Preview of Warehouse 13 #5

Hello, fellow Warehouse Agents! Get your Farnsworths ready and make sure your Teslas are fully charged!

I know it's only been a month since Warehouse 13 #4 graced the shelves, but I couldn't help but feel disappointed when I went to my comic book shop this past Wednesday and found that Warehouse 13 #5 wasn't in the pile of comic books that were pulled out from my box. While I was beyond ecstatic for what was placed in my hands, I couldn't help the small pout that formed upon my lips.

Seriously...with as awesome as the story has been since the first issue, can you honestly blame me?

Imagine then my excitement when I was given the chance to get a sneak preview of this coveted issue!

Now, while I obviously can't give you any real details as to what transpires during the course of the issue, I can at the very least promise you that it is VERY good and more than worth the wait. All of our favorite and beloved characters are in top form from Pete all the way down to Claudia. But not only that, you really see the team come together as only they can in a time of crisis.

Also, Claudia's trusty snow globe makes an appearance. ;) There! I gave you a teeny-tiny spoiler.

For those of you who haven't been following this jewel of a comic book series (or who aren't familiar with the television series upon which it's based) Warehouse 13 is based off of the powerhouse SyFy series of the same name. For those of you who have never seen the series before, think of it as Men in Black meets The Librarian with a healthy helping of Steampunk. If this piques your interest, then you can check out seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix (season 3 hasn't been uploaded yet). You can also find the last 5 full episodes of season 3 on both Hulu as well as the SyFy website.

However, while being familiar with the show itself certainly heightens the experience and enjoyment of reading the comic book series (I for example can actually hear the cadences of the different character's voices in my head as I read the dialogue), it's not necessary in order for you to enjoy the series. If you've never seen the show, you'll still be able to appreciate the action, the sense of camaraderie between the characters, as well as the humor that results from either a snappy piece of dialogue or a well-performed shennanigan.

That, and the art also continues to be very well done! Claudia and Artie especially look like their television counterparts.

Brought to you by Dynamite Entertainment, Warehouse 13 #5 is due to hit the shelves on Wednesday, April 4th. So, if you're like me and already have it on your Pull List, then you can look forward to fresh, brand-spanking-new copy when you next visit your local comic book shop. I know I will be giddy with excitement when I have a physical copy in my hands.

If you have yet to crack open an issue of this awesome series, then I highly encourage you to do so. Go ahead and pick up a copy of issue #5 when you go to your local comic book shop and flip through it. If you like what you see (and I'm fairly sure that you will) you'll be able to find the back-issues easily enough...and if the shop happens to be missing one or two, they can very easily be ordered in. ;)

Until next time!

Get in touch with your inner nerd!

Batwoman Wins GLAAD Award!

"Celebrating representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in the media, the 23^rd annual GLAAD Media Awards recognized BATWOMAN as the year’s Outstanding Comic Book. The award was announced Saturday, March 24 at a gala event in New York City."

Hello, my friends!

Now, I know I've never come out and said this before (or more to the point written it), because the opportunity never really came up before, but I love Batwoman. Now, I will admit that I'm a brand new fan of this particular book (brand new as is in it wasn't until the New 52 Reboot that I actually picked up the comic), but since having picked up the 1st issue of the reboot, I have read it with a great voraciousness that I usually reserve for TMNT, and Batgirl (and Power Girl back when she still had her own comic book). It wasn't because of a lack of interest (after all, how many Jewish super heroes are there?), but rather it was because I was just really breaking into the world of comic books (I had a few in my possession from my childhood, but they were always purchased in relative secret because my parents didn't approve of my reading comic books) and I was blinded by the sheer amount of different titles that were all competing for my attention. I'm not kidding when I say that when my husband took me into a comic book shop, I could almost quite literally hear all the different comic books whispering "Buy me!" as I walked past. Needless to say, certain titles such as Batwoman got lost in the shuffle as I raced to make up for lost time with other titles that have always captivated me.

However, when it was announced that Batwoman would be included in the New 52, I found myself making a mental note to pick up the comic book, and I haven't once regretted my decision. Not only is she a fellow Jew, but she also breaks the mold of a traditional super hero archetype by openly being a lesbian, and I find it all to be a very refreshing diversification to the DC world. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not by any means saying that all the other super heroes are boring, but I personally find changes to the traditional archetype to always be a good way to allow the comic book universe grow like the living organism that it is.

