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DC Universe

The Flashpoint Universe

by hutchm September 19, 2016

written by hutchm

You might or might not know that the Season 2 finale of the Flash ended with Barry making an extremely fateful decision – namely re-writing history by choosing to save his parents from the Reverse Flash. What Barry didn’t take into account – or perhaps he did, and just didn’t care – is the impact of this decision on his timestream. It might seem strange to be looking down the road when it comes to The Flash, since the CW TV series has kept a frightening pace since the very first episode. While other comic book shows and films tend to only tease their big bads early on, beginning their heroes’ crimefighting careers with lesser foes, the first half of The Flash‘s season saw the character’s most iconic villains introduced and regularly appearing – in the case of the Reverse-Flash, with an even more devious twist than usual.

WHAT WOULD YOU SACRIFICE TO HAVE EVERYTHING YOU’VE EVER WANTED? — Barry (Grant Gustin) is living his dream life – his parents are alive, he’s asked Iris West (Candice Patton) on a date and he can finally be a normal guy as Central City has another speedster, Kid Flash (Keiynan Lonsdale), running around saving the city. When Barry starts forgetting parts of his old life, the Reverse Flash (guest star Matt Letscher) taunts his nemesis and tells him that there will be serious repercussions for Barry and the ones he loves if he continues to live in this alternate universe. In addition to losing his memories, his powers will also start to fade. When disaster strikes, Barry must decide if he wants to continue to live in this world as Barry Allen or return to his universe as The Flash. Jesse Warn directed the episode with story by Greg Berlanti & Andrew Kreisberg and teleplay by Brooke Roberts.

The “Flashpoint” comic series – a major crossover story arc in the comics – will be influencing upcoming events on the show and it sounds like the premiere is going to deal with what’s next for Barry as he’s forced to decide between this new world and his old one. Of course, it’s no secret that this status quo won’t last beyond a few episodes, but the Reverse-Flash’s role in things is very interesting, especially as we know that he’ll be a bad guy in the upcoming second season of Legends of Tomorrow.

September 19, 2016 0 comments

Action/Adventure Comic Book DC DC Universe Movies

Suicide Squad: Movie Review

by Admin August 15, 2016

written by Admin

After sub par movies, Batman vs Superman and the divisive Man Of Steel, I was really hoping for Suicide Squad to be amazing. The critical reception thus far has not been good. Is it DC bashing? Or even more unlikely, is there a Marvel conspiracy? Well, I went to see Suicide Squad to form my own opinion and find out for sure. When I first saw the trailers I was optimistic, but the negative reviews had managed to temper my expectations . Let’s see how this turned out…

Story:

Weak. This is the movie’s biggest flaw. It has a unique concept but it relies on that to carry the bulk of the movie. A team of super powered villains that are used by the government to carry out missions the government can’t fully handle. In exchange for taking part, the villains get time off their sentences. If they fail in their mission the government has total deniability. That’s it in a nutshell. Every beat the movie has is predictable. Almost every character becomes as formulaic as the story itself. There is a lot of entertainment throughout but it’s fleeting and ultimately forgettable. Unlike Batman vs Superman, there was quite a bit of humor, sometimes it was good and sometimes not. Some scenes were obvious re-shoots in an effort to add more humor, which led to many of those scenes feeling disjointed and weirdly cut. The whole movie probably suffered from studio interference because Warner Bros. was still in panic mode from Batman vs Superman. Unfortunately the cliches and predictability left for no surprises which ultimately led to a very boring climax for me, and a few too many chessy lines didn’t help. If the characters were better written, perhaps the story wouldn’t have mattered as much. A good example is this year’s Deadpool because it only manged to pull off a weak story because the characterization was so strong. Suicide Squad has a plethora of rich characters that were not taken advantage of. Some were simply there as a plot device to prove a point ( Slipknot) The characters with the most depth are easily Deadshot and Harely Quinn, the rest are just window dressing.

There were a few cool cameos and I will say that they did add a few nice touches for fans. Pay attention to a flashback sequence that shows us Harley Quinn’s beginnings. There is a nice moment there that is sure to please any fan. They also gave a quick nod to John Ostrander ( Creator of Sucide Squand) that my girlfriend was kind enough to point out. Somehow I missed it, so pay attention!

Action:

Aside from one awesome Deadshot scene, the action was pretty forgettable. They weren’t bad by any means, just not very memorable. Harley’s fighting style can be entertaining at points but it wasn’t as dynamic as it could’ve been. I have to give the edge to Zack Snyder’s Batman vs Superman in terms of the action.

Villain:

Enchantress was easily one of the worst villains in a comic book movie thus far. Lame is the appropriate word here. She was supposed to be threatening but I didn’t feel that threat at any point. She didn’t have much charm or wit either. The Joker was technically an antagonist as well but he was in the movie for such a short time that it doesn’t really count to me.

Acting:

Middle of the road, and that’s being generous. I’ll start with the positives. Will Smith as Deadshot was very good. He was the most consistent actor in the movie and he was also one of the only ones that was successful at making me care. I felt as though I was watching Deadshot more than I was watching Will Smith play himself. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was also fairly good, although sometimes it looked as if I was watching her do an impression of Harley Quinn rather than playing Harley Quinn. keep in mind the type of character she played and the dialogue she had to pull off.

Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller was a bit of a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, her acting was good, on the other hand her character wasn’t handled properly. I ended up finding her pretty unlikable and even downright evil at times. ( One scene especially pissed me off and made no sense.) But if we’re talking about straight up acting then yes, she was good too.

Now for the mediocre. Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang was okay. Hard to understand and one note, but okay. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc, did what he could with all that heavy makeup and Karen Fukuhara’s Katana, did what she could with limited screen time. Jay Hernandez’s El Diablo, had a good start but there were times were his lines sounded forced. This was particularly evident in the climax of the movie and yet out of all the actors I mentioned, he was the most likable.All and all, none of these actor’s were terrible, they just weren’t that good.

