Tagged: Fashion

Nintendo Wii U digital promotion offers benefits for Deluxe owners

  • News
  • November 2, 2012

The Nintendo Wii U Deluxe Set, listing at 349.99, is already sold out before its release on the 18th

Nintendo of America today announced a benefits incentive program for purchasers of its new [[[Nintendo Wii U Deluxe Set]]].  By signing up with their Club Nintendowebsite and registering their system purchase, users will receive a ten percent “points rebate” on purchases of WII U made through the Nintendo e-Shop.  In addition, for each five hundred points earned in this fashion, users will receive a five dollar credit on future purchases in the eShop.

Club Nintendo allows users to earn points by registering their Nintendo purchases, and by taking brief surveys about the reasons for purchase and opinions on gameplay.  The points can be redeemed for downloadable games or collectible accessories.  High points earners are also eligible for rarer limited-edition items, made available for free.

This is the latest in a series of promotions intended to drive business to the Nintendo eShop. The release of [[[New Super Mario Bros 2]]] for the 3DS offered a 50 point Club Nintendo bonus for buying the downloadable version of the game.  Another promotion running now allows users to receive a free downloadable game with the purchase of one of a select set of new releases for the 3DS.  Nintendo does not offer their downloadable games at a discount over the store-bought versions, which makes them far more profitable to the company – while saving money on printing and shipping of physical media, they also receive the full price of the game, not just the wholesale price made if sold to a retail store.  It also eliminates the resale market – the downloaded games cannot be sold back to a store, and can only be transferred from one system to another a limited number of times. Special offers like this are clearly intended to make the digital purchase more appealing to the user.

With this offer, a fifty dollar or higher game would effectively earn an immediate five dollar rebate towards further eShop purchases. However, the final list of Wii U games available through the eShop has not yet been revealed; only four retail games have been announced so far, including NintendoLand, which already comes with the Deluxe Set.  Nintendo customer service reps have stated it will include their both “full-size” retail releases like New Mario Bros Wii U, as well as many smaller games at lower price points.  Their retail games are delivered on a DVD, which holds up to 4.2 GB of data. It’s almost certain most of their releases do not fill those discs to bursting; if they did, only about 8 retail games could be stored on the system’s 32GB internal storage. The system does support additional storage via SDHC cards, and while external hard drive support has been reported, no details are available.  So at the moment, the viability of downloading a high number of their retail games is questionable, rendering the ability to truly take advantage of the promotion somewhat limited.

 The  Wii U Deluxe Set retails for 349.99, but is already sold out via pre-sale, and like many new systems, is commanding usurious prices via ebay and other secondary markets. It features, for an additional fifty dollars over the basic system, an extra 16 GB of storage, the game Nintendo Land, and additional accessories including  a  charging cradle for the new Wii U Game Pad.

While the promotion begins officially in December, all Wii U purchases made starting on the day of release (Nov. 18th) will qualify. Details on the promotion are being made available at the Nintendo site at http://ddp.nintendo.com/

Dennis O’Neil: Have A Heart

Tomorrow (as I write this) is the big day, a day as important as my birthday and for a similar reason, and yet I don’t know how to celebrate it. I don’t even know what to call it. “Lazarus Day?” That’s certainly appropriate, but it carries some lumpy baggage. “Resurrection Day?” Same problem: “resurrection” has acquired connotations I’d rather avoid.

Why the fuss over a rather undistinguished September Monday? Why do I think it deserves special notice? Well, for you, it probably doesn’t, but for me? Ten years ago, on September 10, 2002, while having lunch with Mia Wolff and her son Virgil at a restaurant in Piermont, New York, I fell off the chair and lay dead on the floor. According to Mia, I’d been talking about the afterlife and my lack of faith in it when I went down. She thought I was trying to be funny. But after a while, she looked at me and knew something was very wrong. Her call for help was answered by the restaurant’s owner, John Ingallinera, whose other job was being a New Jersey fireman. John could identify a corpse when he saw one and he knew that next door there was a portable defibrillator. He ran to get it, and with the help of Lizzie Fagan, Michael O’Shea and Bryan Holihan, put the paddles on my chest and pressed the button – three presses – and then my heart was beating and the paramedics had arrived.

