We are a little over a month away from the release of Marvel’s newest film, Black Panther. The film is tracking to be another smash hit for the MCU with a possible $100 million opening weekend.
With hype for the film being at an all-time high, Marvel has decided to release a new batch of character descriptions, via Toys”R”Us, for the films major players. The list includes T’Challa, Okoye, Killmonger, Shuri, Nakia, M’Baku and Everett Ross. You can check out the descriptions below:
“After the events of Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.”
The film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Sterling K. Brown and Andy Serkis. Black Panther will be directed by Ryan Coogler
No, not literally. The streaming giant recently released the NSFW trailer of the controversial show that caused quite the stir in the U.K. last fall and revealed a premiere date as well.
The show is based on the award-winning graphic novels by Charles Forsman and is best-described as a savage teen romance series. The premise follows James, a budding teen psychopath, and Alyssa, a rebel hungry for adventure, as they embark on a star-crossed road trip to find a better life and escape the impending doom of adulthood. As their chaotic journey unfolds, it becomes apparent that the two have crossed a line and have no choice but to take it as far as they can.
The impending U.S. premiere date, which came out of nowhere, is set for this weekend, January 5, 2018.
Looks like Ms. Foster Won’t Be Signing Up To Do A Superhero Flick Anytime Soon.
While discussing her role on Black Mirror with Radio Times Magazine, Oscar-winning actress Jodie Foster shared her thoughts on the plethora of superhero movies being released.
“Going to the movies has become like a theme park. Studios making bad content in order to appeal to the masses and shareholders is like fracking – you get the best return right now but you wreck the earth. It’s ruining the viewing habits of the American population and then ultimately the rest of the world. I don’t want to make $200m movies about superheroes,” said Foster.
When asked if she would ever consider doing this type of film she replied, only if they have a “really complex psychology”.
Foster isn’t the only A-lister who feels this way. Jon Hamm, Naomi Watts, and Reese Witherspoon all avoid these types of roles as they feel it’s ruining the cinema.
Duke Thomas has finally put on a costume and joined the extended Bat-family as the latest member. Naming himself ‘Signal’, Duke hopes to bring the same level of justice to Gotham during the day as Batman brings at night. But is there room in Gotham for another vigilante? And how does the growing mystery of the sudden appearance of meta-human teens tie into Duke and his own abilities and origin?
Batman and The Signal #1 (of 3)
‘Gotham by Day Part One: Morning’
Story by: Scott Snyder and Tony Patrick Written by: Tony Patrick Art by: Cully Hamner Colors by: Laura Martin Letters by: Deron Bennet
Writing
Batman and the Signal was my first real introduction to Duke Thomas. I had read the character in both The Casting and The Forge Metal tie-ins, but I never read We Are Robin. I have to say Snyder and Patrick did a great job of making this accessible to new readers. As Duke is a direct narrator to the reader, we get all the information we need with only the slightest bit of exposition. By the end of the issue, we have a clear idea of who Duke Thomas is and we have enough information on his origin that he becomes a strong protagonist.
There was also a nice amount of humor in this comic. Duke is still very much an outsider in the Bat-family and his comments and observations (especially in the great breakfast scene that opens the issue) are almost a meta-commentary on Batman and friends.
The mystery that takes up the plot is also good. It sets up a personal connection with Duke and also raises the stakes in the danger to Gotham.
Art
Batman and the Signal is a strong book visually. Cully Hamner creates a nice combination of grit and slickness that brings a nice level of energy between the two. When you add in Laura Martin’s color palette, you get a book that really pops.
Design wise the panel and layouts have some cool moments and I for one also like the design and color of Signal’s costume (perhaps it stems from my affinity for Reverse Flash’s look).
Conclusion
This mini-series is off to a promising start and at a planned three issues I definitely think it is well worth a look. If you loved what Snyder did in Batman (and what is happening in Metal) you will dig this.
Mike Habjan, a YouTube creator, is attempting to answer the question that has plagued comic book fans around the globe for ages, who would win in a fight between Superman and Hulk?
We might soon have our answer. This project started six years ago for Habjan, who recently released Part 4 in his ongoing DC Comics vs. Marvel Title Match of two of the biggest and most-recognizable heavyweights of their respective brands.
One of the coolest things about this series is that Habjan tickles the nostalgic string in all of us and imagines two fan-favorite actors to have played the characters, Christopher Reeve as Superman (1978) and Lou Ferrigno from the Incredible Hulk TV series (1978-82).
As you will see below, in Part 4, after an exhausting battle on land in Parts 1-3, Superman attempts to take Hulk to his stomping grounds, in space. Wherever your allegiances lie, let’s take a look at the resumes before diving into the videos.
* Can lift or manipulate between 66 quintillion-400 quintillion tons.
