Wednesday, July 23, 2014

NECA: Nintendo Style Batman 7" figure


NEWSFLASH!!!

NECA Takes DC License into the 7" Arena


We all wondered who would do it.. and well. I was right, with Mattel's DC Universe crumbling into the plastic ocean NECA has down scaled their DC License to bring their awesome sculpts to a 7" collectible figure line. For those who own the 18" version of this figure, there is very little I can tel you that do don't already love. This can only mean a true color variant down the road... and oh my god...a Joker? Count on it!!!

This Nintendo version of the caped crusader comes in a purple and blue paint scheme as the Nintendo figures have come classically to reflect their retro console counterparts. No doubt Batman wil come with all the same tricks that the 18" version saw, minus the faux leather cape. He also includes grappel gun and batarang.



Demand for this figure in this scale of this quality has been high ever since Mattel's Movie Masters line hit the scene. It's high time we saw this happen and I'm glad to tell you that we will.

Hopefully SDCC will have more reveals for us in this area of awesomeness?

I know I've had a couple things on my wishlist for YEARS. Can NECA make it happen?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Mezco 1:12 Collective Dark Knight Returns Batman 6" figure

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.


Mezco has announced that they have bought into a DC License to bring new 6" figures into the arena. They will be known as the One:12 Collective. and will combine over 32 points of articulation with real cloth outfits and meant to echo the style and details of 1/6 scale figures, but at a more reasonable size. The figures will include display bases and accessories.

Clearly picking up where Mattel has let us down so many times, we will no doubt be seeing some VERY impressive licenses join the ranks in this format. Looks like its time to clear off another shelf in the old Manchild Museum at GeekSummit Headquarters.

I very much look forward to Mezco helming the gap left by Mattel's bowing out of the 6" game while NECA does knockout work with their 18" licenses.

"These are good days to love cool stuff" 
                                                   -Albert Einstein

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.


 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.    Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective  New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.  Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.  Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play. The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.  Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.  Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.  Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”  The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.

 Mezco Reveals The One:12 Collective
New York- (July 22nd, 2014)- Mezco Toyz today announced The One:12 Collective, a new line of high end 6″ scale collectable figures.
Redesigning the 6″ scale figure category by combining posable action figures with real cloth outfitting, in a similar fashion to the 1/6th scale and larger collectables. Mezco’s One:12 Collective line will present a multitude of different characters from numerous brands.
Combining superior sculpting with an abundance of articulation, the One:12 Collective figures feature over 32 points of articulation, capable of over 40,000 possible poses: combining form and function to create a remarkably realistic aesthetic. Digitally sculpted by the industry’s finest artists and painstakingly engineered by Mezco’s production team is a state of the art collectable that holds up to real play.
The costuming is meticulously tailored and uses specially selected materials to create the highest standard of outfitting and drapery at the 6″ scale. Fabrication, color, drapery, comparative scale and mobility are all closely considered to bring the finest attire achievable.
Every One:12 Collective figure will include a display base as well as a multitude of accessories. These accessories are designed to have a “real world” look to further make the figure seem like it has truly come to life. These accessories, also precisely crafted, range from changeable parts to character specific weapons, equipment and props.
Currently planned for the One:12 Collective are characters from The DC Universe, Judge Dredd, Classic Universal Monsters, and some other surprises to be announced in the future.
Mezco President, Mez Markowitz declared “We are all very excited with the One:12 Collective line. I think we are offering a fantastic product that both satisfies the customers desire for articulation as well as the ability to hide it all in a extremely realistic way. Another great aspect to the line is that we are striving to present high quality product that is in line with 1/6th scale (12″ figure) collectables while taking up far less display space and at a much more reasonable price point. Our Dark Knight Returns Batman figure is really a fantastic piece and we cannot wait to show what is up next. Mezco plans on releasing several items a year from this line and it is a long term initiative for our team, really a dream come true for all of us here.”
The One:12 Collective “The Dark Knight Returns” Batman figure is set to be publicly revealed at San Diego Comic Con at Mezco booth # 3445 and shipping to customers in Fall 2014.

Source: ToyArk.com

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We're blowing out tons of Action Figures and Customs!!!

BRING A BUCKET!!!

