Prepare yourself for a cuteness overload! Artist Darren Rawlings (known as Rawlsy on DeviantArt) has created a fantastic, extremely adorable series of DC & Marvel comic book hero mashups in what he calls the Little Friends series. He’s basically matching up a DC superhero or super-villain with their Marvel counterpart.

For instance, DC’s Flash is matched up with Marvel’s Quicksilver, DC’s Clayface is matched up with Marvel’s Sandman and so on. His entire DeviantArt catalog is definitely worth checking out if you love comic book superheroes. Here’s the Little Friends series in action:

Ant Man and Atom

Aquaman and Namor

Banshee and Silver Banshee

Booster Gold and Longshot

Catwoman and Black Cat

Clayface and Sandman

Darkseid and Thanos

Dr. Fate and Dr. Strange

Quicksilver and Flash

Green Arrow and Hawkeye

Hawkman and Angel

Martian Manhunter and Vision

Moon Knight and the Dark Knight

13 Charming DC & Marvel Comic Mashups

There’s no doubt that the new Marvel Avengers: Endgame Iron Man MK50 Robot by UBTECH ($250) looks cool. But how does it measure up once you get it out of the box? To use other Marvel films as a scale, is it more of a Thor: The Dark World, or a Thor: Ragnorak? My 7 year old and I decided to find out!

Unboxing

The packaging is really nice. Super sleek; definitely looks like it was designed to impress adults more than grab the attention of little kids. That said, you can see frickin’ Iron Man peeking out, so my kid was certainly still very excited to tear into this.

Build Quality

The first thing I noticed about the Iron Man MK50 is how heavy it is. I didn’t actually weigh it, but it’s gotta be close to five pounds. The body isn’t metal, but the paint job makes it look very metal…y (is that a word?). It doesn’t feel cheap, which is good considering it’s really not cheap!

Set-Up and Play

In order to use this robot, you need to download UBTECH’s free app. I did that, then began to read the instruction manual that came in the box. Before I even got past the first page, my son had Iron Man powered up and doing stuff. Kids these days, right?

I basically let him have at it from there. From what I observed, you can manually control the robot (using the iPad like a remote control), program it to follow sequences (via simple drag and drop type coding), or play AR (augmented reality) games with it.

The AR games were for sure the biggest hit. My son was shooting down drones and fighting bad guys in our kitchen for hours–the most fun he’s ever had destroying our house (and because it was all virtual, I didn’t even have to yell at him to clean up after himself!).

The box says Iron Man MK50 is made for ages 14+, but I personally don’t think a teenager would have as much fun with this as my 7 year old did. He’s a pretty advanced little gamer for his age, but the games didn’t look super challenging. I would say 6-10 years old is a more accurate recommended age range. My son has had a few of his buddies over to play since getting it, and they all had a blast with it. You might even say they loved it 3000!

My 3 year old was also quite enamored!

Conclusion

The Iron Man MK50 Robot is a well-made, easy to use tech toy. But it’s price tag, much like Tony Stark’s ego, is perhaps a bit inflated. It’s hard to think of any toy worth over $200, especially when you consider you could almost buy a Nintendo Switch or other gaming console for the same price.

As a collector’s item, it would definitely look awesome displayed on your desk or nerd shelf, but again, probably not for $250. The price is already dropping ($231 on Amazon, $200 directly from UBTECH and $187 at Target via their 25% off one toy coupon), and will probably continue to go down as we get closer to the holidays.

Overall, not quite a Ragnorak; certainly better than a Dark World. Somewhere between Ant-Man and the second Guardians of the Galaxy seems about right.

Check price on Amazon

UBTECH Iron Man MK50 Review: I Almost Love It 3000

It’s true 4K disc players have been left behind in the wake of widely proliferating 4K TVs and 4K streaming devices, and mainstream consumers may never totally warm up to them. However, the prices on 4K Blu-ray players have dipped below $100, and they can also be found in the newer Xbox Ones (“S” and “X”).

