Artist Stanley "Artgerm" Lau posted a new variant cover for Dark Nights: Death Metal spotlighting Supergirl. The Girl of Steel is shown hovering over a burning landscape, fists clenched and face locked in a determined expression.
"Here is my full supergirl cover for Deathmetal 3," Artgerm wrote on Twitter. "A more serious tone for my favorite superhero."
Artgerm is no stranger to illustrating Supergirl, having drawn several variant covers featuring the hero, and even seeing one of those covers inspire a Kotobukiya statue. However, he usually draws Supergirl with an expression of joy on her face in bright blue skies. It only feels appropriate that he should shake things up, given the apocalyptic setting of Death Metal.
Prior to the events of Death Metal,Supergirl had been infected by the Batman Who Laughs and transformed into one of his Secret Six. Her cousin Superman has been locked in a Sisyphean endeavor — imprisoned in the sun itself, cursed to power it for all eternity. Wonder Woman, meanwhile, rebelled against the tyrannical rule of the Dark Knights and killed the Batman Who Laughs.
Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 is currently on sale from DC Comics.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's Thanos was able to destroy half of all living things with the power of the Infinity Gauntlet, but there are beings out there in the Marvel universe that may prove to be even more powerful. With Mordo recently confirmed to return in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the name of his staff may be a hint at an entity who may soon make its debut, with huge implications for the future of the MCU.
Mordo, a seemingly benevolent master of the mystic arts in Doctor Strange, used a weapon called the Staff of the Living Tribunal. In the film's post-credits scene, he turns against the other mystics after becoming disillusioned with the Ancient One's abuses of dark magic, and states his belief that there are "too many sorcerers." This probably implies he will be bringing the fight to Strange, the new Sorcerer Supreme, in the upcoming sequel.
The name "Living Tribunal" bears big significance in Marvel comic continuity. First introduced in Strange Tales #157, the Living Tribunal is a cosmic being that acts as judge, jury and executioner on a mission to maintain balance throughout the Marvel Multiverse. The being possesses three voices, each representing a part of their identity -- all three must agree on a course of action before the Tribunal can act.
Their powers are second only to the One-Above-All, the creator of all life in the mainstream and all alternate Marvel universes, which is collectively known as the Multiverse. For example, the mainstream continuity, in which most stories occur, is known as Earth-616, but the Marvel Zombies run occurs in the alternate Earth-2149, while Spider-Man Noir exists in Earth-90214, and so on. The existence of these universes, and even their names, were recently referenced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, although they are yet to officially appear in a Disney-produced film, outside of a brief mention by the Ancient One.
Although the Infinity Gauntlet allowed its user to possess near-unlimited power, it was seemingly limited to only affecting the universe in which it exists (Earth-199999), and caused severe damage to its user, disfiguring Thanos and killing Tony Stark. On the other hand, the Living Tribunal can bend reality to its will without taking any damage back, and both exist and enact changes in any one of the potentially limitless alternate universes. In Warlock and the Infinity Watch #1, the Tribunal was even able to prevent the Infinity Gems from being used altogether.
The Tribunal hasn't been officially confirmed thus far, but the fact that Mordo would have named his staff after it suggests the arbiter of the cosmos may truly exist. Avengers: Infinity War writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely actually revealed the Tribunal was initially meant to appear in the film to judge Thanos but was ultimately scrapped. In fact, the mere title of the sequel film, which references the Multiverse, acts as further proof that the film intends to explore the realm of the Living Tribunal.
Mordo's fight against the other sorcerers might involve significant damage to the fabric of time and space, and may ultimately compel the Tribunal to intervene. In the comics, the Tribunal appeared when Strange freed the monstrous Zom to help him defeat Umar the Unrelenting, Dormammu's twin sister. A similar scenario, perhaps one in which Mordo assists Umar in a mission to take over her brother's plan to invade Earth, could also lead to its presence being required.
The introduction of the Living Tribunal and its boss, the God-like One-Above-All, can act as a harbinger of new concepts in the MCU that can further expand the universe as the franchise moves on from the Infinity Saga. In addition to opening up the possibility of the existence of other realities in which stories can take place, their presence may lay the groundwork for the later appearance of characters like the Silver Surfer, Galactus, the Beyonder and the Stranger. A similarly mysterious cosmic figure with the power to witness multiple realities named Uatu has already been confirmed to appear in Marvel's What If...? series.
If the Tribunal makes their appearance anytime soon, it seems fitting they would make it in the Multiverse of Madness, given the being's comic history with Strange and the name of Mordo's staff. Therefore, fans seeking to know which direction the MCU is headed should pay close attention to the Sorcerer Supreme's next appearance.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The 100 Season 7, Episode 7, "The Queen's Gambit," which aired Wednesday on The CW.
The 100's latest seasons have revolved around themes of false gods and cults of personality putting their faith in less than altruistic figures. As the final season of the post-apocalyptic CW series reaches its halfway point, a surprise character returns that, in many ways, personifies these narrative themes better than any other over: Bill Cadogan. First appearing way in Season 4, Bill was the founder of a doomsday cult known as the Second Dawn that bilked its followers out of millions in the years leading up to the nuclear armageddon that consumed Earth. And, centuries later, Bill is back to play a prominent role as The 100 nears its endgame.
Season 4 revealed a massive fallout bunker built under Baltimore by Second Dawn approximately a decade before the majority of the human race was wiped out in nuclear fire. Archival video uncovered over a century later revealed Bill charismatically rallying his followers. However, he only sheltered a loyal few of the Earth's high-paying elite while hundreds of followers on lower caste levels were killed after sheltering in false bunkers that failed to keep them safe. Now, over two hundred years since Second Dawn weathered the apocalypse, Bill has resurfaced at the head of a new cult on the faraway planet of Bardo.
There have been a lot of clues hinting at Bill's return since the start of the final season. The season premiere's title was "From the Ashes," which is part of the Second Dawn's mantra. As the characters arrived on Bardo, they encountered a futuristic new faction known as the Disciples, with their leader Anders following the will of an unseen figure known as the Shepherd. Most tellingly, a brief respite on the burial planet Nakara revealed that those buried on the harsh, icy world were wrapped in burial shrouds bearing the Second Dawn's symbol, which had previously adorned the interior of a bunker in Season 4.
With Gabriel, Octavia Blake, Echo, Diyoza and Hope seemingly cooperating with the Disciples on Bardo, after months of captivity, and Clarke Griffin leading her own team to the planet, the Disciples' intended target is now among them. The Disciples previously claimed Clarke would be a key figure in humanity's last war, though the details of this foreshadowed conflict are largely still unknown. With Clarke apparently coming peacefully after learning that Octavia's older brother, Bellamy, was killed, Anders approaches a cryochamber revealed to be housing Bill, who learns Clarke has finally arrived to fulfill her prophesied purpose.
Bill's role as the head of the initial expedition from Earth into deep space makes sense for several reasons. The cult was created with the intention of leaving society under religious pretenses and bankrolled by some of the most powerful, influential figures on the planet ahead of the apocalypse. The organization certainly had the resources to construct a spaceship and technology capable of taking them off-world with their leaders in stasis. With Bill already revealed to be a conman, willing to let hundreds die while positioning himself as a prophet, the Disciples' interest in Clarke will almost assuredly lead to a conflict deciding the second half of the season. And with Anders and Bill commanding their followers with religious zeal, Clarke is sure to have a considerable fight ahead of her.
The 100 stars Eliza Taylor, Marie Avgeropoulos, Bob Morley, Lindsey Morgan, Richard Harmon, Tasya Teles and Shannon Kook. The series airs on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
The Death of Supermanwas one of those events in the comic world that bled into the mainstream in a way that few other events have. Superman is one of the most iconic characters in the world and his death made international news. It was also a huge step in the comics industry.
There had never been a death as big as Superman's. Characters had died before and been brought back within the same story or B-list characters were the ones who died, but never a character at the level of Superman. This one death opened the floodgates and since fans have watched many of their favorite characters die only to return. So, did the impact of The Death of Superman change the comics industry for better or for the worse?
10 For Better: Change Is Good
In the immediate aftermath of Superman's death, four people stepped up to take on the mantle of the Man of Steel. Each one claimed to be the one true Superman and worked hard to keep the people of Metropolis and the world safe. Fans' reactions to this were pretty positive and it showed Marvel and DC both that they could change things up and readers would accept that.
This opened things up for all-new stories with new characters taking on familiar mantles and dealing with old villains and situations in new ways.
9 For Worse: Fan Reactions
In recent years, fan reactions to these types of replacements have changed, though. While most fans are okay with their favorite heroes being replaced for a few years by new characters, there are some fans who get very angry about it, especially if the character's race or gender are swapped.
