Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! While we certainly shouldn't need a holiday to remember to be thankful to He who created everything and who provides everything and to be thankful to one another, it certainly can't hurt right? One of the things (of many, many things) I am thankful for this year is the awesome year that Marvel has had! They have released some quality comics, blown up the movie theaters with blockbusters, and most importantly this year, they've launched their first TV show on ABC called Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

You can catch it on ABC every…I don't know what night it's on. I catch it on Hulu Plus.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. follows the exploits of Agent Phil Coulson (yes he's alive!) and a special team of agents from the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division following the events of Chitauri invasion in New York from The Avengers movie. Now that Americans know that not only are there super humans and Asgardians, but there are also aliens from different galaxies that mean to do Earth harm, the team of misfits is tasked with making sure that no (potential) threats of the "supernatural" kind put America in harm's way. 

Comic Book of the Week for 11/20/13

Happy Monday everyone! Hope everyone is getting ready for some days off, with time to rest and time with loved ones. This week's Comic Book of the Week is Uncanny X-Men #14!

If you couldn't tell these are all one mutant.

Has everyone noticed I have been on an X-men spree these last few CBotWs? That must mean a few things that I meant to show intentionally (not really lol):

Nerd Life: Date Night in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Last night was date night. Mrs. Nerd and I have been quite busy with life this semester so far and with her starting to work again, we've had to be a lot more intentional about our times together, because honestly it's been tough. So what's a nerd to do?

Did you know that in Japan this movie is marketed for the love story and not sci-fi?

Awww jeeeyuh. The greatest love story in a galaxy far, far away. So we had some Chipotle, she built her RG Char's Zaku, and I was working on my first MG, the AGE-2 Dark Hound. Now that's a stay home relaxing date night, NERD STYLE.

Nerd Builds: HG Zaku Amazing!

This week I built the High Grade Zaku Amazing, from the new series Gundam Build Fighters, and is piloted (or was created) by Tatsuya Yuuki. Yuuki is the rival of the main protagonists Sei and Reji. If you remember, I won this kit at the Gunpla competition raffle. This isn't your typical Zaku as it has been customized by Yuuki to have way more armament attached to its armor. You know the more and more I get into Gunpla and building models, the more I am amazed at how Bandai molds and creates the different parts that will become whole bodies. But I can't help but to feel that no matter who intelligent the designer is for the models, the ultimate intelligent designer is God and the ultimate creation is us, or the human body. It is perfectly made and puts me in awe of the Creator. Anyways, let's check out the build.

Jesus Loves Noobs: Gundam Build Fighters

So glad to be able to post another edition of "Jesus Loves Noobs!" As in faith and in nerdom, everyone starts out as a noob. And as a noob, we have lots to learn! Just like John 3:16 is only the beginning of one's journey into faith, learning about one character in a comic/movie or model kit is only the beginning of one's journey into nerdom. In order to have a fuller appreciation of a hobby, you have to learn more.



This week I wanted to walk everyone through a Gundam anime series that just started maybe a month and a half ago: Gundam Build Fighters. Perhaps you're wondering where do all these Gundam models come from? Is there source material? Well you have come to the right place, and the answer is YES! Every Gundam model you see comes from a very rich line of story telling that involves many different series, universes, and 30 years of Gundam history. Gundam Build Fighters is the latest anime series released by Bandai and Sunrise.

Gundam Build Fighters the latest Gundam anime series still in progress

Gundam Build Fighters leaves the normal backdrop of Gundam series, war, for a more realistic (well as real as it can be) theme: building Gunpla to the best customization and battling with other builders/fighters. The setting is Japan in the near future where Gunpla fever has taken over the world so much that technology has been developed for people to be able to battle their customized Gunpla in a virtual battleground.  The story follows a young builder named Iori Sei who's father was a build fighter world champ, and his friend Reiji, who can be described as other worldly.

Sei has always been an incredible Gunpla builder but not a very good fighter. He spends his time making Gundam models for his family's Gunpla shop (I know right? dream business) and getting his butt kicked in Gunpla battles by the neighborhood rival. The adventure starts when Sei meets Reiji, who with the help of Sei's latest Gunpla creation, the Build Strike Gundam, promptly puts a lashing on the neighborhood rival. This starts a chain reaction of adventures that puts Sei and Reiji on course to follow in Sei's father's footsteps to the Gunpla Build Fighters World Championship!  

