Chris Hardwick's Blog, page 2296

Marvel Animation Announces New Spider-Man Series, Funko Animations, and More!

As one door closes for our favorite wall-crawler, another one opens. The animated Ultimate Spider-Man will wrap up in June with a two-part finale featuring the Sinister Six. A brief clip was shown to the crowd at New York Comic Con, with Spider-Man saving Norman Osborn from a collapsing building as Doc Ock leads the Sinister Six in an attack, all the while doing his best Orson Welles-style monologuing. Spdiey jokes about how he should rename himself Cat-Man because he has so many lives, and mentions getting his powers back. Norman, naturally, vows that the mechanical-armed villain shall pay.

Following Ultimate Spidey, Disney XD will debut the all-new Marvel’s Spider-Man:

Described as a “back-to-basics” approach, this Spider-Man will focus on Peter Parker and start from the beginning, presumably so that any kids who jump aboard with Spider-Man: Homecoming as their first Spidey movie won’t feel too far afield.

Also on the docket for Marvel animation is the feature-length film Marvel’s Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell, featuring Dr. Strange. You can see the clip they showed above; or, if you’re at New York Comic Con, watch a screening of the whole thing tomorrow in the Javits Center Room 1A06 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. It’ll be available as a digital download starting Oct. 21st.

LEGO isn’t the only kind of block toy to get superhero animations these days–Marvel will be working with Funko to create three animated shorts later in the year, including one Marvel Studios can’t do: Deadpool vs. Venom! The other two will feature Rocket and Groot, and Iron Man and Spider-man versus Loki:

D’awwww.

And guess who’s coming to Marvel’s Avengers: Secret Wars?

That’s right: Hayley Atwell will be voicing Agent Carter, in an episode featuring a battle with Kang the Conqueror!

Be on the lookout also form some Ant-Man shorts on Disney XD, as we gear up for that movie sequel. They’ll be directed by French duo Ugo Bienvenu and Kevin Manach, with Ant-Man voiced by Josh Keaton (Voltron: Legendary Defender) and the Wasp by Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory).

Do Marvel’s animation plans excite you? Assemble below and tell us!

Images: Marvel, ABC, Disney XD

This is the Future of the Sticky Note: Solar-Powered, Electronic, and AR-Enabled

Sticky notes are so useful that the little anachronistic squares of paper are likely plastered all around your retina-display laptop right now, or maybe even against that mirror in your house that can tell you how sexy you look. But even the almighty sticky note must eventually succumb to the tsunami of technological innovation known as “the internet of things.” Subject A: the “energy-harvesting situated displays” shown in the above video, which are solar-powered, compatible with augmented reality technology, and of course, stickable.

The video of the electronic sticky notes, which was posted by researcher Tobias Große-Puppendahl and comes via Gizmodo, demonstrates a type of electronic display that is “thin, light weight, robust, and wireless.” And while the resolution leaves something to be desired—a lot to be desired—the electronic sticky notes are AR-ready. This feature is shown off in the video around 1:26, and one can easily imagine cruising around the home or office with Microsoft’s Hololens or Magic Leap’s “mixed reality” gear, while utilizing the notes for reminders regarding upcoming meetings or which robot needs a waxing (probably Bender, ’cause he loves to keep it shiny).

Aside from the AR aspect of the electro-notes, another cool feature is the fact that they can be powered by ambient indoor light. This means that you don’t necessarily have to stick them up against a window or anything; they’ll just feed off of lamp light inside of the room where they’re posted. So if walking around with AR glasses while checking out sticky notes that have been updated wirelessly via smartphones and tablets doesn’t sound like the future to you, maybe the idea of having an ecosystem of office supplies feeding off your lighting fixtures does.

