We know how it is… You’ve got your hands full with so many sci-fi MMO’s that your wallet is screaming bloody murder. You can rejoice now as starting today Cryptic and Perfect World have a solution just for you if you’re short on cash.

Cryptic has completed the transition of Star Trek Online from subscription to the free to play model and now you can jump straight into the game without having to worry about those pesky subscription fees (if you so choose). Premium subscriptions are still there (for if you want to play multiple alternates or start a guild) and go at the game’s traditional $14.99 per month. Going free gets you the whole game (including all add-on content) so there’s nothing you’re missing if you choose not to have a regular subscription. If you’ve already had an existing account, but had it deactivated before now, don’t worry, your account is still there if you choose to pick it back up and go F2P.

Zero dollars. All the time. From now on. Live long, and (let your wallet) prosper. Make it so. Okay, no more Star Trek puns…

When the rumors started circulating that Benicio Del Toro could be the villain in the upcoming Star Trek movie, the internet went to work with fanboys and critics alike speaking their minds.

Del Toro is officially out of negotiations for the twelfth feature film in the sci-fi franchise.

After entering negotiations to play the film’s villain earlier this month, and later followed by rumors that he would be taking on the role of Khan in the sci-fi follow up, reports show that Del Toro is no longer in the running for the role of the villain stating that ”the deal actually went asunder last Wednesday after parties couldn’t come to terms over monetary issues.”

Currently, the rumor mill is running that Del Toro is actually being courted for Scorcese’s next film, Silence. If there is some truth to it, the negotiations may have run aground because of the production power behind a Scorcese film…

Moving back to the rumor that Khan is the villain for the new movie, Vulture reports that it has word from a very credible and a “highly placed source” that Khan is indeed the film’s baddie. This all comes after speculation over the weekend from another source that Khan was the new villain which led J.J. Abrams to immediately deny the claim.

Who’s right? Who’s wrong?

We’ll keep you posted with more developments.

Production of the next Star Trek film is set to go full blast January 15th with a release date scheduled for May 17th, 2013.

The sequel to the hit 2009 reboot of the fan-favorite science fiction franchise just recently started coming together when J.J. Abrams officially signed on to direct. While details are still at a minimum for the new movie, the full cast and crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise are confirmed to be back and the word is out that Benicio Del Toro (The Wolfman) is in negotiations for the role of the villain. Word was released today that Star Trek 2 (as is being titled in pre-production) will also be hitting the screens in 3D.

As of now, there’s no word whether or not Abrams will be filming in 3D or post-converting, but for time constraints, hopefully it’s the former. The May 17th  release date puts Star Trek 2 in the prime spot to kick off the Memorial Day weekend as other movies scheduled for the summer 2013 movie season include Pacific Rim, Fast and Furious 6 and Iron Man 3.

Perfect World, the parent company to Cryptic Games, has announced that January 17th 2012 will be the go-date for the complete switch from subscription to free-to-play for Star Trek Online. Since the acquisition of Cryptic, there had been serious speculations on what would become of the game (one of the most successful Star Trek based video games to date) with a lot of the rumors divided between complete server closure and possible free-to-play. Perfect World made the announcement earlier this summer of plans to transition the game to free-to-play alleviating a lot of worries of longtime fans of the game but raising even more concerns for people who had long standing subscriptions.

The switch for Star Trek Online had been originally planned for the end of the year. To get more information on the switch, head over the the Star Trek Online website and follow the Dev Blog.

It’s never really any comfort to report layoffs in the industry that we know and love… German browser-based games company Gameforge is looking to cut loose a little over 20 percent of its staff real soon. Gameforge recently made headlines after buying a majority share of Frogster last year and is now at the point of cutting 100 employees from it’s current staff of 450.

“Through a more efficient organizational structure, we can optimize our use of resources and great potential for further growth increase,” CEO Alexander Roesner said in a statement. “This will strengthen our long term position in the dynamic market for online games.”

Recently, the publisher cancelled Mythos (which was in beta last time people checked up on it) and Hellbreed. Reportedly, the publisher is currently struggling to finish up production of Star Trek: Infinite Space but need to get a co-publishing agreement signed before it can go forward.

Starting in January, CBS Paramount will tease us with a sampler of several popular episodes, followed by a box set for season one set to be released later on in 2012. StarTrek.com has reported that all 178 episodes of The Next Generation‘s seven seasons will be transferred to true high-definition 1080p for release in the Blu-ray format and, eventually, for runs on television and digital platforms in the U.S. and across the world. Having launched in 1987, the released of The Next Generation on Blu-ray comes right on time with the series’ 25th anniversary.

“Fans have been clamoring for a high-definition release of Star Trek: The Next Generation,” Ken Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager of CBS Entertainment, said in a statement. “Transferring the series to high-definition presented difficult technical challenges, but our team has come up with a process to create true 1080p HD masters with true HD visual effects. We can’t wait to show fans how pristine the series looks and sounds with our upcoming Blu-ray releases.” On September 21, 2012, LeVar Burton tweeted on his personal Twitter account, “Stopped by to see how the TNG conversion to HD for Blue Ray [sic] was coming along…” along with a photograph of CBS Television City.

