Moss’ Happy Place [T-Shirt]

If you're and IT Crowd fan, you will probably love that Moss' happy place is on your shirt. It's just the thing to cheer you up now that the series has concluded.

Product Page ($25.56 via Shirtoid)

Super Mario Map Dress Turns You Into The Game

This dress features an all-over print of a screen shot from Super Mario. It's a one-of-a-kind design on cotton knit fabric for a snug fit that will keep you looking gamer chic all day.

Product Page ($59.99 via PWNlove)

New ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Featurette – This Time With 200% More Loki!

That's right folks, we got some more Thor: The Dark World marketing materials for ya right here and now! So step right up and see what the good people of Disney/Marvel have for us this time around - a featurette showcasing that loveable and potentially fatal guy known as Loki.

And check out Thor: The Dark World in all its hammer-hurling fury when it hits the big screen come November 8^th.

Thanks to Coming Soon for helping to spread the love.

BBC Releases Nine of Those Long Lost ‘Doctor Who’ Episodes on iTunes!

This week we've been hearing all sorts of rumblings about the BBC discovering a stash of their Classic Doctor Who catalogue, missing since the episodes originally aired almost fifty years ago. First there were rumors, then the discovery was confirmed, and now, nine episodes have been released, completely remastered, for purchase on iTunes.

The nine rediscovered episodes all come from the Second Doctor's, Patrick Troughton, era and complete the two serials: The Enemy of the World and The Web of Fear. Joining Troughton as his companions are Frazer Hines as Jaime and Deborah Watling as Victoria. If you're familiar with the Second Doctor era these are the same companions traveling with him in the classic, Tomb of the Cybermen, another serial once thought lost yet rediscovered years ago.

If you're wondering how so many Doctor Who episodes were ever lost - there's still a total of 97 episodes missing, all from the first six years of the program - it's because the tapes were often either erased or recorded over. This was long before VHS, Betamax, DVD, or Blu-ray, so no one ever considered the commercial value of a TV program after it aired. Those fools, I know. Over the years some of these lost episodes have been found in foreign BBC offices as it was common for the BBC to send copies of their programs abroad where, thankfully, someone never got the message to dispose of them once they were finished.

This most recent treasure trove was discovered in a television station in Jos, Nigeria by Phillip Morris of Television International Enterprises Archive. Finding lost television programs is kind of his thing, and this is one hell of a find. Whovians couldn't ask for a better way to celebrate The Doctor's 50th anniversary than with episodes that, for many, have never been seen before.

Check out these new, snazzy trailers the Beeb released today, but don't forget to grab a copy of television history from iTunes today!

‘Star Trek’ Returning to Television?

With the success of J.J. Abrams' reboot of the Star Trek franchise, there has been lots of talk revolving around trying to get another television series going. And no one seems to be more about getting this done than writer and uber-producer Roberto Orci - AKA he who helped put the new films together. Now, it seems as if there may be some progress to report. Check out the skinny below.

According to the magic of Twitter, it has been reported that Mr. Orci had a recent meeting with CBS to discuss the future of Star Trek on the small screen. And while a meeting is still miles away from actual execution, with someone like Orci putting his production power behind such a project, it seems pretty likely that CBS will seriously consider what he has to say.

I mean, who the hell doesn't want a new Star Trek television series? It's a no-brainer that a return to the original format that made the show so popular will generate buttloads of cash and further bolster the strength of the franchise name, carrying it even further into the future to excite new generations of Trek-junkies. And with the Star Wars franchise using pretty much the same tactic, they better get going if they don't want to be left in the dust.

Of course, if Abrams is to be believed, CBS has already said they're not interested. In which case Orci is just wasting his time?

Me, I've got money on a new Star Trek series within the next two years. Anyone wanna take that bet? What do the Nerd Readers think about all this hullabaloo?

Thanks to /film for the heads-up.

The Top Ten Mistakes People Make Introducing Others to Their Favorite Fandom

We've all been there, loving a television show, video or role-playing game, book or comic book series so much that we just want to share the joy we've found with others. Often, this leaves us standing on the cliffs edge, possibly even putting our relationships with family and friends in jeopardy. How can you avoid the perils and pitfalls of introducing your friends and family to your fandom?

Nobody wants to be that guy or gal who can't handle his or her own fandom intensity, so it's important to take the following things into consideration before you simply throw them into the deep end of the fandom pool.

1. Incorrectly Matching Their Interests With One of Your Fandoms:

Sometimes, things just are not destined to go together. Not every accidental collision is as successful a meet-up as the peanut butter and chocolate in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. You'll probably have a feeling in your gut about whether or not the person you are thinking of introducing your fandom to will be receptive. Follow that feeling, continuously pounding a square peg in a round hole will only bring you and your soon to be ex-friend misery.

Remember, just because your friend likes cars, doesn't mean they're going to want to watch four seasons of Knight Rider with you. Now if your friend likes cars, and owns a David Hasselhoff album, you've probably discovered a new Knight Rider fandom member.

Timing is another consideration. For those who love cosplaying, Halloween is a great time of the year to be an ambassador of your fandom. What better way to introduce your friend or family member to cosplay than by helping them build a kick ass Halloween costume for that party or day at the office?

