Thank You - We can't say it enough!

What is life without purpose? We all need to feel like we belong, like we matter.

I believe that with the support of our family, friends and loved ones we create our own individual purpose in life - and over the past twelve months with your help I've done exactly that.

So from the bottom of my heart thank you.

I've spent the past few days reflecting on the year that was 2017 and where it has taken CanGeek Games and Collectbales, and I'm more then pleased with the accomplishments, the leaps and bounds in which we've seen our business and our online communities grow - and this is all thanks to you and your support.

A little over two years ago I saw my departure from EB Games Canada, a company I worked at for seven years, in a job that for the most part I enjoyed.  Feeling both bitter and hurt I took my lifelong love of board games and video games, combined that passion with my passion for television, film, and collectables and decided to seek self-employment - CanGeek was born and I've never looked back!

Over the past two years we've grown from a concept into a fully licensed and legally registered Canadian company.  We've setup an online store that is accessible through both our website and our Facebook page,, we're active on Blogger, Instagram, Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube as well as our new podcasts on Anchor.fm

Although we need to work on consistency, we are growing and doing much better then I had ever dreamed possible - Again this is all thanks to you.

We have proudly participated as vendors at shows including the GTA Collectibles Expo, the very first Peterborough Comic-Con, the Burlington ToyCon, The Barrie Comic-Con, The Oakville Comic-Con and most recently the East End Expo.

We have been blessed to meet new people, make new friends, send people home with quality games and collectables, and watch our business and our brand develop and grow - Again this is all thanks to you.

Without you our family, our friends, our customers, and our CanGeek community members we wouldn't be able to do the things we do.  We wouldn't be able to share our passion for board games and video games, television and film or toys and collectables with you.

So I cannot say this enough:

- Thank You for your support.
- Thank You for standing by us.
- Thank You for making 2017 such a fantastic year.
- Thank You for giving me hope for the future that is 2018.

On behalf of both Christiane and myself, we wish you nothing but health, success and happiness for 2018, and once again we honestly and truthfully appreciate the support you continue to give us, you represent our purpose as we continue to grown CanGeek Games and Collectables.

Thanks again,

Scott Gasson
Managing Partner
CanGeek Games and Collectables

Before the dark times.

For over a thousand generations the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic, before the dark times...

Although the Toronto Saber battle has been going on for sometime now I only discovered it three years ago, or maybe I only built up the nerve to attend for the first time three years ago.

My first year attending involved myself and my then nine year old son and it was fantastic!  Being surrounded by like-minded fans who, armed with glowing swords, helped brighten the dark night sky with fun, enthusiasm and laughter.  

It was a evening that words can barely hope to describe.

Come the following October, having listened to my son and I sing its praises for a year, my wife and my eldest son decided to join in on the fun for the 2016 Toronto Glow Sword Battle!  And once again, by the time the evening had come to an end we were all talking about how we couldn't wait for next years event.

Fortunately that time has once again arrived with Saber Battle 2017 taking place tomorrow night, Saturday October 7th, at Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square.  Unfortunately this will also be a sobering event with the organizers announcement that this will be the final Saber Battle in Toronto.

From a fan who has enjoyed each of these events, thank you to newmindspace for all your hard work and effort in bringing a community of fans together to celebrate their shared love of Star Wars. Much like the warriors who have helped to brighten the October night sky, you have in some way brightened the lives of all those fortunate enough to participate in this gathering.

On behalf of the small team that makes up CanGeek.com, I can't recommend enough that if your reading this, you make the effort to go out and get involved in tomorrow night's event. As it draws to a close it will be sad, like saying a final goodbye to an old friend, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Thanks for reading.

Is the USS Discovery controlled by section thirty-one?

I've always felt like Section thirty-one is highly under utilized in the Star Trek Universe, but maybe that's about to change.

This past Sunday was make or break day for me with Star Trek: Discovery, having watched the series premiere I was left feeling a sense of hopelessness and concern with the direction this new series was taking. Last week I blogged that this was not the Star Trek of my youth, and at the time that seemed like a negative, but not so much anymore because context is for kings!

From the Battlestar Galactica reboot to Babylon 5, I've always enjoyed my science fiction a little on the dark side, maybe that's why Star Trek appealed to me because it was a shining light at the end of a very dark tunnel. This would also help to explain my initial reaction to this much darker take on the universe that Gene Roddenberry created.

However with the introduction of the Discovery and Captain Lorca, my outlook began to change, because Jason Issacs is a master at portraying dark and evil characters - and make no mistake about it the character of Lorca screams section thirty-one! 

Michael Burnham was on her way to a Federation penal colony to serve a life sentence for her actions aboard the USS Shenzhau, however her shuttle was intercepted by the Discovery because Lorca had need of her expertise. Burnham was once again assisting with what can only be assumed to be top secret research, and taking part in an away mission to recover critical data to that research.

Once the away mission had concluded Burnham was offered the opportunity to remain on Discovery by Lorca, who then sent the shuttle and its three other passengers on their way to their final destination - or did he?

Could it be that Starfleet is unaware of Michael Burnham's presence on the USS Discovery? At the beginning of the episode when the shuttles pilot was lost to the darkness of space no further mention was made of it. Assuming that Captain Lorca is indeed section thirty-one then he would do whatever he felt necessary to achieve his goals, such as destroying a transport shuttle so that its occupants are perceived deceased.

And with the transport of a hostel life form to the Discovery by her chief of security is it safe to assume that Lorca is not the only section thirty-one operative on board, or could the USS Discovery be a black ops vessel fully maned and controlled by section thirty-one?

I said it before, this is NOT the Star Trek of my youth, and now I'm realizing that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm beginning to enjoy the direction this series seems to be taking and I look forward to seeing just how far down the rabbit hole the shows production team is willing to go.

Follow us at cangeek.com.

What's Next For Designated Survivor?

I generally try to avoid political dramas as a form of entertainment, with so much happening in the "Real World" I need not look any further than the six o'clock news if I want to become both disgusted and depressed. 

With that fact in mind I have never watched House of Cards or The West Wing, although many friends and family members have regularly recommended these shows to me. 

But there was something different about Designated Survivor, it was obvious from the beginning that this was not going to be your typical political drama. This story was going to focus on a conspiracy of epic proportions, one which would bring a nation to its knees as a government was dismantled and a man with no political ambitions was thrust into the most demanding role in the world.

This looked like a series that I could get behind, plus it starred Kiefer Sutherland so how could you really go wrong?

The first season didn't disappoint. 

As the designated survivor Sutherland's character Tom Kirkman was flung into the presidency when a homegrown terrorist attack leveled Washington's Capital Building and eliminated the bulk of the United States Government during the State Of The Union address.   

