Just as quickly as Star Wars fans across the galaxy tuned in for the first episode of The Mandalorian when Disney+ launched on Nov. 12, they fell in love with the little green bundle of joy from the same species as Yoda, whom the fanbase has collectively nicknamed "Baby Yoda." However, in order to keep this major plot point a secret, no merchandise featuring the character was produced in advance. Thankfully, though, Baby Yoda merchandise has finally arrived... sort of.
StarWars.com revealed the current slate of merchandise available from such outlets as Amazon, Design By Humans, Hot Topic, shopDisney, Walmart, Zazzle and 80’s Tees, which consists primarily of apparel, tote bags, mugs, popsockets and other accessories, all of which feature the same image of Baby Yoda printed on them.
What's more, while fans were promised Baby Yoda merchandise in time for the holiday season, Vanity Fair reports that Hasbro won't have any toys of the character available until 2020.
Thankfully, though, fans can still get their Baby Yoda fix with new episodes of The Mandalorian every week.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. The first three episodes are streaming now on Disney+.
David Meunier, who played the Russian Bratva member Ishmael Gregor on Arrow, has joined the cast of the upcoming Hulu series, Marvel's Helstrom in a recurring role.
According to Deadline, Meunier will star as Finn Miller, who is "a part of a secret organization that handles work not for the faint of heart."
Along with his recurring role on Arrow, Meunier has also appeared on Justified, The Blacklist, Lucifer, Hawaii Five-O, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Alienist. Meunier's Gregor guest-starred on Arrow for seven episodes in Season 5.
The majority of the Helstrom cast was revealed in October, with Homeland's Elizabeth Marvel playing "the long-institutionalized Victoria Helstrom." Meanwhile, Tom Austen and Sydney Lemmon will play Victoria's children, Daimon and Ana Helstrom, with Ariana Guerra, Robert Wisdom, June Carryl and Alain Uy also joining the series.
Marvel's Helstorm will focus on Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the son and daughter of "a mysterious and powerful serial killer" who "track down the terrorizing worst of humanity." Daimon Hellstrom, long known as "the Son of Satan," was first introduced in 1973 in Ghost Rider #1, by Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich.
Marvel's Helstrom stars Tom Austen, Sydney Lemmon, Elizabeth Marvel, Ariana Guerra, Robert Wisdom, June Carryl and Alain Uy. The series is expected to debut on Hulu in 2020.
With The Mandalorian, John Favreau and Disney+ have introduced possibly one of the greatest additions to the Star Wars canon in a very long time. In just three episodes, the series has already thrown Star Wars fans around the world some serious curveballs along with forcing them to ask some questions that many fans likely haven’t even considered.
So before the series gets any further along, here are some Star Wars facts that fans of The Mandalorian may need to know before watching another episode of the Disney+ hit. With the help of Star Wars canon and details from legends, let’s dive into some facts that may help viewers better understand The Mandalorian. Some spoilers for the first three episodes of The Mandalorian ahead.
10 Foundlings
As bizarre as it may seem for the Mandalorian (who will from here on out be referred to as Mando) to risk so much in order to save the wee baby Yoda from the clutches of the empire, Mandalorians have a long-running tradition of not only saving orphans but adopting them.
As the series mentions rather early on, Mando is what is called a foundling, which is a young child that has been orphaned by battle and has been taken into the care of the Mandalorian community. While Mandalorians often take orphans into their care in order to further their line and perform a good deed, typically they only take orphans that have displayed not only a will to live but a will to fight.
9 The Wee Baby Yoda’s Species
While The Mandalorian has already introduced so many questions, perhaps one of the most pressing would surround the wee baby Yoda. Not only do fans have no idea who the baby Yodling came from, but more so than that, there’s no real answer for where his species as a whole may have come from. At the time of The Mandalorian’s release, there are, in fact, only two other members of his species.
Excluding the wee baby Yoda, the only two (canon) members of his species are Yoda and Yaddle who were both members of the Jedi council. Other than that, however, there’s not much known about where they come from, why they’re so talented with the Force of ever what their species is called.
8 Beskar Steel
With its premiere episode, The Mandalorian made sure to illustrate the importance of the Beskar Steel which Mando would later be paid with upon his delivery of the wee baby Yoda. However, many fans may have been left scratching their heads and wondering just what Beskar Steel is and why it was so important.
Well, the importance of Beskar steal is something that can not go understated as far as Mandalorians go. This stell is not only exclusively found on the Mandalorian homeworld, Mandalore, it’s also one of the very few ores that can be crafted into an armor capable of deflecting not only blaster fire, but even lightsabers.
7 Mandalore The First
While the Mandalorians are often recognized as a nomadic species with no real leader or government, this wasn’t always the case (though it is a pattern that has been repeated time and time again). Mandalore the first is recognized as the first official leader of the Mandalorian species.
In fact, as readers may have recognized, not only was the Mandalorian homeworld named after Mandalore the first (the man who actually conquered the planet for the Mandalorians), but the species as a whole would take on his name as well.
6 The Mandalorian Empire
As the Mandalorians are often recognized as a warrior species, once they settled into their new homeworld and base of operations, they began to set their sights on the galaxy around them. The talented Mandalorian warriors know as the Mandalorian Crusaders began venturing out onto neighboring planets in order to expand the Mandalorian empire.
Because they were such talented warriors, they were able to expand their empire fairly deep into the galaxy far, far away. It was at this point, however, that the Mandalorian Crusaders would run into an enemy that would not only overpower them but end their drive further into galactic space, the Jedi.
5 Mandalorians Vs. The Jedi
The Mandalorians and the Jedi have been fighting a feud that has last thousands and thousands of years (ever since the old republic). While the Mandalorians were originally completely overpowered by the Jedi who used what Mandalorians viewed as foreign magic (the Force), eventually they were able to develop new weapons and techniques that helped them to fight off the Jedi of the old republic.
The developed armor wouldn’t falter under the Jedi’s lightsabers. They developed weapons better suited to take out the Force-wielding Jedi. And eventually, they found themselves on equal footing with their enemy.
4 Tarre Vizsla And The Dark Saber
Though the Mandalorians were originally confounded and overpowered by the “magic” that the Jedi seemed to be using against them, they would eventually grow to overcome it. While they devised technology and weapons to overpower their new opponents, a Force-sensitive Mandalorian named Tarre Vizsla would eventually be born and change the course of the long-running war.
Though many fans may assume that a Force-sensitive Mandalorian born under the circumstances would lean towards the dark side, Tarre Vizsla would, in fact, eventually grow to become a Jedi himself. With the help of his legendary Dark Saber, Vizla would also help to usher in a new age (and a new government) for the Mandalorian people.
3 The New Mandalorian Government
With his immense power in the Force and his legendary Dark Saber, Tarre Vizsla was not only able to bring peace to the long-warring Jedi and Mandalorians, but he was also able to unite the Mandalorians under one government. This new government, rather than focusing on the expansion of the Mandalorian Empire, instead chose to focus on diplomacy and brokering a peaceful existence.
While there were many among the Mandalorians that supported this new cause and worked to further it, many were still held true to their Mandalorian warrior roots and instead chose to defy their government which would eventually lead to their exile.
2 The Exiles
Though the new Mandalorian government was able to wrangle in many of the war-weary Mandalorians under their control, there was division among the ranks nonetheless. The Mandalorians who held true to the old war-faring ways of the Mandalorians were deemed the faithful and the new government was subsequently deemed the faithless.
This infighting would eventually lead many factions to leave the Mandalorian homeworld and establish factions off-world. The Death Watch, who would later side with Count Dooku during the Clone Wars and would help to turn the tide of the wars in the Empire’s favor.
1 The Pretender(s)
Though legends may paint a different picture, according to Star Wars canon two of the most famous Mandalorians are not, in fact, Mandalorians at all. While Boba and Jango Fett maybe two of the most famous Mandalorians to have ever entered the Star Wars canon, according to the Mandalore government, Jango Fett is merely a pretender, someone who either stumbled upon a dead Mandalorian and stole his armor or killed a Mandalorian and stole the armor.
Either way, the fact that Jango Fett is not a real Mandalorian leads to the realization the Boba Fett, possibly the most recognized Mandalorian in Star Wars canon, isn’t actually a Mandalorian either.
Though not nearly as popular as Dragon Ball, Pokémon or One Piece,the Lupin series is still one of the longest-running franchises in anime. Originally created by Monkey Punch, the manga was about a genius gentleman thief named Lupin, the grandson of the infamous Arsene Lupin. The series stands out by giving us a morally ambiguous protagonist who steals for fun, flouting both the rules and the law, but never quite becoming frustrating enough to hate.
Though the manga first launched in 1967, the first television series wouldn’t come until 1971. Since then, the character has had no less than six television series, over a dozen films, and multiple OVAs and television specials. This list looks at all of the character’s TV series and shows how they rank, according to the popular website IMDb.
