Before Robert Kirkman abruptly ended Image Comics' The Walking Dead, the series co-creator intended to kill off the comic's most brutal and notorious one-time villain, Negan. Ultimately, though, the character survived, thanks to a cultural observation by series artist Charlie Adlard.
Kirkman's original script for The Walking Dead #174 called for Maggie to shoot and kill Negan. When Adlard received the script, though, he expressed disappointment over the character's intended fate. Kirkman ran Adlard's response in the newly released Negan Lives! one-shot.
"The more I got to know Negan," Adlard told Kirkman, "The more I wish he'd stayed around until the end. I wish redemption would've worked for him. This is no criticism of you (Kirkman) at all, but more criticism of Western literature/entertainment."
"Hardly any Western villain gets away with not dying at the end," Adlard continued. "We, as an audience, always demand the ultimate punishment for our fantasy bad guys. It's a shame we didn't break the mold with Negan -- the baddest of bad guys, but very far down the road to redemption and forgiveness."
Impacted by Adlard's response, Kirkman states in the one-shot he rewrote the final pages of The Walking Dead #174, allowing Negan to live, and acknowledges the ending proved to be an improvement over his original idea.
As published, the fateful issue features Negan pleading for Maggie to kill him, tired of being lonely in part because of his past actions. Maggie refuses, though, not wanting to give the character the death he craves.
The Walking Dead concluded last year with issue #193. Negan Lives!, by Kirkman and Adlard, is on sale now.
In the video, shared to her Instagram, Hale said she recorded a few takes before the one she posted because "[she] was a blubbering mess, and y'all don't want to see that." Hale called working on Katy Keene "truly, one of the highlights of my life. Like, such a joy from top to bottom."
Pantomiming a punch in the gut, Hale explained, "We did not get picked up for a second season, which happens. It's happened a few times to me, and each time it's just like... ugh, just heartbreaking. I mean, this is a job that has broken my heart." Still the actor spoke highly of portraying the eponymous character of Katy Keene. "I'm just grateful for the role of a lifetime," she said, praising the show's cast and crew and encouraging fans to go back and keep watching. "I am so proud of what we made."
A spinoff of Riverdale set several years after the fact, Katy Keene debuted in February and ran for 13 episodes. The show follows Hale as the titular Archie Comics character trying to make her way in New York City's fashion scene. While well-received by critics, Season 1 saw low linear viewership and delayed viewership. While The CW has opted not to renew the series for a second season, Warner Bros. Television is reportedly exploring other options to keep the show alive.
Before 2014, the Guardians of the Galaxy were the least known property to get confirmation as being part of the MCU. However, with James Gunn's incredible film that year, the group burst on the scene with one of the finest films of the cinematic universe thus far and trusted the group and its stars into immense popularity in the pop culture zeitgeist.
The movie will long be remembered as one of the greatest of the MCU, and one reason for that is how quotable it is, and how many quotes do and will continue to stick with fans of the movie for years to come.
10 "I Am Groot." - Groot
There are few MCU quotes as used and as brilliant yet straightforward as "I am Groot," originating in the cinematic universe from Guardians Of The Galaxy.
It is three words that carry a lot of weight both in terms of the humor of the movie and in terms of the emotion, particularly in the ending and with Groot's relationship with Rocket.
9 "Dance Off, Bro." - Peter Quill
The most obvious criticism of the movie is the one-dimensional villain who is instantly forgettable. However, Star-Lord's final face-off with Ronan the Accuser will get long remembered.
The jumping point of "Dance off, bro" is legendary, and encapsulates pretty much what the group is all about in the MCU. It is a brilliant scene.
8 "I Know Who You Are Peter Quill And I Am Not Some Starry-Eyed Waif Here To Succumb To Your... Your Pelvic Sorcery!" - Gamora
There are few Marvel movie romances as good as Gamora and Star-Lord. The two are hilarious and excellent together and, like everyone else in this film, have electric chemistry to go alongside the great performances.
This quote is made by Zoe Saldana's delivery and the hilarity of "pelvic sorcery." Gamora and the other Guardians' lack of understanding of Earth culture is a frequent point of humor throughout, and this is no different.
Bradley Cooper is perhaps the MCU actor who gets nowhere near the amount of credit he deserves, probably because not many people know he is in it due to him being the voice actor for Rocket Raccoon.
Cooper's delivery is pitch-perfect throughout, helping make Rocket the layered and humourous character that he is. That is why when he gets outraged and starts kicking at grass, this line becomes so well remembered.
6 "What If Someone Does Something Irksome, And I Decide To Remove His Spine?" - Drax The Destroyer
Another fantastic performer of the MCU and in Guardians Of The Galaxy is Dave Bautista, with his insanely funny portrayal of Drax the Destroyer.
He is the source of so many phenomenal one-liners and hilarious quotes to do with violence, misunderstanding of sarcasm, and taking things far too literally. This is one of the best examples.
5 "Nothing Goes Over My Head! My Reflexes Are Too Fast, I Would Catch It!" - Drax The Destroyer
Just better than that, though, is another phenomenally delivered line that is very difficult to imagine anybody not laughing at when watching it for the first time.
It terrifically highlights Drax's taking of things too literally, with Dave Bautista's offended delivery when Rocket says metaphors will just go over his head.
4 "Well, Now I'm Standing. Happy? We're All Standing Now. Bunch Of Jackasses Standing In A Circle." - Rocket Raccoon
Guardians Of The Galaxy is far from a typical, cut and dry superhero movie, and, in fact, denies a few of the tropes often used within said movies—that including the triumphant circle of heroes.
Going back to the phenomenal cast once again, Cooper's line here is both written perfectly and delivered equally as such, and now whenever heroes stand in a circle, one cannot help but think about Rocket and this line.
3 "I Have Lived Most Of My Life Surrounded By Enemies. I Will Be Grateful To Die Among My Friends." - Gamora
Each of the Guardians of the Galaxy has led a tragic life in one aspect or another, and right at the top of the list in that respect is Gamora, who has been a fighter with an edge and a good heart all her life even with Thanos as her father.
That helps add considerable weight to her character, making this quote truly tear-jerking to hear. It plays brilliantly on the idea of the found family presented in Guardians making it incredibly memorable even if they did not die.
2 "You Said It Yourself, B****. We're The Guardians Of The Galaxy." - Peter Quill
Going back to Peter Quill and, despite his slew of fantastic quotes, going back again to the final scene, the moment when the Guardians come together and feel the brunt of the power stone's impact is incredible.
When Ronan the Accuser looks on bewildered only for Peter to hit out with this quote, it is a truly fist pump moment, helping the movie stick the landing, something so many others - especially with flat villains - fail to do.
1 "We Are Groot." - Groot
Of course, there is no quote in this film that will ever be as touching and as memorable as the only other two words spoken by Vin Diesel and Groot in the movie, "we are."
Groot sacrificing himself - albeit temporarily - to save his friends is enough to make anybody cry, even with the knowledge that he comes back as the adorable Baby Groot soon after.
While she seldom appears in the film itself physically, her presence can be felt throughout the many easter eggs and references to various comic book and film storylines. With that in mind, here are 10 things you may have missed about Mary Jane in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
10 Voiced By Zoë Kravitz
With Mary Jane's little screen time, she has even less actual lines throughout the duration. One of the main times she speaks is when they hold a funeral for the Spider-Man from Miles's universe. This is following his fight with the Kingpin which Miles Morales witnessed, but could do nothing to stop.
It is no wonder that many probably do not realize who is voicing her as Zoë Kravitz's voice is very rarely heard in the film. It is not, however, Kravitz's first superhero film, having appeared in X-Men First Class as Angel Salvadore. She has also been cast to play Catwoman in the 2021 Batman film alongside Robert Pattinson.
These include the upside-down kiss with Mary Jane, the iconic train scene, and even the infamous black-suited dancing scene.
