Hrrm...
I am mixed on Watchmen the movie. It was good, and I wonder if I would have liked it if it wasn't based on the comic book. I don't think it would have been confusing, because I think Zach Snyder spent too much time filling in blanks. There wasn't much for the viewer to think about, because most things were explained in fairly short order. Too much exposition. And too much stop action - just let the thing roll....we're trained to watch fight scenes - just let 'em go.
Too much time spent on seemingly mundane details. Like how the blood got on the pin. We didn't need a stop action there. It would have been fine to show us that bit when Rorschach picked up the button on the street. Preferable, in fact, as I felt like he was hitting us in the face with it. He didn't need to stress that this was an interesting element. It was interesting, but not really THAT important.
There were a lot of good things about the movie, but there were also a lot of things I'd rather have seen done differently. I think that being so driven to follow the comic book became a detraction after a while. There wasn't much room left for originality. I also think that, while the Rorschach prison scenes were cool - they should have been cut...or cut down. And I thought it was a good contrast in the comic how Rorschach lied at first, and then was asked again later....and then told what was really going on.
Oh - and the scene where he killed the guy with the cleaver....way over the top. I thought all of the violent scenes were a bit much. Very little left to the imagination there. We could have filled in those blanks. And was it me, or were there many times with Dr. Manhattan when you couldn't get away from the fact that you were looking at a green screen?
I think it would have been better (or rather, I'd have preferred) to have had a scene where unknown persons (or even Ozymandius to... Bubastis , who knows?) were talking at the beginning of the movie about each of the characters. A kind of "In order to know how I saved the world, you must first understand how I developed the plan..." This would have saved us from the 'background' scenes of each character.
Speaking of Ozymandius, I thought he was painful. His speech patterns and pronounciations were maddening. I found it hard to believe that this guy had the plan to save the world.
I know there was a desire to give everybody what they wanted, but after about 2 hours, I was kinda like..."ok, let's wrap this up..." The fight scenes were well done, but too long. The one in the alley was overlong, but not as bad as the prison one.
Hmmm...still mixed. I guess I'm going to have to mull it over some more...I may update with more thoughts in the near future.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Sluggo's Watchmen Review
Well the most anticipated comic book movie of all time came out this weekend and I decided that I should post my opinion.
I’m really conflicted about it. To start with, it is a very good movie. They are faithful to all of the important aspects of the plot and the imagery is total spot on. From a Sluggo point of view, the fight scenes in this movie are the best comic fights ever filmed. There is nothing about the movie that a casual viewer (one who is predisposed to like comic movies) will find off-putting. The performances of the bulk of the cast were near perfect, especially in the case of Nite Owl and Silk Spectre. Those are two of the more nuanced characterizations in the comic, in my opinion, when compared with more one note characters like Rorschach or Dr. M. Their chemistry is like the comic book story come to life. I especially found Nite Owl's transformation from dud to stud, to be handled believably, and I liked him a lot more than I did when I read the issues originally.
But this is comic books, so there must be some fanboy nitpicking. There is one characterization where the director (or actor, thoughI think it was probably the director) totally missed the mark, so much so as to make it hard to watch the character on the screen at times. This is where I should say something about SPOILERS.
Ozymandias in the comic book is the shining star of the Watchmen world; a GOLDEN mishmash of Batman and Captain America. He is so universally loved that he has his own line of action figures, which the movie makes sure to point out. But in the end, the movie totally fails to make this a believable persona. To begin with the character is lit in shadows in almost every key sequence in the movie; he is dressed not in a golden costume but some kind of washed out tan. Part of his costume was pink in the comic for god's sake.
And I realize that most of the audience knows the outcome, but is that any reason to telegraph his role as the villian, in HIS FIRST APPEARANCE on screen. He is visited by Dan and delivers a despondent discussion of the problems with the world. And the delivery of the actor is borderline comatose. In the final sequence, he does kick some serious ass, but still seems like he is on qualudes as he is doing it. And I personally couldn't wait for his signature line about not being a 1940s supervillan, but when it came he totally whiffed.
