BY CHROM - Barbarian Book Launch Party

This Friday, August 2nd there will be a book launch party for 'By Chrom' by Rachael Kahn at 862 Richmond Street West, Suite 300. There will be a gorgeously savage (and flexitarian!) spread, provided by Urban Acorn Catering; a brutal cash bar; mighty-thewed audio and visuals; a limited edition, garnet and sapphire tinted poster free with admission; and a few magnificent barbarian-themed photo-ops. Standard admission is $10, or for $20 attendees can also pick up a signed copy of the book. People can reserve their tickets in advance via Bento Miso, or pay cash at the door.

By Crom is an autobiographical comic featuring Conan the Barbarian as my spirit guide. 

Growing out of a newfound love of swords, sorcery and especially sandaled barbarians, By Crom is my tribute not just to Robert E Howard’s hero, but moreso to those of us who need a little encouragement to conquer the daily challenges of our lives. 

In this comic, Conan comes along for dog walks, doctor’s visits, school days and self-pity days, and brings, yes, his sword, but often simply his own perspective to my mundane problems. 

By Crom is a joke-a-panel comic, and it has been published approximately weekly since January, 2012. The one-panel comics are browsable in their entirety on the By Crom tumblr. 

-Rachel Kahn

Gravity Gun now available!

The Half-Life 2 Zero-Field Point Energy Field Manipulator Replica by NECA is available in store! Those of you who pre-ordered, contact us to pick yours up!

WIN a free movie pass to see '2 Guns'!

Attention Rewards Members! We've got 4 FREE passes to an advance screening of the new movie '2 GUNS' starring Denzel washington & Mark Wahlberg! Each pass is good for one person + a guest!

How do you get one?

1. You must be a Labyrinth Rewards Member.

2. You must have updated your rewards account anytime during this month of July.

3. You must be available to attend the screening that takes place this Wednesday, July 31st at the Scotiabank Theatre downtown at 259 Richmond Street West. The showtime is 7:00pm. If you are not available or unsure about whether you'll go, please let someone else take the pass so it doesn't go to waste.

4. If you meet all the criteria above, you must drop by out Toronto Store to pick up your pass ASAP.

5. These passes will go to the first 4 people who drop by. It's a limit of one pass per person (each pass allows you to bring one guest with you, so it's good for two people).

NOTE: For those people who get the pass, please know that the pass does not guarantee you a ticket. You should go there at least 2 hours early to grab your tickets before they sell out. It's first-come, first-serve, and many other people will be going, so get there as early as you can to secure your tickets. Good Luck!

Leaky Gut Support Supplements From OVitaminPro.com

Leaky gut syndrome typically refers to pain and cramps associated with certain types of foods. Unfortunately, doctors are still unsure of what causes leaky gut syndrome. A general consensus among doctors is that leaky gut syndrome actually means that a further diagnosis has yet to be made. It is typically a temporary placeholder label until doctors find another cause for the problem. Leaky gut is also associated with problems like celiac and Crohn’s diseases.

Some researchers believe that leaky gut syndrome is caused by increased intestinal permeability. The lining of the small intestines do not properly control the way substances pass in and out. As a result, inappropriate items enter the bloodstream and cause problems. The problem with diagnosing leaky gut syndrome is that the symptoms of this problem are shared by other disorders and testing is not entirely accurate as a result. In addition, there are plenty of doctors who provide a misdiagnosis in an attempt to resolve the problem quickly.

The symptoms of a leaky gut include cramps, gas and sensitivity to certain types of food. Sticking to a special diet may help relieve some of the discomfort. Fortunately, you can find leaky gut support supplements from OVitaminPro.com to help ease the pain of a leaky gut.

Watermelon Otai Drink

Where has this drink been all my life??? I think this might turn into one of my favorite summer drinks, why? Because it has tropical written all over it and it is very refreshing. This is a recipe my husband got from one of his Tongan companions while he was serving a mission for our church. He has always talked about "making" me some for years and never got around to it until tonight! He is in trouble for keeping this recipe from me for so long....just kidding, I love him no matter what!