8 Peter And Mary Jane's Divorce Is A Nod To Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 4 Script
While the Peter Parker from Miles's universe seems to have it all, Peter B. Parker did not have as smooth of a story. The latter's story did happen much the same as Peter Parker's did, but then it took a turn for the worse. Mary Jane wanted a child and Peter B. Parker did not, resulting in their divorce.
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse shows us a married Peter B. Parker and Mary Jane Watson. In a spinoff series titled Renew Your Vows, this is taken one step further.
In this storyline, she also differed in that she was a lesbian who fell in love with Sunfire, known as Mariko Yashida in that version. While this version of Mary Jane did not last too long, she could potentially be introduced in the film's sequel as the possibilities are limitless with the multiverse.
5 Spider-Man's Funeral
With Peter's untimely death at the hands of Kingpin, the whole world is shaken and in mourning. This is reminiscent of Spider-Man's death in the Ultimate Universe. In Ultimate Fallout, Tony Stark organizes a public funeral in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City against Aunt May's wishes. In this story, Miles is similarly present at the time of Spider-Man's death and feeling guilty for not doing more.
Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse sees Mary Jane delivering a eulogy about Peter Parker and his life as Spider-Man. While this is not the case in the comic story, both funerals take place at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
4 Mary Jane Was There From The Start
Speaking of the Ultimate Universe, another key difference between that and its predecessors comes in the form of Mary Jane. While they end up together in both the classic and Ultimate universes, the latter sees it happen much more quickly. In this universe, Mary Jane is in the picture since day 1 and she is Peter's first lover.
3 Peter Parker's Religion
A huge topic of debate throughout comic history is what religion Spider-Man follows. Most evidence points to Spider-Man being Christian as he celebrates Christian holidays, his wedding was a Christian ceremony, and he prays to God on occasion.
In the film, however, we see two religions coming into play in Spider-Man's life. The first is when we see Peter Parker being buried at a Catholic church. Conversely, Peter B. Parker is shown partaking in a Jewish marriage ceremony stepping on chuppah glass with Mary Jane. While this is not inconclusive evidence pointing to either side, it is interesting to see these differences in the two Spider-Mans' lives as seen in different universes. The differences could also point to Mary Jane's religious affiliation in different universes as well.
In her universe, she is in a band called The Mary Janes in which she is the drummer. Additionally, Glory Grant, Betty Brant, and Mary Jane Watson are in this band.
1 Mary Jane At A Benefit For Spider-Man Hosted By Kingpin
Towards the end of the film, a benefit is put on to honor Spider-Man by none other than the Kingpin himself. This is where Peter B. Parker runs into Mary Jane and is distracted by her presence, reminded of what happened in their relationship. While Mary Jane does not take any significant action here, it is interesting that she is there at all.
Through the funeral, it is confirmed that Mary Jane knows the identity of Peter Parker. This revelation makes it even more surprising that she is attending an event hosted by the man responsible for his death. It begs the question of how much, if anything, she knew about Peter's investigations into the Kingpin or his superhero work in general.
The Avengers are an assemblage of some of the greatest superheroes ever created. Looking at the sheer power and breadth of their rosters over the years, it's kind of hard to imagine any foe that can take them down. This is a team of people who have beaten gods, aliens invasions, and cosmic beings. What could possibly beat them?
What if all of their enemies banded together as one and attacked them? Would that be enough? The answer is... sometimes. Enter the Masters of Evil, a who's who of the Avengers mightiest foes, banded together to destroy them. So, in a knockdown, drag-out fight for all the marbles, who would win- the Avengers or the Masters Of Evil?
11 The Avengers: Teamwork
The Avengers easily have the Masters of Evil when it comes to teamwork. While there are a lot of powerful beings on the Masters of Evil, they're also a bunch of angry, mouthy villains who don't always get along. Some of them are looking to backstab their way to top and as a whole, they're just untrustworthy people in general.
Their teamwork is confined to "everybody hit that dude", which can be effective to an extent. The Avengers, on the other hand, are a unit of friends who know that to win a fight, sometimes you have to work together.
10 Masters Of Evil: The Wrecking Crew
The Wrecking Crew are a group of criminals that through means both magical (Karnilla the Norn Queen gave Wrecker his powers) and nonsensical (Bulldozer, Piledriver, and Thunderball were gripping Wrecker's magic crowbar when it got struck by lightning) gained physical power that allowed them to take on Thor.
Four Thor level enemies are going to ruin any team's day and as powerful as the Avengers are, dropping these four, on top of everyone else on the Masters of Evil, in their midst is trouble.
9 The Avengers: World's Smartest Heroes
The Avengers have had some of the smartest people in the Marvel Universe on their team. Iron Man, Hank Pym, and Black Panther are some of the smartest human beings. Add to that reserve members like Reed Richards, Spider-Man, the Beast and the intelligence of android Avengers like Vision and Jocasta and the Avengers has some of the most formidable brains on the planet working for them.
All of this brainpower allows the team to figure their way out of all kinds of traps and schemes and think outside the box to solve problems. The Masters of Evil can't match that.
8 Masters Of Evil: Fiendish Strategy
The Masters of Evil are usually led by Baron Helmut Zemo, one of Captain America's greatest villains, and probably one of the best strategists of any villain in the Marvel Universe. Zemo likes to stack the Masters of Evil with supervillainous talent to give himself a lot of options in combat.
Zemo's plans are multilevel and take into account the inherent untrustworthiness of his teammates. His planning has worked so well in the past that the Masters of Evil were able to defeat the Avengers pretty handily, taking over Avengers Mansion and taking out their powerful members.
7 The Avengers: Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch is one of the most powerful being in the Marvel Universe. Her reality altering powers have allowed her to change the entire planet, molding history how she saw fit. Power like that is very hard to deal with and while her first inclination isn't to reshape the world, her powers make anything possible.
The Masters of Evil have a lot of powerful members but they don't have anyone that can match Scarlet Witch for sheer power. If Scarlet Witch wants to, she can end the fight with a few words.
6 Masters Of Evil: A Team Of Powerhouses
Zemo likes to make sure his Masters of Evil are full of very powerful individuals. Beyond the aforementioned Wrecking Crew, the team boasts Moonstone, Absorbing Man, Titania, Mr Hyde, Blackout, Tiger Shark, Goliath, and Whirlwind. That's a lot of powerful foes and it's not even the full extent of the team.
This is a remarkable assemblage of powerful beings who are more than a match for just about any team of Avengers on their own and it's not even the entire team. The Masters of Evil are stacked with power.
5 The Avengers: The Reserves
One of the great things about the Avengers is that even if the main team is beaten, they can call on one of the deepest benches of superheroic talent around. The Avengers over the years have been a who's who of the Marvel Universe and just about all of them would gladly come to the aid of their former teammates.
This is one of the reasons it's so hard to beat the Avengers- they can call on just about everybody who wears a costume to come in and pull their fat out of the fire.
4 Masters Of Evil: Their Reserves
Not to be outdone, the Masters of Evil also boast a very deep bench of villains. The supervillains of the Marvel Universe hate the Avengers, with very good reason, and looking through lists of who has been on the Masters of Evil in the past is like looking through a list of just about all of the villains of the Marvel Universe.
This gives the team a massive amount of talent to call on, a veritable army of the most powerful and dangerous villains around. They can match the Avenger's reserves in power and breadth.
3 The Avengers: Leadership
The Avengers have one of the best leaders in comics in Captain America. A master strategist with years of experience, Cap knows how to use his people to best of their abilities and his leadership has allowed them to persevere against near insurmountable odds in the past. Cap wins fights.
Sometimes, a good leader can make all the difference and Cap is a leader like that. He can take just about any team and forge them into a formidable force.
2 Masters Of Evil: The Avengers Are Scared Of Them
It's very hard to beat the Avengers but the Masters of Evil have done it. In the seminal story "Under Siege", the Masters of Evil attacked the Avengers and were able to do something that none of their foes had been able to do in the past- defeat them.
