As Man of Steel Sequel Gets Crowded, Let’s Hope There’s Room for a Sense of Humor

With confirmation of only that Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) will appear, the Man of Steel sequel has been ripe for speculation, with everyone from Nightwing to Martian Manhunter rumored to make an appearance. Will this still untitled Super-sequel be a backdoor Justice League movie, or will it simply be the DC Trinity as a set-up, with the rest of the League being primed for future solo or team movies (via post-credits teasers). In addition to those, I've heard rumors of Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern and Doomsday. They can’t all be showing up for this film, can they?

One thing we do know for sure is the tone established by Zack Snyder and David Goyer, both back for the follow-up. With Man of Steel set as the opening salvo in a shared DC cinematic universe, we can expect some major differences from the Marvel universe which takes a more light-hearted approach. There was not an ounce of humor in Man of Steel and I don’t see how the addition of the Dark Knight Detective and a warrior Amazon are going to change that tone very much.

Presumably the movie will pick up on the fallout from the invasion of Zod and Battle in Metropolis (not to mention Smallville), where Superman may have saved the day, but not without a lot of collateral damage, and a fatality to his name. Repercussions are sure to follow and leading the charge are likely to be Lex Luthor (currently rumored to be Joaquin Phoenix) and fellow wealthy philanthropist Bruce Wayne. The movie could use some lightening up, but I think we've all seen enough of a movie Luthor played for laughs, so that isn't the route to go either. Maybe the secret identities of the world’s finest heroes can work in some humor as they play off of each other in their “disguises.’

While my initial response to Superman killing Zod and the massive destruction was disappointment, I recognize the storytelling possibilities it provides and visually, the movie looked terrific. We asked for a Superman that would actually hit someone, and boy did we get that. I can only hope that the sequel will indeed face the climactic actions head on and hold him accountable. You don’t destroy a city and kill your enemy without there being some push back from the government, concerned citizens or fellow “do gooders” This movie should be Superman’s redemption and emergence as a leader, a real super-hero. He still has to earn trust. I hope that having Batman and Wonder Woman join him will help set that up.

The Dark Knight trilogy did very well by playing it very serious (with occasional moments of levity) and I expect that the new DC movies will follow a similar formula. I just hope the movie aren't too much like video games that is just confrontation after confrontation with nary a laugh to be found.  I do hope Nightwing shows up, because having a Robin around is sure to brighten things up a bit. Even if he’s rebelling against Batman.

Review: Legends of the Dark Knight: Alan Davis Hardcover

Unlike most of DC’s other hardcover volumes focusing on a single artist’s Batman work, “Legends of the Dark Knight: Alan Davis" (Volume 1?) actually includes a continuous run of Detective Comics stories  (#569-575) with the same creative team, as writer Mike W. Barr and inker Paul Neary join penciller Davis for most of the book.

Barr and Davis’s stories are an entertaining throwback to the “superhero” Batman in the months just preceding (and then briefly concurrent with) the constant Miller-angst that reigns til this day. Batman smiles, cracks jokes, and frequently calls Robin “chum.”  Alan Davis’s art is crisp, clean, almost but not quite veering into cartoony. He homages the giant prop Sprang era quite a bit, but he can do grim as well, as seen in one panel where Batman backhands the Joker in a burst of anger.

The first few stories feature Catwoman (in her purple dress with green cape outfit) and the Joker. Next up is a Scarecrow story that seems to have been the inspiration for one of the later Timm animated episodes featuring the villain, in which he removes people’s fears rather than creating or exploiting them.  An over-confident grinning Batman is as unnerving as the grim look you normally see, especially when he plays chicken with a couple of trucks.

The highlight of the volume, is the anniversary issue of Detective Comics #572, reprinted in its entirety even though it includes non Davis art, where Batman teams with fellow detectives Slam Bradley, Elongated Man  and even Sherlock Holmes (featuring guest art by Carmine Infantino, Terry Beatty and ER Cruz) in a story that focuses on a century-spanning mystery book.

Following that is a Mad Hatter story with a tragic ending that leads directly into the next issue. This issue “…My Beginning and My Probable End” is billed as “the new origin of the Batman” which signals the changes in Batman’s history, as his origin is retold with echoes of Year One and the upcoming Year Two, the first chapter of which is also reprinted here (subsequent chapters are penciled by Todd McFarlane and are not included in the volume), and ends Davis’ Detective run. I believe this is also the first appearance of Dr Leslie Thompkins and her clinic, vs. the pre-Crisis version of her as en elderly lady still living in Crime Alley.

