Writer-director Colin Trevorrow will be donating all profits from his work on Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in Berkshire, England.
Known for his work on the Jurassic World franchise, Trevorrow has a story credit for the final entry in the modern Star Wars trilogy alongside co-writer Derek Connolly. Despite being attached to The Rise of Skywalker, Trevorrow would eventually leave the project and was replaced by J.J. Abrams, who returns following his experience helming 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“Through his films, George Lucas taught us about our connection to all living things,” Trevorrow said. “He taught us to take care of one another, and he set a powerful example himself. The Alexander Devine Hospice helps families in the most challenging of times. I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor George’s legacy.”
“The force is strong with us,” said Fiona Devine, CEO and co-founder of the hospice. “We are blown away by this incredibly generous gesture and we are deeply thankful to Colin for thinking of us. This extraordinary donation, the equivalent of paying for a nurse for a year, will really help us to continue to do this and importantly reach out to even more families that need us. We know that there are at least 1,200 children across Berkshire and the surrounding counties that need our help. Our care is free of charge and we are reliant on donations and fundraising to run our vital service. We cannot thank Colin Trevorrow and his family enough for their amazing support and generosity.”
Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Jurassic World 3, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. The film is set to be released on June 11, 2021.
Here comes Hailey! In this exclusive clip from Marvel's Hero Project, Marvel's latest hero shares a sweet moment with her grandmother.
Marvel's Hero Project is a Disney+ documentary series spotlighting young heroes making a difference in their communities. "Here Comes Hailey" follows Hailey, who helps children with loved ones suffering from dementia. Using puzzles, she forged a strong bond with her grandmother and teaches others how to do the same.
In this clip, Hailey shows her grandmother the comic she received from Marvel's Hero Project to recognize her achievements. The comic depicts Hailey, her grandmother and the people they've inspired working on puzzles together. Her grandmother is thrilled to see Hailey in the comic -- and even more surprised to see herself!
When Hailey’s grandmother started to suffer from Alzheimer’s, Hailey was afraid she would lose the close bond they shared -- so she found a new way to connect. Through the power of puzzles, Hailey teaches other kids dealing with their loved ones’ dementia how to make connections for a strong family. Because of her compassionate work, the end of Hailey’s episode involves her being recognized by Marvel as the real-life Super Hero she is, which included turning her story into an instant collector’s item.
Marvel's Hero Project releases new episodes every Friday on Disney+. "Here Comes Hailey" premieres this Friday, Nov. 29.
The long-running anime/manga franchise Bleach is the story of Ichigo Kurosaki, a high schooler who is endowed with the powers of a Soul Reaper. Now, he wields his sword to slay hollows and protect the innocent, and he journeys to supernatural worlds like the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo on his quest.
The Soul Society arc is one of the most impactful of all, when Ichigo, Uryu, Orihime, and Chad (along with Yoruichi) infiltrate the Soul Society to rescue Rukia from execution. During this arc, we meet many new Soul Reapers, explore the Soul Society (based on pre-modern Japan), watch cool battle scenes, and ultimately realize that Sosuke Aizen was the traitorous mastermind behind all this. Which ten episodes of this story arc (episodes 21-63) are rated highest on IMDb?
10 Episode 60: "Reality of the Despair, the Assassin's Dagger is Swung" (8.6)
This episode occurs late in the Soul Society arc, and it is in this moment when CaptainSosuke Aizen reveals the true depths of his villainy! He faked his own death, and Momo Hinamori discovers the truth for herself when Captain Ichimaru leads her into the arms of her Captain.
The reunion won't be happy for long, though. Aizen impales Momo on his zanpakuto and nearly kills her, and not even Toshiro Hitsugaya, who just arrived, can land a blow on Aizen as retaliation. It is also revealed that Aizen had used large-scale hypnosis to fool everyone into thinking that the Central 46 members were alive, when in fact Aizen had killed them all days earlier.
9 Episode 41: "Reunion, Ichigo and Rukia" (8.6)
Ichigo, still badly hurt from battle, is brought to a cave and awakens to find the black cat Yoruichi with him. But Yoruichi has a surprise: "he" is actually a "she," and a full-grown woman! Yoruichi is a tricky one, and she's ready to help push Ichigo's power to the next level. She wants him to be cautious about his next move, though. She's a survivalist and doesn't want Ichigo to act recklessly.
Things heat up when Ichigo arrives at a bridge leading to the prison tower, and he faces off against Byakuya Kuchiki once again (and meets Rukia face to face). Ichigo surprises everyone when he blocks Byakuya's ultra-fast sword strike, but he's now about to use shikai. Yoruichi steps in and stops the fight, and tells Byakuya that this battle may be finished three days from now.
8 Episode 44: "Ishida Ultimate Power!" (8.7)
Uryu Ishida has long been separated from Ichigo and Chad, but he's far from defenseless. He's fighting hard to protect Orihime, and he even faces off against the Captain of Squad 12, Mayuri Kurotsuchi the mad scientist.
It's been a vicious battle, and Uryu uses every Quincy trick he knows to stay in the fight when Captain Kurotsuchi uses his fearsome bankai. Ultimately, Uryu prevails, and Kurotsuchi retreats. But the victory doesn't last long since Uryu is soon intercepted by another Captain: Kaname Tosen. This time, he's captured.
Many of the most popular episodes of the Soul Society arc involve the climactic final battle, and that includes episode 61. Aizen stands tall at the execution site, and Kaname Tosen brings Rukia and Renji to him. And despite both Captain's power, Renji refuses to hand over Rukia when asked.
Both Renji and Ichigo attack Aizen, but the Captain shows incredible power and takes them both down. Now, he begins to explain the motives behind his nefarious scheme, and he's cut short when the huge Captain Komamura bursts onto the scene.
6 Episode 58: "Unseal! The Black Blade, the miraculous power" (8.8)
Right before Ichigo unites with everyone to fight Captain Aizen, he has to contend with Captain Kuchiki first, who is determined to put down this troublesome human boy for good. As promised, both Ichigo and Byakuya square off, and by this episode, the battle is really heating up.
This is the middle episode of Ichigo and Byakuya's duel, and in it, Byakuya realizes that shikai alone is not enough. So, he brings out his bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, and gains the upper hand with a massive display of force. Ichigo is on the back foot... until he shows off his own bankai for the first time! Byakuya can't believe it, but he's forced to accept reality when Ichigo starts fighting him on equal footing.
5 Episode 52: "Renji, Oath of the Soul! Death Match with Byakuya" (8.8)
Here's another one that features Byakuya in battle. Not only does Captain Kuchiki have to contend with Ichigo, but his own Lieutenant, Renji Abarai, has shifted to Ichigo's side in an attempt to rescue Rukia from execution.
Byakuya isn't having it, so he gladly faces Renji in combat. Byakuya fights first with his shikai, then his bankai as Renji shows off his own bankai, Hihio Zabimaru. Renji fights well, but he can't handle a Captain, and he collapses. Still, Byakuya sincerely applauds Renji's newfound power and courage.
4 Episode 39: "The Immortal Man" (8.8)
This is the second episode involving Ichigo and Kenpachi's high-voltage duel, and Ichigo is desperate to find a way to keep up with the demonic Captain Zaraki. So, after being struck down, Ichigo finds himself in his inner world, facing... a hollow version of himself!
