Free Comic Book Day Brings the War of the Supermen

Three years ago Superman director, Richard Donner, and DC Comics messiah, Geoff Johns, released a Superman story called “Last Son.”  It involved a Kryptonian boy coming mysteriously to Earth.  Lois & Clark adopted the boy and gave him the name Chris.  Soon they find out he is the son of General Zod and Ursa, and Zod has come out of the Phantom Zone to reclaim him and destroy the Man of Steel.  Johns continued his crusade into Superman with “New Krypton,” in which Superman rescues the bottled city of Kandor from Brainiac, and it opens right next to the Fortress of Solitude.  This sets free Zod, Ursa, Supergirl’s parents, and 100,000 Kryptonians. 

Ever since then the Superman world has been on full speed leading to the beginning of “The War of the Supermen” which starts on May 1, a.k.a, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY.  Each year comic book stores around the U.S. shine their windows and sweep under the rug in hopes of luring in new customers with FREE COMIC BOOKS.  The comic companies usually donate to the retailers some big comic event to give out for free on this day.  Marvel has got some Iron Man comics they're supplying stores with and this year DC has its War of the Supermen #0.  In this issue Lois Lane will recap what’s been going on in Superman comics for the last two or three years, so that new readers can jump right into War of the Supermen #1 the following Wednesday.  This is also being called the100-Minute-War because with 100,000 beings that can move faster than a speeding bullet it can’t possibly last too long.

Now for your pleasure I’m going to give a little break down on some of the key players in the Superman world, and who may play a role in the War of the Supermen.  Hopefully this will also entice you to find your nearest comic book store on Saturday and pick up A FREE SUPERMAN COMIC!!!

Superman:  Clark Kent; the Man of Steel; the Man of Tomorrow; Earth’s Greatest Hero; and no longer the Last Son of Krypton.  Now there are 100,000 Kryptonians all with his abilities currently residing on the other side of the sun, on a place called New Krypton.  Kal-El has spent the last year off of Earth trying to learn more about his people and why they love the villainous Zod so much.  After helping train the New Krypton military to use their new powers he also helped to defend New Krypton when Brainiac returned to re-capture the Kryptonians.  Clark is right in the middle of a 100-Minute-War as Zod makes his move to attack Earth.  Can the Man of Steel save Earth from 100,000 supermen?

General Zod:  New Krypton general; and now the savoir of his people.  All the Kryptonians saw him take down Brainiac without using any super powers and they love him for it.  With Ursa and Non at is side, Zod looks towards his next mission; having all of planet Earth kneel before Zod. 

General Lane:  Lois Lane’s father; military general; the guy who has been pulling the strings in secret for the last few years by trying to turn all humans against Kryptonians.  General Lane was assumed dead in “Our Worlds at War” but he has teamed up with Lex Luthor to try and take out the Kryptonians before they attack first.  He’s got Luthor to help him scheme, along with super villains Metallo and Reactron as muscle.  Don’t assume 100,000 supermen can take over the planet so easily.  Lane’s also got all of Earth’s super heroes to help him out.

Supergirl:  daughter of Alura; cousin of Kal-El.  She is child of two worlds.  She was raised on Krypton, but has come to call Earth her home.  When her family and friends of Kandor returned she was torn between her old life and her new duties.  With her father dead at the hands of Reactron Kara must choose between sticking with her mother, who is the last living member of the New Krypton council, or helping her cousin defend Earth from her people.

Nightwing & Flamebird: Chris Kent & Thara Ak-Var; Mythological heroes from Krypton legend come to life.  At the end of “Last Son” Chris Kent was pulled back into the Phantom Zone where he was born.  There he aged unnaturally fast and was rescued from the Phantom Zone by a young woman claiming to be possessed by the Kryptonian religious figure, Flamebird.  Since then they have been hunting Kryptonian fugitives on Earth while General Lane hunts them.  They have teamed up with Thara’s childhood best friend, Supergirl, to try and take down Reactron.  Recently they encounter a being claiming to be Rao, The god of Krypton, and had to embrace the full power of Nightwing and Flamebird to stop it. 

Superboy:  Kon-El; Connor Kent; the Boy of Steel.  He’s got half the DNA of Superman, and half the DNA of Lex Luthor, and he’s recently come back from dead to find everything different.  To the Kryptonians he’s an abomination, but he swears to help uphold the values Superman has set for him.  Superboy is the third part of the super-trio, along with Superman and Supergirl; one that I hope to see throw down with Zod, Ursa, and Non in the 100-Minute-War.

Lex Luthor:  He’s the ultimate Superman villain who has dedicated his life to bringing down The Man of Steel.  He’s broken a deal with General Lane to help take down the Kryptonians in exchange for a presidential pardon on every bad thing he’s ever done, and that’s just the first part of their plan.  Toy Man designed Lex a robot look-a-like that set one of Brainiac’s bottled cities free, hoping it destroyed New Krypton as it enlarged.  He was last seen standing over Rao’s body with a smile on his face.  That’s never a good sign.

