Ed Johnson Presents DC News

CAT-BAT

2012-02-02T19:18:00.000-05:00

"Cat-Bat" by Lorenzo Nuti aka LorenzoNuti / lorenzonuti

Woah, great composition and perspective!

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The New DC Comics Logo

2012-02-02T16:21:00.000-05:00

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Thank You Buy Back Time

2012-02-02T14:53:00.001-05:00

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Read a preview of Batman and Robin, starring Bruce Wayne's ninja assassin son! [Batman]

2012-02-01T17:52:00.001-05:00

One of the newer cast members in theBatman comics has been Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul's semi-sociopathic offspring. Since his birth, Damian has been trained in the art of murder by the League of Assassins. Damian's mellowed considerably since taking up the mantle of Robin, but he's still a pint-sized rebel.

In this exclusive sneak peek of the next issue of DC Comics' Batman and Robin, Damian's run away from Wayne Manor and teamed up with Nobody, the vigilante son of Batman's mentor Henri Ducard. It's a far cry from toilet-papering Commissioner Gordon's house.

This issue hits stores next Wednesday, February 8. Here's the plot synopsis:

Batman and Robin #6
Written by Peter J. Tomasi
Art and cover by Patrick Gleason and Mick Gray
As the bond between Batman and Robin deteriorates, Robin is forced by NoBody to make a life and death decision – and Batman's hunt through Gotham City to find them reaches a soul-searing moment that will push Batman to the edge!

Gotham City Impostors: BETA Gameplay Live! (Playstation 3)

2012-02-01T16:55:00.001-05:00

DC ENTERTAINMENT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES BEFORE WATCHMEN

2012-02-01T15:38:00.004-05:00

This summer, DC Entertainment will publish all-new stories expanding on the acclaimed "Watchmen" universe. As highly anticipated as they are controversial, the seven inter-connected prequel mini-series will build on the foundation of the original "Watchmen," the bestselling graphic novel of all time. Before Watchmen will be the collective banner for all seven titles, from DC Comics.

"It's our responsibility as publishers to find new ways to keep all of our characters relevant," said DC Entertainment Co-Publishers Dan DiDio and Jim Lee. "After twenty five years, the Watchmen are classic characters whose time has come for new stories to be told. We sought out the best writers and artists in the industry to build on the complex mythology of the original."

Stepping up to the challenge is a group of the comic book industry's most iconoclastic writers and artists – including Brian Azzarello ("100 Bullets"), Lee Bermejo ("Joker"), Amanda Conner ("Power Girl"), Darwyn Cooke ("Justice League: New Frontier"), John Higgins ("Watchmen"), Adam Hughes ("Catwoman"), J.G. Jones ("Final Crisis"), Andy Kubert ("Flashpoint"), Joe Kubert ("Sgt. Rock"), Jae Lee ("Batman: Jekyll and Hyde"), J. Michael Straczynski ("Superman: Earth One") and Len Wein ("Swamp Thing").

Before Watchmen includes:

RORSCHACH (4 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: Lee Bermejo

MINUTEMEN (6 issues) – Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke

COMEDIAN (6 issues) – Writer: Brian Azzarello. Artist: J.G. Jones

DR. MANHATTAN (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artist: Adam Hughes

NITE OWL (4 issues) – Writer: J. Michael Straczynski. Artists: Andy and Joe Kubert

OZYMANDIAS (6 issues) – Writer: Len Wein. Artist: Jae Lee

SILK SPECTRE (4 issues) – Writer: Darwyn Cooke. Artist: Amanda Conner

Each week, a new issue will be released, and will feature a two-page back-up story called CURSE OF THE CRIMSON CORSAIR, written by original series editor Len Wein and with art by original series colorist John Higgins. There will also be a single issue, BEFORE WATCHMEN: EPILOGUE, featuring the work of various writers and artists, and a CRIMSON CORSAIR story by Wein and Higgins.

"The original series of 'Watchmen' is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC's reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire," said Dave Gibbons, "Watchmen" co-creator and original series artist.

"Comic books are perhaps the largest and longest running form of collaborative fiction," said DiDio and Lee. "Collaborative storytelling is what keeps these fictional universes current and relevant."

Additional artwork thanks to EW, CBR, THR and Wired:

Stephen Amell Cast as Green Arrow for CW's 'Arrow' Pilot

2012-02-01T00:30:00.001-05:00

The CW seems to be moving along rather speedily on its potential live action Green Arrow TV series. According to Deadline, Canadian actor Stephen Amell has been cast as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow in the network's Arrow pilot, which is based on the DC Comics superhero. Director David Nutter (who also directed the Smallville pilot, as well as more recent episodes of Game of Thrones) will be helming the pilot, which seems solid enough conceptually: Spoiled rich kid gets stuck on island, learns archery to survive, comes home a changed dude and fights crime with his new skills and technology. The ambiguous "technology" term is a little concerning considering GA's use of a creepy voice modulator thing on Smallville. So far, however, no robots have officially been cast for a voice modulator role in Arrow.

I don't know a ton about Amell aside from what's on his IMDB, but I do know there's a lot of shirtless images of the dude on the internet that prove he can do a mean set of crunches -- like, probably the kind a billionaire playboy would learn while stranded on a jungle island for a few years? At any rate, his Twitter feed demonstrates he's got a pretty good sense of humor, so hopefully the pilot's script will let him make Ollie (at least partially) jolly.

[Via Deadline]

Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/01/31/green-arrow-pilot-stephen-amell/#ixzz1l6aTPd3O

The 5 Most Ridiculously Sexist Superhero Costumes

2012-01-31T21:16:00.001-05:00

Luke McKinney
January 31, 2012

Female superhero costumes are the comic industry's "No Cooties" signs: They prove that the people who designed them think about girls (a lot) but don't really know how they work and are making sure it stays that way. I am not an enlightened man. I consider the wipe-clean cheerleader costume a greater advance in clothing technology than the spacesuit. But the only "strong" in many "strong female comic book characters" are the oblique muscles required to point their ass and boobs in the same direction.