It wasn't just a defeat- the Masters of Evil demoralized the team. Ever since, the Avengers have feared another Master of Evil attack.
1 Winner: The Avengers
While the Masters of Evil were able to do a lot of damage to the Avengers, the team was still able to come from behind and secure the win. The two groups have battled each other many times over the years but no matter how bad things get, the Avengers are always able to win. The Masters of Evil can put up a good fight and may bloody the Avengers, but the good guys will come out on top.
Henry King Jr. may be headed down a different path than his villainous father Brainwave, as a synopsis for the upcoming Stargirl episode "Brainwave Jr." teases him becoming a superhero rather than a villain.
According to the synopsis, while Henry Jr. begins mastering his "newfound skills," he learns secrets from his family's past that will force him to "make a difficult decision." Meanwhile, a plan hatched by the new Justice Society of America brings the team face-to-face with an unnamed member of the Injustice Society.
LET ME START AT THE BEGINNING — As Henry Jr. (Jake Austin Walker) hones his newfound skills, uncovered secrets from his family’s past force him to make a difficult decision. Meanwhile, Courtney (Brec Bassinger), Yolanda (Yvette Monreal), Beth (Anjelika Washington) and Rick’s (Cameron Gellman) latest plan brings them face to face with a member of the ISA. Finally, tensions between Pat (Luke Wilson) and Barbara (Amy Smart) force her to revisit her own past. Trae Romano, Meg DeLacy, Christopher James Baker and Neil Jackson also star. Andi Armaganian directed the episode written by James Dale Robinson (#110). Original airdate 7/21/2020.
Stargirl stars Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore (Stargirl), Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan (S.T.R.I.P.E.), Joel McHale as Sylvester Pemberton (Starman), Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez (Wildcat), Amy Smart as Barbara Whitmore, Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel (Dr. Mid-Nite), Cameron Gellman as Rick Tyler (Hourman), Joy Osmanski as Ms. Brooks (Tigress), Christopher James Baker as Dr. Henry King (Brainwave), Neil Jackson as Jordan Mahkent (Icicle), Nelson Lee as Dr. Ito (Dragon King) and Neil Hopkins as Lawrence Crock (Sportsmaster). The series airs Mondays on DC Universe and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
The Narutoseries is known for its villainous ninjas who Naruto has encountered and fought along the way to becoming the Hokage. Each villain comes with their own backstory and motive, whether it's power or peace, that have driven them down a dark path of sins and tragedy.
But despite how evil or savage they may be, these villain shinobi also possess unique personalities and traits that fans can relate to on some level. Whether they're stubborn like a Taurus, witty like a Virgo, or crafty like a Pisces, there is a suitable villain from Naruto for each of the twelve zodiac signs.
12 Aries: Kabuto
Of the twelve signs, an Aries tends to be the most competitive and ambitious. They may compare themselves to others, but that's what motivates them to be even better.
Starting off as Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto was inspired by his fellow villain to seek power beyond what he already had. As time progressed, Kabuto arguably surpassed Orochimaru, achieving Sage Mode and resurrecting an entire army of the dead in the Fourth Shinobi War.
11 Taurus: Kimimaro
Most commonly known for their stubbornness, Taurus will no doubt stick to their beliefs, goals, and whatever they set their mind to. They will be loyal no matter what.
Like Kabuto, Kimimaro was closely connected to Orochimaru. He was so loyal that he was willing to become Orochimaru's next body. And despite carrying a disease that would eventually kill him, Kimimaro fought for Orochimaru's sake until his death.
10 Gemini: Nagato
In contrast to the stubborn Taurus, Geminis are open and willing to adapt to new situations. They will keep an open mind and consider all of their options.
As the founder of the original Akatsuki, Nagato's intentions were to bring peace to the ninja world. For a long time, he believed the only way to achieve peace was through making everyone first feel pain. However, he was willing to hear Naruto out and realized there was a better way to achieve peace.
9 Cancer: Obito
Cancers may come across as moody due to how they let their emotions get the best of them. They have a tendency to think more with their heart than with their head.
Obito was once a thoughtful young ninja who had his emotions taken advantage of by Madara. After witnessing his friend, Kakashi, strike his other friend, Rin, through the heart, Obito was left heartbroken and decided to aid Madara in his plot to forever change the ninja world.
8 Leo: Madara
Leos possess the qualities of a strong leader. They represent their people and strive to unify them for the better.
As the leader of the Uchiha clan, it was Madara's responsibility to unite his clan with others including the Senju clan. Together with Hashirama, Madara helped with the founding of Konohagakure for the sake of easing tension.
7 Virgo: Orochimaru
Virgos are people who know how to analyze a situation. Using their sharp and quick minds, they can make informed decisions based on the circumstances they are given.
Seeking immortality, Orochimaru has proven his intellect through his many science experiments performed on other shinobi. He also was the one who cleverly planted seeds in Sasuke's head to convince him to leave the village in search of more power.
6 Libra: Konan
Libras are the most balanced of the zodiac signs, which often means they appreciate peace and dislike conflict. They do their best to bring balance with them wherever they go.
The Akatsuki was full of criminals with plenty of blood on their hands, but it was very clear that Konan wasn't as villainous as her fellow members. Rather, she, along with Nagato, wished to make the world more peaceful and ultimately put her faith in Naruto to fulfill that wish.
5 Scorpio: Haku
While Scorpios may be a tad mysterious, they have a lot to offer. They are extremely loyal and know how to get the job done.
When Haku was first introduced, his face was concealed behind a mask and his intentions were unknown. As it would turn out, he lived to serve Zabuza as his partner-in-crime despite his kind heart. Haku's loyalty to Zabuza held until the very end when he sacrificed his life to save his partner from an incoming Chidori.
4 Sagittarius: Zetsu
A Sagittarius might not be as serious as the others, but that's what gives them their laidback personality. Rather than being a team player, they often opt to cater to their own needs first.
Out of the members of the Akatsuki, White Zetsu had a tendency to be playful rather than serious. At the same time, Zetsu also had his own separate ulterior motive to resurrect Kaguya, which none of his fellow Akatsuki were ever aware of.
3 Capricorn: Itachi
Capricorns may seem to be closed-off people who keep to themselves. However, this is often due to the fact that they don't want anyone holding them back from their responsibilities. They are known to be very reliable.
When the village ordered him to eliminate his own clan, Itachi was forced to choose a side. As a loyal ninja of Konohagakure, he sided with the village and went through with slaughtering the entire Uchiha clan aside from his brother.
2 Aquarius: Zabuza
Rather than going with the flow of things, an Aquarius will cut their own paths to fit their own lifestyle. They like the independence to do as they please.
Zabuza was a skilled rogue ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist who became an assassin as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Since then, he opted to work and travel more independently with only his most trusted ally, Haku.
1 Pisces: Deidara
A Pisces is defined by their creativity and artistic abilities. More often than not, they will convey their emotions through their craft.
Deidara was a member of the Akatsuki who took pride in his art. His art, clay sculptures, were even incorporated into his explosion technique and kekkei genkai. As he fought, he thoroughly enjoyed showing off his craft and would get upset if his opponent didn't appreciate his art.
Though he is perhaps best known for illustrating Venom for Marvel Comics, artistRyan Stegman often illustrates other characters from time to time. His latest sketch features the relatively new but very prominent DC Comics villain, The Batman Who Laughs, who is at the center of Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion's Dark Nights: Death Metal.
"Venom Boy" posted the sketch of the insidious alternate version of Batman to his Twitter account, which features the insidious Batman Who Laughs. "Tonight on the @stegmanshow we had [Scott Snyder]! And I drew this! Banger of an episode," Stegman wrote, referring to the Stegman and Friends podcast he hosts with Venom writer Donny Cates, the most recent episode of which featured Snyder as a guest.
Stegman's sketch showcases the Batman Who Laughs in the regal armor and crown he sported during the first issue of Death Metal. He stands under a dark sky, his face twisted in his signature rictus grin.
