We’ll kick off this article about Hasbro’s latest Marvel Legends with what could possibly be the best figure the company has produced in years. This Iron Man figure references the Toy Biz line from the mid-1990s, and he also doubles as the Iron Avenger as he appeared in the Marvel Capcom fighting games!
Modeled after Tony’s Modular Armor from the same time period, this version of Iron Man looks amazing, capturing the bright colors and the somewhat divisive design. I remember that you either loved this new look or hated it. I’ll admit that the design looked better when it got a War Machine makeover.
Included in this $44.99 set is something anyone who’s played Marvel VS Capcom should be familiar with. Iron Man’s ultimate attack in the Capcom games is the Proton Cannon. This large shoulder-wielded weapon fills up half the screen with its blast and has been one of my favorite attacks to use when playing MVC2, along with Ryu’s hyper combo finish. Again, not a bad accessory to include, and the scale is impressive. Thankfully, Hasbro includes a translucent stand, so Tony doesn’t have to shoulder all that weight alone.
Believe it or not, two Ann Nocenti and Art Adams creations are in this batch of Marvel Legends figures. Up first is Longshot! Fugitive turned revolutionary, turned X-MEN member. His mutant ability is similar to Domino’s. He can manipulate odds in his favor, but he doesn’t have Domino’s hot body. Longshot ships on a blister card reminiscent of the early 1990s Toy Biz X-MEN figures. He’s $24.99 and will arrive on April Fool’s day, 2023.
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Spiralfinally returns, and she’s packed on a classic Toy Biz-inspired card. The Mojoworld enforcer comes with all six fully articulated arms and sports her iconic ’90s outfit. The only thing I’m not liking is the artwork Hasbro used for her blister card. Rita Wayword looks so much better when drawn by Art Adams.
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Wolverine returns! This time we’re getting the 3rd Edition version of Wolverine. Rather than decked out in his black and yellow gear, Logan has on a more basic uniform. It’s a cool throwback to the era when Toy Biz was still trying to perfect the savage mutant’s look. The artwork on the card is modified from the original that was found on the 3rd Edition Wolverine figure. The ’93 Logan featured artwork with him in his orange and brown outfit, which didn’t match the action figure. So, Hasbro has corrected this. Logan comes with an interchangeable pair of hands and two head portraits. He’s $24.99 and is due out on April 1st of next year.
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While Cyclops isn’t the last mutant in this current lineup of Marvel Legends figures, he is the last one worth mentioning because he’s part of the VHS collection. Priced at $27.99, Scott Summers is wearing his iconic ’90s outfit, complete with the weird bandolier and free-flowing hair. He’ll come with the X-MEN: The Animated Series-inspired VHS box with five interchangeable hands. Unfortunately, no blast effects are included with this guy. He’ll arrive on February 1st, 2023.
Did anyone else forget that Black Adam was coming to theatres this month? The toys had been on shelves for a few months now, and I thought the latest DCEU film had already come and gone from cinemas. Guess I was wrong. In fact, the movie will premiere in the US on October 21st. Thankfully, this latest Hot Toys announcement from Sideshow Collectibles reminded me that this film does exist, and it stars The Rock.
Admittedly, the figure looks fantastic, but the sculpture of Dwayne Johnson’s face makes him look a little elderly. The professional wrestler turned actor is 50, but this $360 Deluxe Version of Black Adam isn’t doing him any favors in the glamor department. However, if you’re a fan of the DC villain turned anti-hero, expect to see this figure shipping between October 2023 and March 2024. The Deluxe figure comes with a diorama base, an alternate head with a raised eyebrow, and blue lightning effects. An alternate Deluxe Version is available with yellow lighting and a cleaner, more golden suit.
‘Arrested Development’ and ‘Ozark’ star Jason Bateman will take over as a director for the upcoming Netflix thriller ‘Dark Wire’ with Matthew Orton writing a screenplay. The movie will be produced by 21 Laps Entertainment and Aggregate.
The film is based on an upcoming book by ‘Wired’ and ‘Vice’ journalist Joseph Cox describing an incident when law enforcement set up a fake telecommunications company called Anom to catch criminals.
“Dark Wire covers the unbelievable true story of how the FBI launched a fake telecom company and became the number one phone service provider to the world’s most notorious gangs, culminating in the arrest of more than a thousand international criminals,” Netflix explained.
