This Week’s Fan Events: The Dark Knight Manual Signing, Kingdom Hearts 3D Launch

Hey! If you’re in the NYC area, have some spending money ready for a couple of cool new items and don’t mind a bit of queuing up, well, here you go: two events worth getting up early for (or skipping work for if you’re employed and can actually get away for a bit without getting caught by the boss). The first is at Midtown Comics’ downtown location this Thursday where author Brandon T. Snider will be signing copies of the just released (and pretty sweet goodie-packed collectible) Insight Publications book, The Dark Knight Manual.

 

The second event is this Saturday at the Nintendo World Store where Square Enix will unveil the newest in the popular Kingdom Hearts series of games, KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. Both events should be pretty hectic, but I’d say Nintendo has the edge here, as every event I’ve ever been to at the store has been packed with freebie-loving fanboys and girls ready for their close-ups. Anyway, get to both early and enjoy the day if you’re headed to either.

The Dark Knight Rises TV Spots 14 & 15: You’re In Line Already, Right?

Unless, of course you already bought your tickets and are going to step out to the theater and skip the long lines (provided there’s aren’t longer lines for those picking up tickets thanks to some sort of computer glitch). I’ve purposely been avoiding as much info as possible on the story and have even NOT watched all of the TV commercials when they suddenly popped onto my TV, but I finally gave in over the weekend and yeah, this looks like it’s going to be bigger than I thought. Nolan is throwing in everything and the kitchen sink here and I sort of feel bad for any director who wants to take over the series after he’s gone. At this point, unless the movie goes into a comedy/tap dance routine in the middle and has the ending chopped off, there’s no way it’s going to be a bust at the box office.

Mimoco’s MIMOBOT Collection Expands: The Dark Knight Rises & Return of the Jedi USB Flash Drives


You have to love Mimoco’s staying power, as despite the drop in memory prices over the years, the company is still going strong thanks to it’s fun line of 8GB to 64GB USB thumb drives that range from cool street art and anime flavors to their popular line of licensed DC Comics, Hello Kitty and yup, Star Wars-themed drives. Their latest collections are now ready for prime time and it’s a winner for fans of Episode Six and a certain Chris Nolan film that’s bound to blow the doors off the box office worldwide when it hits theaters later this month.

Of course, the company also has big plans to release a few VERY limited edition USB drives, so if you’re headed to this year’s San Diego Comic-Con or Star Wars Celebration VI, you’ll be able to get you hands on one of these awesome Biker Scout MIMOBOT drives (to the left, limited to 1000 units). For San Diego Comic-Con ONLY, there will be a mere 500 of these Bane USB drives (to the right, as if you needed to figure out who was who). Now, I;m not going to either event, but I’ll very most likely be headed to the next New York Comic-Con, whenever that is and of course, next year’s Toy Fair. Sooooo, Mimoco, what’s coming up for 2013, hmmmm? Inquiring minds want to know!

The Dark Knight Rises TV Ad #2: And Then, What Happened?

Sus-pense! At this point, if this film isn’t as long as Lawrence of Arabia, I’ll be very disappointed. Just kidding, but. that said, director Chris Nolan has pretty much pulled out all the stops here and I’m almost convinced that staying home and hunkering down for the inevitable Blu-Ray box set release with all three of his Batman films might be a better idea than running out and seeing this in a theater. Granted, I’ll more likely than not do both, but I want to see what got left out of the theatrical release, as Hollywood likes getting asses in seats like clockwork, sometimes killing a director’s true vision until the home versions hit retail. As always, we shall see…

The Dark Knight Rises… Just In Time To Take Your Ticket Money Early.

Hmmm… there’s over a month to go before its release and they’re selling tickets already? I didn’t know there was a Broadway play version coming (ha ha). Anyway, this pre-selling stuff is obviously in place to give the film a record-breaking box office take for the first day and weekend more than it is to assure everyone who wants to see the film can see it when they want to. Well, I guess as long as you don’t have to wait for those tickets in the mail only to lose them under the stove or go to pick them up at the theater only to get there and forget that you left your receipt stuck to the fridge (with a bat-signal magnet, no less)…

The Dark Knight Manual? “Bruce Wayne” Is Either Really Smart… Or Really Stupid.

How the heck else would you describe him after he goes and writes an actual book called THE DARK KNIGHT MANUAL that features everything you always wanted to know about being Batman, but were afraid to ask?  After some thought, I think he’s being a wee bit TOO smart here, putting all you need to create your very OWN Batcave, suits, gadgets, vehicles and more between 112 pages (with hardcovers for longevity) adding 35+ removable items and sticking it in stores this month for a mere $40. “What’s the deal?” you ask? Well, dear reader, I’d say Mr. Wayne is getting a wee bit tired of the crime fighting gig and wants a LOT of you out there to get cracking on getting into the masked vigilante business so he can enjoy his yacht, planes and champagne drinking nightlife while you do the dirty work. You, yes, YOU can be a part of the Batman franchise by… owning your OWN batman franchise!

Either that, or he’s putting out FAKE plans just to fool a few of the villains who are out to get him by making them pay just to get their hands on plans that aren’t quite the ones he’s using right NOW.  Hmmm… on the other hand, maybe “Bruce Wayne” is just the pen name of some nefarious baddie long forgotten by Chris Nolan, despite doing everything he could to get even the tiniest cameo in the upcoming soon to be blockbuster. My money is on Ali Babble, as he hasn’t been seen in a Batman comic since 1946! That’s a hell of a long time to wait around just to get some revenge! I know I’d have at LEAST Fourteen Peeves if I was left out of the canon for THAT long!

Holy Bookmobile, Batman! Er, Wait… Oh, Just Buy This When You See It.

With The Dark Knight Rises about to blast into theaters this summer, here’s a little cool reading material for you to pore over that makes for an instant conversation starter because it’s an actual BOOK, not some bunch of bits you can flick around with a pinky and cry over when some thugs swipe your e-reader or iThing on the subway. You’ll soon find out there’s NO Batman if that happens (just some cop laughing at you), but if you have this BOOK in your home, you can comfortably fantasize away on your comfy couch about wearing the cowl, cape and boots all you like. Well, until one of your friends steals the book from your house. Damn you, Joker!

Anyway, Batmobile: The Complete History is written by Mark Cotta Vaz with a Q & A foreword featuring Paul Levitz (formerly of DC Comics fame) and Nathan Crowley (the production designer on Chris Nolan’s Batman film trilogy). It’s 148 pages thick, costs $39.95, comes out this month and it’s hardcover (so you can whack someone upside the head if they try and “borrow” your tome of power), featuring over 100 illustrations and photos of Batman’s wheels from 1939 onward. You know you want this book, so I won;t stop you at all from buying it. And yeah, you want an actual Batmobile, too.  But at least ONE of those isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Besides, reading is good for you. And take that utility belt off before you sit down and poke a hole in those cushions with a Batarang or something.

Speaking of Costume Reveals: Anne Hathaway As Catwoman


Hot of the heels of the new Superman costume reveal, here’s the new Catwoman for your approval. This one’s a photo from the official movie site, not one of the MANY unauthorized (but not exactly stopped from being posted everywhere) on-set pics and videos that sprung up last week revealing the new camo-patterned Batmobile and a battle between Batman and Bane (among other interesting tidbits). Still, it’s one less mystery about Nolan’s final entry in his Batman trilogy that should generate even more interest while we all wait for Summer 2012 to roll around.