Marvel and DC announce Submariner/Aquaman crossover

Apparently the new ongoing series will feature the Kings of Atlantis sitting side by side on twin thrones to rule the seas.
New writer May Dupp says that the pair will begin as reluctant partners, but the tension might lead to some interesting developments, hinting at the possibility of a relationship.
"All dead characters will be brought back to life by the time we get to the inevitable marriage" she says.
The series begins May 2132.

Source: AprilFools

Batman Movie franchise after Nolan

If you've been following my twitter feed, then you know that after The Dark Knight Rises the Batman movie franchise will be rebooted. Produced by, yet seperate from, Chris Nolan.

The question is where to go?
In my opinion, another origin story would be redundant. Bring in Robin. Not Grayson, not Todd. Tim Drake.

Keep the stigma of Batman and Robin distant with a Robin that mainstream audiences aren't familiar with, but that still plays the familiar role (albeit with a modern edge).

In 2002/3, I began to write my own screenplay for a Batman movie which would feature the death of Jason Todd and how that affected the relationship between Bruce and Tim. I included Dick as an after thought and had made notes upon how to include him more fully in the next draft. I stopped writing it purely because Batman Begins was announced, but now that we are in a Batfilm-void situation again (or soon will be) should I have a bash at rewriting?

The first two-thirds of the very rough first draft can be read on the Writing Showcase page or downloaded directly here.

Let me know what you think, shall I give it a rewrite and send off a sample?

Gary Oldman reveals The Dark Knight Rises secret ending

Ah, word play, tricked you here thinking that I had the leaked ending to TDKR?
Well, you'll never see one, because Nolan has intentionally left it out of the script. That's right, the ending has been written in Nolan's head, not on paper. That's how seriously he is taking secrecy on this flick.



Source: Slash Film via arkhamcity.co.uk
or Batman on Film

Green Lantern actors talk special effects

Not much info here, but a couple of lines about the upcoming movie. Empire obviously asked Mark Strong if he'd seen a rough cut yet. It's things like this that made me stop reading Empire - of course he hasn't! He's an actor and it's three months away. That's another month or so to finalise effect shots, firm up a rough cut and screen test leading another month to do the final edit and record the score before the printing and distribution process begins.
Anyway, looking forward to the movie. Very pleased to have War of the Green Lanterns to tide me over until June.

With only three months before Green Lantern is scheduled to debut in theaters, long-time fans of the DC Comics character are anxious to see footage featuring the finalized effects for the film. The first trailer, which premiered last November, was met with mixed reactions; and there is currently no official date as the release of the second trailer or even theatrical posters. Ryan Reynolds -- who recently was named the 2011 CinemaCon Star of the Year -- briefly commented about his role in a project with such heavy-handed computer generated imagery to Variety.com:
"On a movie that's coming out on a size and scale like this, you realize how insignificant the actor is. I'm an important cog in a very large machine

"I was on a greenscreen stage with a hundred other crew members...and it's those people whose efforts created what will later be known as the film."
Mark Strong plays the alien hero Sinestro in the film, and acts as a mentor to Reynolds' Hal Jordan. Though he tells Empire Magazine he hasn't seen a full cut of Green Lantern yet, he has high hopes for the final product:
“I haven’t seen it yet, but I’ve seen the artwork and if they can get that right, it’ll be astonishing. It's very similar [to his other CG heavy film John Carter Of Mars] in sense that they’re like trying to make a jigsaw puzzle with two thirds of the pieces missing because so much of it is CGI. As Andrew Stanton says, ‘I’m not in post, I’m in principle digital photography.'
"On Green Lantern two thirds is on Earth and a third is in space. All my stuff is in space, so all my scenes were in a big green room."
Green Lantern, directed by Martin Campbell, stars Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Mark Strong, Peter Sarsgaard, Tim Robbins and Angela Bassett. The film is scheduled to hit 2D and 3D theaters June 17th, 2011.

Source: DailyBlam

Amy Adams cast as Superman's Lois Lane

After all that pish a few months ago about no Lois in Zack Snyder's Superman reboot,  here she is.

I think that Amy is a fantastic choice - partially because I had never thought of it! The age is spot on, so we won't see a repeat of the Bosworth paradox and she definitely has the acting chops. She's been bubbling under for a good few years now and here is her push into superstardom.

Great news. With Costner locked in as Pa Kent, I hope that this is just the start of the casting news heading our way.

This just in — three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams will play journalist Lois Lane in Hollywood’s revival of “Superman.”

The 36-year-old star got the news on Sunday from director Zack Snyder, who phoned her from Paris, where he was promoting his just-opened film, “Sucker Punch.” There had been a crush of Hollywood interest in the lead female role in the Warner Bros. project but Snyder said that after meeting with Adams, she was the clear choice to take on a character that dates back to 1938 and has long represented the strong, professional woman who can hold her own against any man – even if he can leap tall buildings in a single bound.
“There was a big, giant search for Lois,” Snyder said. “For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it.”
Snyder declined to discuss the precise prominence of Lois in the story or any plot details about the film but he said the role is “a linchpin” to the project and that he considers it essential that Lois — an FDR-era creation – arrives on screen in 2012 with contemporary appeal and spirit.
“It goes back to what I’ve said about Superman and making him really understandable for today. What’s important to us is making him relevant and real and making him empathetic to today’s audience so that we understand the decisions he makes. That applies to Lois as well. She has to be in the same universe as him [in tone and substance].”
Adams has shown an affinity for finding the plucky but pitch-perfect center of old-school roles; in the cartoonish ”Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” she brought a surprising amount of yearning emotion to the role of a simplified Amelia Earhart and she won rave reviews for the role of Giselle in “Enchanted” and its sly send-up of Disney princess traditions that date back to “Snow White,” which premiered just six months before Lois Lane hit newsstands in the pages of Action Comics No. 1.
Adams is coming off an Academy Award nomination for her work in ”The Fighter,” the David O. Russell film that took her into far darker territory; she played a bartender named Charlene who is fire-tested and fierce in her love for a down-but-not-out boxer portrayed by Mark Wahlberg. The film earned an Oscar win for Christian Bale, who played Wahlberg’s deliriously drugged-out brother, and he will be in the other big superhero film of 2012, “The Dark Knight Rises,” which will see Bale back in the cowl of Batman.
The big breakthrough for Adams was “Junebug,” which premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where Adams won a special jury prize for her performance. The star’s other notable credits include ”Doubt,” Julie & Julia,” “Sunshine Cleaning,“ “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Charlie Wilson’s War.” Later this year, she will be seen in both “On the Road” (an adaptation of the famed Jack Kerouac novel) and in Disney’s new Muppets film.
In the still-untitled Superman film, Henry Cavill will play Clark Kent and the Man of Steel. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are set to play the Kents, the adoptive parents of the last son of Krypton.

