Monthly Archives: August 2018
Star Trek Discovery: Don’t Fear the Spock
Whether you love it or hate it or are indifferent about it, there’s no denying that one thing Star Trek: Discovery has done quite a bit of in its short life so far is to recycle old characters. Harry Mudd. Sarek. Amanda. Captain Pike. And now, Spock. But if Discovery sticks to Star Trek canon, its version of Spock could be quite different from the cool, calm and collected character we all remember. And that just might make this third incarnation of the classic character worth checking out.*
Yes, the beloved Vulcan -- and cultural icon -- originally brought to life by Leonard Nimoy will be appearing in the second season of Discovery. CBS has announced that actor Ethan Peck will play this version of Spock, a younger take on the character since Disco is set about 10 years before the events of The Original Series. Indeed, Season 2 of Discovery will also feature Anson Mount as Captain Pike, the captain of the USS Enterprise from the first, unaired Star Trek pilot “The Cage” from before William Shatner joined the show as Captain Kirk.
SummerSlam: 30 Years, 20 Memorable Moments
It's been 30 years since WWE kicked off its "Biggest Party of the Summer," SummerSlam, back in 1988 - with a main event that featured Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage facing Ted DiBiase and Andre the Giant.
Since then, there've been Hitmen, Deadmen, Sexy Boys, Dudley Boys, Punks, Vigilantes, and more! All in service of one of the hottest shows in the hottest month of the year.
This coming Sunday, August 19th, WWE will head to Brooklyn's Barclays Center for a card featuring Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz, Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler, and "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss.
Ahead of SummerSlam, we've compiled a rundown of the most notable and memorable moments from SummerSlam history, featuring the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Randy Savage, CM Punk, Bret Hart, and more. Evil twins! Movie characters come to life! Backstabbing comedians! Hit up the slideshow below for the full list...
Microsoft Reveals New Translucent Xbox One Controller
A new, translucent Xbox One controller, called the Phantom Black Special Edition, will be released worldwide on September 11 for $70 USD.
As detailed on Xbox Wire, the sleek design "fades from a high-tech translucent matte black" at the top to a "metallic champagne gold" at the bottom.
It's currently available for preorder through the Microsoft Store.
The new Phantom Black and Grey/Blue Xbox One controllers
7 Things We Learned About Fallout 76 at QuakeCon
During QuakeCon 2018, Bethesda game director Todd Howard, development director Chris Mayer, and project lead Jeff Gardiner were part of a Q&A session centered on the upcoming Fallout 76.
While we know a fair amount about the setting and general gameplay mechanics, the Q&A yielded a few interesting new bits of information about customization, what you lose in death, and a uniquely brilliant way of dealing with online trolls and griefing.
Probably the most significant detail we learned was how the game will handle trolls and players who grief others online. In order to engage in PvP, players can attack someone and do significantly less damage than they would against an AI-controlled opponent. Should the other player choose to engage, then PvP will have been initiated and no punishments will be given.
Sprint, LG Aim to Bring First 5G Smartphone to US Next Year
Sprint has announced it is partnering with LG to bring a 5G enabled smart phone to the US market within the first half of 2019.
Revealed by Sprint, 5G intends to bring faster and more reliable internet speeds to its customers, claiming the shift to 5G will allow for full-length HD movie downloads to happen within seconds, and allow for high speed games to be played "without delays, hiccups or lag-time."
Sprint also insists that its 5G enabled Massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) cell sites will be able to handle 10 times the capacity of its LTE systems. No specifics for the model or price of the 5G LG smartphone have been given.
New Look at John Wick 3 Revealed
Lionsgate has released a new photo from the upcoming John Wick 3: Parabellum.
The image, via Twitter, features the returning Laurence Fishburne and Ian McShane. Fishburne portrayed the Bowery King in John Wick 2, while McShane played Winston in the first two John Wick movies.
New look at Laurence Fishburne and Ian McShane in John Wick 3.
DC Movies and Characters James Gunn Is Perfect For
James Gunn -- and his tweets -- have been in the news a lot recently. After being fired from the third Guardians of the Galaxy film, things are only getting more interesting. The latest reports indicate that he’s in demand by various high-level studio execs, many of whom have chosen to remain anonymous while Gunn muddles through his exit contract with Disney. And even now, rumors are persisting that Marvel is attempting to negotiate with Disney to bring the writer and director of the Guardians of the Galaxy films back on for Vol. 3. This could be a response to the sudden fevered interest other studios have taken in the box office phenomenon, Marvel president Kevin Feige’s loyalty to Gunn, the outpouring of support from the Guardians cast, or some combination of the three.
DC’s Latest Batman Controversy Involves a Familiar Problem
The Batman comic book franchise may be one of DC's top-sellers, but it's been no stranger to controversy and behind-the-scenes creative tensions over the past few years. The past week has been an unfortunate reminder of that fact, as veteran artist Matt Wagner has lashed out against DC editorial over for an abrupt decision they made regarding Batman #54.
This is the latest in a series of incidents involving significant creator/editorial friction at DC. As much as the company has made clear strides in the two years since the start of DC Rebirth, this is an all too familiar problem that simply didn't need to exist in the first place.
Batman #54 cover by Matt & Brennan Wagner. (DC Entertainment)
DC’s Drowned Earth Crossover Pits the Justice League Against New Aquaman Villains
Drowned Earth, a five-part crossover from DC Comics that digs into the origins of Atlantis and features new villains called the Ocean Lords, is coming this fall.
Announced through CBR, this crossover storyline jumps between Aquaman and Justice League issues, beginning with Justice League/Aquaman: Drowned Earth #1, releasing October 31. In it, the Ocean Lords, a group of ancient sea gods, invade Earth. To take over, they flood the world and utilize an alien army. Batman, Superman and the Flash hurry to attempt to slow the rising tides, which will turn everyone affected into sea monsters.
Update: Black Ops 4 Blackout Beta Start Date Announced for All Platforms
Update: Activision has announced when Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's Blackout beta will be coming to PC and Xbox One.
The publisher revealed on Twitter the open beta will arrive on September 14 on Xbox One. Meanwhile, the Blackout beta on PC will go live September 14 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. UK for those who digitally pre-ordered Black Ops 4.
The PC beta will then be able to everyone with a Battle.net account on September 15 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET/6 p.m. UK.