Diablo 3, Walking Dead, and Comics Podcast

 

podcast104(diablo3:walkingdead)

Babble Bites…

Hello Dear Babblers, I thought today we would engage in some light reading that I like to call Babble Bites. Enjoy.

They have to be thinking R.I.P.

Killing Community:  One of our favorite shows, Community, more or less just got the death sentence. First Sony fires the creator/producer Dan Harmon for unexplained reasons. I don’t know if  Harmon is a little hard to get along with, or maybe TV execs are hard to get along with, or maybe both are. Whatever, the reason he was released (screwed over) from the show this weekend. Even with keeping the same writers, I have to think he is still the heart and soul of the show and it sucks to see his creativity get crapped on.  Equally as bad, Community is now being moved to Friday night, alongside the flailing Whitney.  Weirdly enough, this all comes on the heels of Community just having been renewed for a fourth season. One wonders why it would be renewed at all if they see such little potential in it. It’s a shame too, because it’s a great show and this season has had some of the best episodes yet (The Civil War documentary spoof, the Law and Order episode and the 8-bit video game episode.) Here is his blog about what happened.

SNL – This weekend’s SNL was definitely one of the best this season. Mick Jagger was the host and performed with the Arcade Fire, Foo Fighters and Jeff Beck (or rather they performed with him!) I have to admit, Mick looked good considering he is in his 60’s. As a host his acting was great and he never flinched or faltered. As a singer he can still rock it.  This is Kristen Wiigs last season and they did a really nice tribute to her at the end as well. Here is a link to it.

“We WILL make more money.”

Awesome Avengers – The Avengers continues to dominate the box office, garnering another $50 million this weekend and beating out two new releases in The Dictator (which I do want to see) and Battleship (which I do not want to see.) That puts The Avengers at a staggering $457 million domestically in 17 days! To give you an idea of how crazy this is, it took Dark Knight 27 days to reach that mark. It is now Disney’s biggest release ever and is fourth on the all-time world chart, behind only Avatar, Titanic and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 2, once again affirming the adage “in Joss we trust.:  Come on Avengers you can take them down, we are rooting for you!

Game of Thrones – Not that anyone needs to rave more about this show, but it continues to be the best show on television. This season is even better than last year’s and the politics and intrigue just keeping building. I can’t wait for the Comic-Con panel!

Awesomesauce this weekend at the Nerdmelt!

Hey dear Babblers! If you are a nerd and in the greater Los Angeles area, have we got a deal for you! This weekend has some amazing events from Nerdmelt at the famed Nerdist Theatre!  Here is the link.  Also special thanks to Nerds in Babeland, because I had almost forgotten about this until I checked their site! Hope to see you there!

Deep thoughts on the Avengers…

 

Congratulations to the Avengers for setting back-to-back weekend records! I have to admit this is really, really cool. Growing up, there were two types of nerd, DC Comic and Marvel Fans (or Star Trek vs. Star Wars). I was a Marvel fan (with the exception of Batman, who is universally loved.) The old Marvel G.I. Joes written by Larry Hama were the first comic books I ever got into and it wasn’t before long that it spiraled into X-Men, Wolverine and other random assortment of Marvel properties.

Not only that, I loved watching the Marvel themed TV shows. I loved the old 1960’s Spiderman cartoon with the hit song, “spiderman, spiderman, does whatever a spider can…”, the old Incredible Hulk TV show with Lou Ferrigno, and of course, Spiderman and His Amazing Friends, with Iceman and Firestar. Spiderman and his Amazing Friends was one of the more popular 80’s cartoons and for its time featured good animation and decent plots.  We used to play like we were these characters all of the time.

But there was one Marvel property I wanted desperately to like, but just couldn’t do it because they were well, just too cheesy (even by my 80’s elementary school standards) and that would be the Avengers.  You can’t deny their place and history in the comic book world, but by the time I was a kid they were pretty second rate. I wanted to like them, I wanted them to be good, but they just weren’t.  That is, until now.

