CW Announces Crisis on Earth-X Crossover

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I don’t think we really appreciate how genuinely good the CWniverse has actually turned out to be.  For a collection of series dramas with wildly variant budgets cooked up by the network that gave us One Tree Hill and 90210, the CWniverse is a staggeringly excellent achievement that I think will be looked back on the same way we remember Adam West’s Batman or Linda Carter’s Wonder Woman.  

It’s a great collection of adaptation that really understands that it’s the characterization and drama that have made superheroes so compelling for 80 years and counting, so it’s only fitting that they would do a wedding episode. 

Yes, this year’s crossover event between The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Arrow has been revealed as a wedding story about the marriage of Barry Allen and Iris West, the central romance on The Flash.  However, in the grand tradition of comic book weddings, this particular matrimony is to be interrupted by unwelcome visitors from the multiverse/CW Seed in the form of the Ray.  

Making his jump from animation to live action the Ray, CW’s first gay character, is set to appear in the wedding episode, hotly pursued by villain’s from Earth-X, a world where the Nazis won WW2 and Supergirl, Flash, and Green Arrow are all Nazi Supermen.  Let’s talk Crisis on Earth-X.

Cover Story - Top 10 Green Arrow Covers

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Another year and another season of Arrow dear readers, almost like clockwork.  This year, to celebrate the CW superhero show that started it all I’ve elected to bite the bullet and finally dig into the best covers Green Arrow ever appeared in the DCU.  For the sake of context I’m mostly going to be drawing from what’s known as “the Long Bow” era from the 1980s as I really like the visual design of it and don’t care for the New 52 or Silver Age Green Arrow stuff quite as much, though I reserve the right to return to this particular subject matter should those other eras produce something worth digging into in greater detail.  With that said, let’s take a look at everyone’s favorite emerald-clad Batman knock-off (that’s literally his origin) with the top 10 Green Arrow comic covers.

Panel Vision - Guide to All CW Superheroes

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Edited by Robert Beach

In 2012, the world of TV superheroes changed forever. That was the year CW partnered with DC to produce a new superhero show after the success of their 10-year Smallville series. The show was called Arrow, and it wasn’t good. And yet, it persisted, and, in 2014, it spawned a spin-off show with The Flash. Then, in late 2014, everything changed with the first annual Flash/Arrow crossover. Suddenly, both shows were changed out stripped-down realism, empty cynicism, and minimal ambition. Grandiose vision, weird sci-fi exuberance, and an attempt to emulate the sprawling expanse of the Marvel Universe in the realm of TV took hold. 

This led to a third TV show of Legends of Tomorrow and a crossover with NBC’s Constantine. Finally, the little experiment CW started gave birth to its crown jewel: Supergirl, a hit family adventure series that has become THE version of the Superman mythos for a generation. Given that all 5 shows of the CW universe (CWniverse, CW-verse) are on a break (or canceled in Constantine’s case), I’ve taken it upon myself to make this semi-chronological guide to all 37 superheroes of the CWniverse. Yes, pull up a chair. 

Panel Vision - Invasion!

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The week I’m writing this marks a significant milestone for the shared television universe of DC Comics.  The CWniverse, as I call it, started out in 2012 with the show Arrow, a Green Arrow adaptation that leaned way too heavily on Batman for its identity.  

However, when they introduced Flash as a spin-off series in 2014 things started to improve, even if the first half of Flash season 1 was pretty weak.  The real turning point, for this entire endeavor, was the 2014 Flash/Arrow crossover, a blockbuster event that finally managed to inject light, fun, and weirdness into the CWniverse. 

It also brought in some serious ratings as ever since then crossovers and multi-hero universes.  All of that now culminates in an epic 4-night crossover between Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow adapting the 1989 event comic Invasion.  In honor of the occasion, I’m looking back on the original Invasion! Comics, which is nice because they’re also one of my favorite event comics of all time. 

1st Look at Arrow Season 5's New Heroes

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As Arrow barrels towards both us and what might well be its final season, the pressure is mounting for CW’s original superhero show to deliver something truly new and dynamic for its fifth season.  That pressure has been there for Arrow pretty much ever since its spin-off The Flash started pulling in a larger audience and revamped the entire superhero television tone in late 2014 but Arrow is really feeling the burn this year.  

After a magic-centric 4^th season didn’t really shake loose any new viewers, this new season features Green Arrow putting together a new team of vigilantes inspired by his deeds to protect Star City.  We’ve been getting the casting news all summer but now, thanks to some behind the scenes pics and a new trailer, we have our first new look at team Arrow 2.0. 

5 DC Films That Might Join Justice League 2 in 2019

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Edited by Robert Beach

On Tuesday, I talked about movies DC had already announced we might see in their open slot in October 2018. Today, I set my sights even further forward to the fall of 2019 where DC has another unclaimed movie slot for November 1^st.  Given how far out that movie is, it’s a lot less likely to be tied up with the various pre-announced films or tied to the recent crop of DC movies. 

