Variety is reporting that Hasbro is suing DC to prevent them from using the name Bumblebee.  

Hasbro, owner of the Transformers brand, filed a lawsuit on Monday accusing Warner Bros. and DC Comics of trademark infringement. The suit claims that the DC “Bumblebee” — a teenage girl with the ability to shrink — could easily be confused with the Autobot “Bumblebee.”

Hasbro has a lot riding on the “Bumblebee” character, set to star in the first Transformers spinoff, which is due in theaters at Christmas 2018.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

• Yooke Laylee: Adobe Rant
• A Link To The Past: Beat Dat Boss!

Reviews

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

Huge news from Wizard World, Inc. today!
 

As the saying goes: “Nothing stays dead in comics.” Pop-Culture leader Wizard World, Inc. (OTCBB: WIZD) today announced the digital re-imagination, re-conception and re-launch of Wizard, as part of a new digital initiative which includes WizPop, a daily pop-culture news service reporting on the biggest stories of the day in pop-culture, entertainment, and fandom. WizPop will also feature a weekly round-table reviewing the relevant news of the week. Bridging video, editorial and convention operations, the revitalized Wizard digital initiatives will speak to fans worldwide in Wizard’s distinctive snarkily-smart voice.

These are sad and strange times we are living in. As the forces of unpatriotic fascism clash with the forces of unpatriotic fascism (and no, that is not a typographical error), resulting in a woman's death in Charlottesville, VA, people are lining up to take sides and throw blame.

Meanwhile, in the Twittersphere, the self-righteous lose their sense of self-awareness as they tweet from the safety of their keyboards. The most egregious instance of this occurred over the weekend when vlog-warrior Keith Olbermann, host of GQ Magazine's political web show, The Resistance, took issue with Omarosa Manigault, former contestant on Donald Trump's THE APPRENTICE reality show and current political aide in President Trump's administration.

Apparently not liking Omarosa's response to a question, the former sports analyst sent out the following tweet:

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

Hey Critical Blasters!

Last week I told you we'd have coverage from Dragon Con complete with cosplay pictures, live panel tweets, interviews and more. This week there's even more exciting news for con enthusiats who aren't able to attend.

Dragon Con has a new streaming service that allows you to catch the higlights of the con with a subscription based service right from your living room. And for those not familiar with Dragon Con TV, it's one of the best compilations of geek culture I've ever seen. There's panels, interviews, videos, and so much fandom awesomeness. Check out the press release below!

And don't forget to check out Critical Blast Labor Day weekend! I'm looking forward to filling all your social media streams with amazing things from Dragon Con!

JK Elison

Streaming Service Will Bring the Best of Dragon Con’s Panels, Costume Contests, and Other Events Directly To Your Device, Wherever, Whenever You Go  

He destroyed Tokyo almost a dozen times, but Godzilla, King of the Monsters, has finally succumbed to time.

Or, more precisely, the actor who marched in the rubber suit across scale models of cities, has passed.

Haruo Nakajima was a stuntman in 1954 when he first donned the reptilian hide -- which was not rubber in the beginning, but concrete and over 200 pounds! After the original release of GODZILLA (or GOJIRA if you're a true kaiju purist), Nakajima went on to play the nuclear lizard eleven more times, with the last being the 1972 creature feature, GODZILLA VS. GIGAN.

Nakajima studied the walking patterns of bears and elephants to develop the signature gait of Godzilla, and went on to appear in other monster movies. He also played a role in the equally classic SEVEN SAMURAI.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Bombshell of the Month – The Walking Farnsworth
 

Game Jab

August is the month when things traditionally heat up. Despite that, our August Bombshell, The Walking Farnsworth, exudes cool as he portrays some of the coolest customers in the comics continuum.

As a member of the Midwest cosplay group, Another Castle Creations, TWF makes cosplay a family affair, attending conventions with Mrs. The Walking Farnsworth and generally shaking up the Kansas convention circuit. His designs for Green Arrow, Doctor Strange are both highlighted here -- and how could we resist including a pose of Bruce Wayne -- from DC Comics' own BOMBSHELLS series? So let's get on with the show, shall we?

Critical Blast Bombshell, August 2017

The Walking Farnsworth

What is your interest in cosplay, and why do you do it?

Dragon Con is coming...

For those who aren't familiar with this convention, it's an ENORMOUS fan convention held in Atlanta every Labor Day weekend. I was lucky enough to attend my first Dragon Con in 2014. I had such a blast, checking out cosplay, browsing art and amazing vendors, attending panels and meeting so many cool people. And there's not a moment that's gone by, I haven't thought about how amazing Dragon Con was. I've been trying to get back ever since I left.

Here we are three years later and I'm FINALLY headed back. I couldn't be more excited to be emersed in this insane amount of fandom all over again.

Even better, I'm going to be sharing my experiences at Dragon Con with the readers of Critical Blast! There will be interviews, live tweeting, live streaming, AMAZING cosplay and so much more. Make sure you're following all of Critical Blast's social media streams to keep up with all the awesome things happening.

To encourage Americans to get outside for the 2017 solar eclipse, Hipcamp —a startup that creates new campsites by unlocking access to beautiful private lands such as nature preserves, farms, and ranches—is sharing 5 essential eclipse facts and 789 places to camp in the path of totality.

What did we talk about on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab
 

We'd love to tell you all about how freaking cool it is to see Richard Browning flying -- yes, you read that right, flying -- over the pavement in his homemade Iron Man suit at the San Diego Comic Con.

But we think you'd be much more impressed in seeing it for yourself. So for all you folks who couldn't make the SDCC scene this year, we present the following video so you can see it for yourselves.

He lives! He walks! He conquers! But best of all -- he flies!

Excelsior!

What did you miss on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

What did you miss on Critical Blast this week?

Game Jab

• Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion: We're Being Chased
• Mario Party 64: I'm A Dinosaur!

Reviews

What did you miss on Critical Blast this week?

July Bombshell of the Month - Kayley Marie

News

"He's going to get someone killed."

That was CNN contributor Ana Navarro's take on the fan-edited video of Donald Trump from WrestleMania (circa 2007), in which WWE head honcho Vince McMahon got clotheslined by The Donald in a guest appearance. In the edit, McMahon's face has been replaced by a CNN logo.

For the literal minded out there, this was a stunt. Also, there is no Mr. CNN running around out there with an animated CNN logo for a head. The guy in the Jack-in-the-Box commercials isn't real, either.

All imagery is by Rick Currier Photography (FB: Rick Currier Photography IG: @rickcurrier32)

Cosplay has come a long way -- but it still has a long way to go. If you don't believe me, witness the debut of this season's BIG BROTHER on CBS, where the admission of one of the houseguests, Ramses Soto, that he was a professional cosplayer was met with blank stares and crickets. (The silent message of derision from CBS did not go unnoticed.)

What did you miss on Critical Blast this week?

News