Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2209

ARRIVAL FX Reel Shows Otherworldly Designs for Alien Spaceships

Arrival was an uncommonly great and intelligent sci-fi film that didn’t resort to the many clichés that so many alien movies rely upon. It was also a modest box office hit this fall despite the strong competition. Now that the Oscar race is beginning to take shape, Arrival could be nominated for more than just its visual accomplishments. Nonetheless, Oblique FX is making the case for a potential Academy Award nomination with an FX reel for the stunningly shot film.

If you haven’t seen Arrival yet, there aren’t too many spoilers in this two-and-a-half minute compilation of clips. Nor are there any glimpses of the aliens themselves. Presumably that means the aliens were either created by another FX company or perhaps the studio didn’t want to show them off outside of the movie. Regardless, the focus of the video largely falls on the creation of the alien spaceships that had a deceptively simple design. The visual effects artists managed to use the familiar shape of the ships while still conveying the otherworldly aspects.

The FX reel also revealed more of the subtle effects that were included in the film. Most of the main performers and background players were present in these shots, but the military equipment and many of the vehicles and buildings were CGI creations that may have gone unnoticed by most moviegoers. We’ve always felt that some of the best special effects are the ones that the audience doesn’t immediately pick up on. Those subtle touches are crucial.

What did you think about the Arrival FX reel? And do you believe that the film will pick up a few Oscar nominations or awards? Share your predictions in the comment section below!

Image: Oblique FX/Paramount Pictures

Learn How to Make a PULP FICTION Big Kahuna Hawaiian Burger

Pulp Fiction came out in 1994, which means I’ve been craving a Big Kahuna Burger for over two decades. Samuel L. Jackson‘s reaction after biting into one doesn’t make it look like your ordinary tasty burger, but perhaps the tastiest burger ever. But since Big Kahuna Burger isn’t real (neither is Jack Rabbit Slims, for that matter), it’s always been nothing more than a cinematic tease. Until now, that is, thanks to this YouTube video showing us how to make our own Hawaiian-style burger.

We first came across this video at Cinemablend, and it was made by Andrew Rea as part of his Binging with Babish series. Since the burger seen in the movie looks like pretty standard fast food fare, he made two versions here. The first was a regular cheeseburger, and the second was a double Hawaiian-style burger complete with caramelized pineapple and onions, Monterey Jack cheese, teriyaki sauce, and toasted King’s Hawaiian rolls.

Hmm, that does look like one tasty burger. If only he made a five dollar shake to help wash it down…

I do have one huge complaint, as someone who loves burgers so much/takes them so seriously his Twitter handle is @burgermike: please stop putting ketchup on your burgers. It kills the flavor of the meat. Go with a variation of Thousand island dressing or even just mustard. Please. Please.

Hopefully, if you make your own Big Kahuna Burger at home, you aren’t interrupted in the middle of your dinner (or breakfast, if you’re a stickler for authenticity) by some highly trained hit men. And if you are, well, kindly share your burger with them, but just make sure you don’t keep saying “what” when they ask you a question.

What other fictional film food would you like to try making yourself? Cook up your best ideas in our comments section below.

Featured Image: Miramax Films

Image: Andrew Rea/YouTube

Google’s A.I. Is Beating Everyone at Strategy Games, But What’s Next?

Last year, DeepMind’s general purpose A.I. program, AlphaGo, annihilated world Go champion Lee Sedol 4-1 in a $1 million contest. It was considered by many to be a crowning achievement in A.I. research, and was lauded on most of 2016’s top tech charts, including our own. But according to a tweet by the company’s co-founder and de facto leader Demis Hassabis, the company isn’t done beating the proverbial pants off of players from around the world. In fact, AlphaGo’s been playing online under a pseudonym for a while now, and it’s essentially unbeatable.

According to Nature, two players who went by the names of Master(P) and Magister(P) were logging onto a pair of Go servers and destroying the competition at every level. Master(P) played 51 games (which included games against world champions like Gu Li), and won 50 of them. That last one was a draw because of what was probably a network glitch.

In a recent tweet, which comes via New Scientist, Hassabis/DeepMind revealed that AlphaGo was indeed the player behind Master(P) and Magister(P). He also said that DeepMind is looking forward to playing more “official full-length” games in 2017 as well as exploring “the profound mysteries of the game further in this spirit of mutual enlightenment.”

