Bulk and Skull, the two dim but persistent bullies of Angel Grove High gang, are finally a part of Super7‘s Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ULTIMATES!
Aside from the fan-favorite antagonists, Wave 5 reissues the Megazord and the Green Ranger with some changes. Also, If you order the complete set or the individual figures, you’ll get a Super Pack, including the Smell Detector and glow-in-the-dark versions of a Power Crystal and Green Candle. The complete Wave 5 pack will set you back $240.
Wave 5 also brings back Tommy’s Green Ranger but with glow-in-the-dark plastic. It may be gimmicky, but it is fantastic to see Jason David Frank back in the line. Speaking of the late actor, check out our latest D-Rezzed episode to hear about his upcoming film and a Valaverse version of his action figure.
Bulk and Skull are $55 each, but the glowing Green Ranger and the repainted Megazord are $65 a piece. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers Wave 5 is expected to ship in July 2024.
The one and only Wolverine is back! The feral mutant with the adamantium-plated skeleton is part of a new line of statues from Premium Collectibles Studio.
It’s obvious that this iteration of Wolverine is based on his appearance in Capcom’s various Marvel and crossover fighting games. I’m all for it because those elongated claws look amazing. Too bad Capcom didn’t add sprites with the X-Force and brown costume to the classic fighting games.
Each 1:10 scale Wolverine statue is priced at $112.49 and is expected to ship out between February and April 2024. The price is only available during PCS’s “early pre-order window.” After this passes, the Wolverine statues will go up to $124.99.
Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more Capcom-inspired Marvel statues following this one.
Photo Credit: Premium Collectibles StudioPhoto Credit: Premium Collectibles Studio
“Canada’s toughest mutant is claws up and ready to tear down any enemy in his iconic X-Force inspired black and silver suit.”
Photo Credit: Premium Collectibles Studio
“Canada’s toughest mutant is claws up and ready to tear down any enemy in his classic brown and yellow suit. Unbreakable Adamantium claws project from his clenched fists as Wolverine crouches in a wide, firm stance. From the vivid costume color detailing to the metallic intricacy of his indestructible talons, every aspect is a testament to Wolverine’s enduring legacy.”
Photo Credit: Premium Collectibles Studio
“Wolverine’s prominent black and yellow mask covers his eyes as Logan’s combative expression peers from underneath with unwavering resolve and fierce determination. Positioned in a resilient stance on a museum-style base, the rugged lone wolf is poised for attack.”
Which characters from the Marvel vs. Capcom games would you like to see PCS turn into Gamerverse statues? Should Capcom fighters be added to the series along with Spider-Man, Rogue, or Juggernaut? Let us know below.
The Birds Of Prey has been a street-level superhero team within the DC Universe. They have primarily been a female-driven alliance although the second Blue Beetle and Nightwing have acted as members in the past. DC Comics has now announced that they will reboot the series with a different line-up and a new creative team.
“Since 1996, the Birds of Prey have remained DC’s premier female-led superhero team. Reinventing itself as needs and modern-day sensibilities have required, it’s always been something of a fluid and evolving team, featuring some of the greatest heroes of the DC Universe, like Batgirl, Black Canary and Vixen along with the occasional villain (we see you, Poison Ivy!),” DC Comics said on their website.
They added, “This year sees a new iteration of the group in a brand-new Birds of Prey series written by Kelly Thompson and drawn by Leonardo Romero that’s now led by Black Canary, someone who knows a thing or two about the team, but very little about leading it. With the first issue now in stores and generating plenty of buzz, we sat down with writer Kelly Thompson to discuss assembling these new Birds and what to expect from such an eclectic collection of crimefighters.”
Barbara Gordon, who has worked with the team as Batgirl and the Oracle, will not be a part of this iteration but will be replaced by Cassandra Cain who is donning the mask once again instead of her persona known as The Orphan.
Thompson explained, “In the book, Cassandra is quite literally the answer to all of Dinah’s problems when she’s trying to build this team and struggling to do it without Barbara. Cass obviously fills a different role for Dinah than Barbara does, but it’s still someone incredibly talented and reliable at this kind of thing, who’s also imminently trustworthy and good. Which isn’t always something that comes easy when you’re building a team this dangerous. I’ve been waiting my whole life to write Cassandra Cain, so the stakes were high, and I hope I’m nailing it!”