And finally, the bad.

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg, had his moments but for the most part, he was bad. Sometimes cringe worthy bad. Again, this could be due to having to say some pretty bad lines, but still. Not a charismatic lead for the ” good guy” of the movie. Cara Delevingne as Enchantress was very bad. She was cringe worthy on almost every ” big” occasion, and not believable in every other occasion. Watching her and Joel Kinnaman sharing scenes together wasn’t easy. The script held them back but their skills certainly did not shine here.

Jared Leto’s Joker is a hard one. I didn’t hate it and I didn’t love it. He was good in the role but it felt a bit too over the top at times. He was trying TOO hard to be crazy and intense. He was menacing enough, I’ll give him that, but he lacked… charm. He also had a very weak laugh. I expected something epic and instead I got a laugh that I could imitate instantly. I think he has potential but he’s got to stop trying to channel Heath Ledger and really own the role.

Conclusion:

Another sub par release from DC/Warner Bros. leaves me disappointed and a bit worried. I really felt that DC/Warner Bros. could not afford to let Suicide Squad be anything less than it’s version of Guardians Of The Galaxy. Not only did it not live up to the hype, it’s actually getting a lower score than Batman vs Superman on Rotten Tomatoes! In It’s defense, I have to say I don’t think it was worse that Batman vs Superman. Is it a steaming pile of horse poo? No. Is it a benchmark in superhero movies? Not even close.

The interesting thing is Suicide Squad has made it’s money Warner Bros. hopes it will continue to do so, but how long can this formula last for other releases in the future?

A key demographic for DC/ Warner Bros. is the fans, many of which were displeased with the last 3 releases DC/Warner Bros. put out. For these fans, the titles of these movies is enough to warrant buying a ticket, but many have sworn off the next DC/ Warner Bros. release if it continues it’s mediocre quality. Word of mouth is huge and lately the word of mouth has not been good for the DC cinematic universe. I do think a lot of people simply want to hate on the movies but DC/ Warner bros shouldn’t make it easy for them critics and haters to do so.

David Ayer, Zack Snyder keep using the line ” We didn’t make these movies for critics, we made them for the fans.” Let me speak as a fan…

Gentlemen, I appreciate the effort but these movies are not good enough. They touch on some positive things but ultimately they stumble. Just because I am a fan doesn’t mean I will put up with a mediocre or bad product. Don’t take us for granted.

Let’s hope Wonder Woman saves the day in 2017.

August 15, 2016 0 comments

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DC: Rebirth #1 : Comic Review

by Admin June 21, 2016

written by Admin

DC: Rebirth: By Geoff Johns & various artists

DC comics has rebooted… Yet again. After the lukewarm reception of 2012’s the new 52, DC tried a minor retooling with DC now, but that was received even worse than the new 52. This time Dc: Rebirth promised to give fans what they wanted. An old school flavor, with a modern edge. They would finally embrace their character’s rich history. Geoff Johns was tasked with this endevour and for the most part it succeeds.

I would say that reading Justice League’s : Darkseid War, story arc would provide further context but the story does work as a stand alone introduction of what’s to come. But at the low price of 80 pages for 2.99, you can’t go wrong.

Story:

Essentially Rebirth tries to tie up all the past reboots by explaining them away as one particular reason. Someone or something, has shifted time and changed things so often that no one in the current DC universe remembers there was ever another timeline, let alone relationships, or people. 10 years have basically become unaccounted for by the bulk of the DC universe, save for one person.

( SPOILER) Wally West. Yes, Wally has returned to the DC universe after a lengthy absence, and he seems to be on a mission to warn everyone of a disturbance in the timeline. Wally goes from place to place and person to person in an attempt to give them the news but in order to have enough time he needs a tether to this universe. The problem is no one seems to recognize him and thus no one can save him and give him a proper chance to explain things. There’s a great scene between Wally and Barry Allen that is the climax of this point. One of the main plot points is, just who or what is responsible for these time altering events? The answer is hinted at at the end of the comic. I say hinted because, it’s still unclear how everything connects yet, but needless to say it was surprising. I don’t want to spoil it because I think it’s a great moment to discover on your own. Aside from the main plot thread, several other things are touched on. None the least being the true origin of the Joker and the death of the new 52’s Superman.

DC: Rebirth is a clear labor of love for Geoff Johns. He has a deep affinity for these characters and understands how to bring out the best in in even the most obscure one. In the hands of a lesser writer the convoluted plot could seem too daunting to the reader, but thanks to Geoff Johns approach you appreciate the characters first. You become willing to commit to the big story ideas he presents once you’re willing to go along for the ride. Major points have to go for the sheer creativity it takes to craft such an all encompassing story, not to mention the fact of the immense pressure on this reboot to succeed. I will say that you do need to pay attention as it is not an easy read. It’s not on a crazy-Grant Morrison level, but it is complex.

Art:

Of the highest quality is the best way to put it. The cream of the crop show up for this 80 page saga. Ivan Reis, Ethan Van Sciver, Gary Frank & Joe Prado each get a chance to shine on this book. Every panel is rendered with exquisite detail. The colors shine through and complement the fine inks.

It almost seems fitting that there is more than one artist, as it goes well with the theme of many different universes and timelines. However, each style is not different enough to be a distraction either. We’re not talking about going from a Jim Lee style to a Bruce Timm style, nothing like that. I would say that Ethan Van Schiver has the fewest pages ( which isn’t a surprise knowing his history of delays) and Gary Frank has the most pages of art.