I was laying in an unfamiliar bed and Marifran was leaning over me, asking if I knew what had happened to me. I didn’t and so she told me. The rest went by the book: western medicine is superb at certain tasks, and cardiac surgery is one of them. A short stay in a local hospital, an ambulance ride across the Hudson to another hospital, doctors, tests, a trip to an operating room on a gurney and… some cool looking scars and recovery.

Anything special happened while my cooling self was cluttering up John’s floor (and probably playing hell with his lunch business)? Nope. No bright light at the end of a tunnel, no disembodied entities hovering around, no long deceased relatives welcoming me to the Other Side. Just: sitting in a restaurant/lying in a hospital. Like a splice in a film.

Marifran says that maybe I had to be a believer before I could see what believers see. Okay, so we’re dealing with an economy size Catch 22 here. I can’t get the evidence I require to believe something unless I already believe it?

All right, then did the experience change me? Transform me into some kind of secular saint? Make me cherish every breath I take? I wish. But, no.

But I am grateful for these past ten, good years and I want to celebrate them. I have no memory of being born, but being reborn? A lot of that I remember and I want to cheer, to testify that, although I’m often oblivious to it, each moment is all we have.

We’ll probably think of something.

FRIDAY: Martha Thomases, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, Kyle Baker, Garth Ennis, Paul Pope and… Men’s Fashion?

REVIEW: We Bought a Zoo

I’ll tell you right up front that I had a stronger emotional reaction to the film than most audience members, largely because of the theme of loss that permeates most of the story. As a result, I found myself loving the We Bought a Zoo and have been recommending it to families ever since. Now that it is out on DVD from 20th Century Home Entertainment, I’m here to recommend it as a purchase as well.

Since we’re all about to fall in love with Scarlet Johansson all over again when she kicks ass in The Avengers, it’s good to see her actually acting here, paired nicely with Matt Damon, the grieving patriarch who needs to change his life in some way and chooses to do so in a rather radical fashion. (more…)

CW To Reshoot “Arrow” Over Fashion Issues

  • News
  • April 1, 2012

Due to recent events in Florida, Warner Bros. has decided to put its foot down. With the first promotional image for the new CW drama “Arrow” debuting a few weeks back, some were questioning how politically correct it might be to have a hero donning a hood to fight crime.

DC President Diane Nelson held a press conference this morning to disway the rumor mill:

“DC Comics wants to make it clear that we have been, and will always be at the forefront of fashion for our original licensed creations. But our heroes exist in a very real world… one that reacts to all of today’s issues. Given the recent tragedy in Florida, we’ve decided to make some improvements across the board to ensure the utmost sensitivity to everyone affected. Simply put, a good guy can’t wear a hoodie.”

With that being said, it was learned that DC will be reshooting “Arrow” with a new to-be-released costume, as well as make several changes to existing characters. The new Shazam will have his costume altered once again. Co-Publisher and lead costume designer Jim Lee noted “Shazam will now feature baggy cargo shorts, a red and gold short sleeve tee-shirt with white long sleeve shirt underneath, and his new trademark Kangol hat. We felt it was time to really bring the character into today’s marketplace.” In addition to that, copies of Superman: Earth 1 will be recalled, and have it’s cover replaced, as it features DC’s flagship character donning the aforementioned fashion faux-pas. Also, Static Shock will be removed from continuity completely, and any mention of him will be disavowed.

“Ultimately we have a responsibility to our readers to reflect the common values everyone shares. At this time, this means having to ensure no character is dressed in an offensive matter. In any event, it will not keep us from delivering the finest product in the marketplace we can.” Nelson concluded.

Crazy Sexy Geeks: Tim Gunn vs. Green Lantern!

Just in time for the San Diego Comic-Con Masquerade tonight, we bring you the return of Crazy Sexy Geeks with special guest, fashion authority Tim Gunn! This episode, the Project Runway mentor looks at Green Lantern with hosts Jennifer Ewing and Alan Kistler, superhero historian & Agent of S.T.Y.L.E. columnist for Newsarama.com (@SizzlerKistler)!