2. Too Much at Once:

This usually results in the person you're introducing your fandom to feeling like a trapped animal, ready to gnaw their own foot off to get out off the bear trap you've thrown them in. Consider yourself the doctor of your fandom, you've got to be careful in the beginning not to overdose your patient.

Sitting down to watch an entire season in one sitting might just be too much, spread it out, enjoy the periods between so everyone can digest what they've seen and learned. Don't forget that one huge part of fandom is that period between episodes, movies, or books where everyone talks about what they think will happen next. Don't capriciously remove that part of the experience.

3. Not Preparing Before Hand:

You want their first experiences to be trouble and care free. If you want someone to enjoy grilling steaks, you shouldn't make them start with the hard and dirty work of butchering the cow.

The best example of this type of problem is in gaming, D&D to be specific. Not having things set up to help keep the game moving, taking too long to help them create a character from scratch instead of giving them a partially completed character, not having the material needed at hand and wasting time digging in your game closet for that one book you MUST have, can easily push the one person you want to enjoy the experience into a coma like state in which they may never recover.

4. Assuming They Know Things/Treating Them Like They Know Nothing:

Unless their name is Jon Snow, you can't treat them like they know nothing, even if they don't know anything, people don't like that.

(Click picture for link to artist)

There's a fine line between teaching and condescension, if you're not careful, you can cross that line. You can never be sure what other knowledge they might bring to the table, sure they may have never seen an episode of Doctor Who, but that doesn't mean they have no clue about the theoretical perils of time travel. Encourage questions, don't stifle them by jumping the gun and telling them everything. The thrill of discovery is a powerful motivating force. Don't be the person that reminds them of that awful nun with a ruler.

5. Trouncing Them Repeatedly Before They Get a Chance to Learn:

This one is more about gaming than anything else. You've finally gotten someone you care about to play that video, board, or collectible card game with you and you proceed to beat the crap out of them at each and every opportunity, using all the skills you've learned from countless hours of play time.

The same goes for any gaming situation. Loading your Magic the Gathering deck with all the special cards and tricks, while your friend or family member new to the game uses a starter deck that has no chance against yours, will not be fun for them. On the other hand, if you both use starter decks, you can teach not only the mechanics of the game and some of the strategies behind winning moves, but you can both have a good time. Just remember that smile on Master Po's face when Kwai Chang grasped the pebble from his hand. That was the pay off for countless hours of teaching, not lording his skills over his pupil.

6. Inadvertently Spoiling the Big Events in the Fandom:

This one can be one of the easiest rules to break and the hardest to prevent. Your friend or family member is talking about how bad a character is and you unintentionally tell them not to worry, and proceed to spill the beans on how that bad character gets their just deserts in the end, ruining what could be a defining moment in your friend of family member's entry into your favorite fandom.

Just be aware of the danger and remind yourself of what possible spoilers are ahead, preparing yourself will help you preserve the surprise. Imagine your ready to let the child of your loins watch Star Wars. You know you're going to start with Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope because that's what good Star Wars parents do. Now imagine accidentally robbing your child of the experience of seeing that scene in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back when Luke learns who his father is. You're the one whose going to scream right after you ruin it.

*One quick side note. If you intentionally spoil a big event in the fandom. You're a Grade-A-Douchebag, and deserve a metaphorical kick in the genitals. Hell, you deserve an actual kick in the genitals. I'm available to deliver you said kick at your friend or family member's convenience.

7. Making Everything About the Relationship About the Fandom:

If the only thing you have to talk about with that friend or family member is something about the fandom, there's something wrong with that relationship. Fandom should be about sharing, not just the things about that fandom you love, but about yourself and other interests. It's basic human relations, if you only want to talk about one thing, they'll quickly grow bored with your company.

8. Making it More About Hating Other Fandoms Than Loving Your Fandom:

If you love this, you can't like that. You'd be surprised how often this kind of thing crops up, at least those of you who've never been on the Internet at any time in the last 20 years will be surprised. Too often these days fandoms devolve into groups bent on destroying or mocking other fandoms, all because they can't get over the fact that someone can like something different, or in addition, to what they like. It's one of the generally known dirty little secrets of the Nerd and Geek community.

9. Not Being Open or Receptive to Their Fandom:

Once you've gotten them started, their going to want to return the favor. It's natural, how many times does someone recommend something to you and your response is to offer your own favorite thing right back at them? Now I'm not saying you have to like whatever fandom they're pushing at you, just be as open to their fandom as you hope they are to yours.

10. Not Seeing, or Accepting the Signs That They Don't Like Your Fandom:

This last one dovetails with the first, Incorrectly Matching Their Interests With One of Your Fandoms. You've gotten past the first hurdle and introduced your friend or family member to your fandom, but you don't see the signs right in front of you. You've blinded yourself to the possibility that they won't like it. Now your just pounding that square peg into that round hole. Sometimes it's more important to know when to stop, because no fandom is worth a good friendship or family relationship. Fandoms should bring you together, not drive you apart.

Editorial: Is ‘Firefly’ Dark Horse’s ‘Star Wars’ Back-Up Plan?

Last month, we told you about the return of Firefly - in comic book form - to the known verse, but we didn't know when the book would touch down, or who would be piloting it. Thanks to the deluge of info coming out of this weekend's New York Comic Con, now we do, but beyond a continuation of Firefly's legacy, is this project the perfect back-up plan to guard against the defection of Star Wars?

