MegaBloks at Fan Expo

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MEGA BLOKS SHOWS ITS CANADIAN PRIDE WITH FIRST APPEARANCE AT FAN EXPO
Canadian fans to be immersed in the worlds of Mega Bloks construction sets

MONTREAL – (August 22, 2012) – MEGA Brands Inc. (TSX: MB) For the first time ever, Mega Bloks will be showcasing some of their most exciting lines of construction playsets at the 3rd largest pop culture event in North America: Fan Expo in Toronto. The Mega Bloks booth will welcome fans into the worlds of Mega Bloks Halo, Mega Bloks Power Rangers as well as the newly launched Mega Bloks World of Warcraft.

“As a Canadian company, we are particularly excited to be a part of Fan Expo”, said Vic Bertrand, Chief Innovation Officer at MEGA Brands. “We really look forward to connecting with our Canadian fans, giving them the chance to immerse themselves in some of our most popular brands and offering them exclusive giveaways and fun contests”.

The excitement doesn’t end there. Mega Bloks is creating the ultimate (and philanthropic) building experience at this year’s Fan Expo by transforming a section of their booth into a community build wall — the Power Rangers MEGA Mural. Fan Expo guests are invited to visit the booth to add as many blocks as they wish to the mural in order to help build a giant Mega Bloks Power Rangers Red Ranger Mask. For this, participants will receive super-cool micro-action figure giveaways (while supplies last) and a chance to take a picture with the Power Rangers themselves!

A loyal supporter of the cause of autism, Mega Bloks will donate the Power Rangers MEGA mural to the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation after the event to recognize their dedication to children and families affected by autism.

To top it all off, Mega Bloks will also be bringing a very special guest to Fan Expo this year: towering over 10 feet high and made of over 375,000 Mega Bloks, the enormous Thrall build, a character from the World of Warcraft, will be on display for plenty of photo opportunities for both fans and press throughout the entire event.

For more information on Mega Bloks and their products, please visit their Fan Expo booth (#1238) at the Metro Toronto Convention Center from August 23rd – 26th or http://www.megabloks.com.

NECA First Look At Series1 of Prometheus Action Figures in Packaging

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Both Engineers stand nearly 8.5″ tall and feature tons of detail and articulation. The Engineer is re-created in both his pressure suit and chair suit costumes and towers over standard 6″”-7″” figures. As you can see, both come in clamshell packaging.

Chair suit

Figure height – 8.5″ tall

  • Ball-Jointed Neck
  • Ball Jointed Shoulders
  • Ball Jointed Torso
  • Swivel Biceps
  • Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Elbows
  • Ball Jointed Wrists
  • Ball Jointed Hips
  • Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Knees
  • Ball Jointed Ankles
  • Flexible Hoses & Tubes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pressure Suit Engineer

 

Figure height – 8.5″ tall

Ball-Jointed Neck
Ball Jointed Shoulders
Ball Jointed Torso
Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Elbows
Ball Jointed Wrists
Ball Jointed Hips
Insert Molded Ball-Hinge Knees
Ball Jointed Ankles

Check out NECA online at http://necaonline.com/

 

The Door By A Kirana

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The Door by A. Kirana

‘Come,’ a silken voice intones, awakening me from my slumber.

Without thought nor protest, I rise to follow.

My perception dims, as I walk blindly down the path I’m shown.

Candles flicker in my wake, briefly illuminating my way.

Shadows dance before me as laughter hurries me forth.

Racing down the darkened hallway, I’m startled to find a doorway barring my way.

Tentatively, I reach out, as it looms before me, beckoning me.

Cold to the touch, I recoil as if burned.

Turning to run, insistent voices urge me forward.

Rooted in place, a feeling of apprehension encompasses me.

A gentle breeze caresses my skin, attempting to sooth me.

With my fears assuaged, I glance around bewildered.

Facing the door anew, I ask in a quiet voice, “What am I to do?”

From the shadows, a voice replies, “Enter, child.”

In a moment, the door stood ajar, inviting me in.

Taking hesitant steps closer, I peer inside, only to retreat.

Mournful cries of pain and anguish reach out to me from within.

Fear clutches at my heart, as the cries bring me to my knees.

“It is time,” a voice urges me, as shadowy wraiths encircle me.

“No,” I sob, crawling through the shadows, futilely attempting an escape.

Unseen hands reach for me, gently leading me toward the door.

Struggling in vain seems only to tighten their hold on me.

Ceasing the fight, I resign myself to my fate, allowing myself to be led.

Standing in the doorway, I reel in horror as I watch familiar scenes unfold.

