After a nearly three-month break, Marvel TV and ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return tonight, replacing its sister show Agent Carter. There were a few shakeups when last we saw Coulson and his gang of misfit agents so let’s review.
Most notably, Coulson crushed Ward’s chest with his robotic hand, killing him quite brutally. Unfortunately, the alien persona that had previously inhabited Daniels, Simmons’s star-crossed lover, switched bodies and inhabited Ward. Zombie-Ward, making it through the portal between the alien world and Earth at the last second, will likely become the team’s new enemy, looking cost-effectively like their old enemy. One wonders how this “new” enemy will integrate into the plot since the team is also dealing with the escaped Inhuman Lash and Gideon Malick‘s plans for Hydra to use the Inhumans as an army.
Alien possession, zombies, robotic hands, Hydra, all promising things in a show about agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but it’s missing a couple things. And, unfortunately, the missing ingredients are critical. For reasons I can only imagine are related to the expense of using Marvel properties, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. barely has any Marvel characters who originally appeared in Marvel comics in it. True, Skye turned into Daisy Johnson (Quake) eventually and the audience was treated to a great performance from Kyle Maclachlan as Mr. Hyde, but aside from them there aren’t too many others.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s portrayals of Deathlok were so different from the character from the comics that the writers may as well have used a different name for the character altogether. Dr. Hall was just a tease. And, no one being referred to as an Inhuman on the show has yet appeared as anyone recognizable as an Inhuman from the comics, except for Lash. The character most similar to his original from the comics is probably Alphonso ‘Mac’ MacKenzie, a character who first appeared in comics in the late ’80s.
Agent Coulson as played by Clark Gregg is always good to have around even if he’s not originally from the comics, but since his metamorphosis into hard-nosed Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. started, the character’s been losing his friendly neighbour-type charm that makes him unique. Agent May as played by Ming-Na Wen continues to be a pro for the show’s watchability, but I fear that her well-choreographed ass kicking will only take Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so far.
The same could be said for Bobbi Morse (Mockingbird) played by Adrianne Palicki, another one of the few characters on the show that originally appeared in the comics. Let’s hope that Palicki’s Mockingbird stays fresh since she will apparently be starring in an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spin-off show, Marvel’s Most Wanted–sounds like a Muppets movie.
The general absence of characters who originally appeared in Marvel comics is one of the critical missing ingredients. The other missing ingredient seems to be a systematic plan by the writers for how the show
Walker or White Walker? Neither, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is also cashing in on the zombie cash cow
will proceed. Like its sister show, Agent Carter, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. suffers from having too many active plot lines that rarely pay off. Although this formula can work well for other shows–The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones–it doesn’t seem to work well for superhero/group of heroes shows. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. cries out for an interesting main character and would do well to adopt the one villain per season framework that has been so successful for Marvel’s Netflix series.
That being said, I remain skeptical but optimistic and will review each of the last four episodes of this season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., hoping that the team finds its way and that the body of Ward is vaporized.
Entering the month of March, each day is a ticking clock slowly counting down to Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justiceon March 25th. Although, there will be someone who will be left off of the theatrical screening – Jena Malone.
When news broke a little over a year ago that Malone (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) was apparently cast as a role in the upcoming DC franchise, the internet went into a full whirl of speculation. With the mystery about who she was playing, from Batgirl to Robin, there was a lot of hope that we would potentially see a crucial character with Malone at the helm.
And with a recent interview with Zack Snyder, our hopes are dashed. At least, for now. Snyder goes on to say that Malone’s character will not make the theatrical release, which is already pushing three hours, despite his urge to have a two and a half hour film. But he also took it a little step further, adding that she will be in the R-rated “Ultimate Edition” that will be released on DVD/Blu-ray later this year, that her character plays a crucial role in the mix and she will not be Barbara or Carrie.
Although her involvement with the film was never officially announced, it still begs the question, who does Jena Malone play in this movie? With someone having a mystery role in a big movie such as this one, you have multiple outlets for how this can play out.
Let’s start with the most probable options:
Selina Kyle/Catwoman: How Catwoman fits into this movie is a question for another day, but really, no character is seemingly off-limits for this universe. DC has a long way of catching up and if they are going to build this massive roster of people, then they have all the ammo in the world to try and introduce Kyle in this movie. Even if she is a flashback scene, it still shows that she is included somewhere.
Shiera Hall/Hawkgirl: If many of you (including me) are hoping that we see an iteration of Hawkgirl and Hawkman in Justice League I or II, then why not give her some sort of appearance. If Barry Allen/The Flash are shaping up to cameo in some form or another, then an appearance of Malone in the Hawkgirl suit is a good addition to the cast.
Barbara Gordon/Oracle: See, here’s the thing, Zack Snyder was quick to point out that it wasn’t Batgirl or Robin that Malone was playing. And wouldn’t it be so sneaky to pull the veil over and say it wasn’t Batgirl but still Oracle. That’s a total possibility. While she wouldn’t technically play Batgirl, it would state again that she once existed and even sets the stage for Suicide Squad and some potential plot lines down the road in the DC Cinematic Universe.
