Somewhere, in a land where unicorns dance with pegasuses (pegasi?) at the Equine Cotillion, the superhero movies in our head are being made. My own personal Batman movie has cameos by a young CGI Adam West imparting wisdom to Christian Bale on how to properly handle a Joker.
That is just one of the many scenes of the “Batman Movie In My Head.” It’s not quite done and I’m not quite sure it ever will be. Here’s what I do know… it’ll probably be a movie presented in six, three-hour long parts and feature everything I love about Batman. I will keep adding scenes, firing directors, recasting actors and throwing imaginary money at it. F*** practical application, f*** a studio, f*** the actors I want being dead or too old to play the part.
F*** you, I have a movie in my head to make.
(ahem)
That said, I just realized I fired myself from the epic, six part, three-hour long each “Batman Movie In My Head” and been replaced with a studio wanting a return on their investment, a director who cares about these sorts of things, a casting director who knows nothing about CGI, actors interested in working with that puissant and a writer who knows story structure.
F*** them.
That said, this summer, I went to the movies knowing the movies-in-my-head wouldn’t ever be made and sent a mental mash note to a 12-year old Devon circa 1984. I told him over the course of the summer of 2011, in a dark movie theater and watching movies based on some your favorite things in the whole wide world will become movies. A Green Lantern movie! Yes, a Green Lantern movie! The technology finally caught up with the idea of a Green Lantern movie and yes, they do sort of botch it up with a horrible script and an actor you won’t like in twenty-seven years but kid, you’ll be sitting with friends watching this thing you’ve always wanted to see. Just try and be OK with it and enjoy.
You’ll see a Thor movie that won’t remind you in any way of the Walt Simonson Thor comics you’re reading right now but that’s OK. It’ll still be a fun movie. As a matter of fact, if you can look at it as the best Masters Of The Universe movie Hollywood will never make, you’ll love it even more. Oh, and it leads into an Avengers movie… but, first, you’ll have to watch the Captain America movie. Yeah, seriously…
Also, this summer, there will be a movie called X-Men: First Class starring this guy Kevin Bacon who’s in this movie coming out called “Footloose.” You won’t give a crap about “Footloose,” matter of fact, you still won’t have seen it but you’ll have met Kevin Bacon once and found him to be an alright guy so his casting will make you happy. He does a great job and you won’t believe who he’s playing. This movie’s sort of like a blend of “The X-Men meets James Bond.” Two of your favorite things, right? I KNOW!
Oh, and Captain America: The First Avenger? It hasn’t come out yet but man, it looks great. The guy who played The Human Torch is Captain America…
(sigh)
What is the big deal about a guy who played one comic book character not being able to playing another? There’s no rule against it. No, there isn’t. I know things. There won’t be in 2011 so, shut up. I’m from the future!
Just enjoy your “Movie Summer Of Awesome.” The movies-in-your-head already has its own greatest audience and always will. The kid in you who won’t believe he’ll see a Thor, Captain America, X-Men and Green Lantern movie all in ONE SUMMER will thank you for letting him enjoy it in peace and quiet.
Say it with me… “I love comics.”
OK, now try this… “ I love comics. I am a grown person who realizes no one, especially DC Comics, is trying to rape my childhood.”
See, now doesn’t that feel great to get that off of your chest? With that declaration of independence, you’re taking ownership of your future and more importantly, past comic book enjoyment. Fly away, little bird…
Oh, you’re still here. Oh, OK. You want context. Sure, I can give you that.
We all know that about a month ago, DC Comics announced a reboot of its massive continuity-intensive universe with, get this, the launch of 52 different titles in one month’s time. This news was met with much gnashing of teeth and comics fans rolling up their sleeves, ready to get down to the very serious business of complaining about change.
We complained about everything from Superman’s lack of red underwear, to the move by DC to do “day and date” digital distribution to well… we really did complain about just about everything. (Full disclosure: I was a general at the front lines.) We complained and complained but what we never did was take a look at the underlying cause of this reboot.
Us.
Numbers.
We’re their numbers and our numbers suck.
Comics’ best selling titles nowadays are barely breaking the 100,000 readers mark and falling everyday. New readers aren’t coming in to bolster those numbers. We’ve become a boutique market, constantly shrinking and yet, demanding our tastes and dwindling dollar be catered to more and more everyday. Our favorite medium cannot and will not survive under these conditions. It’s simple; cash rules everything around us and any good business must go where the paper is. There are millions of potential new fans out there who don’t give a damn about comics and frankly, they’re the ones who need speaking to. Not us. We’re already here. And yes, I’m with you. We are the ones who’ve kept the comics flame burning over time with our loyal dollar. Is DC trying to give us the chance to get the f**k out we might have been looking for? Why are we being asked to toss our childhood memories to the side so that new “civilian” readers can come into our hobby and mess shit up for the rest of us? Because, frankly, now, more than ever, we need to support our medium, even if the execution’s has much to be desired, the intent is to save it.
All this business is asking of you is to let others give it a chance. They need them just as much as they need you. All I can say to you is to do with your upcoming DC Comics dollar is what you would do in any other facet in life: choose wisely. Buy what piques your interest, leave behind what your mind tells you you’re done with. Essentially, use your dollar like you would as an adult.
No one’s asking you to abandon your childhood. Your childhood doesn’t need defending. It’s yours. Your memories will still be on the page and in your mind. Trust me, Chris Meloni won’t be on scene every Wednesday in your local comics shop.You’re gonna be OK. Your childhood will still be OK.
When you walk into the comics shop, you’ll be just as valued, if not more, than ever before. What we all choose to do with the new-ness of this is entirely up to us. Me? Hell, I love comics and DC, you’ve certainly got MY attention. Impress me. You haven’t done that in a while.
Honestly, I’m happy you gave yourselves permission to try and do so again.
 Sorry for the confusing headline. Not trying to imply that Batman has a new sidekick. At least, not yet. As far as I know, Damian Wayne is still going to be Robin in the all new, all different DC Universe this fall. That said, the controversial, yet still eagerly anticipated, reset of the entire DC Universe has some fans scratching their heads, and others drooling over the creative teams announced to navigate the new DC landscape. One of those drool-inducing teams is writer Brian Azzarello and artist Cliff Chiang at the helm of the new adventures of the Amazon princess herself in this September’s Wonder Woman #1.
Though he couldn’t divulge any classified information about what’s actually going to happen inside the covers of the comic, Chiang was able to discuss what makes Wonder Woman such an enduring icon as well as why Diana would make for a badass rock star. Also discussed: Cliff’s love of ’80s music and giant robots. Not necessarily in that order.
UPDATED June 27, 2011: Pre-order information for Cliff’s “Mecha” t-shirt is now available at Epic Proportions!
Comic-Con is around the corner and Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) is bringing out their big guns at the world’s leading pop culture convention with a star-studded lineup of performers and producers from Warner Bros. Television and Warner Bros. Animation series.
Having already submitted their itinerary for the event with 16 different television series set to make appearances. 5 of which are completely new and coming soon and many panel sessions, screenings, media appearances and autograph signings will be underway.
Three new upcoming television shows and two new animated series are set to appear this year:
Alcatraz: Stars Sarah Jones and Jorge Garcia join executive producer Elizabeth Sarnoff — a chilling new midseason drama for FOX revolving around America’s most infamous prison, the one-time home to the nation’s worst murderers, rapists, kidnappers, thieves and arsonists.
Person of Interest: Stars Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson and Taraji P. Henson join executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman — an action-packed hour for CBS about an ex-CIA operative and a mysterious billionaire who team up to stop violent crimes before they happen in New York City.
The Secret Circle: From executive producers/writers Kevin Williamson, Andrew Miller and Richard Hatem — The ordinary becomes extraordinary in this romantic drama about a coven of young witches, from The Vampire Diaries executive producer Kevin Williamson, based upon the book series by L.J. Smith (The Vampire Diaries) and stars Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Phoebe Tonkin and Natasha Henstridge.
