Comic-Con 2013: Top 13 Upcoming Events

COMIC-CON is this weekend! Specifically Comic-Con International: San Diego 2013, THE biggest convention in the world dedicated to all forms of entertainment including comic books, movies, video games, TV and more! Comic-Con International: San Diego is a nonprofit educational corporation dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. Comic-Con began in 1970 when a group of comics, movie, and science fiction fans banded together to put on the first comic book convention in southern California. Now over 40 years later it is the largest comics convention in the world, completely selling out every year since 2008. For those like me who aren't able to enjoy Comic-Con in person there are still plenty of websites, blogs and live video feeds covering the event from the comfort of your home. This weekend at Comic-Con, audiences can get their hands on tons of exclusive merchandise, and also attend many exciting panels with creators, artists, writers and celebrities of all kinds, and not to mention, see previews of some of the biggest events in entertainment coming up later this year and next year! CHERNOBOG'S LAIR.com always tries to stay on top of the latest entertainment news through my blog, twitter feed, and Facebook; so this weekend I thought I would post my Top 10 list of Upcoming Events featured at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. Enjoy!

#13 Ender's Game (2013) - Based on the classic Young-Adult, Sci-Fi novel by Orson Scott Card, 70 years after a horrific alien war, an unusually gifted child is sent to an advanced military school in space to prepare for a future invasion. Starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley and Asa Butterfield.
#12 Godzilla (2014) - Director Gareth Edwards' (Monsters) remake of the classic Kaiju franchise! A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from its slumber to wreak destruction on its creators!
#11 I, Frankenstein (2014) - Aaron Eckhart stars as Adam, Dr. Frankenstein's (Aden Young) creature, who finds himself caught in an all-out, centuries old war between two immortal clans.
#9 300: Rise of an Empire (2013) - New director Noam Murro's sequel to Zack Snyder's 300 (2006), The Greek general Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) battles an invading army of Persians under the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro)!
#8 Riddick (2013) - Vin Diesel is back as Riddick, after almost 10 years since Chronicles of Riddick (2004). After he is left for dead on a desert planet, Riddick is up against a new alien, predatory species and a  group of mercenaries after his head!
#7 The World's End (2013) - Director Edgar Wright reunites Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and others in the third installment of "The Cornetto Trilogy"! A group of old friends go on a pub crawl in London when they come to the last pub, "The World's End", they find the town has been taken over by strange alien robots!
#6 Batman: Arkham Origins - The highly anticipated third part of the Arkham Asylum video game series features new villains: Black Mask, Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Copperhead!
#5 Kick-Ass 2 (2013) - Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) return with a few new allies including Col. Stars & Stripes (Jim Carrey), to take on some new villains including formerly Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse)!
#4 Vikings, Season 2 (March, 2014) - Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel) and the Vikings return to pillage and plunder in the new season on History Channel!
#3 The Walking Dead, Season 4 (October 2013) - Based on Robert Kirkman's award winning graphic novel series, the survivors led by Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) live on in the Zombie apocalypse after dealing with the onslaught from The Governor (David Morrissey)!
#2 X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Director Bryan Singer returns to the X-Men franchise with Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) reprising their roles as "older" characters from the previous X-Men movies. Also featuring a few new mutants including Bishop (Omar Sy) and introducing a new threat: The Sentinels!
#1 Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Fall 2013) - The new TV series marks the return of Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), leading a small group of agents from S.H.I.E.L.D. Together they investigate the new, the strange, and the unknown across the globe, protecting the ordinary from the extraordinary.

Note: Unfortunately, it was announced by director Peter Jackson through YouTube that The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug wouldn't be at San Diego Comic-Con!

