Comic Book Reviews for 7/31/13

After seven epic years (and top placement on our Greatest Comic Runs of the Decade list), Grant Morrison's daring Batman saga has come to its end. DC Comics also released a bunch of new annuals this week, including Batman, Detective Comics, and The Flash.

At Marvel, Angela finally got her full integration into the Marvel Universe in the latest issue of Guardians of the Galaxy, while Daredevil continued to rock our socks and the Hulk attempted to fix the broken time stream.

We'll be adding all of the latest Community Reviews to this round-up in the next week, so get 'em in fast! Also, check out what the IGN All-Stars are doing in covering all of the latest indie comics on Comixology's Submit platform!

Join in on the IGN Community reviews!

DC COMICS

Animal Man Annual #2

Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Travel Foreman

"Travel Foreman rejoins the Animal Man man Jeff Lemire for a disturbingly creepy yet emotionally powerful tale that shows all the other guys how an Annual ought to be done. While this story does tie into recent events, it’s virtually a standalone as we get a complete arc with humor and heart, twists and turns. Yes, this costs $4.99, but believe me when I say it’s worth every penny." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.5

Batman Annual #2

Written by Marguerite Bennett | Art by Wes Craig

"DC's rigid monthly schedule means that Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Zero Year storyline is literally going to take a year to unfold. The good news is that we're getting an extra dose of Zero Year this month thanks to Batman Annual #2. The bad news is that the actual ties in this issue to Snyder's ongoing saga are fairly tenuous. Nor did Snyder himself actually script the comic." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.1

Batman Incorporated #13

Written by Grant Morrison | Art by Chris Burnham

"Perhaps it's unfair to judge a single issue as an 'ending' to something as big and epic as Grant Morrison's run on Batman. Spanning years and universes – one of the last surviving relics of a pre-New 52 era – Morrison had built a massive web of a story, something that could hardly be described as linear or straightforward. So, what we get here is hardly a neat little package tied up with a bow, but instead just another chapter in the big tapestry of Batman's life; another notch on the utility belt. The story goes on even as the creators part ways." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.7

Collider #1

Written by Simon Oliver | Art by Robbi Rodriguez

"Sometimes, it's good to judge a book by its cover. Especially when that cover features art by Nathan Fox, whose use of eye-popping colors and starkly contrasting fields of light and dark set the mood of the story to come so perfectly. In writer Simon Oliver and artist Robbi Rodriguez's Collider #1, we're faced with a world on the brink of collapse. In this first issue, the integrity of the laws of physics, as we understand them, is rapidly disintegrating. It's a bold premise that promises to defy your expectations." -Melissa

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.4

Detective Comics Annual #2

Written by John Layman & Joshua Williamson | Art by Various

"Detective Comics and I haven't been on the best of terms since the recent issue #19 (#900) and the subsequent abrupt, unsatisfying conclusion to the Emperor Penguin storyline. That said, the current arc has seen the series rebound somewhat, and this week's annual issue does nothing to stall that momentum." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.6

The Flash Annual #2

Written by Brian Buccellato | Art by Sami Basri

"Nowadays, it's tempting to think that comics are getting increasingly darker. Even evergreen optimistic heroes like Superman are being put through a filter of grittiness to give them an edge (paging Zack Snyder). The Flash Annual #2, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Sami Basri, reminds us why we fell in love with superhero comics to begin with. It's fun, funny, and determined to give you an unabashedly good time from start to finish." -Melissa

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Red Lanterns #22

Written by Charles Soule | Art by Alessandro Vitti

"Red Lanterns is off the bloody hook! In one issue, Charles Soule has effectively washed the bad taste of the previous stories from our mouths and completely realigned the structure of the title. It makes sense, it has a great protagonist, it looks disgustingly awesome, and you’ll laugh all along the way. Who would have thought that Guy Gardner and Zilius 'ZZ blob' Zox would make such an entertaining comedic duo?" -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.0

Superboy #22

Written by Justin Jordan | Art by Gui Balbi

"Justin Jordan cut his teeth on a comic that takes place in high school -- his excellent indie book The Strange Talent/Legend of Luther Strode -- so bringing Superboy to that dreaded place of teens and hormones only seems appropriate. While the execution of the actual story is fun and refreshingly upbeat, it’s a shame that Jordan plays up the stereotypes of a high school story so much. A misogynistic jock bully, a popular pretty girl, and a dejected alternative girl are all present, only they do little more than fill their role." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.0

Superman Annual #2

Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by Dan Jurgens

"While the cover of Superman Annual #2 will have you thinking that this is a Brainiac-centric story, it’s actually the first comic in a long time to focus exclusively on Lois Lane. Yes, she is investigating a mystery involving Brainiac, but this is all about her. While that prospect pleases me greatly, the actual story is just alright. I was happy to read about Lois taking on a dangerous assignment, but I also couldn’t say this was the Lois Lane story we’ve all been waiting for." -Joshua