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Be sure to listen to the weekly Crazy Sexy Geeks podcast (featuring Alan and Jill Pantozzi, @TheNerdyBird) on iTunes and at CrazySexyGeeks.libsyn.com

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Review: ‘Miss Don’t Touch Me Vol. 2’

Review: ‘Miss Don’t Touch Me Vol. 2’

[[[Miss Don’t Touch Me Volume 2]]]
By  Hubert and Kerascoet
NBM/ComicsLit, 96 pages, $14.95

Its always a challenge when reading the second part of anything without knowledge of the first. Its also a good test of the creators to see if they’ve done their job of informing readers, new and old, of their characters and world. In the case of the French graphic novel [[[Miss pas touche 2: Du sang sur les mains]]], the creators failed.

The first book was a huge best-seller in France, selling over 100,000 copies, prompting the married creators, Marie Pommepuy and Sébastien Cosset (working under their professional pseudonyms of Hubert and Kerascoet) to revisit the world of Blanche. Released in 2006, it was nominated for the Prix Saint-Michel and has been translated and brought to the United States by NBM.

While the first book told of Blanche investigating a serial murderer, whose victims included her sister, in the France of the 1930s, this book is focused squarely on Blanche and her romance with Antoine. In volume one, she went undercover as a call girl at the upscale brothel, The Pompadour, but was determined to protect her virginity by playing the role of the strict “English governess” who would flog or dominate her customers.

We pick up with Blanche still working in the establishment,known as Miss Don’t Touch Me, and still a  virgin. Why she remains there is not really explored, and if its because of the money, she seems to take no pleasure in it. She falls for Antoine and their developing relationship propels the story into a more predictable and far less lively examination of social class warfare. In time, we meet both of their mothers and learn a bit more about how each romantic partner was raised, but everyone is seen in stereotypical fashion.

The book lacks any real suspense or any real surprise, save for a twist involving Antoine, that sends the second half of the story to the Sweet Relaxation Psychiatric Clinic. Things move along in an unsurpising way until the story ends. We don’t really learn much new about Blanche or life in Paris. Everyone seems oblivious of the war drums beating elsewhere in Europe.

Visually, for a story set largely in a brothel, there’s precious little sex or nudity. Instead, there’s a lovely fashion and design sense employed. It’s a visually interesting story with strong character designs and great use of silent panels and color.

While diverting, this is not especially engaging because the characters play to type and you’re far from surprised. All of Blanche’s strengths that I gather were on display in book one, are missing here, and she seems more of a bystander than active participant in her own story.

Crazy Sexy Geeks: New Episodes and More to Come

Crazy Sexy Geeks: New Episodes and More to Come

  • Uncategorized
  • August 12, 2010

Due to Comic-Con and, frankly, the economy, “Crazy Sexy Geeks: The Series” has been on hiatus for a short while. But thanks to a few fan donations, the show is coming back with new episodes.

These episodes will cover such topics as “gays in mainstream comics”, more on “women superheroes”, a look at “what you should be reading” featuring author Victoria Laurie and comic writer Jimmy Palmiotti, and chats with celebrities such as Paul Wesley of “The Vampire Diaries” and Emma Caulfield of the recent movie Timer and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Tim Gunn has also promised to come back for further fashion discussions on superheroes, due to the high positive response of his last visit to the show that got rave reviews from many, including NPR. If you didn’t catch that special two-part discussion on the fashion of Superman, Robin, the Hulk, Power Girl, Black Canary, Catwoman and others, then check them out!

For those of you who missed the last couple of episodes of Crazy Sexy Geeks, we’ve got them for you right here.

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Ghostbusters Bust Ghosts in New York Public Library

Ghostbusters Bust Ghosts in New York Public Library

Folks sitting amongst the stacks in the New York Public Library were present for what we artist folks call a “happening”. Patrons using their laptops, searching the shelves, and researching rare facts for their reports in the Rose Reading Room were haunted by a trio of white sheeted ghosts! Who were they gonna call? Given that the NYC Library was haunted in a similar fashion back in 1984, officials were quick to call in the Ghostbusters.

Or they called Improv Everywhere, the virally-famous YouTube clan known for their No Pants Subway Rides, a Fake Ben Folds Concert, and my personal favorite, the Grocery Store Musical, amongst other ‘missions’. Improv Everywhere performed their homage to the Second City’s send-up of the paranormal to help raise awareness for the New York Public Library, which is facing a serious budget cut. A cut to the tune of 37 million dollars.  

