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The Lost Immortal — The Legacy of Apocalypse

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For all of the different heroes that have embraced one variation or another of Professor Xavier’s dream of a peaceful coexistence between mutants and humans, there have always been villains there to turn that dream into a nightmare, to do their utmost to prevent from being a reality.

Why?

Because some people can’t have nice things, that’s the basic answer.  The more complicated one is that for some mutants, coexistence with humans is impossible so long as humans are building and financing mutant hunting robots, a fair point to be sure.

For others, any sign of a cessation in hostilities is a sign of weakness and mutants becoming the dominant species is merely an evolutionary mandate that must happen just as sure as homo sapiens did the same thousands of years earlier.

Perhaps no other mutant abided by the latter more than En Sabah Nur, better known to the world at large as Apocalypse and with a name like that, you’ve got to figure he’s trouble.

It’s like Steven Tyler did ‘roids instead of coke and dyed himself blue…

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Setting The Tone - The Best Title Sequences in Cinema

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I recently revisited Man of Steel on Blu-ray, and among my many quibbles, something about the movie that has irked me from the very beginning is that it sorely lacks something I was fully expecting—a slam-bang opening credits sequence in the style of Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie.

I get it: Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan went completely the other way, opting instead to drop viewers, Phantom Menace-style, immediately into the thick of the action and convoluted plot without so much as a title card announcing the name of the movie.

Pardon me for pining for the old-fashioned cinematic spectacle of a full-on symphonic overture, but the chaotic opening of Man of Steel might have been better served by starting with something…else.

It all reminds me of how crucial a great title sequence can be to a film that warrants one and how the best ones perfectly capture the heart and soul of the movie you’re about to experience.

Following are some of my favorite opening credits sequences, representing a few distinct styles.

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Cosmic Treadmill: 'Calamitous Black Devils' Questions with Joseph Schmalke

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Forces of Geek caught up with some amazing creators at the recent Rhode Island Comic Con, and one of our favorite books from ComiXology Submit was there!

Today we talk with Joseph Schmalke about Kickstarter secrets, his classic influences and the many reasons you should check outCalamitous Black Devils on ComiXology or wait for the trade in May of next year.


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THE COMIC LIST: Releases For 11/20/13

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After the jump check out a list of which which comics, graphic novels, toys and other pop-culture merchandise will arrive at your local comic shop via Diamond Comics Distributors.   Please check with your retailer for availability.

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'MACHETE KILLS' Arrives on Blu-ray & DVD on 1/21 and Digital Download on 1/7

THE DOCTOR GAMES: The Doctor Who/Hunger Games Mash-Up You Never Knew You Wanted

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With The Hunger Games: Catching Fire being released on Nov. 22 and the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, dropping on Nov. 23rd, this delightful mash-up of two pop geek phenomenons seems like just the right kind of nerdathon that one would need to get through the next couple of days.

Directed, written and produced by Brad Hansen and featuring all thirteen...well, twelve and a half, doctors battling to the death, you know it's going to be some dorky fun.

Video after the break.

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ROBOT BATTLE DROIDS PS4 AND XBOX ONE Battle It Out For Dominance In This Animated Showdown

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Last Friday I was forbidden from setting foot outside my home for fear I would miss the arrival of the PS4 (which I assumed was coming in a gilded package judging by how important it was for my husband that I STAND BY THE FRONT DOOR AND WAIT FOR IT). I did so only because it was cold outside, not because I listened to the man that I pledged my life and love to in a public ceremony.

And yes, the PS4 did appear at the house and as a result, I have yet to see my hubby lift his ass off the couch, so I guess you could say that in our living room, the PS4 certainly beats the Xbox One.

But in this animated tale of....oh hell, just watch it and then you can apparently vote for whatever console you like the best. I'm done being the butt monkey for game consoles.

Video after the break.

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There's a NIC CAGE Eye Shadow Now

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Nic Cage has become fodder for just about every handmade product imaginable from pillow cases, iPhone cases, cupcake toppers, and yes, even a Nic Cage Morph Suit.

But now you can smear him on your eyes thanks to Shiro Cosmetics' new color Nicolas Cage Raking Leaves on a Brisk October Afternoon, which, when you boil the concept down into a color, looks like a sparkly grey/brown (perfect for when you want to attend a fancy event and need a smoky eye).


Of course, if you wish that you could also smell like Nic Cage Raking Leaves On A Brisk October Afternoon, then you're in luck, there's also a Fragrance Oil available that promises to make you smell like a combination of..."a light musk, and just a hint of patchouli and men's aftershave".

Which I'm sure is exactly the way Mr. Cage would smell after working up a sweat clearing his backyard of leaves.


Isn't life worth living now?

Source: Fashionably Geek



Ghettoization of Race on TV

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Earlier this month Kerry Washington’s appearance on Saturday Night Live kicked off yet another brouhaha about TV being too white — a controversy as old as the medium.

The reason the racial makeup of who appears on screen never seems to change despite the fact that the nation is becoming more diverse, is that TV has always had a separate but equal mentality towards this problem.

