Category Archives: Television
Game of Thrones is Awesome. There, I said It.
I just finished watched Season 1 of HBO’s Game of Thrones, and I have to say that it more than lived up to the excellent and exciting hype! The show was marvelous, the characters were well-rounded and fun to watch and the cliffhangers for Season 2 were downright brilliant. Amazing, amazing show. I’d thought about doing a full, in-depth review, but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything for anyone else. I’m glad now that I have not read the books because I wouldn’t want any of this spoiled.
Especially that final scene!
Boromir no more!
Like I said, I won’t get into spoilers. But I can talk in general about the show and hopefully you’ll be willing to give it a chance. HBO has created some fantastic shows. Though I’ll admit I’ve never seen a single episode of The Sopranos. Maybe now’s a good time to start. But I saw Carnivale and loved it. Anyway, Game of Thrones is a medieval tale about politics and personality, with a bit of fantasy thrown in for fun. It’s based on the book series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, and is really popular, from what I get off the Interwebs. Though I’d never heard of it until the show started.
Let’s start with an overview. If you take my advice and watch this series, you can use this to better understand what you’re looking at. I know I was a little lost, at least in the beginning.
We find ourselves on the continent of Westeros, with our hero, Ned Stark, played excellently by Sean Bean, of the Lord of the Rings. Ned and his family, Clan Stark, rule over the town of Winterfell far in the north. Ned is a decent and honest man, beholden to the law and trying to do right by his people and his children. His wife Cat is noble and loyal, herself from a lording family. Their children are just as good as their father, not a schemer or villain among them. Rob is the eldest, learning well his father’s lessons. Jon Snow is Ned’s bastard son, and Cat can barely stand to be in the same room with him. But Jon is a good man, and one of the stars of the show. Daughter Sansa is princess-like and regal, while youngest daughter Arya is a spitfire who doesn’t like the idea that she’s destined to just be married off and pop out children. Young son Bran is known for being a good climber, and then there are a few younger children who don’t do much.
Arya Stark has enough awesome for all the children. Remember that.
Ned would like nothing more than to take care of his people and prepare for the coming winter. For you see, in Westeros, the seasons aren’t like here in the real world. They’re split between Summers and Winters, both of which can last years on end. And years of harsh, cold, dark Winter can be brutal. Hence Clan Stark’s catch phrase, “Winter is coming.”
Life will always get harder.
Especially when politics come into play.
In the first episode, Ned gets a visit from his old friend King Robert Baratheon. Nearly 20 years ago, Ned, Robert and their allies dethroned The Mad King and took over rule of Westeros. Robert became ruler of all seven kingdoms, but mostly the land split into different towns and castles, each lorded over by the various family Clans. When they deposed The Mad King, Ned, Robert and their allies split power through various arranged marriages.
Westeros - Click to Enlarge
Robert’s wife is Queen Cersei of Clan Lannister, played by Lena Headley, the queen in 300. She’s a cold, scheming woman whose marriage to King Robert was never anything more than a political move. Clan Lannister is the richest and therefore one of the most powerful clans in all the kingdom. They are known for their blonde hair and their catch phrase, “A Lannister always pays his debts.” The main conflict of the show is between the Lannisters and Starks, with King Robert caught in the middle. The Starks are good, honest people, while the Lannisters are cruel and conniving. Guess which one has more luck in the realm of politics, otherwise known as the Game of Thrones?
Queen Cersei has two brothers: the handsome knight Jaime and the wickedly smart dwarf Tyrion, played with extreme brilliance by Peter Dinklage. He is the standout character of the show. Tyrion is smarter than everyone else, and he knows it. Because he’s a dwarf, he’s always been looked down upon, especially by his father, the head of Clan Lannister. So he’s had to work extra hard to get everything in life, made much easier by his wit and his charm. You can never tell who’s side Tyrion is on, but in a good way. He may be a schemer and a Lannister, but you can sort of tell that Tyrion is a good person. So watching his journey through the show is one of the best parts!
