Not quite sold on the dominant #1 best selling, digital-first Injustice: Gods Among Us comic series? Why not read part of the first chapter free!?

DC Comics have released the first preview of their breakout hit [via Comic Book Resources], detailing a major section of the first chapter of the digital version. The preview comes as print copies of Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 hit stores across the globe, officially available as of January 30 (in the US).

At a cover price of $3.99; print copies not only pack twice the action in half the space [digital copies split each page, top and bottom], but also collect the entirety of each issue, three of the digital chapters in total!

Written by Tom Taylor with artwork by Jheremy Raapack and Axel Giminez, the comic tells the backstory of the upcoming NetherRealm Studios fighting game!

Set five years before the events of the video game story mode [see; Death of Metropolis trailer]; the Injustice comic tells the tragic tale of a DC Universe soon to be gripped by the tyranic rule of its greatest heroes. Superman faces darkness like never before as The Joker comes to Metropolis with designs of destruction!

You can now find the full issue at all good comic stores! If you'd rather go digital, pick up the first three chapters for 99c each via; DC Entertainment, Comixology or Amazon Kindle Store! Preview & discuss solicitations for issues #2, #3 and #4 on Mortal Kombat Online! Expect a full review soon.

Hector Sanchez of NetherRealm Studios is making himself comfortable on the couch with Jeff Gerstmann for a chat about the nitty gritty of the studio's superhero fighter: Injustice: Gods Among Us!

The Giant Bomb interview takes a personal detour through the development cycle, discussing the culture around the game, as much as the content within it.

As has been the case throughout the promotional cycle, the promise of more content than Mortal Kombat (2011) precludes any substantial reveals of what that will entail. NRS are juggling their references, learning from the successes of their recent story modes and last tryst with the DC Universe.

Expect mini-games in story mode to bridge plot and in-game action, but don't think it's time to take it easy. NetherRealm continue to attempt to please the vast array of gamer types, layering simple and complex levels of interaction into the game. Hardcore mechanics and tools -- like practise mode input recording -- will satisfy the deeper needs of players who will be interested to count frames and master the minutia.

The likelihood of dream crossovers between Mortal Kombat & Street Fighter, or DC Comics & Marvel, remains the realm of speculation. Victory will be more certain for the heroes and villains of the DC Universe when an upcoming marketing campaign asks who would win, with input from fans and the likes of celebrity reader-cum-flying fanboy: Kevin Smith.

Check out the full video [embedded above] and discuss it on the forum! Don't miss the new Death of Metropolis story mode trailer! Discuss these items and more on the DC Universe Injustice forum!

Injustice: Gods Among Us promises big things from it's upcoming release in April. Set in a distopian version of the DC Universe, we've known since inception that a New Regime was coming, and that it was probably led by Superman.

Thanks to the latest trailer from DC Entertainment and Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, we now have a more vivid impression of exactly why the worlds greatest heroes have become its greatest threat!

The "Death of Metropolis" story mode trailer [above] is packed with details; elaborating on the heart wrenching backstory being told simultaneously by DC Comics, in the official Injustice: Gods Among Us comic book.

Superman and his allies are set to take control when The Joker succeeds in manipulating The Man of Steel into breaking his one golden rule. The elaborate plot sees Lois Lane suffer a grim demise, her fate directly tied to that of the destroyed city of tomorrow - Metropolis!

Batman and his team of rebels will be forced to clash with the greatest heroes turned tyrant! Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Arrow and Hawkgirl appear to be among the Regime figures he'll face; joined by a motley crew of bedfellows: Green Arrow, Cyborg, Lex Luthor and Harley Quinn.

The trailer features multiple unrevealed details, including; extensive story mode video sequences, background arenas (such as Themyscira), additional costumes for Lex Luthor, Deathstroke, Wonder Woman and more, and some surprising character details, as well.

Green Lantern Hal Jordan looks set to succumb to the yellow element of fear, seen wearing the symbol and colour of the fear wielding Sinestro Corps. The villain from which the yellow corps take their name (Sinestro) is one of the many characters identified in previous reviews of the story mode. A yellow clad figure discarding Batman's cowl may suggest many things, possibly The Dark Knight's own acquistion of a yellow ring of fear.

Allegiances will be made to be broken when Injustice: Gods Among Us arrives for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Nintendo WiiU in April [16th (US), 17th (AU), 19th (EU)].

You can take a closer look at the majority of the confirmed cast in recently released character render images [full story]. Discuss characters, plot, comics and more on the DC Universe Injustice forum.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is just a few months away, and while we anticipate the remaining characters yet to be revealed, the official website gives us a closerlook at the ones we know!

The confirmed line-up [sans Deathstroke, Green Lantern, Aquaman] has been added to the site's characters section, offering our first full render images of the cast, as well as brief bios elaborating on their identity.

Injustice: Gods Among Us arrives for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Nintendo WiiU April 16th (United States). Australia will receive a simultaneous release on the 17th, with Europe not far behind on the 19th. US pre-order options can be found on the Injustice website.

With the long awaited release of character art resources, we expect to see plenty of fan-made banners on the site! Rep your favourite God Among Us and join the conversation on the DC Universe Injustice forum! Special thanks to forum user for tipping us off about the official update!

Mortal Kombat may have successfully rebuffed doubters with the announcement of a third straight year at the Las Vegas Evo Championship [full story], but the 2013 Road to Evo hasn't come without its share of questions.

Of particular note: a surprisingly brief seeding series of only four tournaments - down from 2012's mammoth series line-up of eighteen!

Among the majors missing from this year's feed events; Winter Brawl, Final Round and East Coast Throwdown! Also missing this year: the points system that made the 2012 series a compelling tour of seeded heavyhitters and marathon travellers!

In an interview with Gamespot; tournament organizer and Evo Co-Founder, Tom Cannon, reiterates that it's this travel factor that is one of the mitigating circumstances of the Evo Series reduction.

A lot of players who wanted to do well at EVO felt that the needed to travel to as many Road to EVO events as they could to boost their ranking as high as possible before July. We don’t think that’s a healthy for the players or the community as a whole.

We will have Road to EVO events in Florida and Toronto. Lots of top players have traditionally attended both of these events, so we’re confident that the northeast will earn their share of seeds. There are a lot of great tournaments in the northeast, and we know the organizers will do fantastic job again this year. It was just a matter of us really wanting to concentrate on four events this year.

Cannon discusses the 2013 Evo Series at length in the interview, including the near-miss of NetherRealm Studios' newest fighting game -- the DC Comics inspired: Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The April release date of Injustice is just two months away from EVO, which is a very short amount of time to draw out a game’s full potential. Injustice is one of the games which made the cut for the donation drive, so if fighting games fans want to see it in official tournament lineup they can work toward raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Fund on its behalf.

Injustice and Playstation All-Stars were both very close to making it.

