Why Superheroes Are Only Going to Get Bigger and Bigger

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October 10, 2017

Superheroes have existed in popular culture for decades. The likes of Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman are almost as old as comic books themselves, the heroes helping the people of Earth fight villains and their notoriously devious plans. Let’s not forget there have been some quirky ones as well, such as Iron Man and The Tick.

Superheroes may not exist in real life, but they are very much part of the social fabric. After all, the Marvel Cinematic Universe would not be so popular worldwide if there was not a huge appetite for larger-than-life characters. It was comic books that started the entire superhero genre, which is now very much mainstream, both in literature and in movies. One of the most recent superhero comics is The Boys. Set between 2006 and 2008 and the brainchild of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, the series is based on a superpowered CIA squad monitoring the superhero community. As you may have guessed, it is a satire, and fans of the comic books will be pleased to know that a series will be made based on it.

The Boys series is coming to Amazon and promises to be a huge hit. It will be produced by Seth Rogen and directed by Evan Goldberg, with writer Eric Kripke already working on the hour-long drama. Amazon’s streaming service is becoming hugely popular, and one suspects that The Boys will be a serious hit. Over the years, there have been several Superhero TV shows which have been hugely disappointing, such as Black Scorpion, Iron Fist, and Mutant X. There have, though, been a lot of hugely successful shows; Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow, Smallville, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones probably top the list.

The success of superhero movies can also be underlined by the fact that there is a massive appetite for this genre all over the world. Released in 2017, Spider-Man: Homecoming is the sixth Spider-Man movie of the 21st century, but it has been a massive success. Not only has the Tom Holland and Michael Keaton film been well received by critics and fans alike, but it has also grossed over $800 million worldwide. In 2016, Captain America: Civil War was the highest grossing movie on the planet with over $1.15 billion in gross earnings worldwide. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad together made over $1.6 billion gross worldwide. Robert Downey Jr-starring Iron Man, released in 2008, meanwhile, made almost $600 million gross worldwide after being produced on a budget of just $140 million.

Superheroes have made themselves popular amongst those with a penchant for slot games as well. Superman, Man of Steel and Spiderman: Attack of the Green Goblin are quite popular, and so is PocketWin’s Super City Slots. An important reason behind the popularity of such superhero-themed slot games is the fact that many online casinos, such as those listed on Oddschecker, offer free spins to new customers, making them accessible to a broad range of gamers.

Away from iGaming and into the wider context of video gaming, Batman: Arkham Asylum, released in 2009, is one of the best superhero video games out there. As the name suggests, the protagonist is the Dark Knight, who has to fight evil in Gotham. The 2000 Spider-Man edition from Neversoft is another great video game. It was arguably the first video game to capture the true character, essence, and skills of Spider-Man, and also features characters such as Octopus, Venom, and Daredevil.

With popular streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video showing more and more superhero shows, this genre is only going to get bigger and better in the coming years. Combine that with the Marvel and DC movies to come in the next two or three years – Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2020), Aquaman (2018), Wonder Woman 2 (2019) and Cyborg (2020) – and you can see pretty quickly how it is only logical to expect superheroes to be part of our social conscience for many years to come!

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Black Monday Murders #7 Takes Us Down the Dark Stairs

By

Joshua Versalle

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The Black Monday Murders is a supernatural financial murder mystery noir. It is written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Tomm Coker. It is published by Image Comics.

Plot Synopsis:

Professor Gaddis leads Detective Dumas to confront Mammon beneath the Federal Reserve. They seek answers and find out not only who killed Daniel Rothschild, but also that the market crash in 1987 was caused by someone other than Mammon. Meanwhile, Gregoria Rothschild also knows who killed her brother and is looking to settle accounts.

Artwork:

I can’t say enough about Tomm Coker’s artwork. His style is unlike anything I’ve seen in comics before. He does a great job of making characters’ faces very expressive and of differentiating them from each other, even in a comic that is mostly black and white. He creates demons that somehow fit right into both Mammon’s lair and the Federal Reserve building. From the halls of financial institutions to the bowels of hell, he depicts a landscape that is both eerie and beautiful.

