Scorpio Film Releasing, New England’s award-winning and prolific producer of genre cinema, is proud to announce the premiere date for its landmark 23rd feature film: Long Night in a Dead City. Filmed in the Winter of 2017 in locations throughout Rhode Island, director Richard Griffin and writer Lenny Schwartz are set to unleash a poetically nightmarish coming of age story.

At 11:57pm on New Year’s Eve, Daniel Belmont awakens beaten and bruised in a mysterious city. As he begins his journey to find his missing brother Charlie, he encounters a group of preternatural characters who lead him into a secret world of sex, murder, and the occult.

“When Lenny first sent me the screenplay for Long Night in a Dead City, I was completely blown away by its originality and unique perspective.”, says director Richard Griffin. “After having directed 22 features beforehand, the search for something new becomes increasingly difficult, but this script was so fresh and exciting… and in equal measures disturbing and dark… I knew I had to direct it. And, beyond the screenplay, the cast is one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. My three leads, Aidan Laliberte, Sarah Reed and Anthony Gaudette bring so much to their roles. Even though they’re young, they have talent that just shines on the screen.”

Writer Lenny Schwartz adds, “This film was a personal journey from start to finish. Back in September 2016 I had written the screenplay in six days, but that’s because Richard’s initial idea was so strong. It became a feverish passion, one I couldn’t let go of. The result is something I couldn’t have imagined it being. A coming of age story filled with horror and emotion with amazing performances, cinematography, and direction. I’ve never been prouder and more excited for people to see something I had a hand in.”

Star Aidan Laliberte says, “I am so excited for this movie to finally have an audience. It was an incredibly challenging movie to make on all levels and I’m so proud of everyone involved.”

Long Night in a Dead City stars Aidan Laliberte, Sarah Reed, Anthony Gaudette, Bruce Church, Aaron Andrade, Anna Rizzo, Chris Pelletier, Lars Rieck, Chad Michaels, Jackie Fabian, Jack Shipley, Chad Michael, Geoff White and Dan Martin.

Long Night in a Dead City will be making it’s world premiere at the historic Columbus Theater on June 25, 2017 at 270 Broadway in Providence Rhode Island at Noon. Tickets will be $10.00 at the door, or can be purchased on-line at: http://scorpiofilmreleasing.squarespace.com/events/ and more information about the screening can be found at the premiere’s Facebook event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1341008402657784/ .

ABOUT SCORPIO FILM RELEASING
Scorpio Film Releasing is a Rhode Island based production company that was created in 2004 by Richard Griffin and Ted Marr. In a short span of time they have produced 23 features, many of which are in world-wide distribution, on DVD, Pay-Per-View and On-Demand. For more, “Like” the Scorpio Film Releasing page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Scorpio-Film-Releasing.

Captain Kid: Super-People Problems
Written by Mark Waid & Tom Peyer
Illustrated by Wilfredo Torres & Brent Peeples
Colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by A Larger World
Published by AfterShock Comics
$14.99
ISBN-13: 978-1935002864
Comixology Digital Release

Today sees the release of the collected edition of Captain Kid Vol. 1 (Aftershock Comics) from writers Mark Waid & Tom Peyer. Waid’s collected an impressive creative team, co-writing with The Atom‘s Tom Peyer with art by Wilfredo Torres (Jupiter’s Circle), and Brent Peeples (TMNT). The origin of the story starts with an idea Peyer (Legion of Superheroes, Tek Jansen) had ten years ago, finally bringing the story to light for Aftershock.

What exactly is Captain Kid, you ask? It is Mark Waid doing what he is best at, retelling familiar comic book superhero stories with a new twist. In the vein of Irredemable and Insufferable, Captain Kid takes the idea of your super powerful tight wearing hero but this time, he’s allowed himself to have a bit more fun with the palette.

Captain Kid doesn’t go down the grim and gritty rathole, in fact, this book seems to take the humor of his and Samnee’s run on Daredevil and puts it to good use.

The shocking twist in the hero Captain Kid is that he’s trapped inside of a middle aged man. The young strapping ‘Superboy’ can swoop in and save the day, but only after ‘reverse-Shazaming’ into a flying, energy manipulating self. He’s not exactly sure what his mission is at first.

Our hero, Chris Vargas aka Captain Kid, has a middle aged laundry list of Parker-Problems; he lives and takes care of his widower father, he has a job as a music critic in dwindling print industry and he spends a fair amount of time in bars. When needed, he can turn in to the dashing Captain Kid, someone with less aching bones, flight and a knack for saving the day.

For guidance, a time traveling version of another hero, Helea, tells him where to spend his time, his powers and why. It seems that something is afoot at the local garden supply super chain by way of a Jack Kirby super-machine (can’t you just picture it without us describing it detail?).

The first trade here collects a full story arc of 5 issues with a satisfying resolution. Something rare these days, but certainly not rare from the man who gave us Kingdom Come, Mark Waid.

Captain Kid’s origin is a manifestation of middle aged comic fan’s dreams, or middle aged or older men who’s body doesn’t look, act like or feel like it did 20 years ago. By idealizing the vision of giving superpowers to a version of a younger self, Waid is holding a mirror up to the very people interested in buying comic books these days.

There is certainly no shame in being a comic book reader in your thirties, forties, fifties and beyond. That youthful spirit in the comic pages can transform a reader into younger days, and perhaps that’s why so many of us carry on our Wednesday traditions.

Helea has a motto in this book, no spoilers, but it does apply to the overall message of the book. “Obey Your Older Self”. That will certainly make more in context, but Captain Kid is a reflection on aging and being a comic book fan. And as the number one Superman authority on the planet, Waid certainly trusts all versions of himself and continues to bring joy to those who read his self-reflective comics. These types of re-imagining of superhero comics are always a commentary on the comics industry itself (The Mighty, Irredemable, Jupiter’s Legacy), and the fans that make up the community. What is great about going outside the Big Two to make books like this is total freedom, and fans may interpret signals the way they want.

Captain Kid is far from heavy handed, it is a clean-line straight up superhero comic for fans of books like Invincible and aforementioned volumes. Highly recommended!

Like an old friend dropping by for a visit, Hee Haw is back to take us back to a funnier, less complicated time with HEE HAW: PFFT! YOU WAS GONE!

From 1969 to 1992, the whole family could gather around the TV set and enjoy the laughter and songs of the wildly talented Hee Haw cast.

This gut-busting 2-disc set features four of the best vintage Hee Haw episodes from 1969 to 1973 — available on retail DVD for the very first time!

Kick back and join hosts Roy Clark and Buck Owens and the Kornfield Kounty gang for a-pickin’ and a-grinnin’! Joining the classic “Pfft! You Was Gone!” sketches with Archie Campbell and Gordie Tapp, home viewers are certain to slap a knee over Grandpa Jones in “Hey Grandpa! What’s for Supper?,” belly laugh at the cornfield full of jokes, enjoy bushels of yuks in “Archie’s Barbershop,” the twisted soap opera “The Culhanes of Kornfield Kounty,” and sketches featuring stars like Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Junior Samples.

Classic country music performances also abound, as Roy and Buck play and sing their best songs and country music legends like Merle Haggard, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Marty Robbins, Tammy Wynette, and others drop by to sing their big hits. The set also features all-new interviews with country music stars Moe Bandy and Aaron Tippin, who both appeared on the show multiple times.

