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Category: Movies (Direct-to-video)
Genre: Animation

You can only imagine how many comic books I bought when this guy "died."

14 years after—arguably—the most publicized and grieved “death” in the comic book industry, comes the first PG-13 direct-to-video animated adaptation of “The Death of Superman” entitled Superman/Doomsday.

Directed by Lauren Montgomery, Brandon Vietti, and Bruce Timm (the latter who was also responsible for other animated projects such as: Batman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series, The New Batman Adventures, Batman Beyond, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited), Superman/Doomsday is an unprecedented animated movie having been conveyed a PG-13 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America for its action violence. Superman/Doomsday pushes the envelope in its interpretation of the death of the Man of Steel, his rebirth, and eventual ascension back as the guardian of the city of Metropolis.

Actors James Marsters (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Adam Baldwin (Turistas) take over from Superman: The Animated Series voice talents’ Clancy Brown and Tim Daly and give a “new voice” to the maniacal and cunning Lex Luthor and Superman. Actress Anne Heche (Six Days Seven Nights; Psycho (1998); and Men In Trees) seems to also hold her own as reporter Lois Lane.

Overall, if you are willing to divest yourselves from established comic book cannon, this DVD is highly recommended!

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Category: Books
Genre: Comics & Graphic Novels
Author: Bruce Jones
Artist: Sean Murphy

Batman: Scarecrow Year One is a must read for any Batman fan

Published simultaneously with “Batman: Ra’s Ah-Ghul Year One” to coincide with the release of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins (which featured the aforementioned Batman arch villains). Batman: Scarecrow Year One is brilliantly illustrated by Sean Murphy and masterfully written by Bruce Jones, who takes his readers on a journey into the origins of dishonored Dr. Jonathan Keeny Crane as well as insight into the recesses of the Dynamic Duo’s fears.

Jones lends his expansive vocabulary and wit to Jonathan Keeny Crane aka “The Scarecrow” (who uses words and terms throughout the two books such as “elliptical ways,” “darkly introspective,” “bevy,” “emancipated whelp,” “furtive,” “digress,” “implausible,” “erudite,” and “debauchery” just to name a few) which I have not seen since Bob Kane’s Batman stories, the 1960’s Adam West and Burt Ward Batman television show, and Mark Waid’s and Alex Ross’ “Kingdom Come.”

I also enjoyed the interplay between the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder, with the latter truly being a “Watson” to the former (“Homes”) in the eyes of Jones. Subtle humor could also be seen throughout the books as Batman playfully treats Robin as just that—a boy.

Batman: Scarecrow Year One’s Robin could be no older than 17-year’s old (based on his “advances” to a receptionist under the guise of “The Hammer”), but Jones gives Robin insight beyond his years (“garrulous mood,” “immaculate,” “aboretum,” and “visceral guilt” are just some the words in Robin’s equally expansive vocabulary) based on a number of references to his training under the tutelage of The Batman (“What’s the FIRST thing I taught you, Robin?” said Batman. He then added, “Everything’s a clue…no matter how insignificant.”)

Batman: Scarecrow Year One is a must read for any Batman fan—new and old. It involves very few of the familiar “Bam!” “Pow!” and “Splat!” fisticuffs as it focuses on traditional detective work which only Caped Crusaders can provide.

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Series: Batman: The Animated Series (1992)
Episode: “Beware The Grey Ghost” (Season 1, Episode 18)
Original Air Date: November 4, 1992

The Grey Ghost (Adam West) meets The Batman (Kevin Conroy)

“Beware The Grey Ghost” (Episode #18) is featured on Volume One of Batman: The Animated Series (DC Comics Classic Collection) (1992) DVD.

After a series of unexplained yet blatant acts of arson, The Dark Knight awakes with memories of a television program that “he and his father” would stay up and watch during his youth—The Grey Ghost.

The following morning as Bruce Wayne, The Batman investigates this lead and enlists the assistance of a reluctant Simon Trent—who was the fictional actor that played The Grey Ghost (voiced by Adam West). With Trent’s help, The Batman discovers that an episode of The Grey Ghost (entitled “The Mad Bomber”) bore uncanny similarities to the Gotham City arsonist.