The sampler, called Star Trek: The Next Generation — The Next Level has a set date of  January 31, 2012, and will be presented as a single disc, which will include the feature-length version of the series pilot, “Encounter At Farpoint” and fan-favorite episodes “Sins of The Father” and “The Inner Light”. The Next Level will sell for the suggested retail price of $21.99.

For more information on this, and other upcoming Blu-ray releases, check out the Star Trek official website (www.startrek.com) and back here as well.

We’re more powerful, we’re more focused, we’re more segmented! Kicking things off, the Wild Bunch and I sat down to new fall TV season that’s already in full swing, and we brought in our long-time contributor and Senior Movies/TV editor Ernie Estrella to offer up his own insight and what’s good to watch this fall, and what you can all pass on.

In this first installment, we’re recapping some returning network shows, lamenting over departing cast members, the Return of Sarah Michelle Gellar, and breaking down The CW to a science.

E3 has come and gone and many surprises (and some not-so-surprising) appeared during the show. In a big shocker post-show, the upcoming Star Trek game (based on the 2009 Star Trek reboot film) for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 received 5 awards from a panel of critics including the big-time honors of “Most Valuable Game” of E3 2011.

Other awards received from the off-shoot of the successful 2009 J.J Abrams included:

Playstation: The Official Magazine – Most Valuable Game of E3 2011

Official Xbox Magazine – Most Valuable Game of E3 2011

Electric Playground – Best of Show

Pixelated Geek – Best Awesome

The Bit Bag – Best Co-op

The game, which will be released across all platforms in 2012, also took a spot on CNN’s top 5 games of E3 2011. I’m shocked. How about you?

Containing a stand alone story filled with action-packed combat, Kirk and Spock must work together to stop a legendary enemy race bent on conquering the galaxy. There’s no word on whether this ties in to the upcoming Star Trek XII which is also expected to be released in 2012.

“Star Trek challenges the boundaries of co-op gameplay with a galactic adventure that gamers and fans have never experienced,” said Tom Lesinski, President of Paramount Digital Entertainment. “Working closely with the Star Trek filmmaking team throughout development, the game is sure to deliver AAA production values, a wide variety of gameplay and all the action you would expect from the hit franchise. This will be the definitive Star Trek gaming experience.”

Star Trek features an original story by BAFTA award winner and God of War writer, Marianne Krawczyk, in collaboration with the writer/producers of the new Star Trek films, Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman.

The game is under development by Digital Extremes (Bioshock 2, Unreal Tournament, Dark Sector, The Darkness II), working closely with Bad Robot, K/O Paper Products and Damon Lindelof and published by Paramount Digital Entertainment through a license with CBS Consumer Products. Star Trek will be available in stores 2012.

Paramount Digital Entertainment will be providing a first look at the title to press during the upcoming Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, June 7-9, 2011. Trekkies, get your phasers primed and tricorders ready!!

With a flick of the wrist, the Captain’s Log app transforms the iPhone 4 into a Star Trek-inspired Starfleet communicator.

Using the Captain’s Log communicator, users can capture voice recordings, text entries, take photos and map GPS locations of their voyages as they travel planet Earth. Officers can select their preferred Enterprise class level, whether taking the role of Captain, Engineering, Science/Medical, Enterprise, or assuming the identity an enemy Romulan or Klingon officer.

Users can share their logs with friends on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and via email, with other Captain’s Log iPhone users, or choose to keep logs as private personal records. To deliver the most advanced Starfleet communicator to date, Captain’s Log utilizes iPhone 4 features including front-facing camera, retina display, multitasking capabilities and gyroscope support, showcasing a 3D model of the Starship Enterprise.

The application works with iPhone and iPod Touch devices running iOS 4.

You may remember Wil Wheaton from his 1987-1990 stint on Star Trek: The Next Generation, where he played Wesley Crusher, awkward teenager and frequent savior of the Enterprise, who was–let’s put it out there–widely reviled by fans. Fortunately, Wheaton remembers it too, with an incredible sense of humor, and has since become a geek icon and Twitter titan (1,642,522 followers and counting) who has written several books about his experiences, lent his voice to video games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, and guest-starred in TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory (as “Evil Wil Wheaton”) and web series The Guild (as Fawkes, an evil guild leader who proudly wears a kilt).

In short, he wears his geek cred with pride, and he’s extremely funny. When he entered his panel on Saturday, the crowd went nuts and was happily entertained by Wheaton’s tales of obsessing over Star Wars figures as a child, and wearing oppressive spandex around scantily clad women on TNG as a teenager. Here’s a teaser from the panel, featuring an awesome wolf t-shirt:

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You may remember Wil Wheaton from his 1987-1990 stint on Star Trek: The Next Generation, where he played Wesley Crusher, awkward teenager and frequent savior of the Enterprise, who was–let’s put it out there–widely reviled by fans. Fortunately, Wheaton remembers it too, with an incredible sense of humor, and has since become a geek icon and Twitter titan (1,642,522 followers and counting) who has written several books about his experiences, lent his voice to video games like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, and guest-starred in TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory (as “Evil Wil Wheaton”) and web series The Guild (as Fawkes, an evil guild leader who proudly wears a kilt).

