Fans from around the world tuned in as the new season of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” premiered this Sunday, October 14. TVByTheNumbers.com could report that Rick and his band of survivors beat other cable hits such as “Modern Family,” “The Big Bang Theory,” and “The Voice” and is pretty sure to become the biggest show this fall among television viewers, 18-49.

With 10.3 million people watching, the season premiere showed a 50% increase from Season Two and no wonder; the final episode ‘Beside the Dying Fire’ left a handful of tantalizing cliffhangers that one by one were opened up when the news episode ‘Seed’ rolled over our screens.

Right off the bat, we’re introduced to a jump in time; Carl is taller and has learned to shoot, Hershel looks particularly more ‘wild’ than at the farm and Lori is seriously pregnant. The visibly strained group has been looking for a place to camp out for some time, as it is evident that Lori is nearing the end of her term, so when Daryl and Rick find a prison in the middle of nowhere, Rick makes up his mind; that prison is theirs.

There has been some exciting character developments since we left off on a rather beastly note in Season Two. Rick declaring himself the dictator after sharing with Lori that he, in fact, killed Shane and sharing with the rest of the group the little detail that the scientist left him with at the end of Season One; some pretty harsh ground rules were set for the new season. It brought on a couple of crucial questions. Will the group accept Rick’s terms and more importantly, how much is left of Rick’s humanity?

The first of the characters to show progress is Carol. Despite obvious signs of distrust of Rick’s supremacy at the end of Season Two, her new, albeit shaky, skills as a marksman shows great empowerment from the fragile mother-in-mourning throughout Season Two. When the group has cleared out the yard area of the prison, she is the first to inquire Lori for her well-being and to confidently walk into the body-littered area, expressing her contentment. She is also boldly flirtatious towards Daryl which is a clear sign that a new, less inhibited Carol is breaking out of her shell.

Rick and Lori’s relationship seems to have taken a turn for the worse since Shane was killed; whether Lori is afraid of Rick or Rick has become scornful towards Lori, somehow the impending birth of the baby which may or may not be the spawn of Shane is the root of icy, almost hostile relations between the two. This is a noticeable comedown from Season Two’s “First Lady”-feel, where Lori was adamant to stand by her man and Rick willing to sacrifice everything for her.

Maggie also grew a pair in the elapsed time; from being a wall of tough girl attitude, to an emotional, near-hysterical sob princess, to triumphantly stabbing an armed zombified guard, Maggie finally brought her feisty persona and powerful machete-wielding together to fight as an equal against the walking plague. She has taken the spot from Andrea, just without the exhausting defiance and irritating “lone ranger” tendencies. Still, as Glenn checks her for scratches, we are reminded that there is a deep emotional bond between them, a huge indicator that their love story will become the dominant source of “feel good” this season.

Daryl seems to have adopted Shane’s job as right-hand-man to Rick, offering back-up and practical support in defense and attack. It is an interesting development as Rick notoriously chained Daryl’s brother Merle to the roof of the department store in Season One, from where he mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind a hand as proof of a possibly violent end. As a major fan favorite, Daryl has been kept more or less the same apart from the growing trust between him and Rick.

The last thing that simply has to be addressed from “The Walking Dead”‘s season premiere is the mysterious black lady who showed up at the nick of time and saved Andrea when she had been separated from the group. It was an impressive entrance, the mysterious woman donning the screen like a warrior goddess with two debilitated walkers on a leash. Who was she and does she mean good or bad news for Andrea?

We don’t have a name yet but we learn that her and Andrea have been roaming the land as a team, and a bond has been forged, meaning that the samurai sword-wielding warrior refuses to leave a sickened Andrea behind in a walker-infested area.

A very interesting thesis is presented as part of Lori’s impending childbirth. Given that they now know the virus is already in them, what happens if her child dies before being delivered? Or she dies during childbirth? Lori is clearly distressed at the thought of a zombie baby ripping through her insides, but Hershel attempts to dispel any negative emotions about the baby. Lori confides in him her feelings regarding Rick and Carl and admits to thinking that Rick hates her for what she put him through. Hershel confirms that the whole group has felt the weight of this emotional burden. The question remains if Rick will in fact come around.

Fans lucky enough to attend the 2012 New York Comic Con were treated to a more exclusive “Walking Dead” season premiere as the two events collided and the Con-goers could warm up for Sunday’s premiere with a panel of cast members and main writers, not to mention a special booth dedicated to fandom at the heart of the showroom floor. “It worked out really well when the show premiered,” said exhibitor David Andry to International Business Times. “It’s really nice that people come out and are excited about the show and the graphic novels.”

Sunday’s episode ended on a bloody note fit for the expectations and fans have been very positive towards the direction of the show. On Metacritic.com, user iFyzikal wrote: “Rick Grimes is way above his badass status as before and rises to a whole new monster.”