These reactions are pretty reprehensible and make Marvel and DC both more reticent to inject diversity into their lines and allow new voices and perspectives to change things.
8 For Better: It Influenced '90s DC To Take Chances
DC used these changes to try and breathe new life into old concepts and, in some cases, it was pretty successful. In others...
7 For Worse: Change Can Be Bad
For every Kyle Raynor success story, there's an Artemis lurking somewhere. Artemis wasn't Wonder Woman for very long because fan reaction to her was pretty blah. Over in Batman land, fan backlash against AzBats (the portmanteau of the Azrael version of Batman used at the time in comics publications) showed that some fans didn't get the point of some of these changes either- they were supposed to dislike the character and want Bruce Wayne back, but their dislike turned hurt the books' sales.
Changing characters in this way is a delicate art. Sometimes, creators fail the concept, and other times fans misunderstand the whole thing.
6 For Better: The Kid Gloves Were Off
Superman had always been one of the sacred cows of comic books. Over the years, he had become one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the world and DC took a huge gamble killing him off. When the gamble paid off, it proved something to Marvel and DC both- they could slaughter those sacred cows, sell the meat, and people would eat it up.
This opened up a whole new avenue of storytelling for the Big Two. They could kill their most recognizable stars to add pathos to a story.
5 For Worse: It's Probably The Reason We Got The Clone Saga
Marvel really didn't have an answer to The Death of Superman at the time. Their biggest artists had left the company to start Image Comics and things were kind of flux. However, a few years later, in 1994 the Clone Saga would start up over in the Spider-Man books and history would be made... for all the wrong reasons.
Spider-Man was pretty much Marvel's equivalent to Superman as far as popularity and pop culture impact went, so Marvel probably figured that by doing a huge story à la the death and return of Superman over at DC, they could ape their distinguished competition's success. That wasn't at all the case and the Clone Saga has gone down in history for all the wrong reasons.
4 For Better: The First Modern Event Comic
1992 was a very different time for the comics industry. The boom period had just begun and comics were riding high as readers and collectors both were snatching up books left and right, driving sales to heights they'd never been before. The Death of Superman came along, adding more fuel to all of this and was the first big event comic of them all.
There had been company-wide crossovers before, but none of those were events. The Death of Superman paved the way for events comics as we know them today.
3 For Worse: Event Comics As We Know Them Today
That said, saying that The Death of Superman was the catalyst for event comics as we know them today isn't exactly positive. There's a reason event fatigue is a thing- event comics have become bloated, formulaic monstrosities that fans dread just as much as they look forward to them.
The Death Of Superman was a cultural phenomenon and one of the last times in recent memory that comic books (and not superhero movies) had that kind of impact on the mainstream. Generations of people had grown up with Superman as a part of their lives and his death was a big deal.
The story was big news around the world, making the nightly news broadcasts. Everyone knew about it and when it was being released. It was a huge moment in pop culture and comics haven't had one like it since.
1 For Worse: Trying To Recapture Lightning In A Bottle
Unfortunately, both Marvel and DC have been trying to replicate its success ever since and have always come up wanting. Comic deaths, even the ones of icons, don't have the impact they had then because they've done to death. Comic events don't make the news.
Sure, Marvel has been known to announce changes on fellow Disney production Good Morning America, but there's something cynical and forced to that. The Death Of Superman was the last time such a thing was organic and it will never happen again.
Anime has given us heroism in many faces, whether it manifests as a bright eyed young boy who has yet to be torn down by the world or a half demon loner who slowly learns the value of humanity. However, occasionally it manifests in ways more horrifying than the evil it intends to fight.
Some protagonists use techniques too nightmarish for anyone to conceive of. That isn't to imply that the characters themselves are intimidating, though it is often the case. It's time to match a face to the fear, identifying the most abhorrently heroic abilities in anime.
10 Nanika / Alluka's "Wishes" (Hunter X Hunter)
Killua's younger sibling, Alluka, has the ability to grant wishes after three tasks have been completed. It might sound pleasant superficially, but the weight of the request will make the next tasks more difficult, resetting after the next wish has been granted.
This still may not seem daunting, though the "requests" Alluka might make include asking their partner to give them their spine or to blatantly kill themselves. Should they deny two favors in the span of one wish, their playmate faces dire consequences.
9 Ban's Fox Hunt (Seven Deadly Sins)
From a passing glance, Ban's Fox Hunt might not seem like too disturbing a talent. It allows him to bypass physical objects in order to pull the item of his desire toward him ~ a fitting spell for his sin of greed.
However, he most frequently uses this to rip out the beating hearts of his opponents. This is incredibly graphic and easily the most morbid technique of his peers (save a corrupted Meliodas). If the Ten Commandments didn't have hearts to spare, it would also make him nigh unstoppable against them.
8 The Shadow Realm (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Since Kazuki Takahashi intended to market Yu-Gi-Oh! to children, he couldn't simply have his protagonist murder his opponents after he defeated them, though he did not want to lose to intensity behind the matches, either.
The solution came in the form of "the shadow realm," a nightmarish land of ironic punishments intended for those who either lost a game to Yami Yugi or simply broke the rules. While those who enter the shadow realm corporeally remain on Earth, they are sent into a comatose state as their souls are traumatized for an extended period ~ arguably worse than killing them in the first place.
7 Sand Coffin (Naruto)
Gaara may have been redeemed by Naruto since his initial attack on the Leaf Village, though his means of achieving victory have not become less brutal. He manipulates his sand against his enemies, cocooning them inside a shell as hard as steel before crushing the life from their bodies like squeezing water from a rock.
Aside from its most prominent debut in the Forest of Death arc where he visited it on passing shinobi and partially against Rock Lee, he has also attempted this ability on Kimimaro and Deidara.
6 Roy Mustang's Flame Alchemy (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
Roy Mustang is one of the finest alchemists in Amestris, using flames as his primary weapon of choice. Though this might seem innocuous, it's how he chooses to use his abilities that makes them genuinely scary.
Maniacally snapping his fingers, Roy unleashes torrents of flame on his regenerating Homunculus opponents, torturing them until they are too exhausted to heal. This brutal technique was so jarring that even his lieutenant begged him to relent the second time he used it for fear of losing her commander to depravity.
5 Mayuri's Ashisogi Jizō (Bleach)
Mayuri's Zanpakuto is greater than just a sword; it has the power to unleash Ashisogi Jizo. In addition to being a gigantic nightmare baby, Jizo can flood an entire battlefield with paralyzing gas. Though Mayuri himself is immune to this effect, it renders allies and enemies alike powerless against his whims ~ much to Renji and Uryu's objection.
Jizo is a fantastic tool at psychological warfare, clearing battlefields, and creating narrow escapes. It remains one of the most useful tools in Mayuri's arsenal in his endless devotion to knowledge.
4 Miroku's Wind Tunnel (Inuyasha)
Despite lacking the physical prowess of Inuyasha or the skill of Kagome, Miroku's Wind Tunnel renders him the deadliest member of his group. Intended as a curse, the Wind Tunnel is a black hole concentrated in his palm that swallows everything in its path, with nothing strong enough to escape or survive its pull permanently.
It was so destructive that Naraku himself was forced to design demons to counter it; bees with stingers that poisoned the attacker when they were consumed. Even still, Miroku has sometimes used it despite the presence of these nuisances, much to his later expense.
First making his debut in the Hero Licensing Exams, Seji's austere comportment and rigidness in conforming to rules is contrasted by his galling quirk. Should he touch his opponents, he can mold their flesh into tiny, grotesque clumps of skin, eyeballs, and hair, rendering them powerless against him.
Fortunately, the victims this quirk has claimed do not suffer long term consequences. The putrid mutations he enacts against his peers to pass the test is disturbing all the same.
2 Killua's Heart Harvesting (Hunter X Hunter)
A descendant of the Zoldyck family of assassins, it comes as no surprise that Killua possesses skills ruthless and efficient in defeating his opponents. With a single twitch of his knuckles, he can rip out the hearts from his opponent's chests, often before they realize they're missing.
Unlike Ban, Killua is more self aware of his barbarism and practices this ability less as the series progresses, later favoring lightning themed attacks. Nonetheless, it is still within his ability, and he retains the conviction to use it, should it be necessary to aid his friends.
1 Itachi's Genjutsu (Naruto)
While not as lethal as other shinobi techniques, many of Itachi's victims might wish it had been. Under the care of his visual jutsu, his victims are restrained and stabbed by endless clones of himself. A few minutes of stabbing in the Genjutsu world is seconds in real time ~ and it lasts for three full days.
Under such peerless duress, it was enough to bring the experienced Kakashi Hatake to his knees and force him to take time to recover his wits.