Writing:

The Black Monday Murders is not a superhero comic and is by no means action-packed (although the action starts picking up in this issue). It, like much of Hickman’s work, is reliant on building a mythology and this issue does that well. The dialogue is crisp and the use of non-traditional panels (another Hickman trademark) such as emails, internal memos, and diary entries help to enrich the world being built. The world of The Black Monday Murders is dark and eerie, but definitely one that is worth exploring. If this sounds like your sort of read, then I recommend you start at the beginning.

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‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Is The Beginning Of A Hulk Trilogy Says Mark Ruffalo

By

Kieran McLean

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October 10, 2017

While The Incredible Hulk is a fan-favourite character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Mark Ruffalo has never been given the opportunity to appear in a solo Hulk movie. Of course, this has more to do with studio politics than creative decisions, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

More – Early ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Reactions Are Overwhelmingly Positive

Thankfully, the crossover movies have allowed the Hulk to continue within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it seems like Marvel Studios has figured out a way to give Mark Ruffalo’s version of the character its own trilogy.

In a recent interview with Cinema Blend, Mark Ruffalo discussed how he and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige came up with a way to build a trilogy around the Hulk.

“So basically, Kevin [Feige] pulled me aside before this, and said, ‘If you were gonna do a… if we were going to do a standalone Hulk movie, what would it be?’ And I said, ‘I think it should be this, this, this, and this and this, and ends up like this.’ And he’s like, ‘I love that. Why don’t we do that in the next three movies, starting with Thor 3 and then we go into Avengers 3 and 4.’ And I was like, ‘That sounds great!’ And so we are at the beginning of this arc.”

As Ruffalo mentions above, the Hulk’s new story arc will begin in Thor: Ragnarok, with the narrative continuing throughout Avengers: Infinity War into the untitled fourth Avengers movie. Looking at his role in Thor: Ragnarok it’s already apparent how far the character has developed. Hulk is now able to communicate and has more control over Bruce Banner than in previous movies. We can only imagine how he will continue to grow further in the upcoming Avengers sequels.

Thor: Ragnarok will land in theatres on October 24!

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5 Things Every Wonder Woman Fan Wants To See In ‘Justice League’

By

Kieran McLean

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October 10, 2017

After the massive success of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. and DC Films will hope to hit another home run with Justice League, which is just over a month away from its November release date. The trailers and posters have done a great job of displaying how vital Wonder Woman will be to the team, but we’re still not 100% sure how Gal Gadot’s Amazonian warrior will be different when we finally see Justice League.

More – 5 Things Every Superman Fan Wants To See In ‘Justice League’

As the release date approaches, fans are more excited than ever to see Wonder Woman back on the big screen and to help build anticipation, I’ve compiled a list of the five things I want to see from Wonder Woman in Justice League.

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5. Invisible Jet

While Wonder Woman‘s invisible jet is often viewed as a joke or unrealistic, there’s an excellent way for the DC Extended Universe to introduce the high-tech plane in Justice League. We’ve seen in films like The Avengers that an audience is willing to believe in a gigantic invisible machine, so using that same technology, Wonder Woman could technically fly around in an invisible jet and it would look frickin’ epic.

Of course, I’m not arguing that we should see Gal Gadot floating through the air, but an updated version of the jet would be incredible to see, not to mention that an invisible plane could come in handy in future Wonder Woman movies.

4. References To Steve Trevor

Possibly the most exciting and well-received aspect of Wonder Woman was the relationship that Patty Jenkins created between Diana and Steve Trevor. The closing moments of Wonder Woman revealed that Diana is still emotionally connected to Steve, so it would be great for Justice League to recognise that the loss of Steve Trevor still impacts Wonder Woman.

While we might never see Chris Pine as Steve Trevor again, the character has still played a significant role in the DC Extended Universe, and it would be interesting for Justice League to acknowledge the character and his connection to Diana.

3. Set-Up for Wonder Woman 2

I’m not a massive fan of superhero movies working too hard to set-up the next film. Like everybody, I enjoy the occasional nod to a future movie but in many cases, too much set up has completely ruined a film.

