Category Archives: DC Comics
Superman in Color
Many of you may not know this, but I consider myself a DC guy. You may not know it because of how much coverage I have given the MCU as of late. The truth is, there is just a lot more going on there right now than in the DC Universe, and I still enjoy what Marvel is doing, and I am hoping that somehow DC will pull it off just as well. Not only am I a DC guy, but my favorite is Superman. He has been my favorite for pretty much all of my life. I went through a phase in High school where I wore nothing but Superman shirts. I was, and, to a lesser degree, still am, obsessed with Superman. I also like some of the more human DC characters, my second favorite being a tie really between Green Arrow and Nightwing. Superman has always been my go to though. For the most part, I enjoyed Man of Steel, and I am hoping that Dawn of Justice will be a great launching vehicle for Justice League. That being said, there was just something off in the Man of Steel film that just didn’t feel absolutely right. It wasn’t that he broke Zod’s neck (Superman also kills Zod in Superman II, so it’s not like there isn’t a precedent set here), or that he just stood by and did nothing while a tornado killed his adoptive father (I do still claim that Superman would have saved him, no way would he just sit there and watch him die). There has always just been something off with the film, and I feel the same way when I watch the trailer for Dawn of Justice. I couldn’t explain until I saw this video on YouTube, released on 4/21, and it put into words what I think my real issue is with the latest version of Superman. Check out the video:
I watched that, and it was like something clicked. That is what felt off. The film looked and felt like one of the Dark Knight films. I know that other people have talked about that before, but I guess it never really resonated for me until I watched this video. Superman shouldn’t feel dark and gritty. I get that they wanted to give the character an edge, but this just doesn’t work with Superman. Watching the Man of Steel has always felt really heavy and laborious for me, and I think the darkness of the film may be why.
I get that part of the plan was to create a continuous look and feel for the DC movies, but there are other ways to do it. I have read a great number of comics in my life, not as many as some, and probably too many if you ask my wife. I have always thought that Batman sounds like an intriguing character, and he is, of course, just massively popular. That being said, I have never been able to get into his books. Why? They are so dark. I just don’t like it. Some people go for that thing, and that’s fine. I realize I am being purely subjective here. This was my big complaint with the new Daredevil series. It was good, well written, for the most part, well acted. It was just too dark for me. That is what it feels like for me when I read a Batman title. It is really dark.
And it’s not just that the character himself is dark. The whole Batman world is dark. I am still unclear on whether the sun ever shines in Gotham City. I don’t think I have ever seen it be daylight in any of the comics or movies. It is night-time all the time. Not just night-time, but middle of the night, pitch black, night-time (this is an exaggeration to make a point. Please do not respond with instances from the films or comics of daylight in Gotham). The villains are darker. In the way the look, and in the fact that hey are all psychopathic, homicidal, maniacs. The whole Batman world is littered with these folks, and they are all dark, bad news. That is the world that Batman exists in, a world that Tim Burton successfully brought to the big screen, and Christopher Nolan perfected it.
By contrast, there is nothing dark about Superman, or the world he lives in. I have always felt that Superman and Batman have been opposites in some ways. One big way is that Batman has worked hard to become darker and scarier than his opponents, dropping down to their level in some ways, and sometimes even lower. Superman has always worked hard to be that beacon of hope. I know that makes him cheesier than Batman, but when you are more powerful than everyone on Earth combined, then you can afford a little cheese. Besides, how scary would it be for the world if Superman had gone the Batman route? That would be terrifying.
Here’s the crazy thing, though: Both of these characters have been like this for a long time, and they have both successfully lived in the same universe for a long time. There is no reason it can’t work like that in the movies. In fact it would be a nice contrast, a good juxtaposition. It would demonstrate how different the two of them are, even though they are on the same side. That contrast works really well, Superman in his bold primary colors flying across a blue sky, sun behind him, and Batman in his dark grey and blacks, hidden in the shadows. It is a contrast that has worked for years in the comics and could work on film too, if they went for it.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it is going to happen. Looking at the new trailer for Dawn of Justice, it looks like we are getting more of the same. It just feels so dark and heavy and depressing, compared to what we are getting from Marvel. I saw someone post that this is because DC has always been a lot darker than Marvel generally speaking. I don’t think this is true. There are plenty of dark and light comics on either side. Just like both exist in the real world. Right now, though, one might think that’s the case because that is what we are getting in the theaters. Here’s hoping that what we have seen so far from Dawn of Justice is not a good indicator of everything we will see in the film. Here’s hoping they choose to work that contrast between Batman and Superman instead of forcing Superman into a dark, gritty role. One can always hope, right?
A St. Patrick’s Day List of 10 Comic Book Characters
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone. This is the holiday if you like the color green. You will see it everywhere today, of course, from shirts to tie to hats to a river, if you happen to be in Chicago. So, in honor of this annual obsession with green, I thought I would compile a list of 10 comic book characters who are famously green. It’s not a “top ten” where I am counting them down, but simply a list of 10 characters, in no particular order.
Brainiac
Brainiac is one of Superman’s big bad guys- right up there with Darkseid and Lex Luthor (who is obsessed with green too, but didn’t make the list). He is most commonly depicted with green skin, and an unpleasant demeanor. Not a happy way to start our list, but he is also not the last baddy on the list either.
Beast Boy
The quirky, lovable shape shifter from the Teen Titans, both in comics and animated TV. What’s not to like about Beast Boy? I know I used to enjoy watching him on Teen Titans because he reminded me of myself as a teenager, and every other teenage boy I have ever met.
