Tag: dc universe

The DC Universe: Bringing Continuity Back

Apr. 27 Comic Books, Editorials 4 comments

Justice_League_0001Almost two years ago, DC Comics launched their rebooted universe with the New 52. However, with that they jettisoned over 75 years of history, characters and continuity. Timelines became too compressed, fan favorite characters disappeared, a lack of context was formed. In the days, weeks and months since, certain…shall we say zealous…fans have been clamoring for the return of the “real” DC Universe. While I do not at all agree with that viewpoint, I do admit that it could use some shoring up. In a recent panel at this years C2E2, it has been revealed that even the editorial staff want to bring back Wally West sooner rather than later. Would it be best if aspects of the past came in to shore up and “fix” continuity issues in the New 52? Even we at WOTN have been debating this.

Being a writer, I might have some suggestions.  The following are ideas or theories on how the old “New Earth” continuity can be “patched” into the present New 52 continuity. These range from the epic, to the simple, to the worst possible scenario.

1. Flashpoint II

If there is a Flash, there is always the possibility of time and space being traveled and affected. But what about realities? What if Wally West from the previous continuity arrives in the New 52, where he does not exist. As he tries to adjust to the fact that his own uncle and aunt don’t recognize him and his best friend thinks he’s crazy, more flotsam and jetsam from the old continuity comes in. Including threats. Big threats. Let’s go with Anti-Monitor with this. The New 52 heroes and the Time-Lost Heroes (as Wally, Donna, Stephanie Brown and Co can be called) join forces to stop Anti-Monitor as certain villains, led by Reverse Flash and perhaps another villain (a nihilist Lex Luthor?) tries to reshape reality in their image. It takes Barry and Wally to stop the Anti-Monitor and fix reality. While most heroes don’t realize that things change, The Phantom Stranger reveals to the reader how things have been fixed, how the realities have been meshed together to a stronger reality: one where the New Teen Titans existed and grew up together, where there is more connections between heroes and so on. And speaking of the Stranger…..

2.DC Comics heroes Trinity Quest

In the aftermath of Trinity War, there have been tears in reality. The old reality is bleeding into the new one, with disastrous results as heroes and villains are affected in various ways. It is up to the Trinity of Sin to put their differences aside and to journey between the realities to close the gaps. As they do so, they see that both realities have strengths, and both are being torn apart. This gets worse as villains keep going between realities (in nods to those classic parallel universe tales). The Trinity of Sin must join the heroes of both realities, and eventually the realities themselves, to save all of time and space.

3. A Proxy

Sometimes, change comes from the simplest of things. What if The Phantom Stranger, during a totally different event, selects a child to help stabilize things so good can conquer evil. In the process, the child realizes that the old reality could bolster the new one. It is this child that helps bring the old continuity in and helps Phantom Stranger make things make sense. At the end of that event, the child would have his memory wiped so he wouldn’t remember his role. That isn’t to say the child cannot come back later in the DC Universe to help the heroes in some way, he just won’t remember what he did.

4. Hard Reboot/Reset

This is the least desirable one by far. If DC Entertainment did this, either rebooting again so soon or going back to the old universe, it would embarrass them and harm their public perception. Certain people will crow and celebrate how they “put it to the man”. This would however make things confusing all over again.

5. Epic Adventure

A combination of ideas 1 and 2, it is an event that would literally shake the foundations of the realities. Wally might be the first escapee through the tears in reality, but he’s soon followed. And with heroes meeting their parallel counterparts and the same with villains, it can put all of reality at risk. The Trinity of Sin go to repair the realities, only to realize that the best way would be to joining them together. A massively powerful villain opposes them. In the end, the realities combine for a stronger one, and history is balanced out.

These are just a few ways older continuity and missing characters can return. Whether these are used, ignored, or something else happens, it is respecting their past, fan favorite heroes, and could make fans old and new very happy.

Tags: , , , , ,

(POLL) Is Robin’s Death Temporary or For Real?

Mar. 05 Comic Books 2 comments

Last week, Damian Wayne was brutally killed in Batman Incorporated #8 in a heavily publicized storyline that sent the interwebs into a tizzy. A headline from The Guardian read, “Batman Inc. Kills off Robin,” and one from The LA Times Hero Complex asked, “Robin the Boy Wonder killed?”

Well, judging from the panel below, it seems that Batman’s latest sidekick has indeed met his maker.

robin_death

 

In this Grant Morrison-penned issue, poor Damian is fatally stabbed in the chest by an adult, cloned version of himself after being beaten and shot multiple times. He keeps on fighting until the very end, and Morrison captured the moment accurately by telling the New York Post that Damian died “an absolute hero.”

But is Robin dead for real, or will he be back in a few years?

Comic books are notorious for reversing superhero deaths, or for publishing faux deaths that are designed from the beginning to be temporary or complete fake-outs. One of Damian’s predecessors, Jason Todd, the second Robin, returned from the dead as the Red Hood after DC editorial decided to undo his landmark killing at the hands of the Joker in the 1980s. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash (Barry Allen) have been killed in the past, and all returned. And over at Marvel, Jean Grey never stays dead no matter how many times she’s killed. Neither can Wonder Man, for that matter. Is Damian Wayne’s death any different from those, or will it stick?

Take a vote and let us know what you think!

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 Comics Not to Miss This Week – Feb. 27th 2013

Feb. 27 5 Comics Not to Miss This Week, Comic Books, News, Previews no comments

The X-Men and Avengers bring the drama, Aquaman leads a nation on the edge, and the Batman Family is in for a world of hurt in this week’s 5 Comics Not to Miss!

uncannyxmen
UNCANNY X-MEN #2

The new Uncanny X-Men series continues after its jaw-dropping debut last month. We discovered in issue #1 that Magneto had turned on Cyclops and was giving the government information that could lead to Cyclops’s undoing. Writer Brian Michael Bendis revealed that the secret informant was the master of magnetism himself on a dramatic and well-executed last-page reveal. I for one can’t WAIT to see how this plays out, and I’m glad that Magneto has returned to being an enemy of the X-Men (or at least one team of them) in a way I wasn’t expecting. Make sure you DON’T miss Uncanny X-Men #2 for more classic X-Men drama.

uncannyavengersUNCANNY AVENGERS #4

Let’s hope this issue brings more of the good stuff that the last ones have. One of the most alluring things about Uncanny Avengers, in my opinion, has been the dramatic interplay between characters who don’t share comics together that often, and it’s been especially tense because many of the X-Men and Avengers were just at each other’s throats in the Avengers vs. X-Men crossover. Remember that heated exchange between Rogue and the Scarlet Witch in issue #1? Or that issue’s awkwardness between Captain America, Havok, and Thor when they first starting fighting together? Or… goodness… the shocking fact that the Red Skull was using Charles Xavier’s dead brain as a weapon? It was soapy superheroic goodness all-around, and let’s see where it takes us this month!

guardiansGUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #0.1

Marvel’s released 0.1 issues of comics before to give readers a nice jumping-on point for monthly books, so this particular one about the Guardians of the Galaxy may not seem that special… at least at first. But consider the times we’re in. The team has a movie coming out soon, and we’re in the middle of the Marvel Movie zeitgeist that’s taking theaters by storm across the world, so the interest in this team is probably pretty high right now, especially since they tie into Marvel’s cosmic universe, and the big villain in the upcoming Avengers movie sequel will be Thanos, one of the Marvel’s most famous and deadly cosmic bad guys. Putting it all together, I wouldn’t be surprised if Guardians of the Galaxy #0.1 is on quite a few people’s radar just so they can see what all the talk is about.

aquamanAQUAMAN #17

Aquaman is in a scary, unsure place now that the “Throne of Atlantis” storyline has concluded. His nation has just finished a war with the surface world that’s made Atlantis persona non grata with, well… EVERYONE above-ground. And now he has assumed his place as king of Atlantis in order to lead his people out of the storm, so to speak. What will that do to his place in the Justice League? His marriage to Mera? His relationship with the rest of the superhero community and the world? Only time will tell.

batman
BATMAN INCORPORATED #8

ATTENTION… SPOILERS BELOW, FOLKS. SPOILERS!!

