2011 Comics Begin With Death, Cancellations, and Feline Invasions

The comic book gossip squads have definitely been in overdrive these last few weeks with a lot of big things happening. Some people consider these things to be bad, but I remain optimistic about what is to come. Even though I don't have a lot to say on these subject matters I figure I'd at least let the common man know what's been going on, and why it's not all bad.

Archie and DC Comics Dropping the Comic Code:

Marvel comics dropped the 60 year-old code back in 2001 and, just like the movie business; DC is trying to play catch up. Back in 1954 Congress set up the comic book code because they felt comic books turned kids into criminals and made them Nazi's. It was a code that dictated how far comic creators could push the line, which wasn't very far.  This of course was back in communist witch hunt days, and I think we've evolved from the paranoia of the 1950's.

Comics have also gotten a lot more serious. Popular titles like Batman and Spider-man usually have more mature content that is not suitable for anyone under 14. This helps keep the adult fans interested and gives Hollywood better material to steal for their movies, and then turn into crap. Marvel, DC, and Archie all have comics that are appropriate for kids that involve their favorite superhero characters. They aren't considered part of the main stream, but they're something to bring in new readers while they're young. You can bet that's what I'll be buying my kids to start their comic book education.

Wizard Magazine Cancelling Its Publication:

Earlier this week I heard some grave news as a magazine I have read since I was a child was ending after 20 years of publication. Wizard, along with Toyfare magazine, will no longer be available in print. Do to budgetary issues they are laying off most of their staff and just going to be posting news on wizradworld.com.

This was one of the more disappointing things I heard this week since I have a 2-year subscription that is only over a year old. Sure Wizard magazine hasn't been what it used to be in recent years, but it was my dream job to work at Wizard one day, and now that dream it gone. Print media is slowly being phased out. Much like VHS, it will soon be a thing of the past.

I don't know what I will do when all comics are in electronic form. Any comic reader will tell you their joy of going to the local comic book store each week and chatting with store regulars about all things pop culture. I'm going to miss Wizard's casting calls most of all. The writers would say which actor they felt could play our favorite characters. This is something I think about all the time, and it will not die with Wizard. Just see my entries about Batman Beyond and The Flash.

Anne Hathaway is Catwoman:

Months ago rumors started swirling that Christopher Nolan was auditioning female actress's for his next Batman film, The Dark Knight Rise. Everyone knew this lucky lady would be picked to play Catwoman, Batman's most famous female villain and sometimes lover. Last week the announcement was made that Anne Hathaway had won the part, which was met with a mixture of responses. Most think Hathaway isn't edgy and sexy enough to play Catwoman, but I say that's crap.

Hathaway is more known for her light roles like The Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada. But let's not forget her more controversial roles like Havoc, Brokeback Mountain, and Rachel Getting Married. Plus, the Catwoman in the comic has a much more playful personality that Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns.

Some consider Pfeiffer's role the definitive Catwoman, much like they used to consider Jack Nicholson the definitive Joker. Nobody had faith in Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight, but everyone was proven wrong. So why can't Hathaway be a good Catwoman? She's proven to be a great actress, and didn't Michelle Pfeiffer do Grease 2 before she did Batman Returns? I rest my case.

Also announced was Inception actor Tom Hardy as Bane. In the 1997 film, Batman and Robin, Bane was a strong dumb guy who didn't know how to spell cat. But in the comics he is a criminal mastermind who tired Batman out enough to get the jump on him and put Bruce Wayne in a wheelchair for a months. I just hope we get to see Hardy play that version of Bane and not the version whose most famous line is, 'bomb.'

The Death of The Human Torch:

Comic book shops released a new comic a day earlier than all the other this week. For months fans had been teased about the death of a Fantastic Four member. With Reed and Sue off world and Ben Grimm in a temporary state of being human Johnny Storm was the only FF member left at the Baxter Building when alien monsters came knocking on the door. Inside was well was Johnny's niece and nephew. In a last act of heroics Johnny 'Flamed On' for the last time to save his family.

These days death is just something every comic book superhero goes through. Steve Rogers and Bruce Wayne were gone barely a year before they came back, but something tells me the Human Torch might stay dead for a while. The Human Torch was one of my favorite superhero mainly because of his care free, and sometime juvenile, attitude. Although I grieve Johnny's death, I'm excited for the dramatic repercussions. The Fantastic Four is more of a family than a team, and now they will all think about what they could have done to prevent Johnny's death. I'm sure his best friend, Spider-Man, will also feel the weight of his death.