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

6.5

Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1

Written by Peter Hogan | Art by Chris Sprouse

"Tom Strong is really as good as it gets. A comic book for comic lovers, Tom Strong was always a loving embrace to the world of comic books. It jumped through time and space to show us everything we loved about the comic book medium, mixing genres, art styles, and tones. Every issue of Tom Strong was a big adventure that knowingly winked at what came before it. It's been a while, but Tom Strong is back with a familiar creative team and another high-flying crusade." -Ben

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

8.7

Trinity of Sin: Pandora #2

Written by Ray Fawkes | Art by Daniel Sampere

"The first issue of Trinity of Sin: Pandora didn't do much to establish the mysterious, red-clad anti-heroine as a worthy leading lady in the DCU. For some reason, accidentally stumbling across a box in the woods and opening it is enough to lump Pandora in the same club as Judas Iscariot and (to paraphrase Lucius Fox) whatever it is Vic Sage is accused of being. Luckily, issue #2 goes further in showcasing the potential of this new series." -Jesse

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

7.2

The Wake #3

Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Sean Murphy

"In the third issue of Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy's The Wake, our protagonist, Dr. Lee Archer, and her colleagues find themselves in deep water -- literally. After the killer mermaid (trust me, it's a lot scarier than it sounds) broke free from its confines last issue, the underwater rig is on high alert as their captive becomes their killer. With how masterfully Snyder and Murphy have dialed up the tension and terror, it's hard to believe we're only thirty percent of the way into the series." -Melissa

Click to read the entire review!

Final Score:

9.7

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Posted by Editorial Team on 23:55 in

Uncanny X-Force #9 Review

Psylocke has been a real point of frustration with the new volume of Uncanny X-Force. The decision to focus the second story arc entirely on Betsy and her relationship with the Fantomex triplets had the opportunity to either salvage her role within the series or drag the book down even further. Unfortunately, the second outcome proved to be the case. This book really isn't doing any favors for a character who had enjoyed so few quality stories in the years before Rick Remender salvaged her.

Psylocke has spent the majority of this book being bitter, temperamental, foul-mouthed, and not particularly likable. And as we learned in the previous issue, this stems from nothing more than her being the jilted lover in a threesome with Fantomex and Cluster. This new take on the Psylocke/Fantomex romance is pointlessly sordid, like a bad soap opera. The X-Men comics have always carried a strong soap opera quality dating back to the original Cyclops/Marvel Girl/Angel love triangle. But those romances and intrigues always served a purpose, whereas this merely dilutes years of stellar work on both characters.

This issue fails to redeem the conflict between Betsy and the Fantomexes in any way. Nor does the conflict even manage a clear resolution. The final pages are annoyingly unclear as to the ongoing fate of the Fantomexes. The fact that the lack of distinction in the coloring makes it difficult to distinguish between flashbacks and present day scenes towards the end doesn't help.

About the only thing this arc has going for it (beside the snazzy cover) is the continued contribution of Adrian Alphona. However, even that area suffers, as Alphona is given much less to work with in terms of depicting the breakup of Psylocke's love triangle. The imagery just isn't as engaging or memorable as it was when Alphona was exploring the astral plane and the battle with the Demon Bear. Dalibor Talajic's art is fine, but overly plain when held against Alphona's lush, flowing pencils.

The best that can be said for Uncanny X-Force now is that Sam Humphries shows a clear intention to move forward and embrace the full team roster again. Hopefully we've seen the series at its worst, and things can only improve from here.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 23:24 in

The Flash Annual #2 Review

Nowadays, it's tempting to think that comics are getting increasingly darker. Even evergreen optimistic heroes like Superman are being put through a filter of grittiness to give them an edge (paging Zack Snyder). The Flash Annual #2, written by Brian Buccellato with art by Sami Basri, reminds us why we fell in love with superhero comics to begin with. It's fun, funny, and determined to give you an unabashedly good time from start to finish.

This second annual issue stars one of our favorite comic book odd couples: The Flash and Green Lantern. Buccellato shows a keen understanding of what makes these characters tick as individuals and how their friendship works despite -- or perhaps because of -- their differences. After swinging by the Flash's neck of the woods to say goodbye before he heads off to Oa, Hal Jordan's notoriously impulsive behavior comes back to bite them both in the derrière when they find themselves whisked away to the Arena World to engage in a gladiator-style fight to the death.

Sami Basri's art is every bit as energetic as it needs to be to bring Buccellato's script to life. Basri has a keen eye for expression that adds a visual authenticity to Barry and Hal's interactions, and he delivers just as well on the book's more explosive action scenes. Stellar Lab's colors are both bright and lively, lending an optimistic air to the issue.

The book is slowed down early on by an extended flashback sequence to explain the characters' current predicament, but it proves to be so joyously fun that it's hard to complain about the structural choice. Overall, The Flash Annual #2 is a solid standalone story that bucks the growing trend toward gritty realism by keeping it light and bringing the laughs.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 21:25 in

Captain Marvel #14 Review

Captain Marvel #14 brings The Enemy Within story arc to an explosive, emotionally resonant close, as writer Kelly Sue DeConnick pushes Carol Danvers to her breaking point. As Yon-Rogg's villainous plan gets dangerously close to fruition, Captain Marvel is forced to confront her demons. Her struggle to overcome her weaknesses has been the beating heart of this story since its beginning, and here, DeConnick brings the narrative to a startlingly powerful close.