…

…

…

…


I’m unsure if I needed to tell you that, honestly, since DC’s basically announced the news with a virtual bullhorn already, but here goes… in this issue… Robin, aka Batman’s son Damian Wayne DIES… I think. You see, comics are pretty famous for stunts and for staging character deaths that turn out to be either fake-outs or completely temporary deaths that were designed to be undone from the beginning. Consequently, the publicized, status quo-changing events of issue #8 may not turn out to be that status quo-changing. Regardless, it’s sure to be EXTREMELY dramatic for the Bat Family, so check out Batman Incorporated #8 to read a major turning point in this corner of the DC Universe.

Do you disagree with any of our choices? Did something from your pull-list not make it here? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 Comics Not to Miss This Week

Feb. 20 5 Comics Not to Miss This Week, Comic Books, Editor's Pick, News, Previews 1 comment

The Avengers go sci-fi, the Justice League expands its ranks, and Wonder Woman’s Shakespearean family drama keeps on trucking in this week’s 5 Comics Not to Miss!

 

dec120632AVENGERS #6

Jonathan Hickman’s interesting sci-fi take on Marvel’s Mightiest superteam continues. So far, his plots seem to be as much about science fiction concepts as they are about superheroes fighting supervillains, which is a unique tone for the Avengers. This week’s issue promises an exploration of the Captain Universe origin, which should be interesting under Hickman’s pen, as he seems poised to give an often underutilized, minor Marvel character an upgrade in relevance.

dec120174JUSTICE LEAGUE #17

The conclusion to the entertaining “Throne of Atlantis” storyline comes this week. Geoff Johns’ writing on the series has really taken off with this latest tale as he simultaneously reinvigorates Aquaman’s underwater world while he puts the League in the middle of a stunning adventure that changes the dynamic of the team and expands it as well. The Atlantis-surface conflict has prompted the government to grow the League’s ranks, which leads into this week’s debut issue of the new Justice League of America #1 spin-off.

dec120189JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1

This is it! The much-anticipated expansion of the Justice League, the Justice League of America. This book comes as a direct result of “Throne of Atlantis,” and the friction between this new team and the other Justice League is probably what starts the also much-anticipated “Trinity War” storyline, the New 52′s first big crossover event. This new Justice League stars Wonder Woman’s spurned ex-lover Steve Trevor and the Martian Manhunter, a character who, in the relaunch, has fought against the League in the past. It’s probably safe to say that the two Leagues won’t be friends initially, and the drama will probably make for great storytelling.

dec120240JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA’S VIBE #1

Yes, I put a Vibe comic in here, dammit! Can the New 52 version of this often misunderstood character from the Justice League’s vastly underrated Detroit era (yeah, I said that too, and meant it) pick up enough readers to keep his own solo series going? We’ll see. The DC Universe’s creative architects, including the extremely talented Geoff Johns, have rebooted Vibe from a 1980s breakdancing stereotype (although a likeable 1980s breakdancing stereotype) and are attempting to make him more modern and relevant for today’s audience. His vibrational powers are supposedly linked to the frequencies between dimensions (think Earth 1 and Earth 2 and all those others). Let’s see if Vibe 2.0 can take off in ways Vibe 1.0 never did.

dec120244WONDER WOMAN #17

Wonder Woman’s been a consistently good read, thanks to Brian Azzarello’s writing and Cliff Chiang’s and Tony Akins’s art. Issue #17 continues the series’ second story arc, which brings the popular New God Orion to the New 52 DC Universe just in time to mix it up with the Greek gods and all of this epic lost-child-prophecy type stuff that’s been going on in Wonder Woman’s book over the past several months. Check out this title is you’re looking for Shakespearean family drama with some cosmic, otherworldly stuff thrown in.

Do you disagree with any of our choices? Did something from your pull-list not make it here? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wallpaper of the Day

Jan. 28 Features, Wallpaper no comments

 

Today’s wallpaper is courtesy of Wallbase

 

 

 

Download this wallpaper here

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Del Toro Confirms “Dark Universe” Movie

Jan. 12 Comic Books, Editor's Pick, Movies, News 1 comment

Finally, some information! After much speculation, third-party denials, and third-party retractions of denials, we finally have confirmation from Writer/Director/Producer Guillermo Del Toro that there are plans for a movie based around the magical and supernatural characters of the DC Universe. As reported by IGN, the project, under the working title of “Dark Universe,” is in the development phase so there’s only an outline for the film at the moment. Del Toro, however, has a writer for the script who is “perfect” as he cryptically told IGN reporter Scott Collura in the video interview.

When pressed to reveal the heroes he would want in the movie, Del Toro expressed his love for Swamp Thing, calling him a “rock star,” but also mentioned the possible inclusion of John Constantine, Zatanna, The Spectre, Etrigan the Demon, and Deadman. The DC Universe boasts a number of supernatural heroes with titles such as Justice League Dark, Demon Knights, and Sword of Sorcery showcasing many of them, so it’s encouraging that he’s thinking outside of any specific title and trying to combine characters that he likes and would work well in a movie together…possibly. It’s important that we take any and all information with a grain of salt since there may be a big difference between who Del Toro wants in the movie and who DC and Warner Bros. let him use. For my money’s worth, DC would be smart to let him use whoever he wants. And with the mixing of heroes he mildly teased it looks like they just might do that.

If I were going to pick a lineup…

Factoring in Del Toro’s preferences…

Main Roster:

  • John Constantine
  • Swamp Thing
  • Zatanna
  • Etrigan
  • Madame Xanadu
  • Deadman

Alternate Members/Possible Cameos:

  • The Spectre
  • Doctor Fate
  • Amethyst
  • Enchantress
  • Tim Hunter

There are definitely a lot of heroes you could pick from, but these seem to be the most likely given the current books at DC Comics. I know it seems like I’m just copying what Del Toro said, but given the shared history of the characters, the main roster seems pretty plausible. Constantine has the most connections amongst the magical community, so it’s not hard to imagine him recruiting at least Swamp Thing and Zatanna. Madame Xanadu is a psychic medium and her relationship with Etrigan and his alter ego Jason Blood is damn good soap opera. Though I wonder if they’ll have Etrigan rhyming all the time? And Deadman…oh, I imagine Boston has been “secretly” following Constantine around, only for Constantine to make it abundantly clear that he knows Boston’s there and brings him on board because he’d be useful. That or Doctor Fate just brings them all together because…Doctor Fate. Seriously, how awesome would it be to see that giant ankh appear? You could even have Constantine going to Det. Jim Corrigan for information! Tim Hunter could be your audience surrogate!The possibilities are endless!

Sorry…I’m gonna need a minute…overloading on SQUEE! and nerdgasm…

Okay, back to business. Del Toro also spoke about the shared universe that DC wants to establish with their movies, which would include “Dark Universe.” This is hardly a revelation considering how well Marvel crafted a shared movie universe for its characters, but the idea of Nolan/Snyder’s grounded-ness in Man of Steel blending with Del Toro’s disturbingly twisted fairy tales is intriguing. The two styles don’t have to be mutually exclusive either. While Superman and The Justice League can occupy a space of black and white heroics, fighting the good fight in a way that’s more “realistic” or “relatable,” the supernatural heroes can co-exist within the same reality…but it’s just a bit off-kilter. Perhaps a sideways world that very few have access to or know about – except Batman!

