TEN THINGS JARED LETO NEEDS TO DO AS THE JOKER

As of this writing we are a little over a year away from the release of Suicide Squad.  What that really means is that we're closer to seeing a new, bad ass live action version of Harley Quinn and what's looking like a truly terrifying new take on the Joker. If there is any actor worthy of following in Heath Ledger's footsteps it's definitely Jared Leto. Leto is known for going full on method for his roles. I'm sure he'll give us yet another unforgettable Joker to keep us up at night.

I'm sure this won't shock you but the Joker is my all time favorite villain. He's a character that can bring the whole DCU to its knees. And then he'll laugh his ass off about it. Everyone has their favorite version of the Joker. Most would agree that Mark Hamill is the best. I would agree. However, I believe that they all bring something to the table. The Joker can be a simple clown criminal or a complex monster. Here's a list of what I think Jared Leto needs to do as the Joker. Now keep in mind, much like my Batman/Ben Affleck suggestions from a few months ago, some of these are out of his control. But hear me out:

THE LAUGH

If we just had recordings of different actors laughing as the Joker I'm sure we could pick them all apart. The laugh is to the Joker as the gravelly voice is to Batman. It's a signature. We caught a glimpse of a staccato laugh in the Comic Con trailer for Suicide Squad. Something tells me that that was just an appetizer. While that laugh was scary and got everyone jazzed up to see the Joker again, it's only the beginning . . . 

BEST FRIENDS 

It's been confirmed that Batman will play some sort of a role in Suicide Squad. While I doubt that the Joker will make an appearance in Batman V Superman I wouldn't be surprised if there was more than a passing mention in both films to Batman and Joker's complicated relationship. I think Batman's role in Suicide Squad will just be a quick cameo to tie the two films together, The Joker and Batman's story is 75 years old. Both characters are interesting separately but together they have formed some of the best comic books of all time. The Joker's Five Way Revenge, The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, Death in the Family, Mad Love, Death of the Family, and the more recent Endgame are frequently listed on "Best Comic Stories Ever" lists. It doesn't stop there. There's a reason that the Joker is prominently featured in a lot of the animated Batman films and in each live action interpretation. Batman and the Joker have countless tales to tell. Plus, seeing two actors of Affleck's and Leto's caliber tackle them is too good to pass up!  

THEME SONG

Yes, this is something that is out of Jared Leto's control. But this is still an important aspect to the character. Just like Batman has always had a catchy, memorable theme, so has the Joker (for the most part). In the 1960s Batman TV series, each villain had a distinct theme song. The same goes for the animated Batman series from the early 90s. In The Dark Knight, the Joker had a very simple but creepy theme. It reminded me of Jaws. It was chilling. When it started playing, you knew that the shit was about to hit the fan. The Joker deserves a theme that's memorable and off-putting. After all, he's a memorable and off-putting character.

DO WE WANNA KNOW HOW HE GOT THOSE SCARS?

Alright. Let's address the elephant in the room. Leto's Joker is tatted up. Like big time. It's kind of weird actually. Like, who's the guy that tattooed the Joker? I mean he's gotta be dead now right? The Joker has killed for a lot less. Regardless, I feel that the tattoos must be addressed at some point. I mean, we don't necessarily need to see him sitting in a tattoo parlor or anything like that (although that would be hilarious). I just mean we could get an explanation of some sort. At the very least someone should acknowledge them in a meta-commentary for the audience. Maybe the tattoos represent a kill? Maybe they were always there. Maybe he just wanted one and then got a bunch (it happens a lot). I just feel like we should get some sort of reasoning for all those tats! I mean, it's cool that he looks different. Right off the bat we're given a completely different looking character. I just wanna know why! 

NO ORIGIN! 