Love it or hate it, the reasoning is there to be found. Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us are expected to maintain a presence at major tournaments throughout the year, irrespective of the Evo line-up. One such event is May's Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament 9 -- an authorized Evo Series tournament promising Injustice competition [one month after the game's mid-April release].

EGP Tyrant struck first blood in the Road to Evo Series, victorious on his home turf at SoCal Regionals 2013!

Playing Jax throughout the event, the SoCal local enjoyed a confident performance, victorious without a single dropped match. Wound Cowboy surprised to take runner-up honors, benefitting from the double-elimination of pools and finals, to take his Shang Tsung (and Sonya) to the final bout. DJT earned third.

Mortal Kombat Online remains dedicated to following the twists and turns of the Road to Evo! The countdown has already begun to NorCal Regionals 11! Discuss all the Evo Series action and tournament news on the Gameplay & Matchmaking forum! Read the full Tom Cannon interview on Gamespot.

The harsh reality of bankruptcy is fast becoming common place for major developers in the gaming industry. Slightly ahead of the curve, Midway Entertainment filed for Chapter 11 in early 2009. The predicament meant the inevitable sale of assets -- including the company's cash cow, Mortal Kombat -- but ironically enough, the state of MK never looked more certain.

With a purchase by Warner Brothers secured mid-2009 [full story], Mortal Kombat, and the team responsible, was quickly secured for a new era. The series effectively hit the restart with the numberless April 2011 release, but as The Chicago Tribune highlights, the legacy of the Midway years is still very much alive in the work of NetherRealm Studios.

We first learned of a change in engine in 2007, when MK figurehead Ed Boon told Game Informer that the team would be exploring the Unreal Engine in their next instalment [full story]. The game that resulted was Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe -- the first game to make use of Epic's traditional FPS engine in a fighter, and the last game to be produced by the Chicago team for Midway.

Very little time is spent lamenting the days of Midway, but the Unreal Engine 3 continues to be the platform NetherRealm games are built on. In April, Injustice: Gods Among Us will be the latest title to make use of the Epic system, but as Boon freely elaborates [in the article], the work involved requires considerable effort and innovation from the team themselves.

"We're always making advancements to our version of the Unreal Engine 3 graphics engine," said Ed Boon, creative director, NetherRealm Studios. "This game has much more dynamic lights in terms of lighting the environments and the characters. It showcases a lot more detail than what we had going in the last 'Mortal Kombat' game. In addition, we have a faster rendering engine, so we can put more out on the screen than 60 frames per second. We have a great memory manager that lets us have multiple arenas for any fight, so you can knock someone from one arena into the next. Injustice is reaping the benefits from all of these steps forward that we took since 'Mortal Kombat.'"
- Ed Boon (NetherRealm Studios Creative Director, Chicago Tribune, January 2013)

Throughout promotion for the new game, NetherRealm have made conceited efforts to separate Injustice from their better known fighting series. The opportunity to branch-out into WB's well known superhero properties has been seen as a chance to flex their conceptual muscles, leaving the martial arts influence behind in favour of Gods Among Us -- operatic, super-human battles that destroy the surrounding world before the fighters [more].

"Our main goal was to do another fighting game that was completely different than 'Mortal Kombat,'" said Boon. "When we joined the Warner Bros. family, we looked at their wealth of intellectual properties and the DC heroes seemed like a great fit for it. We had actually worked with them before on 'Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe' and we wanted to do something that was focused on celebrating the whole exaggerated world of super heroes. So instead of doing things like swinging a sword, you swing a car. Instead of knocking somebody down, you throw them through a building. We really wanted to exaggerate all these events and create this hyper-realistic battle of the god's world and that's what 'Injustice' is."

Injustice: Gods Among Us arrives for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Nintendo WiiU April 16. Australia can look forward to a simultaneous release April 17; Europe aren't far behind, April 19. All regions can pre-order versions of the Collectors Edition and PDP Fight Stick Battle Edition at respective local chains.

Don't miss CVG's exclusive first-look at Lex Luthor in action, as well as many more intricate details in the latest Gods Among Us trailer. Get the lowdown on the currently confirmed cast and character rumors in our magazine hype wrap-up. Discuss these topics and more in the DC Universe Injustice.

Computer and Video Games (CVG) have unleashed an exclusive new Injustice: Gods Among Us trailer featuring an all-star, all-action preview of the superhero fighter coming April!

In the unjust world of The Regime, it seems Lex Luthor's mantra of "no good comes from hero worship" will get to play out in grim detail as the world's greatest heroes become its greatest enemies!

If those @Gamer Magazine screenshots had you thinking Lex was packing light, you'd be wrong! The recently revealed villain gets his first outing in the trailer, wearing an appropriately bulky version of the trademark powersuit that allows him to go toe-to-toe with Superman, Flash, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Gods Among Us cast!

Also appearing for a rare glimpse - The Joker! The immensely popular pop culture icon will be at the heart of a story that leads Superman to stop 'holding back' -- a story told in greater detail by the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic series, presently available in two chapters via digital services.

Check out the trailer and tell us what you think on the forums. You can find all the news and speculation in the DC Universe Injustice forum. The NetherRealm Studios fighter hits PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 & Nintendo WiiU in the third week of April [4/16 US; 4/17 AU; 4/19 EU].

Raiden and Shang Tsung are going at it in the dojo in a new live-action fan project called Mortal Kombat: Downfall!

Greg Fountain (Raiden) and Jesse Hectic (Tsung) star in the Fountain directed short - the first of a series. Fountain () is a budding film student of nineteen, producing online content as FountainFilm from his home in Omaha, Nebraska.

It looks like Raiden has claimed victory at the time of this posting, but you can still find the alternate outcome by following the link. Had things gone different, it might've been Raiden who suffered a grim fatality, exploded from the inside out by Shang Tsung.

Fans can look forward to more Mortal Kombat: Downfall in a series that might be called a spiritual successor to Federation of Martial Arts, with a hefty dose of Ultimate Fan Fights. You can suggest future feature kombatants via the YouTube comments.

For more Mortal Kombat in motion, check out our komplete kompendium of info and updates for Mortal Kombat: Legacy! Discuss more film in the Media & Merchandise forums, and more fantastic fan creations in the Fan Submission forum!

Originally run during the hype cycle of Mortal Kombat (2011); ScrewAttack have brought their Top 10 Worst Mortal Kombat Characters back for a fresh run on YouTube!

Granted, this isn't exactly breaking news, but since we didn't run it back in April 2011, it's worth a second look. It's always interesting to gauge perspective from outside the diehard MK fanbase, and it's fair to say a lot has changed since the pre-release of the MK reboot! Has time healed these old wounds?...

For our money you can't fault the soft balls -- the morts who truly deserve to remain in obscurity are safe bets. We can't detach ourselves from the good work that's redeemed some characters, or the blistering potential that remains locked in others, but we'll leave it to you to decide how they stack up on the forums.