Dark Horse Comics has announced that Zach Whedon has been tabbed to take the reigns as writer on the (as of now) six issue series, teaming up with Buffy Season 8 & 9 artist Georges Jeanty. This isn't just a case of nepotism, though. Zach, like Whedon's other, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. co-showrunning brother Jed, is an accomplished writer in his own right, scripting three episodes of Fringe, co-creating Dr. Horrible, and writing Terminator and Firefly comics (co-writing The Shepherd's Tale) previously.

In an interview with Nerdist, Whedon talked about building on the existing story, brother Joss' involvement (it doesn't sound like he's heavily involved, at all), the abandonment of the once planned Inara deathly illness, and the absence - in this new series - of both the Blue Sun corporation, and more crushingly, Hoban Washburne (so, that gaping chest wound is insurmountable, but Phil Coulson's can be healed with a band-aid?) - who, according to Whedon, will not really appear in flashbacks.

Here's Whedon on the absence of Wash:

"I called it that (Serenity: Leaves on the Wind) because I felt like it was a way to honor Wash and the effect his death had on the crew. They are still reeling from that event in many ways, and beyond that they are drifting a bit, pushed all over the verse by forces out of their control."

Whedon also indicates that there won't be many hi-jinks in the new book as the crew deals with the aftermath of the events that occurred at the end of Serenity, the cinematic follow-up to the Firefly TV series - namely, their outing of the Alliance's wrong doing and the origin of the Reavers.

Here's the synopsis for the book:

"As the series begins, Mal and the crew are recouping from their recent strike against the sinister interplanetary government, The Alliance, in which they exposed government agencies as those responsible for the creation of the Reavers - the scourge of the universe. With River Tam in the co-pilot chair and a very pregnant Zoe reeling from the death of her husband, Wash, Mal is finding himself and his ship in greater danger than ever."

So, can this work?

That depends on your perspective, but Dark Horse and Whedon don't seem to be charting a course that goes right through the fan service sweet spot.

It would have been so much easier and more certainly successful if they had, drenching this thing with Wash flashbacks, given us a familiar and unresolved villain like Blue Sun, and gone more toward the familiar tone of the show, allowing Browncoats to be greasy chinned, fat, and happy from their fast food meal. But in putting the crew on the run, with a series of fractures running right through them, Whedon flies closer to where the show would have likely gone had the dear and fluffy lord answered all of our prayers and delivered a new series unto us after the film - and that makes them mighty. It also makes me more interested in where this is going - assuming it goes beyond these first six issues, though the possibility of this becoming a monthly series flies in the face of Dark Horse's previous views on the idea.

When I spoke to Dark Horse editor Scott Allie two years ago at New York Comic Con I asked him about making a monthly Firefly comic, and he told me:

"Not a monthly title. We don't have any interest. It'd be great to do commercially, but creatively that's not where we're headed."

So, why the change of heart?

Two things have happened since I spoke with Allie: the Firefly tenth anniversary celebration generated a lot of buzz and interest in the brand's beautiful corpse, and Disney (owners of Marvel Comics and all of their fiefdom) bought Star Wars, prompting fears that Dark Horse could lose their Star Wars license to Marvel (the initial home of Star Wars comics).

Back in December, there was a rumor that the transfer was set in stone, but since then, Dark Horse has launched two high profile Star Wars projects - Brian Wood's Star Wars film continuation and The Star Wars, an adaptation of George Lucas' original concept - with little news on the future of the license.

When asked about the possibility of Marvel re-absorbing Star Wars by EW in April, though, Dark Horse President Mike Richardson said:

"We have it for the foreseeable future, though, so we're just going about business as usual. It is what it is. Look, from day-one we always knew it was a possibility that someday we might not have the license. We're prepared for it. We have other franchises to move into that space, but we got involved with publishing in part because we loved Star Wars and so sure it'll be disappointing on a business level, but probably more disappointing on a personal level."

Is Firefly one of those franchises and did the potentially looming need for something to fill the Star Wars void help push past any concerns, bringing this project into life? Maybe yes, maybe Star Wars has nothing to do with the re-birth of Firefly - we may never know, but it could be an interesting prologue to the next chapter in the long ignored Firefly saga.

Serenity: Leaves on the Wind hits comic shop shelves on January 29th.

Source: EW, Nerdist, Very Aware

Nerd Bastards Giveaway: Win a Transformers Optimus Prime Hoodie!

Your friends already think you're more than meets the eye, why not wear something to prove them right? Transform and roll out with this sweet Optimus Prime hoodie from 80 s Tees.com. This zippered Transformers hoodie is great for costume parties, job interviews (we'd hire you), or just for lounging around watching cartoons or listening to music (You've Got The Touch by Stan Bush, of course!). At a reasonable price of $60, you can get your very own at 80 s Tees.com (purveyors of nerdy apparel). If your wallet isn't made of sterner stuff, you can take a shot at winning one. We got a XXL (fits like a XL) we're just giving away. Why? It doesn't matter (*cough* I was too fat for it), all you need to know is that we dare to be stupid and give away free swag. Here's your chance...

What exactly do I need to do to win? Simple!

