PATTON OSWALT AND JORDAN BLUM PRESENT MARVEL UNFORGETTABLE STORIES

For 85 years, Marvel has built an unparalleled library of characters and stories that have shaped pop culture. What makes a Marvel story unforgettable? Is it the classic characters, the dynamic dialogue, or the action and adventure? Is it a perfect panel, a stunning splash page, or a shocking page turn reveal? It is all of these things―and more. 

Now The Folio Society, the independent publisher of beautifully illustrated hardback books, is paying tribute to Marvel’s epic storytelling tradition with Marvel Unforgettable Stories, a handsome, collectible 280-page hardcover that collects ten seminal Marvel stories selected by acclaimed writer and actor Patton Oswalt and acclaimed writer Jordan Blum. The story selections by Oswalt and Blum range from the classic ― including The Amazing Spider-Man #33 from the heart of the Silver Age ― to the contemporary ― including Hawkeye #11. Marvel Unforgettable Stories features an all-new stunning cover and slipcase design by Marvel artist Marcos Martín (Daredevil), an introduction by Patton Oswalt, and 280 pages of super hero adventures featuring Spider-Man, Wolverine, Daredevil and Captain America. 

 “Unlike so many ‘best-of’ collections, here Patton and Jordan have carefully provided a favorite selection of the comics that have defined their love of Marvel,” James Rose, Head of Editorial at the Folio Society communicated to ageekdaddy.com. “It's a personal journey through some of Marvel's most unforgettable stories. Housed in a hardback volume featuring artwork by Marvel artist Marcos Martín, the selection also includes one or two surprises.”

 “Jordan Blum and I—both lifelong comics readers and ‘make mine Marvel’ fanatics—had a hard time picking only ten stories for this collection,” writes Patton Oswalt in the book’s introduction. “I can hear the bleats and rumblings of, ‘But you didn’t include . . .’ and ‘How could you forget . . .’ Lemme save your vocal cords the stress—you’re right. Any objections you have to any stories being passed over? You’re right. There’s simply too many to print under one cover. Hey, maybe buy this edition, and get all of your friends to buy one, and they’ll let us pick ten more! Capitalism!”

Marvel Unforgettable Stories includes: 

• The Amazing Spider-Man #33 "If This Be My Destiny - The Final Chapter" (1966)
•  Daredevil #191 "Roulette" (1983) 
• Uncanny X-Men #205 "Wounded Wolf" (1986) 
• Captain America #367 "Magnetic Repulsion" (1990) 
• X-Factor #87 "X-aminations" (1993) 
• Untold Tales of Spider-Man #20 "Wings of Hatred" (1997) 
• Spider Man's Tangled Web #4  "Severance Package" (2001) 
• The Runaways #1 "Pride and Joy, Chapter One" (2003)
• Fantastic Four #587 "Three, Part 5: The Last Stand" (2011)
• Hawkeye #11 "Pizza Is My Business"  (2013)

Marvel Unforgettable Stories is the latest collaboration between the Folio Society and Marvel, joining Marvel: The Golden Age 1939-1949, Marvel: The Silver Age 1960–1970, Marvel: The Bronze Age 1970-1980, The Avengers, Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet, Captain America, Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Spider-Man.

MARVEL UNITED X-MEN EXPANSION

Excelsior! The MARVEL UNITED games is such a blast to play and I am so geeked that now you can expand upon the gameplay by adding mutant heroes and villains into the action. Up to now the focus has been on Avengers-based characters but with new expansion packs Alpha Flight, Deadpool, the Fantastic Four, X-Men and more can join in the action.

I arrived home to find my dog guarding a crate of MARVEL UNITED expansion packs I ordered through a pledge in a Kickstarter campaign for the game. The artwork on these game box covers is super! I need to figure out a nice way to display this amazing art as part of storing these games when they aren't being played. If you have some suggestions tweet them out to me at @Geekdad248!

The elements of these expansion packs to MARVEL UNITED are similar to its original gameplay. A cooperative game where players team up to defeat a villain's master plan. Players must manage their own deck of action cards while moving around a gameboard to complete missions and combat evildoers. It is essential to work together to achieve victory because when players unite in combining actions it can result in some spectacular outcomes.