What do you think about these solar-powered AR sticky notes? Are you ready for the IoT to take over those lovely little squares of sticky paper all around your desk or is it OG Post-It notes or bust for you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Images: Tobias Große-Puppendahl

RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER Gets a Longer, Grander Trailer

We got our first glimpse at footage from the sixth and supposedly last in the current run of live-action Resident Evil movies back in August (via a Japanese trailer), but a newer, longer preview from New York Comic Con has now expanded on the world of the six-quel (sexquel?) in a big way. It would appear that the grand finale will be incorporating fan-favorite elements from every prior installment: flying monsters, running monsters, abandoned cityscapes, desert chases, bio-zombies, Albert Wesker being very Weskery, and ultimately a return to the Hive and that uber-creepy little girl computer hologram known as the Red Queen, because when your heroine is named Alice, there have to be Lewis Carroll references.

The plot involves a possible antidote to the zombie and monster-making T-virus, and the all-powerful Umbrella corporation finally accepting that yeah, the apocalypse happened and there probably won’t be a world left much longer in which to make any profits. Why they’re involving Alice (Milla Jovovich) again…who knows. But she’s certainly not going out without a fight, or an industrially remixed Guns N’ Roses classic on the soundtrack.

Is it really the final chapter? Probably not, as no franchise to ever make that claim has ever actually stopped. But it may be your last with Jovovich doing air kicks to head-splitting monster dogs in mid-air, so this January, prepare to get in your last fix of that.

How are you hoping the Resident Evil cinematic saga ends? Will our heroine almost become an Alice sandwich? Hazard a guess in comments below.

Image: Sony/Screen Gems

Cause and Effect Doesn’t Actually Exist on a Particle Level

The basic idea of “cause and effect” seems easy to understand. Thing A takes place, and it is responsible for Thing B happening. You throw a baseball at a window and the window breaks. The relationship is inherently logical, so long as you’re only dealing with events on a macro scale, that is, because that relationship doesn’t really exist on a particle level.

The latest video from MinutePhysics explains why cause and effect isn’t an element of fundamental particle physics, and that’s because particles don’t care about the flow of time. For cause and effect to happen things have to occur in a linear fashion forward, “A to B.” However, the “underlying laws of physics don’t care about the direction of time,” and instead they follow predictable behaviors of a pattern. The current state of a particle doesn’t dictate its next state.

A better way to understand the relationship between the past and present events/states is to think of them in terms of leverage. That goes for bigger events too, like how a tiny spark has leverage over the future. You can light a torch and burn down a house, giving the tiny spark that begins it all leverage over the future. Leverage can also work backwards, though, but in that case the present creates a record of past events, or what we might call a memory.

So cause and effect as we think of it only exists for us in the context of time, which only moves forward. If that sounds familiar that’s because the last video we told you about from MinutePhysics explained why time only flows forward. So cause and effect is merely a byproduct of chaos.

Which is fitting, because chaos is what happens when you throw baseballs at windows. But you didn’t need physics to tell you that.

What other concepts would you like MinutePhysics to tackle next? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Featured Image: Warner Bros.

Body Images: MinutePhysics

Scream at a Wall: RED FANG Premieres “Cut It Short” (Exclusive)

Wipe the blood from your teeth and get in the pit: it’s time for a recap of this week’s best hardcore, metal, and punk rock. This week is filled with all sorts of heavy goodness, including an exclusive premiere of a new Red Fang song. That’s right, brand new Red Fang that you can only hear on Nerdist. This is the stuff dreams are made of. Strap in kiddies, it’s time to get weird.

 

 

As promised, we have “Cut It Short” from Red Fang’s supremely excellent new album, Only Ghosts. This song is catchy, rockin’, and fueled by big riffs. It’s everything we love about Red Fang and a perfect example of the direction Only Ghosts takes the band. It’s the kind of jam that requires a beer and some serious air guitar. These dudes have yet to release a dud; they seem to just get better and better. Only Ghosts is out October 14 via our pals at Relapse Records, so go pre-order a copy or pick one up at your local record store. This is a must-own album, people.