LINKS: Comic-Con official Website, Comic-Con on Facebook, Comic-Con on Twitter,

Comic-Con Movie

Farewell To X-Play

Today marks the end of an era as X-Play, G4TV's only original television program devoted to video games and gaming, says goodbye with it's final episode. Originally known as "GameSpotTV" (1998-2001) and then "Extended Play" (2001-2003) which premiered on July 4, 1998 on what was then ZDTV which became TechTV and then turned into G4. Hosted by Adam Sessler, who until 2011, was the last remaining TV personality from the ZDTV days, the show was renamed "X-Play" in 2003 and got a new co-host: Morgan Webb. For almost 15 years and over 1300 episodes, X-Play has brought it's viewers honest and sometimes brutal reviews of video games in an industry dominated by over-franchised sequels and  tons of mediocre games. With it's unique blend of journalistic honesty and comedy X-Play has been THE number one TV show on video games and gaming. I myself have been a long-time fan ever since I first saw "Extended Play" on TechTV with Adam Sessler. For years X-Play has been my only preferred source for video game news and reviews. I have always enjoyed their many original comedic episodes too. I will miss many of the delightful and colorful characters which appeared on various X-Play episodes over the years like Shad Grimgravy, Morgan VonWebb, Crazy Adam, Adam 2.0, Slippy the Fish, and who could forget Drunk Link. Along with their many movie and game parodies such as the Star Wars episode, the zombie episode, the "Breakfast Club" episode, the "Saw" episode or the "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" episode, along with many celebrity parodies featuring Patrick Stewart, Roger: The Stan Lee Experience and even Arnold Schwarzenegger. X-Play's final show paid tribute to some of the best moments of the show and even auctioned off several rare video game collectibles on Child's Play Charities.

With it's last show airing on January 23, 2013 along with "Attack of the Show" it won't be long until G4 will be rebranded as the "Esquire Channel". Until then, G4 will be running reruns of X-Play and Attack of the Show along with it's tedious showings of the dregs of overly-syndicated TV show reruns including Heroes, Lost, COPS, Campus P.D., Cheaters, and Knight Rider, not to mention G4 movies. The future of video games and gaming maybe uncertain and unfortunately we will have to face that future without X-Play. "Everyone plays!"

LINKS (While they last): G4TV, X-Play, Adam Sessler at Rev3Games

World of Warcraft's 7th Anniversary: Top 10 Classic Dungeons

It's World of Warcaft's Seventh Anniversary! As a devoted fan and player, (although sometimes off and on) I've played through my share pf dungeons and raids. It's not always easy to find the right combination of players who can effectively deal damage, heal or tank. But, if you can cooperate with other players long enough to successfully complete a dungeon or raid without getting kicked, then you will reap the benefits including all the loot, and rare items you can carry (not to mention the XP)! Every dungeon and raid has it's own charm and unique qualities but there are a few particular ones who always give the best drops and provide the most fun! CHERNOBOG'S BLOG Presents: The Top 10 World of Warcraft Classic Dungeons...Enter Dungeon!

#10 Stormwind Stockade (20-30) - A maximum-security prison complex beneath Stormwind. When a prisoner-led revolt left Warden Thelwater incapable of managing the chaos, he left it up to the warriors and heroes of Stormwind to quell the riot of Stormwind's most wanted criminals!

#9 Wailing Caverns (15-25) - Discovered by the Night-Elf druid Naralex, the Wailing Caverns lie beneath the Northern Barrens. Once known as the Emerald Dream, the caverns once pure underground springs are now a breeding ground for the most foul and vicious creatures!

#8 Ragefire Chasm (15-21) - The chasm consists of a network of volcanic caverns which lie underneath the Orc city of Orgrimmar. Inhabited by followers of a demonic cult known as the Searing Blade, the cult seek to threaten Durotar and the forces of The Horde.

#7 Deadmines (15-21) - Once a plentiful gold mine for the Kingdom of Stormwind, now it is a base of operations for the Defias Brotherhood. Led by Vanessa VanCleef, daughter of former leader Edwin VanCleef, she leads the Defias in a plot to bring down the kingdom and to avenge her father's death!

#6 Shadowfang Keep (16-26) - Near Pyrewood Village in the Silverpine forest looms this dark fortress. Lord Vincent Godfrey has taken over this haunted castle along with several creatures of The Scourge and ghosts of the past!

#5 Scarlet Monastery (26-45) - One the center of learning and enlightenment in the Kingdom of Lorderon, with the rise of The Scourge, the monastery became a fortress for the religious fanatics known as The Scarlet Crusade. The crusaders are intolerant of all non-human races seeking to rid Azeroth of the undead plague. Their leaders, Scarlet Commander Mograine and High Inquisitor Whitemane, command a vast army of devoted zealots.

