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! 

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!