The rules of magic are whatever you want them to be, which gives the supernatural heroes a lot of freedom to go BIG with the sorcery. Given Del Toro’s track record with Hellboy, Hellboy II, Pan’s Labyrinth, and the soon-to-be-released Pacific Rim, he’ll have no trouble with scope and visuals. In the same way that we nerds trusted Joss Whedon with The Avengers, when it comes to underground magic, the macabre, and all around freakiness, Del Toro’s your man. Sorry, Tim Burton.

But I’m excited about this news! At least the idea of opening up the DC Universe beyond the more well-known characters is a step in the right direction. Even with the knowledge that it’s just an outline, my heart is still all a flutter over the possibilities involved in a movie like this. And that’s really the point, I think. The Justice League is a bit of a moot point. We know, more or less, the lineup and we know the villain. Granted, it could still be a fantastic movie (fingers crossed), but “Dark Universe” is an unknown entity, a movie rife with potential because the characters involved are so foreign to the movie-going audience. Wouldn’t it just blow the minds of Joe and Jane Q. Public if they found out these magical characters also knew Superman? And they could stand a fighting chance against him because Superman’s vulnerable to magic!

So, please, Mr. Del Toro and Mr. Unknown “Perfect” Writer, write like the wind so that we might have this movie. I demand it!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 Comics Not to Miss This Week

Nov. 06 5 Comics Not to Miss This Week, Comic Books, News, Previews no comments

Iron Man gets a relaunch, the X-Men and Avengers reap what they’ve sown, and DC’s supernatural and cosmic universes keep getting weirder and weirder in this week’s 5 Comics Not to Miss.

Iron Man #1

It’ll be interesting to see what the MarvelNOW! relaunch will be for one of the company’s most famous characters. Thanks to the Marvel Studios and Avengers zeitgeist, Iron Man’s hotter than ever, so the company is probably going to make sure his comic book is extremely well-written and riveting, in order to do the character justice (or at least, I’d hope they would). This debut issue is probably worth a look just to see what the company has plan for Tony Stark, a man who has become a household name.

AvX Consequences #5

This is the last issue of a miniseries that caps off Marvel’s biggest crossover in recent memory, so issue #5 is valuable just to see where the Marvel Universe will take some of the biggest players from Avengers vs. X-Men next. Marvel is changing a lot with their character relationships and the tone of the stories. This issue is a great way to learn how that may play out.

 

Green Lantern #14

The “Rise of the Third Army” storyline makes this an interesting time for Green Lantern fans, and Geoff Johns has been writing the hell out of it. His introduction of the new lantern, Simon Baz, in the midst of a tumultuous time for his fellow lanterns and the Guardians is enthralling. In this issue, Baz fights the Justice League in what may be an exciting, action-packed entry in DC’s latest cosmic saga.

Animal Man #14

You should be reading Animal Man  if you like superhero comics with a horror flavor. Animal Man fights supervillains like other folks in costumes do, but the tone of his adventures is very dark and often gruesome and strange. This issue is part of the “Rotworld” crossover that explains the nature of his powers and how they fit into the larger supernatural sphere of the DC Universe, so if you’re curious about the overall mythology and you also like your comics with an edge, this one may be for you.

Swamp Thing #14

Swamp Thing is another superhero comic with horror overtones, and it crosses over with Animal Man  right now, thanks to “Rotworld.” But although Swamp Thing and Animal Man have much in common, Swamp Thing is the more famous character, and the reason for that is because the tone of his universe is so well-defined and easy to get, even if supernatural, scary, fatalistic storylines aren’t your thing. But if they are, read an issue of Swamp Thing this week.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BREAKING NEWS! DC Retains Superman Rights!

Oct. 18 Comic Books, Movies, News 2 comments

 

Warner Bros. and DC Comics now have the rights to produce Superman stories in all media after a judge ruled Wednesday that the heirs of one of Superman’s co-creators signed away their ability to reclaim the copyright for the character 20 years ago.

This means that DC can make Superman comics, movies, TV shows, video games, cartoons, and whatever else they want, free and clear.

Here are more details about the legal saga’s latest chapter from the Associated Press below:

DC Comics sued the heirs of artist Joe Shuster in 2010, seeking a ruling that they lost their ability to try to reclaim the superhero’s copyrights in 1992. U.S. District Court Judge Otis Wright II agreed, stating that Shuster’s sister and brother relinquished any chance to reclaim Superman copyrights in exchange for annual pension payments from DC Comics.

Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel created Superman, who made his comic book debut in 1938 in Action Comics #1. Both men battled for increased compensation for the superhero throughout their lives and Siegel’s heirs have also fought DC for a stake in copyrights to Superman.

Shuster’s heirs had argued that the copyright agreements could be terminated under provisions that allowed creators of works made before 1978 a mechanism to reclaim their rights. Wright ruled that the decision by Shuster’s sister to accept higher annual payments created a new agreement and the pre-1978 rights no longer applied.

“We respectfully disagree with its factual and legal conclusions, and it is surprising given that the judge appeared to emphatically agree with our position at the summary judgment hearing,” the Shusters’ attorney Marc Toberoff wrote in a statement. He declined further comment, and Warner Bros. and its attorney Daniel

Petrocelli also declined comment on the ruling.

Toberoff had argued that an agreement altering copyright interests would have been much longer than the one-page 1992 agreement between DC Comics and Shuster’s sister, Joan Shuster Peavy, and his brother, Frank.

The latest Superman film, “Man of Steel” is scheduled to land in theaters in 2013. Director Zach Snyder told fans earlier this year at Comic-Con that his film would make the superhero more relatable than previous depictions that showed him as “a big blue Boy Scout up on the throne and you can’t really touch him.”

In April, the $412 check that DC Comics wrote to acquire Superman and other creative works by Shuster and Siegel sold for $160,000 in an online auction.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Week in New York Comic-Con: 10/11/12 – 10/14/12

Oct. 14 Comic Books no comments

 

New York Comic-Con was the highlight of the week, and attention-getting announcements came aplenty.

Highlights from the Big Two include:

Marvel

  • January’s new Superior Spider-Man series WON’T feature Peter Parker, but whoever’s going to wear that mask is locking lips with a startled Mary Jane in a cover for issue #2. This new Spidey is supposed to be darker and more aggressive, which hasn’t sat well with a lot of folks on the Comic Book Movie comments board
  • A new Secret Avengers #1 comic is due February, by writer Nick Spencer and artist Luke Ross. This team of undercover Avengers has parallels with the movie version. Members include Hawkeye and Black Widow, and Agent Coulson and a very Sam Jackson-looking Nick Fury will appear
  • Brian Michael Bendis and Steve McNiven are relaunching a new Guardians of the Galaxy series in February, with Iron Man as a member
  • Black Widow’s past comes back to haunt her in Avengers Assemble #12 & #13 in November

 


DC

  • The next turning points in the “Rise of the Third Army” Green Lantern storyline sees Guy Gardner teaming up with new Lantern Simon Baz, who seemed well-received by the con audience
  • Scott Snyder and Jim Lee will launch a new Superman book next year
  • Artist Paul Pelletier will begin penciling Aquaman with February’s issue #15
  • In New 52 news, fans clamoring for the returns of Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown were urged to “keep reading”
  • The upcoming Justice League of America series will make Martian Manhunter the most dangerous DC superhero, according to series writer Geoff Johns
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Drunken Nerd: DC Football Squad

Sep. 02 Comic Books, Editor's Pick, Editorials no comments

As promised I’ve followed up last week’s article with my selections for a DC football team. I’ve got to be honest, selecting this team was much harder than last week’s Marvel team. I felt like an actual coach trimming down the roster, analyzing certain picks and shuffling around heroes to find the best fitted position for each. In the end, I hope you all enjoy the team I’ve come to say is my 2012 DC football squad (and switching things up this time around and posting the defense first).

