Fanboys Anonymous

The Batman Universe, despite its Gothic elements, is quite the colorful literary wonderland. Perhaps this is why it’s so easy to come up with—and consequently for DC to print—Elseworlds and re-imaginings of the Caped Crusader's mythos. With so many characters and themes to explore, I think these sorts of stories are fun, even if some elements can be tired. One recent series, Damian: Son of Batman, caught my attention as it depicts the recently deceased Damian Wayne in the titular role.

While I was excited to see Damian again, I’m afraid that after two issues, I can’t say the son of Bruce Wayne is giving me much bang for my buck or rationalizing the four dollar cover price. The issues actually read so quickly that it's hard to believe this is only a four-issue arc.

Issue one set a fast pace for the story, which I can appreciate. Damian and Batman are already at a crime scene, investigating a smorgasbord pile of dead humans and fish. A first issue is all too often a throw away set up issue, but six pages in, Batman trips an explosive concealed beneath a Joker fish and meets his demise. The tempo doesn’t stop there, however. Following the funeral, Damian’s guilt and grief send him to the island home of the League of Assassins. After a failed solicitation for aid in his revenge mission—and an important explanation of his tie to the organization—an enraged Damian returns to Gotham and kills Mr. Freeze, Killer Croc, and Jackanape, all of whom tried to take credit for Batman’s death.

Following his spree of rage, Damian checks in with a priest simply to establish the priest as a character, then returns to the cave for two scoldings—the first by Alfred, and the second by none other than Bruce Wayne himself, whose reveal wraps up the issue.

Issue two immediately follows with Bruce's chastising of Damian for the murders. The two quickly resort to blows, which causes Damian to accidentally wound the grayed Bruce. Following the altercation, Damian revisits the priest, who also pleads with Damian to end his killing crusade. Following Damian's departure, the priest reveals himself to be a weary Commissioner Gordon. Upon returning to the Batcave, Damian heeds some of Father Gordon's words and suits up as the new Batman.

The new Batman begins his maiden voyage at Arkham Asylum, where drones—although I’m sure they’re called Batdrones—have spotted the Joker. Once there, Damian finds a clue that leads him to Professor Pyg's skyscraper hideout. Not much plot is developed as Pyg's "dolls" overwhelm Damian and throw him out a window, leaving the new Bat plummeting to the streets below on the issue's final page.

The second issue marks the half point of the run, which I can only imagine is a test flight for something bigger. While I enjoy seeing Damian back, I can't say what I've seen justifies an ongoing, as the story so far seems thin. There are character moments between the action panels, though they don’t hit hard. This isn’t unlike the struggles we've seen Damian have with his aggression before. Furthermore, I got a bit lost with the continuity between the two books. I assumed the Bruce reveal at the end of issue one was suppose to show he was alive, as opposed to—as I assume it was supposed to mean—that Bruce wasn’t Batman. This only really makes sense, then, if you assume that the League and Talia didn’t know Dick had taken the cowl. Still, as we're at the halfway mark, I'll stick this one out to the finish. Kubert's art is gorgeous, and this may be the last we see of Damian for a while.

What did you think of the issue? Let us know and follow my reviews of issue three and four here on fanboysanonymous.com.

A poster tweeted by a Spider-Man fan of a banner at The Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas features a special surprise. We all know that Electro will be a featured villain, what with all the press and images released focusing on Jaime Foxx as the character. We also know Paul Giamatti will be featured as the Rhino.

The long-term plan seems to be leading up to a Sinister Six storyline, but before that, it looks like Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man has to battle his way through... The Green Goblin!?

Oh no! The "Threatening Three"!

The trailer comes out December 5th, 2013 and has fans drooling at the potential for new footage. This poster features our first real look at the Rhino’s very high-tech costume (though I hear he has a small part in the film) on the left, and central view has a silhouette of a man on a familiar glider and, finally, the much-publicized Electro on the far right.

The shot of Electro on the big TV screen is similar to a level on a PS2 version of “Ultimate Spider-Man” where you fight him as a boss in Times Square.