In short, he wears his geek cred with pride, and he’s extremely funny. When he entered his panel on Saturday, the crowd went nuts and was happily entertained by Wheaton’s tales of obsessing over Star Wars figures as a child, and wearing oppressive spandex around scantily clad women on TNG as a teenager. Here’s a teaser from the panel, featuring an awesome wolf t-shirt:

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Questions? Comments? Post them below!

Hey everyone! We’ve got an exciting Wednesday New Releases blog for you today, chock-full of delicious options: first up, we have Die Hard Year One #4, followed by Daytripper #2, Angel #29, Captain’s Log: Sulu, the Blackest Night-resurrected Catwoman #83, Amazing Spider-Man #617, and Buffy Season 8 #31. We know there’s a lot of controversy out there about Buffy Season 8, but rest assured: there are no spoilers about the identities of any Big Bads in this video!

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Movies:

Megan Fox (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Jennifer’s Body)

Shola: I know that Megan Fox is the girl that you’re SUPPOSED to dig, but she earned points with me for Jennifer’s Body. She could’ve followed Transformers with something more overtly sexual, but instead opted to dive directly into the realm of Diablo Cody’s geek horror movie which, remarkably, isn’t as sexual as you think. Think what you will about the movie (it gets my vote for most underrated cheap thrill of the year), but Megan Fox did a fantastic job as the High School cool girl with a demonic twist. Really!

Matt: It would be a shame to let something like overexposure get in the way of acknowledging that the woman has got the tools to make us drool. Yeah, I wrote that.

Kayode: Jennifer’s Body certainly could have been better in general, but Fox definitely had her moments where she was downright scary.

Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Avatar)

Kayode: I actually remember her from her bit role in the first Pirates of the Caribbean, and even back then, I knew I wanted to see more of her. She’s definitely been putting in work the past few years, and having major roles in two of the biggest films this year, period, certainly puts her ahead of the curve.

Shola: Zoe started pulling ahead of my former favorite, Rosario Dawson, shortly after she started doing more geek roles. Star Trek started the heart palpitations, but Avatar definitely sealed the deal. Anyone that sees that spirited Na’vi princess fighting fiercely to protect her land (and her dude) would have a hard time saying no to anything this woman wanted. Simply amazing…just don’t count our Rosario yet.

Naomie Harris (Ninja Assassin, 28 Days Later)

Kayode: Eventually, people are gonna have to start giving this woman her due. That girl from 28 Days Later is still there, and if you go crazy on her, she take you out in a heartbeat!

Shola: Yes, she was super hot in 28 Days Later. She had that natural beauty that I tend to fall for. No make up with a tad of around-the-way normalcy. She was ride-or-die violent in 28 Days Later, which made her perfectly suited for a zombie-killing guy like me.

Television:

Jasika Nicole (Fringe)

Shola: Did you know that she’s an accomplished artist as well as a geek? No? I did after seeing this beauty week after week in Fringe, and she certainly became a compelling reason to watch the show. I mean, sure Fringe is GREAT, but Jasika Nicole makes everything that much better….nevermind the fact that maybe she likes the female attention a little more than she’d like MY come-ons. Alas…

Kayode: She definitely does wear her geek heart on her sleeve. They’re giving her a little more to do this season, thankfully. . . .but I wanna see her shoot somebody! Or, knowing Fringe, somebody that turns into someTHING!!!

Morena Baccarin (V)

Kayode: Being sexy AND creepy at the same time isn’t that easy to pull off. So when Morena Baccarin does it so effortlessly on V, you definitely have to pay attention. It’s a credit to her ability as an actress, especially in contrast to her role on Firefly.

Shola: She’s certainly a reason to keep turning into V on the rare occasion the show airs. As an alien high queen thingy, she’s stunning. I can see why the earth is enchanted. Here’s hoping she can pull off evil as well as she pulls off sexy.

Lauren Velez (Dexter)

Kayode: What can I say, I’m a sucker for an authoritative lady.

Matt: really? I’d go with Trinity’s daughter, whatserface, from Dexter, if anything. She was all nekkid and domestic and murdery. Discuss.

Kayode: Well, I’ve been about Lauren Velez since I Like It Like That/New York Undercover days, but she’s still a sexy MF’er, in my opinion. The whole subplot with her and Batista (and both actors are Oz vets!), I thought it was nice. And I’m a sucker for authoritative ladies. Not that Trinity’s Daughter wasn’t hot to death . . . literally!

Shola: Meh. Wasn’t really feeling her too tough back in New York Undercover either. Still, she’s probably the hottest thing going on Dexter so if it’s between Jennifer Carpenter and Julia Benz, I guess I’d pull Lauren over for some midnight detective work.

Abby Elliot (Saturday Night Live)

Matt: Inherited her father Chris Elliot’s sense of humor; thankfully, she did not inherit his looks.

Kayode: Thank God for that!

Music:

Rihanna

Kayode: The beginning of the year certainly wasn’t kind to Rihanna, but she’s managed to keep moving forward, not really missing a step. And she just keeps gettin’ dirtier!! That “So Hard” video is no joke!