The series is available in digital and print editions.
GKids is bringing the musical anime ‘Blue Giant’ to the United States for a limited theatrical run on October 8-9. The movie is produced by the Japanese animation studio NUT and directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, who also wrote the manga that the film is based on.
“GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary as a producer and distributor of award-winning and artist-driven animation from around the world, announced today it will bring BLUE GIANT, to select theaters nationwide for event showings on October 8 & 9th only,” GKids said on their website.
They added, “The film is directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, whose credits include directing the mega hit anime series “Mob Psycho 100”, as well as the cult hit series “Death Parade,” “DECA-DENCE”, and the latest film in the blockbuster Detective Conan franchise, Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine.”
The music for the anime film was composed by Japanese virtuoso pianist Hiromi Uehara and performed by the band JASS. Millennium Parade drummer Shun Ishikawa and saxophonist Tomoaki Baba also perform for the movies.
You can watch the trailer below:
GKids described the synopsis as follows,
“Dai Miyamoto’s life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks up a saxophone and begins practicing day and night, determined to become one of the greatest of all time. He leaves his sleepy hometown for the bustling nightclubs of Tokyo, but soon finds the life of a professional musician is not for the faint of heart. His passion eventually wins over the cocky but talented pianist Yukinori, and after Dai convinces his friend Shunji to learn the drums, they launch a new jazz trio whose rough sound contains a raw energy that quickly wins attention from local audiences. But what does it take to truly be great?”
As previously reported by Clownfish, the original manga ran from 2013 to 2016. It was followed by the sequel ‘Blue Giant Supreme’ which ran from 2016 to 2020 and ‘Blue Giant Explorer’ which launched in 2020.
After Jason Mamoa’s cameo in ‘The Flash’ as his Justice League counterpart Aquaman alongside three versions of Batman, speculation ran amuck that the Dark Knight would also appear in the sequel ‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom.’ Largely seen as the finale to the original DCEU film franchise, it is not a leap in logic that other characters will appear in ‘Aquaman 2.’
Director James Wan discusses the rumor in an interview with Entertainment Weekly where he played coy about the possibility of various Batman actors making appearances.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether Aquaman would come out first or come out after [The Flash],” Wan said. “So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films. That’s the bottom line.”
“That’s a ‘no comment,’ right now,” ‘The Conjuring’ director added. “You’re going to have to wait for the movie to come out.”
Asked about reshoots happening around the movie, Wan downplayed it, explaining them as actor scheduling conflicts that affected the filming.
“We have big actors in this movie, and everyone’s schedule is really hard,” Wan acknowledged. “So, we had to break up our shooting schedule into sections. We’ll shoot a bit here now, because this actor’s available, and then we’ll do another shoot now, because this guy’s available. People are like, ‘Oh, they’re doing a whole bunch of different shoots!’ No. If we actually combined them all together, it’s actually not that many number of days at all.”
Besides Mamoa, the film also stars Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman reprising their roles from the first film.
I know, I know— You’re an up-and-coming creator, and you’re just happy to have any fan pay attention to you at all. But as you progress in the comic business, you need to treat fans in such a way that hopefully maintains their loyalty but also maintains your sanity. It can be very stressful and weird, but don’t worry— They’re normal people like you and me. Let’s start with the elephant in the room—
Image by Artzone AI with lettering by Tony D
Never Disrespect Your Fans
If the woke creators made one mistake, it was that they disrespected their fan base. Calling your fans names, even if you’re mad at them, is not a good strategy ever. No matter how annoying or ridiculous a fan gets, if they’re a fan, you work for them. If complaining about you is how they like to enjoy your work, so be it. If they have other political opinions or beliefs, who cares?
Story: When I switched artists in one of my comics, I had fans screaming at me online. I could’ve been disrespectful, some of them were, but instead, I just said stuff like, “Give the new guy a chance.”
Now, that being said, you don’t have to listen to those complaints if they’re disingenuous and out of control. But there’s no point in confronting them about it or calling them names. In fact…
photo by Pixabay
Never Get Confrontational With Fans
I cannot stress what a bad idea this is, even if you get confronted first. You’re not there to start arguments; you’re there to sell comics. The fans can buy it or not. Fans that buy it are your fans; fans that don’t are someone else’s fans. No one wants to buy a comic from someone they perceive might start an argument with them. That’s it. That’s as basic as it gets. Think about it. If you saw a guy at a con arguing with fans about his comic, does that make you want to walk over there and buy the comic?
