Author: Eric Diaz

Twin Peaks Returns? Maybe, Maybe Not

Usually in this column, I take the week’s worth of rumors and news and leaked from various sources and compile it into one easily digestible, snarky buffet. But this time I’ve got info that came directly to me, and from a source that I trust. Yeah, it could still end up being bullshit, so put this squarely in the RUMOR column for now, if only to protect my ass. I’ve been sitting on this info for awhile, but finally have permission to run it. I do hope to high Heaven it ends up being true though. If you’re not a fan of Twin Peaks and/or David Lynch, you might wanna skip this story, scroll down and stop when you see something with some Pixar characters.

Still here? Awesome. Now, If you’ve been reading my columns here at Geekscape, you probably know that my favorite television series of all time is David Lynch and Mark Frost’s seminal television series Twin Peaks, which ran for two seasons way back in 1990-91. If you know nothing of this series, you can read me wax rhapsodic about it here and here. The series ended with a pretty startling cliffhanger, in which our hero and main character, FBI Agent Dale Cooper is trapped in the otherworldy realm known as The Black Lodge. It was hinted at in the show various times that his soul would remain trapped there for 25 years. This little nugget of info has made fans ponder some sort of continuation for years.

David Lynch followed up the television series with a prequel film  Fire Walk With Me, that did not resolve any of the cliffhangers of the series. It was his original intent to make two films; one set before and one set after the events of the series. But the original film tanked at the box office, leading to no resolution of any kind. In the following two decades, Twin Peaks‘ reputation and cult following has only continued to grow. When asked about a Peaks follow up, Lynch always seemed negative…but would always close with a “never say never”, giving hard core fans like me hope. And now more than twenty years on, it seems that hope might be justified, as it seems Lynch and Frost may indeed looking to return to the world of  Twin Peaks.

So Here’s What I Heard

This is my understanding of what went down: While Mark Frost and David Lynch completely own Twin Peaks and all of its characters, the original network which ran the series, ABC, has rights of first refusal when it comes to airing anything new in regards to the show. In other words, for the show to air elsewhere, they would need to say no first. Apparently, Lynch and co-creator Frost proposed some kind of television movie or mini-series (I’m not clear on which) to ABC, thinking they wouldn’t be interested. ABC did cancel the series back in the day after all, and also never aired Lynch’s Mulholland Drive pilot, which later was completed and released as a feature film. However, due to 90’s nostalgia kicking in and the love of recognized name brands, ABC showed some interest. Then Lynch/Frost threw some astronomical figure at ABC for the budget, which they knew they would say no to. And ABC did indeed say no.

While this may seem like bad news on the offset for a Twin Peaks revival, the truth is it leaves Lynch and Frost with the option to go to a much more welcome place for this, namely cable. In many ways, Twin Peaks was the first quirky cable series, a good decade before those really existed. It would fit in naturally at some place like AMC, home of Mad Men (which regularly employs former Peaks directors like Tim Hunter and Lesli Linka Glatter) and The Killing, which many consider a TP knock off.  Obviously Showtime or HBO would be ideal as well.  Anything is better than ABC. So while a Peaks revival my now be dead at ABC, it might now have a better chance elsewhere.

As for plot details, all I heard was this: Something about a parallel reality, one colliding with the timeline already established in the series. One in which certain characters who were killed off on the show never died, including a certain famously murdered homecoming queen. Because really, what is Twin Peaks without Laura Palmer?

Pixar Finally Ready To Make The Incredibles 2? 

Also another rumor that came directly to me from that source was one we geeks have been hoping to hear for awhile: A sequel to Pixar’s The Incredibles is on the way, and is further along in pre-production than anyone at Pixar/Disney is willing to admit. Hopefully this is more along the lines of Toy Story 3 and less Cars 2. But if any Pixar brand was born to be sequelized, it is certainly The Incredibles. I know no more details than that, much less if director Brad Bird is returning, but this one is coming sooner rather than later. 

 

Our First Look At The New Superman

Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment have released the first pic of Henry Cavill as their new Superman from Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel film. Based one this one pic, I would say so far, so good. The cape looks flowy and dramatic (And RED! Now more maroon or whatever) The S-Shield is bigger and bolder. No clear sign of the red undies, but considering DC Comics just dropped them for their re-design for the new DCU reboot version of Superman, that’s hardly surprising.  

It is amazing when you compare it to the last “first release pic” from a Superman movie, how very clearly they are trying to convey a different message. In this new pic, Cavill is in a more aggressive stance, clearly having caused some super powered damage.  He has a pissed off look on his face. They are really trying to sell us a “bad ass” Superman, without giving him something stupid like an all black costume or worse, no costume at all. Believe me, that was actually once considered. 

Now look at the Brandon Routh image below…he’s posing in classic Superman style, arms at the hips, looking off into the sky. This is Superman, the classic 40’s American icon (minus the right color red in his scheme for some reason) everything about that pic screams retro. The newer pic is trying to sell a totally different, much grittier image of the Man of Steel. Time will tell if this a Superman that audiences respond to. 

In other Man of Steel news, the movie has cast their Perry White, and well…white he is not (I’m sorry, it was too easy. I had to.) Laurence Fishburne is our new grouchy editor of the Daily Planet. Personally, I can totally see him in this role, and the race bending doesn’t bother me much at all. Maybe because I can already hear him in my head barking orders to Lois and Clark and it sounds right to me.

Our First Look At Anne Hathaway as Catwoman 

Supes wasn’t the only official pic Warner Brothers unleashed on us this week; also released was our first official pic of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman/Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises. The skin tight black suit look a lot like the outfit that Catwoman currently wears in the comics, although the mask just looks like some high tech goggles. I was hoping for at least points on them, like the old school Batman television series Catwoman. Nothing in the mask screams “Catwoman” to me. However, it may not be the final version of her outfit, or even her only outfit. A girl can still have options. 

 

Warner Brothers Gives Updates On Green Lantern 2 and The Flash

In other DC Comics film news, in an interview with the LA Times geek blog Hero Complex, Warner Brothers president Jeff Robinov talked a bit about the possibility of Green Lantern 2 and The Flash. On the subject of GL 2, Robinov said “We had a decent opening, so we learned there is an audience….To go forward we need to make it a little edgier and darker with more emphasis on action…. And we have to find a way to balance the time the movie spends in space versus on Earth.”

*Sigh* Not being darker and edgier was NOT the issue with Green Lantern. Were Thor or Captain America’s movies “dark and edgy?” No, and I’d say they did well enough. What Green Lantern didn’t have (and the Marvel movies have in spades) is charm, and decent scripts. Try those Mr. Robinov. As for the Flash, Robinov only had this to say: the studio has “a solid script” for the Scarlet Speedster. Hopefully it’s a lot more “solid” than the script was for Green Lantern’s movie, that’s all I’m sayin’.

 

Dr. Strange Movie Coming Soon….And Maybe The Defenders Too?

The first real moves for Marvel Studios past The Avengers and sequels to Thor and Cap’s movies are being made right now, and it seems first on their plate isn’t Ant-Man like everyone assumed, but Dr. Strange. The last we heard about this movie was June of last year, when screen writers Joshua Oppenheimer and Thomas Donnelly were hired to write the script. Apparently Marvel liked what they got, as Twitchfilm.com ran this piece of news this week:

“Twitch has learned that Oppenheimer and Donnelly have now turned in their script and Marvel is pushing forward with the property. Marvel has drafted a short list of directors to approach on the title and is forwarding the current script to each to try and sign someone up to ‘oversee continued development.”

Dr. Strange is said to be Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige’s favorite character, and is therefore making this a priority for release as soon as 2013. With Dr. Strange coming soon, it leads me to this bit of speculation. Which I should point out, is JUST my speculation, and not actual news:

Could Dr. Strange be the opening chapter towards a Defenders movie? Just a few years ago I would have thought the notion insane, since the Defenders don’t have the longevity or fanbase of teams like the Avengers or the X-Men. But so far Marvel  Studios’ gamble with the Avengers seems to be paying off; Iron Man and  Iron Man 2 were blockbusters, and the “wild cards” of Thor and Captain America are pretty solid hits. There seems no way that The Avengers won’t be huge at this point. If that kind of building up of a team worked once, why not do it again?

The Defenders have had many members, but the founders and “main three” members are Dr. Strange, The Hulk and Namor the Sub-Mariner. The Hulk has already been introduced into the Marvel Movie-verse, if Dr. Strange in next, how much longer before Namor shows up?  Maybe not in his own movie (just like Aquaman, Namor would be ridiculously expensive to make as a feature, due to all the under water stuff) but maybe fighting Nazis in flashbacks with Steve Rogers in Captain America 2? And if he does get introduced, then why not team these guys up as The Defenders? 

 

Marvel announced at this past Comic Con that they are reviving The Defenders as an A List comic book, which indicates that they might be positioning that book to be a big team title like it was back in the day for a reason. Could this be corporate synergy at work? If this turns out to come true, remember you read it here first. 

Thor 2 Gets A Director 

In other Marvel Movie news, it appears that Thor 2 has nabbed a director. And although he is one you haven’t heard of, he might be one fans can get behind. It appears that television director Brian Kirk is the top choice to helm this, now that Kenneth Branagh has stepped down. The reason that fans should be excited is that Kirk has directed three episodes of HBO’s excellent fantasy series Game of Thrones, and if he can bring some of that mojo with him, I think we are in for a pretty good movie. Of course, he’d also come cheap, coming from television and all, but Marvel Studios proves you can be cheap and smart at the same time. Thor 2 is scheduled for July 26^th, 2013. 

 

Today, August 1st, marks the 30^th Birthday of MTV: Music Television. Most of you reading this have never lived in a world without MTV. And for some of you even younger than that, you probably don’t remember a world where MTV played music videos and not horrible, vapid reality television twenty four hours a day. But there was a time when MTV was more than just a cable channel, when MTV showed us all what was cool, when one basic cable channel dictated what pop culture itself was, even beyond just a superficial level. Yes kids, believe it or not, MTV was that powerful once. 

 

In The Beginning 

MTV officially launched August 1st 1981. In their first year on the air, MTV wasn’t exactly very daring in their music video choices. But then, to be honest, there weren’t that many music videos yet to even play. With a few exceptions, like The Buggles’ “Video Killed The Radio Star“, (the first video ever shown on the network) the majority of what MTV played was a sampling of Top 40 rock music, the kind that would be sure to not offend white middle America, who was their initial target audience. In that first year or so, chances are if you turned on MTV you got a steady stream of R.E.O Speedwagon, Journey, Rush, Asia, John Mellencamp, Pat Benatar and for some reason, The J. Geils Band, a group that never broke out huge no matter how hard MTV pushed them. In that first year, MTV wasn’t dictating what Top 40 was, they were just playing it on the safe side and playing whatever was already on the majority of mainstream American radio.

Then someone at MTV management got some balls, and decided to start playing what they wanted to play instead of worrying about duplicating Top 40 Radio. A steady stream of British New Wave acts started getting played on MTV now, stuff like The Eurythmics, Adam Ant, Duran Duran, Bow Wow Wow, The Human League, Culture Club, and the list goes on and on. Older 70’s era alterna-rockers like David Bowie got a whole new lease on life with their videos playing on the channel. In a serious turn of events for the record industry, record Stores quickly began selling albums based on what MTV was playing, not what Top 40 radio was playing. It wasn’t long before the tables were turned, and the radio played whatever MTV was dictating to them. The tail was officially wagging the dog now.  The new breed on MTV more or less phased out the REO Speedwagons and Journey’s of the world and replaced them with Hair Metal like Twisted Sister and Ratt and Iron Maiden. While I was never a big fan of that whole style of music, I could at least appreciate its extremeness. I’ll take Dee Sinder of Twisted Sister in ridiculous hair and make-up over the likes of bands like Boston any day. Ratings on MTV tripled in record time.

Still, MTV was still kind of a wee bit on the racist side in their first couple of years. They pretty much refused to put any videos in regular rotation from any black artists, and David Bowie even called them out on it on the air during an interview (ya know that had to be embarrassing) that changed in 1983, when MTV put Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and Prince’s Little Red Corvette into heavy rotation, soon followed by the likes of Tina Turner. With the “color barrier” now officially broken, MTV really exploded and took over America in a very big way.

By the mid 80’s, MTV’s grip on pop culture was secure. Not just on music either; all you had to do was go to a shopping mall and see girls dressed like Madonna or the Go-Go’s.  NBC  greenlit  Miami Vice on the pitch that it would be “MTV Cops.”  The quick style editing of music videos affected how films were shot and edited, not to mention commercials (this wasn’t exactly a good thing either) John Hughes littered his teen movies with music “as heard on MTV.”  Swatch watches were sold to the public as the “MTV watches.”  Madonna made it to the cover of Time Magazine. The network slogan “I Want My MTV” became a national catchphrase that even your mother knew. The power of this one little channel on our culture was now undeniable.

MTV & ME

On a personal level, MTV shaped my young brain just like almost everyone else my age. By 1984 I was ten years old, and just the perfect age to start becoming obsessed with pop music and all those envelope pushing icons on my television. After school, when I was done watching my afternoon cartoon block of He-Man and Voltron, I would switch the dial to MTV and just leave it there for the rest of the day. And 1984 was the Golden Age of MTV videos…in constant play were things like Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” The Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This,” Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like The Wolf,” not to mention every video off the Police’s “Synchronicity” album, Prince’s “Purple Rain” soundtrack and Madonna’s self titled debut album. And finally, there was the Pièce de résistance, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” still the greatest damn music video ever made. 1984 was MTV at its peak power, and I don’t think they’d ever be more influential or powerful (or better) than they were that year. *

 

 

 

Eventually, as the late 80’s came upon me and I entered high school, like any good pretentious teenager  I got way “too cool for school” and mostly abandoned pop music (with the exception of a certain Material Girl and Purple Paisley Midget… I could never bring myself to abandon them) I almost exclusively started listening to “alternative” radio. And to be fair, in Southern California we had THE best alternative radio station on Earth, K.R.O.Q. 106.7 FM, back before it became the home to awful dude-bro rock that it remains to this day. I was all about the likes of Depeche Mode, The Cure, Morrissey and Jane’s Addiction. But even then, MTV had an option for me…every Sunday night I could watch their alternative music video show 120 Minutes and see videos from these artists and still retain my lame teenage faux hipness. In fact, for awhile in the early 90’s, regular MTV seemed like 120 Minutes 24 hours a day…the alternative revolution took place and suddenly I could see music videos from the likes of Bjork during daylight hours.

But by 1997, Kurt Cobain was dead and that whole alternative “revolution” thing was over, and MTV became the home for things like Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, not to mention tons of hip hop that seemed to be only about bragging about bling and calling other hip hop artists names. By the time I was only 24 years old or so, I couldn’t stomach more than five minutes of the channel I had once loved dearly and had shaped my musical and visual aesthetic so much. And this was still before MTV dropped the M in all but name and became the 24 hours of reality tv it is today.

A Tarnished Legacy

The chief difference between MTV then and MTV today was that back then, we all gathered in front of the screen in awe and admiration- we looked to the David Bowies and the Kurt Cobains and we marveled at their talent and the visual genius of the music videos.  Today, people gather around their MTV to look at talentless “reality” television stars like the casts of Jersey Shore and The Hills simply to make themselves angry. Those shows are made so the masses see a bunch of nobodies picked from obscurity (usually with questionable intelligence) and see them become rich and famous and make fools of themselves as national spectacle. We can all then smugly gloat collectively as a nation at the parade of fools; “they might all be richer than me and more famous” we might say “but at least I’m not a complete moron like that The Situation guy or that Teen Mom.”  MTV was so much better when it gave us stars to aspire to be, not just look down upon to make ourselves feel better about ourselves.

But, on this their thirtieth birthday, I come to praise MTV and not to bury it. Because when it was great, it was truly great, and with an influence on my generation that is almost immeasurable. On a personal level, MTV introduced me to my two lifelong pop idols, Madonna and Prince, and literally scores of others who remain on heavy rotation on my ipod shuffle today.  I know when I’m in the nursing home, I’ll be doing sing-along time with the other old farts to “Don’t You Want Me” and “Karma Chameleon” instead of potentially  something much worse, and that is thanks in large part to MTV. I can only hope that as MTV gets older and changes, they re-discover their roots and become a semblance of what they once were. Not for me, but for a generation of kids who deserve to have what I had, so very long ago. Because these kids today might have all kinds of cool gadgets and shit I never had, but they never had MTV in 1984 either. I think I got the better deal.

* Seriously, was there ever a cooler year in pop culture than 1984? And not just for music- in movie theaters that year we had Ghostbusters, Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom, Gremlins, Karate Kid, The Terminator, A Nightmare On Elm Street, Amadeus. In comics, we had Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars. On TV, we had…umm, Who’s The Boss and Punky Brewster. Ok, so maybe not everything in the 80’s was classic. 

Welcome to a special post-San Diego Comic Con edition of The Week In Geek. While I usually just talk about movies and television around here, with the occasional comic book news, seeing as Comic Con just wrapped I thought I’d let the comic book news rule the week. Not to say there wasn’t any non comics movie news out of SDCC; I believe Steven Spielberg announced a Jurassic Park IV officially for instance. However, this was the year that the Big Two comic book companies (Marvel and DC for you non comic literate) took advantage of the relative lack of a big movie push and decided to put the Comic back in Comic Con again.

DC Comics & The New 52

DC Comics spent considerable amounts of energy (and at least four distinct panels) trying to convince angry and confused fanboys and fangirls that their new 52 Reboot/Relaunch thing was a good idea. I’d say based on feedback I was hearing, that they were at least partially successful at convincing fans this wasn’t going to be a giant clusterfuck. Lots of art and costume designs were shown at various panels, as well as some tidbits of information. Interestingly, not a single new title past the 52 #1 issues that we knew about was officially announced at all.  Still, lots of new details were revealed, and here are what I think are the Top Ten nuggets of info on the new 52 you might have missed

#1.Marriage Is Bad. And So Are Children. 

-Not only did Lois and Clark never get married in the newly rebooted DCU (that’s old news) but apparently neither did Flash Barry Allen and Iris West (the jury is still out on Aquaman and Mera) Also bad? Children. Roy Harper (Arsenal/Red Arrow) never had his daughter Lian, and very likely neither did any of the original Titans. If and when Wally West shows up again, expect his twins Jai and Iris to never have been conceived and probably never have married Linda Park either. Speaking of Wally West…. 

#2. Still No Plans For Flash Wally West 

-Not only that, but it seems up in the air if Wally was ever Flash to begin with. It seems at least once at every 52 panel, someone asked about our Wally. This is hardly odd, as Wally West was the only Flash an entire generation grew up with (from 1986 to 2008; not a brief run) Dan DiDio just kept repeating that there were no plans for Wally right now. A certain fans asked Didio personally at the DC booth just what was up, and got this answer: apparently, Wally’s wife and children make it hard to make his Uncle Barry seem like the younger character. Again: Marriage/Children =Bad.

#3.Ryan Choi Is The JLA’s New Atom 

-Fans were outraged when one of DC’s few Asian heroes, Ryan Choi/The Atom III was killed off, leaving only Ray Palmer as the Atom. Now it seems in this new DCU, Choi was never killed and there is no sign there ever was a Ray Palmer.

#4.Power Girl Is Still Around…Sort Of 

-While there is no Power Girl yet, her alter ego Karen Starr IS in the new DCU, and will be seen in the new Mr. Terrific series. It was hinted that it wouldn’t be long before her Power Girl identity emerges. 

#5 Cyborg: Founding JLA Member AND Teen Titan Too?

 -Cyborg was now indeed a founding member of the rebooted JLA, however, Geoff Johns revealed that after the new origin of the Justice League is told in the opening arc, (set “five years ago”) it will be revealed that Cyborg went and joined the Teen Titans, meaning most of the continuity of my beloved New Teen Titans series remains intact. And for those fans who were miffed that J’onn J’onzz the Martian Manhunter  has been removed from the JLA’s founding, it was heavily hinted at that despite not showing up in the initial ads for the initial JLA line-up, J’onn would have a role to play in the League’s founding, and will show up later in the new Justice League series.

#6. The Justice Society of America Is Taking A Nap 

 -The Justice Society of America is said to be “resting” as a concept for now. But certain people on the DC panels reminded everyone that the Wildstorm characters were given a rest for a year, and are now back in a big way in the new DCU. Similarly the JSA would be back in around the same time frame next year. 

#7.Darkseid and the New Gods WILL Be Back 

-Grant Morrison revealed that the New Gods are indeed still around, on Earth 51, and will be seen in next year’s Multiversity mini series.

#8. The New Chick In The Justice League Stands Revealed 

-In the Jim Lee drawn promos for the new JLA series, there was one mystery character, a blonde woman, that had fans in a tizzy. Was she Black Canary? Power Girl? Nope. Turns out she is a really, really old character called Lady Luck, created by none other than Will Eisner for the Spirit comics. Even an old DC fanboy like me didn’t know who that character was. And I know who the Red Bee is, ok? So that’s pretty damn obscure.

#9.Batman Beyond Will Return Soon

-When a fan asked why Batman Beyond wasn’t one of the 52 new titles, Didio said that there were big plans for Batman Beyond and the future DCU. This lines up with rumors that also coming soon was Superman Beyond and Justice League Beyond.

A bit of unsolicited advice to DC: You don’t seem to know what to do with characters like Wally West, Donna Troy and Garth (the former Aqualad…assuming he’s not dead in the new DCU) Why not have them time travel to the future, where they can be the Flash, Wonder Woman and Aquaman of the Justice League Beyond? It would surely make that book way more exciting for longtime DC fans like me who want to see those characters again. 

#10. Action Comics And Detective Comics Were Almost Not Rebooted To #1

-DC Publisher Dan Didio was very hesitant to renumber DC’s two flagship books that hadn’t been renumbered in over seventy years, but then he was told “unless you reboot those two books too, no one will take this relaunch seriously”. Good point.

Marvel Comics  

Marvel Comics didn’t exactly sit on the sidelines with their announcement this Comic Con and let DC hog all the attention. Several news series were announced in fact. The biggest news in terms of new series is the re-launch of The Incredible Hulk, with the team of writer Jason Aaron and artist Marc Silvestri. Once again, the characters of Bruce Banner and The Hulk will be split into two distinct physical bodies, but this time it is hinted that Banner will be seen as more the antagonist and less the hero. 

 

Also another big Marvel announcement is the return of what once a perennial title alongside Fantastic Four, X-Men and the Avengers– The Defenders return with (most) of their original line-up in a new series by Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson. In the place of the Hulk will be Betty Banner, the Red She-Hulk (they really need a new name for her. And no, not “She-Rulk.”) Also new to the Defenders will be Iron Fist, joining classic original team member Dr. Strange, Namor and the Silver Surfer. 

On the X-Men side of things, Marvel teased the cover of Wolverine and the X-Men #1, as well as Uncanny X-Men #1. So far, the X-Men event Schism has made everyone assume that with the X-Men split into two camps, one Wolverine and one Cyclops, that  would have Cyclops as the leader of the Uncanny team. But so far, Cyclops seems totally absent from any promo images for Uncanny #1, suggesting he just might quit the X-Men all together at the end of Schism. 

Also in the X-Verse, it was announced at SDCC that in December, Jeph Loeb would be re-teaming with artist Ed McGuiness for Cable: Reborn. I’m sure someone is excited about this, but I was glad they finally killed Cable off. He was dead for what, a year?  Why couldn’t they bring back an X-Man people love, like Nightcrawler? *sigh*

On the movie side of the Marvel Universe, things were a wee bit quieter, but not silent. There was no Avengers movie panel, but they did reveal new artwork for the film at the Marvel booth,  revealing what the team will look like next summer.

Of course, the big highlight was actor Andrew Garfield’s heartfelt speech on how much Spidey has meant to him over the years and just what getting this role means to him. He’s either truly sincere, or a really good actor. Either bodes well for the Amazing Spider-Man next summer.

Over on the TV side of things, Marvel made a LOT of announcements: First off, while Sony retains the rights to all things live action pertaining to Spider-Man, the animation rights are now soley those of Marvel Studios. Their first venture will be Ultimate Spider-Man, based on the long running Brian Bendis version of the character. Interstingly, it appears that this version of Spider-Man will be at least loosely tied into the Marvel movie-verse, as actor Clark Gregg reprises his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson from Iron Man 1 and 2 and Thor, doubling as “Principal” Coulson at Midtown High. How cool would it be if eventually Marvel got Robert Downey, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans to voice their movie characters in the Ultimate Spider-Man show? We can never have a live action Spidey cross over with the Avengers, but this could be the next best thing. Ultimate Spider-Man will premier next year on Disney XD.

 

The Hulk will be getting a huge push in television as well; first off for Disney XD there will be the new animated show Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H  which will feature the the Green Goliath and his multicolored pals the She-Hulk, The Red Hulk, and Rick Jones, AKA A-Bomb (essentially, the Blue Hulk) Batman The Animated Series and Detective Comics writer Paul Dini will join the show as a producer, which bodes well for this actually being any good. Aside from the cartoon, There is the new Guillermo del Toro produced Incredible Hulk television series for ABC, that should be ready for pilot season next Fall. Not tied into the movie version of the Hulk, this would be “a brand new take on the character” set in his early years, before everyone knew his secret, and focus on the love story between Banner and Betty Ross.” How they plan to pull of the cgi monster on a weekly basis is anyone’s guess though. 

 Other shows in development include “AKA Jessica Jones“ at ABC, based on Brian Michael Bendis’ comic series “Alias” which Loeb described as a story about “a failed superhero. We obviously can’t call it Alias, thank you JJ Abrams“ Loeb said the show would feature Ms. Marvel Carol Danvers as well as Jessica’s boyfriend Luke Cage. “Cloak and Dagger” was announced next for the ABC Family network, about  “two teenagers who discover each other and find their powers both complement and complicate their lives.” Also for ABC Family is “Mockingbird”  about Bobby Morse as “a Peter Parker Nerd” who is recruited to a secret organization. Which sounds a lot like Alias. But not Alias the comic book that is the basis for AKA Jessica Jones, but Alias as in the JJ Abrams television series. Confused yet?

 Ok, that’s a wrap for now. Next week we return to a relatively normal post Comic Con news cycle. It’ll almost seem quaint. 

My first day at Comic Con was all kinds of awesome….so would the following Friday and Saturday live up to it?  

Yeah, not so much. But all was not lost. After essentially getting no sleep at all the night before, Friday was a late start day, and I missed the first panel I wanted to go to. So by the time I wander into the Convention Center, it is like 12:30 or so in the afternoon. So I get some lunch, wander around the floor for a bit, and get in line for my first panel of the day… 

 

Friday, July 22^nd, 2:00 P.M.  Green Lantern The Animated Series Panel

The one and only place in media where DC Comics kicks Marvel’s ass is in the realm of animation, and almost all thanks to the work of one Bruce Timm. His 90’s versions of Batman and Superman are ageless. In contrast, try watching the 90’s X-Men and Spider-Man animated shows today. And Justice League Unlimited remains the finest example of how to do a super team in almost any media.

So know Warner Brothers has handed Timm the reins of Green Lantern for what is his first CGI animated series. The designs for the characters are strictly Timm-esque, and while at first it was a little off putting seeing his style in 3D form, I got used to it quickly. The clips they showed were light and fun and had great action. It seems the show is kind of a buddy cop show with Hal Jordan and Kilowog. Just watching the few scenes I saw at the panel made me wish we got this version of Hal Jordan instead of the whiny ass version that we got in the live action movie.

Apparently, the chief villains of the first season will be the Red Lantern Corps (the producers were forbidden to use Sinestro or the Sinestro Corps, probably due to the live action movie producers assuming they would be in Green Lantern 2.) Eventually, if the show proves to be a hit, we will see the other colored Lanterns emerge, as well as characters like John Stewart, Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner.

And then came the big surprise. Conan O’Brien crashes the panel. And all of a sudden this becomes the Conan show. Green Lantern who?

He and Timm debut their new cgi trailer for the super hero character that Timm created on a skit on O’Brien’s show “The Flaming C.”  The trailer is pretty hilarious, and all of a sudden, this panel becomes an outright carnival show, with Conan trading barbs with the audience and the audience eating it up with a spoon. The whole thing was just a blast, and I feel like I’m starting off Day 2 in a good way after all.

