LEGO AVENGERS!!

Nice segway, huh? LEGO is gearing up for the release of their Marvel Super Heroes line and created this awesome Avengers movie poster to help get all you fans of little pudgy figures get psyched. The funny part? Their poster's characters are in a more accurate scale than the official poster. ZING! You loving the art? LEGO will be producing 2 million posters to be given away on the night of the Avengers movie premiere at select theaters nationwide. We'll work on getting you a list when the time comes.

Now we previously stated that Toys R Us has pre-orders set for April 10th, but LEGO says the on shelf date is May 1st, so we don't expect to see any early birds until mid-April at the earliest. Keep watching!

Superman's New Logo

BleedingCool tipped me off to Warner Bros new logo for the upcoming Superman movie, Man of Steel! Nothing earth shattering here...just a pretty piece of eye candy in a world sick of behind the scenes images that are ruining the movie before it comes. STOP THE SPOILERS, PLEASE!!

Superman takes to the skies once more as acclaimed actor Henry Cavill (The Tudors, Immortals) dons the suit, cape and S-shield of the MAN OF STEEL.

With an all-star cast that includes Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as John and Martha Kent, Clark’s earthbound parents; Oscar® winner Russell Crowe as Superman's Kryptonian father Jor-El; The Fighter's Amy Adams as intrepid Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane; The Matrix's Laurence Fishburne as editor Perry White; and Boardwalk Empire's Michael Shannon as Superman’s otherworldly archenemy General Zod, populations from Smallville to Metropolis are psyched for Superman. With the directorial stylings of 300's Zack Snyder and the superheroic production team behind Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, the sky's the limit for the last son of Krypton

This movie is still a loooong ways off, so sit tight and do your best to cover your eyes as the world plots to tell you every detail before the movie is released. GOOD LUCK, SOLDIER!!

Ultimate Spider-Man Swings April 1st!

This weekend, Spider-Man returns to the noise box with what looks to be a cartoon that is FINALLY as fun as the comics I remember as a kid!!  Do I mind the Spidey-cycle? Not a bit. The quick shot of Peter Parker doing his own suit repairs after a battle more than makes up for it. Will I really get up at 11am on a Sunday to watch? Welllll...11 isn't toooo painful..so we shall see.

The most anticipated new animated series of the year, Ultimate Spider-Man, premieres on Disney XD on April 1 at 11a/10c. Go inside the show with this exclusive look behind the scenes with the powerhouse creators and the superstar voice cast.




The Birth of Ultimate Spider-Man by Nomadixxx
Want even more? Stop by one of the ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN LAUNCH PARTY EVENTS on March 31, in NYC and LA, to meet some of the featured talent including Jeph Loeb, Paul Dini, Joe Quesada, Man of Action, Clark Gregg and more!

New York – March 31 12-4pm  Midtown Comics Downtown (64 Fulton Street, NYC)
Featuring Joe Quesada (Marvel Chief Creative Officer), Joe Kelly (Man of Action) and Chris Eliopoulos (Ultimate Spider-Man Premiere Comic)

Los Angeles – March 31 12-4pm  Meltdown Comics (7522 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood)
Featuring Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Head of TV), Paul Dini (Creative Consultant), Duncan Rouleau & Steven T. Seagle (Man of Action), Clark Gregg (Agent Coulson) and Misty Lee (Aunt May)

Go show your Agent Coulson love!!!

A Look Inside Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

August 28, 2012 is the release date for what looks like the most ambitious Transformers video game ever attempted. Today, Activision gives us a NEW look inside the game and glimpses at what it takes to create a giant robo epic...

The successor to the highest-rated Transformers game of all time and in development by the acclaimed team at High Moon Studios, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron allows players to experience the darkest hours of the war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS as they vie for control of their dying home world. Fans will fight through both sides of the Transformers' most epic battles that culminate in their legendary exodus from Cybertron. With the stakes higher and scale bigger than ever, fans will embark on an action-packed journey through massive, war-torn environments designed around each character's unique abilities and alternate forms, including GRIMLOCK's nearly indestructible T-Rex form and the legendary COMBATICONS combining into the colossal BRUTICUS. Taking the franchise's competitive multiplayer to all-new heights, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron lets fans go head-to-head in blistering AUTOBOT vs. DECEPTICON matches after creating their own unique characters with the most in-depth, advanced customization ever before seen in a Transformers game.





Holy damn. I will be heavily dating this game the second it hits my doorstep.  Here's a look inside High Moon Studios where this madness was born...





And here is the super emo trailer that started the tears of unbridled geek joy flowing...





Pre-Order your copy of Transformers: Fall of Cybertron RIGHT HERE!