Kirkman would immediately be faced with many challenges, transitioning his family to the White House, navigating the minefield that is a political life in Washington, restoring the trust of a demoralized nation, and bringing those responsible for this attack to justice.

This did not feel like your typical political drama, and by the time season one drew to a close I was already eagerly anticipating season two and the journey that the writers would continue to take us on. 

That wait came to an end last night as season two began with a giant leap forward!

It has been a year since the events that began the series transpired, the Kirkman administration has rebuilt that which was destroyed at a considerable expense, the wealthy ringleader behind the attack has been identified and is now on the run, and the American people have begun to lose faith in Tom Kirkman and his ability to lead.

Last nights episode found the States being drawn into a conflict between Russia and Chechnya with American civilians being used as leverage, but as the episode concluded it saw Patrick Lloyd, the terrorist leader played by Terry Serpico sneaking back into Washington D.C.

The return of Lloyd to Washington is in my opinion the catalyst that will propel season two forward. Because at its core it is this homegrown conflict that made season one so enjoyable, and it is that same tension that the shows producers will need in order to not only have a successful second season but to also hopefully be renewed for a third season as well.

Are you watching Designated Survivor?  If so, let us know in the comments below what your hopes are for season two and please remember to follow us on social media via our website at cangeek.com

Kingsman: What the F#CK is Alpha Gel???

This past Saturday, in between getting ready for CanGeek's participation in the Peterborough Comic-Con, my wife and I darted into a theater to see Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

I've quite regularly stated that beyond Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the first Kingsman film was one of my favorite movies of 2015, so I've been eagerly anticipating the release of this sequel for what feels like a lifetime now.

Generally speaking The Golden Circle was a decent followup film, there are however two points that bothered me, and at the top of that list is the return of Harry Hart played by Colin Firth. When I first heard that Firth would return for this sequel I was both joyful and confused, usually when someone is shot in the head at point-blank range they don't get a do-over,

But hey this is Hollywood so anything is possible, right?

Once they brought Harry into the story-line, it was explained that The Statesmen, the American cousins to the Kingsmen had developed this substance known as Alpha Gel. When injected post-gunshot through a victims ears, Alpha Gel builds a protective layer around the brain while nanobots internally dissolve the bullet - so this Alpha Gel stuff is basically magic and that is where my first issue with this film begins. 

Now I know that movies are not generally realistic but somethings are much harder to believe then others, for example had the writers explained Harts return through the use of cloning, that would have been much easier to accept then a magic gel that protects you from head trauma. It's not bad enough that they used this explanation once, but they killed off another character in a similar manor and then brought them back later in the film to further develop what felt like an unnecessary story arc.

My second issue with this film is simply that it felt too busy, there was so much "Star Power" in this film that it felt like they were coming up with any reason for characters to interact as a means to ensure that each actor or actress had their fair share of screen time.

One standout among all this star power was Julianne Moore as the films villain, this lady has playing a sociopath down to a science, she was a fantastic followup to Samuel L. Jackson in the first film.

However having said that, I think what made the first Kingsman film such a success is what they missed with this second film. You had a fluid story that moved forward quickly, it didn't feel like you had to have a road map to keep up with the story-line. That's not to say that you can't follow this story, but you do need to pay much more attention to keep up with all the jumping around that takes place in this movie.

I enjoyed this film, all be it not as much as the first one, and on a rating scale out of ten I'd  give this sequel a solid eight! Lets just hope that by the time a third film comes out the production staff re-watch the first movie and find their way back home.

Please remember to follow us on social media via cangeek.com

Star Trek: It has always been about hope!

I found myself feeling hopeless on Sunday night....

When it was announced that Star Trek was making its long awaited return in 2015 I was ecstatic, it had been almost a decade since production wrapped on Enterprise and I needed something to look forward to, to be hopeful for.

Whither it be James T Kirk engaged in mortal combat with Khan, Jean-Luc Picard defending the Federation against a Borg invasion, Benjamin Sisko protecting the Alpha Quadrant against the Dominion, Jonathan Archer helping to lay the foundation of Starfleet or Kathryn Janeway attempting to bring her crew home, Star Trek has always been about hope.  

However by the time the two hour series premier of Star Trek Discovery had concluded I was not left with a feeling of hope, but rather a feeling of hopelessness - this was not the Star Trek I had grownup with.

Discovery has a much different feeling to it, a very dark and hopeless feeling. 

Set roughly a decade before the events of the original series, Discovery begins with a confrontation between Starfleet and a fractured Klingon Empire. The Klingon's have been absent for almost one hounded years, other then popping up every now and again to kill colonists as a reminder that they are still out there - and that's how we meet our main character Michael Burnham.

Burnham is orphaned during one such raid and is adopted by Spock's father Sarek. Sarek places Burnham in the Vulcan Science Academy, and once her education is complete he logically returns her to the human race by placing her aboard the USS Shenzhou under the command of captain Philippa Georgiou.

It is during her service as the Shenzhou's first officer that Burnham sparks a war between the Federation and Klingon Empire, betrays her shipmates, and ultimately causes the death of her captain before facing a court-martial and being imprisoned for life.

Star Trek has always been about hope, but the premier of Discovery left me feeling hopeless.

As we look forward to next weeks episode it's fair to assume that Burnham will somehow evade her life sentence and once again find her way onto the bridge of a Starship. 

However in a series that opened with so much aggression and has already killed off what was believed to be a central character, this show feels like it is tapping the darkness that is the Kelven timeline as opposed to the hopefulness that was always just beneath the surface in the original timeline. 

With that in mind I can't help but wonder if Star Trek Discovery will be the CBS All Access attempt at Game of Thrones in space, only time will tell but here's hoping that the shows helmsmen sets a course in the right direction in the weeks to come.

Because Star Trek has always been about hope.

Is Star Wars in critical condition?

Is it just me or does Lucasfilm seem to be going through directors almost as fast as the Empire goes through Death Stars? It was confirmed yesterday via starwars.com that the production company had parted ways with Colin Trevorrow, the director of Star Wars episode IX.

According to the statement:

"Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon."

This however is not the first time this has happened.  Earlier this year Chris Miller and Phil Lord were also replaced on the set of the super-secret Han Solo prequel film.  At the time a similar statement was released which stated:

"Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are talented filmmakers who have assembled an incredible cast and crew, but it's become clear that we had different creative visions on this film, and we've decided to part ways. A new director will be announced soon"

And within a matter of days Lucasfilm did indeed announce that Ron Howard would take over as director of that film.