Story: Had a fan who bought everything at my table, but he stunk to high heaven. He was a nice guy, but something was up. I guess I could’ve pulled him aside to tell him, and he might’ve thanked me, but he might’ve just as easily freaked out. Or been so embarrassed, that he’d never show his face again at a con. I excused myself to the bathroom at one point to get away, but he was there when I got back. Eventually, he left, and yeah, he was an older guy who should’ve known better. Ask yourself, are you there to solve people’s problems or sell comics? I made my choice. No regrets.
But these are obvious tips and, honestly, it’s highly unlikely you’ll be put in a situation where you’re actually arguing with fans. Most people are normal. They may feel awkward and not know what to say, but most people you meet at a comic book convention, or signing are very nice and want nothing more than to support you and your comic.
Image by Img2go
Never Hit On Your Fans
I’m sure there are creators that have crossed this Rubicon and survived. In fact, I know one of the creators in particular who was notorious for dating any beautiful woman that showed up at conventions. Unless you are as savvy and as smooth as him, I would recommend you never do this.
Trying to date a fan can blow up in your face in a myriad of ways. You’re not at the convention to find a date; you’re there to sell your comics. Some conventions have a variety of social events outside of the con. If you absolutely must shoot your shot, do it in a non-committal way. Alerting a fan that there’s a social event afterward is mostly neutral, but even then, the invite is a risk.
Story: I knew a creator who got a phone number from a girl who had shown up to see another creator. When he informed her that the creator was married, he offered himself up in his place as a joke. She gave him his number, and they dated for a year.
I’ve also seen creators get into fistfights over girls on the floor of the con, and I’ve seen married people blow up their marriage, cheating very publicly at these events. It can get very ugly, very fast. If you do this, tread extremely carefully.
Image from Img2go
But despite the best intentions, you may find yourself in an uncomfortable position and not know what to do. Remain calm, friendly, and polite— Just be prepared for who might eventually visit your table and how to best channel that fan energy in the most positive way.
The Fellow Creator Fan: The fellow creator fan is a comic creator as well. Maybe he isn’t as far along as you, and maybe he was even inspired by your comic. The only danger here is, you might get trapped in a long conversation about his comic when you really should be selling yours.
Be patient. Answer his questions, and wish him well. Remember, you never know who is going to be the King of Comics in a few years; it might be this guy! If he’s been at your table too long, invite him to whatever you’re doing post-con. If you’re hanging out in the hotel bar later, that’s usually the perfect place to meet up and network. Treat him like a fellow professional and lead by example. If he acts unprofessional or does something weird, put yourself in the mentor-student role. Calmly school him on the etiquette if he doesn’t know. Chances are, he’s looking for a little direction to pursue his comics career. And hey, if he’s talented, you might find yourself another member of your creative team.
The Collector Fan: These guys are usually looking for one thing and one thing only: pristine collectibles. For whatever reason, they’ve decided your comic might be one that accumulates in value one day. They might not even read your comic.
My only advice is to be extremely careful handling their comic when you sign it, and you probably shouldn’t offer them any special discount that you don’t offer to anyone else. They may ask since they’re all about the money. Unless they’re going to take a lot of books off your hands, I would just politely tell them you can’t discount them. They may also ask for a bag and board. I never have them at my table, but you’re at a comic-con— Someone sells them.
The Reader Fan: Being a writer, these are my favorite because they’ve actually read the comic. Usually, they’ll have some questions about future issues and what inspired this or that. These are perfect fans to have at the table because as you are talking to them about your comic, other people passing by will slow down and listen. Hopefully, the good vibe is spread around, and when they see someone else standing excitedly at your table talking about your creation, they’ll stop, look, and buy.
This is your time to shine. Don’t be shy about getting louder or including other fans who walk by the table in the conversation. (See my column about crowd work.) Hold court and be the king. This is your comic, your table, your vision, and your enthusiasm will be contagious.