Click the image below to go to the auction gallery!!!

http://www.ebay.com/sch/geeksummit/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Star Wars, Super Powers, DC Universe, Marvel Legends, Walking Dead, Dr Who, Play Arts...
We've got a a little bit of everything. With 150+ items currently listed, we're looking to take the tally to 400+ items this week or until our fingers fall off!!!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Henry Cavill as Superman First Look:

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Who's better, Superman or Batman? Zack Snyder doesn't have to choose a favorite since he's getting to put both on the big screen at the same time.  The director of last year's Man of Steel doubles down on A-list superheroes in his follow-up Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (in theaters May 6, 2016), teaming a returning Henry Cavill as the big guy in the cape and "S" on his chest with Ben Affleck as the latest cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight.  By bringing in more DC Comics do-gooders such as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the new movie is thicker, denser and more epic than Man of Steel, according to Snyder. And it's also the next step toward building a strong movie universe that ultimately leads to Snyder's Justice League, the supergroup answer to Marvel's The Avengers, tentatively scheduled for a 2018 release.  Now filming in Detroit, Dawn of Justice is pretty much a thrill every day for the admitted comic fan. "It's not an un-fun job, I will say that," Snyder says.  Man of Steel was all about Superman finding his place in the world as both a hero and as a man, ultimately saving the city of Metropolis from certain doom. Dawn of Justice continues to immerse him on Earth by working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent along with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne). But it also takes him to new environments such as Gotham City and introduces larger threats, including Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg).  Really digging in and evolving the character — both as Clark and as Superman — is a challenge, Snyder says, but there's also "the fun of trying to figure out what to put in front of him that's difficult."  Cavill is definitely more comfortable in the role the second time around, says the director.  "We've both created this guy and we can push him around a little bit," he says. "The more time I spend with Henry, the more he's Superman to me."  The debuting heroes Superman meets will affect his perspective on Earth and on the ones he loves, and Snyder feels his convictions will be drawn into question as well.  When developing Man of Steel, Snyder didn't harbor dreams of one day putting Batman on screen, too — he figured he'd one day tackle an adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal 1980s masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns, which pits a retired Batman against government agent Superman.  It ultimately made sense with Dawn of Justice to add Bruce Wayne and his cowled alter ego to the mix. Because of Christopher Nolan's recent Dark Knight trilogy, "I was in no rush to put Batman in the movie," Snyder says, "but on the other hand it seemed organic the way our story was unfolding to start to feather him in."  Instead of using several movies to define Affleck's Batman, Snyder felt the character's 75-year mythology is so deep in culture now that they can just jump to an older, road-weary take on the Dark Knight. Plus, he says, "it's cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys."  The director can't say exactly how the relationship between the two superheroes evolves, "but suffice it to say there is a 'v' in between their names" in the movie title, Snyder says. He explains that having the "v" instead of "vs." is a way "to keep it from being a straight 'versus' movie, even in the most subtle way."  Snyder's only done a few scenes so far with Cavill and Affleck together, but the historical significance isn't lost on him, he says. "It's never really been done and it's kinda cool."  Similarly, Snyder also knows that putting the iconic superheroine Wonder Woman on a movie screen is a big deal, too. He says he hasn't filmed any scenes with Gadot as the Amazonian princess yet, but "she's working out and getting buff and ripped."  While Snyder is surprised in a way that fans are already so pumped for Dawn of Justice, he also understands the anticipation.  "You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it's Batman and Superman, let's just be honest," Snyder says. "I don't know how you get bigger than that."  Source: USA Today - Brian Truitt