It's tough fighting himself, but Ichigo gives it his best effort against the hollow-Ichigo's maniacal combat skills. Zangetsu watches the entire time and helps Ichigo realize that Zangetsu is his partner, not just a weapon or tool. Knowing this, Ichigo re-enters the battle with Kenpachi and fights with renewed strength. Finally, both combatants deliver their final attacks. Who will come out on top?
3 Episode 62: "Gather Together! Group of the Strongest Shinigami!" (8.9)
What's that in the picture? It's the one and only Hogyoku, which Kisuke Urahara had hidden inside Rukia's body. In fact, Aizen had arranged Rukia's execution so he could access it! But soon, many Captains and Lieutenants arrive, along with Jidanbo and Kukaku, and they surround the traitorous Aizen, Gin, and Kaname.
But it's all for nothing. A hole in the sky appears, and several Menos Grande evacuate the three traitor Captains with shafts of light. Aizen declares that the throne in the heavens has been empty for far too long, and he's going to fill it himself! With that, he vanishes.
2 Episode 59: "Conclusion of the Death Match! White Pride and Black Desire" (9.0)
To be more specific, "white pride" means Captain Kuchiki's stubborn pride as a law-abiding Soul Reaper, and "black desire" is the rage of Ichigo's inner hollow and its jet-black Getsuga Tensho power. And indeed, this is the thrilling conclusion of Ichigo's fateful duel with Captain Kuchiki, and it's kill or be killed!
Okay, not really, since both men will survive to face off against Captain Aizen soon. But this is one of Bleach's most popular battles for a reason, and we see the full extent of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi as well as the chilling power of Ichigo's inner hollow.
1 Episode 54: "An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia!" (9.0)
Our tour through the Soul Society arc is nearly over, and what an episode this is. We've been waiting for this moment: Rukia's execution begins, and a huge flaming weapon is about to incinerate her. Rukia says her goodbyes... but the execution blade stops short. What just happened?
Ichigo happened! He is ready to fight, and he hands over Rukia to a waiting Renji to get her to safety. Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake, who sympathize with the good guys, destroy the execution weapon, and Ichigo single-handedly defeats three Lieutenants in a row. But the rescue isn't over yet: now our hero must face Byakuya Kuchiki one last time. The stage is set!
Mystery Science Theater 3000's time on Netflix has come to an end. Series creator Joel Hodgson informed subscribers of the MST3K mailing list that the fan-favorite series would not return to the streaming service for Season 13.
"As some of you might have guessed, we won't be making new seasons of the show for Netflix," Hodgson wrote in his email. "However, I want you to know that we've had a wonderful time working with the Netflix team, and will always be grateful to them. After all, they gave us the opportunity to spend the past few years aboard the Satellite of Love, and made it possible for new generations to discover the joys of riffing cheesy movies with your friends."
Current Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Jonah Ray Rodrigues commented on the cancellation in a Twitter thread, referencing many of the recent TV shows to come to an end on Netflix: "We are off to Get Down in Lilyhammer while the OA helps us take it One Day At A Time. We will be in group therapy with Tuca & Bertie, Jessica Jones, & Lady Dynamite. The sessions will be run by Gypsy (w/ Naomi Watts.)"
Hodgson made sure to keep the fans' hopes alive, promising to keep working to deliver another season. "I couldn't be more grateful or proud to our incredible cast and our wonderful crew for bringing this incarnation of the show to life, and hope that we'll get the chance to continue collaborating on MST3K as we enter our next chapter," he wrote.
The 12th season of the long-running comedic movie commentary series Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Jonah Ray, Patton Oswalt, Felicia Day, Hampton Yount, Baron Vaughn, Rebecca Hanson, and Deana Rooney.
The CW's "Crisis on Infinite Earths" will be the biggest Arrowverse crossover yet, bringing together characters from Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow, DC's Legends of Tomorrow and Black Lightning. What's more, it will feature guest appearances from the likes of Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch's Superman and Lois Lane, Jon Cryer's Lex Luthor, Kevin Conroy's Kingdome Come Batman and Tom Welling and Erica Durance's Lois and Clark from Smallville. Now, to top it all off, producer Marc Guggenheim has revealed there will be plenty of behind-the-scenes footage.
"There will be a fair amount of BTS material," Guggenheim told a fan on Twitter when asked if there would be footage of the actors interacting with one another for the first time.
There's no word yet on when this footage may be released, but it's likely to come after the crossover's conclusion in January.
"Crisis on Infinite Earths" begins Sunday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Supergirl, then continues in Batwoman on Monday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT and in The Flash on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. After the winter hiatus, the crossover will conclude on Tuesday, Jan. 14 in Arrow at 8 p.m. ET/PT and in DC's Legends of Tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Mandalorian, streaming now on Disney+.
If you've been watching The Mandalorian, you've no doubt heard mention of the Bounty Hunter Code, a list of rules that govern the way bounty hunters conduct themselves when out on a mission in the Star Wars universe. In the series proper, we see that Guild members can't steal bounties from other members of the Guild and that they need to honor one another on a mission, among other conditions they all must follow.
Now, not all bounty hunters are part of the Bounty Hunter Guild (as indicated when we learn of people unwilling to pay Guild rates), but those who are skilled enough to join the Guild must follow the "Code."
Many of the finer details of the Bounty Hunter Code were established in Star Wars canon by way of the book, The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett by Daniel Wallace, Ryder Windham, and Jason Fry. The book outlines rules and regulations all Guild members must follow, from ranking missions to the types of things they cannot do as bounty hunters.
Essentially, the Code dictates that Guild members must respect the sanctity of other bounty hunters. In the junior novel Ezra's Gamble, a spinoff book from Star Wars: Rebels featuring Bossk, two bounty hunters on the Outer Rim attempt to attack Bossk to steal his bounty. This violates the Code.
This also means that almost every episode of The Mandalorian features at least one character breaking the Code. First, IG-11 is slain. Then, in Episode 2, several Guild bounty hunters attack the title character. In Episode 3, the whole Guild then converges on the Mandalorian as he withholds their bounty after stealing it back from those who hired them.
The Code, as it functions now, doesn't protect those outside the Guild. Rather, it is a code of conduct on how bounty hunters are to treat other bounty hunters. This serves a functional purpose, as it allows hunters to avoid in-fighting when on a mission. The main function of it is to allow jobs to just get done. If a bounty hunter were to just fight other bounty hunters over the same bounty and hold up the completion of the task at hand, clients would never pay anyone.
It's really a matter of efficiency since many Bounty Hunters aren't honorable warriors like Boba Fett or the Mandalorian. They are self-serving, as seen throughout The Mandalorian. The Code prevents opportunists from stealing a bounty hunter's hard work unfairly.
Once again, we see this in The Mandalorian, when several bounty hunters jump the Mandalorian to attack and rob him of Baby Yoda. This is a clear violation of Guild Rules. Many members of the Guild only seem to follow Guild protocol when convenient, but, when push comes to shove, the Code isn't as strict as, say, the laws of the Jedi Council.
The Bounty Hunters' Guild isn't very detailed in the main canon, but in the old Star Wars Legends canon, the Guild is far more fleshed out, with numerous rules applying to specific sub-guilds under the main Bounty Hunters' Guild. These sub-guilds had specific areas of specialty: Crimson Nova dealt with Jedi; House Benelex in kidnapping and retrieving bounties; House Neuvalis had a select set of clients (mostly Imperial); House Paramexor captured murderers,; House Renliss were female bounty hunters who hunted men; House Salaktori were elite bounty hunters for elite missions; House Tresario rounded up and worked in big groups; the Ragnar Syndicate used unorthodox techniques for jobs; Skine Bounty Hunter College were just the best of the best, and the Slaver Syndicate rounded up slaves.