Shola: I’m old now, and she’s looking like jail bait, man. Admittedly, if i were 18, maybe I’d have her posters all over my dorm walls. Now, I like a little more seasoning. Ask me again in five years, though.

Yukimi Nagano (Little Dragon)

Kayode: Actually getting to meet and interview the talented Swedish songstress was certainly one of the high points of the year for me. Few performers are as vibrant and energetic as her.

Beyonce

Matt: The video for “Video Phone” put me through puberty again.

Kayode: I was just happy it wasn’t a black and white vid with just her flanked by two backup dancers in an open white space. But I agree, it certainly had its “moments”.

Shola: I still have a hard time believing that Jigga is tapping this. She’s fine. Even when she’s not all photoshopped up, she’s still one of the sexiest-looking divas on the pop scene. Now personally, I’m leaning more towards the lovely and underrated Chrisette Michelle, but Beyonce Knowles Jigga is certainly the crowd favorite.

Sade

Kayode: No one does like “Love = War” songs quite like Sade, and “Soldier Of Love” is no different. Arguably my favorite song of the year, it makes the wait for the new album that much more agonizing. And dammit if she isn’t puttin’ some young chicks to shame, still looking mighty fine if I may say so!

Shola: This woman is ageless and will forever remain gorgeous. I’m uncertain if her beauty comes from the sexiness of her vibe or the music itself, but Sade is a gem.

Multimedia Division:

Felicia Day

Matt: The Guild blew up this year

Kayode: Confession – I’ve yet to see Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog in its entire, and I’ve never seen The Guild at all. But her Dollhouse episode was pretty good!

Shola: Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long was fantastic, Kayode, and the little bit i’ve seen of The Guild makes it pretty obvious why geeks love her. She’s totally nerdy looking in that believable way, Like she’s really playing World of WarCraft on the other side of the screen. And unlike some of these female gaming celebs, she really, REALLY is. She’s the real deal from interviews I’ve seen. She flows off the cuff with enough gaming references to make you want to do a co-op game with her…which is just enough to balance that goofy awkwardness.

Olivia Munn

Matt: Turned Attack Of The Show into a bunch of magazine covers, Playboy, an autobiography, and a role in Iron Man 2.

Kayode: Whether her geek persona is real or not, you can’t have that much shame if you’re gonna do even HALF of what she does on Attack of the Show! And that’s my kind of woman!

THE PCS Future Ex-Wife of the Year: Zoe Saldana

Matt: Zoe gets my vote for book-ending the year with big nerdtastic movies, and for forwarding the cause of furries everywhere. ew.

Shola: So yeah, she kind of earned it with that Avatar/Star Trek combo. I’ve been appreciating her since the indie flick, The Blackout, and although she could probably stand to eat a few meals, there’s no denying that the woman is the new ‘in’ thing with looks, talent, and charm. Kerri Washington and particularly Thandie Newton, should be a little worried. They’re not the hot new skinny black chicks anymore!

Kayode: There’s just no stopping this woman. Can’t wait for The Losers. The whole cast is pretty badass, but Zoe packin’ heat? Advance ticket purchase for me!

Q: What’s Terminator Salvation: Cold War about? I hear at one point a Terminator fights a bear?

A: There are two parallel plot-lines: One concerns a Russian submarine crew coping with the immediate aftermath of Judgment Day; the other concerns a band of human resistance fighters battling the Terminators in the snowy wilderness of Alaska. And, yes, at one point a Terminator fights a grizzly bear! It’s funny… I threw the grizzly into the book just for the hell of it, and that seems to be everybody’s favorite scene.

Q: How much feedback did you get from the movie’s producers when you were writing this?

Continue reading “Novelist Greg Cox Talks Explains Terminator’s New Bear of a Foe” »

Just in time for the holidays! We’re excited to introduce computer keyboards and mice featuring your favorite Marvel characters! Our Keyscaper keyboards and mice will add some flair to your desk and sufficiently solidify your geek cred.

The keyboards are available in wired and wireless versions and the mice are wireless to boot! All are PC and Mac compatible and feature a super simple plug and play connection.

One of the most exciting things about these products is that they’ll be in stock on December 16th! So if you’ve been looking for the perfect holiday gift for the comic book fan in your life, look no further.

Just in case that’s not geeky enough for you, we’ve also got two styles for the Star Trek fan at TFAW.com.

These keyboards and mice will go pretty quickly, so you’ll want to get your pre-order in soon to ensure you get your choice of these great products.

What do you think of these products? Got any questions about them? Go ahead and let us know below.

Year: 2009
Running Time:
Rated: PG-13
SRP: DVD:$34.95 Blu-Ray: $39.99
Studio(s): Paramount Studios
Release Date: November 17, 2009

Pop Culture Shock usually gets the blu-ray of such big studio releases but due to limited material PCS was given the DVD to screen. I will try to list the differences where possible.

