Welcome back to One of Us’ Strip Club, our special feature where we post comic strips created and submitted by friends and fans of the site.

This pay-per-view had a significant number of long simmering feuds that were bound to explode. But there were several matches that felt like there was something missing and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

CESARO vs. SHEAMUS (United States Championship)

These two men are not known for waxing philosophical on the microphone. They are smash-mouth, in-your-face brawlers and the lead up to this match gave only a taste of the physicality. Cesaro is bringing out the best of Sheamus as the latter has not been that impressive since returning from his last injury.

Sheamus pulled out more high spots than he’s had in a while, while Cesaro put on match of the month contender, just like he always does. The crowd, who has been completely behind Cesaro (currently a heel), for the past several months, are going to force upper management to bump him up to main event status sooner than later. The Celtic Warrior though, retains his title, by the skin of his teeth.

WINNER: SHEAMUS

CODY RHODES & GOLDUST vs. CURTIS AXEL & RYBACK

While not the strongest tag match at a pay-per-view, the Rhodes boys once again more than earn their keep. Ryback and Axel are far from horrible ring workers, but perhaps they should tame their social media comedy routine or Twitter wars with Konnan and focusing on tightening up their mic work (Axel) or both mic and ring work (Ryback). Winning this match really doesn’t warm me to these guys as they didn’t show us anything innovative or exciting.

WINNER: RYBAXEL

RUSEV vs. BIG E

As expected, this was a short match that let the powerhouses bruise each other up without getting too winded. Both men switched it up early on and utilized their uncanny agility for some impressive high spots (Big E’s suicide dive was quite unexpected). I thought the one flaw to the match was having Rusev win with his submission, The Accolade. With Big E’s strength, it wouldn’t have been hard to believe that he’d have the strength to break the hold. I hope this is just the opening salvo in an extended program between these two human brick walls. The fans seemed to agree.

WINNER: RUSEV

KOFI KINGSTON vs. BO DALLAS

Before I had a moment to question how the hell two, for lack of a better term, curtain jerkers got a match at this pay-per-view, I got my answer. Kane, who has been on a destructive rampage since donning the mask once again, came out to deliver some punishment. Dallas wisely got out of the ring, leaving Kingston to fend for himself. Kane obliterated Kofi with a Chokeslam, then a Tombstone Piledriver. Dallas delivered quite the
hilarious motivational advice for the fallen Kingston.

WINNER: No Contest.

ROB VAN DAM vs. BAD NEWS BARRETT (Intercontinental Championship)

I’m not the biggest mark for the WWE version of RVD, as his matches against non-high flying opponents aren’t the greatest. And despite Barrett’s entertaining vignettes and promos, his ring work, even four years in, still is not as crisp as it could be. Despite all of this, these two men had an impressive contest. Barrett pulled out some new moves and Van Dam showed quite a bit of aggression unseen from him in a while. This was quite a treat and Barrett is on his way to becoming a true name in this business.

WINNER: BAD NEWS BARRETT

BRAY WYATT vs. JOHN CENA (Last Man Standing Match)

Bray Wyatt is more over than the TV series Firefly (sorry fans, it was too good to pass up). It is this fact that makes me question putting him in a match against ‘Super’ Cena that Cena never seems to lose. But Wyatt did his damndest to make you believe otherwise. He dished out AND took just as much punishment as Cena did. The Usos and the Wyatts had a nice exchange to shake things up. But despite the bright spots, this match ended exactly how nearly everyone on Earth expected it to.

WINNER: JOHN CENA

ALICIA FOX vs. PAIGE (Divas Championship)

I feel so bad for Paige. She’s so talented and deserving of being the youngest Divas champ of all time. But it’s no secret that Paige has little to no legitimate competition in the Fed. She could really show off her skills against the other equally talented women when she was in NXT. On Raw and SmackDown, she has Natalya, Tamina, Naomi…and then there’s everyone else.

Alicia Fox clearly defines ‘everyone else’ and defines the problem with the Divas division. While this match had its moments, as long as failed lingerie models with two left feet and no wrestling ability continue to litter the roster, Paige won’t have the opportunity to put on the five-star pay-per-view matches that I know she’s capable of.

