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Category: News

Youmacon, Steam Punk expo coming to Dearborn

Morgan Kollin is a busy guy.

Not only is he running next weekend's Youmacon, he's launching a Steampunk con in 2010.

Youmacon will be entering its fifth year this year. It opens Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn at Fairlane Town Center.

As usual, it's welcoming several voice actors, including Caitlin Glass ("Fullmetal Alchemist" and "School Rumble"), Laura Bailey ("Shin-Chan"), Wayne Grayson ("Yu-Gi-Oh" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"), Brad Swaile ("Death Note") and Travis Willingham ("Fullmetal Alchemist"). The band Spoony Bards will be returning, as well as many popular events, such as the Maid Cafe, charity costume ball and the Halloween pajama party. (If you like to dress up, this is your convention.)

There also will be a vendor area for all your anime, manga and Japanese snack needs. And the Artists Alley will have several goodies available.

I've been to three of the four previous Youmacons, and I can attest to their high fun quotient.

Visit the con's Web site for the full details.

What really interested me in Kollin's latest e-mail is the announcement of his next big thing: the World Steam Expo at the Dearborn Hyatt on Memorial Day weekend 2010.

Steampunk is a cool mashup of the Victorian era (late 1800s) and sci-fi. It's always good for cool designs, and co-splayers usually go all out with amazing get-ups. And what could really give this event a national profile is that the convention will be teaming with the nearby Greenfield Village and Henry Ford Museum (collectively known as The Henry Ford).

So not only can you see all the cool costumes and props people come up with, you can seem them in their natual habitat at the The Henry Ford's historical exhibits.

The con's Web site is still growing, but it's got Facebook, Myspace and other links as it builds the brand.

And Kollin is planning on announcing two more themed conventions for 2010 by the end of the year.

I can't wait to hear about them.

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Category: News

Get your own Bat suit; cool 'Smallville' spoiler

A couple cool things from my inbox:

You can ride around town on your motorcycle looking like Batman.

UD Replicas is offering the Dark Knight Motor Cycle suite under license from Warner Bros. For $998, you get everything but the cape and cowl, which aren't exactly street legal. You also can order the jacket, pants, boots and gloves separately.

The suit is limited to 1,000 orders, and the deadline to put in for one is Oct. 31. Deliveries are expected by March (sorry, too late for Halloween this year). Here are details from the company:

"The boots, which go on sale Nov. 1, are exact replicas of those worn on screen in 'The Dark Knight,' featuring custom-made rubber boot soles with a black injection-molded rubber base and high-quality, tanned cowhide leather featuring a deep-embossed, basket-weave design. Among the features of the gloves -- which are currently on sale -- are high-impact, Kevlar-lined knuckle guards and skid-resistant, Kevlar-lined outer palms."

Check out the photos.

SPOILER ALERT

It's no secret that comic uberscribe Geoff Johns has been working on another "Smallville" episode after his Legion of Superheroes entry last season. This one will feature the Justice Society.

What's new is that we now know who most of the characters appearing will be and who will be playing them.

Newsarama and several other outlets are reporting that "Stargate SG1's" Michael Shanks will be Hawkman (with wings and mace -- no word on a shirt, but he can pull it off either way),Brent Stait (another "Stargate" alum) will be Dr. Fate (another favorite character of mine), and Britt Irvin ("Aliens in America") will be Stargirl.

Earlier reports had mentioned four JSAers, so there's still room for more. Jay Garrick Flash would be cool, though with this selection it doesn't look like they're playing the JSA as a legacy group -- unless they've been cryogenically frozen or something. It is "Smallville," so you never know.

So this news gives me something to look forward to. This season has been pretty lame so far, and I was starting to think they really should have just let it die last season.

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Category: News

In the works: Burton's 'Dark Shadows' and Marvel's 'Super Hero Squad'

I got all kinds of excited poring over news from Comic-Con, and found a fun announcement about Marvel's plans for a new Cartoon Network series. "Super Hero Squad" looks like it'll be geared more toward youngsters, just because something is labeled "kid-friendly" doesn't mean I won't seek it out for geeky enjoyment. Especially as the voice cast features some great talent, including two actors from my beloved "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" series.