Another user, Booger-T writes, “The show is reinvented, the prison is absolutely perfect and a paradox in itself as its a enclosing institution that actually frees them.”

Finally, kudos have been given to the choice of advancing the time elapsed for character development, as Kkirbz1281 notes: “The jump in time has added a whole new dimension to the characters, keeping us on our toes even more than before. If this premiere is any indication, this is going to be the best season yet.”

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San Diego, U.S.A. - “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego announced its partnership with KNB EFX Group and its founder Greg Nicotero, the force behind Special Effects Make-up for TV shows and movies such as AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Predators’, ‘Transformers 1-3′, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Dances with Wolves’, ‘Land of the Dead’, ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, just to name a few.

In conjunction with the release of Robert Kirkman’s Eisner Award-winning “The Walking Dead” Issue #100 at San Diego Comic-Con, “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego takes place July 12 -14 at Petco Park, centrally located near the San Diego Convention Center. Registration is now open at www.TheWalkingDeadEscape.com.

There are three ways to participate in this epic adventure. Participants can be a Survivor and race through the zombie infested evacuation zone; a Walker who becomes one of the undead, embracing the inevitable; or a Spectator who watches the apocalypse from sidelines at the Escape Party. Greg Nicotero and his team at KNB EFX will transform those who sign up to be Walkers into the most terrifying zombies to grace San Diego.

With their work on AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Greg Nicotero and his KNB EFX team have deep experience creating some of the most incredible zombies in the industry. Founded in 1988, they have become one of the most prolific Special Make-up Effects Studios in Hollywood. One look at Nicotero’s creations for the undead and “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego participants will know they are in for a zombie experience like no other.

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have Greg and his KNB EFX team on board for “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego,” said event producer Liam Brenner. “People who sign up to be Walkers will have the opportunity to be completely transformed into zombies by the leader in the Special Make-up Effects industry. It’s really a chance of a lifetime!”

Skybound.com’s “The Walking Dead” Escape: San Diego is unlike any obstacle course event in the U.S., expanding on the best-selling “The Walking Dead” comic book series and graphic novel story lines, allowing Survivors and Walkers to explore the initial days of the apocalypse.

Survivors will climb, crawl and slide in an effort to avoid confrontation by hordes of Walkers, while achieving the ultimate adventure on The Walking Dead-themed obstacle course. “The Walking Dead” Escape is not a race, and Survivors are not timed, but the end is near, and they must move swiftly. If they’re lucky, Survivors will reach the decontamination zone at the end where it will be determined if they have been infected.

Image Courtesy of  The Walking Dead

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This year at Anime Boston the Dealer’s Room was packed with booths covering two large rooms. Almost anything you could think of, you could find there. QB plushies? Yup. Brightly colored Pokemon hats? In abundance. Strange Japanese-imported collectibles? You betcha. Here are some of the best deals we found this year in the Anime Boston Dealer’s Room.

Manga generally had the most dramatic deals. At Comicopia, if you bought two volumes you got 10% off, four volumes 15% off, and eight volumes 20% off (2-10%, 4-15%, 8-20%). However, New England Comics had a competitive ‘Buy two get 30% off’ deal going on, and Cheap Manga probably stole the show for manga deals. With them, a single manga was $5, five volumes were $20, and 30 volumes were $90 (that’s 1-$5, 5-$20, 30-$90).

Not too far off at the Anime Pavilion, eight volumes cost $60, 14 cost $100, and 45 cost $300 (8-$60, 14-$100, 45-$300). Not to mention Anime Pavilion’s selection consisted of less popular titles than Cheap Manga’s.

Other notable deals were to be found at New England Comics’ booth, where brand new Star Wars comic omnibuses were 60-80% off, making $25 volumes only $7. Each yaoi manga volume at NEC was $7, but if you bought five or more they were $5. Elsewhere you could find deals such as ‘Buy 1 get 2 free’, ‘All manga 20% off except new releases’, and ‘10% off yaoi’.

Also of note to those looking for manga, or looking to trade their manga away at the convention, is the swap meet. The swap meet took place in the evening on Friday and Saturday, and I was able to trade away three virtually valueless items I got in a grab bag for three volumes of manga. Overall the manga scene at the con felt a bit like a game of hot potato; pass that stuff on to the next person before you’re stuck with it for too long.

Figurines were also in abundance at the con, though only a few were on sale. World of Warcraft figurines were $40 each, but $70 if two were bought together. A set of four Walking Dead figures went for $75, and Ore no Imoto figurines were two for $65.

T-shirts could be found for $20 each, two for $36, and three for $48.

