Geek Fuel Magazine, Issue #12

ISSUE #12 JAN 2016

THE FLASH A LOOK AT THE

CONTINUATION OF SEASON 2

AN INTERVIEW WITH A MONSTER TO LOVE

JAKKU COMIC CON IT'S OUT OF THIS WORLD

INSTA-LOVE & UNBOXERS KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS WITH OUR

GIFT GUIDE

BLOOD DRIVE Jan 19th 2016 1996 Ennerdale ST, Raccoon City

Help contribute to new research when you donate blood to the Umbrella Corporation in our annual blood drive!

We take it by any means necessary, which doesn’t necessarily mean you want to give.

DONATE AND GET A LIMITED EDITION PIN We appreciate you spreading the word about the great work in bio-organic weaponry we’re doing and would like to commemorate this momentous occasion with a limited-edition pin!

CONTENTS FEATURES 6. . . . .COSPLAYER OF T HE M ONT H -

Meet this month’s featured cosplayer, Ani-Mia, and learn where she finds the inspiration she needs to create new images over and over again!

10.. . ..A B RIEF HISTORY OF T IM E T RAVE L Did H.G. Wells know what kind of trend he’d start way back in the day?

We’ve got the history laid out for you.

12.. . ..A MONSTER T O LOVE -

What happens when you have a couple of kids with big ideas and even bigger hearts? Monsters for everyone!

16. . ...METRO WAR P -

Left turns aren’t just for race car drivers. Use yours wisely to find your way through levels of fun in this Steam game.

REVIEWS 8. . . . .THE FLASH -

As the second half of season two returns, we look at the past and future of Barry Allen’s life.

PREVIEW 4.. . . .RE SIDE NT E VIL ORG INS C OLLE C T ION The Umbrella Corporation has been looking for new blood for a long time now.

We can’t wait for the updated rerelease of our favorite games.

20.....ULTIMATE GIFT G UID E -

Stick to your New Year’s Resolutions and stay true to your geek side with this inspired workout gear.

GEEK NATION 14.. . ..VID E O UNBOXE RS -

Meet some of the folks who help us shine out loud with awesome unboxings and great reviews.

22.....IN STAGRAM FOLLOWE RS -

We send out cool stuff, you snap super sweet pictures, you wind up in the magazine. Thanks for the Insta-love!

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This month marks the newest release for one of our all-time favorites, and the game that defined the horror genre: Resident Evil. Set to hit the shelves in the U.S. on the 19th and in Europe on the 22nd, the Resident Evil Origins Collection will have remastered re-releases of both the original game and the prequel, Resident Evil Zero.

In the original game, released in 1996 and remade the first time in 2002, you find yourself in Raccoon City, playing the role of either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. These S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) team members are part of the search party looking for Bravo team members, who were chased into the now-infamous Mansion by a pack of wild dogs. While the Mansion does contain some supplies, it also contains plenty of surprises and you must keep your wits about you if you plan on getting out alive. And if this happens to be your first foray into the Resident Evil madness, They’ve added a new, extra-easy mode to make learning the ropes a piece of cake.

The second piece of the puzzle, or rather the first if we’re looking at it chronologically, is Resident Evil Zero, the prequel to the original game. Its first release came in 2002, and this package includes a fully remastered version, detailing the trials and tribulations of Bravo team member Rebecca Chambers and her convicted cohort Billy Coen. When Rebecca and her team are sent to discover why murder is becoming all too frequent in the outskirts of Raccoon Town, they find themselves in a new world of trouble at the Mansion. With the ability to switch between characters, you can use each player’s abilities to further your mission and get out alive.

Whether it’s your first time playing the massively popular franchise, you want to immerse yourself in the movie world, or you’re looking for a new challenge with an old favorite, the Resident Evil Origins Collection is sure to get your night-vision honed and your evilhunting skills up to par.

Origins Collection

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If you’ve been to any convention in the last few years, you’ve no doubt seen the cosplay culture expanding and growing to epic proportions. What was once seen as a chance to dress up as a favorite character has now morphed into not just a new subculture, but a way of life for some. To dedicate yourself to doing cosplay full time means to transform yourself into an actor, train yourself as a seamstress, and translate all that a character goes through into one outfit at a time. The cosplay scene is one filled to the brim with artistry and creativity, and we are delighted with the opportunity to introduce you to some of the best cosplayers in the world in the hopes that it sparks an interest to get creative and explore a whole new world as someone else.

COSPLAYER OF THE MONTH

Q&A WITH ANI-MIA

FAV O R I TE C H A R ACTE R YOU’VE COS P LAYE D ? “ Su p er g ir l . ”

F AVORITE WORLD?

“T h i s i s rea ll y h a rd, I h a v e s o m a n y . I ' m d ef init el y a n Al i e n or J u ra s s ic Pa r k g ir l . ”

M ARVE L OR DC?

“O ri gi n a ll y DC bu t l ik in g m ore a n d m ore Ma r v el c h a ra c t er s . ”

H O W DI D YOU G E T IN T O COS P LAY?

