Batman Triumphant

A fan poster for 'Batman Triumphant'

This was a proposed sequel to the godawful Batman & Robin, with George Cooney and Chris O’Donnell returning in the lead roles. The story pitted Bats against Scarecrow and Man-Bat in what director Joel Schumacher (who directed the prior two films) wanted to be a return to the darker portrayal of the title character, rather than the goofy, technicolor kiddie flicks that the series had fallen into. But when Batman & Robin failed to perform at the box office (not to mention with critics and fans), Batman Triumphant was scrapped in favor of a series reboot — a move that gave us the triumphant Christopher Nolan films. So it sort of lived up to its name.

Batman vs. Superman

Batman vs. Superman fan art

Director Wolfgang Petersen (Air Force One, The Perfect Storm) came very close to making this one. It introduced a retired, haunted Bruce Wayne and a divorced Clark Kent who start off as friends. There’s a wedding in the story, where Bruce ties the knot to one Elizabeth Miller, and Clark — who has rekindled his high school romance with Lana Lang — is his best man. Things go south when Elizabeth is murdered by the Joker while the happy couple are on their honeymoon, sending Bruce back into the Bat-tights. Lex Luthor is also involved in some way, perhaps in an alliance with the Joker. Presumably, as the title suggests, the two heroes would at some point in the movie come to blows against one another, though I’m sure it all turned to hugs and puppies by the end. [Image source.]

Batman: Year One

Costume concept from 'Batman: Year One'

A collaboration between director Darren Aronofsky and writer Frank Miller, this was conceived as a complete reboot of the Batman film series after the disappointment that was Batman & Robin — but before Christopher Nolan was involved. Aronofsky and Miller’s script is described as a 70s period piece where they “threw out absolutely everything you know about Batman” and started over from scratch. Instead of a billionaire, Bruce Wayne is a street-dwelling orphan after his parents are killed, growing up into “a borderline psychotic who begins taking violent vengeance on street thugs.” And instead of using high-tech gadgets, this street-level Batman uses whatever junk he can get his hands on. His Batcave is an abandoned subway station, and his Batmobile is a Lincoln Continental with some added hardware. The idea of a “year one” take on Batman would carry on to the subsequent Batman Begins by Christopher Nolan, but no story elements from Aronofsky and Miller’s story would be used.

Justice League

Justice League fan art

George Miller wanted to make this film, which was the start of a proposed film trilogy, with a young cast of 20-somethings in the starring roles of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, and others. The script by Kieran and Michelle Mulroney has secret files belonging to Batman stolen by a supervillain team-up — files that describe the weaknesses of each member of the Justice League, in case of worst-case scenario where Bruce might be forced to take them down. OMACs and Brother Eye are involved, Barry Allen is murdered with Wally West taking up The Flash mantle, and there’s a big twist at the end revealing Darkseid as setup for a sequel. At first, the movie was going to be set in the same universe as Batman Begins and Superman Returns, but this was scrapped pretty early in favor of a separate continuity. [Image source.]

Spider-Man (James Cameron)

Storyboard from James Cameron's 'Spider-Man'

Cameron’s take on the web-head was similar to Sam Raimi’s first movie in broad strokes, but Cameron’s outline/script (which you can read for yourself online, or a version with storyboards here) was a darker, more nuanced origin story for Peter Parker. Peter is a repressed bully target who explodes with rage when given the opportunity, beating Flash to a bloody pulp and swinging across New York rooftops as a cathartic sort of therapy. His enemies include a new version of Sandman, who works as a sort of “mob enforcer” for Electro, a wealthy entrepreneur whose electrical powers could alter digital records, access databases, and more, and who tries to turn Peter into a fellow villain. J. Jonah Jameson owns a local TV station instead of a newspaper. Spidey’s web shooters are organic (which is where Raimi got the idea from), but manifest in a sticky wet dream one night in bed. Where Raimi’s film was candy-colored and maintained a plucky optimism, Cameron’s story is set in a world of moral greys, where doing the right thing often causes as many problems as it solves. Peter’s journey to becoming a hero is a longer one, with more mistakes along the way. He swears frequently and even has costumed sex with Mary Jane in a steamy scene atop the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s kind of hard to imagine this film in the wake of Sam Raimi’s successful trilogy, but don’t ever underestimate Cameron’s midas touch at the box office. It was an opportunity lost due to legal battles between various studios who believed they had the rights to make a Spider-Man movie. But in my opinion, despite a few odd choices, it’s ultimately a cool story, and James Cameron + Spider-Man would have made an unstoppable box office dynamic duo.