Awesomeness squared
At any rate, King Robert has come to visit his old friend Ned Stark because he needs Ned to serve as his right-hand man in the capital, King’s Landing. The old right-hand man died under mysterious circumstances, or so Ned begins to discover once he moves into his new home. The show follows the adventures of Ned and his two daughters as they try to fit in at King’s Landing, while the rest of his family continues to preside over Winterfell. If you love political drama, this is the show for you. There are many schemers and more treachery than you can shake a fist at. There are a lot of surprising twists that I didn’t see coming, and all of the characters seem fully-rounded with depth and opinions. Nobody’s intentions are truly clear, which makes for an exciting show to follow.
Along with the political drama, there are two side-stories that add fantasy and barbarian elements to the show. The first is The Wall, located at the northern most tip of Westeros. The Wall is simply that, a giant, manmade wall that separates the continent from the mysterious and fearsome north, a wintery land where giants and monsters are rumored to dwell. A thousand years ago, the people of Westeros repelled an invasion by the White Walkers, and ever since, the noble brotherhood of the Nightwatch has guarded The Wall. But a thousand years have passed, and the Nightwatch isn’t the proud group it once was. They’re made up of criminals, runaways and only a few true knights.
So what are they going to do when the White Walkers return?
And what’s the kingdom going to do? The White Walkers don’t give a shit about all the petty bickering and politics. There are some really awesome scenes towards the end of the season, when the threat beyond The Wall starts getting more real. Because what does the game of thrones really matter when literal monsters are going to start invading the land?
The barbarian saga comes from across the sea, where the last two children of The Mad King were exiled. Fair-haired Daenerys Targaryen and her conniving brother Viserys long to take back their rightful throne from King Robert, but they’re just two people. So Viserys, a truly evil man, force-marries his sister to Khal Drogo, the barbarian ruler of the horselords. Viserys intends to use the horselord army to go back across the sea and fight King Robert’s armies. But the meek Daenerys quickly takes to barbarian life, and by the end of the season, she’s got a few surprises up her sleeve.
Not the least of which is boobs. There's a lot of nudity in this show
So that’s the show in a nutshell. Again, I highly recommend you watch. They’re already working on Season 2, so you know it’s going to be around for awhile. The politics are great to behold, with some truly surprising twists and turns. The characters are really fun, especially Tyrion the dwarf and Arya the youngest daughter. Even subplots that don’t seem to be very interesting in the beginning, like The Wall and the horselords, turn out to be truly awesome in the end.
There are a lot of characters and a lot of names that one has to try and remember, and it can be difficult at first. But if you pay attention, you’ll get the hang of it. Like any fantasy world, such as Lord of the Rings, it’s not difficult at all to immerse yourself in the goings on of the world. Strange and volatile Westeros may be, but it’s an awesome place to visit.
Futurama, Geekier Than Ever!
Here is one of those alignment charts based on Dungeons & Dragons alignments, only it’s for the cartoon show Futurama. I love these charts. There are a lot of them out there on the Interwebs for all manner of shows and movies and whatnot. This one was just cool enough that I wanted to share it with everybody. I love Futurama, and these alignments fit so well! I wish I was smart enough to figure one out for a show. Maybe I’ll try someday.
Anyway, this one comes courtesy of MightyGodKing.
Click to expand
6 Greatest Henchmen of All Time
It’s about time this blog got around to more actual henchmen fun! I named my blog Henchman-4-Hire for a reason, to revel in the world of minions and middle class super-villainy. These are the sorts of characters I enjoy, much more so than the actual bad guys. The henchmen are just more fun! They do all the dirty work. They get to be where the action is, while their bosses sit up and wait for the final act. Sometimes it’s the henchmen who actually get to develop as characters, because like the hero, the villain is rather static. And sometimes the henchmen are just there as a warm-up act for the hero.
They die inglorious deaths. They never get the girl. Often they’re killed by their own bosses. But still they can become as beloved as the villains themselves.
