Monday, October 31, 2016

7 Jedi who survived Order 66 - The Jedi Purge

Star Wars Black Series 6"
Anakin Skywaker was weak I destroyed him.
Then I will avenge his death!
Revenge is not the Jedi way.
I am no Jedi! 
Presenting 7 Jedi who survived Order 66.

Actually the list of survivors is higher than 7.. There were quite a few that survived the Empire's Jedi purge. Unfortunately there's also the sad tale of Jedi being turned by the Emperor against other Jedi (As was the case of the Verpine Jedi Master Beyghor Sahdett). We're including some of those who started out as Jedi and fell to the Dark Side..

The list we will be presenting is also by no means final. The writers from Star Wars have yet to finish the destinies of several individuals on this list. The Jedi Purge officially started in 19 BBY, and ended in 1 BBY. So the Jedi included in the Star Wars Rebel series might eventually not survive the purge after all.

Star Wars history is now so confusing thanks to the destruction of the Expanded Universe. Some of these characters actually now have two Wikipedia pages thanks to that. So please don't take any of what follows that seriously.

We decided to not to include Ezra Bridger because.. well... we really don't like that whinny brat.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Thursday, October 27, 2016

10 Female Superheroes who are practically naked

Presenting 10 Female Superheroes who fight crime or save the world practically naked.

This discussion actually began while watching Hancock - who would rather fight crime butt-ass nude, than wear a costume (Which, to no big surprise, he has and in his world, it's on YouTube along with the plight of Walter the Grey Whale).

We originally started with a list of 5, but couldn't decide on which of our favorites to omit, so we expanded the list to 10. These are just our favorites and is certainly not an encompassing list of all the female flesh revealing super-heroes out there.

Just our favorites.

Sorry Dr Mrs Monarch, we can't get over your freaky voice (And you're a villain), but you're incredibly hot.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Marvel Legends Ashley Barton - Spider Woman

Spider Bitch
Marvel Legends Ashley Barton - Spider Woman
Presenting Ashley Barton AKA Spider Woman from the Marvel Legends Space Venom BAF series.

Once upon a time, Marvel created a futuristic world where the villain's Acts of Vengeance actually worked, Wolverine killed all the X-Men, and Hawkeye married the half-African American daughter of Peter-Parker. They had a daughter named Ashley who decided to call herself Spider Bitch.

And that will be the last time we refer to her as such because it's just too...crass.. for us.It's not something that should be said as a name for a woman - no matter how f''ed up she is. So we'll refer to her as Ashley Barton or Spider Woman from here on. She also uses the name Spider-Girl.

Ashley Barton was a rebel against the regime of the Kingpin, ruler of Hammer Falls, in the time of Old Man Logan. Kingpin crushes her pathetic little rebellion, captures her and schedules her for execution.

She's rescued by her father, Hawkeye, but Spider Woman turns on him and kills the Kingpin be decapitating him with the handle of a shotgun (Yes, she has her grand-father's strength). Old Man Logan and Hawkeye escape on the Spider-Mobile with Ashley Barton's forces hot in pursuit.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Sunday, October 23, 2016

5 Avengers we miss

Remember the time Captain America called ALL the Avengers to assemble?
Presenting 5 Avengers that we've come to sorely miss in the comic books.

By out last count there were 126 individuals who have served as Avengers in various teams since the group's founding in 1963. Come to think of it, that's actually not a lot. It comes down to 2.4 Avenger characters for every year that the various Avengers titles have been in publication.

But since the active team roster of Earth's mightiest heroes is normally kept at 5 or 6 Avengers at a time, that means that there definitely is a lot of heroes that have disappeared over the years - even with multiple teams being active at any particular time.

Here's a list of Avengers that we wish would return to the active roster.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Friday, October 21, 2016

Maketoys Striker Manus - Optimus Prime

Optimus Prime
Maketoys Striker Manus
Presenting Striker Manus, a 3rd party version of Optimus Prime from Maketoys.

His official designation is the Maketoys Cros Dimention Striker Manus MTCD-01.

Maketoys was kind enough to provide a backstory for him.

Basically Manus begins as just plain Manus - who looks just like a regular G1 Optimus Prime and was recently awarded the Rubicon (Autobot Matrix of Ledership).

