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Two part premier airs October 2nd

Synopsis

SGU follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth.  Faced with meeting the most basic needs of food, water and air, the group must unlock the secrets of the ship’s Stargate to survive.  The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them.

The Destiny

An ancient’s ship,  the Destiny was to follow a pre-programmed mission to explore these galaxies until the Ancients ascended and left the ship unmanned.  The Destiny was the second ship following after the first ship which was sent to seed the galaxies with Stargates.

Take a Tour of the Destiny

A series of concept art, technical specs and set pictures that give us a closer look at the Destiny.

Trailers

Stargate Universe Teaser Trailer

More Stargate Universe Trailers

Official Site

Get Season 1.0 from or Amazon

Watch it streaming online

Stargate Universe news and Stargate news

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Rise of the Bounty Hunters

In season two we move from a two sided war to introducing the Bounty Hunters.  The show primers October 2nd on Cartoon Network.

We’re going to see a different kind of adversary, posing a different kind of threat…  They’re bounty hunters and mercenaries who are taking advantage of the turmoil to make a big score.  We got a taste at the end of the first season with Cad Bane, but we’re going to see a lot more of that.  They’re a resource for taking out Jedi — and they’re good at their jobs. Things are going to get ugly.  -DAVE FILONI

From Season one to Season Two

This season brings promises of being better then season one.  With season one Lucas was restricted by working in the new medium.  They also admit that season one had many more single episodes that did not span much of an arc.

I like how Lucas and Filoni are promising us more in season two.  They have worked out the kinks in their production model.  This has allowed them to put in more characters, more action and I hope more story depth as well.

The first season was similar to Episode IV, in that it was fairly light and the conflict was straightforward. With the second season, we’re going deeper into the stories and the character dynamics. The progression is a lot like the difference between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back.  -GEORGE LUCAS

The Bounty Hunters

In season two we will get to meet many bounty hunters: Cad Bane, Aurra Sing, Cato Parasitti, and Bossk.  For more on each read Meet The Bounty Hunters.

Get Season 1 from: Amazon or

       Season 2 from:

Watch it streaming online here.

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Vampire Game didn’t irritate me enough to give it a bad review, but it didn’t wow me either. Although I didn’t enjoy it, my best friend loves it. Maybe I should put it this way… If you enjoy talking cats, silly jokes, and a princess preoccupied with getting into trouble, you’ll like Vampire Game.

You might ask yourself, “If Emz didn’t like it, why did she read beyond volume one?” Well, it was a discount buyers mistake all the way. One day while shopping, I expected to pass by the little manga kiosk with nothing but a groan because I had spent my book money on skeleton leg warmers. To my surprise, they were having a manga sale. So, if you think about it, Vampire Game is a manga worth a buck a volume and if you run into a manga sale like that, grab it up! For the rest of you, read this little review before you spend your hard-earned cash.

The story:  A once great vampire king named Duzell led a war against humans. The king of the humans used a spell to defeat Duzell. One hundred years later, Duzell has been reborn as a wildcat who falls into the hands of a princess named Ishtar who likes to get in trouble. A cute bodyguard named Darres is charged with making sure she doesn’t get into trouble and boy does he earn his keep! Though she is being courted by the most eligible princes in the land, you get the feeling Darres is her romantic prospect.

Here are some highlights from the series:

• Volume one: This was the beginning of the end for me. The cat is irritating and talks. The art reminded me of bible story cartoons from when I was a child.
• Volume two: The tale starts to get a tad interesting as we learn that Duzell the cat, can turn into a human if they drink that human’s blood. Since Dunzell drank from Ishtar, he becomes a clone of her. There is a great sword competition where he is able to fight.
• Volume three: The sword competition continues. We finally see this tale’s version of vampires which look like Hellraiser characters with no skin.
• Volume four: We get to see some ghouly demons. My favorite quote from the whole series is in this volume, said by the princess of a neighboring kingdom. “Dad! There’s this really hot naked weirdo in the stable and he was fooling around with your horse.”
• Volume five: Scary mermaids show up who have wings and sharp teeth.
• Volume six: The story for me finally gets good. The whole castle is in chaos as the monsters are allowed to come on grounds and to flood out of the dungeon. Another good quote, this time from a warrior. “For the record I am not cleaning this mess up. These guys smell bad enough now, I don’t want to think about when they start to stiffen!”

