Fanboys Anonymous

Episode 9 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael, Braeden, Sean and Nick  take a look at the pro's and con's of pre-owned gaming, if you've ever been on the fence about buying used games this is the episode that will change your mind!.

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The Witch Doctor series does not have new releases nearly as often as I would like. Brandon Seifert and Lukas Ketner are simply geniuses that have created a truly novel group of characters set in a unique and ever-intriguing world. Witch Doctor Mal Practice #3 hit shelves today, and I could not have been more excited to pick it up and flip through it.

In the beginning, we find Dr. Vincent Morrow recording his will. Although the scene is mostly light-hearted and humorous, we find a key aspect of Dr. Morrow’s character coming through: the fondness he has developed towards Penny and Eric. The thought, however, is fleeting, and the scene quickly changes to Morrow and his crew preparing to meet with the opposition. What happens next is a brilliant exchange between the doctor and his enemies. As usual, Seifert is a master of humor both subtle and overt. Even in the face of danger and death, Morrow still manages to maintain an air of sarcastic wit about him.

Ketner’s art has been spot on since the very beginning and augments the writing even further. Things as simple as a raised eyebrow or a wide-eyed look work in unison with the writing to create an extremely cohesive story and an absolutely enthralling experience. It’s a match made in heaven.

Maybe it’s because I’m training to be a doctor myself, but I find Witch Doctor to be one of the best books out on the market today. Witch Doctor Mal Practice #3 is no exception. The dialogue is smart, the art is luscious, and the story is simply captivating. The only problem I have now is that I don’t know how I’ll survive until the next issue comes out. *sigh*


Score: 10/10

A lot of groundwork has been laid for the story that unfolds in this week’s installment of Uncanny Avengers. While I admittedly found the first two issues a little slow-paced, Uncanny Avengers #3 has no problems on this front and presents readers with fast-paced and jaw-dropping action.

Writer Rick Remender gives a third-person narrative of the tragedy that ensues in this third book. It is a hauntingly detached account yet truly highlights the gravity of the situation. Having fused the late Charles Xavier’s brain with his own, Red Skull uses his newly found telepathic influence to incite a mutant massacre in the heart of New York City. Through his powerful influence, ordinary humans do the unspeakable, seeking out and killing innocent mutants all in the name of one man’s hate and lust for power. Unfortunately, some of our would-be heroes also fall under this influence, stacking upon pre-existing distrust and ultimately adding up to a disjointed and uncoordinated rescue effort.

The artwork appropriately matches the chilling tale, showing the violence that takes place without being too overly gruesome. Facial expressions were especially strong in this issue, showing pure and raw emotion. The message is well-received and has the desired impact on the reader. Combined with the accompanying text, the last few panels have an especially frightening effect and are a perfect ending to an issue like this.

Without a doubt, Uncanny Avengers #3 is the strongest release by Marvel this week. The powerful prose presented in this telling of events drives the reader on, while the brilliant artwork draws the reader ever deeper into the action. The situation is unquestionably dire and the heroes are conflicted. It’s a situation that we all recognize. Admittedly, it’s a little cliché, but I don’t think the cliché factor will come much into play when you eventually witness Red Skull get what’s coming to him after this is all said and done.


Score: 10/10

Admittedly, I have about zero experience with the characters involved in this new Young Avengers series, so I’m essentially writing this review based off of a first-time read and a blank slate. Still, Marvel NOW is all about new starts and accessibility after all, so I decided to give this week’s Young Avengers #1 a chance. 

My absolute favorite style of narrative in a comic book is first person, and this is what writer Kieron Gillen does. Despite having no background on any of the characters, I very quickly get a feeling of each individual’s personality, which, in my opinion, is a key component to drawing new readers in. Furthermore, being the “young” Avengers that they are, the prose is written stylistically in a youthful manner. It’s not easy writing the voice of a teenage girl when you’re a middle-aged man. Each character has a very distinct air about them, and it will certainly be exciting to see how these kids mesh when they inevitably come together to battle the forces of evil. Kudos.

The same sentiments apply to the artwork in this issue. The character designs are simple but are accented by vibrant colors and bold page designs. The title tagline “Style > Substance” applies perfectly here.

Gillen does a great job of laying the groundwork for the action to come. He gives each set of characters their own mini-exposition. This works somewhat against the overall book, however, as very little progress is made in terms of plot movement. That being said, this is the first book, and I wasn’t expecting an all-out brawl right off the bat. Still, there was a lot more that I wanted to see by the time I reached the end. The book seems shorter than it actually is which is unfortunate.


Jumping into this book blind, I was pleasantly surprised when I reached the end. The fun and youthful writing combined with the simple and vivid artwork coalesce to give Young Avengers a truly stand-out feel. The groundwork has been set, and I am prepared for the action to come in the next couple of weeks.

Score: 8/10

Throughout the years, mutant-kind has experienced a great number of hardships. From massacre, to genocide, to decimation, mutants have been through it all. Recent events haven’t been any less brutal, and there are characters that have (literally) been through Hell and back. These things change people, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. Then there’s the kind of change that is neither for the better nor for the worse; it’s an uncertain shade of gray. Enter Uncanny X-Force.

