The Adventures of Danno Man

Comic Book Movie Reviews

2012-02-07T19:22:00.000-06:00

Have you ever heard about a comic book movie (meaning a movie based on a comic book, comic book character, or something comic bookish) and you were uncertain whether you would like it or not?

Well, you are in luck! I am taking comic book movie requests! Even if everyone else says the movie is worse than George Clooney as Batman, I shall bear through the writing, the cinematography, the acting, and the whole jalopy in order to bring you, the readers, an honest (and possibly funny) review.

Feel free to suggest movies on Danno Man's Twitter or Facebook.

I gotta go save some freshmen; catch ya later!

YouTube's Transcribe Audio Completely Changes Danno Man!

2011-10-12T19:39:00.000-05:00

If you have not watched the Danno Man films on YouTube with the "Transcribe Audio" feature turned on, then you have been missing out. Needless the say, the audio does not get transcribed all the well, which results in a hilarious rewriting of the script. You can access the videos below.

The Adventures of Danno Man and the Lost Freshmen

The Adventures of Danno Man: The Pink Towel Returns

Danno Man 4

Captain America: The First Avenger = Comic Book Movie of the Summer!

2011-07-29T08:21:00.000-05:00

Greetings fellow friends of all things super and amazing! As this summer draws closer to it's end, we finally come to the last (but certainly not least) comic book film of the summer: Captain America: The First Avenger. I was lucky enough to enjoy a FREE special premiere of the movie shown in 3D the Thursday afternoon before the midnight opening. Granted, I wasn't the first to see it (those Hollywood premieres are apparently pretty exclusive), but I was one of the few to see it before it opened (let's just say that having super hero connections is helpful).

Let me start off by warning you that I have always been a Captain America fan even though I have not read many Captain America comics and the direct-to-VHS Captain America film from 1990, which I have seen, was poorly executed much like many of the Marvel comic book movies of that era. I cannot explain it, but regardless of how corny the costume or character, Captain America has always had a special place in my heart. Maybe it's because he is a great symbol of America or a great leader. Who knows the subconscious reasons why this real American hero (sorry for stealing your tagline, G.I.Joe) has always been one of my favorite comic book characters? Maybe it's because he has a freakin' awesome shield that he throws at bad guys, or maybe it's because of how catchy "When Captain America throws his mighty shield" is; I don't know.

But I must move onward in my review. Here's another warning: there very well may be spoilers ahead (FYI, this sounds better when spoken like a pirate). Ye be warned!

The film does a great job of introducing you to asthmatic, skinny, and small Steve Rogers. Even though he is small, his heart is big. As said by Stanley Tucci with a German accent (A.K.A. Dr. Abraham Erskine, the developer of the super soldier serum), Steve is "a good man." For example, when asked by Erskine if he wants to kill Nazis, Steve replies, "I don't want to kill anyone. I don't like bullies. I don't care where they're from."

This comic book movie moves smoother than other origin tales. They don't waste time with a "discovering of powers" section. Granted, the main power Steve gains from the super soldier serum is super strength, but the film focuses less on the power and more on the character, which is something Marvel has done well with this summer. Thor introduced you into the world of Norse gods with hardly any explanation at all, but that helped make the movie enjoyable. A good example of the opposite is Green Lantern, a film that spent a lot of time explaining everything, but never developed its characters at all.

Marvel has also done a great job by throwing out the whole notion of a "secret identity". Does Thor really need a secret identity; does that idea really make sense? No, not really. It makes more sense to have Thor simply be Thor. Does Captain America need a secret identity? No! Eliminating the "must protect my alter ego" portion of these comic book movies has made the films less about the costume and more about the man, which I think helps in showing the characters grow. However, I do believe that some comic book characters do still require the secret identity. For example, Christopher Nolan's Batman films do an excellent job of showing that Bruce is more Batman than Bruce; his Bruce Wayne identity is his mask. I also believe that the Spider-Man story requires a secret identity because without it ... well, without it, Peter Parker would probably be fired from his job, arrested for vigilantism, and his Aunt or his girl or his BFF4EVR would be under constant attack.

