Anniversary Archives | Otaku No Culture

Netherworld Collectables Celebrates 6 Years This Weekend!

The Lower Mainland is not home to many unique collectables shops. For horror entertainment, Netherworld Collectables in New Westminster, BC is the place to go. On Saturday, Feb 16th, the shop will be celebrating its 6th anniversary! Confirmed are appearances from actress Tristan Risk, burlesque dancer Jacqueline Breakwell, and actor Mike Kovac (to name a few) and many other surprises to come.

Darryl Gasbarri is a chap who knows his material. He’s been a fan of the genre since the 80s. To know its origins which includes Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto and the influence German Expressionism had on the Universal Monsters from the Golden Age of Hollywood is just as important, but it’s his fondness for lower budget B movies of other eras that keeps him going. He recalls the days where he and his pals would meet to watch anything they could find at the video rental shop. To reflect those times, his store carries an eclectic stock of material from this era, which includes light up VHS tapes! (for display only) But the list does not end there. There are movie props hanging from the ceiling and a human spine in the middle of the store. A morgue this place is not, but a curious shop with taxidermy items (supplied by Cranium of Curiosities) it can easily become!

“When I got older and I was getting more into the scene, I found it was very difficult to get things that I wanted to own,” laughed Gasbarri.

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Shout! Factory to release 30th Anniversary Transformers the Movie w/ New Bonus Material!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Updated to include an announcement made June 24, 2016

A new blu-ray release of Transformers the Movie is coming courtesy of Shout! Factory and Hasbro, and if the high definition transfer is not enough to wet fans appetites, a special steel book edition (now available for pre-order on Amazon) is coming! This film will soon be celebrating its 30th anniversary and this company has “The Touch” to churn out quality releases. Stan Bush may well enjoy a bit of a resurgence with his iconic tune when this product arrives on video. His song defined two key moments in this film, namely when Hot Rod becomes Rodimus Prime.

This film was originally released August 8th, 1986 and when I went to see it on opening day, I remember seeing Starscream giving the finger and hearing a few swear words on the big screen. There was an outcry by parents and the print was quickly changed. My big question is if any of those the moments will get put back in. If this title is being released under this company’s Shout! Kids label, it will not. Those pre-ordering through Shout! Factory’s website will find an offer to receive a mini-poster of this release’s cover art while supplies last.

This new release is boasting a new transfer from the prints. For collectors wanting to know what the changes are in store, a full announcement as to what the extra material will be made during San Diego Comic Convention 2016. One confirmed detail is that this release is for region 1 (USA and Canada).

Both editions (regular and steel book) will roll out September 13, 2016. It will also be available across other delivery platforms.

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Celebrating Dark Horse Comic’s Alien Anniversary Today With Two Releases!

It’s hard to believe nearly 30 years have passed since Dark Horse Comics first published a comic that’s a sequel to James Cameron‘s Aliens. Not only is this company acknowledging this fact with a deluxe hardcover release (now out) of Mark Verheiden and Mark A. Nelson‘s original six-issue Aliens black and white story. Technically, the celebration is in honour of the second movie’s release in 1986; the comic came out in ’88.

When I have the original comics carefully stored away and the portfolio which accompanies it (I got it autographed by Nelson years ago), I want to be careful with handling those. This bookshelf edition makes for a great copy to pull out and read from time to time. Rereading this comic even now still brings shivers down my spine!

Also hitting shelves this week is an all-new tale to continue the terror. More prey and intense action define Aliens: Defiance.

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The Ghostbusters Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary!

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

When I’m a paranormal investigator and pop culture geek, just what am I going to do on June 7th, 2014? I’m looking for ghosts and celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ghostbusters of course! I have a box of unopened Stay Puft Marshmallows (the caffeinated kind), both movies on Blu-ray to watch, the video game (PS3 edition) that I still have to finish, and a glow in the dark t-shirt to wear — when the weekend is over, I’m gonna feel like Slimer after gulping down a banquet. A lot of fun was experienced for those who joined in the social media bandwagon that began at 12pm PST, but alas, when I’m out chasing ghosts since after midnight, I needed my sleep!

But it’s not just this movie that started my life down the road to real investigative work. Scooby Doo and The Three Investigators were just as pivotal to influencing my years in pursuing the unknown and coming up with hypothesizes in what the other side may entail.

But for today, cheers have to go to Ivan Reitman. Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson for making my childhood become what it is: fun-filled with sugar plump Stay Puft marshmallow men floating around my head. Waitaminute, they’re green and … eeew. SLIMMMER!!!!

(For the lucky thousands, there is an official touring art exhibit that will be hitting Chicago and San Diego soon; it’s been to New York and Los Angeles, already. Maybe if Canadians yell loud enough, it’ll hit Vancouver and Toronto too?)