6 LUPIN THE III PART IV – Score 7.7
Subtitled “The Italian Adventure”, this Lupin series came about in the Fall of 2015 in Japan, though it actually aired earlier in Italy, releasing that summer. Brought to life by Telecom Animation Film, the series was directed by Kazuhide Tomonaga, who brought his familiarity withLupin to the job, as he wasbest known for Lupin the III: Part II, along with Yuichiro Yano, who’d done work on The Daughter of 20 Faces.
This series is best known for introducing Rebecca Rossellini to the series, a wealthy heiress who becomes Lupin’s wife while also committing thefts not unlike Lupin himself, for the sake of bringing some excitement into her life of upper-class drudgery. The Italian Adventure only ranks a 7.7, which isn’t surprising considering how it tries to add a new character to a decades old cast and immediately grants her top tier importance. In the end, this was our first look at a Lupin series with a focus on the entire cast in the modern era, setting the stage for a much better series later.
5 LUPIN THE III PART V – Score 7.7
The second series in the so-called “Blue Jacket” era, Lupin the III Part V is a far better series than Part IV, though the IMDb score doesn’t seem to reflect that. TMS Entertainment once again returned in the Spring of 2018 to bring us Lupin the III Part 5. The series kept Lupin global, as this time the character found himself in France, attempting to steal digital currency from Marco Polo, a special site existing on the dark web.
Much like the last series, Part 5 introduces a new character in Ami Enan, a genius hacker who was initially locked away while working for Marco Polo, until Lupin helps her escape. Though unlike Part 4, Ami isn’t especially intrusive, spending much of her time in the series serving as help to Lupin and the others.
This series stands out not only because of it’s unique formatting—splitting the 24 episode run into neat arcs interspersed with random stories from prior Lupin eras but also because it delves deep into the relationship of Lupin and Fujiko. It also brings the story into the modern era by talking about how a gentleman thief remains free in the era of Big Brother watching.
4 THE WOMAN CALLED FUJIKO MINE - Score 7.8
The first time Lupin made it back to being a television series in decades...actually wasn’t a series about Lupin at all. Instead, director Sayo Yamamoto (also known for Mitchiko & Hatchin and Yuri on Ice) had her sophomore debut with a series focused entirely on Fujiko. The series premiered in the Spring of 2012, and delved into the First Lady of Anime’s backstory.
The Woman Called Fujiko Mine almost feels like it belongs to an entirely different universe than Lupin however, as it takes on a much darker tone both in terms of art design as well as storytelling. The series is also far more sexually charged, meant to emphasize the natural sexiness of Fujiko and to emulate the original manga series. This is definitely all Fujiko’s show, as the other members of the cast barely appear at all. Experimental as it is, it’s unsurprising that it ranks slightly higher than either of the other Lupin series.
3 LUPIN THE III PART III – Score 7.8
It’s actually pretty surprising the third series rated so well, considering it’s the one thought about the least outside of Japan. The first one at least has the honor of being the original and being a series Hayao Miyazaki worked on. The second is the one that aired on Adult Swim, while Part 4 and Part 5 both aired in the digital, post-Crunchyroll era.
Part III, on the other hand, was an immediate follow up to Part II’s incredible success, but it ran for only a year and had issues because it tried to combine the darker elements of Part I with the more light-hearted bits of Part II, once again trying to lighten the series up in the latter half. Nonetheless, the so-called Pink Jacket era has snagged an impressive 7.8 and serves as a fun snapshot of the early ’80s for Japan.
2 LUPIN THE III PART I – Score 8.0
The Lupin series that started them all. An adaptation of creator Monkey Punch’s popular manga, the series premiered in October of 1971 and ran for 23 episodes. It was directed by Masaaki Osumi, Isao Takahata of Anne of Green Gables fame, and Hayao Miyazaki. Yes, that Miyazaki.
While the series is short, it wasted no time introducing us to everyone: we meet Lupin, grandson of the legendary thief Arsene Lupin, we meet expert crackshot Jigan, and even Lupin’s on-again and (mostly) off-again love interest, Fujiko. We’re also introuced to Goemon, though in this series he’s more of an antagonist to Lupin before joining the gang later on. And of course, we get to meet Inspector Zenigata and watch as he chases his white whale, Lupin, all across the world. Unsurprisingly, the series gets an 8.0 rating, one of the highest of any of the Lupin series.
1 LUPIN THE III PART II – Score 8.1
This series first premiered in 1977 and ran for a much longer 155 episodes, reaching its end in 1980. Bringing us into the “Red Jacket” era and set five years after the original, this series, much like the second half of the original, ignored some of the darker themes Monkey Punch put into his manga but did actually try to adapt several stories out of the manga nonetheless.
The series everyone is the most familiar with, it’s not really surprising that this rates higher than all of the rest. If nothing else, the nostalgia for the early 2000’s Adult Swim block is pretty incredible, which is why the show garners an 8.1, placing it above all the others.
Everyone loves ninjas. They work mostly at night, wear a bunch of black, and have enough gadgets to rival Batman—what’s not to like? And though none of that applies to Konoha’s #1 Knucklehead Ninja, he’s still managed to gain a rather large fanbase over the years. We’ve watched him grow from a character who had zero special moves, to one who had a single special move he used in nearly every fight, to someone with more special moves and transformations than a Saiyan.
By the end of the series, Naruto is definitely one of the most dangerous and powerful ninjas of all time in his universe. But what about outside his universe? Is there a ninja capable of threatening him, or does he rule over them all? This list takes a look at five fictional ninjas Naruto could crush...and five he wouldn’t stand a chance against.
10 CAN BEAT: STORM SHADOW
Did you know Storm Shadow’s real name is Arashikage, which literally means “Storm Shadow” in Japanese? Too bad literally none of that would help him in a fight against Naruto.
He’s an awesome character—the Cobra inverse of the silent Joe and his mortal enemy Snake Eyes, but he doesn’t have enough supernatural firepower to take on someone like Naruto. His skills are more along the line of traditional ninjutsu and their weaponry—shuriken, katana, nunchaku. All stuff that’s just going to get obliterated by the first Rasengan.
9 CAN’T BEAT: SASUKE
Yeah, we know. There’s nothing Sasuke deserves more than being punched in the face for all the trouble he causes Naruto and the rest of the Konoha village. But while the last of the Uchiha people spends most of the series being a total jerk, that’s not really relevant to the discussion at hand.
We saw these two go at it at the tail end of the manga, and Naruto Shippuden. It resulted in a draw, and while Naruto is more experienced and more powerful now than then...so is Sasuke. The result if these two fought again would likely be the same.
8 CAN BEAT: IBUKI
First appearing in Street Fighter III: The New Generation, Ibuki has a little in common with Naruto in that when things begin they’re both ninja-in-training. But that’s about where the comparisons stop, as Ibuki would love nothing more than to just be a normal teenage girl, while Naruto wants to be the leader of his village of ninja.
Though she’s quite talented at being a ninja, the sheer scale of power needed to fight Naruto even after he first learns to use Sage Mode is beyond what she’s capable of generating, nevermind what he’s capable of at the end of the show.
7 CAN’T BEAT: NINJAK
It sounds insane, and practically it’s true that Naruto is more than powerful enough to run right over Colin King. But not every battle is won with power.
Colin has spent years as a master spy, training under different kinds of martial artists. But his armor is also the most advanced piece of tech Naruto or anyone in his universe has ever seen. It’s allowed him to withstand attacks from the X-O armor, and even more.
Colin could never take Naruto in a fair fight, but he can sound sincere enough long enough to trick Naruto before poisoning him or otherwise finding a way to incapacitate him.
6 CAN BEAT: LADY SHIVA
Lady Shiva is one of the top 3 most talented martial artists in the DC Universe. For those who aren’t aware, she’s the person who helped train Batman and regain his killer instinct after Bane beat him during the Knightfall storyline. She’s an amazing fighter, but she doesn’t have anywhere near the skill necessary to take Naruto out.
We’ve seen her lose to a much less experienced Tim Drake when he had superpowers. And while Colin King could fake sincerity long enough to trick Naruto, Shiva’s bloodlust would stick out to someone like Naruto and result in her being taken out.
5 CAN’T BEAT: PSYLOCKE
It’s true, Naruto is vastly more powerful than Psylocke when it comes to true destructive force. He’s got the Nine-Tails inside him and she’s got...a psychic knife, the focused totality of her telepathic powers. But Claremont-isms aside, not every fight is won on the battlefield.
Naruto could definitely get her in a hand to hand match up, but the fused version of Psylocke also happened to be an Omega Level telepath. At best, Naruto gets a few steps in before Psylocke shuts his mind down. Maybe she makes him forget to breathe or just stops his bodily functions from moving before ending him.
4 CAN BEAT: ELEKTRA
Elektra’s a pretty talented ninja...we guess. Seriously, she got mopped by Bullseye, someone Daredevil has managed to beat over and over later on without trying all that hard. And while Daredevil is a unique enough talent, he lacks the speed and offensive power Naruto has.