Back to the Cap, this film is filled with emotion. This is a war movie and in wars there are always casualties. People die in wars. These people may be new acquaintances, closest friends, or lovers; Captain America deals with all three and more. The best loss dealt with in this film happens near the end, but I really do not want to spoil it too much. Let's just say that the last line of the film is powerfully sad and packed full of emotion even though it is quickly said and only four words long. Women who actually care might tear up at this point and possibly earlier in the film.

So how do the comic book films of the summer stack up. Well, let's take a look at my listing, 1 being my favorite and 4 being Green Lantern (sorry, but GL was a horrible movie).

1. Captain America: The First Avenger
2. X-Men: First Class
3. Thor
4. Green Lantern

Green Lantern's Light is Kind of Dim

2011-07-03T13:10:00.000-05:00

Well, it took me long enough, but I am finally getting around to writing my Green Lantern review. Sorry for the delay, my super friends.

Green Lantern is a fairly unknown comic book superhero. Not many people can name anything about the Green Lantern except that he has a green ring and, yes, a green lantern. One of the best things to do when making a comic book movie (whether a popular character like Batman or Spider-Man, or an unpopular character like Green Lantern or Thor) is to stick with the original story and character in a way that will please the true comic book fans.

Unfortunately, with Green Lantern, we get a very different story and our favorite Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, acts less like the Hal Jordan from the comics, and more like... well, Ryan Reynolds. Don't get me wrong, I like Ryan Reynolds, but he is not Hal Jordan and he did not portray the Hal Jordan from the comics. Hal Jordan was chosen to be a Green Lantern because he had the power to overcome fear. Ryan Reynolds' Hal Jordan seems very afraid and unable to overcome his fear. He basically portrays the character as a wimpy, whiny baby, instead of the brave, persistent, and courageously stubborn character we comic book nerds are used to. For example, a great deal of the movie is Hal Jordan claiming he was chosen by accident and he's not the right person to be a Green Lantern.

The film feels like the director couldn't decide what demographic to push for. Parts of the movie seem like an epic space drama and then it drastically and awkwardly changes into a teen movie (where Blake Lively would actually fit it). They tried to combine a complex storyline involving a fear-inducing villain and a corp of galactic protectors with weak dialog and immature relationships. For example... pretty much everything Blake Lively says and does in the movie.

Another thing that bothered me is that every construct Hal makes with his power ring is a human weapon (swords, Gatling gun, etc). He also creates a giant toy race car track and puts wheels on a crashing helicopter, which is simply ridiculous. With his power ring, he could simply reach out and grab the helicopter. There is no need for the race car track. In the comic book, the ring was rarely used to create a weapon (especially a gun). Why would a Green Lantern need a gun?

My best advice to those of you who are dying to see Green Lantern is to just wait until it comes out on DVD, or just don't see it at all and read Green Lantern: Secret Origin (an excellent read). I would have rather seen Secret Origin converted into a film instead of watching the Green Lantern film Hollywood gave us.

Now, we will take a look at our comic book movie list and the rating (simply by my opinion). (1) would be my best recommendation and (3) would be the "AVOID AT ALL COSTS").

(1) X-Men: First Class
(2) Thor
(3) Green Lantern

If you want to see a comic book movie, I still highly recommend X-Men: First Class. Or you can just revisit the Danno Man short films on YouTube! Have fun and enjoy your 4th of July!

The X-Men Got First Class Seats

2011-06-04T23:09:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, X-Men: First Class opened in theaters this weekend. That means that we have reached our second recommended summer super movie! I was one of the lucky few to see the film on opening night at midnight. I also won a free comic book because of my knowledge of X-Men! So here is an X-ellent review from your X-remely handsome host!

First, comic fans must be aware that this is a massively different storyline than that of the comics. If you can understand and be okay with that, then you will probably agree that this is the best X-Men film thus far.