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Gear Up for Retail

ANY DAY NOW!! Toys R Us has a pre-order up for April 10th, 2012...which means ANY DAY NOW we will have Marvel Super Heroes LEGO sets on the shelves!! In celebration of this adorable onslaught, LEGO.com have posted a teaser site, which seems silly seeing as how we shot all the pieces at Toy Fair 2012...and that pre-order thing. WHAT ARE THEY TEASING??!! The mind Boggles. You'll note that there are lil armored guys attacking your Marvel Heroes, showing the clearest pics of the Avengers movie mystery alien enemies yet. Word is that they are the Ultimate Avengers version of Skrulls. Anticlimactic, eh?

To refresh your memories, the following items are set to drop on your Marvel obsessed craniums...

Avengers Movie : Captain America's Avenging Cycle : Includes 3 MiniFigures: Captain America and two Alien Enemies
Avengers Movie : Loki's Cosmic Cube Escape : Includes 3 MiniFigures: Iron Man, Loki and Hawkeye
Avengers Movie : Hulk's Helicarrier Breakout : Includes 4 MiniFigures: Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye and Loki
Avengers Movie : Quinjet Aerial Battle : Includes 5 MiniFigures: Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Loki and an Alien Enemy
Wolverine's Chopper Showdown : Includes 3 MiniFigures: Wolverine, Magneto and Deadpool. Vehicles include Deadpool's helicopter and Wolverine's Chopper. Deadpool's helicopter features 4 adjustable flick missiles, rotating main rotor and twin rear rotors, removable cockpit canopy and holders for Deadpool's 2 swords.
Spider-Man's Doc Oc Ambush (no details yet)

Ultrabuild Figures (those larger scaled build-a-figure kits)
Captain America
Hulk
Iron Man

April is only a week away, so expect to see Marvel Super Heroes LEGO sets any day now. Happy Hunting!

CLICK HERE for images of LEGO's Marvel Super Heroes from Toy Fair 2012!

BONUS! Dig the Hindi Avengers Theme Song!

LEGO Minifigures Series 7

Old news to die hard LEGO Maniacs (as I'm certain that's what they call themselves), but NEW NEWS to us casual collectors who see them on sale, grab a couple, and then curse that we spent 3 dollars on a mini girl Tennis Player and Disco Stu. I WANTED THE LIZARD MAN, DAMNIT!!! If the frustration of these little blind packaged menaces doesn't deter you, then here's a pic and info on the latest wave coming to retail!

The lineup includes...

Geek, Bride, Daredevil, Female Viking, Jungle Boy, Bunny Suit Guy, Olympic Swimmer, Male Tennis Player, Female Rock Star, Aztec Warrior, Bagpipe Player, Sci-Fi Warrior, Hippie, Evil Knight, Little Red Riding Hood & KING POSEIDON!!! ..or Ariel's dad...whichever u prefer.

We hear these are hitting stores now, which is funny because we never even saw series 6 at retail. Baa.

The Hunger Games Reviewed

The best thing about having such a diverse pool of friends is I can sometimes call on an individual to give me their thoughts on a topic they have been knee deep in for some time where as I know next to nothing. In this, they have an emotional connection with the item in question, and that is something I can not hope to muster in a short time. Case in point: I went to see The Hunger Games yesterday and was fairly taken aback by the power of the film's message ...and that this message was not designed like a giant anvil to strike the heads of movie goers entering what was expected to be teen movie fare. While the carnage of the Battle Royale-esque arena sequence was surely muted for that teen audience, it was not missed. The over-all execution of the content moved me in a way I did not expect. I've now got nothing but praise for the film. So...surely someone who has read the books and is emotionally invested in the series would feel the same way, yes? Morgan Elektra gives us a reader's perspective on the film adaptation and pulls no punches.

Book adaptations are always tricky business. Even more so when the book in question is wildly popular. Millions of fans go in with a passion for characters and story, and sometimes ridiculously high expectations. Filmmakers have to walk a line between adherence to the source material and their ‘dramatic interpretation’ of it. Plus, there’s the added difficulty that, even in our age of advanced technology, some things just don’t translate well from page to screen. There’s so much going in to making a “page-turner” into an “edge-of-your-seat-er” that one or two seemingly small ‘off’ things can muddy the entire effort.

Unfortunately, that’s the case with writer/director Gary Ross’ version of ‘The Hunger Games’. In Suzanne Collin’s best selling book, America as we know it no longer exists. Sometime in our future the country revolted against a corrupt and controlling government, only to lose the rebellion. The result of this is a society where the twelve remaining districts (district 13 having been bombed into a wasteland) are enslaved to the government. The citizens are basically indentured servants who farm, mine, and manufacture goods for the pampered denizens of the Capitol.

