FPcast for June 6 2016: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Out of the Shadows!

This week we review a trio of sequels!: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, Now You See Me 2, and Bad Neighbours 2. Plus we debate the news, trailers, Game of Thrones, and nerd culture in general. Let us rattle your nerd cage!

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FPcast for December 28 2015: Merry Christmas!

This week we have an informal chat about our Christmas experience, including reviews of the horrible 1989 Ninja Turtles Christmas, and the Star Wars Holiday special! Plus we talk Avengers trivia, review the excellent Art of the Force Awakens and a whole lot of other noise! Happy holidays!

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And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group! And you can now get bonus episodes by subscribing/supporting us on Patreon!

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for March 23rd 2015! Divergent Insurgent Detergent!

This week we talk about a whole range of stuff including the death of Donatello, comic book controversy, the curvacious Mrs Potts, Pixels, Attack on Titan and Tommy Wiseau's wretched new "sitcom" The Neighbors. Plus we review Divergent sequel, Insurgent. And for once we don't agree!

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And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for September 8th! Cowabunga Pizza Time!

This week we review that notorious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as well as Skeleton Twins, plus we reflect on the What We Do in the Shadows Q & A with writer/director/actor Taika Waititi! Plus there's some gubbins about Sam Worthington. Listen and learn!

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And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to us on iTunes because we do this every week! And join the discussion in our friendly Facebook group!

FPcast! The Fruitless Pursuits Podcast for September 2nd! My Spader Sense is Tingling!

On this week's FPcast Courtney Coulson and I talk about James Spader becoming an evil robot, Lex Luthor rumours, Star Wars Episode VII casting rumours, we break down the Divergent trailer, argue about Miley Cyrus twerking, and play Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows! We had to do this one over Skype so apologies for when the sound gets a little sketchy, but we make up for it with content!

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Our Epic Interview With Voice Actor Rob Paulsen: Pinky and the Brain! Ninja Turtles! Animaniacs! Spaceballs! And More!

Rob Paulsen is a legend. His voice has appeared in nearly 400 productions, spanning just about every franchise you can think of. You may have grown up with him as Raphael in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Pinky in Pinky and the Brain, Yakko Warner in Animaniacs, or perhaps you’ve heard him recently as The Riddler in the Lego Batman games, Donatello in the current incarnation of Turtles, or even popping up in The Dark Knight Returns. You may even be aware of his wildly successful podcast, Talkin’ Toons, in which Rob frequently chats with the world’s most influential voice actors.

Rob will be appearing at this weekend’s Oz Comic Con Melbourne (July 6th and 7th despite what I say on the recording) and although we won’t be able to get there, we were able to submit a host of questions to Rob, resulting in the epic interview that you’re about to hear. Seriously, this thing is almost like a podcast in itself, running at around 35 minutes, so make yourself comfortable, or download it and listen to it while you go. Rob offers up plenty of honest insights, funny stories, and gives us a taste of some of our favourite characters. You really don’t want to miss this - I promise it’s one of the coolest things we’ve ever done on the site!

I’ll explain it all, and you’ll hear directly from the mad genius that is Rob Paulsen, by clicking the link below...

CLICK TO STREAM AUDIO! (or right-click to SAVE!)

Perth Supanova 2013: Interview with Greg Cipes! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Clone Wars! Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll!

Greg Cipes is a total rock star. He's Michelangelo in the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, and has a wealth of credits both as a voice and on the screen. Getting the chance to interview him at Supanova was such a thrill because from the moment he walks in you can tell he's the coolest guy in the room (even though there was just two of us). Greg has a wonderful warm, energy, is extremely funny, and I wish we had a photo from the event because he was the best dressed person at the entire convention. He looked awesome! And I'm especially intrigued by the future projects he hints at.

Many thanks to Greg for letting me hold him up so long! I was so fascinated by what he was saying, and so comfortable chatting, that I completely lost track of what else was going on. Listen for yourself, and you will instantly become one of Greg's disCIPESles. (Sorry)...


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Free Comic Book Day 2013 Reviews and Recommendations: Part 2!

Free Comic Book Day is just getting closer and closer, so it's time to have a look at another selection of the comics that are going to be available. We got early copies of some of the books thanks to our good friends at Quality Comics, and there are some real gems among them. I trust you've already read Luke's post from yesterday going over Infinity, Star Wars, Mass Effect, The Tick, Atomic Robo, Judge Dredd and 2000AD? Good.