This is a list of the 6 greatest henchmen in pop culture. From comics to movies to TV, who are the best minions and right-hand men and women? Some of the choices are just my opinion, and just on here for fun. Others have taken the role of henchperson and made something special out of it. There have been tons of henchmen over the years, but these 6, I think, are some of the most memorable. They’ve really made a mark on pop culture.
For the purposes of this list, we’ll focus on individuals rather than entire groups of henchmen. And I’m only choosing characters who are clearly subservient to a lead villain. Sure, Darth Vader followed the Emperor, but Vader was first and foremost the lead villain (or hero of the Star Wars saga, give or take a trilogy).
Now let’s get started!
Honorable mention: Bob, Agent of HYDRA
Bob, Agent of HYDRA
I wanted to put Bob on this list, but in the end, he simply hasn’t made any sort of mark on pop culture. Besides, he’s become more of a sidekick than a henchman. The reason I’m putting him as an honorable mention is to reveal, once and for all, the identity of the grinning, thumbs-upping image on the front page of this blog. It’s Bob, Agent of HYDRA! Someday I hope to commission an original and unique Henchman for my site, but for now, Bob is filling in.
Bob became an agent of the evil terrorist organization HYDRA because he was looking for a steady job and wanted the dental plan. Eventually he ran into the merc with a mouth, Deadpool, and was coerced into helping Deadpool flee the HYDRA compound. From then on, Bob became Deadpool’s sidekick and was no longer really one of the nameless, faceless henchmen of HYDRA.
Still, I highly salute the idea of taking one of those nameless, faceless henchmen and turning him into an actual character! In fact, that idea pops up later on this list…
6. Bebop and Rocksteady
Large and in charge
The classic blundering oaf henchmen, Bebop and Rocksteady are the minions of the Shredder and the sworn enemies of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A mutant warthog and rhino, they were more a comedy duo than an actual menace. But that wasn’t always the case. In the first few episodes of the Ninja Turtles cartoon, these two were actually kind of badass. They were bigger and stronger than the turtles, and they used machine guns. Sure, guns weren’t honorable, but who needs honor? Point was they were an actual threat. But the Turtles kicked their butts easily. Still, Bebop and Rocksteady were so much fun that they stuck around. They could be quite funny.
Their designs are so wonderfully unique. Whereas the Turtles were simple and clean, with matching colored masks and bands, Bebop and Rocksteady couldn’t be more different. Their bodies were oddly shaped and grotesque, covered in hair and warts. Their voices were almost sickly in their awesomeness. They even sounded stupid. And they wore actual clothes. The two had more modesty than the mostly naked Turtles, it seems. Bebop is the 80s punk rocker, and Rocksteady the militaristic gun-nut. Though I can’ t remember if either personality was explored beyond just the look. Maybe Bebop had a boombox with him at some point.
The two were great henchmen because they were loyal and could be put to good use with menial labor. They were great and memorable characters because they were funny, uniquely designed and there was always the far-reaching possibility that they might actually win this time. Heck, they found the Turtles’ secret sewer lair that one time. That’s gotta count for something.
5. Muttley
HeeHeeHee
Everybody loves Muttley! Or at least his laugh. Hopefully I’m not dating myself too badly for all the youngsters out there who read my blog, but Muttley was the henchman of Dick Dastardly, creating a classic Hanna-Barbera villain pair. They first appeared in as the villains in Wacky Races in 1968, and went on to star in their own spin-off: Dastardly and Muttley in their Flying Machines. They were World War I Axis pilots trying to kill an Allied carrier pigeon. They chased that pigeon just like Wile E. Coyote chased the Roadrunner, with wacky planes and hijinks. Sort of like how all old cartoons involved chasing to some variety. And it had a great theme song!
Muttley is a great henchman because of his laugh. Everybody remembers that laugh. He couldn’t talk, not even in typical old cartoony doggie speak, but he was nonetheless anthropomorphic. Essentially a little hairy human. It was that laugh, that snicker, that makes him memorable. Uniquely his own and wickedly fun. Definitely a bad guy’s laugh. He also grumbled, usually at Dastardly’s expense. As loyal as Muttley was, he still found it hilarious when Dick failed to catch that pigeon.