Talia Al-Ghul: Clearly an interesting take but having Malone as one of Bruce’s love interests could only complicate but excite things a bit. Having the League of Shadows (Assassin’s) playing some role in the on goings of the DCCU add’s a little bit of depth to the universe and a little bit of complications on Batman/Bruce Wayne’s end.
Now, some possibilities, but not holding my breath.
Kara Danvers/Supergirl: Difficult? Yes. But Possible, also yes. Given the fact that we don’t know much about who has Kryptonian origins in their blood and who might have gotten off of the planet prior to it’s explosion. Granted, this is a bit of a stretch, but just thinking about the possibility that Superman’s powerful cousin out there in the world right when Doomsday and Darkseid are taking form is enough to consider this.
Iris West: Like I have said before, if they are locking in the DCCU characters up front, why not include some love interests in the mix. In reality, she could be a normal journalist at the time, not necessarily moving to the Picture News in Central City. And it’s an interesting thought process. But this is probably the most far-fetched idea out there.
All in all, we likely won’t know of Jena Malone’s fate as a DCCU character until the release of the Ultimate Edition months from now. However, since it has been chopped in the meantime from the original cut, we could see some easter eggs or hints when the movie is released on the 25th.
What are your thoughts? Who do you think she plays in the upcoming Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice? Comment below.
On The Walking Dead, Carol’s Growing Conscience Is Going To Kill Her.
Lately, once hardenedCarol Peletier has been acting a bit different. The recent episode of ‘The Walking Dead‘ titled “Not Tomorrow Yet” showed some troubling signs for one of the 6 beloved Original Survivors. Carol showed her more human side; the stern exterior she uses in front of others started to break down.
She even baked apricots & beet cookies for the group…clearly the woman has gone insane.
All jokes aside, the story of Carol has been one of the most solid arcs throughout all of Walking Dead. From battered housewife to butchering bad-ass, we’ve come to love how far Carol has progressed. But what if Carol didn’t want to progress as far as she did? Obviously you have to be tough in this kind of environment but the things Carol has seen and done are enough to drive anyone mad.
One of the biggest clues in this episode was the audience finding out Carol has a list. The list contains names of the people Carol has had to kill. She writes down 18 and circles it with angst. It’s a heartbreaking moment to find out how much everything she’s done has really affected her.
Another shocking Carol moment this episode was her sharing a kiss with one of the guys. No, it wasn’t Daryl Dixon. As much as fans would have loved to see their beloved dream pairing of Daryl & Carol finally embrace, surprise pick Tobin was on the receiving end of a Carol lip-lock. The moment was sweet but there was something sad about the entire exchange. The face Carol made after really spelled it out. Seemingly for the first time, she has no idea what she’s doing. She’s acting so human…
Lastly, the scene with Maggie & Carol has a rather important moment. Carol tells Maggie she doesn’t belong her, she doesn’t need to be doing this. With Maggie’s pregnancy, Carol is projecting her own want for some normalcy onto Maggie. She wants Maggie to run away from here to start a happy life. We all know in the world of ‘The Walking Dead‘, happy doesn’t come easy or at all in some cases.
All of these things are starting to weigh Carol down. You can see the pain in actress Melissa McBride’s face. Her ability to show this fight within Carol is stunning. While I don’t want to see the actress go, the pain building up within the character will without a doubt lead to her death. If it’s at the hands of someone else or if she takes her own life, the dirty deeds Carol has done will be her downfall.
Anytime someone gains a moral compass (Tyrese, Hershel), it spells the end for them. This will play true for Carol as well. If she keeps up the remorse & regret, something very bad will happen to our precious bad-ass.
You can catch ‘The Walking Dead‘ on AMC, Sunday nights at 9/8c!
It was an uneasy night. One with little sleep and a stomach packed with butterflies the size of Gerard Butler‘s shapely 300 quads. After all, it isn’t any run-of-the-mill weekend in which you get to spend a day with the famous Scot himself. I found myself still awake at 3am staring at the handwritten note I received from Mr. Butler on my doorstep the day before. The ink was like hot pink paint had dried in the desert and the paper was actually a broken shard of tempered glass. It read:
“Curtis Waugh. It’s me, Gerry Butler from Nim’s Island. I understand you’re a huge fan. Thanks for this. How would you like to live with Gods and slow-stab the enemies of freedom tomorrow? It’s gonna be magical as f***. See you at 10am.
<3 Gerry
P.S. You will get wet on this ride.”
I was a little worried at first that some psychopath had cut themselves open with a shard of glass and wrote this note in jest having seen the cardboard cutout of Mr. Butler I keep within sight outside my front door. Except this particular psychopath took a Polaroid photo of himself smiling ear-to-ear with the “note” in hand while seeming to have been chewing on a piece of it. It was undoubtedly Gerard Butler.
Also, he was going to find me? Sure. I mean, this is LA right?