This is how he makes it: (the simple way, I will tell you the authentic way he was taught down below).

* 1 Pineapple

* 1/4 medium seedless Watermelon
* 1 can of Coconut milk
* 2 TBS sugar, (more to taste, if needed)

* 1 cup of water

 Put everything in the blender and blend it all together, chill for a couple of hours, pour and enjoy! 

The only thing you do different with the "authentic" way is use a fresh Coconut for Coconut cream, we just used a can of Coconut milk. My husband says it tastes the same either way. So whatever you prefer. Also you could use canned Pineapple if you didn't have a fresh Pineapple. This is so simple and refreshing. Please don't forget to follow my blog :)

NEW BOOKS ARRIVING WED JULY 31st!!!

ART BOOKS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- We've got two new sketchbooks in store now from this year's San Deigo ComiCon! The first is by Alex Ross, and the second is by Bill Sienkiewicz!

- The most comprehensive retrospective collection of Fantasy Artist Brom arrives this week! Check out 'The Art of BROM' featuring 30 years worth of the man's work!

- At long last the CREATUREBOX MONSTER VOLUME is now available in store! Grab them while they last!

- The hit RPG 'Devil Survivor' finally brings over its official artbook to our shores courtesy of Udon! Check out this ultimate companion featuring character designs, promotional artwork, storyboards and a detailed demon guide!

- Check out a collection of artwork by Noizi Ito, the artist behind Harhi Suzumiya and the SOS brigade in the original novels! 'Haruhi-ism' contains book & DVD covers, magazine pinups, rare promo images and more!

- Carbon is a book that collects the best recent graphic works by artist Mark Shultz, and volume 1 arrives this Wednesday!

- The second volume of Spectrum's Fantastic Art Live arrives this week featuring the work of 6 selected artists including Peter de Sève, Tara McPherson and more!

- A new hardcover volume collecting the wonderful new art by Sam Keith arrives this Wednesday that's a must have for fans or anybody looking for fantastic images from a veteran comic book artist!

ALEX ROSS SDCC SKETCHBOOK 2013 (Now Available in store!)

ART OF BROM HC

BILL SIENKIEWICZ SKETCHBOOK 2013 (Now Available in store!)

CREATURE BOX MONSTER VOLUME HC (Now Available in store!)

DEVIL SURVIVOR OFF MATERIAL COLL SC

HARUHI-ISM NOIZI ITO ARTWORKS HC

MARK SCHULTZ CARBON SC VOL 01

SPECTRUM FANTASTIC ART LIVE HC VOL 02 

WORLDS OF SAM KIETH HC VOL 01

COMICS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- Batman Annual #2 arrivies this week featuring a special Zero year tie-in! Also alongside it is the Detective Comics Annual #2 as well!

- The new arc of My Little Pony Friendhsip is Magic arrives with issue #9 bringing the bashful Big McIntosh into focus!

ABSOLUTION RUBICON #2 WRAP CVR

ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #3

ANGEL & FAITH #24 STEVE MORRIS CVR

ANIMAL MAN ANNUAL #2

BATMAN ANNUAL #2

BATMAN INCORPORATED #13

BATMAN ZERO YEAR DIRECTORS CUT #1

COLLIDER #1

DETECTIVE COMICS ANNUAL #2

DOCTOR WHO PRISONERS OF TIME #7 (OF 12)

FLASH ANNUAL #2

GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #5 ANGELA VAR NOW

GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #5 YOUNG VAR NOW

INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US #7

JUDGE DREDD YEAR ONE #4

MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #9

RED LANTERNS #21

RED LANTERNS #22

SIMPSONS COMICS #203

SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 SPECIAL #2

SUPERBOY #22

SUPERMAN ANNUAL #2

TMNT ONGOING #24 

TOM STRONG AND THE PLANET OF PERIL #1 (OF 6)

TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE #19

TRINITY OF SIN PANDORA #2 (TRINITY)

UBER #0 ENHANCED ED 

UBER #4 WRAP CVR 

WAKE #3 (OF 10)

MANGA

*This Week's Highlights!*

- More volumes of the first collected Witch Buster are coming in alongside the new second volume collecting books 3 & 4!

