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Midsummer Scream 2019 to Feature Immersive World Building Panel

2019/04/24

Geek News, Halloween, News, Screenshots / Photos

LONG BEACH, CA – Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror fan convention, will assemble some of the top names in immersive world building on Sunday, August 4, at the Long Beach Convention Center.

The art of creative immersive experiences for guests – whether it be a terrifying haunt, theatrical production, or pop-up attraction – has become big business in the entertainment world. Southern California is home to many of the brightest minds and hottest talents in the industry, and Midsummer Scream is bringing some of them together on one stage to discuss their own experiences and creative processes with their fans!

World Building: Creating Alternate Realities and Immersive Experiences will feature film industry veteran Jon Braver, creator of the Delusion franchise; Bonnie Hallman, Director of Creative at Mycotoo, who has contributed greatly to Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor, Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s Horror Made Here, and both Westworld and Game of Thrones for SXSW; Justin Fix, founder of JFI Productions, creator of Creep Los Angeles, and The Willows; Aaron Keeling, Co-Founder of E3W Productions, writer/director of The House on Pine Street, and immersive productions including In Another Room, At the Bitter End, and collaboration with the Overlook Film Festival; and film director Darren Lynn Bousman, director of Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera, and creator of The Tension Experience. Noah Nelson, Founder of No Proscenium, and Co-Founder of LEIA – the League of Experiential & Immersive Artists, will moderate the discussion.

“Immersive experiences have become a large draw for audiences wanting to become even more entangled in fantasy worlds, whether all-new concepts created from scratch by their creators, such as time travel at Delusion, into the haunting home of The Willows, or as part of marketing campaigns for existing franchises such as Westworld or Game of Thrones,” says Midsummer Scream Executive Director David Markland. “There’s no way to celebrate the darker side of themed entertainment and not have this evolving, popular segment of the industry in the spotlight at this year’s show. This is going to be an must-see presentation for many of the most dedicated fans out there.”

Tickets are on sale now at MidsummerScream.org. More news and information regarding Midsummer Scream 2019 will be announced in the weeks and months ahead.

Universal Studios Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle Show Review

2019/04/19

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News

We were recently treated to an viewing of the new “Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle” light show at Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal has previously had various light shows at Hogwarts Castle, but this was a first dedicated to the darker side of the Harry Potter mythos. The mix of pinpoint-accurate projection mapping, incredible score, and even the use of high tech drones graces this show, making it one of the most jaw-dropping shows at Universal Studios. And, that’s saying a lot, as Universal has some pretty great shows.

The projection mapping and inclusion of fog effects and more really helped the light show come to life. I am consistently impressed by what Universal Studios has done with regards to this kind of show. We have seen some good projection mapping before, but nothing like this. The score of the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle Show was arranged by William Ross and recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra in London. Of course, the score was initially composed by the irreplaceable John Williams, but Ross does an outstanding job of arranging the music in creative and new ways that would make Williams proud.

One of the coolest things about the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle show is the use of light-emitting drones. Similar to what we’ve seen at the Olympics and the Super Bowl, these drones play an integral part of the show and create yet another layer to its complex canvas. If you are able to catch a showing of the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle, I highly recommend doing so before it’s gone for good!

It is my utmost hope that this signals a willingness of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to go a little darker and maybe stay open for Halloween Horror Nights – perhaps with some Death Eater and Lord Voldemort based entertainment! Time will tell on this point, but a guy can dream…

Preview the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle now during the select nights:

April 13-28 and May 25-27

You can find out more about the show, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood, at the following link:

https://www.universalstudioshollywood.com/things-to-do/entertainment/dark-arts-at-hogwarts-castle/

Aquaman Exhibit at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Review

2019/04/01

Jerry Paxton

Misc Review, News, Reviews

Recently, we got the chance to check out the new Aquaman collection at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s DC Universe: The Exhibition. Our day started out very well with some nice still-Wintery weather gracing our drive to Burbank. We pulled onto the lot and got all checked-in, then waited for our appointment to see the collection. We’d like to thank Warner Bros. PR for helping make our visit possible. Upon entering the exhibit, we were treated by a full Aquaman hero costume and an actual first edition copy of Aquaman #1 that is kept in DC’s vaults – an extremely impressive sight to behold.