Plus, what’s to be done about someone who can literally make his own army of soldiers to attack you with? Sure, Elektra’s dealt with the Hand before, but Naruto’s army of ninjas are actually effective at the end of the series.
3 CAN’T BEAT: RYU HAYABUSA
Most people reading this probably have no idea who Ryu is (he’s the lead character of the Ninja Gaiden series), but it’s probably not the best idea to underestimate someone regarded as the most powerful ninja in their own world.
Unlike many of the other characters on this list, Ryu doesn’t need to rely on tricks like poison or psychic powers—he can match a lot of what Naruto is capable of, using his chi to generate massive attacks and even create huge flaming dragons for summons. This, combined with his experience and overall superior training would lead to him taking the match, though hopefully, the two could settle things without it getting lethal.
2 CAN BEAT: THE NINJA TURTLES
There’s at least one member of the Ninja Turtles most people like more than Naruto. But unfortunately, as lovable as this fearsome fighting team is, it’s not going to be enough to beat a guy who can summon giant toads, create energy attacks that can vaporize enemies, and has an endless well of chakra to draw from.
Leonardo can lead, and Raphael can be cool (but rude), but unless Donatello can invent a machine capable of draining Naruto of his chakra or separating him from the Nine-Tails, it’s going to be an incredibly quick loss for them.
1 CAN’T BEAT: THE NINJA RANGERS
For argument’s sake, let’s go with the original Power Rangers who were ninja rather than Ninja Storm or Ninja Steel. Nonetheless, the accumulated power and experience Naruto has isn’t going to cut it against these guys.
They face supernatural foes with incredible powers...once a week, basically. Yeah, Naruto can rely on his summons or energy attacks, but the Rangers have their own energy weapons and have fought through more than Naruto can bring to bear. And if all else fails? They’ve got multiple giant robots they can throw at him. He’s amazing, but not quite Ninja Ultrazord amazing.
Batman and Joker share the most complicated relationship in DC. Batman is the thesis of Joker's antithesis. The clown prince of crime was born due to Batman's negligence. Proof enough: The Killing Joke (1988), and The Man Behind The Red Hood, Batman Vol. 1 #168 (1951).
Batman and the Joker don't only share a hatred; there is a co-dependent relationship dynamic between the two. The two have a unique camaraderie, an opposing love if you will. Batman's benevolence counterbalances Joker's malevolence.
Both Batman and Joker are unique in their aspects. There are things the Caped Crusader can do, but the Joker can't. And there are countless things that the Joker can do, but Batman can't. Here's the list.
10 JOKER: NEVER FAILS HIS SIDEKICK
The Joker's most effective side-kick, Harley Quinn, is pretty much alive in every story arc. Never has the Clown Prince of Crime, lost this one. The Joker may shoot his cohorts here, and there, Harley remains a constant.
Despite his grandeur, Batman has failed his side-kicks, the many Robins. Take Barbara Gordon, for example, in The Killing Joke; Batman was unable to protect her against Joker's invasion. Batman took Robins under his wing; although he could never keep them safe. Not only did Batman lose Jason Todd to Joker, but he also lost his son Damian Wayne to the Heretic.
9 BATMAN: CAN AFFORD THE BILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY LIFE
The Joker is neither a billionaire and nor a playboy. While Bruce Wayne can sway women with his charm and persona, the Joker can only scare them. He's only gotten so far as to manipulate Harley Quinn to jailbreak out of Arkham. As goes his financial position, he wasn't exactly born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, inherited his father's Wayne empire. He is the CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Critics have gone to the extent of calling his billionaire/playboy lifestyle unrealistic, but it is what it is. Remember the time when Bruce said money is his superpower?
8 JOKER: CAN MAINTAIN A SECRET IDENTITY
In the canonical storyline, Joker's identity is debatable. The best readers could get was the Red-Hood arc. Joker has many origins. What's common throughout is that no one actually knows where Joker came from. It's not at all firmly established. In Lovers And Madmen, Batman Confidential 7-12 features him as Jack - a bank robber. In Batman: Zero Year Vol. 2 21-33, readers are made to believe that the Joker could be Liam Distal, the leader of Red Hood gang.
Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, isn't an object of mystery. His identity is pretty deducible. From his Tim Drake to Jim Gordon and Hugo Strange, everyone has been able to deduce his identity. In Justice League Wayne upfront told Aquaman about his real identity.
7 BATMAN: HAS A SUPERCOOL HIDEOUT
Part of being a billionaire is owning some of the coolest bachelor pads. Bruce may be terrible at hiding his identity, but his Batcave is impenetrable. Known as one of the coolest hideouts of all time, what's cooler is the way Batman enters it. He turns the handles on his grandfather clock to 10:47, the exact time his parents died. And voila! It serves as a gentle reminder of why he chose the vigilante life in the first place.
The Joker cannot afford a bachelor pad as swanky as this. He does have a temporary base from time to time. Besides, it only helps his character if he is shown to be a homeless lunatic.
6 JOKER: YIELDS A GUN
This is more of a moral conundrum than an ability. If fans had a nickel for every time the Joker yielded a gun at his henchmen and enemies (Harley included) they'd all be rich. A rough estimate tells that the Joker has killed over 800 people. He plans to take the figure onwards and upwards.
Batmanrarely goes for the kill. He has yielded a gun in his early years, but that was that. The focus of his character shifted towards capturing, torturing and eventually taking criminals to Arkham Asylum. In the most watered-down version, it is said that Batman doesn't use guns because his parents were killed by a gun.
5 BATMAN: HAS THE ABILITY TO FLY
They don't call Batman the caped crusader for nothing. Sure, he can't fly in the traditional sense of the word. But he has the body maneuverability and sleight of hand to move his cape. He's seen maneuvering his way from dingy buildings to the nooked corners of locales with ease. His grapnel gun and Bathelicopter also come in handy to glide and fly.
The Joker neither possesses maneuverability nor gadgets to fly/glide him around. He may be swift and agile at best, but he lacks to ability to fly.
4 JOKER: CAN AFFORD TO BE POOR
This simply means that the Joker can afford to be a supervillain without money, but Batman can't be a superhero without money. The night Joker was born, he was either a criminal, a thug stealing for his pregnant wife and he had lost everything he had. Throughout Joker's career, he's managed to wreak havoc with little at his disposal.
It wouldn't be crazy to call Batman a sum of his riches. He inherited his father's empire, billions of dollars to say the least. While money doesn't buy peace, it buys him the super cool gadgets to help maintain peace.
3 BATMAN: IS PICKY WITH SIDE-KICKS
Employing murder theatrics on a larger scale means that the Joker needs as many men in the game as he can. The larger his team of gag-clowns, the more impenetrable he becomes. From the very beginning, starting with Gagsworth A, the Joker has recruited lunatics of the highest order. In order to further his cause, the Joker has turned wise ones into Lunatics (Read: Harley Quinn) who in turn have inspired his wave of terror and mayhem.
But not the caped crusader, he's picky when it comes to choosing his Bat-family, let alone hiring lunatics. Helena Bertellini, for example, was fired from her job as side-kick because she disobeyed clear cut directions and orders. Stephanie Brown met a similar fate for wreaking havoc.
2 JOKER: HE INSPIRES FEAR
None of the average villains hold a candle to Joker. He's unmatchable in every sense of the word. The Joker is a murder clown with a scarred face, red lips, blood-shot eyes and green hair who delivers the best punchlines. It is not the physical violence that shakes a soul but the psychological aspect of it. Imagine an average villain stabbing people, now imagine a scary clown stabbing people but laughing aloud all the while. Fearsome, isn't it?
Batman may torture people but he doesn't inspire fear to the same degree that Joker does. Batman is a vigilante who has taken an oath to protect commoners. He may lose his inhibitions, but those are moments of sheer anguish and frustration. Other than that, Batman's persona has a wholesome vibe.
1 BATMAN: HE EMBRACES HIS PAIN
Batman from the very beginning of his story arc has embraced all his wounds. The night his parents were murdered is crucial to his story arc and his character development. Bruce could have gone haywire and chosen the path of destruction, given he had billions at his disposal. He climbed out of the rut, beat against the currents, embraced his pain and became Batman.
The same can't be said for the Joker. His story is steeped in a tragedy like Batman's. Instead of climbing out of the rut he chose the life of a supervillain. The Joker didn't embrace his pain, but he adopted a violent defense mechanism to deal with it.
Even in a Marvel Universe filled with clones and parallel timelines, body swaps can be more than a little confusing. One of these body swaps saw two characters trade places in one of the most famously confusing X-Men stories ever, where the telepathic Psylocke swapped bodies with a Japanese assassin Kwannon for decades.