Writer Sam Humphries opens Uncanny X-Force #1 with a line that sets the tone for the whole series: “Betsy Braddock was the kind of mutant who could never have nice things.” Right from the beginning we are thrust into the action, seeing a vivid and dynamic panel with Psylocke holding Spiral hostage in a nightclub. We immediately are brought into a series of flashbacks that explains the current situation. After having been “kicked out” of the Jean Grey School, Wolverine subtly directs Psylocke on a covert mission. She then teams up with Storm to meet up with their contact, Puck, and the mutant-drug-busting action ensues.

I think a lot of people would describe this book as “hectic,” and I would wholeheartedly agree. That being said, I think “hectic” is just the kind of thing that a book like this needs. It’s a good kind of disorder. The characters highlighted in Uncanny X-Force have been beaten down and come out fighting even stronger. The book has a gritty feel about it and is a departure from your typical “save the day” sort of superhero book. The art, by Ron Garney, complements the feel of this book perfectly. The use of negative space, shadows, coloring, and framing give you the very distinct impression of a dark underbelly of the so-called “good guys.”

Perhaps my only complaint about this book is the fact that at the very tail end of the book, the plot quickly jumps to two other seemingly separate plots with other characters. Obviously, they will tie in somehow, but there is really no hint as to how that will come to be. The changes of scene detract from the story that initially draws the reader in and results in the book ending on a somewhat confusing note. This is a bad kind of disorder.


Still, this first issue of Uncanny X-Force is a nice start to the series. The writing and the artwork are strong and complement each other. For the most part, the writing style sets a unique tone to the book, and I look forward to seeing what else Humphries and Garney have to offer in future issues.

Score: 8.5/10

As many people may know, I work for Geek Squad. This means that I need to be up-to-date and familiar with all things tech. So to get acquainted with Windows 8 before its imminent release, I downloaded the beta. But before the release of the beta, many people had their doubts that Windows 8 would a good operating system. Why? How could they have doubts without even using the OS for themselves? See the picture below.

Funny, but accurate. Windows was set up to fail, so it seemed. So, what did I think of the beta? It was SHIT. It felt and looked very cheap. The things they borrowed, or straight up stole, from Apple and Linux left me to believe that Windows can't do anything original anymore. The new Start Menu felt clunky and obviously designed for a touch interface. How could this possibly be enjoyable to people who use a good old fashioned mouse?

Made with  the Meme-Generator app for Windows 8.

The day had come. My heartbeat beat heavily in my chest as I opened the optical drive's disc tray and inserted the 64 bit Windows 8 installation disc. I almost wasted my body's water and salt from a single tear drop as I completed the start up process. I felt like I buried my favorite dog and immediately signed adoption papers for an annoying, yappie, lapdog.

My mood started to lighten as I began customizing my account. I set up my lock screen picture, password, picture password, pin number. I browsed and downloaded apps from the app store. I organized my live tiles to my liking, which actually took some time and effort. After a few hours of using Windows 8 for myself and for the things I wanted to use it for, I didn't feel so terribly about this OS as I previously did. I realized that the beta I based my opinion on was unfinished. Sure, Windows still looks cheap and clunky, but with a little time and customization, it's really not bad.

My Start Menu.

For the people who don't have a touch screen, Microsoft added a series of keyboard functions to make it easier for those users. It's not all that difficult to use a mouse and keyboard. And the new OS may seem complicated and confusing, but take some time to learn it. It's actually an easier OS to learn than previous versions of Windows was for new users. For instance, if you need to find something, a file or settings feature, just simple start typing what you're looking for when viewing the Start Menu.

And for people are reading this and haven't used Windows 8 and think that Windows 8 is just the new Start Menu, fear not. There is still the familiar old Desktop. There's still the familiar old File Explorer. It is basically Windows 7, but they took the Start Menu and made it the main interface for the user. It's easier to navigate and more useful in ways than the old Start Menu.

In my opinion, Windows 8 is a fun operating system. There is a lot of customization involved to tailor it to your needs and wants. It's not the monstrosity that I once thought it was. There are a lot of negative reviews online about the new OS. This is one of the few positive reviews. All I can say is, this is my opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own. But don't be afraid of Windows 8 like I was. It's very easy to pick up and learn to use. At the very least, go to your local Best Buy and try it out. See for yourselves if you like it. If you don't, stick to your older version of Windows, Mac OS, or Linux and hope that the next version of Windows doesn't suck.

Episode 8 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael, Braeden, Sean and Nick  take a look at the First Person shooter genre, a genre of gaming that is embraced by modern culture, does the genre have staying power or will it eventually be forgotten.

You can check out this episode and all previous episodes by using the following links:

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iTunes:https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/igotgameplay/id570120518

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Since 2006, the Gears of War series has been one of the strongest titles exclusive for Microsoft products, following a close second to the Halo franchise. For those who have never played Gears of War, it is a notorious third-person shooter with a military grade and science fiction theme throughout the series. Gears of War takes place on the Planet Sera, a planet that has been in conflict to the brink of destruction for years. When a new species called the Locust Horde wipe the bulk of the population off of the planet (Also known as Emergence Day), The The Coalition of Ordered Governments (COG) evacuates the remaining survivors to Jancito Plateau, and orders the troops Delta Squad "Gears" to continue to protect the Plateau while finding ways to rid of the Locust threat entirely. With each game continuing the storyline and following a corresponding plot unique to each game, the series has been quite successful, but since the new addition to the franchise has been announced last year, many questions have been thrown in the air: How will this tie into the series successfuly, and will it live up to expectations?

