10 SUGGESTIONS FOR ANIMATED DC FILMS

It's finally happening! After years of saying, "Well . . . Maybe . . ." Warner Bros Animation is adapting Alan Moore's classic story, Batman: the Killing Joke. Given the controversial source material, this was definitely tricky to pull off. However, its popularity won out. Not only are we getting the Killing Joke but we're getting the original voice actors with Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamill as the Joker. Basically, all of us that were little kids growing up on Batman: the Animated Series are being treated to a very adult, R-rated take on Batman vs the Joker.

Like this only they can say swear words now!

The Killing Joke is one of my all time favorite Batman v Joker stories. There's a really touching moment at the end of the story where Batman reaches out to the Joker, offering to rehabilitate him. Joker considers it, then declines. "It's too late for me," he says. Personally, I can't wait to hear that played out between Conroy and Hamill. The movie's going to be amazing! 

Most of the DC animated films nowadays follow their own continuity loosely based on the New 52. Most actors play the same characters in the Justice League and Batman films. Usually there are three films a year, a Batman film, a Justice League film, and some sort of random out of continuity film such as The Killing Joke. Those ones tend to be the best in my opinion because they're based on existing comics and graphic novels or in the case of Justice League: Gods and Monsters they're totally original, really cool ideas.

The gang's all here! Mike, Sylvia, Chop Chop . . .

Everyone has a wish list for what comic should be adapted, and like any fan, I've given it a lot of thought. I'd like to share with you not only the comics I'd love to see adapted or perhaps ideas that would be fun, but the casts I'd love to see. Hold on to your hats!

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW?

STORY - The basic idea behind the story was, "What would happen in the last ever Superman adventure?" The comic was written as a kind of farewell to the Silver Age of DC Comics. Crisis on Infinite Earths was right around the corner and DC was going to go through a soft reboot, before anyone really knew what that word meant. So this is Superman's last stand against his greatest enemies. Given that it's a farewell to the more "outlandish" stuff in Superman's past, it's a pretty dark story. But there is a somewhat happy ending. 

CAST - I've always had it in my head that I'd love to see the cast of Smallville reunite. Since it's been a few years since the show went off the air, I think this would be a cool reunion type thing. And since it's animated, their salaries obviously would be a lot less than they were paid when the show ended. The story could actually be rewritten slightly to fit the events of the show into the story. Granted it wouldn't have to be rewritten by much, but just enough. But then again, maybe this is just my nerd brain wanting a Smallville reunion very, very badly . . . Oh well . . . 

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER?

STORY - Despite having the same title, this story is actually quite different from the Man of Tomorrow. In this story, all of Batman's rogues and allies gather together at his funeral and tell vastly different stories of the way he died. What they all don't realize is that the ghost of Bruce Wayne and his mother are watching. Bruce is confused as to why they are all telling such different stories until he realizes that each character has their own idea of Batman and the legend he spawned. It's a really interesting, very different kind of Batman book. I'd love to see this and the Man of Tomorrow adapted into a short film collection. We could call it Whatever Happened to the World's Finest! Darn, I'm good! 

CAST - The cast for this is simple - since this features a who's who of Batman rogues and allies, let's bring back the film cast! I'd love to see Michael Keaton as Batman again, even if it was just in a voiceover. Plus let's get Michelle Pfieffer, Danny DeVito, Chris O'Donnell, and whoever else would be willing to lend a voice from the original films. I know it would be a long shot for a lot of them, especially Jack Nicholson and Jim Carrey, but come on! How awesome would that be? Again . . . I know I'm just dreaming . . . 

BATMAN BEYOND

STORY - Given that nostalgia is on the rise nowadays, it's actually kind of strange that a Batman Beyond film hasn't been mentioned as even a possibility! Those same little kids I mentioned that loved Batman: the Animated Series also grew up with Batman Beyond as a worthy successor. I have very fond memories of watching this show with my sisters growing up. It always seemed like a great addition to the Batman legend. Terry McGinnis is officially a DC Comics character now too, with his own series (even though I think he was killed off . . . But I think he's coming back with Rebirth . . . who can tell?). I'm not sure what type of story they could do, but something that would continue the series or possibly adapt one of the Batman Beyond 2.0 comic book arcs. I'd pay to see those!

CAST - Well obviously it would have to include Will Friedle as Terry and Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne! Unless they went with a "reboot" type of film and recast. Then my vote would be for David Mazouz (Bruce Wayne on Gotham) to play Terry. Because come on . . . wouldn't that be amazing? Oh and Conroy should still play Wayne. Cuz . . . who else could do it? No one! That's who!

EARTH 2: THE DARK AGE

STORY - This is definitely one of my favorite comic book arcs. One of the reasons I loved it so much was because it always surprised me and I never knew what was going to happen next. Superman has become a minion of Darkseid and is terrorizing Earth with the minions of Apokalips. Batman is Thomas Wayne, hooked on Miraclo, a drug that gives you super strength, Lois Lane is the Red Tornado, another Kryptonian has been found but he wants to be a pacifist and remain out of the fight, Green Lantern is one with the Earth, Dr. Fate has been beaten into insanity by Superman (called Brutaal by Darkseid), and the Flash and Hawkgirl are overwhelmed with trying to save the world. Needless to say, a lot is going on. Earth 2 was one of my favorite comics. The original trinity of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were killed in the first fight against Apokalips so it's up to the new heroes of Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl to defend the Earth. That could easily be told in a flashback or prologue and then cut to the Earth being over run by Apokalips and the new heroes struggling to fight back. Yeah . . . this movie needs to get made . . . 

CAST - This could be a very exciting cast! I'd love to have Kevin McKidd from Justice League: the Flashpoint Paradox return as Thomas Wayne/Batman, then get Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds) to play Jay Garrick/the Flash, Paget Brewster (Justice League: Gods and Monsters) as Lois Lane/Red Tornado, B.J. Britt (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Val-Zod, and Adam Campbell (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) as Alan Scott/Green Lantern. Those are my picks anyway, cuz I love those actors and if this story was every adapted they would all fit their roles perfectly. 

INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US

STORY - Much like the Batman: Assault on Arkham film before it, I would love to see a film within the universe of Injustice. Granted, all that would really have to happen is for the comic book series to be adapted to film. The series, particularly the first volume, was some of the absolute best comic book stories I have ever read. I constantly find myself rereading those issues because they are so well crafted. Like with Earth 2, since it took place out of the main continuity, the story could go in any direction and never ceased to surprise and amaze me. The story goes that the Joker tricks Superman into killing Lois Lane and their unborn child. Superman, in a state of grief-rage, murders the Joker in cold blood. From there it's a downward spiral as he takes it upon himself to rule over the Earth with an iron fist while Batman and a few insurgents try to stop his Regime. Simply. Wonderful.

CAST - Well, the video game featured the return of George Newbern as Superman, Kevin Conroy as Batman, and Adam Baldwin as Green Lantern (in the game as the Yellow Lantern). Let's not reinvent the wheel here. Bring them back to voice their characters including anyone else from the Justice League animated series that wants to join in. Because nostalgia always wins!

TV JUSTICE LEAGUE

STORY - Yes, yes I know. I know. I've made similar suggestions to this many, many times in the past. Many times. But you know what . . . It's worth repeating, that's how adamant about this particular project I am. How cool would it be to see a Justice League animated film starring Supergirl, Green Arrow, Flash, Firestorm, the Atom, Hawkgirl, Rip Hunter, White Canary, Martian Manhunter, etc, etc?? The way I would do it is as a team up film where they already know each other. That way, it's the best of both worlds. We don't have to explain the Multiverse or anything like that. These characters are in their own continuity fighting some crazy evil thing like their version of the Injustice League! How cool would that be? You'd have Captain Cold, Malcolm Merlyn, Bizarro Supergirl, Vandal Savage and others teaming up to take down our heroes! This is assuming of course that we decide to make Captain Cold and Heatwave villains again instead of heroes like they are (trying to be) on Legends of Tomorrow. 

CAST - Bring them all in! Grant Gustin, Melissa Benoist, Stephen Amell, Brandon Routh, Caity Lotz, Victor Garber, and the rest of the crew! This would be so much fun! Like the animated Vixen series on the CW Seed app but way better because it features so many more characters! And it's not like 5 minutes long.

FOREVER EVIL

STORY - Another amazing story. And this one was written by none other than the amazing Geoff Johns! And to be fair, this is the first of his work I've included on this list. Score one for me! Thinking outside the box! Haha! Ahem . . . Anyway . . . The story begins with the Crime Syndicate from Earth 3 having trapped the Justice League in the Firestorm matrix. They've taken over the world! It's up to Lex Luthor, his failed Superman clone B-Zero. Captain Cold, Deathstroke, Sinestro, Black Adam, Black Manta, and *gasp* Batman and Catwoman to save the world and rescue the Justice League. The Crime Syndicate are evil versions of the Justice League from a parallel Earth. They are ruthless, nasty, vicious killers. They are the polar opposites of the heroes and great characters. 

CAST - This could actually fit in the regular animated continuity so keeping the same actors like Jason O'Mara as Batman, Harry Lennix as Black Manta, although I would want to replace Steve Blum as Lex Luthor with Clancy Brown. Why? Well . . . See previous answer about nostalgia winning. As for the Crime Syndicate I think it would be fun to cast the Justice League animated series actors. How much fun would that be for Michael Rosenbaum to be Johnny Quick (the evil Flash), Kevin Conroy as Owlman (evil Batman), George Newbern as Ultraman (evil Superman), and so on and so forth. Since Catwoman has not yet been cast, as of this writing, in any of the recent animated Bat-films I'd vote for Eliza Dushku to reprise the role of Catwoman from Batman: Year One. I mean, wasn't she great? And why hasn't she been cast as the live action Catwoman? She'd be great! 

BATMAN: SUPERHEAVY

STORY - This particular story actually just finished up, as of this writing. This was one of the more bizarre but totally fun runs on Batman. Batman is presumed dead and Powers International decides to create a new Batman. Jim Gordon is recruited and he tries to keep the city safe as a (somewhat) police sanctioned Batman. But when a mysterious new foe named Mr. Bloom begins wreaking havoc on Gotham City, Jim realizes he's in over his head and what it really means to be Batman. <------- Did ya see that? I could write these plot synopses for amazon.com or something! HA! Ahem . . . Anyway, it's a really cool story where Jim gets a robot Bat-suit as well as a Batsuit designed for him to wear for "stealthier" operations. The story also features a Bruce Wayne with no memory of his life as Batman. He's working with the city's under-privileged kids and is happy with his girlfriend Julie Madison. During the story he starts to kind of remember who he is and by the end realizes he needs to get his memories back and help save Gotham City. Because Bruce Wayne must always be Batman!

CAST - Even though this is part of the New 52 and if it was adapted it would probably fall under the current Batman films starring Jason O'Mara. However, given that this story predominantly features Jim Gordon as Batman I would actually cast my vote in a different direction. Let it be a stand alone film and bring back Bryan Cranston as Jim Gordon!  Then we could use Ben McKenzie as Bruce Wayne! Yes, technically that would make this a sequel to the animated Batman: Year One. But come on! Who wouldn't want to hear Cranston as Batman? Even as a Jim Gordon version of Batman. Still . . . It's too good to pass up! 

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: ABSOLUTE POWER

STORY - In this particular story, Superman and Batman's histories are altered by Saturn Queen, Lightning Lord, and Cosmic King, evil versions of the Legion of Superheroes from the future (cuz comics!). Superman and Batman are the rulers of the Earth and the only rule is obey or die! Throughout the story, Superman and Batman are flung around through time and space while history tries to correct itself. Many strange and exciting versions of the DCU are seen as they travel around trying to fix the timeline. It's a pretty exciting and strange story. Honestly, I'm surprised it hasn't been adapted yet. It's the third story following Public Enemies and Apocalypse (but in the comics was the Supergirl arc). I would have thought that this one would have been produced by now but for whatever reason it was not. Granted, it could still happen and I think it should. Like Gods and Monsters and Flashpoint Paradox it's so much fun to see alternate realities for the heroes. It makes us miss the real world as well more curious about this crazy alternate place. At least, that's what I think!

