Movie Monthly: On The Beach

Edited by Robert Beach

August Apocalypse has been a slightly more sporadic Movie Monthly. That’s mainly owed to my own hectic schedule keeping me from getting to everything I hoped to touch on. I’m glad that things worked out for me to still be able to touch on the incredible under appreciated 1959 post-apocalyptic classic On The Beach. Directed by the great Stanley Kramer and starring treasured actor Gregory Peck, On The Beach is one of the absolute darkest, harshest and most realistic post-apocalyptic tales you’ll ever see. 

What’s so impressive about this, however, is On The Beach manages its chilling vision of a future after the fall of humanity,but not through the crushing melodrama of Walking Dead or the abject human ugliness of The Road. Instead the heartbreaking tragedy of the situation comes from the acknowledgement of a very simple, but affecting, anxiety at the heart of all post-apocalypse movies: inevitability.  

Female-Led Blade Reboot Coming?

Edited by Robert Beach

So the rumor mill has begun cranking once more over the future plans of Marvel studios. The latest word on the comic company turned studio juggernaut is that they’re currently in plans for a new Blade film that will apparently revolve around the vampire hunter’s daughter. This would be in line with the new upcoming Blade comic slatted for release as part of the All-New Marvel branding initiative this fall. 

The initiative is part of the company’s first major universe reboot in the wake of the ongoing Secret Wars comic and is very much a continuation of the current Marvel ethos of increased diversity and representation. Film wise, this rumor says a lot about Marvel’s priorities going forward and how far in advance they’re willing to try and plan things out. If Marvel is starting work on a new Blade movie, it’d have to be slotted for release in 2019 as part of the so far unrevealed phase 4. 

Assassin's Creed Film Doing Genetic Memories

Edited by Robert Beach 

Why is it so many video game films seem to purposely make terrible decisions in the adaptation process?  Even with junkie games like Assassin’s Creed, where the concept should be impossible to screw up, studios seem to have found a way. I’m a hardcore Assassin’s Creed fan and was looking forward to the upcoming film for a lot of reasons. Though the games have a lot of flaws, their aesthetics and style of action are definitely worth bringing to the big screen and would provide a unique visual spectacle that wouldn’t end up just ripping off a more popular work.
   

What’s more, Michael Fassbender is signed up for the lead role, and he’s an amazing actor that I actually am a major fan of. He’s a major fan of the games, so one could assume that the visual ethos and thrilling par core action would remain intact through the translation process. Even this first promotional picture is pretty awesome, a solid reinterpretation of the assassin gear for the 15^th century. Where is it all going wrong?  Two words: genetic memory.

Flash Family coming to The Flash Season 2?

Edited by Robert Beach

For my money, CW’s Flash is the best DC Comics live-action adaptation of the decade. In the mangled and mishandled quagmire of grim and gritty tripe like Man of Steel, broken films like Dark Knight Rises, and abysmal failures like Green Lantern, Flash stands above the rest as a stunning achievement. The show is a great blend of well-acted drama, light-hearted adventure, and an infectious exuberance for the source material, which has been greatly lacking from DC’s other endeavors. 

Simply the fact Flash approaches its first season with the gonzo, go-for-broke, mindset that gave us time travel and psychic gorillas right out of the gate speaks volumes about its confidence and passion.  Now the ramp up has begun for season 2, and it seems we’ll be seeing the start of the Flash Family as Jesse Quick, Wally West, and Jay Garrick have all been confirmed. 

