Observer
Xbox One l PS4 l PC
DEVELOPER: Bloober Team
PUBLISHER: Aspyr Media
RELEASE DATE: Aug 15, 2017

From Bloober Team, the developer behind the 2015 horror Layers of Fear, comes a cyberpunk horror titled Observer (stylized as >observer_).

The game is set in the year 2084, in a dark and depressing world that’s the result of two devastating events: the Nanophage—a sort of computer virus which caused thousands of deaths when it affected the cybernetic augmentations most people now have in their bodies—and a massive nuclear war known as the Great Decimation, which killed millions and left many areas of the planet uninhabitable. You play as Daniel Lazarski (Rutger Hauer), a neural detective called an Observer who’s able to dive deep into the minds of others to acquire necessary information.

A Column of Fire
Kingsbridge #3
Hardcover | Kindle | Audiobook
By Ken Follett
Publisher: Viking Books
Release date: September 12, 2017

Sometimes authors will surprise you. I speak, in this case, of Ken Follett and his upcoming novel, A Column Of Fire. As a voracious reader, it is seldom that I am without reading material, but I have recently stagnated with new books and writers. I’ve tried a plethora of unknown authors and their works, but none have sated my current needs, my hunger to read. Therefore, it was almost stunning when I was offered the chance to shine a spotlight on this book, one that I have not, as of yet, read. But there is more to the Kingsbridge series and its creator than one might think. I hold a special place in my heart for Follett that I will try to put into words.

Actor Ed Skrein is taking himself out of the Hellboy reboot, citing the outcry of whitewashing when he was initially cast as a non-white role from the comic book. That role is Major Ben Daimio, a character who happens to be Japanese. His move is practically unheard of, especially since we’ve been seeing a huge increase in whitewashing in films like Ghost In The Shell, Doctor Strange, Death Note, and much more. When the casting was initially announced, the backlash was swift with many decrying it.

But the Deadpool and Game of Thrones actor believed that “representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voice in the Arts.” More on what he had to say and the importance of representation here below.

As the Summer movie season comes to a close, it’s time to set aside our popcorn movies and head into the Oscar and horror seasons. It’s a good time to take a look at what the best Movies of 2017 so far are, and wonder what will still be on that list by the end of the year.

As of now, I have seen 57 new films this year, and am on pace for a record number of movies. I’m not exactly sure what my record is, but I think the mid 70s is a good guess. As always, that includes any movie I see for the first time, so the easiest first cut, is all of the older movies I see for the first time. And the process continues until I get only ten movies, and this year, I pretty much knew what the top movies were going to be. It was the end of the list that was the real issue.

So, here’s a look at my Top 10 Movies of 2017… so far.

If any of you are like me, you grew up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, playing with the brand’s action figures, and reading the comics. But have you ever wondered what it was like for the creators of TMNT — or any other popular franchise for that matter — to hit it big in the comic book industry? What kind of stories do these guys have to tell from behind the scenes?

In Drawing Blood — a graphic novel written by one of TMNT‘s co-creators, Kevin Eastman, and that is currently running on Kickstarter — you’ll get to learn about some of these true stories, only set in a fictionalized world. Joined by comic creators David Avallone and Ben Bishop, Eastman’s Kickstarter for Drawing Blood has passed its goal of $75,000, and with only has a few days left, is now reach for some awesome stretch goals!

I was able to chat with both Avallone and Bishop about the project, and am excited to share their experiences with all of you! Check out the interview here below, along with their video for Drawing Blood!