BATMAN V SUPERMAN THE HISTORY OF TWO
ULTIMATE SUPERHEROS
MARCH’S GAME RELEASES THE LIFE AND ART OF
JUAN MUNIZ
DAREDEVIL AND THE PUNISHER OUR NEW EXPANDED
GIFT GUIDE
STAN LEE
THE INCREDIBLE STORY BEHIND THE REAL SUPERHERO
Learn the mystery behind the man with this full-color graphic memoir about the life and times of the Generalissimo himself, Stan Lee. He brought comics and their stories to life in a way previously thought impossible, and helped shape each and every one of our childhoods, whether we knew it or not.
CONTENTS CONTENTS FEATURES
4.. . ..D ARE D E VIL S E AS ON 2 -
A look back at season one and the hype surrounding the introduction of the season’s two anti-heroes.
6.. . . .COSPLAYE R OF T HE M ONT H -
Meet this month’s featured cosplayer, Crimson Coscraft, and see the highlights of some of our favorites making waves in the scene.
8. . . . .THE HISTORY OF BAT M AN V S UPE RM AN How did we get to this epic battle for the ages? We explore the beginnings of two of the most popular superheroes of all time.
10.. . ..JUAN MUNIZ -
We introduce Juan Muniz, talented artist and creator of “Felipe”, and discuss his inspiration and future projects.
16.. ...D IN OCID E VID E O GAM E -
8bit graphics meet a 5-star adventure game in this month’s featured title.
REVIEWS 12.. ...GAME R CORNE R -
Get ready for the next big thing in gaming. We review what’s hot on Steam, PC, Xbox, WiiU and PS4.
18.. . ..ULTIMATE GIFT GUID E -
Take a look at our expanded gift guide. From the hardcore collector to the budget-conscious geek, we’ve got you covered.
GEEK NATION 14.. . ..VIDE O UNBOXE RS -
Check out the Geek Nation community and the YouTubers making those unboxing videos we all love.
23 . ....INSTAGRAM 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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SEASON 2
Daredevil is almost here! Generally, that phrase would fill me with apprehension and fear, as I have a bit of a shoplifting problem. Since we all know, however, that March 18th is the official launch date for Season Two of Netflix’s hit show, I couldn’t be more excited. While the first season focused mainly on Daredevil's origins and why a blind lawyer decided that justice needed to be a contact sport, the second season focuses on the consequences of Matt Murdock’s vigilante ways.
Justice may be blind, but no good deed goes unpunished. Frank Castle, aka The Punisher, is in town and he’s decided that the legal term “habeas corpus” (Latin for “you shall have the body”) is to be taken literally when it comes to the men who killed his family. Packing a lifetime of military experience and a complete disregard for life, he’s ready to do anything to burn out the rot in Hell’s Kitchen. Matt must reconcile himself with the fact that men like The Punisher may be a direct result of Daredevil, and decide if his half-measures are worth the effort when the bad guys keep getting back up. Now the man without fear must face off against the man with no limits in a fight to see (hear?) whose form of justice will prevail: brutal violence or slightly less brutal violence?
Meanwhile, a familiar (#ridiculouslygoodlooking) face from Matt’s past has returned. Despite not having made an appearance on the show yet, Elektra is "back" and wants Matt’s help dealing with the Yakuza. My Japanese is a bit rusty but I think Yakuza roughly translates to: criminals in suits on motorcycles. At this rate, Daredevil is sounding like it’s going to be this season’s best superhero show. -Mike H
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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.
C O S C R A F T
Q&A WITH CRIMSON F AVORITE W O R L D ? “ Sta r Wa r s , H ar r y Po tter , DBZ”
L I G H T SI DE O R D A R KS ID E? “ Da r k s i d e w i t h a l il bit o f lig ht”
MA R V EL O R D C ? “DC”
FAVO R I TE CH A R A CTER YO U ’ V E C O S P L AYED ? “ A r k h a m K n i g h t, Batm an, Red ho o d , B l ack M ask ”
H OW DI D Y OU G ET IN T O C O S P L AY? “ Wen t t o m y f i r s t co nventio n and g o t the b u g r i g h t t here and then. ”
U N I QU E TA L EN T ?