I didn’t find “Last Stand of New Krypton” to exciting.  I think a lot of it had to do with all the characters in it, but at I think it ended well enough to be a great lead into “War of the Supermen”.  Now the final chapter of this epic Superman saga is about to conclude; one where we’ll see the fate of Superman and the rest of Kryptonians.  In May none of the regular Superman titles will be released, and instead you will get one part of the War of the Supermen each week.  So head towards your nearest comic book store for some FREE COMIC BOOKS, pick up a graphic novel while you’re there, and enjoy the 100-Minute-War.

Comic To Read This Week: X-Force #26

If you haven’t picked up an issue of Craig Kyle and Chris Yost’s X-Force then you’ve been missing the best X-Men title since Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men run.  Cyclops has assembled a secret team of the X-Men’s best hunters and killers to take out their enemies before they strike first.  None of the other X-Men knows about this team, and since they started X-Force has slaughtered anti-mutant groups, gone to the future to try and help Cable and Hope, and also brought back the Archangel in Warren Worthington III. 

Now Cable has returned to the present with Hope, the only mutant born since M-Day.  She left a baby and has returned a teenager with great survival skills.  No one knows what Hope’s return means to mutant kind, but Cyclops think she’s their last chance to survive.  Bastion, a super-sentinel from the future knows where to find Cable and has sent his forces out to seal the fate of mutants forever.  While trying to retrieve Cable and Hope, X-23 sticks a claw right through a man’s head, and makes the other X-Men start ask questions as to what her and Wolverine have been up too lately.

Issue #26 is chapter 5 in the “Second Coming” story line.  Nightcrawler and Rogue have teleported Hope out of harms way and trying to return to their mutant sanctuary just off of San Francisco.  The other X-Men are trying to lead Bastion off their trail, but he finds Hope and swoops in for the kill like a terminator on steroids.  Bastion makes short work of Rogue and all her powers; then moves in to finish off Hope.  But Nightcrawler gets between them and makes one great jump back to Utopia that cost him his life.  The X-Men return home to find Hope kneeling over Kurt Wagner’s body. 

Although I’m sure Nightcrawler will return some day this is a heroic death for one of the best X-Men ever.  Kurt has always been the spiritual one of the X-Men, and tried to keep things lighthearted.  His last words to Hope were, “I..I believe in you.”  Now the X-Men will have to wonder if Kurt’s death was in vain. 

Hope doesn’t even know what she is supposed to do, but everyone is looking to her to solve their problem.  In the middle of the battle Bastion says to Hope, “We have seen what you become, what the world becomes because of you.”  Is he referring to the end of the world or a new beginning for mutants?  “Second Coming” so far has been anti-climatic, but now I’m drooling to see what comes next.

Kyle and Yost have made X-Force a must read for any X-Men fan.  Its dark edge is taking the X-Men over a line they thought they would never cross.  Mike Choi’s artwork in this issue adds to the story with some great page filled panels that include Wolverine leaping (and on fire), Bastion smashing into his meeting with Hope, and Hope crying over Nightcrawler’s body on Utopia’s shore.  

I’ve always enjoyed that the X-Men storylines usually have nothing to do with the rest of the Marvel Universe; so I don’t have to collect twelve comics to figure out what’s going on.  I can’t wait to see what happens to X-Force after “Second Coming.”  Serve me up another fastball special!

Theater Review: The Losers

Before the summer movie season kicks off audiences are treated to a film with a lot of style, action, and a really hot girl with a really big gun.  The Losers is based on the comic book by Vertigo comics, which is a subsidiary company of DC comics.  I have never read The Losers, but thanks to the character breakdowns in this month Wizard magazine I had a little bit of an idea of what I was walking into.  This film has a lot of faces you’ll recognize, even if you can’t remember their names. 

Jeffery Dean Morgan plays Clay, a colonel who leads his team on all kinds of secret and dangerous missions for the CIA.  When they are betrayed by someone named Max the losers are thought dead until they can take their revenge.  Enter Aisha, played by Zoe Saldana.  Aisha gets the losers back into the U.S. and funds their operation to get their lives back and take down Max.  But they’d better hurry because Max, played by Jason Patric, has some special weapons of destruction he can’t wait to set off.

This film is a glorified action movie in every sense of the word.  Of course there are explosions and a lot of gun fire, most of which are done in slow motion.  The thing about slow motion shots is that if there are too many in a film they start to loose their meaning, and I think this film just went a hair over.  Some of the camera movements were also a little too much.  If you get a close up of a fight sequence while they are fighting the audience’s eyes hurt and you can’t tell what you’re looking at.  Didn’t anybody learn anything from Transformers? 