HEE HAW: PFFT! YOU WAS GONE! includes four complete episodes, rarely seen since their original broadcasts:

• EPISODE #02, hailing from Season 1 (original broadcast date: June 22, 1969), features highlights such as Merle Haggard singing “Mama Tried” and “Branded Man,” Roy Clark performing “Yesterday, When I Was Young,” and Buck Owens and the cast performing “But You Know I Love You”; sketches include multiple installments of “Pfft, You Was Gone,” “The Culhanes,” and “KORN News” and Archie tells the story of “Rindercella”.
• EPISODE #34, which originally aired on October 13, 1970 during Season 2, features Marty Robbins crooning “(I’m So) Afraid Of Losing You Again” and “Don’t Worry,”; sketches include several installments of “Gordie’s General Store,” “Moonshiners” and “Samuel B. Sternwheeler,” along with everyone’s favorite “Pickin’ and Grinnin'”.
• Country Music Hall of Fame legends Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner came home to roost in EPISODE #70 (original broadcast date: February 12, 1972). Dolly sings “Coat of Many Colors,” Roy Clark performs “(There’ll Be) Peace In The Valley (For Me),” Porter performs “What Ain’t To Be, Just Might Happen,” and Dolly and Porter sing a duet of “The Right Combination.” Sketches include the Kornfield Kounty regulars “Dr. Campbell,” “The Cornfield” and “Samples Sales,” as well as the always popular “Archie’s Barbershop” and “Hey Grandpa, What’s for Supper?”
• More music legends visit Kornfield Kounty in EPISODE # 111 (original broadcast date: November 3, 1973), with George Jones (“Nothing Ever Hurt Me (Half As Bad As Losing You)”), Tammy Wynette (“Kids Say The Darndest Things”), a duet from George and Tammy (“We’re Gonna Hold On”), and Tammy and Archie Campbell performing “Pfft! You Was Gone!” Aside from the incredible performances, the episode also includes fan-favorite sketches, “Hey Grandpa! What’s for Supper?”, “The KORN News” and more.

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “HEE HAW PFFT” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Who created Hee Haw?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 18th, 2017.

Last installment, I listed seven nutty devices from sci-fi films and serials released in the 1930s and 40s.

As I stated last time, the devices are scientific rather than supernatural, they have some sort of logic to their origin or purpose, and of course they’re also fictitious.

In order for the device to be applicable the following conditions must be applicable:

1. The device must be specifically named
2. The device must figure prominently into the plot
3. Emphasis on underdog devices from older films
4. Emphasis on nutty devices
5. Limit one device per film

Now, here are seven more from the 1950s through the 60s, plus one bonus 80s device that I couldn’t resist.

THE COSMIC VIBRATOR
From Captain Video, Master of the Stratosphere (serial, 1951). 

I figured you’d be curious about this one.

It’s actually a type of stun gun used by the Captain to startle his enemies so that he can disarm them.  (He used it in his 1949-1955 TV series as well.)

Like several devices on this list, it makes its first appearance in the serial’s opening chapter, at 4:45.  “Use the cosmic vibrator!” he tells an agent getting pummeled by a bad guy.

Actually, the vibrator really appears at the start of the opening credits, with Captain Video and one of his agents aiming the guns the audience.

This Captain Video serial features at least one nutty device in every episode, which is probably a record.

There are too many to list here, but one of my favorites is the Isotopic Radiation Curtain, without which no shower is complete.

THE INTEROCITOR
From This Island Earth (1955)

Here’s one of the most famous of all sci-fi movie devices.  While fans best remember the interstellar voyage to Metaluna in the movie’s final third, the construction of the Interocitor takes up most of the first third.

Our scientist-heroes receive a mysterious shipment of electronic parts and instructions.  One condenser channels “33,000 volts and no leakage!”  It has 2486 parts.

Eventually, when the scientists assemble the parts, the resulting Interocitor allows them to communicate across the galaxy.  The instructions imply that Interocitors can be modified for other purposes, even as “electron sorters.”  Maybe there is no limit to what it can do.

Some movies on this list are gimmicky and simplistic, but This Island Earth takes itself seriously, and the extended Interocitor sequence exudes an innocent sense of wonder about technology’s potential to enhance our lives.

THE PRESSURE PHOTOMETER
From The Night the World Exploded (1957)

At the start of this obscure sci-fi cheapie, the scientist-hero presents his newly-invented Pressure Photometer.

It’s actually an earthquake detector.  It resembles a backyard barbecue grill combined with a printing press.

Coincidentally, the Pressure Photometer arrives just in time to detect some menacing black rocks (“element 112”) that had remained dormant beneath the Earth but are now rising to the surface.  When exposed to surface air, they explode in flames.

It’s interesting that the machine predicts quakes by measuring pressure within the Earth just as barometers predict storms by measuring pressure in the air.

The movie deserved a higher budget since it’s more literate and serious than most sci-fi films of the late 50s.  Alas, most of its action sequences consist of stock footage of natural disasters.

THE FLUOROSCOPE
From Night of the Blood Beast (1958)

Here’s another cheap sci-fi flick from the late 1950s, co-created by the famous Roger Corman and his less famous brother, Gene.

In a story that presages Alien, an astronaut appears dead after an alien encounter, gets revived, and turns out to be impregnated by baby aliens.

How do we know he has baby aliens inside him?  Because we can get a live look into his stomach by means of the Fluoroscope.  It’s like a stand-up x-ray machine.

“I think we should see what I look like under the Fluoroscope,” says the worried astronaut at 33:33 into the short film.  “It operates on a radium cathode tube.”

This is probably the least “nutty” of the devices on the list since it was an emerging technology at the time, and we have real fluoroscopes now.  But it gets used in a nutty way.

For three seconds on screen, you can see nine alien embryos inside the guy’s stomach.  “They’re using his body for a breeding ground!”  Yet the guy’s paternal instincts kick in… and he doesn’t want to harm the little guys.

Not a masterpiece, but not a bad movie.

THE FOCUSING DISINTEGRATOR RAY
From Teenagers from Outer Space (1959)

This beloved independent science fiction picture, ridiculous and exciting in every scene, features the greatest beam weapon on this list: the Focusing Disintegrator Ray, shot from a small pistol, aimed at a living target, able to instantly disintegrate all living matter except bones.

“It projects an isolated beam which separates the molecules of living material,” the helpful teenage space traveler tells a frightened Earth girl, “all but the solids, the skeletal bracers.”

The small pistol has a great retro look (to us), but it was actually a Hubley Atomic Disintegrator, readily available in toy stores in the mid 1950s.

As of this writing (early 2017), these vintage cap pistols average $200 on eBay.

The ray gets used half a dozen times in the picture, most memorably at the opening to disintegrate a dog.  The ray effect was created by fitting a small mirror into the muzzle of the pistol and then having the actor flash the reflection toward the camera.

THE KLYOTRON
From Secret of the Telegian (“Denso Ningen,” 1960)

Here’s the one international entry on our list, a Japanese sci-fi thriller directed by Jun Fukuda, who later made kaiju classics like Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla.

Wronged by some of his fellow soldiers in World War II, our angry anti-hero plots revenge by teaming up with a scientist to turn himself into a sort of projected ghost by means of his Klyotron (or “cryotron,” depending upon your translation and spelling).

The device itself resembles a Transporter from Star Trek.  It’s an imperfect teleporter and needs to be kept constantly cold.  It should have gotten more attention in the film, but it’s used most memorably when it malfunctions at the conclusion as our cruel yet tragic anti-hero is destroyed.

The film is mostly a gangster thriller, which might explain why it has fallen into obscurity.

THE DUOTHERMIC IMPULSATOR
From Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s Daughter (1966)

Too bad such a wonderfully named device is stuck in such a dumb movie.  On the other hand, the movie’s fame is due to its being “so bad it’s good,” and so the Duothermic Impulsator gets to share that fame.
It looks like an old-fashioned typewriter combined with a reel-to-reel tape recorder attached to typical Victorian-style science lab equipment.  What does it do?  Well, if you’re trying to assemble and resurrect dead body parts, it activates the brain.

“What a fool I’ve been!” the villainess chides herself after a temporary failure early in the film.  “I’ve allowed the Duothermic Impulsator to be attached only to the body.”

Now she realizes it must also be attached to a living brain “to transmit living vibrations to the artificial brain.”

But Ms. Frankenstein makes the fatal mistake of attaching it only to a dead brain and not a living one as well.
She wants to use “artificial brains” created by Grandfather (not Father) Frankenstein to make a slave “who can’t be put to death.”

In fairness, the Estonian character actress Narda Onyx is very entertaining.  “You are Igor!” she shouts at the unconscious victim.  “I am Maria Frankenstein!  As I think, you will think!  You are always under my control!”

BONUS DEVICE

Although I wanted to cover older devices for this list, and although my territory usually stops in the early 80s, I felt I just had to mention what’s probably the most popular device in 20th century science fiction film: the Flux Capacitor from Back to the Future (1985) and its sequels.  It’s what makes time travel possible!

PBS Distribution announced that it is releasing the new documentary series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick THE VIETNAM WAR on DVD and Blu-ray September 19, 2017, coinciding with its PBS airing. In an immersive narrative, Burns and Novick tell the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. THE VIETNAM WAR features testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides (see clips here).