I am not a fan of this sort of art and since it started in 1996, it is in the older style. I wouldn’t suggest buying this manga unless you want to spend hours reading many pages to get to that one funny joke or cool monster sequence.

Get your copy here from Amazon

To learn more about Vampire Game, by someone who likes this series, visit http://www.princessishtar.com/

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Dollhouse season 2 is fast approaching, and we now have quite a bit of detail regarding the events of this season.

Season Overview

Dollhouse will be coming back Friday, Sept. 25 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX for a 13 episode season.  IF the ratings are good enough, Fox has the option to order additional episodes.

2.1 Vows
2.2 Belle Chose
2.3 Instinct
2.4 Belonging

2.5 The Public Eye
2.6 The Left Hand

Kevin Reilly says they have gives Joss Whedon full creative control over the new season (here).  Now we can see the main arc he has planned:

DANIEL PERRIN (Alexis Denisof) is a U.S. senator leading a witch hunt to track down the underground organization. Mysterious, charismatic businessman MARTIN KLAR (Jamie Bamber) is Echo’s new husband. BRADLEY KARRENS (Michael Hogan) comes to the Dollhouse hoping to stop a psychotic family member’s killing spree, while MATTHEW HARDING (Keith Carradine), a nemesis of Dollhouse leader ADELLE DEWITT (Olivia Williams), stirs up trouble.

Sounds interesting, especially considering a Dollhouse high mucketimuck  said through Victor in Epitaph 1 that everyone in government was a client of the Dollhouse or “one of ours.”  They could do a lot of things with that.

Summer Glau

Rumors have circulated for a while about Summer Glau appearing on Dollhouse.  Joss said he wanted to put her in a role we had not seen her in before.

Summer Glau (“Firefly,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) reunites with Joss Whedon when the actress joins the cast of DOLLHOUSE this fall in a recurring role as BENNETT, a Dollhouse employee who shares a past with ECHO (Eliza Dushku).

I cannot wait to see  Summer return to a good series.

Discussion

• Ethical Pondering The Dollhouse In Real Life

Each week we gather to discuss Joss Whedon's show The Dollhouse.

Get season 1 from: Amazon or

Get season 2 from:

Watch it streaming online on Hulu

Join the discussion at the Dollhouse Panel on Project: Shadow.

Episode Reviews

Promo Images

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What first caught my eye with Key Princess Story: Eternal Alice Rondo was the black and white diamond pattern on the back cover. The golden filigree border and picture of an Alice-like anime girl with rabbit ears on the front furthered my interest. However, I have to say, as an avid key collector, that the title Key Princess Story sealed the deal.

Story / Plot: Young Aruto Kirihara is a student who is writing an Alice story sequel. He is so in love with Alice, it’s practically all he can think about. One night as he’s sitting at his desk, he sees a bunny girl fall from the sky. He follows her to a library where he learns there are a band of girls searching for the “Never-ending Alice” story. These doll-like beauties fight with giant sword keys. When the key is thrust into the middle of these girls, their story flies out in pages to be collected in a book. Eventually, the pages (they think) will lead them to the “Never-ending Alice”. Not only are they fighting against themselves, but they have a common enemy who fights with a giant match sword and attempts to burn girl pages as well as any books in sight.

