DC Unchained: NEW Trailer & Limited Closed Beta Test

     Since Korean publisher FourThirtyThree, Inc (4:33 Creative Lab), along with DC and Warner Bros., announced the upcoming mobile game DC Unchained I've been quite excited to see what looks to be the equivalent of Netmarble's absolutely amazing Marvel Future Fight.  Unfortunately, early last month the company broke the news that they would be undergoing some drastic changes and the game would be delayed into 2018.  Then just a couple days ago 4:33 gave us the first official trailer for the closed beta test.

     DC Unchained is shaping up to be a tremendous 3rd person action-RPG letting players take the roles of an initial 30 heroes and villains across multiple modes including story, PvP, and real-time co-op.
     The closed beta test will run for one week in January (Wed. the 10th through Wed. the 17th), and sadly it is limited not only to Android devices, but also to players located in Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.  Testers have the chance to obtain Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman, along with numerous other goodies such as gold, gems, and skins to aid them in their quests once the game has its grand launch at a later date.  So if you are lucky enough to live in one of those areas head over to the pre-registration site to get signed up!

     DC Unchained Official [ CBT Site ] [ :Plug Community ] [ Facebook ]

     Related posts [ Marvel Future Fight ] [ Justice League Superheroes ]

DC Unchained: DC Comics' Mobile Counterpoint to Marvel Future Fight

     It looks like Korean publisher 4:33 Creative Labs announced at a recent Comic Con that their development studio Thumb Ageis has been officially working on a DC Universe based mobile game, called DC Unchained, and it looks like worthy competition for Netmarble's massively popular Marvel Future Fight.

     Much like the Marvel Future Fight, players will choose a team of 3 characters- such as Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman- out of an initial 30 heroes and villains, for a variety of modes including story, PvP, and even real-time co-op.  There's been hints that there are still a couple modes yet to be revealed, and there's always the potential for the DC roster to expand greatly after the initial launch.

     Not much else is known at this point.  It looks a little choppy at points, but overall it could easily become the best DC Universe game available once it launches as titles like DC Legends or the mobile versions of Injustice, the 3rd person RPG fun just hasn't been matched nearly as well as Future Fight nailed Marvel's characters.

     I'm seriously looking forward to this and will be updating here as more information and news comes in.

     DC Unchained is expected to hit Western shores in 4Q 2017.

     For related posts [ Future Fight ]

     SOURCE [ EDaily ] via [ 2P ]

Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City: The Final DLC Announcement Trailer & Thoughts

     Dark Souls has been going strong for years now, and Bandai Namco and FromSoft have released the most recent trailer.  The final DLC of the entire series is titled The Ringed City, and touts a new world, new enemies, bosses, armors, weapons, and magic- all at the end of the world, and at the end of the age of fire.

     According to the official description:

"At the close of the Age of Fire, as the world ends and all lands converge upon themselves, a lone adventurer descends into the madness of the earth and uncovers the secrets of the past. As players make their way to the fabled Ringed City they will encounter ancient beasts, a new cast of characters teetering on the edge of insanity, new armor, weapons, magic, and at the bottom of it all, a long lost city filled with new horrors for players to overcome."

     The Ringed City looks like we'll finally get to see the city of hollows itself, Londor.  It also makes me wonder, was that tall woman with the crumbling jar thing Velka?  Regardless, I'm super excited for this last installment, and looking forward to what other games FromSoft will move towards after this.  Though, I do hope this last DLC will offer us answers to questions from long ago, as well as point to the future.  Maybe the end of the age of fire means their new dark fantasy game will be from the age of water Aldrich dreamed of.

     As much as I liked Ashes of Ariandel, I have to truly hope that they can match the scope of Bloodborne's Old Hunters DLC which was unbelievably well thought out and executed.

     Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City arrives on March 28th for $14.99.

          (Or as part of the DLC Season Pass for $24.99)

Wonder Woman: SDCC Trailer has Arrived

     The best part of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has received her own film's trailer, including the best part of the soundtrack- Wonder Woman's theme song.

     Wonder Woman's trailer looks quite good.  My only complaint is the fight scene looks a bit odd with the sliding around in slow motion- her movements feel like they're moving her around while she is holding a position instead of a proper flow of body mechanics.  Otherwise, Wonder Woman is looking damned great.

     Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2nd, 2017.

     For related posts [ Wonder Woman ]

Justice League: SDCC (Comic Con) Trailer Footage

     With all the great things going on at SDCC 2016, it was a sure bet we'd get the Wonder Woman trailer, but this Justice League one is a bit of a surprise.

     What is a bigger surpriseis how awesome Ezra Miller's Flash is.  He's all set to be the most entertaining character of the film.  Also, that nice jab at Aquaman talking to fish was a very nice touch.

    Although, I do have to question how DC Comics's handling of their film properties are really copying the Marvel precedent.  Wonder Woman's trailer looks an awful lot like Captain America: The First Avenger, and Justice League is really hitting all the Avengers notes.  They are formula's that work, so I'm not really put off by it.  At least DC is learning and these films are looking better than their predecessors.

     Also, where's Green Lantern?  He was cast and removed from the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and there's no sign of him in this trailer- so where's our intergalactic policeman? We need a cosmic powered emerald warrior to help fight Darkseid.