However, the British mutant Betsy Braddock recently returned to her original body while Kwannon, the Japanese ninja with whom she originally switched bodies, also got her original body back. With both X-Men taking on new roles within the ongoing Dawn of X relaunch, we're taking a closer look at how these two got tangled up in each other's lives.
Originally introduced by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimoe in 1976's Captain Britain #8, Betsy Braddock was the twin sister of the series' hero Brian Braddock. Largely removed from the goings-on of tof the X-Men, Betsy more served as a supporting cast member for the British hero before briefly donning the mantle of Captain Britain herself. Under Claremont, Betsy eventually migrated to the main cast of teh X-Men, where she was a telepathic underdog who went through frequent costume changes.
Years after that, a Japanese mutant assassin named Kwannon was introduced in X-Men #17, by Fabian Nicieza and Andy Kubert. As one of the elite assassins of the Hand, she had deadly skill with a blade and held psychic mutant abilities of her own that gave her low level telepathy and empathy. Kwannon's relationship with the Hand's leader, combined with her reputation and ability, made her a significant member of the organization.
The stories of the two women collided in Chris Claremont and Jim Lee's Uncanny X-Men #256, when Psylocke's body washed up on a Japanese shore where she was found by the Hand's leader who Kwannon shared a relationship with. With the assistance of the six-armed witch Spiral, the Hand performed the body-swap between the comatose Kwannon and Betsy. The Caucasian Betsy was in Kwannon's Japanese body while Kwannon herself was in Betsy's body. At first brainwashed by the Hand into their service, Wolverine broke Betsy from their mind control and returned her to the X-Men's ranks.
When Kwannon arrived at the X-Mansion in Betsy's body claiming to be the original article things started to get very confusing. Part of what complicated the situation was writer Fabian Nicieza missing story details as he wrote X-Men comics in the early '90s and going back later to explain his own mistakes. After Kwannon briefly took the mantle Revanche, Nicieza tried to simplify the situation by killing her off. Betsy's original body contracted the Legacy Virus and died, killing Revanche's mind along with it. Betsy persisted in her Japanese body and went on to have a rich superhero career over the next two decades.
Of course, no one in comics truly stays dead forever. In last year's Hunt for Wolverine: Mystery in Madripoor a battle with the character Sapphire Styx involving Betsy's soul saw the restoration of her original body and the return of her mind into it. With her own original body now freed, Kwannon's own soul was resurrected in her original body by the story's end. While a little complicated in practice, the end result was simple enough: Both Betsy and Kwannon were back, and both of them in their original forms.
Now, both Betsy and Kwannon have taken on leading roles in a pair of ongoing X-Men titles as part of Marvel's larger Dawn of X relaunch. In Excalibur, Betsy has taken on her brother's role to become the new Captain Britain. Somewhat confusingly, Kwannon has adopted Betsy's old codename, Psylocke, in the pages of Fallen Angels, where she's assembled a team of aggressive mutants.
While much of the backstory involving each characters adventures out of and back to their original bodies is complicated enough, the new status quo should be easy enough to understand for new and old fans alike. For the first time in a long while, both Betsy and Kwannon are back in their original bodies, and hopefully, things will stay that way for the foreseeable future.
DC Universe has released a batch of new stills from the upcoming Season 2 finale of Titans.
The majority of the images feature the team -- including Dick Grayson in his new Nightwing costume -- battling Deathstroke. However, we also get several photos of Dick and Conner in a more casual setting, as well as Jason Todd seemingly separating himself from the team.
The Titans reassemble under Dick, who has now fully taken on the mantle of Nightwing, to fight Deathstroke and attempt to save Jericho. But that’s not the only struggle they face – as the team finds themselves up against mind-altered versions of Gar and Conner, who are now supercharged weapons at the “mercy” of Mercy Graves (recurring guest star NATALIE GUMEDE) and her Cadmus final Phase Two plan. It’s Titans vs. Titans in the epic season two finale that’s filled with surprises.
Streaming now on DC Universe, Titans Season 2 stars Brenton Thwaites as Dick Grayson, Anna Diop as Kory Anders, Teagan Croft as Rachel Roth, Ryan Potter as Garfield Logan, Curran Walters as Jason Todd and Conor Leslie as Donna Troy, with Minka Kelly as Dawn Granger, Alan Ritchson as Hank Hall, Joshua Orpin as Superboy, Chelsea Zhang as Rose Wilson, Chella Man as Jericho, Drew Van Acker as Aqualad, Esai Morales as Deathstroke and Iain Glen as Bruce Wayne.
In a surprising turn of events, the Disney+ streaming service has managed to accomplish the seemingly impossible: it has united the Star Wars fandom through the introduction of an adorable Yoda-like creature in The Mandalorian. The creature has appeared in every episode released thus far as the titular bounty hunter's unlikely sidekick.
The alien -- nicknamed "Baby Yoda" for its resemblance to one of the greater franchise's most famous Jedi -- is depicted in the series through the use of puppetry, animatronics and CGI. However, during production, Jon Favreau and executive producer Dave Filoni were unsure if a puppet would achieve the level of believability they were aiming for.
Filoni recalled that he and Favreau were leaving their options open and attempted to shoot a scene twice -- once with the puppet, once without it -- so it could be added in digitally later on if need be. Both Favreau and Filoni were immediately discouraged from doing so by actor Werner Herzog, a legendary filmmaker who plays a mysterious Imperial figure in the series. Herzog apparently told them, "You are cowards," before adding, "Leave it."
Yoda himself was depicted in the original Star Wars trilogy using several detailed puppets. When the character returned in The Last Jedi, a balanced combination of puppetry and CGI was used, to the apparent pleasure of audiences.
Created by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian stars Pedro Pascal, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Emily Swallow, Omid Abtahi, Werner Herzog and Nick Nolte. The first three episodes are streaming now on Disney+.
According to Variety, the positive reactions the reshoots are getting is leaving Warner Bros. confident that the film will be well received by critics and fans alike. This is good news for the studio, considering Harley Quinn's last outing, Suicide Squad, was panned by both groups upon its release.
The film is described as a "humorous, spirited, girl gang adventure." While it won't be as dark or violent as Joker, the film will still take a more mature tone than other DC films such as Aquaman and Shazam.
Warner Bros. is on a bit of hot streak with their DC properties. There last three releases -- Aquaman, Shazam and Joker -- were financial and critical success. Aquaman and Joker each grossed over $1 billion, and the latter is expected to win big this coming award season.
Directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) stars Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ewan McGregor, Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, Francois Chau, Charlene Amoia, Chris Messina and Matthew Willig. The film is scheduled for release on Feb. 7, 2020.
Warner Bros. is rebooting the classic chase-thriller The Fugitive, giving modern audiences the mystery of the one-armed man Richard Kimble and U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard.
According to Deadline, this installment will reimagine the 1993 film starring Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford and directed by Andrew Davis, which was based on the 1963 television series of the same name. The film went on to earn seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
The Fugitive, which is a completely separate entity from the upcoming Quibi series, has tapped Albert Hughes to direct. However, while the series will center on "on a man accused of blowing up an LA subway station, with social media being a hotbed of false accusations but also providing real-time updates as the suspect tries to prove his innocence," the reboot will be a more direct tie to the original film.
Hughes is known for such films The Book of Eli and Alpha. Brian Tucker, meanwhile, will pen the script, which will pick up the story of Dr. Richard Kimble, the titular fugitive, as he runs from the U.S. Marshall Service, fleeing charges of murdering his wife.
There's no word yet on casting or a release date for The Fugitive.
Tuesday was a good day for those who own a piece of Disney stock, as it reached an all-time high, thanks in large part to the estimated 15.5 million downloads from the Disney+ app.
The streaming service achieved over 10 million subscribers for the platform a day after it launched on Nov. 12, which beat the projections of 8 million subscribers by the end of 2019. According to Deadline, research firm Apptopia has the post-Launch Day app downloads at 3.2, which is typical for mobile vs. living room findings.
Disney stock closed Tuesday at $151.57, which is 1% higher for the day on above-average volume. The stock pulled back to match the broader market in the final hour of the trading session.
Subscribers can also look forward to the addition of a "Continue Watching" feature on the service, which was one of the most requested features from Disney+ fans. Apptopia reported 25.6 million viewing sessions per day from last week, as a sign that users more engaged with the app than other popular streaming services. “This is a sign people are highly engaged with the mobile app,” the report said.
Disney+ was plagued with technical issues during its early morning launch, with reports of users unable to access the collection of films and shows due to a wide variety of technical issues ranging from log-in problems to general streaming and connectivity issues. According to the outage website, Down Detector, the number of technical issues came close to 7,000.
