This Weeks League Assignment: BRING IT BACK!!

After a brief hiatus, the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is back this week with another exciting challenge. Big J over at Nerd Rage Against the Machine offered up the topic for this week’s challenge, and it’s sure to generate some interesting ideas…

Bring it back! What product or media property would you like to see revived, and how would you imagine it being different today.

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Well first off I am the host of the ‘Random Nerdness’ podcast (available at www.randomnerdness.podbean.com or download from iTunes) and we have a segment we sometimes get to called ‘Bring That Back’, so I am no stranger to this topic. Also I am a Co-Host of the ‘Geek Fallout’ podcast (available at www.geekfallout.podbean.com, Stitcher or download from iTunes) where I handle all the comic book news, and we also do a ‘Top 5’ countdown. So for this topic for the League I am going to do my Top 5 comic book Properties I would want to see back:

5- The Doom Patrol (DC Comics): This team has yet to be seen in the ‘New 52’, and this is a team that has the potential to bring something different and fresh to the New 52 we have not seen yet, if handled properly. I would love to see ‘Wildstorm’ character ‘Lady Tron’ be a member of this team. I would love to see someone like Scott Snyder or Mark Waid writing this title.

4- The Thing (Marvel Comics): My favorite member of the Fantastic Four deserves his own title again if handled properly. For example I would like to see the title renamed simply ‘Ben Grimm’ (the Thing’s real name) and have the title focus on his real life and everyday activities outside the FF, much like the current ‘Hawkeye’ series from Marvel. Again I would love to see Mark Waid on this, or Peter David.

3- Shazam (DC Comics): Or also known as the original ‘Captain Marvel’. I love this golden age character and his history fascinates me. He can currently be found in the back story of Geoff Johns ‘Justice League’ title, but I think this character deserves his own title. It’s a classic story of good versus evil, of a boy who becomes a hero. This is a great golden age character, with a few updates it could be a modern day classic. Johns current back story is great and deserves its own series.

2- West Coast Avengers (Marvel Comics): Enough titles that are variations of the same team sharing the same characters (Uncanny Avengers, Avengers, New Avengers, Avengers Assemble, and Secret Avengers). We need an ‘Avengers’ team that is separate, independent and filled with other characters that are not a part of the New York based Avengers. In the 80’s and 90’s we had another team on the west coast that had their own adventures. Have a team based out of L.A., and have someone like ‘Hawkeye’ leading this team.

1-      Spiderman 2099 (Marvel Comics): Easily one of my favorite comics from the 90’s. Writer Peter David created one of the best Spiderman titles ever made. It was a pure masterpiece of Spiderman and futuristic science fiction. Apparently Spiderman 2099 will be returning in the pages of  ‘Superior Spiderman’ this September, and it is my hope he will get his own title again. Maybe with Peter David writing it…

And that is all I have. Both the ‘Random Nerdness’ and ‘Geek Fallout’ podcasts are friends of the League, be sure to give them a listen sometime if you would be so kind. Check out these other blogs that are part of the League:

www.coolandcollected.com

 

www.goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com

 

www.infinitehollywood.com

Random Nerdness Podcast

Random Nerdness Podcast Ep 17

Random Nerdness Ep 17: Podcasting and 8% Beer DO NOT MIX!!!!

Put this in your ear and enjoy! 

Hey there fellow podcast listener and welcome back to an all-new episode of Random Nerdness! Chrisloc1701 is joined in studio with Sebastian, Sister Brianna and old buddy Tyler Kluin. We're discussing 'Mars One', Netflix, the new Dan Brown book, Revolution, the NHL and many other good things to tickle the ear drums. We also discover the dangers of mixing 8% beer and podcasting...lol.

Random Nerdness is a part of the Atomic Geeks Podcast Network.

Chris can also be heard weekly on the 'Geek Fallout' podcast, which is also part of TAG Network.

The Future Is NOW!

Geek Fallout

Geek Fallout Episode 23

This week Jeff and Chris are joined by none other that Mark Dury.  The gents spend alittle time on the news before moving into some star wars talk ( how could they not with Dury on the show?) and going into the new Xbox One announcement. Chris brings up the rear with some comic news and the guys relive their top 5 video game memories.

Geek Fallout is a proud member of the Atomic Geeks podcasting network

Welcome to the wasteland

A Special Podcast Episode is coming...

Geek Fallout

Geek Fallout Ep 22

This week Jeff and Chris are joined by Ottawa geek blogger Raff. The guys cover all facets of the geek world and finish off with a topic stolen from fellow sister podcast Nerd Lunch.  The guys try to strike off things on their top 5 nerd to-dos.


Geek Fallout is a part of the Atomic Geeks podcasting network

Welcome to the wasteland

This Weeks League Assignment: WHY?

Alright, you like open-ended, broad topics, well here’s another one just for you. This week’s topic for the League of Extraordinary Bloggers is…

Why? No, really. WHY?

Well this one is easy for me to write about. Last summer Sony Pictures rebooted the Spider-man franchise with the ‘Amazing Spider-man’, starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey and every other role in the Spidey-Universe was recast, and the origin story was retold only 10 years after the Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire ‘Spider-man’ was released. Why I ask? Granted ‘Spider-man 3’ was a complete mess of a film, too much being tried for one film and all that. But really did we need to reboot? Maguire and company could have carried on with or without Raimi and continued to build on the universe they already established. They could have continued to introduce villains and new supporting characters. They could have written out Kirsten Dunst who apparently hadn’t and wouldn’t sign on for a 4^th film. They could have continued to build up that franchise and maybe (just maybe) build up to a movie featuring the ‘Sinister Six’, the team of Spider-man super-villains who join Doctor Octopus for the shared goal of exacting revenge against Spider-man, in the comic books. That would have been epic if handled properly. Learn from their mistakes made in the 3^rd film and move forward…sadly that was not to be.