Superhero death's sometimes stick for a while. Jean Grey has been dead for ten years now, mainly I feel because of the popularity of Cyclops new girlfriend, The White Queen. Comic shops have already sold out of this FF issue in less than twenty four hours and are already calling for a second printing. Clearly this is a marketing scheme to get people more interested in the Fantastic Four and create comic book hype in main stream news. We'll just have to wait and see what the aftershocks are from Johnny Storm's valiant sacrifice in the Marvel Universe, comic book sales, and around the world.

With all these cancellations, codes breaking, and heroic deaths I feel like I've left you on a bad note. So let me leave you with some good news. 80's cartoons are making a comeback and yesterday the first image of a new Thundercats cartoon surfaced on the web. The cartoon is set to premiere later this year on Cartoon Network.  As a former Thudercats lover all I can say is Thundercats, ho!

Clark's Tights Are On Too Tight In Superman: Earth One

I dedicate this blog to the Austin Public Library. Why would I do this you ask? A few months ago Superman: Earth One was released and ever since I’ve been trying to get my hands on it in the cheapest way possible. I ordered it online using a coupon, and after being on back order for over a month my order was cancelled. People raved about how good this graphic novel was, so as a Superman fan I was at my wits end. I decided to just do what I do a lot of. I would go to Borders, read the graphic novel, and then put it back on the shelves. But before I did what some would call ‘immoral’ I had to stop off at the Austin library to pick up a hold. To my surprise I found Superman: Earth One waiting for me in the graphic novel section. Victory is mine!

It seems like every year for the past several a new interpretation of Superman’s origin has been released. From Jeph Loeb’s A Superman For All Seasons to Geoff Johns more recent Superman: Secret Origin. Now J. Michael Straczyski has come up with his own version of Superman that some have already called ‘the Twilight Superman.’ As I sat down on my day off to read this graphic novel that nickname didn’t instill me with much faith seeing how Twilight is something that has ruined vampires and werewolves for me for the next decade. But could Straczynski really do a better job than Loeb and Johns, two comic writing legends?

Superman: Earth One starts with Clark Kent coming to the big city of Metropolis to find his way. On his shoulders is the need to provide for his mother and his desire to not be in the spotlight like his father wanted. After several job interviews, one of which includes The Daily Planet, Clark seems more lost then ever as what to do with his life. That is until an alien race comes to Earth to find him. Led by a being named Tyrell they have come to find the last son of Krypton and will destroy the Earth in the process. Will Clark risk revealing himself to the world in order to save it? If you have any idea who Superman is I think you know the answer to that question.

I’ll get the cons out of the way first. I have watched Smallville for ten seasons and Straczyski managed to put more of Clark’s whining about his destiny in one graphic novel than Tom Welling did in ten years on TV. I didn’t really sympathize with this Clark Kent too much. I wanted to smack him and tell him to man up. This Clark didn’t put on the tights till the very last minute because he was too busy feeling sorry for himself. People criticized Brandon Routh in Superman Returns for being mopey, well this Clark Kent is the Edward Cullen of mopiness. This graphic novel also has less jokes than Black Swan, but at least that story had Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis making out to lighten the mood.

I’m a fan of chronological order. I don’t mind flashbacks as long as they’re something we’ve already seen. Whether it be an important line or item. This whole graphic novel goes back and forth from Clark talking to his parents as a child, to his present day battle. It’s like in The Lord of the Rings novels, you leave the present story to tell about something in the past. But by the time you come back to the present you don’t remember what’s going on, or you’ve lost your momentum. That’s why I couldn’t make it through even 100 pages of those hobbit books.

Meanwhile I felt like the story centered around Clark so much I didn’t have time to get to know Jimmy and Lois, practically the only other two characters in this graphic novel. We are briefly introduced to them, and the next thing we know they are helping Superman, and then the story ends. I will give Straczynski credit on Jimmy Olsen though. Jimmy is what Clark fights for. Jimmy’s innocence and faith in mankind is what helps Clark continue his mission, and when Superman was down it was Jimmy who tried to rush in and save him.