1. You need to follow Nerd Bastards and 80 s Tees on Twitter (@NerdBastards @80stees)

2. Retweet the following message "RT @NerdBastards @80sTees 4 Ur Chance to Win a Transformers Optimus Prime Hoodie #NBGiveaway"

Contest is applicable to fans who already follow us on Twitter (you just need to RT message). Multiple tweets are allowed (No limit, but don't flood the feed. Play nice.). 1 lucky winner will be randomly chosen (Don't go trying to bribe us with money or affections. They are certainly welcomed, but they just won't increase your chances). on Monday 10/14/2013 . The hoodie will be mailed out - free of charge - via standard delivery and should be to the lucky lil bastard or bastardette within 1-2 weeks.

Got it? Now, what are you waiting for? Start spreading the Nerd Bastards gospel. DO IT NOW!

Here's the full product description and video ripped from 80 s Tees:

RECAP/REVIEW: ‘The Walking Dead’ – Season 4×1 – “30 Days without an Accident”

"I don't want to be afraid of being alive."

This season of The Walking Dead represents a new world and a new approach to living. It's not a life of fear and chaos, it's a life hope. Hope with a side of zombies.

Before I get to the premiere and Maggie's words quoted above, let's recap where we left our intrepid heroes at the end of last season:

Where we were:

In case you forgot, Andrea and Merle were zombified at the end of last season. However the audience may feel about these two, their deaths were emotional for all or at least some of the core characters.

Carl grew from zombie-bait to a wise-beyond-his-years asset to the team. Unfortunately, he's seen too much darkness and that seems to be taking a toll on his state of mind.

The prison isn't a Ricktatorship anymore. Rick abdicated his leadership title for a more democratic approach. Rick also "went clear" and has moved through the psychotic break he had after the death of Lori.

Our band of marauders has an influx of new blood from a busload of Woodbury refugees that arrived at the prison at the end of the finale. They could be a source of solace or a source of strife for the prison dwellers. Only time will tell...

And hey, that time is now, so let's get on with the season premiere recap!

Where we are:

'30 Days Without an Accident' opens with Rick (Andrew Lincoln) in the prison yard. Walkers are snarling at the fence to get to him. It doesn't bother him because he's listening to his iPod. He goes about his work despite them.

This opening scene represents the group's shift from fighting the zombies to accepting their existence and building a community based on that acceptance. It's a bit like Woodbury, but without the evil.

The music Rick is listening to is a gospel hymn called Precious Memories. and includes lyrics like "as I ponder, hope grows fonder..." This is a constant theme running through this episode and plays into the line from Maggie quoted above.

The people at the prison have hope now. It's been 6 months since the end of season 3. In that time the survivors have established a makeshift government they call a council. They've started farming. They've dug wells for water.

Everyone at the prison has settled into a state of complacency. After everything they've been through, they deserve some calm, but is a state of calm even possible in post-apocalyptic zombieland?

Everyone is building relationships, shacking up and nesting.... or as a friend said "everyone is all boo'ed up and shit." Tyrese has Karen, Glenn has Maggie, even Beth has a teenage love interest in a boy named Zach. Rick's group and the Woodbury refugees appear to have adapted quite well to life together.

There's even a storytime. But after storytime, Carol teaches the kiddies about knives - how to stab, slash and aim.

These people are living full lives in the new world. They aren't cowering in fear or hiding from it. They are learning to live with it. That means teaching your children how to kill walkers and even people. Carol teaches this lesson, not out of fear, but out of practicality. It's just the way it is now.

We learn a few other things about life at the prison. Including that Carl is a comic book nerd! And so is Michonne!!

The Woodburians are in awe of Daryl (Norman Reedus). Who can blame them? My ovaries are in awe of Daryl, too. This adoration is not undeserved because later in the episode, Daryl kills a walker by stepping on its head. He's so awesome he doesn't even need weapons! Daryl smashes in the skull of a zombie with only his foot!

Daryl's zombie head smashing comes during one of the most inventive zombie invasions the show has done. He, Tyrese (Chad Coleman), Michonne (Danai Gurira), Zach and others go on a supply run. Things go badly when former army medic and apparent recovering alcoholic Bob knocks an entire shelf of wine onto himself. The shelf falling over is a bit ridiculous (and also a waste of wine) but you forget about the plot device because what comes next is fantastic. The zombies on the roof of the supermarket hear the ruckus and start to move. The unstable roof caves in and it starts raining zombies! At least a dozen drop on the group.

Beth's (Emily Kinney) new beau Zach is a casualty. The death itself is not significant, but Beth's reaction is.

When she hears the news she tells Daryl "I don't cry anymore Daryl. I'm just glad I got to know him." She seems unmoved, but her coping mechanism is rather smart. They live in a world of loss. The only way to navigate that world is to be thankful for the time that you have. Otherwise, you live in fear. So Beth, much like Maggie, doesn't want to do that anymore.

Some people aren't in that place, though. Maggie tells Glenn that she doesn't want to be afraid of being alive but Glenn's response is "being afraid is what's kept us alive." This inner war between being afraid and learning to live full lives inside of the given circumstances, no matter how terrible they may be, will be the theme of the season, not just the theme of the episode.

