Best. Pizza. Ever.

So earlier today I was doing some online homework, which means that I have spend a minimum of 60% of that time looking at random stuff across the internet.  Most of it is useless, but every once in a while I'll find some gem, some glorious little marvel that makes jeopardizing my future worth the effort.  Behold!

It's....Iron Man....and pizza!  Someone took the two most wonderful things in the world and put them together!  I'm just feeling so many emotions right now!  Wonder, awe, and most of all a nagging hunger for pizza.  Whether you love Iron Man and want to celebrate his everlasting glory in pizza form, or hate Mr. Stark deeply and want to go all Mandarin by literally devouring him, this entree has something for you.

Oh, damn, and is that an onion as an arc reactor? 

Henry Cavill Cast As the Man of Steel

Today Zack Synder and Warner Bros. announced that they had finally found their new Man of Steel.  British actor Henry Cavill will be play Superman in the upcoming reboot.  Cavill is one of those actors whose name has been thrown around by fans for years now, so it was kinda surprising to see him actually be picked.

Cavill is best know for his performances in... okay, listen, I'm going settle with you guys.  I really don't care.  I'm not a Superman fan, and just don't have any real interest in the upcoming reboot.  I'm not saying it will definitely be bad.  For all I know, it could be the greatest superhero movie of all time.  But for right now, it's just a Superman movie, and that simply doesn't interest me.  The character has always felt incredibly flat to me, and a little to perfect for his own good.  Now, if instead of Henry Cavill they had went with Jon Hamm, then I would be excited.  I'm a colossal fan of Mad Men, and if Don Draper was picked to be the next Superman I would be at the midnight showing.  It's clear they went with a very different direction and much younger Clark Kent, which is fine, but since Don Draper is basically a Superhero already I would have strongly preferred to see that.

Fantastic Four Casualty Review

Better late than never I suppose.  In my earlier post you may have read about me going all Peter Parker and whining about not having the latest issue of Fantastic Four.  Well, yesterday I got my hands on it.  And after re-reading it five or so times, all I can say is that Jonathan Hickman is a terrible human being who will surely be spending the rest of his days being taunted by Mephisto and upset fans alike.  That, and bravo good sir.  Bravo.

At this point, the review is going to get spoiler-ific (and how!), so if you don't want to know who bit the dust in this final issue, this is your last chance.  But odds are you've seen dozens of sights out there who have already spoiled it for you, so I'm sure I won't be the one to ruin your experience.

Ready?  Good.

The issue is essentially the end of Hickman's first act on the Fantastic Four.  While many of the intricate plot threads are still far from resolved, this issue is obviously a colossal turning point for the team in many ways.  The team finds itself facing a variety of huge challenges from the Negative Zone, Atlantis, and the now destroyed Nu World.  And they're going to have to face those obstacles without the irreplaceable Human Torch.  Yeah, Johnny Storm made his final stand against Annihilus' unstoppable hordes, saving the lives of the Richards kids and the Thing in the process.  Truly, the team won't be the same.  How can Reed possibly muster the optimism and hope needed to build a better future after such a loss?  Johnny's limitless energy is going to be sorely missed with all these challenges, and his death will definitely advance the story in some interesting ways.


But while this issue moves the plot forward, it's on the emotional level where it really excels.  Almost every character gets a moment to shine in their individual crisis, and Susan bitch-slapping Namor was downright legendary.  I can't remember the last time she did something that cool, or anything cool for that matter.  However, it goes without saying that the final scene with Johnny was the most memorable.  Him and Ben have always shared a somewhat antagonistic relationship, but as family this practically comes with the territory.  The previous issue where Johnny took a human-form Ben for a night on the town highlighted just how special a relationship the two have.  With the portal to the nightmarish Negative Zone needing to be closed, it was clear that Ben would be the first to volunteer to stay behind and stand strong.  And then Johnny comes in, doing exactly what Johnny does.  Something childish, brash, impetuous, and yet undeniably selfless and heroic.  I can't decide what I loved more, Johnny's final words as he charged into the incoming Annihilation wave, or Ben's broken response of "Oh god John".  Steve Epting's artwork was just alright in the issue, but man did he capture that final scene perfectly.