Martian Manhunter
The stoic, ultra powerful psychic from the Justice League, the Martian Manhunter is a personal favorite of mine. I know, he fits the stereotypical picture of a martian with green skin tone, and that almost seems racist and unoriginal, but he is still pretty awesome. And, obviously, he was the World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion on Mars in his former life. I mean look at the guy’s outfit. It’s like he came straight from the ring.
The Riddler
Riddle me this: Who is the Bat Villain who is always dressed appropriately for St. Patrick’s Day? Easy, it’s the Riddler. He also wins the prize for being the character on this list that most resembles a leprechaun. Congratulations, Mr. Nigma.
The Swamp Thing
Made famous by Alan Moore, Swamp Thing has been around for a while. He may look like a creature from some black lagoon, but he is the good guy. I mean, as long as you’re not attacking nature. He first appeared in 1971, which makes sense, he seems to be a character that only makes sense in the 70s and 80s, but somehow he has endured all this time.
The Vision
The original android (sorry Data). The Vision was created by Ultron to infiltrate the Avengers and get at Hank Pym, who created Ultron. Eventually, the Avengers turn Vision to their side, and he becomes a member of the team. Eventually he falls in love with Scarlet Witch, and they get married. How much of this will play out in the Age of Ultron movie? Probably just the Vision showing up, the rest will happen with time in the MCU. Unfortunately, Vision is dropping his green attire in favor of grey in the new movie.
Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom is one of the most feared villains in the Marvel Universe. He’s right up there with Thanos or Ultron or Galactus. One of the biggest tragedies with the whole split of Marvel characters amongst studios is that Doctor Doom is in with the Fantastic Four deal with Fox, and they have totally ruined him on film. I have always thought of him as the classic, essential Marvel Villain and would love to see him square off against the Avengers on the big screen someday.
Hulk
What list of green comic book characters would be complete without everyone’s favorite giant green rage monster? He is a fan favorite for sure. He hasn’t always been green and there is now a red Hulk as well, but the most famous version of the Hulk is by far the green version. I can’t wait to see this guy smashing stuff up again on the big screen.
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is probably the most well-known “green” superhero. There’s not just one green lantern, though. This is an intergalactic police force, each member wielding a ring that harnesses the green light of will power. With that ring they can form constructs out of the green light. The limit is only their imagination. Hal Jordan was the first in the DC universe to wield this power (I know Alan Scott was the first Green Lantern, but his was a different power), but he has been followed by Guy Gardner and Jon Stewart.
Green Arrow
Green Arrow was originally conceived as an answer to Batman. He was wealthy, just like Batman, and he used that wealth to turn himself into the Green Arrow. He obviously may have been influenced a little bit by Robin Hood as well. Now, Oliver Queen exists in the same world as Batman. With the CW series Arrow, Green Arrow has never been more popular or more mainstream. And now he is on my list. Who knows how much that will boost his popularity. I mean, the sky’s the limit there.
Well, there you have it. My list of green comic book characters. What characters would you include in a list like this? Which ones did I miss? Let me know in the comments. We love hearing from you.
Eine Kleine Geek Musik: Songs About Superman
When you’re as iconic as Superman, eventually you start spilling over into other mediums like TV, movies, books, and even popular music. I don’t know if any other superhero has had as many songs written about them as Superman has. I’m not just talking about mentions of Superman in a song, I mean the song is actually about Superman in some way. I have compiled a list of songs, not a long list, just 6 songs that are about the Man of Steel. These are 6 of my favorites. Some were big hits or were really well-known, others not so much. They all have Superman in common though, and that’s pretty cool.
Even Superman- Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band
This twangy band is one of my favorite “Mormon Pop” bands. If you are not familiar with Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band, you should totally check out their stuff. From catchy little numbers like this one, to their big hit “Dream Big,” to their classic “Corn Dog Song,” they are just a lot of fun. This is obviously not an official music video for this song. It is a fan made video. I would ask you to ignore the video part, and just listen to the song. You’ll notice the video is a compilation of Anakin Skywalker scenes from the Star Wars prequels. Because, you know, if you’re compiling footage from different movies to match up to a song all about Superman, why not use Star Wars footage? It’s not like there are any Superman movies to use footage from. Uhhh…
In any case, the song is great, and I think it demonstrates some of the difficulties and struggles and challenges of being Superman. I mean sure, it sounds great, super strength, flying, near invincibility, X-Ray vision, but hey-even Superman has Kryptonite.
I am Superman- R.E.M.
This is actually a remake of the The Clicque’s 1969 song. I like R.E.M.’s version a little more. The song is all about Superman competing with another guy for a girl. Good luck other guy! I mean really, Supes has the look, the moves, the super powers- forget about it. I mean ignore the creepiness of Superman going almost stalker on the girl with the line “If you go a million miles, I will find you.” Just a little creepy. Just a word of advice, Superman, if a girl goes to all the trouble to get a million miles away from you, she’s probably not interested. This is another fan made video, but they did something strange, they found video clips of Superman to make a music video for a song about Superman. They also only used like a quarter of the screen. It’s kind of weird, but it was made in 2007, the early days of YouTubing.