I checked outside my curtain at 9:30am and didn’t see anything unusual, like Gerard Butler waiting for me. At 9:50am I walked outside my house and sniffed the air, as if I would be able to discern his musk wafting down my street. I waited, unsure if I should get in my car, stand at the curb or actually hide. Looking left and right and not seeing a soul, I checked my phone, the time now reading 10:00am. I turned to go back inside and immediately I was standing face-to-face with the Law Abiding Citizen himself, Gerard Butler.
“Oy! Did I scare ya?” he asked as I hit the earth, petrified.
“Mr. B-Butler…” I gasped.
“Call me Gerry,” he said with his crooked grin as he helped me back to my feet.
This is how I was introduced to Gerry Butler. I spent the next hour acclimating to being in his presence. He wanted to know if I was ready for the journey and then asked me to drive, so he could shoot. He said he was kidding. I couldn’t tell.
So we got into my ’05 Malibu and Gerry described to me what his intentions were with me on this day of days (while also detailing a weird, probably illegal way in which he is able to surveil his biggest fans. Hint: throw away your cardboard cutouts.): he would be taking me through, not to, his currently released blockbusters, Gods of Egypt and London Has Fallen. I told him I had planned to do this double-feature for weeks and showed him my ArcLight tickets.
“I know,” he said with a slick wink.
I continued to drive, taking his directions one at a time. We were going in a big circle. Eventually, we ended up back on my street and he told me to stop.
“Look in my eyes,” Gerry said in his Americanized Scottish drawl. I turned to look into his lake-blue eyes, “Tonight, we dine in…” I waited for him to finish his sentence. I leaned forward in nervous anticipation. Hell, Gerry. Just say ‘Hell’.
The wonder left his eyes and he very flatly said, “Egypt.”
And like that, my street was no longer my street and Gerry was no longer normal Gerry. I was surrounded by the brightest, greenest, goldest Egyptian landscape you could imagine. Gerry was gold-dusted tan and brooding through a suit of God-like armor. I spent the next two hours and seven minutes just outside the action as Nicolaj Coster-Waldau battled Gerry who was sometimes Gerry and sometimes a big CGI Egypt wolf-monster.
I noticed that Gerry had not really adopted a character but rather just tried to always be the most menacing man in the room, which honestly worked pretty well. Gerry sat beside me during bits he wasn’t needed in and ate doughnuts and drank Red Bull. The energy that was sucked out of the room each time he left was extremely noticeable. Gods of Egypt felt every bit like an adventure video game of get-this, push X, fight that, cut scene. Gerry’s hand-to-hand combat with Coster-Waldau was fun enough, but the CGI clutter and this world where any rule can come and go, drew out an already long process. Meanwhile, Alex Proyas laughed maniacally, clearly enjoying whatever he was doing and handed Gerry one of those large checks you win at a pro golf tournament. Good for you Alex, good for you.
Gerry laid the large check across his knees like a table. He broke a baggie filled with a white substance from his Egyptian skirt, three blue pixie stix and cracked another red bull. Gerry combined the two powders and added a dash of the energy drink, creating a thick, possibly fuming paste.
He looked at me and said, “You ready?”
“For what?”
Gerry face planted and inhaled the paste through both his mouth and nose.
“To save the f***ing President?” he said.
Probably not.
Either way, the Egyptian landscape melted away and became the barren streets of present day London. We were now in London Has Fallen and Gerry was now a slick government agent with a cannibalistic look in his eye. He looked over at his director, Not-Antoine Fuqua, who shook in fear at his gaze.
“Action,” Not-Antoine Fuqua said almost silently.
“You’re goddamned right,” Gerry said and looked at me like I never want to be looked at again.
For the next one hour and forty-ish minutes, I was assaulted by a barrage of bullets, blood, explosions, tin-eared xenophobia and jingoism. Not-Antoine Fuqua assured me his name was Babak Najafi (when Gerry wasn’t looking) and did an extremely admirable job of keeping the insanity flowing and doing the most with a script that is, at best, a barebones story.
Mike Banning-Gerry is one we’re familiar with from his stint in Olympus Has Fallen. For those hoping a sudden turn of conscience had surfaced in his character now that he’s an almost-dad, you’d be disappointed. Mike Banning-Gerry is only here to put up with the seriously ineffectual President (Aaron Eckhart) and slow stab terrorists in the heart. This Gerry goes so far off his rocker as to call our antagonists’ nation ‘F***head-istan’, decapitate a man using a car and a wall and make comments like, “I’m thirsty as f***”. And I sat there and watched with joy as Gerry gleefully performed it all.
The scariest thing about witnessing London is that there are swaths of people who will wrong-headedly root for Mike Banning-Gerry as though he is some sort of American Crusader. What might be scarier is that I was rooting for him as well! Is there a difference between rooting for the art and rooting for the actions at hand? Of course. London walks a very interesting line in that the events on screen are often so-heinous that it very well could feel irresponsible for enjoying the bloody moments. Still, there is a level of artistry here that isn’t to be denied. Najafi films the action cleanly and effectively, including one long-take scene (these have become the standard “look at me” moments in recent film, haven’t they?) through the streets of London during a shootout that is staggering in its intensity. London Has Fallen wants to be an insane actioner where Gerry gets goofy one-liners while committing war crimes. And he’s supremely entertaining! Is that ok? I can’t hate you for hating its tone-deaf approach but to deny its need to entertain and its ability to accomplish exactly what it wants isn’t to be argued.
