This week readers of some of DC Comics' titles will find an extra special surprise waiting for them on comic book shelves. Five of the publisher's series that are being released on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 will be polybagged containing a bonus FREE comic book that tells an origin story for one of the characters from the into The Badlands television series on AMC. The 32-page into The Badlands Special #1 includes a 24-page story plus a 4-page section that provides profiles on several of the characters who are important to the TV show. The free comic book is promoting the March 19, 2017 debut of the television series second season.
The wars were so long ago nobody even remembers. Darkness and fear ruled
until the time of the barons, seven men and women who forged order out
of chaos. People flocked to them for protection. That protection became
servitude. They banished guns and trained armies of lethal fighters they
called Clippers. This world is built on blood. Nobody is innocent here.
Welcome to the Badlands.
into The Badlands tells the tales of a warrior who takes a young boy on a journey of enlightenment through dangerous lands ruled by ruthless barons in an apocalyptic future. The free publication was written by the TV show's co-producer Matt Okumura and features artwork by reputed comic book artist Steve Ellis. into The Badlands Special #1 revolves around Quinn, the preeminent Baron, who rules his domain within the Badlands with an iron fist and tells the story of his first kill and how that led him on the road to where he is at now in the television series.
You can find this special comic book edition bundled with DC Comics Green Arrow #18, Harley Quinn #15, Deathstroke #14, Red Hood & The Outlaws #8 and Suicide Squad #13. This is a print edition of a digital comic book used to promote the debut season of the television series back in 2015. CLICK HERE to view the free digital version of the comic book.
into The Badlands returns to AMC on Sunday evenings at 10pm ET/PT beginning on March 19th. For more information about the show, visit amc.com/shows/into-the-badlands
The newest movie from LAIKA, the stop-motion animation studio that has produced Coraline, Boxtrolls and ParaNorman, will be arriving soon with the upcoming theatrical release of Kubo and the Two Strings. The artistic elements and creativity of LAIKA's previous films has been amazing as they have fused state-of-the-art technology with traditional handmade animation. Kubo and the Two Strings promises to continue this excellence and A Geek Daddy is sharing our excitement about this new film by giving away a four pack of tickets to see the movie in 3D at its Metro Detroit advance screening taking place on August 15, 2016 at the AMC Forum 30 in Sterling Heights, Michigan (7:00pm).
Who wants to go see Kubo and the Two Strings for free?! For a chance to win the family four pack ticket giveaway read A Geek Daddy's post about the limited edition Kubo Air Jordan sneakers created by NIKE to help LAIKA promote the movie and email thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com with the subject line KUBO GIVEAWAY telling us which shoes you like best (Coraline, BoxTrolls, ParaNorman, or Kubo) before Saturday, August 13, 2016 at Noon. Please also include your name and the city where you live within your email. For a bonus entry leave a comment on our Facebook page post for this giveaway about why you want to go see the movie. Please let us know in your email entry if you posted on Facebook and if you used an account with a name that may not otherwise be identifiable to you to get credit for your bonus chance.
Emails will only be used to contact the randomly selected winner and deleted at the conclusion of the promotion. Must be a Michigan resident within driving distance of the movie theater to be eligible to win -- please don't enter if you can't make the screening so that someone who legitimately wants to go has the opportunity to attend. A Geek Daddy will email the winner the passes on Sunday, August 14. Winner should arrive prior to 6:45pm and check-in to guarantee seating availability. It is recommended to select seats prior to visiting the concession stand as while admission is invite only the allocation of seat locations is first come, first serve.
UPDATE: Congrats to Chris S. from Saline MI on winning the family four pack of tickets.
By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind
against the publisher of this blog. A Geek Daddy is providing
this
giveaway contest as a benefit to our readers and social media followers
and has not been financially compensated for this promotion.
