Tag: SDCC

Geekscape Interviews: Playboy Playmate Claire Sinclair Talks About Her New Comic!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Lion Forge Comics is a company that we mention often around these parts. Sure, Jonathan is writing one of the newly-announced NBC reboots that everyone is talking about (Miami Vice, to be specific), but all of us at Geekscape simply believe that Lion Forge is a unique, forward thinking publisher that has a very bright future ahead of it. Plus, who doesn’t want to read a Saved By The Bell book?

At this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, a multitude of original IPs were revealed by the company. Rampage Jackson isn’t the only star getting his own book: the beautiful, talented 2011 Playboy Playmate of the year, Claire Sinclair also has a title coming from Lion Forge.

In Wonderous, Claire is re-imagined as a broke college student who volunteers for a medical study and accidentally gets a dose of superpowers. As she experiments with her new abilities, she must suddenly put them to the test to fight a sinister super villain – who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Claire and Wonderous writer Joelle Sellner were on the scene at this year’s Comic-Con, and answered a few key questions for us about their upcoming book.

Watch the interview in full below, and let us know if you’ll be picking up Wonderous: The Adventures of Claire Sinclair!

Geekscape 298: The 2013 San Diego Comic Con Recap Spectacular!

by Jonathan

That’s all she wrote for the 2013 San Diego Comic Con, Geekscape’s 4th as exhibitors and 8th in a row! Now it’s time to recap the misadventures with first time attendees Johnny Ice and Crippled Kenny with running commentary by my wife Laura! Was Johnny’s mind completely blown? What were the must things that he discovered? What did he take away from it the most? Kenny fills us in on just how far Comic Con has to go to make things better for their handicapped attendees! Shane O’Hare calls in to recap a drunken night of horror during Geek Spring Break! Were all the parties worth it? Matt Kelly calls up to tell us about his new 2-part podcast conversation with his brother about addiction and Derek Kraneveldt helps us filter through all the memories of the best SDCC ever! PLUS! ‘Doc of the Dead’ producer Kerry Deignan Roy calls up to give an update on Geekscape’s co-produced zombie doc!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:23 — 25.8MB)

SDCC 2013: Capcom Announces the Return of ‘Strider’

by Josh Jackson

At Comic Con, Capcom announced that they were digging up one of their classic side scrolling platformer franchises in a much anticipated return. Before you get too excited, no, it’s not Mega Man. BUT… when Strider is the game in question, it’s hard to be disappointed.

Debuting in 1989 as an arcade game that was praised for its innovation while being infamous for its difficulty, Strider was one of Capcom’s early successes, but would fade into obscurity until the ninja bad ass rose to prominence in Marvel vs Capcom. His new found fame was quickly followed by an arcade and Playstation sequel that received a very limited run, but nothing else came out of the character’s revival. Fast forward 12 years, and suddenly he’s once again heavily featured in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3, leading us to this announcement. Hmm, I sense a pattern.

With developer Double Helix at the helm, (of Silent Hill: Homecoming fame and the same guys behind the upcoming Killer Instinct,) Strider looks to be coming along nicely. Promising a Metroidvania style world to explore, plenty of action and top of the line platforming, I’m excited to see the series make its return.

Check out the trailer and let us know what you think!

SOURCE: Joystiq.com

SDCC 2013: ‘Kick-Ass 2’ Gets An Awesome Extended Trailer

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Kick-Ass 2 already looked amazing, but this Comic Con extended trailer looks to really up the ante.

Clocking in at just under five minutes, the new preview features a ton of previously unreleased footage, including a nice look at Mother Russia. Action, plot, and humour fill the trailer, which gives you a fantastic sense of what the final film will feel like.

Take a look at the new (very red band) trailer below, and let us know if you’re excited for the film! Kick-Ass 2 hits theatres on August 16th!

Kick-Ass, Hit Girl and Red Mist return for the follow-up to 2010’s irreverent global hit: Kick-Ass 2.  After Kick-Ass’ (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) insane bravery inspires a new wave of self-made masked crusaders, led by the badass Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey), our hero joins them on patrol.  When these amateur superheroes are hunted down by Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)—reborn as The Mother F%&*^r—only the blade-wielding Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) can prevent their annihilation.

 

When we last saw junior assassin Hit Girl and young vigilante Kick-Ass, they were trying to live as normal teenagers Mindy and Dave. With graduation looming and uncertain what to do, Dave decides to start the world’s first superhero team with Mindy. Unfortunately, when Mindy is busted for sneaking out as Hit Girl, she’s forced to retire—leaving her to navigate the terrifying world of high-school mean girls on her own. With no one left to turn to, Dave joins forces with Justice Forever, run by a born-again ex-mobster named Colonel Stars and Stripes.

 

Just as they start to make a real difference on the streets,  the world’s first super villain, The Mother F%&*^r, assembles his own evil league and puts a plan in motion to make Kick-Ass and Hit Girl pay for what they did to his dad. But there’s only one problem with his scheme: If you mess with one member of Justice Forever, you mess with them all.

SDCC 2013: Telltale’s ‘The Walking Dead’ Season Two Will Feature Clementine!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: During Telltale’s The Walking Dead panel at this year’s Comic-Con, Telltale revealed some first details about the game’s second season.

First up: Clementine’s back. It’s unknown what role she’ll play in the next chapter, or whether she’ll be a main character or just a cameo, but I’m ecstatic to learn that one of gaming’s best characters ever will return this Fall.

Second: We may have left Kenny back in that alleyway in episode 5, but Telltale isn’t done with him yet. Telltale revealed during the panel that Season 2 will explore the (apparently) uncertain fate of the character. Cool, huh?

This is amazing. It’s incredible that an adventure game could go on both to sell so well, and be so universally acclaimed. I loved every second of season one and 400 Days, and I cannot wait to get back into this world.

Season two of Telltale’s The Walking Dead launches this Fall!

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Source: IGN

SDCC 2013: Watch A New Trailer For ‘Lego Marvel Super Heroes’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: We’re finally approaching the fall release date of Traveller’s Tales highly anticipated Lego Marvel Super Heroes, and the developer has released a cool new character trailer for the title.

This preview features a ton of new characters, some of Traveller’s Tales classic humour, and plenty to fall in love with. I’ve been wanting to check this game out forever, and this fall can’t come soon enough.

Watch the new trailer for Lego Marvel Super Heroes below, and let us know what you think! The game hits Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, Playstation Vita, 3DS, PS3, PS4, and PC this Fall!

SDCC 2013 Video Game Round-Up: Namco Bandai Announces ‘Soul Calibur II HD Online’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: This is certainly one of the biggest (and best) gaming surprises of this year’s Comic-Con.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Namco Bandai’s Soul Calibur II, the company has decided to rerelease the game as a downloadable title. Oh yeah, and they’ve also updated it with full high-definition graphics and online multiplayer.

Awesome, right?

Soul Calibur II HD Online is set to hit PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year. No word has been given on the state of the original release’s console specific characters, but seeing as a Wii U version was not announced, you sadly won’t be fighting as Link any time soon. It’s been years (nearly 10, in fact) since I’ve played Soul Calibur II, but the game was an incredible achievement in fighting games, and I’ll certainly be checking out this updated version.

Take a look at the first trailer for the rerelease below, and let us know what you think! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on the title as we learn more!

http://youtu.be/76NxqWjf7Dc

SDCC 2013: ‘Zombies in Pop Culture’ Panel

by Kari Lane

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Who doesn’t like zombies? If pop culture references are any indication, zombies are still on the rise (The Walking Dead, Warm Bodies, and countless youtube videos to name a few). At San Diego Comic-Con, there was a panel dedicated to looking at ‘Zombies in Pop Culture’ headed by Max Brooks (author of World War Z and Zombie Survival Guide). Brooks was joined by a good handful of authors and they discussed the origin of the present day zombie and how zombies fit into pop culture.

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How zombies are represented has changed much over the years, but the way we think of them today can be attributed to George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968). The film was originally titled Night of the Flesh Eaters, but was changed last minute, and due to the lack of that little copyright symbol, the film became public domain. Thus whomever wanted to make a film with zombies could because they were not trademarked.

Now with films like World War Z (the zombies are not fast in the book), there are super powered zombies! Brooks mentioned how he was asked if he would write a survival guide for fast zombies and he said, “Yeah, it would be a [thin] pamphlet that says kiss your ass goodbye!”. When zombies can run like normal humans, it seems a little off. They are dead thus their bodies should not move the way they would if they were alive. Something about zombies being so inhuman is what makes them disturbing. The panel mentioned how the more human the zombies are, the less scary they seem because you could possibly reason with them (or at least think you can). The way zombies will just kill anything makes your death less special and, in turn, makes you unimportant. That realization is what makes them terrifying.

However, regardless of how crazy the zombies are, zombie movies/shows/games should have at least taught us it is really other people that you have to worry about. The drama amongst people is one of the main draws of the zombie story line. Steven Schlozman, M.D. mentioned how, “The zombies aren’t the danger, it’s us”. Schlozman M.D. also agreed that we can learn from zombie pop cultured “what NOT to do”.

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The panel as a whole believed zombies were here to stay, maybe they might drop back into the shadows a little but they will not disappear. Overall, it was a humorous discussion about societies fascination with these undead creatures and the pseudo-post apocalyptic world they inhabit.

IMAG3802editI was able to get a photo with Max Brooks after panel!  I happened to be cosplaying Supergirl that day ^_^

BTW, that is me as a zombie up at the top 😉

SDCC Roundup: Gam3rCon

by TinyNightmare

Kari wrote an article about what to expect for Gam3rcon a few weeks ago, which helped when I went to check it out.

I’ve been involved in Gam3rCon in one way or another for the past three years. It started off with an ill-fated rooftop party that involved getting hot tubs on the roof for a nerdcore show, but that story is for another time.

This year was a big year for Gam3rCon and there were many internal changes that could have easily brought the con to a halt, but instead the changes made for another great year. Due to their increasingly successful and busy lives, two founders of Gam3rcon, Walt Meyer and Brian Bielawski had made the decision last year to release some of the responsibility of the convention to a few new vice-chairs: Benja Johnson, William Morgan and Josh Stolze.