Disney+ is available now in the U.S., Canada and the Netherlands. It will launch on Nov. 19 in Australia and New Zealand, with content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic
Ever since the Monitor first got mixed up with the likes of Oliver Queen and Barry Allen in the 2018 Arrowverse crossover "Elseworlds," the all-powerful cosmic being has been preparing them for the oncoming "Crisis on Infinite Earths." It started sporadically, but ever since the start of Arrow and The Flash's respective eighth and sixth seasons , the Monitor has been ramping up his activities. He's warned the Scarlet Speedster of the destruction that lies ahead, and the price he will have to pay to save the universe. What's more, he's also been leading Oliver Queen on a mission across realities to help prepare for the arrival of the Anti-Monitor, a mission the Green Arrow knows is meant to end with his death.
Ever since the start of their new seasons, Barry and Oliver have been operating with the notion that their time is almost up. They are both saying goodbye to loved ones and making sure their legacy is in good hands. The trajectories of both series has indeed been similar, and to great effect. And now, both series are about to have parallel storylines in their next episodes.
The CW recently released promos for the upcoming Tuesday, Nov. 26 episodes for both The Flash and Arrow. The video for "The Last Temptation of Barry Allen Part 1" shows that the Scarlet Speedster will be fighting a different battle against Ramsey Rosso, aka Bloodwork. This time, the villain seems to trap Barry in a mindscape designed to torment the Scarlet Speedster. Finding himself in a warped reality, Barry must come to grips with his own impending death, and the kind of life he may be abandoning by choosing to allow destiny to run its course.
Similarly, the promo for the Arrow episode "Reset" drops Oliver Queen in an alternate reality where Detective Lance is still alive. Oliver believes the Monitor has altered his memories of past events, which may be the result of this different reality Oliver finds himself in. Of course, we have no idea why the Monitor is affecting Oliver this way -- it could simply be the latest trial to prepare him for the coming crisis. However, the cosmic character hasn't been the most forthcoming, as he as shown that he has more than one agent working for him, seemingly for both good and bad.
On the one hand, Ramsey Rosso seems to be, in his own twisted way, trying to push Barry to choose life instead of death -- to fight the destiny that has been chosen for him. On the other, the Monitor is toying with Oliver, either to make him a better soldier in his fight, or to make certain he follows the path laid for him. In both series' upcoming episodes, the title superheroes will be dropped in warped realities by their adversaries meant to challenge them.
But with "Crisis on Infinite Earths" just around the corner, these events are also sure to inspire them -- to remind them of what they are fighting for.
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" begins Sunday, Dec. 8 on Supergirl, then continues in Batwoman on Monday, Dec. 9, and then picks up in The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10. After a winter hiatus, the crossover concludes on Tuesday, Jan. 14 on both Arrow and DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
One of the most powerful artifacts in the Marveluniverse is the Infinity Gauntlet. It holds the six Infinity Gems that enable its wielder to control reality. The Infinity Gems need to be in the perfect place to optimize the Gauntlet to its maximum potential. It's not rocket science to guess that whosoever wields the Infinity Gauntlet wields omnipotent power. In the Infinity Gauntlet (1991) #1, the Mad Titan Thanos seized it. Not only did he prove himself worthy of Death's affection, but he also became unstoppable, an all-powerful God.
Avengers: Endgame gave us a peek into two characters who wore the Infinity Gauntlet. But as one reads through Marvel's history, many characters have worn it over time.
10 TONY STARK
Let's start off with the godfather of Marvel Universe, Tony Stark aka The Iron Man. In the heroic age, he becomes the first human to wield the Infinity Gauntlet. This pertains to the return to a story from Avengers Vol. 4. The post-Dark Reign period brought with itself many things of the past, of which the Infinity Gauntlet was one.
While in prison, Parker Robins aka The Hood discovers the location of one the Infinity Gems that belonged to Black Bolt of the Inhumans. In this timeline, Black Bolt was dead and his subjects were unaware of the gem. Although Parker Robins succeeded in gaining access to Infinity Gem, the next part of his plan is thwarted by Iron Man and The Hood was sent back to prison (after briefly wearing the Gauntlet). Tony completed the gauntlet before giving each of the gems to members of the Illuminati to keep them safe.
9 ADAM WARLOCK
This story comes from Infinity Gauntlet #6(1991), wherein Nebula and Adam Warlock battle it out for the Infinity Gauntlet. Adam Warlock transfers himself into the Soul Gem and thwarts Nebula's control over the rest of the Gems. Adam takes the Gauntlet from Nebula, if only for a short period of time. The Living Tribunal of Celestials decides to intervene and force Warlock to disperse the gems.
8 SPIDER-MAN
This story features in Avengers and the Infinity Gauntlet (2010) as a marked effort by Marvel to retell stories in a humorous way. Turns out, Thanos has all of the Infinity Gems so he does what he's best at, wiping out heroes.
A bunch of superheroes unite under the leadership of Spider-Man. In a comical way, Peter steals the Gauntlet off of Thanos' hand. He uses the Gauntlet to rewrite the timeline and bring back the dead superheroes again.
7 REED RICHARDS
Known as Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards became one of the Superheroes to wield the Infinity Gauntlet. Not only did MCU bless him with exceptional intelligence, but also with the opportunity to wield the Gauntlet.
This story pertains to New Avengers: Illuminati #2 wherein despite building the Gauntlet, Reed wanted to be done with it once and for all. As Reed wears the Gauntlet and wills the gem out of existence, he is prevented by doing so due to the temptation of its power.
Eventually, Reed decides to give each of the Infinity Stones to members of the Illuminati in order to keep them safe. It also calmed Reed's fears of seeing the Earth destroyed by the power of the Infinity Gauntlet.
6 ULTIMATE HULK
In the Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #25 (2011), the Gauntlet bore eight Infinity Gems, instead of six. The story pertains to the ambush of S.H.I.E.L.D by Kang the Conquerer. Hulk who was imprisoned there was let free. Imagine a locked up Hulk suddenly let loose with an Infinity Gauntlet nearby. Although Hulk wore the Gauntlet, not all the gems were present. Before all was over, the Ultimates managed to defeat the Hulk.
Had these two scenarios not worked out in The Ultimates, imagine what Hulk's pent-up frustration could have done.
5 LOCKJAW
In Lockjaw and the Pet Avengers #4, Lockjaw and Pet-Avengers set on an outer-space quest to gather the Infinity Stones. It won't be out of place to mention that Lockjaw in the past, has been an escort to the Royal Family and a teleporter to the Inhumans.
Because Lockjaw serves the Inhumans, he discovers the mind gem buried near their home, Attilan. Coincidentally, Reed Richards happens to be looking for Infinity Stones too. The telepathic dog scans Reed's mind and decides to grab the Gauntlet for himself. Except for a brief ambush by Thanos, Lockjaw assembles all the Gems and makes an Infinity dog-collar out of it.
By the end, Lockjaw and his furry friends present the Gauntlet to a startled Reed Richards.
4 CAPTAIN AMERICA
This story pertains to New Avengers #3 (2013) wherein Captain America serves in the Illuminati. As per Black Panther's discovery, another Earth dangerously hangs over Wakanda. Upon further investigation, this phenomenon is reported to be a part of a multi-versal chain reaction. This could potentially destroy universes.
So Captain America unsuccessfully wields the Infinity Gauntlet to stop the impending danger. An unfinished attempt by Captain America leaves the Illuminati no other choice but to destroy the Earth colliding into theirs.
3 BLACK PANTHER
This is a direct continuation from the previous entry wherein the Earth's have collided into one another. Before this apocalypse, however, Strange makes a startling discovery. It is revealed that Doctor Doom possessed Beyonders powers that made him into a mighty god, ruling over Battleworld. And he's responsible for the collision.
This story pertains to Secret Wars #6-9 (2015), wherein Black Panther and Namor discover the Infinity Gauntlet on Stephen Strange's island. Black Panther wields the gauntlet to defeat Doom. All is well after Doom is toppled and Black Panther transports back in time to alter reality.
2 DEADPOOL
This comical story comes from Deadpool #45 (2015) wherein Deadpool is placed into Infinity Gauntlet mini-series. Thanos hires Deadpool to steal the Infinity Gauntlet, but Deadpool pulls a switcheroo on him. He keeps the original for himself and gives Thanos a replica.
Deadpool uses the Gauntlet to roast his every enemy. Starting with Thanos, moving on to everyone else in the Marvel Universe. Soon he realizes the futility of his actions. In the typical Deadpool fashion, he ends the roast by breaking in the fourth wall and slamming his readers. Deadpool resets the whole thing and returns the Gauntlet to Thanos.
1 SANTA CLAUS
In Marvel Holiday Spectacular (2009), Iron Man summons the Illuminati to help Santa. Turns out Santa's reindeer are Skrulls. So Santa is left without his most important aid on holidays. The Illuminati let Santa borrow the Infinity Gauntlet to deliver gifts to people. Once Santa wields the Gauntlet, he goes bonkers with power. He's only stopped when Namor throws a snowball and knocks the Gauntlet off his hand. Iron Man then fixes Santa up with a robot reindeer to deliver gifts. Oh, the hilarity!