In 2012, Gears of War Judgement was confirmed that it will be a prequel to the previous game, taking place 14 years before the first Gears of War, showing the series' main characters entering war. It shows the setting taking place at Halvo Bay, which was overrun by the Locust. The setting also seems to be pointing at San Francisco for the inspiration. Baird and his Kilo squad stand trial for transgression against the COG. Testimonies are heard by COG leader Colonel Loomis, who accuses Kilo of desertion, cowardice, trespassing, theft of military tech and treason. The gameplay shown in trailers has shown an almost entirely different setting, where the settings in the games following show what seems to be post-apocalyptic. During the Campaign and the storyline of the game, you seem to find many signs showing the celebration of the end of the Pendulum Wars, which has ended prior to this.

At the end of 2012, Microsoft announced that the games will have a Free-For-All mode, which is basically what it's describing. With this new multiplayer mode, it's asking for each soldier to take on one another. Basically, it's every man for himself. It's also introducing a class-based multiplayer, which is new for the series. For COG, the classes are the Engineer, Soldier, Medic and Scout. With the Locust Horde, the classes are the Wretch, Ticker, Kantus, Grenadier, Bloodmount, Mauler, Serapede, and the Corpser. The new Overrun Mode consists of two timed five versus five rounds where one troop defends a pair of objectives from the opposing players. As the COG, you protect two sealed Emergence Holes and a Hammer of Dawn beacon. There is progression for the player as well as levelling up of single characters.

With these new features, and the unvieling of some riviting and important information regarding the storyline of the series, Gears of War judgement should live up to its expectations. Judgement is expected to be released on March 19th. My name is Nikki Mills, and I am a Fangirl.

Perhaps one of the darkest new series to come from the Marvel NOW movement is the New Avengers series which debuted a couple of weeks ago. Having witnessed the horrific destruction of another Earth, T’Challa, the Black Panther, sends out a cry to assemble the notorious Illuminati (minus the now deceased Professor Charles Xavier). The series promises to be a tense and harrowing experience for not only the heroes involved but also for readers.

Jonathan Hickman’s writing in this second installment is fantastic, keeping the same dark and dramatic tone that was present in the pilot issue. “Save me from what we are about to do.” It is a powerful statement that impresses on the reader the magnitude of the events that are about to occur.

Every character, from the reluctant Black Panther, to the genius Mr. Fantastic, to the headstrong Namor, to the cool and calculated Doctor Strange is written perfectly. There are seven very distinct personalities in this gathering of heroes, and Hickman amazingly brings them together and creates the sort of tension and conflict that one would expect from the meeting of such strong personalities. A shining example of this meticulously weaved plot is a disagreement between Namor and Black Bolt, resulting in an ever so small utterance from the King of the Inhumans himself, which leads to a miniature earthquake that symbolically cracks the stone table they are sitting at.

Fine details like this are drawn throughout the book and give even more life to the vivid writing. The use of lighting and shadows is especially apparent, contributing to the overall feel of the series. Much credit should be given to the art team that worked on this issue. It is a pleasure to look at and truly sets a haunting tone.


Something bad is about to happen. Something unforgivable is about to happen. Not only does it excite me, but it also sends chills down my spines. Because if these heroes can’t find a solution to the problem at hand, “… then we teach ourselves to do the unthinkable… We have to learn how to destroy a world.”

Score: 9.5/10

I had mixed feelings when the Savage Wolverine series was announced a couple of months ago. On one hand, hell yeah, it’s another Wolverine book; on the other hand, though, oh, it’s another Wolverine book. Wolverine has had a long publication history and may well be one of Marvel’s most recognizable characters. With the Marvel NOW movement in full swing, Logan is not only starring in Savage Wolverine (written by Frank Cho) but is also set to appear in the fifth volume of his title series, Wolverine (written by Paul Cornell).

In Savage Wolverine #1, we find Logan mysteriously stranded on a remote island in the Savage Land. After doing some of what he does best, he meets up with Shanna the She-Devil, who explains to him that they are trapped on this extremely hostile island. Logan, being the one-track minded person that he is, immediately agrees to team-up with Shanna to do whatever it takes to leave. That’s all well and good, but the plot, however, isn’t my biggest concern with this first issue.

As with previous Wolverine books, Logan is our narrator, which, in my opinion, is one of the most compelling attributes of a Wolverine-driven story. Writers like Chris Claremont and Larry Hama gave readers a narrative that was raw, real, gritty, and rough. They portrayed Wolverine truly as a beast inside of a man, highlighting that inner struggle as we experienced Logan’s adventures right alongside him. Reading through this first issue of Savage Wolverine, I couldn't help but feel disappointed at how hit-or-miss both the narration and Logan’s dialogue were. Some of the wording and phrasing that Logan uses in this book just don’t seem authentic, and my thought is that Cho does not yet have a firm grasp on Wolverine as a character. For example, at one point in the issue, Logan says to Shanna “You had to do what you had to do. Don’t blame yourself, kid.” I just cannot imagine Wolverine calling Shanna “kid.” Kitty Pryde? Yes. Jubilee? Yes. Shanna? No. I would have expected something more along the lines of “Don’t blame yourself, darlin’.”

