Monday, September 30, 2013

Xbox One Tour


Hey Everyone, 

It is true! Xbox one is doing a multi-city, multi-country tour. This give you the chance to play the Xbox One before the launch date of Nov. 22. Starting October 1st Xbox will stop through 75 different cities through out the world. 

The "Area One" tour will let people in the US, Canada, and Europe see the Xbox One, while the "Test Drive" tour will let people have hands-on gameplay. 

“Area One” will bring a large traveling tour to many markets around the world, including Philadelphia, Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Vienna, Paris and Berlin. Xbox fans will be among the first to get their hands on the upcoming blockbuster games coming to Xbox One, including hotly anticipated titles like “Forza Motorsport 5,” “Ryse: Son of Rome,” “Killer Instinct,” “Dead Rising 3,” “Crimson Dragon,” “Max: Curse of the Brotherhood,” “LocoCycle” and more.

Attendance is free of charge, space will be limited and you must be 18 years of age or older.

Area One Tour Dates
  • Philadelphia: 10.3–10.6
  • Paris: 10.10–10.13
  • Toronto: 10.10–10.13
  • Chicago: 10.17–10.20
  • Vienna: 10.17–10.20
  • Atlanta: 10.24–10.27
  • Dallas: 10.31–11.3
  • Berlin: 10.31–11.3
  • Phoenix: 11.7–11.10
  • San Francisco: 11.14–11.17
  • Dublin: 11.14–11.17
  • Los Angeles: 11.21
  • London: 11.21–11.24

Xbox One will have "Test Drive" vehicles across the US, Canada, UK, Germany, and France. Xbox will visit over 175 cities. 







Sunday, September 29, 2013

Once Upon a Time: s. 3, ep. 1 "The Heart of the Truest Believer"


Episode starts with a flashback of Emma giving birth to Henry and giving him up. Then fast forwards to modern day with the crew on Hook’s ship arriving in Neverland. I swear this is not the Peter Pan we all grew up knowing. Henry’s kidnappers are now moving on to destroy Neverland. Henry sasses them the whole way. It is enjoyable to see Henry give his kidnappers crap for being idiots.


Regina and Hook have an interesting heart to heart about being villains. Emma is currently feeling the loss of both Henry and Neal and is taking her frustrations out on her parents for their optimism. Mr. Gold calls Emma out for her lack of belief in magic and how she will be a hindrance in Neverland because of it. He decides to take off and find Henry himself.


The Lost Boys converge on to Henry and the kidnappers and they soon realize that there will be no destroying of Magic. Shadow comes down and rips out the shadow of one of the kidnappers and the other one takes an arrow to the back while Henry runs off. The visual for the ripping of the shadow was done quite well. 


Neal wakes up with Mulan and Sleeping Beauty. He is surprised to be back to the Enchanted Forest. Beauty says she can use the sleeping curse to make contact. After Hook gives Emma a sword that was Neal’s the ship becomes under attack by mermaids. I wonder if we will get to meet Aerial. There are mermaids so Aerial should be there! Sadly she is not. 


Charming, Snow, and Emma work to catch a mermaid. Regina throws fireballs at the mermaids who then run off. They still have the mermaid they caught. While they debate about what to do with the mermaid, the mermaid is able to send out a distress signal. Neal apparently thought about his homeland and that’s how he ended up there. He tells Mulan that she is a story and has a movie. This made me giggle. Mr. Gold finds Tamara the kidnapper and questions her where Henry is. She has the nerve to apologize and beg for her life. Mr. Gold rips out her heart, rightly so. I mean did she really think he would forgive her for killing his son and kidnapping his grandson.


The little S.S. Minnow is overtaken by a huge wave. The fighting within the group while in normal circumstances would have been fine but c’mon lets be realistic. If you need to survive and you do not want to be a killer but Regina is more than willing to let her hands get dirty then so be it. They were so busy fighting amongst themselves that they set themselves up to be killed. I am getting sick and tired of Snow always blaming Regina for everything. Emma realized their anger is fueling the storm and jumps off the boat to get their attention but manages to get hit by falling debris. Charming jumps in the water to save Emma. Everyone has to work together to help save her.