Friday, July 22nd, 3:P.M- 6:P.M. The True Blood Debacle

If there is one panel I do not miss every year, it is the True Blood panel. I love this over the top show, with its over-sexed southern trashy vampires and other supernatural hotties. Most importantly, the panels for this show give me an excuse to act like a 15 year old girl at a Beatles concert in 1965 (or I could say a Justin Bieber concert now, but I’ll stick to my cooler Beatles analogy) I get to scream and holler and yell “OW!” at really hot men who play vampires and werewolves and were-panthers and gay witches and shit, just like a little girl, and I love it. I also get an awesome goody bag (really, HBO does hand out the best swag. I still wear my V.I.L.F. shirt I got at last year’s True Blood panel) So no, I don’t wanna miss it. I get in line at around 3.PM. for a 5:30 panel. Just like I did last year and the year before.  I meet a bunch of Comic Con newbies in line, who I assure (as a long time veteran of Ballroom 20 lines) that our place in line is solid and we should get in all right.

And then we get to the area right near the entrance to Ballroom 20…and we’re denied. I’m super pissed. They could have at least come to us earlier (as they have in years past) done a head count and said “Ok guys, if you’re at this point in the line, you’re not getting in, I’m sorry”  But they never bothered. Shit, at least at Disneyland, when you wait two hours in line for a ride, you know you’re getting on fuckin’ Space Mountain at the end. At Comic Con, ya just never know, you might get jack. And worse, I felt awful for these people whom I stood in line with and assured they’d get in only to get denied. I feel like a tool. And now I’ve got a screaming headache to boot.

Word of Advice to the organizers of Comic Con: The HBO shows True Blood and Game of Thrones are HUGELY popular. Please start putting them in Hall H instead of Ballroom 20. It is absurd. Hall H seats 6,500 people over Ballroom 20’s 4000 or so. Both of these shows could easily pack Hall H. I know that Ballroom 20 is mostly for TV and Hall H is for Films, but in this day and age, those distinctions don’t matter.  Fans pay a lot of money for Comic Con and don’t wanna waste their time standing in line for nothing. End of rant.

I choose to stay in line and get decent seats for the next event, which happens to be in the same room, the Premiere of Batman: Year One, the latest DC Universe animated film.

Friday, July 22nd, 8:00 P.M. Batman: Year One Animated Movie Premiere and Q&A

After several hours of standing in lines and then just plain waiting around, the Premiere of Batman Year One begins at 8:00 P.M. The movie is 75 minutes long or so, and afterwards there is a fairly entertaining Q&A with producer Bruce Timm and members of the cast like Bryan Cranston, Katee Sackhoff, and Ben McKenzie. Lots of off color jokes were made about Sackhoff’s last name and I would have found them all funnier if I wasn’t so tired and hungry and cranky at this point. If you’re wondering just what I thought of this new movie, check out my review right here.

A few choice announcements were made at this panel, where Timm revealed 2012’s series of Animated DC Universe movies. First off will be Justice League: Doom, which will be a re-imagining of the JLA story Tower of Babel. It was the last script turned in by the late Dwayne McDuffie, so I’m really looking forward to this one. After that, we are getting Superman VS. The Elite, which is very likely an adaptation of the Action Comics story where Superman faces off against thinly veiled versions of The Authority called The Elite. “Truth, Justice and the American Way” is considered one of the best Superman stories ever done, so I’m curious to see how they tackle this. And then came the big announcement: Warner Animation will be doing their first two part animated movie-Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. The audience loses their shit.  Timm also hints at The Killing Joke in the not too distant future as well.  The only thing that bums me out is that it seems Warners is making sure all we get from now on is a constant rotation of Batman, Superman and Justice League movies. This is kind of a bummer, but expected.

 

It is now 10pm, and I finally put some food in my stomach and head back to the hotel for some much needed aspirin. Most of my Geekscape roomies are off partying, but I’m in no mood for such things. I am grateful they let me use the bed tonight, I can say that much. Thursday I was having such a good time I was considering forgoing my train ticket home Saturday night and just staying through Sunday as I normally do, but now all I want is my own bed to sleep in. I’ll also admit, with most of my fellow ‘scapists off on assignment or doing their own thing, and most of my other non Geekscape friends unable to attend the Con this year, I’ve spent most of my time alone (with the occasional bumping into friends) …..and it sorta/kinda sucks. Comic Con is meant to be shared, and although it was fun making new friends in various lines (Hi Holly!) I really miss my peeps.  

Hopefully, Saturday (my last day) will be better. 

Saturday, July 23rd. Last Day At Comic Con

Saturday is remarkably light on major movie panels this year. Last year, I was in Hall H the entire Saturday, which showcased things like the Green Lantern panel, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s Paul, and Marvel Studios One-Two-Three punch of Thor, Captain America and the cast of the Avengers assembling together for the first time on stage. Oh, and there was even a stabbing! This year…Hall H is stuff like Snow White and the Huntsmen and The Immortals. *yawn*  With stuff like The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, Battleship, Dark Shadows and John Carter coming out next summer, you’d think Hall H would be overflowing on Saturday with marquee stuff, but nope. But that’s ok, it let’s me go to the Indigo Ballroom at the Hilton across the street to see the one panel I care about this Saturday: Joss Whedon. 

Saturday, July 23rd, 2:00P.M. Joss Whedon 

I’m a huge Whedonite, and one of my earliest Comic Con memories was seeing Joss Whedon talk up his upcoming Buffy musical episode (which is now ten years ago. I’m old. And so are you.) Joss Whedon always makes for an entertaining hour of fun. He’s not here under the Avengers movie banner, but instead under the Dark Horse Comics banner promoting the upcoming Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 and Angel & Faith comic book series. 

On Season 9, Joss addressed some of the issues fans had with Season 8, which had larger than life stories due to the unlimited budget (and less censors) that a comic book has over a television series, which many fans felt left Buffy and her Scooby gang in less relatable circumstances. “I know many of you have been generals in mystical wars and had sex that created universes.” cracked Whedon when talking about Season 8. in fact, it seemed much of Season 8 was about the “bigger budget” so to speak “It’s season 8, it’s a comic and we can do these things! That became a bit of an albatross……people were more interested in Buffy’s life than the fact we can draw bigger things. Having discovered that I can do it differently than the TV show, I’ve discovered I don’t really want to” This comment drew much fan appreciation.

A fan asked how Joss felt about the LGBT community being fans of his shows. “I’m totally against it. You’re making the Lord angry!” After his quip, he said “It absolutely means everything to me that the gay communities have embraced the shows. They are for them as much or more than anyone else.” In addition, he said he wants to add a strong gay male character to a future series because there’s only so many times he can write lesbians. “This isn’t feminism, this is Cinemax! It’s time for equal opportunity? Besides, who doesn’t love cock?! I Heart You, Joss Whedon.

Other random tidbits thrown out during the panel was such news as final confirmation that a Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long-Blog part 2 is indeed happening soon (probably post Avengers) and that the Firefly/Serenity universe might finally go forward in comics and novels, as until now all Firefly comics have been “Lost Tales” set during the time of the series. When asked about whether or not there was still life in the Ripper series for the BBC (a long proposed series set around the Buffy character of Rupert Giles, set on his home turf in England) Joss didn’t sound very enthusiastic, but said some of those stories might find a home in the upcoming Angel and Faith series, as those characters are living in Gile’s estate in England and inheriting some of his cases.  And finally, Joss would like to do a Buffy musical on Broadway…. as long as it plays across the street from the theater where Dr. Horrible is playing. I’m so down for that.

I can’t think of a better way to end the Con that with this Joss Whedon panel, so I decide to end my convention experience on a happy memory and get ready to go home. (after snapping a few last minute pics) Thursday was great, Friday coulda been better, and Saturday has been pretty good. A solid B for my Comic Con 2011 experience. Here’s hoping next year is an A+. 

And so begins another San Diego Comic Con Journal, as I detail my experience at the various signings and panels I attended at the largest, sweatiest pop culture celebration in the world.  Comic Con for me is like Mardi Gras for people who love alcohol or what Burning Man is for hippies…I might bitch about the crowds and the smell and the over priced food, but in my heart I love this damn thing more than I care to admit, eleven years and counting. So come with me and experience all the cool stuff you didn’t get to see because you live in Nebraska or Wyoming or one of those places I’ve read about but will likely never visit.

San Diego Comic Con Day One, Thursday, July 21st, 11:45 A.M.  Anne Rice Signing

Author Anne Rice has been my favorite author since I was thirteen years old.  I carried around worn and read copies of her Vampire Chronicles series of novels in my backpack at school while every other teenage kid had like, The Catcher in the Rye or something. So when I found out she was making her first appearance at Comic Con, I was beyond excited. The last time I had been to a signing of hers was way back in 1995. Back then, she was at the height of her fame, in a post Interview with the Vampire -The Movie world. I remember I was in line for like eight hours at a Barnes & Noble once just to meet my literary idol.

Well, these days, the eight hour lines are for the likes of Twilight and True Blood, but I haven’t forgotten where my vampiric loyalties lie (ok, I do love me some True Blood though. Sue me.) I get in line for the signing at 11:45 A.M. or so, and there are already a good chunk of people waiting. She is officially signing in the IDW booth, since they are making a comic book version of her novel The Servant of the Bones. Luckily, they allow us to bring one other item to sign, and I bring a very worn copy of the first paperback edition of Interview with the Vampire from 1977. It has a terribly cheesy cover, and the back cover has a photo of models who look nothing like the characters in the books. But I was the first version of the book I knew, back when I was a very small child and that version of the novel sat in my aunt’s bookcase, drawing my obsession until I was finally old enough to be allowed to read it.

When Mrs. Rice sees what I ask her to sign, she can’t believe her eyes, and says “Oh my goodness, I haven’t seen this version in decades.” I explain to her how this was the version that belonged to my late aunt, who introduced me to her world, and how much it meant to me. She then gave me a big smile and said “Then I’ll be extra careful then when I sign this.” It is a brief exchange, and I don’t have time to say the majority of things I want to say, but nevertheless, an awesome way to start my first day at the convention.

 

Thursday, July 21st, Hall H, 1:15 PM  – Pee Wee Herman

Next it was the surprise panel of the Con, as Pee Wee Herman was a last minute addition to the show. He was there promoting his soon to be released HBO Special of The Pee-Wee Herman Show, and although he was there as his Pee Wee character, he did slip into his true Paul Reubens persona on occasion. This might have been the best Q&A I have been to at a Con yet. Moderated by Quint from Aint-It-Cool-News,  Pee-Wee responded to sincere questions like “Did you have any idea 25 years ago that you would be still going this strong?” with a smugly answered “yeah.”  Some earnest fan yelled out a question early, to which  PW responded in his usual high pitched tone “I don’t believe we’ve called out for audience questions yet” 

Some bits and pieces of news that were dropped were the news that Pee Wee’s new movie with Judd Apatow will be a road movie in the spirit of Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. A fan brought up Pee Wee’s work on the classic Star Tours ride at the Disney theme parks, where he voiced the pilot Rex the Robot for nearly twenty five years. Apparently, part of the reason he took the job was he was assured that as long as he was a part of the ride, he had a lifelong pass to Disneyland. Now he was obviously kinda miffed that he’d lost his lifelong free pass. Although apparently he worried for nothing; recently he received word from Disney that Rex or no Rex in Star Tours, he had a lifelong pass to Disneyland forever. Awww.

He talked a bit about how Large Marge scarred a generation of children, and his work in non Pee Wee movies like Blow. A fan asked how the censors let him get away with so much stuff back in the Pee Wee’s Playhouse days…to which he coyly responded “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” He then said the only time CBS censors ever gave him any trouble was when he tried to stick a pencil in a potato…and then they eventually said “oh go ahead and do it anyway” Before Pee Wee left he thanked his loyal fans and informed everyone in Hall H that he was off to do an episode of Top Chef…being filmed at the Alamo. Any fan of Pee Wee’s Big Adventure will understand the significance.  

Oh, and the secret word for the day? “Comic Con.”  Duh.

Thursday, July 21st,  2:25: PM – Game of Thrones. Or Not.

I attempt to go to the Game of Thrones panel, being held in Ballroom 20. I figure being there an hour and a half early will possibly get me into the very back of the room, but yeah…this is not happening. There is a line going out to the Marina. Yeah, screw that. I’m disappointed, but the truth is Game of Thrones has not even finished casting their second season, much less started shooting it, so I knew there wasn’t going to be anything new to show in regards to footage. I did want that swag though…HBO always gives out the best goody bags. I would later see tons of posts of facebook from people saying they waited three to four hours in line for that panel and didn’t get in, so I’m glad I didn’t waste my time. Oh well then, time for an overpriced lunch, then wander the floor for a bit and get in line for the next panel…..

Thursday, July 21st, 4:45 P.M.  Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season Four 

If you’re a lapsed Star Wars fanboy, one of those “George Lucas raped my childhood” people, chances are you’re not watching the awesome animated Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network. Well, sucks to be you then, because when this show is firing on all cylinders, it is the best Star Wars anything since The Empire Strikes Back. Executive Producer Dave Filoni is a Star Wars fanboy who gets to make his own little expensive Star Wars mini movies at the rate of 22 episodes a year, and as a faithful Star Wars fan since the age of three, I enjoy the Hell out of this show. The second half of year three was absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait for season four.

Filoni brought a ton of new footage  from the upcoming fourth season, including footage of an extended underwater battle sequence featuring Clone Troopers and Jedi fighting below the surface on the planet Mon Calamari. Longtime Star Wars fans know Mon Calamari means we’ll see a young Admiral Ackbar in this series of episodes, although he will simply be Captain Ackbar at this point. All of the footage looked spectacular; the animators on Clone Wars get more and more sophisticated with each passing season.  Among other clips shown was an extended action sequence on the newly created world of Umbara, a planet  in which it is always night time. Because of the constant dark, the native plants and terrain have this weird fluorescent light, much like certain forms of sea life in the depths of the ocean. Seeing as this was an entirely new world, without any previous movie references, everything had to be designed from the ground up, and the design team did an amazing job.

Other tidbits dropped during the panel were the news that many of the fan loved bounty hunters would return, including Bossk, Boba Fett, Cad Bane and they would be introducing Dengar from The Empire Strikes Back in season four as well. (now where is IG-88? God, I’m such a nerd.)  The Clone Trooper armor is going to be changing in season four as well, looking more like the armor seen in Episode III rather than Episode II. One Clone who won’t like the change is Captain Rex, who see the Republic moving the Clones to a more disposable look, and therefore modifies and creates his own armor. Possibly the coolest tidbit that was shown at the panel was the debut of the first female Mandalorian warrior, to be voiced by Katee Sackhoff. Her look is a mix of the classic Boba Fett look and that of a barn owl, and Dave Filoni wanted something new for female cos-players to dress as other than just Leia/Padme/Random Jedi all the time.

Finally, old school Star Wars fans can breathe of sigh of relief…Filoni said that as long as he’s in charge of the show, we would never see a kid version of Han Solo on Clone Wars, despite the introduction of many classic trilogy characters over the years. He wants to preserve his entrance into the saga just as it was, in the Mos Eisley cantina in A New Hope. This got a pretty big round of applause.

Thursday, July 21st, 6:00-7:00 P.M.  LGBTX: The X-Men’s Queer Characters, Themes, and Fans

I wasn’t sure if I was going to this panel, but since I wasn’t going to the annual Gays In Comics Panel on Saturday, I had to make it to at least one LGBT themed panel this year, and so I chose the LGBT X-Men panel.  The line up was pretty impressive, with panelists including Peter David (X-Factor), Phil Jimenez (Astonishing X-Men), Chuck Kim (Age of X), Marjorie Liu (Daken: Dark Wolverine), Scott Lobdell (Uncanny X-Men) and screenwriter Zack Stentz (X-Men: First Class). I’m glad I went, as this turned into a pretty interesting (and often funny) conversation. Many people mention how the underlying theme of tolerance and metaphor for minority discrimination is what drew them to the X-Men universe, or at least that is what they say when asked. I honestly think for most fanboys they just like Wolverine popping his claws into people. However, when you ask a queer X-Men fan why we love the property, we really mean it when we say we respond to the underlying metaphor. And in a big way.

Some of my favorite moments from the panel were when X-Men First Class co-writer Zack Stentz was asked about why he was asked to join the panel…a month or so back, Thinkprogress.org  wrote up a story about how the X-Men movies were successful metaphors for the LGBT community. A person responded in the comments section saying this:

“Um, nothing really gay about it. I’ve loved all Marvel comics since a kid and there never was nor is there anything gay in X-Men. Say that to Wolverine and he’d likely rip ya a new one. Not that they shouldn’t have a gay super hero. There just wasn’t ever any in X-men. The men in the film were friends. I think it’s kinda homophobic to assume every male freindship is gay. So, they shared a tender moment. They didn’t have sex. As Stan Lee used to say, ‘Nuff said.”

This comment drew the ire of Stentz, who just couldn’t believe the obtuse outlook of that comment, and responded in kind:

“Um, no offense, but you’re wrong. I helped write the movie, and can tell you the gay rights/ post-holocaust Jewish identity / civil rights allegory stuff was all put in there on purpose. Joss Whedon designed the whole “Cure” storyline in the comic books specifically as a gay allegory, and Bryan Singer wove his own feelings of outsiderdom as a gay man into the movie series. The whole “Have you ever tried NOT being a mutant” coming out scene in X2 isn’t even particularly subtle, while it is effective.”

SNAP. 

Stentz went on to talk about how First Class was envisioned as the “tragic romance” of Charles and Erik, and when someone asked him if their perceived notion of a romance between Havok and Darwin was intentional, Stentz said “no comment if I ever want to work for Fox again.” 

Finally, someone asked Phil Jimenez whether the gay community would benefit from Magneto’s way of doing things versus the Charles Xavier way, to which he responded that Magneto wanted mutants to kill off and supplant humanity, not a philosophy that gay people should embrace really. Any metaphor, no matter how close, eventually breaks down and can’t be an exact allegory to anything in the real world. The X-Men universe is no different in that regard.

 

 

Ok, that is the end of Comic Con 2011 Day One. Not too shabby…now, I head back to the hotel to get ready for the Geekscape party tonight. Once I get to the party, besides the awesomeness of being in the presence of one Stan Lee, I also meet actor Ray Wise, who played Leland Palmer on my favorite show of all time Twin Peaks. Then I cap the night off with Cap….or should I say, a midnight screening of Captain America at Horton Plaza. This might be the best single day of a Comic Con ever. Come back tomorrow to see if my Friday and Saturday experiences were just as awesome (Hint: They weren’t.) 

As is tradition at every San Diego Comic Con for at least the past three years, Warner Brothers Animation premiered their latest straight to DVD/Blu-Ray DC Comics animated feature film for the Comic Con audience in Ballroom 20. Last year, it was the incredibly well received “Batman: Under the Red Hood”. Considering the source material for that particular movie was not one of the most loved comic book stories from the past several years,  to put it mildly, the producers had no where to go but up really. Needless to say, that is NOT the case here; Frank Miller’s 1987 four issue exploration of the Dark Knight’s origins Batman: Year One is one of the most well regarded super hero stories, of, like…ever.  Appearing over a mere four issues of Batman’s series (issues #404-407 to be exact) the story has been collected and reproduced many times over, and is considered one of, if not the, definitive Batman story. The finger prints of writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli are all over Chirstopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. So in doing an adaptation, I’m sure Bruce Timm and company felt no pressure at all. 

Producer Bruce Timm and co-directors Sam Liu and Lauren Montgomery tackled Frank Miller’s seminal story much in the same way that Zack Snyder’s big screen version of Alan Moore’s Watchmen just took the original graphic novel and more or less just shot it, panel for frame. Batman Year One is probably even more faithful to the source material than even the Watchmen film was. Since the orginal comic book story was only 96 pages long, this is one of the rare DC Universe animated films that didn’t feel gutted by its brief 75 minute running time; instead it felt just right. The animation really captured Mazzucchelli’s rendition of the characters, and the sepia toned look of the comics was replicated perfectly here as well. Even though certain DC animated films like The New Frontier and All Star Superman have been pretty faithful to their comic book sources, so far nothing else has come as close to replicating the original comics with as much success as Batman: Year One has. 

For those of you reading this who haven’t read the original story (and really, you probably should) here is a synopsis of events. First off, the name of this movie should always have been called Batman and Gordon: Year One, but I guess that wouldn’t have sold as many comics, or moved as many DVD’s. Nevertheless, the story here is as much about  officer Jim Gordon’s first year in Gotham as it is about Batman’s. The story starts with the simultaneous arrival in Gotham City of both twenty five year old Bruce Wayne and a young Lt. James Gordon. Bruce has been travelling the world (presumably learning to be a bad ass) for the past twelve years, and Gordon is a soon to be family man with a very pregnant wife.  The Gotham City Police force, run by Commissioner Loeb, is extremely crooked, and James Gordon has a a very hard time adjusting to the extreme corruption everywhere around him. The one cop who takes a shine to Gordon, Lt. Flass, ends up being just as bad as everyone else around him, and ends up taking a baseball bat to him in an effort to make him fall in line. The only ray of light in Gordon’s world is fellow cop Sarah Essen, with whom he begins an affair. 

During Gordon’s ordeal with the police force, we have Bruce Wayne’s attempts at becoming a lethal force for justice on the mean streets of Gotham City….. and not being very good at it. He goes into the ghettos of Gotham in disguise, but ends up looking more like a crazy homeless war vet than a dark avenger of the night. This of course is all before a giant bat busts through his closed window, shattering the glass and standing atop a bust of his father’s head. This is maybe THE most melodramatic rendition of how Bruce Wayne chose to become Batman, but for some reason here it just works.  As Batman bumbles his way through his first adventures (many of which were directly incorporated into Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins) Gordon begins his man hunt for the true identity of his new masked vigilante, and highly suspects millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne to be suspect #1. Bruce does his best to throw off Gordon, especially in one hilarious naughty scene involving Wayne’s lack of underwear in front of Gordon’s wife Barbara.

 

Eventually, Batman begins to go after the highest corrupt figures in Gotham, like the Police chief and crime lord Carmine Falcone, to name but a few. He even inspires streetwalker Selina Kyle to take on a new profession as Catwoman. It isn’t long before the man who is tasked with chasing him down begins to admire the vigilante who respects the law and human life more than his own fellow police officers. 

I realize this may be blasphemous to many, but I think in most ways the animated adaptation of Year One is better than the original comics, as faithful as it is to almost the last detail. Still, even as faithful as it is, some changes were made, and I think mostly for the better. Much of Frank Miller’s florid noir “voice over” is omitted, letting the scenes and the action speak for themselves, and I think this is ultimately a good thing. The original fight between Bruce Wayne and a pre-Catwoman Selina Kyle, which was only two panels in the original comic, was expanded into something much cooler and longer for the film. There are other smaller examples of the adaptation improving on the source material, although almost everything was left intact. At the Q&A for the movie at Comic Con, the moderator asked Bruce Timm how he managed to make Year One “his own.” Timm’s answer was simply “we didn’t.” This was Miller’s book, through and through. 

The second biggest asset the movie has, aside from how faithful it is, is the incredible cast. The voice acting is pretty flawless here, with Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) doing the heavy lifting as James Gordon. Battlestar Galactica’s Katee Sackhoff plays the part of Lt. Sarah Essen, the only other honest cop in Gotham, whom ultimately has a scandalous affair with the future stalwart Commissioner Gordon. The real Sackhoff looks very much like the drawings of Essen done by David Mazzucchelli in the orginal comics, so it was only appropriate that she was cast to play her. Southland’s Ben McKenzie was perfectly fine as young Bruce Wayne, but let’s face it…the animated voices of Batman have include people like Bruce Greenwood and the legendary Kevin Conroy, so he had some big shoes to fill. He does a decent enough job, but he doesn’t make the same impression as any of those other Batman voice actors. Alex Rocco is Carmine Falcone (a character created for Year One and appropriated with great success in Batman Begins) and it is playing to type as much as anything I’ve ever heard. Speaking of playing to type, Eliza Dushku, who has been playing bad girls ever since her original big splash as Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, plays Catwoman/Selina Kyle, and does a more than decent job.

Overall, if you are fan of the original comic book series (and even if you’re not) there is no reason not to enjoy this version of Batman’s first year on the job. The talent behind this project go out of their way to bring life to Frank Miller’s classic tale, and really do him a great honor with this movie. It should be noted that it does not appear that Frank Miller was consulted in any way for the making of this film, and when asked at the Legendary Comics panel at this year’s Con whether he has even seen it the finished film, to which he replied with a very curt “no” which suggests he’s not happy with this project. Oh well, his loss. Everyone else should do themselves a favor and buy or rent this movie when it arrives on October 18th, 2011. These animated DC Universe movies appear to only get better as time moves on, and Batman: Year One is no exception. 

 

Look for interviews with Ben Mackenzie and Katie Sackhoff coming soon.

 

Will Captain Kirk Or Dexter Morgan Be Our New Robocop?

As I mentioned in recent columns, MGM seems only interested in remaking theclassic movies they own as they slowly emerge from corporate re-structuring. Movies like Red Dawn, Carrie, Wargames, (and announced first almost two years ago) Robocop are all set to be redone. At first it was announced that Darren Aronofsky was going to helm the Robocop reboot, but he dropped out and so did most of everyone’s interest in this project. Still, MGM is pushing forward with this, and it looks like two of the names being considered for the title role are Chris Pine from Star Trek and Dexter’s Michael C. Hall. I could totally see Hall in this role WAY more than Pine. I can almost already hear his modulated voice saying “freeze, citizen!” and it sounds just right. If Hall was cast my interest would at least go up a smidge in this remake, especially if they manage to find an interesting director to go with this as well.

Johnny Depp Might Be Our New Night Stalker

It seems almost every other week I’m reporting that Johnny Depp has attached himself to some geek friendly project or another, but this time I’m happy to report it is not just another Disney/Pirates movie or another collaboration with Tim Burton. It appears that Johnny Depp is looking to play the title role in The Night Stalker in a big screen movie adaptation. And no, not Richard Ramirez the 80’s serial killer nick named the Night Stalker by the media (although I’d totally pay to watch that movie with Johnny in it) but The Night Stalker as in the 70’s television series.  The original was a very highly rated television movie in 1972, about a reporter named Carl Kolchak who investigated mysterious and supernatural cases, kind of a prototype version of The X-Files.  It spawned another movie and a short lived regular series that only ran for a season, but continues to be well regarded. This kind of character seems totally in Johnny Depp’s wheelhouse, so I could see this one coming to fruition sooner rather than later.

Interestingly, The Night Stalker was already remade in 2005 for the ABC network, with Stuart Townsend in the role of Carl Kolchak. It only lasted a few episodes, as everything Stuart Townsend touches seemingly turns to shit; he was the original Aragorn in Lord of the Rings till he got fired and replaced, then he got fired and replaced after he was initially cast as Fandral in Thor, and finally he was fired and replaced as Charlize Theron’s boyfriend in real life. Add to that, he played the worst possible version of the Vampire Lestat  in the hideous movie version of The Queen of the Damned, as well as adding to the overall suckiness of the movie version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen as Dorian Gray. Townsend is geek property kryptonite; I’m sure no matter what, Depp’s version of Kolchak will fare better than Townsend’s did.

 

Evil Dead Remake Nabs Diablo Cody 

An Evil Dead 4 or Evil Dead remake has been talked about for nearly fifteen years at this point. For awhile there it seemed this was never going to happen, but it appears that it is finally coming together after all this time. Unlike most of the recent remakes of horror classics we have been inundated with over the past decade, original Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi remains an active producer on this revamp, and star Bruce Campbell is also a producer. The real out of left field announcement came when it was said that Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody would be writing the script, making fanboys everywhere scream a collective WTF. Cody’s last venture into horror territory was Jennifer’s Body, the Megan Fox comedy/horror vehicle which was hated by many (although I know of a vocal minority who love it) The real question mark regarding this whole thing for me isn’t Cody, it is who the Hell are you gonna get to replace Bruce Campbell? At least half the appeal of this franchise is Campbell’s performance, the other half being Raimi’s style. But I would argue that Bruce is the biggest draw here. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Replacing horror icons doesn’t always work out for the best; ask Jackie Earle Haley how great it is being the Freddy Krueger that no one on Earth likes more. 