Sinestro #14 Review

Consider DC's new Sinestro comic as a late addition to my best super villain comics list, especially now that the series is getting a chance to refocus itself after the Godhead storyline, full review over on Front Towards Gamer

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/28/sinestro-14-review-comics/

Godzilla In Hell #2

If you've ever wanted to see Godzilla stomp his way through the underworld, accompanied by quasi-biblical narration, ladenned with judeo-christian mythological allusions, boy do I have the comic for you, check out my review over on Front Towards Gamer

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/28/godzilla-in-hell-2-review-comics/

Cyborg #2

I found the 1st issue of David F. Walker and Ivan Reis' new Cyborg comic to be an overhyped, disappointing let down, issue 2...doesn't fair much better, full review of the comic everyone else is giving a pass over on All-Comic.com

http://all-comic.com/2015/cyborg-2/

Over the Garden Wall #1

Last November's acclaimed animated mini-series has returned in comic form with BOOM! Studios' Over the Garden Wall #1, I take a look at the misfiring adaptation's first issue on All-Comic.com

http://all-comic.com/2015/garden-wall-1/

Hank Johnson: Agent of Hydra #1 Review

David Mandel, one of the best Seinfeld writers and the upcoming showrunner for HBO's VEEP, has written a comic tie-in to Marvel's Secret Wars...it's very strange, check out the review over on Front Towards Gamer.com
 

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/28/hank-johnson-agent-of-hydra-1-review-comics/

He-Man The Eternity War #9 Review

I take a gander at the often over looked DC He-Man comics, written by the also under appreciated Dan Abnett (the guy who basically invented the modern Guardians of the Galaxy,) check out the review over on FrontTowardsGamer.com

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/28/he-man-the-eternity-war-9-review-comics/

Panel Vision - Best Art of Dale Eaglesham

Edited by Robert Beach 

Dale Eaglesham is an amazing comic book artist who’s been working in the industry for over 25 years. His artwork is wonderfully dynamic, combining an idealized depiction of the human form with realistic proportions and larger than life physicality; however, despite his incredible work, he’s still tends to slip under a lot of people’s radar. 

I first became aware of his work during his run on Justice Society of America with Geoff Johns and have remained a fan ever since, so the lack of enthusiasm and knowledge for his work has always irked me. I’m devoting a whole panel vision to the 16 best pages of Dale Eagelsham art I was able to find through my own experience and Google investigations.  

Static Thoughts - 10 Superheroes We Could See in Gotham Season 2

Edited by Robert Beach 

Gotham is DC Comics show for Fox that focus on the world of Gotham City. The show is formatted as a Batman prequel story exploring the origins of a lot of his famous villains and allies. So far, we’ve seen several Batman villains make appearance on the series like Penguin and Black Mask as well as some major masterminds and crime lords like Don Falcone or the Dollmaker; however, the show has been slowly shifting in tone and focus with the upcoming season packing a more comic book-y punch than season 1. 

This is probably due to Gotham’s floundering sense of identity coupled with the blockbuster success of more faithful adaptations like Arrow, Flash, and Agents of SHIELD. Given this, it’s only a matter of time before we start seeing actual superheroes show up on Gotham. Already, a younger version of Azrael has been confirmed for season 2 and future heroic allies like Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen have been established on the show. So I thought of 10 superheroes we might see in Gotham season 2.  

Panel Vision - Top 10 Martian Manhunter Covers

Edited by Robert Beach

I’ve been on something of a Martian Manhunter kick lately. There’s no real reason for it; sometimes things just work out that way. Regardless, I thought for this week’s cover collection I’d focus on the best covers that predominately feature J’onn J’onzz, the Manhunter from Mars. In case you don’t know who J’onn Jonzz is, he’s basically green Superman, and if you want more than basically, read my “History of Martian Manhunter” article.  He’s one of my favorite comic book characters, and I almost guarantee this won’t be the last time I talk about him. For now, I'm counting down the top 10 Martian Manhunter comic covers.

Panel Vision - History of Martian Manhunter

Edited by Robert Beach

I am a huge Martian Manhunter fan. I’ve liked the character since before I could remember, though I’m fairly certain my love for the Manhunter came from owning his action figure as a kid. I kid, but a big part of my love for this character does come from nostalgia. Specifically, it’s nostalgia for the 4-issue Martian Manhunter mini-series from 1988 written by J.M. DeMatteis and Mark Badger. This was basically the first “adult” comic I ever read when I was younger. Previously my experience with superheroes was relegated either to animated shows or re-printings of classic silver age stories.