Rick's story arc continues this theme. He meets a woman who asks if she and her husband can come back to the prison with him. Rick tells her that he will bring her back to the prison if she and her husband answer three questions. We don't find out those questions until the end.

Rick's walk with this woman is a reflection on his journey to the leader that he is today. She tells him that she's done horrible things because of the zombies. "Did you do things like that?" she asks him. He did all of those things, and more. Some of them we know he regrets, others he would do again, but they were all part of learning how to lead in this new world.

The most notable change in Rick is that he's learned that "people are the best defense against walkers." He's evolved from his former stance of keeping the group small. He's learned there really is strength in numbers. I've been hard on Rick in the past, but I do think his character development has been realistic. He hasn't always made the best decisions. He even lost his mind out of grief last season. But what makes him a good leader is that he learns from his mistakes and his past.

We'll never know how this woman and her husband would have evolved, because when Rick gets to their camp, we find out her husband is a zombie! She planned on feeding him Rick's brains. But, overcome with grief, she stabs herself. In the end, all she wants is to be a zombie like her husband so that she can be with him in death.

With lesser actors, this scene would have been melodramatic but with Lincoln and Kerry Condon in these roles, it hits all the right emotional notes.

As she's dying, she asks Rick what the three questions were that he would have asked her and her husband.

1. 
   

   "How many walkers have you killed?"

   
   
2. 
   

   "How many people have you killed?"

   
   
3. 
   

   "Why?"

   
   

It turns out she hadn't killed any zombies and the only person she's ever killed was herself, making the situation all the more tragic. To answer Rick's final question, she breathlessly states "You don't get to come back from things."

This deeply resonates with Rick who's just narrowly come back from the brink after losing Lori. Later, he doubts if he will stay stable. But the ever wise Hershel assures him:

"you get to come back, you do."

The writers are going out of their way to telegraph the theme of this season. It's repeated almost ad nauseum in this episode, and almost always by a member of the Greene family. Despite fear, despite loss, despite horror, you still get to live a life.

Where we're going:

A lot of people didn't like the pacing of this episode. But I think it was purposeful and on point. It was slow and boring because life is currently slow and boring for the characters.

As long as the show doesn't stay in this lull, which it clearly won't, I think the complacent nature of the premiere was a wise choice. It's going to make what's to come hit even harder.

And what's to come is major. Because the episode does not end with Hershel's inspiring words. It ends with a terrifying scene. Patrick (Vincent Martella), a friend of Carl's, feels ill during storytime and then drops dead in the shower. Moments later, he turns into a walker.

We don't know why or what happens next. We know there was a sick pig on the farm. Is that the cause or has the virus gone airborne? He also coughed into the water supply - which means he could have contaminated it and doomed everyone.

We'll have to see how this plays out and which characters are hold onto their hope and which ones believe they will never come back from the madness of the new world.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 on AMC.

NYCC 2013: Day Two in Pictures — Cosplay, Toys, and More!

New York Comic Con has come to a close but that doesn't mean that the fun has to stop. If you were tied to your couch or some other place that was not the Jacob Javitz Center this weekend, then we have the perfect consolation prize for you: more cosplay, toy, and floor pics from the convention.

Cosplay

Look at that pic... we thought Jewel Staite was in reverse-incognito, walking the show floor, but instead it was this amazing cosplayer. Other favorites from day two of the show included the Beauty and the Beast couple and Harley Quinn, who brandished her big damn hammer and then jacked the Rick Grimes' dream zombie killing machine.

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Floor

The cosplay is the main course in today's article, but there were still some cool sights from the show floor left un-displayed. Sadly, we didn't get a chance to capture a pic of the freshly revealed Nick Fury wax stature from Madame Tussauds', but if you close your eyes real tight and think of Sam Jackson, you already knows what it looks like, because according to Jason Tabrys, "damn, that is an amazing likeness".

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Toys

We showed off a ton of toy pics from Masters of the Universe Classics, some crazy statues, and more, but this gallery focuses more on Play Imaginative's diecast line of Iron Man mega-figures that look primed to give Hot Toys a run for their money in terms of attention to detail.

toys50toys51toys52toys53toys54toys55toys56toys57toys58toys59toys60toys61toys63toys64toys65toys66toys67toys68toys69toys70toys73toys74toys75toys76toys77toys78toys79toys80toys81toys82toys83toys84toys85toys86toys87toys88toys89toys90toys92

So, that's all we have from the floor at New York Comic Con. Still keep an eye out on the site for a bit more coverage, including exclusive interviews with Kieron Gillen and Tim Seeley.

‘Walking Dead’ at NYCC: More Season 4 Casting Announcements

This weekend was a great one for Walking Dead fans. Not only was there the Season 4 premiere (Reviewed for you right over here.), but at New York Comic Con there was a panel held featuring Robert Kirkman, Scott Gimple, Greg Nicotero, along with an assortment of the cast, at which some very important casting news was announced.

Michael Cudlitz (Southland, Band of Brothers) and Josh McDermitt will be joining The Walking Dead as Abraham and Eugene, respectively; rounding out the trio of newcomers we knew were on their way since the announcement Christian Serratos was playing Rosita.