One of the best parts of the Joker from The Dark Knight is that we never learned where he came from. He just showed up and started causing mayhem. Sure there were hints here and there, and many fans have speculated on his origins, but we never truly saw where the Joker came from. And that's true for the comic books too. The Killing Joke and the recent Zero Year stories gave us a glimpse of the Joker as the Red Hood but we never knew his name. We don't know his family, friends, or very much of his history. Tim Burton's Batman gave us a name and origin for the Joker but that's pretty unique to that film. No one else has really dared to give the Joker a name or a history pre-Red Hood days. Gotham is tackling this somewhat but I think they're gonna keep us guessing as to who the Joker really is. I think when Jared Leto walks on screen that should be it. We don't know who he is or where he came from. That makes him much scarier. Not only could he be anyone but it's possible he's just a demon that Hell no longer wanted . . . 

COMEDIC GENIUS 

The Joker is one of the smartest men in Gotham City. He's a chemist, master strategist, and master escape artist. That description can also describe Batman. It's part of the reason they're such a good match for each other. They're both brilliant men. Sure the Joker is crazy but he's not stupid. He's taken on and beaten the Justice League. Also . . . he's kinda funny. Some of the funniest moments of Batman: the Animated Series were Joker lines. He's got a pretty sick sense of humor but deep down we all do. I think Leto should be given some genuinely funny lines in the film. The Joker should be terrifying and brilliant but he's still a comedian. He may not be able to make Batman laugh, but the audience will laugh for him. I'm not suggesting the Joker be campy in Suicide Squad but it's not a bad idea to give him some good one liners. His name is the Joker for crying out loud! 

THE BOY YOUR MOTHER WARNED YOU ABOUT

In a strange way, the Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship is a cautionary tale about falling in love with the wrong person. I like to think that the Joker does have some feelings for Harley but he's too selfish, crazy, obsessed with Batman to really appreciate her the way she appreciates him. The story goes that Harley was once Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She convinced the board at Arkham to let her treat the Joker. He tricked her into falling in love with him and he's been using her ever since. There have been times where she's tried to break away and be a free agent. Not counting the Suicide Squad, she has fought on the right side of the law. However, she can't help herself and keeps going back to the Joker. Leto and Margot Robbie (playing Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad) are top notch actors. I believe they can bring a real tragic, romantic, unsettling dynamic to these two characters that we've never seen before. 

FIGHTER

The Joker is this skinny motherfucker with seemingly no muscles or training whatsoever. Still, he's been known to kick Batman's ass. And Batman has been trained by ninjas, samurais, boxers, etc! It's weird, but since he's Batman's nemesis we just kind of accept it. I want to see Jared Leto be able to take on Batman, Deadshot, Rick Flagg, et al and just wreck them. The Joker may be scrawny but he ain't no pushover! He's time and again proven that he can hold his own in a fight, and isn't afraid to fight dirty. Leto looks like he works out, he's got some tone to him. One of my favorite Joker stories is The Man Who Laughs by Ed Brubaker. In that story, which details the first encounter with the Joker and Batman, Batman is constantly surprised by how fast and nimble the Joker is. With all of Batman's training he still has to stay on his guard with this somewhat unassuming man. I think Leto will pull that off very well. 

OMNIPRESENT

In the recent (and brilliant) Joker story Death of the Family and Endgame, the Joker seems to be everywhere and nowhere. Again, this is another quality he shares with Batman. Part of what makes Batman scary to criminals is that he seems to be everywhere at once. The Joker is scary to our heroes because he seems to always know where the heroes will and won't be. There is even a line in The Black Mirror where Jim Gordon calls his ex-wife and tells her to hide. He says that she needs to go to a hotel because the Joker seems to always know where Gordon and Batman's loved ones will be. I'm not exactly sure how this can be accomplished in the film, but I think a line similar to the Gordon one I mentioned or some myths about the Joker as told by Harley or the other Squad members would be really fun and creepy to see. The Joker is the DCU's boogeyman. I know Jared Leto will be able to pull off the creepy grin and stare, but hopefully he can also pull off making us believe the Joker could be sitting next to us without us even realizing it. 

