Gambit And Deadpool Speak

 

A couple of new TV commercials for the upcoming Wolverine film have come out.  Instead of the same old clips though that we've seen over and over in the other trailers and commercials, these new ads focus on the supporting characters.  Specifically of interest to me were the above ad featuring Gambit and the video included below featuring Deadpool.

 



 

As far as I can recall, this is the first time we've heard the actor who is playing Gambit speak in character.  I always imagined his accent would be a bit thicker, but maybe that's just me.  As for Ryan Reynolds playing Deadpool, I think he'll do great.  Unfortunately, I've heard a lot of bad rumors about what happens to deadpool in the film though, so chances are we'll only be seeing Ryan Reynolds for a few minutes on screen.

 

You can see more ads over at IO9, including ads featuring Sabretooth, John Wraith and the clawed one himself . . . Wolverine. 

 

What I want to know though is why doesn't Blob get an ad?  What, is Fox uncomfortable with advertising a heavyset character?  That's weightism if you ask me.  Someone should sue.

Breaking News: The New Batwoman Actually Looks Like A Real Woman

 



 

To see this image in it's full size, click here.

 

Many thanks go to Rob Bricken over at ToplessRobot for pointing this out.  Last week, DC Comics revealed character design sketches for their brand new Batwoman Character, and I can't help but be pleasantly suprised at how good she looks.

 

I don't mean good as in attractive (although any woman in a Batsuit in instantly hot with the sole exception to this of course being Alicia Silverstone).  No, what I mean is that the design is amazing for many reasons.  Rob's article points out how sensible her shoe choice is and how great it is to finally see a female superhero who isn't running around fighting crime while wearing 6 inch heels.  But to me, what makes me happiest is that this Batwoman actually looks like a real woman.

 

She's not all freaked out porportionally.  She doesn't have giganticly oversized breasts on an almost paper thin waist.  Her measurements aren't 48"/12"/36" like a lot of the other female superheroes you may have seen before.  She looks like a regular person, and as a result her design is more realistic and also more likeable as she has a build similar to actual people I know in the real world.

 

On the right is her alter ego/secret identity as Kathy Kane.  She's got a bit of a cool punker vibe that I'm diggging, although the generic star tattoo on her back is a bit cliched.  Well, at least it's not a tramp stamp.  I'll give DC the benefit of the doubt on this one.

 

Overall, I think this is a big step forward for women in comics when such a high profile character as the modern day Batgirl isn't just a cookie cutter, hyper stylized caricature of what real women look like.  This Batwoman looks like she can kick some major ass, and I can't wait to see her do it.

 

Kudos DC.  Excellent job to everyone who worked on this design.

Starlog Magazine R.I.P.

 

This bit of news has me thoroughly depressed now.  Starlog magazine, a longtime running magazine devoted to the latest news in Sci-fi and fantasy is sadly ceasing publication after 33 years and 374 issues.  In a recent posting to the magazine's website, the following announcement was made.

 

It is also at this time that we announce the temporary cessation of the current run of STARLOG as a print magazine. After 33 years, and considering the present state of the economy, we feel its time for a major revamp and will be temporarily discontinuing publication while the model and redesign of the magazine are contemplated and executed.

 

The last print issue available for the time being is #374, while issue #375 will be available exclusively as a digital edition on the network in the very near future.

 

We're looking forward to bringing you more of the best of sci-fi in the months ahead. Thank you for your continued support and your understanding in this matter.

 

Man, this really has me bummed out.  I first discovered Starlog magazine at a Star Trek convention when I was about 8 or 9 years old.  I absolutely loved the book.  To the child aged Patrick, it was as close as one could come to the perfect monthly title.  In the days before the internet (and even before Wizard magazine), Starlog was my #1 source for Sci-fi and fantasy information.  It regularly featured news on Star Trek and Star wars, it had tons of cool color photos, and the magazine consistently introduced me to new films and franchises I'd never heard of before.  It's because of Starlog that I was first introduced to films like Blade Runner and Total Recall and to Japanese animation through films like Akira and the Robotech series. 

