Superman

Before I get started, we just put out the 50th episode of our Field of Geeks podcast!  Check us out on Podbean, iTunes, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter!

In the last post, I droned on about Supergirl, now it is time to tackle her cousin.  You may have heard of him.  Spoiler alert: he is in the title of this blog!!

I KNOW, RIGHT?

As a soon-to-be octogenarian, I can't be on board with phrases like "I know, right" or "fleek" or "lit" or any other crazy nonsense.  Those words are cray.

So, back to Superman, then.  In Monday's season 2 premiere of Supergirl, her cousin Superman comes to town and they team up to take down baddies, help families, and create all sorts of hope in National City.  Tyler Hoechlin now gets to wear the red and blue tights famously donned by Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, and a couple others really not worth mentioning.

Before I tell all of you what you should think about Mr. Hoechlin's performance (kidding, of course, but I AM always right), let's talk about Superman for a minute.   There is a lot of talk about how Superman is not relevant today.  He's too hard to write because he is so powerful.  Gobbledygook, I say!  Is gobbledygook still being used by the kids today?  I will have to hang around outside a school and ask. 

Superman is, in my opinion, needed now more than ever.  And not a dark, brooding, unstable Superman.  I'm talking your Reeve/Cain/Routh type that delivers hope, optimism, and the like.  (Approaching soapbox..)

What the El???

With everything that is going on in the world, we become almost desensitized to violence of all sorts, we allow our elected leaders to lie on a daily basis while we fall in line (and even defend the behavior) just because we choose one ideology over another.  As a comic fan with WAY too many comics, I love all sorts of comics and the heroes contained therein.  Superman, Batman, The Punisher, Spider-Man, Wolverine, Spawn, The Flash...the list goes on and on.

I like the escapism of a Punisher.  He takes zero crap and gives zero $#!+$ about criminals.  I like Batman's code, and how he tries to convert his pain into justice, I like Superman because he is the example.  He is supposed to be the best of the best, and in today's world, we don't have a lot of examples to look up to with the endless skepticism and distrust.

Hoechlin's Superman delivered on the hope and optimism.  Supergirl has already done it for a full season.  I like the dark heroes, but there is plenty of room, and a need, for the light ones, too.  Welcome back, Superman.

Supergirl

Let's just get this out of the way.  The fact that none of you are proactively sending me tons of cash so I can blog all day is completely unacceptable.  As it stands, I actually have to WORK for a living.  Translation: work has been crazy busy, but the staff here at Steve's Comic Blog appreciate your patience.

Supergirl.

As with all things (except Game of Thrones and The Flash), I am behind.  I just completed episode 10 of Supergirl, season one.  This show is a lot of fun.  It's lighter in tone, very similar to The Flash in that aspect.  Here are some random thoughts so far...

Supergirl/Kara Danvers: If they wanted to pick someone insanely cute, they succeeded.  She's more than that in the show, which is great.  I like her enthusiasm, and her temper has had to be kept in check a few times.  I like that.  She's not a crazy person, but it's "real" that someone could react to situations with a bit of a hothead approach sometimes.

Cat Grant: Sometimes I think she is brilliantly played, other times I am anxiously awaiting the next scene.  We get it.  She's tough and successful.  You can be both of those things without being a nightmare.

Jimmy Olsen: Very well done here!  I like the actor, and he adds a lot to the team.

Winn:  That is his name, right?  Too much hurt puppy, and not enough "sacking it up".

Hank Henshaw: Well, I hated him until I found out.  SPOILER FREE!

The sister: No.

Overall this is a really fun show.  I am excited to see the Flash crossover.  With the introduction of Superman in season 2, I am hoping that it doesn't turn into a "man saves woman" marathon.  I feel like I have talked about this before.  Maybe it was on the podcast.  Maybe I can barely remember what I had for breakfast...either way, Superman is larger than life, yet down to earth, and I hope the actor portraying him conveys that (as well as the writers).

Check out Field of Geeks!  It's a podcast.  I'm involved.  We bring you all sorts of fun stuff...movie, TV, comics, video games, medical/legal advice...well, we do most of those things.  Field of Geeks on iTunes, Facebook, or Podbean.  Twitter, too!  Speaking of, I am on Twitter, as @stevescomicblog!

KEEP READING COMICS

Jason Todd

Earthlings!!

Right.  So moving on...

Were you alive to remember Jason Todd's original run?  The two origins?  The 900 number?  I WAS THERE!!!  #whippersnappers

First off, the picture is just more brilliance from Jim Aparo.  He and Neal Adams are two of the first people I think of when it comes to Batman artists.  Their ability to bring emotion to the page was, and is, unparalleled. 

