Batman goes crazy for the second time in two weeks, this time in the hands of the Scarecrow, and as a result he gets grievously hurt (sounds familiar eh) going bonkers attacking, of all people, Superman. Yup, that’s the stitch on Batman: The Dark Knight #5. Robocop goes crazy too in Robocop: Road Trip #2, along with citizens of Old Detroit. As in the first issue, the cyborg is hallucinating (!) and is taken to talking to dead people.

This week also sees B.P.R.D Hell on Earth: Russia #5 out on the stands. This is one of my favourite post-Hellboy books. The aftermath of the explosion that seemingly took out Johann Kraus is explored, and is that really him in that new suit? I don’t think so…

A new issue of The Ultimates (#6) is out as well. With Nick Fury looking at a checkmate situation and failing to convince a sulking Captain America, things point to a new team of Ultimates; one that’s able to take on Reed Richards and his Children of Tomorrow.

Looks like we’re back in full stride after the holiday season when it comes to comic book releases. One of this week’s standout has to be Batman and Robin #5. What this issue serves to show that even though Batman is generally fearless, he does fear being a sucky dad but being Batman simply prevents him for being one to a kid that has been indoctrinated with a whole lot of crazy stuff from his own mom. And now he’s up against an old mentor out to lure his son to the dark side.

Marvel too has a trump card up their sleeves, in the form of Wolverine and the X-Men #4. Just one week into the opening of the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, Professor (sic) Logan and gang assess the school’s progress and with Logan around, members of X-Force and those involved in the Dark Angel Saga (such as Apocalypse’s clone) make their appearance in some of the funniest, dramatic and poignant moments in the book.

Other releases include another freaky issue of Animal Man which is making me rethink on continuing to read the book, a generally excellent issue of Batwoman #5 and a tepid end to the current Green Lantern storyline (but certainly not the end of Hal Jordan’s woes) in Green Lantern #5. For those who follow the Ultimates universe, Ultimate Comics X-Men #6 springs a surprise as a certain baldy is still alive!

It’s that time of the season where we look back on the year that has just gone by and…….. come up with a Best Of list. This year, Nine Over Ten 9/10 is doing something that hasn’t been done before in the history of this site. For the first time ever, we’ve got like enough stuff to fill up not one, but SEVERAL categories including iOS Games, Comics, Music and many more. Check it out:

Nine Over Ten 9/10′s Best of 2011

Best iOS Game: Tiny Tower

This game had me playing for weeks, even months. My girlfriend (now fiance) even went to the extent of cheating in the game to get a leg up on me. Micro-managing a simulated tower with all its residents and businesses can actually be fun..I wonder why real-life building supervisors are a grumpy bunch.

Notable Mentions: Anthill: Tactical Trail Defense, Mage Gauntlet

Best Comic Book Series: Uncanny X-Force

Personally I’m more of a DC fan, but if there’s a comic book which features an ensemble cast (which features Wolverine, Psylocke, Deadpool, Archangel, Fantomex and a Deathlok who can’t help but feel love now) mixed with incredible writing and art, these bunch of mutant wetwork specialists are your go-to-guys.

Notable Mentions: Detective Comics, Batman, Venom

Best Movie: X-Men: First Class

This was actually pretty darn good, with an interesting ensemble cast. It’s a movie meant to wash away the bad aftertaste from stuff like X-Men: The Last Stand and Wolverine and gives the franchise the opportunity to well…start over with flying colours.

Notable Mentions: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Music Release: Torches (Foster the People)

Torches is by far the best thing I’ve heard through my pair of Grados this year, and it’s an incredible aural experience. It’s easy to get addicted to any of the tracks in this CD and at the moment I can’t help but put Call It What You Want on repeat!

Notable Mentions: None

Best Book: Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson)

The guy died this year and because of that his autobiography was released earlier than its original release date. The book helps readers understand the person behind the innovations that came out of Apple. The guy wasn’t perfect, but the book is the perfect primer with regards to him.

