Author: Marc Alan Fishman

Folks walking the tiny (ahem) floor at the San-Diego Comic Con this weekend got a sneak peak at the 197 10th and 11th wave of Mattel’s DC Universe Classics line! While wave 10 continues to add another New God to it’s ranks, Wave 11 starts a whole new year of figures you’ll be stomping over kids in Wal-Mart for… That’s right, wave 11 introduces the Green Lantern Corps (and probably the multi-hued combatants forthcoming as well…)!

Thanks to actionfigurepics.com for the tasty info and pic-age!

Behind the glass this year fans got a glimpse of:

WAVE 10

• Joker, with Cane, Laughing Fish, Playing Cards, and Giganto-Mallet!

• Batman, 90’s Michael Keaton-Style… with… giant… folding Bat-Computer thing?

• Power Girl, with Giant Bust, and Thighs with Walnut-Crushing-Power!

• Forager- with Shield and Wrist Blaster

• Beast Boy, Doom Patrol Style, with “I Transform into this!” Bird!

• Robotman, Doom Patrol Style, with “Important Device on My Chest” Accessory

• Man-Bat, with “I hope someone cares” Action!

• The Build-A-Figure appears to be none other than the Jack Kirby-esque “IMPERIEX”!

WAVE 11

• Steppenwolf, In his Green and Red costumes (gotta love the variants!), packed with various swords and axes of villainy!

• The Question, Vic Sage Style… while the figure doesn’t show if the mask comes off, it too fails to capture the perfect Salmon colored shirt of the hit 80’s book.

• Cyborg Superman, Sinestro Corps Style, albeit with no shown battery.

• Deadman, with “Collar to Put Nightwing to Shame!” Action.

• John Stewart, with Green Constructs of a fist and large gun!

• Katma Tui, with Green Constructs of a beam sword, and shield!

• Shark!, With…. I’m sorry. Look at the picture of this…. this is a waste of plastic.

• The Build-A-Figure appears to be the Mighty Poozer Smackin’ Kilowog!

FABULOUS TWO-PACKS!

• “Animal Instinct!” – Includes Grant Morrison’s favvy tiny leather jacket clad Animal Man and everyone’s favorite ‘WTF’ character… B’wana Beast!

• “Sinestro Corps!” – Includes the dentist’s favorite lady in yellow, Karu-Sil (with trusty yellow construct of her playful pups) and the bizzaro-esque Romat Ru!

SUPER DUPER GIFT PACK!

• Save up your birthday money for the “Gotham City Five- Gift Pack” which includes Two-Face, Super-Friends Costumed “Exclusive” Lex Luthor, Batman and Superman, and Catwoman!

In the grand hall denoted only as “H”, swarms of Comic-Con goers were given a treat of global proportions. 24 minutes of James Cameron’s upcoming Avatar was screened for those on hand. Of course all recording devices were banned from use, but that didn’t keep bloggers away from their terminals as soon as the panel was finished. Here’s the low down of what we know was shown:

Jake Sully (being played by Sam Worthington) is shown entering a military briefing, confined to a wheelchair. We’re reassured by a gruff officer that it’s his job to keep them all alive… but (dun-dun-dunnnnnn) he assures the soliders in the room, including Jake, that he won’t be successful.

From here, we move quickly to a lab where we meet Jake’s ‘Avatar’, an artificial/alien body that will be piloted by Jake after his DNA is combined (via the Avatar program, natch) with the Na’vi alien race. We meet Dr. Grace Augustine (played by sci-fi fan favorite, Sigourney Weaver),  who helps load Jake into the Avatar machine, after a bit of playful banter.

Cue the special effects. We enter Oz, err, Pandora.

(more…)

Transformers… more than meets the eye. This, we know. But what happens when the mighty all-spark malfunctions and sends the Michael Bay Monstrosities to wage war against the Autobots and Decepticons of our shared youth? Only you, the cosmically-conscious Comic Mix commenters can conclude! Now cast your votes!

The Main Event: Team Optimus versus Team Megatron!

So, for the past week or so, you fine folks out there have debated and argued in admiration for your favorite G1 Transformers or for the Michael Bay Monsters. But when it came down to this author simply could not make the leader of the Autobots fight himself. And Megatron? Puh-leaze… if given the chance, he’d team up with himself for the opportunity to decimate his red rival. So, without further adieu… let’s let the energon fly!

In the Blue and Red Corner, we have our fearless leaders! They are the semi’s of superiority! They are the bots with the brains and the brawn! They are the holders of the Matrix! It’s Team Optimus Prime! The Generation 1 Blocky Bot comes packed to the gills with firepower. From his trusty sidearm, to his tractor-trailer packed with a powerful turret, Optimus Prime of the G1 Autobots is ready to rumble! Tag teaming with his movie counterpoint, comes his partner, the beefy Semi-cab with a fancy flaming paint job! The movie Optimus is very similar to his G1 counterpart. While he lacks G1’s fancy Energon axe, he does come with an articulated mouth. So, he’s got that going for him, right?

On the other side of the ring comes a team of pure malevolence. G1 Megatron was always a dastardly foe, who turned into a potent hand gun. Sure, his handgun form was miniscule in comparison to his normal robot size, but then again, G1 Transformers had no problem changing size at will. Packed with his own arm cannon as well an energon mace… the Silver Centurion of Sinister Spite is certain to cause his fair share of slaughter. And who better to wield him in gun mode then… himself! The movie Megatron this time around is a bombastic tank, after he frees himself from the briney deep he was left in, thanks to plucky Sam Witwicky.

It’s the battle you’ve been waiting for. So folks… who takes the crown? Optimus Squared may have the soul, but Mega-Megatron is gonna be pretty pissed. It’s a big battlefield out there. I expect the ensuring war to destroy plenty of buildings… but not come near Megan Fox and her pouty lips. Please vote below for your favorite team, and remember…

The future is built on dreams. Hang on to them. And then make sure you voted for your favorite Witwicky, Devastator, Bumblebee, and Soundwave!

Transformers… more than meets the eye. This, we know. But what happens when the mighty all-spark malfunctions and sends the Michael Bay Monstrosities to wage war against the Autobots and Decepticons of our shared youth? We’ve got a few battles in our back pocket ComicMixers… let’s let ’em duke it out, shall we?

Round Four: The BFF Brawl for it all!

Without the backdrop of Earth, would the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons be awesome? Yes. But because it is on our little blue orb in the cosmos, it’s that much cooler. Even cooler than that though, the heroic Autobots befriended one of our very own. Spike Witwicky was a plucky 14 year old hard hat wearing son of oil rig worker Sparkplug. When Sparky’s rig became a set piece for the war between those who were “more than meets the eye” Spike and his dad offered their friendship to the Autobots… to help them acclimate to our hip and trendy world. Optimus and his crew accepted, and soon, Spike was in our living room, capturing our heart. Sure Spike made some mistakes… he unwittingly brought Soundwave into Autobot headquarters. He later got captured and brainwashed… but hey, he was just a kid. To counter point it, he introduced the good guys to the concept of Dinosaurs, as well as provide companionship on the many adventures to Cybertron, Dinobot Island, etc. It was this companionship that most could argue that made Optimus the human-loving leader he is today. And without him, who would Bumblebee quip to? No one, that’s who.

In the movies, Sam Witwicky is this generation’s “Marty McFly” (according to TF 1 writer Roberto Orci). Sporting a crude ‘tude in the first movie, Sam was our POV man, quick with the wits, and quicker with the “run for your life” skill. This skill of course allows Sam, who is a marginally unathletic kid, the superhuman ability to outrun battle-trained transformers in an unending loop of flying debris and explosions. While he doesn’t sport a curly red mop and hardhat, he does sport todays hip equivalent: two tee-shirts on at once, cargo pants, and a bit of the life-giving all spark. Hell of a keychain kid.

So folks, let’s say a rift in celluloid occurs, and these Wikwickys are made to do battle. Sam has the age advantage, but Spike is wearing a hardhat. Sam has the all-spark… but, to make things fair, Spike has his brain placed into that cool Autobot X. That out to make it nice and even right? Only one way to find out… COMMENT!

… And don’t forget to vote in the previous rounds, for the Amalgamated-Assemblage of alloy…Devastator! Or for the Buzz-worthy Bumblebee! Or your favorite Vocoder-voiced-villain, Soundwave!

In case you’ve been under a rock, or don’t pay any attention, this week the Electronic Entertainment Expo has been showcasing some fancy new titles due out soon for the current generation (that being the Sony Playstation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360… sorry Wii-Heads) of video game systems that should tickle comic lover’s thumbs.

From DC’s mighty utility belt comes Batman: Arkham Asylum. Produced by Rocksteady Studios, and published by the fine folks who gave the world Lara Croft’s shapely rear end life, Arkham Asylum lets wanna-be detectives put on the digital cape and cowl for a rousing round of villain destruction. Falling somewhere between Splinter Cell‘s stealthy kill-em-up, and God of War‘s thumb-destroying beat-em-up, the game features an original take on the Grant Morrison penned graphic novel. Players will take Bats through multiple levels (all inside the aforementioned loony bin) in what appears to be a final fracas with the clown prince of crime. Voice actors from Bruce Timm’s seminal animated series provide audible lift to what easily appears to be the best iteration of the Dark Knight’s digital gaming experience. While hands on reports mention some sloppy camera work still be worked out, the game is slated for release at the tail end of August… giving them enough time to work out the kinks. Let’s just hope there’s no multiverse twist at the end, eh?

From the House of Idea’s comes another sequel in the celebrated ‘dungeon-crawler’ epic: Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2: Electric Boogaloo. OK, it’s not an electric boogaloo… but what UA:2 is, is a continuation of Vicarious Vision’s long running franchise that’s looking to make the true leap to the next generation from its Playstation 2 / Xbox roots. UA:2 takes place in the current-ish comic storyline (Civil War anyone?) and allows players to take the reigns on some of Marvel’s most popular characters. Want to smash and bash as the Hulk? Go ahead. Want to pilot some mighty armor as Iron Man? Hit the X button pal. Not a fan of the classics? No problem. UA:2 brings Matt Gargan’s Venom, Deadpool, and the mighty Juggernaut as potential playable characters. Players will get to make their own teams, and take them into battles across several Marvel stalwart environments, from Latveria to the Barack Obama-Spider-Man-fist-bumping Washington D.C.. While Activision is hush-hush on an official street date for now, look for the Ultimate Alliance 2 to hit your local gaming emporium in the fall.

For more information on E3, and the scads of games being played by people more important than us, feel free to head to the official site.