Fourthly, I thought the right decision was handed down at the time.  Kill off the little punk.  Since then, I have become less radical/emotional in my desire to see fictional characters put down.  In this case I am glad it happened.

If Jason Todd would have lived and continued on as Robin, two things would not have happened...

1.) Tim Drake (the best Robin there was).
2.) We would not have the Jason Todd we know today.

His character as the Red Hood has been amazing.  One of the brighter spots in the Bat-verse in the last 11 years.  That's right, he has been back for 11 years.  Crazy, huh?  His first appearance was in 1983, and was killed off in 1988.  He has more than doubled his life span this second go-around.

DC's Rebirth has reverted back to the origin of him being a kid that stole the tires off of the Batmobile, fixing the New 52's origin. He has new "outlaws" with him for Rebirth, Artemis, and Bizarro.  Cray cray, I know.  #sorryaboutthecraycray

Jason has been no angel since coming back, there's no question about it.  His presence adds depth to the Bat-family, and I am glad that he is out there.  It's one of those cases where the death of a character worked, in hindsight.  Of course, when he died back in '88, the death of comic characters weren't so ridiculously overdone. 

I have not done the math, but I would imagine that there are more DC/Marvel heroes that have died than haven't (A and B-listers, anyway).

Check out Rebirth's Red Hood and the Outlaws.  It's worth a read!

#hashtag

Suicide Squad, Field of Geeks Interview

Greetings from my lunch hour!  I am posting this blog from my phone so bear with me.

After 2 viewings of Suicide Squad, I can finally say that critics are insane.  This was by no means a film that will change your view on life, but it was a very fun movie.  Let's be real, if you are going to a comic book movie and are looking for more than what the formula provides, then you are in the market for a house in Disappointmentville.  That is an actual place.  It's called Flint, Michigan.

Margot Robbie and Will Smith stole the show, with a side of Joker thrown in.  This is yet another DC film that has a huge disparity between critic and fan opinion. 

Over at the Field of Geeks studios, we ha had a great time interviewing Parker Jennings.  Parker,  aside from being a super nice guy, is the artist for Blanky Bot, a great book from Plume Snake comics.  Give it a listen!

http://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-hxv7m-61d4c9

In non-comics news, my daughter is a sophomore in college now, and I am super old.  But, that means more time for the blog!  YOU'RE IN FOR IT NOW, PEOPLE.

You've been warned.

Quick Hits

Earthlings, I welcome you.

In this installment of our little venture, I am going to do a bunch of quick hits because I am incapable of keeping my attention on one or two items.  Sure, there are meds for that sort of thing, but I enjoy the chaos.  Let's roll...

• I do not know much about Megan Fitts, other than I just read a beautiful comic from her entitled Old Friend.  It is over on the Plume Snake website, along with many other refreshing titles.  Ms. Fitts also has a tumblr page you should check out.  What is more fun than stumbling upon cool things to read?  Aside from playing Destiny for 7 straight hours, not much.  Check it out!
• And when the hell is Tumblr going to purchase an "e"?  Pull it together, gang.
• Geoff Johns is the new president!!!  Forget Trump or Hillary, this is the presidency I am excited about.  Johns has proven himself time and time again to be a huge asset to DC Comics, and his hard work has paid off career-wise.  With his new responsibilities, I hope he can find time to write here and there.
• Oreos...they're delicious! #larrykingstylerambling
• The new Star Trek movie was a blast.  A lot of Trek purists do not like the reboot, but I have enjoyed them, and this movie was the best of the new ones, in my not-so-humble opinion.  When you complain about the new Trek, or the new Star Wars, or even the new Ghostbusters, please keep in mind no one has taken the old stuff away from you.  It's all still there.  Your memories of them are still there.  If they released the new Ghostbusters with the caveat that every copy of the original movies would disappear and your memories would be wiped clean, then by all means, act like a crybaby.  Until then, let's try and enjoy some entertainment.
• My 1st gen Kindle died.  I have prepared a 10,000 word eulogy.  Fortunately for you, I will spare you.  Hello new Kindle Fire!  
• Another Star Trek/Green Lantern crossover? Yes, please.
• I've started cleaning up some short stories I have been writing for years.  Maybe someday...
• Over at Field of Geeks, we recently did a review of Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan.  With Trek's 50th anniversary, we thought it would be fun to discuss what is arguably the best of the films.  Next week we will tackle First Contact!
• How did this entry of my blog have thousands and thousands of hits?  Weird.  My posts range typically anywhere from 100-1000 hits.  Thanks, Mr. Grayson.
• Read anything by Gregg Hurwitz.  You're welcome.

