Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Atomic’s Chandler store, 3155 W. Chandler Blvd., you can interact with Ben Glendenning (Tin Star Tex), Albert Morales (El Mystico) and Jeff Pina (Dr. Oblivion’s Guide to Teenage Dating) as they work — and if you’re lucky, you may end up being immortalized in one of their creations. It’s a monthly event held at various spots around the Valley to drum up awareness of Phoenix Comicon, which will take place May 27-30 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

See also: More guests announced for Phoenix Comicon

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

See how comic books are born

KeL’s take on the ‘Modern Warfare 2′ controversy

Like any big release, there’s a certain amount of controversy with ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2′.

Weekend Reading

A handful of links that didn’t get their own posts.

Nintendo rolls out its first free online demos

Welcome to the 21st Century.

‘Stargate Worlds’ developer shows some class

We’re not dead yet!

Arizona AG announces $3M settlement with Vonage

Someone’s been naughty.

Adult Swim offers custom DVDs shipped for $20

Pick your episodes, design you cover art.

Caves discovered on Mars could hide life

This is from the government.

More lost ‘Doctor Who’ stories to be staged for audio

To pick up where original series left off in 1989.

Congrats to Changing Hands!

Local bookseller throws quite a dead man’s party.

‘Star Trek Online’ box art boldly goes public

Seek it out Feb. 2.

It only took Jacko’s death to make Disney dust off ‘Captain EO’

We are here to change the world.

More guests announced for Phoenix Comicon: LeVar Burton, Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, John Schneider

Reverse the polarity!

Developer cites ‘good progress’ on troubled ‘Stargate’ MMO

Still not dead yet. Again.

‘New Moon’ rises but doesn’t quite shine

‘Twilight’ sequel’s leading vamp sucks.

Brad Pitt gets in the game

Producing, may star in film based on new Capcom franchise ‘Dark Void.’

Nintendo establishes holiday beachhead at Chandler mall

Try out new games for free.

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Nerdvana Weekly: Nov. 15-21, 2009

Chandler is the only Arizona city to host the Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience, an interactive event running Nov. 23 through Dec. 20 that lets shoppers take some of the newest video game titles for a spin.

Starting Monday in the Sears Court at Chandler Fashion Center, you’ll be able to try Wii games like New Super Mario Bros Wii and Wii Fit Plus and DS games such as Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, which releases Dec. 7.

Read on for a full description of the event and a list of all 35 U.S. shopping malls that are participating.

Nov. 18, 2009

Nintendo News

Nintendo Launches Nationwide Holiday Mall Experience

Want to have some fun while you shop? Nintendo is making it easier than ever for holiday consumers to sample the year’s most sought-after games on its Wii^TM and Nintendo DSi^TM video game systems. Starting Nov.
23, the Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience will touch down in 35 shopping malls from coast to coast, offering free hands-on demos of some of Nintendo’s hottest games. Whether they’re seeking gifts for friends and family members or simply taking a break from the season’s hustle and bustle, attendees can enjoy an interactive glimpse into the rich variety of entertainment offered by Nintendo.

Using the Wii console’s popular motion controls, Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience participants can play activities like archery and basketball in Wii Sports Resort^TM, explore the four-person multiplayer excitement of New Super Mario Bros. ^TM Wii, step onto the Wii Balance Board^TM accessory to experience new activities and enhanced features in the fitness-themed Wii Fit^TM Plus, and more. They can also pick up a Nintendo DSi system to sample hand-held games such as Style Savvy, which lets players manage their own virtual boutique, the puzzle-based Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box^TM and the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda^TM: Spirit Tracks after its launch on Dec. 7.

In addition to retail game offerings, visitors can learn about the wide array of games and applications available for download via the online Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop. They can also experiment with fun hardware features like the Wii MotionPlus ^TM accessory - which delivers exceptional precision in Wii games such as Wii Sports Resort - and the built-in cameras and photo-manipulation features of the portable Nintendo DSi system. Additionally, Nintendo representatives will be on hand at each location to guide demos, answer questions and help with holiday gift-giving ideas.

The Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience runs Nov. 23 through Dec. 20 at the following locations:

• Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, Ariz.
• Westfield Culver City in Culver City, Calif.
• Westfield Parkway in El Cajon, Calif.
• Ontario Mills in Ontario, Calif.
• Westfield San Francisco Centre in San Francisco
• Danbury Fair Mall in Danbury, Conn.
• Orange Park Mall in Orange Park, Fla.
• Florida Mall in Orlando, Fla.
• Tyrone Square in St. Petersburg, Fla.
• Lenox Square in Atlanta
• River Oaks Center in Calumet City, Ill.
• Greenwood Park in Greenwood, Ind.
• Arundel Mills in Hanover, Md.
• South Shore Plaza in Braintree, Mass.
• Burlington Mall in Burlington, Mass.
• Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn.
• Southdale Center in Edina, Minn.
• Deptford Mall in Deptford, N.J.
• Queens Center in Elmhurst, N.Y.
• Roosevelt Field in Garden City, N.Y.
• Galleria of White Plains in White Plains, N.Y.
• The Mall at Tuttle Crossing in Dublin, Ohio
• Penn Square Mall in Oklahoma City
• Franklin Mills in Philadelphia
• Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis, Tenn.
• Grapevine Mills in Grapevine, Texas
• Irving Mall in Irving, Texas
• Ingram Park Mall in San Antonio
• Chesapeake Square in Chesapeake, Va.
• Virginia Center Commons in Glen Allen, Va.
• Tysons Corner Center in McLean, Va.
• Potomac Mills in Prince William, Va.
• Northgate Mall in Seattle
• Westfield Southcenter in Seattle
• Southridge Mall in Greendale, Wisc.

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Nintendo establishes holiday beachhead at Chandler mall

Brad Pitt

Plan B Entertainment has agreed to develop a sci-fi action franchise for the big screen as a potential starring vehicle for the actor.

Capcom will release Dark Void on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in North America on Jan. 19, 2010, and across Europe on Jan 22. The game is described as “an adrenaline-fuelled blend of aerial and ground-pounding combat which centers on Will, a pilot who crash lands in the Bermuda Triangle following a routine mission.

“Will wakes up to find himself in ‘The Void,’ an alternate world resembling a primitive earth where aliens with superior technology are planning to take over civilization. Together with a faction of humans who have disappeared into the Void, Will takes on the alien race using their own advanced technology including a high-powered jet pack to defeat them and keep order in the civilized world.”

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Brad Pitt gets in the game

So, what do you do when you’re dumped by both your brooding vampire boyfriend and your brooding werewolf rebound? That’s the plot of New Moon, the sequel to Twilight, the movie based on Stephenie Meyer’s first novel.

The answer, Bella Swan decides, is to throw yourself into one hazardous situation after another just to get a fleeting glimpse of your former happiness. What else?

New Moon is a tight adaptation of the novel, which was full of action, humor and some decent drama. If you can get past the long stretches of unapologetic beefcake and the accompanying girly cheers and tween hype, it doesn’t make a bad movie.

Where it suffers, unforgivably, is in its leading man.

I can’t stand Robert Pattinson’s acting as Edward Cullen. I tried, but each time he grimaced while pretending to swallow his bloodlust, I cringed — and it’s definitely not out of fear. New Moon greatly benefits from his long absence, brought about by an accident that highlights mortal Bella’s vulnerability and forces the Cullen family to pack up and leave.

Fortunately, this gives Taylor Lautner a chance to shine as Jacob Black, a young pup from the local Indian reservation who has been carrying a torch for Bella — and has secrets of his own. He doesn’t get the best dialogue — if there is any — but he’s easily the most likable character this time around.

Everyone except the wooden Pattinson brings a better game than they did the first time around, in Twilight, but the movie could have benefited from more of the quirky Cullen clan. As it is, Jacob’s pack of werewolves easily eclipses the vampires in New Moon, and while fans know this sets the stage for things to come, it feels uneven.

New Moon
Rated: PG-13
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner
Grade: B-

What worked: Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. Condensing Bella’s months-long depression into a stylish seasonal montage that minimizes the goth angst. A truly creepy visit with the vampire royal class, the Volturi.

What didn’t work: The leading man, who managed to awkward up the movie without barely saying a word.

