Comic-Con from Afar: 2014 Edition

This time of year I get as excited as a kid on Christmas. The San Diego Comic-Con(SDCC) used to be a place where you mainly see sweaty nerds that are hardcore into comics books and all things fantasy.  But now the tables have turned.  Ever since comic book films have hit it big San Diego has turned into thee event of Hollywood.  If you're involved in a comic book, sci-fi, or fantasy anything the place to show it off is at SDCC.  

This season fan boys like myself where eager to hear about upcoming films, from Avengers: Age of Ultron to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies.  Everyone stipulated about if we would see anything from Star Wars: Episode VII and BatmanvSuperman: Dawn of Justice since production had recently started on both and also they are over a year from release.  Boy, did we get a surprise.

Now I've never actually been to SDCC.  Every year I say the same thing, "next year I'm going," but I never do.  I would really like to go next year since we'll be knew deep in Star Wars and BatmanvSuperman spoilers.  This week I've been spent hour(s) every night just catching up on what happened that day at SDCC.  I was surprised by a few news bits, and psyched for a lot of news bits.

On Monday, before SDCC even started, J.J. Abrams came out with another video for his "Force for Change" charity campaign.  And this time he did standing in front of an X-Wing fighter!  He offered people who pledged money in the last week of the charity not only a chance to be in Episode VII, but a private, advanced, screening of the film.  This was enough to get any fan boy excited, but also, to see a new X-Wing, that will be seen in Episode VII was amazing!  I'm so happy that Abrams and his team are trying to do something good while the Star Wars spotlight is shining on them, and OMG, an X-Wing fighter!!!

The next news bit, pre-SDCC, that got me talking, was Sony's announcement of The Sinister Six and The Amazing Spider-Man 3 release dates.  After the bad reviews the second Amazing Spider-Man film got some speculated if Sony had decided not to move forward with their expanded cinematic universe using the only characters they have the rights too; Spider-Man and his villains.  

I can see how Fox can make X-Men into a great cinematic universe because it's pretty much it's own corner of the Marvel U anyway that doesn't correspond with what the Avengers and Fantastic Four are doing.  But Spider-Man is usually in the middle of everything.  I hate to tell Sony this, but the Spider-Man villains can't hold down their own movie.  "Villain" movies are about good people who turn bad but still do good.  That's not The Sinister Six.  They are just plain evil, and people won't care enough to see it multiple times.  I feel that Sony should just focus on The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and get their franchise back on track because as of right now I know of no one who is excited to see another Spider-Man film.  

When Comic-Con actually started the first thing that got me geeking out was a trailer for the next season of Arrow.  I've enjoyed reading Green Arrow (before the New 52 turned it to crap) and I've enjoyed the first two season of the CW hit.  It feels like a good mixture of Smallville and The Dark Knight trilogy.  And I'm even more excited for the coming spin-off, The Flash.  SDCC attendees were privilaged to see footage from season 3, which featured Roy Harper in full Red Arrow gear, and the hint that Ra's Al Ghul will be showing up after being talked about for two years. 

Roy finally becoming Red Arrow was something I've been waiting to see.  The trailer also showed the blossoming Oliver/Felicity relationship, which I do not support.  Green Arrow and Black Canary.  That's what it is, and should be.  The Ra's Al Ghul tease surprised me. Ra's is a Batman villain.  To put in him in a Green Arrow TV show just makes it seem like we won't see him in any upcoming Batman movies.  Or, perhaps, Christopher Nolan has made the character so known that the show creators are hoping viewers can just jump right in with Ra's.  I see it now.  With The Flash, and other DC heroes, set to show up on both shows I'm psyched to see what comes next for DC TV!

Just as a side-note.  The trailer for the documentary The Death of Superman Lives; What Happend? also premiered at SDCC.  I heard about this documentary years ago.  Then I saw the director, John Schnepp, on AMC Movie Talk and started to care more about this film.  The documentary will see Schnepp interview anyone connected to the Superman film of the 1990's that almost happend.  Schnepp has spent the last few years taking donations to finish this film where we'll hear from Tim Burton to Kevin Smith about a movie where Nicolas Cage was supposed to play Superman.  I'm excited to see this thing because I have come to love hearing what Schnepp has to say every week on AMC Movie Talk.  And I remember when this whole thing was going on, which means I'm old.

The big event of SDCC was supposed to be the Avengers: Age of Ultron panel.  The whole cast was there, minus director Joss Whedon and a prego Scarlet Johansson.  I haven't seen any of the panel, but I've read all about it.  To be honest I feel Entertainment Weekly's recent article got the jump on Comic-Con.  I didn't hear anything new that I hadn't already read about in the EW article.  But don't get me wrong, I'm still SUPER PSYCHED for this film.

The night before the Avengers panel I had this feeling like DC/Warner Bros were up to something.  Warner Bros knew everyone was there for Avengers, but they have the big movie in their back pocket.  I even tweeted the night before:

"I have this feelin, after the Avengers panel DC/Warner Bros will be like, 'Oh yeah, well here's Wonder Woman!'"

And what happend the day of the Avengers panel?  Not only was a picture of Wonder Woman released, but they showed a teaser from BatmanvSuperman: Dawn of Justice where Bats and Sups look like they are about to throw down in the rain.  Then, to add the cherry on this sweet sundae, they have Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot all come out and say hi.  I don't even think they even said that, but either way Warner Bros just ran up, kicked Marvel Studios in the balls, and ran away laughing!