Have a great week, kids.  We are recording a new podcast tomorrow with a ton of news items.  Once it is edited and available, I will link it here and on Twitter.

Slate & Ashe 1-4, Hulk, Blanky Bot, Random Musings...

Here in Iowa, the weather can't decide between 100 degrees and humidity or severe thunderstorms.  So, I am moving to Fort Resolution, Canada.  I leave you in the good hands of my clone, Darren.  See ya, suckers!!

Mr. Ethan Murphy, the creator of Slate & Ashe, was kind enough to send me actual print copies of issues 1 - 4.  KEEP 'EM COMING, PAL!  Story?  Awesome.  Art?  Excellent.  Pacing?  Great.  The layout is phenomenal, and I am investing in chloroform so we can procure Ethan so I can keep reading.  Ethan, you've been warned.  Friends, go to Plume Snake's site and check out Slate & Ashe.

Alex Odom's Blanky Bot...I have talked about this before, but I keep coming back to it.  While it's criminally short, I love this book.  I describe the art as "simplistic complexity".  I keep looking at it.  More Plume Snake awesomeness.

Marvel Comics spoilers coming up right after I am done typing this...

Hulk is dead.  Sigh.  The combination of fans going crazy over a death in comics and companies like Marvel using event storytelling techniques makes my head hurt.  We all know death in comics mean virtually nothing.  Hulk will be back, kids.  Banner Hulk.  So relax. 

DC Rebirth is selling very well thus far, according to reports.  As a lifelong DC fan, I couldn't be happier.  Sustaining those sales numbers is not realistic.  However, if you want to maximize your numbers, it's about consistent quality, not event-driven craziness.  So far, I am enjoying what I have read, and I really enjoy being back in a comic shop with regularity.

Even more ADD: 

•  Kid Flash pics released from Flash season 3!  Looks amazing. 
• Started watching Continuum, good stuff so far...yeah, I know it got cancelled...
• Dark Matter is back on...WHOO!
• The Mystery Science Theater 3000 reunion show was so awesome.  Thanks to Rifftrax and the stars of MST3K for making me laugh non-stop for two hours.
• Star Trek is coming soon!  I'm ready...I feel like one of the few that loves all things Trek...
• Speaking of which, I just started DS9.  The concept was so "un-Trek", I did not give it a chance.  Five episodes in, and I am hooked. 
• Next blog, I interview the corpse of the Hulk.

Plume Snake Interviews

Hello, kids!  It's been a couple hours (ridiculous exaggeration) since my last entry.  Let that be a lesson to you; don't have a full time job!  Sure, jobs are awesome when it comes to being able to support your way of life.  They can also be very fulfilling and help you establish both responsibility and accountability, but let's be real...it takes away from time I could be sitting here delivering you...

Sorry, I was starting to bore myself.

I have a few drafts written, however, but for this entry I would like to point you to Podbean or to your iTunes store!  Podbean is a free app that delivers you approximately a jillion podcasts.  JILLION IS A REAL NUMBER.  Anyway, when you are there, search for "Field of Geeks" and you will find a ton of great content for comic lovers, movie lovers, pop culture lovers...we don't have a lot for lovers of Tibetan Philosophy, but I can make some calls.

We have recently had the honor to do a couple interviews with some great creators over at Plume Snake Comics.  We had Ethan Murphy and Arianna Tressel-Orner on to discuss Slate & Ashe.  It was great discussion and they stuck around for the rest of the show and discussed all sorts of cool things!  I can say that Slate & Ashe is extremely enjoyable for any fan of great entertainment.  I can't say enough about how great Ethan and Ari were to talk to.  Give it a listen!

Shamelessly lifted from the Plume Snake site.  

Last week we put up our interview with Alex Odom and Austin Eichelberger, the CEO and VP of Plume Snake Comics, respectively.  Both are also creators and have some great stuff out there.  Blanky Bot is my write-in candidate for President this year.  The Lioness was great, and I am really looking forward to Last Stop 'til Earth.  Both of these gentlemen were great to talk to, and I enjoyed getting to chat with them about their business model.

Check them all out at Plume Snake!  Plume Snake has a great Twitter presence, as well!

Field of Geeks on Facebook!  On Twitter!  On YouTube!

Coming up: quick hit reviews of Slate & Ashe, various Rebirth titles, Pigantula, Blanky Bot, and more!  Dumpster Diving will return with Sandman Mystery Theater!

Slate & Ashe #1, Rebirth Hits, and Steve's Soap Box

Greetings, people of Earth (or Shikk'Ctho Colony, as we call it on my home world)!

