No. 1 selling American band of all time – The Beach Boys – Performed at Grand Opening
Celebration of Fourth On-Site Hotel

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 19, 2014) – Universal Orlando celebrated the official Grand Opening of its fourth on-site hotel –Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort – this evening with a beach bash featuring a surprise performance by The Beach Boys. The brand-new hotel features a total of 1,800 moderate and value priced rooms that evoke the classic, retro-feel of iconic beach resorts from the 1950s and 60s.

Located on-site at Universal Orlando Resort, the new hotel is a destination within itself – featuring a stunning design with bold colors, retro-inspired architecture and sweeping vistas that transport guests back to a time of relaxation and endless family fun. Cabana Bay guests can experience incredible amenities throughout the hotel, including:

• Soaking up the sun at the 6,000 square foot sand beach surrounding the 8,000 square foot zero-entry pool at the Lazy River Courtyard
• Enjoying a leisurely float around Universal Orlando’s first Lazy River at an on-site hotel, with waterfalls and cannons for interactive fun
• Taking in the stunning view of the Lazy River Courtyard while savoring a specialty cocktail, a freshly made smoothie and simple grill menu items from the rooftop deck at The Hideaway Bar & Grill
• Bowling a strike at the 10-lane Galaxy Bowl
• Channeling the godfather of fitness at the Jack LaLanne Physical Fitness Studio
• Racing down the iconic dive tower waterslide and splashing into a 10,000 square foot zero-entry pool in the Cabana Courtyard
• Enjoying a retro-themed specialty cocktail from Swizzle Lounge or Atomic Tonic
• Finding something delicious for the entire family at Bayliner Diner, a food court with something for everyone to enjoy including a salad bar, burgers, sandwiches, pizza, pasta and grab-and-go items

Click here to watch a video series to learn more about the hotel and all the amenities it has to offer, including an all-new look at the Lazy River Courtyard and brand new standard guest rooms.

Rates for the standard guest rooms begin at $119 per night, and can run as low as $93 per-night depending on the length of stay. Rates for the family suites begin at $174 per-night, and can run as low as $134 per-night depending on the length of stay. Cabana Bay guests also get exclusive benefits only available to on-site hotel guests at Universal Orlando, including Early Park Admission one hour before the theme parks open.

The value-priced standard guest room features two queen size beds, a mini fridge, and a flat screen TV for a comfortable and affordable stay. The family suite sleeps up to six people and includes two queen size beds, a fold-out foam bed, kitchenette, a sliding partition for privacy, two flat-screen TVs and a bathroom with preparation spaces for three people at once.

“Our new hotel is a destination unto itself,” said Tom Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Universal Parks and Resorts. “From the incredible retro design to the bowling alley to the lazy river and more – this hotel is the perfect complement to our other hotels.”

“Cabana Bay Beach Resort is an exciting and first of its kind addition to the Loews Hotels & Resorts family,” said Jonathan Tisch, Chairman, Loews Hotels & Resorts. “We are thrilled to bring a unique and fun offering to guests traveling to Orlando, as we open our fourth hotel with our partners at Universal Parks and Resorts.”

To learn more or to make a reservation, call 1-888-273-1311 or visit www.universalorlando.com. Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is co-owned and operated by Loews Hotels & Resorts.

About Universal Orlando Resort
Vacation like you mean it at Universal Orlando Resort – where every heart pounding, jaw-dropping, goose-bumping second counts.  It is the only place where you can turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family.  Together, you can soar above Hogwarts with Harry Potter, swing above the streets with Spider-Man, become a Minion in the hilarious and heartwarming Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride, and join Optimus Prime in the fight to save mankind on the new mega-attraction, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D.  And coming this summer:  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Universal Orlando Resort is home to two incredible theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure; four magnificently themed on-site hotels:  Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and the newest addition, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal CityWalk – a nighttime entertainment complex featuring a collection of nightclubs, restaurants and shops.  And located just minutes from Universal Orlando Resort is Wet n’ Wild, Orlando’s premier waterpark.

