Year In Anticipation: What We’re Looking Forward To In 2016

The face of every Geek on at least some of the things on this list.

2016.  Did any of us think we’d live this long?  Yeah, probably.  We’re Geeks, not morbid.

So, what sort of Geek Entertainment has us here at Gabbing Geek at least a little curious?  See behind the cut, with some items getting some expert Geek Commentary from the Geek Guru himself, Jimmy Impossible.

Marvel’s Phase Two Box Set Artwork Is Awesome

Yes, this is the Phase 2 box set. The discs are in the base.

I might be in the minority around here at Gabbing Geek that still purchases physical media and not digital.  I do both, but there is just something I still like about having that plastic case and piece of cardboard with artwork printed on it that still appeals to me.

So on December 8th I will begin my yearning for the complete Marvel Phase 2 Blu-Ray box set.  I’m still waiting for the Phase 1 box set to become super cheap so that I can pick that one up.  Maybe THIS Black Friday is the one!

But back to Phase 2, I can give or take the elaborate Orb and Infinity Stone packaging.  But the artwork for the individual movies caught my eye.  It is in a similar style to the Phase 1 packaging and really manages to capture the essence of each movie in one minimalist image.

Check them out after the break.

Agents Of SHIELD Spin-Off? This Time For Sure? I Thought That Was Off…

Hey, It’s One Interesting Character!

ABC and Marvel have said they may or may not have an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off featuring Mockingbird and her ex-husband-who-is-not-Hawkeye.

Well, now it looks like it’s back on.  I have some opinions after the cut.

Where Does the Josh Trank Fantastic Four Movie Rank Against Other Superhero Flicks?

You’ve seen me praise the film in my review.  Jenny liked it as well in her review.  The critics combined score over at Rotten Tomatoes was another story.  But again, I feel they missed the boat on this one.

To illustrate how wrong I think the critics are on this one, I decided to examine exactly where Josh Trank’s Fantastic Four ranked relative to the other DC/Marvel superhero movies in the post-Iron Man and Dark Knight era.

My findings after the jump.

Podcast Reaction: Villains Edition

This week the podcast came out a day early, but I got a new Kindle Fire and don’t know yet how to download the show before going to work to listen during my lunch break.  And no, downloading at work isn’t an option.  Because reasons.  There are some, but I won’t go into them.  Anyway, here’s the podcast reaction.

I don’t really have anything else to add to the discussion of The Martian.  It’s a great book, and I gave a SPOILER-FREE review for it elsewhere.  Like right here.

Instead, let’s talk about how to make a good villain.

Need A Refresher Of The MCU Before Seeing Ant-Man?

Editor’s Note: “Jimmy, why does a ‘refresher’ post have an image of future movies?”

Ok, I could have put any image above that was MCU related, but I saw this cool “Road To Infinity War” image and used that.  After the break, check out two videos that cover the MCU from Iron Man to Ant-Man (no Ant-Man spoilers), with…a bit of a sarcastic view of things.  (Note, some NSFW language.)

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It: An Impossible Ant-Man Review (Spoilers)

I don’t have the guts or knowledge or care enough to put myself out there like Ryan and predict the top ten grossing films of 2015.  But one thing I’ve steadfast to in the Gabbing Geek Bullpen has been that I thought Ant-Man would end Marvel’s blockbuster roll.  And it turns out I was right.  (What a different time we live in when an opening of 58 million dollars is considered a disappointment.)  Besting only The Incredible Hulk‘s opening weekend (and finishing dead last if you adjust Incredible Hulk for inflation).

I just never thought Ant-Man on his own would be a draw.  He was not one of the Marvel big hitters, and he never stepped up to the plate and hit a home run with a trailer like other B-Listers Guardians of the Galaxy.

But does any of that mean it was any good?  If you are not tired of reading Ant-Man reviews from Ryan, Watson, Jenny and Tom, I share my thoughts after the break.  Be warned, there will be spoilers.

Before You See Ant-Man Check Out This Infographic Of All Marvel Movies

This post is so awesome, this isn’t even the infographic!

While Iron Man was the first film of what we now know as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was far from the first Marvel film.  That distinction belongs to…ugh…Howard The Duck.  But they followed that up with The Punisher…starring Dolph Lundgren.  And then Captain America and Fantastic Four films so bad they never received theatrical release.  Marvel was really not off to a good start.

But starting in 1998, though there would still be some bumps in the road going forward, Wesley Snipes came along and saved the day.  Yes, Wesley Snipes.

Read more about Blade and all the other Marvel movies on the infographic from shirts.com after the break.

Infographic Wars! All Of Stan Lee’s Marvel Cameos

Ant-Man comes out Friday and is sure to have a Stan Lee cameo.  Need a refresher on all the cameos Stan has made over the years in Marvel films?  Check out the infographic from morphsuits after the break.

Going Through The DCAU Part Five

Continuing Tom and Jimmy’s rewatch of the DCAU.

This week, we’re covering “Heart of Ice,” “The Cat and the Claw Parts 1 and 2,” and “See No Evil.”