EIGHT THINGS I WANT TO SEE IN THE NEW STAR WARS FILM

Well folks, it's almost here! Lucasfilm and Disney are bringing us the first in a new line of Star Wars films this December. We're getting a new Star Wars trilogy along with a new stand alone film every other year. This is pretty exciting news especially considering George Lucas said that there would never be any more Star Wars films after he was finished with the prequels. Well . . . I guess he was lying! What a jerk!

Dick

We're four months away from The Force Awakens and we STILL don't have an official plot synopsis. We still don't know all the characters' names. We don't even know why it looks like the Empire is still around despite the fact that Darth Vader killed the Emperor and the Death Star blew up AGAIN. 

They are no longer bros

Since we don't know much about the new Star Wars film I thought I would take the time to speculate on what I want to see. Now keep in mind that this is just my thoughts on what I want to see. It's not spoilery per se, but I could end up being right. You've been warned! 

BAD ASS LUKE SKYWALKER

I loved Mark Hamill's performances in the original Star Wars films. I felt that he went from boy to man realistically throughout the series. He was so cool during Return of the Jedi. He had a calm demeanor and kicked all kinds of ass. There are rumors that part of the plot of The Force Awakens has Luke in exile, afraid of his powers and hiding from his friends and family. I hope that is not the case in the film. It would totally ruin the journey that he went on during the original films. Instead, I want to see Luke at the peak of his powers kicking all kinds of ass and training the new characters to be Jedi. Also, I wanna see Luke take on Kylo Ren . . . But I'll get to that later. 

GREAT PERFORMANCES 

The original films (and yeah even the prequels in some cases) had some great actors giving great performances. The characters really came to life for me. Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in particular were awesome in their roles. When they were announced for the new film I was thrilled. It wasn't about nostalgia, it was about knowing that if they were on board then the film was definitely going to be great. More than anybody else, these three would care about the film and give it the credibility that the fans would need. I'm excited now to see the new actors, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac become the new faces of the Star Wars saga. Well . . . unless one of them turns out to be a villain or something. 

NON-ANNOYING CHARACTERS 

I love the new droid design. He looks really cool and unique. I just hope to God that he is not annoying. The main issue with The Phantom Menace in my mind is that young Anakin and Jar Jar were super annoying. The film would have been much better if they had either not been in it or at the very least had had less dialogue. I mean C-3PO gets a pass because the other characters acknowledge how irritating he is.

Plus he's shiny . . . 

I'm excited to see the new characters and buy all of those toys. Because I'm a huge nerd. But . . . I don't want them to be annoying. 

BAD ASS VILLAIN 

Well, he certainly LOOKS like a bad guy doesn't he? Star Wars has never been shy about making sure that we know who the bad guy is based on how he is dressed.

Free Hugs

According to Entertainment Weekly, Kylo Ren, the newest Star Wars baddie, is a more complicated figure than he looks. He doesn't believe he's the villain. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Darth Vader was bad ass looking and for sure the villain, but we find out that his motivations are much more complicated than wanting to rule the galaxy. He was manipulated by Palpatine into becoming his apprentice and believing that the Jedi were evil. Vader really did have a great backstory and even if the prequels didn't do it justice, the story is still somewhat believable. 

Now, with Darth Maul, God only knows what that guy's problem is. I like to think that he knew he was the bad guy but didn't care. He was just happy to be on what he thought was the winning team. Sometimes having a straight forward villain is good (it's done wonders for the Joker) but most of the time audiences need a character that's complicated and relatable. We may not agree with why this person is doing bad things but at least we understand where he's coming from. 

A NAME WE'VE NOT HEARD IN A LONG TIME . . . 

Not a requirement per se, but one of the most important aspects of the original Star Wars films was the guiding spirit of Obi Wan Kenobi. He was Luke's first teacher and wouldn't let death stop him from passing on his wisdom. Ewan McGregor was definitely one of the highlights of the prequel trilogy. He pulled off playing the student in The Phantom Menace to Master in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. He made the character of Obi Wan his own, but still honored what Alec Guinness had done in the originals. It might be too much or maybe even too cheesy to see Obi Wan return as a Force Ghost in The Force Awakens but I would be excited if it happened. 

