Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Gift: Simply Log into Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer today to get a free gift pack. It has guns in it!

Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer N7 Day Challenge:  Requires three extractions while playing as a human character (basic human kits, N7 humans, ex-Cerberus). This can be completed on any map at any difficulty.
Completing this challenge will unlock the N7 Day banner as reward. (source)

N7 Day Fan Kit:   Wallpapers, Facebook Covers, Profile pics, Forum Icons, etc.  Download the Fan Kit here.

N7 Day Pinterest : An amazing collection of fan art gathered for N7 day here.

N7 Contest:  Win some great stuff by submitting pics of your N7 inspired costumes or art. (Contest Rules)

We have a ton of Bioware and Mass Effect related content coming your way very soon, so make sure to check back here soon.

When asked the question “what makes you so dangerous?” the panel answered with humor and honesty. From Abbie Heppe’s dreaded CM “ban hammer”, to Kristen Nedopak’s lady parts, all of the panelists really were “dangerous” in their own special way.    While all of the women on the panel were also very different, they all seemed to have one thing in common, creativity…  These women are working pretty damn hard in order to give us new nerdy things to read, watch, play, and enjoy.

While some gender issues were briefly addressed (like booth babes),  the panel was primarily a vehicle to highlight fun and creative women in the industry and managed to avoid most of the gender controversy that keeps popping up time and time again.  As a married male who has been attending conventions regularly for over a decade, I feel as though there is no clear cut answer to the “booth babe” debacle.  Is it in poor taste to use uninformed models to sell a product to the public?  Sure.  Does sex still sell?  Yes.  Is money important to publishers? Duh.  While I feel models should be wholly absent from industry trade shows like E3, I do feel as though having models who are educated about the product they’re representing is a big step in the right direction.  Companies should simply offer an afternoon of training to their staff before they let them step foot on a convention floor.

The panel was an absoulte blast, and one of my favorites of SDCC 2012.  I’m already looking forward to what Katrina Hill is cooking up for next year. Make sure you keep an eye out for Bonnie Burton, Katrina Hill, Leah Cevoli, Holly Conrad , Adrianne Curry, Abbie Heppe , Clare Kramer, Kristen Nedopak, Milynn Sarley , Stephanie Thorpe, and the awesome Patricia Tallman (so good as Barbara), as they’re all doing some incredible stuff.

On this special episode Ash and Scott take you through our interviews from San Diego Comic Con 2012. Ash meets up with David Gaider, the lead writer of BioWare’s Dragon Age, during preview night. Next, we talk to the busy ladies form Team Unicorn about Voltron and toy collecting. Finally, a fun chat with actress Courtenay Taylor (Jack from Mass Effect) at the BioWare base about voice acting… and Floaty Pens? We also bring you some audio from the Firefly 10th anniversary panel and press conference. Shiny.

Rated NA 67

PC gaming is nowhere close to dead

Fortnite is such a grand departure from Gears of War, that It’s hard to even know where to begin.  Instead of the Locust hordes and armored COG super-soldiers we have an almost Pixar style world of cartoony characters and environments. Fortnite is the last thing you’d expect from Epic Games, and I think that’s exactly what they want to hear.  So what the  heck is this game?  Imagine being able to build almost everything from simple barns and fences to grand castles and keeps inspired by Game of Thrones.  When the sun goes down, it’s up to you (and your friends) to defend your new creations from a variety of monsters while gaining experience, items, and building supplies.  As your character levels over time he/she will unlock more building schematics and cosmetic unlocks.  You may be thinking that you’ve seen this sort of thing before in other games, but I assure you, it didn’t look as dynamic and fun as Fortnite.

There will be four primary elements to Fortnite:

• 1) Scavenging: The gathering of basic building supplies from wood to steel (and beyond).
• 2)Building: The creation of structures used to keep you alive
• 3)Combat: Epic “perfected the art of killing” and plan on making combat fun and dynamic.  Combat will be possible during both the day and night cycles.
• 4)Social: The game was designed from the ground up to be played with friends.

On inspiration: Part of the game was inspired by tree forts we all built when we were kids.  Everything found was used.

On the Troll: The “Troll” enemy type was shown.  Resembled a small gremlin.  Called the “troll” because like internet trolls they’re annoying and sneaky.

On Zombies: The basic enemy cannon fodder is actually not a zombie at all, but an automaton controlled by a mysterious puppet master that is “desiring life.”

On cyclical nature of combat: Players can opt out of combat at night if they so choose and can simply continue to build.  This will also deny the player some XP.

On the art style: Was originally dark like Gears.  The team decided that they needed to do something very different in order to stay enthusiastic and make the game more accessible to a wider audience.

On character customization: Characters will be fully customizable.

On traps: Not at launch, but traps will come later.  The “Wet Bandits” were mentioned by Cliff.

On having a persistant state world: The team seemed weary  to answer this one but stated that structures will remain as will character skills. Your character will be able to enter the worlds of your friends and vice versa.

On the complexity of physics: Players will not need an engineering degree to build.  The game will be realistic however and players won’t be able to build “racetracks glued to a cloud.”

Fortnite is being developed for release in 2013 so all of this information could change at the drop of a hat. Fortnite will initially be available for PC only due to the fact that it utilizes Epic’s new Unreal 4 Engine (which, to my knowledge can’t run on current generation consoles).  Can’t wait.

Here is what Joss had to say.

NerdAppropriate.com:  Hey guys, Ash from NerdAppropriate.com, I think we can all agree that video games have come a really long way in the past decade and if you guys were approached by a company like Bioware or some other developer, what would you say about making a firefly-based RPG, or something to that effect? I think we’d all love it.

Adam Baldwin: “Like a Grenade?” (Rocket Propelled Grenade)

Sean Maher: “What’s an RPG?”

Joss Whedon:  “There was a lot of talk about a multi-player thing and a couple of different companies vying for it, and it just sort of disappeared into the ether and I’m not sure why.  I always felt this universe absolutely lends itself to gaming, and the kind of really immersive multiplayer gaming where there are so many planets, so many agendas, and so many things to do besides shoot at things. I think it’s absolutely a perfect fit.  I also think it (the show) should be on the air.” (the crowd laughs) “However, many of my opinions are not shared by powerful people.”

Check out the press conference in its entirety below courtesy of Dandeevy2.  

What is it about Joss Whedon that everyone loves?  Sure, the guy tells amazing stories with stellar characters and more gravitas than we deserve, but I’d venture to say that our love for the guy stems from something else entirely, heart.  I first met Joss about five years ago (long before we started this site) on the Comic-Con floor, and he was cool enough to hang out for a few minutes and chat about all sorts of nonsense.  My brief encounter with the man reaffirmed what I already assumed, he’s really one of us.

For those looking to watch Firefly on broadcast T.V. again (in the order it was meant to air), the series will re-air on the Science Network debuting November 11.  For those looking for some “new” Firefly, Science is also going to air an hour long special that highlights some of the Firefly events held at this year’s Comic-Con!

The Firefly panel was simply amazing.

Today I’l be spending a lot of time at the Bioware Base, see you there!

Like many of you I traveled a great way in order to attend San Diego Comic-Con.  After about ten hours of cars, taxis, planes, and shuffling, I arrived in the nerd-Mecca that is San Diego.  Preview night is unlike the rest of the con’ as there are little-to-no panels or events planned for the evening.  It’s nice to have no obligations, and it’s a great time to wander the massive floor and get the lay of the land.  Scouting time!

Check In:

In the past, the line to pick up your Comic-Con badge could be up to several hours long… well, not anymore.  It was as if the convention gods had a divine intervention and made the once difficult process a breeze.  Within 15 minutes my entire party had their badges and were out the door.  Thanks SDCC for making things a bit easier.

The Floor:

As soon as we got into the door I turned to a few of the folks with me and said “Don’t get used to this, it’s about to get a lot more crowded in here.”  Within about 15 minutes standard walking became the “con shuffle”, a sort of rhythmic zombie stride that is nowhere close to actual walking.  It’s hard to believe there will be MORE people here tomorrow.  Some standout sites included the WETA trolls, Walking Dead’s Michone, Adult Swim’s “cat grab”, and more color, sound, and nerd-fury than I can really convey.  The floor will always seem massive and overwhelming no matter how many times I attend SDCC. Now to start the real con’.

2. Ignore Hall-H: We said this in last year’s writeup as well, and the information still rings true, Hall H is NOT worth it.  For those of you new to Comic-Con, Hall H is the massive room where all the huge panels take place.  This means that all of the major news outlets like NBC, and CNN will be covering Hall H and releasing information to the masses as its happening.  Trust me, there is no such thing as being “the first to know” anymore.  Hall H can be a lot of fun if you’re willing to wait in line and…

3. Camp Those Panels: Unlike the Penny Arcade Expo, SDCC does not kick you out of your seat between panels.  Felicia Day’s web-series The Guild actually had a great episode recently that revolved around seat saving at conventions.  If you get ahold of a great seat, it’s yours!  As we stated last year, you may have to sit through a few panels you don’t care about in order to see the ones that matter to you the most.  Find out what room your panel is being held and get there at LEAST two hours early. Sadly, Comic-Con suffers from a lemming-like pack mentality where everyone lines up, simply because there is a line.  Hell, I’ve seen a line form for absolutely nothing on more than one occasion.

4. Master the Floor:   Without fail the floor offers some of the best sites and sounds of Comic-Con.  From cosplay and creatures, to signings and giveaways, you WILL see something new each and every time you wade through the madness.  In past years I’ve had chats with Joss Whedon, played Rock Band with Felicia Day, and laughed it up with Rosario Dawson. Just keep your eyes open and always be polite. Nobody likes a pushy jerk.

5.  Don’t Stress… You Can’t do it All! If you’re at Comic Con to see a panel for your favorite show AND meet your favorite actors and creators, you may have to decide which you want to do more.  Due to broken logic, signings typically take place directly after a show’s panel, meaning that people are lining up for the signing while the panel is taking place.  Since us humans don’t have the ability to be in two places at the same time, this situation sucks.  How can you triumph?   Find out which studio is in charge of your favorite T.V. show, film, or game and hit their booth nice and early.  If they have their shit together they’ll let you know what times their signings are taking place and if the signing is ticketed.  Again, be polite!  Remember, you’re there to have fun… Don’t ever let a line situation stress you out, no matter how badly you think you want it.

6. They Mostly Come out at Night… Mostly:   Would you believe there is a ton of stuff to do at night as well? Just because Comic Con’s programming ends around 9 or 10 PM doesn’t mean that the party is anywhere close to over. There will be DOZENS of events going on as soon as the sun goes down. Talk to the folks that work the major booths (WB, NBC, FOX, etc..) and see what sort of off-site programming they have planned for the evening.  If you ask nicely they’ll probably tell you what time they’re giving away tickets, or may even give you one on the spot.  From podcasts to comedy shows and movie screenings, there is something for everyone at night… Keep your eyes open and your Twitter feed updated.

7. Bring Some Cards: We all agree that business cards are lame, but there is no better place to make new friends and contacts than SDCC. Bring some business cards with your e-mail address, website, blog, gamertag, or whatever else you’d like to share with your new-found friends.  Many people that attend Comic Con return each and every year, so there is a very good change that you’ll probably be seeing them again.  I’ve met some incredibly fun and talented people at conventions, so do yourself a favor spend a few bucks. Vistaprint has some great deals on basic cards, while MOO puts out some incredible, albiet more expensive, stuff.

8. Train Like Rocky: I know I sound like a jerk for saying this, but a lot of us nerds aren’t in the best of shape.  Comic Con is a massive event and you are going to be walking a heck of a lot.  Make sure you have physical capability to walk long distances and go for long periods of time without a good meal. Sure, you’ll do just fine if you can’t walk up a flight of stairs without sweating your ass off, but you’re in for a really rough weekend.  In years past I’ve traveled with folks that have gotten bloody from extreme chafing… true story.  We call that the “Sizzle Crotch.”

9. Rations -Hit Up Ralph’s: There  is a glorious supermarket right next door to the convention center!  Ralph’s should be the first stop on your Comic Con journey right after you check into your hotel.  We’ve joked in the past about $10.00 Mrs.Fields cookies and are only slightly exaggerating.  You’re wasting your hard earned cash if you eat convention food.  Be smart and stock up on tons of snacks from Ralph’s for your Comic-Con adventure.  You’ll see all the Comic-Con vets shopping there.