Source: LATimes

An open letter to DC editorial

Dear DC Comics,

         To say that I have been a Batman fan all my life is barely hyperbole, as some of my earliest memories involve watching my heroes Batman and Robin on the TV and then pretending to be them with my friends at playgroup (preschool). Anyone who knows me closely knows of the time that I tried to go to school with my Superman costume (including cape) on under my normal clothes, they know how traumatised I was when my sister sat on Batman, breaking off his leg, and more recently, they see my array of DC Comics t-shirts on a nearly daily basis (my wife now recognises the Sinestro Corps symbol).
        Unfortunately, I am writing with a complaint. Since the end of Batman RIP we have been suffering with a group of books that work really well with each other and a lead book that feels disjointed and distant from the rest. This separation felt small at first, but has grown larger month by month. Batman & Robin started out well, but by the time we got to the Blackest Knight arc, it had moved to the bottom of my reading pile. When Bruce's Batman turned up to save the day in B&R#16, I groaned. This should have been great, but Dick and Damian needed saving by a character who had been external to that story arc because no thought had gone into how they could have solved the problem themselves. How is that going to make any sense to people who just read trades? Printing a message like "Oh, by the way, you also need to go and buy Return of Bruce Wayne for this book to make sense." just doesn't cut it.
         Whilst I understand that changes need to be made to push a series forward and provide new challenges, I think that the Batman Inc idea would have worked fine without Grant ripping off the end of Ironman. Bruce Wayne is too careful to let such an obvious link to Batman be made (especially not by himself!). Now we have a fairly obvious Bat family/Wayne family connection that even the slowest fictional journalist could surely put together.
         Yesterday, I actually put my copy of Batman, Inc. #4 down in disgust without finishing it. I have never done this with a comic before, so I waited until I could stomach it and finished it off. Awful, truly awful. What was the point of getting rid of all these things that didn't work in Crisis on Infinite Earths, only to have one man drag them back into continuity? Honestly, I've had all I can take from Grant Morrison. I could put up with messing continuity, as well as other writers and artists, around if the stories were full formed and coherent. Instead we are treated to half-baked ideas and segues that lead nowhere. Sticking prefixes like 'hyper-' or 'meta-' onto words doesn't make one a genius; lets make sure that it works as a story before trying to show how clever we think we are.
         I suppose what I am trying to say is, please edit Grant Morrison. If he turns in his work late, then dock his fee. If it's late then he isn't giving you or the artists time to do your jobs. I'm sure that all it would take sometimes is someone asking "Where is this going?", saying "I don't think that ____ would do that." or pointing out "Grant, this doesn't make sense." for the stories to find a more natural flow. This then results in a much lower quality product and less satisfying stories. Most of all, it makes the readers feel like they are being jerked around. If he can't take the criticism, then that is his problem. If the stories don't make sense, then that is yours.  He may produce strong sales, but if things continue to spiral out of control they way they are then not even Batman will be able to save the title.

Yours,
Chris, a concerned fan, aged 26

Welcome to the Decade of DC: DC Comics foothold on Cartoon Network

DC Comics have had a long standing success in animation, from Fleischer's 40's Superman to the Emmy Award winning 1992 Batman The Animated Series and beyond to the original animated movies. Now DCEntertainment are branching out further under the banner of DC Nation at Cartoon Network. DCE's Chief Creative Officer, Geoff Johns, has mentioned different media types including CGI, traditional 2D animation, stop motion and live action 'to suit the character'.
It looks like DC are really upping the ante. They have the best selling (and rated) comicbook movie and videogame. They are lining up a reboot of Superman and a sequel to this Year's Green Lantern. The comicbooks themselves are going strong, with some titles the best they have ever been. The animated properties have been excellent since the 90s and they are expanding on their strengths.
It's taken a couple of years for the effects of the DC Comics-->DC Entertainment reshuffle to truly be felt, but 2011 is shaping up to be the start of something special.
Welcome to the Decade of DC.

Press release:

Debuting in 2012 as a multi-platform franchise, DC Nation will be the exclusive home for original DC animation properties. Backed by the production, publishing and marketing resources of Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Cartoon Network, DC Nation will be an on-air and online programming block populated with event programming, interstitials, exclusive behind-the-scenes of theatrical production and an insider look into the world of all things DC.

“DC Nation on Cartoon Network will be the first-ever dedicated broadcast destination to showcase the depth and breadth of the DC Universe,” said Diane Nelson, President of DC Entertainment. “We and our partners at WBTV are thrilled that fans will be able to immerse themselves in DC’s phenomenal stories, experience a wide spectrum of amazing characters and stay up-to-date on the latest happenings of the world’s greatest superheroes and their creators, both on-air and online.”

Source: DC The Source

Really, more delays on Batman, Inc. ?!?!

Am I the only person waiting for DC to say 'No' to Grant Morrison?

The delays behind [Batman Inc.] are a combination of slowness on Grant and Yanick’s part. Yanick does all of his work on a digital pad and his art process requires a whole lot of lead time that Grant Morrison just doesn’t give him. On the Saturday morning, Grant had just e-mailed Yanick 12 pages of script for issue #5 when Yanick’s deadline for the art is in 1 week…so yeah, expect some more delays for issue 5 unless they get a fill-in artist.

—ComicBookDaily.com’s David Diep, reporting from this past weekend’s Wizard World Toronto convention, on what he learned about the future of DC’s flagship Bat-book, Batman Incorporated—presumably straight from artist and con guest Yanick Paquette himself.

A look at the solicit as posted on DC’s website shows that the book is scheduled for release on April 20. But the company still has it running with a J.H. Williams III cover that was actually used on issue #3 when it finally came out two weeks ago, likely because that issue was originally supposed to come out in January and thus had an “iconic” cover as part of that month’s line-wide cover gimmick, which was obviously no longer in effect. Issue #5 is now slated to run with the cover you see above, also by Williams…who is himself the co-writer/co-artist of the even more delay-plagued Batwoman. On the other hand, the company just signed the prodigiously talented artist Chris Burnham, who made a splash as the co-artist of the climactic Batman & Robin #16 and was already on board to draw Batman Incorporated #4, 6, and 7, to an exclusive contract. So there’s still some joy in Gotham after all.

Source: CBR

Abin Sur crashes onto the net

Temuera Morrison as Abin Sur in June's Green Lantern.

Source: DailyBlam

Arkham Asylum Batmobile from Hotwheels

Hotwheels are releasing the Batmobile from Batman: Arkham Asylum (last seen ramming Bane into Gotham river) this April.

I can't believe that this looks better than it did in the game. I did think that it looked too small in the game though.

Source: Gotham Knights Online

War of the Green Lanterns: Tony Bedard interview

Wow. Today has been really busy for a Monday.
Newsarama have interviewed Green Lantern Corps writer, Tony Bedard. Green Lantern Corps is my favourite title in the GL umbrella, so I was happy to see this pop up. war of the Green Lanterns is shaping up to be interesting, although I'm a little worried that one of the Earth-born Lanterns may snuff it. There will almost definitely be someone switching sides. The obvious would be Guy Gardner going to the Red Lanterns, but I suspect that we might see Hal Jordan join the Sinestro Corps.

