Vinyl Pulp takes a look at all the 7″ Kidrobot Akuma’s. This is the SDCC 2016 exclusive BAIT Oni Akuma. The limited edition figure features a purple colorway and translucent arms.
Vinyl Pulp #18: SDCC 2016 BAIT Oni Akuma
August 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
SoHo Sins by Richard Vine
August 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Messed-up marriages, adultery, temptation, jealously and power all come to play in this pulp novel SoHo Sins. With a long career in the modern art scene, author Richard Vine pens his first novel using New York City art world as the backdrop.
In SoHo Sins the art scene golden couple is Philip and Amanda Oliver. Philip a techy millionaire is in a broken marriage with his current wife Amanda Wingate, the art collector heiress. The art world is rocked when Amanda is found murdered in her home. Art dealer and friend of the couple Jackson Wyeth and his P.I. buddy Hogan are on the job to investigate Amanda’s grisly death.
Vinyl Pulp #17: The Baby Fatts Gallery
August 1, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Vinyl Pulp goes to the Baby Fatts Gallery at Woot Bear! The custom resin toy art dragon Baby Fatts created by Big C Art aka Colin Hoffman gets the star treatment by many artists in this custom toy art show. We interview Big C Art and recap the event.
Vinyl Pulp #16: The Kidrobot Shin Akuma SDCC
July 25, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Vinyl Pulp takes a look at a neat Kidrobot exclusive from San Diego Comic-Con 2016. This is the Kidrobot Street Fighter Shin Akuma 7-inch figure. The Shin Akuma is limited to 500 pieces.
JackRabbit Clothing Late Summer 2016 Collection
July 18, 2016 by 1 Comment
Summer time is a time for travel and years ago I’ve backpacked through Europe – let just tell you it was great life experience. Two kids inspired by their 6 month traveling around Europe, friends Patrick Alick and Evan Solomon founded a small streetwear label JackRabbit Clothing.
The Art & Making of Independence Day: Resurgence
July 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
I remember sitting at the Cornet Theater, an iconic large single-screen theater in San Francisco, before all the crazy IMAX 3D stuff and mega-mall multiplexes watching the summer blockbuster Independence Day. Twenty years have past with a new sequel ID4 Resurgence. The nasty aliens are back to drain Earth’s natural resources. Okay, I admit Resurgence may not measure up to the classic summer hit ID4, but if you want some popcorn action with no thinking – then you might want to see ID4 Resurgence. Along with the movie, Titan Books has released The Art & Making of Independence Day Resurgence.
Vinyl Pulp #15: Kidrobot SF V Akuma 7-Inch
July 14, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Our latest Vinyl Pulp episode takes a look at the Kidrobot Street Fighter V Akuma 7-Inch. Capcom Street Fighter fans who like these vinyl toys will definitely want to pick this up for their collection.
Vinyl Pulp #14: The Andy Warhol Dunny Collection
July 9, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The latest episode of our Vinyl Pulp is out! Episode 14 takes at quick look at Andy Warhol Dunny Series that was just released. The 3″ Dunnies get an artsy design twist from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
The Age of Treachery by Gavin Scott
June 21, 2016 by Leave a Comment
I recently watched Guy Ritchie’s “The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)” on rental. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. And by coincidence my next book review takes place around this post-WWII/Cold War era, it’s “The Age of Treachery” by author Gavin Scott.
World War II has just ended and like many soldiers returning home to England, Duncan Forrester is trying to adjust into normal civilian life. The ex-Special Operations Executive agent, Duncan is back at Oxford College as a archaeology researcher. A fellow colleague David Lyall is murdered on campus and everything points to Duncan’s best friend Gordon Clark. Duncan Forrester begins his own investigation.
Dark Horse Comics Coloring Books
June 16, 2016 by 2 Comments
I’m hooked on coloring. Recently when I was at Michaels arts and craft store, I bought some TMNT coloring books and crayons. Dark Horse Comics just announced two adult coloring book releases: Avatar – The Last Airbender and Serenity. The coloring books will feature 45-pages of original artwork on thick paperstock. The 10″x10″ coloring books will cost $14.99USD each.