Rumors have already begun to circulate with names like Rian Johnson & J.J. Abrams being suggested as Trevorrow's replacement.  However the real question here is whither or not the Star Wars franchise is in critical condition?  Could it be that with plans to release a film every year for the foreseeable future that Disney has over extended their own creative vision?  Have they set the bar so high that no one director or team or directors could hope to live up-to that vision?

Only time will tell, but it gives fans something to consider as we prepare for the release of The Last Jedi on December the fifteenth.

A Batman Beyond movie? Yes Please!

So much can change in so little time!

Just over a week ago we were talking about the on-going rumors that Ben Affleck was looking to separate himself from the DC Extended Universe, now Comicbookmovie.com is reporting that together with Matt Reeves, Affleck has signed on for three more movies INCLUDING the transition of Batman: Beyond to the big screen!

The sight has reported that:

"According to a Warner Bros. source Ben Affleck has signed on to appear as the Batman in Matt Reeves Trilogy.  Affleck will play the Dark Knight for three more films, with the last leading into a Batman Beyond film, which will also lead to the next phase of the DC Extended Universe."

With this being an unconfirmed rumor all we can do is hope, well that and try to figure out who the best person to play Terry McGinnis might be.

Let us know what you think in the comments below and remember to follow us at cangeek.com, thanks for reading. 

Star Trek Discovery: Why the Klingons look so.....different!

When CBS announced a new Star Trek series in November of 2015 I was thrilled!  This would be the first new series since the conclusion of Star Trek: Enterprise on May 13th, 2005 - that's over a decade without boldly exploring new frontiers in a prime time television slot!

With the announcement of this new endeavor fans were left with a multitude of questions. Would this be set in the timeline of the original series? Would this be set in the alternate reality of the Star Trek Kelvin timeline? Who would the central characters be? How much would this new series change the Star Trek cannon?

Over the last twenty-one months fans have learned a great deal about some of the changes, but ahead of Star Trek: Discovery's premiere in September, I wanted to address the change that many fans are having difficulty with - The Klingons!

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, new show-runner Aaron Harberts stated that "In the different versions of Trek, the Klingons have never been completely consistent, we will introduce several different houses with different styles. Hopefully fans will become more invested in the characters than worried about the redesign" he would then go onto say that not only was original show-runner Bryan Fuller supportive of the change but that he had also played a hand in the redesign of the warriors with the ridged-heads.

There is an assumption that series writers will use the Klingon Augment Virus to explain these physical changes, with the virus being a strain of the Levodian Flu which was created by Klingon researchers who were attempting to bio-engineer enhanced warriors.

However as a fan I'm having a difficult time accepting this new design - I long for the days when one of the Federations greatest warrior races appeared through the flames of battle looking like this:

Do you agree?  Let me know in the comments below and watch for the debut of Star Trek: Discovery as it warps into prime time on September 24th.

Thanks for reading, follow us at cangeek.com

Ernest Gary Gygax: his legacy of adventures and storytelling

An elf, a warrior, A mage and a thief enter a dungeon....

It sounds like an introduction to what might be a really bad joke, but it's a scenario that has played out countless times over the course of the past 43 years, at its core it's what Dungeons & Dragons is all about.

As Role-playing games go Dungeons & Dragons is basically the grandfather of them all, with most RPG's being able to trace their roots back, at least in part to D&D.

You begin by creating a player-character (PC), you define this character by picking your name, race, gender, class, attributes and abilities - then the fun REALLY begins as your Dungeon Master (DM) leads you and your fellow players on a grand adventure!

Because at its core Dungeons & Dragons is all about the adventure and the storytelling!

However had it not been for E. Gary Gygax, who is widely considered the father of D&D, then Role-players the world over would not have the benefit of traveling to multiple mystical lands, raiding and looting various dungeons, doing battle with fearsome creatures, and welding artifacts with powers beyond their wildest imaginations!

As a gamer at heart Gygax had been an avid war-gamer and creator of multiple war-gaming organizations throughout the 1960's - as well as the founder of the Gen Con Gaming Convention.  As a game designer Gygax helped create Chainmail, a medieval miniatures war-game in 1971.  Two years later Gygax would co-found Tactical Studies Rules (TSR)  with childhood friend Don Kaye, and would co-create Dungeons & Dragons: First Edition with game designer Dave Arneson the following year.

That same year Gygax would found The Dragon, a magazine designed to further promote the newly created D&D gaming system.  Four years later Gygax would begin working on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, an update to the D&D gaming system which would include pre-packaged adventure modules giving Dungeon Masters a rough script to lead their adventures with.

Gygax would leave TSR in 1985 over issues with the companies new majority owner, but he would continue to develop games such as Dangerous Journeys and Lejendary Adventure independently up until his death in March of 2008.

Had it not been for the passion and dedication that Gary Gygax had for his craft, many a friendship may not have been forged - So on what would have been his 79th birthday, the small team that is CanGeek Games and Collectables would like to say thank you sir, and may you dine with the Gods this eve.

Ben is STILL the Batman!

Actor Ben Affleck took time to address rumors of his immanent departure while promoting the upcoming Justice League movie this past weekend at San Diego Comic-Con.

"Let me be very clear. I am the luckiest guy in the world, Batman in the coolest part of any universe -- DC, Marvel. It's incredible... I'm so thrilled to do it.  I know that there was a misconception that because I didn't direct it that I wasn't enthusiastic about it, but its fucking amazing, and I still can't believe I've done two films and have this great history with this studio"

Addressing his decision to vacate the directors chair and working with War For The Planet Of The Apes director Matt Reeves, Affleck told moderator Chris Hardwick:

"I would be an ape on the ground for Matt Reeves -- never-mind being Batman, so I'm really blown away and excited, and it's a great time time in the DC Universe."

With "The Batman" script going through a literal re-write there is no official release date for the stand-alone film, but all eyes will be on Affleck's Batman when he returns as part of the Justice League on November the 16th.

Stephen Amell is a real life superhero!

Actor Stephen Amell has once again proven himself to be a real life hero, this after a question and answer season at this past weekends San Diego Comic-Con.

A young fan who identified herself as Sarah asked if the CW star would once again be promoting his F-Cancer shirts, as she herself was currently battling the disease.  Amell responded to the question then invited the young lady to the stage where he presented her with a custom made Arrow necklace from around his neck - explaining that she could return it to him at next years show.

Amell has been a strong advocate for cancer research, having told The Hollywood Reporter in 2014:

"My mom was going through chemotherapy in April of 2012 and she and I just took a photo outside of a bar in Toronto when I was visiting. I was just giving the middle finger to the camera - representing F--- Cancer. At the time I didn't know there was a charity called F---Cancer. They got in touch via Twitter and we've been working together ever since."