     Justice League is set to arrive in theater November 2017.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Thoughts v Review

     Just in time we for this Easter weekend, we got an Easter Basket.  What I mean about that is the fact that Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice isn't really a movie with a few Easter Eggs, but rather it's a series of Easter Eggs strung together in an attempt to be 2 and a half hour commercial for DC Comics' future films.  I'm not even kidding, the whole film was predicated on setting other films up when it should've rightfully been it's own damn story.

SPOILER ALERT for past the break
     (This is also a long-winded rant warning.)

[ EDIT: I forgot to post this Friday night before I left for the Holiday weekend. ]

Wonder Woman: What's with the Fucking High Heels

     I'll be seeing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice tonight after work, and with the film's release, Entertainment Weekly has posted an article about the future Wonder Woman film.  The picture itself looks pretty damn great.  I'm still hesitant about Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, but I'll wait to see her in action to make a full judgement on how she does, as some people pull off roles despite not appearing as many believe they should.  Warning: this could get into ramble mode.

     The Amazonian warriors from left to right: Lieutenant Menalippe (Lisa Loven Kongsli), Diana/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Diana’s mother Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen), General Antiope (Robin Wright).

     There's something a little disconcerting about the article.  I found the decidedly strange take on the costumes a bit odd.  They want them to be authentic and real, but not like the males?  Interesting, the armor definitely keeps a semi-Grecian vibe, but also looks a little like Viking gear.
     The issue isn't with the clothes, it's with the heels.  Why?  I can see for the cinematic quality it would be ok to a point for the clothing- but why have the fucking high heels?!?  I've bitched about the issue for years, if a person takes action in any combat capacity- do not use heels!  I even raged at the idea of Nolan's version of Catwoman and her idiotic heels.  A cat burglar needs to be stealthy, quiet, and agile, not clacky-sounding as hell and totally impractical for any sort of evasive maneuvering for breaking in and out of places.  Where is this idea of needing heels from?  At least on some boots it serves as a control for stirrups, but here they are useless.

“To me, they shouldn’t be dressed in armor like men,” Jenkins says of the women’s battle wear. “It should be different. It should be authentic and real – and appealing to women.” Jenkins and her costume designer, Lindy Hemming (The Dark Knight), crafted a look that showed off the women’s ripped shoulders and toned legs, in outfits that looked practical but that still featured the tropes of the comic book, in particular the braces on their wrists and, yes, even the high heels. 

Jenkins defends the impractical footwear. “It’s total wish-fulfillment,” she says, adding that the warriors have flats for heavy fighting. “I, as a woman, want Wonder Woman to be hot as hell, fight badass, and look great at the same time – the same way men want Superman to have huge pecs and an impractically big body. That makes them feel like the hero they want to be. And my hero, in my head, has really long legs.”

     All right, I've written about this topic over and over and over and over and over again.  From a male's perspective, we don't want Superman to look like he's one of those preposterously huge muscle heads, we want someone to look like what they are doing is something they actually could do.  I'd recommend you read the much lengthier post here, but in it I can sum up the image thing with this snippet from it:

     Body types do mean something in these films.  I'm not talking about breast size.  I couldn't care less about that.  This is about a fighter's physique.  There's a reason no one would think of casting DJ Qualls in the role of Batman.  No one would consider hiring a hundred pound actor for Superman.  If Snyder is trying to keep with his own, new versions of these characters- grounded in reality, more gritty and realistic, then she needs to look the part of a hand-to-hand combat warrior.  Think of Lucy Lawless in Xena: Warrior Princess.  Would she have had the same impact if she was a twig?  Not even close. 

     Think about it- would anyone hire Mackenzie Crook as Batman?  No.  He would, however, make a wonderful Scarecrow.  Why is that?  It's the image.  It's because appearance is important, they are archetypal for some roles- most notably in globally recognizable iconic ones at that.  Nobody is going to believe a scrawny Batman will get the job done now.  Michael Keaton worked well back in the late 80's, but now?  He wouldn't work.  If we require the males to be buff and ripped to look their respective roles, so should the ladies.

     Image does mean something, and the high heel came into fashion long after the Greek culture Themyscira is based off of is set in.  I do think the armor looks great, I don't really have an issue with that.  It's the heels, they look quite out of place.  Even for the non-heavy fighting it's just plain stupid.  If there's any fighting, there should be no heels.  Seriously, I can suspend disbelief in most of the powers, and even that the twiggy-sized Gadot can be Wonder Woman, but those god-damned heels are ridiculous.  It's almost worse than the Jurassic World high-heel fiasco- if a T Rex could run at roughly 18mph, there is no way she'd outrun one, let alone outrunning one in a pair of high heels.  It was easily the most outrageous moment in the film.

