Quicksilver: Top Nine Things You Need to Know

Quicksilver (aka Pietro Maximoff) has been all the talk this past week, with confirmation that the character will be in The Avengers 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past, thus causing two studios to fight over him.  With all this Quicksilver love going on, it’s safe to say he is the new big man on campus.  For everyone who isn't completely up to date on this character (I admit my knowledge of Quicksilver is limited), here is a list of his highlights.

Review: The Mighty Titan #1

By Reboot 

Back in August of last year, The Mighty Titan became a successfully funded Kickstarter project.  Created and written by Joe Martino with art by Luca Cicchitti, this is a deeply personal story from Martino using a superhero tale as a backdrop.  This is a review of issue #1 of 5.

[IGH] on Books: The Planet Thieves

Courtesy of Tor Books.

Out this week is The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos.  This is the first book in this new young adult series from Starscape Books.  This is the newest addition to the teenage saves the day theme that has become so popular but is the first to be part of the sci-fi genre in a long time.

Humans are at war with an alien species called the Tremist.  This war story follows a group of young military cadets during their summer session in space aboard the SS Egypt, when they are attacked.  The oldest cadets, led by classic troublemaker Mason, run off to help but this isn't the classic Tremist attack.  They are looking for something specific.  Now, I've given a very basic overview but there is a lot more into this story.  Check out this trailer to really get your heart pumping.

Review: Akaneiro #1

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics

On Wednesday, May 22nd, Issue #1 of 3 of Akaneiro will be hitting the comic shops.  This is a joint Dark Horse Comics and Spicy Horse Studios production.  It's written by Justin Aclin with art by Vasilis Lolos with the concept created by American McGee, creator of Alice: Madness Returns!

Before I get into the review, I want to put this book in context.  This is a property based on a game (ARPG specifically) from Spicy Horse.  This game had a Kickstarter the beginning of the year and a week into it they announced this comic as a supplement to the game.  I feel that the context of where the comic originates from is important here.

Doctor Who: The Name of the Doctor

Series 7 is in the can. In a series that has been extremely uneven, this was a solid ending. It answered some questions and left a few open, but like the rest of the series; it had its ups and downs.

THIS WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS, SWEETIE.

[IGH] at the Movies: Star Trek Into Darkness

This past Wednesday, five contributors to [IGH] set off on a mission, to boldly go and see the new movie, Star Trek Into Darkness.  Not surprisingly, we all had various opinions of this much-expected film.  So we have brought you a MEGA REVIEW filled with a variety of opinions!  If you have seen the film, share your thoughts in the comments too!

MisterJackal's Review
Much like the previous film, the performances in Star Trek Into Darkness were all great! The relationship between Kirk and Spock was absolutely perfect. Their constant back and forth brings a natural progression to the relationship you were introduced to in the first one. The rest of the crew did a great job sticking with their Captain. But my hat goes off to Benedict Cumberbatch. He did a phenomenal job! OMG, he was good. I was a little skeptical to see what he was going to do in this but he was absolutely spectacular as the villain. He brings a huge menacing presence that absolutely over shadows everyone that is in the scene with him.  Besides it being a full of great performances; it is beautifully shot. At no moment in this film do you feel that you are watching a regular movie that is filled with CGI. There are some scenes that you are engulfed into the environment and you feel like you are on a strange planet.  The story is really well put together and does a great job providing fan service. Even though this film is part of a franchise that has been around for years, people with no knowledge of the previous films can enjoy this. There is one moment in particular that had me in tears. Not only because of the fan service but because of the connection I had with the character.  I absolutely love this film and I can't wait to watch this a third time!

Review: Dream Thief #1

By Reboot

Courtesy of Dark Horse Comics

Today, Issue #1 of 5 of Dream Thief will be available at your local comic shops.  This book is put out by Dark Horse Comics, written by Jai Nitz with art by Greg Smallwood and a gorgeous cover by the legendary Alex Ross.