While Frank Cho errs in portraying Wolverine with words, he succeeds immensely with his artwork in this issue. The drawings are clean and detailed, though, unfortunately, do not even begin to make up for the mishaps in the writing.


Without a doubt, James “Logan” Howlett is one of my favorite superheroes of all time, and it takes a particular type of person to be able to portray Wolverine in a way that I find satisfying and true to my perception of the character. The Logan written in this first issue just does not seem authentic to me. While Cho does have some highlights in his writing, most of it just seems try-hard and forced so far. Given more time with the character, I think Cho will eventually be able to create a more familiar Wolverine for long-time fans, but this imposter in the first issue is certainly not him.

Score: 6/10

Ok, so that title doesn't really work. But you know what does work? Django. Oh damn. Saved it. I totally saved that. So, if you're here, chances are you're sort of on the fence. It may be about this movie. It may be about Tarantino in general. Well, let's get one thing out of the way immediately.

Personally, I love Tarantino's work. It was something akin to culture shock when I found out that everyone doesn't. But that's ok. So Tarantino may not be your thing. If so... well, definitely stay away from Django. It's got a lot of quintessential Tarantino-isms. Over the top violence, tense speeches, oh yeah, and the dreaded "n-word!" GASP. So, definitely stay home if offensive language is something that bothers you. Why would you consider seeing a film about slavery, set in the 1800's?

Django Unchained is the tale of a slave named Django (played by Jamie Foxx, but you knew that already, yes?) and his quest to reunite with his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). The subject matter is handled well, and Tarantino managed to write some genuinely funny scenes poking fun at racism, and the Ku Klux Klan. But the overall tone of the film is a bit on the somber side. It reflects the tale of Sigurd, or Siegfried, and his quest to save Brunhilde. The titular Django fills the role of Sigurd, and his wife Broomhilda obviously Brunhilde.

The movie is on the longer side. The main storyline of the movie involves saving Broomhilda from Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), but a good hour's worth of movie happens before DiCaprio first appears on screen. To me, this is by no means a bad thing. Django Unchained has a story to tell, and every bit of it is interesting.

The first half of the film is dedicated to showing how Django befriends German bounty hunter King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). To be frank, Christoph Waltz's performance is absolutely wonderful. The movie is worth seeing for him alone. The man already won a Golden Globe for the performance, and as of this writing has at least an Oscar nomination as well. These accolades are truly deserved. The role of Schultz an important one as well. Not only is he the catalyst for the entirety of the movie's events, but he is something of an avatar representing the modern movie goer. Schultz abhors slavery, and is one of the only people that treats Django like a human.

Well. I've been trying to keep this spoiler free. So how do you review a movie without spoilers? Like this.

PROS:

1. A story wonderfully told. Tarantino is up for a Oscar for his writing here, and there's very clearly a good reason as to why.
2. Absolutely fantastic performance by Chrisoph Waltz as King Schultz, and great performances by the rest of the cast as well.
3. Scenes range from genuinely funny, to moving. The whole gamut of emotions is run here.
4. Length. I love long movies.

This week's installment of All-New X-Men sees a marked slow-down from the action and the disorder that comes from yanking the five original X-Men from the past and into the present. This is by no means a bad thing, however, as the change in pace allows Bendis to really focus in on some key character development details that will ultimately be a solid foundation for the rest of the series to build upon.

The issues of three characters are touched upon in this book: Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Warren Worthington III. With her recently awakened telepathic abilities and the realization of what has happened (or will happen), we find Jean struggling to cope with the weight of it all. In a brilliant reversal of roles, Jean finds stability and guidance in Kitty Pryde, whom was just starting on her own X-adventures when the original Jean (as Phoenix) was a senior X-Men member. Tragically, we find that Scott is unable to find this same kind of moral support or acceptance despite the fact that young Scott is not even responsible for the actions that older Scott has made. Even as an early X-Man, we find that Scott is still at odds with Logan, however, who still feels strongly about sending the five teens back to the past. Lastly, we see that Warren finally gets at least a partial answer to his questions about himself from the last issue. Knowing the history of older Warren, the meeting with his younger self has a notably bittersweet undertone that contrasts with the seeming levity of the scene.

In general, I have never been a huge fan of Marquez's art, and I initially thought it was a stark departure from Immonen's penciling in the previous issues. Looking back, however, I find the art to be appropriate and especially fitting. The original X-Men actually look like teenagers, and, at least for me, you get a very real sense of how young these original five members actually are, which in the end allows for the gravity of the big picture to sink in. I still feel like Jean is not getting the kind of justice she deserves in Marquez's depiction, but the core message comes across the same nonetheless.


All-New X-Men #6 is yet another hit in this nascent series and is definitely going places. Despite some minor reservations I have about Marquez's art, in general, I think both the depictions of characters and the writing in this book have a unique synergy that allow the reader to connect to this innovative story that Bendis is carefully unraveling.

Score: 9/10

Episode 7 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael, Braeden, Sean, Nick and special guest Samuel Lascio discuss Nintendo's rise to power as one of the dominant gaming companies in the industry today and how the company has managed to create its own niche in family gaming.

You can check out this episode and all previous episodes by using the following links:

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Short answer: Yes. If that's enough for any of you reading this, take my word for it and go buy the game when it's released in March. I know I'll be getting it.