In Wacky Races, the pair drove the Mean Machine. It was a purple death rocket-car, with appropriately sinister-looking bat wing spoilers. I can’t remember if they ever won any of the races or not. Surely they must have gotten on big W.
4. Oddjob
Fear the hat
Flying bowler hats! Movie henchmen don’t get any more menacing or memorable than Oddjob from James Bond’s Goldfinger. Voiceless, ruthless and more than a match for Bond in hand-to-hand fighting, Oddjob was the villainous Goldfinger’s go-to guy for all that bad guy stuff. He knocked out Bond and killed that one chick by covering her skin with gold paint. Now that’s a badass and stylish way to kill somebody. It’s not often that fiendish death-traps actually work. Oddjob is the poster boy for menacing right-hand-man. He was mute (except for a few grunts), did as he was told and actually posed a challenge to Bond – and we’re talking Connery’s Bond.
And if we’re talking about stylish ways to kill somebody, it doesn’t get cooler than a flying, deadly bowler hat. Sure he’s a good fighter and stood up to the worst that Bond could throw at him, but the man knows classy. A deadly bowler hat is both stylish and memorable. Oddjob made one appearance in one film, but that bowler hat has survived through the ages. It’s been parodied in everything from Austin Powers to Chip and Dale’s Rescue Rangers. They even tested his hat-throwing style on Mythbusters! The James Bond series gave the cinema world its best henchmen, and Oddjob stands above them all as one badass mofo.
3. Starcream
He turns into a jet!
Starscream may have been Megatron’s right-hand-bot in the original Transformers cartoon, but he’s more famous for always trying to overthrow his boss and take his job. He’s sycophantic only when it suits him, and power hungry the rest of the time. Those qualities were so memorable from the original cartoon that Starscream was one of the few Decepticons in the modern Transformers movies who actually got a name and made return appearances. I think we can all agree that Michael Bay didn’t really care too much about the personalities of the Transformer characters in his movies, let alone how they connected with the original cartoon. But Starscream is so well known in his role as henchman that he’s one of the few Transformers to maintain his own familiar personality. Now that’s staying power.
Starscream has had a number of different versions over the years since Transformers keeps getting rebooted in cartoon after cartoon. But all of his versions usually share the desire to usurp Megatron and become leader of the Decepticons. Starscream believes more in trickery and guile than brute force, and he feels he is vastly superior to Megatron. Still, he’s usually in the subservient role. Even sarcastically sometimes, since he rarely hides his desire to take over. But Megatron knows not to fear Starscream, since Starscream will always toe the line – at least until he is 100% sure that it’s his moment. That’s happened a few times over the years, for a story or two, but most of the time Starscream is the lead henchman.
2. Henchmen #21 and #24
Skinny Henchman #24 and tubby Henchman #21
Henchman #21, and to a lesser extent his pal #24, have raised the role of henching to an art form. Not only are they the inspiration for this site’s name, but I’ve actually cosplayed as Henchman #21 at a few comic book conventions. They are hilarious. The Henchmen are supporting characters in the cartoon The Venture Bros., a modern day parody/satire of the old Johnny Quest adventure show. The lead villain on The Venture Bros. is the Monarch, and he has a whole army of butterfy-themed henchmen to carry out his nefarious plans. Just like Bond villains have whole armies of nameless, faceless henchmen (also like HYDRA), the Monarch has his own. Henchmen #21 and #24 started out as just two of many, guys who treat ‘henching’ as something of a 9 to 5 job. That’s where the humor lies.
Check out this brilliant scene of what it’s like to get ready for work.
They’re schlubs whose day job is to dress up like butterfly-men and do their master’s dirty work. One of the humorous aspects of villainy in The Venture Bros. is that there is a rulebook and a supervising agency. There are rules for ‘henching’, rules that must be followed. The two guys have to be loyal to their leader, know what he wants them to do before he does and carry out his orders without question. But they also complain about their uncomfortable costumes, the low pay and the fact that they get beat up by the good guys every time. It’s a brilliantly hilarious satire of what it might really be like to work as one of these super-villain’s henchmen.