Plus, as more and more 4K titles sink below the $20 mark, buyers will be more inclined to spring for 4K even if they don’t own a 4K player, as most releases now also include a standard Blu-ray and digital code.

We’ve taken a lay of the land and assembled a collection of the best 2018 4K and Blu-ray gifts that should appeal to movie and TV fans of one kind or another.

Ultimate Fan Service (Box Sets)

Smash Hits (aka Black Friday Loss Leaders)

Dazzle Your Friends!

Oldies but Goodies

Family Time

Check the latest Ultra HD / Blu-ray deals on Ben’s

2018 Gift Guide: 4K & Blu-ray Gifts for Movie and TV Fans

A long, long time ago… 2006… a small print shop known simply as “Marvel” released a seven-issue, limited series crossover special in which teams of virtuous heroes took time away from fighting the evils of the world so they could fight each other. Marvel Civil War became a momentous entry into the printer’s catalog of work, but only to readers. In those times, legendary comics came and went without the mainstream even batting an eye.

Then, many, many years later… the 2010s… a boom time of comic book movies revived all the old, forgotten characters and story lines of Marvel. These moving pictures brought joy to new fans, old fans, and stockholders.

Consequently, the young Marvel fans don’t know the classic stories. So how can the studio cram decades of character history into a series of 2-hour films over years?

The answer, as always, is nerds on the Internet.

Here’s everything you need to know about the story before you see Captain America Civil War:

Original Plotline

The original series started when a D-team group of superheroes, think the Avengers of Stamford, CT, screw the pooch and let a supervillain blow up a chunk of the city, including an elementary school, and on live TV, because they were filming a superhero-themed reality show.

Not wanting to condone the murder of children, the general populace turned against superheroes, urging the U.S. government to implement the Superhero Registration Act. Basically, superheroes had to register their secret identities to the government, which got a lot of them butt-hurt because they hide their personal lives for a reason.

So, the cool superheroes starting resisting the registration, while the nerdy ones stuck by the government they loved so much. S.H.I.E.L.D., under Agent Maria Hill, began enforcing the law and asked Captain America to hunt down all his friends, but he obviously refused and they obviously ordered him to be taken down.

Iron Man really spear-headed the pro-registration league, since the mother of one of the killed children told him Iron Man was his favorite. Captain America, meanwhile, lead the rebels, in their cool underground lairs with all the badasses. I mean, come on: who cheers for the establishment?

While things were getting heated, Iron Man pulled a nice publicity stunt where Spider-Man admitted his secret identity on live TV to show support for registration. This was a big deal, since Spider-Man was the most popular superhero with a secret identity. It was also useless, since Spider-Man later switched sides.

The supervillains also started joining sides, since they were required to register, too. Some fought for the rebels to keep their privacy, while others fought for the pro-registration for the chance to hunt down their superhero nemeses.

Anyway, Iron Man and Cap strategically try to one-up the other, until Iron Man sets a trap by exploiting the rebel heroes’ weakness of wanting to help people. Faking a chemical fire, Iron Man lured out the underground superheroes and an epic fight ensued. Then Thor appeared, but not the real Thor, a clone Thor (this is a comic, after all: they love their clones). The Thor clone brutally killed a low-level hero named Goliath, and everyone was like “WTF!?”

Goliath’s death shook things up, and a bunch of heroes changed sides. All told, though, the pro-registration side became less popular, and the rebel team mounted a counter-attack against the pro-registration jail.

The climax was another epic battle, which led outside right into Time Square. Cap was about to finish off Iron Man, when he had a corny “Martha” moment and looked around at all the damage their battle was doing to innocent people. Cap surrendered and everyone was like “WTF!?”

But in the epilogue — and this part might come in the movie — as Captain America was walking up the steps to his trial, a sniper presumed to be Crossbones killed the Cap, acting under the orders of the Red Skull. It turned out to actually be a brain-washed Sharon Carter. This is the last Captain America movie scheduled…

What We Know So Far About Captain America Civil War

We know the film starts with Captain America leading the Avengers on a mission, where a catastrophe happens much like in the comics. The loose plot seems to follow along the comics, with a much, much smaller cast.