Marvel
Psylocke's buttocks are like the Mona Lisa's eyes, they follow you no matter what angle you're looking from.

Behold five characters whose costumes are so impossibly, illogically sexual that they look like they were designed by M.C. Escher after he didn't get laid for 20 years.

#5. Power Girl

Charged with making a female Superman, Power Girl's costume designer's only thoughts were "breasts" and "done." They'd already given Supergirl a miniskirt (and, as a consequence, the entire population of Metropolis got a panty shot). With Power Girl, they upped the ante and opened a tit-window. Most spandex heroes have a symbol on their chest summarizing their character, and so does Power Girl: an empty hole full of cleavage.

DC
Check out the empowerment on that!

There is no counterargument. Fans and writers have tried to explain Power Girl's breast-viewing port several times, and each theory is more ridiculously unsupported than the breasts they're attempting to justify.

DC
And why doesn't her costume inflate when she flies?

The most common (and ridiculous) explanation is, "I am strong and empowered and therefore love being naked and stared at." You know, the same reason Superman flies around in a thong. One writer claims it's to show that she's healthy, so we can only be grateful that Krypton never discovered gynecology. Another is the idea of distracting villains, because when you mainly fight robots and aliens and can punch through a tank, your best weapon is nudity. Oh, and the absolute best explanation:

DC
"I show off my tits because I'm such a dumb blonde I can't even finish my own clothes. I also cry. Girls do that, right?"

DC have made it very clear that they consider the rest of Power Girl a superpowered breast-delivery service ("Faster than a speeding bullet! Bigger than a human head!"). They once changed her entire back story from solar superpowered alien to magical Atlantean and back again, and the only thing that stayed constant was the hole in the costume.

DC
Even on-panel you have a disappointed girl and a ridiculously pleased baby-faced manchild.

#4. Starfire's Reboot

Starfire has always been the Captain Kirkiest character, a brightly colored alien demanding to be shown "more of this Earth thing called love," but her latest iteration is about as sexy as a speculum. It's certainly going for the right place, but it's so cold and clinically aimed that only those who've given up on regular sex could enjoy it.

DC
I'm not saying the designers view women as sexual targets, but she has big glowing red weak points to help you aim at her throat and crotch.

Of course, in the story that revealed her costume, she spent most of her time nude and bikini-clad, presumably because that was the only way to make her costume look reasonable.

DC
This is basically her new costume. And personality. And motivation.

Note the character actually telling you, "If you have a problem with this, you're totally a prude." In 2011, DC rebooted their universe to attract a new market*, and their rebooted Starfire made sure the new demographic wouldn't contain ovaries.

*Because their existing one is famous for hating change and not multiplying.

DC
The site isn't playing saxophone music. You're just hearing it anyway.

Critics have pointed out that the original Starfire was always polyamorous, but that's like saying the original Superman could only jump really high. Starfire is now best known for the Teen Titans cartoon, which had 2 million viewers, aka 20 times more people than were buying her comics. So many of her biggest fans were young schoolgirls, the market demographic least likely to read comics and most likely to be warned to stay away from people who do. The TV show's version of Starfire was an awkward-but-hopeful shy girl who wanted to be cool and make friends. She was a positive character who allowed awkward-but-hopeful shy fans to insert themselves into the show. The comic's decision to take the same character in a much creepier "I'd like to insert myself" direction couldn't have been more poorly timed.

DC
The new direction is "Literally break your own spine to aim breasts at male eyes."

Her rewritten back story apparently had her coming from the planet Penthouse Letter. Her ignorance of human conversation manifested itself via thinking it's unnecessary to know someone's name before having sex. The rest of the team are already bragging about who's ridden the interplanetary bicycle in the first issue, in the middle of a firefight in which she's saving them. I understand the direction they're going for, but come on, guys, we already have the Internet for porn.

#3. Wonder Woman's "Compassion"

Wonder Woman preserves 1940s sexism like a chunk of amber in a bustier, exploited by modern artists to reanimate terrible extinct ideas in some sort of Chauvinist Park. Her weapon AND weakness are both bondage --she has a magic lasso and can be kept hostage if she's tied up, but only if it's by a man. Ninety years after women were allowed to vote, she wasn't allowed to wear a jacket because the fans complained too much. That happened in 2010, and the general consensus was that she should consider herself lucky she's allowed to wear pants in public (and that the "fans" are actual cavemen).

DC
Damn those feminazis, we can only barely see that the breasts are bigger than her head!

As Seanbaby will tell you, Wonder Woman's classic outfit makes her look like a cross between a stripper and a stripper who can't afford enough clothes to get to work. And that's not the outfit we're looking at.

A recent comic story line featured an "emotional spectrum" of Green Lantern rings based on different colors: red rings use rage, yellow rings use fear and violet rings use weaponized male relationship anxiety. The all-female Star Sapphires use the rings to steal superheroes, encasing them in the wonderful brainwashing power of love until they don't want to hang out with their old friends anymore. And while every color ring puts the kidnapped character in the same "skintight with highlights" look, the Sapphires decided to forgo that "tight" bit and just paint Wonder Woman in a few places:

DC
DC's website makes Total Recall's stance on gratuitous boobs look conservative.

The costume was so ridiculously naked that another version had to use her iconic WW logo to hold her boobs, facing toward the camera. This shows that at least her designer's subconscious is good at making clothes suitable for their intended purpose.

If you're thinking near-total nudity is just the Star Sapphires' thing, here's their gender politics with a male Star Sapphire.

DC
I've had dreams like this, too, but I don't draw and sell them in public.