Ten years in the making, the series brings the war and the chaotic epoch it encompassed viscerally to life. Written by Geoffrey C. Ward, produced by Sarah Botstein, Novick and Burns, it includes rarely seen, digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20^th century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and revelatory audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations.
The run time of the program is approximately 1080 minutes on 10 discs. The SRP for the DVD is $99.99 and $129.99 for Blu-ray. There are over 100 minutes of extra bonus footage, including a 45-minute preview program, 2 pieces on contemporary lives of 2 of the participants, and bonus content. The program will also be available for digital download.

“The Vietnam War was a decade of agony that took the lives of more than 58,000 Americans,” Burns said. “Not since the Civil War have we as a country been so torn apart. There wasn’t an American alive then who wasn’t affected in some way — from those who fought and sacrificed in the war, to families of service members and POWs, to those who protested the war in open conflict with their government and fellow citizens. More than 40 years after it ended, we can’t forget Vietnam, and we are still arguing about why it went wrong, who was to blame and whether it was all worth it.”

“We are all searching for some meaning in this terrible tragedy. Ken and I have tried to shed new light on the war by looking at it from the bottom up, the top down and from all sides,” Novick said. “In addition to dozens of Americans who shared their stories, we interviewed many Vietnamese on both the winning and losing sides, and were surprised to learn that the war remains as painful and unresolved for them as it is for us. Within this almost incomprehensibly destructive event, we discovered profound, universal human truths, as well as uncanny resonances with recent events.”

THE VIETNAM WAR features new, original music written and recorded by Academy Award-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The film also features new music arranged and performed by Grammy Award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble. It is the first time Burns and Novick have worked with Reznor and Ross, as well as with Ma and The Silk Road Ensemble.  Additional music in the film was composed by David Cieri and Doug Wamble, both of whom are longtime collaborators with Florentine Films.

The series also features more than 120 popular songs that define the era, including tracks from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Simon & Garfunkel, Janis Joplin, Ben E. King, Phil Ochs, Donovan, Johnny Cash, Barry McGuire, Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Otis Redding, Santana, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, The Temptations, Booker T. and the M.G.s, Pete Seeger and more.

The film will be accompanied by an outreach and public engagement program, providing opportunities — facilitated by public television stations — for communities to participate in a national conversation about what happened during the Vietnam War, what went wrong and what lessons are to be learned. In addition, there will be a robust interactive website and an educational initiative designed to engage teachers and students through multiple platforms, including PBS LearningMedia.

Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation: #VietnamWarPBS

Produced by Alex Kurtzman, Chris Morgan,
Sean Daniel, Sarah Bradshaw
Screenplay by David Koepp,
Christopher McQuarrie, Dylan Kussman
Story by Jon Spaihts,
Alex Kurtzman, Jenny Lumet
Directed by Alex Kurtzman
Starring Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella,
Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson,
Marwan Kenzari, Courtney B. Vance,
Javier Botet, Russell Crowe

The latest reboot of The Mummy opens the crypt into Universal Pictures’ new monster-centric franchise, Dark Universe. This solid start stars Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, Marwan Kenzari and Russell Crowe.

Cruise plays soldier of fortune Nick Morton and is working in Iraq for the US government with his sidekick Sergeant Chris Vail (Johnson), when they steal a map from archeologist Jenny Halsey (Wallis). By unleashing an air strike on a small village, they uncover the tomb of Ahmanet, daughter of the Pharaoh cursed for taking revenge on her family and making a deal with the dark god Set.

When the tomb is extracted and headed to London for further examination, Ahmanet takes over Chris and starts to down the plane. Here we get Tom Cruise at what he’s best at, an over the top plane crash scene with incredible stunts! While saving Jenny, it appears that Nick went down in the wreckage, but he finds himself alive in a morgue, unscathed. If you have been dying to see an older Cruise shirtless since Jack Reacher, here is your chance.

In all, The Mummy origin and reveal in the modern age is, believe it or not, a fresh take on the not-so-fresh embalmed corpses. Ahmanet has regenerative powers by sucking the life our of the living and she can control the undead, which she does frequently! Her army of undead walkers are fast and strong, in contrast to the meandering brain-hungry zombies on TV. Also, a key part of the story are the unearthed tombs of Christian crusaders in London who come alive in the third act and can even swim!

One of my compatriots at the screening put it best, if you like 1999’s The Mummy, there is a lot to love here. Dropping in some humor and jump scares, this year’s movie does hide some easter eggs from the previous franchise but sets itself apart by setting its own style and look. Jake Johnson (Nick from New Girl, confused me ever time he called Cruise, ‘Nick’) plays his atypical role and lightens the load by dropping in some jokes and ‘reluctant sidekick’ banter.

Halsey and Nick also seek the help of Dr. Henry Jekyll (Crowe), medical expert of all things occult, bump-in-the-night and evil. I hadn’t done too much research into the movie beforehand, so I was surprised they went with Jekyll and not Van Helsing (he’s coming later). Crowe is particularly paternal in this role, as the good doctor who has it all figured out. But watch out, if he doesn’t have his treatment he may let the other guy out!

To be honest, coming off of a Wonder Woman weekend, I was happy to take a break from Marvel and DC Universes for a bit and revisit the original movie crossover universe. My fascination with Wolf-Men, Franken-steens and Draculas is undead and undying.

Launching Dark Universe with The Mummy and stars like Crowe and Cruise was spectacular choice and with upcoming players including Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, and a rumored Angelina Jolie, monster mania might be headed back into popular culture.

There film’s patina was less colorful than Marvel or DC’s current offerings, the special effects were decent with some minor exceptions (yes, Virginia, there is a screaming cloud scene!) and plenty of action from the get-go.

In retrospect, Suicide Squad‘s Enchantress was aiming for the target (slight miss) at what we get here from Sofia Boutella’s Mummy. At no point in the 1 hour 50 minute movie was I ever bored, wishing for the story to get on with itself, or have any confusion as to what was happening. That’s not to say the movie was spoon-feeding the plot, it just meant it didn’t meander or take long to make it’s key points. Pacing was right on.

My criticisms are few, mostly with some CGI decisions when practical effects would have ‘fit’ the look of the movie a bit better. Look and design of main villain and undead characters were pretty great actually, and the large scale effects including the plane scene were exciting and scary.

Alex Kurtzman’s sophomore effort directing (following 2012’s People Like Us) delivers. Fortunately, Kurtzman will continue to add credits to his IMDb page by helping construct further installments of the upcoming Dark Universe releases.

Comic-Con International in San Diego is fast approaching, and Diamond Select Toys has a ton of new exclusive items they’ll be offering at the show!

From Star Trek, Marvel Comics, Justice League, Nightmare Before Christmas, Iron Giant, The Dark Tower, Batman Beyond and more, there is something for every kind of fan at the DST booth!

Come by booth #2607 early, because all editions are limited, and they will not last long!

Starships

Star Trek USS Enterprise NCC-1701 “Final Flight” Starship

“My God, Bones… What have I done?” James T. Kirk spoke those words as he watched the U.S.S. Enterprise plummet from the sky by his own hand, something even the mighty Khan could not accomplish. This translucent rendering of the Enterprise is meant to replicate its fiery last flight down to the Genesis planet, after self-destructing in orbit. The ship measures approximately 14 inches long, and includes a display stand. It comes in commemorative window packaging. Limited to only 400 pieces. Does not contain electronics. Only at Booth #2607! $65.00

Statues and Busts

DC Premier Collection Poison Ivy Gem Edition Statue

Who stole the emeralds? Poison Ivy! The green goddess of Gotham City is back, and this time she’s wearing her classic costume, and accenting it with real green gemstones! This exclusive variant of the 12-inch statue features an all-new paint scheme, and her earrings are made of actual emeralds, as are the eyes on her jack-o’-lantern! Limited to only 100 pieces, this statue comes packaged in a full-color, hand-numbered box with a certificate of authenticity. Masterfully sculpted by the legendary Clayburn Moore. Only at Booth #2607! $200.00

Justice League Animated Flash Resin Bust 

Add to your Justice League with this exclusive 6” bust of the team’s scarlet speedster, the Flash! Limited to only 650 pieces, this bust comes in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Varner Studios. $60.00

