Tom Hanks shared a strong message to those who are refusing to wear masks and socially distance.
"I don't get it. I simply do not get it," Hanks told AP Entertainmentwhile promoting his new film, Greyhound. "It is literally the least you can do. If anybody wants to build up an argument about doing the least they can do, I wouldn't trust them with a driver's license. When you drive a car you got to obey speed limits; you got to use your turn signal; you got to avoid hitting pedestrians. If you can't do those three things then I get it. You should not be driving a car. If you can't wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I don't understand. I got no respect for you, man. I don't buy your argument."
Hanks' comments come as coronavirus cases skyrocket across the western and southern United States. Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have all seen record case numbers over the last few weeks.
Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first major celebrities to contract the virus back in March. The two eventually recovered and Hanks donated his blood and plasma to labs that are working on a vaccine for the virus.
A horrifying new statue based on Bill Skarsgård's portrayal of the clown Pennywise in 2019's It: Chapter Two is set to release next year.
Dubbed "Pennywise Deluxe Art Scale 1/10 – IT Chapter Two," the upcoming figure from Iron Studios shows Pennywise running through the sewers surrounded by several red balloons. This limited edition figure is hand-painted and stands at 8.2 inches tall and 7 inches wide. Set to release in the second quarter of 2021 at a price of $179.99, the figure also includes an interchangeable head.
Bill Skarsgård first portrayed Pennywise in 2017's It and would later reprise his role in the sequel, both of which were directed by Andy Muschietti. Based on Stephen King's novel, It, the first film stars a group of kids known as the Losers' Club who are plagued by a demonic entity that returns to Derry, Maine every 27 years. It: Chapter Two would show the Losers' Club 27 years later as they, yet again, have to face Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
IT: Chapter Two stars Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Teach Grant, Jess Weixler, Will Beinbrink, Xavier Dolan, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff and Nicholas Hamilton.
Adult Swim has created a bevy of adult-animated TV shows that fundamentally changed Cartoon Network's late-night landscape since 2001. The line-up of shows was targeted towards a specific audience which was relatively older than Cartoon Network's usual demographic of children and young teens. From Family Guy's Sci-fi adventures to Rick and Morty's jabs and quips, Adult Swim quickly became the place for adults to enjoy raunchy cartoons daily.
Rick and Morty, the zany and intellectually stimulating sci-fi show, quickly made a huge impact on the world of animation. Its ardent fans clamored for more episodes which led to a huge number of ingenious fan creations like paintings, canvases, and all kinds of digital art. Amongst the many sublime art pieces out there on the internet, some talented artists opted for more retro, pixelated artwork that captivated legions of fans.
10 Rick And Morty Have Different Outlooks On Their Adventures
Via DeviantArt
Rick andMorty is filled with M. Night Shyamalan-esque twisted plots and madcap endings with a stark contrast between the two main characters.
ZackBag2 made sure to illustrate this distinction between Rick and his grandchild in such a subtle and simple way. With so many adventures ahead of the dynamic duo, it's no wonder Rick has that expression painted on his face, a sentiment that Morty usually doesn't share, especially in the earlier episodes of the series.
9 The Love Between Unity And Rick Is Represented Perfectly In This Amazing Piece By IzztLC
Via DeviantArt
When Unity came back to Rick's life, it distracted him from his family to the point where he neglected his grandkids completely.
But when Unity left him for another collective, Rick was devasted, showing just how deep his feelings for her were. IzzyLC did a great job portraying their feelings toward each other in this pixelated masterpiece.
8 One Cannot See This Piece Without Hearing The Sound Of Rick's Portal Gun
Via ArtStation
Rick has been wanted by the Galactic Federation ever since he created his infamous interdimensional portal technology. It is the main advantage he has over his opponents (besides his infinitely superior intellect and overpowered gadgets).
Verónica Rodríguez illustrated the Galactic Federation's greatest fear: Rick's portal gun emerging from one of his portals to wreak havoc upon his enemies.
7 Look At That Thing Lumbering Around. It Defies All Logic. Do They Teach You About That At School Morty?
Via DeviantArt
One of the most iconic scenes of the show pitted the protagonists in a new dimension that has very weird and incredible creatures; that's when the first episode started getting interesting and set the tone for the rest of the series.
The very talented ellamina-art made sure to immortalize it with amazing pixel art that can be found on DeviantArt.
6 Well... He Is Pixelated Pickle Rick Now
Via ArtStation
The Pickle Rick episode became an overnight sensation and led to a huge number of fan art because of how far Rick took things just to escape a family therapy session. He fought cockroaches, rats, and even Russians just to get back to the family's therapy session so he wouldn't perish.
Verónica Rodríguez could not resist the urge to illustrate the greatest pixeled pickle this generation offered.
5 Rick Is Definitely A Slytherin, And Morty Is Definitely A Hufflepuff
Via DeviantArt
A new twist to the amazing wacky show, MurderInkLastResort added some Harry Potter magic into the mix sorting both Morty and his grandfather into Hogwart houses.
Rick is a Slytherin while Morty got into Hufflepuff because of his perpetual loyalty. Maybe that's what Rick was trying to do all this time, build his grandson's courage.
4 This Piece Captures The Essence Of The Show
Via ArtStation
A beautiful piece by Tom Trager who caught the show's nature and portrayed it flawlessly. Rick, while escaping with Morty from some creepy tentacle monsters stumbles in an 8-bit world.
On his way out of it, he tells Morty that they are in a pixel-art thing. This piece depicts classic behavior by Rick Sanchez.
3 The First Moment Rick Was The Biggest Hypocrite
Via ArtStation
On their first adventure, Rick kneeled to talk some sense into his grandson by telling him that new experiences should be faced head-on even if it's scary.
That is some amazing advice if only Rick followed it. Verónica Rodríguez captured the moment right before Sanchez escaped from something he never saw before. Rick is hypocrisy at its finest.
2 That Moment When Morty Became An Anime Character Just To Die Old With Jessica
Via DeviantArt
A more recent adventure takes the grumpy genius to a death crystal mine where he gets ambushed by "crystal pirates." As he's waiting for the right opportunity to return fire on his attackers, he hides behind a rock and tells Morty his plan.
Hilalaltinbas captured this moment as Rick holds the crystal waiting for it to show him when his enemies are reloading, using that opportunity to eliminate the threat.
1 We've Seen A Pixelated Pickle Rick, Now We Got A Pixelated Cool Rick, And A Not-So-Bright Morty
Via DeviantArt
By far the most beautiful pixel art on this list, ArthurCreator has portrayed Rick and his grandson like an old-school cartoon. The characters' postures and stares give an air of nostalgia.
They look like they just got out of the '80s with Rick's hair held back by a massive amount of hair product, and Morty looking blankly upward like there's nothing wrong with his life.
To the world at large, Superman is arguably the greatest superhero ever, and with good reason. Along with being the first, he's also one of the coolest. From flying and melting guns with his eyes to super-ventriloquism and super math, the Man of Steel has a list of powers as long as his cape.
Without question, one of Superman's best-known powers is his super strength. While the limits of this power has changed over time, there's no denying that the Metropolis Marvel is one of the strongest beings in any universe. But as strong as he is, there are some who are even stronger, even in the Marvel universe. And not everyone who is stronger than Superman is on the up and up. Without further delay, here are the ten Marvel villains who are stronger than Superman.
10 Zom
Don't let the name fool you, Zom is no joke. Created by Lucifer himself for the sole purpose to destroy, it once took the combined powers some of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe, including Dormammu and Eternity to stop this horrific creature.
Believe it or not, Doctor Strange once called on the strength of Zom to battle the Hulk, that's how strong this monster is. Along with his unbelievable strength, Zom has something else that would give him the upper hand against Superman; he's a mystical being. With Superman's known weakness to magic, it's hard to see him beating Zom in a one on one battle.
Whether Impossible Man is Mister Mxyzptlk or not, one thing we know for sure is that he is far more powerful than he usually lets on. Impossible Man has the ability to rearrange the molecules of his body at will into any form he chooses, which includes becoming far more muscular than he usually appears to be. That means that if he wanted to, Impossible Man could make himself the strongest being in any universe.
8 Onslaught
When the combined anger, fears, and rage of Magneto and Professor X formed into a singular sentient psionic entity called Onslaught, it took the combined might of Marvel's heroes, and the creation of a new universe, to stop the evil being.
Protected in a nearly unbreakable armor and with a laundry list of powers, including the ability to lift well over 100 tons, there may not be a single superhero or villain who could stop Onslaught, and that includes everyone's favorite Kryptonian. Sure, Superman would do his best, but at the end of the day, it just wouldn't be enough.