“ I d o a n a w es o m e Go llu m im pressio n, m y p re c cciio o o u sss”
fa c eb o o k . c o m/C r ims on c os c ra f t s
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COSPLAYERS TO KNOW MIRA SCARLET
facebook.com/YuffieBunnyCosplay
AMY THUNDERBOLT
facebook.com/pixelthunderbolt
LUNA LANIEEE facebook.com/LunaLanieee
MAYHEMSMUSE
facebook.com/JenniferLynnLarsen
ANGELA BERMUDEZ
facebook.com/AngelaBermudezA
NEBULALUBEN
facebook.com/NebulalubenErikkukun
OKI-COSPI
facebook.com/OkiCospi
ISSABEL COSPLAY
facebook.com/IssabelCosplay
GINA B
facebook.com/GinaBcos
IRELAND REID
facebook.com/OfficialIrelandReid
YUFFIEBUNNY facebook.com/YuffieBunnyCosplay
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What do you get when you cross comics, Saturday morning and 90’s cartoons, graffiti, pop art, graphic design elements, tattoo art, and anime? The unique and captivating “cluster pop” work of Juan Muniz. His signature character is Felipe, a distinctly bunny-suited little guy that faces the same issues each of us go through on a daily basis, with the lighthearted vibe the cartoon style gives off.
A Las Vegas-based artist with a career that has spanned over ten years, Muniz has found influence in Andy Warhol, Walt Disney, Keith Haring, Salvador Dali, Banksy, Ron English, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Luke Chueh, among others. It was Chueh, a fellow artist with whom he had a two-man gallery show in LA some years back, that took him under his wing, introduced him to the scene in that coastal sprawl, and got him in touch with 3DRetro. Through them, Muniz produced his first vinyl toy, which released at SDCC last year to massive acclaim, almost selling completely out in the first day of the con.
The gallery opportunities didn’t stop with Los Angeles. He’s also shown in San Francisco, New York City, Japan, and, of course, his home turf of Las Vegas. Once he started putting up big murals in the Arts District, he began receiving notice from bigger and bigger companies. What started as a restaurant opportunity in the osmopolitan Hotel was soon parlayed into working with The UFC, Electric Daisy Carnival, the NBA, Zappos, Hard Rock Hotel, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and numerous other big names across a variety of industries. It’s clear his signature style is in high demand.
MEET FELIPE When asked about his plans for the future, Muniz says “I would love to collaborate with Disney and hopefully one day do a show at Wonderground gallery in downtown Disney. I would also love to collaborate with Simone [Legno] the creator of Tokidoki.” For now, though, he’s going to keep focusing on building his brand and, hopefully, get some apparel out there into the world so each and every last art lover can sport his works.
To take a look into Juan Muniz’s world and meet Felipe, follow him on Instagram.
@jmunizart 11
Whether you’re a PC gamer or you post up in front of the TV with your console by your side, this month you’re going to get great new game releases to feed your need for something challenging and fun. We’ve chosen our favorites for every platform and are getting ready to spend the last few weeks of cold, wintry weather exploring new worlds and defeating creative adversaries.
NECROPOLIS
STEAM Dive deep into a dungeon that shifts shapes as quickly as you can turn around to slay your latest enemy. The only way to progress in this multiplayer, rouguelike game is to keep traveling further down the rabbit hole. The catch? It’s also the only way out, and with levels that evolve as you move through them, you’re more likely to die trying to make your way out than you are to beat the game. If you love the kind of game that challenges you on every level, you’re not going to be able to get enough of Harebrained Schemes’ March release.
farcry primal
The Digital Age takes it back to the Stone Age in the newest installment to the Far Cry Series from Ubisoft. Without winning the fight for survival from the very beginning of time, we wouldn’t be here today, and your goal is to ensure humanity does, in fact, survive. The openworld sandbox style game allows you to tackle mammoths and sabertooth tigers on your own terms, while battling it out with other tribes to establish your dominance over the future of all mankind.
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Tom Clancy's
The Division
With 6.4 million players in the Beta testing alone, this game is already receiving serious accolades and serious press. Stunning graphics and addictive gameplay take you through New York City in the aftermath of a disease that is wiping out not just the inhabitants of the 5 Boroughs, but every basic service that is needed for survival. As an agent with The Division, your mission is take the city back from the brink of disaster and destroy the maniacs who unleashed the threat.
Mortal Kombat XL
How do you make the bestselling game in an already awardwinning franchise bigger and better? With even more content! March’s release of the XL version of 2015’s Mortal Kombat X will feature all of the downloadable content available in the original game, plus new characters and skins. This includes a Xenomorph from Alien, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Triborg, and Bo’Rai Cho, along with the Apocalypse, Kold War, and Brazil Skin Packs. If you missed out on the fun the first time around, you’re not going to want to miss it again.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD The latest installment of the game that has been adored since the days 8Bit games ruled the world, you’ll once again find yourself traveling through the land of Hyrule as Link, beloved farmhandturnedcursedbeast. Joining Midna, along with other unusual mythical creatures, you’ll team up to take on the dark forces hailing from the Twilight Realm and explore winding dungeons, outwit puzzling traps, and once again restore light to the place you call home.