In a climactic battle in the recent Blackest Night event, the Sapphire ring lets Wonder Woman triumph over the black ring of death itself because of her feelings of love for Batman. Even in a life-or-death struggle, the most famous female comic character in history is only allowed to live because she wants to bang a man. Though in fairness, wanting to sleep with Batman isn't sexist.

Warner Bros Pictures, DC Comics, Polygram Filmed Entertainment, though we're not 100% those guys actually want credit for this

He knows everyone wants to touch them.

Five Unexpected Events in AQUAMAN #5

2012-01-30T17:10:00.001-05:00

Five Unexpected Events in AQUAMAN #5:

For years, Aquaman has been the butt of many jokes. Despite this, he has been moving up in terms of popularity. Geoff Johns has been working on bringing the character to new heights (or perhaps we should say new depths...below the ocean) and Aquaman isn't the same character he used to be. Since his return before the launch of the "New 52" in the Brightest Day story arc, Aquaman is becoming more than just a character that swims around and 'talks' to the fish.

As is the case with many of the "New 52" titles, there are often some surprising outcomes as we discover what elements of the characters have changed and what remains the same. AQUAMAN #5 is setting the stage for the next story arc but we witnessed several interesting situations. If you haven't already, be sure to read the issue as there will be some spoilers below.
== TEASER ==

Aquaman in the Middle of the Desert

Where would you expect the typical Aquaman story to take place? Often they occur deep beneath the ocean or at least close to a body of water of some sort. That wasn't the case in this issue. After being beaten down a little and thrown from an aircraft, Aquaman found himself in the middle of a desert. Normally this wouldn't be too big of a deal for a superhero but Aquaman is someone that depends on water. His body needs it.
At least this time in the desert allowed him to do some self reflecting on who he is and where he's going. In other words, he did a little hallucinating which provided some insight into his character.

The "A" Doesn't Stand for "Aquaman"

Since his debut seventy years ago, Aquaman has pretty much always brandish a big "A" on his belt buckle. Coming from royalty, a little bit of arrogance wouldn't be a surprise. Then again, as a superhero, this could be similar to Superman wearing the "S" emblem on his chest. Superheroes usually have a symbol as part of their costumes.
It turns out the "A" actually stands for "Atlantis." This makes perfect sense as the symbol has been seen in other areas. Aquaman might be the hero of the ocean but it wouldn't make sense for his symbol to be everywhere.

Aquaman Has Super-Hearing

Aquaman does more than just swim around. He's always possessed several enhanced abilities. In the first issue of this series, we saw his skin is bullet proof. This is logical as his body needs to be able to withstand the crushing forces of the deep ocean.
Of course he has some super-strength as well. Swimming in those crushing depths would take some effort. He can swim at high speeds and has even been shown able to leap farther than a normal person on land.
Going along with the strength he has had great stamina in order to do all that swimming around. What we haven't really seen before was the idea that he had super-hearing. If you've ever been underwater, you know sound travels a little differently than when you are on land. There's also the effects of the water and the pressure on his eardrums and so forth. We don't know the extend of how powerful his hearing is but perhaps we will see it mentioned more often.

Aquaman Gave Up the Throne for Mera

Aquaman has often been known as the King of Atlantis. Even in JUSTICE LEAGUE when he comes out of the water, he mentions the effects of Darkseid's plan being felt in his city. Aquaman has lost his throne before but it's mentioned here that he actually gave it up for Mera. She comes from a questionable past. We saw a lot recently during BRIGHTEST DAY and now Aquaman has chosen to live on the surface with her in a lighthouse in Amnesty Bay.
If Aquaman gave up the throne and walked (swam) away from Atlantis, who is in charge now?

Someone Sunk Atlantis

Atlantis is the lost civilization that used to be on the surface but somehow ended up at the bottom of the ocean. Whether it was a natural occurrence or the results of a dastardly plan, there haven't been a lot of stories dealing with the city's origins. Through an ancient piece of Atlantean technology, Aquaman is able to view a recorded message. Atlantis was attacked. Their "enemy" was attacked by someone using the ocean against them.

What we have to wonder now is how long ago did this happen? The piece of tech Aquaman examines is supposed to be centuries old. It also contained the recorded message. If Atlantis was attacked and sunk, who was responsible? Is this knowledge that is unknown to the people of today's Atlantis? What does this have to do with the Trench and why was there a shadowy monstrous face outside Aquaman's window during the storm in the middle of the night?
Some of these answers may have been answered before but as with the rest of the DCU in the "New 52," there's a lot that's changing and being rewritten. The fun part is being able to witness it all as it happens for "the first time." With the history of Atlantis now about to be explored, we're bound to be treated to even more revelations about Aquaman.

When Words Collide - Thoughts on Nobody: Tomasi & Gleason's "Batman & Robin"

2012-01-30T16:37:00.001-05:00

Is anyone paying attention to this comic?

Five issues into its relaunch, Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason's "Batman and Robin" wins the coveted Better-Than-I-Expected award out of the crop of the new 52. And I expected to enjoy it from the beginning, but it has catapulted into my arbitrarily constructed meta-list of Top 5 ongoing superhero comics over the winter mostly because it looks great and it zings along nicely. But also because it's a weirdly layered comic, not in a particularly literary or preeningly sophisticated manner, but in a way that makes me wonder, "wait, is the iconography really supposed to imply that? And is this an allusion to that other thing? Huh!"

Part of me is trying to get a handle on exactly what this series is -- even though it's not obviously complex or seemingly difficult to parse -- and another part of me just wants to enjoy the ride. So I'm grappling with it, conflicted in my responses to each issue, and yet it always rises back up to my list of favorites when I think back to the question of what I'm really enjoying in mainstream superhero comics these days.