Film/Feature: B-
In an attempt to recharge the Star Trek franchise, Paramount handed the bridge of the USS Enterprise over to director/producer J.J. Abrams (Fringe, Cloverfield). His goal was to do what devoted Trekkers and Trekkies didn’t want to hear. “Let’s make a movie that EVERYONE will like.” He not only recharged it, he hit reboot and started over. Rather than dance in between what’s been already done, Abrams and crew created a film that tells the story of what happened before. No this is not Enterprise and Scott Bakula is nowhere to be seen. We get something completely different, and a little familiar…

In the start of Star Trek, we are witnesses to a young James T. Kirk being born after a tragic Starfleet battle with Romulan renegades leave his mother a widow. Now a young man (Chris Pine) Kirk is a reckless young man who is as much a ladies man, as he is an unpredictable force who lives hanging by a thread. Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) rescues Kirk from himself and tells him to enlist into Starfleet and do his father proud. He indulges Pike and meets Bones (Karl Urban), Uhura (Zoë Saldana), Chekov (Anton Yelchin), Sulu (John Cho) and a young first commander, Spock (Zachary Quinto). Later Kirk meets up rather conveniently with Scotty (Simon Pegg).

This cast does rekindle the original cast members. The spirit of each character is retained, instead of being made into caricatures or impressions. Clever homages are made to the original series, dozens of easter eggs for the most faithful of fans and there’s even a special moment for those who hold Fred Steiner’s original score close to their heart for the patient. As far as the look, the set design, and the acting, I cannot complain one bit. Seriously, a big time score for that! Goal #1: Satisfy old Trekkers. Check. For now.

Now in a year one-type story, we know how everything plays out. We know what will eventually happen. So it’s set up that we get to see what is unknown that will lead up to the 1960′s television show timeline. Kirk, before he becomes captain; Pike, when he was bad ass; Good-looking versions of the cast; Uhura and Spock together? Wait, WHAT? Goal #2: Satisfy Non-Trekkers lured in. Check.

Star Trek’s antagonist is Captain Nero (a well-cloaked Eric Bana), the leader of this band of Romulan extremists. They’ve got some major bone to pick with the Vulcans and connect a digging tool the length of the entire atmosphere, from their ship to planet Vulcan. After digging into the core, they plan to set off a black hole bomb if you will, within the excavated land. The hole grows, Vulcan implodes. Spock attempts to save his parents, Sarek (Ben Cross) and Amanda Grayson (Winona Ryder) before the bomb detonates, but he fails and Spock is met with a great loss. This Spock is still green, and still bears the few ounces of the emotions from his human mother, while fighting logically-rooted genes of his Vulcan father. Tempers flare and it’s anyone’s guess how these two will become great friends. As they argue about, Pike has been captured and Earth is Nero’s next target.

Kirk is kicked off the Enterprise and banished to a polar planet where he discovers the chain reaction of events that have lead us to this point. Which brings us to the pivotal point in the film, where the main character comes in. No, I’m not talking about Leonard Nimoy (which surely sent Goal #1 through the roof), I’m talking about the science. Nimoy does in fact reprise his role as the iconic Vulcan from the future; as we know him. He reveals his own recent failure, and sums up in two minutes the entire crux of the story and why Nero is out to make him suffer. Reminds you of another time-traveling sci-fi franchise film, no? (cough) Terminator Salvation (cough). The film was winning me me over until then.

Here is where Star Trek falls short for me. Good sci-fi films don’t tiptoe around the science, they fold it into their mortar and slap it in between the bricks. Good science fiction makes you think about the film long after seeing it, opening discussion points that weren’t there on the surface. Whether it’s about humanity, diplomacy, history; Star Trek is usually about much more than Vulcans, Klingons, and Romulans. Bad sci-fi fails at becoming anything other than what we see on the surface. Star Trek is on the surface is bad guy vs. good guy; cue in lots of action with redemption and destiny; everyone goes home rich type of film. It’s fun, it was enjoyable, but it certainly was not a Star Trek film.

I give credit on casting and upping the pace of the film to the campy speed of the original Star Wars films because now both sets of fans can enjoy this film together. Abrams turned Star Trek into A New Hope. It’s not a traditional Star Trek story or even a classic. It’s a sparkling, lens flare-filled, year one-conduit to whatever Trek will become from here on out. Abrams admits he’s not a Star Trek fan, (it shows) and tells a story that takes convenient measures to separate from the original series. Being called Pre-Trek might have been more accurate.

Now, does that make this less of an enjoyable film? To average movie-goer, probably not. But certainly, if you were expecting anything more than an action film. The science is an integral part to Star Trek, and the science here is weak. Everything in the film is held together by the weak use of time travel. This story negates the history of Star Trek as we know it, and stuffs it into some alternative time or universe. For what reason? To get a new audience. And no one can deny its accomplishment in that, so to millions, the lack of science fiction made it more inviting. I get that, I recognize that, and that’s acceptable, in anything outside a film called Star Trek.

