Happy Friday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here, and we’re going to discuss Ironheart’s final three episodes. There’s little chance that we’ll cover this subject without major spoilers, so this is your spoiler warning. Last week, Ironheart finished strong, but I wondered if it would continue this momentum during its second episode release. In short, it did.
Ironheart managed to raise the stakes with almost every scene; that’s good to see. Sacha Baron Cohen was electric as Mephisto. Unlike my thoughts from last week (I guessed Ironheart would show Mephisto ruing its fifth episode), Ironheart held off showing Mephisto until its final episode. That’s a fantastic choice. This kept Mephisto from being watered down over two episodes. The MCU has been building toward Mephisto for a while. (Yes, there will be some minor MCU homework, but Ironheart does a good job revisiting Dormammu and the events of the first Doctor Strange.) The show ends on a cliffhanger. It looks as if Mephisto wins. That’s an intriguing ending for what would’ve been Ironheart’s first season. We’ll have to discuss Ironheart’s future at some point. Why not now?
Few Marvel shows on Disney+ have received second seasons, and that’s before considering Ironheart’s potential for underperformance. Disney+ hasn’t yet released its streaming numbers for Ironheart, but I’d imagine it didn’t do well because the show starts slow–really slow–and there’s a chance fewer viewers will give Ironheart episodes 3-6 a watch. Seriously, the last four episodes save the show. Despite leaving a lot of bread crumbs, I doubt Ironheart receives a second season. We’ll see Mephisto and Ironheart again in future MCU projects, but it’s a shame their story won’t continue through a second Ironheart season or an Ironheart special. I’d be okay with a one-shot Ironheart Disney+ special.
Getting back to Ironheart’s final three episodes, the characters grew on me. I was warming up to them during episode three, but Ironheart really did ramp up the tension and/asked interesting questions with each of its scenes. Of course, there were the ubiquitous battles. Ironheart wouldn’t be a Marvel project without the fights growing in intensity. But Ironheart did enough groundwork to make Riri’s showdown against The Hood’s gang, Zeke Stane, and The Hood meaningful. Each of these factions (and yes, The Hood’s gang and The Hood) has different goals and desires, and I like how Ironheart pitted these characters’ motivations against each other.
Even Mephisto’s goals differ from The Hood’s. Did I mention Sacha Baron Cohen is amazing as Mephisto? I have? Well, I’d watch Ironheart just for his performance, but Ironheart had plenty of amazing acting performances. I don’t want to list them all here. Few, if any, Ironheart characters fell flat, but I’ll take this moment to give a shout-out to the surprise Doctor Strange (from the comics) character Zelma Stanton.
Regan Aliyah’s adorkable Zelma Stanton does a great job of tying Ironheart into Doctor Strange and Wandavision/Agatha: All Along. I like how Marvel digs deep into its comic book lore in odd but meaningful ways. Ironheart wouldn’t work without Zelma. Kudos for including her. I have one small gripe. The now iconic scene of Mephisto tempting Riri Williams is a little on the nose (from a writing perspective), but Cohen’s gravitas is outstanding, and I don’t care if I’ve heard a similar version of the devil.
So, is Ironheart worth your time? I’d consider skipping the first two episodes and watching the episode recap for episode three. I’d definitely skip Ironheart’s first episode; it’s a slog. I’m concerned about how the MCU will continue the stories introduced in this show, so I’d have to give Ironheart an incomplete. It ends with a compelling cliffhanger, but there’s little chance we’ll get a satisfying payoff. Please, give us an Ironheart Disney+ special. Beyond those early hiccups, Ironheart was a fun watch. It even manages to set up a solid foundation for future MCU stories.
Ironheart’s future is up in the air. I wish I could tell you that all the great story threads introduced in this show will get a satisfying resolution, but only time will tell. Honestly, Riri’s reunion with Natalia and showing signs of Mephisto taint gave me a smile. Not since Thanos have we seen a Marvel villain succeed, and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto can serve as a fantastic MCU villain.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang. Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. I wrote this post a day or two early because my birthday is this weekend. Yay! I’m leveling up another year. But before I eat my body weight in key lime pie and beef stroganoff, we have some Geek News to cover, starting with the final Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer. I know. I know. We’ve covered every Fantastic Four trailer. Somehow, I keep missing some of the Superman trailers. I’m equally excited for both films.
Marvel Releases Fantastic Four: First Steps Final Trailer
The MCU released the final trailer for Fantastic Four: First Steps. I appreciate that we didn’t get too many new spoilers with this trailer, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some peppered in. We may venture into spoiler territory.
The trailer begins with the Fantastic Four at the Ted Gilbert Show when an alarm on their watches sounds. The scenes before this moment give us the longest looks we’ve seen of Marvel’s first family using their powers: Mr. Fantastic stretching, Invisible Woman throwing up a force field and manipulating objects, The Human Torch flying past a Coppertone billboard of himself and setting it on fire, and a bystander wanting The Thing to say, It’s Clobbering Time.
I love the running gag of everyone trying to coax The Thing into saying, “It’s Clobbering Time.” This is a trope used in certain Fantastic Four comics, where The Thing may have said Clobbering Time once, or it was used for a television show (in First Steps, it’s a cartoon), and I can’t wait to see the payoff because, undoubtedly, he will say Clobbering Time, perhaps in the scene where Johnny carries The Thing (with a beard–look at his rock beard, that’s awesome).
A few more moments stick out. We get a better look at Shalla-Bal. I’ve talked about how I didn’t like the CGI for this Silver Surfer, and I’m glad to see an improvement with this trailer. We get an extended look at Galactus, but not a straight-on look at the titan. The Fantastic Four fly into a black hole, and it’s implied that Sue may be pregnant with Franklin at the time. Flying into a black hole while Sue is pregnant with Franklin could supercharge Franklin’s powers. Someone in the crowd by the Fantastic Four carries a sign that reads, Earth Believed In You, which implies that the Fantastic Four have already failed in some way.