Over the years, the X-Men have taken in many members that gave readers doubts. They would intentionally keep their histories secret. X-Men would come in that were former adversaries. Sometimes, those doubts would prove well-founded and new X-Men would betray the team.
No two X-Men have personified these doubts more than Gambit and Emma Frost. They both have checkered pasts. Both have proven to be somewhat duplicitous in there motives and methods. Here are five reasons, in chronological order, for each of them to claim the title of the biggest traitor to the X-Men.
10 Gambit: Assembled the Marauders For Mister Sinister
Before he ever encountered the X-Men, Gambit went to Mister Sinister for help controlling his powers. As part of this bargain, he assembled the Marauders for him and led them down into the Morlock tunnels. When he saw the carnage, he tried to stop them but was nearly killed by Sabretooth.
He managed to escape, saving one small Morlock child that would grow to become the X-Men known as Marrow. The X-Men expelled him when they learned the truth during a "trial" held by Magneto. It would take a lot for him to eventually rejoin.
9 Emma Frost: Nearly Helped Magneto Exterminate Humanity With Cerebro
Before she ever joined the Hellfire Club, Emma was locked in a sanitarium. Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants took her out in a plan to use her telepathic powers and Professor X's Cerebro to kill every non-mutant human on the planet.
Magneto was thwarted by Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver pulling Emma out of Cerebro. All memory of the event was removed by a being called the Evolutionary, who had used Magneto to advance mutants to dominate the planet. When she returned to the institution, her drugs had worn off and she was able to facilitate her escape.
8 Gambit: Romanced Rogue While Married
Shortly after joining the X-Men, Gambit and Rogue found themselves drawn to each other. Gambit heavily flirted with her, never telling her that he was married to Bella Donna Boudreaux of New Orleans' Assassins' Guild. She was still in love with him, and Gambit, feeling an obligation, risked his life to bring her out of a coma.
Bella Donna still harbored animosity for Rogue for temporarily stealing her memory. She kidnapped her childhood love in a revenge plot against Rogue and Gambit. This was all because Gambit couldn't be honest, even to someone he was falling in love with.
7 Emma Frost: Gave Mastermind The Technology To Corrupt Phoenix
In a plot to strengthen the Hellfire Club, Emma Frost tried to forcibly recruit a young Kitty Pryde. At the same time, she provided Mastermind with the technology to project his illusions directly into the mind of Phoenix. This led directly to the emergence of Dark Phoenix, who threatened the entire universe.
Emma providing this device for Mastermind made her an accessory for what is essentially a sexual assault by Mastermind. She may not have known the method that Mastermind would use to corrupt the X-Man. However, knowing his reputation, she should have suspected.
6 Gambit: Stole For New Son
Gambit was thrown out of the X-Men when they learned of his past loyalty to Mister Sinister. After making his way to civilization, he began working as a thief for a benefactor called New Son. Eventually, New Son was revealed to be a powerful alternate version of Gambit.
Gambit continued to steal for New Son after he rejoined the X-Men. He even stole files from Muir Island. While he eventually defeated his doppelganger, Gambit still used his connection with the X-Men to steal for his financial gain, short-sighted to what his employer wanted.
5 Emma Frost: Switched Bodies With Storm
Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw hatched a scheme to get revenge on the X-Men. Luring Kitty Pryde to Frost's school, Storm was ambushed by Frost who used an experimental gun to switch bodies with the X-Man. Meanwhile, Shaw's Sentinels would capture the group.
Using an old technique, Shaw and Frost made the X-Men think that Storm had betrayed them. Storm, in Frost's body, rescued the X-Men with Kitty and succeeded in switching back to her original body.
4 Gambit: Kept Quiet About Mystique Infiltrating Xavier's School
To show her foster daughter Rogue that Gambit wasn't worthy of her, Mystique infiltrated Xavier's School as a new student named Foxx. She tried seducing Gambit as Foxx and when that failed, she offered to take Rogue's form so Gambit could fulfill his desire to touch Rogue.
When Gambit didn't tell anyone about Mystique being in the school, it caused a breach of trust with Rogue. It took a long time for any healing to happen between them.
3 Emma Frost: Had An Affair With Cyclops
Shortly after joining the X-Men, Emma Frost noticed a lot of stress in the Cyclops-Jean Grey marriage. Their new roles in the school were leaving Cyclops feeling neglected. She offered him psychic counseling which evolved into a telepathic affair.
Jean was a more powerful telepath than Emma and caught them, complete with Emma in a Dark Phoenix costume in their telepathic "bed." After Jean gave her life to defeat Magneto, Emma and Cyclops eventually married, but it all began with an affair.
2 Gambit: Became A Horseman Of Apocalypse
Gambit thought that Apocalypse might be able to restore mutantkind after Scarlet Witch nearly rid all mutants of their powers. Gambit tried to retain his personality through the transformation into Apocalypse's Horseman Death but failed to do so. He struggled with the persona thanks to his feelings for Rogue, but initially needed the assistance of Mister Sinister.
After fighting off his Death persona, Gambit saw it resurface on at least two occasions. Once, he even corrupted Dazzler and Northstar into his servants. The X-Men stopped him from conquering Limbo. Gambit eventually succeeded in locking away the Death persona in his mind, but not ridding himself of it completely.
1 Emma Frost: Caused Namor To Nearly Destroy Wakanda, Then Took His Power
As one of the five simultaneous hosts for the Phoenix Force, Emma worked to make the world a better place. Unfortunately, they were opposed by the Avengers. When Emma learned that the Avengers were hiding in Wakanda, she only told Namor, who proceeded to nearly wipe it from the map.
As Namor lost his portion of the Phoenix Force, Emma claimed it but couldn't control it. Her telepathy drove her to kill people that had harmed mutants and exerting dominance over her fellow X-Men. If she had taken Cyclops' share of the Phoenix Force instead of losing hers to him, the consequences could have been devastating, since she had talked of destroying the world and starting over.
Following the recent conclusion of season 2 of Harley Quinn on DC Universe, many DC fans are now incredibly excited for a potential third season. Having met a lot of praise from both fans and critics alike, there is a lot to appreciate about Harley Quinn as a series, especially throughout the second season.
However, while season 2 did have its many strengths, it also wasn't without its weaknesses. Looking at some of the best and worst aspects from the newest 13 episodes, here is our list of 5 things we loved about season 2 of Harley Quinn, and 5 things we didn't.
10 Didn't Love: Jim Gordon
While Jim Gordon's portrayal during the first season proved to be rather hysterical, there were several times throughout season 2 where he seemed to be a bit too much. Granted, the character still had a few good laughs and served an interesting role in the season finale, but there were several times where he was almost more annoying than funny.
Fortunately, his interactions with Barbara proved to be rather intriguing, while also giving the character a greater purpose within the overall season. While we certainly didn't hate Jim Gordon in this season, we didn't exactly love him as much.
9 Loved: The New Harley
Seeing the new, independent version of Harley was a very welcome experience, especially following the plot of the first season. Just like in the comics, Harley juggled the insanity of her own life while also finding the perfect balance of humor and chaos.
Furthermore, the show also did a few new things with Harley's character, making this version stand apart from others that have come before. Even with so many other characters in the series as well, the new Harley is definitely a step up from the one in the first season.
8 Didn't Love: Darkseid
For several episodes throughout season 2, Harley was regularly involved with Darkseid or other elements relating to the New Gods. Unfortunately, some of the aspects of this plotline felt very forced, and ended rather abruptly.
Though audiences expected the show to make fun of a big bad such as Darkseid, the villain's overall presence in the show was rather underwhelming. Perhaps the villain will be seen again in a future episode to realize his full potential, but season 2 of Harley Quinn didn't quite do him justice.
7 Loved: Bane
As one of the Dark Knight's most formidable foes, it is incredibly hysterical to see what the show has done with Bane. Though he isn't as much of a joke as he is in Batman and Robin (1997), the character still offers plenty of laughs throughout the second season.
Likewise, all joking aside, fans really get to see exactly what Bane is capable of when he nearly kills Batman, despite the enhanced abilities Bruce had from his suit of armor at the time. This incredible display of power reminded viewers just how terrifying Bane can really be, making him an incredibly welcome addition to the series.
6 Didn't Love: Pacing
While season 2 did a great job of building off of season 1, there were a few bumps throughout its 13 episode run, especially in regards to the pacing of the show. At times, some side stories seemed a bit rushed, or even wedged into the overall narrative when they didn't really need to be there.
Of course, this doesn't mean season 2 was bad by any means, but it can make certain moments in season 2 seem a bit more unimportant than others. With that in mind, despite all the great things season 2 managed to pull off, its pacing wasn't its strong suit.