This is old news, though, if you watched the live stream of the NYCC panel. Were you watching said live steam you were undoubtedly confused when the first question of the Q&A portion had a rowdy audience member calling showrunner Gimple a motherfucker, repeatedly. Only to have it turn out to be Cudlitz in what is easily the most fun anyone's had with a casting announcement. And if that prank was only a tease of what Cudlitz is bringing to Abraham, absolutely no one will be disappointed.

In equally pleasing news, Nicotero confirmed McDermitt will indeed be, "fully mulleted" for his role as Eugene. Aw yiss.

The Walking Dead airs Sunday nights at 9pm EST on AMC. When will Abraham, Rosita, and Eugene make their first appearance? Sooner than later, I hope!

Hated ‘The Hobbit’ in HFR? Too Bad! ‘X-Men: DOFP’ Getting 48fps Release

Youd' think with how much of X-Men: Days of Future Past was teased on Twitter by director Bryan Singer we'd already know whether or not the film had been shot in 48fps. That's the high frame rate, or HFR, Peter Jackson chose to shoot and release The Hobbit in; a decision cinephiles are still debating.

Today, AICN received confirmation DOFP was indeed shot in 48fps, as had been rumored, and is intended to be released in the same format. Here's a snippet they received from their sources,

X:DoFP was shot in HFR and will be released in 48fps. The filmmakers played coy because of the negative reaction to the technology when the Hobbit film was released, but love the results and will be standing behind a theatrical release in high frame rate.

The negative reaction The Hobbit's HFR received doesn't seem to have stalled filmmakers from adopting the new technology at all, so I can't say I'm surprised. And personally, I totally dug the HFR. Sure, it was weird at first and took a few minutes to adjust, but once I had I never wanted to see a fight scene or any fast-paced action sequence in a slower frame rate ever again! The amount of detail noticeable in the motion was incredible! I'm a fan, and I can't wait to see DOFP in the same cinema magic.

And apparently, Quicksilver's super speed was shot at 3600fps. Can't even imagine what that's going to look like!

What do you Bastards think of the news we'll have the chance to see DOFP in 48fps? Did you love it or hate it when you saw The Hobbit?

Source: AICN via Geek Tyrant

Who Shall Be the Ant-Man? We Got the Shortlist Here

We all know that Ant-Man is part of Marvel's 'Phase 3' of super hero flicks, but so far, aside form a few pre-scheduled release dates, not much is known about any of the upcoming films. Now, it looks like Ant-Man is at least getting a little bit closer as the studio is down to just two actors to play the famous, shrinking super-hero.

And the winners are...

Number 1 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Yup, it seems as if the former Dark Knight Rises star may be switching sides and heading over to Marvel. Considering that Ant-Man, if successful, will likely spawn multiple sequels, this could be a good chance for JGL to make a buttload of cash as well as cementing his name in the minds of geeks (and movie producers) everywhere.

Number 2 - Paul Rudd

Known for a long list of smaller bits and bigger, mostly comedy-oriented bits, Rudd seems to me to be the underdog in this one. For some reason, I'm having flashbacks of Ryan Reynolds as The Green Lantern...

There's always a chance that a third, dark-horse contender will come up if these two can't make the grade, but for now they're the top choices. Keeps your eyes on the Internetz (and Nerd Bastards in particular) to learn the result of this casting contest.

Thanks to /film for the heads-up.

Marvel Planning to Bombard the Airwaves with Four New Shows and a Miniseries

With the success of super heroes on the big screen, it's only natural that we should see them all moving down to the small screen as well. DC figured this out with their successful take on Green Arrow and then Marvel followed that up with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the snowball continues to roll. If the rumormill is to be believed, Marvel has four new shows coming, along with a miniseries.

The source of said rumor is Deadline, who said that Marvel is...

...quietly putting together a package of four drama series and a miniseries - a total of some 60 episodes - that would be taken out to the VOD and cable space, with Netflix, Amazon and WGN America rumored as potential candidates.

Of course, that doesn't tell us what they plan on putting together, though I'm sure they'll be letting us know as soon as they have some solid ideas ready to go. There have been rumors about an Agent Carter television show, so that's way up on the list. But what else could they be planning?

Anyone out there in Nerd Reader land care to hazard a guess at what Marvel characters we could see in the near future?

Thanks to ComicBookMovie for the heads-up.

Mark Hamill Who? Hear ‘Arkham Origins’ New Joker Read From ‘The Killing Joke’

When it was announced Mark Hamill would not be reprising the role of The Joker for the third Arkham game, Batman: Arkham Origins, I was sad, like I'm sure were many of you. It's difficult to imagine anyone else bringing that same sneer mixed with a hint frivolity to the voice. That was, until I heard this.

This video comes from the Batman: Arkham Origins panel at NYCC where the new Joker, Troy Baker, gave the audience a taste of what he's got. Reading an excerpt of the Joker's monologue from The Killing Joke, Baker simply kills it! (The Joker starts talking at about 2:12 mark.)

WOW. All my doubts have been cast aside! Not that Hamill has been bumped from the top spot, he's still the best Joker ever. But Baker? I'm super impressed. What do you all think of Baker's Joker? Worthy of following Hamill in the Arkham series?

Source: Nerd Approved

Malekith Awakens in Latest ‘Thor: The Dark World’ Clip

This time around the big bad of Thor's second solo feature, Thor: The Dark World, is Malekith the Accursed, brought to life by former Time Lord, Christopher Eccelston. He's a nasty dark elf hell bent on either controlling or destroying Midgard. Not really sure which. The trailers don't give much insight to the dude's motivation, and neither does this clip.

