3 Pulp Heroes That Deserve A Breath of Fresh Life

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd!

The last article I wrote was about 4 projects that were independent from DC and Marvel that are in the works. While I was writing that, I couldn't help but remember some films that have already been made but could use some fresh air. In addition it just so happens that these characters are all pulp characters from the 1940's, so it just screamed "WRITE ME!" So now, I am.

The Shadow

Before comic book super heroes were a thing, we had Pulp heroes. Characters who were the focus of novellas and radio shows back in the day. Eventually they too would make it into comic books, but this is how it began. Among the most known of these pulp characters, however, was The Shadow, a dark figure who lurked in the corrupt corners of New York to expunge the weeds of crime from the city. He had the power to cloud men's minds so as they could see nothing of him but his shadow. Equipped with two .45 handguns, a slouch cap, scarf, and cloak, The Shadow brought terror to the criminal underbelly of New York. The Shadow became big as a radio show and each night he'd sign off with that chilling catch phrase:

The Shadow Knows!

The Shadow has served as the basis for more than a few comic book heroes (namely Batman whom he is in a crossover with right now), and so it was no surprise that in 1994 they made a movie starring Alec Baldwin as The Shadow. There is just one problem, it was not a great movie.

Now I am going to be completely honest. I love the 1994 version of The Shadow. I grew up watching it with my dad, and it was one of my favorites that I would re watch over and over again. Even today I love watching the film, however, being that I am better able to appreciate what goes into a good movie at this point in my life, I can admit that overall it misses the mark. Now that being said, it did show some immense promise. The design (everything from Costume to Set) was incredible and provided that atmosphere of the Depression very well, the effects were WAY ahead of it's time and how they show The Shadow's movement while invisible is amazing, Alec Baldwin provides a haunting performance as The Shadow (like in all seriousness his voice was perfect for the role and his Shadow laugh still gives me goosebumps), and the score is just beautiful. However, none of these things can save the film from a less than great plot, and some truly awful acting at times (which is especially sad when you take in account that the supporting cast includes both Sir Ian Mckellen and Tim Curry). All that being said, this movie will always hold a special place in my heart, and at the very least is worth watching to see the EPIC bridge fight that opens the film that I have posted below.

The question is that as far as re adapting, how will you go about doing that? For The Shadow, I feel you should go back to its routes. Originally, The Shadow was a serialized radio show done by Orson Welles, so I think that it should return to a serialized format. With the rise of Netflix or premium networks like HBO and Starz, I think that doing a high budget show of The Shadow is probably the best bet. Also as a fan I can't help but think that Michael Fassbender would be perfect as Lamont Cranston (the alias of the Shadow) and that Eva Green would make an outstanding Margo Lane (The Shadow's closest confidante).

The Phantom

A ship is set upon by pirates, and a boy watches his father cut down by the captain of a notorious group known as the Singh Brotherhood. As the ship is burning the boy jumps off board and washes up ashore on the shores of Bengalla. He is found by a local tribe and is brought in and shown their ways. When he grows to adulthood he takes up the mantle of The Phantom, The ghost who walks. It becomes a tradition he passes down, defending Bengalla and a blood feud with the Singh brotherhood. Kit Walker is the phantom, and he defends the jungles of Bengalla just as his fore-bearers did. He operates out of the skull cave and is accompanied by his companions Bullet (a white stead) and Devil (a wolf). 

The Phantom started off as a newspaper strip comic, and has had many different comic book iterations. He also just so happened to be the first comic character to have a skin tight costume, and was also the first to be shown in a mask with no pupils. In the 90's there was very clearly a pulp nostalgia, as they made a movie of The Phantom back in 1996 starring Billy Zane as Kit Walker. This movie, which again I grew up with and have immense nostalgia for, had similar problems as the 1994 The Shadow did. Despite excellent set designs, effects, and costume design, the film just isn't particular good. There is a lot of lackluster acting (although Billy Zane does an outstanding job in my opinion as do Patrick McGoohan as The Phantom's deceased father, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was brilliant as the villain: The Great Kabai Singh), and the plot is a bit lackluster. 

Now, The Phantom did have a TV show remake here a few years back, but it was god awful and I choose to ignore it's existence, however, I honestly feel the Phantom can totally be done as a movie and it would be strongest to do it that way. Firstly, I feel Billy Zane was perfect for the role in the first place, and as it seems like he hasn't aged at all in 20 years, he could totally pull it off for another go around. If I were to do a Phantom film I would probably avoid it being an origin film. I mean you can do the whole number on why he's the phantom at the beginning, however, I think that The Phantom would be stronger if he had been the Ghost who walks for a while (granted he has the advantage of generations of intimidation factor, but still). I think that the movie should either see the change over of a Phantom to the next generation by the film's conclusion, OR have it be him being the LAST Phantom. A while back in 2010, there was a comic written called The Last Phantom which I think would actually be perfect. It starts off with the Singh brotherhood orchestrating the murder of Kit's wife and son, and attempting an assassination on Kit himself. Kit of course escapes and takes up the mantle of The Phantom again after a long hiatus. It's a final showdown between the two, and I think it would make an AWESOME  movie (ultimately another good reason for Billy Zane to keep on playing it because he can be that older Phantom now). 

The Rocketeer 

The Rocketeer is probably the only movie on this list that was actually a pretty decent movie to begin with. Released in 1991 it's based off of a 1980's comic that was an homage to the pulp hero genre. It follows Cliff Secord, a stunt pilot in the 1930's, who finds this mysterious jet pack that allows him to fly, and of course he uses it to fight crime and Nazis!

Now Disney already plans on doing a remake/ sequel of The Rocketeer, and they plan on having a black female lead and have it take place 6 years after the events of the original. Not exactly sure how I feel about that, but I mean it's certainly an interesting concept. That would put her in the late 40's so a black girl becoming a super hero means she would be dealing with both misogyny and racism. However, there is certainly a part of me that wants it to just keep the focus of the original comic. This absurd period piece concept that is fun,whimsical and results in watching some Nazis get their skulls knocked in. 

Well this has been another edition of Comic Relief! so we will see you again sometime soon! 

4 Upcoming Comic Book Films Not Attached to DC or Marvel

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! Where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd!