And there are those three massive devices. One is by the Eiffel Tower. I’m unsure where the other two in the distance are from Paris. Could this be what Reed was working on with his massive blackboard? We’ll have to find out. I’ll paraphrase one of the top comments on this trailer. The marketing team is doing a great job by holding back three things: 1) Galactus’s face, 2) The Thing saying, “Clobbering Time,” and 3) Johnny saying, “Flame On.” I agree. It’s best to see and hear these things when Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25th.
Grail Games Launches The Pixel Series on KickStarter
Grail Games returns with a trio of retro-art board games. Even though Aliens Attack!, Ohio Bob, and Harvest Valley use the same 8-bit art style, they couldn’t be more different in gameplay. Aliens Attack! is a tower defense game, Ohio Bob offers a fun adventure, and Harvest Valley is a farming sim. All three games are smaller, easier to store and transportable.
The Pixel Series even features some board game designing giants like Bruno Faidutti and Hisashi Hayashi. You can back this project and receive individual games for $10 or the entire set for $26.You can even throw in a fourth game in the series, Level 10, which is a reprinting of Okey Dokey.
Even though it isn’t the Mesopotamian Royal Game of Ur, the board game Mesopotamia does include knucklebone game pieces, which were game pieces in the classic board game. Meeple Pug’s Mesopotamia puts players in the role of civilization leaders in this stunning 4X game (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate). Mesopotamia foregoes a tech tree for research tiles that make each player’s civilization unique.
I love Mesopotamia’s customizable player boards. This gaming component could spark a series of games with a similar component. Mesopotamia’s gameplay encourages trading, exploration, and combat. Those knucklebone game pieces come in handy when attacking one of your opponents. Mesopotamia’s game pieces are top-notch. This is a gorgeous game, and that’s before considering the prelaunch Hanging Gardens Miniature.
That miniature looks amazing, and Mesopotamia has plenty of other detailed miniatures. I like the addition of note one, but three solo-player modes: exploration, siege, and castle defense. Mesopotamia offers a lot of gameplay options. It launches early next week, so we don’t yet know how much this campaign costs. If you’re interested in Mesopotamia, follow its GameFound page.
Modern Classic Board Game Colosseum Receives a Glow-Up on GameFound
Yes! If you’ve ever been interested in the Wolfgang Kramer and Markus Lubke design Colosseum, The Grand Spectacle may be the edition to add to your collection. Ian O’Toole is one of the best board game graphic designers/artists working today, and Colosseum: The Grand Spectacle is a feast for the eyes.
I’ve always liked Colosseum’s take on the roll/spin and move game mechanism, which is often maligned and hated in the board game community. Colosseum does it right; take some of the chance out of rolling dice. I also agree with the Dice Tower’s Tom Vasel. Colosseum works at 5-players, which is rare in a game of this type.
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach was released this past week and topped video game sales. In case you haven’t played the original, the first Death Stranding is on sale for most systems. Modern video games have updates during their first week, so Death Stranding 2 adding one a day after its release doesn’t raise any eyebrows. Oddly, we know nothing about this Death Stranding 2 update. The update offers no information about what it’s patching. The Death Stranding 2 team offers no clues. No one seems to know what this patch does. Hopefully, it fixes some of the game’s audio issues. Perhaps Hideo Kojima likes keeping this update a mystery.
Tamagotchi Plaza Releases on the Nintendo Switch 2
Tamagotchi Plaza, a shop simulator, was released for the original Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It looks adorable. I have fond memories of Tamagotchi, and I’m happy if Tamagotchi Plaza popularizes the pet raising sim to a new generation of gamers. Tamagotchi Plaza looks interesting–I may check out this title at some point–but Tamagotchi Plaza continues a disturbing trend for Nintendo Switch 2. If you already own a game for the original Switch, you can play it on the Switch 2 for a small Switch 2 upgrade fee.
While the upgrade fee isn’t the same price as a full-fledged game, it comes off as a shameless cash grab. Why should I have to pay an additional $10 for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild when I already own the game? Yes. $10 isn’t that much, but if you convert each one of your original Switch titles to the Switch 2, that adds up quickly. And this practice will embolden other console producers to do the same. We already got a Horizon: Zero Dawn remaster for the PlayStation 5 when it was released on the previous console.
Tamagotchi Plaza is a new game, and players would have to buy the Switch 2 upgrade for a game they just bought if they were to pick up a Switch 2 later this year. Okay. I get it. You could play the original version of Tamagotchi Plaza, but the Switch 2 version adds new shop types. Why would you want to play the Switch version if you were to upgrade to a Switch 2 after it becomes available again? I’m concerned about this business model for the video game community. But, hey, many of us–myself included–have purchased Skyrim eleven times. How’s this any different?
That’s all we have for Geek News this week, Geekly Gang. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. The first half of Ironheart’s episodes were released this past week, and I’ll share my thoughts, but as you can see, I’m not giving each episode its own review. JK Geekly has covered Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Daredevil: Born Again, and typically, we give each episode its own post. We’re not doing that for Ironheart because it drags. With these first three episodes, the show takes double the time it needs (for at least the first two episodes), so we figured we’d cover the first three episodes as if they were one and a half episodes or a single Marvel special.