Alot of commentators are saying this is just an attempt to boost sales.  Well, I can't prove them wrong, and the huge amount of interest the comic has received certainly paid off.  But what I do know is that the issue packed enough emotion, and has such an important role to play in both Hickman's ongoing saga as well as the entire Fantastic Four mythos that this wasn't just some gimmick.  Now, the issue wasn't perfect.  I would have preferred that Johnny got a bit more time in this issue since it was his last, but I can't blame the writer for that when he had to make room for the entire team.  But the emotional goodbye serves as a perfect example of why the death of a character can be so powerful, and reminds us why we love these characters so much to begin with.  Maybe it's because they've been with us so long that it has such an impact when they finally go.  Say what you want about the future, but this one story is not to be missed.

The Return of TV's Greatest Show

Tonight, at 10 PM, you are going to watch FX.  Why?  Because of Archer, the most spectacular, amazing show on television.  After a truly wonderful first season, Agent Sterling Archer of ISIS (Codename: Duchess) will continue his ascension into animated comedy greatness.  Voiced by the eternally funny H. John Benjamin and supported by all an star cast, the series shows us the complexity of being the world's greatest spy.  Not only does Archer have to deal with international terrorists, but also human resources, his ex girlfriend, paternity suits, his own sex-crazed mother (who happens to be his boss), even a crisis with the identity of his father, who may or may not be the head of the KGB!

The show is endlessly quotable, and hasn't had a bad episode yet.  Season 1 left more than a few loose ends in the finale, and I'm dying to see how the plot is moving forward.  So if you're a fan of rapid fire dialogue, risque jokes, or have any sense of humor whatsoever, don't miss it.

So Who On the Fantastic Four Died?!?!

Let me set something straight right now: this article is 100% spoiler free.  In fact, that's kinda my problem.  See, the landmark issue for Marvel's First Family has already hit the stands.  The problem is that as a college student, I can't get my hands on it till Friday!

So right now, the suspense is killing me.  I haven't gone anywhere near a comic book website for fear of spoilers, and only have to last 24 more hours before I can finally read it.  I've had this problem before.  Websites had spoiled the death of the Wasp in Secret Invasion and Ares in Siege, but I swear I'm not going to let the interwebs ruin the Fantastic Four for me.

Now, every time I tell my friends about this, they generally respond in the same way.  They're comic books, and the character will probably be around in a year or so.  And sometimes this is true.  I've read stories where a character died, only to be revived the very next issue (cough:BlackestNight:cough).  But I've read almost everything Jonathan Hickman has written at Marvel, and he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who approves of the revolving door afterlife.  In other words, this death will probably last for quite some time.

Even then, does that matter?  We know most characters will come back to life if there is fan and/or writer interest.  Still, if a death is well written, it should impact you regardless.  So, just one more day of not going on comic websites.  Let's hope I can last.

Thundercats On The Loose Once More

Thundercats is one of those rare shows with an adamantly vocal cult following that somehow translated into being a badge of honor for those seeking nerd cred.  But if the show was known for something other than Cheetara's breasts and the most epic 80's theme song of all time, it was the fact that the show was freaking terrible.  I went back to look at some old episodes, and they're kind of atrocious in most ways.  The first episode alone punches logic in it's smug little face more times than the live action GI movie.  But the show had more than it's fair share of charm, and nostalgia seems to keep bringing people back again and again.  And now, we have a new series.

Look!  It's Panthro!  And that Tygra!  And who could forget Cheetara!  And...wait, what the hell, since when was Cloud from FF7 a Thundercat??

I'm telling you, the spiky hair is a dead giveaway

So other than the heavy dose of manga influence, I would say it's fairly loyal to the spirit of Thundercats.  Some fans will obsess over this and endlessly compare it to the original, since fighting off nostalgia is like the Kobayashi Maru, it's a no-win scenario.  And last time I checked, this adaptation of the Thundercats didn't have Shatner in it.  Although if it did, that would make for one wonderful show.