Anyway, check out the interview here:

Newsarama: Tony, what's it been like coordinating "War of the Green Lanterns" with the other writers involved with the universe?
Tony Bedard: It's been the sort of teamwork I really hoped for when I first signed with DC. I've worked at plenty of publishers who flew by the seat of their pants, but Geoff Johns is a man with a plan and I'm happy to follow his lead. Doing conference calls with Geoff, Pete Tomasi, and editors Eddie Berganza and Brian Cunningham is great fun as we build upon the hottest franchise in comics. And what we're planning for the Corps in "War of the Green Lanterns" is a real shake-up.

Nrama: How important is the upcoming movie to the timing of this event? Has the editorial staff taken the movie into consideration as you make plans for the comics? Or is that not affecting the main titles, staying relegated to the movie prequels?
Bedard: The movie is definitely important to our plans. The month the movie hits will also present readers with good jumping-on points in all three Green Lantern monthlies. But we're not reinventing the comic to follow the movie. It's more that the entire Green Lantern franchise is coordinated so there's a synergy between the different media, be it print, feature films, animation or online.

Nrama: Let's talk about the last issue of Green Lantern Corps, which ended with quite a surprise. The decision by Weaponer to join the Sinestro Corps wasn't predictable at all. Was his decision made because he was so moved by Sinestro? Or does he have other motivations?
Bedard: That ending actually came out of one of these conference calls between myself, Eddie and Geoff. I think my original inclination was to have the Weaponer become the new leader of the Qwardians, but when you write these multi-chapter epics, you want to leave room to improvise. So when we were discussing the Weaponer's final fate, I think it was Geoff who suggested having him join the Sinestro Corps, and the minute he said it, I knew that felt right. This is a guy who felt cheated of his rightful destiny by Sinestro. Now, after years of lonely exile, he's offered the chance to feel special and be part of a team. Still, I wouldn't be surprised to find the Weaponer plotting against Sinestro somewhere down the road. It's a real love/hate relationship between those two, which may explain why the Weaponer got along with Soranik Natu so well.

Nrama: Will we ever find out how he was wielding the white light? Will that come into play later?

Bedard: I think that having created the yellow ring so long ago, the Weaponer was experienced with creating ways to wield energy from the emotional spectrum. He may well be able to create a green ring or violet ring, etc. But he found the unique White Energy which doesn't dissipate, and that's what he had to work with.

Nrama: The Weaponer's sudden alliance with Sinestro feels like it's a precursor for what we'll see in "War of the Green Lanterns." Is the testing of alliances part of the theme as the corps head toward war?

Bedard: Well, "War of the Green Lanterns" is more of an internal thing within the Green Lantern Corps. It's more of a brother-against-brother sort of thing, so in that way, we'll definitely test alliances and friendships. Coming out of the War, the friendships between our four main Green Lanterns will definitely be strained or even broken in some cases. The Corps hung together against Sinestro's forces and against the Black Lanterns, but the "War of the Green Lanterns" will push them further than those two events did.

Nrama: One of the strangest links we've seen in the GL Universe is between Atrocitus, Ganthet and Guy. Will you be exploring this or any similarly strange upcoming alliances as the war begins to rage?

Bedard: That pact between those three characters pays off big-time in the War, and the fact that those three would be in cahoots gives you an indication of the threat they are up against. I don't think we have any stranger team-ups, but the repercussions are huge.

Nrama: It's obvious from upcoming covers and solicitations that there's going to be a problem between John and Kyle. Is there anything you can tell us about what would make these two characters clash? Where are their heads right now?

Bedard: In the opening pages to Green Lantern Corps #58, I have Kyle observing how different he and John are, and yet how well they partner up. He says they are the Yin and Yang of the Green Lantern Corps — the complimentary opposites. But there's a lot that goes unspoken between them, especially because John is more internalized, less likely to express his feelings. But all of John's problems with Kyle will explode to the surface when John and Kyle are forced to choose very different paths to fight the threat posed by Krona, the renegade Guardian.

Nrama: Since there's also trouble brewing between Hal and Guy, what can we expect for the four Earth lanterns as the war begins, particularly in your comic?

Bedard: We've felt that through all the trials of the past few years, the four Lanterns from Earth have stuck together extraordinarily well. "War of the Green Lanterns" is about testing that brotherhood and taking it beyond the breaking point. We'll be feeling the consequences long after this particular story arc is over.

Nrama: The relationship between Kyle and Soranik has turned into almost a "triangle," because of the dominance of her father, Sinestro. Will their conflict continue to play a role in your title — and in War of the Green Lanterns?

Bedard: Yeah, I want to keep exploring that. In fact, the events on planet Qward damaged Kyle's relationship with Soranik more than he realizes. We'll explore that fallout more in the months to come.

Nrama: Sinestro, because of his "fatherly" protectiveness and the truce he's drawn with the Green Lanterns, has been an odd combination of aloof and sincere recently. Would you agree? And is that a characteristic we'll see more in upcoming stories?

Bedard: Sinestro has long had that interesting mix to me. Geoff did a great job of both humanizing him and making him even more badass than he had ever been before. The truly great villains like Lex Luthor, Dr. Doom and Magneto usually have that mix of nobility and utter ruthlessness. They're the heroes of their own stories, and Sinestro definitely sees himself that way. And I think Sinestro will continue to surprise folks with what he's capable of, both good and bad. Sinestro may be the most interesting character in the Green Lantern universe.

Nrama: While the earth Green Lanterns have made some questionable decisions lately (which we can only assume will add to their conflict), Soranik seems to be maintaining a certain level of integrity despite being Sinestro's daughter. How would you describe Soranik's thoughts right now, and can you tell us anything about her upcoming journey during "War of the Green Lanterns?"

Bedard: Soranik’s role in "War of the Green Lanterns" will become clear early on in the story. She's a neat character, though, and I'm really enjoying exploring her. She's a brilliant surgeon, so there's plenty going on in her mind. She also remembers well Sinestro's reign of terror over her homeworld Korugar. Only recently did she learn that "space-Hitler" is really her father! There's a lot to work through there, and I personally connect to a character who feels a need to make up for his parent's misdeeds. Also, Kyle has had some great girlfriends before, but no one quite like Soranik. In a way, I think she's out of his league intellectually. So maybe Sora takes a harder look at her boyfriend and rethinks whether she wants to be with this guy, especially considering the changes he'll experience in "War of the Green Lanterns."

Nrama: What other characters will be playing central roles in "War of the Green Lanterns?"
Bedard: Well, it was recently revealed in Green Lantern that the big bad guy collecting all the different Corps' Entities is the renegade Guardian of the Universe, Krona. He's certainly a prime mover in "War of the Green Lanterns," and since he was there at the founding of the Corps, Krona poses the most serious threat ever seen to the Green Lantern Corps. He also has an interesting motivation and goal which becomes even clearer in the War.

