ISSUE #9 OCT 2015
return of THE
walking DEAD
Alexandre O. Philippe: Documenting the Geek video games live
horribly Great gifts
CONTENTS THE FUTURE IS NOW 30 years later, what did they get right?
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NEW YORK COMIC CON A recap of the East Coast Con King.
THE DEAD RETURN Getting ready for season 6 of brains.
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THE GEEKIEST CONCERT Video Games Live’s raging success.
FEATURED ARTIST A look into the documentarian’s next film.
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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
R GEEK GIFT GUIDE ULTIMATE EDITION HORRO ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE
GAMER CORNER Tips and tricks for Over 9,000 Zombies.
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MEDIA GUEST
Meet the great John Flickinger.
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GEEK GIFT GUIDE
GEEK GIFT GUIDE Terrifyingly awesome gifts.
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It’s that time of year again: New York Comic Con is upon us. While we weren’t fortunate enough to make the trip this year, we’re excited to highlight all of the awesome stuff that happened. For starters, the guest list was, understandably, completely incredible. Danny Glover, Elijah Wood, Jack Black, Kevin Smith, Lucy Liu, John Rhys-Davies, Nathan Fillion, and Robert Rodriguez, just to name a few, and those are just in the “Entertainment” section. One thing, as fans of the printed word, that we think is great
about NYCC is the number of literary guests they host as well. We love geeking out to a good book! As if the guest list isn’t impressive enough, New York Comic Con also played host to some intriguing and amazing panels this year. Panels like “Hip Hop & Comics: Cultures Combining” seek to give people a broader understanding of the ways pop culture is interconnected, while “Body Confidence in Cosplay” teaches the importance of being happy with who you are. The screenings they released already have us high on hope for the things to come this year! Whether you’ve never been once or you’ve been every year (LUCKY!!), the New York Comic Con is an event that shapes the things to come for geek culture, and is worth the visit. You’ve got just about a year to make your plans for 2016, so hop to it!
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GAME HYPE
trust no one What do you get when you combine the mystery of Clue, the alliances of Big Brother, the tension of Scream, and the shenanigans of Scooby-Doo? The all-new Steam game Devil’s Bluff, a 11 vs. 1 multiplayer murder mystery! Join friends, enemies, and strangers in this high-stakes game of life and death. You will have to use wit, wisdom, and your powers of deduction to determine who the killer is, before you get the hatchet yourself. Devil’s Bluff puts you in the driver’s seat of every scary movie scenario you thought you could escape. JOIN THE BETA : www.DevilsBluff.com
Available: October 24th 2015
When Back to the Future 2 originally came to the big screen, the writers had high hopes for what things in this crazy world of ours would look like once Marty landed in 2015. The thing is...not all of it was totally off base, despite how fantastic it seemed back then. Let’s take a look at some of the things they got right. PEPSI PERFECT Kicking off the list is the latest and greatest, with Pepsi only recently announcing that the soda will make an appearance this year, though in extremely limited quantities. If you’re lucky enough to have made it to NYCC, maybe you snagged one?
WIRELESS VIDEO GAMES At this point, there isn’t a whole lot we can’t do wirelessly, and that includes the far-flung idea of playing a video game without a cord attached to the console. Now if only we could get a Nintendo Wii version of Excitebike… (Fun Fact: Boy in red is Elijah Wood)
HANDHELD TABLETS Tablets are so ubiquitous now that we wonder how we ever lived without them. Not only do we use them to sign on the spot, perhaps to save a clocktower, but we use them to play games, send e-mails, and keep our lives in order.
FLORIDA’S BASEBALL TEAM When the film came out, there wasn’t even ONE team swinging major league bats in the Sunshine State. Now there are two: the Marlins and the Rays. Now if he could have predicted they’d be good, we’d have a story!
AUTO-LACING SNEAKERS While these bad boys aren’t technically out yet, Nike IS promising their release this year. They not only look the part, but are said to have a patented system that tightens the shoes once pressure is put on the footbed.
ALL-CONSUMING ELECTRONICS Remember that scene where the whole family is sitting around the table, completely ignoring one another in favor of whatever was happening on the screen glued to their face? Was that BTTF or dinner last night?
HOVERBOARD The coup d’etat of this list, the one we thought we would NEVER see. Chances are pretty good that Lexus and Hendo, the companies behind this incredible mode of transportation, were driven to get it done by the looming 2015 deadline set forth in the film. Are they widely available? Not even a little. Do they exist and have they been ridden by Tony Hawk? Absolutely, and that makes them real enough for us.