From Dark Horse Comics:  After stealing an Aboriginal mask from a museum, John Lincoln realizes that the spirits of the vengeful dead are possessing his body and mind while he sleeps! His old problems have been replaced by bloody hands and the disposal of bodies—and now remembering where he spent last night has never been more important!

[IGH] At The Movies: Trust Me

Editor's Note: Welcome PoohBear, our newest contributor!  PoohBear is joining reviewing Trust Me, which she and I saw at TriBeCa Film Festival this year.  As a note, Clark Gregg was there and we kinda followed him around after his Q&A.  It wasn't stalking because other people were doing it too.  ~ Wilderowens

By PoohBear

My first thought was "I have to see Trust Me because Agent Coulson, I mean, Clark Gregg, directed, wrote and starred in this." Who wouldn't want to? Next thought, "I've seen him in a couple other things like "…Adventures of Old Christine", in addition to the Marvel franchise, so he'll be pretty good in this."  

Review: Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher

Editor's Note: 
Welcome to our new contributor, Reboot!  He will be joining [IGH] as a comic reviewer.



By Reboot

On Wednesday, May 15th, Issue 1 of 2 of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher will be hitting the shelves.  It’s adapted and drawn by Richard Corben and put out by Dark Horse Comics for $3.99.

To start, Richard Corben’s art is beautiful as always and is worth the $3.99 admission if his style speaks to you.  How he captures the people, the trees, the exterior of the house; it’s all stunning and original in its own right.  His use of colors and shadows are mostly spot on and give you a feel for the impending doom ahead.  He also makes good use of the 22 pages he has and creates a story that could stand alone despite only being half of the full story.

Sponsored Post: Cloud Transparency - How Cloud Applications Can Help Employers Uncover Questionable Employee Practices

Cloud Transparency

How Cloud Applications Can Help Employers Uncover

Questionable Employee Practices

Unfortunately, most businesses at some point experience issues with one or more employees.  Perhaps you suspect an employee is flexing their schedule without permission.  Or, maybe you allow employees to work remotely or from home, but feel their work is just not getting completed  Worst case scenarios involve fraud, where an employee steals or attempts to steal something, either tangible like money or intangible such as proprietary information.

As cloud-based technologies become more widely used among businesses, they bring added benefits of new of ways to help uncover unethical employee behavior.  In a totally cloud immersive environment, transparency is both inevitable and useful to business owners and managers. 

First, if you plan to monitor your employees, it is a good practice to have clear written policies.  Within those policies, inform employees how any monitoring may be done.  Once you establish the ground rules and make employees aware their work, online activities, etc. may be monitored at any time, you should be ready to spot check as necessary.

1.         Monitor Work          

            The beauty of the cloud, especially an environment which is completely    cloud immersive, is it offers the ability to see what work is actually being      done. Let’s say an employee who you feel may be slacking or is taking             “extra long” business lunches tells you he is “working” on completing his             assignments.  Don’t believe him?  Log into that employee’s cloud files and           see the exact time and date he uploaded his work and where he or she      really is with the project. 

2.         When the Boss is Away…

            So, just how much work do your employees complete while you are away?           The cloud allows you to log in remotely from anywhere to see what work is       being completed, monitor log-in and status reports, etc.  Makes it much            more difficult for the “mice to play”.

3.         “Working” From Home

            Let’s say you give your employees liberty to work from home under certain circumstances.  Or, maybe an employee has an appointment in the morning and, rather than taking the entire day off, asks if he or she can just work from home rather than returning to work.  It’s fairly easy to see exactly what they are working on, especially if the company uses a platform such as Google Apps for Business. Documents, spreadsheets, etc. are edited and updated in real time, so you can actually see if work is being completed.

4.         Check employee availability

            Some cloud applications allow you to check to see if a particular employee           is logged onto their computer and available.  This is great for larger with       offices which are spread out.