Also important to this tale are the Guardians themselves, especially Ganthet. But I don't want to get much more specific since there are some great surprise twists in the story that I wouldn't want to spoil.

Nrama: Geoff told us a few months ago that "War of the Green Lanterns" changes some of the Green Lantern universe characters in "pretty dramatic ways." Will we see big changes for the characters who are the focus in your title as well?

Bedard: There's a big turn between Kyle and John that I think really illuminates both their characters. Other fallout from this conflict will become clear in the months following the war.
Nrama: The first solicitation after "War of the Green Lantern" concentrates on John Stewart. Will we see him getting some attention later this year? (And you had hinted in the past that he might have time for a relationship — is there still hope for that?)

Bedard: John's new love interest will be explored following "War of the Green Lanterns," but in general I want to keep giving him defining moments. I loved having him leading Qwardian Thunderers in the Weaponer arc. He's developed into a formidable warrior, but I want to give him a rich inner life too.

Nrama: A lot of reviewers have remarked recently about the growth of the artist on Green Lantern Corps, Tyler Kirkham. What do you think he's bringing to the title?

Bedard: Oh, Tyler's pouring his soul into this book! His stuff has this great energy, he never skimps on detail, and yet everything is so meticulously rendered. I wonder if the guy ever sleeps! It's always fun when new pages come in from Tyler.
His design for the Weaponer was awesome — just the sort of cosmic blacksmith character I had hoped for. And his Soranik is sexy and spunky. It's hard to draw her with that short hair and not make her too masculine. Ty hits just the right note with her.
I think he came to the book with mad skills, and if people are remarking on his growth, I think that's just the learning curve that comes with taking on the Green Lantern Corps. The more familiar he is with these characters, the more Ty brings them to life. I'm really enjoying this collaboration and look forward to meeting him at the Philly convention.

Nrama: The cancelation of R.E.B.E.L.S. disappointed your fans. Do you know if any of those characters will show up anywhere else this year? Did you at least raise their profile to the point that they'll be seen in DCU books — or maybe even the Green Lantern universe?

Bedard: My main mission on that book was to raise the profile of Vril Dox, the Omega Men, and so on. I think we did accomplish that, and now we have to keep building on it. I have a project in the works that will have a cosmic scope and will revisit some of these non-Lantern DC space characters, but it's too soon to discuss. We may have cameo appearance in Green Lantern Corps too, but the focus will remain on John and Kyle in that book.

Nrama: Is there anything else you want to tell readers about what's coming up in Green Lantern Corps?
Bedard: Just stick around after "War of the Green Lanterns," because we're going to pay off on some Lobo-centric storylines that have been brewing over the past few months. I love me some Lobo, and the Main Man has been wearing a certain red power ring around his neck, so...

Source:Newsarama

Fabian Nicieza interview

Fabian Nicieza, writer of Red Robin, talks about upcoming stories including the Seven Days of Death crossover. Always pleased to hear from a creator who has a passion for the character they write.

CBR News: "Red Robin" #23 is the first chapter of "Seven Days of Death." What can you tell us about both the tournament and story arc? 

Fabian Nicieza: I introduced the idea of the tournament during the "Red Robin: Road Home" issue. The basic idea was to create a mystery that frustrates Tim because of its seemingly random nature, it's international scope and appeal to the thrill-seeking nature of many assassins as well as their sense of greed, which means it will draw a lot of killers out of the woodwork. But the most frustrating part, as we'll see, is growing evidence that this tournament has possibly been going on for a very long time -- and it had escaped the notice of the Bat-family. I like putting Tim in situations that challenge his need for control, letting the bad guys know more than he does.


Niceiza sets time aside for Red Robin in "Seven Days of Death"
From your one-shot on, Tim Drake as Red Robin has mainly faced off against assassins and mercenaries. Is this a trend you plan on continuing after the "Seven Days" arc? 

I hadn't even thought of it that way, to tell you the truth. I don't think of Lynx, Anarky, a corrupt billionaire like Viktor Mikalek, the Unternet, Calculator or the Mad Men as either assassins or mercenaries, per se. I think its kind of splitting hairs when you narrow down what kinds of bad guys our good guysfight, and I really have tried to have a bit of balance.

Fair enough! As you point out, you have pulled a lot of established Batman villains (Ra's, Calculator, the Mad Men, etc.) into Tim's life. Do you plan to introduce new characters that might serve as Red Robin's arch-nemesis?

I think turning Ulysses Armstrong into Anarky, bringing Lonnie Machlin, the original Anarky into the fold, fleshing out the new Lynx and, soon, digging a bit deeper into the assassin Scarab and her background answers a lot of those questions regarding new characters or Red Robin-specific characters. [But] "Seven Days of Death" will also feature some recently introduced characters that are also "Tim-centric."

We've seen old villains pop up -- will we see other members of the Bat family swing in to help Tim during "Seven Days?" 

Yes, we'll see Dick Grayson in the opening chapter and we'll see Cassandra Cain in the story as well.

What role does Tam Fox play in this new arc? As her father is one of the assassination targets, is she going to take a proactive role? 

She plays the part of the grieving family member. It's a part she plays well, considering what happens in Part One.

Going back to Tim's need for control, you've said before that there's chemistry between Tam and Tim, and you flirted with that idea a little when they got "engaged." Is the relationship with Tam one of those areas where Tim is not fully in control?

Any relationship with a woman is one where Tim is never fully in control. Maybe that's one reason he doesn't have any successful ones under his belt -- then again, how many 17 years olds do? I like how Tim is so competent in so many other aspects of his life, but he is still an awkward doof when it comes to dealing with girls.

According to the solicitations, Red Robin might be breaking Scarab out of jail. First he frees Lynx from the cops, and now Scarab -- what's with Tim springing all the ladies from prison? 

Notice a pattern there? That was meant to both play on the arrogance of thinking you can make the right call by making the wrong decision and also to set up potential problems down the road between Tim and [Commissioner] Gordon.

He seems to constantly walk the line between heroism and breaking the law. Is this Machiavellian gray-area going to intensify? 

I think so. Tim enacts a plan to get inside the tournament structure that is long on technical foresight and short on emotional consideration; as with many decisions Tim makes, I think they'll hurt him long term even if he can rationalize them in the short term.

Why does he keep making these decisions? Is it simply because he's still just a teenager?


The "Seven Days of Death" continue in "Red Robin" #24
Not really because he's 17, but rather because the short term needs usually outweigh the long-term ramifications. Saving someone's life or apprehending a criminal now matters more in the big picture than hurting someone's feelings, damaging a relationship, etc.

Tim, I would think in many ways to his emotional detriment, has decided the big picture is the more important long term target, and the only way to address it properly is by handling the short term "little pictures" as expediently as possible.

Is it important to you that Tim is allowed to make these mistakes to have room to grow as a crime fighter?