James Marsters will voice Mr. Fantastic, which unfortunately means he won't be needing the sexy British accent from his days as Spike, Buffy's *true* love (sorry, Angel fans, but it's true). I never cared much for the Fantastic 4, but I trust Marsters to be able to change my mind. Michelle Trachtenberg, who's been around the block a bit since playing Buffy's kid sister Dawn, is taking on the role of Valkyrie. Maybe spending time as "Gossip Girl's" Georgina has prepared her to evoke the spirit of an Asgardian goddess. Never having seen "Gossip Girl," it'll take me a while to hear Trachtenberg's voice and not think of whiny, troublesome Dawn Summers.

The big names in the cast, however, are BIG. Stan Lee himself will voice the Mayor of Super Hero City, Mark Hamill will be the Nazi Red Skull (a la Captain America), and Freddy himself -- Robert Englund -- will be (what else) a super-villain. And for all you "Battlestar Galactica" fans out there, Tricia Helfer is coming on board as Black Widow. Yes, I think I'll be keeping a close eye on the TV guide come September for the start of this series.

I have a much longer wait, however, for the next bit of entertainment I bring you news of. Tim Burton, who's wrapping up work on his reimagining of "Alice in Wonderland," told MTV that he's got a follow-up project in the works. Burton's going to bring us a silver screen version of "Dark Shadows."

Most people might remember this series as the '60s supernatural soap opera, but I fell in love with this story of vampires and witches that was revived for only 12 episodes in 1990. "Dark Shadows" is the story of Barnabas Collins, an 17th-century gentleman who had an affair with the wrong woman. When he jilted her, Angelique showed her true colors -- as the evil witch who would stop at nothing to ruin the rest of her lover's life. Even from the grave, she manages to curse Barnabas by turning him into a vampire. *Shiver* Ooh, I can't wait to see Johnny Depp with fangs. He says "Dark Shadows" has "the weirdest vibe to it," and if Depp and Burton can't bring that vibe to the big screen, no one can.

*Sigh* 2011 can't come soon enough.

Category: News

Welcome to Geek Watch!

As it says over to the side (or will as soon as all our technological ducks are in a row), the new Geek Watch blog will include "the latest, greatest and not-so-greatest in the worlds of sci-fi, anime, comic books, video games and more."

That's right, the old Anime Watch blog is evolving.

Anime fans, including this one, have lots of cross-over interests. And since the anime market has been shrinking a bit the last couple years, I decided it was time to branch out.

If you're finding this blog for the first time, I'm glad you could join us. Tell your friends we're here because we'll be providing you with all sorts of interesting news and commentary.

But fans of the Anime Watch blog needn't worry. I'll still provide plenty of anime coverage -- news and reviews -- and the full archive of posts is still here. Your bookmark will still work, too. And one of the new voices you'll see on the blog is Mike Neimoyer, the man who renewed my interest in anime several years ago and inspired this blog in the first place. He'll be weighing in on anime, video games, books and whatever else strikes his fancy.

Now I get to promote my other interests, including comics and animation. I'll probably go on a few tangents, too. "Geek," after all, isn't limited to sci-fi and fantasy. There are all sorts of geeks. (But don't expect too many stories about crazed circus performers, the original definition.)

And other people from around the newsroom will chime in now and then, including Detroit News TV writer Mekeisha Madden Toby (a sci-fi geek at heart).

So expect a robust discussion on all things geeky. And feel free to join in the conversation by leaving your comments.

Category: News

'Ponyo' in the news

I've got a couple bits on the much-anticipated "Ponyo" from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

First, a reader alerted me to a contest for readers in the Los Angeles area. The film is having its North American debut at the L.A. Film Festival, and you can win tickets to the June 28 showing. Just visit the Los Angeles Times Web site.

Also, the Anime News Network reports that the English dub trailer is now available.

The article also mentions a bit of news that's sure to raise the hackles of many fans: The story is being changed slightly in the dub. According to Frank Marshall, one of the producers, "It's not a direct translation. We have tweaked the story so it is an understandable story for our audience."

The direct subtitled version should be on the DVD.

Speaking of tweaks, we'll be tweaking the blog today, so be sure to check back later. I hope you'll like the changes, which I think are definitely for the better.