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Based on the comic book series by Robert Kirkland, Tony Moore, and Charles Adlard, AMC’s The Walking Dead has risen to popularity as one of the most well-known zombie shows of the entire genre. This month marks the return of the sixth season, with Rick’s group battling out another round of survival. While this season will still closely mimic the comics, we look forward to seeing all the gory details in real life and will be glued to our TVs every given Sunday.
Admiral Ackbar You may know this affable Star Wars character from his internet meme, noting “It’s a trap,” in response to anything that seems questionable. While he’s much loved for leading the Rebel Alliance to victory, Admiral Ackbar symbolizes the rise of the unlikely. It can’t be easy being a half-amphibian, half-man in the first place, especially when you come from a species as dangerously delicious sounding as Mon Calamari. Add to that the hostile space atmosphere, and the odds are stacked against him. We appreciate Admiral Ackbar’s rise to fame as someone who was likely an underdog at the outset, given he was a peaceful ruler on a waterlogged planet. His rise to fame has proven to us that you can be anything you want, even if you’re half-fish. Not everything in this world is a trap!
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THE GEEKIEST CONCERT IN THE WORLD When Tommy Tallarico had the idea to begin Video Games Live in 2002, he brought with him 25 years of experience as a video game composer, and had two goals in mind. The first was to show the world how culturally significant and artistic video games have become. There is so much more involved in a video game than first comes to mind. They are visually and artistically stunning, full of intricately planned special effects, and have extensive storylines that allow for character interactions on par with everyday life. He wanted to bring all of those elements to light in a way that people from all walks of life can connect with, and Video Games Live was the perfect platform. Tallarico’s second goal with VGL was to invite a new generation of young people to appreciate the arts and the orchestra. By taking a format they are familiar with and blending these types of interactions, he is able to change the perception of what a night with the symphony can be for a young person.
Though the idea was sparked in 2002, it wasn’t until 2005 that Video Games Live made its first appearance. After three long years of acquiring the rights and licenses the companies and publishers he’d worked with for years, Tallarico was able to have a debut performance few could ever dream of: 11,000 people in the audience and the Los Angeles Philharmonic on the stage at the Hollywood Bowl. Since then, the show has only grown in popularity, with over 1 million people having seen the show live. Each album Video Games Live has put out has made it into the Billboard Top Ten for the Classical Crossover category, and there are over 150,000 videos of the shows from around the world on YouTube. Since its inception, Video Games Live has put on over 350 shows, garnering it a Guinness World Record for the highest number by a touring orchestra show. There are typically 40-50 shows per year, and the tour has seen over 300 countries on five continents! If you’d like to help make the set list the next time Video Games Live comes to a town near you, check out their Facebook page and cast your vote!
www.videogameslive.com
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Alexandre O. Philippe Though he shares the credits as a writer and producer on a number of projects, Alexandre O. Philippe is best known for his directorial work on documentaries that have their subjects’ roots firmly planted in pop culture. He has a knack for diving deep into his role, and that comes as a great benefit to those among us who are equally enthralled with both the films he builds off of as the history and culture that surround them. Philippe is best known for two incredibly entertaining and informative documentaries he has both written and directed. The first is 2010’s The People vs George Lucas, in which he explores every side of the argument, both for and against, the man in question and his contributions to the Star Wars franchise. His second widely known project is 2014’s Doc of the Dead, a full-length look into the rise of zombie culture and the role it plays in today’s portrayal, both on- and off-screen, of the living dead. If you’re a horror film buff, Philippe’s newest project is one that is sure to get your hair raising and your senses tingling. With his film company Exhibit A Pictures, producer Kerry Roy, and Director of Photography Robert Muratore, 78/52, an in-depth look at the infamous shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece, Psycho, will debut in 2016. The name itself is derived from two of Hitchcock’s labor intensive and cinematically incredible ideas that made the shot what it was. The “78” references the number of precise setups he had in place to get every angle of the shot, while “52” is the number of cuts made to splice together the world’s most seminal scene. Broken up into five chapters, 78/52 begins by exploring how it is that the shower scene came to be in the first place by delving into the history behind the crimes of Ed Gein, a serial killer on which the story is based, the book written by Robert Bloch, and the creative genius of Hitchcock that brought it all together. From there, Philippe delves into the production and editing portions of the film, with interviews from the world’s greatest directors, editors, and film scholars as to what, exactly, makes this the most important three minutes in film history. The final two chapters of the film explore the impact and the legacy that the scene has left behind, not just in terms of popularity, but in the ways it changed how we watch film today. As a part of this package deal, Philippe has interviews with some of the most prominent members of film and cinematic fame, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Rob Zombie, Clive Perkins, Danny Elfman, Janet Leigh’s body double Marli Renfro, Eli Roth, Brett Easton Ellis, and too many more to name. Each of these people has been touched, in some way, by the masterpiece that is often seen as Alfred Hitchcock’s pinnacle performance. Is it a lofty goal to try and synthesize what this single scene has meant to generations of filmmakers, writers, creators, and movie lovers? Perhaps. Is there anyone better suited to the task than Mr. Alexandre O. Philippe? Absolutely not.
