Iron Men Assemble!

Iron Man stormed cinemas worldwide last weekend with record-breaking box office of USD193.3 million in the first 5 days from international markets (outside US), exceeding that of The Avengers last week. In Malaysia alone, the 3rd chapter in the Iron Man movie saga scored RM14.3 million domestically (source www.boxofficemojo.com).

Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark: Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philantropist with a suit of high-tech armour powered by an arc reactor in his chest. This time, Iron Man faces global terrorism by the mysterious Mandarin and combats an army of super-soldiers enhanced with Extremis tech to dangerous results. New director Shane Black takes the helm of Iron Man 3, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow & Don Cheadle returning as Pepper Potts and Rhodey / War Machine / Iron Patriot, plus Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin and Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian.  

Read up full movie review at CinemaOnline.

Want to bring home the Iron Man experience with you? The Outpost Movie Recon Team (MRT) has identified the following Iron Man goodies from your friendly neighbourhood cinemas and other movie partners:

Movie patrons of Cathay Cineplexes can purchase limited edition Iron Man 3D glasses to use in the cinema to watch Iron Man 3 as well as other 3D movies. The Real D 3D glasses comes in thematic designs for Mark 42, War Machine, Iron Patriot and Tony Stark, priced at RM25 each. A worthwhile cinema investment as 3D glasses are no longer provided / charged by Cathay, allowing savings in your 3D movie experience. Grab them while stocks last!

Whilst enjoying your Iron Man movie in Cathay, you can also purchase the Iron Man 3 Combo with includes 1 large popcorn, 1 large soft drink, 2 Nature's Valley Energy Bars and an Iron Man keychain for RM15.90:

If you are a fan of Golden Screen Cinemas instead, Iron Man premiums are also available there in form of an Iron Man 3 Metal Clip set:

Want to win some Iron Man goodies? Then join the GSC online Iron Man contest with offers an assortment of goodies like official Iron Man apparel, toys and gadgets:

More Iron Man merchandise is also up for grabs from MBO Cinemas with purchase of a Iron Man 3 ticket and combo set:

TGV cinemas provides the ultimate Iron Man 3 movie experience in IMAX 3D at Sunway Pyramid and 1 Utama. While you're enjoying your movie, TGV has their Iron Man 3 drinks tumbler set with regular popcorn for RM14.90: 

Don't forget to keep your memories and snap a photo with the IronMan3 standees and posters. While you're at TGV, snap some imaginative photos with the Iron Man 3 posters and/or standees there, then post it to Instagram with the hashtags #IronMan3 and #IMAX_TGV for chance to win more goodies:

TuneTalk has also jumped into the Stark Industries bandwagon and is providing 3 unique Iron Man 3 designed SIM cards pre-loaded with3GB data plan:

Penangites can engross their Iron Man fandom at 1st Avenue Mall with a host of thematic displays and activities on the weekend. Shoppers are also rewarded with Iron Man 3 tshirts, keychains and movie tickets by receipt redemption (while stocks last).

Selected Parkson department stores are also giving away Iron Man 3 movie tickets and recycle bags, plus chance to win an iPad for minimum purchase of Marvel toys and Chargers Outfitters Iron Man 3 apparel:

Need some toys for the kids, or the kid in you? Then head over to major toy retailers to buy some official Iron Man action figures or role-play toys from Hasbro.

There are even cute bite sized figures called MicroMuggs featuring 24 designs to collect; actually there should be up to 42 but 24 is enough collector poison!

If you want to build your Iron Men like Tony Stark instead, official LEGO Iron Man 3 building toys should be in major retailers anytime now. There are only 3 sets available, all of which feature the new Mark 42 armour, although some variety of the many other armours featured in the movie as new mini-figures would have been nice.

