kate

Although LEGO began releasing superhero-themed products fairly recently in the company’s long lifespan, it’s the creativity of the fan community that continues to impress. Flickr user and LEGO enthusiast Xenomurphy put together a truly impressive (and massive) custom model of Arkham Asylum that’s sure to turn some heads. The model itself is impressive enough, but [...]

Despite its web site being the target of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, the folks at the Extra Life charity managed to raise a decent amount of money (with the help of thousands of gamers) over the weekend. The charity sent out multiple emails over the weekend keeping Extra Life members in the loop as the events unfolded.

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Faith Erin Hicks is rapidly becoming a “name” graphic novel author, and her new project from First Second should help with that. It’s a fantasy trilogy called The Nameless City, which is described as “in the tradition of Jeff Smith’s Bone and Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The first book is slated to come out in 2016.

An unlikely friendship forms between Nameless City native Rat, and Kai, whose country has recently conquered her city. The two of them must find common ground between their cultures and foil a sinister conspiracy. Hicks has created a beautiful and intricate world inspired by Central Asia and the Silk Road in which the besieged inhabitants of an ancient city are desperate to learn the secrets of the perished civilization which carved the city out of living rock.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that First Second Books will be publishing The Nameless City. It’s a story that’s very close to my heart and something I’ve been working on for a few years. To see my comic sitting beside incredible books like Battling Boy, Delilah Dirk, and Boxers & Saints means a tremendous amount. I’m a fan of First Second, both as a publisher who publishes great comics that I want to read, and also as a group of creative people who know how to bring out the best in a cartoonist. We’re going to make some really good comics together in the next few years,” said Hicks in a statement.

“Faith Erin Hicks is one of the most exciting cartoonists working today, and her work has raised the bar in comics for kids and teens. I’m so excited that First Second will be publishing her new series! With notes of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Lloyd Alexander’s Prydain, and Ursula K. LeGuin’s Earthsea, Faith has woven a world that is uniquely hers, and uniquely beautiful,” said acquiring editor Calista Brill.

Although 2016 sounds far off, this is already something to look forward to.

“I want my logo to sort of allude that I have questionable ethics.”

Tim Carson writes for Bleeding Cool.

It is a cold and quiet sort of morning. Frost glitters from the hoods of cars and clings to the branches of trees; winter is swiftly arriving. The world has become its own canvas – the once green leaves of spring have faded into oranges and yellows, or some mixture of the two. This brittle, beautiful morning comes on the heels of Nick Cardy’s passing. Artists and comic lovers around the world mourn for the loss, and the internet is abuzz and alive with words of respect and acknowledgement for Cardy’s contribution to the world of comics:

To honor Nick Cardy's art and life, I say today is a day to try to make something beautiful.

— Gail Simone (@GailSimone) November 4, 2013

To celebrate an artist, a creator of beauty, we must create beauty ourselves. Or, for those of us without the gift of creation but blessed with appreciation, we must acknowledge the beauty around us.

In honor of Nick Cardy:

The lovable Nick Cardy has just passed away. I'll miss those HeroesCon hugs. Thanks for everything! R.I.P. friend. pic.twitter.com/K37xCvn6pK

— Shelton Drum (@sheltondrum) November 4, 2013

Nick Cardy… if you saw his art you loved him. If you were lucky enough to meet him you loved him even more.

— Kevin Nowlan (@KevinNowlan) November 4, 2013

RIP Mr. Cardy. He was one of the great illustrators of our time.

— Val Staples (@ValStaples) November 4, 2013

This in my fave of the Cardy Superman covers. Action #425: http://t.co/gdulOjkQmX

— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) November 4, 2013

Photo: Nick Cardy’s cover to SUPERMAN #268, the first comic book I ever bought. Layout almost certainly by… http://t.co/WxFNA5ZvYd

— Tom Brevoort (@TomBrevoort) November 4, 2013

Photo: tompeyer: Rest in peace, Nick Cardy http://t.co/C844II6exR

— Tom Brevoort (@TomBrevoort) November 4, 2013

Love this one, of course — pic.twitter.com/HC9ZcDTwPx

— Doc Shaner (@DocShaner) November 4, 2013

Nick Cardy's Aquaman & Teen Titans had a lot to do with why I fell in love with comics. And falling in love with comics is why we draw them.