Whew, glad I got all of that off my chest.
Doctor Manhattan is a little off as well, in my opinion, by being too human of all things. When I read the book, I always felt he was more remote than is represented here. It worked OK in the movie, just didn't match up to my impression.
It's a lot more gory than it needs to be, but I guess this is the director's hangup (see 300). Still the action is really incredible.
In the end, I came away thinking it was very good, but I can’t help but compare it to the feelings I had walking out of Iron Man. I personally feel that Iron Man is the best comic book movie to date and I remember walking out of the movie knowing that. Of course, the material of Watchmen itself doesn’t lend itself to that kind of jumping up and down cheering; it’s similar to walking out of the Dark Knight. I told a friend after I left DK that it was so much I needed time to think about it. I eventually decided that DK was a great movie, but I personally prefer Iron Man. I think I’ll ultimately come to appreciate Watchmen like DK, but I can’t say that walking out of it, I unequivocally loved it.
Sluggo
I’m really conflicted about it. To start with, it is a very good movie. They are faithful to all of the important aspects of the plot and the imagery is total spot on. From a Sluggo point of view, the fight scenes in this movie are the best comic fights ever filmed. There is nothing about the movie that a casual viewer (one who is predisposed to like comic movies) will find off-putting. The performances of the bulk of the cast were near perfect, especially in the case of Nite Owl and Silk Spectre. Those are two of the more nuanced characterizations in the comic, in my opinion, when compared with more one note characters like Rorschach or Dr. M. Their chemistry is like the comic book story come to life. I especially found Nite Owl's transformation from dud to stud, to be handled believably, and I liked him a lot more than I did when I read the issues originally.
But this is comic books, so there must be some fanboy nitpicking. There is one characterization where the director (or actor, thoughI think it was probably the director) totally missed the mark, so much so as to make it hard to watch the character on the screen at times. This is where I should say something about SPOILERS.
Ozymandias in the comic book is the shining star of the Watchmen world; a GOLDEN mishmash of Batman and Captain America. He is so universally loved that he has his own line of action figures, which the movie makes sure to point out. But in the end, the movie totally fails to make this a believable persona. To begin with the character is lit in shadows in almost every key sequence in the movie; he is dressed not in a golden costume but some kind of washed out tan. Part of his costume was pink in the comic for god's sake.
And I realize that most of the audience knows the outcome, but is that any reason to telegraph his role as the villian, in HIS FIRST APPEARANCE on screen. He is visited by Dan and delivers a despondent discussion of the problems with the world. And the delivery of the actor is borderline comatose. In the final sequence, he does kick some serious ass, but still seems like he is on qualudes as he is doing it. And I personally couldn't wait for his signature line about not being a 1940s supervillan, but when it came he totally whiffed.
Whew, glad I got all of that off my chest.
Doctor Manhattan is a little off as well, in my opinion, by being too human of all things. When I read the book, I always felt he was more remote than is represented here. It worked OK in the movie, just didn't match up to my impression.
It's a lot more gory than it needs to be, but I guess this is the director's hangup (see 300). Still the action is really incredible.
In the end, I came away thinking it was very good, but I can’t help but compare it to the feelings I had walking out of Iron Man. I personally feel that Iron Man is the best comic book movie to date and I remember walking out of the movie knowing that. Of course, the material of Watchmen itself doesn’t lend itself to that kind of jumping up and down cheering; it’s similar to walking out of the Dark Knight. I told a friend after I left DK that it was so much I needed time to think about it. I eventually decided that DK was a great movie, but I personally prefer Iron Man. I think I’ll ultimately come to appreciate Watchmen like DK, but I can’t say that walking out of it, I unequivocally loved it.
Sluggo
Monday, February 23, 2009
And My Problem With The Oscars Is....
Me. Or rather, the fact that I don't go to movies very much and so there is little going on at the Oscars to draw me in. So I don't watch. In fact, the only way I know what happened is to read about it or hear about it the next day.
In the past, I'd gotten a little upset about "slights" at the Oscars. I think of Annie Hall/Star Wars and Forest Gump/Shawshank Redemption/Pulp Fiction right off the bat. These are rare cases where I had actually seen all of the films involved.