Photo by Pixabay
The Cosplay Fan: Unless they’re dressed like one of your characters, you want to finish with this fan as soon as possible. There’s nothing wrong with cosplayers, but they often get stopped every ten seconds for a photo, and half the time, they don’t have money in their costumes anyway. Be polite, but keep things moving. If they’re not getting the message and seem to be camped out at your table for the day, say things like, “Hey, thanks for stopping by” or “Well, it’s been great to see you”, etc. Hopefully, they’ll get the prompt and move on.
The Kid Fan: Depending upon the audience for your comic, you should be a little wary. Kids aren’t too responsible with their money, and they may not even have permission to spend it. If an unaccompanied minor comes to your table to buy, be patient but also make sure it’s okay with their parent/guardian that they can buy at all. You don’t want to get halfway through signing a stack of comics only to find out the kid has no money and his mom has no intention of paying for them. And just because you think your comic is appropriate for the kid, doesn’t mean their parent/guardian will agree.
Typically, when a kid and parents come to the table, I make my pitch to the parents first. They have the money, they make the decision, and some people absolutely do not like it when you try to sell something to their kid.
Photo by Pixabay
The Hardcore Fan: These fans just love everything you do and bless them all. If you make it, they not only buy it but tell their friends how awesome it is. If you can get 1,000 hardcore fans, you can probably support yourself full-time by making the comic.
The only real danger here is that hardcore fans can burn themselves out on you. Try and pace them as best you can. You might be tempted to bombard them with everything you’ve ever done, but resist that urge. You want to dole it out over a period of time so you don’t create a pace of new material that’s impossible to keep. If you have any previews, hardcore fans would love to see them.
The Normie Fan: These fans will drift in and out according to what they like and don’t like about your work. Your average normie can turn into a super fan or can just as likely get disinterested, and you’ll never see them again. Give them your pitch, but don’t be too aggressive selling them. You don’t want to oversell them on your comic and chase them away.
The Social Media Stalker: For this one, be wary. It’s a lot harder to gauge someone’s true intentions via the Internet. Trolling is an international sport online, so don’t put too much faith in anyone online until you’ve interacted with them enough to know they’re not crazy. Feel free to make suggestions like, “Hey, it would be great if you could repost my tweet.” Then sit back and see what happens. If they maintain a level of positivism and don’t make any demands on you, great. If they start getting weird, pull back. Don’t cut them off; just slowly keep taking longer and longer to respond to their queries.
Photo by Pixabay
What The Fans Can and Can’t Do
There are things you want fans to do and don’t want them to do. We already established that you’re going to treat them with respect, but you also want to channel their energy to help them have a good time and hopefully sell more comics.
Can’t: Turn Fans Into Friends: It’s not that you don’t want friends or that a fan wouldn’t make a fine friend— If you turn a fan into a friend, they’re no longer your fan. You’ve lost a sale, and that’s not the reason you’re making comic books. (I mean, if that’s what you want to do, by all means.) You’re not going to make every fan you meet a friend because, ideally, you’re going to need thousands of fans. You’re not going to be a very good friend to that many people.
I put this at the top because it’s a mistake young creators often make. There are exceptions, but these should be exceedingly rare. Don’t start inviting people back to your house the moment you get a couple of fans.
Can: Be Friendly to Fans: You do want to have cordial exchanges with fans, so it’s okay to be friendly. If you decide to make a fan your friend or it just happens, you’re not breaking any hard and fast rules. Just understand, that the moment you cross that Rubicon, the relationship has changed. You should probably vet any rando you meet at a con who immediately wants to be your friend. They may be needy wannabe creators looking to impose on your time and leverage what little pull you have in comics. Be nice, but it’s best to keep fans at arm’s length.
Can’t: Let Fans Represent You: Do not let fans speak for you or represent you in any way. Fans are well-meaning, but they may not understand the etiquette of doing, say, a panel discussion at a con.
Story: I was at a show doing a panel discussion, and a very excited fan of mine sat down next to me at the beginning of the panel. I quietly asked, “Are you on this panel?” He said something like, “No, I thought you could use my help.” I said, in a very friendly tone, “Nah, that’s okay. I need you in the audience, though.” He cheerfully moved his seat.