This issue is packed to the gills with action, but it's Carol's internal battle that propels the story forward. It's a testament to DeConnick's ability as a writer that she can create a narrative eye of the storm amidst the wholesale destruction of New York City (must be Wednesday in the Marvel universe). There's an uneasy sort of symmetry to Yon-Rogg's confrontation with Carol -- they're both neither here nor there, out of place and lonely as ever. Their destinies have been intertwined since Captain Marvel gained her powers, and DeConnick capitalizes on the character's rich history to bring her story to a truly epic crescendo.

I've criticized Captain Marvel before for its inconsistent art, and issue #14 is still plagued with a few visual issues. Even though the series has lacked a steady, visual language for some time now, individual issues have for the most part maintained an internal consistency. In this issue, art duties were split between Scott Hepburn and Gerardo Sandoval. While their differences aren't as glaring as they could be, there are some quirks that make the intermittent switches between artists noticeable enough for it to be mildly distracting.

But not even the inconsistent visuals could dampen DeConnick's narrative. The strength of the story lies in its mission statement, which is as consistent as it is brilliant. Sometimes, we're our own worst enemies, but even then, we can be our own heroes.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 20:55 in

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 Review

Guardians of the Galaxy #5 is one of many Marvel comics that seems to be addressing the ending of Age of Ultron. Time, it would seem, is broken. Whatever that means. All we know for sure is that things are crazy, with characters shifting worlds and timelines starting to get all screwy. This issue sees Angela jumping full force into the Marvel Universe and the Guardians slowly discovering that all hell is about to break loose.

There's lots of cool stuff in this series; the humor, the action, and the big, world spanning crises. Brian Bendis is clearly having fun here and that's a good thing. In just a handful of issues, he seems to have locked in these characters and their voices. The only problem, really, is that this series almost requires the reader to be up on all the goings on of the Marvel Universe. It can sorta stand on its own, but things like the appearance of Angela and the end meeting with Thanos might seem strange to somebody who isn't following lots of the other Marvel books and events.

Sara Pichelli delivers some stunning art in these pages, with her flare for characters and expressions really shining through. The awkward scene involving Tony Stark and Gamora is fantastic thanks to things like Gamora's subtle sneer of disgust. Pichelli isn't always the best when it comes to backgrounds, often leaving the areas behind characters blank, but colorist Justin Ponsor comes to the rescue by giving each page dramatic lighting and mood. All in all, Guardians of the Galaxy #5 looks great.

Benjamin is a drinker of root beer and a lover of fine cheeses. Follow Benjamin on Twitter @616Earth, or find him on IGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 20:25 in

Uncanny X-Men #9 Review

Uncanny X-Men #9 will no doubt earn the distinction of being the most controversial X-Men comic Brian Bendis has written so far. This issue is the first to showcase Dazzler in her new role as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Gone is the happy-go-lucky disco singer of yore, replaced by a militant government agent who has no qualms about assaulting a suburban family and interrogating handcuffed teenagers. Cyclops even goes so far as to accuse Allison of being "the Uncle Tom of mutants," an insult that is certainly justified given the events seen here.

To be fair, she has a few choice words of her own in retort, and Dazzler isn't painted as a wholly unsympathetic character here. It's far too early to accuse Bendis of "damaging" Dazzler as a character or whatever other inevitable complaints will arise. Still, there are definitely aspects of her portrayal in this issue that don't sit well. I would have liked to see more emphasis on her sense of alienation with the current mutant culture, given that she spent the entirety of Avengers vs. X-Men gallivanting in alternate realities.

Aside from Dazzler, issue #9 enjoys some generally strong characterization for many of the younger characters. Bendis finds great success in exploring the Stepford Cuckoos and their growing desire for individuality. We see new bonds develop between several teen recruits, and on the whole, the Uncanny roster comes that much closer to establishing a cohesive identity and dynamic.

Chris Bachalo's art isn't always ideally suited to handle the dialogue-heavy sequences. This issue carries a slightly haphazard look because of the numerous inkers. The art is at its best in the later segments as the focus narrows to a small handful of characters.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 19:55 in

Zynga Sues Developers Over Bang with Friends App

Social games giant Zynga has sued the makers of a 'casual sex app' called Bang with Friends, claiming the title infringes on its popular "with friends" trademark.

According to Bloomberg, Zynga filed the complaint yesterday against the makers of the app, which seeks to connect anonymous Facebook users who are "down to bang." The complaint seeks a court order which would bar the company from using the name in relation to any social media apps within the United States.

“Zynga filed a lawsuit to stop blatant infringement of its valuable ‘With Friends’ brand,” said Zynga's deputy general counsel Renee Lawson in a statement. “Zynga is compelled to file suit to prevent further consumer confusion and protect its intellectual property rights against infringement.”

Zynga's been in the news recently due to its dramatic revenue losses and the hire of ex-Microsoft executive Don Mattrick.