"Batman and Robin" tends to get drowned out in the discussions of whatever is new and cool and interesting. It's not "Prophet" or "Glory" or "Daredevil" or "Uncanny X-Force." It even gets ignored when people are talking about Batman comics. It's not Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham coming back to tell their "Batman, Inc." tale -- that won't happen until April. It's not Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's extended Court of Owls mystery/epic that's currently running in "Batman." It's not the wonky atrocities of David Finch or Tony Daniel in "Batman: The Dark Knight" or "Detective Comics."

No, the Tomasi/Gleason "Batman and Robin" series is like that neighbor of yours who you don't really know at all. He seems pleasant enough, likable even, but you just assume you don't have much in common with him. But it turns out he's actually pretty weird, and has some strange obsessions that are kind of fascinating, and his collection of 1970s diner placemats sparks a whole discussion that intersects with your passion for Filmation superhero cartoons from your youth. You hit it off, you and your odd but fun neighbor, even if you aren't best pals for life. Oh, and he dresses really well, but you don't hold that against him.

One of the secret weapons of "Batman and Robin" is inker Mick Gray. Here's what Mick Gray has done in the past: make J. H. Williams's work on "Promethea" look even more amazing, make Ryan Sook's "Seven Soldiers: Zatanna" look even more amazing, make Marco Rudy's "The Shield" look more like J. H. Williams and Ryan Sook's work and therefore amazing. And though he's inked Pat Gleason in the past, their collaboration here looks, you guessed it, amazing.

It's a goofy, dark, rubbery, grungy, serious, dynamic, playful look to the art, from issue #1 through issue #5. I don't know if they had extra lead time before the relaunch (it's likely they did, since this opening arc could very well have been planned to follow up their pre-relaunch "Batman and Robin" arc) or if Gleason and Gray are just fast (which may be true as well, given their history of regular production), but there's a comforting sense of continuity with this art team, even as they draw some pretty horrible stuff happening on the page.

As impressed as I've been with Greg Capullo's visuals on "Batman" -- particularly the most recent, topsy-turvy issue-- the Gleason/Gray "Batman and Robin" is the best-looking of all the Bat-books since the relaunch. So it's worth a look even if just for that, though the art works best when actually read as part of the story. Gleason is a strong storyteller, and Gray nails the mood, so they're constantly in service of what needs to be told, but, yeah, there are some great single images as well, like the establishing shot of the rusty old clunker at the abandoned drive in theater or the final scene of Damian at the Wayne cemetery.

And Peter Tomasi's story? It goes something like this:

A masked killer, going by the name "Nobody," murders the Batman-of-Russia, and declares himself to be a monster hunter of sorts -- beginning the process of erasing Batman's global army of franchisees. Meanwhile, the Damian Wayne/Bruce Wayne dynamic deepens, and the father/son theme bounces through several permutations within the Wayne household, as the presence of the wise and fatherly Alfred provides a third perspective. And, to emphasize the theme even more, it turns out that Nobody is anything but anonymous. He's Morgan Ducard, the son of Henri Ducard, the detective-mentor of Bruce Wayne right before he assumed the Batman mantle.

So when Nobody makes it his mission to destroy Batman's global reach by eliminating the Bat-men of other lands, it's a personal vendetta, as the young Ducard attempts to cripple the influence of Batman -- the man who stole his father away from him.

And to amplify it even more, Ducard/Nobody lures the already criminally-inclined Damian over to his side, becoming a father figure (on secret patrol -- ultra-violent secret patrol) to Bruce Wayne's child. The spurned son (Nobody) replaces the father (Batman) to corrupt a son (Robin) as a way of hurting Bruce Wayne (who, of course, he knows is Batman).

It's a clear conflict, rich in meaning and personal relationships, but Tomasi weaves it through a story that has incredible action and potentially tragic consequence.

But if it were just that, "Batman and Robin" would be merely good. And while merely good would make it readable and possibly entertaining and better than half of the other superhero comics available on a weekly basis, it wouldn't get it stuck in my brain the way this Tomasi/Gleason/Gray series ends up getting lodged up there, along with the "Drive" soundtrack and the late Golden Age work of Basil Wolverton.

First, let's address the cover imagery. Issues #1 and #3 are standard superhero covers with action poses or fighting freeze-frames, but the other three covers are compellingly odd. Of the three remaining, the cover for #5 is the most generic, at first glance, but it's really a masterful image, even if understated. It shows Nobody and Robin, crouching atop the Bat-signal, but besides the solid poses and clean rendering, what makes it work is that Robin's cape sways back around Nobody and curls upward, giving the villainous pseudo-father a hint of a scalloped Bat-cape all his own. And then there's the most important touch -- the outstretched arm and poised hand of Nobody, who is either balancing himself or preparing to clutch Robin in a protective grasp. Or he may be getting ready to wrap his arm around Robin's neck, like a maniac holding a hostage. The pose implies all of those possibilities, and that's what gives it its power.

The cover of "Batman and Robin" #2 is a radically-foreshortened Batmobile racing toward the reader, looking like a snout and eyes and the tail fins seem to be ears. It looks shockingly like Cerebus the aardvark from Dave Sim's controversial opus. Or some bizarre twist on Nemesis the Warlock from "2000 AD." I don't know what to make of any of that, but there's certainly plenty to say about masculine roles and hubris if it's a "Cerebus" allusion, and plenty of say about dynamic oddness if it's "Nemesis," and yet it might have nothing to do with either. Sure is a strange-looking cover for a Batman comic, though.

But then there's the cover of issue #4. Bats. A city-scape. A reflection in the watery abyss, but what is that image in the center. Is that Robin screaming and clawing his way out of…a Bat-gina? What the heck? A violent birth image of Damian Wayne squeezing himself out of a virtual Batman-head cervix and out through the nether regions of Gotham? I can't see that cover and interpret it any differently, mostly because that's exactly what it looks like, and because it is the ultimate metaphor for the themes within this series. But, yes, what a shockingly unconventional cover image for a DC superhero comic of any era.

