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Free Realms comic coming July 29, includes in-game bonuses
Looking for some supplementary materials for Sony Online Entertainment's utterly adorable, free-to-play MMO Free Realms? You're in luck. DC Comics brand WildStorm and SOE are teaming up to publish a comic book series based on the popular online game. J.S. Lewis, the author of the Grey Griffins children's book series, will be penning the story, but let's be honest -- you won't be picking up the comics for the story.No, we wager you'll purchase the comics because of the unlockable in-game items they'll contain. The first issue, which drops July 29, includes the "Spider Bite Sword." We imagine the following 11 issues will include equally enticing armaments. If you are interested in the story, you can check out a brief preview of Issue no. 1 right here.[Via Massively]
Watchmen Director's Cut movie / PlayStation 3 game Blu-ray combo now available
If you have the dominant high-def optical storage format -- which can serve both movies and games with equal aplomb -- built right into your consoles, shouldn't you be leveraging that synergy? Well, the assimilation is now complete, as Watchmen Director's Cut launched today with The End is Nigh Parts 1 and 2 for PlayStation 3 in tow. The price of admission here is a penny under $50 before tax / shipping -- and considering both parts of the game cost $30 total on their lonesome, that's none too shabby of a deal. It'll be interesting to see what film and tie-in game make the merge next -- anyone up for a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory re-release?
Dante's Inferno spawns DC comic
EA announced today that it's collaborating with DC Comics and Wildstorm to create a comic mini-series based on its upcoming demon slay-'em-up, Dante's Inferno. The comic is to be written by Christos Gage, who has worked on X-Men, Spider-Man and ... Teenage Caveman. It will be illustrated by Diego Latorre, known for his work on The Incredible Hulk. The series is to span six issues with the first going on sale this December. A preview issue of the comic will be distributed at the San Diego Comic-Con this week at the EA and DC booths. Also to be revealed at the Comic-Con: the first trailer for the Dante's Inferno animated feature.With both a comic series and an animated feature on the way, Dante's Inferno is becoming quite the franchise. Frankly, we can't wait for the novelization.
New Batman: Arkham Asylum dev diary gives Batman a terrible evening
As Rocksteady's Sefton Hill and Paul Dini eagerly explain in the video above, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a game about torturing Batman. Okay, okay, maybe not directly, but by way of Joker setting up a nasty ruse for Gotham's greatest hero at Arkham Asylum itself. Trapping Mr. Wayne inside with all of his most fearsome enemies, when he thought he was just stopping by to deposit a criminal, leaves him at the mercy of the now-in-control Joker.From what we played of the game's campaign back at E3, we're not sure exactly how Eidos/Warner Bros. plan to keep the game's T-rating, as evidenced by the few gameplay snippets you see in the developer diary above. We are, however, surprisingly excited for the game's release in late August -- and glad we don't have to bring along Mom to buy us the game.%Gallery-31781%
DC Universe Online team will present at GDC Austin 2009
Some of the key members of the DC Universe Online team will speak at Game Developers Conference (GDC) Austin 2009, in a session titled "Why We Need Heroes and Villains in Games". The DC Universe Online team members on hand will include Jim Lee (executive creative director); Marv Wolfman (writer); Christopher Cao (studio creative director); and Jens Andersen (creative director). The 'takeaway' from the session intro reads: "This philosophical lecture will give attendees insight into the challenges and issues game designers and writers face when making characters good and evil. More importantly, attendees will leave with a better understanding of why this tension between good and evil is so critical -- not only for telling a good story, but for making a video game." This sounds interesting, and hopefully it's a sign of the emphasis they're putting on storytelling in DC Universe Online. GDC Austin will run from September 15-18, and we're hoping to bring you news from the event. [Via GamesIndustry.biz]
Ashbringer TPB is pretty legendary
It was with a mix of anticipation and apprehension that I wrote about the Ashbringer Trade Paperback by Wildstorm which collects all four issues of the limited series. After all, I wasn't entirely impressed with the regular series featuring Varian Wrynn but thoroughly enjoyed Tokyopop's Warcraft Legends manga, so while I was decided upon getting Ashbringer, I had moderately low expectations.The good thing about having low expectations is that it's hard to get disappointed. It turns out, however, that I didn't have to set my expectations so low... the Ashbringer comics are a very good read from start to finish, particularly for readers who play World of Warcraft. In fact, that might be its one caveat -- the Ashbringer limited series is a decent read for the average reader but truly shines for players, who are familiar with the story and recognize the characters.
