Warning: The following contains spoilers for Gwenpool Strikes Back #4, by Leah Williams, Christopher Hastings, David Baldeon, Jesus Aburtov, VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
The miniseries Gwenpool Strikes Back just keeps raising the stakes for the self-aware Marvel hero. After the titular character kidnapped Marvel's biggest heroes, sent them on a desert island of her own design, and pit them against one another in a gladiatorial tournament, she found herself matched up against the Immortal Hulk. If that wasn't enough, her c0creator popped in for a page to drop an absolute bombshell on her.
Writer Christopher Hastings, who co-created the hero along with Chris Bachalo, Jordan D. White and Heather Antos, pops into the the miniseries to speak to Gwenpool directly, even if he's not still writing her adventures. After taking the Mufasa-esque shape of a face in the clouds (because, as he explains, comics are a visual medium) Hastings urgently tells Gwenpool that he has important information for her. With only a page to convey it, Gwenpool pays as much attention as she can while being chased by an unkillable rage monster.
Never having spoken to Gwenpool directly before, Hastings gets over his bashfulness to point her in the direction of a secret he built into her origins. He says in as dramatic a fashion as possible that Gwenpool's father's name is Ted Poole, which he points out sounds an awful lot "like Dead Pool." He also tells her that her mother's name is Martha, just like Batman and Superman's mothers.
The details seem like easily dismissable Easter eggs, and Gwenpool brushes them off to focus on the crisis at hand, but just before Hasting leaves he points out their grand significance. If Gwenpool is supposed to be from the "real" world, how could Hastings have control over such details as Gwenpool's parents names? The entire setup to Gwenpool's original stories was that she was a real world comic nerd transported to the Marvel Universe, which she was capable of manipulating to great affect with her understanding of comics mythology and story conventions. But if she was truly from a real world she should not have a writer as a "creator" at all, and indeed her biological parents' names should not contain Easter eggs that a Marvel writer built into them.
The hints that Hastings drops could point in the direction of a deeper layer to Gwenpool's origins. As Gwenpool heads into the future, this could set up a metafictional new mystery for her to solve. Indeed, with the main plot of the current series involving Gwenpool's desire to continue publication (since not appearing anymore would be tantamount to "death" for a character with metafictional awareness), this could be exactly what she's been looking for this whole time.
With only one issue left in the miniseries to wrap it up, and her Hulk problem solved for the time being, Gwenpool may have a little more time to think about it. However, Gwenpool finds herself facing off against Ms. Marvel for her final match, so it remains to be seen whether she can juggle yet another fight with the details of her overarching plot.
The Snyder Cut obsession reached many of those involved with 2017's Justice League, though the film's composer Danny Elfman seemed a bit confused by the uproar.
"Well, the thing is, he never finished it. So, I don't know quite how they'd do that," Elfman told JOE. "He had a tremendous tragedy, which forced him to not finish the film."
Elfman elaborated on his confusion about the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement. "So, it wasn't like... I don't quite understand this, because it wasn't like he was fired, and that there is a Director's Cut that is a finished movie and that the studio fired him and then hired Joss."
Danny Elfman replaced Junkie XL as the composer for Justice League when Joss Whedon took over as director for the film. Elfman has composed many films during his career, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, all four Men in Black films and all the Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man movies.
Justice League is available digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD. The film stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.
An unseen photo from Justice Leaguefeatures Amber Heard's Mera dressed in her Atlantean armor.
The photo was posted on Reddit and features Mera in her battle armor, ready for war. This stands in contrast to her Aquaman look, which was a full body suit that lacked any protective armor.
Mera had a brief appearance in Justice League, taking on Steppenwolf and protecting the Mother Box before Aquaman jumped into the fight. Her DCEU role would significantly increase in Aquaman, where she would guide Arthur towards his destiny and help him become king of Atlantis. She is expected to return to the sequel, which will open on Dec. 16, 2022.
Justice League is available digitally and on Blu-ray and DVD. The film stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.
WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Morbius#1 by Vita Ayala, Marcelo Ferreira, Roberto Poggi, Dono Sanchez-Almara and Ryan Brown.
Morbius the Living Vampire has a history of being internally tortured and desperate to find some semblance of normalcy. However, in Morbius #1, his latest attempt to rid himself of his vampiric powers and appearance seemingly sets him back further than he's ever been.
Michael Morbius has experienced a ton of trauma in his life. Born with a rare blood condition, he spent most of his childhood locked away due to his ghastly appearance. After working through those issues, he becomes a respected, award-winning scientist. But, after trying to cure himself he makes matters worse, transforming into an even more hideous living vampire who must feast on blood to survive.
Morbius #1 picks up in a sketchy warehouse where a group of baddies, led by The Melter, are experimenting with a serum that's supposed to increase the powers of those who ingest it exponentially. Before anyone can use it, the warehouse is raided by a "monster." The Melter's men are violently picked off. Morbius takes down everyone, including Melter and expresses anger at the "greed and lust for power" leading them to abandon their virtue. Once everyone is down, Morbius destroys the lab's experiments, but not before taking a sample of the serum himself.
Back at his own lab, Morbius is keen on making himself human. He injects himself with the serum and immediately responds positively to it. He is overjoyed when his hunger disappears and his claws retract. He laughs uncontrollably as he's in awe of finally beating his past. It appears he's finally caught a break. Unfortunately for Morbius, despite initially getting his intended results of health and a diminishing hunger, his experimentation quickly goes downhill.
Morbius is overcome with pain as the serum navigates through his bloodstream. The hunger within him rushes through his body. Morbius curls into a ball on the floor before devolving into even more of a monster. His claws return, his spine and bones crunch as his body expands, and his fangs emerge even sharper and longer than before. The book ends with Morbius going through another transformation, only this time, it's much worse than his previous evolution. In his quest for peace and to be worthy, Morbius seems to have inadvertently made himself into even more of a monster.