My picks from this year's crop were ones mainly aimed at kids, with a couple of zombie-fied adult books on top. I grabbed The Walking Dead, FUBAR, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H, Action Time Buddies, NFL Rush Zone and The Mouse Guard. We'll head below the cut in a sec to check them out, but first, a word from our sponsor.


Yes, Hugh Jackman is our sponsor. We're Australian, he sponsors all of us in everything we do. He's just that kind of guy.

Onwards to the comics, starting with the gory grown-up ones first!

New Playmates Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Figures Review!

The new Playmates TMNT figures have been (barely) sitting on the shelves for a few months now, and I've been eyeballing them real hard. At a glance, the style is fresh without being FRESH! and the character design is cool without being WAY COOL! You would totally expect an over-the-top TMNT line of figures, but these hover right at the top letting the kids take it to the next level with their imagination. Or you can just buy the deluxe figures, which are a pretty good example of over-the-top.

I went out with my 3 year old son Leon (whose favorite turtle is not Leonardo) and told him that we would share these figures with one condition: Donatello is mine. We eventually picked up 6 figures and a vehicle, and let me tell you… it was difficult. Getting all 4 turtles took three different stores. I found Metalhead in a few stores, and it took waiting a few days and going back to find one enemy, Shredder. In the frustration of trying to find an enemy we bought the Turtle Van, and now I'm spent and I've been to every store in the area.

I'm going to talk about a few things in this review. Specifically the design, the articulation the accessories and the van.

Review: Lego TMNT - Kraang Lab Escape!

As the universe embraces/endures what is probably the 300th relaunch of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in the last thirty or so years, the ingenious Danish maniacs at Lego have decided to get all up in this barely-legal reptile action! A whole line of TMNT Lego, based on the new computer animated series, have finally hit shelves in Australia, and although I don’t often delve into the sets themselves, I am curious enough about these new minifigures to pick up the smallest offering.

I have set 79100 Kraang Lab Escape, containing a prison, a futuristic vehicle, and THREE new minifigs. It’s a total steal, even at the CRAZILY INFLATED AUSTRALIAN PRICE! (Lego still hasn’t passed comment on this, or shown interest in forging a tighter relationship. Lego is the hot girl who keeps rebuffing us at the party).

It’s blocky cowabunga pizza time... after the jump!

David Rapoza's TMNT Art Is Totally Rad!

While everyone is gushing over new glossy and colorful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles merchandise, there is something dark and dirty lurking underground that blows away all of the competition.

Artist David Rapoza created these HIGHLY detailed, HIGHLY stylized fan-made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle portraits. And he didn't just stop at the main dudes. Or even at April O' Neil and Casey Jones. There is a freakin' Wingnut and Screwloose portrait. Also, Baxter Stockman! Everyone you would expect and a few more.

The only exception is that my man Kraang is sadly MIA. If you are reading this David... we need Kraang!

The above image is just a taste of it. These were made to view at hi-res. Click through the jump for a handful of my favorites, and visit http://davidrapozaart.deviantart.com/gallery/30154029 for all 15 portraits and much more.

Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Collection Raphael!

I haven’t bought anything Ninja Turtles related for a billion years. The original comic series inspired me greatly as young teenager and became a gateway to a host of independent comics and fostered the crazy dream that anyone with a good idea could become a multi-millionaire. Then I suffered the kidified cartoons and merchandise that ultimately made me feel embarrassed for liking the comics in the first place. And then I left turtles, forgetting why they were so formative in the first place.

I collect a lot of crap that reminds me of my childhood. I have shelves of Star Wars and the odd Batman. But I’ve never gone back to turtles. They’ve produced nothing of interest for me. It became a kid’s thing with little of interest for an adult fan. At least until now...

When Playmates first announced their Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Classic Collection there was a lot of positive buzz online but I wasn’t feeling it. They’re closer to the cartoon appearance than the comics and didn’t hold any interest. Until I saw them on the shelves. Wait... they’re bigger than the original figures? They have... what?! 34 POINTS of articulation?! And that packaging is pretty nostalgic... And that sculpt is actually pretty fun... Oh god!... It’s... happening... again...

I needed a Raphael for my shelf. And to find out just why these are so great... join me after the jump!