7 Korvac
While the name Michael Korvac sounds more like the guy who the Geek Squad would send to fix your grandma's computer, it is actually the name of a man who nearly destroyed the Marvel universe, and he wasn't even trying. Born on the moon in 2997, Korvac was a computer technician who betrayed the human race to the Brotherhood of Badoon. The Brotherhood of Badoon then gave Korvac to the Grandmaster who used him as a plaything.
As the Grandmaster messed with Korvac, Korvac became more and more powerful right up to the point that he gained the Power Cosmic. During their fight, Korvac killed pretty much every hero in the Marvel universe and was only defeated when he realized his girlfriend didn't love him. Just like the Avengers, Superman would surely fall to the might of Korvac.
6 Anti-Man
The archnemesis of Blue Marvel, Anti-Man is one of the strongest villains in the Marvel universe. In a series of terrible events that included the Negative Reactor explosion that turned Connor Sims into Anti-Man, the death of his brother at the hands of the KKK, and the seeming death of his closest friend Adam Brashear - aka Blue Marvel - Connor's mind shattered and he became a villain so powerful that even Sentry couldn't take him down alone.
With his invulnerable skin and super strength rivaling anyone in the Marvel universe, Anti-Man would be able to take down Superman, but it would be a real slobber knocker of a fight.
5 Galactus
Bigger than the Empire State Building and as hungry as one can possibly be, Galactus the Planet Devourer is one of the most feared figures in all of the Marvel universe. This is a being that literally eats planets for lunch, so you can be pretty sure that he isn't someone you want to mess around with.
Galactus doesn't do too much fighting because when he does fight the person he's fighting doesn't have much time left in the world of the living and everyone knows it. It's hard to imagine a scenario where Superman goes toe to toe with a giant who, among many nicknames, is known as the God of Oblivion.
4 Apocalypse
En Sabah Nur, better known as Apocalypse, claims to be the first mutant, and there's never been any reason to doubt him. Born some five thousand years ago in Egypt, Apocalypse was abandoned by his family because of his grey skin but was found and raised by Baal of the Sandstormers to become a seriously tough guy.
Along with his mutant abilities, Apocalypse has merged his body with Celestial technology. He has total control over the molecules that make up his body, meaning he can turn himself into anything he wants and can generate just about any superpower he wants whenever he feels like it. All of this is to say that Superman wouldn't have a good day if he ran into Apocalypse in a dark alley.
3 Surtur
Surtur, a fire giant from the extra-dimensional plane of Muspelheim, is the mortal enemy of Odin and his favorite son Thor. Standing 1,000 feet tall, Surtur is one of the oldest beings in existence and has shown himself to be more powerful than the God of Thunder himself. With his mystical sword Scabrite, Surtur is nearly unbeatable.
The fire wouldn't be a problem for Superman, and the Man of Steel has tackled 1,000-foot tall giants before, so the size isn't much of an issue either, but Surtur's super strength mixed with his magical abilities would be a serious issue for our hero.
2 Beyonder
A being of seemingly unlimited power, the Beyonder is one of the most dangerous beings in the Marvel universe, and possible in the DC universe as well. Way back when in 1987's Superman #11, Superman met a man named Ben DeRoy who looked a whole lot like the Beyonder did in Secret Wars II and caused quite a bit of havoc around Metropolis. In time, Ben DeRoy revealed himself to be none other than Mister Mxyzptlk!
Could the Beyonder and Mister Mxyzptlk be the same person? It seems unlikely, but if the Beyonder is on Mxyzptlk's radar, you know he's a serious powerhouse. And knowing what we know about Beyonder's powers - mainly that he seems to have no end of powers - there's little doubt that the white-suited mullet having entity would be able to beat up Superman if he wanted to.
1 Molecule Man
All Owen Reece wants is to be left alone, and because of his unbelievable powers, just about everyone has agreed to do just that. As Molecule Man, Reece has the ability to control literally every molecule in the universe, making him the most powerful being that has ever existed.
In truth, Molecule Man is no stronger than the average human, and given his string bean arms, he's probably on the weaker side of mankind, but with the ability to control every single molecule in the universe, you can be sure that Reece could bulk up real fast. Even more, he could take away Superman's strength with a simple thought. The Kryptonian would be in a lot of trouble then.
Whether it be in the comics or in the movies, Thanos's Snap was one of the biggest events in Marvel history. Thanos's desire, regardless of his reasoning, to destroy half the universe fueled him in his quest to gather the Infinity Stones (or Infinity Gems in the comics) and gave Earth's mightiest heroes a reason to team up and battle the Mad Titan.
Fans all the over world thrilled at the moment Thanos snapped in Avengers: Infinity War, just like comic fans had almost thirty years before in Infinity Gauntlet. However, as great as the moment was, not everything about the Snap makes sense. Let's take a look at some of those things.
10 Conservation Of Energy
While the Infinity Gauntlet in the comics made Thanos into what amounts to a god, the one in the movies wasn't nearly as powerful. For example, in the movie, Thanos with the Gauntlet can be hurt, while the comic version couldn't be harmed.
Onto the point - what happened to all the energy of the dead people in the movies? In the comics, Thanos could easily do away with it because he was essentially a god. Somewhere in the cosmos, there had to be energy beings, so what happened to the energy they were made up of? What terrible things happened because of it?
9 Half Life?
So, Thanos killed half of everything in the universe, but how far down the food chain was he going? Again, the movie Gauntlet was nowhere near as powerful as the comic version, so there's a good chance it didn't target everything.
While we know that species like birds were affected, what about insects? Or the living gut flora inside of every human and the alien equivalent? What about plants? Did Thanos snap away half the food supply of planets as well? This provides us with a nice segue into the next entry.
8 Suffocating Whole Planets
So, let's say half of all plant life disappeared and that plants on other planets serve the same purpose as the ones on Earth, to take in waste gases and expel breathable ones. Ostensibly, Thanos was killing half of everything to save lives, but at that point, he's also basically just killed a whole bunch of people that he was trying to save.
If half of all plant life disappeared on Earth right now, it would be a disaster that would destroy life as we know it. Even with the vastly reduced carbon emissions of the halved population, the levels would still be more than could be dealt with.
7 Perfectly Halved?
So, next, let's look at the proportions of the Snap's victims. How did that work? Was it like a math problem where the Infinity Gauntlet took the entire population of the universe and divided it by two? Or was it on a planet by planet basis?
Either way, it ends in disaster. If it's just random, then some planets will still use too much in terms of resources, dooming the inhabitants and civilizations Thanos wanted to save. If it went by a "half the life on a given planet" basis, was it half of every species? That's very important because of the delicate balance that makes up a planet's biosphere.
6 Broken Chain
Thanos, again, was trying to save the universe by killing half of everything to save on resources. However, living things make up the food chains of just about any biosphere that humanity can conceive of. So, killing half of the universe's available food supply is supposed to be a good thing... somehow?
Though Thanos was trying to conserve resources, impacting the food chain on any given planet so drastically could actually compound the problem in several ways, creating a staggering degree of fallout that's almost too big to begin to unpack.
5 Dust To Dust
So, the Snap killed living things by reducing them to dust. That's a lot of dust. It all comes down to the Conservation of Mass Theorem and the fact that the movie Gauntlet doesn't make Thanos a god, so he can't break the rules.
So, why is all of the dust a problem? Well, it has to go somewhere. If half of everything on Earth died and was all reduced to dust, that dust would go up in the atmosphere, blocking the sunlight and possibly causing a nuclear winter type situation in more densely populated areas, killing people and destroying resources that the Snap was meant to save.
4 How Did He Know It Would Work?
So, after Thanos snapped, a few things happened. Half of everything died, he burned himself, and the Gauntlet was pretty much left inert, drained of most of its power. Now, with the Power Stone, it was known that it hurt people who used it, so it stands to reason that all of them together would hurt him worse.
So, how did he know it wouldn't kill him even after putting them all together? For that matter, how did he know it would even work? Actually, how did he know it actually worked? The movie Gauntlet didn't grant godhood. The whole thing was a huge risk that a "master" strategist like Thanos shouldn't have taken.
At this point, wouldn't it have made sense to make sure that when the Gauntlet did its thing that it would take more of them with it? If he can be as specific as "half" of all life in the universe, surely he could have made sure the do-gooders were on the dusty side of the line? Just in case they figured out a way to undo it at some point, of course.
2 His Reasons, Part 1- The Comics
In the comics, Thanos was in love with the physical embodiment of death, Mistress Death. He had offered to kill half the universe for her and that's what he did. She, however, rebuffed his advances completely.