     On the other hand I must say the fact that Director Patty Jenkins wants "as a woman, Wonder Woman to be hot as hell, fight badass, and look great at the same time."  I really hope this will dispel the notion that beautiful or attractive superheroines are merely a male fantasy.  No male looks at an ugly character, such as Toad from the X-Men comics, and thinks they want to be that dude. No men are lining up to be morbidly obese Blob either.  This is exactly what I was saying with the snippets I took from my old posts- Mackenzie Crook or DJ Qualls would never fly as Batman because they aren't considered attractive male lead material.
     It just seems like a double standard, that somehow males want fantasized muscular men and attractive women, but for some reason women don't?  Attractive heroes, regardless of gender, will always be appreciated over those that are not (how many women went to see Deadpool simply because of Ryan Reynolds?), and it is so damn refreshing to hear a woman admit that she wants a capable and hot heroine.

     Besides, it's about fucking time there's a bad ass superheroine film.  It's been long overdue.  There's a lot riding on this movie, and hopefully it does well enough to start getting some other female lead hero stuff in the mix.  I mean, it's been 5 years since Iron Man 2, and Black Widow hasn't gotten an awesome espionage film yet and Captain Marvel isn't set to release until 2019.

     If you've made it this far I wonder if I should make the joke about Achilles' Heel being a 6 inch stiletto.  But then again, it's only slightly less absurd than seeing it on all the Greek warrior women.

     Wonder Woman is set to hit theaters on June 23rd, 2017.

     Source [ Entertainment Weekly ] via [ Comic Book Resources ]

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Final Trailer & Quick Thoughts

     The final trailer for the highly anticipated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has dropped, conveniently timed to coincide with the release of so many other films, notably Deadpool.  Regardless, the hype for this is getting pretty high.  Even I am super excited for this, although I still have plenty of reservations.

     The trailer definitely looks to be building us up for one hell of a final battle.  We'll probably get a Batman v Superman v Wonder Woman v Dungeon Troll Doomsday v ... and so on.  I mean we still haven't gotten footage of Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, or Green Lantern.  Though, to be fair, they'll probably be minor cameos at best- maybe even a just a small post credits sequence.

     I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this turns out to be much more well written than Man of Steel, which was good despite it's flaws.  It already looks better, but trailers aren't always indicative of substance- take Snyder's Sucker Punch.  It was a brilliant trailer and a downright horrendous film.  He tends to put style over substance.  Though, in this case David Goyer is helping with the writing...
     ...then again, while Goyer did write the Nolan Batman Dark Knight films, he also did Man of Steel and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance and we all know how that last one turned out.

     Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters March 25th.

Wonder Woman: First Footage & Thoughts

     Hot on the heels of DC Comics' amazing new Suicide Squad "Worst Heroes Ever" trailer, the CW had Kevin Smith on to talk about the upcoming Wonder Woman film yesterday and we get to see some of the film in action.  As Gadot (Diana "Wonder Woman" Prince herself) says, "We're going to see her coming of age, an entire history."

     So it sounds and looks like we'll be seeing yetanother origin story movie.  Similar to Marvel's Captain America, this one seems set to Nazi crushing World War 2 era and some flashbacks to a much older time.

     I think it looks pretty damn good.  Zack Snyder's influence on the dark and muted colors appears to be a little heavy handed, but what footage there is, is decent.  I'll remain cautiously optimistic in the mean time.  I was hoping for a much bulkier Amazonian warrior, someone that looks like they are right out of the WW2 era like, and apologies for the 2nd Marvel reference in this post, but something more like Agent Carter- a woman with some meat.
     That might sound crude, but I've written about it time and time again.  I think Gadot still looks far too slim for the role, and while she might be super strong and an Amazonian fighter, she also should look like the part.  The physique should reflect the activity and lifestyle.  No one would believe a super scrawny 150 pound Superman, because sometimes image does matter, so why do we still have a stick-figure thin Wonder Woman?

     Despite the qualms, Wonder Woman looks good enough to give me hope for more female led super hero films.

     Wonder Woman is set to hit theaters on June 23rd, 2017.

X-Force: Possible Film Line-up and Thoughts

     Following a post of Greg Semkow's X-Force conceptual art, there's been much speculation of the potential future feature film.  It seems on deck to be fast-tracked due to the immense popularity of Deadpool's marketing, and the image features the "team's line up from the script" which was written by the writer/director of Kickass 2, Jeff Wadlow.

     Right off the bat we have mainstays Cable and Domino, along with Warpath, Cannonball lrocketing around in the back, and an unknown female on the left.  I've seen a lot of rumors that it could be Feral, Wolfsbane, or Boom-Boom, but I'm thinking either Psylocke or X-23 are far more likely.  X-23 especially because Hugh Jackman is leaving the character of Wolverine, and that would leave a large opening for a human slaughter machine that is their legacy.  I mean seriously, an assassin of the Wolverine bloodline capacity (well, technically a female clone in X-23's case) would be perfect for the black ops wetwork dealings that X-Force is known for.

    I'm not too intrigued by the art as it is, but it is just conceptual.  Cable should be older and far more grizzled, and as I've mentioned before I think Stephen Lang would be perfect for the role.  Warpath already has been in X-Men: Days of Future Past (Booboo Stewart), and if the unnamed woman is Psylocke, she too is already cast (Olivia Munn) for the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse.  There's plenty of options

     Over the last couple years we've been getting things trickled out, after Days of Future Past, the idea was to focus on X-Force, but apparently that was put on hold because the Deadpool test footage was so well received.  That is good because we know that X-Force creator Rob Liefeld had already read the script and said it was, "Beyond impressive."  He also confirmed that BOTH Cable and Deadpool were in it.  It makes sense to capitalize on Deadpool's popularity despite him not appearing in the artwork above.