A hero is defined as:

"a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities"

In my opinion this genuine gesture has once again proven Amells nobility, and has solidified his standing as a real life superhero!

Well done Sir!

:

Ragnarok and Infinity War: What is the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Although this is speculation taken from the leaked Infinity War trailer and an interview with Mark Ruffalo, beware of possible SPOILERS ahead....

One thing I really love about the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, like the threads of a spiderweb, they do a fantastic job of connecting their story-lines together from one film to the next.

With that in mind I can't help but think that there was a reason Disney and Marvel decided NOT to release the teaser trailer for The Avengers: Infinity War Part One, which was recently shown at both D23 and San Diego Comic-Con.

However as I'm sure they expected, multiple cellphones were used and now bootleg recordings are available via YouTube - so long as you can find them BEFORE Google removes them for copyright infringement.

It was widely speculated that this trailer would be released alongside or shortly after Thor: Ragnarak in November, which makes sense given that the Infinity War trailer finds Rocket Raccoon screaming

"Wipers! Wipers! GET IT OFF!"  

When the seemingly lifeless body of The God Of Thunder slams into the Guardians spacecraft in deep space, it's now fair to assume that Thor's time spent on Sakaar doesn't end well for him or his "Friend From Work", The Incredible Hulk.

Further to that point, during an interview at D23 Mark Ruffalo jokingly stated:

"Wait until you see the next one, like every other Marvel movie it doesn't end well for the superheroes, wait till you see this next one, everybody dies"

So now the question becomes was he joking?

We know that at the very least Thor survives, it appears his meeting with the Guardians will play a hand in both his and Peter Quill's eventual return to Earth as the events of Infinity War Part One begin to play out.

But the problem with bootleg copies is they're usually distorted and people's heads are always bobbing up and down, so maybe I missed both The Hulk and Loki, maybe they were in that trailer after all....

As stated at the beginning, this is all speculation until the release of THOR: Ragnarak in November, but it makes you wonder just how much the MCU will change post Ragnarak and Infinity War? 

The Walking Dead: Could this be the beginning of the end?

Could this be the beginning of the end?

This past Friday at San Diego Comic-Con saw the much-anticipated release of The Walking Dead season 8 trailer from AMC, and as the final seconds ticked away fans the world over were given reason to take pause before scrambling to the internet.

We are of course referring to the time-jump which presented us with a much older Rick Grimes, shorter hair, long grey beard, waking up in bed next to a nightstand with a cane resting against it, what was happening here?

As fans flocked to the net the speculation began, was Rick waking up from his coma?  Have the events of The Walking Dead been nothing but a dream?  Creator Robert Kirkman has ruled this possibility out several times throughout the years, and as fans we'd like to believe that when the end comes it won't be so obvious.

Many speculated this time-jump would follow the upcoming All Out War story arc, which in the comics saw Rick defeat Negan and his Saviors but not before Negan broke Ricks leg - forcing him to rely upon the use of a cane as a mobility device.

While this would be another obvious assumption, we'd like to suggest one alternative - could season eight be the beginning of the end? 

When "The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life" aired at the beginning of April, the 90 minute season seven finale saw a decline in viewership of 20% compared to its season six finale, this decline also represented the shows third lowest finale results since the series began on October 31st, 2010.

With 15.8 million viewers, season five's "Conquer" holds the record for the season finale which drew in the largest audience.

In an industry which feeds off merchandising and advertising revenue, we can't help but wonder if AMC executives have been taking notes, and if so could they be preparing to pull the plug on one of our favorite Sunday night series?

Sadly we wouldn't be surprised if, sometime in the near future, it was announced that season eight of The Walking Dead was in fact the finale season.  Should this be the case then all we can hope for is that our Walking Dead family gets the send off they deserve after providing us with so many years of entertainment.

What do you think, how would you like to see The Walking Dead end?

Is Ben Affleck out as The Batman?

Here we go again.

Rumors have once again begun to circulate that actor Ben Affleck wants out of the Warner Brothers "stand-alone" Batman film.

Although Warner Bros. studio chief Toby Emmerich was quoted as saying: 

"Ben is our Batman. We love him as Batman. We want to keep him in the cowl as long as we can"   

The Hollywood Reporter has stated that a source close to the films production has confirmed that the studio is working on plans to usher Affleck's Batman out gracefully, and will address the change in one of the upcoming DC films.

This has been a year of uncertainty for the films production, with Affleck first stepping aside as its director in January, and the rumors of his departure beginning to circulate shortly thereafter. It was also confirmed earlier this month that director Matt Reeves would not be using Affleck's script for The Batman, choosing to have a complete re-write take place instead.

Reeves told MTV's Happy, Sad, Confused podcast:

"No (we won't be using that), it's a new story. It's just starting again. I'm excited about it. I think it's going to be really cool."

With Affleck scheduled to make a promotional appearance at Comic-Con international in San Diego this weekend as part of the Justice League promotional event, could this be one of the last times we see the actor as part of the DC Extended Universe?

BBC responds to upset Doctor Who fans

"Change me dear, and it seems not a moment to soon"

Human beings generally don't respond well to change, this fact was once again hammered home on Sunday when the BBC announced that actress Jodie Whittaker would replace out-gong Doctor Peter Capaldi as the star of the hit BBC series Doctor Who.

Although it's true the Doctor has regenerated multiple times during the series fifty-four year run, the casting of Whittaker as the next Doctor represents the first time in the shows history that the lead character has not only changed faces, but genders as well.

While many fans greeted this news with enthusiasm, there were some loyalists who quickly took to the World Wide Web to voice their dissatisfaction with the BBC's bold move.

In response to this outcry the BBC has released the following statement:

Watch for Jodie Whittaker as she joins former Broadchurch show-runner Chris Chibnall on this new and exciting adventure when Doctor Who returns on December 25th.

Please remember to follow us at CanGeek.com

Why a female Doctor makes sense.

Did you know...

There are roughly the same amount of men and women in the world?  Statistically out of every one thousand people there are 504 men (50.4%) and 496 women (49.6%) so although as men we might have a slight lead over the female population, for the most part we are about equal in numbers.

And for that reason alone, it makes sense that after fifty-four years the BBC finally gave the green-light to a female Doctor, because after all there are just as many female fans as there are male fans watching this series.

OH BY THE WAY lets be honest here, they more or less told us what they were planning during World Enough & Time, don't believe me?  Watch this:

Now that we've got that out of the way lets talk about this groundbreaking decision, lets talk about the FIRST female Doctor, lets talk about Jodie Whittaker!