CAST - This one is easy enough to start with! Since it's a continuation from the other stories we just get Kevin Conroy as Batman and Tim Daly as Superman! As for the main villains, that's a little trickier! But I'd cast my vote for Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead) as Cosmic King, cuz he has just enough charm in his voice to hide his menace, Diane Neal (Law and Order: SVU) as Saturn Queen because she has a soft, soothing voice but can turn into a bitch in a heartbeat, and Ryan Eggold (the Blacklist) as Lightning Lord because he can be a real friend or a real enemy depending on what side he's on (or you're on!). 

BATMAN: EARTH ONE

STORY - Ok so it's another Geoff Johns one! So sue me! Anyway, this is a re imagining of Batman's origin. Gotham City is corrupt, dangerous, and a nightmare to live in. Bruce Wayne creates the Batman to try and inspire the city out of darkness as well as solve the murder of his parents. The story features very different, and awesome, takes on Jim Gordon, Harvey Bullock, Harvey Dent, Alfred, Bruce Wayne, the Penguin, and a new character named Jessica Dent, twin sister of Harvey. As far as Batman stories go, this one is one of my all time favorites. The first volume is really great but the second one definitely kicks it up to 11. If you are a fan of Batman or just great crime stories I highly recommend the series. It has the same "realistic" feel that the Nolan movies had as well as a dash of comic book craziness. But not too much. The stories are pretty grounded actually. And that's what makes them so compelling to me. I almost feel like I'm reading non-fiction. Gosh, I could go on all day!

CAST - 

Boom! There's your cast! Granted, David Mazouz might be a tad too young to play a 20something Bruce Wayne, but I'd let it slide if it meant we got these other actors playing the characters. Cory Michael Smith would kill it as the Riddler just like he does on the series. And let's face it, we all want more Robin Lord Taylor as the Penguin! Gotham is modeled a little bit after Earth One so this casting and design would make perfect sense! Let's do this!!

You might have noticed I didn't mention any of the more popular choices like Batman: Hush, Kingdom Come, Superman: For All Seasons, etc. Well, I stayed away from those for two reasons - 1 because they are on everybody's list and 2 I'd like to keep a more open mind to the more obscure choices because I believe they could also make for compelling films. Also, in some cases you'll notice I was going for a great cast over an existing story. But that's only because I'm so in love with these properties! I want to see more and more in any way I can! Can ya blame me? If it ain't broke, don't fix it! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

8 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND THE NEW POWER RANGERS MOVIE

If you were a kid growing up in the 90s, like I was, odds are you were a fan of the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. I loved it. It was so much fun to watch. You could easily get sucked in and just enjoy the kick ass action. Granted, Power Rangers has not aged well. It's very cheesy, cliché, and corny. The three C's! Haha! Ahem . . . anyway . . . I remember going to the movie theater and seeing the original film with my mom. I was so happy. It was so much fun. I watch it now and still smile a little bit. Yeah it's cheesy but it's still fun. I mean when you're a kid the Power Rangers are so cool. They represent pure good and they always defeat evil. It was pretty inspiring.

These days, whenever you go to some sort of Comic Con, whether it's big or small you'll see people dressed as the Power Rangers or at least wearing Power Ranger T-shirts.

That's my friends and I from this past weekend at Steel City Con in Pittsburgh, PA. We actually got a lot of compliments and people wanted to take our picture. Even with just the T-shirts! That says a lot about the impact that Power Rangers has had on so many people over the years. When it was announced that a reboot was in the works, I became very excited. Like many fans, I'm very skeptical. However, I still have high hopes. But if I have any say in these things, and I don't, I'd like to offer my opinion on what I think could make the new Power Rangers film successful.

LET'S SCRAPE OFF THE CHEESE

 

The major complaint I have about the Power Rangers is that it's way too cheesy. I'm not necessarily talking about the special effects.  I mean it's a low budget TV show, it's allowed to look a little cheesy. I'm talking about the dialogue. It's a whole other level of cheese. I can't take the situations that they are all in seriously because of it. I don't mind some witty banter during a fight scene, I mean I'm a comic book fan after all, but Power Rangers lays it on super thick. I love comedy during action scenes, I mean it helps to make the destruction and death light, especially in a kids' show, but for real . . . just chill with it this time. Having said that . . .

 

DON'T LOSE THE OPTIMISM

 

Watching Power Rangers now on Netflix, I can't help but notice how optimistic the show is. Although the city is constantly in danger and the Rangers are fighting evil every week, there is this overwhelming feeling of optimism. Good will always triumph over evil. Recent superhero TV shows like Supergirl and the Flash follow this formula. Even though there is a lot of danger every episode, the characters are happy, healthy, and willing to have fun. That's important to show kids. It's important that they remain optimistic even though life can be very cruel. The Rangers are constantly smiling and having a good time. They are all genuinely good friends and help each other out in every crisis, big or small. That's important to keep that in the new film. It doesn't have to be cheesy, it just needs to be real. They can all be great friends, full of optimism without being cheesy. Oh that reminds me . . .

 

GIVE THEM ALL DISTINCT PERSONALITIES

 

Another issue I have with the TV series is that the Power Rangers are pretty much interchangeable. They don't really have distinct personalities. Billy is supposed to be the brainiac, Zack is the cool kid, Jason is a jock (kinda), and Kimberly is the valley girl but for the most part, you could give their dialogue to another character and no one would be able to tell the difference. I saw an interview with the writers/producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer where one writer confessed to giving a line of dialogue to another character and Joss Whedon found it immediately and knew what he did. I think that's something that needs to happen with Power Rangers. We should be able to tell the difference between each character, not because they're color coded but because they are all different people. They can all be very different and still be friends, that's realistic. It's more realistic than all of them being exactly the same and being instant best friends. I'd rather they learn to become best friends. That's how my friends and I are. We're all similar but have very different personalities. It helps add an element of realism to the craziness of what they're doing.