Co-Founder Walt Meyer Enjoying the Photo Booth

“I think they did great,” said Meyer. “There were glitches and dropped balls, of course, but it ran better and was far more successful than any previous Gam3rcon.”

As with years previous there were rooms dedicated to table top gaming, video games, theater, panels and the roof top with entertainment. Last year the main theater area was taken over by LanDiego with a huge console gaming set up and the 8-bit cubist art gallery on the second floor showcased gaming industry professionals’ fine art.

For rooftop entertainment Kirby’s Dream Band and Radioactive Chicken Heads were among the musical highlights while comedians AJ Salas, Ron Swallow and Andre from Black Nerd Comedy kept the con lighthearted and fun.

After working with Gam3rcon throughout the year I am always excited to stop by and see everything they are working on and to see them moving on up in the world.

I love seeing the convention grow. The past two years Gam3rcon has come in every month for the Nerdcore Nightmare showcase I host in San Diego. They set up their gaming station to promote Gam3rcon and when the convention comes around I host panels and have industry professionals come in to do presentations.

This year I gave a presentation on Nerdcore and was able to inform convention goers on the tenants of nerdcore, its history and how artists navigate the current state of the music industry.

Attendees also got to hear my favorite story of my prowess as a three-year-old Street Fighter champion in my house that started me on my path to nerd-dom. It was later pointed out to me that if I had kept with it, I may have been able to overtake Daigo Umehara today.

I’m sure by next year Gam3rcon will be able to overtake both myself and Daigo Umehara.

 

SDCC 2013: ‘Heroes’ Returns… In Comic Form!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: There have been rumours of a Heroes revival since before the show even aired its last episode. Each and every time word comes that Heroes will return in one form or another, fans are left with nothing but disappointment as nothing ever comes to light.

This time, it’s official. Heroes will have a fifth season in comic book form.

Dynamite Entertainment is bringing the franchise back to life; Cullen Bunn is set to write the book, which is currently without an artist (but it won’t be Tim Sale). Bunn is a newcomer to the Heroes comics, but as he was an avid fan of the show, I have faith that things should turn out pretty well.

In an interview with CBR, Bunn states:

“I was a faithful viewer of ‘Heroes’ when it was on television. The things that most appealed to me about this are that I like the world. I like the concept of ordinary people who discovery they have these powers and are working in a world where superheroes are not common knowledge. It’s all about normal people discovering this and the situations they get into. There are some aspects of that which are still out there to be discovered.

More than that, I really want to delve into these characters more,” the writer continued. “That was really the heart of the show. Sure, there were people with powers, but what really appealed to me was how they grew as characters. There’s a core group of characters that are mainly from the first season who I really like and we’ll be seeing in the book.”

Bunn went on to reveal that all of the series’ main characters would return and that, like the show, the comic would switch perspectives between issues.

With the way that season four ended, I’ve been itching for more Heroes for years. The series had its fair share of problems, but I’d jump on the opportunity to get back into this world. How do you feel about the announcement? Is Dynamite’s Heroes something for your pull list? Or will you ignore it like you did the later seasons? Sound out below!

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Source: CBR

SDCC 2013: Geekscape Goes To Legendary’s Godzilla Encounter!

by Derek Kraneveldt

The first full day of San Diego Comic Con 2013 is on in full force. As I’ve mentioned before, this is my first time in San Diego, and my first time at the convention… and it’s absolutely ridiculous. I’ve seen people and things that I could never even dream of, and have already been through an incredible experience that I’m still thinking about.

That experience, of course, was Legendary’s Godzilla Encounter. Shane, Jonathan, and I had an awesome opportunity to attend the experience yesterday, before it opened to the general public in the evening. The awesome folks at Legendary took us through the encounter just as fans would see it, before letting us back in for sushi, ramen, and photos.

Again, I’m from a small city in Canada, and I’ve never really seen anything in my entire life. Honestly, going through this experience may be one of the coolest events of my entire life (sad, I know).

Tickets for the encounter are very hard to come by at this point. Last I heard, online tickets were completely gone (though this may have changed as of this writing), and your only chance now is to ask the Legendary booth how to get your hands on them (3920, right next to us!), follow the company’s official twitter, and of course, hope that you’re very lucky.

Take a look at some photos from our experience at the Godzilla Encounter below, and let us know what you think of the offsite event. I’d recommend checking it out in full before looking at any of these pictures, as it will most definitely spoil things for you. Also, the most impressive portions of Encounter had a strict no camera rule, so if you want to see the really incredible moments, you’re going to have to find a ticket! Do it!

Outside the encounter:

I thought things were cool just on the outside of the building. Legendary did a fantastic job at converting a warehouse into a building that looked like it had just been attacked. There were signs around the entirety of the building warning onlookers about radiation, and of course, the king of monsters. Opening the Godzilla Encounter iOS or Android app at this point gave you a geiger counter registering off the charts, and a warning that touchdown was imminent.

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Inside the encounter:

Things really stepped up a level upon entering the building. The huge floorspace was divided into different sections and even featured a prop from the original 1950’s Godzilla film. Shindo’s Ramen bar featured actors preparing food and reading newspapers while not speaking to us in English. An awesome Godzilla centric comic-store featured an impressive wall of pages,and dozens of classic Godzilla toys, while a clothing store showcased a plethora of different fashion items.

All of the press members were having a fantastic time exploring the area, checking out all of the warning signs and awesome Godzilla history, when suddenly, an alarm went off. People in hazmat suits appeared seemingly out of nowhere and began yelling at all of us, stating that ‘something was coming’, and that we ‘needed to evacuate the area’. I won’t explain further, as again, I really want you to experience it for yourself, but what came next had Shane nearly shitting his pants, and I’m not joking.

Check out the photos from inside Legendary’s Godzilla Encounter below, and again (if you can), GO SEE IT! Click any ima

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Panorama of the seudo Godzilla comic shop.

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Jonathan eating sushi from the ramen bar.

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Each television played clips from different Godzilla films, and the TV’s were from the year each film released.

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Again, I really couldn’t believe that this was all taking place inside a building. It was an absolutely incredible experience, and I recommend it to everyone.

A sleek new poster for the film also debuted at the show tonight. Check it out below, and be sure to visit us at booth 3919, and Legendary at 3920!

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SDCC 2013: Konami Games Roundup

by Shane O'Hare

It’s the first official day of the best gathering of geeks all year. Derek, Juan, and I were invited up to the Konami Gaming Lounge at the Westin. We met up with Robert the ruff and grumble (and awesome) driver at noon today. Once inside the lounge, we were greeted by the team at Konami and shown the setup. We got our hands on the three games present: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, Pro Evo Soccer 2014 and the much anticipated (and just released) Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection.

Derek and I grabbed a beer and went upstairs to the MGS room, while Juan hit up Castlevania on the PS3. Metal Gear Collection certainly has all the MGS Games a fan would want: pretty much all of them. We sat down with some new friends and got the rundown. All the games but MGS 4 are on the same disk, with MGS 1 and the VR missions being PSN downloads. The collection also includes two digital graphic novels that were originally on the PSP, and have all updated with glorious motion graphics. The collection also includes an amazing 100-page art book that chronicles the history of MGS art.

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Metal Gear Solid Legacy Collection

After that we headed downstairs and caught up with Juan. He had been playing Castlevania and only had good things to say, so I then hopped on the PC version and played through the demo. The PC version looks a lot better than the PS3 version that was there. The edges were much sharper and it played much more smoothly. The game controls are very tight, it felt very DMC/ God of War but that isn’t a bad thing. The two set pieces we had available had awesome atmosphere and the mood was perfect.

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Blurry Castlevania 2 (sorry)

The last game we got our hands on was Pro Evo Soccer 2014. The game was far from done, with a late fall anticipated release date. The graphics weren’t yet complete, but the player models were great. The game physics were extremely fluid and everything felt very real. The juggling and crossovers were intuitive and it felt as if they added a lot of depth to this year’s edition of the game. The only weird thing was that when we were playing it, the players in the background were getting into fights or getting red carded all over the place. Nothing of our doing was causing these incidents. We would suddenly be presented with a replay of a bad kick to the face that occurred on practically the opposite side of the pitch. The funniest moment was when two of my team mates did synchronous bicycle kicks into the chest of one of Derek’s team all Mortal Kombat style.

The presence Konami has  at SDCC is very strong, their upcoming lineup is fantastic and everything we played was very enjoyable. Be sure to check them out on the floor right accross from the Geekscape booth row 3900!

The Wonderful 101 Ends and Begins at Comic-Con

by J.C. Marquez

On the eve of Comic-Con, I had an opportunity to visit the Nintendo Game Lounge to get my hands on the latest demo for Platinum Games’ first Wii U entry—The Wonderful 101. It was the fourth time I’ve played the game, going all the way back to last year’s E3 and PAX events, and again last month for E3 2013. What I played last night, however, will more than likely be the last demo of the game I’ll play before its official release next month, and how poetic it is that the last demo for The Wonderful 101 focuses on the beginning.

The demo opens up inside a monorail train where a humble blond-haired school teacher is taking his students out on a field trip. After a quick flashback, the peace inside the train is disrupted by a giant explosion. With kids screaming and panicking, the school teacher (that’s you) must gather all his kids and safely guide them to the back of the train–avoiding armored invaders in the process. Once the kids are safe, the teacher begins a Sailor Moon-esque transformation sequence in which he is revealed to be none other than Wonder Red–the game’s main protagonist and leader of The Wonderful 101!

Unlike other tedious and mundane game tutorials, Hideki Kamiya and his team have included more than enough humor to keep things fresh and entertaining. I don’t think I’ve ever smiled as much through the first five minutes of a video game as I did during the opening sequence to The Wonderful 101, especially when Wonder Blue makes his entrance in Tuxedo Mask fashion while an all-male chorus sings in the background.

Gamers who have any reservations or criticisms that the game is merely ‘Pikmin with masks’ can throw those criticisms out the window. Right from the very beginning of the demo, Kamiya’s humor and style is evident, as members of the Wonderful 101, who appear to be stuck in the air as the narrator gives a lengthy backstory, begin to cramp up and beg for the narrator to end his diatribe.. Each of the 100 heroes in the game come with their own unique power and players can switch leaders quickly and easily with the Wii U game pad.