The Batman Who Laughs is an alternate version of Bruce Wayne, who was infected by Joker toxin and became a lethal strategist. He convinced the dark goddess Perpetua that he would be her disciple, and helped her reshape the Multiverse in her image.
Dark Nights: Death Metal #1 is available now from DC Comics.
This is Wedding Bells Are Ringin', a month-long examination of notable comic book weddings, since this is June, after all, and that's a time for weddings. I let you all vote and you voted for this feature to spotlight real AND fake weddings. I've decided, then, to only go with weddings that actually ended with marriages, whether dreams or not (in other words, everything but called off weddings).
Today, we look at the wedding of Hulk and Caiera during Planet Hulk.
We first met Caiera in the first issue of "Planet Hulk," the storyline that involved the Illuminati deciding to rid the Earth of the Hulk (and make the Hulk happy, as well) by sending the Jade Giant to a peaceful planet, but instead, he landed on a warrior planet where he was forced into becoming a gladiator in front of some jerk Emperor (the artists for the story are Carlo Pagulayan and Jeffrey Huet and Aaron Lopresti and Sandu Florea, with colors by Chris Sotomayor). Caiera is seen as the Emperor's bodyguard...
After the Hulk successfully won his fight, he was meant to be freed, but he instead attacked the Emperor and Caiera had to step in to defend her boss...
The Emperor then wanted to fight Hulk himself, and so he did, until the Hulk started to kick his ass, at which point Caiera had to step in yet again to protect her boss...
The Hulk was sent to basically gladiator training school and he returned with a team of gladiators (the Warbound) and he became a popular figure. Caiera visits him to try to convince the Hulk to just go along with the Emperor and not cause any trouble...
Of course, that did not work. The Hulk declared open revolt on the Emperor and freed the other citizens of the world to aid him in the rebellion. Caiera sees that the Emperor is cruelly turning on the rebels...
So she decides that the only way she can save the lives of the populace is by defeating the Hulk herself so she can stop the fighting here...
But then they are attacked by these deadly parasite creatures known as "Spikes." She and Hulk have to team up together to stop them...
In the next issue, though, she discovers that it was the Emperor who sent the spikes after them, choosing to kill thousands to defeat the Hulk. The Emperor then began dropping bombs on innocent citizens to get at the Hulk...
This was enough and now Caiera fought alongside the Hulk...
They succeeded in overthrowing the king and the Hulk was now the kind of the planet. He had to cut a new deal with Caiera's people. But he didn't want her to be his bodyguard anymore, but rather his queen...
They then got married in a special ceremony unique to her people...
Tragically, one of Hulk's Warbound compatriots did not like that the Hulk was content now, so he sabotaged the ship that the Hulk landed in the planet. It exploded, killing Caiera, and sending Hulk traveling back to Earth looking for revenge (as his Warbound compatriot had convinced the Hulk that the Illuminati had intentionally exploded the ship).
If any one has suggestions for a future wedding spotlight, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com. I'm done for the month (I'm obviously a couple of days into July in wrapping this up, but I will do more of these in the future outside of just this month-long bit).
Spider-Man: Fake Red -- the official Japanese manga based on Marvel's Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4 -- has been discontinued, writer/artist Yūsuke Ōsawa has confirmed.
Ōsawa broke the news to readers on Twitter. "I was informed that the discontinuation of the series Spider-Man: Fake Red has been decided," he wrote (translated from Japanese). "I'm really disappointed."
Ōsawa explained that while the manga's first compiled volume initially performed rather well, additional printings failed to sell at a satisfactory level. Furthermore, the manga did not sell particularly well digitally. He also said that there is unlikely to be an official English translation, as there are currently no plans for the manga to be released outside of Japan.
Featuring an original story based on the Spider-Man video game written by Ōsawa and supervised by Marvel, Spider-Man: Fake Red was launched last year on the Manga Pocket app to coincide with the Japanese release of Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures' Spider-Man: Far From Home. The final chapter of the manga's first "phase" was published on Manga Pocket this past March, with the first compiled volume arriving in April.
True to his patriotic destiny, Steve Rogers' birthday in the Marvel Universe is July 4, which foreshadows his iconic role as Captain America. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby in 1941 to oppose the Axis Powers before the United States even officially entered World War II, the superhero led the first generation of Marvel heroes throughout the 1940s. After Rogers spent decades frozen in ice, Kirby and Stan Lee brought Captain America back in Avengers #4, from which he became a time-displaced character adjusting to the modern era while serving as a pivotal member of the Avengers.
Now, to celebrate the Avenger's birthday and that of the country which he has dedicated his life to defend, we're taking a look at some of the best solo Captain America comic book stories across his star-spangled history.
Roger Stern and John Byrne teamed up in 1980 to begin an acclaimed run on Captain America that redefined the character's classic origins while setting up a new future for the Sentinel of Liberty starting with Captain America #247. Collected as War & Remembrance, the run had a group of activists attempt to set up Steve Rogers as a serious candidate for the upcoming presidential election, with Captain America deciding whether it was his place to run for the highest public office in the country.
The run ends with Captain America called back to England for one last adventure with the original Union Jack against the resurgent, vampiric villain Baron Blood. As the two old war buddies take on the bloodthirsty antagonist, a new Union Jack is chosen to carry on the legacy of the British superhero for a new generation.
On more than one occasion, Steve Rogers has stood in direct opposition to the federal government, disagreeing with its agenda on a fundamental level. One of the more noteworthy occurred approximately a third of the way through seminal Captain America writer Mark Gruenwald's run, covered in issues Captain America#332-350. Joined by artists Kieron Dwyer and Tom Morgan, Gruenwald created many iconic elements of the character during his run, including the introduction of Crossbones and the Serpent Society.
Unwilling to become a pawn for the federal government's agenda after witnessing Nuke's rampage in the classic Daredevil story "Born Again," Steve Rogers was forced to surrender the mantle of Captain America, including his signature vibranium shield. In the aftermath, Steve created his own alter ego as the Captain, with Iron Man's assistance. In his place, the military selects John Walker as the new Captain America, which led to a star-spangled showdown between the two characters.
Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting kicked off their universally acclaimed run on Captain America with a bang in 2005, with "The Winter Soldier." Opening with the apparent murder of the Red Skull by an unseen assailant, the storyline has Steve Rogers tormented by powerful figures and nightmarish memories of his World War II partner Bucky Barnes while confronting the legendary eponymous assassin in a battle that spans much of the East Coast.
Loosely adapted by Marvel Studios in 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the comic book source material is still a gripping, well-crafted read, even if its major twist has long since become public knowledge. The story set the crypto-thriller tone for much of Brubaker's subsequent run, establishing the status quo for the title and its cast as Captain America continued to adjust to life in the 21st century and a past that wasn't as dead as he originally believed.
While Mark Waid had written the main Captain America series to an enthusiastic response from fans and critics alike in the '90s, one of his most beloved stories came over a decade later in the miniseries Man Out of Time. Working with artist Jorge Molina, the story provided an updated origin story of Steve Rogers reawakening in the 21st century, rather than the 1960s as originally depicted by Lee and Kirby over four decades ago.
Playing up the tragedy of Steve being haunted by Bucky's apparent death at the end of World War II, the reborn Sentinel of Liberty attempted to use modern technology to travel back to the past to save his best friend's life as the rest of the Avengers scrambled to stop him in an effort to preserve the space-time continuum from the potential paradox as Steve rediscovered his place in the world.
At the end of his initial volume on Captain America, writer Rick Remender had left Steve Rogers restored to his natural old age, with the World War II veteran passing the mantle of Captain America on to his longtime friend and superhero partner, Sam Wilson. Remender and artist Stuart Immonen launched this bold, new era for Captain America in earnest with the subsequent volume All-New Captain America in 2015, with Sam using his background as Falcon as a foundation for his new future as the Star-Spangled Avenger.
