Avengers Academy #39 Review

Another week, another batch of Marvel series coming to an end. In the case of Avengers Academy, however, I never expected the series to last this long in the first place. And though there are plenty of plot points left unresolved or open to continuation, Gage is able to deliver a fitting and mostly uplifting end to the series.

Gage brings the book full circle in more ways than one. The revelation from issue #1 that the Academy recruits are not the best and brightest of a new generation, but rather those most in danger of falling into darkness, comes back into play as the kids finally confront their teachers. But as the issue is titled Commencement, the focus is not on darkness and despair but the excitement and uncertainty that comes as a group of young men and women embrace the next stage in their respective lives. This can be said for the series as a whole, but issue #39 excels in delivering a teen superhero book that eschews cynicism and offers a more positive look at growing up. Gage capitalizes on all the attachment readers have built with these characters as we see romance blossom, friendships endure or unravel, and new opportunities open up. The script is equal parts jubilant, whimsical, and wistful as Gage bids the characters farewell. It's hard to imagine any longtime reader feeling disappointed with the results.

Tom Grummett closes out the series alongside Gage. By now readers should know what to expect from his visuals. The art has a distinctly old school flavor that suits the optimistic tone very well. Certain characters sometimes look younger than they should, but Grummett delivers plenty of heartfelt emotion and a nice visual callback to Mike McKone's issue #1.

It's sad to see this series go, partly because Gage makes it abundantly clear that there's still so much story left to tell with his cast, and partly because Avengers Arena does not appear to be the kind of book that will explore that potential. Regardless, we'll always have these past 40 issues to look back on fondly.

Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Sleeping Dogs October DLC Revealed

The first batch of DLC packs for Sleeping Dogs will be released in October.

The five packs, which range from offering new races and vehicles to adding new missions to the game, will be released periodically throughout the month.

First up, the Street Racer Pack will add a new car, bike and boat race, as well as a new Sting superbike, a Dragon Helmet and a Racing Jacket with extra protection against gun fire. This will be followed by the SWAT Pack, which will add 20 new, replayable cop missions, alongside a unique SWAT outfit and van. Then the new Tactical Soldier Pack will offer players the most powerful weapons and armour in the game, while the Community Gift Pack will be completely free and contain a surprise for players.

The October DLC will culminate with the first story-driven game extension, which will be detailed at this year's New York Comic Con on October 14. This marks the start of the proper DLC content for the game, which we previously heard would last for at least six months.

To see all the new content in all its glory, check out the October DLC trailer for the game below.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Editorial Assistant. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Source : ign[dot]com

Your First Look Inside Avengers #1

This week's batch of Marvel NOW! teasers are peeling the curtain back on what Marvel has planned for December. But there's still plenty we don't know about their upcoming November books. Luckily, this week has also been an educational one for fans looking forward to Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena's Avengers relaunch. Earlier this week we saw a series of interconnected covers that revealed the bulk of the lineup for Hickman's large cast. But those covers were drawn by Dustin Weaver, leaving us to wonder what Opena had in store with his interior art.

Wonder no longer. Today the folks at Newsarama debuted three pages worth of penciled art from Avengers #1. Suffice it to say, they look pretty awesome. And that's even before colorist Dean White has had a chance to work his magic.

These pages showcase a very movie-inspired cast (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Hulk) clashing with a pair of mystery villains (Zodiac? The Omega Clan?). Scroll down to check out the pages for yourself.

Is it December yet? Let us know your thoughts on these pages and the potential identities of the villains in the comments section below.

Jesse is a writer for IGN Comics and IGN Movies. He can't wait until he's old enough to feel ways about stuff. Follow Jesse on Twitter, or find him on IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

New Photos From The Possession

Check out this batch of new photos from producer Sam Raimi's upcoming horror movie The Possession, starring Watchmen's Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick. The Possession opens Aug. 31.

Source : ign[dot]com

Nintendo Downloads of the Week (07.26.12)

It’s Thursday, Koopalings! That means it's time for another batch of downloadable goodies from the Big N. Whether your platform of choice is 3DS, DSi  or Wii, take a look at this week’s offerings below, then be sure to check back in the coming days for our thoughts on the best the eShop has to offer.

Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

Available on: 3DS (Virtual Console)

Price: $3.99

Publisher: Nintendo

Description: Things are really cookin’ on Kitchen Island. Wario has heard that the pirates have a giant golden statue of Princess Toadstool. After being kicked out of the last castle by his rival, Mario, he’s scheming to steal the statue. Help Wario collect treasure by smashing into objects and foes. Power-ups like the Bull Hat, Jet Hat and Dragon Hat will grant Wario new powers that he can use to his advantage.The more treasure you collect, the bigger the castle at the end of the game will be. Wario’s greed knows no bounds. Help him reach the ultimate prize!

Mole Mania

Available on: 3DS (Virtual Console)

Price: $2.99

Publisher: Nintendo

Description: Join Muddy Mole in a race to defeat the evil farmer, Jinbe. Work your way through each puzzle by pushing, pulling, or throwing black balls to defeat or trap enemies. Blast strategic exits and burrow into soft soil to tunnel your way through underground paths to the next action-packed level. Defeat the bosses and solve all of the puzzles in Jinbe Land to reunite Muddy Mole with his beloved wife and kids. You'll dig the fast pace and challenging fun of Mole Mania!