 

KEEP THE FIGHT SCENES AWESOME

 

After rewatching the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers movie I have to say that the fight scenes are really cool. I'm sure that this will not be an issue in the new film. Given that nowadays superhero films are known for including really incredible fight scenes, I'm hoping that tradition will continue with Power Rangers. The show was really good about showcasing the Rangers fighting the Putties or whatever monster individually and as a group. In keeping with my last request, let's see each Ranger fight a little differently. Each Ranger fights pretty much the same in the series with a few exceptions like Kimberly fights a bit more like a gymnast and Tommy does more, for lack of a better term, more aerial fighting techniques. It makes them look a little different from the others. I think, to enhance the fighting scenes, the characters should fight well individually but together they all look really cool and exciting. It would make the film look visually different compared to other superhero movies.

 

MENACING VILLAINS

 

I never quite understood how Zedd and Rita could never get one up on the Rangers. The closest Rita ever came was when she had the Green Ranger (more on that later). The closest Zedd ever came was the first time he faced the Power Rangers. When they joined forces it looked bleak for a second then the Power Rangers won again. And again. And again. It was just a teensy bit ridiculous. When I would watch Batman: the Animated Series, it seemed like there was genuine conflict. There were times where I believed that Batman may not win against the villain. However, I never thought that with the Power Ranger villains. Maybe it's because it was always Rita, Zedd, King Mondo, or whatever that was attacking them, but it lost its appeal. Elizabeth Banks has been cast as Rita Repulsa in the new Power Rangers film. I think that's great casting because she's great, but let's make sure that she's a believable threat to the Rangers. It would help to make the story much more exciting and the heroes' triumph all the more satisfying.

 

WHERE'S THE SIXTH RANGER?

 

Ok so not so much a suggestion as it is a question. In my opinion, the Power Rangers were always at their best when there was a sixth ranger. While the Green Ranger always felt like a bit of an outsider, probably because he started off evil and tried to kill everyone, the White Ranger always felt like part of the team. It's probably because of how the show was set up where Tommy lost his powers and then came back more powerful than ever, but that's how I always felt. The cast list for the new film only included the original five rangers. That's disappointing but understandable. Perhaps the Green Ranger story is being saved for the sequel. However,  I hope that they don't wait to do the White Ranger. I'm hoping that the Green Ranger and the White Ranger battle in the next film. That happened in the series and still remains one of my favorite episodes. I'd like to see an updated, awesome version of that in the new films.

 

GOLDAR

 

I would argue that the best villain on the original series was Goldar. He loved torturing the Rangers, fighting the Rangers, and just being the villain. In the later seasons he became less threatening and more annoying. But the early episodes he was always front and center, beating up and torturing the Rangers. I'll never forget the Green With Evil episodes where Jason was trapped in a duel to the death with Goldar, without his powers. Goldar took a lot of pleasure in torturing Jason as well as beating the crap out of him. In my opinion, that's what made him so scary. He knew he was evil and loved it. He had no problems just tormenting the Rangers mentally and physically. I'd love to see him in the new film just rip the Rangers apart. If any of the original villains stand a chance of destroying the Power Rangers, it's him. 

 

MAYBE A CAMEO OR TWO . . .

 

Over the past 20ish years, there have been many different interpretations of the Power Rangers. My personal favorite was the Power Rangers in Space. However, I did always love Power Rangers Zeo. The costumes looked so cool and the Zords were pretty bad ass. The Gold Ranger was so awesome looking. Between characters like Trey of Triforia (the Gold Zeo Ranger) and Andros (the Red Space Ranger) it always seemed to me like there were Power Rangers all over the galaxy. I'd like to see mention of them in the new film in some way. It could be a nod to the sixth ranger, which is very important to me, or just a way to give the Power Rangers a more universal feel. I like the idea that there are Power Rangers everywhere and maybe they're the only survivors of their respective crews. It's a way to make it realistic, tragic, but ultimately exciting when they embrace new team members. Plus, who wouldn't want to see a team up with multiple different Rangers? The Gold Zeo Ranger teaming up with the original Blue Ranger? Ummm . . . yes please! I mean they've kind of done stuff like that, but it would still be fun to see in live action and for real. Instead of just me playing with the toys . . . I MEAN . . . Uhh . . . anyway . . .

 

 

 

These are my ideas on what would make for a successful reboot of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers in 2016 (or 2017) when the film is released. I grew up on Power Rangers. They're very near and dear to my heart. I recognize how cheesy/corny it is now, but it doesn't change the fact that I still love it. When my friends and I talked about wearing the shirts to Steel City Con I got so excited. It was something we all loved as kids and everyone took notice while we were there. I can't wait to see a trailer and pictures from the new film. I'm hoping for the best with it. After all, with Bat in the Sun making a really cool new Green Ranger suit, Kyle Higgins writing a bad ass new comic, and superheroes at an all time high, it seems logical that a new Power Rangers film will capture all our imaginations all over again . . .

 

Till Next Time! and may the Power protect you!

 

 

 

JJ - the Comic Junkie 





 

 



 



 



 



TEAM UP FILMS - IT'S THE WAVE OF THE SUPERHERO MOVIE FUTURE

2016, I think, will be known as a landmark year for comic book movies. There are six different superhero movies being released this year - Deadpool, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: Civil War, X-Men: Apocalypse, Suicide Squad, and Dr. Strange. That's quite a lot! And you'll notice that most of them have something in common - they're team up films. The only film that doesn't have any other superhero characters featured, that we know of, is Dr. Strange. The others either feature a team up, a superhero showdown, or some combination of the two.