You can check out more ScrewAttacks on Mortal Kombat, including: Ten Least Favourite Fatalities, Death Battle: Akuma v Shang Tsung & Death Battle: Thor v Raiden.

Don't forget your old pals at Mortal Kombat Online! There is no knowledge that is not power and we've pooled our collective expertise to kountdown our Top 10: Hidden & Unlockable Characters, DC Heroes We Want Among Us, DC Villains We Want Among Us, Things MK Has To Be Thankful For & Must-Have Merchandising Items!

Continuing a long, now annual tradition, we're also judging the quality of the finest would-be kombatants in our Kreate-a-Kharacter Kontest VII tournament! Help us assess the quality of entrants by voting on the forums daily! Get live KAK7 updates and much more by following @MK_Online.

Fans who simply cannot wait until the April 16 release date can now get a little Injustice: Gods Among Us into their Xbox early!

Injustice themed accessories are now live on the Xbox Marketplace, allowing you to deck your XBL avatar out in the symbols of DC Comics' greatest heroes -- or is that villains, pending the plot of the upcoming superhero fighter?

• Regime Logo Tee [male/female]
• Superman Logo Tee [male/female]
• Wonder Woman Logo Tee [female/male]
• Batman Logo Tee [male/female]

Each avatar tee (available in male and female fits) weighs in at a modest 80 Microsoft Points [est. $1US].

PlayStation owners needn't feel left out. As shared by MKOmmunity user , you can find Injustice: Gods Among Us themes on the PlayStation Network for 99c!

Injustice: Gods Among Us hits Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo WiiU in April [16th US; 17th AU; 19th EU]. The Battle Edition and Collectors Editions are available to pre-order with exclusive bonuses including; an official Injustice PDP Fight Stick and Collectible Wonder Woman/Batman Statue. Find details in links and on the DC Universe Injustice forum.

The Road to Evo is officially under way and with just four series tournaments on the 2013 bill, it's an important year-starting win for homegrown victor: EGP Tyrant!

SoCal Regional 2013 attracted a strong field this year; delivering all the expected interstate rivalries, fresh match-ups, and new names to watch in the coming year!

EGP Tyrant may have improved on his 2012 fourth placing, but it was arguably NorCal's Wound Cowboy who was the break-out star -- vastly boosting his stock with a challenging Shang Tsung rampage through the losers brackets! It cannot be understated, though. EGP Tyrant stood strong against his final two opponent -- defeating him not once, but twice in the Final 8 match-ups! [via EpicGP Brackets & Test Your Might]

Update: You can watch all the top eight action on the EGP SoCal Regional Top 8 YouTube Playlist.

Winners Bracket Semi Final:
EGP Tyrant (Jax) d. GGA 16bit (Kitana) 2-0
DJT (Cyrax) d. EGP Xblades (Liu Kang) 2-0

Top 8 Losers Bracket Rounds 1-3:
Wound Cowboy (Shang Tsung) d. EGP XBlades (Liu Kang) 2-0
KN Detroitballn (Kabal) d. GGA 16bit (Kitana) 2-1
Wound Cowboy (Shang Tsung) d. KN Detroitballn (Kabal) 3-2

Winners & Losers Bracket Final:
EGP Tyrant (Jax) d. DJT (Cyrax) 3-1
Wound Cowboy (Shang Tsung) d. DJT (Cyrax) 2-3

Southern California Regions Final:
EGP Tyrant (Jax) d. Wound Cowboy (Shang Tsung, Sonya) 3-1

EGP Tyrant's perfect tournament kept him exclusively in the winner's bracket, including a First Round bye and pool victories over; Folux182 (R2), Ducky (R3), SatsuiYesHadou (R4) & DJT (SF).

Wound Cowboy had a mixed field, battling victorious through the losers semi final pool after a Round 4 defeat from DJT: Brownie (R1), Mosp (R2), Pig of the Hut (R3) & EGP_pboardploayer_88 (LSF).

The results marked the best performance at a major for both players and will no doubt earn them seeding consideration from tournament organizers come July, should they choose to attend the 2013 Evo Championship! The entire top sixteen will have consideration, despite the short Evo Series discarding the points system of 2012.

SoCal Regionals 2013 Top16:
• 1. EGP Tyrant
• 2. WoundCowboy
• 3. DJT
• 4. KN | C.O.R.N.Detroitballn
• 5. GGA 16bit
• 5. EGP XBlades
• 7. C88Dab
• 7. Pig of the Hut
• 9. EGP pboardplayer 88
• 9. SatsuiYesHadou
• 9. MIT
• 9. Seven
• 13. Solid
• 13. Folux182
• 13. EGP Krayzie
• 13. STB | MKU Dark Dink [aka; Shujinkydink]

The next official stop on the Road to Evo is Northern California Regionals 11! Mortal Kombat Online will endeavour to bring you all the information as it becomes available! Mortal Kombat and Injustice: Gods Among Us will also be at UFGT9 in May! Discuss these events and more on the Gameplay & Matchmaking forum!

It was the toke heard around the world, and for some, it immediately ingrained Matt Mullins as one of the best new finds for the Mortal Kombat movie universe.

His take was different, but that was true of the entire presentation in the short film called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. It captured the imaginations of a vast many and led Mullins and his director to Mortal Kombat: Legacy -- a ten-part live-action series comissioned by WB for digital release.

When a second series of Legacy began filming at the end of 2012, we were surprised to learn Mullins would not be a part of it [original story]. Amidst the chaos of a new year and a filming schedule, we talked briefly with Mullins about his shock departure, Cage recasting, and his plans for the future. [Don't forget to watch Matt Mullins as Cage in Legacy Episode 3]

[MKO] In your own words, who are you and what do you do?
[Matt Mullins] My name is Matt Mullins and I am an actor who played Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat Legacy and Rebirth.

You kicked the doors in with your appearance in Kevin Tancharoen's job-getting showreel. How did you become involved with Rebirth?
I met Kevin years before MK through the world of live shows, and performances. I got a call from him out of the blue about being involved in the project.

A dance agent actually hooked me up with Kevin. He liked Kevin's visions and the work Kevin was putting together and he liked what I was doing with the Sideswipe Performance team. He thought we might have some good synergy. As it turned out, we did.

What was the experience of filming Rebirth like?
Rebirth was a bunch of passionate artists getting work done and showcasing it in front of the camera. We worked the fight for three weeks prior to shooting to come up with a bad ass fight. The funniest moment for me was after the third time going through the glass picture frame, I cut my hand pretty bad. The assistant director called through the walkie talkie, "Can we get a bandaid for Johnny Cage"? Of course, I thought Johnny Cage does not use bandaids, so I wrapped my bleeding hand in clear masking tape.

Were you very familiar with Mortal Kombat before getting the part?
I grew up on MK1 and 2 in the arcade and pumped endless quarters trying to figure out combos and fatalities. I lost track over the last few years, but I really had fun playing the latest releases of the game.