Ayala leaves quite the cliffhanger. Did Morbius just make himself more vampiric and farther from the normalcy he desperately craves? Morbius' tragedy continues, made all the worse as he again thought he finally found a cure for his woes. How the serum affects Morbius going forward remains unknown, but what's clear is he's not done evolving.
Film and television concept artist Ian Joyner shared a never-before-seen concept design of Kree leader Ronan the Accuser from Captain Marvel.
In an Instagram post, Joyner showcased the unseen concept art. "An unused design option for Ronan in Captain Marvel played by the awesome Lee Pace," he wrote. "An amazing project with an amazing team, as always I am very lucky and humbled to be a small part of it!"
Joyner's design shows a younger Ronan before the events of 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy. Compared to the final version, Ronan's costume is more ornate, with teal and black geometric shapes on the body armor. Ronan's hood looks more like a fine fabric, with a woven pattern and a headpiece similar to the body armor.
Ronan the Accuser made his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Guardians of the Galaxy as Thanos' henchman. His appearance in Captain Marvel saw the Kree leader meeting his match in the Captain Marvel as he chased he across the galaxy.
Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, Captain Marvel stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Jude Law as Yon-Rogg, Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson, Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser, Djimon Hounsou as Korath the Pursuer, Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva, Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, Lashana Lynch as Maria Rambeau, Algenis Perez Soto as Att-Lass with Annette Bening as the Supreme Intelligence. The film is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD.
BOOM Studios! released a preview of Go Go Power Rangers #26 from the team of writers Ryan Parrott (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Oberon) and Sina Grace (Ghosted in LA) and artist Francesco Mortarino (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers), featuring the new Omega Rangers.
Parrott has been a mainstay on Go Go Power Rangers since issue #1, and has been recently joined on the title by Grace as he pulls double duty on both Power Rangers series.
Both Go Go Power Rangers and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are in the midst of the ground-breaking Necessary Evil event. The upcoming issue will focus on Jason, who has been tasked with assembling the Omega Rangers by the mysterious Blue Emissary. The issue will not only feature Jason struggling to keep his assignment a secret from his teammates -- notably Trini and Zack -- but also Tommy Oliver's journey towards becoming the White Ranger. Tommy's trek towards the white light will have him question whether he is worthy of becoming the White Ranger. The Omega Rangers made their surprise debut in the pages of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Issue #26 will feature a cover by artist J. Lou alongside variant covers by Amelia Vidal (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) and Miguel Mercado (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers). More variant cover artists have yet to be announced.
Created by Haim Saban in 1993, Power Rangers is currently celebrating 26 consecutive years on the air. The landmark makes the series one of the longest-running children's television programs in history. The current iteration of the series, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, airs Saturday mornings on Nickelodeon. Recently announced by BOOM! Studios is an upcoming crossover between the Power Rangers and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The first issue of that limited series by Parrott and Simone di Meo is set to debut in December.
While counting down the number of days until the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, director J.J. Abrams revealed the film recently completed production on Sunday.
Abrams joined Good Morning America Monday morning, with his segment kicking off with a blockbuster ad for The Rise of Skywalker that aired during the American Music Awards Sunday night. When George Stephanopoulos asked Abrams if the movie is done, the director replied, "Just yesterday! So now people have to see it."
Reshoots for The Rise of Skywalker ran into the month of October, with Abrams explaining the thought process that goes into working on a blockbuster film like the highly-awaited Star Wars sequel. The first clip from The Rise of Skywalker was also unveiled, featuring Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Chewbacca, BB-8 and C-3Po attempting to escape a team of Jet Troopers.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerstars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams, and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film arrives on Dec. 20.
The upcoming third season of Marvel’s Runaways will find the titular teens teaming up with fellow small-screen superheroes Cloak and Dagger, in what, unfortunately, is turning out to be the final go-round for all involved. Marvel Studios appears to be consolidating its television efforts and, for myriad reasons, both shows found themselves on the chopping block.
But Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger and Hulu's Runaways deserved better.
Given the only nebulously connected side-universe of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter, many would claim that a pattern seems clear: television that isn’t on Disney+ or tied directly to the greater MCU just isn’t a priority to Marvel Studios.
Honestly, that's fine. Cleaning up Marvel’s television output was a long-time coming; pretending that “it’s all connected” clearly wasn’t fooling anyone anymore. But Cloak & Dagger and Runaways didn’t need to be cancelled to make that point.
Both of the teen-oriented shows were doing things the movies couldn’t, providing viewpoints we haven’t yet seen on the big screen and, most importantly, were still firing on all cylinders. They were nowhere near done with the stories they could tell.
Cloak & Dagger and Runaways skewed younger and embraced “street-level” in a way that Marvel’s Netflix shows never really did. They regularly tackled topics from systemic racism and police violence, to drugs and sex trafficking, with a keener eye and a heart and honesty that was missing from Daredevil’s hallway fights.
In a cinematic universe saturated with overly muscular, unnaturally attractive thirtysomethings, a diverse young cast was not only a breath of fresh air, but necessary. After all, snarky, genius billionaires, can only tell so many stories. And while they may be aspirational, there’s very few who can truly relate to a Tony Stark or a Doctor Strange. Far more audiences can connect to the idea of struggling to come into your own in a world that seems out to get you.
In the Cloak & Dagger episode “Blue Note,” Tyrone and his friend, a gang member named Solomon, struggling to get out, are discussing what it means to see Luke Cage, a bulletproof Black man, on the cover of the newspaper. They talk about how much the "Hero of Harlem" influences them, what it means to have someone like that out there, doing good and showing them that they could be more than society told them they could.