5 Loved: New Characters
Like with the first season, season 2 of Harley Quinn featured some great guest appearances from many other classic DC characters. Though this season was a bit more confined to Gotham City, there were still plenty of other great guests on the show that any DC fan would be happy to see again.
Victor and Nora Fries especially proved to be quite the pleasant surprise, with a surprisingly emotional twist in their episode together to change up the usual tone of the show. However, with great moments featuring both Catwoman and Batgirl as well, the newer guests on Harley Quinn were definitely something to get excited about.
4 Didn't Love: Dr. Psycho
Obviously by the end of the series, audiences aren't really supposed to be a fan of Dr. Psycho. In general, the character was easily one of the worst (in terms of personality) members of Harley's crew, though he did seem to be coming around in the start of the second season.
Unfortunately, Psycho reverted back to his former self and ended up attacking the rest of the gang in what seemed like a rather quick judgement call. Though it does make sense for his character to get to this point eventually, the quick nature of the situation could have been executed a bit better.
3 Loved: Kite Man
Despite being such a joke among the comic community, Kite Man has proven to be one of the better aspects of the Harley Quinn series. By embracing how lame the character really is, the show managed to add another brand of humor entirely, especially through his developing relationship with Poison Ivy.
Of course, it was obvious that the two wouldn't end up together in the end, but that didn't stop Kite Man from being an enjoyable part of the show. Though he was still the butt of many jokes, Kite Man was still one of the funniest supporting characters in the season.
2 Didn't Love: Joker Subplot
Given her close history with The Joker, it makes sense for the first season to have featured so much of Harley's ex-boyfriend. Fortunately though, the second season actually featured very little of the Clown Prince of Crime himself, though he still made the occasional appearance.
While it makes sense for Joker to have an occasional appearance, his role in season 2 did feel a bit forced, with his full return seemingly wedged into the larger plot at hand. Though the character had to come back at some point, it would have been interesting to see Harley really progress entirely on her own, especially given the amount of growth she went through during season 2.
1 Loved: Harley and Ivy
Finally, the show has given many DC fans something they have been wanting for years, which is a romantic relationship between Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Though the two have often been close in the comics, only a few have issue have actually explored the romantic relationship between the two.
Given the explosive season finale, fans also have a lot more to look forward to as far as the two's relationship is concerned. With a whole bunch of new and original ground to cover in the future, a potential season 3 is sure to be a must-watch for any fan of Harley and Ivy.
Although they come from entirely separate universes that are vastly different from each other, Aang and Naruto both have a surprising number of traits in common. That said, they also have several differences that create key divisions between their characters. From childhood upbringing to power levels, this list will break down the critical similarities and differences between Naruto and Aang.
10 Alike: Air/Wind-Based Power
Although Aang is the Avatar and can bend all four elements, he was born as an Airbender and so his initial abilities all revolve around air-based techniques. Similarly, Naruto's chakra nature through his early development is that of Wind, which eventually leads to him being able to throw his signature move "Rasengan".
Both characters have a wide range of skill sets, but Air/Wind is one that they both share during the growth of their talents.
9 Different: Aang Is A Pacifist
Naruto is known for his strong, sometimes unpredictable, emotions that lead to him getting angry and picking a fight with any number of characters throughout his series.
Aang, on the other hand, is level headed and stoic, avoiding confrontation whenever he can and refusing to kill anyone. His desire for peace and non-violent resolution is so strong that it is even a weakness for him at several points through Avatar: The Last Airbender, most famously during his fight with Fire Lord Ozai.
8 Alike: Mentors And Guides
One major similarity between Aang and Naruto is the number of mentor/mentee relationships they have with several characters in Avatar: The Last Airbender and Naruto/Naruto Shippuden, both acting as guides and being guided by various important figures in their lives.
From Jiraiya "The Pervy Sage" and Kakashi Sensei to Avatar Roku and King Bumi of Omashu, Aang and Naruto both have many people they meet along the path of their personal journeys that help them grow as both students and teachers.
7 Different: Parental Relationship
Unlike Aang, Naruto was able to meet his parents during his series. Naruto's father Minato, "Konoha's Yellow Flash", and his mother Kushina Uzumaki both play vital roles in Naruto Shippuden.
From vital character backstory to helping shift the tide in the major battle against Madara Uchiha, Naruto's parents are critically important to the series. This is a key difference between Aang and Naruto as characters that marks a large divide between the dynamics of their development.
6 Alike: Spiritual Beings
In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang is a reincarnated spiritual being known as the Avatar. The Avatar can bend all four elements and serves as a beacon of peace and hope through the history of the planet, reborn as a new person every time the current Avatar dies.
Naruto has a connection to the Sage of the Six Paths Hagoromo and his son Asura, being the possessor of Asura's reincarnated chakra. Although these two forms of reincarnation are very different, they still link Aang and Naruto together as spiritual beings.
5 Different: Upbringings
A big difference between Aang and Naruto is how they grew up as young children. Naruto was seen as a wild child and treated like a social pariah, while Aang grew up as part of a community at his home the Southern Air Temple.
Once Aang is discovered to be the Avatar, he starts receiving special treatment and is trained privately from several Airbending and spiritual teachers. These early stages in Aang and Naruto's lives are drastically divergent from each other.
4 Alike: Look For The Best In People
Aang and Naruto are both caring and empathetic people who try and understand their companions and enemies, learning why they are the way that they are as individuals. It's a character-defining trait that helps establish them both as leaders in their universes.
Whether it's the compassion that Naruto shows Gaara or Aang wanting to connect with Zuko as a friend, both of these characters always try and look for the best in people over the course of their shows.
3 Different: Reincarnation Sibling
As the Avatar, Aang has connections to his previous lives and can even communicate with them. The important difference here between Aang and Naruto though is that Aang's past lives are all just that, disconnected lives that Aang has no true link to other than him and his predecessor are both Avatars.
On the other hand, Naruto and Sasuke both hold the reincarnated chakra of Asura and Indra, the sons of the Sage of Six Paths. This creates a powerfully unique bond between Naruto and Sasuke that Aang lacks with another living person.
2 Alike: Tragic Pasts
In Avatar: The Last Airbender, Aang's fellow Air Nomads are all killed by invading Firebenders, and by pure luck, Aang is able to escape and become the last living Airbender in the world. He then freezes himself and Appa and is lost the world for 100 years.
Naruto's parents both die when he's a child (although as discussed above, he's still able to meet them through various means) and he's left to live alone for the rest of his life, wanted by no one. Naruto and Aang both have complex histories that ultimately help shape them as people.
1 Different: Naruto Is More Powerful
Naruto and Aang are incredibly powerful, if not the most powerful, characters in their shows. Capable of unleashing massive destruction on their enemies, these two both wield mighty strength that very few characters from their universes can compete with.
That said, the immense cosmic-like power that Naruto can tap into from his classic Shadow Clone Jutsu to the Sage of the Six Paths chakra puts him on another level over Aang or any Avatar for that matter. Naruto Shippuden episode "The Final Battle" is a perfect showcase of Naruto's true power that would quickly overwhelm Aang.
While Stargirlis off to a strong start, one of the big draws of the show is its connection to the Justice Society of America. These are beloved heroes of the Golden Age of comics, and everyone is happy to see them finally get their time in the spotlight.
With many fans hoping for a lot more Stargirl to come, viewers are wondering what other great surprises and characters are waiting in the wings to appear. Time will only tell if Stargirl will be a smash-success or will be left in the world of forgettable shows.
10 In The Show: Starman
There have been many people to hold the moniker of Starman, but for the CW's Stargirl,they are using Sylvester Pemberton played by Joel McHale. This character started out as the Star-Spangled Kid in the comics, with Pat Dugan being his sidekick.
In the show, Pat Dugan was still his sidekick, but it is unconfirmed if he ever went by the Star-Spangled Kid. Hopefully, we get to see more of Sylvester in some flashbacks in Stargirl.
9 Hope to See: Hawkman
Without Hawkman, it is hard for the JSA to be complete. As an original member and a former chairman of the JSA, he is part of the very fabric of the team. While he has appeared previously in both Smallvilleand Legends of Tomorrow, both were only for short amounts of time.
Stargirl has a chance to make Hawkman a long-running character in a mentorship role. Hawkman brings a calm and intelligent presence to the JSA and could be an excellent guiding hand for the young heroes of Stargirl.
8 In The Show: Hourman
Another founding member of the JSA has a strong presence in the show and that would be Rex Tyler aka Hourman. It is the journal that Rex left behind that brought Pat back to Blue Valley.
It is also because of his father's legacy and death that his son, Rick Tyler decided to don the Hourman persona. Rex's influences hang heavily over the show, and he acts as the catalyst for our heroes' involvement. While Rex also previously appeared on Legends of Tomorrow, Stargirl can help his son Rick rise to pop culture stardom.