Iori Sei and the Build Strike Gundam

So basically, Bandai has gotten smart. For so many years, the Gundam model kits have served as great advertisement for the Gundam anime series, mangas, and movies that have come out over the last almost 35 years. Now the newest show is pushing the love back the other way and is advertising the models. Not to mention the show follows a japanese icon that started the Japanimation invasion into America so many years ago: Pokemon. Everyone loves the ability to train up/customize their Gundam so they can test them out against other builders through battles. It's a great idea. So yes it's designed to make more money for Bandai…who cares? It's an enjoyable show! Yes it can be for kids if you are used to the more mature backdrop of war, but this show grows on you if you give it a chance. The characters are compelling, the story is pretty sensational, and the new Gundam models coming out are pretty cool looking. So try an episode or 7. It's a fun watch, and you can watch it free weekly on youtube! And please, comment below what you think of the show!

Be blessed noobs! Jesus loves you!

Comic Book of the Week for 11/13/13

This week's comic book is All-New X-Men #18. If you haven't read All New X-Men up to this point, now might be a good time to jump on. All New X-Men follows the adventures of the  time displaced original X-Men. After the events of X-Men Schism and A vs. X, the X-Men end up in two factions. One side led by Wolverine who still upholds the ideals of Charles Xavier, and the other side led by Cyclops who after changing his mind about mutant and humankind co-existing, teams up with Magneto, takes hold of the Phoenix force and kills Charles Xavier. Crazy right? Refer to the two arcs mentioned above for more details. Beast of the present hopes to alter the future by bringing the past and original X-Men from the past into the present to show the original Cyclops how his future turns out in hopes to change him, and also to convince the present Cyclops to return to who he once was. 

Thor: The Dark World

The other night, Mrs. Nerd and I went to watch Thor: The Dark World with some friends at the Irvine Spectrum in IMAX 3D. It was 52x72 feet worth of Asgardian gods kicking major butt. I really enjoyed this flick despite some naysayers out there regarding the weakness of the villain which I will address.

This time, Thor and company, are up against a returning army of dark elves who are looking for their WMD, which was locked away by Odin's dad after the dark elves lost in the last war against the Asgardians, in order to plunge the nine realms back into darkness.

The production value was clearly stepped this time around and just the look and feel of the movie felt not campy, but as real as comic book world with nine realms with one of them being a realm of Norse-ish gods could be. I guess the first Thor didn't have much to work with in settings since the scenes on earth were in New Mexico, but the scenes in Asgard looked sooooo cartoony. Having more settings to shoot in like different planets and realms as well as the backdrop of gloomy London really helped out BIG TIME. 

Nerd Builds: RG RX-78-2

I am very happy to present to you my very first build post! And what more of an appropriate build to post on than the grandaddy of all Gundam: the RX-78-2. This is the original main mech from Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) piloted by Amuro Ray. This is also the very first Real Grade model (1:144) released by Bandai in July 2010 for the 30th anniversary of Gunpla. I did a straight build on this and still have not attached any of the stickers on it. They're just so dang small…Decals/stickers will in large be the reason why my models will probably be WIPs. But otherwise, this was a really fun build! I didn't  think building the oldest Gundam would be so enjoyable, but there is some charm in just a plain Gundam lightly armed unlike the super bulky/winged/armed Gundams that are released nowadays. Just as a reminder, this is a Real Grade, so it can be challenging to build. Real Grade models are much more intricate in detail and therefore have many more parts in inner frame and outer armor. I do not recommend choosing this model as a beginner build. I practiced on multiple SD's and three HG's and built this one to get myself primed for building my first Master Grade. So use your discretion.

2013 Southern California Gundam Modeling Competition

This past Saturday Mrs. Nerd and I got to go to our first Gundam modeling competition! It was the third annual competition thrown by Those Gundam Guys at the Holiday Inn near Cal State Fullerton. They had some pretty awesome models there as well as vendors (including our friends at Robot4less!) and modeling tutorials. Here are some pictures from the competition.

My Comic Book of the Week for 11/06/13

Today I'd like to introduce another corner to the blog: My Comic Book of the Week! This corner will showcase comics (most likely a Marvel Comic since I don't read much of the other publishers) that are exciting to me and ones I would like to recommend to you.

This week's comic is The Amazing X-Men #1! I know, I know there a ton of X-Men books and part of being a Marvel Comics lover is that each year you either feel like you buy too many X-Men comics or too many Avengers comics. But this one is for a very particular reason: The return of everyone's favorite elf, Nightcrawler! 

My first Gunpla party!

So a month ago, I was at church just hanging out and observing everyone during their free time. I noticed that only the people who play sports or play an instrument had anything to do. They were bonding with other people with common interests. But the people who weren't into sports or music were just kinda sitting around doing their own thing, bored. What a perfect opportunity for the Nerd of Nazareth! I pulled together some of the guys and asked them if they wanted to have a Gundam building party at my place and they all agreed it would be a great idea! So this past Saturday, that is just what we did!