In case you haven't seen the awesomeness yet...




My god, is this actually going to be brilliant?

We are waiting for our initial shipments of the brand new NECA Classic Aliens in 18” and 7” formats. They’re on their way now and will be out soon! These figures are going to be awesome, and frankly they walk all over the AVPR figures NECA made in conjunction with the last film. Going back to HR Giger’s original designs for the first movie has helped them create something truly impressive this time out, which is great as the Aliens in the last two films have been a bit drab design-wise. This is what the beasts are supposed to look like! The figures are to be supplied in ALIEN 1 themed packaging and will be welcome additions to the Aliens merchandise range we can offer.

The 1990s saw the birth of an ingenious franchise in the form of CG science fiction series Reboot. A completely computer generated cartoon, it followed the adventures of a group of friends and their battles against an evil computerized overlord. It was kind of like a more streetwise TRON, and was actually very, very good. The animation in Reboot has dated a hell of a lot now, but the premise is still sound. Now, here comes news of a brand new feature film of Reboot, which is fantastic news for all fans of the show and its characters. What’s more, a whole new generation is going to fall in love with the ideas and the stories. I really hope this turns out well. Granted, animated movies don’t do that well these days, but Reboot may just have a chance…

Okay, so James Marsters originally spilled the beans that he is apparently to return in series 3 of Torchwood, but what else is going on with the show? We know the new audio episode, featuring jack, Gwen, Martha and Ianto is on its way to Radio 4, but details about the next series of the TV show are scarce. Head Torchwood writer Chris Chibnall hasn’t let much slip, but there have been some interesting things mentioned elsewhere. For a start, the Marsters thing, which would be great as he was superb when he showed up in series 2. Then there’s that rumour that John Barrowman will be cutting the amount of episodes he appears in, which wouldn’t be good for the show as he’s its biggest star. Martha is said to be joining up as a full-time member of the Torchwood team, which I’m all for as anything with Freema Agyeman in it gets my seal of approval anyway!

Then there is the matter of the new cast members. Two are being talked about, one male, one female, to fill the vacant spots left by the deaths of Owen and Toshiko. I’ve heard a couple of names attached to each part, but I’ll get my wrists slapped if I mention them here yet. Mind you, another rumour has it that Owen didn’t die, he just transcended into some other form at the end of series 2. Who knows?

There’s a set of Torchwood action figures out in August, which are available to preorder now. The Torchwood action figures series one consists of Jack, Gwen, a Weevil and the Cyberwoman. Hmm. Fair enough, but wouldn’t cast members have been better to make than two creatures, one of whom was universally ridiculed when their episode was shown?

What? Okay, I love the ideas of another sequel to The Gate, which was one of the best of the 1980s slew of cheesy horror movies and still has a following today, but the question does need to be asked- why? The guys over at Joblo floated the original announcement, and according to them it will very much be a sequel, and not a remake. The apparent title for the new movie is THE GATE: 20 YEARS LATER, but there’s not much else other than that to offer in the way of details yet. Will Stephen Dorff return? Will there be any use of stop motion? The original Gate movie (and its lesser sequel from 1987) made great use of traditional stop motion animation, which is waaaaay more effective that CG as the creatures actually have some mass to them. I’d love to see an updated use of stop motion in this new film as that would give it such a distinctive style in this age of stale CG fests. The creatures would look so much more effective and surreal.

( ”The )

Going to keep an eye on this one, as I do love the first film. The second? Meh, its watchable, but the first is a work of cheesy genius.

IGN have floated the first official trailer for the forthcoming sequel The X-Files: I Want to Believe (I still hate the title). Starring Billy Connolly alongside david Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, the film is set to be a standalone story aside from the conspiracy themes of the TV series and first film. This has been recieved very well by fans, who are eager to lap up a supernatural story in the classic vein of the early seasons of the X-Files TV show...

( I WANT TO BELIEVE )

Keep an eye on our journal for the latest news on the X-Files sequel and its new merchandise!