We also asked Red Fang bass player and singer Aaron Beam to intro the song for us. He had this to say:

“Hey Nerds! I am one of you! I want you to enjoy the track “Cut it Short” off our new album, Only Ghosts. This song is in a weird time signature, which is pretty nerdy. And it has notes that shouldn’t fit, but somehow they do, which is also nerdy. And it has sort of a play on words, which is…oh nevermind…Just listen to this song and be blown away like a 98 pound weakling on a windy day.”

It’s hard to not love a band called Cokegoat. It certainly helps when they deliver awesome tunes like “Nurture,” which you can hear below. Their sound is big and mean, a post-metal type jam with strangely beautiful guitar tones. The vocals range from droning melodies to angry growls. In other words, Cokegoat is all over the place, which is part of what makes them so damn interesting. We’re definitely onboard for this stuff and look forward to hearing more.

Hornss play a groove-laden form of old-school-sounding metal that is swimming in feedback and atmosphere. These guys sound like a band that would have opened for Black Sabbath back in the day; there’s something raw and honest about them but you could still see them ripping it up in an arena. Call it punk, call it metal, call it heavy; whatever it is, it freaking rocks. Thick as all hell and fuzzy to the max, Hornss is one of our new favorite bands.

We’re starting to sound like a broken record about Planes Mistaken for Stars, but holy crap we are pumped for their new album. Prey is undoubtedly one of the year’s best and something you one hundred percent need to own. Just listen to the the newest premiere, “Clean Up Mean.” It’s a boozy song filled with swagger and gravel; it’s like listening to your soul bleed. It feels like the night after a binge. It’s a cacophony of violence and sweat. Prey really is incredible, trust us on this one. We’ve heard the whole thing and it’s all as good as the track below. Order it now and thank us later. [via CLRVYNT]

“Symphony of Terminal Illness” is probably the mellowest song The Dillinger Escape Plan have ever recorded. Don’t worry, it still has frantic time signatures and throughly aggressive overtone, but there’s no denying it’s sad and a little haunting. When you consider the fact that this is a track on the final record from these guys, it’s hard to not get depressed. The Dillinger Escape Plan have been a relentless monster of hardcore and chaos for nearly two decades, so the thought of a world without them is unsettling. “Symphony of Terminal Illness” is like a funeral march. It’s a long goodbye to an old friend. Goddamn, we’re gonna miss this band.

Lastly, we have the title track from Ulcerate’s upcoming album, Shrines Of Paralysis. It’s about nine and a half minutes of soul- crushing darkness, so prepare yourself before clicking play. This stuff is so heavy you run the risk of throwing your back out when lifting it on to your turntable. It’s thick and nightmarish, like a hotdog from a ballpark. If you like your metal complex, dark, and cataclysmic, there’s no doubt you’ll love Ulcerate. Their full album will be unleashed on October 28, just in time for Devil’s Night, which is just too perfect.

That’s it for this week. Go forth; throw some horns up and keep spinning in the black circle. If there’s a metalcore, grindcore, hardcore, or any other core song you think the world needs to hear, sound off in the comments below. \m/

Images: James Rexroad

Gif: Simpsons/ 21st Century FOX

Benjamin Bailey writes for the Nerdist and can be found on Twitter talking about Godzilla, comic books, and hardcore music.

Real Life Talking Dug From Pixar’s UP Surprises Strangers in the Park

If it were possible for a dog–man’s best, loyal, kinda dumb, lovable best friend–to really speak to humans, it would sound and behave exactly like Dug from the Pixar movie Up. Has there even been a better written talking animal than that chubby little golden retriever with the special collar around his neck? And how wonderful would it be to really have that little guy bouncing around your home telling you how much he loves you and how great everything is? Well it would be even better than you can imagine, and we know because Disney sent a real life version of him out into the world to surprise some unsuspecting, very lucky people.

In this hidden camera “stunt” video from Disney (and we use quotation marks because this hardly seems like a stunt and more like an actual dream come true) shared on YouTube by Oh My Disney, a golden retriever in slightly better shape than the cartoon version and wearing a collar just like Dug’s in the movie (though this is really a type of walkie-talkie), runs around to unsuspecting park goers telling them how much he loves them, where his master is, the best places to pet him, and of course, how excited he is for a ball.

