June geek fuel magazine web

ISSUE #5 JUNE 2015

WILL THE TRUTH RETURN?

GEEKING OUT

90’s STYLE

JUNE’S ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE

Jurassic World COMING FROM A BOOK NEAR YOU

inside Denver comic con

CONTENTS 90’s GEEK OUT Relive our favorite geeky moments from the era that raised us.

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RETURNS

JURASSIC WORLD

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See how the new film was born from books.

TOP 90’s

THE X FIELS RETURNS Mulder and Scully are giving us another chance to find the truth.

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CARTOONS

DENVER COMIC CON Our first Comic Con was a great success!

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BEST 90’S CARTOONS A great list to send some time reminiscing with.

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UNBOXING VIDEOS Our favorites show us how to do it right.

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ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE ULTIMATE

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GAMER CORNER 8-bit fun takes over in this throwback ode to greatness.

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THE WITCHER 3 Project Nerd tells us what’s up with Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

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GEEK GIFT GUIDE Another installment of all the best in geeky gifts.

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Captain’s Log Like every month up to this point, things at the Geek Fuel offices have been awesome beyond words. We got to do our first Comic Con, meeting plenty of fans and making new friends. We also sold out earlier than we have any month so far, and that felt pretty dang good. Mix all of this up with our copious amounts of Rocky Mountain Sunshine, and our Spring kicked off with a bang.

Now that summer is finally upon us, we’re looking forward to warm weather and a whole lot of fun. Around these parts, we have some cool things happening, like Video Games Live with the Colorado Symphony, where they mash up classical music stylings with all of our favorite video game numbers. We’ve got music in parks, perfect for playing games and BBQing. A cool “Mythical Creatures” exhibit is on display at our Nature and Science museum, featuring mermaids, unicorns, and all things mystical. Basically, we’ve got a good few months of getting our summer geek on, and we couldn’t be happier.

We look forward to sharing all this fun with you, of course, and can’t wait to see how you guys spend your summer geeking out.

The Geek Fuel Team

2 0 1 5 recap Geek Fuel’s Comic Con debut occurred this past month at the Denver Comic Con over Memorial Day weekend.

With a record-breaking 101,500 people in attendance, we found ourselves in the middle of a mayhem-and-fun-fueled weekend, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

The weekend began with a Friday night opening ceremony party, which we were honored to be a part of as a sponsor.

Music, food, drinks, and new friends always make for a good night, and this was no exception. It was an absolutely perfect way to kick off a great weekend.

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We loved getting the opportunity to tell everyone about the little box company we’ve been working on, getting to meet fans from both near and far, and spending time espousing the benefits of Geek Fuel.

Let’s not forget the costumes too!

From everyday cosplay to full-on meticulous replicas of all our favorite characters, the effort was all there and all incredible.

Thanks, again, to everyone who came out. You made our first con so special, and we can’t wait to see you the next time around!

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TOP 10 90’s CARTOONS

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the complete collection

This summer sees the release of a film we’ve been waiting almost two decades for: Jurassic World. Fueled by all of the best parts of the infamous books by Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park and The Lost World, this film largely files past the fact that there were two films made in the interim.

Taking the central idea from Jurassic Park about a place where the wonder of dinosaurs could be explored by all, a theme park meant for exactly this purpose has been opened on Isla Nuba, rife with animals bred from the genetic leftovers of a time long past. With an island full of angry reptilians, a predictable amount of mayhem ensues and the dream of the world’s first dinosaur park slips away.

In The Lost World, which finds itself occurring (in book-time, anyway) six years later, the theme park that was decimated at the end of the last novel has new life breathed into it. A team of biologists and entrepreneurs are looking into the mystery of Isla Nuba when they come across Isla Sorna, previously used as the production facility for the park. Plans go awry when a group from a rival genetic company is discovered and everyone’s best intentions fail.

The movie Jurassic World picks up over two decades later, as the theme park on Isla Nuba is up, running, and fully functional. The dreams and hard work of John Hammond, the business man at the root of the idea, have finally become a reality. Science continues to push the boundaries in this film, though nothing can ever go according to plan. With adventure, danger, and dinosaurs lurking around every corner, Jurassic World is sure to be a science fiction classic on par with the original Jurassic Park film. Are the books better than the movies, though? We’ll let you decide.

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Being a Geek

90’s in the

The 90’s were a special time for many of us, and the resurgent popularity of some of its more memorable fads is proof positive that it is a decade almost anyone can relate to. If you happened to be a geek in the 90’s, well….you were pretty lucky.

Some of you reading this may not remember a time before this wonderful, incredibly mind-bending thing called “The Internet” was around. The amount of information you have available at your fingertips in 2015 wasn’t available with a whole library of Laserdisks back then. Getting on the world wide web for the first time will flood us with memories of connecting an ACTUAL phone to your computer and harnessing all the power of your 56K modem to get on AOL Instant Messenger. These things were the birth of the age of technology we live in now, and you can’t imagine what fun that was to explore for the first time.