10. Never…EVER…Take a Petty Cab: You may be exhausted, but I promise you, it’s not worth it.  The San Diego petty-cab drivers are a bunch of scurvy, coin loving, pirates!  I once took my wife for a SD petty cab ride thinking that it would be fun and romantic.  I ended up getting in a verbal argument with a petty cab driver that was trying to charge us over $30.00 to go just a few blocks. It may seem glamorous or “fun” to have another human being carry you from place to place, but with the rates they’re charging your much better off taking a regular taxi.  Many of these guys will hide their rates or take you the wrong way to make a few extra bucks. Trust me, they really don’t WANT to be shuttling you around… what they do want is your money.

There you have it, ten secrets of Comic-Con that will help guide you on your adventure.  Please follow us HERE on Twitter for all sorts of SDCC updates.  We’ll see you there.

They're coming...

The great thing about Nerd Appropriate (if I do say so myself) is that we come from a pretty diverse set of places. I play a decent amount of video games, but come nowhere near the epic amount of XBOX live points that fellow editor Scott has, currently hovering around 75,000. I don’t even match the non-paltry 40,000 that Ash has racked up. The one thing I do in mass quantities, and good lord if only I could gain achievement points for it, is watch television. I can’t explain what it is about the warming glow, but that idiot box has me trapped. I watch everything from sitcoms, to documentary, to news programs and more. If it’s on TV, I will most likely watch it. The good thing is that comic-con will not leave a TV fan wanting. The bad thing is that most of the panels take place in the time consuming Hall H or Ballroom 20. Never fear, I have broken down where the TV panels are, which ones are the ones to be at, and which ones are the ones to miss. So let’s get this started:

Thursday

11AM – Filmation and Lou Scheimer: Celebrating a generation of Animation and TV Heroes  – Room 23ABC – Funimation produced legendary cartoons including Batman, Fat Albert, He-Man, Ghostbusters, need I go on? Listen to the man behind it all talk about nearly 30 years of entertaining adults and children alike.

12PM – Cartoon Network and Dreamworks Animation: Dreamworks Dragons: Riders of Berk - Room 6A – First look at a new weekly series debuting in the fall. It follows the story of Hiccup and his dragon Toothless from the acclaimed How to Train Your Dragon.

2:15PM – USA Network: Psych -Ballroom 20 – Fans will get to interact with the stars and creators of the show. With time for Q&A and exclusive clips of the 7th season.

2:30PM – MTV’s Teen Wolf – Room 6A – No Michael J Fox won’t be there, but the cast and Executive Producer of this new MTV series will be. Catch an exclusive look at the new season as well as time for a Q&A.

3:45PM – The Walking Dead – Room 6A – This hybrid panel of comic juggernaut and TV show phenom will include the series creator (and hilarious person) Robert Kirkman as well as the artist of the comic Charlie Adard. Panel discussion followed by Q&A (no mention of AMC, although I’m sure the TV show will be discussed).

4:00PM – Wilfred: Screening and Q&A – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton San Diego Bayfront) – Elijah Wood, Jason Gann, along with co-stars and executive producers will be screening the show and discussing how this (frankly odd) comedy came about. Including time for Q&A.

4:40PM – Cracking the Case with Sherlock Holmes and Watson: A Behind-the-scenes Look at CBS’s New Series Elementary – Ballroom 20 – Join Jonny Lee Miller (hack the planet) and Lucy Liu (nothing witty to write here) as they along with executive producers of the new show Elementary, discuss the ins and outs of americas new take on Sherlock Holmes. As well as catching the premier of the first episode.

5:00PM – Archer: Screening adn Q&A – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton San Diego Bayfront) – Series creator Adam Reed and the cast will discuss the show and it’s upcoming events. Along with a sneak peek of the new season.

6:00PM – Nikita Q&A and exclusive video presentation – Room 6BCF – Cast and crew of the show will be discussing the upcoming season and showing some sort of sneak peek (even though they make it a point to say they will begin production on season 3 in a few days after comic-con).

6:00PM – The Science of Science Fiction: Cannon Fodder – Room 25ABC – While not quite television, this includes panelists Jaime Paglia and Jane Espenson of Eureka and Battlestar Galactica fame. Along with other worthy panelists and moderator Phil Plaitt they will debunk and discuss the perils of writing science fiction for film and TV.

6:30PM - Comedy Central: Workaholics – Room 24ABC – Join the cast and creators of this stoner comedy. They’ll talk about who knows what and possibly show up as the hilarious Wizards (a gangster rap group). There will also be a competition to get your name in a new episode.

Thursdays Picks

It’s hard to say exactly, because you may have different tastes than myself, buuuut your best bets are generally the ones with potential swag or comedy. Because otherwise you will wait in line to see a video that will be on youtube 10 minutes after you leave, so here’s what I think:

Hit the floor or check out some non-TV panels in the morning. Filmation is the only one on my maybe list, but Friday is jam packed so it may be good to hit the Exhibit hall on a slightly quieter Thursday. Then around noon get in line for room 6A and catch Teen Wolf at 2:20pm. Not because it’s good but because after that you will see Walking Dead and Kirkman is a hilarious fellow. After this head straight to the Hilton and check out the line for Archer. If there is even a remote chance in hell that you’ll get in then hang out and catch it. The panel is loaded with professional comedians and I guarantee it will entertain. If you get in then upon it ending head straight to room 25ABC and catch the Science Fiction panel. It is a great panel with what looks like an interesting talk…not in the mood for that? Then head next door to 24ABC and laugh your ass off at the stoners in Workaholics.

Friday

10:00AM – Community: School is back in session – Ballroom 20 – The cast of Nerd Appropriates favorite TV show is back for some Q&A and discussion one what we can expect from the next season.

10:15AM - Go Green! With the Lean, Mean, Ninja Team – Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Room 6BCF – Most of the cast and the Executive Producer of the show will be present to discuss this reboot of the much beloved franchise.

11:00AM – Adult Swim: The Venture Bros - Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – The creators along with Dr. Venture himself, James Urbaniak will be taking questions and discussing why it takes so damn long for them to make 12 brilliant episodes every 5 years…or the show and it’s future.

11:15AM – Join the Revolution: Nickolodeon’s The Legend of Korra – Ballroom 20 – Cast and crew will discuss the new series based on the world of the Last Airbender. Panel will include a live table read.

11:30AM – Cult Pilot Screening and Q&A – Room 6BCF – This new drama on CW is weird to explain so I’ll let you click the link to see it, but the cast will be on hand to discuss this brand show and air its pilot for the first time ever.

11:45AM – Cartoon Network: Annoying Orange – Room 6A – This youtube sensation cum Cartoon Network series will have the creators on hand to discuss all the places that a talking orange will be headed in the upcoming season.

12:00PM – Adult Swim: NTSF: SD: SUV - Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Catch creators and cast of this send up on the CSI’s of the world talk about season 2 and give you a sneak peak of what’s in store.

12:05PM – The Big Bang Theory – Hall H – The cast will be on hand to discuss all of the things you love about this nerdy show. Not too many specifics, but you’ll probably get some video sneak peeks.

12:30PM – Firefly 10 Year Anniversary - Ballroom 20 – Yep, we’re old. Firefly is 10 years old and the cast and creator will be on hand to talk about the uprising of love for the show as well as giveaways from the science channel.

12:45pM – 666 Park Avenue Pilot Screening and Q&A – Room 6BCF – New show from Exec Producers of Chuck and Fringe starring Lost star Terry O’Quinn. Most of you aren’t even reading this part because you’ve already decided that’s all you need to hear one way or the other.

1:00PM – Adult Swim: Childrens Hospital - Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Cast and creators will be on hand to give you a sneak peek of the new season as well as probably make you laugh.

1:00PM – Cartoon Network: Regular Show - Room 6A – It’s a kids show I know nothing about, but wanted to include in case you did. The creator will be on hand for songs, sneak previews and surprises.

1:25PM – AMC’s The Walking Dead – Hall H – The TV show has a bigger room than the comic at Comic-Con…oh the irony. Anyways, the cast and creator will be here to give you a sneak peek of Season 3 as well as a lively (see what I did there) Q&A.

1:45PM – Bones – Ballroom 20 – The cast and crew will be on hand to discuss the show and host a Q&A.

2:00PM – Adult Swim: Aqua Something You Know Whatever/Squidbillies – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Creators of the long running show will be there to show footage of the new season and talk about what’s in store.

2:15PM – Tron: Uprising – Room 6A – Elijah Wood along with the rest of the cast and crew will be on hand to show you a preview of this brand new series along with a Q&A.

2:45PM – Game of Thrones Panel and Q&A – Some of the cast along with George R R Martin himself will be here to discuss the HBO series along with a Q&A.

3:00PM – Adult Swim: Robot Chicken/Robot Chicken DC Comics Special - Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Green and Seinrich will be there to discuss the upcoming Season 6 as well as give you the inside scoop (comic-con’s words not mine) on whatever the DC Comics Special is.

3:00PM – Arrow Screening and Q&A – Ballroom 20 – The cast and crew of this brand new CW take on the Green Arrow will give you an exclusive screening of the pilot along with a Q&A.

4:00PM – Adult Swim: Black Dynamite – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Voice cast and creators will be on hand discussing this new animated series based on the 2009 film.

4:00PM – Bob’s Burgers – Room 25ABC – Executive Producers and voice cast (inluding H Jon Benjamin and Kristen Schaal) will be airing never before seen footage and doing a Q&A.

4:30PM – Falling Skies: The Battle is just getting started – Room 6BCF – The cast will be showing never before seen clips as well as having an indepth discussion and Q&A lead by Wil Wheaton.

5:45PM – Spartacus: War of the Damned – Room 6BCF – Cast will be on hand to show footage from the final season coming in 2013 as well as host some “surprise guests”.

6:00PM – Brickleberry – Room 6A – Voice cast will be on hand to discuss this new show from exec producer Daniel Tosh (Tosh.0). Including a screening of the pilot.

7:00PM – And then what happened? Serialized shows that ended too soon – Room 7AB – Writers/Producers from Dollhouse, Firefly, Middleman and FlashForward are here to talk about what could and should have been, had their shows not ended quite so early.

Friday Picks

I told you Friday was a doozie. Saturday isn’t much lighter. The way I see it, you have one of two choices, well three if you include throw your hands up in despair and cry in the corner. Camp out in Indigo Ballroom or camp out in Ballroom 20. Either way, you’ll be well entertained until about 4PM. At which point you can go freshen up at the hotel room, get some grub and stretch your legs. I suggest attempting to catch the And then what happened? panel at 7pm. It’s always the offbeat panels which catch you off guard. Personally, you will most likely find me in Ballroom 20 if I can make it in.

Saturday

10:00AM – Warehouse 13 – Ballroom 20 – The cast and crew of one of my surprise favorite shows will be here to talk about the new season and perhaps even a sneak peek.

10:30AM – Marvel Television Presents – Room 6BCF – Jeph Loeb will be here to talk about the new shows on Disney XD including Ultimate Spider-Man and The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

11:00AM – Once Upon A Time – Ballroom 20 – The cast and creators will be discussing the upcoming season as well as taking a Q&A from the audience.

11:15AM – Cartoon Network: Adventure Time – Room 6A – The voice cast will be doing live reads, singing and showing tons of exclusive clips.

12:00PM – Futurama – Ballroom 20 – Matt Groenig will be in the house along with the voice cast and crew of this once resurrected fan favorite. Wear a Futurama themed costume for a chance to win prizes.

12:30PM – Phineas and Ferb – Room 6A – The creators of the show will be here to talk about the upcoming season and show a sneak preview an “epic two-part cliffhanger episode ‘Where’s Perry?’” airing this summer.

12:45PM – The Simpsons – Ballroom 20 – MOAR MATT GROENIG. This time talking about the upcoming 10000th season of the Simpsons. They will be airing lengthy portions of the new Treehouse of Horror.

1:00PM – TV Guide Magazine: Fan Favorites – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – TV Guide assembles a panel of “fan favorites” including Nathan Fillion, Maggie Q and Joel McHale.

1:45PM – Family Guy – Ballroom 20 – Seth MacFarlane and basically the entire cast will be on hand to talk about the new season and show clips of some of the funnier parts.

2:00PM – Star Wars: The Clone Wars: On to Season 5 – Room 6DE – Director and Writer of the series will talk about where to go after Season 4.

2:30PM – American Dad – Ballroom 20 – Seth MacFarlane will stay on stage to talk with the cast about the upcoming season and show clips of the hilarity that will ensue.

3:00PM – Being Human – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – Stars and the producer of the SyFy hit will be on stage discussing what is coming up for the nearly human characters.

3:00PM – Grimm Q&A/Season 2 Preview – Room 6A – You’ll get a first glimpse at season 2 and take part in a Q&A with a large chunk of the cast and crew.

