Orlando Events Calendar - Magic: The Gathering Innistrad

Sorry for the delay in posting... Going to be a busy month for me with school and work. But, hopefully there will be less interruption here on GGOrlando.com.

 Second apology... My original intent for the weekly event calendar was to make it a video, a throwback to when local television stations would do their community calendar during commercial breaks. However, I was getting pissed-off at Windows Movie Maker for not being able to do what I want and gave up. Maybe something to look forward to in the future. In addition, instead of using Windows Live Writer for this post, I'm using Blogger's new template. So this one may not be a daggum purdy as usual.

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Trouble's afoot for the planeswalkers of Magic: The Gathering.  This weekend marks the launch of the Innistrad expansion, a new set which introduces a little horror to into the world of wizards and spells.  Introducing the tribes of humans, zombies, vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, players will now be able to curse their opponents and transform their creatures using Innistrad's new double-sided cards.

In celebration of Innistrad's release, many local stores will be hosting midnight release events on the night of the September 30th.  Some stores will be hosting tournaments with special launch prizes, games, and snacks.

Stores hosting launch events:

• Amorous Armadillo Game Shoppe - Winter Park
• Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee, Millenia, and Sanford
• Cool Stuff - Winter Park
• Good Fellas Games - Apopka
• Heroes Landing - Clermont
• Next Level Lan - Winter Park
• Phoenix Games - Ocoee
• Quick Stop - Altamonte Springs
• Sci-Fi City - Orlando

For more information or to find a launch event near you, check out the Wizards of the Coast page. <Link>

Look tomorrow as our first edition of n00bTube will be an introduction to Magic:  The Gathering.  Pretty much, the Grand Owl knows how to look things up on the ol' Wikipedia, so if you would like to contribute, feel free to add your thoughts in tomorrow's post.

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GENERATION GEEK - ORLANDO EVENT CALENDAR

Thursday, September 29th

• Gaming:  5-9p, HeroClix Tournament - New Superman Set (Heroes Landing - Clermont)
• Gaming:  6-10p, Board Game Club (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)

Friday, September 30th

• Random:  7p-12a, Boudoir Bombshells Calendar Release Party (Coliseum of Comics - Sanford)
• Anime:  7:30p-12a, Anime Spot Meeting (University of Central Florida)

Saturday, October 1st

• Gaming:  10:30a-2:30p, HeroClix - Superman Marquee Event (Coliseum of Comics - Fashion Square Mall)
• Comics:  12-4p, George Perez & Mike Perkins Signing (Coliseum of Comics - Sanford)
• Comics:  12p-12p, 24 Hour Comics Day (A Comic Shop - Winter Park)
• Gaming:  12p-12a, Video Game Night 3.0 (University of Central Florida)
• Gaming:  12-4p, HeroClix - Superman Sealed (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)
• Gaming:  12-4p, Naruto Shippuden Tournament (Coliseum of Comics - Millenia)
• Gaming:  5-9p, Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament (Coliseum of Comics - Millenia)

Sunday, October 2nd

• Gaming:  HeroClix - Superman Sealed (Acme Superstore - Longwood)
• Comics:  10a-12p, Sunday Morning Chat & Chew (Acme Superstore - Longwood)
• Gaming:  1-2p, Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)

Monday, October 3rd

• Gaming:  6:30-9:30p, Yu-Gi-Oh Tournament (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)

Tuesday, October 4th

• Gaming:  7-11p, Tuesday Night Magic (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)

Wednesday, October 5th

• Gaming:  5:30-9p, Dungeons & Dragons Encounters (Coliseum of Comics - Millenia)
• Gaming:  6-11p, Magic: The Gathering - Wednesday Draft (Coliseum of Comics - Millenia)
• Gaming:  6-8p, Warhammer 40,000 League - 1,000 Points (Coliseum of Comics - Kissimmee)

As always, you can follow the calendar on the GG Orlando homepage.  To submit events, e-mail grandowl@ggorlando.com

This Week in Comics–Week of Sept. 18, 2011

Instead of spotlighting a particular new release, in keeping with the local focus of the blog, I wanted to spotlight the comic industry move to digital downloads and how you can continue to support your local comic shops.