MAKE IT YOUR OWN, MR. LETO 

Above all else, the most important thing that Jared Leto do as the Joker is make him unique. The best interpretations of the Joker have been the ones that are different and memorable. Mark Hamill's Joker was wacky but still psychotic. Jack Nicholson's Joker was a cold hearted, comedic gangster. Heath Ledger's Joker was a calculating, unpredictable madman. The best ones were all different from each other but still identifiable as the Joker. As I said before, if anyone can follow in Heath Ledger's footsteps it's definitely Jared Leto. He's an Academy Award winning actor for crying out loud! He'll give us a Joker to haunt our nightmares for years to come. I'm counting on it :) 

These are my suggestions for what I want out of Jared Leto's Joker performance. I'm extremely excited for Suicide Squad next year. More than that, I'm excited to see my favorite villain on the big screen again. And this time he's bringing Harley Quinn. That's icing on a very awesome cake!

Yeah, like that cake! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie! 

DAREDEVIL: SEASON 2 GUEST STARS

Isn't Netflix great? It's become so ingrained in our lexicon that it's used in everyday sentences. "I don't wanna go out tonight. I just wanna chill at home and watch Netflix." You've probably said it at some point during your day. Well, Marvel was smart and capitalized on that concept. They introduced their first TV show through the Netflix model with tremendous success. Their plan now is to introduce a new series every six months leading up to The Defenders at some point in the future. The next show we'll be getting is Jessica Jones starring the B---- from Apartment 23 (or Kristen Ritter if you prefer). After that is going to be Daredevil season 2 (presumably). Then Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and possibly a Punisher series (cuz Marvel/Netflix read my blog! Yay!)

Season 2 of Daredevil is currently filming in New York. It's been confirmed that the Punisher and Elektra will be big parts of the new season.

I hear she's single now . . . 

Ouch! He didn't even see it coming!

Elektra was already referenced in season 1 but the Punisher was never mentioned at all. His announcement surprised everyone. I think the producers should definitely up the comic book aspect of the series going forward. I think of it like Arrow. Arrow started off very grounded and toning down the comic bookiness of the characters but as the show went on it really embraced more comic book characters, locations, and especially costumes. I think Daredevil should do the same thing. Here are some characters that I want to see in the series going forward: 

SPIDER-MAN

I think this guy is on everyone's wish list to appear on Daredevil at some point. I first met the Daredevil character on the early 90s Spider-Man animated series. I didn't really understand who he was (like the blindness REALLY confused me as a kid) but I still thought he was a cool looking character. I liked that he helped Peter out as both Matt Murdock and as Daredevil (he was Peter's lawyer). Nowadays I still look forward to Spider-Man/Daredevil team ups in the comic books. Since they're both New York characters it makes sense that they cross paths every so often. Plus, having Tom Holland guest star would only keep selling audiences on the new actor playing Spider-Man (which is divisive among fans). I would love to see at least one episode where Spider-Man shows up and helps Daredevil on a case. Or maybe Daredevil can make an appearance in the rebooted Spider-Man film! That would be so awesome! 

COULSON AND THE OTHER AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.

Here's one crossover that shouldn't be too difficult, but I imagine it will be for "reasons." The scenario could simply be that Daredevil is fighting off an Inhuman and Coulson and the other agents show up to help. Granted that sounds more like an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. than Daredevil but it could work. I mentioned in a previous article that it would be cool to have some crossovers between these two series. Season 3 of S.H.I.E.L.D. is going to be Coulson and Skye recruiting the Secret Warriors. It's not crazy to think that they would consider the Devil of Hell's Kitchen for their team. But then again, he's gonna have his hands full this season being "punished" and "elektricuted" . . . HAHA! . . . Still, I love Clark Gregg. Having him on the show would give Daredevil some actual credible proof that he's part of the MCU outside of a few references to the Avengers. 

BULLSEYE

The other obvious choice. I think it's safe to say we were all surprised when the Punisher was announced for season two instead of (or maybe just ahead of) Bullseye. When you think of Daredevil odds are you think of Bullseye. He's the Joker to his Batman. When done right, he's a fantastic character. He never misses except when it comes to Daredevil. They have an interesting relationship. Bullseye is a hired assassin but when it comes to Daredevil, he'll kill him and his loved ones just for fun. It's not a question of "if" we'll see Bullseye but "when." I wouldn't be surprised if Wilson Fisk was taken off the board for season 2 but brought back in season 3 along with Bullseye as a main antagonist. Now THAT would be some dark and scary shit. 