Universal Orlando Resort is part of NBCUniversal, a Comcast company.  Follow Universal Orlando Resort on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Loews Hotels & Resorts
Headquartered in New York City, Loews Hotels & Resorts owns and/or operates 20 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada including the newly acquired Loews Madison Hotel located in the heart of Washington at the epicenter of legendary D.C. landmarks and the Loews Boston Hotel, one of Boston’s preeminent historic buildings, situated on the corner of Berkeley and Stuart Streets. Located in major city centers and resort destinations in North America from coast to coast, the Loews portfolio features one-of-a-kind properties that go beyond Four Diamond standards to delight guests with a supremely comfortable, uniquely local and vibrant travel experience. For reservations or more information about Loews Hotels & Resorts, call 1-800-23-LOEWS or visit: www.loewshotels.com.

More Than 50 Performers Prepare To Bring The Marvel Universe To Life In This Summer’s Live Action Arena Spectacular

Ellenton, FL, (June 12, 2014) – After scouring the country to find the best of the best in live action performers with an amazing array of disciplines and skills, Feld Entertainment, Inc., the worldwide leader in live touring family events, today reveals the final cast of more than 50 performers ready to bring its most ambitious live event experience to life in Marvel Universe LIVE!. Debuting this July in Tampa, FL, before having its world premiere at New York City’s Barclays Center on Wednesday, August 13, the show will be the most physically demanding in Feld Entertainment’s storied history and will stop in 85 cities nationwide.

Featuring the most Marvel characters ever in one production, Marvel Universe LIVE! will be headlined by a cast trained in everything from martial arts to motocross in order to bring the Marvel Universe to the live action arena. Supported by a unique blend of aerial stunts, pyrotechnics and state-of-the-art special effects, the performers will bring an epic live action experience right in front of audiences’ eyes every time.

After an intensive eight month cross-country casting process that took place in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando and Ellenton, Florida, with hundreds of hopefuls representing the United States, Mexico, Hungary, France, United Kingdom, Russia, and Japan showing off their considerable skills, the final ensemble is set. When the spotlight finally shines, spectators will see some of the world’s most gifted athletes and performers including professional snow-skater and three-time X Games champ Phil Smage (Captain America), WMX Pro National champion and two-time X Games winner Ashley Fiolek (Hydra Agent), and 2012 X Games Silver Medalist Louise Forsley (Black Widow). To depict the superlative athleticism of some of Marvel’s most renowned heroes, Feld Entertainment also has signed martial arts expert and AAU Junior Olympics/National Champion Kirk Jenkins (Wolverine) and long-time American Ninja Warrior professional course tester Eric Foster (Hawkeye).

“From the beginning we knew that to pull off a show of this magnitude we had to have a cast that was the closest thing we could find to real life Super Heroes,” said Shanda Sawyer, director of Marvel Universe LIVE! “These are intense roles that require performers who are experts in their fields with the ability to take those skills and apply them to a number of meticulously crafted sequences, all designed to push the limits of anything the audience has ever seen in an arena show of this caliber – and they need to do this day in and day out.”

Marvel Universe LIVE! will captivate audiences with an authentic and original story that brings more than 25 Marvel characters together on one epic quest. The story is framed around the battle over the Cosmic Cube, the source of ultimate power and one of the most feared and coveted treasures in the Marvel Universe, that has been shattered into pieces by the mighty Thor in order to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. With the pieces scattered across the globe, Thor’s villainous brother, Loki, devises a scheme to clone its powers, inciting a threat that could not only decimate Earth but also obliterate the Universe.

For an inside look at the audition process, see below:

For a complete cast list and more information, visit the Marvel Universe LIVE! website
(http://www.marveluniverselive.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media, including:
• Facebook (www.facebook.com/MarvelOnTour)
• Twitter (@MarvelOnTour/@JulietteFeld (show’s producer twitter feed))
• YouTube (www.youtube.com/MarvelOnTour)
• Instagram (@MarvelOnTour)
• Google+ (http://gplus.to/MarvelOnTour)

About Feld Entertainment
Feld Entertainment is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring family entertainment experiences that lift the human spirit and create indelible memories, with 30 million people in attendance at its shows each year. Feld Entertainment’s productions have appeared in more than 75 countries on six continents and include Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®, Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Nuclear Cowboyz®, AMSOIL Arenacross, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Disney On Ice and Disney Live! More information about Feld Entertainment is available online at www.feldentertainment.com.