A few of the team-members changed sides, like Black Panther, partly because the Marvel Cinematic Universe only has the rights to so few of their characters. We also find characters that weren’t that involved in the comic taking mainstream roles in the movie. Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye weren’t in the comic at all.

What to Expect

One of the main reasons we’re excited about Captain America Civil War is because it brings together a wide range of characters from the MCU, including new ones and some introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron. These are all characters with deep backstories in the comics, so here are some things you might want to look out for.

1. Love Story Between Vision and the Scarlet Witch

She’s a quirky girl who doesn’t quite fit in. He’s an experimental robot with a space gem for a brain. Yep, that old rom-com cliche.

The two are long-time members of the Avengers in the comics, so it makes sense that they’d fall in love (well, as much sense as a human loving a robot can make). Their affair was tarnished by their teammates’ opposition: Quicksilver because he didn’t want his sister dating a robot, and Hawkeye because he was in love with the Scarlet Witch herself. But, since in the MCU one is dead and the other married, things are looking up for the couple of the future.

2. Black Panther

One of the lesser known Marvel heroes is also one of the most interesting. This prince of a fictional African country Wakanda has more wealth than even Tony Stark, thanks to the highly valuable source of Vibranium. Martin Freeman, who recently played the lead in the Hobbit trilogy, will play the prince’s diplomatic aid in his voyage to the U.S.

3. Iron Man Pissed at Winter Soldier

There’s some speculation that part of the main rivalry results from the Winter Solider having played a part in the death of Iron Man’s father. In the previous Captain America movie, Hydra took credit for the death of Howard Stark.

4. Baron Zemo and Crossbones

It’s already been revealed that two central Captain America villains, Baron Zemo and Crossbones, will be present.

Crossbones was set-up in the previous film, when the Hydra agent Brock Rumlow was maimed in the final battle with Falcon. Baron Zemo is brand new — all we know is that he’s played by Inglorious Bastards actor Daniel Bruhl.

Captain America Civil War: Why Are Good Guys Fighting Each Other?

Does everything you know about Deadpool come from his cameo in Wolverine: Origins? For shame, fan-boy! Every True Believer knows that’s not the real Deadpool.

With the movie coming out soon (and looking a lot better than Origins), Deadpool’s about to be catapulted up to the upper tier of cinematic superheroes, taking a place next to Batman and Captain America. Everyone’s excited because this is one of the first times a mainstream superhero movie earns its R-rating.

But ask a die-hard comic fan, and they’ll tell you Deadpool’s always been one of the greats. In fact, it was his cult status among comic readers that urged Fox Studios to redo their treatment of the hero and give him his own movie.

And why are people more excited about Deadpool’s film than, say, Aquaman? Here’s a primer of what makes Deadpool great:

• He’s an antihero, which is to say, he kills people.
• He’s hilarious, with witty snaps and pop culture references (and a boyish crush on Bea Arthur).
• He doesn’t always win, and is often a tragic character.
• He breaks the fourth wall constantly, fully aware he’s in a comic. At one friend’s funeral, he even wonders how long before the publishers think of a way to bring him back.
• He’s not Aquaman.

So, now everyone’s talking about the Merc with a Mouth, and you’re worried about losing your nerd status. The names Weasel, Blind Al, and Francis don’t ring a bell… You’ve never put much thought into how a transportation device fits in a belt… You had no idea a bicep could be used as a gun silencer…

Fear not, future Deadpool fan. There’s still time. Here are 4 essential Deadpool comics, collections, and storylines that highlight Deadpool’s career, so you can pretend you were a fan all along.

Deadpool Classic Vol. 1

As a Deadpool fan, I’ll be honest… this collection isn’t his best. It is, however, a historical document. There’s virtually no difference between Deadpool Classic Vol. 1 and the Canterbury Tales.