These Houses all came with their own codes of conduct for internal use. This is due to, of all things, the Jedi demanding that the Old Republic forced the Guild in the early years of its formation to conduct themselves properly in ways that didn't put them in competition with the Jedi peacekeeping forces. But, above the individual rules and terms governing each individual House, the founders of the Bounty Hunters Guild created the Bounty Hunters' Creed.
The Bounty Hunters' Creed, in many ways, is remarkably similar to the current canon's Bounty Hunter Code. According to Star Wars Insider's Bounty Hunters Handbook, the Creed dictates the following rules all bounty hunters must follow.
The first rule is that "no bounty is worth dying for." If the job gets too hard, bounty hunters are allowed -- even encouraged -- to just quit the situation and fight another day. The second rule is that "people don't have bounties; only acquisitions have bounties." That is to say, the people who bounty hunters capture aren't people: they're targets. The third rule is "capture by design, kill by necessity." This is straight forward: try to bring the bounties in alive, but if things get rough, you can shoot them. The final rule that has yet to be established in the new canon is that in the hunt, "one captures or kills, never both." Which, again, is straight forward enough.
The Creed then enters into familiar territory for those familiar with the Code: "no hunter shall slay another hunter; no hunter shall interfere with another's hunt," and "no hunter shall refuse aid to another hunter."
Unless otherwise stated, it is highly possible that the Legends Creed and the new canon's Code are one and the same, due to that significant overlap in the laws binding them. Whatever the case, however, it's clear that the Code, judging by how the bounty hunters -- including Guild Leader Greef Karga -- liberally disregard it, is more a set of guidelines than actual rules.
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+.
Though Tom Hiddleston has undoubtedly proven himself as the perfect actor to portray Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he hadn't originally planned on doing so. When he auditioned for 2011's Thor, it was for the role of the titular god of thunder.
That audition tape was recently revealed on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon during an interview with Hiddleston. The actor explained that at the time, Marvel Studios was in search of "less well-established actors, so that the audience didn't have an association," which would allow them to see the characters as they were presented. Hiddleston actually never auditioned for the role of Loki.
It's quite brief, but it does offer viewers some idea of what Hiddleston's interpretation of Thor would have looked like. The humble MCU star later quipped, "I think we can all agree that they cast the right actor."
We can never really know how well-received the actor's portrayal of the god of thunder would have been. What is unquestionable is the widespread acclaim and adoration he has received since Thor for his performances as Loki, the god of mischief, making it clear why the character will soon be receiving his very own miniseries on Disney+.
Details are scarce on the upcoming series. The show will focus on the version of Loki that escaped with the Tesseract in the second act of Avengers: Endgame; a version of Loki from 2012 in the MCU. Hiddleston has teased that the silver-tongued god of mischief will encounter opponents unlike any he has faced before and grow in completely new ways.
The depths of the Star Wars fandom knows no bounds, and just in time for the gift-giving season, you can help a loved one deck their kitchen out in Star Wars swag from counter to ceiling, including instant pots with their favorite character right on the side.
"From Jedi starfighters and heroic droids to hungry Sith Lords, everyone in the galaxy is raving about our special edition Star Wars collection," Williams Sonoma declares about the new limited collection "Fulfill your destiny and restore order to your kitchen."
Since instant pots are all the kitchen rage these days, it makes sense to pair them with the most loyal fandom in the galaxy. You can choose from designs inspired by both the dark side of the Force and the light, with pots featuring Darth Vader, R2-D2, BB-8, Stormtrooper and Chewbacca designs.
However, the kitchen gadgetry doesn't stop there. Fans can also buy Le Creuset pots with characters glazed on them, including Han Solo frozen in carbonite. You can also buy a Le Creuset-brand Porg to plop down into the middle of your holiday pie, just for kicks, or a series of Death Star-trivets to protect your table while you lay out your holiday feast.
There are countless other items, ranging from an R2-D2 popcorn maker to a water bottle with Leia's face on it. Prices vary for all the items, but there really is something for everyone.
Fans eagerly waiting for Warner Bros. to finally release Zack Snyder's directors cut of Justice League got some bad news on Tuesday, with the report that there are no plans to #ReleaseTheSnyderCut on the company's upcoming streaming platform, HBO Max.
Of course, fans wanted to hear confirmation from Snyder himself, with one reaching out to Snyder on the social media platform Vero. When the fan told Snyder that he was losing hope, the director replied with a simple one-word response: "Don't."
The exchange was captured in two screenshot images and shared to Twitter with the caption, "For any doubters after that Variety article #ReleaseTheSnyderCut." It would appear as far as Snyder is concerned, the long saga of his director's cut of Justice League being released to the public is far from over.
The #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement has been garnering a lot 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, 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.
Since making her debut as Joker's sidekick on Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has become one of DC's most popular characters. In the so-called DC Extended Universe, Quinn is played by Margot Robbie, who's set to reprise the role in such movies as The Suicide Squadand Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). The fan-favorite antiheroine is also headlining her own animated comedy series, aptly titled Harley Quinn, which debuts Friday on the DC Universe streaming service.
CBR sat down with the show's co-creators, Patrick Schumacker and Justin Halpern, to talk about the story behind Harley Quinn, the title character's relationships with other key players, and much, much more.
CBR: You guys mentioned that Harley Quinn was three years in the making. Can you tell me about that?
Patrick Schumacker: Technically, it's two years in the making. We pitched it three years ago and then we had other commitments with Warner Bros. TV that we had to attend to. And so it got kind of shelved, thankfully, because they didn't give it to somebody else to do. And so that was in 2016. I guess that was the year we did Powerless.
And then, when Powerless ended, we were able to kind of pick the reins back up. The writers' room started in November of 2017. And here we are, two years after the writers' room started, the show's going to premiere.
I mean, animation is just a very length process. We do all of our actual production overseas in Korea, so every episode takes, I think, about 18 weeks to get back from a locked animatic to the the finished color animation.
Justin Halpern: And then even after that you have to fix a bunch of stuff in animation... it's just an exhausting process; it takes forever.
Schumacker: This is our first animated project ever, and it's been a real steep learning curve.
What sorts of things did you feel like you had to learn in terms of animation? Like, how is it different?
Halpern: Everything. Well, I mean, there's this tendency, because we come from live action, where if we want to reshoot something, it will cost a ton of money. You gotta go back to the set, to actor availabilities. And so when we first started animation, we were like, "Oh, if we don't like it then we'll just redo it," and the artists are like, "Yeah, then we'll fucking die!"
So I think part of it was like realizing the advantages of animation versus what you can do and not push your crew to hard. You want them to be happy.
Schumacker: Don't put in too many crowd scenes, or else there's going to be a lot of people standing there frozen in the background. They can't all move and be lifelike.
Halpern: But you know, it affords us such liberties in terms of... we have crazy shit happen in the show. There's a chase on this insane highway that, if you were in live-action, it'd be like $250 million, and we could do it one episode.
The animation does look really good, from what I've seen.
Halpern: That's all Jennifer Coyle and her team. The animators, they're fantastic.
It seems like you guys are really passionate about Harley Quinn. You've been working on this project for a while, as you said. You pitched this a long time ago. And a lot of people are passionate about her. Why do you think she's so appealing?
Halpern: We were just having this exact conversation. I think that there's a lot of wish fulfillment in her. She has no impulse control, which none of us can go through life like that, but it's fun to watch somebody else behave like that. And I also think she lives by a certain moral code that is her own and that she refuses to break in any way for anyone. That's, I think, cathartic to watch somebody do that.