     Since Wadlow had stated the team would have 5 members, and that he was a fan of Wolverine, Colossus, Deadpool, Domino and Psylocke, I have to wonder how the art has a mostly different team.  Unless the members come and go depending on the mission?  Or there could be casualties.  There's also always the possibility for cameos galore.

     Personally, I really hope X-Force is a go, and that they follow the precedent Deadpool is setting in shooting for a more mature audience.  This is supposed to be the dark side of the X-Men, doing the dark works that shouldn't be out in the public.  It needs to be bloody, dark, and well-written.  I've complained time, and time, and time again about how they've played Wolverine as too angsty and not as badass as they should have been.  He's the best there is, and we want to see that on film.
     Here's a snippet from a post I did on 11.05.2013:

     "Fox, why can't you get a Wolverine done by a decent writer and director?  Where's the team that can compete with Nolan's on The Dark Knight level?  I've written enough on the subject of handling this character so poorly plenty of times.  About teen angsty Logan mopery, bemoaning his past, and the need for real grit in the series.  If Marvel (Edit: Fox) wants to create a series worthy of a man who is the best hunter/killer, they need to really hunker down and focus.  We do NOT need another one-note-Wolverine film.  He needs to grow as a character, and that still hasn't happened in the X-Men film franchise.  Fans are sick of watching him cry into his beer."

     We want the dark and grim.  It doesn't have to be the whole X-Men universe, but at least with the killers of the mutant world, it makes sense.  It's time to lose those kiddie gloves.

     Sources [ ComicBook ] [ ComicBookMovie ]

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice: Official Trailer 2 Arrives

     After Monday's little teaser we receive the entire 2nd trailer for Batman v Superman.  It is shaping up to be much better than I'd hoped.  Eisenberg is still seeming a bit odd as Luthor, and is that Doomsday looking a lot like a cave troll straight out of Lord of the Rings?  And if it is, is it Luthor or Zod that has become the beast?  Well, it could be something from Wonder Woman's realm, but by the looks of it, it'll probably be Doomsday.

     Still no sign of the rest of the Justice League, but I have a feeling they'll only be in the film for about 5 minutes total at the end.

     Batman v Superman hits theaters March 25th, 2016.

Metroid: The Sky Calls: A Rainfall Short Film

     Considering Nintendo is doing next to nothing with this series, it's great to see a nice work by some semi-professional fans in Rainfall, who a couple years ago gave us an interesting Wonder Woman short film.  We can see they were heavily influenced by Alien, and they've put in a great effort.  It has some average acting and clunky directing, but it's very much worth a watch for the small bits of fan service they threw in.

     I think the actress here, The Nerdist's Jessica Chobot, was not the best choice.  She looks the part, but she's is a stiff actress with poor voice quality, coming off sounding more like Tara Reid than the badass Samas Aran.  I don't know if she's had acting lessons, but they would definitely help and I do believe she could get much better- becoming a Samas worthy of the name.

     Sure, these are limited complaints, but for a fan video it is pretty damn good.  Rainfall makes some quality fan films, and I wonder what they could do with a bigger budget, a better director, and better actors.  Granted, they are sure to improve over time regardless.

     So Nintendo, you are up now, are you going to give fans some of this made by you?  I recall a decent actress from the Metroid: Other M trailer, so you already have someone more than capable.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice NEW Comic-Con Trailer & Thoughts

     The new trailer has dropped and we get a little Alfred, Lex Luthor, and Wonder Woman as well as a whole LOT of destruction.  I also appreciate the Joker nod with the newspaper clipping as well.

     It appears we now know why Batman has decided Superman must be stopped- fallout from the Zod fight ruining the lives of innocents.  The intriguing notion that Lex might be using Zod's body to create a weapon against the Man of Steel is quite ingenious.

     My only qualms are really with the spectacle of substance.  There are a lot of ridiculous action shots and only a little bit of story.  Granted, I'll have to wait to see the finished version, but since it is Zack Snyder, the likelihood of it running in the same superficial vein as all his other films is very high.  Every film he's made has the appearance of great depth, but after watching them the realization is that they focus on action over meaning.  I hope (insert the "It's Not and 'S'" joke here) that this film changes the pattern.

     Hell, DC Comics might actually have a shot at competing with the Marvel films' box office domination.

     Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hits theaters March 25th, 2016.

Lego Dimensions Extended Trailer, Thoughts, and a Ghostbusters Pack Hint

     Warner Bros have officially announced their take on the videogame/toy crossover collectibles to compete with the Amiibos, Skylanders, and Disney Infinity.  I have to admit, the trailer is brilliant and they are mining some of their already firmly established properties quite well.
     Joel McHale immediately got my attention, and I noticed Gandalf and Batman are voiced not by the Lego actors- but by the sounds of it- Ian McKellan and Kevin Conroy respectively.  I could be wrong, but that's what they sound like.