Trendy Iron Man fans can show off their love for the Armoured Avenger with official Iron Man 3 apparel from Superheroes United and Chargers Outfitters. In fact check out the nifty "Armour Vault" styled kiosk deployed by Superheroes United at selected TGV cinema locations, together with illusion floor art! Present your Iron Man 3 movie ticket to receive 10% off selected tshirts plus a Limited Edition Iron Man 3 paper bag:

The more budget conscious can get alternative Iron Man 3 apparel by Chargers Outfitters from Parkson departments stores.

For the even more budget conscious, Tesco has Iron Man 3 carry bags selling for only RM3.99!

Wow! That's a lot of Iron Man mania this season to enhance your movie engagement. It certainly kept our Outpost MRT busy scouting for these movie goodies.

Standby for the next Outpost MRT feature...

Disclaimer: Iron Man and its associated characters are copyright to Marvel Entertainment referenced here for fan service announcements without intent to infringe. Artwork and photographs referenced are also copyright to their respective owners and used without commercial incentive. Outpost also bears no responsibility for accuracy of information provided at time of publication.

Time to Retaliate, G.I. Joe style!

YO JOE!

G.I. Joe : Retaliation is the sequel to G.I. Joe Rise of the Cobra from 2009, the first live-action film of Hasbro's G.I. Joe franchise which enamored many boys from the 80's with cartoons, comics and toys. G.I. Joe is an elite military unit tasked to safeguard the world against terrorist organisations like Cobra.

At the end of the Rise of Cobra, Cobra Commander was captured by the G.I. Joes and locked away in a secret prison. However, Cobra's master of disguise, Zartan, had infiltrated the white house and successfully impersonated the President of United States. Now in Retaliation, Zartan frames the Joes and orders their termination. Only a handful of Joes survive, led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Roadblock and determined to strike back. Together with Flint and Lady Jaye, Roadblock reunites with Snake Eyes and recruits other unlikely allies such as Jinx, cousin to the assassin Storm Shadow, and General (retired) Joe Colton, the "original" Joe himself played by veteran action hero, Bruce Willis.

Meet the Joes:

Roadblock

Duke

Snake Eyes

Flint

Lady Jaye / Brenda

Jinx

Joe Colton

Meanwhile, Cobra has their deadly saboteur, Firefly, hot on the heels of the Joes whilst completing new weapons to take over the world. Way to go Year of the Snake!

Cobra Commander

Storm Shadow

Firefly

How will the Joes retaliate against such overwhelming odds? Find out in G.I. Joe Retaliation, now screening at cinemas nationwide.

The Outpost Movie Recon Team (MRT) has identified a few avenues for G.I. Joe fans to get into the action with the following contests and promos for the movie: 

 AXN is never out of the action and what spells action more than the Joes. Subscribers to AXN can enter this online contest by 30 March to win G.I. Joe merchandise.

Fret not if you don't subscribe to AXN, GSC is also giving out goodies in their GI Joe website contest. 

Or if you rather use Facebook, enter through Cathay Cineplexes contest app.

Want to bring home the action? Pick-up some G.I. Joe action figures and vehicles from Toys R Us.

Hungry after all the explosions and slogan writing? Head on over to Burger King for their special G I Joe Ranger & Commando meals. Purchase 2 meals to get a TGV movie voucher (while stocks last).

Order for Snake Eyes home delivery!

The Outpost Command Crew was privileged to have caught an early preview of G.I. Joe Retaliation in IMAX 3D and gives the movie a high-5. Retaliation by Jon M Chu is distinctly different from Stephen Sommers Rise of Cobra, which could have been felt much like a live-action cartoon with enough non-stop explosions to rattle loose fillings from your teeth. So much so that most of the preceding movie cast had been dropped with only Snake Eyes and Duke returning in favour of Dwayve Johnson's Roadblock to lead the new cast. Retaliation also injects more real world feel into the action by departing from the tech-OD of sonic weapons, accelerator suits, and particle cannons.