Mulan and Neal meet up with Robin Hood. Apparently Robin Hood took over the castle but lets Neal look around. Neal uses a staff to open a cloaked door. In the closet Neal finds a crystal ball and uses it to find Emma. He is dismayed to learn that Emma is in Neverland.


Mr. Gold meets up with on the Lost boys. Pan lets him know that he is an enemy if he is here for Henry. I wonder why they have yet to use the name of any of the boys. Mr. Gold is given a doll that causes him to break down crying. Emma points out they all need to work together as a hero, villain, pirate, etc. That all skills are needed and no one way is correct.



Henry is helped by a former Lost Boy. The Lost Boy stole pixy dust. Henry tells him that his family is on their way. Henry and Lost Boy use the pixy dust to fly and it works because of Henry. They fly off away from the Lost boys. Peter Pan is the former Lost Boy and has tricked Henry. Pan is after the heart of the truest believer. He now has Henry with that heart. I wonder why he needs him. If he needs him to do something in particular in regards to have the true heart or if he can start a new fairytale? 

What do you think about Henry having the heart of the truest believer and what do you think it means?

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Wonder Woman Vol. 3: Iron Graphic Novel Review



So do you like mixing your contemporary comic book mythology with some old Greek mythology? You know kind of like a mythological Mimosa of some sort? If you answered yes then the new 52 Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang is what you’re looking for. In my personal opinion this is the 2nd strongest series in the new 52. In this volume we have Wonder Woman dealing with her newly discovered family, which just happens to be the Greek gods and the other children of Zeus, as she tries to retrieve the most recent child of Zeus from Hermes, yes the guy with the wings on his feet. If that weren’t enough the New 52 finally gets its first glimpse of the New Gods as Orion is the baby that Wonder Woman is searching for and also draws the attention of the remodeled Jack Kirby. If you don’t know who Jack Kirby is I would tell you but that’s what Google is for. 


This volume also contains the Wonder Woman #0 issue that delves into the Amazon's relationship with Ares and how he helped shape her into the hero she is today. Cliff Chiang’s art does an awesome job with the characters. The Greek Gods are the most dysfunctional of families and the dirty looks and sneers that Chiang portrays the characters throwing at each other is worth the price of admission alone. If your fan of the Percy Jackson series and other amalgamations of modern tales with old mythology or a fan of good stories in general I suggest you pick up the Wonder Woman trades and get in on the action.


Now for some Quickies:



Infinity # 3

Marvels big event is at its halfway point. I liked this issue because Captain America is doing Captain America things despite half the Avengers being captured and our heroes constantly losing to the invading forces.



Rat Queens #1

This is a new book about an all-female adventuring group. If you play games with dice that have more than 6 sides than you will definitely enjoy this one.


Sex Criminals

This is a hilarious book about 2 people who are capable of stopping time when they have orgasms. Yes that last sentences is really the description. No I didn't buy this at one of those skeevy stores that you have to be 21 to enter. Yes this book is written by Matt Fraction, one of the best writers out now. No it is not Porn. Yes this book is funny, not titillating.

Post by Sam
Twitter: BigSam425

Friday, September 27, 2013

Star Wars Spinoff Movies


I think we have all been a buzz about J. J. Abrams's Star Wars Episode VII. However it has come to my attention that many of us have forgotten about the 2016 Star Wars Film. It is a spin-off movie written and produced by either Lawrence Kasdan or Simon Kinberg. Each writer is working on his own film that will focus on a specific character. 


These spin-off movies are slated to be released between the new trilogy movies. The names that have been bounced around for the films' main character are Yoda, Han Solo, and Boba Fett. There are rumors that these movies will be origin stories so take a moment and think about what we know about Yoda, Han Solo, and Han Solo. Could you imagine how much fun these movies will be? 

Would you see an origin story of these characters?