Apparently I'm not the only person in the world to think so, and I offer a very hearty congratulations to J.H. Williams III and co-written by Williams and W. Haden Blackman (the creative team behind Batwoman) for their wonderful achievement and success in their endeavor.

If you haven't picked up the rebooted issues of Batwoman, I highly encourage you to do so. I personally am sorry that I didn't get into the comic before it was rebooted, but I find myself of the mind to pick up some back-issues the next time I'm at the comic book shop.

Now, I will admit that at first I was a little put off by Kate Kane's ghostly white appearance. I mean, I've always been pale and prone to freckling (a result of my Scottish DNA being more dominant than my Cuban DNA) but even I've never been able to get my skin that white, lol. However, despite my original feelings of "Holy frak, she's pale!", I found that they did not last long because I was completely drawn into the story and the complexity of the characters from the moment I first cracked the comic book open. Those factors combined with the beautiful way in which the comic book is drawn (not only are characters very well drawn, but Batwoman herself is extremely stroking) make Batwoman more than a serious contender in the world of DC.

Again, I offer many, many heartfelt congratulations to the brilliant creative team behind Batwoman, and I wish them many continued successes as they continue to add to the diversity of the comic book world with this intrepid heroine.

"BATWOMAN #8 lands in comic book stores on April 11. Collecting the first story arc in its entirety, the BATWOMAN VOLUME 1: HYDROLOGY hardcover will be available on June 13."

Nerd up!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #8

Hello again fellow turtle fans!

Imagine my joy today when I not only went to my local comic book shop after having been deprived of it for the past few weeks due to their moving to a new location (which can only be described as a small airplane hanger...seriously, it's HUGE), but also found the latest issue of the rebooted TMNT comic book waiting for me in my holding box.

Suffice to say, after all the sheer and unadulterated wrongness that has been going around as of late regarding the intrepid four (no, this is NOT a rant...but more will come later, you can rest assured about that), diving into this issue was a definite pallet cleanser for me. The creative team at IDW continues to deliver a story that is beyond entertaining with its combination of humor, action and drama.

This issue picks up immediately where issue #7 left off, and resolves the cliff-hanger only to leave us on a new cliff-hanger by the end of the issue (but that's to be expected...after all, it is a comic book, lol). But apart from that, the story is also advanced. Krang continues to prove that he is not to be messed with, and he lets Baxter Stockman know that under no uncertain terms.

Shredder still hasn't made an appearance, but it's obviously something to which the story is building up. We also see Casey and April gradually growing a little closer. Oh, and April's "stone age" van from the original live-action film makes an appearance ;)

We see Raph's temper making a slow return, and we also see the brothers really utilizing Donnie's intellect in a battle for the first time in the course of the reboot. Does this mean that IDW is gradually returning to the formula with which we fans are so familiar? Only time will tell on that one, but I'm more than ready and willing to wait and spend all the time it takes in order to see what happens.
Without going into too much detail as to the plot of the issue (if you haven't read the issue), I can at the very least share with you that April finally meets the turtles in this issue.

Well...more to the point, she sees the turtles before fainting into Casey's arms--the issue ending with Casey cracking a joke on the subject...

"I just wish I never taught her how to punch 'cause somethin' tells me when she wakes up she's gonna break my face."

Suffice to say, I am very happy to report that I have yet to be disappointed by this comic book, and in today's world where disappointment seems to be hounding the footsteps of the turtles (okay, so I lied...there's a just a little bit of a rant in this post), I think we can all count ourselves lucky that while they're being twisted into something completely different in the upcoming film, that their integrity is still being maintained upon the pages where they originally got their start.

Keep up the good work, IDW! You are making this rabid fangirl VERY happy :D

Nerd up!

TMNT Film Reboot...The War Continues

Hello again, my friends.

Well, according to a recent article on cinemablend.com it would seem that Michael Bay is still bound and determined to do things HIS way without any regard for just how badly he'll be frakking up the lore that we all love, or without any regard for just how this will anger all the loyal fans who loved the four wise-cracking, pizza-eating heroes even during the times in which the franchise went through a series of slumps (as all franchises do from time to time...it's inevitable). All of that aside though, I feel the need to say that it is Kevin Eastman and not Peter Laird who is collaborating with Bay and thereby being supportive of the changes being made. Again...it's Eastman and not Laird.