That leads to another observation about the uniqueness of this volume – that is, it’s place in Batman’s history, as it straddles the time period between pre-Crisis Earth 1 Batman and post-Crisis/Year One Batman. This is most evidenced here by the prominent inclusion of circus acrobat Jason Todd, as established back in 1983. By the end of the run, there is allusion to the new Jason Todd origin that was established in the “Batman: The New Adventures” era that followed “Batman: Year One” in Batman, but that’s inconsistent with how Jason is portrayed throughout the book. This version of Jason would less likely have been voted to be killed by readers, as he actually seemed like a genuine kid who was thrilled to be at Batman’s side and eager to be a worthy partner.

The collection concludes with the Year Two sequel, Full Circle, originally a standalone graphic novel, and a short story from the Batman Gotham Knights black & white back-ups that features characters from the original Barr/Davis run.

All told, this is one of the more satisfying, straightforward volumes of artist-centric Batman volumes. It takes place during a transitory period in Batman history, but that makes it no less enjoyable for fans of old-fashioned superhero Batman fun that combines the tongue-in-cheek sensibilities of the 60s with the burgeoning seriousness of the 80s, with beautiful art to carry the reader along.  The art reproduction is also consistent throughout the volume. Not sure why this is called Volume 1 though, as I believe this includes all of Davis’ Batman work. Highly recommended.

You can also read this review at the Collected Editions blog.

Yes, this is actually happening

USA Today runs weekly Superman comic online

As a tie-in to it's great new weekly comics experiment, "Wednesday Comics," DC Comics has partnered with USA Today to feature its lead strip, Superman, as a weekly online installment. Start here to begin the story. As of this writing, they're up to week 3.

"Wednesday Comics," a 12-week series, pays homage to the Golden Age of the Sunday newspaper's comics section. It is a 16-page weekly that unfolds to a 28" x 20" tabloid-sized, full-color spread, with each strip on its own 14" x 20" page. Each week find new stories on traditional DC superheroes Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Supergirl, The Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman and the Teen Titans, classic characters such as Adam Strange, Kamandi and Sgt. Rock, and quirkier heroes like Deadman, Metamorpho, the Metal Men and the Demon (here teamed with Catwoman).

At $3.99 an issue, it's bit expensive for a weekly book and not every strip works, but it's a great experiment that spotlights lots of character and creators, and throws in a bit of nostalgia. It's too early to tell which stories will ultimately turn out the best, and no one knows if and how the stories will be collected, but between the weekly fold-out newsprint and the online weekly Superman strip, it's a great time to be fan of DC Comics and is wide universe of characters.

Read more about the concept behind "Wednesday Comics" here.

Batman team-ups with a smile

On Friday, November 14, the latest Batman animated series, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, debuts on Cartoon Network. Aimed at younger audiences than previous shows (even younger than the recent The Batman), this series features a less stern Batman acting as a mentor and leader to various heroes throughout the DC universe, most notably, the new Blue Beetle. You can catch a sneak peek of the series on Cartoon Network's website, and read profiles of the initial set of heroes here. The first group also includes Aquaman, Plastic Man, Red Tornado and Green Arrow.

Here's how supervising producer James Tucker describes the show's demographic and approach:

The target audience for The Brave and the Bold is broadly based. Nevertheless, it works demographically for 6-15 and still appeals to the hard-core comic/animation fan. In addition, of course, we're making it so that anyone who enjoys comic books/ superheroes and is a "kid at heart" will get something out of it. This is just the version of Batman that has been in the comics from shortly after his creation up until some of the darker, grittier versions of his character appeared in the late '80s and onward. Typically, people start telling the story from where his parents are murdered. That's not suitable for what is deemed children's entertainment. This version signals a return to a more innocent time. Batman is a crime fighter and hero first. As a result, Batman can be ironic ­ he can show more sides of himself than if he's just brooding, being gruff and distant to his usual cast of characters. He simply has to be more approachable for the premise of this show to work. Otherwise, why would anyone even bother to work with him? It's pretty much the Batman from the Brave and the Bold comics I read as a kid.

The first episode, "Rise of the Blue Beetle," features both Green Arrow and the Blue Beetle (the Jamie Reyes version, currently appearing in the comics, voiced by Batman Beyond's Will Friedle), whose origin is recounted in the episode. The heroes face JLA space villain Kanjar Ro, seen in the clip.