5 Reasons To Be Excited About Bane in Batman 3

So Tom Hardy will be playing Bane.  For those you of in doubt, this is a very good thing.  Not only is Bane the best choice for a villain, Tom Hardy is about as great an actor as we're going to get.  But ff you wanted a version of Bane completely loyal to the comics, you're out of luck.  Nolan's universe has no room for the Venom induced Bane that was the size of a truck.  Still, here are five reasons to be excited for Bane in the next Batman movie.

Exhibit A, Bane riding a dinosaur.  Case closed?

1. Tom Hardy
If you saw Inception, you should know about Tom Hardy.  He played the most fantastically flamboyant mind-criminal of all time, as well a complete badass.  So right there, we know we won't have the same mentally incompetent Bane from the Schumacker days.  No, this version of Bane will be just as cunning at the Dark Knight, as it should be.  And Hardy is no stranger to playing highly violent criminals.  In the movie Bronson, the actor put on some incredible bulk and was all sorts of crazy.  The result?  Someone who can combine the brutality and intelligence needed for Bane.  Sure, he won't have the Hispanic accent, but this is about as perfect a casting choice for a Batman villain we can ask for.


2.  A return of the League of Shadows?
Although they were the absent from The Dark Knight, Bane couldn't potentially bring the League of Shadows with him to Gotham.  The League was Ras Al Ghul's army of killer ninjas that Bruce Wayne manhandled in Batman Begins.  In the comics, after Bats refuses to be Ras' heir, the position is passed on to Bane.  Could we see Bane take up the legacy of Ras Al Ghul?  I doubt it, since Nolan tends to make each movie stand on its own and Ras was never even mentioned in TDK, but it's a fun thing to consider nonetheless.

3. The One Who Broke the Bat
Most of Batman's villains are little more than eccentric psychopaths.  They make for interesting characters, no question, but few can realistically take on Batman in a straight fight.  Bane is very much the exception to this rule.  Not only is Bane a match for our hero, he infamously broke Batman's back.  I don't think we'll see quite such a debilitating injury, but expect to see Batman get his shit rocked.  I'm hoping for the most brutal, bone crushing fights of the trilogy.

4.  A Dark Batman
The greatest Batman villains are the ones who act as dark reflections of Bruce's own personality in some way.  Scarecrow and Batman's use of fear, the Riddler and Batman's intellect, the Joker and being just about the polar opposite of Batman.  Nolan did a wonderful job of portraying Two-Face as the fallen White Knight to Bruce's Dark Knight.  Think of Bane as the corrupted Dark Knight.  He's someone who has been hardened by trauma, and has the exact same drive and commitment as Batman.  But while experience drove Batman towards justice, it's driven Bane towards destruction.  While Bane's exact motives are subject to change in the movie, think of him as Bruce Wayne without hope in humanity.

5. Believability.
Arguably the most important quality for Nolan's villains, the villain has to be both realistic and believable.  Ra's Al Ghul was just a man who excelled at deception, the Joker was a guy with makeup and scars, and Two-Face was a burn victim.  All of these were both possible AND believable.  I mean, the stupid junk fans come up with to justify some villains.  Killer Croc being someone with a rare skin disorder, Mr. Freeze being a scientist who invented a temperature changing beam weapon.  Yeah, neither of those are "impossible", but you don't actually see any of them in real life, do you?  All you need for Bane is a man with a mask who knows how to fight.  Now in the comics, Bane frequently uses a compound known as "Venom" to reach superhuman levels of strength and size.  Surely, this won't do.  But there is an easy solution to that one.  Just don't include the drug.  Simple enough.  He can still be a dangerous fighter without resorting to imaginary scientific breakthroughs, and the inclusion of Venom isn't important for the story.

War Machine, Black Panther Movies in Progress

Even though Marvel is busy developing the Avengers related franchises, sooner or later they're going to need some new heroes.  But there is still a massive library of characters waiting to be unleashed on our fragile world, and Marvel has started planning some new projects.  I've always thought that the three most qualified Marvel heroes for the big screen are Iron Fist, Dr. Strange, and Black Panther, and now Marvel has hired a scribe to start work on the Wakandan prince. All I can find about Mark Bailey is that he wrote and directed a documentary about AIDS, which has about as much in common with superheroes as Don Draper does with marital fidelity, but a writer's a writer, right?