Anyone attending the San Diego Comic Con should definitely stop by the Nintendo Game Lounge and give the demo a spin. With so much humorous dialogue and sight gags, seamless combat controls and detailed environments, The Wonderful 101 has the makings of an instant classic for the Wii U and a prosperous new IP for Nintendo.

The Wonderful 101 will be available at retail stores and the Nintendo eShop on September 13, 2013

EXCLUSIVE Fandom Planet 56: Tales of the Strongman and the flying Bogdonaves.

by SaxCarr

Tim, Sax, Robot Cowboy and new host and contributor Matt Key are joined by the legendary Jon Bogdanove (Death of Superman, Power Pack), his son Kal-El (Yes, really) as well as Chris Faiella and wife Judy Kurtz Bogdanove to discuss their new project, STRONGMAN, an independently published, creator owned project that YOU can be a part of. Taking place in the early 20th Century, STRONGMAN is the story of a “family of choice” of circus people who not only perform amazing feats under the Big Top, but also have amazing adventures outside the circus. Meet the cast of characters, find out why Tim, Sax and Matt can’t wait to read this book, and find out how YOU can be a part of it! This is a fun, lively interview. You’ll be glad you tuned in.

Check out the episode at the bottom of this update, but on the way down check out this POSTER!

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:10:34 — 32.3MB)

Geekscape Roundtable: What We’re Looking Forward To At SDCC – Panels!

by GeekscapeStaff

With San Diego Comic-Con just a few days away, everyone here at Geekscape is getting prepared for our biggest convention ever. As always, there will be more to see and do in San Diego this week than is humanly possible, so each of us has been scouring the schedules and deciding exactly what is most important to us while we’re there.

While deciding what we need to do and see, and what we’d be okay with missing, we thought that we’d include all of you in the fun as well. Here’s part three of our pre-SDCC round table, where we share the panels that we’re most looking forward to at San Diego Comic-Con.

Thursday

How to Get News Coverage for Small Press Publishers
What makes the difference between an item that will get news coverage, previews, or interviews, and what doesn’t? Many publishers have no idea what to submit to the press, how to submit it, and why they are being overlooked for coverage. Comic journalist Rik Offenberger (First Comics News, Archie Comics) moderates this panel on just what it takes to get coverage, with the comic journalists themselves telling you what they are looking for in your submission. Panelists include (in alphabetical order) Albert Ching (Newsarama), Glenn Hauman (Comic Mix), Holly Golightly (BroadSword Comics), Rich Johnston (Bleeding Cool), Alan Kistler (Comic Mix), Heidi MacDonald (The Beat), Chris Squires (Buckley Radio), Tanya Tate (First Comics News), Chris Thompson (First Comics News), J. C. Vaughn (The Scoop), Josh Waldrop (M1W Entertainment), and Bryan Young (Huffington Post, Big Shiny Robot). Find out what it takes to self-promote and make a significant impact on your ability to sell your comic.
Thursday July 18, 2013 10:30am – 11:30am
Room 8

Lame, we know. I (Derek) am always on the lookout for a new learning experience, and if that experience can help better Geekscape and the content it features, why wouldn’t I be in attendance?

Video Games to Movies: Is the Golden Age Upon Us?
11:00am – 12:00pm Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Join some of the top industry professionals as they discuss the challenges, opportunities and the future of what many are calling the next dominant supplier of franchise films to the studios: Video Game-based movies! Are we in for the long anticipated “Golden Age” of video game to movie adaptations? Expect surprises and a glimpse into what is on the horizon for some of the biggest video game characters/franchises as they begin their journey towards the silver screen! Panelists include Adrian Askarieh (Hitman, Agent 47), Tim Miller (Blur Studios, attached to direct Deadpool feature), Justin Marks (producer, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li), Patrick J O’Brien (VP of EA Entertainment, currently developing films based on Need for Speed, Dead Space, Mass Effect and Dante’s Inferno), C. Robert Cargill (Sinister, Dreams and Shadows, Queen of Dark Things, Deus X), and moderator Ben Fritz of The Wall Street Journal.

Our buddy, Adrian Askarieh was on the show a few weeks ago to talk video game movies and had a bit of insight on the direction that Hollywood is headed. If he’s half as knowledgeable on this panel as he was on Geekscape, this one is a must. Plus, you get to find out if that Deadpool movie is ever really going to happen!

Askeriah is also producing the upcoming 'Deus Ex' film.
Askarieh is also producing the upcoming ‘Deus Ex’ film.

Batman: Arkham Origins
Witness the next installment in the blockbuster videogame franchise. Developed by WB Games Montréal, Batman: Arkham Origins features an expanded Gotham City and introduces an original prequel storyline set several years before the events of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City. Taking place before the rise of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, the game showcases a young and unrefined Batman as he faces a defining moment in his early career as a crimefighter that sets his path to becoming the Dark Knight. As the story unfolds, players will meet many important characters for the first time and forge key relationships. Get the latest reveals from a panel headed by WB Games Montréal creative director Eric Holmes and actors Roger Craig Smith (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Troy Baker (The Last of Us, Bioshock Infinite), the voices of Batman and the Joker, respectively. Batman: Arkham Origins will be released worldwide on October 25.
Thursday July 18, 2013 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 6BCF

Considering we don’t know if this game is going to stand up to the previous two or by a shadow of the franchise’s former self, this panel may be a must for those of us who want answers… and we DO want answers! Next to GTAV, this is my most anticipated game left this year. I’ll be damned if I have to wait until October 25th to get my fix in!

Vertigo: Defy
Vertigo is ready to blow your mind with the next wave of trend-setting comics! From horror to mythic fiction to sci-fi and beyond, see what amazing new ideas are coming your way from the imprint that’s on a mission to defy all your expectations! With Mark Buckingham (Fables), Jeff Lemire (Trillium), Scott Snyder (American Vampire, The Wake), and others.
Thursday July 18, 2013 5:45pm – 6:45pm
Room 6DE

I’m a sucker for Syder and Lemire. Snyder’s The Wake is one of my favourite new miniseries, and I can’t wait to see what happens next! I own nearly all of Lemire’s books, and Trillium looks absolutely badass. I couldn’t possibly miss an opportunity to hear the two talking about their next projects!

Only one month to go until 'Trillium' finally hits shelves!
Only one month to go until ‘Trillium’ finally hits shelves!

Friday

ElfQuest: 35 Years of Pointed Ears
Wendy and Richard Pini (ElfQuest, Masque of the Red Death), Paula Rhodes and Stephanie Thorpe (ElfQuest-A Fan Imagining), and Rob Beschizza (managing editor at Boing Boing) celebrate three and a half decades of “the first American manga” and longest-running fantasy graphic novel series. Even if you’ve followed ElfQuest from the beginning, prepare to be surprised by what’s planned as the story builds to its most ambitious chapter yet, Final Quest. Plus, meet ElfQuest’s newest partners in the worlds of publishing, licensing, and even academia in a visual presentation followed by Q&A.
Friday July 19, 2013 6:30pm – 7:45pm
Room 8

I don’t know if I’ve used Geekscape as a forum for discussing my intense ElfQuest fandom before… but I’m a pretty intense ElfQuest fan. I have one panel that I’d like to attend on Friday and this is it! After accosting Stephanie Thorpe at a party 2 months ago and cross-examining her about the latest news on ElfQuest, I’ve had to wait for this panel to get my true answers! If you’re a wolf rider like I am, you’ll be there Friday night!

Saturday

A&E Bates Motel
The Bates Motel is open for business in San Diego! Executive producers Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights) will release new footage from the highly acclaimed A&E drama series Bates Motel exclusively for Comic Con attendees. The executive producers will be joined by the cast, including Academy Award nominee Vera Farmiga (Norma Bates), Freddie Highmore (Norman Bates), Max Thieriot (Dylan), Olivia Cooke (Emma), and Nestor Carbonell (Sheriff Alex Romero) to discuss the show’s unique backstory and creation. Fans will get an opportunity to hear more about season 2, debuting in 2014 on A&E, and will have a chance to ask the cast and creators questions during a Q&A. Moderated by Tim Stack from Entertainment Weekly.
Saturday July 20, 2013 10:00am – 11:00am
Room 6A

Want to know the one thing I didn’t love about the first season of Bates Motel? How damned short it was. Sure, there’s a season two in the works, but it won’t premiere until well (well) into 2014! To have a chance to see new footage, as well as hear directly from the creators and actors, is an opportunity that I do not want to miss!

Jay Glatfelter and Jack Glatfelter (Jay and Jack TV, The Married Man Show) and special guests get lost in TV talk. The co-hosts of the popular Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack discuss Lost three years after the airing of its finale, as well as other TV shows that have filled the void, such as Once Upon a Time, Person of Interest, Game of Thrones, Justified, and many more.
Saturday July 20, 2013 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Room 29A

Of course, my second most anticipated panel is LOST Podcast and Beyond. There are other bigger panels on my list, but in terms of actually being able to get into the likes of Hall H or Ballroom 20 without feeling guilty for missing other panels is a different story.

Behind the Scenes with Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead Game Series
Join Robert Kirkman (Creator of The Walking Dead comic series) and Telltale Game’s Dan Connors (Telltale Games, CEO) and Kevin Bruner (Telltale Games, President and CTO) as they discuss the inspiration behind developing the critically-acclaimed game series. Along with PlayStation’s Don Mesa (Director of Product Planning & Platform Software Innovation, SCEA), the team will walk fans through the origins of the game, reveal details on exciting new gameplay features exclusive to PlayStation Vita and include a little sneak peek on what’s to come for next chapter of The Walking Dead game series. A moderated by Greg Miller (Executive Editor, IGN).
Saturday July 20, 2013 4:00pm – 5:00pm
Room 23ABC

You know full well how much all of us at Geekscape love Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Having just finished the 400 Days DLC, we’re hungry for more. This panel is set to include what is bound to be a very exciting origin story about the series, as well as a sneak peek of season two? Yes please.

One of gaming's best characters, like, ever.
One of gaming’s best characters, like, ever.

