Geek of Oz

This is not Scott Pilgrim. I have to be clear up front about this. Yes, it’s got the same writer and employs the same art style. Apart from that, little connects that series and this tale right here. If you came here for something even vaguely connected or reminiscent of that memorable run, try elsewhere. Oh, alright, there’s a reference to bread making you fat and a character reacting incredulously, but afterwards that’s it. Swear. Seconds is the first standalone graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley since 2003’s Lost at Sea. The book follows burgeoning restaurateur and professional smartarse Katie as she discovers her first restaurant is actually home to a strange blonde girl in thrift store clothing who offers her a magic mushroom (no, not that kind). Basically, if Katie ingests the mushroom, scribbles a mistake she’s made on a special pad and goes to sleep, she’ll wake the next morning to find the mistake altered and her past shifted in order to fit its absence. Natura...

To celebrate the release of Appleseed: Alpha on Blu Ray, DVD and Digital on July 31st, and thanks to our good friends at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we've got a handful of copies of Shinji Aramaki's Appleseed: Alpha on DVD to give away!  Appleseed: Alpha is an all-new, CGI-animated sci-fi action adventure based on the popular "Appleseed" franchise by the creator of Ghost In The Shell, Shirow Masamune, directed by Shinji Aramaki. The film is set in a post-World War society with two mercenary soldiers - Deunan and her cyborg partner Briareos – sent on a mission on the outskirts of their war-torn city. To be in the running to win a copy of Appleseed: Alpha on DVD all you have to do is fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by following us on Twitter or liking us on Facebook!  THIS COMPETITION HAS CLOSED E ntries close 11:59pm on Wednesday 6th August 2014. Your details will n...

How would you spend your final hours if you knew the world was facing certain annihilation? Perhaps entwined in a naked embrace with a lover, at the bottom of a bottle or snorting your way to blissful absentmindedness. I imagine we’d all like to think that we’d be with our loved ones, embracing our fates like adults. These Final Hours the latest film from Zak Hilditch superbly proposes what may become of our so-called ‘civilised’ society when the end is nigh … and it’s all a tad disturbing in the most gorgeously cinematic way possible. As the film opens the world is being devoured by a catastrophic event, with Australia approximately 12 hours away from complete destruction. We meet James (Nathan Phillips) and Zoe (Jessica De Gouw) mid-coitus, which sadly for Zoe leads to James declaring that he’d prefer to spend his final hours “getting fucked up” than being cooped up with Zoe awaiting the inevitable. It’s our first inclining that James may be a tad on the immature side. En...

Enduring Lucy is like sitting near an obnoxiously loud person who's spurting theories they believe are so clever but are painfully inane. Except for a few moments this film is a wall-to-wall disaster, which leads me to think that Luc Besson’s films just aren’t my cup of tea. I've seen a large swathe of his filmography so with absolutely no hesitation I can declare ... I'm out baby! Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) gets drawn into the shady world of Taiwanese drug dealers when she's tricked by her boyfriend Richard (Pilou Asbaek) to deliver a case to a ritzy hotel. Things go from bad to worse for poor old Lucy when the evil gangsters led by Mr Jang (Min-Sik Choi) sew the drugs into her lower intestine in order to turn her into a drug mule. After she is kicked in the stomach the drugs leak into her system, but these aren't any ordinary drugs ... no no no they are drugs which increase the brain's capacity exponentially and gives the recipient all sorts of groovy ...

When Marvel Studios first announced they would be making a film based on the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' comics, most of us weren't sure what to expect. Hell, most of us weren't even sure who the Guardians were, myself included. Marvel Studios may have taught us to love Iron Man, Captain America and even the vanilla Avenger himself, Thor, but these are all top tier characters that are an essential part of Marvel Universe cannon. The Guardians on the other hand are a bunch of space misfits with a talking raccoon. Throw in a loose cannon like director James Gunn (who I still haven't forgiven for Scooby Doo by the way) and fans start to get nervous. In short, Guardians of the Galaxy felt like a huge risk. Then that first trailer hit and geeks everywhere breathed a sigh of relief. The effects looked great, the humor hit the mark and the casting was spot on. But more importantly, it was obvious that Marvel Studios were in on the joke. They knew most cinema goer...