She was born Jodie Auckland Whittaker in Skelmanthorpe, a village in West Yorkshire England on June the 3rd 1982. As an aspiring actor Whittaker trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama were she graduated with a gold medal in acting before going onto star in feature films including Venus and Attack the Block. 

Whittaker also starred in Broadchurch alongside former Doctor Who star David Tennant and under the guidance of new Doctor Who show-runner Chris Chibnall - I guess you can say that in some way Jodie Whittaker was already connected to and destined for the T.A.R.D.I.S.

Although Ms. Whittaker has had a short career, having been working professionally for twelve years now, she has landed the role of a lifetime as the next Doctor and this is one fan who wishes her all the best as she helms this science-fiction Juggernaut. 

Watch for Jodie Whittaker to make his first onscreen appearance alongside Peter Capaldi and David Bradley in the Doctor Who Christmas special on December 25th.

Thanks for reading, follow us at cangeek.com 

How my father used a love of gaming to teach me the most important rule in life.

As we celebrate Father's Day 2017 I'm reminded of something.

The first home based console we had growing up was the Atari 2600, and my Father became The Master of fixing broken joysticks!  It wasn't that the controllers were poorly built, as a matter of fact for the time that this system was released these controllers were fairly durable.  No my Dad became the master of fixing the Atari joysticks because of the constant and consistent abuse these controllers had to endure at the hands of myself and my two older siblings.

We took our games of Frogger, PAC-MAN, and Pitfall seriously!

We would receive stiff warnings about treating our belongings better, would be reminded of how expensive these devices were to replace, and would even be threatened with "If you keep breaking these then I'm gong to stop fixing them!" but we kept breaking them, and Dad kept fixing them.

Eventually each of us graduated from the Atari to our own personal computers, the Commodore Vic 20 was the first of many to cross our front door, and once again our father was there to support us with our never-ending computer needs.

It began with buying a few cartridge based games that we could play, but games were just as expensive in the 80's as they are today.  So after much debate with my mother, off Dad went to the store and when he came back he held in his hand the secret to our gaming salvation, at the time anyways - The Datasette!

Armed with this new device, and a copy of Compute Magazine, Dad took on the task of teaching himself basic programming skills.  Every issue of Compute would come with pages upon pages of instructions for programming a basic game for your Vic 20, it was tedious data entry but Dad would do it just the same.

His time-consuming efforts equaled new games for us, so we didn't complain and once again Dad became a master - this time at programming.

As the years continued to turn we each eventually graduated to new hardware, first the Commodore 64, than the Commodore Amiga, and finally the PC as we know it today - and our father was always there to support us, to lend a hand were needed.

It wasn't until years later when I had children of my own that I began to realize why Dad had become so involved in something that he seemed to have no real interest in, it was about teaching us the lessons of love, the lessons that a father strives to pas onto his children.

For myself and my siblings it was about gaming, for our father it was about showing us that you can do anything you set your mind to, learn to fix a joystick, learn to program, keep up with ever-changing technologies, change careers mid-way through your working life, start your own business.

There is a fair age difference between myself and my sister, nine years, between myself and my eldest brother there is a eleven year age difference, my father was celebrating his 43rd year when I was born - this is a time when most parents are preparing to send their children off to post-secondary education as opposed to thinking about the first day of kindergarten again.

My Dad lived life by his rules, not the rules society placed upon him, and in his own way he tried to teach his three children to do the very same thing. This is our first fathers day without Dad, he passed away just after fathers day last year having had a hard-fought battle with terminal bladder cancer. 

I expect this to be a difficult day but it will conclude a year of firsts for our family.

To those of you reading this, cherish the time you have with your fathers, learn both their rules for life and whatever else they are willing to teach you, say whats in your heart because at times life can be a cruel game and you may not get this opportunity again next year.  

I wish you and your family a very happy and healthy fathers day weekend, please remember to follow us at cangeek.com.

Thanks for reading.

CanGeeks top 12 reveals from E3 2017!

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) has come and gone for another year, and gamer's the world over have been left salivating as they eagerly wait for the next game they just have to play!  

From Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, to Electronic Arts, Bethisda and Ubisoft, developers came ready to fight - Because E3 is all about winning the hearts and minds of consumers, that's were the product life-cycle really begins! 

Everyone will have their own opinions on what the biggest announcements from E3-2017 were, below is my top twelve picks in no particular order, hope you enjoy!

1. Assassin's Creed Origins: Ubisoft is gong back to the beginning with the Assassin's Creed series. This new game will be set in Egypt with players assuming the role of Bayek - the last of the Medjay and presumably the first of the Assassins.  

If you've watched our recent E3 YouTube video then you know I'm looking forward to this game but would have been much happier if this had been Assassin's Creed Japan!

2. Anthem: Bioware USUALLY doesn't disappoint, or at least they didn't use too....  Either way their back with this Sci-Fi action adventure which will have players taking on the role of a "freelancer", a individual responsible for exploring new environments and protecting mankind with powerful exo-suits.

I can't imagine why this game kind of reminds me of Destiny, either way I'll give it a shot!

3. Beyond Good & Evil 2: They say that sometimes you have to look at where you've been to know where your going, I guess that's how we ended up with a prequel for a sequel to Ubisoft's 2003 smash hit - Beyond Good & Evil 2 will take place before the birth of Jade.

4. Dishonored - Death Of The Outsider: Bethesda is billing this title as a stand-alone expansion to Dishonored 2, players will take on the role of Megan Foster who is an ally to both Corvo & Emily.

The real question here is with a new character, and a new story doesn't that equal a new game? 

5. Kirby: Nintendo may have FINALLY given me a reason to buy a Switch because I'm a sucker for Kirby! But with the game neither possessing an official title or release date I guess I still have time to save my money and wait for a price-drop.

6. Skull & Bones: This game really sounds like World Of Tanks with the tanks being replaced by pirate ships!  Either way, with 5V5 navel battles it sounds like Ubisoft has another hit on their hands - Yo Ho Yo Ho it's a Pirates life for me!

7. A Way Out: When I saw the reveal for this game the VERY FIRST thing that came to mind was Prison Break!  From the studio that brought you Brothers: A Tale Of Two Sons this multiplayer title will follow two escaped convicts as they work together to stay one step ahead of the law while trying to come to terms with the choices that have lead them to were they are now.

8. Wolfenstein II - The New Colossus: BJ Blazkowicz is back in this direct sequel to 2014's Wolfenstein: The New Order, this time around BJ will be operating in Nazi-occupied America - this looks like another Homefront style game but it can't be nearly as bad!