I will admit that when I heard all the casting announcements, I thought the movie would be too overwhelmed with characters (did someone say Iron Man 2?). However, the movie does a great job of keeping the main characters at the forefront of the film. I enjoyed Xavier being the main protagonist rather than Wolverine. I feel like the past movies were a bit of Wolverine overkill. I got so tired of the character even though Hugh Jackman does a great job as him. His cameo in First Class is priceless!

Both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender provide phenomenal performances. Their display of emotions draw the audience into the film causing you to feel like you are one of X-Men. You start believing you are not just watching the film, but you are part of it. And it makes the final battle scene even more powerful.

For those of you who do not know, the time of this film is set around the Cuban Missile Crisis. I think this made the film even more interesting. If Marvel plans to continue this X-Men storyline, I'd like the mutants to be faced with another known historical crisis. I know for a fact that some history was changed slightly to make it fit into the world of the X-Men, but it was more enjoyable to see the X-Men handling an issue that actually happened, rather than a fictional disaster.

The writing is done in such a way that you forget about events you already know will happen. You know Xavier will end up paralyed, but you somehow forget. When it does finally happen, you are somehow caught off guard. It is shocking! You don't expect it when it suddenly happens, making the event even more heart breaking and breathtaking.

There is much more I could say, but I don't want to be the alert spoiler... Or the spoiler... Or the spoiler alert. Eh, whatever. I definitely recommend this film. I would say that I enjoyed it more than Thor! So get up, put your shoes on, and go to the movies!

Super Chili's Mad Lib

2011-05-31T19:10:00.000-05:00

Story by Chili's kids menu and my super-girls

One soft day, the Pals are singing along, on their way to Chili's. Suddenly, they're hit by a wave of tables and they begin to feel slimy. Minutes later, they realize the wave has made them icky! Each one has a special, new box! Hal has a force field of plants. Sunny can stretch her heart 99 feet! Chip raises his belly button and out shoots a beam of pink Sprite. The bestest power of all is Pepper's! He can swim high in the air and blast black dogs from his fingers!

Hope you enjoy this super team origin story as much as I did!

OW! My back is so Thor!

2011-05-06T21:31:00.000-05:00

Good day, my super friends.

I was one of the lucky few who got to view Thor last night/this morning at midnight. Allow me to share a few thoughts.

While this is a comic book movie, it is completely different from any other comic book movie since half of the film is set in a fantasy-style world called Asgard, the realm of the Norse gods. The story does not attempt to explain the concept of a universe with multiple realms; it assumes the audience will accept this alternate reality, which is easy to do since the reality of the film is written so well into our own reality.

There are many characters, but it is not the character overload we experienced with Iron Man 2. Instead, we see complex characters that develop over time. We see a powerful god stripped of his power. We see an unfavored son deceitfully attempt to earn his father's love. There are some very deep motives in the characters. The characters grow or are changed by the events happening around them.

Overall, I thought the movie was good. It is epic like mythology while also solidly rooted in our accepted reality and emotions. I most definitely recommend it!

NOTE: There are many jokes and references in the film that you will not get unless you have some knowledge of Thor comics from the past. Regardless of this, it is still a very enjoyable film. Be sure to stay after the credits to see the cosmic cube!

Okay, you can quit yelling, "Nerd alert!" now.

Super Summer Movie Plans!!!

2011-04-15T22:38:00.000-05:00

In case you don't have anything to do this summer, here are a list of movies that we all should see this summer. Get ready, get set, and here we go!

May 6, 2011
Thor
Not many people know a lot about Thor unless they are deep into comic books. Sure, you may have heard about him, but have you ever read a Thor comic book? Can you name a Thor villain without Google? Do you know Thor's father's name? I can answer all these questions because I am a close friend of Thor (we were roommates at SuperheroCon two years ago)... and also because I'm a nerd, but enough name calling. The quick story of Thor is that he's the Norse God of thunder who comes to earth speaking Shakespearean and saving people because he cares for us earth folk. The long story involves a place called Asgard, a rainbow bridge (not gay), thunder, lightning (not Grease lightning), a place called Midgard (known to us as earth), Thor's power hungry half-brother named Loki, but wait, there's more! If you want a great way to start off the summer movie season, there's no better way than a film directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins.