Kubo and the Two Strings is rated PG and features the voices
of Charlize Theron, Art Parkinson, Ralph Fiennes, George Takei,
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro, Rooney Mara, and Matthew
McConaughey and is directed by Travis Knight, son of NIKE co-founder Phil Knight. The
plot of the movie revolves around a young boy named Kubo whose peaceful
existence comes crashing down when he accidentally summons a vengeful
spirit from the past. Armed with a magical instrument, Kubo must battle
the Moon King to save his family and solve the mystery of his fallen
father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. The film opens at theaters across the United States on Friday, August 19, 2016.
For more information about Kubo and the Two Strings, please visit kubothemovie.com or check out the film's Twitter account @KuboTheMovie.
Cable network AMC is hyping its new Breaking Bad spin-off television series Better Call Saulwith an online comic book. Set in 2002, Better Call Saul focuses on the life of small-time lawyer Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk) six years before his appearance on Breaking Bad, though events during and after the original series will also be explored in the show. The comic book features a story that ties together the new television series with Breaking Bad. It also wraps up with a two page short at the end that has Saul imagining a TV commercial for his law practice portraying him as a super hero defending people from evil police officers. The online comic book, Better Call Saul: Client Development, was written by Jenn Carroll and Gordon Smith with art by Steve Ellis.
The all-new "Better Call Saul: Client Development" online
comic follows Mike Ehrmantraut and Saul Goodman as they work to root out
the truth about Saul’s newest client, revealing exactly what took place
between when Jimmy In-N-Out gets arrested as Heisenberg and the moment
Saul confronts Walter White in his chemistry classroom. As a bonus, the Better Call Saul comic
also includes an exclusive two-page short that reimagines Saul as a
superhero, rescuing a client from the clutches of evil police officers.
Better Call Saul debuts on Sunday February 8, 2015 at 10pm (ET/PT) following the midseason premiere of THE WALKING DEAD on AMC.
Halloween has always been one of my favorite times of the year ever since I was a little kid ... haunted houses, trick-or-treating, scary movies are fun thrills to enjoy throughout the month of October. Enjoying comic books can be another great way to enhance the spooky vibe of the Halloween season. Here are 5 ways comic books can impact your Halloween spirit:
5. WATCH CONSTANTINE ON NBC
Constantine is a new television series on NBC premiering on Friday, October 24, 2014 at 10pm ET/PT. The series will focus on John Constantine a dark exorcist, occult detective and con man who is struggling with his past sins as he attempts to protect humanity from a gathering supernatural threat. Constantine is based on the Hellblazer comic book originally published by DC Comics and more recently by its Vertigo imprint.
4. MONSTER THEMED DC COMIC BOOK COVERS
During the month of October, DC Comics will be publishing variant covers with a MONSTER theme for a variety of their comic book titles. Keep an eye out for these spooky covers on the store shelves of your local comic book shop.
Action Comics #35
Batgirl #35
Batman #35
Batman & Robin #35
3. DRESS UP AS YOUR FAVORITE SUPERHERO
Show off your Super Hero Spirit by dressing your family up together with an Avengers or Justice League theme for Halloween.
Avengers: Captain America, Black Widow, The Hulk & Thor
Justice League: Batman, Green Lantern, the Flash & Wonder Woman
2. WATCH THE WALKING DEAD ON AMC
If you enjoy being spooked out than the AMC cable network's hit series The Walking Dead is a must watch show. The premise of the television series now in its fifth season is that an epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe. Now the dead are walking the world with a hunger to feed on the dwindling number of survivors who manage to stay alive.
The television show is based on The Walking Dead comic book series published by Image Comics starting in 2003 and is a still ongoing monthly serial. In 2010 it received the Eisner Award for Best Ongoing Series. Eisner Awards are like Emmy Awards for comic books recognizing the best in the industry each year. The Walking Dead comic books are also a great read, especially during this time of year. They are printed in black & white which enhances the horrific nature of the stories.