What really makes this great is that they got the voice of Dug and co-director of Up, Bob Peterson, to come back and voice the real-life version.

We’re not sure what part we like best, the innocence of the little girl who asks Dug how it’s possible for him to talk, only for her to be shocked by the answer, or the pure glee of the adults who obviously know this is just a fun little joke, but can’t help speaking to him like he’s a real talking dog.

Oh, that’s right, the best part–SQUIRREL!

…….

–the best part is all of it.

What other cartoon animals do you wish you could meet in real life? If you’re up to it, tell us in our comments below.

Images: Disney/Oh My Disney

New KRAMPUS Book Gets a Real Creepy Trailer

Up until just a few years ago, most of us in North America had no idea who or what a Krampus was. And then, thanks to YouTube videos showing “Krampuslauf graz” (Krampus run) parades from Bavarian countries in Europe making the rounds on social media, many of us learned all about the so-called “Christmas Devil” that had been part of European folklore for centuries. Because of those, and because of Mike Dougherty’s hit  Krampus movie that came out last year, almost everyone now knows about the demon who takes care of those naughty children on Santa’s list.

Now a new book is on its way from publisher Feral House and author Al Ridenour called The Krampus, And The Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil. The book details the rise in popularity of the Krampus figure over the last several hundred years into the infamous and iconic character he is today, especially with younger generations. Below is the official description of the book, and you can also watch a special trailer made for the book in the video below:

The Krampus and the Old Dark Christmas_Video Book Trailer from Feral House on Vimeo.

“Once the mythic bogeyman of European Catholic childhoods and long presented as the opposite of Santa Claus, Krampus is a growing pesence in American culture. With the appearance of the demonic Christmas character Krampus in contemporary Hollywood movies, television shows, advertisements, and greeting cards, medieval folklore Krampus–related events and parades in North America and Europe, Krampus is a growing phenomenon.

Though the Krampus figure is now familiar, not much can be found about its history and meaning, thus calling for a book like Al Ridenour‘s The Krampus: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil. With Krampus‘s wild, graphic history, Feral House has hired the awarded designer Sean Tejaratchi to take on Ridenour‘s book about this ever–so–curious figure.”

What do you think of all the hubbub around Krampus these days? Do you wish he was more prominent in North America than he already is? Let us know what you think down below in the comments.

Image: Feral House

Cosplay Friday #184 – Widowmaker, Asami, and More by Arlena Fae

Of all the things to pull cosplay inspiration from in the world, I think video games offer the most possibilities. New titles are constantly hitting stores in every genre, and each game usually brings at least two-five lead characters to cosplay. In bigger games, like League of Legends, there are what seem like dozens of characters and many of them have different skins and looks. You could spend months or maybe years making all the different costumes worn by a single character. Arlena Fae hasn’t done that, but she has crafted many costumes based on League of Legends, Overwatch, and other games.

Behold her take on the assassin Widowmaker:

Widowmaker (Overwatch) | Photo by: Arlena Fae Photography

You’ll find more selections from Arlena’s portfolio in the gallery below. You’ll see a couple of the League of Legends ensembles I mentioned, Sailor Venus, a kick-ass Asami from Legend of Korra, and more. But that’s not all! See all of Arlena’s costumes and keep up with her current projects on Facebook and Instagram.

Do you cosplay or take pictures of cosplayers? Then I would like to see your portfolio so we can talk about highlighting you in a future Cosplay Friday gallery. If you’re interested, please go ahead and email me at alratcliffe@yahoo.com with photos you’d like me to feature. Be sure to provide credits for the cosplayers or photographers for each image because credits are cool–bonus points if you include links to their Facebook pages or websites.