For the rest of you who probably need a little more information, I'll explain. Since the PlayStation 2 days, every Sony fan has probably heard of God of War. A third person action/adventure game series, it has certainly become one of Sony's biggest franchises, with Kratos and his story of revenge against the Greek gods who wronged him becoming one of Sony's most popular characters. So far, five games have been released in the main series, spanning across the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PSP, and all five of them have since been bundled into a $40 PS3 package called God of War Saga. That is an awesome deal and I highly recommend it for those who have never played a GoW game or for anyone who would like a refresher on the series.

But enough of the background and shameless plug. When God of War: Ascension was announced last year, it raised quite a few eyebrows because for the first time ever, the developers at Sony Santa Monica were adding an extensive online multiplayer mode to a God of War game. Last week, a beta build of that mode was released to PlayStation Plus members, and after playing it, any fears I had were put to rest.

For anyone who's played a GoW game before, the controls are exactly what you'd expect, and for anyone else, an in-depth tutorial that takes place atop Mt. Olympus will get you up to speed. From there, you swear your allegiance to a god, and this is what shapes your warrior as you advance and level up. In the beta, the only options are Ares and Zeus, but in the final game, Hades and Poseidon are available as well. What's nice is you're never locked into your allegiance; you can change and try something else out at any time. Then as you gain experience and level up, you can customize your warrior, including getting new armor, weapons, and abilities; another nice touch is you can continue to customize your warrior as you search and wait for matches to start.

A variety of game types will be available to players, but the beta included three: Favor of the Gods, Team Favor of the Gods, and Capture The Flag. Favor of the Gods is a basic free-for-all slayer game. Earning kills and other accomplishments earns you "favor" (aka points), and the first person to reach 8,000 favor is the winner. Team Favor of the Gods, as the name suggests, is a team slayer game. Two teams of four battle it out to be the first to reach 8,000 favor. Finally, Capture the Flag is pretty self-explanatory. Two teams of four rush to be the first to earn 5 flag captures, earning plenty of brutal kills along the way. After playing all three, I can say that they are quite fun, and the graphics are absolutely gorgeous; the development team has obviously worked hard to make sure that multiplayer is just as solid as the story mode, and that will be sure to add tons of replay value to this game. There are plenty of surprises that I won't spoil, so if you're interested and a PlayStation Plus member, download it (for free) and check it out!

One last thing: This game seems to be great for fans and newcomers alike. Very little has been confirmed about the single-player story, but what is known is that Ascension will be the first game chronologically, taking place six months after Kratos murdered his wife and child during his crazed time serving Ares (spoiler alert...for an eight year old game), long before the events of the first God of War. Between that and the fun multiplayer mode, this is as good a time as any for gamers to dive in and see what all the fuss is about!

The dawn of the new year has a lot of movie buzz with the upcoming Oscar nominations and ceremony on the horizon, so I think now is a good time to talk about movies. Whether it be opinions on them like reviews, hopes or wish lists for future films you would like to see on the big screen, no one can deny a better time to shoot the breeze about movies than now.

So after that long winded prelude, it's time for me to talk about a film that I want, but haven't yet got to see: a live action Alice in Wonderland film that does the entire book justice. Over the years since Lewis Carroll's publication of the piece of classic literature there have been tons (and I mean tons) of different adaptions of Alice in Wonderland. There's the silent films done in the 20s, a multitude of animated adaptations (one which we will touch upon later in this article) as well mini TV Series, and various other media adaptations that you could think of.


Now, I do believe that there is an animated film that does justice to the book - or at least does it well - and it's really the only Alice film that everyone remembers: the 1951 animated classic by Walt Disney Pictures. It's the one I believe has stood the test of time and continues to do so...but why? Is it the colorful animation done by the perfect studio to adapt such a crazy chaotic story of a girl falling down a rabbit hole, or simple yet still gritting nostalgia? I don't really know to be honest. It's my favorite of the bunch and it still doesn't follow the book properly. There was no Gryphon or Mocking Turtle (though they appeared in some Jello commercial the movie was endorsing) and even the baby-turned-pig scene, despite being considered and storyboarded, were never used.

For whatever reason, this version has held up the best for me, as well as a good majority of other people as well. It's not the only adaptation you can find as there are plenty. For example(s) there was a television mini-series that aired in the 80s that a bit of fun to watch and of course it's main highlight actually being the Jabberwocky making it's first live action appearance and in the process making Godzilla look more terrifying and realistic. Then we have the Hallmark produced movie for television which from my memory is the live action rendition that I remember the most clearly and I'm going to say this now it's still the best live action adaption of Alice In Wonderland to date. Decent cast, follows the book far better than the Disney film, and does what it's supposed to do right. And like the 80s version this was once again a movie made for television and it looks really good for what it's supposed to be. Decent effects for such a production and as I mentioned decent casting as well. The only thing missing from it was a larger budget, a little more hype, and someone who really wants to make a legitimate film that gives Carroll's book the justice it deserves. Anyway that 1999 special still holds up really well in my opinion and both televised films can actually be found on DVD, if that thought crossed your mind from say curiosity's sake.