Who's better, Superman or Batman? Zack Snyder doesn't have to choose a favorite since he's getting to put both on the big screen at the same time.
The director of last year's Man of Steel doubles down on A-list superheroes in his follow-up Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (in theaters May 6, 2016), teaming a returning Henry Cavill as the big guy in the cape and "S" on his chest with Ben Affleck as the latest cinematic incarnation of the Dark Knight.
By bringing in more DC Comics do-gooders such as Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher), the new movie is thicker, denser and more epic than Man of Steel, according to Snyder. And it's also the next step toward building a strong movie universe that ultimately leads to Snyder's Justice League, the supergroup answer to Marvel's The Avengers, tentatively scheduled for a 2018 release.
Now filming in Detroit, Dawn of Justice is pretty much a thrill every day for the admitted comic fan. "It's not an un-fun job, I will say that," Snyder says.
Man of Steel was all about Superman finding his place in the world as both a hero and as a man, ultimately saving the city of Metropolis from certain doom. Dawn of Justice continues to immerse him on Earth by working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent along with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Perry White (Laurence Fishburne). But it also takes him to new environments such as Gotham City and introduces larger threats, including Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg).
Really digging in and evolving the character — both as Clark and as Superman — is a challenge, Snyder says, but there's also "the fun of trying to figure out what to put in front of him that's difficult."
Cavill is definitely more comfortable in the role the second time around, says the director.
"We've both created this guy and we can push him around a little bit," he says. "The more time I spend with Henry, the more he's Superman to me."
The debuting heroes Superman meets will affect his perspective on Earth and on the ones he loves, and Snyder feels his convictions will be drawn into question as well.
When developing Man of Steel, Snyder didn't harbor dreams of one day putting Batman on screen, too — he figured he'd one day tackle an adaptation of Frank Miller's seminal 1980s masterpiece The Dark Knight Returns, which pits a retired Batman against government agent Superman.
It ultimately made sense with Dawn of Justice to add Bruce Wayne and his cowled alter ego to the mix. Because of Christopher Nolan's recent Dark Knight trilogy, "I was in no rush to put Batman in the movie," Snyder says, "but on the other hand it seemed organic the way our story was unfolding to start to feather him in."
Instead of using several movies to define Affleck's Batman, Snyder felt the character's 75-year mythology is so deep in culture now that they can just jump to an older, road-weary take on the Dark Knight. Plus, he says, "it's cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys."
The director can't say exactly how the relationship between the two superheroes evolves, "but suffice it to say there is a 'v' in between their names" in the movie title, Snyder says. He explains that having the "v" instead of "vs." is a way "to keep it from being a straight 'versus' movie, even in the most subtle way."
Snyder's only done a few scenes so far with Cavill and Affleck together, but the historical significance isn't lost on him, he says. "It's never really been done and it's kinda cool."
Similarly, Snyder also knows that putting the iconic superheroine Wonder Woman on a movie screen is a big deal, too. He says he hasn't filmed any scenes with Gadot as the Amazonian princess yet, but "she's working out and getting buff and ripped."
While Snyder is surprised in a way that fans are already so pumped for Dawn of Justice, he also understands the anticipation.
"You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it's Batman and Superman, let's just be honest," Snyder says. "I don't know how you get bigger than that."

Source: USA Today - Brian Truitt 

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Superman Character Poster by GeekSummit

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Superman Celebration 2014

Ah Summertime...
3 months of Sunburns, Speeding Tickets, and Family

Per usual it was time for my annual trek 179 miles north to Metropolis, Il. Ever since Father's Day of 2009 it has been a tradition for my daughter and I to head North to the little river town known as "The Home of Superman" in Southern Illinois. Every year we prepare our Griswaldian family t-shirts and wait patiently for the second full weekend of June to come around. In the present economic climate, full weeks of vacation can be harder to come by and the short roadtrip always offers a solid weekend of quality Daddy/Daughter time. This was a special year for sure. My son was just born on May 1st, and of course was too little to attend with any benefit to himself this year, but we stayed strong to keep the trip alive for traditions sake. Someday, LittleBigMan... someday...


We headed up HWY 51 to Paducah, Ky where we stay every year at Drury Inns & Suites, as we always do. The staff has remained consistent for years as well as courteous and helpful and damned good at their job... Being called by your name as you pass through for breakfast adds a touch of royalty on our modest roadtrip. Its right on the edge of Paducah and only leaves a 10 minute drive in for every visit. It keeps us in the middle of some retail/entertainment action for downtime between visits into Metropoils since there is no real dense commercial center to town besides the town center itself, but that does not slow us down from dropping some major cash love on the little town of Metropolis. Truth be told, My daughter loves staying at the Drury for their indoor pool and breakfast every morning... gotta love a kid who loves tradition and her Daddy. *

*If you look closely, there are tiny tear stains in my waffle

This was the 36th Annual Superman Celebration, and as off years go, it was a lower turnout than last year which saw the Man of Steel's 75th Anniversary as well as the release of Man of Steel in theaters the next weekend, but always a great time. Vendor areas seemed to be thriving, the food was great, and everybody who made it seemed to be having a good time. The event is largely supported by the locals and people from the surrounding areas

A special treat was seeing the Americana Hollywood Museum was back in operation from an extended closure due to flood damage in 2012. I was told that it is not open EVERY weekend, but is now back in some capacity, especially during the Celebration weekend and throughout the summer. (forgive me, pretty lady if I misunderstood any part of that).

The first thing you will notice as you arrive on the grounds is the cinephile's playground that is the courtyard full of planes, trains... and a Bat-Boat. I make a special point of taking my daughter's picture with the Superman standup near the entrance as a growth chart of sorts. As she became tall enough to put her head in the cut out, she has since started to stoop into position, so this will now stand as a growth chart of her head only...


I love going into this place. It's a special mix of exactly what you'd expect. Jim Brickman, owner of the SuperMuseum in the town square, also operates the Americana Hollywood and it is stuffed with unique finds he has collected and amassed over the years representing decades and decades of Elvis, Marilyn, and James Dean, the Rat Pack, years of Sci-Fi, Horror, Tomb Raider for diverse measure and of course the AWESOME backroom which is essentially an extension of the SuperMuseum as it is nearly completely DC Character related collectibles representing nearly every generation of licensed action figures and toys from the 70's to current releases. Not without its more peculiar displays, there were the only 2 (3) items I chose to document as I soaked in the rest... I suppose there's not much sexier than a pair of abnormally large brains... Such impressive organs...