HUMOR

No one would call the Star Wars films comedies, but they do have funny moments. Han Solo and Chewbacca in particular have some great banter. Han was one of my favorite characters when I was growing up. He was funny, confident, and loyal despite being kind of morally ambiguous in the beginning. The Star Wars films have always been pretty good about blending in different genres. On the one hand they're sci-fi, then they're action, they're comedy, then dramatic, and even a little bit romantic. Lucas would call them fantasies and I supposed that fits too. What will help to make this new movie, and the subsequent ones, memorable will be the humorous moments. However, it is a delicate balance. Too little humor and the film seems dark and depressing. Too much humor and we might have another Jar Jar Binks on our hands.

You stay out of my new films! You hear me!!

JJ Abrams is a great filmmaker and has done a good job of balancing different elements in his films so far. I think he'll give us some great funny moments mixed in with all the action. 

MISS INDEPENDENT 

One of the things that I think resonated most with fans about Princess Leia was how tough she was/is. Technically, she needed rescuing from the Death Star but it's fair to say she held her own. There was that creepy droid that was supposed to get her to reveal the Rebels' location and she beat it. She even lied about their hiding place when her planet was being threatened. She could stand up to Han Solo, who doesn't let anyone walk all over him and later she killed Jabba the Hutt! She's a tough character and helps save the day. Daisy Ridley's character has a lot to live up to. I think in today's world, young women need a strong role model. One that can stand up next to the men and be just as tough, if not tougher. For the most part the Star Wars films have done a good job of having a strong female lead. Ridley's character will need to be just as independent as Leia was in the original films if she's going to be memorable and inspiring. Also . . . I kinda hope she's a Jedi. We haven't seen that yet in the films, a strong female Jedi. Not in live action anyway . . . 

AN AWESOME LIGHTSABER BATTLE (OR TWO)

Say what you will about the Star Wars prequels, but they freaking nailed the lightsaber fights. The Phantom Menace had an awesome sequence set to John Williams' awesome Duel of the Fates score. Then we got to see Yoda kick major ass in Attack of the Clones. Then of course there was the climatic battle between Obi Wan and Anakin in Revenge of the Sith (which makes their reunion in A New Hope kind of embarrassing). With today's technology and the fact that the villain is a young man, we should definitely get to see Kylo Ren dish out some sweet lightsaber tricks with his crazy, cross guard saber.

If being a Sith doesn't work out then he can make it as a Lumberjack!

As I stated before, I want to see an awesome fight between Luke and Kylo Ren. Mark Hamill supposedly lost some weight and got in shape for the film. That had to be for something right! Let's see him kick Ren's ass and teach the new characters to do the same! 

The trailers so far have not revealed much about the film. We can guess at what's happening based on locations, character interactions, and costumes but really we don't know anything do we? All we know for sure is that it takes place 30 years after Return of the Jedi. Is the Empire coming back? Did the Rebels start a new government? Is Luke going to go crazy and start laughing maniacally for no reason?

The Force is strong in my family . . . 

We'll have to wait till December 18 for the answers. For now though, I'm going to put aside some money and buy all the action figures and Lego sets I can get my hands on. Cuz when it comes to Star Wars, I'm always a little kid at heart.

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

FANTASTIC FOUR - MARVEL TO THE RESCUE?

Well, despite the best intentions, the new Fantastic Four was a complete bust. I always try to look for the good things in a film. This particular one was off to a great start but it fell flat in the second half. There are reports of a tense relationship between Fox and director Josh Trank. Other reports say that Trank ran a weird set. Some even state that he was fired before the film finished production. Regardless of what may or may not have happened one thing is certain - Fantastic Four has bombed critically and financially. So what's next?

For some reason, Marvel has discontinued the Fantastic Four comic book. Rumor has it that because Marvel Studios does not own the rights to the characters, so they've actively pushed them out of merchandising and publishing. I think there is some truth to that, but it does confuse me. I mean, Marvel is credited with the Fantastic Four film. Do they not get any say in the final product? That's weird, right?

Either way, Fox has a problem. They can't seem to get the Fantastic Four right on film. Granted, I liked the first film and even parts of this film. The Fantastic Four are great characters and a movie done well would be really exciting and a lot of fun. Unfortunately, we'll probably never get to see the X-Men films crossover with them now. We'll probably also not get the sequel that was planned for Summer 2017. So what now? Should Fox sell the rights back to Marvel? I'm sure most fans would want that to happen. The truth is that IF Fox were to sell the rights back to Marvel that doesn't mean we'll be seeing the Fantastic Four on film anytime soon. Perhaps they'll pop up in Avengers: Infinity War or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or something like that.