Keep in mind, this isn't the first time someone has attempted to make a Black Panther movie.  Columbia pictures tried and failed to get a project running in the 90's, and there have been a few floundering scripts floating around here and there.  However, I have alot more confidence with Marvel doing it themselves, especially with their huge resources and willingness to stay loyal to the comics.  Still, I'm not sure just what kind of story should be told in the movie.  Superhero movies these days need something to separate themselves from the pack, and worst mistake Marvel can make is to tell a generic tale.  I've never followed the Black Panther until recent issues where he's taken over custodianship of Hell's Kitchen, so I'm not sure what they should do with it.  The Panther doesn't really have an iconic villain or storyline (other than the Christopher Priest run, which BP fans rave about), which means the writers have alot of work on their hands.  But the most important part of the movie the portrayal of Wakanda, and how critically important T'Challa's homeland is to the entire Marvel Universe.  I think his country is the most unique aspect of his character, and a Black Panther story is just as easily as story of Wakanda as well.

In other news, we also heard from Don Cheadle about the future of War Machine.  First off, his character will NOT be part of the Avengers.  In some ways, Rhodey is a much better candidate for a government program than Tony, since he's less narcicistic and much more willing to take orders.  But Iron Man is obviously too big a part of the team to leave out for obvious reason, and the roster is crowded enough as it is.  We don't need to see two armored characters, and I think that adding Rhodey would make it harder to show the emerging friendship between Tony Stark and the rest of the team.  Everyone should walk on to the Avengers as strangers, and then become a family by the end of the movie.  That development doesn't have the same power if two of the characters are best buds to begin with.

We also have a confirmation that a War Machine spin off, much like for the Black Widow, is well in the works.  I think this movie has some potential.  I like the idea of Iron Man being just this really fun movie, no matter how deep or emotional the story might be.  That's just part of Tony Stark, especially Robert Downey Jr.'s take on him.  But War Machine?  I would love to see a very down to earth, realistic approach.  Have War Machine fight terrorists and threats to national security in real war zones rather costumed super villains.  Put War Machine in the brutality and intensity of actual war.  If they go for something ordinary, it will seen as milking the Iron Man franchise rather than something new and unique.

Catwoman and Bane vs. Batman!

It's finally been announced.  Ever since The Dark Knight stormed theaters back in 2008, fans and the media alike have been wondering who Batman will face in the next movie.  And today we FINALLY have our answer.  Battling the Dark Knight will be... Anne Hathaway as Catwoman and Tom Hardy as Bane!

He did it!

Now, we already knew Hardy was cast as a main role, and there had been rumors that he would instead be cast as Dr. Hugo Strange.  Instead he'll play the muscle bound Bane, the only man to physically take on Batman and win.  I think having Bane as the villain is completely AWESOME.  Bane was the villain I was hoping for since day one, since he's one of the few villains who can be done realistically enough to fit into Nolan's world.  He also will provide a much needed physical and mental opponent for Bats, hopefully giving us a pretty epic fight at the end.  There are a couple of different ways to portray Bane (and no, the Batman and Robin version doesn't count), and the best way to do so will involve showing him as a corrupted version of Batman.  One who shares the same discipline and strength, but drastically different ways of using it.  And after Inception, I'm a huge supporter of Tom Hardy and have nothing but confidence that he'll pull off a great performance.

Of course, the biggest surprise comes with the announcement of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman.  I'm not the biggest Catwoman fan, and was never quite sure what her place would be in Nolan's films.  I always had the feeling she could work, I just don't know how they could do it.  And I think Anne Hathaway could be a nice fit for the part.  It seems she's destined to play some kind of Cat-based character.  Hathaway was originally set to play the Black Cat (or something close to it) in Spider-Man 4, before the entire movie collapsed.  The actress is certainly one the best talents in Hollywood right now, and always has a cute, quirky charm about her.  But playing Catwoman, the most seductive character in comics?  That will be something new for her, and I don't think I've seen her do a role like that.  Then again, I haven't seen a ton of her movies.  And Nolan hasn't had the best luck picking woman in the Batman movies.  I couldn't stand Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Katie Holmes was just bleh.  Well, third time's a charm eh?  Well here's the most slutty photo of her I could find (other than all those leaked nude photos, of course), so judge for yourself.