Artwork by: Charlie Adlard
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YOUTUBE NAME:
Geekness
YOUTUBE NAME:
3MG LIVE
YOUTUBE NAME:
Nerd Barrage
YOUTUBE NAME:
Tiffany Ann
YOUTUBE NAME:
Boxman ROCKS
YOUTUBE NAME:
JaeRoar
YOUTUBE NAME:
MAtthew Szewczyk 15
CAN YOU SURVIVE? Over 9000 Zombies! is top-down arcade action blown out of all reasonable proportions. An endless horde of zombies is coming your way, how long can you survive?
15www.RocheFusion.com
CHOOSE YOUR TOOLS
So you might have already sussed out that there’s a lot of undead after you. To stay alive you’re going to need this arsenal of over 20 weapons. Some you might recognize but others are very experimental. Whether you want to shoot, burn, blow up or microwave the zombies there’ll be a weapon for you.
BUILD TO SURVIVE
Keeping the barrel of a gun between you and the zombies is a good start but you’ll want to stay out of the open when things get especially crazy. Scavenge scrap metal to build barricades for protection and deploy automated turrets for extra crowd control.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
You don’t have to go it alone. Bring both trusted friends and talented strangers into your fold and team up against the hordes with 2 player online co-op and 4 player local co-op.
MAKE SOME NOICE
This level of slaughter needs some decent beats. Using cutting edge research techniques we have been able to isolate the optimum audio for efficient undead butchery. Scratch that trigger-finger itch to the sound of intense electro-rock from Clearside.
UNRELENTING HORDES
The zombies will never stop. They’re only going to get faster and nastier. Keep your eyes peeled for flaming zombies, highly poisonous zombies, zombie animals, giant eyeballs and even the risen remains of political figures. You’re going to die out there so make sure you leave with a bang.
MAKE YOUR OWN
Create your own unique levels to test your mettle and the power of the zombie hordes. Upload them to the Steam Workshop and show the world your creations.
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One of our favorite unboxers is the Flickster. His infectious voice, charming playfulness, and all-out-nerdiness makes him the kind of geek we can all relate to.We’re happy to have the chance to feature him this month! Without further ado, heeeeeerrrre’s Johnny! I’m John Flickinger, aka “The Flick Pick” on YouTube. I have two YouTube channels, theFLICKpick and JohnFlickster, where every video revolves around my passion for and addiction to movies. The content features movie reviews, videos of news in the movie world, v-logs, and my personal favorite: Movie Night. In these episodes, I grab a bowl of popcorn and, through the magic of the internet, watch a movie with an audience of thousands. You not only get to watch the movie with me, but get to hear my random thoughts along the way.
Like many people, my YouTube career started in my parents basement. I was just a lonely guy who loved movies and wanted to share my thoughts. It has been nearly 5 years since pushing the “record� button for the first time. I never would've imagined having nearly 200,000 combined subscribers, or being part
of such a great community of people who all share the same passion.
ULTIMATE GEEK GIFT GUIDE OCT 2015
HORROR EDITION
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No Brains Before Coffee! Coffee Mug
$16
Seriously. Even zombies can’t get a good start on their daily duties of eating brains and scaring people before they get their dose of caffeine. Fill this up and get ready for the daily grind.
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Horror Story Toilet Paper You’re already spending time in the can, scrolling through your phone for something interesting to read while you’re in there. Why not get the goods on your TP instead? Entertaining AND useful? WIN.
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$17
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Mad Max Prosthetic War Boy Get yourself (im)permanently branded as one of the baddest components of the V8 cult. Follow Immortan Joe into battle for the last drink at the Halloween party!
$17
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Edgar Allen Poe Lunchbox Have you been carrying your lunch around in a stale pail all these years? Channel your darker side and say “Nevermore” to a boring day at the lunch table. Just make sure it’s packed full of goodies to keep the spirits high.
$13
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SAW Reverse Beartrap
$400
Is it a little on the extreme side? Perhaps. Is the perfect revenge for someone who should have stopped running their mouth? Ummm…..maybe still extreme, but one look at this and we’ll bet they change their tune.
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