Land, Sea, Air Featurette

It's back to guns with bullets and tanks which hiss fumes (pun intended!), which perhaps adds to the high-action sequences by making them more rooted in reality and therefore believable... well, if parrying bullets with a sword comes as believable! Oh, and Cobra Commander never looked more cool; we fairly sure director Jon M Chu must be a Cobra fan at heart (and if you want to join Cobra Special Forces, head over here). After a 9-month delay for 3D conversion, G.I. Joe Retaliation provides a great action movie experience in IMAX 3D, and probably other 3D and 2D (though we can't really say for sure until we've seen it again on these formats).

Oh, and we had some childish moments screaming "COBRA!" while cosplaying; sorry no "YO JOE!" since Snake Eyes just doesn't say anything...

Catch some G.I. Joe live-action this Sunday 31 March 2013, 1300 hours at Tropicana City Mall. Plus take the change to take part in Hasbro's NERF Challenge at the Toys R Us Toy Fair on the main concourse for the chance to take up the latest NERF N-Strike Elite blasters and other cool giveaways.

G.I. Joe Retaliation is directed by Jon M Chu and starring Dwayve Johnson as Roadblock, Ray Park as Snake Eyes, Byung-hun Lee as Storm Shadow, and Ray Stevenson as Firefly with Channing Tatum returning as Duke and Bruce Willis as Joe Colton. Catch the explosive action in 3D and especially IMAX 3D!

HOO-AH!

Standby for Outpost MRT's next feature...

Disclaimer: G.I. Joe and its associated characters are copyright to Hasbro Inc. referenced here for fan service announcements without intent to infringe.

Cosplay Explosion at Comic Fiesta 2012

 

The 11th year of Comic Fiesta took place over the weekend of 22 & 23 December 2012 at KLCC Convention Centre. It was estimated that over 25,000 people visited Malaysia's largest ACG event with hundreds of cosplayers, possibly thousands, plus hoards of photographers. Cosplay photos from Comic Fiesta have already been spreading like wildfire online via social media channels. Some awesome, and some.... well, deserves some brownie points for effort and "bolas"... especially some cross-players that many make wish to erase from their memory banks!

Here's our small contribution to the "fire", but with focus more on movie-inspired costuming instead of anime-related cosplay. The following photos are in no way comprehensive of the entire event, or professional-level quality, and serves only as a sampling of sights from Comic Fiesta through the limited photo lens of our Outpost Away Team.

Iron Man Mark VII (The Avengers movie finale armour).

 

Judge Dredd (2012 movie version).

Gandalf.

The Joker.

DC & Marvel Crossover taken with "Flash", Guy Gardner, War Machine and er, some "cowboy".

Your friendly neighbourhood Spider-man.

 

Who wants a kiss from Venom?

(photo courtesy Crimotaku on flickr)

 

Having a fun time with Jack Frost.

Captain America, The First Avenger, ready for action.

 

Tony Stark and Steve Rogers together.

The Avengers together with Dato' Jimmy Choo and Danny Choo at Culture Japan;
the Choos are not cosplayers.



Gundam Unicorn! Yes it's anime but too awesome not to highlight!

Spidey with less-threatening looking Venom.

(photo courtesy Crimotaku on flickr)

War Machine and GI Joe's Snake Eyes.
 

Alternate Universe Venom.
 

Gals from World of Tanks with a new "man-tank".

Captain Jack out of time.

(photo courtesy of Crimotaku on flickr)

Rorschach from The Watchmen.

(photo courtesy of Crimotaku on flickr)

 

Deadpool takes a shot.

(photo courtesy of Crimotaku on flickr)

  

 Marvel taunts DC, courtesy of Deadpool Oppa Gangnam style; nice DC line-up BTW!

(photo courtesy of Crimotaku on flickr)

 

More Deadpool mania.

(photo courtesy of Crimotaka on flickr)

 

 

Never too young to cosplay!

Thanks for viewing our gallery!

 

Outpost wishes all our fans and followers a Happy New Year!

 

Also a brief reminder that entries for our Holidays Giveaways are ending today on 31st December 2012. For a chance to win a pair of Star Trek action figures, just submit your entries below via PunchTab and become a Follower of this blog site (click to join on the right colum with your Google account), or connect through our Facebook Page.