Now that the cons are out of the way I can talk about the pros. This movie is about what I expected as far as it being a guy's movie.  It’s got gun fights, explosions, some badass characters, a sprinkle of comedy, and topped off by a hot chick who is naked throughout half the film.  Not to ruin the ending but I think the film makers are looking for a franchise, which will make three for Zoe Saldana in the past year.  She could only play three characters for the next ten years and be ok.

I enjoyed Jason Patric as the villain who likes to laugh and be goofy.  I think those kinds of villians are much more sinister because they know they are so untouchable they can just laugh things away.  Jeffery Dean Morgan played a great commanding presence as the leader of the group, and Columbus Short is starting to grow on me as an actor who can do some good work.

Of course the main person I payed the most attention to was Chris Evans, and if you don’t know why then you obviously haven’t had a conversation with me in the last month.  Evans goes into his type cast role as the funny man of the group.  He plays the part well, and I never really have any complaints about his performance.  There was even a moment in the film where he sang a Journey song and Lisa leaned into me saying, “That’s what you look like when you sing this song.”  But my favorite part of the entire film had nothing to do with the actual storyline. It was the first shot of the film with Chris Evans doing a voice over as the camera starts off on a white star and blue background.  The camera then zooms out to show the American flag.  I just want to know if director Sylvain White put that shot in before or after Evans got the part of Captain America?

This film doesn’t have a lot of sophistication to it, but it’s got what people love to see at the movies.  I hope they do make a sequel to this film because I’m interested to see where the characters go.  I just might have to track down a few The Losers comics after all.  

Rating:  B- 

My Top 12 Films To See This Summer

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.  A least it is for me.  Just as the temperatures heat up outside things start to heat up in theaters.  The summer blockbusters usually have a variety of films the whole family can enjoy, and I always look forward to seeing what films flop and what films go on to be part of my DVD collection.

For those who don’t know, summer blockbusters include films that come out in May through August, and occasionally the end of April. Unfortunately a film I’m looking forward to, The Losers, is releasing just a little too early in April to be counted on this list.  But don’t you worry, the weekend it hits theaters I’ll have my review up by that Monday.  This year I feel like the summer films don’t include as many tasty looking treats to see as summers past, but maybe that just means there aren’t as many to let me down.  I’m looking at you Transformers 2 and X3!  

12.  Dinner for Schmucks (July 23)

Half of the quartet that made The 40-Year-Old Virgin a success is back to give us more laughs.  Paul Rudd plays Tim, a guy looking to move up the corporate ladder.  To do so he has to participate in his boss’s parties for humiliating people.  Even though Tim is against the idea, when he meets Barry, played by Steve Carell, he can’t help but think this walking disaster is his way to the top.

Rudd and Carrell play the opposite of each other in so many film I think their chemistry works really well.  Rudd is the average guy, and Carrel is the lovable loser.  That’s just a match made in cinema heaven.

Trailers: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/dinnerforschmuck

11. The Other Guys (August 6)

Samuel Jackson and Dwayne Johnson are cops who kick butt and always get their man, but this film is not about them.  This is about the desk cops played by Will Farrell and Mark Walberg who try to run with the big boys and crack a big-time financial crime syndicate.  What follows is a buddy cop film audiences haven’t seen in a while.

Not since 48 Hrs. has a funny cop film looked so enticing.  Farrell is hilarious and with Walberg’s comedy experience from I (heart) Huckabees I think this film will be silly enough for any audience.

Trailers: http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/theotherguys/

10. Shrek Forever After (May 21)

The last Shrek film wasn’t as good as the first two, but it wasn’t horrible like most cartoon film sequels so I think this one has some potential.  In the fourth, and supposed final chapter, in the Shrek saga our favorite ogre is feeling a little down on himself so he makes a wish to see what the world would be like if he were never born.  He wakes up to world where Fiona is an outlaw and his friends are even bigger wusses than he left them.    Can Shrek find the man who made it all happen, Rumpelstiltskin, and set his world right?  I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the last film in a fairy tale series wouldn’t end on a bad note.

Even though cast members have said they would do another Shrek film in a heartbeat director Mike Mitchell guarantees this is the last Shrek film.  But fear not fans, a Pussy in Boots spin-off is scheduled for next year. If I were Eddie Murphy I would pray for another Shrek sequel.  These films are the only good ones he has done in this century aside from Dreamgirls. 

Trailers:    http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/shrekforeverafter/

9. The Living Wake (May 14)

This is probably a film that not too many people have heard about, but I think it looks hilarious.  Jesse Eisenberg from Zombieland co-stars in this film about a man who has one ridiculous idea after another.  He goes around telling everyone he knows that he is going to be dead soon and ask people to come to his wake, but these people aren’t really sure if he’s telling the truth or just raving mad.  Check it out.

Trailers:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/thelivingwake/

8. Despicable Me (July 9)

I love The Office and I love How I Met Your Mother, so anything starring Steve Carrell and Jason Segel I’m all for.  Carrell voices Gru, a supervillian who constantly fights with his nemsis Vector, voiced by Jason Segel.  Gru soon inherits three kids, and well, you can imagine the fun this kind of film will be.