Warning:  Those of you buying for your young family members, this book has a 15+ warning. There are several breast shots and for such an innocent story of girls trying to find an everlasting Alice in Wonderland story, this manga has some sexual themes that are not entirely comfortable. Aruto is seduced by the rabbit girl, his teacher, and his younger sister who reminds him that they used to bathe together. In the back, there is a page on Lewis Carroll, the original author of Alice in Wonderland. It explains how the manga does not mention him because of his alleged pedophile tendencies, yet this manga tale has pedophile and incestuous themes itself. Is this a contradiction the author did not realize, or is it on purpose?

Whatever the case, I still enjoyed this tale and would read more. The art tends to be bubbly and Sailor Moonish, but the backgrounds and buildings are very detailed. The artistic feeling of the book is old English with dusty libraries, three story estates, and rooftops that would make the chimney sweeps in Mary Poppins jealous. Chibi content is average.

Extras you will find in this volume:

• Full glossy pic in front.
• Lewis Carroll info page.
• Preview of the next volume.
• Manga reader/honorific guide.

To read more about Eternal Alice Rondo and the Key Princess Stories:

• Get your copy of Eternal Alice Rondo from Amazon.com
• visit the Wiki page

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There are so many manga out, you may be asking, “How can I choose the manga that is right for me?”

First you need to know what part of the manga you enjoy most.
Do you love goth-loli art? A good story? Something with horror in it?
It’s rare to find all these things in one manga series. Believe me, I’ve tried!

Some of you may rely on reviews such as this one to lead your way, but for those of you who are trying to create your own manga hunting style, here are some tips.

Know what you like

I look for good art first, story second.

Seems kind of weird for someone to say that about a book, but  unlike fiction books, mangas need to capture your eyes as well as your mind.

Good manga authors are a skilled, rare breed that can somehow create a tale and put it down in art in such a delicate fashion, you hardly realize you are reading what is basically a cartoon.  What good is a tale in a manga book without interesting art? They might as well have written a novel, let the publisher worry about the cover art, and stick to word writin’!

Know what you don’t like

I am emphatically against talking animals in manga. I hate them. Bats and spiders are sometimes ok, but bunnies and doggies and 300-year-old kitties reincarnated from a once great vampire god? Don’t get me started! However, my best friend adores animals talking and absolutely loves the manga (that shall remain nameless) with the vampire kitty. My point?

Know your tastes and just because your best friend urges you to buy her favorite manga because it has vampires in it, don’t automatically assume you will in enjoy it.  There may be a wisecrackin’ bunny hidden in the pages, and we all know what that leads to!

Hone your skills

Here are some tips on how to narrow the competition down.

1. Go to a store with a large manga selection.  This shouldn’t be too hard as it seems manga is the only hot selling item in bookstores these days.
2. Stand back from the manga shelves and scan.  If any cover draws your notice from a few yards back, it’s worth a look.
3. Check out the front cover in full. Are you a chibi lover, or do you enjoy killer cyborgs with little chibi interference? Make sure the cover speaks to your taste. If you see one character you don’t like, put it in the maybe pile. There is a good chance that character is going to be throughout the book and will irritate you every time you turn the page and see them.
4. Once you have narrowed down a few of the great covers, glance over the description on the back. Don’t put too much stock in the description because they don’t usually relate very closely to the tale. I’ve found that often manga covers seem to be written about the whole series and not about the one volume you are purchasing. As long as there are no talking vampire kitties, you are safe to go on.
5. Flip through the book and check out the art. Is the detail inside as good as the cover art? Is it appealing to you? Is the printing bad, or is it crisp and clean? Do you stop every so often to let a “wow” or a “ooooohhhh” slip from your lips? If you realize it’s a steampunk fantasy once you get inside and you don’t like that sort of tale, please don’t buy it just because you like the cover. You will be disappointed.
6. Finally, the tale. Read at least the first four pages to make sure you like the story. Does the character cuss like a twelve-year-old boy trying to show off to his mates? Does the dialog not flow? Is there some sort of back story you just don’t like? Don’t buy it. It will not get better. Unfortunately, in some stores (especially in Japantown) they seal the books. In this case, you either take your chances, or get smart and browse them online first. Sites like Amazon and Toykopop allow you to read the first couple of pages before you buy.