There was also quite the surprise in the gift shop at the Americana Hollywood. It was unavoidable that the gift shop had been shifted from its previously Superman heavy presence to a very VERY Star Wars heavy offering. I was overcome by the contrast between my cash on hand and the bevy of stuff I was looking at. From larger ships to modern 3.75" figures @ $4 a pop bagged with accessories for the most part, I had to cut out a special part of our last few hours in town to dig through the multi tiered trough of loose figures to be thorough... I left plenty behind and I encourage any enthusiasts to drop by the museum some convenient weekend. You can always contact the SuperMuseum to see when they'd be open for you to dig through. It's a troop builder's dream; as a compulsive troop builder I can attest.

Child not for sale and present for scale reference only.

Another nice surprise was the addition of Daily Star Comics to the circuit of things to see in Metropolis. I had tried to locate this place in 2013 but it proved difficult since it was a relatively new listing so we didn't check it out. It's a little tucked away off the main drag but still just a couple hearts beats away from all the action. I will say it was mostly empty excluding what seemed like a few rented vendor spots within their extended retail space but still a cool place to run into. Of course while it takes its name from Clark Kent's original employer from his comic debut, the store is actually a Doctor Who-centric retail spot, complete with a Tennant/Smith era TARDIS in the parking lot which obviously makes for a good photo op.


No trip is complete without a visit to the SuperMuseum itself. Right in the heart of the action Right next to the 15 ft statue is Jim Hambrick's archival opus, the SuperMuseum, home to what has to be damn near every licensed & unlicensed Superman product known to man. The place is wall to wall Superman from action figures, movie props, costumes, production prototypes, handmade statues and action figures... (ahem)...

 
The Museum doesn't change much over the years but it is such a rich collection of Superman memorabilia and artifacts that it is always a treat to drop in and pay $5 to wander the short but dense  maze to examine all the pieces contained within. Jim Hambrick has been a lifelong collector and even manager and friend to Kirk Alyn (the silver screen's original Superman) and has been a central figure himself in Metropolis bringing crowds to this town with a recorded population of 6500, which leaps in a single bound to nearly quadruple it size for the celebration weekends on a good year.


As always it was a good year. We came we saw, we goofed off, we spent our money, and we left broke, and we can't wait to come back. Next year we'll be +1.  



The trip itself was over, and we didn't stick around for the Costume Contest or the closing festivities, but trips like these don't just stop when you leave Metropolis for the long road home, there's always something waiting around the corner. Literally around the corner from the Market Street square we came across the closed Massac Theater, Metropolis' only theater to speak of outside of the Baymont Auditorium. The theater had been owned by Larry Ward in the recent past (could possibly still be) who was manager to Noel Neil, TV's Lois Lane from the George Reeves era Adventures of Superman. Efforts have been underway to rehab the facility for public use once again, but it had seemed that things had come to halt since last year when we saw a new roof had been put in place. We took a look through the windows into the generously sized theater space. It will definitley take a lot of work to bring the building back to its full glory, but I'm sure that one day it will become a welcome addition to the festivites as a potential space for screenings of the Fan Film Festivals and general purpose stage use. Every year there is a series of breakfasts in the early morning hours to support the "Save the Maassac" campaign, but as I saw on the fundraising marker out front, it looks like maybe support has waned in recent years. Hopefully they have seen an uptick that wasn't represented here.

 
 I've been inspired in the past to extend my modest services to an effort to bring more attention to the effort, but I find it easy to get in over my head on passion projects. But this space definitely seems to have some life left in it, barring some much needed work as far as the insides which had fallen to ruin in the past years of having a collapsed roof which wreaked havoc on the interior. I would still care to rebuild it in a digital setting that could show the potential for the space as it pertains to the celebration specifically, but I know if this space were to be back up and running according to the necessary updated standards it could be a great facility for general purposes in the town. There may be more on this before the summer is out... but don't quote me on that, artists are funny people, easily distracted...

 








Oh... and I found Jesus, unfortunately it was at 10:31 and he was no longer serving breakfast, so I bought a Coke and a bag of Cheetos anyway, since it would have been weird to just turn around and leave. It's ok... maybe next time Sir.

