Added: 02.07.2015 0:06 | 2 views | 0 comments

FreakAngels by Warren Ellis

The popular webcomic is now available in six paperback volumes stuffed to the brim with psychics, steampunks, and planetary disaster: just the thrilling sort of stuff to liven up any summer beach read bag. Buy the whole set and study up on your pyrokinesis before you fire up that grill. (Photo: Avatar Press)

Black Hole by Charles Burns

This graphic novel found a new audience after it appeared in last year's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Black Hole takes place in a nightmare alternate Seattle, where teenagers mutate into classic B-movie monsters after catching a disease. It's a surprisingly intense read that'll keep you creeped out long after you finish. (Photo: Pantheon)

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud

Scott McCloud may be most famous for his instructional books on creating comics. Now you can see his principles in action in a very weird tale about a sculptor who makes a deal with death to gain inhuman artistic capabilities. It's one of the most peculiar superpowers we've ever seen illustrated. (Photo: First Second)

Just So Happens by Fumio Obata

A young woman living in London returns home to Tokyo after she learns of her father's death. This is a thoughtful story about immigration, grief, and making tough choices. If you're looking for something outside of the box, this is your sure bet. (Photo: Harry N. Abrams)

Celeste by I. N. J. Culbard

When you're ready for a dose of epic, intelligent sci-fi, you'll want to pick up the latest creation from I. N. J. Culbard, famous for his work on Sherlock Holmes. Celeste explores the end of the world from the viewpoint of the few people left to experience it. Think Last Man on Earth mixed with 2001 and you're halfway there. (Photo: SelfMadeHero)

This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki

The cousin team-up that brought us the exceptional graphic novel Skim joins forces once again for an incredible coming-of-age story. Set during the summer at a lakeside cottage, This One Summer details, with a touching sense of sadness, the friendship of two girls. (Photo: First Second)

MW by Osamu Tezuka

The Japanese godfather of Manga, Osamu Tezuka, has a reputation for going for the jugular in his stories, and MW is no exception. In what's probably his darkest work, Osamu tells the tale of Michio, a disturbing young psychopath who enjoys cruelty. You'll need an appetite for something revolting and revolutionary to read this one, but you'll be rewarded if you can stick it out. (Photo: Vertical)

Strangers in Paradise by Terry Moore

This is another graphic novel series for your classics shelf. First serialized in 1993, Strangers in Paradise is now available in six paperbacks perfect for traveling. Jump in and discover why this love-triangle thriller remains a fan favorite. (Photo: Abstract Studio)

The Motherless Oven by Rob Davis

A world that rains knives and has no birthdays sounds like an awful place to live, but it's a wonderfully surreal place to visit in this new graphic novel by Rob Davis. If your teenage years were bizarre, brooding and impenetrable, you'll feel right at home. (Photo: SelfMadeHero)

Pluto by Naoki Urasawa

Astro Boy holds a prominent place in the pantheon of important Japanese manga, which makes Naoki Urasawa's bold retelling of the story all the more impressive. Pluto's blending of a classic Japanese style with hard-edged, Philip K. Dick-inspired cyberpunk produces amazing results. (Photo: VIZ Media)

The Graphic Canon Vol. 3 (Edited by Russ Kick)

The Graphic Canon has lived up to its editor's huge ambitions of publishing an omnibus of classic world literature in comic form. It's a great way to introduce yourself to the important works of literature humans have created, combined with unique interpretations by dozens of the world's greatest illustrators. Volume 3 includes contemporary writers like Thomas Pynchon and David Foster Wallace, a highbrow/lowbrow combo the authors themselves would surely appreciate. (Photo: Seven Stories Press)

Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid On Earth by Chris Ware

In many ways Jimmy Corrigan put alternative comics and graphic novels on the critical map, with the New Yorker calling it "the first formal masterpiece of the medium." Jimmy Corrigan is a tragic, and at times hilariously awkward, story of father-son relations and the ways we negotiate identities in a complicated world. It's time to finally check it off your list! (Photo: Pantheon)

Over Easy by Mimi Pond

Anyone who's wound up hungover in a California diner will find this nostalgic send up of dropouts, punks, and artists entertaining. It's a smart memoir that feels like a more warm-hearted and witty version of Inherent Vice. (Photo: Drawn and Quarterly)

Safe Area Goražde by Joe Sacco

Joe Sacco is a war reporter on a mission: to humanize complex foreign conflicts and bring them to life in comic form. With the rigor of a journalist and the empathy of an artist, Joe makes the Bosnian War feel as if it happened to your friends. The book is an unmissable achievement. (Photo: Fantagraphics)