That’s what these shows offered, to so many younger viewers week after week.
Currently, Helstrom is the only live-action Marvel television show still in production. That show is, as of this writing, destined for Hulu, along with the adult-oriented animated series block of M.O.D.O.K., Hit-Monkey, Tigra & Dazzler and Howard the Duck -- which, more or less, seems to designate Hulu as Marvel’s “adults-only” platform.
With a renewed focus on adult stories on Hulu and big-budget shows on Disney+, it may have made more sense to remove Runaways and Cloak & Dagger from the larger Marvel ecosystem. However, that doesn’t mean there wasn’t room somewhere else, on Disney+ or the big screen, for Cloak & Dagger and Runaways to continue their stories. These characters mean too much, and have too many stories left to tell, to disappear completely.
The third and final season of Marvel’s Runaways, starring Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer, Gregg Sulkin, Allegra Acosta, Angel Parker, Ryan Sans, Annie Wersching, Kip Pardue, Ever Carradine, James Marsters, Brigid Brannagh, Kevin Weisman, Brittany Ishibashi and James Yaegashi, with Elizabeth Hurley, Aubrey Joseph and Olivia Holt, premieres December 13 on Hulu. All 10 episodes will be available for streaming then.
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Captain America #16, by Ta Naheesi Coates, Bob Quinn, Matt Milla, and VC's Joe Caramagna, on sale now.
Historically, fights between the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, and John Walker, his brief replacement and the hero known as U.S. Agent, usually don't go well for Walker. Rogers almost always comes out on top of their scuffles, but in Captain America #16 their fight doesn't go so well for the titular hero.
After hearing Misty Knight's gunshots off in the distance, Steve runs off to find out what the disturbance was only to get cold-cocked from behind. Shaking off the blow, Steve turns to find out that his attacker is none other than U.S. Agent, a man who openly idolizes Cap and briefly served as his successor. The two then square off, and U.S. Agent quickly gains the upper hand, nearly finishing a decisive victory before Misty comes to Steve's rescue.
The moment comes as a sudden turn in the history of fights between the two combatants. When John Walker was first introduced as the replacement for Captain America during a time Steve set aside the shield, much of his arc involved the difficulty in learning to fill such legendary boots. Taskmaster even tries to teach him to use the iconic shield, and John struggles to get the hang of it, failing to throw the shield correctly or save the any civilians in a training exercise.
Every time that U.S. Agent fought the original Cap to see who truly deserved to wear the star-spangled spandex has been a spectacle. Their fights recurred periodically throughout the years, and they usually haven't been friendly sparring matches. Although Walker has kept up with Cap for over 30 minutes throughout some fights, and Cap usually walks away with a win.
However, in this issue's fight, a big part of U.S. Agent's advantage is his superior strength. While he does not have the same Super Soldier Serum that Steve Rogers does, U.S. Agent's super-strength, which was give to him by a being known as the Power Broker, is even greater than Cap's own. While Cap is often confined to physical feats at the absolute maximum of what humans are capable, U.S. Agent's goes well above that as he busts through stone and metal walls with relative ease.
The development could be a means to boost U.S. Agent's status before introducing the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With Steve Rogers now retired and Falcon set to carry on his mantle, Walker is set to make an appearance in the upcoming Falcon & Winter Soldier series.
Still, Steve Rogers had a distinct disadvantage in this fight. While the the majority of the fight was fairly even, there's no discounting the starting circumstances of the fight and that Walker landed a sucker punch to the head. That punch would've been enough to concuss any human, and it probably disoriented Captain America too.
However, Walker's greatest weakness was always his difficulty playing well with others, and Captain America's famous interpersonal skills helped save him there. When Misty Knight recovered from her own cold-cocking she managed to turn the defense systems on in the room and freeze U.S.Agent in place, possibly saving Steve's life. Even if he did get an unusually rough beatdown, Steve still walked away from the battle with a little help from his friends.
While his DC Extended Universe movies may not have achieved the critical or box office success they were intended to, many fans still believe that Zack Snyder's heart was in the right place, especially when it comes to his vision of Batman and his Batsuits. Actor Ben Affleck donned four Batsuits across two divisive outings, and CBR is taking a look at the suits, the comics that influenced them and why they're the best movie suits yet.
There were slight differences between Affleck's original Batsuit in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the one he wore in Justice League. But the overall look was the same, and it's pretty clear what Snyder's influences were when he briefed the original designers and the team at Ironhead Studios, who ultimately created the suit.
Batman v Superman featured an older, more jaded and cynical version of Batman bent on taking Superman out because he views him as a global threat. Batman's character here is quite close to Frank Miller's in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, and it's clear that this is largely where the inspiration for the suit came from. The suit is the perfect combination between Miller's short-eared gray and black suit and Jim Lee's more modern version.
This movie suit is closer to the comic book suits than any of the other movie suits have been. And the best part? Affleck's Batman can turn his head in it. Sure, when Christopher Nolan reinvented Christian Bale's suit in The Dark Knight, there was added head movement as well. But the suit looked nothing like any comic book suit we'd ever seen.
Add to that that the Batman we saw in action wearing this suit took out thugs with the same brutality we saw in Dark Knight Returns, and you have the most accurate portrayal of Batman to date.
Much like Batman v Superman, Dark Knight Returns featured a heated and ferocious battle between Bruce and Clark. And in Snyder's fight between DC's finest, it's easy to see the strong Dark Knight Returns influence shining through.
Snyder's team did make a few tweaks to the original design, making it more realistic and practical. But overall, it maintained Miller's heavy, almost clumsy look that made Batman look like a hulking juggernaut. The gauntlets and the boots in Batman v Superman are particularly close to the Dark Knight Returns versions. And, no matter what you might think of the movie, it was a visually exciting moment when the iconic "boot in the face" moment was recreated in Batman v Superman.