Spider-Man 4

A fan-made poster for 'Spider-Man 4'

Even though most fans were disappointed with Spider-Man 3, it was an enormous box office success, and Sony greenlit Spider-Man 4 not long after 3‘s release. Raimi wanted the villain this time out to be the Lizard, while the studio wanted John Malkovich as Vulture. Tobey Maguire and Kirstin Dunst were set to reprise their roles as well, and development was in full swing when Raimi backed out, citing creative differences with the studio. Marc Webb was brought in to restart the franchise anew, and he chose Andrew Garfield as his Spider-Man. We’ll see what they come up with next Summer.

Super Max

Green Arrow was the main character in 'Super Max'

A hot script by David Goyer & Justin Marks was the talk of Hollywood a few years ago. In it, Green Arrow has been incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, in an extremely elaborate, high-tech prison made to de-power superpowered criminals and hold them indefinitely. It was described as a big, complex heist film with lots of supervillains from DC Comics — and a superhero or two as well (in addition to Green Arrow). No Black Canary, but roles were confirmed for Riddler, Joker, and Lex Luthor. There’s no reason this one might not one day see the light of day, but nobody’s in any hurry.

Superman: Flyby

Costume concept for JJ Abrams' 'Superman: Flyby'

J.J. Abrams’ wildly bold reimagining of the Superman story is — not unlike Zack Snyder’s upcoming Man of Steel — a total reboot that leaves behind all past continuity and takes some major steps away from the comic book mythology. This script suffered from a now legendary leak to Aint It Cool News, where Abrams’ reinvention of the mythos was dragged through the mud and generated an enormous negative reaction from readers. Abrams’ screenplay is an origin story with the usual familiar elements. It’s the differences that rankled fans’ sensibilities, such as Lex Luthor being a government agent obsessed with UFOs who’s later revealed to be a Kryptonian himself, and a lot of “kung fu” style mid-air fights between Supes and a quartet of criminal Kryptonians. The story’s epic battle scenes had these super-beings throwing each other into buildings and creating maximum destruction through Metropolis. It was an undeniably geeky script, filled with loads of eye candy, and despite those early knee-jerk reactions from fans worried about an “unknown” (which Abrams was at the time) retooling their beloved mythology, had Abrams’ script been used, and he been allowed to direct it himself… Frankly, that’s something I’d like to see. Abrams is a fantastic storyteller and always has his finger on the pulse of what makes for awesomely cool storytelling. This was was intended as Part One of a new trilogy of films, but it was thrown out when Bryan Singer came onboard to direct.

Superman Lives

Concept art from Tim Burton's 'Superman Lives'

This one went through such a sordid series of drafts and directors, it’s hard to say how it may have turned out. The consensus seems to be that Tim Burton’s new take on the mythos (starring, of all people, Nicolas Cage) was largely based on a written-by-committee script that passed through the hands of Kevin Smith, Wesley Strick (Cape Fear, The Glass House), Dan Gilroy (The Fall, Real Steel), William Wisher Jr., and more. The story evolved through all these iterations but the common elements seemed to be Superman’s fight against Doomsday from the comic books’ “Death of Superman” storyline, which would be followed by Superman’s resurrection in a de-powered form. He would be fitted with ridiculous Kryptonian armor that could mimic his usual powers, until those powers eventually came back on their own. The movie spent a lot of pre-production money on ultimately nothing, and left several Hollywood careers in its wake, but we’re all better off with it never having gone before cameras. Crisis averted.

Wonder Woman

Costume concepts from Joss Whedon's 'Wonder Woman'

Joss Whedon, at one time seen as the perfect choice for building a female superhero (because he’d already done it several times) was going to make this movie, but Warner Bros. had no idea what angle they wanted to take with the character. Whedon tried more than one approach, script-wise, but they refused to approve anything he came up with despite providing him with zero direction. It ultimately fell apart, costing Whedon a two-year “waste of time.”

X-Men Origins: Magneto

A poster from 'X-Men: First Class' highlighting Magneto's tragic past

A Sheldon Turner script was planned for David Goyer to direct. The script was set from 1939 to 1955, and it follows Erik Lehnsherr trying to survive in Auschwitz where he meets young Charles Xavier, an American soldier who helps liberate the camp. While Xavier tries to befriend him, Erik has vengeance in his heart for the Nazis who tortured him, a difference in worldview which ultimately comes between the two young men. The film was delayed by the Writers Guild strike, and eventually replaced with X-Men: First Class, which retained some elements of the Xavier/Magneto friendship-cum-rivalry story.