Image: Summit Entertainment

See also: ‘New Moon’ comes early for business students

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

‘New Moon’ rises but doesn’t quite shine

“Yes it is good to have some new content to show and start to be back in the public eye,” marketing director Jeremy Taylor told the site. “Most of our time without announcements came from the uncertainty of funding as we did not want to give our community and fan base consistently changing info. Production has never completely stopped and we still have a good group of developers working on bringing good quality content to market. It is certainly true that we went through our fair share of attrition due to funding issues but there is a team here and they are very dedicated.”

“While we continue to seek funding to take us to the finish line we are doing better and are making good progress.”

Earlier this week I shared a link to some new images the company posted of equipment used by the game’s various character classes. It was the first update since footage from the game appeared as a prop in the Oct. 2 premiere of the new Syfy series Stargate Universe. After that, the game’s site went offline briefly in what turned out to be a change in DNS server providers.

The company and its founder and principal owner, Gary Whiting, were recently sued by investors who claim misuse of company funds. They were granted a license by MGM in 2006 to develop an online roleplaying game based on the Stargate film and TV series, but those efforts have repeatedly stalled as the game’s financial backing came into question.

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Developer cites ‘good progress’ on troubled ‘Stargate’ MMO

LeVar Burton and Felicia Day

Phoenix Comicon organizers have announced the next big round of celebrity guests for Phoenix Comicon 2010, coming Memorial Day weekend at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Leading the pack is LeVar Burton, host of Reading Rainbow, Geordi LaForge on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Kunta Kinte from Roots.

Burton joins fellow TNG alum and ubergeek Wil Wheaton, along with the previously announced Jonathan Frakes, who played USS Enterprise first officer Will Riker. Frakes’ wife, General Hospital star Genie Francis, is also a guest.

Other Hollywood stars announced: John Schneider (Smallville and The Dukes of Hazzard), actress and geek goddess Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and Buffy the Vampire Slayer), perennial guest and The Incredible Hulk star Lou Ferrigno, and Kevin Grazier, Ph.D., science adviser to the Syfy series Eureka and Battlestar Galactica.

New guests from the comics world include Tony Harris, Todd Nauck, Dexter Vines, Brian Haberlin, Philip Tan, Peter Gross, Mike Bullock and B. Clay Moore. Anime guests include Stephanie Sheh and Mike McFarland. For your musical enjoyment, “horror punk heartthrobs” Calabrese will be performing at the convention.

Phoenix Comicon 2010 will be May 27-30 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Through 2009 the con was at the Mesa Convention Center, but organizers and guests wanted a bigger venue.

Other previously announced guests include 2001: A Space Odyssey co-stars Gary Lockwood and Keir Dullea, New York Times best-selling sci-fi author John Scalzi (Old Man’s War) and famed costumer and cosplayer Tristen Citrine. Lockwood also appeared in the pilot episode of the original Star Trek, “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

More guests announced for Phoenix Comicon: LeVar Burton, Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, John Schneider

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the short musical film produced by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola will soon play again at Disneyland, where it ran in glorious 3-D from 1986-94. The unofficial Disney Blog reports that the park showed the space opera recently to Jackson family members — including the megastar’s children, who had never seen it.

After EO left Disneyland, it was replaced by another 3-D experience: Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.

See also: The King of Pop’s forgotten pop culture empire

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

It only took Jacko’s death to make Disney dust off ‘Captain EO’

The online RPG, due out Feb. 2, is priced at $49.99. Subscription pricing has not been announced. PC system requirements were revealed last week.

Closed beta testing of the game, which is set in the generation after Star Trek: The Next Generation, began earlier this year.

Developers also announced that fan displeasure at word that starship interiors would not be accessible at launch has led to the inclusion of bridges as a venue for social interaction within the game.

But that’s not all! Hit the jump for a video showing how space combat will work.

Via IncGamers and Kotaku

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

‘Star Trek Online’ box art boldly goes public

But all is not lost! By winning first prize, they’ll be receiving five signed copies of The Graveyard Book and a customized video greeting from Gaiman himself. Very impressive! It just goes to show you the wonders and importance of independent booksellers, so be sure to support your local indy bookstore!

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Congrats to Changing Hands!

The project came together quickly during a recent fan convention via text message, Facebook and hurried meeting.