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Gamer Corner: Jay

Hey Everyone, 


Welcome to this week's installment of Gamer Corner, where Fangirl Reviews interviews a gamer and gets his thoughts on the gaming world and learn what he is enjoying at the moment.


1. Tell me a little bit about yourself? 

Well I am 33, been a gamer since about 1988. My first system was a Super NES, from there upgraded to the N64, then to Sega Dreamcast, then the Gamecube, then PS2, then Xbox, then the DS, then Wii, then Xbox 360, then PS3, then 3DS, and finally Wii U. Avid lover of all things tech related, game related, cartoon related, anime related, and martial arts related. Oh and my comedic timing is on point.


2. What rig do you currently game on? 

This week, well let’s see primarily on the WiiU and Dreamcast. Although I do game on the 3DS during conference calls at work. :-)


3. What game are you currently playing right now? 

Wonderful 101 and Legend of Zelda the Wind Waker.


4. Do you enjoy that game, why? How’s the overall game play? 

The Wonderful 101 I am enjoying a lot. I am a fan of Platinum Studios they make some of the best action games in the gaming industry. The gameplay is fast paced, the puzzles are varied and make good use of the gamepad, and the story is good. 
Since I am a Zelda fan I am also back in Hyrule sailing the sea and beating down anything Ganon can throw at me.

5. Would you recommend it?

I recommend both as they are great additions to the WiiU library.

6. Are there any games coming out that you are looking forward to? 

There are too many to name so I’ll just stick to three that are coming out in 2013, Sonic Lost World, Assassin’s Creed 4, and WatchDogs.


7. What kind of gamer do you classify yourself to be? ie. PC, Console, Tabletop, LARP as well as Hardcore, RPG, etc.

I actually classify myself as a true gamer. I will play anybody in chess as well as Smash Bros. I just like to game.

8. So with the new consoles coming out, which way are you leaning One or 4?

I am not a big fan of Kinect so I am leaning toward the Playstation 4 but I won’t be getting it at launch. I still have nightmares about the PS3 launch and my HDMI cord at the time.

9. Favorite Game (can include tabletop) of all time and why? 

Favorite game of all time is The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time. Need I say more.


10. Would you like to share your gamer tag and the system so others may add you? 

Sure below you will find the following.

WiiU: Achilles32

XboxLive: Achilles3280

PSN: Kensei30

3DS: 5370-0727-0406

Thank you to Jay for a fantastic interview. If you would like to be interviewed for Gamer Corner please contact me at Victoria.M.White.MA@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Sons of Anarchy Season 6, Ep. 3 “Poenitentia” Recap


Apparently the title means repent, penitence, regret. Awe, look at SAMCRO trying to use Latin terms. The DA is speaking about the need for psychiatric counseling for the kid and discuss the modified gun. The opening scenes of this series are always well done. Gemma and Niro leave church. I love Gemma’s negative outlook on church but it is an honest outlook. I enjoy these two together. The US Marshall took home the hooker from Jax’s place and kills the chick. He first shoots her by accident then kills her. This guy is beyond unstable in my opinion. 


The DA and US Marshall are working close together. He is given the paperwork to track down the junkie mom and get Clay to sign off on the paperwork to turn states evidence. I am mad that the US Marshall just left the dead body in his bathtub like it is nothing. 


Tara visits the club looking for Gemma and says that it is not about her anymore while looking at the kids. You can tell that Tara is planning something. Jax finally goes and sees Clay. Jax knows that Clay is going to flip on them. He claims he is sorry and says he will not give the marshal anything and knows that he will be killed in gen pop. Jax gets the chance to talk to the US Marshall via the two way mirror and says he will come after him if he does not leave his wife alone. You have to love Jax! The US Marshall is pushing Clay hard in order to get him to sign. 


We get to see Bobby! He has pulled together the potential Nomads. Hey it’s Snake from Airborne as one of the potentials. The US Marshall is torturing the guys to get info on Arcadia and the junkies. Apparently Wendy was attacked at an NA meeting so Gemma offers quality comfort. There is a drive by as Niro and Jax work out a deal with the Madame. 