How do I know that? Because I follow Kevin Eastman on Facebook, and he confirmed both his support of the project and his collaborating with Bay.

Now then, let us move onto the main topic at hand, shall we?

Now, before you dismiss this post as simply another anti-Michael Bay rant, don't write me off just yet. Don't get me wrong, I still have a great deal of hatred for this project and what it is doing to my favorite heroes, and I will get to it in a little bit, but before I get to that, I would like to address the topic that seems to be the focal point of the article's rant--the fact that the name of the film is Ninja Turtles, and that the turtles will undoubtedly be made more 'mature' than their cartoon selves.

Far be it from me to defend Bay in any way shape or form, but I do feel the need to point out that the turtles from the cartoons are not the turtles from the original comic books upon which the cartoon was based. In the original comic books, things were dark and gritty. There was violence, bloodshed and death. To a degree, this carried on into the original film. In the 1980's cartoon, things were changed and censored in order to appeal to younger eyes. The turtles were goofier, Shredder was reduced to that of a bumbling idiot instead of a highly trained ninja master, and the Foot were turned into robots so they didn't actually 'die' when destroyed. Then, there was the fact that April was the quintessential damsel in distress--needing to be rescued in every episode. Simply put, the cartoon that we grew up watching is a Disney-fied version of how the turtles' world actually was during its original creation--a fact often alluded to during the course of the film Turtles Forever. If Bay is intending to direct the turtles down a more 'mature' road, then fans should be happy that he is taking the turtles back to their original roots. Of course, the fact that Bay is turning the turtles into aliens instead of mutants makes that point rather moot.

Now then, onto the subject of the name change.

While I can more than understand the anger behind this particular instance because it seems all the more prevalent that Bay is continuing to shove into our faces that he is going to continue doing what HE wants to do and thereby doesn't give a rat's arse as to what the fans think, I am still ale to take a step back on this particular issue and see it as something else. When taken out of the very painful context in which we loyal and loving fans have found ourselves since news of the impending debacle made itself known, the shortening of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to simply Ninja Turtles isn't all that bad of a thing. It's simply a way of shortening the title to save some time. Think about it...how many times have fans of How I Met Your Mother shortened it to HIMYM when both writing as well as speaking about it? The same can be said for Battlestar Galactica being shortened to BSG or Biker Mice from Mars being shortened to BMFM or simply to Biker Mice n both written and spoken conversation. Getting back to the subject of the turtles, how many times have we fans simply called them Ninja Turtles in passing conversation?

However, as I said earlier...because of the context in which the title has been changed, we fans have been thoroughly rubbed the wrong way, offense is indeed being taken by this change and further adding to the raising of our hackles. Not only has Bay removed 'mutant' from the title, but he's now gone and removed 'teenage' as well--further perpetrating the fact that he doesn't care how many fans he pisses off in the process, he's going to do whatever the frak he wants to do and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Although, I supposed we fans should be happy that Bay didn't go with the title of Teenage Alien Ninja Turtles which would then make the abbreviation TANT....which just looks all kinds of wrong.

Now then, onto the rant portion.

Michael Bay can't seem to understand why fans everywhere are raging against the changes he's making to the much beloved lore. He's been quoted as saying...

“Fans need to take a breath, and chill. They have not read the script. Our team is working closely with one of the original creators of [Teenage Mutant] Ninja Turtles to help expand and give a more complex back story. Relax, we are including everything that made you become fans in the first place. We are just building a richer world.”

Really, Michael? You're including everything that made us become fans in the first place while building a richer world?

REALLY?!

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't changing a key portion of the turtles' origin story qualify as NOT including everything that made us fans?! Clearly, Michael Bay is in dire need of a dictionary.

More to come later...

Nerd up!

Michael Bay and the Screams That Were Heard Around the Globe

Fellow TMNT fans, I come before you today to report a crime of the WORST possible kind.