First Class Is In Session

First Cap, then Spidey, now those no good mutant X-Men.  Everyone's showing off their silver screen superheroes this week, so we now have a picture from X-Men: First Class.  It's a bit weird actually.  The first picture for First Class came out on the day of my first classes for this semester.  Is that a good sign?  Well judging by this picture, probably not...

In addition to Xavier and Magneto (front right and left, respectively), we have a mix of new and old characters characters like Mystique, Emma Frost, Havok and the villainous Azazel.  My gut reaction was these look bloody ridiculous, and I couldn't stop thinking Adam West as Batman for a few minutes.  But with some time, I've started warming up to them.  Mystique looks a little flat, and I don't know what the hell is going on with Beast. But the highlight here is clearly January Jones, in the most unpractical outfit ever conceived by man.  That is a bathing suit.  With a cape.  I know that's exactly what she wore in the comics, but is she really going to have that on for the whole movie?  Can you imagine her holding a conversation in that thing, and expecting to be taken remotely seriously?

But we do have some interesting stuff here.  Out of the entire cast, it's Michael Fassbender as a young Magneto that I'm looking forward to.  If this movie can reexamine what makes the villain so incredibly compelling, then it will be worth the ticket price.  Fassbender just feels like a strong fit, and after seeing him in Inglorious Basterds I'm hoping he'll do us comic fans proud.

Avengers Storm The Golden Globes

The Golden Globes drew quite a bit of attention this year.  While most of the comments were about Ricky Gervais destroying his career in Hollywood faster than a speeding bullet, we had all of Marvel's big three present awards during the ceremony.  We saw Chris Evans and Hemsworth introduce an award together, although we better pray that their banter gets better in the Avengers.  Downey also got the best laughs of the entire show, proving once again why he's so damn cool.  Here's a pic of Hemsworth looking like a freaking god.

We also heard a few brief comments about the movie's script.  It looks like early drafts of the script have been sent out, and both RDJ and Hemsworth were pretty ecstatic about it.  The man who would be Thor commented about how huge the movie would be in terms of scale, and how he has no idea how they'll be shooting it.  If there is anything we want to hear about this movie, it's about size.  When you put this big a team together, you better be fighting something apocalyptic.  RDJ also commented that the movie had the potential to be extraordinary, and I'll believe anything that man says.


But why does this matter?  Surely, nothing of substance was said.  Just opinions.  No, the point is that this movie is actually, somehow, getting made.  I still can't really believe it..  The scope is so huge, and requires so many different parts that it felt like an impossible task.  And what we're hearing is that it's on track.  Kinda surreal.

A Third Tron Movie?

According to Ain't It Cool News, Disney is very close to giving the next installment of Tron the go ahead.  This news come as a slight surprise.  While the movie has been successful, earning $300 million in theaters so far, it isn't exactly a roaring success.  Considering the effort Disney put into marketing and advertising, I think they were hoping for something bigger.  Why a sequel then?

Reason one is fairly simple: franchises are hard to come by.  Creating a franchise is a huge creative endeavor, and building a fan base is even harder.  Giving up on Tron means giving up a franchise and all the work put into it so far.  It's easier and less expensive to continue with Tron, as well as a reduced chance of bombing.

Also, we have to think about other ways the movie has been making money.  Have the toys been selling well?  How is the spin off TV series looking?  There's no way Daft Punk's soundtrack isn't selling like crazy.  Even if we ignore DVD sales, the film's actual intake might be much higher than expected. 