Season Three's new and improved Henchman #21
And what’s great about these characters is that they’re not being made fun of on the show. Yes they are comedic characters who have silly lives, but the show’s creators treat them with a lot of respect. They know, to some extent, that what they’re doing is silly. But they embrace it whole-heartedly with the love of a true geek. Henchmen 21 and 24 are fully-rounded characters, with hopes, dreams, fears and everything else one might need in life. And when #24 unceremoniously leaves the show at the end of Season Two, #21 has a real emotional reaction. He buffs up and becomes the badass henchman in that picture I posted. They may just be part of the nameless, faceless crowd, but Henchmen 21 and 24 are treated like real people, and the show is more hilarious for that.
The two may not be very well known (though Venture Bros. popularity is growing), but for their contributions to the world of henchmen they deserve the second spot.
While the fanboy in me would like to give them the No. 1 slot, the real choice is by far the greatest henchperson of all time!
1. Harley Quinn
Bang! Bang! My baby shot me down...
Our own Miss Harley Quinn. The Lady in Red and Black. The single greatest henchperson ever. Just look at that smile, those colors; remember that voice that was so squeaky and yet so awesome at the same time. Harley Quinn is a model that all henchmen should aspire too. Because unlike most other henchmen and women out there – and the reason why she is No. 1 – Harley Quinn has actually equaled, if not surpassed, the popularity of her boss. So much so that in both comics and cartoons, Harley Quinn has a life and stories all her own. She has become a solid, well-rounded character completely separate from her role as henchwoman, but she will forever be known as the Joker’s girl.
Harley Quinn made her debut in an episode of Batman: The Animated Series in the mid-90s. She was created for the show to be the Joker’s henchgirl. Everybody knows the Joker. The Dark Knight is one of the highest grossing movies of all time, and Heath Ledger won that post-humous Oscar for the role. Well the Joker was a big villain in Batman: The Animated Series, and writer Paul Dini needed someone to help Joker with a scheme. He got college pal Arleen Sorkin to do the voice, and gave Harley some of Sorkin’s character traits. The costume and name are, of course, taken from the old timey harlequin characters; which is a great touch, since she’s not just Joker Girl or something lame.
Like how Batman has Robin instead of just Batboy.
From that one appearance, Harley Quinn was a huge hit with the fans! She’s funny and fun, and Sorkin has such an amazing and unique voice for the character. Harley was the Joker’s long-suffering girlfriend. Joker treated her like crap, but she’s psychotically devoted to him like a lovesick puppy. It would be sad and tragic in real life, and sometimes it was in the cartoon too, but it’s mostly played for laughs. There was always a sense that maybe, just maybe, Harley wasn’t just a sycophantic freak. That she had her own personality just below the surface, one that didn’t like how the Joker treated her. That made her immensely sympathetic to the viewer. Still, episode after episode, she worked side-by-side with the Joker, doing his dirty work and often falling victim to some of his practical jokes. She was a great henchperson.
A match made in Hell
Harley became so popular with the fans that she eventually made the jump from the cartoon to the comics. First was’ Mad Love’, written and drawn by Dini and Bruce Timm, the lead designer/producer of the show. It told the tragic origin of how Dr. Harleen Quinzel was the Joker’s psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, and how he played to her sympathies with fake stories of his childhood, eventually getting her to fall in love with him and help him escape. From then on she was hooked! ‘Mad Love’ was a huge success, and it wasn’t long before Harley appeared in the actual Batman comic books. She kept the same origin and costume, she just started appearing alongside the Joker as his henchgirl in the normal comics continuity. People loved her!
She even got her own ongoing comic book for awhile. It ran for 38 issues.