You might recall my post from a few days ago in which I was expressing my deepest excitement at the film reboot of TMNT finally coming to fruition. You might also recall that while I was a little unsure as to having Michael Bay involved with the project, I was nevertheless viewing his involvement with an open mind and was taking it in stride. I even came to his defense a little bit when my husband vowed that he would never see the rebooted film so long as Bay was involved. I again came to the man's defense when a friend of mine predicted that Bay would irreversibly frak up the franchise the same way in which he frakked up Transformers. I went to bat for Bay, saying that he was neither writing nor directing the film, but simply producing it...meaning that he and his would mostly be in charge of financing the project.

However, today I've learned that Bay is becoming more involved with the project than he should be, and is interfering with things that he has NO business interfering with.

According to a recent article on Boomstick Comics, Michael Bay has come out and said that he is completely changing the origin story. Now, that's not what's got me in my present state of rage. If you recall from my earlier retrospective of IDW's reboot of the comic book series, you'll remember that I was praising IDW's new take on the origin story of Splinter and the turtles. Don't get me wrong, I love the original origin story as much as the next TMNT fan, but I am still able to appreciate the changes because IDW still showed the franchise's original story the proper respect that it deserved. Yes, Splinter and the turtles were reincarnated into their animal forms after their deaths in Feudal Japan, but they were still mutated because of the ooze. Despite the change made by IDW, the ooze was still an integral part of the story and thereby paid homage to the original story.

This however is not the case with the film reboot that is currently in the works.

In his infinite wisdom (I do hope you picked up on the sarcasm there) Michael Bay has decided to make the turtles aliens from another planet.

That's right, you heard me...or more to the point, read me.

Michael Bay is making the turtles ALIENS FROM ANOTHER PLANET!

"Describing the characters, Bay says, “These turtles are from an alien race, and they’re going to be tough, edgy, funny, and completely lovable.” He also went on to say ”Kids will believe one day that these turtles do exist when we’re done with this movie”

I'm sorry...but when I was a kid, I certainly believed that the turtles were real after having seen the original film. If Bay wants to make the turtles believable, all he has to do is use the same formula as others have done before him. After all, mutations are real...we see them every day not only in people, but in plants and animals as well. Besides, the last time I checked, there was already an alien answer to TMNT, and it was called Biker Mice from Mars. But that's not the driving issue here. The driving issue is that Michael Bay is not only COMPLETELY ignoring the origin story of the franchise, but he's also COMPLETELY ignoring one of the key words used to describe the turtles in the first place, and that is the word "MUTANT".

They are teenage MUTANT ninja turtles....not teenage ALIEN ninja turtles! You can't make a change as drastic as that and then hope to pass it off as the same frakking thing!

Seriously...WHAT is Michael Bay thinking?!

Is he in fact thinking?!

It doesn't seem like that to me! Rather, it seems to me that he's just issuing a giant middle finger to the fans.

If Bay wants to use aliens in the film to change things up from the normal formula of having the Shredder as the main villain, then fine. He should use Krang...and he should feel free to make him as much of a diabolical bad-ass as possible. My point is that he should stick to core and crucial points of the lore instead of throwing everything out of the window and starting from scratch as though the work of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird never happened in the first place!

If this disaster of an idea comes to fruition, it will be the WORST thing to happen to the franchise since the live-action television series in which the female turtle character of Venus was introduced. I'm sorry, but turtles are REPTILES, and therefore do NOT have boobs.

And don't even get me started on the massacre that was the live-action TMNT cross-over with the Power Rangers.

Just don't!

I can only hope that this horrible atrocity is either a joke, a first and very rough draft of the script, or a simple case of smoke and mirrors employed to keep actual facts of the film from leaking out. Either way, Bay is taking a great risk because I am NOT the only fan who's completely enraged by this. If Michael Bay goes through with this horrendous idea, then he will be alienating (and no, I was not intending to make a pun) the fans who have loved and followed the franchise since the beginning.

It will be almost as bad as when George Lucas recently came out and said that Han never shot first.

Just as Joel Schumacher killed the Batman movie franchise before it was rebooted, so too will Michael Bay effectively kill the TMNT movie franchise if he goes through with his plan.

After all this, I have only this left to say...

TMNT fans, ASSEMBLE!!!

Nerd up!

Filming for Season 2 of JourneyQuest is in Full Swing!

 Oh, happy, happy HAPPY day!

