What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to watch Felicia Day do some medieval butt-kicking? The official DVD release for the video game based web series Dragon Age: Redemption has been slated for Feb. 14.

Dragon Age: Redemption is set in the same world at the video game Dragon Age II and follows an Elven assassin named Tallis (Day) as she journeys to rescue an AWOL mage. As she ventures through the Dragon Age world, she comes upon knights, magic and all manner of fantasy coolness.

The DVD will include all six episodes of the series, as well as bonus material like behind-the-scenes footage and bloopers. The DVD can currently be pre-ordered at from retailers such as Amazon.com and Best Buy.

Still not sure about the show? Check out the first episode of Dragon Age: Redemption below:

Christen Bejar writes for the local gamer blog The Pause Button and tweets as IncreaseBlue on Twitter.

Dragon Age: Redemption slays your heart on Valentine’s Day is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

In case you missed the news last week, Phoenix Comicon is going to have to expand their parking. Because I highly doubt that even the world-class downtown convention center was built to accommodate a Sovereign-class starship.

Jokes aside, a large contingent of the USS Enterprise-E crew will be beaming down Memorial Day Weekend: Sir Patrick Stewart (Capt. Jean-Luc Picard), Brent Spiner (Lt. Cmdr. Data), Michael Dorn (Lt. Cmdr. Worf), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi) and LeVar Burton (chief engineer Geordi La Forge). These stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the four movies that followed it join previously announced Original Series headliner William Shatner. Let’s hope the generations can behave themselves.

Head on over to Lightning Octopus for Jonathan Simon’s rundown of the most recent guest announcements!

An Enterprise-ing guest list for Phoenix Comicon is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

The latest trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man confirms that the reboot will delve into Peter Parker’s parentage. We also get a peek at those much-talked-about mechanized web shooters.

New trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man spins web of Parker family intrigue is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Monsterland

In the past few months, Monsterland has remained active in the community by co-hosting a zombie walk and opening its doors for the Amazing Arizona Comic Con, as well as scaring up fun on the sidewalks of Main Street during downtown event nights. During this time, Monsterland management revised the vision for their business and has announced that on April’s Friday the 13th they will be re-opening as historic downtown Mesa’s first nightclub. Or should we say, “Frightclub!”

It is hoped that this fun and festive nighttime attraction will be the catalyst for bringing a nightlife to downtown Mesa beyond the Mesa Arts Center. I spoke with Monsterland’s public relations manager Kristy Smith about the plans for their new themed nightclub.

When was the decision made to go the Nightclub route with Monsterland? Will this be an 18+ themed venue and/or will alcohol be served?

I think Kevin Wynn, the owner, was always hoping to make it part of the business. We’ve just received approval of the liquor license by the city council, and should have it in hand by April at the latest. We are most likely going to start opening the nightclub on Wednesdays – Saturdays so we will be able to do weddings, private events and/or underage events also.

Will the wait staff be in costume? How far will the monster theme be incorporated into the experience?

Staff will be in costume, there will be spooky signature drinks and it is possible there will be some scaring. We will also have movie facts and other interesting decor in relation to the history of horror movies and it is possible that we will set all the animated props on timers so every hour or so there will be a show.

Are there plans to have a restaurant area, or is this strictly a nightclub? Any plans for big name “themed” bands? Or will you be mostly tapping the local music community/DJs?

There will be some food but in no way a restaurant. For sure a DJ and dance floor, we have plenty of unique ideas/events including some live music that will hopefully pack the place.

Is Monsterland still planning on holding its haunted attraction event in October and how will that tie into the nightclub?

We are still doing the haunted attraction and hopefully we will have a much larger turn out this year. But for this year we are hoping to have the patio area open with TV’s so people can enjoy cocktails and watch people get scared.

Prior to its nightclub opening on April’s Friday the 13th, Monsterland will be continuing to hold smaller events and is planning to host themed weddings and other private affairs. For this Friday’s downtown Mesa 2nd Friday “Sweethearts on Main” festival, Monsterland will be holding a Vow Renewal & Commitment Ceremony event with the venue’s own version of cupid, their Sinister Minister.

The commitment ceremonies start at 7:00 p.m. this Friday (2/10/12) and will be held in one of Monsterland’s attraction rooms. For $10, couples can renew their creepy commitment vows and will receive a certificate signed by the Sinister Minister. Photos of the special moment will be available for an additional $5.