Jimmy Olsen’s Blues-The Spin Doctors
You think Superman has it rough? Try being his best friend, Jimmy Olsen. You would constantly be in his shadow. How could you not be jealous? Especially when you have the hots for Lois Lane, and of course she doesn’t even know you exist when Supes is around. That’s tough. How do you deal with it? You’re there when she needs you, while he’s off saving the world. This is the premise for this classic from the Spin Doctors. What would it be like to be Jimmy Olsen in that situation? The reality is, who of us has never been in that situation. You have that secret crush, and you’re just stuck in the friend zone with them, probably because there is some “Superman” you have to compete with. There’s no way Jimmy could compete with Superman, unless he has a pocket full of kryptonite…
Superman’s Song- The Crash Test Dummies
You know these guys- they gave us that “Mmm…Mmm…Mmm” song that was huge in the early 90’s. You know what else was huge in the 90’s? Killing off Superman. It seemed like there was this obsession with imagining what the world would be like without Superman. Of course, DC did kill Superman off for a couple of weeks (not really, it was more like a year, almost), but he got better and came back. This song actually predates Superman’s meeting with Doomsday, but it is a Eulogy of sorts for the Man of Steel. I mean, the music video is literally taking place at his funeral, complete with heroes in bad 90’s style superhero costumes. The song is maybe over the top, laying on the sentimental cheese, but I like it. I think it shows why Superman is so special. Plus, that voice, you just can’t go wrong.
Kryptonite- 3 Doors Down
I loved this song when it came out. I don’t know why. I think I thought it was pretty hardcore rock (it’s not) and it was about Superman. Now, I listen to it for nostalgic reasons mostly. I used to put it on repeat on my CD player, and then, in my bedroom, with the door closed, I would rock out to it and pretend I was performing it in my own big rock concert. Let’s see, it was released in 2000, so I was 18, so that seems pretty normal for an 18-year-old, right? I mean I still do that now. Overall, it’s a catchy song. I still enjoy listening to it, and I couldn’t put a list like this together without it. Especially with lyrics like “You stumbled in, bumped your head, if not for me then you’d be dead.” Wha?! Please ignore the weird video. It was the year 2000, before superheroes were really cool, and when every band thought they needed to be gritty and artsy.
Superman (It’s Not Easy)- Five For Fighting
We all need a reminder about how hard Superman must have it. The truth is, I think what this song really reminds us is that everybody has issues of some sort. We might look at other people and think I wish I was this or that and then I’d be happy. According to this song, Superman is a pretty depressed guy with plenty of issues. Bryan Singer would later base the movie Superman Returns on this concept. I had never seen a Superman as depressed as Brandon Routh’s. Or as depressing. In any case, I like this effort from Five for Fighting (it’s hockey penalty). I think it was one of the better songs. maybe it was just the subject matter.
Well, there you have it. A list of 6 Superman themed songs to start your weekend off right. What did you think? Was it a good list, or did I totally blow it? What songs did I miss that you would have included? Let us know in the comments. We would love to hear from you.
DC’s Multiverse vs. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, Part 2
Yesterday, I began my look at the two big comic book companies’ future movie plans with a look at Marvel. I think, at this point, the only thing you can really call Marvel’s attempt at creating one cohesive television/movie universe is a big success. Well, more like a giant success. With GOTG being the major blockbuster it was last year, it became apparent that Marvel can do no wrong (as long as you forget Iron Man 2). They are the reigning champs, and it doesn’t look like they are looking to give up that title any time soon. Avengers: Age of Ultron looks amazing, and somehow, Ant-Man is picking up steam. DC has only put one movie out there as part of their cinematic universe, and that was a couple of years ago. It will have been 3 years by the time the next one, Dawn of Justice, comes out. By comparison, in that same span of time, Marvel will have released 7 films total. 7. It almost seems like DC isn’t even trying.
That’s not totally true. The idea for DC to put together their own universe like Marvel’s has been around for a while, but they just haven’t been able to get it off the ground. The original plan was to launch the DC universe with Green Lantern (2011), and begin building from there. Unfortunately, we all saw Green Lantern and it was just painful. That put the stop on the whole one universe, Justice League idea for a while. DC started going in a different direction, called TV, as it launched Arrow. The series became a hit, leading to a spinoff series, The Flash. These two series, however, were not attached to the Green Lantern film. Or to the Nolan Batman trilogy, which was also not connected to the Green Lantern film. Leaving DC with three different universes in which their heroes now resided. Enter Man of Steel (2013). This introduces yet another universe, and DC’s first hit movie of this century not starring Batman. In the time between 2011 and 2013, it became apparent that Marvel’s whole plan is coming together nicely, and with MOS’s success, DC revisits the idea of creating one big universe where all their heroes can reside. They decide to go for it, but they still take a different approach, as Geoff Johns refers to their productions as being part of a Multiverse, instead of a universe. Oh bother, DC.
What is it?
Basically, it was DC is calling their upcoming productions, both Films and TV shows. Marvel had their catchy “Marvel Cinematic Universe,” so DC had to come up with something catchy to compete. Hence, the DC Multiverse. Think of it as being similar to when DC started their “New 52” in the comics, so Marvel had to respond with “Marvel NOW!” The good news for comic book fans is that both companies have kept both stupid monikers going for way to long. (What is the rule for how long something can be called “New”?) To be fair, DC isn’t just trying to come up with a clever name. They are also trying to cleverly sidestep a major issue. They don’t want to tie in Arrow and The Flash with their upcoming films. They want them to be totally separate. So, because fans eat this stuff up, they have decided that DC will have a multiverse in their Television/Cinematic world just like they have in the comics. In other words, don’t expect to see Stephen Amell or Grant Gustin sharing the screen with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill. In fact, they have already cast Ezra Miller to play the role of the Flash in the Justice league and Flash movies. No special appearances by the heroes in the big movies on the small screen either. It’s just not happening.