After what seemed like an eternity, I am very happy to report that Zombie Orpheus Entertainment (hereafter referred to as ZOE for the rest of the post) has launched into the filming of season 2 of JourneyQuest! Filming started a few weeks ago, but what better way to stir up excitement for the masses (as well as for myself) than to exude happiness at the fact that I will be able to treat myself to season 2 in the not-so-distant future?'

Now, with the exception of a few spoilers and teasers, the creative team at ZOE is being rather close-lipped in regards to actual plot points and what happens with the characters. However, every so often the creative team at ZOE will release videos on their website with behind the scenes videos as well as little snippets of what the viewers can expect...such as a giant corpse worm that is something of a cross between the worms from Tremors and a giant maggot. Of course, those aren't the only videos you'll find on the channel. There are also videos that are simply nothing but the type of silliness that only the likes of which ZOE and Dead Gentlemen Productions can conjure up.

One thing is for certain though...

You can rest assured that shenanigans, hijinks and general all-around silliness will abound within season 2 just as it did within season 1. Not only will we see familiar characters from the past season and continue with their individual (yet linked) stories, but familiar faces from previous Dead Gentlemen Productions will no doubt grace the screen as well.

Dare I say Jen Page? ;)

Or Scott C. Brown? ;)

We can also probably rest assured that there will be much running away by Perf as well as a plethora of snarky remarks by the Sword of Fighting. Perhaps we'll be lucky and even witness a return of Lactomancy ;)

Want more detailed updates and hints as to the type of shenanigans that abound on the set during filming (such as the issuing of 'red cards' to cast and crew members for bad puns)? You can follow the creative team on ZOE's Twitter account (@ZombieOrpheus) or, you can view them on ZOE's website.
In the mean time, I will continue to keep a vigilant watch for the airing of the first episode and biding my time by happily watching season 1 over and over again until then because it simply never gets old for me :)

And now with all of that being said...

ONWARD!!

Have you hugged your nerd today? ;)

Date Released For TMNT Film Reboot!!

"Cowabunga says it all!"

Hello again, fellow turtle fans!

I just found out this morning that the TMNT film reboot that has been in the works since the release of the CGI film has just gotten a release date!

December 25, 2013!

I repeat...December 25, 2013!!

Please keep in mind that this film is looking to be intended as a complete reboot of the film franchise...NOT a sequel to the 2007 film.

Jonathan Liebesman is in talks with Paramount Pictures to direct the film, and Michael Bay is line to produce the project. While no other names have been released yet in regards to the actual casting of the film, I will be keeping my eyes peeled and my ears low to the ground for any inkling of news that I can find.

Now, then...for the answer to the question that I'm sure all of you are wondering and have been wondering since rumors of the film first leaked out...

Will it be live-action, CGI, or a combination of the two (you know...this generation's equivalent of Cool World or Who Framed Rodger Rabbit)? Who can blame you for having questions? The rumor mill has been busy churning out rumors and theories since news of the film first leaked out. Well, it appears as though the four intrepid heroes in a half-shell are returning to their roots by way of a live-action film.

Now, my inner fangirl is delighted at this news! After all, I still remember going to the theaters as a little girl and seeing the first film with my father, and it only further cemented my love of the franchise.
However, despite my joy, I cant help but feel just a tiny bit disappointed that no CGI will be used for the turtles. As much as I LOVE the first two original films (the third film I could take or leave because I did not like the costumes they used for the turtles (the studio didn't go through Jim Henson's Creature Shop for that film)), there can be no denying that the CGI film allowed for the fabulous four to be taken to new heights. Facial expressions were much more prominent (just check out the picture above...Donnie is pensive, Raph is focused on the battle he's watching, Mikey is happy-go-lucky, and Leo is pissed that his brothers aren't listening to him), and do I even need to bring up the freedom of movement afforded to the turtles due to their body actors not being limited by the constraints of a suit? Don't get me wrong, the body actors in the live-action films did an amazing job, and it speaks to their athletic prowess that they were able to perform their stunts and maneuvers while compensating for the fact that they were wearing suits that could not have exactly been feather-light.