In addition to this, every year, each district must provide two tributes, one male and one female, between the ages 12 and 18 to fight in the annual Hunger Games; a televised fight to the death in which the victor and their district are showered with wealth and gifts. Ross sets this up with a quote from the ‘Treaty of Treason’ before the movie begins, and while I understand the need for back story here, it just feels weightless. Beginning this way holds no meaning when we don’t know the world in which this treaty came about (and for those of us who do, we don’t need it anyway), and in order to set up enough of background to give it due weight would have resulted in a scroll that would put Star Wars to shame. It becomes especially pointless when several minutes later we’re shown (along with the gathered peoples of District 12) a video which establishes the Hunger Games in a much better framework.

The introduction of Katniss Everdeen, comforting Prim during a nightmare, sneaking beyond the fence to hunt, sharing a bonding moment with best friend Gale discussing treason and getting ready for the Reaping, is rapid fire in order to quickly bring us to the first big emotional moment... when Prim’s name is called and Katniss volunteers to take her place. See how much information that was in such a small space? Yeah, that’s how it was on film, too. I was already frustrated with the pacing at this point, but figured things would slow down and take their time once we got to the Capitol. That never happened. We continue at what feels like a breakneck speed for almost the entire film, with only a few moments taken out to slow down for ‘emotional’ scenes’. For me, this was the biggest issue with the movie version of Collin’s story.

There are things that were done right. Jennifer Lawrence was a brilliant choice to play Katniss, with a palpable quiet strength and the kind of natural beauty that sort of sneaks up on you. She looks cute and somewhat plain in her braided hair and prairie-like dress at the Reaping, and then you dress her up in something clearly designer and put on a little bit of makeup and she looks gorgeous. Even when paraded about in fancy attire beyond her lifestyle, you can still see the shrewd calculation in her hazel eyes. She’s believable as a cold hunter, rough around the edges socially speaking, and as a flustered young girl confronted with more attention then she knows what to do with.

The rest of the casting choices looked their parts surprisingly well, though none of them really get the screen time to inhabit them (there’s that pacing issue again). Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch has barely any interaction with his tributes, and his drunkenness and bad attitude seem played more for laughs instead of the clearly damaged survivor we got in the books. There, seeing what had become of Haymitch after his “winning” the Hunger Games gave the reader a real sense of dread. His presence gave testament to the fact that even if one of them was the victor, the things they had to do to get there will most likely haunt them forever. I loved Elizabeth Banks as seemingly fluffy headed Capitol lackey Effie Trinket, which is why is was really unfortunate that her best scene - a rambling, cheery speech about how wonderful it must be for the tributes to get to experience the lavish train trip and how much they must be looking forward to visiting the City - was muted in order to highlight Katniss’ facial expressions as she reacts to the luxury. The fact that Effie views what she’s doing (delivering teens to nearly sure slaughter) as a job, and her hopes of them doing well have more to do with her wanting a promotion out of being in charge of dismal, loser District 12 than wanting them to live underscores the vast differences between life in the Capitol and life in the districts far more than her outrageous clothing. Of course, these are things we learn in the book through her talks and interactions with Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch, very little of which was translated to the screen. The same goes for Cinna, Katniss’ designer portrayed by Lenny Kravitz, and Rue, the young girl tribute that Katniss befriends in the arena. Ironically, the secondary character I felt we got to know best was Wes Bentley’s awesomely bewhiskered game-maker Seneca Crane, whose role in the books was pretty minuscule.

Because we don’t get to really know these other characters, those scenes that should be emotional don’t hit home. The movie follows the book pretty closely but it’s a superficial adherence. I can’t help but think that if Ross had cut down on the time spent in the control room, watching Crane orchestrate the Games with flashy electronics, and more attention paid to Katniss and the other tributes, then the heart-in-the-throat moments would have carried through and given this spun sugar version of The Hunger Games the substance it lacked. Punches were pulled, both in the characterization and the depiction of the violence in the arena, and it shows. Non-fans of the books will most likely find some enjoyment in the flash and fighting and Jennifer Lawrence’s performance, and fans of the book can revel a bit in seeing beloved characters in the flesh. Just don’t expect to find the deeper personal and social commentary of Collin’s books here.

Morgan Elektra is a regular contributor on Dreadcentral.com.

The Dark Knight Returns to Kotobukiya

The world of collectibles is in a Bat-Frenzy at the moment with anticipation for The Dark Knight Rises movie building to explosive proportions, so it should be of no surprise that Kotobukiya would get in on the Bat-Madness! While the rest of the planet is interpreting the man in black primarily from his film appearances, Koto went a different route with one of their upcoming statues and created a new ARTFX Statue ripped from the pages of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns!

Note his gruff, more seasoned Clint Eastwood-esque visage. Note the bulkier frame to both Batman and Joker as they engage in combat one last time. Thrill to the moment right before Joker loses some teeth to a meaty fist of justice! (I'm copyrighting that..u can't steal it) It's 12 inches of anger, pain and vengeance that were not triggered by the ending of Mass Effect 3. You'll be able to take home the Batman: Hunt the Dark Knight ARTFX Statue this September!