Now that the Wonder Woman sequel has been announced, however, I would really like to see Justice League set-up Diana’s next solo adventure. There are a few ways they could introduce a new mission for Diana, but I think the most obvious option is to present a new villain or threat. Just like Batman Begins teased The Joker, Justice League could set-up the villain that Wonder Woman will fight in her sequel.

2. Return To Themyscira

Wonder Woman‘s origin story is one of the most popular in comics, and Patty Jenkins did an excellent job of introducing Themyscira (Paradise Island) into the DC Extended Universe. With that in mind, it would be amazing to see Diana return to Themyscira in Justice League.

We already know that the Island will appear in Justice League, but many are speculating that it will be featured in a flashback sequence. While that would be incredible to see, it would also be fantastic for Diana make her triumphant return to Themyscira, over a century after her victory against Ares. If I’m right in assuming that Diana hasn’t returned to Themyscira, then it would be both fulfilling and emotional to see her reunited with Hippolyta and her Amazonian sisters.

1. More Badass Action Sequences

We first got a look at Diana’s awesome fighting style in Batman v Superman, which was only a taste for what Patty Jenkins would deliver in Wonder Woman. Hopefully, Justice League will continue to give the character some incredible action sequences, which not only highlight her as a great warrior but emphasize her power in comparison to the rest of the League.

We’ve been teased with some amazing Wonder Woman action in the trailers; I just hope that when Justice League does land in theatres, Wonder Woman is up there with the rest of the League kicking ass just like she did in her solo movie.

What do you want to see from Wonder Woman when Justice League is released? Let us know in the comments section below!

Erik Larsen Is the Jack Kirby Of Image Comics According To Todd McFarlane

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 10, 2017

Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane was at New York Comic Con this past weekend and we asked him who was the company’s Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, or John Romita?

McFarlane’s answer is passionate, inspirational to comic creators, and well thought out.

“Erik Larsen, hands down. Hands down. I say that not necessarily because he’s created 20 iconic characters that will last forever. (…) Of anybody I’ve met in the comic book industry in my almost 30 years now, Eric Larson is the purest comic geek that I’ve ever met. I mean, he gets up every morning and he only wants to do one thing in his career and that’s to draw comic books. Write and draw comic books. He doesn’t want to worry about making toys. He doesn’t want to worry about making TV shows like Robert [Kirkman] and I do. He doesn’t worry about having a staff. He just wants to do comic books, and I admire and I’m jealous at how myopic that love affair is that he has. It’s brilliant,” said McFarlane to Monkeys Fighting Robots.

From our time interviewing creators, one of the consistent themes is they ‘have to create.’ There is no other option. That is a special quality in a creator and that is what separates them from others. You have to work at your craft every day to get better and to fend off the thousands behind you nipping at your heels.

Read the full interview here: Exclusive NYCC Todd McFarlane Interview

What did you think of McFarlane’s comments? Who is Image Comics Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, or John Romita? Give us your feedback in the comment section below.

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How do You Not Like Amazon’s ‘Jean-Claude Van Johnson’?

By

Matthew Sardo

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October 10, 2017

‘Jean-Claude Van Johnson’ was part of Amazon Studios’ Pilot Season last year and after Prime members reviewed show, Amazon order five more episodes.

The first trailer for the season dropped Tuesday, along with a movie poster.

About Jean-Claude Van Johnson:
Jean-Claude Van Johnson stars global martial arts & film sensation Jean-Claude Van Damme playing “Jean-Claude Van Damme”, a global martial arts & film sensation, also operating under the simple alias of “Johnson” as the world’s best undercover private contractor. Retired for years, a chance encounter with a lost love brings him back to the game. This time, he’ll be deadlier than ever. Probably.

The series stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kat Foster, Phylicia Rashad, and Moises Arias. No release date was announced.

If you want more Van Johnson, watch the fight scene from the pilot. Oh, did I mention it was an 80s montage!

What do you think of ‘Jean-Claude Van Johnson,’ will you watch it? Comment below.

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EXCLUSIVE: ‘Stan Against Evil’ Stars Talk Season 2 of Horror-Comedy

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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October 10, 2017

IFC’s horror comedy STAN AGAINST EVIL returns for a second season November 1st. The show stars John C. McGinley (SCRUBS, THE BELKO EXPERIMENT) as Stan Miller, and Janet Varney (THE LEGEND OF KORRA, YOU’RE THE WORST) as Evie Barrett. Monkeys Fighting Robots spoke with the actors about their characters, new plot lines, and their favorite demons to fight!