I also found Elvis, but this was much closer to Memphis. We had stopped at a Love's Truck Stop Hardee's outside of Jackson, Tn on our way back down and all of the sudden a presence made itself known. Out of the corner of my eye was the mis-shapen hairdo of the savior of popular music himself. I turned and there he was, checking the air pressure on his moderately priced compact SUV. I warned my daughter that it was not polite to stare as I fumbled with my iPhone for no less than a full minute one handed trying to get it to focus... Much like Sasquatch, Elvis too had bested me as he managed to elude my skills of depth of field and composition.


That's the trip folks, thanks for reading, I had a great time.


Thursday, May 15, 2014

DC Collectibles: Batman the Animated Series figures, SDCC More on the way?

DC Collectibles has announced the expansion of their 6" Animated Batman figures. This looks to be a nice set of figures, especially with DCU dropping out of retail, this is a nice continuation to what could have easily been done by Mattel.

DC Collectibles has announced the expansion of their 6" Animated Batman figures. This looks to be a nice set of figures, especially with DCU dropping out of retail, this is a nice continuation to what could have easily been done by Mattel.    Just today we were introduced to the Joker, Robin, & Poison Ivy. Two Face and Mr Freeze's debut was a few months ago if only in sketches. This brings the total to 7 figures in an already unreleased line-up. Simply amazing. We're sure to see more at SDCC this summer as well.  Who's next?  Superman the Animated Series anyone?  Seeing how these are being handled definitely makes the mind wander. Seeing such a push into a territory with the idea that there will be more lends to the thought that this could be a new era approaching for DCC. Mattel finally bowed out of the 6" game for DC characters leaving Marvel Legends to run the toy isles. Meanwhile DCC is putting out some of the best looking figures right now that we may have never come to expect from DCC, Formerly DC Direct. It even looks like we are hijacking Mattel's T Crotch/Hip assemblies anyway.   Points of articulation have been a point of articulation for years in action figure collecting. Do we need it? Does it diminish the look of the figure? What's more valuable, posability or awesome sculpts? Has anyone seen Figma? These people have been doing AWESOME beautiful Japanese characters, and when they get to do familiar pop culture characters, they blow it away!!!   Anyway, I think its been pretty clear that DCC is looking to pick up the slack left behind by Mattel. Could we be stepping into the world where the figures we wanted to see from Mattel will come from DCC in our current scale?  Superman Movie Masters anyone?   Imagine the result of DCC getting behind supplementing our appetites for Mattel product? We finally get a Christopher Reeve retail figure and he's 4" tall? or less? No thanks, why is it that Mattel has decided to get out of the 6" game? or have they? Will Movie Masters ALWAYS be on the horizon while the 3.75" figures are our ballet boxes for what properties get the 6" treatment? Has Mattel caught on to Hasbro's directional success?   There are a few stinkers in Hasbro's pegs but for the most part they are sought after characters to varying degrees. Star Wars alone in its 3.75" line can detect the demand for more characters in its own line, they've been doing it for years though. Regardless, if we're not going to get them from Mattel, why   not accept one from a company that can do every bit the justice to a property like this?

Just today we were introduced to the Joker, Robin, & Poison Ivy. Two Face and Mr Freeze's debut was a few months ago if only in sketches. This brings the total to 7 figures in an already unreleased line-up. Simply amazing. We're sure to see more at SDCC this summer as well.



Who's next?

Superman the Animated Series anyone?

Seeing how these are being handled definitely makes the mind wander. Seeing such a push into a territory with the idea that there will be more lends to the thought that this could be a new era approaching for DCC. Mattel finally bowed out of the 6" game for DC characters leaving Marvel Legends to run the toy isles. Meanwhile DCC is putting out some of the best looking figures right now that we may have never come to expect from DCC, Formerly DC Direct. It even looks like we are hijacking Mattel's T Crotch/Hip assemblies anyway.

Points of articulation have been a point of articulation for years in action figure collecting. Do we need it? Does it diminish the look of the figure? What's more valuable, posability or awesome sculpts? Has anyone seen Figma? These people have been doing AWESOME beautiful Japanese characters, and when they get to do familiar pop culture characters, they blow it away!!!



Anyway, I think its been pretty clear that DCC is looking to pick up the slack left behind by Mattel. Could we be stepping into the world where the figures we wanted to see from Mattel will come from DCC in our current scale? Imagine the result of DCC getting behind supplementing our appetites for Mattel product we'll never got? 

Superman Movie Masters anyone?