It really started with the Ultimate series, where Marvel reworked them into a tougher, grittier and more realistic series of characters. Then the movies starting coming out, and the characters became popular again.

There has never been a movie like the Avengers. They have been building up to this movie with a series of FIVE other movies for years now.  The stakes for Marvel, Disney, and director Joss Whedon were huge and many questions were raised as to whether or not they could pull it off, and they did, with amazing results.

Think of it this way, Iron Man 1 & 2, Thor, Captain America, and The Incredible Hulk were all on some level, decent movies that did well. Sure Iron Man 2 wasn’t nearly as good as the first one,  and Hulk wasn’t as good as Captain America, but for all intents and purposes, all of those movies were decent, if not great, on one level of another. If you are a movie production company, say DC, wouldn’t you take those results any day? Look at Superman, Catwoman and the Green Lantern.  (Dark Knight is all they have had.)

“Spider-stan, Spider-stan…”

It’s great to see these old, classic characters be given a chance to shine.  Did you ever think the Avengers would outsell X-Men comics?  As a Joss Whedon fan I am thrilled to see him finally cement his place as one of the new talented directors. More importantly, as a Stan Lee fan I am thrilled to see the Avengers do so well.

I have to think the ole’ Generalismo has got to have a grin on his face. These last few years have seen the smash success of his greatest creations, from Spiderman, to the X-Men and now the Avengers.  I hate to say it, but he is getting up there in age, and we don’t know how much longer he will be with us.

I have to think that as a writer and creator these films and comics will go down as a lasting tribute to his legacy. That when his time does finally come, he can rest in peace knowing he will always be remembered. Not just by comic fans and nerds, but by the greater population of movie going America, and the millions he inspired.  And of course, by a young, red headed kid with whom it all started by staying up late at night and reading G.I. Joes. Here’s to you Stan, Excelsior! And we salute you.

Avengers, Imax/3D, Childhood memories and April O’Neil dolls

http://babbleon5.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/podcast102.mp3

BabbleOn 5′s Noob Guide to the Avengers

Marvel’s The Avengers is only days away and while die-hard fans are more than ready for the latest addition to the ever expanding Marvel cinematic universe, it’s safe to assume that majority of moviegoers this weekend will be casual fans or even complete noobs (gasp!) to the overlapping story arcs and intricacies of the Avengers’ world. Marvel’s The Avengers is the culmination of five previous tie-in films (Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger), so whether you’re one of the uninitiated, or just need a quick refresher, here’s a guide that will help you keep up with the action when you see the movie this weekend:

**SPOILER ALERT** This guide contains spoilers for the aforementioned tie-in movies. It is highly recommended that you watch those films before seeing Marvel’s The Avengers to fully appreciate the film and well because they’re all awesome.

***It should also be noted that this is a guide for the Marvel cinematic universe, not the comic book universe, so back off comic book experts.***

Iron Man
aka: Tony Stark
Portrayed by: Robert Downey Jr.
Previous appearances: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk (post credits)
Abilities: genius level intellect, flight (in-suit), superhuman strength (in-suit), energy repulsors (in-suit)

What you need to know: A self described “ genius, billionaire playboy, philanthropist, that doesn’t play well with others.” Tony Stark is the CEO of Stark Industries, a weapons development company. The Iron Man suit (also known as the Mark VI armor) allows him to fly, have superhuman strength, shoot energy repulsor beams, and is equipped with a variety of weapons gadgets he designed himself. The suit is powered by a mini arc reactor, which provides virtually endless energy and keeps him alive by keeping shrapnel embedded in his body from entering his heart. He’s also known for his narcissism, penchant for cracking witty one-liners, and disregard for the rules.