* Has rotated the Earth before.
* After being supercharged by the sun, he was quoted with the ability to lift 200 quintillion tons with just one arm and thinks he could lift even more than that.
* Can do the ‘Infinite Mass Punch’, in which his fist travels at the speed of light, causing the punch to impact with near-infinite mass.
Durability:
+ Superman has survived numerous attacks in the past, whether that of equal power to a supernova or that of even more powerful attacks.
+ He can take a 10-octillion megaton yield of a relatively small supernova blast, without even being supercharged by the sun prior to the attack.
Speed:
^ Superman can travel faster than the speed of light, or as the popular saying goes, ‘Faster than a speeding bullet’. He can also bend the space-time continuum around himself to go even faster. He can also leave our universe if he unleashes all of his barriers.
^ Batman recorded Superman’s fastest speed route at 10,563,300,000 mph (10.5 billion mph). That’s 15.75 times the speed of light!
^ He has been compared in speed to Flash when he’s going his fastest and Barry Allen’s not overexerting himself.
^ Batman also stated that Superman can perceive things happening with zeptosecond precision. That is one-sextillionth of a second!
Weaknesses:
– Kryptonite.
– He has a high moral standard and respect for life, so to not kill another.
– He must remove all self-imposed limiters and mind-blocks, sequentially, to access his full power.
* His strength and fury is effectively limitless, depending on his emotional state. After his metamorphosis, he starts out at roughly 100-tons of lifting capacity.
* The entity known as the ‘Beyonder’ once claimed that the Hulk’s potential strength had “no finite element inside”.
* He is also able to generate omni-directional bursts of kinetic energy with the capacity for completely destroying the planet he is standing on.
* He can grow even stronger from absorbing more radiation.
Durability:
+ Hulk’s body will mutate as needed to compensate for any external threat, including crushing pressure underwater, the surface of the sun and outer space. The kicker, he just has to remain angry.
+ He has withstood the equivalent of solar temperatures.
+ Has survived attacks that can shatter a planet, including nuclear explosions.
+ He can survive outer space.
Speed:
^ Hulk is capable of superhuman speeds of several hundred miles-per-hour and can enter low Earth orbit through jumping. He can then also survive the re-entry from low orbit Space.
Weaknesses:
– He isn’t too bright (obviously much smarter as Bruce Banner).
– He will lash out in rage without thinking through about the repercussions of his actions.
– He begins with the capability of 100-tons- worth of lifting strength and only increases in power that is proportional to his anger.
Most statistical data and characteristics on the two characters were compiled via Nerdist. The ‘Superman vs Hulk’ series is set to continue eventually with Part 5, so keep an eye out for it by subscribing to Mike Habjan’s YouTube Channel.
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Who do you think would win and why? Tell us in the comments below.
In a statement on Friday from movie ticketing company Fandango, the most anticipated movies for 2018 revolve around superheroes. That’s not surprising, as the genre is currently booming with new and exciting content to fulfill our desires for more. Marvel Cinematic Universe’s crossover films are largely fueling this interest. Fandango’s survey of more than 8,000 site visitors has named Avengers: Infinity War as the most anticipated film of 2018.
While I agree with most of this list, there are a few notable films that I’m personally looking forward to that are missing from their survey. Here are some other films that I can’t wait to see:
Aquaman (December 21)
After seeing Justice League, I left wanting to see more of Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry, Amber Heard’s Mera, and the underwater world of Atlantis. While we got very little background on each of the Justice League heroes, Aquaman’s screen time seemed very incomplete.
The New Mutants (April 13)
This movie seems to be taking more of a psycho-thriller approach to the X-Men Universe than that of the typical sci-fi spin. The trailer felt very much like watching an episode of Legion.
Ready Player One (March 30)
As a lover of video games and the 80’s, this looks absolutely fabulous. Wrapping nostalgia into a dystopian world with Stephen Spielberg at the helm should prove to be a winning combination.
Halloween (October 19)
Jamie Lee Curtis will be back to reprise her role of Laurie Strode, and John Carpenter is set to executive produce and score the next film in the franchise. Carpenter is quoted as saying that he hopes that this will be the scariest in the series. It’s to be a direct sequel to the original Halloween (1978) and will ignore all of the other sequels in story continuity.
What movies are you looking forward to in 2018? Let me know in the comments below!
The technology thriller series BLACK MIRROR returned for a fourth season this Friday. While it didn’t make our list of top “geeky” television shows of 2017, it had some solid moments this season. Rather than drop individual reviews for each standalone episodes, we’re going to rank the episodes from worst to best.