 

 

 

David Goyer Writing New Godzilla Screenplay For Legendary Pictures

There is yet another beloved geek property that will come to you with the involvement of David Goyer. It appears Legendary Pictures has signed Goyer for their remake of Godzilla as screenwriter. As I’ve stated in previous columns, Goyer does pretty well when adapting geek friendly properties like the Blade movie series (Trinity aside) and the Nolan Batman films as opposed to his own creations like The Invisible.  Hopefully he’ll give as all something akin to the original Japanese film, not the 1998 Roland Emmerich travesty where Godzilla was a giant fuckin’ iguana thing and he attacked New York instead of Tokyo and for some reason Matthew Broderick was there. I could see Goyer pulling stuff from the weirder later Godzilla films and maybe the Marvel Comics too. Although I doubt he’ll touch the Hanna-Barbera cartoon show for inspiration, but ya never know…..

Wonder Woman Costume Frenzy

Well, I suppose it has been awhile since I’ve mentioned my favorite hero Wonder Woman in any capacity in this column, so it is high time I rectify that situation. Sorry, but I just had to comment here…just what the Hell is DC doing with Wondy’s costume in their new rebooted DC Universe? In the first previews she was wearing something akin to the first costume she wore for her ill fated television show, with blue pants and blue boots, but this time with silver details instead of gold. But now in the redone version of the first issue cover, she is back to wearing star spangled hot pants. (She still has the stupid blue boots though.*ugh* DC, NO ONE likes that. Seriously.) Now the cover for issue #2 is out, and the pants are back, but the silver is out and replaced with gold (good) Maybe she alternates between pants and shorts? Ok…I can live with that, but it really seems DC is freakin’ schizo when it comes to just what the Hell they want Wonder Woman to look like lately. Honestly, her last look (below, right) is pretty cool, as long as they change the damn boots. I’m expecting a lot of bitchy fanboys and fanboys asking questions of DC editorial at Comic Con next week. And maybe I’ll be one of them….

 

Captain America Gets A Title Change

At Least In Places Where They Hate Us

Back in 2008, right after the first Iron Man movie was released, Marvel Studios unleashed their plans and titles for their upcoming slate over a period of several years; Iron Man 2, Thor…and finally “The First Avenger: Captain America.”  Fans everywhere were pissed that Cap’s name was second in his own movie, but considering how beloved America was to the rest of the world during the Bush years, it isn’t hard to imagine why they chose that route. Well, three years and one beloved Black president later (well, beloved overseas anyway, at home it is a different story) and Marvel decided to put Captain America’s name front and center once again. Well, all except in three countries.

It looks like the movie will still be called The First Avenger:Captain America in Russia, South Korea and the Ukraine. The Los Angeles Times reports that the cold-war kept Russia and Ukraine from allowing the Marvel characters, either in comic book form or animated form,  into their culture until the 90s. (that fact probably didn’t require a name change for the X-Men or Spider-Man I bet) When it comes to South Korea, apparently they ain’t too crazy about a movie about a United States Super Soldier when they’ve had a huge US Military presence since the Korean War. Oddly enough, the name Captain America will remain in France. And I’m dying to know what the box office totals for that movie will be there.

 

Adam Sandler Is Our Newest Dracula. For Reals. 

On paper, everything about the upcoming animated movie Hotel Transylvania from Sony sounds very, very painful; not only has Adam Sandler joined the cast in the lead role of Dracula this week (yes, fucking Adam Sandler is Dracula)  but the rest of the cast includes annoying voice actors like Fran Drescher, Kevin James, David Spade and others who star in terrible movies together likeGrown Ups, that make tons of money but no one will admit to ever paying to see. Here is the official description of this movie from Sony’s press release: 

 

 “Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula’s (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here’s a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world’s most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.”

Now, if this was coming from Pixar, I could see where they could spin this premise into gold and not make it half as lame is it sounds here. Hell, even Dreamworks animated films have been better lately and they might be able to make this work. But the voice cast sounds so annoying that I can’t imagine this being any good. The one reason anyone would have to be excited about this project (and why I’m even mentioning it in this column) is that the director is none other than Genndy Tartakovsky.  

While Tartakovsky. may not be a household name, his resume includes such awesome animated shows as Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and the original 2D version of Clone Wars. Hotel Transylvania would be his directorial debut, so I’m hoping he can make something interesting out of what sounds like a hot mess. But I’m not really counting on it. 

New Transformers Trilogy Not a Reboot

 Craving more Autobot and Decepticon action after Transformers: Dark of the Moon? No? Oh well, you’re getting it anyways. At least this time there will be no Michael Bay or Shia LaBeouf to annoy you, as they have both stated their days in the Transformers-verse are over, so maybe there’s hope. The one thing Paramount has confirmed so far about whatever shape the Transformers franchise takes from now on, it will not be a reboot…the events of the original Transformers trilogy will have happened, and the series will merely move on with new human characters. Considering how instant-reboot happy Hollywood is lately, especially with properties that don’t need them *cough*Spider-Man*cough* it is nice to see one of this big properties acknowledge that people have a memory span longer than five years. Too bad it is a property that burned all good will I had towards it completely after their second outing. Oh well, at least voice actor Peter Cullen will still have a nice paycheck.  

 

 

  

 

Johnny Depp Will Still Be Jack Sparrow Even After We’re All Dead 

Speaking of movie franchises that refuse to die, while Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides was a solid hit here in the states, it was easily the least successful of the entire franchise so far. It seems American attitudes towards these big franchises is the same as they are for pop stars; they love you like crazy for a little while, and then if you overstay your welcome you become yesterday’s news just like that. It is why most movie franchises (Star Wars and 007 being the exception) tend to flame out after a third installment, only to be rebooted at a later date. 

But this rule does not apply overseas, as evidenced this week when Pirates 4 officially crossed the $1 Billion dollar mark internationally. Just like Michael Jackson or any other pop star who was long past his prime in the States, foreign audiences just plain do not get tired of these big franchises at the same rate we do. Which is why, despite saying he was taking a break from Captain Jack Sparrow earlier this year, Johnny Depp is now this close to signing on the dotted line for Pirates 5. And why shouldn’t he? This franchise alone has stuffed his pockets with over $350 million dollars. So expect more of these movies until the folks overseas get sick of them at the same rate we do, which ain’t happening soon.

King of Kong Goes From Doc To Mock

Hey, remember that awesome documentary about those two guys trying to maintain their title as world’s highest scorer on Donkey Kong that came out a couple years back, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters? (if not, you really, really should Netflix it like right now) Well, first we heard it was being remade as a narrative film, but now it seems that idea is being scrapped, and it is being remade as…a mockumentary. The original movie almost already reads like a mock documentary it is so ridiculous, why even bother? I really am baffled by this choice. It’s like they went from one dumb idea to one a thousand times worse. Director Seth Gordon, whose movie Horrible Bosses just came out, really wants to protect the integrity of his original beloved documentary, but I honestly think the best way to protect it is to leave it well enough alone. 

Thor 2 Is A Go

The first news item of the week has got to be the biggest no-brainer as well. Marvel Studios has announced that Thor 2 is officially a go for summer 2013, July 26th to be precise. This means Thor will be debuting only a few months after Iron Man 3. What is mildly surprising is that Marvel is replacing Kenneth Branagh as director. I remember when there were rumors that Jon Favreau was going to be replaced for Iron Man 2, and fandom went crazy, saying Marvel Studios was being too cheap (and let’s face it, they are totally cheap-o’s, otherwise we would have seen Terence Howard reprise his role as Rhodey/War Machine and had Edward Norton come back as Bruce Banner for Avengers) No one seems to be having that reaction this time for some reason. Personally, I thought a lot of what Branagh brought to Thor was what made it work; he knew how to handle all that Asgardian drama and played it like Shakespeare, and is responsible for the genius casting of Tom Hiddleston as Loki.  I wish he was coming back, but since he’s not I at least hope Marvel replaces him with someone interesting at least. Of course Chris Hemsworth will be back as Thor, but it remains to be seen whether Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins will be back, even thought they are contracted to return. They are big enough stars to both weasel their way out of any contracts like that though if they want to badly enough. 

Marvel Short Films

Speaking of Marvel Studios, an old rumor has resurfaced this week; apparently Marvel Studios are moving forward on short films featuring their B  list characters, with the connective tissue once again being S.H.I.E.L.D Agent Coulson, played by actor Clark Gregg. Supposedly, the first two short films will feature on the DVD releases for Thor and Captain America this Fall, although if that were true we would probably have heard about what they were and who was in them already. More likely they are planning on having these short films play in front of Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 during their theatrical runs. I would bet that whoever these characters are that end up in their short films, they are likely candidates for a potential Avengers sequel. It would be an ideal way to set up a Ms. Marvel or a Wonder Man or any other character who would never be able to get his or her own feature film, and use those films to introduce the world to them.

 

 

Harrison Ford Calls Shia LaBeouf  “A Fucking Idiot”

 

The man most geeks worship calls out the man most geeks hate. Remember last year, when Shia came out and pretty much said what everyone was already thinking, that Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was a total turd? No? Well, here’s the quote to refresh your memory:

“I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished. If I was going to do it twice, my career was over. So this was fight-or-flight for me.You get to monkey-swinging and things like that and you can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven Spielberg. But the actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it. So that’s my fault. Simple. I think the audience is pretty intelligent. I think they know when you’ve made … I think if you don’t acknowledge it, then why do they trust you the next time you’re promoting a movie?“

 Ouch. Well, not like he’s wrong. Personally, I admire the guy for being so honest. So what does Harrison think of all this?

“I think I told him he was a fucking idiot. As an actor, I think it’s my obligation to support the film without making a complete ass of myself. Shia is ambitious, attentive, and talented—and he’s learning how to deal with a situation which is very unique and difficult.“

As far as I’m concerned, if Shia’s outspoken attitude has killed the chances for Indiana Jones 5, then I think we all owe him a thank you card.

 

 

Twilight Zone Creator Gets A Biopic

Writer Stanley Weiser (co-writer of Wall Street) has been tasked to write a film about Rod Serling, the man most famous for creating and hosting the seminal sci-fi/fantasy television classic The Twilight Zone. Serling’s widow Carol Serling is producing the film as well, so this should be considered as much of an “authorized” biography as you could get with the subject being dead. Serling was synonymous with the show he created and hosted (and wrote a huge amount of episodes for) which ran for five seasons starting in 1959. The Twilight Zone was decades ahead of its time. Although the show went off the air a good decade before I was born, the re-runs aired perpetually in syndication well into the 90’s. Everyone grew up having a favorite episode, or have that one episode that just creeped them the fuck out. Sadly, today almost anyone under the age of 25 has not even heard of the show beyond the pop culture reference of the title and theme song and the theme park ride at Disneyworld/Disneyland. If a movie about Serling’s life rings more attention to the show he created, then I am all for it. Because every generation deserves to be creeped out by Talky Tina, or discover themselves that To Serve Man is a cook book.

 

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New DC Universe San Diego Comic Con Protest

 

Forget the Westboro Baptist Church at Comic Con (although they’ll be there) the go-to protest at San Diego this year is going to be the protest against the new DC Universe launching in September. Oh yes, it is happening folks. The official San Diego Comic Con 2011: DC Original Characters Protest Walk! Is happening on Saturday, July 23^rd at 3-4 P.M. For all of you angry that DC is changing shit you have loved for years, you can now go out on the street and give DC and Warner Brothers exactly what they want…lots of free fucking publicity.  

Look, I’m not too crazy about this new DCU that seems firmly set in like 1995 or something. I feel like I’ve been called to the back office at DC, asked to please have a seat and told “Thank you for your years, no…decades of service. Sadly, we are moving on in a new direction without you. Please clear out your desk.”  I hate that Superman looks like he’s wearing armor (who needs armor LESS than Superman??) and that my beloved Wonder Woman is wearing black pants with silver trim to her costume instead of gold, while Geoff Johns’ favorite characters have had their looks virtually unchanged.  But this protest will do nothing and is just stupid. I expect a lot of cosplayers in their forties looking extremely silly.

Despite the fact that Green Lantern dropped 65% over the weekend, rumors swirled this past Sunday Warner Brothers were going to go ahead and pursue a sequel anyway, to the surprise of almost everyone. If Green Lantern had been a cheap movie to make, that would not be such a surprise; after all, opening a movie to $53 million dollars is no small task, even today. But at a reported $200 million dollar budget, not to mention an enormous advertising budget, this movie needed to be a hell of a lot more profitable to be considered a true hit. In regards to this potential follow up, part of me is thinking “I’ll believe this when I see it”; after all, after Superman Returns came out, Warner Brothers issued press releases announcing not only Bryan Singer returning to direct a follow up, but also Kevin Spacey returning as Lex Luthor. And we all know how that turned out. Having said that, the Harry Potter series is about to be done, and Warners is desperate to make their DC Heroes work on screen and create new franchises for them. They might see all this money spent as an investment for the future, and write it off as such.  

It was said that Warners spent at least $100 million on the advertising alone for Green Lantern. And I for one believe it…for the past couple months, you haven’t been able to get away from Green Lantern commercials, billboards and bus stop ads. Warners spent a very pretty penny making sure everyone and their mother, whether they were comics fans or not, knew what Green Lantern was. And whether they saw the movie or not, everyone knows who Green Lantern is now.  And Warner’s intense strategy worked too, at least at first…GL’s Thursday midnight screenings made more than both Thor’s and  X-Men First Class, and their first Friday numbers were great too. It was only that following Saturday that we saw the shitty word of mouth take effect. If people had loved the movie, the numbers would have shot up on Saturday, as is the usual case. This was not, as some critics made have said, an issue with mainstream audiences thinking GL was too “weird” or alien (when did mainstream audiences have issues with Aliens?) None of the otherworldliness and comic booky nature hurt Thor a damn bit, did it? 

  

 

But OK, let’s assume the studio is serious about a sequel though…here is some free advice for you Warner Brothers…just follow these six simple rules when making a Green Lantern 2, and everything should work out great. 

 

Get A New Director 

Martin Campbell is talented as all get out, as evidenced by Casino Royale and Goldeneye. But he is pushing seventy years of age, and a younger director who is more comfortable and experienced with modern effects might be what is needed for a follow up. There have been examples where a heralded director with great pedigree has dropped the ball on a big movie, only to be replaced with a newbie for a sequel to greater success. In 1979, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was directed with an enormous budget by director Robert Wise, a man responsible for some of the greatest movies in Hollywood history (The Sound of Music, The Day the Earth Stood Still and West Side Story are just some examples) Star Trek: The Motion Picture was slammed by critics and fans alike, but Paramount remained committed to the franchise. They got a newbie director named Nick Meyer, slashed the budget by a huge margin, and the result was Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, still regarded as the best Trek film in the series to this day. Maybe Warner Brothers should look to this example for how to proceed with GL 2. And although a new director is needed, keep what does work. Ryan Reynolds was a great Hal Jordan, and Mark Strong was an excellent Sinestro. Neither of those actors failed the movie…the movie failed them.  

 

Get Rid of the CGI Suit 

Not that the costume looked bad, because it didn’t, not really…but it wasn’t worth the enormous amount of money it cost to create it and make it move with all the actors body movements. I bet if you got a practical suit that looked just like it, half the audience wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.  

Look To Green Lantern: First Flight For Inspiration

First Flight was the direct to DVD animated film that came out in 2009 from Warner Animation. While the first ten minutes served as Hal Jordan’s origin story  (Abin Sur’s crash, Hal getting the ring, etc) 90% of the movie’s run time was set in outer space. The main basis for this story was the 2001 movie Training Day. In that movie, rookie police officer Ethan Hawke has to partner with decorated veteran of the force Denzel Washington, only to find out the Pride of the Force is a crooked cop. In First Flight, that story is told, but in space, with Hal Jordan standing in for Ethan Hawke and Sinestro standing in for Denzel’s character. With some tweeks and omissions, this could easily serve as the basis for a strong second film.  

 Green Screen It 

Back in 2004/2005, several movies came out that were shot on “Digital Sets” –Sin City, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and the Japanese film Casshern. A great deal of 300 was shot that way as well. Some of these movies looked better than others, but none of these movies had enormous budgets. In the seven years since those movies were made, effects technology has improved drastically, and it would be possible to film a Green Lantern movie totally set in space and on alien worlds using this technology, and also keep the budgets down, especially if you cut the expense of a CGI suit on the actors having to track every movement of their bodies.  There is simply no need for a Green Lantern movie to cost $200 million dollars in this day and age.  

Get Rid of the Dead Weight

Yeah, I’m looking at you Blake Lively. While I didn’t hate Lively’s performance as much as some critics, I don’t think anyone really cares if Hal and Carol end up together the way people cared about Lois and Clark, Peter and Mary Jane, or Tony Stark and Pepper Potts getting together in the end. Besides, in the comics the Hal/Carol relationship was never this long ongoing drama played out for years. Hal was a player, and Carol was just  one of his many women.  GL 2 should focus on the relationship fans wanna see: Hal Jordan’s and Sinestro’s.Also, Hal’s friend Tom was a lousy sidekick in the movie. He can totally go too. And no one will miss them.

 Change the Release Date

Since Green Lantern didn’t fare so well competing against the big boys of summer, how about changing the release date to February, March or April? In those months there is not only less competition in terms of blockbuster sci-fi fantasy fare, but also less expectations in terms of box office. A potential Green Lantern 2 might seem a lot more enticing during the doldrums of winter when there is nothing else like it to compete with. 

 

 

A lot of critics seem to be saying that the failure of Green Lantern signals the end of super hero movies, or at least super hero movies for characters not as well knows to John Q. Public. But in terms of name super hero properties, the truth is we were/are getting to the end of them anyway. The way I look at it is this: The studios are only going to dump hundreds of millions of dollars on comic book heroes who have had long term sales success in the comics.  And by long term I mean years and years…Characters/concepts that have been able to hold their own titles for decades. For Marvel, those characters are all the ones Stan Lee had a hand in creating back in the 60’s for the most part – Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, The Hulk, The X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, Daredevil, and the Avengers (of course, some of the have had long term successful spin offs, mostly the X-books, but I’m not counting spin-offs)  Sure, there have been some like Hellboy and Blade that wouldn’t qualify under that criteria, but they are the exceptions and not the rule. At DC, the only 6 “brands” that have had long term sales success are Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and the Justice League. Yes, characters like Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkman have always been around, but let’s be honest…as solo characters they always struggle to maintain a series long term. Warners was never, ever going to spend upwards of $150 million dollars (which is what it would cost to bring most of these guys to the screen in solo films) on these guys. 

The studio has no one to blame for what happened with Green Lantern but themselves. Warners just sat by this past decade while the comic book movie juggernaut ruled the box office, led by Marvel. Yet they let it go by, concentrating only on Batman for the most part, developing scripts for Flash and Wonder Woman only to chicken out and drop them. They don’t really have faith in their non Super-Bat DC properties. This attitude goes all the way down to the animation department; just look at all the DC original animated movies….it is either Batman, Superman, Batman/Superman or JLA. Their experiments at doing Wonder Woman and GL animated features were considered failures, and the only reason GL got another one is because he got a movie and they needed a tie-in. 

The best case scenario, had Green Lantern been a big hit, would have been DC Entertainment begin to work towards a Justice League film the way Marvel is doing with Avengers. Despite the party line saying that they are not approaching their Justice League movie the way that Marvel is approaching Avengers, if GL had made Iron Man money, you bet your ass that the following Monday DC would have issued a press release announcing feature films for Flash and (possibly?) Wonder Woman culminating in a Justice League feature film. That is pretty much off the table now, as Green Lantern was their big experiment into non Super-Bat heroes. My personal opinion is that the next time we see Green Lantern on the big screen he’ll be in a Justice League film, but if a Green Lantern sequel really does emerge, then maybe Warners really has commited to their DC characters. Only time will tell if this announcement of a Green Lantern 2 is genuine or if this all just about saving face.

 

 

 

 

100 Bullets Comes To Showtime 

One of the most successful writers to flip flop between comic book writing and screenwriting for Hollywood has got to be David S. Goyer; aside from writing the Blade movie trilogy, he co-wrote Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and recently co-wrote the scripts for next year’s double whammy of DC Comics films The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel. Now Goyer is seemingly staying in DC territory with a new project made for cable.  It was announced this week that Goyer is in the process of taking the Vertigo comic 100 Bullets to Showtime in the form of a new ongoing drama series. Written by Brian Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso, the original comic is one of the most critically acclaimed titles the best in the past decade with 100  issues (one issue per bullet) published between 1999 and 2009.  

 

The premise of 100 Bullets is that the mysterious Agent Graves offers his clients a gun, along with a briefcase with 100 untraceable bullets as well immunity from prosecution, enabling them to get revenge against those who destroyed their lives. The comic originally seemed to be self contained one off stories, but eventually a larger narrative emerged. In other words, this kind of thing is a perfect fit for cable tv. David Goyer does better adapting material from comics than creating his own stuff to be honest (anyone remember The Invisible? Case closed) so this sounds like a perfect match. Now bring on Y: The Last Man to HBO, and we’re all good.

Gene Colan, R.I.P.

I hate to ever have to report things like this in my column, but I am sad to report today that legendary comic book artist Gene Colan has died at the age of 84. Many younger comic book readers may not be too aware of Colan’s work, as he has been semi-retired for many years now, but Colan was a true legend at Marvel Comics for much of the late 60’s through the mid 80’s. He drew a vast majority of the early issues of Daredevil, and drew the entire run of Tomb of Dracula (70 issues!) where he co-created the character of Blade. He also co-created the Falcon, Captain America’s partner who was one of the first African American super heroes to have any kind of prominent role in a regular ongoing title.  His art was some of the first comic book art that I was ever exposed to, as I grew up reading comic books from the 1970’s that were hand me downs from my older brothers, so in many ways Colan’s art informed my taste in comic book art. One of his last works was for Captain America back in 2010, for which he won a richly deserved Eisner award. 

 

Green Lantern: The Animated Series Teaser Released 

For those Green Lantern fans out there who are sad and dismayed that the big screen version of Hal Jordan’s adventures was so very meh and is therefore likely to not get a sequel, take heart: The one man who has never done the DC Universe wrong is animation legend Bruce Timm, and this Fall he is bringing his take on the Green Lantern mythology to Cartoon Network in Green Lantern: The Animated Series. So maybe we’ll get to see the fall of Sinestro after all, as well as the War of Light, the multi colored Lantern Corps, and maybe even Blackest Night all play out in CGI glory…just on television instead of movie screens. Cartoon Network just released a trailer for the new show, and is due to present footage of the show at Comic Con in July. If Timm can do for Green Lantern what he did for Batman, Superman and the Justice League, then I think this show has a better chance of creating a whole new generation of GL fans than the movie ever could have. I for one can’t wait. You can see the teaser here. 

 

Julia Ormond Is Superman’s Mom 

 In yet another addition to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel cast, it seems Legends of the Fall’s Julia Ormond is set to play Lara, mother of Superman, and wife of also newly cast Russell Crowe’s Jor-El.  I don’t know If her part will be bigger than it was when Sussanah York played it, but I gotta say…at 46, she’s getting a little old to be the mother of a newborn Kal-El, don’t ya think? Oh well, I’m just nitpicking here. Maybe on Krypton they have like, awesome fertility drugs.  

 

 

Would*You*Like*To*Play*A*Game?

It seems that in MGM’s financial restructuring post bankruptcy, they are only making remakes of classic films from the 70’s and 80’s. Robocop and Carrie will merely be the first, as it was announced today that King of Kong director Seth Gordon is remaking Wargames. The original movie from 1983 starred Matthew Broderick as a computer prodigy who seemingly got off manipulating military computer programs and almost starting World War III by accident. Oops. It will be interesting to see how this movie plays now that everyone knows how the internet works and what hacking actually is. Back in 1983, to most people those were just words. Will modern audiences have an easier or harder time buying into this premise? 

 

 

 

 

 

 If you want a standard review of Green Lantern, this isn’t it. By now, you probably know what the movie is about. I’m not gonna give a detailed plot rundown, because there are plenty of other reviews that can do that better. If you don’t know the basic premise of the movie, go google it and come back here. This is more my thoughts and feelings when coming out of the movie, as someone who is an enormous DC Comics fan, who in many ways has been waiting years for Warner Brothers to exploit their DC Comics characters not named Bruce or Clark. 

And coming home from my screening of Green Lantern last night, I was pissed. Not because it’s is the worst super hero movie in the world, as some reviews have suggested, because it really isn’t. (that award might still belongs to Ghost Rider, or maybe Catwoman,take your pick) There are a lot of fun moments and things I dug about it. The movie has enough fun moments in it as to be entertaining. I loved the casting of just about all the actors; everyone in this cast is giving it their all, even when the script doesn’t give them much to work with. A lot of people resisted the idea of Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan when he was cast, citing his role in Van Wilder, a movie I’ve never seen so I had no reason to hold it against him. Personally, I think the reasons so many fanboys hate Reynolds is because he is that impossible mix of incredibly good looking and charming, the guy that walks into a party and suddenly you look ten times less interesting to that girl you were trying to chat up. Reynolds is great as Hal Jordan in my opinion. My big concern, judging from the trailers, was Blake Lively, and it turns out she was fine too. And all that great concern over CGI costumes and whatnot was for nothing…it all looks fine in the end, and frankly there really is no way to do Green Lantern with practical effects. They make things out of light….I’m ok with them looking like, well…light.  I also loved the look and design for the Green Lantern Corps homeworld Oa…everything about it was well designed and the best parts of the movie take place in that location. Too bad they spend so little time there.

In many way, right now this movie is being sold as something it is not. It is not a big outer space adventure. You know that scene from the Wonder Con footage and the trailers, with the entire Corps standing together in unison listening to Sinestro? Yeah, that’s the one and only time you see the Corps, except for one other brief scene where they are all getting killed. All those posters and billboards that make this movie seem like “Green Lantern & His Cool Alien Buddies” is total horseshit,  as they’re barely in this movie. The only Lanterns we really see are Tomar Re, Kilowog and Sinestro. Kilowog has what amounts to a glorified cameo, and it is probably the coolest part of the movie. He trains Hal for what amounts to five minutes, and then Sinestro takes over for him for another five minutes (if that) and there is your training montage. The movie could have used SO much more of this, and why they didn’t do it I’ll never understand. All I can think of is cheapness. All of these things would have made for a more expensive movie, and Warners didn’t believe enough in this property to spend that kind of money. I don’t know. They said this movie cost $150 million, but I sure as hell don’t see it. I hate to say it, but Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer had bigger scope than this movie in a lot of ways, and their giant space cloud monster thing at least didn’t have a cheesy head popping out of it every few seconds. 

I think the chief reason I’m so damn disappointed in this movie is I know what could have been. And what could have been was so much better than what we got. See, a couple of years back I got my hands on the first draft script for Green Lantern, and I freaking loved it.it is more or less the exact same storyline used in the movie, and in fact the final screen writng credit goes to the same people who wrote that first draft (dated 2008) But while the basic story is the same, all heart and soul that was in that script was gutted.  I immediately started reading it again after watching the movie, and it really infuriates me that this script wasn’t used. Nearly everything in the first draft script is superior to the final product we ended up with. Instead of a cheesy quick cut flashbacks to Hal’s father Martin Jordan’s death, we actually have scenes between him and his son Hal expanding their relationship. The Hal/Martin scenes are as crucial to that first draft script as the Peter Parker/Uncle Ben stuff in the original Spider-Man movie, or the young Bruce Wayne/Thomas Wayne scenes in Batman Begins. But In the final movie he’s just a photograph, a cliché of a dead father. In the original draft we see how Hal and Carol Ferris have known each other for years, going back to childhood, and how Martin Jordan’s death impacted everyone at Ferris Air and the Jordan family. We see the Jordan family fully fleshed out, not just brief cameos , but we see them as actual human beings (including Hal’s mother, a character totally cut from the movie) The relationship between Hector Hammond and his father is developed far more than it is in the final product. In the movie, you really don’t see why Hector hates his father THAT much. In the first script it is clear how very disgusted Senator Hammond is with Hector, and through Hector’s new telepathy we get to experience with him as he finds out just what the whole word really thinks of him….imagine suddenly finding out everyone around you hates you and thinks you’re creepy, gross and waste of space. I’d understand anyone going insane from that. 