Schumacker: Yeah, and also just the juxtaposition of a supervillain who is a consummate optimist, who has this heart of gold. You know, we pitched the show as "Mary Tyler Moore, if she were a killer." In the first season, as Harley's trying to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld in Gotham, it's like Mary Tyler Moore, a girl doing it by herself in the big city kind of thing. I think she's a character who has a lot of contradictions, interesting contradictions, and that makes her complex and interesting and she's fallible, and I think people really appreciate that.
Joker is still going to be in the show, even though they break up in the first episode. What kind of parallels and what kind of dynamics do you see between them?
Halpern: We try to treat it as this idea that sometimes we date shitty people, and when we try to break up with them, it can be difficult, especially when you're with somebody who sort of sucks up all the oxygen in the room. And when you finally decide to divorce yourself from that person, it takes a little while to figure out "what do I want. I've just been thinking about what they want."
Pat describes Joker as kind of like a petulant man child. That's how we play him in the show. And that's really what he is. And he's somebody who just like... There's one scene in the show -- it's later in an episode -- where he knows she's come to see him. So he's posed himself where he's, like, reading Infinite Jest. He's so concerned with the way people see him, and he pretends like he doesn't care. And it's such a bullshit persona, because he does care what she thinks. And to me, that kind of encapsulates our version of him, which is this guy who pretends that he doesn't care what Harley thinks or anybody thinks. In reality, he just wants his way and he wants everybody to kiss his ass.
You said Harley's kind of a lack of impulse control, because she doesn't tend to care as much, whereas Joker does care, even though he's pretending not to. Do you feel like that's an accurate description of them in terms of how they balance each other?
Halpern: I think in our version of them, for sure. I think that's part of why Joker in our show can't seem to get over her success or her. I think on some level, it really pisses him off that she is what he is still kind of pretending to be. I wouldn't say that is true for the character in all the other incarnations of it, but in terms of our show.
Schumacker: And she has her best friend, Poison Ivy, who is the voice of reason, who is constantly bringing her back to reality.
[Poison Ivy] is really great on the show. I really, really like Poison Ivy and was immediately like, "Wow, this character is great."
[Together]: Lake Bell is so good.
A lot of people are really into the romance between Harley and Ivy in the comics. Is that something you're hoping to explore more?
Halpern: Without giving too much away, that was something we wanted to explore. I won't tell you what happens. But yeah, that's certainly was of interest to us.
Schumacker: Yeah. I mean, we do a lot of setting the table in Season 1 of just the world of the show. If you are patient...
Halpern: It was important for us in Season 1 to not get her out of relationship and then suddenly get her into another one. We wanted it to just be about this self discovery, and not self discovery in terms of how I validate myself through other people. In the first season, we sort of stay away from too much of her being romantically involved in anything.
It seems like the New 52 is a pretty big inspiration for this. Can you speak a bit to that choice and why that's being drawn from a little bit.
Schumacker: Tonally, what Jimmy [Palmiotti] and Amanda [Conner] did was really need into the comedic aspects of the character, making her this kind of wisecracking, Bugs Bunny, kind of analog. So I think we do lean into that. You know, the show itself is set in Gotham. It's not the Coney Island representation. It's not the antihero, sort of social justice warrior, version of Harley that you've seen in the New 52 stuff. I would say it is different than that stuff on paper.
There's characters that show up, particularly Sy Borgman... Jason Alexander voices him. We couldn't think of anyone more perfect than Jason to voice him. And he got it right off the bat. So yeah, I mean, Sy is probably the biggest obvious borrow from Jimmy and Amanda's run.
Halpern: Yeah. I mean, I think that that that's true. There is definitely an element -- Like, it's funny you bring up social justice. I feel like she is that in her own way, but it's with her own kind of sense of what is justice. I think it's funny that terminology has gotten kind of a bad rap, but isn't it a good thing to be a social justice warrior? You want to be a warrior for social justice. And I think she is. It's just her sense of morals and ethics and are possibly different than everyone else's.
What are you most excited for people to see in the show?
Schumacker: Very excited for people to see the rest of the Batman rogues gallery.
Kite Man, of course.
Schumacker: Kite Man, of course, plays a shockingly a huge role in the show. What we do with the Bane is far afield of past representations of Bane. We really focus in on Bane's softer side, his easily wounded side. He's the butt of a lot of jokes at the Legion of Doom. Joker kind of bullies him. So really just seeing a vast collection of villains that the show is able to portray. I mean, they gave us the entire sandbox to play with. It's not just limited to Gotham either. Lex Luthor is in it; Black Manta is in it, because of the Legion of Doom.
Halpern: I think the Harley/Ivy relationship, just the friendship. We've really tried to make it complex and have some depth and have the ups and downs in it like a real friendship might have. And I just think the two performers, Kaley [Cuoco] and Lake, just really leaned into it in the best way. A lot of people on Twitter will message me or Patrick and ask about Harley and Ivy. I hope that people enjoy the depth of their relationship, even though it's a comedy.
Schumacker: It evolves in a major way over the 26 episodes that we've produced. It kind of sets up their next journey at the end of 26, if we are so lucky to get a third season. It sets up a very different future for them in a big way.
DC Universe's Harley Quinn stars Kaley Cuoco, Lake Bell, Diedrich Bader, Alan Tudyk, Rahul Kohli, Christopher Meloni, Tony Hale, Ron Funches, Wanda Sykes, Natalie Morales, Jim Rash, Giancarlo Esposito, Jason Alexander and J.B. Smoove. The series premieres Friday.
WARNING: The following episode contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 14 of Dr. Stone, "Master of Flame."
At the end of Dr. Stone's last episode, Kinro had the village bully, Magma, over a barrel in the Grand Bout's first round. Now, all that stands between him and assured victory is the legitimacy of the vision-restoring watermelon mask that Suika threw onto his head to correct his "fuzzy" eyes. But just when it seems like the plucky guard has victory in the bag, his opponent throws a curveball at him that ends up paving the way for a different, far more unlikely winner.
After Magma calls the accessory into question, Kinro turns away from him to put the issue to the referee -- who rules in Kinro's favor. Magma jumps him, knocking him out from behind with one powerful blow to the head. It's a cruel way to end Kinro's campaign to save Ruri from marriage to the slimy bully, which is the prize of the Grand Bout. This leaves the Kingdom of Science in an even more precarious position without its star fighter. Things only go from bad to worse when Kohaku is tricked by Magma's even slimier lackey into leaving the village -- thinking that Suika is in trouble -- leading to her being automatically knocked out of the tournament for missing her scheduled match with Senku.
Unperturbed, Senku bets everything on the other village guard on their side: Ginro. Unfortunately, Ginro's nerves overtake his brain: he munches his way through the raw ingredients of Senku's Stone World energy drink, which enables him to power through his first fight on a caffeine high only to crash out of the rest of the tournament thanks to a severe case of diarrhea. By this point, Chrome is the Kingdom's last hope of saving Ruri from Magma's megalomaniacal clutches and delivering its cure-all drug to her; an outcome that was clearly written in the stars given Chrome's childhood crush on the village priestess.