Lucy O'Brien is Entertainment Editor at IGN AU. Follow her ramblings on IGN at Luce_IGN_AU,or @Luceobrien on Twitter.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 18:55 in

Lizzy Caplan and Michael Sheen Are Masters of Sex

Showtime's new series, Masters of Sex, is already generating some buzz as it heads towards its September premiere date, with Homeland set to help launch it as the lead-in. Stars Michael Sheen (Dr. William Masters), Lizzy Caplan (Virginia Johnson), Caitlin Fitzgerald (Libby Masters), Nicholas D'Agosto (Ethan Hass), and Teddy Sears (Dr. Austin Langham), and creator, writer and executive producer Michelle Ashford and executive producer Sarah Timberman were on hand at this week's TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour to talk about "getting naked physically and emotionally" in this series that looks at the team who kicked-open the door to the sexual revolution.

Revolutionary Work:

As David Nevins, President of Entertainment at Showtime said, "Before William Masters and Virginia Johnson came on the scene in the 1950s, sex was mostly a mystery." Based on the book by Tom Maier, Masters of Sex follows the story of Dr. William Masters, a gynecologist determined to scientifically study and document the nature of human sexual behavior, and his assistant turned co-author, Virginia Johnson.

"Their lives were so complicated and interesting, we've had to embelish very little," Ashford said when asked how much creative license they'd taken in the creation of the series.

For her part, Caplan felt that her previous work had readied her to take on this role, which she finds to be one of the most exciting and challenging of her career.

"I've been fortunate enough to play a lot of [free-thinking] characters," the actress reflected. "And I think when you're telling a story set in the present day, you can do a lot of that work by wardrobe choices or even hair color or, like, a strategically placed tattoo. Virginia Johnson looks like every other woman around her. It's what's inside of her that makes her different and the choices that she makes. That's what makes her different. I do feel like a lot of the women I've played leading up to this point have prepared me to play this woman, who, I think, is by far the most layered and by far the toughest. And when I think about some of the stuff that I've done with other characters, I just have to sort of multiply the intensity of it when placing it in this time period, in this part of the country, when she was not offered any sort of support for her more alternative decisions. And so every decision she made was ‑‑ I mean, it resonated especially loudly for me."

Caplan compared what Johnson did for women, and society, to the freedom that her mother had created for her as she was growing up. "I was fortunately raised in a household where questions were encouraged and not judged. I was not dirty for asking these questions," Caplan said. "Virginia Johnson did for millions of women what my mother did for me, for generations of women to not feel ashamed. Before Masters and Johnson, women were told things [sexual issues] were all their fault ... and that's some bullsh**."

The Subject Still Applies Today:

"People are surprised by the frank discussions of sex on the show more than the portrayal of sex," Timberman said. "The things these people talk about are not generally talked about. It makes for interesting talk in the writers' room."

For his part, Sheen finds that the real crux of the story is about the emotional intimacy, and the struggles the characters have in that arena, which he feels is both universal and timeless. His character has some very specific sexual issues, which makes his work particularly fascinating. Sheen doesn't believe that Masters' struggle had to do with a repressed nature, though.

"I don't think it's about being prudish," the actor said. "I think it's about trying to balance a sense of control in this man's life. He's sort of a mystery to himself, really. He has so many locked rooms inside himself that he has to tread very carefully and make sure that he tries to control his environment so much. So I think that creates kind of what you might call prudishness, but actually sort of a lock-down desire to keep control. I don't think that's necessarily typical of everyone in the society at that time. But obviously things have changed in many ways since the '50s when the show is started, in terms of sexuality and how much access we have to images of it and information about it. But the same problems always apply. It doesn't matter whether we know a lot more about sex now or there's a lot more access to it. The same problems of intimacy, of dealing with other people, of connecting and being vulnerable with other people, which is what the show is ultimately about, still applies now, I think."

The Series Does Deal With Sex, Though:

The actors learned that of the two kinds of sex scenes that they were called upon to perform in the show, the more natural "lovemaking" variety and the "clinical studies" sex that Masters and Johnson both engaged in and observed; that the clinical variety was the more challenging.

"A couple making love is far easier [to depict] than some fluorescent lighting, wired up, don't kiss, don't look at each other, penis in vagina [scenario]," Caplan said. "Not being able to kiss, you feel even more naked, so to speak."

Sheen, who relayed some of the more unusual sex scenes that he'd taken part in throughout the course of his career (hint, some involve chocolate and some Oscar Wilde) agreed. "It's a scientific thing where you're not supposed to have any emotional response. That's really difficult."

Though the actor also said that after awhile, certain aspects of the production became almost passe. "We've seen so many people do bizarre things in front of you, you get used to it. I never thought I'd get to the point that there's a naked woman in front of you masturbating and you almost don't notice. But I actually broke that barrier on the show."

Masters of Sex premieres Sunday, Sept. 29 at 10/9c, following premiere of Homeland Season 3.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 17:55 in

Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones Leaving Parks and Recreation

Update added to the end of this story...

Sad times are coming to Pawnee, as two Parks and Recreation regulars, Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones, will be exiting the series in Season 6. Buzzfeed reported the news.

Fortunately, it will not be an abrupt departure, as Lowe and Jones will be back this fall and aren't expected to leave until the 13th episode of Season 6, likely airing in February. While details have not been given about what will cause Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins to leave, it's not difficult to imagine some possibilities, given their recent storyline in which they're trying to have a baby together - while rekindling their old romance.