  All of these things are gone from the final product. Lots of funny bits expanding the characterization of characters like Hal’s buddy Tom is here as well. Right now he is just there to give Hal someone to talk to other than talk to himself. Another total waste of a character. Sinestro has more of a relationship with Hal as well, much more than the brief scenes they share in the final product. I would have loved to see Mark Strong play some of these scenes, especially one where Hal and Sinestro visit the grieving widow of Abin Sur. Then there are all the cool missing fan wanks…we don’t see the rings looking for other recruits and passing them up (like Clark Kent and Guy Gardner) and a cool role for Alan Scott, the original GL is cut and replaced with Amanda Waller, who here is useless. Why even bother getting Angela Bassett for this? 

The final movie feels sort of like that original script, only cut to ribbons. I’d say maybe about 45% of it survived. I really don’t understand the thinking behind changing so much of it, as almost none of the changes were for the better, except for maybe one or two (in the final movie, Carol figures out Green Lantern is Hal almost instantly, which makes sense and is a funny bit. Also there is a particularly cheesy bit in the original script where the power of love ignites Hal’s ring and saves the day. I’m glad that bit was gone) But there is way more that works in that orginal script than doesn’t.  The scope is much bigger too; Not only is there a scene where Hal helps save Oa from Parallax (in the script called Legion instead) and gains the respect of Sinestro and his fellow Corpsmen, but the Corps pledge to come to Earth and help Hal out in the final battle, instead of their ones scene just standing around. We see the Corps in action on Earth, and it read so cool. 

I really don’t know what went wrong here, I don’t know who to blame. But right now I’m thinking director Martin Campbell. I remember when this movie was first announced, It was going to be directed by co-screenwriter Greg Berlanti, known more for being a television writer and producer, who only had one film directing credit to his name at the time, and indie movie called The Broken Hearts Club. Fanboys screamed bloody murder, insisting Warners get a big time action director on this movie instead. Well, they got their wish, and I wish they hadn’t. I think had Berlanti stayed as director, he would have protected all the character moments in his original script instead of sacrificing them for a quicker pace and a shorter run time. Don’t get me wrong; the original script isn’t The Godfather or anything…it is pretty derivative of other, better super hero movies in tone (Iron Man) and structure (Batman Begins) But at least it had heart, something that the final version does not have.

Like I said…this is not a terrible movie. I think some of the critics slamming this movie are slamming it for the wrong reasons. I get the sense they are trashing it hard because they are sick of superhero movies, and are just looking for one that is not so great to destroy and hopefully kill the genre for a good decade or so. I’ve read more reviews slamming the premise alone, which just goes to show how little imagination the reviewer has. I can’t understand the premise being too convoluted for modern day adults, when kids ages ten were able to understand it just fine as far back as 1960. This isn’t Inception people. I think a lot of kids will love it, and if it introduces kids to the concept of Green Lantern then I’m glad. I’m not against trashing it, believe me, just do it for the right reasons.

But as am enormous DC Comics fanboy, I’m heartbroken, because I know this movie could have been so great, but because it is so mediocre I think word of mouth will kill it. It’s failure will keep Warner Brothers from pursuing any further films for their other non Superman/Batman heroes. No Flash, No Wonder Woman, and probably no Justice League (although considering Superman and Batman are in that, that one might still have a shot actually)  For the past decade, we have seen Marvel spin all their top tier characters into box office gold, with very few exceptions (even the Fantastic Four movie did well enough to get a sequel) All I’ve ever wanted was the same for the DC heroes. Considering that the folks at Warner Brothers have stated that after their Harry Potter series is done, they would focus on their DC properties, this is not a good way to start that. So I actually still hope this movie does well anyway…I want a better sequel made. I want to see Hal Jordan fight Sinestro, and the introduction of John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Keep the cast, just give them something better to work with, and a director with an affinity for the material. That is clearly not Campbell. So for that reason alone, I’d say go see Green Lantern this weekend. Them pick up Green Lantern: Secret Origin by Geoff Johns at your local comic book store, or rent the animated Green Lantern: First Flight on DVD, either is a much better origin to Hal Jordan than what Warner Brothers has just given us

 

 

DC Comic Book Movie Casting Bits

Maybe in an effort to get everyone’s attention away from all the shitty reviews Green Lantern is getting, Warner Brother’s has announced casting for one big super hero movie, and pretty much announced casting for a pretty major part of The Dark Knight Rises by letting it leak. The first announcement is that Russell Crowe has signed on for the part of Jor-El in Zack Snyder’s upcoming reboot of Superman, The Man of Steel. It looks like Snyder is taking a page from Richard Donner’s original film, by casting Superman with a little known actor and surrounding him with a lot of very well known names. While I am not the biggest Crowe fan in the world (more for his douchey real life persona, not so much his acting, he’s fine in that department) I do like that this time they are casting a younger Jor-El. The other DC movie casting news (and this is big time SPOILER folks, so we put it in INVISITEXT! Highlight to ruin the film for yourself.) is that Liam Neeson is filming a spot for The Dark Knight Rises as Ra’s al Ghul. Is this just a flashback, or are they really gonna go all super comic booky on us and introduce the Lazurus Pit?? I am hoping for the latter.

 

Wolverine Gets A Director (Again)

After searching for months for someone to replace Darren Aronofsky, it seems Twentieth Century Fox has finally found a replacement for him in the form of James Mangold, the guy behind such films as Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma and Identity (as well as last year’s Tom Cruise wannabe comeback film dud Knight and Day) He’s a competent director, so let’s hope Fox gives him the freedom they gave Matthew Vaughn for X-Men: First Class. I will admit, that after Darren Aronofsky quit the Wolverine movie a few months back, I kind of lost all hope this could be any good, despite the fact that the script by Christopher McQuarrie has been getting great buzz for months.  However, the awesomeness of X-Men First Class has made me think that maybe..just maybe, Fox has turned over a new leaf when it comes to their  super hero films. Fingers crossed.

Star Wars Live Action Series Not Dead Yet

Remember back in 2005, after Episode III came out, Lucas announced two Star Wars television projects as coming soon? One was the animated Clone Wars series, that debuted to great success in 2008. The other was a live action series, said to be set between episodes III and IV. Well, the live action show never materialized, but in a recent interview it was revealed that over 50 hours of scripts have already been written, and the Lucasfilm people are said to be waiting for the cost of doing a CGI heavy show to go down…so it is maybe three to four years away, but still happening.  But the real question all these years is what the hell is the show supposed to be about anyway? Producer Rick Mcallum said this in a recent interview:

“Basically, it is like The Godfather; it’s the Empire slowly building up its power base around the galaxy, what happens in Coruscant, which is the major capital, and it’s a group of underground bosses who live there and control drugs, prostitution.”

Hookers and drugs in Star Wars? This feels like some weird fan fiction. But with over fifty scripts in the can, it seems that sooner or later this show is going to happen.

Jurassic Park IV Might Be Coming After All

Does anyone really want this? No? Oh well, Too bad. It looks like those presky dinos from Isla Nublar are coming back, despite the fact the Spielberg said not to long ago that with author Michael Chrichton dead, he would feel wrong revisiting Jurassic Park again. But hey money talks, and the 90’s are retro cool now, so why not? It looks like screenwriter Mark Protosevich (who worked on an earlier script for Thor) is said to be the go to guy for this one. I adore the original movie, but think all the sequels are a waste of time, so I’m wondering what can possibly be done to make this one any better? Dinos VS Zombies?

Star Trek II Delayed By Several Months

Alhough Paramount originally slated Star Trek 2 to come out June 29^th of 2012, it now looks like that is going to be pushed back. On a recent appearance on the Howard Stern show promoting his movie Super 8, director JJ Abrams revealed that they are 6 months behind on the new Star Trek, so that summer 2012 date is looking less and less likely. I say push they movie to winter if you have to, don’t rush a release date just to make it a summer film. We’ve all seen what a movie rushed to make a date looks like (I’m looking at you, X3) the reboot of Star Trek was so great, the last thing anyone wants is for this franchise to derail after we just got it back. Take your time JJ, we’ll wait.

San Diego Comic Con Losing The Hollywood Luster?

Has the luster lavished by Hollywood studios over the past decade finally faded from Comic Con? It seems that way. Apparently a ton of studios are pulling out from big expensive Comic Con presentations for this year, including Warner Brothers (probably not wanting to show their faces to fanboys after Green Lantern) According to an article in the New York Times, studios are starting to realize that Comic Con buzz does not always translate into real life…otherwise Comic Con hits like Tron: Legacy and Kick Ass would have translated into huge box office. Even Marvel Studios was rumored to not attend (something Marvel has since debunked) There are several major comic book movies coming next year, and at least one (The Amazing Spider-Man) is having a panel, but it seems several of the others are sitting this one out. I can only hope Hollywood’s affair with Comic Con being over means fewer attendees, but somehow I doubt that. I think we’ll all be packed like sardines for years to come.

The idea of a Justice League live action movie is the ultimate comic book fanboy’s wet dream. I don’t even care if you are die hard Marvel zombie, if there’s a big screen movie version of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern fighting off aliens or whatnot you know your ass is going to be there in that movie theater, day one. Recently Warner Brothers’ president of production Jeff Robinov, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, let it slip that the studio was indeed planning a big screen version of the Justice League of America for 2013. In a follow up interview, it was revealed that unlike Marvel  Studios’ Avengers movie, which as we all know is combining characters from four separate film franchises, Warners was going their own route in how they present the League. The JLA movie would have Superman and Batman and Wonder Woman, but they would be totally different  versions of those characters than the ones that appeared in Chris Nolan’s Batman series for instance, or the upcoming Zack Snyder directed Man of Steel.  

If this all sounds familiar, it is because this all played out before, and not really very long ago either.  Back in September of 2007, the Hollywood trades all announced the Justice League movie as being in “aggressive development” with George Miller (the Australian director of the Mad Max Trilogy and Happy Feet) directing. At that time, both Batman Begins and Superman Returns had already come out, and The Dark Knight was already in post production. Both Joss Whedon’s Wonder Woman movie and David Goyer’s Flash movie had been mothballed earlier that year, and with Superman Returns getting less than stellar reception from fanboys, it seemed Warners was going to bite the bullet and put all their eggs in one big super hero basket, and just present all these characters together in a Justice League movie.

At first geekdom seemed pretty jazzed for this. The Justice League is the ultimate comic book film for DC fans after all. In many ways, it is the ultimate comic book film, period. Married screenwriting team Kieran and Michele Mulroney’s script got a lot of buzz, and even made the 2007 “Black List,” a list of the year’s best written scripts as judged by an assortment of industry executives. And George Miller had some geek pedigree with the whole Mad Max thing under his belt. People were genuinely excited. 

But then the casting started to happen. Fans had just gotten what many considered to be their perfect live action Bruce Wayne in the form of Christian Bale in Batman Begins, and no matter what you felt about Superman Returns, most fans were cool with Brandon Routh as the new Man of Steel. Well, instead of doing the universe building that Marvel Studios is currently doing, the Warners/DC approach was going to have separate versions of these characters exist at the same time. So no Bale as Batman, no Brandon Routh as Superman. We would be getting different actors in these parts, just when we had accepted these new guys. And the JLA versions, it seemed, were a bunch of nobodies. Kids with names we’d never heard of, like Armie Hammer as Batman. He was 6’5, sure…but he was also only 21 years old. Some guy named DJ Cotrona was cast as Superman.  And while Cotrona was 27 at the time…he certainly had a Latino look to him…not quite the white bread Superman we knew.  Adam Brody from television’s The OC  was cast as the Flash. Suddenly, the dream JLA project was now being branded  “Justice League Junior” or worse, “JLA:90210.”  Vocal internet fans turned on this baby big time. But despite all the online fanboy bitching, plans were moving ahead for this movie. Production artwork was being done, costumes were being made, and shooting was scheduled to begin in Australia. The cast was sent to physically train for their roles. But then the 2008 WGA Writers Strike happened, and it stopped this movie in its tracks. 

It should be noted that angry fanboys everywhere had a secret Gaurdian Angel named Christopher Nolan on their side. See, Mr. Nolan did not want any other guy except his boy Christian playing Batman while he was in the middle of his Bat-trilogy. Batman had just gotten his respect back with Batman Begins, and he didn’t want to risk losing the character’s newly regained cred if this whole thing went sour. Add to that the previously mentioned impending WGA strike, and Warners panicked and pulled the plug on the whole project. Warners said the movie was “on hold” but everyone knew it was pretty much dead. Fans all felt like they dodged a giant bullet, and breathed a sigh of relief. There would be no “Junior Justice League” movie, no “JLA:90210.” 

 

 

But did we really dodge a bullet? Or could George Miller’s JLA movie been the coolest super hero movie of all time? 

What We Know 

Only drips and drabs have come out over the last few years on this JLA movie, which we now know got pretty damn far in development. Somewhere in some Warner Brother’s vault there is tons of artwork, photos of costume tests, etc. It is a minor miracle that in this day and age nothing has leaked.  The Batman who almost was, Armie Hammer, while doing press for his role as the Winkelvoss twins in The Social Network, talked to Aint It Cool News  about just how close they got to filming this puppy: 

AICN: I’m fascinated by that stuff, the “almost happened,” the “What if” stuff and just the idea of George Miller doing a JUSTICE LEAGUE movie still… I think it’s going to go down as one of the saddest “This didn’t happen” things ever.

Armie Hammer: And dude I saw it all. Like I saw the prevised fight sequences. I saw the entire storyboarded film that he had in a room ten times the size of this room with storyboards floor to ceiling, so you walked around the entire room and read the movie like a comic book. What he did… He created something that was so magnificent and put so much work into it, the fact that it never got a chance to be seen by daylight or appreciated by those who really would appreciate this more than anything else… I mean he was bringing in the psychology of these characters more than anyone else ever had.

We had psychiatrists with us in our rehearsal process to be like “Why this?” He was like “Well you see, with a delusional character like this, like the Batman, who thinks in this such a way, like a paranoid schizophrenic like this, this would be the motivating factor.” You bring so much more to these characters, because it’s not just “Well in this frame you are going to jump on top of this car and you are going to throw your Batarang.” It’s like “Why is everyone doing what they are doing, but in George Miller’s true style.” He was going so in-depth in this.

 

 

We had a brain surgeon, a psychiatrist, a Joseph Campbell expert, and all of these people in every single table meeting we had for a month and a half and then all of the characters were also training as their characters, so The Flash, Adam Brody, was training as The Flash with rubber bands, so he’d be fast and twitchy. Aquaman, Santiago Cabrera, was swimming a lot and Miller would send him to go swim with Dolphins in Northern California for hours so he would be used to being around sea creatures. Batman, being the only human of the Justice League and having to really prove himself there, he had to be the consummate martial artist, as well as the ultimate detective, so he was playing psychological games with all of us.

He would leave me out of things, like intentionally, but I wouldn’t know this until months later when I would just get the feeling of like “What is going on? Why is everybody?” Because he wanted me to constantly be getting into that paranoid mind frame of The Batman.

AICN: Yeah, “you’re not really in the group.”

Armie Hammer: Exactly and he wanted to create that in everybody. For instance, DJ Catrona who was playing Superman; he brought DJ down a month early and showed him the ropes, introduced him to everybody, made him have fun with everybody and all of that, so that when everybody would go down there they would be like “Well what do we do now, DJ?” So they would look up to him like people look up to Superman in The Justice League. It was amazing. 

Then last year, the screenwriting duo of Kieran and Michele Mulroney gave an interview to Movieline, and the subject of the Justice League movie came up: 

Movieline: Speaking of projects that were almost about to happen, Justice League came this close to shooting, and then…  

MICHELE: Pardon me, I need a drink if we’re going to talk about Justice League. [Laughs]

KIERAN: It was a fantastic experience. The movie needs to get made, and it will.

MICHELE: Yeah, we’re not at liberty to discuss too much about Justice League for various reasons, but all I can say is that we had an incredible blast writing it. To get to write for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman…I mean, it doesn’t get any better. We had a phenomenal time working with George Miller on this.  

KIERAN: We ran into the writers strike. A lot of projects that should have been made, didn’t get made. And this was a strike that we fully supported. Things happened, and it’s postponed for the time being. But it’s a great big movie that’s gonna get made.

 Have you done any more work on it since the strike?

 MICHELE: We haven’t personally done any work on it in a little while, and I don’t think anyone else has. It’s just sitting there in its little cocoon, waiting for the right moment in the superhero canon.

 KIERAN: There’s a Batman movie that people are very eagerly anticipating that will get its due. Everything else [the studio is] working on will proceed in a bit. I don’t think the world’s done with superheroes yet.

 MICHELE: Look, we work for Warner Brothers all the time…in fact, we’re working on something right now that we’re not even allowed to talk about.( It has since been revealed that project is Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows)  We love those guys, they’re awesome. Justice League is all good.

I don’t know, but it sounds to me like they know there is a strong possibility that their JLA script could in fact be revived at some point. Doesn’t sound like the writers are against it, that’s for sure. While I have never received an actual copy of the script, I have read a very long and detailed treatment. And I can say that in many ways, this movie would have been something akin to DC Comics Fanboy porn. While not based on any one comic (really, aside from Watchmen, are they ever?) it was heavily inspired by years of DC Comics lore. We got the origin of the team here,  as well as a lot of nods to Mark Waid’s Kingdom Come series (Planet Krypton restaurant makes an appearance even) as well Waid’s JLA story Tower of Babel. For those of you who don’t remember or never read it, Tower of Babel was Waid’s story where Ra’s al Ghul used Batman’s secret protocols on how to defeat the JLA  as weapons against them. Also part of this story was Maxwell Lord’s creation of an enhanced army to defeat the super heroes, similar to the comics’ The OMAC Project mini series. In what would have been the movie’s Pièce de résistance , a mind controlled Superman has a giant brawl with the rest of the League. And finally, one of the most seminal moments in DC history, the heroic death of Flash Barry Allen, and his subsequent take over of the role by side-kick Wally West, that was all present here too.

 

 

That’s not to say the story is perfect, it isn’t…Batman does one thing that is very out of character for example (which I won’t reveal…just in case)  But frankly the ultimate problem with this movie isn’t the script, more that some characters really needed their own movies first.  Especially Flash and Green Lantern, two pivotal characters with fairly complicated back stories and mythologies that deserve their own movies prior to this one, if only to introduce to the general audience the concepts behind the characters. Wonder Woman of course should have her own movie too, but that is totally off the table now. I think this past year has proven that Warners doesn’t really get Wonder Woman as a solo property, and her gender makes them terrified of centering a live action franchise around her on the big (or small) screen. As much as it saddens me, that is the way it is. And let’s face it, Aquaman and the Martian Manhunter were never going to get their own movies. I know an Aquaman movie is in development, but it’s not going to happen for a long, long time if ever. To do an Aquaman movie right, it would be Avatar expensive. We’re talking humans fighting/talking etc. in realistic CGI water, and for at least half a movie.  And Warners ain’t spending that kind of money on Aquaman, a character who is seen as a joke in pop culture, thanks to the old Super Friends show.  It is one thing to have him be a cool supporting character in a movie (where most of his adventures will take place on the surface, or at least the surface of the ocean) but his own movie? Maybe if he’s the break out character in the JLA movie, but that’s a big maybe. And as for J’onn…well, he is strictly JLA supporting cast. Of the “Big 7” of the League, only five can really support their own films at this point. And since one has a vagina, that only really leaves the Flash as the other one.  

 

 

So could this movie still happen? Eventually, there will probably be a JLA movie of some sort, especially if Avengers does gangbusters at the box office. Warners would look stupid not to attempt it. And If they were to make it in the next few years, they would no longer have to worry about certain issues that halted production in the past. Green Lantern has had his own movie now, so scratch one character off the list who needs to be introduced to the general audience. There is no writer’s strike anymore, and as of next year, Nolan’s Batman trilogy will be done, leaving the character free and clear for use. While the JLA Batman will no doubt still not be in continuity with the Nolan movies (and almost certainly not be Christian Bale either) he probably will be very much like the Nolan version, just in a world with other heroes in it. After destroying the Batman persona with the late 90’s Schumacher movies and so carefully building Batman back up again, they aren’t going to let that happen again by giving us a cheesy, light hearted Batman.  And while Zack Snyder has gone on record as saying his Superman would also be in its own universe, I don’t really see a problem here either. Superman is iconic in the way that Dracula, Sherlock Holmes and James Bond are iconic. More than one person can play the part at a time….no one got confused that Brandon Routh and Tom Welling were both Superman at the same time for example. 

Some changes might need to be made to the story, as the Green Lantern in the script was John Stewart. This could possibly remain that way, as Warners isn’t going to want their ultimate super hero team be made up of just white people, and Justice League’s animated series featured John Stewart after all. (Another solution would be to use Cyborg, which might explain why he is being used in the upcoming comic book reboot of the League.) If the Green Lantern movie does really well this summer, then Ryan Reynold’s asking price will go up, and GL’s role is a secondary one to Superman and Batman’s here. They could easily have John Stewart as Hal Jordan’s partner, the guy who patrols the homestead while Jordan’s off on the other side of Sector 2814, leaving an empty spot for him on the team. Of course Green Lantern could only do so-so business, and then Ryan Reynolds would be happy for the JLA gig no doubt. This of course leaves the Flash. The Flash (both Barry Allen and Wally West) have a large role to play in this script, and it would make tons more sense if they were introduced first in their own flick. Plus how shocking would it be to general movie going population if the Flash (a character with his own solo movie first) were to nobly sacrifice himself at the end? Few would see it coming who weren’t hardcore comic book fans.

After the JLA movie never happened, George Miller supposedly went into pre production on a Mad Max sequel/reboot entitled Fury Road. But that also never materialized, leaving me to wonder if Warners plans to resurrect the Miller version of this project in some form soon. George Miller seemingly put a lot of time and effort into this, and I could see him coming back to it under the right circumstances. Certainly no one would laugh at his choice of Batman now, as Armie Hammer just got cast as the Lone Ranger alongside Johnny Depp’s Tonto. From one masked hero to another, and then back again? Could be. It just seems so much work has already been done on this version that totally starting from scratch seems silly.

Of course, What happens with the Justice League movie now entirely depends on how well the Green Lantern movie does this upcoming weekend. If it does huge blockbuster business, then expect an announcement for not only Green Lantern 2 next week, but probably a Justice League movie as well. If it does just decent business, then Warners will probably still proceed with a JLA movie, without giving solo movies first to characters like the Flash. Of course, If it out right flops a la Speed Racer, well….I hope you like Batman and Superman, ’cause they will be the only DC Heroes properties you’ll see on the big screen from now on. So now let’s keep our fingers crossed that doesn’t happen.

Tron 3 Gets Closer To Reality 

Despite all the naysayers who said it wouldn’t happen, mostly due to TRON: Legacy not making Pirates of the Caribbean type money, Disney has hired a screenwriter for a third installment to the TRON saga. The writer who got the gig is a guy by the name of David DiGillio, who to date is best known for writing the Paul Walker movie Eight Below. Now, this doesn’t mean a green light for the actual movie is a sure thing; my understanding is they are taking a wait and see approach to how well the new TRON:Uprising animated series does on Disney XD, (and no doubt how much merch it sells to the kiddies) before going forward with a new live action movie. But the hiring of a screenwriter shows they are at least seriously considering another installment, so this news bodes well for those of you who want another trip to the Grid. And the way I see it, anything that furthers along the notion of a TRON ride at Disneyland is a good thing. 

New Quentin Tarantino Flick Begins To Take Shape 

It looks like the new Quentin Tarantino movie, Django Unchained, is getting put together pretty fast. The movie is said to be described as a “Southern” and not quite a “Western,” about a former slave who goes to rescue his wife who is being held captive my an evil bar owner who makes his female slaves fight to the death. (I’m so already there)  According to reports, Tarantino veterans Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson are expected to sign on, and Leonardo DiCaprio is about to sign on as well to play the part of the villain. (which I think makes it the first time he has ever played a villain..maybe ever?) Still, the actual lead for this movie has yet to be cast. For awhile there it seemed Will Smith was locked  for the part of the titular Django, described as “a slave who is liberated and taught the tricks of the trade by a German dentist-turned-bounty hunter.”  It is seeming less and less likely that Will Smith is going to sign on for this, as a QT movie might be too controversial for him, a guy who seemingly only makes choices based on big paychecks lately. Another name being bandied about is Idris Elba, most recently seen in Thor. Other names thrown about are Jamie Fox and even Chris Tucker, so I pray to the movie gods this one goes to Elba.  

 

Darren Aronofsky’s Next Could Be Biblical 

Darren Aronofsky has a new pet project, a $130 million dollar version of the Biblical story of Noah and the Flood. The last time Aronofsky had a quirky pet project to make, it was The Fountain, which was originally going to be a big budget movie starring Brad Pitt in the lead role. Ultimately, the project was deemed not commercial enough, Pitt dropped out, and was replaced by Hugh Jackman and the budget was seriously lowered. All of this back and forth took about six years, and eventually the movie was released and did not set the box office on fire, nor did all critics love it for that matter either.  

Now with his clout coming off Black Swan, Aronofsky is looking to get another not so commercial idea off the ground (but with a commercial budget) this time the saga of Noah and the Ark. Apparently, Aronofsky has had this idea for a Noah movie since he was thirteen, and describes it as a big fantasy epic, but one with a dark edge to it. Certainly audiences don’t mind big budget escapism with a darker edge anymore (Dark Knight anyone?) but it depends on just how far Aronofsky goes with this one. 

 

 

 

Uncanny X-Men Title To End….For Now

In an effort to not let DC Comics steal all their thunder this week with announcements of their new reboot, Marvel has announced that Uncanny X-Men #544 will bring an end to the series which is Marvel’s longest running uninterrupted title (even Amazing Spider-Man and Fantastic Four have been rebooted back to #1 before, only to resume their original numbering eventually) This is due to the fall out between Wolverine and Cyclops in the upcoming Schism crossover, which will see two distinct X-Men teams form out of this. I don’t know, doesn’t this sound JUST like Marvel’s Civil War, only trade Iron Man and Captain America for Cyclops and Wolverine? And doesn’t it seem less dramatic as Scott and Logan have always kind of hated each other anyway? Oh well, X-fans shouldn’t mourn the loss of Uncanny, as Marvel has said two new X-Men titles will spin out of this, one led by Cyclops, the other by Wolverine naturally. I miss the days the when there were like, eight X-Men tops and they all lived in Xavier’s school. And speaking of Marvel….

X-Men First Class and Thor Screenwriters Want A Crack At The FF

Ok, this is kind of non-news, but maybe if it circulated around the internets enough it might become a self fulfilling prophecy. It seems Ashely Miller and Zack Stentz, the co-writers of both Thor and X-Men: First Class want a crack at a reboot of Marvel’s first family as well. At a Q&A recently, this is what they had to say about what their vision of the Fantastic Four could be like.

“We would absolutely love to reboot the Fantastic Four. There is a franchise that’s crying out for it. The Fantastic Four are adventurers, not superheroes, and we have not seen that so far. It should all be about venturing into the unknown, space, the Negative Zone, the Microverse. They are explorers. It should be Star Wars meets superheroes.”

Condsidering both movies have been mostly very well received by fanboys and general audiences, here’s hoping these two are given a crack at Marvel’s first family before too long. And I really hope they set the movie in period…even more than the X-Men, the early 60’s time-frame is so crucial to the Fantastic Four’s iconography, what with the space race and atomic age stuff, not to mention all the Mad Men era sexism that could be played for humor.

So as of this week, DC has announced all 52 of their newly revamped/relaunched comics book titles, and some longtime mainstays of the DC Universe seem nowhere to be found, at least initially. Now, DC has hundreds of characters…some vanish for years at a time, but the following characters have been fixtures in one way or another for the past several years, and in some cases several decades, and their lack of starring roles in the new DCU is very telling…and very worrying for long time DC geeks like myself. The following are the ten I’m most surprised are being seemingly left to limbo….or are at least being left to limbo for the time being…. 