Of course it is. I've been accused by some of making him "perfect," and my response is, since I started writing him in "Robin" and now "Red Robin," how many times has one of Tim's intricate plans worked out without problems, mistakes and glitches?

But more importantly, out of trying to avoid those mistakes or dealing with their consequences comes real character conflict, and that's the fun meat to monthly storytelling.

  

Between Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne and Jason Todd, there is an abundance of Robins and former Robins currently in Gotham. What makes Tim stand out from all the others? 

Each has their own personality, style and approach. I think what sets Tim apart is his intelligence, his planning and his "long term approach" to the problem of crime in the world. I think he also has aspects of each of the other characters in his personality, while they don't have much of his. He has the social comfort of Dick, the willingness to cheat that Jason has and even a bit of the arrogance that Damian displays.

Does Tim's Hit List come out of his "long term approach" to crime fighting?

The Hit List was just to get the ball rolling. The Neon Knights Foundation is [designed] to work legitimate channels to rehabilitate criminal youths or get to them before they become hardened criminals. His working with the Titans and forming his own covert brand of operatives like Cassandra Cain is also part of his plan to create a network of loyal, trusted agents in the field. Ultimately, the "bigger picture" I see for Tim is one I will never get the chance to display in print, since in terms of real publishing time vs. comic bookfiction time, I'll never get to writing a thirty-year-old Tim, unless I'm writing Red Robin #3,450 -- which, you know, what with renumbering all the time and everything, not really likely.

Needless to say, the longer-term plan for him would be to make him King of the World!

How has it been working with "Red Robin" artist Marcus To? 

It's been great! He is a really nice guy, draws all the ridiculous things I ask him to without complaining, always tells the story in clear, concise manner. He's not a selfish artist who takes your script and turns it into pin-up shots that stroke their ego rather than service the story. He choreographs his fight scenes really well, composes the panels with foreground, middle ground and backgrounds, busts his hump drawing cityscapes and he does his work on time and on schedule.

So much to complain about, huh?

Nicieza introduces the Mad Men to Red RObin's world in this week's issue #21
To many fans, you are still known best for writing the Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool. With "Red Robin," do you try to interject humor into the comic, or do you find you have to restrain yourself from putting too many jokes in Tim's mouth?

With many other fans I'm known for writing bad X-comics or comics with groups of villains in them. Why, some even know me for having edited "Barbie Comics," so there you go!

And no, it doesn't take any effort at all to write Tim in character without forcing humor out of him that's not inherent to his character. He has a dry wit, which I enjoy writing. So, in order to get stupidity and obscure cultural references out of my system, I brought in the Mad Men for this week's #21.

Maybe someone at DC will get a laugh out of it and offer me a monthly Mad Men comic where I can get all the crazy stuff clogged up inside my brain out to the public in a legal and medically safe manner. It sure would make my family happy, because without the outlet of writing "Cable & Deadpool," they've become the recipients of that insanity!

Along those lines, are there other books in the works for you, either for DC or independently? 

I've been very involved in non-comic work for years now, working on intellectual property management and development with Starlight Runner Entertainment, and now I'm also Chief Creative Officer and co-founder of a kids sports themed virtual world called FunGoPlay that is launching this year, so the time I have to do comic book work is limited.

I'm very grateful that I've been able do it for DC, and though we are talking about some other things, it's still way too early to say how it will go. I know I haven't enjoyed writing comics as much as I've enjoyed writing "Red Robin" in years, so the ideal option for me would be writing that title forever, but that being said, you never know what interesting opportunities could pop up!

"Red Robin" #21 is in stores today. Issue #23, chapter one of "Seven Days of Death," hits stores May 11

Source: CBR

The Dark Knight Rises rumours wrong?

Again, the Internet has taught us not to believe everything you read. The problem is do we believe this or the original rumour? I don't know! I'm going to go for Alberto purely because I think that it ties the films together, whilst also drawing from The Long Halloween (as the The Dark Knight did).

On Friday, Variety reported that Inception co-star Joseph Gordon-Levitt had closed a deal to re-team with director Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight Rises. The trade has since updated their article with who he will play in the anticipated film:

Speculation has run rampant regarding the role, with blogs pegging the part as The Riddler or Deadshot, but insiders tell Variety that Gordon-Levitt will be playing Alberto Falcone, the son of Mafia chieftain Carmine Falcone, the character Tom Wilkinson played in "Batman Begins."

Filming for the movie is set to kick-off soon. Warner Bros. Pictures is planning a July 20, 2012 release.

UPDATE: EW is now saying Variety is incorrect. While he has a role, the magazine says it's not Alberto Falcone. Let the speculation start again...

Source: comingsoon.net

Damian Wayne flirts (in his own way) with Hit Girl

This little bit of fan art was created by Lebmat de Quevedo and it's original title is We're all Fucked Now.

Batman's little psycho-Robin has calmed down of late, but this would still probably be his idea of flowers.
Source: GeekTyrant

Hitman 5 campaign starts?

Is this the first from Hitman 5?

The image is of a black gloved hand screwing a silencer into place.

Not much to get excited about, but it would be great to finally have this game which has been rumoured for years now. I was a big fan of the previous games (Hitman 2: Silent Assasin was my favourite) and I look forward to seeing what the current generation of consoles can do for 47.

The first Hitman 5 screenshot may have just been revealed.


We say "may" because the shot itself doesn't give very much away, it does however show a gloved hand clutching a silencer, which is classic Hitman.


It comes out of a viral campaign that has been poured over by fans over at the official Hitman forums who were encouraged in a "warmer, colder" kind of way from "IO Community Guy" Nick at various intervals.


After much decoding and investigating on various viral teasers the fans have come up with the date: June 7 2011, which is the start of this year's E3.




Following the post, IO man Nick responded with, "Yeah, looks like you've done excellent detective work, guys. I'm very proud. Being the Sherlock Holmes that I am, however, I can see there's one thing that you've yet to discover..."


That other thing looks like it could have been the screenshot, which looks like it has come from CG footage, the URL for which was found in some metadata.


Of course, with nothing confirmed, that date could be nothing more than a website launch, a red herring, or a complete misunderstanding. It's unlikely though, right?


Make of it what you will, there are 52 pages of forum investigation to flick through.


A series of mysterious Hitman images first started to appear online earlier this month suggesting an imminent reveal for the return of Agent 47 series. Seems like we could be closer than ever.

Source: CVG

The Hobbit finally starts shooting

After numerous delays, The Hobbit has sprung up out of nowhere to start shooting in New Zealand. The Office and Sherlock star, Martin Freeman will apparently play the younger version of Ian Holm's Bilbo Baggins.

Official Plot Synopsis:

The Hobbit follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Here's the Official Press Release:

PRODUCTION BEGINS IN NEW ZEALAND ON THE HOBBIT, PETER JACKSON’S TWO FILM EPIC ADAPTATION OF J.R.R. TOLKIEN’S TIMELESS CLASSIC

In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit…

Wellington, NZ, March 21, 2011—Production has commenced in Wellington, New Zealand, on “The Hobbit,” filmmaker Peter Jackson’s two film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s widely read masterpiece.