As seen on the poster, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 comes out May 2nd, 2014.

What do you think of this clustercrap of villains now? I thought we learned from Batman Forever and Spider-Man 3... less is more, no?

Among some very interesting rumors spreading around recently, Marvel let loose that although nothing is set in stone, director Edgar Wright's Phase-3 movie Ant-Man definitely has two names in the hat!

The Marvel comic adaptation, set for release in 2015, apparently has a frontrunner for the role of Dr. Hank Pym in Paul Rudd. Surprised? I wasn't! Shall I tell you why?

Guess which one's Paul Rudd.

Previously on Internet forum troll wars…

In a flurry of speculation, Marvel fans have previously speculated that Nathan Fillion should step into the shoes of the incredible shrinking/growing genius doctor (the man that actually created Ultron—yeah, not you, Stark). I thought that that would be a mighty fine idea as well. Not a casting director in the Verse ought to stop a fan wanting Nathan Fillion to star in an awesome sci-fi action movie.

"A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything!"

Then Joseph Gordon-Levitt came into the mix, and that wasn't such a bad idea. I really appreciate JGL as an actor, but there's only a certain kind of action he does, and I don't think Ant-Man fits the bill. Of course, it's hard being a fanboy and having to place trust in the guys that make such highly anticipated movie projects a reality.

Because if I don't see Ant-Man shrinking himself for the mother of all motorboats, screw you, Disney!

No, I look to this news and I think, "Hmmm, Paul Rudd… You know what? That's crazy enough to work!" After all, this is not The Dark Knight we're getting. This is a surreal sci-fi action film from the maker of Scott Pilgrim vs The World, World's End, Hot Fuzz, and Spaced, not some bloated superhero movie that cares more about muscle size than character.

So, Paul Rudd—good character actor, prankster, fresh-faced mid-forties fan favorite (of comedy fans), and ladies man…not a bad choice!

Paul Rudd can pull Helen Mirren, he can pull off a Marvel movie.

As for Dr. Pym's girlfriend and later wife, Janet Van Dyne (aka The Wasp)…

SQUEEZE THEM, DAMN YOU!!!

Sources now say that the eye-crossingly pretty Rashida Jones is now also first choice. This would make perfect sense because Miss Jones not only is familiar with Rudd but she also is a long-time veteran of television and film comedy, including The Office, Robot Chicken, and Parks and Recreation.

I've run out of boob references.

I am getting the feeling that—providing that these sources are trustworthy—Edgar Wright is looking to bring a piece of Scott Pilgrim to the action and leave us wetting ourselves laughing while we're not rubbing our eyes to make sure we DIDN'T just see the kind of mind-boggling visionary genius he is so capable of.

I'd like to think that Ant-Man is in great hands here, so if the news is true, we should be able to rest assured until we know for sure. Sound off, Fanboys, what do you make of this? Feel free to comment. If you don't, though, Santa will more than likely shit down your chimney…

As you're going to learn through each of my reviews for The Superior Spider-Man: "Darkest Hours," I am an über Venom and symbiote fan or, as I like to call fans such as myself, a Venomaniac. If you've been following my previous articles here on Fanboys Anonymous, then you probably already know this and what to expect from me. Considering this, I highly recommend brushing up on your Agent Venom history with one of my aforementioned previous articles. Good-o? Then we can move on.

The Superior Spider-Man #22 begins the first of a four-part story arc called "Darkest Hours" in which Spidey and Agent Venom finally meet up. It's been two years since Eugene "Flash" Thompson—one of Spider-Man's oldest cast members since his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 as Peter Parker's high school bully turned best friend and the world's biggest Spider-Fan—became the symbiotic Secret Avenger Thunderbolt and (if my predictions come true) future Guardian of the Galaxy, so tensions are expected to be high.