Martian Manhunter was how I was introduced to the broader DC universe and discovered my favorite incarnation of the Justice League, the Justice League International. Coming back to it now, I concede that the comic doesn’t quite hold up, but it’s still enjoyable and allows me the chance to talk about the history of the Martian Manhunter: a subject I’ve been meaning to tackle for a while now.  

Martian Manhunter #3 Review

I take my third look at DC You's new Martian Manhunter ongoing comic, an interesting look at the various identity issue's that have plagued the J'onn J'onzz in his 60 years as a character.  Check it out over on All-Comic.com

http://all-comic.com/2015/martian-manhunter-3/

Also check out my review of issue 2 on Front Towards Gamer and my Panel Vision look at issue 1

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/07/18/martian-manhunter-2-review-comics/

http://lidoshuffle1.blogspot.com/2015/06/panel-vision-martian-manhutner.html

Static Thoughts - 10 Criminals & Masterminds We May See in Gotham Season 2

Edited by Robert Beach 

Gotham is a Batman prequel show from Fox. The main character of the show is Jim Gordon, but the show has slowly broadened its horizons to encompass the entire Gotham underworld.  In addition, there’s been a developing subplot around a shady misconduct at the highest levels of Wayne Industries as well as a mysterious foreign interest that’s able to pull the mob’s strings.

Combine all this with the various unresolved plot threads involving secret surgery islands and land deals and you end up with a show filled to the brim with crime bosses and criminal masterminds. With the second season looming, I thought of 10 bosses and brains we might see in Gotham season 2. 

Panel Vision - The Origins of Devil Dinosaur

Edited by Robert Beach 

Based on the monster success of Jurassic World, the hype for Pixar’s upcoming The Good Dinosaur, and the knee-jerk reactionary nature of geek media reporting that I so thrive in, dinosaurs are about to be the next big thing. Even if that’s not the case, Marvel comics certainly seems to think so as they’ve green lit a new comic iteration of the 1978 character Devil Dinosaur. 

This new comic will revolve around the adventures of Devil Dinosaur in modern day as he pals around with his new human friend Moon Girl, a young black girl. This is great news for me because I’ve been a fan of Devil Dinosaur since high school, but it occurs to me a lot of folks excited about this announcement don’t know much about the classic Devil Dinosaur. Allow me to enlighten you. 

 

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Poster Speculation, Rogue One Photo Implications, & New Episode IX Director

Edited by Robert Beach

D23 happened over the weekend. If you don’t know, that’s a major Disney expo where they start setting up the hype for their new crop of films. A lot of interesting news came out of D23 this year, but most of it was either in the realm of logo posters for Pixar or trailers that haven’t been released to the public from Marvel. 

The big, flashy, reveals so far have come from Star Wars as Disney and J.J. Abrams continue the slow drip of advertising leading up to this winter’s The Force Awakens. D23 saw the first official poster for Force Awakens revealed, the first set and character photos from next year’s Star Wars Anthology: Rogue One, and the announcement of who will direct Star Wars Episode IX. 

Movie Monthly - Last Man on Earth

Edited by Robert Beach

In 1954, titan of science fiction Richard Matheson redefined the zombie/apocalypse genre with his horror novel I Am Legend. Even to this day, I Am Legend stands as one of the best examples of both zombie storytelling and post-apocalyptic imagination. Given the impact the novel’s had, it makes sense that it’d see a film adaptation. Most people are probably familiar with the 2007 Will Smith adaptation of the same name. 