Defense:

DE: Demon (Etrigan): Literally, a humanoid demon sprouted out from the darkest depths of Hell. Super strength, speed, and can shoot fireballs out of his mouth; not something a quarterback would want to see rushing towards him each snap.

 

NT: Solomon Grundy: Not the smartest character in the DC Universe, but the immortal can clog up both running and passing lines with his uncanny size and strength.

DE: Tasmanian Devil: If you ask me, a super powered werewolf coming off the opposite edge of Demon is extremely terrifying. Unparalleled speed, power, and ferociousness from the mild-mannered, Hugh Dawkins’ alter-ego, would make him a perfect defensive end.

 

OLB: KGBeast: A skilled assassin who never leaves a job unfinished. His tenacity will make him an excellent pass rusher, but his attention to detail makes him that much more lethal as a coverage linebacker.

MLB: Lobo: The bad-boy of the DC Universe. Nearly immortal and a hundred percent insane, I don’t know a single person who would want to stare across the line of scrimmage and see a cigar-smoking, killing machine smiling right back at you.

 

MLB: Batman: If you haven’t noticed there’s quite a few DC villains on this front seven already and someone needs to keep them all in check. Bruce Wayne could realistically play any of the skill positions, but I felt his leadership would be needed most here, plus let’s face it Batman has a dark side he needs to let out. Personally, I think he’d enjoy laying out a few wide receivers going across the middle.

OLB: Bane: Traditional venom-fueled Bane (over the Christopher Nolan interrupted Bane from The Dark Knight Rises) lurking behind an insanely quick pass rush is intimidating to say the least. Bane’s smart enough to drop into coverage, but he’s an edge-rushing, hit-first outside linebacker like Terrell Suggs.

CB: The Flash: Do I even have to explain this one? The Flash would re-define what a shutdown corner is; forget Revis Island it’s the Flash’s continent.

Safety: Deathstroke the Terminator: The intimidation factor he brings to the table clearly lands him on defense, but despite being tempted to put him at linebacker, I feel like Deathstroke would be a John Lynch sort of safety. No blazing speed, but he’s going to sit back, let you catch the ball and immediately make you regret you even touched the damn pigskin in the first place.

Safety: Superman: I know this may surprise (or even upset) few readers, but I tossed Kal-El around the line-up at least a dozen times. Like Batman, he could excel at any of the skill positions, but I settled on safety because of his speed and strength. Superman can play the line of scrimmage or sit back in coverage and gobble up interceptions. Quite frankly, he could probably be the only two-way player on this list as well.

CB: Wonder Woman: I was very close to putting Shade in this slot and leaving the Amazon off the list, but with The Flash, Deathstroke, and Superman rounding out the rest of the secondary I feel like Wonder Woman’s placement here adds the perfect accent to those three. She can cover massive amounts of yards and that warrior spirit of hers wouldn’t shy away from a little contact. It wouldn’t fit her to play on offense. Oh and just don’t tell her football is a man’s game-you may end up eating those words.

Punter: The Joker: The prince of crime was also close to riding the bench for this squad, but when it comes down to it his unpredictability would make him an entertaining player to watch plus a headache for opposing coaches and defenses. You literally would never know if he’s actually going to punt the ball or run a fake-play, but whichever he chooses you better believe the opposition is going to regret it.

Offense:

QB: Green Arrow: Accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. Agile enough to run a couple bootlegs here and there, but the proto-typical pocket passer. The Green Arrow would make Tom Brady look like a rookie.

 

RB: Robin: I had a very difficult time choosing the right character here, but I believe Robin is brash enough to be the star running back on this team. Despite being a little under-sized I think Robin’s intelligence and agility would make up for it. He’d be an excellent pass catching back similar to a Marshall Faulk. May shy from contact here and there, but brings an entirely new element to your offense.

FB: Atom: Fullback is a dirty, unglamorous job. A perfect fit for this ex-boxer, who would certain play larger than he is. Atom wouldn’t complain and would go in play hard ever down breaking wedges and running over defenders to ensure his running back has an open lane to the end zone.

 

WR: Green Lantern: Powered by will the Lantern certainly wouldn’t mind going across the middle to catch a pass, but more importantly his will-powered ring would come in handy making highlight reel catches look easy.

WR: Booster Gold: Love him or hate him Booster Gold is the perfect example of a current NFL receiver. Ego-driven, borderline megalomaniac, but his spectacular catches would surely make you forget he changed his last name to something like, Ochocinco.

 

TE: Captain Marvel: In the same boat as Batman and Superman with the ability to play nearly any position, but I decided to put him at tight end because of the position’s two-way style of play. Captain Marvel is a team player and wouldn’t mind blocking and laying defenders out and when the offense needs a boost; you can bet he’s going to turn into Gronkowski type of tight end. A massively strong receiver, shedding defenders and catching passes you’d never think a big guy could.

 

 

Center: Cyborg: A big, powerful half-robot, half-human. His intelligence makes him an excellent center. He’d be able to correctly read the defense make the necessary line adjustments plus he’s strong enough to pancake incoming pass rushers.

OL: Steel, Apache Chief, Metallo, Killer Croc: Two heroes, two villains, four immensely powerful men. I don’t know who would get past any of them once they planted their feet in the ground and besides would anyone really want to line up across Killer Croc?

Killer Croc

Kicker: Deadshot: Same reasoning here as my pick for quarterback. He’d definitely be a kicker with a dark side, but who could complain with his pin-point accuracy from sixty yards out?

Coach: Lex Luthor: The king of DC villains. Always has some sort of diabolic plan up his sleeve. You may not agree with his methods, but his ice-cold execution would silence any of his critics. After all, we’re not all Belichick fans, but who can argue with championships.

 

 

Well there you have it folks. I hope you enjoyed the selections, but now it’s time to ask the ultimate question…who would win? Marvel’s team or this DC squad? Happy football season everybody.

Follow on Facebook and Twitter @theDrunkenNerd.

 

Tags: , , , , , ,

POLL: Do You Approve of a Superman and Wonder Woman Hook Up?

Aug. 24 Comic Books, Editor's Pick 6 comments

Newsflash nerds!

In the New 52 reboot, Superman normally wears his trunks under his suit, but soon, he’ll be taking them off whenever Wonder Woman’s around.

This week, the internet has been set ablaze by the news that Superman and Wonder Woman will “get together” (if you know what I mean), starting in next week’s Justice League #12.

Yup. We’re talking the horizontal mambo, doing the nasty, hiding the… well, I think you get it by now.

In-storyline, a major event will affect the League and push the two together romantically. So forget Steve Trevor and Lois Lane. For the time being, Wonder Woman and Superman will only have eyes for each other.

But to hell with them, what do you think? Do you like the idea of the heroes being lovers, or don’t you? VOTE!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

What Could the New Gods’ Return Mean For Wonder Woman and the New 52?

Aug. 19 Comic Books no comments

Last week, Wonder Woman #12’s jaw-dropping final page revealed that Orion, the famous son of DC’s No. 1 multiversal bad guy Darkseid, has returned to the DC Universe post-relaunch… in dramatic fashion.