They fought. Then they teamed up. We'll be seeing this two more times this year . . . 

Ever since The Avengers broke box office records and stole all our hearts back in 2012, it's been the norm for the more successful films to have at least a cameo from another superhero. Think about it! Captain America: Winter Soldier featured Black Widow as a co-star, Ant-Man featured a cameo by the Falcon, and now there's talk of the Hulk being a major player in Thor: Ragnarok.  Wow . . . That's a lot! Not to mention that on the TV side of things, the Punisher made an explosive debut on Daredevil this year while Barry Allen was just a recurring guest star on Arrow before spinning off on his own show. It's the wave of the future I tell ya! Or rather, it should be.

Let's face it, we've seen the origin story done dozens of times. We get it. Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered, Krypton exploded, Steve Rogers was skinny then got roided up! It's been done. We're done with those types of films. Deadpool played the origin smart. It established the hero early on then gradually gave us the backstory. It helped to make the movie have a better flow and seem much more interesting. The origins aren't as vital to liking the characters or understanding the characters as the studios want us to think. The original Tim Burton Batman film just showed a little bit of a backstory but largely the film just jumped in on the action. It allowed the audience to just jump right in and get to the point.  

Ever since the Avengers, one of the biggest complaints about the solo movies was, "Where are the other Avengers?" Never mind that in the comics, each character faces crises all the time without assistance from the other heroes. But I get it. In a live action setting, it seems silly that these world ending catastrophes would be happening and the other heroes wouldn't step up. The easy solution? Bring them in! It's probably a big reason why Cap 3 features the New Avengers, because it would look ridiculous and cheesy to establish these new characters and then not follow up with them. It was one of the reasons I was happy to see cameos from War Machine and Falcon in Age of Ultron. It helps make the movies seem more connected when the characters interact. To be honest, it feels more like the comic books. 

One of the reasons I'm excited for Batman v Superman, is to see the role Wonder Woman will play. This is a great way to introduce her character before launching a solo film. Also, it looks like we'll be seeing Aquaman, the Flash, and possibly Cyborg. And then of course there's Spider-Man's introduction to the MCU in Captain America: Civil War. 

Spider-Man is a menace! 

Putting heroes in a film together is a great way to establish that they all live in the same world as well as giving credibility to some lesser known heroes like Deadpool and Cyborg. The DC TV shows have been doing it for a while now with Firestorm being introduced on The Flash, the Atom on Arrow, and in an upcoming episode, Jonah Hex on Legends of Tomorrow. They don't take away from the main story. If anything, it adds more excitement and interest. Rather than just have a new rogue every week, often the heroes are at odds, making a much more interesting, character driven story. Plus it helps to open up the world a little more. By having Firestorm on the Flash, we can see one or two of his rogues rather than a repeat of Reverse Flash or Captain Cold. It gives the writers more options in the long run. 

I'm hoping to see more heroes team up in future comic book movies. I'd love to see Robert Downey, Jr cameo in the upcoming Spider-Man reboot and I'd love to see another Justice League member cameo in a future Batman film. It's something that hasn't really been done before, until this year. I'm confident we'll be seeing more of this as the films keep getting made. I mean, we gotta keep them interesting right? If we're paying $10 or more per movie ticket I want more bang for my buck damn it! 

Till Next Time!

JJ - The Comic Junkie! 

WHEN BATMAN MET SUPERMAN - AS TOLD BY JJ

With Batman v Superman just days away, at the time of this writing, I think it's only fitting that I take a trip down memory lane and discuss the first time Batman and Superman met - back during the glory days of The New Batman/Superman Adventures.

I've always been a big comic book fan. What really got me into Batman was the Tim Burton Batman film from 1989. What kept me coming back was the amazing Batman: the Animated Series. That show was so much fun to watch and I always had a sense that I was getting much more story than most cartoons dared to tell. That was definitely confirmed when I was growing up, buying the DVDs and thinking to myself, "Wow. This show is still great! These are very mature stories!"

And it just got better! Those same producers went on to make Superman: the Animated Series. While I enjoyed the show, I didn't fully appreciate it till I was an adult. But that was not the case during the team up episodes with Batman. I remember back when video stores were still around I must have rented The Batman/Superman Movie 100 times and watched it over and over again. To this day, it makes me smile. While there isn't really a fight between Batman and Superman in it, there is tension and conflict. Superman doesn't agree with Batman, but Batman doesn't care. He's going to catch the Joker and leave.

The first time the characters meet is pure genius. Batman is interrogating a criminal in a nightclub. Superman comes in to stop him, saying that he's got all the information he's going to get. Batman grabs Superman and tosses him across the room. Superman stares at Batman with a classic, "How the hell did he do that?" look. As Batman goes to continue his interrogation, Superman rams into him, smacking him against the wall. "I heard you were crazy. I didn't think you were stupid," a pissed off Superman says before using his X-Ray vision to sneak a peak at Batman's true identity. Batman doesn't seem surprised that Superman would do this. Instead, he whips out a small chunk of Kryptonite and watches Superman become weak, even though the piece is just a sliver of a larger piece that the Joker has in his possession.

Later that night, Superman returns to his apartment and puts on his pajamas as Clark Kent. He takes a phone call from Lois Lane, who has started dating Bruce Wayne, and he notices something on his cape. He grabs a bat-shaped device, uses his telescopic vision to see Batman spying on him. Batman gives him a sarcastic salute and runs off. "Touche," Superman grumbles and crushes the Bat-tracer that Batman had placed on him.

The episodes in question are absolutely perfect for a first time meeting between Superman and Batman. It features a team up between Lex Luthor and the Joker, who are sublime together, a romance between Lois Lane and Bruce Wayne, who later discovers that he's Batman, and plenty of action as the heroes put aside their differences and take down their nemeses. Basically, in the late 1990s, an eleven year old boy couldn't have wished for anything better.