Warcraft: Durotan
June 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Before we start this review, let us take a moment to explain that I’m not a Warcraft fanatic or even a Starcraft hardcore gamer. In college, I was more of a Command & Conquer fan and played a lot of it, especially during final weeks from what I remember. With the release of the live-action Warcraft film this weekend, this paperback novel Warcraft: Durotan is the prequel storyline for the Warcraft movie.
This tale begins with the young Durotan learning how to be a leader of the Frostwolves orc clan from his dad Garad and mother Geyah. For generations, the Frostwolves have been living in Frostfire Ridge near the Greatfather Mountain, which provide food and shelter. A mysterious warlock Gul’dan appears and tells of a new evil coming to destroy their lands. Gul’dan asks Garad to join their united orc clans – the Horde. He promises a land to the South where there is much food, fresh water and better lands. Chieftain Garad dismisses Gul’dan as evil, but over the years the area of Frostfire Ridge becomes increasingly harder to hunt for food with harsher summers and winters.
New Pompeii by Daniel Godfrey
June 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment
One of our favorite sci-fi genre’s is about time traveling. In pop culture entertainment, we have a fetish for the “past”, like what if we could travel to the 1950s era or Roman times and so on, and then have the ability to change the future? I remember having a dandy of a time reading Timeline (1999) by Michael Crichton. A footnote, please do not watch the lame movie adaptation of Timeline (2003), but do read the book instead. In the vein of Timeline and Jurassic Park, Daniel Godfrey’s New Pompeii is this and more.
The protagonist Dr. Nick Houghton has been stuck in limbo as a part-time college intern and researcher, due to his dad’s outspoken negative comments against one the world’s biggest energy company Novus Particles. NovusPart has created technology to grab matter from the past and bring it into the future. For instance, the company saved the ancient Roman town of Pompeii which was destroyed by volcanic eruption. NovusPart was able to build a replica town called New Pompeii and saved many of the townspeople. With this incredible technology, history buff and researcher Dr. Nick Houghton is offered a job to see New Pompeii. He’s excited to see what real Roman’s are like and to learn how they interact at pubs, bath houses and in the homes. But as he steps into New Pompeii, he notices some discrepancies in the town and among the people. He wonders what happened to his predecessor Dr. Samson? And why are many buildings empty, when many of the poor townspeople have nothing? Nick begins to wonder if there is deeper conspiracy by NovusPart. It’s up to Nick, Roman leader Barbatus and his daughter Calpurnia to stop NovusPart from changing history and the timeline.
I Like To Eat Episode #3: Sweet Mex
June 2, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The long awaited 3rd episode of I Like to Eat is finally here! On this episode of I Like to Eat, we visit Sweet Mex in Union City, California for some delicious desserts.
What desserts does Sweet Mex hold for our hungry travelers? And will The Eddie spoil his dinner? Tune in to find out on this episode of I Like to Eat.
Interview with Artists Scrotumnose & Onihat
May 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
We have double the fun in Artist Alley from FanimeCon 2015. Ramen host Eddie Ballar interviews artists David Alegre aka Scrotumnose and Ashley Tahilan aka Onihat. Davie talks about his food pun artwork and Ashley about her cool stickers.
Interview with Artist Whitney Jiar
May 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
We take fans into Artist Alley from FanimeCon 2015. Ramen and a Half host Eddie Ballar interviews artist Whitney Jiar about her art work and FanimeCon.
Interview with Jrock band Back-On!
May 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This video was recorded at FanimeCon 2015, our Ramen and a Half host Eddie Ballar interviews the Jrock band Back-On! The band talks about how they got together and their favorite anime to watch.
