Sunday, March 17, 2024

SIDESHOW BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA 2024

sideshow birthday extravaganza

One of my favorite shopping sites, Sideshow Collectibles, is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA taking place March 18 - 22, 2024. From the Hot Toys Quarter Scale Iron Man Mark III that guards my desk to the life-size replica of The Child (aka Baby Yoda) incorporated into a lot of my Star Wars themed social media posts, products I've let my geek side show with products picked up from Sideshow Collectibles. 

Enjoy a week of fantastic activities for Sideshow's Birthday Extravaganza starting off with a Live Stream on YouTube at 11am PDT showcasing new product announcements, highlighting special discounts and giving away some cool stuff. Plus, each day during the week 30% Off Select Items - 30 new items each day!

sideshow 30th anniversary

Here is a calendar of Birthday Extravaganza festivities taking place March 18th through the 22nd:

geek daddy blog
sideshow collectibles
sideshow's birthday extravaganza
sideshow birthday extravaganza
giveaways

Happy Birthday Sideshow!

THE TORMENTED

the tormented comic book

Fans of Ghostbusters and the paranormal will want to check out a new spooky comic book series, THE TORMENTED, that is debuting on March 19th as Amazon's Comixology Originals exclusive digital content. Writer, producer, and animator Chuck Austen and artist Patrick Olliffe craft a new 5-issue comic book series about Ryan Auster, a young man starring on a new ghost hunting reality TV show. THE TORMENTED also features colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Jodi Wynne, and edits by Greg Lockard. 

Ryan Auster is the son of legendary ghost hunters Vera and Adam Austerhölle, but this is a fact he doesn’t share willingly. Unlike his father, mother, and sister, Ryan never had “the gift” to “see” the paranormal, so they’d leave him behind whenever they went out to investigate. But Ryan was hiding his abilities, terrified of the consequences of his supposed “gift,” and the parents who gave them to him. Then, one life-altering night, his entire family is brutally murdered. Instantly orphaned, Ryan was raised by various foster families—many of whom faced horrible fates of their own. 

Now, as an adult, Ryan finds himself the charismatic host of a children’s online cooking show. But when that series suddenly ends, and his pushy producer discovers Ryan’s family history, Ryan is unexpectedly and unwillingly sold as the host of a brand-new ghost hunting reality TV series. Ryan desperately needs the money, but he knows that if he agrees to host “Restless Spirits,” and use his supernatural “gifts,” it will make him a beacon that draws—not only the beings that gruesomely butchered his family—but all the many horrors that hide in the darkness, marking him, and his newfound friends on the show, to suffer the same fate as his murdered family.

the tormented comic book series

“Ryan Auster, our protagonist in THE TORMENTED, sees ghosts, but kept it from his ghost-hunting family because he feared his family more than the ghosts, and because he’s been hiding it his whole life, now in his twenties, he still hasn’t quite learned how to deal with the unexpected spirits, demons, and otherworldly creatures that are constantly invading his life," Chuck Austen communicated to ageekdaddy.com. "This series has been an absolute trip to create with Pat, and I hope readers have as much fun reading the story as we’ve had making it.”

the tormented

Amazon’s Comixology Originals exclusive digital content line is available at no additional cost for members of Amazon Prime, Kindle Unlimited, and Comixology Unlimited, and for purchase at amazon.com/comixology. Prime Reading offers all Amazon Prime members a rotating selection of more than 3,000 digital books, magazines, comics, and more – all at no additional cost to their Prime membership. Kindle Unlimited gives customers access to more than 4 million digital titles, including thousands of audio books and comics, plus current magazines for just $11.99 a month with a free trial period at amazon.com/kindleunlimited. Comixology Unlimited offers over 45,000 comics, graphic novels and manga for just $5.99 a month with a free trial at amazon.com/comixologyunlimited.

NEW SEASON OF DOCTOR WHO TO DEBUT ON DISNEY+

doctor who on disney+

Calling across the Whoniverse! Today, Disney Branded Television and BBC jointly announced the premiere date for the next “Doctor Who” installment, the first-ever season to launch on Disney+ and release simultaneously worldwide. Beginning Friday, May 10, at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Disney+ in the U.S. and internationally (excluding the UK), audiences will return to “The Church on Ruby Road,” which premiered last December, and journey through two all-new episodes. In the UK, the show remains on its traditional home BBC with the season kicking off Saturday, May 11, at 12:00 a.m. GMT on BBC iPlayer, followed by a BBC One broadcast later that day.