At its heart–Ha! Heart was unplanned–Ironheart has the structure for a good story. It sets up an interesting conflict between tech and magic, I like the show’s social commentary, Riri has an intriguing (enough) backstory, and I like many of its characters. Ironheart’s execution is lacking. Quick note: We will go into spoiler territory throughout this review; you’ve been warned. Ironheart actively keeps why Riri Williams wants to make an iron suit a secret for over two episodes. Really? While it makes sense for Riri to obscure her motives from other characters, it hurts Ironheart’s story, keeping the viewers in the dark. Spoiler: Her dad, Gary, was a Tony Stark superfan, and that’s why she wants to build an iron suit. We could’ve gotten that information in any one of five flashback scenes with Gary, but Ironheart deliberately keeps the audience at bay.
And Ironheart uses too many flashback scenes, with none of these scenes pulling double duty. Those flashback scenes with Gary Williams show his and Riri’s relationship, but give few other details (like Gary is a Stark fan), and it isn’t just the flashback scenes. Most of the scenes in the first two episodes are one-note. This leads to the show doubling in length. Fortunately, Ironheart’s third episode, “We in Danger, Girl” picks up the pace. Joe turns out to be Obadiah Stane’s son, Ezekiel, and this is done in a scene that pulls double duty. 1) Riri needs tech to go undetected by The Hood. 2) Ezekiel reveals who he is and why he has so much advanced tech. In fact, Ironheart’s third episode sheds most of what bogs down the previous two episodes, so I’m cautiously optimistic about next week’s Ironheart offering.
While it’s not always about the action, “We in Danger, Girl” cranks up the action and tension while raising the stakes at most turns. It even manages to throw in a few welcome comedic moments. I like Riri’s panic attack side story. We don’t get enough superheroes struggling with the very act of being a superhero. Riri’s moral ambiguity at the beginning was also welcome. I even liked how Riri struggles because of her ethnicity. I just wish Ironheart’s story were tighter.
But “We in Danger, Girl” did enough for me to watch Ironheart’s next three episodes. The cast is excellent. I like this version of Slug better than the comic book version; I need more of this Slug. The story is picking up the pace. I’m excited to see how The Hood and Mephisto interact and how Riri’s not-so-good choices will impact her future. Riri is a flawed and compelling character, and her relationship with the AI Natalie (Riri’s friend who died) is top-notch, but I wonder how many viewers will sit through Ironheart’s first two episodes. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have a couple of MCU updates and new board games to talk about. This week had an extra topic or two than last week’s. Yay! Since the MCU news is juicier, we’ll begin with the latest from Avengers: Doomsday.
Wolverine Will Be in Avengers: Doomsday
A couple of reports/rumors about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday surfaced this past week, suggesting that Wolverine will return in some capacity during the massive group film. Early this past week, veteran stunt double Daniel Stevens stated that he’s working on Avengers: Doomsday. Stevens is Hugh Jackman’s stunt double for his role as Wolverine. This admission doesn’t confirm Wolverine will be in Avengers: Doomsday because Stevens has worked as a stunt double for multiple characters during Avengers movies, but the second report may seal the deal.
YouTuber UnBox PHD specializes in drone footage of Hollywood films. They’re the ones who broke that Wolverine would don his blue and yellow suit in Deadpool and Wolverine months before the movie’s release. UnBox PHD took drone images of a classic Wolverine movie scene’s recreation. Marvel asked UnBox PHD to take down the images, and in return, they all but confirmed Wolverine will be in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. It’s yet to be seen in what capacity Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine will be involved. Fingers crossed for more updates.
Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto to Make Appearance in Ironheart
Sacha Baron Cohen as the MCU’s Mephisto, who is a Marvel variant of the Devil, was leaked several years prior. Cohen’s Mephisto had been rumored as far back as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He cropped up again in Agatha All Along. Just about any Marvel film or series that features a magical element has been rumored or teased Cohen’s Mephisto. Ironheart combines magic and technology. The show’s central theme will be magic versus tech; this conflict interested me in our MCU Preview earlier this year. During that same preview, I mentioned that The Hood would be Ironheart’s main antagonist. While I still believe The Hood will be Ironheart’s focal enemy, he’s a younger character, about the same age as Riri Williams, so it makes sense if someone bigger is pulling the strings.
Marvel leaked Ironheart’s schedule this past week. Next week, we’ll see the first three episodes, and the week after that, the second set of three Ironheart episodes will release. If Ironheart uses The Hood as a mid-boss, someone who’s working for a larger and bigger bad, narratively speaking, it makes sense for the bigger bad to show their face during the fifth and penultimate episode. The Hood may be failing to convert Riri to the dark side, so the one behind The Hood will need to get personal. Notice how the “M” in Karma is suspiciously highlighted in red. A red M for Mephisto? It could be. We won’t have to wait long to see if one of Marvel’s most dastardly enemies graces the screen. I love the Cohen casting of Mephisto.
If we do get Cohen’s Mephisto in Ironheart, I don’t think he’ll be in full makeup, or if he is, we’ll only catch a glimpse. This appearance will most likely introduce the character and sow the seeds for future MCU stories. Could Mephisto make an appearance in Doctor Strange 3 or Midnight Sons, or even VisionQuest? All of those projects make sense.
Paperback Adventures: Volume 2 Launches on GameFound
Paperback Adventures combines a roguelike deck-building game with a word game. Paperback Adventures (first volume) was a solo game only, but Volume 2 offers a 4-player simultaneous co-op game mode as well. The modular system allows for more variety with the more character boxes you have. Even though Geekly has yet to play this game, Paperback Adventures was a hit with several well-known board game reviewers, specifically Shut Up & Sit Down and The Dice Tower.
I like any modular game with a well-thought-out storage system, and Paperback Adventures: Volume 2 appears to have that in spades. The game’s Big Box, which may be an add-on (no word on the Paperback Adventures: Volume 2’s price point yet), has space for everything included in the game. Yes! I don’t know how many times I’ve had larger modular games with ridiculous storage.
