miles Davis stamp will be the first issues by both France and the US since 1989.

The event was a true family affair as the late musician's family was in attendance along with musician Frank Russell.

Celebrated Chicago bass musician Frank Russell (rear, second from left) is pictured here with the family of late jazz artist Miles Davis, at the dedication of the new Miles Davis U.S. postage stamp. The stamp, officially issued for 2012 by the U.S. Postal Service, was recently unveiled at the DuSable Museum of African American History in the city, as part of a concert in tribute to the late trumpeter coinciding with DuSable’s “The Sounds of History” summer jazz concert series. Pictured (front row, from left) are Miles’ grandson Paul, great grandson Paul, Jr., emcee Marsha Noble, his son, Erin, saxophone player Glen Burris, nephew Vince Wilburn and Miles Davis Ensemble percussionist Robert Irving, III. Notably, Irving played on Russell’s current jazz album, 'Circle Without End,' which is under consideration for a Grammy Award. The Miles Davis stamp was nationally released in June, along with a stamp honoring legendary chanteuse Edith Piaf, in conjunction with La Poste, the French postal service. This marked the first time that the United States and France have jointly issued a stamp since 1989, when both countries honored the bicentennial of the French Revolution. Frank Russell’s 'Circle Without End' is available via Amazon.com, on iTunes.com, eMusic and CDBaby.com.

EA Sports' NHL 2013 takes a retail shot on goal today

2012-09-11T14:33:00.002-04:00

EA's classic hockey franchise takes to the virtual ice with it's brand new 'Hockey IQ' feature in tow.

Hockey IQ might have the catchiest name of the bunch, but EA's NHL 13 actually is pretty loaded with new features and additions. Together with a selection of the most fan-requested improvements for both on and offline game modes, all this newness should make the game more accessible and truer to the actual sport than it's ever been.

True Performance Skating – A game-changing innovation for the franchise that adds physics-driven skating and over 1000 new animations, True Performance Skating authentically replicates the explosiveness, momentum and top end speed displayed by today’s NHL players. True Performance Skating combined with the Skill Stick finally gives gamers access to the entire toolset of an NHL player, delivering unprecedented control and unlocking a level of creativity never before possible in a hockey videogame.
GM Connected – The largest multi-user online dynasty ever in a sports videogame with up to 30 user managed teams and 750 players. GM Connected takes the franchise’s most popular offline mode, Be a GM, and allows you to play with and against your friends in your own NHL starting with the 2012-2013 season and continuing for up to 25 seasons. With five ways to play, the mode offers unrivaled accessibility and depth allowing players to play, coach, or manage. GMs can also take their experience with them through the NHL 13Mobile Companion app*.
EA SPORTS Hockey I.Q. – An innovative new A.I. system where players and goalies are now fully aware of every other player on the ice, resulting in quicker, smarter and more true-to-life decision-making. EA SPORTS Hockey IQ also delivers the deepest and most customizable set of real-world hockey systems and strategies ever for the franchise.
NHL Moments Live – Rewrite or relive history as you replay some of the most thrilling moments from today’s NHL. Moments from the 2011-12 NHL season will ship on disc and updated content featuring 2012-2013 moments added as and when available.
New Look and Feel in Hockey Ultimate Team – Create the greatest fantasy team in sports with Hockey Ultimate Team. In a mode without career lengths or a salary cap, acquire and assemble top players from around the world, then take on opponents within a massive online community. HUT in NHL 13 features an enhanced storefront, all-new collections, and a new auction house – where for the first time ever, you can stay connected through the NHL 13 Mobile Companion app*.
Presentation Overhaul – A presentation overhaul designed to match the gameplay innovations undertaken in NHL 13 ensuring that the game looks as good as it feels. Additions include Team-First Presentation, the all-new True Broadcast camera, linear HDR lighting, dynamic skate spray, enhanced player models, and a stunning recreation of the 2012 NHL Winter Classic, and much more.
NHL 13 Mobile Companion App* – Stay connected to your EA SPORTS NHL experience with the NHL 13 Mobile Companion App*. At home or on the go, interact with friends and rivals in GM Connected and Hockey Ultimate Team modes as you stay on top of schedules, trades, the HUT auction house and league news.

NHL 2013 is in stores now for the Xbox 360 and the PS3 for $59.99 USD. There's also a special edition of the game (which includes a neat Stanley Cup embossed tin) for $79.99 USD and it is, of course, a part of the company's 'Season Ticket' promotion. Season Ticket wraps up all the DLC for the year in a tidy bow for most of EA Sports' offerings, you can check that out here.

Brand new Transformers DLC out today, more coming soon

2012-09-11T11:24:00.000-04:00

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron might just be the best game ever featuring giant robots, let alone the Transformers. Now there's yet another reason to fire up the multiplayer as the a pair of new DLC packs are released (with one more coming at the end of the month) that'll make longtime fans very happy.

I love the Dinobots and all, but- Wheeljack! Ultra Magnus! Hound! That's just awesome.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is available now for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. The Dinobot Destructor pack and the Multiplayer Havoc pack are available now, with the Massive Fury pack due out on the 25th of this month.

Here's your rundown:

AVAILABLE NOW - Dinobot Destructor Pack - includes the following multiplayer characters, which includes their full body + individual body parts for use in the multiplayer character creator.

GRIMLOCK (T-rex)

SLUG (Triceratops)

SNARL (Stegosaurus)

SWOOP (Pteranodon)

AVAILABLE NOW - Multiplayer Havoc Pack - includes the following multiplayer characters, which includes their full body + individual body parts for use in the multiplayer character creator.

ULTRA MAGNUS

WHEELJACK

BLAST OFF

ZETA PRIME

PERCEPTOR

AVAILABLE SEPT. 25 - Massive Fury Pack - includes the following multiplayer characters, which includes their full body + individual body parts for use in the multiplayer character creator. Also includes the following single-player campaign items.

KICKBACK (Flying Insecticon)

SHARPSHOT (Flying Insecticon)

HARDSHELL (Beetle Tank Insecticon)

G1 RETRO OPTIMUS PRIME

AUTOBOT HOUND

Single-Player campaign items:

G2 BRUTICUS (character skin)

G1 SHOCKWAVE BLAST CANNON (weapon)

G1 MEGATRON PISTOL GUN (weapon)

All three packs are $9.99 or 800mspts each for the PS3/PC or Xbox 360 respectively.