Arts & Culture – Page 35

Dangerous Dorks: Say No to Nerd Rage!

View the shocking video The Empire doesn’t want you to see…

Once, Nerd Rage could bubble over in a Kirk Vs. Picard debate or a Ditko Vs. Lee message board discussion. In the past, such anger manifested itself as an overturned Mountain Dew glass or a ridiculous internet flame war. These days, though, you’d best watch your back around the nerd herd.

Time was that the nastiest thing you’d see happening at a comic convention was Trekkers making sarcastic remarks towards Twi-Hards. No more. At this year’s Comic-Con, an argument over Hall H seating resulted in a now-infamous eye-gouge.

And physical violence isn’t the only danger. At an Arizona comic convention, a puppet troup tried to stage a skit involving a Stormtrooper and a Na’vi. Suddenly, an over-zealous sci-fi fan came down on them like a fetid rain of curdled blue milk (fun starts at :45).

More norms are coming over to the geekside every day, friends. It’s getting crowded. Has it really gotten to where nerds need to pack heat for protection? No way. Here’s why: firearms can accidentally discharge and shoot fellow Avatar fans. In real life, there are no extra lives. Say No to Nerd Rage!

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Season 3 Premiere

from StarWars.com:

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 3 Starts Tonight!!

Tune in to Cartoon Network tonight at 9:00 PM PT/ET to catch the first two episodes of the transformative third season of The Clone Wars, “Clone Cadets” and “ARC Troopers” (get a sneak peek at the episodes here and here)!

Still need more Clone Wars? Here’s just a small sampling of all the recent Clone Wars goodness:

Clone Wars Adventures is Now Live!
Clone Wars Adventures, a free-to-play, action packed virtual world for fans of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated television series, is now live and ready to play!

The Clone Wars Season 3 Premiere Event at Lucasfilm
Lucasfilm and Cartoon Network held a red carpet Season 3 premiere screening at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco, inviting Boys and Girls Club kids to mingle with George Lucas and The Clone Wars cast.

All New Clone Wars Web Comic
In time for season three, an all new story exclusive to StarWars.com!

Clone Wars Character Soundboards
A fresh batch of Clone Wars characters have been added to the Official Star Wars Soundboards, with more to come! Hear your favorite characters on demand with the following links:

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Season 3 Premiere Event!

from StarWars.com:

On September 10, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Cartoon Network held a red carpet Season Three premiere screening at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco. The fun-filled evening, sponsored by Hasbro, featured a first-ever big screen presentation of the season’s launch episodes, as well as a whole host of special activities — including videogame demos, Hasbro Galactic Battle game stations, photo opportunities with costumed characters, Jedi Academy Training and more. Special guests included youth from the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco, along with Executive Producer George Lucas, Supervising Director Dave Filoni, Producer Cary Silver and the cast of Star Wars: The Clone Wars!

The next chapter of Star Wars: The Clone Wars begins with a must-see one-hour premiere, airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT Friday, September 17 on Cartoon Network.

Breadpig: n00b! Asian Adventure! Colbert!

from Breadpig:

Ahoy, Breadpig legionnaire!

We know it’s only been two weeks since we’ve written, but it’s been an action-packed time and we didn’t want you to fall behind on the news!

The observant among you may have noticed that the last briefing had TWO signatures at the bottom instead of just one. That’s because as of a few weeks ago, Breadpig officially has a new employee! Christina Xu has joined on to help steer our porky hero towards greater heights of do-goodery and generally improve awesome levels in the world. If you have any questions for Christina, please ask her!

One of the first missions that our largest-ever Breadpig team will tackle is an epic voyage to South Asia in October to visit, observe, and document the work Room to Read is doing with the $85,460 we’ve donated to them. Both Alexis and Christina will visit the Laos Room to Read office as well as the XKCD school Breadpig built in Salavan, Laos. Then, Christina will continue solo to the RTR programs in Hanoi, Vietnam; Colombo, Sri Lanka; and Kathmandu and Bariya, Nepal to find out how our other funded projects (and Room to Read in general) are getting along. We’ll be posting an official itinerary soon — please contact us if you have advice, requests, suggestions for great organizations to team up with in the future, or the ability to meet up for a drink anywhere along the way!