3:30PM – The Vampire Diaries Q&A – Ballroom 20 – A large chunk of the cast will be on hand for a “video screening” and Q&A with the fans.

4:00PM – Showtimes: Shameless – Indigo Ballroom (Hilton) – The cast, including William H Macy, will be on stage discussing the show and the top five fan moments from the first 2 seasons.

4:00PM – The Following: Screening and Q&A – Room 6BCF – This midseason replacement for Fox is a drama staring Kevin Bacon. The cast will be on hand to air the pilot and do a Q&A.

4:30PM – True Blood Panel and Q&A – Ballroom 20 – A panel only a fangbanger could love. The cast will be on hand to discuss the current season and take part in a Q&A.

5:15PM – Person of Interest: Screening and Q&A – Room 6BCF – Cast and Creators of this hit series will be doing a Q&A and talking about what’s coming up. As well as showing some sneak previews.

7:15PM – Mythbusters – Room 6BCF – Adam, Jamie, Tory, Grant and Kari will all be here to talk about the hijinks they embark on in then next season of Mythbusters.

Saturdays Picks

While slightly easier to navigate than Friday, not by much. I’m betting on another Ballroom 20 squat that will take us all the way through Family Guy. At which point you can swing over to the Grimm Q&A, take a break and close it off with some Mythbusters.

Sunday

10:00AM – Fringe Screening and Q&A – Hall H – The cast and creators offer a farewell to Comic-Con with a Q&A and exclusive video presentation.

11:15AM – Supernatural Screening and Q&A – Hall H – The cast returns to Hall H to talk about what’s in store for season 8. There is a special video presentation and Q&A planned.

11:30AM – Cartoon Voices II – Room 6A – My surprise hit 2 years ago at SDCC, this time featuring voice actors from Garfield, Pinky and the Brain, Transformers, Spider-Man and more. Watch as they fly threw the voices that shaped your Saturday Mornings and share some stories.

12:30PM – BBC America’s Doctor Who - Hall H – Cast and crew will bring new footage to premier for the audience as well as discuss upcoming specials.

1:00PM – DC Nation Screening and Q&A – Room 6BCF – Sneak peeks of Beware the Batman and Teen Titans GO! as well as discussions about current shows Green Lantern and Young Justice.

1:45PM – The Cleveland Show – Hall H – Seth MacFarlane and cast will premier the Season 4 premier and discuss the show in general.

2:15PM – It’s Christmas In July: Spongebob Squarepants – Room 6A – Voice cast and Creative Director will present a sneak peek at the upcoming Christmas Special as well as host a Q&A.

2:45PM – Sons of Anarchy – Hall H – Not much to list other than “getting an inside look” along with pretty much the entire cast.

3:30PM – Buffy the Musical ‘Once More With Feeling’ – Room 6BCF – Whedon and crew will be airing the Buffy musical episode Once More With Feeling, Audience participation encouraged.

Sundays Picks

Well, unless you’re the type to camp out at Hall H for an entire day, (and evening before) then I suggest taking this one easy. If you get into Fringe, then awesome. Otherwise, catch the cartoon voices, Spongebob and Buffy to ensure a good time. Oh and the sales, Sunday is when the floor tries to clear out.

There you have it, a mostly exhaustive listing of all of the TV panels and goings on at Comic-Con. If I have it in me, I’ll try to get one up about movies and one about comics before the festivities begin on Wednesday. Remember, you literally cannot see everything, so do your best to see what you want to most and otherwise enjoy yourself. Nerd Christmas only comes around once a year.

On this beast of a podcast we talk SDCC, Google IO, Amazon’s power outage, the return of the return of Jean Grey, consumer spending, AC3, and Yolo?! We review ME:EC, Walking Dead ep 2, Amazing Spider-Man, Newsroom, Strike Fleet Omega, and Resident Evil 6 demo. Finally, we talk about the game’s that you wish had their own extended cuts. Excellent!

Rated NA 66

• Oh yeah, follow us on Twitter – NerdAppropriate
• and listen to our podcast while you travel – Rated NA Podcast

The presence of electronic gaming has grown each and every year at San Diego Comic-Con International, and this year is the absolute biggest year yet. SDCC will host a number of panels revolving around some of the hottest video game franchises in existence, and we’ll sure do our best to provide the best coverage possible. Take a quick look at the video game related programming for Thursday and Friday at SDCC 2012.

Thursday, July 12

10:45-11:45 Epic Games: Fortnite Revealed— Host Jessica Chobot (G4TV’s X-Play,Attack of the Show) joins legendary developer Epic Games (Gears of War series) as they lift the veil on the new game Fortnite. Teased late last year, attendees will be the very first people in the world to see Fortnite in action. Get inside the minds of Epic Games’ design director Cliff Bleszinski and producer Tanya Jessen as they reveal inspirations, gameplay details, and why Fortnite is taking Epic Games in both a classic and all-new direction. Room 6A

11:00-12:00 X-Play— G4′s X-Play is TV’s longest running and most watched video game show in the galaxy.* Each episode is packed with brutally honest reviews, live demos of the biggest games, and of course intern humiliation. Hosts Morgan Webb, Blair Herter, and Kristin Adams and executive producer Wade Beckett make their triumphant return to Comic-Con and promise a no-holds-barred live panel. They’ll take questions from the audience, debut a new comedy short, and give out prizes to a chosen few. This hour of reflection and finger pointing is guaranteed to be a life changing experience.** (*We think. **Probably.) Room 25ABC

12:00-1:00 Beyond: Two Souls: A New Breed of Interactive Storytelling from Writer/Director David Cage of Quantic Dream— David Cage, the co-CEO of Quantic Dream and writer/director of the 2010 hit Heavy Rain, discusses his latest project,Beyond: Two Souls. David will focus on the concept of creating innovative game play experiences that are woven together with emotion and story. Beyond: Two Souls is prepared to deliver an immersive interactive and cinematic experience based on emotional involvement and interactive storytelling. In developing a unique “interactive drama” to engross the audience, David and his team have introduced the concept of Virtual Performance Capture to videogames, where actors play the entire role in development of the game (from motion capture to dialogue). The session will cover techniques used to create an emotional and compelling experience, focusing on the company’s award-winning titles as well as providing a deeper look into their Beyond: Two Souls. IGN.com’s Greg Miller moderates with Cage and Academy Award nominee Ellen Page as they explore the “uncanny valley” of bringing realism and emotion to this current project. Room 25ABC

12:00-1:00 Machinima: The Future of Entertainment— Machinima has become one of the most talked about entertainment destinations in the world. Serving over 1.6 billion video views a month, the network has established itself with quality content and passionate viewership and is now considered the leading brand for the gaming generation. Don’t miss out on this panel with exclusive footage from Machinima’s new channel, Machinima Prime, which focuses on thrilling episodic content, including the much anticipated tentpole series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn. Be a part of mind-blowing discussions on the next wave of content creation and the new development paradigm. Catch guests from Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, the Machinima Prime Channel, and the Machinima Network. Indigo Ballroom, Hilton San Diego Bayfront

1:00-2:00 Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Celebration— It’s hard to believe that the world’s greatest fighting game franchise is 25 years old. Find out about the worldwide Street Fighter 25th Anniversary plans which include the ultimate Street Fighter tournament series, the feature-packed Collector’s Set, and more.  Experience the exclusive features in the PS Vita and iOS versions of Street Fighter X Tekken and battle on the go. A few lucky fans will be selected to take part in the Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Trivia Contest hosted by Tomoaki Ayano (Street Fighter X Tekken producer) and Yoshinori Ono (Street Fighter Series executive producer) to win awesome prizes or face incredible shame before all of Street Fighter fandom. Plus, some surprises! Room 6BCF

3:30-4:30 Assassin’s Creed III: Live Stage Demo— Meet Connor, the newest Assassin in the legendary franchise and the spark that will ignite the American Revolution into a full blaze. See for the first time a live demo of Boston, a bustling port city on the brink of revolution, presented by Alex Hutchinson (creative director). Experience the epic scale and scope of Assassin’s Creed III with footage of the frontier, colonial cities, and naval battles on the open seas. Witness Connor unleash lethal new skills and weapons in a stunningly realistic open world made possible by the Ubisoft-AnvilNext gaming engine. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the famous Assassin’s Creed III Steelbook made by one of the world’s preeminent and well-respected comic book artists, Alex Ross, and get a peek inside the mind of creative director Alex Hutchinson in a Q&A featuring a guest host. Room 6BCF

3:30-4:30 FUNimation Sneak Peek: Mass Effect: Paragon Lost and Coming Soon—A very special look at Mass Effect: Paragon Lost, a new animated feature based on the world of EA and BioWare’s Mass Effect games, in addition to some exclusive looks at new series coming soon from FUNimation, one of the North American leaders in anime.Room 24ABC

4:45-5:45 The Fiction of Halo 4— Halo 4 heralds the return of one of gaming’s most iconic heroes, the Master Chief, in a new, epic sci-fi saga. Expanding and enriching the narrative, 343 Industries, with very special panelists, share how the development of stories across the Greg Bear Forerunner saga, the Karen Traviss Kilo-Five trilogy, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Halo 4 Campaign and Halo Infinity Multiplayer have become connective tissue for Halo 4. Don’t miss the exciting premiere of the Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn trailer as well as Q&A with special guests. Panelists include Brian Reed, franchise writer; Armando Troisi, narrative director, 343 Industries; Brien Goodrich, cinematic director; Stewart Hendler, director (Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Whisper, H+); Todd Helbing, writer (Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Spartacus, Smallville); andAaron Helbing, writer (Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, Spartacus, Smallville). Moderated by Frank O’Connor, franchise development director, 343 Industries. Room 6BCF

6:15-7:15 How to Get a Job in the Video Gaming Industry— Moderator Francis Mao of Capcom leads a panel of industry insiders from a variety of game companies and industry outlets to share how they got to “play video games for a living,” and the wide assortment of career paths that are available. You don’t have to be a programming whiz or a stellar digital artist to have a fun career in the video game industry. Hear what job opportunities are available in areas such as public relations, marketing, retail, publishing, editorial, and more. Hear from actual SDCC fans from past years who are now in the industry. There will be a Q&A session plus an opportunity to speak with and network one-on-one with the panelists after the session. Room 6A

7:00-8:00 Inside the Voice Actors’ Studio— Bang Zoom! Entertainment is excited to bring you this panel/workshop about voice acting that covers practical dubbing techniques, important issues such as studio protocol, and what to expect at your first audition. This is a great opportunity for attendees interested in the voice-acting profession to get firsthand advice and experience from the pros in an intimate yet dynamic setting. You will learn directly from some of the best voice actors and directors in the world and also get some inside information on how to break in and what the industry is really like. Celebrity panelists include renowned video game VO director Chris Borders (Gears of War) and multitalented voice actor Fred Tatasciore (The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes). Room 11AB

7:00-8:00 Fan Favorite Projects Go Interactive— Meet the creative talents who have embraced the arduous task of adapting the music of top Sci-Fi and Fantasy projects to the most popular games on home consoles and smart phones. Learn how these franchises transitioned into this ever-growing multi-media realm from our special guests including composers Jim Dooley (Epic Mickey; Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two), Gordy Haab(Star Wars: The Old Republic; Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings), David Ari Leon(Contre Jour; Woody Woodpecker), Gerard Marino (God of War; The Amazing Spiderman), Kyle Newmaster (Kinect Star Wars), and Jeremy Soule (The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim; Harry Potter game series), and a special surprise guest moderator! A Q&A will follow the panel plus giveaways for attendees. Room 25AB

8:00-9:00 Mega64: Year One Panel— Join Rocco Botte, Derrick Acosta, and Shawn Chatfield (Mega64.com) as they bring their series of award-winning, critically acclaimed short films to a Comic-Con panel for the first time. There will be so many video game jokes that Garrett Hunter and Eric Baudour (Mega64.com) will have to attend too. There will be Q&A, but please don’t ask about previous arrests. Room 23ABC

Friday, July 13

2:00-3:00 Gears of War: Past, Present, and Future— G4 TV host and video game goddess Morgan Webb moderates as panelists from video game developer Epic Games come together to discuss the past, present, and future of the Gears of War franchise. The creative and technical minds behind one of the most successful game franchises in history will be on hand to share experiences with attendees. Panelists include Epic Games’ design director Cliff Bleszinski and director of production Rod Fergusson, writers Tom Bissell and Rob Auten, and the voice of Baird, Fred Tatasciore. Expect an extended Q&A session. Room 6BCF