Game of Thrones Season 2 : You Win or You Die

I can't count the number of people flying along my Facebook feed, pleading to their pagan gods that TODAY be the day that Game of Thrones Season 2 begins!! Obviously their gods are cruel, and the wait continues, but HBO is kind and merciful, if not mischievous. They would teaaaaase you into a frenzy so that when the day comes when the Dragon goes on the march...the Starks continue their quest for vengeance...and Winter descends upon them all...you will be there, eyes fixed, unmoving, with the nerdiest grin imaginable across your beaming face. Indeed, it is an ingenious plot. Today, HBO stirs that pot with a giant sized clip delving into the motivations of our heroes and villains, giving you plenty of peeks into that world which, at the moment, seems so far away.

note: if you haven't seen season 1 and plan to..DO NOT watch the vid below!


Games of Thrones Season 2 begins April 1st on HBO!

CLICK HERE for a rundown of all the magnificent products Dark Horse will be making for your favorite series.

Grab Game of Thrones Season 1 on Blu-ray for 45% off! Or on DVD!

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Season 2 Trailer

DC Comics had Justice League Unlimited...by far the best super hero cartoon I've ever seen...and we've been waiting for something equally as awesome ever since its departure from television. Now, Marvel Comics has The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes..and while the title is long winded, the action lives up to it! This cartoon bands Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Black Panther, Giant Man, Wasp and Hulk together in a world EXTREMELY close to the one you've been reading in comics since you were a wee lil nerdling. We get to see Marvel's New York City complete with Avengers Mansion and the Baxter Building with heroes and villains whizzing by at a dizzying pace. You want a nearly complete Marvel Universe? Here it is! The first season is available now on DVD in two volumes, so if you haven't consumed this yet..GET ON THAT! Before long, we'll be into Season 2!!

Assemble!! Marvel’s The Avengers hits the big screen May 4... But in the meantime, get your hero fix with Marvel TV’s trailer for season 2 of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, premiering April 1 inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD! The Avengers have fought against some of the most powerful and dangerous super villains in the world. But just when the team thought they had things under control, new threats emerge… Caught in the crossfire between two warring alien empires – Earth’s Mightiest Heroes must make a stand. But whom can they trust when they learn not everyone is who they seem to be?

Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes Season 2... by Nomadixxx










Tune in for The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes season two premiere, along with the series premiere of Ultimate Spider-Man inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD April 1 beginning at 11am/10c.

The Arrow Strikes

Not the GREEN Arrow...not the RED Arrow...just..The Arrow. Now..sure...why. At the very least, we know the origin story, as it were, will be in tact. Stephen Amell plays a less than clean shaven Arrow...

After being marooned for five years on a remote island, former billionaire playboy Oliver Queen returns with a mysterious agenda and a lethal set of new skills that he uses in a war on crime.

Arrow executive producer David Nutter says, "When I directed the pilot for Smallville, I knew that making Clark Kent relatable would be the key to audiences believing in him as a hero. ARROW is a different show - darker and harder-edged - but it's the same core idea. We're creating a real, believable world in which Oliver Queen can do incredible things. Colleen Atwood's great work on the Arrow costume reflects that effort." So a darker Smallville? Maybe, we'll see.

Welp..I'm holding out my geek noises of disdain until the pilot is inevitably leaked...or someone from the CW insists I see this to tell the world how awesome it is. Well.....start insisting...

Law and Order Overdrive

The one universal constant on TV is Law and Order. If you've every been out of work for an extended period of time or crazy sick for a week, Law and Order is the friend that greets you daily with tales of lives worse off than yours..all damn day...and into the night. Is the typical crime drama not enough for you? Flip one channel up and get your Law and Order with a heaping dose of SEX OFFENSE!! Dun duuuun.

Now, one courageous woman shows us how to become any character on the show...who doesn't have their name flash across the screen during the opening theme song.



Thanks to Amy Heidt of www.amyheidt.com !

The Eye Candy of Wondercon 2012

Yes, it is true we are still posting Toy Fair pics...because we have real jobs and there are about a billion of them...but that won't stop us from hitting another convention!! With the warm weather and chirping birds comes sweaty geeks, over priced pizza, long lines for John Luke Picard's coveted autograph and rows and rows of the very comic books that started all these gatherings of pasty peoples. This weekend, Wondercon hit Anaheim, CA, and our buddy Steve Sievers of level27media.com was there to soak up all the nerdiness and send back a nice pile of pics for your eager eyeballs. Here are the high points...

Dark Knight Rises Converse!! - We have seen DC Direct's awesome line of Batman: Dark Knight Rises movie statues and busts, so a collection of hats from New Era (available in July) and some killer Converse sneakers (also in July, available at Journeys) stole the show for me. DC Entertainment were also showing a couple of Justice League figures, MAD Magazine Spy vs Spy figures, and the Alfred as Just-Us League members figure line. Plenty more pics of those things and other Bat-Family merchandise like the Arkham City action figure line right HERE!