Despite the gloss and glamour surrounding that film, it’s actually not very representative of Matheson’s novel; it’s also not the only adaptation of the story. Previously, there was Omega Man, a 1971 film starring Charlton Heston as part of his post-apocalypse trilogy (alongside Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes.) However, the first adaptation of Matheson’s novel was the 1964 Italian horror film The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price, and it is incredible. 

Action Comics #43 Review

My look at the DC You continues with Action Comics #43 and how grounded the series is in real world events of police misconduct and xenophobia, check it out over on All-Comic:

http://all-comic.com/2015/action-comics-43/

Secret Wars #5 Review

I look at issue 5 of Marvel's ongoing train wreck Secret Wars, in which the entire comic comes to a grinding halt so it can summarize events from other comics not popular enough for most readers to have checked out, full review on Front Towards Gamer

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/14/secret-wars-5-review-comics/

Kaijumax #5 Review

Kaijumax is one of the best comics of the year, an amazingly imaginative look reworking of a prison drama through the lens of giant monsters.  Issue 5 is a real knockout that brings home the dark and creepy nature of psychological pressure due to imprisonment.  Check out the full review over on Front Towards Gamer:

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/14/kaijumax-5-review-comics/

X-Files Season 11 #1 Review

Last week I took a look at IDW's X-Files Season 11 #1, the comic book continuation of the show, it's a real treat for fans and a great jumping on point for the X-Files Extended Universe, check out the full review over on Front Towards Gamer:

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/08/14/x-files-season-11-1-review-comics/

Star Wars Force Awakens Photo Leaks

So, you’ve probably heard there’s a new Star Wars film in the works; The Force Awakens, first of a new trilogy slotted to open this Christmas.  As befits a new Star Wars film this is a pretty big deal.  Force Awakens will mark the beginning of Disney’s cinematic stewardship of the property and a major step in repairing some of the major tarnishing the franchise suffered throughout the ‘00s.  This is also a pretty big step for director J.J. Abrams.  Abrams has been brewing in Hollywood for a while now as a writer, director, and show runner.  He was the mind behind Lost and Alias as well as the director of the abysmal Star Trek reboots, though to his credit the direction in those films was pretty spot on.  He’s generally synonymous with an infuriating marketing gimmick known as the “mystery box” that involves teasing out very unimpressive reveals about his films via viral marketing and such. 

Thankfully he’s decided to eschew all of his worst impulses when it comes to Star Wars, relying on a marketing campaign that’s preserved the film’s secrecy without making that mystery central to enticing audiences.  Instead the trailers and teasers for Force Awakens have all worked through a unique blend of evocative tone and beautiful iconography.  It’s a ballsy move that just grabs the viewer and says, “this is Star Wars, YOUR Star Wars,” and so far it’s worked like gangbusters.  However info leaks still happen and I’m addressing one here today when a bunch of Force Awakens action figures & set photos leaked online.  

Static Thoughts - Top 12 Next CW Heroes

Edited by Robert Beach

as the new seasons of CW’s blockbuster superhero shows Arrow and Flash slowly rumble towards us, there have been a lot of casting announcement for new superheroes appearing on both shows.  Arrow will be featuring Mr. Terrific and Anarky in the upcoming season while Flash is being blessed with both Atom Smasher and the original Flash: Jay Garrick. Between all these announcements and the looming Legends of Tomorrow crossover show, it seems a good time to speculate other heroes that could stand to be added to the CW-verse.  With that in mind, here is the top 12.  

 

Panel Vision - Secret War

Edited by Robert Beach

At time of writing, the Marvel comics universe is still trapped in its mega-event comic Secret Wars.  This Secret Wars is part of the lead up to Marvel’s first universe reboot and the end of the Ultimate Marvel Universe. The reason I say “this Secret Wars” is because this isn’t the first time Marvel has rolled out a major event comic entitled Secret Wars. 