Here you will read the very first appearances of Deadpool, conceived by Fabian Nicienza and Rob Liefeld in New Mutants #98 (1991). You will blush with embarrassment at the blatant rip-off of DC’s Deathstroke, a.k.a., Slade Wilson (which sounds nothing like Deadpool’s alias Wade Wilson), and wonder what was it about this one-off character that Marvel execs decided to put their faith into.

Like the first season of The Simpsons, there are only a few similarities between Deadpool’s beginning and the greatness he became. But if you want to be a true Deadpool fan, you have to start with the beginning. Luckily, there’s plenty of cameos to keep it interesting: Cable, Juggernaut, Siryn, Banshee, and Sasquatch.

Deadpool by Joe Kelly Omnibus

This is the Deadpool you’ll learn to love. Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness turn the Merc with a Mouth into a character worthy of his own run. These first 33 issues of this own title delve deep into his character, explaining his origins as a mercenary and Weapon X experiment to escape his cancer, and his struggles walking the line between hero and villain.

This run is hilarious, exhilarating, and at times will kick you square in the feels. Personally it’s one of my favorite comic runs ever, but I’m not alone. If this weren’t so epic, Deadpool would have just faded back into early 90s obscurity.

Deadpool by Daniel Way: The Complete Collection: Volume 1

Once Deadpool was cemented as a classic, other writers had the opportunity to have fun with him. One of the most successful of these authors was Daniel Way, who, along with illustrator Steve Dillon, took the hero to new heights by taking him to new lows.

Daniel Way’s run sacrifices the drama of previous runs for a lot more blood, guts, and gags. High points include Deadpool pitted against Wolverine, Super-Skrulls, and Norman Osborn. If you’re looking for pure entertainment, Daniel Way is often credited as being the funniest Deadpool writer — saying a lot for a character known for his humor.

Deadpool Volume 3: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Stepping into a more modern time, Marvel had the genius idea of teaming up writer and comedian Brian Posehn (“Mr. Show,” “New Girl,”) with comic veteran Gerry Duggan, and then teaming that team up with illustrators Scott Koblish and Declan Shalvey. A comic run so awesome, it needed four people to steer it.

The 5-issue series The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly features everything we love about Deadpool — off-color jokes, relentless violence, and the return of his luckless ethos.

But Deadpool’s not alone in this masterpiece. He teams up with none other than Captain American and Wolverine, plus a team of dollar-store, knock-off X-men from North Korea. Sometimes regarded as the best Deadpool story, it’s undoubtedly one of the finest.

4 Essential Deadpool Comics to Prepare for the Movie

Created by digital artist Andy Fairhurst, this collection of silhouette illustrations captures how imaginative kids can be with the help of a few household items and the great outdoors. Dressing up as their favorite superheroes (and villains), these illustrated tikes take on the mantel of the Bat, the rage of the Hulk, the insanity of the Joker and the patriotism of Captain America.

Besides depicting the creativity of children pretending to be superheroes, Fairhurst has extended the series to include pop culture icons such as Doctor Who, Marty McFly, Master Chief, Gandalf the Grey, Elliot from E.T. and Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas). Beyond the silhouette series, you will also find illustrations related to Star Wars, Tron, Bioshock and Prince of Persia in addition to a variety of character portraits of Marvel and DC comic book heroes.

You can take a look at Fairhurst’s other work on his DeviantArt profile here. However, be sure to check out the superhero kids series below.

Batman

Captain America

The Flash

Ghost Rider

Green Lantern

Hawkeye

Hulk

Iron Man

The Punisher

Robin

Spider-man

Storm

Superman

Thor

Wolverine

Wonder Woman

Super-Villain Kids:

Bane

Catwoman

Doc Ock

Harley

The Joker

Loki

Magneto

Poison Ivy

The Riddler

Superhero Kids: The Power of a Little Imagination

Square Enix is hitting it hard with its Play Arts Figures line-up. What started as a couple compelling new takes on DC heroes and Star Wars mainstays has blossomed into a verified business arm of the video game publisher. Latest to go under the knife are those headliner Marvel heroes we know and love, and not without the quirky tweaks we’ve come to expect from the Play Arts line.