Dark and scary indeed . . . 

BLACK WIDOW

Let's just take a moment to look at how beautiful Scarlett Johannsen is, shall we? . . . Ok! Moment over! I didn't know it until recently reading up on a lot of Daredevil comic books, but she and Murdock have a history together. You know . . . a sexy history! 

Given her time as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and a Russian spy it's not out of the realm of possibilities for her and Murdock to have crossed paths at some point. But then again, she could be in New York on assignment with the New Avengers and cross paths with him for the first time. It's another way to give Daredevil a legitimate MCU connection. Also, they're both such pretty people I just want them to get busy with the sexy time! 

IKARI 

Ikari is a relatively new addition to the Daredevil rogues gallery. When he first appeared, it was obvious that he had the same heightened senses that Murdock had with one exception - he could still see. He was a formidable opponent for Daredevil, nearly killing him. Again, he might wait until a "Return of the Kingpin" story that might be saved for season 3, but I wouldn't be opposed to this character showing up and kicking some ass. He would fit very well with Stick's unresolved story as well. He could be used to distract Daredevil while Stick makes his move toward the "War" that was coming. Ugh . . . there's always some kind of war going on with these damn comic book guys . . . Why can't we all just get along?!

CAPTAIN AMERICA 

Despite the two characters living in the same universe (unlike that bullshit with Fox and the X-Men) this is still probably a long shot. Still, I would love to see Cap in an episode or two of Daredevil. He's my favorite character in the Avengers. I love that he's earnest but still bad ass. He never backs down from a fight and will do anything for his fellow man. He and Daredevil have that in common. Now that they've finally given Cap a cool costume in the movies, let's see him crossover in the TV shows. I just want more Captain America in the TV shows and movies. BECAUSE I LOVE MURICA! 

Anyway, those are a few of my suggestions of characters I want to see on Daredevil season 2 and beyond. Let's hope Marvel expands the blocks of Hell's Kitchen! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

BEST GHOSTBUSTERS HOMAGES

Ghostbusters is my favorite movie of all time. I felt really alone when I was a kid liking this movie so much. I didn't think anyone else liked it. It wasn't until high school when I met my best friend and we could both quote the movie verbatim. It was so much fun talking with someone else that loved the movies as much as I did. Over the years I met other people that loved Ghostbusters. I learned about the making of the movie and why there's never been an official third movie.

One of the highlights of watching various movies and TV shows over the years has been seeing different parodies or homages to Ghostbusters. There have been dozens over the years whether it's a line here or there or a straight up reference to one or both of the films. Now I'd like to share my favorite references to Ghostbusters.

CASPER

Remember the Casper movie with Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci? That movie was the shit when I was a kid. It's too bad that they never made a worthy sequel.

Instead we got this direct to video bull shit

It was a quick scene in the film where Kerrigan and Terry Gilliam's characters are trying to extract the ghosts from Whipstaff Manor and they apparently call the Ghostbusters. Ray Stanz shows up and promptly leaves. It's meant to be a quick, funny reference for the adults in the audience. Truth be told, the scene bugged the crap out of me. I know it's just supposed to be funny and poke fun at the Ghostbusters. However, I never liked that as a kid. The Ghostbusters wouldn't have given up on that! They would've cleaned up Whipstaff and kicked their asses! But hey . . . what are you gonna do?

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA

It's Always Sunny is definitely one of my favorite TV shows. The characters are so hilarious and terrible that I can't help but laugh. In a season four episode, the gang recognizes their own group dynamic citing the Ghostbusters as a reference. One of the best lines is when Dennis is upset how the gang upstaged him stating that, "the Ghostbusters would never do that!" He's right of course. Even better was at the end of the episode they played the Ghostbusters theme as they tried to confront Bruce Mathis. So funny. And the Ghostbusters would never do that!