Ashbringer TPB out now
I haven't been a big fan of the whole Alliance-centric direction of the Wildstorm World of Warcraft comics, and I picked up the whole Varian Wrynn saga mostly out of a completist impulse rather than actual concern for the story or its characters. I also thought Ludo Lullabi had better samples of art on his personal site than what he showed in the comic, so when I found out the next story arc was going to be pencilled by Jon Buran, I wasn't too concerned. Buran is doing tremendous work so far. Of course, we all soon learned why Lullabi left the book -- he was tasked with illustrating the Ashbringer story.The good news is that the Ashbringer comics which follow the story of the legendary blade showcase some of Lullabi's best work yet (with assists from Tony Washington). This owes largely to the spectacular coloring, done Painter-style by either Lullabi himself or an uncredited colorist. The painted covers by Chris Robinson add a sense of awe and wonder to the series, and each issue of the four-parter is rich with lore because it was written by Blizzard's own Micky Neilson. Even better news is that DC Comics has collected the mini-series in a hardcover edition available at your friendly neighborhood comic shop for $19.99. So soon after picking up Warcraft Legends, I think I'll need to make a little more space on my shelves...
Blizzard previews issue 19 of the WoW comic book
Blizzard has posted an online preview of the next edition of the World of Warcraft comic book, issue number 19, and it's full of something we love doing: Scourge killin'. Actually, not to spoil it for you (it's only a few pages long), but it looks like the book is revisiting the old attacks on Stormwind (well at least the planned attack on Stormwind) and Ogrimmar right before the last expansion.I haven't been following the comic book super closely, but it looks like the comic's timeline has just now caught up to the Scourge invasion. It's still fun to see what was going on then, from the big throwdown (that we never actually got to see in-game) on the docks to the other big throwdown between Thrall and Garrosh. Give it a look and if you like it, keep an eye out for the new comic book issue, which should be in stores right now.
Movie Cowboy iPod media streamer goes heroic with DC branding
We won't front -- our heart goes into overdrive each time Japan's own Digital Cowboy births a new product, and we're especially jazzed about its latest Movie Cowboy. Known for introducing markedly outré home entertainment gear, the company's freshest piece is an iPod-friendly HDD-based media streamer that inexplicably boasts branding from DC Comics. So far as we know, the DC-MC35ULI doesn't come loaded with a director's cut of Watchmen, but it does provide room for a single 3.5-inch hard drive along with an Ethernet jack, USB 2.0 sockets, coaxial / optical digital audio outputs, HDMI, a few composite hookups, iPod streaming and charging capabilities and support for an array of file formats. Still, for ¥24,800 ($255), we'd definitely expect some built-in storage... or the promise of eternal invisibility, one.[Via Impress]
Jim Lee to illustrate Gears of War comic cover
Why miss, you look awfully proud of yourself. Is it because you had the gumption to down a brumak or did you look down and realize that you were drawn by comic book icon Jim Lee? Just go on sitting inappropriately atop that beastie's noggin while you mull it over.Calling Gears of War "visceral yet elegant," Lee will illustrate the cover for the #9 issue of DC's comic book adaptation, which launched in late 2008 under the company's Wildstorm imprint. The issue is said to introduce a new character to the story, who we'd guess is miss sassy pants up there. According to the publisher, the series has enjoyed success so far among comic book enthusiasts, with the first two issues completely selling through their initial printing. The Jim Lee-covered issue is expected to fill collectors' pull lists in July, while a second alternate cover by Epic's art director Chris Perna is promised as well. Now, climb down off that thing, you're making us nervous.
Harley Quinn flips out in latest Batman: Arkham Asylum trailer
There's not a comic book nerd aficionado alive who doesn't have a profound appreciation for The Joker's right-hand gal, Harley Quinn. The most recent trailer for Rocksteady and Eidos' surprisingly appealing Batman: Arkham Asylum (posted after the jump) shows a clear explanation of why this is -- she's out of her flippin' mind. Also, sometimes, she's just flippin'.If you're not familiar with the prowess of Ms. Quinn, the trailer details her sole, villainous super ability: "Total disregard for human life." However, considering the footage we just saw, we think her skill set is a bit more diverse than that. For instance, she shows real promise in the "kicking costumed millionaires in their big, ugly faces" department.