It's also possible both will be too intimidated by the newly-buff Andy and feel they just need to get away from all of that Bert Macklin manliness.

UPDATE: Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur has released the following statement:

The news about Rob and Rashida is true — they will be leaving the show after the 13th episode of the upcoming season six. We’ve been working on their storyline (on and off) for four seasons now, and heading into this year, with the two of them contemplating parenthood, it felt like a natural time to move them into the next phase.

We absolutely love both Rashida and Rob, and will be sad to see them go. Rashida was one of the very first people we knew we wanted in the cast, and as important as Ann is to Leslie (and vice-versa), she’ll certainly never be far from Pawnee. Rob we initially thought we could only have for six or eight episodes, and we couldn’t be happier that he will have stuck around for 75.

They are wonderful, funny, committed actors, they’ve been a huge part of the Parks and Rec family, and we think we have a great Pawnee send-off in the works for them.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 17:25 in

RPon Jobs Movie: Behind The Scenes Featurette [VIDEO] By Ben Reid | August 1st, 2013

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As you will probably be well aware by now, an indie flick loosely documenting a portion of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ life and tenure at the helm of the Cupertino company is almost set for release, and stars Ashton Kutcher as the man himself. The Two and a Half Men star has already spoken of his passion of technology and respect for Jobs in a recent interview, and now, an extended Jobs trailer and commentary on the movie offers even further insight into the soon-to-be-released flick.

Although it is little more than a low-budget indie, Jobs has garnered a significant amount of public interest due to its subject matter. Steve Jobs, along with Steve Wozniak (played here by Josh Gad), were responsible for creating one of the biggest and most influential technology companies of our time, and with Jobs widely given credit for being the visionary, foresaw many of the products that most of us use, directly or indirectly, on a daily basis.

Despite having been built up quite a lot over the past year or so, not everybody is enthused by the prospect of this movie. Upon accessing the script, Steve Wozniak reportedly wished to take no part in the film due to frequent references to events that never actually occurred, and one has to wonder just how much of the content has been diluted for dramatic effect.

Still, this latest featurette shows once again that Kutcher very much looks the part in the character of Jobs, and although some were initially skeptical of his appointment for such a role, his physical similarities to the late, great former Apple CEO have certainly altered the opinions of some.

Jobs premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, and although was expected to have hit screens long before now, hit a few roadblocks along the way. Now, however, everything looks set for an August 16th release date, so if you’ve been looking forward to seeing what this movie has to offer, you’ve just over two weeks left to hang on.

Whilst I am somewhat excited about checking this movie out, I’m not expecting too much from it. Then again, with the Sony Pictures movie produced by Aaron Sorkin looming, perhaps my naturally high expectations of the subsequent biopic, which will be based, in part, on the Walter Isaacson biography written shortly before Jobs’ death, means that I don’t particularly need to pin too much hope on this one.

Are you looking forward to seeing the movie?

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Posted by Editorial Team on 17:22 in

Blizzard Will Make a ‘Special Announcement’ at Gamescom

Blizzard is teasing a “special announcement” at Gamescom. In an invitation sent to press today, Blizzard teased, “We’re making a special announcement that’s sure to capture the attention of the Heavens, Burning Hells and all the shadowed places that lie between.”

The description seems to be hinting at Diablo-related news, and could mean we’ll finally see the reveal of the Diablo III expansion that Blizzard confirmed last year.

Gamescom will run from August 21-25 in Cologne, Germany, with Blizzard’s press conference set for August 21st. Be sure to check back to IGN in August for all the news from the show as it’s announced.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 16:25 in

RPon Xbox One Vs PS4 – Graphics Comparison In Theory [VIDEO] By Ben Reid | August 1st, 2013

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When you stack up the graphics prowess of the PlayStation 4 against the Xbox One, there’s no doubt that the Sony console is reflected favorably, but as we know, there’s a great deal of difference between the on-paper checklist and real world gaming. The PlayStation 4, overall, offers around 50 percent more GPU power than its Redmond counterpart, you can’t really draw any firm conclusions from these figures alone. Eurogamer, in collaboration with Digital Foundry, has sought to compare the two unreleased machines by mocking them up using parts similar to those announced, offering a relatively strong idea of what we can expect from each.

In order to create a theoretical idea of the graphics prowess of both the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, Eurogamer had to get hold of all the necessary parts. Since a great deal the components weren’t quite apt to the role, some tweaking to the clock speed was needed, but with similar enough components to gauge a rough idea, Eurogamer was ready to begin comparing the ‘Xbox One’ and ‘PlayStation 4′.

Both mockups were put rigorously through their paces, and although the PlayStation 4 boasts that 50% bump on its biggest rival, the console could only muster 25 percent faster frame rates. If the resolution were dropped slightly from 1080p, ‘Xbox One’ and ‘PS4′ perform almost identically, which would suggest that when the next-gen consoles do arrive for real, there’s going to be very little to call between them.

To be fair, the minds of many a gamer will have already been made up, with console fans famously partisan when it comes to upgrading their hardware.