I know what you’re saying, this story has been done a million times.  But it hasn’t been done by these people, and in an animated style like this.  Just check out the trailer and see if you would spend theater money on it.

Trailers:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/despicableme/

7. Predators (July 7)

The film that helped make "The Governator" a star is getting a remake after several bad films that included Aliens.  A military brigade sets out on an unknown planet full of vines only to find out they are being hunter by the universes ultimate predators.  Robert Rodriguez has had this idea to bring back Predator for years and hopes that it will reignite the same way the Batman franchise did.  The film stars Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, and Laurence Fishburne.  Oh they’re all screwed!

Teaser Trailer:  http://teaser-trailer.com/movie/predators

 

6. Knight and Day (June 25)

Normally I’d say skip any film that stars Tom Cruise these days, but after seeing the trailer for this film I think a lot of people are going to warm back up to Maverick.  Cruise stars as a secret agent looking to protect a scientist, and somehow an ordinary girl, played by Cameron Diaz, gets tangles up in the mess and he has to protect her from the bad guys.

Cruise hasn’t gotten to play funny in too many films, which is something I think he does very well, so I’m excited for this action/comedy with one of America’s sweethearts riding shotgun.

Trailers:    http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/knightandday/

    

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (August 13)

Once I heard about this film was being made I went out and checked out the graphic novel series, and I was pretty impressed about how much I think teenagers are gonna love this film.  Superbad star Michael Cera plays Scott Pilgrim, a bass player with an eye for Ramona Flowers.  But to date Ramona, Scott has to defeat her evil ex-boyfriends, two of which are played by Chris Evans and Brandon Routh.  Michael Cera vs. Captain America and Superman?  Where can I place my bets at?

The graphic novels are set in this sort of video game style reality.  Scott finds ways to power up during his fights, and get points when he defeats an ex-boyfriend.  I don’t know what director Edgar Wright as planned for the style of the film, but if it stays true to the graphic novel slackers and punk kids everywhere will swoon to Scott Pilgrim.

Trailers:    http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/scottpilgrimvstheworld/

4. Robin Hood (May 14)

Russell Crowe and director Ridley Scott team up again for this version about the prince of thieves.  This is their fifth film working on together, the first being Gladiator.  I’m looking forward to this new film, even though I still love the Kevin Costner version from 1990.  Cate Blanchett co-stars as Maid Marian and even though I don’t find Blanchett attractive there is no denying she is a terrific actress, so I’ll allow it. When it comes down to it I’m a sucker for anything with sword fighting in it.

Trailers:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/robinhood/

3. The A-Team (June 11)

What child of the 80’s doesn’t remember the entertaining television show, The A-Team.  Starring Mr. T as B.A., the teams tough guy, these four guys were the men you called when you had no hope.  Four soldiers are in military prison for a crime they didn’t commit, but when they break out their looking to settle a score while being pursued by hottie Jessica Biel.

When I saw the first trailer I wasn’t crazy about this film.  Bradley Cooper I can picture in a film like this but what is a renowned actor like Liam Neeson is playing Hannibal?  After watching the second trailer and seeing more of the action I was won over.  Now I pity the fool who doesn’t see this movie!

Trailers:    http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/fox/theateam/

2. Iron Man (May 7)

When last we saw Tony Stark he had just announced to the world that his is the superhero known as Iron Man, and he also met with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Nick Fury.  Director Jon Favereau has gathered the entire cast and crew back together except for Terrance Howard, who has been replaced by Don Cheadle as Colonel James Rhodes.  In this film we get to see Rhodes become the hero known as War Machine so it’s too bad Howard couldn’t reach a deal with the studio so he could finish what he started.

In the sequel Tony, still played by Robert Downey Jr., has all kinds of problems.  The government along with a corporate tycoon, played by Sam Rockwell, want their hands on the Iron Man weapon.  Tony isn’t looking to give it up, but Mickey Rourke plays an inventor who just might help Rockwell’s character take Iron Man down.

Along the way we get to see Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury, and Scarlett Johansson as the Russian spy known as the Black Widow.  Their characters will tie into the Marvel film universe that Iron Man started, continued by Thor next summer, and Captain America: The First Avenger and The Avengers a year later.  And yes people, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow is my computer wallpaper.

Trailers:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/

 

1. Toy Story 3 (June 18)

Woody, Buzz, and the rest of Andy’s toy box are back, but things aren’t how we left them.  Andy is all grown and going to college without his old toys.  The gang is sent to a day care center that seems too good to be true, because it is.  After a short stay Woody is looking to get back to the boy who loved him, but will Andy still want him?

The first Toy Story film came out when I was twelve and it was the first fully computer animated film ever.  Now here I am, 26, and I can’t wait for the further adventures of Woody, Buzz, Jesse, Bullseye, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, and of course Rex.  Every kid always dreams that their toys would come alive so they could play with them, and thanks to Toy Story we all get to live that dream.