The four-panel overview of previous events at the beginning of the issue claims that Spidey and Agent Venom had never crossed paths before. This claim is technically both true and false. Spidey and Agent Venom did cross paths in Rick Remender's Venom #3–4, but technically Flash had lost control of the symbiote at the time and had reverted back into the familiar, bulked-up, slobber-toothed Venom form. Thus he wasn't Agent Venom for that short time. In addition, Doctor Octopus as the Superior Spider-Man (who mind-swapped with Peter Parker before his old body died and became SpOck, as I'll refer to him for the rest of the review) technically had never crossed paths with Agent Venom before this issue. Take it as you will.

There are a lot of good things about this issue in my perspective; however, in just about any other Venomaniac's opinion—especially those who've never read or don't care for The Superior Spider-Man—this would probably be a boring set-up issue. We (Venomaniacs) would love Agent Venom to be the star in this story arc, but remember whose name is on the cover! Naturally, Dan Slott is going to focus a lot more on SpOck's story than Agent Venom's, especially when he's been weaving these huge overarching plots: the return of the Green Goblin and the rise of the Goblin Nation; SpOck's establishment of Parker Industries; and Carlie Cooper's and Yuri Watanabe's (a.k.a. the Wraith) joint investigation of the connection between Doc Ock and Spidey. Let's not whine over the lack of symbiotic epicness, shall we?

Oh no! Flash lost his legs again, along with his lower half! I guess he and Cletus Kasady have something in common now, huh?

One thing I like that Slott honors about Agent Venom's canon is Flash's former relationship with Spidey mainstay Betty Brant, which he plays upon early on in the issue. I like this not only because he remembered that Betty and Flash were a thing once upon a time, or that they broke up and Betty ended up despising Flash, but also because he touches upon a Venom plot thread that ended with the breakup and entwined Flash and Betty's destinies. Pre-breakup, Agent Venom had earned himself a bitter enemy in the Crime-Master, an old Spidey foe with a new twist: this iteration of the mob boss turned out to be Betty's brother, Bennett, whom everyone thought was dead. Not long after Crime-Master revealed his true identity to Betty, she killed him to protect Flash, upon whom Crime-Master had sicced his Savage Six. Slott reunites the alienated exes using the Crime-Master plot, which I believe is a nice way to bring Agent Venom back to New York City and into The Superior Spider-Man.

Who else gets a Dr. Horrible vibe from these moments?

After that introduction, the Venomous bits of the story get shelved while Slott continues the aforementioned Superior plots. I've been keeping up with SpOck since his debut in the final pages of Amazing Spider-Man, and I love what Slott's done with the character. Crucify me now, all ye Slott haters. SpOck has become my favorite version of Spider-Man since last he donned the black suit in "Back in Black," mainly because I hated goody two-shoes, "no killing" Peter. (Which, in hindsight, probably stems from my love of Venom.) The continuation of the plots that have been building since The Superior Spider-Man #1 continues to please, especially the Peter/Anna Maria bits—a favorite character relationship of mine next to Agent Venom and Valkyrie's.

Ramos gives Spidey a cuter tooter!

Soon after Slott has his fun time with SpOck's life, he gets back to the juicier bits with Agent Venom, and we finally get to see the start of the showdown of the century: Agent Venom vs. SpOck. Slott makes good on his knowledge of Spidey/Flash/Venom canon and appropriately makes SpOck unknowing of Flash's relevance in Peter's life. He also makes good of Flash's idolization of Spider-Man during the fight, setting Agent Venom up for a surprise as SpOck draws first blood. The issue ends decisively, but I already have an inkling of what'll happen next based on experience.

The Superior Spider-Man #22 is a great continuation of SpOck's misadventures and the beginning of what is sure to be a fun Venom story with a semipredictable ending. Slott loves his pop culture references and in-jokes, and we get both in the form of Watchmen and Venom: License to Kill bits. Humberto Ramos continues to rock The Superior Spider-Man, and it's nice to see him drawing Agent Venom again after two years. Even though I have already expressed that it's a moot point to complain over the lack of Agent Venom in this issue over SpOck and his superior endeavors, I still dock my rating a point and give this issue a 4 out of 5 stars. It's simple, Slott: more symbiote on the pages equals a happier Venomaniac.

Like this issue? Love it? Hate it? Tell us what you think in the comments section below, and I'll see you again next Wednesday for another review!