FAMILY GUY

This is definitely one of my favorite Family Guy gags. The show is best known for its cutaway gags and random jokes. More often than not, they tend to be funnier than the plot of the actual episode. This one was when Peter suggests that Meg gets a part time job like he had when he was a kid. The scene cuts to Peter driving the Ecto-1. But it doesn't end there. He ends up busting Patrick Swayze as Ghost just as he's having the romantic pottery moment with Demi Moore. Peter busts Swayze then quotes $27.50 to Demi. That moment always made me laugh. It's definitely one of the best Ghostbusters references.

THE SIMPSONS

Despite the fact that the Simpsons is definitely not the show that it used to be, it once and a while has its moments. In the thirteenth season, the family reads from an overdue library book. Homer is Odysseus (written by Homer, haha classic), Lisa is Joan of Arc, and Bart is Hamlet. In the Hamlet story, the ghost of Homer shows up leaving a slime trail behind him just like Slimer in Ghostbusters. I immediately recognized what they were doing and thought it was so funny and cool. Even better was at the end of the episode when Homer said that Hamlet was adapted into a great film called Ghostbusters. The characters then start dancing to the Ghostbusters theme song. That song makes me smile every time I hear it. That scene made me laugh. Good stuff. Too bad the Simpsons can't be all good all the time. Oh well . . .

BE KIND REWIND 

I'll never forget when I saw the preview for this movie. Jack Black's character has become magnetized and ruined a video store's worth of movies. Mos Def decides to make the movies with his own camera. Their first film is Ghostbusters. I don't know what was better. The shitty quality of the Ghostbusters film they were making or Jack Black's version of the theme song. It was so funny and (somehow) well received that the neighborhood wanted them to do more movies. It's a great little homage to Ghostbusters and probably a nod to all the people that have tried to make fan films over the years. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Sigourney Weaver makes a cameo appearance in the film. 

ZOMBIELAND 

This is definitely my favorite Ghostbusters reference. The gang stumbles upon Bill Murray's mansion. They discover that Murray is alive but pretending to be a zombie. He welcomes his guests and even reenacts a couple of key Ghostbusters moments. Meanwhile, Jesse Eisenberg delivers one of my all time favorite lines in any movie - "This is so exciting. You're about to learn who ya gonna call. Ghostbusters!" I won't lie. This is the only scene from the movie I've ever seen. I don't really care to see the rest of the film. I feel like it won't live up to the genius of this scene. Bill Murray is so funny, Emma Stone does a great Janine impression, and Woody Harrelson dressed as a Ghostbuster is just awesome. 

As I said, I love Ghostbusters. Any time someone talks about it, I throw in my two cents. All these years later I still laugh out loud at the jokes, I still get scared of the ghosts, and I love the characters probably more now as an adult than I did as a kid. And yes. I'm one of the few people that's genuinely excited for the Ghostbusters reboot. It's a risky endeavor for sure but I'm confident that the people involved will give us something new, different, and (hopefully) funny as hell. 

You've got a lot to live up to, ladies! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

AFTER BATMAN: ARKHAM - ROCKSTEADY'S NEXT VIDEO GAME SERIES SHOULD BE . . .

It's the end of an era. The Batman: Arkham games have come to a satisfying and awesome conclusion. Considering that the game has only been out for a month I will not spoil what happens in it, but suffice it to say that it's Batman at his most Batmaniest.

You don't get to do this in the game (unfortunately)

So if Rocksteady is not going to produce anymore Arkham games then what should they do next? Other than include some more cool shit on the Season Pass or more DLCs. I mean those things are obvious and a good way to keep people interested in the game and the universe it created. I'd prefer Rocksteady tackle a new hero and build a new awesome world around them. So who's next? Let's speculate:

 SUPERMAN

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - The most obvious choice by far. Other than Injustice: Gods Among Us Superman has yet to star in a really cool, fun, exciting video game. He's the most recognized superhero in the entire world yet he can't get a cool video game? I mean come on! How much fun would it be to fly around Metropolis or punch a hole in a mountain? Now, granted, probably the main issue with Superman is that he's got crazy powers and the game would either need to tone them down or have every threat he faces be a huge robot or something. However, there are ways around it. The game could open with Kryptonite being blasted into the air. There could be a red sun generator that's slowly taking out his powers (done once very well on an episode of Superman: the Animated Series). 

