Pics from the Dark Knight Rises Set in NYC

Christopher Nolan's (maybe) final bat-film will be all set to launch into theaters this July (7/20/2012 to be exact) but as of right no, final filming is still underway in New York City.

True Blood Expands with an Ongoing Comic

IDW, best known for their awesome revivals of '80s properties like Transformers and GI Joe, will be launching a brand new ongoing series next year based on the True Blood modern fantasy universe.

Usagi Yojimbo Celebrates it's 200th

Full time rabbit samurai, part time Ninja Turtle accomplice, Usagi Yojimbo sure has been around for a while now. So long in fact, the popular swordsrabbit has crossed the threshold of a comic book milestone- 200 issues from publisher Dark Horse.

Prepare for Drop - Week of 10/24/11

Welcome to the inaugural edition of what will be a weekly staple on the Spark.

Each Tuesday, we'll post up the date for all the major releases of the week and any stand out deals for each of them-

Back to the Future Warps onto Store Shelves

If you missed out on any of Telltale's excellent time-traveling graphic adventures release over this past year (or you just really like boxed copies of your games) you're in luck.

Wizard Ops to Cast It's Spell on iOS

The first title from developers Phyken, due later this year, Wizard Ops reminds me an awful lot of Space Harrier. If Space Harrier had Michael Winslow (crazy noises guy from Police Academy).

Fact: Worrywoos are Great Dancers

Familiar with Worrywoos? The up and coming children's property is winning awards left and right and they made and extremely musical appearance at the recent NYCC show.

Warning: There are dancing monsters after the jump. DANCING. MONSTERS.

Project Triforce Impresses With Top Notch Props

One of the coolest company's we've ever encountered, Project Triforce is the maker of some of the finest videogame props on the market today.

Aside from the supremely awesome Chainsword (from Warhammer 40k Space Marine) that you see hanging to the right, they've also added 1:1 replica's of weaponry from Gears of War and Mass Effect to their arsenal.

NYCC: Final Ghostbusters Items

Most everybody who follows the toy industry knows that the Ghostbusters subscription only line from Mattel has been cancelled. The company sited a lack of interest in what would have been it's third year of offerings. It's a shame, because if the display at the New York Comic Con was anything to go by- there was some cool stuff on tap.

NYCC: Transformers Kre-O

The Kre-O series of building toysis a relatively new one for Hasbro, but it seems to be going pretty well with Transformers fans. Each set includes enough bricks to build either robot or vehicle mode of the featured mech as well as a few tiny 'tooned up versions of Autobots and Decepticons clad in their G1 likenesses.

NYCC: Yo Joe!

What's more exciting than a Toxo-Zombie Zombie Viper? Slaughter's Marauders and Drednok Collector Packs.

A crushing tide of pics await across the break-

NYCC: Hasbro Brings a Marvel-ous Tidal Wave

Hasbro continued to impress with it's upcoming offerings on both the 3.75" and the new (sort of) 6" lines.

NYCC: DC Universe Lineups- Retail & Subscription

So it looks like the first Club Infinite Earths series is going to have a few repaints.

The good news is that it's not all repaints, and there are some genuinely cool figures to be had for those who subscribed.

Also debuting at the New York Con were the next few series of the retail product that you'll be (hopefully) finding at your local Toys R Us' before the Holidays. Hopefully.

Jump that break for a load of shots-

NYCC: Three Decades of Power

30 years is a long time for a toy line but Matty Collector's Masters of the Universe Classics line shows zero sign of slowing down.

With not one, but two subscriptions (regular old MOTUC and the 30th Anniversary) going for 2012, it should be a banner year for fans of the the Most Powerful Man in the Universe.

Click on through the break for a look at some of the coolest sculpts seen yet for the Classic series-

NYCC: Club Lion Force Revealed

 Matty Collector's newest subscription only toy line celebrates the one and only Voltron.

NYCC: Green Lantern Parallax Shown Complete

Hector Hammond and final Parallax packaging

Just in case you were wondering, Matty Collector is most definitely going ahead full steam with the completion of the Green Lantern movie figures line.

This week, at Comic Con, the DC toy makers unveiled the completed look for one of the biggest collect & connect figures to ever grace the DC toy universe- Parallax.

NYCC: DC Direct Green Lantern Animated Series Maquettes

DC Comic's newest foray into the world of animation will come in the form of an animated series (in the style of the classic Batman and Superman toons) starring the Green Lantern of Earth- Hal Jordan.

NYCC: DC Direct Shows off it's Batman: Arkham City Toys at NYCC

Batman: Arkham City is coming to stores everywhere next week and DC Direct is getting a brand new set of action figures ready to go right along with it.

These figs won't be out for a while yet, but you can click through the jump to check out Robin, Bane, Catwoman and more- straight from the New York Comic Con show floor.

NYCC Ticket Updates

Thinking of attending the New York Comic Con? Well, if you haven't already, you might want to get your tickets because there are some changes in the wind as we approach the opening of the show.

Steve Jobs 1955-2011

From the editor:

If you're somehow unaware, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away yesterday at the age of 56. Although the details are scarce as of right now, Jobs did have a history of  cancer which may have played a part in things.

Jobs was an innovator, a tech genius that understood where things were and where he wanted them to go. He had an impact on so many, me included, that I don't think we even know how wide his influence was felt. And that goes not only for the tech industries, but for wide swaths of the public mindset as well... I understand he was an all around nice guy too- you left this world way too soon Steve, but we all appreciate what you did while you were here.

Just a little note, boingboing.net and apple.com (among many others) have some very nice tributes. Go check 'em out.

Dark Horse Digital at NYCC

Dark Horse Comics has a few digital releases all lined up for the New York Comic Con next week including a Mass Effect book that was previously available through third party outlets.

Also at the Dark Horse booth, those looking for a game of chance can try their luck at the Digital Prize Wheel. With a spin (and some luck) show goers can win digital offerings from the publisher as well as take home T-Shirts with more chances to win attached.

Sounds like a good time, full release post break-

Tom Morello and the Nightwatchmen Play NYCC

Tom Morello, of Audioslave and Rage Against the machine fame, will be playing a special concert at the New York Con next Thursday, October 13th.

"The core of The Nightwatchman is dark matter," says Tom Morello. "But at the heart of every struggle, there's hope. So this is an album of rousing hopelessness—it's part Johnny Cash andpart Che Guevara, part beacon light and part arson fire."

Sounds like, you know, light poppy stuff. I kid, I kid! Morello is appearing as part of the NYCC kick-off concert courtesy of Dark Horse comics, with which he's working on his first graphic novel- Orchid.

Full release with details after the break-

Her Universe Invades NYCC

But don't run- because this stuff is actually pretty cool. And it's made by Jedi! Well, 'a' Jedi.

Trials Evolution Playable at NYCC

The next entry in the popular arcade/puzzle/dirtbike racer, Trials will indeed be playable on the show floor at the New York Comic Con.

To celebrate this momentus event, developer RedLynx is putting the chart topping Trials HD on sale. From now until October 3rd, THD will cost you a mere 600mspts. That's like nothing!

Read on for the full release-

Dark Horse Comics Officially Announces a Billion Signings at NYCC

Well, it might just seem like a billion- but one thing's for sure, Dark Horse has a lot going on at the New York  Con. Signings for Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Falling Skies, Star Wars, and a load more are all on the books.

For more of what's going on at the Con, read on- (I do not like green eggs and ham...)