I have another idea. What if, instead of the Four themselves, we get their supporting characters thrown into the Marvel Cinematic Universe? The Four could pop up in Marvel's later films at some point but let's say we just get some supporting characters. Here's who I think, from the Fantastic Four comics, should appear in future Marvel movies.

GALACTUS AND THE SILVER SURFER

Now here are two characters that would fit very well into either a Guardians of the Galaxy or Thor sequel. Galactus is actually one of my favorite characters. He's so cool looking! And the Silver Surfer is freaking awesome! They are both ridiculous concepts but they're so much fun. Galactus eats planets and the Surfer is his herald. The Surfer serves Galactus to spare his homeworld. Eventually, the Surfer turns on Galactus and they are mortal enemies. These characters would fit perfectly into the MCU. I would love to see them on the big screen again. And this time, I'd like to see Galactus in all his glory instead of as a strange space cloud. 

DR. DOOM

Ok, ok. He's been done twice. Both times were kind of disappointing. At first they tried to make him a Lex Luthor type billionaire. Then they tried to make him a super-smart blogger that goes crazy on Planet Zero. I think we can all agree that we really haven't seen the real DR. DOOM on screen. Not yet anyway. So, if Fox were to give the Fantastic Four characters back to Marvel, I think they should let Dr. Doom appear as the villain in another Marvel movie. He's just ripe for an Iron Man 4 or some type of Avengers film. He's an evil dictator that's dabbled in the black arts, time travel, and space exploration. He would fit perfectly into what Marvel is planning for their future films. He's longed for things like the Infinity Gauntlet in the past. Why not give him the chance to try and claim it? Doom would be an amazing villain to see on screen. He's brilliant, manipulative, and has an ego to rival Robert Downey, Jr. 

He'd call it charming. And it would be hard to argue with him.

Ok, Fox. Let's at least give Doom back to Marvel. Because we all want to see him take on the Avengers. But then again, it's not like Marvel has the best track record with villains . . . 

What was your name again? 

THE SKRULLS AND THE SUPER SKRULL

I could be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure that Fox owns the rights to the Skrulls. It's a real shame because the Skrulls are awesome villains. One of my all time favorite comic book stories is Secret Invasion. That story had the Skrulls infiltrating Earth and systematically taking the place of different heroes AND villains on Earth. When the Skrulls finally revealed themselves, they had almost beaten the Avengers and X-Men and were doing a good job of convincing the people of Earth that their way was the best way. It's a great alien invasion story and one of the scariest when you think about it. The Skrulls are shape-shifters. You can't trust the person next to you for fear that they're one of them. I'd love to see Secret Invasion adapted into a live action film. You wouldn't necessarily need the Fantastic Four in the story, but it would be cool to see a Super Skrull with all of their powers fighting the Avengers. Plus, it would lead into this:

With Sony and Marvel now sharing the Spider-Man characers we could also get another shot at Norman Osborn. Plus he could start a Cabal like he did after the Secret Invasion story. Damn that would be awesome. True story - the Dark Reign stories, especially Dark Avengers got me back into Marvel Comics when they were being released. It was great. And it started with those damn, pesky Skrulls. 

I'm sure these characters are on everyone's wish list to see in a Marvel movie. With the Fantastic Four failing at the box office, it's high time that Fox and Marvel renegotiate their deal with these characters. I would be willing to give a Marvel Studios produced Fantastic Four film a chance, especially with any of these characters present. But as I said, maybe it's best we see these characters first and then bring the Four in a later time. Give everyone some time to heal . . . 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie

12 BEST ALTERNATE VERSIONS OF BATMAN

It is no secret that I love Batman. One of the best parts of the Batman character is that he's very malleable. You can have a campy Adam West Batman or a serious Christian Bale Batman. The comic books have reflected this over the past 76 years. Batman started off a very violent, take no prisoners type of vigilante. Then he was a devoted officer of the law. Then he was a vigilante with a strict no killing, no guns rule. That's pretty much remained in tact till now.

However, some of my favorite stories have been alternate versions of Batman. Whether it's an Elseworlds story, a future Batman, or someone else entirely wearing the costume, Batman has been many different men. I'd like to share with you my favorite alternate versions of Batman over the years. Now keep in mind, the majority of these are not Bruce Wayne (except a couple), cuz when I say alternate versions of Batman I mean it damn it!