Paperback Adventures: Volume 2 takes the original Paperback (which I have played on Steam, and it’s excellent) and adds a layer of adventure with small RPG elements to it. I never picked up a hard copy version of Paperback (and I missed the first wave of Paperback Adventures), but I may have to back Paperback Adventures: Volume 2 when it launches on GameFound next week.
Cozy Cat Cafe Launches on KickStarter
Run your own cat cafe. Arrange furniture. Recruit cats. Attract customers. Cozy Cat Cafe has coziness in its title. Player turns don’t appear to take long. You’ll have a handful of options, but Cozy Cat Cafe ups the ante if you’ve recruited the right cats. Certain cats can pull off special cat tricks (cards).
I don’t know what “Biscuit Boost” does, but I must play it at least once. Want to know more about Cozy Cat Cafe? Fortunately, Stami Games has a quick Instagram video, providing a quick overview. I like a couple of Cozy Cat Cafe’s game mechanisms. Players construct patterns to attract customers, but the customer cards can be altered on one’s turn if you think one of your opponents can attract a customer. Neat! The other game mechanism I like is the double-sided tiles. You can construct a basic piece of furniture, or you can upgrade it for a posh version. Me-ow!
Cozy Cat Cafe has adorable art that fits its theme. If you’re interested in Cozy Cat Cafe, the core box runs about $54 (plus shipping). The deluxe version is $81. There are several other options (some with signed copies of the game). Check out Cozy Cat Cafe on KickStarter.
That’s all the Geek News we have for you this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Has it been long enough since we’ve covered a Marvel United expansion? It’s been one month? Eh, why not cover one of the final expansions from the original release, Rise of the Black Panther? Like I said in our last expansion review, Geekly won’t be covering every Marvel United expansion, but we will review the ones worth your time or the ones we believe people will most likely purchase. In short, you may want to consider these expansions.
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. In Marvel United, take on the roles of iconic Marvel heroes who work together to stop the master plan of a powerful villain controlled by the game. Each villain has a unique master plan, cards that trigger various effects, and threats that make clearing locations difficult. Heroes clear missions, making the villain vulnerable, and finally take on the mastermind before they complete their evil plot. Can you save the world from impending doom? Let’s find out with Rise of the Black Panther.
Wait. Before we leap into the fray, we should look at Rise of the Black Panther’s fine print.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Andrea Chiarvesio and Eric M. Lang Publisher: CMON Global Limited and Spin Master Ltd. Date Released: 2021 Number of Players: 1-4 Age Range: 8 and up Setup Time: 5-10 minutes Play Time: 30-40 minutes
We already covered the Game Setup and Game Flow in our Marvel United review (here’s a link to that review), so we’ll go over the basics in the following two sections. Let’s cover an abbreviated review of the game setup and rules.
Marvel United’s setup can change depending on which Villain and Heroes you choose to play. Each game consists of six locations. Typically, core sets have eight locations. Since Rise of the Black Panther is an expansion, it only has six. You may choose your locations or shuffle them and choose six at random. Each Location card has spaces at the top for civilians and thugs and a rectangle with a block of text that will state “End of Turn” at the top of the box.
Place civilian/thug tokens on their matching spaces. Shuffle the Villain’s Threat deck and deal out each Threat face-up so that it covers the rectangle at the bottom of each location. You must clear this threat before gaining the “End of Turn” effect printed on a Location. Place health tokens where signified on threat cards and on the Villain dashboard. Place the three mission cards (Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats) face up under the villain dashboard where the text reads “Unlocked.”
Each player shuffles their hero decks and then draws three cards to form their hands. Shuffle the Villain’s Master Plan deck. Leave the Master Plan deck face down. This will be the villain’s draw pile.
Players place their miniatures on one of the six location cards, usually the centralmost location for each player (easy access). Then, they place the villain on the location card opposing the heroes.
Game Flow
The villain(s) play first. Draw the top card of their master plan deck. The villain moves the number of spaces indicated. Resolve any BAM! Effects and these effects will be printed on a space within the villain’s dashboard. Then, place the civilian/thug tokens (if any) indicated at the bottom of the card. After all these effects are resolved, the heroes get their turn.
Heroes pick who goes first, and hero turns will continue around the table clockwise. At the beginning of each game, Heroes will get three turns before the villain receives another turn. During their turn, heroes play one card from their hand.
Resolve actions and the symbols printed at the bottom of the hero’s card in any order. The symbols at the bottom of a hero’s card will be shared with the next player, but any printed action will not be shared. Heroes will use these actions to complete missions. The game begins with three missions in play: Defeat Thugs, Rescue Civilians, and Clear Threats. Each mission card will have spaces for the tokens they require to complete. As soon as these spaces are filled, the card is discarded, and the mission is considered complete. Mission cards can be completed in any order.
After the heroes complete the first mission, the villain panics and will act (play a card) every two hero cards instead of every three hero cards. After the heroes complete the second mission, the villain becomes vulnerable to damage. The heroes can complete the third mission, but it isn’t necessary. If the heroes do complete the third mission, each hero immediately draws 1 card, increasing each player’s hand size by one.
Play continues back and forth until either the villain wins (by completing their unique master plan or anyone, heroes or villains, runs out of cards) or the heroes win by dealing enough damage to the villain after the villain becomes vulnerable to damage.
Review
Rise of the Black Panther has some stellar heroes in its ranks. The Challenge Card uses some interesting game elements that I haven’t seen Marvel United use before or since. Killmonger can be a tricky villain and one of my favorites to defeat. It’s an accomplishment to defeat Killmonger. But Rise of the Black Panther’s Locations may be the biggest reason why Geekly’s covering this specific expansion. We’ll start with Locations.
