Samoa Joe on Turning his RAW Debut into a Comic Story
On sale January 17th, Boom! Studios' WWE #13 will feature "Undrafted" - the tale of WWE Superstar Samoa Joe's rise to the main Monday Night RAW roster from NXT - a story co-authored by none other than Samoa Joe himself!
Written alongside Headlocked Comics' Michael Kingston, "Undrafted" hones in on Joe's unbridled anger and tenacity as he tries to push back against his main roster call-up because of unfinished business with then-NXT champ Shinsuke Nakamura. I spoke with both Joe and Kingston about their arc in WWE #13 and what it's like to tell this story almost a full year after Joe's RAW debut.
"I'm a really big comic book fan," Joe said. "I think before the advent of iBooks and digital media I was always throwing a couple trades in my bag whenever I'd head out on the weekend to do shows. It was something that kept my mind occupied and amused sitting in hotel rooms or waiting for flights and whatnot."
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Dragon Ball FighterZ: Open Beta Suffering Network Issues
The open beta for Bandai Namco's latest brawler, Dragon Ball FighterZ launched on Saturday and is scheduled to run until Tuesday, January 16 - but with many players unable to log in and Bandai Namco's admission that there are "network issues" currently affecting gameplay, there's a possibility that the beta period may be extended.
In a tweet, Bandai Namco acknowledges the issues that players have been having, explaining that the problems are extensive enough that they may not be able to be resolved quickly. In a linked Facebook post, the developer elaborates that the team is "working hard" but that players will have to wait for the next server update before the problems are resolved.
Quantic Dream: Former Employees Attack Studio Culture
Quantic Dream has come under fire this weekend after reports from three separate French outlets made accusations of inappropriate behaviour, overworked staff and a "schoolboy culture" that allows for racism, sexism and homophobia - Quantic Dream has since refuted the allegations.
Le Monde, Canard PC and Mediapart have all published reports on the behaviour at the studio behind Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls and Detroit: Become Human.
NBA Jam May Return for its 25th Anniversary
This year marks the silver anniversary of 1993's seminal NBA Jam and it appears Tim Kitzrow - the much-loved voice behind the series - is working with Microsoft on reviving the series to mark the occasion.
The news comes courtesy of ESPN, where Kitzrow mentions as part of a wider conversation about the game that "there is movement in the works to get
done", confirming he is working with Microsoft to possibly produce a new game.
It wouldn't be the first time the series has been resurrected; after the original run of games ended in 2003, EA acquired the rights to the series and attempted to relaunch the series back in 2010 (with an enhanced version following in 2011). Despite the involvement of original lead designer and programmer Mark Turnell and generally positive reviews, a follow-up never materialised.
Discovery: Latif Talks Lt. Ash Tyler’s Journey
This week's episode of Star Trek: Discovery was a big one, with a major plot point involving Shazad Latif's Lt. Ash Tyler coming to a head. I spoke to the actor about the events of the episode, "The Wolf Inside" (click here for our review), to get his take on all the craziness, but of course be warned...
Full spoilers follow for Star Trek: Discovery up until this point.
Shazad Latif as Lt. Ash Tyler
Gravity Rush 2 Online Server Shutdown Delayed
Gravity Rush 2's online functionality will remain active for several more months.
Sony announced last September it would shut down the game's online servers on January 18, only a year after Gravity Rush 2's release. However, as spotted by Reddit user Hartia, Sony has now delayed the server shutdown to July 18 at 10pm PT (July 19 at 1am ET/6am UK/4pm AET).
Gravity Rush 2 in-game online server shutdown notice, image via Reddit user Hartia
Handmaid’s Tale Season 2 Will Be ‘Darker’ and Visit the Colonies
The Handmaid's Tale wasn't the most cheerful series when it debuted on Hulu last year, but star Elisabeth Moss warns that Season 2 is "a dark season -- it's arguably darker than Season 1, if that's possible."
Speaking at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Moss and executive producers Bruce Miller and Warren Littlefield offered a few hints about the hotly anticipated sophomore season, which will premiere the first two installments of its 13-episode season on April 25.
But don't despair -- despite the "horror and cruelty and dread in this situation," Miller said, "there’s
a lot of absurdity" that allows June (aka Offred) to slip in moments of sardonic humor and help to cut the tension. "I think June is funny," he added, noting that when our heroine is trapped by circumstances that mean she has to keep her "Offred" persona in place, "we try to make sure that June is alive and well in there, and the access to that is always the humor."
Sylvester Stallone Teases The Expendables 4
It appears Sylvester Stallone is coming back for a fourth The Expendables movie after all.
Despite reports last year suggesting Stallone left the franchise, the actor recently shared a couple Instagram posts teasing The Expendables 4. One of the posts features an image of Stallone as Barney Ross and Jason Statham as Lee Christmas with the following caption: "Just when you thought it was safe to go outside…They're coming back!"
Image via Sylvester Stallone on Instagram
James Cameron Gives Avatar Update
Avatar filmmaker James Cameron has provided an update on his long-awaited Avatar sequels, saying he "can't afford for it not to work" because he's working with such a massive budget.
"It doesn't matter how much you dress it up with great production design and great visual effects. If the story is not working, if you don't connect to the characters, it's just simply not going to work," Cameron said at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour for his new AMC show Visionaries: James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction.
"Of course, we can't afford for it not to work, the budget level that we are dealing with. But, of course, you always have to give yourself permission as an artist to fail no matter what the stakes are," he added. "You've got to try stuff. The least safe thing you can do is try to be safe."