Catwoman Gets a New Writer

Judd Winick is leaving the ongoing Catwoman title at DC Comics to focus his efforts on writing and drawing a new all-ages graphic novel, but that doesn't mean Selina Kyle is being left in the lurch: DC Comics announced that writer Ann Nocenti will be taking control of the book as of September's Catwoman #0. Despite already being solicited for writing that issue, Winick will in fact be finished with the feline fatale as of issue #12, however he will still be writing Batwing for the foreseeable future. Nocenti is of course known for her fan-favorite run on Daredevil, and is currently writing Green Arrow for DC. There was no mention of an artist shake-up on the book.

Catwoman #13 Cover by Andy Clarke

Winick's Catwoman didn't start off so hot in our reviews, but has slowly been creeping up on us as it has progressed. Hopefully, Nocenti can give Selina Kyle her just due.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on IGN. In case you didn't know, he loves Catwoman somethin' fierce.

Source : ign[dot]com

The Dark Knight Rises: Cool New Images Revealed

Check out this set of new, hi-res images from The Dark Knight Rises via Warner Bros.:

The Dark Knight Rises opens July 20.

Source : ign[dot]com

First Look: Zen Pinball 3DS

Zen Studios has been cranking out some impressive downloadable pinball games over the last few years, including the Pinball FX series for Xbox Live Arcade, the Zen Pinball tables for PlayStation Network, and the Marvel Pinball line-up. The Marvel includes specific designs for Spider-Man, Blade, and Wolverine. Now, the company is ready to take its pinball act on the road, as it has officially announced Zen Pinball 3DS, which will soon be available as a downloadable title through Nintendo’s eShop.

The game will feature four tables that were previously released on Zen Pinball, but remastered in 3D and with a number of enhancements that take advantage of the 3DS. These tables include the sci-fi oriented Earth Defense, the spiritual Shaman, the medieval Excalibur. and the adventurous El Dorado. More tables could be available in the future, but for now, Zen Studios is focusing on these four.

Zen Pinball 3DS will feature local hot seat multiplayer, with folks passing it around, trying to top each other’s scores. It will also include online leaderboards, so you can compare your best times with other 3DS users—without the need to share Friend Codes. A Pro Score competition will also be announced following the game’s release, as players can compete to see who the best pinball players in the world are. Team Score will also be an option, with your score combining with your friends in a team effort. If you’ve never seen Zen Pinball before, it’s as good as digital pinball gets. Each of the tables resemble an authentic pinball table, like the ones you see in arcades from Stern Pinball and other companies. There are ramps to shoot at, interactive video screens with plenty of activity, bonuses to go after, and special events that you need to complete to get big points. You can also earn bonuses like extra balls and credits for replays—though the tables are obviously open for free play anyway. Sometimes it’s just the pleasure of earning a little extra on top.

Additionally, Zen Pinball 3DS enables the shifting through several viewpoints. If you prefer a higher-up view of the table so you can keep an eye on the ball at all times, it’s here. Mostly, though, you’ll want to do with an isometric, top-down view, like you would facing a real pinball table, so you get the authentic look nailed down pat. You can switch anywhere between the two, finding what works best for you.

Of course, the gameplay should be quite authentic. Players should be able to use shoulder buttons to control the game’s flippers, while occasionally jolting the touch-screen (or perhaps using the 3DS’ gyroscopic features to shake the table) to keep the ball in play. Just make sure you don't tilt!

“Releasing Zen Pinball on a Nintendo platform marks an amazing milestone for Zen Studios. We are really excited for Nintendo fans to experience one of our greatest passions—the timeless game of pinball!” said Mel Kirk, Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations. “Playing pinball in 3D is killer, it’s like the game has been totally reinvented, and a whole new world opens up right before your eyes.”

We’ll be going hands-on with the game very soon, and will provide a full review upon its release later this year. No word on pricing, but $7.99 sounds like a reasonable enough window. Look for more info soon!

Source : gamezone[dot]com

Batman's Plan for World Domination

Warner Bros. will release The Dark Knight Rises on even more screens overseas than it did The Dark Knight.

Variety reports that the studio will roll out TDKR on 15,000 international screens starting July 20, nearly 4000 more than The Dark Knight was on back in 2008. The reason for this is that, unlike blockbusters such as The Avengers and the Harry Potter films, The Dark Knight made most of its fortune domestically rather than from abroad. The Dark Knight may rank 4th on the all-time domestic box office list, but it's only in 35th place on the international all-time hit list.

The Dark Knight Rises has a couple of big factors, though, that will likely prevent it from making Avengers-sized numbers abroad. First, the film has a 2 hour, 45 minute running time, which limits the number of times a day a movie can be shown (hence upping the screen count). Also, Batman simply has more appeal domestically than he does internationally given the grosses for all the Batman movies to date, not just the Nolan ones.

Source : ign[dot]com

Activision Reveals Walking Dead First-Person Shooter

Activision has announced a new game based on The Walking Dead. Not to be confused with Telltale’s episodic The Walking Dead adventure game, Activision’s version is a first-person action game based on AMC’s The Walking Dead TV show.

Developed by Terminal Reality, The Walking Dead will revolve around Daryl Dixon and his brother Merle on a “haunting, unforgiving quest to make their way to the supposed safety of Atlanta.” Players will control Daryl as they attempt to avoid detection from zombies that hunt using sight, sound and smell and will choose between fighting them or using stealth to avoid detection. According to Activision, “No place is truly safe for Daryl as he makes his way through the Georgia countryside in this new, post-apocalyptic world.”

Supplies will be scarce and players will need to carefully manage food, ammunition and supplies as they make their way through the game. Daryl will encounter “a slew of other characters” along the way that can help or hurt him. Whether or not these characters accompany Daryl is completely up to the player and “represents just some of the major decisions that will constantly be made while fighting to survive.”

The Walking Dead will hit stores in 2013 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Few other details are available, but check out the game’s official site for more info in the future. Until then, keep an eye out for all the latest announcements about The Walking Dead TV show before it returns to AMC for season three later this year.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com