5.         Hmmm….

            Certain cloud applications give you options to monitor employee productivity.  Let’s say you are doing some spot-checking, and you notice a certain employee seems to be working on projects which they weren’t assigned or looking at documents and information which really don’t have any relevance to their job.  This could be a red flag.  Check with your cloud provider and learn ways their applications and platform may be able to help you detect possible employee fraud.

As the cloud continues to evolve, expect additional ways to monitor employees.  However, while you want to make your employees aware that monitoring is a possibility, try not to make them “paranoid” or feel as if you distrust them.  If you are not using any cloud applications to date, Google Apps is a great place to start.  Not only is it easy to integrate and use, but a number of free tools, audit logs and data backup options are also available.  Good luck! 

Gina Smith writes freelance articles for magazines, online outlets and publications. Smith covers the latest topics in the business, golf, tourism, technology and entertainment industries.

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Express Yourself Wordlessly for Dialogue Free Comics Day!

May 17th is the 4th annual Dialogue Free Comics Day, a day dedicated to expressing a story through the art of comics.  Noel Curry, the founder of DFCD, started this day because he sometimes forgets that comics "is primarily a visual artform."  With a day dedicated to storytelling without words, we can see how much can be shared through art.  It sounds difficult but it's not as hard as you might think, since each year webcomics flock to take part.

Kinda wondering if this is Noel Curry's Self Portrait?

If you have artistic talents, why not try submitting your own?   Wysefyre and I both took part (here and here) in 2011; after seeing our comics you will understand why we haven't since.  Even so, this is one of my favorite comic events of the year.  I enjoy the great art storytelling, plus checking out new webcomics!  I encourage all of you to take part by checking out the past and current submissions on the site.  I'm sure you will enjoy it too!  


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Sponsored Post: 1080p vs. 720p: Comparing HDTV Video Display Formats

If you’re in the market for a new flat-screen TV, the video display format is most likely one of your main considerations. The two major formats -- 1080p and 720p share many similarities, but there are subtle differences you should understand before deciding what kind of TV to buy. Check out the information below to get a better understanding of these two formats before you make a purchase.

What’s the difference?

The main element 1080p and 780p share is that they’re both progressive display formats. This is what the “p” stands for in their names. Progressive display means that all the pixels are working together to create each frame of video. Interlaced technology, on the other hand, uses even and odd horizontal rows of pixels to create every other frame.

1080p: A 1080p HDTV is 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. This means there are 1,920 pixels displayed horizontally and 1,080 displayed vertically, resulting in 1,080 lines on the screen displayed progressively.

720p: Along the same lines, a 720p HDTV is 1,280 by 720 pixels, with 1,280 pixels displayed vertically and 720 displayed horizontally.

The main difference is the number of pixels that go into producing the image. The greater the number of pixels, the greater the image quality. With 720p, about one million pixels make up the image, while with 1080p, approximately two million pixels make up the image. This means that the image detail coming from a 1080p HDTV is far greater than a 720p, making it the most detailed high-definition image currently available to consumers.

The case for 720p

It may seem like a no-brainer to go with 1080p based on its superior image quality, but it’s important to note that the majority of TV programming is not broadcast in 1080p. This means that if you purchase a 1080p HDTV, the image won’t necessarily be displayed at that quality, but instead scaled to 1080p with the resolution kept at the 720p level. So, if most of what you’re watching will be displayed in 720p, why not just buy a 720p HDTV?

The case for 1080p

Apart from the obvious advantage of superior image quality, 1080p reigns supreme when it comes to Blu-ray and video game quality. Unlike television broadcasts, Blu-ray discs and most video games are formatted in 1080p. So, if most of your TV time is spent watching movies or gaming, a 1080p HDTV might be the right choice for you.

The verdict

When choosing between these two formats, it all comes down to your viewing habits, preferences and price range. If you’ll mainly be watching broadcast television on a screen less than 40 inches, a 720p HDTV is a great choice. But, if you want larger screen viewing for Blu-ray DVDs or gaming and have some extra money to spend, 1080p will be worth the price for the advanced quality.