Then in more recent years, it would be a good year if I'd seen two of the films up for best picture. Then I was down to one. And more often than not now, it's down to zero.
Which brings me to Dark Knight and Iron Man. Neither of which were nominated for any truly significant awards. Of course, Heath Ledger won best supporting actor, but I feel that this award was won more for Ledger's sake and the tragic situation of his dying, than his appearance in Dark Knight. Nay, I'd put forth that he won this award despite having been in Dark Knight.
I'd heard before I'd seen the film that Ledger was brilliant. And I agree. It was a masterful performance. And it's true that the film made tons of money worldwide. That doesn't necessarily translate to Oscar consideration.
If it did, Spider-Man would have won in 2002. And every Harry Potter film would also have won. I think that the Academy would rather not have the Oscars than turn their Dog Show over to these vile ruffian action/costumed adventurer films.
Expect the same thing to apply to Watchmen, no matter how good it is or how much money it makes. It will not be nominated for best film, best screenplay, best actor or any award worthy of note.
And that's fine. Comic books no longer need validation from outside sources. Just because Hollywood is making good movies out of comics, doesn't mean that comics are any more or less valid as an art form.
As a matter of fact, the overall horrendous and forgettable output of comic book films prior to Spider-Man tells me that Hollywood knew (or should have known) that they had some great potential material and a built-in audience. All they had to do was not screw it up.
They got it right with Superman, Superman II, The Rocketeer and The Crow. And I am sure there are few others I am forgetting, but for the most part...the years from 1978 to 2002 are pretty freakin' grim when it comes to comic book movies.
But that wasn't what they did. Comic books were for kids, so we're going to take the basic ideas and make movies that adults would want to see. This is the impression that I got, anyway. And the result was "movies that suck ass." And I am being kind.
Batman Returns was so bad, it tainted my opinion of Batman and made me ignore the next two Batman films. All through the 90s, anytime I heard a rumor that they were going to make a comic-book based movie, I hoped that it would never come to fruition. It almost seemed like they were only making (or trying to make) the movies to thumb their nose at comic books. They didn't take them seriously, so they could not have made good movies.
Now they can. There are fans making movies, and the studios are on board because of the money that flows in. People go to these movies and really enjoy them. They get big names for the comic book movies. And still, there is very little hint at the Oscars that they even exist.
And that's fine with me. If Star Wars and Shawshank didn't get an award, maybe it's proper that Spider-Man, Dark Knight and Iron Man didn't as well. I'll be happy as long as they make good movies.
I'd like for the films based on comics to be as memorable (or at least as respectful) as possible of the comics I have read and enjoyed. That's not asking for too much, is it?
In the past, I'd gotten a little upset about "slights" at the Oscars. I think of Annie Hall/Star Wars and Forest Gump/Shawshank Redemption/Pulp Fiction right off the bat. These are rare cases where I had actually seen all of the films involved.
Then in more recent years, it would be a good year if I'd seen two of the films up for best picture. Then I was down to one. And more often than not now, it's down to zero.
Which brings me to Dark Knight and Iron Man. Neither of which were nominated for any truly significant awards. Of course, Heath Ledger won best supporting actor, but I feel that this award was won more for Ledger's sake and the tragic situation of his dying, than his appearance in Dark Knight. Nay, I'd put forth that he won this award despite having been in Dark Knight.
I'd heard before I'd seen the film that Ledger was brilliant. And I agree. It was a masterful performance. And it's true that the film made tons of money worldwide. That doesn't necessarily translate to Oscar consideration.
If it did, Spider-Man would have won in 2002. And every Harry Potter film would also have won. I think that the Academy would rather not have the Oscars than turn their Dog Show over to these vile ruffian action/costumed adventurer films.
Expect the same thing to apply to Watchmen, no matter how good it is or how much money it makes. It will not be nominated for best film, best screenplay, best actor or any award worthy of note.
And that's fine. Comic books no longer need validation from outside sources. Just because Hollywood is making good movies out of comics, doesn't mean that comics are any more or less valid as an art form.