DC has some of the most dangerous villains in the comics industry. While super villains are known for killing hundreds of people, some of them can be defined as serial killers because of the pleasure they take in killing and the way in which they kill.
Some villains will seek out people to kill, rather than just doing it in order to achieve an aim. Obviously, most of the characters on this list will be Gotham city villains as it's the kind of place that has created lowlives and killers. Here are 10 of the worst serial killers in DC comics.
10 VICTOR ZSASZ
Victor Zsasz has serious mental health issues that he struggles with on a daily basis. Not only this, he's also a psychopath and takes great joy in killing other people, especially young women. But there's an extra twisted part to this already dark tale.
Every time Victor kills someone he tallies the death on his body, by scarring himself with a knife. Often, this is the same knife that he has committed the heinous crime with. This madman has never changed his ways and is extremely creepy and dangerous.
9 THE JOKER
It seems obvious that the clown prince of crime is a serial killer, considering he goes out of his way to create a strange trap or gadget to maim and disfigure random members of the public. The Joker is one of the most sadistic murderers that Batman has ever faced.
It's difficult to keep track of how many people the Joker has actually killed over the years. Rarely are these deaths even necessary to a larger plan and are simply because the Joker wants to have a bit of fun. The methods of these murders are always ghastly.
8 PROFESSOR PYG
Another Gotham City villain now and the character could be the creepiest on this list. The 'Professor' wears a pig mask to scare his victims and is more like a butcher than any kind of professor we've seen. His murders replicate that.
The killings he commits usually involve crude weaponry, chainsaws, and various experimentation. He's even tried stitching humans back together and forcing his own pig masks onto the victims. Pyg should never be let out of Arkham Asylum, he's just too dangerous.
7 SINESTRO
You wouldn't necessarily think of Sinestro as a serial killer. He has, of course, killed hundreds of people but the assumption is that this is all part of a larger war with the Green Lantern corps. But we believe that he actually takes great pleasure from the deaths.
Sinestro has created a situation in which he can kill as many people as possible. He feeds off of that fear which gives him even more incentive to kill after all the Yellow Lanterns don't run on willpower. This is what happens when you give a serial killer so much power.
6 HUGO STRANGE
Hugo Strange is somehow often in charge of a large range of patients. He usually takes advantage of his position of power by experimenting on his victims and trying to learn new things about the human body. Genetic engineering seems to be his main research area.
The sadistic mind of Strange, however, isn't just interested in his scientific studies. He loves the power he has over the victims in his control and he enjoys taking life, even if he tries to treat it all as a matter of research rather than as the behavior of a serial killer.
5 BRUCE WAYNE
Bruce Wayne may be a controversial pick for this list as the traditional version of Batman obviously isn't even a villain. However, there are plenty of multiverse versions of Bruce Wayne and indeed his father Damian, who have become serial killers.
Whether it's the Batman who laughs, the Grim Knight or the many other variations on this character, Bruce Wayne has often found that killing is the best way to rid the streets of the scum he deems not worthy to live in Gotham. This isn't the justice we know.
4 LEX LUTHOR
Lex Luthor is very similar to Sinestro. If you give a callous man so much power he'll abuse it to his advantage. Lex Luthor, if he lost all his money and influence, would probably still be a cold-hearted killer, because he enjoys the power it gives him.
Luthor makes the decision between life and death all the time and often doesn't even commit the crime himself most of the time. We know he kills in order to spread fear and remove problems in his plans but he also does it just because he wants to.
3 RIDDLER
The Riddler is the kind of Batman villain that's defined by the murders he commits. Everything about the Riddler is about inflicting damage to Gotham citizens and playing games with them. He loves toying with his prey before he ends their lives.
Whether he's making them solve cruel riddles or puzzles, or perhaps he's got his victims in the middle of some twisted game show, the role of the Riddler is to continue to invent new ways to kill. Of course his dream will always be to kill Batman in a similar way.
2 DEATHSTROKE
Deathstroke is one of the best killers in the world. He's made a career around being a hitman and carrying out the job that's required of him. But, he's always enjoyed the art of the kill and is constantly developing ways in which to kill his targets much quicker.
There have been numerous versions of this character and some of them could not necessarily be considered to be serial killers in the traditional sense. However, the most common iteration of the character could absolutely be defined as just that.
1 TALIA AL GHUL
Talia is an assassin first and foremost which obviously makes her a serial killer immediately. Her understanding of death is very different from the average person because of her knowledge of the Lazarus Pits. Therefore, life just doesn't mean as much to her.
It's why she is so swift to remove a life if she deems it necessary. However, Talia will also kill even if it's not needed by the League, as she has such a callous understanding of the meaning of life. She has the psychology of a serial killer at her core.
My Hero Academia has recently taken the world by storm and with its rising popularity, Japan’s number one school for budding heroes, UA, has been equally as popular. While UA may be the most well-known superhero school in pop culture today, it wasn’t so long ago that there was another school designed to train young heroes that people couldn’t help but talk about.
That’s right, that school is none other than Sky High. Though both of these schools have been rather popular, which of them is actually worth attending? Is UA the ultimate stop for anyone looking to become a hero? Or has Sky High always been the school where heroes go to truly soar? Let’s find out.
10 Mysterious location - Sky High
During the first season of My Hero Academia, it became apparent that the location of UA was readily available to anyone who was looking to find it. Though UA is filled with some of the greatest heroes alive, Shigaraki and his league of villains make it incredibly clear why the location of the school should have remained a secret to both the public and the press.
While the location of UA is general knowledge, Sky High, on the other hand, is flying high above the rest of the world, presumably drifting throughout different locations as the school day/year goes on. Definitely, a bonus when someone like Shigaraki could be planning an invasion.
9 The Teachers - UA
Though Sky High is seemingly protected from outside invasions by its constantly changing location when they are attacked by a villain not only does the villain manage to take down the two greatest heroes alive, but she manages to take down the entire staff and pretty much everyone else at the school.
One villain along with a couple of henchmen did that. However, in contrast, when Shigaraki showed up with a giant group of villains to kill All Might at the school, the few teachers there, along with the students of class 1-A were able told hold off the villains nearly the entire time. This just goes to show how incredibly outmatched the teachers at Sky High would be were they ever forced to take on the teacher of UA.
8 Better Transportation - Sky High
Though students of UA are forced to slub it to the school grounds on their own, whatever way they might manage to get there, it’s certainly not as cool or convenient as the transportation going to and from Sky High.
When going to school at Sky High, every morning begins with an adventure. Not only are students greeted by the friendly bus driver, Ron Wilson, but they are also taken in a shapeshifting school bus that essentially turns into a plane. The truly awesome type of transportation that one would expect of a superhero school.
7 Lack Of A Hero/Sidekick Dichotomy- UA
One of the major problems with Sky High’s entire system, as it is repeatedly pointed out throughout the entire movie, is their reliance on using a potential heroes powers to decide whether or not they will be trained as a hero or sidekick. In fact, at the end of the movie, it is the group of heroes that have been sidelined on the hero support track that ends up saving the day.
In UA, while there is certainly a hero support track, it is shown to be more for those who are interested in that area. Even the most powerful and successful students at UA strive to become worthy sidekicks before ever making their debut as professional heroes.
6 House Parties - Sky High
While the students of UA were originally allowed to stay in their own homes while they attended the school, after the league of villains’ attack on UA, the rules regarding the housing of the students dramatically shifted. The students were then forced to take up residence within the grounds of UA, which may seem pretty cool at first but it does have some serious repercussions for the young students. Mainly, no house parties.
They may have been able to pull something like that off while they were staying in their own homes, much like Will Stronghold does, but just try to imagine the students trying to throw a party without Mr. Aizawa getting wind of it. Just try.
5 Better Hero Support Program - UA
While this point somewhat touches on the lackluster teaching staff of Sky High, it is nonetheless important to mention. The hero support program at Sky High is absolutely atrocious. Taught by “Mr. Boy” as he would have his students call him, the class is essentially a joke.
Meanwhile, the students of U - even the students of the hero support program, are focused on being the very best that they can. The Sky High hero support program may be focused on turning young kids into sidekicks, but UA is making sure that the students in their hero support program are creating the best tech, the best suits and doing everything they can do to make lifesaving decisions for the heroes fighting on the foregrounds.
4 Safe For Budding Young Heroes - Sky High
Though UA, at this point at least, has the serious upper hand when it comes to where budding young heroes should spend their precious youths, there is one very serious problem with UA, security.
While Sky High had to infiltrated be a villain who, unlikely enough, was turned into a baby and then became a student once again, in order to break into UA and wage war on the students and teachers, all Shigaraki and the League of Villains had to do was find a villain capable of warping inside. Easy peasy.
3 Better Training Exercises - UA
Though UA may be lacking is some pretty obvious precautionary measures--things like a secret location, some decent security measures and other stuff like that, what they certainly don’t cut corners on is the sports festival they’ve designed to help budding young heroes truly prove their worth through a series of challenges.