What was he intending to say or do to “help” me?” I have no idea, but I wasn’t going to be surprised, in public and in front of a bunch of potential fans. He was nice enough, but I barely knew him. Fortunately, that’s as far as it went.
Can: Let Fans Sing Your Praises: Talking about you is not the same as speaking for you. You want fans to say positive things. In the world of books, a good book review on Amazon means sales. In comics, you want fans to ask their comics retailer to carry your book. You want fans to mention you on social media, forums, or wherever fans congregate.
A great thing that Ethan Van Sciver and other creators do is that they repost fans posting pictures receiving his crowd-funded books in the mail. Fans posing proudly with your product is always positive. Encourage this, reviews, and chatter whenever you can. Fans, especially the hardcore ones, might ask what they can do for you to help. Give them these things to do. They may even come up with websites where you get reviewed or get attention that you didn’t even know about.
Image by Pixabay (Talk about working for peanuts!)
Can’t: Turn Fans Into Employees: Again, just like with turning them into friends, you’re changing the very nature of your relationship. It’s not impossible, but you want to vet people very closely before considering anything like this. In general, I think it’s a bad idea because you lose a fan. It’s one thing to give someone a free comic or a couple of bucks for helping you load your car, it’s another to actually hire someone.
Can: Turn Fans Into Street Teams/Fan Clubs: Fans who want to help spread the word are always welcome. You might get someone who starts a fan page or a wiki. If you have enough volunteers, you might turn them into a street team to pass out flyers or help gather people for an event or a promotion.
Remember, they’re not your employees, so it’s on you to make it fun at the very least. The cheapest reward is usually to give away some free comics, or sketches or buy people beverages. Fans who really go above and beyond deserve some kind of special shout-out, possibly on your social media. It’s important to thank fans who do this, so hopefully, they’ll continue to sing your praises.
Can’t: Don’t Take Care of Fans: Fans are great, but some might have unrealistic expectations of you. Don’t let a fan guilt you into doing anything you’re uncomfortable with. If you’re okay giving them a short ride or loaning them five bucks for parking, that’s on you. But be warned, you don’t really know this person. That’s not part of the relationship; you’re just someone who makes a comic book they read.
Again, it doesn’t mean you can’t be nice and polite. You should always be that way around fans, but when a fan imposes on you— Don’t be afraid to draw a line. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that. I have to get home.” You can give a more detailed explanation if you want, but you don’t owe them that. If they get upset, you can just walk away. You’re not their therapist either.
Can: Help Fans In Your Own Way: As a comic creator, you can offer advice on making comics, and you might be mildly famous to get the word out. For instance, if a fan has a fundraiser because he’s the victim of a disaster or has a medical fundraiser or something like that— Using your platform to alert people to help is perfectly acceptable. (Again, make sure you know what you’re getting into.)
Maybe it’s a fan’s dream to be a character in a comic. Your comic. That’s an easy fix. Just get them to sign a release saying it’s okay to use their likeness and then have them drawn into the comic.
Image by Pixabay
Handling Rando Fans
You don’t know these people, so you must compartmentalize them away from anything private. This is to protect you from crazy weirdoes who could do God-knows-what under the wrong conditions. You may ignore some of these rules for convention people, dealers, or other professionals who are known to you. (But make sure you know them.)
Most people are fine. You don’t have to be paranoid, but by keeping them at arm’s length for a while, you can vet them. People with some kind of nefarious agenda often don’t have patience or are quick to anger when you refuse them. You don’t have to be rude; just draw the line politely.
Never let fans handle your money.
Don’t let fans overhear private conversations with your friends or creative team.
If a fan gets behind your table or is invading your space, ask them politely to move back.
If a fan asks, do not agree to anything, especially regarding work, appearances, or your comic.
If a fan has a business proposal of some sort, tell them to put it in writing in an email.
Don’t let fans move your car or handle other valuables like your phone.
Be extremely wary of fans offering you homemade food, but if you turn it down, be extremely polite as well.
Don’t let fans follow you back to your hotel, your car, your home, or even a bathroom.
Don’t let fans read your text messages over your shoulder.
Don’t engage in sexual activity with fans you just met.
Any fan who continues to press you on the above may have some other agenda in mind. They might just be weird and socially awkward and just need boundaries defined. However, there’s a small chance they are sizing you up for something bad or, at the very least, to impose on you for money, clout, and/or your time.
