It’s been a week of highs and lows in the world of genre entertainment—as we took a look at the aftermath of Dune: Part Two’s monumental release last weekend, and Lego teased a gorgeous new Batman: The Animated Series tribute. But little compared to the shock that came Thursday evening that one of the most influential artists of our time, Dragon Ball’s Akira Toriyama, passed away. Read all that, and more, in io9's biggest stories of the week. — James Whitbrook
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NASA still has plenty of cool projects afoot in the real world—did you hear about that asteroid-redirecting test? Or those space-friendly cameras?—but it’s also trying to stir imaginations in fantastically creative ways, too. Enter The Lost Universe, the agency’s first-ever tabletop roleplaying game. - Cheryl Eddy Read More
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Lego has, of course, done plenty of Batman sets in its time. But how do you capture the unique aesthetic of one of the character’s most iconic adaptations—the legendary Batman: The Animated Series—in brick form? It’s not the traditional play set some might have hoped for, but this new build is probably about as good as you can get. - James Whitbrook Read More
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Akira Toriyama, one of the most famous and influential mangaka of all time, has died. He was 68.
The news was confirmed by the official Dragon Ball website, in a letter addressed to creatives and fans across the world. Toriyama passed away a week ago on March 1, 2024, from an acute subdural hematoma. - James Whitbrook Read More
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Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies are visually striking—cinematographer Grieg Fraser and production designer Patrice Vermette already have Oscars from Dune: Part One. But Dune: Part Two is even bolder, and includes a black-and-white sequence that leaves a lingering impact. - Cheryl Eddy Read More
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Ruling the galaxy with an iron fist and a not-insignificant amount of planet-sized battle stations is tiring work, and that’s even before you get to sexing your way to an immortal bloodline of evil. What’s an Emperor and Dark Lord of the Sith to do if not occasionally sit back, relax, and crack open a beer with the boys (the boys being the Imperial Ruling Council)? - James Whitbrook Read More
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It turns out Warner Bros. isn’t the only studio canceling its own releases. While there are no specifics on the level of that company’s ill-fated Batgirl or Coyote vs. Acme, it has been confirmed that Disney has also done some strategic “killing” of projects as part of a plan to get its profits back on track. - Cheryl Eddy Read More
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In a few weeks, the ‘90s are back in style—well, if you’re a fan of Marvel’s merry mutants, that is. It’s not too much longer until X-Men ‘97, the new continuation of the iconic X-Men: The Animated Series hits Disney+, and Marvel has now dropped the titles for all 10 episodes of season one... including a few that will raise the eyebrows of comics fans. - James Whitbrook Read More
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Some 150 Rooster Teeth employees, as well as contractors and other creators, are left scrambling after today’s announcement that parent company Warner Bros. Discovery is closing it down after over 20 years in business. The production company created animated web series like Red vs. Blue and RWBY, as well as Max animated series gen:LOCK, which starred noted anime geek Michael B. Jordan. - Cheryl Eddy Read More
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Artist Scott Campbell’s The “Rise of the Great Showdowns” exhibit opens March 8 at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles.
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io9 chats with the Dune actor about portraying layered characters.
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Source: Gizmodo