 

A mysterious man climbed out of the snow, grabbed a very distinct helmet, and walked through a boom tube, obvious clues that he’s the alpha dog fighter of New Genesis. Wonder Woman’s current writer Brian Azzarello even confirmed it in a Newsarama interview, and that Highfather, the New Gods’ leader and Darkseid’s spiritual arch-nemesis, may not be far behind.

Orion is the first major Fourth World character to appear in the New 52 so far (that I know of, anyway), except for Darkseid’s debut in Justice League. His reappearance is huge, and his emergence in a Wonder Woman comic could portend a lot for the “Wonder” corner of the DCU.

‘Godly’ Implications for the DC Universe

Orion’s Wonder Woman #12 appearance has thematic resonance because of what’s come before in the series. The twelfth issue ends her first big story arc, which involved a prophecy about one god murdering another god and causing a power shift in the heavens. And now Orion appears on issue #12’s last page with words like, “betrayal,” “death,” “the fall of Olympus,” and “New gods,” floating cryptically in captions.

It’s vague and dramatic and suggests that the New Gods’ rise relates to a grim fate for the “old” Olympian gods with Wonder Woman mixed up in it (who’s half-god herself now, by the way, thanks to a drastic origin overhaul). I’ll admit, I could be wrong, though. This is comics, so the presentation of Orion at the end of that storyline could be a big red herring that won’t amount to anything Earth-shattering.

But… I have at least one theory on how the Fourth World deities could affect the Wonder-verse, so to speak, and the greater DCU by extension.

In Justice League #6, we learn that Darkseid wanted to find his daughter on Earth, but we haven’t yet been told who that is. What if his daughter is Cassie Sandsmark, aka the current Wonder Girl?

She’s been running around in the Teen Titans and Superboy books ever since the New 52 began, but most of her origin is a complete mystery for now. We don’t know anything about her family and very little about her power source, except that her armor and lasso come from some mystical or godly armor she seemingly stole from a place in Greece. What that has to do with Wonder Woman hasn’t been addressed yet. In fact, Cassie doesn’t even like being called Wonder Girl by the other Titans, but they call her that anyway. She’s never mentioned the words “Wonder Woman” in any Titans issues, much less any admiration or respect for her (that I recall, that is).

DC solicitations for future Teen Titans issues tease that we’ll learn more about the secret of Wonder Girl’s armor and what her full powers are, so what I’m theorizing could be completely debunked within three months, but for now, I’m putting it out there: it’s possible Wonder Girl is the child of Darkseid and some unknown woman who wound up on Earth somehow, and the gods of the Fourth World are connected to Wonder Woman and the Greek gods as well.

So, yeah, this time next year, when all my theories are flat out wrong, you’ll have even more evidence that I rarely know what I’m talking about, but hey, at least I’m entertaining.

After all, Digital Spy theorized that Darkseid’s daughter could be Pandora, that purple clad, hooded chick who’s been popping up everywhere. If they’re right, I’m plenty wrong.

But I’ll bet, one way or the other, we’ll find out the answers sometime before or during the Trinity War crossover. (And if you don’t know what Trinity War is, check out this handy blog post to help fill you in.)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Catwoman Joins the Injustice:Gods Among Us Roster

Aug. 16 Gaming, News, Video Games no comments

The infamous Selina Kyle is scheduled to join an ever growing cast of characters in the highly anticipated Injustice: Gods Among Us game due out next year.

Catwoman will be added to the 30+ character roster. Injustice is a joint Warner Brothers and NetherRealm production. The game will be a rather dark twist on our favorite DC characters. Instead of heroes fighting the bad guys, it will take a Mortal Kombat inspired twist and have heroes/villains all pinned against one another fighting for supremacy in the DC Universe.

 

Each character has been introduced with their own unique game trailer, which not only teases fans with the involvement of their favorite characters, but also teases viewers with the fantastic graphics and fighting styles Injustice will be bringing to the screen.

The Catwoman trailer shows how unique her fighting style will be emphasizing on her agility, whip, and razor sharp claws to decimate opponents. She surely will be a blast to play with in the game along with the previously announced characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Nightwing, The Flash, Harley Quinn, Cyrborg, and Lex Luther.

Injustice: Gods Among Us is scheduled for a February 2013 release. Stay tuned to Word of the Nerd for the latest Injustice news.

Tags: , , , , ,

DC Sends the Superman Family to ‘H’El’ for Their First New 52 Crossover

Aug. 12 Comic Books no comments

Here we are, about a year into the New 52 universe, and Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy have yet to join forces in their own crossover. In fact, Superboy and Superman haven’t even met yet.

Well, come November, DC’s changing that in the ‘H’el on Earth’ crossover that spans the #14 issues of the Superman, Supergirl, and Superboy books.

According to the DC Comics blog, an alien of unknown Kryptonian origin comes gunning for Superboy, which pits him and the other Supers against the villain, named H’el, who debuts in Superman #13 in October.

Apparently, H’el’s “not only more powerful than Superman, but is also smarter than Supergirl and more lethal than Superboy. How will Superman combat a threat of this magnitude?” Or at least, that’s what the press release on the blog post says. But it’s a given that, since this a superhero storyline, our favorite Kryptonian good guys will find a way to prevail, as superheroes often do.

Here’s a quick creative team rundown:

  • Superboy #14 (on sale November 14), written by Tom DeFalco and illustrated by R.B. Silva and Rob Lean,
  • Supergirl #14 (on sale November 21), written by Mike Johnson and illustrated by Mahmud Asrar, and
  • Superman #14 (on sale November 28), written by Scott Lobdell and illustrated by Kenneth Rocafort.

Will this be the family reunion Superboy needs?

The most interesting part of this storyline for me will be the character interplay between the Supers, especially Superboy.

In our latest DC Confidential podcast on August 9, we brought up poor Kon-El’s sorry state of affairs in the current DCU. He’s a half-Kryptonian clone who’s been rapidly aged into his teenaged years even though he’s only a few months old. He knows nothing of his origin, and he’s trying to fit into normal Earth society, and he’s doing it in near isolation. Sure, he’s got the Teen Titans now, but he’s just met them, and he doesn’t hang out with many of them on his personal time. He needs Superman to help him out, and it’s about time they met.

And the meeting can’t come soon enough as far as the Word of the Nerd’s Jason Padua’s concerned. Jason put poor Superboy on blast on the podcast for being an uninteresting character post-New 52. In his opinion, Kon-El needs something in the storyline to make him more interesting, and meeting Superman might be what does it.

I agree that meeting Superman and being officially introduced and absorbed into the Super family will help Kon, but I don’t agree that Superboy has been uninteresting in the New 52. Superboy was a favorite character of mine in his Project Cadmus days before the relaunch, and he’s become a favorite character of mine again since the relaunch. I like the fish-out-of-water clone aspect of him, and he seems more intellectual these days than he’s been portrayed in the past.

Yet, his current origin as a clone being raised and manipulated by a mysterious scientific organization puts him on more dangerous and psychologically damaging footing than he was on before. In the old days, Project Cadmus was a better influence. It wasn’t perfect or anything, but Kon had Dubbilex, Guardian, and the Cadmus personnel to help guide him — much better than those N.O.W.H.E.R.E. maniacs he’s dealing with these days.

I’m confident that this crossover will be the beginning of Superboy’s indoctrination into the Super universe proper and the stable (for comics anyway) support group that he desperately needs.

But in the meantime, check out the awesome cover art below for and click on the thumbnails for larger pics.