Justice League Animated Flash Resin Bust Speed Force Edition

Add to your Justice League with this exclusive 6” bust of the team’s scarlet speedster, the Flash! This exclusive edition captures Flash at faster-than-light speeds, and is cast in a translucent material to simulate a speed effect. Limited to only 650 pieces, this bust comes in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Varner Studios. $60.00

Batman Beyond Animated Resin Bust

The future is now, as the next Batman, Terry McGinnis, travels back in time to be the next exclusive bust in the DC Animated Universe bust line! Limited to only 850 pieces, this 6” bust comes in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Varner Studios. $60.00

Batman Beyond Animated Unmasked Resin Bust

The future is now, as the next Batman, Terry McGinnis, travels back in time to be the next exclusive bust in the DC Animated Universe 6” bust line! Limited to only 450 pieces, this limited unmasked variant comes in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Varner Studios. $60.00

Marvel Gallery PVCs

Marvel Gallery Dark Phoenix PVC Diorama

The Phoenix rises as one of the first members of the Uncanny X-Men, Jean Grey, embraces her full power as the telepathic/telekinetic host of the Phoenix Force! Standing approximately 10 inches tall, this diorama shows a possessed Jean in her red costume, hovering over a fiery Phoenix symbol! This PVC figure features detailed sculpting and paint applications, and comes packaged in a full-color window box. Sculpted by Alejandro Pereira. $45.00

Marvel Gallery Ironheart Unmasked PVC Diorama

The newest, most talked about hero in the Marvel Universe is now the latest PVC diorama in the Marvel Gallery line! Levitating above a technological base on a swirl of energy, Riri Williams takes off her mask (but keeps her Ironheart armor on) in this approximately 11-inch PVC sculpture. Packaged in a full color window box. Sculpted by Phil Ramirez. $45.00

Marvel Gallery Deadpool X-Men Costume PVC Diorama

The Marvel Universe’s deadliest assassin is ready for his next team-up with this exclusive PVC Diorama! Wearing his X-Men colors, Deadpool leaps from a portal with his twin katanas flashing, and this 10” diorama comes packaged in a full-color window box with a fifth panel. Limited to 4200 pieces. Sculpted by Jean St. Jean. $45.00

Marvel Gallery Superior Iron Man PVC Diorama

Our Marvel Gallery Iron Man PVC just got an upgrade! As seen in the Superior Iron Man comic book series, Tony Stark wears his gleaming white armor as he rises into the air on his boot jets. This 11.5” diorama comes packaged in a full-color window box, and is limited to 2500 pieces. Sculpted by Mat Brouillard. $45.00

Vinimates Vinyl Figures

Nightmare Before Christmas Vinimates Battle-Damaged Santa Jack Vinyl Figure

It’s a Christmas catastrophe! This exclusive 4-inch vinyl figure from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas depicts hero Jack Skellington after his disastrous evening as Sandy Claws. With an exclusive battle-damaged paint job and sad facial expression, the figure features an articulated neck for different posing options. Packaged in a full-color window box. Limited to only 1500 pieces. Only at Booth #2607! $10

Ghostbusters Vinimates Battle-Damaged Stay-Puft Vinyl Figure

The ‘Busters have someone to battle with this exclusive new Vinimates vinyl figure of Mr. Stay-Puft! Bearing exclusive battle damage, the Marshmallow Man stands approximately 4 inches tall, with an articulated neck for more posing options. He comes packaged in a full-color window box. Limited to only 1500 pieces. $10

Ghostbusters Vinimates Battle-Damaged Glow-in-the-Dark Slimer Vinyl Figure

Is he friend or foe? Whichever he is, he glows! The Ghostbusters get their little buddy with this exclusive new Vinimates vinyl figure of Slimer! Cast in an exclusive glow-in-the-dark material, Slimer stands approximately 4 inches tall on his stand, and comes package in a full-color window box. Limited to only 1500 pieces. $10

Forbidden Planet Vinimates Robby the Robot with Blaster Vinyl Figure

From the Forbidden Planet comes one of the most advanced robots of all time: Robby the Robot! This exclusive 4-inch Vinimates vinyl figure holds a blaster pistol, and comes packaged in a full-color window box. Limited to 2000 pieces. $10

Iron Giant Vinimates Superhero Iron Giant Vinyl Figure

The Iron Giant is cosplaying for SDCC! This exclusive 4-inch Vinimates vinyl figure features the Iron Giant with his famous “S” chest emblem, striking a heroic pose straight out of the classic animated film, and his articulated neck allows you to further customize that pose. Figure comes packaged in a full-color window box. Limited to 1500 pieces. $10

Dark Tower Movie Vinimates Tracker Vinyl Figure

The highly anticipated film adaptation of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series now has an ultra-secret Vinimates vinyl figure! This 4” figure of one of the Tracker creatures from the film features an articulated neck for different posing options, and comes in a full-color window box. Limited to 1500 pieces. $10

Variant-Cover Comics

Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1 – Minimates Variant Cover

The webslinging, wallcrawling wonder returns to New York City in the all-new PETER PARKER: THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN. A companion series to the best-selling Amazing Spider-Man series, Peter Parker is going back-to-basics for big heroics in the Big Apple. Featuring adversaries old and new, be there as Spider-Man returns to his friendly neighborhood for his never ending battle against crime and the dreaded “Parker Luck.” Rated T. Limited to 5,000 copies. Written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Adam Kubert and cover art by Minimates designer Barry Bradfield! $5

Secret Empire #5 (of 9) – Minimates Variant Cover

They thought they were safe! They thought they could handle anything that was thrown against them! But the united heroes of the Marvel Universe never reckoned on the dread power that Steve Rogers would unleash! THE SECRET EMPIRE WILL AMAZE YOU! Rated T+. Limited to 5,000 copies. Written by Nick Spencer, with art by Leinil Francis Yu and cover art by Minimates designer Barry Bradfield! $5

Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe Again #1 – Minimates Variant Cover

Remember the time Deadpool went a little TOO crazy and killed the entire Marvel Universe? Well, this isn’t that. This is a DIFFERENT time. Writer Cullen Bunn and artist Dalibor Talajic (A.K.A. the creators behind DEADPOOL KILLS THE MARVEL UNIVERSE) have reunited for ANOTHER tale of Deadpool taking out all of your faves in the most horrific ways possible! It’s gonna hurt him more than it hurts you…and you’re gonna love it! Parental Advisory. Limited to 5,000 copies. Cover art by Minimates designer Barry Bradfield! $5

Visit Diamond Select Toys at booth #2607!

Produced by David Kaplan, Andrea Roa
Written and Directed by Trey Edward Shults
Starring Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott,
Carmen Ejogo, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Riley Keough

Once again, A24 Films hits the mark! Their latest release, It Comes at Night adds to their canon of films that take the expected and turn it on its head. It Comes at Night is a great horror film with more in common with a good, old-fashioned Alfred Hitchcock film than it does with horror films currently coming out of Hollywood.

Set post an unexplained pandemic, a husband and wife struggle to keep their teenage son safe and live off the grid, isolated from society. Their way of life is challenged when they come into contact with a man trying to find refuge for his young family. Each person’s humanity is tested as suspicion of each other increases, and the ever present threat of the outside world presses against them.

It Comes at Night is one of the best horror film I have seen in a long time. It doesn’t rely on jump scares or gratuitous gore to scare its audience. It takes it’s time. It is a methodical piece of storytelling that builds uneasy slowly. The story gives you enough information to be intrigued, but doesn’t spell out every detail, leaving the viewer’s imagination to run amok. Writer/Director Trey Edward Shults (Krisha) understands the power of a letting a viewer’s mind fill in the details. They will always fill it with what scares them most.

Joel Edgerton does a masterful job of playing Paul, the father forced into the Alpha male role. He balances the heartfelt sorrow of wanting to be a loving husband and father with being the cold-blooded survivalist. He always makes the tough decision, but you can see the inward battle. Kevin Harrison Jr. as Travis, Paul’s son, is the heart of the film. Through him you see a child who was raised to care about the people not just in his family, but in his community. Travis is the “good kid” that we as a society hope our children will grow up to be. It’s these qualities that put Travis in danger in this post-apocalyptic world.