Notable Mentions: None (I tend to buy books that are published the year before..they tend to be cheaper that way)

Christmas has always been known as a time for giving and we would like to kickstart this year’s Nine Over Ten 9/10 Christmas 2011 Gift Guide with a question: why not gift a gift and do your bid for charity as well? The Humble Indie Bundle 4 is the perfect avenue for this. Not only can you purchase this bundle which consists of amazing indie games such as Gratuitous Space Battles, Super Meat Boy, Bit.Trip Runner and many more, as a gift, part of the purchase goes to American Red Cross and Child’s Play Charity. Check it out over here.

If you are feeling a little more generous, you can always head over to the nearest NGO or Charity out there and donate. Here are some organizations that are closer to home in my case:

• National Cancer Council of Malaysia: http://www.makna.org.my/
• National Council for the Blind: http://www.ncbm.org.my/
• National Kidney Foundation: http://www.nkf.org.my/

OK, with that charity bit out of the way here’s our annual gift guide for Christmas 2011, this time it has something for everyone, I think, ranging for the bookworms to tech heads (I’m actually adapting my Amazon wish list for this year’s Christmas guide):

Books

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (Hardcover)
2. Sex, Lies and Handlebar Tape: The Remarkable Life of Jacques Anquetil, the First Five-Times Winner of the Tour de France by Paul Howard (Paperback)

Electronic Devices and Gadgets

1. Apple iPad 2
2. Kindle Fire
3. Arduino UNO Board
4. Grado iGi In-Ear Headphones

Video Games

1. Nintendo 3DS
2. Batman Arkham City Collectors Edition
3. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collectors Edition

Movies

1. Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]
2. Harry Potter: The Complete 8 Film Collection [Blu-ray]

Music

1. Torches (Music CD) by Foster the People
2. Pickin’ Up The Pieces (Music CD) by Fitz & the Tantrums.

If you need more gift ideas, check out our super popular guide articles:

• Ultimate Guide to Getting the PlayStation Vita (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Nintendo 3DS Accessories (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Nintendo DSi LL/XL Accessories (click here)
• Ultimate Guide to Sony PSP Go Accessories (click here)
• Nintendo DSi Accessories Guide (click here)

For all you parents out there, the following iPhone comic book app is for ‘em young ones. Ape Entertainment and CPLG, Cookie Jar Entertainment’s licensing arm and global licensing agent for Strawberry Shortcake™, along with American Greetings Properties, the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation (NYSE: AM), today announced the Strawberry Shortcake digital comic series is now available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod® touch and iPad for the first time in history.

For more than three decades Strawberry Shortcake has been a favorite with moms and daughters for teaching wholesome values, going on fantasy adventures and proving that little girls can do big things. Developed by Ape Entertainment’s digital partner iVerse Media, the Strawberry Shortcake digital comic app is free to download and features a preview of the first issue at no additional cost and offers the first three issues for $1.99 each. Each issue contains three stories, including one 16-page story, and two four-page stories.

“We’re very proud to be a part of the first time Strawberry Shortcake has ever been a digital comic series,” said Brent E. Erwin, Ape Co-Publisher. “Beyond it being an iconic series, Strawberry Shortcake teaches very important values in a fun and creative way. And we’re extremely excited to be producing it.”

• Issue #1: “The Pineapple Predicament” – Story by Georgia Ball, Art by Tanya Roberts & Amy Mebberson, Cover by Peter Wonsowski – Strawberry Shortcake’s solution to a tropical dilemma convinces her friends that she’s taking a trip to Luau Island. Sounds like a dream vacation, but in the middle of all the excitement, the residents of Berry Bitty City forget to check their facts before they bid farewell. Also included: “The Blueberry Flu” & “Special Delivery”
• Issue #2: “The Sour Truth” – Story by Georgia Ball, Art by Tanya Roberts and Amy Mebberson, Cover by Peter Wonsowski – After Katie and Sadie Bug hear about a local legend famous for his honesty, they think telling the painful truth will earn them celebrity status. When feelings get hurt, Strawberry Shortcake must stop the devious duo before berry best friends turn into bitter enemies. Also included: “Berry Fashionable” & “A Little Kitchen Help”
• Issue #3: “The Berry Scary Storm” – Story by Georgia Ball, Art by Amy Mebberson, Cover by Peter Wonsowski – The storm of the century is brewing and it’s headed straight for Berry Bitty City. Strawberry Shortcake tries to prepare for the worst, but her friends need her help.  Will she have time to save her café from the wrath of Mother Nature? Also included: “Custard & Cake” & “All Colors Go In The Flower Garden”

With the addition of app enhancements included in the digital downloads of the comics to assist consumers in locating their nearest comic book retailer, Ape hopes that Strawberry Shortcake will inspire new readers to discover the exciting world of comics through their local comic book shops.