Batman: The Animated Series Turns 21
Pop the champagne! The landmark television production Batman: The Animated Series turns 21 this year. Spend an hour with the creative core of this groundbreaking series — Bruce Timm, Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, and Eric Radomski — as they recollect the dynamics of crafting a series that would have a resounding influence on Dark Knight properties — and the entire animated television landscape — for two decades and counting. 
Saturday July 20, 2013 5:45pm – 6:45pm 
Room 6DE

Aside from the few video game panels I want to attend, (Arkham Origins, Splinter Cell: Blacklist), I’m incredibly excited for Batman: The Animated Series Turns 21. While the series is almost as old as I am, I’m tempted to show up to the panel with the handmade cape my mom gave me when I was three years old.

Lion Forge Comics Fall Lineup: Knight Rider, AirWolf, Saved by the Bell, Punky Brewster, Miami Vice, and more!
Some of your all-time favorite TV shows from the ’80s are coming to comics with Lion Forge! Joining the event will be creators Joe Philips (Doctor Who), Rick Burchett (Lady Saber), Carl Reed (Lion Forge), Lorenzo Lizana (Lion Forge), Brandon Easton (Thundercats), Joelle Sellner (Jackie Chan Adventures), Geoff Thorne (Leverage), Jonathan London (Geekscape), Shannon Denton (DC/WildStorm), Flex Alexander (Snakes on a Plane), David Gorden (Bulletproof Knights), and some surprise guests.
Saturday July 20, 2013 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Room 26AB

This is it, the panel in which we talk about our brand new Lion Forge comics! I’ll be on stage talking about Miami Vice with my editor Shannon Denton and the creative teams behind the rest of the great Lion Forge Fall Lineup, including recent Geekscape guest Brandon Easton! If you want the down low on the digital comics downloads, look no further than this panel! We might even give away some free stuff!

The future of comics? We think so.
The future of comics? We think so.

Well, that’s it! I’m sure we’ll be slipping into other panels as the days go by, but everything you see above is definitely worth waiting in line for. We’re all getting unbelievably excited for the convention, and can’t wait to see you all there!

Don’t forget to visit Geekscape all throughout the week at booth #3919!

SDCC 2013: ‘Godzilla’ Director Gareth Edwards Teases Something Big!

by Derek Kraneveldt

We’re busy gearing up for SDCC later this week, and apparently, so is Legendary’s Godzilla.

Director Gareth Edwards has released a special pre-convention message for fans eager to get their first taste of the film. The quick video reveals little of what to expect, but does reveal a viral-marketing link at godzillaencounter.com, which features an ever-expanding story of a mysterious anomaly approaching the California coast.

Take a look at Gareth’s message below, and let us know what you’re hoping to see this week! Coming to Comic Con? Be sure to visit Geekscape at booth 3919!

Geekscape 297: The 2013 San Diego Comic Con Preview Episode!

by Jonathan

The 2013 San Diego Comic Con is right around the corner! We’re old veterans here at Geekscape, but that doesn’t mean we’re any less excited when Comic Con rolls around each year! To help us prep, 20 year SDCC veteran Matt Raub is in the studio breaking down the Must Dos and Must Avoids, as well as sharing some of his greatest, and worst, Comic Con memories! Also joining us is Nick Gregorio, longtime Geekscape friend but first time Comic Con attendee! Plus! Sci Fi master Marc Zicree calls in to give us an update on Space Command and give some great Comic Con advice and author Marcus Sakey calls in to geek out with us, talk about his new book ‘Brilliance’ and discuss his insane job hosting The Travel Channel’s ‘Hidden City’! See you in San Diego!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:31:09 — 36.6MB)

Geekscape Roundtable: What We’re Looking Forward To At SDCC – Exclusives, Art, Products, Etc!

by GeekscapeStaff

With San Diego Comic-Con less than one week away, everyone here at Geekscape is getting prepared for our biggest convention ever. As always, there will be more to see, do, and buy in San Diego next week than is humanly possible, so each of us has been scouring the schedules, products, and exclusives lists and deciding exactly what is most important to us while we’re there.

While deciding what we need to buy, and what we’d be okay without, we thought that we’d include all of you in the fun as well. Here’s part two of our pre-SDCC round table, where we share what we’re most looking forward to at San Diego Comic-Con. Today, we’re talking exclusives, art, products, and more!

Shane O’Hare

Part 2 baby! The list of my most looked forward to exclusives and artists is pretty damn diverse. Of course it goes wuthout saying The Aquabats and the Mega64 Boyz are first on my list. The ‘bats have their concert going on the FIRST night, so it will be a HUGE start to the weekend. Then the Mega64 crew has their booth, you can expect me to drop some cash night one there. The author of the amazing looking The Fifth Beatle graphic novel, Vivek Tiwary will be there alongside the two incredible artists, Andrew Robinson and Kyle Baker. I cannot wait to interview these guys, AND get my hands on the book!

Key art for 'The Fifth Beatle'
Key art for ‘The Fifth Beatle’

The SWAG I want is the SWAG I get. The super cute My Little Pony exclusives are a must for me. A tradition I’ve had the last few times is hittin up the Mr. Toast booth and grabbing their con exclusive. This year it’s ZOMBIE BACON!. And I GUESS I’ll grab the Blizzard Zergling plush for a friend. Let’s not forget about Bandai’s exclusive Power Rangers Gold Legacy Morpher, that thing just looks INCREDIBLE. I got my eyes out for any cool and exciting hats or helmets to add to my collection!

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Jake Lopez

I’m not much of a collector, so when I buy something at Comic-Con, it’s usually something I’ll keep. This year will be no different. My first order of business will be to secure this classic Batmobile, which is priced at $60:

Photographer Dennis Stylist Alfonse

In any case, Entertainment Earth is usually my first stop. I may snag a Walking Dead exclusive while I’m there. I also have my eye on the Yes Anime booth; they’ll have some Superman and Batman figurines that are sure to attract attention.

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Have a look for yourself, and maybe you’ll see something you want!

As for vendors, I will be visiting the RoosterTeeth and Penny Arcade booth. Nothing but good experiences there and they always have something great for sale! And don’t forget to ask them to sign, they’re typically happy to!

Derek Kraneveldt

As I noted in Tuesday’s piece, this year’s SDCC is pretty much my first convention. I hear that it’s expensive, and that you essentially always spend more than you’re anticipating, which is a little bit terrifying (but if I get cool stuff out of it, it’ll be hard to be disappointed).

I’ve scoured through the entire list of exclusives on the official site, and I think that I’ll do pretty well. There was very little that stood out at me as I NEED THIS, which is likely only because I’m not looking forward to paying everything off when I get home.

In any case, here are the products that I’m most looking forward to picking up at Comic-Con:

PVZSDCC CVR600

The Plants vs. Zombies comic is set to be digital only for some time, but the first chunk will be available at Comic-Con. I’m a huge PvZ fan, and for a measly $2.00, this one will be hard to pass up. I’m hoping to score an interview with writer Paul Tobin as well, and figure out just how he turned a silly, tower defence game into an enthralling comic book.

SKI_SDCC2013_Exclusive

The Squid Kids Ink 10-Doh! figure looks super cool, and that’s the only reason I want it. For $20, it would look pretty cool sitting on my desk.

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My girlfriend’s birthday is coming up (in fact, I’ll be missing it while I’m in San Diego), so maybe this cool exclusive Lady Rainicorn + Puppies set will partially make up for it?

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Artist Ash Thorpe has two awesome Pacific Rim prints up for grabs. Framing them and mounting them both on my wall will surely make me more popular, right?

Aside from that, I’ll probably have a hard time not buying things once I’m there in person. This is definitely my list of must-haves however! I’m also on the lookout for Gary Frank, as my father has sent me on a quest to obtain a sketch from the venerable artist.

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That’s it for today! Look for part three in the series on Saturday!

Readers, are you headed to the convention? What are you most looking forward to?

A San Diegan’s Guide To SDCC

by TinyNightmare

San Diego Comic-Con is a week away, and all of us OG Gamers and nerds will be using our well-honed gaming strategy and critical path-building skills to plan which panels they want to see, which celebrities they hope to meet and how they’re going to handle the 8-hour-long lines.

Being from San Diego I am lucky I have somewhere to stay ( and no, you cannot crash on my couch – sorry).

However, if you know anything about SDCC, whether  you are a local or not, you know the weekend is going to be expensive. Well-aware of the popularity of the event, hotels have increased their prices to match the demand, and many rooms are renting for over $400 a night! CRAY-Cray!

Your wallet after SDCC.
Your wallet after SDCC.

Airline algorithms have also noticed the increased traffic to San Diego in late July and are charging around $200 extra dollars per seat. If you haven’t already organized your travel and lodging, be prepared to spend even more; nearly all the hotels in San Diego are booked, and services like AirBed and Breakfast are charging $800 per night for local couchsurfers. Although there are couchsurfing websites you may be able to look into – it’s better than the convention floor! Besides, San Diegans have a reputation for being nice, so I’m almost 75% sure you won’t get brutally murdered.

After all that money getting here, you’ll need to eat. SDCC is right in the middle of Gaslamp Historical District, and honestly SDCC is the ONLY time this place is cool. Its overrun by nerds during SDCC instead the usual drunken jock crowd that tend to congregate here.

Since it is SDCC, and the only time of the year this part of town is absolutely awesome, you will want to check out the awesome events going on outside the convention hall (a local put a list together on Facebook) and buy a few things in the 460,000-square-foot Exhibit Hall and . (We’ve already written about the toys we want, like the exclusive Adventure Time puppies or the Transformers Masterpiece Soundwave.)

Imagine you are a San Diegan, because rent will still be due on the first of the month. Here are a few tips to enjoy the weekend without breaking your budget:

credit-cards

Don’t put anything on a high-interest credit card

Seriously, I live in San Diego and it is expensive! That one time you splurge on a $20 burger, or an $8 slice of pizza, trust me it isn’t a splurge. That’s how much it costs here, especially Gaslamp. We’re nerds, we can do math. There’s still time to search for a new credit card with a 0 percent interest rate. Start with the best cards from NerdWallet and make sure your $800 AirBed and Breakfast room isn’t going on a card that charges 20% interest!