After the shoot out Juice is left there to keep an eye on the place. It seems like Juice is being marginalized. I am very concerned for him mentally. Something is going to go wrong with him. Jax decides to have a talk with the Persians in regards to the drive by. The Persian believes that SAMCRO killed his brother. Jax and friend kills and beats up some people. Wait, I am confused, I thought they were Persian and not Armenian. 


Clay is gen pop and is immediately jumped. I thought he would have a moment. They do not immediately shank him so there is a deal to be made. Tara is talking to Gemma and lets her know that she is pregnant and claims she will tell Jax tonight. I really question this whole situation. Is she really pregnant or is it a ruse. Jax talks to Tig who acts like he did not kill the Persian. Jax takes his word and says he is going to visit Madame Collete. Turns out the Madame is servicing the old dude and looks like Jax takes it personal. I cannot stand this story line. Apparently Clay is trying to make friends and make things work with the different races in the jail. Or apparently not as a huge riot breaks out and Clay shanks a guy. 


The US Marshall who continues to be creepy actually rips the hair out of the dead chick and cuts off a piece of fabric. I guess he is going to use the kill against SAMCRO. Jax meets with Pope Jr. and asks for a reprieve with Clay in order to do business with Clay. I think Pope Jr. is running a game that Jax is not aware of that will hurt him in the end. Pope Jr. knows that Clay did not kill Pope and plans on handling things for himself. Bobby still has his map and is writing names of his recruits. Gemma brings down her hat box and gives Wendy a gun. I love how easily they pass guns around. Clay is now placed in solitary confinement I wonder what his game is. The US Marshall shows up to Gemma’s house as Niro stops over. 


End Scenes – Clay is thanked for his actions and is given a new shank in solitary. I wonder what his plan is with it. Jax sees the positive pregnancy test paper. Jax receives a call from Collete and sends it to voicemail. The US Marshall plants the evidence in Niro’s car. The body of the lady is found after an anonymous 911 call. Wendy apparently faked the bruise with make up and now is wiping it off. I wonder what her plan is now that she has the gun or if she is working with Tara. Pope Jr. shows up to find Tig at the warehouse. Jax is all sweet and tells Tara he loves her. I always enjoy the end scenes, great music plays, great scenes occur. What isn’t there to love? I enjoy that everyone is running their own plans and you know that they will all converge and blow up. 

Dead Rising 3 Co-op Multiplayer


Capcom gave fans a first look at Dead Rising 3's co-op and super-combo weapons. In the new installment the online co-op mode allows you to take on the zombie horde with a friend via Xbox Live. You are able to jump in and out of each other's game. I think that is a nice concept. The ability to jump in someone else's game without disrupting it or the need to back out to add someone is smart. Also by helping your friend in their game play you are able to contribute to your story progression and earn experience points. Plus if you finish a mission with your friend it will be complete in yours as well. 


Co-op players will assume the role of Dick, a wise-cracking trucker who sees the main character Nick Ramos as his best chance at getting out of the overrun city of Los Perdidos, and plays a key role in the “Dead Rising 3” story. 

Capcom revealed the super-combo weapons which is a new tier of combo weapons that require at least three components, multiple steps, and blue prints in order to make. Examples of these special weapons include the Ultimate Powershout, a deadly concussive horn made of traffic cones; the Ultimate Grim Reaper, a flaming scythe made of a katana sword, a scythe, a gas canister and a mask; and the Massive Bomb, a mini-nuke that obliterates every zombie in your vicinity. 


The weapons be customized into a wide range of different variants with unique abilities. For example, the fan-favorite “Freedom Bear” from “Dead Rising 2,” a life-size stuffed bear turret armed with twin machine guns, can be customized into eight different variants in “Dead Rising 3” with modifications like grenade launchers, a push cart, and a boombox lure to confuse the zombies. 

The constant ability to customize and make some pretty awesome weapons adds a nice layer to the game that I look forward to playing. Anyone wanna play when it comes out?