You don't count! You're not even Batman! 

Please keep in mind that this list is in no particular order. Let's get started shall we: 

BATMANKOFF (from Superman: Red Son)

In one of DC's most popular Elseworlds stories, Superman is born in Communist Russia as opposed to rural Kansas. He grows up protecting Russia under Stalin's command. When Stalin dies, Superman decides to run for President. He wins and eventually more and more countries turn to Communism. Of course there are people that defy him. One such detractor saw firsthand how cruel Superman's leadership really was. He was a young boy that watched his parent's be murdered by one of Superman's lieutenants. He grows up to become a threat to Superman's Communist Party as the Batman. In the story, you never learn the boy's real name. You only know that he's resourceful, intelligent, and figures out Superman's weakness. In the end, Superman is able to overcome Batman. But, in true Batman style, he'd rather die than give in to something he doesn't believe in. He detonates a bomb that he had swallowed. It's a really interesting story, and a new dynamic on the classic Batman vs Superman. This particular Batman is ruthless, cunning, and just shy of being the villain. He's a little bit more of a Frank Miller Batman in that way. He's standing up for the little guy and making a big ass show of it. 

OWLMAN (from Forever Evil)

There have been a few different versions of Owlman over the years but my favorite comes from the New 52 story Forever Evil. In this version, he's Thomas Wayne, Jr. from Earth 3. On that world, he and Alfred are responsible for the murder of the Waynes. He's evil Batman and even raised an evil Dick Grayson. Earth 3 Dick Grayson became Talon. It was pretty awesome. However, Talon was killed and Owlman feels responsible. When he and the rest of the Crime Syndicate come to Earth 1 he tries to recruit Nightwing for his cause. Even though he's an evil Batman, he still feels guilty for his partner's death and wants to make amends. I think if something similar happened to Grayson of Earth 1, Bruce would feel immense guilt and do anything in his power to make it right. Granted he may not travel to an alternate dimension . . . But Batman's pretty unpredictable. Who the hell knows what that crazy bastard is planning!

TERRY MCGINNIS (from Batman Beyond)

One of my favorite childhood memories is watching Batman Beyond with my sisters. For some reason, it seemed to have more of an appeal than the regular Batman: Animated Series. Maybe it was that this Batman was younger. Maybe it was the fact that Eric from Boy Meets World was the voice of Terry McGinnis. Whatever it was, the show was awesome and so much fun to watch. Almost 20 years later (holy crap I'm old) the show still holds up. Terry was a troubled kid. One night he's being chased by a street gang calling themselves the Jokerz. They stumble upon Wayne Manor. Terry and Bruce fight off the Jokerz. Terry accidentally discovers the Batcave and eventually steals the Batsuit. Bruce ends up trusting Terry with it and the two form a partnership to fight crime in Neo-Gotham. I've been rewatching the series as well as rereading the comic book that came after it. Both are very worthy additions to the Batman mythos. Terry, while maybe not as smart as Bruce, is definitely as courageous and self-sacrificing as Bruce Wayne ever was as Batman. He's definitely one of my favorite alternate Batmen. 

RORSCHACH (from Watchmen)

Now I know what you're thinking. In Watchmen, Nite Owl is definitely based on Batman. Not Rorschach. JJ, you're a moron!. Well . . . You're wrong. Yes, Nite Owl has the LOOK of Batman but that's it. Rorschach is Batman gone off the deep end. Although his origin story is nothing like Bruce Wayne's origin, he still shares a lot of similarities with Batman. He starts off as a vigilante trying to be a hero. At first, he has a strict no killing policy. One night, he's investigating a kidnapping of a little girl. He discovers the girl's remains in an old man's yard. He kills the man Saw style and from then on out, he is a ruthless vigilante. He plays judge, jury and executioner to any criminal he meets. At the end of the story, when it's revealed that Ozymandias is the mastermind behind all the Watchmen's troubles and he killed millions of people in New York City, Rorschach refuses to go along with the charade. He'd rather die than let evil win. Similar to Batmankoff, that sounds like Batman to me. So yes, Rorschach is crazy and a murderer, one would argue that Batman is "one bad day" from becoming just that . . . 

He said that . . . He did! 