June 3, 2011
X-Men: First Class
There have been four X-Men movies (if you consider X-Men Origins: Wolverine an X-Men movie... or a movie at all... I'd call it a waste of time) already and I think we can all agree that the third one was definitely not what we were looking for. So can they revitalize our love for the X-Men by taking us back in time to when Charles Xavier could walk and had hair? I'm not sure. They have plenty of people cast in the movie, but so did Iron Man 2. The problem with having so many characters is that it becomes more and more difficult to develop those characters. But hey, it's X-Men!!! Will I see it? Most likely, yes. Will I enjoy it? That is yet to be determine. But if you find yourself bored this summer, go see this movie instead of Prom or Bridesmaids.

June 17, 2011
Green Lantern
Green Lantern is another one of those characters that not many people know too much about. He is one of the lesser known DC Comics characters; he's never been as popular as Superman or Batman, but he could kick Aquaman's butt any day. So if you want to make a slightly unpopular superhero into a popular superhero, you start by casting Ryan Reynolds. I like Ryan Reynolds. He provides a great combination of serious and humorous that makes almost any movie enjoyable (except X-Men Origins: Wolverine, sorry Mr. Hugh Jackman). Since this movie is released two days after my birthday, I expect all of you to ask me to go with you as a birthday present to me. I will respectfully accept as many invitations as I can.

July 22, 2011
Captain America: The First Avenger
Yes, lades and gentlemen, this summer Captain America throws his mighty shield and all those who dare to oppose his shield must yield. I've always liked Captain America and I'm not even sure why. His name is corny, his suit is bright and blue, and he used to run around with a sidekick named Bucky. Nevertheless, Captain America seems to be more of a real American hero than G.I.JOE. So who wants to go see Cap with me? I'm buying the popcorn... well, at least my popcorn. You can buy your own if you want. The superhero gig doesn't pay, just ask Spider-Man.

There are tons more movies coming out this summer, but those are the movies based on comic book characters that are being released this summer. I'd also recommend the last Harry Potter movie. And then you should also set aside time to watch something starring Harrison Ford, because he's cool.

Well, I must return to the superhero business. Crime doesn't sleep, you know. I wonder if that's why so many criminals are grumpy?

Insert Dramatic Title Here

2011-04-05T20:31:00.000-05:00

Good day, my faithful few readers who aren't trying to leaving spam-filled comments on my blog. And for those of you who are leaving spam-filled comments,
LAY OFF!

I am writing to you today to inform you that my currently set schedule for posts has been canceled. I'm sorry. Sniffle, sniffle, shed a tear, or throw some trash on the ground and make a Native American shed one for you.

By the way,
LITTERING SUCKS!

So we should totally put together a list of super heroes and make a list of all of their qualities, then compare them to see who (scientifically) is the best super hero of all time. Who do you vote for? If I were you, I wouldn't vote for
AQUAMAN!

Up, Up, and Update!

2011-03-28T20:40:00.002-05:00

Hello my faithful followers! I know it has been quite a while since my last update. Well, I have been busy relocating to the Daytona Beach area! That is true, super friends. Danno Man has relocated. What does this mean? Uh, I'm not sure. I'll have to get back to you on that. Meanwhile, enjoy this:

Superman Thursday: The New Superman Is Here!

2011-02-23T20:45:00.000-06:00

Subject Article: Meet the New Superman!

The latest Entertainment Weekly issue contains an interview with the new Superman, Henry Cavill. According to the article, Mr. Cavill tried on a suit similar to the one Christopher Reeve wore when he starred in the Superman movies of the 70s and 80s. The goal was to wear the suit without making anyone laugh. Mr. Cavill succeeded in this task.

This raises a question:

Why is Superman's costume the way it is?

The blue, red, and yellow is classic, but somewhat corny. In Superman: Earth One, Superman's costume is made using fabric that is with him when he lands on earth. Martha Kent tries to dye it a different color, but the colors will not change. She says, "It's a good thing... People will be looking at the colors instead of your face."