Finally, Breadpig joined in Reddit’s efforts to create the largest fundraiser for DonorsChoose ever to convince Stephen Colbert to have a rally in DC. We donated $1776.63 to the campaign to celebrate Reddit breaking the $30,000 mark (Hilary Clinton’s record over the last 3 years!) in less than 24 hours, and in return Mr. Colbert wrote us a little letter. We are proud (and starstruck) beyond words!

Breadpig doubled in size as a company, is going to visit Room to Read sites in Laos/Vietnam/Sri Lanka/Nepal in October, donated $1776.63 to DonorsChoose to congratulate Redditors on generating over $30k in less than 24 hours.

Love and crusty bacon,
Alexis and Christina

(P.S. This Sunday, November 19th, is Talk Like a Pirate Day. We hope you observe this holiest of days.)

VIZ Media Announces the Latest “Bleach”, “Naruto” and “Vampire Knight” DVD Releases for September and October 2010

from VIZ Media:

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced several new DVD releases scheduled for September and October that expand the company’s popular Bleach, Naruto and Vampire Knight animated series.

New Bleach Releases Include:

Bleach Volume 32
Rated “T” for Teens
MSRP: $24.92 U.S. / $35.99 CAN
Available September 21st
Captain Hitsugaya’s advance Soul Reaper troops get involved in some unexpected sidelines during their stay in the World of the Living. When Karin Kurosaki agrees to go up against a tough group of middle school students in a game of soccer, Hitsugaya himself steps in to lend a hand. Then all the top members of Karakura First High School’s kendo team are injured, and Ikkaku is brought in to put the remaining team members through a training regimen from hell! Contains episodes 132 thru 135.

Bleach Uncut Box Set Season 6
Rated “T” for Teens
MSRP: $49.95 U.S. / $71.99 CAN
Available September 28th
Back in the World of the Living, Ichigo Kurosaki has been officially recognized as a Substitute Soul Reaper by the Soul Society. But trouble soon comes to Karakura Town in the form of Visoreds, a group of ex-Soul Reapers that have crossed over into the realm of the Hollows. As they try to recruit Ichigo to their side, it is revealed that former Captain Sosuke Aizen is attempting to create an army of Hollows with Soul Reaper powers called Arrancars. It will take Ichigo and his friends, along with a detachment of Soul Reapers, to keep them from destroying the town. Contains episodes 110 thru 121 (Original and Uncut).

For more information on Bleach, please visit BLEACH.viz.com.

New Vampire Knight Releases Include:

Vampire Knight Volume 2
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
MSRP: $19.97 U.S. / $28.99 CAN
Available September 28th
A new teacher arrives at Cross Academy with a hidden identity and possibly deadly connection to Zero, whose suffering is driving him to desperation. Yuki’s feelings are torn between Zero and Kaname, and her determination to help Zero may lead her to betray the one she loves most. Contains episodes: 5-8.

For more information on Vampire Knight, please visit: ShojoBeat.com.

New Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden Releases Include:

Naruto: Shippuden Box Set 4 Special Edition
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
MSRP: $69.97 U.S. / $99.99 CAN
Available October 19th
Team Kakashi’s spying mission brings them face to face with the Leaf’s most deadly enemy, Orochimaru. Naruto’s rage brings forth the Nine-Tailed Fox, but at great risk to both himself and those he cares for the most. With Naruto’s rampage quelled, the team continues on to Orochimaru’s lair to find Sasuke, but the mysterious Sai has disappeared. Could one of their own be planning the ultimate betrayal? The Special Edition Box Set contains 14 episodes (episodes 40-53) on 3 discs, and a special limited edition collectible Sasuke figure.

Naruto: Shippuden Box Set 4 Standard Edition
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
MSRP: $49.95 U.S. / $71.99 CAN
Available October 19th
DVD-only collection featuring 14 episodes on 3 discs. Limited edition collectible figure not included.

Naruto Uncut Season 4, Part 1
Rated “T+” for Older Teens
MSRP: $49.95 U.S. / $71.99 CAN
Available October 26th
In the Hidden Leaf Village there are few things that Naruto and Choji love more than a steaming bowl of Ichiraku ramen. But when the daughter of the noodle shop owner is kidnapped, they’re on the case. Then, missions for the Leaf ninja lead them to the Land of Bears after a fallen meteorite and on to the Land of Greens where the team must protect a princess. When an evil ninja who’s after the princess gets in their way, Naruto puts his life on the line to save her! Contains episodes 164-191.