“Tracey Nyberg will be executive producer. Niija Kuykendall is creative lead on the project for Netflix, which has deals with both 21 Laps and Bateman’s Aggregate,” Deadline reports. They added that it, “will be produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Dan Levine for Stranger Things outfit 21 Laps, and by Bateman and Michael Costigan for Aggregate Films (Game Night).”
“I’m going on book leave to write DARK WIRE, how the FBI secretly ran a start tech up for criminals and then wiretapped the world. I won’t be covering news during this time,” Cox said on Twitter.
This is not Bateman’s first time in the director’s chair. He previously directed the 2013 comedy ‘Bad Words’ and the 2015 drama ‘The Family Fang.’ He also won an award Primetime Emmy Awards in 2020 and 2022 for directing episodes of ‘Ozark.’
21 Laps has previously worked with Netflix on ‘The Adam Project’ and with Aggregate for ‘Ozark’ plus the upcoming film ‘Your Place or Mine.’
Joseph Cox has previously written for several media outlets including WIRED Magazine, Times of Israel, The Jewish Press, War is Boring, RealClear Defense, RealClear Policy, Technocracy News, and Security Affairs.
The second part of Big West’s “Super Dimension” trilogy ‘Super Dimension Century Orguss’ finds a new streaming home with HiDive.
“HIDIVE’s bringing the 80s back one anime at a time. Get ready for 3 episodes per week of the action-packed sci-fi anime courtesy of our new acquisition,” they said on their website.
Directed by Noboru Ishiguro and Yasuyoshi Mikamoto, the show was produced by Artland and TMS Entertainment, running for thirty-nine episodes and a six-part OVA from J.C. Staff. Discotek originally released the series in the United States, but only seventeen episodes were dubbed at the time.
You can see the announced for the anime on Twitter:
[ANNOUNCEMENT] We're traveling back in time with action-packed giant robots! Stream Super Dimension Century Orguss beginning September 30!
“The year is 2062; man is able to lift heavy objects into space by using a massive elevator that spans from the planet into the heavens. The world is split into two superforces, one of which controls the elevator – causing tension between both sides. Kei Katsuragi is a Second Lieutenant for the Freedom Space Corps, and his mission is to destroy the elevator. But when something goes wrong with the Space/Time oscillation bomb, Kei is caught in the blast and tossed into another dimension. He awakens in a strange new world where he’s caught in the middle between the Emaan, a nomadic people who rescues him; and the Chilam, a military force who want to capture Kei for their own unknown reasons. Kei must now journey to find a way to restore time and space, try to make his way home, and avoid being caught by the Chilam army.”
The show serves as a sequel to ‘The Super Dimension Fortress Macross’ and a prequel to the final part of the sequel ‘The Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross.’ The last part became the basis for season two of ‘Robotech.’
Super Rare Games will release 30 games plus ten demos as part of Mixtape Volume 4! The catalog of indie titles will arrive on a cassette-shaped USB drive. These games include several genres such as “hardcore platformers, horror-shooters, arcade-like delights, local co-ops, romantic racers, boss battle puzzlers, forgotten 00s classics, and many more!”
In addition to the 40 playable games, Super Rare includes 19 soundtracks, 27 trailers, 38 art galleries, 18 developer diaries, and more. Volume 4 is limited to only 1,500 copies and will be available for purchase starting October 6th at 1 PM EDT. The previous Mixtapes cost around $32, so expect to pay around that for the new volume.
Here’s what comes with the Mixtape.
30 playable games:
0SPACE
A Knife Made of Whispers
A Raven Monologue
Abyssal Plains
AnoMalice
Cats on Mars
City33
CONFLICT/RESOLUTION
Death Strike
Devil Catcher
Drifting Hearts
Fishie Fishie
From Primordial Egg
Grandpa’s Minigun
Ignis Universia: Eternal Sisters DX
Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls
LCD DREAM ESCALATOR
Machine Gun Gardener
Monstruous
My Friend is a Raven
Olive’s Art-Venture
Punch Guy
Reed the Robotanist: Plus
SELF
Swallow the Sea
The Frightening Nightmare of Little Eddy
The Giraffe World
The Power
Veinless Property
Yolkspire
Ten demos:
Astra and the New Constellation
Bullion: Curse of the Cut-Throat Cattle
Harmony’s Odyssey
Minishoot’ Adventure
Potion Prodigy
Pry into the Void
Schrodinger’s Catgirl
Snap the Sentinel
the machine that BREATHES
The Wreck
In addition to the unique USB tape, there’s also a collector’s box:
A gorgeous slim box, designed to fit in with your games collection, also includes a full-colour manual with a full page dedicated to each of the 40 titles and a description on why they were selected for this collection.