As a matter of fact, the overall horrendous and forgettable output of comic book films prior to Spider-Man tells me that Hollywood knew (or should have known) that they had some great potential material and a built-in audience. All they had to do was not screw it up.
They got it right with Superman, Superman II, The Rocketeer and The Crow. And I am sure there are few others I am forgetting, but for the most part...the years from 1978 to 2002 are pretty freakin' grim when it comes to comic book movies.
But that wasn't what they did. Comic books were for kids, so we're going to take the basic ideas and make movies that adults would want to see. This is the impression that I got, anyway. And the result was "movies that suck ass." And I am being kind.
Batman Returns was so bad, it tainted my opinion of Batman and made me ignore the next two Batman films. All through the 90s, anytime I heard a rumor that they were going to make a comic-book based movie, I hoped that it would never come to fruition. It almost seemed like they were only making (or trying to make) the movies to thumb their nose at comic books. They didn't take them seriously, so they could not have made good movies.
Now they can. There are fans making movies, and the studios are on board because of the money that flows in. People go to these movies and really enjoy them. They get big names for the comic book movies. And still, there is very little hint at the Oscars that they even exist.
And that's fine with me. If Star Wars and Shawshank didn't get an award, maybe it's proper that Spider-Man, Dark Knight and Iron Man didn't as well. I'll be happy as long as they make good movies.
I'd like for the films based on comics to be as memorable (or at least as respectful) as possible of the comics I have read and enjoyed. That's not asking for too much, is it?
Sunday, February 1, 2009
"Essential" Comic Books
I am a big fan of the Essentials books that Marvel has been putting out. I mean, what's not to like? All the classic Marvel comics, in 25-or-so issue bunches, for less than $20. It's not even the cost that is the most appealing thing. It's having all of the issues, in order, with none missing...all in one place.
Marvel Masterworks were cool beyond compare - hardback, full color, nice paper. But the two main drawbacks, in my mind, were the cost ($39.99 and then $49.99) and the fact that they only contained 10 issues at a clip. It wasn't a deal-breaker by any stretch. I have owned more than my share. They looked good on the bookshelf. And despite the kinda-high price point, it is still cheaper than buying the original issues.
Of course, the things that I really liked about the Masterworks are drawbacks in the Essentials series. They're black-and-white, softcover and use normal, newsprint-y type paper. But these are drawbacks that I can easily accept. The material contained therein more than makes up for any issues I could possibly have.
And the best part, for me, about both Masterworks and Essentials is that I don't have to worry about getting tape caught on the brittle original issues. It's great to have the originals, but it got to a point where I obsessed over the condition so much, it wasn't enjoyable to read the comics anymore. I'd rather not be faced with the prospect of opening a bag and taking a piece of a cover off with an errant piece of tape.
DC has also released their old comics in the Showcase books (I think that's what they're called). but I am not as enamored of these books as I am of the Essentials books. This is really only due to the fact that I am not really a big fan of the overall DC comic book universe prior to the 70s.
My ideal would be to have DC reprint the late 60s/early 70s Batman and Detective comics, the Neal Adams Strange Adventures issues along with his Deadman issues and the Superman run by Martin Pasko that covered issues 300-330. There are other things I'd like to see DC reprint, but these would all be at the top of my list.
My only complaint with Marvel is that they are not making them fast enough. The latest Spider-Man volume that I know of, volume 8, only takes us up to issue 185. Where's volume 9? I want to see the issues up to 210....any beyond!
And if Marvel is interested, I'll tell them what comics they should reprint next. Anybody other than me want to see the 19 issues of Human Fly reprinted?
Marvel Masterworks were cool beyond compare - hardback, full color, nice paper. But the two main drawbacks, in my mind, were the cost ($39.99 and then $49.99) and the fact that they only contained 10 issues at a clip. It wasn't a deal-breaker by any stretch. I have owned more than my share. They looked good on the bookshelf. And despite the kinda-high price point, it is still cheaper than buying the original issues.