“The Hobbit” is set in Middle-earth 60 years before Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings,” which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in the blockbuster trilogy that culminated with the Oscar-winning “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

The two films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, will be shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest camera and stereo technology. Filming will take place at Stone Street Studios, Wellington, and on location around New Zealand.

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers.

Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever … Gollum.

Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum’s “precious” ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities … A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Martin Freeman takes the title role as Bilbo Baggins and Ian McKellen returns in the role of Gandalf the Grey. The Dwarves are played by Richard Armitage (Thorin Oakenshield), Ken Stott (Balin), Graham McTavish (Dwalin), William Kircher (Bifur) James Nesbitt (Bofur), Stephen Hunter (Bombur), Rob Kazinsky (Fili), Aidan Turner (Kili), Peter Hambleton (Gloin), John Callen (Oin), Jed Brophy (Nori), Mark Hadlow (Dori) and Adam Brown (Ori). Reprising their roles from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy are Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Andy Serkis as Gollum and Elijah Wood as Frodo. Jeffrey Thomas and Mike Mizrahi also join the cast as Dwarf Kings Thror and Thrain, respectively. Further casting announcements are expected.

“The Hobbit” is produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, alongside Carolynne Cunningham. Executive producers are Ken Kamins and Zane Weiner, with Philippa Boyens as co-producer. The Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, also from the production team of Jackson and Walsh, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box office. In 2003, “The Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the 11 categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.

Among the creative behind-the-scenes team returning to Jackson’s crew are director of photography Andrew Lesnie, production designer Dan Hennah, conceptual designers Alan Lee and John Howe, composer Howard Shore and make-up and hair designer Peter King. Costumes are designed by Ann Maskrey and Richard Taylor.

Taylor is also overseeing the design and production of weaponry, armour and prosthetics which are once again being made by the award winning Weta Workshop. Weta Digital take on the visual effects for both films, led by the film’s visual effects supervisor, Joe Letteri. Post production will take place at Park Road Post Production in Wellington.

“The Hobbit” films are co-produced by New Line Cinema and MGM, with New Line managing production. Warner Bros Pictures is handling worldwide theatrical distribution, with select international territories as well as all international television licensing being handled by MGM. The two films are planned for release in late 2012 and 2013, respectively.

ABOUT NEW LINE CINEMA:
New Line Cinema continues to be one of the most successful independent film companies. For more than 40 years, its mission has been to produce innovative, popular, profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line produced the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which is a landmark in the history of film franchises. New Line Cinema is a division of Warner Bros.

ABOUT PETER JACKSON/WINGNUT FILMS:
Peter Jackson is one of the world’s most successful filmmakers. His monumental achievement co-writing, co-producing and directing The Lord of the Rings trilogy (with fellow Academy Award winners and frequent collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens) earned a total of 30 Academy Award nominations and 17 Academy Awards. Jackson and Walsh received their first Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay for their acclaimed film Heavenly Creatures. Jackson, through his New Zealand-based Wingnut Films banner, also was responsible for the globally successful 2005 remake of King Kong which earned over $500 million worldwide and 3 Academy Awards. Jackson most recently directed the Academy Award nominated The Lovely Bones; an adaptation of the acclaimed best-selling novel by Alice Sebold, which to date has earned nearly $100 million worldwide; and produced the global sensation, District 9, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He is also developing a trilogy of films with Steven Spielberg based on Tintin, the world renowned comic book series by Herge. In 2010 he received a Knighthood for his services to film.

ABOUT METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER STUDIOS INC.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in domestic and international TV channels reaching over 130 countries. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

Source:
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DC Comics go one event too far

Thanks to my little nerdy sister for sending me the link to this picture. I have to agree with her about the last one though; "we don't joke about things like that."
My favourite is 'Arsenal: Drug Cake'. Just like a real addict, Roy can't ever be allowed to forget it.
Source: Seriously Tall

Boba Fett video game (Wishlist)

After playing through part of The Force Unleashed II wearing the Boba Fett skin, I realised what I really wanted was an actual Boba Fett game.

Let me use the array of weapons in his armour, let me use the jetpack, let me see through his HUD.

The game could play as part Hitman, part Uncharted, part Half-Life.

The missions could count towards a larger story, but optional side quests could see you completing bounties in the Star Wars galaxy.

What would be on your video game wishlist?

The Dark Knight Rises with more casting news: Joseph Gordon-Levitt locked and Juno Temple in talks

It looks like the rumours were true, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has signed onto the Dark Knight Rises. As we're only a few months away from principal photography, I'd expect more details to come to the fore quite soon.

Update 20th March: it appears that the rumours were even more true, with JGL's role being touted as none other than Alberto Falcone as featured in The Long Halloween and Dark Victory. I won't spoil those stories other than saying he is Carmine Falcone's son. Interesting choice, I think that I'll be reading those two collections very soon.

After much speculation, the Inception star will re-team with director Christopher Nolan again for an as yet, still unknown role.
Warner Bros is also looking for a supporting role to be filled as well with British indie starlet Juno Temple (Kaboom, Atonement). The part is said to be that of a street-smart Gotham girl. No formal offer has been presented to her as of yet though.
Unfortunately nothing too revealing to report here as Joseph Gordon-Levitt's role still has not been disclosed but Variety's Jeff Sneider adds his thoughts on what it may or may not be:
Nolan's camp is extraordinarily airtight -- but speculation has ranged from The Riddler (don't bet a plug nickel on this) to League of Shadows villain Deadshot (more likely).
The Dark Knight Rises stars Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. Nolan will direct the film from a screenplay he wrote with Jonathan Nolan, from a story by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Nolan will also produce the film with his longtime producing partner, Emma Thomas, and Charles Roven. “The Dark Knight Rises” is slated for release on July 20, 2012. The film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Source: DailyBlam

Batman: Arkham Asylum Leaderboards

With all the news of Batman: Arkham City that we've recieved this past week, I thought that I'd take a break from work and pop in Arkham Asylum. Rather than start a new story I went straight into the challenge rooms. After beating my previous personal bests on a few rooms, I went on to Rumble in the Jungle.

I've broken into the top 1000 (this is quite an acheivement considering that the rankings go up to 75,000). I would have had 5000 points more if only I was a little quicker on the counter in the last round; I let one hit in, kissing my Perfect Knight bonus goodbye.

Update:

I now have 7 challenge rooms ranked below 10,000 and 3 of them are below 1,000.

This is the only one that I have below 500:










Further Update:
My PS3 has me ranked at #1 for Shock and Awe Extreme, despite the fact that I only have 37,000ish points and the (surely must be hacked) highest score is 50,000,000+. Is this just my system playing up or has there been a glitch? PS3 users, let me know below.

Silent Knight Predator map

Choose you own adventure comics?