“We n t to An i m e Ma t s u r i 20 0 7 a n d s a w c os p l ay er s hav i n g s o m uc h fu n s o t h e nex t y ea r I d ef init el y wa n te d to c o s p l ay a t t h e c on v e nt ion. ”

U N IQUE TALE N T ?

“I c a n c r o s s my ey es a nd t h e n mov e t he m i nd ep end ent l y . ”

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ANI-MIA

P R E D AT O R

SUPERGIRL

B L A C K C AT

COSPLAYER OF THE MONTH

facebook.com/Ani.Mia.Cosplay

@animiaof ficial

@animiaof ficial

There’s something mildly upsetting about a mid-season break in a show you’ve been obsessively watching: it’s not as finite as the end of a season, and the break between episodes leaves you yearning for the weeks to pass by quickly so you can learn the fate of your favorite characters. The Flash has been no different, and the buzz and excitement around the return of the second half of season two is everywhere.

The Flash made his comic book debut in 1940, with Jay Garick breathing in noxious vapors in his lab.

Barry Allen, the Flash we have all come to know and love, was introduced in 1956 with a bolt of lightning. Since that day, he’s been fighting crime at top speeds and saving Central City from certain doom. This series is the second television screening of the show, with many actors reprising their roles from the 1990’s stint.

What started out slow and a little bumpy has turned into a full-fledged, action-packed thriller that has been met with rave reviews. The Flash details the life of Barry Allen, a scientist struck by something bigger than just lab-made lightening. After waking from a coma, he discovers he possesses the power of super-human speed, but he’s not the only one. Using his powers to battle the evil forces that arose from his accident, The Flash defeats those who want to exploit his newfound skills.

S P O I L E R

A L e r t

The first half of Season 2 was rounded out with a visit to Starling City in the Arrow crossover episode “Legends of Today”. The final episode of the first half sees the Weather Wizard attempting to break Captain Cold and The Trickster out of Iron Heights, with Barry fighting as The Flash to do everything he can to stop it. It was rife with subplots that finally tied together the storylines, and was tinged with just enough drama to leave us wanting more.

Part two of season two of The Flash debuts on January 19th on the CW, and sees Patty finally coming to terms with who Barry really is.

It’s guaranteed you don’t want to miss this one, so set your DVR and get ready to go fast.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST

IS TIME LINEAR? A Brief History of Time Travel:

The question is not where would you go if you could travel anywhere in time, it is what machine would you use to get there? We took a look at the most well-known time machines over history and hand-picked some of our favorites. Whether you are into classic time travel or pop culture favorites, there is a time machine for everyone on our list:

YEAR: 1895 ORIGIN: Science fiction novel, The Time Machine

by H.G. Wells WHY WE LOVE IT: This bathtub-like contraption was the birthplace for all time machines to come.

YEAR: 1963 ORIGIN: Tardis, Dr. Who WHY WE LOVE IT: With over 800 individual episodes, 12 Doctors at the helm, and countless companion, there is still only one Blue Police Box.

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YEAR: 1985 ORIGINS: Back to the Future WHY WE LOVE IT: “If my calculations are correct, when this

baby hits eighty-eight miles per hour, you're going to see some serious shit.” – The Doc

YEAR: 1989 ORIGIN: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure WHY WE LOVE IT: Two idiots become the overlords of all time and space because they can play 90’s pre-grunge rock music. Not to mention the great George Carlin.

YEAR: 1991 ORIGIN: Terminator WHY WE LOVE IT: So what you are

telling me is you figuered out how to send an A.I. humonid robot back in time but not his clothes.

YEAR: 2010 ORIGIN: Hot Tub Time Machine WHY WE LOVE IT: Four dudes get black out drunk and travel in time due to a hot tub and an illegal Russian energy drink.

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A Monster to Love A few years back, a chance meeting led a couple of Geek Fuelers to a small art gallery in Denver where they stumbled upon a couple of kids doing incredible things. Ben and Sam, with the help of their father Ray, are the team behind A Monster to Love, a company with the desire to spread scary love all over the world. For each toy that is designed and produced, one gets sold and goes out into the world to get love from the person who bought it, while the other finds its way to a child in need who could really use a monster to love. We got the chance to ask them a few questions about the company and are so excited to make A Monster to Love our first “Feel Good Feature�.

How did you decide to start making the monsters, and what is the inspiration behind them?

We have made monsters, or tried to make monsters, for a long time, several years before we started A Monster to Love. Benjamin would draw monsters and then Sam and I would try to make them on an old sewing machine we had. Our first monsters were pretty crazy! Maybe the proper word would be awful. We had no idea what we were doing.

How did the idea to donate monsters to kids in need come into play, and how many have you given away?

We were making some monsters and our friend Lindsey told us about some refugee children that she was going to visit in the hospital. After I explained what a refugee was to the boys, they decided it would be a great idea to send them the monsters we were making. I agreed and off they went. Of course, before sending them, like you do with everything now, I posted a quick photo on Facebook. Just like that, A Monster to Love was born: family and friends wanted to know how they could buy them. We have always made two of every monster, and with a little inspiration from a sparkly pair of TOMs shoes their sister had bought, the boys decided to send the second monster to a child in need. A child that could use a monster to love.