Washington and Jay Pharoah as Michelle and President Obama on SNL

TV’s solution for minority representation is to create shows and networks for specific ethnic groups. This is playing out right now. In order to gain the FCC’s approval for its merger with NBC, Comcast agreed to add more minority owned networks to its lineup (the idea being that such networks will cater to minority audiences).

The result is networks owned by Sean "Diddy" Combs, Robert Rodriguez, and Magic Johnson.

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Win '2 GUNS' DVD/Blu-ray Combo Pack!

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Academy Award® winner Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg lead an all-star cast in the explosive action hit 2 Guns. When an attempt to take down a drug cartel blows up in their faces, two undercover operatives are forced to go on the run together, though neither knows that the other is a federal agent. Suddenly, everyone on both sides of the law wants them dead, and their only hope is to trust each other.
 And we're giving away ten copies to Forces of Geek readers!


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Mark Waid Chats With FOG! About His New Comic, 'SHADOW WALK'

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Interview conducted by Stefan Blitz.  Photo by Seth Kusher.  Art by Shane Davis

Mark Waid knows comics.  From his career in comic press writing for Amazing Heroes to becoming an editor at DC to acclaimed writer with notable runs on The Flash, Daredevil, The Fantastic Four, Captain America and The Justice League of America and the mini-series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright to Editor-in-Chief, and later, Chief Creative Office of publisher of Boom! Studios to the founder of digital comics site Thrillbent and now retailer as co-owner of Alter Ego Comics in Muncie, Indiana, there might not be a more qualified person to discuss the comics industry.

Next week, his newest project, Shadow Walk in collaboration marks not only his first work with Legendary Comics (with collaborators Max Brooks and Shane Davis) but also his longest single piece of work in his career.

Mark took some time out of his busy schedule to chat with us about Shadow Walk, the state of the industry and how missing Batman every Thursday informed his work on this book.


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Hide Your Thunder With A Pair of DENIM UNDERPANTS...From the NEVER NUDE Collection

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Leave it to Japan to create a line of denim underpants that look more obscene than simply being nekkid, but I guess these tight, upsetting underoos will be of some comfort to anyone who suffers from the often misunderstood disorder known as Never Nude.

Hell, even Tobais would happily sport a pair of these around the family abode.

If you're interested, here's a bit more info about these odd looking panties:

The tight and chic JeanPants from local clothes brand CUW are pert, durable and oozing zeitgeist appeal. Although likely to be more popular with men the designers also say women are welcome to enjoy the style too. For sure, the "worn" denim look is all the rage in Tokyo at the moment, and this underwear adds innovation to that trend by transposing jeans fashion to your briefs.

Well, won't it be nice to be popular for once...

The JeanPants come in two sizes: Large and Medium (hmmm...no small? I'm guessing they want to stay away from any size that reflects poorly on your junk) and will set you back $35 with $12 shipping. Also, you can't put them in a dryer for some unknown reason, so you will be air drying your cock encasement...plan ahead.

Thank you Japan for your incredible power of cornering the fucking weird market.

After the break is a video of Tobais in his cutoffs because why not.

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The Animated Tale, 'STICKY ENDS', Makes It Quite Clear That You Should Never Upset A Fish-Headed Man

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This macabre, slightly sinister animated tale by Osman Cerfon (and winner of 10 international awards) begins with a fish-headed man being thwarted by a ticket-taking machine at an airport and ends with a young boy about to be mauled and eaten by wolves.

What happens between those two events is even more odd and upsetting...although, hilariously brilliant.

So pull up a chair and embark upon an odyssey that will no doubt leave you feeling a bit more prepared when you happen to come across a fish-headed man having a really bad day...and you'd be surprised how often that can occur.

Video after the break.

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Now That Is Some Seriously F*cked Up PANCAKE LOVE Right There

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For some, just the thought of a bunch of barely cooked dough smears covered in syrup is enough to make them butter their shorts, for others their need is a bit more, well, peculiar. So, forget what you thought you knew about pancake soft-core pornography and get ready to enter a whole new world of creepy.

Note: If you happen to like Etta James' song At Last, you might want to watch this with the sound off, it's going to completely ruin it for you...trust me.

Video after the break.

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Funeral For A Blerd: The End of Totally Biased

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Wednesday last week, I felt a great disturbance in the Blerd Force, as if millions of black nerds suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.

I feared something terrible had happened.

It was true. Totally Biased, the spunky brainchild of comedian W. Kamau Bell, was canceled. The final show aired the following night.


Woe is me. Woe is television. Woe is all of us. But, perhaps most importantly, woe is diversity.

Totally Biased, from the man who runs a standup comedy act titled “How To End Racism In About An Hour,” fit Bell's vision exactly. Nerdy, bleeding-heart liberal, with pointed sarcasm clothed in bonhomie as he and his staff – populated with male and female, queer, Latino, black and Asian comedians and writers – took a comedy-wrapped wrecking ball to every kind of -ism you could think of.

In a world of lily-white late-night TV, Totally Biased was needed. Totally Biased was vital.