More information on Marvel Universe LIVE! is available at www.marveluniverselive.com. About Marvel Entertainment, LLC Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information, visit www.marvel.com. © MARVEL

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New Vacation Package Available Now for Travel Beginning June 29 –
Giving Guests the Opportunity to Experience the Incredible New Land

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 22, 2014) – Universal Orlando Resort is announcing an all-new exclusive vacation package giving guests the opportunity to enjoy this year’s most anticipated theme park experience:  The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.  Travel for the vacation package begins June 29.

The new travel offer starts at $135 per adult, per night, tax inclusive for a four-night stay on-site at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and includes multi-day Park-to-Park tickets to experience both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. As part of the vacation package, guests will enjoy access to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, plus exclusive benefits like Early Park Admission to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and breakfast at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade and the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.  They will also receive a specially themed Welcome Parcel delivered to their doorstep.

Additional vacation package details can be found below.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida will double the size of the Harry Potter experience offered at Universal Orlando Resort – expanding it across both of Universal’s theme parks.  Guests will pass through London and the iconic brick wall archway into Diagon Alley – a bustling, wizarding hub within a Muggle city. The new land will offer one-of-a-kind adventures where guests can:

• Experience the next generation thrill ride – Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – where guests are propelled into a pivotal scene from the final Harry Potter book and film
• Stroll along the streets of Diagon Alley and stop inside well-known shops like Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Magical Menagerie and Quality Quidditch Supplies
• Experience the darker side of magic in Knockturn Alley
• Witness the magical experience of a wand choosing a wizard at Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC
• And more!

And, just like in the books and films, guests can ride the iconic Hogwarts Express to travel between King’s Cross Station in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade Station in Islands of Adventure. The scenic, breathtaking journey will transport guests through the British countryside as they encounter magical creatures and familiar Harry Potter characters.

In The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, which opened in 2010 at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, guests can experience Hogsmeade village and Hogwarts castle – which houses the groundbreaking Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey attraction.

To book a vacation package, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com. For additional information about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, visit www.UniversalOrlando.com/HarryPotter.

About the Harry Potter Series 
Harry Potter continues to be a global phenomenon. Each of the seven books by author J.K. Rowling has broken sales records, with the series to date having sold over 450 million copies worldwide and translated into 77 languages.  The Harry Potter films, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, have grossed more than $7.7 billion to date worldwide at the box office, making Harry Potter the largest-grossing film franchise in history.

About Universal Orlando Resort
Vacation like you mean it at Universal Orlando Resort – where every heart pounding, jaw-dropping, goose-bumping second counts.  It is the only place where you can turn spending time with your family into spending time as a family.  Together, you can soar above Hogwarts with Harry Potter, swing above the streets with Spider-Man, become a Minion in the hilarious and heartwarming Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride, and join Optimus Prime in the fight to save mankind on the new mega-attraction, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride – 3D.  And, coming this summer, you can step into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

Universal Orlando Resort is home to two incredible theme parks: Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure; four magnificently themed on-site hotels:  Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and the newest addition, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort; and Universal CityWalk – a nighttime entertainment complex featuring a collection of nightclubs, restaurants and shops.  And located just minutes from Universal Orlando Resort is Wet n’ Wild, Orlando’s premier waterpark.

Universal Orlando Resort is part of NBCUniversal, a Comcast company.  Follow Universal Orlando Resort on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Warner Bros. Entertainment
A Time Warner Company, the fully integrated, broad-based studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, international cinemas and broadcasting.

HARRY POTTER, characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR.

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Feld Entertainment, Inc., Brings the #1 Animated Movie of All Time to Life

with Disney On Ice presents Frozen in Orlando

Tickets On Sale June 3 for Touring Skating Spectacular
Featuring Dynamic Sisters Anna and Elsa, Appearing for the First Time in a Live Production

ORLANDO, Fla. (May 20, 2014) – Feld Entertainment, Inc., the worldwide leader in producing live touring family entertainment, today announced that its 34^th Disney On Ice spectacular will bring the Academy Award^®-winning and number one animated feature film of all time, Disney’s Frozen, to life.  Disney On Ice presents Frozen visits Orlando from September 5 to September 7 for seven performances at the Amway Center; tickets go on sale June 3 at 10 a.m.