Justice League #1 Wildstorm style

Well, today’s the day that the New Fifty Two (hardly the catchiest of slogans) bursts out into existence, and the first sight of it is in Justice League #1. I can’t determine whether I like it or not.

Well, that’s a total lie. I do like it, I like it a lot so far, on the strength of one issue. Heck, I wasn’t that bothered about how Flashpoint ended, I just leapt straight into reading the League.

It seems quite the schizophrenic experience. As a first issue, the offering Geoff Johns puts before us seems to have a lot more in common with a Wildstorm first issue than what one expects from DC, and this is not only due to the admittedly excellent Jim Lee art, but to the confrontational tone. Not only are the Gotham PD after the Bat, but the Bat and Green Lantern very nearly come to blows (highlighting the immaturity of Hal Jordan from the very onset. No surprise there then).

Yet here we are, faced with Batman, Green Lantern and the remarkable healthy and human looking Victor Stone who we just know something really nasty is going to happen to. Familiar icons that we know inside and out, but acting like they are, well, in a Wildstorm book. I have to ask, if the Wildstorm formula was so successful, why did they cancel the line in the first place? As much as I enjoyed it, another part of me screams to the heavens about the sheer blasphemy. And I like all of those feelings.

No JSA? Sacrilege. Too many guns and no public love of the spandex? Wrong, wrong, wrong, but deliciously so. The unseen spectre of Silas Stone hovering over all the metahumans (assuming he is still Cyborg’s father of course), a promising harbinger of treats to come. They never did use Silas to his greatest advantage.

Of course, this being the League, there is no small beginning either. The villain of the piece (aside from human nature) is some creation of Darkseid. Yes, you heard it right, Darkseid.

So DC has decided to throw a bone to all of us long-time fans, by use of the name which the mere mention of sends shivers through our spines. And there we were, waiting for some barely in continuity Earth-51 drama to return the New Gods, while the big bad himself had died, destroying reality along with it. How can you have the New Gods without Darkseid? The answer if that you can’t. So in one foul swoop, the critics of Final Crisis have been muted, and the entire new timeline is justified.

In time, our other questions will no doubt be answered. Earth 2 will return, (although I have to feel sorry for ‘our’ Power Girl, she always seemed to get the raw end of the stick), and the JSA and Infinity Inc will fly again. Writers will escape the control of their editors and make reference to the pre-Flashpoint stories, confusion will return as the core fan base rejoice at such out of policy tales, and the whole mess will continue on, and rightly so.

All of my previous worries about the DCnU have been wiped away, with two simple words.

DARKSEID IS!*

(Not a direct quote, but what do you hear in the cry ‘For Darkseid’?)

Justice League The Rise Of Arsenal #1

Arsenal has always been a troubled character. A cocky kid in the original incarnation of the Teen Titans, he had Green Arrow as a father figure so he was bound to have problems.

Problems are an understatement. After hitting rock bottom as a drug addict, his fashion of rebuilding his life involved having a daughter with a psychopathic international assassin who later proceeded to nuke an entire Middle-Eastern country.

His familial relations not withstanding (can you spell dysfunction?), Speedy never knew where he really belonged. Was he a super-hero or an intelligence agent? Avenger of the streets or junkie? He spent time working with Checkmate, the DEO and for Sarge Steel, but the spandex world kept drawing him back. He had a relationship with Donna Troy, knowing full well that she was only using him to fill an emotional void, and demonstrating that very fact to her even as he worshipped her with all of his heart.

One could say that was noble and an act of love, but Roy Harper had a habit of pushing away the people who mean the most to him, so we could ask if this was another symptom of his self-destructive streak. Mind you, with the code-name of Speedy, it’s a wonder any woman looked at him at all!

Lian, his daughter, was the making of him. Finally he was needed in a manner that he had never been needed before.

Now in the attack of Prometheus in the Justice League Cry For Justice miniseries, he has lost her. In comparison the loss of his arm pales in comparison.

Justice League The Rise Of Arsenal could very easily be a disaster, yet if the first issue is anything to go by, the writer J.T, Krul provides an understanding view of grief, anger and the spectre of addiction. The latter theme is not forced down our throat in some cheesy fashion, but shows just how much his brain wants to seek refuge in the drugs even as he consciously fights to stay above it. Yet he seems to be popping the pain killers a little too easily even as his heart balances his grief and his lust for revenge. I wonder how he will fear when he discovers his mentor has robbed of that chance.

I have said previously that magic could be a route to Arsenal’s relaunch, but I really want to see where Krul goes with this title, his handling of Roy shows a more mature approach than I would have planned.

Do not read this expecting to be cheered up. But if you are a Titans, Green Arrow or a Justice League fan, then this is one mini that is not to be missed. Five stars!