DC Collectibles has announced the expansion of their 6" Animated Batman figures. This looks to be a nice set of figures, especially with DCU dropping out of retail, this is a nice continuation to what could have easily been done by Mattel.    Just today we were introduced to the Joker, Robin, & Poison Ivy. Two Face and Mr Freeze's debut was a few months ago if only in sketches. This brings the total to 7 figures in an already unreleased line-up. Simply amazing. We're sure to see more at SDCC this summer as well.  Who's next?  Superman the Animated Series anyone?  Seeing how these are being handled definitely makes the mind wander. Seeing such a push into a territory with the idea that there will be more lends to the thought that this could be a new era approaching for DCC. Mattel finally bowed out of the 6" game for DC characters leaving Marvel Legends to run the toy isles. Meanwhile DCC is putting out some of the best looking figures right now that we may have never come to expect from DCC, Formerly DC Direct. It even looks like we are hijacking Mattel's T Crotch/Hip assemblies anyway.   Points of articulation have been a point of articulation for years in action figure collecting. Do we need it? Does it diminish the look of the figure? What's more valuable, posability or awesome sculpts? Has anyone seen Figma? These people have been doing AWESOME beautiful Japanese characters, and when they get to do familiar pop culture characters, they blow it away!!!   Anyway, I think its been pretty clear that DCC is looking to pick up the slack left behind by Mattel. Could we be stepping into the world where the figures we wanted to see from Mattel will come from DCC in our current scale?  Superman Movie Masters anyone?   Imagine the result of DCC getting behind supplementing our appetites for Mattel product? We finally get a Christopher Reeve retail figure and he's 4" tall? or less? No thanks, why is it that Mattel has decided to get out of the 6" game? or have they? Will Movie Masters ALWAYS be on the horizon while the 3.75" figures are our ballet boxes for what properties get the 6" treatment? Has Mattel caught on to Hasbro's directional success?   There are a few stinkers in Hasbro's pegs but for the most part they are sought after characters to varying degrees. Star Wars alone in its 3.75" line can detect the demand for more characters in its own line, they've been doing it for years though. Regardless, if we're not going to get them from Mattel, why   not accept one from a company that can do every bit the justice to a property like this?

DC Collectibles has announced the expansion of their 6" Animated Batman figures. This looks to be a nice set of figures, especially with DCU dropping out of retail, this is a nice continuation to what could have easily been done by Mattel.    Just today we were introduced to the Joker, Robin, & Poison Ivy. Two Face and Mr Freeze's debut was a few months ago if only in sketches. This brings the total to 7 figures in an already unreleased line-up. Simply amazing. We're sure to see more at SDCC this summer as well.  Who's next?  Superman the Animated Series anyone?  Seeing how these are being handled definitely makes the mind wander. Seeing such a push into a territory with the idea that there will be more lends to the thought that this could be a new era approaching for DCC. Mattel finally bowed out of the 6" game for DC characters leaving Marvel Legends to run the toy isles. Meanwhile DCC is putting out some of the best looking figures right now that we may have never come to expect from DCC, Formerly DC Direct. It even looks like we are hijacking Mattel's T Crotch/Hip assemblies anyway.   Points of articulation have been a point of articulation for years in action figure collecting. Do we need it? Does it diminish the look of the figure? What's more valuable, posability or awesome sculpts? Has anyone seen Figma? These people have been doing AWESOME beautiful Japanese characters, and when they get to do familiar pop culture characters, they blow it away!!!   Anyway, I think its been pretty clear that DCC is looking to pick up the slack left behind by Mattel. Could we be stepping into the world where the figures we wanted to see from Mattel will come from DCC in our current scale?  Superman Movie Masters anyone?   Imagine the result of DCC getting behind supplementing our appetites for Mattel product? We finally get a Christopher Reeve retail figure and he's 4" tall? or less? No thanks, why is it that Mattel has decided to get out of the 6" game? or have they? Will Movie Masters ALWAYS be on the horizon while the 3.75" figures are our ballet boxes for what properties get the 6" treatment? Has Mattel caught on to Hasbro's directional success?   There are a few stinkers in Hasbro's pegs but for the most part they are sought after characters to varying degrees. Star Wars alone in its 3.75" line can detect the demand for more characters in its own line, they've been doing it for years though. Regardless, if we're not going to get them from Mattel, why   not accept one from a company that can do every bit the justice to a property like this?





I've been kicking around this Kit Bash Christopher Reeve Superman Movie Masters for years just hoping that I would see it bested by Mattel. But they led us astray… 2" off course. We finally get a Christopher Reeve retail figure and he's 4" tall? or less? No thanks, why is it that Mattel has decided to get out of the 6" game? or have they? Will Movie Masters ALWAYS be on the horizon while the 3.75" figures are our ballet boxes for what properties get the 6" treatment? Will Mattel catch on to Hasbro's strategic success? Will they be there for us when the next superhero movies come out? How can they ignore a 6" hero figure market or force us to re-buy in an inferior scale and quality? I guess they'll find out. Or maybe they've still got something big up their sleeves?












or maybe not...