Trailers:  http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/disney/toystory3/

    

 So there you have it, twelve films that will give you a reason to sit in an air-conditioned theater while everyone else sizzles outside like bacon.  My runners-up include the remake of The Karate Kid, Jonah Hex, and Inception.  And even though I will probably go see the new Twilight film just so I can say give it bad review there is no way my wife is going to drag me to Step-Up 3-D.  Not even if she had a Princess Leia iron bikini!

I’m definitely looking forward to my top five films this summer.  Plus, I can’t wait to see just how hot Jessica Biel and Scarlet Johansson are going to be kicking ass!  To Infinity and Beyond!

Theater Review: Kick-Ass

Before I start my review I have a confession to make.  Years ago my brother told me to pick up this hot new comic called Kick-Ass.  I picked up the first issue only to grab the next issue within the hour.  But as months went on I grew less and less interested so that by the time the fourth issue came out I decided not to pick it up.  I’m sorry Mr. Millar.  Before this comic was even finished the movie rights had already been dealt with because it was so popular with fanboys.  That’s what Kick-Ass is, a story about a fanboy, for fanboys.

Aaron Johnson stars as Dave Lizewski.  Dave is just an average teenager.  He hangs out with his friends, reads comic books, and regularly masturbates.  One day he comes up with the crazy idea to become a superhero.  Dave buys a costume, some weapons, and decides to go fight crime as Kick-Ass only to end up getting his ass-kicked.  But he doesn’t give up, and with help from some real crime fighters, Hit Girl and Big Daddy, Kick-Ass takes down New York criminals.  Soon Kick-Ass becomes an internet hero; something Dave uses to his advantage while trying to seduce his crush, Katie, who thinks he’s gay.   Kick-Ass then becomes target number one for the criminal underworld, but can Hit Girl and Big Daddy save him from his own naiveness? 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this film, but I hoped it wasn’t going to be just a silly fanboy dreaming out loud.  And the film did start out that way.  It was a film that was something we all thought, but knew it wasn’t as exciting as it was in our heads.  However as the film progressed it switched from a John Hughes film to a Quentin Tarintino film.  This film has lots of violence and lots of swearing; most of it coming from an 11-year-old girl.  As Lisa and I exited the theater we saw a father walk out with his little boy and I thought about how is mother will never let daddy take him to another movie after he tells her about Kick-Ass.  If you didn’t want your child to see Watchmen I wouldn’t recommend this film as well.

Johnson held the film together nicely with the giant heart of the hero you root for the whole time.  His journey progressed much like Luke Skywalker; a boy who hoped for adventure but doesn’t want the one that finds him.  Meanwhile one of my least favorite actors, Nicolas Cage, played Big Daddy, who seemed to play several version of Batman put together with his look, fighting style, and manner of speech.  But the films spotlight was all on little Chloe Moretz as Hit Girl.  Seeing an 11-year-old use foul language, kill people, and take giant guys down is just fun entertainment.  Christopher Mintz-Plasse, better known as McLovin, didn’t do too much for the film in a less than funny role, but he severed a purpose none the less.  The small storylines going on throughout the film helped deepen the main characters and provide some side-comedy with supporting characters like Dave’s best friends.  

   

I think Kick-Ass was a great blend of action, heart, and comedy, but not for the squeamish and easily offended.  It’s the kind of superhero film that was going to come someday, but at least it was done with some dignity.  Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go work on my superhero costume as The Blue Knight.

Rating:  B+

Comic To Read This Week: The Flash #1

I was only a few years old when DC’s Comics Crisis on Infinite Earths took place.   At the end of the miniseries, Barry Allen, otherwise known as The Flash, sacrificed himself to save the world.  Afterwards, Wally West, known as The Kid Flash, stepped up and was The Flash for almost twenty years.  I grew up with Wally being The Flash and for a brief period I saw Bart Allen take on the mantle as well.  But being so young at the time I hardly know anything about Barry Allen, aside from the CBS television show.  Now Barry Allen has returned to his wife, his friends, and a world that has gone on without him. 

After the miniseries, Flash: Rebirth, Barry Allen is back as The Flash with Wally, Bart, and the rest of the Speed Force as his back-up.  In issue #1 reader’s get re-acquainted into Barry’s life as he returns to his jobs, both as a forensic scientist and as Central City’s scarlet speedster.  Along the way he runs into old friends, old enemies, and tries desperately to make it to a date with his wife.  But after a villain from his rogue gallery turns up dead, along with some visitors from the 25^th Century, Barry’s problems are just getting started.

When I started reading Flash: Rebirth I found that Barry was an interesting and fresh character.  Wally and Bart are known for being jokers, but Barry is pretty much a cop, and he takes being a hero seriously.  To me this was a new personality to The Flash.  And just as Clark Kent disguises himself by acting bumbling, Barry always tries to work at a slower pace than his colleagues.