Superman is also one of the few super heroes that does not wear a mask. There are many jokes that can be made about this as well. How come Lois Lane has never figured out on her own that Superman is Clark Kent? All he does is take off his glasses and put a curl in his hair! In Superman: Earth One, Clark asks if he should wear a mask. Martha says:

"When they see how powerful you are, they're going to be terrified. A mask would only add to that. They'll need to see your face, so they can see that there's no evil in it."

The article in Entertainment Weekly mentions that the costume is being changed slightly. The hardest thing to do with Superman is to update the costume without going too far. Everyone wants the costume to be more realistic and modern, but nobody wants the costume to be too different from what we are familiar with.

So what do you think? What would you do to Superman's costume if you were hired to update it?

Star Wars Wednesday: I'm Back!

2011-02-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

Subject Article: Little Darth Vader Meets the Original 'Star Wars' Star

Danno Man is back! Recently, I was unable to make any posts because I was sick. One of my arch enemies poisoned me with my only weakness, mayonnaise. Yuck!

The subject today is about a commercial shown during the Super Bowl. A young Darth Vader learns to use the Force. Well, this little Darth Vader (who looks like a young Mark Hamill) was able to meet James Earl Jones, who provided the menacing voice of Darth Vader in the movies.

Well, I've dressed up like Darth Vader many a time and never met Mr. "This is CNN".

In other Star Wars news, LEGO Star Wars III is supposed to be the biggest LEGO game yet, with ground wars where you can control groups of battle droids or clone troopers like in a strategy game. Read this article about it: Lego Star Wars III The Clone Wars: The biggest Lego game yet?

Batman Monday: Holy Rumors Batman!

2011-02-07T21:41:00.000-06:00

Subject Article: Will Robin Rise Alongside Dark Knight?

I almost forgot that it was Batman Monday! But never fear, Danno Man's here!

Today's subject is about whether or not Robin will be appearing in The Dark Knight Rises. Famed director Christopher Nolan has stated that his Batman movies will not feature Robin. Christian Bale said if Robin is in, he is out. And yet, the rumors still continue. When most people think of Robin, they think of either the campy Burt Ward Robin, who was obsessed with all things holy or the snobby Chris O'Donnell Robin, who constantly whined about being better than Batman. I'm positive nobody wants to see either of these characters again.

What about you, the audience? Do you want to see Robin in this type of Batman movie? What are your opinions?!

Miscellaneous Friday: Wonder Woah-Man!

2011-02-04T00:01:00.047-06:00

Subject Article: Wonder Woman Teams Up With MAC Make-Up

Hello again, faithful readers and wayward Internet wanderers, who happened to land on this page! A multitude of events have transpired this month. It has made it supremely difficult to cover everything. Since so much is happening, I am forced to write this in a hurry!

Our topic today is superhero make-up. Wonder Woman (actually DC Comics) have teamed up with MAC Make Up to release Wonder Woman's own line of make-up. This goes to show that there actually are female comic book readers!

However, the majority of girls who actually claim to like Wonder Woman usually know diddly-squat about Wonder Woman. This is very similar to the number of females who sport Superman's big red "S" on their binders and backback, but don't even know Superman's real name (some of them get 1/2 a point for guessing Clark Kent, but the answer our judges were looking for is: Kal-El).

I have no doubt the make-up will make a lot of money, but I also know the majority of purchasers will be people who simply like the idea of Wonder Woman. I can't expect everyone to know everything about every superhero (if I did, we'd all be nerds), but if you are going to dish out the dough for this persons apparel, it'd be nice if you knew some basics about this person.

That's all for now. Be sure to come back for Batman Monday on February 7th!

Superman Thursday: SuperDan?

2011-01-27T00:01:00.026-06:00

Today, I present to you a picture I recently created at faceinhole.com

Well, I'm looking pretty good. Except, I haven't shaved in a while, so I have a slightly visible mustache. So it looks more like Señor Superman. For now, we will call him, "SuperDan!"