3:30-4:30 The Art of Death and Darksiders II— A lively demonstration on bringing 2D comic art to 3D graphics and back again-Joe Madureira (Vigil Games Darksiders creator; artist for Avenging Spider-Man, Ultimates, X-Men), and Han Randhawa (Vigil Games, Darksiders I and II creative director) use exclusive examples from the creative development process to show how they bring a unique comic inspired vision to 3D life in the new Darksiders II video game from THQ, where you become Death, the most feared rider from the legendary Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. In part two, representatives from Dark Horse Comics demonstrates how they took this highly stylized universe in 3D, converted it back to a 2D comic book series, and expanded on the mythos, revealing scenes and storyline threads that complement the events of the video game. Working closely with the Darksiders team at Vigil Games, Dark Horse Comics is creating an important component to complete Joe Mad’s original vision. Room 5AB

4:00-5:00 The Titans of Fighting Games— With a third-party fighting expert leading the discussion, the Titans of the fighting game genre, Katsuhiro Harada (Tekken series director), Yoshinori Ono (producer of the Street Fighter franchise), and Omar Kendall(Playstation All Stars Battle Royale game director, SuperBot Entertainment), come together for the first time in this exclusive panel to talk about fighting games past, present and future. Be among the first to see surprise reveals from upcoming titles.Room 7AB

5:00-6:00 The Last of Us: Behind the Scenes with Naughty Dog— Creative directorNeil Druckmann, game director Bruce Straley, and actors Troy Baker (Fullmetal Alchemist, Batman: Arkham City) and Ashley Johnson (Marvel’s TheAvengers, The Killing, Ben-10: Alien Force) discuss the upcoming post-pandemic, survival-action PlayStation 3 videogame from Naughty Dog, developers of the critically acclaimed Uncharted series. The panelists will provide an exclusive reveal of a new in-game cinematic featuring a special guest. Moderated by veteran games industry journalist Adam Sessler. Room 25ABC

6:00-7:00 Resident Evil 6: The Fear and Horror!— The latest installation of the blockbuster Resident Evil video game franchise arrives this October! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the most ambitious CAPCOM title to date from Hiroyuki Kobayashi(executive producer), Yoshiaki Hirabayashi (producer), andMiguel Corti (localization director). Arrive early and receive access to exclusive information, live gameplay demos, a trailer premiere, and some surprises. Q&A session to follow. Room 25ABC

7:30-8:30 Resident Evil: Damnation Worldwide Trailer Premiere, 7-Minute Sneak Peek, and Filmmaker Q&A— The next action-packed installment in the Resident Evilfranchise continues. Fans will have the opportunity to watch the worldwide 2D trailer premiere (in English) of Resident Evil: Damnation, the all-new, 3D sequel to the full-length CG animated feature Resident Evil: Degeneration, based on the Resident Evil (known in Japan as Biohazard) series of games. Fans will also get an exclusive look at the first 7 minutes of the Japanese theatrical version of the film, followed by a Q&A withHiroyuki Kobayashi (Japanese producer of the Resident Evil franchise) and Makoto Kamiya (Resident Evil: Damnation director). Room 5AB

Impressive... most impressive

How fast does it take to get from Santa Monica to San Diego?  Under 12 parsecs!  Chris Hardwick and the fine folks at Nerdist Industries are hosting a force filled Star Wars relay race from Santa Monica, CA all the way to a nerd-frenzied San Diego Comic-Con… and we’ll be there.

Co-hosting COTF along with Chris Hardwick and Alison Haislip will be The founder of Her Universe and the voice of Ahsoka Tano Ashley Eckstein.   The trio will broadcast the race along with some exclusive interviews on both Starwars.com and the Nerdist Channel.  And, as if Comic-Con wasn’t exhausting enough, the trio will all run quarter mile legs of the race themselves.   COTF relay will take place from July 7-11, and 100% of the proceeds go to Make-A-Wish.  We can’t wait to see the incredible costumes that are created for this event.

PRESS RELEASE: At quarter-mile markers, participants will hand off the official Course of the Force lightsaber to the next runner as they begin their leg of the journey. On July 7, Course of the Force will kick off with an event at the Santa Monica Pier at 10:00 a.m. The relay will start later in the day and end that night at the Redondo Beach Pier. Other planned stops include Huntington Beach Pier, Oceanside and Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach. Instead of running, Monday, July 9 will feature special sponsor promotions, to be announced at a later date. The final day of the inaugural Course of the Force will conclude in San Diego at the Balboa Theatre, with entertainment to cap off the epic journey.

Course of the Force Schedule

Day Start Time Start Location End Time End Location
July 7 1:00 p.m. Santa Monica pier 7:00 p.m. Redondo Beach pier
July 8 7:00 a.m. Redondo Beach pier 4:30 p.m. Oceanside pier
July 10 7:00 a.m. Oceanside pier 5:30 p.m. Crystal pier at Pacific Beach
July 11 7:00 a.m. Crystal pier at Pacific Beach 12:30 p.m. San Diego

With Comic-Con 2012 lurking on the horizon, we’re still in the process of figuring out where we’re going to be and exactly what panels and events we’re going to cover.  This year is going to be pure grade-A madness.  It turns out Katrina “Action Chick” Hill, who is known for her kick-ass SDCC panels, will once again be bringing the fire to this year’s SDCC. Katrina’s panel this year will feature tons of creative ladies from the industry, including some of the fine folks we’ve featured here at NA: Abbie Heppe, Milynn Sarley, and Holly Conrad.  Heck, it was an inspirational pep-talk from Abbie that pushed us to start this very site… true story. Nerd Appropriate will be there for sure! Will you?

If you were lucky enough to get a limited preview night ticket, you’ll have the opportunity to see the pilot episodes of some of Fall T.V.’s biggest new shows months before anyone else.  Bragging rights! This year, I know many of us at NA are damn excited to check out J.J. Abram’s Revolution!

This is unreal...

WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
666 Park Avenue, Arrow, Cult, The Following and Revolution pilot screenings (Ballroom 20)

THURSDAY, JULY 12
MAD (Cartoon Network) | Get a glimpse behind the MADness with MAD television show producers Kevin Shinick and Mark Marek. (Room 6DE)

Nikita (The CW) | Series stars Maggie Q, Shane West and Lyndsy Fonseca join executive producer Craig Silverstein. (Room 6BCF)

FRIDAY, JULY 13
The Big Bang Theory (CBS) | The Bang gets even bigger —for the first time ever in Hall H — as series stars and executive producers answer burning questions. (Hall H)

Cult (The CW) | Stars Matt Davis, Jessica Lucas, Alona Tal and Robert Knepper joining executive producer Rockne S. O’Bannon. (Room 6BCF)

666 Park Avenue (ABC) | Stars Terry O’Quinn, Rachael Taylor and Dave Annable joining executive producers David Wilcox (Fringe) and Matthew Miller (Chuck). (Room 6BCF)

Arrow (The CW) | Cast members, including Stephen Amell, join producers for a special pilot screening and discussion. (Ballroom 20)

Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim) | Star/exec producer Rob Corddry and EP Jonathan Stern join stars Lake Bell (oohhh la la), Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Megan Mullally, Henry Winkler and Ken Marino. (Hilton/Indigo Ballroom)

Bones (Fox) | Creator/executive producer Hart Hanson and EP Stephen Nathan join stars David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel (Panel location TBD)

Bob’s Burgers (Fox) | Cast members H. Jon Benjamin, John Roberts, Dan Mintz, Eugene Mirman and Kristen Schaal join creator/exec producer Loren Bouchard and fellow EP Jim Dauterive (Panel location TBD)

Brickleberry (Comedy Central) | Creators/executive producers Waco O’Guin and Roger Black join stars Daniel Tosh (Tosh.0), David Herman (Office Space), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants), Jerry Minor (Anchorman) and Kaitlin Olson (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia). (Panel location TBD)

SATURDAY, JULY 14
The Vampire Diaries (The CW) | Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder and other stars join executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec. (Ballroom 20)

The Following (Fox) | Series stars Kevin Bacon and James Purefoy join executive producers Kevin Williamson and Marcos Siega. (Room 6BCF)

Glee (Fox) | Stars Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Darren Criss, Kevin McHale, Jenna Ushkowitz and Naya Rivera will be joined by series co-creator Brad Falchuk. (Indigo Room)

Person of Interest (CBS) | The stars and creators of this hit drama discuss Season 1 and give a sneak preview at what’s to come. (Room 6BCF)

Revolution (NBC) | Stars Billy Burke, Giancarlo Esposito and Tracy Spiridakos join creator/executive producer Eric Kripke and director/co-executive producer Jon Favreau. (Room 6BCF)

Futurama (Comedy Central) | The cast and crew of the Emmy-winning animated series discuss the upcoming season. (Panel location TBD)

The Simpsons (Fox) | Creator Matt Groening, exec producer Al Jean and supervising producer Mike Anderson join stars Lisa Simpson, Yeardley Smith. (Panel location TBD)

Family Guy (Fox) | Voice cast Seth MacFarlane, Alex Bornstein, Mila Kunis and Seth Green, as well as showrunners Mark Hentemann and Steve Callaghan, discuss the long-running animated series. (Panel location TBD)

American Dad (Fox) | Stars and producers Seth MacFarlane, Wendy Schaal, Scott Grimes, Rachael MacFarlane, Dee Bradley Baker, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman preview next season’s most hilarious moments. (Panel location TBD)

SUNDAY, JULY 15
Supernatural (The CW) | Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are joined by recurring guest stars Misha Collins, Jim Beaver and Mark A. Sheppard, and new executive producer Jeremy Carver and consulting producer Ben Edlund. (Hall H)

Fringe (Fox) | Fringe has its first-ever Sunday panel, and in Hall H for the first time, with Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, Jasika Nicole and John Noble and exec producers. (Hall H)

DC Nation (Cartoon Network) | Get a sneak peek at what’s in store for this action-comedy programming block. (Room 6BCF)

The Cleveland Show (Fox) | Panelists Seth MacFarlane, Mike Henry, Sanaa Lathan and Kevin Michael Richardson debut the season four premiere, “Menace II Secret Society.” (Panel location TBD)

Sons of Anarchy (FX) | Creator Kurt Sutter joins stars Charlie Hunnam, Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, Maggie Siff, Kim Coates, Mark Boone Junior, Tommy Flanagan, Theo Rossi, Ryan Hurst and Dayton Callie. (Panel location TBD)

See anything you like?  In the next few weeks we’ll be bombarding you with information as soon as it becomes available.

E3 madness continues and Scott goes on a rant. News about Skyrim, 38 Studios, WWDC, Nerd HQ, and Max Payne mobile. Hilary reviews Prometheus, Matt reviews Snow White, and Ash recaps the latest Game of Thrones season. Finally, we hear your impressions from the past weeks E3 shenanigans. Weeeeuuuu.

Rated NA 63

Comicvine - Perhaps the most important moment for Hank Pym came when he was declared the Scientist Supreme by the extra-dimensional entity, Eternity. Hank was given the position over other minds such as Richards, Stark and Doom because he approached science as a means of making the impossible possible, rather than just a tool for exploration or engineering.

Believe it or not, somewhere one Earth Marvel’s Ant man is somebody’s favorite Avenger. With Avenger mania sweeping the planet (and draining wallets everywhere) Marvel Studios is fully aware that Ant Man has the potential to be HUGE (see what I did there). Scott Pilgrim director Edgar Wright will soon be bringing us the misadventures of Hank Pym, also known as the Ant Man. Considering Mr. Wright has consitantly given us cinematic gold, we have high hopes for the Ant Man franchise.  Now, last we heard there is no solid plan to bring Edgar Wright’s Ant Man into the current Avengers film universe, but if we whine enough we may get our way.  More importantly however are the following questions. Who exactly is the Ant Man? And, who is the perfect actor to portray the super genius Hank Pym?

Who is Ant Man?: There have actually been a number of different “Ant Men” over the years but the one we’re concerned about is Mr.Hank Pym. In Marvel comics mythology, Hank Pym is a founding member of The original Avengers, and according to Eternity, the smartest man on Earth.  Wright’s film will no doubt tell the tale of Pym’s discovery of mysterious size altering chemicals (Pym Particles) after the tragic death of his young wife.  On top changing his size and mass, Pym soon creates a helmet that gives him the ability to control insects.  After the discovery of his new found powers, Pym is no longer content with simply being a science nerd and decides to battle evil and save the world… You know the drill.

Ant Man? Sure!