Of course, the things that I really liked about the Masterworks are drawbacks in the Essentials series. They're black-and-white, softcover and use normal, newsprint-y type paper. But these are drawbacks that I can easily accept. The material contained therein more than makes up for any issues I could possibly have.
And the best part, for me, about both Masterworks and Essentials is that I don't have to worry about getting tape caught on the brittle original issues. It's great to have the originals, but it got to a point where I obsessed over the condition so much, it wasn't enjoyable to read the comics anymore. I'd rather not be faced with the prospect of opening a bag and taking a piece of a cover off with an errant piece of tape.
DC has also released their old comics in the Showcase books (I think that's what they're called). but I am not as enamored of these books as I am of the Essentials books. This is really only due to the fact that I am not really a big fan of the overall DC comic book universe prior to the 70s.
My ideal would be to have DC reprint the late 60s/early 70s Batman and Detective comics, the Neal Adams Strange Adventures issues along with his Deadman issues and the Superman run by Martin Pasko that covered issues 300-330. There are other things I'd like to see DC reprint, but these would all be at the top of my list.
My only complaint with Marvel is that they are not making them fast enough. The latest Spider-Man volume that I know of, volume 8, only takes us up to issue 185. Where's volume 9? I want to see the issues up to 210....any beyond!
And if Marvel is interested, I'll tell them what comics they should reprint next. Anybody other than me want to see the 19 issues of Human Fly reprinted?
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Geek shall inherit the Earth
In the past few months, I can't help but look around and feel a tremendous sense of vindication. When certain people indoctrinated me into the world of comic books when I was in middle school, comic books and superheroes were largely deemed to be "kid's stuff" And anybody who read them was certainly categorized with a certain degree of "geek factor." I remember wondering how anyone who gave "The Dark Knight Returns" or "Watchmen" half of a chance, could not come away not thinking that they were cool as hell? I know that it was pretty tough to walk around school with a comic book in your bag and not be the butt of someone's joke.
I'd like to think that I was secure enough with myself that I didn't care, but who doesn't want to be popular in high school? I know I was part of a "comic book club" that met after school, but I also know I didn't advertise that fact to my friends who were jocks.
Of course, eventually you grow up, maybe go to college and realize that most people like something that is off the beaten path, and you learn not to care. Still, when I met my wife I can remember her trying to stifle a laugh when I told her I was a fan of comic books. My sad devotion to this ancient religion still annoys her as I argue with friends over some point of comic minutiae.
But the most amazing things has happened in the past few years.....the rest of the world finally caught up with us. It can be debated as to the reasons, whether it be computer sfx, the prevalence of comic readers in Hollywood, the influence of gaming, or some other factor, but comic books and superheroes are taking over the world. Spider-man, The Incredibles, X-Men, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Heroes, Lost (if you don't think this is a comic book, you haven't been paying attention), 300, and hundreds of others. In 2008, of the top five highest grossing films, 3 were comic book movies. And possibly most amazingly, Heath Ledger has been nominated for an Oscar for his role in Dark Knight. I know part of it comes from his untimely death, but still, 15 years ago, you could barely get a comic movie made; now they are worthy of Academy consideration.
Of course with this amount of content out there, there are going to be some missteps (Punisher War Zone?) but they have amazingly been pretty few and far between. And with every new movie or show that comes out, the geek in me wants to jump to my feet, raise my fist (thumb visible, of course) and shout "Vindication!"
And when I do, my wife inevitably shakes her head and laughs...
I'd like to think that I was secure enough with myself that I didn't care, but who doesn't want to be popular in high school? I know I was part of a "comic book club" that met after school, but I also know I didn't advertise that fact to my friends who were jocks.
Of course, eventually you grow up, maybe go to college and realize that most people like something that is off the beaten path, and you learn not to care. Still, when I met my wife I can remember her trying to stifle a laugh when I told her I was a fan of comic books. My sad devotion to this ancient religion still annoys her as I argue with friends over some point of comic minutiae.