PREMISE - Other than my other suggestions, I think a cool idea (and a way to tone down Superman's powers) is to have him trapped in the Phantom Zone. It happened a few times on Smallville where Clark would end up in the Phantom Zone and have to find a way to escape. That would be a fun, maybe even scary game to play. You could take on (or even team up) with Zod, Jax Ur, and other scary villains like that. Maybe even throw in Darkseid, Brainiac, or Doomsday. 

CASTING CHOICES - You know what, Rocksteady? Let's keep the nostalgia going. Cast Tim Daly as Superman, Dana Delany as Lois Lane, and Clancy Brown as Lex Luthor. If Darkseid should make an appearance then definitely throw in Michael Ironside. In my mind, he's just as iconic as Darkseid as Kevin Conroy is as Batman. And yes, that's the biggest compliment I can give to a voice actor. 

GREEN ARROW

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - Yeah big shocker here! JJ wants an Arrow video game! Well duh! I don't play very many video games but I would die for a quality Green Arrow video game. This would probably be easier to pull off than Superman. Since Oliver is a human like Bruce the game wouldn't need a lot of limitations. But it would be cool to use different kinds of bows and practice archery. The game could incorporate long range "sniper" like missions, close combat fighting like in the Arkham games, or . . . 

PREMISE - David Goyer (writer of Man of Steel, the Blade films, and co-writer of the Dark Knight Trilogy) wrote a script where Green Arrow is framed for a crime he didn't commit and has to escape from a SuperMax prison with some super-villains' help. That would be an awesome game. It still has that "Escape From" tone like the Arkham games, but there's the added bonus of having to figure out who framed Arrow and restore his reputation. 

CASTING CHOICES - Again, no need to reinvent the wheel here. Stephen Amell as Green Arrow, Katie Cassidy as Black Canary, Manu Bennett as Deathstroke, and Colton Haynes as Arsenal. And since Arrow will need some computer hacking stuff done (who doesn't nowadays) Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak.

THE FLASH 

WHY IT SHOULD BE DONE - Ok so like my Superman suggestion this one would be tough to pull off. However, if done right, it could be a really unique and fun game. All the fun of racing games mixed in with awesome fighting sequences. The Flash is definitely getting a lot of attention these days with the CW TV show, a rumored appearance in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and an already cast lead in Ezra Miller. Now would be a good time to capitalize on that and make a bad ass video game.

BASIC PREMISE - If we're sticking with the "Escape from" idea then it should definitely be the Speed Force. Barry gets trapped in the Speed Force by the Reverse Flash and has to fight other speedsters, monsters, and other crazy stuff. However, if that's too trippy, then maybe the game could just be a "Revenge of the Rogues" type thing where all the Flash's rogues team up and take over the city and you have to take them out one by one. Yeah, that's pretty much the idea behind Batman: Arkham Knight but it's not like there's a lot of ideas in terms of a video game plot! So sue me! 

CASTING CHOICES - Not a tough one at all! We already have a great cast so let's utilize them: Grant Gustin as the Flash, Candice Patton as Iris West, Tom Cavanagh as Reverse Flash, and Wentworth Miller as Captain Cold. 

WONDER WOMAN 

WHY IT SHOULD HAPPEN -Ok here me out. This game would be freaking EPIC! I mean that! Diana is an amazon and daughter of Zeus. The game could incorporate elements of Greek and/or Roman mythology mixed in with some DC Comics mythology (as the comics have been doing for the past few years). Plus fighting, flying, and basically kicking ass as Wonder Woman would be a great way to spread the news of her new movie coming out in 2017. Plus you can never have enough strong, female characters for young women (and young men) to look up to. Showing a strong, independent female hero in a successful video game would definitely get people interested. 

