Kickstarter Alert! "ATOMS Express Toys"

Holy cow am I horrible at writing blog posts. So what has gotten me so excited that I am writing one today? Oh, only a little Kickstarter campaign for ATOMS Express Toys.

The video for the campaign is fantastic, but the real treat is the product.



Check out this excerpt from the campaign's page:

 ATOMS don’t require any electronics skills or programming experience – or supervision from a parent with an engineering degree. In fact, because of the tiny electronics built into each one, kids can make all sorts of cool stuff within 5 minutes of taking ATOMS out of the box.

Naturally it wouldn't be a kickstarter campaign without rewards. And Seamless Toys, the company behind ATOMS, has put together some great backer reward levels. For a pledge as little as $30 you can get your hands on a set of ATOMS before anyone else!

$30 gets you the choice of a shirt, or the "Prankster Set", which comes with a light sensor, exploding brick and battery pack. (Oh, didn't I mention? Every ATOM set comes with a battery and A/C charger, so no selling your first born to power these things)

$50 level backing and you receive the "Monster Set". This comes with a battery, a motor, a light sensor, a knob, a record-playback module, a splitter and few structural parts to build a robot if you so desire.

$60 level (my choice) gives you the power to build a magic wand! It comes with 2 battery packs, 1 accelerometer, 1 infrared transmitter, 2 infrared recievers, 1 flip-flop (trust me, it's so much more fun to find out what that does on your own), 1 exploding brick, 1 LED night light and 2 chargers.

I'll let you check out the rest of the rewards for yourself, because it only gets better from there.

So check them out would you? They have already reached their funding goal, but that shouldn't stop you from getting in on the ground floor of an amazing product.

MIA

A few weeks ago I had a pretty good blog post going, but when Firefox unexpectedly shut down I found I didn't have the energy to type it all again. That put a dent in the momentum of this thing, a momentum that I am hoping to reclaim by featuring some great (and some not so great) things found on the internet the last few days.

First up, if you are not on twitter you should be. No, not because Ashton Kutcher is on it or because everyone is doing it, but because it's genuinely an entertaining and informative service. For example, within 20 "tweets" i received the following information:

Mark Millar (twitter.com/mrmarkmillar) tweeted that he is currently writing the second issue of the new series of Kick Ass. But he didn't leave it at that, he also stated that in this new series Hit Girl will be training Kick Ass and Red Mist will possibly have a side-kick, whom will square off with hit girl in the series ending.

Sean Phillips (twitter.com/seanpphillilps) tweeted a link to his blog, where it featured the new cover for the next Incognito series, "Bad Influences"

Next up we have a few people who are just funny to follow. For those of you who aren't familiar with twitter, many people have fake twitter accounts which many times they are impersonating another person/character. I myself follow a few fake accounts, below are a sampling of those as wells as some recent tweets:

@God_Damn_Batman Finally destroyed Robin's iPod. It's impossible to brood when Justin Bieber is blasting in the upstairs guest room.
 @Mickey_Rourke I never actually auditioned for Genghis Khan. I just happened to be charging onto the studio lot swinging a battle axe at the time.
  Also a great combo to follow is @GaryJBusey & @Nick_Nolte, both of whom seem to constantly be at war between eachother. 

In sad news,  after an all too brief run, one of my favorite comic book series "AIR" is being canceled. The writer, G Willow Wilson, has assured fans that she had a lot of notice about it's cancellation and will be ending the series in a way she intended it to, albeit sooner than she intended. The third TPB is set to be released June 1st, and the series will be finished by the end of the year.
On the bright side, Wilson has stated she will not be leaving comics, so we can look forward to something new *fingers crossed* by next year.




TV news, if you haven't been watching Community this season, you really haven't been watching TV, have you? To give you a brief synopsis, the show revolves around a Spanish study group who are as diverse as the student body of the community college they attend. But if you were hoping this would help you with your spanish, you can forget it, since no studying ever actually takes place.

The cast includes Joel McHale (The Soup, Informant), Allison Brie (Mad Men), Chevy Chase, and a few other people who are pretty new to TV but with any luck will become more popular. If you're worried about where to start, don't. The show has almost no continuing story lines so any episode is a great staring point. Just in case though, here is a quick overview of the characters:

Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) The cool guy of the group. He is forced to go back to Community College after it is found out that his law degree is fake. He starts the group in a failed attempt to get Britta to go on a date with him.

Britta Perry (Gillian Jacobs) Jeff's love interest. She recently received her GED and now looking to extend her education. Reason for the GED instead of a diploma? She dropped out of high school to impress a rock band, then went on a stint working in...I want to say Greenpeace.

Abed Nadir (Danny Pudi) My favorite character of the show. Abed is the social commentator of the show. He is obsessed with movies & tv and in every episode you will see him making allusions to the similarity of the situation to something he's recently seen on film.

Annie Edison (Allison Brie) The high strung, young, cute girl of the group. She barely graduated high school after suffering from a mental breakdown and becoming addicted to pills. But you would never know it from looking at her.