9. Crackdown 3: Finally Microsoft has given me another reason to use my Xbox One, guess I need something else to hold that door open now! Crackdown 3 is due to release November 7th and will once again find players working as genetically enhanced super-cops in an open world environment - Its time to blow some shit up!

10. Spider-Man (PS4): Sony scored a major victory at E3-2016 when they announced that Insomniac Games was working on an open world Spider-Man game that would be exclusive to their platform.  This Year they showed off the first game-play.  The title is reminiscent of Rocksteady's Batman games with the focus being on the web-slingers grace and agility.

All we need now is a release date.

11. South Park - The Fractured Butt Whole: After being pushed back a couple of times already Ubisoft confirmed the release date for this title, October 17th 2017 - I want to believe, I really do.

12.  Star Wars Battlefront II: We saw game play, lots of game play, most of this we have seen prior to E3 though.  You would almost think that Lucasfilm and Disney are using this game to build hype for The Last Jedi.  With the introduction of a single player story and space battles I'm guaranteed to purchase this game BUT after the disappointment that Star Wars Battlefront was I think I'll wait for some reviews first - Unless of course EA wants to give me an advanced copy (wink wink, nudge nudge!)

These are my twelve picks for the biggest announcements and reveals at this years Electronic Entertainment Expo, what did you walk away from this years E3 feeling happy about?  Let us now in the comments and remember to follow us at cangeek.com.

Thanks for reading!

Seven facts you may not know about Adam West

The world of fandom suffered a true loss when it was announced last weekend that William West Anderson, better known as Adam West had passed away at the age of 88 after a short battle with Leukemia. 

Although his career spanned seven decades, West was best known for his role as the caped crusader in ABC's campy Batman television series which ran from 1966 through 1968 and the feature length film that would follow.

Sighting rising production costs and declining ratings, ABC would cancel the series mid-way through the production of season three and West would ultimately fall victim to Hollywood typecasting - proving that sometimes you can be too good at your job.

Although he would pick up supporting roles over the next several years, Mr. West would not truly become a household name again until the revival of the Batman film franchise by Tim Burton in 1989.

So what did Adam West do post Batman?  Here are seven facts you may not know:

1. The end that almost wasn't: When ABC made the decision to cancel the Batman television series in 1968, NBC was approached to take over production.  However by the time NBC executives were ready to do so the sets had already been destroyed, West and his fellow actors were released from their contracts and the rest is history.

2. From Batman to Bond:  West would state in his autobiography that he was approached by producer Albert Broccoli and offered the role of agent 007, James Bond in the film Diamonds Are Forever. However he would choose to decline the role stating that the role should always be portrayed by a British actor.

3. The Caped Crusader seeks justice in the squared-circle: West was involved with the Memphis based United States Wrestling Association for a short period of time.  He appeared wearing a tracksuit and Batman's signature cowl and was engaged in a heated exchange with Jerry "The King" Lawler. 

4. West almost rejoins the Wayne family:  Although he would either appear in or lend his voice to 16 feature films and  22 television series between 1968 and 1989, Adam West would not see his career truly take off again until the release of Tim Burton's Batman film.  

West was approached to take on the role of Thomas Wayne, but the actor had his eyes set on the role of Batman which was to be portrayed by Michael keaton.  Not being able to secure the lead West would not attach himself to the project and Thomas Wayne would be played by David Baxt.

5. The Return of The Dark Knight: Although he was not personally attached to the success of the feature length Batman film, West would see his own career once again take off like the Batmobile! From 1990 to 2017 west would either appear in or lend his voice to over 30 movies and 40 television series including nine guest appearances on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher - Batman truly is Politically Incorrect! 

6. "Bat" Man of the people: Adam West was an avid comic book and movie fan, having gone so far as to having his creative dentist imprint the Batman logo on one of his molars. Between 2007 and 2016 West would also make an an appearance at every San Diego Comic-Con. 

7. Wild Wild West: In an industry were your employ-ability is as much determined by your good looks as your skills as an actor, Adam West is one of a select group of actors who lived into their 80's and or 90's without retiring from acting or being unable to secure continued work.

How many of these facts did you know about Adam West?  Leave us a comment below and remember to follow us via cangeek.com.

Thanks for reading.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 - a CanGeek Movie Review

I should have seen it coming....

After about four weeks of waiting patiently for the heat to die down, I finally ventured out of my cave to see Guardians Of The Galaxy vol. 2 on Saturday night.  Now in truth my wife and I had agreed to take a stab at seeing Wonder Woman but it came as no big surprise that all the shows were sold out by the time we got there.

No matter though because I REALLY wanted to see Guardians, so with popcorn and drink in hand we ventured into the darkness.   

In truth I wasn't sure what to expect from this film, I'd enjoyed the first film but had heard a lot of negative feedback from people about this second installment. Even the guy selling us the movie tickets felt the need to share how bad it was before he smiled and took our money. 

What had I gotten myself into?

A Very Detailed Synopsis ***SPOILERS AHEAD***

An undetermined amount of time has passed since the conclusion of the first movie but these five misfits are working well together - okay as well as can be expected.  They have been hired by an advanced race known as The Sovereign to protect a precious power source of batteries from a creature that is feeding on them.  Upon completion of the job The Sovereign pay for the Guardians services by turning Nebula over to Gamora. Nebula was captured trying to steal the batteries and although this crime is punishable by death, Gamora intends to cash in on the bounty on Nebula's head.

However once the business transaction has been completed the team learns that Rocket Raccoon has also stolen the batteries because The Sovereign are assholes! Offended by this transgression The Sovereign launch a full on arcade style attack on the Guardians but come up empty when a mysterious alien know as Ego intervenes on the teams behalf.

Peter/Star-Lord will learn that Ego, who is played by Kurt Russell, is an eternal being who's life is sustained by the existence of his planet - Ego is The Living Plaint manifested into physical form. It is in this state that Ego paid a visit to Earth and planted his seed within Peters mother Meredith Quill.

So long as the light burns within Ego The Living Planet,, Peter Quill is immortal - maybe.

The Sovereign are still upset over the theft of their batteries and the destruction of their forces, so they turn to Yondu and his ravagers to retrieve their batteries and kill the Guardians.  However before The Sovereign hire Yandu there is an confrontation between Yondu and another ravager captain, Starhawk played by Sylvester Stallone. It is during this exchange that we learn Yondu has been cast out by the ravagers for dealing in the smuggling of children.

Yondu and his crew eventually catch up to Rocket and Baby Groot who have been left to guard Nebula while Peter, Draxx and Gamora are off with Ego who has promised to teach Peter about his heritage. After a short fight, which saw Rocket breaking out lots of cool weapons, the three are ultimately captured and Yondu's crew start calling for blood.