Who Should Play Ant Man?: The perfect Ant Man needs to be played by an actor that can easily portray the angsty genius that is Ant Man.  Unlike other more confident members of the Avengers,  Pym was originally depicted as a young self doubting super genius who often felt outclassed by “Earths mightiest heroes.”  After scouring the data cores  of the “nerd computer” (IMDB), I have determined that the best young actor for the job is Joseph Gordon-Levitt.  Not only is Joseph Gordon-Levitt the perfect age to play Hank Pym, the kid can ACT.  With huge upcoming roles in films like Looper and The Dark Knight Rises, Levitt may actually be a challenge to nab for the lesser known Marvel micro-hero.  Whoever imagined the kid from 3rd Rock From the Sun would be in such high demand?

This review is entirely spoiler free – story review is coming soon

Mass Effect 1 Launch: Hilary’s great coverage of the Mass Effect 3 launch in L.A. got me thinking about my own very first Mass Effect launch.  Flash back to the year 2007 (queue wavy lines) … It was a drizzly night outside of my local Gamestop, but that didn’t stop people from lining up droves to get their hands on the mysteriously titled “Mass Effect.”  The typical midnight release crowd was there,  middle aged men sat in folding chairs peacefully reading while a bunch of 20-somethings swapped video game war stories.   In all my years as a gamer, I had never seen so many people excited for a new game.  Sure, some of the maniacs waiting in line at 12 am were there to pick up GTA IV (yes, they launched on the same day), but most of the folks I met were there to see what the heck this “Mass Effect” was all about.  Years later, after spending more time with the Mass Effect franchise than I care to admit, the trilogy is over, but does the final act truly deliver?  Would the 2007 version of myself be happy?  Hell yes.

I never thought I'd have such strong feelings for a reptile...

Friends and Family: Mass Effect 3 has some of the best characters and writing that I’ve ever experienced in a video game. The franchise is so good in fact that I’d like to see it nominated for awards that aren’t video game related (Oscars?.. why the hell not). From Garrus to Liara, each crew member is distinct and memorable (great acting + great writing). After spending hundreds of hours with the crew of the Normandy, I found myself shocked at how close I’d grown to these characters.  There are moments in Mass Effect 3 that will no doubt make players cheer out loud when old “friends” live and die, and there sure is a whole lot of death.  What I realized is that even though the Mass Effect franchise is all about Commander Shepard saving the galaxy, the real meat of the story lies in the friendships he/she (you) forged along the way.  By the time the credits roll, the crew of the Normandy SR2 are indeed one big multi-species family unit, and it’s always hard to say goodbye to family.

The Choice:  Bioware is known for excellent storytelling, and Mass Effect 3 does NOT disappoint.  At it’s core the Mass Effect trilogy is all about heroism, family, and adventure.  While other RPGs have made the promise of a “branching story line” based on player decision, none have come close to the level of complexity that the the Mass Effect franchise actually achieves.  By now you’ve heard how it works,  as the player progresses through the narrative he/she is forced to make a number of difficult game-changing decisions.  I would venture to say that almost everyone that has played Mass Effect has had a slightly different experience, and that’s just incredible.  After making so many decisions in ME1 and ME2, it was just awesome to see the choices that I’d made along the way impact my OWN Mass Effect 3 story.  Mass Effect 3 really is a whole new level of interactive storytelling, and the 2007 version of myself would have probably made a mess in my 2007 pants.  We’ve come a long way.

Who lives and who dies is totally up to you

The Gameplay: Borrowing heavily from other third person cover based shooters (see: Gears of War), ME 3′s combat is fast and addictive.  Combining sound gun play with dozens of different special abilities makes for a incredibly satisfying shooting experience.  The weapons “feel” great and pack a hell of a punch, and that’s really hard to pull off.  The new cover system now allows the player to move fluidly throughout the battlefield while directing their squad mates to take cover and use their own abilities… It’s like a directing a symphony of biotic death.  The streamlined controls make the game much less frustrating than its predecessors, and I’m happy to say I didn’t have a single rage-quit moment throughout my adventure.  Quite possibly the biggest addition to the game that hasn’t been addressed all that much is weapon weight.  While weight is something most RPG fans hate, weapon weight in ME3 allows characters of all classes to use the weapon of their choice.  The heavier the weapons brought into combat, the slower the recharge rate of one’s abilities and biotics.  Yes, that means your dream of a Widow wielding adept with a Claymore sidearm can now come true.  Players now have the ability to tweak and customize their powers more than ever before which really adds a lot of depth and personalization. Cool eh?

Multiplayer:  While you can check out my full write up on Mass Effect: multiplayer experience (Here), I do have to have a bit more to add now that I’ve played it for hours and hours on end… It’s damn good. If you had any apprehension about whether or not Bioware could pull off a solid multiplayer shooter, let me put your fears to rest.  Mass Effect 3 multiplayer borrows the best elements from modern shooters and combines them for a near perfect multiplayer experience where communication is key.  Having a balanced squad working together is necessary for success on higher difficulty settings like silver and gold. As I stated in my MP write up, It was as if the developers got together and analyzed what cooperative games were the most fun, and added a collection of those features to the Mass Effect MP experience.  Since release, players of all sorts have created their own themed Reaper killing death squads, like the formitable ladies of Team Vanguard (check it) who even have their own T-shirt.

The End:  I won’t lie, this review is a bit bias.  At some point along my own personal journey with this franchise I became indoctrinated (like many of you).  Since the launch of Nerd Appropriate in 2010 I’ve written dozens of articles about the Mass Effect franchise, have attended Mass Effect themed events, have mentioned the game in no less than 53 podcasts, and have even managed to make friends with other super-fans like myself (hi guys).  That being said, despite what you may have heard about the ending, Mass Effect 3 was an incredible journey filled with action, love, and sacrifice. With such an incredible universe forged by player decision, I’m eager to see what Bioware decides to do with this franchise now that Shepard’s mission is complete… Or is it? (spoiler link). 

First off, thanks for allowing me this opportunity to write my first blog post for Nerd Appropriate! How exciting! Speaking of exciting things, I had the pleasure of attending the West Hollywood launch event for Mass Effect 3. Take Earth back!

Packed between a couple “big box” stores and near a conveniently situated Starbucks (aren’t they always?), the line of fans stretched down Santa Monica Blvd with lots of smiling faces. The shine of so many N7 insignias made me a very happy girl – it also let me know I had gone to the right place.

When I arrived at 8pm, there were people camped out with folding chairs ready to be the first to get their hands on the final chapter of Commander Shepard’s story. Inside the store, lights blazed and cameras were trained on the center of the room where David Silverman, Director of Marketing for BioWare, sat in the middle with a command center ready to start looping in livestream feeds from Boston, Chicago and Edmonton.

The night went on to include a hilarious exchange with Brandon Keener, voice of Garrus Vakarian, and David Silverman talking about how Brandon “romances himself” – I’ll let you put the pieces together there – and then an interview with Jennifer Hale (Female Shepard), Keener, both in studio, and Mark Meer (Male Shepard) patched in from Edmonton.

Throughout the night, we watched as Boston, Chicago and then Edmonton crossed over the lucky threshold where people could receive their new games.  When it was our turn, I witnessed some tears and some unadulterated joy, but the thing that struck me the most was the expressions on the faces of BioWare employees. Casey Hudson, Mac Walters, Caroline Livingstone, David Silverman and the EA Los Angeles (EALA) video crew all seemed to pause for a moment – maybe I’m taking liberties here, but I think it was a mix of anticipation and above all, pride in what they had accomplished from the inception of the series in 2007. Jesse Houston, former Sr. Producer at BioWare, now at Riot, said that this was a, “culmination of so much hard work from every part of the BioWare team. We bled together.”

The night continued on with the premiere of Tobuscus’ literal Mass Effect trailer which, as a highlight, raises the issue of zombie aliens giving you a shoulder massage of death. 

The Crew : At the end of the event, a table was set up for people to get memorabilia signed by a host of cool people – ones mentioned above and also included Kimberly Brooks (Ashley Williams), Ali Hillis (Liara T’Soni), Ash Sroka (Tali) and others. I learned in this exchange that 1- you should get people to sign the paper (which by the way, is reversible – go FemShep!) and not the outside plastic; 2 – Ali Hillis is an absolute sweetheart with a fantastic memory; 3 – Jennifer Hale can SING really, really well; and last but not least,  5 – Casey Hudson likes oatmeal cookies.

During this time, I had the supremely amazing chance to speak with Raphael S’barge, the voice of Kaidan Alenko, and learned that not only is he gifted vocally, but he’s also quite genuine. As I was fangirling (yes, that is a technical term) all over him, he warmly shook my hand and smiled offering me an autographed copy of a Kaidan photo. We also talked about his role on ABC’s “Once Upon A Time” – if you’re not watching every Sunday night, you should.

It was also fantastic to be reunited with the team at Crabcat (www.facebook.com/crabcatindustries). Holly Conrad has a new set of armor, folks, and it’s baller, yo! I also got the chance to take a picture of her with Jennifer Hale. Two FemSheps in one room? Mind blown.

We discussed the Morgan Spurlock film in which she is featured, “Comic Con IV: A Fan’s Hope” and she mentioned, “how lucky she was to be chosen for the documentary about people striving for a dream.”

Overall, with hundreds of people filing into the store, raising their voices in enthusiastic shouting and bonding over a story so epic as to inspire so much emotion from fans, the only word I could use to describe it was surreal – just kidding. I hate that word. Truly though, it felt like we were all part of something, a cause bigger than our desire to play the game. In that stuffy GameStop packed with sweaty people and hot lights, I could almost believe that the Reapers were real and that we, as a rag-tag team of Alliance soldiers, could stop the invasion. We were there to celebrate. We were there for Shepard.

Writer. Snowboarder. Video game proselytizer. All-around nerd and animal lover. During the day, you can find Hilary working as a marketing director for an international software company and at night (where is this going?), she squeezes in as much time as possible with her Xbox or Kindle. If you feel so inclined from reading this awkward description to find out more about her, go here: www.hilaryshapiro.com or @hilaryheskett  Oh, and she is Gunny from Crabcat!

Follow us!… all creepy like…

So you’re thinking of going to San Diego Comic Con this year but have no idea what the heck is going on with ticketing and lodging?  You’re not alone!  Due to Comic Con’s ever-growing size, Comic Con is making attendees jump through some hoops in order to attend the biggest pop culture celebration on the planet.  Before we tell you what the heck is going on, check out the new trailer for Joss Whedon and Morgan Spurlock’s Comic Con: Episode IV a Fan’s Hope and see what all the hubbub is about.

1) You now need a member ID to attend:  The member ID is simply a log-in for Comic-con.org that is needed to purchase a ticket.  You only have until 2/28/2012 to sign up for a member ID, as after that date none will be available.  So head there NOW before you forget.

2) Where to stay:  If you’re trying to stay close to the convention center you’ve probably noticed that most of the hotels have been “blacked out.”  Yep, that means that there are NO rooms currently available anywhere near the convention center at this time.  Hotel registration through SDCC opens on March 29th.  Last year the registration servers pretty much crashed when booking opened, so prepare to cyber-battle your way to a nice room… like Zero Cool in Hackers.  Be sure to play some bad 90s techno while you’re trying to secure a hotel room.

3) When tickets actually go on sale: Nobody knows!  This is a greater mystery than Diablo III’s release date.  Comic-Con simply has yet to reveal when tickets will become available.  We will let you all know the moment we find out.

Here is some info scooped from Comic-Con.org that is very helpful. 

Are there a limited number of Member IDs available?

Anyone may register for a Member ID, they will not run out. You will only need to register for a Member ID once. Please note that duplicate e-mail addresses are not allowed, and only one Member ID per person. Member ID registration will close February 28th, 2012.

How does one sign up to receive an alert when badges go on sale?

Your Comic-Con Member ID will add you to our verified special member “E-List.” Comic-Con will release the badge sales date and time via email to everyone who has registered for a Member ID. Please check your email frequently for this announcement.

I still don’t understand – What is the difference between Member IDs, badges, and tickets?

A Comic-Con badge is required for entry to any Comic-Con event. This is the physical badge you will wear at Comic-Con.

Additionally, a Member ID account is required to purchase, apply, or register for a badge for Comic-Con. The Member ID will act as your “login” to the EPIC online registration system when it at a later date. Without a Member ID you will not be able to log on to the EPIC online registration system and purchase a badge, nor complete a press, professional, trade professional or volunteer application.

Comic-Con does not sell “tickets” to our event. After you register for a Member ID and purchase your badge through EPIC online registration, you will receive a barcode confirmation e-mail that you will bring onsite to exchange for a badge.

My wife and I share the same e-mail, why do we each need a unique e-mail address?

By requiring a unique e-mail address for each Member ID, our hope is to increase the speed of the online registration process and prevent duplicate registrations that allow scalpers to purchase multiple tickets and sell them at inflated prices. Our hope is that the Comic-Con Member ID system will allow more fans to purchase tickets for this highly popular event.