800px-Refresh_005

Don’t buy food anywhere you have to sit down

I live in San Diego, so maybe I’m just biased but, you’ll have plenty of time for sitting when you’re waiting overnight for NBC’s Community Panel (Sunday, Hall H, hosted by Chris Hardwick). Instead, save on cash by eating only from places where you have to stand up: convenience stores and even those pretzels they sell in the convention center lobby.

If you really want to plan ahead, fill your backpack with delicious foodstuffs like granola bars and fruit; that’ll save you from a mid-afternoon snack attack where the only thing you can afford to eat comes with its own packet of orange nacho cheese (which is never actually cheese!).

But if you really want good food, go outside of downtown. Check out “restaurant row” on 30th street in North Park. It’s a $15 cab ride and well worth it if you need a break from the hustle and bustle.

limes_guy

Don’t buy anything you can’t carry

It’s way too easy to run through the Exhibit Hall like a katamari on Red Bull, grabbing everything that looks shiny until you have action figures spilling out of your arms. Because I have somewhere to go every night, I avoid those big bags like the plague or trust me – I WILL FILL IT. I’m a girl, its what we do. So I only hold on to what I can carry in my arms. If it isn’t worth carrying in my arms all day or immediately taking it back home (in your case your hotel room), then I probably don’t need it. When you run out of toys you can hold in your arms or pack into your Thinkgeek Bag of Holding, you’re done.

money

Don’t get defeated by money-sucking minibosses

Most of us are still Level 1 Financial Ninjas. We’re slowly making our way through the Financial Timeline of Adulthood but can still easily get tripped up by something stronger than we are, like an original animation cell from Spirited Away or a night spent drinking overpriced cocktails just because you heard that Joss Whedon was going to show up at the bar. (Pro tip: he’s not, unless its our Nerf Herder show – we hope.)

Last tip: whenever you feel like buying something, go sit in a line for a panel instead. It’ll take up a few hours, you’ll make new friends and you won’t be able to spend a single cent until the panel’s over.

How are you planning to spend your Comic-Con? Let us know in the comments – and don’t forget to visit the Geekscape crew at Booth 3919 in the Exhibit Hall and at Comic Con Nerdathon!

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Geekscape Interviews: Catching Up With Kyle Stevens of Kirby Krackle

by TinyNightmare

Every year I put together a Comic Con show that brings together best and brightest of the nerd realm. I like to call it a Nerd-a-Thon and this year I’ve tricked Geekscape.net into being my partner in crime. MUAHAHAHA!

We’ve put together an amazing two-day line up complete with Geek Rock and Nerdcore hip hop and of course the lovely ladies of Devil’s Playground Burlesque. It just so happens that one of these uber-talented Geek Rock bands that will be playing are my friends, Kirby Krackle. I recently caught up with Kyle Stevens, the front-man of Kirby Krackle to fire a ridiculous amount of questions his way.

TN:  You’ve performed at many comic-cons and your partner Jim was a founder of the Emerald City Comic-Con – When did you first attend SDCC, and which Comic-Con (in any city) has been most memorable for you and why?

KS: Our first album (Kirby Krackle) came out in January of 2009 and being new to touring the comic con circuit, we knew we had to go big and make an appearance that year whether we’d even make a dent there or not as a new band. In retrospect, it was a smart thing to do because from the very beginning we set ourselves up as a booth that invited fans and con-goers to take a break from the madness and found they were more than happy to take a second to put on the earphones and take a listen to what we do; the organized sound in power-pop rock form of everything they were experiencing walking around the con.

TN: There has been a lot of news about events and announcements at SDCC this year – which are you most looking forward to?

KS: Truth be told, I’m just catching up on all the news as we speak! We’ve been so in the trenches with getting our new album out and the tour that it’s been my entire world for the past four months. Besides looking forward to rocking the Merrow with Nerfherder and H2Awesome, I’m really looking forward to the special SDCC W00t stout that was brewed up by Wil Wheaton and Stone Brewing Company for the event. Being a huge fan of the San Diego craft-beer scene I know I’m going to need to track some of that goodness down!

TN: I will definitely have to bring you around the San Diego beer scene. Okay, next question: Who are your comic book heroes?

KS: I’m a big Wolverine fan from back in the day; I was raised on a steady diet of Jim Lee 90’s X-MEN and so that will always be my jam in my heart. I’m a big Marvel guy, as well as much of what Image puts out. What a great time it is to be a fan of comics, and great comics at that.

TN: They’re coming out with a new Wolverine! Which comic to film/TV adaptation has been your favorite so far?

KS: TV and film offerings these past few years have been completely insane. We’re living in the golden times of geek franchises coming to the screen and we’re all so spoiled that we don’t even know it! The Walking Dead is something I can’t get enough of, and the way Game Of Thrones has taken over pop-culture is simply amazing. People can’t get enough, and I always hope new fans of these shows give a moment to take a look at comics and what they have to offer their life.

TN: You have been creating music for many years – How did you come to making “Geek – Rock” ?

KS: Long story short, it was simply a wanting to create something that wasn’t there. It was scary to do since it hadn’t really been done the way we choose to go about it; emotionalizing all of our favorite characters and finding the human element to put into song. Lucky for us, people thought it worked and we’ve been pounding the pavement ever since. Our new album, “Sounds Like You” (out July 9th) is another extension of that; geek lifestyle colliding with pop-culture observances for another 13-song offering to ear-holes everywhere.

TN: So, who are your musical influences?

KS: I try to tap into everything as an influence and see what sends my brain towards a new angle or melody, but my heart-on-my-sleeve influences are Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Indigo Girls, Shawn Colvin, Counting Crows, Matthew Sweet, and ALL 90’s R&B. No joke, those are some of the best jams I’ve ever heard still.

TN: I know every musician has a different songwriting process – how would you describe yours?

KS: Ha! I’m always trying to figure out what my process is, and them moment I think I’ve got it then it changes. It likes to mess with me! Truthfully, many of the new songs were came to me in the shower. I do a lot of thinking there, to the point where my water bill reflects that. How eco-conscious of me, right? Yikes. I mostly start with a melody line and then figure out the guitar part. Sometimes it’s the reverse of that, but nothing never makes the cut if I’m not humming it subconsciously later in the day. It needs to have a hook that I care about. If I don’t care about it, how can anyone else? I’m in the business of creating songs that are fun and catchy / something you’d like to play for some friends in the car. That’s the goal.

TN: I remember you mentioning before that Jim is your other half when it comes to music. How would you describe your’s and Jim’s working relationship?

KS: Jim and I sit down and come up with the ideas together and what makes us laugh, and then I go off and make them (hopefully) sound good in song form. Once I feel it’s in some sort of state to become something cool, I bring it to the band and they rock my face. It’s a great way to do things and it’s worked for us this long that it’s kinda second nature now.

TN: You mentioned Kirby Krackle’s new album is being released on July 9, just before Comic Con Nerd-a-Thon, Are you excited to perform the songs from the new album? Which is your favorite?

KS: I’M SO EXCITED TO PLAY THE NEW SONGS ON TOUR! Can you tell? The songs on the new album were specifically designed to be performed live and get the crowd singing along which is one of the best things to me about playing live. I never take it for granted and always strive to create new tunes that folks will want to yell back at me. That said, our new song “Grandma’s House” is tons of fun and the few times we’ve played it live so far it’s been such a great vibe from the audience. Another song, the Game Of Thrones influenced “North Of The Wall” is the heaviest song we’ve recorded to date. Haven’t played that one live yet, but I’m dying to see how the crowd screams the chorus back at us.

TN: Nerd-a-Thon will be the third stop on your west coast tour with H2Awesome to promote your new album – When did you first meet the guys from H2Awesome and how did their appearance as your openers come about?

KS: We’ve known those guys for about four years now. We’ve had them at KRACKLEFEST, our annual show ECCC weekend in Seattle a few years ago and they’ve had us out to NYC as well. They’re tons of fun on stage and off, and I’m excited for the West Coast to finally be able to experience them.

TN: Do you have anything special planned for the Nerd-A-Thon?

KS: We’ve got some fun experimental performance things to try out…something to get the vibe fun and crazy. We’ll see what happens!

TN: Are you excited to be performing with Nerf Herder and the girls from Devil’s Playground Burlesque?

KS: I was so psyced to hear we’d be perfomring with Nerf Herder! Let’s be honest though, everyone will be waiting patiently for us to get off the stage so the ladies can get up there. We understand how this works…

TN: Ha! That very well may be true, but I am sure you will provide some great interim entertainment. Through the grapevine, or should I say hops vine we’ve heard you are embarking on a new business chapter in your life – care to share?

KS: Totally! Not only am I a fan of the San Diego craft-beer scene, but I’ve also been a homebrewer for years getting ready to go pro and open my brewery this year in Shoreline, Wa. It’s called Charging Hippo Brewing Co. (www.charinghippobrewing.com), and it’s very exciting / fun / scary as hell, all at once.
The nano-brewery movement in the states and across the world is exploding and I’m excited to be a part of it. I’ve spent the past few months narrowing down my first offerings, and most of my stuff is very hoppy and made with a lot of love. Small batches is what we’re talking…I’m not looking to take over the world because I’ve got the band trying to do more and more, but we’ll hopefully make a dent in an area of North Seattle that really needs a brewery to call their own. As you might be able to guess, this year is pretty crazy so far.

TN: What is the geekiest thing you do when no one is around (be honest, we won’t tell anyone … in person)?

KS: Um…I’ve been trying to trigger my mutant powers since my first issue of Uncanny X-MEN at age 9 and thus far it’s not working. What am I doing wrong? I’ll keep trying though.

Kirby Krackle’s new album, ‘Sounds Like You’, released earlier today, and is definitely worth checking out (here). Again, Kirby Krackle is performing on night 1 (July 20th) of the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon, and it’s going to be incredible. Look for more interviews in the coming days, and don’t forget to pick up your tickets to the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon! They’re selling out fast, so grab them here while you still can!

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Geekscape Roundtable: What We’re Looking Forward To At SDCC – General Experience, Memories, And Events!

by GeekscapeStaff

With San Diego Comic-Con just one week away, everyone here at Geekscape is getting prepared for our biggest convention ever. As always, there will be more to see and do in San Diego next week than is humanly possible, so each of us has been scouring the schedules and deciding exactly what is most important to us while we’re there.