Download the app right over here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/strawberry-shortcake-comics/id481026839?ls=1&mt=8

Have you checked out the cover for IDW’s The Transformers #31 comic book? It features the Megatron Revoltech figurine. I used to have one of these and it was really super-poseable, thanks to the innovative joint system pioneered by Revoltech. I’ve sold mine on eBay for a handsome sum (for more of our eBay stuff, check out our listing here and do support us!), but thanks to IDW I think the price of this action figurine can only go even higher:

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment today announced that the Batman: Arkham City Lockdown game for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch is now available on the App Store.  Based on DC Comics’ core Batman license, the game brings the Batman: Arkham City™ franchise, one of the most highly acclaimed and best-selling videogame releases of 2011, to the App Store for the first time featuring stunning graphics and original combat gameplay created exclusively for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.

Developed by NetherRealm Studios, creators of Mortal Kombat, Batman: Arkham City Lockdown features several of Gotham City’s most dangerous criminals, including The Joker, Two-Face and Solomon Grundy, as well as iOS-exclusive character Deathstroke, and engages players in one-on-one combat as they seek justice in a variety of Arkham City environments.

“We here at NetherRealm Studios are huge fans of Batman: Arkham City, and we were very excited to develop Batman: Arkham City Lockdown to extend the franchise experience to iPad, iPhone and iPod touch,” said Ed Boon, Creative Director, NetherRealm Studios.  “The app delivers a different take on Batman gameplay in which players must combat against some of the fan favorite villains in Arkham City.”

Batman: Arkham City Lockdown takes advantage of AirPlay, one of the newly released features in iOS 5, enabling players to wirelessly stream their gameplay experience on their iPad 2 or iPhone 4S to their HDTV using Apple TV.  The Batman: Arkham City Lockdown App is available for £3.49 from the App Store on iPad, iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

What I like about DC’s The New 52 are actually the amazing looking covers gracing all the different titles each month. This month, the cover for Green Lantern: New Guardians #3 takes the cake. All you need to do is to turn Ganthet’s raised hand into a fist and you have him delivering a “shoryuken” on Kyle Rayner and the rest of the rainbow brigade. LOL. Check it out:

If you got the time, check out the covers for The Savage Hawkman #3 and Aquaman #3.

Batman is on a roll these days, first with the success of Arkham City and now, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment announce that Gotham City Impostors will be available beginning January 10, 2012, on Xbox LIVE™ Arcade and PlayStation®Network, as well as for Windows PC.

Gotham City Impostors is an original download-only first-person shooter, where up to 12 players battle for control of an unhinged Gotham City overrun by Impostors inspired by the DC Comics characters Batman and The Joker. Gotham City Impostors is an online multiplayer game unlike any other, giving players the opportunity to engage in unconventional urbane warfare as they personalize their own Impostors.

Gamers will create their very own version of the Bats or the Jokerz characters using unprecedented customization options including insane costumes, homemade gadgets and a wide range of traditional and inventive weapons.  The game will feature maps and modes inspired by DC Comics’ Batman license. An open beta for the game is expected to go live in December.  Fans can go to www.GothamCityImpostors.com to register for their chance to take part in the beta.

PC Gamers in the UK, rejoice as the release date for Batman: Arkham City has been set as November 25th 2011! Published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and developed by Rocksteady Studios, Batman: Arkham City builds upon the intense, atmospheric foundation of Batman: Arkham Asylum, sending players soaring into Arkham City – five times larger than the game world in Batman: Arkham Asylum – and the new maximum security “home” for all of Gotham City’s thugs, gangsters and insane criminal masterminds

Set inside the heavily fortified walls of a sprawling district in the heart of Gotham City, this highly anticipated sequel introduces a brand-new story that draws together a new, all-star cast of classic characters and murderous villains from the Batman universe, as well as a vast range of new and enhanced gameplay features to deliver the ultimate experience as the Dark Knight. Click here to get it from Amazon UK.