Snyder updates the Bat-Gadgets in the Batman v Superman fight, too. In Dark Knight Returns, Batman plugged into Gotham's electrical supply to power his suit and generate a charge powerful enough to stun Superman. In Batman v Superman, Batman's arsenal includes sonics, machine guns, a kryptonite vapor grenade (similar to the arrow fired by Oliver Queen in Dark Knight Returns), and a kryptonite spear he wields during the infamous "Martha" moment. Martha aside, though, the Bat Armor is a great homage to Frank Miller's Dark Knight with upgrades in all the right places.
With Justice League's final battle against Steppenwolf looming, Batman realizes he needs to equip himself better, so he creates a more streamlined armored suit that allows more mobility than the Batman v Superman armor did while providing more protection than the standard suit. It also includes a more streamlined cowl with smaller ears and a more sculpted feel, along with protective eyewear.
The tactical Batsuit has a few similarities to Watchmen's Nite Owl suit, as seen in Snyder's "other" superhero movie. And there's irony in that, since the Nite Owl character is an analogue of Blue Beetle and Batman. Another influence on this suit's design was undoubtedly the DC New 52 designs by Greg Capullo, and possibly Lee Bermejo's Batman: Noel costume.
Snyder's Batsuits were the first on screen versions to stay as true to the original comic designs as is possible in a live-action environment. They had more mobility than any suits before them too. Keaton's was the stiffest suit of all. Kilmer and Clooney's weren't much better. Bale's in the Dark Knight had more mobility but it had no resemblance to any of the comic book suits.
And there's one more important word that should always be remembered when surveying Snyder's Batsuits: Gray. Snyder was the first to maintain Batman's comic book color scheme on screen. All the previous Batsuits were predominantly black.
We may never see Batfleck don the cowl again. But perhaps when Robert Pattinson steps into the new suit in the upcoming The Batman, the costume designers should take a page out of Zack Snyder's book.
DC has revealed that James Tynion IV's upcoming run on Batman will begin in a short prelude story in December's Batman #85, before officially starting in the following month's Batman #86.
According to Newsarama, DC informed retailers of the addition, which describes the two-page story as a "prelude to 'Their Dark Designs,' a new epic written by James Tynion IV that gets under way in Batman #86 and touches on the revelation of Superman's secret identity!"
The description also confirms that the story will be illustrated by Guillem March and will feature an appearance by the Joker, as well as setting up Tynion's plans for the series in 2020.
The bonus material will not affect the 48 page-count of the issue, which will feature the finale of writer Tom King's "City of Bane" and his tenure on the ongoing series.
Tynion was announced as the new writer for DC's Batman series in September with artist Tony S. Daniel. Their run on the title will begin with January's Batman #86, the solicitation for which can be found below:
written by JAMES TYNION IV
art by TONY S. DANIEL and DANNY MIKI cover by TONY S. DANIEL
card stock variant cover by FRANCESCO MATTINA
It’s a new day in Gotham City, but not the same old Batman. With Bane vanquished and one of his longtime allies gone, Batman has to start picking up the pieces and stepping up his game. Batman has a new plan for Gotham City, but he’s not the only one. Deathstroke has returned as well, under a mysterious new contract that could change everything.
Beginning a whole new chapter in the life of the Dark Knight, the epic art team of Tony S. Daniel and Danny Miki are joined by new series writer James Tynion IV!
ON SALE 01.08.20
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99 US
FC|DC
This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
New photos from an upcoming episode of Arrow show the team on the deadly island facing Edward Fyers (Sebastian Dunn) -- who died in Season 1 - and his men. The photos also showcase the return of Yao Fei (Byron Mann), Oliver's (Stephen Amell) mentor, who died at Fyers' hand.
How Fyers and Yao Fei return to the series is still unclear. Showrunner Beth Schwartz has stated that, aside from the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" episode and Season 8, Episode 1 ("Starling City"), all of Season 8 takes place on Earth-1, so another trip to an alternate earth is out of the question. However, with Mia (Katherine McNamara) and her team traveling back in time, it's possible that The Monitor (LaMonica Garrett) will bring Team Arrow back to where and when it all began for Oliver.
The photos come from the sixth episode of the eighth season, appropriately titled "Purgatory." It will air on Dec. 3 and will be the final episode before "Crisis on Infinite Earths" begins.
The synopses for the episode reads as follows:
ARROW “Purgatory” — (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET) (TV-14, V) (HDTV)BYRON MANN GUEST STARS – Oliver’s (Stephen Amell) mission takes him to Lian Yu where he tries to ignore the repercussions of the looming Crisis until he receives help from an old friend. Meanwhile, a united Team Arrow faces a recognizable villain.
Airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, Arrow's final season stars Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, David Ramsey as John Diggle, Rick Gonzalez as Wild Dog, Juliana Harkavy as Black Canary, Katie Cassidy as Black Siren, Katherine McNamara as Mia Smoak, Joseph David-Jones as Connor Hawke and Ben Lewis as William Clayton-Queen.
WARNING: The following contains minor spoilers for the third episode of The Mandalorian, now streaming on Disney+.
Star Wars created and calcified countless cliches when it first became a pop culture phenomenon, and one of the most notable is the trope of "Stormtrooper Aim." No matter how many Stormtroopers there are or how well trained the soldiers may be, they just never seem to hit their protagonist targets. But it looks like The Mandalorian is ready to reverse their reputation.
Stormtrooper Aim has been something of a plot hole in the Star Wars franchise ever since A New Hope. Before the white-armored soldiers ever showed their skills on screen, a line of dialogue hinted at their deadly reputation. When Obi-Wan Kenobi inspects the aftermath of a skirmish and breaks down the details for young Luke Skywalker, he says "These blast points are too accurate for sand people. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise." The line was meant to instill dread for when viewers finally meet these Imperial Stormtroopers.