In other Superman news, True Blood hunk Joe Manganiello is in the running for Superman. Some of you may recognize Joe as the big bully Flash Thompson from Spider-Man (Sam Raimi, 2002), but others may recognize him from True Blood, another show that is riding on the vampire fame brought on by that Twinkley Saga or Twiddley Saga or whatever it's called (A.K.A. Twilight Saga). So what do you think? Does he have the Superman look? Or do you have someone else who you think would do a better job?

Miscellaneous Friday: Indiana Jones 5

2011-01-21T19:29:00.000-06:00

Subject Article: Harrison Ford: I would love to make Indiana Jones 5

Harrison Ford has said that he looks forward to Indiana Jones 5. George Lucas is supposed to be working on an idea, but how will it be received?

Many Indy fans were extremely upset by the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series (mostly due to the aliens or inter-dimensional beings or whatever you wanna call it). Aliens or no aliens, I think the movie started out well, but then became too farfetched (in the 1950s, there were no trucks with giant saws on it to cut down trees [I don't think those even exist now]).

The difficult thing to do with an Indiana Jones movie is to examine popular myths and/or legends while remaining somewhat realistic. I think the series has had the best luck having Indy track down religious artifacts like the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.

So if George Lucas is reading this, I have two things to say:

1. I want to work for one of your companies. Give me a job. I'll learn to do whatever you need me to.
2. Indiana Jones needs to search for Balaam's donkey. I can hear the Indiana Jone's theme playing as he rides a talking donkey into the sunset.

Star Wars Wednesday: Star Wars Winter Fun

2011-01-19T00:01:00.042-06:00

Subject Article: Man turns his snow day into an hilarious Death Star trench run

Welcome heroes and sidekicks! It is Star Wars Wednesday!

There have been a lot of winter disasters recently with all the snow and ice, but some use the snow and ice to for the benefit of mankind. Just watch the video in our subject article (above).

Now check out some of these great snow sculptures:

So remember, the weather may be dangerous, but it can also be fun!

Spider-Man Tuesday: The Amazing Spider-Man #1

2011-01-11T00:01:00.070-06:00

It is Spider-Man Tuesday! Take a look at the cover of The Amazing Spider-Man #1:

My favorite part of this issue is when Spidey tries to cash a check made out to Spider-Man without any identification. Of course, the bank teller won't cash it for him because any nut can put on a costume and claim to be Spider-Man. This proves that there is no money in the super hero business. How sad, sniffle sniffle.

Spider-Man was one of the first super heroes to deal with problems we all deal with and one of those problems was money. Poor Peter Parker was always trying to make money to help his Aunt May. In fact, all throughout his life, he was plagued with money problems (just like you and me!).

So remember, becoming a super hero will not add any cash to your gross income (that is quality tax advice from a non-licensed unofficial fake tax expert).

Miscellaneous Friday: Fantastic 4 - 1 + 5 ÷ 2

2011-01-07T00:01:00.053-06:00

Subject Article: Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four to become three

Welcome to another magnificent Miscellaneous Friday! As I mentioned last month, every other Friday is Miscellaneous Friday.

Not too long ago(sort of), Marvel comics announced (sort of) that they are bringing the Fantastic Four to an end (sort of) and that one of the four will meet their untimely end (A.K.A. death (sort of)).

Many comic book fans have been through the death of a favorite character before. Somehow, the character always comes back to life. Superman's death in 1992 was a huge publicity event that ended up flopping because Superman quickly came back to life. May Parker, the aunt of your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, has died numerous times, but usually it turns out to be a clone or some other extremely wacky plot twist.

The best example of a leading character who died and never returned is Gwen Stacy. She is the girl that most fans name as Peter Parker's first true love. When she died in The Amazing Spider-Man #121, she was not seen again. However, she was cloned before she died and we do see her clone in later issues.

The hardest thing to do in comic books is kill a character and keep them dead. If you really want to find the secret to immortality, talk to these comic book characters. I'm not sure what power they have or where the power comes from, but they cannot die! They might disappear for a while or turn out to be a clone or look-alike, but they never die and stay dead!