Harley was so popular that she was going to be one of the villains in the proposed fifth Batman movie from the mid-90s. Remember Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, those horrible bombs that killed the franchise? Well Hollywood was planning a fifth: Batman Triumphant. Harley was going to be one of the villains, re-written as the Joker’s daughter come back for revenge. But the incredibly negative reaction to Batman and Robin sunk Batman Triumphant before it ever went into production. We know Harley was going to be a villain because a script was written that would have teamed with her Scarecrow and possibly Man-Bat. She coulda been a star!
Instead, it was the cartoon episode ‘Harley and Ivy’ that really upped Harley’s profile.
A match made in fanboys' wet dreams
In the episode, Harley is kicked out of their lair by an angry Joker. Alone, Harley runs into fellow Bat-villain Poison Ivy and the two team-up in a Girl Power sort of crime spree. Poison Ivy was a well-established Bat-villain at the time, both in the cartoon and in the comics. But some genius at Batman: The Animated Series (Dini again, I believe) decided to team the two female characters up for an episode like Thelma & Louise. The pair were an immediate hit! Soon Harley and Ivy were teaming up in the comics, and their friendship became something unique among villains. They really were friends. They didn’t just stab each other in the back. Suddenly Harley had a life outside of the Joker. Soon, both in the cartoon and the comic, she’s going on solo adventures and openly opposing the Joker at times.
And that’s why Harley Quinn is the greatest henchperson of all time. Created as a one-off character for a single episode, she soon sky-rockets in popularity until she had her own life, her own friends and her own stories completely free of her original boss. Yet she was never a bad henchperson. She wasn’t trying to usurp the Joker. In fact, she still loves him in that weird, twisted way of theirs. So she will always be linked to the Joker, always be his right-hand-lady. But she’s more than earned her own spot as one of Batman’s most popular villains.
Of course, with popularity comes bastardization.
What’s that? A writer has created a unique and excitingly fun character, with an awesome costume and style? And the fanboys love her? Hey marketing executives, what else do we think fanboys love? By jove, you’re right! Fanboys are just perverted fat guys living in their parents’ basements who only buy comics to look at the sexy women. Quick, somebody completely alter the wonderful Harley Quinn so that she’s nothing more than a hideous pin-up doll! Those perverts will love her even more now!
CLOTHING DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY!!
So what do you think of my list? Did I truly pick the 6 Greatest Henchmen of All Time? Did I miss any of your favorites? Let me hear about it in the comments!
San Diego Comic-Con Wrap-Up
I already wrote about the epic return of Stilt-Man, but I wanted to add a few more exciting developments to come out of the San Diego Comic-Con. It’s the largest pop culture event of the year, with big news in comics, movies and TV. Someday Henchman-4-Hire will have a booth there, or I’ll personally have a booth there. But for now, I enjoy cruising the comic blogosphere and reading up on news from my favorite sites.
Here are some key tidbits, both good and bad.
1. The Return of the Scarlet Spider: At one panel, Marvel released the following teaser image for an upcoming Spider-Man story for the end of the year. No news, just the picture. And it’s a very exciting picture featuring the Scarlet Spider’s iconic hoodie.
Hopefully the comic won't just be Scarlet Spider on fire
Everybody knows about Spider-Man. Well a big story in the 90s Spider-Man comics was the Clone Saga, in which an evil scientist made a clone of Peter Parker who had all of his memories and all of his spider-powers. The clone named himself Ben Reilly, and he adopted his own spider-identity: The Scarlet Spider. Everybody hated the Clone Saga. It started small but it just kept dragging on and on for years. Marvel kept going back and forth over who was the real Peter Parker and who was the clone. Eventually Spider-Man was revealed to be the real deal, and Scarlet Spider was revealed to be the clone – then he died.
Poor guy
I loved the Clone Saga, but then my brother and I came into it at the very end. We weren’t around for the story dragging on and on. Some of our first comics were from the Clone Saga, when we used to go to the comic shops in Syracuse and cruise the back issue bins. Cippy loved Scarlet Spider, and I definitely enjoyed the exploits of Ben Reilly. For a brief period, he filled in as Spider-Man. The Scarlet Spider costume is my absolute favorite alternate Spidey costume.
