Monthly Archives: August 2015
Vixen: First Impressions of the Animated Arrow/Flash Spinoff
A couple notes to start off - Vixen is an unusual addition to The CW's lineup of superhero shows not just because it's animated, but because it's being aired digitally via CW Seed. Because each weekly installment of the web series is a scant five minutes long (there are six installments total), we won't be doing individual "episode" reviews. For now, I'll be offering my initial, spoiler-free impressions based on the first four episodes made available to press and following up with an official review when The CW makes the final two episodes available.
Vixen and the upcoming Legends of Tomorrow are the next wave in The CW's growing DC Universe, building on the foundation laid by Arrow and The Flash in recent years. The idea is that no longer are metahumans simply the result of super-soldier experiments or the STAR Labs particle accelerator explosion. They're appearing more frequently and spontaneously. That's where Vixen comes in, as it explores Mari McCabe's quest to learn about her family's mysterious past and the apparently mystical totem necklace that serves as her only link to that family.
Street Fighter 5 American Stress Takes Place This Week
A Street Fighter V online stress test is scheduled to take place in North and South America this week.
The tests are scheduled for Tuesday, August 25 from 4pm-12am PT and Wednesday, August 26 from 4pm-12am PT.
Previously held in both Europe and Asia, this test will gauge the connection between players to ensure the launch of the forthcoming Street Fighter V beta will go more smoothly than its previous trial run. Capcom issued a cautionary statement regarding possible hiccups and issues that could be encountered during the stress test.
Fear the Walking Dead Had Biggest Premiere in Cable History
The new spinoff/prequel to AMC's The Walking Dead premiered Sunday night with record-breaking numbers, becoming the biggest series premiere in cable history.
With a total of 10.1 million live viewers in all key demos, the 90-minute series premiere episode of Fear the Walking Dead has toppled The Walking Dead's initial premiere viewership numbers of 5.35 million in 2010, which at the time broke the record for the biggest cable premiere ever. It has also vastly surpassed Better Call Saul's then-record premiere of 6.88 million people set back in February of this year.
Suicide Squad: That’s a Wrap!
Principal photography on Warner Bros.' Suicide Squad movie has been completed in Toronto.
CTV News (via ComingSoon) reports that Squad cast members Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang) visited a local girl's lemonade stand before heading to the DC Comics film's wrap party:
Suicide Squad is written and directed by David Ayer (Fury). Its stellar cast also includes Will Smith as Deadshot, Jared Leto as the Joker, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, Jay Hernandez as El DIablo, Adam Beach as Slipknot, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, as well as Ike Barinholtz, Scott Eastwood, Raymond Olubowale, Alex Meraz, Jim Parrack, and Common.
Top Comics to Buy This Week
We all want the best of the best, so let us point out the top comics and collectibles released each week. We spotlight our favorite comics that we know are money-well-spent, new books that look cool, and any toys we can't wait to play with.
Check out our picks, then take to the comments to let us know what looks good to you.
By writer Nick Spencer & artist Ramon Rosanas | Marvel
Scott Lang is gearing up for the end of the Marvel Universe and taking on a mysterious new assignment in this standalone Secret Wars prequel. It seems this issue is taking a somewhat more lighthearted approach to the "Last Days" concept than some books, which is fine by us.
Vs. Excitebike Coming to Nintendo’s Virtual Console
This week's update of the Virtual Console will add Vs. Excitebike to its library of classic games.
The Famicom Disk System version of Excitebike, Vs. Excitebike has never previously been available for purchase outside of Japan.
Several of Vs. Excitebike's features make it significantly different from its relative on the Nintendo Entertainmen System, including a competitive two-player mode, a mode where players can create custom tracks, and a single-player based on the arcade version of Excitebike.
Nintendo's announcement of Vs. Excitebike's addition to the Virtual Console did not specify if this was for the Wii U or Nintendo 3DS, but it will be added to the ecosystem as part of the August 27 update.
Lois Lane or Wonder Woman? Cavill Responds
Superman actor Henry Cavill has opened up about who's the better match for the superhero: Lois Lane or Wonder Woman.
Speaking with Cosmopolitan, Cavill did a good balancing act when asked about Superman's true love. "This is a very long discussion because there are a lot of questions to be asked and answered," Cavill said. "I mean who is better for a super-powered alien, a human or a goddess?
"Yes, the goddess can do all the normal things, which we would think are normal in a relationship, and not have any fear of Superman. But you also need to have that baseline of humanity, which Lois provides. And literally keeps his feet on the ground, keeps him down to earth. So that's more of a debate than an answer."
Cortana for Android Beta Goes Public
Cortana for Android is out of closed beta, and is now letting all Android users test it out.
Microsoft announced the public beta release earlier today on the official Windows Blog, stating that the Cortana digital assistant "is the companion to your Windows 10 PC, extending Cortana’s functionality across any device you carry." However, it's not exactly like its Windows counterpart. At least, not yet.
The Hannibal Finale is This Week’s TV Highlight
August is not going out quietly on the TV front. TNT's Falling Skies ends its five season run while USA's Mr. Robot wraps up its excellent freshman season.
Plus, DC's Vixen animated series - which shares a screen universe with Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow - debuts online at CW Seed. Also, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series' second season premieres on El Rey while Netflix launches its new series Narcos.
Hannibal: A Look at the Characters from Film to TV
The big story though is the end of NBC's Hannibal. Which may return at some point as a TV movie or miniseries, sort of more in line with the British model of broadcasting. But for now, it's done. Bryan Fuller's off making American Gods for Starz and the cast has been released from their contracts. Hugh Dancy's even now a part of an upcoming Hulu show with Aaron Paul called The Way.
Out This Week: Mega Man, Madden, Until Dawn
With so many new games and movies coming out, it can be hard to keep up. Lucky for you, IGN is here to help with a weekly round-up of the biggest releases each and every week. Check out the latest releases for this week, and be sure to come back next Monday for a new update.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