Post is sponsored by h.h. gregg.

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KNOW THE TRUTH! DON'T CELEBRATE MAY THE FOURTH!

We all get excited about May the Fourth aka Star Wars Day, celebrating the lighter side of the force. However, there is a darker side to this popular holiday. Here is an "instructional" video about the truth of May the Fourth. Once you see it, you will totally understand the insidious nature of this seemingly cheery holiday.

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Iron Man 3 Celebration Giveaway!

Iron Man 3 is out today!!!  Huzzah Huzzah!  With all that excitement in mind, we are giving away a Iron Man 3 prize pack to one lucky reader.

You get a fabulous Iron Man 3 t-shirt (courtesy of Marvel) and a Silver Surfer Bottle Opener (courtesy of Diamond Select Toys).  Why a bottle opener not at all related to IM3?  Two reasons.  One, Tony Stark likes to drink, so obviously bottle opener.  Two, I have too much stuff in my giveaway box.  Also, stop complaining.

Editor's Note: Saw Iron Man 3 and in the first (maybe) ten minutes, you see a character wearing this exact shirt.  If you don't believe me, go see the freaking movie.  

You can't buy this awesome shirt in stores.  Ok, maybe eBay.

So enter now!  You may win and have a chance to rock this awesome shirt while you pop open bottles for your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Wanna build an Autobot?

Hasbro, Inc. announced their plans for the TRANSFORMERS 30th Anniversary this year.  (Side note: A little sad I'm older than Transformers, even if its only a few months.)  They are having fans vote on a new TRANSFORMER to join the current lineup.  The winning Autobot or Decepticon will be revealed at this year's San Diego Comic Con.  You have until May 5th to enter your choices!

The Questions from Hasbro's TRANSFORMERS vote

Yes, this is a ploy to increase sales but still, I love these fan based activities.  This gives all of us fans, old and new, to be a small part of creation.  Their questions aren't bad either, which helps a lot.  I've kinda lost touch with TRANSFORMERS from my childhood, so I am excited to take part in this.  I will also do my best to be on hand for the unveiling at SDCC.  So go vote now and share your picks with us in the comments!

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Random Thoughts: Justice League - Where Do Superman's Powers Come From?

I recently discovered that Justice League was playing on Netflix. This made me extremely happy. It's the "In the Blackest Night" episode where Green Lantern is on trial on Ajuris 5. The JL goes to rescue him, and Superman is kicking alien butt, which is always fun, but then I thought, "How does he have his powers on that planet?"

Superman is a comic that I would love to follow, but there is just too much to catch up on. I pick up some of the stories in the trades, but mostly, I get my Superman fix from the movies, TV shows, and occasionally Wiki. I was always under the impression that Superman's powers came from the yellow sun. Has that changed? If so, when and what's the new version?

Random Thought: Glee - Does No One Know How To Close a Door?

I was watching the Guilty Pleasures episode of Glee last night, and I noticed something odd (it's Glee, there are a lot of odd things to notice) - the doors to the choir room are always open. Always. How is that acceptable in a school? Why do we need to see students walking outside the door? Is it to remind us that they are at a school? I would think the choir room would be enough for that. And where the heck is Sue Sylvester yelling at them to keep their infernal racket down? 



To be fair, for this performance they were coming from outside, but look at other performances. The doors are always open. I can suspend belief for many things but I find this one a little hard to swallow.

Are you ready for Free Comic Book Day?

That's right, we are about 5 weeks out from one of the bestest days of the year, Free Comic Book Day!  Every first Saturday of May, comic stores all over the country give out free comics to awaiting geeks, in hopes to encourage reading (and spending money) of comics.  Now, if you are a not a comic reader, you should check out Free Comic Book Day at your local comic shop.  If you are a comic reader, still check it out but bring a friend who doesn't read comics.  Spread the comic love!

If I can't convince you, let Thomas Jane convince you.  He knows all about the nutrition value of comics.