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle

Before the worldwide controversy over Seth Rogen and James Franco's The Interview, this book opened a window into the secretive country of North Korea. This is an eye-opening journey through the author's job as an animator under the rule of Kim Jong-il. A movie version was even in the works, but Fox pulled the plug after last year's threats over The Interview. Now you can read the story that was too dangerous to show. (Photo: Drawn and Quarterly)

Added: 30.06.2015 17:00 | 21 views | 0 comments


Prepare for an adventure of enormously tiny proportions! Our latest pinball collaboration with Marvel will showcase their upcoming film, Marvel’s Ant-Man, only in theaters July 17th! Assume the role of Scott Lang, master thief turned Super Hero, as he fights to save the world on a microscopic level. The Marvel’s Ant-Man table will be available for Zen Pinball 2 on PS3, PS Vita and PS4 on July 15th! Just remember to purchase on PS3 or PS Vita and import to PS4 to play on all three systems.

Added: 30.06.2015 4:16 | 5 views | 0 comments


HSR looks at what the third episode of Tales from the Borderlands and finds the pinnacle episode in the series.

Added: 29.06.2015 20:29 | 1 views | 0 comments


A humorous platformer featuring guinea pigs in space

Added: 27.06.2015 0:25 | 14 views | 0 comments

Video Games: Hollywood

With the release of the Adam Sandler movie Pixels, video games will once again come to life on the big screen. Games haven't always had the easiest transition to cinema, but there's plenty of good stuff for fans of the medium to watch. (Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters (Average Critic Score: 85.5)

Ecstasy of Order follows Tetris lover Robin Mihara as he tries to find the top players of the game. With incredible storytelling and a phenomenal soundtrack, the 2011 documentary won the Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Austin Film Festival. (Photo credit: Reclusion Films)

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Metacritic Score: 83)

The documentary tracks Steve Wiebe's quest to beat Billy Mitchell's 25-year high-score record in Donkey Kong. Chock-full of classic games, plus a few real-life heroes and villains, King of Kong is a must-see for fans. (Photo credit: Picturehouse)

The Lego Movie (Metacritic Score: 83)

Lego's, of course, started as a toy, but it's evolved into a booming video game franchise. The 2014 Lego Movie brings some of your favorite block-sized characters to life. From Batman to Gandalf to Superman, everything is fun, imaginative and awesome! (Photo credit: Warner Bros.)

Free to Play: The Movie (Average Critic Score: 82)

The 2014 documentary chronicles three Dota 2 gamers as they play The International 2011 tournament. Love eSports or hate them, you'll love the trials gamers go through to be professionals. Spoiler alert: Don't miss out on a great NBA cameo in the film too!

WarGames (Average Critic Score: 81.5)

Starring as a high school slacker, Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) hacks into a computer called Joshua and, by accident, almost starts World War III. Broderick's David Lightman must outsmart the supercomputer before it's too late. (Photo credit: MGM)

Minecraft: The Story of Mojang (Average Critic Score: 81.5)

Funded through Kickstarter, the documentary illustrates the creation and success of the incredibly popular open-world game. Whether you're a fan of the game or a future indie developer, The Story of Mojang will inspire your creative juices. Distributor 2 Player Productions released the documentary via XBox Live and the torrent site Pirate Bay. (Photo credit: 2 Player Productions)

Tron (Average Critic Score: 75.3)

The original Tron saw Jeff Bridges in the role of Kevin Flynn, a man forced to enter a virtual gaming platform by an AI named Master Control. In 1982, Disney released a companion arcade game with the original movie release. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Wreck-It Ralph (Metacritic Score: 72)

Wreck-It Ralph yearns to evolve from villain to hero, and he enters a new video game to make that happen. The only problem: Ralph accidentally unleashes a super bad guy that endangers everything. Incredibly fun set pieces along with a retro-gaming look makes this an entertaining watch for all ages. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

The Last Starfighter (Average Critic Score: 71.5)

Outshone by films like Star Wars, The Last Starfighter brings to life two things we all love: video games and space. After attaining the high score in Starfighter, Alex Rogan is recruited by the game's creator to pilot a ship in an intergalactic war. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (Metacritic Score: 69)

Michael Cera (Superbad, Arrested Development) stars as Scott Pilgrim, a nerdy drummer in the garage band Sex Bob-omb. Pilgrim falls for Ramona Flowers, but he must defeat her seven evil exes to win her heart. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film uses classic game tropes along with an engaging visual style to tell the story. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Tron: Legacy (Metacritic Score: 49)

The long-gestating sequel to Tron finally arrived in 2011. Jeff Bridges reprised his role as Kevin Flynn, whose son, Sam, must now enter the Grid. Tron's visuals and the incredible Daft Punk soundtrack made the sequel fun for fans old and new. (Photo credit: Disney)

Grandma's Boy (Metacritic Score: 33)

Allen Covert (any Adam Sandler movie) plays Alex, a video game programmer in this stoner-movie classic. The cast is filled with hilarious folks like Nick Swardson, Jonah Hill and, of course, Linda Cardellini doing her best rendition of Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." (Photo credit: 20th Century Fox).