Excited to share an update on #AlphaGo! pic.twitter.com/IT5HGBmYDr

— Demis Hassabis (@demishassabis) January 4, 2017

DeepMind’s enlightenment isn’t going to be limited to Go, however. The company is concurrently pursuing research in the video game world of StarCraft II, with the aim of using a general purpose A.I.—a program that learns how to play the game—to do to Starcraft II’s top players what it did to Go’s. Considering the fact that DeepMind is also owned by Google, their general A.I. will probably start helping in other areas of life as well. In fact, it’s already helped Google to save 40% on the energy usage of its data centers.

What do you think about AlphaGo’s continued domination? What game do you want to see DeepMind tackle next? Let us know in the comments below!

Images: Google DeepMind/YouTube

ONE PIECE: GOLD Clip Reveals Why You Don’t Mess With the Straw Hat Pirates

When it comes to pirates, many of us have preconceived notions. We expect to see rum-swilling, peg-legged, eye-patch-wearing ne’er-do-wells who are obsessed with shivering their timbers, keelhauling people, and the brackish storage unit known as Davy Jones’ Locker. But the Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece aren’t like any pirates you’ve encountered before, either in pop culture or in your history books. No, these pirates are a motley crew imbued with incredible powers which they’ll use to kick butts, take names, and get the booty. Okay, so maybe they’re not that different that the pirates you’re used to after all. But, longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike will get a chance to experience the madcap majesty of the Straw Hat Pirates in this exclusive clip from One Piece: Gold, the new feature film which Funimation is bringing to select theaters from January 10-17.

In One Piece: Gold, the Straw Hat Pirate crew makes their way to the glittering, golden city of Gran Tesoro, which looks a bit like Las Vegas, but somehow even gaudier (and that’s saying something). With the promise of beaucoup bucks awaiting them, Captain Luffy and his crew set sail for Gran Tesoro in the hopes of hitting the jackpot, only to discover something far more sinister behind the scenes. In our exclusive clip, which you can view above, you’ll get an inkling as to why it’s probably a bad idea to go up against the Straw Hat crew — especially if you come between them and their money.

Will you be seeing One Piece: Gold? Read Kyle Anderson’s review, then let us know in the comments below!

Image: Funimation 

Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of books about Star Wars and the Avengers. Follow him on Twitter and ask him about all things anime (@Osteoferocious).

Report: Lucasfilm Weighs Leia’s STAR WARS EPISODE IX Role

It’s been just over a week since Carrie Fisher passed away, and we are far from over that loss. While Fisher and mother, Debbie Reynolds, were laid to rest today, the Lucasfilm creative team is now in the early stages of figuring out what Fisher’s untimely death means for General Leia Organa. It’s been confirmed that Fisher finished filming her part in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VIII, but everything after that remains unknown. Today’s Nerdist News is examining a new report that may offer some hints about Leia’s fate in the years to come.

Before you go any further, there are some spoilers ahead for both Episode VIII and Star Wars: Episode IX.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fisher was originally supposed to have an even larger role in Episode IX than she will in Episode VIII. The report noted that scenes featuring Leia’s reunion with her brother Luke Skywalker, and her confrontation with her son Kylo Ren were planned to take place in the franchise, though we have no indication just yet of which film will feature either or both of these sequences. It’s possible that the Skywalker reunion was already set for Episode VIII, but that could still mean that we won’t see Leia take on her fallen son.

As for how Lucasfilm might proceed, the two primary options for Leia’s continued role in the film series may be unpopular. One idea is that the Episode IX script could be revised to give Leia a significantly reduced role in the conclusion of the new trilogy. The other potential way to go is to recreate Fisher’s likeness with CG, just as we saw done with her younger likeness in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It may be quite a while before we know which option will be used, but Lucasfilm has just under a year to decide for certain; Episode IX isn’t expected to begin filming before early 2018. Whatever they decide, there is no replacing Carrie Fisher in our hearts, even if Star Wars does have to continue on without her.

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How do you think Fisher’s absence should be addressed in the Star Wars sequels? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Home Geekonomics: 11 STAR WARS Gifts You Wish You Received

Home Geekonomics is a series that features the best in geeky home decor, food, and DIY. Each week will focus on a specific fandom and highlight the best of geek for your home and everyday life.

December and the holidays have become more than just a celebratory season—it’s also about Star Wars now, too! We are being gifted with a new Star Wars film every December from now until forever; who would’ve guessed we’d live in such glorious times?