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Buy Digitally, Think Locally

The release of DC’s New 52 coincides with another major change in the comics industry…  DC releasing their comics digitally day-and-date (marketing speak for “the same day”) as the print version.  With the growth of digital comic services such as Comixology and Graphicly, as well as the online services offered directly by publishers DC and Marvel, there was concern that the epitaph was being written for local comic shops.

However, comic readers who want to buy digitally but still support their local comic shops have an option.  Through both Comixology and DC’s digital store, you can purchase from a page set up by your local comic shop.  While it’s unclear how the business model works (more importantly, how much your local shop gets when you buy through their store), it makes for a small way to continue supporting your local store.

As more shops enroll in the service, keep up with your local store’s webpage or check with them the next time you visit.  Here’s a couple of local stores that currently have digital stores set up.

• A Comic Shop – Winter Park:  Comixology | DC
• Heroes Landing – Clermont:  Comixology | DC 

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Top 20 “Most Pulled” Comics for the Week of Sept. 18, 2011
Presented by Comixology

1. Batman #1 (DC)
2. Uncanny X-Men #543 (Marvel)
3. Avengers #17 (Marvel)
4. Nightwing #1 (DC)
5. Invincible Iron Man #508 (Marvel)
6. Wonder Woman #1 (DC)
7. Green Lantern Corps #1 (DC)
8. X-Men: Schism #4 (Marvel)
9. Captain America #3 (Marvel)
10. Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 (DC)
11. Supergirl #1 (DC)
12. Catwoman #1 (DC)
13. X-Men #18 (Marvel)
14. Daredevil #4 (Marvel)
15. X-Factor #225 (Marvel)
16. Avengers: The Childrens Crusade #7 (Marvel)
17. Invincible #83 (Image)
18. Thunderbolts #163.1 (Marvel)
19. Ultimate Comics X-Men #1 (Marvel)
20. Birds of Prey #1 (DC)

New DVD & Video Game Releases–Week of Sept. 18, 2011

Featured Release – Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
A tough decision this week, but Gears of War 3 just edged-out Barbie: Jet, Set & Style! for the DS.  But 2011 appears to be the year of the trilogy (Killzone 3, Resistance 3, Uncharted 3…), so I’d be remiss to not spotlight the latest threequel.
Released in 2006, the original Gears of War introduced the cover mechanic to shooters.  No longer could you just run into a room and shoot blindly without becoming target practice for your enemy.  Its sequel, released in 2008, brought the world Horde mode – an often copied co-op gameplay mode of having waves of increasingly difficult enemies.  What the newest edition offers I’m not sure, but something tells me the conclusion of Marcus Fenix’s story will sell like gangbusters and your Xbox Live friend list will be full of fellow fighters waging war against the Locust Horde.
Gears of War 3 is in stores now!

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Top New Home Video Releases

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s (50th Anniversary Edition) – BR
• Bridesmaids – DVD/BR
• Castle – The Complete Third Season – DVD
• Dumbo (70th Anniversary Edition) – DVD/BR
• Modern Family – The Complete Second Season – BR

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Top New Video Game Releases

• Burnout Crash – PSN/XBLA
• Chrono Trigger – PS3/PSP
• F1 2011 – PC/PS3/X360
• Final Fantasy VI – PS3
• Gears of War 3 – X360
• Persona 2: Innocent Sin – PSP

Upcoming releases provided by IGN.com – DVD/Blu-Ray | Video Games

Local Spotlight–The Geek Easy at A Comic Shop

A nightclub for nerds?  Because if there’s a segment of people you normally see partying the night away at a club, it’s the geek community…  Right?!  Definitely!  Located inside Winter Park’s A Comic Shop, The Geek Easy is an incredible spot to relax and bask in a ton of geeky goodness.

During the day, The Geek Easy provides a great space to relax and enjoy a number of cool activities.  A wall lined with TVs and connected to Xbox 360s and PS3s gives an opportunity to play the latest video games with friends.  A bookshelf filled with board and card games gives another opportunity to have fun.  At times, the walls of The Geek Easy are covered in some incredible geek-related art from some incredible local talent.