Spoiler Free Reviews

Slate & Ashe #1
Plume Snake 
Ethan Murphy
Luigi Teruel
Isabel Tanalgo

This issue upset me dearly.  Primarily because I can't read the next installment yet!  Like Game of Thrones or weekends, this issue went by way too fast.  We have an issue that combines heartfelt sorrow, humor, and intense action all in one all-too-short issue.  Ashe has my vote for issue MVP because he is headstrong, can throw out one-liners, and has the best side mirror aim I've ever seen. AND I'VE SEEN PLENTY, THANK YOU.   At the end, it looks like Ashe has his work cut out for him.

The art: I really enjoy the visuals, and the coloring was great.  If page 15 doesn't impress you, I am not sure what to tell you.  Even the little details...boarded up window, dumpster, air vents in the car...the art delivered.


5 out of 5 Switch-Locks

Rebirth Recaps

I picked up everything but Aquaman.  Why not Aquaman?  I don't have a good answer.  I will probably buy it, but the voices in my head were adamant.  Sorry Aqua-fans!

Of my favorites...

Action Comics: We see Iron Luthor helping out the fine citizens of Metropolis after the death of their Superman (the New 52 version).  Classic Supes is having none of it, and confronts Luthor.  GREAT dialogue, and it was nice to feel like I was reading SUPERMAN again.  A couple of surprises in this issue, including the last panel.  Great issue, but Luthor...we will see where this goes.

4 out of 5 Jimmy Olsens

Detective Comics: TIM DRAKE.  That is all.

Just kidding, there is more.  We see Batman and Batwoman putting an unlikely team together to get them into shape.  Shape.  Ha.  Clayface is in the comic, so I made a funny.  Well, funny might be a bit generous...

Great to see Tim, Stephanie Brown, and Cassandra Cain back.  I am predisposed to love this book. 

Downside: the Red Robin logo, and "Orphan"...that describes most of the Bat-Family.

4 out 5 Batarangs

The Flash: Wally and Barry.  Barry and Wally.  Finkle and Einhorn.  This issue has great dialogue, be it Barry and Wally, or even the internal Barry thoughts as he is in the Batcave...awesome.  VERY excited to see where we go next.  Welcome back, Flash.

5 out of 5 stars

Quick hot on Wonder Woman...good read, great art...she has a lot of internal dialogue.

Steve's Soap Box

I know I jumped on DC with my lack of pleasure regarding the New 52, but I am very impressed with the start of Rebirth.  A quick start out of the blocks are great, but if this is a 440, I hope we don't hit the wall.  If we care about these characters, we will continue to invest in them.  If the thing(s) we invest in is fundamentally changed, we sell our stock.  DC's stock is increasing, and this is a great chance to increase their market share.  I'm back after a long absence, I can't be alone. 

Lastly, I need to stop reading comments on Facebook between comic fans.  I was going to post some of the quotes, but the negativity is draining.  All I will say is it is okay to like both DC and Marvel.  GASP!!!  THE HORROR!  I also like Star Wars and Star Trek.  Find the good in things.  There's a lot of it out there.

Go to Podbean and check out the Field of Geeks podcast!  We just put out another episode, and we hope you enjoy it. 

Quick Hits

I KNOW!  I've been away.  It's been for a great reason, though.  I had a birthday (I don't feel a day over 732), and the family and I went out of town for some R&R.  Good times.  I am working on a bigger update this week.  Normally, we here at Steve's Comic Blog like to keep it fairly short and sweet.  There have been numerous studies about sitting on the toilet too long, and I'm trying to do my part to keep it short.  COLON POWER!!

Anyway, here are the quick hits...

• Plume Snake Comics.  What are you waiting for?  Head over there now, and for $5, you get to read a TON of awesome stuff.  In my last entry, Ethan Murphy graced us with his presence, and having read Slate & Ashe, I am excited to bring you my full review.  Also, I think I accidentally said Snake Plume on the last podcast.  I have been disciplined in accordance to company policy.  My signature on that document was not to be construed as an admission or denial of observations set forth.
• DC Comics' Rebirth.  We are 3 weeks in, and the results have been pretty fun.  Clearly the roadmap has been laid, and it will be exciting to see how it all plays out.  TIM DRAKE AND WALLY WEST?!?  Testify.
• Injustice 2 trailer was released.  I tried throwing my credit card at my iPad, but apparently we do not perform transactions in that manner (stupid, I know).

Big update coming Sunday, 6/12/16, hope you like to read!

Places to go...

Plume Snake Comics
Field of Geeks
The Bathroom

Interview With Ethan Murphy of Slate & Ashe

Happy day after Memorial Day!  It's my 83rd favorite day of the year!  If you are all about ranking your days of the year, it has to be close to the top half.  I mean, come on.