From there, the clues begin to fall into place and lead the duo of Batman and Trent (now clad in his Grey Ghost costume) straight to their adversary (voiced by Batman: The Animated Series creator Bruce Timm), whom they eventually bring to justice.

This is one episode of Batman: The Animated Series that I can never get tired of watching as it not only gives fans a glimpse of Bruce Wayne’s childhood, but also reveals a more human side to The Dark Knight.

Yes. Even The Batman had his idols.

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Series: The Batman (2004)
Episode: “Vertigo” (Season 5, Episode 55)
Original Air Date: October 6, 2007
Date Watched: January 1, 2008 (DVD)

Green Arrow and Batman take the Batmobile for a spin

Characters:

Usual Suspects:

Alfred and Robin

Origins:

Oliver Queen/Green Arrow and Count Vertigo

Baddies:

Count Vertigo and his Vertigo resistant henchmen

Cameos:

Oliver Queen

Key Events:

Star City’s Green Arrow (another rich boy’s) very convenient origin episode that seems to pay tribute to Robert Zemeckis’ “Cast Away.” Wherein Oli, stranded on some desolate island (with absolute nothing to do it seems), develops an extraordinary talent for wielding a bow.

Is it just me, or does everyone now seem to know the connection between Bruce and Batman? First Alfred (and in Episode 51, it turns out that Lucious was in on it as well), Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, Dick Grayson/Robin, Detective J’onn J’onzz/The Martian Manhunter (read Batman’s mind), Clark Kent/Superman (used his X-ray vision), and now Oliver Queen/Green Arrow (Made the association after seeing Alfred in The Cave).

Brief synopsis:

In The Brave and Bold comic book fashion, The Batman (and Robin) team up with Green Arrow to bring Count Vertigo to justice.

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Category: Movies
Genre: Action & Adventure

Green is still Green, whichever way you look at it.

Not too far removed from his success with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Director Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Brokeback Mountain) couldn’t have chosen a more difficult undertaking than 2003’s box office disappointment—(based on how much they actually spent to make this film) The Hulk.

Seriously, there really isn’t a lot of cinematic material to work with when it comes to a character that usually focuses on the most basic tenets of needs like anger, safety, love, and fear. In addition, the concept of being gifted with seemingly unearthly strength yet cursed with a feeble intelligence is a surefire way to glue patrons of all ages to their seats.

However, Lee may have taken this as a challenge and shook things up by doing away with The Hulk’s crude comic origins (that of Bruce Banner being belted by gamarays while attempting to save the life of civilian Rick Jones) in lieu of a more modern approach with elements such as genetic experimentation, gamarays, nanomites, domestic violence, and repressed emotions that combine to bring this cinematic and computer generated version of Marvel’s dark-haired green-skinned Goliath to life.

I don’t buy it.

Green is still Green, whichever way you look at it.

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Series: The Batman (2004)
Episode: “The Batman/Superman Story” (Season 5, Episode 53 & 54)
Original Air Date: September 22, 2007 (Episode 1); September 29, 2007 (Episode 2)
Date Watched: January 1, 2008 (DVD)

The World's Finest = Batman/Superman

Characters:

Usual Suspects:

Lucious Fox and Robin

Origins:

Robin’s Jetpack and The new Bat-Bot

Baddies:

Lex Luthor, Mercy Graves, Ariel Wireless Transmitters (AWT), and Lex’s own personal “Daddy” AWT.

Cameos:

Metallo, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Black Mask, Bane, The New Clayface, Mr. Freeze, and Poison Ivy.

Key Events:

Batman’s idea of trusting others in his fight against crime becomes more evident. Superman uses his X-Ray vision to “unmask” Batman. He also entrusts Metallo’s Kryptonite to Batman and reconsidered his decision to join the Justice League at the end of the episode.

Brief synopsis:

Batman and a Ivy/Lex controlled Superman face off (Inspired by Lee and Loeb’s “Hush”? And Miller’s “Dark Knight Returns”). The World’s Greatest Detective discovers the secret identity of Superman by consolidating (The Daily Planet and Metropolis Garden Apartments) the “supersonic disturbances” generated by the Man of Steel himself (All to easy). Lois doesn’t think much of Clark, yet they live an apartment away from each other (Lois resides in Apartment #1009, while Clark’s is at #1011)

Robin’s “Asta la Vista, Baby” along with Metallo’s exposed hand in the garbage compactor pays tribute to James Cameron’s Terminator 2.