#4 Scholomance (38-48) - Beneath the keep of Caer Darrow lies a series of crypts once owned by the noble Barov family. Now the wizard Kel'Thuzad, servant of the Lich King and his Cult of the Damned have overrun the crypts and turned it into a school for necromancy!

#3  Dire Maul (36-52) - The ancient city of Eldre'Thalas now lie in ruins infested by the spectral Highborne, satyrs and ogres. As you make your way through this dungeon's three districts you will face several deadly bosses such as Zevrim Foulhoof, Prince Tortheldrin and the demonic Immo'thar!

#2 Blackrock Depths (47-60) - Beneath the Blackrock Mountains is the home of the Dark Iron dwarves and their Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Among the vast horde of Dark Iron dwarves and fire elementals, there is also The Seven, a group of powerful Dark iron dwarf mages who protect the black forge!

#1 Blackwing Lair (60) - At the very height of Blackrock Spire dwells Nefarian, the Lord of Blackrock, and the eldest son of Deathwing! He, along with his fellow Dragonkin makes Blackwing Lair one of the most difficult raids in World of Warcraft!

TOP 10 90's VIDEO GAMES!

The 1990's were the new golden age of video games, both in the arcade, on PC and on multi-platform consoles. Most of the video game franchises we still play were created and made famous in the 90's and for those of you like me who were teenagers during the 90's you remember spending countless hours in front of an arcade machine, your computer, or console. A revolutionary new era which introduced 3-D graphics engines, first-person shooters and real-time strategy games. Now as more and more franchises keep coming back including the LONG-awaited release of Duke Nukem Forever on June 14th! CHERNOBOG'S BLOG Presents: The TOP 10 90's Video Games!

#10 Wolfenstein 3-D (PC) Released: May 1992 - One of the first simulated 3D first-person shooters, in Wolfenstein 3D you are an escaped POW making your way through a Nazi castle, fighting off heavily armed soldiers, guard dogs and even Hitler himself with a full arsenal of weapons! "Achtung!"

#9 X-Wing (PC) Released: February 1993 - After 16 years, Star Wars fans finally had a realistic flight simulator which put you in the cockpit of your very own X-Wing fighter as you soared through space taking on The Empire shooting down Tie Fighters and Star Destroyers! "Red 5, going in!"

#8 Tomb Raider (Console/PC) Released: October 1996 - Lara Croft...just hearing that name made millions of gamers drool...combining Indiana Jones-like action with revolutionary 3D graphics and not to mention a seductive female heroine! Spawning a media franchise including over ten games and two movies Tomb Raider has become one of the most popular action-adventure games of all time!

#7 Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness (PC/Console) Released: December 1995 - Believe it or not, years before the release of World of Warcraft, the insanely popular Massive-Multi player-Online-Role-Playing-Game, The fantasy "world" of Warcraft started out as a Real-Time Strategy Game, first in 1994 as Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, then perfected the very next year with Warcraft II! Humans, Elves, Orcs, Ogres, the Undead, they were all there and they fought mercilessly throughout Lordaeron! I love Orcs, "Daboo!"

#6 Street Fighter II (Arcade/Platform) Released: March 1991 - Back in 1987, Capcom released a little known 2D arcade fighting game called Street Fighter, it introduced aspects of fighting games that are still true today such as special techniques and 6-button controls. Then in 1991, Capcom reinvented the genre with the release of "Street Fighter II" and it changed the face of fighting games forever! My favorite was always E. Honda, the Japanese Sumo wrestler with a deadly grip!

#5 Duke Nukem 3D PC/Console) Released: January 1996 - Duke Nukem, the one-liner spewing, foul-mouthed, blond flat-topped haired BAD-ASS! Originally released in 1991 as a platform side-scrolling shooter, Duke would later reappear in a 3D first-person shooter that would change the genre forever! With a variety of weapons, one-liners borrowed from B-action movies with controversial and often pornographic content, the game broke new ground for shooters and remains one of my favorite games of the 1990's! "Come get some!"