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CRAVE (review)

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Review by Dean Galanis
Produced by Charles de Lauzirika, Robert O. Green, 
Marissa Neiman, Scott Robinson, Raleigh Stewart  
Written by Robert Lawton, Charles de Lauzirika  
Directed by  Charles de Lauzirika 
Starring Josh Lawson, Emma Lung, Ron Perlman,
 Edward Furlong, Christopher Stapleton,


This one’s a pleasant surprise.

 Well, maybe “pleasant” is pushing it, but Crave is a terrific little sleeper, albeit a darkly funny, at times extremely violent one.

Aussie Josh Lawson stars as a freelance crime photographer named Aiden who dreams of doing something more with his life, something greater. The nearly everyday slog of documenting victims of violence, then selling them to the highest bidder has started to take its toll on Aiden.

When we first meet him, he’s witnessing two youths harassing a pretty girl on the subway.

Aiden teaches them a bloody lesson in manners and then receives a VERY nice thank-you from the girl. It’s all a fantasy, though, and we snap back to reality: Aiden sitting idly by, doing nothing, all the while berating himself in his head.

We’re privy to most of Aiden’s thoughts throughout the film, thanks to some very witty, sometimes pathetic, oft-times disturbing voiceover.

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KICKSTARTER KORNER: 'Phileas Reid Knows We Are Not Alone' with Scott Fogg

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Awoooogah! 
Sound that alarm kids and stop the Word-Presses!  
*Klanging noises *

We’re blowing that Fogg Horn today for our latest Kickstarter Korner to help out our new friend Scott Fogg with his all ages 60’s science family adventure book eeking toward its campaign goal for December 1st.

Share the story, delight in its majesty, donate what you can but most importantly listen to what Scott has to say about Phileas Reid Knows We Are Not Alone  because he has insights into the future you cannot predict!


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Win a Smart Pop 'HUNGER GAMES' Book Set

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This week the second film based on Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire will be released to theaters.

To celebrate all things Panem, our friends at Smart Pop are giving us a set of books to give away to Forces of Geek readers.
In The Girl Who Was on Fire - Movie Edition, sixteen YA authors take you back to Panem with moving, dark, and funny pieces on Katniss, the Games, Gale and Peeta, reality TV, survival, and more.
  • How does the way the Games affect the brain explain Haymitch’s drinking, Annie’s distraction, and Wiress’ speech problems?
  • What does the rebellion have in common with the War on Terror?
  • Why isn’t the answer to “Peeta or Gale?” as interesting as the question itself?
  • What should Panem have learned from the fates of other hedonistic societies throughout history—and what can we?

And The Panem Companion gives fresh insight into Suzanne Collins’ trilogy by looking at the world of the Hunger Games and the forces that kept its citizens divided since the First Rebellion. With a blend of academic insight and true fan passion, V. Arrow explores how Panem could have evolved from the America we know today and uses textual clues to piece together Panem’s beliefs about class, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexuality, and more.
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'NEBRASKA' (review)

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Review by Caitlyn Thompson
Produced by Doug Mankoff, George Parra,
Julie M. Thompson, Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa
Written by Bob Nelson
Directed by Alexander Payne
Starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, 
Stacy Keach, Bob Odenkirk, 
Mary Louise Wilson, Rance Howard

Paramount Vantage / Rated R


Nebraska is the latest movie from Alexander Payne, acclaimed director of some of my favorite movies, Sideways and The Descendants.

Nebraska centers on the father-son relationship between perennial loser, David (Will Forte) and his senile, crabby father, Woody (Bruce Dern).

Woody believes that he has won a million dollar sweepstakes and will do whatever it takes to collect his prize, including walking from Montana to Nebraska.

Herein lies the story: David facilitates Woody’s relentless trek to claim the winnings in an attempt to bond with his alcoholic and aloof father.

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'THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE' (review)

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Review by Caitlyn Thompson
Produced by Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik
Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt
Based on Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, 
Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, 
Lenny Kravitz, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, 
Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland

Lionsgate / Rated PG-13


Full disclosure: I’m a BIG fan of the Hunger Games Trilogy so my feelings in this review are biased. In short – Catching Fire is EPIC.

Now, I didn’t really enjoy the first Hunger Games film – why? I thought it watered down the scarier themes of the novel and was soft around the edges so as to appeal to the young adult crowd.

And fair enough.

Depicting children of a totalitarian country murdering each other for the entertainment of the top-class citizens isn’t exactly kid-friendly material.

The first film had a few intense moments of passion but the characters didn’t seem comfortable, and the true cruel state of living outside the Capitol was a bit hidden. People of Panem looked impoverished and hungry, but the dread present in the books wasn’t in the film.

I mention these flaws to emphasize just how good a job Francis Lawrence does in the second installment, Catching Fire. To him I give the utmost respect and congratulations – you fucking nailed it.

The last we saw, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark were headed back to District 12. There they deal with the aftermath of their actions in the arena. To be clear, threatening double suicide with poisonous berries is a VERY BIG F-YOU to the Capitol and was NOT okay (to say the least) with President Snow.

As victors of the Hunger Games, they must get ready to tour the country, face their victims’ families, and deal with the repercussions of their “lover’s act” – it may or may not have sparked a rebellion.

And the second film begins…

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