In a battle on the planet Sybernomica (Cybertron) with  Despotron (Megatron), leader of an un-named group of "shifters" (Transformers) who are out to overthrow the council, Despotron is able to distract Manus enough to punch through his back and grab the Rubicon (Quite a disconcerting image). Despite having a gaping hole in his chest, Manus continues to battle Despotron, it explodes. The energy washes over Manus, everything fades to white and he wakes up alone, rebuilt in a new form (Striker Manus) in an unfamiliar environment.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Trailer


Hot on the heels of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 poster comes the trailer! Highlights include:

  • There are two types of beings in the universe: those who dance, and those who do not
  • Drax is a hugger
  • Spacesuits for Emergency. Or fun.
  • Yondu working with Rocket 
  • Nebula has more color now
  • Baby Groot

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Poster


Check out the new Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 poster! Highlights include:
  • Baby Groot
  • Yondu is finally joining the Guardians?
  • Following James Gunn's announcement a few days ago about his wanting to give Nebula her own solo movie, here she is on the poster. 
  • No Mantis

Assassin's Creed Official Trailer #2


Let's take a Leap of Faith and hope that this ends the "video-game-to-movie flop" curse because it looks great right now! Highlights include:

  • Great costumes! Wonderful detail
  • Parkour during the Spanish Inquisition over CGI.
  • Death from above

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Marvel Legends Cable

Marvel Legends
Cable: Just chillin
Presenting Nathan Summers, AKA Cable - son of Scott Summer (Cyclops) and Madelyne Pryor (The Goblin Queen) - from the Marvel Legends X-Men Juggernaut BAF series.

The good news is that this is no longer based on the images of Rob Liefeld who co-created Cable in the 1990 along with Louise Simonson (However Nathan Summers was first created by Chris Claremont waaaay back in 1986). As such, we no longer have to suffer through the enormous shoulder-pads which were all the rave in the 1990s along with useless bits of armor that protect.... nothing.

This is Cable as he appears in the prologue of the AvX series called Avengers X-sanction which was written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by Ed McGuinness. 

In Avengers X-sanction, Cable returns to take out the Avengers - having foreseen that the Avengers would kill Hope Summers in the coming AvX series. He successfully incapacitates Falcon, Captain America, Iron Man and the Red Hulk, but is interrupted by the arrival of Cyclops who tries to talk him down. Unfortunately the Avengers Spider-Man and Wolverine arrive and all hell breaks loose. Cable eventually loses but does succeed in planting the distrust between the Avengers and the X-Men. 

Friday, October 14, 2016

5 X-Men we miss

X-Men
Yes, Amanda Sefton was a member of the Muir Isle X-Men.
Counter Clockwise from left to right: Banshee, Legion, Amanda Sefton, Forge,
Moira MacTaggert, Polaris and Sunder (That's not Strong guy)
Presenting 5 X-Men that we've come to sorely miss in the comic books. 

One of the problems of a major comic-book franchise is that readers tend to gravitate towards the more popular characters: Magneto, Beast, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Kitty Pryde and of course Wolverine. By our count there are 173 characters who have worn Xavier's X on their costumes - this includes the non-mutants who have been a part of the team (And Deadpool).

There is simply no way that Marvel can cram all those mutants into one comic book - which is probably why they currently have four X-titles (All New, Extraordinary, Uncanny and the now cancelled '92), two Wolverine comics (All New and Old Man) and three Deadpool comic books. 

Still simply no room for 193 mutants and supporters of the school Xavier built  - and Marvel is not done making more mutant babies. 

So here're are five X-Men that some people might not even remember, who we wish we could still read about today.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Trailer #2 (Official)


OOOOOMMMMGGGG!!!!! Highlights include:

  • It's uhm.... Rogue! Rogue One!
  • Jyn's dad built the Deathstar
  • X-Wings!
  • Vader! Vader! Vader!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

WFC Optimus Prime ITF01 Abyss Red

Transformers War for Cybertron Knock-off KO
One shall stand, one shall be cut in half!
Presenting ITF01 Abyss (Red variant) - a knock-off (KO)  of the War for Cybetron (WFC) Optimus Prime.

We had a discussion with a fellow collector a few weeks back about why we never reviewed the Weijiang KO Optimus Primes. We said that we actually liked them, but there was just something... fake about them - despite the fact that they were really well made. They just felt fake.

Happily we had a great experience with the Alpha Pack Spark Toys ST01 War Within Optimus Prime and even the Toy World Botcon Exclusive Orion both of which do not "feel fake" at all, or we would have given up completely on 3rd party Transformers.

So here are our thoughts on the ITF01 Abyss - red variant - knock-off of the War for Cybetron Optimus Prime.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Sienna Novikov chosen to play X-23 in Logan - Wolverine 3

Wolverine 3 Logan
X-23 and Logan
The Internet is abuzz that the kid holding the hand of Logan in the upcoming 3rd Wolverine movie has been identified as Laura Kinney X-23, the clone of Wolverine, and she will be portrayed by Sienna Novikov.

Sienna Novikov is a relative newbie to the industry and according to imdb, she is a US State Fencing Qualified and a State and Regional Gymastics champion.

She was a picture double featured in Bad Moms and an un-credited extra in Daddy's Home.

She joins Boyd Holbrook (Narcos, Gone Girl) who will be playing Donald Pierce

Now we're waiting for the internet backlash at the sudden whitewashing of Laura Kinney's originally Asian ancestral make-up.

Wolverine 3 LoganWolverine 3 Logan


Marvel Legends Captain Britain

Marvel Legends
Together, we will guard the gates of reality
Presenting Captain Britain from the Marvel Legends Captain America Abomination BAF series.

