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While the long-awaited remake of Final Fantasy VII is still on the horizon, fans of the franchise have something to look forward to in the near future. Universal Studios Japan has revealed that it is temporarily bringing a Final Fantasy ride to its theme park in early 2018. The first look at the attraction appears to be heavily inspired by the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children film, as Cloud Strife and his deadly rival, Sephiroth, engage in an aerial duel. But the female fan in this video doesn’t seem to be suitably freaked out by her face-to-face encounter with the iconic villain who inspired the “One-Winged Angel” theme.



Via Kotaku, the Final Fantasy XR Ride is essentially a redress of the VR-enabled roller coaster called Space Fantasy: The Ride. Final Fantasy XR Ride will make its debut on January 19, 2018 as part of Universal Studios Japan’s annual Cool Japan event. However, it will only be in the park until June 24, 2018, which is just a short six-month window for fans to experience the ride. The video offers a brief teaser of what gamers can expect, from the expanded world of Gaia to the beloved Chocobo birds. It’s not clear if the ride will only draw from Final Fantasy VII or if the other games and characters from the franchise will be used as well.

While this attraction will only be temporary, Universal Studios Japan is currently building a Nintendo-themed expansion that includes experiences based upon Super Mario and other iconic video game characters. Perhaps that may eventually lead to more games like Final Fantasy becoming fixtures of future theme park expansions in Japan. That’s certainly something we’d like to see in the U.S. as well!

What do you think about the first look at the Final Fantasy ride? Let us know in the comment section below!

Images: Universal Studios Japan/Square Enix

Writer: Hope Larson / Artist: Sami Barsi / DC Comics

Holiday specials are here as Batgirl #18 cameos Harley Quinn and sends Babs, Frankie, and Alysia on a Christmas adventure. Titled “White Elephant,” girls night out takes place at a bar that double booked their Gordon Clean Energy party with another one led by the opposite type of crowd – a company led by a bigoted, rich, entitled douche type. He’s our villain of the episode, even more so than Harley Quinn despite crashing the event to spread poison gas to everyone there. I’m hardly the holiday special type, but this one’s appropriately light, quick, and fun, and the chemistry between Babs and her friends help carry the issue.

The artwork is warm and has some beautifully drawn panels, and Sami Barsi is already my favorite artist on this series despite one panel where our 1% villain wears the least suit coat-looking suit coats of all time. Bradley Burr draped a shawl over his shoulder and called it good. We leaving bathrobe chic in 2017, fam. She’s laughing at you, not with you.

Babs, Frankie, and Alysia take turns solving a riddle that Harley left them to solve, and the three of them take their shots to answer the reason for the season. There’s a levity in the issue, so much that it feels that the life-or-death stakes aren’t real, that maybe none of them are even poisoned at all and Harley just wants to have some fun running them around town. Still, there are some boss panels throughout that weave heroic moments in between the comedy, which, in a holiday special, help keep our inner action fan satisfied.

In the end Harley leaves about as easily as she arrived, and Batgirl #18 wraps up as a holiday palate cleanser between arcs that flexes the muscle of Sami Barsi and color artist Jessica Kholinne. Batgirl, Alysia, Frankie, and Harley are all drawn well, from cocktail parties to rooftop selfies, and their close-knit friendship makes the issue worth the quick read.

7 out of 10

Reading Batgirl? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.

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The post Batgirl #18 Review appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

Solange Knowles opened up to fans on Instagram about an illness she's been suffering from for months. On Instagram the 31-year-old singer revealed that she would not be performing at AfroPunk Joburg 2017 this week, because she dealing with an autonomic disorder. "The past five months I have been quietly treating, and working through an autonomic disorder," Knowles said on Wednesday. "It been a journey that hasn’t been easy on me... Sometimes I feel cool, and other times not so cool at all. It’s a complicated diagnoses, and I’m still learning so much myself, but right now, my doctors are not clearing me for such an extended lengthy flight, and doing a rigorous show right after." But she did reassure fans that she'll return to perform for them at a later date. Adding, "I can’t put into words how saddened and sorry I am that I am unable to perform for you guys this NYE, there is simply no other place I wanted to be than there with my family to bring in 2018 with you... but I give you my ABSOLUTE WORD I will come back with AfroPunk and deliver this performance... as it is so extremely important to me to connect with the people who have so closely inspired me in so many ways." NYU Langone describes autonomic disorders as: The autonomic nervous system regulates the function of the body’s internal organs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and body temperature. People with an autonomic disorder have trouble regulating one or more of these systems, which can result in fainting, lightheadedness, fluctuating blood pressure, and other symptoms.  Knowles released her third studio album, A Seat At the Table in Sept 2016. Throughtout 2017 she performed songs from the project in curated art spaces, festivals and intimate concert halls. The talent has a 13-year-old son and husband, Alan Ferguson. 

Are you looking for the perfect printable card to top off that perfect gift? I have a fabulous FREE PRINTABLE card for you. Just in time for holiday gift wrapping, I have collaborated with Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to give YOU a gift! Please print out these adorable folk art-inspired printable cards and use them for all your holiday occasions (and beyond). And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar!

About this collaboration:

In 2010, talented graphic designer Cathe Holden and I teamed up to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well as this sweet card, that you can download, print, and make yourself for a special handmade touch.

Download the Printable Card Templates:

Download the files below to print out your own cards. Each printable will make two cards (just cut the printed sheet in half, then fold the cards to make them complete). They will fit in an A2 envelope.

To download, just click on the image to be taken to the file on Google Drive, where you can download it.

Red and Blue Printable Card Template

Blue Printable Card Template

Green & Blue Printable Card Template

Card-Making Tips:

You really can just print this, cut it, fold it and go, but if you are looking to make your printed cards look nicer, I recommend a few products to get a top-of-the-line look. I used these products to make the cards you see in the photos in this post, and they are some of my favorite products that I can’t do without (disclosure: these are Amazon affiliate links):

1. HP Inkjet Brochure Paper

If you are using an inkjet printer, I hands-down recommend this HP brochure paper for gorgeous printing. It is smooth, heavy paper that can be printed on both sides, and it makes the ink shine. It’s great for paper projects like this one, or for printing anything that you want to make look extra pretty.

I should also disclose that I work with HP, and have received this product for free, but they did not ask me to promote it here. I just really love it and I highly recommend it.

2. Trimming and Scoring Board

If you make cards or paper crafts often, you should treat yourself to a Trimming and Scoring Board – it is a paper trimmer with a built-in board that has grooves in it so you can gently add a crease wherever you want to fold the paper. It also comes with a bone folder (which you use to make the score in the paper) that you can also use to make a clean, crisp fold.  The paper trimmer is so handy for creating perfectly measured and cut lines — no more wiggly scissor lines!

Thank you for joining me at Dollar Store Crafts! I truly value everyone who is part of my community, and I would love to hear your feedback about this project or the site.

The post Free Printable Card: Folk Art Gift Notecards appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.