While a lot has stayed the same, these X-Men themed expansions also have some upgrades to the game. Now you can have a player control the villain in manipulating their master plan rather than just have everyone in the role of heroes. Also, some of the included miniature figures included for gameplay, anti-heroes, can be utilized as heroes or villains. Additionally, heroes now have more special effect cards available to add more comic book style action to the game and each hero has a trigger that when a certain scenario occurs unlocks a unique ability. These changes should make the game more exciting to play!

CORE X-MEN BOX

There is a core X-Men themed game box that is required to play the game unless you have the original Avengers themed core box for MARVEL UNITED. You need to have one or the other or both to play the game or utilize any of the expansion packs that are available for the game. The X-Men core box includes deck building cards, board locations, gameplay dashboards, and miniatures of heroes Wolverine, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Beast, and Professor X; anti-heroes Magneto and Mystique; and villains Sabretooth and Juggernaut. MARVEL UNITED: X-MEN is available on Amazon.com.

In addition to the core X-Men MARVEL UNITED box, through pledging on Kickstarter I received a huge box filled with additional bonus characters from Alpha Flight, Excalibur, New Mutants and more. 

Plus, Oldman Login and '80s era Storm were bonus characters that I received for going all in and purchasing all of the available expansion packs through the CMON MARVEL UNITED Kickstarter campaign for the game's X-Men focused adventures.

FIRST CLASS

One of the new expansion modes available through the Kickstarter campaign allows you to play as the original X-Men. Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Marvel Girl and Iceman team up against Magneto's twin children, from the 1960s comic book stories not more recent Marvel Cinematic Universe tv shows and movies, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. In addition to adding playable characters this expansion also  includes four more locations to add to your game board.

GOLD VS BLUE EXPANSIONS

Two other expansion packs add future generations of X-men characters that followed the First Class. My goal was to be able to put together the X-Men team from the mid-1980s when I was a diehard reader of the comic books for several years in elementary and middle school. Yes, I'm an '80s kid! With these two expansion packs I was able to add Colossus and Rogue to go along with Cyclops and Wolverine from the X-Men core box as well as Nightcrawler, Storm, Kitty Pryde and Lockheed in my Kickstarter bonus box. Now I have the team back together time for some nostalgic fun!

THE HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE 

How will my '80s X-Men fare against Famine, War, Pestilence and Death? The Horseman of the Apocalypse lets you battle against the world's oldest and one of the mightiest mutants along with his four henchmen in a multi-stage scenario that provides for challenging and intense gameplay. If they can't beat Apocalypse and stop his master plan than there are numerous other characters from these new MARVEL UNITED expansions to incorporate into the game. How do you think Alpha Flight, New Mutants or X-Force would do? Or how about the Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy from the first MARVEL UNITED release would stand up against Apocalypse and his Four Horsemen?

SENTINALS 

When it comes to X-men battles you really need to be able to have a fight against Sentinals. And MARVEL UNITED: X-MEN doesn't let us down! The Days of Future Past expansion provides a number of these gigantic mutant hunter robots for players to engage with. Players are really going to have to work together and give it their all to defeat these techno terrors!

DEADPOOL

The Merc with a Mouth makes an appearance in the X-Men MARVEL UNITED expansions too. Deadpool has his own expansion pack. It really is a zany scenario that fits in with the madcap exploits of this character known for breaking the fourth wall of media and being a goofy smart aleck. This expansion will provide a zany time!

FANTASTIC FOUR

Now that the movie rights for the Fantastic Four have returned to Marvel the first family of comic books is once again in the publisher's good graces which means we are starting to see more of them including inclusion in MARVEL UNITED. This expansion pack lets you try to spoil the plot of my favorite Marvel comic books villains ... Doctor Doom! A master of both the mystic arts and mechanical technology, it will be no easy task to defeat Doctor Doom.

THOR

I didn't get the THOR expansion in the original MARVEL UNITED Kickstarter and regretted it. With the new Thor movie coming out this summer, I wanted to add the character to my Avengers roster for MARVEL UNITED games. So, was glad to get a second chance to get my hands on it though this X-Men MARVEL UNITED Kickstarter campaign.

I'll be sharing more information about these and other MARVEL UNITED expansions as have the opportunity to dig into all these boxes and enjoy playing game sessions. Stay tuned to ageekdaddy.com for more updates as I get the chance to play MARVEL UNITED with family and friends. Note the game pieces come unpainted so keep an eye on my Instagram and Twitter feeds for occasional pictures of this amateur painter adding some color to them.

This post has MARVEL UNITED 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!