Animation Round-Up

• Star Wars: Clone Wars, which debuted in theatres hasn't gotten the greatest reviews nor is it doing much box office, but, it still sets the stage for the upcoming animated series of the same name, scheduled to debut on Cartoon Network Friday, October 3 at 9 p.m. ET with a special one-hour presentation.



• Batman: The Brave and the Bold, a new animated series geared towards a younger audience will debut on Cartoon Network in November 2008. The series, with an animation style reminiscent of Golden Age Batman artist Dick Sprang (which also looks similar to the main title animation of the Batman 60s TV series), features the Caped Crusader teaming up with a different hero from the DC Universe in each episode, including many heroes never before seen in animated form -- such as the new Blue Beetle, featured prominently in the trailer. You can see a list of the planned guest stars here.
  

The Wonder Woman animated movie, next in the DC Universe Animated Original Movie series, debuts on DVD in February 2009, featuring the voice of Keri Russell. Based on an original story, the script is co-written by Gail Simone, currently writing the character's comic series. It will be released in rated and unrated version and is expected to be pretty violent. See the trailer at the above link.

• More DC Universe Animated Movies are in the works, though what's after Wonder Woman is still unconfirmed. More Batman is definite, and rumors include Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (presumably based on the the Jeph Loeb/Ed McGuiness story arc of the same name) and Green Lantern. Still being discussed is Justice League: Worlds Collide, a Bruce Timm-verse movie that bridges the gap between the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series. an online Plastic Man series is also supposedly in development. Nothing has been offically announced.
  



• Marvel Animated Features -- Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow, featuring the children of the Avengers, as mentored by Tony (Iron Man) Stark was released on DVD on September 2. Up next is Hulk Vs., two shorts featuring the Green Goliath separately fighting Wolverine and Thor, due January. Upcoming releases include Thor: Tales of Asgard and Planet Hulk.
  



• Wolverine And The X-Men is set for a January 2009 debut, alongside Iron Man: Armored Adventures (which features Tony Stark becoming Iron Man as a teenager), on the Nicktoons Network.
  
  

How I Spent My Summer Vacation (Part 1)

June 30? My last post was over two months ago?! Apparently I decided to take the summer off from blogging, despite all kinds of "stuff" happening tailor-made for this place. But, once I started missing a few things, it got harder to catch up. And with such a gap, I started to feel a little overwhelmed about everything I "should be" covering, and that kept me away even longer. So finally, I realized/decided by the end of July, well, I’m taking the summer off.

Now, I want to wipe the slate clean and start fresh for the fall, so I’m going to get all of this out of my system with a series of summarizing posts. Then, we can begin again with hopefully a little more regularity.

The biggest miss of course was my review of The Dark Knight. If you scroll down this page, I spent almost a year blogging about my anticipation for this release. Then on July 18, it finally comes out and…nothing, even though I saw it twice (and still hope to catch it in IMAX). I reviewed Iron Man back in May , but skipped reviews of the other big summer movies I saw – Indiana Jones, The Incredible Hulk and … The Dark Knight.

One of the reasons I think I skipped it was because I didn’t know what to write. I LOVED the movie. There are only so many ways I can write "awesome". And I had read so much about the movie before and after its release, it was hard not to be influenced by some of what I had read. Heath Ledger’s Joker was inspired and Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent was mostly great, though the resolution seemed a little… rushed, despite the movie’s length. Returning cast Bale, Oldman, Freeman and Caine built on their strong showing from Batman Begins with even meatier performances. Nolan blended drama, action and humor to create a fantastic, very dark sequel. It immediately leaps to the top of the list of the best comic book movie, though it’s followed pretty closely by Iron Man, as I wrote earlier.

The Incredible Hulk was a fun movie too. Casting aside the Ang Lee version from 2003, this Edward Norton-led version owed a lot to the TV show and the comics. It provided what we were looking for the first time – lots of action, with some major fight scenes against the military and the Abomination, and featured the Bixby-like Banner on the run and in hiding doing menial jobs under false names. And like Iron Man before it, the movie made clear its part of a larger Marvel movie universe. Kudos to Marvel for taking control of the movies based on its characters and planting the appropriate amount of seeds.