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Rob Thomas proves his awesome with a Veronica Mars movie!

Rob Thomas is a fighter.  So much of a fighter that a few years after the cancellation of Veronica Mars, Thomas and show star Kristen Bell (plus half the cast) have teamed up to raise money.

As a Browncoat, I can totally get behind this attempt to make a movie based on a short-lived (albeit longer than some...) cancelled TV show.  Plus, Veronica Mars was a freaking awesome show, and I miss it.

Check out the video for the hilariousness that ensues!



Really, this video alone is enough to make me want to give them money.  Even so, in the time it took for me to scribble out these few lines, they made almost $100K, which includes my $35 bucks.  Update: They have surpassed $1M in four hours!!!  Check it out and give them monies!

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Spring Cleaning and Random Questions!

As spring approaches, I've been doing some cleaning.  Yeah, I'm going all traditional with the spring cleaning around my apartment. Don't die of shock.  Since this is extremely boring, my mind has been wandering with some random questions that I just can't answer.  So I shout them out to the great void, in hopes that some unknown force can answer them, or more likely, we can all argue about them.

Review: Jack the Giant Slayer

This past Wednesday, Mister Jackal from InnerCity Geeks and I got a chance to see Jack the Giant Slayer before it hit theaters.  The film, based on the classic fairy-tale stars Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, and Stanley Tucci.

See what we thought of the latest fairytale story.

Giveaway Alert: Bag o' Toys from Toy Fair 2013

The best part of Toy Fair is the toys.  I know that seems obvious but it really is that awesome.  While we were wandering the floor, we got some freebies.  Like awesome freebies.  So we have two great prizes for you to try and win. 

Grand Prize is a Big ol'Bag of Toys!

Smaller Grand Prize is a Lunchbox of Fun!

I wanna take a moment to thank the booths that willing gave us cool stuff just to give you geeks toys*:

ThinkGeek

Tokidoki

Kidrobot

StacheTATS

Mezco Toyz

Ninja Cards

A Crowded Coop

Dark Horse Comics

Go check them out, give them love and (if you can) money.  They are awesome.

So enter, right here and right now!!!!  Giveaway ends March 8th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Not everyone listed is represented in both bags.  Both are still cool though.

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Toy Fair 2013: Join the 'Verse with Gale Force Nine Games

Despite only 13 episodes, Browncoats keep doing the impossible. We've got a movie, we've got a number of comic runs and now we've got a board game. That's right, Gale Force Nine announced this past Sunday that they are coming out with a Firefly game. I got a chance to speak briefly with a staffer about the game while at Toy Fair.

I can honestly say that this isn't a basic game with Firefly stamped in the center.  After meeting the company president, I know he is a Browncoat.  The team at GF9 put a lot of time researching the show and having the storyline of the show match the game. Each player will play as a ship (Yes, only one of you can be Serenity. Take turns.) You spend your gameplay hiring crew, take jobs, and filling your hold.  How well you do depends on how well you manage your resources.  But unlike other games, you aren't forced to deal with obstacles. Don't wanna face Reavers? Stay away from them. Don't wanna break the law? Don't have to. However, the advertising encourages you to "aim to misbehave." It's all in how you chose to shape the game.

This game looks to be a great time for every Firefly fan. For you lucky Gencon attendees, it will be premiering there, then the rest of us get a crack at it.  Shiny!



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Toy Fair 2013: Timmy's got a bag of toys from Thinkgeek!

While at Toy Fair, we had a chance to meet with Steve, the Undersecretary for the Ministry of Misinformation at Thinkgeek.  He gave us the opportunity to check out the latest products to come out of TG, plus the chance to rub elbows with the infamous monkey behind it all.

Toy Fair 2013: Mattel's got a Super Secret!

It's a crappy pic but it really is
the Superman Costume

Yesterday at Toy Fair, I got a chance to see Mattel's new movie masters line of Man of Steel Action Figures.    There were four figures on display, plus one in the packaging.  Sadly, we weren't able to take any pictures, but I'm gonna try to describe them for ya.