THOMAS WAYNE (from Earth 2 and Flashpoint)

Definitely one of the best alternate versions of Batman. And it's a Wayne! In Flashpoint, Bruce is murdered and instead his parents are the ones left damaged. Martha goes crazy and eventually becomes the Joker (which is freaking terrifying if you ask me). Thomas becomes Batman. But he's a murderous, vengeful, uncompromising Batman. In Earth 2, after Bruce Wayne/Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman sacrifice themselves to save Earth from Apokalips, a new Batman emerges. We later learn that it's Thomas Wayne. He's been taking Miraclo (a drug that gives you super-strength for one hour) and uses it to fight off the returning forces of Apokalips. It's a pretty awesome story. Like Bruce, Thomas is a leader. He gathers the heroes of Earth 2 together to fight off Brutaal, the twisted Superman under Darkseid's control.

You mad bro?

Flashpoint and Earth 2 are fantastic comics. Thomas Wayne is trying to honor his son's memory by becoming the hero that he thinks that the world needs. Even though his methods are extreme, he's still Batman and any Earth will always need a Batman. 

BRUCE WAYNE (from Batman: Earth One)

Ok so this is a little bit of a cheat because it's Bruce Wayne. However, this is a very different Bruce Wayne than we're used to seeing. He's younger, cockier, and fucks up A LOT. This Bruce has never left Gotham City. The Bruce that we're used to seeing has had extensive training in both mind and body. Earth One Bruce has had some training from Alfred and in Volume Two we see him learning to become a detective from Jim Gordon. This Bruce is very green around the gills. His gadgets don't work, he gets his ass kicked, and he drives a pretty normal looking car. 

No. That is not it! Damn it Earth One! 

However, by the end of Volume Two we're starting to see him become the classic, legendary Batman that we're all familiar with. 

DICK GRAYSON (from Batman and Detective Comics)

For a while there, it seemed like there was a question as to who was going to be the new Batman after Bruce "died." But let's face it, it was always going to be Dick. Grayson grew out of the Robin persona and became Nightwing. He even moved away from Gotham City and established himself in Bludhaven. However, when he was needed, he always came back to Gotham. When Bruce seemingly died at the hands of Darkseid's Omega Beams during Final Crisis, Dick stepped up and put on the cowl. Although he was reluctant at first, he honored his surrogate father's memory well. He tackled a new Black Mask, Two-Face, Professor Pyg, Dr. Hurt, and even James Gordon, Jr. during his run as the Dark Knight. When Bruce returned, he let Dick continue being Batman in Gotham City while he set up Batman, Inc. After the new 52 started, Dick returned to being Nightwing. I miss Dick as Batman. It was a chance to see a lighter, more jokey Batman. Dick wasn't as brooding as Bruce, but he could still kick major ass. And in the end, Batman should kick your ass. Well, if you're a bad guy that is . . . 

BLACK LANTERN BATMAN (from Blackest Night)

Ok so this one is a MAJOR cheat because he only appears in like 3 pages of one comic but look at that! Isn't that awesome! It's a Zombie Batman! That's just amazing! 

I'm gonna get that Walker!

And in true Batman fashion, he takes down the Justice League in like 2 seconds! He turns their heaviest hitters into Black Lanterns. Because Batman is bad ass even as a Zombie.

Shit got real . . . 

LEGO BATMAN (from The Lego Movie)

This has to be hands down one of Batman's best appearances outside of a regular Batman film. He comes in, saves the day, says some bad ass lines and even says, "I'm Batman!" The Lego Movie wouldn't have been as great without him. Will Arnett plays Batman as an egotistical party animal, but he still kicks major butt. Although this Batman is a parody of the Batman we all know and love, I think it's safe to say that he's not THAT far off from the Batman we all know and love. And it's freaking Will Arnett! He's hilarious. But luckily, this Batman doesn't steal the show from Chris Pratt's Emmitt. However, he does steal most of the scenes that he's in. I think we're in for a real treat when the Lego Batman film comes out in a couple of years. 

KIRK LANGSTROM (from Justice League: Gods and Monsters)

He's a relatively new addition to the alternate Batmen, but in a short amount of time he has proven to be memorable. In a completely different take on the Bat-Man identity, Kirk Langstrom is trying to cure his cancer with bat-serum (as one does) and accidentally turns himself into a vampire. He uses his powers to fight evil along with Superman and Wonder Woman. Although this Batman is much more brutal than Bruce Wayne (and ya know . . . a monster) he still only kills the bad guys. And like the Batman we know, he's hidden himself away from the world and has very few friends. He doesn't really think of himself as a hero, but he's accepted what he has become and uses it to try and better mankind. To me, that's a good portrayal of what Batman stands for. 