The supporting cast fills out the world and makes the struggle for survival tangible. You are never quite sure if the young man Will (Christopher Abbott) is on the level. The push and pull of wanting or not wanting to believe him contributes to the suspense of the film.

The dialog is lean. It enhances the feeling that there is truly nothing left of our urban existence. There is no tv, radio, or internet. There is no ideal chatter about inconsequential things. There is very little talk about the world before “the event” because no one want to be reminded of the world as it was, people that have been lost, luxuries that they had. All dialog is about survival, gathering information to make choices.

For horror fans who judge a film by its gore level, It Comes at Night is not a gore fest. The gore is few and far between, but when seen used to great effect.

The true horror of the film is the people. It’s what each of us are willing to do to survive or to protect our loved ones, and how these choices change us.

Produced by Aaron L. Gilbert, David Hinojosa,
Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler
Written by Mike White
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Starring Salma Hayek, John Lithgow,
Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker,
Chloë Sevigny, David Warshofsky

When masseuse Beatriz (Salma Hayek) ends up attending the posh dinner party of her wealthy client Cathy (Connie Britton), an unlikely class showdown occurs, although the fireworks are perhaps not as intense as you might hope.

Beatriz is more than just a masseuse, she’s a holistic healer whom Cathy adores because of how she took care of their teenage daughter (now off at college) when she had Hodgkin’s Disease.

So Cathy barely hesitates to urge the casually dressed Beatriz to stay on to an important dinner after her car breaks down.

Beatriz overhears Cathy talking her reluctant husband into agreeing — he wants Beatriz to have her dinner in the kitchen — but things are about to get a whole lot more uncomfortable.

First there’s the awkward chitchat with Cathy’s well-heeled (literally!) friends, who quickly turn Beatriz’s talk about healing and old souls to the latest celebrity scandal.

Over cocktails, one of the guests mistakes Beatriz for “the help,” since she’s Latina, casually dressed and was “hovering.” He not only fails to apologize for the gaffe, but when she says she thinks she knows him, he quips, “Did you ever dance at Vegas?”

Over dinner, Beatriz slowly realizes that the man they’re toasting that evening, the same one who thought she was a maid, is Todd Strutt (John Lithgow) a Trumpian real estate mogul who thinks nothing of clearing out an endangered species for his new project.

We learn that Beatriz has suffered more than her share of loss in her life, from the devastation of her Mexican coastal village home town by a similarly greedy land baron, to the husband who left her. And her latest loss is a cruel one: Her neighbor strangled her pet goat to death because he hated the noise it made.

So it’s no wonder that Beatriz, who’s had more wine than usual, reacts when Strutt starts talking about the thrill of killing a magnificent beast while on safari.

It’s an interesting conundrum: Would you sit there and smile politely like the other guests? After all, the host is not only a client, but a friend. Or do you seize the opportunity to call out someone like that to their face?

As we realize the film is going to be about Beatriz the healer versus this icon of capitalism and greed, we root for her to get some kind of revenge, to strike some kind of blow.

He represents nearly everyone who’s ever done her wrong and we wonder if she’s going to throw aside her urge to heal and instead do some harm. There’s some interesting possibilities that run through your mind as you watch, up to and including her killing him.

As a dialectic on class warfare and the haves versus the have-nots, the film ends up being a fairly straightforward affair. It never veers into satire or absurdity, although maybe it would have benefited from a more surreal, Buñuel-esque take. Perhaps it, like Beatriz herself, is a little too earnest to take that leap.

Hayek is very good here and the scenes between her and Lithgow could very well end up being actor’s auditions scenes. But you just wish the film had gone a little farther and skewered its target a little more boldly.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

For almost eighty years the Walt Disney Studios have produced hundreds of hours of entertainment.  As summer approaches, we want to make sure that entertainment is with you at home and on any device you might use, as we give away digital codes for the classic 1942 animated feature film Bambi and the 2017 live-action remake of Beauty and The Beast.

Bambi tells the timeless tale features an adorable young deer named Bambi who explores the wonders and challenges of the woods with his playful pal Thumper, the lovable skunk Flower, and wise Friend Owl – and ultimately fulfills his destiny as prince of the forest.

In Beauty and The Beast, Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s hideous exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside.

And we’re giving away 15 sets of digital codes to FOG! readers!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “DISNEY DOUBLE” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Walt Disney holds the record for the most Academy Awards won or received. How many is that?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 18th, 2017.

Two Chinese commercial vessels are ambushed while traveling down the Mekong River in the waters of the Golden Triangle, one of the largest drug manufacturing regions in the world. 13 sailors are executed at gunpoint, and 900,000 methamphetamine pills are recovered at the scene.

The Chinese government immediately sends a band of elite narcotics officers led by Captain Gao Gang (Zhang Hanyu) to the Golden Triangle to uncover the truth behind the murders. Tea field owner and Golden Triangle-based intelligence officer Fang Xinwu (Eddie Peng) joins the investigation. After it is discovered that the drugs seized on the Chinese ships had been planted by the henchman of a notorious drug cartel leader named Naw Khar, the governments of Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China launch a joint task force to apprehend the criminal. The road to justice is, however, paved with dangerous and deadly obstacles…

And we’re giving away three copies!

To enter, please send an email with the subject header “OPERATION MEKONG” to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following:

Dante Lam frequently collaborates with this other director?

Please include your name and address (U.S. Residents only. You must be 18 years old).

Only one entry per person and a winner will be chosen at random.

Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on June 25th, 2017.

Welcome back to Graphic Breakdown!

With five more days until the weekend, let’s talk about some comic books you should be reading!

Violent Love Vol. 1: Stay Dangerous
Written by Frank J. Barbiere
Illustrated by Victor Santos
Published by Image Comics

There is no book on the stands currently that is as cool as this title. It’s like a noir film meeting a comic book and it totally rocks. It’s a fast paced joyride from that first panel and the book is addicting.

The story is described as follows: Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest.

And then they fell in love.

There’s more to it than that. A lot more in fact.

Barbiere writes a hell of a story. It’s always interesting, especially when it feels like you’re reading a guilty pleasure.

The art by Santos is superb. It’s full of excellent linework and has a nice sense of style; It’s great.

Give yourself a treat and pick up this book. It’s awesome and you’re missing out if you aren’t reading it.

RATING: A

Winnebago Graveyard #1
Written by Steve Niles
Illustrated by Alison Sampson
Published by Image Comics

I love Steve Niles. I used to buy everything he wrote because I knew it would be of a certain writing quality. I have lost track of him throughout the years so when this came across my desk I read it with glee.

An American family that is on vacation. They come across a small town. They get stuck there.

That town?

It has one of those strange, satanic like secrets that some small towns do.

And that is where the fun begins!

Niles is one of the best horror writers we have. When I say that, I mean not just in comics, but in general.

The art is sharp here and fits the writing nicely. This could be a nice series to pick up from the ground floor on.

RATING: A

Mayday Vol. 1
Written by Alex de Campi
Illustrated by Tony Parker
Published by Image Comics

One of the things that Image Comics has done is help create content that is original and challenging.

You have to applaud their efforts. Some are better than others.

Mayday falls somewhere in the middle for me. It’s well done but didn’t hold my interest as much as I had hoped.

Part of the reason it didn’t resonate for me was the Cold War setting for the comic.

de Campi is who you get if you can’t get Ed Brubaker to write your comic.

Again, not bad. It’s just not as fully formed as I would have hoped.

The storyline is about two operatives, one KGB and one CIA, being pursued by both sides. I feel like we have seen it before and that it was better than this.

This art is good. Some scenes are incredibly violent. All in all, this is a semi decent entry into the Image line of books.

RATING: B-

Briggs Land: Lone Wolves #1
Written by Brian Wood
Illustrated by Mack Chater
Published by Dark Horse Comics

Hot on the heels of the first Briggs Land storyline comes the second part of this epic. It’s awesome.

Let’s just start with that. This is a book you should be reading if you aren’t.

The lead, Grace Briggs, is one of the most morally questionable characters in comics. She’s got so many layers to her, that you can’t help but love her. She’s like the new Tony Soprano.

Briggs Land is about a family who owns a huge section of land that’s under their own jurisdiction.

The family, lead by Grace, betray each other all of the time, and are constantly plotting in Shakesperian ways.