Final Thought:

DC comics had to something to keep up with Marvel’s current surge in popularity and readership. It’s pretty evident that DC is behind in the movie game but they can’t afford to be behind in comics as well. Having another reboot so soon after the last one was a huge risk. DC had to know that just the very notion of having another reboot would piss off fans, and I think a lot of them are. There is a disillusionment among almost all DC fans at this point. We hope and want, a product worthy of our fandom without cheap gimmicks.

Having Geoff Johns’s name attached to this reboot is for many, a step in the right direction. I personally have a lot of trust in Johns and this issue does nothing to disprove that. It’s a strong multi-layered story with fabulous art that provides the new foundation of the DC universe. The ending of this issues will no doubt divide fans. I’m on the fence myself. It could prove very interesting OR a very bad idea. Will the other books out there reflect the quality of this book, let alone be on the same page in terms of continuity?

Only time will tell. At the very least, the future looks just a bit brighter for DC.

June 21, 2016 0 comments

Comics DC DC Universe Independent Marvel

Comic Creator Tribute: Darwyn Cooke (R.I.P)

by Admin May 20, 2016

written by Admin

Sadly, comic legend Darwyn Cooke passed away on May 14th of this year. He was only 53 years old. Cooke, no doubt had more stories to tell, and with his impressive track record you know that we will be missing out on fantastic pieces of work.

Cooke was a Toronto born creator who started fairly late in the comics game at the age of 38 or so. Despite this, he quickly made a name for himself. Nearly everything he put out became seminal work. I mean this in the best way possible because I feel that he was almost the ultimate opportunist, in the fact that he didn’t need a lot of chances to hit one out of the park. He took whatever he worked on and ran with it at full speed. Cooke was of a rare breed, proving he could be both an excellent artist AND writer. Cooke always claimed he hated writing but damn, he was good at it, and he had distinctive styles for both. Cooke made a name for himself working on Batman The Animated Series and Batman Beyond, and his own art style reflected that but his style still had it’s own unique flavor. His penchant for lighting and drama really stick out in my mind. His art was detailed, but simple enough to increase efficiency. Cooke stated on a few occasions that he developed his art style in this way in order to work quickly without having to sacrifice quality, and he never missed a deadline. His writing style was also as unique. He manged to tell complex and nuanced work without delving into excessive violence or gore thus making it accessible for . He was a major advocate for all age comics. In fact, he was quite critical of mainstream comic companies not tailoring enough of their modern material for younger readers.

His first work was the excellent Batman: Ego one shot ,which he wrote and drew. It was a psychologically complex look at Batman’s worst enemy, Himself. I find that it’s still criminally underrated. Certainly one of my favorite Batman stories of all time. It wasn’t until Justice League: New Frontier that the public really started paying attention and critical acclaim soon followed.

Cooke was as much a teacher as he was a creator. He was vocal about sharing tips and advise to any aspiring artist or writer. Fans always wanted to see him do more creator owned work but it was not to be.

If you’ve never heard of Darwyn Cooke, do yourself a favor and check out a few of these recommendations.

DC:The New Frontier: 6 issue miniseries

Probably what he will most be remembered for is the re imagining and reweaving of the origin of the Justice League, in many ways, the heart of the DC universe. Tackling both art & writing duties, Cooke manged to showcase a tale that could appeal to anyone at a time where grim and gritty seemed the norm. His idealistic view of a better hope for tomorrow never came through quite so poignantly as it did with New Frontier. The limited series manged to win an Eisner, Harvey and Joe Shuster Award for best limited series, High accolades indeed.

Richard Stark’s: Parker- Vol 1 -4

Cooke often said that Parker was the story he was born to do and if you look at the end result, it’s hard to disagree. Sure, it’s an adaptation of various novels by Richard Stark but Cooke really brought the stories to life and managed to make Parker a household name. I’ve written about my love for the Parker books before so I won’t go on too long but if you’re looking for bad ass crime noir, look no further than Parker. I’d say the finest art Darwyn Cooke ever did. So simple, yet so complex. Feast your eyes on this spread.

The Spirit: #1–6, 8–12

The only ongoing, monthly series Darwyn Cooke ever had but it was an instant classic. Also regarded as the only successful revival of The Spirit to match the quality of Will Eisner’s work. That is huge praise considering how well regarded Eisner’s Spirit work is. Much in the tradition of Eisner’s work, Cooke focused on one and done stories. Every issue had something unique about it. Be it a point of view or just the way to tell the story itself. The tones were as varied as they come. You had straight up detective stories and other times you had light hearted comedies. It seemed like the sky was the limit when it came to Cooke crafting The Spirit. He was only on the title for 11 issues but, as Darwyn Cooke always did, made his mark. Forget the horrible movie, read this instead.If you can track down the trade, vol 1 contains the excellent Batman/Spirit crossover that Jeph Loeb and him worked on. It’s a wonderful story and winner of the Eisner award for best single issue.

Batman: Ego

I have to mention Batman: Ego again. It’s such a complete and satisfying read and it’s only one issue, 64 pages long! It’s more concerned in exploring the dark psyche of Batman/ Bruce Wayne rather than focusing on fisticuffs. When we are self dive into self anyliss the results can be… interesting. Imagine what the analysis would be like for someone who puts on a Bat suit and beats up criminals in order to avenge his parents death? Let me give you a preview.

Just look at that monstrous image along with that sharp dialogue and tell me it wasn’t cool. The actual one shot is a bit difficult to locate but thankfully it was collected in trade paperback( Batman: Ego and other tales) along with some excellent Catwoman stories Cooke worked on. Not as action packed as a story like Dark Knight Returns but just as meaty.