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Now playing: Michael Hunter – Soviet Connection (The Theme From Grand Theft Auto IV)
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Series: The Batman (2004)
Episode: Two of a Kind (Season 4, Episode 47)
Original Air Date: February 24, 2007
Date Watched: December 28, 2007 (Cartoon Network)

The duo of Bruce Timm and Paul Dini created Harley Quinn/Dr. Harleen Quinzel for Batman The Animated Series

Harley Quinn/Dr. Harleen Quinzel Creator and Writer Paul Dini takes control once again of the character that he created (along with fellow Batman: The Animated Series Creator and Writer Bruce Timm) fifteen years ago by retelling her origin in the episode “Two of a Kind.”

Quinzel (Hynden Walch) is a television psychologist this time around (a step back from her days as a psychiatrist in Batman: The Animated Series (1992)) who is humiliated by the live cancellation of her talk show. This catastrophic event leaves Quinzel longing for an opportunity to redeem herself to the public by writing a “tell all” book on The Joker.

The Joker takes Quinzel (guised now as Harley Quinn) “on a night out in Gotham” in order for her to observe his pathology. Chaos then ensues before The Batman, Robin, and Batgirl finally intervene and avert the dastardly plans of The Joker and Harley Quinn.

Harley Quinn/Dr. Harleen Quinzel:

Inspired by Paul Dini’s love for the character of Calliope Jones (Arleen Sorkin) on television series Days of our Lives, Dini invites Sorkin to voice Harley Quinn–The first and only Batman: The Animated Series character to make the transition from celluloid to comics.

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Now playing: Shirley Walker – Batman Beyond End Credits
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Category: Movies
Genre: Animation

It’s a “streamline” origin story.- Timster

Longtime “shell head” fans may not be open to this interpretation of their tin hero

And my bro was right.

However, longtime “shell head” fans may not be open to this interpretation of their tin hero and would most likely be abhorrently disappointed with the incorporation of James “Rhodey” Rhodes (voiced superbly by Rodney Saulsberry) into Tony Stark’s figurative transformation into Iron Man (voiced by Marc Worden who is no stranger to the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man with 2006’s Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers II under his belt.), The Mandarin’s power rings (or lack of), and the disgusting convenience and progression of the Mark01 armor as well as Tony’s other proverbial “toys for the big boys.”

Overall, it was entertaining—despite the potential gaff in interpreting the Chinese “demon elementals” as Western elements (air, earth, fire, and water instead of earth, fire, metal, water, and wood), I have nothing but praise for the voice actors as I believe Gwendoline Yeo (voiced Li Mei), Fred Tatasciore (The Mandarin), John McCook (Howard Stark), Elisa Gabrielli (Virginia ‘Pepper’ Pots) and the aforementioned Saulsberry and Worde played their roles to the hilt.

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Category: Comics
Company: Marvel Comics
Year: 1993 (November-December)
Title: Spider-Man 2099
Issue(s): 12-14

“Somebody with some modicum of intelligence fill me in…NOW!” – Tyler Stone

Thanatos pulls Net Prophet into 2099 A.D.

Focusing on Spider-Man 2099 issues 12-14 (October-December 1993), writer Peter David and penciled by Rick Leonardi (Issues 12 & 13)/Tom Grindberg (Issue 14) introduce the dimensional refugee called “Net Prophet” to the world of 2099. The story begins when a commandeered Alchemax project known as “The Virtual Unreality Program,” succeeds in recreating “some of the forgotten work of Reed Richards” and brings “Proph” to 2099.

The Net Prophet’s arrival is hardly a coincidence and seems to be part of much larger machinations by the story arcs’ antagonist (Thanatos) who incapacitates Proph and propels Spider-man 2099 and himself into the Interspace dimension (described as “a place one stop removed from the nexus of all realities.”) wherein the latter true power is revealed.

However, with the timely manifestation of Proph’s psionic abilities, he comes to the aid of Spider-Man who in turn assists Net Prophet in his rehabilitation and initial acculturation to the present period.

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