Sky High, on the other hand, may as well have made their hero training simulations in arts and crafts class, because it’s certainly low-budget. A mannequin hanging from a rope that inches ever closer to a series of rotating blades while two pairs of students fight to either save the mannequin or let it drop? Come on, Sky High. You’re better than that.
2 Power Neutralizing Detention Room - Sky High
Something that may have been incredibly handy when the League of Villains attacked UA is the power neutralizing detention room that Sky High has within its grounds.
Any quirk-destroying weapons are actually more suited to villains like Overhaul. However, after capturing Royal Pain and the rest of her flunkies, the Sky High faculty was able to safely hold them in the detention room where they were left unable to do much of anything without the use of the powers. Something that UA may want to look into should villains attack the super well-known location of their school.
1 More Opportunities For Actual Hero Work - UA
Though it is true that Sky High mostly focused on the class of incoming freshmen, even so, it didn’t seem like the upperclassmen that it did feature had done much hero work at all.
In comparison, UA students, even students in their first year, are practically bombarded with opportunities to get right down to the nitty-gritty of the professional hero lifestyle. From hero internships to work-study programs, the student-heroes of UA have so many opportunities to get a taste of the professional hero lifestyle before they ever leave the school grounds.
Maybe if Sky High had a similar setup their teaching staff wouldn’t be such a joke (shots fired).
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is well known for getting its characters right. Whether it's the initial casting, the concept art that goes into it, or the performances from the actors, each hero and villain feels like they have been ripped straight from the comic books.
Of course, the costumes also have a huge part to play in all of this. How the characters actually look on-screen will help capture the imagination of audiences. Here are 10 of the best costumes from across the Marvel Cinematic Universe (excluding the TV shows).
10 THOR
The god of thunder's look is pretty iconic. The general design has always been pulled from Norse mythology so there's something from the real world to base the look off of. However, there are plenty of fantastic comic designs to also draw inspiration from.
The various costumes from across the MCU films for Thor have always been top-notch. We're particularly fond of the latest look, with heavy armor and a braided beard. However, the general look of the character has consistently be one of the best.
9 LOKI
Thor's brother, Loki, also benefits from Norse Mythology. But, the character's designs in the film closely resemble the comics rather than anything we can see from history. That striking green color has been one of the most interesting elements of his costumes.
They are often woven with interesting shapes and patterns that make us think of an elaborate tapestry. They are certainly practical and the helmet is one of the best pieces of headgear in all of these costumes; we wish Loki wore it more.
8 IRON MAN
The Iron Man armor was always going to be difficult to adapt. With hundreds of designs, CGI limits and a lot of contrasting ideas of what it should look like, it's incredible that such an amazing suit was created for the very first MCU film.
The Iron Man armor has certainly evolved as this story has progressed. We've moved away from the complicated ways in which it combines together to something sleeker and more nano-tech related. We love that original red and gold suit so much though!
7 HELA
We've already highlighted some of the other Norse gods but we cannot forget about the goddess that essentially brought Asgard to its knees. The goddess of Hell, Hela, is certainly a being that is difficult to match in terms of strength and power.
Her costume reflects her villainous nature and carries the same green that we love on Loki's costume. The headdress actually acts as part of her weaponry which is a great design choice and there is something menacing about the silhouette it produces.
6 CAPTAIN AMERICA
The super-soldier created during WWII has also had a number of different costumes over the past few years. The original tactical military outfit was a work of genius and the stealth suit is one that's still praised to this day. The final incarnation was everything we could have hoped for.
While we know there's been a low point, especially during the battle of New York, the overall concept has worked throughout. It's a costume that now resonates with people and the color scheme, iconic star, and wings across the head, all define this character's look.
5 CAPTAIN MARVEL
The costume for Captain Marvel went through a few variations in her own solo film and looked different again once she had joined the Avengers. The suit is obviously based on the Kree uniform and contained their colors to start with.
After a colorful redesign, the suit is looking far more like it should. It's going to have a lot of longevity to it and there's really no more tweaks that need to be done with this uniform, suggesting that Marvel is onto a winning formula that inspires strength.
4 BLACK PANTHER
The Black Panther has quickly become one of Marvel's most recognizable heroes. The costume, based on ancient Wakandan designs and enhanced with some modern technology, is a great piece of concept and creation from the costume team at Marvel.
We much prefer the original suit that doesn't involve nan0-technology and hopefully we'll move away from the slicker suits once more to something more ceremonial, battle-worn and classic to the comics. There's so much more to be done with an already fantastic costume.
3 DOCTOR STRANGE
The master of the mystic arts deserves a costume that was both based on his comic suit, but also managed to bring some of these difficult elements into the real world. Luckily the magic carpet-esque cloak and magical clothing help bring this look together.
We love the version of the costume with the brown gloves, by the way, and we really hope they make a comeback. It's also a shame that the infinity stone has been removed from the suit because the Eye of Agamotto was perfect to finish off this suit.
2 BLACK WIDOW
The Black Widow costume is getting a major upgrade with the White Widow look that we think takes this concept to a whole new level. The original Black Widow costume that she debuted in left a lot to be desired and we were worried about the overall look.
However, the costume has developed into something tactical, sleek and menacing. The suit has a lot of different gadgets, it's perfect for stealth missions and is a great representation of what we see in the comics. Plus, it features that black widow symbol.
1 CROSSBONES
The famous villain that once helped to kill Cap in the comics made a big debut in the MCU, although he didn't last long. However, before he died we got to see the classic Crossbones look transferred over to the big screen, and we didn't expect it to be so good.
While the normal comic costume was only a slight inspiration, the tactical armor really worked in the context of the film. Of course, we also got the actual white Crossbones logo that we were waiting for and the suit itself helped to fight off Cap himself.
There have been many criminal organizations that have plagued the heroes of the DC Universe. From the powerful and ancient League of Assassins led by Ra’s al Ghul to Amanda Waller’s heroic/villainous government secret black ops group made of supervillains called The Suicide Squad, many organizations are behind some of the greatest storylines of DC Comics.
One of those organizations that is well known, yet not as recognized as others, is Intergang. A group of criminals and crime bosses using alien technology and power, let's take a look at the most powerful members of the infamous Intergang.
10 Moxie Mannheim
The first member of Intergang that deserves some attention has to be the first-ever leader of Intergang, Moxie Mannheim. The father of the popular villain Bruno “Ugly” Mannheim, Moxie was one of Superman’s foes early on Pre-Crisis. Post-Crisis however he was released from prison, and took control of Intergang almost immediately.
Arranging for his gang members to be given superpowers by a scientist at Cadmus Labs, Moxie himself had no powers, but gained his power from his control over the gangs Intergang controlled. He was a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains during Infinite Crisis, and was ended by Superboy Prime.
9 Morgan Edge
One of the most recognizable gangsters to be a member of the Intergang organization has to be Morgan Edge. A longtime criminal leader especially in Metropolis, his Pre-Crisis appearances made his Intergang appearance connected to a clone from the “Evil Factory” in the early Superman years.
Both Pre and Post-Crisis, Edge has been the owner and President of WGBS, and a wealthy business tycoon and sometime political opponent. He also sponsored the Superman Revenge Squad, and in the New 52 he has become a ruthless, powerful and self-centered media mogul who sponsored the Challengers of the Unknown program.
8 Whisper A’Daire
One of the most unique members of Intergang has to be Whisper A’Daire. The woman is really over 80 years old, but due to her association with Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins, she has been given a serum she takes regularly that mixed her genetics with a king cobra’s genetics to slow down her aging process, as well as gives her shapeshifting, increased agility and speed, and even venomous poison as powers.
Working for Intergang, including Bruno Mannheim at times, she has battled Batman, Batwoman, and even the Justice League, often working to further Intergang’s interests around the world.
7 Tobias Whale
This next member is interesting in that he originally waged a gang war with Intergang, but because of his power and influence he was instead bought out and made the head of one of Intergang’s fronts. This villain is Tobias Whale, the infamous gangster and leader of the 100 gang in Metropolis, and of course famous foe of hero Black Lightning.
After Black Mask’s fall, Tobias fought to become the boss of bosses in the mob scene, taking over several families and waging war with Intergang. His success came when Intergang bought him out, and made him the head of Kord Industries, a front for some of their illegal activities.
6 Doctor Sivana
Another unique villain to join the ranks of Intergang at one point in their careers has to be Dr. Sivana, the mad scientist who has been a regular foe of Captain Marvel/Shazam and the Marvel Family for years. Originally a short, bald mad scientist, Dr. Sivana’s origin story has changed several times over the years.
One recent retcon of the villain has made him a wealthy business tycoon with great political interests, but in his quest to retrieve a powerful artifact in an archeological dig in Egypt, he released the power of Shazam which went to Billy Bastion, and he lost his fortune in the process.