— Patch Zircher (@PatrickZircher) November 4, 2013

Rest in Peace Nick Cardy. One of the all time greats. pic.twitter.com/XHh6cmqa7A

— Brent Schoonover (@brentschoonover) November 4, 2013

Adios, Nick Cardy. I'll dig this one out and check it out tonight. pic.twitter.com/3j5HIDdUD5

— Phillip Hester (@philhester) November 4, 2013

Photo: I know #23 is more famous among Nick Cardy’s great covers, but since some stores’ve already put up… http://t.co/umL4YF1fcA

— Chris Ryall (@chris_ryall) November 4, 2013

Photoset: sandyjarrell: Nick Cardy Superman covers! http://t.co/AItY2k6Ou3

— Chris Roberson (@chris_roberson) November 4, 2013

The Comics Industry Celebrates The Work Of Nick Cardy

laughingsquid:

Star Wars Death Star Cookie Jar

I wish I had counter space for something like this

Many figure prototypes and upcoming merchadise came out of the Animate Girls Festival in Japan over the weekend and I have to say this one must be one of the most stunning figure prototypes unveiled. The Mega House Kagami Taiga figure from Kuroko's Basketball perfectly captures Seirin's ace player and Kuroko's current light in mid-air.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can't wait to see the final painted version! Release date has not been announced yet.

 

 

Source: Figsoku!

copyright © 2013 fig速 all rights reserved.

©藤巻忠俊／集英社・黒子のバスケ製作委員会

COPYRIGHT 2005-2013 MEGAHOUSE CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

This is great

Have you sampled the international soda selection at Flavors of Club Cool at Epcot?

Starting today, the club will offer seven new flavors of soda samples. Only one option from the previous selection will remain – Beverly, a common aperitif found in Italy.

New flavors added to the sample station are:

• Fanta – Fanta debuted in Europe in the 1940s and was introduced in the U.S.A. in 1960s. It’s now available in more than 90 flavors.
• VegitaBeta – This Japanese beverage combines apricot and passion fruit flavors.
• Fanta (Melon Frosty) – This melon-flavored soda is number one in Thailand.
• Bibo – This fruit-flavored juice drink originates from South Africa.
• Sparberry – This raspberry cream-flavored soda has been a favorite in Africa since 1955.
• Guarana Kuat – This drink, flavored after the guarana berry, is popular in Brazil.
• Inca Kola – This Peruvian favorite offers a sweet, almost bubblegum-like taste.

Flavors of Club Cool at Epcot is only one of three locations in the entire country that serves these sodas. The others are Coca-Cola attractions in Atlanta and Las Vegas.

Which sounds most interesting to you? Tell us in the “Comments” section below.

Epcot’s Flavors of Club Cool Debuts Guarana Kuat, Inca Kola & Five Other Sodas Today by Jennifer Fickley-Baker: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

Nintendo has announced that the 3DS's Swapnote feature has been shutdown and will no longer be available to users. Nintendo didn't shut the service down because it didn't work or because it wasn't popular: it shut it down in the name of protecting children. The service which allows users to exchange notes, simple drawings, and photos (using either Spotpass or Streetpass) was shut down because some users have apparently used it to share "offensive" material with others.

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When six women from Disney Feature’s visual development department wanted to create a companion book for an upcoming exhibition of personal work at Galerie Arludik in Paris, they turned to Kickstarter as a means of funding the publishing costs. The book, titled Lovely, is a 136-page, hardcover anthology showcasing the work from the art show as well as other personal collected works.

Contributors Lorelay Bove (The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh), Helen Mingjue Chen (Frankenweenie, Paperman), Claire Keane (Tangled, Enchanted), Lisa Keene (The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Winnie the Pooh), Brittney Lee and Victoria Ying (Wreck-It Ralph, Paperman) set their original goal at a low $7,000; just enough to cover half of the printing fees. The project has raised over $50,000 in its first seven days, prompting the artists to sweeten the already overflowing pot of original artwork with exclusive accessories and a sketchbook in hopes of attaining their stretch goal of $100,000.

“As a professional, you always are answering some sort of criteria,” said Lisa Keene, who is the most experienced of the artists and whose credits stretch back to The Black Cauldron. “You’re focusing on the project, you’ve got a director who’s asking you to do certain things, so, your work is really not your own.” “When you do your own work it comes from the soul…you can turn off the cacophony of voices in your head from all the projects and people you’ve ever worked with and it’s just the opportunity to get your vision—your personal artist’s expression—out.”