Review: Side Effects

Last week, Mister Jackal of InnerCity Geeks and I got a chance to attend an early screening of Side Effects. No wait, not an early screening, it was the frelling NYC premiere! Any night where the movie gets a live introduction from Steven Soderbergh is pretty awesome.

Here are our takes on Side Effects.

What do you call the new Spider-Man?

At this point, everyone knows the big surprise behind the final issue of Amazing Spider-Man that sets up the new series, Superior Spider-Man. If you don't, then get the hell out of my house (that's all the SPOILER ALERT you get). The new identity of our hero leaves one question unanswered for the legions of spider-fans out there; just what do we call this new entity that is Spider-Man?

[spoiler]

Review: Warm Bodies

We lucked out and were able to see the newest zombie flick a few weeks early. Warm Bodies is being portrayed as a funny teen love story, but does it hold up to the hype?

The Man of Steel is Elderly and Jewish

I know you are kinda wondering what I'm getting at.  Well, this past Sunday I attended a 75th Birthday Party for Superman at the Center for Jewish History.  That's right, the very first issue of Action Comics came out in June of 1938.  Wowza.

A New Superhero from Dark Horse

Are you burnt out on the same old superheroes from the same old comic companies?   Yeah, me too.  Well, here is a preview of the new hero from our friends at Dark Horse Comics!  Coming January 23rd from the brains of Dennis Hopeless and Mike Norton, get ready for The Answer!

From Dark Horse Comics:

Devin McKenzie is an insomniac librarian with a knack for solving puzzles. The Answer! is a masked crime fighter with a giant exclamation point on his face. Aside from a penchant for late nights, they share nothing in common . . . until both become embroiled in a deadly mystery surrounding a sinister motivational speaker!

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2012: The Year of.....

Borrowed from cloudtimes.org

Another year at its end, 2012 brought us a lot of stuff that we celebrated or cried over as the year went on...Disney buying Star Wars, The Hobbit, Marvel Now, and another failed apocalypse. However, some of the best moments came from one persons mind. Yes, you have probably guessed who I am talking about.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

What's Better than Monster Hunter?

By ladyvader99 

I was 19 and I saw it from across the room. It took my breath away.

In this past six months, I have gotten a tattoo on my inner right forearm of a Monster Hunter “forbidden hunter” seal. In the manga, a monster hunter is given this mark to allow them to hunt the most dangerous and the rarest of beasts. Seeing as I have over 3000 hours logged into the Monster Hunter franchise, I deemed myself worthy. There are a total of 10 entries in the Monster Hunter series, spanning over a variety of platforms, with only 4 released here in the United States. The most current installment, Monster Hunter Portable 3, is currently Capcom’s fastest selling game ever.

I was 19 (maybe 20…the years blend!) when I came across Monster Hunter for PlayStation 2. The game play was simple; you are a wandering young person who undertakes the task of relieving a small village of the monsters that plague it in exchange for room and board. These range from small, docile herbivores to HUGE dragons. The game forces you to use every bit of cunning and strategy you possess and the sense of accomplishment when you take down that first Rathalos is immensely satisfying. Every creature you take down allows you to carve material off of it to make superior armor and weaponry, thereby making you stronger and able to withstand attacks from stronger, more hostile and intelligent creatures. There is no “end” to the game, so you can literally play forever.

I got the most fun out of Monster Hunter when my now husband, two best friends and I bought Monster Hunter Freedom for PSP. A Saturday did not pass where we four were not huddled around our PSPs for hours of marathon gaming, A/C adaptors plugged into the wall so our PSPs wouldn’t die mid-quest. Monsters are typically more intelligent and the quest objectives for each are harder when you play online with someone via ad hoc or alone so they represented a bigger challenge. I love the creature design, the landscapes are PHENOMENAL, and it’s truly incredible how they always keep you guessing, even after you think you’ve got a creature’s movement pattern down.

