Category Archives: Pop Culture

Second Edition Star Wars Wired Headphones

To help celebrate May the Fourth, SMS Audio will be releasing its Second Edition Star Wars Wired Headphones. Snatch up Chewbacca, Darth Vader, R2-D2, Tie Fighter or collect them all. I’m going to have to go with Darth Vader on this one. I love the sleek look and the design of the ear caps showing a piece of his suit.

Darth Vader
Darth Vader

These durable headphones can fold at the hinges, which makes traveling and storing easier. Its on-ear cushions are made of memory foam (yes, like the bed) and are encased in leather. The soft cushions, combined with the oval-shape to match the shape of the ear, provide all-day comfort. Expect studio-mastered sound “from a galaxy far, far away.” The 40mm drivers deliver rich, clear sound quality, without distortions. I’ve been looking for strong headphones with great sound. I can be a little destructive when it comes to headphones (I’ve gone through four sets of ear buds in the past year), so these give me hope.
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On-ear headphonesPre-order your headphones now (and get a free t-shirt) for $179.95, shipping is scheduled for May 18.  Along with your headphones, you will receive a Star Wars embossed case, an audio cable with 3-click mic, a soft-touch cleaning cloth, a 5″x7″ poster, a sticker, an Owner’s Manual and a Certificate of Authenticity. The headphones look great, and all the extra goodies for that price is a deal. The on-ear aspect makes me a little nervous, since I’m used to ear buds, but I would definitely give these a shot.

Box ContentsSMS Audio is a young company, established in 2011. It strives to create new, original products that deliver “iconic style, ultra durability and Studio Mastered Sound.”

The Hardest Ever Marvel Comics Quiz

How much do you know about the Marvel Universe? A lot? Like, a lot, a lot? In celebration of Free Comic Book Day, this Saturday, May 2, put your knowledge to the test. MorphCostumes (formerly Morphsuits) has designed a Marvel Comics quiz to challenge even the most devoted fans.

Once you’re done with the quiz, let us know in the comments how you did, and then shop for your favorite Marvel costume.

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If the embedded quiz doesn’t work, take the quiz on the MorphCostumes site.

Comic Book Academia: 100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die

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There are few names that hold as much awe in the entertainment industry as Marvel does. From humble beginnings as Timely Comics to the film powerhouse that is Marvel Studios, there has been more content flowing from these minds than almost any other group. So much so, that there is seemingly no way to know the intricacies of each facet of the Marvel Universe(s). Lucky for those lacking warehouses full of dusty pages, people like Dan Casey exist. Casey holds a self-proclaimed degree in Marvel Comics and shows off his knowledge in his book, 100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.

My first Free Comic Book Day. For a guy that knows next to nothing about comics, I can look the part pretty well.
My first Free Comic Book Day. For a guy that knows next to nothing about comics, I can look the part pretty well.

Before telling our Giga Geeks why this book is a valuable resource and overview of the Marvel yarns, let me first tell you about my lack of comic book knowledge. I am nowhere near a comic nerd, nor could I take that title by association. My early years were spent blowing the dust out of Nintendo cartridges and pretending to be a Power Ranger. I also grew up during the 1990s, which was what I now know to be a bit of dry spell in the comic book industry. Yet, I did love Marvel’s characters in other media, like the classic cartoon iterations of X-Men and Spider Man. That guitar-heavy opening from X-Men still rings clearly in many of my early memories.

A few comics were passed down to me when I was a kid—some beat up X-Men and Street Sharks—but no one I knew was really into them. It wasn’t until the first few Marvel films hit theaters that I rekindled that need for these super heroes and heroines. Actually, I remember my father taking me to see X-Men in the summer of 2000. This was also a great bonding experience for both of us as we walked away not liking the film and making jokes about it. Oddly enough, I enjoyed the first Spider-Man film much more than the X-Men (2000) movie.

Why I like Toby Maguire as Spider Man over this, I'll never know. . .
Why I like Toby Maguire as Spider-Man over this, I’ll never know. . .

It wasn’t until I entered college in 2010 that I got a real taste of the comic world.  A humble comic shop called Counter Culture Concepts opened that same year and it wasn’t long before I made lasting friends in that cramped space. If it wasn’t for that store, I never would’ve owned a decent pile of comics. As a side note, my girlfriend even painted an awesome mural that was a stark contrast to the American paintings on the opposite wall.

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One of several paintings done by Diabolikupcake at Counter Culture Concepts.

My story proves that I’m not a guru of comics at all, merely a Padowan on a journey towards being a Jedi. Therefore, Casey’s collection of Marvel knowledge awakened me to a multi-verse of stories created over decades of talented work.