The opening storyline "Hydra Ascendant" had the sinister organization infiltrate virtually every level of society, sending the new Captain America scrambling to stop their latest plot alongside Nomad, Steve's adoptive son from another world. Facing them is a whole host of Cap's old villains, including Sin and Baron Blood, with the fate of millions of lives hanging in the balance as Sam more than proves himself worthy of his predecessor's mantle.
No one was more affected by the crossover event Secret Empire than Steve Rogers, with Hydra corrupting their longtime foe to become their new leader and stage a takeover of the United States in the name of Captain America. With Captain America's legacy tarnished, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Leinil Francis Yu kicked off Captain America's current series by exploring the immediate fallout as Captain America sought to redeem himself from the horrific actions committed in his name during the event.
Coates and Yu's run began with the storyline "Winter in America," with Captain America foiling an attack on peaceful protestors in Washington, D.C. With nefarious figures targeting the United States from the heart of Russia, Captain America set out on his globe-trotting mission of atonement with a decidedly more timely, socially conscious tone in a fantastic starting point for new and longtime readers alike.
Back in 1985, Robert Zemeckis released his seminal film Back to the Future. It launched a new craze in science-fiction when it popularized time travel, a concept that was minorly explored in pop culture before, which allowed Zemeckis to take the concept and run with it full force in his trilogy. There is a never ending list of time travel media from film and television, and each property has different rules when it comes to the malice manipulation of the time stream, as seen in the titles below.
The rules of time are pretty simple in the Back to the Future trilogy. They dictate that whenever a person goes back in time and makes a change to the time stream, that change will result in an alteration in the future. For example, when Marty accidentally prevents his father from meeting his mother, time starts the process of erasing him from existence, since without them meeting, he couldn't be born. The sequel introduces a new rule in which a change to the future can be repaired by preventing the event from ever happening in the first place, so stopping Biff from using the almanac in turn reversed the dystopian 1985 from happening, restoring the timeline to its original setting.
While Back to the Future had a pretty simple time travel concept, Avengers: Endgamechooses a more complicated route. In the film, time travel is explained as a person existing within their own time stream that has its select past, present and future. Once they travel to the past, the very action of them going back is a part of their physical present, so making a change will not affect them personally, but it will affect the new timeline they created by traveling back. This is why 2023 Nebula killing her 2014 counterpart does not result in her vanishing. Also, killing 2014 Thanos does not erase the snap from happening. Time is fragile, and while some changes can be made, they can never affect the time traveler's own personal timeline.
Within The Flash, time travel is explained as a very vulnerable and sensitive matter. It is not possible for a speedster to ever so casually travel back and forth without consequences. This was explained when Barry first traveled back in Season 1 and ended up creating more chaos, which he wanted to avoid. Alternatively, there is always the Flashpoint event in which Barry saving his mother and then going back to stop himself from doing so resulted in many unpredicted changes in the timeline. As Jay Garrick explained in Season 3 by using a coffee cup, once he travels in time, "the cup" will break, and no matter how hard he tries to fix it, it will still show cracks.
In the German sci-fi show Dark time travel is introduced in a very complicated way, but the show tries its best to carefully explain it. The way time works is with a loop, and all events exist within an infinite circle, including the past, present and future characters working on their own missions to either prevent or solidify the crisis of their timeline. However, the characters learn that free will does not exist, and as much as the past versions try, they can never avoid the future, because the future still exists, which is proof nothing changed. A neverending bootstrap paradox haunts the show's characters until they accept that they must cause the chaos they have tried hard to prevent.
Not all time travel media has to be a fight with time or an acceptance of defeat. In Hot Tub Time Machine, time travel is kept brief and simple, but it is smartly done. The characters are sent back to the 80s, but instead of their physical future selves ending up in the 80s alongside their past versions, their consciences are sent back in time, except for Jacob who did not exist physically yet and is allowed to keep his future body. This solves the paradox of running into a past self and creating a deadly loop, which is something many other time travel narratives struggle with.
On the note of conscience travel in exchange for physical, X Men: Days of Future Past explains time travel just as so. It is impossible for someone to travel to whatever point they desire because a physical embodiment of themselves must exist in the time period they are going to. Kitty Pryde has the ability to throw a person's mind backwards through time, but the person must be able to survive the strain on their mind, depending on how far back they go. Once in the past, changes can be made that will cement into the timeline only after the change is solidified enough to ensure it cannot be repeated later down the line.
"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff," is a quote from the 10th Doctor that perfectly explains how time travel works in the 57 year old show. Time is fluctuating and unpredictable, so the butterfly effect cannot come into play as time is not linear enough for it to take hold. While time still has rules, like being unable to save someone whose death is a fixed point, it still allows for freedom of change and alteration within a certain degree.
TheStar Wars fan base is notorious for being one of the most devoted fan bases in all of film history. Because of this, there is no shortage of fan art, fan fiction, forums, etc. dedicated to Star Wars. Fans on Quora reimagined the iconic look of Darth Vader, and admittedly, the fan-made designs are pretty cool.
This reimagined version of Darth Vader by edsfox is probably the closest to the original version; although, this one looks creepier with the threatening claws and menacing mouth cover. He has a ghoulish aura, which is quite frightening, so if Star Wars were to go in a more "eerie" direction, this Vader would be perfect.
This Darth Vader by Furio Tedeschi looks like something out of a Marvel movie. He has a suit akin to something Tony Stark would create. No helmet is present on his gray head, revealing his yellow eyes and destructed face. This is actually a great element to this Vader because leaving his face exposed allows the villain to emote through facial expressions, which would have been cool to see.
Riyahd Cassiem created this Vader, which appears to be another close replica to the original Darth Vader. Upon observation, it's reasonable to believe that this suit may have been better for the villain in terms of combat. The original suit is clunky in appearance, and Vader seems inhibited by it at times. This fan-made suit seems to be a lot sleeker, providing more mobility for the Sith Lord.
This reimagined version of Vader by Jose Arias is a far cry from the original. Despite this, there's no denying that the design is really cool. This is a Sith Lord who slays Jedi in style. The shiny shoulder spikes, the narrow helmet and the lustrous armor are all elements that evoke a sinister but chic look. Additionally, this artist created alternate helmet designs, as shown to the right of the picture, all of which are unique and captivating.
Here is a transparent Darth Vader helmet by Joshua Cairos, revealing his grayed, scorched skin. Besides that, his helmet and mouth respirator still looks somewhat reminiscent to the original. This Vader has some cool armored shoulder pads to top it all off.
There's no denying that this Darth Vader by iVANTO has the cool factor. He's got the long, flowing cape, an intimidating helmet and a sleek suit design. This Darth Vader is truly magnificent and evokes a sense of dominance, royalty and power.
This Darth Vader by Nathan McGee is pretty cool, however, he doesn't appear as powerful as the others. He almost looks like an alternate version of a Darth Vader guard. Nevertheless, maybe his unassuming appearance would throw off opponents, giving him an edge in battle.
Although the reimagined, fan-made Darth Vaders are all cool, they can't beat the original. Cool can't top iconic, and that is exactly what this Sith Lord is, iconic. Darth Vader is inarguably one of the most recognizable villains in the world. He is an unrivaled classic amongst movie villains, and for this reason, his original design will always be unmatched.
After Light Yagami and Misa Amane proved their apparent "innocence" partway through Death Note, a third Kira appeared, and L devised the perfect plan to capture this monster.
It was actually Light who first sniffed out the third Kira, and the combined efforts of himself, Misa and even Touta Matsuda narrowed down the playing field to eight employees of the Yotsuba corporation who met in secret weekly. The list of candidates narrowed down further, and L realized that he had all the weapons he needed to bring this corporate Kira to justice.
Of course, L couldn't barge into Yotsuba's HQ and cuff the suspected Kiras, nor could he send the police to do that. Instead, he sent two expert criminals: Wedy (pictured) and Aiber. The former hacked security systems and installed cameras in Yotsuba's HQ and the residences of the suspected eight, while Aiber posed as a detective to learn more from them. L also had Misa approach Yotsuba as an actress, asking for a spot in a new Yotsuba TV commercial. Through an interview with a few Yotsuba members, Misa realized (with Rem's help) that Kyosuke Higuchi was indeed Kira.