Watchmen: The Minute Men: 6 issue mini series

Comic fans know how massive Alan Moore’s Watchmen was and still is. Imagine the idea of having a prequel without his involvement… Sacrilege, right? DC took a big gamble and decided to give a few select creators the keys to the kingdom, one of those creators was luckily Cooke. He initially passed on the offer from DC but came up with a story that didn’t step all over Alan Moore’s story and manged to provide further insight into something that hadn’t been explored to it’s fullest yet. In came the Minute Men. It tells the story of Hollis Mason recounting his days with the Minute Men in the 40’s. But writing his autobiography provides to be more challenging as he faces various sources trying to silence his story. It’s a thoroughly engaging story that was regarded as one of the better prequels to come out of the Before Watchmen stories.

I have to give a shout out to the brief stint Cooke had drawing Jonah Hex with writers, Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti. Cooke’s art sensibilities fit surprisingly well within the western motif and his art only helped elevate the excellent writing that series already had.

These and many more stories should be discovered and consumed by the reading public. A talent such as Darwyn Cooke’s deserves wider recognition than just a comics guy. He was a true artist and visionary, certainly one of the most influential ones of his generation. I’ll leave you with the classic opening for Batman Beyond, which he animated. Farewell Daryn Cooke. The world has lost you but you are not forgotten.

May 20, 2016 0 comments

Action/Adventure Comic Book Comics DC DC Universe Fantasy Marvel SciFi

Ranking the DC animated movies: Part 2

by Admin May 12, 2016

written by Admin

It’s time to conclude this epic list and give these flicks the recognition they deserve. Marvel may have the edge in the big screen world, but DC surely has the upper hand in the animated world. The cream of the crop here, only confirms that.

14. J.L.A: Gods and Monsters

Bruce Timm made a bit of a comeback producing and co-writing this movie after going a brief hiatus. Thankfully he delivered a very strong entry to the DC animated movie line that had otherwise been lacking in the last few releases. Gods and Monsters turned out to be, not only a breath of fresh air, but a totally new and re-imagined universe for the DC trinity of Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman. These are not the characters we think we know so well, but they’re not entirely unrecognizable either. Superman is the son of General Zod in this tale. He is also raised by Mexican immigrant parents. Kirk Langstrom is Batman who is, in fact turning into a vampire bat with an insatiable blood lust. Wonder Woman is the daughter of Darkseid. These changes give these characters a noticeably different world view. They’re not always nice, and they’re not always selfless in their crusade. Aside from these hooky concepts there lies an interesting story as well. It’s thoroughly compelling throughout and delivers a climatic ending to boot. Voice acting is solid from almost everyone involved. If you want something fresh and engaging, check this out.

13. Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths

Crisis On Two Earths tell an interesting story but the bread and butter is in the movies execution. It’s thoroughly entertaining. It’s a simple enough premise…The JLA vs themselves, sort of. The DC universe is known for having multiple Earths that contain multiple versions of characters we know and love. In this case, the JLA face off against the villainous side of themselves called The Syndicate. It’s intriguing to see the road not taken for some of these characters, especially someone like Batman. What would he really be like if he did go just a little bit further over the edge? Another plus for the movie is it’s similar feel to the fantastic Justice League Unlimited TV series. It plays off the shows strength while still having it’s own distinct flavor. Voice acting for this one is solid. Actor, James Woods plays a particularly good evil Batman( Owlman). There are also some great lines in it, that showcase depth and humor. As an added treat you get a supposed origin to Wonder Woman’s invisible jet. The explanation for Wonder Woman even having a jet is worth the watch alone.

12. Green Lantern: First Flight

Warner Bros. finally gives Green Lantern: Hal Jordan his first well deserved, full length animated feature. On the one hand, it’s a wonderful entry to the lineup DC had at that point. On the other hand it makes one wonder how the big screen creators could’ve screwed up so badly on Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern? First Flight was everything the big screen version should’ve been and it did it in less time and a vastly reduced budget. It’s an origin story that most fast enough not to bore us with the details and it showcases Sinestro as much as he needs to be showcased. Think of it as the Green Lantern version of Denzel Washington’s, Training Day film. A lot of it is Sinestro showing Hal Jordan the ropes, but along the way we see Sinestro for who he truly is. The animation is solid. There are some very exciting action pieces that simply demand your attention. The story is so fast that sometimes it could afford to take it’s time an explore certain things a little further. It’s a good first entry for Green Lantern, but Sinestro steals the show.

11. Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

The sequel to the excellent First Flight film proves to be even better than it’s predecessor. It also improves on the short film concept that Gotham Knight tried to do when it came out. Emerald Knights features a series of short stories that focus on different members of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps. All the stories are exceptional despite showcasing a lot of lesser known characters that may not be as appealing as Hal Jordan. Every short is worth watching just for the animation alone. It’s some of the best to come out of the DCU. One of the short stories is based on a comic story by writer, Alan Moore called ” Mogo doesn’t socialize”. This is just one of the highlights that this collection of shorts has to offer.

10. Superman/Shazam: The Return Of Black Adam plus DC shorts

The collection of short films for this installment is easily the strongest for me. All 4 shorts arguably do more for the characters than any of their big screen counterparts. We know this is especially true of Jonah Hex. Remember that horrible movie with Megan Fox?… I try to forget too. The Jonah Hex short featured in this collection is an accurate portrayal of what this awesome character can offer to audiences. I think an HBO or Netflix show would do this character justice. The Green Arrow short is a ton of fun and also a much more faithful interpretation of the character than the Arrow TV show. The Spectre is one of my favorite DC characters so I was thrilled with the prospect of having a short based on his adventures. It turned out to be pretty damn good too. The longest short is the titular Superman/Shazam story. It’s worthy of it’s lengthier run time. It’s a nice modernization of the Shazam mythos. The voice acting on display here is top notch. Warner Bros. and DC really did a good job in picking the talent for this one. Give this a try and you won’t be disappointed. At the very least you’ll regain your respect for Jonah Hex.