Quick note: DARK KNIGHT RETURNS ANIMATED MOVIE COMING!!!
Additional note: BATMAN LIVE coming to the US September 5-9 at the Honda Center in Anaheim and Sept. 27-30 at the Staples Center in LA!!

Gentle Giant Marvel Busts - Wondercon is the first show since San Diego Comic Con that GG has popped up at..meaning we didn't get our fix at Toy Fair save for a hand full of official pics. One look at Gentle Giant's HULK should give you all the reasons in the world to sit up, take notice and start making your must buy list! For me, it's the Deadpool Corps with Deadpool, Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Headpool, Dogpool and if you are a completest...Squirrelpool. If this is your first time being alerted to these awesome Deadpool pieces, you may want to go look up Gentle Giant's Deadpool head pen holder as well! Stick your implements of destruction (and writing) directly into his head and assure all the fine folks in your office will be looking at YOU any time someone calls in an anonymous bomb threat. Good times. GG also showed off some of their newest Star Wars busts and retro 12 inch figures, their newest Sucker Punch statues and even a lil bitty Mars Attacks head..saucer..thingy. Adorable.

Retro Outlaw Studios Clockwork Orange 12 inch Mighty Droog Leader - Retro Outlaw's love affair with A Clockwork Orange continues with this kick ass in-action figure which appears to come in orange bronze and fully painted editions. The box boasts super secrets inside and a stand included! Eagle eyed toy hunters will remember this as an extremely limited SDCC exclusive with all pieces signed by Malcolm Mcdowell and painter Santoro. The secret prizes locked inside include art prints, stickers and buttons. The crew at Retro must have found some left overs, so if you are hot for this piece, better get in touch with them asap and hope something is left from Wondercon!

Avengers Prop Movie Replicas - With the Avengers trailer making grown geeks teary eyed across the globe, it is no wonder EFX have a hit on their hands with their prop replica line. On display at Wondercon were Captain America's helmet and shield, Thor's helmet and hammer and Iron Man's helmet along side some helmets from Star Wars, a light saber or two and costumes from Battlestar Galactica. Steve made sure to shoot every angle of those Avengers prop replicas so you can see the extreeeeeme detail that went into re-creating these.

Also on display were Triad Toys' 12 action figures from Zoro, John Carter of Mars and more, I Heart Guts adorable plush body parts, Quantum Mechanix Doctor Horrible, Serenity and Star Trek pieces, and Kotobukiya's killer Marvel Comics statues as well as their Bishoujo girls statue line ...complete with a new wave of Tekken ladies coming soon!

CLICK HERE to see it all!

Ultimate Spider-Man Animated Trailer Drops

Still on the fence over everything we've seen of the Amazing Spider-Man film? Well we have a smaller emotional investment we'd like to propose...

Check out Marvel’s new Ultimate Spider-Man trailer debuting on Marvel.com! Watch as Nick Fury offers Spider-Man the biggest opportunity of his life: to join S.H.I.E.L.D., take on evil villains, and learn what it takes to become the ULTIMATE Spider-Man. Get a fresh look at Spidey’s action-packed adventures, new Spidey Tech, and special guest stars to excite fans and bring everyone’s favorite Wallcrawler to the small screen like never before! The series premieres April 1 at 11am/10c inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD!


Ultimate Spider-Man Cartoon Trailer by Nomadixxx

On one hand, this looks like a ton of fun. On the other, Marvel has a very excellent Avengers cartoon heading back to TV soon and wouldn't it be awesome if they lived in the same universe?! Maaaaan...thinking about what COULD be is the bane of a geek's existence.

See How To Train Your Dragon LIVE

I'm waaaay late to the party on this one, but the fact that the production is in Australia should give me a little leeway. No? I'm a slow git? OK then. ANYWAY...the madmen and women behind Walking With Dinosaurs are back with a spectacle plucked from the feverish minds of DreamWorks creatives...

DreamWorks Animation has created an unprecedented live entertainment event for a world-wide audience. In partnership with Global Creatures, the masterminds behind the phenomenon Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular, DreamWorks will bring to life an epic adventure inspired by the hit movie HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON.

This must-see arena spectacle will begin its world tour in Australia in March 2012 and will break all the rules of traditional arena entertainment. In this state-of-the-art production fire-breathing dragons with wingspans of up to 40 feet will soar overhead, immersing audiences into a magical and mythical world of Vikings and Dragons.

Featuring a dazzling cast including world-class circus and acrobatic performers, DreamWorks HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON arena spectacle promises to be the theatrical experience of a lifetime that will leave audiences of any age in awe! The dragons have been created by Sonny Tilders and his team at The Creature Technology Company, whose previous work brought to life the stunning, life like dinosaurs in Walking With Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular. Included in the cast of 24 dragons are all the favorites from the film: Nadder, Gronckle, Nightmare, Night Fury (Toothless) and Red Death, which is the largest animatronic creature ever made by The Creature Technology Company.