#4 Mortal Kombat (Arcade/Console) Released: August 1992 - Just say "MORTAL KOMBAT!" and the blood starts pumping as you recall a variety of memorable characters, brutal martial-arts combat and bloody finishing moves! As fighting games dominated the arcade after the release of Street Fighter and a slew of wannabe's like "King of Fighters", "Fatal Fury", "Soul Calibur" and "Primal Rage". Throughout the many incarnations, Mortal Kombat has been one of THE most popular fighting games ever! My favorite was always Liu Kang and his Bruce Lee style of fighting!

#3 Doom (PC/Console) Released: December 1993 - One man, armed to the teeth, surrounded by HELL! "Doom" made the first-person shooter what it is today an insanely popular and immersing sci-fi/horror shooter puts you in the game as a space marine with an arsenal of weapons against a horde of demons! The violence, the gore, the action, everything made "Doom" both revered and feared! Every gamer loved it, every parent hated it! I can't tell you how many hours I spent playing the original game, it started when I got a Shareware copy of the first episode (remember Shareware?) and literally wore it out and crashed my computer I played it so much! My weapon of choice: The Chainsaw!

#2 Final Fantasy VII (PlayStation) Released: January 1997 - Final Fantasy first appeared on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1987 in Japan (1990 in the U.S.) and was one of the first video game role-playing games with multiple characters, elaborate stories, and unique game play abilities. As the series gained more popularity all over the world it wasn't until 1997 when Final Fantasy VII was released on the Sony PlayStation and changed the world of gaming and RPG's forever! Fans everywhere were hooked into the adventures of a little yellow-spikey haired hero named Cloud Strife and his battle against the evil Sephiroth! In 2005 the game inspired a computer-animated movie in 2005, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Despite it's huge popularity, FF7 met with some controversy when it was banned in 2006 in the U.S. for it's depiction and advocating terrorism! However, FF7 lives on and is available on the PlayStation Network.

#1Resident Evil (PlayStation) Released: March 1996 - "Resident Evil" (a.k.a. Biohazard) defined Survival-Horror games in the 1990's! Zombies, The T-Virus, The Umbrella Corporation, Raccoon City, S.T.A.R.S.! After spawning over a dozen video games on multiple consoles and now four movies, the Resident Evil franchise had a small beginning with it's first appearance on the PlayStation game system in 1996 and started a phenomenon! The games included an in-depth storyline, complex puzzles, horrifying creatures and zombies and heart-pounding action! Favorite Game: "Resident Evil 2"!

World of Warcraft: Top 10 Best Events

World of Warcraft! It's SO much fun, yet so addictive! I've been playing for a few years now having upgraded to both The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King expansions. I have however been a fan of the entire Warcraft Universe since the very first RTS PC game Warcraft: Orcs & Humans way back in 1994 and also Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness in 1995. I spent (or wasted?) soooo many hours during High School playing that (and Starcraft) that I consider myself a devoted fan of Blizzard and Warcraft. I started playing WoW a little later than most roughly around the time you started seeing the commercials with Mr.T, Verne Troyer and William Shatner, and later Ozzy Osbourne! I was a devoted Horde player especially Orcs and Forsaken but I did dabble in Alliance as well. As some players are devoted strictly to one faction I like to experience all that WoW has to offer. Unfortunately, I had not been playing consistently for almost a year due to time and money constraints but with the holidays and the release of the newest expansion Cataclysm (TODAY!) I'm back! I realize I probably should've never started back up again but it's SO DAMN FUN! Curse you World of Warcraft, I both love and hate you! I admit it you just sucked me right back in (and I like it)! I think it helps me get through the drudge of the holidays. Well, I'm back and there's no denying it and I realize why we love it and like me keep coming back to play in this immense MMORPG world...to put it plain and simply: It's fun! The "World" of Warcraft has so much to offer with a huge assortment of stories and variety of characters and classes and it proves year after year to be the #1 best-selling game out there! I think one of my favorite things about WoW is the EVENTS! WoW is famous for their ongoing, seasonal and world events that keeps players (like me) returning every year to take part in the many special events in Azeroth (which often coincide with real life hoilidays) from the Lunar Festival to The Feast of Winter Veil! So without further ado here's a list of the Top 10 Best Events in World of Warcraft (WoW)!