So, Thanos was virtually a god at this point. He could do anything he wanted. That includes seeing the future with the Time Gem. So, why didn't he know that she would reject him? That's not to say he wouldn't still do it, but it may have saved him a little heartbreak after going to so much trouble planning his genocidal date night.
1 His Reasons, Part 2- The Movies
Basically, if he was killing half of everything to save the other half, he actually screwed over the remaining half worse than they would have been if he had done nothing.
Biospheres are all about balance, as we've pointed out above, and Thanos would have thrown them completely out of wack with his actions, causing multiple species to go extinct. The movies were trying to make more sense than the comics, but failed completely in that sense, leaving Thanos with an even more confusing set of ambitions than before.
MVP and Bobby Lashley unveiled the new WWE United States Championship Belt on Monday Night Raw, with MVP stating that his win over the current US Champion Apollo Crews last week makes him the belt's rightful owner.
The official WWE Twitter account revealed a closeup of the new belt, which features the words "United States Champion" underneath the WWE logo. Below that is the American eagle with its golden wings spread wide and the red-white-and-blue colors of the US flag behind the eagle. A replica of the new title is also available for pre-order on the WWE Shop website, with a retail price of $429.99 and an expected in-stock date of July 14.
A clip of the unveiling shows MVP calling the new belt, "Magnificent!" "This is a United States Championship that befits a legend like myself," MVP adds. He will face Apollo Crews for the US Championship at Extreme Rules: Horror Show on Sunday, July 19. Before Lashley can crown MVP the new United States Champion, they are interrupted by the team of Ricochet and Cedric Alexander, who challenge MVP and Lashley to a tag team match.
An earlier report stated WWE would be introducing a new United States Championship title on Monday Night Raw. The title was described as having "a bigger plate style. Similar to the World / Universal. Black strap. Eagle featured prominently."
WWE Monday Night Raw airs every Monday night at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network.
In a Facebook Live Q&A video from the Edinburgh Film Festival At Home, Ron Howard confirmed the Willow TV series hasn't received a green light to move forward from pre-production.
It was announced in January that the Willow sequel series would eventually be making its way to Disney+. However, the cult classic's internet fandom got ahead of itself, assuming the series had already been ordered and promoting original film star Warwick Davis to tamper expectations a bit. Now, in an interview for Howard's film, Rebuilding Paradise, he echoed Davis' comments while offering a small update on its development. (His comments start around the 33 minute mark.)
"Well, if I say anything too concrete it's gonna go viral because every time I say anything about Willow, people take it all very seriously," Howard responded. "I will say that, let's see. What can I say? It's still in development. It doesn't have a green light. Warwick Davis is thrilled by it, and, if we are lucky enough for it to go, he would come back as Willow."
Howard went on to state that "We are far enough along that, in a very tentative way, locations are beginning to be scouted. We don't know where we're going to shoot, but we have gotten some research photos back from Wales. It's nice to think about where our old knock bar was, and again no idea if we'll even get to make the show but we're having a wonderful time developing the scripts under Jonathan Kasdan, who is leading the charge."
The original movie was directed by Ron Howard, written by George Lucas and Bob Dolman, and starred Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley and Jean Marsh. Unlike Lucasfilm's other franchises, Star Wars and Indiana Jones, Willow never had any follow-ups or spin-offs, aside from a 1989 video game adaptation developed by Capcom. There was also a sequel novel trilogy, Chronicles of the Shadow War, published from 1995 to 2000, which was written by Chris Claremont and George Lucas.
Berserkis one of the most popular franchises to ever come out of Japan. The aggressively brutal dark fantasy series made waves as a manga, but has also been repeatedly adapted into an anime to varying degrees of success. The fact that Berserk can’t be left alone speaks to the power of the series.
Berserk tells a moving story about a stoic swordsman on a journey against dark forces, but it’s far from the only manga that digs into such a premise. For those that still need that crazy carnage itch scratched, then here are 10 manga to read if you liked Berserk.
10 Vagabond
Vagabond shares a lot of the same DNA as Berserk as it tells the story of a wandering swordsman who yearns for a worthy opponent. Vagabond embraces historical accuracy and the tenets of martial arts more than it does fantasy and ridiculous monsters.
Vagabond's realistic nature is one of its greatest strengths and it makes the gallons of blood that are spilled in the manga have even more weight. It tries to realistically portray how isolating the life of a swordsman can be and it does so with amazing precision.
9 Ubel Blatt
Ubel Blatt is another series that bears such a strong resemblance to Berserk that it's fairly common to hear the two series discussed in the same conversation. Ubel Blatt's dark fantasy environment feels incredibly similar to the world of Berserk as unbelievable monsters intermingle with fairies and elves.
It throws this supernatural world into disarray and war, but it differs from Berserk when it comes to the hero. Koinzell, a half-human reject is a very different archetype than Guts, but he proves that he can take care of demonic forces just as effectively.
8 Blaster Knuckle
Blaster Knuckle is an amazing manga that would easily crumble under its own ambition in less competent hands. Set in America during the 1880s, Blaster Knuckle intentionally plays into the racial and societal problems of the time and uses them as a scapegoat for demonic behavior. Blaster Knuckle tells a nuanced and emotional story that's as brutal as Berserk, but has more to say. It’s also been specifically compared to Berserk a number of times in terms of how it presents violence and action in such a grand way.
7 Claymore
Claymore is an exciting manga that leans into the half-human half-demon trope that a lot of action-adventure series embrace. Claymore's protagonist, Clare, is such an individual and she uses her hybrid status as an advantage in the war against yoma, grotesque shapeshifting demons. Clare's conflicted position is reminiscent of Guts' duality in many ways, but the heavy demon slaying action will definitely conjure images of Berserk. There’s such a glee that’s exhibited in the sprawling action and Claymore consistently ups the stakes with its obstacles and enemies.
6 Blade Of The Immortal
Blade of the Immortal takes the usual conventions of the Samurai genre, but mixes them together with supernatural material in a very unique way. Manji is a notorious Samurai who has claimed countless lives but is cursed with the burden of immortality. As a result of this, he's forced to roam the Earth and dole out vengeance. However, if he's able to kill 1000 evil men, he'll be allowed the luxury of death. It's a fun subversion of the norm and it doesn't shy away from the thrilling Samurai action. It's a very bloody and action-packed manga.
5 Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga is a more recent series, but it already feels very much like a worthy successor to the savage nature of Berserk. The manga explores Viking life as it provides an unflinching look at young Thorfinn, who's forced to quickly grow up and head into battle for his nation. Thorfinn's development and the tragedies that he experiences along the way are powerful. It’s a manga that’s not afraid to push its characters to dark places.
4 Kingdom
Kingdom is a brutal and bloody series that features some extravagant battles and some very personal confrontations, but it frames it all around questions of honor and family. Berserk’s Guts is a full-grown hero, but the protagonists in Kingdom are still figuring out life. Kingdom appreciates the grand military glory of Berserk and it depicts China in flux as its torn apart by conflict. Kingdom is more grounded and simple than Berserk, but it elegantly depicts the harsh reality of war and how the casualties can often cloud the purpose in the first place.
3 Gunnm
Gunnm, or as it's more commonly known as, Battle Angel Alita, is the same kind of disorienting mix of genres that Berserk plays around with. Gunnm examines questions of identity, human nature, and war as it elegantly throws cyborgs into a grueling action series on a galactic scale. The fight sequences are on a whole other level and actually reach the grandiose nature of Berserk. They may initially feel differentiated by technology, but there's so much overlap as both Guts and Alita struggle with who they're expected to be.
2 Gantz
Gantz taps into the same level of brutality and focused carnage that's present in Berserk, but it goes in a more science fiction and technology heavy direction for the material. Kei and Masaru both die in a train accident, only to awaken in a new world where they're a part of a game where they and other recently deceased individuals need to hunt down aliens. Gantz' story is gripping and cuts right to the chase, but it's the wild aliens and the exaggerated weapons that are used against them that make the series such a memorable experience.
1 Devilman
In terms of story and characters there may be plenty that's different between Berserk and Devilman, but they both mix fantasy and horror together in a deliciously morbid way. It's the disturbing monster designs and the gruesome dismemberments that take place in Devilman's manga that feel most reminiscent of Berserk. It’s very easy to transition from one to the other and they’re both trade in gore as if it’s as natural as breathing. They'll both surprise audiences with how intense they become and the progressing depths that their protagonists sink.
Superman is widely considered the greatest superhero of all time. He was the first mainstream superhero for DC Comics and is still their flag bearer to this day, alongside Batman, his polar opposite. He is the one man who truly stands for truth, justice, and the American way. The only time that Superman falters is when writers forget that the essential allure of Superman is his purity.