     There are already a slew of other packs and sets listed that will be available, as seen glimpsed through the trailer above such as:

• Back to the Future levels with a Marty McFly minifig
• Ninjago team pack with Kai and Cole figures
• Ninjago fun packs with Jay, Nya, and Zane figures
• DC fun packs with Wonder Woman and Cyborg
• Lord of the Rings fun packs with Gollum, Gimli, and Legolas
• The Lego Movie fun pack with Emmet, Bad Cop, Benny, and Unikitty
• The Wizard of Oz fun pack with Wicked Witch of the West

     This has got me very intrigued, but alas, I've noticed they already missed out on 3 distinct Lego properties that would have me 100% on board- Lego Star Wars, Lego Marvel, and Lego Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  Maybe the property rights just aren't there, or conflict as may be the case with DC and Marvel?  I just don't know.  I do know that they are monstrously popular on their own as toy sets, so it would be a gold mine waiting to be plundered in the Lego Dimensions realm.

Is this a hint for a future Ghostbusters level or fun pack?

     What does catch my eye is this possible hint to a potential Ghostbusters pack when Joel McHale uses the PKE Meter to scan the Lego Portal (See picture above).  We've already seen that they have a 30th Anniversary Lego Ghostbusters ECTO-1 pack available for order on the official Lego website, so will they be included in a future game set as well?  They did show a tornado clip from The Wizard of Oz, then included a pack for that...

     The only downside is the high cost of the starter pack, which Toys 'R' Us has listed at a whopping $99.99- the set includes the Lego Dimensions game, the portal Gateway base, and playable Gandalf, Batman & Batmobile, and Wyldstyle from the Lego Movie.

     Lego Dimensions is being developed by Travellers Tales and will be launched on September 27 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Wii U.

     Source [ Lego Dimensions ]

Gal Gadot: This is the "Wonder Woman" Physique? For Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

     It's been said that Gal Gadot has already finished her role in Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film, and this picture is from a series that shows off her "Wonder Woman Physique."  I'm still disappointed.  Sure she looks slightly larger than her Fast & Furious role, but only barely.

     Where's the muscle that traditional fighters and warriors had.  Hard earned strength that is the reward of long hours of practicing the martial arts- I use martial as in Mars, arts of war and combat, not in the kung fu sense.
     Seriously, I've written at great length about this issue already [ here ] and I think  we need a thicker actress, or even for Gadot to really add some pounds.  I mean even with super human strength, Superman has been given the muscular figure, as well as [ Batman ] and [ Aquaman ] from the pics already shown.  So why does Gadot still look like a frail waif?  I previously argued that it'd be like hiring Mackenzie Crook as Batman, and it would never work because he's too damn scrawney to fit the image.
     It just doesn't fit right with the image of Snyder's realistic and gritty DC Universe to have all the men bulky and strong and then have a twig of a woman be the representation of power through Wonder Woman.  The wonderful artist "Nebezial," who recently took over art on the GREAT comic series Rat Queens, has done a bunch of Wonder Woman pieces that have an awesome commentary to them as well as one of the few depictions of WW I really like. (See the pic below)

     Here are some other posts about [ Wonder Woman ] I've done if you are interested.

     Source [ Comic Book Movie ]

Batman v Superman: Jason Momoa's Aquaman Revealed (Dawn of Justice)

     Director Zack Snyder has finally released an image of Aquaman for the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice movie.  I have to admit, much like the Gal Gadot Wonder Woman, it's way better than I expected.  It still a little different, but for the DC Film Universe Snyder is creating it looks promising.  Momoa's Aquaman is set to appear in BvS: Dawn of Justice before appearing in the follow up 2-part Justice League films.
     I would also say I like this design far better than any of the comic book variants of Aquaman.

There is only one true King. #unitetheseven pic.twitter.com/RDFG8jbuI6
— ZackSnyder (@ZackSnyder) February 20, 2015

    On a side note does "Unite the Seven" refer to the number of seas, or to the big seven of DC- meaning the Justice League?  It bears questioning because of the "One True King" meaning someone may be vying for top dog billing on Earth... possibly against Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Cyborg, and the Green Lantern.

     I wonder if they toyed with the idea of giving him some scaled skin at some point?  That may have been kind of awesome design addition- I mean why do all the alien characters look so damn human anyway?


Here's some of my other posts on DC Comics:

     [ Wonder Woman ]
     [ Batman ]
     [ Man of Steel ]

      And my favorite creation/post [ Meme of Steel ]

First Official Pic of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman Revealed! (Zack Snyder)

     So Zack Snyder finally posted a tweet with the first actual picture of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman.  I'm fairly impressed.  She might not be as bulked up as I was hoping, but it'll do for now.  Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is looking better already.  Now to wait for Warner Bros. to officially release the San Diego Comic Con footage teaser trailer...

( Click here for high res version )

Avengers NOW: Black Captain America, Woman Thor, and Marvel Comics' Diversity

     I wanted to chime in on Marvel Comics' recent marketing- unsurprisingly they are shaking up their entire Universe with Thor's powers being usurped by a woman, Captain America becoming black, and Iron Man going Superior.