Overall, I don't know how I feel about this.  I know I'm not alone in feeling that the movie could have used a stronger plot, but sweet christmas did those light cycles look incredible.  Even if the writers make a smarter story, will the setting lose its novelty the second time around?  And where can the story go anyway?  Legacy didn't exactly set up a future for the franchise, and seemed to tell a fairly complete story.  Jeff Bridges is basically out of the story, and we've seen Sam Flynn resolve his daddy issues and even take control of his company.  Where do you take the characters from there?  I'm not saying a sequel is impossible, just that there's no obvious story to tell.  Tron 3 has yet to be confirmed, but we can at least speculate.

Andrew Garfield As Spider-Man!

The comic-gods have been smiled on us today.  After seeing Chris Evans as Captain America, we now have our first exciting look of Andrew Garfield as the extraordinary, the amazing, the spectacular Spider-Man!

A new look, that's for sure.  The first thing that stands out are the darker colors, although it is hard to tell with that lighting.  The costume also looks much more high tech and detailed.  It's a decent costume overall.  The original trilogy did a perfect job on the costume, keeping the classic look while somehow making it look natural on camera.  But a new Spider-Man needs a new costume I suppose.

Even though it's waaaaaaaaaaaay to soon for a reboot, I think this will be a fun movie.  Andrew Garfield is such a better fit for Peter Parker than Tobey Maguire.  Garfield feels like someone who can bring the wit and charm that's such a key part of Spidey, rather than Maguire who always looked like someone just shot his damn puppy.  Throw in Emma Stone, and you have the makings for a good Spider-Man movie.

Behold, Captain America!

It's here!  Sure, we've seen artwork and the unfinished product, but this is our first full look at Chris Evans in the final Captain America costume.  I have to say, it looks pretty amazing.

The picture itself is a little blurry, but wow does that costume look cool.  Even though I loved the initial artwork, I was worried it might look a little too high-tech for WWII.  And while the costume still looks very advanced, the muted color pallete is perfectly done for the time period.  I don't think we could have asked for much more.  My only minor complaint is that the helmet could use a bit of work, but I can live with it.  Chris Evans certainly looks like the perfect man to play Steve Rogers, and now all we need to see is Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull.  The summer movie season just can't come soon enough...

Are You Ready For The Green Hornet?

Superhero movies are kinda my thing.  I'll be the first to admit I'm way to into this stuff, and will go to check out my almost any hero no matter how terrible their movies are.  I even went to see Ghost Rider dammit.  This Friday we have the newest entry in the ever growing stable of superhero movies with the Green Hornet, who has finally received silver screen treatment after decades of delays.  And I'm not going to see it any time soon.

Okay, that might be unfair.  All I have to work with are the trailers.  For all I know, it could receive amazing reviews.  In fact, the earliest reviews haven't been too terrible even amidst months of bad buzz.  That doesn't matter when I'm just not on board with the core concept.  The story just doesn't appeal to me.  Seth Rogen seems to play the same character he always plays.  The good natured slacker is pretty much the only thing Rogen ever does.  And then his father dies, which gives the idea him the idea of becoming a hero because imitating Batman is always cool.  Oh, and Cameron Diaz is in it for some reason.  The producers must have mistaken for her for someone relevant.  The whole thing just feels incredibly generic.  Christoph Waltz is awesome and I am tempted to go just to support him, but that's about it.

Let me put it this way.  What does Green Hornet lack that Iron Man, Batman, and Wolverine have?  Badassery.  The idea of Seth Rogen beating up guys while sporting a domino mask doesn't strike me as action hero quality.  Could this movie be good?  Yes.  Am I being unfair in judging the movie before seeing it?  Absolutely.  But at the end of the day, they failed to convince me to go see their movie.

Behold The Red Skull! Maybe.

It's no secret that Captain America will face off against the Red Skull this summer.  Even the end of WWII couldn't put an end to the ludicrously evil Nazi, so I don't think any Hollywood exec would stand a chance at stopping him.  And it looks like we have some concept artwork from the movie.  It might not be the final product, but it still looks nice and shiny.