Why it Works
image by LoganChico at loganchico.deviantart.com
It will work for one big reason. We, the fans, want to see it. We finally got to see the Avengers come together, and it was awesome. Now we get to see the two biggest superheroes ever come together for the first time on the big screen. That alone is worth all of it. At least I hope it will be. DC really has an opportunity to make all of this something special, just like Marvel has. Let’s just hope they don’t screw it up. In addition to seeing Batman and Superman together, we will get to see Wonder Woman for the first time on the big screen, as well as the Flash, and of course, everyone’s favorite, Aquaman. DC has so many characters that we have not seen up on the big screen before, so it will make for some exciting, fresh characters.
It will also work, because this model allows DC to do whatever they want on the big screen as well as the little screen. They have a good thing going on Arrow and The Flash, but they aren’t tied to making that world the same for every character. In fact, it seems like Gotham is taking place in another universe as well. The result is, Gotham is not hindered by what’s happening in Arrow or The Flash. The studio doesn’t have to give any explanation for any kind of inconsistencies fans will see when Batman is on the screen in Dawn of Justice and something doesn’t match up to what is happening in Gotham. The studio has already provided us with the answer to any of those questions-it’s a multi-verse.
Why it Doesn’t Work
To be clear, The Flash and Arrow are not reasons why this model does not work. Well, maybe indirectly. More like examples of a potential issue. That issue is that it is going to get confusing. Right now, DC has 3 different universes going: The movie universe, the “Flarrow” universe, and the Gotham universe. Wait, 4. I forgot Constantine. 4 different universes right now. That could potentially grow with other projects that DC has announced, like Titans on TNT and Supergirl for CBS. Both of these series could be set in a different universe. A different universe from the 4 mentioned, and a different universe from each other. That could bring it up to 6 different universes. That is going to be hard to keep track of. Who is in which universe? And who knows about whom, and so on. Maybe the plan is to have a universe for each network that DC has a show on, and then the plan is to have a show on 52 different networks (they seem obsessed with 52). I doubt that is really the plan, but hopefully you get the point. It seems like, at least on TV, there is little to no cohesiveness, and that is kind of lame too. At the very least, keep all the TV properties in one universe and the movie properties in another.
That wraps up my look at the two different models, at least for right now. It is really hard to tell what will happen with DC because we just don’t have enough from them right now to make any kind of judgement. All we can do is speculate on how it will all play out. I am hoping for the best. I am not really interested in who “wins” between the two companies, because in the end,I am hoping I win and we have years and years of quality superhero entertainment coming our way. What are your thoughts on the whole thing? Do you like Marvel’s or DC’s model better? Let us know in the comments.
DC’s Multiverse vs. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe Part 1
Before you start thinking that this is going to be another post trying to determine which comic book company is superior, let me just stop you. I really like both. If I had to pick which way I have traditionally leaned, it would be DC. I don’t know why. I think I have always felt that their superheroes have always been more iconic, more regal, more superhero-y. Marvel’s seem to be more like regular folks with super powers. I guess I just prefer my superheroes to be more superhero-y. That being said, I really like Marvel still. Growing up I read my fair share of X-Men, Spider-Man and whatever other hyphenated superheroes Marvel had. I like a lot of the characters in the Marvel Universe just fine. In addition, I have really enjoyed almost every movie Marvel has released, while I admit that DC’s attempts have been, well, not very good at times. Green Lantern, I’m looking at you (ironically, Ryan Reynolds is on tap to possibly ruin a popular Marvel character next. I guess that’s as ironic as Ben Afleck being cast as Batman, after ruining Daredevil). This is not a post about which one is better, but more of a discussion of how they’re very different, and what that means. This is part one, which is all about Marvel.
Marvel’s Cinematic Universe
image by DiamondDesignHD on DeviantArt
What it is
The vision (no pun intended) for the Marvel Cinematic Universe is to have one cohesive universe where all of their heroes reside. It doesn’t necessarily follow the comics continuity, but it does have a specific continuity and each movie has a place in that continuity. What happens in one movie will affect what happens in all the movies that follow. With Agents of SHIELD, Marvel extended this universe into television as well. What happens in the movies, like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, can and does affect what happened in Agents of SHIELD. Each installment is also another chapter in a larger overall story arc. For example, we have already seen a few of the infinity stones that will be playing a role (a huge role) in the Infinity War movies coming in a few years. It is all leading up to that point, even though each film can also be enjoyed on its own. This universe also includes the Netflix Series (can we really call them TV series, since they will never be on TV?) that will be streaming over the next couple of years, starting with Daredevil this April. The MCU will also, as of this week, include Spider-Man going forward.
Why it Works
It works because geeks love this stuff. We love the little details. We love seeing a movie and picking up on little details that foreshadow what could be coming up in the next movie, or some other later movie. It makes us feel pretty cool when we are sitting in the theater with a group and we pick up on something no one else in the group picked up on. It’s just cool.
An even bigger reason this works is because of how the stories are going to be told. We get the origins of each of the individual characters in their individual movies, so when they come together in a cross over movie, like the Avengers, we don’t have to clutter it up with each individual members origin. We can just hit the ground running. Much of the character development happens in the other movies, while the big movie, the team up, is all about the action. And what makes that even cooler is that we have the big team up movie at the end of each phase with each of the Avengers movies, and really Avengers and Age of Ultron, although big payoff movies, they are really just two more minor movies setting up the Infinity War movies. It’s awesome because each movie is building on the one previous and establishing foundation for the next movie.