Why are you making this so difficult? Will I need to sign up for a Member ID again next year?

We truly thank you for your patience during this process. Our goal with the Member ID system is to increase the efficiency and speed of the EPIC online badge registration system, as well as decrease the number of scalpers purchasing large blocks of tickets. You will only need to sign up for a Comic-Con Member ID once, and it is yours for life! If you wish to purchase a badge for Comic-Con 2013 and beyond, you will use your same Member ID.

This faux intro to The Walking Dead had me thinking, “How would the Seaver family fare during the zombie apocalypse?” Well I think Maggie and Dr. Jason would be just fine. They’re just too normal and nurturing to let a zombie outbreak really bother them. Mike would probably rebel and join up with some anti-government biker gang, and Ben and Carol would probably become zombie dinner. Unfortunately the cast has become quite political in recent years so I don’t see them giving us the parody we’re all waiting for.

Baby Rain or Shine… It’s Twitter Time

Ahh San Diego Comic Con, it’s a magical convention for nerds of all shapes and sizes.  Comic Con 2012 will mark my 10th SDCC since first attending way back in 2000.  Since the dawn of the new millennium I’ve seen the convention grow each and every year at an almost alarming rate.  One of the things that makes SDCC stand out in comparison to other conventions, is its amazing  location.  The San Diego Convention center is located in one of the most exciting and accessible areas of San Diego, and is utterly surrounded by great places to eat, sleep, and shop.  It’s like Mecca, but with better weather and more cos play.

Will the planned convention center expansion ensure that Comic Con stays in San Diego beyond 2015?

Goodbye Sandiego? :  According to a variety of sources, San Diego almost lost the rights to host Comic Con International last year after competing with a handful of other cities such as Las Vegas, Orlando, and Los Angeles.  Much to the delight of SDCC fans, ol’ San Diego held onto their contract until 2015, but what happens then?

Bigger, Badder, Better? According to some information I stumbled across on the interwebs on “The San Diego Unified Port District has given conditional approval to help fund the $550 million cost for the proposed San Diego Convention Center expansion.”  Simply stated, the city has given the green light to expand the size of the San Diego Convention center, in order to compete with the previously mentioned venues in terms of size and attendance.  When completed, the entire center will be approximately 1/3 larger than it is today.  Hopefully this new construction puts an end to the size issues currently plaguing one of my favorite conventions on Earth.  See you there!

EXHIBIT A (statement from Casey Hudson):  “This is a concept that has never been done before in games, ever,” states Hudson. “Not simply a story device, it’s fundamental to the game. For the first time, wherever you go – online, mobile, on social networks – you’ll be able to follow your progress. You’ll never have to leave the Mass Effect experience.”

EXHIBIT B (Bioware/EA acquires Click Nation):  and according to today’s press release ”KlickNation’s expertise in building innovative and compelling RPGs for social platforms makes them a seamless tuck-in with the BioWare team at EA,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s BioWare label. “We share the same creative values. The new BioWare Social unit will bring BioWare and EA franchises to the growing audience of core gamers who are looking for high quality, rich gameplay experiences on social platforms.”

We couldn’t be more excited to see what Bioware and KlickNation have in store for us in the near future.  Just give me my mobile mining experience damn it!

PRESS RELEASE:

Leading Social RPG Developer Joins EA’s BioWare Label to Lead Growth in Core Social Gaming

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced the acquisition of KlickNation, a developer of free-to-play social role-playing games (RPGs). The acquisition further strengthens EA’s position as a leader in social games, increasing the company’s expertise and technological resources in the fast-growing core social games genre. KlickNation is now BioWare Sacramento, part of EA’s BioWare™ label. The team joins BioWare’s existing social gaming team at BioWare San Francisco to form a new business unit, BioWare Social, focused on the development of RPG experiences for social networks and led by former KlickNation CEO Mark Otero.

“KlickNation’s expertise in building innovative and compelling RPGs for social platforms makes them a seamless tuck-in with the BioWare team at EA,” said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA’s BioWare label. “We share the same creative values. The new BioWare Social unit will bring BioWare and EA franchises to the growing audience of core gamers who are looking for high quality, rich gameplay experiences on social platforms.”

“While developing social RPG experiences, we held BioWare as a role model for storytelling and game design,” said Mark Otero, General Manager, BioWare Social and co-founder of KlickNation. “Joining with BioWare and EA is an opportunity to realize our vision for bringing high-quality RPG titles to the fast-growing, highly-engaged core gamers looking for deeper experiences on social platforms.”

KlickNation develops and publishes games for social platforms including Facebook®. Known for combining in-depth storylines with high-quality graphics, KlickNation has consistently delivered repeated breakthroughs in the social RPG genre since the release of its first game in 2009. SuperHero City was the first social game to feature animated battles; Age of Champions introduced the first mass combat battle system in a social game; and Six Gun Galaxy uses a newly-developed engine to deliver a completely flash-based isometric game experience.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

 NA-Ash: For those folks that didn’t get to attend Comic-Con, can you describe what your Comic-Con experience was like this year, and perhaps some of the things you did for Bioware?

Holly Conrad: This year was pretty awesome. We got to help at the BioWare base most of the time. We got everyone in and out of costume, we hosted an event, and I got to interview Jennifer Hale in my costume (which was totally a dream come true). Really I think it was the best Comic Con ever for Crabcat. It was hard work, but in the end we all really felt like it went amazing. One of my favorite moments was when we did the Mass Effect March, and we had Garrus sniping on the balcony of the Hilton while I yelled at the crowd “Humanity First!”  There’s really no words for getting to spend your day pretending to be a space hero with some of your best friends and a huge crowd of omni-blade wielding fans.

NA-Ash: While you didn’t participate in The SDCC Bioware costume contest, you got to judge the event along with Ali Hillis and Casey Hudson.  What was that experience like for you?

Holly Conrad:  Again, another dream come true. They are all amazing people, and really have a great sense of humor. Of course it’s also intimidating, sitting next to Liara I almost expected to be hit by a singularity when I wasn’t looking…

NA-Ash: Patrolling Comic-Con dressed as Commander Shepard must be a surreal experience. Do you have a favorite, or most bizarre fan encounter?

Holly Conrad:  I’ve actually been to a lot of conventions as Shepard now, and I have to say most of the time it’s pretty tame. I once had a guy ask me to pistol whip him, that was pretty awesome. I agreed, and then he told me he didn’t ACTUALLY want that. Renegade punch failure. One of my favorite encounters was at PAX last year when I had a young kid come up to me and call me “Commander” in a very shy voice, it was just adorable. Every picture and every fan encounter is amazing though, it’s always so flattering and a lot of fun.

NA-Ash: Even though making elaborate and often amazing costumes takes insane skill, why do you feel as though there is still a strange negative social stigma attached to cosplay?

Holly Conrad: If there is, it’s not a big deal and I’ve never encountered it. Cosplay is becoming more and more an art form and a respected hobby in America, and I think it’ll continue to grow. Or, I may just have no shame and not care if there’s a negative stigma, because doing what you love is more important than what people think.

NA-Ash: You seem to have a pretty amazing relationship with Bioware, how did they approach you to help out with the Mass Effect: Invasion trailer? Can you describe to our readers what all you did on the commercial?

Holly Conrad: The trailer was amazing! That was definitely an experience. We created the husk costumes, which you only see briefly, but they were fantastic. They were sculpted suits with LEDs running through them, and when the actors were in them I was nearly ready to hide behind a waist-high crate. When they were on set it was surreal. The whole set was decked out in Mass Effect writing, a downed helicopter, lights, everything. It was seriously like we were in the Mass Effect universe. I would love to do more things like that, it really brought the game to life.

NA-Ash: Rumor has it Crabcat industries will be attending this year’s PAX:Prime. Can you fill us in on what you all have planned for your panel?

Holly Conrad: Our panel this year is sort of a tongue-in-cheek non-costume costume contest. We really just want everyone to show up in costume, no matter what it is, and we’re going to have a show. It’s a lot more fan-interactive than out last few panels, so I think it’ll be really great, and be a place for cosplayers to show up and take pictures. And there are prizes! It’s Friday at 8:00 in the Unicorn theater.

NA-Ash: This whole “Fem-Shep” debacle has gotten a bit out of hand with articles like “Death To Blonde Shepard” generating a ton of press. Do you think it was wise for Bioware to allow their community to have so much power in choosing the appearance of such an iconic female?

“There’s really no words for getting to spend your day pretending to be a space hero with some of your best friends and a huge crowd of omni-blade wielding fans..”

Holly Conrad: Really I think that Shepard, whoever she/he is, can be anyone. They can have blonde hair, black hair, no hair, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that they can be customized to be what you want them to be. I think that’s always been the most important factor of this whole debate. And I may joke around about blonde Shepard, but that’s only because I was biased, one of the possible looked was based off of my costume! Sadly she didn’t win, but she still looked awesome.

Holly Conrad as Commander Shepard by axl99

NA-Ash:Out of total curiosity what direction would you like to see the Mass-Effect franchise take after the release of Mass Effect 3? An MMO perhaps?

Holly Conrad: I’d love an MMO, though I would miss the story arc the most. I think any game set in the Mass Effect universe would be fantastic. I love the setting, maybe something involving more back story on the races. Turians preferably, I love Turians.

NA-Ash: Can you fill our readers in on the project you worked on with Morgan Spurlock, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope?

Holly Conrad:  The movie premiers next month at TIFF in Toronto, you’ll have to wait to see the rest then (wink wink).

NA-Ash: Holly, thanks so much for chatting with us. We’ll see you on the floor of PAX for sure. Do you or Crabcat have any closing words of wisdom or any projects we should look out for?

Holly Conrad: I’m going to have a new female Shepard suit at PAX, look our for ME3 Shepard! Renegade style! Other than that, come to the panel and say hi, and don’t burn yourself on any heat guns.

Follow Holly on Twitter HERE

Being stuck in transit for about an hour every day means we’re always on the lookout for a new podcast. Sure, we’ve had lists in the past of some of the podcasts we enjoy, but it’s been a few months since we’ve added anything new. You may know Aisha Tyler from Talk Soup, or perhaps her stand up comedy, but did you know Aisha is a big time nerd?  The latest episode of her podcast “Girl on Guy”  (careful when you Google that) features Chuck’s Zachary Levi and contains just about as much nerdery as one of our OWN podcasts… and that’s really saying something.  If you’re looking for a damn funny podcast with a sweet injection of nerd-culture then do yourself a favor and check out Girl on Guy! It’s only on its 6th episode so you can still feel like you were one of its original fans before it blows up… which it will.  Check out the latest episode HERE.

The secret weapon

The Gears of War franchise has done a whole lot for multiplayer gaming including an incredible cover mechanic, horde mode, and more polish than the Heisman trophy. So why will Gears of War 3 change shooters forever? Two Words… Karen Traviss. Video games have changed a lot over the past decade. Gone are the days of silent (and boring) heroes mindlessly running through a labyrinth while blasting creeps with a “B.F.G.”. Much like the transition from silent film to “talkies”, the average gamer has come to expect more substance from their games, even shooters. If the name Karen Traviss is unfamiliar to you, Karen is a former journalist and defense corespondent turned science fiction writer. Her novels are so well written that it often feels as if you’re in the trenches with these soldiers with every bullet whizzing by overhead. On top of writing a salvo of Star Wars books, Karen is also responsible for the Gears of War novels that take place between Gears of War 2 and Gears of War 3. These are not your average “video game books” and are all spectacular in their own special ways. Lucky for us, the folks at Epic Games decided that Karen would be the best person to bring this new level of realism and immersion to the franchise. That’s right, Karen is the sole author of Gears of War 3: Brothers to the End.

The future of shooters lies not in kill streaks and copy paste story telling, but in the strength of narrative. With Karen’s help Epic Games is set to redefine what we come to expect from shooters. In the same way that Bioware redefined the RPG with Baldur’s Gate, Gears of War 3 will become the new standard in action-storytelling that all future shooters will attempt to emulate. Sure, these are some bold words, but I can tell you one thing; mixing the stories of Karen Traviss with Epic’s stellar gameplay should create a concoction more explosive than a lambent Brumak…you’ll see.