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‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 Video Reveals Episode Titles

By

Manuel Gomez

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October 10, 2017

Fans of Netflix’s Stranger Things (and who really isn’t a fan) got a nice surprise yesterday when a short and very cool video was released on Twitter revealing most of the episode titles. Check it out below.

The story continues. New chapters on October 27. #StrangerThings pic.twitter.com/NPF1NPNQSt

— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) October 9, 2017

The revealed episodes titles are as follows:

Dragon’s Lair
Trick or Treat Freak
The Pollywog
Will The Wise
Dig Dug
The Spy

The last three chapters are so far untitled and if they are, that’s being kept under wraps.

What do you guys think? Two of those titles (Dragon’s Lair and Dig Dug) are video game references. The rest seem to set up not only a Halloween theme (Trick or Treat Freak) but even more mysteries.

Comment and discuss below and as always keep coming back to Monkeys Fighting Robots for more news on Stranger Things season 2 as it comes!

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‘The X-Files’ Season 11 Gets a New Trailer

By

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

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October 10, 2017

The X-Files is coming back for an eleventh season. And, by all indications, this will at least be the last go round for Gillian Anderson. FOX has released a new trailer for the upcoming season, and it looks appropriately weird, though who knows if it will have enough punch to make up for that weird and dispiriting tenth season.

Check it out:

It definitely looks like an X-Files show. Here’s a little information from Gillian Anderson about where we stand with the series, since more than a few people have probably tried to erase the tenth season from their memory, courtesy of EW:

Scully has taken a turn for the worse since that season 10 cliffhanger found her rushing to save a sick Mulder on a gridlocked bridge. Although she obviously recovers enough to run through headstones and dive behind a table — “because that’s what women do,” Anderson declared — she seems to come out of her near-death experience with a new drive.

EW also says season 11 may end on a cliffhanger, so perhaps we aren’t finished with the iconic series no matter what Anderson has said. Maybe they would go on without her, but that seems unlikely. This eleventh season of The X-Files will debut on FOX in early 2018.

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‘Teen Titans Go!’ Announces Upcoming Movie With Big Name Guest Stars

By

Jon Barr - TV Editor

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October 10, 2017

The TEEN TITANS GO! television series is coming to theaters next summer. The Cartoon Network series made the announcement through the film’s new Twitter account. Titled ‘Teen Titans Go! to the Movies,’ the film will air July 28th of next year.

Teen Titans GO…to the Movies! #TeenTitansGOMovie pic.twitter.com/yfFoQS7IvK

— Teen Titans GO Movie (@TeenTitansMovie) October 9, 2017

The cast features the regular TEEN TITANS GO! actors, as well as two big-name voice talents. Will Arnett (THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE, BOJACK HORSEMAN) and Kristen Bell (FROZEN, THE GOOD PLACE) round out the main cast of the film. The regular cast includes Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, and Hynden Walch.

The title and poster are reminiscent of MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. Considering the show’s focus on humor, perhaps the film will serve as a parody. There are certainly a lot of superhero movies to riff on these days. THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE adopted a similar tone, and it was received well. However, it’s hard to say if TEEN TITANS GO! will inspire the same amount of love. any haven’t forgiven the series for replacing the classic TEEN TITANS series. Whether you like the series or not, it has been running since 2013, so producing a movie makes sense. Clearly someone is watching the show.

Arnett and Bell’s roles in the film have not been revealed yet. It wouldn’t be surprising to find Arnett reprising his role as the brooding caped crusader. If that’s the case, perhaps Bell will play a fellow adult hero, such as Wonder Woman or Supergirl. For the sake of speculation, both Arnett and Bell’s names are in red on the poster. Perhaps that means they’ll be villains? Maybe DC wants another run at the whole “Justice League vs Teen Titans” premise. It’s too early to tell, and quite frankly isn’t worth analyzing. The roles of the actors will likely come out closer to the film’s release date.

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