They kept the crossovers to a minimum, but some of the best episodes came out of it like "Knight Time" which saw Superman posing as Batman while trying to find out what happened to Bruce Wayne. Superman, in Batman's costume, fights the Riddler, Mad Hatter, and Bane. It's pretty much as bad ass as it sounds. It's revealed later that Wayne was being mind-controlled by Brainiac to build a new craft for him to escape from Earth. "The Demon Reborn" saw the return of Ra's Al Ghul. In that episode, the Lazarus Pits no longer could help to keep him alive, so he attempted to steal Superman's strength.

Those two episodes, combined with Superman's return in Batman Beyond eventually paved the way for the Justice League and Justice League Unlimited animated series. Some of the all time best Batman-Superman-Justice League stories have been told in animation, even over the comic books (any die hard fan will agree to that). Batman and Superman's friendship felt like it was earned over a mutual respect for each other despite their different approaches to fighting crime. Watching Justice League, I could see where they had that friendship and partnership that was stronger than any other characters. And it all started with The New Batman/Superman Adventures.

I've been wanting a Batman/Superman film ever since I was a little kid. I mentioned before how back in 2002, there was talk of Wolfgang Petersen directing a film from Andrew Kevin Walker's script.

My heart soared and I couldn't believe that I was going to get an honest to God team up movie featuring Batman and Superman! Then . . . you know . . . we didn't get that movie. Instead, WB gave Christopher Nolan a shot at Batman with Batman Begins and Bryan Singer took on Superman Returns. While each film has their fans and critics, there were always rumors that possibly Superman and Batman would cross over. While Superman Returns didn't fare well at the box office, and Nolan went on to make two more Dark Knight films, there were still rumors. Hell, after Man of Steel premiered I remember reading that WB was willing to offer Christian Bale $50 million to reprise his role as Batman for MOS2. That turned out to only be a rumor, as Bale admitted later he was never approached, but the thought was always there. When were Batman and Superman going to be in a freaking film together?

That's when San Diego Comic Con 2013 happened. It was finally going to happen! A month later, it was announced that Ben Affleck would be playing Bruce Wayne/Batman. As the usual, and frankly, unprovoked, fanboy hate came out. I will admit I was hesitant at first. Then I saw Argo and The Town. My fears were put to rest. I knew immediately that Affleck would be a great Batman. My feeling has never changed and if early reviews are any indication, I'm right. This film will be nothing short of epic to me.

Over the years I've read many comics featuring Batman and Superman. Sometimes solo adventures, sometimes with the Justice League, sometimes in a team up or a guest spot in each other's books. I can tell you one thing - the pairing, fights, arguments, hand shakes, etc have always made me smile. Batman and Superman are the best characters in comic books. When they team up, assuming the writing is well done of course, it's magical and exciting to me. Every time I see Batman and Superman in animation, video games, comic books, I think back to The New Batman/Superman Adventures. I've always loved Batman and I totally believe that Batman could beat Superman in a fight. But to be honest, I don't want them to fight. I want them to get along, be best friends, and kick the crap out of the bad guys. Because that's who they are. They're heroes! And to me, they're idols. Characters I've looked up to my entire life. And now that I get to see them in live action? It's going to bring tears to my eyes.

Till Next Time!



JJ - the Comic Junkie!

ABANDONED DC FILMS THAT SHOULD BE MADE INTO COMIC BOOKS

Next week we will see the official launch of the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) with the release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I mean Superman already had his film, but this time we'll be meeting a few other members of the Justice League in a team up film.

Yeah that's them . . . 

It's been well documented, but over the past two decades several DC characters have had false starts in the film world. In some cases, pre-production had already begun or at the very least the scripts had been handed in to the studio executives. For one reason or another, Warner Bros would always get cold feet and wound up not producing these films. Of course we've had great films with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy, mediocre films like Superman Returns, and straight up terrible films like Catwoman. Oh and Green Lantern falls somewhere in the middle there, depending on how many beers I've had . . . 

Anyway, there are plenty of lists out there that talk about how these films got their start and then they fell to the ground. I love reading about those because it's fun to play the what if game. What if we had gotten a Batman vs Superman film back in 2004? What if Joel Schumacher had actually made Batman Triumphant after Batman and Robin? It's definitely for the best that these films never happened because now we're getting a very exciting start to the DCEU with Batman v Superman later this month, Suicide Squad this summer, Wonder Woman in production, and Justice League Part One currently in pre-production with many more on the way. 

 Yes . . . Yes . . . YES!!!

Like I said, it's still fun to play the "what if" game. The more I think about it, I wonder why let these ideas go to waste? Why not have these never produced films made into comic books or graphic novels? That would be an interesting way to show off the "what could have been" by giving fans an idea of what these films could have looked like. I've made a list of the films I would like to see brought to life by DC Comics. I've kept the list to mainly the ones I'm genuinely interested in (yes, most of them are Batman) and although I don't have any specific artists in mind I will suggest certain looks for certain characters based on actors I think would have been cast in the role, or who were rumored for roles at the time. So . . . without further ado . . . 

 JOSS WHEDON'S WONDER WOMAN

Once upon a time, Joss Whedon pitched a Wonder Woman film to Warner Bros. If I remember correctly, this was back in the early 2000s when superhero films were just starting to really become ultra popular with the first X-Men films, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man, and of course the Nolan Dark Knight films. Every studio was trying to get their hands on a new superhero to adapt. Whedon had an idea for a Wonder Woman film, apparently being a period piece but also showing Diana throughout history. WB passed on the project, and Whedon was later offered The Avengers by Marvel Studios. So . . . nice job WB. Really, good job!

To this day, Whedon does express some resentment toward WB for passing on the project. It's hard not to sympathize with him considering his track record for action, adventure, and of course female driven franchises. The rumor is that he was considering then unknown actress Colbie Smulders for the part of Diana. He later went on to cast her as Maria Hill in The Avengers. Maybe to make up for it? Who knows! Anyway, my thought is give Whedon a shot to tell his Wonder Woman story as a mini-series. The artist could even model Diana after Smulders to give Whedon, and his fans, closure on what could have been a really great film. 