Yondu declares that he is not going to kill the Guardians Of The Galaxy least they have the whole Nova Core out for their heads. When his crew realizes the Guardians are worth more dead then the batteries are on the open market they accuse Yondu of going soft and stage a mutiny.  Soon after Yondu is incapacitated and locked away with Rocket, the crew that were loyal to him are blown out an airlock, Nebula has struck a deal for her freedom, and Groot is used as a plaything by Taser-face the new captain of the mutiny.

Nebula leaves for Ego's planet with one thing on her mind, killing Gamora!  Meanwhile after Rocket tells Yondu that Peter is with Ego, Yondu insists that they have to get out of there,. Together they convince Baby Groot to help them escape and Yondu soaks the ship in the blood of his former crew - Just give a little whistle!

The ship is badly damaged and just before its destruction Rocket, Groot and Yondu escape in a survival pod but not before the would-be-captain of the mutineers contacts The Sovereign with the location of Ego The Living Planet.

Meanwhile Ego has begun to teach Peter about his abilities and the power has gone to his head. After a fight with Gamora which will see her walk out, Ego explains to Quill that there are things of more importance in the universe then the love of a mortal creature.

Gamora is clearing her head in seclusion when Nebula arrives and attempts to kill her. It is at the conclusion of this epic confrontation that both Gamora and Nebula come to terms with their relationship as sisters and find a cavern full of humanoid remains on a plaint devoid of life - something isn't right here! 

They return to Ego's dwelling to find Draxx, Draxx however has already been told of Ego's true intentions by Mantis who Draxx describes as Ego's emphatic pet.

At the same time Ego is explaining to Peter his true intentions, for millions of years he has searched for purpose to justify his existence, a purpose he hoped to find in humanoid form.  However having been unfulfilled, Ego has spent his time populating the galaxy with not only his progeny but with seeds to complete his expansion, soon everything will be Ego!

Having realized that he was incapable of completing his expansion alone, Ego hired Yandu to collect his children in the hopes that one of them would hold the connection required to his planet, to harness the power required to fuel the expansion. However as each offspring was unable to do so he would burn them out and dispose of their remains in the caverns below the surface.

Realizing that he was a power source to Ego, Quill questions Ego's love of his mother and learns that the planet did indeed love Meredith Quill, and understanding the power of that love he placed a tumor in her head so that he would not be swayed from his objectives.

With this information the final battle begins for not only Peter Quill's life but for the universe as a whole. Former enemies will become allies, a battle will be waged on two fronts, Yondu's true fatherly love for Peter will be reviled and a somewhat surprising death will occur as a character is granted his redemption.

The Final Verdict:

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 was unlike the original film, the first movie was much more action oriented with bits of comedy slipped in for an all around decent origin story. This new movie still has the feel of the original film but has incorporated just the right amount of drama to tug at your heartstrings.

Guardians Vol 2 is a film about the love of family, not necessarily the family you are born into but the family you adopt throughout your lifetime and the lengths you will go to for them. It also didn't hurt that James Gunn choose to cast Kurt Russell at Ego, Kurt Russell makes a great villain and we need to somehow see him in more Marvel films!

I should have seen it coming, everyone has a different opinion, but in my opinion Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 was well worth the money we spent on Saturday night...... I'm now eagerly awaiting the release of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 3! 

Have you seen this movie, if so let us know if you agree or disagree with this review and please remember to follow us at cangeek.com

The Last Jedi: a CanGeek Fan Theory

In December 2015 when Disney and Lucasfilm released Star Wars: The Force Awakens I was absolutely absorbed in the hype - The Disney marketing team had stormed their way into my heart like Vader and his stormtroopers boarding a ship on a mercy mission as they looked for stolen military plans.

However as much as I enjoyed the two and a half hours I spent in that movie theater, the reality that I had just watched a rehashing of A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back was not lost on me. Was this what we had waited thirty years for, was the next Star Wars trilogy going to be one recycled script after another?

There was a glimmer of hope in January 2017 when Star Wars: The Last Jedi was reviled as the title of the upcoming episode eight, and like much of the internet I immediately assumed that they must be talking about Luke, Luke is obviously the Last Jedi isn't he?

But what if he isn't the Last Jedi, what if Luke isn't a Jedi at all?

There is this one line from Return of the Jedi that has been going through my mind since the beginning of the year:

"I am a Jedi like my father before me"

Could this one line of dialogue between Luke Skywalker and Emperor Palpatine hide a major plot twist for the upcoming film?  Consider this, what kind of Jedi was Anakin Skywalker? When describing his father to Luke, Obi-Wan stated:

"He was the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior... And he was a good friend"

But Anakin Skywalker was also easily corrupted and ultimately turned to the dark side of the force by the The Emperor, That couldn't happen to Luke could it?  What if it has already happened...

During the final minutes of Return of the Jedi when Palpatine is trying to turn Luke there is this one moment when Skywalker seems to lose control and allow his anger to get the better of him, remember this?

When Yoda first meets Anakin he warns that "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering" what if Luke's explosion of anger on the Death Star opened the door for his transition to the dark side of the force, he is after all a Jedi Like His Father Before Him!

How does this theory potentially affect The Last Jedi? 

Earlier this week rumors began to circulate online that Lego had inadvertently given away plot points for the new film when they reveled their first set of new Lego Star Wars play-sets.. Within hours damage control was underway as every traces of this blunder was deleted from the world wide web.   

Although the leaked information mainly focused on Supreme Leader Snoke and his possible origins, one box displayed a golden robed Snoke communicating with another robed figure who's face was purposely blotted out in a witness protection style manner.

Could this be Luke Skywalker the Sith apprentice? 

When Rian Johnson premiered his teaser trailer at Star Wars Celebration Orlando one line of dialogue jumped out at me:

Many people speculated that this was potentially a move towards a future Grey Jedi story-line, but what if it isn't and Luke is actually a Sith in hiding? Then who is The Last Jedi? With Star Wars: Rebels preparing to wrap up could Disney be connecting this series with the new trilogy could Kanan or Ezra be be about to make an appearance?

The groundwork has been laid for this theory to be conceivable, however unlikely it might be. One thing is for sure though, this type of twist is just what we need - for Disney and Lucasfilm to do something completely unexpected to keep the Star Wars universe fresh and ever changing.

Because as much as I like the original films I don't want to re-watch the same stories with a younger cast, and frankly Luke Skywalker Sith Lord just sounds AWESOME!

Agree or Disagree?  Let us know in the comments below and please remember to follow us at cangeek.com

Five Games To Revisit As We Celebrate Forty Years Of Star Wars!