HEROMAN GN VOL 05

KITARO GN

LIMIT GN VOL 06 

WITCH BUSTER TP VOL 01 BOOKS 1 & 2 

WITCH BUSTER TP VOL 02 BOOKS 3 & 4

GRAPHIC NOVELS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- Invincible Volume 18 collecting issues #97-102 arrives this Wednesday with Mark Grayson now faced with the choice of whether he will continue on as a hero, or pick the other side?!

39 MINUTES HC VOL 01 

ANIMAL MAN OMNIBUS HC

BATMAN ILLUSTRATED BY NEAL ADAMS TP VOL 03

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS HC VOL 02 BEYOND HOPE (N52)

GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS TP VOL 01 RING BEARER (N52)

INVINCIBLE TP VOL 18 DEATH OF EVERYONE

MARK SCHULTZ XENOZOIC COMPLETE NEW PTG TP

SHOWCASE PRESENTS DC COMICS PRESENTS TP VOL 02

UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 01 LET IT BLEED NOW

KOMACON HC 

TOYS & SHIRTS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- New Square Enix PlayArts Kai figures from Batman Arkham City arrive this week; and we've got Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy!

- Harley Quinn fans also have a new stylish T-Shirt to look forward to done as a bombshell motif, 3 sizes are available!

- New Bandai Candy Toy Gundam Converge figures are arriving this week featuring mobile suits from Crossbone, Z Gundam, Gundam Unicorn, and the original Mobile Suit Gundam!

- New POP Figures are available now at our store from the new Disney line from Alladin, Up!, Jungle Book & more! Also two new POP figures from Man of Steel, and also Wacky Wobblers from the Muppets!

BATMAN ARKHAM CITY PLAY ARTS KAI HARLEY QUINN AF 

BATMAN ARKHAM CITY PLAY ARTS KAI POISON IVY AF

BOMBSHELL HARLEY QUINN T/S (MED,LG,XL)

DARTH VADER & SON 2014 WALL CALENDAR

MARVEL IRON MAN MINI MUNNY

MARVEL IRON MAN MUNNY

MARVEL SPIDER-MAN MINI MUNNY

MARVEL VENOM MINI MUNNY

MARVEL VENOM MUNNY 

MARVEL WOLVERINE MINI MUNNY

MARVEL WOLVERINE MUNNY

MSG FW GUNDAM CONVERGE 11 TRAD FIG 10PC ASST

POP DISNEY ALICE (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY BALOO (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY CARL (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY DUMBO (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY GENIE (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY JAFAR (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY JASMINE (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY KING LOUIE (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY MARY POPPINS (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY MERIDA (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY ROCKETEER (Now Available in store!)

POP DISNEY RUSSELL (Now Available in store!)

POP HEROES GREEN LANTERN PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER

POP MAN OF STEEL GENERAL ZOD (Now Available in store!)

POP MAN OF STEEL SUPERMAN (Now Available in store!)

WACKY WOBBLER MUPPETS ANIMAL (Now Available in store!)

WACKY WOBBLER MUPPETS FOZZIE BEAR (Now Available in store!)

WACKY WOBBLER MUPPETS KERMIT (Now Available in store!)

WACKY WOBBLER MUPPETS MISS PIGGY (Now Available in store!)

WONDER WOMAN 4 INCH PVC FIGURINE

Katsuya Terada's 'Pacific Rim' poster!

Following Yoji Shinkawa's lead, Guillermo del Toro also asked Blood the Last Vampire illustrator Katsuya Terada to create a poster for his film Pacific Rim! You can check it out below!