The covers only give you a hint at the kinds of storytelling choices inside each issue, but there are gems on the interior pages as well, from the Pat Gleason/Mick Gray depiction of the Batman-of-Russia as some unholy visual combination of Batman, Bane, and the KGBeast to the physicality of Morgan Ducard in the Nobody role. Nobody is like a high-tech superspy/ninja/assassin, but his helmet is dotted with sensors, giving him a spider-like appearance. While purely a visual motif, the look underscores that Nobody is snaring his prey in this web he has constructed, even if he's not literally shooting anything out of his wrist bands.

There's the scene at the abandoned drive in, and then the murderous secret between Nobody and Robin. There's the battle of determinism vs. free will and nature vs. nurture and the moral dilemma around what to do to finally put an end the most sickening kind of evil. Shadows of Bruce Wayne's past coming to haunt him in the present without any kind of radical revamp of what has already occurred.

And then there's the master villain -- Nobody, himself. An Odysseus allusion, perhaps? After all, Odysseus called himself "NoMan" or "Nobody" when confronting Polyphemus the Cyclops, only to reveal his true identity so he could brag about how he, Odysseus, was the smartest man alive. Nobody, in "Batman and Robin" immediately reveals his true identity to his rival, seemingly to revel in his ability to outsmart the legendary Batman.

But in the very first issue of the series, it's not Odysseus, or Homer, who comes to mind, it's Emily Dickinson, as an incapacitated victim grunts, "…who are you…?" and gets the reply, "I'm Nobody. And so are you."

Dickinson famously wrote the following eight lines:

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us — don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

Is that the origin of the Nobody name in this "Batman and Robin" series? It seems unlikely, mostly because Dickinson feels like a strange choice for the inspiration for anything Batman-related. And this meek poem of isolation and retreat is hardly the fodder for super-villainy. And yet…doesn't Batman himself keep his identity a secret from his "admiring bog" of Gotham? Is Tomasi mocking the relationship between Batman and the people he protects? Or is Tomasi ironically using a Dickinson poem to subvert the manly manliness of the Batman archetype, even as he brings in Nobody, who is seemingly even better than Batman at doing manly stuff. Like acting as a father-figure to Damian. And teaching the boy how to really get rid of criminals for good. In the manliest way possible.

I know that it's likely that Dickinson's poem was not in Tomasi's mind at all when he added the Nobody character to the story, and I know that these allusions are more like coincidental reminders. But the convergences exist, coincidental or not, and there is something repeatedly off-kilter about this "Batman and Robin." Something that opens up the possibility for more pockets of meaning, more dank corners of insight, than you might normally expect to see in a superhero series from the DC Entertainment conglomerate.

A suggested advertising slogan: "‘Batman and Robin,' More Than Just a Friendly, Slightly Creepy Neighbor You Don't Know Very Well!"

Anyway, check it out, and let me know what you think.

In addition to writing reviews and columns for COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, Timothy Callahan is the author of "Grant Morrison: The Early Years" and editor of "Teenagers from the Future: Essays on the Legion of Super-Heroes" anthology. More of his thoughts on comics can be seen regularly at the Geniusboy Firemelon blog.

Phil Morris Reprises Vandal Savage for "Justice League: Doom"

2012-01-30T16:34:00.002-05:00

It's a busy time for Phil Morris.

Easily recognizable to sitcom viewers as the hilariously slimy lawyer Jackie Chiles on Seinfeld, and renowned throughout the fanboy realm as J'onn J'onzz/Martian Manhunter on Smallville, Morris is splitting his time this February celebrating his latest triumphs.

Morris is a NAACP Image Award nominee in the category of Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for Love That Girl! While he prepares for the awards ceremony and all of its requisite celebrity gatherings, Morris is also making time to attend both the New York (2/13) and Los Angeles (2/16) premieres of Justice League: Doom.

The consummate nice guy, Morris shifts to a darker, villainous approach for Justice League: Doom as he reprises his Justice League animated television series role as the immortal Vandal Savage. Morris is one of nine actors returning to the booth to record their original roles.

Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, the all-new, PG-13 rated Justice League: Doom arrives February 28, 2012 from Warner Home Video as a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD, On Demand and for Download. Both the Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack and DVD will include an UltraViiolet™ Digital Copy.

Justice League: Doom finds Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Cyborg and Batman on their heels when a team of super villains – orchestrated by Vandal Savage -- discover and implement the Dark Knight's "contingency plans" for stopping any rogue Justice League member. The story is inspired by Mark Waid's much-heralded "JLA: Tower of Babel," and scripted by the late Dwayne McDuffie.

Morris is more than just an actor with a tendency to perform in fanboy-centric productions -- he is a devout fan of the genre and its comic book origins. His comics collection exceeds 20,000 and includes gems like a 1948 "Captain America," issues 1-18 of "Silver Surfer," the first 20 Barry Windsor-Smith issues of "Conan," and many of the original run of the "Fantastic Four." "It goes back pretty far,' Morris says. "I collect to this day."

Prepping for the onslaught of reporters' queries on the red carpets on both coasts prior to the premieres of Justice League: Doom, Morris welcomed the opportunity to answer a few questions about Vandal Savage, comics collecting, and the possibility of someday voicing his Smallville character Martian Manhunter in an animated form. Read on…

WARNER ANIMATION:
What's the mindset of Vandal Savage, and what's been the joy of playing this role?

PHIL MORRIS:
Vandal Savage is an immortal who has been around the human species for all time. He's extremely intelligent – he's incredibly evolved because of contact with a meteor that landed in his village. And he's always trying to overthrow the world. His vision is that the world should be his, as many of these despots feel. But he feels that because he's lived so long, he's entitled.

I love Vandal. I played Vandal for the Justice League series a few times, but this is a little bit of a different take on Vandal. Back on the series, he was more of a smooth criminal – he was more nuanced, he had more style. Now, I guess, he's just had it. He's kind of approaching things as if to say "I don't have time to play with you." He has no more guile left in him. He's straight, no chaser, which makes him much more dangerous, much more evil, and much harder edged, especially in my vocal performance.