WINNER: PAIGE

THE SHIELD (SETH ROLLINS, DEAN AMBROSE & ROMAN REIGNS) vs. EVOLUTION
(TRIPLE H, RANDY ORTON & BATISTA) (No Holds Barred Tag Elimination Match)

Last month at Extreme Rules, these men left it all on the mat and The Shield stood victorious. This time around, Evolution systematically dissected the Hounds of Justice. But as Ambrose stated last week, you might put the Shield down, but you won’t keep them down. They rallied back and eliminated Batista and Orton post-haste. The Game though, held his ground for quite a while, courtesy of his sledge hammer. But the numbers game eventually proved to be too much and Triple H suffered a flying curb stomp from Rollins, then a spear from Reigns.

WINNER: THE SHIELD

A good, if not great, pay-per-view event. What were your thoughts of WWE Payback 2014?

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This week on the British Bodcast: Duke and Kia talk about football fever (or lack of), why America insists on stereotyping Brits as villains and some of the best and worst accents in film.

The Bodcast is part of the World Of Us casts on OneOfUs.net

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This week on the show I’m afraid we’re down a member; Ashley had previous commitments, but our special guest should make up for it.

You know him, you love him, you slightly lower the volume when he’s on mic; he’s C. Robert Cargill, former Spill Crew member, author of Dreams and Shadows, Queen of the Dark Things and the film Sinister. We talk about some of his favorite tv shows, about his pal Scott Derrickson and Doctor Strange, and the X-Continuity in films and what we’d like to see come next.

AND HEY! MAKE SURE TO PICK UP A COPY OF CARGILL’S NEW BOOK! DO IT!!!!

If the multiple early reviews are to be believed, 22 Jump Street, the sequel to 2012’s surprise hit 21 Jump Street, is already looking to be the best comedy of 2014. Now that a beloved 80’s television show has been successfully made into a comedic film twice, this can only encourage the possibility of applying that formula to other 80’s dramas, especially if you’re a studio executive.

With all this in mind, let’s take a look at some 80’s television shows that could possibly receive a comedic reinvention for cinemas.

The Fall Guy (1981-1986)

The Fall Guy was a show about legendary Hollywood stuntman Colt Seavers (Lee Majors) who used his natural “talents “of pretending to get punched in the face to moonlight as a bounty hunter. As we all know, professional stuntman often work side jobs tracking down the most nefarious criminals of Hollywood. I mean, how can they not? If the Six Million Dollar Man can do it, then anyone who’s really good at faking a fall can. A ratings juggernaut, The Fall Guy went on for an impressive five season run. Majors, ever the badass, performed most of his own stunts and one liners.

Movie: Zac Efron stars as Colt Lee Seavers, Hollywood’s greatest stunt man. With the God-given ability to fake being awesome at stuff, he’s living the life of his dreams. However, Seavers’ career is put on the line with advent of CGI filmmaking. Forced to support his exuberant lifestyle, Seavers becomes a bounty hunter. While knowing nothing about fighting, criminology, forensics or the legal processes of actually becoming a bounty hunter, Seavers is introduced to Steve Austin (Majors) who trains him to not only be the ultimate bounty hunter, but to teach him…humility.

The Misfits of Science (1985-1986)

What if there was a show that featured the writing talents of the creator of Heroes, and starred a pre-silicone Courtney Cox alongside the guy who played the alien in Predator? You’d get Misfits of Science of course! Nothing can beat this team of teenagers with superpowers who drove around in an ice cream truck solving crimes. Yes, a completely necessary and practical ice cream truck. One of the teens had the “amazing” ability to get really cold. So cold in fact, that if he wasn’t inside the truck he would start to melt. Iceman he was not. The show also featured a seven foot tall man with the ability to shrink to seven inches and a wannabe rock star with the power to channel electricity, Misfits of Science only lasted for 16 episodes. I wonder why?

The Movie: It was a seemingly ordinary day at Humanidyne Academy, but for five students, it was anything but ordinary. It actually wasn’t great all things considered. Honestly, it sucked. After being inexplicably exposed to various amounts of radiation at the exact same time, five teenagers are given powers that they never asked for. Seriously, one of them shrinks to the size of a pencil and if the other gets too warm he melts into a puddle of goo. Using their less than amazing gifts, these five kids come together and save (insert obvious 80’s cliché).

Quark (1977-1978)

Science-fiction space comedies are not unusual. Such films like Galaxy Quest and Spaceballs stand out not only because they’re parodies of two massive science-fiction franchises, but because they were actually well written and directed. Quark is none of those things. No, it didn’t premiere in the 1980s, but it did come near the tail end of the 70s. Following the crew of an interstellar garbage truck, Quark was an amalgamation of Star Trek, Star Wars and 2001: A Space Odyssey all wrapped into one. You had the straight-laced captain, two voluptuous twins vying for the affection of said captain, a human/plant hybrid named Ficus, a hermaphrodite and a very sexually confused general manger who also competed for the captain’s heart. While the premise and characters are ridiculous, you can’t deny that it was ambitious. Only managing an eight-episode run, Captain Adam Quark and his crew got into a few perilous situations while fighting the foam-helmeted Gorgons. While the material is already parodying multiple science-fiction sources, it would still be fun to see another take on this odd cult-favorite.