Now comes my praises on this beautifully drawn graphic novel. Shane Davis has been on my favorite artist since his work on Green Lantern and this graphic novel would not have been set apart from all other Superman had it not been for Davis drawing the characters different than others before him. I prefer my Superman a little more Christopher Reeve than Brandon Routh but I like what Davis did so I’ll still give him points for originality.

Speaking of originality, Straczynski may have been a little off the mark on our hero, but I loved how he nailed the villain. Mainly because it wasn’t a known Superman villain. Lex Luthor was nowhere in this story, and when the aliens attacked it wasn’t Darkseid or Brainiac. This gave it a breath of fresh air, that again set it apart for from the other retellings. Tyrell’s origin story was something Superman fans had never seen or I’m sure even thought about. Good one Mr. Straczynski, but now I want to know who was the Kryptonian that betrayed his people and lead to his planet’s destruction? My money is on Zod, but I feel like you’re too smart for the obvious choice.

Superman: Earth One sets up at the end for a sequel with more story to tell. Straczynski quit working on Superman’s ongoing comic series to work on a sequel to this 2010 hit graphic novel. I’m hoping for a trilogy for no other reason than to see even more outside-of-the-box Superman stories. Before the sequel though comic writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank are releasing their own retelling with Batman: Earth One.

Straczynski tries to update Superman for younger fans, and today’s Twilight culture. I think ordinary people will enjoy this updated version of Superman that is free from continuity and conventions. But as for the true blue Superman fans I see this as the teenie bopper invasion into our Fortress of Solitude. The world already has one super powered whiny/annoying boy, we don’t need another, especially if it’s America’s hero.

Rating:  C+

Recapping Buffy Season 8: Four Years & Forty Issues

SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF BUFFY SEASON 8 PLEASE STOP READING AFTER THIS SENTENCE. NO SERIOUSLY, STOP! YOU’RE GONNA RUIN IT! OK, BUT I WARNED YOU.

In 1997 Joss Whedon created a TV show based on his failed movie idea. Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Whedon went on to create a cult phenomenon that spawned comic books, spin-offs, and lots of merchandising goodies. The show ended with season 7 in 2003 and it took Whedon four years to bring us Season 8 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in comic book form. Ironic, since Season 8 took another four years to complete. I have several friends that love the TV series, but aren’t interested in reading the comics. Well this blog is for you. I’m going to try and summarize four years, forty issues, and one crazy season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

 When we last left Buffy and the Scoobies the Hellmouth had just been closed with a courageous sacrifice by Spike, and Willow had used the magic scythe to give every potential slayer the power of the slayer without waiting in line. There are now hundreds of slayers, and Buffy is their leader. In groups of ten these slayers hunt down evil with Buffy and Xander residing at the home base in Scotland. Meanwhile Giles and Faith are off in England trying to sway any slayers who may go rogue and pose a threat. This also has the government worried, an army of super powered slayers. With the help of Amy the witch, Warren the fleshless, and Buffy’s old ex; Riley Finn, the government is looking to turn the world against the slayers. This leads to this season's masked villain, Twilight, taking the reins and leading his own army against Buffy and the slayers.

Along the way our Scoobies have their own personal drama. Xander is rocking the Nick Fury look with his eye patch and falls in love with a slayer named Renee. This relationship ends badly when Renee is killed by a vamp. But Xander finds a new love soon. Willow has become a very powerful witch with the help of a demon named Saga Vasuki, a relationship that her girlfriend Kennedy does not approve of. Willow can now fly, which makes her friends a little scared she may go back to black-haired Willow who tried to destroy the world in season 6. Speaking of change, little Dawn lost her virginity, but it was too a demon. She didn’t get pregnant, just is in an ever state of change like being a giant or a centaur at one point. Eventually she is turned back to normal though. Whedon sure does preach the dangers of sex if you can remember all of our characters sex-capades.

As for Joss’s muse and star, Buffy, she is going through some changes of her own. Buffy is leading this army with the rest of the world against her, and she gets confused. So confused that she has a little lesbian episode with another slayer who has a crush on her, but it doesn’t last. Buffy is too busy trying to figure out how to get back to her own time. She is sent to the future where she meets Fray the Vampire Slayer, and the only slayer. This suggest that at some point the army of slayers will be done, and there will be only one. But Buffy barely has time to think about this because it turns out Willow is in the future as well, as black-haired Willow trying to destroy the world. I hate to say I told ya so; but I told ya so. Buffy returns to the past knowing what the future may now have in store. She also begins to believe Xander may be the one for her, but Xander has already moved on after Renee’s death. He is dating Dawn. She’s over 18 now so it’s cool right?

Finally the big battle goes down between the government forces looking to rid the world of magic and Buffy and her slayers. The slayers take heavy casualties, Riley reveals he has been a double agent for Buffy this whole time, and big, bad, Twilight reveals himself to be Angel. Wait, what! The vampire with a soul, or one of them at least, and Buffy’s first love, posed as Twilight to try and limit the blood between the government and slayer battle and in doing so unleashes some knowledge on Buffy.

Buffy has absorbed the powers of the dead slayers giving her Superman-like abilities, as well as Angel thanks to the Twilight being. The two go on an uber-sex quest literally doing it all over the planet. If you haven’t read issue 34 do yourself a favor and check it out. With these new powers Buffy and Angel have the ability to help the Twilight power create a new paradise on Earth, but the old one, and everyone on it, would have to be destroyed first. Buffy refuses and so begins her final battle in Season 8.

Spike shows up (watch Angel season 5 if you want to know how he came back) and takes the Scoobies back to the Hellmouth to destroy, or at least contain, Twilight. While Buffy battles monsters as the new Supergirl, Angel confronts Twilight and tries to convince the being to spare this reality. Twilight refuses and takes control of Angel’s body and so begins another Buffy vs. Angel showdown for the fate of mankind. Buffy destroys Twilight’s power source and kills not only Twilight but all magic along with it. Angel wakes up from being possessed to find out he’s killed Giles. At least it wasn’t his girlfriend this time.

So life now goes on, somewhat. The line of slayers is destroyed and no new slayers will be born, which everyone hates Buffy for. Willow also isn’t liking Buffy too much right now for destroying all magic, and Giles left everything of his to Faith except a book for Buffy called VAMPYR. The whole world hates her, she is crashing with Xander and Dawn, but Buffy is still the slayer, and she has a job to do. Let’s get ready for season 9 everyone!

I know this a lot to process. Even I’m not sure on all the details. I started watching Buffy on Netflix from the beginning and after will go through and read Season 8 again, hopefully before Season 9 begins, but with me being the only person in the house who enjoys Buffy it’s hard to find time to watch. Season 8 was full of returning characters like Oz, Dracula, and Andrew. It was full of great writers such as Brad Meltzer, Jeph Loeb, and of course Joss himself. Jo Chen also provided forty awesome cover arts for the whole season.

This was one very messed up season, probably the most intense of Buffy’s life. Whedon promises Season 9 will be more simple. Also, Dark Horse comics, Buffy’s publishing company, has regained the rights to Angel comics as well. The two characters started showing on different channels back in 2001 and haven’t been under the same roof since. If I know Mr. Whedon he has something up his sleeve. Of course it’s probably another major character death that’ll make us all cry, but I’m still psyched. Or you could be like my wife who wants to run a stake through him because she is still mad he killed Wash. Let it go babe, just let it go.

The Green Hornet is Worth Your Green Bills

In the 1960's martial arts expert, Bruce Lee was cast as Kato in the TV series The Green Hornet. Although Lee was supposed to be a second rate character next to actor Van Williams, Lee's fast and impressive moves is what people remember most about this show that only lasted one season. Now, relatively unknown actor, Jay Chou has stepped into Lee's shoes in the new film based on The Green Hornet. But can Chou compete with Lee's legend?

This new interpretation of The Green Hornet stars comedian Seth Green as the media millionaire, Britt Reid. When Britt's father dies he decides to finally start doing some good with his life. Enter Kato, his father's mechanic and coffee maker. Lucky for Britt, Kato is also a martial arts expert and all around badass. Together they pose as bad guys to try and get to the top of L.A.'s crime syndicate, Russian mob boss, Chudnofsky. But Britt and Kato will first have to find a way to not kill each other if they have any hope of killing Chudnofsky before he kills them.

I never knew much about The Green Hornet aside from it being a time in Bruce Lee's biography, and at one time Kevin Smith was set to direct this film. But the directing chair was finally filled by Michael Gondry, who had brought us such films as Be Kind Rewind, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Gondry blended this film of action and comedy together very well. I wasn't expecting much, but came out pleased with value of entertainment I received for my ticket price.

Rogen plays the character as very egotistical and arrogant as opposed to Williams serious portrayal in the sixties. There are some points where his arrogance borders on ridiculous and almost stupid, but Rogen finds a way to still make the audience laugh. Cameron Diaz played Reid's secretary who he and Kato can't seem to stop fighting over, but I didn't see her character or performance as anything spectacular. Oscar winner Christopher Waltz played the film's villian, Chudnofsky, and was quite delightful. Waltz plays the character as someone who seems a little off his rocker, but still trying to keep control until things don't go his way.

As for Chou, he seemed to be very impressive as a martial artist, but you never really know due to the slow motion shots, and something I call Kato-Vision, that happens every time there is a fight scene. I would have preferred to just let the camera run and see if Chou was too fast for the film like Lee was. I doubt it, but then again maybe I'm just a fight scene purist. Let the actors work harder than the special effects team I say. They usually get all the glory anyway. Although the Black Beauty can give the Batmobile a run for its money in this film.

I didn't see the film in 3-D because I knew it wasn't going to be worth it. Why Hollywood thinks every film is worthy of 3-D is beyond me. It's not a superhero or film classic but any means, but it doesn't try to be more than it is. A comedy film with a little bit of action in it. I'll take it.

Rating: C

Requiem of a Swan

How do you get girls to go see a psychological thriller movie? Make it about a ballerina. But then how do you get guy to go see a movie about a ballerina? Have a lesbian scene! I feel like these are the kind of issues director Darren Aronofsky had while making this film. Also I think he wanted to scare any young girls dream of ever becoming a ballerina.

Natalie Portman is Nina. She’s timid, innocent, and has just scored the lead role in Swan Lake. But her director tells her she needs to live a little and loosen up. However, she loosens a few too many screws in her head if you ask me. Nina soon becomes convinced her new friend, played by Mila Kunis, is out to steal her part. She begins seeing scratches all over her body that aren’t really there, and she thinks everyone she sees looks like her. Nina has to try and hold it all together till opening night when all the world will see her become a star.

Aronofsky has directed such films a Pi and Requiem for a Dream and this film falls right in with the other two. Nina’s hallucinations of trying to figure out what’s real, and what isn’t, is enough to just make you give up half way through the film and just go with it. I did enjoy the small effects throughout, such as Nina’s patches tough skin as she becomes more confident and her picking feathers off her body when he gets wrapped up her role.

 The film’s story also seems to coincide with the story of Swan Lake as well. I’ve never seen Swan Lake so I’m not sure how much of the music was from the ballet and how much composer Clint Mansell made himself, but I liked it. The film’s score had a very dramatic tone to it during Nina’s times of stress, or triumph in some cases.

The buzz on this film has been stirring for weeks now, mainly about the performances. Mila Kunis is said to be up for a possible Best Supporting Actress nomination, but I don’t see it. She just plays another one of her bitchy girl roles like when she started on That 70’s Show. Don’t get me wrong, she was perfect for the part, but nothing I felt that flexed her acting muscles or challenged her. Winona Ryder, however, was a supporting actress who surprised me as the old ballerina that Portman’s character replaces. Ryder’s part was small, but I felt very strong. Definitely better than her trying to act like a mom in Star Trek. She’d be great example for kids. She can teach them a trade like shop-lifting.

All the credit of this film I feel goes to one person; Natalie Portman. Nina’s crazy emotions where all over the place in this film, and Portman brought them out like a pro. Portman played a shy girl and a sexy girl.  She cried, she danced, and you never knew what face she was going to pull out of her bag of trick next. Portman has come a long way since her first role as a child in The Professional, but I always enjoying seeing everything she does. She seems serious about acting, but doesn’t take herself too serious. She is also a Harvard grad, and smart girls are hot.

I read in Entertainment Weekly that Portman’s Oscar chances may dwindle because of her light-hearted movies coming out within the next few months. But I’d much rather see an actress win an Oscar who can do drama and comedy than one who only does movies she thinks she’ll win an Oscar for. You can go see this film in theaters if you want, but much like Aronofsky’s other films this is best viewed alone in a dark room, maybe a little high, and some tissues by your side; for various reasons.

Rating:  B-