Superboy #14

 Supergirl #14

 Superman #14

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Creators Tease Upcoming Changes at the ‘Dark Edge’ of DC Comics at Comic-Con 2012

Jul. 13 Comic Books no comments

Amethyst will guest-star in Justice League Dark, Frankenstein’s joining it, Jonah Hex will go clown hunting, and Animal Man fans will get a retelling of his origin in his own book.

Those are just some of the news and tidbits DC Comics creators shared with eager fans during the “DC Comics: Tales from the Dark and the Edge” panel Thursday morning at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Bob Wayne, DC’s senior vice president of sales, moderated the panel for fans of the company’s mystical, western, and horror comics.

According to Animal Man series writer Jeff Lemire, August’s issue #12 starts a Rotworld storyline that will crossover with Swamp Thing, and Animal Man #0 covers Buddy Baker’s origin.

Lemire said that he and Swamp Thing series writer Scott Snyder are excited about the huge storyline they’ve got coming, which they aren’t finished writing yet.

“I think people will be surprised at the scope of the story. It’s a lot bigger than just Animal Man and Swamp Thing. It encompasses a lot of the DC Universe and a lot of characters you wouldn’t expect to see in the ‘dark’ books.”

And one of those unexpected heroes is Hawkman, who appeared mutated in a preview image on-screen fighting Animal Man. “Poor, poor Hawkman,” Lemire joked. “(Series artist) Steve Pugh did terrible things to him and other characters.”

Frankenstein will be a player in Rotworld story and will join Justice League Dark in the series’ upcoming annual. Speaking of Justice League Dark, Lemire said that a secret in Black Orchid’s origin will be revealed, and now that the Books of Magic are in the New 52, Timothy Hunter will appear as well.

“The secret of Black Orchid’s identity, this version of Black Orchid, is something I’m purposely keeping a mystery for now. Her origin is going to actually tie into Animal Man and Swamp Thing and things we’re doing there,” Lemire said.

In Deathstroke #0, writer-artist Rob Liefeld’s delving into Slade Wilson’s military origins and how losing the woman he loved scarred him. Grifter #0 will give the titular hero his own “Yoda, or his sensei character,” as Liefeld put it.

“These zeroes are just great because we get to really tell you guys stuff that has not been revealed in terms of the personalities and what motivates these characters, and Grifter has been a little bit of a lost soul and he really figures it out in issue #0,” Liefeld said.

Voodoo’s showing up for a story arc as well, and Liefeld said jokingly, (or perhaps not jokingly, that one-by-one the WildC.A.T.S. characters are coming together.

Jimmy Palmiotti said that he and All-Star Western co-writer Justin Gray would retell Jonah Hex’s origin in issue #0, and then, as a preview image of Hex fighting a clown popped up, Palmiotti said, to much laughter, that Hex will shoot crazy clowns in old Gotham.

“The circus comes to Gotham, and not only are the clowns evil, but a lot of people who are semi-clowns become more evil,” he said.

Artist Brent Anderson, who’s illustrating an upcoming Phantom Stranger series with DC Comics co-publisher Dan DiDio, said he joined the series after DiDio asked him what he liked to draw.

“I said, ‘Yeah. I like drawing hats,’” Anderson joked. DiDio spoke to the artist later to have him draw the series.

We reported a little while back that Amethyst would return in Sword of Sorcery #0, and series editor Rachel Gluckstern said the book will have a lead feature, starring Amethyst herself, and a back-up feature.

Team 7, written by Justin Jordan, takes place earlier in the New 52 continuity and will feature a black ops sort of team comprising Deathstroke, Black Canary, Grifter, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, and others.

No one revealed series details, but I, Vampire writer Joshua Fialkov praised Jordan’s work on the series. “He is a genius. He’s amazingly talented, and he’s one of those great young voices.”

Suicide Squad writer Adam Glass promised that issue #0 will begin an exploration into Amanda Waller’s character and how kick ass and vicious she is. Waller, who’s “one of the baddest mamas in the DC Universe right now,” will become less of the mystery.

Fialkov revealed that future I, Vampire issues will feature the vampires fighting zombies, and it’s been the most fun thing he’s written in a while. Readers will go back centuries and see the origin of Cain, and the status quo of the book will change after issue #0.

“I am constantly amazed that DC is letting me do the ridiculously crazy things we’re doing starting next year,” Fialkov said.

In the audience question-and-answer portion, Liefeld said that Hawkman #0 will have a huge event that will make Hawkman wanted across the universe; Lemire’s trying his best to write a de-aged John Constantine with the same essence he had before the relaunch; Fialkov said Jack Hawksmoor from Stormwatch will show up in I, Vampire #12; and Gluckstern said that Amethyst would appear in Justice League Dark.

Wayne ended the panel with a We Can Be Heroes promotional video urging people to help end hunger in Africa.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

DC Comics Releases San Diego Comic-Con 2012 Schedule

Jul. 11 Comic Books no comments

 

 

Comic-Con International in San Diego is HERE (basically, anyway), so if you’re a DC Entertainment fan who’s going, you’ll be pleased to know that DC’s released its panel schedule on its official website, but you can read it right here as well.

This is the company’s full slate from Thursday through Sunday, so mark your calendars and set your schedules! Look below to see where the action will be:

 

THURSDAY, JULY 12

 

10:30–11:30am DC: Talent Search Orientation Session

Moderator: Mark Chiarello

Join DCE’s VP – Art Direction and Design, Mark Chiarello, for an informative orientation session that will explain how DCE’s Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of the DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD Magazine brands. If you want to learn what DCE looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional, then this is the panel for you! In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.)  Room 4

 

11:30am–12:30pm DC Comics – Tales from The Dark and The Edge

DCE Panelists: Brian Cunningham & Rachel Gluckstern

Talent: Rob Liefeld, Jimmy Palmiotti, Jeff Lemire, Adam Glass

Moderator: Bob Wayne

They’re some of the hardest-hitting – and strangest – comics anywhere – and this is your chance to find out what’s coming up in these DC Comics – The New 52 titles, with Editor Pat McCallum and creators like Adam Glass (Suicide Squad), Jeff Lemire (Justice League Dark), Rob Liefeld(Deathstroke, Grifter), Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western). Room 6DE

 

1:00–2:00pm DC Collectibles

DCE Panelists: Jim Fletcher, Kevin Kiniry, Geoff Johns

Talent: Amanda Conner, Jean St. Jean, Phil Ramirez

Moderator: John Cunningham

Action figures, statues, busts, PVC figures…DC Collectibles has them all – and more! Join the DC Collectibles crew including DCE Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, Executive Director – Creative Services Kevin Kiniry, Director – Creative Services Jim Fletcher, with artist Amanda Conner, sculptors Jean St. Jean and Phil Ramirez, to hear how they come up with so many great products, and what’s coming up from comics’ top makers of awesome collectibles! Room 5AB

 

2:00­–3:00pm DC Comics – Batman: Beyond the Night of Owls

DCE Panelist: Mike Marts & Rachel Gluckstern

Talent: Tony Daniel, David Finch, Kyle Higgins, Gregg Hurwitz, John Layman, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder

Moderator: Bob Wayne

Gotham City’s Night of the Owls may be over – but the fallout will affect Batman’s hometown for years to come! Find out what’s on the horizon for the Dark Knight and his crime fighting cohort in this panel featuring Batman Group Editor Mike Marts, with Tony Daniel (Detective Comics), David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight), Kyle Higgins (Nightwing), Gregg Hurwitz (Batman: The Dark Knight), John Layman (Detective Comics), Gail Simone (Batgirl), Scott Snyder (Batman), J.H. Williams (Batwoman) and more! Room 6DE

 

3:15–4:15pm DC Entertainment – All Access: DC NOW!