Though it's sure a nifty introduction to what I'm hoping will be a truly menacing villain. No pressure Eccelston, you only have to follow Tom Hiddleston's Loki-err, ouch. That's one tough act to follow.

Oh! And I just noticed this, but it appears he doesn't start the movie with half his face blackened and burnt. Hmm...

Thor: The Dark World opens November 8th.

Source: IGN

Funny Video Reveals the ‘S#!t Nerds Never Say’

Remember when that viral video/meme about the "Shit ______ Never Say" was making the rounds? That is not a rhetorical question, the speed of the internet has rotted my brain away to the point where I don't know if it was last month or sometime shortly after penicillin was discovered.

Regardless, it is old, outdated and therefore no long funny, right? WRONG. This past weekend Filmmaker Bill Scurry took to New York Comic-Con to breath new life into the long dead burnout husk of a joke with some rather amusing (and telling results.) The Next 60 seconds hits pretty close to home with 'Shit Nerds Never Say' from con attendees including the most convincing Lloyd Kaufman of Troma fame cosplay I have ever seen. I defy you to disagree with Scurry's findings. Video up after the jump.

Wasn't lying about that whole 'defying you' thing since I am sure you can come up with a few hundred of your own 'things nerds would never say,' so feel free to sound off.

"Frankly I don't care if Han shot first..."

and

"I'm glad that thing from my childhood is getting a reboot, I really want to see what a new filmmaker does with it"

via: GammaSquad

Check Out John Hurt in the TARDIS and More Pics From ‘Doctor Who’ 50th

Can you believe the Doctor Who 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, is a mere month and a half away!? Time sure does fly, even without a TARDIS. Take a peek below to see the new, tantalizing images the BBC released today.

That above image sure looks like a much better, official version of this.

Here's the mysterious, not-a-Doctor, John Hurt at the console. See what's peeking out of his jacket? Looks to me like a sonic screwdriver! And I'm still holding to my theory that waist coat he's wearing is Eight's and that leather jacket is what becomes Nine's.

Speaking of Hurt's Doctor, the true mad man with a box, Steven Moffat spoke with SFX (via Geek Tyrant) elusively-y'know, that was a typo, meant to type exclusively, but really, elusively works too-about what this new Doctor is all about,

Why not a mayfly Doctor, who exists for one show only? I'd often thought about that. Would it be weird in the run of the series to have the 45th Doctor turn up and be played by Johnny Depp or someone? Would that be a cool thing to do? There was also the idea that if you could bring one classic Doctor back, you'd actually, impossibly, want it to be William Hartnell. You wouldn't want any of the others. You'd want him to come and say 'What in the name of God have I turned into?' That's the confrontation that you most want to see, to celebrate 50 years. Going round and round in circles on it I just thought 'What about a Doctor that he never talks about?' And what if it is a Doctor who's done something terrible, who's much deadlier and more serious, who represents that thing that is the undertow in both David and Matt. You know there's a terrible old man inside them. Well, here he is, facing the children he becomes, as it were.

Intriguing, Moffat. Tell me more. Or just make me wait until November 23rd, whatever you prefer.

Well there's a sight for sore eyes! Ten in the TARDIS! Oh, David Tennant, how she's missed you.

And not to be left out, here's Eleven, Matt Smith in what will be his penultimate episode as The Doctor. Let's hope it's a good one!

Here's a couple more shots, one featuring Jenna Louise-Coleman and Jemma Redgrave, the other has Eleven sailing high above Trafalger's Square, a scene the Who crew filmed quite publicly.

Thanks to the Doctor Who Tumblr for sharing! And for being awesome folks in general.

Star Wars vs. Stargate: $10 Tees Today Only! [Deals]

TeeFury is pitting Star Wars vs. Stargate today with two shirts that can be had for only $10 each. Grab them while you can because the deal ends tomorrow!

Product Page ($10)

Bane and His Son Batman [Cosplay]

Send your cosplay pics to tips@fashionablygeek.com.

(via 9GAG)

How It Should Have Ended Imagines A Friendlier Finale To ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’

Of course the real answer to the question, "How should The Desolation of Smaug have ended?" is "With the end of the goddamn story because there's no way The Hobbit needed to be three, three-hour movies."

Buuut what the hell, let's play along with the How It Should Have Ended folks, who imagine a Middle Earth where luck dragons exist and everyone tries to resolve their differences with Smaug in a friendly way. It doesn't go so well...

Okay, let me explain the eagles thing - they don't use them all the time because they have to climb a tree to call them, and sometimes the tree is toooo tall to scale. That's the explanation I came up with as a kid, and I think it still holds up pretty well.

via How It Should Have Ended

This App Kills ‘Vertical Video Syndrome’ So You Can Stop Punching Strangers

"Shoot horizontal videos" isn't a suggestion. It's an order.

Remember the funny PSA about Vertical Video Syndrome we posted last summer? Someone has finally come up with a solution for people who hold their camera the wrong way and mess up potentially interesting videos. (A solution besides tranquilizer darts dipped in birth control, we mean.)