Captain America
aka: Steve Rogers
Portrayed by: Chris Evans
Previous appearances: Captain America: The First Avenger
Abilities: Superhuman strength, rapid healing, hand-to-hand combat, field/war tactician, vibranium shield

What you need to know:

As the only successful result of a World War II super soldier experiment, Captain America was the first Avenger and hero of World War II. His iconic shield is made from the rare element, vibranium, and is capable of withstanding any impact. He is driven by strict sense of morals, justice, and duty as a soldier. To save New York from certain destruction, he crashed an enemy aircraft loaded with missiles into the Arctic and his body was lost for over half a century until it was recovered by SHIELD. However, because of his superhuman abilities, rather than dying, he remained frozen in a coma until awakening in the modern world.

The Hulk
aka: Dr. Bruce Banner
Portrayed by: Mark Ruffalo
Previous appearances: The Incredible Hulk
Abilities: genius level intellect, superhuman strength, speed, stamina, regeneration, durability . . .overall indestructibleness.

What you need to know:

Bruce Banner’s alter-ego, The Hulk, is the result of gamma-radiation poisoning due to an experiment gone awry. An expert scientist, Banner is normally mild-mannered and polite, but his transformation into The Hulk is triggered by physical excitement and anger. As of the end of The Incredible Hulk, he is in hiding and learning to control his transformation rather than repress it.

Thor

aka: The God of Thunder
Portrayed by: Chris Hemsworth
Previous appearances: Thor
Abilities: Superhuman strength, speed, endurance, healing, flight, lightning manipulation

What you need to know:

A demi-god from the realm of Asgard, Thor is the son of Odin and Loki’s (see below) adoptive brother. His Asgardian heritage gives him god like powers and he is the only being capable of wielding the hammer, Mjolnir, a weapon of legend from his home world. He was rendered powerless and banished to Earth by his father for his arrogance. After redeeming himself, he returned to Asgard to stop the machinations of his jealous brother, Loki, but remained trapped in Asgard, unable to return to Earth.

Black Widow
aka: Agent Natasha Romanoff
Portrayed by: Scarlet Johansson
Previous Appearances: Iron Man 2
Abilities: elite assassin, espionage, martial arts and hand-to-combat

What you need to know:

An agent for SHIELD, Black Widow is a world class spy and assassin. Little is known about her background (in the Marvel cinematic universe). She is an expert martial artist and also uses a variety of weaponry including mace, knockout gas, knives, and most notably distinctive wristlets that allow her to deliver an electric shock in close range combat. In Iron Man 2, she was tasked by SHIELD to go undercover to keep an eye on Tony Stark.

Hawkeye

aka: Agent Clint Barton

Portrayed by: Jeremy Renner
Previous appeances: Thor (uncredited cameo)
Abilities: master archer, weaponry, espionage, assassination, field combat

What you need to know:

Of all the Avengers characters, Hawkeye has had the least screen time and only appeared briefly during Thor. All that is known is that he is a high level agent for SHIELD and a master archer equipped with a variety of specialized arrows.

Nick Fury

Portrayed by: Samuel L. Jackson
Previous appearances: Iron Man (post credits), Iron Man 2, Thor (post credits) Captain America

What you need to know:

Nicky Fury is the director of the SHIELD and has been working to unite assemble a “group of remarkable people” to work together to protect the world. On occasion, he has contacted Tony Stark, at first to recruit him to the Avengers, and later as a consultant to SHIELD.

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Short for: Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics

Division
Previous appearances: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger

What you need to know:

SHIELD is a secret government agency tasked with the protection of Earth and mankind. SHIELD is lead by Director Nick Fury and has been monitoring the activities of the Avengers as well as their enemies. SHIELD has also been researching various artifacts, most notably, the Tesseract (see below), presumably to harness its powers for the defense of Earth.