Whoa! I was expecting next week's episode to be rather low-key! Looks like the rumours of a rough adaptation of the Doctor Who novel Father Time were wrong. This looks brilliant, and I think this series is seriously close to eclipsing last year's magnificent set of episodes. Even Catherine Tate's Donna character is starting to grow on us...

Y’know, right now it is sometimes hard to remember there are more comic book movies coming out this year other than Iron man, so let’s check out the just released trailer for THE INCREDIBLE HULK and a leaked, Joker-ized version of the new DARK KNIGHT trailer reel. The new HULK movie trailer really does look enticing, with Ed Norton’s portrayal of Banner looking especially impressive. I love the fact that the inspiration for the film has come from the classic TV show, at least to a certain extent.

The leaked Dark Knight movie thing is rather interesting. It doesn’t play very well as a trailer, so I’m left wondering if this is some modified convention or industry footage, due to the structure of the thing. I do love the ‘Jokerized’ addons (there is a clean version elsewhere), as they do give you a sense of the Joker’s dark mischievous side, which is something I’ve wondered if we were going to see much of in the film itself. I’m still wondering that, as the clown prince of crime doesn’t seem to be that, well, mad. From what we have seen so far, aside from one laughing shot, he seems rather serious. I bet I’m proved wrong upon The Dark Knight film’s release, though. Check these out:

The release date for the first half of the final harry Potter film story has been announced. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1will hit screens on November 19th 2010, with the second and concluding part to follow a few months later. The movie has been split into two in order to accommodate the whole story without cutting too much out, and while fans will have to wait longer to see the saga completed, they’ll be getting twice as much screen action.

As previously announced, the sixth movie ion the series (which will now run to eight films in total), HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE, will be released on November 21st this year.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, SCENE KIDS AND CELLAR DWELLERS, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY IS BACK!

Its that time of year again, when comic stores the world over take part in the annual FREE COMIC BOOK DAY festivities. We’re doing it again this year, taking part on the first Saturday in May. Andy and Chris offer a guide to the four-colour shenanigans to come…

ANDY: Yes, you can has comics, you pesky internet in-joke. Every year, comics companies across the States get together and publish special editions of several titles in order to get more people into reading comics. These issues are sent out to comic shops the world over and handed out by gleeful staff (we *are* gleeful- just ask Galactus!) to help people discover new titles that they would otherwise miss. It is a brilliant idea, and always a ton of fun to take part in. This year there’s some fantastic titles on offer and I hope we’re going to see you all come in to say hello! Everyone is welcome, and there’ll be a title or two for every taste. Stocks are limited, so make sure you get in early!

Comic books and graphic novels aren’t all four-colour tales of spandex-clad musclemen (although these are the bread and butter of the industry). There’s much more to the genre than that, with humour, drama, romance, true stories, fantasy, science fiction, manga and tons more. Take the plunge and you may well discover something special. Chris will take you through some of his hot picks from this year’s batch:

CHRIS: Quite a haul this year! I’m particularly interested by the HELLBOY one shot: THE MOLE. With a spectacular story as always from Mike Mignola, and minimalist artwork from Fegredo. Marvel has gone all-out to provide quality books for its fans, with an X-Men special and a Marvel Adventures issue featuring Iron Man, Hulk and Spiderman, which is perfect for younger readers. There’s also a special issue of the indie title MAINTENANCE. Following the blackly hilarious adventures of 2 maintenance workers, this is what comics are all about.

ANDY: Thanks man. There’s a load of other titles on offer, so it’s well worth a visit this year. This is the perfect jumping-on point for new readers and fans, so come take a peek at what’s on offer. Getting into comics isn’t as daunting as it may seem. Previous years have been a blast, and this one will be just as much fun.

So come along and check out FREE COMIC BOOK DAY here at the Last Picture Show, 38-39 The Lanes, Meadowhall Centre, Sheffield!