This hero can also be boring in the wrong hands. Some readers ridiculed Superman for years, calling him the "big blue boy scout." However, that's what he is — a superhero who makes people believe in the forces of good. When his storylines focus on that, it is when Superman has a chance to shine. Here is a look at some of the best, most exciting, and emotional stories in his DC Comics career.
Updated on July 6, 2020, by Shawn S. Lealos: There isn't a superhero that has a more storied history than the Man of Steel. Superman is a character that has always stood for the best in us collectively. Even though his character has changed, often drastically, over the years, he is still the greatest hero of them all. While that does not always offer the best stories you will read, plenty of them are among the best superhero stories in comic books. Here are a few more of the best Superman stories of all-time to seek out.
15 SUPERMAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Released in 1998, Superman For All Seasons is a four-episode limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. This series followed the four seasons of the year and ran parallel with the Man of Steel reinvention of Superman by John Byrne. Each chapter is narrated by a different person: Jonathan Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and Lana Lang, and showed Superman taking his place in the world from the eyes of those closest to him.
14 KINGDOM COME
Kingdom Come is much more than just a Superman story, but it is a story that has Superman at its heart. This is an Elseworlds story created by Alex Ross and Mark Waid and deals with a future where the traditional heroes are at odds with the new breed of superheroes in a brand-new world. With Superman unable to accept the new world, the United States fears it must deal with superhumans once and for all, putting the entire planet in danger.
13 MUST THERE BE A SUPERMAN?
Must There Be A Superman came out in 1972, and the story saw Superman standing trial by the Guardians of the Universe for crimes against humanity. The crime presented against Superman is specifically that he saves the world and does everything for Earth, preventing it from progressing on its own. Superman realizes, in the end, that he can help and save people, but he also needs to let them find their way when the danger passes.
12 SUPERMAN: EXILE
Superman: Exile hit in 1989 and was a running storyline over several of Superman's comic books. It all started in Superman #28 and continued until Action Comics #643, which had a throw-back cover to the first Action Comics cover. The story started with Superman feeling guilty over killing the villains of the Phantom Zone and he exiles himself from Earth for his perceived crimes. The series then showcases Superman coming to grips with his actions before finally returning home.
11 SUPERMAN: SECRET IDENTITY
Superman: Secret Identity is a four-issue miniseries by Kurt Busiek and Stuart Immonen that is a non-canon story about the life of Clark Kent. In this story, Clark is a person who lives in a world where there are no superheroes outside of comic books. However, when he one day gains the powers of Superman, he has to keep his superhero identity a secret from the public as he adjusts to his new role in the world.
10 DEATH OF SUPERMAN
The Death of Superman storyline is polarizing for a few reasons. For one thing, it was a blatant cash grab, and fans knew it. The death of the world's greatest hero was a monumental moment and brought DC Comics a lot of press. Inevitably, they brought him back a year later, and not all the fans returned when that happened.
However, it was a significant moment in comic book history. Superman dying to save Metropolis was a great moment. Funeral for a Friend was a fantastic storyline as the world reacted to its loss. The Reign of the Superman was fun and brought back Superboy. It all ended with Superman returning, but the road to get there was great.
9 ALL-STAR SUPERMAN
Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely created one of the greatest Superman storylines in the history of DC Comics, and it isn't even canon. This story takes place in the future and deals with the death of the Man of Steel. This death wasn't a gimmick like Death of Superman, though.
All-Star Superman had Superman find himself overwhelmed with massive amounts of solar radiation. While the yellow sun gives Superman his powers, this much energy has started to kill him. He has one year left to live, and the issues in this series explore moments from his life in loving detail.
8 RED SON
When it comes to Elseworlds stories, the best one involving Superman is the series, Red Son. Mark Millar and Dave Johnson created this comic book three-issue miniseries with an intriguing premise: what if Superman's spacecraft landed in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas?
A couple in the Soviet Union takes in baby Kal-El and raise him themselves. He grows up to work for the government as a good man, but finds himself the target of a vigilante known as Batman.
7 MAN OF STEEL (1986)
In 1986, Crisis on Infinite Earths combined Earths in the multiverse and then rebooted the entire DC Universe. When it came to Superman, John Byrne came in and created one of the most beloved Superman stories of all time with his Man of Steel series.
Collected in Man of Steel #1-6, Byrne relaunched the entire Superman universe with this story. Most of what Byrne did kept Superman the same, but he made one significant change that remains in effect today: he made Lex Luthor a respected businessman. He also eliminated Superboy and brought Jonathan and Martha Kent back from the dead.
6 WHAT'S SO FUNNY ABOUT TRUTH, JUSTICE & THE AMERICAN WAY?
People like to make fun of Superman for being virtuous and always looking on the bright side and doing the right thing. In a world where people love antiheroes or characters who walk in the dark like Batman, Superman almost seems antiquated. That is where "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice & The American Way" comes in.
In Action Comics #775, a new superhero team is on the scene known as The Elite. They are true antiheroes who revel in killing the bad guys, while also causing a ton of collateral damage as they tear through their foes. People love them. They kept challenging Superman, and when he finally accepted, he taught them a lesson they will never forget. This Superman storyline was adapted into an animated movie titled Superman vs. The Elite.
5 FOR THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING
"For the Man Who Has Everything" was a one-shot storyline from Superman Annual #11 in 1985. The story has Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in battle with a villain known as Mongul. This villain uses Black Mercury, a parasite that attaches to someone and shows them their greatest dreams as they rest in a coma-like state.
Brainiac is one of Superman's most powerful and iconic villains. The former scientist set out to collect worlds, shrink them, and keep them in bottles to preserve them. He ended up cloning himself, and versions lived on, continuing his collection — whether the residents of those cities liked it or not.
One of the best Superman storylines of all time involving Brainiac took place in Action Comics #866-870 and included a moment that devastated the Man of Steel — the death of Jonathan Kent. It also brought the city of Kandor back to DC Comics and set up the New Krypton storyline. This Superman storyline was adapted in the animated movie Superman: Unbound.
3 SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT
This Superman storyline took place in the pages of Superman: Birthright #1-12, a miniseries about the Man of Steel from 2003. Mark Waid and Leinil Francis Yu told the story of what was initially supposed to be a non-canon Superman storyline. However, thanks to the popularity of the story, it ended up replacing John Byrne's Man of Steel storyline as the canon origin story in DC Comics.
The storyline was interesting because it took different angles in the Superman mythos. It also created a new story that retold the tale of Kal-El coming to Earth and eventually becoming the planet's greatest protector.
2 SUPERMAN #701
Not all Superman storylines have him fighting villains and saving the world. Sometimes, the best Superman stories have him just saving one person. In Superman #701, the Man of Steel shows up to find a girl on a ledge in Philadelphia, threatening to jump.
Superman doesn't grab her and take her to safety against her will. He talks to her, and he lets her talk back. Superman then floats in the sky in front of her, and the two share their stories. He gives her time, and then after hours have passed, he reaches out his hand, and she takes it. This moment was powerful and showed why Superman is the world's greatest hero. Heroism of an entirely different sort.
1 WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW?
"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" is a Superman storyline that took place in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583. This story was the final one before John Byrne rebooted the entire Superman universe with Man of Steel in 1986. It gave DC Comics a chance to say goodbye to Superman before rebooting everything.
The story takes place 10 years after Superman last appeared, and Lois Lane recounts the final days of Superman's time on Earth. It included several deaths of people close to him, the revelation that he was Clark Kent, and his final battle before leaving once and for all. It is easily one of the most exceptional Superman storylines of all time.
The American Girl franchise of collectible dolls is threatening to take legal action against the creator of a parody image showing its "Karen" doll as a pistol-packing matron.
The spoof ad is titled "Meet Karen, 2020 Girl of the Year." It's credited to "Adam the Creator," who posted it to Facebook with the caption, "This doll scares the shit out of me." Though American Girl has stated legal action will be taken, it remains to be seen if the threat can be lawfully enforced.
It features a middle-aged woman wearing a lavender tracksuit and grey tennis shoes. She is pushing a shopping cart with her left hand and wielding an automatic pistol in her right hand. The ad is captioned, "She's an independant (sic) thinker who refuses to wear a mask in public places!"
Responding to a Twitter user complaining, "Is this what we want to teach our children?" American Girl responded, "Donna, we were equally disgusted with this post. Please be assured we are taking the appropriate steps to ensure this is removed."
However, the response promoted gibes from other Twitter users. One asked, "You're really going to go for the Streisand Effect on this one?" Another joked, "Did you try talking to the manager?"
