The Flash and Supergirl teamed up on TV this week and it was just what I needed after Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice. While the big theatrical release had a lot to like in terms of visuals, It was mostly a depressing affair about people who did not like having to be superheroes. While the TV team up may have been limited budgetarily, it was nice to see the heroes enjoying themselves, even when the chips were down. Plus, their Flash didn't have a man-bun.
I think the version of Flash seen in BvS:DoJ was the worst part of this new cinematic Justice League. I can get on board with Aquaman the barbarian, Cyborg was pretty awesome (was that a mother box?), and Wonder Woman was done well. But what Flash is he even supposed to be? He looks nothing like Barry or Wally or Bart so I'm still trying to figure him out.
ReplyDeleteI saw BVS:DOJ twice! Once in 3D; once in 2D. Loved it, both times. An amalgam of Frank Miller's THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS and the (still somewhat-controversial) "Death of Superman" story arc, of course. But, one that--for some strange reason--I found much better written than either of the inspirations!
ReplyDeleteConversely? I found the Flash/Supergirl crossover, on Monday night, refreshingly light-hearted. Perhaps because Livewire and the Silver Banshee looked more like members of a Goth girl band (as opposed to extras in a PARANORMAL ACTIVITY sequel).
Here is what I wrote about BvS on my Facebook page:
ReplyDeleteToo long
Too dark
Too humorless
Too unnecessarily complicated
Too many explosions
Too much
I think it could have been a very good movie (as opposed to mediocre) if the filmmakers would have just shown a little restraint. Lex Luther was horribly miscast and poorly realized. Wonder Woman was cool. I didn’t hate it, but I also won’t be buying the DVD.
On the other hand, I agree with Ross and thought that the Supergirl and Flash team-up on TV was delightful. I thought that the two leads had a lot of chemistry together, and I immediately began looking forward to a possible visit from Supergirl on The Flash's show.
Personally I think that having a huge budget on these films often makes things worse rather than better. There seems to be a mentality in Hollywood that if one big explosion is cool, then fifty will be fifty times more cool. They get so involved in showing buildings being destroyed that they forget to tell a coherent, compelling story.
Does it occur to anyone else that Batman, the world's greatest detective, would have done his own research on Superman and concluded that there was no really compelling reason for them to fight?
I watch The Flash, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow on TV and I feel inspired and entertained. I walk out of many of the big budget superhero movies feeling "Meh."
Love the remark about Batman...in the movies Batman is not a detective at all, just a martial artist with gadgets. Which is part of why the movies suck. Batman and Superman are buddies.
DeleteHow'd Shang-Chi manage that?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he learned how to the access the Speed Force through meditation, somewhat like Johnny Quick (heroic version) with his mathematical formula (which was later retconned as a mantra which enabled him to access the Speed Force)?
@ Kid Charlemagne - Maybe, didn't know they ret-conned that for Johnny. Ross, since you did Quicksilver/Johnny Quick how about Max Mercury/Quicksilver? Have you done those two?
ReplyDeleteHaven't used Max yet.
ReplyDelete@Sonofjack: Affleck's Batman was supposed to be experiencing emotional burn-out after twenty years of extra-legal crime-fighting...with no improvement (let alone, happy ending) in sight. Add the mind games Luthor was playing, using Bruce's concept of (and obsession with) "family?" And you've got someone who was forcibly rendered short-sighted of purpose.
ReplyDeleteP.S.---@Ross: Congratulations on your 1450th issue, dude. :-)
ReplyDeleteActually when you count my B&B and MTIO covers, I am getting close to 2000...
ReplyDeleteMaybe too late but in honor of the Flash/Supergirl crossover, how about a Quicksilver/Supergirl cover and or Flash and ... Hmmm, who's the Marvel equivalent of Supergirl? Spider Woman for being the female version of the company's most popular character....?
ReplyDelete@Anon 4:37 PM--Ross has established Linda (Supergirl) Danvers and Carol (Ms. Marvel) Danvers as sisters in the STFTLI universe, so Ms. Marvel would be the logical partner for the Flash in your suggestion. IIRC, Jim Mooney, the classic Supergirl artist, even drew Ms. Marvel for a while.
ReplyDeleteI second Isaac's suggestion, especially since Max was called "Quicksilver" in his Quality Comics days. DC renamed him when they brought him back, in order to avoid a dispute with their Marvelous competitors. Maybe the plot could be a dispute between the two over who gets to use the name "Quicksilver", guest-starring Jennifer (She-Hulk) Walters as Pietro's lawyer and Jean Loring (from before she went nuts) as Max's lawyer.
@ Kid Charlemagne - That's even better than my idea! Was hoping for the who's really Quicksilver angle but the lawyers makes it much more fun. Gotta do this one Ross!
ReplyDeleteMaxx and Badger would've been more appropo. From a psychoanalytical viewpoint, anyway!
ReplyDelete@Matt Celis: The Christian Bale Bat-flicks, maybe. The George Clooney Bat-flick; unfortunately, yes. But, the Michael Keaton Bat-flicks? Definitely not!
ReplyDelete@Doc Savage: The Christian Bale Bat-flicks, maybe. The George Clooney Bat-flick? Unfortunately, yes. But, the Michael Keaton Bat-flicks? Definitely NOT!
ReplyDelete