Movie: H. Jon Benjamin stars as Captain Adam Quark, the captain of an United Galaxy sanitation patrol cruiser. Quark and his crew thought that their lives as galactic sanitation workers was filled with nothing but boredom and monotony. However, after much boredom and monotony was had, these space garbage men and women are forced into an adventure to save the galaxy from the evil Gorgons, a race of alien conquerors. It’s basically a live-action Archer in space, except Benjamin is just as crass, but not nearly as handsome as his animated counterpart.

The Renegades (1983)

The Renegades, much like 21 Jump Street, followed the shenanigans of an 80s street gang comprised of a bunch of 30-year-old actors pretending to be teenagers. In order to avoid prison, The Renegades were forced to help the police in an experimental undercover investigation unit. Clad in leather and Levi’s, this gang of thugs featured Patrick Swayze as their mullet haired leader. You know this gang means serious business. I mean, with names like “Bandit,” “Dancer, ” and “Dragon,” you knew not to mess with these guys. They even had a token Asian who knew kung-fu! With a six-episode run, The Renegades failed to generate a reaction from audiences.

Movie: The Renegades believe they’re the toughest gang in Pemblebrook, New Jersey. In this upper-middle class suburban hell-hole, they view themselves as kings. After committing a crime that actually pisses off enough people, this gang is forced by local police to infiltrate a criminal empire. While maintaining their “rep” as leather pants-wearing bad boys, they must survive in a world that’s not like their own. Oh, God. I just wrote a new version of The Mod Squad.

Keeping the same exact style and time period for the film is paramount. The original show obviously presented a very fantastical look at gang-life. Forcing the Renegades to interact with more realistic criminals could potentially lead to something a lot funnier, or a lot more violent. Think The Warriors mixed with comedic sensibilities of Hot Fuzz.

Are there any shows from 80s that you feel should be remade into comedies? Let us know in the comments below!

I love E3. I wish I could cover E3 in some substantial way but I’ll leave that to bigger and better minds. But I do want to take a look at the main E3 players and muse what we can expect and my own personal predictions – without biased as much as possible.

I remember that year Nintendo had the large orchestra to celebrate the Zelda anniversary at E3. It wasn’t a particularly memorable E3 but it was an electric experience at home, I can’t imagine how it was for those in the audience. That’s what E3 is all about for me. The experience. I understand that E3 costs a lot of money and Nintendo are in no position to spend such increasing costs but I feel the decision to host these pre-filmed Nintendo Directs at E3 isn’t for the financial reasons but more that arrogant thought that they don’t need to bother. Evidently they do.

There were some stand out games including Wind Waker HD for the Wii U and Super Mario 3D world. In essence, the usual players. There was little in the way of third party support and a lack of content to support the system throughout the entire year. Edge’s review of the conference summed it up perfectly;

Again, Mario Kart is safe, as is Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and Super Smash Bros. Nintendo’s E3 2013 roster isn’t a show of creative strength but a retreat to base principles, amid a sprinkling of apologies for the delays of Wii Fit U and Wii Party U into 2014 that had Iwata breaking out that heartbreaking bow again. At this critical stage in Wii U’s life its release schedule is startlingly quiet, a deep disappointment for those who’ve bought one, and complete failure to compete with the bright oncoming lights of PS4 (oh, and Xbox One)

In a world with brand new consoles, AAA games and creative indie games Nintendo seems to getting more and more irrelevant and, well, up itself.

What are your expectations for Nintendo at E3? comment below.

For extensive convention coverage and awesome content head on over to our good friends Rage Select

Welcome back to One of Us’ Strip Club, our special feature where we post comic strips created and submitted by friends and fans of the site.

This week, Zach Martin uses his artistic talents to express a fear that many people have about Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. He’s like a geeky Lorax.

We’d love for you to start submitting comics for our Sunday “Strip Club” feature. If you’re interested, please contact us at oneofusnet@gmail.com.

I love E3. I wish I could cover E3 in some substantial way but I’ll leave that to bigger and better minds. But I do want to take a look at the main E3 players and muse what we can expect and my own personal predictions – without biased as much as possible.

