Yu-Gi-Oh! Sneak Preview
Upper Deck informs Nerdage that the first Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game sneak preview of 2008, featuring the new Phantom Darkness booster pack, will be this weekend.
The sneak preview will start at 9 a.m. Sunday at Game Headquarters,1620 J SW 89th. Each player will get an exclusive look at the “Phantom Darkness” booster pack. While supplies last, participating Duelists will receive the card “Dark Grepher.”
For more information, visit www.yugiohpreview.com.
Phantom Darkness is the first Yu-Gi-Oh! collectible card game release of 2008. This 100-card set follows the storyline of the “Yu-Gi-Oh! GX” animated series.
– Matt Price
DVD review: Torchwood – The Complete First Season
Protecting the Earth from otherworldly incursions is the mission of the secretive Torchwood Institute. This more adult spin-off of “Doctor Who” from the British Broadcasting Corp. is executive-produced by Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner; Davies spearheaded the popular 2005 revamp of “Doctor Who.”
Mixing elements from popular science fiction/fantasy shows such as “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” “The X-Files” and of course “Doctor Who,” “Torchwood” manages to be generally engrossing genre entertainment.
Eve Myles portrays Gwen Cooper, a Cardiff police officer who sees the mysterious Torchwood members at the scene of a murder. She’s the entry point for viewers into the series, as she investigates the institute and eventually becomes part of the team.
Leading the team is the charismatic Capt. Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), previously seen on “Doctor Who.” Barrowman echoes Tom Cruise without the baggage, and provides a classic Hollywood leading-man quality to the production.
“Torchwood” episodes range from light to thoughtful to creepy to action-packed. Of particular interest is “Countrycide,” in which the team learns that humanity can be as dangerous as any alien race.
Extras: Multiple behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentaries on each of the 13 episodes.
– Matt Price
Marvel signs interim WGA deal
Marvel Comics and Lionsgate have signed interim deals with the striking Writers Guild of America, the Associated Press reports.
While Marvel is a smaller studio, this allows them to move forward on upcoming projects including Captain America, Thor, Ant-Man, and The Avengers.
As of March, writer David Self was the only name attached to Captain America, according to E! Online.
Writer Mark Protosevich is attached to write “Thor,” to be directed by Matthew Vaughn (”Stardust”). Protosevich told the Chicago Tribune a while back that he was a comic book fan, and that Thor was his favorite character as a child, so, I’m sure he’s glad to have this issue resolved.
“Ant-Man” would be directed by Edgar Wright, who wrote a treatment way back in 2001. He told me in August that the film was based on the Scott Lang version of Ant-Man.
Superhero Hype and MTV had Jon Favreau expressing interest in “The Avengers” back in January.
In the larger picture, the WGA’s divide-and-conquer strategy seems to be bearing dividends.
– Matt Price
Roller-coaster game goes ‘Off the Rails’
Create an all-new theme park empire with “Thrillville: Off the Rails.”
The LucasArts video game sequel is similar to the original “Thrillville,” in which the gamer reinvigorates Uncle Mortimer’s amusement parks by training staff, adding attractions, setting prices, schmoozing guests and building roller coasters.
“Off the Rails” stands strong on its own, offering all new parks with fresh, entertaining themes. Old rides are back, along with some new ones.
As always, gamers can indulge in the arcade. Ride a stunt bike without tipping over, fight as a chinchilla, operate a tank or try to knock out a giant robot in a variety of minigames. The minigames can be difficult but are not complex.
Also new to “Off the Rails” is a vendor puzzle game that helps you increase sales. The sideshow features “Alley Ball” and “Test Your Strength” awards stuffed animals as prizes that can be later passed on to impress park guests.
The biggest addition to “Off the Rails” is the “Whoa” options in the Coaster Builder menu. The “Whoa” features are wild additions to custom coasters, many of which literally take the cars off the rails. “Big Guns” allows the car to shoot off the track like a cannonball, and land on another portion of the track. “Candy Drop” catapults the car across segments of track. “Nosedive” uses a lever to tilt the track while cars are in motion. “Pendulizer” catches the car in a pendulum swing. Other options place cars on an elevator to reach extreme heights in limited space, or place exhilarating hazards on the track, such as a ring of fire or a breakaway wall.
“Off the Rails” is mostly more of the same for fans of “Thrillville,” but it does have enough interesting twists and turns and loops and spirals to lure gamers back for another visit. “Off the Rails” is available for personal computer, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS.
– Matt Price
“Swamp Thing” actor recounts role
Stuntman Dick Durock performed in hundreds of television shows and movies, but he’s best-known for his role as the hulking monster Swamp Thing, which he portrayed in two movies and a television series. The television series “Swamp Thing,” based on the DC Comics character, arrived on DVD this week, with the first 22 episodes.
Originally, Durock wasn’t even supposed to play the Swamp Thing. In the initial film, producers planned to use Durock’s 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame for long shots, and have actor Ray Wise for closeups.
“They wanted a guy who could move, carrying that load of a costume,” Durock said in a phone interview.
Wise played Alec Holland, who was turned into the Swamp Thing.
Wes Craven (“Nightmare on Elm Street”) was the director on “Swamp Thing,” and he met with Durock.
In discussing the film with Craven, Durock indicated he didn’t think changing actors for the different shots would look good in the finished film.