With all the initial controversies out of the way, it’s nice to be able to focus on graphics and general performance rather than whether we’re going to need an always-on connection, or whether in fact used games policies would be crippling the party.

Having seen just yesterday how smoothly GTA 5 is looking for the current-gen consoles, we’re certainly not as bothered about next-gen graphics as we used to be. The take-home here seems to be that both the Xbox One and PS4 are almost identical in terms of what they can offer for pure gamers, and at any rate, the war will probably be won in other departments, like motion sensors, set-top box appeal and interface.

(Source: Eurogamer)

You may also like to check out:

• Xbox One vs PS4 vs Xbox 360 [Specs Comparison]

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Posted by Editorial Team on 16:22 in

MineCon 2013 Tickets Go On Sale Today

The first batch of tickets for this year's MineCon will be available online beginning today.

MineCon is the annual convention for MineCraft fans. 2,500 tickets will be put up for sale at the official website at 4PM PST. Two additional batches of 2,500 tickets will be made available in the coming days: one on August 2 at 7AM PST, and the other on August 3 at 12PM PST.

As announced last month, this year's event will take place in Orlando, Florida from November 2-3. Previous MineCons were located in Bellevue, Washington, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Paris, France.

Tickets are sure to sell out quickly, as they have in the past, so you'll need to be fast in order to get your hands on them. Let us know if you'll be attending in the comments.

Chris Pereira is a freelance writer who spends his spare time agonizing over the final seasons of The X-Files. Check out what he's saying on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 15:54 in

RPon Apple Testing New iPad mini With A6 Processor, No Retina Display By Paul Morris | August 1st, 2013

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We should all know by now that when it comes to pre-release versions of iOS there is generally no stone left unturned by those investigative minds that love nothing more than ripping through the internals to see what they can find. The latest iOS 7 beta SDK release is no different, and this time it seems that a keen-eyed developer has cottoned on to Apple testing out an enhanced iPad mini, evidence of which is located deep inside of a hidden file within the SDK.

The file in question is said to list of all the Apple mobile devices that are capable of supporting the Cupertino company’s latest iOS 7 firmware, slated for a public release later this year. Additional information found within the iOS 7 firmware seems to backup this existence of three new iPad mini devices, given the model numbers ‘iPad2,8′, ‘iPad2,9′ and ‘iPad2,10′. For those who prefer Apple internal talk, then these would be referenced as J75, J76 and J77.

In regards to the actual technical specifications of the device, it’s understandable that information is limited. With that said, the exposed details do list the ‘iPad2,8′ model as being on the s5l8950x platform, which happens to refer to the current-generation A6 processor that can be found under the hood of the iPhone 5. The existence of a miniature iPad with a bumped up processor spec will definitely bring a smile to the face of those users who want a little extra power from their mini Apple tablet.

It’s undeniably good news that Apple is testing out iPad mini models with faster processing capabilities, but the internal files also bring with them some potentially sad news for users. The lack of any reference to higher resolution graphical assets indicates that none of the referenced iPad models have a Retina display. Developers in the iOS world are required to include an additional set of files in their apps for Retina capable devices, all of which are appended with @2x to allow iOS to differentiate between the different image sizes. These references seem to be missing from the exposed information.

It is worth noting that Apple is consistently testing out different specifications of their publicly available products, very few of which actually make it into the hands of the end user. With a hardware announcement expected in the next six to eight weeks, it would be prudent to prefer for a second-generation iPad mini launch without a Retina display but while still clinging onto the hope that we get a processor and display spec increase.

It has been cited in a previous report that we published that the Retina iPad mini may not be ready until 2014, and today’s report further adds fuel to an already lit fire.

(Source: 9to5Mac)

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Posted by Editorial Team on 15:52 in

Star Wars Battlefront ‘Likely’ Coming in 2015

EA has revealed that Star Wars Battlefront is “likely” to be released in summer 2015.

During EA’s annual meeting of stockholders today, CFO Blake Jorgensen said Battlefront will “most likely come out around the same time that the Star Wars movies start to come out, probably in the summer of ’15.”

This fits with the timeframe for Star Wars: Episode VII that was previously announced by Lucasfilm at CinemaCon in April.

Star Wars Battlefront was announced at E3, but no timeframe for release had been indicated until today. Previously, EA said its Star Wars games wouldn’t arrive until April 2014 at the earliest.

For more on Battlefront, read our interview with DICE executive producer Patrick Bach about the game, plus thoughts from EA Labels president Frank Gibeau on why DICE is a perfect fit for Battlefront.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 15:24 in

Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones Leaving Parks and Recreation

Sad times are coming to Pawnee, as two Parks and Recreation regulars, Rob Lowe and Rashida Jones, will be exiting the series in Season 6. Buzzfeed reported the news.

Fortunately, it will not be an abrupt departure, as Lowe and Jones will be back this fall and aren't expected to leave until the 13th episode of Season 6, likely airing in February. While details have not been given about what will cause Chris Traeger and Ann Perkins to leave, it's not difficult to imagine some possibilities, given their recent storyline in which they're trying to have a baby together - while rekindling their old romance.