I tell you all these things because, like you, I once was a manga investigator trainee. I still get caught buying a stinker once in awhile. It’s all about:

• Knowing what you want
• Believing in your first instinct and
• Sticking to it, no matter how much the commerce bug has got you itching!

For those of you who still can’t decide, I’ve made a list of my top five series. Check out the reviews, see if you might like them, and then put on your manga p.i. hat and get shopping!

1. God Child by Kaori Yuki
2. The Tarot Café by Sang Sung Park
3. Princess Ai by Courtney Love and DJ Milky
4. Death Note by Tsugumi Oba
5. Millennium Snow by Bisco Hatori

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Night’s Knights Book Release Party

Friday, October 30th
7:00 p.m.
Bay Books Concord

• Dress as your favorite vampire.
• Meet author and hostess of HorrorAddicts.net, Emerian Rich.
• Enjoy vampire-inspired snacks.
• Hear a live reading.
• Trick or Treat.
• Be one of the first 24 people to buy her book and get free dogtags to commemorate the event.
• With your Night’s Knights purchase, receive a free companion booklet with author notes, sketches, and fan works.

http://www.baybooks.us

Bay Books Concord
1669 Willow Pass Road
Concord, CA 94520

(925) 671-2245

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Destination Truth Season 3 will start on September 9th on sy-fy for a 9 episode season.  I wish they would give Josh and the gang more episodes so they can investigate even more of the cryptid myths.

About Destination Truth

Follow Josh Gates as he explores tales of the unexplained around the globe.  Each week they travel to the location of the unexplained event, interview the locals, and explore the myth trying to prove or disprove it.

The show is a lot of fun to watch and we get to also learn about distant cultures along with the exploration of the unexplained.

What to Expect in season 3

• A mystery in Alaska
• A mystery in Florida
• The ghost towns of Chernobyl
• Turkish lake serpent
• The Bermuda Triangle
• A return to the Himalayan Mountains Bhutan for another look at the Yeti
• World’s first overnight exploration of King Tut’s cursed tomb
• Pitch-black dives in ancient Caribbean caves for a giant octopus
• haunted lost city in Peru & a Chilean high speed desert creature
• watch the video below of Josh highlighting some of the mysteries to be investigated in season 3

Get your copy of Destination Truth:

Season One or Amazon

Season Two

Watch Destination Truth streaming online on hulu here

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Crescent Moon is a manga began in 2000 with the name, Mikan no Tsuki (An Incomplete Moon).

Plot: A young girl is a good luck charm to all those around her, but she herself is the most unlucky person alive. A group from the lunar race ask for her help to find a power source called Teardrops of the Moon that has been stolen from them. The lunar race representatives are a vampire, a werewolf, a kitsune (fox), and a tengu (heavenly dog). The girl enrages the tengu at every turn and though he hates her, you get the feeling they will fall in love.

Likes:

• Beautiful underwater art.
• Filled with poetry.
• They study a cool book, which shows research pages from an ancient text.

Dislikes:

• The beginning is confusing. The author used a character entrance format that was hard to understand.
• I didn’t know what was going on until half way through the book.
• Sometimes the characters had freaky long limbs that did not have anything to do with the supernatural, it was how they were drawn.

Where to get it: You can buy Crescent Moon Vol. 1 at Amazon.com.

Upcoming: There are 6 volumes in the series, but it did not interest me enough to continue. This was not a bad manga, just not my cup of tea. You can find out all about this manga at the Tokyopop Cresent Moon page.

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Yeah… it’s that good!
Awesome artist Christen Kojnok is behind the sexy new look.
You can find out about her and see her beautiful work at:
http://christenkojnok.com/

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