Interview with Voice Actress Ai Nonaka
May 23, 2016 by Leave a Comment
With the biggest NorCal anime convention happening this Memorial Day weekend, we had some unreleased FanimeCon 2015 footage that’s out now! From our Retrenders vault, our interview with voice actress/singer Ai Nonaka. Recored at FainmeCon 2015.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Review
May 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Uncharted 4 came out just last week, May 10th, but with it having not only a Singleplayer campaign but also a Multiplayer, I wanted to play this game a little while longer before I wrote anything about it. I had been waiting for this game since they first talked about it, and I pre-ordered the collector’s edition of the game back in September of 2015. Learning that it was going to be the final chapter in the Uncharted series, I was a bit nervous on how they would end his journey. Would he get a happy ending? Would this adventure be to much for him and have him perish at the end? As the day of release came closer and closer, I sat down and played through the three games that came before it, getting ready for my final adventure in this great series. Half way through the third game my doorbell rang and a large package was left outside my house; my collector’s edition had finally come, and it was time to set aside all responsibilities and play through both the single and multiplayer game.
Ramen and a Half: SVCC 2016 – Artist Ethan Castillo
May 17, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Ramen and a Half host Ramon Angel interviews young artist Ethan Castillo at Silicon Valley Comic-Con 2016 in San Jose, CA. Ethan drops a new art book: “I Still Really Hate Spiders!”
Vinyl Pulp #13: Scott Wilkowski
May 16, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Our latest episode of Vinyl Pulp features the art figurine stylings of artist Scott Wilkowski. We interview Scott on his custom dunnies and glow ‘n’ dark toy art figures.
SixOn Clothing Fashion Showcase
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
SixOn Clothing recently held a fashion show for their new clothing line-up of hoodies at Desu Nation in Temple City, CA. Inspiration for these new hoodie designs came from the anime Macross and video games like Zelda and Final Fantasy. The hoodie line-up is available for pre-order right now @ SixOn Clothing. Prices range from $70.00-$75.00USD.
Firefly: The Gorramn Shiniest Dictionary and Phrasebook in the ‘Verse
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
When you see a book with the words ‘Dicitionary Book.’ You might think to yourself, this is going to be a boring reference book or just a plain Merriam-Webster Dictionary. But this ain’t know ordinary dictionary, friends! It’s the Firefly: The Gorramn Shiniest Dictionary and Phrasebook in the ‘Verse.
Firefly: The Official Companion, Volume One
April 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
During the 2002 Fall TV Season, FOX aired Joss Whedon’s sci-fi western ‘Firefly’ and then it was cancelled before it could gather a TV following. Over the years, “Firefly” has been a cult hit with fans with the help of DVD sales and Firefly panels at various comic-cons. If you’re re-watching the ‘Firefly’ series on DVD at home, this Titan Books’ Firefly: The Official Companion Volume One is a great guide to “Browncoat” fans.
Ghostbot on Emerging VR Technology
April 7, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Where will virtual reality take us? The landscape is limitless at this point and finding that one spectacular use for this technology that makes this the next leading trend might be just around the corner. We caught up with Bay Area animation studio Ghostbot after their VR technology discussion panel at Silicon Valley Comic Con and interviewed them to find out where VR is heading.
Silicon Valley Comic-Con 2016 Round-Up
April 6, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Check out our latest Ramen & a Half episode from Silicon Valley Comic-Con (SVCC)! The first SVCC by tech icon Steve Wozniak and comic book icon Stan Lee taking place at the San Jose Convention Center. Our Ramen team roams the showfloor as we talk to the San Francisco Giants baseball team about all the cool special events they will have this 2016 season. Go Gigantes! Next we hit up BuzzingBots with cute robot plush dolls. Ramon visits artist Jesse JFR on his avocado TMNT art and Boba Fett candles. Eddie interviews Kaz over at Plastic and Heroes on their vinyl toy art collectible shop in San Jose. And the Ramen guys close SVCC with special cosplay guest Abbey and Keiko.
Johnny Moreno
Edward Ballar
GuestContributor
kellyannbrooke
Ramon Angel
Al Woo
SW biko
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