7 Hope To See: Spectre
The Spectre is an all-powerful being, with his powers given to be by God himself. He acts as the spirit of vengeance, laying down God's justice on anyone who he deems guilty. His only redeeming qualities are he won't harm an innocent soul and he was part of the JSA.
Pat Dugan was the sidekick to the Star-Spangled Kid back in the Golden age of Heroes but now acts as the mentor and partner to Courtney Whitmore's Stargirl.
Pat acts as Courtney's doorway to the whole world of heroes, without his presence and influence Stargirl might never have been born. Pat is the calming presence that Stargirl needs, and he is the giant robot backup that she needs in the field.
5 Hope To See: Wildcat
Although he is shown at the beginning of the first episode, Ted Grant aka Wildcat dies right off the bat, which is such a shame. Ted Grant is a world champion boxer who is able to hold his own with the best of the best.
Wildcat could be brought back to the show though if Stargirl follows the same route as the comics. In the comics, Wildcat is given the power of having 9 lives, like a cat, if this spell is given to Ted Grant, then he could be welcomed back to the land of the living.
4 In The Show: Dr. Mid-Nite
Charles McNider aka Dr. Mid-Nite is more of a 'guy in the chair' via AI inside his goggles. He acts as guidance for Beth Chapel and her closest friend. His AI helps guide Beth on how to be Dr. Mid-Nite and allows the new JSA access to all the old JSA files and all the information that they need.
He is an invaluable help for this young budding team, and finally gives Beth the support system she needs.
3 Hope To See: Doctor Fate
As a Lord of Order and one of the most powerful mystics in the DCU, Doctor Fate is a fantastic addition to Stargirl. He is an essential member of the original JSA and has been hinted atby his poster in the hall of the JSA in episode 3 of Stargirl.
He has previously appeared on Smallville, and if he was to become a steady character on Stargirl then he would open up a whole realm of mystical possibilities.
2 In The Show: Alan Scott
At the beginning of Stargirl, there is an abundance of green fire everywhere and a blast of green fire ripping apart the roof. This can only be the work of Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern.
Although viewers do not actually see him, his lantern is all over the show, making appearances in multiple episodes. It is possible that Alan is still out there, and has his ring on him. This is hinted at when Pat finds out Courtney stole the lantern, but he says it is useless without the ring, so maybe Alan will come back with the ring in hand.
1 Hope To See: Terry Sloane
Terry Sloane is the original Mr. Terrific and could help bring another connection to the wider Arrowverse.
With Mr. Terrific being part of Arrow for a while, having Terry Sloane appear on Stargirl could give fans a different take on a character they are already somewhat familiar with. And although he is only an average human, it is his mind that is the most essential and will be valuable to the young JSA.
The nature of the Titans that walk the forsaken lands beyond Wall Maria is one of the biggest questions of Attack on Titan. While all Titans are gargantuan human-like creatures, there exist massive variations in their anatomy and unique abilities. Pure Titans are mindless, deformed giants whose deadliness varies depending on traits such as their height and nocturnal adaptations, while intelligent Titans are those controlled by humans and designed to have unique combat specializations of their own. The Titan Eren Yeager controls, naturally, falls into the latter category.
But even among the ranks of humans with Titan powers, Eren’s situation is nothing close to simple. As someone who was never intended to wield a Titan -- or at least not according to the schemes of his king or the enemy beyond the walls -- his Titan anatomy has both great limitations and great potential.
Here's a breakdown of the five most unique details about the anatomy of Eren Yeager’s Titan:
This first detail neatly sums up why Eren’s Titan is so different from the rest: Eren technically has access to two Titans instead of just one. Thanks to the efforts of his father, Grisha Yeager, Eren has full access to the powers of the Attack Titan and limited access to the Founding Titan. This was brought about by his father as the Attack Titan eating Frieda Reiss as the Founding Titan, and then Eren as a pure Titan eating his own father. Titan powers are inherited by eating someone who already has access to those powers, and because of the Eren-Grisha-Frieda chain of consumption, Eren’s Titan anatomy mostly resembles that of the typical Attack Titan, but has notable exceptions.
Nine Titans can be controlled by humans in Attack on Titan’s world, and throughout the series each one is characterized by the combat specializations unique to that Titan. For example, the Armored Titan has plated segments protecting its body that render it invulnerable to swords and cannons, and the Colossus Titan stands at a 60 meter height that dwarfs the other human-controlled Titans. Each of the nine Titans is defined and distinguished by these signature characteristics.
However, Eren’s Attack Titan is a strange exception to the rule. The Attack Titan has all the characteristics that are universal to Titans -- with the most important being super regeneration -- but it lacks any unique abilities of its own. When every other human-controlled Titan has its own weird abilities, the lack of a weird ability suddenly becomes … weird.
The traits of Eren’s Titan are weird, in large part because they seem contradictory at first glance. Although the Attack Titan lacks any unique abilities at its base, this changed in Season 3 of the anime due to a special serum possessed by the Reiss family. The serum upgraded the Attack Titan, allowing Eren to harden its skin into a crystalline substance that is invaluable for both defense and delivering devastating punches.
It’s still not an ability unique to the Attack Titan, since in Season 1 the Female Titan naturally possessed it, but it’s arguably the most vital Titan power Eren wields. All Titans carcasses are known to disintegrate once they’re slain or the human controllers are cut free from the body, but in hardened form the crystalline carcass can remain. It’s this anatomical trait that allows Survey Corps to patch up the walls using hardened skin from the Attack Titan.
Eren may have inherited the Founding Titan, but even though he theoretically has access to this Titan’s abilities, he can’t fully use them. The Founding Titan was meant to be passed down through the Reiss family’s royal bloodline. Because Eren lacks royal blood, under normal circumstances he cannot access the Founding Titan’s incredible abilities -- namely, human memory manipulation and total command over the wandering hordes of pure Titans.
Yet these abilities are not utterly lost to Eren. If he comes into physical contact with a Titan from a royal bloodline, he’s able to temporarily command Titan hordes and delve into the memories stored within the Founding Titan.
The final trait on this list is possibly one shared by every human-controlled Titan, but so far we’ve only seen Eren contend with it in the series. It’s also one of the lesser-explored details of Titan anatomy. If Eren lacks a strong force of will, it’s possible for him to fall into a trance-like state and lose control of the Attack Titan. He nearly killed his adopted sister Mikasa in a state of feral rage when this occurred, but since that day we haven’t seen him struggle to control his Titan again. This raises an interesting question -- does the Attack Titan have a mind of its own when Eren isn’t in control?
Whatever the case may be, there’s no doubt that Eren Yeager’s Titan anatomy is quite strange, and Attack on Titan approaches its final season, it’s only likely to get stranger.
Attack on Titan Season 4 is scheduled to premiere this Fall.
Season 1 of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels broke Los Angeles, with the heroic cops, Tiago (Daniel Zovatto) and Lewis (Nathan Lane), unable to stop the race war initiated by the demoness Magda (Natalie Dormer). The conflict also hurt Tiago's Vega family, fracturing them due to their bond to the Angel of Death and Magda's supernatural sister, Santa Muerte.
But while Magda and her Nazis think they may now own the city, a few threads are left lingering that set up an enticing second season filled with rebellion and hope.
Peter Craft was gaslit by Magda all season long when she was disguised as Elsa, a German housewife. He took her and her son, Frank (a young demon), in while placing his own wife, Linda, in a mental asylum. After the Pachuco riots, though, Peter finally caved and embraced his Nazi side so Season 2 can look at how he turns the Bund into a movement against people of color.
Tiago's mom, Maria, works for him, though, and he loves her like his own mother, so there's an interesting dynamic to come there. Peter doesn't want his sons hating minorities either so Maria could be key to bringing him back to the light. Elsa, though, could already be working a coup to take the Bund as most individuals there want a white-only America. Thus, she can turn it into a white supremacist crew, something racist LA cops have already shown leniency.
Lewis already brought Benny's mobsters into the fray as he needs off-the-books soldiers and loyal Jews to ensure there isn't another genocide. Season 2 can dive into Benny's boss, Lansky, coming down from New York with the rest of his army to fight off the conglomerate led by Richard Goss, an architect and Hitler's head businessman. Goss has councilman Townsend, Adelaide and her church scouts looking for bomb-making students and a Gestapo hitman, Kurt, so the empire is out and in public.
Thus, the war has been set and Lansky, Lewis and Tiago know who they have to go after. Lewis could be played by Alex/Magda, however, as she convinced him she could be a spy inside Townsend's camp. Nonetheless, Lewis has his own genius in Dottie, as he knows the battle is just as much about the brain as it is brawn. And with Lansky's soldiers, he'll have the heavy hitters he requires which the LAPD can't ever be. On top of that, councilwoman Beck could also prove to be a worthy ally because she hates Alex with a passion.