For more information on Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, please visit NARUTO.com.

NEW Sanrio 50th Anniversary MIMOBOT now! Plus watch Hello Kitty at the New York Stock Exchange!

from Mimoco:

NEW! Collect ALL 6! The final three Sanrio X MIMOBOT characters have now arrived! Please welcome Badtz-Maru MIMOBOT, Hangyodon MIMOBOT, and Hello Kitty Classic MIMOBOT as they complete our Sanrio 50th anniversary collection now! Learn More!

Video Profile: Hello Kitty @ NYSE! Check out Hello Kitty as she ring-ring-rings the bell at the New York Stock Exchange! Watch Now!

FREE Shipping on orders over $75*! Click here for more info.

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Night to Be Held at PETCO Park

from StarWars.com:

The Force has been with the San Diego Padres all season long, and on Friday, September 24, the Padres will pay tribute to a “galaxy far, far away” with a special Star Wars: The Clone Wars Night at the ballpark, as the team takes on the Cincinnati Reds.

For one night only, a portion of the Upper Reserved section of PETCO Park will be transformed into an intergalactic experience. Fans who purchase tickets in these special sections will have the opportunity to take a picture with their favorite Star Wars or Star Wars: The Clone Wars character, enjoy Star Wars trivia, special giveaways and much more in-game entertainment. Fans are encouraged to dress in character, but weapons will not be permitted at PETCO Park, and ballpark management reserves the right to ask that masks be removed at any time.

To extend the Star Wars Night festivities, fans will also have the opportunity to purchase a ticket package that allows them to stay after the game for an exclusive Star Wars sleepover under the stars on the PETCO Park playing field. Everyone at the sleepover will be treated to a special screening of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back on the FriarVision video board, in honor of the movie’s 30th anniversary this year.

Additional sleepover entertainment will include a special appearance by Ashley Eckstein, wife of Padres infielder David Eckstein. Ashley is the voice of Ahsoka Tano in the hit animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Sleepover ticket packages also include a postgame snack, breakfast on Saturday morning and a one-of-a-kind Padres/Star Wars-themed gift.

Tickets for Star Wars: The Clone Wars Night at PETCO Park are on sale now. Game tickets in the special section are priced at $25. Ticket packages for the game and sleepover are priced at $200, but the first 100 fans to purchase the package will receive a special reduced price of $100. Only 1,000 sleepover tickets are available, so visit padres.com/starwars and secure your spot for this unique event now!

Nintendo Invites Fans to Celebrate 25 Years of “Super Mario Bros.” Fun

from Nintendo of Canada:

Twenty-five years ago today, Nintendo’s original Super Mario Bros. video game made its debut in Japan and changed the world of video games forever. Since then, Mario has become one of the most renowned and beloved video game characters around the globe.

Mario is all but synonymous with Nintendo. It’s difficult to think of one without thinking of the other. Super Mario Bros. contains a magical blend of characters, graphics, challenges, music and action that still captivates players today. The original game sold 40.24 million units worldwide, and remains one of the best-known, best-loved video games in the world. It popularized the side-scrolling format and established elements of the Mushroom Kingdom that are still used in today’s Mario games. Super Mario Bros. frequently appears on lists of the best games of all time.

“Stimulated by advancements in technologies, we have always enjoyed developing the Super Mario Bros. series,” said Nintendo designer and Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. “The Super Mario Bros. series has always taken advantage of the latest technologies and is the fruit of the creativity of a number of my hard-working friends working as a team.”

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Super Mario Bros., fans can visit mario25th.nintendo.com to see a special video that shows game-play footage from Super Mario Bros. all the way through Super Mario Galaxy 2. For more information about Super Mario Bros. 25th Anniversary, please visit mario25th.nintendo.com.

Weta News: Gollum, Gino and Grordbort’s!

from Weta:

Gollum available for pre-order!
We’re very pleased to open pre-orders for Gollum — the most iconic character from The Lord of the Rings movies and something everyone must have in their The Lord of the Rings collection. We have a small shipment of these on the way to our NZ warehouse as we speak. Gollum exists in two versions — one is a souvenir version only available in person at the Weta Cave in Wellington, the other is now available to pre-order and will be available to collectors the world over in December. New Zealanders will not have to wait quite so long… stay updated via our newsletter! Pre-order your Gollum Here!