Planet Crashers

Available on: 3DS

Price: $9.99

Publisher: Ignition Entertainment

Description: An intern from the Academy, Jinkle-bottom, has been sent to deliver your orders: "Reports indicate an unknown evil has emerged from the darkest corner of the galaxy, with plans to snuff out the sun. The Academy is putting you on the job. Journey to the other side of the galaxy, and prevent the unimaginable from happening." Are you ready to take on the adventure of a lifetime?

Dot Runner: Complete Edition

Available on: 3DS

Price: $4.99

Publisher: Intense Co.

Description: "Dot Runner: Complete Edition" is a dot-eater action game in which dots that appear in dungeons must be devoured within the time limits.

Decathlon 2012

Available on: DSi, 3DS

Price: $4.99

Publisher: Cinemax.

Description: 10 games in one: 100 meter sprint, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 meter run, 110 meter hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw, and finally the exhausting 1,500 meter run. In each discipline you control your athlete simply with the stylus, but you won’t succeed without proper timing, speed, and managing your stamina. Results achieved in individual disciplines are stored in a table and compared with the best world scores.

World Heroes Perfect

Available on: Wii (Virtual Console)

Price: 900 Points

Publisher: D4 Enterprise

Description: This is the fourth installment in the World Heroes fighting game series, released in 1995. In this game, 16 figures from across history fight for the title of the world’s strongest. In previous installments, the amount of time you held a button down determined the strength or weakness of an attack, but that system has been removed in this game. In addition to a more orthodox fighting-game approach that enables weak, middle and strong attacks using different buttons, this game includes new elements such as the Hero Gauge, Extra Attacks and Guard Breaker Attacks.

That wraps it up for this week’s full releases. In other download news, 3DSWare title Colors! 3D has been selected as the Game of the Weekend, and will be available for the discounted price of $3.99 from now until Sunday, July 29 at 9:00PM (PST). Nintendo is also kicking of its Month of Mario promotion leading up to the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2 on August 19. First up is 3DS Virtual Console title Super Mario Bros., which will be available for the special price of $3.99 from now until Wednesday, August 3.

Until next time, Koopalings - game on!

Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!

Source : ign[dot]com

Nintendo Downloads of the Week (07.19.12)

It’s Thursday, Koopalings! As many of you probably know, that means it's time for another batch of downloadable goodies care of the the Big N. Whether your platform of choice is 3DS or DSi  (no new console downloads this week, it seems), take a look at this week’s offerings below. And be sure to check back at the end of the month for our thoughts on the best the eShop has to offer.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters

Available on: 3DS (Virtual Console)

Price: $3.99

Publisher: Nintendo

Description: Angel Land is up to its halos in woes as mythical monsters are running rampant. Pit, the original Kid Icarus, must save the realm again. Armed with his trusty bow, he’ll zap the bad guys and find the Three Sacred Treasures hidden by Palutena. Only after this grueling training will he be strong enough to take on the dark forces behind Angel Land’s troubles. Pit will encounter old friends and new enemies – from helpful Centurions to the dreaded Eggplant Wizard – as he journeys from the depths of the underworld to the towers of the sky palace.

Tumble Pop

Available on: 3DS (Virtual Console)

Price: $2.99

Publisher: G-Mode

Description: Save the planet by defeating all the monsters in eight spooky worlds. Thanks to pollution and other global calamities, Earth is overflowing with strange creatures. It’s your job to exterminate all the monsters plaguing the planet, but you’ll need some real muscle to accomplish that task. Good thing you have a secret weapon: a turbo-charged vacuum cleaner. Hungry for even more action? Have no fear. You can create your own custom-built stages in Construction Mode.

The Phantom Thief Stina and 30 Jewels

Available on: 3DS

Price: $4.99

Publisher: Agetec

Description: The year is 2120, and humanoid robot helpers are commonplace, even among thieves. The Phantom Thief Stina and her pack of burglar bots are taking on Detective Sara and her robotic security team in a battle of wits! Heist all 30 jewels to complete the game and unlock the detective mode. Play as detective Sara and deploy her robotic security team to protect the jewels against the Phantom Thief.

Masyu by Nikoli

Available on: 3DS

Price: $4.99

Publisher: Hamster Corporation

Description: Masyu is a puzzle in which you draw a line through the spaces according to the rules. Learn the attributes of the black and white circles and you'll be able to play in no time. In Stage Clear mode, you progress by clearing puzzles one by one, and in Random mode, puzzles are generated at random.

Rabi Laby 2

Available on: DSi, 3DS

Price: $1.99

Publisher: Agetec

Description: The player controls both Alice and Rabi and must use their unique skills to escape. They will encounter interesting creatures, strange places and unusual puzzles, fueling their humor and challenging their wits. The goal for each stage is to safely navigate Alice to the exit door with Rabi’s help. Collect medals to unlock additional stages!

Petit Computer

Available on: DSi, 3DS

Price: $7.99

Publisher: Gamebridge

Description: Petit Computer is a programming tool that lets you create everything from music, to images, to your very own original games using an adapted version of the classic BASIC programming language. You can select commands and run programs using the Nintendo DS Touch Screen, and you can even share your creations via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

That wraps it up for this week’s full releases. In other download news, 3DS Virtual Console title Mario's Picross has been selected as the Game of the Weekend, and will be available for the discounted price of $2.99 from now until Sunday, July 22 at 9:00PM (PST). If you haven't played it, don't hesitate - this game is incredibly fun, and a total classic.

Until next time, Koopalings - game on!

Audrey Drake is an Associate Editor at IGN and a proud member of the IGN Nintendo team. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can follow her wild adventures on her IGN blog and Twitter. Game on!

Source : ign[dot]com