The Academy Award^® winning tale will be told live for the first time in this production, capturing the dynamic between two royal sisters, Anna and Elsa.  Anna, a girl with an extraordinary heart, embarks on an epic journey to find her sister, the magical Elsa, who is determined to remain secluded as she finally feels free to test the limits of her powers.    Rugged mountain man Kristoff, his loyal reindeer Sven, the lovable and hilarious snowman Olaf and the mystical trolls help Anna along the way in this story about love conquering fear.  Audiences will get to sing along with such musical masterpieces as “Let it Go,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Fixer Upper.”

“In our more than 30 years of producing Disney On Ice shows, Feld Entertainment has been waiting for a film like this,” says producer Nicole Feld.  “While it might seem obvious that Frozen is well suited for the ice, this Disney On Ice production will touch audiences emotionally through innovative show elements and world-class skating.”

Frozen directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee add, “Seeing audiences around the world embrace Frozen has been the experience of a lifetime.  And to now have the chance to consult with the talented team at Feld Entertainment and watch their creation come to life on ice, is thrilling.”

In Disney On Ice presents Frozen, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse take the audience through the magical story based in Arendelle, with special appearances by beloved Disney princesses and favorite characters from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story and Finding Nemo and Disney’s The Lion King, who come together to prove that true love is the greatest power of all.  Director Patty Vincent says, “Our goal is to showcase these heartwarming characters in a way that allows the audience to cheer and sing along throughout this emotional journey.

To create a completely immersive experience for the audience, the set design will encompass the space from the ice surface up through the air, drawing everyone into the story and closer to the characters. Families will feel that they are trekking up to the North Mountains with Anna, Kristoff and Sven, and they will tangibly experience the storm inside Elsa.  Elsa’s magic will be enhanced by state-of-the art special effects while her emotions will be conveyed through powerful skating.

Where: Amway Center, 400 West Church Street – Suite 200, Orlando, Florida 32801

Dates and Times of Performances:          

Friday, September 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, September 6 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 7 at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Ticket Prices and Purchase:

Tickets start at $16.  $65 Front Row, $39 Premium, $30, $22, $16

(Ticketmaster service charges and facility fees not included.) All seats are reserved, and tickets are now on sale to the public.  Tickets are available atwww.DisneyOnIce.com or www.ticketmaster.com, at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 800-745-3000, or at the Amway Center box office (phone for information only: 407-440-7900).  For group ticket sales and information, call 866-248-8740.

For a complete list of tour dates, visit the Disney On Ice website (http://www.disneyonice.com) and stay current on the latest developments through social media, including instructions on how to access presale codes for tickets as early as May 20th:

• Facebook  (www.facebook.com/DisneyOnIce)
• Twitter  (@DisneyOnIce/@NicoleFeld (show’s producer twitter feed))
• YouTube  (www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce)

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                       New Chapter in Best-Selling Disney Infinity Franchise Delivers More than 20 Marvel Super Heroes Including Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor and More

BURBANK, Calif. – (April 30, 2014) – Today, Disney Interactive and Marvel Entertainment confirmed that the world’s most iconic Super Heroes are assembling for Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes – the 2.0 edition of the #1 best-selling new hybrid toy / video game of 2013, according to the NPD Group’s video games retail sales data.

Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes features more than 20 new interactive figures from across the Marvel universe, original storylines penned by award-wining Marvel comic writer Brian Michael Bendis, and an all-new Toy Box mode that makes it easier for players to create and share their one-of-a-kind levels and mini-games with family and friends. In addition, all characters and power discs from last year’s release of Disney Infinity will be compatible with the Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes Toy Box.