However, perhaps like the world of video games in which graphics have evolved by leaps and bounds, so too has the world of live-action costumes evolved. The only way to find out is to keep a look out for any images from the new film that will eventually leak out, and in lieu of that, simply wait for the actual film to come out in theaters. Either way, I am deeply excited that the film is finally coming to fruition. What was once a series of passing rumors in the dark now has an offical release date, and my excitement will only continue to bubble and simmer until it finally explodes.

Were it not for the fact that my baby will still be far too young to be taken into a movie theater, and that it will more than likely be all kinds of impossible to find a sitter on the 24th (especially since all of our family is back in California), I would be in line for the midnight showing. In fact, I'd probably be first in line...and since I live in Minnesota, you could probably be assured that I would be freezing my ass off. But I wouldn't care, because I would be in fangirl heaven.

Seriously, between the comic reboot, the cartoon reboot (in which the amazingly awesome Rob Paulsen will once again be joining the cast), and now the film reboot...once could easily argue that this is time of the turtle! And with that, I have only one thing left to say...

Turtle Power!!

Nerd up! ;)

Random Musing of the Week...the Word 'Jerk'

Hello everyone!

So I was watching season 4 of The Dick Van Dyke show (FYI, I love old movies and old television shows), and I noticed that Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke's character on the show) called himself a jerk after he had made a mistake.

Sounds natural enough, right?

That's what I thought until I started thinking about it some more, and as it happens, Rob used the phrase yet again in another episode. So what's the big deal, you might ask? Well, quite simply, the way in which Rob was using the word 'jerk' isn't the same way in which the word 'jerk' is used in our current speaking patterns.

What do I mean?

Well, in our vernacular, the word 'jerk' is more of an insult than anything else. You'd go up to someone who was being rude to you and call him or her a jerk, and it would be warranted. However, apparently in the 1960s, 'jerk' had a meaning more along the lines of being an idiot or a moron. For example, in both instances in which Rob used the word, it was in response to him making a mistake because he had not thought things all the way through.

See what I mean?

In this day and age, you don't go up to someone and call him or her a jerk because they made a mistake, right? Nope. You'd call them an idiot or a moron...or if you were particularly irked by the situation, you'd call them a dumbass, but you wouldn't call them a jerk. Right?

So what is my point in all of this?

I really have no driving point other than the fact that I find it interesting how the English language continues to grow and change as time goes by. For example, the word 'gay' simply meant 'happy' back in the old days (well before and all through the 20's and well into the 60's). I'm not sure when exactly it came to be associated with homosexuality (mainly because history is not my favorite subject...don't judge me, I happen to be quite terrible with dates), but somehow it went from being a word to describe a mood to instead being a word to describe a lifestyle.

So, anyone who thinks that English is not a living language, think again.

I can only wonder how words will continue to change over the coming years...

Well, that's it for now. Until next time!

Peace, love and cookies!

Treasure Island

"ATLANTA, GA – March 8, 2012 – Sea Lion Books announces a multi-book deal with creator Carlo Rispoli. TREASURE ISLAND, an adaptation of the iconic Robert Louis Stevenson novel. The first of the three-volume series will be released Summer of 2012."

Arrrrrr!! Avast!

*ahem*

To quote one of my favorite movies of all time (Gamers: Dorkness Rising for those of you who are still not familiar with me, lol), "Everything is better with pirates."

What better thing could there be to convert into a graphic novel than the pirate story that started it all?

Treasure Island!

Seriously, do you honestly think that there would be a Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (I'm including the Disneyland ride in this), or any other pirate franchise if it hadn't been for Treasure Island? Without Captain Long John Silver (and no, I'm not referring to the food establishment), there would be no Captain Jack Sparrow. Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that pirates didn't exist until Treasure Island was written. What I am saying is that if Robert Louis Stevenson had not written his famous classic of adventuring over the seven seas in search of treasure, then pirates and the concept of a life of freedom on the sea would not have been glorified and romanticized to the point that it has been over the years.

Simply put, Treasure Island is the source from which all things 'pirate' have spread like wildfire over the years.

The conversion of this timeless classic into a graphic novel was the brainchild of Carlo Rispoli. He thought it would be the perfect way to get the younger generation of today into this classic piece of literature, and I have to say that it's a good idea.

Seriously...a lot of kids today don't like reading (I know I just made myself sound like an old woman just then, but the sentiment still stands), seriously look around...it's an epidemic. I used to work in a bookstore, and you have no idea how many times I had a parent come up to me and ask "What would be a good book for me to get for my son/daughter who doesn't like to read?" As someone who was a bookworm pretty much from the time I learned how to read (an occupational hazard from being raised by two parents who each loved reading), I find that the concept of kids not enjoying the written word cuts me deeply.

However, if Rispoli's method gets the kids of this generation (there I go again making myself sound older than what I really am) into reading the classics, then I say go for it!

"Carlo Rispoli's TREASURE ISLAND is a remarkable adaptation of an iconic work. We are excited to bring this masterful work to readers.” said David Dabel President of Sea Lion Books."

Do you honestly need more motivation?

I don't think so! ;) So keep your eyes peeled!

Oh, and one more thing...

Arrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

Nerd up! ;D

Krull...The Perfect Blend of Fantasy and Science Fiction

So I was browsing our DVD collection in search of something to have as background noise while I work on my latest chapter of fanfiction, and I came across Krull, a film that I've always enjoyed but that I haven't seen in a good while.

This got me thinking of how even amongst geeks, this film is often overlooked--lost in the shuffle amongst other heavy-hitting fandoms such as Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and Star Trek (I didn't include Doctor Who or Firefly in that list because they're more 'specialized' fandoms that not everyone follows (yes, there are geeks out there who don't like Firefly...it's sad but true)). Now, I know that I have a habit of going to bat for 'underdog' fandoms (one of them being Alien Nation which I covered in my blog), but what can I say? There's a lot of good films and shows out there that simply don't get the attention and recognition that they deserve.

Krull is one of them.

Released in 1983, Krull was one of the most expensive movies of its time (seriously, have a look...you will find no cheesy or campy special effects), and it used 23 different sets which expanded over 10 soundstages in London. Yet, despite all the work and effort that went into its creation and production, Krull was not at all well received at the box office. In fact, it would be safe to say that it flopped. Yet for the life of me, I can't figure out why.

Not fully fantasy but yet not fully science fiction, Krull uses elements of both genres and mixes them into a perfect balance so that neither overpowers the other. There's wizards, shape-shifting monsters, weapons that shoot lasers, weapons that are capable of electrocution, mystical weapons of legend, cyclopses, flying horses (not pegasuses mind you), and a fortress that teleports at every sunrise. Though at its core, Krull is the story of Prince Colwyn questing to rescue his bride, Princess Lyssa, after she has been abducted on their wedding night by the Slayers (the minions of an evil and powerful entity known simply as The Beast), the film is filled with adventure, violence, camaraderie, tragedy and just enough humor to keep the story from getting too dark.

Simply put, there's something for everyone.

Not to mention, the film is filled with familiar faces like Liam Neeson (seriously...this man needs no introduction), Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid!), David Battely (you'd recognize him from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), and Alun Armstrong (who has been around many times over on both stage and screen, and even originated the role of Thénardier in Les Miserables) just to name a few.

Of course, the music geek in me loves this movie for another reason as well, and that is the fact that it was scored by none other than James Horner, who aside from Danny Elfman, is my favorite film composer of all time. Who's James Horner, you might ask? Oh, I don't know...you might remember his work from little films such as Willow, Alien, Titanic, Glory and Braveheart just to name a few. Let's face it, the man is a musical genius whose musical scores are capabale of evoking deep feelings of love and bravery.

Then of course, there's the Glaive--an ancient and powerful, star-shaped weapon.

Just think of it as a precursor to Xena's trusty chakram...except with more attitude. Now, if you've never seen the film before, you might recognize the weapon from the Easter Bunny episode of South Park, during which none other than Jesus uses the Glaive during a battle. You can see him clutching it in his hand in the screenshot to the right.

Now, if Matt Stone and Trey Parker think that Krull was cool enough for them to allude to in one of their episodes (and let's face it, it's rare for them to compliment anyone or anything in their show), I think all of you who have not seen the film should perhaps take it as a bit of encouragement and look into it.

