Superman is cast for Christmas 2012

LA Times

Newsarama

Zak Synder's Superman has been cast and he's British - Nolan's influence?

Respect for Robin

If you are under 10, then you are already aware of what only a relative handful of your elders know: Robin can be really cool.

Kids love Robin for two reasons:

1- He is more relatable to them than Batman. They can find it easier to imagine themselves going on adventures with Batman than actually being him.

2- They aren't embarrassed about liking Robin. By the time teenagerism kicks in most people become so self-conscious that they would claim to dislike oxygen if the other kids at school thought it was lame. So how are they going to react when Robin is treated as a joke by sitcoms, magazines and the general public? Unfortunately this attitude sticks with them, probably until they have kids themselves.

Robin & me: a brief history
My first experience of Robin was Burt Ward in the 1960s Batman TV series. At three or four years old I was hooked on Batman and Robin. Every day at play group (nursery/pre school) my friend and I would play as Batman and Robin. This is one of my earliest memories - watching the show, playing the game, getting in a scuffle because some kid took the 'batmobile' from us.

I saw the Burton movies probably far too young (got turned away at the cinema for Returns, but saw it on VHS as soon as it was out).
I can still get upset when I think of how my little sister sat on and broke the leg off a Batman figure.
The Animated Series had me glued to the TV for half an hour each week. Here Robin is shown as a young college student who is smart and capable. The episode that highlights his origins was excellent (Robin's Reckoning).

I collected the Batman Returns action figures (including Tim Drake Robin!) and dipped into the Animated Series figures for the villians. My sister and I would spend hours making up stories with these figures, often with Robin as the hero, as an essential part of Batman's arsenal.

By this time I was living in the states (for a year) and would stand in the supermarkets and pharmacies reading comics (something that we never had in the UK stores) and Robin had his own comic! My prized possession book was the junior novelisation of Knightfall and the issue of TV Guide that had a Batman run down (must have been 55 year anniversary), including a whole page devoted to the three Robins (4 with Carrie Kelly).

We moved back to the UK and Batman Forever came out, again showing Robin. Even at 11 though, I knew that this version of Robin wasn't quite what I wanted, needed or expected.
Then, in 1997, came Batman & Robin. Following this farse I had a couple of years in which I didn't look for new Batman. I still watched the Burton movies, but that was it. Until 1999ish when I picked up Batman vs Predator III. Wow. This is what I'd been missing. Not a fully grown Chris O'Donnell, not a Holy-tights Burt Ward, not a child, but a competent, a strong, smart, independant teenager who was an apprentice to the Batman. This triggered my love of comics and I soon grew my collection. As I went to university and had my own income, this collection grew exponentially as I started buying the single issues each month as well as catching up on collected editions. Robin has also been featured on Teen Titans, The Batman and Young Justice TV shows and the awful video game Batman: Dark Tomorrow.

Where does the hate come from?
The problem is that for most people, my first experience of Robin is their only experience of Robin. As I grew and matured, I found other sources to feed my love of the characters, but most people have only ever seen the Adam West show and the (currently) 6 movies released since 1989 (of which Robin only featured in the worst two). Thus their view of Robin is somewhat skewed toward the camp and the buffoonish. The whole 'Robin is gay' joke that has been strung along in sitcoms like Friends, is one that has become cliche, but still damages public perception of the character. This of course stems from the 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent by American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham. Here he, essentially, suggests that all modern media is being created to warp children's mind and that violent and sexual themes have been hidden within the pages of comics and storybooks. He has created an idea that Batman & Robin are in a gay relationship and that Wonder Woman is a lesbian. His own pre-occupation with homosexuality in a time of repression aside, this is exactly the type of thinking that leads to claims of Marilyn Manson causing the Columbine shootings or Grand Theft Auto being responisble for car crime. Ill-informed, extremist scape-goating, yes, but damaging nonetheless.