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Category: News

'Ultimo' hits shelves

The worlds of Western comics and manga are colliding in the July issue of Shonen Jump magazine.

"Ultimo," the much-anticipated (for some, anyway) collaboration between Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Fantastic Four) and "Shaman King" (published here by Viz) creator Hiroyuki Takei, makes its debut in the Viz mag.

The official line: High above Farmless City, citizens are stunned by the sudden appearance of two floating figures. Are they human boys, monolithic robots or something much more strange? As the battle ensues between them, destruction and devastation falls on the hapless city. One figure is Vice, and seems to be as evil as his name implies. The other is Ultimo, intent on trying to stop Vice from wreaking more havoc. But who are Vice and Ultimo really? Where did they come from?

Category: News

DSO to play 'Final Fantasy' concert

Metro Detroit fans of the "Final Fantasy" games are in for a treat.

On Thursday (June 18), the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will be offering a one-night engagement of "Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy."

Nobuo Uematsu's music will be played with scenes from the game series showing on screens. The concert will also have the world premiere of Uematsu's "The Man with the Machine Gun!"

Featured soloists include former Detroit musician Susan Calloway and Michigan State University senior Matthew Eldred, along with Michigan's Choirs at Stoney Creek High School.

Tickets are $25-$65 and are available at the box office or the DSO Web site.

Game on!

Category: News

'Spirited Away' showing in Royal Oak; 'Blood' opening July 10 elsewhere

Looking for information on the live-action adaptation of "Blood: The Last Vampire," I stumbled on this bit of good news for Metro Detroit anime fans.

The subtitled version of Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" is this weekend's midnight movie at the Main Art in Royal Oak. The excellent film will show Friday and Saturday nights. It looks like it will be the only anime midnight movie this summer, so go check it out.

But how did I get that from "Blood"? According to Anime News Network, Samuel Goldwyn Films will be distributing that film to some theaters on July 10. So far, the closest on the list for Metro Detroiters is a Landmark theater Chicago. Landmark runs the Main Art and Maple here, so let's keep our fingers crossed.

The film will also screen in California, New York, Texas, Washington, Massachusetts, Texas, Nevada, Hawaii and Washington, D.C. See their Web site for the full list.

Category: News

PlayStation Network launches anime channel

Dozens of anime titles have been popping up on the PlayStation network in the last week or so as Sony launches an anime channel for downloads on the PlayStation 3 and PSP.

As of this morning, seven companies have provided about five dozen shows for download, most at $1.99 an episode.

A sampling:

Anime Network: "Angelic Layer," "Neon Genesis Evangelion"

Funimation: "Ouran High School Host Club," "Afro Samurai"

Manga Entertainment: "Ghost in the Shell: Standalone Complex," "Noein"

Nozomi: "Gravitation," "Boogiepop Phantom"

Toei: "Galaxy Express 999," "Fist of the Northstar"

Viz: "Bleach," "Death Note"

WEP: "Voltron"

Sony is also offering the new Bones mecha show "Xam'd" as an exclusive to the network.

A press release from Sony also lists Media Blasters as a partner, but its titles weren't up yet when I checked today.

So here's a great, convenient way to sample a few shows, including some old favorites like "Angelic Layer." Happy downloading!

Category: News

Anime, manga bigwigs talk shop

A couple interesting interviews regarding Funimation are floating around the Internet.

First, Anime News Network talks to Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga about recent episode leaks.

The company knows who leaked the "One Piece" episode before its online simulcast and is pursuing the matter. It's also working on beefing up security to make sure no more leaks occur.

Luckily for fans, it doesn't look like this will have an immediate impact on the series involved, which also include "Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood" and "Phantom."

Over at ICv2, Navarre (Funimation's owner) CEO Cary Deacon talks up the company's online video portal and social network. He says they could provide a major boost to online sales.

Tangentally related since Funimation released the anime of "Fruits Basket," ICv2 also has an interview with Tokyopop COO John Parker about the future of the company and the manga market in general.

He's chipper about 2009, including digital material and European titles. With the final volume of "Fruits Basket" arriving this summer, he says the company has plans on repackaging it to get it in front of more people.