Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DC Comics. Show all posts
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The Thing and Superman
I am really looking forward to the upcoming Man of Steel film. Fans seem to be divided on Zach Snyder as a director, but I think he is an intriguing choice. If nothing else, I expect that it will look great and be the most action-packed Superman film ever. Some of Snyder's previous efforts have had script problems, but hopefully the guiding hand of Christopher Nolan as Producer will help avoid those this time around. So far I love the casting, every actor mentioned for a role so far really seems to have the chops. I am a little concerned that the villain has been stated to be General Zod once again, I would have preferred someone we haven't seen in cinemas yet like Brainiac... who knows, he may be in the mix as well. Ihave heard complaints that the film will also include Superman's origins again, but I imagine this will be about at close to the Donner version as Batman Begins was to Tim Burton's Batman origin, so that doesn't bother me as much. At any rate, this is one film on the horizon that I can't wait for. Fortunately we have a nice summer of superhero films just about to kick off, so that'll tide me over for now!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Thing and Supergirl / Superman
I have to admit that this did not come together as well as I had hoped. The image of Supergirl I used was just too blurry and I couldn't sharpen it in enough to quite fit with the rest of the cover. Oh well, live and learn.
DC has finally gotten Supergirl back to a place where I am enjoying the character again. I still remember the death of Supergirl back in Crisis on Infinite Earths being such a huge moment, especially because it wasn't spoiled months in advance like most big events these days. When DC introduced Matrix, a character that stepped into the Supergirl role for several years, they told a lot of entertaining stories - but it just wan't the same thing as the original. DC decided to send that version off into the sunset and just never refer to her again so as not to interfere with the reintroduction of the "real" Supergirl in the pages of Superman/Batman (now translated into an animated feature). I was glad this latest version was so much closer to the character's roots, but did not care for the over-sexualized manner in which she was all to often portrayed. I found that inappropriate and was glad when DC made a concerted effort to dial that back a few years ago.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Ed Benes,
Gary Frank,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Supergirl,
Superman,
Team Up,
The Thing
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Thing and Superboy
I thought that it was a mistake to remove Superman's time as Superboy from DC's post-Crisis continuity. It unraveled Legion of Super-Heroes continuity and took away an aspect of the character that made him unique among most other superheroes. It seems that some of those Superboy adventures have been retconned back in following DC's latest timeline shift, and who knows how the upcoming Flashpoint time changing series with leave things. One reason I liked to read those Superboy tales as a kid was that the stories took place in Smallville rather than Metropolis and it was easier to identify with Clark Kent's home life. Plus, his sidekick was his dog! Too cool.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Superboy,
Team Up,
The Thing
Friday, April 8, 2011
The Thing and Steel
My favorite character to come out of the Death of Superman event has to be John Henry Irons. I thought he had a unique look and viewpoint and was glad that he caught on enough as a character to warrant his own series. I'm not sure if it was the lackluster Shaquille O'Neal film adaptation's influence or not, but for some reason Steel has kind of faded into the background in the past decade or so. He was featured in the 52 maxi-series and since then hasn't seen much action. I'd like to see him gain a larger prominence in the DCU, as he has a lot to offer.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Jon Bogdanove,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Steel,
Team Up,
The Thing
Thursday, April 7, 2011
The Thing and Static
I had only read a few Static comics when I became a real fan by watching his self-titled animated series. That was very well done and I was glad to see them tie it into the DCU animated shows, featuring crossovers with Batman and the Justice League. I'm sure that Static creator and comics and animation writer Dwayne McDuffie had a lot to do with that. I was very saddened to hear of McDuffie's sudden passing recently. He was a great writer and instrumental in getting a lot of comic characters and story lines into other media. He had created quite a legacy with all the stories he has penned and his creations with Milestone, so I am sure his presence will be felt in comics for a long time to come.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Milestone Comics,
Static,
Team Up,
The Thing
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Thing and Starman
I looked at the publicity images for James Robinson's Starman series with a very dubious eye. Here was a take on one of DC's classic characters that looked to be throwing out everything that I liked about the property. I am glad I gave the series a shot though, because my first impression could not have been more wrong. Jack Knight was indeed hesitant of many of the superhero trappings that his father had, but that made for an excellent character arc where he learned to respect his heroic legacy. Jack's distinct personality coupled with the amazing Tony Harris artwork made this a can't miss series for me. DC seems to hold it in high regard as well - other than a few Robinson-penned appearances as a member of the new Justice Society of America, Jack knight has been able to retire in peace (without being killed off), a rarity in comics.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Jack Knight,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Starman,
Team Up,
The Thing
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Thing and Starfire
I've included a lot of heroes that I think would fit right in at Ben's poker table... well here's a heroine that I think could easily pull up a chair. Ben always seemed to appreciate powerful ladies who aren't afraid to storm into battle when necessary. Starfire still seems to be maintaining a low profile these days... She is a member of R.E.B.E.L.S. but that is currently one of DC's lower sellers so I don't know how much visibility that translates into. I understand that Cyborg is being given a big push in the upcoming Flashpoint event, which is long overdue. I hope that his former teammate, Koriand'r, can get a similar treatment soon. DC has far too many female heroes that aren't simply versions of existing male heroes, and she deserves more exposure.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Ron Wilson,
Starfire,
Team Up,
The Thing
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Thing and Bizarro
Bizarro was always interesting to me in that even though he was usually treated as a comical character, there was usually a healthy dose of peril when he was around as well. He was as powerful as Superman, but without his moral compass or common sense. It's a nice twist on the "dark reflection of the hero" archetype.