American Girl, a subsidiary of Mattel, is a line of dolls that can be customized to any look the buyer wants. "Karen" has become a derisive term for a stereotype of an arrogant and entitled White woman. The ad evokes a homeowner in St. Louis on June 28 who stood in her yard with her husband wielding a pistol as Black Lives Matter protesters went past her property.
Avengers: Endgame director Joe Russo has revealed what he thinks about the upcoming release of Zack Snyder's Justice League after years of fans campaigning for the mythical Snyder Cut.
"I think it's always great when a director's original vision can find its way to the screen," Russo explained to Comic Book Movie. "We have been very, very fortunate in our careers that everything we did for Marvel, we would call our director's cuts. They were very gracious and deferential, and very supportive of our vision for those movies, and there's nothing sitting on the editing room floor that we suddenly want back into those films. We worked very hard at what the current cut of those movies are, so we're very fortunate to have released our director's cut on all four of those films."
Similar to Snyder, Joe and Anthony Russo are no strangers to helming blockbusters or overseeing a massive superhero ensemble. The pair joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2014 to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier. They then returned for Captain America: Civil War before helming the two-part saga that was Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. While both Infinity War and Endgame went through a lot of different drafts and ideas before settling on the finished story, the Russos have reiterated they released the movie they'd always wanted to. Apart from a few deleted scenes, Endgame was largely how the brothers imagined it would look.
It's a very different story when it comes to Justice League, thanks to Zack Snyder's last-minute departure due to personal reasons. When Snyder left during post-production, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Joss Whedon took over and added up to 80 pages of a new script. It's no secret that Justice League's theatrical release and the Snyder Cut were different tonally and visually, which led to calls for #ReleasetheSnyderCut. Justice League was tipped to be Warner Bros.' version of The Avengers, though Snyder's dark and brooding DC Extended Universe is vastly different from the usually lighter MCU. Unfortunately, things didn't work out that way and Snyder's plans for a trilogy of Justice League movies fell through.
Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarán Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Zack Snyder's Justice League will premiere on HBO Max in early-to-mid 2021.
Dave Sim is a well-known figure among comic book creators for his creation of Cerebus the Aardvark. He is a notable contributor to the black and white indie boom of the 1980s comic scene, alongside contemporaries like Mirage Studios' Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird with their monstrously successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
He's also notable for his crossover collaborations with other creators, most notably with Todd McFarlane on Spawn #10, which is being reprinted by Sim with brand new covers.
"Todd McFarlane and I have always had the reciprocal agreement that he can print Spawn #10 and sell it anywhere and not compensate me for Cerebus being in it and I can do Spawn #10 anytime that I want and not compensate Todd or Todd McFarlane production for having Spawn in it. We've decided to do a Waverely Press Spawn #10." Sim said, explaining how he's allowed to reprint the issue in question.
Sim also said he will be providing 10 brand new covers for the book, some of which are already completed. "I'm going to do new a new Spawn #10 cover, hopefully doing three Spawn #10 covers," he said. "I'm going to do Cerebus and Spawn on the cover but most of it is going to be the superhero arms sticking out through the bars and that I'm doing as Neal Adams and I've got all of my Neal Adams out that I'm doing through the magnifying glass."
A release date for the Spawn #10 reprint has yet to be announced.
Of all the story elements that Avengers: Endgameintroduced, time travel was the most prominent. But when its directors were asked if they wanted to explore Captain America's trip through time, they had an interesting response.
During an interview with ComicBookMovie.com, Joe and Anthony Russo were asked if they would want to tell the story of Captain America's journey through time to return the Infinity Stones to their rightful places. "It would be a great story to tell, no question. I don't know whether it needs to be told, but it would be a great story to tell, and we'd love to tell it, but I think there are other stories to move on to now." Joe said.
At the end of the film, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) takes the Stones back to their rightful place and chooses to live a life with his first love Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Fans have wondered what exactly happened when Steve made his journey, especially considering his old enemy Red Skull was the guardian of the Soul Stone. From the Russos' comments, it looks like that story won't be told for a long time.
Avengers: Endgame is currently available on Blu-Ray and DVD and is streaming on Disney+.
Netflix has released the final trailer for the upcoming Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege animated series, and it's certainly more than meets the eye. Full of explosive action and a tone that illustrates how violent the Transformers war has become, the trailer promises an introspective look at Cybertronian society unlike any other series in the franchise. The cast is filled with recognizable Autobots and Decepticons from as far back as the franchise's inception, but it's where it might be taking them that's most interesting.
Here's a look at the biggest moments in the trailer for War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege.
Throughout the trailer, Optimus Prime morbidly thinks about whether his actions as Autobot leader have inadvertently doomed his faction. This is a far cry from the more determined, hopeful, and experienced characterization of Prime. In fact, the Autobots themselves, while sometimes portrayed as inherently less battle-ready than the Decepticons, are usually shown as being of equal status to them, if not having the evil Transformers on the ropes. Instead, this series will have an Autobot resistance on the verge of being slaughtered, and an Optimus Prime who worries if he is simply leading them to an early grave, providing a major twist on the franchise's normal formula. The Autobots themselves seem to be few and far between, making them wage their battle with worse odds than ever.
Previous trailers for War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege suggested Jetfire would switch sides, as he was shown both standing alongside the Decepticons, and later, seemingly attacking one of Starscream's several Seeker copies. This change of spark for the gigantic aerial Transformer is essentially confirmed in the newest trailer, where he is seen standing alongside the Autobots.
Later in the trailer, Jetfire is seen grasping at who looks like Barricade as the latter is swallowed up in an electrical storm. Given that these storms seem to be caused by Megatron, this is perhaps the catalyst for Jetfire's desertion of the Decepticons. This moment may also come during another scene shown in the trailer, where a bloodthirsty Megatron prepares his blade against a downed and defenseless Optimus Prime.
The basic premise War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege sees Decepticon leader Megatron harnessing the power of the Allspark, with which he aims to end his conflict with the Autobots. This power is suggested in the trailer to be able to turn Autobots into Decepticons, with Bumblebee and possibly Ultra Magnus being some of the procedure's potential victims. The trailer shows Bumblebee being hit by a wave of strange energy, while Ultra Magnus is similarly shown being tortured by the energy later in the trailer. While an evil Ultra Magnus would certainly be an immense blow to the Autobot resistance, a villainous Bumblebee would be a massively shocking heel turn for the franchise.
War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege's accompanying toy line also features a Decepticon version of classic Autobot race car Mirage, which means that he too could become corrupted by Megatron's misuse of the Allspark. The trailer also features a lot of storms with red lightning, and at one point, a gigantic cyclone. These potentially unnatural disasters could also be the result of Megatron tampering with the Allspark's power.
Perhaps the biggest moment comes in the trailer's climax, revealing a character who could single-handedly turn the tide in the Autobots' favor. Near the trailer's end, a small group of Decepticon Reflector/Refraktor drones are sent falling through the ground as an enormous clawed hand emerges from below. This appendage seems to come from the humongous Autobot Omega Supreme. The presence of this Titan Transformer could easily turn the Autobots' losing situation around, with his size granting him the strength to strike terror into even Megatron's spark.
In Transformers media in recent years, Omega Supreme and other Transformers like him have been portrayed as Titans, a race of ancient gigantic Transformers with immense power. Omega Supreme hasn't always been used in this group, with the face of the Titans typically being Metroplex. However, a massive new toy released for the War for Cybertron Trilogy - Siege focuses on the franchise's original giant Transformer. Titans have been shown in modern continuity as only being communicable with those capable of "cityspeaking," so it's unknown exactly which Autobot will contact and awaken Omega Supreme.
Developed by Rooster Teeth Studios, Transformers: War for Cybertron - Siege features the voice talents of Jake Foushee as Optimus Prime, Jason Marnocha as Megatron, Linsay Rousseau as Elita-1, Joe Zieja as Bumblebee, Frank Todaro as Starscream, Rafael Goldstein as Ratchet, Keith Silverstein as Jetfire, Todd Haberkorn as Shockwave & Red Alert , Edward Bosco as Ultra Magnus & Soundwave, Bill Rogers as Wheeljack, Sophia Isabella as Arcee, Brook Chalmers as Impactor, Shawn Hawkins as Mirage, Kaiser Johnson as Ironhide, Miles Luna as Teletraan I & Cliffjumper and Mark Whitten as Sideswipe & Skywarp. The film will arrives on Netflix July 30.
The future of NXT U.K. has been in doubt in recent months. The brand hasn't aired new content since March due to the COVID-19 lockdown in the U.K. -- and since then, many members of its roster have been implicated in the Speaking Out movement, leading to suspensions and releases of key talent.
WWEreportedly told its U.K. talent to be ready to resume work within two months in a recent conference call. When the brand returns, it will have to deal with the same pitfalls as domestic NXT in the form of main roster call ups. WWE reportedly wants NXT U.K.'s current champion on Raw or SmackDown, but there's a major sticking point keeping that from happening.
Dave Meltzer has reported that WWE wants to promote WALTER to the main roster. Ordinarily, that would be the end of things. But beyond COVID-19 putting the relocation of any U.K. stars to the states on hold, the main wrench in the works here is that WALTER isn't interested in living in the U.S. -- or being on a main roster WWE show.
WALTER has been adamant that he won't relocate for WWE. He and his family live in Germany, where he helps run WXW's wrestling school. As far as he's concerned, a run as a full time member of any stateside WWE brand would be out of the question. That doesn't need to be the end of his relationship with WWE, though. In fact, using him on a part time basis would be the best choice for both parties.
WALTER has never had qualms about working the occasional match in the U.S., on WWE's main roster or otherwise. Before signing with WWE he worked in the indies in America. He was California indie powerhouse PWG's World Champion and challenged Adam Cole for the NXT North American Championship in EVOLVE. He's also made special appearances in the domestic version of NXT. He wrestled Kushida in the main event of the weekly show and his highest profile WWE match on American soil came at the World's Collide Special.
WALTER and his stable, Imperium, wrestled the Undisputed Era in a battle of two dominant heel factions. Imperium were likely going to be babyfaces by default, but wound up being put in an underdog role when Alexander Wolfe came down with a legitimate injury. For one night, WALTER was a heroic babyface fighting against the odds.
WALTER was shockingly great in that role, although the one he should play on the main roster is the same one he occupies in NXT U.K.: the monster heel. He's been dominant in NXT U.K. since his debut. He decisively ended Pete Dunne's 685 day WWE United Kingdom Championship reign at TakeOver: New York before going on to have an epic David vs. Goliath match against the first U.K. Champion, Tyler Bate, at TakeOver: Cardiff.
In both of those matches, WALTER was like a cross between Big Van Vader in his prime and the Terminator. He hits hard, with chops in place of Vader's notoriously stiff punches. He's singularly focused on defeating his opponents like a horror movie villain. Dunne and Bate both gave the big man everything they had, but it wasn't enough to keep him down.
Those qualities would make WALTER an excellent candidate to follow in Brock Lesnar's footsteps as a part-timer making special appearances on the main roster. Whether he would be used as SmackDown's answer to "the Beast Incarnate" or to fill the void during Lesnar's lengthy absences from Raw doesn't really matter. There are enough interesting match ups for him on either brand.
WALTER made brief appearances on the main roster as part of the build to the three-way brand warfare at last year's Survivor Series. He had a short match with Seth Rollins on an episode of Raw from England before showing up as a surprise member of NXT's team at Survivor Series, where he was quickly eliminated by Drew McIntyre. He'd be an ideal opponent for either man in a serious pay-per-view match.
Rollins can be a great underdog babyface when the crowd doesn't hate his guts. His match with Brock Lesnar at last year's SummerSlam is a good example of that. As for McIntyre, there aren't many men in WWE who can match his size and physicality, but WALTER fits that bill. WALTER could use the Survivor Series elimination as motivation to challenge McIntyre for the WWE Championship, assuming McIntyre holds on to it for a while.
Aleister Black is another Raw star tailor-made for a match with WALTER. The physicality between the two could be closer to something out of New Japan Pro Wrestling than your typical WWE match. A win over WALTER would go a long way towards making Black's position on Raw feel more secure.
WALTER could also be slotted into a role into a special attraction monster role on SmackDown. His devotion to the purity of his style of wrestling above all others would make him an interesting rival for the Daniel Bryan/Drew Gulak team, who take a more light-hearted approach to a similar philosophy of being devoted technical wrestlers.
WALTER would make a formidable challenger for Braun Strowman, but he might find an even more interesting match up with the current Money in the Bank briefcase holder, Otis. WALTER would no doubt be disgusted with Otis's existence. Otis being forced to deal with WALTER's physicality would push him out of his comedic comfort and help him grow as a performer.
WALTER becoming a special attraction on the main roster makes the most sense as his next step, whether NXT U.K. remains viable or not. Rather than alienating him by demanding he move to the states full time, WWE would be wise to establish him as Lesnar's part-timer heir apparent. WALTER's a full decade younger than Lesnar. If WWE plays its cards right, it could have another monster for years to come once Lesnar finally hangs up his Jimmy John's shorts for good.
Nintendo released a free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons on July 3 that re-introduces features from past games -- namely, swimming and diving. Players who are properly equipped with a wetsuit can swim on their island, a friend's, or a stranger's, which has made some players unhappy because of what it means for blocking off their islands during trades.
Thanks to the Dodo Code feature in New Horizons, it's possible for players to visit anyone in the game as long as they both have a Nintendo Switch Online membership. This has facilitated trading and selling in-game, with players setting up turnip queues or exchanging items or villagers for Bells and Nook Miles Tickets.
Typically, players block off a path to their Nook's Cranny or set up fencing to prevent strangers from progressing past the area immediately in front of the airport. This not only prevents people from wandering around and taking up precious queue time on the island, but also prevents them from plucking or crushing flowers, leaving designs on the wall in the Ables Sisters' tailor's shop, or stealing resources or dropped items.
Unfortunately, although players are generally thrilled about the New Horizons summer update, there's one major problem: Anyone can dive off the airport dock and swim ashore, which makes it almost impossible to block off the entire island.
To make matters worse, if players do choose to put up fencing in every area where someone can swim ashore, this also prevents that person from leaving. There are alternatives, such as planting shrubs in grassy areas (which can be dug up by the island owner to create a "door"), but ultimately, players who are determined to keep strangers from wandering their islands will have to do a significant amount of work.
Player response to this issue has been varied. Some have called for an update patch that prevents people who aren't friends from diving and swimming on another player's island. Others have noted that crushed and plucked flowers grow back in a couple days and anything stolen can be easily regained. Plus, visitors can't remove custom patterns from the ground. Designs in the tailor's shop can be replaced with a few clicks of a button.
Although it may be irksome for New Horizons players to have to navigate strangers who overstay their welcome or insist on wandering the island by diving into the water, rather than entering on land, it seems unlikely that this will alter the course of the thriving trade market that has cropped up for this game. Scammers can attempt to steal from players with or without a wetsuit, after all -- and those are the players whose behavior can be truly difficult to get past.
Ultimately, it's up to every single player -- especially visitors -- to adhere to proper island etiquette and not ruin the fun for everyone else. If a host island requests that visitors don't swim, they need to respect that.
David Schwimmer has provided an update on the anticipated Friends reunion special, claiming that it will take place "when it's safe."
Schwimmer, who played paleontologist Ross Geller on the show, explained to AP Entertainment how he continues to find it rewarding how newer and younger audiences are still discovering the show in 2020. Regarding the reunion special itself, Schwimmer explains how "We're hoping to shoot it -- I think the hope right now is to shoot in August if, of course, it's safe to do so."
"Part of the plan was always to have a live audience component of the show because it's -- by the way, it's unscripted, we're not playing our characters," Schwimmer said. "It's just basically an interview with all six of us reuniting in literally for the first time in probably ten years. So, we'll see. I hope it happens in August, if not it'll be when it's safe to do so."
The Friends Reunion special was intended to be a part of HBO Max's launch in order to attract new subscribers to the platform now that HBO owns the rights to the popular '90s sitcom. Unfortunately, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic derailed those plans. The show originally aired for ten years from 1994 to 2004.
The untitled Friends special, which is directed by Ben Winston, will be available on HBO Max. Original executive producers Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane will also return to work on the special.
When comic book companies crossover their various well-know properties, the hope is that readers will buy into a story that could never happen in the continuity. Over the years, DC Comics has partnered with companies like Dark Horse and Boom! Studios that own the rights to licensed properties from movies and television.
There have been some interesting meeting between the heroes of the DCU and properties such as Federation crews from Star Trek and even something as brutal as the Xenomorphs of Alien fame. Some of these crossovers have been more successful than others, while others were total disappointments. The following are just a few examples of those that hit the mark and those that missed the mark.