Katsuya Terada also called the movie a masterpiece echoing the good reception many Japanese creators have for Pacific Rim's release.

BORIS Robot of Leisure

Anyone looking out for something from the Toronto indie scene ought to check out 'BORIS Robot of Leisure' by Katharine Miller.

BORIS: ROBOT OF LEISURE is a graphic novel that blends retro-futuristic science fiction, mid-century cocktail culture and silent comedy into a timely and surprisingly human story of one robot’s pursuit of happiness and fulfillment.

Meet Boris—a gentle robot equipped with curiosity, ingenuity, and the ability to mix the perfect martini. Designed as an integral part of a “house of the future” known as Zükünfthaus, this recreation specialist finds his programming insufficient when the future is different than expected. Boris distracts himself from anxieties through dancing, cocktails, costumes, pillow fights and road trips.

http://www.robotofleisure.com/

Bill Plympton's 'Cheatin' trailer

Animator Bill Plympton has released a trailer for his new indie film raised with the help of Kickstarter! It's a story about love, jealousy, lust, betrayal and of course cheating... Will the story's couple make it through? Guess we'll find out in ways only Bill Plympton can deliver!

New Persona 3 movie info & Trailer!

Persona 3 is being adapted into a number of films... how many? Well we don't know... Two? Well, certainly the first one is on its way! Teased at the end of the Persona 4 movie, we now have a lengthier trailer showing us the cast of Persona 3 along with a new poster and the official website has been updated with character profiles and animation designs! Drop by our store if you're looking for the game's official artbook!

Chicago hypnosis services at IllinoisHypnosis.com

Losing weight is not always easy. This is especially true as you grow older and your metabolism starts to slow down. You need to implement direct plans of action that will attack your weight gain from multiple directions. Below are three different tactics that you should consider.

Replacing a Meal
First, you could try replacing a meal with a shake that gives you the vitamins and minerals that you need without all of the wasted calories. A meal replacement shake will be specially designed to make sure that your body does not suffer from any deficiencies even when you are significantly reducing your caloric intake.

Using Hypnosis
You could also consider Chicago hypnosis services at IllinoisHypnosis.com. Remember, the main hurdle between you and weight loss is probably mental, not physical. You have to be entirely committed to the process if you are going to succeed. Hypnosis may be able to give you that extra dedication that you have not been able to find all on your own.

Lifting Weights
You may think that lifting weighs is more geared toward weight gain than weight loss, but this is not always true. You see, your body burns more calories in muscle cells than it does in fat cells. As your muscle mass increases, you will naturally burn off more of the food that you eat. You can turn your body into a fat-burning machine, even while you are just sitting on the couch or sleeping, if you start to lift weights and gain muscle mass.

New Captain Harlock CG trailer

Here's another trailer for the CG Captain Harlock anime remake which will be Toei Animation's most expensive film ever, and directed by Appleseed's Shinji Aramaki! Plus, Yahoo Japan has a 12 minute preview here!

Behind the scenes of Pacific Rim

Here's a cool look at the CG work and other processes that went into making Pacific Rim!

NEW BOOKS ARRIVING NEXT WED JULY 24th!!!

ART BOOKS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- The official companion book for the hit web series 'The Guild' is finally here with lots of in-depth informative loot for fans!

DRAGON AGE WORLD OF THEDAS VOL 1 (BACK IN STOCK!)

GUILD OFF COMPANION SC 

COMICS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- Greg Pak & Jae Lee are back with the second issue of 'Batman & Superman' where out heroic duo encounter adversity on Earth 2!

- Follow Kate Bishop on a quest to find herself away from NY & Clint Barton in the 1st Annual issue for Hawkeye!

- The fallout from the Age of Ultron brings about a hunger so strong it will devour universes! Check out the first issue of 'Hunger' this week!

- The Superior Spider-Man continue to raise the bar by taking down Shadowland once and for all in issue #14 as well as kicking off a whole new ongoing series 'Super Spider-Man Team Up #1', both arriving this Wednesday!