Unfortunately, the holidays have come and gone and apparently we missed out. A lot. If we only knew that certain items existed, surely we would have tried a little harder to be on the Nice List! These Star Wars gifts are some of the coolest in the galaxy and since you didn’t know about them before, now is the perfect time to pick them up and give yourself the gift of Star Wars with that check from grandma (or from, say, returning that awful sweater from Auntie Marge).

Star Wars Rouge One Makeup Bag by Andies Room

Ah, the pain of misspelling–you can’t escape it on social media. We’ve all been there, but with the release of Rogue One such blatant disregard for error was never more obvious than the hashtag Rouge One. If the movie was in fact a makeup tutorial, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, but alas: these rebels have no time for makeup. This fun bag from Andie’s Room takes the play on words and uses it to its full advantage by blushing up some troopers for a proper makeup bag.

Star Wars Medal Holder by Strut Your Stuff Sign Co.

For all the runners who wake up early to race across the finish line, this medal hanger is the perfect way to show off your bling. Not only will it hold up to 60 medals but all 50 race bibs so you can remember all the marathons you’ve run. May the course be with you!

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Star Wars and desserts go hand in hand (at least in our household), and an R2 ice cream and BB-8 donut are definitely the delicious droids you’re looking for. With the popularity of enameled pins being so fashionable lately, these droids are turned into their dessert counterparts make for fun pieces of flair. May the fork be with you!

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R2-D2 Kitchen Towel by Doodle Button

A droid is a faithful companion and especially helpful in the kitchen. Hand-dyed onto flour sack towels, they’re the best to have in the kitchen for quick cleanups. The lovely detailing of everyone’s favorite droid feels almost ethereal and would look great hanging off of an oven door.

Light Saber Immersion Blender by Pangea Brands

Honestly, if you’re going to make soup why wouldn’t you reach for Anakin’s saber? An elegant weapon for a more civilized age, this immersion blender uses the Force (and a power cord) to whip up batters and smoothies in no time.

Star Wars Cantina Soap by Nerdy Soap

Mention the Star Wars “Cantina Song” and you’ll have the earworm in your head for hours. These fun handmade soaps feature the heads of the cantina band The Modal Nodes and are sure to make your guest bath as welcoming as the Mos Eisley Cantina. Scratch that, you just watch yourself.

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I Love You, I Know Pins from Disney Store

Enameled pins are the height of fashion right now and this iconic line from Star Wars will never go out of style. These would look great on a jacket or bag for showing off your fandom everyday, or maybe the perfect gift for that scruffy looking nerfherder in your life.

Star Wars Keyboard Stickers by Mr Sticker Stuff

This is the keyboard that can make the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs! If you need to get through the drudgery of your daily assignments, these keyboard stickers will help make your day a lot more fun. Made for Macbooks, the individually cut decals can be applied to the keys so that you can be on your way to typing your hate mail to the Empire.

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R2-D2 Humidifier from Walmart

This is the droid you’re looking for if you’re looking to sooth coughs and congestion. If only Darth Vader had this Artoo humidifier, his breathing problems would have been a breeze.

Rogue One Phone Case by Go Carved

Channel your inner Chirrut Imwe and use this phone case to clear your mind. When that one annoying person calls, just repeat, “I am one with the Force and the Force is with me” over and over and you will witness the true power of the Force when they eventually hang up.

Star Wars Coasters by Havoly

These beautiful laser engraved coasters are sure to impress any visiting Galactic Senators who decided to drop by on official business. Detailed familiar characters are etched into maple and sure to do their duty of keeping your Blue Milk from staining the coffee table.

Images: Andies Room, Strut Your Stuff Sign Co, Davis Rider Prints, Doodle Button, Pangea Brands, Nerdy Soap, Mr Sticker Stuff, Walmart, Disney Store, Go Carved, Havoly

Every Collectible Element on Earth Is In This Single Cube

This one is for periodic table enthusiasts: Back in 2015, there was a Kickstarter fundraising campaign created to bring to life The Element Cube, which, as you’d imagine based on its name, is a cube that contains a bunch of elements. It’s more than a bunch, though: UK designer Cillian McMinn says the cube contains 62 elements, or every “collectible element,” meaning ones that aren’t radioactive or otherwise unobtainable for other reasons (via Mental Floss).

It’s a pretty neat item for several reasons, mainly because its creators claim it to be a world record holder for the largest alloy—a metal created by combining two or more metallic elements. Element collecting is also a pretty serious hobby for a fair amount of people, so if that’s something you’d be interested in getting into, The Element Cube is a fine way to get over half of the planet’s 118 elements in one purchase.