This season of “Doctor Who” follows the Doctor and Ruby Sunday through infinite adventures across time and space in the TARDIS. From the Regency era in England to war-torn futures, the duo champion the forces of good while encountering incredible friends and dangerous foes. Showrunner, executive producer and writer Russell T Davies reached out to ageekdaddy.com saying “At last, it’s my great delight to unleash a whole new season of the Doctor and Ruby’s adventures together. Monsters! Chases! Villains! Mysteries! And a terrifying secret that’s been spanning time and space for decades. Don’t miss a second!”

Stay tuned for a brand-new trailer for the upcoming season being released next Friday, March 22 on Disney+.

new season of doctor who

Quintessentially British, “Doctor Who” is one of the longest running action-adventure television series in the world with legions of fans across the globe since its inception on the BBC in 1963. The critically acclaimed show was the UK’s most watched drama on Christmas Day 2023 as Ncuti Gatwa’s Fifteenth Doctor took over the TARDIS in “The Church On Ruby Road.”

EMPIRE OF THE ANTS VIDEO GAME

empire of the ants

Entomologists, zoologists who study insects, as well as those of us who are fans of Disney's "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" movies are sure to be geeked about an upcoming video game coming to PC, PlayStation and Xbox later this year. Video game publisher Microids is creating a 3D strategy game based upon author Bernard Werber's popular Empire of the Ants novel. In Werber's science fiction fantasy, ants are the heroes of the story while humans are the pesty antagonists. The upcoming video game will allow players to explore a vast photo-realistic world inspired by Bernard Werber's book viewed from an ant's perspective. 

Microids just released a trailer of its work in progress for Empire of the Ants. The video game looks amazing! Check out the Microids Empire of the Ants trailer:


In the Empire of the Ants video game, use every move to your advantage on the path to world domination. Strategy, exploration, conflict, and alliances with local wildlife species will be essential for your colony’s survival. Stand out elements of the game include:
  • Take part in an epic adventure - Take the role of a brave ant through a third person view and explore unique abilities that can help you in battle and exploration. 
  •  A 3D real-time strategy game with progressive difficulty - The game offers an intuitive experience with tutorials for newcomers to learn RTS fundamentals, while providing scalable difficulty and advanced mechanics for veteran players. 
  •  Explore vast environments and meet the local wildlife - Empire of the Ants will invite players to sink their teeth into a photorealistic forest where they will meet and interact with other ants and forest dwellers throughout their journey. 
  •  Immersive and photo-realistic - Unreal Engine 5 pushes the boundaries of photorealism - just look at the plants and wildlife! 
  •  Narrative based on the seasons - The game features a narrative that follows the rhythm of the seasons and affects wildlife attributes such as speed, resistance, buffs, and more. 
  •  Day and night environments - The maps in the game will also change depending on the time of day (day, night, dawn, and twilight).
For more updates on the video games release, visit microids.com

One of my favorite scenes in the Empire of the Ants video game trailer was watching the appearance of the Praying Mantis. They are one of my favorite insects. I'm always geeked when catching a glimpse of them hunting around our backyard landscape and pool.

If you want to get a close up look at insects like praying mantis, ants, butterflies, and lady bugs in real life check out insectlore.com. They have kits where you can order insect eggs or larva and watch them hatch. My kids loved it when we watched caterpillars that arrived in an Insect Lore kit create cocoons them emerge as butterflies. Read our Insect Lore review here. You can find Insect Lore kits on Amazon.com

insect lore

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Saturday, March 16, 2024

MIGRATION FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY UNIVERSAL PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT


We aren't flying anywhere for Spring Break, but my family had a fun movie night last evening enjoying the animated comedy MIGRATION which follows a flock of Mallards going on vacation. From Illumination, the creators of MINIONS, this family friendly movie is now available to add to your home entertainment library on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. MIGRATION is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] for action, peril and mild rude humor. 