 

Even during the dark times for Star Wars fans during the late 80's and early 90's when it seemed like the franchise was dead and gone, Starlog kept the hope alive in me with its constant rumors of more Star Wars films and talks of new toy lines and new books.

 

Starlog helped me to become the geek I am today.  I read every issue of the magazine that came out from between the ages of 10 and about 21 or 22.  There were always a couple of copies of the magazine floating around my room somewhere as I was growing up, and they were usually read multiple times.

 

I guess it makes sense that the Magazine is going away though.  In today's world, kids aren't reading magazines anymore.  They're going online for the latest and greatest sci-fi news.  Printed publications couldn't hope to keep up with something like that, especially when its core audience are people who tend to spend a lot of time online.  I know I'm just an old fogey, but even though I had stopped reading the magazine as I got older, I had always figured new groups of kids were getting introduced to the book and were taking my place.  Sadly, it looks like I was wrong.

 

Well, at the very least Starlog will still be around as a website and blog.  That's better than nothing I guess, but I'm still really sad that such a major part of my childhood has gone the way of the Dodo.  Kids today have no idea what they're missing.  Opening up that book and pouring over its pages on a Saturday morning after cartoons was pretty much heaven as far as I was concerned when I was a kid.  Now, no one does that anymore . . . . . and I am sad.

 

(Via SciFi Wire)

Tron 2's Budget Possibly The Biggest Ever

 

News has leaked out about the potential size of Tron 2's budget, and the news has to be read to be believed.  The following quote was pulled from the Vancouver Sun newspaper (the film is being shot in Vancouver).

 

"Vancouver post-production units are salivating at the prospects presented by the Disney remake of Tron, which carries a whopping $300 million budget and opportunities aplenty for effects and digital polish."

 

$300 Million?  Wow!!!  Disney is going to possibly spend $300 million to make the Tron sequel.  And for a film that is going to be made almost entirely in front of a green screen, that means we're going to see some of the most expensive, and hopefully most jaw dropping and beautiful, special effects of all time.

 

Oh, and just a personal note.  I know that when early test footage was shown last year at the SD Comic Con, the film was called TR2N in the trailer.  I'm sorry, but I refuse to call it that.  TR2N is one of the lamest names I've ever heard.  The film will be called Tron 2 here at Geek-tastic.  I'll accept Tron 2.0 as well, but never TR2N.  I shudder every time I read it.

 

With the gigantic budget they have, let's just hope that the special effects are as awesome as possible, because a leaked set photo showed that the new Tron suits look like this.

 



 

Now admittedly, this photo is taken entirely out of context.  This is just an extra from the film taking a break and getting his coffee fix, but you have to admit that the suits look a little goofy when seen like this.  This is the sort of thing cosplayers wear to conventions.  It's not what you'd expect from a film with a $300 Million budget. 

 

I'm sure this'll look amazing in the finished film, once tons and tons of money have been spent in post production.  But as of now, I'm just a teeny tiny bit worried that the film will end up goofy looking.

A Bit Late I Know, But Whatever . . . Deal With It

 

Yeah, I know this is late.  I meant to post this on Friday, but things got busy at work and I didn't have time to post it before I went home and got absorbed into playing some Resident Evil 5 (which I finally beat over the weekend with the help of my Friend Aaron, thanks Aaron).

 

Anyways, for those of you who are of the spiritually Christian persuasion, last Sunday was Easter.  For you pagans, it was some sort of spring fertility festival or something.  For us non-believers, it was a day in which all the stores were closed and we had to go hang out with our families because there was pretty much nothing else to do.