With Sister Molly dead, Adelaide could fool Josefina into succeeding her in the ministry. Tiago knows his sister is head over heels for the cult and can be tricked into becoming Adelaide's leverage easily. Maria's still struggling with all this drama, as well as Mateo becoming the gang leader of the Pachucos. This will place Tiago between a rock and a hard place as they're criminals hunted by white cops.
Maria will have to deal with Peter and Elsa too, not to mention Magda loves tormenting the "old coyote" due to her belief in Santa Muerte. It would make sense to see Santa Muerte actually offer something more than just condescending words to Maria because her devotee really needs something extra in her arsenal. Raul, the wounded brother, also seems healed so he could rally to keep his family together.
Lastly, Magda teased Tiago at his dad's grave over how many deaths she'll keep manipulating. She warned him the war's just begun, so hopefully, seeing as Tiago was marked by Santa Muerte as a kid, the deity connects with him and empowers the cop to fight. He needs something more than human alongside him in the war to come, especially because Magda can shape-shift to get her politics ticking.
This bond could also see Tiago connecting to Molly, his former lover, from the afterlife to gain closure he needs. He's depressed so her words would be the spark that gets him the motivation needed to finish off Magda. The demoness knows Tiago is the Chosen One meant to take her down, so a Season 2 where he embraces the mystical side of his heritage could also bring horror back into the series.
Created, written and executive produced by John Logan, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels stars Daniel Zovatto, Natalie Dormer, Nathan Lane, Jessica Garza, Kerry Bishé, Ethan Peck, Adriana Barraza, Michael Gladis, Dominic Sherwood and Johnathan Nieves, as well as Piper Perabo, Amy Madigan, Brent Spiner, Lorenza Izzo, Lin Shaye and Adam Rodriguez in recurring roles. The series airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime.
The Post-Crisis version of Huntress was a surprisingly brutal and fluid character, with a unique history and sense of morality when compared to the rest of the Batman-related characters. Natural conflict that arises between the pair helped solidify Huntress at her best and define her as someone who could stand up to Batman while still feeling connected to his motives and his mission. This is especially illustrated in No Man's Land.
Throughout the No Man's Land event, Huntress becomes one of the most interesting Batman supporting characters and proves why she's a perfect foil for the Dark Knight.
Following a series of disasters in Gotham City -- including a massive earthquake that ruined much of the remaining infrastructure -- the United States abandoned Gotham City and let it fend for itself.
With Batman MIA (as Bruce Wayne tried to use his public clout to convince the government to reinvest attention into rebuilding the city), it fell to a few remaining heroes to contend with the growing gangs and unleashed supervillains. This included Huntress, who dedicated herself to fighting crime. She even fashioned a Batgirl suit for herself, finding that the image of a bat-hero was far more intimidating.
This continued for a time, even enraging Barbara Gordon, the former Batgirl, when she found out. Some came to see Huntress as the return of Batman himself. When the real Batman returned, he confronted Huntress. Despite his lack of approval, Batman saw the strength in her carrying on the costume and the symbol, then made her promise not to dishonor it and allowed her to continue on as Batgirl for a time.
However, Huntress also proved fallible. During an assignment given to her by Batman to fight off Black Mask and Two-Face, she went against Batman's direct orders. This led to Two-Face stealing territory Batman had claimed for the citizens of Gotham, as well as six civilian deaths.
Despite Nightwing's attempts to soothe the conflict, Batman and Huntress' fight led to her giving up the mantle of Batgirl and returning to Huntress full time. Still, she warned Batman she would continue trying to protect Gotham, with or without his approval.
Huntress was soon the focus of the "Fear of Faith" mini-arc, wherein she found a small community known as the Ark Project Refugee Center holed up in the remains of a church. Scarecrow was among them, but despite her warnings to the group, he was allowed to stay. His machinations soon put the church into the debt of Penguin and in the crosshairs of Black Masks' gang. However, Huntress convinced the group to forgive Scarecrow and reconnect with their humanity.
Unsure of how to protect them, Huntress left the church and began working with former GCPD officer Petit, whose violent tactics eventually began to weigh on her. As Gotham prepared to reopen, Petit's forces were targeted by the Joker. After he lured Petit and his men into a trap, Huntress had to face Joker and his entire gang by herself. She refused to step aside and fought them to protect the civilians and children in Petit's base.
Even though Huntress was able to defeat the villains, she couldn't dodge their gunfire and was shot multiple times. Batman and Nightwing arrived, Joker fled and Batman praised Huntress with a simple, "Good work, Huntress." Huntress barely survived her injuries.
The Post-Crisis Huntress was a unique addition to the collection of heroes in Gotham City. The daughter of a slain crime-boss, she lacked the training and approval of Batman, but was still dedicated to fighting crime, even if her morality was more lenient than his. She steadily proved herself throughout No Man's Land by fighting for Gotham and willingly following the code of heroism Batman had established.
She's someone inspired by the idea of Batman and what it can mean, not necessarily the man himself. It makes their antagonism feel more authentic and her lashing out all the more tragic. Her darker path throughout No Man's Land feels more defining as a result.
Huntress' disconnect from Batman allows her to stand up for herself in a way none of his former sidekicks can, in addition to allowing her to hold her own against the Dark Knight. While Batman might heavily disagree with her on certain points, he still sees her as an ally and a hero, if a misguided one. No Man's Land proved Huntress has a special role within the Bat-Family.
With the highly-anticipated second season set to debut in only two months, Amazon Prime Video has released an official blooper reel for Season 1 of its bloody superhero satire The Boys.
True to form for The Boys, the Season 1 blooper reel certainly has its share of four-letter words. That said, they are mostly spaced out, though see a significant uptick once Karl Urban (who plays Billy Butcher) starts flubbing a certain line and reacting accordingly. Antony Starr (who plays Homelander) also makes multiple appearances in the video, from accidentally knocking down a door to getting hit in the face with a flying sheet of paper to hitting a light fixture as he tries to turn a corner. The reel concludes with Starr quipping, "The only reason I'm really here it to have a good blooper reel. I don't care about the show, I just want a good blooper reel."
Based on the comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, The Boys follows the eponymous group of vigilantes as they look to push back against superheroes that have been abusing their powers. The series dropped its entire first season on Amazon Prime in July of 2019, with Season 2 set to premiere with a new weekly-release format early this September.
Amazon Studios' The Boys stars Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie, Laz Alonso as Mother's Milk, Tomer Kapon as Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara as the Female, Erin Moriarty as Annie January, Chace Crawford as the Deep, Antony Starr as Homelander and Simon Pegg as Hughie's dad. The first three episodes of Season 2 will arrive on Amazon Prime on Friday, Sept 4.
Perhaps the only non-controversial thing you can say about The Last of Us Part II is that it has been divisive. Though it launched to overwhelming critical acclaim, gamers have been more split on the title. While many agree with the critics who say that the game is a masterpiece that builds upon its brilliant predecessor, others take issue with the sequel's story and characters.
These days, it seems like gamers are increasingly divided, whether that's from critics or one another. While opinions on games are far from new, it seems like most people either love or hate particular games and are defensive when questioned by those who disagree. The Last of Us Part II, while it may be an extreme example, is not the first game to go through this. Let's take a look at some of the most divisive games of the last decade.
Most players see Spec Ops: The Line as either a watered-down Gears of War-esque cover shooter or a brilliant, scathing indictment of the portrayal of war in media. The story saw Dubai in shambles as the player gradually succumbs to wartime trauma, committing increasingly more horrible acts as they slip further into their mental illness.
While that on its own may sound like every other modern military shooter, Spec Ops: The Line went the extra steps to graphically highlight the atrocities committed by armed forces on foreign soil. It even got banned in parts of the world. Playing on modern day sentiments on global armed conflicts is a recipe for mixed reactions at best, and the sales numbers of Spec Ops: The Line proved it.
Halo 3 provided the perfect ending to a beautiful series of games that culminated in global celebration. Humanity had stopped the flood, was rebuilding colonies and, unless you completed the title on legendary, Master Chief entered what appeared to be in a permanent state of cryosleep. However, this wouldn't last. Predictably, the successful franchise spawned another sequel -- this time made by 343 Studios instead of Bungie.
Although not considered a bad game and certainly being profitable, the lead up to Halo 4's launch was wrought with criticism towards Microsoft and 343 Studios, most of which accused the companies of milking the Halo brand. While mechanically similar to its predecessor and aesthetically pleasing, the title was quickly met with backlash from purists due to its many changes to the established formula. The game made adjustments to vehicles and weapons and featured a controversial story involving Cortana. It wouldn’t be until its release where Halo 4 was allowed to stand and fall on its own merits.