There are a few stinkers in Hasbro's isles too but for the most part they are sought after characters to varying degrees. Star Wars alone in its 3.75" line can detect the demand for more characters in its own line, they've been doing it for years. Regardless, if we're not going to get them from Mattel, why   not accept one from a company that can do every bit the diligent justice to a property like this?  

I'd love to see DCC take over Mattel's former command of awesome DC Characters in 6" but actually do them AWESOME!!! I loved the 4 Horsemen line, there are still few true gaps that will never be filled from my DCU collection… I'm looking at you Gold Superman and Mxyzptlk… WTF? And the C&C couldn't have been a proper version of SP Kalibak? Can we atleast Mail Away for our Blue Suited Clark Kent figure? Please update the DCSH Sculpt though… he looks pretty weak, eeven for Clark... 



But I don't think it was the Horsemen who killed the line… the line killed the line… the bottom line… jerks…

Thanks for reading, come for the news, stay for the rants...



Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Ben Affleck as Batman: First Image Released


Director Zack Snyder revealed the black-and-white photo Tuesday on Twitter. 
 
 Director Zack Snyder revealed the black-and-white photo Tuesday on Twitter.         @ZackSnyder/Twitter     The first image of Ben Affleck as Batman in the upcoming Superman-Batman film has hit the web.  * This image has been altered to allow better exposure of the rest of the suit. Looks prety cool.   -GeekSummit  Director Zack Snyder unveiled the photo via Twitter on Tuesday, after teasing the day before that a Batman reveal of some sort was coming.  The monochromatic image features Affleck in the Batsuit with the new Batmobile at his side, as smoke looms in the background.     Affleck was cast in the role last August and the announcement was met with mixed reaction. (Snyder said at the time that Affleck's Batman would be "older and wiser.") In response to Internet backlash, Affleck appeared on Late Night in September to address worries. "They said just don't use the Internet for a couple of days," Affleck said at the time. "I handle shit. I'm very tough. I saw the announcement, I look down on the first comment … the first one just goes, 'Nooooooooo!' "  Snyder's Superman-Batman follow-up will return Henry Cavill, who starred in Man of Steel, as Superman. Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons is set as Alfred and Ray Fisher will portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto are also in the cast and will play newly created characters.  Affleck, Cavill and Gadot are expected to reprise their roles for the Justice League movie, which will also be directed by Snyder and have a 2017 release.  Warner Bros. has slated the Batman-Superman tentpole for May 6, 2016     Source: Hollywood Reporter
 
 @ZackSnyder/Twitter

The first image of Ben Affleck as Batman in the upcoming Superman-Batman film has hit the web.

 Director Zack Snyder revealed the black-and-white photo Tuesday on Twitter.         @ZackSnyder/Twitter     The first image of Ben Affleck as Batman in the upcoming Superman-Batman film has hit the web.  * This image has been altered to allow better exposure of the rest of the suit. Looks prety cool.   -GeekSummit  Director Zack Snyder unveiled the photo via Twitter on Tuesday, after teasing the day before that a Batman reveal of some sort was coming.  The monochromatic image features Affleck in the Batsuit with the new Batmobile at his side, as smoke looms in the background.     Affleck was cast in the role last August and the announcement was met with mixed reaction. (Snyder said at the time that Affleck's Batman would be "older and wiser.") In response to Internet backlash, Affleck appeared on Late Night in September to address worries. "They said just don't use the Internet for a couple of days," Affleck said at the time. "I handle shit. I'm very tough. I saw the announcement, I look down on the first comment … the first one just goes, 'Nooooooooo!' "  Snyder's Superman-Batman follow-up will return Henry Cavill, who starred in Man of Steel, as Superman. Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons is set as Alfred and Ray Fisher will portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto are also in the cast and will play newly created characters.  Affleck, Cavill and Gadot are expected to reprise their roles for the Justice League movie, which will also be directed by Snyder and have a 2017 release.  Warner Bros. has slated the Batman-Superman tentpole for May 6, 2016     Source: Hollywood Reporter

* This image has been altered to allow better exposure of the rest of the suit. Looks prety cool.
 -GeekSummit
Director Zack Snyder unveiled the photo via Twitter on Tuesday, after teasing the day before that a Batman reveal of some sort was coming.
The monochromatic image features Affleck in the Batsuit with the new Batmobile at his side, as smoke looms in the background.