10 HIT THE MARK: Green Lantern & Star Trek
In 2015-2016, DC Comics’ intergalactic police force met with IDW’s space-exploring crew of the USS Enterprise for the first time in the out-of-continuity miniseries Spectrum War. Set in the 23rd century, the crew makes an unusual discovery on a lost world, and when Hal Jordon appears, he informs Kirk that new ring bears must be chosen from the crew. In 2017, Stranger Worlds reunited the crew of the USS Enterprise and the remaining members of the Green Lanterns against Sinestro and the Klingons, who intended to destroy Oa.
On the surface, this crossover should not work as well as it did, but was pulled off flawlessly. It's worth noting that while the stories are constructed in such a way that it works within a plausible timeline, the writing of each property remains true to the original properties.
9 MISSED THE MARK: Justice League & Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
When a transporter incident lands the Black Ranger in the DC Universe, he comes face to face with Batman, who doesn’t like surprises - especially those of the extra-dimensional kind. When the other Power Rangers arrive, the two teams clash before learning that Brainiac and Lord Zedd teamed up with the intentions of helping the other destroy their mutual Earths.
The crossover doesn’t work for a few reasons, but mainly that the story was full of generic tropes that were used to force tension between the characters. The event seemed more like a promotional tool for the upcoming Power Rangers’ big-screen movie debut.
8 HIT THE MARK: Legion Of Super-Heroes & Star Trek
In 2011, two sci-fi based teams with devoted followings met for the first (and only) time. The plot finds the crew of the Starship Enterprise and the Legion of Super-Heroes dealing with a changed history and timeline that neither side can explain or remember. To set things right, the two groups must join forces and travel to the past and the future to find answers. But first, the teams must learn to work together.
The aspect which sells the crossover is the interactions between the two different groups, especially Spock and Brainiac-5. The only thing about this crossover that was disappointing was that it wrapped up a bit too cleanly, as if plans for another miniseries were made beforehand. Still, the Legion, being part of the New52 relaunch, meant that writer Chris Roberson didn’t get to tell the story he originally intended.
7 MISSED THE MARK: The Joker & The Mask
Crossing over some properties can be tricky, especially when the characters being used are so similar, which is the case with Joker/Mask. The story follows the typical Mask storyline: Joker finds the Mask, puts it on, and acquires the Mask’s powers. Things go off the rails and of course, Batman must intervene with the help of Harley Quinn.
By opting for humor instead of the horrific potential that the Mask could bring to Joker’s unimaginable depth of insanity, this crossover lands itself in the forgettable side of things.
6 HIT THE MARK: Wonder Woman & Conan The Barbarian
When Conan the Barbarian finds himself on the shores of an unknown land, he finds himself face-to-face with Wonder Woman, the world’s most fearsome arena fighter, also in captivity. After their initial fight, the two work together to free themselves from the grips of their powerful slave-owner Dellos. Once they escape, they find that they must together confront the dark magic that threatens the land, and wants to destroy them both.
In 2017, Wonder Woman met Dark Horse’s Cimmerian barbarian-king, Conan, in a crossover that not only joined these two warriors together for the first time but reunited the all-star creative team of writer Gail Simone and artist Aaron Lopresti. At first that the typical crossover tropes are used, but Simone brings a fresh approach to both characters, providing readers with a truly magical and mythical out of continuity story.
5 MISSED THE MARK: Green Lantern & Planet Of The Apes
Usually, the addition of sentient primates to any story is an instant plus, but 2017’s Planet of the Apes/Green Lantern is the exception. The six-issue crossover is messy and relies on the reader being familiar with events happening to both sets of characters in their regular ongoing titles.
The premise, the existence of the “Universal Ring,” falls short as the concept was similar to the concurrent storyline in Green Lanterns. Overall, it was a failed opportunity to tell a more compelling story, such as how things would have been different if Abin Sur crashed on the Earth of the Planet of the Apes.
4 HIT THE MARK: Superman & Aliens
In 1995, Superman had his first run-in with the ravenous, acid-spitting Xenomorphs from Aliens. The first encounter revolved around an object in space thought to be a piece of Krypton. Superman travels to space only to discover that the planet is in another galaxy, which has a red sun. As if Superman is losing his powers wasn’t enough, he learns that the planet is inhabited by Xenomorphs. Impregnated by the Alien Queen, Superman is able to crush the Alien growing inside him once they reenter Earth’s solar system.
Years later, Darkseid would come into the possession of some Alien eggs and use them in his battle against the New Gods in Superman/Aliens 2: God War. The only thing that could have made these series better would have been a chestbuster popping out of Jimmy or Perry.
3 MISSED THE MARK: Superman & The Terminator
The Aliens andPredator franchises aren’t the only sci-fi movie properties the Man of Steel has crossed over with, as Superman found himself caught up in the war between the humans and the Terminators in 1999.
Sarah and John Conner arrive in Metropolis, hoping to escape a time-traveling T-800 Terminator. Superman spots this and rescue the two. They tell Superman that John is destined to lead the resistance against Skynet in the future, thus has been targeted by Terminators. Superman is then transported to the future where he meets an aged Steel, and the two work together to take down Skynet. Meanwhile, Lois, Supergirl and Superboy fight continual waves of Terminator in the present. Not a bad idea in concept, but lacking in execution.
2 HIT THE MARK: Batman & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle collaboration between DC Comics and IDW Publishing led to a total of three miniseries and an animated feature. The first installment of this trilogy was more of the stereotypical first encounter, but the subsequent installments played with DCU concepts such as the drug Venom and the idea of the Multiverse.
This hat-trick of miniseries showcases the potential of what an intercompany crossover can be if the creative team has a clear grasp on both universes and the characters that reside in them.
1 MISSED THE MARK: JLA & The Predator
This one-shot was not the first visit from the trophy-hunting Predator, but it certainly was the worst. Having tangled with both Batman and Superman, the logical step would be for a team of Predators to take on the JLA. Well, it happened, and it was horrible.
Not even the writing of John Ostrander could right this train wreck. While it begins very promising, it quickly goes off the rails and wraps up in lackluster fashion.
Though many years have passed since DC Comics' New 52 era officially concluded, many fans still have mixed feelings about the major changes made during this time. While some creative decisions worked wonders for some characters, others were definitely not as fortunate, leading to some rather sour opinions that have since become punchlines or cautionary tales for aspiring writers.
Fortunately, there was still plenty of good to come from this time as well, giving many readers a rather complicated relationship with the New 52 overall. Looking at both the good and the bad, here is a look back at five characters who were better during the New 52, and five more who were much worse.
10 WORSE: The Flash
Granted, the new depiction of The Flash is far from the worst thing to ever happen in the New 52. In fact, Barry Allen's character did remain fairly true to his persona before the reboot, making it easier for some readers to pick up and stay with this series in the long run.
The real problem the New 52 version faced though was in how much Flash history had been erased. From characters like Wally West to very important events in general, it really took the New 52 version of Barry a long time to catch up to the prior one.
9 BETTER: Green Lantern
Though it wasn't without its rough patches, the New 52 was actually pretty kind to Green Lantern overall. Even beyond Hal Jordan, many things happened to other members of the Green Lantern Corps that are still around today.
Not only did this era of DC comics introduce fan favorites like Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz, but there are also some great stories featuring the entire team. Likewise, even after Geoff Johns left the series, the quality remained fairly consistent, making it easy to see why it transitioned so well into DC Rebirth.
8 WORSE: Green Arrow
Despite the growing popularity of Green Arrow especially thanks to the hit CW show Arrow, the New 52 made a mess of his character, especially in the earlier days of his run. Not only did DC give him a massive costume change, but his new personality was also incredibly difficult to warm up to.
Fortunately, as the series went on, this version of Oliver became much more like the one fans were familiar with. Though it took him a long time to get the goatee back, there are far more issues with the New 52 Green Arrow that don't involve his appearance.
7 BETTER: Harley Quinn
Harley Quinn has really grown a lot as a character since the New 52 first began. Though it took her a moment to get her own series, her role within Suicide Squad took her in all sorts of interesting directions.
Not only did Harley officially break things off with Joker during this time frame, but she also became much more of an anti-hero than she had been in the past. While it was certainly a different direction for her character at the time, it is easy to see why the DCEU movies and shows like the animated Harley Quinn have chosen to follow a similar path.
6 WORSE: Superboy
Thankfully, the New 52 version of Superboy wasn't around as long as the New 52 itself was. The character was actually so radically different from before that few fans were actually upset when the New 52 version was killed off.
Featuring a different costume, attitude and identity altogether, it only makes sense that so many were upset by this new Superboy. Given how successful Conner Kent has been in the past, one can only wonder why they thought such drastic changes were a good idea.
5 BETTER: Aquaman
Before the New 52, Aquaman was widely considered by many to be one of the biggest jokes not just in DC, but in comics in general. Though many long-time fans knew that wasn't the case, the New 52 version really brought the character into the spotlight, and has helped make him the major success he is today.