Even though WB isn’t working to Marvel’s “phase” scheduling system, they are subconsciously structuring their films in groups of set-up with every movie from now to the end of 2018 spinning out of Man of Steel. 2019 looks to be the start of something new for WB with movies like Shazam and Green Lantern Corp on the horizon. As such, whatever film we’re getting in 2019 will probably be a new feature, something removed from the current crop of DC features. 

Joe Dinicol Cast as Ragman in Arrow S5

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As we move into the 4^th year of CW’s superhero dominance a bizarre question has begun to emerge: how do you solve a problem like Arrow?  The Green Arrow show was the first of CW’s new crop of comic book adaptations, premiering in 2012 and setting the tone for 3 years of superhero television and impacting sister shows like Gotham and even Agents of SHIELD.  However, the 2012 was a long time ago and the superhero television landscape has definitely shifted under Arrow’s feet, with the drab and stripped down aesthetic of the first 3 seasons left in the dust by the likes of The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. 

Arrow has just become a lot less relevant to CW’s expansive universe of shows and season 4’s increased focus on magic didn’t really help things.  As such, season 5 has opted to double down on the one thing that worked for season 4: introducing new heroes, with a crop of new characters coming to the upcoming premiere.  I’ve already covered Wild Dog, Vigilante, and Human Target, now meet Ragman, the Tatterdemalion of Justice, played by Joe Dinicol. 

1st Details on Flash/Arrow/Supergirl/Legends of Tomorrow Crossover

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This fall marks one of the largest media endeavors we’ve seen on TV since the heyday of Star Trek in the ‘90s.  CW, the kings of television superheroes, will be launching 4 individual series this fall, each one interconnected with the other 3 and all building towards a massive 4 crossover that will add up to a week long event.  This is the culmination of years of work and building, starting with Arrow in 2012, building into The Flash in 2014, launching Legends of Tomorrow in 2016 and now taking on CBS’ Supergirl show.  This will be the third such crossover for CW and, in the tradition of these multi-show team-ups, it’s aiming to handle a pretty hefty task. 

The first CW crossover between The Flash and Arrow in 2014 took on the job of more or less completely redirecting CW’s style of superhero production, making it more light and fun rather than drab and dreary.  The 2015 crossover between the two shows acted as a prequel episode to Legends of Tomorrow, setting up team members Hawkman and Hawkgirl as well as series villain Vandal Savage.  Now, this new crossover takes on the new big issue facing CW’s superhero universe: how do you solve a problem like Supergirl?

Static Thoughts - How to Fix Agents of SHIELD

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Edited by Robert Beach

As we continue the march towards San Diego Comic Con something that’s been weighing on me quite a bit is Agents of SHIELD.  At time of writing Agents of SHIELD is, arguably, Marvel’s largest and most public failing.  Even though the comic company turned blockbuster film studio manage to turn off-beat oddities like Guardians of the Galaxy or Ant-Man into smash hits they just don’t seem able to make Agents of SHIELD stick, not with audiences and not as a credible show worth diving deeper into than a few episodes. 

We’re headed now towards a fourth season that could easily end up the show’s last outing, as four seasons is all that’s required for a show to be eligible for syndication.  Given the show’s diminishing audience that seems the most likely case but, if Marvel is going to pull out all the stops for a season 5 bid, I came up with four ways they can make Agents of SHIELD a better show. 

Panel Vision - The Case for a Batman Movie Universe

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As I write this we are approximately one month out from the Suicide Squad movie upon which DC and WB have hung their collective hopes for a cinematic universe.  We’re all still reeling from the sucker punch that was Batman v. Superman ending up something closer to a fever dream farce than a solvent blockbuster and even though the slow drip of new information on WB’s prospective slate of future superhero blockbusters has been encouraging there’s a lot of uncertainty going forward. 

It’s starting to seem more and more like Batman films really are the only superhero movies that WB can actually do well, a concept which got me thinking.  If WB is so committed to its Batman franchise they’re willing to constantly run back to the Bat well when things get rough, why not just cut out the middleman and produce a Batman shared movie universe. 

Static Thoughts - 10 Possible Villains for Arrow Season 5

Edited by Robert Beach 

If there is one worthwhile name in DC comic adaptations in the 2010s, it’s the CW. By this point, they’ve created 2 incredibly great shows with The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow that perfectly adapt their respective source materials and are now taking on the responsibility of a 3^rd great show with Supergirl. Unfortunately, all that excellence raises the question of what happens to CW’s original superhero show Arrow.  