While deciding what we need to do and see, and what we’d be okay with missing, we thought that we’d include all of you in the fun as well. Here’s part one of our pre-SDCC round table, where we share what we’re most looking forward to at San Diego Comic-Con. Today, we’re talking the general experience, memories, and coolest events.

Jonathan London

Easily my most anticipated thing about San Diego Comic Con each year is the Geekscapists. Yes, seeing all of the cool announcements and discovering new things to love on the show floor or on the streets of the Gaslamp District are great, but nothing makes the San Diego experience more rewarding than seeing old Geekscapists and meeting new ones. It’s insane to think that this will be our sixth Comic Con since starting Geekscape, and every year we make new friends and see old ones that we don’t get to see any other time of the year. At least a few times at each Comic Con, I’ll have someone come up to the booth and introduce themselves as a long time fan of the show or the site and it’ll make everything we do hear seem so that much more worth it. And the silent Geekscapists are everywhere, even in our seventh year! Heck, I didn’t even know Derek Kraneveldt EXISTED until a few months ago and he’s been a supporter since the Geekdrome days!

I always look forward to spreading the Geekscape name and making new friends. This year, we’re sharing our booth with the folks at Lion Forge comics and getting people hyped about their upcoming comic books, of which I’m writing one. We’ll also be doing some promotion for the upcoming Geekscape co-produced ‘Doc of the Dead’ and revealing the ridiculous first footage from our new project ‘Paul London: Hero of the Prophecy’! I only wish that Paul could be there to see it (but he’ll be off on another wrestling adventure)! Plus, we’ve got our two sponsored back-to-back Nerdtacular concert series, which will know doubt cement Geekscape into the hearts and minds of a fresh new batch of Geekscapists!

Oh, and I get to meet Derek Kraneveldt in person too… I’m excited for that because I’m not sure he exists. Hell, I’m still not sure Shane is real. And was Matt Kelly EVER real…?

Shane O’Hare

This is my 9th SDCC. I’ve been going since 2004, starting out as a lowly nerd who strolled up to the convention center and bought a 4 day kid’s pass to the “reporter” I am now. Comic Con will ALWAYS be the highlight of my summer. Forever the memories are ingrained of the random rave that kicked up while watching the masquerade performance and getting drunk and ending up at the wrong hotel on the otherside of town.  This being my first event as Press, the doors have opened up. The events and interviews are going to be crazy. Aquabats, My Little Pony, Power Rangers, The World’s End, Evil Dead and more. I cannot comprehend the how fun it is going to be to really work the Con. The Geekscape Co Sponsored event Nerd-A-Thon is also going to be amazing. I cannot wait!

Jake Lopez

Between my family members and I, the San Diego International Comic-Con is treated as a week long holiday. The joy and excitement this event brings simply cannot be measured.

I was 18 when I went to my first Comic-Con. As with every other first-timer, I unknowingly stepped into a huge culture shock. I’m sure I did not walk the entire floor my first day, or even my second day. That year also saw my first real interview with some of the minds behind the Halo universe, an interview you can still find today somewhere on the internets. I was young, excited, and amazed at what exactly I was experiencing there at Comic-Con. And that’s the thing, year in and year out, those feelings never change. You’ll always feel young when walking the floor (I mean that figuratively, not physically).

The next year at the Con, I witnessed the last panel for LOST, a panel that ended with Somewhere Over the Rainbow playing over the loudspeakers immediately after Damon Lindelof told the crowd of 5,000 strong that he’d “see us some other time.” This memory belongs to me, but is shared with thousands others that will all recite it with just as much enthusiasm and excitement as if it happened ten minutes ago.

Yes, I am one of the newcomers to the Con and no, I don’t remember what it was like before the big Hollywood studios came over to promote their lineups. It doesn’t make me sad. While I believe there are some unwarranted panels, it doesn’t exactly hinder the experience for me. If the Con didn’t begin to encapsulate more than comic books, we wouldn’t have the full world in which our people reside in. Geeks don’t love JUST comic books. We love video games, movies, television, anime, cosplaying, partying, AND comics. Comic-Con is expanding, and with each new year, and each new expansion, the event grows. The memories become more plentiful. You’ll meet more people, and above all, you have more fun.

My past experiences at the Con have made this convention the end all be all to the greatest gathering of media in the world, and it will be treated as such when I arrive in San Diego next week. Hope to see you there!

Derek Kraneveldt

Sadly, I’ve only been to one convention in my entire life: Emerald City Comic Con way back when I was a youngin. With that said, despite reading all of the SDCC tips and watching all of the SDCC videos across the entire internet, I still feel as though I have no idea what to expect. And I couldn’t be more excited.

I can barely imagine an event with that many attendees. Hell, more people go to Comic Con than live in the city I reside in. It’s perplexing to even think about!

I’m excited for everything. Checking out panels, scoring interviews, being fed by game companies while playing games that aren’t even out yet, covering things that would be impossible to cover from home. It all sounds like a blast, and it sounds like so much fun that it couldn’t possibly be real. What I’m most excited for, however, is clear: meeting the rest of the Geekscape team. That’s right, I’ve been working with these people for nearly a year, speaking with them constantly, some of them daily… and I’ve never met a single one of them! I’m beyond excited for that to change.

Aside from that, I’m excited for the future of Geekscape! With announcements coming from Doc of the Dead and Lion Forge Comics, It’s simply enthralling to be a part of this team.

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That’s it for today! Look for part two in the series on Thursday!

Readers, are you headed to the convention? What are you most looking forward to?

SDCC 2013: A Veteran’s Tips For Navigating The Convention, Plus Some Choice Panels!

by AllieHanley

San Diego Comic Con has been around for many years, but for me the geek exodus began in 2007. That first year was a blur; I can hardly recall what I  saw or what I did. However, with each year that I’ve added to my belt, the experience of navigating the vast crowds, the convention floor and the Hall H line have become a way of life. The plan, -or lack of, because trying to plan every detail of the third largest convention in the world is tough. The reality is, for newbies, just go with the flow and try to pick a few things. For me that means a heavy investment of time in Hall H.

Last year I wrote a piece about the Comic Con experience, Press vs. Fan. I came up with the conclusion that I would rather forego the press tables (mostly happening at The Hilton next door) and focus on the fan experience, so with that in mind here’s a few panels I’m looking forward to, as well as some general tips.

Preview Night (Wednesday). The truth is… preview night is a nightmare. People go nuts. Either you have a plan and a mission (trying to buy an exclusive toy and score an exclusive giveaway) or you just let the crowd push you and pretend you are a leaf floating down a raging river. My crew have a mission. We divide and conquer with runs to Mattel, Dark Horse, and more. <If I tell you any more, I’d have to kill you> For an easier go of it – check out the TV pilots screening up in Ball Room 20.

Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television proudly continue their annual Preview Night tradition, with exclusive world premiere screenings of the pilot episodes of three of the most highly anticipated TV series of the 2013-14 television season-Almost Human, The Tomorrow People, and The 100-as well as an encore presentation of the pilot episode of The Vampire Diaries spinoff series, The Originals, all in Ballroom 20.

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Thursday: In recent years, Thursday has been the day that Con officials slated as the day to get the “Twilight” movie stuff over. This created some really happy campers, and some pissed-off ones. The unhappy ones complained that the “Twi-hards” had bought all the convention tickets and were making the convention even more crowded. The reality, the con is just massively popular. Anyway, this year there is no Twilight and  so what did the officials plan this year in its place….what mega blockbuster will we be lining up the night before to sneak peek? ….NOTHING. I had been banking on having some sort of -get it over- blockbuster – lets-kick-things-off Hall H panel but this year the opening panels include:

Ron Diamond (program curator, president of Acme Filmworks and AWN.com) presents the best and newest in international animation. Included is Disney’s Oscar winning Paperman along with 10 animated shorts culled from the most notable festivals from around the world. Shows annually at Pixar, Dreamworks, Disney, ILM, Blue Sky, Sony, EA, UCLA, SVA, USC, SCAD, NYU, RISD, Harvard and CalArts.

Thursday July 18, 2013 11:50am – 12:50pm

Early AM Best Bet – Check out hottie Josh Hollaway from Lost – and the panel the features his new TV show “Intelligence” – As a matter of fact – Ball Room 20 has the coolest big bang – for your back all day Thursday.

Afternoon: However, it may be worth the fight – OR NOT – of heading back over the Hall H after lunch – getting in line – and trying to get in for Ender’s Game and Divergent. Harrison Ford will be on deck as well as that awesome young actor from True Grit, Hailee Steinfeld, as well as Abagail Breslin. Ender’s Game pictured below.

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In recent years I’ve seen a lot of cool celebs on Friday. At times, my entire crew has defected to the convention floor and smaller -but noteworthy- panels while I’ve stuck it out in Hall H. It’s a tough call because you want to see all the stuff, but then there’s that actor or director that comes out and makes it all worth it. In recent years I’ve seen Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson on the same panel… followed by Francis Ford Coppola (even had a chance to tell him that I liked his wine! …and I was standing 10 feet from Val Kilmer for about 20 minutes and didn’t even recognize him!)

Friday: I’ll definitely be in the front of Hall H (foregoing my round table experience at the Hilton) to see Simon Pegg and Nick Frost discuss The World’s End. No, it’s not another Pirates movie – it’s a comedy starting at 10 AM.

12:15 – Kick-Ass 2 and Riddick – First off. Loved Kick-Ass. Loved the panel for it a few years ago at SDCC and I can’t wait for it this year, but I will miss Nic Cage but even better is VIN DIESEL and the chic from Battlestar Galactica and the small but cancelled show Bionic Woman – Starbuck herself – Katie Sackoff. Ok, back to Vin Diesel. The epitomy of cool will be talking Riddick. As a fan of both movies, and the cartoon, I’m definitely down. The director David Twohy will be in attendance as well.

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Other panels that day include The Walking Dead, which should be ok. I attended last year in the same slot. Next up is Game of Thrones, – saw it last year – same slot. Then Sony Pictures will show off their new stuff, including The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones – which to me looks pretty good (writers note – I am a young adult writer… so a film like this appeals to me but I know most of my geek friends cringe at the thought!).