More recently, I have been on message boards where people say that the love Batman, but hate Robin. How can you possibly hate a character that has been part of the mythos for nearly the entire publication history? Batman was first published in 1939. Robin was introduced in 1940. This is like saying you love Reggie Jeeves, but hate Bertie Wooster. You love Sherlock Holmes, but hate John Watson. To say that you find him uninteresting or irrating, fine, but hate? I think you might have only watched Burt Ward and Chris O'Donnell, little troll. Try reading some actual source material.
To use a very British comparison; to say that you hate Robin after only watching the '60s TV show or The Schumacher Batman movies is like saying you hate Miss Marple after only watching the new ITV series. You need to watch Joan Hickson or actually read some Christie to appreciate it.

Tim Drake
To my mind, Tim Drake has revolutionalised Robin. Don't get me wrong, in the 1970s and 80s Dick Grayson was doing alot of good things as Robin, but he didn't really flurish until he became Nightwing. Since 1989, when, at 13, he first revealed that he had deduced the identity of the batman, Tim Drake has grown as a character. He was never reckless like Jason, nor a dare-devil like Dick. Tim has been something else, rather than contrast Batman, Tim's Robin compliments him. He is happier to hold back and use the shadows to pick his moment, he is first and foremost a detective and we have seen that he doesn't mind getting his hands a little dirty to acheive his goals. Over the last few years, he has undergone personal tragedies that have forced him to become more serious about his chosen vocation. His evolution has taken him from a self-concious Peter Parker to a chess grandmaster crossed with Batman. Tim started out as the kid who played Dungeons and Dragons in his friend's basement and couldn't talk to a girl without going a bit funny. Now he is the teenager who struggles to maintain friendships because 110% of his time is dedicated to 'the job'. This is a character who has starred in his own ongoing series and mini-series for over 200 issues. Who has supported, not just in Batman and Detective Comics, but in Young Justice and Teen Titans as well as the whole host of Bat-books.

The Future
Now we have real opportunites in significant media to promote this 'new' style of Robin (that has been developing since the 1970s).

Arkham City and The Dark Knight Rises are coming out in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Both have rumours of a Robin inclusion. I doubt that we will see Robin feature in the main story for either of these, but as a side-line? Easily.

Could we see a turn from Robin in a co-op mulitplayer for Arkham City?

Just a glance at some of the websites devoted to videogames and you can tell thatthere is a buzz question. Will we see Robin? If there is co-op multiplayer for the Challenge Rooms, it seems obvious that Robin would be included, doesn't it?
UPDATE (21.06.2011): It has just been announced that Tim Drake's Robin and Red Robin costumes will be playable in Batman: Arkham City's Challenge Mode. He will have his own gadgets and combat moves. The first image is on the right. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Now everyone who plays Arkham City (and that'll be a lot) will know how cool Robin can be.

 

 

Could we have a visit to Haley's Circus to see the Flying Graysons as the epilogue to The Dark Knight Rises?
After all, Nolan apparently put the Joker card at the end of Batman Begins, simply as a way to raise excitement at the end of the movie and to hint that it really was just the beginning of his career as Batman. This was before he knew that he was going to make the sequel. He could very well do the same with the end of his swan song. As Bruce and Alfred settle down in the Batcave at the end of the movie the latter could hand an invitation to a charity bash at Haley's Circus starring the Flying Graysons to the former. What would get people more excited, what would symbolise the next step in the Batman's career more, than a hint at Robin?

Can we start getting some respect for Robin from the general public, will he stop being seen as a joke? I hope so, because, Goddamn, is some respect due his way.

Recommended reading:
Dick Grayson
Batman: Dark Victory, Batman: The Gauntlet, Robin: Year One

Tim Drake
Robin: A Hero Reborn, Robin: Flying Solo, Robin #116-120, Robin: Search for a Hero

Visual history of the Batmobile and Autobots

 I don't think that there is really much to say about these, except that they are brilliant and I hope we continue to see more. The Batmobile one came out a few weeks ago; the Autobots, yesterday. What could we get next? Bond cars? Decepticons? Lego?

Flashpoint length and tie-ins are announced

Oh dear. Whoopsy daisy. Other British idioms meaning bollocks.