9. Wonder Woman

We finally get a solo Wonder Woman animated movie simply titled ” Wonder Woman”. It serves as a modernization of her sometimes convoluted origins. It provides enough context for any newcomers to our favorite amazon warrior. It balances various tropes very well. Like Thor, Wonder Woman can get quite chessy if not done with the utmost finesse. They make it humorous enough without making fun of the source material. It’s as much a character piece as it is anything else. The attention to detail in her arc just shows the love and appreciation the creators have for her. Her supporting cast gets that same detail. Steve Trevor shines thanks to Nathon Fillion but the true star is Keri Russell’s Wonder Woman. She is the Wonder Woman we all deserve. She’s compassionate yet firm. She kicks ass when she has to but isn’t blood hungry. The creators don’t dumb her down either. She’s naive about dealing in the modern world but she isn’t stupid. The villains are also a strong point. Hades proves a formidable and truly cool DC villain. One can only hope that 2017’s big screen version of Wonder Woman is remotely as good as this small animated feature.

8. Batman Beyond: Return Of The Joker

The only film to come out of TV’s Batman Beyond universe turns out to be a gem. This movie turned out to be so good it could easily place higher on this list but the decisions started to get hard and I had to go with my gut. For those unaware, the Batman Beyond universe is set a considerable amount of years in the future. Bruce Wayne is well into his 80’s and has passed off the cape and cowl to a younger Batman named Terry Mcginnis. SO how is it that the Joker is back? Well, that’s the mystery. It’s a great story that brings back all of Bruce Wayne’s bad memories of his worst foe back into the forefront. It’s especially cool to see Terry battle against the Joker we all know and love. Mark Hamil returns to voice the clown prince of crime, and he’s great. There’s a particularly dark flashback sequence in the movie that sends chills down the spine. It’s got a surprising amount of emotinal heft for something that was still technically aimed for a younger audience,, but the less spoilers you get about the movie, the better. It’s also penned by Batman T.A.S. great, Paul Dini, what more do you want?

7. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox

The only truly great DC animated movie made after Bruce Timm’s brief departure from the animated movie line.Based on the comic by Geoff Johns & Andy Kubert, it’s basically a nice alternate reality tale where everything is different except for one person. The Flash. Basically one morning Barry Allen wakes up and finds out that his Mother is alive and well. That’s not all. He quickly discovers that there are no other costumed heroes out there except Batman. Superman never existed and Aquaman and Wonder Woman are power mad dictators. The world is in shambles and no one really knows why… Except Flash. It’s wonderfully paced, with not a moment wasted. I especially love all the subtle( And sometimes not too subtle) references to the DC universe as a whole. It really makes for an enjoyable experience for the DC fanboy, not that you have to be one to enjoy it. As much as it says Justice League on the box, make no mistake, this is a Flash story. Easily one of the best portrayals of the character that there’s been. An important thing to point out here is that it is quite violent. DC held very little back. This is a brutal world and never does it show more than in the climatic ending. Exhilarating right to the end, a must watch.

6. Justice League: New Frontier

Shifting gears away from Flashpoint’s dystopic world, to the innocent time of the 50’s and 60’s. Based on Darwyn Cooke’s ” New Frontier” period piece, we get a glimpse of the early beginnings of Hal Jordan( Green Lantern), Martian Manhunter and the Justice League as a whole. IN a rare case, the movie might actually be better than the source material, which speaks to the effectiveness of this movie. It’s a brilliantly crafted story that blends all the various plot points so beautifully. Every thread leads to something. Some might argue that the payoff isn’t as good as the journey and they may be right but dammit, it’s awesome. The voice actors are nearly all pitch perfect. If the action spectacle of the superhero genre is too much for you, then this is the movie to watch. It carries many themes that get explored all the way to the ending of the movie. It’s sort of an answer to Alan Moore’s Watchmen without intending to be. It demonstrates that you can tell a sophisticated tale for both younger and mature readers without delving into the hyper violence. Not to say that this is light viewing, quite the contrary. From romance, to fear mongering to racism to morality, this one’s got it all. I find that those looking for awesome looking action tend to be underwhelmed, but thats not what the movie is truly going for anyway. There is enough action sprinkled around to sustain most people but the story is where it’s at. This clip is a wonderful example of an alien trying to fit in by simply copying what it sees on Television.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ojK3NbIHg

5. Superman vs The Elite

MY favorite Superman movie of all time. Based on Joe Kelly’s ” What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice and The American Way?” Nothing else seems to capture the essence of what makes Superman who he is more aptly than this movie in my opinion. I always say it’s the perfect Superman story for any Superman hater because it addresses the very complaints most of them have with the character head on. This movie rises up above just being another generic comic book movie into something far deeper. It’s a simple enough story that’s told remarkably well. After years of having Superman on the scene, a new group called the Elite appears. They are a much more brutal type of superhero that goes to places that Superman never could. They kill, and the public seems to like it. Amongst many questions of right and wrong it poses the most important one. Why does Superman? The answer to that is all the more powerful when you see it unfold in the movie. Superman doesn’t compromise his values or his beliefs, no matter what. That becomes his greatest flaw and his greatest virtue. The movie plays on that very well. I found that by watching this unfold you see that his greatest weakness is not always Kyrptonite. The overly angular animation might put off a few but it doesn’t matter. The story, acting and action are too solid to be ignored.I think the message to take away here is no matter what kind of heroes you think we need, Superman will always be Superman and there will always be a need for a hero like him. If you were disillusioned watching Batman vs Superman than watch this. It will make you believe in the power of hope again.