Added: 27.06.2015 0:25 | 12 views | 0 comments

Video Games: Hollywood

With the release of the Adam Sandler movie Pixels, video games will once again come to life on the big screen. Games haven't always had the easiest transition to cinema, but there's plenty of good stuff for fans of the medium to watch. (Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters (Average Critic Score: 85.5)

Ecstasy of Order follows Tetris lover Robin Mihara as he tries to find the top players of the game. With incredible storytelling and a phenomenal soundtrack, the 2011 documentary won the Audience Award for Documentary Feature at the Austin Film Festival. (Photo credit: Reclusion Films)

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Metacritic Score: 83)

The documentary tracks Steve Wiebe's quest to beat Billy Mitchell's 25-year high-score record in Donkey Kong. Chock-full of classic games, plus a few real-life heroes and villains, King of Kong is a must-see for fans. (Photo credit: Picturehouse)

The Lego Movie (Metacritic Score: 83)

Lego's, of course, started as a toy, but it's evolved into a booming video game franchise. The 2014 Lego Movie brings some of your favorite block-sized characters to life. From Batman to Gandalf to Superman, everything is fun, imaginative and awesome! (Photo credit: Warner Bros.)

Free to Play: The Movie (Average Critic Score: 82)

The 2014 documentary chronicles three Dota 2 gamers as they play The International 2011 tournament. Love eSports or hate them, you'll love the trials gamers go through to be professionals. Spoiler alert: Don't miss out on a great NBA cameo in the film too!

WarGames (Average Critic Score: 81.5)

Starring as a high school slacker, Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) hacks into a computer called Joshua and, by accident, almost starts World War III. Broderick's David Lightman must outsmart the supercomputer before it's too late. (Photo credit: MGM)

Minecraft: The Story of Mojang (Average Critic Score: 81.5)

Funded through Kickstarter, the documentary illustrates the creation and success of the incredibly popular open-world game. Whether you're a fan of the game or a future indie developer, The Story of Mojang will inspire your creative juices. Distributor 2 Player Productions released the documentary via XBox Live and the torrent site Pirate Bay. (Photo credit: 2 Player Productions)

Tron (Average Critic Score: 75.3)

The original Tron saw Jeff Bridges in the role of Kevin Flynn, a man forced to enter a virtual gaming platform by an AI named Master Control. In 1982, Disney released a companion arcade game with the original movie release. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Wreck-It Ralph (Metacritic Score: 72)

Wreck-It Ralph yearns to evolve from villain to hero, and he enters a new video game to make that happen. The only problem: Ralph accidentally unleashes a super bad guy that endangers everything. Incredibly fun set pieces along with a retro-gaming look makes this an entertaining watch for all ages. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

The Last Starfighter (Average Critic Score: 71.5)

Outshone by films like Star Wars, The Last Starfighter brings to life two things we all love: video games and space. After attaining the high score in Starfighter, Alex Rogan is recruited by the game's creator to pilot a ship in an intergalactic war. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (Metacritic Score: 69)

Michael Cera (Superbad, Arrested Development) stars as Scott Pilgrim, a nerdy drummer in the garage band Sex Bob-omb. Pilgrim falls for Ramona Flowers, but he must defeat her seven evil exes to win her heart. Directed by Edgar Wright, the film uses classic game tropes along with an engaging visual style to tell the story. (Photo credit: Comic Vine)

Tron: Legacy (Metacritic Score: 49)

The long-gestating sequel to Tron finally arrived in 2011. Jeff Bridges reprised his role as Kevin Flynn, whose son, Sam, must now enter the Grid. Tron's visuals and the incredible Daft Punk soundtrack made the sequel fun for fans old and new. (Photo credit: Disney)

Grandma's Boy (Metacritic Score: 33)

Allen Covert (any Adam Sandler movie) plays Alex, a video game programmer in this stoner-movie classic. The cast is filled with hilarious folks like Nick Swardson, Jonah Hill and, of course, Linda Cardellini doing her best rendition of Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It." (Photo credit: 20th Century Fox).