Video/Audio: B+/B+
J.J. Abram’s Star Trek comes by way of a 480p encoded transfer in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio. For a DVD, this looks great, as the colors and details of fabric, to skin are all very clear. It’s not crystal clear like on blu-ray, but for those with high definition televisions but no blu-ray should still be able to take advantage of the nice picture quality here. The blacks of space are like an endless abyss and the contrast and shadows are powerfully reproduced. The soundtrack for Star Trek on DVD is a 5.1 English Dolby Digital track that is sure to get some great play in a home theater. Lots of activity moves all around all five channels whether it’s music or sound effects. Pop in chapter 12 when Kirk and Spock are beamed onto the Romulan Ship. The gun battle that ensues is awesome. Laser beams from every direction whiz by, stuff explodes behind your head and even though it’s with less dynamic range, the DVD pumps out a respectable audio experience. Other audio selections include: French and Spanish tracks and yellow subtitles are available in English, French, Spanish

Given everything said here, the blu-ray promises to be even better. At 1080p, the HD transfer is sure to be sparkling and awesome. As should be the 5.1 English Dolby TrueHD soundtrack found on the blu-ray. Audio-wise, Star Trek should perform at a maximum level, with a large dynamic range that will generate excitement in home theaters for years. In addition to the above setups, Portuguese subtitles are available on blu-ray.

Extras: B-
This batch of extras is not bad when you consider what’s on here, but if you take a look at the blu-ray exclusives, the DVD pales in comparison.

Disc One:
Audio Commentary by director J.J. Abrams, writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, and Producers Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof is of a casual nature. They reveal their approach at modernizing Star Trek, and gloss on their efforts as they watch the film. Bringing on Nimoy was a big topic of disussion as well as lots of classic Star Wars references into the plot, and amongst other things, bringing in the charming sensibilities of Star Wars into Star Trek.

New Vision SD (19:38) Abrams took what he liked about the Star Wars franchise (as sacrilegious as that statement is) and put that into Star Trek, to reinvent it to appeal a modern audience. He wanted to make it look as real by doing as much practical shooting as possible instead of being on a green screen. Abrams gives his reasons for shooting anamorphically instead of digitally, as well as, some of his camera tricks.

Gag Reel SD (6:28) is some mildly amusing usual outtakes and on-set silliness.

Previews for Transformers 2, GI Joe, Fringe, Star Trek D-A-C.

Disc Two
Deleted Scenes SD (13:38) Nine scenes that were taken out of the final cut have an optional commentary by Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. They can be viewed separately or all together. They include: Spock Birth (1:58); Klingons Take Over Narada (0:46); Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank (1:35); Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock Fights (0:38), Prison Interrogation and Breakout (3:08); Sarek Gets Amanda (0:22); Dorm Room and Kobayashi Maru (Original Version) (3:59), Kirk Apologizes to the Green Girl (0:54); Sarek Sees Spock (0:15).

To Boldly Go SD (16:45) is a featurette about the production crew and the influence of (or lack thereof) original series in their modernization of Star Trek, as they as a team tried to answer all the questions that were sure to come in revamping the series like creating a Spock and Kirk story, the classic prequel pitfalls. Changing the timeline. Perhaps the most crucial in this team, and as seen by the finished product is, “How do we make a film for everyone?” and somehow missed the major part of “What Makes a Good Trek Film?” by taking out the sci-fi element of the film.

Casting SD (28:58) Asks how do you get new characters and create something new while appreciating the original cast. Quinto and Nimoy explore the psychology of the Spock, and every other cast member is put under the magnifying glass.

Aliens SD (16:34) is a short feature on the costumes, prosthetic head forms, digital creatures and recreating the Vulcans and Romulans for Star Trek.

Score SD (6:34) is a look at the score composed by Michael Giacchino retaining the original melody by

A Digital Copy of the film is included in the extras disc.

Star Trek: D-A-C Game Trial for XBOX 360 users. To play the trial, you insert the extras disc into your XBOX 360 and follow the onscreen instructions.

Blu-Ray Exclusives
Where do I begin? I don’t have the blu-ray available to rate how good or bad these extras are, but I will list them for you to make the decision whether or not they add more value to your purchase. Personally, with this much added material, you’d be dumb not to save the pennies for the blu-ray.

Disc One
NASA News is a BD-Live feature to access the latest NASA news about real space exploration.

Disc Two
The same featurettes in the DVD are here too, but have additional “branching pods” that I suspect are added material.

To Boldly Go
-The Shatner Conundrum
-Red Shirt Guy
-The Green Girl
-Trekker Alert

A New Vision
-Savage Pressure

Aliens
-The Alien Paradox
-Big Eyed Girl
-Big Bro Quinto
-Klingons
-Drakoulias Anatomy 101

Planets is a featurette on the art department’s frozen landscape of Delta Vega to the desert plains of Vulcan.
-Extra Businesses
-Confidentiality

Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek brings legendary Hollywood sound designer Ben Burtt on to talk about creating sounds for the original Star Wars film by being inspired by the Star Trek series, and got to use all of that on this new film.

Props and Costumes shows Russell Bobbitt, Star Trek’s prop master and the challenge to design props true to the original series as well as today’s tech. Michael Kaplan then reveals the design of his costumes in making timeless and practical Starfleet uniforms.

Gene Roddenberry’s Vision interviews cast and crew and previous Star Trek writers and producers and even scientific consultant Carolyn Porco speaking well of Gene’s vision for this future world.