Anyone can participate, but no first time ceremonies will be allowed. The first 12 couples will receive a free red velvet cupcake with black cream cheese frosting (and bloody Bavarian cream filling) compliments of www.kikiscupcakes.com. There will also be options for something a little more conservative, for the more traditional love birds. For more information, contact Kristy Smith at kristy@monsterlandmesa.com

Night club on Main Street? Mesa’s Monsterland set to reopen April 13 — with spirits is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We’re Alive season 3 premiere is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

DC Comics

The pre-game show starts at 11:00 a.m. this Sunday, February 5th, on NBC, and I’ve completed painstaking research throughout the inter-webs to compile this extensive list of not-to-be-missed film confections! Some are more exciting than others, and some are disappointingly going to be absent altogether, but there are definitely some heavy-hitters here you don’t want to miss.

Check this list twice, and be sure you have your snacks in hand well in advance of the show start. If you don’t have a DVR, you may want to consider keeping a bedpan close by (at least until the new Avengers trailer has run).

Pregame:
21 Jump Street
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
The Hunger Games

During the Game:
GI Joe: Retaliation
The Avengers
John Carter
The Dictator
Act of Valor

Maybes (fingers-crossed):
Battleship
The Lorax
The Bourne Legacy
World War Z (fingers & toes crossed)

Not Happening (Really? Come on Hollywood – this is a major foul!):
The Dark Knight Rises (you can watch the current trailer for some cool football action)
The Amazing Spider-Man
Wrath of the Titans
Prometheus

Some of these new trailers have already shown up online, and there are certainly a lot of other great commercials to see (the new Volkswagen one is pretty cool). But if World War Z makes the show tomorrow, it won’t matter who beats who in the football game, geeks everywhere will be celebrating a win!

Super Bowl cinema surprises is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

© 2012 Twentieth Century Fox

The story is an interesting and updated interpretation of the superhero mythos and it gets started quickly, but there are some unexplained jumps in exposition that will leave you scratching your head. Chronicle benefits from its use of the Blair Witch and Cloverfield documentary-style narrative, which shows the super-protagonist story from a perspective that we haven’t seen before. Unfortunately, the results of this story-telling gimmick are hit-and-miss, and at times it becomes a huge distraction.

© 2012 Twentieth Century Fox

This new superhero story sports a very good cast of relative big-screen newcomers, a necessity for this style of film to work (as no one would ever believe it if someone found lost footage of Scarlett Johansson as a secret superhero). The special effects were top-notch and believable, and Chronicle is a fun and clever film that covers some interesting new ground in what is becoming a superhero saturated cinema market. Its biggest problem is that throughout the movie, there are too many times that the actors have to elucidate as to why there is camera recording them. This is meant to explain away the absurdity of the constant video recording, but instead draws attention to it, which makes one wonder if the standard filmmaking approach might have worked better.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Chronicle: Creative, but discombobulated is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

© 2011 - CBS Films

The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as the widowed Arthur Kipps, an attorney sent to settle the affairs of a deceased owner of a very cool and creepy castle, located on an island that is completely cut off from civilization during high-tide. Mr. Kipps must complete this assignment, which basically involves ruffling through papers, or risk losing his employment. Let’s just say that to put up with everything he endures in this film, he must REALLY want to keep this job.

The haunted hero slowly unravels a mystery that involves a woman whose son is adopted by an upper-class couple who deny her visitation with the boy. When her child dies in a horrific accident, she commits suicide and her ghost then haunts the castle and the village, possessing children and leading them to kill themselves. To keep the evil veiled ghost from going after his own son, Arthur devises a plan to appease the disgruntled demon -– and without giving away any surprises, this is where the movie goes off the deep end.

© 2011 - CBS Films

In this day and age, after a history of hundreds of haunted house films being made, it is very difficult for a movie to showcase something new and unusual enough create real fear in an audience. The Woman in Black covers no new ground in that regard. It’s a somewhat fun horror flick, but too laughable to be taken seriously.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Woman in Black lacks smack is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Courtesy of Lightning Octopus

For a guy who’s trying to build up Arizona’s Geek Culture, it can feel like a kick in the gut when nerd havens shut down – especially when I’ve gotten to know some of the owners.