I'ts no secret really that Marvel and DC have always been the powerhouses in the comic book industry. Today they rank as some of the biggest names in the movie industry as well. For however long it may last, the comic book movie genre is a booming gold mine right now with the financial and critical success of the MCU and the financial success of the DCEU. However, these aren't the only companies out there for comics, and furthermore are not the only companies out there bringing their characters to the big screen.

Here is a list of movies in development focusing on characters from independent companies:

Spawn (Image Comics)

When you think 90s super heroes, it's very difficult not to think of Todd McFarlane's breakout character Spawn. Debuting in his issue number one back in 1992, Spawn is one of the most iconic heroes famous for his awesome design. The black costume, the chilling mask, the flashy green eyes, the flailing chains, and that tattered and engulfing red cloak, Spawn is if nothing else a visual marvel. Of the Independent branded heroes, I'd wager he is the most well known and has had the most success. He has had an HBO animated series (that I have mentioned before), 3 video games, and a live action film from the 90s that I honestly wish I could forget. However, for a while Spawn has had a bit of a hiatus from the spotlight and that hiatus is about to be over.

As a brief summary for those unfamiliar, Spawn is the story of Al Simmons. A Navy seal turned mercenary who was killed and sent to the deepest pit of hell for the innocents he slaughtered in his time as a mercenary. However, Al was determined to be with his wife again, his Wanda, so he struck a deal with Malbogea (one of the great demon lords of Hell) and returns to life in exchange for service as a Hell Spawn (a lieutenant in Hell's army). However, like most deals with the devil it was sour and he came back 5 years after the fact and looking like he was put through a deep fryer. Wanda had remarried to his best friend, and life had moved on without him. Stuck on earth, homeless and burning with anger and confusion, Spawn wages a war on crime, heaven, and hell in the alleyways of New York City. 

While there is no company currently attached to it, Todd McFarlane has finished a script and treatment for his film (and is presently talking to several interested studios). However, despite it's lack of development, McFarlane has described this film as less of a Superhero film and more of a horror movie. The film will most likely focus on detectives Sam and Twitch (two characters that frequently interact with Spawn in the book) investigating a string of murders that seem to point to Spawn. Spawn will be the boogie man in the background causing trouble and be the movie's "monster." 

Harbinger and Bloodshot (Valiant Comics)

In the Indie comics scene, Valiant comics has had a HUGE surge in the past few years. From bringing back their original characters for a major crossover arc called Book of Death back in 2015 to introduction of new characters such as Faith here recently as well, business is booming for Valiant. In fact, famous online presence Bat in The Sun is working with Jason David Frank (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and with Michael Rowe (Arrow) on a Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe series as well. However, Sony has the film rights ultimately, and with all this activity they are reportedly moving forward with a project of their own. 

Sony plans on making films starring Harbinger and Bloodshot, two of the poster children for the Valiant Universe. Sony has signed a 5 picture deal to bring Valiant Characters to life (3 of which are confirmed to be a Harbinger movie and a sequel, and crossover film between Harbinger and Bloodshot). So I am going to do my best to explain Harbinger, however, I warn you that it might not be the best because I am not so keen on the source material. I have read a little bit of Valiant, but I will admit most of my attention goes to DC, Marvel, or Image. 

Harbinger follows teenager Pete Stanchek who is a super powered being known as a Harbinger (Harbingers are kind of like mutants or inhumans in Marvel). However, it is revealed that he is what is known as an Omega Harbinger which means rather than being saddled to one ability he has access to the entire psionic spectrum of abilities (telepathy, mind control, telekinesis, and even activate latent abilities in other Harbingers). He is approached by a Toryo Harada to join his Harbinger foundation, but after being suspected by Pete's best friend (and that friend ending up with a convenient case of death) Pete forms a counter movement to stand in the way of Toryo. It's essentially the Valiant's X-men.Bloodshot is kind of if you took Wolverine's healing factor and memory loss and put it inside Punisher. Blood Shot was a super soldier who had regenration and meta morphing abilities due to nanites in his blood. However, after having his brain wiped like a corrupted hard drive several times, Bloodshot wakes up remembering who he is one day. None too pleased with his previous employers, he decides to collect his severance in blood. Both of these properties display the colorful pedigree of characters that Valiant has to offer, seeing it come to life should be exciting to say the least.

Invincible (Image)

Another one on the Image train! I have already written about this movie, but Robert Kirkman's Invincible is being adaptaded. Invincible is just the story of Mark Grayson, son of the world's greatest super hero Omni Man. When his powers finally surface he takes to the streets in the grand tradition of super heroes: joins a group of super powered teenagers, fights bad guys, fights aliens, fights time travelers, and even alternate reality versions of himself. It's a grand old time that is both an homage to classic superhero arcs as well as providing interesting commentary to the black and white world that is a comic book by making things not so black and white. 

The film is being produced by Universal, and a director team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Preacher) set to develop the film. Robert Kirkman, the comic's creator is also set to be on set as a producer. I also owe Rogen an apology. In my article that I wrote on Invincible, I had noted that Seth Rogen had limited experience in successfully adapting a super hero title, when both he and Goldberg direct the hit TV Show Preacher based on the comic of the same name. Not only that they have Kirkman's full blessing on it too:

For nearly a decade I've had to endure the ‘what about Invincible?’ question as fans have watched The Walking Dead grow into the multimedia monstrosity it has become over the years, the answer was always that we were waiting for the right team to partner with. That team has arrived! The esteemed misters Goldberg and Rogen have proven themselves to be top-notch directors with a keen collective eye for stunning visuals after slumming it by writing hit after juggernaut hit.

There are no other details released on the film as of yet, although Drake Bell (Drake & Josh) has vocalized interest in playing the titular character in several interviews since the ending of his voice roll as Peter Parker in the Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon on Disney XD (a casting choice that frankly I would love even though he's definitely too old at this point).

The Crow: Reborn (IDW) 

This movie has been in the works for a long time and is possibly one of the more controversial films on this list. When it comes down to cult classics form the 90's there are few that hit the emotional buttons that The Crow does. This is of course in response to the fact that the film resulted in the death of Brandon Lee, son of the renowned martial artist Bruce Lee, so the fact they are looking to remake the movie is a matter of debate is not a shocker. Nonetheless, it is being made. 

