Costumes are chosen, candy is stashed out of sight so we don’t eat it before trick-or-treaters arrive, and we’re just about done decorating the outside of our houses with zombies and more zombies. Now it’s time to plan our party food! We’re thinking Cthulhu cocktail wieners, NOMskull cupcakes, brainless Ninjabread Men (post zombie attack, of course), homemade pink chocolate brains, and Jimmy in a Wonder Woman apron. Don’t ask.
We’re prepared to ingest a ton of sugar, in short, but that’s not so unusual. Happy Halloweening!
Star Trek Light-Up Feeding System
Boldly go where no pureed peas have gone before! Airplanes are out, starships are in. Introducing the Star Trek Light-Up Feeding System, with starship spoon and motion sensitive light-up bib. The spoon is a replica of The Original Series USS Enterprise NCC-1701, captained by James T. Kirk himself. Flashing LEDs on the nacelles keep baby aligned for mess-free docking at
the face station. Dinnertime won’t be this fun again until we get replicators!
Take $10.23 Off – Happy Mole Day!
Mole Day celebrating Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 10^23) is coming up this Sunday 10/23 at 6:02pm — or 6:02am, if you’re willing to wake up early for science. So we thought we’d hook you up with a discount, but $6.02 off orders seemed like too little while $6.02 x 10^23 would be a little too much. So use code MOLARMOLE for $5 off orders of $25 or more or $10.23 off orders of $50 or more, good through 11:59pm ET 10/21/11.
I Am Maru by mugumogu
Hardcover (96 pages)
Recommended Reading Level: All Ages.
Meet Maru! This round, adorable Scottish Fold cat may be an internet sensation, but he knows how to keep his celebrity status from going to his fluffy head… mostly. Maru and his owner, mugumogu, give readers a peek into the low-key life of the world’s most famous cat. See all his favorite hiding places — trash cans, cupboards, cereal boxes… if it’s cozy, he’s there — meet his treasured toys, and learn what it means to wield just the right amount of cat-titude.
Anyone who spends time online and loves cat memes is doubtless already familiar with Maru, the cat with a passion for boxes of all sizes and shapes, through his popular YouTube Channel. If, however, you somehow have missed Maru’s cardboard escapades, then the trailer for his first book, I Am Maru, gives you an overview of what Maru’s so celebrated for:
I Am Maru was first published in 2009 (as Maru Desu) by Maru’s owner, who remains anonymous behind the username “mugumogu”, in her and Maru’s native Japan. Now English-speaking fans have access to the book in this new, translated version that gives readers the full experience of the original by retaining the Japanese text descriptions beneath the English translations. For those learning the Japanese language, I Am Maru makes a great primer, especially with such a fun topic as motivation!
The dust cover of the book reverses to reveal a glossy, full-colour poster of Maru, featuring one large picture in the center and two smaller images lining the top and bottom. The poster’s long, skinny format is ideal for hanging on the inside of a locker or on the panel of a closet door. Since the dust cover is intended to be removed, the cover of the book itself has been printed with the title and sepia-toned images of Maru so that it will still look attractive when displayed on your bookshelf. Inside the book, mugumogu’s full-colour photographs are printed on thick, semi-gloss white paper, of the kind found in quality art books, with English text printed in black and the Japanese text in a more muted brown ink. The photo reproduction is sharp and clean, without any of the muddy look that often characterizes books that include content from the Internet. A portion of the photos aren’t brand new, having previously been displayed as still images in Maru’s YouTube videos, but that doesn’t detract from enjoyment of the book. Just think of I Am Maru as an offline scrapbook, or family album, with bonus text available only in this format.
I Am Maru is divided up into sections, with photos grouped into categories like “As long as there is a box…” and “Funny face collections”. “Snapshots” offers a peek into Maru’s everyday life — sleeping, lounging, posing, playing, and eating, like any normal cat. Between groups of photos are selected blog entries, mostly written from Maru’s point of view, but augmented by some behind-the-scenes entries penned by mugumogu. The book opens with an in-depth biography of Maru, including a “résumé”, which is written like the character profiles typically found in manga. There’s even a complete floorplan of Maru’s current home, with notes on his favourite spots and where he typically does the things that fill his daily schedule. At the back of the book is an episode guide that highlights Maru’s most popular videos.
Not enough Maru for you in I Am Maru? Then check out mugumogu’s Maru blog (written in Japanese and English), Maru’s posts on Twitter, and, of course, mugumogu’s frequently updated YouTube Channel dedicated to Maru’s entertaining antics.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was released at an important moment in film history — namely, the last moment when actor Rupert Grint (aka, Ron Weasley) could say “I will definitely be in two more films.” There is a version of this movie that’s about a prince who accidentally donated half his blood in a drive at work, and Harry Potter keeps chasing that guy and saying “Hey, you donated too much blood, come back here you dang Half-Blood Prince!” Unfortunately, that version exists only in the mind of a stoned guy who read the title and collapsed in such a giggle fit that it took three Best Buy employees to drag him out of the store.