Brian Griffin is dead.

In case you missed the November 24th episode of Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane decided to off everyone's favorite narcissistic pooch.

The episode, entitled "Life of Brian," begins in medias res of a time-traveling adventure with Brian and Stewie to remind us how much we love their chemistry.

The consequences of said adventure forebode an irreversible event when Stewie decides to dismantle his time machine. Sure enough, a mysterious Mercedes sedan swerves onto Spooner street and fatally wounds Brian in deus-ex-machina fashion. The clip can be seen here:


You guessed it. Fans have unsurprisingly reacted negatively toward this creative decision. The feedback ranges from hate tweets directed at the creators to an online petition to bring Brian back from the dead. A website displaying cryptic countdown to an announcement from Brian proved to be a hoax once the timer elapsed.

Nonetheless, many viewers, myself included, find this decision unfathomable. Some bloggers even hypothesize that Brian's death is an act of sabotage, justified by the fact that Seth himself has said the show has aired for too long. Is this sabotage? Judging from the reaction, it certainly seems plausible.

So what's next for Family Guy? We can say goodbye to the pulpy adventures through time and parallel universes, which sucks because these were my favorite episodes. Also buried are all the awkward dating encounters that Brian had, which were reminiscent of Archer. Now we're left with Peter Griffin's escapades as an overweight and negligent father, effectively making Family Guy an edgier version of The Simpsons.

At least we have Brian's replacement, Vinny (voiced by Tony Sirico, The Sopranos). He's a wise-guy canine of Italian descent complete with a heavy a northeastern accent and shady past. It's a fresh idea because we've never seen characters like this from movies or shows like Casino, Goodfellas, The Sopranos, Analyze This, A Bronx Tale, My Cousin Vinny, The Godfather, Donnie Brasco…

Despite the fans' skepticism, Family Guy deserves our attention for at least a few more episodes. Introducing mortality into cartoons can make the difference between a good show and a great show. The death of Maude Flanders certainly added dimensionality to the long-running sitcom The Simpsons. Perhaps Family Guy will blossom into a show that redefines early 21st century television. Still, I can't help but think the show lost one of its comedic gears, and this is the beginning of the end.

What do you think about Brian Griffin's death? How do you think it will affect the show? Let us know and discuss in the comments!

Kicking off the winter holiday season with something that's guaranteed to warm the cockles of Marvel fans everywhere, young patients of the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles got the surprise of their lives when Thor star Jaimie Alexander (everybody's favourite amazingly beautiful viking warrior girlie, Lady Sif) dropped in to visit...

"Pfft, I could remove your appendix right now if you like?!"

...in full Asgardian battle costume!

"Bring me the head of hospital catering... and some turkey wings..."

Alexander, who has become a fan favorite since her appearance alongside Thor and the Warriors Three, spent the day with children—many of whom will not be lucky enough to celebrate Christmas at home this year—and clearly succeeded in raising spirits and putting huge smiles on their faces.

What I'd give to be that dead guy right now...

Sure, it isn't the first time that a comic movie actor has graced a hospital's wards (for instance, former Batman Christian Bale visited victims of the Aurora shootings last year), but completely forgetting that I have a soft spot for Jaimie/Sif which may make me totally biased, I think I know what I would rather get out of my sick bed for...

Thor 3: The Jungle of Pantslessness.

What say ye, Fanboys? Who'd put Jaimie Alexander on their wish list?

Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor commemorated the show's fiftieth birthday five days ago. Following a hiatus, the new iteration of the show, now entering its eighth season, had the monumental task of adding vigor to the aged franchise. The special, then, served as a fitting tribute to both the old and the new, charting massive territory for the road ahead.

• Current NHL Leaders... apparently it's not curling...
• Lastly, NFL WEEK 12: the Undefeated Run comes to an end.
• We tried to get through this...

 ::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Don't really remember this segment.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• We used the Cheers theme again and unfortunately he still did not get to start off his own segment.

::CELEB NEWS::

• We totally had celeb news right? We should probably go back and listen.
  