     These aren't really issues- aside from the Dazzler one, and I'll get to that later- really, we could use some changes in the comics industry.  What I am unhappy about is how they're marketing it.  Any long time comics reader should know by now Marvel has a real problem with finding something that sells and flooding the market with it.  Spider-Man is selling well?  Looks like we need a Clone Saga.  The Hulk is popular?  Better make him come in multiple colors and in more people.  Thor gained popularity and then Fear Itself came along and added like 8 new hammers.  Deadpool is hot, let's make a team of them!  Wolverine is slated to die this fall, and guess what, there's 10 other characters that are nearly the same.
     Marvel takes something and does it so much it dilutes the characters.  This issue is compounded by the way they take books change them and then shift them right back to how they originally were.  Or just let them disappear- where'd our female Ghost Rider go?

     Black Captain America
     This has happened before.  Honestly, and it was an awesome story and I wish they could've kept that going.  Isaiah Bradley in the Truth: Red, White, and Black series was a great character and had a descendant, Elijah Bradley (Patriot from the Young Avengers) and he could carry on the legacy.  I was actually hoping that might've been who J. August Richards was playing on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Any way, my problem is they are marketing it as the first black Cap, and that isn't true.
     Well, even though Steve Rogers is now forced to give up the suit, Sam "The Falcon" Wilson is a perfect choice to take up the mantle.  As Cap's long-time friend and ally it makes sense.  I just wish they could've worked in one of the Bradleys for the role.
     Does anyone else remember the black Hulk from the Ultimate Avengers?

     If (S)he be Worthy
     Of course, Thor has become unworthy of lifting the mighty Mjolnir and it falls on another to heft the hammer.  The role is now filled by a woman which, just like a black Captain America, has been done before.  Many times in fact, even by DC Comics' Wonder Woman.  The hammer has been wielded by many females, and Thor has even been a woman before.  As in Thor was changed into a woman- not that a worthy woman gained the powers through the hammer- during the very awesome Earth X series.  Thor was even a frog for a time.
     This is another case where it is perfectly fine that this is happening, and I am truly looking forward to a new Thor, a "strong woman" is a good thing.  It's just that this is also another case where I think Marvel is just doing things for marketing purposes.  Marketing a well-known male character being replaced by a strong female on The View is a brilliant strategy, but also caused a heck of an uproar.
     I think the problem stems from the perceived emasculation of Thor (which isn't how it works- whoever lifts the hammer gets the powers, simple as that.) with the implication that the new woman is "taking" his identity.  Of course, this may have been planned to create a huge wave of controversy to drive interest, but really- if this woman can lift Mjolnir, then SHE IS WORTHY and gets the powers of Thor, not becomes him- that's why she remains a female.  She might use the name Thor, but she is her own person, as there are pics of Thor with an axe in promo materials, so he is still around in his unworthy state.

     Diversity in the Marvel U:  Avengers NOW
     Soon Iron Man will be Superior Iron Man, what that implies is beyond me.  But as the 3rd person in the Avengers' main trifecta lead role to be altered I wonder what is in store for Marvel's chief heroes.  Heck, hopefully they won't even be human- that might be a nice twist.  (Maybe it's a version of Vision, which would tie in to my thoughts that Jarvis (film version) will become Vision (film) and bridge the universes)  This is probably a nice way of generating hype not only for comics, but for their films as well- Avengers: Age of Ultron and The Guardians of the Galaxy, which releases in 2 weeks.

     Overall I think the changes Marvel is initiating are good.  I just think they are marketing them in a way that is only meant to lure in new paying customers at the expense of irritating the long-term fan base.  It seems like they are picking a bunch of current issues like gender and race and using those as springboards into a cash pool- like a flow of publicity stunts with a diversity checklist.    At the least they are making an impact and getting new readers to come on board.
     The comics industry has been in dire need of large scale diversification for years and at least this is a start.  I remember when there was a large amount of homosexual stuff as the hot topic on TV and shortly afterwards there came a slew of characters "coming out."  Now it's just accepted and the norm in the comic book world.  Really, it just seems like there could be a better way to handle these things.  Perhaps they could put in the time and effort to create new and diverse characters instead of plugging them into established roles.  Stop pandering and make some new and diverse characters in a variety of races.  I want to see more characters like Sooraya "Dust" Qadir from X-men.  Or one of my personal favorite characters Maya "Echo" Lopez from Daredevil and more recently the New Avengers.

     Well, I suppose Marvel is at least trying to be inclusive and are developing things in a manner that reflects that even if it feels a bit like a sales gimmick.  The Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man is great, the new Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes) is decent, and hopefully these new ones will last.  If they want diversity, then make these characters stick- for the long term.  If it's too temporary the importance might be lost.
     I'll definitely continue to be buying Thor and will start buying Captain America when this series begins, I can only hope that they'll be as good as the hype.  I just want to believe that this is more than trendy headline-grabbing and it will contain something more permanent, like high quality writing and lasting effects.

     PS:  When will we get a Doop animated film?  Doop is a damn green turd-creature, if that isn't diversity nothing is.  Or the Dan Slott She-Hulk show I want?!?  That would be something that would absolutely kill in the ratings department.

Wonder Woman: Gal Gadot, Linda Carter, and Amy Adams Speak

     There has been a hell of a back lash and many internet arguments raging about the Gal Gadot casting choice as the DC Comics icon Wonder Woman for the Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel, Batman vs Superman.  Gadot has finally spoken about the role:

It’s been said that you’re too skinny for the part. Wonder Woman is large-breasted, is that going to change?