Holy collectors edition, Batman (Arkham Asylum)!
click to Bat-size There's really only one question you have to mull over when considering plunking down the cash for the Batman: Arkham Asylum Collectors Edition. That question is: How much am I willing to pay for a batarang? We'll admit that the behind-the-scenes DVD (or Blu-Ray), Arkham Doctor's Journal (with embossed leather dust jacket) and DLC are nice items, but it's still all about the batarang. Whether or not it's worth the price -- $100 according to GameStop -- is up to you. Sure, Bruce Wayne can afford to throw that kind of money away, but it's a difficult question for most of us.While thinking it over, feel free to peruse the game's new official pages on MySpace or Facebook. You can also check out the gallery below for a closer look at the batarang in question.%Gallery-49789%
Capcom Unity previews new Resident Evil comic mini-series
Capcom's Unity blog posted a preview of the new comic based on the Resident Evil universe as well as an interview with Ricardo Sanchez, writer of the upcoming six-part series. According to Sanchez, the series takes place around the same time as (and possibly before) the events of Resident Evil 5, introducing readers to a pair of new characters: BSAA rookie Mina Gere and weathered BSAA vet, Holiday Sugarman. Holiday... Sugarman. That's a name. That name... exists. The story begins aboard an international space station that Gere is sent to investigate following reports of T-Virus research. The simple investigation quickly goes south when the rookie finds herself alone in space with an infected crew (which, kind of sounds familiar). Sugarman -- still reeling from the loss of his family in a bio-weapon incident -- starts his adventure in Willy Wonka's Factory the fictional country of Grezbekistan (which Sanchez says would be found around Afghanistan or Turkey, part of the world). Eventually the story will bring the pair to South America where they will "encounter a variety of T-Virus and G-Virus infected monsters, some with new twists, that are part of the Resident Evil universe," Sanchez says. Unfortunately, Sanchez does not detail if readers will be able to walk (or run) while they enjoy the comic. We suspect they won't. The first issue of Resident Evil will hit stores this May.
Comics legend Marv Wolfman on his involvement with DC Universe Online
MTV Multiplayer's Stephen Totilo caught up with DC Universe Online writer Marv Wolfman last week, to discuss what he's bringing to the table on SOE's upcoming super-hero MMO. (Despite Totilo's good-natured ribbing, the comics-industry veteran is certain his writing on DCUO will be able to top his resurrection of Optimus Prime in the original Transformers animated series, which some of our readers may remember.)Details about the game's storyline are scarce, as Wolfman hasn't begun working with the developers yet. As of last week, he was delving into the storyline written by Geoff Johns in preparation for turning that story into the missions (and capers) that players will run in DCUO. Wolfman hopes to create a sense that each mission or battle isn't a stand-alone event, and rather has some integration into a much larger story. Another challenge Wolfman is tasked with is striking a balance between keeping fans of DC comics titles happy, while keeping the game accessible to those who aren't necessarily well-versed in DC comic book canon. Check out the MTV Multiplayer piece on Marv Wolfman and his role in fleshing out DC Universe Online. Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Issues with DC Universe Online cross-play not entirely technical, also cultural
Will cross-platform play be a part of DC Universe Online come launch day? In light of a recent interview between Tracey John of MTV Multiplayer and DCUO devs Wes Yanagi and Jens Andersen, it's not looking too good.While the official answer was more of a "We'll see." the overall direction of the two developers' response to the cross-play question was to punctuate the social discrepancies between PC MMO players and console users. They cited the PC MMO ritual of getting to know someone in text chat before speaking via TeamSpeak or Ventrilo, then followed that with the console experience: Microphones, matchmaking and lots of subsequent smacktalking. A fair point.Although, on the other hand, Playstation 3's don't come with a standard headset like Xbox 360's. In fact, many users seem to have been adjusting just fine to text in the recently launched Home service -- although there seems to be plenty of griefing. So while console and PC MMO players may not blend well as is, the PS3 is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to communique in the first place. So who knows? Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Joystiq gets its hands all over DC Universe Online