“Disney Infinity was, from the start, built to be an interactive experience where players could bring together their favorite Disney characters and stories to create new Disney memories.  With the introduction of Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes, we’re ushering in a new chapter of adventures, featuring a cast of the world’s most popular Super Heroes,” said Jimmy Pitaro, President of Disney Interactive.  “Bringing popular and iconic Marvel characters to the Disney Infinity platform truly takes this game to the next level.”

“We’ve worked closely with the Disney Interactive team to deliver an incredible line-up of Marvel characters and great storytelling for the next chapter of Disney Infinity,” said Peter Phillips, EVP and General Manager, Interactive & Digital Distribution at Marvel Entertainment. “The 2.0 edition will allow Marvel fans around the world to interact with their favorite Marvel Super Heroes in entirely new ways, including compelling gameplay and a new line of collectible interactive figures.”

The Avengers’ Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hulk and Hawkeye will debut when the game launches this fall, along with additional Play Sets and characters from other popular Marvel and Disney franchises, which will be announced in the coming months. Disney Infinity: Marvel Super Heroes will be available for the PlayStation^®4 and PlayStation^®3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system and Xbox 360 games and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Wii U™ system from Nintendo, PC and iOS tablets and smart phones.

“Marvel Super Heroes fit perfectly into Disney Infinity, and with them we are pushing the platform’s limits of creativity and imagination,” said John Blackburn, VP and General Manager of Avalanche Software. “We’ve enhanced and redesigned the gameplay to match the Marvel characters, while also making it easier than ever for players to express and share their own creativity.”

Disney Interactive
Disney Interactive, one of the world’s largest creators of high-quality interactive entertainment across all platforms, is the part of The Walt Disney Company responsible for the global creation and delivery of interactive entertainment, multi-platform video games, and family-focused content across all current and emerging digital media platforms.  Disney Interactive produces and distributes a broad portfolio of content from Disney Interactive Games and Disney Interactive Media.  Products and content released and operated by Disney Interactive include blockbuster mobile, social and console games, online virtual worlds, #1 kid’s entertainment destination Disney.com and the #1 Family/Parenting portfolio on the Web.  Disney Interactive is the interactive entertainment part of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS).

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years

Paperback: 16 pages
Publisher: Running Press Miniature Editions
Act Nov St edition
Release Date: May 6, 2014

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Godzilla is back and better than ever! Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures are teaming up with the goal to make Godzilla cool again. Eat it Matthew Brodwick! Running Press is getting on the fast track to release some cool new merchandise. This kit includes a figurine of the monster that is not only bad ass but also comes with light and sound. When you press his spine spikes you get the light from his mouth getting ready to unleash his atomic ray and of course you also hear his iconic roar.

Besides the figurine, there is also a small sticker book included with Godzilla illustration. I think Warner Bros, did an awesome design with the new design of Godzilla and the figurine pays a great homage to the character. My only issue is that the roar is not so powerful as it should be. I wish they cranked up the volume a bit. If you are a Godzilla junkie like myself I would recommend picking this up since it is the first in the tons of planned merchandise for this film.

Hey parents!! Right off the press…Choo Choo Soul’s Genevieve Goings just released her first song from her upcoming independent Children’s Album “Do You Know?”, called “My Telephone Number Is”. The song helps teach kids their phone number with the help of the grownups in their life.

Click here to purchase the song on iTunes. Support learning for kids through music AND, your kids will learn their phone numbers in the process! Plus it is pretty darn catchy and I have found myself humming it constantly, so it is great for parents as well.

Last Year in Comics

So, here we are in 2014.  Hopefully, we’ll see more of the awesomeness that we saw in 2013’s comic books, as some seriously cool stuff came out.  However, there is always the other side to things; some companies made some horrible errors and some obvious ‘money grabs’.  Let’s take a gander, shall we?

DC Comics: 

Oh DC…it was going so right, where did it go wrong??  Last year saw the reboot of DC with the New 52, which was pretty damn awesome.  As with most reboots, all the industry’s best writers and artists were invited to the party, including Jim Lee re-envisioning the “Justice League,” which was hands down one of the most fun books to read at the time (and I never really liked the “Justice League”).  All of the Bat-Books that came out were so good that I actually didn’t mind having to read multiple books about the same character (something that started in the 80s & exploded in the 90s and has been a major annoyance for me ever since…at one time I remember there being something like seven or eight “Spider-Man” books and the same number of X-Books, all coming out at the same time…ugh, there’s only so much story people).  I was even getting excited about “Action Comics” and “Supergirl” for a few issues, and I absolutely hate the “Superman” family of books!!