Conclusion
Ultimately, it’s still about keeping your fans at arm’s length because this is what professionals do. Part of this is for your own protection. The more fans you accumulate, the more likely someone will drop into the mix that has bad intentions. There is always an inherent risk in fan interaction, so don’t make it a policy to immediately add fans into your friend circle. Only after you get to know someone should you ever open that door.
Most fans are just normal people who like comics. Together, you can enhance the fan experience by guiding them down the best path to help you. That’s rewarding for them because it’s probably their goal in the first place. You, of course, get to reap the benefits of more sales and hopefully last longer in the medium.
That’s all this week, fanboys. See you at the con.
Mario Kart Tour was a different approach to the Mario Kart series. While Nintendo has only recently started to dabble in the mobile space with a few of their titles, Mario Kart Tour became very popular. Since its initial release, the game has generated around $290 million globally on mobile, which is a big win for any company. But despite how well Mario Kart Tour did for Nintendo, it looks like things might be coming to an end.
Nintendo announced to Mario Kart Tour players that the game will no longer receive any new content after October 4th, 2023. This news was delivered via an in-game message to players who booted up Mario Kart Tour, which broke the news to everyone. The message showed the dates of the final new Battle Tours in the game with the line “From 10/04/2023 (Wed) on, tours will consist of content from tours that have appeared before… Note: No new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour starting 10/04/20223 (Wed).”
Although there won’t be any additional new content from Nintendo for Mario Kart World Tour, the game will remain playable according to a report on Eurogamer. So players won’t have to worry about the game shutting down completely.
Mario Kart Tour was released for iPhone and Android devices alongside other Nintendo mobile games. Those games, which include Super Mario Run, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and Fire Emblem Heroes; continue to be very successful. Those games will continue receiving new content, while Mario Kart Tour is left alone.
In the past, Mario Kart Tour was the center of controversy over gacha-style mechanics introduced into the game, which had players buying loot box-like bundles. It received a lot of backlash from many players until the mechanic was removed in September 2022. For now, Nintendo has made no other statements about Mario Kart Tour or if any other Nintendo mobile games will also stop getting updates.
Are you a fan of Mario Kart Tour? Are you sad to see the game not getting new content moving forward? Did you play any other Nintendo mobile games? Let us know in the comments section below!
If there’s one thing that all gamers do at some point, it’s spend money on their favorite gaming products. Whether it’s new games to play, accessories for their hardware, or subscriptions; any gamer is going to need to spend some cash to engage with their favorite hobby. At the same time, most gamers aren’t afraid to showcase their love for gaming in a variety of ways, including wearing branded gear or using certain products that put their passion on display. Most recently, Microsoft announced another way for gaming fans to do so, while also getting rewarded in the process.
In a post on Microsoft’s Xbox News Blog, the company revealed the new Xbox Mastercard. The card is issued by Barclays and has no annual fee. The Xbox Mastercard will allow users to gain card points by using it with every day purchases, which can be redeemed for games and add-ons via the Xbox website. Those who are part of the Xbox Insiders Program will have the first chance to get the Xbox Mastercard starting on September 21st 2023, provided they live in the continental United States (including Alaska and Hawaii).
Points are earned on the card for every dollar that is spent when using the Xbox Mastercard. For specific purchases, card users can earn more points that are eligible for rewards. Products on the Microsoft store earn 5X points, streaming services like Netflix and dining services like DoorDash earn 3X points, and everyday purchases earn 1X points. The more that people use the card to buy things, the more points they can earn faster towards rewards they can redeem on Xbox’s website.
In addition to earning points, Xbox Mastercard holders can also gain access to other benefits. The blog post details all of the benefits, which include:
A bonus of 5,000 card points (a $50 value) after their first purchase.
Three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for new Game Pass members after their first purchase. If they’re already a Game Pass member, they can easily gift it to a friend to play together.
Choice of one of five iconic designs for their card, with the option of personalizing it with their gamertag.
Flexibility of use with contactless payments and digital wallets.
Free online access to cardmembers’ FICO Credit Score, which allows users to keep an eye on their credit score and receive alerts when their score has changed.
$0 Fraud Liability protection, so cardmembers are not responsible for charges they didn’t authorize.