We then were able to walk around the gallery, looking at a number of props and costumes from the film. The Black Manta costume is absolutely stunning with its matte and shiny black paneling and vibrant red, glowing eyes. Not coming up short in any respect, the rest of the costumes were all equally amazing, with intricate scale work and design. Being able to get so close to them gives one a new respect for film costume designers. So much character gets conveyed in a costume. Also in the DC Universe exhibit hall is the Wonder Woman collection, featuring props and costumes from the epic film staring Gal Gadot. You can even take your picture in front of a large standee of Wonder Woman and her team posing for the camera.

We enjoyed the exhibit for a short while then had to set off for our full studio tour, which was an adventure all its own. The Warner Bros. studio lot is historic, with an insane number of movies and television programs having been shot there. We got to see the last remaining exterior set from the films Casablanca (1943), locations from The Big Bang Theory and Friends, as well as an innumerable amount of others. Tickets for the standard tour run $69 dollars each for adults. The whole experience lasted about three hours, so it’s entirely worth and and a must-see if your’re a fan of film.

You too can visit the Aquaman exhibit at the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. Just check out the tour’s official website for ticket information and more.

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Las Vegas Toy and Comic Convention 2019 Postmortem

2019/03/23

Ripper71

Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews

Las Vegas Toy and Comic Convention is one of our favorite conventions we attend all year which is kind of interesting when you consider the many conventions of so many sizes we attend every year. I recently attended one that filled almost every hotel room in all of Las Vegas, now I’m looking forward to one that consists almost entirely of locals. I went almost six weeks sick in a row from hitting conventions and shows one right after the next, I was like a float at a cold/flu parade. It’s all worth it though when Vegas ToyCon hits town again.

This year it was held in part of the convention center at the Westgate Hotel And Casino, a place I have attended conventions previous years and they have some great hall rooms with retractable walls so that the room is as big as needed and small enough to not look like there is too much empty space. This show has appeared in a variety of locations and there almost always seem to wind up spread out, sometimes on different floors. When considering the talent they get every year this can really be a problem, especially with the new sub conventions happening at the show. The Garbage Pail Kids got anchored by Joe Simko a few years ago and now there is such a whole slew of GPK artists that they get their own section called Gross Card Con! I spent so much time in there checking out all the amazing art from kids books to Rat Fink designs and one of my personal favorites Sketch Shirts where you buy the shirt and commission an artist to sketch on it. Talk about a shirt you don’t want to see somebody accidentally thrown in the wash…

On both sides of Gross Card Con Alley were artists who designed toy cars, create their own comic books and steampunk photography. These people are all very cool and down to earth, they love talking just about anything geek which pervaded the whole convention. Oh the variety and quality of the toys and art creations for sale, it’s a good thing I don’t take credit cards to the event. This is a good time to say one of the reasons I love this event, people come back every year, both as attendees and exhibitors, and are so genuinely happy to see each other. A couple of us were talking to one of the artists we have known for years and we suddenly got a big hug from behind by a vendor we are close friends with. When stop by his booth next and while we are there I get a pat on the back and one of the comic artists tells me where his booth is. It is such a friendly con that we even notice those who didn’t make it this year and we made plans to try to get in touch with them afterwards. At the far end of the con next to many of the toy cars was the Arizona Outlaws Hot Wheels Racing Club that laid down for racing lanes that let you pit your car against three others. If you don’t have a toy car of your own to race the guys are always nice, friendly and come with a whole bunch of cars just in case you don’t bring your own (I brought 5). They even have some great nightly competitions so if you get a chance to check them out make sure that you do.