Jabari Village and Warrior Falls have solid “End of Turn” abilities. One gives you a Wild token while the other allows you to deal one damage at that Location. Not bad. But it doesn’t hold a candle to the remaining four Locations. Golden City lets players move to any other Location at the end of their turn. This gives players extra movement. I love that. That gives me one less resource to manage and I can focus on Heroics and Attack. Royal Palace allows players to search their deck for a card and place that card at the top of their deck. Fantastic! This would be a strong ability in most card games with decks. But the Great Mound and Shuri’s Lab puts Rise of the Black Panther Locations over the top.
Great Mound is one of the only ways to manipulate Crisis Tokens in the original Marvel United release. Full stop. If you have a villain who has pesky Crisis Token abilities (one of those is Killmonger included in Rise of the Black Panther) and you only have the original Marvel United release, Great Mound is a must. Its “End of Turn” ability allows players to discard a card from their hand to the bottom of their deck to remove 1 Crisis Token anywhere. Shuri’s Lab creates a great tandem of Location abilities. Its “End of Turn” ability grants players the ability to draw up to their maximum hand size, negating any ill effects from the Great Mound and giving players a way to heal. I like Enter the Spider-Verse’s Locations a lot, but they pale in comparison to Rise of the Black Panther’s.
As mentioned in previous Marvel United reviews, Challenge cards provide optional rules to spice up the core gameplay. Rise of the Black Panther’s “Endangered Locations” is a simple and engaging rule twist. During Setup, Each Hero is linked to a different Location by using the included Endangered Location tokens. During play, each time Overflow is triggered in a Location, the Hero with its matching token takes 1 damage. This makes each Location mean something to certain players. This Challenge card could influence players to keep one Location clear of tokens over another Location. I love it because it raises the stakes and adds a dash of strategy and something else for players to navigate.
We’ll get to the heroes in a bit, but let’s talk about one of the MCU’s better villains, Killmonger. Killmonger also happens to be an intriguing villain in Marvel United. He wins when four or more Locations have 3 or more Crisis Tokens, and he adds Crisis Tokens in various ways. His Overflow and BAM! abilities replace Civilian/Thug Tokens with Crisis Tokens, which will make clearing missions (in order to make Killmonger vulnerable to damage) more difficult. The “Weapon Smuggling” Threat card has a similar action. And his Master Plan deck adds plenty of Civilian/Thug tokens, which can trigger Overflows, while his “Overthrow” ability can convert multiple Civilian tokens into Crisis Tokens. In short, Killmonger can turn the tide of battle in short order.
Furthermore, Killmonger has plenty of ways of dealing additional damage to Heroes, which can cause players to race toward Shuri’s Lab for some heals. Killmonger has one of the higher potential damage outputs of Marvel United’s original set. As I said prior, beating Killmonger is an accomplishment.
Rise of the Black Panther’s Heroes are darn good and should be up for the task of defeating Killmonger. Black Panther tends to focus on giving himself bonus actions, but his Movement is so good that he’s a good choice for teams choosing specialists (All Attack or All Heroics), and the other two Heroes in this expansion happen to be specialists. Winter Soldier is one of the better pure damage dealers from Marvel United’s original set. His deck tends to be the most self-centered of the Rise of the Black Panther heroes. He gives himself Attack tokens. This can also make Winter Soldier the easiest Hero to play. Of the Rise of the Black Panther heroes, Shuri is easily my favorite.
Shuri has a stunning five cards with Wild symbols on the bottom. This gives her and her teammates options whenever they take their turns. The remainder of her deck centers around Heroics. Winter Soldier is the fighter; Shuri is the helping hand. And Shuri’s one special effect “Young Genius” certainly lends a helping hand. She gives one Hero (she can target herself) a wild token and the player may draw cards until they have 3 cards. Not only does she hand out an extra wild token, but Shuri heals a Hero up to their full health. This is huge. I don’t know how many times Shuri’s ability saved my party’s bacon. She is Rise of the Black Panther’s standout Hero.
Too Long, Didn’t Read
Rise of the Black Panther has some of the original Marvel United set’s best Locations. Its Challenge card adds a simple but compelling wrinkle to gameplay. Killmonger is a worthy adversary. The Heroes provide variety, but Shuri can turn the tide of battle.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m still recovering from last week’s Protospiel Twin Cities convention. Several games were played, and my wings are tired. But we have another week of Geek News. We’ll start with some quick MCU updates. Let’s get to it.
A Baby Franklin Richards Is Confirmed For Fantastic Four: First Steps
Fantastic Four: First Steps released its fourth and final teaser trailer this past week. Most of the shots are recuts of previous shots, but Marvel shared one major revelation: Franklin Richards will be in the movie. While the movie’s title, First Steps, was always meant as a nod to space exploration (one small step for man), the title was also a mention of Franklin Richards’s (a baby’s) first steps. You might be thinking, but Franklin Richards is just a baby, there’s no way he’ll factor into Fantastic Four: First Steps’ narrative in a major way. Okay. This may get into some potential spoilers. If you want to go into Fantastic Four: First Steps with little to no knowledge of the comics, you can skip past the next paragraph.
Franklin isn’t like other babies. As an infant, he was capable of manifesting adult bodies that he could control. One of those bodies was Galactus. So, Franklin might be behind Galactus in the Fantastic Four’s first MCU outing. Yikes! Fantastic Four: First Steps has already teased other Fantastic Four villains like John Malkovich, who is portraying Red Ghost (this is confirmed), and it looks like it may be all hands on deck with stopping Galactus, whether he’s connected to Franklin Richards or not. Fortunately, most of this paragraph was conjecture, so you may be okay if you didn’t head the previous spoiler warning.