Rewatching that line is almost comical given all the Star Wars media produced since. Stormtroopers are famously imprecise, despite Obi-Wan's words or his years of experience dealing with them first hand. Throughout the original films, prequels and even the recent spate of sequel films Stormtroopers almost never hit a main character they aim at.
Especially after gaining further insight into the training of Stormtroopers, their imprecision is baffling. One would think that elite trained soldiers would be able to nail a target from the relatively short distances over which their conflicts most often occur. Whether they are on open battlefields shooting at stationary targets or in the narrow hallways of the Death Star, the Stormtroopers just never seem to hit the heroes with their blaster bolts.
From an out-of-universe perspective it's easy to see why. Protagonists often wear what's referred to as "plot armor," which is the requirement that they make it through relatively minor conflicts unharmed so they can proceed through the rest of the story. Tropes like "Stormtrooper aim" and "plot armor" often serve as criticism for a lack of realistic storytelling, as they can pull audiences out of the story and keep the danger of any given sequence from resonating.
However, The Mandalorian has not been so willing to fall into this same trap. In the latest episode, the series' hero, Mando, gets hit multiple times by Stormtroopers. Blaster bolts explode against him as he invades a complex, his stealth advantage thrown totally to the wind once he is discovered. It comes as a small but reassuring detail amidst all the action that not all Star Wars creators will continue to make the past mistakes.
Of course, it's not as though the Stormtroopers in the episode just gunned down Mando and left him a smoking husk on the ground. The blast bolts hitting him were likely added to show the durability of his newly-won armor. Now replete with a freshly forged Mandalorian cuirass, the scene helps fortify the Mandalorians' reputation for fearsome fighting skill and capable craftsmanship.
It's only natural that the character's literal armor would strengthen his plot armor, so it's not as though the show completely escapes some of the hazards of including such familiar tropes. But it's common sense that a hero would make it through violent conflicts early in the story so they can stick around until the end. The trick for a storyteller is juggling tropes so that no single one feels overused, and The Mandalorian managed just that.
Stormtrooper aim's heavy use throughout the franchise makes these villains look buffoonish and unthreatening. Seeing that the Stormtroopers Mando fights can actually hit their target helps establish the threat they could pose in future conflicts all the more. When audiences see characters who do not wear such powerful plot armor, it increases their investment in the dangerous situations portrayed. Could Mando getting hit by blaster fire now hint at a future ally's fate at Mando's side?
Either way, however small the detail is, it helps fill in the plot hole first created by Obi-Wan's observation from Star Wars' first film. For the oft-used henchman to feel threatening it is important that their attacks actually have consequences -- and it only makes sense that Star Wars' grittiest and most down-to-earth project yet would be the one to address the issue.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. A new episode arrives each Friday on Disney+.
Fans of The CW's The Flash fans shouldn't expect a typical superpowered brawl between the Scarlet Speedster and Bloodwork in the first half of the show's midseason finale, "The Last Temptation of Barry Allen."
Speaking with EW, Sendhil Ramamurthy, who plays the villain Ramsey Rosso/Bloodwork, dished on his and Grant Gustin's reaction to the episode's more cerebral take on the supervillain-superhero confrontation. "First of all, having a villain for each half of the season is a new thing for The Flash," he said. "But the way in particular that this hero-villain relationship is approached in the first half of the season, I think, is new for the show, and I think that’s always fun for actors who have been on a series for a while."
The first part of the midseason finale will see Bloodwork contaminate The Flash's body with a hallucinogen, forcing Barry into a mental war of words with the villain. "Grant was really into it, and I think he does an amazing job in tomorrow night’s episode," Sendhil added. "It was a really difficult episode to film for him in particular, and he kind of knocks it out of the park."
Airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW, The Flash stars Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Carlos Valdes, Danielle Panabaker, Tom Cavanagh, Jesse L. Martin, Danielle Nicolet and Hartley Sawyer.
In 2009, Zombieland was a big blockbuster and the following year brought the premiere of the long-awaited television adaptation of The Walking Dead. In that context if you found a comic book called Snow White: Zombie Apocalypse -- a tale that pits edgy versions of fairy tale characters against the undead -- it would sound like it's breaking some new narrative ground! Except...
It's actually 2019.
These trappings from ten years ago likely stem from the fact that Snow White: Zombie Apocalypse (SNZA) is an adaptation of a stage play that writer Brenton Lengel first released in 2009. And the story feels like it hasn't changed since then. While Snow White is ostensibly the main character, the plot largely follows a hard-talking, sharp-shooting Rapunzel and a randy, dandy Prince Charming as they attempt to survive against a number of grisly foes.
Until the arrival of Snow White, the plot feels its checking off a list of plot points and references. It doesn't feel organic. However, Snow's strict adherence her traditional fairy tale representation breaths some much-needed life into the narrative, and the latter parts of the issue are stronger for her presence.
Luckily, the visual world of SNZA is quite stunning, as artist Hyeondo Park (Veda: Assembly Required, My Boyfriend is a Monster) gives life to a script that deals in tropes and by-now-unoriginal takes on fantasy characters. There is a delightful two-page spread where, after meeting Snow White, Rapunzel explains the fate of Snow's dwarf friends. It shows Park's creativity and flair rather eloquently.
The lettering from David Byrne is also refreshingly experimental. From using sheet music as a background to bubbles where characters are singing to a number of distinctive sound effects, Byrne shows a willingness to try ideas outside of the norm. Not all of them are entirely successful, but they are at least interesting.
