IPC Podcast Episode 14 Recap (August 9, 2014)

TOPIC: Summer TV and Movies

 

In this transition episode of the Intergalactic Peace Coalition, the guys discussed some of the recent TV shows and movies that have passed over the course of the summer. With Doctor Who debuting on August 23, the fall slate is almost around the corner.

Zac started things off by discussing the summer series that was not renewed for a second season - Crossbones. Set in 16th-17th century New World, an assassin sent to kill Blackbeard ended up joining the infamous pirate because of the democracy he was trying to establish. Zac hoped it would show the true nature of piracy and exploration in the New World, where it turned into a political drama with overdone implied love scenes. He described it as "Game of Thrones in Jamaica, on a National TV station." While perhaps somewhat incorrectly described, he noted that its lowlights outweighed the highlights.

Ben broke down another series where its second season concluded towards the early part of the summer - the CW's Arrow. Following a flamboyant playboy who returns from a shipwreck to right the wrongs in his city, Ben noted how the action was fantastic and there was no end to recurring characters being killed off in dramatic fashion. Calling it a "Lost in reverse," he noted how the flashbacks back to the island gave room for a lot of great story and character development. The third season, he said, sets up for a lot of great villainy with Ra's Al Ghul.

Pressed for time and filled with technical difficulties, the guys were able to discuss one of the summer movies voted upon by the listeners and the fans on Facebook. With the choices of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Guardians of the Galaxy fans chose the newly-released Marvel movie starring Chris Pratt (also the star of next year's Jurassic World).

Colin Trevorrow posted on Twitter on August 5 that Jurassic World
has finished filming and is now in post-production.

The guys also noted the importance of treating Guardians like an Action-Comedy that was borderline parody. The only difference it had from parodies, Zac said, was that rather than making jokes about the series (like Spaceballs or Galaxy Quest) they made jokes about each other - which aided in character development. They both noted to be sure to expect fun jokes, exciting action, strong villains, new weapons, and a wide-open door for more to be made. Many are saying the next one is due in 2017.


Quote of the Night:

"To any monarch, king, sultan, Pope, despot, or emperor, you are no more than a means to an end. A means to acquire riches, a means to acquire power. But we are an end to our own selves. And only our own selves. We that stand are abject dogs and bastards, we are killers and malefactors, we are thieves and scum, and we are brothers and sisters. So... if they wish to make us their means, let them come and meet their end!"- Commodore Edward Teach, Crossbones episode 'Blackbeard'


News:

Zach Snyder - director of Man of Steel - recently got into it with J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions on twitter. What started with a photoshopped crossover with Henry Cavill, evolved into back-and-forth crossovers to the delight and chagrin of all their followers. All the photos can be viewed here.

DC has moved the release date of Batman vs. Superman: Dawn Of Justice to March 25, 2016 to avoid conflicting with Captain America 3, which is due to be released on July 17th, 2015. They also unveiled a whole roster of new film release dates, showing how committed they are to making more DC movies:

Untitled DC Film – 8/05/16
Untitled DC Film – 6/23/17

Untitled DC Film – 11/17/17

Untitled DC Film – 3/23/18

Untitled DC Film – 7/27/18

Untitled DC Film – 4/05/19

Untitled DC Film – 6/14/19

Untitled DC Film – 4/03/20

Untitled DC Film – 6/19/20

 

 

In other DC News, Star Wars: The Clone Wars alum Clancy Brown has been cast as The General in The Flash. Zac noted he would have preferred to see Terra Nova's Stephen Lang cast as an older military type, but it's better to give Clancy his fair shake before dishing out judgment on the choice.

In the Marvel Universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. released some big casting news… Revealing Kyle MacLachlan will be playing a large role Season Two. If you want spoilers on who he will play, click the following link. His only previous superhero experience? MacLachlan was the voice of Superman on the 2008 video Justice League: The New Frontier.

With everything so awesome, it was awesome news to hear that The Lego Movie is due for not one, but two sequels in the coming years. One is set for May 25, 2018 and the second one a year later on May 24, 2019.

Old news but still cool, Star Wars Rebels released a clip of the first seven minutes of their first episode. Filled with great music, fun action and dialogue reminiscent of the Original trilogy, this series set between Episode III and IV should prove fun. Rebels is set to debut in October of 2014.


In other Star Wars related news, a distant rumor has arisen that Daisy Ridley has already signed on to be a part of the two movies following Episode VII. Due to the fact that one source heard it from another, and they heard it from one of their sources, we should treat this as just a rumor until confirmed or denied by Disney and/or Lucasfilm.