More adaptions are out there that are live action that I am going to touch upon right now. in 1988 a very artistically dark film called "Alice" was released. It uses similar creatures from the story via stop motion puppets and has Alice go through a series of different events that are somewhat depressing and gritty. Unlike the book's crazy and colorful encounters and predicaments. It was Czech made film by director Jan Švankmajer who put his own little twist on the story, characters and all other elements of Wonderland. He made his own and in the right I have to give him credit for standing out from the bunch but at the same time as good as this version may be it has nothing do with Lewis Carroll's actual book.



Which brings me to our final film on the semi-rant brigade and that being the 2010 Tim Burton film, "Alice In Wonderland"now the reason I found this movie such a disappointment was because after Burton followed the book of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" more closely than the actual Wonka film did (not saying it was the better movie by any means) and that Disney who produced what I stated earlier to be the best film adaption of Alice was producing and distributing this movie I thought for sure I was going to get the live action film I had been waiting for since my childhood. When I actually see the movie what do I get? Basically a freaking sequel as the story in the movie is Alice under stress over her upcoming wedding returns to Wonderland as an adult and in turn helps the people of Wonderland on a new quest, well the hype certainly fooled me into believing it was actually going to be book related, but again the Jabberwocky being in it and on top of looking great, being voiced by Christopher Lee was pretty amazing I must admit.



Now that I've gotten all or better yet most of the previous Alice adaptations it's time to talk about what I would like to see in a live action Alice film. First off a great film crew with a director and other people behind the project who will take the proper care and necessary work to translate such a difficult and puzzling piece of literature into a compelling motion picture. Have all scenes from the book represented in a manner that doesn't cause any complaint or nit pick. Actually feature the Jabberwocky, the Gryphon and Mock Turtle, Pig baby, etc. Everything we've all read from the classic novel must be represented with not a thing missing. Every nitpick about each of these film adaptations, even the animated ones is that they are missing certain points in the book that are too distracting to discard.




Certain scenes I would like to see some serious character dilemma or peril going for Alice in certain precarious situations for instances when she grows large enough to become trapped in the house in every adaption it annoys her that she's basically immobile but never freaks out that she completely trapped and stuck inside a resident's home. She only starts to get worried when they threaten to burn the house down because obviously she would burn too because she's trapped within it. Really show a true emotionally vulnerable side to her that we haven't seen before and I think a little more of that with colorful fun Alice she has been in a good portion of her movies bar Švankmajer's and Burton's films, I think it could make for some compelling drama in what is for the most part a rather colorful and zany story.



In conclusion my fellow Carroll fans I think we can all agree it was long wait to finally see a film adaption to Alice In Wonderland waiting from 1999 all the way to 2010, then it ends up being a disappointing sequel story. I don't know if it's going to take me to make this movie to finally have that book have it's justice given but I hope the right crew can get it done sometime before me. The original Disney animated film set the bar for film adaptations and the 1999 Hallmark made televised movie is the best in terms of a a live action film but both of them can be topped easily with a simple direction of following one man's crazy story but who knows maybe these two movies will stand the test of my lifetime as being the two best Alice movies made as I said only time will tell.

This has been Braeden, contributor of Fanboys Anonymous wishing you all a happy New Year/2013 and there will be more articles from your's truly to come out in the near future. Also a parding question has Through The Looking Glass ever been given film justice? Will it ever be given such? We may have to wait until next time to find the answer to that one folks.

For the third meeting of the monthly Fanboys Anonymous roundtable discussion podcast, the members chat about Spider-Man. Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Nick Abrams, Michael Burhan, Sam Lascio, and Nikki Mills.

With great fanboys comes great podcasts

Some topics we address:

• The Amazing Spider-Man
• Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Trilogy
• Superior Spider-Man
• Spider-Man: One More Day
• Spider-Man Clone Saga
• How does Spider-Man sew his costume?

You can watch all the parts of the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!

Hey, everybody! It's been a long time since I've had the chance to write anything. This holiday season really kicked me around. I haven't really had much time for anything at all. But now that it's over and I'm back at it, I wanted to talk about something big. Something anyone can read and something that could strike up a big conversation. And I hope to see some people on our Facebook page talking about it, or even in the comments below. Now enough chatter, let's get to it...

The Internet. Since its arrival and accessibility to the masses, it has offered more and more to us. It has shifted and changed with advancements in technology. And it was clear from the beginning that it would be an information hub. A place for people to go with any questions they had.

Search engines became available for just that purpose. Like AskJeeves.com, which is now Ask.com, and others, such as Yahoo, DogPile, Lycos, AOL Search, HotBot... But honestly, who uses them anymore? The most popular search engines of today are Google and Bing. The good thing about Google over Bing is that Google doesn't try to push itself on you when you install a program, buy a new PC, or do Windows updates. There is even an integrated Bing search bar on the Xbox dashboard. Microsoft, we understand that you made Bing and you're trying to get people to use it. But I think you're pimping out your product in all the wrong ways. Stahp.

But answers isn't the only thing the Internet has to offer. And here is where things really started to change for the Internet and way people started to use it. The ability to upload and share media. When the likes of Napster arose, people went crazy and downloaded every song they could until their hard drives were full. I know I did. But this didn't go unnoticed. When famous (or infamous depending on who you are) drummer from the band Metallica saw that he and his band mates were losing profit from Napster, he threw a hissy fit and started a lawsuit against Napster and won. Media sharing on the Internet would take a new name: piracy.