Not every zombie film is Shaun of the Dead or 28 Days Later. Not every comic book that attempts to look at fairy tales or zombies from a new angle is Fables or The Walking Dead, and SNZA is unlikely to join such a lofty pantheon. But, it does have points of merit: Hyeondo Park's eye-catching art, the bold lettering and the clear love that Brenton Lengel has for his tale. All of these provide enough undead meat on the bones for those interested in the concept. It's just not quite enough to warrant a read if you are already worn out by dark twists on fairy tales, with or without zombies.
To run an all-powerful empire, you have to have the best of the best serving by your side. Frieza, the most famous villain in the entire Dragon Ball Canon, has had some of the strongest warriors in the universe serving under him. However, despite having the likes of the Ginyu Force, Zarbon, and more by his side, there have been a few soldiers that we have to ask why. Why would Frieza let these members walk in the same armor as some of the before-mentioned servants of his armed force?
So, we decided to take a look at five of the weakest members of the Frieza Force, as well as 5 of the strongest. We only have one rule for someone to make it on this list. They have to serve Frieza until their death, so people like Broly or Vegeta won't be counted.
10 Weakest Member: Guldo
Where to begin with Guldo? Despite having advanced telekinesis, Guldo remains one of the weaker members of the Frieza force. While we would have given him some slack because he was fighting two-on-one, that doesn't make up for his lack of fighting capability.
He's a short, green blob of a soldier that nearly killed Gohan and Krillin, and he couldn't predict that Vegeta was going to intervene and decapitate him? He knew that Vegeta wasn't to be trusted to stay on the sidelines. But no, head chopped off and blasted by Vegeta.
9 Strongest Member: Shisami
Shisami was one of the newer members of the Frieza Force, working with his fellow troopers to take on the Z-Fighters when Frieza wanted to kill Goku with his new Golden transformation. Though he didn't have much in the way of screen time, he made an impact by being able to go toe-to-toe with Piccolo.
While things looked bleak for the Namekian warrior, Gohan had to intervene to take him down, as a Super Saiyan. While Shisami went out like any other member, you got to give credit to him because it took a Super Saiyan to take down this member of the Frieza Force.
Do you remember Cui? Probably not. Claiming to be Vegeta's long-time rival, Cui didn't last too long when he went up against him.
While we would have believed that he was a strong as Vegeta if we saw some flashback of the two competing, it's hard to believe that Cui was ever as strong as Vegeta when he went up against Goku.
7 Strongest Member: Zarbon
They say that you should never judge a book by its cover, and Zarbon perfectly fits this description. On the surface, Zarbon appears to be just another pretty boy, no stronger than Hercules. However, underneath his beauty is the power of a monster.
When Zarbon first went up against Vegeta, the Saiyan Prince suffered a significant defeat. It wasn't until Vegeta was put into the rejuvenation chamber and healed up that he was able to kill Zarbon.
6 Weakest Member: Jeice
Jeice was one of the last members of the Ginyu Force to stay alive, but that doesn't mean he was one of the strongest. While he's a much better member of the Ginyu Force than Guldo, that doesn't do much for everyone's favorite Space Australian. When going up against Goku with Burter, neither one of the two was able to lay a single attack on the Saiyan warrior.
Hell, the guy doesn't even have a neat gimmick or power when compared to his fellow members. No addition strength, power, or ability that makes him stand out from his fellow teammates. It's easy to see how Vegeta was able to blast away Jeice with ease. He could have probably done that before his fight with Recoome... Speaking of which.
Recoome was the muscle man of the Ginyu Force. While he wasn't as alien-looking as other members of the Ginyu Force, he made up for it with his immense strength. With a simple energy blast, Recoome was able to destroy an island with ease.
Recoome was so powerful, he made short work of Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan within a few minutes. If it weren't for Goku coming in and taking the Big Lug out, DBZ would be one of the shortest and saddest animes to come out.
4 Weakest Member: Sorbet
Sorbet isn't a fighter like the rest of the members of the Frieza Force, which alone makes him one of the weakest members. Despite this, he does have the distinction of being the first person to defeat Super Saiyan Blue Goku. When Goku's back was turned, Sorbet launched a laser that powered down Goku and gave Frieza the chance to land a few blows to his arch-enemy.
While it's pretty decent that he was able to take out Goku, his blast wasn't enough to kill him, and he forgot that Vegeta was around. You should know if you're a villain and are near Vegeta, you won't be leaving alive
3 Strongest Member: Tagoma
This was a difficult one to judge. On the one hand, Tagoma was killed by Frieza in Ressurection of F by being flushed into space. On the other hand, in Dragon Ball Super, he was able to take on the Z-Fighters.
While Gohan gave Tagoma a good punch, not even his best blow was able to hurt Tagoma. He was able to brush it off like it was nothing, thanks to the intense training he endured with Frieza. The only blow that gave him any damage was when Gotenks headbutted him in the Dragon Balls.
Let's face it, Frieza's army was not in fighting shape when Frieza came back. Aside from Shisami and Tagoma, the entire Force was practically useless when they came to earth.
It would be easy to see why Gohan and Piccolo were having little trouble taking them down, but Krillin, Jaco, Master Roshi, and Tien were able to fight and defeat all 1,000 members of the "new" Ginyu Force. We're pretty sure that even Yamcha could take down all these guys.
1 Strongest Member: Captain Ginyu
Who else were you expecting? Captain Ginyu was easily Frieza's mightiest and most loyal member of his elite squadron. He has a team named after him. That alone makes him a prominent soldier, but he was powerful enough to take Goku on in a head-to-head showdown.
What makes him stand out from the rest is his ability to swap bodies with anyone. It makes you wonder if his purple body is his original one. After swapping Bodies with a Frog, Ginyu lived on Earth until he was able to switch bodies with Tagoma and helped Frieza with fighting the Z-Fighters... too bad that Vegeta killed him with one blast.