I loved playing Johnny Cage because of the split nut punch, but I played Raiden a lot as well. Frying people with lightning was pretty sick.

You brought with you a history in martial arts. Can you tell us a bit about your discipline and how you got started?
I have trained in Martial Arts for over 20 years. I am a 5th degree black belt in Shorei- Ryu, and I have also branched out to study Tae Kwon Do, Wushu, Acrobatics, and tricking. I have recently begun training Jujitsu.

I was an entertainment inspired martial artist. I loved Ninja Turtles, MK, Blood Sport, Power Rangers, etc and when I finally got a chance to start, I was hooked. I trained all the time and have always tried to push my skill. Even today it is a discipline that does not stop.

You also brought to Johnny Cage experiences with shows like Kamen Rider, which sort of got a wink and a nod in the show. How did the Legacy version of the character come together?
Legacy wanted to blur the line between reality and fiction.
The true Hollywood story took a little of both. Kevin really shaped that whole segment.

Legacy's Cage was a bit more down on his luck, missing some of the Bruce Lee/Van Damme elements fans know. Do you think this would've helped or hindered the character, moving forward?
I was okay with Cage being a little down on his luck.
It gave the character a lot of range to come back with even more bravado, but still be likable.

A lot of fans were disappointed to learn you aren't coming back for Legacy 2. Can you talk a bit about what went down?
I was just as disappointed as the rest of the fans. I did everything I could to continue with MK, but for reasons we will never know, it did not work out.

The auditioning process is always different. You are selling yourself to the client and trying to show them they would be out of their mind not to put you in the role you are auditioning for.

For this process they first wanted to see my recent work. Even though I had finished four projects last year, I could not secure footage because it was all locked up in post. I edited small scenes that I thought best fit the role (which ironically had a bunch of footage form MK season 1) and sent that in. Then they asked me to do all the scene in MK Season 2. I did that and sent it in. Finally I tried to campaign to the people who could help influence a decision, but ultimately it did not work out. It is a business and in the end the decision makers did what they thought was best.

We now know Casper Van Dien has been added to the role. What are your impressions?
I think Casper will do great with the part. I feel I was able to bring more on the action side, but I really think he will give the fans a great Cage.

Cage is just about the most recast character in the history of the series. Is it time to start referring to the 'Cage Curse'?
Nah, it's just Hollywood.

Given the chance, is this a character you'd like to return to?
I would love to fight for the part and with fan support I will.

What are you working on now and what types of things do you think we'll find you doing in the future?
It has already been a busy start to the year. I have five different projects coming out this year. One of them being a film from China called "King of Vajara" - I play a US POW in a pre World War II Japanese occupied China .

Sideswipe continues to perform all over the world. Last year we did about 35 different performances ranging from our full production in Japan and Cuba, as well as performances for Skechers and Saban Brands. We start this year at the University of Kansas!

Mortal Kombat Online must thank Matt Mullins for his time and open conversation. You can find more information about Matt's work at MattMullins.com, or by following @Sideswipematt. Relive the first season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy [Episode 3: Johnny Cage] on MKO and discuss the series and this interview on the Media & Matchmaking forum.

Magazine reviews and borrowed truths continue to dominate the Injustice: Gods Among Us gamer news. Character speculation is reaching new heights as we near the April 16 home console release [April 17th AU, 19th EU].

Official Xbox Magazine UK has added further to existing rumors of Captain Marvel's return to a NetherRealm fighter; while a screenshot clearly shows Teen Titan mystic Raven somewhere in the JLA Watchtower.

The reference seems to suggest in-game functionality -- mentioned in stride with the rest of the known playable cast -- but the context remains vague enough to force us to respect the doubt until a clearer, definitive confirmation comes in.

With Cyborg and Nightwing represented in the confirmed list, there's still plenty of logical room for story mode appearances by unplayable versions of their fellow former Teen Titans [ie; Raven].

There’s also an exclusive Injustice: Gods Among Us hands-on. New to Gods Among Us? It’s one of those man-punching games, created by Mortal Kombat bods NetherRealm, and includes the pick of famous faces from DC Comics – Batman, The Joker, Nightwing, Lex Luthor, Bane, Wonder Woman, Catwoman and Superman, together with minor Justice Leaguers like Cyborg, Raven and Captain Marvel. Blood there is none, but punching there is much.
- Unknown Writer, Official Xbox Magazine UK Article [via Shoryuken]

@Gamer Magazine gave us our first reviewed sighting of the power of Shazam; beginning the cycle of magazine reveals with playable announcements for Bane and Lex Luthor [full story]. Black Adam was cited as making an appearance in story mode scenes, along with Sinestro and Aquaman.

The deep sea Justice Leaguer got another run in Official PlayStation Magazine Australia [full story], referenced alongside a surprising but fitting villain: Ares, God of War. We were pleased to update our report with a confirmation of Aquaman's playable status by DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and all-around architect of the DCU, Geoff Johns!

OPSM packed yet more references to Captain Marvel and Black Adam, as well, but we're no closer to knowing who makes the playable cut, who's DLC, and who gets offed mid-story mode. One thing's for sure -- NRS Creative Director Ed Boon isn't much help, adding more fuel to the fire of speculation, some teases more explicit than others.

With the @Gamer feature reveal and Aquaman added to the list, that brings the confirmed playable Gods Among Us roster to sixteen characters:

It was back at E3 that we got our first promise of a 'twenty-something' playable list (plus DLC). Doomsday lurks somewhere within the game -- spotted in a background and official art for the Battle Edition PDP Fight Stick -- but if ever there were fodder for a brute sub-boss, it's the monster famous for "killing" Superman [even if this time he's fighting on the other side]. Either way, there's still plenty of wriggle room left and a lot of rumors to cross off!

So, who do you think's in or out? Register and share your theories with us on the DC Universe Injustice forum! While you're there, check out our Top 10 Heroes and Villains we'd like to see Among Us this April! Special thanks to forum user for sharing the story.

With Mortal Kombat allotted a returning third consecutive year at the 2013 Evo Championship, the inevitable path to seeding begins anew with the proverbial Road to Evo!

The road is considerably shorter, this year: devoid of the points that made the long haul to every tournament so pressing in 2012. This time the weight lies on four vital meetings, which will feed decision making data to tournament organizers come the Las Vegas Evo World Championship in July. The year begins wtih SoCal Regionals -- kicking off today, January 18 - January 19!

Team EGP will be streaming the tour live, with exhibition hype matches feeding in to a packed field of Mortal Kombat regulars. Sign-ups at the door will keep things lively, with expected appearances by ranking regulars: MLG Champion REO; the Super Vegas Bros. MIT & SoCal2012 second runner-up DJT; STB Shujinkydink and many more!

Defending champion Osu16Bit will have all eyes on him as he emerges from controversy, fighting for redemption amidst accusations of bracket fixing at NEC2012. SoCal will be a homecoming for the Galloping Ghost Arcade Kitana-specialist -- a return to the tournament that began a year-long feud with Crazy Dominican over supremacy with the fan-wielding fighter! Will SoCal 2013 be a cleansing for 16bit, or a painful lesson in penance? The challenge is already layed down for exhibition when NYChris G brings it in the lead!