Funimation was also hocking their wares by the entrance gate, accompanied by a pair of Cat Planet Cuties mascots in eyecatching costumes, or the lack thereof… Most notable amongst the prices at their booth was a Blu-Ray collection of Evangelion for $20. The first season of Black Butler was $60, as was the new retelling of the Fullmetal Alchemist story Brotherhood. Hetalia films were $25 a pop, Excel Saga was there on Blu-Ray for $40, Baccano was available for $30, and Claymore would set you back $40.

Aftermarket retailers such as Anime Madness, Video Games New York, and Harrison’s Comics and Collectibles were nearby as well offering great deals on anime, music, and video games.

Video Games New York was selling a hacked Wii with emulators and homebrew apps for $150, alongside rare oldschool games (Final Fantasy Anthology for $25, Metal Gear Solid 1 complete with case and booklet for $40) and Japanese import and Japan-exclusive games for old and current consoles alike. New York Video Games was also selling unused Dreamcast consoles for $150, and their stock rotated daily as they brought new items up from their store in New York.

Harrison’s Comics and Collectibles from Salem, MA had a back wall all to themselves, with a huge, nerdgasm-worthy collection of old school N64, Genesis, Atari, Sega CD, NES, and SNES games. Starfox 64, Ridge Racer, Ninja Gaiden, Duck Hunt, you name it, they had it, many for single-digit prices. They also carried Japanese-imported music, anime, comics, and figurines.

Overall, the Dealer’s Room was a great place to get cheap manga, games, CCG cards, plushies, figurines, clothing, model kits, anime, hug pillows, collectible items, and some surprises. Many of the items on sale were direct-from-Japan imports. The best part of buying imported goods at the con is not only do you get to see and touch the item yourself before you buy it, but you also save a lot on shipping costs.

If you’re considering importing something online, you might want to hold off until your next local con to see if you can find it there and make sure it’s what you want. You may also want to wait to buy your manga at a convention, judging by the burning-down-the-house prices exhibited at many of the vendors’ stalls.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.animeboston.com

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Comic Con is considered the biggest pop culture event in the East Coast. It is where some of the biggest names in Comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys and movies are hosted. This huge event kicks off on Thursday, with an introduction to the main panels.

Thursday’s special event will begin with a concert featuring Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, as his Nightwatchman acoustic solo act. He will be accompanied by the Freedom Fighter Orchestra, and if that’s not enough, DJ.Z-Trip will perform along with Tom Morello.

Things will start to pick up on Friday, with a selection of panels to choose from, ranging from animations to movies and graphic novels. Locke and Key, which was such a big success at the San Diego Comic Con, will be premiering this year in NY. It will not be airing on Fox, airing instead at NY Comic Con for a one-time screening.

Later that day EA will display its new massive multiplayer online game, The Secret World, where characters will explore and discover dark cultural secrets, while also gaining skills that will be unique to the player itself. Comedy Central will be there to celebrate South Park’s Year of the Fan, in which a trivia game will give fans a chance to win South Park themed memorabilia.

Also showing up are Kevin James and James Mewes for a live performance of their podcast Jay & Silent Bob Get Old. The event will be ending with Corbin Bernsen, David H. Lawrence XVII, Diamond Dallas Page, Joe Eckardt, Marco Mannone, Vitaly Bokser and FrankieMuniz speaking about a family super hero, the Pizza Guy.

Saturday continues with DC: Talent Search, where professionals will explain what requirements are needed to become a DCE artist. Marvel will host a panel featuring all the biggest games to be released from Activision in 2012, which includes trailers, surprise reveals and a Q & A with the creators.

We expect to see the premier of the new Johnny Depp/Tim Burton film too. Lyndsy Fonseca, Maggie Q, and Shane West will speak about season two of Nikita, where Nikita and Michael are on the run with a black box full of dark government secrets. Attending is also the producer of the Marvel Vs. Capcom Franchise, Ryota Niitsuma, to discuss the launch of the new game next month.

The Death Valley cast, along with producers of the show, will discuss the difficulties of combining horror and comedy in one. Later that evening, cast members of AMCs The Walking Dead will talk about season one, and what to expect for season two, along with a sneak peak at said new season.

Saturday night will finish with sneak previews, and never before seen footage for two of the most anticipated movies of the fall and summer, respectively: Boy Wonder, and Marvel’s The Avenger.The Sunday introduction includes meeting the stars of Conan the Barbarian: Jason Momoa, Rose Mcgowan and Stephen Lang.

Also, the franchise that began in the 1980’s, Voltron, will feature all new toys and merchandise, plus an inside look at the new Voltron video game. There will also be a chance to get an exclusive look at some of Capcom’s upcoming releases: Dragon’s Dogma and Asura Wrath. There will also be a chance to hear about the latest on Dead Rising 2.

There is still a lot more coming up at comic con, so stay tuned for the latest news and updates.
CarlaVanWagoner / Shutterstock.com

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