That’s a testament to the sharp writing by Wood, who excels here.

The art by Chater is super good, too. He and Wood work in harmony to create a good book. This is going to be a tv series so pick it up quick!

RATING: A

“Who here saw Wonder Woman?” asked Etheria Film Festival co-director Stacy Pippi Hammon to a cheering crowd.

It was a fair question, given the event and the reason everyone was gathered for the evening.

The femme-driven tentpole had just broken major records, music to the ears of the genre fans who gathered that night to pay kudos to women in film.

On Saturday, the Etheria Film Festival held its annual shorts festival and awards ceremony to honor female filmmakers of genre pics.

In addition to showcasing the seven shorts, the fest honored a handful of legends in the fields who have paved the way for others, including helmer and scribe Stephanie Rothman, who directed 1971’s The Velvet Vampire.

“Do you know who has actually hired a lot of women? There is a guy here who has hired a lot of women directors, more than any other producer in history, especial for comedies, horror, science fiction and other fun stuff,” said Etheria’s director of programming Heidi Honeycutt. “And we are lucky enough to have him here. It’s Roger Corman.”

Photo by Terrence Kelsey.

Corman, who hired Rothman in 1965 to direct one of the last great beach movies It’s a Bikini World.

“Each year, we give out an award to someone who has inspired young women to make their own genre films, and this is called the Inspiration Award. We give it to someone we have a lot of respect for. And we are very happy that Roger is here to present the award to our recipient.”

“The Velvet Vampire is an extremely well made erotic horror thriller and not only one of the best low budget films, but simply one of the best of the genre made,” said Corman of his protege’s work.

“I’m delighted to give this award to Stephanie Rothman, who blazed a trail for worked women directors,” said legendary filmmaker. “She directed a number of films for me, many of which portrayed women in much more of a role, taking charge of their life. I think Stephanie was well ahead of the curve.”

“I had two mentors during the course of my life, and they were closely connected. The first was Dr. Bernie Cantor at the USC Cinema Department. It was under his guidance that I learned how to make films. And he sent me on my first job interview to my second mentor, Roger Corman,” said Rothman during her acceptance speech.

Photo by Terrence Kelsey.

“Roger invited me to become a working filmmaker. He financed my first three films. And while he was critical of a few details, he was overwhelmingly performant,” continued the filmmaker. “It is a pleasure to say after so many years thank you, Roger, for all you have done for me.”

Photo by Tyrone Roberts.

“Finally, I would like to share a thought with women whose work you will watch here tonight: you are here because the work you directed is of high quality. In other words, you are exceptional in a way that is good. But you are also exceptional in a way that is not good. By this I mean you are exceptions to the rule that most directors are men. When I made my films, you can count the number of women directing films on one hand.

“Times have improved since then. Last week, Sofia Coppola won the Palme d’Or for direction at Cannes, and this week, Patty Jenkins is being praised for her direction Wonder Woman, but they too are still exceptions in both ways. Their gender is almost always noted because sadly, women directors are still exceptional.

“Well, my wish for you is that you will find success too, but when you do, you won’t forgot those women still struggling, and you will extend a helping hand to them…until your numbers grow so great that you will no longer be called women directors, but just directors,” concluded Rothman in her heartfelt speech.

Other than Rothman, the big winner of the night was the short Do No Harm, a New Zealand action thriller directed by Roseanne Liang.

For more information on the Etheria Film Festival, click here.

Experience the legend of Billy Jack like never before!  Billy Jack: The Complete Collection will be available on DVD and Blu-ray on Shout! Factory’s Shout Select line on July 25, 2017. Bonus features include audio commentaries, still galleries, and trailers. The set is available for pre-order now from Shout! Factory.

Included in Billy Jack: The Complete Collection are the four groundbreaking, action-packed classics from ’70s pop culture icon Billy Jack, and feature all of the fast-kicking, politically aware stories that had audiences cheering. Influencing action films for decades, the Billy Jack films broke the mold with their unique hero, a half-American Indian/half-white ex-Green Beret bent on correcting injustice and hypocrisy to help America reach its full potential.

This is the first Blu-ray release for Born Losers, Trial of Billy Jack, and Billy Jack Goes To Washington.

BORN LOSERS

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin And Delores Taylor
• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor And Frank Laughlin
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

BILLY JACK

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor
• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor And Frank Laughlin
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor
• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor And Frank Laughlin
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

BILLY JACK GOES TO WASHINGTON

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin And Delores Taylor
• Audio Commentary With Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor And Frank Laughlin
• Theatrical Trailer
• Still Gallery

For more details, visit shoutfactory.com.

I’ve yet to reach the dizzy heights of E3 but that’s okay because I’ve attended multiple UK based conventions including Eurogamer. I’ll come and visit the states one day, I promise. However, there’s one particular gaming festival that takes place in the city where I live, it’s still relatively new, and ran from May 29th to June 3rd this year so I wanted to write about it.

The Norwich Gaming Festival (NGF) has been running since 2014 and with every year has grown in size and notoriety. Norwich is no stranger to gaming events with Norwich Retro Arcade exhibiting at The Forum for many years, the growing interest eventually spawned the NGF with the help of the Norfolk Indie Game Developers group and of course Norwich Retro Arcade is still a big part of the event every year.

The author hard at work doing research

Last month One Life Left, a video game café who were also taking part in the Norwich Gaming Festival this year, opened it’s doors nearby offering drinks, snacks and a place to play games with your friends in the city. Multiple second-hand gaming stores have popped up in my city too, included one called Regenerating Gaming, its part of the East Anglia Nintendo Street Pass community and holds regular events and tournaments.

For those who want to get into the industry or learn about games, Norwich has that covered too. You can study Games Art and Design and Games Development courses at Norwich University of the Arts and a higher education institution, Access To Music have recently introduced a new division dedicated to games. Norwich University of the Arts is also one of only 12 worldwide partners in Sony’s PlayStation First Academic Development Programme.

It’s a stark contrast compared to when I first moved to Norwich in 2004 but I’m happy that it’s becoming such a creative hub for the gaming community. Norwich Gaming Festival is a big part of that and the best part? It’s currently free.

The festival itself included game demonstrations, new releases, career advice, the chance to play retro titles, design workshops, stalls, cosplay displays, a VR area and guest speakers in the industry. Well-known, Norwich based YouTubers DidYouKnowGaming? and Ashens were also in there alongside local podcasters The Super 8-Bit Power Hour.

I spent some time enjoying the festival, chatting to exhibitors, resisting the urge to buy retro consoles and of course playing games.

Here are a few of my highlights:

The Super 8-Bit Power Hour

This Norwich based podcast is one that listen to regularly and I’ve even been a guest on it. They discuss games, films, comics and all things pop culture related. Ben Allen, Huw Churchman, Chelsea Taylor and Tom Garbutt were there representing the group, not to mention a cameo from Basil (Ben and Chelsea’s pug!).

The podcast is their main labour of love but they also have a Talking Over Movies series on YouTube as well as regular Let’s Plays called Powercade, where they play through retro titles, the first of which featured members Ben and Drew playing Virtua Fighter on a Japanese Sega Saturn.

Ashens

Stuart Ashen (Ashens) is a YouTuber with over 1 million subscribers, known for reviewing tat, old toys and pound shop items but he also released a fan-funded feature film in 2013 called Ashens and the Quest For The GameChild which featured Warwick Davis and Robert Llewellyn. A sequel is currently in pre-production.

He’s also an expert in retro gaming and his knowledge of obscure games consoles and games led to him authoring a book called Terrible Old Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, he is currently writing an equally meticulous follow up called Attack of the Flickering Skeletons: More Terrible Old Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.

DidYouKnowGaming?

If you don’t know this YouTube channel then prepare to be surprised because they have well over 2 million followers, making them one of the most subscribed to gaming trivia channels. Originally a blog dedicated to video game trivia, DidYouKnowGaming? create interesting and informative videos that regularly feature voiceover from other famous YouTubers such as JonTron and often do surprise me with things I didn’t know.

Doctor Kvorak’s Obliteration Game

As I was checking out the VR zone, I came across a poster I recognised and was pleasantly surprised to discover that an indie games developer I had met at Eurogamer in 2013 had branched out in VR. I remember enjoying Doctor Kvorak, a fun 3D platformer puzzle game with catchy music and I was really pleased that Freekstorm Games appeared to be doing so well, they had a bit of a queue so I didn’t get the chance to catch up with them.