We want to give some kudos to library’s marketing department for hooking up some some local talent to help create this viral buzz. Given what a budget cut of this size would do to the New York Public Library System, now’s the time to act. If you’d like to do your part to keep one of the countries coolest library systems in tact, you can visit their site and donate. Or if you live in the area, they are calling for a letter writing campaign as well. So, do your part, lest YOU be haunted by ghosts yourself.

Disney Announces ‘Alice In Wonderland’ Exhibit in Los Angeles

Disney Announces ‘Alice In Wonderland’ Exhibit in Los Angeles

We call this to the attention of those living on the west coast because it sounds kind of neat:

LOS ANGELES, CA, MAY 10, 2010 – In celebration of ALICE IN WONDERLAND’S Blu-ray™ and DVD debut on June 1, 2010, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment (WDSHE), in partnership with Disney Consumer Products (DCP), are unveiling a first-of-its-kind Alice In Wonderland Exhibition in the FIDM Museum & Galleries at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in downtown Los Angeles.  The exhibition is free to the public and opens on Thursday, May 27 and will run through September 30, 2010.

Fans of the film and fashion alike will find a new appreciation for the craftsmanship, artistry, and design behind the making of the costumes and merchandise at this particular exhibit that is comprised of three distinct parts: (1) Original costumes from the film designed by two time Academy Award® winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Best Achievement in Costume Design for Memoirs of a Geisha in 2005 and Best Costume Design for Chicago in 2002),  (2) The Edgier Side of Alice inspired clothing and products from DCP and designed by a variety of celebrities, designers and fashion icons (e.g. Sue Wong, Tom Binns, Avril Lavigne, etc.), and (3) Alice inspired gowns created by FIDM designer graduates with FIDM Fashion Mentor and Instructor Nick Verreos.

Colleen Atwood’s work portrays a reinvention of the madcap look of “Alice in Wonderland” for the 21st Century.  Featured on display will be her original costumes from the film, including Johnny Depp’s original Mad Hatter fighter garment, a few of Mia Wasikowska’s Alice dresses and Helena Bonham Carter’s Red Queen Dress, as well as costume sketches, hats and props from the film. 

In addition to the original costumes on display, there will be modern-day “Edgier Side of Alice” inspired clothing, jewelry, accessories and collections designed by fashion icons such as Sue Wong, Tom Binns and Avril Lavigne.  This display by Disney Consumer Products illustrates its collaboration with these renowned designers in order to create an interpretive line that brings the allure and mystery of the film and characters to life.

FIDM will also play an active role in the exhibition. In collaboration with Disney’s fashion team, the college challenged six Designer grads to partake in a FIDM SuperLab project led by Nick Verreos (Star of “Project Runway”, Graduate and Instructor at FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising and NIKOLAKI Owner/Designer).  Since the ALICE IN WONDERLAND film is all about discovery, FIDM Fashion Designers were challenged to discover their talents in the world of Alice by designing and producing couture gowns inspired by six iconic characters in the film.  Garments are couture glamour meets the red carpet – unconventional, unexpected, Alice in “Underland” – where nothing is what it seems! Their creations will be on display for all to see alongside Colleen Atwood and DCP’s collections.

Exhibition Gallery Hours & Details:

Admission to the exhibition is free of charge to the public and opens on Thursday, May 27 and runs until September 30, 2010. Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. FIDM Museum & Galleries Is located at FIDM/Fashion Institute Of Design & Merchandising, 919 S. Grand Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90015. For more information about this exhibition, please visit FIDMmuseum.org or call 213-623-5821.

(more…)

Tim Gunn talks comics fashion, part 2

Tim Gunn talks comics fashion, part 2

  • News
  • April 26, 2010

Tim Gunn from Project Runway concludes his discussion with us on superhero
fashion as we pass judgment on Superman, Superboy, the Hulk and
others! And what famous comic book character apparently stole one of
Tim’s suits? Find out on the latest installment of Crazy Sexy Geeks!

And be sure to watch the first part!

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