Hulk #21

Busy week this week. Green Arrow has gone rogue, New Krypton is falling under the assault of Brainiac, Namorita is alive again (sort of) and Spider Man is given a taste of godhood even greater than when he wore the mantle of Captain Universe. Oh, and Namorita is not the only one, Thanos is back.

Let me take this point-by-point. Although the slaying of Prometheus by Green Arrow in the wake of Justice League: Cry For Justice is a logical progression of the story, haven’t we been here before? Green Arrow considered dangerous and on the run from his comrades?

It’s not new to have a hero on the run, pursued by former allies and the forces of the law (although the law has yet to get involved in Oliver’s pursuit, maybe the League want to police themselves). It is a little newer for said hero to actually be guilty of whatever they have been accused of I suppose, but not tremendously so. What a disappointing consequence to what was actually an excellent series. Now we also have Red Arrow/ Speedy I (erm, II if you add in the pre Crisis On Infinite Earths continuity) crippled, and obviously going to receive some form of cyborg arm in the near future. (It would be nice to see Roy gain some form of mystical healing instead, and send him into the weird area of the DCU. After all, with his chequered past, his interaction with Checkmate and other agencies and a new hook for readers, I can see the potential for a hit series with the right writer).

Meanwhile, the second (or third) Speedy is poised to take a moral descent herself, with an arrow pointing at the Electrocutioner’s head.

I still think we have been here before. This is not what I pay my bucks for people!

In contrast, the Last Stand Of New Krypton is wrapping up many of the plotlines hovering in the background of the DCU for the past few years, from the machinations to war by both General Zod and General Sam Lane, to just what the Legion Espionage Squad is doing embedded in the beginning of the twenty-first century, to just what Luthor has been doing since his escape. This is sheer spandex drama at it’s finest.

The most comparable event to this is the Fall Of The Hulks, which we are seeing unfold before our eyes in a most chaotic fashion. I highly recommend that, but don’t expect it to make sense just yet, every reveal just causes more questions, never mind figuring out where this crossover sits in relation to the other big events like Siege.

Ooo, Siege. I’m not saying a word, except I really enjoyed #3, and #4 looks incredibly promising. Not the ending I was expected, but that is good. It’s too early to issue a spoiler on that one. Or on Green Lantern Corps #47, but that also had a nice twist I was not expecting (although in retrospect that was more my bad memory than a dramatic twist).

Now the lead up to Realm Of Kings continued in Nova #35 and Guardians of the Galaxy #24. The conclusion of the Sphinx storyline in Nova was okay I suppose, but then I am often disappointed with Sphinx stories in the last decade or so. Anath Na-Mut is a character that has so much potential, but he is frequently reduced to a two-dimensional villain, as he is eventually here. The resurrection of Namorita we could see a mile off, I only hope that this is some nasty effect of the Fault, and she is actually some soul eating beastie. I used to like Namorita, but this rebirth simply feels cheap.

The Guardians issue is far more promising, as the cocoon on Sacrosanct is opened to reveal Thanos as the newest Avatar of Death. One question here, what is Oblivion doing, selecting the Avatar of Death? Isn’t that Death’s job? Doesn’t Oblivion have avatars of his own?

My final recommendation is Spider-Man and the Secret Wars #4, a fascinating if disjointed tale, set just as Doom claimed the power of the Beyonder. It doesn’t really add a great deal to the continuity, it’s simply a fun romp.

Justice League Of America 80 Page Giant #1

And the award for Most Bizarre Relationship goes to:-

Cheetah and Snapper Carr, mascot of the Justice League!

JLA 80pg giant #1 (I’m sure it should be #4) was released last week, in a story that was reminiscent of the high points of the Silver Age and a traditional Gardner-Fox Justice League story. Epoch the Lord Of Time casts the team (obviously before the latest schism in membership) across the ages, allowing such stars as Cinnamon, the Black Pirate, the Shining Knight and the Crimson Avenger to team up with the League, plus a wonderful little short featuring The Bride (who I’m convinced is a fairly new character). I have no doubt said before how much I love seeing the characters that once filled the comics of the Golden and Silver Ages still receiving attention, and this one issue does not let us down.

However, it was the framing sequence that made it for me. Snapper Carr, the luckless mascot of the League, who during Final Crisis:Resist was a saviour for Mr Terrific and the remains of Checkmate until his, erm, urges got the better of him; seems to be letting those urges lead him astray once more. He never was known for his sense of character.

Or it seems his sense of location. The issue begins with Snapper meeting Barbara Minerva after he calls her, in the old JLA mountain base. Perfect venue, wouldn’t you say?