DCE Panelists: Bobbie Chase, Bob Harras

Talent: Amanda Conner, Geoff Johns, Rob Liefeld, Scott Lobdell, Francis Manapul, Jimmy Palmiotti, Scott Snyder

Moderator: John Cunningham

At DC Entertainment, there’s never been a better time to be a comics fan!  Come to this all access panel and find out what some of our top talent is looking forward to, with Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre), Geoff Johns (Justice League, Green Lantern, Aquaman), Rob Liefeld(Deathstroke, Grifter, Savage Hawkman), Scott Lobdell (Teen Titans, Superboy, Red Hood and the Outlaws), Francis Manapul (Flash), Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western), Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing) and more! Room 6DE

 

5:45–6:45pm Vertigo: A View From The Cutting Edge of Comics

DCE Panelists: Karen Berger, Shelly Bond, Will Dennis

Talent: Dan Abnett, Rafael Albuquerque, Mike Allred, Mark Buckingham, Mike Carey, Jeff Lemire, Sean Murphy, Dustin Nguyen, Scott Snyder, Bill Willingham

Moderator: John Cunningham

It’s a big year for Vertigo, with exciting new projects like Fairest, Punk Rock Jesus and Saucer Country joining American Vampire, Fables, The Unwritten and Sweet Tooth. Get the lowdown on all your Vertigo favorites – and some that will be – and catch the latest on new graphic novels like Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tatto Vol. 1 and others!, with Senior VP – Executive Editor Karen Berger, plus Dan Abnett (The New Deadwardians), Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), Mike Allred (iZombie), Mark Buckingham (Fables), Mike Carey (The Unwritten), Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), Sean Murphy (Punk Rock Jesus), Dustin Nguyen (American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares), Scott Snyder (American Vampire, American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares),Bill Willingham (Fables, Fairest), and more! Room 6DE


Friday, July 13

 

10:00–11:00am DC Comics: From Concept to Page

DCE Panelists: Brian Cunningham, Matt Idelson

Talent: Brian Buccellato, Francis Manapul

Moderator: John Cunningham

What does it take to create a new comic book? Find out at this amazing panel, where for the first time DC has assembled the entire creative team of a comic book, including the editor, writer, penciller, inker and more! Learn how a new project is developed before the script is even written, and the many steps that happen after the artwork is complete, with DCE’s Group Editor Mike Marts, Editor Brian Cunningham and the creative team behind Flash – Brian Buccellato andFrancis Manapul!

Room 6DE

 

10:00–11:00am DC: Talent Search Orientation Session

Moderator: Mark Chiarello

Join DCE’s VP – Art Direction and Design, Mark Chiarello, for an informative orientation session that will explain how DCE’s Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of the DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD Magazine brands. If you want to learn what DCE looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional, then this is the panel for you! In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4

 

11:15am–12:15pm DC Comics: Superman

DCE Panelist: Matt Idelson

Talent: Shane Davis, Mike Johnson, Scott Lobdell

Moderator: John Cunningham

Since the launch of the New 52, Superman has been flying higher than ever! Join Group Editor Matt Idelson and SUPER talent Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), Mike Johnson (Supergirl), andScott Lodbell (Superman) to take fans new and old up, up and away with a sneak peak at what’s in store for Superman.  Room 6DE

 

1:45–2:45pm DC Comics: Justice League and Green Lantern

DCE Panelists: Brian Cunningham, Matt Idelson, Pat McCallum

Talent: Tony Bedard, Brian Buccellato, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, Jeff Lemire, Francis Manapul, James Robinson, Nicola Scott

Moderator: John Cunningham

Comics’ top talent – writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee – continue their historic team up on DC Comics best selling Justice League while Geoff continues his epic run on Green Lantern! Join Johns, Lee, Tony Bedard (Green Lantern: New Guardians),  Brian Buccellato (Flash), Jeff Lemire(Animal Man, Justice League Dark), Francis Manapul (Flash), James Robinson (Earth 2), Nicola Scott (Earth 2) to explore some of DC Comics spectacular titles! Room 6DE

 

3:00–4:00pm DRAWING DC

DCE Panelist: Mark Chiarello

Talent: Rafael Albuquerque, Tony Daniel, Dustin Nguyen

Moderator: Mark Chiarello

There are as many ways to draw comics as there are comics artists – and at this panel, you’ll see some of DC’s top talent draw while they discuss their work! Join Mark Chiarello, DC’s VP — Art Direction and Design as he chats with artists like Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire), Tony Daniel (Detective Comics), Dustin Nguyen (American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares, Batman Beyond) and more. Room 11AB

 

4:15–5:15pm DC Comics – The New 52

DCE Panelists: Bobbie Chase, Bob Harras

Talent: David Finch, Adam Glass, Geoff Johns, Dan Jurgens, Rob Liefeld, Scott Lobdell, Jimmy Palmiotti, Gail Simone, Scott Snyder

Moderator: Bob Wayne

DC Comics – The New 52 and The New 52 Wave 2 are the industry’s most talked about industry-shattering events! Although the landscape has changed, we’re not done making news! Come by and be a part of history as, discuss what’s coming next in this exciting time for DC Entertainment with David Finch (Batman: The Dark Knight), Adam Glass (Suicide Squad), Geoff Johns (Justice League, Green Lantern, Aquaman), Dan Jurgens (Superman, Justice League International), Rob Liefeld (Deathstroke, Grifter, Savage Hawkman), Scott Lobdell (Teen Titans, Superboy, Red Hood and the Outlaws), Jimmy Palmiotti (All-Star Western), Gail Simone (Batgirl), Scott Snyder(Batman, Swamp Thing) and more.  Room 6DE

 

5:30–6:30pm Vertigo: Get Jiro!

DCE Panelist: Karen Berger

Talent: Anthony Bourdain, Joel Rose, Langdon Foss, Jose Villarubbia

Moderator: John Cunningham

In a not-too-distant food-obsessed future, they all want to Get Jiro! Join renowned chef and New York Times Best-selling writer Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential, Medium Raw), co-writerJoel Rose (LA PACIFICA, Kill Kill Faster Faster) artists Langdon Foss (Get Jiro!) and Jose Villarrubia (Get Jiro!) and Vertigo Senior VP – Executive Editor Karen Berger, as they talk about this exciting and savory Vertigo original graphic novel! Room 6DE


Saturday, July 14

 

10:00–11:00am DC: Talent Search Orientation Session 3

Moderator: Mark Chiarello

Join DCE’s VP – Art Direction and Design, Mark Chiarello, for an informative orientation session that will explain how DCE’s Talent Search works and discuss the different needs of the DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD Magazine brands. If you want to learn what DCE looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional, then this is the panel for you! In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.)  Room 4

 

10:00–11:00am DC Comics – The New Wave

DCE Panelists: Bobbie Chase, Rachel Gluckstern, Mike Marts

Talent: Brent Anderson, Tony Bedard, Dan DiDio, Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV

Moderator: Bob Wayne

With DC Comics – The New 52, Before Watchmen, and The New 52, Wave 2, DC Entertainment is running on all cylinders! But you haven’t seen anything yet! Come by for a panel about the next exciting event from DC Comics with DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio (Phantom Stranger), Brent Anderson (Phantom Stranger), Tony Bedard (Sword of Sorcery), Snyder (Talon), and James Tynion IV (Talon)! Room 6DE

 

11:15am–12:30pm DC Comics – All Access: OGNs

DCE Panelists: Karen Berger, Bob Harras

Talent: Anthony Bourdain, Shane Davis, Langdon Foss, Geoff Johns, J. Michael Straczynski