Why it Doesn’t Work
Up until 2 days ago, the picture at the beginning of this part was going to be Spider-Man. He was really the representation of the biggest problem Marvel has. He is their most well-known character, and up until Tuesday, he wasn’t going anywhere near Captain America or anyone else in the MCU. That, as we know has totally changed now, so we’ll use the next most popular title Marvel doesn’t have the rights to: The X-Men. This is Marvel’s biggest issue, because they are hindered by which characters they can use, and they could start running out. This has been talked about a lot, and honestly, the X-Men and the rest of the Marvel Universe exist pretty separately in the comics as well, so this is not as major an issue. The Fantastic Four is actually probably a bigger deal. None of this, however, has really anything to do with why Marvel’s model doesn’t work.
The biggest reason the model may not work is because it is all so connected. It doesn’t give a lot of liberty to the writers or the directors or any of the creators. Anyone they bring on will need to fit the MCU model so it all feels so cohesive. This has worked fine so far, but will it continue to work well going forward? As they start getting into some of the characters they have coming up, it will be difficult for them to keep it all feeling the same without sacrificing the feel of the character, at least traditionally. Take Daredevil,for example. The trailer looks pretty amazing, but Daredevil is a much darker, grittier character compared to what they have done so far. In fact, most of the Netflix series will be that way. How will that fit in with the rest of the Marvel Universe? They have to find a way for it to work, because it has to fit in with the master plan. There were rumors that part of the reason Edgar Wright left Ant-Man was because working for Disney/Marvel was too constrictive. If that’s the case, then it will only get more that way as the movies continue to be successful. They have a formula that works, and they are going to stick to it. If there is one thing Disney has figured out over the years, it is how to stick to a formula that works, in order to make a lot of money. In fact, nobody does it better.
In addition, Marvel has already revealed their plans for the next half decade. Now they are trapped into following those plans, or face the wrath of the fans. That may sound silly, but it is true. We are all looking forward to the movies coming out, and they better all be amazing. If something goes south for some reason and they drop a film or two, we are not going to be happy about it, and they will look stupid. Movies get greenlit, and then get stuck in pre-production forever and never get made- it happens all the time. What doesn’t happen all the time is these movies get greenlit, and then announced on a huge stage at comic con. They had better make sure they get these films made, or it could be a huge hit to their reputation. (By the way, this is a big hit against DC as well)
That concludes part one of this huge two-part post. Tomorrow, I will be bringing you my look at the DC Multiverse, and how that all works. Stay tuned…
Superman vs. Batman: Whose Side are You on?
It’s a question as old as comics. Batman or Superman? Not necessarily who would win in a fight (although that is a fun argument), but simply which character do you prefer, and why. I know that Batman usually wins that battle as well in the court of public opinion, and it really irks me. I am obviously, then, a Superman fan. I don’t buy into this idea that whichever one you choose tells a lot about your personality. I a firm believer that if you choose Batman over Superman you are buying into 1 of 2 major Batman myths. In other words, you just don’t know better. So, today, I am going to breakdown each of these myths, and hopefully convince you of what I have known for years, Superman is better. (Ok, I don’t really plan on convincing you, but it still makes for a fun post.)
Myth 1: I Identify More with Batman
I have heard people say this, and I laugh out loud each time. Inside, I cry a little. It makes me sad that so many people believe this. Let’s take a hard look at Batman. I want each of you to keep your hand raised until we get to something that is totally different from you.
Bruce Wayne was born on Earth. (unless my blog has much farther reach than I thought, everyone should still have their hand up.)
Bruce Wayne was born into the elite, super wealthy class. (I have probably lost the majority of you. If your hand is still up, please know that I am currently looking for sponsors for my site. You can contact me at [email protected])
Bruce Wayne’s parents were brutally murdered during a robbery (Although fairly common in comics, not as common in real life)
Bruce Wayne was raised by his strangely protective butler. (Do you even have a butler?)
Bruce Wayne used his limitless wealth to travel the world and learn every type of martial arts, as well as chemistry, biology, physics, and detective skills, turning himself into a one man war against crime. (If you are keeping you hand up to impress some girl, put it down, she doesn’t believe you either)
Bruce Wayne uses his limitless wealth to create the Batman persona, including the Batcave, Batsuit, Batmobile, Bat-computer, and any other Bat-accessory he might need. (There really should be no one left)
Batman goes out each night and miraculously survives endless encounters with criminals, ranging from strew-thugs to super villains. (Nope, hands down please)
And it goes on. Bruce Wayne continues to live the life of the super rich, doesn’t seem to age, comes back from the dead, etc. He’s not quite the average guy we all seem to identify with.
Now, take a look at Superman:
Kal-El was born on Krypton, and as the planet was blowing up, his father sent him hurtling to Earth in a small spaceship designed only for one baby. (I know, everyone’s hands went down. Please feel free to raise them again if anything else sounds familiar)
Kal-El was raised as Clark Kent by middle-class, blue-collar parents. (Some hands might be up)
Clark had to work in high school because if he wanted clothes or to go out on dates, he needed cash, which meant work. This of course was in addition to the chores he had to do around the house. (More hands up, others staying up- sounds pretty relatable)
Clark finds out he is different from everyone else. He is scared and feels like he doesn’t quite fit in. (Who didn’t feel this way at some point between the ages of 13-18, or beyond? Everyone’s hands should be up.)