Wedy's security cameras and bugs in Higuchi's car and house helped confirm this, and Misa even went on a false date with Higuchi to bait him into making comments that only Kira could make. In addition, Matsuda had once walked in on the eight's meeting, and "died" after a house party. All of this was presented to L, and he formed the right plan to lure Higuchi out into the open and capture him once he demonstrated his Kira powers. Light had a hand in devising this plan, too.
Matsuda was the key to luring out Higuchi, who had been cautious and cagey until then. Matsuda went to Sakura TV, a popular tabloid station, and presented himself as an anonymous confessor to everything he knew about Kira and Yotsuba. The eight (now seven) Yotsuba cohorts would recognize Matsuda's silhouette and Light, posing as L, asked two of the seven Kira cohorts to watch the broadcast and tell Higuchi to watch it, too. Higuchi decided that he had to act, so he packed his Death Note and a revolver, and sped off in his bugged car. Wedy pursued him from a safe distance on her motorcycle as a backup.
Higuchi went to Yotsuba HQ to find Matsuda's personal file (as Misa's manager) but a fake name was written there. Higuchi tried and failed to kill Matsuda with that name, and L was puzzled that Higuchi wasn't performing some arcane ritual as Kira; he was just writing a name. Frustrated, and without his supposed ally Misa available to help, Higuchi sped off to Sakura TV to shut down the broadcast himself, but L's agents were ready. The station was abandoned before Higuchi got there, and Aiber, Wedy and a few others cornered him. Higuchi surprised them with his revolver, however, and escaped, more desperate than ever.
Higuchi got back on the freeway in his shiny red car, his mind whirling. What could he do now? He never got a chance to decide: L had arranged for the police (with Aizawa's help) to corner Higuchi on the road, and L flew onto the scene aboard a helicopter with Light and Watari on board. Watari, who was an elite sniper, shot a tire on Higuchi's car and immobilized it. Once Watari shot the revolver out of Higuchi's hands, the police cornered the corporate Kira and dragged him out.
L had his victory when he used Matsuda to lure Higuchi into the open, but what he didn't realize was that Higuchi was just a pawn in his own scheme.
BOOM! Studios and IDW Comics' Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover definitely brought nostalgic joy to '90s fans who enjoyed both franchises at arguably their most popular times. With the Turtles and Power Rangers crossing paths after the Green Ranger, Tommy, went rogue, it became even deadlier as he turned out to be working for Shredder and the Foot Clan.
As a result, there were some truly amazing moments. Here's a break down of the raddest ones as the heroes realized the fate of the universe lay in their hands.
In the first two issues, the Rangers are worried about Tommy after he goes missing from Angel Grove. Little do they know he's infiltrated the Foot and is stealing energy cells to help Shredder build mysterious tech. The Turtles, though, are on the case in New York and this leads to Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael cornering Tommy, who morphs.
This locks the other Rangers onto his signal and as they teleport in, Jason and Leo get into a battle of swords; Billy and Donny fight, but are also curious about the science of each other's existence; Mikey tussles with Zack; Triny and Kimberly rescue Tommy from Raph. It's a bodacious battle, but Tommy to slip away -- at which point, a truce is called.
Shredder plans to steal the Power Coins and return to Dimension X with Krang and his cabal. Eventually, Tommy's plan is also revealed because he's there to rescue his corrupted old bud, Tyler. This leads to Tyler betraying Tommy to win Shredder's approval, but with the jig up, Tommy morphs. Unfortunately, Shredder's prepared and steals his Dragon Coin.
This brings Rita Repulsa and her goons to the party, but when they try to ambush Shredder, he morphs into a version of the Green Ranger that would make Lord Drakkon tremble at the end of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #2. It's an iconic moment, especially visually, because Shredder looks so intimidating and badass, warning everyone who opposes him.
The third issue finds Shredder laying a sinister trap for the Rangers because when they come to rescue Tommy, their powers are stripped. Their coins are still active, though, so the Turtles volunteer to suit up. In the fourth issue, as Wyldfyre burns NYC, they arrive on the scene and morph into action to save the citizens.
It's a glorious moment with Leo as Blue, Raph as Red, Mikey as Yellow, Donny as Black, and April O'Neill rocking the Pink Ranger. They then combine their Power Weapons -- Leo's blades, Raph's sais, April's bow, Mikey's nunchucks, and Donny's staff -- to form a Ranger Blaster that puts the titan down for the count. It's a great show of teamwork and honors what the Rangers stand for, which is so ironic as Splinter's training them as ninjas back in the sewers.
In Mighty Morphin Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #4, Rita realizes Shredder needs help. As the Technodrome lands in Central Park for a final fight, she decides to use her mystical powers to make Bebop and Rocksteady more than just random thugs who usually get their butts kicked.
With her staff, she imbues them with her magic and they become giants, just like all the other monsters in the franchise. They go stomping around, calling the Turtles out to play as they arrogantly think they've got the upper hand. More so, they have strength in numbers with Shredder's Technodrome firing at will.
The fifth and final issue focuses on the Turtles combining to form the Megazord, not realizing they're still underpowered. It gets worse when Shredder commands the Dragonzord in the field, but Zordon and Alpha turn Metalhead into a giant robot to even the odds. The latter takes out Bebop and Rocksteady, building to the most epic moment in the crossover.
Metalhead combines with the Megazord to form the Turtlezord, which slices the Technodrome in half and sends Shredder retreating. The look of this 'bot is so dynamic. It's a sight to behold and hopefully something that will appear again in a potential sequel.
Star Wars Episode I: Racer originally released in 1999 on the Nintendo 64. The game's simple to understand but difficult to master controls has caused a dedicated speed-running community to arise around the game. This community, combined with those who simply have fond memories of driving fast while listening to Star Wars music, provided enough interest to justify a PC remaster, which recently launched on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.
Racer fits well into the F-Zero-inspired futuristic category of racing games that let players experience incredible speeds through a wide variety of characters and machines. All of Racer's characters function similarly to one another, but they possess key differences that fit certain playstyles and courses. Since you unlock characters as you play (and some of the best characters in the game require unlocking) it's important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each and use them as an ever-growing toolkit to progress through the different stages. For example, while Mars Guo and Boles Roor have decent speed, they are the very large racers and it makes it difficult for him to fit through narrow entrances. Smaller pods are often preferable, but there are exceptions to the rule based on different factors such as handling, top speed and durability.
Since these racers function differently from one another, it'll be helpful to take a look at the best ones. Keep in mind that there are upgrades available, such as custom parts and droids, and these are not being taken into account here. With that said, here are the five podracers that work best overall.
Wan Sandage is a valuable pick for certain courses because he has great handling and high acceleration. He can quickly get himself up to a decent speed and use his boost to overtake other podracers. When it's time to turn, Wan corners with ease, allowing him to easily stay consistent on winding roads with few straightaways. Unfortunately, Wan is a large podracer and has a low top speed and slower cooling than other racers, meaning he cannot rely on his boost to stay ahead.
Ody Mandrell can do most things fairly well. He has a decent cooldown rate on his boost and he turns rather easily. On top of that, he has high acceleration, and he's an average size podracer that can take a few hits before breaking. He is a lot like Wan, but a little smaller and can use the boost option more frequently. This is a great racer to to take on courses that have an even amount of turns and straightaways.
Unfortunately, Ody has slightly less responsive turning. When you do turn, it works well and you can make decently sharp corners. However, there is a small but noticeable delay between when a player takes action and when that action takes effect, which is a hindrance. On top of that, he doesn't have a particularly high top speed, meaning you'll have to rely on boosting to stay ahead. Still, he's a rewarding character to play and trades off well with most characters in certain situations.