An example of a licensed
'Choose you own adventure'

Just a quick one:

 

I was reading the Live Feed from yesterday's Dark Horse: Video Games and Comics talk at C2E2 and one line from Dave Marshall (Darkhorse Editor) really jumped out at me:



The technology isn't quite there for everything we want to do. We would like to do branching narratives like BioWare does in a comic but we aren't quite there yet.



For anyone who hasn't played on Knights of the Old Republic or Jade Empire (for shame!), then a branching narrative is just what it sounds like - a narrative that branches off in different directions depending on decisions that the player makes. In the case of text, this reminded me of the old 'Choose your own adventure...' books that I used to read as a kid. Along with these you would sometimes get a dice throw to turn to a certain page and sometimes you would have to make a choice about which page to turn to (To kill the troll turn to p120; to trick him turn to p70).

The difference here would be within a digital comic format, you tap a choice on screen and it take you to the next page (you can't turn back if you don't like it). I would definitely like to see some branching narrative comic books - especially from Dark Horse, who hold the Star Wars license.

Get on it Dark Horse!
I guess it wasn't that quick.
Source: Newsarama

Wonder Woman costume from TV show

Umm. I don't like it. It looks cheap.
I shall set a challenge: Who can find a Wonder Woman costume that looks better?

Source: DC The Source

David Cage on Quantic Dream's Heavy Rain follow up

David Cage seems like my kind of games designer. Story is important, try something new and make a game for intelligent adults seem to be his mottos and I hope he sticks to them.

He spoke to PlayStation blog after the BAFTA videogame awards this week. Here is a snippet of what he had to say, follow the link at the bottom for the full article.

For our next project we’re going to build on what we have discovered with Heavy Rain. We own this genre of Interactive Drama and we want to show that Heavy Rain was not a coincidence; it is something that makes sense and we can build on it.


At the same time, we will not make a sequel and I made that very clear from the beginning, regardless of whether the game was a success or a failure, because I wanted to show that this is a new genre that you can use to tell any kind of story, in any style.


We’re going to be exploring a different direction, which will still be very dark and still for adults, but completely different to Heavy Rain. Our challenge is to satisfy our fans, and also surprise them.

Source: PlayStation

Flash v5(?) draws to an end

Since Wally West's The Flash series ended following Infinite Crisis, the DC Comics have been messing the title around a bit. Bart Allen held the title before his 'death' in issue 12. The series was then rebooted again with Wally as Flash, picking up the numbering from where it left off. Then that ended to make way for Flash Rebirth. Now Barry Allen's Flash title is ending and I have to ask why? Why can't DC sustain a Flash title? It's not due to a lack of stories, it's not because people don't like the characters, so why mess around?

Anyway, hopefully it will just pick back up once Flashpoint is over.
Here is the announcement:

DC Comics announced this morning that The Flash will end with May ‘s Issue 12, a result of its upcoming Flashpoint crossover. Curiously, a 13th issue is solicited for June.

Debuting in April 2010 on the heels of The Flash: Rebirth, the relaunched title teamed writer Geoff Johns with artist Francis Manapul, re-established Barry Allen as the Fastest Man Alive and built toward Flashpoint. So perhaps it was inevitable that the series would end as DC’s big Flash-centric event gears up.

The solicitation text gives little clue as to what to expect from the finale — other than it’s probably not good for Barry: “‘The Road to Flashpoint’ concludes as everything Barry Allen knows and cares about is lost. What is the Flashpoint? Find out in the upcoming Flashpoint #1!”

The Flash #12 arrives in stores on May 11, the same day as Flashpoint #1.

Expect more details to emerge this weekend from Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo.

Source: CBR

Snyder on Superman

The LA Times Herocomplex have interviewed Zak Snyder and he has confirmed that the Superman reboot will be a reboot and not a love letter to Richard Donner (I'm looking at you Singer). I mean really, why try to copy it? You aren't going to do it as well, so do something different with it. Hopefully Snyder will listen to what Chris Nolan tells him and we'll come out with a decent movie...as long as we don't get every fight shot in slow motion, we should be okay.

When Bryan Singer took moviegoers to Metropolis in the 2006 film ”Superman Returns,” he paid careful homage to the hero’s cinematic past. Don’t expect that approach from Zack Snyder, who on Wednesday shared his guiding principle: ”Respect the canon but don’t be a slave to the movies.”


Snyder’s version of the Man of Steel is scheduled to reach theaters in December 2012 with Henry Cavill in the title role and director said that this will be the first modern Superman feature that will truly break from Richard Donner’s landmark 1978 film, which shared its star,  Christopher Reeve, with three sequels and then also deeply informed Singer’s 2006 film, which put Brandon Routh in the iconic blue tights but tapped into both style and story elements from the work of Donner and Reeve.


“Literally, the one thing that everyone can start to think about is that we’re making a movie that finally goes with the approach that there’s been no other Superman movies,” Snyder said. “If you look at  ‘Batman Begins,’ there’s that structure, there’s the canon that we know about and respect but on other hand there’s this approach that pre-supposes that there haven’t been any other movies.  In every aspect of design and of story, the whole thing is very much from that perspective of respect the canon but don’t be a slave to the movies.”


I mentioned to Snyder that in hindsight the Singer film might have been boxed in by the past and too tentative — the movie seemed at times like a cautious curator trying to move around among fragile museum pieces. “Yeah, and we’re not afraid of that at all,” Snyder said. “Our Superman, he’s got things to figure out but he’s a physical cat.”


Snyder’s next film, “Sucker Punch,” which he co-wrote with Steve Shibuya, opens in theaters on March 25. The filmmaker is in intense preparations now for the Superman revival (it will likely be titled “Man of Steel” but that decision isn’t final yet), which will begin shooting soon with a script by David S. Goyer. The cast will include also include Diane Lane as Martha Kent. [A previous version of the post listed Kevin Costner as a cast member, but his involvment with the project has only been rumored.]


Henry Cavill will be Superman (Warner Bros.)


On further casting Snyder would say only: “There’s more to come and I think it’s consistent in its … awesomeness.”


I told Snyder I was interested to see how he and his wife and producing partner, Debbie Snyder, would collaborate with the producer team of Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas – another married couple who have put themselves at the center of the Warner Bros. present and future when it comes to blockbuster ventures. Nolan, of course, directed the two most recent Batman films, which many people consider the pinnacle of superhero cinema, while Thomas has been the producer of every Nolan film, including last year’s “Inception,” which was nominated for the best picture Oscar.


“It’s been really great,” Snyder said of the collaboration so far. “Chris is awesome. He’s super-respectful but super-helpful, too. You can’t imagine a more generous [collaborator]…once he sort of got what I want to do with it, he was like, ‘OK,’ and once he said, ‘You know what, that’s awesome,’ now he’s 100%. If I say, ‘What do you think of this?’ he’s like, ‘That’s awesome,’ and then there’s a great give-and-take about it, a great conversation that we can have about it and making it better everyday. And by the way he’s hilarious, too.”