Weta Cast Episode XVII with Gino Acevedo
The man who daringly strides the realm between the physical and the digital shares some of his latest endeavours with Magnus and Daniel. And we’ve invited Greg Broadmore to join us for some nonsensical banter and revelations from the world of Dr. Grordbort’s. Listen to it here!

Featured Products from Dr. Grordbort’s
Created by Weta Designer Greg Broadmore, this range started out three years ago as a range of hefty rayguns in strictly limited editions. Although these large guns are still central to the Dr. Grordbort’s universe, there are now books, bugs, bags and miniature guns in this range. Check out the Dr. Grordbort’s Shop!

Send in your crazy Righteous Bison photos and Win Weta Dollars!
To celebrate that they’ve just started fulfilling our second order of The Righteous Bison, the fine folk at Grordbort Industries Jollification Department have announced A CONTEST! The finest and most outlandish examples of photographs of the Righteous Bison in action will be awarded prizes in the form of Weta Dollars! 200 to the winner, 100 to one runner-up! Plus, of course, everlasting glory and a pat on the back! By submitting an entry, you of course agree to us using the image on our site, Facebook, Twitter and in newsletters. Email your entries (as many as you like) to news@wetanz.co.nz before 26 September!

Armageddon Auckland update
It’s been decided that David Tremont, Tim Launder and Magnus Hjert will yet again be travelling to Auckland for the awesome Armageddon pop-culture expo at the ASB Show Grounds. Come and see them as well as swathes of gorgeous merchandise, much of it never-before-seen at a NZ convention! There may also be guests… stay tuned for more.

Bag End now shipping World Wide!
One of our most anticipated products this year was Bag End — the wait is over and we’re shipping these as fast as we can! Bear with us and it’ll arrive on your doorstep before you know it! Haven’t ordered one yet? Get your Bag End here!

Manage your collection online!
When you register and set up an account on Weta’s website, you have access to a page called Collection & Orders where you can track the status of orders you’ve placed. The items you buy on our site are automatically added to your display cabinet. You can also add products you haven’t bought directly from us by clicking the buttons called “I Own This” on each product page on the site. Your collection will be shown on your Public Profile page along with your Wishlist, your Showcase, stuff you like and basic information about you.

Follow Weta Online! Twitter | Facebook

Factory Entertainment: Win Both Princess Bride Swords, Exclusive Rob Reiner Signature, Golden Gun Video, The Yellow Submarine and more!

from Factory Entertainment:

This week, we’re excited to announce an incredible competition with our friends from Geek Chic Daily! They have many prizes available, including their grand prize which consists of our very own Dread Pirate Roberts & Inigo Montoya Prop Replica Swords! Click here to enter, you don’t want to miss this! Speaking of our Princess Bride Prop Replica Swords, we have a very special announcement regarding a limited opportunity for those who have or are about to pre-order both of these these fine collectibles directly from our store. We also have an exclusive video of the James Bond Golden Gun Prop Replica which details how to assemble Scaramanga’s classic weapon and showcases each component. Last but not least, we have a sneak peak of our upcoming Beatles Yellow Submarine Studio Scale Model which will be available soon.

The Princess Bride — Factory Entertainment Direct Exclusive — ‘First 100’
Some great news for every customer who has already placed an order or is about to place an order for both the Sword of Inigo Montoya and the Sword of The Dread Pirate Roberts directly from our online store, factoryentstore.com. Included at no extra charge will be an exclusive plaque signed by legendary director of The Princess Bride, Rob Reiner, available nowhere else! That’s right, they are absolutely free and are our way of saying thank you for buying ‘Factory Direct.’ Hurry, this offer is only while supplies last for the first 100 customers to pre-order both swords. (If you’ve already placed a pre-order for both swords, you don’t have to do anything. The exclusive signature plaque has already been added to your order.)

James Bond 007 — Golden Gun Video
‘He has a powerful weapon…’ and now you can see it for yourself! Check out our detailed video which instructs the viewer how to assemble Scaramanga’s prized possession and highlights each separate component. After watching the video, be sure to take advantage of our, “Extra Bullets” limited time offer by purchasing a Signature or Limited Edition Golden Gun directly from our online store, factoryentstore.com.