PREMISE - Something simple like the island of Themyscira has been attacked by the Titans and it's up to Wonder Woman and her invisible jet to save the day! 

What the hell is she doing in there? 

Seriously though, the game would be similar to the Lord of the Rings games where you have to fight monsters, demons, and eventually the gods themselves to save your family and the world. Plus having the game take place on Themyscira would be a similar approach to Arkham Asylum but different because there's no technology. Just you, the lasso, a sword, and Wonder Woman's fists of justice! 

CASTING CHOICES - Once more with the nostalgia: Susan Eisenberg as Wonder Woman, John Rhys-Davies as Lord Hades, and Susan Sullivan as Queen Hippolyta.

Sure there are a ton of characters that I didn't name that would make awesome video games. DC is full of amazing heroes and villains. Any one of them could star in a bad ass, fun, challenging video game. These four are some of my favorites. If Rocksteady announced a game based on one or more of these characters I would lose my mind. Let's hope they're reading this! But for now, I'm gonna go play Batman: Arkham Knight and scream, "Damn this game is hard!" 

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie! 

2ND BATMAN V SUPERMAN TRAILER: JJ'S REACTION

Black and blue. Night vs Day. God vs Man. Batman vs Superman. This is the movie I've been waiting for my entire life. Christopher Nolan gave me the perfect Batman movies. Now I'm counting on Zack Snyder to deliver a worthy follow up with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I'm one of the people that genuinely enjoyed Man of Steel. I thought it was a great re-introduction to Superman. I like that BvS is following up on the events of that film and putting Bruce Wayne directly in the conflict. It's a great way to bring Batman into the film without shoehorning him in just for the hell of it. It makes the VS in the title seem legitimate.

As I said before, I'm a sucker for a good preview. I mean, this is freaking Batman and Superman in the same movie! The trailer could've just been Ben Affleck in the Batsuit staring at the camera for 3 minutes and I'd say it was the greatest thing ever.

What's up, baby? How you doin?

The new trailer definitely gave us a better idea of what to expect from Batman v Superman. In those few minutes there is a lot to take away. This is what I noticed:

BRUCE WAYNE V SUPERMAN / BATMAN V CLARK KENT

Like I said at the beginning of my post, the trailer gives us a clear reason why Bruce would want to take on Superman. He was there the day that Superman and Zod leveled Metropolis. He knew people that were killed that day. He witnessed firsthand just how destructive an out of control Kryptonian can be. And because he has the resources, training, and steel will, Bruce will take it upon himself to stop Superman for good. On the flip side of that, Clark is not comfortable with a crazed vigilante dispersing "justice" on the streets. That goes against everything he believes in. And although Perry tells him to drop it, I have a feeling Lois's gusto will have rubbed off on Clark and he'll want to investigate this "Bat-guy." It's interesting that Clark has a reason to want to fight Batman and Bruce has a reason to fight Superman. It's not the superheroes that start the fight, it's the men behind the masks. 

SUPERMAN: FRIEND OR FOE?

That's the big question on everyone's mind when the film starts. Both trailers have showed us that not everyone trusts or even likes Superman. Given the damage done by Zod and the other Kryptonians, it's hard to blame them. Yet, Superman literally wears a symbol of hope on his chest. He's here to protect us. The trailer shows us that there are people who look to him as a savior and hero. Batman may want to fight him, but Lois and Martha still believe in Superman. Hopefully, Clark will be able to plead his case that he's on humanity's side and will fight to protect us.