Straining against invisible bonds, as I choke back my terror, I cry, “Why?”

In a sorrowful tone, a voice replies, “You must face this, child.”

Sobbing, as my strength ebbs away, I feel a gentle tug upon my wrist.

Looking down, I find myself staring into the eyes of a child.

Seeing the depth of sadness within those eyes made my heart ache.

Angered, I cry out, “A child’s eyes should be filled with wonder not pain.”

Silence mocking me, as I continue, “What has been done to this child?”

A long moment passes, before a voice queries, “Do you not know?”

Turning to face the child, with my anger now sobered, I gasp as I finally see.

Falling to my knees to take the child into my arms, I attempt to ease her pain.

Weeping as I hold the child, I gasp for air while memories flood my mind.

A myriad of forgotten pain and emotions cascade into my being, filling an emptiness.

A strangled cry escapes my lips as I try to brace myself for the onslaught.

Tightening my embrace around the child, I am startled to find my arms empty.

My eyes quickly search the mist-shrouded figures, to no avail, the child had vanished.

Staggered by the whole experience, I collapse from weariness.

The door closed loudly behind me, jarring me back into consciousness.

Shivering, I listen to the anguished wails around me, not wanting to witness the cause.

A piercing cry for help cuts through the din, sending chills racing through me.

Frozen in remembrance, my tears fall silently, achingly.

“There is more to see, child,” a voice, filled with pity, softly said.

“No more,” I rasp, unable to endure.

“You must,” the voices cry in unison, as images began to change and swirl around me.

“I can’t,” I cry, shrinking back from the flickering scenes that enveloped me in their midst.

Reaching through the span of time, shattered reflections stare lifelessly back at me from yesterday.

Sobbing, I recall the oppressive pain brought by silence and the overwhelming fear of truth.

Nightmarish specters howl their fury as they immerse me in their vicious games.

Screaming in terror, I watch childhood end with one swift blow.

Shuddering with remembered pain, shadowy tendrils of forgotten fears find their mark.

Embracing myself for comfort, I ache as I witness the walls being built.

Enshrouded within the shredded remnants of life’s tapestry, I mourn all I have lost.

Suddenly, mirthless laughter fills the room, as icy fingers of trepidation hold me in a viselike grip.

Paralyzed, I find myself staring into the cold blue eyes of one whose intent shone cruelly.

Unable to flee, I cower before his lecherous grin.

Helpless, I shriek wildly as innocent blood is spilled, staining all I see a livid red.

Shocked by the brutality, overcome by guilt, I watch as I was shamed into silence.

Embittered by the memory, as I listen to my cries, I long for retribution.

“No more!” I plead as the shadows converge, blurring the scene.

Plunged suddenly into darkness, I cringe, listening to the continuing songs of lament.

As the cries reach an agonizing pitch, I steel myself, afraid of what was to come.

Light flares, momentarily blinding me, as memories began to reform.

Wrapped within my defenses, I coolly face the thinning shadows.

In a voice tight with anguish, I whisper, “Not this,” as my defenses shattered.

Aching, I reach for the memory, futilely screaming my protests, to no avail.

“Forgive me,’ I whisper hoarsely, as I witness life being bled from me.

Like a blow to my heart, guilt staggered me, crippling me.

Unable to bear witness, I crawl blindly through the carnage of what was.

My tears fall endlessly, as I desperately search for an escape.

Relief washes over me, as I stumble into the door.

Rising upon unsteady legs, I make my final plea, “Please, no more.”

“But you must face this child,” a voice replies sympathetically.

With my head in my hands, I cry, “I cannot.  I am not ready.”

The howls around me grew frantic, pleading to be heard.

“You may never be ready, but you must face this one day.”

The door finally opens, releasing me from my prison.

Sobbing, I close the door behind me, knowing one day I must return.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron

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EXPERIENCE THE FINAL BATTLES OF THE TRANSFORMERS HOME PLANET IN TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON


Activision and High Moon Studios Bring the Hasbro Canon Story to Life in the Epic Wars that Lead to the TRANSFORMERS Exodus from Cybertron

 

Santa Monica, CA – August 21, 2012 – Fight through some of the most pivotal moments in the TRANSFORMERS saga with Activision Publishing, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON video game available now at retail outlets nationwide.  Created by acclaimed developer High Moon Studios and serving as the official canon story for Hasbro’s legendary TRANSFORMERS property, TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON gives gamers the opportunity to experience the final, darkest hours of the civil war between the AUTOBOTS and DECEPTICONS, eventually leading to the famed exodus from their dying home planet.  With the stakes higher and scale bigger than ever, players will embark on an action-packed journey through a post-apocalyptic, war-torn world designed around each character’s unique abilities and alternate forms, including GRIMLOCK’s fire-breathing DINOBOT form and the renegade COMBATICONS combining into the colossal BRUTICUS character.