Super Rare Games’ library can also be found on the Nintendo Switch. Don’t expect to find their retail games on the Mixtape.
Which of the titles in this volume interest you? Let us know in the comments below.
Are you ready to decorate the walls of your home with Lite-Brite Transformers Wall Art? It’s the sign of a true adult when you’re hanging up a child’s toy that’s displaying the image of a child’s toy! Display your love for the Autobots in 16 “x16”, LED-powered pixelated glory! The real question is, who will you choose to display? Optimus Prime? Bumblebee? Or the classic Autobot logo? Or order three Lite-Brites, and you won’t have to choose!
The three-in-one Transformers Edition Lite-Brite Wall Art is $99.99 and is estimated to release on January 9th. The kit includes 6k pegs, and the display can be powered by either micro-USB or batteries.
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Light up the room and display your creative lite-art with the NEW, MEGA-SIZED Lite-Brite Wall Art! This special Lite-Brite is the biggest unit yet, with MORE PEGS and MORE LEDs for MORE DEFINITION! Use the three Transormers design templates featuring Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee, iconic Transformers badge, or let your creativity shine as you design your own art!
LARGEST LITE-BRITE YET! – Enjoy the 16 x 16″ grid for high-definition designs—the largest Lite-Brite unit yet! Display your artwork on your wall or on a tabletop, or even as a Work From Home backdrop! Makes a great gift for ages 14+!
3 HD DESIGNS – This Lite-Brite includes 3 HD Transformers designs to choose from. Build one design and display it, then remove the pegs to build a different design! Whether you follow the templates or use your imagination to design your own, there’s no wrong way to build and display!
MORE PEGS, MORE DEFINITION – Craft your masterpiece with 6,000 colorful mini-sized pegs! And with 45 LEDs to light up your art, you’ll be dazzled with delight with a unique experience you can enjoy in the dark!
EASILY TURN ON/OFF – Easily control your Lite-Brite with the battery-powered on/off light—conveniently accessible on the side! Or use the Micro-USB port included to power your Wall Art.
The spin-off series ‘Leverage: Redemption’ will return for a second season of thirteen episodes. Produced by Electric Entertainment, the show’s sophomore season will stream directly to Amazon’s free television app Freevee on November 16, 2022, with a trailer dropping to hype fans.
The show is described as “a Robin Hood-esque team of criminals as they stage elaborate cons against wealthy and powerful individuals on behalf of clients who have been wronged.”
Gina Bellman stars as Sophie Devereaux with Beth Riesgraf as Parker, Christian Kane as Eliot Spencer, Aldis Hodge as Alec Hardison, Noah Wyle as Harry Wilson, and Aleyse Shannon as Breanna Casey. This new season will include Pierson Fodé, Alanna Masterson, Anand Desai-Barochia, Steve Coulter, and Doug Savant as guest stars.
You can watch the trailer below:
‘Leverage: Redemption’ premiered in July 2021 when Freevee was known as IMDb TV. The first season consisted of sixteen episodes divided into two parts which is still available for streaming. Kate Rorick and Dean Devlin act as executive producers and showrunners for the action series.
Amazon describes the synopsis as follows,
“… corporate bad guys and dirty dealers are stepping on the little guy in their quest for money and power and the Leverage team is back to teach them a lesson. No matter the danger, when someone needs help, they provide…Leverage. This time around, their criminal skills are put to the test by everything from a husband-and-wife team running a multi-level marketing scam and a shipping magnate dumping boatloads of plastic waste to a music producer who abuses his position over vulnerable women. This season also sees an old friend of Sophie’s unexpectedly coming out of the woodwork, making her question her choices.”
Timothy Hutton, who played Nathan “Nate” Ford in the prequel show, has sued Electric Entertainment for breach of contract, claiming they removed him over an alleged crime committed in Canada.
‘I’ve Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills’ also known as ‘Farming Made Me Stronger’ is a webcomic written by Shobonnu and published on Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was picked up by Studio A-Cat for an anime directed by Norihiko Nagahama, character designs by Masami Sueoka, and written by Touko Machida. Ahead of its release in Japan, Sentai Filmworks picked up the series for North American distribution via streaming to the HiDive app.