Creature Designer Tilders said “Dragons will incorporate everything we learned from Walking with Dinosaurs whilst taking the technology to a brand new level. Using state of the art computer software we are able to make these creatures perform in ways that we previously thought unimaginable. Utilizing computer controlled flying systems we have a show that inhabits the air above you as well as the arena floor below.” The creative team includes the highly acclaimed theatre director and writer Nigel Jamieson, multiple award-winning Australian production designer Peter England and leading theatre, film and opera designer Dan Potra. The stunning score features composition from Icelandic singer-songwriter Jonsi from Sigur Ros and Oscar ® nominated British film composer John Powell, who created the original score for the animated film How To Train Your Dragon.

So now you want to know when this will be hitting our American shores? The tour wraps up in Brisbane April 1st, then it's off to Auckland and then the United States in June! Keep your eyes glued here for further info as it drops.

Dark Shadows Trailer Premieres..and Confuses

If you are like me, you probably didn't guess the tone of this film from the stills released to date. That being the case, then like me, you completely overlooked the fact that Tim Burton is directing. Fail on my part. Dark Shadows seems to be setting itself up to be Burton's own Addams Family, and I am completely down with that!

In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet—or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy...until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets. Matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) has called upon live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter), to help with her family troubles. Also residing in the manor is Elizabeth's ne'er-do-well brother, Roger Collins, (Jonny Lee Miller); her rebellious teenage daughter Carolyn Stoddard (Chloe Moretz); and Roger's precocious 10-year-old son, David Collins (Gulliver McGrath). The mystery extends beyond the family, to caretaker Willie Loomis, played by Jackie Earle Haley, and David's new nanny, Victoria Winters, played by Bella Heathcote.



So we are talking campy 70's era soap opera themes with a vampire and a witch then, hmm? Sold. May 11 will come soon enough!

LEGO Batman 2 Trailer

You own the brick city!!! When Batman: Arkham City is just too intense for you, it is nice to know you have something very low stress to fall back on. LEGO Batman continued the series of LEGO video games with virtual brick building fun, usually for the sole purpose of CRUSHING YOUR LIL LEGO ENEMIES!!! With its signature style and goofy sense of humor, you can spend hours exploring this game before you remember there is life outside in the oh so bright world. Now, WB Interactive are looking to distract you further by introducing Justice League characters into the mix!

The Highly-Anticipated Sequel to the Best-Selling LEGO® Videogame of All Time Returns with Help from Super Heroes including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group are teaming up once again to announce that LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes will be available beginning Summer 2012 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system, and Windows PC, as well as the Nintendo DS™ hand-held system, Nintendo 3DS™ hand-held system, and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system. The game is the sequel to the best-selling LEGO® Batman™: The Videogame, which to date has sold more than 11 million units worldwide.

LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes complements the brand new, recently released LEGO® Super Heroes: DC Universe toy collection. The line includes five construction sets, such as The Batcave and three buildable, detailed action figures.



In LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin join other famous super heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to save Gotham City from destruction at the hands of the notorious villains Lex Luthor and the Joker. Batman fans of all ages will enjoy a new and original story filled with classic LEGO videogame action and humor as players fight to put the villains back behind bars.

“LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes builds upon the action and cooperative gameplay experience established in our best-selling LEGO video game to date, LEGO® Batman™: The Videogame,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “We’re offering fans a rich and expansive Gotham City environment filled with cool characters, great customization options and plenty of surprises that families, young gamers and DC Universe fans can enjoy together.”

“LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes further extends and combines both the Batman and LEGO videogame experiences to create very fun gameplay,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Fans of all ages are going to enjoy the action and light hearted humor that TT Games and LEGO provide.”

LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes allows players to explore all new areas of Gotham City utilizing a variety of vehicles including the Batmobile and Batwing. In addition, they’ll be able to fight for justice by mastering new gadgets and suits, such as Batman’s Power Suit and Robins’ Hazard Cannon, and using all-new abilities including flight, super-breath and heat vision.

LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes is being developed by TT Games and will be published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

The Japanese Avengers Trailer

Now with MORE ALIENS...MORE MARIA HILL and MORE S.H.I.E.L.D. HELICARRIER!!!!!

Marvel Studios presents "Marvel's The Avengers" - the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Be there with your awesomely stylish Avengers 3D glasses at midnight, May 4th!!

Tonner's Nu Mood Doll Collection

Tonner Doll Company, award-winning designer of collectible dolls, has released a new and entirely groundbreaking line: The Nu Mood™ Collection. Established in 1991, Tonner Doll Company is internationally renowned and has been a staple in the high-end collectible doll industry for over two decades.