The campaign, which runs until November 22nd, offers twelve different pledge levels with a variety of rewards that include signed sketches, prints, paintings, artist specific book bundles, Iphone cases and stickers. To date, 965 backers have donated $52,963.

The top three grossing films at the Argentine box office this year are all animated: Monsters University, Despicable Me 2, and Metegol. If the last film sounds unfamiliar, that’s because Metegol (aka Foosball) is a homegrown animated feature from Argentina directed by one of that country’s most respected filmmakers, Juan José Campanella. His 2009 film El secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes) won the Academy Award for best foreign language film.

Metegol cost $22 million, which makes it the most expensive film, animated or otherwise, ever produced in Argentina, as well as the most expensive animated feature ever made in South America. The film was funded by a Colombian oil exec Jorge Estrada Mora, whose resources allowed Campanella to set up an animation studio in Buenos Aires and hire advisors like Disney animation veteran and Despicable Me story originator Sergio Pablos. These details are discussed in a New Yorker piece, which is the most in-depth write-up the film has received in the American media.

It doesn’t appear that the film has a U.S. distributor yet, but that’s irrelevant. The film has already proven to be a financial success thanks to strong foreign sales in Europe, Latin America and Asia, as well as the massive success on its home turf.

Low-to-mid-budget foreign animated features are increasingly common from every corner of the world, and as I’ve said before in interviews, such films stand a better chance of breaking out when they don’t attempt to replicate the form and subject matter of big-budget American animated features. The producers of Metegol charted their own path and avoided Americanizing the film, Ian Mount writes in the New Yorker:

Metegol is full of childhood magic and underdog heroics, and astutely plays on the fame of international soccer icons. The nerdy protagonist bears more than a passing resemblance to FC Barcelona’s Argentine star, Lionel Messi, while the villain has the arrogance and good looks of Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo (whose smug grin and perfect hair have made him a real-life villain for soccer fans worldwide). The movie, even though it embraces universal themes and looks like a Hollywood product, also feels distinctly Latin and Argentine, from the characters’ Italianate gestures and soccer-mullet hairstyles to their ironic, rapid-fire humor.

Last summer, a lot of American media outlets complained that the animated feature marketplace was overcrowded. They should brace themselves because it’s only going to become more crowded and more competitive as other countries start to distribute their films around the globe.

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Graphs and Disney movies: two of the Internet’s favorite things. This is truly a match made in heaven. Disney’s given us a whole set of graphs representing the best movie moments of your childhood.

(via: Oh My Disney)

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I only write for The Mary Sue once a week, so when I do, I prefer to tackle games I’ve been able to get my hands on. Sure, I see lots of stuff that looks nifty, or clever, or worth keeping an eye on. If I’m going to ramble, though, I like to ramble about experience, rather than intrigue.

But not today. Today, I will be writing about a game that does not exist yet (though I desperately need it to). Today, I am focusing solely on my selfish desire to play a game that I’ve been wanting for ten years.

The makers of Myst and Riven have launched a Kickstarter campaign for a new exploratory adventure game.

And it must succeed.

There are many games I can point to as pivotal experiences — stories that resonated, worlds I got lost in, events I recount with awe. But Myst was the game that started it all for me. It was the first game that made me lie awake at night, wishing I could be part of it. I took notes, I drew pictures, I played it again, and again, and again. I cannot emphasize enough how much the Myst games influenced me — my sense of aesthetics, the way I tell stories, the things I love about games as a whole. Even though I frequent many different genres now, there is still no experience I enjoy more than putting on a good pair of headphones, dimming the lights, turning off my phone, and stepping into a new universe. There has been an amazing resurgence of exploration-based games in recent years, and I am captivated by the ways they’re evolving. But no matter how unique those games are, no matter what new ground they venture into, I always — always — liken them to that defining moment on the dock at Myst Island. It was the first time a game ever made me feel that way. It’s what made me smitten with the entire medium.

