Category Archives: DC
Playing with Batman Action Figures
Have you ever heard of Hot Toys? Apparently they’re this ultra elite toy-making company that designs realistic, super amazing action figures! They use the movies as references, and then sculpt figures to match the actors. Very lifelike – and very expensive. Hence why I don’t own any. But these guys do!
Fantastic work! Stop motion animation action figure work is a favorite of mine, and I wish I could make one of my own. I’ve got the figurines, just none of the movie-making skill. It shouldn’t be too hard though.
I remember back in my freshman year of college, my floormates and I on Brew 5 made a stop motion movie right there in the hallway outside our study carrels. My roommate was the director, because I think he had the camera and the computer programs to make it work. I supplied the action figures, because my collection was growing even back then. I would love to share that video, but I don’ t have a copy anymore. It died when the computer I owned freshman year died, lost forever to a dead hard drive.
Still, that thing was awesome! We did very good work for a bunch of amateurs in a hallway.
Review: Teen Titans #11
Who could have guessed what a big difference it would be to not have the Teen Titans talking about N.O.W.H.E.R.E. all the time. Nine freakin’ issues, and we’re finally almost completely out of the woods from that horrendous opening storyline. N.O.W.H.E.R.E. gets a single mention in this issue, but it’s easily overlooked. Instead, the next story seems to be about the rebooted origin of Wonder Girl, and it looks promising. We even get a teensy bit of the Teen Titans being teens…but there’s still one major problem with the series.
Teen Titans #11
Teen Titans is suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.
Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.
Both the writing and art come together to tell a story that literally has the Titans bouncing off the walls, and sometimes smashing through them. It’s like this series can’t sit still. Last issue saw the Teens relaxing after the epic battle that was the Culling…but they did so on a mysterious island populated by living dinosaurs! Things can’t just be normal for the Teen Titans. They can’t be people. They have to be cartoon characters. It’s frustrating. Whereas I want to read character depth, Scott Lobdell and Brett Booth are giving me zany, off-the-wall wackiness in the form of superheroics.
And I guess, in the end, that just means this comic isn’t for me. It’s a shame too, since Tim Drake remains one of my all-time favorite comic book characters. He’s treated pretty well in Teen Titans, but he’s still barely separated from the wackiness.
Plus there are the rumors about him no longer being Robin…but we won’t speak of those. Not until we absolutely must. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
6 Lamest Batman Villains
I said last week that Batman had the best Rogues Gallery in comics, and I stand by that claim! But even Batman has some stinkers in the bunch. Well, OK, he has more than a few stinkers. The guy has been in comics since 1939, and he can’t fight the Joker all the time. Batman has fought a lot of stupid bad guys, some who last only one issue and some who faded into obscurity years ago. But there are a special few losers who seem to stick around, who manage to claw back into the comics every now and again to remind us just how lame they really are.
Beware the Condiment King!
Don’t get me wrong, this is by no means a complete list. Batman and Robin have fought a lot of bozos over the years. These are just my pick for the 6 lamest Batman bad guys ever! And there are some ground rules. Guys like the Condiment King are purposefully lame. But this list is of legitimate villains who are just super lame. And I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments!
What’s Next for Batman?
So what the heck should they do for the next Batman movie?
Christopher Nolan has just wrapped up arguably the greatest superhero trilogy of all time, and he did so in spectacular style. His three films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises – are all fantastic! Not a stinker in the bunch! And they’re not just good superhero films, they’re a cinematic masterpiece! A trilogy that’s greater than its individual parts.
They were awesome movies, is what I’m trying to say. But both Christopher Nolan and lead actor Christian Bale have repeatedly said that they’re done with the series. It’s over. They’re moving on. And Nolan, especially, was the creative driving force behind those films.
So Warner Bros. has now got to decide what to do with the Batman movie franchise without Nolan.
The previous time the franchise was without Nolan…
The way I see it, they’ve got three choices: keep going with a new director, total reboot, or the third option, which I think is the best option:
Wait until the Justice League movie.
Join me after the jump for an explanation. And there will definitely be SPOILERS for The Dark Knight Rises.
New Superman Teaser Trailer is an Odd Little Duck
The first teaser trailer for next year’s Man of Steel debuted over the weekend. It’s…odd.
That’s the version I saw, which features Kevin Costner’s voiceover as Pa Kent. I knew the teaser was going to happen prior to The Dark Knight Rises, so when it started, I was excited. But now I just find the poor thing odd. Superman trying to find himself? Deep sea fishing? Hitchhiking? What the heck kind of movie is this?
It’s like the main inspiration for the film was Five for Fighting’s Superman song. It’s not easy to be Superman, folks. He’s just a dude in a funny red sheet.
At least they threw in that bit at the end where Superman breaks the sound barrier. That was kind of cool. But all I could think about was the shot of Iron Man flying in his first trailer. Except Iron Man was flying alongside fighter jets, and people were excited.
I can’t imagine too many people were excited by this trailer.
I applaud DC and director Zack Snyder for moving away from the classic Superman films, but I don’t know if quiet, introspective Superman film was the right direction.
Though I will say that the second version of the trailer, the one with Russel Crowe as Jor-El doing the voiceover, is a little better. This was the international version of the trailer, check it out:
I like that one a lot better. I guess it’s all in the words.
Behold the dark and moody movie poster as well:
I do so hope Superman gets to punch something in this film
Henchman-4-Hire 