Gerry looked at me after the credits rolled and I prayed the demon Banning spirit was gone.
“What did you say? Who are you talking to,” he said. I was nervous what he might do to me. Or if he was still on that coke-sludge.
“My readers,” I replied.
He side-eyed me. “What grade you gonna give the movies?”
Great. I looked for the nearest exits.
“And be honest,” he said.
“Ok.” Deep breath, “Gods was a C….. minus.”
Gerry nodded his head acceptingly, “And London?”
“B,” I said. He stepped closer to me and I could see the Banning monster lurking just beneath the surface, “Plus! B plus!”
“Excellent! Now, time for some putt-putt,” he said.
Gerry Butler whooped my ass in putt-putt and I dropped him off where I found him: on my own doorstep. “Hey, Gerry,” I had one final mystery needing solving, “I thought you said I was going to get wet on this ride? I’m bone dry.”
Immediately, Gerry Butler spit in my eye and punched me in the gut. He continued to smile as he turned away. I walked inside, tore up my cardboard cutout of King Leonidas and put an eBay bid on a Seth Rogen.
The Season 8 premiere of ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race‘ introduced us to 3 New York drag queens, a Britney Spears impersonator, and a queen named after Korean food. Unlike anything on TV, the competition is Thunderdome from Mad Max but for the most esteemed drag queens from around the country. After 99 episodes of the transgressive reality show, the queen in charge RuPaul kept things fresh in this episode by taking us back through the history of Drag Race or in this case HERstory…
When the dust from all the powder settled, one queen has already left the competition while some clear frontrunners for the crown have been set. The stakes are high and the heels are even higher.
Below are the 8 reasons you have to see the fierce season 8 premiere of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race‘!
8. Fierce Fashions
-From lions to 90’s supermodels, the looks on the runway of Drag Race are always a spectacle. The premiere of the season was no different. The outfits were utter insanity; there was metal face masks, a Beetlejuice-inspired look, and a dress made of trash bags. The queens of Season 8 wore everything but the kitchen sink for the episode. I’m sure they are saving the sink for episode 2.
7. Derrick Berry
-One of the most prolific queens ever to ever grace Drag Race as well as the 100th queen to enter the workroom, Derrick Berry is a Britney Spears impersonator from Vegas. While impersonators have a rocky history with RPDR, Derrick is proving to be a favorite as the queen received a lot of airtime during the premiere episode. Derrick will have to ‘Gimme More’ (Britney pun) if he wants to prove himself as something more than just diet Britney Spears.
6. Nothing Else Like It On TV
-RuPaul’s Drag Race is a hybrid of multiple reality shows, such as Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model, and The Apprentice. Using different aspects from other shows, Drag Race is something entirely of it’s own. No show on TV showcases such a niche market in such a big way; the only way to see a drag queen used to be going to a local nightclub, now you can see one on TV almost weekly! The show also is a way to bring light to issues like the strain between some gay people & their families or the struggles of finding success in the entertainment industry.
5. Comedy Gold
-If you are a sucker for cheesy puns & raunchy humor, you have to tune into at least one episode of Drag Race. There is something so irreverent about the humor of the show, it makes you almost feel guilty for chuckling at the lowbrow jokes. With past queens going on to becoming comedy icons, Drag Race has this hilarious charm to it; something no reality show can quite capture.
4. Kim Chi
-Instagram’s favorite drag queen, the bold & adorable Kim Chi brings out the more artistic side of drag. Using the medium as a way to create visual stories, Chi is unlike any queen from past seasons. Highly conceptual & fiercely funny, big things are expected from this Chicago native. What other visual looks does Kim Chi have in store for us as Season 8 progresses?
3. LGBT History In The Making
-100 Episodes of a show about drag queens. Something this deeply rooted in the gay culture would have never been on TV a decade ago so for the show to have hit that milestone, it is historic. Not since Will & Grace has middle America welcomed the gays in their homes with open arms. Will the show make it to another 100 episodes? Could we have Drag Race in the year 2030!?
2. Bob The Drag Queen
-The New York queen with the catchy name; Bob The Drag Queen has to be one of the mostly stars to snatch the crown. With his sharp sense of humor, Bob doesn’t play by anyone’s rules and that’s why The Drag Queen is a force to be reckoned with. The stand-up comedian will have to follow in the big footsteps left by Season 6 winner, insult comic Bianca Del Rio; something I know Bob will have no problem doing.
1. RuPaul
-With all due respects to the queens looking to be crowned ‘Next Drag Superstar’, there will NEVER be a superstar quite like the show’s host RuPaul. Since 2009, Drag Race has been a staple of gay TV. The stunning RuPaul has guided us down the yellow brick road to the glittery drag world of Oz. All the fierceness wouldn’t mean anything if RuPaul wasn’t there to haunt us with that laugh & blow us away with his beauty.
What did you guys think of Season 8’s premiere!? Are you happy to have celebrated 100 episodes of Drag Race? Don’t forget to check out the show Monday nights at 9pm on LOGO!
The WGN Morning News is famous in Chicago for its carefree spirit and almost goofy broadcasts, but nothing could have prepared Pat Tomasulo, Larry Potash, and Robin Baumgarten for Ty Segall and The Muggers.
The performance can only be described as a throwback to the UHF days of locals broadcast with a baby-faced garage rock twist. Baumgarten’s reaction sums up the 3-minutes and 20-seconds interpretive performance.
CHICAGO!
Ty Segall and The Muggers are on the tail end of their ‘Emotional Mugger’ tour in support of his latest album available from Drag City.
Drag City is a Chicago-based independent record label that specializes in experimental indie rock acts.
Superman The Animated Series is the best adaptation of the character of Superman ever. It kept to the heart of the character, but updated him as well, and embraced some of his goofier sides while also created some really intriguing stories. The show brought in some of DC’s other superheroes, and gave Superman a memorable rogues gallery of great villains. But, this article isn’t a retrospective look at the animated series (Andrew Stewart wrote a great article about the series) this is just a look at few episodes. The twenty greatest episodes the show ever produced, and keep in mind that I consider two-part episodes to be one full episode. So, without further adieu, let’s get started.
20. Blast From The Past
These episodes are a retelling of a classic Superman story, and the first time the Man of Steel has to fight other Kryptonians on the show. After he and Professor Hamilton discover the Phantom Zone they find out that one of the criminals, Mala, has been stuck there for longer than she was supposed to be. Superman decides to let her out, but she has a bit of violent streak and an authoritative attitude. Kal-El, decides that it might be best to send her back to the Phantom Zone, but she grabs the machine and lets out her former commanding officer Jax-Ur. Jax-Ur was a military commander that tried to overthrow Krypton, but was stopped by Superman’s father, Jor-El. It’s the classic Zod story, but without the character of Zod. Jax-Ur was a Superman Villain in the comics before, but the episode would have been more memorable if it were Zod. It’s still a great episode though.
19. Fun and Games
Superman TAS reinvented many aspects of the character’s mythos. One of the best decisions they made was to reimagine the villain Toyman. Instead of just a creepy guy with a toy gimmick, the show gave him a much darker and depressing backstory. Part of this was actor Bud Colt’s sinister yet soft voice and that creepy as hell mask they gave him. They managed to take a character so goofy and make him dark and pretty menacing. Add on top of that a desire for revenge against a Metropolis gangster, and this one of the darker episodes that the show produced.
This is probably not the worst situation Lois Lane has found herself in.
18. My Girl
Lana Lang is one of Superman’s supporting characters that has a certain popularity and had a strong resonance with fans. While she was introduced in the second episode she came back with a fashion design angle and a funnier outlook. While the episode’s main story isn’t particularly interesting, Lana Lang and Clark Kent’s interactions are incredibly entertaining and fun. It’s easy to feel the relationship the two had in the past and how they could have had a relationship together, but they just couldn’t due to the circumstances. The episode also sets up the interesting dynamic between Lex Luthor and his assistant Mercy Graves who later became another fan favorite.
“Great, now I have to keep rescuing you too.”
17. Livewire
One of the crowning achievements of this series was that it created a memorable, and fun new villain called Livewire. A former radio DJ with an anti Superman agenda, she gets electrical powers and decides to try and take out the big blue boy scout. Unlike other villains on the show, she wasn’t brooding or dark, she was funny and energetic and had a lot of personality. Also, she could be the best designed supervillain ever. The dark blue outfit and spiked hair worked well with Lori Petty’s voice.
Livewire deserves more cosplay love.
16. Prototype
Many of the episodes stem from Lex Luthor and his company in one way or another. This one is the most unique of them all, because Luthor enlists John Henry Irons (the superhero soon to be known as Steel) to create a robotic suit that can help the Metropolis Police Force better adapt to the crazy threats they have to deal with. The problem is the suit they created has its own artificial intelligence that corrupts police Sergeant Mills, the man wearing the suit. And soon it’s up to Superman and Irons to find a way to stop him. The episode focuses heavily on Mills and his downfall, but also gives enough time to Irons to see how he feels about his machine failing. It’s a goofy premise that has a lot of heart behind it.
15. Knight Time
Batman and Superman crossed over a few times on their respective series, but this one might be the funniest episode they crossed over. After an encounter with the villain Roxy Rocket, Superman discovers that Batman has gone missing, and Robin is completely on his own fighting crime in Gotham (Batgirl and Nightwing are trying to see if Bruce Wayne is with Ra’s Al Ghul). So, the Man of Tomorrow becomes the Caped Crusader, and it’s hilarious to see Clark Kent try and act like Batman as he takes on a slew of Batman’s rogues gallery with Robin. It’s a very enjoyable episode and gives more of a window about how Clark Kent views The Dark Knight and his methods.
14. Identity Crisis
Bizarro is one of Superman’s more well-known villains, but his origin is bizarre (pun absolutely intended). So, the creators thought of a new way to recreate the character in a much darker way than expected. Luthor tries to clone Superman, and it kind of works at first, but then the clone starts to decay. And his transformation is pretty horrifying and disturbing. His mind starts to slow, and his body rots into a pasty white disfigured look. Superman and Bizarro clash, and we got a lot of great episodes with Bizarro in them. He became one of the show’s greatest recurring villains.
13. A Little Piece of Home
Kryptonite is one of the bigger plot elements that people like to pick on, and it’s a fair point to make: Superman can only be hurt by a rock from his planet that doesn’t exist. It removes the character from any possible danger from the real world. This episode really plays with the idea of how Kryptonite works, and while it’s not the strongest episode, it has a lot of interesting situations on how Luthor uses the Kryptonite. It’s a very action packed episode and solidifies the relationship between Superman and Professor Hamilton.
12. Heavy Metal
Steel was a really cool superhero that had an Iron Man like suit, but had a unique personality and an awesome giant hammer. He was introduced in the comics after Superman died from Doomsday. In the animated series they introduced John Henry Irons earlier to give him more development. And here they gave him the chance to really resonate with audiences. In this episode he fights the metallic baddie Metallo with Superman in downtown Metropolis, and it’s so freaking cool. This introduction to the character was a welcome addition to the series and helped launch the character’s popularity.
One of these days, Steel will have his own comic again.
11. Ghost in the Machine
When the Kryptonian computer menace Brainiac infiltrates LexCorp, he holds Luthor hostage and forces him to make another body. Luthor agrees, and Superman has to save him from the mechanized menace. What’s great about this episode is how Luthor and Brainiac interact with each other; they don’t end up teaming up to take down Superman, they’re both try to use each other to get what they want. It’s also the episode used to set up a lot of what happens in Justice League Unlimited’s climax, which is also pretty fantastic.
10. Brave New Metropolis
Parallel universes are a staple of the comic book superhero world, so it’s fun to see Superman in an alternate world. After Lois Lane is thrown into a parallel universe she finds a Metropolis where her death created a union between Superman and Lex Luthor. They created a police state in Metropolis and have an authoritarian rule. It’s a dark, heartbreaking episode that has a lot of “what ifs” and twists on classic characters. Jimmy Olsen is kind of bad ass actually, and it’s a great episode that put a lot of interesting emotion into the episode that we haven’t seen in a lot of Superman stories. Definitely a great departure from the classic Superman stories.
9. A Fish Story
Aquaman is a bad ass, and this show was the first time a TV could really show audiences his awesomeness. After trying to stop Luthor from some nefarious deeds in the ocean, Aquaman gets captured, and the Atlanteans are ready to start an all out war against the surface world. Superman saves Aquaman, but Luthor is still being a dick, and tries to kill most of Atlantis. Aquaman stops him with some help from his sea friends and it’s a great episode filled with action and a great team up that showcased a character that gets a bum rap too often.
“They haven’t cleaned the filter in years!”
8. The Hand of Fate
The show had many team ups and most of them were pretty standard team ups, and most of them involved Superman helping a new superhero adjust to their powers. This one is a little different. Superman has to help a retired, uninterested superhero get back into action. Dr. Fate has given up his heroics, but one of his old enemies is back, and Superman needs his help to fight him off. It’s interesting to see how Superman needs to inspire someone again, and how Superman knows he can’t defeat this enemy by himself. Dr. Fate’s powers are cool, and the episode is basically visual candy.
7. Father’s Day
One of the underlying plots in the show that was set up brilliantly was the introduction of Jack Kirby’s creation Darkseid and the New Gods. Throughout the series Darkseid’s plan was to invade Earth and control of Superman. However, Superman’s first introduction to the world of Apokolips is Darkseid’s adopted son Kalibak. Kalibak tries to honor his father, who’s constantly disappointed in him, by trying to kill Superman first. The two have a brawl in downtown Metropolis (a constant setting in this show) during Father’s day. It’s a great episode that sets up some of the best story arcs in the show.
6. Little Girl Lost
Supergirl’s live action series has been a smash hit since its debut back in September, and her animated induction had a similar fun and spunky character with a similar origin story. Superman finds his long-lost cousin in the deep depths of space, and decides to bring her to Earth and have her live on the farm. Of course she gains superpowers like Superman, and wants to fight crime, but bites off more than she can chew when she takes on Apokolips queen Grannie Goodness and her army of teenage gangsters. It’s a fun introduction to the Girl of Steel, and she also became a great recurring character for the series. The only catch is that her design wasn’t great, but they rectified that in Justice League Unlimited.
5. In Brightest Day…
Green Lantern’s introduction to the series was a little weird. They used Kyle Rayner instead of Hal Jordan and John Stewart (who ended up being in the Green Lantern in Justice League) and while it made sense because Rayner was the Green Lantern in the comics; they designed him to look like Hal Jordan. But, it’s a fun episode with the introduction of Sinestro and the concept of the Green Lantern Corps, and it’s another feast for the eyes. Rayner is very likeable and entertaining as a reluctant hero who has to own up to the responsibility of what’s been thrusted upon him.
4. Speed Demons
Like with the introduction of Green Lantern, the show also introduced Wally West as The Flash and created a really goofy episode about the classic race around the world between Superman and Flash. The two end up going up against The Weather Wizard who is ready to destroy cities with a new weather machine. It’s a great goofy episode that’s very Silver Age in a lot of ways, but it also has a great team up between the two. Wally West is kind of a lovable jerk, but has a good heart and the two heroes have a strong interaction worth watching.
Lucy would be proud Flash.
3. World’s Finest
All this talk about Batman finally meeting Superman in live action, and it’s impossible not to mention their great meet up story in this episode. The Joker and Luthor are out to kill Superman, but The Man of Tomorrow has an unlikely ally in The Dark Knight. The two have to workout their differences to save Metropolis and take down The Joker. What really works great is the chemistry between Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent, as well as the Lois Lane factor. Wayne and Lane have a near romance in the episodes, and of course it doesn’t really work out the way Wayne wants it to. There are also some fun action scenes involving the most homicidal robots ever created by Luthor. It’s definitely the best incarnation to Batman and Superman’s first meeting.
“You know Lexy, I think maybe it’s time we got real jobs.”
2. Mxyzpixilated
One of Superman’s most unusual villains is a fifth dimensional imp named Mister Myxyzptlk. His only goal in being Superman’s enemy is to annoy him, and Superman can only stop him if he can get Myxyzptlk to say his own name backwards. What follows is a hilarious episode that is somehow so Silver Age and bizarre, but so funny and enduring. Plus it also showcases Superman’s intelligence and creativity to outwit his opponents. A lot of people forget that Superman is smart, and resourceful. Plus Gilbert Gottfried’s voice is perfect for the character. Kind of a weird episode, but a good kind of weird.
Never mix Kryptonite and weed.
1. The Main Man
Lobo is a space bounty hunter created by DC Comics as a parody of the muscle-bound overly dark 90s characters that were so prominent in that era. Lobo’s popularity sprung up so quickly that they actually introduced him into the animated series before other heroes. And it was great two-part episode where Lobo captures Superman for a mysterious being called The Collector. The episode is weird, funny, involves Clark Kent using his wits and fighting ability to defeat Lobo and the Collector, and a great team up. These episodes perfectly capture the oddities of the character Superman, but still stick to the core of who he is, and what he’s willing to do. They’re the perfect episodes for a great series.
“So it’s settled, we’re going to kill the Twilight style New 52 version of me. Right?”
So there you have it, 20 great episodes of Superman The Animated Series, if you didn’t see your favorite episode, let us know in the comments below, and tell us why it’s you favorite. Next time the “Road to Batman V Superman” continues; this time we look at 20 great episodes of Batman The Animated Series, which is the finest adaptation of the character ever. See you then.
Whenever casting news is announced online, casting a new actor in a beloved role from a comic book or previous film, fans always react. They love it. They hate it. They think it might kinda sorta have to grow on them. And sometimes the casting news involves an actor that is different ethnically from the way the character has been traditionally portrayed. When that happens, that is when my faith in science fiction, as a genre that is supposed to expand horizons, starts to dip a little bit when I read the ignorant comments that are often made online.
I understand what it is like to think that an actor is entirely wrong for a role. I know what it’s like to have a preconceived idea about a character and scratch my head as to why a particular actor was cast. I also know what it is like to be proven completely wrong when the bully kid from 10 Things I Hate About You completely nails The Joker. People will write things about the actors’ previous work or whether or not they are a good actor when objecting to them being cast as a certain beloved character. And some of it is rose-colored nostalgia glasses, having a tough time moving forward if something is changing.
But then, there are the people who think that it’s wrong or in some way pandering to switch the ethnicity of a character, claiming that Michael B. Jordan was the reason Fant4stic flopped when it was obviously the budget cuts that the studio imposed in the middle of production. I wrote an article recently about the Ice Cube playing J. Jonah Jameson rumor, and the amount of racially-slanted comments that I saw on Facebook made me sad. I commented on his acting ability (something that is important to a movie), and others commented on the color of his skin. Anyway, that evening, ironically while watching Zootopia, I came up with a solution to this problem. It is actually a solution to this issue as well as another that has been plaguing Hollywood science fiction films for years. Ready for it? Here you go!
CREATE. ORIGINAL. CONTENT.
Think about it, if Michael B. Jordan played a superhero in a movie that was not based on an existing franchise, would people object to it? Probably, but racist fans couldn’t hide behind a nostalgic love for a previous version of the character because this character was never seen before. It’s like when people objected to a black Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens before they saw any real footage. Those people were racist. If they opposed to Morgan Freeman playing Han Solo, they could hide behind “I would miss Harrison Ford”. But Finn was an original character, so they didn’t have nostalgia to hide behind.
“Where’s my boyfriend? I like that Wookiee.”
Needless to say, Hollywood ONLY making big-budget science fiction films that are based on an existing brand creates other problems that result in stale remakes. I have no problem with making movies out of existing books/comics that have never been adapted before. Even Die Hard was based on a book, believe it or not. And I forgive the new Spider-Man reboot because now he gets to “come home” and hang out with the rest of the MCU. But enough is enough with the reboots. The few truly original science fiction films that have come out in recent memory have underperformed partially because they didn’t have the advertising campaign of something with a bigger name. Would Pacific Rim have done better if there was merchandise on every corner of Target and Wal-Mart like there was with Age of Ultron? Probably. And I say that because Godzilla came out about the same time and I saw a lot more merchandise for that one. Would that original sci-fi movie have even gotten made if Del Toro didn’t have clout in the industry and his own production company? Probably not.
“I’m about to whoop Godzilla!”
Yes, that is a debate for another article. And I lack the magic power as well as the will power necessary to solve the problem of racism worldwide. But creating more original content in science fiction films will reduce the number of people complaining about the ethnicities of characters online because that will be the first time we’ve seen that character (like Finn), so he can be whatever the director wants. (black, white, Asian, Hispanic, Hutt, Rodian, Klingon, Vulcan, Kree, Skrull, talking teapot, etc.) And the haters can’t hide behind nostalgia. Two angry birds with one Infinity Stone.
What do you think? Would creating more original science fiction movie content squash this problem? Or at least, reduce these kinds of annoying comments? Did you like Idris Elba’s character in Pacific Rim or would you rather see Tom Selleck and his mustache scream, “We are canceling the apocalypse!” Comment below.
For fans of watching bad movies and mocking them, your prayers have been answers. On top of last year’s successful Kickstarter Campaign to get new episodes of the classic series, Mystery Science Theater 3000 to return, fans will now have the opportunity to fund more hilarity in the coming months.
The crew over at RiffTrax have announced their plan for 2016, which will include a RiffTrax of the classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 movie, Time Chasers, but the fans will also have the ability to fund a Reunion Show. If successful, the show will feature Rifftrax regulars, Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett, and Kevin Murphy welcoming back a few faces MST3K fans (or MSTies as you prefer to be called) will be familiar with. The special guests will include Trace Beaulieu (Dr. Clayton Forrester), Frank Conniff (TV’s Frank), Mary Jo Pehl (Pearl Forrester), and Bridget Nelson (Mr. B Natural). The trio has also extended invitations to other former cast members as well so there is a chance more guests will be announced later. For now the group is hoping to raise $225,000 to make these specials happen.
Hopefully this is all the information you need to help support this worthwhile event. If not, the Kickstarter also mentions two other unnamed movies will be featured in this year’s schedule. Fans of RiffTrax know they won’t be disappointed and you haven’t experienced them yet, you owe it to yourself to check out some of the hilarious comedy which can come from mocking very bad films.
CBS’s Supergirl is off this week; Kara will be back next week under the influence of red kryptonite. Evil Supergirl will make for a fun episode. With Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice premiering this month thought it might be fun to spin the classic argument Batman vs. Superman argument. What would happened if a red kryptonite infected Supergirl went after Batman? Who would win?
After all, Supergirl has the same power set and around the same power level as Superman. In fact, Superman once surmised she might actually be stronger than he is. (This could be due to her body either absorbing the energy from the yellow sun more efficiently. Or this could be attributed to the fact that Clark grew up with humans, so he became accustomed to holding back.) Whatever, Supergirl is clearly one of the most powerful beings on Earth. This sets up a nice match between a powerful alien and a wealthy and cunning billionaire with almost unlimited resources.
The fight is a “no contest.”If Batman has no time to prepare, Supergirl wins hands down. She could kill an off guard Batman in so many ways. These range from simply breaking his neck with her pinky to flying him to the moon and leaving him there. Or if she wanted to be a little more creative she could blow on him with her freeze breath, so deadly it would make Mr. Freeze jealous. She could shatter Batman into a bunch of little bat pieces. Let’s say Batman has time to prepare with bat armor equipped loaded with bat missiles. Still no match for a being that can shoot fire from her eyes, cold from her breath and move almost as fast as the Flash. She can also lift hundreds of thousands of tons.
Perhaps if Batman snuck up on Supergirl and caught her off guard? Well, super senses, x-ray vision, and super reflexes make that impossible. Of course, Batman carries kryptonite with him that he can use on her. The problem for him is, a red kryptonite infected Supergirl would have no moral qualms melting Batman with heat ray vision before he could get close enough to do any harm. After all, the effects of kryptonite aren’t instantaneous. Hence, the reason the DEO made kryptonite swords. These allow a deadly delivery of kryptonite.
Supergirl’s sister Alex killed Astra with one of these swords. Alex is nowhere near the fighter Batman is. It could be argued that Astra is at least as powerful as Supergirl. Therefore, if Alex can take out Astra, Batman can take down Supergirl or for that matter Superman. Here’s the caveat to that, Astra was very distracted fighting another powerful alien, Martian Manhunter. This is the only way for Batman to take out a Kryptonian is if a similarly powered being distracts that Kryptonian.
Batman is a great iconic character. He is the epitome of human achievement. He will do whatever if needed to get the job done. One on one, even if prepared, he is no match for Supergirl, Superman or any Kryptonian while they are on a yellow-sunned world. Especially if that super being is under the influence of red kryptonite! Thoughts?