Side note - did you watch the movie? Where was Bruce Wayne? I was kinda hoping we'd see him in the film and he'd be a bad guy. Maybe they will do that in a sequel.

JUSTICE LORD BATMAN (from Justice League)

In one of the best episodes of the Justice League animated series, the League discovers an alternate dimension where they have taken over the world and call themselves the Justice Lords. Well, technically the Lords discover them and try to take over THEIR world, but let's not split hairs. In any case, the Justice Lords imprison the League on their world and try to take over the main Earth. In one of the best Batman moments EVER, Justice League Batman confronts Justice Lord Batman and challenges his point of view. For a moment we're led to believe that League Bats has gone over to the Lord's way of thinking (which sounds religious but it's just because I'm using shorthand). We later see that Lord Batman has decided to help the Justice League get back to their world and stop the Justice Lords. In the Justice League Beyond comic book, we learn that Justice Lord Batman continued to try and clean up his world, having been changed by League Batman. However, Lord Superman eventually gets his powers back and kills him. It's up to the Justice League Beyond to stop the Justice Lords Beyond with the help of Wonder Woman, having been on the Lord's Earth with Lord Batman (if you know what I mean heh heh). Wow that sounded really complicated, didn't it? . . . Oh well . . . It's still a great episode. Catch it on Netflix!

JIM GORDON (from Batman)

Also a new addition to the alternate Batmen. Jim has become the new Batman, hired by Powers Industries (Batman Beyond reference!) to protect Gotham City. Since it appears that the actual Batman has died fighting the Joker, Gotham has been missing it's guardian. Jim is a strange choice to fill Batman's shoes and he even admits that it's the "worst idea in the history of Gotham City." However, he has stepped up because he does believe that Gotham needs a Batman and is doing his best to protect the city. So far, he's kicking a lot of butt and making a lot of enemies. Because you can't be Batman without kicking butt and making enemies. Not that Gordon was short of enemies to begin with, being the police commissioner and everything . . . Jeez Jim, maybe this wasn't such a good idea . . . Oh well. What's done is done. But hey!

I mean he's joining the Justice League! You're one of the big boys now, Jimbo!

You're on your way, champ!

Now, if I'm being honest, my absolute favorite Batman is Bruce Wayne. I mean, he's the original. Whether it's Michael Keaton, Kevin Conroy, Adam West, or on the printed page, no one can top the original. But I'm always a big fan of when the comics and movies shake things up. I like to see alternate takes on my favorite character because it gives me a new perspective and reason to love Batman. Nothing beats the classic, but I'm always intrigued by new iterations of Batman.

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

REBOOTED SPIDER-MAN VS . . . ??

It's happening. We're getting yet another Spider-Man reboot.  The reason that this is pretty exciting is that Spider-Man will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe in an official capacity. That means we're going to be seeing ol' Webhead join the Avengers and possibly appear on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Netflix Defenders series. The new Spider-Man film will premiere summer 2017. Since Spidey himself has been cast, the main question on everyone's mind is who will he be fighting? I think we can all agree that the best of the previous Spider-Man films were the ones where he just faced one villain. I'm hoping they give us a villain that we haven't seen yet. Most comic fans will agree that next to Batman, Spider-Man has the greatest rogues gallery. So who will we see Spidey trade punches with in 2017? I have some thoughts . . .

SCORPION

I admit that the Scorpion may not be a strong enough villain to carry a film, but I think there is still potential here. The original backstory was that he was created by J. Jonah Jameson to hunt down and take care of the "masked menace" of Spider-Man. His name is Mac Gargan. He's always been a two timing crook. I think it would be interesting to see a "failed fathers" type of theme with Spider-Man. Peter feels that his father failed him by leaving and Scorpion feels that Jameson failed him by eventually dumping him. It's not an "original" idea per se but one that would be interesting to see played out with two costumed characters in colorful costumes. Or they could go the Ultimate route and Scorpion is a big ass dude that chokes Spider-Man with a chain.

Yikes . . . 

Either way, I think Scorpion is a prime candidate to appear in a live action Spider-Man film. He's got a cool gimmick and could definitely hold his own against our Friendly Neighborhood Hero. 