It's also possible both will be too intimidated by the newly-buff Andy and feel they just need to get away from all of that Bert Macklin manliness.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 14:54 in

Fringe's Anna Torv Joins HBO Sexuality Drama Open

Anna Torv (Fringe) is set to star Ryan Murphy's HBO pilot Open, THR reports. The "human sexuality drama" marks Torv's return to television following the conclusion of her turn as Agent Olivia Dunham on FOX's Fringe.

Jennifer Jason Leigh has also joined the cast as one of Torv's on-screen love-interests. The pilot is being described as, "a multi-character exploration of the complex, ever-evolving landscape of sexuality, monogamy and intimacy in relationships."

Murphy co-wrote the script with Dexter's Lauren Gussis and will executive produce. Torv's character Windsor is in a long-term relationship with Leigh's Holly in the series, but she is drawn to another character, Grace, when she meets her. Windsor is a yoga instructor, while Holly is an career-obsessed actress.

Scott Speedman (Last Resort) will play a sports agent named Jonathan who is married to the aforementioned Grace, a gynecologist who is going through a period of confusion about her sexuality following an unexpected affair with Windsor. Casting for Grace is currently underway.

The Hunger Games' Wes Bentley has also boarded the project as Evan, a man who is almost a full of ideas about sex as he is of himself.

HBO ordered the pilot in April. We will keep you updated as details emerge.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 14:24 in

David Conrad Joins Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Actor David Conrad is about to begin spending time with the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TVLine's Michael Ausiello broke the news that Conrad, best known for his role as Jennifer Love Hewitt's husband on Ghost Whisperer, will be playing a recurring role on the new ABC series, which ties into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

David Conrad in Ghost Whisperer

There is no info on who Conrad is playing, which isn't surprising, given the secrecy around S.H.I.E.L.D., like all Marvel projects. However, Ausiello notes that there was recently a casting call for "the role of a brilliant and quirky scientist that matches Conrad’s description (i.e., male in his 40s)." The main characters on S.H.I.E.L.D., including Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) are all original ones not from the comic books, so it's just as possible Conrad is playing someone newly created as someone from Marvel.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Pilot Review

When I spoke to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. co-creators/executive producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen at Comic-Con (see the video below), they talked about how they are finding opportunities when they come up with a new character to ask Marvel "Does someone in your universe have that skill?" and be able to use a pre-existing character. Which is to say... anything is possible!

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Posted by Editorial Team on 13:54 in

The Walking Dead Gets Monopolized

If real estate management and world domination weren't hard enough on their own, try adding zombies to the mix. Hasbro has announced Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition and Risk: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, both of which which are scheduled for a late September 2013 release.

For the Monopoly game, players can pick one of six Walking Dead-style tokens -- Rick's sheriff hat or Dale's RV, for example -- and acquire property corresponding with landmarks from the series such as the prison cells, the Greene Family farmhouse, and Woodbury. Instead of using money, players must trade in essential supplies like food, ammo and fuel to gain more territory on the board or to place a guard tower or wall instead of the standard houses and hotels.

As for the Risk set, the game designers have created a brand new map set in the Southeastern region of the United States, where gamers battle and scavenge within 32 territories. Adding a new twist to the gameplay, players will not only fend off attacks from their opponents, but they must also maintain their self-preservation from hordes of zombies that randomly spawn at the start of each players turn. A new deck of "Supply Cards" will also be added, as well as "Event Cards" referencing story events from The Walking Dead.

To pre-order Monopoly: The Walking Dead Survival Edition and Risk: The Walking Dead Survival Edition, find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 13:24 in

RPon Microsoft Has Sold Only 1.7 Million Surface RT Tablets In 8 Months Since Launch By Ben Reid | August 1st, 2013

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Microsoft has worked hard to establish itself in the tablet space, and its first effort, the Surface, has been the subject of much critical acclaim. Yet the estimated sales figures posted by the Redmond at its annual Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing suggests there’s much work to be done if the company is to compete with some of the big players in the game. The Surface has never been marketed as an “iPad killer,” so to speak, with Steve Ballmer’s company taking the hybrid approach by trying to corner some of the ultrabook market, but with less than impressive sales as demonstrated here, neither field will be feeling the heat from the Surface range.

The RT version of the tablet, which runs on an ARM processor and was released late last year in time for the launch of Windows 8, has been considerably less successful than the Pro iteration, with reports emerging earlier this week that many millions of units remain unsold. This would go a great way to explaining why the Surface RT recently saw a price drop, yet with so few apps available for RT tablets and no legacy support, even lowering the cost may not be enough to save Microsoft with this one.

Despite the flagging sales of Surface RT, Microsoft remains dedicated to developing the ecosystem, but with both Surface models clearly struggling to make more than a fleeting impression, the company is going to have to make some big changes to its strategy.

Those figures lead up to the end of June, the fruit company shifted a whopping 3 million iPads in just three days back in November. Moreover, the Cupertino tablet has shifted 57 million units since the launch of the Surface, and even though Microsoft would not have expected to make much of a dent against the rampant market leader already, the comparative figures are certainly disheartening.