No matter where Fantastic Four: First Steps takes Franklin Richards’s story, there’s no doubt he’s the most powerful character the MCU has ever introduced. He can make Wanda’s reality warping look like child’s play. In fact, Franklin Richards may be the one behind the multiverse saga’s end. He could fix all timelines if he wanted. The MCU introducing this much power into its universe is a far cry from the Russos nerfing the Hulk because they didn’t want the Hulk to be the Avengers’ “I win” card. We’ll have to see where this storyline goes.
If you haven’t yet watched Thunderbolts*, you may want to skip the next news entry.
The Ship Seen During the Thunderbolts* End Credits May Not Carry The Fantastic Four
I know. I know. The picture above clearly shows the Fantastic Four’s symbol, but the ship that bears this symbol may not contain the Fantastic Four from Fantastic Four: First Steps. The ship we’ve seen in all the Fantastic Four: First Steps trailers has three prongs, but this ship has four prongs. The ship during the Thunderbolts* end credits is a different ship from the one seen in all the Fantastic Four trailers. I mentioned a spoiler warning in the previous segment, but I’ll reiterate it here in case you want to maintain the mystery.
There are two main theories: 1) Doctor Doom may be piloting the ship; 2) the Fantastic Four are in the ship, but it’s a different Fantastic Four. The first is fun but less likely, while the second is equally as fun, and there may be some evidence suggesting that it’s true.
Theory Number 1: Since Robert Downey Jr. is portraying Doctor Doom (or at least the vision Doctor Doom wants to present), we know that Doctor Doom is aware of the Multiverse and attempting to use Tony Stark’s image to hide his true intentions. Doom could be doing the same for other universes by pretending to be the Fantastic Four. This doesn’t quite hold water because Earth-616 (the world in which the Thunderbolts* belong) doesn’t know who the Fantastic Four are. Still, Doctor Doom could be traveling from a third reality.
Theory Number 2: The Fantastic Four inside this ship are the ones from the Fox Universe. The MCU has already grandfathered in Fox’s X-Men, so they could do the same with Ioan Gruffudd’s Mr. Fantastic, Jessica Alba’s Invisible Woman, Chris Evans’ Human Torch, and Michael Chicklis’s Thing. The “evidence” that this could be true comes from Jessica Alba’s social media accounts. She stated this past week that she’s filming in London. Funny. Avengers: Doomsday began filming this past week…in London.
Regardless of who’s in the “Fantastic Four” ship during the Thunderbolts* end credits, it’ll be a wild ride, and the likelihood of the Fantastic Four from Fantastic Four: First Steps being in that ship is almost zero. Most viewers thought it was funny that the Fantastic Four would be in Earth-616’s reality before Fantastic Four: First Steps release. Yeah. They most likely aren’t on that ship.
More Information About Denzel Washington’s Role in Black Panther 3
We mentioned a few weeks ago that Denzel Washington will be included in Black Panther 3’s cast. We’ve received more tidbits that could suggest who Washington will be portraying. On Carmelo Anthony’s podcast, Denzel Washington said that since he’s 70 years old and only has a few movies left in him. He intends to retire soon. That makes sense, but what doesn’t make as much sense is the rumor that Denzel would portray Magneto in the upcoming Black Panther 3. Or does it make sense?
I wouldn’t rule anything out, but whoever will play Magneto in the MCU during the Mutant Saga will need to have more than a few movies left in their career. The Mutant Saga will run for almost ten years and require five or six movies from its Magneto of choice. So, if Washington were to play Magneto in Black Panther 3, he would most likely be playing an alternate reality Magneto. Denzel Washington will most likely portray a one-and-done villain like Achebe. This could still be fun. Achebe is the Joker to Black Panther’s Batman. Achebe would be a role we’ve never seen Denzel Washington play. Whoever Washington plays in the MCU will be a joy.
Ryan Gosling as Black Panther Meme
The Ryan Gosling as Black Panther meme reentered the zeitgeist. While there’s little proof to suggest that Gosling will even be in the MCU, I wouldn’t rule out anything (like Denzel Washington as Magneto). There is a precedent of sorts in the comics. Gosling could portray White Wolf, Black Panther’s adopted white brother (and frequent adversary/ally), and this White Wolf could hail from an alternate universe. I won’t spend too much time on this. It’s a meme. It’s designed to upset people. But I could see Gosling as a real White Wolf. The MCU has dropped the “White Wolf” nickname for Winter Soldier as early as the first Black Panther. Anything could happen, even something this wild. Talk about a Multiverse of Madness.
Agricola Special Edition Launches on GameFound
Uwe Rosenberg’s Agricola is a classic farming worker placement game. Originally released in 2012, Awaken Realms gives Agricola a stunning makeover. What else would you expect from Awaken Realms? This company is known for over-the-top production value. Just look at these miniatures.
And I got excited when Agricola used animeeples. Look at the details of the various farmers, the animals, and even the reeds. They’re so intricate. Awaken Realms knows how to make miniatures. Of course, these miniatures are an add-on, but the animeeples players can receive without the miniatures upgrade are also fantastic.
You won’t need the miniatures. The cow and sheep meeples, the player board, the ornate fences in the player’s color, and the detailed resource tokens. Yowza! I’ve always been dubious of Awaken Realms games. They cost a lot, and players may fall victim to the sunk cost fallacy. This game is good because I took out a second mortgage to own it. This isn’t the case for Agricola. Almost a decade and a half after its original release, it maintains a spot on Board Game Geek’s Top 100 games.
Fortunately, Awaken Realms offers the updated Agricola at different price points. Agricola Special Edition has a standard, cardboard version, which costs €79 or $90. You can upgrade to wooden bits (like the ones pictured above) by spending €109 ($124). Or you can go for every expansion ever made for the original game. That’s a lot of content, so it doesn’t come cheap. The suggested price is €164.00, which is about $186. Players can upgrade to miniatures by selecting the Sundrop option at checkout. These miniatures (the detailed ones depicted at the top of this post) cost €49 or $55. A pledge of any kind makes you eligible for all stretch goals like irrigation channels.