Starfleet Vessel Simulator gives users 360-degree views and close-ups of tech illustrations of the USS Enterprise, and the Romulan ship, the Narada.

Disc Three
In addition to the Digital Copy and XBOX 360 Free Trial, there are Weblinks to the Star Trek D-A-C Free Trial Game for PC and Playstation Network.

Overall Shock Value: B-
Damon Lindelof says in the extras, “This series lasted only three seasons, so it’s not a matter of how did Star Trek succeed all these years but instead, how did it survive?” It’s simple, Damon. I believe it survived like any good science fiction story. Because they were good science fiction stories that were much more than what was on the surface of what our eyes can see on the big screen. The shows continued to open all of these great lessons of humanity, allegories, and wisdoms but did so in the sci-fi vehicle. Abrams’ Star Trek does none of that. I agree that these stories were executed through these great characters, so in rebooting Star Trek, Abrams and crew achieved that perfectly. But the weakness of the science makes this a good film, not a great film. It’s a fine action film, but it’s definitely not a science fiction film. So it’s not really a Star Trek film, to me. Hopefully, for the sequel with all of the characters re-established, we’ll get to see a real Star Trek film that has to rely on the science instead of the action; or maybe we’ll just see another attempt to water down something that was uncool for the cool. As for the DVD, I would try to push anyone who’s thinking of buying this to upgrade to the blu-ray. The extras included, as well as the perfectly rich audio and video experience is well worth the extra dollars, almost pushing it into an overall B+ or A- grade. But if you’re stuck with the DVD, it’s not a bad consolation.

Now Madame Tussauds Hollywood has added William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk wax figure to their permanent collection, and you can get $8 off general admission tickets through the end of the year when you print the following coupon. Adult tickets are normally $25 and kids tickets are usually $18, so this is a savings of more than 30-40%!

Madame Tussauds Hollywood is located just about two miles from our Things From Another World store at Universal CityWalk. Make sure to pick up some Star Trek swag or William Shatner’s Tek War comics before you head over! If you don’t live near Hollywood but are still jonesing for a personal connection to original-gangster Captain Kirk, we have copies of William Shatner Presents Tek War #1, signed by Shatner himself, in stock!

What do you think about the Captain Kirk wax figure? Is it true to life? Is anyone a big fan of Tek War? Post your comments below!

Granted, this isn’t the most original idea. In fact, the inspiration came from an old website (I mean, it’s so old, it’s still hosted on geocities!) by a guy named Paul Chen who chronicled the web’s best Asian action figures. Unfortunately, homeboy’s site hasn’t been updated in a decade, and action figures have gotten way better (and more Asian American, natch!) in the years since.

So rather than just listing each and every action figure of an Asian character that’s sitting at your local Toys ‘R’ Us, I gave myself some criteria. First off, either the character or the actor portraying that character immortalized in plastic has to be Asian American. That means Ken Watanabe as Asian R’as Al Ghul from Hasbro’s Batman Begins or McFarlane Toys’ Yao Ming don’t count. Sorry guys.

The other criteria I look for in an action figure are sculpting, likeness accuracy, and points of articulation.

So without further ado, let’s start with #5, which is actually a tie!

#5. Sulu from Diamond Select Toys/Sulu from Playmates

How could we talk about Asian American action figures without talking about the granddaddy of Asian American sci-fi: Mr. Sulu? There have been several Sulu action figures from various companies over the years, but for the sake of this blog post, I’ll stick with this 6-inch fig from DST’s Star Trek Classics line. When it comes to Trek action figures, I think Diamond and Art Asylum are unrivaled. I love the scale and detail in all their figures, and the sculpt on this Sulu in his classic uni is the spitting image of George Takei!

Back in the late ’80s/early ’90s, my brother and I used to collect the 4-inch Next Generation figures from Playmates. The detail and articulation on those toys weren’t the greatest (which is likely the case for most toys of that period), but there is definitely a sense of nostalgia that kicks in when thinking back to those figures. So I was (sort of) excited to learn Playmates was returning to the world of Star Trek to do figs for the reboot that came out last May. And to be honest, these weren’t the greatest toys. The 3 3/4-inchers left a lot to be desired and the detail on the 6-inch scale was not as impressive as their DST analogs. Still, we were treated to our very first John Cho action figure. Now, if only they’d make action figures for the rest of the Better Luck Tomorrow crew and my collection will be complete!

#4. Athena and Boomer 2-Pack from Diamond Select Toys

Wow, another DST figure? Trust me, this has nothing to do with the fact that I used to work at Diamond! Anyway, I’m putting Boomer and Athena here even though I don’t watch Battlestar Galactica. What’s that? How can I make that claim and still be allowed on a site like PopCultureShock without having my geek credit card cut up into a million pieces? And where do I get off recommending an action figure of a character from a show I don’t even watch? Good questions, all. First off, I’ve always meant to watch BSG, but just never got around to it. So it isn’t like I’ve purposefully shied away from it like I did with, say, everything in the Whedonverse (blasphemy!) As for the second question: my justification for putting this Grace Park 2-pack on my list is, well, because it’s a Grace Park action figure. Duh! Plus, there are two of them.