Soundtracks are the soul behind an anime. Take One Piece and 'Thriller Bark' arc, for example; once you are knee-deep into the plot, Bings Sake cheers you on like no other. An anime wouldn't work without its soundtrack, the music of an anime is the soul behind it. Characters without their music wouldn't be as impactful. All in all, you cannot deny that the audiovisual aesthetic (music) in an anime is just as important as the illustration, plot, direction.
The soundtrack in any given anime is as varied as the depth of the plot and range of its characters. With that being said, here's our list of top anime soundtracks you would want to listen on a loop.
The soundtrack to Steins;Gate has a great variety. Like a standard anime, it consists of openings, endings, and themes. Takeshi Abo is the main music contributor to the anime. The opening 'Hacking to the Gate' performed by Kanako Itō and composed by Chiyimaru Shikura is an all-time favorite.
However, the standout track in the anime is a symphony called 'Gate of Steiner' composed by Takeshi Abo. Other phenomenal tracks by Takeshi Abo are 'Cycle.' 'Explanation,' 'Assailant,' etc.
9 Death Note
The Death Note original soundtrack is composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. It isn't as elaborate as other soundtracks in the list. The timing of 'Death Note' by Hideaki Taniuchi couldn't have been aptly placed in the anime. The track restores your faith in post-rock music. 'Requiem' is another cult favorite from the anime, it makes one pine for L. 'Domine Kira' is an ode to Lord Kira.
'Alert' will always have the words 'Dad, no please' reverberate in your ears. 'Teleology of Death,' 'Dirge,' 'Lights Lights up Light are a couple more fantastic tracks in the anime. Overall, you know you have a great soundtrack when the Death Note plot hits deeper on the loop.
8 Ghost In The Shell
The soundtrack to Ghost in the Shell is another masterpiece. Composed by Kenji Kawa is a globally acclaimed soundtrack. If you are a fan of drums, this should be your go-to. Kenji went through experimentation to compose music for GITS. He's stated to have bought Indian drums to compose the sound, on-demand of director Oshii Mamoru. Kenji then struggled with the scaling of drums. Some of the iconic tracks are 'M02 Ghosthack,' 'M08 Floating Museum.' The soundtrack can be best described as tribal ambient with magnanimous female voices.
Free! wouldn't have told the story of Rin and his three friends with the same impact if it wasn't for Tatsuya Kato's soundtrack. The soundtrack mainly consists of electronic music. Consider listening to this album an equivalent of getting an adrenaline shot. Sixty-four tracks at their motivational best.
Ever soundtrack is curated perfectly to the plot in the anime. Tracks such as 'LADDERLESS' and 'Serious Game' never get redundant. Released by the label Lantis, the soundtrack to Free! is your best chance if you need a shot of motivation.
6 Pokémon 2.B.A. Master
Twenty years ago Pokémon 2. B.A.Master album came out. Produced by John Loeffler, the album was the first soundtrack curated for global audiences. Hence, the soundtrack was in English. Pokémon B.A. Master sold millions of copies worldwide and was nothing short of a mega-hit.
All of this pales in the light of the fact that the album became a phenomenon worldwide. The lyrics are sung by Jason Paige "I wanna be the very best like no one ever was..." reverberate loud and clear to this day, and let's not deny the impact of magic words "Gotta catch 'em all." The song and soundtrack raised a generation of 90s kids who will never forget it.
Other easy favorites in the list are 'PokéRAP' by James D-Train Williams, 'My Best Friends' by Ray Green, 'You Can Do It's by John Loeffler.
5 Gundam Build Fighters
Gundam Build Fighters comes from Yûki Hayashi. Yûki is a Japanese composer who has gained an immense reputation with his latest, that being My Hero Academia: Two Heroes.
Yûki's GundamBuild Fighters soundtrack is the finest contribution of his career. The soundtrack picks an exciting pace with a combination of synthesized sounds and traditional instruments. The soundtrack includes 55 tracks all of which make a musical magnum opus. Right from the opening theme 'Nibun no Ichi' to 'Imagination > Reality' to 'Chase Me,' Gundam Build Fighters' soundtrack steals the show.
Log Horizon is based upon Mamare Touno's novel series by the same name. Yasuhara Takanashi has composed music for the anime. With the opening theme 'Aratu Naru Bouken he' itself, Yasuhara proves that she is a musical genius.
Log Horizon's original soundtrack consists of 35 songs, mainly dominated by the sound of electric guitars in battles. The frenetic RPG Battle Music is the highlight of LogHorizon. The effect of traditional RPG music elevates the plot to a higher pedestal. Every single track in Log Horizon is perfectly crafted for its purpose.
3 Naruto
The soundtrack to Naruto Originalis an album composed by Musashi and Toshio Masuda. Released back in 2003, songs like 'Rocks', 'Go GO Naruto' became instant favorites. Naruto's main theme and Sakura's theme are some of the finest in the list. Songs such as 'I said I'm Naruto,' 'Victory,' 'Turn Over!' are easy favorites in the anime. Truly iconic music by Musashi and Toshio, Naruto wouldn't be as successful if it wasn't for its masterpiece of a soundtrack.
2 Cowboy Bebop
There's no way this list could have been compiled without an ode to the genius of Yoko Kanno. Her soundtrack of Cowboy Bebop iscomplementary to the fantastic anime, that it is. The album is marketed 'Seatbelts' under artists' names. It is pertinent to mention that it is Kanno's blues/jazz band. It was released under the label 'Victor Talking Machine Company.'
Undoubtedly the best of the soundtrack is 'Tank' with its iconic drum beats. It fits in perfectly each time the police chase criminals in the city. Let's not forget the twinning of harmonica and the drum beats in 'Diggin My Potato.' Excellent to say the least.