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What is your favorite monster to make?

We really like making all of our monsters, especially when we have something new to make. It is always fun to figure out how to take Benjamin's drawings and make them into a plush toy.

A couple of our other favorite monsters have been the collaborations we have done. It is always fun to work with other artists on projects and see how they work. We got to do one with 84Pages, a Colorado-based artist.

If you made a monster of yourself, what would it look like?

Ha, that is funny! I think the boys’ monsters would be awkward. You know, middle school awkward, and kind of goofy, yet super awesome. A monster of me would just be a big bald monster thing. But big and bald in a good looking way, of course!

What are your future plans for A Monster to Love?

We are starting to work on some new characters we are all really excited about. We are also working on some short animations using those characters and cannot wait to see how those turn out! We will be posting some of our tests on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Be sure to find A Monster to Love on Facebook and on Instagram at @amonstertolove to see all of the loveable monsters they make and the kids whose lives they make a little happier.

“-awkward, and kind of goofy, yet super awesome.”

WWW.AMONSTERTOLOVE.COM @AMonsterToLove

facebook.com/AMonsterToLove

D ECEMBER U N BO XING VI D EOS

YOUTUBE NAME:

CatLadyCoco

YOUTUBE NAME:

Tiffany And Jeremy

YOUTUBE NAME:

UWish Prod

YOUTUBE NAME:

Natergamez

YOUTUBE NAME:

Sonicdevil 1816

YOUTUBE NAME:

Funko Gorilla

YOUTUBE NAME:

Steampunk Unboxer

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Have you ever wondered how long it would take you to get somewhere if you could ONLY make left turns? Help these lost pedestrians make their way through a warp-filled world in this mind-melting puzzle game.

You’ll have to place obstacles in their way while they mindlessly wander the streets, looking at a phone and just paying not a whole lot of attention to what they are doing.

50 amazing levels with have you twisting, turning, and telling these people what to do so they can get to another day of ho-hum-humdrum living in their day-to-day lives. Even better is that it’s one of the first games to be built to support the Oculus Rift, so you can immerse yourself in new dimensions right alongside the unwitting wanderers.

W W W . G E E K F U EL .CO M

We’re excited for another year of intergalactically awesome events and out-of-this world guests at the Jakku Comic Con. Yes, it will be another dusty year, but that’s only because we’re surrounded by a planet of sand. We’ll make the most of it, like we always do. This year, we’ve got some incredible panels, an artist alley, and signings from some of your favorites. Here’s a small sampling of what this year’s JCC will have to offer:

(available in the main tent) Han Solo (TBD)

Finn

Poe Dameron

Chewbacca

- ¼ Portion - Is it enough for the 99% to live?

- Flying a Millennium Falcon: Training for the real world - Removing the Mask: A discussion on identity and culture on the Starkiller Base

We’ve recreated Maz Kanata’s bar, and now it’s time for an epic party. Bring your best costume and we’ll have a contest to determine who the true keeper of this year’s light saber should be.

This year’s art theme is “Remembering the Lost Padowans”.

Come fly through and check out what this tragedy means to those who express their feelings with artistic flair.

This year we’ll be playing our own version of a reality show when contestants are pitted against one another to see how much scrap value they can bring in from our yard in just 15 minutes. Will you be the winner of 60 portions?

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ULTIMATE

ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE JANUARY 2016

NEW YEARS EDITION

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01 ULTIMATE Stance Star Wars Socks

$25 GEEK GIFT GUIDE Let the force be with your feet, whether they lead you on a walking exploration of your neighborhood or through a workout that feels like it would defeat the dark side. These socks from Stance will keep you ďŹ ghting until long after you wanted to give in.

ULTIMATE GEEK 02 GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE Dice & Deadlifts Shirt

Who says you can't love both?

Ronda Rousey does, and that's good enough for us! Sport this shirt from Nerd Strong, the gym that supports every motivated geek out there.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE $35

ULTIMATE 20

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE 03 $80

GEEK GIFT GUIDE Batman Leggings

Every girl loves clothes that do double duty.

Snag these leggings from Blackmilk that are as comfy during yoga as they are cute for running errands and grabbing a drink with a friend, and you’ll be motivated to work hard enough to save all of Gotham.

ULTIMATE 04 GEEK GIFT GUIDE Under Armour Alter Ego Tees

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GEEK GIFT GUIDE 05

ULTIMATE Tardis Aluminum Water Bottle

$13

Your thirst during a yoga session or good workout knows no dimensions of time, space, or size of waterbottle. Keep it cold in this aluminum bottle featuring your favorite phone booth and transport yourself far, far away.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE 06

Fitbit Flex

$99

GEEK GIFT GUIDE No geeky workout list would be complete without at least one piece of wearable tech! The Fitbit Flex will keep your goals in line and your body in shape by keeping track of your steps, counting the calories you’re losing, and telling you exactly how many minutes you’ve been active.

ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE 21

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