But the most amazing things has happened in the past few years.....the rest of the world finally caught up with us. It can be debated as to the reasons, whether it be computer sfx, the prevalence of comic readers in Hollywood, the influence of gaming, or some other factor, but comic books and superheroes are taking over the world. Spider-man, The Incredibles, X-Men, Iron Man, Dark Knight, Heroes, Lost (if you don't think this is a comic book, you haven't been paying attention), 300, and hundreds of others. In 2008, of the top five highest grossing films, 3 were comic book movies. And possibly most amazingly, Heath Ledger has been nominated for an Oscar for his role in Dark Knight. I know part of it comes from his untimely death, but still, 15 years ago, you could barely get a comic movie made; now they are worthy of Academy consideration.
Of course with this amount of content out there, there are going to be some missteps (Punisher War Zone?) but they have amazingly been pretty few and far between. And with every new movie or show that comes out, the geek in me wants to jump to my feet, raise my fist (thumb visible, of course) and shout "Vindication!"
And when I do, my wife inevitably shakes her head and laughs...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Dick Sprang Batarang Flies Again
Have you watched the new Batman cartoon, The Brave and the Bold ? It’s been pretty darn good so far. When I first saw the commercial on Cartoon Network the initial double shock of a) a new Batman show and b) its a simplistic-looking Dick Sprang version of Batman (!), subsided into tingly anticipation. By all appearances, this back to basics take on this evergreen character held the promise of feeling fresh even while being rooted in a classic Batman style and opening the door to the DC Universe at large.
After the dark, cinematic Batman the Animated Series from the ‘90’s and the more recent grim, anime-influenced The Batman (with that cool opening theme by U2’s The Edge) it was an unpredictable and gutsy move to introduce a simplistic and slightly goofy looking animated version of Batman. Right away, you sense this is a youngster friendly Batman. In this case, that’s not a bad thing at all and the risky gamble pays off in dividends of sheer fun.
In just a few seconds, anyone familiar with Dick Sprang’s classic square-jawed Batman will recognize the obvious influence his artwork has had on the look of this show. It all harkens back to a simpler, more light-hearted era for both Batman and comics in general. Surely that was intentional. Clearly the show’s art style aims to draw younger viewers but fret not old timers, you haven’t been forgotten. The simple formula still works: solid storytelling + lots of action = loads of fun.
As you might have guessed from its title, the show uses a team–up approach guest-starring a different hero fighting crime along-side Bats every week. Not only does that help keep the stories self-contained and free from continuing subplots it also opens a revolving door of animated versions of all sorts of characters from the DC universe. The show’s creators wasted no time in bringing out classic characters both old and new including Aquaman and the new Blue Beetle. It was a little jarring at first to see a 1950’s style Batman side by side with a 21st Century version of the Blue Beetle but then it just gelled and became really cool in spite of feeling somewhat anachronistic. Being just a kid, Blue Beetle idolizes Batman and defers to his experience though that doesn’t mean much once his eagerness to show off kicks in. Since the new Beetle is, in my opinion, one of the best comics currently on the market I was quite pleased to see him guest star in more than one episode already.
Other guest stars include ye old king of Atlantis, Aquaman, who in this version is not above recounting his regal exploits ad nauseum and placing himself at the center of the story. Yet he remains quite likable in spite of his conceit. Wildcat (from JSA) also makes an appearance in an episode which I found more interesting because of who the “villains” were: The Outsiders! Keeping old traditions alive, the Outsiders start out as adversaries but you know how those tales always end. However, there were only three of them: Katana (best of the three in my book), Black Lightning, and a teenaged version of Metamorpho. Utilizing only three of the characters kept it simple and focused on the action which has really been the main thrust of The Brave and the Bold.
With fast-paced, action filled stories Batman: The Brave and the Bold puts the emphasis on fun which is something that the recent The Batman, with its cool visuals and music, fell short on. This opens the door wide open to bring Batman to a newer and younger audience while keeping us old-timers happy with classic characters and that old team-up charm. Here’s hoping The Brave and the Bold sticks around long enough to showcase some classic Jack Kirby characters like the Demon, James Robinson’s version of Starman, Booster Gold, or even Vigilante.