However… hang in there because Sony will be showing off ROBOCOP! Loved it as a kid. Loved Peter Weller… loved the whole thing, can’t wait for the reboot. Samuel L. Jackson will be in effect… WILL HE or WON’T He – drop the “F-Bomb”???? I Hope he does!!!

They will also be showing The Amazing Spider-Man 2… – ugh. I know they were losing the rights to remake it – but DAMN, couldn’t we just have had a few more years without it?  Cast appearance has not been announced but last year Andrew Garfield showed up in the audience wearing a low-budget spidey costume… and then pretended to be a fan and ask a dumb question. It went over well, and I loved it – but later in the elevator at The Hilton – his press rep (or whomever represents him) was going off about how “F’-ing this” and “F-ing” that went, and causing a commotion in the elevator with everyone listening to his tirade on the phone all the while my ten year old niece stood there silently with huge eyes… shocked at the profanity rolling out of this guys mouth. Oh wait, that was 2 years ago! These things just roll together somehow after a few years.

Now for the biggee of the day!!! METALICA !!! yes, you read it right. The headbangers from back in the day are hosting a panel for their new 3D / IMAX  movie Through the Never.  All four band members will be in effect.

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Saturday: Only a few die-hards like myself will be making it in to the famed Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures line-up.

I can’t wait to see what a year has added to Godzilla. Last year’s tease – literally BLEW MY SOCKS off! Actually, the entire Saturday program last year blew my pants off! The insanity of Will Farrell and Zack G showing up unannounced, The Hobbit, with it’s HUGE triple wide screens, as well as Geekscape friend Travis Beacham’s Pacific Rim just utterly made the convention for me last year.

Besides Godzilla, we are looking at Seventh Son (fantasy adventure – one of my favorite genres!) with Jeff Bridges (will he be in person – not sure) and Julianne Moore…. as well as cutie from Game Of Thrones – Kit Harrintgon (Jon Snow) and the very sexy Djimon Hounsou.

Followed by 300: Rise of an Empire which stars of course – “Women who KICK ASS” Lena Heady (one of my favorite lady actors right now).

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Gravity: Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney (highly doubtful they will be showing up and it’s not noted they are scheduled) however… I remember a few years back when Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie showed up for The Tourist. (or was it… her that showed up for Salt?) Anyway, you never know. If they say there are coming – then the already popular – INSANE day in HALL H would just be R I D I C U LO U S with fans!

Lego Movie – I have nothing interesting to say about this title except Will Farrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman. If any one of them shows up (which I’m sure at least one will) then we are money! None are officially on the schedule… but a little birdie tells me we will be seeing at least one of them. BTW: I once rode a ski lift in Canada with Liam Neeson… nice guy and big!

I know you think this is just awesome but the day is just getting started…

Lionsgate will be showing off I, Frankenstein.  with Aaron Eckhart (Two-Face himself!). Can’t wait. The original “Frankenstein” story has so much heart and can still be molded into a story that has meaning today. Can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with.

And then also The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (the best book in the series – hands down). Will the cast be in attendance? Not sure. It’s not listed… c’mon Lionsgate – at least give us an exclusive souvenir or t-shirt!

Last year's 'Women Who Kick Ass' panel.
Last year’s ‘Women Who Kick Ass’ panel.

A L L I E ‘S    T O P    PICK – W O M E N   W H O   K I C K A S S

Fierce, fearless and flat-out fantastic, these female actors have left fans breathless. Michelle Rodriguez (Fast and Furious franchise), Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany, Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead), and others open up about the power and privilege of playing women who redefine the rules and refuse to yield.

Incidentally – my wish list actress for this panel would be Sigourney Weaver… however I did see her a few years a go for the “Paul” panel and I loved her! She is ultimate “Kick Ass” actress for me. It would be hard to beat Aliens 2 and Sigourney’s role in it (as well as all the Aliens movies).

20th Century Fox – hasn’t announced their line-up officially on the schedule. but they have blocked 4:14 – 5:45.

6:00 – 7:00 Thor: Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier – “Many surprise guests” listed as who will be in effect.

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7:15 After that panel Kevin Smith takes over fielding questions about Clerks 3 and other stuff. I will probably bag out for this.

Sunday: is kids day at the con. Thank God, they outlawed strollers on the convention floor this year. I have been run over, run down, and banged up by those things the past few years and people with their small kids are just out of control on the convention floor. It’s crowded but do you have to use your kid as a ram!? The floor will be packed with lots of kid friendly giveways but other booths will be getting the frantic pass it out – or haul it out – souvenir giveaways. All three days previously they’ve been on reserve…. having to make all the frebbies last…. Sunday is a free for all. Especially around 1 PM. It’s not guaranteed that you will score some uber cool stuff, but instead of giving you 1 item – they will suddenly be giving you several.

Best Bet – Summit and Lionsgate give out the coolest stuff. They change it up every hour, so keep going. Also, it’s a great day to get autographs (free ones) on the floor. Not in the mood for an autograph – just walk by. Tons of TV celebs will be posted every hour, at different booth signing and meeting fans. Just be prepared for families that create walls that block you from walking around. Imagine that irritating RV driving down the 101, and no lanes to pass – FOR MILES! That’s the convention floor on Sunday. The good and the bad of it. Sunday has always been a day that I have nabbed a lot of swag. Go for it.

Be sure to let me know about your experience on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/allie.hanley.5  or follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/KaBoomSeattle! You can also meet me in person camping out in the Hall H line – Friday night!

Geekscape Interviews: ‘Wordburglar’

by Derek Kraneveldt

San Diego Comic-Con is fast approaching, and so is the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon! The two night event presented by Tiny Nightmare Productions, Geekscape (that’s us!), and Devil’s Playground Burlesque. Night one features geek rock and comic vixens with Nerf Herder, Kirby Krackle, and H2Awesome, while night two will host DualCore, Wordburglar, Danimal Cannon, and Mega Ran.

We thought that the week before the convention would be a great time to catch up with some of the awesome talent that will be performing at the party. First up is Wordburglar, the spectacular geek-hip-hop artist that we cannot wait to hang out with (and of course, see perform).

Look for more interviews in the coming days, and don’t forget to pick up your tickets to the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon! They’re selling out fast, so grab them here while you still can! Now, on to Wordburglar!

Geekscape: Is this your first SDCC? If not, what is your favorite SDCC memory, and how long have you been attending?

After years of waiting, yes, 2013 will be my first time at SDCC.

Geekscape: Besides the Nerd-A-Thon event, what do you want to do most while you’re at SDCC?

I love walking the floor at conventions and taking in all the craziness. I’m always on the hunt for cool new comics, t-shirts and the odd GI JOE figure too. But most of all I’m just looking forward to meeting some creators I admire and maybe getting a couple sketches. You’ll probably find me at a bunch of the comic book panels and anything that has to do with GI JOE haha.

Geekscape: What got you into music and how did you end up with your style?

As a kid I don’t remember a time where music wasn’t playing in my house. My parents had tons of records – The Beatles, Gordon Lightfoot, disco, motown, Michael Jackson, etc and I just always loved the melodies, beats etc. I discovered rap music at around age 6 or 7 and got hooked right away. My earliest rap heroes were Run DMC, Fresh Prince, Young MC, Public Enemy and Maestro Fresh Wes and I remember writing my first rhymes in grade six. My style evolved from years and years of writing crazy rhymes and having no one around to tell me to stop haha.

Geekscape: Would you call it a geek-centric style?

Haha well I’m definitely a geek – from music, to comic books, to video games to sports I get pretty nerdy about stuff. With my music I’ve always strived to be as honest as possible – which tends to manifest into obscure Valiant comics references and Toronto Blue Jays stats haha. But seriously, you gotta rap about what you know, right? So I rap about what I love – and a lot of that can be pretty geeky.

Geekscape: What makes you a geek?

Having lots of cool interests. And being a fan of the Quintessons.

Geekscape: Who are your geek heroes?

Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Alan Moore, Larry Hama, George Lucas, Gene Roddenberry, Shigeru Miyamoto – creators who build entire worlds and characters where your imagination can just go nuts. I’m also a big Simon Pegg fan – I love Spaced, could watch that series over and over again.

Geekscape: Do you have anything special planned for the Nerd-A-Thon?

I’m planning a Galactus-level rhyming event. Bring an ultimate nullifier.

Geekscape: How do you approach writing/creating your music? Is it always from a geek mindset?

In terms of approaching songs with a committed obsession to making them awesome, yes, every time haha. With my latest album “Welcome To Cobra Island” it’s inspired by my love of old GI JOE comic books and cartoons, so I’ve definitely had to tap into my geeky side. Remembering weird tidbits of info, re-watching cartoons and flipping through old comics have all been key to making this record and turning these obscure things into songs. Which has been super fun. On 3rdburglar for example, some of the songs – like “Dude where’s my AT-AT at?” and “Drawings With Words” are very specific to Star Wars and comic books so I definitely came at them with a geek mindset. I’m making songs that I want to hear, so I guess in a way they’re already doomed to be geeky.

Geekscape: Movies, video games, comics, TV… what are the geek things you are into?

All of the above, but probably most of all comics. Right now I’m loving a lot of the BOOM & Image titles like Saga, Manhattan Projects, Revival, Deathmatch and Suicide Watch. Also just started reading The Wake from Vertigo which is fantastic. And I finally finished Sweet Tooth by Jeff Lemire – really great series. In terms of TV I like Venture Bros, Archer, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, y’know the good stuff. Also I’m a huge LOST fan still. Movie wise this summer I was blown away by Star Trek 2 and I’m looking forward to Elysium. Games wise I’m a pretty classic gamer, I much prefer side-scrollers and old school RPGs to the new stuff. I also once held the record for NARC in Nintendo Power.

Geekscape: What is the geekiest thing you do when no one is around (be honest, we won’t tell anyone (in person)?

Trying to memorize all of the GI JOE characters real names. Ralph Pulaski is Steeler.

Wordburglar’s latest album, “Welcome To Cobra Island” is available here. Again, Wordburglar is performing on night 2 (July 20th) of the Comic-Con Nerd-A-Thon, and it’s going to be incredible. We hope to see you there!