Rated NA 31 – Ash Wants a Foot Rub

Blonde? So what...Jennifer Hale is the voice of ALL female Commander Shepards

Soon after the six versions of “Fem-Shep” were revealed I got wind that there was a bit of a controversy brewing.  Fem-Shep fans were upset that the blonde Commander Shepard was (and still is) leading the polls.  Now I’m by no means the first guy to report on this event; literally every game site on the web has had an article on the whole Fem-Shep debacle, but I felt obligated to sound off as well.  Even though I may get some hate mail, I’m going to tell you the truth. When I had the opportunity to choose which female Shepard I liked the best, I went with the Blonde!  Am I a “bad” guy for liking the blonde Shepard? Am I some sort of macho Barbie-loving asshole?  I sure hope not!  Heck I’m married to a multi-racial “minority”. Reading some of the remarks on Facebook really had me floored.  Were people REALLY this upset about the color of Shepard’s hair?  Is it not what’s “inside” (Hale’s performance) that really counts?  Trust me, I fully understand the argument, blondes typically are represented as cheerleading prom-queens, not saviors of the galaxy.  However, isn’t the backlash against blonde-Shepard a step in the wrong direction?   Equality is equality, blondes and brunettes alike.  Screaming and yelling about the color of a character’s hair is sort of counter-productive.    Here are some of the buzzard-shit crazy things fans are saying.  The names have been changed to protect the ignorant. 

 “I actually cringed when I saw the blonde and said to myself “shes gonna win simply because of the hair.” No offense meant to her or blondes around the world. I’ll hope against hope (that’s not why) she wins.” – Gretta

“this bish is hawt. The others look like space dykes. I want my Shep to look like a model/badass.” – Sunbeam

“Watch Bioware go with the blonde Shepard. That pisses me off >:( We need a COMMANDER that looks like a COMMANDER. Not fond of the overly delicate look. WANT BADASS REDHEAD!!!” – Ringworm

“We wait all this time for a fucking female Shepard, and Bioware turns it into a fucking BEAUTY CONTEST” – Jill Sandwhich

Marketing and Money

Jennifer Hale is the voice of ALL female Commander Shepards

Bioware is giving female Commander Shepard fans a gift  in the creation of an offical female Commander Shepard. By introducing a fem shep into their marketing plan they run the risk of isolating and alienating new players that may feel confused by seeing two Commander Shepards representing the Mass Effect franchise.  It’s a risky move, and a move done to make fans happy.  To answer your the inevitable question; why did you choose the blonde?  My answer is simple.  I chose the blonde because MY Shepard is a blonde. And I simply chose the blonde hair because I thought it looked cool in space.  I understand your frustration gang, but having a blonde Commander Shepard ISN’T an insult to your gender and fem shep fans everywhere.  Blonde is simply the color of her hair, not who she is.

While wandering the streets and “marching against the Reapers” we happened to run into the folks participating in 2011 Comic-Con zombie walk. What happens when a few hundred zombies smash into a few hundred Spectres? Mass confusion and plenty of omni-blade stabbings. I have to say that there was something incredibly gratifying about shanking a fake-zombie in the chops with my fake omni-blade. Check out the video below.

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/27/comic-con-2011-mass-effect-march-spectres-vs-zombies/feed/ 0 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/23/comic-con-2011-the-truth-about-comic-con-ticketing/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/23/comic-con-2011-the-truth-about-comic-con-ticketing/#comments Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:02:03 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10392

Things are changing for the world’s biggest nerd-fest.  For the first time ever people are camping out for next-year’s con DURING this year’s con… How meta is that?  From reports we’ve been hearing Comic-Con fans have been lining up as early as 11pm just for the opportunity to get passes the following morning.
Panels we can understand, but camping out for tickets? This is the first year any such madness has occurred.

Disclaimer:  We here at NA love Comic-Con, but feel as though the ticketing process has gotten a bit “wacky”, to put things nicely.

Here is a list of some info we’ve come across, some of which may be second hand.

• Ticket prices for four day badges make a significant leap in price to $175.00, no doubt in an attempt to limit their demand.  Sure they’ll still sell like hot-cakes, but $175.00 is a lot of cash.
• Less tickets were sold this year on purpose.  According to what we’ve been hearing from a few inside sources the fire-marshall was getting pretty agitated with Comic-Con and actually told them they’d have to cut their numbers or leave San Diego.  Less tickets sold means… well… they’re a lot harder to get.  We don’t have any actual numbers for you yet, but as soon as we do you’ll be the first to know.
• More offsite programming to cull the herd.  If you’ve wandered the floor this year you’ll notice that it’s not as busy as 2009 and 2010.  With companies like BioWare and Nerd Machine offering off-site programming, the need to have an actual Comic-Con ticket to enjoy Comic-Con is starting to dwindle.  Heck, there are even some off-site panels this year!
• The lines: If you build them, they will come.  I don’t want to tell you guys things you already know, but these lines only exist because you’re in them!  This has never happened in the history of Comic-Con and something is seriously broken.
• Limited tickets sold daily to make it “fair” to those that aren’t able to attend this years show.  If Comic-Con has roughly 120,000 attendees (old numbers..) and half of those people decide they wish to return to next year’s convention, then Comic-Con only has 60,000 tickets to sell to the general public.  When every major media outlet in the world is covering your event, the demand for tickets gets pretty absurd.

Again Comic Con, we love you, but something has to be done to improve your relationship with us, your biggest fans.  Do you really want to see people in sleeping bags outside of a hotel for nights on end after they already paid hundreds if not thousands of dollars to attend this year’s convention?  We’re your friends SDCC, let’s work something better out. Oh, and please follow us on Twitter!  We report on games, pop-culture, tech and all things nerdy. Thanks gang!

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/23/comic-con-2011-the-truth-about-comic-con-ticketing/feed/ 2 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/21/comic-con-2011-updates-here/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/21/comic-con-2011-updates-here/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:07:43 +0000 matt http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10344

Lines, Lines, everywhere there's lines

I had the pleasure of going to comic-con last year and in many ways it spawned the passion to start this project with Ash and Scott. While a lot of people view it as tons of bodies uncomfortably jammed into a rather small city with a rather small convention center, it is so much more. Of course most of that sentence is true, but what it doesn’t describe is the amazing energy that surrounds it. It is 125,000 people, yes, but it is 125,000 people all passionately into the same things. Sarcasm is left at the door and you get to go and truly nerd out about stuff that you love.

The lines suck, yes. The crowded-ness sucks, indeed. It’s not all about comics anymore either, but who cares. If you ultimately want to go to something about nothing but comics, there are comic conventions in multiple cities all year long (seriously just google “comic convention”). Comic-con let’s you just overload your senses with all the Movies, TV, Comics and Games that you can take. It’s kind of euphoric. Don’t forget about the things going on outside of the convention, and this year that has expanded, with Nerd Machine and Bioware running their own panels. It is insane.

So, if you didn’t get to make it, be sure to follow us on twitter. We spared no expense to send Ash with his lovely wife Chrissy there (seriously, we spent no money, he’s entirely out of pocket on this) and they are keeping regular updates flowing into twitter. So do it to it folks, and revel in the things that give you little nerd heart palpitations.

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/21/comic-con-2011-updates-here/feed/ 1 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/18/rated-na-29-comic-con-preview-and-tv-death-watch/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/18/rated-na-29-comic-con-preview-and-tv-death-watch/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:47:31 +0000 matt http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10296

Today we talk about the new Dark Knight Rises Trailer, MK Pass on XBL and we do a preview of events for Comic-Con. We review F3AR (fear 3), Child of Eden and LA Noire DLC, and finally we wrap up our TV Death watch where we predict the future lives and deaths of fall TV.

Rated NA #29

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/18/rated-na-29-comic-con-preview-and-tv-death-watch/feed/ 2 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/16/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dev-chat-and-demo-video-embed/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/16/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dev-chat-and-demo-video-embed/#comments Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:23:18 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10224 Did you miss yesterday’s demo and live chat with the folks at Bioware with all new info about their latest Dragon Age II DLC?  If so we have the embed for you below!  Also, if you stick around until the very end one of our “hard hitting” questions gets answered (resulting in chuckles and the promise of man on man hugging).

Watch live streaming video from biowaretv at livestream.com

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/16/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dev-chat-and-demo-video-embed/feed/ 0 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/15/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dlc-new-info-from-bioware-chat/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/15/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dlc-new-info-from-bioware-chat/#comments Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:32:54 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10205 Just got done taking notes on the new Dragon Age II: Legacy DLC webcast. The folks at Bioware were cool enough to answer a ton of questions about the upcoming DLC, and lucky for you all… I took notes.

Who? Evil Chris Priestly, Fernando Melo (Senior Producer on Dragon Age) and Kaelin Lavallee  (a designer on the Dragon Age team).

• Bioware will infact give you high 5s and “bro hugs” if you see that at comic con (that was my question)

* Start in Kirkwall
* Can begin DLC at any level
* Carver and Bethany are available (if alive)
* You choose a party of 3
* You begin the DLC from your home and do not have to travel anywhere on your minimap.
* Begins with another interrogation “some business with Hawke’s family”
* In this play-through Carver was alive and a member of the Templar.
* Hawke’s father is named Malcolm Hawke
* Carta Thug – “It begins with him and ends with you”
* Enemies will not *BAMF* in, but will enter organically
* Can begin DLC as  soon as you enter Kirkwall.
* No dungeons reused from DA:2 –ALL NEW
* Length – Bigger than any Origins DLC (sans Awakening) –
* There will be puzzles, side quests and things for folks that enjoy exploring.
*There will be a lore “connection” for fans of the books and lore, specifically The Architect and The Calling.

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/15/dragon-age-ii-legacy-dlc-new-info-from-bioware-chat/feed/ 0 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/12/comic-con-2011-nerd-machine-breaks-the-mold/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/12/comic-con-2011-nerd-machine-breaks-the-mold/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 23:57:04 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10139

Comic Con has gotten beyond massive.  Ten years ago it was entirely possible to stroll up to the convention center, plop down some cash, and waltz right in.  Attempting that maneuver today would get you clotheslined and laughed at by security. In our modern nerd-friendly world getting into Comic Con takes expert planning, patience, and a bit of luck.  After all, Comic Con is the largest nerd gathering in the entire universe.  Because Comic Con keeps growing, the convention center can no longer contain all the awesome.  The Nerd Machine is now hosting a series of special panels right outside the walls of the convention center.  The spectacular thing about The Nerd Machine’s panels is that they’re limited to 250 people (which is incredibly small by Comic Con’s standards). Also, your ENTIRE 20 dollar donation goes to Operation Smile, an amazing life changing charity.  For those of you that couldn’t get ahold of a ticket this year this is a great opportunity to have some fun and donate to a great charity. Pasted below is the current schedule.  Good luck getting tickets, and we’ll see you there! (more info coming soon)

 

Tickets are currently on hold – check their site tomorrow morning

 

THURSDAY

Welcome to the Nerd HQ with Zac Levi

WhenThu, July 21, 9am – 10am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionZachary Levi and the Nerd Machine welcome you to the Nerd HQ and highlight some upcoming events of SDCC 2011… Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

NERD Quest

WhenThu, July 21, 11am – 2pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionNERD Quest Scavenger Hunt! Nerd Quest Home Page

more details» copy to my calendar

1:00pm

The Men of the Nerdolution Panel

WhenThu, July 21, 1pm – 2pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionWith Zachary Levi, Danny Pudi, Jorge Garcia and friends Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

2:00pm

The Men of the Nerdolution Signing

WhenThu, July 21, 2pm – 3pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

3:00pm

Women of the Nerdolution

WhenThu, July 21, 3pm – 4pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSpeakers TBA Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

4:00pm

Women of the Nerdolution Signing

WhenThu, July 21, 4pm – 5pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

FRIDAY

A Conversation with the Cast of Firefly

WhenFri, July 22, 9am – 10am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionNathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

10:00am

A Conversation with the Cast of Firefly Signing

WhenFri, July 22, 10am – 11am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

1:00pm

A Conversation with Zachary Quinto

WhenFri, July 22, 1pm – 2pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionZachary Quinto, Before the Door and Archaia Entertainment Present: A Graphic Partnership—The Debut of the Lucid and Mr. Murder Is Dead Graphic Novels At Comic-Con International in San Diego, Zachary Quinto, Before the Door and Archaia Entertainment are supporting Zachary Levi’s (“Chuck”) Nerd HQ “Conversations for a Cause” to benefit Operation Smile, a foundation dedicated to helping children born with cleft palates. For a minimum donation of $20, join Zachary Quinto (Margin Call, Star Trek) and his Before the Door partners Neal Dodson and Corey Moosa for a spirited discussion about their two, new graphic novels published by Archaia: Mr. Murder Is Dead, a “who didn’t do it” mystery set in the fading world of Golden Age comic strips, with writer Victor Quinaz (Chinese Dream) and artist Brent Schoonover (Astronaut Dad); and Lucid, about a combat mage assigned to protect the nation from evil forces, with writer Michael McMillian (True Blood). Moderated by Archaia editor-in-chief Stephen Christy. The panel will be followed by a signing of the Lucid and/or Mr. Murder Is Deadgraphic novels ONLY. Jolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101. For information on how to buy tickets, visit http://www.thenerdmachine.com/nerd-hq/. Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