Navior is the official glass cannon of Star Wars Episode 1: Racer. He easily has the best handling in the game, turns quickly, can brake easily and enjoys high acceleration. His top speed is a little low, but he has decent boosting with a great cooldown rate. Overall there isn't a podracer who feels as light and responsive as "Bullseye" Navior.
All of this is great, except Navior's podracer is not only small but very fragile. The skill ceiling for Navior is high, as he can perform in all of the aforementioned areas effectively, but just performing jumps and bumping into walls can lead to serious damage. "Bullseye" Navior is one of the more competitive racers available and people can enjoy success with him. It's just difficult to justify using such a fragile character on most courses when there are more durable and easy to use characters available. However, if you master his movement, he's one of the best racers in the game.
Available from the beginning of Racer, Ebe Endecott represents a handful of desirable traits wrapped up in a sleek package. For starters, Endecott has a fairly high top speed; higher than any of the racers mentioned except for Boles Roor. He is adequate at accelerating, and his boost has a high cooldown rate. He also has great handling and turns well. Finally, Endecott is a smaller podracer than Ody Mandrell that is just as durable, which is ideal for jumping gaps and smashing through rocks in your way.
If you can accept that he doesn't brake or accelerate as quickly as Ody Mandrell as a consequence to these advantages, you'll have one of the most well-rounded characters in the game. His characteristics make him a perfect test subject for any unknown course, and he's a great character overall to use in most situations.
All of the premium characteristics of Ebe Endecott and "Bullseye" Navior are undercut by what Ben Quadinaros is capable of. Ben's top speed is higher than Endecott, and he boasts enormous boosting potential, making him easily the fastest podracer in the game.
He has slightly better turning and handling than both Mars Guo and Boles Roor despite also being fast and large. Most podracer's max speed is where Ben's boost begins, easily allowing him to go 150 to 200 mph faster than the competition. He's also very durable and can smash through rocks easily.
While Ben's cooldown on his boost isn't great, and his turning ability is a little below average, these disadvantages don't mean much in the face of pure speed. Overall, he's considered the best character in the game by the time attack and speedrunning communities.
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) recently issued a "Do Not Work" order for Michael Bay's upcoming project, Songbird. It appears that the order will not go into effect and production on the film will proceed as planned.
The labor union has since rescinded its order for Michael Bay-produced thriller, with guild members free to work on the production effective immediately. The decision comes just a day after the organization had issued the "Do Not Work" notice against the production citing a failure to comply with mandatory safety practices.
With its decision to lift the "Do Not Work" order on Songbird, SAG-AFTRA has also walked back its previous declaration that "accepting employment or rendering services on Songbird may be considered a violation of Global Rule One." This was briefly one of two recent orders that had been issued due to health and safety concerns arising from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to reports, Songbird will be a found-footage type film set two years in the future. It will focus on a mutating virus and focus on those caught in lockdown.
In addition to Bay, Songbird is produced by Invisible Narratives' Adam Goodman and Andrew Sugerman. Catchlight Films' Jessica Hall Malanaphy, Jeanette Volturno, Marcei A. Brown, and Rick A. Osako also serve as producers. The film, directed and co-written by Adam Mason, focuses on a love story that takes place during a pandemic lockdown. Demi Moore, Craig Robinson, Paul Walter Hauser, and Peter Stormare joined the cast on June 24.
In a sudden turn of events, the EVO Twitter account has recently announced that EVO Online would be completely canceled this year. This announcement comes after the sexual misconduct accusations against Joey "Mr.Wiz" Cuellar, the now-former president of EVO. These accusations came to light after a number of prominent Super Smash Bros. professionals were exposed for pedophilia and sexual assault, among other things.
Evolution Championship Series, otherwise known as "EVO," is easily the largest and longest-running fighting game tournament that attracts players from all over the globe. EVO was started by Tom Cannon in 1996 and originally hosted Street Fighter tournaments but has expanded to other fighting games over the course of its history. Eventually, EVO began to host tournaments for games like Mortal Kombatand Super Smash Bros, drawing in thousands of participants and viewers. Many players have made a name for themselves by either outright winning EVO or making outstanding plays in bracket.
The catalyst that led up to these current events could be traced back to the Super Smash Bros subreddit. Multiple people within the community were accusing well-known players such as JTails, D1, and Cinnpie for sexual assault, "grooming," pedophilia, and unwanted sexual messages. The biggest revelation occurred when Zack "CaptainZack" Lauth revealed on Twitter that he had a sexual encounter with Nairoby Quezada (NairoMK) at the age of 15. Immediately after posting, NairoMK deleted his Twitter account and later issued an apology, confirming the allegations held against him.
After Zack Lauth came forward, many other victims stepped forward with their stories. Twitter user Mikey~ CrackPr0n presented his story about how Joey Cuellar solicited young boys to jump into pools in their underwear for arcade tokens. Additionally, Cuellar bet Mikey $20 to prove to him that his penis was above average size. Mikey~ states he did not suffer any serious mental trauma from the event, but his story serves to highlights a previously hidden and unacceptable part of the fighting game community.
Following these allegations and Joey Cullar's apology on Twitter, game companies such as NetherRealm and Capcom announced that they would be pulling their games out of EVO, removing marquee titles like Mortal Kombat11 and Street Fighter V from the line-up. Later, Mane6 and Bandai Namco also announced that they would be pulling their games, including Them's Fightin' Herds and Tekken 7, out of the online tournament. With so many major titles pulled from the event, the EVO organizers were left with little choice. They released a statement, effectively firing Joey Cuellar and replacing him with Tony Cannon as CEO. The statement also informed the community that they would be committed to making changes to EVO in order to create a better and safer culture for all. As a result of this decision, EVO Online is being canceled and refunds will be distributed to anyone who originally purchased a badge. Additionally, the organizers would continue to donate to Project Hope, as originally intended.
Victims are continuing to come forward with horrifying stories of sexual assault within the fighting game community. While the shockwave of these events continues to ripple throughout the community, we can only hope that once the dust settles, the new community will be better equipped to prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again.
Dan Harmon, co-creator of Rick and Morty, has broken storytelling down to a science. Using age-old techniques of illustrating a heroic arc, his Story Circle is not only practical, he personally swears by the method and argues that nearly all stories share the same structure.
Recently, Adult Swim released a behind-the-scenes video of Rick and Morty on YouTube. In the video, Harmon explains his method and shows how it was used to develop specific episodes of the show. Harmon had previously written about his method on the Channel 101 blog, and it's been widely discussed inside the industry and fandom, but this was the first time we got to see him break it down just like we were in the writer's room with him.
In the video, Harmon breaks down the structure of "Mortynight Run," the second episode of Rick and Morty Season 2. He does it twice, actually, once for Morty's journey in the main plot and then again for Jerry's journey in the secondary story. What's special about this video is that Harmon details how it relates to the story circle, which was used early on in the writing process to develop the episode itself. There's even a neat little animation of the circle's progress that plays along with Harmon's explanation.
Harmon reportedly swears by this process and has used it on everything he's created, including Community. He effectively makes his entire writing staff follow the same technique for cohesion, making this method bound to spread.
In order to write a story using the Story Circle, you break the journey a single character takes into eight parts. Drawing one of Harmon's bullet lists from the aforementioned blog, these eight parts include the following:
You
Need
Go
Search
Find
Take
Return
Changed
Each section has meaning. For instance, "Need" is about what your character consciously wants or strives to achieve. "Find" is when they get their desire, even if momentarily and oftentimes ending up as a case of being careful what you wish for.
The whole structure itself, especially when drawn out in the circle shape, also has meaning. All of that is considered when "breaking" these plot points during the early stages of writing. Meaning, the beats of your story will align with the principle that governs that section of your story on the story circle.
What's crazy is that almost every story, especially the successful and timeless ones, follow these steps and beats. Long before Harmon came along, storytellers were using his method. They just called it something else.