Coverage for this con would be highly remiss if I didn’t mention the autograph booths available. That doesn’t mean one or two people… there were dozens of people there for photos and signings. It was mostly split up into two groups: those who they could have in a spot with a qoue and those who were brought into a closed curtain meetup. Most of the former TV and movie stars they were able to have right next to each other with lines stretching out but luckily they knew to have the closed curtain for all the WWE stars that were in the house. The lines for Becky Lynch, Asuka, Seth Rollins and Randy Orton were so long that they had to stretch the line towards the conventions walls and they added signing days to the weekend, it helped a bit but the lines just get crazy with WWE stars I know from previous conventions. That doesn’t mean the other celebrities didn’t get their lines in front of their booths, personally seeing Erik Estrada and Larry Wilcox of CHiPs standing side by side was pretty amazing, they were a couple of my heroes growing up.

Last bit of mentioning needs to go to Wild Bill’s Olde Fashion Soda where you could buy a mug for free refills that day and $5 a day after that… at any event they are at! I plan to start having my mug strapped to a backpack.

Las Vegas Toy and Comic Convention seems to just get a bit better every year and being in one ballroom of the Westgate instead of spread all over the place is a huge jump especially since the parking is free during it. If you like anything from original G.I. Joe in the packaging to a handful of dollar comics or beautiful artist work about Tombstone or the different Gross Card Con parodies of Tombstone Pizza you will start to see familiar and friendly faces every year. It’s a lot of fun to geek out with friends.

Knott’s Boysenberry Festival Tasting Event 2019

2019/03/18

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, News, Screenshots / Photos

The Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival starts on March 29, 2019 and runs through April 28, 2019 – just under one month of Boysenberry-flavored fun. Recently, we were invited to Knott’s Berry Farm for a tasting event to sample the various Boysenberry goods guests will encounter once the festival begins. We arrived at the park just prior to our check in time and got escorted to the Wilderness Dance Hall (which is often the home to various goodies for their seasonal events). It also used to be the home of some great Knott’s Scary Farm mazes, but I digress… We walked into the Wilderness Dance Hall and found a variety of food and drink stations, while in the center of the hall sat a table with everything laid out for photographs.

The two feet long hot dog

I was absolutely blown away by the various items for sampling. All were very tasty and I didn’t find one “dud” among them. The boysenberry sausage and elote were amazing while the boysenberry-infused jambalaya was spicy yet-sweet. I even liked the boysenberry boba drink which I initially thought would be too sweet. In addition, Yogurtland has teamed up with Knott’s to host a boysenberry frozen yogurt flavor – talk about synergy! I tried the vanilla/boysenberry swirl flavor and absolutely loved it. Boysenberry can be rather strong on its own and is often best served along with something else. Vanilla is great as it adds an overall smoothness to the coupling. Along with the various good offerings, there were a number of wineries and breweries on-hand, allowing media to sample their wares which they thought paired best with the food at their station.

Boysenberry Elote

There were a couple items on display that we did not get a chance to taste – things like the two feet long hot dog and “The Berry Beast”, a sandwich with pork loin, bacon, onions, and boysenberry. Both items looked amazing and I am anxious to try them on the full Boysenberry Festival media day later this month. It was an absolutely gigantic sandwich that I can only pray will fit in my belly! Unlike past years, I could not find ONE item I disliked. Everything was at least “good”, with many being what I would call “very good”. I was craving more of that jambalaya for the rest of the night.

The Berry Beast on Display

Aside from the food and drink stations, the tasting event had a table with the various Boysenberry Festival merchandise that will be sold during the event. Pins, socks, shirts, patches, and more all too center stage at this table. I was especially interested in the commemorative pin and patch set – although I could see myself wearing some Boysenberry Festival socks to work… We shall see how much I spend on merchandise for the media day. There was also a small tasting area on this table for boysenberry fudge which was amazing. It was located at this table because, technically, it will be made at the candy shop in the park’s Ghost Town area.

Overall, the food and drink options of the Knott’s Boysenberry Festival will be sure to delight and satiate hungry guests once it opens its doors on March 29th. You can find ticket information, park hours, and more over at the Knott’s Berry Farm website.