Plus the High Five: I hate this too but Burhan ran his damn mouth and The Douche Bag of The Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show!

Step onto the crazy train with Chris "The Dace Man" Dace this week on The Dace Man Show… cue the Final Countdown!!!

Follow The Dace Man on Twitter:

This and R2D2 are all we have so far

Virtually no information has been officially confirmed about the upcoming Star Wars film, so much so that we don't even have a title to call it outside of Episode VII. As with casting decisions, plot ideas, and nearly everything else, the name of the film has been subject to countless rumors and unreliable reports.

Factoring in all of those rumors and the speculation that each fan can mull over in his or her own mind, what do you think the title should be?

For those keeping track, three of the titles that have been rumored are A New Dawn, Rise of the Jedi, and Return of the Sith.

My personal point of view is that each one of those is awful. It could be worse, sure, but it could be significantly better, and as a Star Wars fanboy, I'm not willing to settle.

All three of these titles fail on two levels to me:

1. They include words that are heavily overused in titles right now: dawn, rise, and return. I'm surprised "Age of ___" hasn't been rumored, since we're getting Avengers: Age of Ultron and Transformers: Age of Extincton.

2. They're far too similar to previous titles. There's a pattern that George Lucas established with his titles, which I think should be respected, but that doesn't mean you should have extremely little creativity in choosing your options.

The first film of each trilogy (episodes I and IV) has been patterned to describe a person or thing. A New Hope and The Phantom Menace identify a noun and a plot point that influence the rest of the films in their respective series. The second film of each illustrates an organization's action (Attack of the Clones and The Empire Strikes Back). The third puts a cap on the events that were building up to a logical end point, with a force-wielding entity establishing itself (the Sith come back and have their revenge, the Jedi return to order).

Yet isn't A New Dawn too similar to A New Hope? Don't Rise of the Jedi and Return of the Sith just sound exactly like Return of the Jedi and Revenge of the Sith?

Although a lot of people would argue that it isn't a necessity to follow this formula at all, I'm one of those writers who thoroughly enjoys structure and references to patterns. If I were in the shoes of George Lucas and someone went against the path that I had laid out before them, I'd be annoyed.

That being said, what would my suggestions be that can fit in with this mold?

Star Wars: Episode VII - A Rising Tide

This is a healthy compromise. If the studios are adamant that "rise" needs to be in there somewhere, it calms their stomachs without flat-out saying "Rise of Jedi" or something. It pays homage to the structure, and it works a pun in there that can be debated for the future. Who was the phantom menace, exactly? Was it the Sith in general or Palpatine specifically? For a while, people thought it was just Darth Maul. Is the new hope Luke or is it that Anakin may turn away from the dark side? Is this rising tide the resurgence of the Jedi Order or is it the new threat on the horizon that abuses the Force for evil purposes?

Star Wars: Episode VIII - Assault on/from the Republic

We've already seen activity from the clones and the empire, so the republic should get the chance to get in on the action in a title. The difference between these two titles is whether or not you want the republic to be on the offensive or on the defensive.

Star Wars: Episode IX - Balance to the Force

I toyed with the idea of A Rising Force for Episode VII, but felt that this was a stronger title. We've already had reference to the Jedi and the Sith, so the natural progression is for the Force itself to get the nod. It also follows the structure of "____ of the _____" to an extent. It can be argued that the destruction of the Sith was the balancing of the Force that the prophecy foretold (and I feel as though that should not be eliminated from the continuity), so there clearly needs to be some kind of a new threat in this next trilogy. We're not going to see Jedi fighting it out with a bunch of normal criminals and that's all. There will have to be some kind of villainous threat connected with the Force that disrupts the balance achieved at the end of Return of the Jedi. What's tough about this is that without the plot details to go from, it's difficult to pinpoint what the endgame will be for the trilogy, so it needs to be built around pure speculation and not much else.

There may be better ideas out there, I'll admit, but for now, that's what I would go with on a blind guess without knowing anything about the current plot or what Disney's plans are for the future.

What are YOUR ideas? Tell us in the comments below!