#1. Wally West/The Flash 

The biggest name on the MIA list has got to be Wally West, the third Flash. There was some speculation among fans that he was being “de-aged” back to his former identity of Kid Flash and was starring in the upcoming Teen Titans series, but DC confirmed the Kid Flash in that book was the current one, Bart Allen. So where is does that leave poor Wally, the character who carried the name and title of the Flash for over two decades?  In many ways, it is the Wally West version of the Flash that is the most well known, as he was the version used on the JLU animated series that was seen by millions of fans. Would DC Just erase him out of existence? I highly doubt that would happen, but so far he might be the highest profile character that we know of that seemingly has no place in this new DC Universe. Yet. 

 

 

#2.The Justice Society of America 

This is another pretty damn big omission. Of the 52 titles announced, the Justice Society of America is not among them. The JSA has been a mainstay DC Universe title since 1999, and just as a concept they are crucial to the DC Universe as the world’s first super team, going back to the days of World War II. But with DC trying to be edgier and more youth oriented, could the first casualty been the old farts of the JSA? It would seem strange….DC has always been proud of their legacy, and now they seem to be ashamed of it, as if they don’t want anyone to know their real age. (pppst. they’re 76.) It would also be strange if this new DCU, masterminded by Geoff Johns, erased the book that helped make him a superstar writer in the first place. Not to mention the JSA has always been the home to Stargirl, a character created by Johns as a tribute to his late younger sister. Would a comic book history fan like Johns just erase the entire early history of the DCU, including characters like the original Flash and Green Lantern, not to mention Dr. Fate and the Spectre, just to seem younger and cooler? The whole thing just reeks of desperation. Just a year ago I would have said no way, but the lack of any JSA characters being included (with the exception of Mr. Terrific) in the DC Universe, I’m starting to think their days are numbered. And that is a huge bummer. 

 

 #3.The Huntress

 A main member of the Birds of Prey team, Helena Bertinelli does not appear on the cover of the new DCU Birds of Prey comic, or seemingly anywhere at all in this new universe. With Batwoman and Batgirl taking center stage again, was that one too many female crime fighters in pointy masks running around the streets of Gotham City? DC publisher Dan Didio has said he wants to return most characters to their original incarnations. In the case of the Huntress, she was originally conceived as  the grown up daughter of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, so I doubt they are going that route with her again, expecially with a now younger Batman. Huntress is ultimately too popular a character to stay down for good, and her association with Batman and his troops almost makes certain she’ll show up at some point, but for now she seems mysteriously absent. Of all the characters on this list, I think she will be the first to turn up somewhere. Just a hunch. And probably without her bare midriff showing anymore.

#4.Power Girl 

Power Girl has been around since 1975, as the sassier, older and bigger tittied Earth -2 version of Supergirl. Powergirl must have some kind of comic book “Get Out of Jail Free” card, because she continued to survive in the DC Universe, even when she had no business doing so. After the 1985 mini series Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DC Universe was rebooted as having only one survivor of Krypton, that being obviously Superman. Even Supergirl was killed off, but somehow Power Girl survived and was given a new origin. She continued to be a supporting character in books like Justice League International, until finally getting a major spot on the JSA which renewed her popularity (and her original costume) ultimately resulting in her original Kryptonian origin restored and her own ongoing series. Now it looks like having a doppelganger of Supergirl from another Earth is too complicated for this new DC, and maybe Powergirl’s good fortune has run out….Although I sincerely hope not.  

 

#5. Donna Troy 

Another character with a very complicated history, and more varying origins than even Power Girl has had.  As the original Wonder Girl, Donna has been the backbone of the Teen Titans since their inception, and for many years in the early 80’s, was far more popular and well written than her older sister Wonder Woman.  There was speculation that the black haired woman on the cover of the new Justice League International #1 was Donna Troy, but that has since been debunked. We know Cassie Sandsmark exists as a version of Wonder Girl in this new DCU…does that mean Donna Troy now simply never existed? After giving her a higher profile as a member of the JLA these past couple of years, it would royally suck if she was taken out of existence.  Especially for this fan, as she is a personal favorite. But so far, there is no sign of her. 

 

#6.Stephanie Brown (Batgirl) 

Poor Steph…initially debuting as the Tim Drake version of Robin’s love interest code named Spoiler (seriously, the worst super hero name ever. What is she gonna do, tell you the ending of a movie before you saw it? Adorn the back of a race car?) she eventually graduated to being the first female Robin, only to be killed off soon after. But a few years later due to popular demand, she was brought back and two years ago finally earned the title of Batgirl and her very own ongoing series. Well, less than two years later, not only she is she being replaced as Batgirl by the original bearer of the name, Barbara Gordon, but she seems to be nowhere to be found in any of the solicitations for the 52 new ongoing titles. To make it so far in the Bat-verse only to possibly be relegated to non existence so fast has got to be a blow to her very vocal fanbase. It seems that three of the former Robins have their own titles, but there can only be two Bat-women around at a time, or fanboy’s heads will get confused. it is still possible that Stephanie Brown may show up in some form or another still, as it seems the Batman family timeline is more or less intact, but only time will tell. 

 

 #7.Captain Marvel (Shazam)

Of all the properties DC Comics owns, the Shazam family is one of the most famous to the mainstream, and yet is seemingly one of those properties that DC just can’t get a handle on to sell to a modern audiences. And yet if there was ever a time to attempt it, it would seem to be now. The appearance of “Captain Thunder” in Flashpoint leads me to believe that DC is still thinking of the character and wants to expand his appeal, but the lack of any Marvel Family characters in the 52 launch makes me think it still something they are going to put off for another time. 

 

#8. The Atom/Ray Palmer 

I wasn’t entirely expecting to see the Atom get his own title, but DC went to great lengths to bring him back into prominence in the last few years, even killing off his successor in the role, Ryan Choi. But so far, he doesn’t seem to be in any of the team books either. The new Justice League is said to eventually sport a fourteen member line up, so I could see him landing in there somewhere. With books being launched about the Blackhawks and even Frankenstein for fuck’s sake, I’d think DC would at least attempt to use Ray Palmer somewhere and not leave him in limbo, seeing as he has been a fixture of the overall DC Universe since 1961.  

 

#9. Beast Boy & Raven 

As I write this, I’m not even sure that the 80’s New Teen Titans series is even in continuity right now (and if it is not, it would break my heart, that is my favorite comic book series of all time) but ever since that book originally came out, the characters introduced there have become mainstays of the DCU, and eventual cartoon tv stars. We know that former Teen Titans like Nightwing, Cyborg, Starfire and Arsenal are in this new universe, but where are former Titans Beast Boy (or as I knew him, Changeling) and Raven? This list already includes Wally West and Donna Troy, so it just seems to me that the folks at DC seemingly have a grudge against their once best selling characters, the Titans. Way to show gratitude to the characters that once helped save the company from being sold. 

 

#10. Catman (Thomas Blake) 

Five years ago, writer Gail Simone took a C-List Batman villain from back in the day named Catman and injected him with whole new life (and a new fanbase) in the pages of Secret Six, and no one could have known what a beloved character he would become. And with the announcement that Secret Six is no more, people are wondering if this is the end of Catman as well. To create such a fan favorite out of what was once a joke of a character is pretty hard to do, so it seems silly for DC to throw one out with the garbage…maybe he’ll end up on the new Suicide Squad? Right now it is all up in the air.  

 

 

Now that X-Men First Class has opened to great reviews and solid box office, giving new life to a franchise that was floundering badly, the inevitable question turns to “what will X-Men: Second Class” look like? (hopefully “Second Class” won’t be the actual title, as that is just asking for mean headlines when the inevitable bad reviews come in, but for the purposes of this article we’ll stick with Second Class) I can only hope Fox sticks with the Bryan Singer/ Matthew Vaughn team for this proposed trilogy, so I should get that out of the way first…what I want most of all for this series is for the creative team to stick around. As for what characters, situations from the comics I would like to see brought into future sequels, among the following are the ones I want the most. 

 

#1. Cyclops

Although I am a lifelong X-Men fan, I’ve never been the stickler for the exact continuity of the comics being displayed on the big screen, especially about things like when “Character A” appeared as a member of the team as opposed to “Character B.” I don’t care about who joined the team when, as long as the characters are made interesting and done justice.  In my opinion, characters like Nightcrawler, Rogue, and even Iceman were given more character development than the actual leader of the team and arguably most important member of the X-Men, Scott Summers AKA Cyclops (I said most important, not most popular, I realize that’s Wolverine) This is a crime I really hope this new series of films rectifies.

While I never had a problem with James Marsden as Scott Summers, (in fact I think his casting is spot on) his role in the first two X movies was to essentially cock block our protagonist Wolverine from getting with his girl Jean Grey. He is given one moment to shine at the end of the first movie as he leads the team in their wire-fu brawl in the Statue of Liberty gift shop, and pretty much vanishes from the next movie and is killed off like a red shirt from Star Trek in the third movie.

Cyclops needs to be given more to do, and a sequel to First Class is the best place to do it, seeing as he doesn’t need to compete with Wolverine for screen time. A possible angle may be playing on the notion of Xavier trying to make up for past mistakes with Erik by taking on another tortured young mutant with great potential for destruction. Where Charles failed with Erik, he succeeds with Scott. Lots of room for story here. 

 

 

#2.Storm 

Another mutant given the short end of the stick character wise in the original X-Men trilogy, mostly due to being played by the totally miscast Halle Berry. Despite being in all the posters and advertising for the movies, and aside from hogging way too much screen time all of a sudden in X3, Storm had very little to do in the original trilogy. All her lines in the first movie are just exposition, and she spends much of the final battle getting her ass kicked. In X2, Bryan Singer at least shows off Storm’s powers as being much more formidable and uses her abilities in interesting and cool ways, but her character still has next to no development. Again, just like with Cyclops, characters like Nightcrawler, Rogue, even Iceman get more character development in that movie than Storm, one of the supposed “stars” of the movie. 

And this just plain sucks, because after Cyclops, Storm was the X-Men’s field leader for many years. During Chris Claremont’s legendary 16 year run on the title, Ororo Munroe was possibly his most well developed character. A character we see almost nothing of in the movies aside from her powers. Storm’s African upbringing, her years as a street child in Cairo, being worshipped as a Goddess in Kenya, all of these things make for interesting story potential. Again, without Wolverine hogging screen time it is time to let Storm shine. And cast her right this time. 

 

 

#3.Keep The Movies In Period 

One of the coolest things about First Class was the use of the early 60’s Atomic Age era as a backdrop for the story. Producer Bryan Singer has suggested that this new trilogy might extend into the 1970’s and 80’s. I think this is a far better idea than another movie set in the 60’s. Too much of this could veer into Austin Powers territory, and just be too much of a good thing.  Besides, the different time periods might make for a good excuse as to use some of the more outlandish looks for the team. I could totally see Storm wearing her signature head-piece in the 70’s, or her Mohawk in the 80’s, and the audience just letting it go due to the time period.   

 

#4. The Sentinels

One of the most prominent foes of the X-Men for almost all of their nearly 50 year publishing history are the mutant hunting robots the Sentinels. Once could argue after Magneto, they are the team’s biggest threat, as the Sentinels are literal representations of mankind’s hate and fear of mutants. Not to mention giant robots are cool as Hell. And yet we have never seen them properly on film (the cameo of the Sentinel head in the danger room in  X-Men 3 does NOT count) Sentinels almost made it into X2 during the government raid on the school scene, but Fox forced budget cuts that kept the Sentinels from showing up in that movie, although designs were made. Now that Bryan Singer is back as a producer on this series, maybe he can bring back those Sentinel designs for a First Class sequel.  

 

#5. Introduce Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver 

First off, I’d like to point out that I’d much rather have both of these characters in an Avengers movie than any X-Men flick. They have a much greater and deeper history with that particular Marvel team than the X-Men. Alas, since they are both mutants, not to mention that Wanda and Pietro Maximoff are the offspring of Magneto, they are considered X-Men characters first and foremost and are therefore property of Twentieth Century Fox.  Since this new series seems to be focusing on the rise of Magneto as America’s Most Wanted mutant terrorist, the notion that he has two children that he more or less abandoned (from a human mother no less) is ripe for drama, especially when both of his children turn on him and join the good guy side.  

 

#6. The Danger Room 

I mean the REAL Danger Room…the old school one, the one where it throws knives and fire balls and all kinds of weird shit to attack a bunch of teenagers. Not the rip off of the Holodeck from Star Trek: The Next Generation that we saw in X3 for all of 2 minutes. This is an essential X-Men staple that goes back to the first issue of the comics in 1963, and yet we’ve never seen it done correctly on film. This is bullshit and needs to be rectified. 

 

 

 

 

#7.No Shiar Aliens. No Brood. No Multiple Alternate Timelines. 

Confession: I kinda hate space based X-Men stories.  Yes, there are some exceptions (The Dark Phoenix Saga, Astonishing X-Men, both of which only partially take place in space) but I think that outer space is the Fantastic Four’s turf. I understand the need for long running monthly comics to get away from the series’ basic core premise of “Man Vs. Mutant,” and prejudice, civil rights, etc, because you need to shake things up. However for a movie series that only comes out once every few years, each movie needs to be a spin on that core idea. Which is not mutants helping out in galactic civil wars with people who have weird  bird hair. 

Another sci-fi trope the X-Men comics have flogged to death is time travelers from alternate timelines, in the X-verse more future visitors from dysotopian futures have shown up in Westchester New York than you can imagine…Rachel Summers, Cable, Bishop…I really don’t want to see any of these stories in an X-Men movie. And to be honest, the whole “I’m gonna travel back in time to stop my horrible future from happening” is gonna seem like a huge Terminator knock off to most (even though I am fully aware that Days of Future Past pre-dates the Terminator movie by like four years) Speaking of knock-offs, don’t use the Brood either, since those ARE rip offs of the xenomorphs from the Alien film series.  

 

#8. Mr. Sinister 

In a way, First Class combined the characters of Mr. Sinister with Sebastian Shaw (in the comics it has been hinted, if not explicitly stated, that Nathaniel Essex AKA Mr. Sinister was Joseph Mengele type in the Nazi death camps) but there is still a lot of Sinister traits that Shaw didn’t share, like his obsession with creating perfect mutant bloodlines and other forms of genetic manipulation. Along with Apocalypse (who would be really tough to pull off in live action without changing a lot) Sinister is next to Magneto in terms of classic X-Villains, and has yet to be used in any of the five X-Men movies. Time to bring him out. 

 

 

#9. Asteroid M 

Ok, I know I said no outer space, but this is just in orbit of Earth so I’m making an exception here. The idea of Magneto having a base inside a giant iron asteroid is sooo comic booky, so I could see them never doing this, but I would love the visual of Mags pointing a death ray or something like that from his evil lair in the sky.

 

 

 

#10. Dazzler! 

And yes, I’m serious. If they set the next movie in the 1970’s, and there isn’t a cameo from disco Dazzler, I’m gonna be pissed. And I would like to nominate Lady GaGa for this, since she is pretty much the real life Dazzler anyway.  

 

 

 

 

Aside from a certain bombshell dropped by DC Comics, this was kind of a  slow geek news week, however there were some bit and pieces of info I have gathered for you my faithful readers…starting with the possible cinematic return of a certain Lord of the Apes?

 

New Tarzan Movie In The Works…Potential Trilogy?

Craig Brewer, the director behind such down and dirty southern movies like Black Snake Moan (a personal guilty pleasure) and Hustle and Flow has turned his sights on a proposed trilogy based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ classic series of Tarzan novels for Warner Brothers. This is supposed to be a “grittier” take on the origin story than has been recently seen in the likes of Disney’s Tarzan animated film or even the old serials and movies of the forties, sort of like Batman Begins or Casino Royale. The funny thing is, there already HAS been a grittier more realistic take on the Tarzan origin story, and it came out in 1984 and was called Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes, starring Christopher Lambert, and then-newcomer Andie McDowell, who was so bad that all her lines were dubbed over by Glenn Close. (watch it though, it is actually a decent movie) Somehow, I see Warner Brothers wanting a more family friendly Pirates of the Caribbean type thing, but that’s just my hunch. There is plenty of potential for cool adventure movies with Tarzan, so maybe between this and the upcoming John Carter of Mars from Disney there will be something of an Edgar Rice Burroughs trend happening in theaters a few summers from now.

Disney Searches For New Director For Fifth Pirates of the Caribbean Movie

With the global success of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, at least commercially, you knew a fith installment was imminent. It seems that Disney is pursuing quite an A list set of directors for the fifth movie, although I hardly see why. Does anyone see these movies based on director pedigree? Who ran out to see the new one because it was “A Rob Marshall Film?” The names being bandied about are ones like Tim Burton (due to the Johnny Depp connection and no other reason I’m sure) Sam Raimi, Shawn Levy, Chris Weitz , and Alfonso Cuaron. Of these names I can only really see maybe Shawn Levy and Christ Weitz bothering with a fifth Pirates movie, but you never know. I actually thought this last movie was ok, and way better than parts two and three, at least in my humble opinion. But sadly, it has already been a week or so since I saw it and I’ve already kind of forgotten what it was about, and that’s not a good sign either. Fountain of Youth or something right?

The More Wild DC Reboot Rumors Hitting the Net

There are so, so many rumors in regards to the new DC Universe reboot/re-launch/whatever, there were some that just didn’t make it into my overall DC reboot article. Here are some of the crazier ones that have been making the rounds…take some of these with a GIANT grain of salt though. Remember, these are all just rumors now. But I have a feeling at least some of these are true:

Wonder Woman will live in New York and be part of a secret society of Amazons.

Superman no longer has super speed (only the Flash will have this power) and that he’s in love with Lana Lang, not Lois.

Bruce Wayne is not only still Batman and younger, but almost no one outside of his immediate circle knows his secret identity; plus he has less connections with and is distrusted amongst the rest of the superhero community.

Jason Todd and Damien Wayne no longer exist. (Boo!)

Sinestro is back to being a Green Lantern and the Red Lanterns are now the official enemy of the Green Lantern Corp.

Aquaman has new powers. (yay?)

Ted Kord still dead, but wasn´t killed by Maxwell Lord.

Dick Grayson is back to being Robin and Wally West is back to being Kid Flash and are members of the Titans, similar to how they are in the Young Justice cartoon. (Major BOO!)

The Legion is getting revamped (again!) and taking place in a darker future.

Women will no longer wear short skirts or short shorts in DC. Pants for everyone. Fanboys cry.

I imagine by the time this article goes up, there will be even more rumors. I will keep updating this space as I ‘get em. So keep coming back kids. We all love gossip don’t we?

 

Hobbit Movies Get Their Official Titles Revealed 

This week, both Peter Jackson helmed Hobbit films have finally been officially titled. Coming in December 2012 and December 2013, we will be seeing The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Hobbit: To There And Back Again. Lots of fans guessed these would be the titles, based on chapters from the books, and it seems they guessed right. Also finally officially confirmed this week was the return of Orlando Bloom as Legolas, which was rumored since last year at least. 

 

 

Too Many Americans Forked Over $13 Bucks To See Yogi Bear

They Are Unleashing Another One

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but damn it…Justin Timberlake, you are actually too funny to be in this shit. *Sigh*  In a surefire sign that the end of the world is indeed coming (although clearly not on May 21^st. Anyone hear from that super accurate prophet Harold Camping lately?) Warner Bros. signed screenwriters Joshua Sternin and Jeffrey Ventimilia,  those oh so esteemed writers of the original, to start penning the sequel, Yogi Bear 2. That means enough people paid to see Yogi Bear 1. Maybe that is what prompted that dude in Oakland to say the world was gonna end? 

Earlier this week, DC Comics made the big announcement that was maybe the worst kept secret in comic book history – that come September, right after the conclusion of their crossover mini series Flashpoint, DC would be rebooting/relaunching their entire super hero line at #1, including long (LONG) running books like Action Comics and Detective Comics. Even more revolutionary is the announcement that DC will be releasing all these new books in digital format DAY AND DATE with the day the physical copies themselves are released to stores. To me this is long overdue…digital is the way that comics will get to much more readers than ever before, readers not close to comic book stores, or who would never set foot in one. And while this might hurt some retailers, DC needs to start planning for the future. Within the next few years, everyone will have an ipad or some form of pad…DC can’t wait, they have to act now, or they can just watch the art form die.

Of the 52 titles set to be launched (52 seems to be a magic number at DC) only 11 have confirmed creative teams right now. It seems editorial at DC is giving a real shot to certain characters that have been relegated to C-List status like Mr. Terrific, Deadman and former Teen Titan Cyborg, who has graduated to JLA status. 

 

Reboot or Soft Reboot?

 

That’s the real question isn’t it? And DC has yet to give a clear answer on this one. For those of you who don’t know the difference, a regular reboot is one where everything starts from scratch, ignoring previous continuity (think Marvel’s Ultimate line of comics, or in movie terms, what Batman Begins was to the previous Batman movies) A “soft reboot’ are things like what happened to the DC Universe after Infinite Crisis and 52…things in the past were tweaked and changed, but the overall continuity remained the same, more or less.

So is this new DCU a soft or hard reboot? Sure, everything is going back to #1 in terms of issues, and we’re getting new costumes and titles, but DC did that a few years ago with their post Infinite Crisis One Year Later stunt. Will this be different, or more of the same?

 

Cases For A Hard Reboot

 

So far, website Bleeding Cool has been the lead in breaking stories and rumors when it comes to the whole DCU reboot, including breaking the story of it happening in the first place. And there are a few rumors there that certainly suggest that a step back to the early years of the DC Universe is at hand. The first of these rumors is that they are rolling back the clock age wise on everyone. In an article in USA Today, Dan DiDio is quoted as saying “We really want to inject new life in our characters and line. This was a chance to start, not at the beginning, but at a point where our characters are younger and the stories are being told for today’s audience.” Of course, the characters were hardly ever portrayed as being “old” anyway. In the current DCU, none of the iconic characters’ ages are ever given, we are supposed to assume they are somewhere between their late twenties to mid thirties tops (despite the fact that Batman has raised three foster sons and sired a biological son during his career) So it is possible that the characters are going to have aspects of their continuity that make them appear older go away, like marriages and children, without actually erasing their histories. However, comments like DiDio’s suggest a full on reboot is in order.

Also, when talking about the new Justice League title in their reboot announcement, DC said “Together they will offer a contemporary take on the origin of the comic book industry’s premier superhero team.” This  also suggests a start for the team from ground zero. Of course, they could just mean the origin of this current incarnation of the JLA, but then why use language suggesting it is something more like a complete reboot?

 

 

Then there’s stuff like rumors that once again Barbara Gordon will be under the mask of Batgirl in an all new Batgirl #1. Considering DC has repeatedly stated they would never “cure” the character of her spinal injury that halted her career as Batgirl and turned her into the wheelchair bound information broker Oracle, the only way to make that happen would be to roll back the clock on her to her early years as Batgirl.

Then, finally, there is what J.Michael Stracynski said on his facebook page in regards to DC’s plans, and it certainly suggests a massive clean slate approach is being taken, and it is all Dan DiDio’s idea:

 

“When Dan DiDio comes out to the West Coast, we tend to get a bite for dinner to discuss projects, ideas, books and just hang. Dan is a great guy and an energetic speaker, chockful of ideas and aspirations for DC. As part of that, he shared repeatedly on and off for really more than a year his dream of rebooting the DCU and starting over.

So I felt confident that it was coming soon (which is one reason why I felt there wouldn’t be a problem in the long run leaving the monthly books, since most of the things done in Superman and Wonder Woman would be erased by the reboot anyway, so ultimately it didn’t matter whether I stayed or left. I just couldn’t say anything at the time because I wanted to respect Dan’s privacy and his desire to do what he thought was right when he thought it was right to do it.

To a degree, I think the success of Superman: Earth One was very helpful in showing that you could reboot a major character in a very personal sort of book and have it become a real hit (27 straight weeks and counting on the New York Times Bestseller List for graphic novels).

That said: end to end, top to bottom, front to back, this is Dan’s dream, and he’s fought long and hard to make this happen.”

That sounds like a total reboot to me. But then, there is just as much evidence to suggest that this is something more akin to a soft reboot too. Let’s examine the evidence.

Case For A Soft Reboot

 

The people spear heading this whole DCU reboot are the same people who have been behind every major move at DC Comics the past 5 years or more, namely Dan DiDio, Jim Lee and Geoff Johns. Geoff Johns in particular loves classic DC continuity, and more often than not, likes bringing back things from DC’s Silver and Bronze Age of comics that had been previously thrown out. He recently brought back the notion of Clark Kent’s career as Superboy back into Superman’s history in Superman: Secret Origin, and that was as recently as last year. Johns also spent a good portion of the past year with Blackest Night and Brightest Day, two mini-series that seemed to be made especially to bring back old characters into modern continuity. Why bother with all this if they knew they were going to just hit the giant re-set button on the whole damn universe a few months after Brightest Day wrapped up and taken the easy way into bringing everyone back? And something as big as a a universe wide reboot would have to have been in the planning stages for at least the last couple of years…certainly, the rumor of a Geoff Johns/Jim Lee teaming on Justice League has been rumored since at least 2009. They didn’t just now come up with this idea.

Then there’s DC’s Earth One publishing initiative, starting last year with the highly successful Superman: Earth One graphic novel by JMS. The whole notion behind these books is to introduce a new generation of readers to updated 21^st Century versions of classic DCU heroes. A new continuation of Superman: Earth One is set to come out this year, as is Batman: Earth One. If the new Earth One DCU is going to also be a newer, hipper more modern version these characters, why bother with this grand going back to square one in the regular titles to do the exact same thing? Not to mention, certain titles at DC are just too popular at the moment to go back to square one; the Green Lantern books are not about to throw out the Rebirth, Sinestro Corps Wars or Blackest Night out of continuity, and the Batman titles have been particularly popular lately as well, with Grant Morrison’s Batman Inc. leading the way. Is DC really gonna go back to “year one” with Batman, just to make him younger and “more relatable?” Does anybody really like Batman because they relate to him? And after twenty five years, does anyone want Dick Grayson back as Robin? I sure as hell don’t.

 

 

 

Finally, to me the last nail in the coffin of this whole starting from scratch theory is that DC has very recently announced plans to make new ongoing titles out of characters like Batwoman, and relaunching Justice League International after Justice League: Generation Lost proved to be a hit. The whole idea behind bring a new JLI title is the notion of those characters “getting the band back together”, which makes no sense if the whole concept of the Justice League is a new one in this universe. As for Batwoman, she is also getting an ongoing series this year. Batwoman is another example of this not making sense…if Barbara Gordon is being de-aged and brought back as Batgirl, why have two red headed Bat females running around the DCU? Is that really redundant? Even DC’s VP of sales and marketing Bob Wayne said  “by the way, let me just reiterate this point: This is the launch of a new DCU. it is not a reboot. I think you will soon discover why that is.” Is this all a giant clusterfuck, a case of DC’s left hand not knowing what their right hand is doing? They can’t be that disorganized, can they?

 

 

 

My personal theory is that Flashpoint will be used to tweek certain things in DC’s past that the “Powers That Be” (and many readers) no longer want. I think for sure that Superman’s marriage will be deleted, a la Peter Parker and Mary Jane’s marriage, especially considering that rumored upcoming Superman writer Grant Morrison has gone on record saying that he is not a fan of the Clark/Lois marriage. Other unpopular bits of continuity that DC could use Flashpoint to erase are things like the death of Roy Harper’s daughter Lian and his losing an arm and becoming a junkie again, which, let’s face it, no one liked. Other unpopular bits of continuity could be conveniently deleted, without changing the overall timeline. In any event…DC’s big change up is making news, and will no doubt result in a spike in sales for at least the short term. What will happen long term is anyone’s guess.