DC’s Comics golden boy Geoff Johns (who I can’t wait to see at this weekend’s Chicago Wondercon!) has taken over duties for this character, and considering what he did for Green Lantern I hope that The Flash will be another success story for Johns.  It’s also been rumored that he is helping write the film version of The Flash, and if Johns is helping with it then I can’t wait to see it.  Artist Francis Manapul drawing style helps provide a light-hearted tone to this new world of Brightest Day.  His art almost seems animated, which keeps the tone of the book less serious, even though Barry is investigating a murder. 

The coolest part in this issue was when a speeding car flies off a ramp, but before it can hit the people below The Flash has already taken the car apart, piece by piece.  Mix that in with the patented “costume in his ring” and I’d say this Flash is ready to run towards a great future for the next generation to see.   

We're Not In Kansas Anymore: The Decline of Smallville

The other night I sat down to catch this weeks episode of The CW show, Smallville.  The preview made it look promising with more information about the mysterious agency known as Checkmate and a meeting between Checkmate’s Amanda Waller, and the shows hero, Clark Kent.  But yet again I was disappointed with the story, acting, and overall direction the episode went.  Every week I tune in and ask myself, what happened to one of best Superman television series ever?  At the end of season 6 Smallville was a must watch for me and my friends.  We would gather together every Thursday night with some pizza and Keystone Light to see how young Clark Kent drew closer to becoming the man of steel, and how his former best friend, Lex Luthor, became his greatest villain.  Season 7 turned out to be a level down from its previous season, but my friends and I did not worry, that is until big changes were announced for season 8.

Season 8 started with a re-focus of the show, mainly highlighting the budding romance between Lois and Clark.  Clark assumed a dual identity and helped the people of Metropolis, and he got a desk across from Lois at The Daily Planet.  Also in season 8 Clark became the red and blue blur, who goes around the city saving people while Lois developed an infatuation with the Clark’s alter ego.  So somebody tell me how that is not Superman?  Now in its 9th season, Clark has dropped the red and blue and is wearing all black, including a trench coat.  This leads me to believe the writers of Smallville haven’t even read a Superman comic book……………ever. 

Towards the end of season 7 it was announced that the show's creators, Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, would be leaving the show.  Along with them would be cast members Kristin Kreuk, who played Lana Lang, and Michael Rosenbaum, who played Lex Luthor.  After hearing the news an alarm in my head went off and I knew Smallville was in trouble.  I had read in several interviews with Millar and Gough saying if they can get to the end of season 7 they could get to where the basic story of Superman begins.  So I always assumed the series would end with seven seasons.  When it was announced that Smallville was picked up for an 8^th season I was a little confused, but happy.  Then when I heard that Millar and Gough were leaving the show I freaked out.  Every show that has lost its creators has lost its soul.  These two men had a vision.  Smallville was a fully developed plan about two friends. one becoming the ultimate hero and one becoming the ultimate villain.   So how can a series about two people continue when one of them is gone? 

Since Millar and Gough’s departure the show has had a run of bad guest stars and bad villains to top off the terrible storylines.  The staff has tried marketing gimmicks including DC characters like The Legion of Super Heroes and the JSA, but those are only a couple of episodes in a season that is overall disappointing.  Doomsday, a character who killed Superman in the comic books, was featured predominately throughout season 8, and when it came for his big show down with Clark the audience got a few punches and hop; two minutes for the biggest battle Superman ever had in his seventy years was taken down to the length of a grade school squabble.  This was almost as sickening to watch as to the fate of Superman’s other greatest villain, Lex Luthor.

Everyone knows the villain is always more interesting to watch than the hero, and Michael Rosenbaum played Lex with such grace and fire that I loved seeing him grow each season closer and closer to the dark side of his soul.  Rosenbaum is a great Lex and his scenes with John Glover, who played Lex’s father, were some of my personal favorites.  In season 8 the character of Tess Mercer was brought in to replace Lex as CEO of Luthor Corp and series semi-villain.  However, Tess is no where near as fun to watch as ol’ baldy.  In fact, I am disappointed now every time Tess is in a scene.  She always seems like she is trying to act tough and evil, but not fooling anyone, especially Smallville's critics.  Writers and executive producers tried to keep Lex in the show, pretending Lex was pulling all the strings from afar until Green Arrow killed Lex by blowing up a truck he was supposedly in.  That was the worthy ending the Smallville writing staff thought Rosenbaum’s Lex deserved?  Ever heard the phrase, “bitch slap?”  

Also in season 8, actor Justin Hartley returned as a series regular, playing Green Arrow/Oliver Queen.  Now as much as I loved the character Hartley had created, having him in each episode is overkill.  He and Clark were still having the same conversation in season 8 they had in season 6 about proper forms of justice.  The characters moved on, why couldn’t the writers!  Green Arrow works much better as a guest star, with his mystery and charm surrounding him and keeping him a fresh character to watch.  I’m also concerned with Oliver’s current love interest, who is also no other than his former flame’s cousin, Chloe Sullivan. 