At 1.5″ large, it looks nice on a desk and it’s a fun conversation starter. Say you’re looking to start conversations outside of your office, though, it’s also available as a wearable necklace, so you can talk about the periodic table with strangers at the park, at a coffee shop, in line at the bank, anywhere! The jewelry is also cheaper than a cube, for the frugal consumer: The Kickstarter campaign ended many moons ago, but the bracelet and necklace can be yours for £25 (about $31) each, and the cube will run you £55 (about $68).

If we’ve sold you, go ahead and purchase your wares here.

Featured image: The Element Cube/Kickstarter

Schlock & Awe: SOYLENT GREEN Is Also ABOUT People

It’s sort of a bummer when a movie’s big twist is not only known but becomes zeitgeist fodder way before you ever have the opportunity to watch it. Knowing the “secrets” of movies like Citizen Kane, Psycho, and The Crying Game didn’t necessarily ruin the movies for me, but I always wonder what it would have been like to experience them totally afresh. No movie exemplifies this better–and has become the stuff of memes and Simpsons bits–than Soylent Green does. It’s a movie I would argue most people ONLY know for the final twist, but should be remembered for a lot more.

The late ’60s and early ’70s were overpopulated with science fiction about protecting our environment, mistrusting authority, and being wary of unchecked expansion. Movies of this ilk that I’ve already covered in this column include Silent Running and Seconds, but other films like Planet of the Apes also fit. These sci-fi movies were didactic and angry and foresaw a quietly dystopian future where corruption wouldn’t be as clearcut as a single evil figure or regime. Systemic bad stuff leading to more bad stuff. These movies were cautionary tales, and Soylent Green might be the most cautionary of the bunch.

All right, let’s get it out of the way: Soylent Green is made out of people. It’s people! That’s a really silly line made even sillier by the uber-earnest shrieking of star Charlton Heston. This is literally the final shot of the movie, made bleaker than it might otherwise be in a vacuum by the picture painted in the build-up.

Soylent Green is based on the 1966 book Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison and is set in 2022 (which seemed WAY further away in 1973 when the film was made) in New York City. The city has become totally overpopulated, with upwards of 40 million people clogging the streets, becoming a burden on the government to try to feed. Government-issued “soylent” (a portmanteau of “soy” and “lentil”) has become the main source of sustenance and the newest iteration, Soylent Green, is fast becoming the favorite. High protein, low carbs. “Don’t forget: Tuesday is Soylent Green Day.” The society has become a caste system, with the wealthiest people living in luxury in high-rise apartments and the poor living in hovels and sleeping on staircases; people in the middle-class have to jump over the poor to get to their own tiny flats.

Heston plays Detective Frank Thorn, who shares a slum apartment with a retired police analyst named Sol Roth (Edward G. Robinson). Thorn is tasked with investigating the murder of William Simonson (Joseph Cotton), a high-ranking member of the elite class. The strange part is, it appears that Simonson didn’t defend himself. Why would he resign himself to dying? Part of Thorn’s investigation leads him to Simonson’s live-in “companion” named Shirl (Leigh Taylor Young), basically a member of the concubine class, and Simonson’s bodyguard Tab Fielding (Chuck Connors). They’re off the hook because Simonson sent them out of the apartment at the time of the murder. But again, why?

Thorn gives Roth the classified Soylent Oceanographic Survey Report, 2015 to 2019 he’s found in Simonson’s apartment. Roth’s research reveals Simonson and the current governor of New York, Joseph Santini, were partners in a law firm, and that Simonson was also a member of the board of Soylent. Thorn decides the murder was an assassination and the culprit used a meathook instead of a gun to make it look like a robbery. Thorn goes to Fielding’s apartment to question him, but only finds Fielding’s concubine. He helps himself to a spoonful of strawberry jam from a jar on the table: an extravagance, as Roth surmises, far too expensive and decadent for a bodyguard and his companion to be able to afford. All signs point to something fishy going on with Soylent, and Thorn’s inability to drop the investigation, despite his superior’s order, makes him a target as well.

The movie unfolds like a great mystery, set in a sort of pre-apocalypse hellscape. A great amount of time is spent on how this fraught society is working. Food as we know it, is now considered a massive luxury, and one great scene involves Thorn and Roth eating a “feast” consisting of a piece of celery, a couple of cherries, and other such things that we consider staples. Roth even breaks down into tears when he sees a real piece of meat that they’re going to eat. We also learn about the concubine class, who live in luxury but are subject to the desire of just about every man they meet. Thorn uses Shirl for sex, but neither acts like it’s a big deal, and she allows him the use of her shower. She essentially just wants companionship, regardless of whose it is.