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F EBR U AR Y
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As the protagonist, you have to save your love interest, who was kidnapped by an evil and mysterious Dinosaur God. You are accompanied by your own tame Dinsaurs, who act as mounts, brothers in arms, and true friends. With their help, you can jump higher, run faster, swim, fly and do a lot more things that an ordinary primitive man would never be able to do by himself. To reach your goal, you will travel together through the lands inhabited by ancient creatures and unknown dangers.
FEATURES Dinosaur mounts make you faster, stronger and offer a variety of tactical abilities. Non-linear progression by different routes leads to varied ways to complete your journey. A multitude of different biomes to visit - deserts, jungles, forests, lava caves, oceans, ice plains and more! Weird creatures you've never seen before! Unique time/life mechanic. One bar shared for both: food meter and life of your character. Full controller & Steam Big Picture support. Classic action. Don't think. Don't feel. Just go. React. Kill. Jump. Eat. Ride. Like in the good old times! You are not here to watch a movie!
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ULTIMATE
ULTIMATE ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE GEEK GIFT GUIDE
GEEK M A R GIFT C H 2GUIDE 0 1 6
ULTIMATE FEATURED ITEM
GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE $220 GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE Carnage Statue
GEEK GIFT GUIDE Just as everyone needs a superhero to guide them through life, a supervillain is equally necessary to remind you of the traps and pitfalls the world has in store. This masterfully crafted 1:6 resin scale statue is of Carnage, the murderous, rampaging psychopath who proves that an alien attachment isn’t always a good thing. The incredible level of detail, along with the interchangeable arm with both a gripping claw and a spiked weapon, ensure you’ll always be reminded of the darkness that lurks behind hidden corners.
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GEEK GIFT GUIDE Dragon Ball Z Shenron
ULTIMATE Figure & 7 Dragon Balls Summon Shenron to your toy shelf and display your winnings and loyalties for all to see with this great little piece! It comes with a stand and all seven of the dragon balls you need to get him sittin’ pretty.
$90 GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE Rocket Raccoon & Baby Groot Super
GEEK GIFT GUIDE “Ain’t no thing like me, except me!” Channel the snarky, yet serious, attitude of Rocket Raccoon and the loving, if simple, nature of Groot with this deluxe two-piece set from Funko.
$70 ULTIMATE
GEEK GIFT GUIDE DC Play Arts Kai Variant
ULTIMATE Supergirl Action Figure Swooping in to save your shelves from the mundane, Super Girl shows off her Play Arts Variant style with additional accessories and angry teenager face included!
$100 GEEK GIFT GUIDE
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ULTIMATE Itzaura Bank: Godzilla
Throw a coin on top and watch Godzilla rear his ugly head for just long enough to snatch up your hard-earned money. It’s so much fun, you can trick your friends into filling it up faster than he can smash the Empire State Building.
GEEK GIFT GUIDE $30
ULTIMATE LED Potion Desk Lamp
GEEK GIFT GUIDE What could motivate you more through a long day at the desk than knowing you have a bottle of potion you can change by touch and use against the evil of work? Not a whole lot, really. Set it as a single color, or cycle through them to make sure you’re covered.
ULTIMATE $45 GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE Batman Animated Figures
Keep Gotham safe or bring it in to chaos with these new wave Batman Animated Series figures in the style of Bruce Timm. With more to come in the next few months, they make a great collection for any DC fan!
GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE $30
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ULTIMATE $25 League of Legends Figures
Control any champion you want when you snatch up each of the League of Legends figurines. Get your enemy interested in them for long enough to capture their Nexus, and you’ll agree, they’re well worth the coin.
GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE $23 GEEK GIFT GUIDE Lightsaber Lights
ULTIMATE Become an expert in lightsaber technology without ever leaving your bed! This replica of Darth Maul’s weapon of choice is remote controlled and mounts on the wall, which is not only convenient, but far less likely to accidentally chop off a hand.
GEEK GIFT GUIDE
ULTIMATE POKEMON CHARMANDER PLUSH
GEEK GIFT GUIDE $16
Gotta Collect 'em All! or just your favorites. These fluffy Plushies are ready to fight by your side. (Pokeball housing not included)
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