I’ve been looking at gaming tables for a while. My favorite types of gaming tables can double as dining tables, and that’s exactly what Sunnygeeks 2.0 Modular Gaming Table does. As the name “modular” suggests, gamers can build their own table to suit their needs. Do you need extra storage for bits? Add some stackable drawers. Would you like some LED lights to set the mood? Go right ahead.
Each table comes equipped with a water-resistant dining table topper. Just slap on the table topper if you want to use the table for a meal.
I love the idea of a table topper. Sunnygeeks 2.0 also has a topper docker, which allows for easy storage. You can even store some of your unused board game supplies. But speaking of board game storage, the modular table companion is amazing and my favorite feature. Even if I don’t pick up a gaming table, I’d consider buying a couple of modular table companions.
Modular table companions come in a variety of colors. Each one has wheels, and they’re stackable, which means you can have a large tower of board games that can roll. Yes!
As you can imagine, Sunnygeeks 2.0 isn’t cheap (easily in the thousands of dollars), but this is where GameFound’s Stretch Pay makes sense. Customers can pay ten interest-free payments over ten months. I never saw the need to use Stretch Pay for board games; if you’re spending so much on a single board game that you must use a payment plan, that’s excessive. But gaming furniture is another matter. Build the gaming table of your dreams by checking out Sunnygeeks 2.0’s GameFound page.
Magic x Final Fantasy Pre-Release This Week
The Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy crossover event is scheduled to release on June 13, 2025, but gamers can get in on the fun early with pre-release events. Local board game stores across the United States (and other countries) will feature pre-release tournaments. Now may be the best time to get back into Magic if you haven’t played in several years–like me. Or if you’re a huge Final Fantasy fan, you should check out the new set.
If you’re interested in a pre-release event, here’s a brief rundown of what to expect at a tournament. Players are given a set amount of time to open (a set number of) boosters and build a limited, 40-card deck using the cards from those packs. You will then play three games against other participants in the tournament. Most tournaments use a Swiss Style match-making, which means you’ll play against other people with your record. The winner will receive a small prize like a booster pack, sleeves, or a deck box. But everyone’s a winner because you got to play the Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy crossover event early. Pre-release events can be fun because no one has had time to construct the “perfect deck.” You all received random cards.
I can’t wait to get my hands on some Magic x Final Fantasy cards. Woo hoo!
That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. I’m away on a second trip (another Protospiel, this time in Minnesota), so today’s Geekly News will be brief like last week’s. It will also be MCU-heavy because of news and trailers that drop earlier this week. Without further ado, let’s get to this week’s geek news.
Hulk Returns in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Industry insider Nexus Point News reported on Memorial Day that Mark Ruffalo is set to return as Jade Jaws in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Since Brand New Day will likely be a multiverse film (our Geekly News post last week confirmed as much), we won’t know which version of the Hulk Ruffalo will portray. Nexus Point News even suggested that Ruffalo could portray more than one version of the Green Goliath.
Fans have stated that they prefer a more savage Hulk. The Russos (who helm this leg of the MCU) could oblige and revert Hulk to his savage self. This could work to set up a World War Hulk project that the MCU has teased for years but hasn’t produced because of copyright issues.
A second industry insider, Alex Perez, shared that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will contain the biggest stunt sequence in the MCU. This stunt sequence will mostly include practical effects and will take a month to shoot. Typically, the MCU adds the Hulk through motion capture, but this doesn’t exclude a potential battle between the Hulk and Spider-Man. Brand New Day could shoot the practical effects and add Hulk later. Regardless of who will be involved in this stunt sequence, it bodes well that the MCU will use mostly practical effects. The scene’s scale also hints that this battle could occur in New York City, which would include a lot of coordination and blocking of city blocks. Spider-Man: Brand New Day sounds exciting. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has a history of brilliant stunt sequences. I loved Cretton’s practical effects in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
I still have my fingers crossed for a Spider-Man and Hulk battle. We’ve seen Spider-Man and the Hulk side-by-side in the MCU, but they haven’t had many interactions. It would be fun to see the two spar.
This news also muddies the waters of who will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s villain. Will it be an alternate version of Hulk? Is someone pulling the strings? If so, who? Let us know who you think will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s villain or villains.
New Fantastic Four: First Steps Trailer
There isn’t much to cover with the latest Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer. Essentially, the third trailer is a recut of the second trailer with a few shots added for good measure. First off, I like how Fantastic Four: First Steps is marketing itself. During the fourth game of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, ESPN incorporated the spot as a game sponsor. The trailer proceeds to show its events as something that happened in the past (specifically the 60s) and runs with it. I also like Fantastic Four: First Steps’ choice of not showing too much before the movie releases. Too many trailers spoil the movie’s plot.
Our first new shot is a new angle of Shalla-Bal asking if the Fantastic Four are the protectors of this world.
She looks about the same as she did in the first two trailers. The second new shot we get is a good look at Marvel One, the Fantastic Four’s spaceship, and the ship that transported Marvel’s first family to Earth-616’s timeline during Thunderbolts* end credits. Oops! I guess that was a spoiler.
H.E.R.B.I.E. does more than cook. He’s flying up toward Marvel One, possibly conducting some final calibrations before liftoff. The third trailer’s third new shot is an extended look at the Fantastic Four’s classic vehicle, the Fantasticar.
I did omit a couple of longer shots of the Fantastic Four before they presumably climb into the Fantasticar, and a recut, an extended shot, of the same scene we saw of Galactus’s shadow over New York City.
In the bottom left, you can see Galactus’s hand as if he’s reaching out to claim this world. Awesome stuff. Those were the only differences I spotted between the second and third Fantastic Four: First Steps trailers. Did you spot any others? Let us know in the comments.
Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos Launches on KickStarter
Even though Iconiq Studios is a relatively new board game company, they have experience bringing popular intellectual properties (like They Live, SAW, and Evil Dead 2) to the tabletop space. Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos looks promising. This board game adaptation of the popular video game series features many Tomb Raider hallmarks: exploring, some combat, puzzle solving, and researching unique artifacts. Throw in some crafting, and Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos offers a lot of options for tabletop gamers.
Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos features plenty of detailed miniatures. An Adventure Book provides a story-driven game, but gamers can ditch the story for some chaotic tomb raiding fun. I like the fact that the game offers various player counts (1-6). Explore four unique locations with Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos. If you’re interested in an epic Tomb Raider board game, check out Tomb Raider: The Crypt of Chronos’s KickStarter page.
The Battle of the Divas Set To Launch on GameFound
While we don’t know much about The Battle of the Divas’ gameplay (because it hasn’t yet launched on GameFound), publisher Salt and Pepper has a history of making stellar games with interesting themes. Resist! is a modern solo-game classic. The Battle of the Divas could do the same for a two-player-only game. Take the stage against your opponent and become the best diva.
Players will perform classic arias at iconic venues like The Met and La Scala. I like the artwork. I don’t know how the keyboard element works, but it has me intrigued. If The Battle of the Divas strikes the right chord, check out the game’s page on GameFound.
That’s all the Geekly News we have for this week. I’m on the road again this weekend. If you’re at Protospiel: Twin Cities feel free to say hi. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here. My partner and I are celebrating our 28th anniversary, and it happens to be Memorial Day weekend as well, so we’ll have a shorter Geekly News than usual. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have anything to talk about. Let’s get to this week’s Geek News.
Sadie Sink’s Role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day
A leak about Sadie Sink’s role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day occurred the day last week’s Geekly News posted, so we’re a little late with this update. Geekly has also covered Sink’s role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day in a previous geek news post, but we may have been bamboozled. A month ago, we learned that Sink’s character would be a mutant. Geekly assumed that meant that Sink would tie into the X-Men in some fashion (possibly Jean Grey, more likely Firestar). Now, it appears that Sink’s character will be connected with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man, but Sink could still be a mutant.
Marvel kept a tight wrap on who Sadie Sink would play until Podcaster and MCU insider John Rocha revealed on The Hot Mic podcast that Sink will be playing Mayday Parker, the daughter of Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man. This reveal lines up with Maguire’s Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home. While Garfield and Holland’s Spider-Men (Spider-Mans?) complain about not being lucky in love, Maguire’s Spider-Man suggests that he’s married. In the comics, the Spider-Baby (the child of Earth-982’s Peter and Mary Jane Parker) becomes Spider-Girl. This would also track with what we learn about Maguire’s Spider-Man in No Way Home. Maguire’s Spider-Man is retired. Why would he need to fight crime when his daughter is Spider-Girl?
Sink as Spider-Girl solidifies Spider-Man: Brand New Day as a Multiverse story. This also makes sense. The MCU will need to tie up loose ends to its Multiverse Saga before it can begin the Mutant Saga. And Spider-Girl could still count as a mutant. If she inherited her abilities from her father, Peter, this version of Mayday Parker would’ve been born as Spider-Girl. May Parker would be a mutant.
Murder on the Rocks Launches on Kickstarter
Murder on the Rocks looks amazing, even if the game doesn’t appear to be one I typically like. Gamers take on quirky roles at a cocktail, masquerade party. One player is a murderer. The murderer attempts to kill each partygoer one by one, while the other partygoers try to deduce who the murderer is. In short, Murder on the Rocks sounds like it plays similarly to Werewolf. If you like Werewolf, Mafia, or any tabletop game with hidden roles, you should check out Murder on the Rocks.
I like the inclusion of red and green vials. If the partygoers get aspects of the murder correct, they add drops from the green vial. Whenever the murderer claims a victim, they add drops from the red vial. I assume the red and green liquids inside the vials are food coloring, so gamers should be able to add more “envy” or “blood” to each vial. Players also wear blindfolds (masquerade masks). That could be a fun twist on Werewolf. And Murder on the Rocks ditches a game box for a drink mixer. Oddly shaped game containers can be difficult to store, but this container strengthens the game’s theme.
I like what I’m seeing from the board game producer, Solo Game of the Month. The company does what it says, it releases about one solo game every month. We covered Dicemancy last month on Geekly News, and Solo Game of the Month is at it again with Knight Moves. This adorable solo game features double-sided stage and boss cards. The player cards are also double-sided because gamers may choose melee or ranged attacks. Players program their knight and then execute their actions.
You can place and move barrels, defeat enemies, and upgrade your knight. Multiple scenarios provide plenty of replay value. Most games take about 45 minutes, which is a good length for a solo game. And the price tag of $25 makes Knight Moves a lot of game for not a lot of money. I’m impressed by Solo Game of the Month’s dedication to providing great solo-gamer experiences. Solo games are exploding in tabletop games. I also love the art. Solo Game of the Month keeps things clean, easy-to-read, and charming. If you’d like to pledge for Knight Moves, check out its Gamefound page.
Netflix Announces Clash of Clans Animated Series
Netflix continues a growing trend of turning popular video games into television series. The streaming giant announced this week that it intends to release an animated series based on Clash of Clans.
Clash of Clans will join Angry Birds, Splinter Cell, Cuphead, Castlevania, Dragon’s Dogma, and many more on Netflix. The streamer hasn’t given a timeframe for Clash of Clans’ release. Geekly’s guess–and it is a guess–will be that the show will release some time before May 2026.
That’s all the news we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
jkgeekly.com 