MYSTERIO

Rumor has it that Marc Webb wanted to use Mysterio in his Amazing Spider-Man films. This comes from an interview with Dan Slott (current writer of Amazing Spider-Man) where he suggested Mysterio as a villain for a future film and Webb agreed. This particular villain is just ripe for a film adaptation. His name is Quentin Beck. He was a movie special effects wizard and he felt unappreciated by his superiors blah blah blah now he's a super villain. You know. That old story. He can do a lot of cool things with holograms and hallucinogenic gases. He's been known to frame Spider-Man for his crimes. There is also a Daredevil comic where he tries to convince Matt Murdock that he's losing his mind and all that. It was good. Written by Kevin Smith! . . . Yeah good stuff . . . Anyway, Mysterio would be awesome to see in a movie. However, instead of the fishbowl head I recommend they go with the Ultimate version of the character:

Technically, it's the same character. In the comic book story Spider-Men, Peter Parker is accidentally transported to the Ultimate Universe. There he discovers that that world's Peter Parker is dead and Miles Morales is Spider-Man now. They fight Ultimate Mysterio, which the Ultimate Peter Parker had previously battled. It turns out that Ultimate Mysterio was another disguise for the main Marvel Universe's Mysterio. He had breached into another dimension and was using that to commit his crimes. In the Ultimate Universe, he could be more of a bad ass and disappear without a trace. That was one of my favorite stories. It would be awesome to see it done in live action with a brand new Spider-Man. 

KRAVEN THE HUNTER

This is the big one. The main rumor is that Kraven is definitely the villain eyed for the Spider-Man reboot. During the infamous "Sony Hack" one of the leaked e-mails was one executive saying that his favorite Spider-Man story was "Kraven's Last Hunt." 

That's some terrible cosplay

In that story, Kraven thinks he kills Spider-Man. He then dons the costume and starts enacting terrible vengeance on New York's worst criminals. I'll be honest, I never read that story. Kraven would be cool to see I guess. If done right, Kraven could be a really interesting villain to see on film. He's a world class hunter/poacher. I'd love to see a cool hunter/prey superhero film. Like I said, if done right, it could be unique and very exciting. 

CHAMELEON

Fun fact - He was Spider-Man's first super villain. He was in Amazing Spider-Man #1 way back in 1962. Back then he could imitate anyone. He created rubber masks to impersonate anyone he wanted (like Mission: Impossible style). In the animated series, he had a hologram projector that would make him look and sound like whoever he wanted. In the Ultimate Spider-Man comic books, he was part of a team that could impersonate anyone. If I'm not mistaken he was a shape shifter.

Oh yeah. He framed Spider-Man. What an asshole

He'd probably be the "cheapest" villain to hire. You wouldn't have to pay one actor to play the Chameleon. He would be played by several different actors throughout the film. It would never be the same guy/girl twice. Now THAT would be unique and interesting! 

CARNAGE

Yeah. Yeah. Long shot. I know! But holy crap! Wouldn't this be freaking awesome to see? Carnage is like a super powered Joker. He doesn't care who he kills or why. He just likes to kill people. He likes screwing with Spider-Man. He's probably better off in a sequel after Venom is reintroduced.

Oh my god! That's so cool! 

The symbiote has been a huge part of Spider-Man comics since the late 80s. It would be awesome to see it done well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Since Venom is a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy now in the comics, maybe we'll see it (or at least a mention) in a future Guardians of the Galaxy film. That would get me hooked on a feeling . . . If you know what I mean . . . 

That was a reference to Guardians of the Galaxy in case you missed that . . . 

SHOCKER

Again, probably another villain that couldn't hold his own for a whole movie, but still a great visual and interesting power set. His name is Herman Schulz. He's a high school drop out but was still a technical genius. He could build anything and he used his skills for crime. He built two super powered gauntlets that could project energy. He called himself the Shocker. He was one of my favorite villains from the animated series. He has a cool look (well for a cartoon) and cool powers. He'd be a lot of fun to see in a live action film. Like I said, he couldn't hold his own in a film by himself but MAYBE if they can figure out how to do more than one villain in a Spider-Man film without screwing it up, then it could be exciting and fun to watch. 

This movie has the potential to be the best of the Spider-Man movies. Since Spidey is part of the MCU now we can possibly see the most faithful, honest adaptation of Spider-Man. But then again . . . This is the 2nd reboot within just a few years . . . 

You've got a huge legacy to live up to kid! Don't screw it up! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie!