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For Dads: Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth Kinect Review

Avengers Battle for Earth

It has almost become cliché to say that serious games on the Kinect are far and few between.  It becomes even rarer to see a fighting game on any motion based game system be more than a boring exercise of flaying around and frustration.  While Marvel Avengers Battle for Earth isn’t perfect, it has been the most enjoyable and exciting game to recently come out on the Kinect. Developed by Ubisoft Quebec, Marvel Avengers Battle for Earth provides a game that both families and hardcore gamers can at least enjoy together.  Based on the comic book story line of the Secret Invasion, where a group of aliens basically play “body snatchers” with marvel’s stable of superheroes.  No one knows who the real heroes are and who are fakes, resulting in epic battle between many of the legendary heroes. The game has 8 game modes: Campaign- This consist of over 40 battles with cinematics retelling the Secret Invasion story. Arcade- players must defeat all the other characters in … [Read more...]

(Video) Marvel Reads: Spiderman: An Origin Story App Review

spiderman app

A new Spiderman movie is set to come out this summer with a different spin on the entire story.  What better way to prepare for the debut than to brush up on the original story from Marvel.  Of course, if you are an adult it isn’t that difficult to pick up or download a version of the original comic. For children it is a bit harder relating to a story created back in the early 60s.  Thankfully, Marvel has brought the story to a generation through Spiderman: An Origin Story App.  Formatted in the same way as the Avenger Assemble! and Hulk app, iPhone/iPad users are treated to an interactive story told by Stan Lee on one of his most famous characters. Designed for all ages (not just kids) the story is brought to life with interactive games and puzzles.  Check out Rock and I having some webslinging fun: Available in French, Italian, German, Spanish and Danish, the app can be found here on iTunes for $3.99 which to me is definitely worth it considering the repeated use that … [Read more...]

(Video) Marvel Super Heroes Magazine Review & Giveaway Sweepstakes

New Marvel Super Heroes Magazine

  Update this giveaway sweepstakes is closed.  Congrats to the winner Julez. We have gone super hero crazy over here.   Last week, Disney Publishing premiered Marvel Superheroes magazine.  The magazine is a starting point to expose children to the Heroes and Heroines that we grew up with. Too often, children are given the easy way out and “just watch the movie”, doing so robs them of exercising their imagination.  While I will be the first to admit that Marvel comics is far from Shakespeare, for many of us, it was these comic that sparked our love of reading. With that said, when we received a review copy of the inaugural issue, Rock was super excited.  While targeting kids aged 8-10, no boy is immune to images of Thor, Hulk and Captain America no matter what age.  Immediately, upon opening the package Rock was thumbing through the pages noting all the characters and asking questions.  As it is, I have read to him quite a bit of the magazine for bed time.  When … [Read more...]

(Video) Marvel Reads: Avengers Origins:Assemble! And Avengers Origins: Hulk App Review

avengers-origins-assemble

Update: This weekend is Free Comic day, to celebrate Disney is having a number of things going one.  1) You can pick up the Disney Comics App for free and download a couple free books or 2) Until 5/11 if you buy $20 worth of disney products at a Disney Store location, you will be able to get a coupon to download the App for free!  but you better hurry, there is only 100,000 coupon available. Personally, I feel it is never too early to get into Comic books.  The only trouble is, that for younger kids trying to follow along the story can be a bit difficult.  I have tried reading them to Rock, but it is harder than it looks.  So what does a parent do? Well thankfully, Disney/Marvel has decided to release a number of Apps in a similar vein as the Peter Pan and Beauty and The Beast Apps we have previously reviewed.  This time, we are taken into the action packed world of Marvel Superheroes.  In anticipation to the huge Release of The Avengers this coming weekend, Disney … [Read more...]

The Incredible Hulk: An Origin Story Book Review

holiday gift guide incredible hulk

By Eddy In the past comic books have introduced the likes of Spiderman, Captain America and the Hulk to younger generation, unfortunately, comics have been in a steep decline.  In order to keep this tradition alive Disney Press and Marvel have created a series of books that introduce the origins of each of their more famous superheroes.  These heroes include Spiderman, the X-men, Captain America, Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk. We recently received from Disney Publishing The Incredible Hulk: An Origin Story.  I noticed a couple of things: ·         The book is laid out like a regular story book, no complicated comic book style boxes to navigate. ·         The story is straight forward and concise.  This books is an introduction for younger kids.  Keeping in this framework the violence is very subdued, don’t get me wrong the Hulk smashes his fair share of stuff but it is kept tasteful and appropriate enough to read to a 3 year … [Read more...]