#BBQWatch: BBQ Accessories

The guys talked about how you could potentially market and accessorize BBQ, just as you would any other fandom. Zac recommended BBQ scented candles while Ben mentioned scratch-n-sniff menus. Someone from the chat also gave us a link to Star Wars themed grill tongs. How would you accessorize your BBQ experience? Write us on Facebook or leave us a comment online! 

Closing Fortune Cookie: "Fail with honor rather than succeed by fraud."

 

 

BREAKING: J.J. Abrams spotted in Anaheim!

Star Wars and Sports collide!

Episode VII director, J.J. Abrams, was spotted at the August 9 baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Boston Red Sox. The game lasted a grand total of 19 innings, with the Angels eventually pulling out the victory, 5-4 . Who he was cheering for seemed to be less important than the fact he was back in the states at all.

While blurry, the features are unmistakably J.J. Which leads fans to wonder what he could be doing back in California, and why was he not in a box suite? The down-to-earth Star Wars director was spotted by Randy A. Mazin from the Facebook group Star Wars Geeks of the world, UNITE!!!
who was also in attendance.

This is obviously not the only integral member of the film to be spotted in the states, as Peter Mayhew was in San Antonio this past weekend and visited with Dave Gremillion of Get Your Geek On. This trend seems to confirm the rumors provided from several sources that the show has been placed on hiatus to give everyone a break. Given the state of the cast like Ford with his hurt leg and Mayhew with his hip replacement, this break may be beneficial for everyone concerned.

It's good to see J.J. getting some time off at one of America's greatest pastimes, without too much speculation floating around that release dates are being pushed back, or that recording has moved from Pinewood back to California.

Anaheim is not just known for their angelic baseball players, however. The next Star Wars Celebration - Celebration Anaheim - is set for April 16-19, 2015, with Abrams expected (but not yet confirmed) to attend there as well.

IPC Podcast Episode 13 Recap (August 2, 2014)

TOPIC: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 6

As the six-part discussion on The Clone Wars came to a conclusion, Zac and Ben broke down a shortened season filled with answers leading to Episode III and beyond. From the opening arc about Order 66 to the Finale about the Living Force and survival about the Jedi Order, it gave lots of insight to Star Wars as a whole.

Rather than discuss favorite arcs, the guys broke down each of the thirteen episodes, one-by-one, leading to a cast that lasted over 2 hours and 15 minutes - the longest in IPC's short history.

Zac was saddened to see the loss of Trooper Fives in the Order 66 arc, but recognized with such character development, it called for the loss or death of such character. The sole reason being he simply knew too much at the end. Ben noted how they ended the series at the top of their game - unlike series that lasted too long and faded into non-relevance like The Andy Griffith Show. They acknowledged while they would have loved to see more of Echo (who remains alive), or Darth Maul or Asajj Ventress, it was fitting to see the series begin with Yoda in Ambush and conclude with him in Sacrifice.

Ben's favorite episode: The Unknown

Zac's favorite episode: The Lost One


Quote of the Night:

"No longer certain, that one ever does win a war, I am. For in fighting the battles, the bloodshed, already lost we have. Yet, open to us a path remains, that unknown to the Sith is. Through this path, victory we may yet find. Not victory in the Clone Wars, but victory for all time."- Master Yoda, episode Sacrifice.


News:

SDCC 2014 produced some more interesting insights towards future movies, unfortunately, they are either being kept secret or have been removed from the internet due to copyright infringement. Things like the Age of Ultron trailer and the Batman vs Superman teaser have been well-hidden. Perhaps soon they will be revealed through other channels, but as of now, links are not currently available.

• One tidbit that HAS reached the internet is the first picture of Gal Gadot in her Wonder Woman costume.

• In other news, Benedict Cumberbatch has added Simon Pegg's name back into the mix for Star Wars Episode VII, hinting that Pegg's relationship with director J.J. Abrams could help: "I think J.J. is very good at creating something original out of something known," The voice of Smaug and face of Sherlock told MTV News when asked about a possible involvement in Star Wars, "and I think apart from his continuing use of Simon Pegg - and who can blame him, frankly - it made sense not to do it."

•  During an interview with Channel 1138's own Everything Geek Podcast, Star Wars: The Clone Wars composer Kevin Kiner revealed a soundtrack was in the works. Now also composing music for Star Wars Rebels (set to debut in October), Kiner was quoted saying, "We are just compiling a CD of Clone Wars seasons 1-6."  

• Facebook's official Doctor Who page revealed the first episode of Series 8 is to be titled "Deep Breath." A fitting name for a frantic clan of fans waiting to see what this new Doctor has in store. Series 8 is set to debut 23 August.   