Also making it interesting; rumors of DetroitBalln bringing a new strategy for the new year! He'll play the blindman's bluff when he unleashes Kenshi upon a field fast learning the talents of the blind sword saint. With 2012 rising star Pig of the Hut expected to rep his regular, the SoCal battle of the Kenshis may begin the new premiere character-rivalry in 2013!

PLUS: The entire field will want to watch their backs as the SoCal regulars swarm to take control of the home tournament once again! EGP Tyrant, XBlades and 2012 SoCal Runner-Up, KrayzieBone, are all expected to press the homefield advantage when they storm the bracket with a Regional Rampage!

Event Schedule: (*all times are Pacific Standard Time) [via EGP]
Friday, January 18th, 2013
12:00pm-4:00pm; Pool 1
5:00pm-8:00pm; Exhibition Matches

Saturday, January 19th, 2013
11:00am-3:00pm; Pool 2
3:00pm-5:00pm; Top 8
6:00pm-9:00pm; Exhibition Matches

Mortal Kombat Online is watching the Road to Evo with keen interest! NorCal Regionals will be the next stop; UFGT9 starts the hype early with confirmation of MK and Injustice! Follow the SoCal Regional stream live and discuss it with the MKOmmunity on the forum!

Announced earlier this month; Shao Kahn will be the lead release from Pop Culture Shock Collectibles' Direct-To-Collector sales platform. The Outworld Emperor makes a compelling case for purchase at 1:4 scale, available for pre-order January 28.

"There is something very satisfying about grinding away at a game and then finally getting to the big boss character," stated Jerry Macaluso, President and Founder of Pop Culture Shock Collectibles. "Everyone loves a hero, but for me, it’s always more fun to work on a villian.”

As one of our most anticipated new items of 2013, Mortal Kombat Online would have to agree -- Shao Kahn is awesome! The legendary MK boss has been a big feature of the MK merchandising revolution [2012 Kountdown] and Pop Culture Shock have submitted a very compelling entry, boasting a dynamic sculpt with high quality detail!

Standing a mighty 19.5"; the hi-end polystone standard edition is limited to 350 units at $350US. This edition includes a switch-out unmasked head, inspired by designs first made famous in the comics and Shaolin Monks! For $10 more, the Konqueror Edition includes a "savage" spear accessory, limited to 150 pieces.

Direct-to-Collector purchasing means you can pre-order Shao Kahn and future works from Pop Culture Shock themselves! Kahn officially goes live for pre-order 4PM PST, January 28. These babies go quick, so don't delay! [See; Klassic Scorpion]

Pop Culture Shock Collectibles was founded in 2008 by Jerry Macaluso , the former owner of SOTA Toys , SOTA Sculpture and Design and Plastic Fantasy, to manufacture high-end resin collectibles. For more on Pop Culture Shock Collectibles go to http://www.popcultureshocktoys.com and www.facebook.com/PopCultureShockCollectibles. Discuss the Pop Culture Shock Mortal Kombat line-up and much more on the Media & Merchandise forum!

It's the comic book tie-in defying convention!
Some people think fighting games aren't well known for their storylines. Likewise, comics readers have long been conditioned to regard tie-in comics with suspicion and doubt. Injustice: Gods Among Us rewrites both rules, flying to the top of digital charts within the first day of its online release!

At a paltry 99c; Chapter 1 of the Injustice digital comic details the first third of what will be the final printed issue, come January 30 [full story].

So popular has the release been, it's already #1 on the Amazon Kindle and DC Comics App! It bests enduring collected releases like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns, as well as the hugely successful New 52 reboot of Justice League [via @TomTaylorMade]!

The writer makes no bones about celebrating his opportunity to work on the iconic heroes and villains of the DC Universe -- even if Injustice forces a new perspective on some of the classics. In his own words, "... that dream has become a reality… and that reality has become a nightmare."

Batman Looms Over Chapter 1 of the Injustice Backstory [via IGN]

Taylor spoke recently to IGN about the trials and triumphs of the book, which takes place approximately five years before the events of the game -- leading to conflict between Superman and Batman. Allusions to Superman's tyrannical New Regime date back to the first teaser released, back in July, 2012.

Referencing his history as a playwright and screenwriter, Taylor also expects to bring his skills of short story telling to the individual chapters and issues. He does so noting that the platform fo the games' story mode helped offer a strong base to work from, defying his own expectations of fighting game plot.

... I read the entire thing in one sitting… and then I grinned. This really is the most ambitious script I’ve ever seen from a fighting game, and the NetherRealm guys have pulled it off. So, the challenge is not ‘how do I make this interesting?’ but how do I complement what these guys have done? How do I too find that perfect balance between emotional, epic storytelling and sudden, irreparable spine removal?

The first ten page chapter is currently available via the DC Comics App, Comixology and the Amazon Kindle Store. Fans of paper should remember to pre-order the complete issue with their local comic store before January 30!

Get a sneak peek of cover art and plot details for issues #2, #3 & #4. Injustice: Gods Among Us hits home consoles April 16! Discuss and speculate about the games and comics on the DC Universe Injustice forum.

With Injustice: Gods Among Us on the fast track to an April 16 release, it seems we're on the downhill slope toward knowing exactly what to expect!

Yesterdays Battle Edition press release supported earlier glimpses of Doomsday chained in the Fortress of Solitutde arena. Before that, Bane and Lex Luthor led the charge of confirmed sightings with their official confirmation as playable characters in @Gamer Magazine [full story]!

Time to start packing some wet weather gear for April! Thanks to Official PlayStation Magazine Australia, the latest forecast predicts extreme cases of Aquaman!

Mortal Kombat United are reporting [via ] sections of the article, which talks up some of the more obscure inclusions that will make it to the Gods Among Us roster. Senior Producer Adam Urbano is quoted, "We really want people to get away from the 'Batman/Superman show' essentially."

The article reiterates @Gamers' observations of Black Adam and Captain Marvel; while Urbano speaks at length about the unlikely appearance of classic Wonder Woman adversary, Ares -- God of War!

The in-game playable state of these characters can't quite be confirmed just yet, but after being snubbed for more popular members of the Justice League, you've got to think Aquaman is due a win. With his prominence in the New 52 reboot of DC Comics, he's also a character who's well on his way to shedding the baggage of internet meme and snickering disregard for the guy with fish-telepathy. The cover of Injustice #4 also teased Aquaman's relevance in the JLA heavy backstory.

AWESOME 'cause I already played him! RT @jaeroar: @geoffjohns thoughts on Aquaman being in #injusticeGodsAmongus @noobde

— Geoff Johns (@geoffjohns) January 19, 2013

Update (Jan. 18): The twitter age continues to play its part. DC Comics Chief Creative Officer and writer extraordinaire, Geoff Johns, confirmed he's already played the character he writes [above]. In his own ever-water logged words, Aquaman is "AWESOME."

