Fangamer.net (HERE) has got some amazing posters and merchandize for you retro gamers out there.  What’s especially awesome is the Earthbound and Final Fantasy 6 posters (I’ve included pics below) they have up there now!

I can’t say enough good things about the business they run. The products are top quality and will make a great addition to your gaming room. Next on my list is that neat looking E-mug. Head over to their website for some more (Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted if something interesting comes up for sale).

- Josh

The Dark Knight Rises is Christopher Nolan’s third and supposedly last entry into the Batman franchise. Seen back to back to back with its predecessors, it’s a more emotionally cold, distant but much larger event.

Yes, The Dark Knight Rises follows in the tradition of trying to top the plot and mayhem in scale of its predecessor. In this respect it succeeds with Bane going so far as to involve all of Gotham in his strange and questionable bid to liberate it. But in doing so, it feels less connected with the suffering and conflict of the people of Gotham as seen in spades in “The Dark Knight”. To make matters worse, a slew of new characters are introduced. Those new faces are likely much to the comic book fans’ pleasure, but the price is less depth of character. In particular, who suffers here is Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon, who’s struggle post Two Face and reflective relationship with Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s John Blake are both under exposed. To be fair, the pace of the movie is fast, and the plot thick.

Anne Hathaway gives an excellent performance as cat woman. Bale is good as usual and Alfred delivers a heartbreaking bit of acting. Hardy’s Bane was okay. Poor Bane, who had to follow up after Heath Ledger’s unforgettable Joker. The restraints on his expression with his mask didn’t help. There are bits where Hardy seems about to burst through and draw out depth in Bane’s character, but things are just about always eclipsed thereafter by Bane’s military like personality. That being said, he’s satisfyingly imposing, there's no issues with not being able to understand him and he delivers on the fight scenes in a big way. 

There are some twists. Some that comic book fans will see coming before followers of the movie series only will. The ending is an interesting take but doesn’t necessarily offer anything that feels like we haven’t seen before. That aside, it wraps things up nicely.  

“The Dark Knight Rises” rises to a 7/10. Its no Dark knight. Not even Batman Begins. But it's got the Nolan stamp, it’s the last of the trilogy and its still worth watching.

- Josh

So Pinterest is kind of cool... I recently jumped aboard the bandwagon and was working on a board when I came across a damn interesting artist. 

Now, when I think monsters and storybook type images I think Sendak (Where the Wild Things are). While these do have that storybook feel, they're something completely their own.  The artist's name is Don Kenn, who sometimes seems to be referred to as John Kenn. You can bet that his work can be creepy (and is probably what attracted me to it) and has a sombre feel. Take a look at some of these pics. They're great!

As per his blog HERE, John’s a writer and director for television shows for kids. He draws these bite sized wonders on pieces of Post-it notes (interesting medium use). Definitely take a look at his blog for more. Also, it looks like he’s got a book out called “Post-it Monsters”. The edition linked to his site is no longer in print but it looks like a deal will have it in a new edition in the future. I’m in.

- Josh

I came across something pretty awesome that I thought you all might enjoy. Ever hear of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)? It’s his brilliant work with woodblock print that led me to a ghost story telling format I think is excellent. In particular, It’s the print below that really stuck out.

Now. Before you read on below. Take your time and imagine the story around the picture. What’s happening? What happened before it and what’s going to happen after? I read somewhere that westerners don’t always get these woodblock pieces, I think maybe it’s because we aren’t primed to look at them properly. So take a sec before reading on. Look at the detail and let your imagination loose a sec. It’s pretty cool.

So, looks like ol‘ samurai above was tricked into carrying the maiden over waters... tricked because she’s really a demon! check out the horned reflection in the water. and he’s totally on to her as per his look of “oh no you don't” and is reaching for his sword. How sweet is that!

The really awesome part was that some of Yoshitoshi’s work had some relationship with an approach to ghost story telling. According to THIS SOURCE, “People liked to gather by candlelight and tell scary stories (no big deal right. kinda like around a campfire, but wait...). When a legend was finished, one candle was blown out and the next person began.”

That’s interesting. That whole ritual of story telling. Wouldn’t it be interesting to have something like that near you? Where people would gather around these candles where each represented a creepy story just waiting to be told! maybe something like that should happen in Fredericton.

- Josh