THE VOICE OF REASON

Alfred Pennyworth. Loyal butler, father-figure, moral compass, all these things and more. Alfred, if written properly, is probably the best character in the Batman world. When Bruce gets a little too crazy, he can step in and talk him down. When Bruce needs a guiding hand, Alfred will stretch his arm out. The trailer shows us that Alfred is deeply concerned for Bruce. "That's how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerless that turns good men cruel." He recognizes that Bruce's crusade against Superman can only end badly. "This man is not our enemy!" Alfred is a wonderful judge of character. He recognizes that Superman, like Bruce, is only trying to do good in the world. But then again, Bruce is nothing if not stubborn, so more than likely, Alfred's warnings will fall on deaf ears. Of course when he's resetting Bruce's bones and stitching him up, a couple of "I told you so's" will be in order ;)

YOU MUST WRITE YOUR OWN DESTINY

Ok, so I stole that line from Smallville. It's fitting though. Here we see Martha trying to encourage Clark despite the fact that the world seems to hate him. However, she's quick to remind him that he can always choose to hang up the cape. Just like with Jonathan in the first film, I feel like this moment is going to be divisive among the fans. I like to think of it as Martha reminding Clark that he is in charge of his own destiny. If he wants to be Superman, fighting the good fight, then good for him! But if he wants to call it quits, then that's his choice. After all, Clark is her only son. She'll support him no matter what. But for real . . . she should probably encourage him to keep being Superman. 

BRUCE WAYNE IS ALWAYS BATMAN

As I said, the trailer shows us that Wayne was there the day Metropolis was attacked. While everyone else is running away from the debris, Bruce runs toward it to save anyone he can. Because he's the motherfuckin' Batman! From what we know, it seems like Bruce is semi-retired as Batman. The trailer seems to imply that after the death of Robin, Bruce hung it up. This may or may not be the case in the film but it makes sense given that Clark is reporting on a "Bat-vigilante" as opposed to "the Return of Batman." But Bruce never really stops being Batman. He's a hero first and foremost. When he sees people in danger, he's going to run to help them. Again . . . because he's the motherfuckin' Batman. 

WONDER WOMAN V SUPERMAN? 

The funny thing about trailers is that they show you everything and yet nothing all at once. Lots of times dialogue is strewn together to say one thing, but when the movie comes out it's totally different. In this case, the trailer is cut together to make it look like Wonder Woman is fighting Superman. Or possibly she's fighting both Batman and Superman. Or she's fighting alongside Batman against Superman. Or all three of them are fighting together against someone else (rumor has it that Doomsday is in the film, more on that later). Either way, we've been given our first glimpse of Wonder Woman fighting in the film. The producers say she plays a very important part of the film. Perhaps she's the one that gets them to be Batman AND Superman instead of Batman VS Superman. That would be my guess. Either way, Wonder Woman is FINALLY in a DC Comics film and that's good enough for me.

BODY OF ZOD

This joke was funnier in my head. See, in Church, when you receive the Eucharist they say, "Body of Christ" not "Body of God." So I've ruined my own joke. Fuck me. Anyway, what the fuck is this guy doing in the movie? The rumor is that Lex has his body and uses it to create Doomsday. Granted, that would be fucking fantastic, but hopefully Superman learned his lesson and will take the fight out of the city this time. 

KRYPTONITE 

There it is! The big green, glowing elephant in the room. The producers were smart to keep it out of Man of Steel, opting instead for Superman to fight other Kryptonians without a handicap. Of course this time around with actual humans taking on Superman (Batman and Lex Luthor), kryptonite will have to make an appearance. I'm excited to see what Lex will do with it and where he got it from. 

NO MORE WORDS

Probably the biggest thing I took from the trailer is the fact that Batman and Superman never actually speak to each other. In fact, they barely speak in the preview at all! This could just be a coincidence, but I think it might be deliberate. It says right away that this will be a VS film and not a debate. It's not going to be 2 hours of men in capes arguing. It's going to be 2 hours of Batman and Superman beating the crap out of each other. And man oh man . . . that's what I want to see! 

Like I said, this is the movie I've waited my entire life to see. I'm so glad that it's finally happening. I know a lot of fans are skeptical but let's face it - it's freaking Batman vs Superman. If nothing else, it definitely looks like it will be a hell of an action film. Ben Affleck looks amazing as Batman and Henry Cavill looks like a Jim Lee drawing come to life. 

There they are! 

Now if you all will excuse me, I'm going to watch the trailer for the 30th time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbw248zapbI

Till next time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie!