Opinion: I Wanna Be A Toys-R-Us Adult
“I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid!” Those words sang out to me from the television so often in the 1980s. As a child watching cartoons like Transformers, G.I. Joe, He-Man, Droids, Ewoks, and Smurfs this commercial told me definitively where I could go to buy the toys based on the shows.
“I don’t wanna grow up, cuz if I did…I couldn’t be a Toys ‘R’ Us kid!” These lines helped define my generation. Despite eschewing the nostalgia of our elders, Generation X has become a generation defined by its childhood. As I travel to toy shows across the country it’s not children buying toys, it’s adults my age and older who covet the latest toys and figures. In our youth we bought toys to recreate scenes from TV shows and movies, and as adults we still buy them to show our fandom and relive our childhoods.
But per a report this morning Toys “R” Us may be in trouble. Judging by the company’s bond ratings, if Toys “R” Us doesn’t have an impressive holiday season there may be no future generations of Toys “R” Us kids. Competition from online stores plus bottom-dollar brick-and-mortars like Wal-Mart have eaten into Toys “R” Us’ business. That, plus a declining action figure market have put the company in jeopardy.
My first reaction to this news was “good riddance.” As an adult toy collector, collecting Star Wars and Marvel toys, I have frequented Toys “R” Us for the past 18 years. In that time I’ve seen Toys “R” Us go into decline. In an effort to stay profitable the toy section of the store shrank while the video games section grew. More, they relied more on high profit diaper sales and baby formula to bolster their bottom line, making the differences between Toys “R” Us and their sister chain Babies “R” Us negligible.
Worse, Toys “R” Us prices have risen. While toy prices have increased almost 100% between 2005 and 2013, Toys “R” Us has taken them even higher. For the past 2 years action figures cost $1 to $2 more at Toys “R” Us than at retailers Target or Wal-Mart.
Toys “R” Us does provide an outlet for toy manufacturers to make and release toys that collectors and kids wouldn’t get otherwise. In the past few years they have had exclusive Star Wars vehicles like Jango Fett’s Slave I, an AT-AT from Return of the Jedi, and the Star Wars Millennium Falcon starship in exclusive, retro packaging. But exclusives at Toys “R” Us have come with a hefty price tag. The Millennium Falcon was originally released in 2008 for a MSRP of $159.99; the Toys “R” Us exclusive version, the same in every way save the box, was $249.99 in 2012. The Star Wars AT-AT was $99.99 at general retail in 2010, in 2013 the Toys “R” Us exclusive was $149.99. These top-dollar prices have turned off many collectors, leaving these items to languish on store shelves. Last week the Toys “R” Us exclusive Falcon was clearanced out for $99, 40% of the original price.
But as I reflected further on the loss of Toys “R” Us I realized that despite their high prices, poor store layout, and shrinking toy area, the loss of this store would be horrible for toy collectors, and the toy industry as a whole.
While Toys “R” Us has been overpriced in their exclusives, if the store were to close Star Wars fans would never have had the option to own the vehicles listed above. From action figures to high-end vehicles, Toys “R” Us offered the exclusives giving fans the choice to buy or not buy. If Toys “R” Us closes, that is an avenue for exclusives that is forever cut off and many niche toys targeted to the collector market will never even be offered.
More, Toys “R” Us carries toy lines not found at the big box retailers. Manufacturers like Diamond Select Toys and NECA manufacture more collector-oriented action figures. From Diamond’s Walking Dead Minimates to NECA’s video game based figures, these are toys you won’t find at major department stores. Yes, these are also sold online, but I have no doubt these smaller toy companies will suffer from the loss of visibility garnered from the Toys “R” Us shelves. There are many toys I would not have bought had I not seen them in person at Toys “R” Us, including many, many packages of Diamond Select Marvel Minimates. More, Diamond has even had 17 waves of Toys “R” Us exclusive Minimates, more figures and toys that simply will not be made. This retail avenue for smaller toy companies is vital to maintain competition in the toy industry and keep niche toys, such as NECA’s Nightmare on Elm Street figure line, viable.
Further, even big toy lines have had trouble getting shelf space anywhere but Toys “R” Us. As reported in Marvelicious Toys Podcast 102 Hasbro’s Thor: The Dark World toy line has only been available online, or at Toys “R” Us. The line is not a Toys “R” Us exclusive, but the dedicated toy store is the only retail outlet that has made room for the action figures tying into the blockbuster film.
Finally, Toys “R” Us is the last of the national toy stores. I remembered when Toys “R” Us opened in my hometown of Springfield, Illinois in the mid 1980s. It was at that time yet another toy store where I could shop, adding it to my rotation along with other national toy chains KB Toys and Circus World, not to mention local stores like Toys Plus, and national department stores Montgomery Wards, Sears, J.C. Penny, K-Mart, and Venture, all of whom carried large selections of toys. But now many department stores have eliminated their toy sections, unable to compete with Wal-Mart in price. And all of the national toy stores have, one by one, closed their doors.
If Toys “R” Us also closes, there is no place left for children to go and find an entire store aimed at their interests. Further, adult collectors will have no local presence devoted to their hobbies; they will be forced to go to regional toy shows and comic cons for dedicated shopping.
And without the competition Toys “R” Us provides, big box retailers Target and Wal-Mart will simply have less motivation to keep prices low and their store stock varied. More toy lines like the Thor: The Dark World line will be available only online, if toy manufacturers even consider them viable to make at all.
While Toys “R” Us prices have not been competitive, their costs are still lower than having to pay shipping from online retailers, and they have provided collectors and kids a way to get toys they would otherwise never have. So when shopping this holiday season consider supporting your Toys “R” Us so that you and your children have a chance to continue being Toys “R” Us kids.
Sideshow Collectibles brings the Apocalypse (Premium Format Statue)
We saw it at San Diego Comic-Con–the giant visage of Apocalypse, staring at us from the glass case in Sideshow Collectibles’ booth. Among all the new statues and figures, this one stood over them all. His steel blue armor, his pale face, and his heft, this was truly a villain, and a statue, that would require reckoning.
Now Sideshow has made this available for pre-order. He stands over two feet tall on a metallic-looking base.
More, there is an EXCLUSIVE EDITION with a switch-out hand allowing you to have the chainsaw arm.
In your collection this baddie will certainly be something guests look upon and tremble, so don’t miss out–get your pre-order into Sideshow today!
Arnie is co-host of the Marvel toy & statue collecting podcast Marvelicious Toys which can be heard at marvelicioustoys.com
Scary Savings on Marvel Mini-Busts at Gentle Giant through Nov 4
Gentle Giant just posted a new sale on Marvel mini-busts, and they have some deals so good they’re scary!
First, if you’re a Deadpool fan, you can really save on the Deadpool Bundle! If you get the Deadpool Corps Boxed Set you get Lady Deadpool free! I only bought Lady Deadpool because of the Deadpool Coprs, and I paid full price, so this is some considerable savings (given that Lady Deadpool likely should have been part of the Corps to begin with). Or you can get the Lady Deadpool Mini-Bust (formerly an AFX Exclusive) for only $39.00–almost half off.
Next, if you’re a fan of the Wolverine/Black Cat: Claws series, this is a deal for you… buy one of the Wolverine mini-busts (Brown or Yellow) and get the Black Cat mini-bust free! Or you can get the Black Cat Mini-Bust alone for just $39.00
There’s even more, such as the White outfit Black Widow mini-bust for $39.00 (down from $70), and 20% off all in-stock merchandise orders of over $100 (Exclusives, Pre-Orders, and a few select items excluded).
Best still, Gentle Giant has finally updated their shopping cart software so you can order more than one in-stock item per order to increase the savings and save shipping!
These deals are only good until November 4th, 2013 so check them out now at Gentle Giant’s Sale site.
Arnie is co-host of the Marvel toy & statue collecting podcast Marvelicious Toys which can be heard at marvelicioustoys.com
Curse of Chucky – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Originally Released October 22, 2013
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until January 31, 2018, so be sure to listen before then!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Fall 2017 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation
You can’t kill Chucky. Blow up his head, set him on fire, shoot him in the heart, he always gets stitched back together to return and continue his homicidal ways. And with a new Child’s Play installment being released nine years since Seed of Chucky it seems the franchise is as resilient as its star. With Chucky creator Don Mancini returning as writer and director, this new installment tries to return Chucky to his horror roots. Does it work? Arnie, Stuart, and Brock return to their first donation series ever with this special additional episode. Thanks to your donation to Now Playing you can listen and find out!
Film Fans of All Types Can Enjoy Days of the Dead
Nightmare on Elm Street star Wilcox poses with the man of her dreams. (Photo by Jeff Flynn)
To someone who’s never been to a horror convention the thought could be as frightening as the blood-soaked splatter fests that appear on screen. One could imagine pale, pierced social misfits and psychopaths standing in line to meet their favorite serial killer. Many may feel if they aren’t into the gory or the grotesque then a horror convention is not for them.
That impression is totally false as shown last weekend at the Days of the Dead horror convention in Indianapolis. Of course it was a blast for those into fright films, but it also had entertainment to offer any movie lover!
One of the big draws of the convention were the large number of celebrity guests in attendance. The stereotype of a celebrity on the autograph circuit is an actor with his career on the decline, clinging to former fame. Days of the Dead proved that image wrong by bringing in several A-list celebrities promoting current films. Some of the headlining guests have big movies out soon included Danny Trejo (Machete Kills in October), Keith David (recently in Cloud Atlas and a dozen more films in production), and Academy Award Nominee Gary Busey (Behaving Badly due out this year). This is an amazing roster for a con only in its third year, besting some of the other national companies who host conventions in the Midwest.
Access to the celebrities was incredibly easy. At many conventions fans have to wait in line for four hours or more to meet their idols. At Days of the Dead my wait time to see Trejo was 10 minutes, and only 15 minutes for Busey.
More, the prices were very reasonable. At conventions such as Dragon*Con or San Diego Comic-Con I’ve paid over $100 for signatures from actors who have not worked in several decades. At Days of the Dead the majority of autographs were $20 and headliners Busey and Trejo were just $40. Trejo would take a picture free with an autograph, while Busey charged only $10 additional for a photo; at some conventions photo opportunities start at $20 and can be as high as $150.
While all of the celebrities have horror films on their resumes, Trejo would sign a copy of the comedy Bubble Boy as rapidly as the vampire film From Dusk ‘Til Dawn, and Busey had available photographs of his roles in Lethal Weapon and Point Break. I did not see anyone asking Keith David to sign their copy of Requiem for a Dream but I doubt he’d have declined.
All the guests were not just polite but completely engaged with the fans, having short conversations and truly making the con attendee feel appreciated. This is far better than the assembly-line like atmosphere found by some guests at Wizard World or New York Comic Con. In fact, the longest line to see a celebrity seemed to be A Nightmare on Elm Street 4 star Lisa Wilcox who would spend up to 5 minutes talking with her fans while signing their items. (Unfortunately for Wilcox one of those fans I observed was a socially awkward male in his twenties regaling her with a story about a specially lit photo he had of Wilcox in his bedroom…so while some of the stereotypes were present at the con most of the attendees were overwhelmingly normal).
Even the guests whose primary work was in horror had non-horror items available. For example, Wilcox is best known for starring in A Nightmare on Elm Street but the actress also had available a wide selection of photos from her single-episode guest-starring role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. As she rarely appears in the Midwest, Wilcox was a draw for Trekkers and horror fans alike. Original Nightmare on Elm Street star Heather Langenkamp also had a minor role in this summer’s Star Trek: Into Darkness.
Of course, the horror fan had much to celebrate. Icons of the genre including Tony Todd (Final Destination, Candyman, Wishmaster), Derek Mears (the Friday the 13th reboot, 2007’s The Hills Have Eyes II), Tyler Mane (Michael Myers in both Rob Zombie’s Halloween films), Leslie Easterbrook (Zombie’s Halloween and The Devil’s Rejects), several stars of Cabin Fever, and over a dozen more horror film character actors were also there.
The vendor areas of the convention were a shopper’s delight. While the non-horror fan would find less that appeals to them in the vendor booths, there were plenty of superhero toys and Star Wars collectibles to choose from. I bought an original painting based on the Howard the Duck movie!
Many booths catered to all children of the 80’s, including Don’t Eat the Gum – a company that sells trading cards from the 1980s and 1990s (and my wife should have listened to the company name as she almost broke her tooth on a stick of gum from Howard the Duck trading cards…the gum was made in 1986). Also there was Adjust Your Tracking selling movies on VHS that were never officially available on DVD.
Of course, being a horror convention, slasher-film fans could buy items not found anywhere else. Many booths offered DVDs of horror movies, including bootlegs of some incredibly rare films like Fright Night 2 and Silent Night, Deadly Night: Initiation.
“They’re coming to get you, Leia!” – a custom zombie stormtrooper by vendor Curious Goods
There were also custom T-Shirts, paintings, and other original expressions of creative horror. At one booth Curious Goods offered custom action figures, including Rob Zombie, and Deathtroopers–Star Wars Stormtroopers turned zombies.
The exhibit floor was split into two small ballrooms, a sign that Days of the Dead is quickly outgrowing the space offered by the Wyndham Indianapolis West hotel. Having Days of the Dead split among several walled-off areas did make the convention feel smaller than it was. While it were ever too crowded, as is often found at larger conventions, the lines often crossed and merged, making celebrity areas hard to navigate. This is likely the product of becoming incredibly popular in only three years, and something I’m sure will be corrected at future conventions.
Overall Days of the Dead Indianapolis was an incredible experience, and I will certainly be attending their Chicago convention this November. While the only guests announced thus far are stars of the Return of the Living Dead and The Blair Witch Project it’s sure to be fun!
When not attending conventions across the globe Arnie can be found hosting the movie review podcast Now Playing, which has reviewed hundreds of movies of all genres, as well as the toy collecting podcasts Star Wars Action News and Marvelicious Toys. He also reviews books on the Books & Nachos podcast.
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- The author poses with Machete and Desperado star Danny Trejo
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- Nightmare on Elm Street star Wilcox poses with the man of her dreams. (Photo by Jeff Flynn)
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- “They’re coming to get you, Leia!” – a custom zombie stormtrooper by vendor Curious Goods
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- Point Break and Celebrity Apprentice star Busey poses with an adoring fan
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- Gnomes protect your flowers…by eating the babies that crawl by! Another gory custom from Curious Goods.
Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Much like the Tarman, the Return of the Living Dead franchise had been cooped up for years but in 2005 sudios released not one but two sequels! Last week Now Playing supporters heard our review of the film Necropolis, now Jakob, Stuart, and Arnie are back to Rave to the Grave. When the trippy drug Z starts to turn users into the undead only a pair of Russian mobsters stands between the zombies and global disaster. Is this film a good party time or should it have remained interred? Donate and support Now Playing to find out!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast! – for Annual Subscribers – Donation Bonus Bonus
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
It’s hard to kill a zombie in Return of the Living Dead. Shoot them, burn them, they keep coming back for more brains. But after 1993 it seemed the zombies had finally been killed for good by the most harrowing of enemies–intellectual property rights issues. Leave it to Hollywood to never leave money on the table, though, as the zombie resurgence of the early 21st century with 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead enabled Return of the Living Dead to crawl from the grave again with not one but two low-budget, direct-to-SyFy Channel sequels. This week on Now Playing’s bonus donation series Stuart, Arnie, and Jakob watch the first of these films: Return of the Living Dead–Necropolis. Is watching this film worse than eating cooked, zombified rat? If you donate to support Now Playing you can listen and find out!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Former Marvel Exclusive Figures Now At HasbroToyShop.com
Some of the hardest to find figures in Hasbro’s Marvel Universe toy line are now available at a bargain price through Hasbro’s own HasbroToyShop.com web site.
These figures, Nick Fury, X-Force Archangel, and the unmasked Dr. Victor von Doom figures, were formerly only available to subscribers of Marvel Comics Digital Comics Unlimited service, a program that allowed comics fans access to thousands of comics for reading on the web. This service cost about $60 per year, which is a bargain for comics fans but a high price for action figure collectors who wanted the figure but not the digital comics.
More, this Digital Comics Unlimited service was only available to United States citizens with a credit card in order to pay. Due to the high cost and limited availability of these figures, each has sold for well over $100 each on eBay.
But this past week Hasbro Marvel Universe figure collectors have rejoiced as all three of these exclusive figures have shown up for sale on Hasbro’s online sales site HasbroToyShop.com at $14.99 each, limit 2 per person.
The Marvel collecting podcast Marvelicious Toys contacted Hasbro for information on why these figures have been made available. Hasbro Public Relations Representative Joe Moscone told Marvelicious, “One figure was offered each year and only in that year. Now that the digital comic offer has passed, Hasbro has the great fortune of being able to offer a small number of these limited edition figures to our fans and collectors.”
This left a question as to the fourth exclusive figure in this line. Originally promoted at San Diego Comic Con in 2012 Hasbro and Marvel were supposed to offer an exclusive Old Man Logan figure, based on the Mark Millar Wolverine comics. While Hasbro gave a small number of these figures to the press at New York Comic Con in October, 2012 both Hasbro and Marvel have been quiet about a wider release of this figure. With Marvel rebranding their Digital Comics Unlimited service to just Marvel Unlimited, some have wondered if this figure will see release at all.
When asked about Old Man Logan, Moscone replied “We will not be offering the Old Man Logan figure for sale [through HasbroToyShop.com], but stay tuned for news from Marvel on this figure in the coming months.”
As of this writing the X-Force Archangel and unmasked Victor von Doom figures have sold out, but the Nick Fury figure remains in stock at HasbroToyShop.com.
For collectors still after the Doom and Archangel figures, the online availability of these figures has not caused much of a drop in aftermarket prices. A check on eBay shows sellers listing Archangel for $70 and higher, while Doom figures start around $40.00 Knowing HasbroToyShop may put more back in stock later due to additional inventory or returned sales, Marvelicious Toys recommends you follow them on Facebook and Twitter and they will post if these toys are again available. Marvelicious Toys’ social media outlets were among the first to report when these figures were made available at HasbroToyShop.
You can hear the Marvelicious Toys podcast hosts Justin, Marjorie, and Arnie discuss toys, statues, games, and other collectibles based on Marvel Comics and movies every Wednesday at MarveliciousToys.com
Bryan Singer Confirms Several New Mutants in X-Men: Days of Future Past
If you’re excited about 2014’s X-Men film X-Men: Days of Future Past then you should follow Bryan Singer on Twitter. With his Twitter feed @BryanSinger the returning X-Men director has tricked out early casting announcements and photos from the set. But this morning Singer may have given our biggest piece of information yet–a list of several new mutant heroes appearing in the upcoming film.
With a tweet titled “Every mutant needs a place to sit” Singer posted a rapid-fire video of chairs on the set, the backs silk-screened with the name of a film character.
Do not read any further if you wish to avoid spoilers
The Marvel Comics characters shown on the chair backs are:
- Logan (aka Wolverine)
- Xavier (Professor X)
- Magneto
- Storm
- Bishop
- Kitty Pryde
- Bobby “Iceman” Drake
- Peter “Colossus” Rasputin
- Blink
- James “Warpath” Proudstar
While Colossus had brief scenes in the second and third X-Men films, this is the first cinematic appearance of Blink, Warpath, and Bishop.
The full video can be seen on vine.co
You can hear Now Playing Podcast’s reviews of Singer’s previous X-Men films in the archives section of NowPlayingPodcast.com and join us later this summer as we review the next X-Men film–The Wolverine!
You can also hear us in a few weeks as we review Singer’s last superhero movie, 2006’s Superman Returns as part of the NowPlayingPodcast.com Superman retrospective series
And for all things Marvel Comics, Marvel Movies, and Marvel collecting join us every Wednesday on the Marvelicious Toys podcast.
Army of Darkness – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $50 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
A broad slapstick comedy set in medieval times, Army of Darkness bears little resemblance to the raunchy “video nasty” Evil Dead film that started director Sam Raimi’s career. But this film is indeed a direct sequel to Evil Dead II, continuing the story of Ash as he fights the zombie deadites, including an evil clone of himself! It’s a movie that has spawned toys, video games, comic books, and more but is it a fitting continuation of the Evil Dead series? DONATE TO SUPPORT NOW PLAYING and find out!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Argo screw yourself Oscars! My Total B.S. Guide to Losing Your Office Betting Pool
Though the time has come to join the fray on handicapping this Sunday’s Academy Awards, it must be stated right off the bat that my Oscar losing streak is almost as long as Martin Scorsese’s. I haven’t won a single betting pool for this show since I first anted up my piggy bank with family during the 1991 telecast (when I was dead certain that Bugsy would beat Silence of the Lambs for Best Picture).
Some years my Oscar hopes were dashed by an unpredictable dark horse – Marissa Tomei’s surprise My Cousin Vinny win or Shakespeare in Love besting shoo-in Saving Private Ryan. For sweep years like Titanic, where every participant had the same picks, it all came down to the lucky guesser of an obscure category like Best Documentary Short. And then sometimes I just get an idea in my head about what I think Academy members respect and become blind to reason. Just ask Arnie… he made $100 off me after I foolishly gambled on Burt Reynolds’ Boogie Nights performance trouncing Robin Williams’ Oscar-baiting work in Good Will Hunting. (In my defense, the man was coming off Flubber!)
So don’t take anything you’re about to read as a proven formula for predicting winners. My method is to break each of the 24 major categories into three possible outcomes: Losers (no need for these folks to prepare a speech… it just ain’t happening this year), Outliers (unlikely dark horses that could sneak out a win), and The Real Race (those that have the best shot at the Gold Guy). I’m usually pretty good at this stuff. It’s when I have to narrow the field to one Winner that I choke. My tendency is to use my head and not my heart – I never think my personal favorites are going to be victorious. It’s the person who throws out cynical ideas about the Academy’s tastes, and banks on the undeniable appeal of some movie or performance that doesn’t have frontrunner status, who usually takes home the winnings.
Academy members’ tastes may be a bit stodgy – they tend to shun works that are too artsy, gutsy, or violent. And they hate giving Spielberg anything that isn’t connected to WWII. But that may all change this weekend. The history of the Oscars is not the history of the best films ever made, but it is a compelling Hollywood self-portrait that always has the potential to surprise and delight. And if Scorsese now has a statue, maybe this is the year where I turn my fortune around. Here’s hoping the 2013 Winners are….
Best Picture
Losers: Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild & Django Unchained
Outliers: Life of Pi, Silver Linings Playbook & Zero Dark 30
The Real Race: Argo vs. Lincoln
The Winner: Argo is a crowd pleasing, multi-award winning celebration of Hollywood saving the Iranian hostages. How could Tinseltown resist?
Best Director:
Losers: Ben Zeitlin (Beasts Of The Southern Wild)
Outliers: David O Russell (Silver Linings Playbook) & Michael Haneke (Amour)
The Real Race: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) vs Ang Lee (Life of Pi)
The Winner: Spielberg. But Ben Affleck would easily take any of these names if he were on the ballot
Best Actor:
Losers: Everyone else
The Winner: Daniel Day Lewis. This is the only race I’d bet $100 on.
Best Actress:
Losers: Naomi Watts (The Impossible) & the little girl with the unpronounceable name from Beasts of the Southern Wild
Outlier: Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)
The Real Race: Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) vs. Emmanuelle Riva (Amour)
The Winner: Lawrence had a big year with this and Hunger Games. Plus Silver Linings probably won’t win anything else.
Best Supporting Actor:
Losers: Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master) & Alan Arkin (Argo)
Outlier: Christoph Waltz (Django)
The Real Race: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) vs. Robert DeNiro (Silver Linings Playbook)
The Winner: Jones stole scenes from Daniel Day Lewis.
Best Supporting Actress:
Losers: Amy Adams (The Master), Helen Hunt (The Sessions), & Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook)
The Real Race: Anne Hathaway vs. Sally Field
The Winner: Hathaway. Ask Jennifer Hudson if one big song can get you this statue. Plus Sally already has two of these.
Best Original Script:
Losers: Moonrise Kingdom & Flight
Outlier: Amour
The Real Race: Django Unchained vs. Zero Dark 30
The Winner: Zero Dark 30. As controversial as the torture was in this film, it pales next to Q’s irreverent slant on slavery.
Best Adapted Script:
Losers: Beasts of the Southern Wild
Outliers: Silver Linings Playbook & Life of Pi
The Real Race: Argo vs Lincoln
The Winner: Lincoln. Both movies fudged history to contrive drama… but Tony Kushner had the harder job because there were no firsthand accounts to model.
Best Editing:
Losers: Life of Pi & Silver Linings Playbook
Outlier: Lincoln
The Real Race: Argo vs Zero Dark 30
The Winner: Argo. The Best Picture winner typically takes this trophy.
Best Cinematography
Losers: Anna Karenina & Django Unchained
Outlier: Lincoln
The Real Race: Life of Pi vs. Skyfall
The Winner: Skyfall. Roger Deakins must win one year… and this may be his best looking film.
Best Production Design
Outlier: Hobbit
The Real Race: Anna Karenina vs. Lincoln vs. Les Miz vs. Life of Pi
The Winner: Lincoln. This category is really up for grabs, but I’ll go with the film with the most nominations.
Best Costumes
Losers: Snow White and the Huntsman & Mirror, Mirror
Outlier: Lincoln
The Real Race: Anna Karenina vs. Les Miz
The Winner: Les Miz. All I know is that Snow White will be going home empty handed.
Best Make-Up
Loser: Les Miz (I couldn’t stand looking at all those rotten teeth and wigs in close up!)
Outlier: Hitchcock
Winner: Hobbit
Best Visual Effects
Loser: Snow White And The Huntsman
Outlier: Prometheus
The Real Race: The Avengers vs. The Hobbit vs. Life of Pi
The Winner: Life of Pi. All deserve it, but Pi’s SFX were pivotal to the drama.
Best Sound Editing:
Outliers: Argo, Django Unchained, Life of Pi
The Real Race: Skyfall vs Zero Dark 30 (lot of noises in this one)
The Winner: Skyfall. I’m feeling like this will be 007’s year to get 004 Oscars.
Best Sound Mixing
Outliers: Argo, Life of Pi, Lincoln
The Real Race: Skyfall vs. Les Miz (they did the singing live on set)
The Winner: Skyfall. If it wins one sound award, it will win the other.
Best Score
Losers: Anna Karenina & Skyfall
Outlier: Argo
The Real Race: Lincoln vs Life of Pi
The Winner: Life of Pi. John Williams doesn’t have shelf space to display another Oscar.
Best Song
Loser: Chasing Ice
Outliers: Life of Pi & Ted (hey, Seth is hosting. He’d have an opportunity to stuff the ballot)
The Real Race: Skyfall vs. Les Miz
The Winner: Skyfall. Adele is nearly unstoppable.
Best Animated Feature
Loser: The Pirates!
Outliers: Frankenweinie & Para-Norman
The Real Race: Brave vs. Wreck-It Ralph
The Winner: Wreck-It Ralph. Didn’t see any of them. Pixar usually wins, but Ralph nabbed the Annie.
Best Animated Short
Loser: Fresh Guacamole
Outliers: Head over Heels & The Longest Daycare (could the Simpsons ever win an Oscar?)
The Real Race: Adam and Dog vs Paperman
The Winner: Paperman. It won the Annie
Best Live Action Short
Losers: Buzkashi Boys & Henry
Outlier: Asad
The Real Race: Curfew vs. Death of a Shadow
The Winner: Curfew. I’ll be honest… I Googled a bunch of other Oscar handicappers and this was consistently voted the best.
Best Foreign Language Film
Loser: A Royal Affair & War Witch
Outliers: Kon Tiki & No
The Winner: Amour. If it’s up for Best Picture, winning this category should be a ake walk.
Best Documentary Feature
Loser: 5 Broken Cameras
Outliers: How To Survive A Plague & Invisible War
The Real Race: The Gatekeepers vs Searching For Sugar Man
The Winner: Gatekeepers. Sugar Man is the sentimental favorite… but docs tend to win for subject matter. Gatekeepers’ provocative interviews about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict widen more eyes.