Geek Speak LIVE! is a weekly radio show with an explosion of nerd conversation. Join hosts Craig Kellerman & Travis Goss as they rant on movies, TV, video games, comics, cartoons, technology, and whatever else is sparking our attention.


We're dusting our mouse ears off again this week on Geek Speak. This time we're gonna talk about the renaissance for Disney, the years 1988-1998 where some of their most beloved films were produced. Featured this week:

The Lion King – Tricked into thinking he killed his father, a guilt ridden lion cub flees into exile and abandons his identity as the future King.

The Rescuers Down Under – The R.A.S. agents, Miss Bianca and Bernard, race to Australia to save a boy and a rare golden eagle from a murderous poacher.

Hercules – The son of the Greek Gods Zeus and Hera is stripped of his immortality as an infant and must become a true hero in order to reclaim it.

Aladdin – Aladdin, a street urchin, accidentally meets Princess Jasmine, who is in the city undercover. They love each other, but she can only marry a prince.

We also discuss all the other classic Disney movies of that era, Disney video games, Thanksgiving, Family Guy killing off a main character, country music, and more.

Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the fanboys out there.

MOVIES

X-Men: Days of Future Past plot point reveals a connection between Magneto and the JFK assassination.

My take: With the first film taking place during the Cuban Missile Crisis and this film tackling another real-life event, it takes away a bit of the timelessness of the films. To watch these movies again in a decade means the watcher would have a hard time keeping the story taking place as "modern day".

Paul Rudd all but confirmed to be the sought after lead for Marvel's Ant-Man movie.

My take: Wicked. Awesome. Who doesn't love Paul Rudd? His humor and style would be perfect and I would love to see him take an action turn.

Empire magazine shows the first official released image of Optimus Prime and his "new design"....

My take: Ugh. When I heard they were re-designing the characters for the 4th film, I was thinking "streamline" or "more G1". What we seem to be getting is nothing but more of the same. They may have taken out a few open sores and visible cogs here and there but ultimately the designs are as horrible as they ever were.

VIDEO GAMES

PS4 and Xbox One both launch to high sales and high glitches.

My take: The only thing these companies could do with such a huge product rollout was handle how they reacted to any issues. On both sides, from the sounds of it, both companies did right by their customers. Gamers were helped as quickly as I'm sure was physically possible when it came to online glitches and console breakdowns. New consoles were offered and appeasement games were given out as a "thanks for your patience" by Microsoft. Though I'm sure there are thousands of gamers still waiting for aid but considering the huge numbers involved here, I think both companies did the right thing reacting with understanding (and not denying there were any issues).

TELEVISION

This week in retrospective geek history: On November 22nd, 1968, Star Trek aired the first inter-racial kiss on television.

My take: Damn right, they did. Star Trek broke new ground in more ways than one, inspiring politics and science alike.

Teaser trailer for season 3 of Sherlock hit the internet.

My take: So frustrating there is no date posted yet. The season ended on what I can't believe was a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see how this gets resolved. I'm so glad a patient and intelligent series like this has gained such high acclaim. Shows like this raise the bar for good TV.

COMIC BOOKS

DC/WB officially wins full copyright to Superman.

My take: As a creator myself, I sympathize with the families of Seigel and Shuster. It's not just the financial loss they've been stuck with but after decades of litigation, the big company defeated them. They'll still be noted with creator credit, as they have been since 1938 in comics, TV and movies but this still stings.

Geoff Johns off Aquaman with #25

My take: This does not bode well for the King of the Seas. I've always been inspired by the underdog characters and you don't get much better than Arthur Curry. The book will need to gain one hell of a respected team to keep it's momentum going or face yet another cancelled series. DC has worked very hard to make Aquaman a big time player in The New 52 and a cancelled book would throw everything off kilter.

Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's run on Daredevil will end this spring, very odd since the book has had nothing but success.