“(Wes) said, Dick, just be prepared to do the whole thing. So that’s what occurred,” Durock said. “I think Wes had a good feeling for it, to bring out sympathy for the guy and his own failings and weaknesses and so on.”
Durock wasn’t known for his weaknesses as a stuntman, however, after landing his first job on “Lost in Space” in 1967. He’s been very busy in the science fiction genre, with spots on “Star Trek,” “Battlestar Galactica,” and “The Incredible Hulk.” In fact, while Durock wasn’t going to be the first “Swamp Thing,” he was in some ways the “first” Hulk.
“I was ‘Hulk the First,’” Durock said, referring to the two-part episode called “The First” from 1981.
“He was called Frye’s creature. And he was totally different than Lou Ferrigno’s Hulk. He was a big, skinny berserk … he was kind of a takeoff on Frankenstein’s creature.”
Frye, played by Harry Townes, was a scientist who wanted to discover the secret of life. But the monster he turns into is uncontrollable.
“He thought he could develop this guy and find out the secret of life, ergo Frankenstein. But Frye’s creature was a totally berserk nutcase,” Durock said. “Years later, in the modern Hulk’s time, he says ‘Maybe now I can correct my mistakes.’
“So he resurrects this guy, and he’s worse than it was before. It was a two-parter, and from what I understand, it was the most popular Hulk episode of all of them.”
Outside the genre, Durock appeared on shows including “B.J. and the Bear,” “Mike Hammer,” and “Starsky and Hutch,” in addition to dozens of motion pictures.
“A lot of people are just amazed about how many … things I’ve been involved in. There’s been over 700 of them in 40 years. And they say, how is that possible? You know, I think I did seven “Fall Guy” and four “Magnum,” five “A-Team” and seven “Rockford Files.” There were times when I was really working hot at Universal, I’d do two shows in one day … Credits add up in a hurry.”
Durock’s versatility and look made him even more valuable.
“I was a pretty good-size guy, made a good heavy,” Durock said. “Eventually, guys would say, why don’t we get Dick to play this thug. He only has one or two lines … and we’ll still throw him out the window or down the stairs or hit him with a car, and we don’t have to double him.”
Durock, 70, is now retired, but frequently attends conventions, where he answers questions about his career and his “Swamp Thing” experience. One he won’t answer, however, refers to the leading ladies of the “Swamp Thing” movies.
“I think most people ask me, referring to Swampy – how did you like Adrienne Barbeau compared to Heather Locklear? But you can’t answer questions like that without sticking your foot in your mouth,” Durock said.
– Matt Price
Comics podcast: X-Men, Iron Man, Star Trek, Teen Titans
Kyle Roberts and I discuss the explosive conclusion to “X-Men: Messiah Complex” on this week’s podcast. We also cover “Iron Man” 25, “Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Borg,” and “Teen Titans” No. 55. Give it a listen!
- Matt Price
Who are your favorite superheroes?
Working on a possible fun Nerdage idea… if you have a moment, post your favorite superheroes here, or mail a list to me at mprice@oklahoman.com . Thanks!
- Matt
“Lost” product placement at Marvel
Marvel gets some interesting product placement promoting the 4th-season premiere of “Lost.” Seems like this is a good opportunity to energize the base audience, as there’s bound to be decent crossover between “Lost” watchers and Marvel Comics readers. Press release provided to me by our TV editor Penny Soldan, who just launched a new blog at newsok.
From ABC:
Now fans can discover elements from the hit series “Lost” in Marvel Comics. ABC marketing has strategically placed images and references from the show in various comic books, including Uncanny X-Men, Incredible Hercules, Thunderbolts and Wolverine Origins on sale now. Examples of “Lost” references include a “Lost” poster, the number 6, and the slogan “Find Yourself” in the latest editions of numerous Marvel comics throughout the month. Expect more “Lost” placements to pop up in comic books on stands January 23 and January 30.Season Four of “Lost” premieres, Thursday, January 31 at 9:00 p.m., ET.
– Matt Price
Jackpot revealed in “Amazing Spider-Man” 550?
It doesn’t seem like this is going to be a huge surprise, unless there’s some kind of swerve coming, but Marvel says it’s time to find out… just who is Jackpot? “Amazing Spider-Man” No. 550 is on sale Feb. 13.
“Nova” rockets into annual
I always liked Nova; I realize to a lot of people he may have been Spider-Man lite, but hey, I enjoyed Spider-Man, so why not Spider-Man lite? I thought he had a cool costume and a neat helmet. Plus, the Nova Corps echoed the Green Lantern Corps, which I also liked.
I picked up a few of his issues piecemeal as a kid, then followed the New Warriors for the majority of his involvement. When I was living in Dallas in 1997, I picked up a near-complete set at a comic store there, and worked my way through the issues. More recently, I bought “The Essential Nova,” which I find to be a fine pick-me-up on otherwise dreary days. A good page to reference Nova’s origins and other Nova info is the Nova Prime Page.
On Feb. 13, Nova gets his first annual, spinning out of the events of “Annihilation.”
From Marvel: Following the events of Nova #10, Richard Rider has pushed himself to his very limits. After the Phalanx infected the last centurion with their insidious transmode virus, Nova fought to free himself from the control of the tyrannical techno-organic species, but has not yet been able to expel the invader from his system. On the verge of finally reaching the Phalanx’s homeworld, and possibly securing the help that could halt the Conquest, Nova discovers his war against the Phalanx may already be lost!
– Matt Price