Iron Man – August 31

Iron Man trades in any semblence of silver for a decidedly more bad-ass onyx look. This figure, in particular, highlights the toy line’s propensity for displaying action and motion. Pull out flaps on the back of the suit or throw on palm or feet jet emissions, as pictured, to set up a more photogenic pose. Head to Square Enix’s website to pre-order and see more shots.

Spider-Man – October 15

This one comes with a number of different web options, in addition to replaceable hands for the varied holding of said webs. Like Iron Man, Spidey gets a smattering of black infused with his iconic red and blue. He also seems to have dabbled in mascara for this particularl look. Spider-Man is also going for $120. Here’s the official page.

Thor – October 31

For whatever reason Square Enix’s Thor figure is listed at $150. Maybe it’s the exceedingly intricate lightening prop. Maybe it’s those big, beautiful muscles. Probably it’s the cape. In any case, the Norse God runs high, but boasts just as much, if not more, detail than any figure in the line.

Venom – November 21

Marvel isn’t known for its villains in the same way DC is, but if you’re going to keep one slot open for the bad guys then Venom isn’t a bad choice to fill it. Opposing Spider-Man with a grotesque mania, Square Enix seems to have emphasized as much as it can the unhinged nature of the character. He’s $130. Here’s the listing.

Captain America

Square Enix just this week revealed Captain America, so there isn’t a listing, price or release date for the figure yet. There are pictures though (thanks, Polygon). At the core of the Captain America character is his almost innocent devotion to principle, which is how I justify the boyish face Square Enix went with. More importantly, he’s got his trusty shield.

Square Enix’s Marvel Play Arts Figures are Rolling Out: Iron Man, Cap and More

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said the Whedon brothers and sister-and-law/wife when they were planning Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  It seems that the crew of the Serenity has an awful lot in common with the S.H.I.E.L.D. team aboard the Bus. Not that we’re complaining! As devote Whedonites, we welcome more-of-the-same… and besides, there’s enough variation to make the new show new – not the least of which is the freakin’ Marvel Universe! We’re just saying… you know… there are more than a few similarities.

WARNING:  SPOILERS AHEAD

[Not so much for Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., because it’s still pretty young and there’s not much to spoil, but yes very much so for Firefly and the film Serenity… But honestly, why haven’t you watched Firefly and the movie final chapter Serenity yet? Seriously. This can’t be the first time you’ve heard how amazing they are. Quit stalling and do it right now… literally!  They’re streaming on Amazon!

Firefly on Amazon Instant Video / Serenity on Amazon Instant Video

And while you’re at it, check out Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and make your own comparisons.

Watch Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Amazon Instant Video

Can you tell the difference?

The Whedon Formula:

1. The Right-Hand Woman

She’s tough, she’s capable, and she’s always there to help out the leader when he needs her. (You might even call her the “Cavalry.”) She’s Melinda May… but she’s also Zoë Washburne. Behind every great man is a great woman, and that’s somewhat of a law in a Whedon story. It seems that these bad-ass beauties are sometimes even more capable than the men they follow – how many times has Zoë saved Mal’s ass and has Coulson ever flip-kicked anyone? Nope.  But the Right-Hand Woman’s relationship with her leading man is strictly professional, and we like how neither took the predicable romance route and instead looked elsewhere for their love interests (though they didn’t look too far).

2. The Love Story Between the Doctor and the Mechanic

Grease and gears. Blood and bones. It’s all about knowing how they fit together, and that’s why doctors and mechanics understand each other. To be fair, Fitz and Simmons are an engineer and a biochemist (respectively, as the point is to get them confused), but come on… potato, potahto. While one’s working on the ship’s engine or a new gadget, the other is curing a gun wound or an alien disease. The point is they all have extensive knowledge beyond a normal person’s… and yet they can’t fully understand this emotion known as “love.”