#10 "Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza" - I know what your thinking "Fishing?!", yet one of the many secondary skills in WoW, for any class, it is both amusing and to some maybe incredibly boring BUT for those who want to spend 2 hours of their Sunday fishing off the coast of Stranglethorn Vale it's fun to try to catch all those fish before someone else does! (beats going to church, lol!)
#9 "Darkmoon Faire" - One week a month an odd group of Azeroth "carneys" come to the main forests surrounding the main cities with their array of strange oddities, games and PRIZES!
#8 "Peon Day" - On September 30th those annoying little goblins come to sell fireworks to celebrate those hard working peons and peasants who have continually griped about all the hard work they have to do (or fall asleep on the job) while you spend hours playing a video game!
#7 "Lunar Festival" - From February 14th to March 7th visit the Elders to honor the ancestors in Moonglade! Watch out for the demon Omen!
#6 "Feast of Winter Veil" - From December 15th to January 2nd it's a time of caring and gift giving AND gift getting, just sit on Greatfather Winter's lap and you might find a present under the tree! I think mine is ticking?
#5 "Pilgrim's Bounty" - From September 27th to October 4th eat as much turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie you can! Food Fight!!!
#4 "Pirates' Day" - Arrr matey, on September 19th it be Pirates' Day, so dress up like a pirate or walk the plank! lol
#3 "Day of the Dead" - On November 2st and 2nd gather in the graveyard, eat candy skulls and wear masks!
#2 "Brewfest" - From September 20th to October 4th get drunk off your ass with brew! Perfect if your a dwarf!
#1 "Hallow's End" - From October 18th to November 1st things get spooky in Azeroth! Candy and costumes and also the ride of the Headless Horseman! Trick or Treat!

TOP 10 VIDEO GAMES OF THE DECADE

    For the most part I play mostly PS2 and PC games so I may be somewhat one sided but most of these were available on Xbox too...Amazingly 2001 was a great year for games!
#10 - Aliens VS. Predator 2 (2001) - A great shooter that came out even before the AVP movies. The game play was great incorporating the players ability to be either a Marine, Predator or Alien! Great!

#9 - Star Wars: Battlefront (2004) - Take any squad based war game and put it in the Star Wars universe and you have a great game. Battlefront 2 was even better by adding Jedi characters. Playing both rebel and Empire was great!

#8 - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006) - This is a fun game especially for comic fans where you have a huge array of super-heroes to play with.

#7 - Spider-Man 2 (2002) - Even for a comic book movie tie-in game this was one of the best. The completely interactive New York City is fun by-itself as you web-sling your way through the Big Apple!

#6 - Grand Theft Auto III (2001) - This is probably THE most controversial game of the last decade, but it is still a fun experience, forget all the violence and the hookers, it's fun just to drive around in the city. Vice City goes hand in hand with this one too.

#5 - Resident Evil 4 (2005)- This redefined the Resident Evil series, which is still my favorite video game series ever since the first one! 2 is still my favorite but 4 brought Leon back and made him better.

#4 - Rock Band (2008)- Although I put "Guitar Hero" before this, it is still a fun music game and even better when you get friends together for the whole band!

#3 - Guitar Hero (2005)- This is still the best music rhythm game. I was a novice guitar player to begin with and I shamefully admit spending more hours playing this series than actually practicing my own electric guitar! The first was great, 2 was the best, 3 was good, but my favorite recently is Guitar Hero: Metallica! It rocks!

#2 - World of Warcraft (2004) - This is the best MMORPG of all time! I may not have been as engrossed in it as a lot of people and may have not leveled up as much, most of my playtime was spent just exploring the world! "For the Horde!"

#1 - HALO (2001) - This is the best first-person shooter ever! This changed everything. I spent a LOT of time playing multiplayer with friends and online. HALO 2 improved on the game play immensely and three was awesome. But I feel the first one deserves the #1 spot because it defined this decades gaming!