Chloe started the series as the lovable sidekick who had eyes for the big blue hero, and as the series continued she developed a relationship with photographer Jimmy Olsen.  She also became the center of the superheroes known as The Watchtower.  Chloe used to be Clark’s conscience; the person he could confide in, help him find the bad guys, and always keep him running toward his great destiny ahead.  Now after the death of Jimmy, Chloe has become this angry and bitter character who heads a superhero squad that the audience never sees, aside from Clark and Oliver.  I don’t even see the character that was the early seasons Lois Lane and ran the Smallville Torch.  I know characters evolve and change just as people do, but people really don’t change.  At the center we’ll always be the same person our whole lives, and I don’t see Chloe Sullivan on Smallville at all.
Now I could go on bitching all day about the show that I loved for six years, and how it became the bane of my television viewing, but my fingerds will develop carpal tunnel syndrome by then.  Smallville executive producers keep saying that this is just a new interpretation to the Superman myth.  Hey people, last time I checked Superman didn’t dress like he was in the Matrix!   I’d say Smallville is more lost than those people on ABC, but didn’t they already get found like three times already?

Season 10 has been announced for this fall season and unfortunately I still plan to watch it.  Because not to long ago my good friend Andrew said to me, “Smallville is like your child.  It started out all innocent and fun to watch, but as it matured it has become something you don’t approve of.  And even though you may not like what you see, you still have to love it anyway, and hope it gets back on track.” 

    

DVD Review: Brothers

Based on the Danish film Brodre, Jim Sheridan directs this film starring Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal as Sam and Tommy Cahill.  Tommy is just coming home from prison while his brother is off to Afghanistan.  When news comes back to Sam's wife Grace, played by Natalie Portman, that Sam is dead she doesn't know what to do, and neither does Tommy.   Tommy soon decides to help Grace move on with her life and the two become close, a little too close.  But when word comes back that Sam is alive the tears of joy may be premature.  Sam returns home with a terrible secret that could destroy himself and his entire family.

Let me start off by saying I love all three of these actors, and it's why I wanted to see this film. Each one does a good job, but Toby Maguire outshines the other two with the emotional range he portrays in this film, which is why I think he deserved his Oscar nomination.  Most of the characters Gyllenhaal plays are very stoic, but in different ways.  His character in this film fit that mold once again.  I think Portman has started being type cast because she did in this film what she did in Star Wars:  Episode III, which is just cry a lot.  I hope her role in next summers film, Thor, lets her flex her acting muscles a little more, since we all know she has them. Another notable performance was Bailee Madison playing Sam and Grace's daughter, Isabelle.  For a little girl she can bring it.

If you're looking for a happy film then you better take this one out of your Netflix queue.  I was uncomfortable most of the film as I watched these characters make their mistakes, but I could also feel the family drama, mainly between Tommy and his father, played by the wonderful Sam Shepard.  It was the kind of moments that make up a family, and I think that helped the film a lot in believability. 

During the film I thought there should have been more to a few scenes, but when it all ended I could see why Sheridan held back in some places.  I don't think I'll ever watch this film again, but I do recommend it for anyone who enjoys a close-to-home story and some good acting.  Sam and Tommy Cahill won't go down as famous film brothers, but by the end of the film you know they are there for each other, like only brothers can be.   

Rating:  C

Comic To Read This Week: Buffy The Vampire Slayer #34

This weeks comic to read was a tough choice.  As I was on my way to the cbs (comic book store) I knew I had a lot of comics to pick up, but I didn’t know how good they were all going to be.  With Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton in full swing and X-Men: Second Coming just starting I was sure I was going to pick one of them.  However thanks to writer Brad Meltzer, this weeks comic to read is a comic that a year ago I had stopped reading.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was created by Joss Whedon, and has turned it into a campy 90’s film, an award-winning television series that spawned it’s own spin-off, and lots of comic books.  The current Buffy comic series is a continuation of where the TV series left off entitled, Season 8.  The comic started with Buffy and her army of slayers trying to rid the world of vampires and all things evil.  As the series continues the world has turned against them, old villains have resurfaced, and romances have come and gone.  Oh, and Buffy had a few lesbian experiences.  Nice eh?  All the while writers have tried to hold on to the mixture of drama, humor, and horror that made the TV series so great.   

Around issue #20 I realized that Buffy had become a comic I picked up out of habit and didn’t really enjoy reading, and I already collected enough comics for my wife to give me a hard time about.  A few months ago I heard rumors that Angel may be making an appearance in the comic series.  I found this odd since Angel has his own comic series, and although it is also executive produced by Joss Whedon, it is made by a completely different publishing house.

