Japan Gets All The Cool Stuff: Remote Controlled R2-D2 Fridge

Posted on June 12, 2015 by geelw

Okay, I want one of these just so I can see if it’s keeping those cold drinks cold because it’s using Carbonite and not deadly freon gas. I’d imagine Carbonite is somewhat non-toxic given that Han Solo went into the deep freeze long sleep encased in that stuff. On the other hand, it’s probably going to be really hard to open whatever beverage you pop into R2 if it comes out encased in a solid block of cold blackness. Hmmm… maybe this is an Empire plot, folks:

(thanks, love meme!

Anyway, this cool fridge is currently only coming out in Japan at some point this year from Haier’s Japanese branch, but I’d imagine demand for R2 will be high enough that some will end up being imported by those hardcore Star Wars collectors who want EVERYTHING, damn the shipping fees (which will probably cost more than the unit itself).

And hey! Just for fun, here’s a nifty and informative Star Wars infographic that popped into my inbox as this post was being typed. Thanks, Morphsuits!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer 2: TBT Meet TMI, All In Two Minutes Flat

Posted on April 16, 2015 by geelw

Well, the film certainly looks incredible (in that practical FX meets CG manner expected of it), but man did that old Ford get OLD. Well, I’m not getting any younger myself, but yikes. Scary stuff there. All kidding aside, it also looks as if the film won’t skimp on the humorous elements at all, so that’s a good thing. Nothing’s worse that a sci-fi/fantasy flick that tries too hard to take itself seriously (no names here, but some will know of which I speak). I’m betting we see more as the week spools out, what with Star Wars Celebration in full swing and all. Eh, perhaps I’ll save up one day and go to one of those, but that’s only going to REALLy happen if I’m IN a Star Wars flick at this point. Hey, I’d play Darth Faux Hipster Goatee any day of the week!

Ant-Man Trailer: Little Things Mean A Lot (Of Money At The Box Office)

Posted on April 13, 2015 by geelw

Okay, Marvel. You got me again. I wasn’t planning to see Ant-Man until if fell out of the sky and landed on cable, but giving away that train scene made me chuckle enough to be interested in seeing this on a bigger screen. Granted, if this were a more “perfect” world, we’d see a Micronauts/Microman reference in the film that possibly hinted at a sequel or follow-up. But that would be so obscure a reference for younger fans that it would fly over their heads and not even register even as old farts like me burst out laughing when it appeared on screen. Ah well. Let the summer movie season commence, I suppose. I’ll just keep my little big ideas all to myself.

Marvel Mighty Heroes Teaser: Your DeNA Just Got An Adrenaline Shot

Posted on February 23, 2015 by geelw

Here’s a BIG kick in the pants for a Monday, courtesy of the Merry Marvel Marching Society. Okay, not really. it’s actually a brand new mobile game on the way from the folks at DeNA and developer ngmoco. Their upcoming F2P game Marvel Mighty Heroes looks to bring fast-paced tactical co-op action to iOS and Android devices soon. That teaser video above should get you fans motivated enough to pre-register for the game, but I’ll drop the press release below the jump if you need a tiny bit more convincing. Continue reading →

Toy Fair Sunday Musings, Too: May The Force Be With Few!

Posted on February 15, 2015 by geelw

Thank you, Imperial Toy! One, for having one of the more surprisingly cool licensed items at the show (a huge Star Wars bubble machine shaped like R2-D2 that does exactly what it’s supposed to do and makes everyone in the vicinity stop what they’re doing and walk over to check it out). Its also surprisingly affordable. I’ll post pics of R2 tomorrow, as I shot photos with another camera and (duh!) can’t seem to find the USB cable (duh!)

Oh, and two, for giving me the nice silver-colored bubble lightsaber just for stopping by their booth to check out R2. Apparently, its one of only a thousand made for the show. Nice. Id love to have a blue one as well, but I don’t mind waiting for the normal white sabers to hit retail and add one of those to the collection.

Funko Hikari Friday: Greedo, For The One Who Shoots First!

Posted on January 30, 2015 by geelw

This week, Funko is giving ONE lucky winner a chance to win a really cool new Hikari Premium Vinyl figure. If you’re looking at that picture below and grinning, that’s even better because you’re a fan of the original unadulterated version of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and know that Greedo didn’t shoot first. Han put a hole-sized hole in him (Her? It?) before he got blasted and no amount of wonky CG reediting will change that. Yeah, we like our space rogues more rogue-like, grrr! Anyway, behold Original Greedo Hikari Premium Sofubi Figure (# 1 of 2000, no laser hole):

As usual, entering to win is a snap. Hit up one or all of Funko’s social media sites:

Facebook!
Twitter
Instagram

Follow the rules (they’re simple!), enter and hold your breath for a week until you’re as blue as that alien collectible you’re trying to win. If you’re still breathing next week around Thursday or so, check your inbox and if you win, exhale and thank yourself for having some fantastic lung capacity. Good luck and make sure to pop back in for next week’s giveaway!