Now I have to admit, Gal Gadot does look cool in the Wonder Woman outfit, but the worry of this fan boy has never been how she looked, but how she can act, or lack there of.  Also, this looks like she belongs in a 300 sequel.  I didn't like Man of Steel and I blame Zach Snyder for it.  I think Warner Bros has backed the wrong horse with him running this DC cinematic universe and while I've been very hesitant of BatmanvSuperman because of Snyder, even I will admit, that teaser was f%cking cool.  People will see this film because it will give them what they've wanted for decades; Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman in a live-action film together with a promise of a Justice League to follow.  But I am still hesitant of this film and more excited for Avengers: Age of Ultron.....for now.

Comic News Round-Up: July 20(Otherwise known as 2 Weeks till Guardians of the Galaxy)

Before I let another week ago by  with missing my blog entry I decided to do a quick one about some recent comic book and comic related news.  I know I've been slacking a little on my blogging lately, but I've come to the point where I feel like I'm just blowing hot air on this site, and I would love to possibly start a podcast if anyone is interested in joining me.  Or if you like the idea of me just doing a weekly round-up on comic related news via this blog let me know that too.  I'm just trying to get as many readers as I can, even if it's just my Facebook friends.  Here are some comic related news you might not have heard of, and what I think.

SUPERMAN IS NOW THE ATOM:  Brandon Routh, the actor who played Superman in the 2006 film Superman Returns has just been cast to play Ray Palmer in the upcoming third season of Arrow.  In the DC Universe Palmer is the superhero known as The Atom, a scientist who can change his body size to shrink down to the size of an atom.  Routh hasn't had any big roles since appearing as the Man of Steel, and Superman Returns was not well received (even though I liked it).  I've seen him in the Kevin Smith film, Zach and Miri Make A Porno, and he also played a villain on the TV series Chuck.
I'm excited for this news!  I liked Routh as Superman and his '"Return" to the DCU makes it seem like he's being given a second chance to please fan boys.  Palmer is supposed to take over Queen Industries in the next Arrow season.  It's not said whether we'll see him become The Atom but the expansion of the DC TV Universe has got me excited.

THE ARROW'S COUSIN IS FIRESTORM:  Speaking of expanding the DCTV characters, it was announced that Robbie Amell has been cast to play Firestorm in the upcoming Arrow spin-off series, The Flash.  If Robbie's last name sounds familiar it's because he is the cousin of Stephen Amell, the actor who plays Oliver Queen on Arrow.  Talk about keeping it in the family.
I'm not too familiar with Amell's previous work since I never watched The Tomorrow People or Revenge.  I'm sure Firestorm, a.k.a. Ronnie Raymond, will be a bit different than the standard comic book look; since his head is on fire in the comics.  Either way the casting of Amell and Routh adds two more Justice League members to the DCTV club. Arrow has already introduced Green Arrow, Black Canary, The Flash, and Speedy/Red Arrow.
But don't count on Clark Kent or Bruce Wayner popping in.  Warner Bros has already said they won't, which is fine of me.  I'd much rather see Hal Jordan or another lesser-known hero show up to have a similar 'Justice League' episode like Smallville did in it's sixth season.  I love how the DCTV Universe is shaping up.  I think it's looking way better than the Cinematic Universe.

THOR IS A GIRL:  Marvel seems to be getting a jump on the Comic-Con spoilers a week early as they came out with several big pieces of news this week.  One I will mention down below.  Another is Entertainment Weekly's Avengers: Age of Ultron exclusive.  Finally, Marvel as announced that after their Original Sin storyline Thor will become a woman.  Apparently something happens that makes Thor unworthy to bear the mighty hammer.  A woman then takes the reigns as the God(dess) of Thunder.
I've read comics my whole life and I know a publicity stunt when I see one.  I know they're trying to bring in more female readers and sell more comics, but eventually everything goes back to the status quo.  The initial issue will sell a few more hundred comics, but readers will die off and then they will bring the original Thor back just about the same time the new Avengers film comes out, which stars a male Thor.  I've never been a Thor reader, and if the idea is good I'm all for it, just as long as it doesn't change what they're doing in the movies.

CAPTAIN AMERICA IS A BLACK MAN:  The other piece of Marvel news last week is that Cap is hanging up his shield...again, and letting someone else don the Captain America name....again.  Last time, when everyone thought Steve Rogers was dead, his former sidekick Bucky Barnes took over as Captain America.  I'm glad Bucky isn't taking a step back to play the part again because as much as I loved 'Bucky Cap' I'm loving where they are taking Winter Soldier in the Marvel U.
This time Cap's longtime partner, Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Falcon, will be throwing the legendary shield.  Apparently Steve becomes an old man and looses his super-human powers, causing Sam to take over the American symbol.  This of course is another publicity stunt that will be over by next summer.  Marvel wants to sell comics.  So they come up with this idea of shaking things up, but then everything will return to the status quo when Steve Rogers appears in a movie as Captain America.  Because you can't sell more comic books to the little boy who wants to buy a Captain America comic book, if it's not the Captain America he saw at the theater.  Trust me. Just ask Superman, Spider-Man, Batman, and.....Captain America.  Did anybody ever even notice the Human Torch died?