As for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, while it was great to see Harrison Ford back with his fedora and whip on the big screen again, the movie was a bit of a letdown that slightly tarnished the legacy of the character. It has its moments, but overall it was disappointing.

I didn’t see other comic adaptations Hellboy II or Wanted in the theatre, but I’m sure I’ll catch them on cable within the next year. Other summer movies I considered seeing but haven’t were the comedies Pineapple Express and Tropic Thunder, both still in theatres. I’m on a mini-vacation late this week. Maybe I’ll catch one of them.

Shedding light on the Dark Knight

The Dark Knight opens in less than three weeks, and the full-court marketing press is on. Among the coolest promotions is from Comcast. For those with Comcast's digital cable, you can see trailers, mini documentaries, special "newscasts" and even one of the six animated segments from Batman: Gotham Knight, the animated DVD feature due out July 8, through On Demand (check "Movies & Special Events').

But even if you don't have digital cable, you can still see some of the Comcast goodies. Just go to the dedicated mini-site for some of the same documentaries and trailers.

Elsewhere are actor, writer and director interviews that help set the stage for the sequel. Most notably, you can read these interviews with star Christian Bale, co-star Aaron Eckhart, director Christoher Nolan and writers, David Goyer and Jonathan Nolan.

You can see five minutes from another segment of Batman: Gotham Knights here.

Finally, here's an early mainstream review (from Rolling Stone) that will make you just want July 18 to get here quicker!

Why So Serious?

Kevin Conroy is THE voice of Batman

There’s an emotional place I go to – Bruce (Timm) says he see it in me in the booth. It’s much more a psychology than just producing the sound. Batman is very complex. The Bruce Wayne voice is the real put-on. This is a guy who saw his parents murdered in front of him, and nobody would be normal and together after that. He feels like a freak inside. So to do the voice, you have to take on all that drama.

Kevin Conroy talks about voicing the animated Batman since 1992, and again for the upcoming Batman: Gotham Knight animated movie on DVD July 8.

New Dark Knight trailer!

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villian." -- Harvey Dent

The new Dark Knight trailer is here! It takes a while to download, so go to the site, and come back to it a few minutes later so you can watch it straight through. Pause the scene right before Harvey says the quote above, when he is holding up a gun, and you can see the barest glimpse of Two-Face.

Very cool!

New Dark Knight posters

New trailer expected on Sunday....

See more posters here.

"Batman: Gotham Knight" animated DVD trailer

Here's the trailer for the Batman:Gotham Knight animated DVD that comes out on July 8, only 10 days before The Dark Knight hits theatres. This release consists of six vignettes designed tobridge the gap between the two Nolan Batman movies. Each short story is done in a different anime style and are written by comics pros and otherscreen writers. Long-time Batman voice Kevin Conroy reprises his lead role here, which you can hear in the trailer. Most misgivings about this being "too anime" will go away after watching the trailer.

At this site, you can read an early review of the release.

Rachel Dawes believes in Harvey Dent!

Rachel Dawes supports Harvey Dent. Do you?

The Harvey Dent for Gotham City district attorney campaign is heating up. I even saw a campaign sticker in Center City Philadelphia.



However, since the fear toxin incident, crime is up and Lt. James Gordon has been tapped to head Gotham's new Major Crimes Unit.

Isn't viral marketing fun?

Batman: Brave and the Bold officially announced for Cartoon Network

Batman isn't going at it alone this time! From Warner Bros. Animation comes the latest interpretation of the Batman franchise. Our caped crusader is teamed up with heroes from across the DC Universe, delivering nonstop action and adventures with a touch of comic relief. Blue Beetle, Green Arrow, Aquaman and countless others will get a chance to uphold justice alongside Batman. Though still based in Gotham, Batman will frequently find himself outside city limits, facing situations that are both unfamiliar and exhilarating. With formidable foes around every corner, Batman will still rely on his stealth, resourcefulness and limitless supply of cool gadgets to bring justice home.

New York Times interviews Nolan about "The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan, the director of this summer's Batman sequel, The Dark Knight, was profiled in the New York Times this past Sunday. Not only did the article include new photos from the movie (including this one with Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger), but it included quotes from all of the principal actors about the differences between the first and second film, the look of Gotham and dealing with Ledger's death after filming. It's a great article that shows just how much both Bale and Nolan get the character and his world.