For a small annual membership fee, you’re invited to the numerous events A Comic Shop hosts during the evenings.  From comic book writer and artist signings to live performances, the event calendar is usually packed at The Geek Easy.  Oh yea, and they also usually have a keg of beer to partake from.

For more on The Geek Easy, check out this column from the Orlando weekly.  <Link>

Also check out The Geek Easy Facebook Page for their latest events or just stop by A Comic Shop.  <Link>

P.S. – Please do not have a leaky anus.

This Week in Comics – Week of Sept. 11, 2011

Considering that there are so many new comic book releases each week, I’m going to spotlight the Top 20 “Most Pulled” new comics, as rated by Comixology.  In addition, like with the DVD/video game release post I did yesterday, I will spotlight an individual new release.  Get it…  Got it…  Good!

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  Ultimate Spider-Man #1

  A lot is being made out DC and their New 52, so I decided to pick a new issue from Team Marvel.  Much ado was made when Peter Parker died a couple months ago, but many in the “mainstream media” failed to report that this was not the well-known Peter but his Ultimates counterpart.  After a period of “fallout”, the Ultimate Spider-Man series is getting a reboot with a new Spidey…  Miles Morales.

  For more on the new Ultimate Spider-Man, check out his introduction on Marvel.com.

 

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Top 20 “Most Pulled” Comics for the Week of Sept. 11, 2011
Presented by Comixology

1. Green Lantern #1 (DC)
2. Amazing Spider-Man #669 (Marvel)
3. Fear Itself #6 (Marvel)
4. Batman & Robin #1 (DC)
5. Uncanny X-Force #15 (Marvel)
6. New Avengers #16 (Marvel)
7. Batwoman #1 (DC)
8. Red Lanterns #1 (DC)
9. Journey into Mystery #627 (Marvel)
10. X-Men: Legacy #255 (Marvel)
11. Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (Marvel)
12. Daredevil #3 (Marvel)
13. Superboy #1 (DC)
14. Deadpool #43 (Marvel)
15. Suicide Squad #1 (DC)
16. Frankenstein: Agent of Shade #1 (DC)
17. Demon Knights #1 (DC)
18. Grifter #1 (DC)
19. Deathstroke #1 (DC)
20. Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #523 (Marvel)

The Adventures of Slacker & the Man – Dobbs Meets a Sexy Stranger

I would like to thank the Slacker & the Man podcast and GeeqShuq for the plug on this week’s episode.  And, for those of you who’ve never seen it…  The often referenced animated commercial I made for the Slacker & the Man Best of Deadliest Geek Warrior CD following MegaCon 2011.

Note - This video is definitely not for the kids!

The Adventures of Slacker & the Man - Dobbs Meets A Sexy Stranger
by: GrandOwl


You can still get the Best of Deadliest Geek Warrior CD from Slacker & the Man’s website.  Also, stay tuned to their events page as they’re planning on recording a live Deadliest Geek Warrior matchup during Vulcan Events presents Away Mission: Orlando in October.

R.I.P. – Dobbs
2009-2011
”Meet me at the ice cream truck, I’ll buy you an ice cream…”

New DVD & Video Game Releases–Week of Sept. 11, 2011

Featured Release – Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-Ray

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…  You probably bought the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS, then on laserdisc, then on DVD, then maybe on DVD again.  But now you can buy the re-mastered collection of 6 films on Blu-Ray.  You can argue if the additional changes George Lucas has made to his films are good or not, but most likely, a lot of people are going to pick up this new set of films.  Just in time for a new version to come out in a year or two with some additional must-have content (hopefully the original theatrical cuts…  Just sayin’!)

Star Wars: The Complete Saga arrives on Friday, September 16th

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New Home Video Releases

• The Big Bang Theory – The Complete Fourth Season – DVD/BR
• Citizen Kane (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition) – BR
• The Count of Monte Cristo – BR
• The Frighteners (Peter Jackson’s Director’s Cut) – BR
• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – Season Six – DVD/BR
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? – BR
• Thor – DVD/BR
• Spartacus: Gods of the Arena – DVD/BR
• True Legend – DVD/BR

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New Video Game Releases

• God of War Origins Collection – PS3
• The Gunstringer - X360
• Mega Man Dual Pack – PSP
• NHL 12 – PS3/X360
• Nicktoons MLB – DS/Wii
• The Penguins of Madagascare: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again! – DS/PS3/Wii/X360
• White Knight Chronicles II – PS3

Local Spotlight – Anime Addicts Anonymous Podcast

 

“Dedicated to making your anime addiction worse.”