Chrome's heart might be in the right place, but his combat skills, sadly, are not: Magma beats him to a bloody pulp relatively quickly, much to the shock of the onlookers. On the ground, however, Chrome starts to put his best muscle into action, grabbing a shard of Suika's mask and dripping sweat over the lens in it. With the mask fragment on the end of his staff, Chrome extends it towards Magma, who prepares to fend off the weakened science user's last stand. As an impressed Senku explains, Chrome is using the liquid from his body to allow the concave lens to better concentrate the sun's rays beating down on them, hoping to set Magma's clothing alight.
However, Chrome needs more time for the hail mary to work. Luckily, he gets just that when Gen Asagiri shows up -- fresh from his return to Tsubasa's Empire -- in time to watch the action. The so-called Mentalist fools the superstitious Magma into believing Gen's placed a curse on him that will make his heart explode if he moves anywhere in the next minute.
With the extra time bought, Chrome's plan works perfectly. A screaming Magma topples off the cliff into the water below as his clothes burn, and Chrome, a true underdog, is left to celebrate his surprise win.
New episodes of Dr. Stone air every Saturday night as part of Adult Swim's Toonami block and are available on Crunchyroll.
As the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker draws nearer, more and more images, clips and interviews are surfacing to offer fans a taste of what they can expect in the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga. The latest of these offerings in an intense still featuring Rey and what is presumably Kylo Ren.
The image, released by Fandango, sees Rey clutching her lightsaber as she menacingly stares down a figure cloaked in black whom, judging by their scale, is likely the new Supreme Leader of the First Order as opposed to Emperor Palpatine. Plus, in true J.J. Abrams fashion, there's even a lens flare.
Of course, while lightsaber clashes will feature prominently in Episode IX, it's Rey's non-Force abilities that could prove key to defeating the First Order. "The scavenger who is desperate and haggling for portions and trying to survive [in TheForce Awakens] — those special skills and that special experience ends up being something that is essential to saving the galaxy," Abrams said of Rey.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars 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 Dec. 20.
Akira has been highly respected as one of the greatest anime films of all time while also introducing audiences to the cyberpunk genre in an apocalyptic setting. The film was a landmark for Japanese animation and was one of the first movies to strike an impact on the West, introducing a worldwide audience to the world of anime.
While visually captivating, the movie didn’t showcase the manga’s full potential. What audiences got were parts of a larger story, cutting much of the manga out of the film. We take a look at what the anime film didn’t put from the manga that would’ve given the story more scope.
10 Tetsuo Isn’t As Sympathetic
In both the anime and manga, Tetsuo was portrayed as the weakest of the group. He wasn’t particularly bright or a strong fighter, which made people push him around most of the time. Once he received his psychic abilities, that’s when he used his powers to finally get the respect he thinks he deserves.
In the manga, Tetsuo willingly gives into the immersive power; conversely, in the anime, it is explained why someone weak-minded like Tetsuo would turn evil. Tetsuo’s relationship with Kaori was more toxic than how the anime displayed it, showing just how sadistic he was in the original source material. This was a version we never got to see, which made Tatsuo more of a tragic villain than what was shown in the manga.
9 Kaori Dies Differently In The Manga
Kaori and Tetsuo’s relationship in the manga was really dark, especially the way she gets killed. When she learns that someone plans on betraying Tetsuo, Kaori runs to warn him but ends up getting shot by that person. Once Tetsuo finds out about her death, he kills everyone who conspired against him. He even went to great lengths to revive her with his psychic abilities, but it just never worked.
Instead, Tetsuo just stores her body inside Akira’s cryogenic chamber. In the anime, we just see Kaori getting crushed by Tetsuo’s transformation and dies in the aftermath. The death we got in the manga was more tragic than what we saw in the film.
8 The Manga Explores Kaneda & Kei’s Relationship Even Further
We saw some sparks fly between Kaneda and Kei in the film, but we only get to see a flirtatious encounter with them. In the manga, however, the creators got to invest more in their chemistry and turned it into a real relationship. These two characters got to learn about each other while being imprisoned together.
Readers even got to see them share a kiss. Protecting Kei became one of the driving forces for Kaneda to stop Tetsuo's murderous rampage. Even Kei would do the same for him, so it’s great to see how those two would do anything to protect one another.
7 Kaneda Didn’t Want To Save Tetsuo In The Manga
The story of Akira relies on the brotherhood shared between Kaneda and Tetsuo. Both of these guys have known each other since childhood and looked out for one another living at the orphanage. When Tetsuo goes power-hungry, Kaneda takes the responsibility to stop him from causing more destruction, straining their relationship.
In the film, Kaneda tries to lead Tetsuo towards the light but in the manga, he was ready to put Tetsuo down in order to save the world. This can be proven by how the final battle is shown. In the anime, Kaneda tries to reason with the guy who he considers to be a brother, while the manga has Kaneda kill his best friend.
6 The Espers' Origins Were Shown In The Manga
The psychic children from Akira played a very important role in the film. In the film, the government has been experimenting with the kids, which brought forth their telekinetic powers. Readers get a better understanding of these children in the manga, which delves into their terrible back-story and what led to the destruction of Tokyo as well as the start of World War III.
More information is provided about Akira as well as the other four test subjects. With Tetsuo being subject 41, there may have been 35 others who were also experimented, something the film never addresses.
5 Akira Appeared In The Original Story
With a film named after the powerful psychic child, it’s weird that we never got to see him at all in the anime. Other than visions, what’s left of Akira’s remains were stored underground and frozen by the scientists to study his capabilities. In the manga, Tetsuo releases Akira from his underground prison and teams up with him as they both unleash their power, causing destruction all around Neo-Tokyo.
Akira is soon worshipped by the less fortunate and becomes Emperor of the Great Tokyo Empire. He still appears as a child who hasn’t aged a day. Even though Akira comes out as a big character in the manga, he’s still a mystery like the anime and his existence only provides a highlight of his powerful abilities.
4 The Manga Heavily Depicts The Characters’ Drug Use
In Akira, the characters had an apparent drug addiction as they are shown popping pills into their bodies. The film showed the drugs but it was only implied that the characters were using them. The manga, on the other hand, does show that they have been using drugs and that it is becoming a problem for them.
Just like painkillers, the kids keep taking them at their school. Especially Tetsuo, who takes a handful into his mouth. Readers find out that the government has been distributing some sort of drug that would increase psychic energy in order to control those with telekinetic abilities. To normal people, these pills would give brain damage and kill them. Tetsuo even gives his henchmen those pills just to see them die for his amusement. It just shows just how horrible he is in the manga.
3 Kaneda Isn't The Definitive Protagonist In The Manga
The character of Kaneda Shotaro remained the same in both the anime and manga. Kaneda is always the impulsive defiant leader of the biker gang, The Capsules. The anime has portrayed him as the main protagonist of the film, but the manga depicts others as being just as important to the story.
The manga follows the lives of other characters living in Neo-Tokyo. Even though Kaneda is an important character, other members of his gang fight for control of the city against the police. There was a lot to explore in Akira, but the film only focused on Kaneda with its limited runtime.
2 Lady Miyako Is A Fascinating Character
One of the most important characters in the manga had such a small role in the film was Lady Miyako. She only had one short scene in the film acting as a spiritual fanatic. However, the manga actually gave her an important role where she helped Kei and Kaneda in their pursuit to stop Tetsuo.
It’s revealed that Miyako was a former test subject who had the ability to read minds. After the second explosion in Neo-Tokyo, she sheltered survivors inside her temple and tragically sacrificed herself in the final showdown against Tetsuo. Miyako had such a great arc that unfortunately wasn’t fully explored in the anime.