Hang the DJ does a good job at recapturing the rom-com charms of last year’s “San Junipero.” The chemistry between the two leads feels real, making their relationship struggles compelling. What’s odd is that this episode seems to be in FAVOR of technology, which is usually the opposite of BLACK MIRROR’s subject matter. While “Hang the DJ” isn’t nearly as good as its feel-good predecessor, it is a sweet tale of digital love.
USS Callister, arguably the flagship episode of season four, also wound up being the best. It’s a legitimately entertaining and dark take on the dark side of wish fulfillment. Seeing the transformation from sympathetic nerd to evil space captain is enthralling, as is the performances from his crew of servants. It’s a solid combination of classic sci-fi and darker subject matter. Plus, the cameo at the end really sells it.
Do you agree with this ranking? Which episode did you like best? What’s been your favorite season of BLACK MIRROR?
Unsurprisingly, Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the highest grossing domestic film of 2017.
After only a few weeks in cinemas, Episode VIII has brought in a total of $530 Million. The previous box office king, Beauty and the Beast, totalled $504 Million. Given that The Last Jedi will be in theaters for likely another full month, Rian Johnson’s somewhat controversial Star Wars picture will have ran away with the box office crown.
The Last Jedi was loved by critics, however, fans didn’t enjoy the film as much. The critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is a whopping 91 percent. The audience score, on the other hand? An incredibly mediocre 51 percent. There is undoubtedly a divide between fans and critics in regards to the latest Star Wars installment.
“Luke Skywalker’s peaceful and solitary existence gets upended when he encounters Rey, a young woman who shows strong signs of the Force. Her desire to learn the ways of the Jedi forces Luke to make a decision that changes their lives forever. Meanwhile, Kylo Ren and General Hux lead the First Order in an all-out assault against Leia and the Resistance for supremacy of the galaxy”
Star Wars: The Last Jedi stars Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Kelly Marie Tran, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Serkis, Laura Dern, Domnhall Gleeson, and Gwendoline Christie.
What did you think of Star Wars: The Last Jedi? Sound off in the comments below.
This is going to be an epic year for movies. There is also so much to look forward to in regard to video games and indie comics as well. As we ring in this new year, let’s take a look at some of our favorite Television, movies, video games and comicbooks coming that have us all pretty excited.
Calling all yielders of joysticks: 2017 was an amazing year for video games and it will be hard to top, but 2018 will not be short of some great games. This could be a nice year for Playstation as it is set to release quite a few console-exclusive titles like, Days Gone, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Shadow of Colossus and Detroit: Become Human. Nintendo is also gearing up to continue on last year’s success with the launch of the Switch by dropping titles like, Yoshi, Lost Sphear and bringing fan-favorite titles like Bayonetta 1-2, including having landing the third installment as a console exclusive. Xbox will be a powerhouse again this year as well with releases like: Sea of Thieves, A Way Out, State of Decay 2, Monster Hunter World and Jurassic World: Evolution (this title will actually be on both PS4 and PC as well).
A fateful event sends shockwaves through a community on the South Side of Chicago and connects the lives of young youth in unexpected ways in a coming of age tale.
A team of young superheroes led by Nightwing (formerly Batman’s first Robin) form to combat evil and other perils. This series will debut alongside the soon-to-be-released DC Comics-branded digital service.
This will be a classic murder-mystery show, but unique in that it will include an interactive element where the audience can determine the outcome of the story.
Another Netflix adaptation of a novel is set in a future where consciousness is digitized and stored and implanted in the spine, allowing humans to survive physical death by having their memories and consciousness “re-sleeved” into new bodies.
The sequel picks up after the deserted island theme park’s dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen and Claire mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from the extinction-level event.
Let’s be honest, video game adaptation films have traditionally not been very good, if at all. However, we feel good about this one. Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.
T’Challa (aka ‘Black Panther’), after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda (in Captain America: Civil War), returns home to the isolated, technologically-advanced African nation to succeed the throne and take his rightful place as the new king.
The highly anticipated sequel will feature not one, but two, members of X-Force and potentially include cameos with 2-3 more members of the mutant militia squad, setting the groundwork for an eventual team film down the road.
The ‘Thanos-without-his-helmet’ jokes aside, this movie is setting up to potentially blow our collective minds. Thanos is coming and he’s not messing around. The Avengers and their allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
This series offers some of the best first-person shooter experiences. The previous two titles, Metro 2033 and Last Light, were near masterpieces. Developer 4A Games is surely on a mission to deliver an experience that will rival what they’ve already achieved with this franchise.
A fifth installment means get ready for a large world, filled with co-op madness, a lunatic bosses, and a plethora of weapons and vehicles. The game will tab a cult whose warped sense of morals have corrupted a small town, rebellion ensues and puts a new twist on the series, which makes an old ride worth taking again.