Hmm. I represent the Wonder Woman of the new world. Breasts… anyone can buy for 9,000 shekels and everything is fine. By the way, Wonder Woman is amazonian, and historically accurate amazonian women actually had only one breast. So, if I’d really go “by the book”…it’d be problematic.

So you’re not going to gain a little weight and start eating carbs before filming begins?

It’s the physical preparations that I’m starting now. A very serious training regimen – Kung Fu, kickboxing, swords, jujutsu, Brazilian…1,000 and 1 things…I’ll gain body mass.

     First off- as for the accuracy of the portrayal we are looking for is comic book, not historical.  We do mean "by the book," the COMIC BOOK, not Herodotus' Histories.
     But since she mentioned it- it can be argued that it was a short-lived tradition because it could irrevocably damage the things they wanted to benefit in martial prowess- their throwing/shooting arms.  Besides, as an art and history student I don't recall a single Amazonian piece that is missing either breast.  Whether it be sculpture or painting, not a single one.  Here's the wiki link to Amazons, I suggest you peruse it and make your own judgement and further studies.  So could Herodotus have been relating things that were incorrect?  It is possible.  I figure there was truth in it- but only some, as many ancient renown fighters only gained glory by face to face combat.  Even Paris of Illium was considered a coward for long range combat.
     We didn't judge Marvel's Thor harshly because he didn't have red hair and have his magical belt and gauntlets.  We judged Thor based on how well they handled the Marvel version of the character.
     (On a side note, I have to admit her response is quite clever, and possibly meant as a distraction.)

     A Wonder Woman of the new world?  Well, maybe you will be, but you still need to look the part.
     Body types do mean something in these films.  I'm not talking about breast size.  I couldn't care less about that.  This is about a fighter's physique.  There's a reason no one would think of casting DJ Qualls in the role of Batman.  No one would consider hiring a hundred pound actor for Superman.  If Snyder is trying to keep with his own, new versions of these characters- grounded in reality, more gritty and realistic, then she needs to look the part of a hand-to-hand combat warrior.  Think of Lucy Lawless as Xena: Warrior Princess.  Would she have had the same impact if she was a twig?  Not even close.

     Think about it- would anyone hire Mackenzie Crook as Batman?  No.  He would, however, make a wonderful Scarecrow.  Why is that?  It's the image.  It's because appearance is important, they are archetypal for some roles- most notably in globally recognizable iconic ones at that.  Nobody is going to believe a scrawny Batman will get the job done now.  Michael Keaton worked well back in the late 80's, but now?  He wouldn't work.  If we require the males to be buff and ripped to look their respective roles, so should the ladies.

     Sure, many people cite the Heath Ledger case for character casting decisions, but he had acting chops before hand.  Most notably Brokeback Mountain.   But do you remember how quickly the Adrianne Palicki Wonder Woman show got shut down?  It had 100% to do with not nailing the image properly.  How about casting Jennifer Garner as Elektra?  Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan in Green Lantern?  Or the Schumacher Batman films.  Poorly handled on top of terrible casting.  (I admit Jim Carrey could've been great if they handled him like they handled the BBC Sherlock's Moriarty.)

     There's been the Christian Bale bulking up argument.  Plenty of males bulk up for films- Chris Evans for Captain America, Tom Hardy in Warrior, even Ben Affleck in The Town- but I have never seen a film with a woman do it properly.  The closest thing I can think of would be Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.  For that role she actually ends up very ripped, but she looks far slimmer than she did in the first Terminator.  She toned up, not bulked up.  It's tough to judge when a "model/actress" says they'll gain body mass, what their idea is.  How many models think a mere couple of pounds equals mass?

     Recently, Hollywood has an odd notion that all these "strong" women should be played by waspy thin actresses.  That we can believe a stick person can dole out massive damage.  As an alternative to thin heroine in movies- the only one I can think of is Jaime Alexander as Sif in Thor.  She was well cast, but sidelined in the films.  With a bit of bulking up she could've nailed the look of comics' portrayal of Wonder Woman nearly perfectly.  I am glad they didn't though- Wonder Woman is of Greek descent, and it is a chance for Hollywood to give a major superhero role to a non-white individual.
     (I also just recalled- Gina Carano in Haywire.  Mediocre acting at best, but at least I could believe she could beat the living sh!t out of everyone.  She could even play the role of WW.  And sadly, her acting is on par with Gadot's.)

     Which leads me to- why is she training in a bunch of NON-GRECIAN fighting techniques?  Wonder Woman is Greek fighter- trained and raised on a hidden Greek island- which means she would not be using a bunch of flashy looking moves from Eastern cultures.  She would get in and take the enemy down as fast as possible.
     And all those types of training do not add mass!  I work out on a daily basis, and have consulted my professional female body building friends, and none of them believe it is possible to gain weight through sheer martial arts training.  There needs to be a weight training portion specifically.  Hell- as a 5' 11", 150lb male, it took me quite a long while to even make it to 150.  Much longer than the mere month or two that she has before filming begins.