Boysenberry Festival Tasting Event Photo Gallery

World War Z Screenshots Released

2019/01/15

Jerry Paxton

Screenshots / Photos

MAPLEWOOD, N.J. – Jan. 15, 2019 – World War Z, Saber Interactive’s upcoming four-player co-op multiplayer game inspired by the hit blockbuster movie, launches later this year on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Windows PC. Today, get a gruesome taste of horde-killing action with newly unveiled screenshots, along with the game’s striking key art.

Outlive the dead through each group of survivors’ unique storylines, as they run from and battle massive hordes of zombies powered by Saber’s advanced Swarm Engine. Survive a series of heart-pounding co-operative campaigns across a series of international locations, including Moscow, Jerusalem and New York. The relentless swarms act as real crowds, as zombies trip over obstacles, squeeze through tight spaces, and climb on top of each other to reach players no matter where they try to hide.

And stay tuned for even more World War Z news soon!

World War Z releases in 2019 on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC via the Epic Games store. For more information, visit http://wwzgame.com/ and follow the game on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WWZGame, Twitter @WWZTheGame, and Instagram @WWZGame.

FoxNext Unveils Alien: Blackout Mobile Game

2019/01/07

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Mobile News, News

January 7, 2018 – FoxNext Games and D3 Go! today revealed a new chapter in the Alien franchise: Alien: Blackout, a premium survival horror mobile game developed by Rival Games and Theory Interactive that picks up the saga of Amanda Ripley between the films Alien and Aliens.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzWQwBEmkGw[/embedyt]

In Alien: Blackout, players assume the role of Amanda Ripley, trapped aboard a crippled Weyland-Yutani space station carrying a blood-thirsty creature. Players will need to survive increasingly challenging, fear-inducing levels by balancing the controls of the space station’s emergency systems to skillfully guide their crew to safety and avoid encounters with the enemy. The unpredictability of both the mysterious alien and the ultimate fate of the crew will force players to make life or death decisions that permanently alter the outcome of the game

A first look at the heart-pounding action of Alien: Blackout can be found here.

A Plague Tale: Innocence New Screenshots

2018/12/06

boothby

Geek News, News, PlayStation 4 News, Screenshots / Photos, Windows PC News, Xbox One News

December 6, 2018 – A Plague Tale: Innocence is the gorgeous, evocative new adventure game from Asobo Studio, coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2019. Rats swarm and chaos descends over medieval France as war rages. Young siblings Amicia and Hugo must make their way through the desolate and plague-ridden landscapes as they search for shelter. Today’s brand new screenshots showcase just how beautiful and varied a world Asobo have built for their adventure, and the incredible characters created to explore it.

As game development veterans, Asobo have used their own engine to push current generation hardware as far as possible with A Plague Tale: Innocence. Environments range through medieval castles and villages, catacombs, wasteland battlefields, and verdant forests – each with its own unique look and feel. Characters will react with real emotion to the situations around them, be it Hugo’s fear at his unfamiliar surroundings or the determination of Amicia to save her little brother.

A Plague Tale: Innocence tells a grim and emotional story, sending us on a journey through medieval France, with gameplay blending adventure, action, and stealth, supported by a compelling, moving story. Follow Amicia and Hugo De Rune, two lost children trying to survive a harsh, brutal world plagued by the Black Death. On the run from the Inquisition, and surrounded by the unnatural swarms of rats that appeared with the disease, Amicia and Hugo embark on a rocky journey that will not leave them unscathed.

A Plague Tale: Innocence releases in 2019 for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC

Knott’s Merry Farm 2018 Review

2018/11/20

Jerry Paxton

Geek News, Misc Review, News, Reviews, Screenshots / Photos

The 2018 holiday season has returned and, with it, comes Knott’s Merry Farm – a transformation of Knott’s Berry Farm into a Christmas wonderland. This year, Knott’s Merry Farm features a variety of shows, attractions, and culinary delights that will please both young and old.