I’m a geek about many things, and have great love for many fictional universes, but the DC Universe is my first and favorite love. My earliest memories of life go back to age four, maybe three. I turned four in 1978, and at that time had re-runs of the 1960’s Batman show daily on tv, as well as old  Adventures of Superman episodes, and Wonder Woman on Friday nights in Prime-time. Then I had them all together in the Super Friends cartoon show on Saturday morning, and finally Superman: The Movie came out that year as well. I had DC hardwired into my DNA at a young age, and the very first thing I ever read without needing to be read to was my brother’s copy of The New Teen Titans#1. So I will continue to  follow and support DC in what they do, but they better be careful not to tarnish a legacy of over 75 years just to not seem outdated and out of touch or unhip. Because that would be a real shame. DC and its characters are, and should remain, timeless.

Non-Disney Pirates Coming Soon To Your Television

 Considering that the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie hit almost 8 years ago, it is shocking that Hollywood has taken so long to try to mine the pirate genre for anything else. Well, it seems that is all about to change finally, as two distinct Pirates related projects were announced this week, and frankly both sound more interesting than the last three Disney Pirates movies put together. First, FX Productions announced a collaboration with  The Walking Dead producer Gale Anne Hurd for a new one-hour drama series called Port Royal. Set in the late 17^th century on the island of Jamaica, the series will chronicle the infamous port’s rise as the “richest and wickedest city in the new world, and as a self-governing safe haven for cutthroat pirates, corrupt politicians, and ruthless merchants.” And if that wasn’t enough, Ridley and Tony Scott also announced this week Pyrates, which is being pitched  as an event-type mini- series with 10-13 episodes planned for summer 2012. 24 director and producer Stephen Hopkins created the series which will feature a gritty, fact-based story about the men and women who pulled off the largest heist on pirate history — the capture of the Spanish silver fleet in 1628 — sparking the golden age of piracy, a time when there was greater honor amongst thieves than those who hunted them. Can television support two different Pirate series at the same time? Considering that there are how many lawyer shows and doctor shows on tv right now, I say why the Hell not?  

 

Hawkman Movie More Than Just An Internet Joke?

Earlier this week, a pretty damn funny skit made its way onto the internet and went viral, poking fun at the idea of classic DC comics hero Hawkman ever joining the A List super hero club and getting his own big budget Hollywood movie. Even as a die hard DC Comics fanboy, I couldn’t help but agree with the sentiment here. DC Comics have never been able to figure out how to make Hawkman really work as a solo property, and Lord knows they’ve been trying for almost 70 years. He had a short lived series in the 1960’s, then another one in the early 90’s and finally Geoff Johns tried to work his magic on him just a few years back. None of these series ever lasted more than a handful of years.  Like the Martian Manhunter and The Atom, Hawkman seems to be one of those characters that works best as a supporting hero on a team, in this case the Justice League. And you know what? There ain’t nuthin’ wrong with being a solid supporting character or team member. Not every character is meant to carry their own mythology.

Nevertheless, no sooner did this skit hit the internet than did Devin Faraci of Bad Ass Digest find out that Warner Brothers was indeed developing a Hawkman movie. Now mind you, “development” doesn’t mean much, but it is still interesting to note they are actually thinking about doing this in any capacity. I mean, he is a guy wearing giant wings and a goofy helmet. And we all saw how good that looked on Smallville last year. 

Villains for Thor 2 Already Set?

 

While Thor hasn’t been making Iron Man level money, it has so far been the surprise hit of the early summer season, especially internationally. All of this guarantees a sequel, and word is that the folks at Marvel already have villains in mind for this one, namely Amora the Enchantress and her sometime lover, Skurge the Executioner. After Loki, these two are next on the list in terms of importance in Thor’s rogue’s gallery, so it stands to reason that they would at least make an appearance. Hopefully also making an appearance is Balder the Brave, a character curiously absent from the first Thor movie. And speaking of Marvel villains… 

 

Another Avengers Villain Revealed? Major SPOILERS Here, Read Further At Your Own Risk…

 We all know now that Loki is going to be one of the main bad guys in the Avengers movie, and rumor has it that the shape shifting Skrull race is set to make an appearance as well…now there is word (thanks to Latino Review) that yet another huge Marvel villain is set to debut in Avengers, none other than Marvel’s #1 cosmic baddie, the Death worshiping Thanos.  Now, none of this should come as too much of a surprise if it turns out to be true, as last year at San Diego Comic Con, Marvel Studios had Thanos’ instrument of destruction the Infinity Gauntlet on display (which also made a blink and you miss it appearance in Odin’s vault in Thor’s movie) So all of this makes sense. Still, I didn’t think we’d see a character like Thanos till Avengers 2 at the very least. Because how do you top Thanos in terms of threat level, unless they somehow beg Fox to let them use Galactus and do him right? Yeah, I know…fat chance. But we can dream.

 

 

Wait! Even MORE Marvel Movie News…Short List For New Wolverine Director Leaks

After Darren Aronofsky left the Wolverine sequel earlier this year, many fanboys and fangirls wondered if this instantly spelled doom for a movie that few believed would work in any way otherwise. Then the early word on X-Men First Class came out, with almost everyone saying it is not only the best X-Men movie ever made, but some even comparing it to The Dark Knight. Does this mean Fox has turned a new leaf, and might be treating their Marvel properties with respect? Maybe there is some hope for Wolverine not sucking after all. In any event, Fox is still pushing forward for their Wolverine sequel, and has made a short list of directors to take over for Aronofsky. The eight names being bandied about are Jose Padilha (Elite Squad, the upcoming RoboCop remake)Doug Liman (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity)Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go) Justin Lin (Fast Five, Better Luck Tomorrow) Gavin O’Connor (Miracle, Pride and Glory) James Mangold (Walk the Line, 3:10 to Yuma) and some guy named Gary Shore, known primarily for making television commercials. Interestingly, Shore made a mini pitch to the studio in the form of a trailer for Wolverine on his Vimeo site, which you can see here. I can’t lie…it looks kinda cool. And at least Fox knows he’d come cheap.

 

 

Nathan Fillion’s Chances At Starring In Uncharted Just Went Way Up

Two major movies based on beloved geek properties both hit huge snags. First Uncharted lost its director, The Fighter’s David O. Russell. Many fans of the property were disappointed with the fact that Russell was planning to change a lot of things from the game, turning it into a “family adventure” and shooting down the notion of casting fanboy favorite Nathan Fillion as the lead Nathan Drake. Maybe the director they choose to replace Russell with will go the Fillion route and make the fans happy this time. Without David O. Russell directing though, it is almost certain that Mark Whalberg is out of the picture too. Also this week, the Hughes brothers ditched the ill conceived live action Akira movie, and hopefully this movie dies a quiet death with their departure. 

Stephen King’s Classic Carrie To Be The Latest Shitty Remake 

*Sigh* Let’s add yet another chapter to the endless list of crappy remakes of horror classics. Because the re-launches of Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13^th, Halloween and all those others did so well and captured the imaginations of America, MGM and Screen Gems are now looking to remake Stephen King’s classic Carrie for modern audiences.  Now, I’m not against putting new spins to classic novels, but when you hit a home run and knock it out of the park the way Brian De Palma did with the original 1976 version, why bother trying again? You’ll never find a better Carrie White than Sissy Spacek, or a better Margaret White than Piper Laurie. They already did a made for tv remake a few years ago and it failed to be memorable in any real way. And even for the whole generation of Millennials that haven’t seen the original, they’ve at least heard about it or seen enough parodies to know the big twist at the end, so just like with Psycho, doing a remake is all but pointless. Supposedly this new version will be “closer to the novel”, but aside from the novel’s framing device of a police deposition given by the survivors of Carrie’s Prom Night massacre, the book and the movie are nearly identical.  I’ll admit that Carrie is a personal favorite of mine, very close to my black little heart, so I’m taking this one a wee bit harder than usual. 

MGM has hired play write Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa to write a draft for the movie, after he recently did a huge re-write on that ever plagued Spider-Man musical. Apparently, he was brought in to make the show more like the comics (he has also written numerous comics for Marvel, including Fantastic Four, a Nightcrawler mini-series and Spider-Man) and has seemingly succeeded. Whatever he did must have gotten some positive feedback, because soon after he was tapped by MGM to re-do Carrie, and now he has also been brought onto the writing staff for the third season of Glee. While the Carrie news irritates me to no end, I’m glad Glee is getting some fresh blood in the writer’s room for the third season. Up until now, there have essentially only been three writers on staff, and the show desperately needs new blood. The first half of season two was a clusterfuck of bad “tribute” episodes, and even though the show really improved with the second half of this season, the damage was done amongst casual fans of the show. Actually, I hope he just sticks to Glee and he gets paid enough doing that job to leave Carrie well the fuck alone. 

 

Seth Macfarlane Revives The Flintstones.  Really.

In the Wtf? news item of the week, Fox studios has announced that Seth Macfarlane, the adorably smug animation guru behind Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show is gearing up for a remake of Hanna Barbera’s The Flintstones. Macfarlane has said he’s a huge fan of the original show and has been trying for years to do his own version. Apparently, getting all his ducks in a row for this remake was not easy, as the Hanna-Barbera library is now owned by Warner Brothers, and therefore Fox didn’t initially have control of this property. But I guess money talks, because this week all the stars aligned for everyone involved and soon you’ll be hearing Yabba-Dabba-Doo on prime time again.  

The real question here is how on Earth will Macfarlane’s sense of humor translate to the squeaky clean (and frankly, lame) humor of the Flintstones? Remember, Flintstones brand still sells everything from vitamins to cereal, how much will parent company and copyright holders Warners let him get away with here? Can Seth Macfarlane even do humor that isn’t insulting to someone, somewhere, or filled with pop culture references? The show is set to launch on the Fox network (where else?) in 2013, and they have so much confidence in their Macfarlane money printing machine that they’ve also already commissioned him to start working on a Flintstones movie as well. If Pebbles is suddenly a trash talking baby that only Dino understands though, I’m out. 

 

Dark Shadows Starts Filming for May 11th 2012 Debut

And in yet even more remake/reboot/reshash news, it was announced this week that principal photography has begun on Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows movie, starring Johnny Depp (of course) based on the campy afternoon soap opera. Here is part of the press release:

In the year 1752, Joshua and Naomi Collins, with young son Barnabas, set sail from Liverpool, England to start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family. Two decades pass and Barnabas (Johnny Depp) has the world at his feet—or at least the town of Collinsport, Maine. The master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy…until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). A witch, in every sense of the word, Angelique dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. 

Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better, each harboring their own dark secrets. Matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) has called upon live-in psychiatrist, Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter), to help with her family troubles 

Totally against my better judgement, I gotta admit I am way excited for this. The idea of Burton doing a campy vampire flick set in the early 70’s is too much for me to resist, despite the fact that Sweeney Todd aside, I’ve been disappointed with everything Burton has done for the past decade. On paper, this doesn’t sound like it will be any better, but I hope this one is more Sleepy Hollow and less Alice in Wonderland.

 

Will You Be Able to Buy Action Comics #1 This September? Maybe… 

In comic book news this week, the big rumor going around is that after DC’s Flashpoint mini series wraps in August, the entire DC Universe line of comics will re-launch with brand new #1 issues, giving fans an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the whole dang universe. So for those of you who always wanted a copy of Action Comics #1 or Batman #1, this might be your chance. These rumors are supported by the fact in August, according to solicitations released this week, all story lines in just about every single DCU title are coming to their conclusions at seemingly the exact same time. Add to that the fact that DC is only releasing one comic during the final week of August, the final issue of Flashpoint, after which “everything changes”. 

Now, before anyone freaks out too much, it is highly doubtful that just because we are getting new first issue launches that we are getting some giant continuity overhaul. More likely is that after the whole Flashpoint continuity is set straight, the regular DC Universe will return…but with certain tweeks. There are already too many books that DC has announced as coming soon (Batwoman, Justice League International) to suggest that there is going to be a total continuity reboot. This sounds a bit like DC’s “One Year Later” gimmick they pulled after Infinite Crisis, but we can only hope done better. I imagine that next month, when solicitations are released for DC’s September titles, there will be a lot of blacked out images and “Classified” creators listed, essentially telling us all nothing, giving DC something to make a big deal about come Comic Con time in San Diego this July

 

Arnold’s Hollywood Comeback Put On Hold

It seems like just a few weeks ago, the internet was all abuzz with news about all these different projects that Arnold Schwarzenegger was going to do in Hollywood now that his stint in public office was over. Well, if you were looking forward to Terminator 5 or The Governator  cartoon (really, was anyone looking forward to that?) prepare to be disappointed. In light of ol’ Arnie’s reveal this week about fathering a child with “the help”, he has pulled out of any and all Hollywood projects he was attached to. Considering how quickly Tiger Woods career recovered, I wouldn’t worry too much if I were Arnold. It isn’t like he threatened to bury Maria Shriver in the rose garden or something. In a year no one will care or remember any of this Arnie, so don’t sweat it. Look how fast Mel Gibson got a movie in theaters again.

 

David E. Kelley’s Wonder Woman Series Is Dead….Again. 

As I write this, it appears that after all the online drama of the past few months, NBC will not be picking up David E. Kelley’s pilot for Wonder Woman after all. This production has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for the past few months, ever since David E. Kelley announced he was producing this series back in October of last year. Then in December, NBC said they passed on the concept, only to change their mind like a week later and order it anyway. Then the script leaked, and was met with nearly universal derision from fans. And yet still, every move that NBC made in regards to this pilot made headlines, from the casting of Adrianne Palicki to the reveal of her costume, to the outcry over that causing the execs to change her outfit to something more classic. No other pilot this season made as many headlines or caused so much controversy, and as they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity. This looked like a shoe-in to get to air if ever there was one. 

But then the pilot test screened this past week, and reaction was mixed to bad. One comic book fan actually got to see it, and gave a review on his audio podcast to talk in detail about it. While he said he didn’t hate it (he really liked Palicki for example) he didn’t have much other kind things to say about it, saying all the overly stereotypical “chick stuff” that was in the original pilot draft was mostly gone, and then the pendulum swung way too far the other way, with Wonder Woman now torturing men in interrogations and killing thugs in a fight (with a pipe through the throat!) It was clear from this fan’s perspective that David E. Kelley just didn’t know who Wonder Woman was supposed to be at all. 

Despite all my very vocal criticism of this show on this site, I will admit to having very mixed feelings about the show not making it. After ten plus years in development as a film, then getting this close to being a television series, it just seems now that the Wonder Woman property is cursed. And with the show now not being picked up, even after an expensive pilot was shot, this will just reinforce the notion among Hollywood execs that Wonder Woman is a toxic property, and use this as an excuse not to pursue this as a feature film or series ever again. My fear is if we do see a live action Wonder Woman in the next decade it will probably be as the token chick in a JLA movie, and that’s it and that’s all. And that just is not good enough for a long time Wonder Woman fan like me. 

Having said all that, I have a sneaking suspicion this may not be the last we have heard of this; with all the headlines this pilot made during production (and not just on geeks sites like this, but everywhere) I would not be surprised if the CW decided to pick this sucker up from NBC. The CW originally passed on it, sure, but that was due to the pilot being too pricey for them. Well, the pilot has been shot now and exists, and with all the buzz the show generated online, not to mention the fact that Wonder Woman is a far better fit for the CW than NBC on any given day, I could really see this happening over there. Especially since the CW has no buzz worthy new shows for next year, and is co-owned by Warner Brothers who in turn own Wonder Woman. When it comes to the wild, strange trip this version of Wonder Woman has had in getting made, nothing would surprise me at this point. 

Tom Welling To Go All Marvel On Us? 

Now that Smallville is ending after ten long seasons, fans are wondering if this will be the last we see of star Tom Welling, aside from charging too much money for signatures at future comic conventions. Well, it appears that Marvel Studios are eyeing him for some kind of a role in a future property, although they are not saying for what. It would be a nice publicity coup for Marvel, to get an actor who achieved fame for infamously not playing DC’s most famous super hero for ten years to end up playing one of theirs.  As for what the role would be, don’t expect It to be a starring role or anything. The folks at Marvel are too smart to mis-cast Welling as Dr. Strange or Ant Man or anything like that, so my bet is they are looking at him for a future supporting role in  The Avengers 2 or something like that.  I think it would be brilliant to cast Welling as Simon Williams, AKA Wonder Man, only to have him get killed off rather quickly (in the comics, Wonder Man has died and come back more times than Jean Grey) Wonder Man would be a small but juicy role for him and fun wink at the geek audience. 

 

  New JLA Line-Up? Yeah, Not So Fast….

Hey, remember a couple weeks back I mentioned that rumors were circulating that the Justice League of America comic, in an effort to create some much needed buzz and sales for the book, was getting a new all star line-up? One with the classic heavy hitters as well as characters like Cyborg and Starfire? Well, the source of those rumors appeared this week, and it was none other than a preview page from DC’s Free Comic Book Day issue teasing Flashpoint. The Free Comic Book day issue was shipped to comic book stores quite a while back, so local store owners have been able to sneak a peek at was inside and start making guesses and spreading them around the internet as fact.While this image still might indicate what the JLA will look like after Flashpoint, it is probably just a cool group shot. Nevertheless, I hope we do get a Justice League like this one soon. Make it happen DC. 

 

 

Dexter Adds Two New Faces For Season Six 

One of my absolute favorite shows these past few years, Showtime’s serial killer drama Dexter, is adding to new high profile guest stars to their upcoming sixth season. First announced this week was Colin Hanks, known for his roles on Roswell and Peter Jackson’s King Kong, not to mention his role in life as the son of Tom Hanks. His part is said to be that of a man named Travis (not sure if this is a first name or a last name) who is a “highly intelligent artifacts expert, who is linked to a series of grisly murders in Long Beach (oops!) …I mean Miami. The idea of an artifacts expert sounds kind of Indiana Jones-ish, but knowing Dexter, he will probably end up being a serial killer too. Also joining the cast is Mos Def, who will be playing a hardened ex-con who finds religion (funny how that always happens) and yet still finds himself surrounded by death. Ok, doesn’t it kind of go without saying that he is surrounded by death, I mean isn’t everyone on this show surrounded by death?  

Hopefully the additions of Hanks and Mos Def will be more like the awesome addition of John Lithgow as the Trinity Killer in season four, and less like the lame Miguel Prado character played by Jimmy Smits in season three. The thrust of season six is said to be that of Dexter and his seemingly unknowing sister Deb,which is interesting as the actress who plays Deb was actually married to title actor Michael C. Hall until recently. So what better way to make the newly divorced couple even more uncomfortable than being giving them a whole lot more screen time together next season? What a bunch of jerks these Dexter producers are. Having said that, the friction is no doubt going to make for some awesome tense performances, so as a fan this can only mean good things for me.

 

Jodorowsky’s Dune To Finally See The Light Of Day…In A Way

Ten years before David Lynch’s maligned big screen version of Frank Herbert’s science fiction classic Dune was brought to the big screen, another quirky auteur was going to bring his vision to cinemas. Cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s version of Dune would have been the single most ambitious and expensive sci-fi movie to date, and this was a good three years before both Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind made science fiction a hot commodity again and Hollywood dared to sink real money into genre films. The movie was set to be ten hours long, have a soundtrack by Pink Floyd and have roles for Mick Jagger and artist Salvador Dali of all people. It was all kind of insane, and likely doomed from the start, but now the whole story of this film that almost happened is going to be told in a new documentary being produced right now.

 

Titled Jodorowsky’s Dune, this new documentary from filmmaker Frank Pavich is chronicling the two year effort by Jodorowsky and his team of then mostly unknown artists, all of whom went on to be huge influences in the sci-fi movie genre. Among the team were H.R. Giger, who famously designed the iconic xenomorph in Alien, Dan O’Bannon, who wrote Alien and Total Recall, French comic book artist Jean “Moebius” Giraud, who worked on The Empire Strikes Back, Tron and The Fifth Element, and Chris Foss, who worked on Alien and Superman: The Movie. The movie has already completed interviews with Jodorowsky, Giger and other surviving members of the original team, as shooting is now going on in Europe, before moving production  this summer to the U.S. Many have long considered Frank Herbert’s novel to be unfilmable, or at least unfilmable with any large degree of success, and this new film might give us some real insight into just why the heck that is.

 

 

If you are one of those geeks, the kind that are sick to death of Star Wars and can live your whole life without ever hearing that Twentieth Century Fox fanfare music again, or seeing that “...a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away” on your television screen, then you may wish to skip this week’s Week In Geek. In honor of May the 4th, the internet-dubbed “Star Wars” day, and the official announcement of Star Wars on Blu Ray, this will be an all Star Wars column. Also, to be honest, there wasn’t a hell of a lot of big news this week anyway. So thanks George Lucas, you big Muppet you.

This week, on May the 4th of course, Lucasfilm anounced the specs and details for the long awaited Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-Ray. Considering that Blu Ray is probably the last physical media format that any of us will ever know, Old Man George has promised to make this the ultimate set for Star Wars geeks. But is it really the ultimate? Before we get into the specs announced for this new “ultimate” set, Let’s get into the history of Star Wars on home video, or at least MY history with the saga on video, and just how much money I’ve shelled out to Lucas for the same movies over and over and over again.

“….A Long Time Ago…..”

I’ve bought the Star Wars Trilogy more than any other movie or movie series. The first time I got them was back in the 80’s. This was when most movies that were not Disney films were priced at $100 a pop, before Blockbuster Video pushed throught the idea of VHS to own for most movies. But Star Wars was the exception, priced to own even back in the day. Very few people had movie libraries back then, but if you did, you had the Holy Trilogy on your shelf. The movies were in horrible pan and scan, way before average people knew what widescreen was, and most who did know bitched about the “black bars” on their tv screens. I played these tapes to death, and the VCR even chewed up the tapes a few times. I always remember that the picture got all shitty right around the time the rebel fleet takes off from Yavin IV for the Death Star, because that’s where the VCR ate it one time. 

Eventually, I became a true film geek, and soon after high school got my first laserdisc player. Back then, the only way to get movies that were in widescreen, in decent quality and with any special features was to get a laserdisc player. Yeah, it sucked to have to flip the discs over, but for the love of movies, it was worth it. An average laserdisc cost at least $40, and most had half the amount of features that your average DVD that goes for $5 at Target does today. *sigh* It was a dark time. But I didn’t know it…all I knew was that I could now have Star Wars in an awesome collector’s edition, a big black box set with all three movies (and in widescreen! squee!) with commentaries with Lucas, the special effects team, and a whole series of images and art and even a tour of the Skywalker Ranch archives, shot on beautiful video tape. Trust me, back in 1995, this set was the shit. It was also $200 fucking dollars. 

The the special editions of the movies came in 1997, and I bought the movies again, this time only on VHS though. DVD had just come out, and I knew that was the next big format and laserdisc was about to become obsolete. Yeah, I hated Greedo shooting first too, and digital Jabba didn’t really look like Jabba, but damn, the other shit looked cool. In a little over ten years, I’d bought this series three times. 

And then came the long wait; as DVD became the dominant format, and a true film geek’s wet dream, the Star Wars Trilogy was missing on the format until 2004. When it finally came out, the movies were tweaked again from their 1997 editions (Greedo still shot first, but Jabba looked better, and Hayden Christiansen was now a ghost in Return of the Jedi) But other than that, the movies looked good on digital…. really good.  In 2007, Lucas capitulated to the fanbase and gave us the unaltered original movies. Well, sort of, they were really just the old 90’s laserdisc transfers slapped onto DVD’s in non anamorphic widescreen. This time they came in a tin with cool retro art. And with a stupid grin on face, I got this release as well. 

So in short, in a little less than twenty years, I’d bought the series FIVE times. And with the arrival of the Blu Ray set this Fall, it will be six times. I happily accept my fate as George Lucas’ bitch

Here is the official list of what is to be included in this set, so you may wanna check that out before going further.

Read all that? Awesome.

Last year I wrote an article about the things I would want on a Definitive Star Wars Saga Blu Ray. It seems some of those things WILL be included, and some will not. Or at least, so it seems so far. One of the things I really wanted for this ultimate set was all the vintage “Making Of” television specials for the original trilogy…and they are (almost) all here…1977’s The Making of Star Wars, 1980’s Empire SPFX and 1983’s Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi in their entirety. Sweet. I also said I wanted new documentaries, and we are getting three. One, on the 501st Stormtrooper Legion, another a talk with the four key people behind the greatest film in the saga The Empire Strikes Back (Lucas, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, John Williams and director Irvin Kershner, shot not long before his death last year) and another 90 minute documentary on the sheer amount of Star Wars parodies in pop culture over the past 30+ years. Usually I hate stuff like that, but sometimes it seems the internet is built on Star Wars parodies. And there have been a lot of great ones, so this seems appropriate to me.

However, having an 84 minute doc on the 501 Legion is a bit excessive…yeah, I know they do charitable work and all, and this is a shot for those dedicated Star Wars fans to get their shot at being in an official Star Wars set, and that’s cool, but what about a doc on the whole merchandising phenom that is Star Wars? And what about the great History Channel documentary Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed? Any would have been better to a doc on Stormtrooper cos players.

Ok, now comes the real bitching. I’m not even gonna complain about the lack of the original cuts of the classic trilogy…I pretty much made my peace with that one a while ago. Lucas is never going to release decent looking versions of those.  But I AM gonna bitch about other shit. I am a firm believer that when you make a new Blu Ray box set of anything, you port over any and all special features from the previous DVD releases. And then add more. The Star Trek movies box set from 2009 did this, as did the excellent Alien Anthology set that came out this past Christmas.  And from what it seems from the outset anyway, Lucas has chosen not to do this. The great Empire of Dreams documentary from the 2004 DVD Box Set does not appear to be included, and none of the making of docs from the prequel Trilogy that appeared on the original DVD releases are also not listed. The Beginning documentary included with Episode 1 DVD was far superior to the actual movie, and I have a hard time believing there is not enough disc space for these.  Yes, I still have all my original DVD’s, but that’s not the point. Part of the appeal of getting the new Blu Ray set is that I can get rid of those now and free up shelf space. I’m not going to judge too harshly just yet, as Discs 7 and 8 are labeled the “Star Wars Archives” and describe various things “and more.” The old DVD Documentaries, especially if they are in Standard Def, could be the “and more” they speak of. Guess we won’t know till Comic Con, when they assured that more will be revealed. 

And then…there’s the cover art. The Complete Saga cover art is a painting of Anakin leaving his home in The Phantom Menace, juxtaposed with Luke Skywalker (from behind) looking at the famous Tatooine binary sunset from A New Hope. Nice concept, but the last thing ANY Star Wars fan wants to encapsulate the entire saga is a shot of little annoying snot Annie.  I would have greatly preferred a much more simple image of the Tatooine Homestead, sans any people, with the binary sunset above. If there is any planet that encapsulates Star Wars, it is Tatooine after all, as it appears in five out of six movies. Or maybe with the droids instead of people, as they are also in every movie. Anything but baby Anakin. 

In fact, the individual trilogy releases have much better cover art than The Complete Saga edition…yes, they are still photoshop, but unlike the photoshop atrocities that made up the covers for the 2004 DVD releases (seriously, pull them off your shelf and look at them…they really look awful) these look pretty cool. Obviously, a lot more thought went into the classic trilogy one than the prequel ones….who decided that Yoda was the central image of the prequels? And why include Jimmy Smits’ Bail Organa and not Christopher Lee’s Count Dooku? And not that I mind…but funny how Jar Jar is no where to be found on that cover.  I mean, he’s in seemingly every damn frame of Episode 1, and yet, couldn’t make the box art? Again, not a complaint… just an observation.

Regardless of my bitching, I know that come Septermber 16th, I’ll happily buy Star Wars all over again in glorious High Def, and whatever it may be missing in terms of special features and what not, I’ll think back to when it cost me $200 dollars just to have the movies in widescreen, and I’ll sit back and smile at how much easier it is to be a geek nowadays.

This week’s The Week In Geek is being brought to you by three days of a horrible cold, cough syrup, and about a four hour marathon of LoGo’s reality series Ru Paul’s Drag Race. So I apologize if this is an extra gay edition of this column. Actually, I don’t apologize…I just prepare. Ready to go kids? 