While Marvel continue to get movie properties out at an amazing/astonishing/incredible/uncanny (take your pick) rate, DC are dragging their heels. Mind you, with something as momentous as The Dark Knight coming out, I can’t blame the for pretty much putting all their eggs in one basket this year. The next Superman movie seems to have ground to a halt, and the Justice League Mortal movie seems to be about to implode in a fit of political infighting, so what of Wonder Woman? While endless other DC properties seem to be languishing in Development Hell forever, this is the one project that I think has a chance of turning out great.

Now comes news from IESB that Joel Silver has let slip some tidbits about the new draft of the movie’s script. Writers Matthew Jennison and Brent Strickland, who wrote an earlier, World War 2 themed Wonder Woman script, have now been given the task of shifting the plot to a different time period and locale, and have been instructed to avoid making the film an origin story. I’m relieved about that- the superhero genre is awash with origin movies as it is.

What next? I’m hoping for an adaptation of the 80s cyberpunk noir strip MISTER X…

The same unique visual style used in both SIN CITY and 300 has been used in bringing Will Eisner’s classic character to life, and it looks as though we’re in for another movie that splits fan opinion down the middle. Turning Frank Miller’s individual art style into onscreen mayhem has been a bit hard to swallow for some movie fans, who found the visual aspect of SIN CITY and 300 a tad difficult to follow.

This teaser gives the film a feel more in keeping with films like the extremely underrated SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW. The grit is there, but it is so stylized that the thing ends up having something of a dreamlike quality. The SIN CITY graphic novels are classics, and that movie came out fantastic. The teaser for The Spirit looks great, and I can’t wait to see the finished film. Come on folks, trust in uncle Frank, after all, its been a hell of a long time since he made that stinker of a film known as Robocop 3...

A very important addition to NECA’s range of Cult Classics figures is on the way in the shape of the new BEETLEJUICE figure! Ever since its release in the late eighties, the Beetlejuice film has been a much loved creation, spawning a successful cartoon show, as well as opening the world’s eyes to the talents of Tim Burton as a unique film director. Now here comes the best Beetlejuice figure ever made (Previous attempts have been less than stellar, to be honest), and whaddaya know, it comes from the guys and gals at NECA, who are responsible for licensed figures of so many cult icons.



Naturally it is going to be supplied with accessories, but information on these delights is scant thus far. Needless to say we’ll be getting these babies into the store and online when they become available, sometime this coming July. It’s great to see the calibre of films that NECA are taking these figures from, and I’m eager to see what they come up with next. It does beg the question as to why there hasn’t been more in the way of Beetlejuice figures around- I’m sure an 18 inch figure would go down a storm- especially in *that* suit…

So did you all catch the new Doctor Who episode last night? What did you think? We here at Starstore.com are huge fans of the show and if you know us from our other sites we published a series of features last year called TARDISWATCH, covering all aspects of the show.

With series four of Doctor Who now comes a new series of our TARDISWATCH features, covering the episodes, the mythos, the histroy and the merchandise. The features will be published exclusively over at our blog at www.STARSTOREBLOG.com, and will be packed with reviews, news and more.

Remember, you can also visit us for the latest and greatest Doctor Who merchandise.

Right. Anyone for an adventure?

The new movie in the acclaimed APPLESEED franchise is on its way to DVD over here soon. The thing is already out in the States, but we are still yet to sample its greatness here. I’ve seen some of the movie on a Region 1 edition a friend had bought from the US, and the film looks every bit as impressive as its predecessor, if not moreso. Mind you, this one has JOHN WOO involved with it, so you can guess what the action sequences are going to look like. I’m keeping my eyes open for related merchandise and other cool stuff we can get in relating to this movie, as it looks like it’s going to be a scene hit when it arrives over here. Check out the trailer:



Like those action shots in that cathedral-like complex? They take place right at the start of the film and are absolutely incredible. Once again the whole thing is CG rendered, but where the characters in the previous film still had some cel-shaded effects to them, here they are completely CG’d with the occasional nod to the traditional look. Once again we are treated to something that looks and sounds fantastic, and hopefully the story will prove to be just as impressive. Stay tuned for news on related merchandise for this event of a movie!