But alas, it all came crashing down.  First, they did the unthinkable.  They turned three or four of their most hidden gems, the Coup-de-Villes at the bottom of the Cracker Jacks box, over to Rob Liefeld.  WHAT???  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??  DON’T YOU REMEMBER WHO THIS GUY IS??  So, what were once gritty, hard-hitting titles, like “Deathstroke,”  “Hawk & Dove,”  “Hawkman” and “Grifter,” which were all fun reads with outstanding art, became Liefeld strokefests and turned to utter crap, just like everything he’s ever done!!  History repeats itself…duh!  Then they pulled some of their better writers and artists off of the minor books, such as “Voodoo,”  “Stormwatch” and “Captain Atom,” all higher-brow reading with compelling stories that actually made you think about life and existence and such, because they were minor books (even though they were becoming majorly awesome because of those creators) to play shuffle around with the bigger books.  Cliché alert…if it ain’t broke…!!!

And then came the “Villain Month” money grab…I’m sorry, I mean crossover…which was the downfall of the New 52.  Half of the books were just horrible re-hashings of origins, some of the villains were in books that they weren’t even the villains of (such as the Ventriloquist in “Dark Knight,” even though they had just revamped the character and introduced her in “Batgirl”).  What could have been amazing fun (all the heroes are gone, let the villains play), became the biggest let down in comics of the time.  Even the best villain ever, The Joker, was just craptastic.  Instead of letting him run rampant, which would have been amazing, they retold an old campy story about his pet gorilla, even though they had just finished one of the darkest “Joker” storylines ever, including a Joker who was running around with his “face” as a flesh mask that barely hung from his head!!  And I won’t even mention the hologram covers and all the supposed shortages that happened…

Then the “Zero Year” debacle happened, forcing all of the Bat-books to tell the story that the editor wanted told.  By this point, there were so many crossovers happening that creators were walking away from the books that they once made incredible because they were being restrained by editorial whims.  Once again…REALLY DC??  REALLY??  HIRE BOB HARRAS, THE GUY WHO SINGLE HANDEDLY WRECKED THE X-UNIVERSE IN THE 90S???  Again, DC…don’t you remember these people and what they did.  Why hire them when you were doing just fine?!?!

It wasn’t all bad though!!  Thankfully, we did see some incredible stuff come out of DC.  Scott Snider’s “Batman” stories continue to enthrall readers.  Batgirl was truly wonderful as she became a renegade running from her own father, Commissioner Gordon.  “Batwoman”  was awe-inspiring with beautiful illustrations by JH Williams III and killer stories about supernatural villains and dark family secrets.  “Swamp Thing,”  “Aquaman” and “Earth 2” continue to be the most consistent and well-written stories with killer art and brilliant subtle humor.

To come full circle, DC did produce perhaps the best comic story I’ve read in years, “Injustice: Gods Among Us.”  Just simply & truly amazing.  Superman goes from a helpless lovesick fool who has no idea how to deal with the Joker (who tricks him into then killing Lois Lane) to a killer and militant totalitarian leader of the world, and Wonder Woman couldn’t be happier.  In her own words, “I was waiting for this.”  Of course, Batman is leading the resistance.  With twists and turns that rock the entire DC universe, including a Harley Quinn who acquires powers, this book is just simply brilliant!!

Next time, the ‘Independents’ and how they are currently ruling the comic industry.

Mickey Rooney, whose amazing entertainment career spanned an incredible ten decades, passed away yesterday (April 6). The four time Academy Award nominee (he was awarded two achievement Oscars during his career) was 93.