1 The Film Doesn’t Use The Entire Manga
The anime version uses the main premise of the manga to cover the majority of the story. While the anime focuses on the main story, the Akira manga takes a longer approach to tell a rich narrative filled with intrigue leading up to the devastating conclusion. The film doesn’t fully explore the world of Neo-Tokyo as the manga does.
The anime only implies the power struggle between the cops and the biker gang. It also doesn't go deep into the origin stories of the psychic children and the kids’ drug problems are more fleshed out in the manga. We only got a taste of the story from Otomo’s film, but his book is what will satisfy those who are curious about the overall story.
Goku is a martial artist, hero, and a meme monster. The Saiyan son possesses a variety of relationships and personal quirks that are just about perfect to lampoon all over the net. Combine that with his popularity and worldwide appeal and you have a meme spirt bomb that most fans are more than willing to give their power to.
So let us drop our weighted clothes, charge up our ki blasts, and take that long-awaited trip to meme Namek. Here are 10 hilarious Dragon Ball memes about Goku that are sure to get a belly laugh out of the true fans!
10 Daddy Issues
It will never stop being funny. Somehow the formerly evil alien slug monster ended up being in the running for being the best father figure to Gohan. Of course, it helps that Goku spent a good portion of Gohan's life dead or training away from his son (sometimes both at the same time) leaving Piccolo to train and raise him.
Regardless, it is easy to see that the big green meanie played the father figure to Gohan when Goku could not. Maybe now that he isn't dead so often Goku can finally catch up?
9 Netflix Adaptation
Here's another thing that will never stop being funny. Ever since Netflix's less-than-stellar adaptation of Death Note, the internet hasn't let them forget it with a series of memes that imagines what other properties might look like with a Netflix dash of paint on them. All of which results in them looking much worse for wear.
This particular one taking a much more cheeky approach by replacing Goku with his vegetable counterpart. Let just hope that if the rumors that Disney is making a live-action film are true, they take a better approach than this.
8 Gohan James Disappointed
It is one thing to see a teammate potentially give the game to your opponent, it's a whole other thing to have your father do it when the whole world is on the line. Yet Goku sends Gohan out to fight Cell and decides to be a good "sport" by giving Cell a chance to recover from their previous fight.
One can only imagine what sort of inner turmoil young Gohan might have faced when his father helped his enemy. Not only putting the Earth but his son in danger by doing so. Lebron James' face on this meme a good example of what Gohan might have felt inside.
7 Giving Up
As mentioned, Goku hasn't always made the best father figure to Gohan. Thankfully, Gohan seems to be able to give his father imaginary redeeming traits that he doesn't actually possess.
Okay, maybe I am being a bit too harsh to the man that defeated King Piccolo, fought Frieza on a dying planet, and recently battled Jiren to his absolute limit, but the show does tend to contradict itself at times. It may have been because Goku believed in his son, but maybe it wasn't the best time for Gohan to compare himself with his father's enduring nature when he literally gave up a few episodes back.
6 True Love
Sorry ladies, this one is taken! And no, I don't mean Chi-Chi. There is only one lady that seems to be able to control this man and that seems to be sweet mistress food. This lady has a long and enduring relationship with Goku that started long before he met his wife.
Matter of fact, food is his first love and he continues to be loyal to it to this day. No matter how big or how many servings, no matter how different she may be, Goku is willing to accept in her many varied forms.
5 Goku's Kissless Marriage
The sad thing about the previous post is that there is one main difference between food and Goku's wife, Chi-Chi. It is that Goku is confirmed to have put his mouth on food but may have never put his mouth on his wife. And I don't mean like that you dirty pervs.
At one point in Dragon Ball Super, Goku admits having never kissed Chi-Chi. An odd fact indeed, considering that he is a grandfather by the time he explains this to Vegeta. Making him and every fan of the series wonder exactly how they skipped so many steps.
4 We All Did It
No matter how cool we might claim to be, we all have to admit that we all looked like dorks standing in our living rooms attempting to give Goku some of our power. That also goes for the times you thought no one was looking when you attempted that Galick Gun or Kamehameha.
Show like Dragon Ball just seems to bring out the dorky side in all of us. If only because the idea of helping Goku charge the Spirit Bomb or performing a chi blast is by far the coolest thing in the world.
3 Super Friends
The argument of who would win in a battle between Goku versus Superman has been a hot topic since most of the public gained access to the internet. Even in the early days when AOL still sent out disk to offer free trials of internet service, fans have rallied to their factions and declared their alien from a dead planet stronger than the other alien from a dead planet.
Told be told though, would they actually fight? There may be a few short training scuffles if they ever met, but I can't imagine there would ever be a reason for the two to fight seriously. They are far more likely to go out for a bite to eat than try and fight each other seriously.
2 Catch Up
Poor Vegeta, he can never catch a break. No matter how strong he may get, Goku always has a new ability or form that prevents Vegeta from surpassing him for very long. No matter how hard he trains Vegeta is frequently a day late and a buck short.
But bless him for trying though. If it weren't for Vegeta's dogged pursuit to be number one, Goku might have never received the push needed to achieve the heights of power he currently possesses. So keep trying Vegeta, you might just do it yet!
1 Goku Meme Compilation
Remember when I mentioned that Goku was a meme monster. That wasn't just a wonderful play on alliteration, I meant it and I have the picture to prove it!
Goku has made his way through almost every popular meme in internet history. Above is only a sample of all of the memes Goku has invaded but there are more, much more, internet trends that the orange Saiyan has taken part in. And that'll probably continue to be the case until every fan that remembers Dragon Ball ceases to exist.
As long as we don't get wished back by the Dragon Balls, in any case.~
One Piece boasts of an incredible number of characters. The series is filled with some of the best characters that have ever been made. No series comes close to One Piece if we are talking about world-building and consistency. Eiichiro Oda has worked on this masterpiece for a very long time.
Due to the huge variety of characters present in the series, almost everyone can find a character to whom they can relate to. Eustass Kid is one of the few characters who give the impression of a real pirate. Kid is one of the members of the Worst Generation and he made his first appearance in the Sabaody Archipelago arc. In this post, we will be discussing ten things that you should know about Eustass Kid.
10 Real Life Nationality
Oda has gone out of his way to provide extra details to the fans many times. One such detail is related to Eustass Kid. According to Oda, if Eustass Kid were to exist in real life then he would be from Scotland. Kid shares his nationality with his most trusted crewmate, Killer. Also, if Kid wasn't a pirate then he would be a weapons merchant.
9 Kid's Name
Eustass Kid is one of the few characters who are based on real-life pirates, and his name is also based on it. Kid's surname "Eustass" is taken from a French pirate named, Eustass the Monk. The name "Kid" has been taken from a Scottish pirate named William Kidd. It is always fantastic to learn about new things and a lot of One Piece fans would have definitely missed out on this bit of information regarding Eustass Kid.
8 Similarity to Luffy
Kid and Luffy are polar opposites and it is pretty clear by now that the two have a very different approach to problems. Kid seems more mature than Luffy, but he has a real temperament problem. Kid is also more unforgiving than Luffy. Kid is known for being a notorious pirate as he attacked and destroyed many towns. Despite the differences, Kid and Luffy have some similarities. The first one is that both of them are members of the Worst Generation. Also, Luffy and Kid are the only two people, who have another member of the Worst Generation on their crew. For Luffy it is Zoro and for Kid it is Killer. Many fans believe that Luffy and Kid are actually rivals as both share a similar goal of becoming the Pirate King.