Aquaman was a popular inclusion in Mortal Kombat Online's Top 10 Heroes We Want Among Us. Join the conversation and speculation on the DC Universe Injustice forums!

As previously reported, fans buying Injustice: Gods Among Us will have plenty of options come the newly confirmed April 16 release date.

Arriving on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; the Injustice Collector's Edition packs a punch at $99.99RRP with a collectible statue, comic book, animated film download and bonus New 52 character skins. For the technically minded, now there's the Battle Edition to consider:

At $149.99, the Battle Edition boasts an exclusive Injustice Fight Stick with official artwork from the game and New 52 skins. The big box will be available in limited quantity from GameStop and EB Games, across Canada and the Untied States.

Look closer at the Fight Stick artwork and you'll spy further confirmation of the inclusion of Doomsday -- powerhouse villain made famous as the catalyst of the 1992 Death of Superman story. He appears opposite Wonder Woman and beside Superman. Doomsday was previously spotted in the background of the Fortress of Solitude arena.

Update: Community Manager "@PDPCandace" has confirmed speculation that Performance Designed Products will be making the Battle Edition Fight Sticks. PDP memorably partnered with Warner Brothers to provide similar sticks for the Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition, in 2011.

The answer is yes, PDP is producing the Injustice: Gods Among Us fight stick that is included in the "Battle Edition" of the game.

— Candace (@PDPCandace) January 16, 2013

Injustice: Gods Among Us is an all-new game in development by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, creators of the definitive fighting game franchise Mortal Kombat. The title debuts a bold new fighting game franchise that introduces a deep, original story featuring a large cast of favorite DC Comics icons such as Batman, Green Arrow, Cyborg, Harley Quinn, Nightwing, Solomon Grundy, Superman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, The Joker, Green Arrow and many others. Set in a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred, players will experience heroes and villains engaging in epic battles on a massive scale.

The Injustice: Gods Among Us Battle Edition will retail for $149.99 and includes the game disc, exclusive Injustice: Gods Among Us Fight Stick featuring official artwork from the game and three exclusive skins based on Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman from DC COMICS - THE NEW 52. The Fight Stick is a light weight controller that boasts a non-skid foam underside, a lockout feature for the Start, Select and Guide buttons, as well as adjustable illumination for the buttons and joystick.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is the latest fighting game from NetherRealm Studios -- the makers of Mortal Kombat. Discuss everything DCU, including the Injustice comic book tie-in, in the DC Universe Injustice forum.

Green Lantern joins the fight on the cover of Injustice: Gods Among Us #4 -- part of the soon-to-be-launched comic book series based on the upcoming game!

Series writer Tom Taylor (@TomTaylorMade) tweeted out the new artwork by Mico Suayan.

With Superman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern apparently heading deep under water, it's hard to imagine this issue won't deal with the legendary lord of Atlantis: Aquaman!

The deepsea hero was recently confirmed to be part of the Injustice: Gods Among Us in-game story mode by @Gamer Magazine, appearing alongside Captain Marvel, Black Adam and Sinestro. Whether or not these appearances will reflect in-game playable characters remains to be seen. In a new interview with IGN, Taylor accompanies confirmation that the Injustice comic series will take place five years prior to the game [more].

Check out cover art from issues #1, #2 & #3. The series officially launches digitally tomorrow, beginning with ten page chapters on the DC Comics App, released for 99c each. The series hits paper January 30. Discuss the comics and game on the DC Universe Injustice forum.

Update: Contrary to our previous report, Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition is slated for submission. Kamidogu.com are reporting confirmation from Warner Brothers Entertainment Australia, who've declared their intention to resubmit the game.

Original Story: Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge has become the first video game to be rated R18+ in Australia, per the official introduction of the long awaited Adult Rating.

IGN reported the event last week, with an announcement coming via Australian Classification Board Director, Lesley O'Brien. The WiiU title was classified Restricted for 'High impact bloody violence' -- a classification example relevant to Mortal Kombat, which was infamously refused classification at the beginning of 2011 [full story].

Games refused classification prior to the 2013 R18+ rating must be resubmitted by publishers to be reclassified. Submissions carry a fee for publishers, who cannot have an item reclassified until two years have passed since the first ruling. Submission is mandatory in Australia, enforced by federal law.

Mortal Kombat Online can report there are currently no known active submissions for a reclassification of Mortal Kombat in Australia. Update: This information can now be debunked as Warner Brothers Entertainment Australia confirm intention to resubmit.

A representative of NetherRealm Studios told us he hasn't heard anything about a resubmission at this time. It has been nearly two years since the original ruling against Mortal Kombat, which was challenged unsuccessfully. The PlayStation Vita release was Refused Classification in May of 2012, but to the best of our knowledge, the console Komplete Edition was not submitted. This may be a vestige of hope for those hoping Warner Brothers attempt a release.

Always popular down under; the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot marked the first time the series was ever Refused Classification in Australia. Despite a reported crackdown by Customs Officials, the game fuelled a growing trend of international imports into the country. The guidelines of the R18+ rating still has its share of critics, who may note a history of inconsistency, among other issues.

Mortal Kombat Online will continue to monitor for updates in the region. Injustice: Gods Among Us is all but guaranteed safe entry into Australia later this year. NetherRealm Studios' Creative Director Ed Boon was down under last September to promote the developers' return to AU.

The July announcement gave fans of Mortal Kombat: Legacy a list of characters to shoot for, but today we get our first look at the costumed line-up thanks to social networking director, Kevin Tancharoen (@KTANCH).

Left to right: (Top Row) Liu Kang (Brian Tee), Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa), Raiden (David Lee McInnis), Johnny Cage (Casper Van Dien), Kenshi (Dan Southworth)
(Bottom Row): Mileena (Michelle Lee), Ermac (Kim Do Nguyen), Scorpion (Ian Anthony Dale), [Director Kevin Tancharoen], Kung Lao (Mark Dacascos), Stryker (Eric Jacobus), Sub-Zero (John Wusah?), Kitana (Samantha Jo).

In trademark style, Legacy differs significantly from the classic Mortal Kombat aesthetic and detail. The adapted designs make it slightly difficult to identify every character appearing for the Series 2 Shaolin Tournament-inspired plot with absolute certainty [discuss].

The biggest question marks hover over the white-garbed fighter to Shang Tsung's left, and the black warrior to Scorpion's right. While Noob Saibot would be an easy guess for the latter, the character was absent from the announcement character list, where Ermac was confirmed for a highly anticipated appearance. With the series plot yet to be revealed -- and "Kuai Liang" confirmed to appear -- Noob can't be ruled out, in spite of traditional tournament timelines.