Love it or hate it, Arrow is just treading water, an adjunct to a universe that no longer needs it. So far, the only thing that really made Arrow stand out was the inclusion of Ras Al Ghul as a new bad guy, following the Daredevil school of villain appropriation. Given that, it makes sense Arrow season 5 will keep ripping off Daredevil; this time trying to crib Daredevil season 2’s Punisher plot with a killer vigilante story of its own. Well, I’m not one to shy away from speculation. So here are 10 vigilantes we might see as the big bad of Arrow season 5. 

Panel Vision - Superman vs. Muhammad Ali

Edited by Robert Beach

Muhammad Ali was the greatest athlete of the 20^th century, a towering figure in the world of sports and also a man whose legend and achievements stretched well beyond the boxing ring. He was a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War and a major symbol of black excellence as well as a symbol for American Muslims. 

The photographic history of Ali’s athletic achievements and cultural impact are going to be flooding Twitter for the next few days. Suffice to say, he’s one of the few individuals where the story actually lives up to the hype. Again, he really was the greatest of all time, a true legend. And, like any true legend, he met Superman once. 

10 DC Characters Willem Dafoe Could Play in Justice League

Edited by Robert Beach 

We are a year and a few months away from WB/DC’s latest answer to the Avengers: 2017’s Justice League movie. Your level of excitement for that fact may vary based on whether or not you saw the slow-motion train wreck that was Batman v. Superman. Yes, in the wake of WB’s blockbuster debacle, attitudes seem to be shifting around the second biggest superhero team-up ever attempted as Justice League is looking less and less like an assemblage of Earth’s greatest heroes and simply another chance for Zack Snyder and the boneheads at WB and DC entertainment to get everything wrong.

It’s hard to argue against that particular philosophy given we’ve seen this guy’s god awful handiwork twice in a row now, but a year is still a long time with plenty of chances for things to improve.  Case in point, Justice League has now officially cast Oscar-winner Willem Dafoe in a mystery role. Dafoe has stated his role’s a hero, but anything is possible this early on. With that in mind, let’s make some guesses as to who the former Green Goblin might be playing. 

Cover Story - Top 10 Black Canary Covers

Edited by Robert Beach

Hello, and welcome to Cover Story, diving as little into the world of comics as we can. Legends of Tomorrow is still blowing up our screens, and as such, we’ve got another Cover Story to celebrate their team. This week’s episode had a major emphasis on White Canary. Because that character doesn’t exist in the comic, I’m showcasing Black Canary, which is pretty much the next best thing, especially for Arrow fans.  

While Black Canary has only enjoyed an ongoing comic once in the history of DC, she’s been featured on plenty of Justice League and covers and throughout the Birds of Prey book that helped make her a standout name in the late ‘90s and early 2000s. With that said, let’s dive into the shallow end and get the cover story on one of the biggest female heroes of DC comics. 

Flash - The Man Who Saved Central City

Check out my review of the Flash season 2 premiere: the man who saved central city, over on Front Towards Gamer

http://ftg.operationsupplydrop.org/2015/10/08/flash-the-man-who-saved-central-city-review-tv/

Panel Vision - DC Universe Decisions

Edited by Robert Beach

In case you don’t live in the US, we’re in the midst of gearing up for one of the most overblown and ludicrous election cycles in recent memory. To be fair, the last 2 US Presidential elections have been fairly larger than life in their own way. In 2012, the election was dominated by the heroic confluence of Mitt Romney memes and jokes, and in 2008 the whole world seemed to have caught Obama fever. That latter one is also probably owed to the election falling smack dab in the middle of 4 years of major technological and cultural upheaval. 

At the time, stuff like Facebook and iPhones were supremely new and the crossover of Internet culture into mainstream culture was in its earliest stages. Combine that with the introduction of an all-new Presidential administration ushering in a new political ethos and lexicon and everyone and their brother were desperate to link themselves to the election in some way. As you’d expect comics quickly got in on the act and none were more bizarre or embarrassing than today’s topic: DC Universe – Decisions.

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.  

 

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. 

Is the Justice Society coming to CW?

As the summer begins to wind down all the big networks have started ramping up for the fall premieres.  By this I of course mean that the small handful of networks to feature comic book adaptations or genre shows are prepping for the fall while everyone else continues to push their summer blockbuster shows like Tyrant, Under the Dome, or The Humans.  Among the ramp up to the autumn of genre shows has been a ton of character reveals coming out of CW for their shared universe of superhero shows, which includes The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow.  There have been a bunch of reveals of ultimately obscure characters like Atom Smasher, Mr. Terrific, Hawkman, Baron Blitzkrieg, Vandal Savage, and Jay Garrick, to appear in the coming seasons.  Individually these reveals wouldn’t really matter but taken as a whole they actually build up to a pretty startling picture, especially given statements by producers about Flash season 2’s emphasis on parallel realities and Legends of Tomorrow’s bent towards time travel.  The big question I’ve ended up asking myself is…is CW planning to introduce the Justice Society of America?