"Deep Breath"

• The Live Action version of The Jungle Book has one of its most important pieces filled - Baloo the bear to be played by Bill Murray. Along with Lupita Nyong'o, Scarlett Johannson and Christopher Walken, this is shaping up to be an all-star cast from director Jon Favreau.

Announcements:

IPC and Channel 1138 are sad to report the founder of Star Wars Geeks of the World, UNITE!!! - Darryl Roberts - passed away suddenly this past week. He helped found the largest group of Star Wars fans on Facebook with over 20,000 members and an outreach of nearly twice that. One with the Force, we rejoice for him but feel saddened for and send our deepest condolences to those he left behind.

#BBQWatch: Advice you would give somebody attending a BBQ Restaurant for the first time.

While extremely rare, there may be a time when someone's attending a BBQ restaurant for the first time in their lives... Will you be prepared if you're the one to introduce it to them?

Ben's best advice was to keep trying even if it doesn't go right the first time. Most of the time someone will find one plate they enjoy most and attach themselves to it - sometimes over the course of a decade or more. However, just like fandoms, like one kind may lead to appreciating another and expanding just how much BBQ you enjoy.

Zac's advice was a little more sarcastic and straightforward: Don't. Be. Vegan.
While in jest, it can be very difficult for vegetarians and vegans to enjoy a time at a BBQ restaurant, so his best advice was not to expect special accommodations, and concurred with Ben to keep trying different kinds until you find what's right for you.

What advice would you give to a first-timer for BBQ? Write us on our facebook page and tell us.

IPC Podcast Episode 12 Recap (July 26, 2014)

TOPIC: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 5

As the 6-episode arc discussing the Clone Wars begins to wind down, the guys dissected what they considered to be one of the best-written seasons in the show. With intense dialogue surrounding Darth Maul to impactful decisions made on Onderon and with Ahsoka Tano, the scripts seemed to have been much improved as the show wound down.

Ben made connections to the Onderon arc and how similar their tactics are to the Rebel Alliance we see in Episode IV - guerrilla warfare, calculated strikes, receiving aid from outside help (Hondo), and even using separatist weapons against them (similar to Chewbacca's hijacking of an AT-ST). He also noted that his favorite arc was the Driod Arc with Meebur Gascon due to its timelessness, character development and sense of adventure.

Zac enjoyed the discussion on Darth Maul's rise to power on Mandalore and how several stories were finally completed in the four episodes the arc covered. Maul finally has his revenge, Satine and Savage both meet their fate, we learn the importance of Bo-Katan, Almec is almost rewarded for being a black market dealer, and we learn how an alliance between a people with honor does not last long with people who lack honor. "Another weakness," as Savage Opress mentioned. Yet with so many stories finished, there were many questions left unanswered by the series. One of them being answered in comic-form is what exactly Sidious had planned for Maul after removing him from power on the Death Watch's homeworld.

Ben's favorite episode: The Lawless

Zac's favorite episode: Revival


Quote of the Night:

"It's really about the new generation of characters, we're just there to lend our support and grow contractually obligated beards."- Mark Hamill, on Episode VII


NEWS:

San Diego Comic Con produced many announcements regarding series, and one of the most anticipated was from the October premier of Star Wars Rebels. Some lucky few who attended SDCC saw the first two episodes.

For those of us unable to go, there were several teasers. One of such was a 2-minute teaser about the series as a whole.

A second video clip released had the star - Ezra - and Zeb as they hijack a TIE Fighter.

A third, very impressive clip contained Kanan defending Ezra in a lightsaber duel with the Inquisitor.

Some other Star Wars News released was that some untold Clone Wars stories about Asajj Ventress and Quinlan Vos were to be released in a novel by Christie Golden. The book is due Summer of 2015.

Firefly fans clamoring for extra material will be pleased to know that the entire cast of the series is set to return to do their own voices in the online game. Alan Tudyk will be performing Wash's voice along with some other miscellaneous characters, see if you can tell who while you're playing!

Mockingbird announced to appear as a regular in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D season two. In the same breath, Lucy Lawless of Xena fame was said to be on the show as well, and it was announced within 48 hours of this announcement. Whether they are the same role or we will be getting Mockingbord and Lawless as a "standard" Agent is still to be determined.

Other pieces released and seen at SDCC 2014 included a teaser for Batman v. Superman, a trailer for the CW's 3rd season of Arrow, and materials to be used in Universal Studios' Jurassic World.



#BBQWatch: Favorite sides with BBQ?