1 One Piece
What can you say about the soundtrack of one of the greatest works of fiction? Accolades and awards aside, the soundtrack to One Piece is an unparalleled Chef-d'oeuvre. Back in 2000, the opening of One Piece 'We Are' won the theme song award of the year.
The musical phenomenon didn't just stop there. As with any long-running Shonen anime, OnePiece has put out a long list of theme songs, 22 as of today. They are odes to pirates, to sea and to treasures. What's fascinating is that One Piece has included Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' and Dvorak's 'New World Symphony' in its soundtrack.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Nightwing Annual #2, by Dan Jurgens, Travis Moore, Nick Filardi and Andworld Design, on sale now.
When KGBeast popped Nightwing in the head in Batman #55, not many fans were happy about it. Ever since DC's Rebirth, poor Dick Grayson has gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to storylines, and this felt like yet another unnecessary blow to the former Boy Wonder.
While it's easy to see why writer Tom King used Grayson in this story -- due to its emotional impact on Bruce Wayne and "breaking" him like Bane intended -- the aftermath failed to live up to expectations. It left readers wondering if DC even likes the character.
For the past year, fans have been subjected to the ballad of Ric Grayson -- the horrendous name that Nightwing now uses since suffering from brain trauma and a bout of selective amnesia. He isn't fighting the bad guys in the black and blue suit anymore, but driving around in a cab and trying his best to distance himself from his previous life. The appearance of the vigilantes known as the Nightwings, though, prompted Grayson to jump back into crime-fighting mode. Still, he resisted the urge to don the iconic costume again.
Unfortunately, this arc didn't exactly capture the imagination with its soap opera-esque plot device and the silly name change for the character. Also, it's dragged on for far too long with almost no purpose or endgame. In fact, many Nightwing fans begged for an inevitable reboot to see the superhero return to his glory days.
That being said, there was light at the end of the tunnel with the release of Nightwing Annual #2. The issue revealed that the Court of Owls manipulated Grayson's recovery to push him away from the Bat-Family and closer to them. For the first time in almost 12 months, the series elicited a raised eyebrow rather than an eyeroll.
With Grayson's great-grandfather William Cobb appearing in Blüdhaven and forcing him to take on the mantle of Talon, readers witnessed Grayson break bad and turn into the deadliest assassin in the DC Universe. Suddenly, it all made sense and there was renewed interest in seeing where this story goes.
The credit for this turnaround needs to go to writer Dan Jurgens who took over the Nightwing book from Scott Lobdell in April 2019. While the Ric saga wasn't Jurgens' plan, he managed to navigate its murky waters and pull out a story that a) makes sense and b) adds something to the character's legacy.
Jurgens admitted to Newsarama that he knew not all fans liked the Ric arc, but he believed it would enhance his character by the end of it. "I realize there's a segment of fans who are frustrated with [the] direction," he said, "but I think there's something there that can add to, and not detract from, a character we've loved for so long. It can add to and enhance his rich tapestry of story."
While the outcome of this arc will inevitably see Grayson reverting to the name Dick and becoming Nightwing again, there's finally a pay-off in sight. Before, it seemed like Grayson had been sacrificed to further Batman's plot, and there was no real plan for him. Now, it looks like the Flying Grayson is ready to soar again.
Warner Bros. is riding high on the success of its DC superhero films this year, after the successful box offices of Shazam! and Joker. With Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) due out at the beginning of 2020, new details are beginning to come out regarding the studio's plans for its DC Films Universe.
According to Variety, Michael B. Jordan met with Warner Bros. earlier this year to pitch his version of a Superman feature film. However, with the Black Panther star's schedule tied up in other projects over the next several years, he is not ready to fully commit to playing a Black Superman. The site also adds that another Superman film isn't likely to be ready before 2023.
Jordan revealed back in February that he'd be open to playing Superman, but this appears to be the first confirmation that he has already met with Warner Bros. Also, Jordan doesn't want to be the Clark Kent version of the iconic DC superhero.
"It's tough. I hate being a business man and understanding both sides of the situation," Jordan said to Oprah Winfrey for an upcoming episode of her SuperSoul Conversations. "There is a huge upside to it, but being under that microscope, being picked apart and compared to so many different versions of Superman... I would rather do something original. I'll be Calvin Ellis."
Created by Grant Morrison and Doug Mahnke, Calvin Ellis is the Superman of Earth-23 and made his debut in the 2009 event Final Crisis. Ellis' Superman was modeled on both President Barack Obama and boxer Muhammad Ali.
For now, fans will either have to wait for Jordan's schedule to free up to potentially see his take on the Man of Steel, or welcome the eager Henry Cavill back in the red and blue tights.
With WarnerMedia's HBO Max set to launch next year, many fans believed the streaming service would be the perfect platform for Warner Bros. to release Zack Snyder's director's cut of Justice League. However, a new report suggests the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement is in for another letdown.
According to Variety, Warner Bros. has no plans to release the Snyder Cut, either theatrically or on HBO Max. "That’s a pipe dream," one source told the outlet. "There’s no way it’s ever happening."
2017's Justice League notoriously went through extensive reshoots under Joss Whedon and 80 pages of rewrites after Snyder departed the film following a family tragedy. The resulting product was a critical and commercial failure, grossing just $658 million off of an estimated $300 million budget.
Nevertheless, the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement has been garnering plenty of attention in recent weeks, with a number of stars voicing their support in honor of the two-year anniversary of the film's theatrical release. Still, fan and star support or not, it's up to Warner Bros. to put up whatever money it would take to complete the currently unfinished Synder Cut.
Next up for the DC Extended Universe is Cathy Yan's Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), slated for release Feb. 7, 2020; Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 1984, coming June 5 2020; James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which arrives August 6, 2021; and Matt Reeves' solo Batman film, which will swing into theaters June 25, 2021.