Since the downfall of Napster, other media sharing websites and programs became available. There were the likes of KaZaa, BearShare, MegaUpload, etc... most of which are gone. But with the Internet, it seems, when you cut off one head, another grows. Stronger, faster, better. People started using YouTube to upload and use it for streaming and sharing media. But of course, companies noticed and the rules of YouTube changed. Currently, people are using torrents to upload, share, and download different forms of media.

Now, piracy is wrong and everyone knows it. By downloading media illegally, you are cheating companies and artists who own the rights to the media out of their riches. But this doesn't seem to stop people from doing it. Some say that they use piracy as a way to preview the product. If they enjoy it, they will support it by purchasing the media. But this isn't always the case. And the Internet killed the likes of Blockbuster and other video rental stores long ago. So where else can people really go to taste test before they make their decision to pay full price?

The government has taken a lot of interest in the Internet and the way people use it. They have gone as far as trying to pass bills to actually LIMIT what people can do on the Internet. So companies who have the rights to the media that's being shared illegally online have started making deals with new up and coming services on the Internet like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, RedBox, and CinemaNow. People are going to share media illegally on the Internet one way or another. So why not just make the media more accessible? Just give it to the people for a small monthly fee or even for free and saturate it with advertisements? Could this save our freedom to use the Internet without limitations?

So, now I'd like to ask that everyone give their own opinions and bring up some points that I failed to mention. Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Nintendo has always been a trendsetter in terms of console manufacturers, creating such innovative gaming peripherals as the motion controller and motion +. Forever copied but still managing to stay ahead of the times, Nintendo has strived from strength to strength. The Wii managed to keep the company on top of Sony and Microsoft in terms of units sold, but was never able to bring in the hardcore gamers of yesteryear. This is due to a lack of third-party support and real time graphics, which the PS3 and Xbox have in spades.

Nintendo loyalists will tell you that the Wii still has momentum, but since 2008 you wouldn't necessarily find anyone purchasing a Wii for anything other than a Nintendo release. This is something that Nintendo hopes to change with the Wii U.

Nintendo has finally gone HD, with brand new hardware to rival and supposedly surpass the rest of the current competition - an IBM PowerPC 750-based three-core processor for its CPU, 2GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon High Definition GPU.

Being the first of a new generation will mean that Nintendo's rivals will be able to eclipse it's current innovation with faster processing power, but the Wii U is not just about power. It's also about cool new gadgets that will send any loyal fan to the store wanting more – hence the new tablet controller.

When Nintendo first revealed the Wii U back in the middle of 2011, they rightly chose to show off the GamePad first, because it's here where most of the magic happens. Measuring 259x135x23mm, it's comfortable, lightweight, and has many uses. Switching from single player portable gaming to a 4-dimensional gaming experience allows games like Nintendo Land to show off the controller's strengths.


The console is also cost effective, having backwards compatibility with the Wii Motion and Motion + controllers, allowing over five players to join in and compete against one another.

Gameplay is fluid and manages to appease both hard core gaming fans and Nintendo loyalists. Having both third party support with releases of Arkham City, Zombie U and Sonic Racers, the Wii U has everything a well-rounded gamer would want. Only time will tell how successful it becomes overall.

Nintendo has yet to realize the full potential of their tablet controller. Only being able to use the controller for gaming and call purposes using Nintendo's own application doesn't help the company expand into other markets. By utilizing third party applications such as Skype and YouTube this would enable Nintendo to gain a grasp on a market that has only been utilized by smart phone manufacturers, thus giving them something of an edge to their competitors.


Another thing that's missing is online play, Nintendo has utilized its own online facility for shop and communication via Miiverse, but have not enabled games such as Nintendo Land to have multiplayer access which dampens the game's overall playability. Console owners who have been spoiled by their PS3 and Xbox 360 have been able to enjoy multiplay with gamers across the globe, but Nintendo doesn't feel that utilizing this feature as something unique.

[Nintendo Land] is not going to be played over the network. There's actually a logical reason for why they decided to do that. I think for… Up until now, basically, when people have said, "What does a network mean for video gaming?", the answer has always been "online play." We look at online play and we think that it's important, and obviously for games where it makes sense, we're going to leverage it. But for Wii U launch specifically, one of the things that we want people to understand is that a network connection to a game can mean a lot of different things. It can mean online gaming, but it can also mean other unique ways to connect to other people.

-Bill Trinen, Nintendo product manager

Hopefully in time Bill and others at Nintendo will see the error of their ways and will utilize this feature in order to bring a more sizable market to their next-gen console. All in all the Wii U is a rather unique and impressive competitor that will stand the test of time by not only bringing something new to the gaming market, but also adapting its console to become a more well-rounded system.

My rating: 9 out of 10

Michael Burhan is an actor/entertainer and host of IGotGameplay, check out Michael's blog Nerd Genious for more.

Episode 6 of the I Got Gameplay podcast is now online. On this episode, Michael, Braeden, Sean and Nick discuss 2012's hit and misses and what's happening in 2013!.

You can check out this episode and the previous two by using the following links:

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Of course they don't.