Agent Phil Coulson
Portrayed by: Clark Gregg

Previous Appearances: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Consultant (Short film), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer (Short Film)

What you need to know:

An agent for SHIELD, Coulson is Director Fury’s go-to guy. He has interacted mostly with Tony Stark (and Stark’s right hand and girlfriend, Pepper Potts), as well as Thor. He is often the first person sent to deal with a SHIELD emergency. He is also an avid Captain America fan.

Loki
Portrayed by: Tom hiddleston
Previous appearances: Thor
Abilities: mystical powers, superhuman strength and speed

What you need to know:

Raised as a prince of Asgard, Loki is the adopted brother of Thor. Forever in Thor’s shadow and jealous of his brother, he schemed to prevent Thor from becoming King of Asgard. After discovering his true parentage he attempted to seize the throne of Asgard and destroy an enemy realm, but was stopped by Thor’s return. During their struggle, he falls through an abyss into an unknown realm. His fate and whereabouts remain a mystery.

The Tesseract
aka: The Cosmic Cube
Previous appearances: Captain America, Thor (post credits)

What you need to know:

The Tesseract is a relic of Asgard (Thor’s home world) with limitless cosmic power and energy. In Captain America, the Red Skull harnessed the Tesseract’s energy to power his army and weapons. During a struggle with Captain America, the Tesseract disappeared and was later recovered by SHIELD. It currently remains in SHIELDs possession and is being researched by Dr. Erik Selvig.

Avengers Pre-show and The Cabin in the woods review

Wonder-Con vs. Comic-Con: Random Thoughts

So I have been to Comic-Con the last 5 years in a row, hanging with my friends at Comic-Con (our Contourage as we call it) is one of the things that convinced me to move to California. The last two years I have been to Wonder-Con as well. Nothing can top Comic-Con, but in some ways, I really enjoy Wonder-Con more. Here is why.

1. First of all, the crowds aren’t out of control. Let’s face it, Comic-Con is just too crowded and you can tire yourself out just by trying to get through the sales floor. Additionally it is absurd having to wait in a line for 5 hours just get a seat in Hall H or Ballroom 20. At Wonder-Con you easily get into any panel you want without spending half the day in line.
2. The atmosphere is a lot more relaxing as well. Comic-Con is four days of constantly being on the go (when you’re not waiting in line.) It’s a  nonstop whirl of people, hype, costumes, panels, celebrities and venders that can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed by the end.  Wonder-Con you just relax and enjoy. You can take your time on the sales floor, hang out with people and just soak up the nerdiness.
3. There is also a lot more focus on comics, writers and artists. Comic-Con has little to do with comics anymore (which is fine) but at times it feels more like one big advertisement whereas Wonder-Con is really more about developing and promoting the creative side of things. They even have the connect event each night where writers and artist could meet each other.
4. The venders were better as well. Except for the huge displays put on by the big names, Comic-Con kind of feels like a flea market as times. Large, obnoxious shirt venders, cramped booths filled with random action figures and some things that probably shouldn’t exist at all. The venders at Wonder-Con were less junky and more unique, with a wider range of original, unique items. It was also a lot of local venders. Comic-Con could stand to clean up the sales floor a bit. Sadly, these other venders will never get into Comic-Con. The wait list is too long and nobody in their right mind is giving up their spots.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Comic-Con and wouldn’t miss it for the world. I love the panels, the celebrities, the culture, the people, the costumes and everything else associated with Comic-Con. Jews go to Jerusalem, Muslims go to Mecca, and nerds go to Comic-Con. This is really more of a critique or comparison of the two.  Think of Wonder-Con as a magic time machine that takes you back to what Comic-Con was 15 years ago. Fun times.

In Joss We Trust . . .

The less you know about The Cabin in the Woods, the better.  The movie has been promoted as a horror film about 5 young adults taking off for a weekend trip to the titular cabin and that’s really all you need to know walking in.  The familiar premise might make you roll your eyes, but despite the lack of Autobots, Cabin, is more than meets the eye.