NY Comic Con Thursday Rundown

NYCC 1

By Eddy Just got back from NY Comic Con (NYCC) and boy are my legs killing me.  It is not a fun walk from Grand Central to the Javitz Center, everything looks so close from google maps on my iphone.  Though I can’t help but feel worse for some of the other people walking with me still in total costume.  In New York City you see all types of crazy stuff, but for some reason it doesn’t prepare you for seeing grown men dressed as their favorite anime character (maybe my skin isn’t thick enough yet). Even on a “preview” day, the Jacob Javitz center was buzzing with activity. The day was supposedly open for press, exhibitors and VIP’s but I definitely saw 4 day ticket owners there as well. Though they added to the chaos, I was able to get a couple of glimpses of the costumes that make going to NYCC a fun event.  Yet, even as I write this I know that the crowds on Thursday will be nothing like that on Friday and Saturday, it doesn’t even compare.  A little tip … [Read more...]

Captain America: The First Avenger Movie Review

Captain America

By Eddy One of the most over used terms for Comic book style movies is Campy.  Campy is defined by dictionary.com as Effeminate: affected in mannerism, dress, etc. Relating to or considered characteristic of homosexuals Consciously artificial, exaggerated, vulgar, or mannered; self-parodying, especially when in dubious taste. I am not going to lie.  I didn’t really see the first two definitions coming.  In terms of most movies that I associate with the word, the third is the closet.  Yet even with the text book definition it seems that most movie critics professional or otherwise seem to throw the word around so much that it seems to have lost its meaning. In my mind the truest definition of the word in terms of movies and television is the old 1960’s Batman starring Adam West.  While exhibiting copious amounts of the first two definitions the shows also tended to treat itself less serious than the other shows around it.  It seemed like they were in all the … [Read more...]

Thor Movie Review

Thor Movie Poster

By Eddy Not bad Marvel, not bad at all.  Considering all that could have gone wrong (ala Wolverine) along with a director not experienced with Large popcorn action flicks (ala Ang Lee with Hulk) Thor rise the ranks of the comic book movie Patheon to arrive somewhere below the first Spiderman and above the second Iron Man.  Both movies were well received and in the case of Spiderman broke records, but when taken in full perspective of all the movies out there fails to reach the lofty heights of Spiderman 2 and both new Batman movies, rarified air to say the least.  Though I wouldn’t complain there are a ton of films that fall in the same plateau as Thor, the X-Men movies, Superman Returns and the various indie movies from the Crow to Kick Ass.  Each one was fun to watch, but never really took the next step to make it a truly great film. In this case, it could be the subject matter that was its downfall.  In the scheme of things, Thor isn’t really a fan favorite nor really … [Read more...]

SEGA: Captain America and Thor Video Games

thor

By Eddy NY Comic Con has come and gone, and we are left to pick up all the pieces.   Yet I am pretty sure that the true effect of the "Con" won't be felt until closer to the holidays when all the video games, movies and books that were showcased finally hit the market. I am hoping to shed a bit of light on some of the many things that I had the chance to preview at the Javitz center. One of the more exclusive views I got was of the Captain America and Thor video games scheduled to arrive from SEGA .  First with Thor, while the game isn't totally finished certain lucky individuals were invited to view an exclusive screening of video from the game hosted by one of the game creators.  While there wasn't much of actual game footage we did get a number of small clips as well view concept art for the game.  From what I saw and heard the whole concept of the game was to let the player really feel as if they were the God of Thunder...yes I know we hear this with … [Read more...]

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

wolverine

Things I didn't like about Wolverine or a written tirade. By Eddy For a movie that appeared to have sacrificed plot for CGI action, sometimes the simplest things were rendered awfully.  Case in point Wolverine's claws (actually from here now on, I will not refer to the title characters name as it just insults one of the more cooler comic book character, rather I will just say Hugh Jackman).  At various points in the movie the claws looked so raw, jagged and fake that I wondered if the editors just missed it in the final cut.  This just brings up one of the main things that kept on going on in my mind.  In lieu of the movie being leaked early and all the bad reviews given at that point, it seems as if the producers and everybody related to the movie just said SCREW IT, and instead of taking their time to actually fix any errors, just tried to get the movie out the doors as fast as it could so they could at least make some money.  BIG MISTAKE! While the actions scenes … [Read more...]