DC appear to have gone tie-in crazy for this FIVE ISSUE mini series. This means that after only two tie-in minis, there will be more tie-ins issues than there are in the main story. Bum to that. They have even kept one tie-in mini a secret AND the one shots haven't been announced!
Deep breath. Read and repeat. Wait for trade. Wait for trade. Wait for trade.

http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2011/01/28/flashpoint-friday-everything-will-change-in-a-flash/

Batman Chess Set

Today I have treated myself and bought something that I wanted to buy when I first saw it, waited too long and it went out of stock. What is this item that I have want since I was 14? That has taken over a decade to purchase?

A Batman Chess Set of course! I have bought it from France via eBay and there is still one left if you want your very own. There isn't long left though - so hurry!

Uncharted 3 Story Interview

Love Uncharted. Can't wait for November. Enjoy.

Fake Arkham City Co-Op Trailer

I say fake, I would imagine that the fan that made it, made it for fun, not to trick people, but fake is so much more concise than fan-made.

We have been discussing it's authenticity here on arkhamcity.co.uk

First images of new Thundercats cartoon

A poster at the Thundercats forums has taken loads of pictures from a toyfare that shows some glimpses of the new series.

There are more burry images of toys and packaging; you can follow this link to see them in the thread.

Personally I think that these look great. I enjoyed the original cartoon when I was a young and the comics when I was older. Enjoyone who read Thundercats: The Return will no doubt agree.

I think that it's great that Lion-O looks younger, Cheetara looks spot-on, don't mess with Panthro and my favourite, Tygra, looks really cool.

I can quite happily admit that I'm looking forward to this!

Update Wed 26th Jan: click here for first official still:

Green Lantern toys etc

SuperHeroHype have a look at new toys and merchandise licensee list.

Guardians of the Universe from GL movie

A concept art image of the Guardians of Oa from the upcoming Green Lantern movie has been released. Looks pretty spot on to me. Note the female Guardian.
Prior to Kyle Rayner resurrecting them in the early 2000s, all Guardians were male. This just shows how much of a cue they have been taking from Geoff Johns and co. That can only be a good thing in my book.

Click on link for a little more info.

Human Torch RIP

Marvel Comics don't really do it for me. I like Spider-man and a collection of the X-men, but the Fantastic Four have never appealed to me. The only one of the FF that ever showed any interesting traits was Johnny Storm, the Human Torch.
And now he's dead.
Well done Marvel.

Story here

Hardy will be AWESOME as Bane

Total Film have given 11 reasons that Tom Hardy as Bane will be a great thing. Personally, I think that having such a good actor as Bane is a really interesting and daring choice.

Between Nolan's Batrilogy and the Arkham games from Rocksteady we are getting some great exposure to the general public. Joe Public's opinions of Batman and his villians has been irrevocably changed since Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. No longer is a spinning Batsymbol, a powdered moustache and Adam West's pot-belly the first thing that comes to mind when Batman is mentioned.

Could we get some respect for Robin next?
Look for a post here later this week on that very topic.

Neo to jack back into The Matrix?

http://goo.gl/fb/gQRuj
Wow wow wow wow.
Two new Matrix films? Shot in 3D?
Bill and Ted 3?
Thank you cinema fairies!

We probably won't get much more news on this for a while, so just enjoy it.

Countdown, Ion and Green lantern: Pros and Cons of a shared universe in comics

I have recently reread the collected editions of the 2006 12-issue series following the adventures of Kyle Rayner, Ion: Guardian of the Universe. Reaching the end of the book I realised a few things, including why some books are never as strong as the could or should be. Namely, when they are used to set up other plots in other books.



Another stab of the knife as
Kyle is plotted against.



Taking Ion as an example (if you haven't read it, there will be spoilers):



I think that some books just need to be left to stand alone, other wise the writers can't really develop any satisfying drama. In the case of Ion, I really felt that it was hampered by editorial mandates to include outside stories. The only drama coming from the death of Kyle's mam, not from any internal or external conflicts.

