Last time we talked about Activision’s updated version of the classic game Wolfenstein, we had the brand new E3 trailer for the game to bring you. As cool as the trailer was, of course it made us want more. Fortunately, as sometimes happens, you get just what you wish for — in the form of a brand new video graphic novel prequel for the game.

This video, which has never been seen before, is part one of a four part graphic novel series which tells the backstory of the new  Wolfenstein game. This “moving” graphic novel sets up the game and gives some insight into the characters and situations you may encounter. Its a very cool, clever and entertaining way to promote a video game and after seeing it, I can’t wait for the next three parts.

Wolfenstein 3D is available now on XBox Live and PSN. The new, improved Wolfenstein game is coming later this year for all next gen consoles. Meantime, check out this very cool video after the jump. And, because the video is for an “M’ rated game and contains some blood and gore, by clicking through you certify you are 18 years of age or older.

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Last time on on The Flickcast, your favorite trio of talented talkers discussed a whole slew of topics including the proposed remake of An American Werewolf in London, the Watchmen Director’s Cut, Comic-Con in San Diego, changes to the number of Best Picture Oscar nominees and the death of Michael Jackson.

This week, Chris, Matt and Christina are back with a brand new episode and ready for action. Among the subjects covered this time around are the T.J. Hooker movie, the “Red Band” trailer for Jennifer’s Body featuring Megan Fox, rumors of a new, live-action Star Wars TV series, Katie Holmes’ appearance on So You Think You Can Dance? and much more!

The team also makes more picks this week including Christina’s pick of the Curtis Hanson film Wonder Boys, Matt’s pick of the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood and Chris’ pick of the 1987 vampire biker movie Near Dark, starring Heroes alumni Adrian Pasdar and directed by The Hurt Locker‘s Katherine Bigelow.

As always, if you have comments, questions, critiques or offers of sponsorship, feel free to hit us up in the comments, on Twitter and at Facebook, MySpace or via email. Thanks for listening.

People said it would never happen and it hadn’t for several years. In fact, before today, we would have bet money that this change would never come. Google seemed perfectly content to keep its Gmail and Google Apps services with the “Beta” tag forever. That is, until today.

According to Google’s “official’ blog, they have removed the “Beta” status from Gmail and Google Apps (which consists of Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk) as of today. Both consumer and enterprise Google Apps categories are now out of beta in fact, and its pretty likely the enterprise version of Google Apps was the driving force behind the change. With 1.75 million companies currently utilizing Google Apps (including The Flickcast), the “Beta” moniker seemed a bit ridiculous, not to mention odd, at this point. Plus, if I’m a business guy trying to sell my boss on a “Beta” service, even a really useful and cool one like Google Apps, I’m probably not going to get very far.

Google obviously agreed. . . finally. Unfortunately, even with this momentous news, Google didn’t actually change or enhance the services at all to make the move out of beta. They probably feel that removing the beta tag is enough for one day and will no doubt add features down the road. They certainly were not shy about improving GMail and Google Apps while they were in beta, so there’s no reason to think they won’t continue the trend now that the “Beta” is no more.

Technically, the “official” one year birthday of Apple’s App Store isn’t until Sunday, but that hasn’t stopped the company from rolling out a new page to celebrate. A new dedicated page with the banner seen above appeared in iTunes today, proudly announcing to the world that the App Store’s first birthday has arrived.

Now that this event has arrived (or will in a few days), how is Apple celebrating? By trying to get you to buy more apps, of course. Besides the colorful banner, the birthday page is replete with Apple’s “favorite apps and games” picks, all sitting right next to links to buy those particular items so you can’t help but see just how to do it. But you can’t really blame them for trying, can you?

Even with Apple’s rather blatant attempts to boost sales, there’s no denying the impact the App Store has had on the world of technology. With its over 56,000 applications, over a billion downloads and with everyone else seemingly trying to find a way to imitate its success, the effects and repercussions of the App Store have had, and will continue to have, far reaching effects on the industry for years to come.

Its a momentous event worth a bit of celebration so you can’t expect Apple not to engage in a bit of self-congratulations and promotion. Now go forth and celebrate by buying a few apps and help out Apple’s bottom line.