This brings me to my question:

Can comic book main characters be killed and never seen again?

Batman Monday: Batman Brings Home the Money

2011-01-03T00:01:00.005-06:00

Subject Article: Rare copy of Batman No. 1 goes up for auction

A man in Alaska is auctioning his Batman #1 from 1940, which makes it one of the less than 300 copies believed to still be in existence. The book is actually in decent condition because of the cool temperature and low humidity found in Alaska. So if you plan to keep your comics in tip-top condition, move next door to Sarah Palin!

This rare copy is not the first appearance of Batman, (that was Detective Comics #27, which sells for $3,600,000 in a Near Mint/Mint condition) but it is the first solo spin-off of the character including first appearances of the Joker and Catwoman. This man's copy was rated by the CGC (Certified Guarantee Company) as a 5.5 (Fine -) and is expected to sell for more than $40,000.

All that makes me wish I could go back in time and purchase a copy for 10 cents, then bring it back to this time and sell it for over $900,000 (since it would be in Gem Mint condition). But that sounds like a Batman/Star Trek cross-over episode, which could have happened. If there actually is a Batman/Scooby Doo cross-over episode (and a Scooby Doo/Harlem Globetrotters episode), then surely Batman can team up with Captain Kirk to stop a comic collector from traveling back in time to purchase a copy of Batman #1 so he can sell it for more in the future. While it may not be a crime, there is something morally wrong about using a time machine for financial gain.

Now it is sounding more like a Batman/Star Trek/Back to the Future cross-over. And while we're at it, we'll throw the gang from Scooby Doo in there too. Batman, Scooby Doo, Captain Kirk, and Marty McFly work together to stop Biff and the Joker from going back in time to immorally make money. It's like Back to the Future Part II, but with Batman, Captain Kirk, and Scooby Doo.

Miscellaneous Friday: Iron Man 3

2010-12-24T00:01:00.004-06:00

Subject Article: Jon Favreau Opts Out of Directing Iron Man 3

Today's Miscellaneous Friday topic is: Iron Man!

Recently, it was confirmed by Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau that Mr. Favreau will not be returning to direct Iron Man 3 (see article linked above). Instead he is going to direct Magic Kingdom, a movie about a family trapped inside Disneyland after it has closed and all the robots and characters come to life (I've titled the movie: Night at the Museum 3: Walt Disney's Cryogenically Frozen Body).

Let's take a little walk down the memory lane of 3rd movie director changes.

Batman and Batman Returns were both directed by Tim Burton. Then Tim Burton turned over the directoral reins to Joel Schumacher, who gave us a completely different Batman (holy nippled suits, Batman!) and a completely different Gotham City. This new take on Batman seemed more over the top and (if this is even possible) campier than the Adam West Batman!

X-Men and X-Men 2 were both directed by Bryan Singer. Then Bryan Singer directed Superman Returns, so X-Men: The Last Stand was directed by Brett Ratner (wait, the guy who directed all 3 Rush Hour movies?!!). Apparently, someone thought the best way for this franchise to go was to kill off main characters and give Wolverine even more screen time, making more of a Wolverine movie than an X-Men movie.

While these two scenarios may not have given us the best results, it is sometimes better than keeping the director for the 3rd installment. Look at these examples:

Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, and Spider-Man 3 were all directed by Sam Raimi. Unfortunately, by the time he made it to the third Spidey film, the studio called all the shots and he let them (this, boys and girls, is why we have a horribly written third Spider-Man movie).

The Wachowski brothers directed all three Matrix movies, although they really should have stopped after the first one (you might as well wipe the last two from your memory).

So what is the point? Well, I'm glad you asked!

Not every movie can be the greatest. Some directors must leave a franchise (some for good reasons; some for bad or REALLY BAD reasons), while some directors should stay with a franchise. I try not to get too tied down to the people who direct the movies for the characters I enjoy the most. Instead, enjoy the character for who he or she is, regardless of the director or actor.

With the Decrease in Phone Booths, How Will Clark Kent Change Into Superman?