Kid hasn't been shy about his dream of becoming the Pirate King. In fact, he is very serious about it. If anyone makes fun of his dream, Kid would instantly beat them black and blue. While talking about his experience in the Grand Line, Kid was straightforward when he said that he killed anyone who laughed at his dream of becoming the Pirate King. Again, this approach is different from Luffy's who simply chose to ignore Bellamy's remarks regarding his dream.
6 Similarity to Shanks
After the time-skip, Kid's appearance is very similar to that of Shanks. Kid received a lot of wounds on his body and he also lost his left arm. Both of them have wounds over their left eye and they also have red hair. It should also be noted that Kid received his wounds in the fight versus Shanks. It is very likely that Kid is targeting Shanks due to their similar appearance(not really). Kid was able to create a prosthetic arm in order to make up for his loss.
5 Popular Supernova
In the 6th fan poll, Eustass Kid was ranked 37th. It is not a very high position, but it actually makes Kid the third most famous Supernova behind Monkey D. Luffy Trafalgar Law. In the 5th fan poll, Kid managed to rank 18th, but in the most recent fan poll, he fell 19 places. It is easy to understand why Eustass Kid is so popular when you have been following the series. Kid's personality and ideology are pretty unique and he has a pretty unique way it dealing with problems. He has a very high bounty of 470,000,000 beris and it will very likely increase after Wano arc ends.
Even though Kid doesn't seem to be a fun-loving person, he actually does have a couple of hobbies. According to the SBS, Kid likes listening to music and collecting weapons. His habit of collecting weapons is probably why he is affiliated with the underworld. A lot of people might have overlooked this, but this could definitely be one of the reasons why he has connections with the underworld.
3 Udon Relation
This one might be a bit of a stretch, but Oda might have shown his ingenuity again in this case. Kid was imprisoned by Kaido after he was beaten up by him. Kaido had Kid put in Udon in order to break his spirits. He wanted Kid to join the Beasts Pirates, but Kid was not ready to so. In an SBS, Oda revealed that Kid and Killer both hate Udon curry. The two of them were both imprisoned at Udon prison and brutally tortured. Killer was turned into Kamazo after being forced to eat a SMILE.
2 Conqueror's Haki
This actually solidifies the claim of Kid being Luffy's rival. Among the Worst Generation, only Luffy and Kid are known to be users of the Conqueror's Haki. Also, it is fairly obvious that Kid can use Armament and Observation Haki as well. He did manage to injure a Sweet Commander of the Big Mom Pirates and it would be really strange that he managed to pull it off without possessing Haki. So, it is very likely that Kid possesses all three types of Haki.
1 South Blue
The last thing that you should about Eustass Kid is that he belongs to South Blue. The South Blue is home to many famous characters in the series that include— Portgas D. Ace, Sengoku, Kuzan, Lucky Roo. Jewelry Bonney and Killer are also from the same sea.
The DC Comics Universe has more costumed individuals than you can shake a cosmic rod at. They come in all varieties: superheroes, super-villains, super-pets, and super-janitors. Then there's a group of individuals who fall into a category that is neither hero, villain, nor pet -- assassins.
Even in the brightness of the DCCU, people still need people to kill other people. This is why there are so many assassins for hire that ask for top dollar. Not only for their services but also their dry cleaning bills. It costs a lot to get out blood stains. For a better idea of these hired killers, here are the 10 of the best DC assassins, ranked.
10 Spectre
"Wasn't the Spectre a superhero?" ask older comic book fans while the newer ones ponder, "Who the heck is The Spectre?" When he was introduced in the 1940s, the Spectre was a member of the Justice Society of America, once he took care of the criminals that killed his human vessel -- Jim Corrigan. However, as the Golden Age ended, he became a narrator and someone the heroes released to save another character, an entire planet, or a table at Olive Garden.
When he was brought back in the 70s by Joe Orlando, he became a true spirit of vengeance with a panache for unique deaths. For instance, instead of setting a criminal on fire, he turned him into a candle so he could slowly melt away. In another example, a kid who steals six dollars is drowned in change. In the ultimate punishment, the Spectre subjected someone who littered to watch every episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
9 Red Hood
Poor Jason Todd. He was one of the Robins, destined to spend time learning at the hip of one of the greatest detectives and fighters. Then, the merciless readers of Batman decided to kill him dead. Luckily, thanks to the machinations of the Lazarus Pit and remorseful creators, Jason returned as a slightly off-kilter assassin named Red Hood.
Since then, Jason has waffled between his darker methods and those of his former mentor. For instance, as DC's Rebirth era commenced, he decided to join the Bat Family again. After taking on an assignment to kill the Penguin, he began to walk a darker path. Yet, as is wont by child-like adults such as Jason, he will probably suckle at the teat of the Caped Crusader at some point. Which, to be frank, is a disturbing image on its own.
8 Lady Vic
Lady Elaine Marsh-Morton, known to the common folk at Lady Vic, has one reason to kill people -- to save her posh English estate. Every farthing she makes, either alone or through her connection with various villain teams, is to stop foreclosure on her ancestral home. Even though they want to put a Dave & Busters in its place.
At the beginning of her tenure as mercenary, bounty hunter, assassin, and Minister of Parliament, Lady Vic spent most of her time in Nightwing's adoptive home of Bludhaven. However, as the DC Universe shifted through its numerous crises and time shifts, she expanded her hatred for other heroes. In one extraordinary moment, she jumped out of an airplane without a parachute to capture Black Canary.
7 David Cain
This skilled assassin doesn't have the power to transform his hand into a gun or built-in radar to pinpoint a target. He's just a cold and calculating killer-for-hire who, frankly, is a crummy father. At least to his daughter, Cassandra. His emotionally abusive attitude toward her helped Cassandra become an expert assassin herself.
Yet, though he treated her like poop under his shoe, he treated a young Bruce Wayne like his non-murdering apprentice. While he passed on many of his skills to a pre-Batman Bruce, he decided not to kill him. Okay, he had an urge to kill him, but he watched a lot of Bob Ross to calm him down. Such pretty clouds.
6 Lady Shiva
It's ironic how Batman, a man who took a vow not to kill anyone, spends a lot of time hanging with assassins. In addition to David Cain, the Dark Knight and his "family" have had an on-again, off-again, non-killing relationship with Cain's wife -- Lady Shiva. Bruce is like a person who enjoys positive feedback and intellectual conversations that hangs out with a politician. It makes no sense.
Yet, despite killing others for profit, Shiva was there for Bruce when Bane broke his back. In addition, she helped train Tim Drake when he took his first tentative steps as the newest Robin. Furthermore, she helped Alfred when he appeared on Cupcake Wars.
5 Lobo
DC's Main Man is the baddest bastich in the galaxy. He's got the superhuman powers, the cool space bike, and the skills to kill everyone from Santa Claus to the population of his entire planet. The only thing not going for him is, well ... let's just say he was never visited by the Good Looks Fairy.
That being said, Lobo does have ethics. If your name is not on the contract, you don't get fragged. That is, unless you call him a name or kill one of his precious space dolphins. On the other hand, if it's scrawled on the contract, then you best find a very dark hole to hide in. Don't worry, he'll eventually find you and end your life. So, win-win.
4 Cheshire
Cheshire is just mean. When she was introduced to the comic book public in New Teen Titans #20 (1986), she tells Roy Harper, then known as Speedy, that's he's her baby's daddy. All the while she tries to kill his teammates. Really, that kind of announcement should be saved for Maury.