4. Batman: Year One

The classic story from Frank Miller and co. get’s the movie treatment it deserves here. Nolan’s Batman Begins touches on various things from that story but this animated movie gives us, an almost panel for panel adaptation. Add Bryan Cranston voicing Jim Gordon and you;ll see why the end result was as good as it is. It’s as much a Gordon story as much as it is a Batman one. The inner monologue Gordon has gives the movie a delightfully crime noir feel throughout. Corruption, violence and prostitution are running rampant in Gotham and it’s rotting the city to the core. Enter Batman. It doesn’t pull punches and we’re better as an audience for it. We see his inexperience starting out as Batman. He makes mistakes and so does Gordon, both professionally and personally. The animation is exceptional here. They did a commendable job translating David Mazzucchelli’s distinct artwork on screen. A story this iconic had a lot of pressure going in but it thankfully met expectations and delivered a great Bat-flick.

3. Batman: Under The Hood

This movie definitely outdid it’s original source material. It cut the fat and refined the great points in writer, Judd Winnick’s Under The Red Hood storyline. It’s the story of Batman’s greatest failure coming back to haunt him, the death of Jason Todd. Jason Todd was the second Robin after Dick Grayson gave up the mantle. On one of many missions with Batman, Robin runs into the Joker and becomes one of his many victims. The movie covers this flashback sequence in some detail. It’s brutal and unforgiving in it’s portrayal. Fast forward to the present day and a new crime fighter is on the scene that goes by the Red Hood. His identity is a mystery but there is some connection to Jason Todd that hits Batman on a personal level. Once the Joker gets involved the stakes become that much higher. The movie plays on some similar themes that Superman vs The Elite touched on, and that is of the choice never to kill. Is is justified to totally abide by that code even in the case of someone like the Joker? Batman has to face that letting him live might have led to the death of Jason Todd. The Red Hood certainly throws that right in Batman’s face time and again. There’s a great scene at the end that touches on this the best. It’s one of the most tense and emotionally charged scenes I’ve ever seen in animation. Actor Bruce Greenwood nails playing Batman/Bruce Wayne. For my money the best to do so since Kevin Conroy. It’s a very dark and bleak story but not just that way for the sake of being that way. The script is masterful in making the dark moments have real depth and the payoffs of this are aplenty. The animation matches the quality of the script and the acting, giving us the nuance necessary for the big dramatic moments. For a long time this was the premier Batman film the DC animated line released and depending on who you ask, it still very well may be.

2. Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm

The first animated feature for DC is also the only one to have a limited theatrical release. I missed out on watching it on the big screen but I would LOVE to watch it in that format today. Mask Of The Phantasm spins directly out of the critically acclaimed Batman: Animated Series, as you can tell by the distinctive Bruce Timm art style. A team of writers, including the great Paul Dini, were charged with writing the story and script, and each gave the movie their distinct flavor to the work. Having a larger budget allowed the creators to put a lot more attention to detail. The animation is better than it ever was and every punch or line of dialogue can be heard with crystal clarity. Even the music gets an added umph to it. As for the story, the movie is really an amalgamation of 2 or 3 Batman comics, namely Batman: Year one and Batman: Year Two. I feel it greatly improves on the source material, particularly Batman: Year Two. The movie adds it’s own little things here and there and the end result is the benchmark of any good superhero movie, not just an animated one. When an animated movie can transcend in that way you know you’re watching something special. Something, even timeless perhaps. Both Kevin Conroy( Batman) and Mark Hamil ( Joker) arguably give their best performances as their respective characters but it’s Dana Delany who really makes an impression. Delany was so good that I feel she helped elevate everyone else involved. Her performance as Andrea Beaumont( Bruce’s first true love) really helps to create a rich an engrossing character who will forever be remembered fondly by fans.

Aside from seeing Bruce Wayne’s journey to become the Dark Knight for the first time, we also get an even rarer thing, especially for flashbacks. You get to see a time where Bruce was happy. His relationship with Andrea Beaumont made him happy enough to not even want to become Batman anymore. It only helps to make Bruce Wayne more human. Everyone of us has good memories to go along with the bad no matter how traumatic an experience we had. Watch the movie to see how the tide turns and how ultimately Bruce Wayne becomes Batman anyway. I’ve always loved this moment between Bruce and his parents.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjAFbEP0wK4

Check out this classic and you won’t be disappointed.

1. The Dark Knight Returns : The deluxe edition

Speaking of classics. we get to The Dark Knight Returns. Nearly 3 hours running time for this epic masterpiece based on Frank Miller’s seminal work. This turned out to be Executive Producer, Bruce Timm’s last movie before taking his hiatus, and what a way to go out. The creators behind this movie knew full well the amount of care that had to be taken in adapting, possibly the greatest Batman story of all time. When this project was announced early on you could see that they were certainly making an effort to stay close to the source material. They announced it as a 2 parter, indicating that no vital moments would be cut from the story. Once it became as seamless movie once it was released in a deluxe edition.

The story is one about an Batman coming back out of retirement to save the city once more. Bruce Wayne’s in his 50’s and crime is as rampant as ever, while Batman hasn’t been seen in 10 years. It’s a strong character piece that really dives into why Bruce Wayne is Batman, and just how much he needs to be Batman. Eventually Bruce can’t keep watching Gotham go down the hole and he can’t continue to block out the voice in his head that seems to be screaming out for him to return as Batman. It’s especially interesting to see where Batman’s supporting characters are at that stage in their lives. Gordon is weeks away from retirement and Harvey Dent finally had reconstructive surgery on his face to repair any lingering reminders of being Two-Face. And the Joker? He’s been in a comatose state for years, that is, until Batman resurfaces. It’s a timeless story that is still very much a reflection of 1980’s America but can also be applied to various parts of the rest of the world. it’s psychologically complex and even politically charged. The role that the media plays is also something very unique to The Dark Knight Returns. In some ways things haven’t changed, if anything, they may be even worse in today’s world.

We also get a great sense of finality to this epic. It very much feels like this will be the last time for certain conflicts that arise. Many films have been greatly influenced by Dark Knight Returns including Batman vs Superman. For my money, Dark Knight Returns gets their conflict right, as evidenced by this tense exchange between the 2 men.