When Star Wars episode IV: A New Hope released in 1977 it's doubtful that even the Emperor himself could have foreseen what would come next - the birth of a fandom that has now endured 40 years.

From movies, books and comics to t-shirts, jewelry and toys there's something out there for every fan, regardless of their age.   And lets not forget about the video games which have given us the ability to travel to a galaxy far, far away and fight as or alongside our favorite heroes. 

Over the years I've played many different Star Wars inspired games,  some really good and some not so great, and today I'm going to share with you five of my favorite titles.

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 

Anytime I'm talking video games this one always makes my list!

Originally released in September of 2008 on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360, this game bridges the gap in time between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.

You play as Starkiller, once the child of a Jedi whom Vader murdered, you are now the dark lords secret apprentice - a weapon he intends to use in an attempt to overthrow the emperor and take control of the empire for himself.  As you carry out the missions that Vader sends you on, you will begin to regain your humanity and will ultimately light the fire that sparks the birth of a rebellion.  

This game was released four years prior to Disney's purchase of the Star Wars IP and as such is no longer cannon, but you can only imagine where this story might have taken us as fans had things played out differently.

2. Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic

The only thing better then living out the Star Wars story of someone else is creating your own!

Developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts, Knights Of The Old Republic was released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows based machines in 2003, and it still holds as one of the greatest role-playing experiences to this day.

Set almost 4000 years before the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Sith lord known as Darth Malak has unleashed his armada on the republic.  Players assume the role of a Jedi who has been charged with destroying Malak's military resources.

Players are able to customize their character and  choose between three classes as the game begins, and through turn based combat, character interactions, and plot based decisions the games allignment system will determine your affinity towards the light or dark side of the force.

3. Star Wars Battlefront II

Like so many people I know I was excited for the release of Star Wars: Battlefront in 2015, and although the game was visually stunning it was also sadly underwhelming - with Star Wars the story is everything.

Fortunately we always have Star Wars Battlefront II to fall back on.  Unlike the new Battlefront offering which was published by Electronic Arts, the original Battlefront was developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Xbox and Microsoft Windows machines.

Players assume the role of a veteran stormtrooper as he recounts his experiences in service of both the Republic and the Galactic Empire, experiences which are intertwined within the core Star Wars Story. And with game modes including hero assault and objective based space battles Star Wars Battlefront II was far superior to its more recent counterpart.

4. Lego Star Wars:

When you take one of my favorite childhood toys and combine it with one of my favorite fandoms it spells nothing but trouble for me - I've owned every Lego Star Wars game.

I couldn't hope to pick just one Lego Star Wars game, each of them has brought something new to the table and holds a special place in my heart.  For example it was Lego Star Wars II on the PlayStation 2 that first sparked my eldest son's love of Star Wars.

Where other games have had a level of violence that slightly alienated them from the younger gamer audience, Travelers Tales games has done an exceptional job of capturing the feelings involved by a Star Wars game while creating an environment were parents don't have to fear for the content their children are being exposed too.

I love my Lego Star Wars games.

5. The Empire Strikes Back (Atari 2600)

Published by Parker Brothers in 1982, The Empire Strikes Back found players in control of Luke Skywalker's snowspeeder during the battle of Hoth.  With a total of five snowspeeders (lives) it was the players objective to hold off the advance of the Imperial Walkers least they reach the rebel base and destroy the power generator

Although the game included several difficulty levels such as the speed of the walkers advancement, if the walkers were solid, and if the walkers were equipped with "Smart bombs", it was at its core a grind to see how long you could hold out before the walkers finally completed their objective.

These are the five Star Wars games that I think are worth revisiting as we celebrate the forty year anniversary of A New Hope,  Do you agree with this list, what games would you recommend?  Let us know and remember to follow us at cangeek.com 

Into The Badlands: Another Guilty Pleasure!

Guilty pleasures we all have them, that thing you just can't seem to do without. Into The Badlands which airs on AMC Sunday nights at 10:00PM would be one such guilty pleasure for me. 

When the series first aired on November 15, 2015 we were introduced to a post-apocalyptic future approximately 500 years after the last great war. In this future a feudal society has risen up were the ruling class known as The Barons have outlawed the use of firearms and have trained their armies of Clippers in the art of hand to hand combat. It is then the clippers responsibility to do their barons bidding and secure their interests by any means necessary. 

The first season of the series introduced viewers to Sunny played by actor and director Daniel Wu. Sunny is Regent to the badlands most powerful baron, Quinn played by Marton Csokas. With his proficient skill in multiple forms of combat Sunny is believed to be the deadliest clipper in the badlands.

Clippers are forbidden to have any romantic attachments, this is to ensure their complete loyalty to their baron. Sunny however is romantically involved in a secret relationship with Veil, a local doctor played by Madeleine Mantock. When their relationship leads to Veil becoming pregnant, Sunny begins formulating a plan for his new family to escape beyond the walls of the badlands.

COGS are the slave workforce of the barons and the responsibility of the clippers. Sunny becomes involved with one such COG, M.K played by Aramis Knight. M.K is a seemingly innocent looking teenager, but is anything but innocent as there is a dark power lurking inside him that is unleashed anytime someone draws his blood. 

Beyond M.K's dark gift, Sunny sees M.K has his ticket out of the badlands.  M.K seems to be aware of a land beyond the reach of the barons, a mystical place known as Azra. While Sunny plans to use M.K as his ticket to freedom, another baron known as The Widow plots to use his dark powers to reshape the badlands in her image.  

Played by Emily Beecham, The widow is the newest baron in the badlands and is intent on taking control by deposing her biggest rival - the baron known as Quinn! To accomplish this she will use the single greatest weapon she has in her arsenal, Quinn's son Ryder who has a special hatred for his father.

Played by Oliver Stark, Ryder is in love with Jade who is played by Sarah Bolger, but when Quinn decides to take Jade as his second wife it is the final push Ryder needs to end his fathers reign and take power for himself.

In the badlands no one is innocent and allies can become adversaries with the snap of a neck or the quick stroke of a swords blade. And although it sounds like a weekday afternoon soap opera it is anything but that.  

This series has done an outstanding job of creating a rich and complicated universe where you find yourself identifying with each characters plight, both the good and the bad, just a little. Combine that with some exceptional martial arts and wire work as well as supporting characters who add even more depth to the series and Into The Badlands is just what you need to get the adrenaline running before the beginning of a new work week. 

So don't feel the least bit guilty for taking pleasure in what has become another hit for the folks over at AMC, if your not all ready doing so then I'd recommend binge watching season one and two of Into The Badlands this week before the season two final next Sunday night.

Thanks for reading, follow us at cangeek.com.