Tobey Maguire in 'Spider-man'

Andrew Garfield in 'Amazing Spider-man'

It’s not to say I didn’t like the 2012 ‘Amazing Spider-man’. It was good, but honestly it was not as good as the 2002 Spider-man film or its first sequel. The re-casting was excellent; Garfield and Stone were great together. Sally Field and Martin Sheen were great as Aunt May and Uncle Ben. But again a reboot and retelling of the Spider-man origin story was not necessary. Watching that film I couldn’t help but feel I was wasting my time watching something I had just seen.  With the ‘Amazing Spider-man 2’ in development and being filmed for release in 2014, I’ll be checking it out again. But it has to do better than the 2012 film. If it does not impress me I may not be back for a 3^rd film in this rebooted franchise.

Why reboot a franchise that just doesn’t need it?

Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out the other blogs that are part of the League of Extraordinary Bloggers Including:

www.coolandcollected.com

www.goodwillhunting4geeks.blogspot.com

www.infinitehollywood.com

Random Nerdness Ep 16: (Slightly)New Format!!

Random Nerdness Ep 16: (Slightly)New Format!!

Random Nerdness Ep 16: (Slightly)New Format!!

Hey there fellow podcast listener and welcome back to an all-new episode of Random Nerdness! Chrisloc1701 is joined in studio with Sebastian, Sister Brianna and old buddy Tyler Kluin. We're discussing the new format and least favourite characters from our favourite TV shows. Put this podcast in your ear and enjoy! 

(L to R) Mr Tyler Kluin, Chris & Sister Brianna

Brother-in-law, Producer & Sound Engineer Sebastian Rydvall

Star Trek: Into Darkness Review with SPOILERS!!

Hey there fellow blog reader and/or podcast listener, Chrisloc1701 here reviewing his second most anticipated film of 2013, and that is of course 'Star Trek: Into Darkness' (with the most anticipated being 'Man Of Steel'). I was going to try and do a SPOILER free review but it is just impossible with this film so be warned that there will be specific spoilers after my rating. So read on if you wish or watch the film first then come back. Please be sure to leave me a comment on the blog or the Geek Fallout or Random Nerdness Facebook Pages. So here is the rating:

****1/2 (4.5 Stars Out of 5)

A great film and definitely worth going to the theatre if you are a Trek fan or a fan of action/adventure & space sci-fi. Better than the 2009 film in my opinion. 

Spoilers Review:

Well as stated in the rating I thought this film was better than the 2009 'Star Trek' film. This film had it all: action, suspense, interesting story, good acting, good villains, and Zoe Saldana. There are some die hard Trek fans that hate what JJ Abrams has done with the franchise. Even with this 'alternate timeline' there are things that they have been done with these films that cannot be explained away by the creation of a new timeline, but I choose to not think too much and enjoy these films for what they are. What Abrams is doing does not take away from what has come before, as Trek fans we must remember that and continue to support theses  films if we are ever to see Trek return to TV. 

'New' Characters & Cast:

Anyway getting back to the film, I really thought it was superb. Loved having Peter Weller on as 'Admiral Marcus'. Benedict Cumberbatch was an excellent addition to the film, however again getting back to the timeline unexplained changes, I hated the fact he was Khan after all. Ricardo Montalban IS Khan and no recasting is necessary. As much as I loved Cumberbatch in this film and all he brought to it I really wish he had been a different villain. Maybe Khan's younger brother? Alice Eve is a welcome recast as 'Carol Marcus', I just wish she had had more screen time and maybe her and Kirk fall in love. Call me a romantic but I would have loved if they had a love story for those two in this movie. 

'Old' Characters & Cast:

Welcome back Leonard Nimoy. Loved his brief cameo in the film and to know that old Spock is still alive and ticking, just wished he had made a 'William Bell' cameo on the 5th Season of 'Fringe'... All the actors were once again excellent in their roles. I really wished Bruce Greenwood hadn't been killed off so soon. I would loved to have seen him make the death sacrifice to save the ship instead of Kirk. Christopher Pike deserved to go out as a hero. Also would have been good to see Kirk learn a thing or two more about command from his Father figure before he died. Not enough Karl Urban in this film!! He is perhaps the best casting of these films and he was totally under used in this film. Also wanted to thank Mr JJ Abrams for putting Zoe Saldana in several skin tight uniforms in this film, WOW she is HOT!!! 

Nit Picks:

 - I HATE all of Abrams unnecessary lens flares. I know people have joked around about Abrams use of them, but in this film I really noticed them and they really started to annoy me. I know they are intended to bring a sense of realism to the movie experience but I already know I am watching a make believe film, I do not need lens flares to fool me into thinking this is real. 

- The Klingons: Again the change to the timeline by Nero and Old Spock in the 2009 film would not explain why the klingons and their homeworld would look so different. I love their use of helmets but I hated their new look. They looked like a Klingon alien cousin or something. The look sucks and there was nothing wrong with the traditional Trek look to the Klingons. A very unnecessary change on Abrams part. 

Overall it was a great film with a few minor nitpicks. Go see this film! Next up on my list is 'Man Of Steel' in June, with a review to follow. 

Live Long & Lens Flares!!

- Chris