1. TRICK OR TREAT AT YOUR LOCAL COMIC BOOK STORE
On Saturday, October 25th participating comic book stores across the country will be giving out FREE Halloween themed comics to people, with or without a costume, who stop by that day. There are 12 full size comic books being given out ranging from AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE to SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP WITH BATMAN. There will also be 7 mini comics given out ranging from ANGRY BIRDS to VAMPLETS: THE UNDEAD PET SOCIETY. Make sure to swing by and pick up these treats being given out for absolutely FREE!!!!
Watch out LEGO, KRE-O & MEGA BLOKS there is a new brand of building blocks creeping onto store shelves this fall looking to take a bite out of your sales. McFarlane Toys has partnered with AMC's The Walking Dead television show to produce a new line of building block play sets based upon the popular television show. These building block play sets will be available starting in October, just in time for the beginning of The Walking Dead Season 5 on AMC, and will be sold exclusively on Toys-R-Us' website and at its retail stores. The McFarlane Toys' The Walking Dead line will initially include 3 play sets: Daryl Dixon with Chopper, The Governor's Room, and Prison Tower with Gate. These play sets will retail between $9.99 and $64.99. Additionally, blind bags for $2.99 each will be available to purchase that will allow people to buy additional scaled figurines of show cast members and zombies to include within their play sets. The fall lineup of blind bags will include Michonne, Carl Grimes, Riot Gear Walker, Michonne's Pet Walker, and Herd Walkers. Additional play sets and blind bag characters are expected to come out in the future.
While these are building block sets they really aren't aimed at a children's audience so McFarlane won't really be competing with LEGO and KRE-O. The McFarlane Toys' The Walking Dead build block line is really aimed at adult building block hobbyists, toy collectors, and fans of the television series. Unlike LEGO and KRE-O these building block sets will have very detailed figurine sculpts and accessories. For example the Governor's Room play set will have the walker head aquariums from the television show that actually light up. These new building block sets will probably be more competitive instead with MEGA BLOKS who have some brands like ASSASSINS CREED, HALO, and CALL TO DUTY that are marketed to teens and adults. Interestingly, McFarlane Toys has the action figure license to 2 of these brands MEGA BLOKS is currently selling building block toys for HALO and ASSASSINS CREED.
As you can see from the picture below, McFarlane Toys building block aspect of these play sets will be mostly focused on the core scenery base with figurines/accessories probably playing a larger part in the appeal of these toys than their constructable features.
Here's the press release by McFarlane Toys announcing this new brand of building block:
Famed artist and award-winning toy designer Todd McFarlane and McFarlane
Toys are unveiling a revolutionary evolution in brick building toys based on
television’s most watched drama, AMC’s The Walking Dead.
Known as a game-changer for its realistic action figures, including those based
on The Walking Dead, McFarlane Toys is adding a new licensed category to the
company’s portfolio. The new The Walking Dead toys will extend McFarlane’s high
standards of artistic vision, realistic accuracy and incredible detail into the
brick building toy aisle alongside of other leading manufacturers. McFarlane
Toys’ The Walking Dead building sets and figures will be available this fall
only at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com
The initial McFarlane Toys’ The Walking Dead brick building line will
feature realistic sculpts, light-up and shaped features, iconic environments,
and dozens of your fan-favorite characters and walkers. Both collectors and
fans of the cult phenomenon can literally recreate their favorite scenes with
this new highly detailed and realistic The Walking Dead product line.
“Twenty years ago I walked into the action figure aisle, saw an artistic
void, and asked, can these toys look cooler? The answer was yes, they could,
and I’ve survived twenty years next to the big boys creating those artistic
toys,” said McFarlane. “Now I’m walking into another aisle with that same
question, and the answer is still yes!”
“Will these be the best building sets out there? I’ll leave it up to the
consumer to decide,” said McFarlane. But, will it look cooler? Yes. Will it be
more detailed? Absolutely. Will it be more realistic? I guarantee it!”
Are you ready for the building block apocalypse?! Keep an eye out for the zombies as they'll be roaming toy store aisles during this year's Christmas holiday shopping season.
Photos provide via McFarlane Toys website & facebook page for publicity purposes
.jpg)