LEGO MARVEL COLLECTION

When it comes to having family fun with video games the LEGO themed ones produced by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games are some of this dad's favorites. They've created a number of games based upon entertainment franchises ranging from Jurassic Park and Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit as well as Star Wars that my family loves to play together.  Filled with the whimsical backgrounds and zany situations that the LEGO brand has become known for these video games are filled with adventurous challenges and thought provoking puzzles.

There are also LEGO video games that transport players to a world made of building bricks and populated with min-figures of characters from the Marvel super hero universe. What is great about these games is that elements from both Marvel's comic books along with the movies made by various studios are all combined together in a way you currently see on the silver screen. Unite members of the Avengers, Fantastic Four and X-Men to save the day in these LEGO video games!

While my kids and I have played a number of these LEGO Marvel video games, we don't currently own any of them. That may be changing though now that it has been announced that three of these top-selling videogames, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 and LEGO Marvel’s Avengers are being bundled together in one package called the LEGO MARVEL COLLECTION. The three-game compilation will be available March 12, 2019 for PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and the Xbox One family of devices.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes

In LEGO Marvel Super Heroes, players take on the role of their favorite Marvel characters Spider-Man, Iron Man, Wolverine, Thor, Captain America and the Hulk, as they assemble in a completely original story. Players will battle against some of the most menacing Marvel Super Villains, including dastardly Doctor Octopus, the ghastly Green Goblin, the ruthless Red Skull, the vicious Venom, Thor’s vexing brother, Loki, as well as the Devourer of Worlds, Galactus.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 picks up directly where LEGO Marvel Super Heroes left off featuring a completely original branching storyline co-written by award-winning comic writer Kurt Busiek. This story brings together a diverse roster of iconic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from different time periods and realities including Ant-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Cosmo the Spacedog, Cowboy Captain America, Doctor Octopus, Doctor Strange, Ghost Rider, Green Goblin, Groot, Gwenpool, Hawkeye, Howard the Duck, Hulk, Iron Man, Luke Cage, Ms. Marvel, Rocket Raccoon, She-Hulk, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man, Star-Lord, Thor, and many more. Players can roam and explore 18 different Marvel locations within the incredible Open Hub World of Chronopolis, from the vibrant jungle of Wakanda to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt, along with Asgard, Attilan, Knowhere, the Coliseum, Hala, Hydra Empire, Kang’s Citadel, K'un-Lun, Lemuria, Manhattan, Medieval England, Noir New York, 2099 Nueva York, Old West, The Swamp, and Xandar.

LEGO Marvel's Avengers

LEGO Marvel’s Avengers features storylines from the critically-acclaimed film Marvel’s The Avengers and its sequel Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron and players can unlock more than 200 characters, including Black Widow, Captain America, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor and Iron Man. The game features a unique take on open world gameplay, with eight different environments to explore within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the expansive streets of Marvel’s New York, as well as Asgard, Barton’s Farm, Malibu, the S.H.I.E.L.D. Base Exterior, Sokovia, South Africa and Washington, D.C. Players can freely roam around these open world locations in any way they’d like, such as super jumping off skyscrapers with Hulk, speed running over water with Quicksilver or even play as giant characters, like the menacing Fing Fang Foom, who can grow to the size of tall buildings.

DLC Content

This super-sized collection in addition to original content also includes the DLC packs for each of the three game. The updated content to these games includes Black Panther and Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War character and level packs for LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 inspired by Marvel Studios’ hit films. So you will have all the season pass content that was released for these three video games in the LEGO MARVEL COLLECTION.



With all the hype that will be taking place this Spring about the Captain Marvel and Avengers Endgame movies, it will be a great time to immerse yourself in having some video game fun playing the LEGO MARVEL COLLECTION.  I appreciate that these video games produced by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games and The LEGO Group have content that is appropriate for kids ranging from elementary school aged to teens to play but also has the action and excitement of the Marvel cinematic universe so that adults will enjoy playing too. Toss in some witty LEGO humor and parodies that are sure to make you smile. Now you are all set to participate in the type of amusing adventures that have earned LEGO style video games A Geek Daddy nod of approval!

Fantastic 4 Movie Giveaway

I read a whole bunch of FANTASTIC FOUR comic books as a kid so you know I was geeked about the newest film featuring this classic team of Marvel superheroes.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch the flick while it was in theaters so I'm going to have to wait until its Blu-ray and DVD release on December 15, 2015 to see it.  Of course, I want to share this experience with my blog readers, so courtesy of my friends at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, A Geek Daddy has a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack of the #Fantastic4 movie to giveaway.