Those who are part of the Xbox Insider Program will still be able to apply for the Xbox Mastercard on September 21st, which will be opened up in waves. Getting the card also gives users three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. They also get a $50 bonus in points, but only after making the first purchase with the card. Unfortunately, those who are not part of the program can’t yet apply for the card, and no date was given on when the Xbox Mastercard will be open to everyone.
What do you think of the Xbox Mastercard? Will you be applying for it? Should more details about the card be given from Microsoft? Let us know your thoughts about everything in the comment section below!
Those who enjoy playing first-person shooters will have another game to look forward to with Ubisoft’s XDefiant. The game is an attempt to blend together multiple Ubisoft franchises into one arena-like shooter. This would include franchises like Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, Watch Dogs, and a few others from Ubisoft’s ensemble of series. The game is being developed for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC, however, it doesn’t have a set release date for any platform. But players interested in XDefiant may have to wait a bit longer than expected.
Unfortunately, XDefiant wasn’t able to pass an important first-party certification test. This was done back in mid-August, which was confirmed by Ubisoft Executive Game Director Mark Rubin. In a blog post that was shared on the Ubisoft website, Mark went into detail about why the game is experiencing a delay and what happened with the certification test. “At the end of July, we started this process, and we got our first results back by mid-August which was a Not Pass. We realized then that we had more work related to compliance than we had anticipated. If it HAD passed, then we would have been able to ship at the end of Aug. But it didn’t and so we have spent the last 3-4 weeks fixing those issues and getting ready to do another submission. We are currently in the CM prep part of that process and will hopefully be submitting to 1st parties in a little less than 2 weeks.”
XDefiant is being developed by Ubisoft San Francisco and will be a free-to-play arena shooter. Mark went on to explain exactly why there is no set release date for the game, citing that development for the game isn’t like other game releases. “If we were following the standard rules for game releases, we would have set a date far enough in advance with enough buffer to have a confident release date. However, like a lot of things with this game, we have not chosen the typical route.
Having millions of people play your game long before it’s ready is not normal. Not being afraid to show an unfinished game to millions of people with all its flaws is not normal. These were real tests and not just marketing events. So, when it comes to when we will release the real answer is “as soon as we can.” And we will continue to update you with more info when we have it.”
To their credit, Mark and Ubisoft are being very open and transparent about the progress of the game. While most games have to resubmit their application for certification on any platform, it’s not typical for fans to get insight into the process. Hopefully, soon a more concrete release date for XDefiant will be made for all platforms.
What do you think about XDefiant? Are you okay with the game being delayed and Ubisoft being transparent about it? Let us know your thoughts about everything in the comment section down below!
Batman’s faithful butler Alfred Pennyworth is getting his own story in the upcoming “all ages” graphic novel ‘Young Alfred: Pain In The Butler’ which is rated for teens. The story takes a look at Alfred’s childhood and training for becoming a gentlemen’s gentleman.
“Everyone has to start somewhere—even the MVP of DC Universe. No, I don’t mean Superman, Wonder Woman or Batman. They’re amazing, of course, but I’m talking about Alfred Pennyworth, butler extraordinaire, caring father figure and star of the new graphic novel Young Alfred: Pain in the Butler,” DC Comics said on their website.
They continued, “Young Alfred, an all-ages graphic novel by Michael Northrop (Dear Justice League) and Sam Lotfi, takes us across the years to tell two enchanting stories of past and present Pennyworth. Before Alfred raised young Bruce Wayne, he was a boy himself who made the long journey to Gotham City to study how to be the best butler he can be. This charming book is a reminder that heroes, even fictional ones, can still fail. They’re people just like us who repeatedly mess up, learn and grow in order to reach their full potential.”
The Wayne Manor butler first appeared as Alfred Beagle in the 1944 issue of Batman #16 created by Bob Kane and Don Cameron. He would be reformed as Alfred Pennyworth by Batman Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson.
You can take a look at the cover here:
DC Comics describes the synopsis as follows,
“When Alfred attends Gotham Servants School, he is a clumsy and nervous boy going to fulfill his father’s last wish-he will become…a butler. But when he suspects that his new school may be involved in a criminal plot, Alfred must look within himself to see if he has what it takes to be not only a butler, but a hero.”
The book will be released in digital and print editions.