5 Doctor Polaris
This next villain is interesting because he is the second iteration of an already popular villain, and this second iteration is the member of Intergang. This villain is Dr. Polaris, a powerful villain who has control and manipulation powers over the magnetic fields of Earth. While the original Dr. Polaris, Neal Emerson, passed away for a time before the DC Rebirth era, a new Dr. Polaris emerged.
This version of the villain is John Nichol, a businessman and member of Intergang who was a longtime fan of Dr. Polaris. When Emerson passed on, Nichol became the villain for a time, but during Blackest Night he was taken out by a Black Lantern version of Emerson.
4 Neutron
One powerful villain who joined Intergang as a villain for hire during the One Year Later event was Neutron. A once average criminal, Neutron was exposed to a nuclear meltdown and turned into a living, sentient nuclear energy form, which the government covered up and helped him learn to contain the energy.
After learning of the cover-up, he took the lives of anyone involved and then became a full-time criminal, often fighting Superman in various plots. He was hired by Intergang to end Clark Kent’s life, and thought he’d succeeded, not knowing Clark Kent was really Superman. The attack helped Superman gain his abilities back.
3 Bruno Mannheim
This next member of Intergang is the most infamous leader of Intergang of all time. We are talking about Bruno “Ugly” Mannheim, the son of Moxie Mannheim. Mannheim is one of the most powerful leaders to ever lead Intergang, and during the 52 series event, he claimed to have been reborn by Darkseid himself, making him more psychotic in the process.
He went on to perform a ritual following the Crime Bible, which nearly cost Batwoman Kate Kane her life. He later became a giant, mutated villain several stories tall, and claimed to not serve Darkseid anymore in his battle with Superman. He later went to war with rival gang leader Tobias Whale.
2 Lex Luthor
During the Post-Crisis era, before the events of the 52 series, Lex Luthor, famed foe of Superman and the Justice League, gained control of Intergang. A genius and billionaire with a hatred for aliens and heroes in general, Lex Luthor is a ruthless businessman and villain who believes himself the superior being of the world.
He has gained the power of the Orange Lantern Ring, has helped Superman fight Doomsday and has more recently become a martian/human hybrid known as Apex Lex. Yet in the Post-Crisis era, he used his resources to gain control of Intergang, using Moxie Mannheim as a figurehead of the gang.
1 Darkseid
The most powerful member of Intergang has to be the group’s benefactor, the New God and Apokolips dictator, Darkseid. The all-powerful leader and ruler of Apokolips has been the one supplying Intergang with alien technology, in an attempt to use the group to help locate the missing pieces of the Anti-Life equation, his life’s work.
Later on, it was one of his elite members on Apokolips, namely DeSaad, who was giving weapons to Intergang, but not for the Anti-Life equation. Instead, DeSaad just enjoyed the pain and suffering the weapons brought to the people of Earth, relishing that power himself.
Comic book fans have been aware for a long time that DC Comics along with Marvel have more or less been ripping each other off for ages. With characters like Deathstroke, Deadpool and even more recently, Red Tool, the big two seem to not even be trying to cover up the fact they’re blatantly copying the work of their rivals.
However, this rivalry has given birth to some of the greatest characters in comics history and allows readers a chance to see a different take on a familiar power set. So from familiar faces like Deathstroke and Deadpool to heroes like Hawkeye and Green Arrow, let’s dive in and see which characters are practically carbon copies of one another.
10 Hyperion/ Superman
Though Superman may be the greatest hero when it comes to the many universes within DC’s landscape, his counterpart in the Marvel Universe hasn’t had such an easy go of things.
Their stories are remarkably similar, with Superman getting jettisoned to Earth after the destruction of his home, Krypton and Hyperion sent to Earth-616 as the only surviving member of a race of Eternals from a dying world. And even though their power set is also very alike, they couldn’t have had more different existences within their own universes.
9 Deathstroke/ Deadpool
Due to their popularity, Deathstroke and Deadpool are perhaps the most recognizable example of DC and Marvel characters that have an extraordinary amount in common. Not only are these two spectacular mercenaries but their healing factors and excellent tactical abilities make them a near-perfect match.
While Deadpool has a healing factor that makes him able to go toe-to-toe with the best of them, Deathstroke’s keen intellect and superhuman level mental capabilities bring him just a step ahead of Deadpool’s typical game.
8 Bullseye/ Deadshot
While Deadshot and Bullseye don’t exactly have any powers (although Bullseye does eventually get some upgrades later in his life) what they do have is a very particular set of skills.
The skills that they have mainly revolve around being incredibly gifted when it comes to their aim. Deadshot, as his name would suggest, is a dead-shot when it comes to just about anything with a trigger - and even a few things without a trigger. And Bullseye, well, let’s just say their names pretty much hit the nail on the head.
7 Catwoman/ Silver Sable
While many people would assume that Catwoman’s nature counterpart in the Marvel universe would be someone like Black Cat, at least when it comes to their power set, they’d be wrong.
Though they have a similar theme when it comes to the alter-egos, Black Cat actually does have powers, which brings her a step above the powerless Catwoman. Silver Sable, however, is much more similar to Catwoman, as they are both extremely capable when it comes to martial arts and handling weapons.
6 Swamp Thing/ Man-Thing
Not only are Swamp Thing and Man-Thing incredibly similar in almost every aspect of their character, origin, and ability, they also originally appeared within a few months of each other back in 1971.
Both of these beings were originally humans before a disaster involving a swamp transformed them into the moving plat-matter based creatures that fans have come to know and love. The characters are also both incredibly powerful in that they are powered by magics far beyond the realm of Earth in their respective universe.
5 Hawkeye/ Green Arrow
Like several of the characters featured in this list, Hawkeye and Green Arrow don’t necessarily have the same power set. But what they do have is a very particular set of skills. These skills, oddly enough, happen to revolve around a bow, a drawstring and a whole mess of crave arrows designed to be, rather heroically, nonlethal.
These two have certainly ingested a few too many stories of good old Robin Hood, but luckily for the Justice League and the Avengers, they decided to keep their arrows flying towards the baddies.
4 Aquaman/ Namor The Submariner
If they weren’t both so incredibly arrogant and strongwilled, Aquaman and Namor the Submariner might actually discover that they had a lot in common with one another. Kings of the lost city of Atlantis? Check. Major beef with the land-dwelling folk all too obsessed with the destruction of the seas? Check.
But beyond those simple facts, Aquaman and Namor are both incredibly strong, nearly unstoppable when they decide to go after something, and they both have the loyalty of an entire nation (composed of everyone and everything in the ocean) at their beck and call whenever they decide that they can’t handle the battle themselves.
3 Elongated Man/ Mr. Fantastic
Though the Elongated Man and Mr. Fantastic have a practically identical power set, they’re also quite similar in a few other ways as well. For starters, both the Elongated Man and Mr. Fantastic have done away with any form of a secret identity.
The public is well aware that Richard Reed is Mr. Fantastic and Ralph Dibney is the Elongated Man. Another similarity that the pair shares is the fact that, unlike many characters throughout the DC and Marvel universe, these two are actually capable of holding down a relatively drama-free marriage and family life. Batman Schmatman.
2 The Atom/ Ant-Man
Much like the original Ant-Man, Hank Pym, The Atom (AKA Ray Palmer) is a genius scientist obsessed with size. They say that great minds think alike. Well, these two would likely find a lot to love about each other’s work.
While they arrived at their patented creations, the compression matrix and the Pym particle, respectively, have allowed them to shrink to the size of an atom (or smaller in some cases) and grow as tall as an entire skyscraper if they wish to do so.
1 Batman/ Iron Man
Though Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark are both incredibly talented heroes with a genius-level intellect and a knack for putting the hurt on the baddies, what lands them on this list together is their real superpower, wealth. Among the richest members of their respective universes, Bruce and Tony have chosen to use their immense wealth in the way most suited to help out their fellow citizens of the world, building themselves a bunch of super crazy toys that will help them beat up some robbers or whatever.
Though Gotham finds itself in shambles time and time again, and things aren’t necessarily looking too great for Marvel’s version of the United States, at least the billionaire class has built themselves super suits and taken to the streets to dole out vigilante justice. Just what the common citizen needed. Super.
Disney+ users, rejoice! The platform just added a "continue watching" feature, so you can see how much is left of every movie or show you've watched, whether it's the first viewing or the hundredth.
Disney's millions of subscribers noticed the absence of the "continue watching" button as well as the "resume" feature, but both are now available to all subscribers. Although this may seem like a small bug fix, binge-watchers understand the importance of the ability to track the last episodes or gauge how much time is left in movies or series.
Disney+ has quickly become one of the most popular streaming services and has already exceeded projections for 2019. It allows subscribers to request shows and movies that they want added to the service, so the company is clearly prioritizing the customer experience. The "continue watching" and "resume" features are just the latest in the reaction to customer demand, and reflect the competitiveness in the "streaming wars" currently underway.
Disney+ is now available in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, with content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic.