Candy Crush is an incredibly simple game, but one that has been blamed for ushering a new, unwanted era of gaming. While perhaps it didn't invent microtransactions, it certainly brought them into the mainstream. It also sparks a deeper and even more divisive conversation regarding whether mobile gaming (at least in terms of free-to-start games with microtransactions) is gaming at all.
Regardless of what side of that fence you’re on, the popularity of Candy Crush makes it a mastodon in the room of video games, even in 2020. The divisiveness of the title doesn’t lie in its gameplay, mechanics, or graphics -- it is focused on whether its monetization structure hurt the industry and if fans or critics consider it to be part of "gaming" at all.
The debate over whether or not video games qualify as art is seen on full display with Death Stranding. Whether you see Hideo Kojima’s first independent title as a walking simulator, interactive art film, delivery game or something else entirely, you're not wrong, and you'll certainly find more people who agree with you.
However, just as you'll find likeminded people, you'll find plenty more who declare your opinion on the game is incorrect. Death Stranding gives players plenty of time to make up their minds as they wander the post-apocalyptic wasteland, dodging specters and carrying babies throughout the game's campaign. Kojima Productions set out to develop a game that would spark conversations over kill streaks, and it succeeded -- perhaps too well.
Touted by its community as being a title for "real" gamers, Dark Souls started an entire subgenre of unforgiving, difficult to control action-platformers with RPG elements: the Soulslike. Modern gaming is inexorably linked to the barriers it has raised between "real" gamers everyone else, with some elitist members of the gaming community rejecting anything seen as casual and approachable for new players.
Much of the Dark Souls and Soulslike community lives and breathes on the notion of pride. They display their ever-decreasing times to beat these games on display as a badge of honor that differentiates them from those who failed to complete the game at all. Dark Souls is not only divisive because of its difficulty spikes, which some see as unfair, but because of the gate it seems to have built between gamers.
Captain America has arrived on Fortnite, and just in time for July 4th, too.
The first Avenger's outfit is now available in the game's item shop for 2,000 V-Bucks and comes with his iconic shield, which can be used as both a Pickaxe or Back Bling. To go along with the skin, Epic Game also released a Grand Salute Emote.
Fortnite is no stranger to Marvel crossovers. The game has featured Black Widow, Star-Lord, Deadpool, Cable, Domino and Psylocke skins in the past. The villain Thanos was also playable during the Infinity Gauntlet Limited Time Mashup in May 2018 and the Endgame Limited Time Mode in April 2019.
Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, Captain American/Steve Rogers first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 in March 1941. The character was portrayed Chris Evans for multiple movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. He also had cameos in Thor: The Dark World and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Developed by Epic Games, Fortnite is available on Mobile, PC, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Ravencroft #5 by Frank Tieri, Angel Unzueta, Rachelle Rosenberg, and VC's Joe Sabino, on sale now.
The Kingpin has always tried to have an air of respectability to his actions, giving him at least the illusion of civility and legality. This has especially come to the forefront during his current stint as Mayor of New York, even somehow working with superheroes who've wanted nothing more than to kill him.
And in Ravencroft #5, Fisk was one of several characters dealing with a demonic horde in Ravencroft Asylum, and the Punisher had to resist the urge to kill Fisk long enough to fight alongside him.
The Ravencroft Asylum has proven to be haunted by demonic forces, specifically the vampiric hordes of the Unwanted. This has led many members of the staff to scramble just to stay alive and ahead of the monsters. At the conclusion of the previous issue, Misty Knight found herself cornered by some of the vampires, only to be saved by the Punisher. The pair continue to fight the Unwanted through Ravencroft #5 but are quickly cornered by the sheer number of creatures. Luckily for them, they're granted a last-second reprieve thanks to the arrival of Mayor Wilson Fisk and his current henchmen, Taskmaster and Scorpion.
Despite being on bad terms with both Knight and Castle, Fisk makes the case that they should work together to try and ensure that they can escape in one piece. Although Misty is reluctantly able to accept that logic, Punisher comes close to opening fire on Fisk. This in turn gets the full attention of Scorpion and Taskmaster, who literally beg Fisk to let them attack Castle. But Fisk and Knight prove to have cooler heads and are able to barely soothe things out, at least temporarily. The group is next seen making their way back to the center of the Asylum, gunning their way through the hordes with success. But after the battle, Punisher is able to make his escape.
While the sight of the Punisher fighting alongside the Kingpin is surprising, Fisk has found himself working with several of the heroes he used to fight since becoming the Mayor of New York City.
In Amazing Spider-Man, Kingpin has been trying to foster the image that he and the wall-crawler have become allies, even if Fisk has operated against Spider-Man and even tried to get him killed in the line of duty. Meanwhile, Fisk found himself on the streets of Hell's Kitchen in recent issues of Daredevil, fighting alongside Matt Murdock to protect the city streets they've fought countless times over.
The Punisher is perhaps Fisk's most surprising ally, however. Punisher came close to ignoring the growing threat around them seemed poised to shoot Fisk at one point, even with Misty warning him not to. Frank's survival instincts are likely the only thing that kept him from opening fire. However, Fisk choosing to stand alongside the Punisher speaks to his pragmatism and his skill at living to fight another day.
Randy Orton has resurrected his "Legend Killer" gimmick and has taken out two WWE Hall of Famers in Edge and Christian. Orton now has his sights on the Big Show, but thanks to his expert level trolling on Twitter, The Apex Predator may get the feud he really wants instead.
After mocking NXT with the LegSlap hashtag, Orton drew the ire of NXT Superstar Tommaso Ciampa, who responded by essentially calling Orton "boring" just prior to Orton's Backlash match against Edge. With Edge currently out with a torn triceps, the rubber match between the Rated RKO members will have to wait, leaving The Viper free to turn his Twitter exchange with The Blackheart into an actual WWE storyline.
Despite Vince McMahon's dismay at the two superstars breaking an unwritten rule, Randy Orton appears to have gotten the feud he wanted against Tommaso Ciampa. McMahon reportedly hates it when superstars engage each other on social media unless it's part of a WWE storyline, and there was likely no intention of having Raw superstar Orton feud with NXT superstar Ciampa. However, thanks to Orton's tweet, Ciampa's response, and Edge's injury, Vince may be encouraged to okay this feud after reviewing all the benefits that would come from it.
It's clear that Edge's untimely injury has put Edge versus Orton 3 on hold and Orton is now treading water until The Rated R Superstar returns. This is likely why The Viper has started mini feuds with Christian and now Big Show, as it's giving Orton something to do until then. While Orton's feud with Christian or Big Show could give him a lengthy feud while Edge is away, neither of those matches will create the buzz that an Orton/Ciampa feud would create.
Whether Vince McMahon wanted this or not, Orton and Ciampa's Twitter war got a lot of WWE fans talking. Orton has reportedly wanted to work with the NXT Superstars and due to Orton's twitter exchange, the seeds of an NXT feud have already been planted. WWE needs to capitalize on this buzz instead of ignoring it for a feud against Big Show that no one cares about. Vince has the means to make this rivalry happen and should realize that money can be made from it.
Vince is keenly aware of the declining ratings in NXT and even sent Charlotte Flair to feud with the NXT roster hoping to spark the ratings. With a Ciampa and Orton feud, Vince has a way to send The Viper down to NXT to do the same. Orton's presence alone would help NXT, and a fresh, original feud against Tommaso Ciampa would draw a lot more eyes to the product. Not only would this feud create a nice buzz and generate more viewers onto NXT, but Raw would benefit from this as well.
Tommaso Ciampa has publicly stated that he wants no part of the main roster. However, Ciampa may make an exception for a one-off feud against Randy Orton. Raw's ratings aren't exactly through the roof and having Ciampa make some guest appearances on Mondays could bring some extra viewers back to the red brand.
However, while WWE would be foolish not to jump at this opportunity to begin an Orton versus Ciampa rivalry, the timing isn't exactly perfect. Orton has already started feuds with Christian and Big Show that could culminate in a match at Extreme Rules, and Orton is reportedly the front-runner to face WWE Champion Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam in August.
While Ciampa versus Orton may be a match fans want to see, Orton versus McIntyre looks a lot better on paper. With Orton versus McIntyre penciled in, WWE isn't going to start anything between Ciampa and Orton for at least another two months (if ever), and unfortunately, by then, the fire these two started may have already dimmed out.
Although Vince may not want to waste Raw's best heel on NXT, there are rumors that Vince has taken notice of its ratings decline and is looking to get more involved with the black and gold brand. It's quite possible that Vince's newfound interest could result in Orton's appearance on NXT, especially following SummerSlam. If that's true, then the hopes are high that the WWE Universe may soon see the trendy #legslap hashtag collide with #RKOOuttaNowhere.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Harley Quinn Season 2, now streaming on DC Universe.
