Ur W33K 1N G33K (May 3-9)2

by A.J. Focht

PlayStation fans around the globe continue to QQ over the extended absence of the PlayStation Network. While original reports stated the network would return this last week, they all proved to be filthy lies. Recent statements made by a spokesperson from the company suggest it might not return till the end month. Luckily for all the PlayStation fanboys and girls, this last week was packed with plenty of nerdy happenings to distract them from their enforced gaming sobriety.

Most notably, May 4th marked International Star Wars Day, chosen for the epic tagline “May the Fourth be with you.” Star Wars fans around the globe varied in their levels of celebration. The most hardcore enthusiasts paraded around as Jedi and Storm Troopers, while more casual fans tuned in to one of the several marathons running that day, and worldwide, geeks kept the topic trending on Twitter.

While May 4th may have been dedicated to a galaxy far, far away, the rest of the week was dedicated to comics. First our attention was turned to Asgard, home of the God of Thunder, Thor. Thor hit theaters as Thursday (Thor’s Day) came to a close and the Friday midnight showings commenced. But, most of the Thor fans got their fill early as they tuned in to the red carpet Thor premiere, hosted by Isaiah Mustafa (The Old Spice Man), on May 2nd.

Following the premiere, Thor praise went into overdrive as the movie took the box office by a storm, with an opening weekend of $66,000 (#55 most successful opening of all time). The number is nevertheless significantly lower than other super-hero franchise launches (such as Iron Man’s $98k opening weekend), but that doesn’t reflect on the movie’s quality, as it pulled several electrifying reviews and a coveted “Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

It wasn’t just the God of Thunder who made an impact on the genre scene this week. Netflix just made another huge acquisition, scoring the streaming rights to all of the Marvel animated series. Netflix plans to roll out the most recent stuff first, and several such chows are already available, including Spider-Man Unlimited. For those waiting on the amazing series from the early 90’s, your shows will be available mid-summer. As for the classic 60’s episodes, they’re scheduled to release in the fall.

On the other end of the super hero/television paradigm, it looks like Wonder Woman might not take flight this fall after all. The pilot is struggling to make the cut for the fall line up. Between the already scathing critics and the consistent decline in interest, the delayed start date may spell early disaster for the Amazon princess.

Wonder Woman isn’t the only hero to find trouble in Hollywood this week. The internet rumor-feed reports that production on Joss Whedon’s Avengers has halted after the theft of Samuel L. Jackson’s script. The rumors around the delayed production have been refuted, but several spoilers and leaks from the supposed script have made their way onto the internet. If you care to know more about them, Google them yourself, in the interest of keeping this post spoiler free.

The comic book week wrapped up on a good note as it closed with Free Comic Book Day, an annual event which happens on the first Saturday of May, during which comic shops around the country give out freebies. I hope you got yours.

Related Posts:
Ur W33K 1N G33K (April 25 – May 02)