When four young outsiders create a device that teleports them to an alternate universe their physical forms are altered in shocking ways.  Their lives changed forever, Reed Richards ("MR. FANTASTIC"), Sue Storm ("INVISIBLE WOMAN"), Johnny Storm ("THE HUMAN TORCH") and Ben Grimm ("THE THING") must harness their incredible new powers and work together to save Earth from a former friend turned enemy, the infamous DR. DOOM.

For a chance to win our movie prize pack submit one or all of the following entry methods to earn up to 5 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.  Must be a U.S. or Canadian resident over 18 years old to win.

E-MAIL (1 ENTRY)

E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address. Email subject line should be FANTASTIC 4

TWITTER ( 2 ENTRIES)

Follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and tweet:

 Hey @Geekdad248 send me #Fantastic4 on Blu-ray from #ageekdaddy blog or its going to be Clobberin' Time #FantasticInsiders  #ad

FACE BOOK ( 2 ENTRIES )

Visit our Facebook page and on the contest post leave a COMMENT telling us who your favorite member of the Fantastic Four is.

 All valid entries will be assigned a number in the order they are received and one number will be  selected to determine the winner using random.org.  E-mails will only be used to contact the winner and deleted following the selection of a winner.

FANTASTIC FOUR is rated PG-13 and has a film run time of 100 minutes.  Special features included with Blu-ray/DVD include:

• Powering Up: Superpowers of the Fantastic Four (DVD & Blu-ray)

• The Quantum Gates (Blu-ray Only)

• Planet Zero (Blu-ray Only)

• The Score (Blu-ray Only)

• Concept Art (DVD & Blu-ray)  

While you are anxiously awaiting the news of whether you won this A Geek Daddy blog giveaway, have some fun enjoying these Fantastic Four activity sheets.



DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest, but Fox Home Entertainment is responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  If you win this prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Prize will be delivered by UPS or FedEx so no P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses. A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any financial compensation but did receive a review DVD for the blog and the prize that is being awarded to one of our readers for this contest.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Any opinions in this post are my own. A Geek Daddy is a member of the Fox Home Entertainment Insiders Blogger Program receiving special information and perks as part of its participation. #FantasticInsiders

Join me 4 a Fantastic twitter party

I have been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser to promote & serve as a host for the #TysonAndAMovie Twitter Party. 

Friday nights  are always board game night or family movie night at our house.  A time to unwind, spend some quality time with our kids, and tune out the rest of the world for an evening.  A Geek Daddy blog readers know that our family likes to have a blast with our movie nights adding special activities, games, and snacks themed to the feature film we've selected to make the evening extra entertaining.  Join me along with @dentistmel, @theCouponista & @ourhomemadelife for a Twitter Party on Thursday, July 9 2015 @ 3pm EST where we'll be discussing how Tyson Any'Tizers® are a fantastic treat for any family movie night.

We'll be randomly giving out more than $500 in Walmart gift cards during the #TysonAndAMovie Twitter Party to participants.  Plus since Tyson has a special promotion that using Any'Tizers® as snacks during your family movie night can get you some free tickets to go see the FANTASTIC FOUR when it arrives in theaters we'll be talking about that new movie too!

To be eligible for prizes you need to RSVP:  cbi.as/covm

Here's what you need to take advantage of the Tyson Any'Tizers® FANTASTIC FOUR deal:

• Step 1: Buy – Buy 2 participating Tyson® Any’Tizers® products at Walmart between 6/15/15 and 8/15/15.
• Step 2: Snap – Snap a picture of your receipt and text or email it to tyson@drvsusa.com by 11:59pm PST on 8/15/15.
• Step 3: Get – Receive a code redeemable for a movie ticket to see FANTASTIC FOUR while in theaters. Code must be redeemed by 9/30/15 on tysonmovieoffer.com. 

Looking forward to tweeting with you all on 7/9 from 3 to 4pm EST as a co-host during the  TysonAndAMovie Twitter Party. We're going to be clobberin tips for having a great family movie night at home, burning through FANTASTIC FOUR trivia, discussing how to stretch your grocery shopping dollar, and proving that you don't need to be invisible to get into a movie theater for free.