The Monitor plot could have been completely contained in Countdown and didn't need to encroach on Ion, and the hints to what the then unannounced Sinestro Corps were doing didn't have a pay off because they lead to another book (Sinestro Corps Special, which kicked off the Sinestro Corps War).


Sinestro Corps Special - here Kyle's descent
happens in a couple of pages.
Coupled with the panel space
devoted to the Monitor story line in Ion,
 have we seen enough for Kyle
to break down like this?



Yellow rings shown at the end

of Ion. Why couldn't Kyle

have found one of his
 enemies wearing one?

The irony is that the Sinestro Corps War would have kicked arse without the lead up in Ion, where as Kyle's journey in both books suffered because there wasn't a strong enough connection between the two. Take away the interference of the Monitors and the Countdown tie-ins. Let Kyle's mission be to hunt down Sinestro - on the way he is attacked by old and new foes with a common leader. Make a bigger deal about the link between Alexander Nero, Effigy, Grayven, the Qwardians and of course the mystery illness that killed Kyle's mam. At the end Kyle could have found that Grayven was wearing a yellow ring (since yellow rings were on the last page anyway), this would have given the final battle more relevance and an in-book pay off to the plot against Kyle storyline before we find out who orchastrated it in Sinestro Corps.



Just as Ion lacked a punch at the end, we shouldn't have to read other books for the pay-off or conclusion of a story arc. Ion's drama came from the plotline involving his mother, which had only been set up a few issues earlier, rather than being in place from the beginning of the over all story arc.



Bruce Wayne returns just in time to get
Dick and Damian out of trouble.



The end of Grant Morrison's run on Batman & Robin showed the worst example I have ever seen of this. At the end of the big story line involving Dr. Hurt returning to destroy Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne's Batman and Robin. It looks like he is about to win, when in walks Bruce Wayne, fresh from The Return of Bruce Wayne to save them and kick the bad guy's arse. I'm sorry Mr. Morrison, but having a character who hasn't been in the storyline come back from the dead to solve the protagonists' problems isn't good writing. At the end of the arc, the protagonists should be able to (or not) solve the problem themselves. Bruce could easily have met up with them in the next story (see Batman: The Return), but how are first time readers going to react when they pick up the trade? "Where did the f*%$ did he come from?"

So having said all that, would I opt out of a shared universe for the sake of better stories? No, because happily we have stories like Identity Crisis that fit the other side of the coin. That prove to us that something really special can come out of the kind of shared universe that only comics can create. This was a story that had fingers in all the DCU pies, continued to affect stories for years afterward and it was really good. Part of the reason it was really good is because it explored the history and relationships of these characters that inhabit the shared world of the DCU and how their lives and adventures affect each other.

Deep down it is the relationships between characters that keeps us coming back each month. How the different storylines test and strengthen these ties. The next big crossover is War of the Green Lanterns and I have no doubt that it will be great. Why? Simply because Geoff Johns and the rest of the Green Lantern team have proven themselves capable of remaining true to the characters, no matter what tests befall them? No, but because editorial also has such faith in them, that they are left to write the best stories that they can.

Dredding the new Judge movie

First off, was there really a need for this movie? Stallone did great in the first one which from the looks of it had more money spent on it. SuperHeroHype have released a photo of Karl Urban's Judge Dredd riding a motorcycle with a painted cardboard box on the top. Sorry, I meant his Lawmaster. Come on though, this would have looked awful in the 70s, let alone the 80s or 90s when production design reached it's peaks. If you can't do better than the 90s version, why even bother? Couldn't they have got one of Stallone's out of storage or a museum?

Batman: Angels of Death

The DC Comics Solicitations for April came out earlier this week and the rumoured Bat-crossover has been fully announced. It will last for three issues and involve Red Robin, Batman and Gotham City Sirens. So it looks like the main characters are going to be Tim Drake, Dick Grayson and Selina Kyle. Will Bruce be in this at all? I don't think so. To my cynical mind this seems to be a crossover that steers clear of Grant Morrison's non-linear concept of deadlines and release schedules whilst giving Gotham City Sirens a much needed sales boost.