Our fellow (sisterly?) bloggers over at Joystiq were given some hands-on time with DC Universe Online, which is good since it appears they seemed to enjoy much of the experience. What primarily interests us is their mention of Crackdown when speaking of movement through the world. This isn't the first time we've heard the comparison being made, and it's a good sign that SOE is on the right track with the travel powers.While the game was still in pre-alpha -- a fact stressed a lot by the understandably cautious SOE -- Joystiq came away impressed by what they saw. And since another repeated point by the developer is that DC Universe Online isn't being built around the classic MMO success model, there's already a better chance for this game to find a loyal following. Can you say lower, if not non-existent monthly fee? We certainly know console gamers like the sound of that particular tune. Gallery: DC Universe Online
DCUO interview details cross-platform play and rumored release dates
Our sister site Joystiq had the opportunity to sit down the DC Universe Online's Senior Producer Wes Yanagi at the New York Comic-con, and cleared up some of our current curiosities about the game. Firstly, Yanagi took the opportunity to debunk any rumors of a later 2009 or early 2010 release date for the game and stated, "I would say that we don't have a date right now. There's really no date." That sounds pretty cut and dry to us, and it makes sense considering SOE hasn't even moved the game out of alpha testing yet.Additionally, Yanagi also commented on cross-platform play between PC and PS3 versions, stating that it's not in the game as of right now. However, it's something SOE would like to do, but simply can't confirm. Since there apparently aren't any advantages between PS3 controllers and keyboard/mouse combos, we'd like to see cross-platform play make it into the game.There's much more great stuff in the interview, so check it out if you're looking forward to DC Universe Online as much as we are! Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Joystiq interview: Wes Yanagi on creating DC Universe Online
UPDATED: We've updated a few interview answers with clarifications from Wes Yanagi after the break.While there's been a lot press coverage on DC Universe Online, a variety of topics have emerged that we felt needed some solid "yes" and "no" answers: Will there be cross-platform play between the PS3 and PC versions? Is the game really coming out as early as "late 2009 / early 2010?" If we create a character with stretchy appendages, can we stretch everything?Yesterday, we put the questions to DCUO senior producer Wes Yanagi during a hands-on with pre-alpha code -- the same code playable on the show floor at this weekend's New York Comic Con, in case you're wondering. He debriefed us on the current situation regarding cross-platform play, character customization and a whole slew of other interesting stuff -- including how his current gaming (Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy Tactics) is affecting the development process.We'd like to give you an audio option but, unfortunately, the recording conditions of the room were less than ideal. Hit the break for the whole thing in text form. %Gallery-43826%
Comic book legend Marv Wolfman joins DC Universe Online writing team
When you think of notable people in the comic book industry being involved with DC Universe Online, the first names that jump out -- probably in this order -- are Jim Lee and Geoff Johns. But another comic book legend has joined the DCUO team: prolific writer Marv Wolfman. Wolfman's career in comics spans decades, in fact he broke into the industry at DC Comics in 1968. Since that time he's been involved with numerous comics (and characters) that have made it into mainstream entertainment, such as Blade and Teen Titans. According to our sister site Big Download, "Wolfman's job will be to expand and add onto the storylines and plots that have been created for the game by fellow comic book writer Geoff Johns." Did you enjoy this? We've donned our capes and tights to explore SOE's DC Universe Online in-depth. Come explore more of Metropolis and Gotham with your friends at Massively!
Writer Marv Wolfman signs up for DC Universe Online
Earlier this week we heard about a secret comic book "legend" joining the DC Universe Online development team. The silhouetted individual was supposed to be revealed at New York Comic Con next weekend. Of course, you didn't expect it to remain a secret until then, did you? The latest issue of Wizard magazine (via BigDownload) has let the Black Cat out of the bag: writer Marv Wolfman will be enlisting with previously revealed comic veterans Geoff Jones and Jim Lee and the rest of Sony Online. The creator of Blade and writer of Crisis on Infinite Earths will be expanding and adding to the narrative already written by Jones, while Lee is handling the art direction. Even though the surprise has apparently been spoiled, you'll still be able to enjoy a brand new playable demo at the convention. Look for the DC Universe Online panel on Saturday, February 7.