Shirley Bennett (Yvette Brown) The mother hen of the group. She is going to school to get a business degree so she can run an online business selling brownies. Her and

Troy Barnes (Donald Glover) The jock, he lost out on a big football scholarship after he hurt his ankle doing a keg stand. Him and Abed are best friends and Annie is harboring a secret crush for him.

Pierce Hawthorne (Chevy Chase) If Community was every guilty of having a "hook", he is it. Throwing his name on the credits certainly peaked my interest. He is the old, creepy guy of the group who it seems is desperately clinging to his long gone youth. Whether it's making racist comments to someone onscreen or making inappropriate advances on one of the castmembers, he's always good for a laugh.

So there it is, after re-reading my synopsis it's a wonder this works. Please, don't let me spoil it. Just watch it. (Get past the first episode) It's a great show and lord knows those are few and far between these days.

~Holden

Mail Call

So, after a bit of a spending spree two Friday's ago I have had quite a few things arrive to my location. And while I have yet to read most of the items, below is a run down of what they were and why I purchased them:

 Invincible: Volumes 9-11
While attending Emerald City Comicon I purchased volumes 1-8 and upon returning home and reading them, was completely drawn in to this world that Kirkman & Ottley had created.
The story starts out as your basic teenager who finds out he has super powers, but unlike Superman where he struggles to find his identity, Mark seems to have always known this is what he was born to become.
Now, if you're like me the description "teenager" doesn't inspire much confidence, as teenager based comic series are known to encompass all of the drama with being a teenager. But not the case with Invincible. Sure at one point Mark is involved in a love triangle, and occasionally he is conflicted about his feelings, but Kirkman is a good enough writer to address these issues and move on. Characters don't become bogged down in their own self-loathing, which makes them a much more enjoyable character.
I am very excited to see what volumes 9 through 11 (and soon 12) have in store for Mark, aka INVINCIBLE

At the advice of a podcast I listen to, I decided to pick up the first volume of AIR. Now, while the podcast did gush over how amazing the story was and how beautiful the writer is (this point I will concede to them, she's quite the sight compared to your average comic book writer) they never specifically discussed the story itself. So upon cracking it open the first time I had no idea what to expect. Now, even though I am only 5 chapters in, I must say how refreshing of a story it is. Perhaps it is best that I continue the trend of my favorite podcasters and not tell you anything about the story. It's much more exciting to discover it on your own.

Next up on my list of things arriving in my mail is Volume 1 of CHEW, cleverly titled "Taster's Choice". If you haven't picked up the first issue of this Image title I suggest you do. They recently did a reprinting fro $1, so it's not like you are out a whole lot if you do not enjoy it.
To preface the story somewhat, it seems to play on the Bird Flu scare we had a few years back. Chicken has become outlawed in the United States, and as a result a Chicken Black Market (or Blackened Chicken Market perhaps?) has appeared. Not unlike the speak-easys of the 20's, many establishments have become a "front" for restaurants that serve chicken. That's where we meet our hero, who on a stakeout of one of these fronts. The art is an odd contrast to the hard edged reality that the characters inhabit, but it really works. Something tells me if the art was more realistic I would have a harder time enjoying the story, since my main goal when reading comics is for enjoyment, rather than being grossed out.

I finally got around to reading the Demon In A Bottle story arch after being told that the new Iron Man 2 movie was based heavily on the characters of that series. For those of you unfamiliar with this story line, it's exactly what it sounds like. All is not well for the rouge billionaire playboy Tony Stark. He is living a double life and the pressure is mounting. Facing the buyout of Stark International by the government organization S.H.I.E.L.D. and the increased pressure of leading the Avengers team, Tony is finding a hard time coping. With no one to talk to and no other alternatives, he begins drinking. A LOT. For someone like myself who has had personal experience dealing with someone's alcohol problem, I was a bit hesitant to read it. But once I let go of my concerns I was able to really enjoy this book.
The reason I am mentioning all of this is because my favorite issue of the series was by far #127, which is actually the issue before "Demon In A Bottle". After such a tough run for Iron Man, this issue redeems him. There is almost an issue long fight scene, and along with the fantastic art of Romita, it is what I believe a quintessential Iron Man issue. I couldn't help but jump onto eBay ready pay $30 for the issue. Fortunately, since most of the alcoholism is addressed in #128, the price of #127 was fairly low. Really low actually. I paid .99 for the issue and $3 for the shipping. Not a bad deal.

Finally, I broke down and bought the Blade Runner umbrella. I must say it is pretty impressive to behold. And not only is it made of pretty sturdy materials, it has 4 different light settings. Below is a picture of it in action, hopefully it will persuade you to purchase it yourself, if only to encourage manufacturers to make more items like this one.

-Holden

Almost Friday

It's still relatively early in the morning but there have been lots of things happening. First, for Earth Day I decided to listen to something earthy for the commute to work. I went with the Sigur Ros's album Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust. One of my favorite songs on the album is Festival, although to call it a "song" seems too confining a definition. To truly listen to a Sigur Ros song like "Festival" really have to let it take you over completely. The haunting vocals of Jonsi Birgisson and the the subtle instrumentals that make up Sigur Ros is absolutely epic. I was fortunate enough to see them perform last summer and while I am still relatively young and will attend many more concerts throughout my lifetime, I know that the Sigur Ros performance I experienced will remain one of my most memorable.