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Pop culture also had its memorable moments. If you were a kid in the 90’s, it is all but guaranteed that you had a Tamagatchi, your very own virtual pet you tended to day and night, just like a real animal. Stopping everything you were doing because your Tamagatchi needed to be fed or have its poop cleaned up really happened.

That struggle was real. Also real was the struggle you faced if your Discman (for those too young to know, it was a portable CD player...like an iPod, but twice the size and only holding one MC Hammer album at a time) was without skip protection.

We wasted our time with Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and printing out dot matrix banners for backyard plays instead of watching reality TV and texting. We remember a time before Star Wars had prequels and long before the thought of Disney owning the franchise would have even been considered a possibility. And through all of this, we’ve become a generation of dreamers and doers; a generation of innovators and explorers on a global level. We wanted to channel that to you and hope you’re as happy to reminisce about the “good old days” as we are.

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RETURNS

A show born during the burgeoning of the internet was destined to go from an underground cult favorite to an iconized series that embodies pop culture in the 90s. X-Files is the perfect amalgamation of character tension (are Mulder and Scully meant to be together!?!), plot development, and one-liners.

X-Files sometimes created more questions than answers, which gave birth to conspiracies surrounding the show’s conspiracies.

What was the deal with smoking man?

What was actually happening with the iconic aliens?

Is the human race doomed for extinction?

With the revival of the series, launching in January 2016, we hope some of these questions will be answered, but to be honest, if more questions are created, we will not be disappointed, because …. The truth is out there.

While the news that Fox was bringing back The X-Files may have seemed like a fan fever dream, it's closer than ever — and now we know exactly when we'll be able to see Fox Mulder and Dana Scully back in action. Fox has announced that the new six-episode "event series" will debut on Sunday, January 24th following the NFC championship football game. The following night, the show will then move to its normal Monday 8PM time slot.

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The X-Files ended its original run back in 2002, and other than the 2008 feature X-Files: I Want to Believe, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have largely moved on to an assortment of other projects (most notably Californication for Duchovny, with Anderson showing up in everything from The Fall to Hannibal).

X-Files also proved to be a creative incubator for writing and directing talent — in particular, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. The new limited series is coming courtesy of original series mastermind Chris Carter, and while plot details are still under wraps we already know we'll be seeing (former?) FBI Assistant Director Skinner (Mitch Pileggi). And aliens, probably. We're pretty sure about aliens.

www.theverge.com

BEST MAY UNBOXING VIDEOS

Youtube Name: Justtheletterk Channel Focus: My name is K; yes, just the letter. I'm a filmmaker and daily vlogger.

Tune in for daily videos, cats, tattoos, meeting bands, band life and reviews!

Youtube Name: ChealyTheNinja Channel Focus: Vlogs, Vocal Covers, Festival Diaries, Songs, Challenges, Q&As, Sketches, Dancing!

Youtube Name: FeverGaming Channel Focus: Video game content including reviews, tips, news, top 10's, side by side comparison and so much more!

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Youtube Name: crushsniper Channel Focus: Video game reviews, Gamer compatition news, Geek unboxing reviews.

Youtube Name: ComicFrontline Channel Focus: Comic book reviews and discussion, toys, video games, movies, TV shows, DVDs, blind bags and unboxings, we do skits, news, and so much more!

Youtube Name: ClutterStuff Channel Focus: Geek unboxing reviews, toys, gadgets, geek news and current events.

Youtube Name: yoyomax12 Channel Focus: Desserts and treats. I have a special love of rainbows and cupcake decorating. Special unboxings with my kiddo Max on Saturdays.

SOUNDTRACK EDITION

A follow up to 2012 IndieGame.com’s #1 Free Indie Platformer of the Year winner, You Have to Win the Game, this super fun 8-bit game harks back to the good old days of gaming. With inspirations that stem from all the Super NES greats, like Mario Bros., Metroid, and Zelda II, the levels are a platform based and full of challenges anyone can get into.

Follow your hero through worlds of awesomeness, picking up keys and rubies on your way to unlocking new adventures! With an open-play format, where you don’t have to follow a sequential path to get your game play on, you can explore at your own pace.

This gives it a classic “Choose Your Own Adventure” feel, with the ubiquitous Boss at the end to wrap it all up.

The Steam game comes with a super sweet bonus item too: the soundtrack! That’s right, you can hear all the 8-bit greatness any time you want with the included Super Win the Game soundtrack straight from the developers.

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brought to you by

Highly polished and more accessible than its predecessors, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a continuation of the mature fantasy RPG series developed by CD Projekt RED. To kick off the story, Geralt answers an invitation from the beautiful sorceress Yennefer, his on-again-off-again love interest. After reuniting with Yennefer, Geralt soon learns that his adopted daughter, the magically gifted Ciri, is in grave danger. The story that unfolds after this is the very personal story of Geralt’s quest to find Ciri and protect her from a group of ghostly equestrians known as the Wild Hunt (think LOTR ring wraiths, and you should have a pretty good idea about these guys).