Clark goes to a state university, studies Journalism and has to work his way through school. (Other than the journalism part, that was my college experience)
Clark gets a newspaper job, and moves to the big city and lives in a tiny, crummy apartment. (Sounds glamorous, right? It at least sounds real)
Because of the principle his parents taught him, Clark, as Superman uses his limitless power to help those who can’t help themselves and to become a beacon of hope. (We may not have limitless power, but how many of us strive to do what we can to help?)
Looking at the two examples, who is really more relatable to the average Joe? I submit that it’s Superman. Underneath the tights and the cape, he is just an average guy. Yes, he was born on another planet, but he grew up here, and his growing up was pretty similar to yours and mine. Way more than Batman’s. You have more in common, really, with Superman than you do Batman. The myth is based only on the first line I wrote for each of them: Batman was born here, Superman was born on a different planet.
Myth 2: Batman is Somehow More Realistic
This is really a 2 parter. Part 1: Because Batman has no powers, someone could become Batman, it could actually happen. In fact, given enough time, money, and resources, I could become Batman. Part 2: There is always a chance that Batman could end up losing because he has no powers, and goes up against people with super powers. Considering all of this, some might even question: is Batman strong enough to deal with the bad guys? Although his strength can surpass the limits of normal humans, there could always be the risk of an accident. Superman has too many powers, so he would never lose. Thus, somehow Batman is more realistic. Let’s take a look at each part of this myth separately.
Part 1: No one could ever become Batman. Going out every night and getting crap beat of you would be pretty taxing to your body. No one could take that kind of damage over a long period of time. Or, really, over short period of time. Of course, whoever tried could die the first night. Not even Chuck Norris could pull off a real Batman. Sorry Chuck.
More importantly, YOU could never become Batman. The truth is, you don’t have the time, or money, or resources to become the caped crusader. No one really does. Think about the amount of time it would take to learn everything that Batman supposedly knows. Just to master all the martial arts skills alone would take most of your adult life. You would be like 70 by the time you mastered it all, or older. A really old dude is not going to make it long as a super hero. Then you would still have to learn all the science, like chemistry, biology, and physics. Not to mention studying and mastering your detective skills. Now, you’re probably like 100 years old, or dead of old age. That’s just the time aspect. Then there’s the money aspect. It would take billions to bankroll being Batman. That’s billions with a “b,” not millions. That is a lot of money. Then there’s the resources, like having a company that happens to have an R and D department that won’t ask too many questions when their best stuff goes missing. You just don’t have what it takes to be Batman. No one does. You have a better chance of finding out that you were really born on another planet and our yellow sun gives you super powers.
Part 2: Batman never loses. N-E-V-E-R. I mean, yes he dies once, but he got better. He cam back to life. He conquered death. I mean, Superman conquered death, but he’s Superman, with amazing powers, so it’s to be expected. Batman has no powers, but somehow he died, and then he wasn’t dead. The point is, he’s a fictional character, so super powers or no powers, Batman can do whatever the writers want him to do. And everybody wants to see him win, so he always wins. How is that more realistic than Superman? At least Superman is almost all-powerful, so his win streak makes sense. Of course Superman wins, he’s all-powerful. But Batman has just as impressive a streak, and we are ok with that, and somehow buy the myth that it is more realistic. Wrong! He is just as fictional as Superman, and frankly more unbelievable. Sorry, Bats, it’s not looking good.
The reality is this, whether you prefer Superman or Batman is really a matter of opinion. Most of you will respond by saying you like Batman because he’s cooler, has more of an edge. I can’t argue that. Superman has never been edgy. It’s not his style. That is a fine reason to prefer Batman, but don’t hide behind one of these myths. Batman is not more relatable or more realistic that Superman. They are both fictional characters and like most protagonists, we can see a little bit of ourselves in either one. Neither character is really based on anything remotely factual or everyday life, but isn’t that part of why we love them? It’s an escape from reality. I don’t want to read comics that are easily relatable to my everyday life. I get to live my everyday life enough, thank you. (Speaking of course about work and bills and things like that, and not of my family. I can’t get enough of them.) I doubt I convinced anyone to come over to Superman, but hopefully you’ll think twice before saying something like “I just identify more with Batman because he is just a regular guy in a costume.” It’s simply not true.
A Day Late Review: Arrow Season 3: “The Secret Origin of Felicity Smoak”
This week we got to see a little bit of Felicity’s past and a little bit of her dark side. As always, with my reviews, please be aware of spoilers. I am assuming you have seen this episode, and are wondering what I thought of it. If you are looking for a review without spoilers, please look somewhere else. I don’t want to ruin it for you. You have been warned.
The Good
We finally get a little depth to Felicity’s character. She has always been a nice addition to the show, but there was always a little something lacking. She was just there, no back story, no history, nothing. Now we know a little bit more about her, and frankly, it is a good thing she is on our side. She played the bad girl very well, and it was interesting to see the always straight arrow Felicity breaking rules and laws just for fun. I liked the back story, and it goes a long way to explain why she is so straight arrow now.
The very end was interesting as well. If you haven’t seen this episode, and you are planning on watching it, please stop reading this right now. I don’t normally offer an additional spoiler warning, but I am this time because the ending was a shock, at least for me. Just so you don’t accidentally see the spoiler, here is a picture of one of my favorite comic book covers of all time:
Now, if you have made it this far, it is by your own choice, so I can’t be held responsible for what you read next. What the heck?! Did Roy really kill Sara? Is that really how it went down? As he was having that dream, I couldn’t believe it, but he was seeing it just like it happened and it showed him as the one who threw the arrows. That was quite the twist and the cliff hanger. I can’t wait for the next episode to see if we start getting any answers. This twist at the end was the best part of the episode.