In MIGRATION, A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

To share our enjoyment of MIGRATION, this Geek Daddy has a Digital code to giveaway courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment so another family can have a fun movie night too. Complete the rafflecopter entries before 11:59 pm ET on March 22, 2024 for a chance to win the home video release of MIGRATION. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to participate in this giveaway. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Add some extra entertainment to a MIGRATION family movie night having fun with these FREE movie themed activity sheets:


In addition to the feature presentation, the home video release of MIGRATION also includes the following bonus content: 
  • FLY HARD (MINI-MOVIE) - Chump sheds her tough-as-nails attitude, risking her life to fly through a blizzard and the harrowing streets of New York to return a prized possession to a kind woman from the park. 
  • MOONED (MINI-MOVIE) - Following the events of DESPICABLE ME, Vector and a lost Minion are stranded on the moon, and struggle to get back to Earth. 
  • MIDNIGHT MISSION (MINI-MOVIE) - The Minions will try anything to help Agnes overcome her fear of the dark, even if it involves going into outer space. 
  • MICROPHONE MADNESS - A fun look behind-the-scenes as the cast record some of their silliest lines. 
  • MEET THE CAST - In this series of behind-the-scenes pieces, we learn more about our favorite characters and the legendary comedic voices behind them. 
  • KUMAIL NANJIANI: MACK ELIZABETH BANKS: PAM KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY: DELROY AWKWAFINA: CHUMP DANNY DEVITO: UNCLE DAN CAROL KANE: ERIN CASPAR JENNINGS: DAX & TRESI GAZAL: GWEN TAKING FLIGHT: THE MAKING OF - MIGRATION is an original script so brand-new characters and locations had to be developed, designed, and animated from scratch! Here, filmmakers and crew break down their process to show us what gives this film an entirely new look and feel. 
  • THE ART OF FLIGHT - Using a series of production phases from storyboards to pre-viz, we peel back the feathers and reveal just what goes in to creating the avian heroes of the film. 
  • THE SOUND OF FLIGHT - Take a closer look at the music of MIGRATION as Composer John Powell walks us through his scoring journey. 
  • HOW TO DRAW MACK DELROY CHUMP GWEN BUILD YOUR OWN POP-UP BOOK - Daddy duck, Mack, likes to tell his two little ducklings some…overly imaginative bedtime stories. In this fun “How To” we’ll show you how to create a pop-up book so you can tell your very own bedtime stories! 
  • CALLING ALL BIRDS - They may not have cellphones, but you can call your web-footed friends anytime you want! In this fun How To, we’ll teach you how to create and customize your very own set of colorful bird whistles. 
  • THE MACK QUACK THE HERON HONK THE CHUMP CHIRP BEST NESTS - You don’t have to fly south –or anywhere –to find a perfect paradise for your feathered friends. Here we’ll teach you how to make the best nest for your pet ducks, or anyone flying by, including a water feeder to keep them hydrated! 

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MIGRATION ACTIVITY SHEETS


MIGRATION, the newest animated movie from Illumination, the creators of MINIONS, is now available to add to your home entertainment library on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] for action, peril and mild rude humor, this story about a Mallard family leaving their comfort zone to go on vacation makes for a nice movie to enjoy in the comfort of your home. Add some extra entertainment to a MIGRATION family movie night having fun with these FREE movie themed activity sheets:


In MIGRATION, A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.


This post has affiliate links, which means this blog could earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn't cost you anything extra, ageekdaddy.com just has to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!

Friday, March 15, 2024

RICK AND MORTY COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON

rick and morty season 7

I was GEEKED to get home from work tonight and find RICK AND MORTY: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON on Blu-ray had just arrived in the mail courtesy of Warner Bros Discovery Home Entertainment promoting its home video release. You know what I'll be doing this weekend → binge watching the new intergalactic adventures across the multiverse of a mad scientist and his family. The Blu-ray and DVD for RICK AND MORTY: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON which contains all ten episodes of the Adult Swim animated series seventh season and a number of special features is available now on Amazon.com.

The show nominated for a 2023 Emmy in the Outstanding Animation Program category is back for more adventures with Season 7. The possibilities are endless with this show: what's up with Jerry? EVIL Summer?! And will they ever go back to the high school? Maybe not! But let's find out! 

rick and morty season 7

Special bonus content for the home entertainment Blu-ray and DVD release of RICK AND MORTY: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON include these featurettes:

  • Inside the Episodes -- Take a deeper look into each of the ten episodes from the season;
  • Directing Unmortricken -- Jacob Hair walks viewers through the challenges of making one of the most ambitious and action packed episodes in the series history;
  • The Characters of Season 7 -- A wide-ranging look at how the character team crafted this season's new designs.
  • Inside Season 7 -- A look at the making of the season from the perspective of various members of the crew.

This post has affiliate links, which means this blog could earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn't cost you anything extra, ageekdaddy.com just has to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!