Thanks to storylines like "Throne of Atlantis" among others, Aquaman's true power has not only been realized, but his role within the larger DC universe has also grown significantly. Surprisingly, for all the bad that came from the New 52, Aquaman was certainly a home-run.
4 WORSE: Starfire
Similar to Superboy, Starfire also went through some pretty drastic changes at the start of the New 52. Though she did retain her usual identity and the basics, the character had also regressed significantly in many other ways.
With a very revealing costume and a rather ignorant approach to sexual politics and female characters as a whole, this modernized version of Starfire was definitely a departure from the one fans were used to seeing. As one can imagine, many were upset with this interpretation, making her less beneficial of the New 52 treatment than other characters have been.
3 BETTER: Wonder Woman
Especially at the start of the run, Wonder Woman received some rather significant upgrades when the New 52 first kicked off. Coupled with a great story as well, and it is easy to see why the New 52 version of the character did so well among readers.
Granted, there were a few bumps in her series after Brian Azzarello left the title, but it was overall a very pleasant read. From power upgrades to some welcome changes to her background, the New 52 Wonder Woman was easily one of the best characters during this era.
2 WORSE: Superman
Despite being one of the biggest and most important heroes in the entire DC Universe and comics as a whole, the changes to Superman really hurt his character throughout the New 52. While a younger, more headstrong depiction of the character could have been interesting, there were just too many differences from his prior versions that many long-time fans were turned off.
To make matters worse, Clark was burdened with some rather lackluster events and strange relationships that really didn't help him. Fortunately, this version of the character has since been wiped from continuity to some degree, with the pre-Flashpoint version now back as the main Superman once again.
1 BETTER: Batman
Of course, given the massive success of Scott Snyder's Batman run, it's safe to say that the New 52 treated the character very kindly. Though other members in Batman's circle weren't so fortunate during this time, storylines like "Court of Owls," "Zero Year," and "Death of the Family" really did a lot for Batman at this point in time.
Though this run still wasn't without its weak points, there were definitely far more highs than there were lows in the series. With so many cool ideas, moments, and concepts coming from these 52 issues alone, it is easy to see why so many enjoy the New 52 run of Batman.
Believe it or not, theOne Piecemanga has been going strong for about twenty years and counting. Now that anime has returned, fans can also enjoy their favorite scenes fully animated. Eiichiro Oda’s magnum opus is nothing short of phenomenal. With all these mind-blowing characters, Devil Fruits, and other ideas, one must wonder where Oda draws inspiration from.
The man has been drawing since his teen years and even worked with some legendary mangaka as well, which means he consumed plenty of manga before committing Luffy to paper for the first time. This then begs the question "What manga influenced him when he created One Piece?" Wonder no more as here are five popular manga's that influenced Oda and five more that are not so famous, but are still highly important to him.
10 FAMOUS: Sailor Moon
Transformation sequences are a big part of anime and manga, and have been for a very long time. One Piece maybe a pirate series, but Oda still manages to sneak in transformations. Franky the Cyborg is a prime example of this. In the later chapters of the series, Sanji’s family, Germa 66, makes an appearance, during the Whole Cake arc. They have transformations as well, and it's very similar to those of Sailor Moon.
Sailor Moon has been around since the early '90s, so it's likely One Piece some inspiration from it. The pirates' uniforms (or Raid Suits) are always flashy and colorful, which is reminiscent of the Sailor Scouts uniform. Moreover, they become more powerful once they transform, just like the Sailor Scouts.
9 NOT SO FAMOUS: Ranma ½
It safe to say that Luffy's powers are peculiar, right? His rubber powers are not the type of ability one expects from a Shonen protagonist. The same can be said for the main character from the series '90s series Ranma ½, where the protagonist can change into a woman when doused with cold water.
Ranma garners this odd ability by accidentally falling into hot spring. As a child, Luffy obtains his powers through an accident, too. He unknowingly eats a mysterious fruit, which grants him rubber powers. Both characters unknowingly obtain weird abilities through jarring circumstances.
8 FAMOUS: Lupin The Third
Oda’s character designs seem to take inspiration fromLupin The Third. The notorious thief, Lupin, is a rather lanky individual and is always wearing high water pants. Moreover, Lupin The Third is a narrative about the life of a notorious thief. One Piece is a series about pirates - not exactly the same profession, but lovable rogues nonetheless.
In addition, the cast of characters has very similar archetypes. For instance, there's Lupin (leader), Goemon (swordsman), Jigen (the gunman), and Fujiko (thief). In the beginning of One Piece, it originally consists of Luffy (leader) Zoro (swordsman), Usopp (the gunman), and Nami(thief). More than likely, Oda favored writer, Monkey Punches characters, and chose to imitate it.
7 NOT SO FAMOUS: Kinnikuman
While its art style makes it incredibly recognizable, Kinnikumanis a moderately successful manga, which began serialization in the late ’70s, in Weekly Shonen Jump.
The manga follows a clumsy foolish protagonist, Suguru Kinniku, who sets out to prove himself as the world's greatest intergalactic wrestler after recently discovering he was a long-lost prince of a Prestigious planet of superheroes. Judging how odd and ridiculous this series is, it shouldn't be too surprising to see its unique combat and humor bleed over into One Piece. For one, Monkey D. Luffy is just as clumsy and foolish as Suguru.
6 FAMOUS: Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin is a popular manga series that rose to fame in the early '90s. Seeing that Oda was an intern for the creator of RurouniKenshin, he most certainly incorporated those experiences into his manga - both in art and story.
On the surface, One Piece and RurouniKenshin are different from one another but they cross paths in more ways than one. Rurouni Kenshin takes place in feudal Japan and consists of samarai. Its most obvious influence on One Piece can be seen in the Wano arc, which takes place in a pastiche of feudal Japan.
5 NOT SO FAMOUS: Akira
Before its popular film adaptation hit theaters in 1988, Akira began as a manga that saw popularity in a niche audience. Oda, in fact, cites the Akira manga as one of his major inspirations.
Akira takes place in a rather dystopic future. The citizens of Neo-Tokyo are fed up with the government and want to dismantle it. One Piece is widely known for its world-building, which was influenced by that of Akira. For instance, the World Government basically runs the entire world, hence the name.
4 FAMOUS: JoJo's Bizzare Adventure
In all fairness, Hirohiko Ariki’s beloved Jojo's Bizarre Adventure has had an influence on the entire manga industry in ways that are impossible to count. One of the most obvious contributions it made were the Stand Users, who are known to have the oddest abilities. The Devil Fruit abilities in One Piece are just as weird and at times, very similar to these Stands.
Josuke’s Stand Crazy Diamond, for instance, encompasses the ability to break any object apart or revert it back to its normal state. In addition, he can also heal injures. Trafalgar Law's from One Piece, Devil Fruit, the Ope Ope No Mi grants him the ability that is something very similar.
3 NOT SO FAMOUS: Dr. Slump
Before the famous Dragon Ball ever made its way into many fans' hearts, there was the early 80’s Dr. Slump. Created by Dragon Ball mastermind Akira Toriyama, Dr. Slump is a comedy about an inventor who goes by the name Senbei Normaki and his creation Arale Normaki. The series centers around them getting into all types of crazy shenanigans around their little town, Penguin Village.
This is another work Oda cites as a major influence in his work. Considering Dr. Slump is a comedy, it is not surprising this is one of Oda’s influences. After all, One Piece is one of the funniest manga ever created.
2 FAMOUS: Dragon Ball
The masterpieceDragon Ballis one of the most revered mangas of all time. Many mangaka passionately express how Dragon Ball influenced them in one way or another, and Oda too has stated this on many occasions. The original Dragon Ball series primarily focused on action, adventure, and finding mystical artifacts. Unsurprisingly, One Piece follows a very similar premise.
Oda also cites Toriyama's writing style and sense of humor as one of his influences, and this is pretty clear to anyone who's followed One Piece. The characters Oda and Toriyama created are abstract at best, which leads to a lot of parallels - both intentional and otherwise. Luffy’s and Goku’s personality mirror each other quite well.
1 NOT SO FAMOUS: Outlaw Star
Outlaw Star is a lesser-known space opera manga which began serialization in 1996 that's also arguably better known as an anime. The narrative is about a group of outlaws that head out on a quest in space, to find fabled treasure known as the Galactic Leyline. The main character Jean Starwind steals a ship he later coins the Outlaw Star, which is designed to find it.
Does that sound a little familiar? One Piece borrows other themes from this classic, such as freedom, political corruption, identity, reasoning to live, etc.