Casey starts by explaining Marvel’s history, and then works his way up to the more practical bits of know-how, such as mixing a shot of The Incredible Hulk (which is guaranteed to get you smashed). There’s so much knowledge to be gained even from the first few chapters. I had no idea Jack Kirby joined the dark side of D.C. Comics at one point!

One of Lee's latest appearances in Big Hero 6.
One of Lee’s latest appearances in Big Hero 6.

Be reminded that you have to understand what impotence cheap tadalafil india is, and you have to look any further than this Cambridge gerontologist. This device sucks air prescription viagra uk from the penis duct and therefore enabling blood to flow smoothly in the desired way. Major Varieties of Tea White – requires the least processing; leaves are picked only a few days out of the year Black – Chinese black brand viagra from canada drink leaves are fully oxidized. SIDE EFFECTS :Side effects brand levitra spotted because of the intake of the Silagra pills. After discussing Marvel’s origins, Casey outlines the back stories of almost every character in the film canon, or the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) as some might call it.  These segments are great due to the addition of where those characters are in the current continuity. In some instances it also gives those who lack key points of comic knowledge a hint at what’s to come in future film projects from the House of Ideas. Case in point, the Vision was merely a visual character for me, but I now know him to be one of the deepest characters in Marvel. Also, I didn’t know he was an android, but that’s not the point.

I stared at this image for hours at the local shop; its so powerful and wrong on many levels.
I stared at this image for hours at the local shop; it’s so powerful and wrong on many levels.

After shedding light on most characters in the MCU, Casey goes on to discuss major events throughout the years. He outlines Civil War and Secret Invasion with passion and precision, bringing major plot points to life with minimal wording. During my stays at the comic shop, I had always wanted to pick up the comics containing these events, but for some reason or another never did. Now I wish I had—I will eventually—as those stories mark things I want to see in future films.

Similar to the Greek Gyro, but ever so mysterious and provocative.
Similar to the Greek Gyro, but ever so mysterious and provocative.

The end of the book holds some neat things Avengers fans should try outside of films and comic books. Most interestingly for me, there’s a Shawarma recipe by Natasha Feldman and Julianna Strickland, the women behind Cinema & Spice. While I’ve yet to try this mystery food, I do have plans to film my attempt. The last chapters also hold a call to action for comic book fans everywhere in hopes that the community can give back, celebrate Free Comic Book Day, and find a local comic shop.

Nerducopia, another local comic shop, has an awesome logo and equally awesome people behind it.
Nerducopia, another local comic shop, has an awesome logo and equally awesome people behind it.

These last few things on the Avengers-fan bucket list are very important. I will attest to the awesome potential hidden down alleys. Some of my best memories of college come from behind the glass doors of my local comic shop. Dan Casey and I, advise everyone to find a shop and experience one of the greatest things about loving comics: having friends as passionate as you are about fantastic stories portrayed in panels.

After reading Casey’s book, I feel more confident in my overall knowledge of Marvel’s heroes and heroines, as well as being a part of the comic book community. I feel like I just finished studying for the mid-terms in Marvel 101 and I’m ready for the test. Professor Casey, I can honestly say I had more fun in this class than any other. Will you be teaching Marvel 102, also?

100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die by Dan Casey is available through Triumph Books. 

Also a big thanks goes out to Triumph Books for sending me this book and Dan Casey for toiling away for its completion. Stay cool.

All images and videos belong to their respective owners.

 

Final Fantasy Summon Origins: Leviathan

A strange sight caught Cecil’s eyes as the boat sailed across the waves. There was a swirl forming, just a few yards from the port side, gaining speed and broadening. The ship tipped as it slowly sucked in. Cries of panic surrounded Cecil and his companions. Unable to do anything, Cecil watched as the water engulfed the sky.

Just before the sea swallowed the boat, Cecil saw an immense serpent coiled beneath the surface. “Leviathan!” yelled a crewman.

Summoning is often one of the strongest and most visually appealing forms of magic in the Final Fantasy series. First appearing as a summon in Final Fantasy III in Japan, Americans did not get introduced to Ifrit and pals until Final Fantasy 4 hit the SNES. Since then, these powerful beings have become icons, often being envisioned in many creative ways for each installment.

While there are many summons to elaborate on, there are a few that could use a bit more discussion. For some excellent insight into other summons, check out Gaijin Goomba’s series on Youtube:

Leviathan’s character is a simple design, a massive sea serpent that summons tidal waves to drown enemies. However, his size and immense power is better described in his origins. Sea serpents have been showing up in literature ever since the days of the Nordic folk. Even the Bible references this massive creature said to be immune to all weapons.