Born Ninian Joseph Yule, Jr on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, the young man was soon appearing on stage in his parent’s vaudeville act. In 1926 he made his film debut in the short film “Not to Be Trusted.” The next year he began a successful run in a series of short films, detailing the adventures of young Mickey McGuire. It was during this time that he adopted his screen name, Mickey Rooney. These films led to him being signed by MGM and in 1937 he starred in “A Family Affair, ”the first of twenty feature films to spotlight his most popular screen character, Andy Hardy. It was due to the success of these films that the diminutive Rooney (he stood 5’2”) was named the Biggest Box Office Star in the World from 1939-1941.

But it wasn’t just comedy that Rooney excelled in. Films like “Boy’s Town” (one of my favorite Rooney performances), “National Velvet” and “Babes in Arms,” one of his many collaborations with Judy Garland, made him a favorite of fans everywhere. In 1940 he became the first teenager to be nominated for an Oscar in a leading role for “Babes in Arms.” He also received a Best Actor nomination in 1944 for “The Human Comedy” and earned Best Supporting Actor nods in 1957 for “The Bold and the Brave” and 1980 for “The Black Stallion.” He also received an special juvenile Oscar in 1939 and an honorary Oscar in 1983 for his body of work. Among his more notable films: “Young Tom Edison,” “Strike Up the Band,” “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” “Breakfast at Tiffanys,” “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” “Babe: Pig in the City,” “Night at the Museum” and 2011’s “The Muppets.” He was filming a new version of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” opposite another classic film star, Margaret O’Brian, at the time of his death.

As the Golden Age of Television began, Rooney kept himself busy with appearances on many of the popular shows of the day, including his most memorable role as Kris Kringle in the animated “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” He spent nearly two decades working successfully in the medium. As the 1970s wound down Rooney took to Broadway, starring opposite Ann Miller in the successful show, “Sugar Babies,” earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. In 1981 he returned to television in a tour-de-force performance of a mentally challenged man in “Bill,” earning himself an Emmy and a Golden Globe award for Best Actor in a Television Movie or Mini-Series.

Married eight times, Rooney always said he never regretted a single day of his life. He was a true star that will continue to burn brightly!

April 7 – Tonight the First Time Fest will be honor director Julie Taymor with the John Huston Award for Achievement in Cinema. This will be her first film award after directing four features: The Tempest, Across the Universe, Frida and first film, Titus.

Made in 1999, Titus is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s violent revenge tragedy, Titus Andronicus. It stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as the titular Roman general whose murder of the sons of an enemy Queen (Jessica Lange as Tamora) leads to the destruction of his entire family. Taymor joined festival goers this week, along with composer Elliot Goldenthal for a screening and discussion of the film. It screened as a part of the fest’s First Exposure series highlighting successful director’s first features.

Even though Taymor had already produced the play “very simply and inexpensively” in a church in 1994, the film version did not come about until after her wildly successful production of The Lion King on Broadway.

“I came off The Lion King and what do you do next?” she told the audience, “I had to go to the opposite end of the spectrum–I mean I know that’s considered Hamlet–but really I think that I just didn’t want to be put into a box of any sort. And also I really wanted to work with the greatest writer in the English language…and I had loved the play when we did it.”

Taymor maintained it was her favorite Shakespeare play despite the popular opinion that it’s not one of Shakespeare’s best works saying it presented “a young man’s anger…before he got refined and self-reflective” and later adding “no contemporary movie compares to the bravado of that play. That you think Titus is going to be the good guy and then he kills his daughter! And then he kills his sons! And then Tamora and she says ‘cruel, irreligious piety’, her sons are taken away–you should understand everything that she does. And then look what she does.”

Along with her passionate discussion of the play itself Taymor offered additional trivia about the film itself including:

• Al Pacino was in consideration for the lead role before Anthony Hopkins signed on.
• Taymor initially planned to shoot the film in Las Vegas rather than Rome but after visiting Rome on the advice of production designer Dante Ferretti, changed her mind.
• Many of the cast members including Jessica Lange, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Laura Fraser had never performed Shakespeare before the film.
• Anthony Hopkins insisted a scene in which he has one of his hands chopped off be done in one take because, as Taymor recalled him telling her “ I know myself and what I’m gonna do, if i do it again, I will have a heart attack.”