Though the events from previous games are often referenced, Wild Hunt has a self-contained plot, which makes it a great entry point for new players. Having only briefly touched The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings, I was instantly drawn into the epic story and history of the highly-realized world. New players can also get up to speed by reading the in-game journal, which covers many important characters and events from previous installments.

Composed of an expertly scripted and mature storyline, Wild Hunt offers some of the best writing in gaming today. Though set in a fantasy world full of magic and dragons, the story, dialogue and character development are firmly grounded in realistic human behavior and situations. The epic story that unfolds, and Geralt’s role in it, will enthrall players as much as any novel.

The excellent writing of the main story carries over to side-quests, with most requiring you to be part monster hunter and part supernatural detective (reminiscent of games like Heavy Rain or L.A. Noire). To complete these side missions, Geralt must investigate scenes and use his “witcher senses” (a mechanic that simulates a witcher’s supernaturally acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing) to find clues and solve various mysteries. Instead of just fulfilling quest objectives listed in menus, successfully finishing missions often requires you to listen, read, and pay attention to new clues. Investigations can end before you have uncovered everything, leaving it up to the player to continue sleuthing and reveal the complete truth (which usually yields a higher reward).

“As Game of Thrones has brought well-written mature fantasy to television, Wild Hunt brings equally high-caliber storytelling to video games.”

The excellent writing of the main story carries over to side-quests, with most requiring you to be part monster hunter and part supernatural detective (reminiscent of games like Heavy Rain or L.A. Noire). To complete these side missions, Geralt must investigate scenes and use his “witcher senses” (a mechanic that simulates a witcher’s supernaturally acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing) to find clues and solve various mysteries. Instead of just fulfilling quest objectives listed in menus, successfully finishing missions often requires you to listen, read, and pay attention to new clues. Investigations can end before you have uncovered everything, leaving it up to the player to continue sleuthing and reveal the complete truth (which usually yields a higher reward).

Like the noonwraith quest mentioned above, most quests and side-quests have deep emotional backstories featuring mature themes. Every monster populating the world has some sort of backstory and explanation as to why they exist, adding depth to the witcher’s lore. The story of the spirit of a young woman murdered before her wedding day pulls the heart strings, but that is nothing when compared to how a botchling is created (which I refuse to spoil for you).

One of the first truly current gen titles, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a masterpiece created by people who wanted to make every aspect of the game outstanding and knew how to do it. The stunning graphics in concert with excellent voice acting and an epic score works to deeply immerses players into Geralt’s massive, highly-detailed world. The mature fantasy setting, strong emotional storytelling and wealth of meaningful side-quests will arrest your attention and hold it at knifepoint. The slick and tactical combat offers exciting action and empowers players with the satisfaction of victories well earned.

Combat feels like the slow, methodical system of Dark Souls and the fast, brutal action from God of War had a bad-ass baby. Like the signs (spells) witchers cast, combat is deceptively simple, requiring intricate and careful precision over flair. But, while it is deliberate in pace, battles are still satisfying and visceral, with you bisecting, beheading, and outright dismembering your enemies in combat.

If you grew up playing RPGs, this is the game to play now that you’ve grown up. If there was ever a game worth the $60 price tag, this is it. After a week of playing, writing about it, and talking about it to anyone who will listen, I am still eager to rejoin the hunt. I suggest you join as well.

Happy hunting.

Author -Michael Vermilyer

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ULTIMATE ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE JUNE 2015

GEEK GIFT GUIDE 01

ULTIMATE Superhero Dad Mug

You know what makes every Dad a superhero? His first cup of morning coffee. Show your dad how super he really is with this amazing mug.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE 02 GEEK GIFT GUIDE Flux Capacitor USB Car Charger

ULTIMATE Get all 1.21 Giggawatts going right inside your car with this Flux Capacitor USB Charger!

Has ports for two devices at a time so you never have to go alone.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE 19

ULTIMATE 03

GEEK GIFT GUIDE Cryptex- Steampunk USB Drive

ULTIMATE Keep your information safe, secure, and steampunk friendly with this Da Vinci inspired combination vault. Small enough for your keychain, secure enough for any puzzle lover.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

ULTIMATE 04

NES Cartridge Cutting Board

GEEK GIFT GUIDE Need a place to cut up your mushrooms into 8 bits? Grab a controller, blow it off to make sure it works properly, and set up a 2 player meal on this 8 bit game cartridge cutting board!

ULTIMATE

GEEK GIFT GUIDE 05

ULTIMATE Firefly Leggings

Let them know there’s a new Captain Tightpants in town in these licensed Firefly leggings. Featuring a starry sky and Serenity on the right thigh, they go with pretty much everything.

GEEK GIFT GUIDE

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