“The forces of evil usually have to worry about the Chosen One prophesied to save the world; heroes with cliched names such as Leo Lionheart or Gale Shadowstrike. This time though? They need to worry about farmer Al Wayne. Tune in every Saturday starting October 1, 2022,” they said on their website. Later, the date was updated to October 8th.
Casting for the show includes Junya Enoki as Al Wayne, Minami Tanaka as Fal-Ys Meigis, Rumi Okubo as Helen Rein, Ayaka Suwa as Ruri, Yukari Tamura as Ilvia, Masahiro Itō as Reaks, Mai Nakahara as Luccia Wayne, and Kenji Hamada as Giles Wayne.
“Al Wayne loves farming — and we don’t mean the video game sim. He wants to be a literal farmer, but in the process of improving his agriculture skills, he somehow winds up maxing out his overall character stats! He’s superpowered in the most unexpected of ways with abilities even the strongest of heroes would envy. Alas, all he wants is an idyllic farmer’s life, but with demons and monsters invading the realm, Al may have to take up the mantle of hero just to keep his dreams from withering away!”
The Tokyo-based publishing company Futabasha picked up the series for release with illustrations by Sogawa for the light novels under the Monster Bunko and Aki Taruto handling the artwork for the manga.
The writing was on the wall. The voice of doom was slowly growing louder. Of course, the die-hard fans were decrying it all as fake news. But today, we know when the Stadia will die. We thought that Stadia would close by the end of Summer, but it turns out Google’s online-only video game streaming system will shutter for good on January 18th, 2023.
We came across the news thanks to Niche Gamer. So it’s not surprising that Google has chosen to shut the fledgling games streaming service down. What we did not expect, though, was for Stadia’s VP Phil Harrison to announce that Google would be issuing refunds. Customers who purchased Stadia’s hardware and content from the Stadia store will be issued refunds, according to a post on Google’s Blog.
We’re grateful to the dedicated Stadia players that have been with us from the start. We will be refunding all Stadia hardware purchases made through the Google Store, and all game and add-on content purchases made through the Stadia store. Players will continue to have access to their games library and play through January 18, 2023 so they can complete final play sessions. We expect to have the majority of refunds completed by mid-January, 2023.
Harrison, also Stadia’s General Manager, admits that the service/system didn’t gain the “traction” Google had expected, which appears to be the reason for the closure. Having Stadia myself, I can say that it was the least reliable of the current streaming services out there. Amazon’s Luna and Microsoft’s Cloud Gaming alternatives managed to run circles around the Stadia from my first-hand experience. Even with the dongle plugged directly into the modem, the Stadia rarely delivered crisp visuals, and the input lag made playing competitive games far too frustrating.
It’s not unusual for Google to kill a project after putting what appears to me at least very little effort into promoting or improving the service or piece of technology. At least, being a YouTube Premium member, I got my Stadia for free. Yeah, they were practically giving these things away not too long ago. That’s always a bad sign.
I am happy to hear that everyone should get their money back, but it is a cautionary tale. Having physical media is always better than relying on a faceless company’s servers.
Sentai Filmworks released their slate of upcoming blu-ray home video releases. The seven features include feature films, science fiction, fantasy, and isekai. The releases will come out between October 4th and the 25th with some including English dubs and others in the original Japanese with English subtitles.
Synopsis: Is one life worth sacrificing in order to save all mankind? Julian Ainsworth believes the world is doomed unless it’s done, but the person he intends to sacrifice is the magical girl Miyu, the conduit for the Holy Grail. However, Shirou Emiya, now Miyu’s brother, has no intention of letting that happen, even if it does mean the eventual collapse of their world, nor will he be fighting alone. Miyu’s friend Illya doesn’t pretend to understand everything, but she’s certain that Julian’s plan can’t be the only solution. The only problem is… what if she’s wrong? What if, in saving her friend, she’s making a terrible, tragic mistake? The epic saga that began with Fate/kaleid liner Prisma?Illya 3rei!! And Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow continues in Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA ILLYA – Licht Nameless Girl!