 

“This is where it all began, it’s the epic story of the TRANSFORMERS leaving their home planet,” said Peter Della Penna, Studio Head, High Moon Studios.  “From day one, we knew we were going to create the definitive TRANSFORMERS video game, a phenomenal action experience combining a deep, emotional tale with one-of-a-kind gameplay that lets you convert from robot to vehicle whenever you want.”

 

“This is the fall of their homeworld, and by far the biggest scale we’ve ever seen in a TRANSFORMERS game,” said Mark Blecher, SVP of Digital Media and Marketing, Hasbro.  “We could not be any happier teaming up with the great talent at High Moon Studios to deliver the official backstory of the colossal battles that led to the TRANSFORMERS’ exodus from Cybertron.  We can’t wait to have fans and gamers experience this amazing title.”

 

TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON features some of the most recognized voice talent in the franchise, with the iconic Peter Cullen and Gregg Berger, the legendary voices of OPTIMUS PRIME and GRIMLOCK from the original TRANSFORMERS animated TV series, reprising their roles for the game.  Also joining the roster are voice-over veterans Nolan North (BRUTICUS, CLIFFJUMPER and BRAWL), Troy Baker (AUTOBOT JAZZ, JETFIRE and KICKBACK), Fred Tatasciore (MEGATRON, RATCHET and METROPLEX) and many more.

 

After experiencing the game’s heart-pounding story campaign, players can take their skills online in competitive multiplayer.  TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON features the most in-depth, advanced customization ever seen in the franchise, allowing fans to choose their head, shoulders, arms, legs, wheels, wings, vehicles, weapons, colors and much more to create the TRANSFORMERS character they’ve always dreamt of.  Players can then take their personalized characters straight into blistering AUTOBOT vs. DECEPTICON multiplayer matches in a variety of game modes to prove their dominance.  Additionally, fans can assume the role of their favorite named TRANSFORMERS characters in the four-player co-op Escalation mode.  Teamwork is vital as they defeat increasing waves of enemies and band their resources together to purchase weapons and explore new areas.

 

Hasbro action figures based on several of the key characters in the style of the game including OPTIMUS PRIME, AUTOBOT JAZZ, and SHOCKWAVE are also currently available at select retail locations.  More figures based on characters seen in the game, including the combiner BRUTICUS with be available later this year.  The fan favorite character GRIMLOCK, will become available in spring 2013.

 

TRANSFORMERS: FALL OF CYBERTRON is rated “T” (Teen – for Violence) by the ESRB and is available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

 

For more information and exclusive updates, fans can visit www.facebook.com/TransformersGame or www.TransformersGame.com, and follow the team via Twitter @HighMoonStudios.

 

Activision Broadcast Media Center

Members of the media can visit Activision Publishing’s Broadcast Media Center to download broadcast quality video, web-ready video and high-resolution images.  Broadcast Media Center: www.activisionvideo.com.

About Hasbro

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide-range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with well-known and beloved brands such as TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Company’s Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for markets around the world. The Hub TV Network is part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), in the U.S. Through the Company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

 

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.

 

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.

Monsters and Myths by Millimeters: Stop Motion Animation

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By Edward Gambichler

Monsters and Myths by Millimeters

Stop Motion Animation : Is It a Lost Art Form?

     As I glance up from the keyboard to my iMac, typing up this essay, I can see nothing dangerous about it. It certainly gives all the appearance of being innocuous enough. As a matter of fact, I can’t begin to list the number of benefits owning one has given me, either as a source of entertainment, information, or social interaction. As a fan of movie special effects, however, I have to recognize that graphics generated by it has replaced a number of the specialized crafts that have flourished in the film industry. Matte painting ( the art of compositing a painted background with live action film ), miniatures ( the art of small scale model-making to convey full scale objects such as spaceships and backgrounds), and puppetry ( the art of fabricating puppets made up of  strings and levers manipulated by human operators to convey life in fantastic creatures ). Of all the crafts that I have listed, the one that has been effected by the advent of these computer generated images the most ( or CGI as they are known ) is animation. In particular, “stop motion animation”.