Going one step further, Big Finish will also produce two boxed sets of productions using scripts unearthed from the show’s earliest era, when William Hartnell and then Patrick Troughton held the title role. Those two actors passed away long ago, so they will be produced in a form that resembles more of a narrated audiobook than a full-cast production.

Many stories in the original series (1963-89) were proposed but never made due to strike or unplanned hiatus. Some even began filming before they were halted by these circumstances; others were written but never made it to film. Many were made but were simply discarded by executives who didn’t forsee personal video.

Colin Baker’s time as the Time Lord was particularly turbulent, and the show went on an extended hiatus in 1984 before returning with the epic “Trial of a Time Lord” season. Billed as “Doctor Who: The Lost Stories,” the new audio dramas have just launched with “The Nightmare Fair,” starring Baker and Nicola Bryant as his American companion Perpugilliam “Peri” Brown.

Via The Doctor Who News Page

See also:

• Big Finish has only just begun producing ‘Doctor Who’ audios
• Zimbabwe: Holy Grail for ‘Doctor Who’ completists?

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

More lost ‘Doctor Who’ stories to be staged for audio

A series of depressions discovered on Mars could be entrances to a cave system that might provide shelter for future Mars missions or shed light on whether microbial life forms have ever existed on the “Red Planet.”

Caves could reveal secrets of life on Mars (USGS)

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Caves discovered on Mars could hide life

Vintage villainy from 'The Venture Bros.'

Cartoon Network is now offering build-your-own DVDs of Adult Swim series episodes — to the point where you even select the case artwork and disc name.

Starting today at AdultSwimShop.com, you can mix and match your favorite episodes of original series like Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Venture. Bros., Sealab 2021 and Tim & Eric Awesome Show — as many as will fit on the 110-minute disc. The $20 price includes free shipping within 48 hours.

Hit the jump to read the official announcement.

Cartoon Network Enterprises Launches Industry-First Mass Customization Manufacturing-on-Demand DVD Program
Launching November 16 on AdultSwimShop.com, Adult Swim’s Build a Custom DVD Project Allows Fans to Create Fully Customizable DVD on Demand

Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE), the licensing and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, today announced a one-of-a-kind, mass customization DVD manufacturing on demand program that will allow fans to create fully-customizable Adult Swim DVDs. Dubbed Adult Swim’s Build a Custom DVD program and featuring a mélange of Adult Swim original series, the initiative will launch on Monday, November 16 on the television network’s online retail shop, www.AdultSwimShop.com and marks the first-time DVD fans will be able to create a fully-customizable DVD release.

The first phase of the Adult Swim’s Build a Custom DVD program will launch with approximately 100 episodes of popular Adult Swim original series including Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Venture. Bros., Sealab 2021, Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, The Drinky Crow Show and Lucy, Daughter of the Devil. Upon visiting the site, fans will go through a four-step process to create their disc: BUILD IT, DESIGN IT, REVIEW IT and BUY IT. In the BUILD IT section, fans mix and match their favorite episodes across all series and upload them on to a 110-minute DVD. Once the content is selected, they move on to the DESIGN IT section, where they select artwork for the DVD case, menus and disc face, as well as come up with a clever DVD name and description. In the REVIEW IT section, fans confirm all of the details before getting ready to BUY IT. The DVD will be available for a flat rate of $20 and will be created and shipped out to its recipient within 48 hours. In time for holiday, the program will be expanded to include every episode in the Adult Swim originals library, which accounts for more than 1000 episodes across over 30 series, and will include additional artwork options from which to choose.

“Since the network’s launch, Adult Swim has been synonymous with creating highly unique, innovative content that pushes boundaries and engages our fans, who are among the earliest of early adopters, eager for the next great idea or technology available to them,” said Christina Miller, senior vice president, CNE. “This program gives fans an opportunity to showcase their individual creativity in a first-of-its-kind program that offers an unprecedented level of customization and content that is truly unique Adult Swim and our fans.”