Best Documentary Short
I NEVER know what wins in this category. Let’s make a guess based on the subject matter:
Rwandan children getting heart surgery (Open Heart) beats homeless Mexican teen (Inocente) beats women with cancer at a hair salon (Mondays at Racine) beats senior citizens retired in Florida (Kings Point) beats people who recycle bottles and cans (Redemption).
The Winner: Open Heart. Are you really going to deny sick African kids an Oscar?!!!
Author Peter David Has Stroke, Needs Help
Peter David is one of my favorite authors. While he has not done much Star Wars (he did write the one-off comic “Skippy the Jedi Droid”) I started reading his Star Trek novels when I was 13, his Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man comics after that, and have followed his career closely. I have reviewed several of his novels as part of Marvelicious Toys as well, and will have a review shortly for Books & Nachos of others.
Most of all, on my birthday last year on a whim he followed a Twitter request I jokingly made and Tweet-wrote a Star Trek Dr. Seuss story “Horta Hears a Q” (to later be published on this site when I get the requested cover art). I can’t remember a better birthday surprise.
Early this week I found out he had a stroke while on vacation with his family, including his 10-year-old daughter, at Disney World in Florida. For those interested in the details, David’s wife Kathleen has posted daily updates on Peter’s blog.
David is now in a Florida hospital as they continue to monitor his situation and plan a strategy for when he can return home to New York and begin rehabilitation. However, despite being insured, the medical bills are already starting to mount and David’s family has a long and expensive journey ahead of them.
Like many fans, I have wondered what could be done to help with this. Today Kathleen posted how Peter’s fans can help, and get some great reading material in the process. In addition to all his licensed works, David has written original fiction for Crazy-8 Press. They are available through Amazon either as Kindle books or Print On Demand paper copies.
If you ever liked Incredible Hulk, X-Factor, his Star Trek novels, or some of his other great works please consider picking up a few of the books listed in the blog post.
As a fan of David’s, I already owned some of the books listed, but have now purchased the rest and shall be posting reviews at the Books & Nachos podcast to help spread the word about David’s novels.
We wish David an easy and speedy recovery.
Dawn of the Dead (2004) – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $25 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
A group of survivors, perhaps the last humans left alive on Earth, find refuge from a zombie horde inside a shopping mall. A film with as many differences from Romero’s original as it has similarities, it launched Zack Snyder’s directing career and helped make zombies the chic monster of the new millennium. Is it a game-changing film, or a pale imitation of the original? Donate to Now Playing to find out!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Rare X-Men Art Goes to Auction Dec 1, 2012
OVER 500 MARVEL ANIMATION CELS
WILL BE UP FOR AUCTION
THIS WILL BE A RARE OPPORTUNITY
FOR ANYONE TO OWN AN AFFORDABLE
PIECE OF MARVEL HISTORY
DECEMBER 1
LOS ANGELES- OCT 9, 2012- Profiles in History, run by Joe Maddalena, is proud to announce the auction of over 500 Marvel animation cels at their online auction, December 1. The 500 animation cels presented in this auction are from the 1990’s Marvel Animated Series broadcast on Fox. One of the most popular animated series of the 90’s, the X-Men series, was the longest running Marvel Comics based TV show. Keepingin the tradition of the original comic book story lines, these cels were based on Jim Lee’s character designs. In the past few years, similar cels have sold publicly at auction for up to $1,500 with the average sales being in the $500 to $600 range. All are expected to fetch between $100-$300, a rare opportunity for any collector to own a piece of Marvel history. For more information visit www.profilesinhistory.com. Some highlights from the collection are below.A 1997 original production cel on key matching background of “Captain America” and “Wolverine” from the episode, Old Soldiers. Pictured above.A 1993 original production cel and key matching production background featuring “Rogue”, “Omega Red”, “Jubilee” & “Gambit” from the episode Red Dawn.
A 1994 original production cel and key matching production panoramic background featuring “Gambit” from the episode The Dark Phoenix Saga (Part 4): The Fate of the Phoenix. Pictured right.
A 1992 and 1997 original production cels and original production background featuring “Rogue”, “Wolverine”, “Storm” & “Gambit”.
A 1995 original production cel and production background featuring “Terrax”, “Thor” & “Galactus” from the episode To Battle the Living Planet.
A 1992 production cel progression and background featuring “Rogue”, “Jubilee” & “Wolverine” from the episode Savage Land, Savage Heart (Part 2). This set up is on an original panoramic background from the studio. Pictured below.
ABOUT PROFILES IN HISTORY
Founded in 1985 by Joseph Maddalena, Profiles in History is the nation’s leading dealerin guaranteed-authentic original historical autographs, letters, documents, vintage signed photographs and manuscripts. Born into a family of antiques dealers in Rhode Island, Joseph “Joe” Maddalena learned early on how to turn his passion of collectinghistorical autographs into a career. Needing to support himself, Joe turned to his hobby of buying and selling historical documents as a potential way to earn revenue. On weekends he scoured old Hollywood bookstores for letters and rare books. Upon graduation from Pepperdine, Joe pursued his passion to become a full-time dealer ofhistorical documents, and opened his first office in 1985. A lifetime member of the Manuscript Society, Joe is widely recognized as the nation’s leading authority on entertainment memorabilia and historical documents. Profiles in History has established itself as the world’s largest auctioneer of original Hollywood memorabilia, having held some of the most prestigious and successful auctions of Hollywood memorabilia and owning virtually every Guinness Book record prices for original screen-used memorabilia. With an extensive network of dealers, collectors, and institutions, Profiles in History is proud to play an important role in the preservation of motion picture history. PriorProfiles in History Hollywood auctions highlights include the “Cowardly Lion” costume from The Wizard of Oz ($805,000); Steve McQueen’s “Michael Delaney” racing suit from Le Mans ($960,000); a Panavision motion picture camera used by George Lucas to film Star Wars ($624,000); a full-scale model T-800 Endoskeleton from Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($488,750); Marilyn Monroe’s platinum & diamond wedding band from her marriage to Joe DiMaggio ($504,000); Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds” dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes ($356,500); a King Kong 1933 six-sheet movie poster ($345,000); Luke Skywalker’s light saber from Star Wars ($240,000); Margaret Hamilton’s “Wicked Witch” hat from The Wizard Of Oz ($230,000); and The Invisible Man 1933 one-sheet movie poster ($230,000). From the history-making Debbie Reynolds Auction in June 2011,Profiles in History sold the Marilyn Monroe “Subway” Dress from The Seven Year Itch for $5.52M, the Marilyn Monroe signature red-sequined showgirl gown from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes for $1.44M and the Audrey Hepburn Ascot Dress from My Fair Lady for $4.44M. In February 2012, Profiles in History arranged the sale of a pair of Judy Garland screen-used Ruby Slippers from The Wizard of Oz to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. In addition, Joe Maddalena is the star of Hollywood Treasure, which just ended its second season on Syfy. Hollywood Treasure takes viewers into the fascinating world of showbiz and pop culture memorabilia. For more information visit www.profilesinhistory.com
###
Media Contacts:
Nancy Seltzer, Nancy Seltzer & Associates
Phone: 323 938 3562, e-mail: nseltzer@nsapr.com
Diary of the Dead – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
With Diary of the Dead George Romero returned his zombie franchise to its low-budget, independent roots. After the big-budget spectacle Land of the Dead, now Romero tells us the smaller story of a group of film students trying to find safety during the initial zombie outbreak. Does the smaller story better fit Romero’s original vision? DONATE AND SUPPORT NOW PLAYING and you can listen and find out!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Day of the Dead (1985) – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
In the 60s and again in the 70s George Romero wowed not just horror fans but movie audiences across the globe with his tales of desperate people trying to survive in the middle of a zombie outbreak. In the 80’s Romero again returned, this time to tell his most bleak vision for humanity. A small group of military men and scientists hole up underground in Florida, not knowing if they are the last humans on earth, but seeking a cure for the zombie plague. With Romero demanding the film be left unrated, and securing a very limited theatrical release because of it, Day of the Dead is a film that found it’s popularity in the afterlife of VHS. Does it live up to Romero’s first two tales of terror? DONATE TO NOW PLAYING TO FIND OUT!
Night of the Living Dead (1968) – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until March 31, 2018, so be sure to listen (and, if you want to listen after, to download) before that date!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Winter 2018 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation.
Zombies! In 2012 zombies are hip, from books like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and World War Z to comics like Marvel Zombies and The Walking Dead to films such as Shawn of the Dead and 28 Days Later. But all of this can find its roots in 1968 and an independent film directed by George A. Romero. DONATE NOW and join us as Now Playing hosts Arnie, Jakob, and Stuart watch all of Romero’s Dead films, starting with his 1968 original, including it’s 30th Anniversary version!
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Diamond Select Reveals Celebration VI Exclusive Collectible Bank
Information in this article comes from Episode 355 of 
With Star Wars Celebration VI coming soon more exclusives are being announced. Today Diamond Select Toys reveals two exclusive Star Wars banks! From Diamond Select Marketing Supervisor Zach Oat:
Star Wars Celebration: These Are the Droids You’re Looking For!
If you were a Star Wars fan at San Diego Comic-Con, you probably picked up your vinyl R2-R9 Astromech droid bank by Diamond Select Toys, right? It was limited to 1000 pieces, it’s perfectly in scale to your 1/4 scale Star wars figures, it holds loose change and it was only $20 — what’s not to love? But if you weren’t at Comic-Con this year, fear not. DST put aside a limited number of the R2-R9s and is shipping them clear across the country to Star Wars Celebration in Orlando! Running August 21-23, Celebration 6 will be the last place to get your hands on the popular red droid, as well as pick up a brand-new droid made especially for Celebration! That’s right, C6 will get a special delivery of 100 black R2-Q5 Astromech droids, only available at the show, for the low price of $20 each! Both R2-Q5 and DST’s remaining stock of R2-R9s should go quickly, and DST will also have more of their regular Star Wars banks (including the classic R2-D2), so make the Diamond Select Toys booth (#632) your first stop at the con!
Hear all the details of this on Episode 355 of Star Wars Action News
Fan Fiction Recognized by Random House at San Diego Comic-Con
Random House Audio Invites Fan Fiction Authors to Record Their Stories at Comic-Con International in San Diego
One story will be selected by RH Audio producers to be recorded professionally and streamed online
NEW YORK, NY (July 2, 2012)—At this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego, CA, Random House Audio will be recreating an audiobook studio right on the convention floor–inviting authors of fan fiction to record a sample of their work for a chance to have their story recorded and released as a digital audiobook.
Stories from the following fandoms are eligible for the contest:
- Star Wars®
- The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Aspiring authors (who must be legal residents of the U.S. and 18 years or older) can sign up for a time slot to record their five-minute sample during the convention, July 12-15 at the San Diego Convention Center. Random House Audio producers will listen to the entries (no mashups, please) and select one to be professionally recorded and mixed by Random House Audio for streaming at www.randomhouseaudio.com. The grand prize winner and five runner-ups will have clips from their stories featured on the Random House Audio weekly podcast.
Sessions will be available Thursday through Saturday, July 12-14, from 10am-12pm and 1pm to 4pm at the Random House Audio booth #1515. Registration for morning slots is open now through July 10 at www.randomhouseaudio.com, and afternoon slots will be available for same-day sign ups beginning at 9am the first day of the con on a first-come, first-served basis.
Don’t see your fandom included on the list above? Sunday, July 15 is Open Mic Day! Fans of other series will get their chance to record their stories as well from 11am to 3pm and enter to win a collection of audiobooks.
Even if you’re not a writer, be sure to stop by the Random House Audio booth (#1515) for exclusive Comic-Con giveaways, including buttons, posters, headphones and mini microphone recorders.
For complete contest rules, click here.
Prometheus – for Annual Subscribers
Originally Released June 10, 2012
No one in cyberspace could hear it until now. Donate and decode the transmission as hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart spend Spring 2012 attached to the ALIEN franchise – concluding with the theatrical release of Ridley Scott’s long awaited prequel PROMETHEUS. Will the reviewers find answers to the franchise’s biggest mysteries, or has the director tainted the Alien gene pool by altering his creation’s DNA too much? DONATE AND FIND OUT!
NOTE: This listing is for Patrons of Now Playing’s Podbean Campaign pledging $10 or more. This podcast will only be available to Patrons until July 31, 2017.
You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Alien: Resurrection – Patron Podcast
No one in cyberspace could hear it until now. Donate to Now Playing Podcast and decode the transmission as hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart spend Spring 2012 attached to the ALIEN franchise – mutating into the 1997 Jean-Pierre Jeunet revival ALIEN RESURRECTION. Did bringing Ripley back from the dead inject new life into the franchise, or will the trio of reviewers chuck the comedy-action hybrid out the airlock? DONATE AND FIND OUT!
NOTE: This listing is for Patrons of Now Playing’s Podbean Campaign pledging $10 or more. This podcast will only be available to Patrons until July 31, 2017.
You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Alien 3 – Patron Podcast
No one in cyberspace could hear it until now. Donate and decode the transmission as hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart spend Spring 2012 attached to the ALIEN franchise – with the bitch back doing hard time in 1992 David Fincher effort ALIEN 3. Will the trio grant the cult film a stay of execution or is this the dog of the franchise? DONATE AND FIND OUT!
NOTE: This listing is for Patrons of Now Playing’s Podbean Campaign pledging $10 or more. This podcast will only be available to Patrons until July 31, 2017.
You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Aliens – Patron Podcast
No one in cyberspace could hear it until now. Donate to Now Playing Podcast and decode the transmission as hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart spend Spring 2012 attached to the ALIEN franchise – continuing with the 1986 James Cameron blockbuster ALIENS. Are the trio in agreement over the amped up action of the sequel, or will this time be war amongst the reviewers? DONATE AND FIND OUT YOU BITCH!
NOTE: This listing is for Patrons of Now Playing’s Podbean Campaign pledging $50 or more. This podcast will only be available to Patrons until July 31, 2017.
You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Alien – Patron Podcast
No one in cyberspace could hear it until now! Donate to Now Playing Podcast and decode the transmission as hosts Arnie, Brock, and Stuart spend Spring 2012 attached to the ALIEN franchise – starting with the 1979 Ridley Scott sci-fi shocker original. Will the trio of reviewers suck face with the classic, or could there be a traitor in their midst with complaints to get off their chest? DONATE AND FIND OUT!
NOTE: This listing is for Patrons of Now Playing’s Podbean Campaign pledging $50 or more. This podcast will only be available to Patrons until July 31, 2017.
You can also get this movie review individually for a small donation.
Every dollar you donate goes to make this show the best it can be. Thank you for your support and we hope you enjoy the podcast!
Avengers Assemble on Disney XD Starting April 1 — Watch Trailer Now
Assemble!! Marvel’s The Avengers hits the big screen May 4… But in the meantime, get your hero fix with Marvel TV’s trailer for season 2 of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, premiering April 1 inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD! The Avengers have fought against some of the most powerful and dangerous super villains in the world. But just when the team thought they had things under control, new threats emerge… Caught in the crossfire between two warring alien empires – Earth’s Mightiest Heroes must make a stand. But whom can they trust when they learn not everyone is who they seem to be?
Tune in for The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes season two premiere, along with the series premiere of Ultimate Spider-Maninside Marvel Universe on Disney XD April 1 beginning at 11am/10c.
Marvel Reveals Ultimate Spider-Man Cartoon Trailer
Can’t wait until April 1st to catch your favorite Super Hero in action? Check out Marvel’s new Ultimate Spider-Man trailer debuting on Marvel.com! Watch as Nick Fury offers Spider-Man the biggest opportunity of his life: to join S.H.I.E.L.D., take on evil villains, and learn what it takes to become the ULTIMATE Spider-Man. Get a fresh look at Spidey’s action-packed adventures, new Spidey Tech, and special guest stars to excite fans and bring everyone’s favorite Wallcrawler to the small screen like never before! The series premieres April 1 at 11am/10c inside Marvel Universe on Disney XD!
And if you’re at WonderCon in Anaheim this weekend, you can be among the first to go inside Marvel Universe when Head of Marvel TV, Jeph Loeb presents the series premiere of Ultimate Spider-Man, and the Season 2 premiere of The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, as well as a look at future Marvel Universe series! Join us for “Marvel Television Presents from 12:00 – 1:00p in Room 213ABCD.
Marvel and Aurasma Unveil “Marvel Augmented Reality” at SXSW
AUSTIN, Texas – March 12, 2012 – Yesterday, at the SXSW Interactive Festival, Marvel Entertainment unveiled Marvel AR, the first major augmented reality app from a comic book company. As part of the recently announced Marvel ReEvolution, which brings the world of print and digital media together for a comics experience like never before, the Marvel AR app powered by Aurasma will be released on April 2 for iOS and Android devices. Fans can first discover the power of this new app in Avengers VS X-Men #1, arriving in comic stores on April 4 and kicking off the comic book event of the year in which the world’s most popular Super Heroes go to war!
By opening this app and scanning select Marvel products featuring the Marvel AR logo, you’ll unlock exclusive content starring the world’s most popular super heroes — including Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Hulk and many others! Go behind the scenes of your favorite comics, see new footage, hear from creators, get caught up on past events and more!
“It’s time to join the Marvel ReEvolution, as we bring the worlds of print and digital media together for an unprecedented fan experience,” said Peter Phillips, senior vice president and general manager, Marvel Digital Media Group. “Avengers VS X-Men is the biggest story we’ve ever told and teaming with Aurasma allows us to bring our fans a deeper experience when they purchase select Marvel comics and other Marvel products. Just wait till you see what we’ve planned!”
Marvel partnered with Aurasma, the world’s leading augmented reality platform, to create a mobile experience designed to empower fans to discover a new world of content that brings their favorite Super Heroes to life through tablets and mobile devices. Aurasma’s cutting-edge image recognition technology enables the Marvel AR app to recognize images in new Marvel comic books, promotional posters and other merchandise, seamlessly augmenting the images with interactive virtual content such as videos, animations and more.
“Marvel is no stranger to digital media and is once again making history, this time by using Aurasma’s transformative technology to bridge the physical world with the virtual,” said, David Stone, Aurasma’s director of client services. “What better way to excite and engage fans than to give them the power to interact with all of their favorite characters in a new way?”
Aurasma’s free platform unlocks a whole new dimension for partners to creatively enhance the real world. In this case, comic books will reach new depths by unleashing coveted and fan-pleasing content like director and editor commentary and other special features, only accessible through the Marvel AR app.
The Marvel AR companion app, powered by Aurasma, will be available for free in April at the Apple App Store and Android Market.
Avengers Assemble in the Toy Aisle!
Tomorrow, March 1st, is the official street date for Hasbro’s The Avengers toys. I thought a run-down of what is shipping in this initial wave may be helpful:
Basic 3.75″ Action Figures
Two case assortments of Avengers figures are shipping.
Wave 1 Assortment:
- 01 – Super Shield Captain America (Comic Series)
- 02 – Battle Hammer Thor (Comic Series)
- 03 – Heavy Artillery Iron Man (Concept Series)
- 04 – Rocket Grenade Captain America (Concept Series)
Masked and Unmasked Variants - 05 – Marvel’s Hawkeye (Comic Series)
- 06 – Sword Spike Thor (Concept Series)
Variants found with and without winged helmet
Wave 2 Assortment:
Two Wave 1 figures are shipping with Wave 2, so expect these first two figures to be the most seen on pegs
- 02 – Battle Hammer Thor (Comic Series)
- 03 – Heavy Artillery Iron Man (Concept Series)
- 07 – Reactron Armor Iron Man (Concept Series)
- 08 – Gamma Smash Hulk (Movie Series)
- 09 – Shock Strike Thor (Movie Series)
- 10 – Shield Launcher Captain America (Movie Series)
- 11 – Fusion Armor Iron Man Mk VII (Movie Series)
- 12 – Cosmic Spear Loki (Movie Series)
Movie Mission Pack Deluxe 3.75″ Figures:
One wave of Deluxe Figures is shipping currently with 2 figures in the wave:
- Iron Man Divebomb Mission
- Captain America Aerial Infiltration Mission
Stark Tek Concept Vehicle Series
These smaller vehicles are not seen in the Avengers movie but add play value to the toys, and come with barely-articulated 3.75″ action figures to pilot the ships
- Iron Man Firestrike Assault Jet
- Captain America Goliath Assault Tank
- Iron Man
- Captain America
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Thor
- Hulk
- Hawkeye
- Nick Fury
In the two-packs there are:
- Hulk & Abomination
- Captain America & Red Skull
- Thor & Loki
- Iron Man Silver Centurion & Iron Monger
6″ Mighty Battler Action Figures
These figures have a feature that if you squeeze their legs together they perform an action move. Four are available:
- Iron Man
- Hulk
- Captain America
- Thor
A little larger in size, these figures come with basic articulation and continue the 8″ figure series Hasbro has done for the past three years. In the initial shipments we have:
- Origins Captain America
- Iron Man
- Thor
10″ Mighty Battler Action Figures
These figures have some articulation, talk when you press their body, and also have an action feature that usually involves throwing something. Except for Hulk. Hulk smashes. In this line you have:
- Ultra Strike Captain America
- Gamma Strike Incredible Hulk
- Ultimate Electronic Avenger Iron Man
- Mighty Strike Thor
Avengers EC Mini-Figures
If you prefer your figures smaller, Hasbro also has 2-inch pre-posed figures for the Avengers. In this line is
- Hawkeye
- Hulk
- Loki
- Captain America
- Iron Man
- Thor
Battle Chargers Vehicles
Also a continuation of their toys going back to Iron Man 2 these toys feature Avengers on wheeled vehicles. The two seen right now are:
- Captain America on Furyfire Assault Cycle
- Iron Man on Iron Assault Bike
Plus a bevvy of other toys such as a Nerf Hawkeye Bow, Hero Masks, foam Hulk Hands, Iron Man play repulsors and too many other items to list!
Most all of these items have been spotted at Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys R Us stores nationwide, so keep this checklist handy as you shop!
See an item we missed? E-mail us and let us know!
Update 3/1: There are three figures that have been reported since our original post! Figure 012 – Loki has been found on store shelves, plus there are two variant figures: 04 – Captain America has a mask-less variant, and 06 – Thor has an unhelmeted variant, so keep an eye out for those on pegs!
Avengers Superbowl Trailer – A Frame By Frame Analysis
When The Avengers trailer aired during the Super Bowl, and then an extended version was posted online I had to scour it for clues as to what this movie will bring. Frame-by-frame analysis of the trailer gave me these insights to the blockbuster film due out May 4.
Click any of the images for a larger view.
First, Dr. Pepper is a sponsor of The Avengers film.
In the opening Marvel flip-book opening, Black Bolt can be briefly seen... Black Bolt is a member of the Inhumans. Perhaps a clue to the film's villian?
Quinjets are quite a bit larger than standard fighters
Loki has a flying vehicle...like a hover motorcycle. But what force is he commanding?
A close-up of the ships flying behind Loki
Captain America's cumberbund has a zip-up front. Not sure where the zipper ends though.
Tony Stark listens to classic rock. Iron Man perhaps?
Tony Stark's ARC reactor gets an upgrade. Looks much cooler under the shirt.
Then the suit Tony is donning is the new Mark VII armor.
But the Mark VI is in this film as well. My guess--it gets demolished by one of Loki's troops or maybe Hulk and Tony is forced to upgrade.
Whatever those flying things are, they are after Iron Man as well.
ScarJo looks good when covered in sweat. (Ok, this one may be a bit gratuitous)
Chris Hemsworth has a much better wig in Avengers than he did in Thor. Or are these extensions?
Are these Frost Giants I see leaping the chasm? Hard to tell but I think they are...
A close-up of the possible Frost Giant
The Mark VII armor has big jets on the back and just looks very cool!
But what are these strange aircraft that Iron Man is fighting? Looks kind of like Independence Day.
Another shot of the strange craft Iron Man is fighting.
The Mark VII armor is back to the circle ARC Reactor. It's not a mistake on the toys.
The wings airbrushed on Cap's mask look a bit silly...I see why people have problems with Cap's modern outfit.
They really made Hulk look like a beefed-up Mark Ruffalo
And Hulk gets to smash some of those enemy aircraft with his fists. Yes!
With all these juicy tidbits about The Avengers I know where I’ll be May 4th. The only question will be how many times I see it?
What was your favorite part of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!
The Site Takedown Heard ‘Round the World
January 20, 2012
Last night filesharing site Megaupload was taken offline by the US Justice Department. Despite being based in Hong Kong with owners who reside in New Zealand it was a US agency that took the site down. Immediately, all files stored on Megaupload were offline, property of the US Justice Department, and unavailable to all the site’s users. All files, both legal and not.
I believe that when future generations look back at internet laws, this will be “the shot heard ’round the world”. Much like when Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand was killed this will be the key moment in the US Government’s attempts to police the entire internet.
With the recent hullabaloo around the US Congress SOPA and PIPA laws it has often been said that such legislation will have a chilling effect on innovation. This will have a negative impact on job growth in the technology sector in a time when the US needs new jobs the most. It turns out the government didn’t need SOPA or PIPA to have that impact, as the takedown of Megaupload will strike at the heart of innovation.
I have been a user of Megaupload as well as other similar services such as Rapidshare. I have used these for the sites’ intended legal purposes–the sharing of files too large for e-mail. On the podcasts I produce a single show can be upwards of 4GB, enough to crash even the heartiest of mail servers. When doing video production the files are larger still. These services provided a cheap and legal way for me to collaborate with my partners across the globe.
But when the Justice Department shut down Megaupload all files were immediately taken offline. For the Justice Department this was the intended effect as all illegal files hosted on the site were removed. However, many users who used the sites legally lost their files as well. These users may have used the sites for collaboration on large files as I did, or as their personal “cloud” backup source. No matter the use, the files are likely gone forever.
This will undoubtedly have an immediate chilling effect on technological progression. Thanks to the advent of HD video, lossless audio, eBooks, high resolution digital cameras, and every other digital device used on a daily basis, the need to store and back-up large files grows. As portability of data becomes paramount with the use of tablet computers, the internet seemed the perfect solution. Referred to as “the cloud” internet storage seemed the perfect solution for the growing need for files to be available and portable. Users choosing the online solution Google Docs instead of the disk-based Microsoft Office is one example of cloud migration. Another is offered by Amazon.com who, on their cloud drive landing page, state that if you put your files on their drive you need “Never worry about losing your files again“.
Now we know that is not true.
Megaupload, like Amazon’s cloud drive, allowed users to upload their files for backup. These can be any files, be it the novel they worked on in their spare time, the pictures of their trip to the beach, or a pirated movie downloaded illegally. Because the US Department of Justice felt too many illegal movies were stored on Megaupload the site was taken down. This takedown had extra hurdles due to the international nature of the site. What would be the effect if the Justice Department felt Amazon, a US based company, had users uploading files illegally and sharing passwords to get them?
I had personally been looking at cloud storage solutions. As my shows take several gigabytes of data each, I have terrabytes of data that I need backed up in case of a lightning strike, disk failure, or home fire. The cloud backup seemed the perfect solution, but now I don’t feel as safe. Files stored on the cloud anywhere in the world can go away at any time through the over-reaching actions of the US Government.
If I feel this way as an individual user, surely businesses looking at cloud storage would take this as a lesson as well This single action will have a chilling effect on cloud storage solutions across the board and, as such, growth in that sector of the tech market will slow. The more the US Government embarks on these global raids at the behest of the Hollywood corporations’ lobbyists the worse the impact will be.
Further, I believe the timing of this strike against Megaupload was not coincidental. Two days ago thousands of sites (including all Venganza Media sites) went dark to protest the SOPA/PIPA legislation, leading to suspension of both bills in Congress. But while the headlines may tout a victory for a free internet, the takedown of Megaupload sends a message that the US government does not need SOPA/PIPA to police the entire internet.
With the takedown of Megaupload the next step to an internet policed by the US Government at the behest of Hollywood corporations has been taken. If the action is allowed to stand, more sites will be targeted and taken down.
I urge you all to again be aware of the unilateral actions of the US Government. As we approach this November’s elections, ask your candidates where they stand on the US role in internet policy. Also, look to see how many Hollywood companies have donated to the election of those candidates. Follow the money to see which candidates will bow to the wills of Hollywood corporations at the expense of free communication everywhere.
Has the takedown of Megaupload shaken your confidence in cloud storage? Let us know in the comments below:
When not podcasting or writing for the Venganza Media Gazette, Arnie Carvalho is a programmer, web designer, and network enginner.
Cougar Town Returns Feb 14
This Valentine’s Day, snuggle up on the couch, grab a glass of wine, and turn on ABC at 8:30 EST because Cougar Town is back!
I realize you may have other plans for that night which may involve a dinner out, but dinners can be rescheduled. Cougar Town‘s return is an event worth staying in for.
Cougar Town is a sitcom created by Bill Lawrence and Kevin Biegel originally envisioned as a show starring Courtney Cox as a 40-something divorcee reentering the dating world by dating younger men–hence the title. But as Cougar Town beings its third season it bares little resemblance to its original pitch line. Realizing the strengths of the supporting cast the show has evolved to a concept much harder to sum up. But despite the lack of a pitch line, Cougar Town 2.0 is one of the funniest shows on television.
Echoing Lawrence’s previous series Scrubs, Cougar Town has a strong supporting cast of characters. All played by actors recognizable from previous works, the characters all have charm and wit but the chemistry between the characters allows for both laughs and genuine, touching moments.
The ABC sitcom Cougar Town has struggled in the ratings its first two seasons, and when the network announced their Cougar-less 2011 Fall schedule fans were worried. While ABC assured viewers that Cougar Town would be back as a midseason replacement, the future seemed dark when ABC cut Cougar Town‘s season order from 22 to 15 episodes. However the show never strayed far in fans’ minds as the creators Tweeted regularly giving updates on the show and even throwing parties that allowed fans to see Season 3 episodes early (and drink for free).
But now that the show is back the fan enthusiasm must stay strong, and Lawrence and Biegel’s fan push is continuing as well. Lawrence wrote on his Twitter page that he is trying to find a sponsor to send bottles of wine to all fans who stay in Valentine’s Day and watch Cougar Town. And Biegel said that any group of 25 or more who has their own Cougar Town viewing party will receive free penny cans, signed scripts, and maybe even some series stars to Skype with their fans.
Tips for throwing your own Cougar Town party
But a show this good shouldn’t need such gimmicks to stay on the air, and from the two episodes previewed at the Chicago viewing party, this season appears to be the best yet. With plenty of cameos from Scrubs alumni as well as a season premiere surprise that is perfect for a Valentine’s Day airing.
I highly recommend you check out Cougar Town.
And if you absolutely must go out on February 14th, at least do yourself and your loved ones a favor and set your DVR!
When not reviewing TV for the Venganza Media Gazette, Arnie is a reviewer on the Now Playing Podcast, as well as co-host of Star Wars Action News and Marvelicious Toys
How to throw a Cougar Town Party (and why you should)
January 11, 2012
Last Saturday night Chi-town became Cougar Town for an evening at the Racine Plumbing Bar and Grill in Lincoln Park. No, older women were not out prowling for young men, but rather a bunch of fans of the low-rated critically-acclaimed TV series Cougar Town showed up for free drinks and the chance to meet some of the talent behind the show.
Cougar Town is a show from Bill Lawrence, who also created Spin City and Scrubs. Plagued by a title that Lawrence regularly mocks on the show itself, Cougar Town has struggled in the ratings. When ABC did not include Cougar Town in its fall 2011 schedule, fans became concerned despite ABC’s assurances that it would return to the air as a mid-season replacement. A low-rated show going on hiatus is often the death knell of that series.
As we now enter the second half of the 2011-2012 television season, Cougar Town still has not had a return announced. But that is not stopping Lawrence and the rest of the cul-de-sac crew from using social media and local gatherings to mobilize Cougar Town fans and fight for the show to continue.
The creators of Cougar Town have had a greater level of interaction with viewers than most shows. In Season 2 they put a telephone number in the show. If you called the number in real life, you’d sometimes be greeted by a voice mail, but some lucky callers could find themselves talking to some of the show’s creators or stars.
Now Lawrence is taking this interactivity on tour to major cities like Atlanta, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Through Lawrence’s Twitter and Facebook pages fans were invited to come out, watch some as-yet-unaired episodes of Cougar Town, and mix and mingle with the show’s stars and creators. And drink for free on Lawrence’s dime.
The Chicago party was hosted by Busy Phillips (Dawson’s Creek, White Chicks) who plays party-girl Laurie Keller, and series writer Melody Derloshon. Derloshon worked the room well, introducing herself to attendees and sharing anecdotes about the behind-the-scenes goings on of a sitcom. Phillips was also gracious to fans, stopping several times to pose for photos, and sharing stories about her co-stars (In Season 3 when Dan Byrd, who plays Travis on the show, wears a helmet it’s due to the actor’s real-life aversion to washing his hair). Phillips even showed grace when a somewhat creepy fan (also named Travis) seemed unable to separate fact from fiction, repeatedly pulling his shirt down to expose his chest and openly hit on the married actress.
Busy Phillips Poses with Cougar Town Fans
Phillips also provided a running commentary during two episodes of Cougar Town shown to the partiers. The first episode shown was the Season 3 premiere which promises a surprise change in the show’s status quo. The second episode of the evening will be the fifth episode of Season 3, one no Scrubs fan should miss. That episode guest starred Sarah Chalke (Scrubs, Roseanne) as well as Sam Lloyd reprising his Scrubs role of Ted. While hard to hear all the dialogue of the episodes, it seems like Cougar Town’s strongest episodes may be those yet to air.
Ted and his band from Scrubs
Phillips and Derloshon encouraged Cougar Town fans to be vocal with their support, and to use social media to spread the word about the show. And, perhaps, have their own Cougar Town viewing parties when the show does return to the air. And the Chicago party provided the perfect template for your own Cougar Town viewing party:
- Start with plenty of alcohol. The characters on the show are borderline alcoholics with the amount of wine they consume. (Sadly the Racine Plumbing Bar and Grill did not have Big Carls for us to drink from, and our wine was sipped from mason jars)
- Put out a Penny Can or two for people to test their aim on. Don’t have a Penny Can? You can buy the limited edition Blue Penny Can at Cafepress. (The Green Penny Can is now sold out)
- When people start to tire of Penny Can, have some Cougar Town trivia, such as the name of the town in which Cougar Town takes place.
- Watch an episode of Cougar Town.
- Continue to drink
The Cougar Town tour is set to continue with dates announced in Austin, TX as well as New York. If in the area, it’s a unique opportunity to interact with television stars and creators, as well as get free drinks, and support the best show that’s not currently on television.
For future dates on the Cougar Town tour, follow the cul-de-sac crew on Twitter:
Bill Lawrence (series creator)
Kevin Biegel (series producer)
Nicki Maron (Lawrence’s assistant)
Melody Derloshon (series writer)
Busy Phillips (series actress)
Laruie Keller (the Twitter account of Phillips’ character on Cougar Town)
SOPA – The Death Knell for Podcasters? (updated 1-20-2012)
Update: On January 18, 2012 all Venganza Media sites joined thousands of others in going dark to protest the SOPA/PIPA laws. On January 20th the sponsors of SOPA and PIPA withdrew their support, leaving the bills effectively dead in the water.
I applaud all the brave souls who risked revenue and popularity to stand against these bills, but the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. New laws will be proposed, and the US government will continue to stretch the reaches of their jurisdiction as they did with the January 19th, 2012 takedown of Megaupload.
This article was originally written to raise awareness. I am glad people became aware of these bills. Please stay informed.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing — Edmund Burke
Perhaps you’ve already heard of SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act. Then again, perhaps you haven’t. It’s very telling that the mass-media corporations that back the bill, who’s lobbyists caused the bill to happen, are the same mass-media corporations that report the news. So it’s very likely you’ve not heard of this bill which has been called the Death of the Internet, legalized internet censorship, and even a threat to human rights.
Perhaps you believe those statements to be hyperbole, and perhaps you think that a new internet law won’t really change your internet experience. But if you are reading this article, you are wrong, because if SOPA passes this article may cease to be published. And if you are here, you likely listen to one of the many podcasts I host and produce, and SOPA could end all of them as well.
The key to SOPA is that it allows private companies to order a “takedown” of any web site that infringes on that company’s intellectual property. There would be no due process, no review by any law enforcement agency. The private company, be it a movie studio, RIAA, or any other large firm, would issue a request and by law the following would happen:
- Google would be forced to remove all search results to that site.
- Google, Amazon, and all other advertisers would be forced to cease business with that site.
- Paypal would be forced to halt any payments to the site.
- Star Wars Action News, a podcast I have hosted and produced since 2005, has used Star Wars music and sound effects in its opening and closing (as do many other Star Wars podcasts). This is done with Lucasfilm’s approval, as we have discussed what is and isn’t “fair use” with Steve Sansweet when he was head of Head of Fan Relations for Lucasfilm. However, while Lucasfilm may approve of our use, we could still be entirely shut down. If 20th Century Fox (who distributes the Star Wars films), Time Warner (owners of Cartoon Network which airs the Clone Wars TV Series), Sony or RIAA (who would regulate any use of the music from the Star Wars soundtracks) submitted a claim that our show infringes on their intellectual property, our site swactionnews.com would be shut down immediately.