The Day of the Doctor


The Day of the Doctor

The 50th Special has finally been named! "The Day of the Doctor", so far all we know is who is supposedly a part of the movie, but many surprises are in store for Whovians! Rumor has it that the super-secret trailer will be released publicly very soon! So for those of you that missed it at SDCC and a few other select cons, the time is near! 



Amazon has also started taking pre-orders for the Blu-Ray/3D/DVD Combo at a great deal. 
 It will be released on Dec 10, 2013, after it has aired in select theaters and broadcast!


Are you ready Whovians?


Post by Tara 
Twitter: Animesector


Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ep. 1 Recap


Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D:  The missions of the Strategic Homeland Intervention and Enforcement and Logistics Division. 


Agent Phil Coulson is played by Clark Gregg who we all remember from Marvel’s Avengers. Opening has Gunn from Angel with his son looking at toys of the Avengers when an explosion occurs. He then runs to see if anyone needs help and uses his special powers and scales the wall by punching holes into it. That’s a pretty cool power. He jumps out of the building, saving the woman, and lands with no problem. He then blends back into the crowd. I like that set up. He understands that he needs to keep his powers a secret. 

  
The next scene has Agent Ward essentially stealing some type of package. Of coarse he is caught but he then fights his way out. I enjoyed the fight sequence here. Agent Grant Ward is sitting in an interrogation room at the field office and he explains the concept of S.H.I.E.L.D. He is introduced to Level 7 and learns Coulson is alive. His death was faked to motivate the Avengers. Apparently the unregistered hero, Mike Peterson, is now a concern. They started a new task force and want Ward to lead the group. Ward apparently does not work well with others. “eye roll” There is always one in the group. Apparently there are some secrets being kept from Coulson. I wonder what it is, or if his death was a little more real then he knew. 


Skye found the hooded hero, Mike Peterson. She informs him that he is in danger in regards to SHIELD. Looks like Skye’s power is to multiply as she made two packets of sugar into three. She almost makes the “with great power” speech. That made me giggle. Great reference. She swiped Mike’s ID and apparently has her own agenda.


Coulson speaks to Agent Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen). Coulson is really trying to get May to sign on to his new task force. Ward walks up to Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons. Apparently they fight and go back and forth. There is great banter between the two and adds a little bit of comedy. They are on a big plane which is a mobile unit for SHIELD. May is the pilot for the special awesome plane. 


SHIELD grabs Skye. She is apparently part of the Rising Tide. They believe that Skye blew up the building to draw out Mike. Mike apparently has some weird thing on his arm and is talking to a doctor on the phone. Apparently his powers are manufactured with a centipede type item injecting something into his forearm. The agents check out the building and find that it is a lab. The agents use droids and scan the building and find a surveillance camera and compounds that are not from Earth that look just like the item on Mike’s arm. 


The comedy that ensues after Ward is given a truth serum does not feel forced. The scene is well done and well written overall and Skye is given the chance to interrogate Ward. Mike loses it and attacks his old supervisor. He apparently has gone to the dark side. It is such a shame that he flipped like that. I was hoping that he would be the good guy. He has a son to take care of. Skye is faced with footage of Mike’s outbreak. They figure that Mike was manipulated into the strength that has corrupted him. They are going to work to save him. I am happy to hear that he isn’t a lost cause. Apparently the lady he saved is the doctor and he says he is falling apart. She says that the situation is a disaster and he says it is an origin story. Really!!!! That is too cliché for words! 


Mike shows up and jumps May. He climbs into the van with Skye and tells her to drive. He also has his son with him. Looks like the other guy like Mike was the bomb in the building and now Mike is one too. Looks just like Iron Man 3. Sky is essentially deleting Mike’s existence. Fitz and Simmons are trying to find a way to stop Mike from blowing up. Mike runs into a train station and in comes the bad guys. Mike grabs Skye and wants to know where is his son. He falls after taking a shot. Coulson faces Mike and puts down his gun. Mike is having a break down. He says basically humans are bugs and the people with powers are giants. Awe Coulson has a message about how it matters who someone is. Mike takes a bullet to the head with a special bullet from Fitz and Simmons. It neutralizes the toxins. I thought for a second there they killed him but I am happy to learn that he turned out okay. Skye decides to sign on to be a part of SHIELD. 