In today's installment, I am very happy to be interviewing Ethan Murphy!  Ethan is the creator of the Slate & Ashe series coming out.  The premise is awesome, and I love the different approach he has taken with zombies.  Zombies...the undead, NOT the employees at the DMV.  Let's dive in!

Steve: Tell us about yourself!  What is your background, and why comics?

 

Ethan Murphy: I went to James Madison University to study media arts and design. I originally wanted to be a filmmaker but was convinced by my brother that comics would allow me more creative control and be more gratifying.

S: What creators, in or out of comics, have inspired you?

 

EM: My single biggest influence was probably the 90's as a whole. Bit of a cop out, I know. I grew up watching next level, AMAZING shows like Batman the Animated Series, X-Men and Dragonball Z. Those three shows in particular showed me as a kid that storytelling can and should transcend mediums. They also showed me how much fun and diverse characters should be.

S: Slate & Ashe has an interesting concept, to be sure.  Tell us all about it!

 

EM: Slate & Ashe is about a cop and a zombie teaming up to solve a case. It features a version of the undead but is essentially a buddy cop story. Think Lethal Weapon with zombies. However, in this world, the zombies are highly sentient and don't eat brains. In fact, the zombie working with the cop is very similar to Frasier Crane. Haha.

S: Where can I spend my money to follow the adventures of Slate & Ashe?

 

EM: On June 1st, Slate & Ashe will be available for digital download on Plume Snake. They're a great site and very affordable. We will also personally deliver hard copies of the series to anyone interested. All you have to do is contact us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/slateashe.

S: As a writer, what is your favorite part of the process?  On the flip side of the coin, what is your least favorite part?

 

 EM: I enjoy virtually every part of the writing process itself but like doing the dialogue the most. It's the best chance to really give the characters a unique voice. My least favorite part is lettering the finished comics. Since our operation is still small, I have to do it myself and am not the best at it. Haha.

S: You get to choose any two superheroes to protect you in the inevitable zombie apocalypse, who are they and why?

 

EM: Very good question. I would go with Green Arrow since he is a survivalist that is a master archer and The Punisher since he's the single greatest killer in all the comic universes.

S: You can only watch one movie for the rest of your life, which is it?

 

EM: Another good question. Haha. I've actually thought about this before. Have to go with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

S: Where can people follow you on social media?

 

EM: You can follow us on Facebook and on Instagram at SlateAshe.

 

 

Thanks, Ethan!  I am excited for the launch of Slate & Ashe.  We will be inviting Ethan to join us on the Field of Geeks podcast, as well!  Once we nail down a date, I will post it here and on Twitter.

Captain America (SPOILERS)

Short blog today, ladies and gentlemen.  I have an appointment tomorrow in Helsinki to discuss replacing my blood with mayonnaise.  Don't judge me, people.

So...Captain America has been an agent for Hydra?  The worst part of this idea is the fan backlash already starting.  I only have one piece of advice to people getting upset over this: let the story play out.  When Bruce Wayne died, did anyone doubt he would be back?  When Supes and Doomsday slugged it out, we knew it was a matter of when Superman would come back, not if.  Comics has an endless supply of these examples. 

Stay patient people, outrage culture is exhausting.



Cue asteroid.

(After) Rebirth - Spoiler Free

Ha.  See what I did there?  Yeah, it was dumb.  I didn't have time favorite for a super-witty title, as I was in Tibet changing the oil in some lamps at a Monastery.

After buying a physical and digital copy of DC's Rebirth (and reading them both), I am happy that report that it was outstanding!  As a critic of certain elements of the New 52, this old fan is excited about the direction.  Execution is everything, and seeing the return of a major player (as well as the addition of an interesting protagonist) was just fun.

Comics should be fun, right?  I've read a lot of reviews and a lot of fan chatter in relation to Rebirth, and the Internet is a great reminder that you can't please everyone.

This is an exciting time for DC, as they are focusing on the legacy of their impressive stable of characters.  It is really an exciting time for comics, in general, really.  Between the big 2, and all the independent companies, there is an incredibly diverse selection of comics on a variety of platforms.  With a lot of press and industry focus on Marvel and DC, there are so many other cool choices out there, too.  I encourage anyone reading to pick up something new.

In the 90's (1990's, I was not collecting comics in the 1890's), it was extremely rare if I went outside of DC or Marvel.  Dark Horse and a little Valiant was pretty much it, as well as the new kid on the block, Image Comics.  Today, there are a lot of new creators and companies trying to get their work out there for us to enjoy.

Soon I will be talking about a lot of cool stuff that falls outside of "Big Comics", and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I do.

Rebirth gets 5 out of 5 Wally/Barry hugs.