Marvel To Unleash  New M.M.O. Sometime Soon-ish

Ok, I know I usually don’t report on gaming of any kind in this here column, because frankly I’m not a gamer, and I like to have opinions on things that I know a thing or two about. Plus, I hate being a poser. However, this is fairly big news that crosses over into the comic book realm, so I figured this is something I gotta mention: Brian Michael Bendis, the architect of all things Marvel for the past ten years or so, will be writing the new Marvel Universe MMO, which will allow participants to play their favorite heroes and villains (unlike the DC Universe Online game, where you make your own characters up) In another major difference from DC Universe Online, this game will be free of charge.

 

According to Bendis, the game will be a combination of continuities and eras, from classic Stan Lee Marvel to Ultimate Universe to the current crop of Marvel Studios films. Bendis also stated that players will essentially create their own online continuity, calling the game, “the ultimate answer to message board bitching. The tagline of the box is going to be ‘Marvel Universe: Now Leave Us Alone,'” Oh Bendis…we’re fanboys. Bitching anonymously is what we do best. No date is given for this game, but seeing as it took the DCU Online game like two freakin’ years to come out from when they announced it originally, don’t expect this one before the Mayan Apocalypse happens.

 

 

Superman Renounces U.S. Citizenship, Pisses Off People Who Don’t Read Comics Anyway 

Over on the DC side of things this week, In Action Comics #900 which hit the stands this past Wednesday, Superman sent all of Fox News and similar conservative pundits into a tizzy by renouncing his American Citizenship. An icon who is seen standing in front of (or flying) an American flag for decades finally said “Truth, Justice and the American Way are not enough anymore”  Of course, Superman’s reasons for doing so were actually very American in my opinion (and the opinion of anyone who bothered to read the story, which is probably no one who is bitching about it) Superman flew to the site of the recent uprising in Iran to stand in solidarity with the protesters for 24 hours, which enrages Ahmadinejad who sees Superman as a representative of the United States. Of course, this pisses the U.S. government off, and they essentially take Superman down to the Principal’s office and ask him to think about what he’s done. Supes thinks about it, and says…well, I’ll let the following panel do the talking. 

 

Mind you, while Superman is no longer an American Citizen, it should be pointed out that Clark Kent still is. The story was written by Man of Steel screenwriter David Goyer, so one has to wonder if this politicaly charged version will be in his upcoming movie. While this news is sure to piss of Tea Partiers and other aging, racist douchebags, (especially now that Obama handed over the stupid birth certificate and they need something new to be angry about) someone should remind them all that Superman was always an illegal alien. It’s not like Jor-El filed all the proper paperwork before he fired that rocket. Once they realize that they can just start hating on Superman retroactively. 

 

The Justice League To Get A Much Needed Avengers Style Push 

Speaking of DC, If you look at the Diamond sales charts each month, you’ll notice that certain DC titles are doing better than ever in terms of their sales rankings (both main Green Lantern titles, Batman and Robin , Batman Inc. and Flash are consistently in the top ten) But DC’s once premiere title Justice League of America has been floundering for the past few years, while Marvel has wisely positioned their Avengers franchise of titles to the top of the line, gradually building up awareness of the brand in time for the movie launch in 2012. And for those of you who point out that comic sales are miniscule and don’t matter to the movie studios, think again; if Geoff Johns hadn’t re-built the Green Lantern franchise and made it a fanboy favorite, we might not be seeing a movie this summer. Our love and devotion to certain titles translates into buzz…first from hard core fans to casual geeks, and finally to normies…we are the acorn from which grows the mighty tree. And right now, the JLA ain’t got no buzz to make an acorn. And that’s not good if you’re planning on making a movie franchise out of the JLA in a few years.

Apparently, this is all gonna change after DC’s Summer Flashpoint event.  It is heavily rumored that come the Fall, there will be at least three Justice League books, and possibly a fourth.  One book will feature the “heavy hitters” who have been absent from the book for what seems like eons…the Big 7 of Superman,Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Barry Allen) Green Lantern (Hal) Aquaman, J’onn J’onzz, Hawkman,Firestorm, The Atom, as well as former Teen Titans Cyborg and Starfire. It makes sense for Cyborg to graduate to JLA status, as he is one of the few major DC heroes who is African American who is not derivitive of a more famous white hero (like G.L. John Stewart or Steel) or have a racist ass name like Black Lightning. Also said to be joining is a new mystery human Green Lantern, who is said to be introduced soon. 

The other book (announced at the conclusion of this week’s Justice League: Generation Lost  mini series) was the return of the the Justice League International.  Fans really seemed to dig on Judd Winick’s take on the late 80’s/early 90’s version of the team, and DC is aware that the JLI was the only time the Justice League brand ever had any heat on it without the inclusion of all the big guns.  It makes sense to bring them back on a regular basis.

So what are the two mystery remaining JL books? One rumor is that James Robinson’s current League (made up of a hodge podge of former Titans and other DC oddballs like Congorilla and Starman) will continue, essentially being DC’s version of Marvel’s Secret Avengers comic  The other rumor is that there will be a JL book set in the Batman Beyond future, with futuristic versions of the League.  While I could see that book being a mini series, I’d be surprised to see it as a regular ongoing. But you never know. In any case, it seems those who miss the “real” JLA will be getting their fix come the end of the year.

Johnny Depp Might Have Found The Ranger For His Tonto

You might have heard a year or so back that Disney was not only gearing up Johnny Depp for more Pirates movies, but around the same time they also announced him as Tonto for an upcoming new big screen version of  The Lone Ranger (which I’m guessing is somehow not racist ’cause Johnny Depp’s maternal grandfather was Cherokee or something. I dunno, his ass is pretty damn white to me, still seems kinda racist. But whatevs.) So while they’ve had their Tonto set for some time, it seems only now that they are close to finding their lead for the actual Lone Ranger role….and it seems the lucky man is none other The Social Network’s Winkelvoss twins, Armie Hammer.  

This could be a huge break for Armie Hammer (not that he needs the break, he’s the great-great grandson of oil tycoon and billionaire Armand Hammer for fuck’s sake. His family has some serious $$) Still, I’m thrilled, because not only is he a decent actor, but I for one am sick of all these short, squirrely guys Hollywood is trying to sell me as new leading men. People like Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cera, and even Shia LaBeouf and Robert Pattinson.  Good actors all, but where are the studs of yore? Armie Hammer is a throw back to when male movie stars looked like Steve McQueen and James Dean. 6’5 of pure sex on a stick. Also, he was almost Batman once, in the aborted JLA movie, so that’s gotta count for something. 

Abfab To Return, Gay Men Everywhere Celebrate

Ok,ok… so maybe this isn’t really geek related news, but I’m excited about it God damn it. It seems the BBC is gearing up for a three episode return of Absolutely Fabulous, the seminal Brit-com loved by gay men and fag hags the world over (I told your ass this was an extra gay edition of the Week In Geek. You shoulda believed me) Originally starting in 1992, the original series ran for three seasons till 1995. Then they did a t.v. movie, The Last Shout, and that was supposed to be the end. But in 2001, AbFab returned for two more seasons, and finally a special which aired in 2004. Series creator Jennifer Saunders (who plays Edina Monsoon) said she’d never go back again after that last time. Well, seven years later, and it looks like she’ll be eating those words, as a BBC spokeswoman has said, “We’re putting the finishing touches to the deal to bring it back and as soon as we’re in a position to confirm it we will.” Joanna Lumley, who plays Edina’s partner in crime Patsy Stone, has also let the cat out of the bag and said filming will begin in August. And that was the sound of  thousands of gay men in their 30’s and 40’s popping champagne bottles.

 

 

 

Almost thirty years ago, in the Fall of 1981, a mostly unknown Prince Rogers Nelson was awarded the distinct privilege of being the opening act for the Rolling Stones’ three night gig at the Coliseum in Los Angeles. Prince was about to play to the largest crowds of his career thus far. But the Stone’s mostly white rocker fan base wasn’t having any of it. Those who knew who Prince was might have known him as the artist behind the 1979 R&B/Disco hit “I Wanna Be Your Lover”, but in 1981 Disco was a very dirty word to white Reagan America. Most others at the show probably just saw a skinny black guy wearing nothing but a black thong and a trench coat, singing songs like “Sexuality” and “Jack U Off.” The booing from the hostile crowd started quickly into the set, and eventually people in the front rows were throwing things at the stage. Prince and his band had to leave the stage for their own safety, tail between their legs.  Concert promoter Bill Graham came out and chewed out the crowd, saying that within a few years they would all be paying good money to see Prince perform. Well they didn’t need to wait a few years; the very next year Prince released his breakthrough mega hit album 1999, containing the title hit song as well as Little Red Corvette.  I can only hope some of those garbage throwers realized what utter fucking morons they were. Because the rest, as they say, is history.

Flash forward thirty years to today, and Prince is as much the Rock n’ Roll Royalty as the Rolling Stones, commanding arena audiences that rival theirs. Sure, he hasn’t had a top ten song in 15 years, but so what. He doesn’t need to. He has the kind of catalogue of classic songs that most artists today will never, ever have.  Although he has played shows here and there over the past few years, he hasn’t mounted a full scale tour of the States since the brilliant 2004 Musicology Tour. At the time, that tour was the best concert experience I’d ever had. I’ve waited patiently since then to see if Prince could out do himself with another show on the same scale. 

And with his new 2011 Welcome 2 America Tour, he SO just did… and then some.  Two weeks ago he announced a “21 Night Stand” of the tour at the Forum in Southern California, essentially announcing a residency in LA for as long as we’ll have him. I was fortunate enough to go to the first two nights of these gigs, and frankly am looking forward to more. The following recounts the first two shows from this leg of the tour.

Night #1: Thursday, April 14^th at the Forum in Inglewood CA

Prince was supposed to go on at 7:30 p.m.  But punctuality is for stuffy white people with a stick up they ass. That is so not Prince. He doesn’t go on till 9 p.m.  His opening set starts with D.M.S.R. (Dance, Music, Sex, Romance) from the 1999 album. Oh HELLS yes, this is how you start a show! He follows with Pop Life, Musicology, Extraordinary, and then Uptown, one of Prince’s first singles from his brilliant 1980 album Dirty Mind. I was very much not expecting him to play anything off that particular album, so at this point I’m beyond psyched. Prince is just killing it, dancing around like a man half his age. He doesn’t look a bit like his 52 years, and he knows it. he quips to the crowd “Everyone ages except me!”  And looking at him, who can argue?

Next we get into Raspberry Beret, and Prince coaxes the audience into singing a good portion of the song along with him (and instead of him, in some parts) Next comes a particulary funky version of his 1991 hit Cream, with his new dancers “The Twinz” dressed as flappers and givin’ it their sexy best. I’m guessing The Twinz are the 2011 version of his sexy dancer pair from back in the day, Diamond and Pearl . (Geek Trivia Time! “Pearl’s” real name was Robia la Morte, and she went on to play Jenny Calendar on the first two seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Betchya didn’t know that) This leads into a version of Morris Day and The Time’s hit song Cool. This isn’t really a cover, since (despite their fake on-screen rivalry in the movie Purple Rain) Prince was responsible for just about every song Morris Day and the Time ever did, and owns the publishing rights for all their songs.  This was but the first time in these set of shows he would do a song he wrote and produced but was made famous by someone else, as if to remind the audience just how much he’d contributed to the success of others. 

Speaking of rivals, Prince next goes into a cover of Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough. The audience goes nuts for this, although for a child of the 80’s like me, it is weird to see Prince cover Michael Jackson. Actually, hearing him do MJ makes me a little sad. I remember thinking about Michael Jackson a lot too during Prince’s 2004 Musicology Tour (which was happening at the same time as Madonna’s Re-Invention Tour) During my childhood, the “Holy Trinity” of Pop Music were Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince.  In ’04, Both Madonna’s tour and Prince’s tours were playing to packed houses, while Michael was showing up to court wearing pajama bottoms and having his trial for alleged molestation charges being re-enacted nightly on the E Network.  Now seven years later, Prince is playing old MJ songs, and Michael isn’t on trial, he’s fucking dead, and his soulless family is pimping his likeness and music for video games and God knows what else.  I kind of hate being reminded of that in this happy moment. I’m way ready to move on to the next song now.

And now we’re into overdrive…We get an awesome version of his funk classic Let’s Work, leading into U Got The Look (With striking bald African American singer Shelby J. standing in for Sheena Easton, and doing an amazing job) and finally a 15 minute long rendition of Prince’s signature song Purple Rain. The entire arena is filled with hands waving back and forth, holding up their cells phones, making the stage appear to be surrounded by thousands of twinkling stars.  I’ll admit I’m fighting back tears here, and I ain’t the emotional type. Purple Rain is my favorite album of all time; I’ve owned it on vinyl, then tape, then CD, and finally to its final resting place, as mp3’s in my ipod.  Hearing it like this, with thousands of  fans singing along, it’s an emotional/spiritual moment. The show could have ended here, and I would have been happy. But that’s not what happened.

Prince comes back, and does  a string of iconic top ten hits back to back to back: Let’s Go Crazy, Delirious, 1999, The Beautiful Ones, and finally a slowed down, sexier version of Little Red Corvette.Then he breaks out the dances moves and gives us Kiss. For a long time Prince fan like me, this is all pure bliss. 

He vanishes beneath the stage again, but it isn’t long before he re-emerges,  to the sounds of When Doves Cry. He next starts playing snippets of his older, nastier songs…songs that he won’t play the full versions of due to his current Jehovah’s Witness beliefs. He plays a bit of Vanity 6’s Nasty Girl (Like with The Time, Prince was responsible for everything Vanity did except for vocals. He even came up with the name Vanity when the record company said there was no way they would go with his first name choice, Vagina, pronounced Vag-eena. True story.) Then he plays his classic Sign O’ The Times, before cruelly teasing us with a bit of his Tipper Gore-angering classic Darling Nikki. I’m sorry if this makes me religiously intolerant, but knowing I will never hear a full version of Nikki again, much less favorite dirty Prince songs of mine like Erotic City, Gett Off and Head, is kind of really making me hate on the Jehovah’s Witnesses right about now. He finishes this portion with one of my absolute favorites from the Sign O’ The Times album,  If I Was Your Girlfriend.

 

He continues with a trio of “slow jams” –not my favorite Prince musical genre, but hearing them live is another thing all together. First is Insatiable from Diamonds and Pearls, the he pulls Scandalous from the Batman soundtrack out of his ass, and finally Adore. The lights go up. This was a perfect show. Hell, this was a perfect night.

 

But it STILL ain’t over. 15 minutes after the lights go up, and half the place has cleared, Sheila E comes out and gives us her (Prince written and produced) hit The Glamourous Life. And then the little man himself comes out and, guitar in hand and just kills it with a rendition of Peach. I’m shocked. I can’t remember a concert I’ve been too where the artist comes back after house lights are up, especially with the lights up this long. After this point it’s getting late, and we feel safe in leaving. It turns out we missed Three More Encores. Prince kept playing until they were cleaning the stage and there were maybe a hundred or so people left, including songs like Baby I’m A Star, Sometimes in Snows in April and a cover of Sylvester’s Disco Heat.  While I’m sad I missed those, the truth is I got so much I can’t really complain.

Prince just brought the house down tonight. There is simply no other way to describe it. He showed his prowess with the guitar, the piano, and his voice sounds as good as it ever did. And he dances around with the energy of a twenty year old. I’d say it was sickening, if it wasn’t so fucking awesome. All I know at this point is that I can’t wait to see him again next week…and next week I’ll know better than to leave when the house lights go up. 

 Night #2, Thursday, April 21st, 2011 at the Forum. Inglewood CA.

As the Forum begins to fill up for the second night of his “21 Night Stand,” I wonder if there is any way Prince can top last Thursday’s show for me. As the lights go down, and the screaming of the fans starts, his bands starts to play a funky, sexy groove I’ve never heard before. The music continues for awhile, and finally Prince emerges….slowly walking around the stage, sexily leering at the crowd, walking towards the microphone and then walking away…he then gets on the floor and does a puppy crawl, evoking images of Prince getting out of the bathtub in the When Doves Cry video and crawling towards the camera. I imagine at this point there are a lot of wet seats at the Forum. And Prince hasn’t even started singing yet. Ten years into his career, Elvis Presley was a fat bloated, drug addled version of himself…and here is Prince, 25 years after his hey day, pulling the same sexy moves he did then, and it doesn’t look absurd. Amazing.

Finally, Prince takes the microphone and begins to sing, and it is a song I’ve never heard before called When Eye Lay My Hands On U (and as a hardcore Prince fan who owns nearly all his albums, that is saying something. Turns out it was an internet only release. Who knew.) It doesn’t matter that most of us have never heard this song before…he is selling the fuck out of it, and he is owning the crowd. For the next eight songs, Prince doesn’t repeat a single tune he played the week before. He goes into a cover of Crimson and Clover, one of the best things from his 2009 release LOtUSFLOW3ER, once again showing the crowd just how unmatched he is when playing the guitar. He follows with the Purple Rain classic Take Me With U (minus Appolonia, who was probably busy signing autographs at an auto show or something) Guitar, Shhh (from his under rated 1995 album The Gold Experience) and two absolute favorites of mine from Parade, his 1986 soundtrack album,  Anotherloverholeinyohead and Mountains. I’m so shocked and happy that he is playing these two forgotten classics that I’m speechless. Next is Nothing Compares 2 U, a song he wrote back in 1985 that went to worldwide acclaim when covered by Sinead O’Connor in 1990. Just like the week before when he performed the Morris Day and the Time song Cool, he is reminding us of songs he he created that were made famous by others. At this rate, as the tour progresses he might do the Bangles’ Manic Monday or Stevie Nicks’ Stand Back just to remind us all who made these hits possible.

The rest of the show more or less follows the same set list as the prior week, although this week’s versions of Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette are slightly less epic than the week before. He sprinkles the rest of the show with a few different hits missing from the week before, like I Would Die 4 U, Hot Thing, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the World. He encores with Kiss and Controversy…not as many encores as the week before, but the renditions of the songs this week are mostly tighter, and the overall show feels more polished. And still just about three hours long. I honestly can’t believe he pulled off a possibly more awesome show than the week before

The words “genius” and “Icon” are thrown around these days for any new artist with the slightest hint of talent and style, whether they deserve it or not (sorry GaGa, I love ya, but the jury is still out on whether you are either. Let’s talk in ten years or so) Prince earned these accolades and titles long ago, and his Welcome 2 America Tour once again proves why. And the most shocking part of this entire thing is that tickets for these shows were mostly priced at $25. These days, shows like these are priced in the range of $80 to a $100 dollars at least. The fact that I just saw 6 hours of Prince in rare form for fifty freakin’ bucks is mind boggling. While I pray that what Prince does here in terms of ticket prices is going to influence other artists to do the same, I highly doubt it.

Am I kissing Prince’s midget ass too much here? Look, Prince is sometimes freaking stupid, and often just plain nuts; Changing his name to an un pronouncable symbol (which is actually typed like this: O+>  …I sort of hate myself for knowing that.) Writing “Slave” on his face when fighting with his record label, declaring the internet “dead”, and often treating his loyal, hardcore fan base with contempt. Not to mention the fact that he is sexist and possibly homophobic (although, in fairness, he has never used his music or celebrity to spread intolerance or hate…this is all just rumor and assumption on the part of many. He employs many women and LGBT people in his band, and I give him the benefit of the doubt until I hear him say something negative myself.) Why do we forgive him all this? Because of the music, plain and simple. Because he rocks it like almost no other artist alive today. Like he said the other night in Inglewood, “ain’t no party like a purple party”. I’m inclined to agree.

Man of Steel News Galore 

Seems I miss a week of this column, and I miss what seems like a hundred stories regarding this project. You have probably heard by now that not only has the excellent Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) been cast as General Zod, but his female (still uncast as of this writing) side kick is the comic book’s Phantom  Zone villainess Faora instead of Ursa from Superman II. Which, to be fair, is a difference in name only, they were essentially the same character. Also revealed last week was what seems to be the official synopsis for the movie, and it seems to be based heavily on writer Mark Waid’s Superman origin re-telling from 2003, Birthright.

A young reporter named Clark Kent roams the world covering various news stories. When he is compelled to use his secret powers to intervene in a crisis in West Africa, he returns to Smallville to learn more about his origins and the hero he was born to be. 

Hmmmm…..West Africa, returning to Smallville to discover his roots…all of that is straight out of Birthright. Having said that, Zod (nor any other evil Kryptonians) were used in that story, so this isn’t going to be a straight up adaptation. In terms of the look of the film, it was reported this week that the look of Krypton will differ from the cold crystalline world presented in Richard Donner’s movie-verse, and look a lot like Coruscant in the Star Wars movies (which, in turn, looks a lot like the sci-fi cities of the 1930’s comics of the golden age, so there is a nice cyclical thing going on here) The last MOS rumor of the week involves a very different looking Fortress of Solitude being in the film, but just how different remains to be seen. Is it too much to ask for the giant gold key?

 

The Crow Rebooted…Or Maybe Not? 

After a string of terrible sequels, and an equally lame television series, it now seems that James O’Barr’s The Crow is getting the reboot treatment. While that isn’t shocking, the choice of who is going to play brooding, sexy and undead goth rocker Eric Draven IS pretty shocking. It appears that Bradley Cooper, Mr. All American (and sort of/kind typecast as the douchey bro type) is set for the part. Sometimes casting against type can work (two notable examples being Michael Keaton as Batman and Tom Cruise as the Vampire Lestat) but for the life of me, I just can’t imagine Cooper as Draven.

Baut s it turns out, this project might not even get off the ground, if the Weinstein Company has anything to say about it. They claim they have the rights to this franchise, not Relativity Media, who are behind this reboot. So of course the Weinsteins are doing their best to put a stop to it, via their lawyers. So while all this legal wrangling goes on, maybe Bradley Cooper will realize what a bad idea this is and play another comic book character, one more suited to his looks….the Flash maybe? I know it has been suggested before, but he would be perfect for that one. But the Crow? Um yeah, not so much.

 

Details On The Star Trek Series That Could Have Been Emerge

Back in 2005, Paramount Studious it seemed finally ran their precious Star Trek franchise into the ground with the cancellation of Enterprise after four underwhelming seasons.  We all know what happened next: The Paramount higher ups decided to let Trek lie low for a bit, then returned it in the form of JJ Abram’s awesome 2009 movie reboot. But before Trek came back in theaters, there was a pitch that might have brought the series back to the small screen in a very different form.

In 2006, Bryan Singer and his colleague Robert Meyer Burnett (director of Free Enterprise and producer of many a special features on many of the beloved geek DVDs that you probably own) both hard core life long Star Trek fans, pitched a series to Paramount called Star Trek: Federation: Set in the year 3000, nearly 600 years after the times of Picard/Sisko/Janeway, Federation would have been a vastly different series from most Trek. Trekmovie.com got the exclusive details on their pitch, and here are some highlights from what would have been the premise of the show:

 

• Earth’s humans have become “fat and happy” but this has led to complacency where humans are “giving up exploration for incremental colonization and focusing more on the rightness of their own cultural view over all others” Many younger members of the UFP have left, eschewing this “human-centric” Federation. Vulcans have been disengaging from the Federation and have reunified with the Romulans, spending most of the last 3 centuries focused on creating a new “joined society” overseen by two “quasi-religious clerics who rule according to logic and what is best for their unified peoples, combining Romulan Machiavellian politics with Vulcan logic. The Klingons have undergone a “massive reformation” moving away from their Viking-like brawling to become a “civilization of warrior mystics” akin to the Tang Dynasty), now flying “sleek” and “serene” ships and while they maintain diplomacy with the Federation they have returned to expanding the Empire via conquest. Starfleet has been reduced to a “mere peace-keeping force” protecting fringe worlds from aliens and from fighting each other, with starships are old and spread out too thin. Amidst all this turmoil, and new deadly threat from beyond the Milky Way appears, known as “The Scourge.”

 

All of this turmoil is just the set-up to the series. A motivated admiral commissions a new USS Enterprise to be built, the first ship to be called “Enterprise” in over 300 years.To the general population of the galaxy, the mission is a traditional return to the era of exploration and discovery, but the real mission is to find and stop the mysterious Scourge, and to save the Federation. While I agreed ultimately with Paramount’s decision not to go forward with a new television series and focus on a movie instead (after 18 years and 4 series, eight years of those with overlapping Trek shows, the franchise needed a break from television screens) Trek needed something to excite casual fans and normies about the property again, which is what the JJ Abrams reboot did. But eventually, this movie series will end, probably after a third movie, and by then it would have been ten years since Trek graced our televisions in anything but re-runs. When that time comes, I seriously hope Singer and Burnett pitch this series again, it has the potential to be the most interesting Trek series since the last few seasons of DS9. Trekmovie.com has more details on this pitch, and hopefully this will at least become a book series or comic book one day if not a tv show. You can check out the details here

 

Batman Year One to be followed by The Dark Knight Returns?

We all know that the next direct to DVD movie from DC Comics/Warners Animation is an adaptation of Frank Miller’s Batman Year One, set to come out towards the end of this year. But already rumors are swirling that next year’s follow up to Miller’s classic will be none other than The Dark Knight Returns. For those of you wondering how Frank Miller’s epic series will be condensed down to 70 minute running time, then worry not…it seems that DKR will be DC’s first movie to be split into two seperate films…and it might also even be rated R (another first for DC animation) The voice cast was announced this week for Batman Year One, which includes genre actors like Katee Sackhoff and Eliza Dushku in the part of Catwoman. Batman will be played by Ben McKenzie, with Gordon being played by Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad. And seeing as how DKR is the spiritual book-end to that story, there is a strong possibility the voice cast will remain the same for both projects. I imagine official news of this will break at San Diego Comic Con, probably at the premier of Batman Year One. And for the record, I would like to cast my ballot for Chloe Moretz as Robin.

 

 

 

Iron Man to Come to Disneyland? Maybe…

File this one under serious “capital R” Rumor for now, but it seems that Disney is making one of their first moves in bringing their Marvel Comics properties to the theme parks. Long being one of the attractions at Disneyland that no one ever goes too, Innoventions, a showcase for new technologies, is a hold over from the 1998 half assed Tomorrowland re-do that is slowly being phased out at the Magic Kingdom. However it seems that Innoventions might soon be getting an Iron Man makeover, and is going to become the “Stark Expo,” as seen in Iron Man 2.  Iron Man is one of the few Marvel characters that is A: famous enough to the mainstream, at least now, and B: fits into Tomorrowland’s theme. Considering how much Tony Stark’s father was based on Walt Disney, it seems only fitting if this comes to fruition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing as this is the post Wonder Con Week In Geek, I thought I would use this opportunity to talk about actual COMICS news, even though the actual amount of comic book related announcements was rather small. Remember when the big comic book conventions were used to make all the big announcements about actual comic books? I remember when the Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale Marvel “Color” collaborations like Spider-Man: Blue and Daredevil: Yellow were announced, as well as things like Grant Morrison on Final Crisis, and seemingly a million others. It seems these past couple of years, first with San Diego Comic Con and now with its sister show Wonder Con, all the big hype has gone to the movie and television industry. People really shouldn’t complain that the comic book companies have let Hollywood steal all their thunder, it seems they have been content to roll over and allow it. Still, SOME announcments were made comics wise, and I’ll be touching on some of the big ones here, starting with DC Comics.

DC Comics: Retro Active

I attended two DC Comics Panels at Wonder Con this year, DC Nation with DC EIC Dan Didio moderating, and the Green Lantern panel that followed. While both panels were fun and entertaining, they were mostly comprised of a lot of industry pros going up on a podium and telling everyone what they couldn’t talk about. Then Dan Didio would start asking the crowd questions, like “are you enjoying book X, yay or nay?” Shit like that. Yeah, it is kind of fun to get into the whole carny atmosphere of the thing,  but the joy of attending these panels is getting to be in the room with a bunch of other fans as they unveil their plans for the coming year. Next to no big announcements were made

Still, the DC panels were able to spill the beans on at least one cool sounding project, DC Retro Active. It is safe to say that almost everyone currently reading comics started reading them in another era, presumably the 90’s, 80’s, or the 70’s. Starting in July/August, DC will begin rolling out a series of one shots done in the particular style of that period featuring their A List of titles (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash and JLA) At the panel, Didio only announced the writers for each title, saving the artist announcements for a future date. But what better date is there than a major convention?? *sigh* Anyway, here is what they gave us:

Retro Active: The 70’s

Superman:  Written by comics veteran Martin Pasko (Pasko wrote Superman on and off from 1973-1982. Now semi retired, he is a perfect choice)

Wonder Woman:  Written by Dennis O’Neil (Denny O’Neil was responsible for the “mod” Diana Prince era, which lasted well into the 70’s, so probably expect that time period reflected here, even if only to be made fun of)

The Flash: Cary Bates (who wrote the Barry Allen version of the Flash sporadically from 1968-1985, when the character was killed off. He has been semi retired from comics for nearly eighteen years)

Justice League of America: (Cary Bates once again.)