Destruction_of_Leviathan
“Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down?” – Job 41: 1

Interestingly enough, this same passage mentions befriending the creature or at least making a pact with it. Considering in Final Fantasy X, many summoners create bonds with their Aeons, this could be a potential influence to Leviathan being created as a summon.

“Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant for ever?” – Job 41: 4

There was actually a Final Fantasy IV novel in Japan! Wish it would translated one day. . .
There was actually a Final Fantasy IV novel in Japan! Wish it would translated one day. . .

The first Leviathan in Final Fantasy III showed a simple design and concept. He’s just a regal serpent with long whiskers that summons weather forces. However, in Final Fantasy IV, he becomes a king of beings called Eidolons. The Eidolons are powerful elemental beings that live in a separate plane of existence. It’s here that Rydia (the summoner of Final Fantasy IV) gains her mastery of summoning, also creating an interesting parental connection with Leviathan and his queen, Asura. Both of these royal beings offer rough battles, but end with the prize of being able to call on them.

It’s also interesting that Leviathan’s human form in Final Fantasy IV is that of an old man. He appears frail and wise, sporting a long beard like many of the other sages in the series. In many mythologies, higher beings often have the power to shape shift. For instance, Zeus regularly transforms into animals such as an eagle or a bull, usually to carry away maidens and sometimes young men for, well,  coitus.

This remedy can also be self applied if buy cheap cialis cute-n-tiny.com you have the understanding, nonetheless when very first attempting this method it is finest performed by a physician who will insert a gloved finger into the rectum to feel for an an enlarged prostate. Strong Aphrodisiac For Men Muira puama otherwise “potency wood” is most recognized for its aphrodisiac or “sexual cialis generic no prescription interest improving” effects in men. Sleep restriction: this prevents daytime prescription viagra online naps to promote nighttime sleep. Common details are discount cialis http://cute-n-tiny.com/cute-items/crochet-hot-chocolate/ from particular natural aphrodisiacs like Tribulus, Ashwagandha, and Shilajit and so on. Leviathan’s human form could have connections to Proteus, son of Oceanus of Greek mythology. Proteus could call upon great storms and change his shape, one of which was a snake.

Proteus-Alciato

As far as his design goes, Leviathan does not see much change until Final Fantasy IX. In this game, he is given wing-like fins that give him a more imposing appearance. His color palette also expands to include many shades of purple to accent his blue skin. Also important to note is Leviathan is a female. This makes sense, as summoning is a feminine power used only by Eiko and Garnet. That same motif is carried into Final Fantasy X by Yuna.

Leviathan_FFIX_Art_1

Both MMO Final Fantasy games retain Leviathan’s wings, neither changing the design too drastically. Unfortunately, Leviathan has been absent in true form in later console games. The Sea King lives on in name as an airship and as a plaza.

As of now, its unknown what sort of role summoning will have in Final Fantasy XV. Will the tides rise with the revival of Leviathan? Or will he merely remain a memory? At least, early trailers suggest he (maybe she) will be a massive boss.

FFXV_-_Leviathan

Thus Leviathan remains as a staple for those wanting to add some water to their magic repertoire. His role in the story of the series has been grand and subtle, but one thing is certain, Leviathan is an icon of Final Fantasy.

Drop by next week for a look at everyone’s favorite Celtic warrior gone toxic monster, Cúchulainn.

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Top 10 Best Movie Taglines

Hollywood studios spend millions of dollars on promotional campaigns for their movies. They invest in trailers, TV commercials, billboards, and product tie-ins. However, it’s often something as simple as a tagline that gets people to buy overpriced tickets to the latest blockbuster. Many taglines have become so iconic, they transcend the movies they were meant to promote. Some are even better than the films themselves!

So, without further ado, here’s my list of the top 10 best movie taglines

10. The Truman Show: “On the air. Unaware.”

Image courtesy of www.impawards.com.

Before reality TV became a thing, this film arguably showed the oxymoronic “genre” taken to its logical conclusion. Jim Carrey plays a man whose entire life, starting from birth, has been part of an elaborate, high-budget TV show, all without his knowledge. The tagline rhymes, creating a good pneumonic device, and gives a vibe that has tinges of both humor and Orwellian fear.

 

9. The Muppet Movie: “More entertaining than humanly possible.”

Image courtesy of www.impawards.com.

When those zany Muppets made their big-screen debut, they stepped up their game and produced a hilarious and heartfelt film. The tagline tells the audience they will be entertained more than they might expect, but it also reminds them that most of these characters aren’t “human,” per se, but puppets. Perhaps that’s how they could get away with non-stop puns and shmaltzy sentiments.