I thought that the fourth Christopher Reeve Superman film missed a great opportunity to bring Bizarro to the big screen. They had a plot involving Luthor creating a life form based on Superman's DNA and instead of using Bizarro, they decided to make up a new character with Nuclear Man? I never understood that. Of course that was just the tip of the iceberg as far as the problems that the film had. Maybe now that DC is ramping up a new Superman franchise, we will finally see Bizarro in theaters one day.
Labels:
Bizarro,
DC Comics,
Galactus,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Team Up,
The Thing
Monday, March 28, 2011
The Thing and Solomon Grundy
If I am not mistaken, Solomon Grundy has the distinction of being the first clearly Earth-Two character to break through to other media, with his appearances in the Super Friends cartoon and the live action Challenge of the Super Heroes. I'm sure those Legion of Doom appearances made an impression on plenty of comics pros because he seems to make his way through so many different series. The conceit where upon each death and rebirth, Grundy has a slightly different personality has kept his stories fresh and given writers like James Robinson, Roy Thomas and Dwayne McDuffie a springboard for a lot of cool story lines. I got a kick out of his recent solo series by Scott Kolins, some very nice slugfests in there.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Thing and Smallville
Smallville has had it's ups and downs, but when looked at as a kind of alternate version of the Superman saga I find it pretty entertaining. It really is amazing how many characters from the DCU have been woven into the story. I must say that I am glad that it will finally be coming to a close at the end of this season, because it really is time for Clark to make the final leap into being the superhero we all know and have been waiting for. The best news is that Michael Rosenbaum as Luthor will be returning for the final episode. He was my favorite actor on the show and was sorely missed once he left. I am also looking forward to the episode featuring Booster Gold and Blue Beetle (written by Geoff Johns) and a big throwdown with Darkseid before the end of the season. It sounds like things will be going out with a bang... I hope it lives up to the long build up!
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Smallville,
Team Up,
The Thing,
Tom Welling
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The Thing and Shazam!
I haven't heard of much movement with the Shazam! movie adaptation lately, I hope it isn't too far on the back burners. With comic movies these days becoming more and more realistic and grim, the whimsy of a Captain Marvel film could be a nice contrast. Ideally it would be filled with all the action and drama of a traditional superhero adventure, but with a healthy dose of humor thrown in, just as the best classic Shazam stories had. The wish fulfillment of a young kid transforming into a superhuman adult is just as important to the story as all of the fisticuffs. Sure, Black Adam and Sivana are the obvious villains, but add in some of the more original characters like Tawky Tawny and Mr. Mind, and that's a superhero movie that will truly stand out from the rest!
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Thing and Infinity, Inc.
Jerry Ordway has always been the quintessential Earth-Two artist for me, so I was very interested when the Infinity Inc. series first appeared. I really loved the first year of that series and was sorry to see him go. Don Newton was slated for a long run, which would have been great to see, but he unfortunately passed away just as he was getting started. DC has always embraced the generational aspects of its characters and this was a perfect series to explore that. I remember wishing the stories would have included Robin, Huntress and Power Girl in larger roles, but the focus was more on the newcomers. These characters have been scattered around various titles for the past few decades, but I think there is still a fondness for them as a team. It would be interesting to see the surviving members reunite and sharing some adventures again... especially if they could lure Jerry Ordway back on art chores!
Friday, March 18, 2011
The Thing and Sgt. Rock
I was mostly a superhero fan as a kid, so I only read a few war comics here and there... but I was still a big fan of Sgt. Rock due to his guest appearances in The Brave and the Bold. It wasn't until I was older and decided to check out the Sgt. Rock Showcase volumes for the Joe Kubert art that I started to get into his solo stories. Now these are tales that will put hair on your chest! Full of heroism and sacrifice, the stories of Easy Company always centered around Rock's will to never give up fighting, no matter what the odds. I am happy that Rock is a character that Kubert has decided to return to every once in a while, and I enjoyed the serial that ran in Wednesday Comics a few years back. Kubert on Sgt. Rock is just about as good as comic art gets, for me. No other artist has been able to capture the character in quite the same way.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The Thing and Rorschach
I recently watched the entire motion comic DVD for Watchmen in one sitting. For a motion comic, the animation, sound effects and music are done amazingly well. the one place it falls apart is the odd choice that was made to have a single narrator doing all the voices. He is very versatile and offers a wife variety of male voices, which was fine... but he also does all the female voices, which try as he might doesn't really work. I don't need a full cast, but a male and female narration team would have been a far less distracting choice. Despite this, I still recommend this Motion comic highly.