Since its debut as the late-night television network that shares space with Turner Broadcasting’s Cartoon Network in 2001, Adult Swim has become one of the most popular television networks among young adults across a range of platforms. It has been ranked the top ad-supported television network for total day delivery for adults and men 18-24 and 18-24 for 16 of the last 18 quarters, according to Neilsen Media Research, and its website is one of the most popular online destinations for young male adults. AdultSwim.com boasts more engaged users than top online gaming sites and has a higher composition of the male 18-34 audience than its competitors, according to Nielsen Online NetView. Additionally, CNE has built a successful electronic sell-through program for Adult Swim with extensive programs in place with key accounts, including iTunes, Xbox Live and PlayStation Network. Driving sales for Adult Swim episodes, the company offers exclusive content, talent chats and more, making digital downloads a significant component of its home entertainment business.

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Adult Swim offers custom DVDs shipped for $20

Terry Goddard

Vonage must alter its marketing practices, honor consumer cancellation requests and even provide refunds to some customers under a settlement announced today by Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard that also involves 31 other state attorneys general.

Customers had complained of difficulty dropping their service due to incentives Vonage offered employees who prevented cancellation, as well as confusion over the cost of the company’s equipment and services.

“We cannot allow companies to ignore their customers’ legal rights. Consumers must be treated with decency and not put off or prevented from canceling their phone service,” Goddard said in the announcement, which you can read in full after the jump.

Terry Goddard Announces $3 Million Settlement with VONAGE

(Phoenix, Ariz. – November 16, 2009) Attorney General Terry Goddard announced a $3 million, multi-state settlement with VONAGE, one of the nation’s largest providers of an Internet-based phone service known as “Voice over Internet Protocol.”

The settlement requires VONAGE to make significant changes to its marketing practices, to honor consumer cancellation requests and provide refunds to eligible customers.

The settlement addresses complaints of consumers who said they had difficulty or complete inability to cancel their VONAGE service. VONAGE formerly paid incentives to customer service representatives for retaining or “saving” customers in lieu of cancellation when consumers called to cancel. As a result, consumers reported that cancellation was extremely difficult and sometimes impossible. Today’s agreement puts strict limitations on this practice and requires recording and verification of these telephone calls.

The settlement also addresses a number of other marketing practices, which have led to consumer confusion over the cost of VONAGE equipment and service. Under the agreement, VONAGE will be revising its disclosures regarding the offer of “free” services, money-back guarantees and trial periods.

Further, the settlement puts in place a broad restitution plan requiring VONAGE to make refunds to eligible consumers who filed complaints regarding unauthorized charges from January 2004 to March 16, 2010, which have not been resolved.

“We cannot allow companies to ignore their customers’ legal rights,” Goddard said. “Consumers must be treated with decency and not put off or prevented from canceling their phone service.”

Goddard was joined by 31 other state Attorneys General in this settlement.

A copy of the settlement agreement is attached. For more information, contact Steve Wilson at (602) 542-8351.

See also: AZ congressional hopeful’s ties to ‘Star Wars,’ gaming

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

Arizona AG announces $3M settlement with Vonage

From Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, via the MMO news site Massively:

StargateWorlds.com

First of all a HUGE thank to our loyal and very patient fan base for hanging in there with us over this long period during which we did not have a lot to report or show. It’s great to be back and we’re excited to give you some fantastic never-before-seen screenshots of armor and weapons for the Goa’uld, Jaffa, Soldier, and Scientist.

We know you expect nothing less than the AAA content in Stargate Worlds our development team is working hard to give you along with some additional exciting news we will be revealing very soon! We want to thank everyone for their continued support and passion for Stargate Worlds and we can’t wait to show you more of what we’ve been cooking up over here.

Each of these armor sets will have unique traits that make them ideal for certain situations. As players become familiar with each world and the various environments they will encounter, they will discover which sets of armor best suit their play style.

It was the first update since footage from the game appeared as a prop in the Oct. 2 premiere of the new Syfy series Stargate Universe. After that, the game’s site went offline briefly in what turned out to be a change in DNS server providers.

The company and its founder and principal owner, Gary Whiting, were recently sued by investors who claim misuse of company funds. The Mesa company was granted a license by MGM in 2006 to develop an online roleplaying game based on the Stargate film and TV series, but those efforts have repeatedly stalled as the game’s financial backing came into question.

Post from: Nerdvana: Sci-fi, comics, games & more

‘Stargate Worlds’ developer shows some class