BlackGeekdom Science-Fiction from a Different Perspective

Posted under Games, Uncategorized

Source:  Trekmovie.com

Here’s a few excerpts:

TrekMovie: What are some of your favorite movies?

Saldana: Blade Runner. I grew up in a sci-fi environment and am a huge sci-fi fanatic so Ripley [Alien] and Sarah Connor [Terminator] are some of my favorite characters of all time. I am driven toward women who are very strong and commanding and kick alien ass and all that stuff, and also kiss aliens. I would say Blade Runner, and The Hunger, which is one of Tony Scott’s first films. I saw it when I was very young, I think I saw it when I was nine or ten, I fell completely in love with the movie. It felt completely dark and hopeless because these people were eternally condemned and unable to love. And Blade Runner, I knew watching Blade Runner, and Dune, that I wasn’t old enough to understand the concept. But the fact that I was to grow older and be able to one day look at it and go ‘I get this now’ was so exciting to me at the age of five. 

*** slight spoiler below the break  ***

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Posted under Movies

Amazon released it announced its new Kindle DX: Amazon’s 9.7  yesterday. Basically its just a Kindle with a larger screen and more storage.   The new device is trying to target college students, newspaper and magazine readers.    I suspect they also had comic book readers in mind but they still need to come out with a color version before they get that group.    I would think that some of the indie publishers at the ECBACC would love to have a cheaper (no printing costs) and easier way to distribute their books.
#mce_temp_url#

The price is $489 which is still expensive for most people with one exception, college students .    The cost of text books are close a $1000 a year.   A device like a Kindle DX seems like a bargain if it gives you the ability to download text books for half the price of the book.   

Amazon introduced the third edition of its Kindle this morning, a version that, in addition to offering trade books, will now display textbooks, computer books and cookbooks on a 9.7 inch electronic display screen that includes 16 shades of grade—the same gray-scale as the Kindle 2. Magazines and newspapers, already available on the Kindle, will increase their presence on the new device. Price for Kindle DX is $489 and Amazon will start shipping the device in the summer.

 

Posted under Comics, Technology

Source:  Sci-Fi Wire

Jasika Nicole plays Astrid Farnsworth on ABC’s Fringe.  Astrid is an FBI agent assigned to assist Walter Bishop in his lab.  Sci-Fi Wire has posted an interview with Jasika about plans for Astrid in season 2 of Fringe, now that Fox has renewed it.

Jasika Nicole, who plays Astrid Farnsworth on Fox’s sci-fi series Fringe, told SCI FI Wire that the show’s writers have promised to explore her character’s backstory in future episodes—though likely not before the end of the first season. Astrid is an FBI agent who works as Walter Bishop’s (John Noble) lab assistant and usually serves basic mechanical functions like hooking up electrodes and monitors.

"They’ve been working on that for a really long time, and they want to make sure that it’s perfect," Nicole said in a phone interview last week. "That’s why we haven’t seen it yet. So I’m hoping that it’s going to come in season two. We will not get that episode in season one, but I’m pretty sure that it will happen in season two, and I can’t wait to find out what’s in it, let me tell you."

Read the full interview at Sci-Fi Wire.

Posted under Articles, Television

Last week was a close call between Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine  #5 and Dark Avengers #4 .    Ultimate Hulk vs Wolverine # 5 won for one reason Wolverines decapitated head on a table having a conversation with Nick Fury.   I never saw it coming and its nice to be surprised.   We got some insight into the real nature of Wolverines power its not a healing factor its adaptation.   His body changes in order to ensure his survival.  The art by really fits the story Leinil FrancisYu really compliments Lindelof’s story.   If you want a reminder of what Marvel’s Ultimate line was like at its best this is it. 

  I’m going to start tossing  out some older trades  that I think people might like.  This week its Kingdom Come by writer Mark Waid and artist Alex Ross.    The art is beautiful enough that it could be a book by itself.    This riveting story set in the future pits the old guard – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their peers – against a new, uncompromising generation of heroes in the final war to determine the fate of the planet.    This is a  all time classic that you need on your book shelf. 

Recommendations

Batman The Resurrection Of Ras Al Ghul TP, $19.99

Cable #14 (Ariel Olivetti Cover)(X-Men Messiah War Tie-In)(Messiah War Part 4), $2.99

New Mutants #1 (Alex Ross Variant Cover), AR

Invincible Iron Man #13 (Dark Reign Tie-In), $2.99

Boys #30 (Darick Robertson Regular Cover), $2.99

New comic after the break

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Posted under Comics

The 8th annual ECBACC (East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention) in Philadelphia is coming up soon.  They emailed me about the convention so I thought I’d pass the information along.  The flyer below has all the details.  Click the flyer to go to the website.  More details about the convention appear after the break.  I have never gone, but I plan on going as soon as schedule (and budget) permit.