I say it looks great.  With a villain with an iconic a look as Herr Skull, there's not much you can change.  The big question will be whether or not they can make this work on camera.  If you're unfamiliar with the Captain America mythos, let me give you a rundown of his exploits.  A Nazi so evil he made Hitler himself uncomfortable, many of his initial plans revolved around utilizing the power of the cosmic cube.  In recent times, he even succeeded in murdering his archnemesis before attempting to put one of his lackeys in the White House.  You have the respect the Skull.  He certainly gives it his all, doesn't he?

No Wonder Woman TV Show?

Poor Wonder Woman.  She just can't catch a break these days.  For years Warners has tried to find a way to bring her to the big screens, notoriously rejecting Joss Whedon's plans to write and direct an adaptation.  It looked like with a new creative department dedicated to revitalizing DC comics properties at least she would have a shot at a TV series.  And after a series of pitches to the networks, there will be no TV show for the Amazonian Princess (or whatever the hell her latest origin is).

According to rumors, the situation wasn't entirely due to the writing.  While many denied the script, the high liscensing fee demanded by Warners made it impossible to use at NBC.  Most interesting was the rejection by ABC, the network that seemed most suited for a Wonder Woman show.  Keep in mind that ABC is owned by Disney, who as of last year also owns Marvel.  Not only is ABC already developing superhero shows for the Hulk and Jessica Jones, I doubt they would want hire outside talent when they have the entire character library to work with.  So Wonder Woman just got beaten to a TV show by...Jessica Jones.  That's kind of embarassing.

So to all you Wonder Woman fans, it doesn't look like she'll be getting a show in the near future.  Warners will still develop a movie adaptation of the character, but knowing her track record I wouldn't hold your breath.

Dinosaurs + Superheroes = WIN

Today, my friend sent me a link to this guy's flickr.  Every once in a while, some genius comes up with an idea so brilliant you start despising yourself for not coming up with it first.  This is just one of those instances.  Dinosaur versions of some of Marvel's greatest heroes?  Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

All I'm hoping for right now is a set for some DC heroes, just so I can see a Batman Dinosaur.

No Superman/Batman Crossover!

With Christopher Nolan having a small part in reigniting the Superman franchise, many fans wondered if the Man of Steel would ever crossover with the current Batman movies.  And today, Superman's producer put and end to such speculation by confirming that Batman and Superman would not be crossing over.  At least not any time soon.

This doesn't come as any surprise to me.  From day one, it's been very clear that Nolan's Batman exists in a world with no superpowers or anything too outlandish.  After all, what was the point of a man dressed as a bat when you have someone with godlike powers right down the road?  Superman just has no place anywhere near Nolan's Gotham.

However, that doesn't mean Superman should never crossover with other DC heroes.  Superman fits in perfectly well with characters like Green Lantern or the Flash since they all share sci-fi origins and extraordinary abilities.  The question at that point is whether or not a shared universe is in the best interest of the story.

Now, it's tempting to say go for the crossover without doubt.  Personally, I love the interconnectivity between all the Marvel characters and how it will eventually build up to the Avengers.  And sharing that universe doesn't detract from any character's story.  Captain America only becomes more interesting when he's in a world of modern heroes and can have a legacy as an Avenger.  It gives him purpose.  Even outside of the Avenger movie, giving these stories context definitely offers new possibilities.  Can DC say the same?

Maybe not.  Does Superman become more interesting when he's a in a world full of other heroes?  Or is Superman at his best when he's the lone, shining figure in his world?  It's a simple question of direction.  I certainly think some franchises are better without a shared universe, like the X-Men and Spider-Man.  While Superman crossing over with the rest of the Justice League is still possible, we still have to ask whether or not it's for the best.

A New M.O.D.O.K. For a New Year!

M.O.D.O.K. is one of those rare creations that are so completely luducrous they only work in comics.  He's just some big, floating head.  Once the perfidious villain enters a story, any sense of realism is kind of thrown out the door faster than a speeding bullet.  But he's always had that certain charm about him that has given him semi-iconic status.  The thing's name stands for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing.  Only in comics, my friends.  Only in comics.

But after 40 or so years, M.O.D.O.K. needs a bit of an update.  And here's your first glimpse at some creepy new concept art for the classic villain.

