With Comic-Con going down this weekend in San Diego, CA, we thought we’d spice it up a bit and devote a post to some of the sexiest comic chicks around. While we know this is debatable and will vary from person to person who have different opinions about who’s the hottest, who should (or shouldn’t) make the list, etc., but there’s just so many to choose from that pleasing everybody would be impossible.

Some on the list aren’t just based not only on how hot they are on paper, but how some of these femme fatales translated to the big screen (or should), while others are just straight as hot as they come. Again, this list isn’t set in stone or anything, so don’t get your panties in a bunch if you don’t see your favorite comic book hottie!

1. Emma Frost: This X-Men character recently showed up on the big screen, with the beautiful January Jones totally giving us a great portrayal of the temptress in X-Men: First Class. The story on this bombshell goes that she first showed up in the X-Men comic world in January 1980 for X-Men #129 (Marvel). She’s also known as The White Queen and becomes one of the X-Men’s deadliest foes, as seen in the movie.

2. Red Sonja: Who doesn’t like a fiery redhead? Red Sonja made her first comic world debut in Conan the Barbarian #23 (Dynamite Entertainment) and is a great sword-master with experience on how to fight the supernatural…as well as a great bod! There’s been a couple of Red Sonjas in film and TV, but rumor has it that a new film is coming out with Rose McGowan playing the sultry Sonja.

3. Trish: First appearing in Devil May Cry #1 (Capcom) this badass chick is a demon and a force to be reckoned with. Many might know her from the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 game. She’s definitely the best chick player in the game, as well as the hottest in our book!

4. Catwoman: A list of hot comic chicks wouldn’t be complete if it didn’t have Catwoman in it! With a first appearance in Batman #1 (DC Comics), we’ve seen a lot of Hollywood’s finest play her, such as Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry. Her body-hugging, black leather suit shows all the right stuff, which is why many can’t wait for Halloween, when lots of beautiful women decide to dress up as this comic book vixen.

5. Black Mamba: As a former call girl, this, the Black Mamba first showed her hotness in Marvel Two-in-One #64 (Marvel). She’s said to have formed the B.A.D. Girls Inc. mercenary group so you know she’s not one to mess with even though her smoking hot character looks like every comic book hero would want to tap!

6. Encantadora: With a name that sizzles off your tongue, this Encantadora first appeared in Action Comic #760 (DC Comics) and is best known as being a very bad girl in the Superman series. This villainess has magic to back her up and is allegedly known around the villain community for selling fake kryptonite to various villains around the world. She appears in 13 different issues and is known to have a very sensual personality, even stealing a few kisses from Superman himself. Selma Hyek would be a great fit if this babe ever made it to the big screen!

7. Mystique: Made quite popular by the various X-Men movies and the fact that Rebecca Romijn played her helped push the character to make the list. Despite her blue appearance, there’s no denying she has an amazing body. This bad girl first showed her stuff in Ms. Marvel #16 (Marvel), and we’re hoping to see more of her in other X-Men movies!

8. Lara Croft: Yup, this daring, adventure-seeking chick first made her appearance as a comic in Witchblade-Tomb Raider #1 (Top Crow) and will probably forever be known for having Angelina Jolie be her in the Tomb Raider films. We like her because not only is she hot, but it looks like she’d be down for just about anything, always providing a bit of adventure to things!

Pictures and Info from Comic Vine

4.5 out of 5 stars

Some people just get fighting games, while others struggle to ever win. That’s why they have always been popular in arcades. Walk in and play a friend, maybe a stranger or two, have a good time and leave. But on a console, that experience is much more difficult to replicate. Standard fighting games like Street Fighter IV or something like Tekken or Dead or Alive can be fun to play alone, for the sake of finally winning. Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is not one of those games.

Penny Arcade summed up my first thoughts of MvC3 after a few hours of play perfectly.

MvC3 is, well, huge. Featuring 36 characters (18 from Marvel and 18 from Capcom), players are given a 3-on-3 battle with intense combination attacks, character swapping, personalized power attacks and both singular and team ultra-attacks. New character models are in 3D instead of 2D like MvC2, and characters come from a plethora of Marvel comics and Capcom games. It’s not just the regulars like Ryu and Hulk, but oddities and fan favorites like MODOK, Chris Redfield, Dormammu and Arthur.

However, as illustrated by Penny Arcade, excellence isn’t required to play well. Sometimes it’s just a matter of getting lucky. With MvC3, that luck isn’t one in a thousand; it’s one in twenty, using standard controls. Use the new simplified controls, made specifically for use on gamepads, and two buttons will act in place of eight while connecting amazing combinations, mutli-character special moves and unique abilities which normally require intimate knowledge of the game.

That said, the real fun isn’t in just playing with simplified controls and letting the game do the dirty work. Playing this way is only amusing for so long. Putting several hours into learning the main moves and combinations each character has and then utilizing them with normal controls, hopefully using a fightpad (like the recently reviewed Versus Fightpad) or fightstick and not a standard gamepad, makes the game more enjoyable over time.