Mike, Kevin, and Bill put on their favorite “Dumbledore 4 Life” and “Albus will NEVER die” t-shirts for this one: please savor their exquisite heartbreak and join them for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince!
It’s that time of year – Blizzcon is here! Once again The Guild is pleased to be invited by the fine folks at Blizzard Entertainment to the annual two day gaming festival that sees gamers from around the world convene in Anaheim. This year is especially exciting because The Guild’s season 5 was written by Felicia as an homage to convention-going and gaming conventions. So the cast is especially excited to meet up with fans and hear how the fictional Megagame-O-Ramacon measured up to real life.
In other news, the second episode of Felicia’s newest web series, Dragon Age: Redemption is now live on the web via Machinima (catch the first episode here if you haven’t already):
Season 5 of The Guild has concluded, and we thank you, our loyal fans for the continued support. Did you have a favorite line or moment from this season? If so, please leave a comment – we do read them!
Perhaps the CREEPiest costume ever
Yes, the ever-loved celebration of Halloween is a scant few weeks away. Avoid the usual hassle of trying to come up with your own costume, and just take the easy way out – get one from us! You know you’re going to end up making the biggest splash at the party when you show up with this new Creeper head. Just don’t be surprised if you find it tough to mingle. People tend to try and keep you away from their nice everything when you have this on.
Steampunk + Zombie
Pardon me, good sirs and madams. I hope you take no umbrage at my person should I require sustenance. I thoroughly apologize, yet still find myself lacking in resisting this burning desire to partake of your, shall we say, grey matter. ‘Tis through the courage and resource of my clockwork raven, Alistair, that I am regularly able to find alternate sources of fuel for my locomotion, yet on increasing frequency am I finding myself consuming human remains. Perchance further experimentation with my metalcrafting will provide me long sought-after satisfaction.
Here’s a Halloween treat for you — a BOGO sale! Head to HalloweenCostumes.com right now, and when you buy one costume, you’ll get a second for 25% off. This offer only lasts until October 23rd, so act now!
Spiral Productions is pleased to present the Official Project London Trailer. Project London is an independently produced, science-fiction, action-adventure, effects movie. Made by Volunteers! Almost no Budget! Blender open-source 3D Software used to create animated elements! 774 Visual Effects!
Join the revolution! There’s only one source for information about Project London. The Official Project London Website: projectlondonmovie.com
New and experienced fans of the Professor Layton video game series don’t have to wait for Halloween to discover a wealth of eerie tricks and brain-teasing treats this season. Launching today for the Nintendo DS family of hand-held systems, the Professor Layton and the Last Specter game marks an extraordinary new chapter in the fan-favourite puzzle adventure franchise, featuring a prequel storyline that invites players to help the top-hatted professor solve his very first case. Professor Layton and the Last Specter features more puzzles than any previous series installment and a bonus role-playing game called Professor Layton’s London Life that lets fans immerse themselves in the Professor Layton universe like never before. This new game delivers hours upon hours of unique portable entertainment.
In Professor Layton and the Last Specter, distinguished scholar Hershel Layton has yet to become a world-famous master sleuth. Upon receiving a mysterious letter from an old friend, he travels to a rural town called Misthallery that’s said to be haunted by a nocturnal phantom. As players progress through the story by solving a wide variety of logic, slide, picture, number and language puzzles, they’ll also encounter Layton’s brainy assistant, Emmy Altava, and witness his first meeting with would-be apprentice Luke Triton. The game’s numerous puzzles intertwine with the storyline in clever ways and are suitable for all skill levels. Starting October 23, players can also download additional puzzles by connecting their Nintendo DS system to the Internet via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
“The huge variety of puzzles in Professor Layton and the Last Specter make it not only entertaining but also a terrific value,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “With a bonus role-playing game that takes the experience even deeper, players can get to know Professor Layton and his universe in a fun, interactive way.”
In the Professor Layton’s London Life role-playing game — which comes included on each Professor Layton and the Last Specter Game Card — players can experience life in Little London and mingle with quirky characters from throughout the Professor Layton game series. With more than 100 hours of game play and an additional storyline to complete, players can customize their appearance and surroundings, work odd jobs or collect clues to help uncover the origins of a mysterious fairy. Professor Layton’s London Life can be played anytime; it does not require players to complete the main game first.
After years of legal battles over the film rights to The Last Unicorn, a settlement has finally been reached that opens tons of new and exciting doors for author Peter S. Beagle, such as giving the film a face-lift for its 30th birthday. You can check out the announcements for yourself over at Conlan Press, but there is one bit of info though that was just too good not to share with everyone!
Starting early next year and running through the middle of 2013, there will be more than 80 special digital theater screenings of The Last Unicorn taking place in America, Canada, Great Britain, and Germany. Peter will be at every one of these events to do audience Q&A, meet people, and sign stuff.
The screening tour will launch with a spectacular event at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, then go on from there.
If you live within 100 miles of a major city, odds are pretty good there will be a screening somewhere near you. We’re working on booking all the locations now, and will post dates on a special tour website as they are finalized. That site should be up for everyone to see by the end of the year.