2:00pm

A Conversation with Zachary Quinto Signing

WhenFri, July 22, 2pm – 3pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

2:30pm

A Conversation with Scott Bakula with no signing

WhenFri, July 22, 2:30pm – 3:30pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionBuy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

10:00pm

SATURDAY

NERD Party

WhenFri, July 22, 10pm – Sat, July 23, 4am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

more details» copy to my calendar

11:oo

A.M. A Conversation with Stoopid Monkey

WhenSat, July 23, 11am – 12pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSeth Green and Matt Beans Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

12:00pm

A Conversation with Stoopid Monkey Signing

WhenSat, July 23, 12pm – 1pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

1:00pm

A Conversation with Game Developers Cliff Bleszinski and Rod Fergusson from Epic Games

WhenSat, July 23, 1pm – 2pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

Description Buy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

2:00pm

A Conversation with Game Developers Cliff Bleszinski and Rod Fergusson from Epic Games Signing

WhenSat, July 23, 2pm – 3pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

SUNDAY

1:30

Nerd Tweetup

WhenSat, July 23, 8:00pm – Sun, July 24, 1:30am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionThe Nerd Tweet up will be happening downstairs at the HQ follow us @nerdtweetup

more details» copy to my calendar

9:00am

A Conversation with Zachary Levi

WhenSun, July 24, 9am – 10am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionBuy Your Tickets Here

more details» copy to my calendar

10:00am

A Conversation with Zachary Levi Signing

WhenSun, July 24, 10am – 11am

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionSigning immediately following included in the Conversation donation

more details» copy to my calendar

11:00am

NERD Brunch

WhenSun, July 24, 11am – 1pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

more details» copy to my calendar

1:00pm

Nerd Machine “Shorties” Festival

WhenSun, July 24, 1pm – 3pm

WhereJolt’N Joe’s, 379 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92101 (map)

DescriptionThe First Annual Nerd Machine Shorties Festival viewing and awards.

more details» copy to my calendar

We’ll be there!

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/12/comic-con-2011-nerd-machine-breaks-the-mold/feed/ 2 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/09/comic-con-2011-bioware-panel-info/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/09/comic-con-2011-bioware-panel-info/#comments Sat, 09 Jul 2011 19:13:16 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10091 Bioware will have a large presence at this year’s San Diego Comic Con!  That’s right, Bioware will be showcasing demos of Mass Effect 3, SWTOR, and the new Dragon Age II DLC at their own location right outside the convention center.  As if that weren’t enough, Bioware will also be participating in a handful of panels.  Hopefully using our nerdly powers we’ll be able to jump-kick our way through a legion of fans so that we can bring you the latest Bioware news from San Diego.  Check out the panel times and locations below!

MASS EFFECT MOVIE -

Friday – 12:45-1:45 Legendary Pictures: Preproduction Preview— Legendary Pictures holds its first-ever Comic-Con panel and shares an early look at some of the movies on the company’s upcoming film slate. Fans will be able to access Legendary’s plans, garner sneak peeks at their movies in preproduction, and hear from filmmakers and cast members from the upcoming Pacific Rim, Seventh Son, Paradise Lost, and Mass Effect. Panel participants include Jeff Bridges, Bradley Cooper, Guillermo del Toro, Ben Barnes, Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Alicia Vikander, Alex Proyas, Sergei Bodrov, Travis Beacham, Mark Protosevich, and Casey Hudson. Room 6BCF

BIOWARE AND DARKHORSE

Saturday – 4:00-5:00 Dark Horse and BioWare: A Comic and Video Game Partnership— Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect are creations of one of the most distinguished developers in video games — BioWare! Join Star Wars: The Old Republic senior writer Alexander Freed, Mass Effect 3 lead writer Mac Walters, Mass Effect comics scripterJohn Jackson Miller, Dark Horse editor Dave Marshall, and a cast of celebrities, as BioWare and Dark Horse announce their next collaboration and reveal exclusive details about the games and comics they’re working on. Room 23ABC

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/09/comic-con-2011-bioware-panel-info/feed/ 1 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/06/comic-con-2011-mass-effect-movie-details-emerge/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/06/comic-con-2011-mass-effect-movie-details-emerge/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:14:47 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=10049 (which was in development limbo) will indeed be represented at this year's Comic Con in San Diego. The problem, it appears as though the panel will more than likely take place in the dreaded Hall-H. In recent years Hall-H has become nearly impossible to step foot in due to die-hard fans (Twilight/etc) camping out overnight in order to see their favorite stars. Here is what we know so far. ]]>

Yep, but you have to survive Hall-H

Casey Hudson just let the cat out of the bag. The Mass Effect movie (which was in development limbo) will indeed be represented at this year’s Comic Con in San Diego. The problem, it appears as though the panel will more than likely take place in the dreaded Hall-H. In recent years Hall-H has become nearly impossible to step foot in due to die-hard fans (Twilight/etc) camping out overnight in order to see their favorite stars. Here is what we know so far.

On Friday, July 22nd, audience participants will have the opportunity to attend an engaging panel consisting of cast and filmmakers from upcoming Legendary films. Fans can expect to witness on-stage camaraderie between and Q&A’s with:

MASS EFFECT

Game creator, Casey Hudson and screenwriter adapting the game to film, Mark Protosevich.

Legendary’s Chairman and CEO, Thomas Tull as well as Chief Creative Officer, Jon Jashni, will also be in attendance to answer fan questions and to speak directly with cast and filmmakers about this exciting slate of upcoming films. Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times, who is also the founder of HeroComplex.com, will moderate the panel.

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/06/comic-con-2011-mass-effect-movie-details-emerge/feed/ 0 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/01/voltron-force-premire-at-sdcc-2011-hosted-by-carrie-keagan/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/01/voltron-force-premire-at-sdcc-2011-hosted-by-carrie-keagan/#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:42:09 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=9944 Volton is another one of those magical cartoons that holds a special place in my nerdy heart.  I remember waking up extra early on weekday mornings just to catch an episode before I hobbled off to elementary/middle school.  The best thing about Voltron was its seemingly endless supply of episodes.  Since Voltron was around for YEARS in Japan before it reached the United States I rarely saw a re-run.  Also, perhaps due to bad translation, I never knew what the hell was REALLY going on. Voltron was great because it was mercury guzzling crazy!   They ran the same transformation animation so many times that the sequence is forever etched into my brain.  There is some good news for Voltron fans everywhere!  Like a global pandemic, re-launch fever is sweeping the land and Voltron has not escaped its reach. Some remakes will be good, and others will take your childhood memories and poop all over them like a Vietnamese punji-stick.  We just learned that everyone’s favorite transforming-robot-lions will have their very own San Diego Comic Con panel hosted by none other than the ultra-fun Carrie Keagan.

What we know so far:

The New Show: “Voltron Force” will be the new name given to the animated series on Nicktoons.  Voltron Force will also be given an obligatory toyline from Mattel that will offer heroes and villains from the new series.  There are also rumors of a feature length Votron film depending on how well the series does on Nick.

Episodes: Starting in June (they just started airing a few weeks ago.. oops) 2012 Nicktoons will air 26 half-hour episodes of “Voltron Force“, with the option to produce more if the series does well.

Plot: Variety leaked some plot points and  stated that the series will be similar to the original (robot lions), but will introduce some new recruits brought in to fight alongside the original characters.  Remember when they replaced the black lion with the princess, that was bonkers!!

We’ll be at the panel for sure and will fill you in on all the goodies.  Plus we think Carrie Keagan is going to be a blast to watch. UPDATE – The panel will be held Thursday, July 21 at 6PM

 

 

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/07/01/voltron-force-premire-at-sdcc-2011-hosted-by-carrie-keagan/feed/ 0 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/06/28/want-to-go-to-comic-con-2011-hurry-you-still-can/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/06/28/want-to-go-to-comic-con-2011-hurry-you-still-can/#comments Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:06:34 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=9814 A few years ago we were unable to get Comic Con tickets in time (they sell out in hours now). Like many of you out there we were stuck waiting for extra tickets to become available.  With some luck we were still able to attend Comic Con using the very deal they they’re running now.  MOMENTS ago SDCC opened up some more 4 day passes for you to enjoy!  The catch, you have to also stay a pre-designated hotel for at least three days.  If you’re on the fence about Comic Con, trust me, it will be the time of you life.  Details regarding the extra tickets can be found HERE. And hey, if you decide to go let us know,we’ll hang out!

Comic-Con Offers Badge/Hotel Special Offer Again for 2011

A limited number of 4-Day badges will be available as part of the hotel stay special offer.

Like last year we expect this special offer will go fast, so get yours today!

The Badge/Hotel special offers are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis.

Badges DO NOT include Preview Night.

1. Book a minimum of 3 nights at one of the below hotels in the special offer program only. Stay must include the night of Thursday, July 21st. Additional nights are available at the Comic-Con convention rate which will increase the special offer price.
2. Full prepayment of your hotel room is required at time of booking. Charges are non-refundable.
3. You may purchase one badge per person staying in your room, up to a maximum of 4 badges per room while supplies last. All guest names must be on the reservation at time of original booking. Each badge is good for one 4-day badge for entry into Comic-Con starting on Thursday July 21, 2011 – Sunday July 24, 2011. Children 11 and under are free with paid adult membership (one child per paying adult).
4. Adult 4-Day badges WITHOUT Preview Night are $137 per person, Junior (ages 12-17) 4-day badges WITHOUT Preview Night are $68. Travel Planners will send you directions telling your how to purchase your badges from Comic-Con within 2 business days of completing your room reservation. You must have access to the Internet and be able to purchase your badges on-line in order to qualify for this special offer.
5. Room reservations and memberships are non-transferable.

 

]]> http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/06/28/want-to-go-to-comic-con-2011-hurry-you-still-can/feed/ 3 http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/05/27/con-report-may-hem-day-1/ http://www.nerdappropriate.com/2011/05/27/con-report-may-hem-day-1/#comments Sat, 28 May 2011 01:45:01 +0000 Ash http://www.nerdappropriate.com/?p=8242 MAY-HEM CON – DAY 1

We love local conventions. Orlando is lucky enough to be a pretty popular hub for nerd conventions. Megacon, Vulcon, FX-Con, Otronicon and Spooky Empires all call Orlando home. Sadly, in recent years a few of our local conventions have been forced to take a bit of a break due to the skyrocketing costs of putting one of these conventions in motion. The folks at Spooky Empire put on a great con that is chiefly geared toward horror and science fiction fans. Spooky Empire is a blast mainly due to its unique “family reunion” atmosphere.  Does this mean that there are creepy drunk uncles wandering the floor? No… well… yes, but not really.  The only people that would attend a convention like May-Hem are people that are truly passionate about science fiction and horror. By attending a convention like this you’re guaranteed to be in a room filled with people that you have something in common with, and that’s awesome right? I dropped by May-Hem for a few minutes after work to take some pictures and set some content up for tomorrow. Enjoy some pictures along with a brief commentary.

Yes that’s my goofy ass with Diora Baird.  Diora has been in a shit load of genre films including Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Night of the Demons.  I’ll admit, I was pretty damn excited to meet Ms.Baird, and guess what?  She ended up being an incredibly friendly and “normal” supermodel person. No ego to be seen what-so-ever (I really love when that happens).  Tomorrow we promised to bring Diora some hard hitting (and ridiculous) questions, so prepare yourselves for some Nerd-Mayhem. Nerd-Hem? nahhh…  BTW if you guys aren’t following her Twitter feed you really need to! @DioraBaird1 , it’s funny as hell.

 

 

 

Honestly, if you collect anything horror related there are thousands of items on sale from movies and books, to props and original art… It’s a great place to shop.  The retailer area is small, but easy to navigate and is home to thousands of unique items.  If you’re a horror fan you sort of owe it to yourself to get down to Orlando and check it out.. and no they’re not paying me for saying that.

 

 

 

 

 

A little secret.  When I’m not writing for the site and doing other nerdy stuff I teach high school World History (did you think we got paid for this?) “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” had a profound impact on my life and really sparked my interest in all things historical. Tonight, I got to meet Mr. Alex Winter who turned out to be an incredibly nice guy (I couldn’t help but tell him my life story… sorry buddy).

 

More updates from the show floor tomorrow!  I’ve been up since 4:30 EST making this one of the longest days ever. Thanks so much for reading.

 

 

 

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