In Broadway musical tradition, there's a trope called the "I Want Song." This is essentially the musical version of expressing a "Need" story beat. This "I Want Song" comes near the beginning of the play and sets up what drives the character. Famous examples are Hamilton's "My Shot," The Book of Mormon's "You and Me (But Mostly Me)" and The Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World."
Storytelling "systems" are nothing new either. The most famous of these is The Hero's Journey as outlined by Joseph Campbell. George Lucas famously said he based the plot of Star Wars off of Campbell's writings, and Star Wars' popularity suddenly meant every screenwriter in Hollywood was cracking open their Joseph Campbell books.
The Hero's Journey draws upon Campbell's other discovery, The Monomyth, which shows a recurrence of certain themes across all religions and mythology. It also includes a fair bit of Carl Jung's thoughts on the conscious and subconscious, and it can get pretty esoteric (much like Harmon's method) the more you dive into Campbell's original texts.
Other attempts to break storytelling down to a formula include Blake Snyder's "Save the Cat!" beat sheet, Freytag's pyramid, Pixar's 22 rules of storytelling, Syd Field's Three Act Structure, 7 point story structure and the book the arguably started it all: Aristotle’s Poetics. These techniques are not meant to be a paint by numbers toy, although some use it that way, but instead are meant to aid a struggling writer trying to polish their story.
While Harmon didn't invent the wheel, he's essentially engineered the most efficient version of the wheel. It's helped him essentially use a left-brain approach for a right-brain application. This opens up a lot of doors for wannabe writers and storytellers. Widespread knowledge of this tool could very have improved some flawed movies and saved them from disappointment.
However, you can argue that all-purpose structural guides are not really a good thing. Do we want Star Wars and Die Hard to have the same underlying structure? It may feel like that essentially ruins storytelling by putting every tale into neatly identical compartments. Plus, if this structure -- named or not -- has been underneath every one of our favorite stories, then is storytelling already ruined? To be sure, going back and analyzing stories against storytelling structures can have a dizzying effect.
The answers are up for debate, but the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. Overreliance on any one tool in a writer's toolbox can lead to lazy, derivative storytelling. But having a quick level to check if your story is plumb, and one that tells you which way it's leaning off center, is surely a good thing for all of our favorite stories and their writers.
Additionally, adherence to a unified structure in the arts is not a concept exclusive just to storytelling. Just look at music, where there's an entire history of theory underlying why certain sounds good next to each other. The listener may just sit back and enjoy, but there's tons of work underneath the enjoyment. Sure, the musician may just be playing by ear, but it's likely they've studied all the rules to know when and what to play.
Watchmenis considered the greatest comic work in the history of the medium. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's 1985-86 masterpiece consistently makes "Best Of" lists and was even in Time Magazine's list of great pieces of 20th-century literature. When most people think of the comic that broke new ground in the comic industry, they think of Watchmen.
However, it's not actually the first comic that tried to inject more mature themes in the superhero medium using a pastiche of heroes; that's 1985's Squadron Supremefrom Marvel. Often left out of the conversation when it comes to great superhero comics, Squadron Supreme is an unsung masterpiece. However, is it better than Watchmen? Let's take a look.
10 Squadron Supreme: The Concepts
Squadron Supreme on the surface is written like any other superhero comic of the time and when placing it up against Watchmen, that seems like it can be a hindrance. Watchmen was written for an older audience, while Squadron Supreme still felt like a comic that was written for a younger audience.
However, the concepts the book deals with are what make it so amazing. Do those with the most power have a right to impose their will on everyone else? What is the role of superheroes in a society? Is totalitarianism bad if it's mostly peaceful? Squadron Supreme used the more simplistic techniques of the time to tell a very deep story.
9 Watchmen: The Art
Dave Gibbons's art in Watchmen pretty much blows Squadron Supreme's art out of the water. The art in Squadron Supreme is okay and fits the time, but Watchmen's art is next-level. Gibbons's simple line work and eye for detail set it apart from just about anything published at the time and his use of perspective was rather groundbreaking.
It also helps that the art was created for a prestige format book, where the better paper quality allowed for better coloring techniques. Watchmen's art is a huge part of what makes it so memorable.
8 Squadron Supreme: The Tragedy Of Tom Thumb
Tom Thumb was the diminutive scientist of the Squadron Supreme. His technology was a huge part of the Squadron's plans to create a utopian society. While other members had a problem with what the team was doing, Tom was a true believer; he felt that what he was doing was best for the world.
That attitude made it all the more tragic when he was diagnosed with cancer. Nothing he did could cure the disease, so he worked against the clock, trying to do as much good (in his opinion) as possible before he died; a race he would lose.
7 Watchmen: The Characters
The characters in Watchmenwere a study in realism and a revelation at the time. Alan Moore was already known for being great at character work and he brought all of his skills to bear. The characters in the book felt real, making decisions that readers could understand.
Even the two least relatable characters, Dr. Manhattan and Rorschach, were understandable to readers. Dr. Manhattan may have been a god who knew everything, but there was still something undeniably human about him. Rorschach, while definitely insane, was a tragic figure in a lot of ways that readers could empathize with on some level in spite of his violent tendencies.
6 Squadron Supreme: The Fight Against Tyranny
Watchmen's moral ambiguity is one of the things that make it such a compelling tale. Most of the characters in the book have done terrible things and all of them believe they are doing the right thing. While this ambiguity is very real — things aren't always black and white in the real world — it can also give people the wrong message.
Squadron Supreme is nowhere near as ambiguous in its morality and that makes it a stronger story. It has no problem telling readers that the actions of the team are evil and that freedom needs to be fought for. It might seem simplistic compared to Watchmen, but it's an important lesson to be learned.
5 Watchmen: Realism
Watchmen is very much steeped in realism. Only one character in the entire story has superpowers and it lifts the Cold War tensions of the era it was created in and takes it to the Nth degree. Watchmentakes a look at what would actually happen if costumed heroes existed in the world and what kind of people they would be.
It's a warts-and-all look that rings so very true; the government would try and control the one person with superpowers. The people who became heroes would be a cross-section of the neuroses that affect modern people. It's another factor in the power of the narrative.
4 Squadron Supreme: It Actually Answers The Question, "Who Watches The Watchmen?"
One of the tag lines of Watchmen was, "Who watches the watchmen?" (except in Latin because Alan Moore likes to show off how smart he is). However, the comic doesn't actually do a very good job of answering that question it poses; it seems like no one watches them.
Squadron Supreme posits an actual answer to this question and it's a very important one, especially in today's world: the watchmen have to watch themselves. Those who actually believe in freedom and equality can't stand silently by and let others misuse their power. They have to fight for what is right.
3 Watchmen: Alan Moore
One of the biggest factors in why Watchmen is so good is very simple: Alan Moore. He had already started using comics to tell more mature stories in stories such as Swamp Thing, dealing with real-world topics using the comic book medium.
Moore did this and more with Watchmen, throwing in everything but the kitchen sink: quotes from literature and music, his wonderfully poetic grasp of language and eye for detail, and techniques heretofore rarely used in comics. Moore's talent is one of the most important factors in Watchmen's success.
2 Squadron Supreme: It Was First
While Moore had been injecting real-world issues and maturity in Swamp Thing since 1982, Watchmen was where he pulled out all of the stops. However, his stardom and the book's hype overshadowed what was happening over in Squadron Supreme and made readers ignore an important fact.
Squadron Supreme used superheroes first to deal with weighty issues. It wasn't inspired by Watchmen, like so many books after it. It was putting those kinds of ideas out there first and doing it better than it gets credit for.
1 Watchmen: The Structure
Watchmen's story, art, and characters are all top-notch but what really makes it amazing and sets it apart is the way the story is told. Moore threw in all kinds of literary techniques, using foreshadowing and metaphor (among others) to tell the story.
The highlight of this is Watchmen #5, "Fearful Symmetry." A masterpiece of art and scripting, each panel mirrors in the opposite one; the first panel of the issue mirrors the last, et cetera. It's brilliant touches like this that make Watchmenso great.