To the uninitiated, Captain Britain is Brian Braddock, the fraternal twin of the mutant Betsy Braddock, Psylocke - who he really isn't very fond of since he found out that she was a member of X-Force and hunted down and killed bad-guys.

Following the death of his parents, Brian was working in Darkmoor nuclear facility when it was attacked by the villain known as the Reaver. Attempting to escape to get help, Brian is mortally wounded. He is then confronted by Merlyn and the Guardian of the Omniverse, Roma and the dying Brain is asked to choose between the Sword of Might or the Amulet of Right.

Brian chooses the Amulet and becomes Captain Britain - the "Protector of the entire bloody Omniverse", imbued with Superhuman strength, speed, endurance, agility, durability, reflexes, and senses as well as the the abilities to fly, project destructive energy beams and generate force fields. We should note that Kelsey Leigh chose the Sword of Might and still also became Captain Britain (Lionheart, The one who would become an Avenger, not a Secret Avenger).

As of this writing, Captain Britain is supposedly the last surviving member of the Captain Britain Corp following the universal incursions that unified the Marvel Universe.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Where to buy toys in Manila: Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Makati

Maxiworks Powerplant Mall Rockwell
Maxiworks, Power Plant Mall
Where to buy Toys in Manila: Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Makati.

We're trying something new today: producing a guide as to where you may find toys for sale here in Manila, Philippines.

While the toy Mecca of Manila will, in our opinion, always be that wretched hive of scum and villainy called Greenhills (Seriously, it used to be a real hive of scum and villainy); time, circumstance and company sometimes prevent us or visitors from going to Greenhills - especially with the traffic.

So we've decided to start compiling alternate places where you or visitors to our country may find toys.

First off: Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Makati. Wikipedia defines the Power Plant mall as: "...an upscale indoor shopping mall in Makati City, Philippines. It is the anchor establishment of Rockwell Center, a mixed-use area north of the Makati Central Business District on the Pasig River waterfront across Mandaluyong."

It opened a day after Christmas in 2000 and sits on Rockwell Drive cor. Estrella Street, Rockwell Center, Makati City, Philippines. Believe it or not, it does stand on the remains of a former power plant.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Monday, October 10, 2016

9 must-see Science-Fiction and Fantasy movies for moms

Star Wars
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Presenting 9 must-see PG-13 (mostly) science fiction and fantasy movies for mothers who want to geek out with their children.

We know, it's a drastic change. We couldn't sleep the other night and through the miracle of technology, we found ourselves talking to a friend on the other side of the planet who did not know the difference between Star Trek and Star Wars - we know, heresy.

To be fair it was never her thing. She's a mom now and has a pod of boys growing up with her. We thought that it would be a shame if she wasn't able to relate with science-fiction and fantasy movies that every-boy with a hero-complex (Are there any boys who don't have the desire to save the world - or at least a princess - out there?) will eventually find and grow to love.

So here are ten such movies that have shaped our world.

For this review we are excluding some of the more modern movies such as the Avengers, the Dark Knight Series, etc... because the popularity of the characters more or less guarantees that kids - and moms - have seen them. So these are a bit older.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Sunday, October 9, 2016

John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017 Movie) Official Teaser Trailer


Highlights include:

  • Just how civilized and genteel the support staff in this world always are. Gotta love that.
  • Morpheus reunites with Neo!

Transformers Generations Rhinox

Transformers Generations
Transformers Generations Rhinox

Presenting the Transformers Generations 30th Anniversary Voyager class Rhinox.

There's something to be said about being built like a linebacker. If you enter a battlefield in the form of a charging rhinoceros, getting out of the way seems to be the most prudent course of action.

Size is of course relative when it comes to the Maximals (The Rat is huge!), so only a few things things would seem more frightening - including a red tinged King Kong coming at you.

For more about the Platinum Edition Year of the Fire Monkey Optimus Primal, click here.

To the uninitiated Rhinox is actually strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Megatron. And contrary to what people may think about strong-men, Rhinox is not stupid - he's actually quite intelligent. Rhinox is a brilliant war tactician and dabbles not just in technology, but in mysticism as well.

Rhinox could actually lead the Maximals, but we would rather stop and smell the flowers.

But that doesn't mean that he can't if he had to.

MORE AFTER THE JUMP

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Marvel Legends Phoenix - Jean Grey

Marvel Legends
Marvel Legends Phoenix - Jean Grey
Presenting Jean Grey, the Phoenix, Fire and Life Incarnate, from the Marvel Legends X-Men series

To the uninitiated, this specific Jean Grey remains dead (Killed by Xorn). She was last seen in 2005 ascending into a higher plane of existence with the Phoenix Force and in 2012 convincing Cyclops to let go of the Pheonix Force.

Marvel has teased plans for her return, but for now seems happy to have the time-displaced Teenage Jean in active service - which must really make things uncomfortable for Old Man Logan - who hopefully will finally find happiness in the hands of Storm (Though even that's a bit of a May-December romance).

MORE AFTER THE JUMP