     In an MTV article with Amy Adams (Lois Lane from Man of Steel):

     Though she said she was "not familiar with [Gadot's] body shape," she could sympathize with being the subject of fan critiques. Her strategy: let it go.

"I don't buy into that," she said. "Not that I [don't] believe that it's happening, but I'm certainly not a classically drawn woman as they exist in comic books, so I had to embrace that I just had a baby, I still hadn't gotten my waist back. Lois is not about proportions, Lois is about her intellect and her savvy reporting skills and her empathy for Clark, and so I just didn't think about it."

"She is going to be yoked, man. He is going to make her a beast," Adams said. 

     Lois Lane is one thing, she is a reporter, leaving open a multitude of choices of appearance, Wonder Woman is a whole different problem.  I've said it a bunch- she can't look like she'd shatter if patted on the back.  None of the ladies in Sucker Punch were "beasts."  They didn't really seem like they could destroy everything in their paths.  Only Faora from Man of Steel could really be counted here.  And Antje Traue was bulkier before anyways.  Besides, did she really "bulk" for that role?  You can't tell because she's covered in Kryptonian armor.

     Even if she does get the looks down, and bulked up properly- will she be able to act the part?  Be convincing enough for a rabid fan base?  Her Fast & Furious roles say not even close.  If she manages to gain the mass and look the part- many fans will forgive shoddy acting.
     Our fandom criticisms may be harsh, but we want the best possible performances, the best we can get.  As an entertainer, Gadot (along with director Zack Snyder) should want to listen to what we say- if only to keep us wanting their productions.

     Over at MetroUK, former Wonder Woman Linda Carter herself had something to say about the role:

What is the enduring appeal of Wonder Woman? There’s an identification factor. She’s not your average superhero. It’s not so much about her super powers as it is about her ethic. I always thought of her as a figure who stands for what’s right. We all know what’s wrong with the world today, so maybe we need her right now.

     Diana Prince, Wonder Woman, is a blunt force- full of beauty and power.  A regal presence filled with grace and a little bit of attitude.  I really hope they can pull this off.  If miss Gadot can become the ripped beast of a princess and live up to the acting critisism, she'll have us as fans for life.
     If she can look like that photoshop pic above, I'll be on board.  Until we start seeing pics I unfortunately remain highly skeptical.  Of the "mass gaining" and of her current acting abilities.  Here's another chance to prove us fans wrong.

     Sorry to go on such a rant here.

     Source [ Batman News ]



     Here's a couple more posts I did about this topic 
          [ Gadot Cast as WW ]  
          [ Wb needs WW Film ]



     I would also recommend this great article on Wonder Woman's various costumes over the years [ The Mary Sue ]


     It would be worth mentioning some other Wonder Woman picture references, considering the pic above was probably made from Jeffach's Photoshop work, particularly this one.  You should check out his Deviant Art gallery, plenty of good WW pics.  [ Gallery ]

     Another great DeviantArtist with great WW pics is Nebezial.  [ Gallery ]

     Then there is the incomparable Adam Hughes.  [ Gallery ]

Some of Nebezial's Wonder Woman Sketches

Superman vs. Batman: Jason Momoa as Lobo? Doomsday? Martian Manhunter?

     Following close on the heels of the Wonder Woman casting announcement we get another dose of film intrigue---

     It appears that Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa is in talks for a role in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel sequel Superman vs Batman.  I've seen it speculated that he could be Doomsday, but that is doubtful.  In my opinion it would be a highly foolish move to do the Death of Superman before we care about the JLA, it would lose the impact of the loss of the team's leader and global symbol of hope.  It's just plain too early to introduce him as a villain.

     There's also rumors of him possibly playing Martian Manhunter or Lobo, which are much more likely than Doomsday.  Manhunter would fit with the Justice League set-up all the other news is hinting at.  Although, I have to admit, Lobo would be amazing for comic relief if Momoa played him right.  Space biker/Bounty hunter extraordinaire armed with a bunch of beer and expletives.

     What about Vandal Savage, Bizarro, Shazam, Black Adam, or the most recent incarnation of Brainiac?  Has anyone guessed cosmic bad guy Darkseid?  Perhaps DC movies is trying to copy the Avengers route with a hinted at future villain like Thanos in the Marvel films.

     All these rumors are really compounding quickly, and it is starting to feel a little like Snyder may be pulling a Brett Ratner with his installment in the X-men franchise, and we all know how poorly that turned out.  It is really beginning to sound like a character overload, with no time for development.  Shouldn't some of these DC heavy hitters be given room to grow?  Shouldn't they be a bit more established in the films on their own before throwing them all into one big mess?  (Although Wonder Woman could very well be just a cameo before getting her own film...)

     It's going to be hard to care for these super heroes if we don't really know them.  DC's film future seems a little too reliant on taking shortcuts to get all these well known comic characters crammed into one movie the big screen.  The problem I see is with this is Avengers worked because all the main characters had individual films that built up to it- they didn't skip the steps- it was an earned alliance of titanic proportions.

     I believe DC's plans need more breathing room.  Take the time to make something worth watching, not just smashing a bunch of names into a punch fest and hoping for it to work.  It's only a matter of time before we hear if a new Green Lantern is named, or the Flash leaves a big screen blur across Snyder's sequel.