Green Lantern: Another one from Dennis O’Neil (considering O’Neil wrote the famous Green Lantern/Green Arrow run of the early 70’s, expect Ollie Queen to be in this one. Can we hope for art from Neal Adams as well??)

Batman: Len Wein, who briefly wrote the Bat in the 70’s.  (Wein doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves amongst comic book fanboys; for Batman he created the character of Lucius Fox, later played by Morgan Freeman, of course, created Swamp Thing, co-created Wolverine, Storm, Colossus and Nightcrawler, and was Alan Moore’s editor on Watchmen.)

Retro-Active: The 80’s

 

Superman: Marv Wolfman (who aside from Crisis on Infinite Earths, wrote his fair share of Kal-El. He was also the guy who came up with the modern evil Donald Trump version of Lex Luthor for DC)

Wonder Woman: Roy Thomas (more of a legend at Marvel than DC, but he did write Wonder Woman’s run briefly in the early 80’s. His most notable contribution to the character being the changing of her emblem from an eagle to the double W that we all know now.)

The Flash: William Messner-Loebs (Loebs wrote the Wally West version of the Flash from 1988-1992)

 

 

Justice League of America: Gerry Conway

(Conway wrote the JLA for eight years, but when it comes to the JLA, he is probably most infamous for creating the “Justice League Detroit” version of the team in 1984. Back in the early 80’s the two biggest selling books were X-Men and The New Teen Titans, teams that were a mix of old characters with newer creations.  DC was hoping to replicate that success with the JLA.

In addition to JLA stalwarts like Aquaman, Martian Manhunter and Elongated Man, new characters were added to the line-up; Gypsy, who dressed kinda like Cyndi Lauper, Vixen, who had this whole Tina Turner “What’s Love Got To Do With It” thing going, and Vibe, a latino break-dancer. Finally, there was Steel, a cyborg type who was clad in red, white and blue..just in time for the Los Angeles hosted Summer Olympics! By the next year, this whole line up was dated, and by 1986 most of them were called off and the JLA was re-booted again, this time to more success. But I really hope Conway visits this particular train wreck of his. It has been long enough now, right? We can all look back and laugh. Umm..right?

 

 

Green Lantern: Len Wein (Wein did a stint on this book back in the early 80’s with a pre-Watchmen Dave Gibbons….can we hope to get him on the art for this one?)

Batman: Mike W. Barr (Mike Barr co-created and wrote Batman and the Outsiders in the 80’s, so I wonder if those guys will show up here too)

Retro Active: The 90’s

Superman: Written by Louise Simonson (she wrote Superman during his very popular run in the early 90’s that resulted in the whole Death/Return of Superman thing)

Wonder Woman: William Messner-Loebs (followed George Perez’ legendary run on the character, and considering his run was less than beloved by fans, one has to wonder if they didn’t ask Perez first and he turned them down)

The Flash: Brian Augustyn (Augustyn co-wrote Flash for a couple of years with Mark Waid, so I can only imagine they went to Waid and he said no. Still, as editor of the Flash for all of Waid’s run, he’s still a solid choice)

Justice League of America: Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis (their comedic version of the Justice League, which ran from 1987 to 1992, was super popular when they were doing it, and less so when they weren’t. Both writers have said this is their last hurrah for these characters, who are currently starring in Justice League: Generation Lost)

Green Lantern: Ron Marz (the man who wrote Hal Jordan going crazy, killing a bunch of Green Lanterns and changing his name to Parallax. Also creator of Kyle Rayner. Don’t hate on him folks; his lemons were the stuff of which Geoff Johns made delicious, sweet lemonade.)

Batman: Alan Grant (one of the main writers during the whole Knightfall business in the early 90’s)

 

Marvel Comics’  X-Men: Schism

Like rival DC, Marvel didn’t make too many big announcements either at Wonder Con, with the biggest one being details on Schism, the next big X-Men event. It seems Marvel is taking their Civil War idea to the mutant side of the Marvel Universe, with a major split occuring in the X-Men ranks.

 

 Back in the day, Charles Xavier and Magneto were close friends, until their friendship fell apart over ideological reasons. For the past five or so years, Cyclops has been the general of the X-men, and therefore the majority of the mutant race. Cyclops has, in effect, replaced Xavier as the mutant figure head. At his side was Wolverine, who was the #1 soldier for “General” Cyclops. Well, in the forthcoming mini series Schism, Cyclops and Wolverine had a massive falling out of their own for ideological reasons, leading them to each form an X-Men team of their own. What exactly leads to the fallout of these two iconic X-Men will be the subject of X-Men: Schism, a five issue mini-series coming out in July written by Jason Aaron, and with each issue drawn by a different fan favorite artist, with Carlos Pacheco on #1, followed by, in order, Frank Cho, Daniel Acuña, Alan Davis and Adam Kubert. While the mini series will be self contained, the aftermath will be felt in the various core X-Men titles in the months to come.

 

Dark Horse Announces Plans for Buffy Season 9

Dark Horse Comics officially announced at Wonder Con what most fans knew was coming sometime soon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9, debuting in August. Before that though, in July, Dark Horse would be unleashing their Season 9 tie in book, Angel and Faith. Both series are set to run twenty five issues.

MAJOR SPOILERS for the end of Buffy Season 8 here, so if you are reading that series in trade paperback form, then you may wish to avert your eyes from here on out. At the end of that series, Angel (possessed by a being named Twilight) kills Buffy’s father figure and watcher, Rupert Giles, and Buffy destroys the seed of all magic on Earth preventing the calling of any future Slayers. Well, at least for a few hundred years until Joss Whedon’s comic series Fray takes place that is.

Season 9 finds Buffy, now the only true Vampire Slayer left (there are other super powered women out there, but many feel Buffy betrayed them by ending the slayer line, and therefore choose not to call themselves “Slayers” anymore) residing in San Francisco. When last we saw her she was working as waitress and sleeping on the couch at her sister Dawn’s, who is now together with Xander. Willow is a basket case after losing her magicks, and Spike is still smoking and cursing and helping Buffy out whenever possible. And that is where Season 9 will pick up. Returning to his baby will be Joss Whedon, who will be co-writing the book with his former Dollhouse collaborator Andrew Chambliss (who now writes for The Vampire Diaries) Season 9 will be illustrated by returning season 8 artist Georges Jeanty.

Meanwhile, Faith (who inherited Rupert Giles London estate at the end of Season 8) is going to help Angel on his path to redemption, just as Angel once helped her (back on his own tv series) The book will be called Angel & Faith, and while Joss Whedon will serve as “executive producer” on that title, the actual writing will be done by Avengers Academy’s Christos Gage, and drawn by Rebekah Isaacs. The storylines in the two books will be separate but still loosely connected, much as the two tv shows were when they were airing back-to-back on the old WB Network.

 

When it comes to comic book fanboys, we tend to fall into two camps: Are you a Marvel, or are you a DC? Fans spend hours arguing back and forth over who has the better universe/characters, and it is safe to say there will never be a consensus on the matter. Except in one arena; in the world of animation, DC wipes the floor with Marvel comics. And the reason can all be traced back to one man: Bruce Timm. After re-defining the DC Universe with his landmark television series in the 1990’s and early 2000’s (Batman, Superman, Batman Beyond and the Justice League) in 2006 Warner Brothers asked Timm to spearhead a new Direct to DVD series of PG-13 films featuring the DC Universe characters. And while the first release, Superman: Doomsday wasn’t stellar, the quality of each succeeding movie has just gotten better and better. And while the newest entry Green Lantern: Emerald Knights isn’t quite on par with the very best of the DC Animated movies (which, for the record, are Batman: Under the Red Hood, Wonder Woman and JLA: Crisis on 2 Earths, at least in this fan’s opinion) it is fair to say that Emerald Knights holds it’s own and is yet another a great addition to the DCU animated line-up.

This particular animated feature is obviously a promotional tie in with the upcoming live action Green Lantern movie, but the designs and look of the movie are not in continuity with the live action film at all. In fact, despite the character designs and models being exactly like the previous G.L. DTV movie First Flight, this movie is not in continuity with that movie either (Sinestro is seen as going bad much earlier than he does in Emerald Knights, among other things) This is also DC’s second DTV anthology movie, the first being one being 2008’s Batman: Gotham Knights. And I’ll say right off the bat this flick is a huge step up from that one. As part of their major Green Lantern presence at Wonder Con this past weekend, Warner Brothers premiered the whole movie to an audience of eager fans, and I bet very few were dissappointed.

One of the best things Emerald Knights has going for it, at least for this longtime DC comics fan, was the fact that the stories had a certain amount of actual suspense to them. As much as I enjoyed the previous animated flick  Green Lantern: First Flight, I knew all the major story beats going into it; Abin Sur dying, giving the power ring to Hal Jordan-check. Sinestro, the greatest Green Lantern, goes bad-check.  With Knights, I knew very little of the various story beats going in. I never knew the origin of the first Green Lantern for example, or the backstory of Kilowog, leading to an actual sense of surprise for me. That is rare in this kind of movie based on such well known and well covered material.

Despite being front and center on all the promotional materials for this movie, and the casting coup of getting fanboy favorite Nathan Fillion as the voice, the truth is Hal Jordan plays a very small part in the overall story, and mainly serves as narrator of the various Lantern stories to young GL Corps recruit Arisia (Elizabeth Moss from Mad Men.) The framing story involves the long ago banished rogue Guardian of the Universe named Krona returning to our universe in an effort to get revenge on his fellow Guardians and destroy their home planet of Oa. Emerging from Oa’s nearby sun with an army of shadow demons in tow (and also the size of Galactus for no reason…well, no other reason besides that it looked pretty damn cool) In an effort to stop Krona, every Lantern from every sector is called in to charge their rings at the main power battery, essentially forming the longest DMV line ever. While in line, Hal Jordan meets cute young recruit Arisia, and begins telling her various tales of the corps’ bravest and finest, probably just to impress her. In the comics, those two briefly dated, so seeing how they met was fun at least for this fan. But the meat n’ potatoes of this flick are the various stories of the Green Lantern Corps.

The first story deals with who the very first Green Lantern was, millions of years back, and how he discovered his power. This gets the anthology off to a great start, as we see how the Green Lantern Corps really came to be in pretty spectacular fashion. I won’t spoil just who the first true GL was, but when you get to see him unleash his full power on a group of evil aliens, it is some pretty cool shit. This first story is told “from the Book of Oa” so it is told almost like a Biblical fable, giving the whole thing an extra nice touch.

The second story  involves the early days of fan favorite Green Lantern Kilowog (voiced by Henry Rollins)  back when he was a young recruit, and his mean ol’ bastard of a drill sergeant, a small little creature named Deegan. Deegan is clearly meant to be the alien version of  Full Metal Jacket’s marine corps instructor R.Lee Ermey, minus all the racial slurs. (well, unless the word “Poozer” has an unknown secret meaning) This entire sequence is the most charming, fun, and ultimately heartwarming, and features not a single character that looks remotely human.  Although the action sequences in some of the other segments are better, the overall heart of this segment makes this one the clear winner for me.

The third story is probably my least favorite of the bunch, but it is by no means bad. It centers around Laira, a character faithful GL readers will remember made the transition from Green to Red Lantern, and finally to an undead Black Lantern. The whole story has an asian martial arts vibe,  but aside from some cool action beats, this story doesn’t feel like it is offering me anything really new or compelling. Kelly Hu voices Laira and does a decent job, but the whole story just wasn’t that great to me, although I suspect a certain portion of the audience might find this one their favorite chapter, especially fans of characters like Elekta and Psylocke, or anime fans.

The fourth story is my choice for the second best part of this anthology; based on an old pre “I Hate DC Comics” Alan Moore story  called “Mogo Doesn’t Socialize”, this story focues on the coolest G.L. of them all, Mogo the Living Planet.  (not to be confused with Marvel’s Ego the Living Planet, who  looks like a 70’s album cover) In this chapter, a warrior known as “Bulphunga the Unrelenting”  (a name that is possibly topping my list for favorite comic book names right now) who is voiced by Rowdy Roddy Piper of all people, seeks to make his name by taking on the greatest Green Lantern of them all: Mogo. Not realizing that Mogo is a person as well a place, much wackiness ensues. This was the silliest chapter of the bunch, but was also a pure blast to watch.

The final flashback tale is one of Abin Sur, Hal Jordan’s predecessor as Lantern of Sector 2814. Not really great, but it shows the friendship of Abin Sur with “Greatest GL ever” Sinestro, as well as glimpses of the future Sinestro Corps as well as a pre-Red Lantern Atrocitus. This chapter was written by Geoff Johns, which explains why there are references to things like the Sinestro Corps and Atrocitus featured so prominently.  There is a nice thematic element about destiny versus luck here, but it is never really fleshed out too much. But then, how much fleshing out can one really do in ten minutes? Jonhs is easily one of my favorite writers in comics ever, but this story feels slightly phoned it. Still and enjoyable part of the overall tapestry though.

The ending of the framing device story is cool, if predictable. (what, did you expect the bad guys to win or something?) Overall, the animation presented in this movie is superb, especially for a straight to DVD movie. The fight sequences have a fluidity in the animation that would have been just unheard of for a straight to video movie just five years ago, and while not quite on par with some of the very best animated DCU movies, this is leagues better than the last DC anthology flick Gotham Knights. I highly recommend this to any and all Green Lantern or DC Comics fans when this arrives on DVD and Blu Ray on June 7th.

(Editor’s Note: Watch the podcast in the next few weeks for interviews from Wondercon with the creative team behind Emerald Knights)

Amy Adams Is Our Daily Planet Star Reporter 

Remember when Kate Bosworth was cast as Lois Lane, and the moment you heard that announcement it just felt wrong? Well, I’m having the opposite effect with the announcement that Amy Adams would be playing the new Lois Lane in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot. She has the right amount of spunk, attitude and cuteness to be Lois Lane. Also, at 36 Amy Adams actually seems old enough to be an actual star reporter for a newspaper (Kate Bosworth was 23 and looked even younger when she played Lois) I know there are already a lot of sexist fanboys bitching that Adams is “too old” for the 28 year old Henry Cavill, but I’d bet real money if the ages were reversed we’d never hear a single complaint.  Besides, Margot Kidder was about 5 years older than Chris Reeve, and no one said a peep back in the day. So far all the casting announcments have been spot on for Man of Steel, so let’s hope they stay that way.

Justice Leage of America Movie Back On 

In other even bigger DC Comics movie news, in a somewhat surprise announcement Warner Brothers president Jeff Robinov (in an interview with the LA Times) mentioned a Justice League of America movie coming for 2013. Many fans thought this was maybe a misprint, but in the following days it was indeed confirmed by the studio. Robinov insists however, that this JLA would be a different approach to the way that Marvel is handling Avengers. The Christopher Nolan Batman and the upcoming Zack Snyder/Henry Cavill  Superman are not going to be in this version of the JLA.  The characters of Superman and Batman would  be in it, but would be different versions  unrelated to either solo franchises. In addition to Supes and Bats, when asked if the upcoming Wonder Woman tv series on NBC would affect this movie too, Robinov stated “Wonder Woman could be a film as well, the same way that ‘Superman Returns’ came out while ‘Smallville’ was on.” which suggests that whomever plays Wonder Woman in the JLA movie, Adrianne Palicki is SOL.

  

I personally have no problem with this. DC’s characters are more mythic and open to interpretation than Marvel’s. The idea of a multivers and multiple versions is a very DC Comics thing anyway, and it would be only fitting to have the Movie DC universe reflect the comics. No one’s head exploded when Robert Downey Jr. played Sherlock Holmes on the big screen at the same time that the contemporary version Sherlock was airing on television. The same holds true for the cultural icons like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. People understand that these are all separate versions in various media. And if they don’t understand, then they just as likely don’t care and just want to see fights and explosions anyway. 

The real question is whether any of the upcoming other non Super/Bat DC films would tie into JLA, like Green Lantern and the upcoming Flash movie. The scrapped script from 2007 took their cue from the Bruce Timm animated series and had John Stewert as the League’s resident Green Lantern. I could easily see Warners going this route, aside from having the obvious racial diversity, it also keeps a star like Ryan Reynolds from making a pricey supporting only role. But they could introduce John Stewart as Hal Jordan’s partner, looking after Earth while Hal is off in space, therefore tying in the Green Lantern movie universe with the JLA one. And what about the upcoming Flash movie? That seems like another obvious tie-in. In any event, I think 2013 is a wee bit optimistic for a JLA movie, but 2014 doesn’t seem out of the question if Warners and DC Entertainment start getting all their ducks in a row now.

And might I add one fanboy suggestion? If you’re gonna recast Superman, why not give Brandon Routh another chance? Even the most ardent haters of Superman Returns seemed to like Routh in the role, and Lord knows he’ll come cheap. I think he deserves more than being the George Lazenby of Supermen. (for those of you who don’t know, George Lazenby was the only actor to portray James Bond only once) Save yourselves the nationwide casting search Warner Brothers. Go Team Routh!

World War Z Set To Erupt At Paramount

  

It was reported a week or so back that Paramount was about to give up on adapting Max Brook’s zombie apocalypse novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, due to a price tag that looked to escalate into about $125 million. Not a huge amount for a PG-13 rated sci fi or action flick, but a lot for a bloody sure to be R Rated zombie movie. Enter Brad Pitt, who is now  attached to star, and now Paramount is planning a June start date. It looks like thanks to Pitt’s involvement, Paramount was able to find a couple of co financiers and will be able to get this baby made after all. Marc Forster, director of Quantum of Solace and Finding Neverand, is going to direct the film, which looks at the aftermath of a global zombie infestation a decade after the fact. Paramount Pictures is hoping to have the film finished before the second wave of zombie flicks coming out soon, like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, R.I.P.D. and Zombieland 2 (not to mention the Walking Dead on AMC) Paramount had better strike while the iron is hot. 

X-Men 4 AND 5? Just Please, No Brett Ratner. Thanks.

With all the noise being made about X-Men: First Class and The Wolverine, many would assume that Fox has given up the notion of continuing the original  X-Men films. Well, not so fast; in an interview  with Empire magazine, X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner said that she has turned in a treatment to Fox studios for an X-Men 4 “that leads into an X-Men 5”  Although that’s all she really said on the subject…no clues as to who would come back and who wouldn’t, but I imagine Hugh Jackman as Wolverine is a given. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll re-cast Halle Berry.

Now, this is just my own fanboy speculation, but with Bryan Singer back in the mix at Fox as a producer on First Class, might he be thinking of going back to the Xavier’s School of the present day too? Could fans finally see his take on what  X3 would have been? In an interview with X2 screenwriter Michael Dougherty last year while promoting his feature film Trick r’ Treat, he mentioned some details on what would have been Bryan Singer’s follow up to X2.

“The idea – you open up with Alkali Lake but it’s completely barren and dried up and there are these odd reports of strange phenomena going on around the world accompanied by bright lights in the sky. The idea would be that both the X-Men and the Brotherhood realize that essentially a very god-like force had entered their reality and that it was causing disruptions around the world – mutant prisons being decimated. I had pitched an idea about a fleet of cargo ships getting torn apart in the Atlantic and you found out that they were shuttling mutants as slave labor.” 

“So basically you found out was that Phoenix was going round the world taking things into her own hands and that she had basically returned as a god, which they did touch upon in X3. She had viewed herself as above the conflict, that she was here to end things on her terms, she was basically sick of the fighting and she was going to take things into her own hands and she didn’t give a shit what the X-Men or the Brotherhood had to say about it.”

“And ultimately the way it was going to end, at least the version I was pushing for, would be that Phoenix was kind of like the Starchild at the end of 2001, she didn’t just get stabbed and die again, but she kind of chose to leave.”

“The one idea that I loved, that I really wanted to do, was that Cyclops would build the Danger Room. Cyclops felt guilty, he felt that because the X-Men were too weak, they weren’t strong enough, they weren’t fast enough, that was the reason Jean died. If they were a little bit better at fighting, then she might still be alive. It was all about this guilt he had about her death and so he built the Danger Room to train them to be better. But in the end it really was about him not being able to let go of her, so that causes all the chaos and disruption in the movie. But in the end it’s about him letting her go.”

“Ultimately she kind of becomes that cosmic force that Phoenix is known to be, she choose to leave Earth and become a god, or at least a higher level of intelligence, and she goes into the cosmos possibly to kick-start life somewhere else… The final scene for me would have been her telling Cyclops or her telling the X-Men ‘I’ll be watching.’ Essentially she becomes a god.”

Sounds a hell of a lot better than what we ended up with, doesn’t it? I mean, who really wanted to see Famke Jansen doing a Carrie White at the Prom imitation? I could see X4 being much like Dougherty’s description, despite X-Men: The Last Stand having already come and gone. What if when Wolverine killed Jean in that movie, he just freed her and allowed her to ascend to a higher level? What if this higher version of the Phoenix started to un-do the damage she wrought when in human form (a quick and easy way to explain why Cyclops and Xavier are alive in this movie) Cyclops, Xavier and the rest of the X-Men might not even remember what happened in the other timeline, or their deaths at the hands of Jean, since in her omnipotence she re-wrote history. (For Buffy fans out there, think of the way they introduced Buffy’s previously unmentioned sister Dawn in season five, where slowly people started to realize that the timeline had been altered) To me, this seems like the easiest way to fix this broken franchise and just move forward.

 

 

New Wonder Woman Costume

And finally, just wanted to close out with this thought: Sometimes, when fanboys bitch enough, God listens. Evidence being the improved pants and boots to the new tv Wonder Woman costume. Hopefully, God also listened to my bitching about the script too. But probably not.

 

 

 

 

 

Dune Relaunch Stalled; The Sleeper Has Not Awakened

Frank Herbert’s Dune is to science fiction novels what The Lord of the Rings is to fantasy novels. But where The Lord of the Rings movie series was the pitch perfect way of taking a complex narrative and making it accessible to a wide audience (not to mention cohesive as a film) David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune however is the textbook example of how not to film these kinds of epic, otherworldly novels. And I say this as a gigantic David Lynch fan…but even Lynch himself disowns his own version of Dune. I certainly enjoy portions of the film, but even the movie’s biggest fans will admit the whole thing is kind of a hot mess.The Sci Fi Channel did a mini series version back in 2001, and although better received, It still wasn’t exactly what fans of the book were hoping for.

Despite the previous lackluster attempts, Paramount Pictures has spent the last several years trying to do their own version of the Herbert classic. A couple of years ago director Peter Berg was attached direct, and that ended up falling through and leading to his directing of Battleship for Paramount instead (because why tackle a beloved novel when you can adapt a Milton/Bradley game?) Then director Pierre Morel (Taken) came on board in 2010, but apparently nothing ever came of that either. Now, three years later, Paramount has let the rights to Dune lapse with nothing to show for it, and the rights owners can shop the property around again.  Will Dune ever find it’s own Peter Jackson? I imagine one day it will, but it looks like it won’t be any time soon.

The Dark Knight Rises Officially Adds Joseph Gordon Levitt, Juno Temple

It has been known now for a few months that Joseph Gordon Levitt would follow his Inception director Christopher Nolan to the sequel to Dark Knight. Well this week it was announced that he was officially part of the cast by the Hollywood trades, and playing the role of Alberto Falcone, son of crime boss Carmine Falcone (played in Batman Begins by Tom Wilkinson ) Alberto Falcone is most famous for his role in the classic Batman graphic novel The Long Halloween. But Wait! Not so fast…no sooner was that reported as fact, that Entertainment Weekly said the part JGL is playing is not Falcone…but someone else entirely. Why believe EW over magazines like Variety and such? Warners owns that magazine, so there is more than a little connection there. Some fans have him pegged as Deadshot, the sniper character that has been a somewhat minor part of the Batman mythos for several decades, and even more fans seem intent on his playing Black Mask.  At this point we might not even know until the actual movie opens.

 

 

Also confirmed for The Dark Knight Rises this week was 21 year old British actress Juno Temple, best known for her role in Atonement. Some people have suspected she is playing the young female Robin from Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, but I highly doubt that; Christopher Nolan has repeatedly said that he didn’t want to do a Robin in his Batman movie series, and if he were to do one, he’d probably stick to tradition and use Dick Grayson. More likely Nolan is going to that other Frank Miller Batman opus (no, fuck you, not All Star Batman.) I refer instead to Batman: Year One.  In that story, which re-introduced Selina Kyle/Catwoman to modern DC continuity, she had a young streetwise hooker/sidekick named Holly Robinson, or “Holly Gonightly.” I would say it is far more likely Juno Temple is playing Holly, but then sometimes I’m dead wrong when it comes to these things. But were I a betting man, I’d bet on Juno playing Holly.

 

Chris Pine Talks Star Trek 2

Chris Pine this week confirmed that the upcoming Star Trek sequel, set to start filming later this upcoming summer, finally has a script. And in this script, according to Pine, Captain James T. Kirk will indeed have a love interest this time. I’m assuming that he means an actual love story, and not just Kirk bangs a green chick or flirts with a pretty girl, because that’s pretty much in every episode or movie of Star Trek. If that is this case, I’m hoping they use the character of Carol Marcus from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.  Not only is she the mother of Kirk’s son David, but their “backstory” is one that was never seen on the old tv series.  A new movie would be the perfect opportunity to tell the Jim Kirk/Carol Marcus love story in detail, as well as just what went wrong between them. Of course, this being a new continuity/timeline, maybe things will be different this time; instead of having Kirk’s kid she’ll just have his abortion…save Kirk the trouble of having a kid with a cheesy perm who gets stabbed to death by Klingons like a punk later on.

 

DC Nation Comes to Cartoon Network; See Corporate Synergy In Action

 

According to DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, “If you’re a DC Comics fan this is the best news of all time,” Johns was at Cartoon Network’s upfront presentation in New York City this week to talk about “DC Nation,” a programming initiative that will showcase DC’s expansive library of characters. Warner Brothers of course own DC Entertainment, and Warners also owns Cartoon Network, and although almost all DC Universe animated properties have aired on CN for the past decade or so, they have never really capitalized on their DC connection as well as maybe they should have. Well, no more…starting in early 2012, Cartoon Network is launching a two hour block based on DC Comics properties called DC Nation. The flagship shows will be Green Lantern, the all-new Bruce Timm CGI animated series as well as the new hit series Young Justice. Batman: The Brave and the Bold will finish out it’s run as part of this block (rumored to be replaced with a new CGI animated Batman show later on) and an as yet un announced show. Test footage that was done last year for a live action Blue Beetle series was shown at the presentation , which heavily suggests that might fill in that final half hour slot. (yeah, Cartoon Network shows live action shows now too. I don’t get it either) DC Nation is also being described as a “multi platform franchise” which suggests an large online component as well. Maybe episodes of the now classic DC animated series like Batman, Batman Beyond, Superman, Justice League, Teen Titans and campy older shows like Super Friends will be available at the click of a mouse.

 

Wonder Hooker Costume Fallout

Last week Warner Brothers debuted their first image of Adrainne Palicki as Wonder Woman. People on message boards everywhere echoed the same sentiments… phrases like “Party City” “Cheap Hooker” and “Wal Mart Halloween Costume” were bandied about. And those are the nicer insults. What’s most sad is that almost everyone agrees that the basic design is decent enough, but the execution is totally atrocious. Within 24 hours, fans created better versions in photoshop, two of which I post below. Why am I posting these? Just to prove a point…sometimes, the fans know best. Hopefully some of these get around to the halls of Warner Brothers, if only to shame them into making something better. It probably won’t happen, but it should.