Harley Quinn Season 2 saw the titular Clown Princess of Crime dismantle the Injustice League in the nastiest way possible. She killed Penguin in a brutal and violent scene, Mr. Freeze died under tragic circumstances and Bane and Two-Face got taken down. However, even without the Joker, they really did prove to be formidable foes, pushing Harley to the limit in the battle to see who'd rule Gotham City in the Justice League's absence. Looking at how all the pieces are set up, though, the landscape is perfect for a new, meaner Injustice League to rise up in Harley Quinn Season 3.
At the end of Season 2, Doctor Psycho fell to Harley after betraying her, and he's the perfect person to lead a new Injustice League with a vendetta against the Clown Princess of Crime. He knows Harley's crew inside out, and he's already shown he can cut it as a mastermind. Riddler also worked as his lackey and he got taken down at Riddler University, so his hatred should still be burning bright. Their dynamic is spot on, so they could round up a new squad. As for Bane, Harley destroyed his Pit, so another Injustice League could be his chance at redemption, and one where hopefully he won't be ridiculed like he was the last time.
While he could return, Joker's retired, so rather than pulling him back in and repeating his rivalry with Harley, there's another person with a strong connection to her that would make for a great antagonist: Kite Man. He was livid when he realized his fiancée, Poison Ivy, was in love with Harley, and after breaking off his wedding, it'd be very interesting to see him coming back as a bitter, upgraded enemy. He's usually a punchline, but a lover scorned isn't someone you want to mess with.
Another heavy-hitter that could enter the fray is Darkseid, who gave Psycho an army of Parademons to raze Gotham City in Season 2. Harley abandoned her initial mission, which is what brought the Lord of Apokolips to Earth, as he wanted Psycho to kill her. Darkseid and Harley do have a weird father-daughter dynamic, since the villain believes in her potential, and he promised he'd be back. He could absolutely end up joining up with the Injustice League, potentially bringing the Furies to the table as well. Watching him speak down to the Earth-based villains would also definitely provide great comedic banter.
There are a couple big names as well that can be thrown into the mix in addition to all of those. Two-Face and Harley have quite a history. Harvey Dent is in Harley's bad books, and the show has indicated they could be the rivalry that truly defines her. While starting out as working professionals, both had their moral compasses bent in profound ways. There's also Lex Luthor, who most recently tried to turn Themyscira into a resort of debauchery. With the League back, he'll certainly want to assemble a group to take them on.
Overall, there are a lot of villains who could form the perfect Injustice League to take on Harley and Ivy in a third season of the DC Universe show, should it get greenlit.
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.
Katy Keene will not be returning for a second season on The CW.
Per Deadline, The CW has opted to cancel the Riverdale spinoff after one season. That being said, the studio behind Katy Keene -- Warner Bros. Television -- plans to explore other options in an effort to keep the show alive.
Notably, Warner Bros. does have time to find a new home for the series, as options on the cast were extended from their original expiry date of June 30 to July 31 while The CW made its decision regarding a renewal. Realistically, if Katy Keene does return for Season 2, it will most likely be on the new HBO Max streaming platform, on which Season 1 is already available. However, there is currently no official word on if such a development will actually come to pass.
Katy Keene was the only current series on The CW to not receive a new season renewal for January. The first season performed softly when it came to linear ratings, with The CW Chairman and CEO Mark Pedowitz explaining that a Season 2 renewal would hinge on delayed viewing numbers. According to Deadline, the series has not seen a particularly large number of streaming or DVR viewers, falling well behind other new CW shows like Batwoman and Nancy Drew when it comes to streaming in particular.
Set five years after the events of Riverdale (up until this point), Katy Keene revolves around the Archie Comics character of the same name -- a fashionista attempting to make a name for herself in New York City. The 13-episode first season premiered back in early February and concluded in mid-May. It was mostly well-received by critics and fans, currently holding a 91 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as an 81 percent audience score. While Katy Keene has not been renewed for Season 2, Riverdale is set to return on The CW for Season 5 in January.
Katy Keene stars Lucy Hale, Ashleigh Murray, Johnny Beauchamp, Julia Chan, Camille Hyde, Lucien Laviscount, Zane Holtz and Katherine LaNasa.
Each week, CBR has your guide to navigating Wednesday's new and recent comic releases, specials, collected editions and reissues, and we're committed to helping you choose those that are worth your hard-earned cash. It's a little slice of CBR we like to call Major Issues.
If you feel so inclined, you can buy our recommendations directly on comiXology with the links provided. We'll even supply links to the books we're not so hot on, just in case you don't want to take our word for it. Don't forget to let us know what you think of the books this week in the comments! And as always, SPOILERS AHEAD!
Instead of launching with a regular first issue, Robert Kirkman, Chris Samnee, Matthew Wilson and Rus Wooton's new Image series, Fire Power, kicks off with a 156-page graphic novel that sets the stage for the ongoing title. The book follows Owen Johnson as he travels to a Shaolin Temple in search of answers about his family's past. When he gets there, Owen finds those answers, along with a group of martial artists dedicated to rediscovering the lost ability to throw fireballs.
As that description suggests, this volume is a martial arts epic, and it proudly wears its influences and inspirations on its sleeve. Although its liberal embrace of genre troupes comes dangerously close to cliché, the book's final twist sets the stage for a very different ongoing series with an intriguing concept. While this graphic novel is very much a prelude, the book's lengthy page count gives Samnee and colorist Matthew Wilson plenty of room to shine with sublime linework and a beautiful warm color palette that leads to an epic final fight with multiple jaw-dropping two-page spreads. VERDICT: BUY
In the weeks between the end of DCeased: Unkillables and the upcoming launch of DCeased: Dead Planet, DC has kept its zombie-infested universe alive with the digital-first series DCeased: Hope at World's End. Away from the main narrative thrust of the series, this comic has filled in some cracks around the main story with loosely connected vignettes about the end of the world.
Tom Taylor, Marco Failla' Rex Lokus, Saida Temofonte's DCeased: Hope at World's End #5 has two halves of a solid story. However, those two halves don't really compliment each other. Part of this issue follows Suicide Squad's Wink and Aerie as they search for safe harbor, and the other half sees Damian Wayne grapple with his father's death and carrying on Batman's legacy. Although the Robin story has some tender moments that are well-suited to the cartoony art, the Wink and Aerie tale doesn't offer anything we haven't seen before. VERDICT: PASS
In AWA's latest miniseries, Benjamin Percy, Brent Schoonover, Nick Filardi and Sal Cipriano take a deep dive into the dark secrets sitting just off the interstates of America in Devil's Highway. After her father was murdered at his roadside diner, Sharon Harrow starts investigating the murder and its arcane circumstances.
In the comic's backmatter, Percy compares the series to a David Fincher film, and that's an apt comparison. There's a creeping chill of genuine menace throughout Devil's Highway, and its icy, dark setting and moody art only make it more acute. Harrow comes across as an American contemporary of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and she has the makings of a compelling lead. With strong subtle colorwork and strong layouts that show off the details of the book's more procedural moments, this is another strong first issue from AWA. VERDICT: BUY
Even though Azrael was one of the signature Batman characters of the '90s, the zealous antihero never appeared on Batman: The Animated Series. However, Paul Dini, Alan Burnett, Ty Templeton, Monica Kubina and Joshua Reed's Batman: The Adventures Continue #7 changes that finally brings the "Knightfall" star in the DC Animated Universe.
Every creator on this book knows how to tell a good Batman story, and that's exactly what they all do here. This issue mixes Templeton's action with a pitch-perfect amount of humor and puts an intriguing twist on established Batman lore with the distinctive timeless flair of the DCAU. Especially at its price point, Batman: The Adventures Continue is too good to pass up. VERDICT: BUY
Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hawkeye has gone from a perennial supporting player to an unlikely international hero. That's only part of what makes the dramatic changes that Clint Barton undergoes in Matthew Rosenberg, Otto Schmidt and Joe Sabino's Hawkeye: Freefall #6 so compelling. Like the miniseries as a whole, this issue embraces Hawkeye's past and sees the Avenger excavate it in his increasingly desperate war against the Hood.
While the events of this issue leave Hawkeye in an incredibly precarious place, every decision he makes feels logical thanks to Rosenberg's smart script. Schmidt has a propulsive energetic flow but doesn't skip details -- like the individual shards of glass when Hawkeye crashes through a window. With this legitimately surprising finale, this miniseries cements itself as another top-notch entry in Hawkeye's legacy of quality solo adventures. VERDICT: BUY
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