Black Comic Book Creators Converge in Philadelphia to Encourage Youth Literacy
Annual convention celebrates the Black experience in comic books and promotes youth literacy with workshops

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Posted under Blog News, Conventions

This was one of the most anticipated movies of the Spring/Summer movie season.  I’ll make this review short.  Fanboys are going to hate it.  Fans of the Wolverine comics aren’t going to like it.  Fans of the X-Men series of movies are going to like it.  As far as the story goes, its fits into the story line of the X-Men trilogy of movies.  It gives the origin of our favorite mutant, Wolverine.  Questions about his past that were raised in the first movie are answered.  As with most origin stories, the action sequences were spread out by exposition.  But, when there was action, it was impressive.  Its easy to tell that they spent much time on getting the effects just right.  Hugh Jackman was his typical brooding Logan.  Liev Schrieber was excellent as Sabretooth.  Most of the other acting was okay.  However, Will.i.Am’s performance left little to be desired.  I was looking forward to him as Wraith, but he just didn’t do it for me.   One performance that stood out to me was Taylor Kitsch as Remy Lebeau/Gambit.  When I first saw him as Riggins on Friday Night Lights, I thought to myself, “He’d make a great Gambit.”  He did.

Problems:  No matter how good CGI gets, you can’t take years off an old man’s face and make him young again without it looking wierd.  No matter how far the stories of the X-Men are off base, at least they try to stay true to characters and their powers; however, Deadpool was so far off base as to make me almost completely dismiss Ryan Reynolds performace in the first part of the movie.  How do you have that much destruction at a Nuclear Power plant and not upset one of the reactors?  If I use an adamantium bullet and put a whole in your head, how do the wholes get filled in with adamantium?  I could go on, but I said I’d be short.

Fans of the series of movies and who have less than a passing knowledge of X-Men and Wolverine will enjoy the movie.  Everyone else, its going to be hit and miss.

Posted under Reviews

My guess of  90 million was slightly over but I have a feeling Swine flu paranoia had an affect on the numbers.    This film made 87 million, despite a leaked version, bad reviews (37% on rotten tomatoes),  and the usual fanboy bitching and whining about accuracy and not staying true to the comic.   The real test for the longevity of a film comes the second week.    A drop of less than 50 %  is usually a good sign.   I’m predicting only 38 million next weekend because its going against Star Trek.   Wolverine is a hit but it wont be as big as Iron Man was last year.  Iron man had basically 17 before another tent pole feature hit theaters (Indiana Jones on Memorial day weekend).  Wolverine has just days before Trek opens

My Star Trek prediction for next weekend is …………………. 94  million.   I say that with some hesitation.   Trek films haven’t opened big historically and Trekkie’s tend to overestimate their numbers.    That being said I think this film has a different kind of buzz and should be a hit.    Another good sign is that the critics love it.   It has a 100% rating right now on rotten tomatoes.   I challenge you to find a bad review for the film. 

Posted under Uncategorized

 The death of Nathan on Heroes was a wasted opportunity for character development for the Petrelli’s, Claire and HRG .   It would have been interesting to see how his death would have changed  things.  Instead we get this Nathan in Sylar body storyline.  Nobody ever changes on the show they always end up where they started character wise. We have plenty of plot development and very little character.   If you pay attention to the  show you will notice that all of the characters are stagnant, they haven’t evolved or changed since season one.     One more thing about Heroes before we put it  away for the summer.   Why can’t they ever show anybody really cut lose with their powers.   If your going to have  a big fight then show it.   You can’t  lock Sylar, Peter and Nathan in a room,  show some flashing lights under the door and call it a fight or expect anybody to be satisfied.   You can save the budget restraint comments because they should have come up with a another way to tell the story if you know it won’t make it to the screen.    

The writers on Smallville have to be reading  because they have changed Chloe into one of those women.   The book  gives insight into women  who send love letters and/or marriage proposal to serial killers like David Berkowitz, Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy.    One of the main points of the book is that these women are attracted to these guys because they have a sense of control over them because they are in jail (or in this case locked in the basement in the Talon),  they tend to have painful childhoods (abandoned by you mother),  and are willing to give up their entire life for them (leave my friends to go on the run).    They have tried to make Davis/Doomsday  sympathetic character so that we can relate to Chloe’s choices but its not working it just makes her look stupid and makes him irritating.   I really need Clark to kick his ass.   

New epsiodes below the break

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Posted under Television

We all know that the opening weekend will make or break a movie.  That being said I think Wolverine will earn about 90 million this weekend.   I think the leaked version will have a impact on the overall number, but not as much as people think.  I have seen polls where 60% of the those who downloaded it still plan on going to the theater to see it.  This means they are either liars or enjoyed it enough to see it again.   Also, the word on the street is that Wolverine is outselling Ironman 3 to 1 in advanced ticket sales.    I guess we will know Monday if I was or not.

=.

Posted under Movies