Everybody has a favorite side that they'll eat with their BBQ, and it changes variously based on preference and region. From Cole Slaw to Corn, there's no end to options. The guys tried to find a top 3, but it proved harder than expected.

Ben's top 3 (in no particular order):
1. Baked Beans
2. Fries
3. Baked Potato Salad (see picture)

Zac's top 3 (in no particular order):
1. Buttered Roll
2. Fries
3. Fried Okra

What are your favorite BBQ sides? Write us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/intergalacticpeacecoalition or on twitter @IPC1138 and use hashtag #bbqwatch


                                                    Baked Potato Salad

 

 

Jurassic World Jeep

 

 

Asajj Ventress/Quinlan Vos Novel

 

 

Benedict Cumberbatch & Lego Smaug at SDCC 2014

"Top 10" things to look forward to at SDCC 2014

With San Diego Comic Con just around the corner, one of our fellow nerds, Kenny, gave us a Top-10 list of things to anticipate and hope for at SDCC this year. Here they are:

 1. Star Wars Rebels
The new animated show for Star Wars on The Disney Channel and Disney XD this fall should prove a hot topic. What kind of tidbits will be revealed about the show before the first episode airs and what information from the panel will be revealed? It should be an exciting week for Star Wars Rebels news at SDCC 2014.

2. Marvel
It is safe to assume the executives at Marvel will have some big things planned for the con with Guardians of the Galaxy coming out in August and Avengers: Age of Ultron coming out in May 2015. Not to mention the next season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the new series Agent Carter etc. Marvel always seem to have good stuff planned for SDCC and this year will be no exception .

3. All the Licenses
What does Hasbro have planned for The Star Wars and Marvel Toy Lines? What does Sideshow Collectibles, Gentle Giant, Hot Wheels and more have planned not only for this year and the beginning of next year going forward? We shall see and hopefully have lots to look forward to from those Licenses.

4. Doctor Who
With Series 8 coming August 23, what will be revealed about this upcoming season? Also, what kind of toys and collectibles for Series 8 will Character Options and Underground Toys have for the Whovians? Hopefully some Doctor Who news out of SDCC 2014 will come our way.

5. Fall TV Shows
Sci-Fi/Fantasy series like Arrow, Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries, The Flash, Gotham, Once Upon A Time, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Marvel's Agent Carter, and who knows what else may be in store, or even revealed at the Con. 

6. Materials
What new products will be on display at SDCC that we have not seen before and have not been leaked out yet? Only time will tell if anything new will be seen in San Diego.

7. Summer 2015
Many movies, including Age of Ultron are due in Summer of '15. We can't expect them to reveal much, but more information than what we have currently would be nice to see.

8. Star Wars Novels
With Tarkin and A New Dawn coming out, some new info about the books in this new Star Wars Canon can be expected.

9. Star Wars Comics 
Hopefully SDCC 2014 will bring some news about the upcoming Star Wars Comic Stories from Marvel Coming out in 2015.

10. Miscellaneous
There's almost always an unexpected surprise revealed at a convention of this size and magnitude. What surprise, and what series is still to be determined. As always, just enjoy the con itself. From the vendor floor to the cosplayers and panels, be sure to embrace the moment if you have the privilege of attending SDCC 2014.


This list is an opinion article and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Intergalactic Peace Coalition at large. IPC administrators can be contacted via e-mail at ipc1138@gmail.com

IPC Podcast Episode 11 Recap (July 19, 2014)

TOPIC: Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Season 4

In continuation of the "Clone Wars Arc" on IPC, Ben and Zac broke down what they both considered one of the more consistent and action-packed seasons the series had to offer. Ben's favorite arc of stories in the season was the Umbara arc - which consists of the episodes Darkness on Umbara, The General, Plan of Dissent, and Carnage of Krell. Filled with terrific nighttime battle sequences, classic characters like Rex, ARC Trooper Fives, Jesse, Kix, and Waxer, this arc set the stage for great character development for all the clones. Their new general, Pong Krell, was revealed to be a rogue Jedi looking to ally himself with the separatists, and even pitted brother against brother when he sent the 501st into battle against the 212th, leaving casualties on both sides and resulted in the loss of Clone Trooper Waxer.

Zac's favorite arc involved an all-star "cast" of characters as well, this one being bounty hunters. The episodes Deception, Friends and Enemies, The Box, and Crisis on Naboo set the stage for the best bounty hunters in the galaxy to team up under Count Dooku's leadership to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine himself. Obi-Wan Kenobi feigned his own death and dressed as a sniper to infiltrate and break out of prison, then join Cade Bane, Moralo Eval, and more in the winner-take-all games - known as the box. This arc also included Boba Fett and Bossk starting a prison riot to create a diversion - both of whom we see out of prison in future episodes. This arc was particularly unique due tot he originality of the stories, such as a prison break and a series of simulations to test strength and intelligence, as well as being Cad Bane's final arc in the Clone Wars series.

