brain out loud

The 2016 San Diego Comic-Con is only a few weeks away, taking place from July 21- 24. By now, most of the exhibitors, vendors and artists have been assigned a location and have prepared their agenda. For the bigger players, like Marvel, the preparations never seem to end. Marvel has already announced that Dr. Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 will have a major presence at the show. Scott Derrickson director of Dr. Strange and James Gunn the director of Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 are both confirmed to be there. Cast members for the films are expected to be there for a panel and Q&A session. Which cast members and what they'll reveal remains a mystery. With principle photography wrapped on both films, I'd expect to see a sneak peek, the second trailer for Dr. Strange, and maybe even a trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2. The squeal may still be several months from release on May 5th, but the timing is about right. The trailer for Dr. Strange was relea...

WARNING SPOILERS! Several media outlets and websites were granted a visit to the set of DC's Justice League movie recently, and lots of details have been reported. Typically there is an embargo on the release of information until the movie is released. This time around, DC wanted to share with the fans. Perhaps learning from the mistakes of Batman v Superman and it's secretive schedule with more corporate input  from Warner Brothers and little to no guidance from comic writers or fans. This early release of a plot synopsis, spoiler-laden plot details, images and more seems like DC is looking for feedback. Like when they beta test a video game. Zack Snyder remains at the helm of Justice League, so it doesn't sound like Warner Brothers heard the resounding call to remove the so-called visionary director. The influx of new details has the fandom all excited, and even though I am a fan of DC I just don't care about this movie. For this entry, I want to brain out loud why. ...

A lot of exciting news from the annual GI Joe convention, in Loveland, CO. A panel discussion held by Derryl Depriest and Mark Webber of Hasbro covered a variety of topics. A common theme the duo mentioned was the vastness of the GI Joe universe. Stating the fan involvement and their excitement to share new characters, custom figures, stories and so on is rivaled only by Star Wars. I have to agree with that statement as a lifelong fan and frequent creator myself. Depriest and Webber traced the fan involvement back to 1987 when Hasbro Direct offered the personalized Steel Brigade figure. Fans could mail away a form to create their own soldier, including a code name and specialties of their choosing. Of course, I was thrilled by the first-of-it's-kind-offer, mailed away the requirements and effectively joined the GI Joe team. Colorado state flag after Cobra takes over.

As the summer begins, the nerds, geeks, cosplayers, et al are getting ready. The two biggest annual conventions of popular culture and fandom are E3 the Electronic Entertainment Expo and the San Diego Comic-Con or SDCC for short. Usually held in Los Angeles, CA, E3 is the annual trade show for video game developers, and console and accessory manufacturers to finally reveal closely guarded secrets and preview their newest creations. The show starts tomorrow and runs from June 14 - 16, and just like every year the rumors have been spreading for months. It has been confirmed for quite some time that Nintendo is working on a new console, dubbed the NX, but will they reveal anything at E3. Likewise, Microsoft and Sony are working on upgraded versions of their current consoles the XBox One and the Playstation 4 respectively, yet it's uncertain if either will be on display. Other than the consoles, the fans are also treated to new video games announcements, trailers and sometimes playable...

Marvel has established the most successful shared cinematic universe in history, accumulating over $10 Billion with 13 films. Although the pages of a comic book is a very common place to find characters weaving their narratives, Marvel didn't invent the concept. Characters have been sharing screen-time at least since the Universal Monster films of the 30s and 40s. However, Marvel is the undisputed champion of cinematic universes, and the main reason the trend has become so popular today, as it is spreading to other studios. It's unfair to claim that other studios are copying Marvel since the comics powerhouse didn't invent the concept, but It's certainly suspicious. Other Marvel characters, the X-Men have spun off solo films for Wolverine and Deadpool, and will continue to expand their shared universe with Gambit, New Mutants, and X-Force from 20th Century Fox. Before everything fell apart at Sony Pictures, there were plans for multiple movies without the webhead; suc...