Monthly Archives: February 2016
Crossbones Revealed for Captain America: Civil War
Empire's upcoming Captain America: Civil War issue not only features exclusive covers and the reveal that Sherlock's Martin Freeman will have a supporting role in the film, but also offers a first official look at HYDRA villain, Crossbones.
First appearing in Captain America #359 in 1989, the character might best be known for assassinating Cap in The Death of Captain America arc back in 2007.
The Walking Dead’s Jesus Marks a Big Shift for the Show
A new character has come to shake things up on The Walking Dead. Paul Rovia -- aka Jesus -- was introduced in Sunday's episode, "The Next World," and that title alone is enough of a hint that things are going to be changing for Rick & Co. in the near future.
After his big (and well-received) debut as Jesus, Tom Payne got on the phone to talk to me about being thrown in the deep end with his introduction episode. We also discussed how close this season will stick to what is coming up in Jesus's comics story, how excited the cast is about the introduction of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan and whether the light-hearted tone of "The Next World" is going to be sticking around for a while.
Apple Answers Your Questions About FBI’s Backdoor Request
Apple and CEO Tim Cook are doubling down on their objection to the FBI's court order for an iPhone backdoor.
In a detailed FAQ, the tech giant answered some of the public's most common questions after Cook's letter about iPhone encryption made waves last week.
Complying with the FBI's court order would have "two important and dangerous implications," according to Apple. Firstly, it would have the company make an entirely new operating system for the government's use. The new OS would allow a passcode to be input electronically, which would make is easier to unlock an iPhone with "brute force" by "trying thousands or millions of combinations with the speed of a modern computer."
Final Fantasy Creator Teams Up With Bravely Default Developer
Bravely Default developer Silicon Studio is teaming up with Lost Odyssey creator Mistwalker to make a new game.
The co-developed project will be an original game with a new setting, according to the Japanese-language announcement.
Besides that, and whatever can be gleaned from a single piece of art, there are no more details at this point. Furthermore, Silicon and Mistwalker have given no window on when we can expect a name, style of game, or release date as yet.
Gematsu notes that the art included with the announcement is from 2009. It has since been used in relation to a planned console version of Mistwalker's mobile game Terra Battle. The site further states that Mistwalker will mostly handle the creative end of things, while using "Silicon Studio’s technological strength and long-term management power" to keep things on track.
NASA Could Get Us To Mars In 72 Hours
NASA knows a way to get humans to Mars in about a month, and to land unmanned probes in just three days.
In a NASA 360 video University of California Santa Barabara professor Philip Lubin describes the process of "photonic propulsion." It involves propelling objects with mass-free particles of light (photons). Basically, pushing spaceships with a great, big laser.
Lubin explains that the proposed system would require about the same amount of energy as the upcoming Space Launch System to get to "relativistic speeds." Which is to say speeds matching a significant percentage of the speed of light. In this case, 30 percent in about 10 minutes.
Halo 5 REQ Sales Bring Halo Championship Prize to $2.5 Million
Sales of Halo 5: Guardians' REQ packs have brought the Halo World Championship prize pool to $2.5 million.
REQ pack sales have generated at least $1.5 million in revenue for 343 Industries and Microsoft—likely more, as the company previously stated that only a portion would be added to the prize pool, which started at $1 million.
The prize pool has now been locked, and the top 16 teams will compete for their share of the $2.5 million.
Microsoft announced the "biggest individual prize pool in console esports history," a total prize of $1 million USD, for the first place team.
The Walking Dead’s Negan Gets an Origin Story
Fans of The Walking Dead villain Negan will be happy to know that the character's mysterious past will soon be revealed thanks to a spinoff comic book story.
The Negan origin story will be serialized in the new Image+ magazine, which makes its debut in May. Each of the first 12 issues of the magazine will feature a four-page chapter detailing Negan's rise to power in the world of the Walking Dead. This story will be handled by the same team behind the main Walking Dead comic - writer/creator Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard.
Gotham: Penguin Needs Gordon’s Help – But Will He Get It?
IGN has your exclusive first look at the fourth installment of Gotham Stories, the new motion comic from FOX, Warner Bros. TV and DC Entertainment that bridges the first and second halves of Gotham: Season 2.
In this chapter, Penguin, on the heels of his escape from Mr. Freeze, goes to Gordon and Bullock for help. But after all that's occurred, are they willing to give it to him?
The storyline for Gotham Stories was outlined by Gotham Producer/Writer Rebecca Cutter and Senior Writer/Producer, FOX On-Air Promo Creative, Bart Montgomery, with a script by Tony Bedard and artwork by Matt Haley. The series is produced by VP, FOX On-Air Promo Creative, Julio Cabral.
Gotham cast members Robin Lord Taylor (Penguin), Camren Bicondova (Cat), Nathan Darrow (Victor Fries), Ben McKenzie (Jim Gordon) and Donal Logue (Harvey Bullock) all lend their voices to Gotham Stories.
Keanu Reeves on the Horrors of Exposed
Keanu Reeves plays troubled New York cop Scotty Galban in Exposed, a dark thriller about corruption and murder that goes to some deeply unpleasant places. The film hits UK screens and on demand February 26, so to coincide with the release, we talked to Reeves about the making of the movie, the troubles that went on behind-the-scenes, and the pair of horror films he shot straight after.
IGN: What was the appeal of Exposed?
Keanu Reeves: I really enjoyed… well enjoyed is a tough word because I think the story is tough… but thinking about the Galban character, I liked this kind of defeated person. This man who is down in the job, he’s separated from his kid, his wife, his partner dead. But as he tries to survive and figure out what’s happened, I really responded to the struggle of the script. I feel like it deals with the consequences of sexual violence, so I was drawn to these two stories. These two completely different circumstances. One the Ana de Armas character being the victim, and the revenge aspect of my partner’s death and how the two sides come together in this moment of becoming exposed and the tragedy of the consequences.
New Information on Disneyland’s Star Wars Expansion
As promised, Harrison Ford has revealed some more information about the upcoming Star Wars expansion to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
As reported by Entertainment Weekly, Ford appeared on ABC's Disneyland 60 Tribute, showing off new concept art and revealing that one ride would feature a virtual reality version of the Millennium Falcon that guests can control in a battle with the First Order. More images are available on EW.