Sony had a surprisingly successful year. Made at least in a small way due to the bad reaction to Microsoft. But Sony have been doing considerably well for a while now, even with the final year or two of the Playstation 3 with increased support, Playstation Plus taking off, stellar first party exclusives such as the best game I’ve played this year ‘The Last of Us’ and a push to support indies in ways Sony have never done before.

At E3 2013 Sony were clear on their vision of the Playstation 4 and their continued support for the Playstation 3 including such games as ‘Beyond: Two Souls’ and the aforementioned ‘Last of Us’. Unlike Microsoft’s conference a huge bulk was dedicated to new indie titles and the big push of self publishing on the Playstation 4 which was met with very warm reactions.

But the highlight of the conference was the direct strikes made towards Microsoft, which came when Jack Tretton returned to stage and said with absolute clarity that the PlayStation 4 will support lending, trading, reselling, and playing your games on your console in the ways we were already used to with no Always online restrictions. The crowd bellowed, and it was clear that it was a point for Sony. Though in hindsight I still believe that what Microsoft were doing was more revolutionary and the future, and Sony were going for a dated concept. Unfortunately console gamers just weren’t ready for it and Microsoft couldn’t sell it.

Check out my Sony at E3 thoughts below.

Are you looking forward to Sony’s press conference? What games do you think we’ll see? Post your thoughts and predictions below or throw them my way on twitter @Chris_Harrison_

For extensive convention coverage and awesome content head on over to our good friends Rage Select

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“So, how exactly are we supposed to review this one?”

“What do you mean?”

” I mean, it’s a treacly romantic drama about two teens falling in love.”

“So, review it like you did, “Endless Love”…slaughter the beast.”

“Yes, but they both are dying of cancer.”

“….”

“Good luck. Prepare for hate mail.”

“sigh”

While this will be my first World Cup, I’ve been to a lot of US soccer games over the past several years. It’s an unforgettable experience every time. It’s bright, loud and overwhelming to your senses. You lose your voice, usually end up injured, and afterwards you can’t figure out exactly where all of your money went.

Interestingly these are exactly the same things I’m thinking about when flying home from DragonCon every year. As it turns out, attending a soccer match (or tournament) and a geek convention actually have a lot in common.

The first thing you’d notice would be the costumes. Would you expect to see more Captain America t-shirts at a comic book convention or a US soccer game? It’s actually a toss-up. For every minute you might spend sewing the perfect video game character costume for a Con, a soccer fan somewhere in the world is trying to turn a flag into the perfect cape. And body painting skills come in handy at both, trust me.

3852060-7085910526-capta — Captain America or U.S. soccer fan? Who can tell anymore?!

There are also the (usually) good-natured arguments. I have spent hours in line for a panel arguing with my neighbors about which Batman movie is best. I have also spent hours sitting in a pub arguing about who the starting forward should be for the US or who would make the World Cup roster. These arguments are fun because ultimately you know that you all love the same thing. And if things happen to get out of hand…

Alcohol is another obvious common denominator. An offer of a beer solves just about any disagreement. Geeks love to drink. Soccer fans love to drink. And both groups like to drink even more when surrounded by others who feel the same way. Beer always tastes just a little bit better when you’re singing your favorite (and likely vulgar) soccer song or loudly quoting your favorite movie.

31beer_480 — Geeks, sports fans, and presidents know: beer is the great equalizer.

Once you wander outside of the bar, you may notice that you’ve become the center of attention. You can call them curious glances if you’re feeling generous, but whether you’re headed to a stadium or a convention hall you’re going to get some interested looks. Often they are more like gaping stares from locals who can’t believe you had the nerve to invade their city. Some of these stares are a direct result of the things we’ve already discussed, because let’s be honest, it’s hard to not look at a drunk(ish) person in a cape in 90+ degree weather. Odds are you’re being loud and clearly having more fun than anyone else on the street. It’s great, but it’s definitely attention grabbing.

Now as you might imagine, after a weekend or more of no sleep, unusual attire and liquid encouragement, there are going to be some unexplained injuries. No matter what I do or how responsible I try to be, I always seem to come back from a game or a Con with at least one rather intense bruise I can’t explain. Of course, sometimes there is an explanation that I’d just rather not share with the class.

Full-Body-Cast — Just another passionate fan.