Stop motion animation is the art of manipulating a small scale model an inch at a time, taking a picture of each movement with one frame of film, so that when the film is played back as a whole, the object is given the illusion of Life. The “stop trick”, as it was known, was discovered accidentally by film-maker George Melies ( director of A Trip to the Moon ). One of the earliest and most popular examples of this art form is the 1933 RKO Radio Pictures film King Kong. It was animated by stop motion pioneer Willis O’ Brien whose early unfinished project, Creation, was shelved in favor of this one. Most of the sets and models for Creation were used in the Kong production. O’ Brien went on to animate its sequel Son of Kong (1933) and Mighty Joe Young (1949) , another stop motion classic which garnered O’ Brien an Academy award for Best Visual Effects. His protege and assistant on that film ( and who is widely believed to be the one who handled the majority of animation for that film ) was Ray Harryhausen, another master of the craft. Harryhausen went on to animate such classics as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), One Million Years B.C. (1966), Jason and the Argonauts (1963), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1974), Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), and his most well known film, the original Clash of the Titans (1981). It is the skeleton fight scene in Jason and the Argonauts that is considered by many ( including Harryhausen himself ) to be his masterwork.

 

Stop motion animation was continued through the 80’s by visual effects artist Phil Tippett ( who handled the majority of character animations in the first Star Wars trilogy in 1977, 1980, and 1983 respectively ). Using his variation of stop motion called “go motion” ( which gives the object that is being animated a realistic motion blur that is absent from regular stop motion ), Tippet went on to do the animations for the films Dragonslayer (1982), Robocop  (1987) and its sequel Robocop 2 (1990), and Willow (1988). Tippett was suppose to handle the majority of the dinosaur animations in the film, Jurassic Park (1993), until effects artist Dennis Muren showed the film’s director Steven Spielberg a test reel depicting CGI dinosaurs. Upon seeing the test reel and the advanced progress made by CGI animators, Spielberg famously replied to Tippett, “You’re out of a job”. Since then, it seems the majority of creature animation is handled by CGI.

 

Today, if one were to go the route of stop motion animation, the decision to do so would be ( in my opinion ) based on purely aesthetic reasons. Tim Burton is one film-maker who chooses to utilize stop motion for his animated projects, with Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) , James and the Giant Peach (1996), Corpse Bride (2005) and the upcoming Frankenweenie (2012) among his most notable contributions. Another pair of film-makers are identical twins and influential stop motion animators Stephen and Timothy, known around the world as the “Brothers Quay”( whose legendary animated film Streets of Crocodiles (1986) has been known to be a major influence for industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails’ video for their hit single, “Closer” ). As well as four time Academy award winner British stop motion animator Nick Park, creator of the Wallace and Gromit series and co-director of Chicken Run (2000).


With recent films like Coraline (2009) based on Neil Gaiman’s novel and the recent Paranorman (2012), it doesn’t look like Hollywood will be mothballing stop-motion animation anytime soon. There’s a great deal of beauty and admiration to the amount of work and detail that goes into the production of these films. A level of artistry that cannot be reached by a computer with pre-programmed graphics manipulations that can be found in software like Maya. When I compare 1933’s King Kong with its recent remake from 2005, I am impressed with the level of realism achieved with the CGI in conveying the gorilla. However, I can’t help feeling that Hollywood is defeating its own purpose by embracing the computer advancements in this field. Movies are fantasy and there should be a limit to the amount of realism conveyed on the big screen. Just ask yourself……..when was the last time you were captivated by a movie’s FX? As CGI becomes the norm, I’m afraid we and future generations will stop asking the one question that truly conveys the artistry of movie special effects……”How the hell did THEY do that”?

Follow Ed on Twitter @EFG72

LAUNCH Trailer – Official Fall of Cybertron Game Video – In Stores 8/21

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Pre-order Now at http://www.transformersgame.com/#!/buy
RELEASE DATE: August 21st 2012 for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is the sequel to War for Cybertron, the highest rated Transformers game ever. Coming Fall 2012 for Xbox 360, PS3, & PC. Join the epic battle for survival as the Autobots take their last stand to defend their legendary home planet from the Decepticons.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron transports you to the final days of the planet Cybertron where you will experience the darkest hours of the apocalyptic war between the Autobots and Decepticons. Embark on an adrenaline-fueled journey through a wide range of missions and massive environments designed around each character’s unique abilities. With the stakes higher than ever before, you play as a variety of Transformers, including Grimlock’s nearly indestructible T-Rex form and the legendary Combaticons forming into the colossal Bruticus. Fight through both sides of the Transformers’ most epic battles leading to their legendary exodus from their homeworld.