Fan of anime or Japanese culture?  Check out the weekly Anime Addicts Anonymous podcast.  Based here in Orlando, Mitsugi, Chiaki, Kimiko, and Roukou discuss all matters of otakudom.

Quickly approaching their 100th episode, the hosts provide previews and reviews of anime – both old and new.  They also scored interviews with some of the industry’s top names, including personal fave Steve Blum (the voice of Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop).  And, if you’re naughty, they have a little something special for you…  The monthly “hentai” (pornographic anime) episode!

The AAA crew’s commitment to anime enablement isn’t exclusive to their podcast.  Their website and active forum community provides an outlet for your obsession in between episodes.  In addition, they host the AAA Network – a podcast network of all matters of geeky goodness.  The hosts are also often out on the local convention scene.  Mitsugi often hosts his “The Best Anime You’ve Never Seen or Heard Of” panel while fellow host Chiaki is seen hosting her “Travelling to Japan” panel.

All-in-all, the show works hard to achieve its mission of making your anime addiction worse.  Check them out live on Sunday nights at 8pm on Ustream or subscribe to their podcast – available in both audio and video formats.

Website:  AAAPodcast.com | AAA Network

Podcast:  iTunes | RSS | Hentai

Cool Updates for Generation Geek – Orlando

Hi everyone!  Sorry for the lack of updates last week.  Working on a new plan for the website, so decided to save the material I had written for this week.  Yes, there has been a lack of things going on here at Generation Geek.  But, hopefully that’ll start to change today.

I’ve developed a weekly update schedule for Generation Geek – Orlando that I think will provide cool new information in a timely manner.  I’ve set the updates to coincide with the major releases for the day.  Here’s a rundown!

Mondays – Spotlights

As I had mentioned when I started this website, I’d like to highlight the best in local geek culture.  Be they bloggers, podcasters, stores, whatever, each Monday we will spotlight them here on GG-Orlando.  Have someone or something you think is worthy of a spotlight?  Send them to me at GrandOwl@ggorlando.com.

Tuesdays – Video Games & DVDs

Tuesdays is normally when publishers and studios release the newest video games and DVDs.  The Tuesday update will rundown the biggest new releases in the world of home entertainment with a particular spotlight on the best new title.

Wednesdays – Comic Book Rundown

Wednesdays welcomes the newest comic book releases.  Find the week’s best here on GG-Orlando with other area happenings in the world of comics (artist signings, cons, etc.).

Thursdays – Weekend Planner

One of the main reasons I started this website was to provide a single source for the Orlando geek community to find all of the area’s best events.  Thursday’s update will have the area’s top weekend events.

Fridays – n00bTube

Probably the segment I’m most excited about (though I really want a new name), n00bTube will be a weekly place where, hopefully, you’ll find a new geeky interest.  This week’s first n00bTube will be on Magic The Gathering.  If you feel you’re an expert on a geeky subject and would like to contribute to the n00bTube, please e-mail me at grandowl@ggorlando.com.

While these will be the set weekly updates, there will (hopefully) be more throughout the week on a variety of subjects.  In addition, after we have this going for a few weeks, I will start the e-mail newsletter.  As I had stated before, the newsletter will go out every 2 weeks and will likely feature the best blog posts from those previous weeks as well as a calendar of the best activities for the next 2 weeks.

I hope you guys are as psyched for these changes as I am.  I’m still feeling out how I want GG-Orlando to run, so welcome your feedback.  As you keep seeing, feel free to e-mail me at grandowl@ggorlando.com if you have any comments or suggestions.  Also, hit me up if you’d like to be a contributor.  As I had mentioned before, I would like some people to post some random geeky updates on our Twitter page (@GGOrlando).

Have a great week and expect the first update – on the Orlando-based Anime Addicts Anonymous podcast – tomorrow!

-GrandOwl