- Get your hands on issue #1 of Superman Unchained once again with the new special director's cut release containing Jim Lee's pencils and Scott Snyder's full script!

ALL NEW FATHOM #1 (OF 8) ASPEN RESERVED CVR

ALL NEW FATHOM #1 (OF 8) DIRECT MARKET CVR

ALL STAR WESTERN #22

AQUAMAN #22

ARROW #9

BATMAN SUPERMAN #2

BATMAN SUPERMAN #2 VAR ED

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #22

BLOODSHOT #13 HARBINGER WARS REG BULLOCK

BOUNCE #3

CAPTAIN AMERICA #9 NOW

CATWOMAN #22

CLONE #9

CONSTANTINE #5 (TRINITY)

DAMSELS MERMAIDS #3

DARK HORSE PRESENTS #26

DOCTOR WHO VOL 3 #11

DOOMSDAY.1 #3 (OF 4)

DREAM MERCHANT #3 (OF 6) 

FLASH #22

GAMBIT #15

GAMMA ONE SHOT

GARTH ENNIS RED TEAM #4 

GHOSTBUSTERS #6

HARBINGER #14 HARBINGER WARS REG CRAIN

HAWKEYE ANNUAL #1

HUNGER #1

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #654 NOW

JUDGE DREDD #9

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #22 (TRINITY)

LARFLEEZE #2

LAZARUS #2 

MARK WAID GREEN HORNET #4

MARVEL UNIVERSE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #16

MASSIVE #14

MIND MGMT #13

NEW AVENGERS #8 INF

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #22

ROCKETEER SPIRIT PULP FRICTION #1 (OF 4)

SCARLET SPIDER #19

STAR TREK ONGOING #23 AFTER DARKNESS PT 3

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #14 NOW

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #1 BLANK VAR NOW

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #1 NOW

SUPERMAN #22

SUPERMAN UNCHAINED DIRECTORS CUT #1

TALON #10

TEEN TITANS #22

ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #29

UNCANNY #2

UNCANNY AVENGERS #10 NOW

UNWRITTEN #51

WHAT IF AVX #3 (OF 4)

WITCHBLADE #168 CVR A CHRISTOPHER

WOLVERINE #7 NOW

WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #33

YOUNG AVENGERS #8 NOW

GRAPHIC NOVELS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- The FABLES saga continues in the FAIREST spin-off with volume 2 collecting issues #8-14 of Rapunzel's tale as her storybook origins are revealed as she searches for her long lost children in Japan.

- Nightwing Volume 2 arrives this week continuing the 'Night of Owls' arc collecting issues #8-12.

- A young man, Wendell, stumbles into a Renaissance Fair where he meets a man convinced he's a knight out to slay a dragon. And when strange rumblings begin to occur in the woods, Wendell starts to believe that the knight is indeed who he says he is! Check out this heart-warming story of 'The Reasons for Dragons' when it arrives this week!

FAIREST TP VOL 02 HIDDEN KINGDOM

JUDGE DREDD FATTIES GN 

NIGHTWING TP VOL 02 NIGHT OF THE OWLS (N52)

REASON FOR DRAGONS HC

TOWER CHRONICLES BOOK ONE PREM HC GEISTHAWK

UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 07 FINAL EXECUTION BOOK 2

TOYS & SHIRTS

*This Week's Highlights!*

- Square Enix PlayArts Kai brings to us two new awesome figures from Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy! Catwoman from The Dark Knight Rises, and the Joker from The Dark Knight!

-Some of the greatest Mobile Suits can be yours! Check out the latest series of Bandai Fusion Works' Gundam StandArt Trading Figures featuring the suits from Gundam Wing, Z Gundam & Gundam Unicorn! Each box includes a stick of gum!