The Crow is a brilliant and beautiful comic by indie writer and artist James O'barr. The story focuses on Eric Draven, a man brutally murdered with his fiance Shelly Webster, while he was changing their tire on the road. The death is so horrible in fact, that Eric's spirit cannot find its rest and so is attached to a Crow to come back to life and get vengeance for he and his wife's murder (if you are looking for an incredible book with some of the most beautiful art you will see in a comic book, this is definitely a good pick). 

The adaptation is set to star Jason Momoa as Eric Draven, James O'barr is said to be involved heavily in the film's creative development of the film. F. Javier Gutierrez is set to direct. Filming for this movie was SUPPOSED to start earlier this year, but it appears that the production has been put on hold due to scheduling conflicts for both Jason Momoa (who is in the process of filming Aquaman: Ahab) and F. Javier Gutierrez. This is honestly not so much of a surprise as this film has literally been in development limbo for years.

If you are getting tired of the DC and Marvel domination, but still love superheroes and the like, have no fear the indie comics are stepping up to the plate to bring some new characters and their universes to life!

This has been another edition of Comic Relief! we'll see you again soon!

Tribute

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd!

One of the first posts I wrote on here was an obituary for Carrie Fischer. A huge blow to the global community as the spark of hope for a galaxy far away in a time so long ago flickered it's last light. Death is, however, a part of the life cycle, and Carrie Fischer did live a good life and she will continue to live on in our own memories. However, this is unfortunately not always the case. Last week Zack Snyder announced that he was leaving Justice League for reasons that should have been heart shattering to many. Zack Snyder's daughter, Autumn, committed suicide. She was 20 years old.

Autumn is the closest to Zack on the Left

It is a tragedy for sure, and my heart goes out to him and his family. However, it is shameful to see so much hate thrown at a man who has lost his child. After this news was released the amount of people on the internet that flocked to mock Zack Snyder for his film career, to say things like "I bet this is just a publicity stunt," or "this is karma for ruining DC films." It's appalling and it is disgusting. However, I would like to take some shots at the people saying these things directly.

You who would rather take an opportunity to make jabs at a man for his life's work while he is in mourning for the death of his child, I would like to remind you of a few things. First, you all claimed that Ben Affleck was a terrible choice for Batman and started an online lynch mob over the fact that Snyder cast him, however, it is agreed across the board pretty much, that Affleck's portrayal of the character was incredible. You again criticized him for the casting of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, however, not only has she since become beloved by all of you, she is reportedly about to have the first strong DC film released if the initial reactions are any indication (which Zack Snyder also had a hand in writing as well). Yes Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice were a rocky start to the franchise, but that man has put all of his blood sweat and tears into building this universe and has given a lot more to us than you have given him credit for. In fact, all of his decisions that he has made have been met with scrutiny, and each time he tends to prove us wrong. For that fact alone, there is a measure of respect that we owe him.

All of these people were cast by Snyder, and most of these decisions have been belittled. Here they stand now bringing dreams to life

Just so we are clear, I am not asking that you like his films. I am not saying that this death means you should change your opinions on him as a director. What I am saying is that a man should not be attacked for putting his all into something, and it most certainly should not be spurred on when he is dealing with the death of his daughter. No parent should have to bury their own child, no parent should have the feeling of hopelessness that for some odd reason their kid found their own life not worth living. I am asking that instead of being assholes and using this chance to attack a man who is trying to focus on his family to mend, to stand in solidarity and try to alleviate some of the pain by acknowledging what he's done right.

I realize this blog is small, I doubt it will be read by Zack Snyder and his family. However, if there is an off chance that he does. I just want to say thank you for all of your work. It's not easy to make a film. The stress of executive heads breathing down your neck, the fans, and your own visions colliding with what everyone else wants you to do, it's not an easy gig. You have done more than an admirable job with what you were give and have brought to life characters in a way I could never have even dreamed of seeing them. I am so sorry for your loss, and I wish you and your family the best.

This has been another edition of  Comic Relief! we'll see you again soon, and with much brighter tidings.

Re-branding the Spider: The Sony MARVEL Strategy

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd!

WE ARE BACK AGAIN! I apologize for the short hiatus (this is the longest break I've had between posts in a while) but there was just a lot of stuff going on in the nerd world and I wasn't exactly sure what to tackle first. Between a Hellboy reboot, Deadpool and Judge Dredd TV shows and watching the second season of The Last Kingdom there has just been so much. However, I finally got something with enough density to break the headway here this past week in some big announcements in regards to the Sony MARVEL films.

Before I get to those announcements though, I feel I should start off by saying that with these reveals have allowed me to gather some insight as to what exactly the Sony strategy for their MARVEL property films was going to be. After the bombing of Sony's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the question became what their next step was going to be. The lackluster success of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise destroyed the plans to make their future planned films such as a Sinister Six film. However, then Sony made a partner deal with MARVEL to bring Peter Parker into the fold of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most of us thought it would end here, but evidently Sony had other plans, and from the looks of things that plan was to re-brand the Spider-Man franchise: A villain film verse and a NEW animated Spider-Man feature.

It's Good to Be Bad 

With the success of the recently released Deadpool and the financial power house of Suicide Squad, it's honestly no wonder why Sony decided for the former. Getting the perspective from the dark side of the road is clearly an economically sound idea. When it comes down to Spider-Man, he has some of the most iconic Rogue galleries in comics, so making a film focusing on one of them is not a bad plan. If you are going to approach it from this angle though, you need a character that can stand on his own, and you need to go big or go home with it. Sony's answer to this is a Venom film starring Hollywood A-Lister: Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Dark Knight Rises).

At face value this is an INCREDIBLE decision. I would argue that Venom is easily one of the most influential rogue gallery members in comic books and is easily amidst the top 3 iconic Spider-Man villains. With a track record as an antihero as well, the symbiotic terror has more than enough material and depth to hold his own in a feature adaptation. However, there is something that has me a bit worried, and that is a lack of a certain Wall Crawler who will not be appearing or even be a part of the film nor it's universe. 

There is a standalone Venom film that will be awesome out there, no doubt, however, like so many others in the Spider Rogues Gallery, Venom's unique relation with Spider-Man is what has always made him such a compelling and interesting character to begin with, not to mention Parker's previous hosting of the symbiote. Having a Venom film without Spider-Man at least being involved in some way is in many ways like have a ship without a rudder, so to say this is risky is a bit of an understatement. However, this could all be a huge misdirection, after all Peter Parker is NOT the only Spider-Man out there. 

Enter Miles Morales

Miles Morales might be one of the most popular new Marvel characters written. Initially introduced as the new Spider-Man of the Ultimate universe. Miles is an OUTSTANDING character whom comic book fans have been chomping at the bit to see come to life in some form of adaptation. Well, it seems those fans finally have that wish (yes I realize Miles appeared in the recently cancelled Ultimate Spider-Man series). Sony has announced and released promo material for a new animated feature focusing on Miles Morales' Spider-Man and boy is it looking good. 

First off I feel like there should be a bit of an explanation as to who exactly Miles Morales is. Created by the great Brian Michael Bendis, Miles is a 13 year hold African-Hispanic American who lives in New York. He doesn't come from a particularly wealthy family, but they make do. Miles' uncle, on the other hand, is a world class thief known as the prowler, and during one of his jobs of corporate espionage, he steals one of the radioactive spiders that had once given Peter his abilities. However, the spider escapes in the Uncle's apartment, and during one of his visits to his uncle, the spider bites Miles and he develops the spider abilities (including some new ones like cloaking and venom blasts!). However, this is hardly even the beginning because for Spider-Man to truly be who he is, he must understand:

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility 

Peter Parker had taken a sniper bullet to the abdomen in an effort to save Captain America. On his way to the hospital, however, the Sinister Six (led by a rage filled Norman Osborn who ha discovered the identity of his greatest foe) is attacking Peter's home. Miles hears the commotion on the radio and decides that Spider-Man could use a hand. However, when he gets there, the spectacle of Peter Parker fighting his enemies with every bit of strength he could muster paralyzed Miles in shock and awe. So Miles stood, with the rest of the crowd as this kid from Queens put all he had into fighting back his enemies. While Peter did eventually succeed and even seemingly kill Norman Osborne, his own life was forfeited in the process. Miles learned that night what the cost of having the power to help, but doing nothing was. He donned his own costume and took to the streets of New York to continue the work that Peter had started .

That's a brief summary of the origin of the character and he has since garnished even more popularity and was even brought to the main universe of Marvel through the most recent Secret Wars story line. Honestly choosing Miles is a move that I honestly am shocked did not happen sooner, however, I suppose it's never too late. This new Miles Morales: Spider-Man movie is being made at no small expense. Producing it are the creative team behind The Lego Movie: Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The Director of the film are Bob Persichetti (The Little Prince) and Peter Ramsey (The Rise of the Guardians). While not much else is known about the film, we have confirmation that Shamiek Moore (Dope) has been cast as Miles Morales and that Liev Shrebber (Ray Donovan) has been confirmed to voice the primary antagonist of the film.

Shamiek Moore (left) to voice Miles Morales: Spider-Man (right)

Anyhow, things are certainly looking interesting for this Sony Spider Verse. This has been another edition of Comic Relief! we will see you again soon!

Guardians of the Galaxy 2 Hams It Up... A Lot

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd!

Last week the long awaited sequel to Marvel's breakout hit Guardians of the Galaxy was released. After the surprising success of one of the lesser known comic titles in the Marvel brand, people have been curious as to how the sequel could measure up to the first film. I personally saw the film here this past Monday, and in my opinion it more than measures up. However, there was one problem I did have with it and it's that it tried way too hard, in moments, to be the first film. (WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD)

It is no secret that a huge amount of the charm we found in the first Guardians of the Galaxy was it's quirky sense of humor and an excellent, classic soundtrack. While the soundtrack is certainly there, and there are plenty of moments that certainly live up to that same standard, the majority fall ultimately just short. In other words, it really WANTS to have that same clever humor, but it definitely feels hollow at times. This fact is not aided by the fact that there is literally a joke almost every 5 seconds of screen time and about half miss their mark.

That being said, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol:2 is a far cry from a bad film, in fact there are many moments that I feel surpass the first. For instance, the baby Groot dance number in the opening minutes of the film more than matches Chris Pratt's dance solo that introduced us to the first film. Watching that adorable tree creature dance along to great music while the rest of the team battles a giant space monster was fantastic. Yondu and Rocket's subplots were well written and show again just how much Rocket is James Gunn's favorite member of the team (although I do wish we had gotten to see more of Yondu's early time in the Ravagers to better feel the loss that he has endured by being banished from the fleet). I also thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic between Kurt Russel and Chris Pratt in the film. I also feel it is important to note that the ending of the film left me and the entirety of my row sobbing, very emotional closing to a film. (PS there are 5 post credit scenes, so be patient).

All in all, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 is another solid edition to the Marvel Cinematic. On it's best days it will  stun audiences just as much if not more than it's predecessor, on it's worst it falls only a little short from it's first films, but nailing a sequel is a difficult task to begin with so kudos to James Gunn for pulling of one that is so good. I give Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 a solid 7,5 out of 10. If you had asked me right after seeing it would have undoubtedly be higher, but after calming down and actually examining what I watched there are some flaws that can't be ignored.

This has been another edition of Comic Relief! I hope you've enjoyed, and I'll see you again soon!

Poor Reactionary Response to Marvel Free Comic Book Day Issue

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about the goings on in the world of nerd!

So this past weekend was Free Comic Book Day. Yes it's exactly how it sounds. Companies put out singular free issues for release on FCBD in order to give people previews on upcoming series or storyarcs. This year Marvel released two: An All New Guardians of the Galaxy one and a Secret Empire one.

Now it is no mystery that the emergence of this "Hydra" Cap has been an issue of controversy. Steve Rogers was created to be the embodiment of the American ideal, and as such people have looked to him as a light through the darkest of times throughout comic book history. However, this reaction is a bit much:

I would like to start off by saying that I understand everyone's right to free speech. I also understood why people burned the first issue of Spencer's run of Captain America: Steve Rogers in protest, however, this is just stupid. Ultimately what does burning a free comic book that you chose to pick up do? It honestly kinda makes you look like an asshole (not to mention that the second half of this book is an AMAZING preview at the new Spectacular Spider-Man series hitting the shelf in June). I get it Steve Rogers as Hydra is not something anyone should be happy about, but that's not an argument that Spencer has ever made during his run on the book. This whole arc is a bravely written story that actually tries to shed some light on the state of a splintered country.

Now I obviously can't accuse any of these people of not reading the run, however, I can accuse of them of misinterpretation or missing the point. A while back I wrote a post that describes the importance of this very series, not just to marvel, but our current society. The creation of this arc, in a lot of ways, serves as an analogy for what's become of us as a country. Recently I found a quote about Captain America in a book called Take That Adolf! The Fighting Comic Books of the Second World War (written by Mark Fertig) said by comic book legend Jim Steranko:

He was the American Truth. The face unrevealed behind the mask was ours.

I'd like to think that remains true. The truth of the American spirit is Steve Rogers. However, where has that spirit ended up recently? We recently had an election where hate was the center focus. I am not making accusations to rhetoric attached to either side (though it most certainly was there), but people straight up chose their votes out of hate. Whether it was for a candidate, or for people with different thoughts and beliefs, or for people with different orientations, or even skin color, this election was determined by hate. In an America like that is it any wonder that this is what Steve became in this arc?

You see, if you ask me, this has been the entire point of Spencer's run all along. When paired along with Sam Wilson's Captain America title, you get a very dark painting to how far we have fallen as a country. Spencer has gotten a lot of flack since that first issue of Captain America: Steve Rogers, but I honestly feel that he made quite possibly the bravest call in writing that anyone has in years. Yes, he turned Steve Rogers into the very thing he was meant to fight. It hurts, it is a punch to the gut and is tough to read, because each issue you are hoping that Steve snaps out of it, but the fact is that this is Steve Rogers just not the one we grew to love.

Furthermore, in an age where making heroes fall to villainy is a constant (look at the success of Injustice: Gods Among Us), it was kind of odd we never saw this coming sooner, and with that we should at least appreciate that the writing for it is so damn good. Steve Rogers has proven to be quite possibly the most horrifying Marvel villain I have seen in a long time. From moments in his own title, to his puppeteer act throughout the Civil War II event, and ESPECIALLY his villain monologue that is Civil War II: The Oath, Steve has taken all the things that have made him essential to fighting evil over the past 75 years of creation and he has used it to put Hydra on top of the world. He has beaten all the super heroes, and more horrifying than that is still worthy of wielding Mjolnir (as revealed in the FCBD issue). This whole arc has been hard to read, my stomach has knotted at times. Captain America is my favorite superhero, and on top of that I was raised Jewish, so the idea that he become Hydra hurts more than most could understand. However, great writing is just that, and it serves a purpose. So rather than burn a free comic book in order to protest, perhaps you should actually take time to read the arc and understand exactly what Spencer was trying to do. He is after all a professional comic book writer, so he has a bit of an inkling on layering a story.

On a side note, I want to thank everyone who has become my audience here. I have over 20 posts up, but you guys are what make doing it worth it. I have officially garnished over 1,000 reads on my posts, and while that is a tiny milestone for the modern internet, I still sincerely wish to thank all of you for your continued support!

Additionally, I dedicate this article to John Barber, one of the best friends I have ever made. Initially this article was more of a rant, and I was not seeing clearly and said things that I feel would have been taken as me being ignorant or incredibly judgmental. John verbally slapped some sense into me from across the country (as is his usual) and got me to edit it. Thanks for having my back man, and I hope you enjoyed the article!

This has been another edition of Comic Relief! Thanks for reading and we will see you again here soon!

Avengers Assemble! Followed By The Echo of Gunfire: A Review of Secret Empires #1

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd.

On May 25, 2016, Marvel made a huge reveal to the world. A reveal that felt like an act of terrorism in the comic community. In the finale of Captain America: Steve Rogers #1, the titular character declared an allegiance to the evil organization of Hydra (comic book super Nazis essentially). The internet exploded, and to be frank, at a moment on the cusp of a troubling election, my heart broke. It was a complete betrayal of everything that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby had done in creating him. However, since then the series has become one of my favorite runs Marvel has ever done. Every issue is an emotional roller coaster, teetering on the hope that Captain America would overcome whatever had been done, that it was all a trick, and what's worse is that the way Spencer writes makes you feel like the old Steve is still there. However, instead you see this Hydra Cap using the qualities that made Steve the hero he was to betray and back stab all of his friends to further his agenda. Now all of those actions have culminated in his success in Secret Empire #1.

Following the aftermath of Secret Empire #0 (where Steve Rogers takes over the country and gets rid of the most powerful heroes who could stand against him), the issue starts off in a classroom. They are covering history and immediately you get to see just how much has changed in such a short time. Already the youths of the country are being told that Arnim Zola, not Abraham Erskine, was the scientist that designed that designed the super soldier serum for Steve Rogers, that the Allies LOST World War II but on the eve of defeat rewrote reality with their super weapon called a cosmic cube. The plans of Steve Rogers have come to fruition and it seems he is all but untouchable at this point. While Steve has kept some old allies around, most are in hiding and are being hunted. Hawkeye and Black Widow run a safe house in California for them and other super powered individuals. This is not the focus of the issue though. Captain Marvel, Alpha Flight, and the new Ultimates are stuck out in space facing an endless Chitauri hoard while they are prevented from returning home by the very tool that Captain Marvel implemented to save Earth from the Chitauri: The global defense shield.

Where the issue mainly focuses on is the impending execution of former compatriot Rick Jones, who for a time dawned the mantle of Bucky alongside Steve, but had since been a hacker that worked with Steve. He is being executed for seemingly delivering the "secret" to undoing all that Steve had done (of which I will theorize here in the second part of the article). Alongside that the issue focuses on the fact that Steve is not happy. This is a cause that Hydra Cap has devoted his life too, and he has accomplished it, so why does he look and feel so empty?

If you look at Steve's expression he almost looks ashamed

The issue has a very stirring finale. Steve Rogers sits in the chair of the oval office making an announcement, captioned with:

"It was a speech everyone said they'd never forget. But the truth is if you pressed them... no one could recite more than a few words of it back to you. They'd just tell you where they were... and how it changed them. We'd fallen so far... seen everything we believed in collapse and vanish. Evil had finally won."

Rick Jones is simultaneously marched out before his firing squad. He stares them in the eyes, and with a final cry of defiance he screams: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! the guns fire, his body is limp, bloody, and the smoke from the bullet holes steam from within him. However, as it says in the book itself, the nightmare was just beginning, and with that the Hydra conquest for the world begins followed by those dreaded words of things to come: "to be continued."

This is an incredibly dark first issue of a very compelling arc. Honestly I don't feel I could ever do this issue justice with my summary, and to be frank I didn't even touch the scene between Rick and Steve because it's one that should be read, not described. However, what I want to do now is take a quick minute to do some theorizing.

Just How Will Hydra Cap Come To An End?

I feel this has been a question that fans have been wondering since the beginning, some with more enthusiasm then others, people want Steve back to who he was. In times like these characters like Steve Rogers shine brightest because they resemble all the good that people have faith in, so honestly this arc has a lot of people hurting. However, I am happy to tell you that this is all on the verge of ending, and I'd wager that we will see it's end before the end of the arc. 

Now the Hydra Cap arc is one that has been expanded over several titles: Captain America: Sam Wilson, Captain America: Steve Rogers, Civil War II, Civil War II: The Oath, Thunderbolts, and US Avengers. All that being said, I feel the secret to Steve returning to normal lies in the way he became Hydra Cap. Now according to Hydra Cap, and there is genuine real world (by that I mean existing within the 616) implications that this is the case, the Allies were on the verge of losing WWII thanks to his efforts as a sleeper agent to Hydra, when they created a cosmic cube and rewrote the history of the war. However, I believe it's more than that. In a recent issue of Thunderbolts, Kobik (the sentient cosmic cube girl who restored Steve and turned him into Hydra Cap) tries to do the same thing to Bucky in order to "fix him." Bucky is transported back to that mission where he and Cap went under ice, except this time it's just him strapped to the rocket and when Steve comes into the light he reveals himself to be Hydra and extends his hand for Bucky to join. Bucky refuses and Kobik pauses the reality and explains he has to say yes, just like Steve did to become the Hydra Cap. Bucky then screams at Kobik for ruining everything, however, that's not the part I want to focus on. Steve Rogers agreed to this Hydra rewrite, it had to be HIS choice, so what exactly is it that made him say yes?

I believe the answer to this actually lies in the pages of the last issue of Captain America: Steve Rogers. The Steve Rogers we all have come to appreciate is a man of conviction and morality. However, he has an Achilles' heel for the ones that he cares about. Now if their is one person that we can attribute his morality to, it's his mother. Her never back down attitude, and her early demise and last words (beautifully depicted during the Rick Remender run on the character) are what defined Steve's attitude and moral compass. So there is no doubt that when Kobik was showing him this alternative history, for 99.9 percent of it he resisted, that was until this moment below:

In the "history" where Hydra would have won, Steve's mother would never have died. Now, while this may not have been something his mother would have wanted, the overwhelming emotion of this scene would have certainly been enough to cloud Steve's judgement in the moment. Now, that brings us to this issue of Secret Empire. Hydra Steve has won. He has conquered the country, and driven his enemies to the wind, so why does he look like someone sent him a video on infinite loop of someone kicking his favorite puppy? The answer is actually in the pages of Civil War II: The Oath. Steve tells an unconscious Tony Stark that while he is different, the Steve Rogers he knew was still inside as well.  Something tells me that the Steve we know is going to start to fight for supremacy, because no matter how much he might love his mom, it is not enough for him to ignore the pain and destruction he is causing his friends.

Either way you slice this cake, if what we saw in the first issue of Secret Empire is any indication on how this arc is going to go, then it is going to be a must not miss.

This has been another edition of Comic Relief! See you again soon!

Fantastic Failings, The Key to a Successful Fantastic Four is in it's Foundations

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the nerd world!
So the other day I was in a discussion on one of the more controversial topics in the comic book movie industry of the Fox ownership on X men and Fantastic Four, two of the great teams that have defined Marvel history. While pretty much everyone wants to see the rights of these properties return to Marvel or a collaboration to be struck between the two companies for the X franchise, there is not a lot of love for the handling of the Fantastic Four as a franchise. Between the first two films starring a pre Cap Chris Evans and Jessica Alba's body (for she did not do much acting in it), and the most recent one with quite possibly the strongest cast one could hope for (but still bombing horrifically both in the box office and the critics), the world has yet to be blown away by a Fantastic Four film, and frankly it's hard to blame them. So this begs to question: what exactly did the studio do wrong in their approach?

In an era where the super genre is such a powerhouse, why is it so difficult to make a film on the team that made Super heroes cool again (most don't realize this but the revival of super hero books in Marvel was a result of Stan Lee writing the first Fantastic Four book)? Well the biggest problem is that they aren't staying true to the team they are writing. As I said super heroes are this HUGE  box office titan at the moment, and as such the studios want to take that aspect of the team and capitalize it. That's honestly the biggest problem with it though because outside of some individual affiliations to other super hero teams, the Fantastic Four aren't so much super heroes so much as super powered dimensional/space explorers.

Super hero films, even at their best, are rather formulaic. Introduce good guy, show good guy morals, introduce villain, have an initial clash between hero and villain, have hero question his morals, then a final clash that results in the hero overcoming his villain. While there are some minor twists and turns made in these films, that standard outline tends to fit most of them. Confining the Fantastic Four to this formula really hurts them as they are individuals as well as a team. While Avengers managed to make a similar formula mentioned before work, that was only after 5 movies of world building. The Fantastic Four are together from the very start and as such need to have every character equally explored while simultaneously focusing on their team dynamic. Also establishing a villain for the Fantastic Four should not be a one movie ordeal (Dr Doom is a great and iconic villain, but in all honesty using him in the first film is an insult to his character when you should build him and his rivalry to Reed Richards).

Now That The Problem Is Out There, The Question Is Of Course: How Do You Fix It?