Naturally, the big sci-fi ideas here come from how the government and the police deal with the people in the city. There are too many of them and not nearly enough rations to go around. When Soylent Green runs out, there’s a riot, and the police use a machine they call a “scoop” crowd dispersal vehicle… which is just a bulldozer. People are lifted up into the huge machine’s front plow and others are crushed under the tires. There’s also an added encouragement for people to kill themselves, or, if they can afford it, go to a spa-like relaxation center where they are given drugs to die peacefully. Thorn follows a body at this establishment–while on the run from assassins–to disposal and processing, eventually learning that the dead are turned into the very thing the rest of the populace are given to eat. It’s still shocking, and presented in a music-free, documentary style which adds to the impact.

So, yes, “Soylent Green is people!” has become a punchline, but Soylent Green, and its hard-edged look at a world where the ecology, population, pollution, and everything else that makes the United States a first-world country, are totally obliterated–it is anything but a joke. While most post-apocalyptic movies now deal with zombies or gas shortages or other such wastelands, this was a movie made that forced its audience to look at how awful the world could be if we do nothing to stop it. The big reveal is just as big a gut punch now as it was at the time, and perhaps even more so. If you can watch the movie without waiting for the big, silly end line, then you’re in for a harrowing sci-fi parable indeed.

Images: MGM

Kyle Anderson is the Associate Editor for Nerdist. He writes the weekly look at weird or obscure films in Schlock & Awe. Follow him on Twitter!

Inked Wednesday #118 – ALIEN, HARRY POTTER, and More

Remember the part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows when Xenophilius Lovegood told Harry and co. the story of the Deathly Hallows? The live-action film switched to a haunting animation for “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” It was an effective way to illustrate the tale, and as it turns out, the art in the animated sequence makes for beautiful tattoos–like this one:

Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter) | Source: Adam LaFaro, inked by John Campbell

Let’s look at more geeky ink. Scroll on down to the gallery below to see three tattoos belonging to Lady Raptor. They feature an artful Ripley from Alien, Catwoman, and a clever Jurassic Park design. You’ll also see a Dragon Ball Z tattoo.

Did any of you get a tattoo for the New Year? Tell me about it in the comments, or better yet, follow the below instructions and send me a picture.

If you have nerdy ink on your skin or you’re a tattoo artist that applies pop culture, STEM, music, or other nerd-inspired ink on a regular basis, then please hit me up because I’d like to highlight you in a future Inked Wednesday gallery. You can get in touch with me via email at alratcliffe@yahoo.com. Send me photos of the tattoos you’d like me to feature (the higher resolution, the better) and don’t forget to let me know the name of your tattoo artist if you have it, as well the name of the shop he or she works out of. If you are the tattoo artist, give me links to your portfolios and/or Instagram accounts so I can share them with our readers.

Featured Image: Adam LaFaro

Geoff Johns To Write WATCHMEN Characters for DC Comics in 2017

Hello comics fans, and welcome to the very first Comics Relief of 2017! There’s going to be a ton of great comics to look forward to this year from all the publishers, but it seems that so far, it’s DC Comics who have the biggest momentum going into the new year. So we start this week with some news that should make DC fans very excited indeed. Read on for all the details.

Geoff Johns to write Watchmen characters in 2017

And 1) Writing comics again… stay tuned! Happy New Year!!! pic.twitter.com/zUvs4NIXhM

— Geoff Johns (@geoffjohns) January 1, 2017

Although he hasn’t written any comics for DC Comics since the DC Rebirth special last May, choosing to concentrate on the movie side of things for the DCEU instead, writer and DC CCO Geoff Johns has announced that’s about to change. He addressed fans in a series of New Year’s Eve tweets, talking about some of the DC events he’s most looking forward to in 2017. That list ended with a tweet saying “Writing comics again… stay tuned.”

Most interesting is that the tweet had the accompanying image of Doctor Manhattan from Watchmen. (You can see Johns’ original tweet above.) Are we finally going to find out just why Dr. Manhattan messed with the DC Universe timeline? And will the other Watchmen characters be involved somehow? I have a feeling we won’t have to wait too long to find out the answer. [CBR]

Marvel announces new Punisher vs Deadpool mini-series

Marvel Comics’ two most popular gun toting anti-heroes are about to meet up once again in a new crossover series Punisher vs Deadpool: Bullet to the Brain, the publisher just announced. The miniseries, from writer Fred Van Lente and artist Pere Perez, is set to arrive in April 2017.