And I love this script. Dwayne (McDuffie) really made it a walloping good romp for the Justice League players. And then Vandal is a bit like the Lex Luthor of the show – it's his mastermind, his ideas, his design that almost or does bring the world to its doom. You'll have to watch to see. Vandal is very much the thrust of the evil of this show. That's fun to play.

WARNER ANIMATION:
What's it like for you to be recording with all these original voices from the series again?

PHIL MORRIS:
It's great to have these actors back in these roles, but that's the magic of these animated projects. I think one of the things the DC/Warner Bros. people do very well is get the right people for the job, from the top down. From Bruce (Timm) and Andrea (Romano) all the way down to the cast – and they take pains to make sure that everything is as accurate as possible because they know that, as fans, we're watching and we're listening and we need to be served. And they serve us very, very well. They give us some of the greatest vocal talent in the business.

WARNER ANIMATION:
You say "we" – and that collection of 20,000+ comics at home attests to your love for this genre. This is more than just work for you, right?

PHIL MORRIS:
It feels as though I've been doing homework on these characters since I was 7 years old, and I loved being able to tell my mother that I'm finally making my comic book collection pay off. Actors use whatever reference material is at hand to flush out their characters, and in that I have been a comic collector for so long, I don't have to go too far to relate to the process of the villain or hero in this universe of comics. I feel like I am one of the rank and file who has gotten lucky enough to embody these characters. It's a pleasure and an honor.

WARNER ANIMATION:
Which way do your comic book tastes venture these days?

PHIL MORRIS:
It's interesting because they always ask the question: "Is it DC or Marvel?" If you're a real comic book fan, you had to pick a side. You couldn't go down the middle. As a younger comics reader, I liked Marvel a lot, because Marvel reflected African Americans sooner than DC did. I think that gave me a little bit of an affinity for them. But now in my more mature years, it's all about good story telling, and I find DC tells great stories and has great, solid characters. They have probably my favorite character in Batman. So I'm much more interested in the continuity of the universe – I was an artists guy before, relating to the pictures and the artistry. That really thrilled me. Now it's about the concepts and the writing. I'm always looking for a good yarn.

I like reading Garth Ennis, J. Michael Straczynski, Mark Waid, Jeph Loeb … guys like that. The writers have become fantastic -- they have taken what society is and spun it on its ear. It's not really kid stuff anymore. Kids can still invest and enjoy the books, but so can adults. Mark Millar. Ed Brubaker. There are a lot of great comic writers out there right now, and the world of comic books is much better for it.

WARNER ANIMATION:
You played J'onn J'onzz /Martian Manhunter on Smallville. Would you like to transition that role to voiceover for animation?

PHIL MORRIS:
Carl (Lumbly) did one helluva job as Martian Manhunter for the Justice League series, and he hasn't lost a step for this film. I don't think he's going to give up the role without a fight, and I have a total respect for Carl and his performance. It would be wonderful to do J'onn J'onzz as an animated character, as I did on Smallville. We'll see. They keep me busy over here.

WARNER ANIMATION:
You've recorded a full library of characters for animation, including

many in the super hero realm. What character does your inner geek still crave to voice?

PHIL MORRIS:
I've been doing a voice for the Black Panther, but I'm not playing the Panther. They got Djimon Hounsou, and he's terrific. But I would love to play the Black Panther. I wanted to play Green Lantern in this film. I'm an African American actor, but I don't want that to matter at all. I think you should be able to close your eyes and voice any character, whether he's African American or Anglo or Latino or Asian. That's what I love about these great characters. I'd love to do the Silver Surfer, too. But for DC, I'd love to do a version of the Batman. I know Kevin Conroy IS Batman, and I love Kevin to death. But I think every actor who knows comics and loves comics would jump at the chance to do Batman. I think each of us would want to bring his own take to that darkness, to that inner turmoil that is Bruce Wayne. So it would be Batman. Kevin, I love you, but give me a one-off!

WARNER ANIMATION:
You frequently work in both the live-action and animated worlds. What's your favorite part of doing voiceovers?

PHIL MORRIS:
The best part of working in voiceover is the people you work with. I was very surprised when I first came into this world that the actors were so talented. They weren't just people who did funny or clever voices. They are very intelligent, well-read, well-spoken, funny actors, and you get into that room and they cut it up -- and THEN they go to record and they're suddenly the most evil or heroic person on the planet. Then in between takes they're jokey, jokey, jokey. Their wit and their imagination is unparalleled. I really have a great time working with whomever I work with from the voiceover community.

BATMAN: HUSH - THE MOTION COMIC - Part 4 (Fan-Made)(HD)

2012-01-30T04:04:00.001-05:00

BATMAN: HUSH - THE MOTION COMIC - Part 3 (Fan-Made)(HD)

2012-01-30T04:03:00.001-05:00

BATMAN: HUSH - THE MOTION COMIC - Part 2 (Fan-Made)(HD)

2012-01-30T03:57:00.001-05:00

BATMAN: HUSH - THE MOTION COMIC - Part 1 (Fan-Made)(HD)

2012-01-30T03:48:00.001-05:00

BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD Legends of the Dark Mite ( Bat-Mite ) Cos...

2012-01-30T03:37:00.000-05:00

Batman The Animated Series The Lost Episode Part 2

2012-01-30T03:22:00.001-05:00

Batman The Animated Series The Lost Episode Part 1

2012-01-30T03:14:00.001-05:00

GREEN LANTERN: TAS And YOUNG JUSTICE Get Premiere Dates

2012-01-29T00:43:00.001-05:00

The much anticipated return of the successful DC animated showYoung Justice and the CGI show Green Lantern: The Animated Series were announced to begin airing in March not too long ago, but check out the official dates after the jump.