The Beatles Yellow Submarine Studio Scale Model
Coming soon! Click here to preview…

Goldeneye is Back!
Have you heard the exciting news about the new Goldeneye 007 Wii video game from Activision? If not, check out this incredible trailer featuring a familiar multiplayer experience and a “very” special weapon.

J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 Welcomes Japan’s Biggest Virtual Idol — Hatsune Miku — for Her Exclusive U.S. Debut

Japan’s virtual idol Hatsune Miku

from VIZ Media:

NEW PEOPLE, in cooperation with Tokyo Kawaii Magazine, are proud to present the official North American debut of virtual idol Hatsune Miku as part of the J-Pop Summit Festival 2010, taking place in San Francisco’s Japantown. In her first-ever appearance outside Japan, Hatsune Miku “performs” in a special film concert at VIZ Cinema at NEW PEOPLE on Saturday, September 18th at 3:00pm. Tickets for the screening are $20.00 and are available now at vizcinema.com.

Miku Hatsune is a virtual pop idol that has taken Japan by storm. She was born as the premiere product in the Vocaloid2 Character Vocal Series developed by Crypton Future Media. The technology, originally designed for professional musicians, enables users to synthesize singing by inputting lyrics and a melody. In Japan, Vocaloid singers have become the hottest new trend in the pop culture landscape. Miku Hatsune features a singing voice based on samples of voice actress Saki Fujita.

This VIZ Cinema premiere will present a recorded live performance with stunning THX audio that was originally held in Tokyo on March 9th, 2010. The concert featured Miku Hatsune backed by a “live” band called the 39S Members. She performed 39 songs while being projected on a transparent screen set up on the stage, making her look like a living-sized hologram playing with a live band. More information on Miku Hatsune is available at: newpeopleworld.com/films/films-9-2010/#miku.

The J-Pop Summit Festival 2010 will present a variety of fun Japanese pop-inspired attractions including fashion shows, a theatrical film premiere, live art performances, and mini-concerts by some of Japan’s hottest bands. The celebration is complemented by innovative artists and companies from the Bay area and Japan that will join in with an array of products for sale in open air displays on both sides of Post Street and a food court highlighting Japanese cuisine will further complement the celebration. More details are available at: J-Pop.com.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX-certified sound system.

About Tokyo Kawaii Magazine:
Tokyo Kawaii Magazine is a digital magazine app for iPhone. It provides the latest news of Japanese pop culture from Tokyo known as the holy place of Kawaii to the world. Tokyo Kawaii Magazine has not only the latest news on Japanese animation and manga but also Kawaii stuff such as Lolita fashion, street fashion, cosplay, costumes, games, Japanese food, idols, visual-kei bands and internet culture, and popular districts such as Akihabara, Harajuku or Shibuya are also included in every issue. More info at: tkmag.jp.

About NEW PEOPLE:
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass facade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: NewPeopleWorld.com.

ThinkGeek rocks the coin-op & takes $10 off

from ThinkGeek:

Greetings, Literate Beings of Earth!

What a busy weekend! We sent Timmy clones to Dragon*Con and PAX and then it was off to the outer rim to pick up the latest shipment from the Hoth Department of Natural Resources. After that, a quick joy ride in the DeLorean to the coin-op Golden Age, and on the way home we fought a Balrog for some barware (souvenirs, you know).

At least we had something to read on the trip: the Hugo Award winners were announced at AussieCon 4. Props to them and thanks for making this plane of existence a little more existable!

Retro Atari Wall Decals
Live the game, and make it old school. Back in the day, when ancient geeks wanted to get their game on, it required pockets laden with coins, a good belt to prevent said laden pants from falling off, and a journey to a magical place called an arcade. In this darkened room were monoliths that bleeped and blooped and glowed with pixelated goodness. Ah, the halcyon days before game-quality was measured in voxels! Everything was simple, but still fun. Were you there, friend? Remember those days with vinyl decals that make your living space look like the games you loved. Fill your room with Asteroids, Centipede or Pong, no quarters necessary. Atari represent! All that’s missing is the coin slot.

$10 off your $30+ order with code PONG
Having these Atari Wall Graphics around is making us all nostalgic for the days when the world was simpler. You were a bunch of squares shooting squares at other squares. If you lean back in your ergonomic desk chair and reminisce about days of yore, use code PONG for $10 off a $30 order, good through 9/10/10 at 11:59 PM ET.

Find more What’s New items at ThinkGeek!