Am I promising you that you'll fall in love with it? No. My husband doesn't care for it in the slightest and will never sit down with me when he sees me watching it (and no, it's not because of the scene with the giant spider), but I have very fond memories of my two elder brothers and me watching it together many times during my childhood. It was literally a trickle effect, and by the I mean that one of us (usually me) would start watching it by ourselves, and as the remaining two would pass through the living room on their way outside or to the kitchen, they would always stop dead in their tracks before taking a seat in front of the television. It was a film that the three of us genuinely enjoyed, and believe me...with my brothers being 10 and 12 years older than me, it was next to impossible for us to find any common interests.

So with all of that being said, I simply ask that you give the film a try. The worst case scenario is that you don't like it, and the best case scenario is that you've found a new film to add to your collection.

Nerd up! ;)

Kingdoms of Amalur...the Awesomeness!

Hello fellow gamers!

I come to you today to talk about the awesomeness that is Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Brought to you by the creative minds of Ken Rolston (the game's executive designer), R. A. Salvatore (not only the creator of the game universe and lore, but a power-house author of the fantasy genre), with Todd McFarlane (the creator of the artwork), and Grant Kirkhope creating the musical score, Kingdoms of Amalur is an amazing new addition to the world of electronic RPGs.

Available for PC, XBOX 360, and PS3, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was released this past February, and was developed by 38 Studios and Big Huge Games.

Now, this game really appeals to my love of RPGs not only because of the wide range of quests that you have to choose from (quests that are completely outside the realm of the main plot), but also because of the way that you really get to customize your in-game character. While you're only allowed to choose from 4 races (2 human, and 2 elven), you're nevertheless able to customize everything from skin, facial features, piercings, hair and tattoos. But the customization doesn't end there. Unlike with other RPGs, you're not limited to only one path (ranger, wizard, warrior, etc). Rather, you're allowed to mix and match. While you can choose to pursue just one path, what's the point of having the ability to combine paths if you don't take advantage of it?

Right?

I for one was thrilled to be able to combine my two favorite classes of mage and ranger/rogue.

This freedom of character development ties in with the general plot of the game that revolves around your in-game character. After being killed in a bloody battle against the Tuatha (evil Fae warriors of the new, despotic Fae king), you find yourself brought back to life amidst a pile of corpses (tell me that's not a bad day, lol). Now, if you haven't played the game yet, I won't go into details as to how that happened, but because you have defied the laws of nature, you become 'fateless'. As such, your destiny is truly your own and isn't controlled by any higher power.

Overall gameplay is smooth, though the controls are a little loose--meaning it's very easy to run past your intended target if you're not paying attention. However, that's only a small complaint. The freedom of movement within battles more than makes up for it, as does the relative smoothness in switching between your fighting styles.

Here's a little tip, be sure to level up your lock-picking skills, your detect-hidden skills, as well as your persuasion skills because they seriously come in handy.

Now, onto the subject of graphics.

If you're looking for a game with graphics akin to those of Mass Effect 3) or Call of Duty 3, then you'll be disappointed, but that is no reason to not give this game a chance and even enjoy it. The game is set against a backdrop that for me was very reminiscent of The Secret of Nimh with the overall lighting as well as all of the glowing plants and flowers. Simply put, it's beautiful. Not only that, but time actually progresses (sunrises, sunsets, etc). Regarding the graphics of the characters and monsters, it's as though World of Warcraft had a baby with Evequest 2.

What do I mean by that?

The characters are more cartoonish than the ones in Everquest 2, but less cartoonish than the ones in World of Warcraft. As someone who's played both games, I can say that Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a perfect balance between the two styles. Now, while I LOVE a game with amazing graphics, I find myself very happy with the way the graphics are done in this game because it makes the spiders less scary. Unlike with the Dragon Age games in which case I find myself running away from the spiders and letting my party deal with them (ESPECIALLY during a few key moments in Dragon Age 2).

The weapons are awesome and have a great deal of variety (I particularly love the chakrams and fayblades). Also, because of the very wide array of quests (many of which reward you with certain in-game perks that you wouldn't get if you had turned the quests down) that are available in the 5 regions in which you explore throughout the course of the game, the game has a very open-world feel to it. Now, being the type of gamer who loves to take my time and explore the in-game world (the detect-hidden skill really comes in handy here because it allows you to detect hidden treasure caches as well as to detect and disarm hidden traps), this could not get any better for me.

Overall, I give this game 2 thumbs up, and I encourage all of you to give it a try.

Nerd up! ;)