While Cheshire had a significant role in the Young Justiceanimated series, she hasn't been seen much in the DCCU. As an assassin who can go toe-to-toe with Lady Shiva, she deserves to return at some point. Perhaps, to honor the death of her daughter's father, she becomes the new Red Arrow. Or, instead of using poison on her nails, she develops a new line of flavored polishes, eventually selling millions of units on QVC.
3 Constantine Drakon
Not every assassin is connected to Batman. Green Arrow has his very own hired killer in the form of Constantine Drakon. This guy is so skilled that he can grab every arrow Ollie sends his way, including the Boxing Glove. The only one he never has a chance with is his Meringue Pie Arrow. Drakon lets that one hit him in the face so he can eat something.
Unlike the others mentioned here, Drakon didn't have a horrible childhood or a traumatic experience when his parents were killed by an alien spacecraft that contained an Amazon princess. He simply wanted to try out professional killing. Once he knew he was good at it, he decided to be a thorn in Green Arrow's side. It doesn't seem like he has any redeeming characteristics, but he does clean up after himself. Thus, he's become a spokesperson for Clorox.
2 Deadshot
And we're back to an assassin introduced in a Batman comic book. Actually, out of all those listed, Deadshot is the oldest, dating back to issue 59 of the first volume of Batman. That would be 1950 -- ancient times to some of you.
Where he was once a paid assassin with impeccable targeting skills, Deadshot has become an anti-hero over the last few decades. His tenure as one of the original members of the Suicide Squad has increased his leadership and teamwork abilities. To the point he's applied for an Assistant Manager's job at Bass Pro Shops. He keeps getting turned down because he wants to shoot the fish.
1 Deathstroke
There was no doubt Deathstroke would be number one on this list. Not only does he have the best skills among DC's assassins but he's also hilarious. Especially in his movies. He just cracks everyone up. Wait, that's Wade Wilson? Deathstroke is Slade Wilson? Oh, he's okay, too.
Deathstroke is the best of both worlds. He will take on most jobs for money, including capturing and/or killing members of the Teen Titans. Yet, he'll also team up with heroes if he thinks something is too amoral. He's definitely swayed between the two over the last few decades. Maybe it's time for him to settle down and answer the most important question. Are he and Travis Morgan, the Warlord, related?
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #5 by Matt Fraction, Steve Lieber, Nathan Fairbairn and Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
Batman is one of the most secretive superheroes in the DC Universe. Even among his fellow heroes, the Dark Knight still works to maintain a level of disconnect between his secret identity and the rest of the greater world. It's something you'd only expect him to share with his most loyal allies.
However, that's not the case in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #5. Despite being a secret people have literally died over, Bruce Wayne just casually revealed that he's Batman... while on a bad date.
The Bruce Wayne portrayed in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen is a bit more comedic than other versions of the character. He's shown trying to make bad jokes throughout the issue, thinking they're hilarious. While the issue later reveals that Alfred has been paying people to laugh at his jokes for years, this is just a charming, weird version of Bruce Wayne who doesn't seem nearly as serious as most takes on the characters. This is most abundantly clear during one of the dates that he has to go on to continue his public persona as a playboy.
Followed by the paparazzi, Bruce ends up at a fancy restaurant with Ms. Tamtam. Sitting across from one another, she quickly reveals that she has no actual affection for Bruce. She's outright dismissive of him and his wealth, commenting that she's a social media "alpha-influencer" as if that's more impressive than sitting across from one of the richest people in the world. The only reason she's even on this date in the first place is to tie one of her sub-brands into Wayne's new social media platform. She spends most of the date taking selfies of her with Bruce. Exhausted with her, Bruce casually reveals he's Batman, almost just to see what she would do.
As comics readers know, Bruce Wayne really is Batman. This is one of the mostly closely guarded secrets in Gotham City, with Batman going out of his way to hide away the truth from the people he tries to protect. If he revealed the truth, he would lose the anonymity that allows Batman to become more than just a man in a suit punching criminals in the face. But even before he tells her it's a joke, it's clear that Ms. Tamtam can't believe this is the date she's on. It's a complete reversal of Bruce's dismissal of her from her earlier, including her making the same exasperated sigh that he made.
Ms. Tamtam is literally the last person Bruce Wayne should be saying that too, especially considering her online presence. She was even taking pictures and filming short videos on her phone to post online for the entire world to see. Even if everyone agrees that it was just a terrible joke, there's got to be the chance that at least one person (you know, like the countless supervillains who operate in Gotham City) would try to go blow up Wayne Tower now. Batman may be the world's greatest detective, but this wasn't one of his smartest moments.
Supergirl star Melissa Benoist has opened up on her experience with IPV, also known as Intimate Partner Violence.
"The long and winding road of healing and reconciliation has brought me to this moment where I feel strong enough to talk about my experience openly, honestly and without shame," Benoist shared in an Instagram post. "By sharing my story, hopefully I can empower others to seek help and extricate themselves from abusive relationships. Everyone deserves to be loved void of violence, fear and physical harm."
She also shared screenshots of additional messages, stating, "I am just one of so many that have experience IPV. 1 in 4 women are affected by it."
Benoist continued, "It is never easy to reveal the most painful truths, but I've been bolstered and inspired by the women before me who have come forward about assault and abuse. I hope you are, too. Because there is absolutely strength in numbers."
Her last two images contained the phone number for the Domestic Violence Hotline and the website futureswithoutviolence.org.
The CDC defines intimate partner violence as "physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse."
Airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, Supergirl stars Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers, David Harewood as Martian Manhunter, Mehcad Brooks as Jimmy Olsen and Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers.
The latest update for Marvel Future Fight has added Deadpool's Mercs for Money to the mobile RPG game.
The update, which is now live, includes Slapstick, Gorilla-Man and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Additionally, players can earn new uniforms, such as Cable’s Cable & Deadpool uniform, Apocalypse’s "Messiah Complex" uniform, Deadpool’s Lady Deadpool uniform and Domino’s Marvel Now uniform.
Created by Gerry Duggan and Mike Hawthorne, the Mercs for Money debuted in 2016's Deadpool #1. The team was comprised of vigilantes Deadpool gathered in order to create a franchise of mercenaries based on his image after he was impersonated by Solo. Originally called the Heroes for Hire, the team received a cease and desist order from Luke Cage and changed its name to the Mercs for Money.
Other new content from the update includes adding Cable and Apocalypse to "World Boss Ultimate" mode; Apocalypse can now be upgraded to Tier-3 to unlock his new ultimate skills; and Apocalypse, Bullseye, Green Goblin, Punisher, Carnage, Phil Coulson, Kingpin and Warwolf can now unlock the "Realize Potential" functionality.
Marvel Future Fight is developed by Netmarble Corp and Marvel Games and is available on the App Store and Google Play.
No Star Wars collection is complete without an on-theme pair of sneakers or a branded hoodie. As such, Adidas has launched a line of athletic wear honoring your favorite characters from a galaxy far, far away.
The new Adidas line of shoes, joggers, hoodies and more highlights such characters as Leia, R2-D2, Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Stormtroopers and more, as well as Star Wars staples like the Rebel Alliance, the Death Star and lightsabers.
Fans will be able to purchase some of the limited-edition items now, while others will arrive at a later date. While the prices vary, some items go for as low as $34 USD while others, such as the "AlphaEdge 4D" sneakers, cost $300.
Regardless of price, though, there's no better way to show your Star Wars fandom than by quite literally wearing on your sleeve (or your feet).
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.