It’s a mature, sophisticated take on a classic hero that boils down everything that Batman is about. No stone is left unturned here. Big kudos has to go to all the voice actors especially Peter Weller, who does a good job playing an older Bruce/Batman. The fight scenes are OUTSTANDING. The best I’ve seen of any animated feature. Even the musical score is fantastic. I was hard pressed to find something that could match, or even surpass Mask Of The Phantasm but if anything could, this would be it.

Hope you enjoyed the list! Hope you’re as excited by the upcoming Killing Joke as I am.

May 12, 2016 0 comments

Action/Adventure Comic Book Comics DC DC Universe Fantasy Movies SciFi

Ranking the DC Animated Movies: Part 1

by Admin April 29, 2016

written by Admin

The new trailer for Dc’s Batman: The Killing Joke, arrived this week. The movie marks the return of iconic voice actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as Batman and Joker. Bruce TImm is back in the fold as well. For those that are unaware, DC and Warner Bros. has been consistently releasing animated films based on their comic properties since 2007. Even further back to 1993 if you count the Batman movies based on the Animated Series( Which I do) In many cases, these films have been of a much higher quality than most the live action fare out there. No one should dismiss them as good movies simply because they are cartoons. These stories often reference the source material, and characters are often portrayed as they should be. Team-up’s of Superman & Batman have already been done with much more success than the curent Hollywood version. Almost every major character has been covered at one point or another.

It’s time to rank every single DC animated movie from worst to best before The Killing Joke is released. ( Batman vs Robin & Justice League vs Teen Titans will not be included on this list.)

29. Batman: Son Of Batman

The weakest movie of the bunch in my humble opinion. It basically introduces the idea that Bruce Wanye has a son that he was not aware of. Turns out that the little guy was being raised by Talia Al Ghul( His mother) and Ra’s Al ghul. It’s fairly by the numbers as a superhero movie goes. The voice acting is substandard, and the dialogue uninspired. The action scenes are decent and yet it’s boring. Big points off for the climatic Deathstroke vs Robin fight scene. Made no sense. Don’t start with this one.

28. Superman: Brainiac Attacks

Easily the worst of the Superman animated movies and not much better than Son Of Batman. I was expecting this to be quite good because of it’s connection to the excellent Superman: The Animated Series, but it wasn’t. Far from it. They altered Bruce Timm’s unique art and added a tinge of computer graphics, which wasn’t a good look (animated CGI often doesn’t age well). The result is a less refined version of the Beware The Batman art style. The story is by the numbers. It’s as the title suggests… Brainiac attacks, Superman fights him. Add the most drawn out and boring fight scenes of all time and trying to sit through this one becomes a huge endeavor. The only reason it ranks slightly higher than Son Of Batman is because this movie included the original voice cast from Superman: T.A.S.( Tim Daly & Dana Delany) There is also a nice scene between Clark and Lois that I appreciated.

27. Batman Gotham Knight

Quite an ambitious feat for Bruce Timm and co. I’ll give them that. It was the first movie to feature Batman in the Anime art style. It features a series of short films rather than a full length story. The credits include people like David Goyer, Greg Rucka, and Brian Azzarello. Kevin Conroy also returns to voice Batman. The animation is great for the most part. I took issue with some interpretations of Batman but they did a good job nonetheless. The problem is that some of stories aren’t very good and the ones that are good are simply, good and not great. It is a worthwhile watching experience, and one that may get better after a second viewing but it felt too middle of the road to be anything more substantial.

26. J.L.A.: Throne OF Atlantis

I’m a big fan of the story this movie was based on. Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis crafted a truly awesome crossover with Aquaman and Justice League. This movie? Not so much. It’s by no means bad, but it isn’t very memorable. You might glance at the time once or twice which is never a good sign. The animation is very strong and the action scenes are competent, but nothing really pops. It’s worth watching more for the fact that Aquaman is the ” star” of the movie. It’s good to see him get respectable treatment. It’s entertaining enough to recommend but it may be more for die hard fans rather than the general public.

25. Batman: Bad Blood

One of the more recent outings proved to be surprisingly enjoyable. After a few dull releases, I wasn’t very jazzed for this one. At least I can say that while watching this I wasn’t really bored at any time. It’s notable for being the first time that the new 52’s version of Batwoman and Batwing appear on screen. It’s focus is more on the Bat-family rather than the Dark Knight himself, which was a nice change of pace for these movies. The action sequences were very good. On a technical standpoint, some of the best the animated universe has had. It also helped that the plot was pretty much original, so I didn’t really know what was coming. Don’t expect greatness and you’ll walk away entertained and content.

24. Batman: Assault On Arkham

Once again, a pleasant surprise that I didn’t expect to be that good. Turned out to be quite different and an excellent precursor to 2016’s Suicide Squad. It may drag at times but it’s nothing to be too concerned about. It really does a good job focusing more on the villains without overshadowing Batman. We know enough about Batman that feeding us little tidbits is enough and in the end, becomes highly effective. It’s fun to see these what make these characters tick. Harley Quinn being in the movie is an added treat that is not wasted here but Deadshot is the real star of the movie. Get acquainted with this movie before or after watching Suicide Squad.

23. Batman: Mystery Of The Batwoman

A decent effort from the last installment coming out of the Batman: T.A.S. universe. It’s aesthetic is based more on the look and feel of season 4 . Most of the voice staples are there, and they do a commendable job. The plot tries it’s best to juggle the mystery of who the Batwoman actually is as the title suggests. It doesn’t quite reach the mark in establishing a truly great mystery but it tries it’s best. Having new characters and heroes does help elevate the story and bring something fresh to the table. I’ve always been a huge fan of the original animation style so, while this isn’t as good as that, it’s still miles ahead better than a lot of other stuff out there. The real highlight is the bonus animated short that is included on the DVD. It’s a silent film written by Paul Dini and Alan Burnett. It’s simple but it really captures the spirit of Batman T.A.S.

22. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

A fun team up movie based on Jeph Loeb and Michael Turner’s Superman/Batman story arc. Both the comics and the movie retcon Supergirl’s origin. There are some nice scenes of Supergirl and Superman interacting for the first time and even talking in Kryptonian, which I had never seen before. Both Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly return to voice Batman and Superman and they even manged to nab Susan Eisenberg back to play Wonder Woman. ( Wonder Woman voice actor in Justice League Unlimited) .The movie does it’s best to emulate Michael Turner’s unique art style from the comics. It’s little details like that where you really see the care they put into each release. Darkseid also makes an appearance that is quite memorable. Ultimately, the comic is better but check out the movie regardless.

21. Superman: Unbound

Based on Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s fantastic Superman: Brainiac storyline. The movie doesn’t reach the heights of the comic but it does satisfy as an entertaining tale. The action scenes here are far superior to Branic’s last outing in an animated adventure, which is a relief. Supergirl provides a nice cushion of support for the Man Of Steel as well. Actor, John Noble provides some excellent voice acting for the villain Brainiac. He feels as imposing as he should be. Lois Lane is utilized quite a bit and her character is as fiery as ever which leads to several enjoyable moments, one in particular that may be the funniest moment of any of the animated movies released.

20. J.L.A: Doom

A throwback of sorts, to the original Justice League animated series. It features all the original voice actors of the show with the exception of Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern( Hal Jordan). The story is based off of Mark Waid and Howard Porter’s, Tower Of Babel storyline, from their lengthy run on JLA. It’s a unique story that shows how dangerous Batman can be and if he has a place in the league to begin with. It turns out that Batman has secret contingency plans to take out every member of the Justice League if he needs to. The bigger problem really starts when the villainous Vandal Savage gets his hands on the plans and carries them out. It’s a cool tale about trust vs safety. Friendship vs duty. It loses steam in the second half but it’s well worth the watch.

19. Batman: Subzero

Bruce Timm and Co. manged to release a better Batman movie featuring Mr. Freeze than Hollywood did thanks to the abysmal Batman & Robin. Ironically, both movies were released in the same year. Batman: Subzero manages to tell a complex tale of Mr. Freeze trying to save his wife Nora, no matter what the cost. He requires a donor with a rare blood type who ends up being Batgirl. It has some wonderful touching moments and it really doesn’t dumb down the material either. The voice acting is great and the animation looks better than any set in Batman & Robin. The pacing may be off at times but it’s going for more than just fisticuffs here.

18. Superman: Doomsday

The first release of the DC animated movie line makes an impact right away. The creative brass in charge decided to go with the epic, Death & Return Of Superman story from the early 90’s. The movie does it’s own thing to an extent. It provides much more story instead of focusing on a drawn out final confrontation with Doomsday. So much so, that I wish the actual battle between Superman and Doomsday was longer. Lex Luthor is the real antagonist in this version, so you might say that the title is deceiving. Yes and no. You can tell that when they made this movie they were going for a slightly different audience. Perhaps a more mature one. The violence and blood are slightly amped up and the themes feel a bit headier. It’s a solid first release to lineup of successful movies.

17. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

Another tale based on Jeph Loeb’s run on Superman/Batman. It featured a myriad of cameos from various parts of the DC universe. A true fanboy’s dream. It also turned out to be the first reunion that actors, Kevin Conroy & Tim Daly had. Both actors had previously co-starred in a fantastic 3 part episode of Superman: The Animated Series. The plot here is simplistic enough but it’s just so much fun. The movie begins by letting us know that Lex Luthor is now the current the President of the United States. That intro alone should be hooky enough to grab your attention. Superman and Batman are eventually framed by President Luthor for a crime they did not commit and are then forced to become fugitives on the run. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor spares no expense to have the heroes behind bars or dead. The dynamic on hand between Batman and Superman is what makes these two characters work so well together.The script understands what makes both characters so similar and different. It’s a great to see them go at it alone together. It’s so fitting that Batman is the only one who believes Superman and is on his side. Check it out and have fun.

16. J.L.A: War

The New 52’s flagship story was also the first to be adapted to the small screen. Geoff Johns and Jim Lee set off to make a rebooted Justice League story that’s eerily similar to Marvel’s big screen Avengers movie, although DC’s version was completed and released months before the Avengers hit the screens. Justice League: War manages to catch most of the spirit of the comics story and yet not quite match the quality. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is still a ton of fun. A lot of Marvel-like banter is on full display here. It respects itself but it doesn’t take itself too seriously either. That can seem like a foreign thing for some, considering DC’s dark and serious cinematic tone of late. If you found Batman vs Superman too dark, this movie will turn out to be a welcome change for you. Is it perfect? No, but it is fun.

15. All Star Superman

All Star Superman is one of the most beloved Superman stories to hit comic shelves in the last 15 years, meaning expectations were high for the animated movie adaptation. Add the fact that Grant Morrison wrote it and you’ll understand how difficult it was to do it justice completely. As a movie, general fans may become confused and weirded out by this installment. It’s out there. Sometimes, WAY out there, so it’s not for everyone. It is, however, that delightful weirdness that makes it all the more compelling to watch if you can get what the story is really trying to say. This is basically one writer’s love letter to a character he loves, and you definitely feel that in the movie. Believe it or not, the movie actually tries to simplify things more than the comic does. Nevertheless, it’s very well acted and written. The visuals are fantastic. The intro scene alone is noteworthy for this. It’s got all the elements of what can make a good Superman story without ever turning into conventional one.

Stay tuned for part 2!!

April 29, 2016 0 comments

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