 TIM BURTON'S BATMAN 3

Back in 1992, after the premiere of Batman Returns, many fans were unhappy with the way Tim Burton was taking the Batman franchise. Warner Bros got a little cold feet and decided it was best Burton leave the Bat-universe alone and focus on other projects. Before the reins were officially given over to Joel Schumacher, Burton had started work on a potential third film with his crew. At the time, the only villain in the film would have been The Riddler and Robin was due to finally make an appearance (he had been cut out of the first two films). While some of these ideas did show up in Batman Forever, Burton had stepped down and Michael Keaton went with him. 

The above pic is a photo that made the internet rounds not long ago. Burton's team had gotten as far as redesigning the Batsuit yet again. Granted, it was probably for the best as Batman Returns remains divisive among fans even to this day. However, you can't deny that it would have been cool to see it come to fruition. So, why not bring it back as a comic book? I'd love to see a Burton-ized version of the Riddler, rumored to have been offered to Robin Williams, along with Robin, Batgirl, etc. 

Apparently, this idea was pitched to DC in the same vein as the Wonder Woman '77 and Batman '66 comics, where the stories would take place after Batman Returns. As you can see, Billy Dee Williams would have become Two-Face, Catwoman would be back, Robin would make an appearance, and (we assume) so would Barbara Gordon. I had a previous post saying that DC should produce a comic like this and it makes me sad that it was passed over. What a missed opportunity! Look at that! How cool is that? Plus it would be cool to see Batman drawn to look like Michael Keaton. And for extra fun, and a nod to Tim Burton, why not draw the Mad Hatter to look like Johnny Depp?

I mean, right? That would be so cool! Maybe DC will change their mind and eventually release a digital comic based on this idea. Because why not? It's not like Batman isn't a hot seller or anything! Speaking of . . .

BATMAN TRIUMPHANT

 

There's no need to get into the history of this story. The bullet points are that Schumacher was going to direct a third Batman film with George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, and Alicia Silverstone returning and with Nicolas Cage playing the Scarecrow. There was even the option for Jack Nicholson to come back as the Joker in a fear induced hallucination. Regardless of your feelings toward Batman and Robin, THAT would have been cool! But Warner Bros decided not to go ahead with Batman Triumphant, probably because the title gives away the ending, and eventually we did get a Batman vs Scarecrow film with Batman Begins but that obviously was MUCH different that what was originally intended. 

A few years ago, Schumacher talked about producing a series of graphic novels detailing his original ideas for all three of his Batman films. If you have ever seen his other films then you'll know that the man is actually quite good at crafting dark, twisted stories with complex characters. I'd like to see what he could do with a dark, serious Batman rather than the campy one that he gave us in the first place. It would be cool to see the characters drawn to look like the actors including Nicolas Cage as the Scarecrow. 

Look at that! He doesn't even need a mask!

 

Strangely enough, this isn't the first time we'll see Cage on this list. But we'll get to that later. For now, I'm hoping that Schumacher does get a chance to redeem himself with his Batman graphic novels. That would be a lot of fun to read and see it play out in my head. 

 

GREEN ARROW: ESCAPE FROM SUPERMAX

 

Now this one would have been interesting! In the late 2000s when The Dark Knight was kicking ass at the box office and Marvel's "shared universe" was being teased to the populace, everyone was trying to get in on the superhero game. David Goyer, co-writer of the Dark Knight trilogy, wrote a script for a live action Green Arrow film that would have seen Arrow framed for a crime he didn't commit, imprisoned in a Supermax prison with some of the worst criminals in the DCU, then trying to escape with a handful of said criminals. Really, this film would have been fantastic. It's a shame Warner Bros got cold feet because everything that was talked about the film sounded so cool. in a way, it would have been Arrow before Arrow was ever conceived. It would have featured C and D list DC villains (haha) with cameos by more high profile characters like the Joker. While I don't think this film would have tied into the Nolan Bat-films, it still would have been really cool.

So again I ask, why not make a graphic novel? Goyer actually has plenty of experience writing comic books. Plus with DC's Rebirth on the way, it would make for a very interesting launch for the Green Arrow comics to go in. Or you know maybe . . . Arrow Season 5? That works too . . . Oh and speaking of David Goyer . . . 

DAVID GOYER'S THE FLASH

 

If you look up "Never Produced Comic Book Films" or something along those lines you'll see David Goyer is attached to quite a few. After writing all three Blade films, co-writing the Dark Knight trilogy, and writing Man of Steel, it's clear that he's a huge fan and wants to be as involved as he can be making new and exciting comic book films. A few years ago, he had written a treatment for a Flash film with the intention to direct it as well. Rumor has it that he wanted Ryan Reynolds for the lead, and the Flash would actually be Wally West, not Barry Allen. However, the story would have featured multiple versions of the Flash, probably traveling through the Speed Force. Goyer went on record saying that the movie would have really played up superspeed for everything they could think of in terms of theoretical physics, wormholes, time travel, all that cool stuff. Basically, it would have been one hell of a trippy film. It probably would have been really unique and exciting. 

Just like with the Green Arrow suggestion, maybe this is something that can be visited during DC's Rebirth. I mentioned in a previous post how I think the Flash comics are in desperate need of a new and exciting direction. Out of the box thinking with the Speed Force like Goyer wanted for the film is exactly the kind of direction that could make the comic stand out from everything else. That would be a really exciting comic to read every month or biweekly, as the Rebirth comics are now biweekly. But who knows? Maybe some of Goyer's ideas will make it into the Flash film starring Ezra Miller. Or Goyer could jump on the Flash TV series and throw some cool ideas in the mix. For now though, I'd like to see what his film would have looked like. 