Now, moving on to items on the internet, prepare to have your bank accounts drained because there was a slew of merchandise debuted today.

First up is several great finds from Entertainment Earth today, if you aren't receiving their daily email I highly suggest it. They have a pretty big inventory which can be a little overwhelming, but the email highlights great products.

Yes, you too can relive your youth as a member of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Just pay $18.99 plus s/h and you and your friends can relive your favorite episodes.

Click here for more details.

Next up on our Entertainment Earth shopping list is a set of travel posters featuring locations from the all too short lived TV series Firefly. This set will put you back $35, figure about $40 to have each one of them framed and while it does add up fast, imagine how great this will look on your wall? Impress friends and family with your travel stories of Canton, or the beauty of Bellerophon. I mean, what else are you going to put up on your walls, more Dark Knight posters?

For Iron Man 2 news, a new clip has hit the web (all legit) where we get one of our first real glimpses of Justin Hammer (aka Sam Rockwell Jr) interacting with Stark. Unfortunately, MSN doesn't feel like sharing, so I can't embed the video. So grit your teeth, sit through the 30 second commercial about soap and prepare to be amazed. Click Here To Engage!
And oh yeah, that's a new poster on the left. Click here to see a larger version.





Last thing for the day. A colleague showed me this great website where NASA posts a new picture every day. The archive goes back some 10 years. If you have the time I highly suggest you take a look and marvel at how small we really are. Perhaps while listening to a little Sigur Ros for dramatic effect.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/

-Holden

A bit of a slow news day, both personally and on the world wide web.

In a glimpse into the real Holden, I have a dog. It is by no means a smart dog, not particularly loyal and spends most of it's time trying to make itself smell as bad as possible. Recently I decided to hire someone to walk it once a week. The company I went with is locally owned and boasts LONG, energetic walks. Something that interested me greatly, seeing as how I work quite a lot and rarely have time for long walks.

Reason I bring this up is because today I got it's first walk "report card". No, that wasn't a typo, my dog actually receives report cards. Groomers, sitters and now dog walkers. I can't help but wonder, is this necessary? The following are just a few comments I have received on the dog's report card:

"Teeth are picture perfect!"

"Very well behaved"

"Everything went swimmingly! Went on a super looooong walk and she'll probably be very tired"

The last one in particular causes me concern. Was an email telling me my dog walked a long distance needed? My answer is no.

For my internet finds, please see below:

Replica Bladerunner Umbrella
Still undecided when best to use it without looking completely homosexual (not like that's a bad thing, just not my thing)

The next is an announcement from Cartoon Network for a new series entitled "Young Justice". SuperHeroHype.com has all the news, but to sum it up it features the likes of Robin, Kid Flash, Super Boy and a bunch of other B- super heros that you didn't know you were supposed to care about. (I mean come on, Aqualad?)

Finally, Earth Day is tomorrow. Now, I want to make it abundantly clear that this is not a political blog. I am not out to spout my political affiliations or use this to start a political movement. (I mean come on, I just spent 2 1/2 paragraphs talking about a dog) Having said that I feel that as a resident of Planet Earth you should learn a little more about it. Take a moment to skim through the Earth Wikipedia Page and just think of how smart you'll come off when you point out to your neighbor that the atmospheric pressure of earth is 101.325 kPa, whatever that means. Should you feel it's all a little too overwhelming for you, well, watch some shit blow up in The Losers movie trailer.

-Holden

Not Monday

So, lots of great stuff coming from the internets today. Don't believe me? See for yourself:

Entertainment Earth is distributing Kick Ass & Hit Girl 6" action figures...

Also, while poking around EE I was able to preorder this little number...
(and seriously people, if you haven't seen Tron, why the hell not?)

For today's WTF?!? moment, I give you what I can only assume is a webexclusive video from the TV show Community. Trust me when I say, just get past the first episode and it will not disappoint...


We've also got 9 new photos from Iron Man 2. I've featured Justin Hammer because, well, Sam Rockwell Jr. (Click here to view all 9 pictures)

Next we have the first trailer for the new DC animated film "Batman: Under The Red Hood". The voice cast is superb, definitely get excited for this:


That's really all I've got for now. Stay sharp.

~Holden

Work Day #16

So, on my 16th consecutive day of work. The days are starting to blur together, to the point where I am no longer labeling my days in the conventional Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Rather, I find myself using my own system. For instance:

World: Friday, April 16th
Me: Pay day, buy lots of cool shit

World: Tuesday, April 20th
Me: Day I get to see a early screening of The Losers

World: Friday, April 23rd
Me: Comic Book Day and long drive for work

With any luck my work "week" will end this Saturday (that's Saturday for me as well as the world) and things will slow down a bit.

In the meantime, stay vigilante.

-Holden