Ben's favorite episode: Bounty

Zac's favorite episode: Carnage of Krell


Quote of the Night:
"A new power is rising, I've foreseen it. The Jedi are going to lose this was and the Republic will be ripped apart from the inside. In its place is going to rise a new order, and I will rule as part of it!"- Pong Krell, episode Carnage of Krell


NEWS:

Marvel:

~ The Avengers: Age of Ultron has had a series of set photos released by Entertainment Weekly. Along with these photos came a plot detail suggesting (Possible SPOILERS!)
Tony Stark expanded upon his AI suit idea from Iron Man 3 to create Ultron. It was expected he would grow in intelligence in order to protect the world and give the Avengers a "break," when in reality he tries to protect the world by destroying humanity.
As always, this is just a rumor until confirmed or denied by the people at Marvel and Disney.

~ Same name, new faces. In the Marvel comics, it's been recently announced the current Thor is to lose his title as god of thunder, and the title will be taken up by a woman. This hints the title of Thor is, in reality, not a given name but an inherited one to whomever wields the hammer.
In similar fashion, the new Captain America is to be a character we only recently saw in Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Sam Wilson (formerly Falcon). This does not mean either of those titles will be making transitions in the Cinematic Universe anytime soon, it seems doubtful either Chris Hemsworth or Evans will be leaving their roles in the near future.

DC:

~ Arrow and The Flash both receiving casting announcements for their upcoming seasons.

• Devon Aoki has been cast in Arrow as Tatsu Yamashiro (Katana). She previously appeared in Sin City and 2 Fast 2 Furious.
• Karl Yune has been cast in Arrow as Maseo Yamashiro, Katana’s husband. He also appeared in Real Steel, Knight Riderand Forbidden Warrior.
• Peter Stormare has been cast in Arrow as Count Vertigo.
• Brandon Routh has been in Arrow as Ray Palmer (The Atom).
• Robbie Amell has been cast in The Flash as Ronnie Raymond (Firestorm) and will serve as a S.T.A.R. Labs maintenance worker.
• Wentworth Miller has been named in The Flash as Leanord Snart (Captain Cold).

 

 

Announcements:

July 20th to be the 45th Anniversary of the First Moonwalk in Earth's history, performed by Lance Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Sparking imaginations of space travelers for nearly five decades, the Apollo 11 excursion truly was "One small step for man... One giant leap for mankind."

The IPC would like to wish a happy 11th Anniversary to David and Elizabeth Gremillion, two great people and fine examples of proponents of peace among sci-fi and the Internet at large.


#BBQWatch: favorite barbecued foods?

Ben and Zac both agreed it can sometimes depend on the place you go for your BBQ. Some restaurants may specialize in a certain couple of types, while others may have it as a small section of a much larger menu. Therefore, the quality of the BBQ in each place my affect what you choose as your favorite barbecued food. If forced to choose just one, though, Zac decided on Cow (Brisket) and Ben decided on Pig (Pulled Pork) - but DID say that Bacon is only considered BBQ in his mind if eaten with BBQ Sauce.

What is your favorite BBQ food? How is it prepared? Why is it your favorite? Write us on our facebook wall and let us know what you enjoy the most.

 

The Inquisitor's Voice Revealed

For the past couple of months, Star Wars fans have been receiving teasers regarding what the future holds for the upcoming series, Star Wars Rebels. With much of the Ghost crew established and Agent Kallus announced, only one piece of the cast still remained unanswered: The Inquisitor.

On July 17, the official Facebook page for Star Wars Rebels gave a teaser video of the primary antagonist, and the voice actor was revealed as well - none other than Jason Isaacs. More commonly known as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series, Isaacs also portrayed Colonel William Tavington in the Mel Gibson film The Patriot.

Pablo Hidalgo of Lucasfilm Story Group was quoted saying that, "When the Inquisitor shows up, it means something is significant," so this can hint Kallus will be the one doing most of the chasing, and when things reach a climax or breaking point, Isaac's character will appear.

Having previous villain and complex character experience, Isaacs seems an ideal choice to voice this Imperial character. He does not go so far as to call the Utapaun a villain, however, stating in the video that he's an "unpleasant character" and the title of villain "depends on (the viewer's) point of view."

We've heard somewhere that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view, so that is still to be determined here. Star Wars Rebels is slated to debut in fall of 2014 on Disney XD.