The unknown fighter in white may reflect either of the original games white-garbed competitors. A hint of blue fabric and what might be a hat on his back suggest a version of Raiden that continues the portrayal by Ryan Robbins -- an unshaven mortal form of the lightning god, who was entrapped in a mental institute in the much-discussed Eighth Episode. Kano remains another unaccounted for stalwart, with first series' Darren Shahlavi seemingly indisposed during filming.

Update: Stunt and fight coordinator Larnell Stovall (@larnellstovall) has added another angle on the group. With red wrapping and hat more visible, our mystery black and white men appear to be much more credibly identified, as we speculated, as Ermac and Raiden (respectively). Thanks to C-Sword and FCSyndicate for forwarding additional info.

The aforementioned first series actor, Ryan Robbins, has also lamented his role as Raiden via Twitter [below]. In his own words, the Canadian actor was "super bummed" and "REALLY tried," but was unable to reprise the role due to prior commitments [more]. David Lee McInnis can now be confirmed as his replacement.

Super bummed I wasn't able do Mortal Kombat again. We REALLY tried though! @ktanch is gonna make it phenomenal. Can't wait to see it!!

— Ryan Robbins (@RyRobbins) January 13, 2013

All the photos, teasers and information for Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2 can be found in our special Komplete Kompendium. You can comment and speculate on all aspects of Legacy in the Media & Merchandise forum. Get more by liking us on Facebook and following us @MK_Online.

With the announcement of the 2013 Evo Championships -- the road to the biggest competitive fighting game tournament begins anew!

Four tournaments have been announced as partnering with the July major, making up the eponymous annual Road to Evo series. The four events will feed seeding data for a new, organizer-selected seeding system.

Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament 9 kicks the doors of the Crowne Plaza O’Hare down on the weekend of May 24-26. Per the Evo line-up, Mortal Kombat will make a triumphant UFGT return in the homeland of Chicago, but unlike Evo, you can be guaranteed Injustice: Gods Among Us will be on the floor as well!

With an April release slated for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Nintendo WiiU; Injustice will still be fresh territory for tournament-goers arriving at the Chicago tour in May.

Fans can and should nominate Injustice: Gods Among Us for Evo inclusion by donating to the Evo 2013 8th Game Breast Cancer Drive. The initiative is raising money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and will qualify the game whose community raises the most money.

Mortal Kombat Online hopes you'll join us on the ride to both Evo 2013 and Injustice: Gods Among Us. You can follow and discuss both with the MKOmmunity on the Gameplay & Matchmaking and DC Universe Injustice forums.

As a general rule of thumb, we like to steer clear of incidental, unsubstantiated rumors and reference. That said -- if there's anything incidental about this latest Injustice photo posted by Ed Boon (@noobde), we'll eat our collective hats.

For some reason I'm STARVING. Time is moving slow today. Dinner order can't get here soon enough !! twitpic.com/buebn0

— Ed Boon (@noobde) January 12, 2013

Joker might pull focus from Boon's dinner-panged clock watching, but look a little closer, and I'm sure you'll find teasing references to Martian Manhunter and The Penguin!

With a shortcut labeled Cinema Renders, you might want to keep in mind this doesn't necessarily mean both characters are playable in the main roster. There's also a pretty clearly marked DLC folder there, too. This is, however, some of the least subtle food for thought we've had, circa dinner time.

Bane and Lex Luthor recently joined the confirmed list thanks to a leaked article from @Gamer Magazine [full story]. The cover story feature also spotlights early stages of the much touted story mode -- revealing some involvement for Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Doomsday and Sinestro, who appear in story flashback.

The January/February issue of @Gamer Magazine is now on sale at Best Buy. Find a preview of the feature at AtGamerMagazine.com. Injustice: Gods Among Us hits home consoles in April.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy returns for a second series late in 2013, but the teasers have been coming since the original July announcement. Director Kevin Tancharoen has returned for a new year, delivering another sneak peek, this time from the editing studio.

Your guess is as good as ours, but if we're not mistaken, that looks an awful lot like Dan Southworth as he appeared in photos from 2012. Popular rumors peg the Power Rangers: Time Force actor as Legacy's Kenshi -- a character with plenty of reason to look a little worse for wear in the eyes [as pictured].

Kenshi is one of the few enduring icons of the Deadly Alliance era, introduced ten years ago as an arrogant sword saint who was humbled when Shang Tsung tricked him into releasing the souls of his ancestors. The event is responsible for blinding Kenshi, leading him to develop heightened extra-sensory abilities (thanks in part to a little training from cult favourite: Ermac!).

Fans won't have to wait long for a live-action viewing of Legacy 2 -- the series officially debuts online (via Machinima) in the Second Quarter of 2013. A special preview will feature during the Streamy Awards a little sooner, February 17.

Get all the available information and teaser images from our special Legacy Series 2 Kompendium! You can also discuss and speculate about every conceivable topic in the Media & Merchandise forum.

The speculation can officially come to an end! Third time will be the charm for Mortal Kombat when it returns to the Evo Championship Series in 2013!

Announced on the WakeUpSRK live stream; Mortal Kombat joins an expanded line-up of seven confirmed games for this year's super-sized Evo. Recognizing the success of the game in 2012, MrWizard acknowledged the changing perception of MK as a game of the world -- not just the US!

An eighth game will be selected from a list of seventeen candidates via a charity drive to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The game with the most money donated will be included in the Evo2013 line-up. Among the list is NetherRealm Studios' current fighting game project, the much anticipated Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The current confirmed list of 2013 Evo titles is:

• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
• Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition
• Tekken Tag Tournament 2
• Mortal Kombat 9
• Street Fighter X Tekken 2013
• King of Fighters XIII
• Persona 4 Arena

The Road to Evo will take on a different significance in 2013. Unlike last year's exciting series, feed tournaments will no longer offer seeding points to top ranking participants.

Instead, tournament organizers will use top sixteen results to allocate Evo Championship seeding in July, offering guaranteed seeds to the top sixteen in an orientation of their deciding. Organizers cite a desire to eliminate the travel advantage from the tour, emphasizing skill of the players. Evo has so far partnered with four United States tournaments.

2013 "Road to Evo" Tournament Line-Up:
• SoCal Regionals
• NorCal Regionals 11
• Ultimate Fighting Game Tournament 9
• CEO 2013

"Perfect Legend" Carl White will no doubt be a much talked about figure in the Road to Evo. The reigning Evo World Champion wields a perfect record as two-time Mortal Kombat champion [2011, 2012]. The World Championship event will take place July 12-14 at the Paris Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

For more information about the Road to Evo and Game 8 donations, visit ShoRyuKen.com. Mortal Kombat Online will be following MK's status at all the key events. Discuss the Road to Evo and more in the Gameplay & Matchmaking forum!

Like the Christmas tree you probably should've put away a few days ago -- the social networks have lit up at the first sign of what appears to be confirmation of Lex Luthor and Bane within the ranks of Injustice: Gods Among Us!