Because Monster Hunter is my favorite game of ALL TIME, whenever I attend a convention, I zoom around the dealer’s room, searching for a statuette, a key chain, or plush of SOMETHING. Japan gets amazing Monster Hunter merchandise and I long to own everything I can! So far, I’ve been able to accumulate a Felyne statue (a cat that assists you in quests and hunter “duties”), plush of a Gigi whelp (white tadpole looking thing with teeth…adorable!), some posters, and a tiny Felyne key chain.

Monster Hunter is definitely not a game for those who want to hack and slash their way through it. This kind of approach will frustrate you since you will die very quickly and quite a lot. Monster Hunter is like the girl you want to take home to your mom. Approach with love, trust and commitment because before you know it, you’ll be 10 hours in and that’s it. You’re in love.

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Review: City in the Desert: The Monster Problem

Out this past week is City in the Desert: The Monster Problem, the debut graphic novel from Moro Rogers. Published by Archaia Entertainment, The Monster Problem is the first volume for the ongoing series.


This is a cute story following a rogue-type, monster hunter Irro and his young companion/assistant Hari.    They are happily killing monsters that are hurting their village until a new religious group comes to town with a permanent monster solution.  Irro and Hari have to discover if the clerics are for real and if they are out of a job!  Irro reminded me of Indiana Jones with more magic.  He has his light-hearted moments, but is all business.  Hari, possibly part monster herself, is a warrior whose past is definitely in question.  Still, her dedication to Irro is unquestioned.

Best High School Movie Trailer Ever!

Why is it the best high school movie ever? Just because it includes clips from so many others. That, Batman and the fact there is a thought process involved.

Wouldn't you want to see Gotham City High? Check it out!

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Finding YOUR Villian

By ladyvader99 

I thought this kind of informative writing would be a door opener to fellow nerds. If you haven’t branched out and “met” a villain you loved to hate, maybe this will help! I first embraced villains as a young, messy haired girl of four. Speed Racer and Sailor Moon were watched almost 24/7 and let me tell you, Snake Oiler and Queen Beryl ruled my dreams. I don’t know if it was the kickass clothing or the devious way they held themselves that made them memorable.

Let’s start by defining what a “villain” is. Aw, who are we kiddin’, it’s the bad guy (or in the better story lines, IS it?)! I’ll begin with Marvel villains and I’ll dedicate this post to the lesser known Ultron and Apocalypse. My cohorts and I may post more of our faves so keep a lookout and let’s dive into the metal insanity that is Ultron.

NYCC '12: Day 4 Highlights

Well,  as soon as NY Comic Con starts, it ends.  I admit, part of me is glad because I am just so tired.  Still, I love all the time I spend hanging on the floor.  As usual, we all split up at the con, running off into different directions.

Wysefyre fought against the hoards of people to get into the Javits Center in time to catch the Sesame Street show on the Varient Stage featuring Elmo and Gordon (Roscoe Orman). There were more adults at the show than kids, and everyone had fun. Then she met up with a friend, and wandered the floor for a few hours. Wysefyre also spoke with Ryan Sohmer and Lar DeSouza, and the nice people over at the CBDLF. Also, she saw a guy dressed as Zangief from Street Fighter 4 give an exceptionally long hug to another person and ate some Hi-Chew and Nerds.

Today I jumped onto the floor first thing to go swag hunting.  I scored a lot of good items and can't wait to sort through it all.  After that, I got a chance to sit down with animation king Bill Plympton to discuss his new and upcoming projects.

Then I spent the afternoon celebrating Spider-Man's 50th Birthday at the Marvel booth!  Yeah, I know, who would have thunk it that Spidey is 50!  One way that Marvel was celebrating is by trying to set a new world record for the most greetings on a card.  I had a chance to chat with the Guinness World Record representative about the process to make a world record.  I am happy to say that Marvel made it!