Character strengths and weaknesses are very easy to discover in MvC3. This is done in two main ways: character size and speed. The bigger and slower they are, the more damage their attacks do, as a rule of thumb. There are some exceptions, like MODOK – a giant floating head – but looking at characters like Viewtiful Joe and Phoenix, compared to Haggar and Sentinel, and that rule is clear as day. That means combinations with these larger, stronger characters are harder to do, but that’s alright. A five hit combo with Hulk can result in the same damage as a 15-hit combo with Amaterasu.

Some of the new characters are questionable, however. Chris Redfield for instance is the worst cheezehead anyone can use. His gun attacks are devastating, from any range. Either a shotgun close-range, SMG at mid-range or a Magnum at long range, he is just unacceptable. Sure, he’s fairly weak without these weapons on-hand, but a patient player can cheaply wipe out an entire team of three just using Chris. MODOK must be good at something, but I can’t figure out what. Nathan Spencer may be a Capcom character, but he’s not nearly likeable enough, or known enough, for anyone to want to play as him. Amaterasu is so short that anyone fighting this wolf will feel like an idiot because any attack that isn’t low just flies right over its head.

Chris is seriously just a cheap character. If you don’t think so, have fun dodging bullets.

Others are great. Dormammu is an interesting choice, one that I applaud because at first he seems useless but with practice he is an incredibly powerful character, with proper control. X-23 is Wolverine but weaker with better combinations, and is a great assisting character to have. Deadpool is…well, just hilarious, and his constant breaking of the 4^th wall is funny every time. From his moonwalk retreat to demanding more games from Marvel after winning a match, he’s just fun to have. Dante is a fan-favorite and a fine addition, bringing along a great selection of moves and weapons without being overpowering.

In fact, when it comes to available characters my concern became that too many came from the same series’. Ryu, Chun Li, Crimson Viper (really?) and Akuma from Street Fighter is too many. Chris Redfield and Wesker feels like too much (Nemesis would have been better in my opinion instead of Chris) Resident Evil. Even Trish and Dante felt like too much of Devil May Cry. I didn’t have the same problem with Marvel, though Marvel is such a tight-knit selection of characters that they all end up in each other’s comic books and games anyways. They’re all connected in some way. I’d rather see less fan-favorite characters, or even less well known characters, so long as they are different and fun in some way.

Once players get a feel for gameplay (which can take anywhere from 3-20 hours), it really can get exciting. MvC3 is not a game you rent for a weekend, it’s an investment that matures over time. And Capcom has done a few very intelligent things, like a training mode that can simulate internet lag, and a ton of unlockables like info on each character and their “universe”, character models and whatnot. The plot is throwaway, without a doubt, and even then it’s still fun beating the game with each character to see their story all while improving your skill. So while the first few hours of gameplay will consist of confused victory and miffed, controller-throwing hostility, take your time and let it all soak in. Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds just needs to grow on you for a little while. Let it.

You know how you can sometimes just take one quick look at something and go “DAMN SON!” Yeah, when I saw these pictures of the new gamepads from PDP for Marvel vs Capcom 3, that’s exactly what I thought. They put the original Street Fighter 4 Fightpads to shame. I mean, holy hell, look at this thing!

To take a look at the box (art), hit the jump.Here’s a quick look at the box it’ll come in.

Open

And closed

They are available right now for pre-order, for $39.99, from PDP direct.

Update

Official word from Mad Catz is that these are not licensed by Capcom, and that technically no permissions are required for PDP to make the gamepads. What that means is two things: one, they may not be around very long (so if you want one you may want to pre-order it right away), and that Mad Catz may reveal their own licensed gamepads for MvC3 very shortly.

A new Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 trailer hit the web today, showing off two new characters — Dante and Deadpool. Both badass additions from their respective Capcom and Marvel universes. They join other series classics like Ryu and Wolverine, along with new characters like Resident Evil’s Chris Redfield. This game is shaping up to be awesome when it arrives next Spring.

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Gaming in itself should start moving iPads off the shelves.  Capcom is bringing a new iPad specific version of Resident Evil 4 to the App Store sometime soon.  Brandishing a higher resolution and some other new gameplay and mode features, if this is the present of iPad gaming, I’m pretty excited for the future.  I expect the game to cost $15 but I can’t make mention to exact availability.

• High-resolution graphics optimized for the iPad’s larger display.
• “Visual Pad” control system makes gameplay a fluid and intuitive experience. Players can engage in running gun fights against crowds of enemies, climb ladders, equip binoculars and jump out windows.
• 3rd person perspective camera for a panoramic view of the action.
• Shake the iPad to reload.
• Play through “Story Mode” to unlock ”Mercenary Mode”, a separate game mode with pre-set goals, weapons and conditions.
• “Coin Shoot” shooting gallery mode where the where the goal is to destroy as many blue coins as possible within the time limit.
• A total of five difficulty levels: “Beginner”, ”Normal”, ”Professional”, ”Hell” and “Extreme”

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Ready to get your battle cry on?  Street Fighter IV for the iPhone and iPod Touch is now available in the iTunes store for $9.99.  The majority of the ratings are 5 star, with only a handful of 3 or less.

Sorry, still no word on when and if Tekken 6 will get ported over to the handset.