Pic of the Day

Rebirth!

Over at the Field of Geeks podcast, we had a great discussion about DC Comics and the creative directions with both, the comic line, and the cinematic/tv universes.  This is timely with the Rebirth "event" around the corner this coming Wednesday.

In a recent interview with Jim Lee and Dan Didio, they addressed the lack of "legacy and generations and the things that were hallmarks of the DC Universe."  Awesome!  That means that it will be fixed! As a lifelong fan of DC, in particular, I couldn't be more excited.  Will Tim Drake have a history as "Robin" again?  Will the Superman books be coherent again?  The Justice Society?  Lots of questions...

Of course, one question I have is the overall direction at DC.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that when you pull a "New 52" on your audience, you are going to alienate a number of your readers, especially grumpy old people like me.  It also isn't brain surgery to understand that it is very difficult to maintain large, consistent audiences in comics.  I understand that DC was trying to make something work.  That said, the DC universe has been around a long time, about 78 years.  The characters that have come to us in that time have seen tons of change, some good and some bad.

The point I am trying to make (terribly), is that in a fickle market place, huge changes are very risky.  It is easier to operate under a "no risk, no reward" mentality when business is booming.  Comic business is not booming.  DC is not booming.

The $890 million dollar "failure" that was Batman v Superman is proof of a couple things...

1.) Critics are dumb.
2.) You can't just slap together your toys in the sandbox and just expect great things to happen.

Some of the backlash is deserved.  I personally believe Snyder should not be directing comic movies. Google "Snyder" and Batman rape, if you don't believe me.

Enter Geoff Johns.  He has been the architect of the some of the best that modern DC has had to offer.    Now he has built Rebirth, and moves directly off to save DC in other mediums.  If anyone can do it, he can.  He has genuine love for the characters, and it has always shown.

It's only a matter of time until he heads DC.  Sooner the better.

Civil War - Spoilers Probably

Like many people from our planet, I saw Civil War over the weekend.  The reviews for this film have been overwhelmingly positive (shocker), as has audience reaction.  Personally, I felt that to not even mention Abraham Lincoln was just unacceptable.  As President during a time of upheav...excuse me a second...

Sorry.  I was just informed this was supposed to be a superhero movie, not a tale during a turbulent time in our nation's history.  Like, omg, I am SO embarrassed!!!!!!!!!

As superhero movies go, this movie has them.  It also has zany Marvel quips and other scintillating banter we have come to expect from Robert Downey, Jr. and friends.  Did anyone catch the Jessica Jones cameo?  Yeah, I made that up.

This movie was excellent, all kidding aside.  Welcome Spider-Man to a studio that knows what they are doing.  For the small amount of time the wall crawler was on the screen, I am now eagerly waiting for his film.  Black Panther was also a very welcome addition to a film that was heavy on characters, and still managed to pull it off.

What irritates me has nothing to do with the actual movie.  It has to do with what I am reading on the interwebz.  "See DC?!  This is how it's done!"  Because I am one of the MAJORITY of people who enjoyed Batman v Superman, and read various outlets discuss how Civil War will blow away BvS, I went into the movie and actually had to struggle to be objective. 

Part of me wanted to find things to complain about just to throw it in the face of people who do not understand that these are two different types of movies that happen to be in the same genre.  Stop comparing the two, please. 

Back to Civil War...

It is no surprise that the movie version is different than the comic version of the storyline, and I am glad we didn't see anyone die.  That is such a lazy and overused way to advance a story in comics.  The fact that they were able to deliver great action, and a good story proves that you do not need to kill off heroes to tell stories.

5 out of 5 Aunt Mays.  Rawr.

Houses Divided

Please pardon the following rant, I was recently blindfolded and taken against my will to Guatemala.  Nothing against Guatemala, but it can be a little disorienting.  Huge shout out to my legions of readers from Guatemala!!!!

In this entry, let's talk about other people behind their backs.  I'm talking about fanboys who take their craft vey, very seriously.  "Hey Steve, what the heck are you talking about?"

Examples:

"Marvel is better than DC."
"DC is better than Marvel."
"Star Wars rules!!"
"Nu uh!!  Star Trek is WAY better!"

You get the idea.  This is obviously most prevalent in sports, where rivalries have existed for a long time.  It is also prevalent with Israel and the Palestinians.  Also, it was pretty common among the Grunnbgh and Chootahhhhh tribes who were at war with each other in the Paleolithic era.  Basically, the ability to act stupid has been present for a very long time.

We know that is not going to change any time soon as social media has given us a platform to engage in new levels of idiocy under the blanket of anonymity.  Whether we like it or not, social media has an influence.  Why?  Because there people out there who are willing to let their opinions be formed by others without forming an opinion for themselves.  One example that you have probably never heard of: politics.