#3. Data from Mezco Toys/Short Round from Hasbro

That’s right. Number 3 on my list is Jonathan Ke Quan, baby! Now, while it could be argued that his two most iconic portrayals–Short Round from Temple of Doom and Data from Goonies –are essentially Long Duk Dong for the tweens of the ’80s generation, I have to disagree. First off, Data was the man in The Goonies. And secondly, Short Round is the heart and soul of Temple and is the best sidekick Indy’s ever had. That’s right, Shia! I said it.

Anyway, even though Quan hasn’t worked in several years, the last couple have been good for him, at least from an action figure point of view. First off, Mezco released a series of Goonies figures and didn’t skimp on the accessories! I mean, he comes with the Pinchers of Peril for chrissakes! As for Short Round, I’ve been wanting 3 3/4 scale Indy figures since I was a little kid (hell, I actually remember Kenner’s short-lived Raiders figures) for no other reason than to have Indy and Han Solo standing next to each other on my desk. So, when they expanded the line that came out in ’08 to include Short Round, I was so there. But, what was even cooler was the Short Round Mighty Mugg that was exclusive to Entertainment Earth. Seriously. How dope is this?

#2. Tunnel Rat (1987) from Hasbro

I think it’s safe to say G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was the be-all-end-all action figure/comic/cartoon franchise of my childhood. I mean, I loved He-Man and the Super Powers and the Real Ghostbusters and Thundercats… Okay, I loved every toyline in the ’80s, but there was something special about Joe vs. Cobra (so the fact that I’ve gotten to know and hang out with Larry Hama in the last few years is, like, mind-blowing). I knew that a Joe had to figure on this list somehow. I could have gone with easy ones like Storm Shadow or Quick Kick. And I was this close to putting Snake Eyes here. But in the end, I had to go with Chinese-Trinidadian Tunnel Rat. And not the “Resolute” one that came out this year. I’m talking old school. The one with the “Win a Fridge Action Figure” sticker on the card! Not only was Tunnel Rat’s likeness based on Hama himself (though the bio on the filecard, like most of the one’s in the collection, was based on a friend of Larry’s), but the dude’s got the coolest specialty: explosives! Not the resident martial artist or ninja. Nicky Lee was the dude who blew sh*t up! And you don’t get more Asian American than that.

#1. Bruce Lee series from Enterbay

Tops on the list have to go to the coolest sixth-scale action figures I’ve ever seen. And ironically, my favorite Asian American action figure is one I don’t (and will probably never) own: Enterbay’s Bruce Lee series of figures. Unless, you had $200-$300 you wanted to give me, that is. Still, I’ve seen these bad boys up close and personal, and they are worth every dollar that I don’t have to spare.

Enterbay has done several Bruce Lee figures now. There are two from Enter the Dragon, one from Game of Death, one from Way of the Dragon, and a Kato from Green Hornet. But my personal favorite is the one modeled on Bruce as Chen Zhen from Fist of Fury.

Not only are these the best, most intricate sixth-scale bodies, like most 12-inch figures, each one comes with a plethora of accessories and outfits. To wit, the FoF Bruce comes with two different head sculpts and three(!) different hair sculpts (seriously), two different tailored, cloth outfits, five sets of hands, a pair of nunchucks, a premium wooden diorama, and the infamous “Sick Man of Asia” wooden sign that Bruce so famously cracks in two!

And the best part? Enterbay’s exclusive 360 Eyeball system, which allows you to pose his eyes! I know I’m a sucker for articulation, but that’s just crazy!

Keith is the Editor-at-Large of the groundbreaking graphic novel anthology SECRET IDENTITIES and Outreach Director for SIUniverse Media. Visit the official Secret Identities blog to keep up with Keith and the rest of the SI team

Thanks to MTV Splash Page for the information. Cut-n-pasted:

Ain’t It Cool News webmaster Harry Knowles spoke with writer Shane Black, best known for his “Lethal Weapon” and “The Last Boy Scout” screenplays, during a chance encounter this weekend. The screenwriter revealed that “Doc Savage,” based on the Lester Dent-penned pulp icon, would be his next project.

Additionally, Black said that Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman of “Star Trek” and “Cowboys & Aliens” fame will produce the “Doc Savage” adaptation.

Doc Savage — real name Clark Savage, Jr. — is an ordinary human with extraordinary abilities, thanks to deliberate and rigorous training enacted by a team of scientists during Savage’s early childhood. Among Savage’s many gifts are his enhanced strength and agility, his brilliant mind and his kindhearted nature — all of which stand to serve him on his various globe-trotting adventures.

According to Black, the screenplay sticks closely to Savage’s earliest roots — in other words, the film is set during the 1930s.

“I did inquire if they were modernizing the character,” reports Knowles. “I asked this with dread in my belly, and Shane passed the test by saying the character can not be separated from the 30s.”

Furthermore, “Doc Savage” will boast an entirely original story — not an adaptation of a previous adventure — though certain elements, including Savage’s Fabulous Five partners, would wind up in the film.