GIRLS UND PANZER DER FILM
SYNOPSIS: When the Ministry of Education goes back on its promise to keep Ooarai Girls Academy open, the task of saving the five-mile-long Academy Ship from the wreckers falls to Miho and her barely-seasoned tankery team. However, things go off track almost immediately. While the Oorai tank crew may have won the high school tournament, they’re now facing a larger and more experienced university team, and if they fail, their armored vehicles will be forfeited! Will they be swapping their tanks for the memories? It’s possible, but winning a tank battle is all about tactics and teamwork, and the fledgling Ooarai students have more friends and allies than anyone suspects. Get ready for another high-caliber round of the only sport where “having a blast” doesn’t necessarily mean you’re having a great time, as the Ooarai team puts everything on the line in GIRLS UND PANZER DER FILM!
This one will feature an English dub.
HUMANITY HAS DECLINED
SYNOPSIS: Once they were the stuff of children’s tales. Now, after Mankind’s civilization has collapsed and Man’s numbers have dropped to a handful, the fairies and other creatures of legend have laid claim to most of the Earth. Yet, while the grandeur of Man’s culture has faded, there are still humans who believe that they still have a purpose. This is why Watashi has decided to take on her Grandfather’s position as an arbitrator between the races… though as one of the few left who know how to make sweets, her negotiations most often take the form of bribes. For the more difficult cases, she carries a weapon. It’s not an easy job, but Watashi must succeed. Otherwise, future generations of fairies may amuse their children with stories about the mythical creatures known as men after HUMANITY HAS DECLINED.
AOHARU X MACHINEGUN
SYNOPSIS: Hotaru Tachibana has a strong sense of justice, a tendency to take matters personally, and a snappy masculine sense of style that makes many mistake her for a boy. So, when Hotaru believes that her new neighbor has taken advantage of a classmate and barges into his club, the inevitable gender confusion finds her being challenged to an air pellet gun duel… that an overconfident Hotaru soundly loses! However, unaware that “he” is, in fact, she, owner Masamune uses a hefty bill for damages to coerce the naturally talented Hotaru into joining his incomplete airsoft team. But the catch is – the team rules don’t allow girls, forcing Hotaru to pretend to be one of the guys around Masamune and the other team member, erotic comic artist Toru, while she plays off her debt in AOHARU X MACHINEGUN!!
This one will also be available in an English dub.
PETER GRILL AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S TIME
SYNOPSIS: Peter Grill may be the most powerful warrior in the world, but in a culture where strength is everything, there are lots of ambitious young women who will do anything to “acquire” Peter’s superior genes in order to bear powerful offspring! So, even though Peter just wants to marry his fiancée, he’s instead being beset by a bodacious bevy of Peter-obsessed females fiercely determined to get into his bed and/or ironclad pants! That would be a sticky situation even if the bawdy belligerents were merely human, but with elves, trolls and orcs all craving a little private Peter action, can even Peter stand up to this wave of pulchritudinous force? His flesh may be strong but his will may not hold up quite as rigidly when comely babe after babe keeps coming to test this poor Peter’s mettle in PETER GRILL AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S TIME!
An English dub option is available.
REVUE STARLIGHT THE MOVIE
SYNOPSIS: The stage emulates life and compresses it, setting free skills learned over lifetimes in brief but dazzling displays for the amusement and judgment of others. For the performers, it is the ultimate risk, and some will rise while others must fall. Nowhere is this truer than at the Seisho Music Academy, where music, dance and real weapons all come into play in the creation of the next great Star. Karen and Hikari’s destinies have been linked since a childhood promise, but their journeys here have taken very different paths. Now, after Hikari leaves, Karen must discover who she is without her opposite, while Hikari must rediscover her own course. Nor are they the only girls who must reassess and change if they want to achieve their dreams, as the dance, magic, and swordplay continue in REVUE STARLIGHT: THE MOVIE!
There will be an English dub cast for this DVD.
TSUKIPRO THE ANIMATION 2
SYNOPSIS: Being a singer in a famous group isn’t the easiest life, as preparing for competitions, creating new music, and performing on stage takes up much of their time. Despite the endless cycle of travel, rehearsals, and occasionally getting to sleep, however, the members of SOARA, Growth, SolidS, and QUELL all still find a myriad of other things taking up their day. Helping friends and family, and giving advice to fellow performers are daily occurrences, but then there are more special opportunities like appearing on reality shows and TV dramas and even studying Flower Arrangement. Sometimes things get even wilder and stranger, like chasing down supernatural mysteries and experiencing feudal times! But while they do work hard, if they’re working with their bandmates or playing for their fans, it’s the greatest job ever in TSUKIPRO – THE ANIMATION 2!
Sentai Filmworks continues to grow their anime library as well as their streaming service HiDive.