The game has been green lit on Steam and is compatible with the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift/Touch. To see indie developers still doing what they love years later was great and festivals and conventions like this that keep them going and continue to build interest.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s gaming festival and I fell really lucky to live in a city where gaming is taken seriously and is recognised by its residents. Luckily, I resisted the urge to spend all of my money on retro games!

Why not check out if any local gaming events are happening in your area? I’ve listed a few that are happening in the next month that you might not know about. Be sure to let us know in the comments section if you know of any others.

Southern-Fried Gaming Expo
9-11th June
Renaissance Waverly Hotel
Atlanta, GA

Terminus Conference + Festival 2017
22-25th June
W Atlanta – Midtown
Atlanta, GA

BIG (Brazil’s Independent Games Festival 2017)
24th June – 2nd July
Centro Cultural São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

Game Devs Of Color Expo 2017
24th June
Schomberg Center,
New York City, NY

Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco 2017
27-28th June
Westfield San Francisco Center
San Francisco, CA

Indigo 2017
30th June
De LiK
Utrecht, Netherlands

Admit it.

You’re sitting on an incredible idea for a best-selling board game. If only you had the know-how and the tools to make your idea a reality.

Well, where there is a will, there’s a way. And the good news is that the interwebs are just loaded with resources for aspiring board game designers.

I won’t lie. Creating a board game can be a daunting task. Marketing and selling it even moreso. I write a lot about great games that made it big, and I write about games that made it only so-so. Those are the rare successes. A lot of games either never get any sort of traction with the public, or never make it out of the designer’s imagination. There are a lot of pitfalls and a lot of things to learn.

I’ve highlighted a few very useful websites that may help make your board game dreams a board game reality. Take a look, and the best of luck to you!

Board Game Designers Forum

This should be every aspiring game designer’s first stop. At a single website, new designer’s can get a glimpse at the size of the overall game designing community–not necessarily for a sense of competition, but for a sense of community and sharing of resources. This site is packed with forums with discussions that touch upon every facet of gaming and game development. There are also regularly updated blogs by and for designers, lists of game publishers, advice for making game prototypes, playtesting, and more.

It’s not a particularly flashy site, but that’s okay. You’re there to learn the ins and outs of game design and this is one of the best places to do so and certainly one of the best places to start. Be prepared to spend hours exploring this site. The Board Game Designers Forum has been around for around 15 years and has attracted over 12,000 members. That’s quite a community to join.

Check them out at www.BGDF.com

Stonemaier Games

Producers of such well-received games such as Scythe and Viticulture, Stonemaier Games is a great resource for new game designers when it comes to learning about crowdfunding your project. Their site is incredibly community-minded and it reflects the company’s own passion for good games. They offer series of posts on how to run Kickstarter campaigns for game projects, interviews with game designers, news and information on sales and distribution, business advice and a lot more.

I really have to hand it to these folk. They aren’t looking at other game designers as competitors. They’re looking at them as colleagues. I’m very impressed with that. You should go visit them at StonemaierGames.com and see what good advice they have to offer.

BoardGameGeek.com

I’d be remiss not to mention what is likely the most popular board game-related website on the internet… BoardGameGeek.com. Many readers will likely already be familiar with the site as it’s where one often goes to check out reviews of games both new and ancient, shop, preview, trade, and discuss. They cover just about every conceivable genre and type of game imaginable.

Unsurprisingly, it’s also a valuable resource for anyone looking to break into designing games.

In addition to reviews and rulesets and the like, they host a number of board game blogs–many of which are aimed at game design topics. Some discuss the development of building a game, step-by-step from the ground up. Others talk about finding such important things as playtesters, artists, markets, and the like.

My only real criticism is that the site is huge and it’s sometimes hard to find what you’re looking for. That said, there is a handy search function sitting right at the top of the main page. That’s where I would recommend starting your exploration. Go ahead and spend some time at BoardGameGeek.com.

The Game Crafter

Let’s say you’ve designed your game, playtested it, polished it a bit, and you’re ready to make either a prototype to pitch to game publishers, or even ready to take this directly to market yourself. What then?

That’s where The Game Crafter comes in. They’re essentially a Print-On-Demand service for games. What Lulu or Createspace has done for self-publishing, so The Game Crafter does for game designers.

They have a very easy to follow system for setting up and uploading your games to fit a variety of formats. It’s unhurried, and there’s little pressure to rush. You can adjust and tweak your files at will. From there, you can just use them for production or you can use them as a sales venue. You can order as few or as many copies as you’d like.

Overall quality reviews get a bit mixed. Most are positive, but acknowledge that it’s a Print-On-Demand setup and that comes with certain limitations. I’ve heard they do card games well, although small cards can be a little rough on the corners. Then there is the pricing which can be a little high. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever tried custom t-shirts or other items through sites like Zazzle or Cafe Press. On the plus side, it’s a lot easier using The Game Crafter to print prototypes than having to do that yourself. If your game is a hit, you could always seek out more professional printing later.

That’s not to say that there aren’t other benefits. The Game Crafter also sell game pieces, dice, cards, baggies–so if you’re designing something more for personal use than commercial, this is a perfectly good place to get your supplies: TheGameCrafter.com

Dice Tower Top 10 Tips for Game Designers

And because one of my columns wouldn’t seem complete without at least one YouTube link, I offer up this week a video to a discussion on Dice Tower in which the jolly frenemies count down their “Top 10 Tips for Game Designers”. What they mean is beginning game designers as their list takes aim at those who are most likely developing their own board games with no previous experience.

The advice is pretty standard and obvious, but if there is one thing I’ve learned about people–it’s not to assume the standard and obvious. Their advice is good advice not just for board game designing beginners, but pretty much anyone who is out to get creatively commercial.

In a rare and surprisingly turn, the hosts of Dice Tower find themselves, for the most part, in total agreement regarding this particular Top 10 list. It makes for a more speedy and concise list that clocks in and just around 30 minutes.

Hey, What About RPGs?

Another topic for another time. While there is some definite crossover, creating, marketing, and selling content for tabletop RPG games is a whole other monster. Stay tuned, and we may get to this topic in time.

In the meantime, get gaming!

Cheers!

This weekend fathers, uncles, grandfathers, big brothers, godfathers, and paternal role models will be recognized by their loved ones on Father’s Day.  And what better way to celebrate these special relationships by giving them presents!

We’ve looked hard for some more unusual presents for the celebrants in your life.

Here’s what we’re digging…

Blade Runner Whiskey Glasses

We’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion.

We’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. But we haven’t seen anything half as cool as these Blade Runner Whiskey Glasses.

Yes, Blade Runner fans, now you can relax after a stressful day ‘retiring’ replicants by getting to grips with the very same tumbler used by Rick Deckard in the seminal 1982 sci-fi movie. And when we say the very same we mean it because the moody Blade Runner’s glass wasn’t just a prop, it was a hand-made crystal glass, mouth-blown by artisans at boutique Italian company, Arnolfo di Cambio – and so is this!

Better still, wait till it’s raining, dim the lights so you can just about make out the flickering neon kebab shop sign over the road and get sipping as you pretend you’re studying crime scene photos on your telly: ‘Enhance two twenty four to one seventy six.’ Failing that attempt to seduce your date by explaining how the Tyrell Corporation implanted her memories. It’s a surefire way to ensure she, er, flees your apartment, Rachael style.

An ideal gift for booze-loving Blade Runner fans, this quality piece of retro-modern glassware is more than a prop, it’s a truly iconic drinking vessel with a brilliant backstory.

These hand-blown crystal glass feature a unique square design with diagonal cuts at the angles.  Voight-Kampff machine not included.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Baby Groot Lifesize Foam Figure

When we last saw this Guardian of The Galaxy, Groot had sacrificed himself before being resurrected as an adorable dancing potted twig.

Now, he’s growing up.

Still adorable, now free roaming and extremely dangerous, Baby Groot comes to life in this amazing life-size replica.

Don’t go moving to a bigger house just yet, Baby Groot stands 10″ tall and is made of foam rubber and latex.

Created using the actual digital files from the film and hand painted for incredibly lifelike detail, this home or office protector will forever be at your side.