So what can creators do about this?  They can stop listening to vocal minorities, for starters.  When I see a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 28% but an audience score of 69%, chances are, I'll take the audience's word for it.  When I see ANY comments on YouTube, I know I am reading the worst of what humanity has to offer. 

We all have opinions, and that is awesome.  How we convey those messages is another thing entirely.  When I say that I think Salma Hayek is unbelievably attractive, others may think differently.  That is okay.  Who am I kidding?  That's crazy talk.  But you get my drift.  How we communicate with each other is important, and it's an art form that is all but lost.

I am as guilty of this as anyone, particularly in my Spawn/WildC.A.T.S. review.  While I try to bring an absurdist view to my ramblings, there are real people who put real effort behind it.  I don't have to like it.  And I didn't.  Maybe we should stop being so hateful.

Except for the Batman & Robin movie, then it's ok.

Dumpster Diving: Batman & Robin

My friends and I at Field of Geeks (click on the link to the side) recently did some movie commentary on the 1997 disaster, Batman & Robin.  As you can imagine, we had an amazing time being able to review a movie that shows us that life just is not fair.  It showed us that Satan had a strong grip on Hollywood.  It also showed us that Alicia Silverstone's mole was there one second, and gone the next. 

If you are like me, and pray that you aren't, you love comic book movies.  As a comic book fan, it stands to reason that I am part of the target audience, right?



Proof that we are not deserving of nice things.

Not with Batman & Robin.  My sources tell me that the target audience for this film was the Ik'Scctey, and evil alien race who is hell-bent on destroying planets for their natural resources.  Below is an excerpt of my interview with said source.

Steve: I understand that the film was actually commissioned by the government, is that correct?

Source: Right you are, Steve.  You have to understand, we, as a nation, were at the height of the Spice Girls' popularity, and we were all just tired after the Lewinsky thing.  Batman & Robin was our way to commit planetary suicide.

Steve: So then why are we still here?  What happened?

Source: The Ik'Scctey warlords thought Alicia Silverstone was cute.

So there it is, ladies and gentlemen.  Straight from my fictional source's mouth.

If you have NOT seen this film, save yourself.  If you have, you'll recall the therapy you have gone through to try and quiet the night terrors.  You might also recall Uma Thurman breathing on people a lot.

George Clooney actually takes the blame for this.  While that is gracious, it is not his fault.  There is so much blame to go around, from Warner Brothers straight down to the caterer.

As a serious film-reviewer (of which I am not, I like some pretty terrible movies), I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the good with the bad.  So without further delay, the best part of the movie?

We did not have to endure the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne for the 400th time.  That is absolutely one thing the movie got right.  We know all about it.  Same with Spider-Man.  We know he was bitten by a radioactive spider.  I was bitten by a radioactive spider once, and all I got out of it was 6 months of chemotherapy.

Rating: One out of five George Clooney head bobs.

The Killing Joke

Let's start here...

The Killing Joke is a heavily anticipated animated movie brought to us from our friends at DC Comics.  If you are not familiar with the source material, let me introduce you to Barbara Gordon.  Barbara is the daughter of Gotham City police Commissioner Jim Gordon.

In real years, she is 48 years old, having her debut in 1967.  She was created for both the comics and the Adam West Batman series simultaneously, and has been a fan favorite ever since.  In March of 1988, as depicted in the beautiful Brian Bolland artwork above, Ms. Gordon was shot by the Joker, to be left paralyzed.  In the following panels, the Joker starts to undress her so he can photograph her.

Pretty gruesome stuff, right?

In the years that followed, Barbara Gordon would become an integral part of the DC Universe as Oracle.  Her prowess behind a keyboard assisted more than just the Bat-family over the years.  And yes, in true comics fashion, she eventually regained the use of her legs, becoming Batgirl, once again.

The movie, set to debut later this year, is either going to knock it out of the park, or it is going to inspire Batman v Superman levels of critique.  Obviously I hope it does well.  It is the iconic Joker story.  Ask any comic fan to name one story that comes to mind when they think of the Joker and The Killing Joke will top the list.  A Death in the Family would probably be second (Joker, less than a year later, kills the Jason Todd version of Robin).

How could this movie fail?  Well, the voice acting will not, as Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their roles as Batman and Joker, respectively.  See?  We are off to a great start!  If they deviate from, or dumb down the source material, then a lot of die hard comic fans will be up in arms.  If they do not deviate, the armchair activists are going to get upset all over again over the treatment of Barbara Gordon.

This is a controversial story to animate, and I look forward to it.