- Now Playing, a podcast we have run since 2007, is devoted to discussing movies. Our use of movie clips and music and movie imagery would be considered fair use in court; however SOPA does not require a trial. If we published a review that a movie studio, production company, or director doesn’t like, they could retaliate by claiming we are infringing on their intellectual property. As the language in SOPA is so vague, the simple discussion of plot details could be considered infringement. Now Playing operates on listener donations through Paypal; donations that would be seized if a single complaint is filed.
- Marvelicious Toys is my youngest podcast, started in 2010. It uses original music scored by Joe Harrison, and photos of toys we take ourselves. But again, because the language in SOPA is so vague, even showing a photograph of a toy based on a Marvel comic could be considered intellectual property infringement by The Disney Company or any of it’s various subsidiaries. Again, a single complaint and without any due process our site would be shuttered.
- The Venganza Media Gazette, the site which you’re reading right now, has been host to my reviews of the Blade TV series, a review of Duran Duran in concert, as well as a review of Dan Slott’s Spider-Island comic event. As articles with images are more visually appealing, we have used publicity shots, photos taken ourselves, or screen shots to enhance these reviews (again, an act covered by fair use). Any of those organizations could claim use of these images is infringement of their property, and the entire site would be shut down.
- Worse, we could be shut down through no action of our own. We have forums for our listeners to come and talk about our podcasts. The content in these forums is regulated by volunteer forum administrators, but we are not omnipresent. If a single person, be it a regular user or a spammer, comes and posts a link to pirated content, our entire forum community could be shut down.
Hasbro to Make First Appearance at New York Comic Con
Hasbro issued a press release today stating that Hasbro will make a first time appearance at New York Comic Con at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 13-16 to present many of its iconic brands and meet with fans.
Hasbro will have a significant booth presence featuring current and upcoming products from its Transformers, G.I. Joe, Jem and the Holograms, KRE-O brands aas well as from Hasbro’s Beyblade, Marvel and Star Wars toy lines. Additionally, Hasbro will host panels for several of its properties and action figure lines as well as offer for sale several HasbroToyShop.com special edition products made for New York Comic Con convention goers.
When asked for clarification on the HasbroToyShop.com products, Justin Aclin, of Hunter PR representing Hasbro, stated “There will be exclusive items available at the con through a HasbroToyShop.com segment of the booth, although we’re not ready to reveal what those are just yet.” Aclin also confirmed that, contrary to rumor, the sold out San Diego Comic-Con exclusive items, such as the Star Wars Death Star figure set, will not be available for sale at the show.
“Hasbro is looking forward to an exciting and substantial presence for its first ever participation in New York Comic Con,” said Jeff Jackson, vice president of U.S. marketing for Hasbro. “As this show continues to grow we’re thrilled to be attending this year to offer our fans the opportunity to engage with Hasbro’s brands in unique ways at both the convention and NYCC Kids! events.”
More details about Hasbro’s booth, panels, special edition New York Comic-Con figures and other special events at the convention will be released in the coming weeks. Hasbro will be located at booth #302. For more information about New York Comic Con, fans and families can visit www.NewYorkComicCon.com
You can discuss New York Comic Con in the Star Wars Action News forums!
Thousands Profit on Discounted HP Touchpads
The HP Touchpad allows full web browsing, including Flash based web sites, an edge over market leader Apple.
If you haven’t heard, the Hewlett-Packard Touchpad has become the #2 tablet computer on the market, right behind Apple’s iPad. That’s an enviable position for any new product, let alone for one that is already at end-of-life as HP has announced a change in business direction, pulling out of the home consumer market, including the 8-week-old tablet. How did it pull off this amazing feat? By drastically cutting prices to $99 for a 16GB and $149 for a 32GB, and taking a bath, losing approximately $200 per tablet.
But this has proven that to consumers, price matters more than performance. Demand has been so high that flash-mobs of shoppers from bargain website SlickDeals crashed several sites stocking Touchpads, including Tiger Direct. Additionally, Best Buys getting Touchpads have been met with lines of customers forming hours before opening, rivaling Black Friday.
While many of these customers are lined up to get for themselves the latest gadget, a tablet PC that rivals Apple’s iPad in hardware, many of the others stalking the discount web sites and standing in line are resellers, looking not to save a buck but to make one, selling the discounted tablet PC for higher prices. In line at a Best Buy in Forsyth, IL last Saturday I spoke to one man who had driven over 3 hours from Chicago in order to get some of the tablets to sell at his electronics store.
Even those who don’t own electronics shops are getting in on the profiteering. eBay is flooded with Touchpad sales, as is Amazon.com with “Amazon Affiliate sellers”, including shop owners and private individuals, but through these secondary markets the prices hover around the $225 mark with the $99-priced 16GB models sell on eBay for an average price of $230, whereas the $149-priced 32GB models sell for an average of $235, leaving far less profit to the sellers.
Even larger retailers are engaging in this activity. Aaron’s, Inc., a national rent-to-own business, is receiving shipments of 16GB Touchpads, but rather than pricing them at $99, their price is $180 including an aftermarket case. Additionally, Aaron’s is making special exceptions to their company policies for the Touchpad – exceptions not to the customers’ favor. Aaron’s offers a 20% discount to customers who pay cash or credit card up front for their items, versus the rent-to-own methods, however that 20% discount does not apply to the Touchpad. When asked about this policy Aaron’s district manager Kevin Miller replied “It does not apply to this item because we’re the only place you can get it.” Aaron’s price-match guarantee states on the web site they will match any local competitor’s print ad or internet price or Aaron’s will give you $100 in cash, however Miller said that only applies to items that are in stock at local stores. Additionally, Aaron’s bundles the Touchpad with an aftermarket case, thus creating a unique bundle that cannot be price-matched.
HP’s policy is that retailers are free to set their own price on Touchpad devices.
But even at the higher price consumers are buying the Touchpads in droves, many seeing the $230 price as a savings of $270 rather than a markup of $130 over HP’s new suggested retail price. For those looking to enter the tablet computing market the $230 price seems very reasonable for a device that allows web-surfing, movie playback, eBook reading, and more. And this may be a signal to future tablet manufacturers looking to take a bite out of Apple, that when it comes to tablet computing price, not features, determines the market. With Amazon on the cusp of announcing a new tablet computer running Google’s Android operating system, they should take a lesson not from HP’s fire sale, but from eBay’s setting of the market price.
As for HP, they announced yesterday that they are “going back into production” for one last run of Touchpads (a claim that many at SlickDeals are calling “misleading” as HP’s initial announcement clearly stated manufacturing would stop in the fourth quarter, not immediately). While these newly produced Touchpads are sure to be highly sought after by customers and profiteers alike, HP is also poised to profit from these new sales. Even at a loss on the hardware, HP’s new customer base promise a profitibue revenue stream through their webOS-based App Store where HP keeps 30% of all sales.
If you are looking for a Touchpad at HP’s suggested retail price of $99, follow HP rep Bryna on Twitter for updates on manufacturing and availability.
Seed of Chucky – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Originally Released October 25, 2010
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until January 31, 2018, so be sure to listen before then!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Fall 2017 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation
Six years after Bride of Chucky was an expected hit, the tiny doll returned to the big screen in Seed of Chucky, where Chucky and Tiffany are introduced to their child, born at the end of the last film. And with this, we bring Now Playing’s first BONUS podcast series to a close with a bang, in what promises to be one of the most shocking and contentious reviews yet. Did the Hollywood humor hit with our hosts? Listen to find out!
Bride of Chucky – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Originally Released October 18, 2010
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until January 31, 2018, so be sure to listen before then!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Fall 2017 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation
Behind every Good Guy doll is a good woman, and in Chucky’s case that woman is Tiffany, a femme fatale who was the girlfriend of Lakeshore Strangler Charles Lee Ray. This titular character changes the whole dynamic of the Child’s Play series, and helmed by Freddy vs Jason director Ronny Yu this film contains laughs and violence. Does this fourth installment get Brock, Arnie, and Stuart to play along, or do they just want to take their toys and go home? Listen to find out!
Child’s Play 2 – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until January 31, 2018, so be sure to listen before then!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Fall 2017 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation
Originally Released October 4, 2010
You can’t keep a Good Guy Doll down! Rebuilt by Play Pals Inc, Chucky has returned and, wanting to transfer his soul into a human body again, he goes back on the trail of Andy. But the clock is ticking for if Chucky stays in the doll body too long his soul will be trapped in the doll forever. But can Chucky keep his homicidal impulses in check long enough to recite his Voodoo chant? And more importantly, is this movie as fun as a Good Guy doll? As a thank you to our donors, Arnie, Stuart, and Brock are here to review Child’s Play 2, so listen to find out!
Child’s Play – Limited Time Release for Patrons
Originally Released September 27, 2010
Note: This podcast is available to Now Playing Podcast Patrons of $10 or more. This podcast will only be available until January 31, 2018, so be sure to listen before then!
You can also get this podcast through the Now Playing Fall 2017 Donation Drive, or individually for a small donation
Charles Lee Ray has a problem. He’s a strangler, but having used voodoo to transfer his soul into the body of a doll, he cannot wrap his little doll hands around anyone’s neck. So he has to find a way out of the doll by possessing the body of 6 year old Andy, before he stays a doll too long and is trapped in the doll forever! Listen as Arnie, Stuart, and Brock do the voodoo that they do so well and review this 80’s classic slasher film!
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