Moderator: John Cunningham

It’s been a big year for DC Comics award-winning, original graphic novels, and it’s only going to get bigger! Come by for unfiltered access to behind-the-scenes of your favorite and most talked about original graphic novels Publisher! Joining the all access party will be some of the industry’s top talents including Anthony Bourdain (Get Jiro!), Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), Langdon Foss (Get Jiro!), Geoff Johns (Batman: Earth One), and J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One) so don’t miss out! Room 6DE

 

12:45–1:45pm DC Comics: Before Watchmen

DCE Panelists: Mark Chiarello, Will Dennis, Dan DiDio

Talent: Amanda Conner, Darwyn Cooke, Len Wein, J. Michael Straczynski

Moderator: John Cunningham

It’s not the end of the world. It’s the beginning! Before Watchmen is here so you don’t miss this panel about the most talked about comic book series of 2012! Join DC Entertainment Co-PublisherDan DiDio, VP – Art Direction and Design Mark Chiarello, Senior Editor Will Dennis, Amanda Conner (Before Watchmen: Silk Spectre), Darwyn Cooke (Before Watchmen: Minute Men), J. Michael Straczynski (Before Watchmen: Nite Owl), Len Wein (Before Watchmen: Ozymandias, Curse of the Crimson Corsair) and others as they talk about this game-changing event! Hurm!Room 6DE

 

2:00–3:00pm Mad about MAD

DCE Panelists: John Ficarra, Ryan Flanders, Sam Viviano

Talent: Sergio Aragones, Peter Kuper, Tom Richmond

Moderator: Bob Wayne

Often imitated but never duplicated, MAD is the country’s best-selling humor magazine! Join MAD Magazine editor John Ficarra, art director Sam Viviano and Sergio Aragones, “Spy vs. Spy” artist Peter Kuper, and Tom Richmond for a wise-cracking Q&A that’s bound to be, well, MAD.Room 9

 

7:00–8:00pm Vertigo: Fables

DCE Panelist: Shelly Bond

Talent: Mark Buckingham, Lauren Beukes, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Steve Leialoha, Bill Willingham

Moderator: John Cunningham

The annual Fables Comic-Con panel is back and better than ever! With the launch of Vertigo’s critically acclaimed Fairest, there’s no better time to hear what Bill Willingham, creator of the multi-Eisner Award winning series Fables and Fairest, has to say. Join Bill, artists Mark Buckingham, Lauren Beukes, Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning, Steve Leialoha, Group EditorShelly Bond and others for a panel that is truly legendary. Room 6DE

 

Sunday July 15


10:00–11:00am DC Comics: Young Justice

DCE Panelists: Bobbie Chase

Talent: Tony Bedard, Scott Lobdell

Moderator: John Cunningham

They may be young – but they’re still heroes! Find out what’s happening for Teen Titans, Blue Beetle and more as more DC Comics – The New 52 unfolds in this panel features Tony Bedard(Blue Beetle) and Scott Lobdell (Teen Titans, Red Hood and the Outlaws). Room 6DE

 

11:15am–12:15pm Meet the Co-Publishers

DCE Panelists: Dan DiDio, Jim Lee

Moderator: Bob Wayne

As Co-Publishers of DC Entertainment, Jim Lee and Dan DiDio are the driving forces behind DC Comics – The New 52, DC’s digital initiative, Before Watchmen, and much more. This up-close-and-personal panel gives you a chance to step up and ask questions about your favorite comic book Publisher publishers! Say that five times fast! Room 6DE

 

2:00–3:00pm Drawing DC – DC Kids Edition

DCE Panelists: Larry Ganem

Talent: Art Baltazar, Franco, Dustin Nguyen

Moderators: Larry Ganem

What does it take to remake a universe? Immensely talented artists! Join Talent Relations DirectorLarry Ganem with the Eisner Award winning team of Art Baltazar and Franco (Tiny Titans) and the ever dynamic Dustin Nguyen (Batman Beyond) as they showcase their artistic talents! Room 11AB

 

* Please note that panelists are subject to change; please come by the DCE booth for any updates.

 

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Christopher Nolan Says No to Directing a Justice League Movie… Dammit

Jul. 10 Comic Books, Movies no comments

 

It’s sad day in the DC Universe, my fellow nerds.

According to CinemaBlend, Christopher Nolan, the famed director of sophisticated science fiction blockbusters like Batman Begins, Inception, The Prestige, and the sure-to-make-bazillions The Dark Knight Rises, told the Associated Press that he won’t be involved in Justice League.

Specifically, he said…

Oh heavens no, not in a million years, I won’t be doing a Justice League film. I mean, have you seen any of my movies? They’re so good, they approach a cinematic masterpiece level that you don’t typically find in science fiction films, much less superhero science fiction films. Yes, I’ve done the Batman films, but lookie here…

THOSE films were about a tragic character whose adventures I used to explore big philosophical and topical issues like crime, poverty, and classism. Batman, as a disturbed man with a scarred past and a psychological need for vengeance and rage, is the perfect vehicle to do artful storytelling that transcends a film that’s simply about people in costumes hitting things with big action pieces and special effects…

Like Justice League would be. Yes, I know The Avengers is making tons of cash and pleasing critics, but honestly, could you see me, Christopher frickin’ NOLAN, of all people, directing a film full of little one-liners that’s two biggest emotional beats involved a bunch of people in silly outfits arguing on a floating ship and the death of a measly supporting character? Where’s the Shakespearian drama? Where’s the social commentary? Where’s the mothaf**ing Nolan touch?

Nowhere, dammit, which is why I wouldn’t sully my refined fingertips with such drivel. Hmph! And good day!

 

Well, ok, you got me. That’s not what he REALLY said, but you know that’s what he was thinking when he told The Associated Press that was done with Batman and wouldn’t do a Justice League adventure. See below for the exact quote (and I mean it this time):

 

We’re finished with all we’re doing with Batman. This is the end of our take on this character…I’ve got no plans to do anything more, and certainly, no involvement with any Justice League project.

 

So basically, Christopher Nolan, a director whose reputation with sci-fi audiences is arguably impeccable, won’t lend his cinematic genius to what could be the most important film DC’s got in development right now, the movie that fans will think of decades later when they think, “DC superhero movie.” In other words, Justice League is the movie that DC NEEDS to be good in order to stave off an embarrassing rep for being unable to make decent superhero movies that don’t star Batman. (Which, unfortunately, they’ve already earned thanks to Green Lantern tanking at the box office.).

Warner Bros., DC’s parent company, must maneuver the movie-making waters carefully now to find the right directing and producing team to lead Justice League’s development, or else.

DC’s cinematic luck with non-Batman-related movies hasn’t been great in the past five years or so. Superman Returns and Watchmen underwhelmed financially and critically, and Green Lantern was a failure. Meanwhile, most recent movies based on Marvel characters have been successful, like the aforementioned Avengers as well as Thor, Captain America, and the X-Men, Spider-Man, and Iron Man movies. Marvel has made so many superhero films that were at least decent that they could run multiple movie marathons on TV filled with them, and likely have at this point.

So the time for DC to bring its A-game is now. Sure, Nolan’s producing Man of Steel for next year, which stars Superman, but it looks like that may be the extent of his interest in doing more DC films.

Which sucks, really, because his continued involved with DC movies would likely guarantee that something like the Justice League would be done right in theater. Unless Nolan changes his mind (which he likely won’t), DC’s battle to find a director who’ll strengthen audience faith in its superheroic cinematic adventures will be a tough one.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
UA-28050589-1