The Bad
This episode was painfully predictable. When Felicity’s mom showed up, I knew she had to be roped in with the hacker attacks on the city. In fact, when the hacker attacks started happening, I knew 2 things: 1. It was Felicity’s super virus, and 2. It was her college boyfriend. Even when she said he was dead, I still knew it was him. All the twists and turns were just so painfully obvious, it was almost silly. I really enjoy Arrow, and I know there is always a little bit of predictability in each episode, maybe more than some might enjoy, but I can usually look past it because I like the show so much. This episode was just over the top. I couldn’t ignore it. The only twist I didn’t see was the one at the very end with Roy. (Again, seriously?!)
The Final Verdict
This episode helps very little to move the story along, and it interrupts Ollie’s Hong Kong story and really, other than the final twist, it doesn’t do a lot to bring us into the next chapter. Really, all this episode did was provide Felicity with a little depth and back story. Other than that and Roy murdering Sara, this episode could be skipped, and I don’t think you would be terribly lost. I don’t think it will be one that I will watch over and over again. I saw it once, got the shock, now I am ready to move on to the next episode. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that it is a little better.
Can the New DCCU be Better Than the MCU?
In case you missed it because A. You’re not really a geek, or B. You have been living under a rock somewhere, DC made a major announcement involving 12 films between now and 2020. They even managed to one up Marvel by not just revealing the dates they have marked and set aside for the movies, they have also told us which titles will be released on which dates. It is clear, they are stepping up to go toe to toe with Marvel. This leads me to ask the question: Which is going to be better in the long run, the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) or the DCCU (The DC Cinematic Universe)? First of all, I don’t even know if the new DC movie world will be called the DCCU. I just did that because of MCU. I saw it called the DCCC or the DC Cinematic Continuum. That’s a lot of C’s, so I like the DCCU better, but of course they will need to be different from Marvel, so maybe the DCCM-The DC Cinematic Multiverse. Or maybe the DC C52-The DC Cinematic 52, because we all know how much DC loves the number 52. In any case, the question remains, will DC be able to compete with the Marvel on the big screen? Or is it too late? People have been speculating on sites like The Direct for some time now, especially as Marvel has been doing this for a few years and it seems like they can do now wrong, with Guardians of the Galaxy blowing up the box office this summer, after being a title that no one had ever heard of over the last 30 years. The truth is, I don’t think that is going to happen with every random title Marvel might try to ram down our throats, and I think DC really has an advantage to be more successful in the long run. It may not seem like it now, but trust me, it’s going to happen. Let me tell you why, I think, DC is going to outlast and eventually take down Marvel at the box office.
It might seem like Marvel has some amazing stuff coming our way, especially with the announcement that Captain America 3 is bringing us the Civil War story line. And that is probably true, but this announcement brings up what I believe are the two biggest issues facing the MCU right now. Let’s look at issue number one. Civil War is going to be massive and huge and change everything, and then what? Cap will be dead, it looks like Robert Downey, Jr. is planning on playing Tony Stark forever, we don’t know if Hemsworth will be back as Thor, and for whatever reason, Marvel has zero plans to do a really good Hulk movie. The four biggest names and most marketable characters Marvel has in the MCU will be gone. The Iron Man movies were all huge hits, and Cap and Thor did alright on their own, leading to the massively successful Avengers movie, leading to more successful sequels, that will be followed by another huge Avengers movie, which will lead to another round of successful movies for the big four (minus Hulk, sorry big guy) that will lead to a huge, epic Avengers 3, followed by nothing. Talk about a let down. The good news is that Marvel has plans to expand their universe with the likes of Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. These characters are popular with hard-core comics fans because their titles typically had some of the premiere writing and stories, but they are not that marketable. Marvel led with the biggest names they had, and like it or not, they will be on their way out, just as DC is hitting their stride.
The lack of back ups for the big four brings us to issue number two. Quick think of your favorite Marvel super hero not named Thor, Iron Man, Cap, or Hulk. Did you think of this guy?
Or maybe this guy?
Or maybe these folks?
Or maybe even this guy?
Well forget about all of them. While each of the above referenced characters will be appearing in movies, none of them will be appearing in the MCU. Way back in the day, in the time before RDJ became Iron Man, the idea of a combined cinematic universe for Marvel’s characters just didn’t exist. Marvel believed their characters were marketable, and could draw in big crowds, but they didn’t have any way to put it out there. There wasn’t a Marvel Studios, and at the time, marvel wasn’t doing so hot. They did what seemed like the only smart thing at the time. They sold off the rights to their more popular characters. Spider-Man went to Sony, X-Men went to Fox along with the Fantastic Four. Other characters were sold off too, like Daredevil, The Punisher, and Ghost Rider. Their movies were so horrible, that we won’t mention them here again. The point is, this was the only way Marvel saw to get their product out there, so they sold the rights, and those studios all still have the rights, and they’re not giving them up. The only reason Marvel still had the rights to the Avengers is because nobody wanted them. That worked out well and lucky for Marvel, but the time is quickly approaching when the Avengers as we know them won’t be around, and having properties like the X-Men or Spider-Man would be nice when that happens. Plus, now that they are doing these major events like Civil War in the movies, it is going to hurt to not have those properties. Spider-Man played no small role in the Civil War story. I’m just saying.