The world was stunned Friday as a gunman decided to lash out at those who couldn't defend themselves. But this article isn't about that tragedy. This is an article aimed towards those who rally against video games in the face of such tragedy. Make no mistakes, the attacks have already begun. As a lifelong gamer, I take these attacks personally. And we all should. Every time some horrible shooting happens, mass media is quick to point to my favorite pass time as being a machine that manufactures murdering sociopaths. Even articles that don't outright attack video gaming feel the need to mention that it was something the shooter had indulged in. That last article casually mentions that the shooter enjoyed playing Dynasty Warriors, making sure that the fact isn't far from the reader's mind.

Mass Effect has come under fire. And here I thought it was about saving the universe...

A tragedy of this nature is hard for some to cope with. When a killer takes his or her own life, people feel like justice was cheated, and no real closure can be had. This is dangerous. This is when people need to find something else to vilify. Video gaming is still relatively new, and even newer is gaming's presence in mainstream society. There are still those that don't understand gaming as a medium. Those that don't understand can look at the content and draw connections between what is virtual and what is reality. This mindset just serves to create more victims.

Nothing makes me want to machine gun the innocent like 200AD Chinese warriors.

Firstly are the obvious ramifications towards the developers. This mob mentality spreads even easier via the internet. Through some less than professional sleuthing, people were led to believe the shooter was a huge fan of Mass Effect, and lashed out in full force. The people at Bioware are no less human than you or I, or those directly involved in the shooting. The logic behind this is baffling. A baseball bat can easily be used to assault another individual, but whenever it happens no one rushes out and screams, "Oh, great job Louisville! Your sturdy wooden blunt objects promote murder, and thus this blood is on your hands!" This sort of thought process can be applied to arms manufacturing and make sense, whether you agree or not, but attacking the game industry is akin to firing into a crowd of bystanders. Many of those involved in game design do so out of a love of creating. To ignorantly tell someone their creation is what caused someone else to destroy is crass.

What seems like an eternity ago, Jack Thompson continuously sought to prove video gaming to be at fault for several different shootings, managed to prove absolutely nothing, and in the end was disbarred. The surmised connection between violence in games and violence in individuals has always been contested. It is easy to find case studies that have findings on both sides of that argument. The idea cannot be conclusively proven, or disproven. It all comes down to speculation. Harassment should never be brought on by mere speculation.

Pictured here: an overzealous jackass.

People feel they need something to blame this on because they're scared. The truth can be painful, and in this situation the truth is humanity is no perfect thing. People are born broken, or can become so. There is no set formula to what turns people into murderers. There never will be. It's easy to point at the video game industry and say, "We were all fine until you came along and made murderers." Obviously there have been murderers throughout history. I'm fairly certain Hitler didn't have access to Grand Theft Auto, and his hatred would cause the deaths of millions. The 'games made this happen' mentality will not make anything better. Hypothetically, if you ban games would massacres of this nature disappear? It's impossible to say for certain, but statistically it wouldn't. One could argue that even stricter gun control wouldn't prevent tragedy, as proven by a horrific incident in China where a mentally ill man slashed 20 children. There are some strong similarities between these cases.

The key to stopping this behavior is to work towards a better public image for mental health. Let this be the final straw. Take action. Reform public opinion. Make psychiatry as important as physiology. Being angry is good, use it as motivation to fix things. Pointing the finger isn't fixing anything.

As gamers, maybe it's up to us to take the first steps. In the face of such tragedy we refuse to be bullied by those who claim gaming is a detriment to society.

Greetings, Fanboys! This is Sam Lascio, finally posting my review of the Cartoon Network series Regular Show.

Now, we all remember Cartoon Network in its prime. I can't tell you how many times I'd come home from school as quickly as possible to catch Ed, Edd n Eddy, or waking up early to watch Dexter's Lab and Johnny Bravo. Lately, it seems as though Cartoon Network has been falling apart, dishing out mediocre tv shows like the Amazing World of Gumball, Johnny Test, and a watered-down MAD. However, in the pile CN has laid out, a few gems shine through to me, one of which is Regular Show.

Unlike most shows nowadays, this is definitely meant for teenage audiences, minimum. Kids may think it's funny, but the humor and even language at times surprises me that this wasn't on the line-up for Adult Swim. The show follows the mishaps of best friends Mordecai (a tall blue-jay) and Rigby (a short raccoon) as they continually slack off at their job maintaining a park. Similar to how early Simpsons episodes used to play out, Regular Show starts out with very ordinary situations, typically involving Mordecai and Rigby's boss Benson giving them a menial job to do and the pair blowing it off to do something else, and snowballs into bizarre situations that involve explosions, monsters, and in many cases, the near destruction of the park. The other park employees provide a strong ensemble for each episode, playing anything from mentor (such as Skips, voiced by Mark-Fucking-Hamill, by the way) to antagonist in the case of Mitch, aka "Muscle Man". By far, my favorite character has to be Pops. It's shown in one episode that Pops is a kid in 1910, which is funny because the owner of the park is Pops's father. Pops always approaches a situation either as a child would, or as someone completely out of touch with modern times would, using old terms such as "good show" and referring to Rock, Paper, Scissors as "Quartz, Parchment, Shears".

The Season 4 episode "TGI Tuesday" will premiere Monday January 7th at 8pm EST on Cartoon Network. Stay tuned for more reviews, and keep checking out the site for more content!

My name is Sam Lascio, and I am a Fanboy.