After the dark, cinematic Batman the Animated Series from the ‘90’s and the more recent grim, anime-influenced The Batman (with that cool opening theme by U2’s The Edge) it was an unpredictable and gutsy move to introduce a simplistic and slightly goofy looking animated version of Batman. Right away, you sense this is a youngster friendly Batman. In this case, that’s not a bad thing at all and the risky gamble pays off in dividends of sheer fun.
In just a few seconds, anyone familiar with Dick Sprang’s classic square-jawed Batman will recognize the obvious influence his artwork has had on the look of this show. It all harkens back to a simpler, more light-hearted era for both Batman and comics in general. Surely that was intentional. Clearly the show’s art style aims to draw younger viewers but fret not old timers, you haven’t been forgotten. The simple formula still works: solid storytelling + lots of action = loads of fun.
As you might have guessed from its title, the show uses a team–up approach guest-starring a different hero fighting crime along-side Bats every week. Not only does that help keep the stories self-contained and free from continuing subplots it also opens a revolving door of animated versions of all sorts of characters from the DC universe. The show’s creators wasted no time in bringing out classic characters both old and new including Aquaman and the new Blue Beetle. It was a little jarring at first to see a 1950’s style Batman side by side with a 21st Century version of the Blue Beetle but then it just gelled and became really cool in spite of feeling somewhat anachronistic. Being just a kid, Blue Beetle idolizes Batman and defers to his experience though that doesn’t mean much once his eagerness to show off kicks in. Since the new Beetle is, in my opinion, one of the best comics currently on the market I was quite pleased to see him guest star in more than one episode already.
Other guest stars include ye old king of Atlantis, Aquaman, who in this version is not above recounting his regal exploits ad nauseum and placing himself at the center of the story. Yet he remains quite likable in spite of his conceit. Wildcat (from JSA) also makes an appearance in an episode which I found more interesting because of who the “villains” were: The Outsiders! Keeping old traditions alive, the Outsiders start out as adversaries but you know how those tales always end. However, there were only three of them: Katana (best of the three in my book), Black Lightning, and a teenaged version of Metamorpho. Utilizing only three of the characters kept it simple and focused on the action which has really been the main thrust of The Brave and the Bold.
With fast-paced, action filled stories Batman: The Brave and the Bold puts the emphasis on fun which is something that the recent The Batman, with its cool visuals and music, fell short on. This opens the door wide open to bring Batman to a newer and younger audience while keeping us old-timers happy with classic characters and that old team-up charm. Here’s hoping The Brave and the Bold sticks around long enough to showcase some classic Jack Kirby characters like the Demon, James Robinson’s version of Starman, Booster Gold, or even Vigilante.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Watchmen Suit Settled - About Freakin' Time!
After a few months of wrangling over the Watchmen movie, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox are finally finished fighting and are now ready to play nice, according to this Newsarama posting.
I love this wording: "Warner Bros acknowledges that Fox acted in good faith in bringing its claims, which were asserted prior to the start of principal photography. Fox acknowledges that Warner Bros. acted in good faith in defending against those claims. Warner Bros. and Fox, like all Watchmen fans, look forward with great anticipation to this film’s March 6 release in theatres."
Well, the fans have acted in good faith in putting up with false starts and rumors about this film for 22 years. Although, considering how bad comic book films were before Spider-Man came out, maybe the insanely long wait works in our favor.
And I'm so glad that WB and Fox are fans just like us. I'm sure they've just been dying to see Ozymandius, Rorscach, Nite Owl and Dr. Manhattan on the silver screen. They're probably so relieved to see this movie coming out that they'd say "forget the money - let's get this great story out there so everyone can enjoy it!"
Bwaa Haaa Haaa!
Add this immensely long wait to Alan Moore's complete opposition to the movie, and you've got quite a little story about a film that really looked like it would never be made.
What's most humorous to me is that Warner Bros has to shell out oodles of cash for the film rights to a property that was theirs to begin with.
The good news is that the stills and trailers are giving me a sense that the movie could actually be really good. It looks good, anyway. Considering all the buzz that's been building for the last year or so, it better be.
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