But really, this last similarity is the best part by far. Both of these are places where people GET you. As we all know, a Con is the place where you don’t have to explain what your t-shirt means. You don’t have to justify why a solo Star Trek movie marathon is a perfectly valid way to spend a weekend, yes even if the weather is nice. Soccer is the same. As I’ve traveled the world over the past decade or so, soccer has been the common language. I may not always be able to successfully tell a cab driver where my hotel is or have any idea what I’m ordering for dinner, but saying “futbol” with my American accent has inevitably gotten me a free beer in just about every pub I’ve wandered into around the world.

So if you’re still planning to try and avoid all the soccer on your TV over the next month, I hope you might consider giving it a chance. Someday you might even find yourself at a game feeling more at home than you ever thought possible!

Welcome once again to Pre-Weekend Recap! As you might expect, the One of Us crew was fantastically productive this week. There were plenty of articles, blog posts, and podcasts featured for your entertainment and it would be a shame if you missed out on it.

This is the place where you can start catching up on the material that might have slipped by you in the rush of the week. Below you’ll find a few of the features that debuted this week, with descriptions and links right there. All you have to do is enjoy the content. Easy enough, right?

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Film Fracas: Godzilla

Oh yes, like a large portion of the internet, we’re still talking about Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla over here. What better way to reflect upon the deeply polarizing effect the film has had on the public than to record a podcast about it? In this corner, Matt Frank, kaiju enthusiast arguing in defense of the film. In the other corner, Martin Thomas, the geeky statesman in the dissenting position. It’s the inaugural episode of Film Fracas and it’s sure to put you in a fighting mood.

Seven More Characters Who Should Get The Maleficent Treatment

Disney’s Maleficent did pretty well financially in theaters last week, which is not at all surprising. People love seeing things from the villain’s point of view, whether it’s on television, in a movie, in comics, or any other type of media. Like many geeks out there, Chris Herman would like to see more characters from the dark side get their chance to tell their side of the story. Check out his suggestions, let him know what you think, and share your own ideas in the comments!

Interview with Filmmaker Jordan Cobb

Chris Harrison’s shining the spotlight on another emerging artist once again. This time, the focus is directed at Jordan Cobb, a graduate of the Digital Filmmaking program at the University of Central Arkansas. Not only did Chris do an extensive interview with the young filmmaker, we also have Jordan’s short film, Special Delivery, right here on the site for your viewing pleasure. Check out the interview to find out more about Jordan, his influences, and his plans for the future, and be sure to leave your feedback on the film!

SMARK Country: Ten Steps Toward A Better WWE

You have to truly love a franchise to be willing to acknowledge its flaws instead of ignoring or excusing them. In Eugene’s latest article, he demonstrates that loves wrestling 10 times over by pointing out a few ways that the WWE could improve itself. Some of his suggestions are small and standard while others are substantial and radical. If you’re a wrestling fan to any degree, you should definitely examine Eugene’s list and contrbute your own thoughts as well.

Digital Noise Episode 46: Which One Is The Alternate Universe?

This week on Digital Noise, the alternate universe has taken over for Earth-616. The other Chris and Richard may not be the same as the ones we know and love, but they’re just as good at reviewing home releases as the originals. Perhaps even BETTER. On this edition, the guys are covering great selections such as Cheap Thrills and the last season of Warehouse 13, the terrible ones like Blue Movie and Independence Daysaster, and a whole bunch of other titles in between those extremes. And of course, there’s a giveaway for one of your lucky listeners! It may be an alternate universe, but it’s the same great Digital Noise as always!

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If you like what you’ve seen here, please be sure to share our stuff with others who might enjoy it. In addition, please consider becoming one of our proud subscribers! There are plenty of benefits for those who are generous enough to contribute to the site each month, so don’t miss out on your chance to earn some exclusive rewards! Have a great weekend!

SMARK Country: Payback Is A Bitch

World of UScast: The British Bodcast: Ep 2

The Original Gentlemen: Schrodinger’s Cargill

AND HEY! MAKE SURE TO PICK UP A COPY OF CARGILL’S NEW BOOK! DO IT!!!!

Drama to Comedy: A List of Possible Comedic Remakes

Nintendo at E3

The Strip Club – 6/8/2014

Welcome back to One of Us’ Strip Club, our special feature where we post comic strips created and submitted by friends and fans of the site.

This week, Zach Martin uses his artistic talents to express a fear that many people have about Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice. He’s like a geeky Lorax.

We’d love for you to start submitting comics for our Sunday “Strip Club” feature. If you’re interested, please contact us at oneofusnet@gmail.com.

Sony at E3

Movie Review: The Fault in Our Stars

Ash & Fern: Am I at the World Cup or Comic-Con?

The Pre-Weekend Recap: June 6, 2014