3. The Reavers and the Centipede Projects

An unstable science project unleashed numerous overly-aggressive soldiers that our heroes have to fight? Oh, the folly of man… Did the Clairvoyant learn nothing from what happened at Miranda? (Or vice-versa? Choose your own chronology.)

4. The Resident Bad-Ass

Here we have the most diversity in the personality, as Ward is almost nothing like Jayne. In fact, the only thing that they do have in common is they’re both bad-asses. The bigger (and more fun) question is… Who would win in a fight?

5. The Wild Card

She wasn’t supposed to be on the ship/plane, but now that she is, no one knows what to expect! She’s the Wild Card, and her mysterious past is one of the strongest driving forces of the series! Whether she’s hacking computers or shooting bad guys with her eyes closed, one thing is clearly evident… there’s something a little different about this girl.

6. The Fearless Leader

At times he’s stoic, while at others he’s quick with a joke. He’s got a thick skin, but also a tenderness towards the people following him. He’s a sentimentalist who dreams of simpler times long past. Yet one thing about him never changes… he’s the one in charge! Malcolm and Coulson, the top dogs, the ones that call the shots. Their personalities are fairly similar, but their ideologies are vastly different! After all, one is a lawless libertarian and the other is a by-the-books bureaucrat!  So we leave it to you, fellow Whedonite, to answer our final question:

If Malcolm and Coulson met at a bar, would they get along? 

6.5 – What about Inara?  We guess she most closely resembles… the Cellist.

The Whedon Formula: Why the Characters of Firefly and Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Would Get Along a Little TOO Well

We could watch a double feature of Schindler’s List and Requiem for a Dream without feeling a thing… but thanks to the Marvel Super Families Series, seeing the way baby Cyclops looks up at Xavier with love and admiration… it’s just so… like, Scott Summers had a rough childhood, and… excuse me, I need a moment…

We never heard of French artist Andry Rajoelina until we published his DC Super Families Series in May. But clearly the man is one of the greatest artistic geniuses of our time! Not only are his Super Families Series creative concepts executed with originality, but the man knows his comics. The best part is the little nuances he threw in (Galactus holds hands with no one).

Andry Rajoelina, also known as El Shango, is currently at work on a third super family series. To see more of El Shango’s amazing work, check out his blog.

Marvel Super Families Series Will Unfreeze Your Jaded Nerd Heart

Launched at the comic book nirvana known as Comic-Con, the “Tingling Electronic Spidey Sense Shirt” is a new product from ThinkGeek. On the back of the shirt located at the neckline, a large proximity sensor kicks in with a vibrating pulse any time someone attempts to sneak up behind you. The sensor clips onto the shirt, thus allowing the user to wear a variety of different shirts with the sensor attached. However, ThinkGeek does include a black T-shirt with a sweet illustration of Spider-Man’s Spidey Sense kicking into overdrive due to impending danger.

Interestingly, the pulse increases in vibration intensity as someone approaches. At five feet away, the pulse is slow while someone just one foot away triggers a fast pulse. The sensor operates on two AAA batteries and has been officially licensed by Marvel. That probably accounts for the steep price of $39.99 for both the sensor and shirt.

Presumably, anyone with long hair wouldn’t be able to wear the sensor as it would be going off constantly. It would also be somewhat annoying to wear this in busy, crowded areas of major cities like NYC or Los Angeles. The tingling would simply go on forever until the batteries wore out or you smashed the device in anger. It’s also ridiculously massive and easy to spot if you were sneaking up on someone.

However, it could be fun to wear during Halloween with a solid Spidey costume. Thinkgeek is likely betting on that with the October 2013 release date. If you are interested in the  Spidey Sense Shirt, you can pre-order it on ThinkGeek here. Check out a shot of the actual shirt below:

This is a Thing: Spidey Sense T-Shirt with Proximity Sensor