Despite downtown Kansas City being overrun by Big 12 College Basketball fans, more than 40,000 people, many in costume, filled Bartle Hall to participate in this year’s best in the Midwest gathering, Planet Comicon.

Lured by an unprecedented reunion of cast members from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and first time Planet Comicon appearances by genre’ royalty William Shatner and Lee Majors, fans were treated to an event unrivaled in the Midwest.

Every genre’ of fandom was represented, from celebrity guests to well-known comic artists Film and television fans had the opportunity to meet and greet many of their favorite stars. Besides the incredibly popular Shatner and Majors, such stars as Margot Kidder and John Ratzenberger were on hand. “ST:TNG” fans were in heaven as they had the opportunity to chat with many of the original cast members, including Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Levar Burton and Wil Wheaton. Even more of a treat – an unannounced John DeLancy was also in attendance.

Comic fans had the opportunity to meet legendary artist Neal Adams as well as new-to-the-game Darryl McDaniel, best known for his time with the musical group Run DMC.
With nice weather for the weekend (a sincere rarity this year) many fans were encouraged to attend in costume. Characters from “Star Wars” and comic-book heroes seemed to be the most popular costumed characters, though pretty much every genre’ was well represented.

Photo credit: Dan Lybarger

Any basketball fans out there? As we approach the end of the season, the burning question for sports way is which is the best way to end it properly. Some will same NCAA March Madness and some will say NBA Playoffs. If you are conflicted, take a look at this amazing infographic and let it give you the facts behind each.

Feel free to enter your comments below and let us know what are your thoughts, feeling and of course most importantly predictions for the end of this season!

Via: Equip Supply

“Gravity,” director Alfonso Cuaron’s technical achievement, took home the lion’s share of awards Sunday night at the 86th Annual Academy Awards.  The film, nominated in 10 categories, took home 7 Oscars, including two for Cuaron: Best Director and Best Film Editing.  The film also took home awards for Visual Effects, Sound, Sound Editing, Cinematography and Best Original Score.

The award for Best Picture went to Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave,” which also took home awards for Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Lupita Nyong’o.  Cate Blanchett won her second Oscar, this time as Best Actress, for her role in “Blue Jasmine.”  On the actor side, the boys from “Dallas Buyers Club” took home the gold with Jared Leto winning Best Supporting Actor and Matthew McConaughey winning Best Actor.

“Frozen,” Disney’s latest animated blockbuster, took the award for Best Animated Feature as well as for Best Song, “Let It Go.”  Another multiple award winning film was Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby,” which won for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.”  Spike Jonze took home the Original Screenplay award for “Her.”

The telecast, hosted by Ellen Degeneres, was tame when compared to recent shows.  In fact, except for a couple of “Jonah Hill penis” jokes and a bit delivering pizza to those in the audience, Degeneres was pretty non-existent, only showing up to introduce the next presenters.  All four Best Song presentations were well received, as was Pink’s version of “Over the Rainbow,” performed to help celebrate the 75th Anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz.”  There also appeared to be a problem with the teleprompter as several presenters stumbled through their lines.  When introducing Idina Menzel to sing the song from “Frozen,” John Travolta appeared to introduce her as “Adele Nuzim.”

A bit of old Hollywood was represented with presenting appearances by Kim Novak and Sidney Poitier.  In her first performing appearance on the show Bette Midler earned a much deserved standing ovation for her rendition of “The Wind Beneath My Wings” after the annual “In Memoriam” sequence.

Here is a list of this year’s winners:

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyer’s Club

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her

Best Original Score: Gravity, Steven Price

Best Original Song: “Let It Go,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; Frozen

Achievement in Costume Design:  The Great Gatsby

Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling:  Dallas Buyers Club

Animated Short Film: Mr. Hublot

Animated Feature Film: Frozen

Achievement in Visual Effects: Gravity

Live Action Short Film: Helium

Best Documentary Short Subject: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Documentary Feature: 20 Feet from Stardom

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: The Great Beauty, Italy

Achievement in Sound Mixing: Gravity

Achievement in Sound Editing: Gravity

Achievement in Cinematography: Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki

Achievement in Film Editing: Gravity

Achievement in Production Design: The Great Gatsby