 

To celebrate this occasion, in proper nerdy fashion, I offer you this website which has a ton of amazing adaptations of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting The Last Supper.  There are a ton of great adaptations on that page, and I mean that in all seriousness.  There are a LOT of them.   I've gone ahead though and picked out my three favorites for you here.  Pictured above is a great rendition of The Last Supper featuring many of the great marketing icons of the food industry.  Most people would probably assume that the Hamburgler is taking on the role of Judas in this image, but I disagree.  I totally think that the Grimace is Judas.  I've never trusted that Grimace.  If you look carefully at the full sized image, you'll notice that he's actually wearing a Burger King crown.  He is the true betrayer of Ronald, and he shall spend an eternity in hell for it.

 

 



 

 

Batman as Jesus?  I'm totally for it!!!

 

 



 

Am I alone here in thinking that Vader's pose suggests that he is screaming, "Where is that damn waitress!?!?!  I specifically told here light sauce on my pasta primavera!  I said LIGHT SAUCE!!!  And where's my iced tea?  Everyone here has a drink but me!"

The Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth

 

As geeks, we've all known for a long time that one day we'll rule the world.  One day, we'll be the popular kids in school who get all the love and attention of our peers.  Football jocks and cheerleaders will bow before us, and we will be lauded as heroes.

 

Well, it looks like that day has finally come.  At least, it has for a few of our number.

 

Meet 12 year olds Simon Shkreli, Benjamin Kelk and Gregory Chin.  They're from Brooklyn, New York and they've just become the most popular kids in their school.  At a recent school rally, the cheerleading team announced their entrance like they were rock stars, and the school even played their theme song over the loud speakers.  Just what did these three young men do to deserve this treatment?  They built robots, of course.

 

The three young geeks, along with two graduates from the school (Richard Chian and Daniel Alvarez), recently built a robot out of LEGO's.  That robot went on to win the New York City FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competition.  The victory has entered the team, dubbed the Nerd Herd, into an international competition that will be held in Atlanta, Georgia next weekend.  This victory has somehow managed to bring their school together to rally support for the Nerd Herd.  In fact, they've even managed to raise $18,000 for the team's trip to Atlanta.

 

Nearly 300 St. Edmund's Elementary School students stomped and cheered at the school's sendoff celebration for the so-called Nerd Herd, five child prodigies who will represent the city at an international robot competition.

 

"I'm so pumped up," exclaimed team member Simon Shkreli, 12, pointing to the crowd. "Look at this - it's amazing."

 

Cheerleaders waved their pompoms and the students formed an aisle down the middle of the gymnasium.

 

"Nerd Herd, Nerd Herd!" they chanted over and over as the high school's band played Survivor's thumping "Eye of the Tiger," the herd's unofficial theme song.

 

Simon, along with team members Benjamin Kelk and Gregory Chin, both 12, ran down the aisle, high-fiving their screaming fans, like they were playing in an all-star game or something.

 

The school presented the robot fanatics with an "I Love New York" banner to take to the Robotics World Festival next weekend in Atlanta.

 

 Way to go guys!  You are giving a positive name to nerds and geeks everywhere.  You honor us all, and we're proud of you.  We here at Geek-tastic wish you the best of luck in the competition.  And may your sudden rock star status stay with you as long as possible.

 

(Via IO9)

Worst Homemade Star Wars Costumes Ever

 

Oh cosplayers, you amuse me so.  You always provide endless hours of entertainment and wonder at conventions across the world.  Some of your costumes are amazing pieces of art, put together with hours of work and dedication and requiring a large investment of money to get the look just right.

 

Other costumes, not so much.

 

These are the ones I always love the best though.  The guys and gals out there who look like they spent about ten minutes and five dollars putting their costume together.  Take the gentleman above, for example.  Personally, I wasn't aware that Boba Fett wore khaki shorts over jeans, but hey, maybe my memory of his outfit isn't what it used to be. 

 

And then there's these guys.

 



 

So if the guys in regular stormtrooper armor are a part of the 501st legion, are these guy part of the 502nd?  Or are they a cross between stormtroopers and the blockheads from Gumby?

 

If you'd like to see a few other amazing (and by amazing I mean really horrible) homemade Star Wars costumes, go here.  A good time is guaranteed if you do.