The two former Thunderbolts will team up when an old enemy of Deadpool’s emerges once again named the Bank. “The Bank is a shadowy character who’s existed in the Marvel Universe for decades,” Van Lente told Marvel.com. “We’ve never heard of him before because he is very much off the grid—he’s as his name implies a money man, who handles offshore accounts for a variety of amoral-to-immoral characters and organizations.”

Van Lente added “He also happens to be one of Wade Wilson’s best friends, having known Deadpool before his Weapon X days, so when the Punisher decides to bring The Bank down, he’s got to go through Deadpool to do that, and you know what? Frank doesn’t really have a problem with that, since he doesn’t like Wade all that much anyway.” Deadpool Vs. Punisher: Bullet to the Brain arrives in April 2017. You can see the cover for issue #1 above. For more on this comic, be sure to read our full story by clicking here: [Nerdist]

Frank Miller provides new twist to his Dark Knight Returns universe (Spoilers)

Have you guys been reading Dark Knight III: The Master Race from Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello? Although the series is nowhere near as groundbreaking as the original The Dark Knight Returns from 1986, it’s proven to be a fun read on its own (and WAY better than DK2). And the latest issue, #7,  features a big twist to the Dark Knight Returns universe. Spoilers ahead folks:

In issue #7, Superman flies Bruce Wayne, broken and injured and basically dead after his fight with the Kandorian invasion army, to one of Ras al Ghul’s Lazarus pits. Revived, the aging Batman of the past two Dark Knight series is restored to his youthful self, and suddenly we have a Dark Knight with years of experience, but with a young, ripped body.

So why make Bruce young again? Because it seems Frank Miller has way more Batman stories to tell, and he doesn’t want them all to be about an old Bruce anymore, saying in an interview “There’s no reason not to keep going with these [characters]. The character [of Batman] is immortal and more ideas spring to mind all the time.” [Comic Book]

Comixology Unlimited announces new additions for January

Comixology is adding a ton of new titles for their ComiXology Unlimited service this month, including titles like Complete Battlefields Vol. 1 by Garth Ennis  from Dynamite Comics, The Complete Elfquest Vol. 1: The Original Quest Vol. 1 by Richard Pini and Wendy Pini from Dark Horse Comics, Evil Ernie Vol. 1 and #1-6 by Jesse Blaze Snider and Jason Craig, and Kyle Hotz, and a whole lot more. This is a great opportunity to get some great books at a killer deal. You can see the entire line of comics being added in January by clicking on the following link: [Comics Alliance]

Sherlock gets another manga adaptation

The manga adaptations of BBC’s Sherlock series have been a hit for publisher Kadokawa, with a fourth series announced to arrive in February 2017. It’s been revealed that the fourth manga adaptation of the series starring Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman’s Dr. John Watson will adapt “A Scandal in Belgravia,” the first episode from the TV show’s second season.

Titled “Belgravia no Shūbun,” the manga will be drawn by the illustrator who goes only by the name “Jay,” the same artist who handled the show’s previous adaptations. It’s not yet known if Titan Comics will handle the English language translation as they did for the previous Sherlock adaptations. [CBR]

Moby Dick gets new graphic novel adaptation from Dark Horse Comics

Dark Horse Comics has announced a new collection of the comics adaptation of the classic novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville, coming from French comics creators Vents d’Ouest and Christophe Chabouté. Described as “a masterpiece of French literary comics”, this hardcover edition collects previously released Vents d’Ouest volumes, and features illustrations by the award-winning French artist Christophe Chabouté. Moby Dick is now available for pre order at DarkHorse.com, and will be released on February 8. You can see the cover image for the adaptation above: [Bleeding Cool]

Marvel adds on more surprise U.S.Avengers variant cover

Finally, Marvel has released 53 variant covers for issue #1 of U.S.Avengers which hits stands this week – one for each of the fifty states, plus Canada, the UK, and Puerto Rico. But there is also another not previously announced cover, coming from artist Phil Noto and featuring the Avengers’ “trinity” of Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor. This cover was made for retails who ordered all 53 covers of the issue. You can see the cover for this sure to be hard to get comic above. [Comic Book]

Images: DC Comics / Marvel Comics / Dark Horse Comics / Kadokawa / ComiXology