The film begins by introducing a parallel story involving a pair of lab-

like employees Siitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whidford) swapping wife complaints while preparing for some sort of event. The scene goes on long enough to remind you that this isn’t what you’re here to see. Aren’t you supposed to to be watching kids get violently murdered? What is going on?

What is going on indeed. This brief, disorienting intro sets the tone for the rest of the film: Something is not quite right here. However, before you have time to dwell on the question, the film flashes its title credits and starts setting up the conventional horror film formula: 5 college students heading out to an isolated lake cabin for a weekend of partying, pot, and. . . . hooking up. Each member of the group also fills a standard role. There is the naive, virginal(ish), Dana (Kristen Conolly), her hot, promiscuous roommate, Jules (Anne Hutchison), Jules’s studly alpha male boyfriend Curt (Chris Hemsworth), their pothead friend, Marty (Fran Kanz), and the handsome friend-of-a-friend, Holden (Jesse Williams), who simultaneously fills the role of potential love interest for Dana and ethnic minority. The quintet sets out and right on time, cue an ominous encounter with a grimy, tobacco chewing hermit, whose warnings the group undoubtedly ignores as they continue to their middle-of-nowhere destination.

From here, the parallel stories start to weave into each other and not much more can be said without major spoilers.The film surprises bit by bit, then snowballs with plot twists and reveals, until it culminates in an outrageous half hour finale of frenzied chaos, gleeful gore, and winks to classic villains and baddies that horror geeks love. Cabin is a treasure trove of horror fanatic goodies. The fiendishly clever script by was penned cult hero, Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and director of the the much-anticiated Avengers film), and Whedonverse  followers will recognize the auteur’s self aware style. There are lots of witty one-liners, nerd references, and visual gags that are just the right amount of absurd, including a passing bit involving a collapsible bong.  There’s also a very well-timed cameo that’s sure to delight sci-fi fans.

Whedon and his often creative partner, director Drew Goddard, have always had a flare for old school horror bloodshed and there’s plenty of gore to spare in Cabin in the Woods. Be warned, this is a very violent film, but it’s never truly scary. Instead, Cabin is both a satire and celebration of the horror genre, inventively twisting horror cliches and bending conventional tradition to ask the questions: Why do we love horror films so much? Why do we root for these violent deaths? Are the victims’ demises a result of their own free will or the machinations of forces they can not control? 

The Avengers is not the only Whedon-vehicle that is a must see this year. Even for those not keen on horror films, it’s a fun genre-pushing film that will delight, surprise, and thrill you. By the end, you won’t be quite sure what just happened, but you won’t be sorry it did.

Cabin in the Woods get 4.5 Babbles out of 5.

Marvel Announces Captain America Sequel Release Date

The Avengers isn’t even in theatres yet and Marvel has given its fans another Avenger film to look forward to. Walt
Disney Studios announced today that the sequel to Captain America: The First Avenger is set to be released in theatres on April 4, 2014. The sequel will pick up where The Avengers leaves off.

For those planning to see The Avengers next month (everyone), this is definitely a less than subtle hint to stick around for the traditional post credits scene.

Here’s the full press release:
The Walt Disney Studios has announced a release date for Marvel Studios’ sequel to the blockbuster Captain America: The First Avenger on April 4, 2014. The second installment will pick-up where the highly anticipated Marvel’s The Avengers (May 4, 2012) leaves off, as Steve Rogers continues his affiliation with Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D and struggles to embrace his role in the modern world.

Look Out Katniss . . . Make Way for Princess Merida!

Bows and arrows are all the rage now and a new heroine will soon be stepping up to challenge The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen as the reigning archery queen. Pixar’s newest film, Brave, will be hitting theaters June 22. Brave is Pixar’s first fairy tale and tells the story of the strong-willed and sharp-shooting Princess Merida. Check out the new promotional posters for the movie below!

Superman

New Superman banner releases. Thoughts? Leave your comments below.