Lola apparently has flying powers. It reminds me of Back to the Future. 

I like that they connected the Marvel Universe together. It was funny to hear some of the cliché super hero lines but it makes it a believable super hero tv show. If I did not hear the cliché lines I would be concerned. I was not offended by anything in the show. What I mean is that my enjoyment of the Marvel Universe did not feel like it was being personally attacked. The show flowed well overall and the visuals were well done. The Mike story was wrapped up too easily. I wonder if each episode is going to be like this. In other words each episode wraps up with the special power person neutralized or turned bad. I overall enjoyed the series and will continue to watch it. 

Sleepy Hollow Season 1 Ep. 2 “Blood Moon” Recap


Opening scene is of Crane running and being chased by the four horseman and being pulled underground by a tree. Crane’s wife speaks to him about how there will be an army of evil that rises before the apocalypse. Geez, she has great news. Of course it was a dream but still, if your dead wife comes back to you and brings you that type of news, I would leave Sleepy Hollow. 

Crane is stuck in a hotel room trying to learn the new world. It is funny to watch him learn about all the things we take for granted. I like that despite the fact that the captain does not believe in the supernatural he still lets Abbie and Crane go forward and investigate. 


I am enjoying this growing relationship between Abbie and Crane. The dynamic is good and I hope that it continues to grow. A body crawls out of the body bag in the morgue. Oh well the cop, Andy, with the snapped neck is back and so is his goat friend. He is in charge of releasing the first evil. The whole snapped back head is very wrong visually and it’s even more wrong when they just snap it back! 

Abbie is tearing apart how Crane did not know his wife was a witch. Abbie tells him to stop playing crazy and try to be normal. Great banter scene.


Creepy Andy is I guess considered a zombie. He uses a necklace that goat man gave him and brings to life a woman who is all burned up and is going to go all Mummy like and claim other people’s flesh. I guess she will take the flesh of the descendants that killed her. First kill in a car and she apparently ripped out his heart. Apparently Crane has an idea of who it is. I hope they do not set it up that Crane is all knowing, let’s have a little bit more of a mystery happening here. 

Crane talks of strange murders in regards to a dark coven. The sheriff may have known about the good and evil covens. Of course the sheriff’s files have been moved and Crane uncovers an underground tunnel into the building where the files are hidden. I enjoy that Crane took control and started smashing the wall in order to gain access. We get to meet the guy that Abbie was going to leave behind. He plays the typical ex role and is throwing around his weight with Crane. I wonder if this is their way of hinting that Abbie and Crane will become more than just partners. Also we learn that witches are buried in the hidden tunnel down there as well. I wonder where they buried Katrina’s remains. 


Creepy Andy talks to a little boy, gets his name, and you now know that he is on the chopping block. Sarilda (sp) flashback. Of coarse she speaks her curse right before being burned to death and she is now on a mission to kill descendants. Luckily she just takes the ashes of the Dad so the boy is alive and apparently adopted. 

Abbie does a bad impersonation of Crane and it is quite funny. I wonder how Creepy Andy feels being the henchmen for the bad guys. Sarilda is putting together her body and I must admit the concept is done well. 

A great explosion using old black powder killed her. Frankly how did the walls not come down? C’mon that is not realistic. Katrina is imprisoned in the world between worlds. Abbie dreams about the sheriff and gives her Zen advice about faith and fear. He tells her not to be afraid of number 49. We go to a hospital with a room 49 and see Jenny, Abbie’s sister. She is listed as being delusional. 


Okay so Abbie and her sister have some special powers. I think they were descendants of witches or something. Either way they have a connection to the supernatural that will be explained in further detail later. The writers did a great job further developing Crane and Abbie’s relationship. Last I wonder if when they do attempt to bring Katrina back into the real world if Crane is going to have to choose between Abbie and his wife in terms of who gets to live in the real world?