My take: (Mark Waid and Chris Samnee's run on Daredevil will continue immediately after with new numbering!? Waid has justified it as the series takes a dramatic turn in "every aspect" of Matt's life, even moving DD to San Francisco). Whatever they want to do! I've enjoyed Waid's run on DD like nothing else I've read in decades. The low key tone of the plotlines is amazing considering most of the stories are actually much broader than Waid makes them feel. I just have so much fun reading them that they feel like a fun movie of the week.

HOLLYWOOD (but the UK kind)

Monty Python announces their return to the stage, new show sells out in 43 seconds!

My take: A group of legends that changed the face of comedy as we know it. Expect the scalper prices on these tickets to skyrocket to epic proportions.

TECHNOLOGY

http://www.fbomb.com is a website made by an Ontario, Canada student that tracks, in real time, any use of the "F" word, worldwide.

My take: It's fascinating to watch. Check it out and see how often Americans swear compared to Canadians.

If there's anywhere you should go to comb through thousands of options for getting the collector in your life something he or she doesn’t yet own, consider your destination Entertainment Earth.

The Simi Valley-based company and online licensed product powerhouse came from the humble beginnings of a garage operation 17 years ago and has grown to currently offer almost 15,000 individual items from their online store.

Covering all the grounds from TV and movies to comics and games, this go-to source of pop culture collectibles is here to get you started on shopping for Fanboys of all ages with this top ten list of their favorite gifts (in no particular order).

Adam West figure from the 1966 Batman TV Series
Fans of Batman before he became today's stylized, black-cloaked Caped Crusader will be rushed back to seeing him on the small screen with this 1:4 scale figure of the character played by Adam West. Keeping true to West's physique and the details of his dark blue cape, rounded black mask with drawn on brows, and even the accessories that come with his utility belt, this piece's 20 points of articulation will make it hard to keep it pristinely caged behind a glass display. Manufactured by world-famous collectible creator NECA, the 18-inch figure sells for $84.99 and ships for free.

Despicable Me 2 Vinyl Minions
Manufactured by Funko, the easily recognizable vinyl Pop! toys have taken on the appearance of everyone's favorite characters from Despicable Me, the Minions. Shown here is Dave, just one of various Minion characters offered by Entertainment Earth from this year's animated comedy. Also available are cycloptic Carl with his spiky hair, and Purple Minion with his evil under bite. These measure 3¾" tall, are recommended for ages 5 and up, and carry the petite price tag of only $9.99.


Doctor Who 8" Action Figures with Tin Tote
It wouldn't seem right to release Dr. Who action figures without representing the extensive span of the program. Not just one, but two Doctors—one being the original and the other our modern-day 11th Doctor—both arrive in a tin tote with artwork that conveys the 50 years of the series' span. Created by Bif Bang Pow!, the tin tote is approximately 8 5/8" wide, 6¾" tall, and 4" deep. The first Dr. Who and the 11th, played respectively by William Hartnell and Matt Smith, stand 8" tall and have multiple points of articulation. Present the Whovian in your life with both of these figures, their included accessories, and the tin tote for $54.99 plus free domestic shipping.

Hot Wheels Star Trek Wave 1 Vehicle Case
Imagine one collectible that combines the elements of two unforgettable childhood obsessions: Star Trek and Hot Wheels. The die-cast metal model makers have adopted both the war-torn and unharmed appearances of the Starfleet and enemy ships from Star Trek to bring you a collection of four ships: the USS Vengeance (Star Trek: Into Darkness), the USS Kelvin (Star Trek), the USS Excelsior NCC 2000 (Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) and the Klingon Battle Cruiser (Star Trek: Into Darkness). Each measures about 6" long and are incredibly detailed. The set can be yours today for $54.99 with free domestic shipping.

The fact that LEGO has come up with their most sophisticated technology yet will make you forgive them for inflicting so much pain on your feet in the middle of the dark. LEGO Mindstorms EV3 is a robot revolution that you can build and command to walk, think, and talk. The masterful toy can be controlled with a remote, or you can download a free app that turns your smartphone into a command center. There are five robot models available: TRACK3R, R3PTAR, SPIK3R, EV3RSTORM, and GRIPP3R. Each unit houses a USB port for WiFi and Internet connectivity, a Micro SD card reader, backlit buttons, and four motor ports. Including the LEGO Technic elements, the total number of pieces per box comes to more than 600. Your very own personal AI for $349.99 plus free shipping within the US only.