So last month I picked up Buffy and came to find out with the rest of its readers that the uber-villian Twilight, who has been giving Buffy so much trouble in the series, is none other than her former lover, and vampire with a soul, Angel.  He had been working is secret to try and limit the fall-out in the battle between the slayers and their nemesis’s.  After a little explanation as to why he was leading the forces against Buffy, and why Buffy has developed extraordinary superpowers, the two ended the issue with a kiss.

Now the last time the Buffy and Angel bumped uglies Angel lost his soul in a moment of true happiness, turned evil, and tortured Buffy until she had to stick a sword in him and send him to hell.  But doesn’t every relationship end in some form of that?  Issue #34 has Buffy and Angel all powered up and doing the nasty all over the world, literally.  They are doing it while they are float, crashing through mountains, flying at warp speed, and even when they are in earth’s stratosphere.  Meanwhile the rest of the scubbies are listening to Giles explain what is happening to Buffy and watching the destruction Buffy and Angel's fun time is having on the world.  All they can do is wait for them to stop.  As for me I’m still waiting for an explanation as to why Dawn and Xander are now a couple.  I mean for god sakes he used to babysit her!

As for Buffy and Angel, if this issue doesn’t win Wizard Magazine’s "Best Love Scene In A Comic Book" I’m just going to have to stop reading comics books all together.  I mean just think if David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar played out this scene?  That'd be pretty hot no matter what gender you prefer.  I think it’s just nice that these two characters can finally get back together and work out years of frustration.  I’m just curious as to why Angel hasn’t lost his soul, because that kinda lovin would drive any man insane.  

At the end of the issue more questions are raised about just what is going on with these two superheroes.  Rumors have also swirled that IDW, the company that publishes Angel, is pissed at Whedon because he didn't give them a heads up about this story line involving their current character.  For now though I’m just going to enjoy my time back in the Buffyverse (I didn’t make it up, I just know the lingo) because as we all know in this world, the happier a character is now the sadder they are going to be when it all goes down hill.

Theater Review: Clash of the Titans in 3-D

Months ago I saw a preview for this film, and having just finished reading the popular Percy Jackson book series I was psyched to see it. My intrigue took me to my Instant Netflix, where the original Clash of the Titans can be watched. Five minutes in I knew the film was going to be cheesy and dumb compared to films today. And the 1981 film was cheesy, had horrible effects, and too many pretty boys playing warriors. So what's the excuse for this 2010 remake?

For years man has grown tired of the God's wrath. They choose no longer to worship them and try to wage war instead. Zeus, king of gods and maker of humans, agrees to let his brother Hades, lord of the Underworld, reign terror on the city of Argos by unleashing the deadly Kraken unless the princess is sacrificed to the gods. Little does Zeus know that Hades plans to use this destruction to de-thrown his brother and take over Olympus, home of the Gods.

Enter Perseus, a young fisherman whose family has just been killed by Hades. Perseus soon finds out he is part god, but denies his own father, Zeus. Instead he agrees to lead a band of warriors to destroy Hades before the Kraken attacks Argos. Along the way Perseus must fight off Hades' monsters, men who cannot die, and the sinister Medusa.

The plot starts out moving extremely fast in order to get Perseus, played by Sam Worthington, to Argos. It moves so fast I didn't even care that his family was dead, let alone his surrogate father who took care of him for twenty years. The dialogue also moved just like the story with actors saying their lines so fast there was no resonance to their meaning. Everything, including the action sequences, ran so quickly I had no time to care about most of the characters before they met tragic ends.  This made it hard to get pulled into a story when I didn't care about the people in it.

However, half way through the film things started to slow down. Perseus' goals became fewer and the actors lines had more meaning. Unfortunately it was too late. What could have been a great film was only a mediocre film thanks to the rushing of our hero's origin and useless characters.

This film was supposed to come out in mid-March, but after Avatar hit it big the film's release date was pushed back as crew spent ten weeks converting the film into 3-D. Man was that a waste! Sure the scene with Perseus flying on his pegasus was cool, but that was about the only scene you needed 3-D for. The special effects and set design were great, but the conversion of 3-D took away from some of that imagery, which made it look like sloppy camera shots.

After playing in two recent adventure films I think it's safe to say Sam Worthington is now a bona fide action star. Like the rest of the film, when the second half slowed down Worthington's performance got better, but I don't think he's close to winning an Oscar, or even a Kids Choice Award.

Liam Neeson played Zeus with a great commanding elegance, but the show stealer was Ralph Fiennes as Hades. His performance was enhanced by the great effects crew members added to make his character look like a creepy angel of death.

Director Louis Leterrier, who recently directed The Incredible Hulk, seemed to have a good vision for this world, but pacing is what hurt this film; in story, dialogue, and 3-D processing. For future reference Hollywood, just because the highest grossing film ever was in 3-D does not mean I want to see every film in 3-D. I am not seeing Schindler's List in 3-D so you can just forget it Spielberg!

GRADE:  C-