Labels:
Art Adams,
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Rorschach,
Team Up,
The Thing
Monday, March 14, 2011
The Thing and Robin
I was one of the fans who kind of rolled their eyes when Tim Drake, the third Robin, was introduced. I think the practice of having multiple characters take on the same heroic alias often runs the risk of diluting the characters. In this case, however, I must say that I was quickly won over. Tim Drake was presented as a very competent partner to Batman and had talents that made him stand out from Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. The writers also gave him an appealing personality (especially when compared to Todd) and it gave the Batman titles some much needed levity after years of stories featuring the ultra-grim Batman in the wake of The Dark Knight Returns. Now there is yet another Robin in Damian Wayne (not to mention a second Batman) and my concerns about Diluting the characters are back. Drake is now Red Robin and I feel is kind of being lost in the shuffle. It will be interesting to see how things shake out in the Batman family in the next few years.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Robin,
Team Up,
The Thing,
Tim Drake
Friday, March 11, 2011
The Thing and Red Tornado
I have an affection for robotic characters. They usually look really cool and provide writers with a way to comment on humanity. Red Tornado is one of my favorite examples. I thought it was so cool as a kid that he decided to cross over from Earth-Two to Earth-One and join the JLA. Later in the series, when they tied his origin into the Tornado Tyrant, it gave him even more depth. He works best as part of a team, but I also quite enjoyed his solo appearances in World's Finest and his self-titled mini-series. I was glad to see him getting a key role to play in the new Young Justice animated series (just as he did in the comic of the same name). That series is very well done and hopefully it will expose Reddy to a whole new generation of fans.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Red Tornado,
Team Up,
The Thing
Thursday, March 10, 2011
The Thing and Ragman
Ragman is one of those C-list DC characters that I will check out every appearance of. I first took notice of him with his original series in the 70's with the fantastic Joe Kubert covers. I always thought that he had a great look and got a kick out of the fact that, unlike most heroes, he was portrayed as being dirt poor. I was glad that DC decided to take him out of mothballs a few years back and make him a team member of Shadowpact. That series has since ended but hopefully it gave him enough visibility that he gained some more fans. I'd love to see a new mini-series featuring him and I hope that it wont be too long before we do. Unfortunately with the state of comics these days, lesser known characters like Ragman tend to be forgotten in favor of those with higher profiles. I hope that things turn around because there are too many cool characters out there, and it would be a shame to see them all shuffled off to limbo.
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Pat Broderick,
Ragman,
Team Up,
The Thing
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Thing and Power Girl
I have been a fan of Power Girl since she ushered in the second generation of the JSA back in the 70's when All-Star Comics was revived. I loved the Justice Society and it was nice to be able to read the adventures of one of their members from the very beginning. I also used to get a kick out of how Firestorm would flirt with her during the JLA/JSA crossovers. I am glad that after years of being a teammate and occasional guest star, Power Girl has come into her own. Rather than run from her convoluted continuity, writers have used it as a basis for her characterization. I felt that the pairing of artist Amanda Conner with Power Girl for her self titled series was perfect, and it was nice to see a series in these days that didn't take itself so seriously all the time.
Monday, March 7, 2011
The Thing and Plastic Man
Plastic Man is such a great, iconic character. I have to say though, that efforts to integrate him into the mainstream DCU have never quite seemed to work for me. The cartoony world he inhabits clashes with the likes of the Justice League. I think he, like the Shazam family, is better served by having his own reality to have adventures in, with only the occasional crossover with the other DCU characters. I must say that I did quite enjoy the Kyle Baker Plastic Man series, that was a lot of fun and captured the whimsy of those classic Eel O'Brian tales from the golden age.
I read a rumor a while back that Joel McHale might possibly be playing Plastic Man in an upcoming film.... I'm not sure if there's any truth to that but it sounds like pretty good casting to me!
Labels:
DC Comics,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Plastic Man,
Team Up,
The Thing
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Thing and Manhunter (Kate Spencer)
I got a request for this one today and thought I would give it a shot. I did not pick up the latest Manhunter series, but I had read a lot of good things about it. I finally got to read some of Kate Spencer's adventures through guest appearances in Birds of Prey and as a backup feature in Detective Comics, and I quite liked the character. I like the origins of her very functional costume as well as her ties to heroes from DC's past. I'll definitely have to check out some of the TPB's of her solo series. Is it collected in full?
Labels:
DC Comics,
Kate Spencer,
Manhunter,
Marvel Comics,
Marvel Two-In-One,
Team Up,
The Thing
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