This won't be the only look, and M.O.D.O.K. will be boasting a more modular armor this time.  The new design is decent.  I can see it being executed well, but it doesn't have that instant charm of the classic .  Nevertheless, I'm happy that Marvel decided to update a great character.  Although Marvel has it's share of timeless villains, many heroes have relatively lackluster rogues galleries.  Even if the designs aren't perfect, at least they're trying to fix the issue.  I have to respect the sentiment.  And here's something extra to brighten your day.

The Red Lantern Corps. Rises

If one franchise could be considered successful in 2010, it's Green Lantern.  Blackest Night was easily the most successful comic on the stands, and the entire DC Universe revolved around the Lanterns' epic struggle.  In the wake of the event, a third ongoing series, Emerald Warriors, was added.  And now we have a new one.  But not for a Green Lantern.  Instead, Atrocitus and his Red Lanterns will take center stage.

Truth be told, seeing lobster face in an ongoing is a pretty big surprise.  Out of all the 6 new lantern corps created, the Red Lanterns were easily the least interesting.  For those of you who don't follow the comics, each of the seven Lantern corps has a different color and emotion associated with it.  The Red Lanterns were just a bunch of angry jerks who like puking blood.  Like a frat house, but with aliens.  They've recently received more depth, sure, but I've always preferred the Sinestro Corps or Agent Orange.  Yet the Red Lanterns do have one trick up their sleeve.  They have RAGE KITTY OF DEATH!

Be honest, now you're suddenly interested in this book.

It's such a strange turn of events to see Green Lantern as the driving force of the DC Universe.  Although Batman is still much more popular, Bruce has always had his own little corner in he form of Gotham city to play around in.  For the rest DC, it's the Lanterns that seem to be driving just about everything.

NBC's Own Superhero, The Cape

After Iron Man and The Dark Knight rocked the box office in 2008, it's been no secret that everyone wants in on the comic book movie superhero deal.  Even if it means making a whole new hero.  I suppose I shouldn't be so skeptical of TV getting a brand new hero.  Not leaving room for new creations isn't fair I guess.  But the Cape?  Seriously?

The show is set to premiere this Sunday on NBC.  The main character is just an honest cop who's been framed for a series of murders, before being attacked himself and left for dead.  Brought back to health by a circus ringleader, our hero then dons some kind of mystical cape to fight crime and clear his name.  I don't want to sound like some whiny internet critic, but really guys?  That's the most generic origin I've ever heard.  I'm pretty confident at least 5 characters from the 90's started out in that exact same way.  And calling himself "The Cape"?  That's either completely unimaginative or genre-aware and deconstructionist, neither of which are acceptable.

The one thing piquing my interest is the fact that Keith David will play the circus ringleader.  Fanboys will also rejoice at the inclusion of Summer Glau.  Still, I'm just not excited for this.  I do think that bringing a superhero to TV can work.  While I would never ask for a Thor or Iron Man live action series, someone like Luke Cage or Green Arrow might have better luck.  And I would rather see someone other than a network, like AMC or HBO, put some serious resources into a series.  But until then, maybe we can give the Cape a shot.

Batman: The Animated Series is the Greatest Thing Ever

For Christmas, my brother received two more seasons of Batman: The Animated Series.  The 90's cartoon was a hallmark of my childhood, and alongside Power Rangers and the X-Men pretty much determined that I would grow up to be a nerd.  But if you go back and watch some old cartoons, they often don't live up to your memories.  As you get older, you realize much of what you enjoyed as a kid was really, really stupid.

And now that I'm older, I can still say that this show is completely awesome.  In fact, I appreciate it even more.  The series has wonderful animation and voice acting, combined with downright captivating storytelling.  Kevin Conroy is Batman, and I'll never get tired of Luke Skywalker voicing the Joker.  It's a dark version of Batman with almost little camp that kids can still watch.  It has the perfect balance that captures the essence of the Dark Knight while still making him presentable.  If you grew up watching the show and haven't seen it in years or are a Batman fan who never saw it to begin with, I can't recommend it enough.  It's simply Batman at his best.