Funko Makes Hikari Friday Twice as Marvel-ous!

Posted on December 12, 2014 by geelw

So, Funko is back to a double giveaway week and let’s see now… it’s an all-Marvel freebie festival this time. Well, okay, it’s only two figures, but you know you want them and would have a little festival if you did indeed win. Or one, actually. Anyway, here’s what’s up for grabs this Friday: You can walk away with #1 of 1500 of this Classic Deadpool Premium Hikari Sofubi Figure:

Or #1 of 1000 of this Entertainment Earth exclusive: Planet X Groot Premium Hikari Sofubi Figure:

As usual, entering is simple, as is winning should your entry be chosen. Just hit one of Funko’s social sites:

Facebook!
Twitter!
Instagram!

Follow the instructions and that’s that. Winners are contacted the following Thursday, so patience is a virtue. If you don’t win and still want, you can buy Deadpool starting in March 2015 at a Funko retailer near you while Entertainment Earth will be shipping out Groot in January. As always, good luck and have a great weekend!

Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Have a SUPER Monday With These Heroic Gift Ideas…

Posted on December 1, 2014 by geelw

Like it or not, you just can’t get away from superhero-themed gifts anymore. Most of us creaky adults who grew up with a TV in the house can probably recall those holidays and other special occasions where we got our favorite caped or non-caped hero (or villain!) in a box as an action figure or printed on some sort of common object that was now even more special.
This has pretty much always been a successful business for companies jumping on the licensing bandwagon, but the sheer amount of retailers stocking these goods today is staggering. This of course is good for you as a consumer because loads of choice means plenty of retailers socking it out for your hard earned shekels. Anyway, here are another bunch of cool items to spend your loot on and sure, you can get me something if you feel like it!
Continue reading →

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Teaser: Turning the Internet Into Hype-Our-Space…

Posted on November 28, 2014 by geelw

Well, color me interested, but not quite yet convinced. This teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakened is too short, but it looks as if the effects teams have been hard at work with over a year to go. Or at least they’ve just done up scenes for this trailer that show they’re on the case and not planning to blow it:

(Thanks, Star Wars UK!)

I have no questions as of yet other than wondering who’s flying the Millennium Falcon in that short clip and why that yet to be revealed dark Jedi has the second most impractical lightsaber I’ve ever seen. But I can wait for that reveal in some other trailer. I’m gathering this one movie will have the most teasers and trailers released for it of anything coming in 2015 just because Disney wants to show that the Star Wars license is in good hands. I didn’t think so when I heard the news and soon enough, saw Mickey ears on a Darth Vader helmet (wtf?) and I think Goofy dressed up as Darth as a plush doll (yikes!). But I’ll pay less attention to the licensing on this film because there will be THOUSANDS of new products coming to rake in the dough from the rubes and all I want to see is a decent new film in this series.

December 2015 will be here sooner than you think, given the way time has flown this year. I may be too ancient to fall for marketing and merchandising tactics, but I’ll see this if it’s as entertaining as the original was. I’m also holding out for the trailer where J.J. has people jumping off something high, as next to lens flare overuse it’s a trademark in all his films for some oddball reason. As usual, we shall see, right?

Marvel Studios Pretty Much Has You Covered on the Superhero Flick Front…

Posted on October 29, 2014 by geelw

Yeah, it’s like that now. Rather than cover that crazy and reveal-packed press conference from yesterday, I’ll just drop dates and let you go get started on the line waiting, day-planning and other activities so you work AROUND these release dates which seem to be set in some sort of mystical stone. Yeah, it’s going to be a really busy five years for all those actors, writers, directors and even busier pre- and post-production teams:

Avengers: Age of Ultron – May 1, 2015

Ant-Man – July 17, 2015

Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016

Doctor Strange – November 4, 2016

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – May 5, 2017

Thor: Ragnarok – July 28, 2017

Black Panther – November 3, 2017

Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 – May 4, 2018

Captain Marvel – July 6, 2018

Inhumans – November 2, 2018

Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 – May 3, 2019

I’m not usually one to zip out to a theater on opening week, as I hate those crowds and their unpredictable antics, sticky seats and the usual screaming child who doesn’t belong there that makes any movie stink. That said, I do like that there’s a plan for all these films to tie in together somehow and be one big arc that takes these characters somewhere. Even if it’s to places I don’t normally venture. Yeah, they’re all still comic book movies, but they’re getting more watchable as time goes on and not less to some extent. I don’t even want to know what that eventual box set of whatever will look like. Then again, I’d say there’s going to be a division in how people get films by then, but no matter what, a segment of those fans WILL want something physical to hold in their hot little hands and pop into a player of some sort…