 

8. Blues Brothers: “They’ll never get caught. They’re on a mission from God.”

Image courtesy of www.impawards.com.

While many a zealot have used this as an excuse to do horrible things, it’s arguably true for the title characters. Jake Blues (John Belushi) reassembles his old band to save the Catholic home in which he and his brothers grew up. If ever someone needed a blessing from the Almighty, it’d be the Blues Brothers.

 

 

 

7. X-Men: “Trust a few. Fear the rest.”

Image courtesy of www.siamvillage.com.

What makes this tagline effective is it could apply to both humans and mutants. Some, but not all, humans are hatemongers. This is understandable since Magneto’s (Ian McKellen) Brotherhood is made up of mutant terrorists bent on wiping out humanity. On the other hand, there are heroic mutants like the X-Men defending humanity. It’s a double-edged sword.

 

6. Highlander: “There can be only one.”

Image courtesy of www.collider.com.

Let’s be honest: the Highlander franchise—which is all about immortals fighting and killing each other to gain their foe’s power, until only one remains and becomes all-powerful—started as a borderline B-movie, albeit an entertaining one. It took the TV series to elevate it. Through it all is this famous tagline, which has undoubtedly been quoted by many a gamer while playing online. Admittedly, it seemed like Connor McLeod (Christopher Lambert) was the only immortal left, but then a long series of retcons in the awful sequels kept the series going. Too bad this line couldn’t be number one on this list. (Hopefully, it won’t decapitate me for putting it lower).
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5. The Fly (1986): “Be afraid. Be very afraid.”

Image courtesy of www.impawards.com.

This phrase has seeped its way into the common vernacular, and I always wondered where it came from. Little did I know it was the tagline for the 1986 version of The Fly, starring Jeff Goldblum. It tells the audience they should not only be scared by this film—which, considering it was a remake of a 1950s B-movie, might’ve been seen as a stretch—it insists that they should be terrified. And they were.

 

4. Jaws: The Revenge: “This time, it’s personal.”

Image courtesy of www.moviepostershop.com.

Before shark movies flooded the walls of video stores, Universal pumped out unneeded sequels to the 1975 Steven Spielberg classic. By the time the fourth film rolled around, it was the mid-‘80s, and slasher movies about seemingly immortal psychos were the rage, so they turned the infamous Great White into one. That alone tells you the filmmakers ran out of good ideas after writing the tagline, which has since become one of the most used movie-trailer lines ever, either as a joke or because it was stolen by schlock film producers.

3. Superman: “You’ll believe a man can fly.”

Image courtesy of www.nerdspan.com.

The modern superhero film wouldn’t exist if not for this groundbreaking classic starring Christopher Reeve. Superheroes were relegated to B-movies or low-budget film serials before this. The idea of seeing someone fly in a movie and making it look believable was unheard of. Director Richard Donner proved it could be done. The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Christopher Nolan owe him a debt of gratitude.

 

2. Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope: “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” 

Image courtesy of www.thinkgeek.com.
Image courtesy of www.thinkgeek.com.

George Lucas set himself for life when he crafted this classic line, which is probably a variation of the fairy opening: “Once upon a time …” It’s been featured in every Star Wars film and most of its tie-ins; however, is it figurative or literal? If it’s the latter, it begs a multitude of other questions. That alone makes it one of the best taglines in the history of cinema.

 

1. Alien: “In space, no one can hear you scream.”

alien-poster

Rarely does a tagline tell you everything and yet nothing. Ridley Scott’s Alien was an enigmatic film before its release, and this only deepened the mystery. Little did anyone know they’d be getting a horrific twist on what is arguably a 1950s B-movie plot, but one with a monster unlike any seen before. This was the era of flashy, upbeat science fiction films thanks to Star Wars, but Alien was the opposite, being both gothic and realistic. The tagline illustrates that, reminding audiences there is no sound in the vacuum of space. It implies isolation and helplessness, but without being on-the-nose obvious. Indeed, most people were speechless when the famous xenomorph appeared on screen—by bursting out of a man’s chest. This tagline was great in 1979, and it still sends chills down the spines of anyone who quotes it. Seriously, try saying it without shivering.

Honorable Mentions:
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie: “They’re here to save the planet. But not for free.”

Killer Klowns from Outer Space: “In space, no one can eat ice cream.”

Alien vs. Predator: “Whoever wins, we lose.”

Hardware Wars: “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll kiss three bucks goodbye.”