Steve's prediction: too early to tell.  I'm not predisposed to hate things (like critics and DC movies).  :)

Rebirth

Rebirth

re·birth

rēˈbərTH/

noun

noun: rebirth; noun: re-birth

1.    the process of being reincarnated or born again.

"the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth"

o    the action of reappearing or starting to flourish or increase after a decline; revival.

plural noun: rebirths; plural noun: re-births

"the rebirth of a defeated nation"

synonyms:

revival, renaissance, resurrection, reawakening, renewal, regeneration

DC Comics has had many “universe” shattering events in its time.  Some large (Crisis on Infinite Earths, Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, Flashpoint) and some small (Armageddon 2001, Millennium).  If you see the word “Crisis” floating around, chances are high you are going to alienate somebody.

The next big event for DC, kicking off in May, is the highly anticipated “Another #$%^@ Crisis”.  It will highlight how our heroes handle their world’s lack of editorial foresight. 

But I kid.  Rebirth hits in May with an 80-page special written by Geoff Johns, and features an insanely talented group of artists in Ivan Reis, Phil Jimenez, Ethan Van Sciver, and Gary Frank.  With talent like that, they could price this at 20 bucks and I am in.

"Clark, what's with Eisenberg?"

The intent here is to incorporate elements of both the pre and post-Flashpoint universes.  I am excited to see this, because after pushing close to 20K (18K sounds like I am not committed) comics, the New 52 stalled me out.  My pull file at Mayhem comics?  Done.  Buying comics monthly?  Done.  Is Bruce Wayne still alive, dead, alive again, re-dead?  No idea.  Ok, I lied, I have been keeping up, but only thanks to various internet outlets.

In my post about Tim Drake (scroll down), I was starting to lose my taste for the New 52. It looks like DC is trying to change course, and I'm excited for the results.  Why?

Geoff Johns.  That's why.  If you liked Flash: Rebirth and Green Lantern: Rebirth, then my money is on his ability to respect the material while updating it.  The New 52 screwed up a lot.  Since cloning Johns is apparently not an option (yet, I have plans, kids), DC needs to be able to get back to the basics here.

3 Tips for DC from a 46 year old nerd:

1.) Good, character-driven (not action-driven) stories.  Don't leave out the action, of course, but we need to care about these characters.

2.) STOP fundamentally changing characters in crazy ways.  Alan Scott, for example.  I sincerely enjoy a diverse character set, but have it make sense.  I'd have rather seen Alan Scott come out of the closet than just being handed an all-of-a-sudden gay Alan Scott who was (pre-New 52) straight, married, and a father.  Or, and here's a crazy idea, create diverse characters?  I'm still waiting for the announcement of...

Superman is now an Indonesian Transsexual!

Seriously, knock it off.

3.) Before you create the next event/crisis, and completely alter the fictional universe, have you tried a focus group to gauge customer reaction?  If you have, shame on the last focus group.

Lastly, diversify your talent.  I'm not talking men/women, etc.  Diversity includes people and mindsets that represent all walks of life.  One name rings a bell: Chuck Dixon.  It is great to see some of the talent coming on board for Rebirth, but one horrible thing that comics (and other artistic mediums) falls victim to is allowing egos to rule over business decisions.

Take measured risks.  I am eager to say "Welcome back, DC."
 

Mailbag!

Since I am back to this blog consistently, let's dive into the mail and answer the questions from all of the readers!

 

Letter #1:

 

Letter #2:

 

All right! Thanks for all of your great questions!

Dear Critics

Finally!  I have been freed from an Albanian terrorist organization and am free to blog!  This translates into being lazy. Sorry, Albania!
 

In the last installment, we talked about Ben Affleck and his turn as Batman. There was a lot of speculation and hate. Rest assured, he was the best Caped Crusader.  Sorry, Clooney.

We have finally seen a DC Comics movie that lives up to DC Comics.  The critics are destroying this movie like it starred Ryan Reynolds in a green suit.  One of the biggest complaints?  It's joyless and too dark.  Excuse me?  In Man of Steel, my biggest beef was the insane amount of property damage.  This had to be dark.  The source material led us to this.  Critics, you are stupid.  Sorry, critics!

Finally, this is a good time to resurrect this blog, as there are so many projects out and coming up.  DC Comics "Rebirth" project is right around the corner, and I am excited to see what is up.  So to the 2 people that read this, sorry two people!

Plug time: Field of Geeks!  It's a podcast.  Download the app Podbean (for free) and search for Field of Geeks.  It's worth it, great guys on there talking about all the fun stuff.  Even I am a guest on there, occasionally.  Sorry, world!

Bats vs Supes: 5 out of 5 baths with Amy Adams.