 

SUPERMAN: FLYBY

 

Before Superman Returns was released, Warner Bros tried every kind of take on Superman that you can think of. While there is a more famous version of a failed Superman film known (and we'll get there I promise), one that was actually pretty close to production was a Superman film written by JJ Abrams and to be directed by either McG and then later Brett Ratner. Interestingly enough, Henry Cavill actually auditioned and screen tested for Superman back in 2004 for this film. Ratner was going to bring in Anthony Hopkins as Jor El and it looked like everything was up and running. Then details of the script got out: Krypton was not destroyed. Kal El was an alien prince sent to Earth due to a seemingly never ending civil war on Krypton. Lex Luthor was a CIA agent but later revealed to be a sleeper Kryptonian spy sent to kill Kal El. Basically, fans got wind of the changes from the source material and they were not happy about it. Warners got cold feet and scrapped the film, later giving Bryan Singer a shot with his pseudo-sequel Superman Returns. 

Yes, there are some changes made from the source material, but moreso than any other film listed here, it's probably why it has the potential to be a really cool graphic novel. It could easily be an "Elseworlds" tale with Superman's history tweaked just enough to be different, but the characters remain largely similar to the main DC continuity. To my knowledge, JJ Abrams has never written a comic book, but it doesn't mean that his script couldn't be dusted off and reworked by a regular DC writer into a really inventive and different look at the Superman mythos. Plus that costume design is really cool! And who wouldn't want to read a Superman book where Jor El looks like Anthony Hopkins?

See? He looks perfect!

 

SUPERMAN VS BATMAN

 

This particular film, believe it or not, has been in the works for 15 years. Way back when, Wolfgang Petersen, director of Air Force One, and Andrew Kevin Walker, writer of Seven, were working on a Superman vs Batman film for Warner Bros. This was back when both franchises were separately not going anywhere so there was the idea to throw them together. The basic idea would have been Bruce Wayne's wife murdered by the Joker and he looks to seek vengeance but Superman tries to stop him. Eventually they would team up but the majority of the film would have seen them at odds. Batman v Superman looks to be following a similar path, but it looks like Lex Luthor is manipulating Batman and Superman rather than the Joker. Regardless, that was the idea. But apparently the script was too dark and rewrites were done and each subsequent rewrite looked less and less promising so the film was abandoned.

 

I actually remember reading about this and being really excited. I was so mad when the film was never made. Now you understand why I keep saying Batman v Superman is the film I've waited my whole life for! Even though there have been PLENTY of Batman vs Superman comics since this film was announced, I'd still like to see what Walker's script would look like in action. The script is available online (I guess) but I've never read it and I probably never will simply because I always have a hard time believing those things are legitimate. I'd rather see an official DC Comics sanctioned graphic novel featuring the Dark Knight vs the Man of Steel. Even though I own like 6 or 7 versions of that story . . . What? I told you before I was greedy.

 

JUSTICE LEAGUE: MORTAL

 

Here's a film that would have gone down in history as either the coolest thing ever or the worst. George Miller, fresh off the success of Happy Feet, (no that's not a joke) was tapped by WB to make a Justice League film. This was before the Avengers and during the Dark Knight's heyday. The basic plot was Maxwell Lord brainwashing superheroes, hence the Superman v Wonder Woman fight pictured above, using stolen OMAC technology from Batman. If Mad Max: Fury Road is any indication then the film probably would have been spectacular. However, rumors of Talia Al Ghul's appearance in the film and continuity issues with the Dark Knight trilogy, overblown budget, plus the 2008 Writer's Strike forced WB to shut down production. Which is a shame because the cast looked really cool and that little bit of concept art looks pretty awesome. 

Granted, this story was loosely based on the OMAC Project and Tower of Babel comic books but it would still be cool to see this done with those actors' likenesses as their characters. This could be another case of where the comics could go with DC's Rebirth. It's a great philosophical debate where Batman is basically monitoring the other superheroes because, as a mortal, hence the title, he's afraid of the power they possess. Like I said, it's not an original story for the comics, but a new take on it would be great especially with the new Justice League film currently in pre-production. It would be a fun, different take on the Justice League. Especially since that concept art shows the Superman "S" shield is based on Kingdom Come. I freakin' love Kingdom Come, man!

 Oh and don't you worry . . . I've saved the best for last . . . 

SUPERMAN LIVES

 

This is one of my absolute favorite stories from Development Hell. There are plenty of reports on this story out there in the interwebs so I won't get into it too much. Essentially, Kevin Smith was hired to write a Superman film, Tim Burton became interested in directing, Nicolas Cage was attached to star, and even Kevin Spacey was in talks to play Lex Luthor. The story was going to be based on the Death of Superman comics and hopefully restart the franchise. Well . . . it never happened for whatever reason. But let's face it - this film, one way or another, would have been fucking amazing. I mean come on! Odds are, this film was a recipe for disaster but you never know. At the very least, it would have been interesting. Batman is a character that already fits in Tim Burton's wheelhouse. Superman? Eh, not so much. I'm sure Kevin Smith turned in a cool script, he's said as much despite the ridiculous restrictions he was given by producer Jon Peters. Late 90s Nicolas Cage, while not a good choice for Superman, was still in his prime and a proven action star. There were even rumors of Michael Keaton being courted to return as Batman for a scene or two. 

Let's all be honest here - we all kind of want to see this movie. Smith has written a number of well received comics in the past. Plus his Comic Book Men co-star, Walt Flanagan, has drawn a few of them. So why not get them together and show us what this weird, twisted Superman film could have looked like? Granted, Smith has said that he didn't have a good experience working on the project, but it does seem like he can laugh about it now. If none of my other suggestions come to fruition, this one should! I mean, I'm grinning ear to ear just thinking about it. It would have been a Superman movie to remember (unlike Superman Returns). Man . . . it would have been fucking great! Let's get on the ball, DC and get this produced! 

Anyway, those are my suggestions for what WB/DC should do with all these perfectly good scripts they have lying around. Well, I mean they may not be lying around necessarily, but you know what I mean! I love reading about these interesting and/or bizarre films that could have been made. Why not get some use out of them? 

Till Next Time!

JJ - the Comic Junkie