A combo of both suspense and horror, with a dash of space survival makes this game a must play. If you’re nostalgic and got the opportunity to play the awesomely revamped Prey and BioShock this year, then you will love this (maybe you’ve already played it, we don’t know). Nightdive Studios has taken pride in ensuring that fan-favorite classic games are played by new generation gamers, so this will surely revitalize the title.
Rockstar will finally release a sequel to the greatest western video game ever made this year. Its predecessor was an incredible gaming experience, so they’ll have to come out, ‘guns blazing’ (pun intended), to make this another masterpiece.
This is a sci-fi shooter from EA and BioWare that launches players into roles as mercenaries tasked with protecting society plagued by a variety of threats. This is one of 2018’s most highly-anticipated titles.
In the first of quarterly one-shot issues, we take a look at the twisted and bombastic history of THE VINDICATORS in an all-out superhero comics extravaganza. Read in amazement as the superhero team travels through dimensions to recruit other heroes to defeat a villain of their own making. Gasp in shock and awe as the plot twists and previously irrelevant characters revive from the dead! Frown in frustration as you forget the complicated backstory of suddenly important mythic items! And most of all … WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB!
Celebrity is fleeting. Especially in the future where superstar soldiers charge into battle for fame, profit, and sponsorship. Soldier Satta Flynn is the most viewed war hero in a world where war has become a spectator sport! But when a new generation of soldiers enters the battlefield, Satta learns the true price of fame.
The lives of a reclusive young man obsessed with a conspiracy in the city’s trash, and a washed-up Catholic priest arriving in a small town full of dark secrets, become intertwined around the mysterious legend of The Black Barn, an otherworldly building that is alleged to have appeared in both the city and the small town, throughout history, bringing death and madness in its wake. Rural mystery and urban horror collide in this character-driven meditation on obsession, mental illness and faith.
The Galactic Relay, a monolithic structure, colonizes new planets with the questionable intent of unifying what’s considered uncivilized cultures. But what is the Galactic Relay? Where did it come from? Why should anyone trust it? Careful. The truth of its origin might feel more like reality than science fiction!
A decade ago, 300,000 citizens of Philadelphia were suddenly lost in Oblivion. The government made every attempt to recover them, but after many years, they gave up. Nathan Cole won’t. He makes daily trips, risking his life to try and rescue those still living in the apocalyptic hellscape of Oblivion. But maybe, Nathan, is looking for something else? Why can’t he resist the siren call of the Oblivion Song?
Want even more comics to be excited about in 2018? Check out this iO9 primer.
What are you most looking forward to watching, seeing, playing and reading? Tell us in the comments section below.
DC’s Titans is a television show that both DC and Warner Bros. have a lot riding on. The live-action adaptation of the famed heroes is part of a new streaming service created by the two. Up until this point, some information about the series has remained behind closed doors. As TitansPodcast.com has uncovered a new character breakdown for the series.
One involving a character named Evan Logue. Despite the name not having any current ties to the DC universe (mostly a code name), his breakdown carries ties to an antagonist that may also be in the show. Raven’s demon father Trigon. According to the official breakdown, Logue is “Male, Late 30s-40s, Caucasian. Charismatic. A cult leader attempting to reunite his family”.
Also included in the breakdown are notes saying the character plays an important role in the series finale and is a recurring guest star. The description is backed by an audition tape titled Evan Logue. WhichIan Duncan(Masters of None) posted on Vimeo. But what makes the link between Logue and Trigon stronger?
In the video posted by Duncan, Logue is trying to recruit someone to his cause. A woman named Anne (also likely a stage name) who is more than likely Raven. Since his inception in 1981’s New Teen Titans #5, Trigon’s sole purpose is to have his various children be extensions of his great power. Unfortunately for the demon, his children often rebelled against him. This led to their destruction at his hands.
Think of him as the demon version of Darth Vader, only there’s no good in him. Placing Trigon as the main antagonist in Titans makes sense. His immediate tie to Raven makes him an antagonist the show doesn’t have to really build up to. He’s not Darkseid or Thanos where his involvement has to involve multiple seasons leading up to his appearance.
Also in the animated movie Justice League vs. Teen Titans, the story is mostly built around him and Raven’s relationship. Serving as inspiration for either the main arc or her own separate storyline. Another possibility for the character is Brother Blood.
A character created in 1982 and first appeared in New Teen Titans #21. A character whose cult Church of Blood has ties to Trigon. A character who was an antagonist on The CW’s Arrow (as shown above). Whomever Logue is, the character seems rather interesting.
The pilot for Titans is currently filming in Toronto, Canada. The show stars Brenton Thwaites, Teagan Croft, Anna Diop, and Ryan Potter and has a release date of 2018. Who do you think the main antagonist for season one will be? Comment below!