Minecraft Core Player Steve Action Figure Survival Pack
Minecraft merchandise is hard to turn down due to the hours of dedication and creativity that go into every world. Jazwares brings you a kit that includes articulated 3" main character Steve plus a workbench, pickax, sword, bed, chest, and torch. It's like the basement you'll be living in when you get kicked out for gaming instead of job hunting! This set is available for $23.99.


Monster High Ghouls Alive Dolls Set
When my former boss told me that her 8-year-old daughter would love the way I dress because I look like a Monster High character, I wasn't sure how to take it. However, seeing these Barbie-gone-goth dolls by Mattel in their exclusive "Ghoul Alive" ensembles, that's pretty awesome. The set of three includes characters by the name of Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, and Spectra Vondergeist. Each also features appropriately themed lights and sounds, plus a stand for display. Frankie Stein's skull, ribs, and bolts light up; Spectra Vondergeist glows and emits ghastly moans; and Clawdeen Wolf rears back her head and closes her eyes to howl at the sky with her arms above her head. No need to worry about shipping, as it is free within the US. Order the set for $79.99, however, and enjoy never sleeping again.

Star Wars Black Series 6" Action Figures Wave 1
What handpicked gift list would be complete without something related to Star Wars? These highly detailed 6" scale figures by Hasbro will have you busting out your boxed set to relive the action of a galaxy far, far away. Luke Skywalker is missing nothing but Yoda in his trademark orange jumpsuit. Darth Maul and an Imperial Sandtrooper stand proudly to represent the Dark Side of your collection, while R2-D2 completes Wave 1 of this Black Series. Each character is packaged individually within the case, which is available for $79.99 with free shipping. There is a Wave 2 case for the same price on Entertainment Earth, which houses Greedo, Boba Fett, and must-haves Slave Leia and Han Solo, but it is temporarily out of stock. Grab Wave 1 up while you can. It's not a trap!

The Walking Dead Merle and Daryl Dixon Action Figure 2-Pack
As if there would be any Walking Dead fan who'd be willing to add the Dixon brothers to their collection any other way than coming from the same box. This surprisingly accurate two-pack contains crossbow-wielding Daryl and his own flesh and blood (no spoilers here), Merle. Both figures stand 5" tall with 20 points of articulation and were manufactured by MacFarland using 3D scans of the actual actors. Order the backwoods brothers set plus extra weapons to complete their badassery for only $27.99.


Venture Bros. Color Changing Brock 16 oz. (2) Glass Set
Nothing makes drinking more fun than color changing pint glasses to tell you when it's either time for a refill or some more ice. Created by Bif Bang Pow!, these two 16 oz. glasses are adorned with Brock Samson from The Venture Bros., one of the best animated shows of all time. The secret agent dons a knife and clean duds in a room-temp glass, only to be covered with blood and blade stains once the beverage inside lowers the glass's temperature. The Venture Bros. logo also changes from white to red but, along with the other crimson coloration, returns to its original state as it returns to normal temp. Whether filled with ice water or a nice frosty beer, these would make for a fun challenge to top off your drink before the red disappears. $17.99 for the set of two.

Entertainment Earth's President, Jason Labowitz, is proud to compile these items as they are an extension of the staff's own favorites. "As longtime collectors and fans ourselves, we crafted the list with products that we want or have in our own collections," he states. "These collectibles are the type of gift that will be enjoyed today and 20 years from now."

All the items listed above can be purchased at Entertainment Earth, where you can search for products by title, genre, type, and brand. Which of these top ten would you gift yourself or someone else? Let us know in the Comments section below!

It's your Monday morning pick-me-up, the Fanboys Anonymous Wipeout of the Week! A dose of humanity's bloopers caught in the act and presented to you at the beginning of every week. This one involves what is perhaps my favorite pastime, making music. To me there's nothing like strumming the old guitar, especially if it's with some friends to share the melody.