Images: Courtesy of Arlena Fae

Thundercloud Bluetooth Speaker Now Levitates for More Feng Sh-No-Way

Music? Sure, it’s great—who doesn’t love music? Bluetooth? Yeah, everybody wants to go wireless. Thundercloud? As long as it’s way off in the distance? Way cool. Levitation? Worked pretty well for Marty McFly. But a bluetooth thundercloud speaker that simultaneously levitates and plays music inside of your living room?! Gentle internet, you had our curiosity… but now you have our attention.

Toward the beginning of last year we were introduced to an “Amazing Cloud Lamp” that dazzled us with its ability to play music and light up its fluffy little body in accordance with the tuneskies. Now, the maker of that amazing cloud lamp, Richard Clarkson Studio, has teamed up with levitation specialists Crealev to give the bluetooth thundercloud speaker the powers of levitation!

The levitating thundercloud speaker—which comes our way via My Modern Met—is the perfect touch for any home that needs a bit more cumulus in its room-ulus. The cloud levitates thanks to opposite polarity magnets, which means if you knock it around a bit, it will just bob around before finding equilibrium again. It’s also, according to My Modern Met, made of “hand-fluffed polyester fibers.” Imagine being able to say that to one of your house guests: “hand-fluffed polyester fibers.” It seems like that line alone would make this dreamy diorama worth it.

Speaking of worth it, how much can pluviophiles expect to drop on this lightning in a fluffball? Well, this design is only a prototype, but the two versions we saw in 2015 cost $960 for the “non-interactive” version and $3,360 for the interactive version. Now that levitation has been added, we imagine those prices have only gone up. Which means if you want to relax with your very own floating thundercloud speaker in your living room, you better be prepared to make it rain.

What do you think about this floating thundercloud speaker? Curl up with a good book, a nice mug of cocoa, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Images: Richard Clarkson Studio

BATMAN ’66 Meets WONDER WOMAN ’77 In New DC Series, Plus More NYCC News

Welcome comics fans to your weekend edition of Comics Relief! Tons of news to process through today, as New York Comic Con is in full swing, but lets get started with some fun news that’s a true blast from the past for DC Comics fans. Read on for all the details.

The Adam West/Lynda Carter Crossover We Always Wanted Is Coming

It’s the crossover 50 years in the making: In 2017, the Adam West version of Batman will finally team up with the Lynda Carter version of Wonder Woman in a new mini-series, just announced by DC Comics at NYCC. Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77  will debut as a 12-chapter series which will launch digitally November 23, releasing new chapters every other week, and will feature art from popular artists David Hahn and Karl Kesel and cover art by Alex Ross and Mike Allred. Following the November digital launch, the comic will later be offered as a six-issue print series with the first issue debuting in January 2017.

At New York Comic Con’s “Wonder Woman 75” panel, Wonder Woman ’77 writer Marc Andreyko said that he and Batman ’66 writer Jeff Parker would be working on the series together. According to Andreyko, Batman ’66 Meets Wonder Woman ’77 will jump through time, starting off in the 1940s with Wonder Woman, then jumping to the 1960s with Batman, and then finally to the 1970s with Wonder Woman again. According to Parker, “it really feels like Lynda Carter and Adam West going into action again, this time together.” If somehow Christopher Reeve as Superman shows up, that would be the most amazing thing ever. You can see the Alex Ross cover in the header image, and Mike Allred’s variant above. [Newsarama]

Deadpool The Duck Is a real thing that’s happening

Straight from the Marvel retailer panel at New York Comic Con, the publisher announced Deadpool the Duck, a new miniseries set to debut next year. The mini-series will be written by Stuart Moore (Cloak and Dagger) and illustrated by Jacopo Camagni (Deadpool’s Secret Secret Wars), with covers by David Nakayama.

In this story, Wade Wilson will be on a mission from SHIELD to capture an alien who is wreaking havoc on Earth. Deadpool thinks it’s a simple enough job, but things turn sideways. Then Howard the Duck gets involved, and then a freak accident leaves Deadpool and Howard merged and fighting for control of Deadpool the Duck, “the Merc with a Beak.” The series will run for five issues, beginning in January 2017. You can see the first promo image above. [Comic Book]

Artist Jonboy Meyers leaves Teen Titans after 2 issues

Although his artwork was one of the highlights of Teen Titans: Rebirth #1 (at least I thought so) it seems artist Jonboy Meyers is leaving the title after the first regular issue, citing the age old reason of “creative differences.”