PaulRom - 1/27/2012

Cartoon Network has officially announced the premiere dates for the return of Young Justice (starring the sidekicks of various Justice League members) and the first season for Green Lantern: The Animated Series. Young Justice will officially return on March 3rd, airing at 10:30 AM EST and following the re-airing of the premiere episodes for Green Lantern: TAS. New episodes for GL: TAS will begin airing on March 17 at 10 AM EST.

Below are the deets for the next episode for Young Justice...

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 at 10:30am (ET) - "#19 Misplaced"
When every adult on the planet disappears, only the team, Zatanna, and Billy Batson are left to defeat the five most powerful sorcerers on Earth.

In addition, encore presentations for both shows will be aired on CN each Sunday as of March 4th. No confirmation whether or not the DC Nation programming block will also begin airing on March 3rd, but expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.

COMICS: First Look at Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's THE CURSE OF SHAZAM

2012-01-29T00:28:00.001-05:00

The site Newsarama has managed to get an exclusive first look atThe Curse of Shazam, which will reboot the story of the character Captain Marvel. Check out the two-page preview after the jump.

Jolt17 - 1/28/2012

Thanks to Newsarama, below are two preview pages of The Curse of Shazam featuring the new version of Billy Batson, as well as a few words from creators Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. The title will be released as 10-page stories featured in the back of each month's Justice League book, starting with #7 this March.

Click on the images to enlarge.

"There's a touch of whimsical magic in this story," Johns said, "and it's a lot of fun, with a lot of heart and a very emotional journey for these guys. It's all about the characters. It's just a different type of book, with Billy at the center of it, and what the situation is."

"The whole thing is being done from the point of view of bringing in new fans as well as trying to excite the existing ones," Frank said. "Anyone will be able to pick this up even if they have never heard of Shazam, Captain Marvel or Billy Batson." The artist also added that the stories will feature a very modern Shazam, with a slight shift in emphasis.

Do not forget to follow the link below to check out the article right on the site, which features more information from the creators. Anyway, sound off with your thoughts on the usual spot below.

Retro Review: BATMAN: THE MAN WHO LAUGHS

2012-01-29T00:21:00.001-05:00

Heading over to the DC side of the things, in this retro review, I talk about the Batman story: The Man Who Laughs. Check it out.

Destroyer14 - 1/28/2012

The Killing Joke is known as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. Some even call it one of the greatest comics ever. Then there's the ever famous Year One, which served as an update for Batman's very first days of crime fighting. In 2005, a sequel to both Year One and The Killing Joke (well, at the same time it's a prequel to the latter) came about. This one would serve as an update for Batman's first ever encounter with the Clown Prince of Crime. The Man Who Laughs is the title of this graphic novel. It never reached the popularity of The Killing Joke, yet alone Year One. For that, some call it underrated. The Man Who Laughs I would definitely say is underrated, it doesn't get half as mentioned as its cousin The Killing Joke. Yes, I enjoyed this one more than the ladder.

Batman and Joker probably have the most interesting and greatest hero/villain relationship. Greater than Superman/Lex, Captain America/Red Skull, and maybe even Spider-Man/Venom.

"You can't kill me without becoming like me. I can't kill you without losing the only human being who can keep up from me. ISN'T IT IRONIC?!"

That was a quote by the Joker from the infamous story The Clown at Midnight. It pretty much describes their relationship as worst enemies best. The Man Who Laughs is interesting, because prior to the story's timeline, Batman had never faced a person as insane as Joker. Throughout the the story, Joker has the upper hand, outsmarting Batman every time. Ed Brubaker, who would become best known for his Marvel work later, wrote this book. His Joker is fantastic, he appears to be 'insane,' but hasn't totally lost it. He appears to still have a human mind in his motives. Instead of just trying to get the attention of Batman, he doesn't care about him and just focuses on his 'revenge' on Gotham City. Brubaker's Batman is also very good. He seems sure of himself, but at the same time, clueless at the bigger picture surrounding the Joker.

As expected, the narrative is separated between Batman and Commissioner (in this book, Captain) Gordon. I find it amazing that no matter who the writer is, the ladder stays true to his character fully. (Can't say the same about Spider-Man.) And for the first time ever, Bruce Wayne realizes what it's like to be on the laughing end, to be like one of Joker's victims. It's classic fanfare as Joker announces who will die at midnight. Even though this book came in in 2005, the art by Doug Mahnke has an appropriately retro feel. Saying the art isn't dynamic is true, but it would be a crime to count it as a negative, because it captures the retro feel. And I gotta say, the cover is truly fantastic. I'd even go as far to say that it's the best Batman cover I've ever seen. (Isn't it nice to see the old fashioned DC logo?)

Overall, The Man Who Laughs is a definitive Joker story. Not only is it a story for when Batman first met his enemy, it's also about how the Dark Knight progresses as a crime fighter against the insanest of the insane. Never before had a menace such as the Joker threatened Gotham, so it was interesting to see how their relationship as worst enemies happened. Joker at this time didn't even know Batman existed, yet alone care about him at all. No, he just treated the Dark Knight like a nuisance. So it's interesting to look at modern Joker stories. You can see that now he's completely obsessed with Batman. He no longer cares about anything else, he just wants to mess with the Dark Knight. Their final battle in this book was really, really good. That would be their first major confrontation. (Aside from a brief skirmish in the middle of the book.) We even get to see how the Bat-Signal originated, that was a nice little ending. The Man Who Laughs may never be known as a classic asThe Killing Joke, but that doesn't stop it from being a great read. I even liked it more than The Killing Joke, but that's just me. The Man Who Laughs is definitely one of the best standalone Batman/Joker stories out there.

10/10.