Green Lantern: The Animated Series: Executive producer Bruce Timm will join producer Giancarlo Volpe and producer/story editor Jim Krieg for a panel moderated by executive producer/Warner Bros. Animation’s Sam Register
ThunderCats: Producers Michael Jelenic and Ethan Spaulding, and art director Dan Norton
Pilot screenings will be held on SDCC’s preview night, July 20, for Alcatraz, The Secret Circle, Person of Interest, and Supernatural: The Anime Series. For continuing info on the Studio’s plans at Comic-Con, please follow us on Twitter @TheWBdotcom, hashtag #WBSDCC, and visit www.thewb.com/comiccon.
SDCC 2011 will be happening July 21-24.
As more information on the DC Relaunch reaches to comics community at large, friend, comic convention road dawg, and fellow blogger JD Lombardi has taken to the interwebs to share his thoughts and speculations the whole thing in his latest edition of Lowest Common Lombardi.
By the looks of DC’s September solicits there is a lot of stuff to wonder about as well as be excited about…and worried about, of course. Sometimes everything new is old again and that isn’t such a bad thing, making stuff simpler. Tweak a costume here…nip an origin there…tuck a team lineup and BLAMMO! We’ve got some interesting concepts that’ll look new to prospective buyers and still seem familiar to us old faithful purchasers.
You can check out the rest of his article here.
Hello, name is Devon Sanders. I’ve written some things. Thousands of comics reviews for CHUD and JoBlo.
I’ve interviewed some of comics’ greats: Mike Carey, Howard Chaykin, Cliff Chiang, Jimmy Palmiotti & Warren Ellis.
Recently, I was quoted on CNN.com.
And yet, you DO. NOT. KNOW. ME but you know what?
I do know you.
I manage a comic shop. After working comics retail for nearly 15 years, I’ve rung you up, answered your questions. Soon after, I’ve seen you become more curious about this comics hobby. I’ve watched as you’ve learned to appreciate certain creators and characters.
I’ve seen you go from strictly an X-Men fan and boldly declare that you wanted something “different” from your comics.
“Different” sometimes meant a new Gambit series but hey, I loved you anyway.
I watched as you somehow made the leap from “Spawn” to “Scott Pilgrim” and marveled at how we were all “getting it.” Comics isn’t a genre, it’s a medium. A medium that allows for a superhero condemned to Hell can become a gateway to a lovesick Canadian boy and it all just somehow makes sense.
I watched you become savvy. I watched as you found a voice within the comics shop and loudly proclaim your love for all things “geek.” I listened to you talk to others about the new Doctor Who. I listened as you talked about the best actor to portray Batman. (You were wrong. It’s Batman: The Animated Series’ Kevin Conroy.) I high-fived you when we spoke about the final episode of Justice League Unlimited. (It was so damned good.)
I listened as you declared that “Han shot first” and “Lucas had no right to take that from us.”
Somehow, the person that walked in alone made everyone around them an “us.” You see, these thoughts were there all along. Your comics shop was happy to serve as the place in which you could express them.
You’re reading this because you’re smart enough to love comics. You’ve come to read this because you love pop culture.
Every two weeks I’ll be here writing about comics or whatever the hell is on my mind and yes, we have a LOT to talk about.
So…
Welcome to PopCultureShock. The Gateway is open.
And we’re happy to have you.
With news of DC Comics relaunching their major superhero universe with #1′s for over 50 titles, as well as day and date release for comics in both digital and print form, myself, Howard, LeRon, and Reubin got together to talk about DC’s plans, and what it means for their overall comics universe.
DC has made a couple huge announcements recently. One of those announcements was that they will re-launch all their comics in September starting with issue #1′s on each book. The other is that they are re-designing over 50 popular characters in the DC universe. Hit the jump for more details and the first image of some of the re-designed DC heroes: The Justice League.
He’s made quite a name for himself as “the man your man could be if he smelled like Old Spice”, but Isaiah Mustafa has definitely been putting himself out there as an actor, and making it well-known that he’d like to take on the Marvel character, Luke Cage. Such a project has yet to pull itself out from “development hell”, But sometimes it just takes all the right pieces to fall into place to really get the ball rolling. Could Mustafa be one of those pieces?
Cotdamn!!! After months of speculation, bad word of mouth, and confusing details and what costume the character would even wear, The Hollywood Reporter has broken news that NBC has chosen not to take David E. Kelley’s revamp of Wonder Woman to series.
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