These are the two major issues why I think in the long run, DC will do better and outlast Marvel. When it comes to forming one unified Universe in the films, DC just has the upper hand. Yes, DC is leading out with their two most well-known characters to start things off, but they have a lot of interesting, main stream characters that they can throw at us as well. I mean, Yes, Superman and Batman are as big as it gets, but the Flash and Green Lantern and Aquaman and Wonder Woman are all pretty well-known as well. The movies that they have announced are all heavy hitters, minus Suicide Squad, which will end up being DC’s version of GOTG, incase you were wondering why the rush for that title. There is not really an Ant-Man in the bunch.
Of Course, the reason why this is the case is because all of DC’s characters have been owned by Warner Bros. for a while. They have always had a medium for their films, so they haven’t sold off the rights to their characters like Marvel had to. Not only does this mean that all of their popular characters are available, it also means that there is zero crossover issues that they will need to overcome as they start making the films. If they want to throw together a “phase” that focuses on one of the Crisis events, they can, and they don’t have to worry about who they might sub in to take Barry Allen’s place to save the world and die for 30 years, since some other studio owns his film rights. They own the rights, so he’ll be in the movie. No problem. They have a whole universe, nay, a multiverse available to them. No legal barriers to stand in their way.
There are a lot of different directions DC can go too. Unlike Marvel, not every DC character or title revolves around New York City. Each Hero has his own distinct city with its own distinct feel to it. Gotham is very different from Metropolis, which is different from Coastal City or Central City. Plus, Green Lantern can be his own whole spinoff universe, going throughout the cosmos and involving the other Green Lanterns and the other corps. It is a limitless supply of backdrops, expanding way beyond just New York City.
Don’t get me wrong, I have at least one major issue with the new DCCU. Well, maybe a couple of issues, that are really rolled up into one issue:
There will be no crossover between the DC shows and the DC movies. In fact they have already announced that the guy playing Flash is not the same actor playing him currently on TV. They haven’t even announce Green Arrow having any kind of presence in the upcoming films. That makes me sad. I have enjoyed the Flash so far, and I love Arrow. Plus there is also news that TNT maybe picking up a Teen Titans pilot involving Nightwing, which may be existing in the same world as Arrow and Flash. DC is really putting together a nice little universe on TV, but it will have nothing to do with the movies. Maybe the TV shows will serve as practice for the movie universe. Who knows? But this is the saddest part of the announcement this week. I would love to see Stephen Amell show up as Green Arrow in one of these films, but I won’t hold my breath.
So what do you all think? Does DC stand a chance, or will Marvel always rule supreme at the box office? All I know for sure is that both studios will be getting a lot of money from me over the next 5 years.
How TBBT Ruined The Flash
Well here we are, on the other side of the much-anticipated premiere of The Flash television series, and after watching the pilot, I would have to say that the CW is the proud mamma of two great super hero titles, and hopefully more to come. The pilot was great, and a lot of fun for fans of the Flash comics. I loved that they opened with his signature phrase: “I am the fastest man alive.” I love that they drew on a lot of the source material. I love that the series has characters with powers, real super powers. It’s cool. I think the actors they got for the main roles were spot on, especially Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash (despite his former star role on Glee).
I love the Flash’s back story. His mom gets murdered (spoilers), his dad gets convicted of the crime, despite being innocent (more spoilers) and Barry decides to become a police scientist to prove his dad’s innocence. Some people witness the murder of their parents and become dark, psychopathic vigilantes, other become cops. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. I like that they incorporated the Yellow blur with the man inside as the real culprit, and now everyone will be talking about who the Reverse Flash is, because there have been many characters who have taken on that name.
There was a lot to like about the pilot, but there was one thing that just ruined it all for me (that might be a little dramatic, but bear with me here). Maybe it was really two things. These:
First, you can’t see it super great in this photo, but take a gander at the shirt Cisco Ramon is wearing:
I couldn’t find a great shot that showed it, but he is wearing a Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock shirt. A great shout out and nod to the crossover fan base of The Big Bang Theory and The Flash. I mean, obviously, many of the fans of TBBT (another Warner property) will be fans of any super hero show. Plus, Cisco is obviously a little geeky, so why would he not enjoy a little Sheldon Cooper in his free time. And apparently, he is no casual fan of the show. Check out these two images:
Number one, this is cool because I have that shirt. It also shows that he must be a pretty big fan of TBBT. But, wait, hold on…How does that work out? This actually presents a pretty big issue. Here we are, witnessing the birth of the Flash, in a world where he exists as a real live human being, not just a comic book character. It is also apparently a world in which TBBT exists as a TV series. Here’s my issue:
Apparently, Sheldon Cooper also likes the Flash. Apparently, he likes him a lot:
And apparently, he is not the only one in the show who like the Scarlet Speedster:
This presents a problem. How can Cisco exist in a world where the Flash doesn’t exist until now, and then as an actual person, when TBBT also exists in that world, as a show with geeks who really like the fictional Flash super hero? He can’t. It doesn’t make sense. I know it is a nice nod to another Warner property, but when you think about, the whole thing falls apart. If TBBT exists in this world, then the Flash is already a comic book super hero, but he’s not. Barry Allen is real live person here, so he can’t be the comic book character Sheldon obviously loves. It doesn’t work. It can’t. Barry Allen and Cisco Ramon can’t live in a world where Sheldon Cooper exists, because Sheldon Cooper and TBBT exist in a world where the Flash doesn’t really exist, but in The Flash, the Flash does exist. See, the whole thing just goes in circles. The point is, he shouldn’t have the shirt on. Yes, it’s funny, and there is a lot of crossover there, but a lot of fans of TBBT are like the characters in TBBT, and they would not approve of something like this. I know Sheldon wouldn’t.