Source: My Blog

Awesome Toy Picks: Aquaman and Black Manta

2012-01-29T00:11:00.001-05:00

Awesome Toy Picks: Aquaman and Black Manta:
Awesome Toy Picks is where we get to check out some of the coolest toys sold today. Aquaman is becoming more and more popular due to the way Geoff Johns has been writing him since his return in Brightest Day. Unfortunately, these figures might not help with his new and improved tougher appearance.

Mattel has recently released a line of Retro-Action figures. They are pretty close to the old MEGO dolls from the 70s. I saw these and due to their combination of cheesiness and coolness, I had to get them. And you can't really get one without the other. That's right, today we're going to take a look at Aquaman and Black Manta.
== TEASER ==

These guys have plastic heads and cloth outfits. Their hands and boots are also plastic. Actually, Aquaman isn't wearing any boots. He's sort of just wearing...stockings. But take a look at him. He has the belt, the fins on his calves AND he has a plastic trident.

Black Manta does look a bit cooler. He has his red eyes (instead of yellow ones seen long ago) as well as a plastic backpack that plugs into the top of his head.
What's even cooler about these figures (or dolls) is their joints and posability. I was surprised at how easily they stood on their own, especially considering Aquaman isn't wearing shoes. Their joints are pretty loose but not in a way where they flop around.

I'll admit I got these two 'on sale' at EntertainmentEarth.com but it was worth the price. And look, they can even play together nicely.

I also had this old set of DC Pocket Heroes with these two. This is the only set I got and I picked it up when "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies was a hit on the radio. You know because of that line, "Hold it now and watch the hoodwink, as I make you stop think, you'll think you're looking at Aquaman."

Apparently Black Manta didn't approve of his likeness with these. They originally were released in 2002. I got mine off ebay but still haven't been able to bring myself to actually opening it. Not sure if there's really a reason.
That's it for this week. Be sure to check out the next installment of Awesome Toy Picks coming soon.

THE GREY's Liam Neeson And Joe Carnahan Discuss Christopher Nolan's Batman Movies

2012-01-27T15:26:00.001-05:00

THE GREY's Liam Neeson And Joe Carnahan Discuss Christopher Nolan's Batman Movies

Having worked together on both The A-Team and The Grey, LiamNeeson (Ra's Al Ghul in Batman Begins and possibly this year's The Dark Knight Rises) and director Joe Carnahan discuss Christopher Nolan's impact on the comic book movie world.

Josh Wilding - 1/27/2012

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

"He seems to have upped the ante quite a bit, hasn't he," Neeson said of Christopher Nolan's impact on the comic book movie genre in a recent interview with MTV News while promoting his latest movie The Greyalongside director Joe Carnahan. "He's made it dark and complex."

Carnahan added: "What Chris had to rescue, the doldrums from which he had to rescue the Batman franchise, were considerable. I mean, that's like diving down into the center of the Earth and pulling up [gold]. I just think he did a remarkable job of that. And the proof is in the pudding. Those movies are absolute character studies disguised as superhero films, which I think are great."

"That's a good description," Neeson agreed. "That was very good!"

The Grey is in theatres now and after seeing it earlier today, I definitely recommend checking it out this weekend. Liam Neeson takes on a pack of wolves. What's not to love?

Fan Made - Batman Title Credits

2012-01-26T23:37:00.001-05:00

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‘Man of Steel’ star Michael Shannon baffled by Comic-Con culture

2012-01-26T23:30:00.001-05:00

‘Man of Steel’ star Michael Shannon baffled by Comic-Con culture:

When we spoke to Michael Shannon late last year, he had flown into Los Angeles from Vancouver during a brief break from making the new Superman movie, “Man of Steel.” Shannon began work on the film last August, wrapping the second season of “Boardwalk Empire” on a Wednesday and finding himself on an Illinois farm the next morning to begin life as Superman’s nemesis, General Zod.

The movie isn’t due out until June 14, 2013, but Shannon admits it’s all most people want to talk about. And when he does talk about it, the conversation usually gets him in a “tremendous amount of trouble” with the film’s producers and Warner Bros. gatekeepers.

“I got signaled that less is more,” Shannon said. “It’s kind of curious. It is Superman. So I think everybody kind of knows what happens, you know? Nothing’s going to be a huge shock.”

That said, Shannon understands. Sort of. “Man of Steel” marks his first foray into Comic-Con culture, a realm, he admits, that completely baffles him.

“There are legions of fans salivating, who will literally spend the next year and a half looking at the clock, waiting for this movie,” Shannon said, shrugging his shoulders. “That’s just the way it is. I don’t know why. Me, personally, I’m not a huge fan. I can’t even read comic books. I don’t know which panel to look at next. I hardly ever know what any of the characters are talking about. So, no, I am not one of them. But there are a lot of them. They’re out there. And they really want to talk to me about this movie!”

Terence Stamp as Zod. (Warner Bros)

Which is not to say that Shannon isn’t enjoying himself as Zod. Well … except for the special effects scenes (“that really ugly green [screen] is everywhere … it starts to slowly drive you insane”) that require him to wear a motion-capture suit (“a unique form of humiliation, I must say”). He’s happy (but, again, a bit baffled) that director Zack Snyder thought of him for the role and more than a little daunted by the prospect of following Terence Stamp’s iconic performance from the Christopher Reeve films in 1978 and 1980.

“Stamp was really smart about it,” Shannon says. “He created a sense of gravity by doing very little. It’s hard to feel like you’re not twirling your moustache when you’re playing a villain. Me and Zack are constantly trying to bring as much variety and complexity as possible. He’s very good about that. No matter what I come up with on the first take, he comes up with a good way to explore it and change it up to keep it interesting. You don’t want it to be: ‘I’m a bad guy. I hate you!’

“One thing we’re doing …” And then Shannon stops himself. “You know, I think I’ve already said too much. I don’t want to be getting another one of those phone calls. I have to go back to work on this Monday…”

– Glenn Whipp