Brett Ratner’s Hercules may be big, dumb and predictable but it’s a hell of a fun ride. Given we’ve had several films (one of which was released earlier this year) and a television series to explore the hulking hero’s work, I was surprised to see yet another incarnation hit the big screen so soon. Luckily this version manages to put enough of a twist on the tale to warrant its existence. Having completed his twelve fabled tasks, Hercules roams the land as a sword-for-hire. He’s accompanied by a small band of warriors who not only fight by his side but more importantly help keep the ‘legend’ of Hercules alive and well, since it’s great for business. After years of fighting, Hercules is all set to retire, when he is lured into one final job, helping the King of Thrace quash an evil warlord. Hercules is forced to look deep into his soul and decide if he is the stuff of myth or legend … This film works primarily because it doesn't take itself too seriously. Too many b...

Thanks to our pals at Marvel, we've got 10x in-season double passes to see the upcoming blockbuster, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” finds space adventurer Peter Quill the object of a bounty hunt after stealing an orb coveted by a treacherous villain, but when Quill discovers the power it holds, he must find a way to rally the quartet of ragtag rivals hot on his trail to save the universe. In cinemas from August 7, Guardians of the Galaxy is probably comparable to The Avengers, but in space, and a million times more bad arse! To be in the running to win an in-season double pass to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy all you have to do is watch the trailer and fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on Twitter  or  liking us on Facebook! Www.FB.com/MarvelAUNZ Www.Twitter.com/MarvelAUNZ THIS COMPETITION HAS CLOSED E ntri...

Thanks to our friends at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, we've got something very, mucho grande special to give away.  To celebrate the release of Appleseed: Alpha on Blu Ray, DVD and Digital on July 31st, we've been given 2x pieces of concept art signed by the director of Appleseed: Alpha, Shinji Aramaki! Appleseed: Alpha is an all-new, CGI-animated sci-fi action adventure based on the popular "Appleseed" franchise by the creator of Ghost In The Shell, Shirow Masamune, directed by Shinji Aramaki and with music from the master of wub-wub, Skrillex. The film is set in a post-World War society with two mercenary soldiers - Deunan and her cyborg partner Briareos –  sent on a mission on the outskirts of their war-torn city. To be in the running to win one of these awesome pieces of art all you have to do is watch the trailer and fill out the form at the bottom of this page.  Don't forget, you can get yourself a bonus entry just by  following us on T...

So, as you probably didn't notice, there was no Image-ine All the Reviews for last weeks books. Unfortunately, this little thing known as 'real life' occasionally prevents us from spending all our time writing about comics and wishing we had a cool sidekick, and a  skin-tight  leather costume (well maybe that last one's just me). Anyway without further  adieu,  feast your eyes on this weeks tasty books from Image - Christof RED CITY #2 Witten by: Daniel Corey Art by: Mark Dos Santos Chris:  I feel like Red City ’s really trying to be more than it is in some places. There’s clear evidence of a complex, multi-faceted universe replete with political machinations and a host of interesting alien species. It’s the kind of vast, deep setting that a great sci-fi writer like J. Michael Straczynski or Iain Banks could make a good story out of. Unfortunately for Red City , both its story and universe are not good. Where once was an attempt at...

With under a month to go we thought that it was a good time to revisit all of the announcements from this years Sydney Manga and Anime Show (SMASH!). There really is something for everyone at this years show including some absolutely fantastic international stars! Taking place at Rosehill Gardens on August 9 and 10, this years SMASH! is promising to be bigger than ever. Not only is this years show taking place over 2 days, but it will also deliver their largest vendor hall ever with over 170 stalls showcasing merchandise, art and food.  SMASH! President Ray Elinon has promised double the panels, workshops and events than previous years. There's something for all areas of anime fandom with fans able to flaunt their cosplay skills on the main stage, grab a meal at the Maid Cafe, buy art and merch, take part in comps, build their own Gundam, and learn about voice acting and anime direction from superstar international guests. -GUESTS- Toshihiro Kawa...

Need something to tide you over until the release of Attack on Titan collection 2, maybe something a little less gruesome? Grab yourself a copy of Blue Exorcist: The Movie for some light-hearted, gorgeously animated fun. We head back to the angelic surroundings of True Cross Academy, where Rin and the gang are still training to become fully fledged exorcists. Preparations for a traditional festival are interrupted by a phantom train (I'm pretty sure CityRail has those!) leaving Rin, Yukio and Shiemi to sort things out. Of course, Rin does more harm than good, albeit through the best of intentions, and winds up babysitting the cutest little demon you've ever seen. Blue Exorcist has been one of my absolute favourite series of the last few years. Both the manga and subsequent anime series have been top notch in terms of both story and visuals so it should be no surprise that the movie is every bit as fantastic. Capturing the general aesthetic of Kazue Kato's source mat...