I'm looking forward to it though as Red Robin is currently the best Bat-book on sale, but could do with raising it's profile, and the brotherly relationship between Tim & Dick is usually written really well, especially by Fabian Nicieza.

The relevant solicitations follow:

RED ROBIN #22

Written by FABIAN NICIEZA

Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II

Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

In the first part of a 3-part crossover with GOTHAM CITY SIRENS and BATMAN this month, Gotham City faces final judgment as the Angels of Death seek to spare the city by finding one person who is without sin. After putting Red Robin through physical and emotional trials, have they found the city’s salvation? What is the one thing they learn about Tim Drake that might change their minds? Guest-starring Catwoman and Batman!

On sale APRIL 13 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US, RATED T

GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #22

Written by PETER CALLOWAY
Art by ANDRES GUINALDO
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
In part 2 of this month’s 3-part crossover with RED ROBIN and BATMAN, the Angels of Death having sworn judgment on Gotham City, which they see as a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah – but Gotham’s heroes are fighting back! And when secrets surface – secrets she’d rather kept hidden – Selina finds herself in the middle of a fight for the very existence of Gotham! Guest starring Batman and Ra’s al Ghul.
On sale APRIL 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US, RATED T

BATMAN #709

Written by DAVID HINE

Art and Cover by GUILLEM MARCH
This month’s 3-part crossover with RED ROBIN and GOTHAM SIRENTS reaches its conclusion as Batman becomes Gotham City’s last hope! Can he help the city avoid a cleansing scourge? Will the Angels of Death find one good man whose soul is pure? And what is the tragic secret in Dick Grayson’s past that might doom Gotham? Guest-starring Red Robin, Catwoman and Ra’s al Ghul!
On sale APRIL 20 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US, RATED T

James Newton Howard score Green Lantern

James Newton Howard will be writing the score for the Green Lantern movie. I think that this is great news, as he has proved that he can score grounded superhero action movies with his work (alongside Hans Zimmer) on Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Hopefully this will help to keep a sense of drama consistant through the film, even as we sit through the 'please Joe Public humour'.

Wonder Woman TV show from NBC

The previously discussed Wonder Woman TV show has been picked up very quickly after the new management of NBC have settled in. No real details yet other than Geoff Johns (DC Entertainment's Chief Creative Office) tweeting 'wonder woman wonder woman' and this article confirming the news.
Update: here is a link to deadline, again confirming reports, this time in alittle more detail.

Looking forward to seeing more details on this and hope that it resembles the DC Animated Movie, which you can buy from amazon (no pun intended) here: Wonder Woman 2009 (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Newsarma talk Bane & Catwoman in TDKR

An Op/Ed that discusses the villians roles in the upcoming film.

Ozma

Sifting through some of my old CDs on the PC, I found this little gem from Ozma.
That's right, Tetris. Awesome.
Enjoy:

X-Men First Class poster

The first teaser poster has been released. I'm still not sure about this film, could be good, but I hear that it is being rushed and Matthew Vaughan is under alot of pressure from the studio to get shots completed.

Jonathon Ross appears in DC Comics

The Source has posted a panel preview of next month's Knight & Squire. Knight & Squire is quite a charming mini-series about the British mirror of America's Batman & Robin. The Knight (2nd generation, he used to be Squire beofre his dad, the first Knight, popped his clogs) lives in a Castle rather than a batcave, drives a motorcycle, dates a fictional version of Cheryl Tweedy and knocks around with a teenage girl called Beryl (or Squire).

Anyway, Wossy cameos:

"From Superman vs. Muhammad Ali to even stranger appearances such as Orson Welles and John Walsh, celebrities have a long tradition of showing up in the DC Universe. This year won’t be any different, as British comedian and television host Jonathan Ross will appear in next months’ KNIGHT & SQUIRE #5.