A lot of people miss Atomic Comics, easily the largest of recent losses. Fortunately, there are still local places to buy comics. I’m mostly disheartened by closings like Evermore Nevermore, The Cade Gallery, Red Hot Robot, and The Royale. They brought a certain unique flavor with them. They were the kinds of places you were just glad existed – like they proved something about Arizona that most people don’t believe.

Despite all of this, I am optimistic about the geek culture here in Arizona.

Actually, I’m very optimistic, and here’s why:

I’m Hoping That Recent Closings Reflect Economy More Than Excitement
As much as it feels like “geek” places are being targeted, I’m not sure they are. I won’t pretend to be some kind of economist or market analyst, but my gut tells me that many industries have been hit over the last few years, and many different types of small businesses have closed up. Not just the ones we happen to love.

And not every local nerd haven has faded away.

The Lightning Octopus Map of Local Nerdery has grown and receded over the last year, but it’s still full of fun places. I’m optimistic that if things pic up economically, we’ll see it grow again.

I Feel Like Localism Is Catching On

I’ll be the first to admit that my reading of the social media tea leaves can be a bit skewed; I mostly follow local people. So this is just my opinion, but I do feel like an excitement about local businesses and artists is slowly catching fire.

I feel like people are casually shifting their excitement away from re-hashed ideas pumping out of mainstream outlets, and are growing in curiosity about fresh new ideas coming from independent and local film makers, comic creators, artists, and writers.

I’m Optimistic Because Geek Events Seem To Be Doing Well

There’s a reason Lightning Octopus has believed in and focused on events for the last 19 months.

Events are wonderful monsters when it comes to building community and culture, and they keep popping up and evolving.

They’re “light and quick” compared to a store front, ignite interest and excitement, can overcome the distance barrier (a very real challenge here), they’re social, they give people a chance to bring the culture they’ve created with them (check out my costume/art/shirt!), and people share their experiences and pictures from them all over Facebook.

I’m optimistic about Arizona’s Geek Culture because events like Phoenix Comicon continue to grow like crazy, because some guy in California decided to start a zombie-centric “Amazing Comicon” here, because Tempe is doing a Geeks Night Out, because people like Steamcrow are staring their own events, and because the Lightning Octopus calendar (see it over there on the top-right?) continues to fill up.

I’m optimistic because we have amazing creators and organizers here.

So what Am I Doing To Help?

Mostly, I’m trying to overcome any knowledge gaps. Sometimes people don’t participate in events or groups, etc, because they just don’t know about them. That’s where I try to come in. I try to filter through the information overload and find gems that will bring people together.

I also try to give the geek culture here a “home-base.” People tell me that when they first heard of Lightning Octopus they were excited about the idea of some kind of organization around the nerd world here. That alone can galvanize people.

Also, I have some very fun plans for The Order of Electric Octopi.

I don’t want to share too much yet – lots of planning still. But I am very excited about it. (Tease!)

Lastly, I’m trying to water the roots of community with connections. When people tell me about a project they’re working on or things they’re excited about, I try to connect them with people who could help, or have similar passions.

Connecting people is by far my favorite part of this whole Lightning Octopus thing. Plus it’s another reason I’m encouraged by good events. They bring people together.

(And I should be clear that I’m not the only one fighting for geekery here. Benjamin and Bob over at Jackalope Ranch, Nerdvana, The Arizona Geek News Network, Geeksociated Press. All doing an awesome job and frequently filling in giant gaps that I’ve missed.)

So what do you think?

Sure, we still have plenty of challenges here, and plenty to gripe about. They’ve been here forever, and probably aren’t leaving anytime soon.

And maybe it’s my plucky blogger passion, but I really am excited for where this year takes us geeks here in the desert.

What say ye? Challenges? Solutions? Ideas? Excitements? Is that a word?

Lightning Octopus: Why I’m optimistic about Arizona’s Geek Culture is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Bluewater Productions

The first appearance of SNL in a comic was Marvel Team-Up #74, way back in 1978! In this issue Stan Lee hosts the show with “The Not Ready For Prime-Time Players” including John Belushi, Dan Ackroyd and Bill Murray, and the comedy troupe teams up with Spider-Man to defeat the Silver Samurai.

Hit up your local comic shop’s back-issue bins and you can probably locate a copy of this cool classic!

Marvel Comics

Speaking of the Avengers, have you seen the 10-second sneak-peek of the upcoming Super Bowl Avengers trailer? If not, take a look below!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Live from your comic store … it’s Saturday Night Live! is a post from: Nerdvana. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.