"Collectors have been asking for more of a custom approach to collecting, and born out of that idea is the Nu Mood™ line," says Robert Tonner, acclaimed doll artist, Tonner CEO and namesake. "If they so desire," explains Robert, "collectors can chose the body style, the hands, the feet, the hair, the outfit. Basically, they can really customize a doll in a way that is meaningful and fun to them. And that's what it's all about!"

Comprised of 3 different body types (Fashion, Dance, and Curvy) and 7 different head sculpts, the Nu Mood™ Collection is unlike anything Tonner Doll has done before. The Nu Mood™ Fashion body (also used in the Tyler Wentworth® line) is a standard 16" figure with a model-esque body and high-heeled feet, while the Dance body has a slimmer bust, and ballet feet (En Pointe). Finally, the Nu Mood™ Curvy body has a fuller bust and hip than the Fashion body, for those collectors who prefer a more voluptuous appearance. Each body style has 13 points of articulation for limitless dynamic posing. For a high-end collectible, the dolls are at a wonderfully affordable price-point of $59.99.












What makes this collection a stand-out for Tonner is the interchangeable hands and feet, which allow for unprecedented pose-ability and play. Tonner Doll offers a Nu Mood™ hand pack consisting of 3 pairs of hands: Fancy Hands, Holding Hands, and Fists. The Fancy Hands are elegant and graceful in appearance, while the Holding Hands are able to hold props, and the Fists are great for the hand-on-the-hip pose, for example.

Similarly, a Nu Mood™ foot pack, called In Step, is offered also, which includes 3 pairs of feet: High-Heeled Feet, Dance Feet (En Pointe ballet), and Flat Feet. Each hand and foot pack is available in both Caucasian and African American skin tone.

But wait: There's more! This extensive Nu Mood™ Collection also includes an endless array of fashions and accessories to play with. Tonner offers graceful, flowing dance attire, including shoes and tiaras, as well as copious amounts of fashionable footwear, purses, wigs and outfit separates. This collection brings back the power of play like never before!




To experience the full collection, visit http://www.tonnerdoll.com/nu-mood-collection, or stop by the Tonner Company Store at 14 Hurley Avenue in Kingston, NY.

The Avengers Collector's Edition RealD 3D Glasses

The Avengers are set to add to your growing 3D glasses collection with shades you can wear to your local conventions and make all the nerds seem almost life like! (wokka)

To celebrate the May 4th release of the summer's most anticipated film - Marvel's THE AVENGERS – RealD & Marvel have teamed to release a set of four character themed RealD 3D glasses.

Featuring designs for Iron Man, Thor, Hulk and Captain America, beginning in the month of April fans at will be able to collect these limited edition RealD 3D glasses at special events, fan screenings and via upcoming online giveaways. Collector's Edition Marvel’s THE AVENGERS RealD 3D glasses will also be available at select AMC Theatres, National Amusement Theatres and independent theatres throughout the U.S. beginning as early as midnight on May 3rd.

For more information and to start your collection Like/Follow www.twitter.com/RealD3D www.facebook.com/RealD3D

Living Dead Dolls Series 24

Mezco continues their reign of the creepy cute doll planet with their mega popular Living Dead Dolls series! At Toy Fair, we saw their expansion into little cartoony figures which compliment the style while bringing a new format to the table. It's nice to see some evolution in the line and I'm sure new product is probably killer for the old school fans as well. This doesn't mean the original doll line that started it all has any signs of stopping. Today, we get a sneak preview of series 24 that is currently nameless. Mystereeeee...

Living Dead Dolls series 24 includes...

Beelzebub,
Agrat-Bat-Mahlaht
Andras
Xezberth
Yuki Onna

With names like that, I'm sure we are in for some insane designs! I could be wrong, but I'd swear that second to last guy is wearing a bee costume. Look for them September 2012.

NECA's 2012 Exclusives

We've been posting some pretty amazing figures from NECA Toys, shown at this year's International Toy Fair, but there are still more surprises laying in wait for your sweaty little, plastic loving palms this year! NECA appears to have teamed up with Toys R Us to deliver a power pack of exclusive action figures across their most popular lines. The lineup may include...



From the movie Gremlins 2: The Lightning Gremlin
From the video game Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood: Rome Edition Ezio
From the video game Bioshock 2: Brute Splicer
A Jungle Hunter Cloaked Predator
and note this last one was a hell of a translation... Night Fighter Robocop!

We say "may" because NECA have not confirmed this wave of figures, nor have they even hinted at them in our notes from Toy Fair. We've seen the Lightning Gremlin and Brute Splicer a couple of times now, so no surprised there as they were slated for general release anyway but are clearly now set on another path, and either way, we are glad NECA found a means to get them to frantic fans. Now work on bringing us that Spider Gremlin!! It's never enough, is it?