Stepping into Ghost Town, guests are immediately greeting by the Christmas Crafts Village, a collection of vendors lining the Old Western town’s streets. The vendors sell an array of wares, from soaps to signs to art prints and a whole lot more. The craft village is a great place to look for unexpected holiday gifts for your friends and loved ones. Near the far end of the Christmas Craft Village, you’ll run into Santa’s Christmas Cabin. This is a terrific place – a magical place – full of holiday treats like green apples smothered in REAL caramel – not just caramel sauce. Aside from the caramel apples, you can also get roasted nuts, hot chocolate, some adult beverages, and a whole lot more. Also at the cabin, you’ll be able to take a picture with the big man himself: Santa Clause!

The holiday treats are not just in Santa’s Christmas Cabin! You can also find special holiday bites at various food vendors around the park, so keep your eyes open. In addition to food, Knott’s Merry Farm is selling holiday themed items for the season – such as the mystery bags, fudge bites, or even the interactive Ghost Town lanterns, but more on that later!

Walking the streets of Ghost Town are the Calico Carolers, who deserve special mention for their singing and bell-ringing talents. They put on a great, mobile show all day long. Speaking of shows, this year Knott’s Merry Farm is chock full of them. The Calico Saloon Christmas Show is back, along with characters Cameo Kate and Dakota Dan, at the Calico Saloon. At the Bird Cage Theater, guests can enjoy two holiday stage plays from the Knott’s melodrama company: The Gift of the Magi and A Christmas Carol. Each of the shows are somewhat abbreviated, just short enough to keep the attention of the small ones and long enough to make for a restful stop for the older ones. In Campy Snoopy, family’s can enjoy A Peanuts Guide to Christmas. In this stage show, the Peanuts gang shares fun pieces of wisdom on surviving the holidays and a lot of humor as well.

Topping off the Knott’s Merry Farm holiday shows are its two flagships: “It’s The Merriest Christmas Show Ever, Charlie Brown” at the Calico Mine Stage and “Merry Christmas, Snoopy!” at the Charles M. Schulz Theatre. There are much higher budget productions and full of amazing visuals and holiday cheer. The ice show especially, where the skaters are allowed to put their athleticism on full display with amazing feats of skating.

Starting at 6:30PM, be sure to check out Calico Ghost Town “Snow and Glow” show. This short display takes place ever hour on the half throughout the evening and features some music and then faux-snow fall for families to play around in. It’s a lot of fun and also has an added element this year with the interactive Ghost Town lanterns being sold throughout the area. These lanterns cost $15 dollars each and provide a decent bit of yellow-orange light. What makes them interactive is that, during the Snow and Glow show, they turn on and off with the music. Does this short bit of interactivity warrant the price tag? That depends on how bad your children want it. They do make for nice keepsakes from the event, so it has that going for it. Personally, I would have liked to have seen them somehow interact with other lanterns when they get in close proximity. But, I digress….

Speaking of lights – a special mention must be given to the designers of the Merry Farm lighting scheme as well as the crew that sets it all up. The park looks absolutely stunning in its Christmastime makeover and it is an experience in and of itself just to walk around enjoying it all. Great job, gang!

Overall, Knott’s Merry Farm 2018 is a fun theme park makeover for the whole family with plenty of Christmas cheer to go around. Whether you take in the shows, the treats, or the decor, it will surely become a holiday family tradition for you and yours. Knott’s Merry Farm runs until January 6, 2019.

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Knott’s Berry Farm Announces Calico River Rapids Ride

2018/11/13

boothby

Geek News, News

November 13, 2018 – A new expedition in an uncharted territory awaits eager explorers with the upcoming debut of Calico River Rapids, opening at Knott’s Berry Farm in summer 2019. Knott’s white water raft ride, currently known as BigFoot Rapids, will undergo a major renovation with the addition of new features to the attraction including new animatronics, themed show scenes, a new story overlay and plenty of dynamic water effects.

Calico River Rapids will take voyagers on a search for new land through the outskirts of Calico. Rafters will encounter a variety of wild surprises along the way, such as roaring rapids, and indigenous wildlife. The circular raft ride, which seats six passengers, will traverse through unexpected twists and turns, rushing waters and rapid currents as it navigates the unexplored river path.

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