That moment is invoked by Myst co-creator Rand Miller in the Kickstarter video for Obduction, the latest project by dev studio Cyan. However, he’s quick to draw a line between the two games. Obduction is Myst’s spiritual successor, not a rehash. A similar player experience is promised, but this is a different world than the Ages of old. From the campaign page:

Obduction’s experience supplies what every good storyteller does: a very personal window into a much larger world. Obduction begins with an abduction – your abduction. On a crystal clear, moon-lit night, a curious, organic artifact drops from the sky and inexplicably whisks you away across the universes to who-knows-where (or when, or why)…Why is there an old, abandoned farmhouse – complete with white picket fence – in the middle of an alien landscape? You’ll find out. From this point on the story becomes your story.

There isn’t much to look at beyond concept art yet, but I’m already hungry to explore. Skies heavy with planets, bubbles drifting through a mysterious swamp, a tree growing atop an icy stair — and this tough-looking lady, who looks like the sort of person I’d like to have a beer with.

I’m further encouraged by Obduction being built with Unreal Engine 4, which, going by the demo videos Epic Games has been putting out, suggests some serious eye candy on the way. I’m all for lovingly rendered bullet casings and muzzle flare, but I’m oddly pleased to hear about top-of-the-line visuals being applied to something other than war. I still think back on pawing around the Stoneship and Mechanical Ages with nostalgic reverence, and I’d be over the moon to have similar experiences on a modern engine.

The campaign page goes on to check off everything I want in a game. Puzzles. Environmental storytelling. A smoothly integrated soundtrack. A heavy focus on exploration and discovery. These are elements I value highly, and they’re being hawked by the very folks who taught me to appreciate them. Though not all of the Myst games would become favorites, I could always count on them to provide plenty of things to entice my brain. I trust that Cyan knows what they’re doing.

The question is, do enough people feel the same?

Even with Myst’s popularity in mind, I was surprised to see that the campaign amassed half a million in pledged funding in only five days, with nothing more than some general design notes and reminders of the glory days. But at the risk of sounding pessimistic, there’s still a long way to go before they hit their $1.1 million mark, and I admit that I’m curious as to how far fan loyalty will get them. It worked for Double Fine, who raked in $3.3 million on nothing more than “we want to make a game like the old stuff you used to play!” Will the same be enough for Cyan? We’ll see. Referencing past successes won’t be much of a draw for newcomers. That means it’s up to us veterans to rally the troops.

Which I’m more than happy to do. For the folks who made me fall in love with games, it’s the least I can do.

The Kickstarter campaign ends November 16, with the goal of a 2015 release. Here’s hoping for the best.

Becky Chambers writes essays, science fiction, and stuff about video games. Like most internet people, she has a website. She can also be found on Twitter.

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You know for about five seconds I was sitting here thinking “I wonder how long it takes to light all the candles and how much of a fire hazard it is” and then I remembered that we have this technology called electricity and LED lights. New York’s Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is probably up on that.

(via This is Colossal and Geekologie.)

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Today in random awesomeness… 

Earlier today I was reading an interview Empire Magazine did with Sir Ian McKellen. I was surprised I hadn’t heard sooner he’d be taking on the iconic role of Sherlock Holmes. More specifically, he’s playing a nearly 100-year-old Holmes in an adaptation of A Slight Trick Of The Mind, directed by Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn).

McKellen, who said he’d never had ambitions of playing Holmes, was a bit surprised when the interviewer brought up there being a younger version of Holmes in the novel as well. “You never know… sometimes they call in Michael Fassbender to be me as a young man, and sometimes they put Patrick Stewart and me through the mangle of film technology and out we come looking 20 years younger, so who knows what will happen,” he said.

But the bigger surprise of the interview was finding out McKellen knew Benedict Cumberbatch’s father. When asked if he’s watched BBC’s Sherlock, McKellen replied, ”Of course, of course! I wanted to look at this Martin Freeman chap as Doctor Watson. I’ve met Benedict a couple of times. I knew his father, Timothy Carlton, when we were both quite young, and I remember him telling me that his real name was Cumberbatch. ‘But of course I had to change it because you could never be successful with a surname like that.’”

Who woulda thunk?

(via Empire, image via Patrick Stewart’s Twitter)

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1. 1.Beast as The Hulk
2. 2.Prince Charming, Prince Eric, and Prince Florian as Sam, Castiel, and Dean
3. 3.Li Shang as Mako
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6. 6.Aladdin and Abu as Ash Ketchum and Pikachu!
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Ok, we *think* this is Isaiah K Stephens’ last update of Disney characters dressed up as other pop-culture characters from Halloween. After focusing on so many of the awesome Disney women, he decided to focus on the fellas this time around. To equally excellent effect, if I do say so myself. Which is your favorite?