Then I went over to Artist's Alley, met up with Wysefyre, listened to Dan Slott talk, then spoke with Peter David, David Marquez and Jamal Igle.  Wysefyre made her 7th or 8th trek across the Javitz, then we finally got some food.

We had a great time this year at NY Comic Con!!!  This was such a great time to see old friends and meet new people.  We are also so thankful for all the people that gave us some of their time.  For now, we will be working hard to share all the great details we gained over the past few days.  Make sure you stay tuned!  Until next year!

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NYCC '12 Day Three Highlights

Day three started in the best way possible - meeting with Bruce Timm and Andrea Romano for roundtable interviews about The Dark Knight Returns Part 2. From there I raced into the The Dark Knight panel and the audience was treated to a fantastic Q & A. We were shown clips from TDKR Pt. 2 and a new movie slated to come out next spring. I tried to go up to the floor, but could barely move around. The crowd was insane, so I said hi to a friend who was working at a booth and ran back downstairs. 

I jumped into the King of Nerds panel featuring the stars of Revenge of the Nerds franchise, Curtis Armstrong (Booger) and Robert Carradine (Lewis). There were nerd debates and jeopardy, and they gave away fun prizes. 

Next, came the Fables 10th Anniversary panel. What a treat! While we were waiting for it to begin, Bill Willingham was telling awful, corny jokes and keeping us entertained. Prizes were given, questions were answered, and laughs were had by all. 

After that, I wandered around for a bit, met up with some other friends, and finally started to explore Artist's Alley, where I got to talk to Sanford Greene. There I met up with Wilderowens, and we went to the Geek Girls Network Geek Out, where we hung out with old friends, met some new ones, and had a fantastic time.

Wilderowens finally had a mellow day, wandering the floor for a bit. She hung out with Cully Hamner and Josh Fialkov at the DC booth. While she didn't get her interview with Joel Hodgson of MST3K, (but will via email!!!) she did get to chat with Fred Chao, the creator of Johnny Hiro!!

NYCC '12: Day Two Highlights

Day two kicked off with a little bit of stress and a whole lot of awesome. 

Wilderowens went to a crowdsourcing panel at Kickstarter HQ with Craig Engler of Syfy, and Brad "Cheeks" Bell and Jane Espenson of Husbands. After she came back to the Javits, she spent the day interviewing a whole slew of people: Mike Richardson, President of Dark Horse Comics, Liam Sharp of Madefire, Pierre Leroux, Producer of Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth, Warren Spector, Creative Director for Epic Mickey 2. She met with RedBubble PR, Matt Inman from the Oatmeal, got autographs from DC's Ricardo Sanchez, Dark Horse's Brian Wood and ate a pop tart. She and Getsuyobi also got interviewed by a French radio station about geek culture and comic con. 

After a rough start to the day, I spent the day mostly in panels. I missed out on the Christopher Lloyd Q & A, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Instead of leaving that panel to grab lunch and then fighting to get back into the room for Sean Astin, I grabbed some lunch went in to to MTV Geek panel. I didn't even know MTV had comics. It was a great panel and featured people such as Joshua Hale, David Tischman, Sanford Greene, and Val Staples. 

Then the Sean Astin panel started, and it quickly became my favorite panel of the day, and possibly the entire con. He was funny, interesting, engaging, and extremely genuine. He was shocked at how full the room was. He was full of fantastic stories including one about his audition for Lord of the Rings. It turns out he had never even heard of The Hobbit and LoTR before he got the call for the audition. We were also treated to a surprise guest,  Terry Pratchett.

After that, I wandered the floor for a little bit, chatted with people, ran into a few friends, and finished the day by going to the Webcomics panel with Ryan Sohmer and Lar DeSouza. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but this turned out to be extremely informative. Sohmer and DeSouza did the panel Q & A style, and talked about what it takes to be a successful web creator, and it was also one of the filthiest panels I have ever been too. The dirty jokes came hard and fast. ;-) It was a great panel, and the perfect way to end the day.

I can't wait for day three! That's when the crazy really kicks in. 

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