Well the first answer to this problem is to eliminate it from the genre of film entirely. A franchise like Fantastic Four with so much depth and source material requires time and care to properly adapt. Instead, they should source a budget for an HBO or Netflix budget series that focuses on the Fantastic Four traversing space, time, and dimensions. If anything you could turn Fantastic Four into a pseudo Doctor Who or Start Trek experience where traversing through reality allows them to explore their own humanity.

This brings me to my next point ultimately, while it is a good to bring in iconic antagonists from their respective universe (Dr Doom, Galactus, Mole Man etc.) fighting "super villains" should not be the focus of the show so much as they make enemies on their travels. The Fantastic Four should be first and foremost explorers, and expanding to new territory has consequences of it's own that don't require and outright villain to embody them. As a reminder to the very first point I made, the Fantastic Four aren't conventional super heroes. Very similar to the first super hero films from the early 00's (X-men, Spider-man, The Punisher) The Fantastic Four was written as a super hero that was afraid to fully embrace the standard super hero archetype (for the reason why read my Stan Lee celebration article), and honestly that's a HUGE part of it's charm.  

Another thing that could help is a simple re-branding too. A few years back, renowned comic writer, Johnathan Hickman, wrote a run called The Future Foundation which is considered to be one of the best Fantastic Four runs ever written. 

Anyways that pretty much lays out everything I have to say on the matter. The Fantastic Four deserves a decent portrayal on film (as does Victor Von Doom... it's okay Victor, I still take you seriously despite how they've treated you). 

This has been another edition of Comic Relief!  Next time I will talk about the first issue of Secret Empire.

Kirkman's Invincible Picked Up By Rogen.... Yay?

Welcome to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about the goings on in the nerd world!

So while I was writing for moviepilot  one of my pieces (albeit not my best work) was about how Invincible  should be the next work by comic scribe: Robert Kirkman to be adapted. Lo and behold that adaptation is underway. A few weeks ago it was announced that Invincible would be directed by comedy icon Seth Rogen. Of course this news brings me much joy as someone who has read and kept up with the comic for the past 5 years or so. That being said, the news does give me some hesitation.

To start I feel like a brief summary is required. Invincible is kind of like if Superman had the personality of Spiderman (to explain his power set), Mark Grayson is a high school senior whose father is the world's greatest super hero: Omni Man. Omni Man comes from a super powered Alien race and as such Mark has been waiting since he found out his father's origins for his own powers to manifest. After a long wait, Mark's power's finally start to manifest while taking out the trash at his awful fast food job, rocketing the bag sky high. That same night he develops the ability to fly, and before long he dawns the spandex tradition of super heroes and takes up the moniker of Invincible. He ends up joining this group of teen super heroes and goes off saving the world. However the story only starts here. (SPOILERS) Eventually Mark learns that his father has come to this Earth to conquer it for his alien race: The Viltrumites. The two clash heads, but before Omni Man strikes the lethal blow, he is overcome by shame and leaves the planet. Mark must learn to get stronger so that he may stand a chance against the impending invasion by his people. That pretty much sets up a good chunk of the series. In it Mark deals with all various types of struggles: time travel, alternate reality, betrayals of friends, romance, and alternate versions of himself. It's a fantastic series, but ultimately there may just be too much good and that's the problem.

My biggest hesitation toward this adaptation isn't even Seth Rogen's lack of experience or success in the Super Hero genre. Instead it lies in one simple fact: Invincible has SO much going on it might just be too much for a film medium to handle. In all honesty I was kind of hoping for an HBO style animated series akin to what they did for Spawn in the 90's (if you haven't watched the Spawn cartoon, my advice is drop what you are doing, find it, and watch. Yes it's that incredible). I feel that 2 hours or so is just not enough time to tie up all that you need to tie for an Invincible adaptation.

Don't get me wrong though, I am still psyched. In a world that is presently dominated by the big  names of DC and Marvel, it's super cool to see one of the Independent brands get some blockbuster light, and if there is anyone in the Image universe best capable of it (Spawn being excluded), Invincible is one of your top choices. Anyways, point is that I do still harbor a good deal of hope for this adaptation and I will have to wait and see who they choose for the role (if this were ten years ago Drake Bell would have been perfect... DAMN YOU TIME!!!).

This has been another edition of Comic Relief! See you guys again soon!

Aquaman: Hopes and Expectations

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about the goings on in the world of nerd!

Today James Wan posted a nice little tease for us on his twitter: the Aquaman film has begun filming and moreover, it has a title: Aquaman: Ahab. This last bit isn't MUCH news as we have had an idea that "Ahab" was the tile of the film for the past few months (Ahab being in reference to the literary classic character from the Melville classic Moby Dick). In one of my most recent articles, I talk about some concerns I have for the film in regard to the casting of 3 major players of Aquaman's Rogues gallery. However, I want to be clear that doesn't mean I think the film is doomed. In this piece I will be talking about my hopes for the film and providing some insight as to why the film was titled the way it is.

Villain Focus and World Building

This title might be a bit confusing. I just wasn't exactly sure how best to word it, so for that, I apologize. What I mean here is that this film has casted 3 different villains in it, All three of whom are excellent characters that frankly deserve their own movie to shine. However, what I hope this film does is introduce these characters and set up the prospect of future villainy while simultaneously focusing on one of them as the film's primary antagonist. 

Now if I were to guess, the key to the film's villain lies within it's title: Ahab. I realize that most readers more than likely are familiar with this character, but for those who are not familiar with the iconic character, here is a brief overview. Ahab is one of the main characters and antagonists of the Melville classic Moby Dick. In it Ahab is driven to obsession over hunting this giant white whale that cost him his leg at one point and he has been hunting the creature for ages. To make a (VERY) long story short, this obsession ends up driving him only one place: dead and strapped to the side of the whale for a very much unwanted aquatic safari ride. Anyways, the reason this film was titled the way it was (other than the clear aquatic referencing) I feel is a HUGE clue into the primary antagonist of the film. 