The original Secret Wars was a 1984 maxi-series produced in conjunction with an action figure line from Mattel. Despite its origins as a marketing tie-in it’s still very well regarded and with good reason. Secret Wars 1984 invented the event comic going forward and holds up very well even to this day as blockbuster storytelling. It sold very well too and even received a sequel comic in 1987 with Secret Wars 2, which is generally despised as a terrible follow up; however, there was a third Secret War in 2004 from superstar author Brian Michael Bendis. That’s what I’ll be looking at today. 

Power Rangers 2017 Character Breakdown

Edited by Robert Beach

One of the things I like to yammer on about the most in these articles is the growing cultural force of ‘90s nostalgia. I love ‘90s nostalgia because it’s an actually emerging force that we’re witnessing take shape and dominance over the entertainment medium in real time. Additionally, I grew up in the ‘90s, so a revival of classic ‘90s fair is a lot more appealing to me than all the ‘80s reboots we got during the ‘00s. 

"‘90-stalgia" as I call it has been a cultural force for awhile now but 2015 was really the year it came to dominate our lives in a genuinely meaningful way through the smash hit of Jurassic World. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Goosebumps film will be another major moneymaker to cement the ‘90s hold on the box office. However, the real crest of this particular wave will most likely be coming in 2017 with a rebooted Power Rangers film. Even though we’re still 2 years out, details are already filtering through with the first major announcement being a character breakdown sheet of the 5 main rangers. 

Slasher Reboots & How To Do Them

Edited by Robert Beach 

Recently, it was announced that New Line would be producing a new remake of Nightmare on Elm Street. Hot on the heals of this announcement came the news that CW was developing a Friday the 13^th TV show, most likely in attempt to capitalize on the success of similar horror shows like Bates Motel, Hannibal, and Scream. 

These two announcements represent the latest in the long, rough cycle of slasher film reboots that started in 2003 when Platinum Dunes first resurrected the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series.  Speaking of which, that series is getting its 5^th reboot attempt next year with Leatherface, another prequel intended to explore the character’s origins. 

Flash of Two Worlds Poster

Early in the year I reported that Jay Garrick, the original Golden Age Flash, would be coming to CW’s Flash show in its second season. At the time, this raised a lot of questions. It had been announced that Jay Garrick would be on the show but now word about his abilities or how he’d be portrayed.  The only thing we’d heard was that he would be playing an older mentor figure to Barry, filling the boots of Dr. Harrison Wells from season 1. Well, we have our first major confirmation that CW is planning way more than that with this amazing Flash of Two Worlds reveal poster.

As you can see from the poster, Jay Garrick will have super speed in his appearance on the Flash and even be sporting a costume drawn directly from his Golden Age depiction. This is pretty good news as it confirms that CW will be working with the classical costume design for most of the JSA as they slowly introduced them over the course of season 2, instead the New 52 costume redesigns. More importantly, this poster confirms that CW is planning to introduce Earth 2 this coming season. 

Constantine Coming to Arrow

Edited by Robert Beach

W’s superhero TV universe is, by a wide margin, the best live-action DC Comics adaptation since Dark Knight. It started rough with the early seasons of Arrow adopting the horrible aesthetic of gritty realism in the setting but cartoonishly grim and one-dimensional characterization; however, ever since the third season of Arrow and about ½ way through season 1 of The Flash, CW has been knocking it out of the park in their shows. Arrow has developed into one of the best Green Arrow adaptations where they still embrace the idea of Green Arrow as a bit of a Batman rip-off and now drawing from the highly underutilized era of ‘70s globetrotting Batman. 

Meanwhile, The Flash has turned into a powerhouse combination of engaging characters and superhero adventure. In a lot of ways, The Flash ends up a rip-off of its own as so much of the show is grounded in the style of ‘70s Spider-Man. Given that Spider-Man hasn’t been good in 10 years, The Flash copying his aesthetic and winning combination of melodrama and superhero action is fine by me. Now, they’re looking to rescue another hero as John Constantine has been confirmed to appear in a crossover episode with Arrow.