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Geekscape At SDCC 2013: Visit The Booth, Check Out The Parties!

by Derek Kraneveldt

With just twelve days to go until preview night, San Diego Comic Con 2013 is fast approaching. All of us here at Geekscape couldn’t be more excited to attend the show again! We’ll have tons of coverage coming your way, plenty of incredible announcements about the future of Geekscape, a multitude of guest signings and appearances, some amazing parties for you to attend, and much more (as if that wasn’t enough). It’s set to be our biggest year at the convention ever, so be sure to visit us at booth #3919, and read on for all the details about the third annual Comic Con Nerd-A-Thon!

The Comic Con Nerd-A-Thon is a two night event (July 19th & 20th) presented by Tiny Nightmare Productions, Geekscape, and Devil’s Playground Burlesque.

Night one features geek rock and comic vixens with Nerf Herder, Kirby Krackle, and H2Awesome, while night two will host DualCore, Wordburglar, Danimal Cannon, and Mega Ran. Check out posters for each night of the event below, and head here for tickets. Be quick however, as these are selling out fast! Also, be sure to look for our full SDCC schedule as we get closer to the convention.

Night One:

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Night Two:

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Event Poster:

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Let us know if you’re planning to attend! We hope to see you there!

Fanboy Comics ‘The Arcs’ To Release In November!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Our pals at Fanboy Comics have just announced a new original graphic novel.

The upcoming project, The Arcs was written and created by Michael D. Poisson, and features artwork from The Boys Matt Jacobs and lettering from The Molting‘s Oceano Ransford.

This book sounds incredible, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out. Here’s a short synopsis for The Arcs:

After God has abandoned Earth, the seven Archangels are forced to protect humanity against the rising legions of Hell. Can they pull themselves together to defeat Lucifer and his demons, or are they destined to suffer their own fall from grace?

The Arcs will launch in November 2013, but a free preview will be available on the book’s official site beginning Friday, July 12th.

If you’re headed to SDCC this year, things get even better. An exclusive, full-colour The Arcs print will be available at the convention, which will include a free digital copy of the full graphic novel.

Take a look at the cover art for The Arcs below, and let us know if you’ll be picking it up!

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Toys R Us Reveals Incredible SDCC Exclusives!

by Derek Kraneveldt

My trip to San Diego later this month just got more expensive. Toys R Us has just announced their Comic Con exclusives, and unfortunately… I want almost all of them!

There is a multitude of exclusives and first-look opportunities (products available at SDCC before hitting store shelves) up for grabs, including items from awesome franchises like Adventure Time, The Walking Dead, Batman, Transformers, and plenty of others! Check out the items below, and be sure to let us know which ones you’ll be picking up!

Exclusives

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Toys“R”Us Exclusive San Diego Comic-Con Adventure Time™ Puppies from Jazwares®, Inc.
Jake and Rainicorn’s puppies have arrived and they’re heading to their very first convention! Say hello to Charlie, T.V., Viola, Kim Kil Whan and Jake Jr.! Fans will find these adorable puppies within the Adventure Time Lady Rainicorn with Pups plush item. Comic-Con goers can collect them all in this one, multi-piece, plush exclusive for $30.

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Toys“R”Us Exclusive San Diego Comic-Con WINX Club® Limited Edition Deluxe Daphne Doll from Jakks Pacific® Inc.Meet Daphne, Bloom’s sister, the eldest daughter of King Oritel and Queen Marion. Daphne shines golden, bound in Lake Roccaluce since being transformed into a spirit by a dark spell against her. This 11.5-inch doll is a limited edition, and can make its way home with Comic-Con goers for $30.

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Photographer Dennis Stylist Alfonse

Adam West Batmobile from Mattel®
It’s the iconic Batmobile in the style of the classic Batman television series! With room for two 6-inch action figures (sold separately), this classic television vehicle allows fans to send any dynamic duo into crime-fighting action! Comic-Con goers can take this fan favorite vehicle will home for $60.

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MY LITTLE PONY NIGHTMARE MOON from Hasbro®
Available for the first time in a large scale, the MY LITTLE PONY NIGHTMARE MOON figure is the majestic ruler of the dark in EQUESTRIA. Vowing to have the night last forever, this sister pony of PRINCESS CELESTIA is a dark unicorn Pegasus princess that stands 8.5 inches tall. Push her moon-shaped cutie mark, and the NIGHTMARE MOON figure will play sounds and phrases as her midnight blue, sparkle wings illuminate and move. Her purple mane can be styled with the included comb and barrettes. This pretty pony can gallop home with fans for $25.

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MY LITTLE PONY RAINBOW DASH SHADOW BOLT from Hasbro®
Ready for the fun-filled NIGHTMARE NIGHT festival, RAINBOW DASH pony dressed as a SHADOW BOLT villain is all set to pull off her next prank! Fans can now own aMY LITTLE PONY SHADOWBOLT figure of their own with this three inch, purple and black figure inspired by the popular series, My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. This collectible SHADOWBOLT figure features RAINBOW DASH pony’s signature rainbow mane and tail, glow-in-the-dark accents and a SHADOWBOLT cutie mark, and can be purchased for $15.

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The Walking Dead Comic The Governor’s Daughter Penny from McFarlane Toys™
Nothing is stronger than a father daughter bond, as we see with The Governor and his daughter Penny. Infected early on with the zombie virus, Penny has been cared for and fed by her unconditionally loving father. Penny features 12 points of articulation and includes a bucket of fresh body parts (severed leg, severed foot, severed hand, intestines, heart and Rick’s severed hand) that the Governor feeds to her. Figure also includes a fish tank with trophy heads collected by her father, one of which can be used as an alternate head for Michonne’s Pet Zombie Mike, allowing users to build Michonne’s second pet and Mike’s best friend, Terry. Fans can grab this first look item for $20.

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TRANSFORMERS Masterpiece Acidstorm from Hasbro®
Little is known about the mysterious air warrior Acid Storm. He serves quietly and anonymously under his commander Starscream and Lord Megatron. He speaks rarely, but when he does, it is in passionate defense of the Deception cause. His oratory skill is so great that those few who have heard him speak believe he has a great future among the Deceptions. Acid Storm has no ambition other than to soar high in the sky, seeding clouds with deadly corrosive rain that gives him his name. This sneak peek item can fly home with Conventioneers for $75.

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TRANSFORMERS Masterpiece Soundwave from Hasbro®
Behind his impassive expression, Soundwave is as cold and ruthless as they come. He cares nothing for right or wrong, for the advancement of a cause, or the welfare of his fellow Deceptions. He cares about information, and he acquires it any way he can. He spies on everyone, from the lowliest Autobot scout to Megatron himself. He hoards information the way a miser hoards gold, sharing it sparingly, if at all. No one knows what the true purpose behind his obsessive data collection is, but all fear him for the secrets he keeps. This first look item can be picked up by Comic-Con goers for $120.

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World War Z Gerry Lane from Jazwares®, Inc.
World War Z revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane, who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. Fans can recreate the intense action of World War Z with the new 6-inch Gerry Lane figure from Jazwares for $15. The figure is articulated and includes accessories.

That’s it! I’ve definitely got my eye on that exclusive Adventure Time set. What about you? Remember to visit us at booth 3919!

‘The Walking Dead’ Season Four Banner Revealed! Update: Plus Premiere Title!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: The Walking Dead is yet again set to take San Diego Comic Con by storm, and AMC has just unveiled an enticing new banner for the series’ next season.

The banner spotlights a hammer-weilding Tyreese, a cool and collected (finally) Rick, Daryl with extra-long hair, and Michonne on a horse, which begs the question: how the hell are there still trained horses alive?

The fourth season of The Walking Dead premieres on AMC this October. An SDCC panel has been set for Friday, July 19th, so I’m sure the first trailer will debut online shortly afterwards. Take a look at the new banner below, and let us know if you’re excited for the new season (and also how much last year’s finale stunk)!

UPDATE: TVLine has learned the title of the season’s premiere episode. The episode is written by current showrunner (and season three saviour) Scott Gimple, and is called ’30 Days Without An Accident’. Maybe things have been going alright for our survivors now that The Governor has taken off?

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San Diego Comic-Con Tickets On Sale February 16th!

by Derek Kraneveldt

SDCC 2013 is just 5 months away, and today it was revealed that badges are set to go on sale Saturday, February 16! You’ll want to mark your calendars and book the day off work: chances are if you’re not ready to buy the moment they go on sale… well, you’re not getting in!

 

All the info you’ll need is available (unsurprisingly) at comic-con.org.  Adults will be looking at $175 for a 4-day pass (including preview night), and prices of course drop from there!

 

Will you be going? Sound out! As always, Geekscape will have a booth, and I’ll be there attending my very first SDCC!

 

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San Diego Keeps Comic Con Through 2016

by Molly Mahan

Previously, Comic-Con International had extended its contract to 2015, but today, in a joint announcement, CCI and Mayor Jerry Sanders revealed that Comic Con was to stay in San Diego through 2016. Additionally, the city committed to a $500 million expansion of the convention center, to appease the event organizers. With the annual event attracting over 130,000 attendees, the expansion is greatly over due—as any seasoned Con goer can tell you.

CBS8 reports:

“It’s not only an enormous source of pride, it’s an enormous source of revenue for San Diego — for the city, for the hotels, for the shops and for the restaurants. The economic impact is out of this world,” Sanders said.

The convention pumps $180 million into the local economy and provides the city of San Diego with $3 million in sales and hotel room tax income, Sanders said.

That revenue goes directly to city services, like public safety and library hours, according to Councilwoman Lorie Zapf. The convention center expansion will allow Comic-Con to host more attendees and conduct more panels, so there will be more jobs to support them, she said.

So what do you think? As a native Californian, I am of course pleased I don’t have to travel  very far for the experience. Is there another city (or state) you’d like to see Comic-Con International travel to, or is it so ingrained in your mind that it can’t possibly be the same any place else?

Kill With Friends In This ‘Assassin’s Creed III’ Multiplayer Trailer

by Shane O'Hare

At SDCC during the AC3 panel they discussed briefly what you can get with the multiplayer. You can create bands of assassins that can play in various game types. Get a nice peak at what to expect with this trailer!

AC3 ships October 30th on Xbox and PS3. November 18th on the WiiU