Affleck was cast in the role last August and the announcement was met with mixed reaction. (Snyder said at the time that Affleck's Batman would be "older and wiser.") In response to Internet backlash, Affleck appeared on Late Night in September to address worries. "They said just don't use the Internet for a couple of days," Affleck said at the time. "I handle shit. I'm very tough. I saw the announcement, I look down on the first comment … the first one just goes, 'Nooooooooo!' "
Snyder's Superman-Batman follow-up will return Henry Cavill, who starred in Man of Steel, as Superman. Gal Gadot will play Wonder Woman, Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor, Jeremy Irons is set as Alfred and Ray Fisher will portray Victor Stone/Cyborg. Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto are also in the cast and will play newly created characters.
Affleck, Cavill and Gadot are expected to reprise their roles for the Justice League movie, which will also be directed by Snyder and have a 2017 release.
Warner Bros. has slated the Batman-Superman tentpole for May 6, 2016

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Superman Celebration 2014 • Metropolis, Illinois


Free T-Shirt Transfer Downloads From GeekSummit!!!

It's that time of year again!
Time for roadtrips and souvineers and speeding tickets across this great nation of ours. Its also time to share this years free t-shirt downloads!! It's been a busy year for me with a new son who arrived just last week so I havent really dug in as I have in previous years but here we are, just in time for the celebration once again!!

Downlaoding is simple, just thumb through the gallery and when you find the selection you like just right click to open in a new window and download directly using Save As or just drag and drop to your desktop!!


2014's Latest Editions



Man of Steel Related




OldSchoolery



Metropolis, Il




Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Ain't It Cool News: STAR WARS EPISODE VII's working title is...


ey! We've got some official Star Wars: Episode VII casting news to share with you today! After all of the rumors, talk and speculation we now know who will be star in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film. So without future ado, here's the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII: John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (LOTR), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorsist) will join the original stars of the sci-fi fantasy saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film. The photo above features the Abrams surrounded by the cast, and this is what the director  had this to say in a statement:      "We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."  We all knew the original cast would be back to reprise their roles, but it's so comforting to know that it's all set in stone. I can relax now. As for the new members of the cast… these are all great choices and fantastic actors. I seriously can't wait to finally see the story that the filmmakers are planning to tell come to life on the big screen! The movie opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th, 2015.


Source: Harry Knowles - Ain't It Cool News
Art: GeekSummit 

Hey folks, Harry here...  in response to my article earlier today a new source has come forward to confirm information that I've been sitting on for over a month.   As I've said - getting confirmation has been a bitch.  I know lots of people in JJ's camp - including JJ... but when I put the title to JJ... he never even responded.  That alone was suspicious.   But my original source had told me back in January that Abu Dhabi was a location, and when that came to be, he sent me a scoop that the title for STAR WARS EPISODE VII was THE ANCIENT FEAR.
I ran it by everyone in the editorial chatroom.  Beaks, Merrick, Quint, Capone... everyone...  and they rattled their sources cages - and couldn't get confirmation...  BUT tonight...  a source that I'm told to call Col. Mustard claimed completely on his own that "the working title" was THE ANCIENT FEAR....
He also stated that "it refers to Max Von Sydow's villain who makes Pazuzu look like a pussy!"


Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Star Wars Episode VII Cast Revealed!!!

 

A few hours ago in a country far far away...


Hey! We've got some official Star Wars: Episode VII casting news to share with you today! After all of the rumors, talk and speculation we now know who will be star in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film. So without future ado, here's the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII:  John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (LOTR), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorsist) will join the original stars of the sci-fi fantasy saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.  The photo above features the Abrams surrounded by the cast, and this is what the director  had this to say in a statement:      "We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."  We all knew the original cast would be back to reprise their roles, but it's so comforting to know that it's all set in stone. I can relax now. As for the new members of the cast… these are all great choices and fantastic actors. I seriously can't wait to finally see the story that the filmmakers are planning to tell come to life on the big screen!  The movie opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th, 2015.     Source: StarWars.com



Hey! We've got some official Star Wars: Episode VII casting news to share with you today! After all of the rumors, talk and speculation we now know who will be star in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated film. So without future ado, here's the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII:
John Boyega (Attack the Block), Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver (Girls), Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis), Andy Serkis (LOTR), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), and Max von Sydow (The Exorsist) will join the original stars of the sci-fi fantasy saga, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.
The photo above features the Abrams surrounded by the cast, and this is what the director  had this to say in a statement:
"We are so excited to finally share the cast of 'Star Wars: Episode VII.' It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud."
We all knew the original cast would be back to reprise their roles, but it's so comforting to know that it's all set in stone. I can relax now. As for the new members of the cast… these are all great choices and fantastic actors. I seriously can't wait to finally see the story that the filmmakers are planning to tell come to life on the big screen!
The movie opens in theaters worldwide on December 18th, 2015.

Source: StarWars.com