So the prospect of Scarlet Spider coming back in some way is kind of exciting. He’s appeared in some side comics, but Ben Reilly hasn’t come back from the dead or anything. Another character started using the name, but he has his own costume and his own deal. Having the real deal back, hoodie and all, would be pretty sweet.
2. Incredible Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.: Everything about this is brilliant, from the idea to a title that should have been thought up ages ago. Except that it’s not for me. I hate the idea, it’s just brilliant. I don’t even want ‘S.M.A.S.H.’ to stand for anything. It’s awesome as-is. This is going to be a cartoon show starring the Hulk and all the recent Hulk-esque characters from Marvel.
Crappy image, but such is con-stuff
Over the past few years, the Incredible Hulk cast has ballooned from just Bruce Banner and his jade giant alter ego. There’s Red Hulk She-Hulk, Red She-Hulk, Skaar: Son of the Hulk, another She-Hulk and A-Bomb, who is a Rick Jones that can turn into the Abomination. It’s dumb and I haven’t been reading. I prefer my Hulk to be a loner, where he’s the only Hulk around. Like in the classic TV show. So I don’t know what sort of bull is going to be flying in this cartoon show.
I just love the title.
3. Trailer for the new Airbender cartoon: Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the best cartoon series ever. It’s a three-season story that spans one long tale from beginning to end, about a 12-year-old boy who must embrace his destiny and save the world. It’s not just a kiddie show. You will be hard-pressed to find such an epic tale anywhere else short of books. If you have kids, make them watch Avatar: The Last Airbender. Watch it with them. You will not be disappointed.
That being said, here’s the trailer for the sequel!
4. LEGO has Marvel and DC licenses: Soon we will live in a world with LEGO X-Men, Avengers, Superman, Spider-Man, Hulk and Deadpool. It’s a nerd dream come true. All my hopes and dreams from childhood come to life! I already proudly displayed my LEGO Batmobile on my Geek Wall. To have other superhero LEGOS is just giddy fun.
Problem is, aside from Batman and his various vehicles and cave, few other superheroes have actual models to build. So we’ll see what they can come up with. I have faith.
Tiny little bits of awesome
NBC says ‘no fly’ to Pilot of Invisible Jet
The Wonder Woman pilot produced by David E. Kelley has been dropped by NBC. There won’t be a series.
We could have had this on our TVs!
That’s a shame. I was looking forward to a cool Wonder Woman TV show, especially considering all the crap that’s on TV now anyway. Not that I watch much of it. But I try to make it a point to watch good superhero TV. I used to watch Smallville, and I have every intention of trying to catch up on the latest seasons, what with all the cool hero cameos.
But still, Wonder Woman looked like it could be cool. I know Kelley has a history of good shows, and a modern take on the character could have been a blast. There were some changes to her status quo, but quite frankly, I’m cool with producers making some cosmetic changes to superheroes to make them work. It’s not like Wonder Woman has a status quo that’s set in stone, a la Superman or Batman. Heck, the last status quo I can remember was when she was Diana Prince, a secret agent for a superhuman investigation agency tasked with investigating Wonder Woman. It was stupid.
According to Deadline:
Despite some negative early speculation, the pilot was not a disaster as some suggested. People who have seen it describe it as “ambitious” and “well crafted”. But its screenings and testing were very mixed. “The audience couldn’t buy into the modernization,” one insider said. There were early signs of resistance against updating the classic franchise and the character when fans slammed the superhero’s new, contemporary costume. “It was a conceptual thing,” another insider said. “Do we need a comic book hero?”
I loved the updated costume. I also heard that Wonder Woman wore her traditional bathing-suit look in the pilot as well, so she had multiple costumes. But I have no problem at all with giving Wonder Woman pants. By all means, let her wear pants!
Now we’re just left to hope that somebody bootlegs the pilot and we can see it for ourselves. *fingers crossed*
Henchman-4-Hire 