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Grumpy Cat Has Died. The Internet Mourns.

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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Grumpy Cat Has Died. The Internet Mourns.

The internet is an even sadder place to be now. Grumpy Cat has passed away at the age of 7.

The family of dear Grumpy Cat broke the news on Twitter yesterday.

The perpetually pissed off pussy accomplished more in her 7 short years than most humans, according to CNN. She was not only one of the biggest memes in internet history, but also an author, an award winner, a socialite, a fashionista and a movie star.

(Okay, okay. Maybe we don’t want to remember Grumpy Cat for the Lifetime movie.)

The Internet Mourns Grumpy Cat

While the internet is fiercely divided these days, everyone seemed to agree that the world is a worse place without Grumpy Cat. Even major mainstream media outlets mourned her passing.

And my personal favorite…

Of course, here’s The Onion’s hot take.

The secret origin of Grumpy Cat?

According to Mental Floss, Grumpy was born on April 4, 2012 in Morristown, Arizona.
Grumpy’s unique look comes from feline dwarfism and an underbite. She became an internet sensation when the owners posted a photo of her on Reddit in September 2012.

Grumpy has a brother named Pokey. “He’s black and white, but he does have dwarfism, so he’s super short and cute too,” owner Tabatha said. “His face isn’t as frowny as hers, but he does have an underbite.”

Grumpy Cat’s actual name was Tarder Sauce — not Tartar Sauce. She was apparently called “Tard” for short.

The unofficial theory is that she was originally named “Tard” because, well, reasons. But once she got famous, the owners needed to come up with a (somewhat) plausible reason for calling her that.

The official story is that she was given that name because of Grumpy’s original orangeish coloring and that the owner was working at Red Lobster at the time. (Even the New Yorker seems pretty skeptical. Heh.)

She’ll always be “Grumpy Cat” to most of the world, and she’ll be missed.

Anime NYC Bans “Fascist” Cosplay of ‘Tanya the Evil’ (while promoting it on Twitter)

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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Anime NYC Bans “Fascist” Cosplay of ‘Tanya the Evil’ (while promoting it on Twitter)

You simply can’t make this stuff up.

Anime NYC has posted on their rules page that they’re going to enforce a ban on cosplay that promotes “hate groups” and “fascism” — even purely fictitious organizations. One of the anime that is strictly forbidden to cosplay as? Tanya the Evil.

And what was the official Anime NYC account promoting on Twitter just a couple of days ago? Tanya the Evil.

Naturally, some anime fans were eager to point out their hypocrisy.

Also forbidden from cosplay at Anime NYC? Real or fictitious “hate groups” including characters from Hellsing, Indiana Jones and even Captain America. That’s right — you can’t even cosplay as the Red Skull or a Hydra agent.

While a ban on explicitly Nazi cosplay might make sense in today’s political climate, I can’t for the life of me understand why they’d ban something like Tanya the Evil. The anime doesn’t even feature Nazis — it takes place in an alternate World War I.

So what else does the ban cover? There’s that mysterious “etc.,” after all. What if you wanted to cosplay as Cobra Commander? He hates the Joes and America. Is Cobra considered a “hate group?”

This is utterly ridiculous, and it leads into a bigger issue.

This is just another example of how overly-sensitive and easily offended the anime scene has become of late.

Syfy Wire is offended by the military uniforms in ACCA. Because NAHTZEES!
Syfy Wire is offended by the military uniforms in ACCA. Because NAHTZEES!

There seems to be an effort to turn anime into a kinder, gentler shell of itself. Blogs like Syfy Wire have been decrying “fascist” imagery in anime for months now, and other “geek” blogs have been taking shots at anime like The Rising of the Shield Hero and Goblin Slayer.

And many of the companies that control the American dubbed anime scene (most notably Crunchyroll and Funimation) have been accused by some anime fans of going too far left politically as of late.

Given that Anime NYC works closely with the likes of Crunchyroll, it’s no real surprise that they’d ban anything that could even remotely be mistaken for a Nazi uniform by someone who is likely both poorly educated and easily triggered.

Even if the cosplay ban overreaches and explicitly includes popular anime characters that they otherwise promote.

Dumb.

Anyway, check out more of our thoughts in the video below.

[Hat Tip: One Angry Gamer]

Forbes Admits that the Comic Book Industry is on the Decline (Well, DUH!)

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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Forbes Admits that the Comic Book Industry is on the Decline (Well, DUH!)

Despite comic book industry pundits and professionals (as well as wannabes) fiercely debating comics bloggers and YouTubers about the state of the industry, the decline of the industry has just become too damn obvious to ignore.

A recent article in Forbes talking about the Oni Press and Lion Forge merger bluntly states that the comic book direct market is declining and that comic shops are dying.

“Industry representatives will be quick to note that 2018 was the biggest year on record for the business, and that publishers brought in nearly $1.1 billion in sales,” says Kidman. “But that number hasn’t changed a great deal in the last four years, and most of the growth was in children’s graphic novels (sales at Scholastic book fairs are way up), not in issues of superhero comics from Marvel or DC. Sales at comic book shops have been declining.”

Well, that took them long enough.

At best, comic shop sales are flatlining. At worst, they’re far more dire than we’re led to believe due to some new categories being counted (such as crowdfunding and Amazon) for the very first time in 2018.

Hey, comic shops don’t close almost monthly and publishers don’t merge in desperation in a healthy direct market. I’m just saying.

The article also goes on to state that the end goal of most comic book publishers is a Hollywood deal. Meanwhile crowdfunding is exploding, such in the case of the Earthworm Jim IndieGoGo.

Comics YouTubers have been calling this for YEARS — all the while being heckled by comics pros on Twitter, on comics blogs and elsewhere.

Check out the video below for more of our thoughts!

[Source: Forbes]

‘Batwoman’ Trailer Downvoted to Oblivion on YouTube

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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‘Batwoman’ Trailer Downvoted to Oblivion on YouTube

Move over, Captain Marvel. The trailer for the CW’s new Batwoman series has dropped, and she wants Carol Danvers to hold her beer. There’s a new HER-o in town, boys.

So far the internet doesn’t seem to be taking to the Batwoman trailer, as it currently has 35,000 upvotes compared to 79,000 downvotes on YouTube.

Yikes! That’s na na na na na na na NOT GOOD!

While some of the downvotes could be attributed to good old fashioned trolling, it would seem to suggest that a lot of people just aren’t down with what they’ve seen so far in the teaser.

Last year, Batwoman star Ruby Rose was driven off of Twitter by mob accusations of not being Jewish enough for the role of Kate Kane, or “gay enough” despite the actress being LGBTQ.

Our Opinion on the Batwoman Trailer…

Oh boy. It’s complicated.

Ruby Rose’s Batwoman mentions she’s a woman, like, 500 times in this trailer. And when she’s not telling you how kickass women are, the background music does. Is the cringe real, or blown completely out of proportion?

Check out the video below for our thoughts!

What does the Green Milk from The Last Jedi taste like? Kinda fruity.

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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0
What does the Green Milk from The Last Jedi taste like? Kinda fruity.

One of the most infamous scenes from Rian Johnsons’ divisive Star Wars: The Last Jedi featured sad sack Jedi Luke Skywalker getting some green milk straight from the alien teet.

Everyone (and by that I mean no one) wanted to know what this thick green liquid tasted like. And now — thanks to the magic of Disney — we’ll soon have our answer.

Both green and blue milk will be available for purchase in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge when the new themed land opens in Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Judging by the official description, they both taste kinda fruity.

Blue Milk
Coconut and Rice Milks with flavors of Dragon Fruit, Pineapple, Lime, and Watermelon

Green Milk
Coconut and Rice Milks with flavors of Mandarin Orange, Passion Fruit, Grapefruit, and Orange Blossom

So basically like the milk leftover in the bottom of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles?

The milks are described as “frozen beverages” and will be available at a milk cart in Galaxy’s Edge. Hey, I guess it’s better than luke warm?

[Source: PNP]

‘Earthworm Jim’ Comic Book Crowdfunds Over $100,000 in 24 Hours on IndieGoGo

Thom 'Kneon' Pratt
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0
‘Earthworm Jim’ Comic Book Crowdfunds Over $100,000 in 24 Hours on IndieGoGo

Prepare to eat dirt! Earthworm Jim is coming back in comic book form.

Hot on the heels of an announcement that ’90s gaming icon Earthworm Jim is making a comeback on the upcoming Intellivision Amico game console, creator Doug TenNapel has launched a crowdfunding campaign for a new graphic novel on IndieGoGo.

Crowdfunding is arguably the best way to make a living in comics these days, and 1990s nostalgia is hot. Both came together for an incredibly impressive $100,000 plus 24-hour debut when Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow, well, launched on May 13th.

Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow is the definitive origin story of the video game hero, according to TenNapel.

This isn’t Eisner-Winner Doug TenNapel’s first six figure crowdfunded comic book project.

TenNapel is no stranger to six figure crowdfunding campaigns for his comic book projects. Last year he launched Bigfoot Bill on IndieGoGo, which racked up nearly $200,000. Given that Earthworm Jim has a large built-in fan base, and that the campaign has over $150,000 after just a few days, it’s realistic to assume that Jim will easily make over $200,000.

Prior to switching to IndieGoGo, TenNapel had several successful crowdfunding campaigns on Kickstarter.

IndieGoGo is the new go-to for crowdfunded comics?

It’s interesting to note that many comics creators are switching to IndieGoGo from Kickstarter, despite the latter boasting $16 million in crowdfunded comics in 2018. IndieGoGo was often seen as an “also ran” for comics creators who couldn’t launch a campaign based on geography or some other reason.

However, more and more IndieGoGo campaigns are racking up impressive six figure numbers. This is in stark contrast to the declining mainstream comic book industry.

Weirdly enough, most mainstream comics blog barely cover the IndieGoGo campaigns, while giving plenty of coverage to Kickstarter campaigns that do significantly less in funding.

There’s still a demand for comic books, clearly, but not enough to sustain a dwindling number of comic book retailers. Direct-to-consumer seems to be the way of the future for those who still wish to create comics for a living.

Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow is scheduled to drop in December of 2019.

Now, go watch a cow being launched while you wait.

Official Godzilla Website Launched by Toho Co.

Kambrea 'Geeky Sparkles' Pratt
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Official Godzilla Website Launched by Toho Co.

Toho Co. had created the first-ever official website for Godzilla!

The new site allows fans a look at the history of Godzilla and the kaiju as well as upcoming projects, art, wallpapers a monsterpedia and more! It launched on May 7th, 2019.

(Godzilla site menu)

Comicbook.com had some exclusive comments from Keiji Ota, CGO (Chief Godzilla Officer) at Toho Co.

“We’re thrilled to unleash a world of content around our most beloved Godzilla. Fans have been longing for a universe that celebrates the all-mighty king of monsters and Godzilla.com delivers the most exciting news and stories about upcoming events, new merchandise and special releases as we commemorate the 65th anniversary of Godzilla.”

The site is going to be updated with news, contests, new products, trailers, art events and more!

There’s also a list of all the films with release dates and information and a Monsterpedia that will be updated with monsters as the site progresses.

My favorite part is the option to turn a “rumble” feature on or off when you visit the site.  Turn it on to try it out!

I can’t wait for Godzilla: King of the Monsters to hit theaters on May 31st! In the meantime check out the Godzilla site!

Source: Comicbook.com, Godzilla.com

 

 

‘Stranger Things’ The Upside Down Legos Are Coming!

Kambrea 'Geeky Sparkles' Pratt
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0
‘Stranger Things’ The Upside Down Legos Are Coming!

Are you a LEGO fan? How about Stranger Things?

If you’ve answered “yes” to either or both questions then I’ve got some incredible news for you!

New LEGO Stranger Things 75810 Set is Coming!

LEGO has posted some teasers on Twitter for a few days now.

They’re so fun! Just watch!

 

This new set will have approximately 2287 pieces and will have eight Minifigures. By the box they are figures of Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, Hopper, Joyce, and a Demogorgon (I think he might have 2 heads so you can switch from open mouth to closed too!)

I’m not sure if we will get more sets based on the show or just this one, but it would be cool to have sets of the cabin, Hawkins Middle School, Hawkins lab, the arcade, a Bionicle type Mind Flayer (my son’s suggestion) or even the new Starcourt Mall! A Steve in a sailor suit figure would be kind of fun.

Here’s a look at the box and the set thanks to geekculture.co

I love how it’s our world and The Upside Down!

Plus they have Hopper’s station wagon!

This is one of the coolest things ever. We haven’t really bought LEGOs in awhile, but this one might have to be purchased! It’s just so creative and cool!

Here are some detail shots (you can visit geekculture to see more!)

No details on the release date have been announced yet, but we will make sure to keep you posted if we hear anything!

Remember the 3rd season of Stranger Things will premier on Netflix on the 4th of July!

Are you excited? I know I am!

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Source: Geekculture.co

New ‘Spider-Man Far From Home Trailer’ Dropped –End Game Spoiler Warning

Kambrea 'Geeky Sparkles' Pratt
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0
New ‘Spider-Man Far From Home Trailer’ Dropped –End Game Spoiler Warning

Today Marvel dropped a new trailer for the upcoming Spider-Man Far From Home movie. It does contain spoilers for Avengers: End Game, so if you have not seen it yet you probably do not want to watch the trailer.

Honesty, most of the spoilers are out anyways though.

Rumors have been circulating about how Avengers: End Game will open up a multiverse and it appears that is indeed correct.

This is really smart as it can open up Marvel to recasting characters to play aging super-heroes in other films. I don’t know how the fans will take that, but it gives them the option. They can also bring actors back that have had characters that died in “our universe” or characters we haven’t seen yet, like Miles Morales.

Either way, it looks really good. I am definitely more excited about this one than I was for Avengers: End Game. Still not as much as Godzilla, but close!

Spider-man Far From Home swings into theaters July 2nd!

What do you think? Comment and let us know!

Star Wars Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew Passed Away at Age 74

Kambrea 'Geeky Sparkles' Pratt
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Star Wars Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew Passed Away at Age 74

It’s a sad day to be a Star Wars fan.

Actor Peter Mayhew, the loveable walking carpet from several Star Wars films, has passed away at age 74. Mr. Mayhew died at his home in Texas on May 2, 2019. No cause of death has been mentioned yet.

As someone who loves the classic Star Wars films, it’s a sad day.  We’ve been around pop culture and comic conventions for many years and every time Peter Mayhew was a guest people were so excited and told wonderful stories about how kind and gracious he was.

Star Wars Co-stars and George Lucas made statements about his passing:

 

George Lucas made this statement:

“Peter was a wonderful man. He was the closest any human being could be to a Wookiee: big heart, gentle nature…and I learned to always let him win. He was a good friend and I’m saddened by his passing.”

Mr. Mayhew’s official Twitter Account Posted this:

It’s hard to lose such iconic and wonderful people. First we lost Carrie Fisher and now Peter Mayhew.

Kiss a wookie in their memory.

Source: Twitter

Image credit: Hollywood Reporter

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