Articles for December, 2017

In the world of “gross out” toys we have now reached the level of #flushforce
In the world of “gross out” toys we have now reached the level of #flushforce Follow AFi on Instagram
Filed under: Toys

No Comments Top
Turkey's Erdogan holds out olive branch to Germany, EU
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed hope for a better relationship with Germany and the EU after a fractious 2017, saying Ankara needs to reduce its enemies and increase its friends, in an interview published Thursday. The past year has seen ...
Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
In images: six connected devices that hit the headlines in 2017
Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
Trump, in Washington, doesn't get out much

Trump, in Washington, doesn't get out muchWASHINGTON (AP) — After living in Washington for nearly a year, President Donald Trump has yet to enjoy a single non-working meal at a restaurant that doesn't pay him rent. He hasn't taken in a performance at the Kennedy Center; hasn't been to a sporting event; hasn't toured most of the sights.


Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
N. Korean boat skipper 'charged over Japan theft'
Japanese prosecutors reportedly charged a North Korean fishing boat captain for theft on Thursday, accusing him of making off with items ranging from home appliances to solar panels. The 45-year-old was among 10 North Korean "fishermen" spotted aboard...
Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
Box Truck Blocks Media's View Of Trump Getting 'Back To Work' (a.k.a. Playing Golf)

Box Truck Blocks Media's View Of Trump Getting 'Back To Work' (a.k.a. Playing Golf)Day after day, CNN’s team of political journalists have set up cameras on the same public road to catch glimpses of President Donald Trump hitting the links at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.


Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
Will Roy Moore’s challenge to election defeat make any impact?

Will Roy Moore’s challenge to election defeat make any impact?Roy Moore’s campaign filed a complaint overnight alleging “potential election fraud” during Alabama’s Senate election. NBC’s Steve Kornacki breaks down the legal move and any weight it carries.


Filed under: TV

No Comments Top
Spotted the new @hasbro #starwars #mightymuggs with the new rotating facial expression action feature.
Spotted the new @hasbro #starwars #mightymuggs with the new rotating facial expression action feature.Follow AFi on Instagram
Filed under: Toys

No Comments Top
Falcon: Bird Out of Hell

On January 24, after experiencing Hell on Earth, Falcon will experience Hell in, well…Hell.

In FALCON #4, by writer Rodney Barnes and artist Joshua Cassara, Sam Wilson witnesses the true magnitude of Mephisto’s might. And as the hero struggles among demons and fire, Patriot and Doctor Voodoo find themselves stuck topside trying to figure out how to help rescue their friend, body and soul.

We found Mr. Barnes in an abandoned warehouse lighting candles and making a circle in salt. While he wouldn’t explain why he was doing that, he did answer our questions about issue #4.

Marvel.com: What excited you about pushing Mephisto to not just threaten Falcon’s soul, but to capture it?

Rodney Barnes: The idea was to make the capture personal as well as literal. If Sam has to face aspects of himself that may be uncomfortable in order to gain his freedom, then he leaves Hell as a better version of himself.

We all have our demons to wrestle with in this life, and overcoming them can be the path to freedom in my opinion. For Sam, it’ll only make him stronger.

Marvel.com: How has that left Patriot and Doctor Voodoo reeling? How do they manage the situation?

Rodney Barnes: For Doctor Voodoo, it’s a matter of freeing his friend and finding help in achieving that goal. For Shaun Lucas, he’s lost his mentor, but he’s also seeing the reality of the cost that can come with being a super hero. For him this could be a period of growth or a setback; it’s all up to how decides to deal with the situation.

Marvel.com: Sam would never give up in a fight. Even with his soul in Mephisto’s hands, how does he resist and fight back?

Rodney Barnes: The initial reaction is fear and anger. Both emotions play directly into what’s going on within him presently. Once he comes to terms with his personal demons, it’ll be easier to battle the ones physically in front of him. With the help of his friends and his own sheer will, he fights back.

Marvel.com: What made Mephisto such an exciting villain for Falcon?

Rodney Barnes: After the events of Secret Empire and Sam’s recent history, he’s gone through a lot of changes. Manifesting those as a literal demon mirrored the story I wanted to tell about personal demons.

Marvel.com: Series artist Joshua Cassara has utilized Mephisto’s more traditionally human look for this story. What made that the right choice for both of you? And how does Joshua help you realize the extremely disparate settings of Chicago and Hell?

Rodney Barnes: Well, Sam’s father having been a religious leader plays a role in his faith. But that said, he’s seen it all: gods, aliens, monsters.

Josh is great at capturing tension and pain in characters faces. Because Blackheart has cast a spell on the city, people will take on the chaotic look that comes with a demon’s influence. So when the riot and chaos reaches its peak, it rivals the madness of Hades. I can’t think of a better artist than Josh to pull off that balance.

Marvel.com: This feels like a climatic moment in your run. For new readers, what makes this issue an essential one?

Rodney Barnes: It’s essential in a couple of ways. Yes, it’s certainly the first hurdle. We’re in the heat of battle now and the gloves are off. The twists and turns will be coming fast from this point to the conclusion, so yes, this point is a pivotal one. As a writer, I’m becoming more comfortable telling the tale, and as a team, Josh and I have figured out how to best complement one another. So on a number of levels, now would be the time to hop on!

Dive into the fire with FALCON #4, by Rodney Barnes and artist Joshua Cassara, on January 24!

Filed under: Comics

No Comments Top
Marvel Two-In-One: Two on the Isle

On January 24, Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm return to the site of their very first adventure as founding members of the famous Fantastic Four: Monster Island.

This small piece of real estate looms large in the history of the Marvel Universe, owing to its role in not only the foundation of the FF, but also to its incredible pedigree of denizens over the years. And next month, writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Jim Cheung make their own visit to the isle in MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #2!

Though sometimes obscured on maps, Monster Island sits somewhere in the Sea of Japan, a craggy crest of rock and scrubby vegetation haunted by moaning winds and, often times, an air of hopelessness. The island’s surface offers little in the way of landmarks or artificial structures, but underneath that seemingly desolate exterior lays the caverns of Subterranea. Rumor has it that the tunnels stretch across the entire globe, reaching directly beneath the major cities of the world. If any truth to this rumor exists, only the strange beings called Moloids—the blind tunnel-runners of Monster Island—know for certain.

A small army of monsters live as the other permanent inhabitants of the remote location. Over the years, a who’s who of monstrous notables called the island home, including Googam, Gigantus, Giganto, Fin Fang Foom, and the dreaded Tricephalous. The latter owed its creation to the Deviant race, which once occupied Monster Island away from their enemies, namely humans and Eternals.

Perhaps the most infamous of those who lived on the island called himself The Mole Man. Hiding away from the scorn and ridicule of his peers in the scientific community, the diminutive Mole Man used Monster Island as a hideout during his attempted destruction of the surface world, only to be eventually defeated by the newly-formed Fantastic Four. The heroes flew to the island to confront the man who’d become their lifelong opponent, discovering not only adversity, but a place that would forever be etched into their memories.

In later days, The Mole Man allowed the space-faring Adam Warlock and his Infinity Watch to utilize the island as a base of operations, though the little man himself would later receive the world’s recognition as the governmental sovereign of the island. The Watch experienced many adventures at the site, but abandoned it after a relatively short time there.

Today, little information on the island’s current status travels across the ocean to more civilized places. One hopes that The Thing and The Human Torch will not only find what they seek there during their upcoming journey, but also bring back news to the world of who and what still calls Monster Island home.

Book your trip for MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #2, by writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Jim Cheung, on January 24!

Filed under: Comics

No Comments Top

Back to Top