For example, here's Nolan talking about the escalation Gordon refrerenced at the end of Batman Begins:

As we looked through the comics, there was this fascinating idea that Batman’s presence in Gotham actually attracts criminals to Gotham, attracts lunacy. When you’re dealing with questionable notions like people taking the law into their own hands,you have to really ask, where does that lead? That’s what makes the character so dark, because he expresses a vengeful desire.

Bale continues the thought:

This escalation has now meant that he feels more of a duty to continue. And now you have not just a young man in pain attempting to find some kind of an answer, you have somebody who actually has power, who is burdened by that power, and is having to recognize the difference between attaining that power and holding on to it.

Nolan says the Gotham is sleeker and shinier in the new film, which is almost completely set in the city, unlike the first film. And he describes Ledger's performance as the Joker with adjectives like "terrifying," amazing," "stunning," and "iconic."

These quotes have led to Oscar buzz for Ledger, which seems a bit premature.

The Dark Knight opens on July 18

UPDATED: Sneak peek at Batman anime DVD

Before the Bat-sequel, The Dark Knight hits theatres on July 18, Warner Bros., will release on July 8 Batman: Gotham Knight, a series of 6 related animated shorts that bridge the gap between Batman Begins and the new movie. Each short is directed by an established anime director, who bring their own look to the character and his world. Villians featured in the shorts include Deadshot, Scarecrow and Killer Croc. You can see pics of each of them here.

A 10-minute sneak peek of the DVD was included with the recently released Justice League: New Frontier DVD You can a portion of that video at the official site for the DVD. or you can watch the whole thing here:

Hour long Batman finale features JLA

This weekend, the two-part series finale of The Batman guest-stars -- for the first and only time on the show -- the entire Justice League of America -- Superman, the Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkman and the Martian Manhunter -- as they battle the Joining, the alien invaders that were first seen in the two-part 4th season finale that concluded with Batman meeting the JLA for the first time.

This new two-parter marks the end of the series. Executive producer Alan Burnett, gave a final interview about the series here, where he talks about how the show evolved:

... the changes in The Batman were pretty organic. The first season he was a complete loner. By the second season he was accepted by the police. The third season added Batgirl. The fourth, Robin. This season, the JLA. The fourth season was probably the darkest, blessedly so. We thought it was going to be the last season. When the network gave us the go-ahead for a fifth season, they wanted us to get a little more kid-friendly again.

While still only a rumor, this is likely not the end of animated televison Batman adventures, as a new series that tfetures Batman teaming up with a different guest hero episode, as the Brave and the Bold comic did in the '60s through the '80s. hiopefully, we'll hear more during hte summer convention season.

In the meantime, we don't have to wait long for new anmated Batman, as the DVD Batman: Gotham Knight debuts on July 8, just a few weeks before the Dark Knight hits theatres. A series of six short stories written by comics and other genre writers, and directed in anime style by famous anime directors, this new animated venture features the return of Kevin Conroy, known as the voice of Batman for over a decade, starting with Batman: the Animated Series in 1992, up through Justice League Unlimited, which ended in 2006. It's not clear if Conroy will be the feature voice of Batman in all six stories, or in fact, if he is even voicing Batman, but his involvement was confirmed during a recent interview at the San Francisco WonderCon while promoting the DVD release of Justice League: The New Frontier.

Awww, it's Little Batman!

Here's a link to a 3-part video on youtube that recasts the 60s Batman TV show with kids. It's very cute (once you get past a 2+ minute opening credits sequence, set to one of the greatest Batman collections you'll ever see).

Definitely worth taking a look.

"Dark Knight"'s Joker Heath Ledger dead at 28

Actor Heath Ledger, 28, set to appear as the Joker in this summer's The Dark Knight, was found dead in his apartment in New York City today. The death appears to be drug-related, though whether it was a suicide has not yet been determined.

From his obituary from AP:

And in what may be his final finished performance, Ledger proved that he wouldn't be intimidated by taking on a character as iconic as Jack Nicholson's Joker. Ledger's version of the Batman villain, glimpsed in early teaser trailers, made it clear that his Joker would be more depraved and dark.
Curiosity about Ledger's final performance will likely stoke further interest in the summer blockbuster. Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan said earlier this month that Ledger's Joker would be wildly different from Nicholson's.
"It was a very great challenge for Heath," Nolan said. "He's extremely original, extremely frightening, tremendously edgy. A very young character, a very anarchic presence that taps into a lot of our basic fears and panic."

Farewell to a talented young actor.