Now if you read the article that I had previously mentioned, I do a brief character break down of each of the cast villains: Ocean Master, Black Manta, and King Nereus. Of these listed, one character stands out as a majorly obsessive one. I feel that the obvious choice for this is Black Manta. I feel that Ocean Master is too complex a villain, especially his New 52 version, to be set up in one film, and Nereus has too little written about him to make him the prime villain of the FIRST cinematic outing of Aquaman. You want a character that is iconic to the Aquaman brand and especially after the success and popularity of his portrayal in both New 52 and Young Justice, Black Manta seems like the solid choice. Black Manta has an iconic history with Aquaman, and his New 52 revitalization makes him the perfect character to pose against Arthur in their first outing. Manta's obsession over killing Arthur is so similar to Ahab's hatred of Moby Dick, and the reason for that hatred is Arthur's greatest shame. 

What I hope for the other characters is, firstly, for Orm/ Ocean Master shown to be one of Arthur's most trusted confidants and for him to be an ally to Arthur in this first film. However, throughout the film I want for Aquaman's interactions with Black Manta to justify his aversions to surface dwellers, thus fostering a huge mistrust in Arthur's judgement that could lead to him being manipulated by Nereus in the second film into doing something awful, like say, INVADING THE SURFACE WORLD AND CAUSING AN ALL OUT WAR (insert maniacal evil laughing here)!!! Secondly establish Nereus right off the bat as kind of an Iago (Iago is probably my favorite Shakespearean villain, so he will more than likely be referenced by me quite frequently) character. With as intelligent as Dolph Lundgren is in REAL life with a PHD in physics and what not, it is a shame none of his cinematic portrayals have had his brain match his brawn. I feel that you could have Nereus be a key overlapping villain of the Aquaman cinematic films where he is more often than not the villain behind the scenes. After all, in the comics, Nereus is a king of a rogue Atlantean faction, so the allure of court politics is not amiss to him. Seeing Dolph Lundgren as a behind the scenes villain over a direct threat would be unique to his usual portrayals and I think could really work well. 

Ending the Thought that Aquaman is a Wuss 

In all honesty, this will more than likely be taken care of by the Justice League film and by Jason Momoa's choice as Arthur. However, if nothing else comes out of the Cinematic universe of DC or this film, I hope it's that Aquaman is no longer the butt of everyone's jokes. While I find the Robot Chicken skits with Aquaman, and the several degrading internet memes immensely enjoyable, it's a shame that quite possibly one of the most powerful heroes in the DC universe gets such little regard and respect. While initial depictions are filled with some cheesy aspects, the character has always had an impressive power set. That's not even talking about the fact that he holds regency over 70 percent of the earth, and is the king of an highly advanced aquatic civilization (and as such commands a standing army of Atlanteans as well as all ocean life). Honestly this is my biggest hope, that in this solo Aquaman film we get to see Aquaman rise above his stereotypes as the badass character he was meant to be.

To finalize, this article is my hopes and dreams for this project, it is in no way reflective of what will happen in the film. If it does, GREAT! If not, oh well. However, I hope I have been clear enough that those reading have not gotten to this point getting all hyped up for a whole bunch of things that are mere speculation and suggestion. Ultimately, I feel that this film has some of the most potential as it provides a chance to reinvent a character, while simultaneously getting DC a strong foot in the door for establishing its surrounding universe.

Aquaman is the King of the Seven Seas. This reluctant ruler of Atlantis, caught between a surface world constantly ravaging the sea and Atlanteans looking to lash out in revolt, is committed to protecting the entire globe.

Hope you have enjoyed this edition of Comic Relief! see everyone again here very soon! 

The Bat Looks to His Shadow for Answers in the First issue of an Epic Crossover Between Batman and The Shadow

Welcome back to another edition of Comic Relief! where I talk about all the goings on in the world of nerd.

This past week something happened that I have been personally waiting for quite some time to happen. The Batman has discovered the evil that lurks in the hearts of man with his 2017 run in with The Shadow in the first issue of the Batman/ Shadow crossover  was released this past Wednesday on New Comic day, and boy did it not disappoint.

When you think of enigmatic and theatrical heroes the list is topped by two people: Batman and The Shadow. As the latter provided inspiration for the former, having the two crossover seems only natural. While it has been done before, this new story was scribed by the legendary Scott Snyder, whose run writing the Bat throughout the New 52 is considered to be one of the greatest runs an author has had on the character. The blending of these two characters so enshrouded in the darkness was just meant to be and Snyder writes it beautifully. (Just as  a warning there are spoilers ahead )

The story starts off with Bruce going to see a former mentor about a murder he is having issues with, after all what else could bring these two detective figures together better? However, there is a twist. The victim of the murder in question is a young food caterer to Arkham Asylum: Lamont Cranston (this name should be familiar to those who are fans of the Shadow as one of the alter egos to the character). While investigating the crime, Batman has a run in with a suspect he can only assume to be the murderer of Lamont that turns out to be The Shadow. Eventually Bats gets out stealthed and The Shadow literally disappears without much of a trace. Bruce then takes it upon himself to research the victim and ends up finding out that the original Lamont Cranston was in fact The Shadow.

After following some leads and interrogating those of The Shadow's associates left alive still (including an AMAZING moment where an old and jaded Margo Lane punks out Batman), he finally had found a safe house for The Shadow. While exploring the safe house he came across some evidence that gives him a lead that his aforementioned former mentor also trained The Shadow. Leading him to confront his old teacher on the location of Lamont Cranston.

This brings us to the end of the issue where the greatest reveal of all happens. The teacher recounts Bruce's first time coming to him, calling him "Ducard the Manhunter" and describes his struggles as one of going against the grain. However, while he is explaining the panels get smoky and distorted and while Bruce's back is turned, the former mentor's form begins to change, until it finally is revealed that Bruce's mentor, Ducard, is in fact none other than The Shadow himself!

As a fan of the Shadow, naturally I let out a high pitch squeal, frothed at the mouth, ran in a circle and hit a wall a few times in excitement. I realize this is a crossover arc, but I am praying that it is cannon to the Batman mythos. It is just such an excellent nod to the fact that Batman has taken much of his inspiration in character and design even from The Shadow, so to see The Shadow literally be one of Bruce's mentors, I nearly had a stroke from joy. An excellent ending to what is an incredible start to a promise miniseries!

Well this has been another edition of Comic Relief! I hope you have enjoyed and we will see you again soon!