No official source can be quoted yet, but a YouTube video purports to be showing off pages of Gamer Magazine, which reveals the two new additions to the DC Comics fighting game roster.

There's very little reason to doubt the claim. Nevermind the authenticity of the image -- both characters have more than enough cache to warrant inclusion. Lex Luthor appeared in the previously released launch trailer, while Bane is coming off a renewed hike in relevance thanks to the 2012 blockbuster feature film, The Dark Knight Rises.

Luthor appears in the most traditional guise, returning in a version of the powersuit previously featured in NetherRealm Studios' [then-Midway developed] Mortal Kombat versus DC Universe. As he so often has, Bane gets a slightly more exaggerated treatment than his iconic comic book incarnation, packing a mountain of macho muscle. With massive green tubes of Venom pumping into his luchadore-inspired mask, this bulky Bane owes much to the likes of the Batman: Arkham Asylum. Back breaking aplenty no doubt awaits!

Update: Injustice Creative Director and face of NetherRealm Studios, Ed Boon, has sprung forth to confirm the legitimacy of the scans (via twitter):

Uh oh.. looks like the cats out of the bag. New INJUSTICE characters! @brizzy_bear @noobde not bad, not bad at all. twitter.com/Brizzy_Bear/st…

— Ed Boon (@noobde) January 8, 2013

Both villains play perfect counterpart to the iconic rivals who will be at odds when Injustice: Gods Among Us hits home consoles. Batman and Superman are no strangers to each others throats, and according to previous story leaks, as well as previews for the upcoming comic book series, they'll be going head-to-head with Wonder Woman somewhere near the middle [full story]!

Update: Readers of the magazine are also reporting previews from the much touted in-game story mode. Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Doomsday and Sinestro are among the characters referenced, or included. The exact status of these characters remains unknown.

Where will the villains fall in this clash of titans? Jump on the DC Universe Injustice forum to share your thoughts! Mortal Kombat Online does not support the appropriation of unauthorized copyright, but will follow the story as it develops. Thanks to , & for forwarding information.

Now Gamer has new excerpts from an interview with NetherRealm Studios Senior Producer, Adam Urbano, who promises big things of the still mysterious Injustice: Gods Among Us.

NetherRealm's first dedicated departure from the Mortal Kombat franchise will bring lessons learned from the 2011 blockbuster that put the dragon logo back on the map. Volume of content and quality of key features -- such as improved online netcode -- are the juiciest morsels provided by the superhero fighter's producer.

We also spent two years focused on netplay, realizing that nothing matters more for network play than launching with solid, great fundamental netcode.

Creative Director Ed Boon discussed the teams focus on netcode and key competitive features during press in August. The finished game is scheduled to hit home consoles April 2013.

Based on the iconic superheroes of DC Comics, Injustice will have plenty of material to draw upon in its beefed up content. A comic book inspired by the game launches at the end of this month, adding further context to the tale of conflict via Tom Taylor and Jheremy Raapack. Taylor's fellow Aussie, David Yardin, is expected to contribute, as well.

Injustice: Gods Among Us stars Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Deathstroke and many more. Read the full Urbano article on NowGamer.com. Discuss all things Gods Among Us on the DC Universe Injustice forum.

Within each of us burns the soul of a warrior! So it was, in 2012, that a handful of people on a leaky message board were going to fight for the fate of the world! More accurately, the Kombat Fight League was a unique meeting of the Mortal Kombat Online forums and live chat!

The RPG-inspired, text-based fighting system dubbed "RPCheev" has been a staple of the #MortalKombat IRC channel since its inception in 2010. Utilizing a trademark fight-simulation algorithm, the 2012 league has been all about uniting the MKOmmunity in stat-based disharmony!

Forty-eight weeks of Friday Night Fights and seasonal special events made bitter enemies of some, respectful rivals of others -- all in the name of the KFL Championship!

Seven champions were immortalized in 2012, across eleven separate reigns. gained distinction as the only winner of the KFL Championship and a KFL MKOlympic Gold medal! would set the standard with his lone entry as champ, fending off six challengers in 77 days late in the year. held honors as the only three-time title holder, accumulating an impressive 119 days as Champion. It would be , however, who topped the charts, emerging from December's elimination Armageddon to stand at the top of the pyramid -- the Supreme Champion of 2012!

As Season 2013 dawns with its first Friday Night Fights, the forum hosts a new round of open registrations. Before the next class of competitors can be immortalized, let us remember the best of the forums and chat of Season 2012: they who fought for supremacy over the rest of the league!

2012 IRK Olympic Games
Medals Podium
Ninja_Mime [Gold]
CaTigeReptile [Silver]
Nephrite [Bronze]
1. (34-4-0)

Internet Relay Kombat (or RPCheev) can be played by anyone at any time! Join the yearbook of 2013 by signing up on the forums. Track your success as you gain XP stats from your Friday Night Fights, or go deeper to challenge unique NPCs and fellow users on the live chat! Rankings and info are available on the MKO KFL sub-page.

Pop Culture Shock Collectibles have announced a major change to their business model, which will effect orders for their coming 1:4 Shao Kahn statue. The "direct-to-collector" plan has been explained in the following press release:

LOS ANGELES, December 27th, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE)---

Pop Culture Shock Collectibles is making waves in the hi-end collectible product marketplace, announcing today it is moving to a Direct To Collector business model starting immediately.

"I started PSCS in 2008 as a fan who just wanted to make statues for other collectors like myself," stated Jerry Macaluso, President and Founder of Pop Culture Shock Collectibles. "It makes me incredibly proud to say that our fans & followers have now made a direct sales program feasible. That means 10-20% lower prices, giving fans even more input into our selections, and being able to offer exciting variants and smaller-run specials.”

“This is going to be our busiest year yet and I’m happy we can kick it out with this DTC initiative.” Macaluso added, “I’m looking forward to revealing all the great items we have planned for 2013.”

January will see the first of two direct offerings up for Pre-Order; 1:4th Scale Shao Kahn from Mortal Kombat and a Street Fighter Diorama featuring fan favorites Akuma & Gouken. The Pop Culture Shock Collectibles website will be the ONLY Avenue to acquire these hot items.

You can follow this and other late breaking info on the PSCS facebook page. To stay up to date on PCSC News, subscribe to our newsletter by sending an email to Newsletter@PCSToy.com with the subject line “PCSC General Newsletter”.

About Pop Culture Shock Collectibles
Pop Culture Shock Collectibles was founded in 2008 by Jerry Macaluso , the former owner of SOTA Toys , SOTA Sculpture and Design and Plastic Fantasy, to manufacture high-end resin collectibles. For more on Pop Culture Shock Collectibles go to http://www.popcultureshocktoys.com and www.facebook.com/PopCultureShockCollectibles

Follow and discuss all the Pop Culture Shock statues and collectibles on the Media & Merchandise forum. Join the extended MKOmmunity on Facebook, YouTube and by following @MK_Online.