I am Groot!

Lander TIMP Backpack (25L)

Having used the TIMP Messenger back for several months, I’ve concluded that it’s one of the best work bags I’ve ever used.  The 25 liter TIMP backpack continues the tradition as another perfect bag.

The Timp bags flaunt a lightweight, minimalist design that strikes an ideal balance of style and function for urban living or off-grid adventures.

These bag features well-placed stowaway pockets, padded shoulder straps, front webbing for accessory attachments, and adjustable sternum straps.  Also utilized in its construction are weather resistant TPU coated rip-stop, haul handles, reflective tape and a breathable mesh back channel.

Water-resistant and sturdy, this is a must have backpack ideal for work and play.

Cuttlelola Electric Dotspen

As any regular doodler (or actual artist) knows, there’s an immense satisfaction in the results of using dots to create a stipple to add depth and detail to your illustrations.

The flip side of that is that it’s not only time consuming, but it also eventually wears on your hand, wrist and shoulder.

The Cuttelola Electric Dotspen is one of those ideas that seems great, but could be a risky investment.

I’m happy to say that it is not only is pretty awesome, but also a tremendous addition to any illustrator’s arsenal.

The pen is chargeable by connecting it through an enclosed USB cable to your laptop, portable battery or mobile device.  Despite claims that a full charge lasts 30 minutes, I’ve found that it works for a fraction of that time, but keeping it connected to a USB source does the job.

Featuring two speeds, the Electric Dotspen is easy to use and just requires a little doodling to get the hand of it.  Additional ink cartridges are sold separately.  This is both a fun and fantastic must have for anyone who puts pen to paper.

Evel Knievel Jumpsuit Messenger Bag

You don’t have to jump Snake River Canyon in the Skycycle X-2 rocket in order to show off the sheer coolness of this officially licensed fax leather messenger bag, inspired by Evel’s iconic white leather jumpsuit.

In addition to including a faux rabbit’s foot which resembles the one Evel wore, the messenger bag features a spacious main compartment, a padded laptop pocket and a front organizer pocket.

100% Pure Evel.  And no broken bones.

BodyGuardz Trainr Pro Case

Featuring lightweight sport-grip materials for your iPhone, a durable clear back, and Unequal’s patented battle-ready composite padding, Trainr is fit for any situation.

Trainr Pro uniquely takes exercise flexibility to the next level with a highly reflective removable armband  The case was designed for even the most vigorous workout sessions. In a “snap” and no wasted time, your iPhone will quickly transform into a supremely comfortable and adjustable workout accessory, and back again in moments.

The clear polycarbonate back protects and shows off your device, while the durable elastomer secures hold, even with the most active use and finally, the device is protected from impact by Unequal Technologies shock-absorbing composite.

Comic Book Novelties Men’s Tie

Anyone who grew up reading comics fondly remembers the enticing advertisements hawking everything from a Polaris Nuclear Submarine to a Ventriloquist Device to a Teacup Monkey.  And while most of us never acquired those items, those who did were often disappointed with the results.

It was the ads themselves and the promise of the magic that these products held that made is so special.

Since you’d be hard pressed to find anyone selling a real log cabin for $1.50, the promise still holds up through this amazing handmade, poly satin necktie, which will have you saving your change for a life-size monster and X-ray specs.

DC Harley Quinn Hula Girl Bobble Figure

She’s The Joker’s main squeeze, and now she’s dancing in a luau inspired version of her costume as a Hula Girl Bobble Figure.

The influx of American soldiers into Hawaii during World War II, along with the visiting tourists after the war, helped make this type of figure one of the most popular souvenirs of all time.

From Cryptozoic Entertainment and sculpted by Varner Studios, this 8″ tall figure captures the original design of the Manic Minx by Bruce Timm perfectly.

Perfect for the dashboard or the desk, Hula Harley will dance her way into your heart.

Dead or alive.

Monster Mash Men’s Tie

A stunning tie that gives off the first impression that the wearer is one of significant and powerful taste.

This Monster Mash tie features retro inspired images of all of the classic monsters including a vampire, Frankenstein, a wolf man, a skeleton and a gill man.

Stylized and spooky, the electric lime green tie demands attention and is a must wear from anyone who appreciates a good scare.

Baby (Ansel Elgort) is a talented, young getaway driver who relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to be the best in the game. When he meets the girl of his dreams (Lily James), he sees a chance to ditch his criminal life and make a clean getaway. But after being coerced into working for a crime boss (Kevin Spacey), Baby must face the music when a doomed heist threatens his life, love and freedom.

For your chance to win tickets to an advanced screening of BABY DRIVER
on Wednesday, June 21^st at 7pm at AMC Boston Common, click HERE! 

Just in time for country-wide LGBTQ Pride celebrations, one of the most unexpected fictional characters in recent pop-culture has gone gay all of a sudden.  The titular character of the 2014 Australian psychological horror movie was first born out of director Jennifer Kent’s short film The Monster.  Mister Babadook, as he’s properly known, is a tall pale-faced humanoid sporting a top hat and long pointy fingers.  In the film, we’re given glimpses of the gothic monster from a little boy’s pop-up book, from which we’re told the Babadook torments its victims upon learning of its existence.

Continuing to deny the existence of the Babdook only makes it harder to stop its stalking.  So, it’s with surreal, ironic fate that this essentially closeted creature, dressed in basic black, has emerged fast and fabulous into gay culture.

Despite overt references to LGBTQ culture in the movie, the character has been embraced, albeit often tongue-in-cheek, as a queer symbol since late 2016.

According to most reports, Mister Babadook’s feature film was categorized into the LGBT section of Netflix by mistake, prompting social media to both point out the error or embrace it.

Director Jennifer Kent has yet to comment on the recent resurgence of popularity for her film, but it’s likely to be positive considering the layers of subtext hidden in the horror fest.  Additionally, the post release cult status of The Babadook has vindicated the slow burn of its success.  Upon release in Australia, it went on to gross $7 million following its critical acclaim at Sundance.

Like any number of crypto-creatures á la CreepyPasta, gay Babadook was born out of countless memes, comments, and posts online, often in the form of animated GIFs doctored from the film directly.  For example, Tumblr user Ianstagram posted this commentary in October of 2016, writing “Whenever someone says the Babadook isn’t openly gay it’s like ?? Did you even watch the movie??”  Over 91,000 likes and reblogs later, the complaint gave birth to a few other LGBTQ interpretations of the movie, which has also been referred to as “Babadiscourse.”

The meme took off on a massive level on Instagram with this post from @djmikeypop in which he imagines Drag Race host RuPaul praising Miss Babadook’s performance serving “killer babalewk.” “Condragulations my dear… your performance had us, well, babashook.” Babashook, itself, quickly entered the lexicon of LGBTQ pride, only to be taken to the next level – cosplay.

There have been, as recently as this past weekend, numerous sightings of Mister Babadook cosplay at Pride parades and rallies, it not at least signage and shirts.  A search on Etsy or Teespring brings a number of unofficially licenced Babadook paraphernalia, hiding in the vague shadows of parody copyright rules.  Popular LGBTQ appearel and home goods website Swish Embassy has even recently added the Babadook to their collection as “The Boadook.”

Online culture commentary blog Vox is quick to point out that the queer life of Mister Babadook might be just another thing passing through the fast-changing zeitgeist of internet humor.  Though “couched in absurdity” Vox writes, The Babadook’s queer legacy borrows on the desire to go with and improve upon the joke, the increasing earnestness around that joke, and the resulting amplification of the absurdity of a homosexual Babadook living a life of queer defiance by terrorizing a white, Australian family.

Last Friday, Netflix themselves took to their US Twitter account to embrace, yet not fess-up, to the odd categorization of the film.  Keeping with the spirit of the horror villain’s misappropriation and/or interpretation, they simply suggest to “be the Babadook you want to see in the world.”

Even Facebook has gotten in on the action, offering a user-created custom profile frame celebrating Pride with an image of a rainbow heart behind the Babadook itself.

The author and spouse

Not since “a dingo ate my baby” has there been a more fantastic mutation of Australian cinema. Lucky for US distributor IFC Films, and its home video partner Shout! Factory, the relatively short, and arguably over-hyped, profitable initial run is being summoned from the basement.