The Rome Edition Ezio, Jungle Hunter Cloaked Predator and Night Fighter Robo are completely new to us. We are told the last one will GLOW IN THE DARK!!! Must have toy for 2012? I think yes. Our tipster points out that this Robocop must be a homage to a certain classic Kenner item. One look at the E.T. line will tell you how NECA feels about classic toys! At any rate, if all goes to plan, these items should show up on the pegs at Toys R Us this Summer, with a limited supply dished out to international chains.

Valiant Resurrects Four Comic Titles

Valiant is proud to announce four new series for the summer of 2012 -- X-O Manowar, Harbinger, Bloodshot, and Archer & Armstrong -- featuring brand new beginnings for some of comics' most iconic characters! Kicking off with X-O Manowar in May and Harbinger in June, the Summer of Valiant continues this July in Bloodshot #1, from acclaimed writer Duane Swierczynski (Immortal Iron Fist, Birds of Prey) and artists Manuel Garcia (Checkmate, Spider Man: Breakout) & Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons)! Then, in August, the Valiant Universe's greatest duo begins an all-new epic journey in Archer & Armstrong #1 by the New York Times bestselling creative team of Fred Van Lente (Amazing Spider-Man, Hulk: Season One) and Clayton Henry (Uncanny X-Men)! Four months. Four titles. Infinite possibilities. The Summer of Valiant is coming!

May: X-O Manowar #1
The Valiant Universe kicks off in this landmark, oversized first issue from New York Times-bestselling author Robert Venditti (The Surrogates, The Homeland Directive) and Eisner Award-winning artist Cary Nord (Conan)! Born into battle, Aric of Dacia - heir to the throne of the Visigoth people - has never known peace. After a brutal encounter with a mysterious enemy known as The Vine leaves him a prisoner on an alien world, the only hope Aric has of returning to his family and saving them from slavery is to seize a weapon of incalculable destruction and become X-O Manowar!




X-O MANOWAR #1 - ON SALE MAY 2nd!
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by CARY NORD
Cover by ESAD RIBIC (MAR121221)
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by CARY NORD (MAR121222)
Variant Cover by DAVID AJA (MAR121223)
QR Voice Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC (MAR121224)













June: Harbinger #1
From New York Times bestselling author Joshua Dysart (Unknown Soldier, BPRD) and Harvey Award nominee Khari Evans (Carbon Grey)! Read minds. Bend steel. Break all the rules! Teenager Pete Stanchek is out of work, on the skids, and - unbeknownst to him - a psionically-powered "harbinger" with the potential to reshape the course of human history. Toyo Harada is a wealthy business magnate, a respected philanthropist and the most powerful harbinger of all - or so he thought. As they forge an uneasy alliance, will Harada offer Pete a chance for redemption ­- or attempt to induct him into a secret network of conspiracy, subversion and control? When this super-hero comes of age, the entire Valiant Universe will have to learn the price of power.




HARBINGER #1 - ON SALE JUNE 6th!
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by MICO SUAYAN
Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
QR Voice Variant by JELENA KEVIC-DJURDJEVIC













July: Bloodshot #1
From writer Duane Swierczynski (Immortal Iron Fist, Birds of Prey) and fan favorite artists Manuel Garcia (Checkmate, Spider-Man: Breakout) & Arturo Lozzi (Immortal Weapons)! Your name is Angelo Mortalli. Your brother is trapped behind enemy lines and on the verge of -- no. That's not right. Your name is Raymond Garrison. You've retired from the dangers of the field, but a desperate plea from your oldest friend plunges you into a vicious firefight that -- no. That's not right, either. You are Bloodshot. You are the shade of gray that freedom requires. The perfect confluence of military necessity and cutting-edge technology. A walking WikiLeaks that is a reservoir of dirty secrets that could set the world on fire. And you've just been captured.

BLOODSHOT #1 - ON SALE JULY 18th!
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA & ARTURO LOZZI
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by MICO SUAYAN
Variant Covers by DAVID AJA and ESAD RIBIC

August: Archer & Armstrong #1
From the New York Times bestselling creative team of Fred Van Lente (Amazing Spider-Man, Hulk: Season One) and Clayton Henry (Uncanny X-Men)! Born and raised to be the perfect assassin, 18-year-old Obadiah Archer has been chosen by The Sect -- a cult of fanatical extremists -- to destroy evil incarnate. But when Archer finally lays eyes on his target -- a surly, hard-drinking immortal named Armstrong -- he finds himself pulled into an unlikely partnership that will take him on globe-trotting quest to stay one step ahead of The Sect's next nefarious plot!
ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #1 - ON SALE IN AUGUST!
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by DAVID AJA

A decade in the making, the all-new Valiant Universe is on the rise. X-O Manowar in May. Harbinger in June. Bloodshot in July. Archer & Armstrong in August. This summer, the story starts here!

For more info, check out ValiantUniverse.com