Snyder said he can’t contain his excitement when he considers the paradox of Superman at this point in time — as the first signature superhero, the character has an unrivaled legacy and appeal but as far as live-action film goes, the Donner version and Singer’s spin-off define Superman for contemporary moviegoers (although Kirk Alyn and George Reeves also flew across the silver screen in the 1940s and 1950s).


“Superman is the one constant in the universe,” Snyder said. “You know that if you do Superman right — or at least if you do him with respect — you know you end up with something great…. [but] in some ways [beyond] that is virgin territory. No one knows what that is. In some ways Superman is the most recognizable superhero on the planet but also the most unknown. Just what he can be? People have preconceived ideas about him but probably all of them are wrong.”


I asked if Snyder had anything he could share about the costume that Cavill will wear.  ”I can’t say — although I appreciate the question. I’d love to talk about it. We’re going to have to show it before we shoot, probably a while before that because [otherwise] someone will be on the set and get a picture of it.”


Snyder sounded a bit weary and that’s no surprise considering the impending release of “Sucker Punch” and the world-class pressure of getting Superman off the ground for Warner Bros. I asked if he ever looks at the size of the task and gets intimidated by the sheer scale of it. “It is epic. But you just start with page 1, shot 1 and the next thing you know, you’re in it. And then you can’t go back. It’s the journey of 1,000 steps, as they say.”

Source: LATimes

Red Robin strikes out

Newsarama seem to have a jones for Tim Drake at the moment. Here is a great interview with Red Robin writer Fabian Nicieza interspersed with the preview for Red Robin #21.

Newsarama: Fabian, now that Batman Inc. has been established and fans are beginning to understand the role of each of the Batman characters, how would you describe Red Robin's mission?

Fabian Nicieza: Red Robin's mission remains, what I would call, "synergistically independent" of Batman Inc. The goals of the characters in both books are similar and can overlap, but Tim had already begun doing — on his own level — the same things Bruce intends to do. I think we pretty clearly established the parameters for the characters in Red Robin #17. Bruce apprehends criminals on a worldwide basis using a network of operatives, Red Robin investigates international crime on a more covert, comprehensive level while his Neon Knights social organization tries to keep young people away from a life of crime before they begin.

Nrama: We're coming out of the Teen Titans crossover, and next month, the series will be part of another crossover, this time with Gotham City Sirens and Batman. Is this a case of you loving to collaborate with other writers? Or is there an effort in the Bat-office to make sure these characters are interacting with others in the DCU?

Nicieza: I think it's a combination of lots of things, including those you mention. The Titans crossover happened because both J.T. Krul, and I wanted to see Tim involved with the Titans characters again. The "Judgment on Gotham" story came about because David wanted to flow things he'd been doing in Azrael into a larger Gotham-based story, so it made sense, based on the approach to the story, that Tim could serve an interesting role in the proceedings.

Sometimes it comes from writers, sometimes from editors, sometimes from larger publishing initiatives.

Nrama: The Teen Titans crossover brought together Tim with Cassie and Conner, which was a great reunion for readers. But how do you think Tim has changed since the days when he first formed those friendships? What's the nature of the friendships now?

Nicieza: I think he's changed a bit in that he's gone through a lot of hard times and come out of it with a healthier perspective on the fragile nature of life and death for metahumans and humans, along with a slightly darker Machiavellian though-process about how crime can be prevented by understanding the patterns of behavior criminals take and then knowing how to control those patterns.

But how it affects Tim in Titans is honestly more J.T.'s province than mine!

Nrama: In March, you'll be finishing up the story of the Unternet and the Mad Men. What was the theme you were exploring with this story, and how does it play into what's coming up?

Nicieza: Blah blah blah the writer is going to talk about oh-so-important themes in his superhero comics. If I have to tell it to you then I didn't do a good enough job writing the story!
I will say, a lot of what I try to do with Tim is about him learning now so that he can become a world-class borderline dictatorial control freak when he's an adult. "The Rabbit Hole" storyline shows Tim learning that he can't control all aspects of free-form information flow and that even when he can. it's not always a good thing.


Nrama: What's the story behind Red Robin #22? And how does it speak to the core of Tim's character?

Nicieza: Oh, even though it's part of the larger "Judgment on Gotham" storyline, it's a great "self-contained" issue that I think shows Tim at his best, facing countless obstacles and managing to figure out how to overcome all of them, until the final obstacle he can't overcome to win the day is the stumbling block called: the truth.

Nrama: That all gears up the series for the "7 Days of Death" story in May. What type of story can we expect, and what will Tim be facing?

Nicieza: Red Robin goes on an international chase to figure out the depths of a worldwide Assassination Tournament, which is a lot deeper than Tim first thought, combined with being the object of that tournament when he becomes a target for assassination. Lots of twists and turns, some unexpected guest stars, an unexpected death and issue #24 contains the single best cliffhanger I've ever written.


Nrama: What's coming up for Red Robin this summer?

Nicieza: Well, I don't want to get too far ahead of myself, but in issue #26, I hope we'll finally have the confrontation between Red Robin and Captain Boomerang that I've been foreshadowing for a while, but it won't be like any confrontation you could expect.

Nrama: What does Marcus To bring to the Red Robin comic? How does he add to the tone we see each month?


Nicieza: He brings the sexy. Seriously, I mean, month in and month out, he keeps getting better. His storytelling has always been a tremendous strength for him, but now he is also improving his anatomy, figure drawing, facial drawing, shading, everything. Check out the details in #21 this week, the facial drawings, the background details, the panel compositions — all technical stuff that a writer really appreciates.
I've been so lucky writing Tim in that I've gotten to work with Freddie Williams II when we did Robin together — and having him draw issue #22 was a blast and a half — and now Marcus. Great guys who produce consistently strong monthly work, and believe me, that's not to be taken for granted in our industry!

Source: Newsarama

Batman: Arkham City - Rocksteady Interview Video

An interview with Dax Ginn (of RockSteady Studios) taken at PaxEast, but held back due to it's references to the new gameplay trailer.


Everything that Dax Ginn and Sefton Hill say makes me think that the future of Batman in video games is safe as houses.

Words can't express how much I'm looking forward to this game; my wife and daughter might not see me for the last 10 days of October...

Source: Batman: Arkham City - Rocksteady Interview Video - PS3 - IGN

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as C-3PO and R2D2

Pretty funny. This is possibly the best video they have made for a while.

Source: CollegeHumour

Arkham City Gameplay Trailer!!

The frankly fantastic looking Arkham City finally has some gameplay footage to go with it.

Check out the original video from IGN, or just watch the embedded video below:

DC Comics in June

As usual Newsarama have delivered the solicitations for the three-month-away DCU. Highlights include all of the Green Lantern titles, Flashpoint, Arkham City mini, Red Robin, Gates of Gotham, Birds of Prey and Batgirl (guest starring Squire!)

Source: Newsarama