On his Facebook page, Meyers wrote “Thank You guys for all the Teen Titans Love and Support. TT Issue #1 of the ongoing will be my final issue for the series. Due to creative differences, I’ve decided to move onto other projects. And just to be clear, I left on my own, so there’s no hard feelings or ill will. It’s comics not everything is magical–just the characters.” DC has not announced a replacement yet, despite Meyers being listed as interior and cover artist through December’s issue #3.  [CBR]

Marvel Announces Ms. America Chavez ongoing title

Latin-American superheroine Ms. America Chavez is getting her own ongoing title at Marvel, it was announced at NYCC. The upcoming series will be simply titled America, and will feature covers by the character’s former artist on Young Avengers, Jamie McKelvie (with colorist Matt Wilson). You can see the cover for issue #1 above. No details on the rest of the creative team were announced.

Ms. America Chavez was originally created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta based on the Golden Age heroine Miss America for 2011’s Vengeance series at Marvel. Miss America Chavez then went on to be a member of the team books Young Avengers and then later, the new Ultimates. No release date was given for the title outside of early 2017. [Newsarama]

DC Superhero Girls gets a new OGN and digital first series

DC Super Hero Girls has become a huge success, with Super Hero Girls costumes officially outselling Princess costumes for Halloween this year. Continuing their success with the brand, DC has announced a third original graphic novel with the characters, and a digital first comic that is already available to buy.

The new graphic novel by Shea Fontana and Yancey Labat is called Wonder Woman: Summer Olympus, and focuses on Diana going to visit her father Zeus in his home of Olympus. The new digital first series is titled Past Times At Super Hero High, and finds the young ladies of Superhero High making things go crazy when they use a time machine to do research on a report for school, and accidentally change history so that Vandal Savage becomes their new principle. This already sounds better than season one of Legends of Tomorrow.

DC Super Hero Girls: Wonder Woman: Summer Olympus will be released next Summer, and DC Super Hero Girls: Past Times At Super Hero High is available to buy right now on Comixology and from other digital vendors. [Comics Alliance]

Marvel to celebrate 25 years of Squirrel Girl in 2017

While it seems Marvel’s Squirrel Girl is a new-ish character, she’s actually been around for 25 years. And next year, Squirrel Girl is celebrating with a special commemorative issue of her ongoing series. Announced at NYCC, Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 will feature two Squirrel Girl stories, one from writer Ryan North and artist Erica Henderson, and another from Squirrel Girl co-creator Will Murray, who will write an all-new story, also drawn by Henderson. This will only be Murray’s second ever story with the character.

Squirrel Girl debuted 25 years ago in Marvel Super-Heroes volume 2 #8 in a story co-written by Murray and legendary artist Steve Ditko. She then didn’t appear in a comic for 13 years, until writer Dan Slott brought her out of limbo for his G.L.A. limited series in 2005. Since then she’s only grown in popularity. Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #16 arrives in stores in January 2017. You can see Erica Henderson’s cover for the issue above. [CBR]

Comixology will release first ever original comics

This week, Comixology revealed a new a line of digital comics in partnership with three print publishers, available exclusively on Comixology and Kindle. The will be Comixology’s first original titles ever. The first three Comixology original books, which are available for pre-order, are Adventure Time Marshall Lee Spectacular, from Boom Studios; Valiant High, from Valiant Comics; and Marley’s Ghost, an unfinished A Christmas Carol adaptation by the legendary creator Harvey Kurtzman. “Our mission is to make everyone on the face of the planet a comic fan,” says Comixology CEO David Steinberger. You can check out the covers for the first three comics in our gallery below.[Comics Alliance]

Images: DC Comics / Marvel Comics / Comixology