The Surface RT is now a full $150 cheaper than it was when it first launched last year, but with some commentators already suggesting that the Surface RT is a non-starter, one hopes that Microsoft has a few more tablets up its sleeve.

Here’s to hoping that Microsoft fixes up the whole scenario with a newer model with powerful internals and whatnot.

(via: TheVerge)

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Posted by Editorial Team on 13:22 in

Podcast Unlocked 106: Fez 2 Creator Crazy...Like a Fox?

Download Podcast Unlocked: Episode 106 Here

This episode goes out to anyone named Phil. This week, the Locksmiths look back on their college years, and then dive into the Xbox news by discussing Phil Spencer and Phil Harrison's Xbox Showcase event at Gamescom next month, Phil Fish's meltdown and Fez 2 cancellation, Xbox One accessory pricing, Kinect Sports Rivals' delay to 2014, and Bobby "Not Phil" Kotick buying Activision back from, well...itself for $8 billion.

Show Overview

[00:00] Get to Know Your Locksmiths: College Years Edition

[18:04] News Unlocked, starting with the Phil Fish/Fez 2 discussion

[45:23] Marketplace Report

[48:28] Unlock Block trivia contest

Download Podcast Unlocked: Episode 106 Here

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s Executive Editor of Previews and Xbox Guru-in-Chief. Follow him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan, on IGN, catch him on Podcast Unlocked, and drop-ship him Taylor Ham sandwiches from New Jersey whenever possible.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 12:24 in

RPon Google Glass Explorers Can Now Invite A Friend, Who Wants In? By Ben Reid | August 1st, 2013

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Not many tech releases can claim to have created more of a fuss and anticipation than both the next generation gaming consoles, but the hype surrounding Google Glass is certainly giving the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 a run for their money. At present, only certain individuals have managed to get their hands on a unit of the wearable tech for testing and development of the Android-based ecosystem, but it would seem Google is now offering some of those testers a chance to invite a friend to the process, provided they’re willing to pick their very own pair from selected distribution outlets.

Google+ is currently abuzz with reports from current Glass Explorers, many of whom have been the recipients of emails from Page and Co. offering them the opportunity to invite a friend to the program. Obviously, developers will probably be sending these devices out to other developers, but this will only but help the progression of Glass in the broader spectrum.

Interested parties must be residing in the United States, be at least 18 years old, and happy to pick up their device from either New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. Considering how sought after Glass is and how few units are currently in circulation, we wouldn’t have thought anybody invited in would have a problem travelling to collect theirs.

Not all current Glass owners have been given the option to send out a golden ticket, with Google telling Engadget that rather a “small subset of Explorers” have been factored into the minor expansion.

So, if you happen to know a Google Glass Explorer, now would be a pretty good time to start treating them like royalty. You never know, if they get that magic email, maybe you’ll be on your way to one of those three locations to pick up your very own pair.

The product is not expected to be hitting the market until next year, but despite the high anticipated start price, it’s likely to sell in high numbers as intrigued consumers seek to discover what all the fuss is about.

We’ll be sure to keep you guys updated on any further news pertaining Glass, so stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie!

(via: Engadget)

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Posted by Editorial Team on 12:22 in

RPon Control Unlocker For iOS Released, Lets You Unlock Your iPhone In Old School NES Fashion [VIDEO] By Paul Morris | August 1st, 2013

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Here at Redmond Pie we are always on the lookout for the latest and greatest innovations to land in Cydia. Innovation doesn’t always mean inventing something entirely new, which is why we brought some early news of the soon-to-be released Control Unlocker package a couple of days ago. That package has now been officially launched and is available to download immediately from the BigBoss repository. More details can be found right after the break.

Control Unlocker – formerly known by its pre-release NESUnlocker name – embodies innovation by implementing a new and extremely unique visual method of unlocking an iOS device. Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad gadgets have become synonymous with the “Slide to Unlock” method of gaining access to what sits behind the lock screen and although numerous jailbreak tweaks have tackled this area in the past this release from Stevie Hetelekides brings a little bit of fun and nostalgia to the situation.

Rather than having to solely go through the usual process of sliding a finger along the display, Control Unlocker introduces a NES style video game controller into the equation that animates into view when the user has interacted with Apple’s usual sliding process. The glorious looking old-school game-pad brings the expected four way directional control as well as the famous red ‘A’ and ‘B’ buttons that so many of us remember slamming our fingers down on when playing Super Mario Brothers or Donkey Kong.

The customization options that come with the tweak allows the user to set up their own sequence by using the directional pad and the buttons as well as setting their own custom text string that is visible directly on the controller itself. There’ll be plenty of people who will love the nostalgic feelings that a tweak of this nature brings, but there will also be people who feel that the native Slide to Unlock method should have been replaced rather than operating as a two step unlock process. Still, it looks great and is free-of-charge to download and use so get going.

Control Unlocker is available as a free-of-charge download from the BigBoss repository and has been tested for compatibility with all iPhone and iPod touch models running iOS 6.0 and above. iPad compatibility is not currently supported for this tweak.

Be sure to check out our iPhone Apps Gallery and iPad Apps Gallery to explore more apps for your iPhone and iPad.

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Posted by Editorial Team on 11:52 in