Now I have always liked George Perez’ reinterpretation of the Cheetah. Despite later stories trivialising her, Minerva was always a complex character, mercenary but not heartless, held in bondage to the fertility god Urzkataga (who always reminded me of the aspidistra Great Uncle of an old show called the Adventure Game, in his part-time role as a drug dealer and pimp), focussed on her goals but apart from when driven mad by her god, lacking the maniacal qualities of many super villains that spring to mind. However, relationships with super-villains never tend to work out, just look at Speedy/Red Arrow Roy Harper and the assassin Cheshire, but still, I hope this one plays out for years. It will all go wrong, even without Snappers bad luck and judgement. However, would we like to see a young Snapper-Cat?  Hopefully it won’t go that far, but then, she does serve a fertility god.

Then again, I thought he was the jealous type.  I mean, how can Snapper compete with a potted plant?

I don’t want to spoil the story, or reveal just how Snapper remains as luckless as ever, but when Minerva asks him towards the end if he wouldn’t rather be a super-villain considering that he seems so good at it made me laugh out loud.

It’s a while since a comic made me do that. Now the dark and gritty fad seems to have been relegated to where it belongs and today’s creators feel free to draw on the better parts of each decade, I find I am now enjoying nearly every comic I read, rather than it being hard work. Long may the quality, and humour, continue.

Dark Reign: The Hood #4

Not a lot released this week on the Big Two’s events. Blackest Night – Superman #1, the conclusion of the Dark Reign: Mr Negative mini and the penultimate issue of Dark Reign: The Hood.

I have to comment that the first two really didn’t grab me a lot. In Blackest Night – Superman we see the resurrection of various characters, Zor-El as I had hoped for, and a pair that really surprised me, the original Earth-2 Superman Kal-L and his wife Lois. Now there was a couple that I had hoped were truly laid to rest. I wasn’t happy with how they were used in Infinite Crisis, and even less so now. However, I suppose this did raise the feeling of moral outrage that accompanies the horror of the main series.

Other than that, very little appeared to happen in the issue, but then it was just another set-up issue. We could have spent a little more time on New Krypton, but then I suppose other than Zor-El, very few people have died there yet. It will be nice to see Alura realise that what is in the interests of Earth may easily be in the interests of New Krypton as well.

The Mr Negative mini was okay, but it had the feeling of a back up strip. It was nice to see Betty Brant in the foreground, as I have said before I do not often read Spider-Man, so most of this series was lost on me I think.

The gem for me has to be Dark Reign: The Hood, where we see Parker Robbins basically keeping his minions happy while also concentrating on the welfare of his family. The White Fang sub-plot moves along as the Fang in her civilian guise meets Mrs Robbins, and did I mention Satana is back? YAY!

Another thought before I go, I’m worried about the Justice League. Previously when we have had a League fall apart storyline, it has always led to dire times, not just for the league but for the readers as well. Despite the quality of Justice League: Cry For Justice (which I am really enjoying, I mean Starman Mikaal? Congorilla? What’s not to like?), I hope the main League resolves its issues promptly. The current storyline is okay, but not as great as the previous Star-Breaker/Milestone epic, but even as the writers attempt to turn the Royal Flush Gang into a credible threat, I don’t want okay from the League, I want Great! With a Capital G.

So it looks like out of this weeks comics that I have read so far, once more I will ‘Make Mine Marvel’, but only by default. Looks like I need to turn to the Indies for some inspiration.

get a raw deal.

If you have been reading The Last Days Of The Animal Man, you will already know that Buddy’s life has once more taken a turn for the worst.

Fortunately, #3 has revealed to me (maybe I missed it before) that this series is actually set fifteen years in the future. We also see a progression of the relationship between him and Starfire, (fast moving there Buddy), and the deterioration (again) of his relationship with his wife Ellen.

So far with this series? As nice as it is to see Buddy have his own title again, I’m withholding judgement. Power Girl suddenly a scientist? Maxine with no powers? And the League Of Titans? I so hope this turns out to be Doctor Destiny or some other reality warping force at work.

Still, it has its moments. The art is crisp, and Buddy facing the way his life has affected his family over the years are nice touches. So, I do recommend this, if only to bump up sales so we can see an Animal Man series set in the present. No more alternate realities, potential futures or imaginary stories, but putting Buddy back in the centre of the DCU like Fifty Two and Countdown To Adventure promised. Get him into the Justice League already, and prove that he deserves the limelight.

Plus now Sue Dibny has passed, wouldn’t Ellen Baker make a good replacement?