BIOSHOCK INFINITE HAT (Now Available)

NARUTO UZUMAKI NARUTO CHOPSTICKS 

POP HEROES AQUAMAN PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER 

POP HEROES FLASH PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER 

POP HEROES GREEN LANTERN PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER

POP HEROES BATMAN PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER

POP HEROES SUPERMAN PX VINYL FIG NEW 52 VER

FIREFLY 8-BIT CREW PX CHOC HEATHER T/S SM

DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY PLAY ARTS KAI CATWOMAN AF

DARK KNIGHT TRILOGY PLAY ARTS KAI THE JOKER AF 

MSG FW GUNDAM STANDART TRAD FIG 6PC ASST SER 17 

Pacific Rim REVIEW

     If Pacific Rim promised to be an XX-Large size bucketful of fun, it certainly doesn't achieve it. It's not an X-Large bucket either. It is however a regular Large sized bucket. Definitely better than the Medium size. And it's probably for the best that you'd took the Large because in all probability you'd get a stomach-ache if you took the X-Large which you can't finish; and they probably didn't have enough fun to fill up an XX-Large bucket to begin with so wisely cut out the fat. So what you get is a satisfying film that doesn't let you overeat to the point where the fun doesn't taste as nice as it did when you started.

     Pacific Rim runs at a quick clip. You're in, you're given quick and brief exposition as to what's going on, and finally you're off. And what's going on is that a portal to another dimension opens up on Earth at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean where gargantuan sized monsters (Kaiju) begin to surface and then set about wrecking human civilization. In order to fight them mankind builds their own gargantuan fighting robots (Yeagers). And where you're off to is the story about putting down those monsters and closing up the hole that allows them to come through for good.

     The Yeagers are run by two pilots, each with a neat psycho-synch ratio that allows them to mind merge to be like the left and right hemispheres of the robot's brain. Doing this requires finding people of close compatibility who get along and can fight as a team. As a side effect, each pilot becomes intimately knowledgeable of the memories and lives of their partner.

     Most of the drama surrounding Pacific Rim is focused on the relationships of the pilots. Whether between the duo themselves or even with regards to other teams; particularly in light of the fact that overtime mankind creates a spectacle out of the robot vs. kaiju war and fighting well garners acclaim and celebrity-status. A whole marketing and merchandising industry sets itself up around the various countries' Yeager teams which also helps boost humanity's morale. Pacific Rim has a neat way of paying attention to how the world has changed since the kaiju's appearences; how people deal with the aftermath; how mankind even finds ways to thrive and make a living off the creatures themselves. It's both interesting and also wildly comical. The world of Pacific Rim has a lot going for it and is definitely it's biggest strength.

     But Pacific Rim's weakness lies in some bad acting, particularly from our male lead. Charlie Hunnam plays a man who alongside his brother pilots the Yeager known as Gipsy Danger. But after a failed mission, he finds himself out of a job, and also sets off a public downturn in the Yeager program when higher level class kaiju start appearing making things difficult for mankind once again. However, his commander still has faith in the program and scrambles together a team of the last remaining Yeagers and calls Hunnam's character back to work. But this time, he will have to team up with somebody new; one of his potential candidates being a Japanese woman played by Rinko Kukichi, who is a well established Japanese actress who's done Hollywood films before, but remains relatively unknown; though some anime trivia fans may remember her role in the anime 'Sky Crawlers' by Mamoru Oshii.

     The dialogue in Pacific Rim is played up to be hammy by design; in a manner similar to films like Independence Day for example. And some of the wacky supporting characters pull it off very well to be entertaining; particularly an odd pair of scientists who work with the military on studying the kaiju and who play a pivitol role thanks to their discoveries. The odd one out however, is our male lead... Actor Charlie Hunnam doesn't do a good job and doesn't seem to like being there. It feels like he's reading his lines from memory instead of acting them. This does bog down the film a bit, particularly early on where the film is setting up who everyone is and how they interact with each other. Thankfully, once we get past it and into the action, the film carries on quite well despite him.