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Street Fighter IV for the iPhone and iPod Touch will hit the app store next month for $9.99.  The price and launch date is no surprise, but what about the game play?  The question on everyone’s mind is ‘will it be stupid impossible to control your character’?   Based on the below video it doesn’t look too shabby.  Thoughts?

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I have a hard enough time playing first person shooters on the iPhone, so I’m a bit shocked to see a fighting game get ported to the handheld.  There no word on a release date or price, but Capcom will port Street Fighter IV to the iTunes app store presumably sometime this year – I guess they wanna cash in on the series as much as possible.

A set of on screen controls, joystick included, will control your character of choice and will includes a few different layouts to accommodate your fighting style.  There will no doubt be a multiplayer mode as wel as a confirmed Dojo mode where you can practice your skills before laying the smack down.

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Expanding off of previous designs for the Xbox 360 and PS3, Mad Catz is set to deliver its first arcade stick for the Wii.  While the Wii is not necessarily known for its fighting games, Mad Catz is hoping that the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars skin and game tie-in will help.

The beefy as all hell fighting stick touts a new feature not available in previous models by means of an adjustable joystick that lets you assign it to either analog stick or the d-pad, giving your that more authentic arcade feel.  Let your combos fly for $80 before you get started with the physical upgrades such as new buttons for $3 a piece.

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Oh wow.

Folks, this is a terribly exciting piece of gaming news.  Terribly exciting.  When we look at the gaming landscape and start thinking about “long running franchises”, maybe we think of icons like Sonic and Mario.  Or maybe we think about more recent fare like the three generation spanning Resident Evil series.

Or maybe we think about the Blue Bomber himself, Mega Man, who will be back in Mega Man 10.

Yes, you read that correctly, Mega Man 10.

It’s going to be made available on the Wii first, and later segue onto Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade, but this is going to be a straight Mega Man fight like the kind you used to play way back when.  It’s you taking on eight Robot Masters, and when you beat them, you gain their special weapon for use against the rest of them.

You might think they’d be getting a little desperate by now for robot themes to throw at Mega Man, and you’d be right.  For instance, this time Mega Man will tackle Sheep Man,  a robot that looks like a sheep and uses a special attack called Thunder Wool, involving four smaller floating sheep that discharge lightning.

And somewhere, the banjo player from Deliverance is smiling.

The game is slated for release in the first quarter of 2010.

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Amazon has Street Fighter IV for the Xbox 360 for $29.99 – $10 instant savings + $4.99 S&H = $24.98 shipped! Street Fighter IV brings the legendary fighting series back to its roots by taking the beloved fighting moves and techniques of the original Street Fighter II, and infusing them with Capcom’s latest advancements in next generation technology. The result is a truly extraordinary experience destined to reintroduce players, both familiar with the Street Fighter series and those coming to the game for the first time, to the time-honored art of virtual martial arts.

After that cool video surfaced showing the Japanese version of Resident Evil 4, the American version is now available for $8 dollars in the App Store.  Not many reviews in the App Store as of now, but so far people are saying that the control scheme is better than Degeneration but the game really only lasts around 3-4 hours.  The color palette looks a bit muted to me but I’m sure the game is a blast given the franchise and the portability factor.  I think I would need some more replay value though before I dropped $8 dollars.

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Die hard Resident Evil fans will be glad to hear that the Resident Evil 5 demo will hit the Xbox 360 on January 26th. PS3 owners will have to wait another week for the demo.

Xbox 360 gamers worldwide won’t have to wait until March 13, 2009 to get their hands on the highly-anticipated “Resident Evil 5.” The next installment of the landmark survival horror franchise from Capcom will take action to a new level with a two-level, playable demo available exclusively on Xbox 360 for one week beginning Monday, January 26. In the demo, players will have a first glimpse of the fear they will never forget, as “Resident Evil 5” makes daylight just as terrifying as darkness. Additionally, a new exclusive high-definition trailer of the game, shown only at the past Tokyo Game Show in October of 2008, will be made available for download on the Xbox LIVE service on Friday, Jan. 16.

The full game will hit store shelves on March 13th, 2008.

[Capcom-Unity]

Description:

The world-renowned fighter punches and kicks onto the PSP system! Fight fiercely as your favorite classic characters like Ken, Ryu and Chun Li, plus get your hands on four new, cool brawlers with all-new moves. Show off your superior skill by battling your friends through wireless play.

Buy it: Capcom Street Fighter Alpha 3 MAX for PSP – $13

Description:

In Resident Evil 4 you’ll know a new type of horror, as the classic survival-horror action returns with all-new characters, controls and storylines. We last saw Leon S. Kennedy in Resident Evil 2 – a rookie cop in Raccoon City, fighting to stay alive. That was six years ago. Since then, government forces have managed to control the zombie threat and Leon has become a Federal agent. When the President’s daughter is kidnapped, Leon tracks her to a remote, hidden fortress in Europe – where he’ll relive the horror he faced six years before. Players will face never-before-seen enemies that make Nemesis seem like a kitten. You’ll be wishing for the usual Resident Evil zombies!

Buy it: Resident Evil 4 For Nintendo Wii – $20