As we’ve said many time before, we love us some Marvel comics here at The Flickcast. Personally, I’ve been a huge fan of Nick Fury for a long time and am really enjoying the current book featuring the cigar chomping, eye patch wearing super agent known as Secret Warriors. Now, Marvel is poised to let Fury and his team loose again to battle the evil and sinister forces of H.A.M.M.E.R in the upcoming Secret Warriors #6.

Here’s all the info (including preview art, of course) from Marvel’s own electronic lips:

Nick Fury and his Secret Warriors have launched their offensive against Norman Osborn’s H.A.M.M.E.R., but the foot on Fury’s throat might be a sign that things won’t end well! Marvel’s most acclaimed new series of the year continues in Secret Warriors #6, as red-hot scribes Brian Michael Bendis (Dark Avengers) & Jonathan Hickman (upcoming Fantastic Four), team with Young Gun artist Stefano Caselli for the next shocking chapter in Nick Fury’s war against the Dark Reign!

What role does HYDRA play in this battle? What are Stonewall’s powers? And just what does Fury have up his sleeve? Strap in for answers—and a shocking conclusion that rocks Marvel’s world of subterfuge to its core! Plus, don’t miss an exciting variant cover by Tomm Coker, celebrating the sexy 70s!

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Here’s a list of some of the new DVD and Blu-ray releases this week. Plus, some old favorites coming out this week on Blu-Ray.

New Movies:

• Knowing ~ Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne (DVD and Blu-ray)

• Push ~ Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning (DVD and Blu-ray)

• The Unborn ~ Odette Yustman (DVD and Blu-Ray)

• Night Train ~ Danny Glover, Leelee Sobieski, Steve Zahn (DVD and Blu-ray)

• Five Fingers ~ Laurence Fishburne, Colm Meaney, Antonie Kamerling, Saïd Taghmaoui (DVD and Blu-ray)

• A Day in the Life ~ Omar Epps, Faizon Love, Michael Rapaport, Tyrin Turner (DVD)

• Flying By ~ Billy Ray Cyrus, Heather Locklear, Olesya Rulin, Patricia Neal (DVD)

• Applause for Miss E ~ Vanessa Bell Calloway, Roger Guenveur Smith, Gina Torres (DVD)

• Power Rangers RPM, Vol. 1: Start Your Engines ~ Eka Darville, Ari Boyland, Rose McIver, Milo Cawthorne (DVD)

• Flight 666 ~ Iron Maiden (Blu-ray)

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Its expensive to see movies here in New York City, or pretty much anywhere these days. I did an about face a couple weeks ago when the price of admission to see Up in 3D was sixteen dollars.  I’m sorry, but I just don’t understand the reason behind 3D, and I don’t see why I need to be charged another 4 dollars to see a movie in 3D.

I come from a small town in upstate New York where going to the movies has been, for years, six dollars.  Since living in Manhattan, I’ve had to initiate something called “The 12 Dollar Rule,” as in is the movie actually worth 12 dollars? Sure, for movies like Star Trek, The Dark Knight and others, its worth that kind of money.  However, there is a solution! During the summer there are all kinds of outdoor screenings of classic movies for free around New York City.  Below is a brief overview of some of those screenings, courtesy of the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting.

2009 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival
Date: Every Monday until August 17
Time: Lawn opens at 5pm. Films begin at dusk (8pm-9pm)
Movies Shown: The Sting, Breaking Away, Gold Diggers of 1933, Dog Day Afternoon, How Green Was My Valley, Harold and Maude, The Defiant Ones, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Magnificent Seven, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Location: Bryant Park is situated behind the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Every Monday night from June 15 until August 17, the 2009 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival presents classic films like The Magnificent Seven and Kramer vs. Kramer. The lawn opens at 5pm for blankets and picnicking; films begin at dusk. For a complete schedule, click here.

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I was a huge fan of the original 1960s version of this innovative and hugely entertaining series, which was created, written by and starred the fantastic Patrick McGoohan. So naturally, when AMC announced their new version, I was a bit skeptical because how could an updated version of the show ever live up to the cult classic original? Until now, there hasn’t been much info to go on to see if my suspicions are correct. But fortunately, AMC is poised to unleash a whole lot of stuff about their version of The Prisoner later this month at Comic-Con.