Evil Window Dog has created an App called Horizon, which automatically films in landscape mode no matter what angle you're holding the device. Hypervocal explains:

You can still hold your phone upright, no matter how many times you've been told otherwise by people who care about you, and still not ruin the memory of an occasion you're already nostalgic for while you're still there.

It's so simple, we're not sure why it isn't a default option on iPhones already. Horizon costs 99 cents on iTunes, but it only works on phones running iOS 7 or higher. Can I pay 99 cents to install it on other people's phones, whether they want it or not? Can I also program it to randomly interject my voice yelling, "WORLD STAR"? Just trying to make the world a better place.

Here's a demo video.

A Compendium Of Cool Comics Cosplay: January 17th

Once again it's time for our Friday comics cosplay feature, casting the spotlight on the best comics related costumery from the cosplay community. As always, we're focusing on those cosplayers who we think deserve special recognition for their hard work creating the best costumes, whatever their budget, and also the work of those photographers who capture them for posterity.

This week we're featuring some awesome cosplay of Black Canary, Thanos, Wonder Girl, Emma Frost, Blue Beetle, Rogue, Shadowcat, The Question, Sif, Catwoman, Thor and Loki!

Gamma Squad is committed to giving a voice to the cosplay community. Each week we aim to spotlight our favorite costumes and we encourage all cosplayers, costumers and photographers to submit pictures of their work to our Flickr group to be considered for inclusion in our regular cosplay features.

Now enjoy this week's selection!

Triple Canary photographed by Paul Cory. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Thanos cosplayer at Comikaze Expo 2013. Photo by Jon (av4rice). Source: Flickr

Donna Troy cosplay by Mariedoll. Photography by Mineralblu. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Emma Frost cosplayer at MCM London Comic Con 2013. Photo by Dave Pearce. Source: Flickr

Blue Beetle cosplayer at Dragon*Con 2013. Photo by Pat Loika. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Rogue and Shadowcat with Lockheed at Comickaze 2013. Photo by Ryan C. Source: Flickr

The Question cosplayer at Dragon*Con 2012. Photographed by TheGeekForge. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Lady Sif cosplayer at Comikaze Expo 2013. Photo by Jon (av4rice). Source: Flickr

Catwoman cosplay by Caroline Knight. Photo by V Threepio. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Asgardians Gangnam style photographed by Greyloch. Submitted via the Gamma Squad Flickr Group.

Will ‘Call Of Duty’ Fall Victim To The Next-Gen Curse?

Previously, we looked at the third console curse and found it was less about numbers and more about hubris. But there's another curse worth looking at, and one a hell of a lot scarier to publishers: The next-gen curse, wherein the biggest genre on the last generation fades or even collapses like a tissue skyscraper. And Call of Duty might well be next.

The Evidence

It's pretty simple, when you think about it: Each console generation has had a genre that defines it. 8-bit consoles were buried in platformers. 16-bit consoles had fighting games out the wazoo. The PlayStation generation was the golden age of survival horror. The PlayStation 2 era was arguably when racing games ruled the roost; the Gran Turismo series has two out of the top three slots, topped only by Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

And the PS3 and the Xbox 360 saw the rise of the multiplayer first-person shooter, particularly a military themed one on consoles. This isn't to argue that there weren't other popular genres, or great games in these genres, or that these genres ceased to exist: Just that where they once were dominant, they have faded in popularity. So what's going on?

The Pattern

Generally, what happens, and this has always happened on consoles is this. In the first few years of a console's life cycle, a game comes along that breaks out to a staggering degree, such as, in this case, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. The video game industry being what it is, it throws out a few knock-offs or at least games obviously inspired by the hit, those sell to players who want more... and then we're off to the races.

The Chug

For the first few years, gamers enjoy something new and new ideas on a theme are spun out. Call of Duty marked a moment where consoles were close enough to PCs that the games could be more effectively ported. But over time, the idea starts to wear out its welcome. And sure enough, time has not told well on Call of Duty: Ghosts.

This is generally followed up with a high-profile bomb scaring publishers away. It seems doubtful it'll be a Call of Duty game; things would have to go horribly wrong for the fanbase to abandon it in such droves that the game actually tanks. But one suspects that bomb is lurking on the release schedule, waiting to go off.

The Implosion

But there's the missing part of this story; the genre that comes next. Making that is a hard call; if you'd told somebody the decently-selling but hardly world-beating Call of Duty games from the PSOne era would spawn a generation-defining franchise, you'd be laughed at. But it seems that multiplayer games are making a transition that Call of Duty can't; games like Destiny and The Division are offering more, and more engaging, ways to play.

But make no mistake. Again and again, gamers have witnessed this story, and it's coming soon.

Cosplay Meets Metal in This Band’s Kick-Ass Video

I love it when two nerd worlds come together. In this case, the band Anaria does an outstanding cover of the song "I See Fire" from the movie "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug." The lead singer of Anaria is none other than the talented and beautiful cosplayer Madam Mercy.

So in this one video we have cosplayers, fantasy role-playing, fantasy literature and movies, and beautiful, melodic metal. It's like they made the video just for us. If you like the song, you can get it at the band's Bandcamp site.

Check out the video below, and se if you can identify some other cosplayers in it, including one internationally famous cosplayer slogging through the snow and swinging steel like a champ.