Of course, there’s another reason for this tour. Peter won’t just be showing the current version of The Last Unicorn and answering questions about it. He’s also going to be keeping everyone informed on the progress of a VERY SPECIAL project, and showing off bits and pieces of it as they are completed…
When a freak accident during an experimental space mission catapulted Astronaut John Crichton (Ben Browder) across a thousand galaxies to an alien battlefield, a groundbreaking cult classic was born with the epic, adventure-filled TV series Farscape.
An imaginative fusion of live action, state-of-the-art puppetry, prosthetics and CGI, Farscape, produced by The Jim Henson Company in association with RHI Entertainment, featured mind-boggling alien life forms, dazzling special effects, edge-of-your-seat thrills, irreverent humor and unforgettable characters — all brought to rich life by the creative minds at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. Strap in and hold on tight for the extraordinary adventures of John Crichton, as he finds himself surrounded by hostile aliens and soaring through the cosmos aboard Moya, a glorious living space ship. Hunted by the relentless Peacekeepers, he allies himself with Moya’s crew — Aeryn Sun (Claudia Black), Luxan warrior Ka D’Argo (Anthony Simcoe), azure priestess Zhaan (Virginia Hey), spritely Nebari thief Chiana (Gigi Edgley), Dominar Rygel, the deposed royal ruler of the Hynerian Empire and Pilot — to search for a way out of this inconceivably alien world and return home.
29 Episode Commentaries, including “Premiere” with Rockne S. O’Bannon, Brian Henson and Ben Browder; “Jeremiah Crichton” with Claudia Black, Producer/Writer David Kemper, Browder and O’Bannon; “Bone to Be Wild” with Anthony Simcoe; “Relativity” with Lani Tupu (Crais/Voice of Pilot) and Director Peter Andrikidis; and, “Bad Timing” which features Browder, Black and Kemper discussing the series’ final episode.
Multiple featurettes and documentaries including “In the Beginning: A Look Back with Brian Henson”; “Making of a Space Opera” and “Inside Farscape: Save Farscape,” on which fans, cast and crew discuss the fate of their beloved series.
Multiple video profiles featuring archival clips and cast/crew discussing their characters and roles on Farscape.
Over 90 minutes of deleted scenes.
Slideshows and archival photo galleries, including character concepts and promo photos.
Production design galleries featuring screenshots, rough drafts and concept slide shows.
Behind-the-Scenes interviews with Ben Browder, Claudia Black, Anthony Simcoe, Virginia Hey, Gigi Edgley, Paul Goddard (Stark),Wayne Pygram (Scorpius) and more.
Every vampire’s favorite time of year is just a couple of weeks away and nothing will complete your nighttime attire better than the ring of the most infamous blood sucker of them all, Count Dracula. Take advantage of the savings while the night is still young!
*Mainland US only. For a limited time. Offer expires October 31, 2011.
VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, announces the countdown to the launch of Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha (Weekly SJ Alpha), a weekly serial anthology of some of the most popular manga series in the world: Bakuman, Bleach, Naruto, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, One Piece, and Toriko. The first issue of Weekly SJ Alpha goes on sale January 30, 2012, and will be available through VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga apps for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.
Each new digital issue of Weekly SJ Alpha brings manga fans in North America the latest chapters of their favorite series only two weeks after it debuts in Japan’s massively popular Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine. Currently,
Japanese releases are often several months to years ahead of North American print titles; Weekly SJ Alpha eliminates the delay in unprecedented fashion.
“Simultaneously publishing an official translation of the most popular comics magazine in the world has been a dream since manga publishing began in North America in the 1980s,” said Alvin Lu, Senior Vice President & General Manager. “This is how manga is meant to be read in English – weekly, current, authorized and on the go. Now with Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha, it’s about to happen for real.”
Weekly SJ Alpha will be made available through an annual membership that provides access to 48 weekly issues for 52 weeks for just $25.99. Single issues of Weekly SJ Alpha can be read for a four-week rental from the time the reader purchases it for only $0.99. Each issue, once received on one device, can be read on all other enabled devices through the easy-to-use integrated VIZ Manga app and website.
To prepare fans for the debut of Weekly SJ Alpha, VIZ Media is also offering the Shonen Jump Digital Warp, a limited collection of digital graphic novel speed-ups that will bring North American readers up-to-date with Japanese releases. In some cases, the digital speed-ups will jump ahead of the print releases in North America. The Shonen Jump Digital Warp will begin with Naruto Volume 53 (available now) and Bleach Volume 49 (coming soon).
As more fans migrate to the digital Weekly SJ Alpha edition, VIZ Media plans to phase out the print edition of Shonen Jump Magazine. The popular, one-of-a-kind monthly magazine led the rapid growth of the manga market for much of the last decade and was VIZ Media’s flagship publication since it launched in 2003. The farewell April 2012 issue hits newsstands March 2012.
For more information on Weekly SJ Alpha and exclusive subscriber offers, please visit ShonenJump.viz.com or VIZManga.com.