AMC will host a panel at Comic-Con featuring the stars and producers of its upcoming mini-series. Joining the panel will be Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ, Thin Red Line, Pay It Forward), Jamie Campbell-Bower (Sweeney Todd, The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and Lennie James (Jericho). The panel, which is scheduled for Friday, July 24 at 11:30am, also features the shows’ writer Bill Gallagher (Conviction, Clocking Off) and AMC’s Vlad Wolynetz.

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I thought this week we could scoot across the pond and visit one of my favorite television series discoveries.  A few years back, I was watching BBC America, and I stumbled on a show called MI-5.  If you’re in the UK or are a hard-core Anglophile, you probably know the show as Spooks. But here in the US, a title like that could bring the ACLU kicking and screaming to the gates of Warner Bros., so they ended up going a different way here in the States.

MI-5 is about the clandestine British security service of the same name. It stars the delicious Matthew MacFadyen (Pride and Prejudice) as Tom Quinn, the stoic and complicated officer who leads a band of talented young spies in their daily struggles against terrorism, organized crime, anarchists, and their sister organization, MI-6.  The subtly sexy Keeley Hawes is Zoe Reynolds, the female officer that gets the appropriately suggestive undercover assignments, and David Oyelowo is the adorable Danny Hunter, who’s just trying to keep his head above water and do his job.

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In case you hadn’t noticed, the Sci-Fi Channel is now officially known as SyFy. Why, you may wonder? According to them its because they wanted to feature programming of a broader nature and they couldn’t really trademark the name “Sci-Fi’ because its a genre. So, they decided on a new name and that name is SyFy. In keeping with the networks broader programming concept, they are debuting a brand new series tonight called Warehouse 13.

In case you’re not familiar with the show, it concerns two secret service agents who, after saving the life of the President, are assigned to a warehouse in South Dakota used to keep artifacts and other items of a paranormal and mystical nature. Once there, they meet the caretaker of the place who sends them on missions to collect artifacts from around the world and bring them to the warehouse for safe keeping.

Thanks to the folks at the new SyFy, we’ve got a trailer and a preview of the show to bring you after the jump. Warehouse 13 airs on Syfy tonight at 9/8C.

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Our friends over at ComicMix posted this bit of info and with all the work getting the show together, we’re only now able to get to it. In an unprecedented move, Fox Home Video is releasing a special advanced limited edition DVD or Blu-Ray of the first season of Dollhouse. The odd part, and the main reason we’re bringing this info to you, is that the DVD is a Comic-Con exclusive.

They are only making 5000 of these limited editions (2500 of each format) with each featuring a personal letter to fans from Whedon, exclusive Comic-Con packaging, and a first look at the mysterious unaired episode “Epitaph One”. The DVD is available for pre-order at the Fox website right now through July 20 — or until they sell out. Although, a recent check of the site shows there’s over 2000 copies of each version still available, so I think you’ll be okay.

A limited quantity will also be available for purchase during Comic-Con at the Fox Booth (#1429). In person pick-up for pre-ordered copies will begin at the Fox Booth on Wednesday, July 22 during Comic-Con “Preview Night.” Photo ID is required or purchasers must designate at checkout someone who will pick-up the DVD on their behalf.

The Dollhouse Season One Comic-Con Blu-ray Disc will run you $69.99 and the DVD costs $49.98. Regular versions of Dollhouse Season One on Blu-ray and DVD will be available everywhere July 28.

Confused? Well don’t worry because after the jump, Joss Whedon himself will explain it all to you.

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Besides Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and some of the other companies we talk about a lot here, we’re also fans of the comics coming out of Top Cow. Some of their books, including the Witchblade series and The Darkness, are among our favorites. Now, the company has announced that one of our favorite writers, Robert Kirkman, and one of the best artists around, Mark Silvewstri, are teeming up to create a new project for The Pilot Season Initiative.

Here’s all the details from the official Top Cow press release. Be sure to check out the larger Silvestri concept art after the jump.

Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced on July 2nd on Attack of The Show that the renowned writer Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead) and Marc Silvestri (Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia, The Darkness) are teaming up to co-create five original concepts for the Pilot Season initiative in 2009. On Attack of the Show, “Fresh Ink” host Blair Butler broke the news that Robert Kirkman will write the brand new pilot issues, while Marc Silvestri will create the designs for the series and contribute the covers for each issue. Interior art teams and details of the concepts will be announced at a later date.

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