     It is the action and effects that take center stage and frankly are primarily the reason why you picked up this bucket in the first place so they had better be! Old school fans of classic Japanese kaiju/mecha cinema and anime certainly will have a ball with all the fun Del Toro has in store. Buildings will be smashed, blows will be exchanged, rockets will be fired. You'll feel like a kid in a playground again doing precisely the sort of thing you imagined in your mind as you moved your action figures back and forth causing total destruction of the landscape with the tiny ant-sized people pointing and gasping at the spectacle. One point of contention is that whole I enjoyed what I got, I personally felt like I was deprived of more. One downside being that some of the supporting Yeagers are dispensed off early on and too easily. Certainly I believe the trailers and marketing show a bit too much, but on the flip side, if they hadn't, then it's likely the film might've done worse at the box office. There are still some genuine surprises in store that are fantastic when you seem them, but by the end you'll definitely feel that the climax lacks the punches that the middle portion had.

     I watched the film in 3-D. The film was developed as an odd mix of both converted and native content. Del Toro never shot the film in 3-D, but always suspected that at the last minute that the studio would tell him to convert it; so he had the FX teams already develop their stuff with native 3-D in mind, and whatever live action on-set footage was shot was converted. The conversion is pretty good, almost flawless with not much of the rush job stuff seen in other films. On the other hand, like most films not shot natively in 3-D, the film utilizes things like shaky-cam shots that can be uncomfortable in 3-D, particularly when things get messy. Other experienced 3-D film-makers would work around the limitations of current 3-D to find other ways of conveying the same thing. But on the whole, the 3-D was fine.

     Pacific Rim is a fun sized package, though the radioactive warning stickers on it might put off some people who aren't so interested in the genre and don't want to lower their brows this low for a few hours. The film is filled with humour and spectacle with some really lovely shots and one can't help but make comparisons to anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion. I believe Del Toro set up some shots to be deliberately so! Fans of the Portal video games will also recognize GLaDOS's cameo appearances. I definitely recommend Pacific Rim to anyone out there who is a geek for such stuff, or anyone looking for a neat straightforward action/comedy summer flick to kill some time. Also the toys are pretty sweet, so check them out the next time you're down at our store!

Beauty Tip

Exfoliating your skin is very important. You need to rid your skin of all the dirt and other junk we are exposed to everyday from the environment.

Right now these exfoliation wands are very popular, and can be pretty pricey. My trick that I use will give you the same results. Get the cheapest wash clothes at Walmart (they are rougher and only $4.00 for a pack of 18)  use them with your favorite face wash. I like to use it in the shower so the steam will help open your pores and you will be able to get all the dirt and oils out of your pores in a fast and effective way. When you are all done your face will feel so smooth and soft. The best thing is you don't have to break the bank to have nice skin. :)

MAGIC 2014 sets now available!

The 2014 Core Set Magic The Gathering booster, intro, and fat packs are now available!

Local Toronto Artist: Alise-Ann Glover

Last Weekend was the Bloor Annex Patio Art show where the entire street was showcasing the artwork of local Toronto artists! We had the pleasure of displaying the work of illustrator/fine artist Alise-Ann Glover! Check out more of her art below and at the provided links!

www.a-aglover.com

www.a-aglover.tumblr.com

How to Train Your Dragon 2 Trailer

Pacific Rim poster by Yoji Shinkawa!

Yoji Shinkawa, lead concept artist for the Metal Gear Solid series created a poster for the Japanese IMAX release of Pacific Rim! Check it out!

The film has obviously been catching on in Japan! Here's what Hideo Kojima, the creator of Metal Gear had to say...

 They're probably just buttering Del Toro up so he'll do the Metal Gear Solid movie... : P

The film is already out, I'll let you know how it was once I see it! Anime fans such as the RZA and Kanye West also loved it! Drop by our store if you're looking for Pacific Rim artbooks & toys!

Dragon Age Back in stock!

DRAGON AGE WORLD OF THEDAS Vol. 1