COMING SOON: A look at the latest GHOST IN THE SHELL movie, and a run through the latest releases instore!

Let’s catch up with what the staff have been devouring lately…

PiQ magazine- Debut Issue
Now that Newtype is no more, fans are desperate for something to fill the void, and despite its lack of DVD giveaways, I think we have a contender here in PiQ. Boasting glossy, classy design and a great selection of content, PiQ is a much stronger magazine than the other anime/manga zines out there right now. Its inclusion of other areas of fandom (TV. Movies, comics etc) is a decent idea, and makes for a very entertaining magazine. Check out the John Woo interview, in which he talks about his involvement with the new APPLESEED movie!
Andy

Dark Ivory 1 (of 4)
I picked up ‘Dark Ivory’, the latest offering from Linsner and Image comics. The gothic girl on the cover drew me in, but I’ve always been a fan of Linsner’s highly distinctive style. The art is brilliant, as expected. Unfortunately, the opening story didn’t blow my mind; apathetic girl from a dysfunctional family, in love with the gothic night scene and obsessed with vampire culture? Seen it all before, too many times. But I’ll keep an eye on it; hopefully it’ll deliver a flash of originality somehow.
Rich

Metal Gear 20th Anniversary Figures
The 4th Metal Gear Solid game is approaching with its eagerly anticipated release date and the new figures are finally here! Included are figures not only from Metal Gear Solid 4 but from 2 and 3 as well. They are ultra detailed and come complete with extra accessories such as snakes Socom and Raiden’s ninja style blade. My favourite is defiantly Snake MGS 3 Version but I’m certainly looking forward to having them all on my bedroom wall.
Steve

Captain America 36
Bucky really isn’t having a great time as the new captain America is he? Cap’s new direction may not last for too long if the shocking final page o this issue I anything to go by, and while predictable, its still a hell of a read. The art of Butch Guice and Mike Perkins is fluid and detailed, helping mask the plot-holes in Ed Brubaker’ script. Overall a decent issue, but not the most original.
Andy

Hey all…

Apologies for the lack of updates recently- we’ve been busy getting all kinds of cool stuff up and running! Updates on cool stuff and geek culture will now recommence, but until the flow becomes torrential, have some links to check out, all containing original material on all manner of geek subjects!

The Famous Starstore Blog

Starstore on Blogspot

Starstore on Typepad

We’re working on a hell of a lot of cool new things which will be unveiled soon, so watch this space for the latest news of our exploits mixed in with our continued pop culture ranting! Along with our new icon, new layout and renewed LJ presence, there's a ton of cool stuff to come, including reviews of new releases, articles, and probably a good dose of geek bitching.

The trailer currently playing in cinemas for the latest Doctor Who series is great. Cut just like a movie trailer, it teases, just as it should. The biggest thing in the trailer, naturally, is the single shot of Billie Piper, back in the role of Rose Tyler. This may well only be for one episode, but it is something the fans are really looking forward to. Also, what the hell is Martha covered in at the end of the trailer? The goo makes her looks like she's just come out of the Matrix! A clone maybe? Even Donna (Catherine Tate) looks okay- she doesn't seem anywhere near as annoying as she did in The Runaway Bride, which can only be a good thing can't it? She's still going to have to be pretty spectacular to win me over, but I am intrigued.

I'm still to be sold totally on season four as a whole... The three big villains have already been back now, namely Daleks, Cybermen and The Master, which leaves... Davros. Of course! Dalek Caan escaped at the End of S3's Evolution of the Daleks (I still wish the Doc had yelled 'Caaaaaan!' when he vanished). He is the last surviving Dalek in existence, and where else would he go but back to the source of their creation? I do hope this happens, as a new-era version of Davros would be an awesome thing to see on the screen. Davros was always one of the more convincing villains of the classic era, and also a good old fashioned bad guy in that he was absolutely and totally evil in every way. We shall see this coming April!!!