Here are a few words about Mr. Ross’s cameo from the Knight & Squire creative team:

It’s an absolute pleasure to feature Britain’s most famous comic fan, collector and now professional in an issue of Knight and Squire, and thanks very much to Jonathan for being such a sport in allowing it to happen. I’m only sorry we haven’t given him powers and a costume.
- Paul Cornell

Capturing Mr. Ross’s boyish good looks and natural charm was an artistic challenge, getting his suit right, an artistic triumph!
- Jimmy Broxton

Look out for Jonathan Ross in KNIGHT & SQUIRE #5, on sale in February."

Hal and Hector

Photo from the Green Lantern movie. Looks like and uncomfortable moment setting up the animosity between the two at the start of the film.

Bane and Catwoman announced as villians in The Dark Knight Rises!!

This is fantastic news! I knew that Catwoman was a dead cert, but that fact that Nolan wants to use Tom Hardy as Bane is mindblowing. Literally. My brains are all over the floor.

Finally something to take away the taste of Franken-bane from the abysmal Batman and Robin (1997).

For those who don't know, Bane was introduced in the early 90s as a man bent on destroying the Batman. He was physically enhanced by a super-steroid called 'Venom'. This would basically double his speed and muscle mass. He blew open a hole in Arkham Asylum, letting all the inmates go free. He waited until Batman was exhausted from recapturing them and then broke into Wayne Manor and broke the Batman's back. Following this we had a year of a replacement Batman before Bruce Wayne eventually recouporated.

The casting of Tom Hardy is great, I'd be happy for him to play anyone, but I'm not so thrilled about Anne Hathaway. I would have much preferred Eva Green or Naomi Watts, who were both rumoured to be in the film last week. Oh well, in Nolan we trust.

More on this when I catch my breath - until then (from NY Times):

"January 19, 2011, 12:51 PM

Roles of Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy Revealed in ‘Dark Knight Rises’

By DAVE ITZKOFF

Batman has found a nemesis for his next cinematic adventure – and it looks like a love interest, too. On Wednesday, Warner Brothers Pictures announced a new cast member and clarified the role of another for “The Dark Knight Rises,” the third Batman movie to be directed by Christopher Nolan, the “Inception” and “Memento” filmmaker. Joining Christian Bale, who returns as Batman and his daytime alter ego, Bruce Wayne, is Anne Hathaway (of “Love and Other Drugs”) who will play Selina Kyle; the film will also feature Tom Hardy, a co-star of “Inception,” as a villain named Bane.

As comic-book fans know, the Selina Kyle character is the secret identity of Batman’s sometime paramour (and sometime foe) Catwoman, and Bane is a muscular bad guy powered by an addictive drug called Venom. But a news release from Warner Brothers gave no descriptions of how these characters would be utilized in Mr. Nolan’s film; Mr. Nolan said in a statement only that Ms. Hathaway was “a fantastic addition to our ensemble as we complete our story” and that he was “delighted to be working with Tom again and excited to watch him bring to life our new interpretation of one of Batman’s most formidable enemies.”

“The Dark Knight Rises” is planned to be released on July 20, 2012, with a screenplay by Mr. Nolan and his brother, Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer."

The same reported on Deadline.

Anton Furst Batmobile FOR SALE

Can I just direct you to Gotham Knights Online?
For my birthday this year, I would like...

Sherlock Holmes 2

Ignore the ET presenter.

Flashpoint

DC the Source have been teasing the big Flash storyline that was announced at the end of last year's Flash: Rebirth. Personally, I saw no reason that Barry Allen needed to be brought back, as his successor had been doing the job admirably for 20 years with fairly strong sales. After losing interest after the first 4 issues of the new Flash monthly, I'm interested to see what this storyline can do to revitalise the Flash family (after all, Wally West is still the Flash as well, but we've hardly seen him since Barry returned).

 

 

From the teases below, it looks like this will be an alternate timeline story, which is in keeping with the Flash's history, featuring the Justice League, if not the whole DCU.

A reference to Martian manhunter, J'onn J'onz?

Abin Sur never crashed, so he couldn't give Hal Jordan the Green Lantern ring?