Previously in Disney Characters In Halloween Costumes

• Disney Princesses Wearing Pop-Culture Costumes
• Even More Disney Princesses In Halloween Costumes
• Disney Characters In Costume, Take Three

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This li’l guy’s name is Chubbs, and he’s upgraded his previous costumes (wampug, banthapug) to one that implies a certain level of sentience. I mean, I’m not saying the guards of Jabba’s palace are brainboxes exactly, but they’re not beasts of burden at least.

(via Neatorama.)

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I love Lego everything, but spaceships are by far my favorite subject. The great ones—like this one by sioka sculpting—are outstanding examples of sci-fi design and engineering—it's the best way to materialize your future space exploration dreams.

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Shokubutsu Zukan novel by Library War's Arikawa inspires manga debuting in December

As if the debut today of The Sandman: Overture weren’t enough, Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, announced this morning that acclaimed fantasy author and comics writer Neil Gaiman will join its theater and performance faculty in the spring semester as a professor in the arts. He’ll teach courses in the Division of the Arts [...]

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the X-Men, as well as the X-Men: Battle of the Atom crossover, WeLoveFine has unveiled an informational graphic by Leigh Wortley featuring characters from every era of Marvel’s mutant saga, from 1963 to the present. There are 150 represented, but considering the size of the X-universe, those probably aren’t [...]

2PMWORKS, online store specialized in collaboration apparel goods with popular anime series operated by Animate, has started accepting pre-orders for two new booties inspired by Utena Tenjo and Anthy Himemiya, the two main characters from the Revolutionary Girl Utena anime series. Both the 1997 TV anime and 1999 film (titled Revolutionary Girl Utena: The Adolescence Apocalypse) were directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Mawaru Penguindrum) and acquired a cult following.

 

The booties are collaboration models with Kobe-based shoes brand TyakeTyoke which　also produced the Madoka Magica pumps. The price for both the Utena and Anthy model is 17,640 yen (about US$178.88). The scheduled delivery day is in late February of 2014.

 

 

 

Utena Tenjo Model

 

 

Anthy Himemiya Model

 

The promotional art for the original anime arts exhibitions in 2013 

via: Netlabo

 

© Be-Papa's , Chiho Saito/Shogakukan, Shokaku Iinkai, TV Tokyo

© 1999 Revolutionary Girl Utena Production Committee

© King Record. Co., Ltd.

It's going to be just a little late for Halloween, but on November 15, San Francisco is going to transform into Gotham City for a day and a 5-year-old named Miles will be its Batman.

That's what the little Dark Knight, who has leukemia, told the Make-a-Wish Foundation he wants, and the plan is to fill his day with fighting bad guys such as The Riddler and The Penguin.

Continue reading…

Hasbro and Takara's larger Transformers Optimus Prime figures have been sporting Autobot Matrix of Leadership-storing chest chambers for years now, but Action Toys' upcoming UM-1 Ultimetal Optimus Prime digs even deeper by giving toy fans a look at the Generation 1 version of the heroic leader's entire anatomy from the inside out via removable plates. Turns out robots-in-disguise are full of their own mechanical guts and black stuff.

Continue reading…

It would seem Hasbro got a little ahead of themselves when updating their website today and made the mistake of listing a heap of previously unannounced figures. Watchful eyes of Transformers World 2005 members JamesBenjamin and Thundershot went through all of the menus and pulled out a treasure trove of product names covering Generations, Age of Extinction, Beast Hunters, Legends, Construct-Bots, and Masterpiece. 

It's a long list so fallow me through the jump to see the impressive names. It's full of fan favorite, high demand character so give the list a good look. Pictures soon I hope, the header image is purely representational.

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Just in case you want to prolong the Halloween spirit, or if you're still decorating your home for the big bash this weekend, consider downloading some rad papercraft patterns from Gus Santome and letting these guys hang out around your home.

Personally, I like some of these things for round-the-year display, particularly the witch and ghost. Images of all the goodies (Skeleton, Ghost, Witch, Wolf Girl, Pumpkin, and Frank's Monster) are in the gallery. To get the free patterns just click on the link above.

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Film by Lain/Kino's Journey director based on Two Years' Vacation novel

Gatchaman Crowds' Kinako designs characters for 6-episode series debuting next month