2010-12-23T00:01:00.042-06:00

Subject Article: Concept Art Shows How Bad Superman Lives Would've Been

It is Superman Thursday! Congratulations!

Today's subject article shows a new Superman suit designed for a canceled Tim Burton Superman film project. Many people are very glad the film was never made because of how odd and horrible the suit looks.

This raises the question:

Would you be okay with a NEW Superman suit in the new Superman movie?

How much can a movie change a character's costume without pushing us fans over the edge? Batman nearly always appeared in his blue and gray costume until Tim Burton's Batman (1989), where he appeared in an completely black suit with the trademark bat-logo on the chest. Each member of the X-Men has experienced some change in wardrobe in the comics, but they all wore matching leather fashion when Bryan Singer's X-Men (2003) film came out. Even Spider-Man's costume underwent minor changes for the Sam Raimi films.

The real questions is, "How much change is too much?" Obviously, fans want to see some sort of extension of what they have seen in the comics. A completely different costume would have to be an extreme improvement for it to be accepted. If you can keep it relatively close to the original with some minor improvements, I think you can win most fans over. More important than the costume, though, is the story. But that, my fellow super friends, is another story.

Have a Merry Star Wars Christmas!

2010-12-15T00:01:00.025-06:00

Subject Article: 31 Star Wars Christmas Gifts for Geeks

Christmas is right around the corner! And so I thought everyone could use some quality gift ideas for their friends and family. And Star Wars gifts are better than any other!

Here are a few of my favorites!

The Tauntaun Sleeping Bag! There is a mini-lightsaber as the zipper and the inside looks like guts. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!

The R2D2 Pepper Grinder! By twisting and turning R2D2's dome-top head, you can grind pepper for a salad, some pasta, or any other food you grind pepper onto. Whistle, whistle, beep, beep!

Other than that, there are many other great ideas like the Yoda Golf Club Covers or Slippers. So you decide and then send more money to Mr. George Lucas!

Merry Christmas!

Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Does Whatever the Studio Wants

2010-12-14T00:01:00.049-06:00

Subject Article: Is Proto-Goblin the Next Spider-Man Movie Villain?

Hope you have a super Spider-Man Tuesday today!

There have been rumors spreading over the information super highway (if it is a super highway, then it needs to have its own comic book) that there will be a second villain in the new Spider-Man film named, "Van Atter." Insanely knowledgeable Spidey-fans are curious if this is actually, "Van Adder," which is a character who only appeared once in Spidey history in a flashback issue of Peter Parker, Spider-Man. He becomes a villain called, "The Proto-Goblin."

Now, nobody knows if this rumor is true or not, but if it is, it raises some very interesting questions. The first question being why? The second question being what? And the third question being a combination of the first two: whawhy?? If Spider-Man 3 taught us anything, it was this: having more villains in a movie doesn't make it a good movie (oh, and also that Tobey Maguire shouldn't go emo).

Obviously, fans are concerned and upset, which often makes them whiney. But this is still only a rumor (just like the post from this month's Batman Monday). You can't always believe what's on TV or the Internet, and I recommend you don't!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a TV Show Prop!

2010-12-10T00:01:00.007-06:00

Subject Article: Old Episodes Of Star Trek Being Dusted Off To Create A New 2012 Movie

It is Miscellaneous Friday! This Friday's topic is Star Trek.

To be honest, I was not too thrilled with the 2009 Star Trek film. I was happy to see the characters on the big screen again, but the story and development of those characters was lacking to me.

After reading the article (link provided above), I tried to think of a villain worse than Kahn. The only one that came to mind was ... WHEATON!

This train of thought brought me even further down my improbable (not to mention imaginary) rabbit hole to ask, "Why not make Wil Wheaton a villain in the new Star Trek movie?" As long as he doesn't reprise his role as Wesley Crusher. The only way Mr. Crusher would fit into the story is if he traveled back in time to warn Kirk about some great and evil power ... or that relations with green women will give him syphilis. Wait, I think that actually sounds crazy enough to work!

Coming Soon:
Star Trek:
The Search for the Wrath of the Voyage to the Undiscovered Frontier